This & That

Back East Roaming

I know I'm a little behind with what's been happening in the family.

We traveled back east to visit Collin's family during their spring break. We flew out of Salt Lake and this is what we drove in to get there. It was awful. The roads were a mess and we saw several slide-offs on our way. 

We did make it to Ohio eventually.  Collin's family was visiting several church history sites during the week and we joined them. 

We stopped in Kirkland, and from there drove to upstate New York.

There was a visit to Niagara Falls,

where everyone posed with the mist in the background,

and obligingly pulled great silly faces.

We got a peek of sunshine and you know what's across the river there? Canada. That was pretty surprising to the boys.

There's a statue of Nicola Tesla there and all the boys had to have a turn sitting in his lap. Grandpa facilitated that.We drove to Palmyra next, but I apparently didn't pull my camera out for pictures during our time there.

Our last stop was Pittsburg, where we went to a city historical museum. Collin's boys have grown up going to museums wherever they've lived, so this is totally normal for them. 

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood as we checked out the Mr. Rogers exhibit. He filmed his show in Pittsburg.

We did some wandering from our downtown hotel to various eating spots.

Sam got a little wiggly at one of them so I got to bounce him.

We parted ways after that with us going to the airport and Collin's family driving home. Of course, John fell asleep the last 10 minutes of the 4 1/2 hour drive back to their house, and ended up taking a nap in the garage for a while.

The Back East

I've mentioned that I was out of town for a bit. I spent some time back east with Collin's family

It's always interesting to me to see different iterations of fall...different trees, different colors. This is a ginkgo tree. You don't see a lot of those out here where I live. It had bright yellow leaves, but it smelled like the local fields here after manure is spread. Despite the pretty color, I don't think I"ll be looking for one to plant in my yard.

My husband and I went out for James' baptism.

It was a fairly quick trip. My husband was only there a couple of days. I stretched my stay out a couple more since Collin is the farthest away of all my kids.

These cutie boys.

There you go. Photographic proof I attended. This was an "other people's cameras" event.

Here's our jet-loving John.

And this is the reason it was documented through other people's cameras. It's hard to take pictures and play the piano at the same time, but I'm very, very comfortable here.

Switching to my camera, while we took a wander to this mysterious mound. It's about 40 feet high and a hundred and something feet around the base, estimated to have been built sometime between 400 and 0 BC.

We used those stairs and climbed up to the top for a picture.

Then climbed back down and played animal guessing games on the way back. I almost stumped James and David with my selection of a sloth. One of the difference I notice between this area of the country and where I live is the sheer number of trees.

My stay included Halloween, and while Samuel sported this shirt during the day.

He was BB-8 for trick-or-treating. He was joined by several other cast members, and Maverick. Collin said he was a spy, but I'm not convinced.

It rained off and on during the couple of hours we were trick-or-treating. It's been a LONG time since I was out and about on Halloween.

 

 

Other People's Cameras....The Wind Rivers Edition

It's taken me a while to get to this post, what with being out in Ohio and all. That, and I can't seem to get my husband to stay in one place for more than a day and a half. He wants to go, go, GO all the time and while he throws his stuff and the dog into the truck, I'm on the planning menus, buying/organizing food, cleaning, laundry end of things. Please don't judge the dog hair on my floors right now. I just can't get it all done. Very frankly, I've felt overwhelmed ever since I got out of the hospital in February....like I'm behind in ALL aspects of my life and I just can't catch up. The big things and the small things. I'm just barely keeping my head above water doing the bare minimum.

Anyway while I was in Ohio, Collin and James were out here to take part in the annual horse pack-in, fishing trip in the Wind River mountains in Wyoming. It's a ritualistic type of trip that pretty much always includes the same stops, a lot of the same food, and fishing the same lakes. It's a tradition almost 50 years in the making, starting when my husband was a teenager and his church youth leaders took him and a group of boys his age on this high adventure trip. Now his kids and grandkids are making the same trip every year to the same place. It holds a special place in his heart and has been a bonding experience for our family. There's always a stop at this ice cream place in Farson. Always.

