It's About Time

This post is a prequel of sorts to my new hobby #2 which I doubt anyone remembers me writing about, because I have yet to reveal it (click here for a reminder).

When I moved into my house... two years, one month, and 24 days ago, I decided that I wanted a wall dedicated to my grandchildrens pictures. I had the perfect wall and an idea of what I wanted to do. I purchased five black frames at Rod Works (I only had 5 grandchildren then) and a rod to (fake) hang the frames from, as well as some ribbon for the fake hanging (that sounds a bit violent). I came home and put the stuff in my craft room... where it has been ever since.

Here I am; three, almost four more grandchildren later, and I finally put my "wall" together. I had to buy more frames of course, and I have a spot, front and center, all ready for our newest little guy who isn't due for four more weeks (but is trying to come sooner). I don't think I'm pleased with my ribbon choice... but I can change that. What do you think about my grandchildren wall? If you don't like the wall... what do you think of my grandchildren?

The Letter of the Law

Two weeks ago at our Weight Watchers meeting our leader challenged us to not eat any Halloween candy until Halloween. This meant not eating any candy that came from the Halloween aisle at the grocery store, or candy corn, or Halloween colored m&m's, etc.... of course, she explained, we could still eat candy from the "regular" candy aisle (and I must insert here, if you choose to eat candy you do have to count points). I am always ready to take on a challenge such as this, so I committed myself to not eat any Halloween candy, until Halloween.

I have a jar full of candy corn (decorative purposes only... they don't appeal to me) and I have a jar full of Halloween wrapped Hershey Kisses (decorative purposes only... and they totally appeal to me), but I am determined to achieve my goal. I found it coincidental that our leader mentioned Halloween peanut m&m's during her challenge to our group because peanut m&m's (my favs) have become my Saturday treat; I especially love them poured over hot, buttered popcorn. On this particular Saturday, when my WW leader had mentioned m&m's, I had to fore go my previously-opened-and-still-half-full-bag-of-Halloween-m&m's to go to the store and buy a bag that are not Halloween colors... hence, the letter of the law.

I have plenty of candy on hand, ready for the trick-or-treaters. I have Hershey Kisses and candy corn that haven't been touched. I still have a bag of Halloween peanut m&m's sitting in the pantry; untouched, but in a moment I will go downstairs and open a brand new bag of original colored peanut m&m's, because where m&m's are concerned... I'm living the letter of the law.

What are your favorite Halloween-candies-that-aren't-in-Halloween-bags-or-wrappers-so-you-can-follow-the-letter-of-the-law-too?

These Shoes Were Made For... Tossin'?

I have this little ritual, or... rite of passage that occurs every couple of years. I get a new pair of walking shoes. This year Michael gave me my new walking shoes for Mother's Day. The shoes in the picture above were my last pair of walking shoes (click here if you'd like to read about me and "them" in a 5-K race). When I get new walking shoes, my old shoes take on a new role... they become my "wait-at-the-back-door-shoes" which means, that they are always there waiting for me when I'm leaving for work, or, when I have to run a quick errand to the grocery store, or if someone comes over and I have to quickly hide my bare feet (sorry, that's another story... and you're never going to read it). They actually become very useful shoes for me.

Last Saturday Mike and I went on a drive with our friends Steve and Becky. It was a beautiful day. We listened to conference as we drove, Steve had a little snooze... or two; Mike drove, and me and Becky visited (while we listened attentively to the first session of conference).
We stopped at a campground in the mountains to enjoy a picnic lunch consisting of Leger's sandwiches (have you tried that deli? A.MA.ZING).

After lunch we walked along a designated trail (and I emphasize DESIGNATED) to the restroom; which was closed. So we headed back down the trail and got into the car to go home. Even as we were just starting to drive through the campground to the exit, I detected an offensive, really offensive smell... and it was ME!! Well, not really me, but on me. Nobody else seemed to have noticed it. "I think it's on my shoe!" I said, as I lifted first one foot and then the other. Sure enough, there it was on the sole of my left foot. Ooooohhhh, aaarrrggghhhhh, sick, gross!!!! times a ga-zillion!!!! "I'm throwing these shoes away, where's the garbage!?!" I proclaimed without any hesitation. Now everyone was noticing the smell (smell is a generous word here), I mean STINK!!!! There were no trash receptacles in this campground, so Mike pulled the car over and threw the offensive shoes into the shrubs, and I was left with nothing but socks to cover my feet (click here to read Becky's blog post and see photographic proof).

