Running Stitch

Moving from the Pacific Northwest to a Desert is a bit different. We try to get in the mood by watching Rango but I think the difference is more apparent in the everyday things around us that are new. Like Water Conservation gardens. Many of these are planted around large water reservoirs right in the middle of neighborhoods.

The gardens help us learn about the different types of plants native to this area, the types that grow in abundance here (like lavender) and also plants that require less water. Since late April I have noticed that many of the hikes are covered in lavender. Covered. I can’t wait to get back to some of them to see the lavender in full bloom. I anticipate that the hikes in the next few weeks will be exploding in color.

Adventure week ho!

*Rango!- Los Lobos

The Adventure continues. This week is Adventure Week at Dragon Valley School and so we met up with some friends at the Hogle Zoo. True to form I can’t get over how close we are to things. I left the apartment an hour early, to give us plenty of time to get lost (a common occurance still) and arrived promptly at the zoo 19 minutes later.

It’s turning out to more of an adjustment than you would think, not having to drive an hour to get anywhere! So many adventures are within range, we just have to choose which one to go to! The Zoo trip was great, we saw the elephants being hosed down, playing and doing headstands.

It was hot, it’s May, it’s confusing for us but we are adapting. We even found one of Lucy’s relatives.

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Utah Adventure week, brought to you by copious amounts of sunblock.

Race you to the Stop of the morning- A Secret Garden

Another beautiful weekend in Utah, I think maybe folks are tiring of hearing it? Beautiful! Wish you were here! For the weekend, Legolas flew in from Washington and we cavorted as usual. You know tea, pepper relish, driving around pretending I wasn’t lost. It was just like old times.

Except it was really really hot.

Sunday we drove back to Mt Olympus for a prepared hike, unlike our last hike when we just drove by a sign that said Mt Olympus and you know, hello, had to pull over. This time we came prepared, and hiked in about an hour and twenty minutes. And by in I mean up. Up, up uppity up up. We took a breather in the shade of the watershed. So that we could all check our iphones.

And fish.

Notice how incredibly pale my son is. Still. I am very proud of this, because the slathering of sunblock it is a trial to him. Another sunny day in Utah, brought to you by some soggy pacific northwesteners who are still in shock.

Hook-Blues Traveler

It’s pretty here in Utah and much like Doug in Up I spend my day in a constant swivel “Squirrel!” There are things to do, place to see, sun to soak up. It can be stressfull at times because everything is new. New doctor, new dentist, new guy to fix the violin when we break the strings. New place to go to update your driver’s license, four times, but that is a whole other story.

I can get easily overwhelmed by all the newness. I lived in the same small town in Washington since I was 13 (except for a four year college experience in Eastern Washington). I went to the doctor that delivered my babies, I went to the dentist who we used to snowboard and hike mountains with before we all had kids. My kids were in school and activities with the children of people I was in school and activities with. My mother in law was the librarian and I was know to everyone as her daughter in law or Scott’s wife or the boys mom.

I don’t really miss it. I miss my friends, and my quilters. I miss my neighbors and my dog. But I don’t miss having everyone know your business, or everyone think they know your business because they knew you when you were 16. Hello. Changed, just a little. I miss the sound of the creek and the stillness of the road. I miss the comfort of the Burrow but not the dampness or the drips. Not never being warm.

It is strange to go to the grocery store, any of them, and not run into seven people you know and four that you hide from in the frozen food sections because they will NEVER stop talking! And you have to get home.

It is all new, and it lacks the rhythm of our life before, but we are slowly find a new rhythm our mornings full of school, our afternoons with new activities. As things settle I’m drawn back to my blog, but find myself re reading posts about my old life. It’s time to start posting about the new things so I can look back at when they were all new and shiny and “Squirrel!”

Winters on the Wing-Secret Garden

I have run before. I am a runner.

I have stood at the finish line. Many times. I have stood along the course, with my small children.

On more than one occasion.

I have driven up and down roads in a car full of babies looking for my marathon in training mate to make sure he is hydrated, and alive. I have given up date nights and get togethers in order to be able to get up early for a long run.

I have worn the race bib. I have rung the cowbell. I have watched online as bib numbers pass through check points.

I have gotten up early to drive runners to the course. I have gotten up early after being up all night with a baby to be at the starting line on time.

I have been there.

Like so many others, runners and spectators, family members, and friends yesterday I felt like I was there. Like so many others I waited for friends far flung to check in. Friends I knew were there, friends I suspected could be there, friends who knew friends there.

And then, like the rest of the world I waited for the bad news. The news we knew was coming. How could it not.

I have run before. I am a runner.

I have stood at the finish line. Many times.

Here is an updated picture of my Tulip UFO. The block are from a Quilting bee I had in 2004 (ahem) I first posted about them here in 2005, last spring I dug them out and started work on them. But put them away at some point, the scrappy patches that I love to look at finally overcoming me.

Springtime in Utah has arrived blowing in with blustering winds and intermittent sunshine. but I’ve already bought another pair of sunglasses and been sunburned twice (must by a hat!). Also I finished those three quilts I meant to finish before I left Washington, so it must be time to check another UFO off my list!