They pack into the wilderness about 13 miles. With a group this big going, it entails a lot of packing and the horses do a good share of that work. It's why we have them. We're not a family of recreational horse riders. They're work ponies.

Places like this are the destination.

Now, while my husband and a couple of my boys are wrangling the gear on the horses, the kids walk in. That's right. All these kids ranging in age from 15 down to 7 years old....walk those 13 miles in and 13 miles out. Teach your kids to do hard things. It makes them good grown ups. They know they can do hard things because they've done hard things.

This was James' first year going in and apparently he had the ability to drape himself wherever and take a rest. 

It was also Emmett's first year, and every once in a while the littles get thrown up on a horse for a respite from wandering to different lakes.

Can I admit I got a little choked up looking at some of this pictures? My baby boys all grown up into men and teaching their own kids. I love my family so much.

Of course, the scenery is postcard-worthy.

And the kids are well fed to keep their energy levels up.

This was another one of those emotion-provoking pictures.

Of course, this is the real goal of the whole adventure.

Catching those fish. They have a fish dinner a couple of times during the week.

Collin said James got the hang of it pretty quickly.

The downside is the bugs. You can see James and Grandpa wearing mosquito nets over their faces.

Roger with his catch.

Eric took this picture one night. My husband asks me every dang year if I want to go with them. While views like this tempt me, I know this wouldn't be my idea of a good time after about the first hour and a half. He picked a city girl, for better or for worse. Another thought I had looking at these pictures was, how can anyone look at the variety of the scenery, the beauty of everything, and doubt the existence of God?

Other People's Cameras, The Florida and Twin Destruction Edition

I posted a few pictures from Eric's family's trip to Florida last weekend. 

My critter-loving grandgirls met some of the local wildlife.

Sand castles were built,

and I think there might be something alive in that sea shell, which is just a little bit creepy for me, but you go, Gwen!

There was some snorkeling,

and Emmett made sure he was prepared for it.

There was some floating,

and jumping

and some sunsets with Lincoln beards.

Loved these silhouette-ish ones.

I haven't gotten a lot of commentary on the happenings, but from the pictures Eric sent, it looked like it was a fun trip.

Now, from my daughter, I got this picture with the question, "Is this what karma looks like??" What is this, you ask?

It's the thin veneer carefully peeled off her TV stand.

By these cute boys. "Here Mom, look what we did for you!" And the reference to karma?

Once upon a time, there was a three-year-old little girl, who was bored during her nap time, and spent it peeling the cute wallpaper border off her wall......

When Back East Comes to Town

About a month ago now, Collin's family came to visit us from back east.

Whenever I get a FaceTime call from Collin, John always wants to see the dogs.

It made sense that seeing them in real life would be one of the first things he did when he got here.

This continued while he was with us and was actually pretty cute to watch. Forget that there was dog hair everywhere on him when he got up from rolling around with them on the dog beds. Yep, dog hair for days.

When Collin comes home, he likes to spend a good chunk of time at the cabin, so we loaded everyone in the trucks and made our way there,

...stopping at a little hole-in-the-wall burger place for lunch, and taking it to the city park of the tiny town to eat it.

Once we were at the cabin, there were ample opportunities for the boys and the dogs to get wet and dirty...or clean, depending on your perspective.

There was plenty of wandering,

...and opportunities to enjoy the local wildlife.

I got lucky when this butterfly stayed put long enough for me to get a closer picture.

And let's not underestimate the amazing fashion items that can be found in Grandpa's den to cap off a visit.

 

Other People's Cameras, the Pack Trip Edition

I told you that the men and several of the grands spent 10 days in the wilderness recently. This is a trip that started for my family 43 years ago, and has been repeated in some fashion most years since. Here's a look at the experience from the perspective of 3 of my son's cameras.