Now you might ask, why didn't you just clean your shoes off? well... I didn't want to. They are my old shoes, they've done their time, paid their dues... but on Monday morning when I was leaving for work and went to put my shoes on... they weren't there. Oh dear, I forgot; now I was going to have to wear my new walking shoes to work, and if you know me very well at all, you know that I didn't want to do that, 'cause... they are for walking in, not working in.

So here's a little advice if you are going to the mountains and you don't want to end up wearing your walking shoes to work: wear your oldest shoes and stay off the trails... 'cause apparently they are only for dogs; and always, always wear your socks, especially if you don't want to go bare foot when your shoes are in the shrubs... and that's still the story that you're never going to read.

It's Autumn Time

It's Fall. My favorite season of the year. There are so many things to love about fall... the cooler temperatures, the crisp air, the smells, the changing colors, keeping the windows open, wanting my blankets over me when I go to bed, Hershey kisses in autumn colors, Halloween, Thanksgiving, decorating the house, hot chocolate, season premieres of my favorite TV shows, the primary program, general conference, putting away the summer clothes, the favorites party, bread bowls at Leger's Deli, drives in the mountains, turning the fire on, the family coming over after the priesthood session for pizza and a movie, watching Summer Magic and Watcher in the Woods, Charlie Brown and Ichabod Crane, buying my hubby a carmel apple from Cavenaugh's, rain (with a little thunder and lightening), apple scented candles, door busters at Rod Works, seasonal soap fragrances from Bath & Body Works, my grandchildren coming over to trick-or-treat, fall cleaning (seriously... love it!!), musical at BHS, the DHS marching band, going on my walk, slightly overcast days, will my list ever end? No... 'cause I LOVE fall. What do you love about fall?

Fall Favorites

It's almost time for the favorites party, so I'm thinking of a few of my "fall" favorites.

I love, love, LOVE Clinique bonus time. Caitlin and I went to Dillard's last Saturday, and we each received the bonus pictured above with our purchases.

I love going to the movies... while at the movies, I especially love popcorn with layered butter... and of course, some peanut m&m's poured over the top (I shared a photo in my last favorites post).

I love my tub filled with this Bath & Body Works stress relief bath foam.

I love "Rod Works". It's a great store with lots of fun ideas for decorating (just went there today).

My newest fav (I had it 4 times this week), fruit and maple oatmeal at McDonald's. It's delicious. You've got to try it!

An old fav, a fruit and yogurt parfait, also from McDonald's (the best one I ever had was in Battle Mountain, Nevada... seriously).

What can I say? I LOVE "Survivor". It just started last Wednesday. There are two people from Utah on the show this season.

Just discovered these a few months ago... Garden Salsa Sunchips. Sooooo good.

Family Pics

I shared a "sneak peak" of our family picture at the end of June... tonight my sister (click here to see her photography blog) gave me a disc of the pictures I chose, and they are ready to be printed. Here are just a few. You have to agree... my family is beautiful!!!

My four kids

Andy's family

Jeff's family

Jeremy's family

Caitlin's family

A Bit of Heaven On Earth

I think pretty much anyone who knows me really well, or reads my blog... knows that I love the ocean (t'ocean). But does anyone know how much Mike equally loves Yellowstone? And that Mike loves to take me to the ocean, and that I love to take him to Yellowstone?... which is what we did this weekend. It was especially fun this time to join our kids Jeremy and Emily, and our handsome grandsons Mason and Tanner. We also took a side-trip to Yellowstone Bear World in Rexburg (one of those places you drive by on every trip and say, "one of these days we'll stop there", well... "one of these days" finally arrived).



Mike at his favorite place in the park... Hayden Valley. He, Jeremy and Mason spent a couple of hours sitting patiently waiting for a grizzly bear and a pack of wolves. The bear was a no-show, but seven wolves appeared and joined an eighth and the guys watched them make their way across the valley.



This was one of very few elk we saw on this trip, which was very unusual, we usually see so many.



We spent one night at the lake hotel. This is a great spot to sit and capture the beauty of the lake... although I just wanted to capture a picture of the family (just ask the guy that took the picture for me).



Last look at Hayden Valley on our way out.

We sat and watched this grizzly playing in the water for several minutes at Bear World.

A "tour truck" at Bear World, filled with people feeding the bears. It reminds me of what Yellowstone was like years, and years ago.