Things I crave...

I've realized over the past couple of weeks that there are things I like, things I enjoy doing, and then there are things I CRAVE!
1) Time with my husband. (This was actually the 4th thing I thought of, but I didn't want him to be offended.) :}
2) Chocolate Chunky Chocolate Ice Cream
3) Watching Hockey Games.... seriously, it's an addiction!
4) Using coupons at craft stores- I can't buy anything unless it's on sale and if I have a coupon, I'll go to the craft store even though I don't NEED anything, just so I can use it.
5) Bare feet!!!!!! Nothing really needs to be added to this- I hate shoes! Not just shoes, shoes AND socks.
6) Pictures. I take my camera almost everywhere. I don't know how many times I've made Fred carry it around "just incase" I want to take a picture.
7) Stress.... I don't think I crave it, I think that it comes searching for me.
8) Lists, lists, and more lists. Shopping lists, to-do lists, packing lists,....

Pumpkin Walk.... it's tradition!

Fred & I started going to the Logan Pumpkin Walk when we were dating- actually I think it was one of 5 Student Ward FHE's that I went to. The first time we went the line was forever long and it was freezing... nothing's changed yet we've made it a tradition to go every year since.

It's held every year in October the weekend before Halloween. Different people from the community put together a scene using pumpkins (& squash) - for almost everything. This year was a little warmer as we walked around the field. They had some fun scenes.

Everything was fine until we got to the end of the trail where you go into a building with that has a funny scene & the really detailed carved pumpkins. Obviously the line is going to back up as people wait their turn to look closely. They also have a witch sitting in a chair for kids to talk to and they hand out a little snack (generally hard cookies). Then you get the annoying people that think they're "too good" to stand in line and go in the Exit of the building - making the wait for those of us who can read signs such as "Enter" and "Exit" even longer. It's a good thing the scene was funny and worth the wait.

(It's a scene with Obama in a crib with a sign that says "Too Young" and McCain in a rocking chair wearing a "I like Ike" pin.)

We stopped and picked up cinnamon rolls and ate them with Hot Chocolate at Crystal's (my little sister) apartment. It was fun to visit her, but I DO NOT wish I was back in college... studying, roommates, living near campus, parking lots with idiots.....Married life is the life for me! Not to mention the guy that lives above her that sounded like he counting out how many paces long his apartment was!

Friday night Drag......

Friday night was a riot! Fred's co-worker Robbie was performing in a drag show. Fred got the evening off to go, at first I was bugged he was using a vacation day for a Drag show, but it was pretty entertaining.

We showed up at the Paper Moon (Lesbian Bar) around 9pm. We thought we were a little early, but it was already starting to get crowded. There was a great little bench along the right side of the stage so I hurried to save it for us while Fred grabbed us sodas. We could not have looked any more straight if we tried!!!!! :}

There was so much to look at- I don't mean that in a derrogatory way- yes I'm a little naive when it comes to bars, then throw in some Drag Queens and I am all about the people watching! I have to say when Robbie came out to mingle he looked great! He was in some dress pants & a form fitting red shirt & heels- completely accessorized down to the Betty Boop purse he was carrying. He walks better than I do in heels!

Fred's other co-workers showed up about 15 minutes later and sat across the stage from us. I was impressed at how many people came to support (mock?) Robbie - at least 20 people just to see him perform.

The show started off with this rather large bald wo-Man in a very short dress performing. Followed by a couple of other odd performances - including a dracula song by a female couple, & a fire show by another. It was fun to watch the performers acknowledge each person that put a tip in the pitcher at the corner of the stage.

About 1/2 way through the show they announced "Kylee" and out comes Robbie in this great black dress. (During the mingling all the other performers were already in their sparkly outfits. I had hoped Robbie had a different outfit for performing.

SHe performed to "Girls Just Wannna Have Fun". It was AWESOME! Very impressive that guys can dance that well in heels!

The reigning "Princess" performed last and I have to say I saw more of a man in girl clothes than I've ever wanted to! I really wasn't that impressed with his performance- obviously "Kylee's" was the best.

He changed into street clothes before we could get a picture with him, but he still had most of his makeup on. I chatted for a minute with Fred's friends while Fred went to close our tab. While he was standing at the bar an older lady kept looking at him, leaning over to look at his hand. Finally he put his left hand flat on the bar and she looked away.

The other funny thing that happened was this short, older bald guy was walking around in a devil costume- Fred looks at him for a minute then says "I know that guy..... from the Army!" (Don't Ask Don't Tell, huh?)

The worst part of the whole night was the smoke. Ughhh! The smell on my clothes the whole drive home was awful! The 2nd bad part is that we had agreed to help Robbie & Jedidiah move into their new house this morning at 8am (It wasn't that bad at all - just early)! Robbie showed up at IHOP for breakfast with a little eye makeup still on. :}

2008 Orange Family Fall Picnic

2008 Family Summer Picnic!

It was actually the opening day of the Deer Hunt...... but all we saw was:

1 Squirrel

2 Chipmunks

6 Doe

4 Elk

38 Family members

I got up around 6am to get everything packed and our lunch ready. Fred got off work around 7am, sped home, put the tailgate on the truck and we were off! Definitely not as early as we would normally leave, but when we got to the family ranch everyone was still down by the big barn. They put the cows in the lower pasture and had to shoe a horse & work on a couple of calves since "Doc" (Uncle Marr) was there. Finally after a group prayer for safety we loaded the trucks.

