Yellowstone - Teton National Parks

Here is a start to our vacation. We left our house on Tuesday the 30th and traveled to Montrose Colorado to stay the night with my Aunt and Uncle. I always try to go thru Ouray because I think it is one of the most beautiful spots on earth.

We enjoyed some time with Jan and Dave, the boys fished a little and then we were on our way to Yellowstone. It took the whole next day to drive to our camp ground just below the South entrance called Flagg Ranch. We spent several days exploring Jackson Hole. Fun shops to see and lots of fun things to do. We tried the Alpine slide, river rafting, and shopping.

The Cowboys!

On the 4th my kids were really excited to be in Wyoming where the fireworks laws are favorable. In Arizona even sparklers are outlawed. So when we found out that fireworks were not allowed in the National Park and Jackson was supposed to be really crowded, we (I) decided to try Dubois - Now my Aunt Jan used to live there and when I would spend summers with her we camped and vacationed a few times in Dubois so I hoped it would be as I remembered. Also their parade did not start until 1pm and that allowed us to go horseback riding first.

Logan wanted to ride a white horse - he spooked this poor horse with his sweatshirt but was still able to stay on!!

I took this picture behind me while I was on my horse! Sometimes I am really good!

Brenn and her pink Cowboy hat!

After the parade (great by the way) we went to the local museum. I have to tell you about the lady running the counter - she held a newspaper in front of her mouth because her 8 month old puppy (Great Pyrenees) ate her false teeth! We laughed with her and wondered what our 3 puppies at home were chewing up! What a great museum! Lots of exhibits and fun facts about the settlers and Indians in that area.

Then Ken and the boys dropped Brenn and I at the laundry mat and went to the res to buy fireworks! Luckily it rained really hard that afternoon so we did not catch anything on fire with our inexperience.

We went to the empty lot on main street with the rest of the town and watched the fireworks on a bluff right ahead of us and then everyone around us were lighting them too. What a good time - the only hang up was everyone was at the fireworks and we could not find a bathroom! I finally saw, in a window, a lady I met at the laundry mat and asked her if I could use her restroom, I figured that was better than being arrested for peeing in a bush!

Dallin was amazed that only 962 people live in Dubois...that is not as many as his graduating class. Brenn thought it would be fun to live there.

We wanted to thank Dubois for a memorable 4th and apologize the the gentleman that Logan almost killed with a bottle rocket.

I LOVE MOUNTAINS!! Seriously, can scenery be spectacular with out a mountain? I don't think so. There is nothing as Awesome as the Teton mountains. Really, I think that word 'awesome' was first uttered by someone seeing the Tetons.

Beautiful flowers - I cannot seem to resist that either.

More to come.....

Did I fall off the face of the earth??

No - sorry I have been soooo busy - and now I am on Vacation in Yellowstone!! We packed up the camper and sent Grandma to Colorado to stay for a week and we went where it is cooler - really its been COLD!! I will post some pictures as soon as I can. Lucky for us my neighbor (and sister in law) is looking after 3 puppies and 2 dogs and as soon as Grandma gets home, her too. I need some ideas to pay her back, so feel free to comment (you too Kirsten (SIL)).

I am keeping up on your blogs via blackberry (when I have service) but cannot seem to comment, I will catch up when I get home (tho' i am glad Lily came back to live at home instead of outside, I hear its going to be 116 and even between the A/C is not going to be cool enough!)

I do wonder how Kaden is, Julie has not updated lately...keeping my fingers crossed and my prayers said.

Fabulous pictures to come....

At least 3 Blackberrys thick!

Is this a stack of bills? NO. A stack of newspapers? NO A stack of school work? NO

This is the stack of houses I have looked at!!

Seriously! My poor mom - its a good thing she is my Real Estate Agent because no other person would show me every house! (secretly we just really like to look at houses together.)

But I think we found them - yes I said them. We found a few houses yesterday that were good but kinda alot of money (isn't that the way it goes). But were driving by this one (its not even on the MLS yet) and it had a lock box so of course we are game. It is good. 3 bedrooms, 2 updated bathrooms, a pebble tech pool, and a decent kitchen. But it is kinda small. The second one is huge - 5 bedrooms (4 really big ones and one teeny tiny one) 3 bathrooms and a nice yard, not as close to ASU as I would like but its about 3 blocks to the free bus (as opposed to 3 houses with the first one). Big difference in PRICE though. Except it really works out to about $65 a month in house payment - more girls in the bigger house and lots of more room, about double.