This year, they ran into something unusual. Last fall a microburst came through and knocked hundreds of trees over, including lots of them into the trail. The travel into their preferred camp usually takes one day, and it took 2 because they had to clear so much timber.

It was Roger and Isaac's first year going and they had lots of new experiences, including riding horses. Isaac was skeptical at first, but soon he was really enjoying it.

There are always chores that need to be done to set up camp. There's a latrine, and my brother-in-law did a little home dec project.

Of course, the main focus of the trip is to spend as much time as possible fishing.

Some of it was catch and release, and some of it was dinner.

The grandkids learn how to cast and reel pretty quickly.

Isaac was great at that, but wasn't too keen on the touching-the-fish aspect of the whole deal.

There's just a little bit of a pained expression in some of these pictures. Here he is with Grandpa.

And with his dad during a lunch break.

If the kids got tired of fishing, there were always a few other things to keep them occupied. Caroline found a hiding place under the roots of these trees.

There are various cousins and other extended family to talk to.

There are the beauties of nature to appreciate.

And even the possibility of a little beach time.

And failing all that, you can always try to catch and release a chipmunk.

The Sun Was Scarce, but It Was Warm Inside

No, we didn't see the sun until the morning of the day we left, but that didn't stop us from having a lot of fun and feeling all warm inside.

John was pretty happy with his Batman mask, and frequently spoke in a deep gravely voice imitating him.

Grandpa, the master storyteller, kept kids amused showing animal pictures and videos on his phone. 

Don't let this calm smile fool you. I'm pretty sure it was the only time David stood still.

We slept in James and David's bunk beds while we were there, and John would sometimes make a morning reading visit.

I can't remember the exact circumstances of David holding my hand as we sat together. I do remember how it made me feel.

James is very, so amazingly very into Jurassic Park/World and Legos. He spends lots of time building elaborate creations, paddocks, labs, transport vehicles, and all the while this is what he hums...in between Dolby surround sound-volume velociraptor screeches. It cracks me up because my Bryce used to do the same thing, a sort of mindless humming of large orchestral works, usually from whatever movie he was interested in at the time. 

My daughter-in-law, Alison, works with wood, beautifully. These little wood projects are put out by Lowe's and she picks them up for James and David to build. This one was a little wooden heart holder for a test tube-like vase. She's holding eye protection on him. My husband is so proud.

There's always time for a good game of bear trap with Grandpa.

We were there over Valentine's Day and made a batch of sugar cookies the boys helped decorate. 

Let's compare John's,

...to James'. His words were something like, "It tastes crunchy...." Hmmmmmm.

And finally, Collin, John and my husband went on a little walk. This is a prime example of the scientific fact that there are water magnets built into the feet of small children. It was so good to see this little family. Hopefully, it won't be so long between visits.

 

Some Historic Places

My husband and I spent several days with Collin's family recently. As I mentioned, it had been more than a year since we've seen them because of the pandemic.

We bundled up and went to visit Monticello the day after we arrived, taking a shuttle for the short ride from the visitor's center to the estate itself.

James and David went with us,

and were especially enamored with the dinosaur bones on display in the entry hall.

As always in these historic places, I am amazed by the design and the ingenuity of people who lived so long ago.

Of course, the pianos were a big draw for me.

And there were 2 of them in this room.

We wandered around outside a little bit as well and came upon this little fish pond. You can just see the wheels turning in James' head, can't you? Wondering how close he can get, and if the thin layer of ice would support him.

It's a really interesting place. I've alway been amazed by the sort of Renaissance man mind of Thomas Jefferson. The calendar/clock in the front entry hall operated by weights in a lower level was fascinating, as was his ice house.

Another day we made the trek to Appomattox, where Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant, ending the Civil War. We were able to tour some of the buildings including the jail, which was totally wonderful for the boys, but the actual house where the surrender was signed was closed to the public.

