Spring Treks

Pure poodle joy! We've gone on some excursions to the river this week with the weather being so nice and spring-like, and the boy and dogs are in boy/dog heaven. It's giving me a glimpse of all the adventures we'll go on as Wyatt gets older. He's scraped legs and hands, cried and whined all the way home, but it's so fun while we're there :)

Recent pic of Wyatt

Missing Mr. W

~Otters hold hands while sleeping to avoid being separated~

An update. Jason is still working in North Dakota, and it's feels like rather than adjusting to it, it's getting harder and harder. It's hard to know how to function when we're divided up like this. We are supporting two households, which makes it expensive to live this way financially. More than that, it wears you out emotionally and mentally. I know in the big scheme of things there are harder situations/problems than this, but knowing that doesn't help reduce the wear and tear we're both feeling. I told Jason it feels like I'm trying to walk with just one leg. Hey, we've been together 22 years! (Yes, we were only 12 when we met!)

Vegas Weekend

Happy Leap Year! Wyatt and I drove to Vegas this past weekend to pick up Jason (he flew in there from Minot). The weather warmed up considerably as we drove south. It was 75 degrees once we got around St. George. (I noticed that St. George is a LOT more crowded than I remembered!) I wanted to make really good time down there since I was by myself with Wyatt. He did great. We didn't even stop between Provo and St. George. He was so thrilled to be seeing Daddy, that definitely helped. Jason's flight was supposed to get in around 10 p.m. We got there in plenty of time, checked in our room, had dinner, and had played cowboys in the hotel room.

The happy boy waiting to see his Daddy.

We stayed at South Point. It was reasonable, clean, comfortable. I liked it. They have a huge casino, an equestrian center, bowling, movie theater, Steak and Shake, tons of restaurants, and Bingo. That was the clincher, on-site Bingo, ha ha!

Unfortunately there was a big snowstorm in Minot, so Jason's flight was delayed. He got in around 1 a.m. (that would be 2 a.m. our time...!) The McCarran airport is set up so that you have to go into short term parking to wait. Once I was in short term parking I couldn't see anything that would tell Jason where I was. I was sooo tired and cranky. I just needed to sleep. I'd gotten about 4 hours the night before. Finally, we made it back and went to bed.

The next day we had breakfast at the Garden Buffet. I figured it would be just breakfast/brunch food, but there were all these people eating corn on the cob and dinner food. Corn on the cob in the morning just doesn't sound good to me, but okay. 

Then we drove over to Mandalay Bay to see the Shark Reef Aquarium. They take a group picture and have you do dorky poses too upon entering. Weird. I didn't even look at them on the way out because A) They cost too much and B) I knew I'd look hideous. It was also very hot, even for jungle animals I thought, but what do I know? As you moved further down into it, it got a little better. Once I was in the areas where the aquarium was surrounding me, I became fascinated and didn't notice the temp. It really felt like you were under water, minus the wetness. I found it very peaceful and serene and probably could've sat there all day.

 That big fish with blue fins was HUGE, bigger than two heads. What I loved about this aquarium was the sheer magnitude, the height of these was bigger and better than anything I'd seen before. Wyatt loved the areas where there were plexiglass floors- it looked and felt like you're walking on water.

Wyatt totally loves sharks right now, I definitely have a new appreciation for them.

So after that, we went back to the hotel (or "apartment" as Wy likes to call it) and took naps. When I woke up I played roulette for a while, and we had dinner at the oyster bar in the hotel, it was so good! We went bowling after dinner and then I played bingo, and that was our big day. The next day we came back to rain and cold. It's good to be home with Jason again though. :)

Man's Best Friend

My dogs can be a pain in the neck, but seriously I feel sorry for people that don't ever experience that connection with a dog. I've had dogs my whole life and I tend to agree with the statement that "the more people I meet the more I like my dogs" (unknown). Does that make me sound like a crotchety old lady or what? But, how can you not love this:

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace."
- Milan Kundera

I so agree with this quote.

Frost

Weeping Cherry in backyard

Frozen sunflowers plants with poodles in background

Weeping Cherry

View from backyard

These were taken a few days, maybe a week ago? Apparently I was not meant to take Christmas pictures with my camera yesterday because I couldn't find it. (Only to discover today that it WAS in my bag, which I checked several times). So, I'll post these for now. I thought the frost looked magical- and everything was so still and quiet. Especially loved the way the trees looked. Another bonus of frost and snow? The dogs can't track in as much dirt! ha ha! This year I've really started appreciating winter more than I ever have. I'm disappointed it hasn't snowed much yet. I wanted to take Wyatt to see the lights in Spanish Fork, and kept waiting for some snow to go with the lights.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas :)

Wyatt Turns Four

 The excitement!

