Shaking the Quakies 2013

Yesterday was the October General Conference Sunday so when it ended, we kept with tradition and went up Millcreek Canyon to shake the quakies.  This something I've done for as long as I can remember and something my mom did as a little girl.  It's mostly just a walk in the woods but we shake Quaking Aspen trees (quakies) to watch the yellow leaves come down.  It's very pretty and gives everyone something to do on the walk. 

This year has been pretty cold again so we didn't get to do much shaking because most of the leaves had already fallen.  It had already snowed as well so we were walking through mud and snow.  Not the best year but it's still fun.

 

Grandpa and Mabel

 

For some reason, Mabel has been covering her face for pictures lately

 

Doughnuts!

 

Hot Chocolate Bar

 

Documenting

 

Bridger Boy!

 

Shannon and Matt

 

 

Eric had to work, James wasn't feeling well and Kim was in Salem, MA so we didn't have everyone this year but we managed to have fun anyway.  Hopefully next year we have everyone and it's a bit warmer!

My first guest post

My sister, Shananigans, shared this lovely little narrative she wrote for class with me and I asked to post it because it's SO FUNNY.  The assignment was to write about the types of masks we wear. 

Who knew she was such a good writer? Plus, she mentions me at the end. This makes me feel special.
With out further ado, I introduce "Mask One: The Spider Destroyer"


  
    My husband and I currently reside in the small basement apartment of an old house in Sandy. Within, it is immaculate. Without, there are many bushes and weeds that grow along the antique brick, adding to the old-time feel of the place. While charming, the outward conditions of the dwelling provide ideal living conditions for many of God's less desirable creatures, and, despite the regularly scheduled spraying of our home with industrial-strength pesticides, inside and out, arachnids of varying sizes occasionally pass through the carefully distributed chemical barrier unscathed. As a result, the basement often becomes home to more than just we two humans who pay the rent. When my husband is home, he gallantly obliterates these unwelcome guests with the swift flip of his sandal. Sometimes, however, my husband is not home, and I, his borderline-phobic wife, am left alone to deal with the unpleasant surprise (and it is always, unfortunately, a surprise). This leaves me very little choice but to wear the mask of the spider destroyer, fueled by a fierce sense of self-preservation.


    After gasping or screaming at the beast and catching my breath, I make a conscious decision to be incredibly brave and put on my mask. I am, after all, a capable woman who knows how to use a shoe. I stare at the spider intensely, hoping to convey that I mean business and that he best not move from the place in which he was discovered. A quick and painless death is silently promised him if he will comply, with the assurance that fear and agony (on both of our parts) will ensue should I be forced to chase him around AT ALL. If the perpetrator is relatively small, I run to the closet and snatch up a flip-flop (a fabulous weapon, as it is thin and can fit into the corner where the flooring meets the baseboard). If he is large, I retrieve from the storage room the can of Raid that my husband so lovingly deposited in my stocking last Christmas. Sufficiently armed, I run back to the site of encounter and remind myself again that I will not be defeated by such a small enemy, nor will I allow him, under any circumstances, to live and reproduce. I square my shoulders, breathe deeply, and strike!

   Oh my heck I am so brave!!! I'm so proud of myself!

    The spider destroyer immediately rips off her mask, shudders dramatically, and yells something along the lines of “blah!”. I've nothing left to prove. The threat is diminished, and I am free to assume my real identity as the girl who seriously freaking hates those things and never ever wants to be near enough to touch one again ever. The victim (the spider, I mean) is left in a knot where he was slain for my always-brave husband to throw away upon his return. I've been brave enough for the time being, and I now want only to focus on performing yoga breaths in an effort to return to my resting heart rate.


    There are a few other circumstances under which I am willing to don this mask. These have to do with the protection of those that I love, and who find themselves helpless. For example, the time when I spread a blanket upon my husband's nearly-sleeping figure, and the spider who had concealed himself within landed perfectly on the lump that was my husband's left thigh. Or when I visited my sister, who is even more terrified of the 8-legged opponent than I, and “the jumpy kind” was discovered on her living room wall. Were I unable to assume the role of exterminator in these situations, my husband would have had to disrupt the spider perched on his leg, leading to who knows what kind of hunt (in our bedroom, no less), and my sister very well may have passed out, leaving her 2-year old daughter unprotected, and the cat highly confused.
So this was Mask One, I think there will be two.  Hopefully she will share the second with me.

PS I have never passed out because of a spider, thank you very much.  I only, occasionally, go into hysterics.

Mine is 3

When I ask Mabel how old she is now, she says "Mine is 3" and then tries really hard to hold up just 3 fingers.  It's the cutest and I can't believe she's 3!  Her birthday (and our 5th anniversary) was on Friday then 2nd.  We decided to make this weekend about her and we will celebrate our anniversary next weekend with a babysitter.

