So Much Dust

Today, we spent all day riding side by sides, wheelers and motorcycles.  Mom and Jenny rented side by sides and we all took turns riding different things.

I drove for Mom.  I've never encountered so much dust in all my life.

We tried to get a picture of it to show what it was like, but we really can't di it justice through pictures.

It was so dusty at some points that I'd have to stop and wait for things to settle before moving on.

The face masks and goggles were a must or we couldn't have breathed or been able to open our eyes.

It was still beautiful despite the dust.  And the paths took us to some really cool places.

We stopped at several caves.

They were so nice and cool, we really didn't want to leave.

Nathan caught a salamander in the cave.

I thought this picture was pure boy.  Filthy hands and some kind of creature...

We stopped at Mammoth Cave too.  Part of it is fenced off to protect the bat population.

The kids had fun exploring the part the could go in.

I thought it was really cool that the surrounding trees could have put down enough of a root system in the surrounding rock to survive.

Once again, Nathan caught a creature.  This time it was a horny toad?

We stopped at a volcanic rock clearing for lunch and we marveled at how dusty we were.  Pictures really can't do it justice.  I don't think any of us have ever been so dusty.

Our last cave was an ice cave.  It had an icy floor and I watched too many kids fall to venture too far in myself.  I only went in far enough to enjoy the cool air and let them fall all over on the slick icy mud.

That night, the cousins had a spirited game of spoons.  There was a spoon casualty and more than one kid left in tears, but I think they had fun overall.

 It's so fun to have been able to get together with cousins we don't see very often anymore.

It was a great day!

Duck Creek and Strawberry Point

We got up this morning and drove to Duck Creek.  Mike loaded up two motorcycles and the wheeler on the trailer and we pulled it with the white Honda Pilot.  We had more seating than we would have had in the truck and it pulled just fine.  There were some massive hills and we had to figure out how to use different techniques to keep the transmission cool, but we made it.

Before today, I didn't have any idea where Duck Creek was.  Alana's family took my mom out there several years ago and she had so much fun she wanted to bring her kids to enjoy it too.  It's out by Cedar City but it's so high up it was really quite cool.  When Smithfield was having 100 degree days, we had 85 degree highs in Duck Creek.

Mom rented 2 condos at Duck Creek Lodge and we got there in time to settle in and go for a quick ride.

After dinner, we went out to Strawberry Point to watch the sun go down.  It was so pretty!

On the way there, we watched over 50 antelope in a herd run and gallop for miles as they ran along side our car.  It was far enough away that I wasn't worried they'd veer off into us, and we just watched as they leaped and ran.  It really was an amazing sight.

There were hundreds of deer, antelope, and sheep on our drive to the point.

Plenty of opportunities for me to ask the kids... "Guess what I heard (herd)"  :)

(In case you hadn't heard that joke, the answer is "sheep").

Warren's family, Jenny's family, my family, Mom, Alana and kids were there too.  My mom was a nervous wreck seeing all the people she loved so close to dangerous cliffs of doom.

Warren had to take off his belt and attach it to Blake because he lost his privilege of free roaming within the first few minutes of being there.

It was a beautiful evening and so fun to see a new place.

Life is good!
 

 

Braces Are Off!

This happened today!

Allie was supposed to get her braces off June 1st.  We went in the month before and things had shifted and they told her it would be one more month.  She was pretty bummed.  She had told all her friends and was really looking forward to having them off for Vistaun pictures.

She was vigilant in that last month of wearing her bands and today was the day!

She signed her name to the wall and came out with a big smile.

 She sure is a beauty!

She's been practicing her smile all day.  It takes some getting used to after having a metal mouth for so long.  :)

Yay for straight teeth!

A Conversation With Nathan

Sometimes when the littles get home from school, it's 15 minutes of non stop talking from the both of them and then they go off to do their thing for the rest of the evening.  So, what I get in those 15 minutes is usually pretty good.

Here's today's gem...

Nathan: I'm the only kid in my class who can't touch their toes and it's kinda embarrassing.

Me: What do you mean?  Is there a stretch you do where you're standing and touch your toes?