 Family & Friends

Grandpa Wall & Dad

Halloween/Birthday Cake

It's been a very busy month. Wyatt turned 4 on November 1st. We had a combined family/friend "cowboy" party with the cousins his age, the grandparents, and a couple of his friends that live on our street. The last two years I've intended to make a cake, but waited too late and ended up buying one. Since his birthday is the day after Halloween, I can get really good deals on Halloween cakes, so I think it's sort of becoming a tradition that Wyatt will get one every year. :)

Jason left for North Dakota this month. He drove to Minot, was there up until a day ago and now is in another town. It is lonely for him. He's been waiting for them to give him the many hours he was promised to help him keep busy and not think about home. Missing Wyatt is the hardest because he's at such a fun age right now where he's learning and growing and saying hysterical things every day. Four year old boys are high energy and I do as much as I can to keep him busy, but it gets exhausting. So I miss his Daddy time too. We've used Skype twice. I like that we can see his face and he can see ours while we talk.

Wyatt's word of the month: Flopper (As in "You're a flopper"!) No idea.

Also, tonight when we were decorating the tree he picked up a heart shaped ornament and said "This is the love from Jesus". Does it get any sweeter?

"Peace Garden State"

This is a map/picture of North Dakota. Jason is going to be working here, in Minot. I'm excited he has a job, but, he'll be working 15 hour days, 7 days a week, 3 weeks at a time. I'm concerned about all the unknowns. Will he freeze, will he be exhausted, will he be lonely? Will Wyatt be okay without his Dad around? Will I be okay? The company would like us to relocate to the area. We're going to see how things go, but possibly in a few months we could all be out there.

Question: I wonder where they came up with the nickname "Peace Garden State"? For more info on North Dakota go here.

Pinterest

Wow. I purposely did not look at Pinterest because I noticed so many people getting into it. Now, I adore it and look and look and it's a great new addiction/obsession. I'm not even a crafty person and I find myself thinking that I could do all kinds of crafty things.

I love cool sayings, so I have a "board" to pin all the good quotes or sayings on. I found this one today and it truly applied to my crappy day and I found it reassuring that someone thought this up for days/times such as today. Here's the link if you want to get addicted too: Pinterest!

Time Out for Some Design

It's been a while since I posted some design pics. Something about interior design just soothes the soul. These are Kathryn Ireland's designs, and I love that she is fun and bright and luxurious. Her website is here: Kathryn Ireland - maybe someday I'll be able to afford some of these looks, but until then I love the inspiration.

Crystal

This is my brother's wife Crystal. She was in surgery twice yesterday. She had an aneurysm that needed to be operated on and the only way they could get to it was to remove her one and only kidney. Everything went well until they reattached her kidney and her blood pressure dropped and there were problems with her circulation. After a couple hours they realized there wasn't blood flow in her kidney and they tried to save it, and were not able to. Right now she is stable, and being kept sedated until they are able to close her incision.
All I can think about is her and my brother and their two little girls and what they're going through. I can't help but wonder why, of all places, the aneurysm had to be under her only kidney, and why she should have such major health issues at such a young age with 2 little ones needing their Mommy. My heart aches for them. I'm so grateful for the love and concern my friends have shown for me and my brother's little family. Please send Crystal your love and add her to your prayers. Link to her blog here: My Name is Crystal
*Update 10/09/11* Crystal is still in the hospital but is out of ICU and in recovery, doing well, thank goodness. Beginning of a long road ahead.

Cascade Springs

Erika and I

Xander, Skyler and Wyatt

Fun on the boardwalk

Boys on the trail



Pics don't do it justice



Springs w/ a cute bridge

I like the way they are looking different directions

Conked out after busy day

I'm trying to get in as many end-of-summer outings as possible. Today we went with my friend Erika and her boys Skyler and Xander. I couldn't remember the last time I went to Cascade Springs, I didn't know that you now have to pay to drive up there ($6).  I thought it would be cooler up there but it was still very hot, and I wanted to jump in those springs. It smelled so good all the way up and down, I have a feeling I'm going to be hitting the canyon a lot in the upcoming weeks!

