Squirrel problems? Think again....

Do you have problems with the squirrels getting into your birdfeeders? Well, you could have bigger problems so maybe it's a blessing it's just the squirrels....

(Click on images to enlarge)

A Productive Day...

It has been so long since I have had a "normal" productive day. Over a year, I would say. I know, I have had some productive days but they were not normal. They were dealing with things from this past year...all the stuff which made my days "not normal." But now, everyone has returned home, we ourselves are back home and seem to be establishing a routine. *snicker* (Really, can Pilot Dad ever be in a "normal routine?") LOL.

I washed clothes today, planted some more flowers, beat Pilot Dad in a game of Gin (*smug grin*). Pilot Dad even cleaned out his shed in the back yard and re-organized it! To top it off, I even made it to my gym workout with my trainer this morning.

Can anyone tell me what kind of plant/shrub this is?


Marsha, how do you think my front porch flowers turned out?


Part of our day we spent sitting on our patio watching a momma robin on our flower barrel. Daddy robin had been with her but soon left. I tried to scoot closer and did gain some ground. How I wish I had a fancy camera like my blogging buddy Hey Jules. I would have certainly had my super duper zoom lens on! But alas! It isn't to be right now. Enjoy the pics!

Saratoga, WY

After all the preparation and celebrating going on regarding our wedding of a lifetime *wink* and our family reunion Pilot Dad and I escaped for a get-a-way to the Saratoga Inn in Wyoming. It isn't too far, only 5-6 hours away.

The Inn has five hot springs which were just steps outside our room door! Oh, my! How relaxing!


The green door was our room and the next green door was our friend's room.
Larry and Pilot Dad outside our rooms with the first pool in the background on the left.

Here I am with one of my oldest and dearest friends. It was wonderful to reconnect and get caught up with each other.
We had great times playing games in the game room, swimming in the pools, walking into town for a morning of shopping while the guys played golf and there was even time for Pilot Dad to fish a little bit. Other than that we spent the time laughing and eating! I don't know of a better way to relax and regroup! Pilot Dad even got his weight back up from 165 to 173!!!

Let me say that our days were fairly warm. There was a bit of a nip in the air because Wyoming doesn't really "get" summer until after June is over. We had wind the whole time but the sun did shine........until.....

...we left for home! We stopped and ate a late breakfast with our friends and we looked out the window at noon and it was snowing!!! Yes! It quickly became white out conditions so we hopped up and said quick goodbyes. We jumped in our cars and off to home (and warmer dryer weather) we headed!

Fishing at Tibble Fork

I have more pics to share from our family time together. We had an afternoon of fishing at a favorite little lake of ours. It is close to us and during the week there isn't as much people "activity" as there is on the weekends.

This is the back of Timpanogos. As you can see there is still plenty of snow on it even in June. Pilot has climbed a couple of times. It's 18 miles, I believe, round trip.
There were 100's of these little ground squirrels popping up out of their holes to see what was going on around them! Anna was quite fascinated by them.
During a brief rain shower the girls opted for the dryness of the van! The boys, however, were undaunted by the rain and kept on fishing. Here is Grace quite pleased to be dry!
Anna with her baby doll happy to be inside the van, with the oportunity to sit in the driver's seat! :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~NEWS FLASH~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This just in off the wires! Nathan, Luke, Caleb, Jonathan, Anna and Grace will be welcoming a new brother or sister this next year!!!

I'm back!

WHEW! Let me catch my breath....The last of the family left yesterday. Sheets and towels are all washed and put away. Things are beginning to look 'normal.' At the height of all the excitement we had 18 family members sleeping here...in...our...home. The old record, which stood for several years, was 14. I think 18 will stand for a long time!

Through it all I rejoiced! My praise lifted up because of the beautiful godly woman the Lord has gifted our son with. I praised the Lord for my dear hubby sitting by my side, able to enjoy all the festivities. A heart filled with gratitude overflowed when I danced with my husband. My happy tears finally spilled over (just a little) when our son asked me for the last slow dance of the evening. Shortly Pilot and Sarah would be on their way.

The day after the wedding the newlyweds showed up at her parents home to finish loading their rented trailor. And shortly after 1:00 pm they left, beginning their new life as husband and wife. They are now home in Florida setting up house. Pilot is doing his "thing" (flying) and she is doing her "thing" (making a house a home). :) And through it all, we began sending home the rest of our family, in stages.

There were always noticable changes once someone left but the BIG difference was when Claire, my niece, and her family left! Poof! Six children gone at once...in what seemed like a twinkling of an eye! The morning of their leaving little Jonathan (the ring bearer) turned 5 years old! A wedding and a birthday...it really doesn't get much better than that, does it? :)

Pilot Dad did very well, all things considered! By the time we were ready to dance, on the day of the wedding, he hit "his wall." He managed to dance a few of our waltzes but then after that he sat and rested while watching others dance.

We took Claire's family fishing one afternoon and evening. By late afternoon, one rain shower over, the girls, Aunt Claire (me), Claire, Anna and Grace decided to head home and leave the boys fishing. By then Pilot Dad had caught a fish which energized the hope in the other boys! *wink*

The next day was another male bonding day as they all went miniture golfing. Uncle Jim, Bob, Grandpa, Nathan, Luke, Caleb, and Jonathan all set their sights on getting a hole in one. I think almost all of them came back with at least one whole in one!!

Sunday was church and then out to eat at Olive Garden. By this time, "montezuma's revenge" had struck throughout almost all of the troops. Pilot Dad and my sister, Grandma, were not able to join us at the festivities.

The wedding was a storybook affair! Spectacular! It was extremely satisfying to see a blending of a God honoring ceremony with the military aspect at the end. And isn't that the way it should be? Incorporating God into every aspect of one's life?

Thank you to everyone of you who have prayed and "participated" in our wedding. Your prayers have been so appreciated! In fact, many of you came to know our little family when Pilot was in Pilot training (which seems a lifetime ago). You coveted to pray for him way back then and have continued to pray for him all this time. My heart and soul overflow with gratitude for your faithfulness to uphold him and our family up before His throne of grace.

It is good to be back!! *big grin*