Nathan: Yes.  We have to touch the floor and I look over and all the kids can do it, but I can't get there.  Do you think my arms are too short?  Or are my legs too long?

Me:  (spits out the water I was drinking, laughing...)

He may not be able to touch his toes, but he says he can plank longer than the other kids in his class.  So there's that small victory.

Bees

This is my instagram post...

We are trying a new venture in life.  We got some bees.

I have always loved Alma 34 and the admonition to pray over everything in our lives.  Last night, I took the Littles with me to set up our new bee hives.  As we drove to the field, we were talking about how nervous we were about the new experience and Jason suggested we pray that things would all go well.  I was glad for his suggestion and we said a prayer and then trusted that we could figure it all out.  We felt good about our efforts and came home excited about our new venture.  I couldn't really quit worrying about my bees though and hoping that things would go ok.  Alma 34 kept coming to my mind and I was reminded to pray continually.  I've never had flocks of the fields to pray about, but now I do have thousands of bees.  I pray for so many people and wish for good for so many...why not pray over bees as well.  I know Heavenly Father cares.  He made them!

  

20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields that ye may prosper in them.

25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in  your wilderness.

27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

 

Today

 Today is Sunday, so we've spent a bit of time looking back at old blog posts.  Once again, I am so glad that I have kept this little blog alive.  We read things in the chaotic years that I have no memory writing.  I can't believe it. I know I've said that before, but it really is crazy to me that I can have all these things written down that I don't remember writing.  :)

 Today I read a post I wrote about painting trim when I was near delivery with Nathan.  As I read, I remembered the scene, but only because it's one that has happened several times since.  It's the way things go with projects at our house. 

I also got to laugh at some of the mundane every day things that brought me back to those days.  This post reminded me of how crazy dinner time used to be.  It's still crazy, but it's crazy because we're driving places or sitting at games during dinner time.  Times have changed for sure and I love the life we live, but it sure is different.

Today, on the way home from church, we talked about testimony meeting.  Jake had been texting Mike in the meeting and telling him to get up.  (He did it to me last fast Sunday and I did get up).

Jason said "yeah, I wanted you to get up too and talk about me and my crash".  

I said, "Jason, you should have gotten up there and talked about it yourself!"

Jason: Well, I wouldn't know what to say.

Me: You could just say what you told us, that you crashed and were really lucky to be okay.  When you were laying there, you prayed and felt comforted.

Jason: I guess so.  It's just really hard to say all that.

We went on talking a bit.  That crash must have really been an experience for him.  Spiritually and physically.  We've had a few really good conversations about it.

Jason told me that there are a few kids at his school who don't believe in God.  He said that they say there's no one listening when you pray.
"But I know Heavenly Father is listening because when I crashed and I prayed, I knew he was listening."

As hard as it is to see your kids suffer and get hurt, if they learn valuable lessons like that, it's worth it.

Life is so good.  I'm so glad I get to share it with Mike and all the little Schwabbies.

Lagoon

 I got a job at Lagoon.  Funny right?  My friend works there seasonally and gets free season passes.  I've always kind of wanted to get season passes so we could feel like we could go and just spend a few hours there at a time, rather than spend a whole lot of money for a crazy long day.  So, I decided to apply for the job.  I have to work 6 school day shifts when the high school kids come for their Lagoon day.  I also have to work 4 other shifts before June 6th.  Today was one of my shifts.  I had been telling the kids that I'd take them with me and today was the first day I could.  Mike came along too.

I've got some friends who have season passes this year and they met up with my family to hang out a bit.  I think they all had a great day.

My shift was nice.  I got to work the cash register for part of the day and I forget how much I like standing behind a till and seeing each new face that comes up.  It's what I loved the most about working at the gas station.  Mike can joke about me being a carnie (carnival worker) all he wants.  I guess it's in my nature.  :)

 My friend Natalie sent me some pictures that she took today.  I didn't even get one.  (Unless you count the one I took of the red bag that I left for the kids to get snacks out of.  I took a picture of the place I left it so Mike could find it again.  My directions were a bit vague and they were really hungry by the time they finally stumbled upon it.)

We'll be spending a bit of time at Lagoon this summer.  Should be fun...right?  :)