We always take 3 trucks and usually 8 horses, but only 6 yesterday. I never decide what truck to jump in until I see where all the noisey kids are going. Most of the time we're lucky and pick a truck that ends up with the older cousins. This year it was Fred & I, Lauralee, Crystal, Nathan & his 2 boys, & Collin & his 2 girls. They were pretty well behaved until they started singing "This is the song that never ends..." They were pretty good about being quite whenever we stopped to sit on a point though.

We hunt the same direction every year, behind the ranch house, across the fish pond, up straight up, stop for lunch, then 2 more points and finally down to "The Bowl". Around that time the kids are done with any thought of being quite and if it hasn't been a productive year, the guys turn to the radio to start listening to the football games. I do love the way we hunt though. The horses wait while the trucks drive around into position - only spreading out to 3 or 4 points so we know where everyone is. Then the horses brush through the trees trying to scare any deer up. I just don't think there were any deer to scare this year!

I found these great tri-leg stools for $4 - they made fun of me for the first 2 years, because I'd carry them out on the points with me to have a seat, but now they're all jealous! They're easy to carry and make sitting on the points great! It was fun to see the kids sit on sage brush - oh to be young again! Lunch time was the best, Fred & I had seats! As soon as we left they were taken though. (Picture at the top)

Sometimes it feels like the whole reason we go on the deer hunt is for the picnic. Everyone wants to see what everyone else brought, there's some trading and people are pretty good about sharing treats. Then of course there's the second round of treats that you stick in your pockets for the second half of the day. It's fun to see everyone gather in their little family groups to see what mom or grandma packed.

Even though it wasn't a productive hunt, I have to say that the weather could not have been any more perfect! It was fun to sit on a few different points that I hadn't sat on before. Only a few moments of annoyance with one Uncle that doesn't know how to use the walkie-talkies.... :} & my face is only slightly sunburned!

Hopefully Fred gets a chance to go up early Monday morning with Christopher & my dad- I think they'll be more successful with a smaller, earlier hunt.

(Fred & Cousin Mylind riding back down to the barn.)

Cold October Weekend

This post isn't a rant, it's more of a brag of how great our life is, even if it is busy!

Friday night: A Scentsy Party at Charlee's - It was fun to smell the dozens of different candle scents, but when I walked outside it felt like I was still smelling them! I love the cinnamon spicy smells in the house during Christmas!

(Pierce helping Nannie smell the candles)

Saturday morning:

* Breakfast with the In-Laws at Denny's - it's a weekly tradition that we love. It's fun to catch up with how everyone's week went and what's coming up. We don't get a chance to go very often because of Fred's work schedule, but I love chatting with the family.

* Ogden Temple trip with the Hubby. It's always nice to go inside and enjoy a distraction from the world. I had been stressed before we went, it was nice to go even for 30 minutes to work on some family names. Within 2 hours of arriving home everything I had been stressed about worked itself out!

* We picked Grapes in the FREEZING cold rain trying to get them all in before it snowed. It was a good thing because it snowed that night!

* Made 9 bottles of Grape Juice while Fred slept. Fred really enjoys the White grape juice. I like the darker grapes. I can't believe how many grapes we got! This is the first year that we've trimmed the vines back like you're supposed to and we thought maybe we had trimmed them too much for them to grow this year. We're excited about all the food storage we've been able to work on this year!

My mom found a great recipe for Lime Rickey's that I can't wait to take to parties using our fresh grape juice!

* Charlee, Jeremy, Pierce & Kolbee came over for a soup dinner! I can't believe we live so close to them and never take the time to do stuff together, but I know between Charlee's schedule, Fred's schedule we don't get a chance. We had so much fun having them over though I'm going to try to plan something at least every other month with them.

(Pierce thought the grapes were good enough to eat by the handful!)

Sunday Morning:

* Our Nephew Kaysen Abram Lyons was blessed in Church.

Family dinners are awesome! I ate way more than I should have! There was a pretty good turn out even in the snow.

He's finally starting to chub up a little & he loved smiling at Uncle Fred he even laughed at him!

* Finally, we drove to Heber to visit Rachel, Paul, Katie & Matthew for a hike in the beautiful fall colors!

We always have a good time hanging out with them. It was snowing at our house, but the weather cleared as we drove and by the time we got to Heber there wasn't any snow on the ground. It was slightly chilly, but as we hiked it warmed up really fast. It was the perfect Sunday afternoon watching the kids run with the dogs & chatting with Rachel & Paul.

We had some salsa & lemon bars back at the house while we played a new game "Would You Rather..." We didn't get a chance to watch the movie we planned to, but we'll have to make another evening out of it! I love how our pictures turned out and I can't wait to get them scrapbooked!

I took Monday off and it's been so nice to relax---- kind of!

We slept in & Fred made omeletts for breakfast. I made more grape juice while he went to class. Now he's waiting--- Not so patiently for me to finish this so we can go to a movie!

It's been so nice to be home for a day with him- even if he is a little "pestly"!