a "mormon" blog button and crock pots

According to General Conference, I need one of those blog buttons that says "I'm a Mormon" with "Mormon" crossed out and under it "member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". Except that I know for a fact that only people in my family and a couple of close friends read this blog, and they'd darn well better know that already. If they don't I'm in biiig trouble. Conference was good and I don't dare tell you any parent revelation I got because I know that Hayden will read this and tell the others. I always wonder if they are listening to the be a good parent talks and getting the inside scoop on my strategies. Of course I do hope they heard the part where someone said that I HAVE to correct them--it's my job.

In unrelated news, I will share that when I got up this morning and the pork I'd put in the crock pot last night was cooked on the bottom but raw on top, I decided it might be time for a new crock pot and that we weren't going to have pork roast after all. You see, as a newlywed, I foolishly opened the crockpot we were given, only to find that THE CROCK WAS NON-REMOVABLE. Soon after that, we were given a good, removable kind, but I had already opened the dumb one, so we exchanged it for something else. My mom then gave us her old crock pot, which we have used for another almost 16 years. It is avacado on the outside, to give you an approximate age. The moral of this story is either A) don't open any boxed gifts until you are really sure or B) it is cruel to give newlyweds gifts after they've been married for a month. heh heh. who am I kidding? Presents are always in style!

the internet is forever, you know.

My children in their red-eyed splendor
the deer they named Scruffy in our yard. watching us.
My little baby is getting baptized in two weeks. wah.



So I broke down and wrote a new post. I asked Mike about it and he reminded me that stuff stays on the internet forever and even if the post didn't embarrass me, it could (but shouldn't ) affect job interviews and insurance coverage down the road.
So here is the more "pc" summary: I've been down for a few months. It's getting better. I don't feel like blogging when I feel like that, so I haven't. Guess I should've put someone else in charge. Didn't care enough. Also, please don't feel badly if I haven't commented on your blogs. I've read and enjoyed them but couldn't muster a comment. It's a reflection on me, not on you. Sounds like a break up speech, eh? But I am almost myself again, so watch out! I will have to wean myself from re-runs of tv on the internet. Got so desperate to avoid reality I was watching "Welcome Back Kotter". It was funnier than I remembered, but still....

Merry Christmas and here's to another year.

Things sure do have a way of getting away from us. And you all know that clean socks and clean dishes trump blog updates. Then there's another thing: our boys are addicted to an online game that only works on the laptop (minecraft). Sometimes it's just not worth the fight to get online.

Here is our year-in-a-minute update:

MIKE
new thing: went to Germany, conducted first funeral
same old thing: coached Emily's soccer team

TONYA
new thing: in primary presidency (but old thing because it's my third time)
same old thing: still starting lots of projects instead of finishing them
news on my back: got the all clear from the doctor to do reasonable things and shouldn't have much trouble until arthritis kicks in

HAYDEN
new thing: in jr high, got taller than mom, went deep sea fishing
old thing: still on the computer non stop, still working towards Eagle scout

EMILY
new thing: in intermediate school, playing the flute,
old thing: still making crafts and drawing

TATE
new thing: new elementary school, likes Mike's fish 'n' chips, reading chapter books
old thing: still wants to do everything Hayden does, still likes to hug and snuggle

Our big tree is gone!

First, Mike and I have been sick for what seems like forever, or at least most of September. REALLY didn't feel like blogging.

Our Sycamore/cottonless cottonwood tree has been dying. The dying accelerated this summer, and after many false starts, we got it taken down before some big branches could do damage to the neighbor's home. Here is movie made from multiple clips to show the process (beware: the sound ranges from silent to super loud, so you might want to turn the sound down...)

Willard Peak-what a ride...

Hayden's in misery.
View of Brigham City
Perry reservoir
View of Ogden valley and Pineview reservoir
Loverly mountain flowers


So back in July we grabbed Subway (to please Emily) and drove up to Willard Peak. Mike's always wanted to check it out. The view in 3 directions was sa-weet!!! We never made it to the end of the road, though, because all three of the kids were very very unhappy. Emily hates driving on mountain roads with cliffs, Hayden said it all made him feel sick, and Tate was distraught because everyone else was. sigh. The ride WAS pretty rough, but the view more than made up for it to Mike and I. Sounds like a good (but long) date idea for next summer.

People on a Beach

Three silly kids on the beach
three silly kids, their dad and his kite on a beach
Mike and Emily and rocks on a beach
Hayden sitting on rocks on a beachTate looking like a manta ray (in his reflection) on the beach
Emily and her baggie of shells she wouldn't touch on the beach
A fine example of the stride I love on the beach
Me taking my own photo on the beach
my boys looking for stuff on the beach
Hayden and Mike. The beach was so big, and the water so far out right then, it just seemed so cool, these two guys, in the middle of the beach.


PS I am dividing our many many photos (which I will not bore you with all of) into categories. These are pictures of people on a beach.

pps don't you think I need a fancy camera with super zoom???

Deep-sea Fishing but not for Me

The boat. Or, as they say on "Phineas and Ferb", bo-at (bow @).
Hayden felt he'd caught enough after 6 (including two at once). So he napped.
My dad, working on a big one!
Mike and my dad.

Hayden and my dad.


I didn't go because Emily and Tate are scared of boats. It was ok, because we all hung out with my mom that morning. That was fun. I bought $$$ of salt water taffy. Yikes!

I didn't include pictures of the bloody rubbermaid tote with all the fish inside...if you'd like to see them, e-mail Mike, who will gladly share them. Not me. ick.

Now, a word from Mike: We didn't actually take any pictures of the fish as we brought them in because we were just busy fishing. I wish we had some photos, but no, we don't. When I brought in the big ling cod I knocked on the window to get sleeping Hayden's attention. He looked out, but he didn't bother to come take a picture. Here is one photo I took using my phone because it was easier than getting the camera out early on when Tonya's dad had caught 2 rockfish and Hayden and I had caught the slightly smaller but larger number of rockfish in the other tote. We caught larger ones after this. Really.


In the end we ended up with a whole bunch of rockfish, one "sea trout" (really a kelp greenling - very pretty colors), and a nice ling cod (the biggest, meanest, and reportedly tastiest of them all). We now have a whole lot of fish fillets in our freezer, vacuum packed and awaiting future dinners.

Certain smaller kids need to get over this boat problem if they ever want to go out whale watching one of these days...