What to do....well you offer on both and see what happens!! With our luck we will get both and then have to decide. If that happens I may just detail it out here and you all can VOTE!!

Logan's Dream

I must preface this post with a few facts:

My family - Father and siblings - have always had very vivid, usually strange dreams. Lots of de ja vu - and even some really creepy ones. I do not watch horror movies for that reason alone.

This I have passed on to my children. We have always enjoyed the mornings of relating the past nights dreams, all except poor Ken who never remembers his dreams, we think this is really sad.

A few months after Ken and I were married I had a really, really real dream that he took a second wife (a friends wife in fact (she was tall and I am short there in lies the insecurity) yes that is you Clarissa) with out telling me!! I came home from work to find out it was a done deal - did I mention my dreams are REALLY vivid? I woke up mad and hitting my husband - it literally took a couple of days to forgive him. Over the last 21 years he has gotten use to me waking up mad because he was a JERK in my dream - eventually I am able to separate the dream state from reality, well mostly.

This brings on the reason for my post. Logan (14) came to me last night just hopping up and down to tell someone his 'really cool dream'. Now I am used to this but immediately I knew this dream was different. He had a really big smile, not the usual confusion, and he told me he had been dying to tell someone about what happened in his dream. I am going to copy out of his journal so it is in his words - it's just that cool of a dream.

"The part I remember is that I'm with a group of people and we are on this golden cloud. I am the same age as I am now. I'm talking to my friends Jackson Buntrock and Rachael McCue, they are the only ones there that I know. Its not a very big group and the golden cloud we were waiting on was kind of like a waiting room. There were chairs everywhere and people from everywhere around the world. Jesus calls me up and I get interviewed. I do not remember any of the questions or anything. The next thing I do remember is I get passed and then Rachael and then Jackson. I leave them and go looking for my great grandparents, Grandma and Grandpa Petersen and Grandma Cole and to meet Grandpa Cole. Then I got woken up. I was smiling during the whole dream. I felt love everywhere. It was the one of the most amazing experiences of my life."

When he was telling me I asked a few questions.

"Were you nervous to interview with Jesus?"
"No, I was excited."

"How do you know you passed?"
"Mom, Jesus loves me, of course I passed."

Then he told me his friend Rachael is not Mormon, but she passed. Then he said, "Well, she is a really great person."

We then had the conversation about how we are ALL Gods children and He wants all of us to be with him. His did not make the supreme sacrifice for only those chosen few, I know He made it for everyone everywhere.

I was also touched that he was searching out his Great Grandparents, that he knows they will be there waiting and happy to see him.

After I encouraged him to write it down - I only copied the dream, he wrote 5 pages about this experience. What a lucky, lucky, really blessed boy I have.

As I am writing this post - and helping Brenn find bagels in the freeze - she tells me of her dream last night. Aaron Beihl (a boy she dated and is not person non grata) she is at his house doing something with his dad and they have Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies too - one with a pink collar that looks just like Stella (her puppy she is keeping) and but with a really strange name and she was suspicious they had stolen our puppies. That is normal for our house.

Do you know who John Connor is??!!!!

I have a confession to my posterity....I love Science Fiction. Particularly movies and television shows.

One of my Favorite of all time is the Terminator movies - yes I know they are action packed and a little violent. I got hooked in the early 80's with the first one and have really enjoyed the series (including the Sarah Connor Chronicles on tv). Last night we

FINALLY

went to see the Terminator Salvation (I was so relieved it was not rated R, since the first one I have repented and not watched R rated movies (yes, I had to wait for T3 to show on tv)) for family home evening. Yes, we are stellar parents. Actually we planned it and all three kids ditched us. So Ken and I went ahead with the plan not knowing you have to have 3 in your party to get the family night discount at the local theater. Oh well, I thought it was worth it.

What a great movie!!