Gray is Cool

I chose the picture of the gray bedroom because gray/grey/silver makes me happy (for some reason I've loved it all year). I love everything gray that I see.
Summer is whizzing by. Wyatt is currently doing very well on potty training. We went to look at a preschool nearby and when he found out that he needed to be "completely" potty trained to go, the next 3 days we had several "accidents" or as I like to call them, "on purposes to make Mommy's life harder"....
So maybe he's not ready for school yet? His two good friends on the street are starting kindegarten this year. He won't start for two more years, due to his November birthday. Me, I'm totally ready for him to start preschool. I think he'd do great.
Briana is working two jobs, and since she's not living at home, that's about all I know. She's definitely doing her own thing. She did stop by to eat and watch some cable, so that was good!
Jason is in the process of going for the full mountain man look. Some friend's of ours came by the other day while he was working in the yard and did not recognize him. They thought he was hired yard help or something! Of course, he let them think that and sat there and thought it was the funniest thing ever. Little children are scared of him at this point.
So a few current pictures now, of who else, Wyatt~

Wyatt in the garage during the rainstorm- we were sword fighting

Someone loves Mom's Diet Coke

Wyatt's new friend, Jessica (He loves her.)

Pioneer Day Tribute

Major Howard Egan, my great-great-grandfather.

(Excerpted from an article by Bob Hale in the Salt Lake Telegram, a daily newspaper, April 14, 1934). "When the first bunch of letters and papers were brought into Salt Lake City by Pony Express on April 7, 1860, Major Howard Egan was in the saddle. It was appropriate he should be the first rider because no one man played a greater part in this romantic history of western history than did this Utahn.

Major Egan knew virtually every foot of the route between Salt Lake and California, having driven stock and escorted many a train out of this city. He laid out Egan's route, which was chosen by the firm of Russell, Majors and Waddell, when it organized the Pony Express".

Howard Egan was originally from Ireland, and was converted to the Mormon Church by Erastus Snow at Salem, Massachusetts in 1842. That same year he went to Nauvoo, Illinois where he was appointed major in the Nauvoo Legion and became a member of the Nauvoo police force and the Prophet Joseph Smith's guard, who has said "he felt safe when Howard Egan was on guard". He received his Patriarchal blessing under the hands of Hyrum Smith. He was made captain of the Ninth Ten when the first group of pioneers were organized at Winter Quarters. Major Egan was often called on by President Brigham Young to help with the entertaining. His first home was built on North Main Street. Some years later he served as a member of the police force and as deputy sheriff. He also acted as guard a the home of Brigham Young and after the death of the Mormon leader, he was appointed to guard his grave. While still performing this duty he was stricken with pneumonia and passed away in 1878.

Howard Egan's second son, my great-grandfather Richard Erastus Egan.

"Rass" as he called in his youth by fellow riders and friends in Salt Lake, was one of the most daring of all the couriers in the Pony Express. Young Egan made the first westbound trip out of Salt Lake City on his sorrel mare "Miss Lightning", which became famous for later rides.

Like his father, Rass Egan had his brushes with the Indians between Salt Lake and Rush Valley during the Piute War of 1860. While making a regular trip in the spring of that year he came upon a stage which had been held up by Indians. He viewed the tragic scene. The driver and passenger had been killed and the mail rifled and horses stolen.

As Egan pounded along the trail, a lone Indian, one of the raiders, suddenly appeared, armed with a rifle and bow and arrows and set out after the pony rider.

Young Egan knew just what to do. Confident his horse was the better steed, he rode just fast enough to keep out of gunshot range. Then suddenly he wheeled and charged straight at the Indian, who turned and fled. Egan related the incident as though he regarded it as a good joke on the Indian.

Rass made the longest ride on record, riding two routes, meeting the express from the west, then returning over the two routes without stopping, a continuous ride of 330 miles.

Love the Old West and the Pioneers!

T

Kudos to my Mom

Mom taught Junior High Geography in Maryland and Utah for a combined total of 32 years! (She also took a break to work for Senator Garn for about 7 or 8 years... :) ) What a difference for the better she has made in thousands of lives. And she's not done, she will continue to contribute as a Refugee Volunteer. I know she'll be an amazing service no matter where she goes. (Not to mention light up the room with her smile!)

Sandy and her beautiful sisters Carolyn, Lori and Robyn



My brother Chris, me, my cousin Tiffany that I grew up with in Maryland.



Chris with cousins Tony and Stephen.



Cousin Jenna's son Drew (so dang cute!)



Thanks Mom for your example and your dedication to teaching us about the world around us!