a bit late

a snapshot of Morgen's science project:

I remember...

when $1.50 was an outrageous price for gas!

I also remember when I couldn't get gas for less than $4.00.

Satisfaction is

only thing better would be a wood-burning fire (this one is gas-powered).

Morning Routine

Every day before we let out the dogs we need to break the ice over their water bucket.

Quiet time

Took the picture on Friday, but wasn't able to post it because Walker was using the computer for homework. :)

Oh the weather outside is frightful

and there are lots of beautiful ice crystals on every surface.  Thank goodness for snowplows and salt.

fiber

and it isn't for me!

from left to right:
alpaca, acrylic, angora (on top), 80% bamboo/20% wool (on bottom), bamboo ribbon, cashmere, cotton, hemp (on top), linen (on bottom), silk (on top), and wool (on bottom).  All these are 100% of whichever fiber (excluding the wool/bamboo blend).  Morgen is doing a science fair project on the tensile strength of different fibers after they're exposed to extremely cold temperatures.  And I'm pretty excited about this because I can help! I know fiber!!  Plus she won't need the entire skein of each fiber- just 15 yards or so- and I'll just have to find something to do with the rest of the yarn. I hope I'm up for the challenge...

365

In an attempt to post here more regularly, I will be taking (and posting) a picture a day.  Here's to an interesting new year :)

My first knitting project of the year:

Halloween

 Morgen and Walker carved pumpkins with their youth groups the first week of October.  That sad little shriveled pumpkin below is Morgen's.  It froze, so it wasn't in danger of dissolving on our front porch, and it lent itself quite well to the spooky-icky side of Halloween!  Above it is the spider and owl pumpkin she carved with our family on Monday.

Walker carved the geometric window pumpkin.  It didn't hold together well, but he carved holes in the bottom, and that may have compromised its structural integrity.  Hyrum wanted "a scared guy who is leaking brains," so I free-handed the face, and he carved it out.  Not quite as disgusting as Walker's puking pumpkin from last year, but still icky!

Walker said he might dress up if I bought him a strait-jacket.  At $150+ per jacket, I decided to skip that lovely opportunity :).  Morgen changed her mind a few times, but finally settled on "goth" as her Halloween costume.

We dyed her hair (demi-permanent, so it'll wash out in another week or so), and bought some black trim at JoAnn's with which to make her some black jewelry:

Here's a close-up of her face:

We spent about 30 minutes on her makeup.  And she practiced her "goth face," which was basically her looking bored and a bit sullen.  I am SO glad this is a costume for her!
Hyrum wanted to be Legolas.  I made him a vest, pants, and a cape.  Jared made him a quiver, arrows, and a bow.  I also had some ears, but they didn't stay on, so Jared improvised with masking tape!

We had a good time- I took Hyrum, Morgen, and her friend to the church for our annual trunk-or-treat, then  back to our neighborhood.  M & friend took off to gather candy, and Hyrum went with a few of his friends.  I really wanted to have them go with an adult, BUT they are all 9, and old enough to trick-or-treat without me following behind them and spoiling their fun.  All in all, it was a pretty calm and fun evening.  I had 6 pieces of candy left over after we turned out our lights and went to bed.

Oh, and we've had a week of weirdly warm weather (at least for October). So, no more snow on the ground :( but good weather to trick-or-treat in.

Gratitude List:
* a mother-in-law who was willing to lend me her sewing machine (mine broke) so I could finish Hyrum's costume.
* creative kids
* beautiful fall weather
* good neighbors
* fun Halloween music (marie leveau, witch doctor, man with the hex, monster mash)
* candy :)
* a dishwasher that is NOT working. well, I am grateful for my dh who is repairing it, and for the lesson (to me) about how helpful an electric dishwasher IS.
* I can register my car online this year. wheee!
* a son who decided to wash the dishes for me today.  very thoughtful :)
* my family- all healthy and reasonably happy, and together.
* good friends
* I know who I am and what my purpose is/
* God is good.

lovely snowy weather

I expect that this winter will be snowier than the last one was.  Not hard, since our annual precipitation was less than half what we normally get!  And winter is off to a lovely cold start:

But I did enjoy all the lovely fall colors this year:

Last month we went to a civil war re-enactment that took place just down the street from our house- it was pretty informative and entertaining.  Walker's favorite part was listening to the doctor, who shared a bunch of  stories as well as discussing common ailments and the correct treatment of them.  My favorite part was the music- there was a lady there who played the hammered dulcimer, and it was lovely to listen to her!

That same day we visited an alpaca farm for their open barn day.  The animals were quite friendly, for alpacas (no spitting or running away or biting occurred), but they weren't really interested in eating the hay that Morgen and Hyrum offered them.  Nor were they interested in being petted...

We usually celebrate Myles' birthday by taking a donation of new clothing to our church's humanitarian aid center.  We went shopping and each picked out a few items, then dropped them off and went out to dinner on our way back.  (thanks to those who sent things to add to our donation- we never expect it, but greatly appreciate it.)

Fall/Winter is one of my favorite seasons, and part of the reason is all of the sprinkler art I discover!  I go walking with a friend most mornings, and the evenings have been below freezing since the beginning of October, which means I see this:

Our most recent weekend adventure was a sort of scavenger hunt for Hyrum.  This year he's studying our state's history, and his teachers have a sort-of scrapbook which contains different Utah-related activities or assignments.  They turn in one section each quarter.  This quarter is history, which entailed him visiting Kennecott Copper Mine, as well as getting pictures of the state fossil (Allosaurus fragilis) and the state bird (California Gull.  He also had to procure a sample of the state tree (Blue Spruce).  Luckily, our neighbor has a Blue Spruce in her yard!  And he needed to visit a state park and write a few sentences about it.  We're lucky- we have two state parks within walking distance of our house :).

In other news, football season (high school) is over, so Walker's tuba playing in the stands is also over for the season.  He's moved on to archery club and science club.  Morgen is participating in science club and glee club, and volleyball through our church youth group.  Hyrum played fall soccer, and his last game is this Saturday (depending on the weather).  His team hasn't won any games.  However, they have gone from losing by 10+ points and not scoring, to losing by 1 or 2 points and scoring several.  I have really appreciated his coaches, and all the hard work they put in training the boys.  I've also appreciated the fact that they focus on the positive and don't yell or belittle the kids when they do poorly.

Jared got an elk two weeks ago, and stocked our freezer with roasts, stew meat, and some scraps we'll grind up with beef fat to make elkburger and sausage.  He's still trying for a deer, but we'll see what happens there.  And I've been knitting and working on embroidery patterns:

I can't take credit for the embroidery pattern; I found it on Sarah Jane Studios.

Gratitude List:
* cooler weather
* cookies
* a very happy and helpful daughter today, who did the dishes by hand because the dishwasher was broken.
* friends
* family
* a roof over my head, clothes to wear, food to eat, and a healthy and (mostly) happy family.  I am very blessed.
* snow :)
* a working furnace
* good music
* the internet
* God is good.