New Car - Part One

It's that time of year again when you drive your old beater to a safety and emissions bay of any old Oil & Lube shop, heart pounding and wiping your sweaty palms on your pants, praying that your car passes, just so you can register the thing.

Matt and I have lived in Utah just over 3 years now and every time we take Matt's car in for the testing, we end up with a laundry list of things to fix before anyone will give us a pass. Well, this year, the list was just a little too long and much too expensive to dwell on. so, what do we do?

Trade it in for a 2008 Jeep Patriot.

And, I actually fit pretty nicely in it. YAY!! (Anyone over 6' will appreciate this...)

So, we went in on a Saturday, made the trade, and since our credit union was closed, had to wait to sign paperwork until the next week.

So there we sat, Saturday night, reveling in the excitement of a new car when Mom and Dad asked if we were going off-roading with them the next day. Of course we went! This things got four-wheel drive, baby!

We had a blast, although it's quite different when you're off-roading in a vehicle that is yours (if not quite technically, yet). I was a bit stressed out and made myself take deep breaths. Often. We only scrapped bottom a few times, and learned when to get out and move the bigger boulders out of the way. Tip of the day: when an F-250 hits a rock, the Jeep will most definitely hit the rock.

Bryan had a blast! He was exaggerating the bumps and yelling WEEE!!! Wahoo!!!! for about an hour. Then he got sick of it and wanted lunch.

On our way home, Bryan zonked out for a much needed nap. Coming around a bend in the road, we almost hit a whole herd of sheep! The Uintas have open range for local farmers and for miles and miles we saw traces of the herd's passing. We had to wade through a couple of them...

So, here's some pics:

Highlights

Hello Again!!

It been a very busy few months so I thought I'd post the highlights of everything that's gone on. So sit back, relax, and prepare for a TON of pictures!

Portland

Bryan and Matt at the Tillimook Cheese Factory. Poor Bryan couldn't have any cheese...

Bryan overlooking the cliffs on a hike from Ecola Beach to Indian Beach.

Bryan and Grandpa Hull waiving to Daddy

The view from the top of the Astoria Column.

Bryan lovin it up with Grandma and Grandpa.

Watching the Dragon Boat races on the Portland waterfront with Natalie, her boys and Julianna.

Playin with Tommy and Michael... kind of.

Just in case you weren't sure what that big expanse of water was, the sign will help you out.

All the boys watching the boats.

We had such a great time in Portland! Can't wait to go back.

Mom's Birthday at the Drive-In

Trent pretending to be asleep so he doesn't have to deal with Nana. Hehehe :)

Drew and Bryan enjoying the cake.

The Six-Month Project

Yeah, it took six months, but sooo worth the wait. Matt made this cabinet for us, with my Dad's help and with the money his parents sent us for Christmas. Thank you everyone!!

The 4th of July

Waiting for the show to begin.

Beautiful!!

My Growing Boy

Say "Cheeeese"!!!

Hangin With Aunt Jamie and Uncle Jake

That's our last couple months in a nutshell. It's been such a busy time, and there are more stressful weeks ahead of us, but we've had so much fun! And we are so thankful for all the great times we've been able to have with our family. We love you all!!!

Antelope Island

Last month, while my parents were watching my sister's kids, we all made a trip to Antelope Island. It's the largest island in the Great Salt Lake and, as you can probably guess, there are antelope living there, along with a myriad of birds and best of all: Buffalo. There are around 500 buffalo on the island and you will never know if you will see any or if they are all hiding from you.

One of our favorite things to see on the island is a ranch on the south end. It has the oldest house in Utah still on it original foundation. (That's their claim to fame...) It's a pretty cool old house full of antiques. There's also a barn, farm-hand housing, a spring house (which Papa told the kids is where they took naughty kids to drown them), a chicken coop and horses.

Bryan loves horses. Every day on our way to and from Bethany's house, we pass fields abounding in horses and I hear a constant stream of "Ne-e-e-igh, Ne-e-e-igh" from the back seat.

On this trip to the island, we also go to see people on horseback and hear the excited "ne-e-e-igh, Ne-e-e-igh" as they trotted past. I would highly recommend the drive out there - the kids had a blast!

Here's some pics of our trip (sorry there's a ton!):

Huh?

Do you ever have those times when you just want sit talk, but you have no idea what to say or if, when you do start talking, if it will make any sense to those listening?

Yeah. That's this moment. I apologize to any who have clicked on this post and will not have my feelings hurt if you close this blog right now. Or click on "Next Blog". I might even suggest it.