Ok - I know critically the story was under developed and not too much plot but the homage paid to the previous movies was spectacular!! I really enjoyed the whole movie - Ken was kind to me and let me laugh and explain the parody's. Really, I believe the director, MCG, who ever that is must love the other movies as much as I did (ok T3 was not as good).


I could go on to describe the little details used from the other movies but I won't bore you - but "I'll be back" someday and I will rent all 4 - download the clearplay edits - and make my children watch a marathon!! WHEEE!!!

Loved IT!!

PS - yes I watch Sci-fi channel all day on Saturday while I clean and iron just to see the movies!!

PSS - Yes - you are related to me!!

Logan to D.C.

Logan went to Washington D.C. for a school trip. They had a ball!

He was very impressed by the monuments especially Arlington Cemetery

They were there over Memorial Day and I know it made a big impression on military service and sacrifice. He knows my Dad spent 20 years in the Air Force and My Uncle Rick served 2 tours in Vietnam. He told me the Wall memorial was a sacred place and it bothered him that some of the other groups were not as reverent as he thought they should be, what a great kid!!

Logan and FDR

He told me he needed at least another week to see all he wanted to see. He went with a group called Close up and they had kids from about 5 other states in their group too.

What a great experience for him!!

This is for Shelly - look I am finishing up old business.

My Front Bathroom is done! Isn't it beautiful?

This is my tile Guy - Dominic - poor Brenn she was gone most of the time he was here!
This is the downstairs shower - it is almost finished too!

Does this look like a tired nursing mother? She really doesn't let them nurse much anymore because they are so big and greedy! Isn't this the cutest thing?!! They are growing even faster than my boys! The sleep of the innocent! They are not so innocent when they are awake, they have sharp little teeth and are ferocious on any bare toes.Most of my pictures are blurry - they are constantly on the move!

If you are interested the puppies will be ready to go in about 2 weeks. There are only boys available (for $500).

My house still hates me. On Tuesday as we were leaving the wind whipped and took a good part of my shingles with it! I cannot believe this last year. I just keep thinking that pretty soon it will all be new and I won't have to worry about it anymore.

Help I think I am going to go CRAZY!!

Might as well start with the cute! I cannot believe how fast these puppies have grown! They are now 4 1/2 weeks and in the last week have learned to get out of the pool (in about a second) - potty on a puppy pad (most of the time) and chew on my toes!
I banished them to the backyard 2 nights ago so I could finally sleep through the night and although they did not really like it, they did finally settle down and I got a full nights sleep!

Except in the morning they had pooped all over the patio! I had to clean that up for my tile guy (and because it was gross) so I moved them a little farther into the grass (which they are not too sure of). I felt bad leaving them outside during the day because it was 102 today but if they are inside Zara growls at the tile guy more.

Luckily they found shelter under the half pipe - it is still damp from irrigation and is shady all the time! If I step into yard and yell "puppies, puppies" they come running! Ken is jealous because they won't come to him!

On to my crazy - actually the puppies are part of it because all of my kids have been gone and so has Ken so I am caring for them (picking up poop and wiping up pee pee) all by myself along with the tile guy, plumbers, making sure Zara doesn't eat said tile guy and plumbers, picking out tile and buying, getting my house ready for Celcee (cleaning lady), along with the the rest of my life!! Like I said...

CRAZY!!!

Here is the set tile - he will grout tomorrow. I was planning white tile with black accents the tile lady talked me in to stone - I am really pleased (not so sure about the purple paint but...)

IF you are wondering what happened to this bathroom click here

This is the downstairs bathroom - you mean the only bathroom you had remodeled? Yes, that's the one! A few weeks ago as we were moving some furniture downstairs Dallin noticed the carpet was wet (again). So after investigating the usual sources we finally figured it was the shower we had re tiled a couple years ago. The only way to fix it properly was to demo it and start over!!

ARRRGGG!!

Not only did the shower leak but when we took down the ceiling we realized the toilet upstairs was still leaking onto the ceiling! YUCK!!

So I call my buddy Bret (at Dirt Dog Plumbing, if you live in the Phx area I recommend him highly) he comes over and changes out the pipe under the toilet and finds some copper pipe that had been leaking but the mineral deposits clogged the leak, so he fixed that too.