Also fitting nicely in with our Springtime theme. Our learning to tell time theme. Halfway through the making of flower power I thought maybe I should have made a sun for my extremely gender correct, covers his eyes when he see pink, seven year old.

But then I figured, if I don’t scar him emotionally, someone else will!

Tip Toe through the Tulips-Tiny Tim

to update the About me page…don’t you think?

December 2012

I’m a WAHM. (Work at home Mom-is there another kind?) I’ve been married to my best friend Scott (The Man) for the last thirteen years. We met in high school when I was 14 and he was much older. He used to pull my hair and practice Tae Kwan Do moves on me in Japanese class. I learned very little Japanese.

And yet our love survived.

We were married in 2000 (which makes it so easy to do the math-good thinking!) We waited till after high school to get married. And after the Navy, and College.

In 2002 we bought The Burrow, (because it is held together by magic, that’s why) it was built sometime in the twenties as a log cabin, sometime in the fifties they lifted it and put a basement on it, sometime in the eighties they built an addition (the right side). We have been in the process of fixing up said catastrophe (we LOVE this house) since before the ink was dry on the mortgage.

In 2003 we both started our Masters programs, and got pregnant (cuz we needed a little somethin extra-plus my six foot five husband looked cute in all his maternity clothes. Ruffles are the new….)

In 2004 our son, (Mr. Moo-were non traditional like that) was born. And we learned there was this whole other world outside of email and websites called the blogosphere. We moved in.

2005 was a down year, but I documented in online anyway!

2006 saw the addition of our second and last son (because my husband says so that is why, technically to be completely truthful what he said was, I could have as many babies as I wanted…ahem) Wah. I also completed my MSW in June of that year. Hurray.

2007 nothing…..but still online documenting it!

2008 Scott graduated from his Masters program and we both finally had jobs in on our field and no homework..and apparently two little boys! Crazy.

Through our years at the Burrow many animals came and went (sadly) but we documented it all! online!

In the Summer of 2012 My husband interviewed and was hired by a company in the Salt Lake City Area and rather abruptly our sleepy life in Southwest Washington was upended and we found ourselves in a flurry of packing and moving and saying goodbye to a place we never thought we would leave.

The week after Thanksgiving we packed up the Minivan with our children and three of our Menagerie (Calvin, Hobbes and Peter the bearded dragon) and drove the thirteen hours to Utah.

While we were sad to leave behind friends and family, we embraced our new adventure with open arms and have spent our time here reveling in the snow! and snowsports! and the hiking and the Sun! We are really enjoying our time here, and are looking forward to whatever comes next!

Hiking Mt Olympus
April 2013

This boy turned 7 over two weeks ago. Lest you think we forgot, we did not. but life here has seemingly been and an unending stream of visitors. Not unwelcome, but somewhat wearisome. So much so that we sat down last week and made a list of weeks not to say yes to visitors. It is rough, you know being so popular that everyone want sto come visit you in your new Sunny! spot. But in order to have what it takes to enjoy those visitors, we, and I particularly need some down time.

My annual quilting weekend, part of my pre approval for moving to Utah, was this past weekend. I’m still an ocean girl no matter how much I am enjoying the Utah sun. Walking on the beach is still one of my favorite things to do.

And a group of women I have know and loved for ten years gathered around sewing machines?

Ahem, sewing machines!

And also nine patches, I love my nine patch, I didn’t get to work on it much though because I was busy finishing the Aqua rose quilt. All done, and four years later back with it’s owner. I first started working on that quilt at our very first beach retreat Which I guess was only three years ago not four, that’s nice to konw.

Anyway..Done.

Life’s a Happy Song-The Muppets

backstory: Nine year old OBSESSED with Wimpy kid books, movies, anything. And thus, middle school. Also recent visit from Dragon Island friends included new Dragon baby.

Nine Year Old: Do you think you will have a baby when I am in middle school?
Me: No.
Nine Year Old: but you might..
Me: Nope.
Nine Year old: but what if you did.
Me: (bites the bullet) Well Dad had his baby making parts removed (that sounds worse to you then it does to a nine year old) so we can’t make babies anymore
Nine Year Old:
Nine Year Old:
Nine Year Old: If you and dad get divorced do you think you’ll have a baby.
Me: um, probably not.

*Everybody needs a little vacation-Kari Jobe

It’s been one big party here in Utah. (I’m going to have to name the apartment soon, it’s hard….what do you think about The Nest?)

Grandparents visiting, birthdays, snowstorms, and a visit from The Dragon Island crowd. We hit all the usual places, The Museum of Ancient Life (dinosaurs galore) The sledding hill (twice), the mountains for some boarding, and of course The Living Planet Aquarium.

Where unfortunately there was an incident with an Octopus.

Luckily we had already gotten our boarding in on Sunday. All the boys boarded and the Mama’s warmed the seats in the Lodge, and also trudged up and down hills, to the car for gear.

I think they had a pretty good time, and now back to the days of schoolwork and chores.

*You got a friend in me-Randy Newman