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Friday, August 26, 2011

Foto Friday

I apologize to my internet friends that I have been a little scarce online. Work is kicking my ass right now. There are a few reasons but one is the starting of our new recreation center we are building. We had the official ground breaking ceremony on Wednesday and it's a lot of work putting something like that together when really all it is, is a photo op.

It was nearly 100 that day and I feel like I'm still recovering from being outside for half the day.

Ready for shoveling

The crowd. One of the things that make an event like this hard to plan for is you could just as easily have 20 people as you could have 100. We were estimating 50, and had over 200. I was not exactly prepared for that amount! But it was fun to have that many people there supporting us.

One of the fun parts of our events is seeing the reaction our mascot Zippy gets from the crowd. This little guy immediately came running over and followed Zippy around for most of the event.

Zippy can even get the contractors to smile

Time for the traditional ground breaking. (there was actually a lot of people there taking photos/filming so we were all each others way and I was a little bummed I couldn't get any shots of the full circle of people)

My boss couldn't be satisfied with just your average ground breaking though, so he planned for the Mayor to kick it up a notch from just your average shovel.

Overall it went really well and I'm glad it's over. But afterwards you kind of go through event let down. It's kinda like the day after Christmas. Except you didn't get any gifts. So now back to our regular job. And the start of construction which will be interesting, but I'm guessing just a bit more stress ahead for the next 18 months.

In some non-work news, the canyons are starting to show signs of fall approaching.

As much as I love fall, it's my favorite season, I'm sad about the days starting to get shorter which really affects my ability to go on hikes after work. I need to make sure I take advantage the next couple of months before my sanctuary is covered in snow.

I got a late birthday present from my sister Britta in mail. She made me a beautiful little lidded clay container.

While she was here visiting she was working on a clay tiki mug and teasing Will that it was his face that she was carving. He told her it didn't look anything like him and that he would draw his face for her. She saved the picture he drew and said that she would put it on something. Inside the container I have Will's little drawing of his face. And I love it.

And lastly my baby starts school on Tuesday. I always figured I would be one of those parents that loved my kid going to school and was surprised the wave of anticipation I have about him going. I'm not an overprotective parent, but I'm feeling the desire to just want to be able to watch over my guy a little bit more before sending him out into the world of school bullies and teasing. Here's wishing him luck! He's showing off one of the squash he helped grow with his dad. I sure do love this kid.


Friday, August 19, 2011

Foto Friday

We hung out at the county fair today. The fair is always an interesting place. The fair is the place to see fat pigs (which was all Lucia wanted to see)

Family of frogs made from dough

Running chickens

I know that most animals at the fair are raised for food. I just don't want to be reminded of it in such an obvious way

Lego displays (Will is so going to be one of these guys in 20 years)


Exciting rides. Our kids have gotten to that point where they are bored after about 10 seconds on the kid rides, but too small for the big rides.


I think we will try the state fair this year and hope the excitement level is bumped up a bit.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Surrogate

Rain is a sign to me from the heavens that everything is going to be ok. I realize this may sound like a very narcissistic thing to say, but it doesn't matter, that's just how it is. Now that doesn't mean that every time it rains it's a sign for me. But it does mean that I do feel a connection to the heavens every time it rains.

This evening I went to my sanctuary, the canyons. In need of some soul fulfillment, struggling with a question, I sought out my refuge in the quite of the mountains. I made my way down a trail I have started before but never gotten far on. There was nothing extremely special about this trail, nothing that made me stop to pull out my camera which swung along my back. I've never made it far on this trail in part because it's steeper than my cardio level considers enjoyable. But I kept pushing along making sure the hike was at least long enough to be considered a workout.

Nearing my designated minimum time, I stopped to catch my breath and take in the view. A short ways off of the trail there was a clearing with two trees. They had a very inviting air around them. A place that you would like to lay under and dream away an afternoon. I headed through the tall grasses towards them to find out that the canyon grazing cows had also found them inviting which meant it wasn't a place you would want to lay. I continued past the trees which lead to another small meadow lined by a grouping of aspen. Aspen have been my favorite trees for a long time. And I'm not sure if for some reason I never noticed this, or more likely it escaped my memory, but the leaves fluttering in the gentle breeze sounded exactly like a rain storm.

I closed my eyes. Standing in the mountain meadow feeling the roughness of the waist high grasses running through my fingers. And on this hot August night without a cloud in the sky, I got my rain. And carried by the sound, the comforting feeling still washed over me. Every thing is going to be ok.


Friday, August 5, 2011

Foto Friday

I have no idea how people like my friend Marty do a daily blog. I'm really struggling to do a weekly one. And struggling to feel motivated to even use my camera. But I'm not giving in. I'm gonna force my way through it because I know it's good for me. And hope that sometime soon the desire to do it actually comes back.

The one time I actually pulled my camera out this week was because I loved this dill that my mom was drying from her garden.



I also noticed that I had a few other pictures I never posted, so a continuation of photo catch up.

Sometimes things don't go as planned

And sometimes when you don't expect it, you come around a bend and find a natural spring water fountain at the end of your hike. I'll have to say I now really want there to be natural spring water fountains along all the hikes I go on.

We haven't been to the pool as much this year because of the cool weather at the beginning of the summer and then having a lot going on this last month. But we did make it one time while my sister Britta was visiting. Will and Lucia are both very comfortable in the water and want to stay for hours.

Ella was happy as long as the water wasn't above her knees

And Sophie was most content on the towel

Last month while on a hike I came across this humongous mushroom. I included my very dirty foot for size reference.

When I showed my dad this picture he said that it's a puffball mushroom and that they taste really good and I should go back and get it. I told him there was no way in hell that was happening. This thing creeped me out big time. As I was walking down the trail I kept looking behind me to make sure nothing was hatching out of it and following me. Creepy.