Wow!

First off I am so surprised at how many people voted! Thanks so much for the help! Today I printed off all three of the pictures in 8x10 form and I love seeing my photos in print! It is something that I should do more often. So the polls say that I should use the Dragonfly & the Turtle Taxi but I printed the Baby Swallows anyway . . . this is bad. I know that I should just trust everyone, right. but I just love love the Swallows. Something about the composition and the shadow above and that little fuzzy head have me trapped. ha ha I think I'll try to convince them to let me do three instead of two . . . or maybe I'll have Dalan enter one, is that lying? Ok. Just kidding. I know I'll have to leave one behind. I feel guilty though. Kinda like when you watch Toy Story & suddenly you want to go and find your old toys or things and make sure you give them more attention. It's like that.

Second. Our Vacation was perfect. It was so nice to be with Dalan & to get away for a while. Wednesday we walked around the little expensive shops and laughed at the variety of tourists. I wish I had taken pictures. Some of my favorites that we saw were the "Jackson Hole Snooki" & a big bad biker man carrying his lap dog in his fanny pack.

Thursday morning we explored further and went to the Teton Village & then to through the national park where we saw the Tetons.

That night we saw the Bar J Wranglers. It may have been the most fun thing that we did. They fed us a great dinner and they are hilarious as well as very talented musicians! I would recommend them to anyone!

Friday we were able to Raft the Snake River being guided by Dalan's old roommate, Marc. It was a ton of fun! Scary & Cold. But so so much fun!

After the rafting trip we were headed home back to nice beds and our own pillows & a warm shower. It's good to be back but it was great to leave.

Time for you to Vote!

I need to choose the best two photos out of these three. I just can't do it, I love them all. So, I need your help! I created a little poll over to the right. Pick your top 2 favorite & it will help me a bunch :)

I used to always enter my favorite pictures from the year into our county fair in Idaho & this year I am moving that tradition to Box Elder County!

I love walking through & looking at the pictures, it always made it so much fun to see a few of mine in the mix.

I can't wait to make prints & see these live! Wish me luck!

Vacation Eve

Today our vacation eve & the butterflies are here. I cannot wait to get on the road. Before that can happen though I have made today all about checking things off my list. I am refusing to come home to anything but a sparkley clean house. I think a clean house to come home to makes it not so scary or as disappointing to come back from a fun, relaxing vaca. That's the goal anyways, I already know I won't want to come back, but I guess I'll deal with that as it comes.

So here is what I have accomplished so far . . .

• cleaned out Dalan's truck
• dishes
• laundry & laundry & more laundry
  
• some packing
• ran a mile
  
• got my new phone in the mail :)
  

What I have left . . . .

• finish packing
• shower
• go to Dalan's championship softball game!
  
• vacuum
  
• mow the lawn
• find something for lunch
• buy snacks for the road
• buy a disposable water proof camera :)
  
• activate my new phone

Busy Bees

Well, I have finished my Anatomy & English class, bunko at my house went successfully (& I plan on posting about that eventually . . . but no time now). We are pretty busy here lately. Yesterday I helped Dalan move straw bales. Today he finished it up while I was at work (also another post to be made) and burned the field and I couldn't drag him in the house to eat if I wanted to.

So we are going to have a picnic in the tractor & I'm getting excited. I am going to pre-apologize though. I have been waiting for Dalan to be ready for lunch and have been running around helping him on and off since noon & I am so excited for lunch.

Which is my excuse for having a mini photo shoot of our food. Our simple and easy lunch. Really there is no reason to take pictures of sandwiches and chips & snacks. It's embarrassing really.

But when you are this hungry it's just how it goes. It's the only thing I can do to keep from snacking on chips, and eating all of the grapes I bought today.

yummy. I can't wait to eat this. Happy August everyone!

Bunko!

Bunko is being hosted by yours truly this month. I am totally psyched. I love having people over & I love parties. Plus, only a hand full of lovelies have seen our cute little house.

The plans are starting to come together. The prizes are completely ready, the desserts are simple & delicious.

The house will be cleaned & hopefully our little friend the mouse will be captured by then.

I will definitely have an after-party blog post to ensure you know exactly how it goes.

I shouldn't post this yet, because I may or may not have given a sneak peak to some prizes. but I think I will anyways.

This bowl is filled with a piece of a prize. Can you tell what it is? At first glance Dalan thought they were cigarettes. I assure you, although this week has been rather stressful, the only bad habit I have indulged in is eating too many cookies :)

* I will show you the other 8 prizes later :) *

A Stressful Story

As we turned off the lights to go to bed a rather large spider raced across the floor. Dalan tried to get it, but it was dark and the little, but scary guy was fast. I knew that I would find that spider again in the morning when Dalan was in Idaho & too far away to come home & smoosh it. I took a deep breath & tried to forget about it as I drifted off into my dreams. The next morning I had basically forgot about the spider. Little did I know I had much bigger problems up ahead. As I worked on some more craft projects (more about those later!) I came face to face . . . ok fine. I came toes to nose with a mouse! Ah! it was everything a mouse is supposed to be, creepy & small & with beady little eyes except for instead of scampering in the fields it was in my house! I tried to make it escape out the back door, but it was all in vain as it ran behind the washer & dryer. Now there are traps galore & I wear my snow boots to do laundry. Does anyone have any tricks up their sleeves that you could share? I am going crazy. I am very hopeful that the little rodent came through the door & not through a wall . . . .

Pepper's new friend.

This is where it all started. Once upon a time when Pepper was just a little ball of soft fuzz there lived a cat. This cat was rather mean and territorial (to Pepper, not really to people, I don't think) She wouldn't let Pepper sit on the porch & she would scratch Pepper's poor little black nose.

Because of this experience, when Pepper first caught sight of Heather's new kitten she was equally scared of it as he was of her. Actually, she was more scared.

After many encounters & shy awkward moments, they are now good friends. They love to play and chase each other.

Such a cute pair, who would have thought they would be besties.

It makes us laugh to watch them play and many nights are spent on the front porch watching them.

Sweet Pepper just loves everyone.

4th of July

Monday we went and watched the fireworks on the baseball field.

Fireworks are my absolute favorite! I wish they had fireworks on New Years so that I don't have to wait so long.

This is Dal and I having fun taking pictures of the fireworks. Dal took this one. I love it.

I'm so glad Laura took this picture for us! Thanks Laura! I love it :)

Happy 4th of July to everyone!

It was so fun to celebrate with family. My mom, my sister Josie & my grandma Dorene were all here to celebrate with us!

The Other Woman

This is what happens when Dalan lays on the lawn. Pepper is instantly nestled into his outstretched arms & cuddling.

It makes me laugh so hard. She gets pretty jealous when I get to cuddle on the other arm.

No matter whether Dalan is in the house or outside, his lovely ladies are crowding his space & snuggling.

Aren't these two just the cutest :)

p.s. this is totally our lawn! It is coming along!