Speaking of which, have you ever done that? Clicked on Next Blog? You can end up on some pretty weird blogs. There are some fun ones out there, but most of them just make me feel normal - which is hard to do some days!

Anyway. I'm sitting here, musing. And as you can imagine, my musings are quite random. I'm realizing that I have no real goals. Of course I have general goals... stay in our budget for this paycheck while paying all the bills and possibly get out of debt, be a good person, go to church even when I really don't feel like it (thanks Matt!), try to be a good wife and mother.

I've formed dreams and aspirations, longings and desires, but I haven't put those into action. So. Here's some goals that you (if you've stayed with me up to this point and are willing to go a little further) will now have to listen to and might possibly have the chance of seeing me reach for and hopefully achieve. Nothing big - don't get your hopes up.

1. Do not let clean laundry sit in the basket for more than one night. (Tonight is that night so now you know what I'm doing tomorrow. Last night doesn't count, right?)

2. Play my piano at least once a week so as to not loose the little I know. Even if it is Chopsticks with Bryan's help.

3. Make a dessert for my hubby at least once a month. (Did that yesterday so I'm good for May - you'll be seeing that on Desserts By Trial shortly... Last night totally counts on this one.)

4. Read to/with Bryan every day.

5. Continue to develop my crochet on-the-side-business.

6. Bring joy to others. Everyday.

Exercise should probably be on here, but, I really haven't found a way for that to work right now.

That's about it for now. Oh - and to document my struggle with these goals on this or my other blogs. Not too much though, just a little note here and there. And probably not goal #6. Not into that whole "look at me and how great I am" stuff.

And I might have to set a reminder in outlook to update this thing. If you're thinking that I'm a nerd for saying that (let alone actually doing that) you're right. I've come to terms with that. How many non-nerds out there crochet at my age?

Wow. I just re-read this thing and I'm really sorry you had to endure that.

What We've Been Up To

I've been so bad at updating everyone on our family. Time flies and days go by without time to take the 3 month old nail polish off my toes, let alone update the blog! One of these days, I'll be able to get the nail polish remover out...maybe.

Matt is working hard in the office. He's getting more comfortable with talking to anyone and everyone, working on getting some marketing done. Here comes the shameless plug: He's an awesome Chiropractor and is offering two Patient Appreciation Days in early March. Stay tuned for the dates and be sure to call for an appointment one of those days!! While we work to build the clinic, Matt works all night, five nights a week at a furniture warehouse. I love him so much and am so glad that he is willing to do anything to take care of his family.

Bryan is doing well. He's running everywhere and getting into anything he can reach...or climb up to. Anytime he wants something or wants me, he just calls "Ma? Maa-aaa! MA!!" He loves Bumr (our dog, Boomer) and loves throwing balls around the house. He will now knock at the door and call out "Hewoah!". He climbs the stairs all day and night, hoping to go outside or say hi to Nana and Papa, and Bumr, of course! Matt and I have been called to the nursery, so he will now get to play with the rest of the rug-rats at church, rather than sit out in the foyer, driving us crazy. He's so cute and has a great time making us laugh.

He's getting over a nasty cold and is extra "tender" in the mornings:

And what have I been doing? What else but proving the age of my soul by crocheting? I've been working with some different patterns and am excited to start some new projects. How dorky is that?

I might have carpal tunnel...

One of my many new projects:

(sorry it's a bit hard to see...)

It's Been a While

Okay, so it's been a while since I posted. That's what comes from deciding to sell handmade hats and scarves and leaving yourself no free time what-so-ever.

I was looking through some pics I've got saved on my work computer and decided to post some of my favorite ones. So here we go...

My wedding day in the Portland Temple Atrium

My sweet boys

I love that my family is not "too cool" to dress up for Halloween, just to take the kids around the neighborhood. My mother is the ring leader and I love it!!

Don't you just want to squeeze those cheeks?

Matt's parents are wonderful - and have a great sense of humor!

Trent, wearing a bonnet that I made. And loving it.

I have a Dad that can guilt me into doing anything - even curtsying to him before he would dance with me at my reception. I usually don't regret the things he guilts me into doing.

I love that my sister is so willing to take care of my son while I'm at work. I feel like he's safe there (from everyone but Drew) and they love him like only family can.

Bryan, not nearly as happy as Trent to be wearing the bonnet. Matt wasn't too happy either!

I love the family that I have been blessed with. I also love that we were actually able to get one good picture during that awful session! :)