I didn't mean...

I really didn't mean to take such a long break from the blog!  We've had some interesting things going on, starting with several trips away for Jared.  He had fun, but missed us.  We missed him, and started soccer in addition to karate, leaving Fridays and Sundays as our only non-sports-containing days. We are spending a lot of time driving places, and not so much time tucked away at home.

Then there was our exciting and very windy trip to Goblin Valley over spring break.  The wind [hah! maybe in honor of "spring BREAK?!?"] broke our tent pole the first night.  Our metal tent pole.  The one holding up the corner that I happened to be sleeping in.  Yep. That was thrilling.  So was the constant dust blowing into the tent, my clothing, my hair and eyes, oh, and my knitting.  Excitement all over.  Totally makes me grateful for solid walls and a washer and dryer.  Oh, and for hot running water, and a mattress, and wool socks.  Now, I realize that this sounds like I didn't enjoy myself.  I did, really I did!  I just think that normal camping stuff isn't as entertaining as the unexpected camping stuff.  So.  On our way out of Goblin Valley, we took a hike down Wild Horse Canyon, thinking it connected to Bell Canyon, and planning to hike back up Bell Canyon and over to our car.  Surprisingly, Wild Horse Canyon never met up with Bell, leaving us to retrace our footsteps back out.  Gorgeous slot canyon, BTW, even with the unexpected twist.  Turns out that LITTLE Wild Horse Canyon is the one that connects with Bell Canyon.  And isn't that surprising?  Two 'wild horse' canyons and they're within a mile or so of each other.  Oh, and FYI: when hiking slot canyons with your 4-legged friends, please be prepared to lift and hoist [or drop and catch] them in the places that have hand-holds but no paw-holds.  Thank you.  Also.  If you're a thirty-five-year-old woman who hasn't back-packed in a few years, please expect that your hips will burn with the fire of all those skipped workouts after you hike for 5 hours with a moderately heavy [30 pounds or so] backpack full of things you really didn't need in the first place.  Like your almost-12-year-old son's extra water bottle [full], and your knitting [which didn't weigh much, but was also completely unnecessary].

The same week we returned from Goblin Valley, Jared took Walker out to the north field to drag it.  Basically, cow poop dries as it gets older, and the grass cannot grow up through it, and dies underneath it, leaving all sorts of dead spots in your pasture.  Nasty things, dead spots.  Anyway, if you drag a metal grate behind your car, you can break up those dried-up cow poop piles, and then the grass grows nicely all spring and summer.  Walker got to drive the car.  He didn't hit anything.  Jared also drove the car.  He hit the fence.  *giggling*

Sometime between the pasture and the slot canyon, our dog lacerated the webbing between her first and second toes on her left front paw.  I took her into the vet, who sedated her and x-rayed her paw to ensure there was no bone infection.  Then she cleaned out the paw, stitched it up, and wrapped it good.  Lucky Kachina also got a "cone of shame"  [if you haven't seen the movie, UP, you should.  just for that, and the squirrels] so she wouldn't undo all the work that the vet did to fix her paw.  We had planned to drop her off at the breeder's house, and get her pregnant, which meant I asked the vet about seventeen times if Kachina would be all right to be bred, or if we should wait until she goes into heat again.  Thankfully our vet is quite patient, and reassured me, seventeen times, that our dog would be just fine, and we could safely breed her.  I'm sure that made Kachina so happy :).  BTW, she is home again, and the paw looks fine.  I've been giving her antibiotics in pieces of sausage, which she takes like the angel she really is.

While she was at the breeder's, we had Walker's 12th birthday.  Yes, that would be my oldest child, who is less than two inches shorter than I am.  *sigh* Where did all that time go?  Walker had an interesting 'day of birth' this year- first, he "got" to attend a karate belt test event for his brother and sister [not his first choice for a birthday celebration]. Then, while we were at the karate testing, he heard that his aunt had a baby girl [Eliza Kate] on his birthday- that was probably his favorite present this year! And, it snowed. He was less than thrilled about the snow. He did get to choose a restaurant for us to eat at, as a way for me to make up for the 'no birthday party until Sunday when we can have a huge celebration with dad actually here as well as family and friends.' Oh, and Hyrum and Morgen skipped a level in their testing [because they've worked hard and actually know the forms they needed to know] and both earned their gold belts. Yippee!!