As it turns out, I was really glad I stuck these boots in the suitcase, along with the heaviest coat I own. 

Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate with us much. The boys made the most of it, though. They stomped through any patch of snow or ice they could find, slipping and sliding around until they were damp and/or wet all over. This particular day came after some freezing rain had put in an appearance. All around us we could hear the cracking and popping of ice coming down off trees and buildings.

How Many Ways To Make a Wreath?

Collin's family likes to get out and see things when they're assigned to a new place.

The other day, they went to Colonial Williamsburg. They found the governor's palace,

...the guard shack, 

...and a church that's been in use since 1715.

Even though many areas weren't accessible (thanks, Covid) for viewing, the exteriors of the buildings were decked for the holiday, 

...and Collin's wife, Alison took pictures of lots of the various wreaths and door decorations for me. 

I do love a couple of nice wreaths on my front doors for most of the year.

And these were some of the most creative I've ever seen. Those are artichokes and dried citrus with a horseshoe!

I think most, if not all of these used natural materials.

There are seashells in several.

The 2 large white areas here are actually replicas of powdered wigs made from some kind of yarn.

Pomegranates and sea shells.

Thistles and greenery.

Apples and a pineapple.

Eggs in a nest.

Peppers and seashells and wood. I found them absolutely amazing to look at.

Around Here This Week....

A little false advertising with the title. It's actually a little longer than that.

A little more Christmas catch up to do. The Christmas cards went out later than they ever have. I'm not sure why, but I'm blaming it on the fact that Thanksgiving was so late and there wasn't much time between the two holidays. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The kids were here quite a bit in the days leading up to, and after Christmas. I took advantage of the time and cracked the whip with them, having them practice a special number together. During one of our practice sessions, Jude went from one pair of shoes to the other and then craned his little neck to see if they belonged to his daddy. "Are you my daddy?" Nope....then crawl to the next pair. It was pretty cute.

We read this story every year. In fact it's been read in my family every year for 59 years. I got this book for my first Christmas from my grandmother. My mother read it to me and my siblings, and I read it to my kids. We're starting on the third generation. It makes me feel very nostalgic and often teary.

We always sing carols around the piano, too.

And this year there was a special addition to our music. Eric's wife, Elisa, brought some bells to try out.

We all got together for Christmas dinner the next day.

The boys sang their number Christmas Eve for my mother, then we recorded it on Christmas Day. 

I posted this to Facebook, but in case you didn't see it, here it is.

My poor husband was pretty sick during the holiday week.

Evan sent me this picture of his family in their new place.

Marc's family was about set to head home, when Isaac was playing with Levi's Spiderman jet and some how...we're not exactly sure how...cut his nose. There was the possibility of stitches, so we drove to the surgery center where Grandpa was working to have him check it out. Now, Isaac wasn't inclined to let Grandpa mess with his nose, so since we were at the surgery center, he got a little sedation to make that possible. Turns out he just needed some steri-strips and they were on their way later that afternoon...after he threw up the Chick-Fil-A he'd eaten. 

Meanwhile back east, it was 64° and Collin's family went to the zoo.

We get to see them this coming week, but James will leave the flamingo at home.

Dinosaur sweats and an alligator "horse." It doesn't get much better.

They also went to the air and space museum, where there were astronaut costumes to try on during a story time.

I think this is the same one I went to with them earlier this year and they're standing in front of one of the space shuttles.

We did our usual post-holiday traveling to Utah to see my husband's family. 

Eric and his decided to stop at Temple Square to see the lights.

So pretty!

There was time wandering at the pheasant ranch. And that pretty much sums up Christmas week. This week the kids came over and helped us take down the tree. I wish I'd taken a picture of the process.

As far as the rest of the week? I've done a lot of laundry and have worked on getting music set up for Sunday's stake choir practice. With my new calling as stake music chairman, I'm trying to get my ducks in a row. (Those are legal copies, BTW....just in case you wondered.)