Done!

I have spent hours today figuring out my blog design, and tweaking it to make it wider, designing the header--all with a killer headache. But I like it! This is what I've been wanting, but couldn't quite get before now. So I'm leaving it, except for possibly changing the background sometime.

Still Playing Around

I'm still messing around with my blog look. I kinda like the simplicity of this look, with very little wasted space. I also like the white. But then sometimes I miss having a background pattern. I know what I like when I see it in blog design, but for some reason, I just can't get mine there. Maybe it's because it's mine, and I'm too big of a perfectionist.

So, if every time you come to my blog it looks different, it's because I can't make up my mind and I'll just keep changing and changing it forever.

Happy Homemaker

I have a confession to make. I would love to be the kind of woman who sews beautiful quilts, who could sew my own curtains, basically one who is crafty and stuff. Sometimes I see something that is way cute, and I think, "I could get out my sewing machine and do that. It can't be that hard." And then I remember what happens every time I pull out my sewing machine. It starts bad and gets badder. Yes, badder. I end up wanting to get a baseball bat and smash the thing to pieces, a la Office Space (with the copier).

I wish I could be a pro at that kind of stuff, but I don't know how to get from the bumbling sewing machine idiot I am to that place. How does one do it? Is there a special gene that I'm missing? I have a hard time even threading the thing. And don't think it's because I haven't read the directions, because I have. Also don't think it's because I need someone to show me, because I've had that too.

So I don't know whether to keep torturing myself, or to figure that it's just not one of my talents, and never will be. I'm okay at other stuff. I can design my own blogs without any problems. I can read a book like nobody's business. The thing is, I really would love to be able to sew. I love going to fabric stores and picking out cute fabrics, I just can't do anything with them.

Stuff

I recently read Passionate Housewives Desperate for God. It was a book that definitely gave me mixed feelings. As I was reading, I kept thinking "but what about . . .", and then I realized that most of the time there really were no buts. This book definitely goes against the popular culture of today, but it really was backed by all kinds of Biblical support. So often we discount what the Bible says because it isn't relevant or it's not current, but God's word is unchanging.

This book made a very strong case for women staying at home, submitting to their husbands, having a serving attitude, among other things. I think I read this at exactly the right time for me, because I often feel like I hate being the mom, I hate staying home all day, I hate being the one who has to cook, clean, etc. That attitude is so against what God wants for me. So many times in the Bible we read about Jesus serving others. That was the example He set. Dying to self---it's a very hard concept, and one I suspect I will continually struggle with, but reading this book definitely helped.

Yesterday Kaitlyn and I went to see the new Harry Potter movie. It's been a long time since I read the books, so I can't really say if it followed the books or not. I think I liked the movie. What I remember of the nearly three hours in the movie theater was being really cold. I had goosebumps the whole time. It was unpleasant. Next time I'll remember, even if it's 90+ degrees outside, to wear pants and bring a jacket.

I decided to try the triathlon at the end of August with my Dad and Jason. It'll give me a reason to exercise, and right now I need some kind of motivation. I'll be writing more about it on my fitness blog (link to the right). I will say that this morning I biked about 3 miles, then I thought I'd try a little bit of a run because I felt pretty okay. I ran about a half a mile, and then I wanted to pass out. No, I don't mean that I felt like I was going to pass out (even though I did), I mean I wanted to. I hate running that bad, and passing out would have been an end to it, I think. At least the triathlon is only a mile and a half. I think I can work up to that, and then never run again. Ever.

Sour!

Well, I tasted a plum from the tree. It was edible, in the same way a lemon is edible. I'm hoping it's just not all the way ripe, though. We'll give it a couple more weeks and see.

Tree

Last year we bought a tree for our front yard. We bought what we thought was a decorative flowering plum tree. Not so much. There is definitely fruit on this puppy. I'm thinking it's probably edible, but no one wants to be the guinea pig. We really didn't want a fruit tree, because they're messy, but now that we have it, I'm really hoping we can eat the fruit, otherwise it's twice as bad. So, is it edible? Anyone know?

Bee's Game

Last night we went with our small group to a Bee's game. It was a lot of fun, but it was really hot. By the time we got to our car at 10:30, it was still 95 degrees outside. I usually don't mind heat, but my hands and feet were swollen from the heat, which is not pleasant.

Here's me and my honey:

Kaitlyn doesn't like this picture, and to that I say too bad. I think she's cute.

Here's Kevin:

Ethan enjoying cotton candy:

Trying a new look

I decided to try a completely different look. I get annoyed with all the wasted space on the sides of my blog, and I wanted something a little simpler. I'm not sure if I love this, though, so it may change again.

