The big 3-0

A lot of these pics are on facebook as well. deal with it :)

An awesome lizard we saw on the side of the road
Yellow-headed collared lizard.
Lewis lodge where we hiked to
If you can click on this and enlarge it, you can read about it.
bunch of the cacti were just about to bloom, so pretty.

ancient corn cobs from 1200-1300 AD
Scott by the two story building
the other side of the canyon where we climbed down.
Picture down the canyon with a pool from a seep with hanging garden.
Looking into Arch Canyon
A small but beautiful creek with waterfalls on the way home


Bouquet Mom sent for the birthday, with my cards and leftover anniversary flowers.

Scott's parents were down for the weekend of my birthday to visit and help us work on the fence. We took advantage of the great babysitting to go on a hike ALL BY OURSELVES! it's been a while. Scott brings home a lot of pictures and stories, so i feel like I know about these places, but it was wonderful to really get out there. The weather was perfect, too. Not common this "spring." We drove south, past Blanding and then on dirt roads for a while. We then hiked across to the edge of the canyon and hiked and climbed our way down to the crevice where the cliff dwellings are. You follow the crack around and get to a stone wall entrance where the Anasazi could guard their homes. It is quite high up but wide enough it isn't really scary. There are a lot of different buildings and they go on far down the cliff. We didn't go past where it was getting really narrow. There are all the stone buildings, and wood that dates to about 1200 AD. The corn cobs are kind of unbelievable, but it is so dry they are still there. We explored around then headed back. I wish I could hike like that every day, so much more fun that being yelled at by Jillian Michaels in my basement! The lizard in the pics was so cool, I just spotted him on the side of the road, sunning himself on a rock. I got out to take pics and he just stared and hung out, and I was really close since I don't have a good zoom lens. It was a fun day. Earlier, the girls and I and Jane went to Wal Mart to let the menfolk work on the fence. I got myself a DQ cake. So that was the big day. I don't really feel too worried about my age. I still feel young, and people still ask me if Whitney is my first baby, so that helps. I do see wedding announcements and think the happy couples look like teenagers, but I guess that is gonna happen. They probably look at me like a boring old mom who has not much in common with them. shrug. life goes on. Thanks to all of you who called or sent a card or note on Facebook.

White dresses and golden fur...

Both sides of the family at the Cardston Temple
My girls with the happy couple
Whitney loves her brand-new Auntie!
Fun wedding favors
With Great Gran
All the cousins together. They all played so well this time, I am excited they are old enough to remember each other now. A lot of fun was had, not a lot of sleep... We left Monticello at about 11 am on thursday. We drove to Orem and dropped off a few things, went to the bathroom and grabbed some food. We then drove to Dillan, Montana. The next day we made it to Cardston, AB. I used my US passport for the first time, Scott did not want to deal with two passports for me. It felt a little weird, but it's a lot simpler not having to prove I am allowed back into the States. We were so lucky to get to stay with Brother and Sister Hornberger, who introduced my mom to the LDS church and helped us and taught us so much over the years. We are all friends with their many children, and grew up with them. They have a great little house that is built for grandkids to visit, and the girls loved them. I think the Hornbergers liked spoiling them, too. We met up with Peter and Pam, and Dad there and went to a Chinese restaurant. The place and the service was a little different, but the food was delicious and plentiful. we filled two whole tables and it was a little crazy, but fun. On the way back, we realized I did not have my temple recommend, which shows good standing in the church to allow entrance to the temple the next day. So after a few phone calls that was all sorted out. We all got some much-needed rest and got up ready to go to the wedding.
We got there in good time and left the kids in the care of my dad. Unfortunately, he cannot go in the temple, which is sad for us, but he has been great about it. This explains a little about the temple. The wedding ceremony is short and special, we are so thankful this wedding is not "til death do us part" but continues on forever. Dan and Melissa were happy in their own quiet ways. Afterwards we went outside to wait and be attacked by mosquitos. Somehow I am the only one who ended up with bites all over my legs, but I did defend many people. We mingled and visited until the fancy couple came out, looking radiant. Melissa's dress was beautiful. There was not really a photographer, but many pictures were taken. After that we all got packed up and headed to Claresholm, where we had a family lunch. After that we went to the church for the reception. It was so good to see a lot of people from my side of the family, and a few friends from a while back. The kids had fun running around. Natalie and Abby were in charge of the present pile and they did a very good job keeping it neat. After the newlyweds left in a shower of bubbles, we drove North to High River where Pete and Pam live. we stayed and played for a few days before making our way back down to the USA. We got to Dillan again the first day, and then after a quick stop in Orem to visit Scott's grandparents, we went the long way around in order to pick up our puppy. It was a very quick and yet very long trip, but we wouldn't have missed it. The girls did amazing thanks to some good books on CD and brand new Barbie movies. Whitney struggled, but I don't blame her. Scott was a trooper and drove the whole way. It ended up being between 16 and 18 hours each way, with only a few short stops. The four hours home with the dog were nerve-wracking for me, I didn't know how it would go, if she would be car sick or whiny but she did great, slept a lot of the time and went potty when we stopped.

We decided to name her Ruby, a name we all more or less agreed on. She is a sweet puppy, and we have benefited from being late picking her up. Our breeder's friend took care of her for a few weeks and she has raised guide dogs, so she seems to be off to a great start on training, and even sleeps all night! I keep wanting to knock on wood. She is coming out of her shell more each day, so we shall see in the next little while. But for now she is a smart girl, she is energetic, but not overly so. She is already learning some tricks and is doing great in all other puppy areas. She LOVES Scott, and he may like her a little The girls like her a lot, Whitney and Sara don't like when she jumps on them, but we'll get used to each other and it will be ok. So school is out, summer begins with baseball and T-ball and swimming lessons and new puppy and all four kids all day, but hopefully it will be a fun one.

Easter and Spring Festival

Isabel at the Spring Festival, she sang and told the story of Columbus

Abby talked about Jamestown. She drew the 50 dollar bill above her head.

The ward had an egg hunt, the girls had a lot of fun

Whitney

Happy Easter

We kept things pretty simple this year, and had the candy part of Easter on saturday so we could focus on church and Jesus on Sunday. The Easter bunny was good to the girls, with a little help from Grandma CC.

After church on Sunday we came home, changed, ate and hit the road for Fillmore. There, we were able to meet our puppy. she is a lot tinier than she looks in the pictures. I didn't take any other pics, but it's only a few weeks now. The puppy with no tail was an option again, but when Whitney laughed (screeched) at her, she went into the kennel, while the other one stayed to play with the girls, so we picked her. After we looked at those two, they brought in all the other puppies, and things got a little crazy. We left, went to visit scott's Aunt and Uncle, then drove to Orem. We spent Monday shopping, stocking up at Costco and buying fence and cement. it ended up taking all day, the load was 8000 lbs. We were grateful we could borrow Scott's dad's trailer and that we had the Suburban. we won't talk about our mileage on the way home....

So our chainlink fence supplies sit in the garage, a guy came over to plow up the weedy field behind our house, we are planning to pick all the rocks out, add a smooth coat of dirt, move a few things around and then get the fence going. We have athe deadline of the wedding trip when we pick up the puppy on our way home, so hopefully it gets done. We are also waiting for window well covers to be done and then our yard will be a lot safer for everyone, but especially Whitney. She wants so badly to be outside, but it makes me nervous. That's all for now. Hopefully our next posts can be the evolution of our backyard.