Beautiful Easter Day

It is a beautiful Easter day in Alpine.  Which is saying a lot right now because the SUN is actually shining and my grass is getting green outside my window.  Makes me wish I had a pack of little children to go hunt Easter egggs!

(which is actually a tongue in cheek joke around my home! - ha! - because my children all thanked me this year for not making them hunt for Easter eggs for the first Easter EVER in their lives! - they are now 26, 23, 20 and 17 and have ALWAYS had to hunt for Easter eggs on Easter in the past)

I hope everyone has had the opportunity to read and partake of the 1st Presidency's Easter message.  If not you can read their message here, and I hope you have a few quiet moments to do so today.  Be sure to watch their inspired and wonderful Easter video which brings the Atonement into our lives, for and in behalf of each and every one of us!  

Happy Easter - from me . . .

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The Uniform and other Random Stuff

Does anyone else have an actual uniform they get up and put on each and every morning? I try not to, I really really do. Sometimes I put on my jeans, just to dress up a little, and try to coordinate an actually matching top that could possibly be classified as cute.

I mean for me, JEANS are dressing up. I have like 5 different pairs that each have a purpose. There are the everyday jeans for everyday dressing up. You know the ones, you can actually bend over and scrub the tub and crawl around on the floor, and dust the blinds where like the dust absolutely goes everywhere.

Then, there's the pair that look a little nicer for if I actually have to go out of the house, like to the grocery store or run errands. I keep one pair of jeans that look really cute with my boots, so I usually save those for lunches out with friends, or book group or something like that.

I have ONE fantastic pair that actually make me look just a LITTLE bit skinny - soooooo THOSE are saved for the most SPECIAL of occasions, like a movie date or out to dinner with the husband. I think I tried on 37 different jeans the day I found those . . .

Otherwise, I pretty much look like this,

in the uniform . . .

Hoody and sweatpants.

Oh there's my husband calling,

I know it's him, it's his ring tone. His ring tone by the way - is my favorite romantic song, so I love it whenever he calls. It's "Only Hope" from A Walk to Remember by Switchfoot.

Since I'm on the subject, when my friend, Laurie calls, it's "Who Can It Be Now" because she laughed hysterically the first time she heard it play, I've kept it assigned to her name ever since. (Men At Work)

When my daughter calls it's "Dimelo", Enrique Iglesias, you know the one, the Ping Pong song, except in Spanish. Believe me the Spanish version is so great! We fell in love with it when we were in Ecuador last summer. (Caution: video may not be totally appropriate, lots of girls in swimsuits!)

Random calls elicit the theme song from "The Office", Except, I think someone is calling every time the videos get started in the DVD player.

Oh! I think I hear your phone ringing . . . what kinda music are you playing?

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Kids 'n Dogs

Seems like we always have a houseful of kids and dogs. Sometimes more kids, sometimes more dogs. Today was no exception. We had house guests! It was our great privilege to host the owner of Kelsie's first guide dog puppy that she raised, who is now grown and a working guide dog in Santa Ana, California.

(Huge Cardinal, Cardinal eating, top - our Cleo, bottom - our Conan)

His name is Cardinal, and he is a gorgeous, huge yellow lab. He was passing through Utah with his owner and other family members and we invited them all to come and stay for the night. So of course we pulled all the troops back home for the evening to meet the guests of honor.

Everyone had a really excellent time. We ate, talked, played games, ate some more, played more games . . . well, you get the idea. Anyway, the house was filled with kids and dogs.

I was lucky to capture a few photos of the young people gathered around the piano laughing, playing some tunes, and playing ocarinas. (Does ANYONE know what an ocarina is??) It's one of my kids favorite things to do, and we have ocarinas to go around.

Then they moved on to more sophisticated instruments - GUITAR HERO!

This is "my man" in the kitchen. He really is a great entertainer, he knows his way around the kitchen for certain. I actually was in the kitchen also - but you never see me . . . because after all

I am the picture taker . . .

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The Coolest Thing . . .

I love my community.