Sunday last week, we invited all our relatives over, plus a few people who helped Walker as neighbors, friends, and scout leaders.  [when boys turn 12 in our church, they can- after an interview with their church leader to see if they're ready and able to handle the responsibility- be given the Aaronic Priesthood.  It's a pretty big deal.]  So, I had food cooked, and people bringing more food for the dinner afterwards, and lots of plans about what was supposed to happen that Sunday, and [of course] Jared got a call from work an hour before church, and had to report to his unit headquarters.  Things worked out, and he was able to drive his work truck back to the church in time to participate in Walker's ordination.  I'm calling this a miracle :)  We had a lot of good food, and wonderful visits with our family and friends. [those who could come, thank you!  those who couldn't, we missed you!]

Kachina is back home, and the vet says her paw is healing well.  It looks a lot better, and she isn't favoring it at all, thank goodness.  And, if the breeding took, we'll have puppies around the end of June.  Hooray! 

It snowed again last Wed.  which was the two-year anniversary of the day we lost Myles.  But that's a different post.  I'll just say that we are doing well as a family, and we miss him every day. 

With soccer, and piano, and karate, we're not home very often these days.  Thankfully, soccer season is quick- only 8 weeks- and we'll have a little more time to play when summer comes.  In the meantime, please don't call my cellphone [if you were planning on calling me anytime soon].  It had an unfortunate accident.  I'm not sure what, but I suspect it was having an affair with the vacuum, and they must have watched "Romeo and Juliet" because the vacuum died, and now my phone is also dead, of unknown causes.  And, because Sprint has this stupid rule about renewing contracts when you buy a new phone, I haven't replaced it yet.  *sigh* 

Tomorrow is soccer [again] and piano.  I'm hoping for warmer, snow-free weather :)

Gratitude List:
* an extra cellphone I can use in case I really do have an emergency.
* that my husband is calm, and doesn't care if I choose to buy an expensive cellphone to replace my old, dead one.
* that he also doesn't mind if I replace the old, dead vacuum :)
* we have good friends and wonderful family members, who are loving and supportive.
* I have a new niece!!!!!!!  [and she is absolutely adorable :)]
* all those modern conveniences [dishwasher, bed, central heat, solid sturdy walls and ceiling, washer/dryer, hot running water, cars...]
* I can go camping, and have a wonderful time, and then come back to my nice, modern home.
* my pioneer ancestors, who traveled across the ocean and most of the United States of America so I could live in a beautiful country with so many material blessings.
* cars that run, and run well.
* that an emergency trip to the vet is not a financial emergency [thank goodness for getting out of debt!]
* Kachina's paw is healing well, and we might [!!] be getting puppies in June :)
* Walker is 12 years old.
* online photo services, and 3-day mailing.
* trips to the temple.
* my parents are well.  So are my in-laws.  I'm thankful for their continued good health.
* God is good.

Short and sweet

Jared's home ;) for a bit, anyway, and we have spring break next week!  So, the days Jared isn't working we will be camping and hiking in lovely [during the day- it's downright creepy at night, though] Goblin Valley.  Today we loaded up on our camping supplies, and Jared double-checked all the equipment.  He's also cutting some firewood for us to take, since Goblin Valley is a state park, and there isn't much wood there anyway.  I am so excited, but I keep debating what to pack,  and wondering how many pairs of underwear I really need.  Because a ball of yarn is approximately the same size as my wadded up underclothes, and I really think the yarn will be more useful...

Also, is it wise to attempt to knit while hiking? 