Maybe this time it will last 20 years!!

Such fun - Bret had already been to my house when I gave the puppies a bath in the front bathroom sink and it then rained into Logan's room. Good thing we are not afraid of drywall.

We had to replace this pipe, this is a picture of the TOP of the pipe - yes the top - it only leaked because the pipe backed up and the water came out of the top - where the sewer gases had eaten up the cast iron.

You know Bret does have 6 boys to put through college - good thing I have really cruddy pipes.

All in all this is a marathon post but I want it documented for posterity that my house hates me!!

I love my house!!

I also wanted my kids to see in writing how much I appreciate the help they give me. Just an eye on the puppies, or switch the laundry, or just here to let the workers in the house they are a big help and I am thankful for their willingness.

OK - I am feeling Old or Graduation Night!!

Remember the magical night before you turned 16? You woke up the next morning to see if everything changed, like a bigger chest (I needed that then anyway) or you magically looked more mature and capable... and you were disappointed. Well last night I went to bed ignorant of what would magically (or evilly) take place...I am old! My daughter just GRADUATED!! I really felt older and somewhat (even if I am kidding myself) wiser this morning!!



She is now a full fledged adult! She has been 18 for a while, in fact she is closer to 19 than 18 but as long as she was in high school I still felt so parental. Now what?! I am both really proud (she missed 107 of 180 days of school and still had mostly A's) and really scared she will up leave and I know it will never be the same. Our relationship is going to under go big changes.



Anywho!

It RAINED all night.

Mesa Mountain View High School has been graduating seniors for 30 some odd years and it has only rained 2 times; last year and this year. We got there at 6:30 and against advice from a trusted source I met Jenny (with her big BYU umbrella) and saved seats for our family. It did not quit raining for the whole time! Jenny was more prepared than us, we only own one Winnie the Pooh umbrella that Brenn got in 3rd grade, Ken looked really cute under it. I opted to sit in comfort (mostly) under the edge of Jenny's big tent and her waterproof blanket. Even tho we were relatively covered it was hard to avoid all of the run off from all the surrounding umbrellas!! But the graduates were not allowed anything!! They were really soaked. Luckily the temperature was not cold and so it wasn't too bad.

Band, Orchestra and Choir were in the tent - which was too bad because their sound was not nearly as powerful as it would have been.You can see the water on my lens - I tried to keep my camera dry and still zoom to get the pictures (sorry about the blur - it was really far away). Brenn accepting her diploma.Moving her tassel!!Look at that smile!!



Afterward all the girls were waterlogged! Brenn and Ashley Tucker (whose mom counseled us where to sit and we would have been so much better off!!)
Heather Dalton, Heidi Denton, Brenn, and Aubrey Gibson.

Brenn and Josh Boatwright

Brenn and a drowned Rat!

Walking in - you would think she would at least look for us but no... she is right in the middle looking toward her seat.

EVIT graduation - this was the night before - Brenn completed her program for Massage Therapy and as soon as she turns in her hours to the State she will be legal to do body work!

No rain that night!


They gave them a blank holder and she had to go to school the next day to get her certificate.

With Grandma Young.

Brenn and Grandpa Ed Cole

Brenn and Grandma Kathy Cole

I am so proud of Brenn - she has worked thru so much pain and still completed the Scholastic Diploma (more requirements) and finished her hours for Massage. I know if we can get the migraines under control she will go way farther than we can even imagine!

On another note we did try the SCIO machine a couple weeks ago and it was interesting. Brenn seems to feel better, she definitely has more energy and a better outlook so...we will see.

I think I am obsessed...

...with puppies! We are having such fun, they have their eyes open and are trying to walk on all 4's and it is so funny. They are starting to play with one another and with me but they still have no teeth so it is still fun for me.

This video is probably a little dark - I just couldn't resist filming, two of the puppies were nursing upside down and very happy to be that way! They are starting to sleep on their backs and are almost irresistible!

Visit if you like

The puppies are ready for visitors, so feel free to call and come by for some

'Puppy Love!'

That means you Jannalee, Jessica, and Lisa!

Thanks to Donnie Osmond for the song!!