Beaten

As usual, it's the first of a new year and I've started that broken record again..... get healthier, lose weight, blah, blah, blah. And actually I was doing really well, until I met a trainer at the gym. Now, the gym is nothing new to me, and trainers aren't really either. But for some reason, this trainer has caused me a world of pain for the last three days. It sort of feels like someone has beaten my legs with a two by four. I'm fine sitting down, but any sort of movement is EXCRUCIATING. This is no exaggeration, just ask anyone around me - I scream out in pain a lot.
Oh, and I really regret moving into the basement, stairs are the worst. I would curl up in a ball if it wouldn't hurt so damn much.
All I have to say is, my legs better look damn hot for all the pain I put them through!

For the Love of Green

W had to make a trip to Tremonton a few weeks ago. I was slightly bored (which really meant I was annoyed) with work, so I decided to go along for the ride. And besides, nobody wants to drive all that way alone.

As we headed through town we passed a whole fleet of John Deere tractors. W laughed as I squealed with delight at the beautiful green (w/ yellow accents) tractors. On the way back through town I had the same excitement.

(And if she wasn't driving so darn fast I would have taken a picture).

A few days later she came into my office with a present. She laughed and said I would never guess (which I didn't) and then handed over this little beauty...

I have him sitting right below my desktop monitor and everyday he brings a smile to my face.

Oh the dreams I have of owning a real John Deere......

Happy To You

Today is my dad's birthday. I love birthdays - let's face it I love any reason to celebrate (and possibly take the day off work -- which I didn't do today,

but now I think about maybe I should have...)

Anyway, back to my amazing father.

Thanks for being so patient with me, especially when I call you frantic about the waterfall in the house, or the random car questions I always have, or any random question in general. Usually just talking to you makes things better. And thanks for loving mom so much

and being such a wonderful example to everyone.

I love you and miss you --- and I promise I will come visit soon

(remember I like to take those days off work!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

(this is one of my favorite photos of my dad, he loves nothing more than to just sit back holding one of his grandkids - and generally the grandkids feel the same way)

Enjoy the carrot cake!

Capes

As I sat in church, waiting for things to get going, a girl walked in wearing a long, blue cape. I sort of stared, and then stared harder as she gathered the cape to sit down "properly" on the bench. And then my friend stated, Wow, that was a cape wasn't it?

And then I worried that more people would start wearing capes and what would the world come to? (Although I do make an exception for Halloween costumes and young children channeling their favorite super heroes - besides children look cute is almost anything.... adults on the other hand do not!)

At least she didn't have the hood of her cape on. Oh, and that it wasn't red or I for sure would have made a little red riding hood joke at some point (just being honest).

p.s. I would have found a picture of a cape, but then I realized - I didn't want to see it in the first place, so I assume nobody else does either.... so, you're welcome!

Rocky

Made a quick trip to Boulder to see my Granny. It was really suppose to be a work trip, but I ended up not doing any work (can I still claim the miles though?! Isn't it the thought that counts?)

We did see this little guy....

He walked up the front pasture, under the fence, down the sidewalk, up the front stairs to the door.... then when we didn't answer the door, he walked back down the stairs, back under the fence, and back through the pasture.

Dad ran off to find "Old Faithful" (the gun) and I ran to get my camera. Granny didn't know why I wanted a picture, but I reminded her I don't see Racoon's in my front yard every day. And she told me they are nasty, mean buggers and she doesn't want anything to do with them. (FYI, my dad didn't shoot the raccoon, just fired off some rounds to scare it).

Dad and I drove down in the snow and drove home in the snow. Although it wasn't fun driving, the scenery was beautiful.

Hats

Christmas came and it was a great day. I enjoyed food, candy, and family - all the things that I love in life. I spent the last two months knitting hats for everyone. Things were going smoothly in November when I started, until I found a pattern for a fabulous scarf. So I was side-tracked (for longer than I wanted) and ended up spending the week before Christmas frantically trying to finish the last FIVE hats. I got them all done.... and that's all that matters!

(Not sure why I picked hats that had multiple colors, which led to multiple weaving in of ends - one of my least favorite things to do).

Not to toot my own horn, but I did a damn fine job!

Gingerbread

I got to sit on some babies a few days before Christmas. So I decided to make Gingerbread houses with them (from a kit of course, seriously making those houses from scratch would have been a nightmare).

Stinky Pete did her own and did a fantastic job. (And she thought the frosting tasted gross, but she did eat some of the candies).

Eugene probably ate half the frosting, and for every one candy he put on the house, he ate one. Finally I just made a pile of frosting for him to snack on.

The Bear (still trying this nickname thing out) just watched from the highchair.

A few days later The Pickle came by and made his own. He didn't eat much frosting, but enjoyed the candies.