I have actually knit while driving. [Nobody else was with me to stop me, though.  Or make fun of me, either.]  I was at an overly long stop light, and my knitting was right there, on top of my purse, and I got a whole row done!  I did put it down before attempting to steer.  But this brings me to another random point.  Jared and I both like to drive when we go on trips.  Sometimes we end up racing to the car and fighting over who gets into the driver's seat at rest stops, which is a lot more amusing for the other people watching us.  Anyway, I have realized that I would rather knit than drive, which [along with the discovery of audio books] has made a significant contribution to the peace- and safety- of our recent car trips. 

So. Gratitude List:
* All the snow that fell over Easter weekend has melted.  The grass is thinking about growing, and my daffodils are blooming.
* Jared is home. 
* Jared left his jacket in our bedroom, and I wore it :) because it smells like him.
* Walker got his 7th grade registration papers the other day.  Yes, he's growing up quickly.
* Oh, and Walker also brought home a report card: highest grade was an A, lowest was an A-.  I am so proud of him!
* Morgen got a great report card, and she also got a perfect attendance certificate for this past term!
* Hyrum also earned perfect attendance for this past term, and his report card was excellent.  Well, except for his handwriting.  That needs some work... :)
* I finished my last art class on Wednesday.  I'm sad to be done, but I already volunteered to teach next year, so I'm looking forward to that!
* Camping!  I know it's dirty, and we'll all smell funny when we get home, but I am excited for this trip. :)
* Wonderful spiritual messages from the prophet and other church leaders during our General Conference last week. 
* Watching my daughter take her lizard outside for some sun :)
* Family
* God

And snow returns

Not sure whose idea this was:

... the snow, I mean, not the kids hunting for Easter Eggs.  I know who to thank [blame?] for that.  A gentleman in our church group puts this hunt on each year, and invites all the neighborhood kids over on the Saturday before Easter Sunday.  We had fun, and the kids were excited about it, but Hyrum and Morgen had a hard time getting to some of the eggs, since they wore sandals!  

Currently, this is what I'm knitting on:
 

I tried to make a fingerless mitten about a month ago, and was less than pleased with it.  I frogged that mitten, and knit some dishcloths while I cleansed my knitting rage ;) at the non-cooperative yarn and pattern.  I found another pattern, altered it to work with the cables I wanted to include, and made notes of what I changed while I was knitting.  The last few times I've changed a pattern I've been sure I could remember the changes without writing them down.  This time [now I know better] I wrote down the changes on the pattern.   The first mitten is finished, and it fits!  I worked on it while I was listening to General Conference yesterday and today.  I have the second mitten on my needles now, and my goal is to finish that one before Jared gets back from New Mexico this week.

Hyrum was pretty upset that the Easter Bunny didn't leave eggs for him to find in our yard this year.  I told him that I thought the bunny must have left the snow instead.  That did not help.

Gratitude List:

* The wonderful, spiritual messages I have been blessed to hear this weekend as part of our church's semi-annual General Conference.

* My MIL had a health scare last week, but she is doing well, and home from the hospital.

* I love seeing new little green grass blades sticking out of the snow drifts.

* Spending today with my family, eating good food and playing fun games.

* Central heating for those unexpected April snowstorms.
* A lovely spontaneous visit with some good friends on Friday.  And no school for my kids, so they could come, too.
* Still loving the debt-free life!
* I finished a mitten, and it fits me!
* Art class is this week ;) and I'm already excited about our project.
* I found some lovely sock yarn on Saturday.  I bought it.  I have a [free] sock pattern, and this new project is going on my "to do" list.  Just because it's spring, and I would like to try knitting socks.
* No major allergy attacks this spring.  Maybe this is because there is still so much snow on the ground, but I'd like to think it is partially because those allergy shots are really working!
* I found some sheet music online that was no longer in print, and unavailable through my music store.  Bought it, downloaded it, and printed it- hooray!
* Beautiful weather.

* God is good.