I have spent hours changing things around, trying different things, and so I think I need to be done, at least for now.

Prayerful Decisions

First, before I talk about anything, I wanted to point toward an excellent blog post I read this morning at Holy Experience. It's found here. That blog has consistently been my favorite.

Onto the other matter, I have the opportunity next April to go on a two week missions trip to Kenya. I really want to go, but would it be good to leave my kids for two weeks? Ethan will be 3 1/2, which I think is probably around the age Kevin was when Troy and I went to Europe for two weeks. And this is for something so much better.

The main thing I'm worried about is the cost. I know that if that's where God wants me to go, He will provide. Somehow I will be able to get the money. This is something I really want to do, but I'm not sure that Troy will agree on the costs or the time I would be gone. It would also take a lot of support from family and friends.

I've been praying about it, and will continue to do so, but I would also appreciate prayers. Thanks!

Date Night

Troy and I went out for dinner at MacCool's. The two times we had been before I ordered the chicken, which is huge, and is like half a chicken. I wanted to get something different this time, so I ordered the lamb shank. We weren't sure what a shank was, but I figured meat is meat. Turns out it's a leg. It was all delicious, but I'm sure it didn't help me in my weight loss goals.

Then we walked around at the District, went to Target and bought a couple of movies, looked in clothing stores where everything is made for teeny tiny girls, walked by the ice cream place and thought about getting ice cream, but Troy was too stuffed. I coulda made room for some dark chocolate and peanut butter ice cream, but whatever. It's always nice getting out with my favorite man.

Alpine Lake Hike

Here are some pictures of the scenery on our hike. I'm not a great photographer, but these pictures practically took themselves.

Alpine Lake Hike (with people)

We took a 3 mile hike around some lakes. It was so beautiful! The next three pictures were at the end of the hike, when we were all tired, but it was such a pretty place for picture taking, we had to take advantage.


Here's one of the lakes we passed by. We took a break so the kids could play and rest a bit. Kevin was such a trooper. He walked most of the way, and only cried a little bit.

The kids thought this was a cool tree for picture taking.

This was the first lake we passed.

Ethan had it good on the hike. He sat on Troy's shoulders for most of the way, and mine for a little bit. He's small, but when you're hiking uphill he gets pretty heavy.
We passed this little creek a few times along the way. Either that, or there was more than one creek.

Taking a break.

There was a stump that was perfectly shaped like a chair. It even had a back and everything. You can't see it, but it was a good place for the kids to rest.

Lehman's Cave

For our family vacation this year, we went to Great Basin National Park in Nevada. We took a tour of Lehman's Cave, and it was really neat. I kind of wish the lady had talked less and showed us more, but I guess some people like the stories. Here are some pictures of the cave:

July 4th at Lagoon

For the 4th of July, we went with some of my favoritest people (Jason and Dallas, Geoff and Felicia, and their fun kids) to Lagoon. It wasn't very crowded at all, and we had a fun time!

During lunch, Allston decided to feed Ethan. He did it for awhile, and it was so cute!

These are all out of order. At the end of the night, while the girls were waiting in line to go on a roller coaster, Ethan and Kevin went on this car ride over and over. As soon as they got done, they'd run back around to the line and get on again.

Here are the boys on an airplane ride.

The men and kids rode the skyride, while Dallas and I walked across to the other side (cause of the strollers). Ethan is so little there in the corner.

Here's Troy taking a bunch of the kids on a boat ride thingy.

These next two pictures crack me up. Good faces!

Troy and Kevin

Ethan and Allston

All the little kids (and Olivia) on some ride that I don't think I've ever seen. It looks like a cool spaceship or something.

We had a lot of fun, and it was a good day. Thanks, Jason, for planning it!

Random Pictures

Here are a few various pictures from the past couple of months.

This is Kaitlyn and her friends from school.
Here's our lizard, Willow. She likes to climb up and sit on the glass like this. You can see Loki sitting on the log. He's our lazy one.

If Ethan doesn't get enough nap (or doesn't get one at all), he gets very tired during dinner. There were other times I wish I would have had the camera, because he was drinking from his cup with his eyes closed and his head swaying.

Kaitlyn was in a Shakespeare play at school. They did Hamlet, and she played Laertes. This was the best picture we got. We really need a new camera!

Thomas the Train

A couple months ago we went with Trudy's family to Heber City to ride on the train there. The theme was Thomas the Train. I guess the kids liked it okay, but we were kind of disappointed, because all it did was ride down the track for about 10 minutes and then come back the same way. We probably wouldn't do it again, especially for how much it cost.

Here are a few pictures: