Cutie P'tootie

Rachel said that if I updated my blog then she would send a newsy email. So Rat, here are three new posts. Where's my email?

This is Maddy and her Sweet Potatoes.

Yummy!!!

fish face

Why do I post these bad pictures? I think they were so funny I had to share. Linda caught me in the first moments after catching my fish. The face is classic, the chin(s) are... not so much. That fish was just so wiggly!

Goofy girls

I love my Young Women Presidency. Kristi said that we have to call ourselves OW now instead of YW - old women not young women! These women are awesome and I love them so much. We laughed so much together and stayed up way past midnight too many times for OW. I'm not sure why I'm posting this particular picture but it's a favorite of everyone but me. We were trying to get a nice picture and then the photographer said "ok, now everyone do something silly". This is the last time I do anything silly. See what happens - I end up the only one! Love you Jenn, Jamee and Kristi.

Primary

Yesterday was my first day in Primary. On Sarah's suggestion I made clothes to hang on the "laundry line" and each had the name of a song on the back. Those children who were singing well got to come and pick an article of clothing, and then from the dryer sheet box, a way to sing (slow, fast, boys, girls, backwards, underwater). I think it went well. I was surprisingly nervous. I suppose that will go away after awhile.

Rubber Ducky

Does this look like Aunt Katie or what?

The garden

For the past few months (since I've been so stingy with my blogging) my post about my herb garden has been front and center and has been calling me to update. I'm afraid to say, my garden isn't looking so well. Scott's dog Avery knocked over all but the Thyme and my tomatoes . . . well, I bottled these Saturday afternoon.

I did 3 batches and only had 2 that didn't seal I'd love to say that I grew these myself but alas, I'm afraid that my plants didn't do so well. Though my two tomato plants got fairly big, they didn't produce more than 2 or 3 tomatoes the size of grape tomatoes. Hm, maybe I planted a grape tomato plant by accident, yes, let's go with that.

I had a few tomatoes from Grandma'dele and a few from mom so I supplemented with two bushels from the fruit stand. Scott figures that I spent $2 a bottle and that I could have just purchased cans of whole tomatoes for cheaper. I suppose he's right but there is nothing better than a jar of tomatoes you bottled yourself.

"Next year" I told him. Next year I will plant tomatoes in my garden for $1 a plant and will grow enough for 20 quarts. Then, it will be cheaper to bottle. (please don't hold me to that ok?)

A Most Ingenious Paradox

As you may know, we have an annual tradition to visit the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab with the Ontiveros'. Easter of 2009 was missed, however, due due to both families having 6 week old babies. To make up for it, we decided a Labor Day trip was in order. Linda, queen of KSL and Craig's List, found a little rental home in Paradox, CO, about an hour and a half southeast of Moab. Absolution Ranch is a small 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with lots of acreage. We were a little bit worried that we might end up in Paradox to find that there was no home to stay in and our rent, prepaid for the weekend, had been absconded. We were relieved to find a lovely little ranch right where the landlord said it should be. We arrived Friday evening and after we explored, the boys grilled steaks on the back patio while Linda and I settled in and checked blogs with the home's free wireless Internet connection.

Saturday morning we got up for a lazy breakfast at 8, puttered around until around 11, and then headed to see the town of Ouray. On the way there, we pulled of the highway to take some pictures of pictographs. I imagine they are ancient! I call this, man with long arms.Then, on our way to Ouray. We were bound for the hot springs. The drive was a little bit further than we anticipated (about 4 hours round trip) but the drive through the mountains was beautiful and the hot spring pool was so relaxing. The town of Ouray reminds me of Park City in that it is an old mining town, but it is less expensive. I really enjoyed it. And, you can't beat sitting in a hot pool with the mountains towering over you!

Saturday night while I was in the middle of making spaghetti for dinner (yum) the power went out in the valley. Luckily, we were using a gas stove so we found some candles and ending up having a nice little dinner by candlelight. After about 2 hours the lights came back on which was nice considering that when the power goes out, the well pump does too so we had no water with which to flush toilets! We were getting a bit desperate and were starting to think of creative bathroom solutions before bed.

Sunday morning the boys went for a ride on the dirt bikes in the hills behind the ranch while we girls scrapbooked. Boy, I haven't done that in ages and I'm afraid that I don't really know what it cool anymore. I did my best and with colorful papers and great pictures, I did some acceptable - even cute - pages for Maddy's scrapbook. After we had a late lunch, we went back up into the hills to fish. The boys had found a wonderful viewing spot and we took tons of pictures of our little valley. Linda had great eyes and spotted a black bear across the way. That was really neat. I've never seen a bear in the wild before. We were on the next ridge over so I felt safe while viewing. The best way to go if you ask me.

We fished in Buckeye Reservoir and Dan and I each caught a trout. Scott said that since I caught it, I was in charge of it. That meant that I had to kill it, clean it, prepare it, and cook it. We added it to our dinner and my pride at catching my dinner was only damped a bit by the fact that I wanted lemon juice with my fish.

Monday morning we got up and tidied up the place. We got back into our jeeps and headed back to Moab for a quick stop at Hole N" The Rock. I've driven past this place several times but never stopped. I thought it had to do with the pioneers and dropping a wagon down a ledge with ropes - not so. This Hole N" the Rock was actually a diner at some point. The Christensen's used it as a stopping place on the way between Moab and Monticello and blasted 14 rooms out of the rock to be their home. We didn't take the 12 minute tour through the house but I did sneak my camera up and over the partition and took an forbidden photo so you could see a bit.

Once we ate lunch we headed towards home. The closer we got the more and more excited I was to see Maddy. She had been at grandma and grandpa's house in Payson and after our call on Sunday, I knew that she wasn't missing me at all. She had so many cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents vying for her attentions and smiles, that I know she probably never had to cry for anything even once!

We drove in and sure enough, Maddy kind of just looked at us and was like "ho hum, I have my cousin Caroman here playing with me and you are home now - whatever". Boy, you don't know that you have missed someone until you see them again! It was a nice break from being a mommy but I was so glad to see her again.

So, that it is. A novel for sure - maybe just a novelette. Scott is reassured that we can still do some things sans children, I am reassured that I can function and not just cry sans children, and Maddy just exists. In case you haven't seen enough pictures, they are all here. Life is good. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for loving Maddy all weekend. We love you!

ps - bonus points to those who know why my title is weird . . . it's from a song . . .