Even though it gets closer and closer to the city (or maybe the city is coming closer and closer to us . . .) we still see so much wildlife in our community. Many people here think the deer are annoying. Not me. I practically beg them to come eat from my garden in the summer time. I have 7 unfenced fruit trees. But they seldom come steal fruit from MY trees.

They do pass through my yard, I can tell from the evidence they leave behind. I think perhaps it's my dogs that keep them away. I don't know what else it could be. Mostly my dogs are in the house, and always in the house at night. But the deer still don't come take my offerings . . .

While my very next door neighbor, who has two outdoor dogs, loses foliage, and her flowers to the deer all the time. It's very strange . . .

But I digress actually -

I really wanted to share these photos I took recently of the elk herd that travels back and forth in this area. About 6 years ago they were visible from the highway and I watched for them everyday. They were MY elk herd. I watched them constantly and delighted in seeing them so nearby.

Every winter thereafter, I would watch for them to appear in the fields off the highway or for evidence that they had passed through. And every year for 6 years there was no sign of them. Until finally, one bright sunny morning, early, about 7:30 am, I was on my way home from work in Salt Lake after a huge blizzard snow storm; and there they were in the field off the highway.



They were so gorgeous! A herd of about 25 elk was trying to cross the highway. Unlike deer who dash helter skelter across the highway, and frequently into oncoming traffic; one leader figure stood on the edge of the highway. He almost appeared to be waiting for the cars to notice him. And notice him they did. Gradually the traffic stopped in both directions. Only then did he step out boldly into the road and ventured across. The approximate 25 others, some with grand racks of antlers atop their heads, some without, filed behind in a single column until all were safely across the highway. No stampede, no mad dash, no helter skelter unorganized herd were they. Just beautiful . . .






I was practically standing on top of my car trying to get photos. For about a week they appeared in the fields of the foothills and I watched for them everyday. And then sadly, once again they were gone.



I hope I get to see them again someday.

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And Now . . . A Word from our Sponsors . . .

Just wanted to clue you all in on a great giveaway going on over at

"The Welcome Mat".

Victoria has a wonderful sight that is so much fun to visit. Once you get to know her, you'll be back for more sure as shooting.

Speaking of shooting - she has taken up the Pioneer Woman week-long photo challenge, of taking your photographs up a notch and creating artwork. Be sure to let her know which of all her photos you most prefer. I'm going to give it a try myself - so watch for my week-long entries of photos. Can't wait to see what I come up with.

As for me Victoria - this is my favorite. Too cute, and love the meadow and flowers in the background. Looks like Mt. Timpanogos . . . one of MY favorite places!

And by the way - I can practically taste that homemade bread. I think it's heading in my direction:)

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I am NOT a Quilter

But every once in a while, I TRY to IMITATE a Quilter.

Like a couple years ago when my oldest son Dustin got married. With the inspiration of a friend I put together a really cute quilt (for me at least!) for him and his cute new wife, Cami.


And when my daughter got ready to go away to college, we made one especially for her together. Something she could have on her bed everyday to remind her of home.




And now, I have another daughter (my youngest of all the bunch) graduating from high school in TWO MONTHS! I can't believe it! And getting ready to go away to college this fall.

And once again, I'm preparing to imitate a quilter. She has been planning this graduation quilt for quite some time. She knew just what kind of colors she wanted . . . what she wanted on the back . . . the approximate pattern for the front . . .

Did I forget to drill into her head that
I AM NOT a QUILTER?

I had imagined a simple patchwork type quilt like the one we did for her sister. But no! She knows exactly what she wants to do, and it involves constructing 70 - 8" square blocks, although the pattern is pretty simple and super cute. I guess I'll have to keep you all in suspense as to what the exact pattern is . . .

So yesterday, we went shopping for the fabrics to get started on this masterpiece.

Kelsie, interestingly enough has a great eye for color and patterns. So I pretty much let her have a free reign. It will be really fun to see how it turns out. I'll have to keep you posted. That lovely (can you say "expensive") soft, embossed looking fabric on the bottom is for the back. That is the part she is the most excited about.

Darn! Guess I should have given her a budget as well:)






Once again, just Blisssfuuuullly Dommmesstic!

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