The first thing we did was to go get Mabel her present.  She got a little tricycle and she LOVEs it.  Here she is patiently waiting for Daddy to put it together.

 

Helping Daddy

 

Time to go! 

 

 She had a hard time figuring out the pedals and getting enough pressure to get started but she was still pretty upset when it was time to go. She looks like a character from Mario Kart.

 

Lunch at her favorite place! Here she's trying to hold up 3 fingers.

 



 

We came home for a nap but only Mommy got one.  Mabel just played.  Then we went to dinner and Mabel fell asleep on the way there and didn't wake up till the next morning so we did cake and another present the next night.  We had a pizza party and watched her new movie Tarzan with popcorn and treats.

 

Trying not to breathe on the candles

 

Opening a Playdoh set.  One little piece at a time.

 

 

All in all, I think she had a pretty good birthday and we had a great weekend.  I hope next weekend is just as great!

 

Go see the animals

This last weekend was a fun one for us!  I had to work Friday so Saturday we went to the zoo and then Sunday we took Mabel to the park and flew her new kite.  We wanted to take Mabel to the zoo for her birthday next Friday but we did it a week early so she would still be free.  She really liked the zoo!  The tiger was up and walking around and he was growling/groaning.  It was actually pretty scary!  I guess I didn't notice how big they get till it stood on it's hind legs in an attempt to get a bird from a tree.  Other highlights were watching the baby elephant play in the water, watching the monkeys, sea lions and the wolves running around. 

Flying her Lightning McQueen kite while watching for lightning...

 

Daddy helping Mabel keep the kite up when the wind dropped.

 

At Hogle Zoo up by the wolves.  How cute is her romper, by the way?

 

 

 

Lama face!!  Of course the lama laid down when we took the picture but that is a lama.

 

Baby elephant.  He was spraying water out of his trunk and throwing that blue inner tube.

 

Watching the elephant

 

 

 

It's not a trip to the zoo with out twizzlers

 

 

Now Mable keeps asking to "go see da animals?  go see da elphnt?" We may need to get annual passes.  :)  We all had a great time and I can't wait for this Friday!  It's our 5 year anniversary and Mabel's 3rd birthday.  

Friday Morning Jog and Heaven on Earth

Friday morning started with another 6 AM jog with my mom (I've started to say jog because you can't really call it running when it's an average pace of 12 min miles) and we went to the most gorgeous part of the trail on the Jordan/Provo River Parkway in Lehi.  This time I brought my phone (and carried it in a super uncomfortable spot) just so I could show you!

 

 

Start at the trussle bridge in Lehi and head South on the trail

 



 

Mama and Tess ready to go!



 

 This is my awesome morning hair.  I bet you want my hair cut now, right?

 

 

 View of Timpanogos from the trail before sunrise.  That is mist in that field.  This was straight out of Pride and Prejudice.  We just needed Mr. Darcy striding toward us with his giant coat billowing behind him..... A girl can dream

 

 

"Here comes the sun, do do do doooo."  We always sing that. :)  It's prettier in person but you get an idea. 

 

"Stretching is important.  Carbohydrates are good.  Pasta is good." - with Italian accent Rat Race

 

 

I can't tell you how much I look forward to this jog every week.  It's the only morning I have to go and I LOVE it.  I'm spending time with my mama and seeing this beautiful earth and it's the most liberating feeling.  I can go for as far and long as I want and I have no phone or any body who needs anything from me.  Don't get me wrong, I love my life and I get so much more back from Eric and Mabel than I could ever give but this time is special for me.  I hope that some day I can go more often.  

Popin' it

This is how Mabel and I spent a good part of Monday night. 

Apparently I don't know how to take a video but you get the idea. :)  Also, yes she's naked.  She prefers it.  I consider it a win if she's got her diaper on.

Little Recap

Camping and Independence Day!  So I should have taken more pictures but it was a busy week. We were camping with my family till Friday.  I poured rain Wednesday and Thursday night so it was an adventure but I am happiest in the mountains regardless.


 When we got back from camping, we spent the rest of Friday playing Just Dance 4 on the PlayStation and watching movies.  Eric's mom came and stayed with us on Friday night and then on Saturday she took Mabel up to a reunion and Eric and I got to play tennis!  It was so great to get out!  Here are the few pictures I did take.



Tess and Maggie.  Maggie is one of Tess' favorite humans.

Her little pink camping chair!  I want a pink on too.

She just wanted to throw rocks into the creek all day

 

This week is crazy busy at work.  We are gearing up for the summer party and so I'm spending a lot of time hot gluing, glittering and painting.  I will put up pictures of the event so you can see all of the amazing work and planning that goes into this!