Birthday memories

Despite the fact that I had to work on my birthday this year, I actually enjoy my day. There was a definite theme to all the gifts I was given. Brian bought me a NOOK which I really enjoy after getting to know how it works. I am having so much fun loading books on it. It is great to go through the online library, pick a book and then with the press of a key I have it in my hand. I got a number of other books and reading related material this year along with the Nook. I also was given cooking items and a cookbook strangely enough. I never thought I was much of a cook but I've discovered it is something I enjoy. I've already tried out three recipes from the cookbook and used some of the utensils I was given. Brian really liked the recipe for chicken pot pie.
After my birthday, I got another treat. I've asked Brian every year if we could go to a play at Tuachaunn or at the Cedar City Shakespearean festival. This year we went with Brian's parents and a couple of nieces to see the Broadway play "Tarzan". I have to admit I wasn't expecting much but I was surprised. The actors and sets were impressive. The gorilla people went moving through the air with the aid of an elaborate wire system. I really liked the beginning of the play because they flooded the stage. They actually opened a flood gate and let a stream in the background set overflow and soak the stage! You could see the water pouring off the stage! I was impressed to say the least. The music was just as good as I remember it from the Disney cartoon with a couple of added songs. The costuming was unique. I really wish we'd had the camera for pictures after the play but alas we left it at home. Maybe I'll get lucky next year and get to see another play.

Reunion in August

After a lovely family camping trip at Bear Lake, Brian and I got to go on a second camping trip for the year. This trip was with my family in the great state of Oklahoma. We were missing a couple of my siblings but it was great to see those who were able to make it. We had a great time touring the local Natural History Museum and swimming in the lake. I got to meet Silas for the first time and had fun playing with Miriam. Brian and Nathan helped Logan build a Knexs rollercoaster which was really fun to watch when they finished. We made picture frames from Popsicle sticks and scrapbook decorations. There were wooden turtle races and pinatas to break. It was a family reunion to remember

Bear Lake Reunion

Our family reunion this year was a camping trip at Bear Lake. What could be more fun then pit toilets, mosquitoes, sunburns, and dutch oven cooking for 4 days? There was lots of time for games and canoeing on the lake. Brian had a great time playing games, new and old, with his brothers. There were some spectacular sunrises and sunsets to see. Naturally there was a campfire to keep warm and roast marshmallows over. The seagulls liked our campsite so we got to see plenty of them. There were also pelicans and Magpies by the lake.

Our first night












Morning at the lakeside









keeping everyone busy










Wind surfers on the Deer Lake Reservoir

Trying something new

In an effort to expand our horizons, I have decided to start a blog page specifically for our adoption information. Right now it is just our information and pictures. We hope that it won't be long before we can add stories and pictures of a different sort. I've done my best to link our two blog pages together. Now we cross our fingers and pray.

Vacation Time

We spent a fun filled few day up in the Salt Lake Area this past week. Brian is out of school until the summer semester starts and it was my week off from work so we decided to get out of St George. We had big plans to go to Lagoon but those changed with the weather. Instead we visited some of the interesting sights that we hadn't seen before. We discovered that there is a full sized functioning farm in the middle of the urban sprawl. Wheeler Historical Farm is 75 acres of farm land in the middle of Salt Lake City. Brenda and her five little ones joined us to see the farm. We saw numerous ducks, geese,sea gulls, turkeys,chickens and roosters, as well as the horses, cows, sheep and goats. There were even some baby animals to enjoy. The kids loved the rabbits and the gobbling turkeys. Julia, the youngest at just one year old, seemed captivated by the birds. The boys loved the climbing tree they found.





We also went to see the Living Planet Aquarium that opened not too long ago in Salt Lake City. It was just the two of us on this trip. The aquarium was much smaller then then others we have visited but it did have some interesting exhibits. This aquarium had a small Great Pacific Octopus. I have never seen an octopus up that close before. It was creepy fascinating to watch crawl over the glass of it's enclosure. They also had a number of penguins to watch dive in and out of the water. The giant bird eating spider made even Brian pause.






We drove home in a heavy snow storm.







We are very glad to be home and get the chance to relax from our vacation.

A stainglass lighthouse

This is my latest quilt project. It was created with a pattern from a quilting book that my parents gave me for Christmas and material that my grandmother had. I learned a few things about quilting with small pieces from this project. Apparently pieces should be cut just a bit larger so that you can cover the seams easily. The quilt looks okay and Brian really likes it. We were going to put in on the wall above our fish tank in the living room but now it hangs in the master bathroom instead. I haven't chosen my next quilt idea yet but it won't be long before I have a new project to keep my hands busy.

nothing new

Once again I have no pictures to post. It's been an uneventful year thus far for us. Brian is enjoying his spring break from college classes and spending his time playing on the Wii instead of getting caught up with homework like he should be. He need a break though. I've been swamped with work at the hospital so I am really glad to be able to put my feet up a relax for a few days. I'm going to enjoy my cup of hot chocolate and watch the robins dig for worms around the yellow daffodils.