Oh Well...

So much for blogging on a regular basis.  "The holidays were crazy... So much was going on..."  blah blah excuse excuse.  The honest truth is that I haven't trudged my butt up the stairs to my computer all that often in the last 2 months.  Oh well.  And I am not going to say "It's a new year, so lets make a fresh start" because I know I won't hold to it.  What I will say, it that when I have something blog worthy, I'll blog.

Today I am blogging because I am procrastinating other things.  Dishes, laundry, taking down Christmas (always so depressing), and finally emptying boxes into some cheap bookshelves.  (To be honest I REALLY want to do that last one, but I told myself I couldn't work on that one till some of the other things were done.  Especially the Christmas part.)

We are getting new neighbors.  The old neighbors moved out and in the process cleaned out their freezer.  Moving is always a good time to cleanse and purge.  Just make sure you are doing it in a responsible manner.  They did not.  If you put spoiled food out, be sure you bury it.  That way other animals won't find it and eat it.  Like my dogs who have had food poisoning for the last 2 days!!  It has been a yucky yucky mess over here.  I won't describe it, just use your imagination.  But I am excited to meet the new neighbors.  Maybe I will make some bread to take over to them tonight.

I got a new calling at church, Second Counselor in Primary.  I am really excited about it.  I will miss teaching Sunday School.  I was learning a lot doing that.  But Primary will be fun, and I LOVE kids.  Sunday was our first go at it as a new presidency.  It was a lot for the first day.  First Sunday of the new year, kids all changing classes, a new presidency and several new teachers.  But we survived Primary and Primary didn't implode!  I call that a great success!  And each week will get a little better.  Soon it'll be old hat and you will hear us say things like, "4 teachers are no-shows today, NO PROBLEM"  Well, maybe we won't say that exactly.  But I AM excited!

My sister is having a baby (probably next week) and then moving 1/2 way across the country the end of this month.  I don't think she knows how much I admire her strength.  When I heard all of that was happening all at the same time, I called her in a panic for her!!  I just knew she was going to be an emotional wreck.  (I would be.)  But she was calm and collected and almost excited.  She is a great mother and a strong strong woman.  Maybe one day I can be that strong.  I love you sister!

And on that note... I have dishes to do. (and laundry and Christmas and boxes.....)

I am wonder woman.

At least that is the general feeling I have today.  My dearest friend in the whole world called me today and said, "Come over for dinner!  It's chicken pot pie!"  How can you say no to that!!  Seriously.  But I remembered that Hubby wanted to go out in the woods tonight after work and put up deer feeders.  So I told her I would have to check with him and call her back.  Sadness.  So, I had a BRILLIANT idea.  I called hubby and told him that I would go out into the woods today and put up the feeders for him, IF we could have dinner with said dearest friend.  Needless to say we are having chicken pot pie for dinner tonight and I just spent the last 2 hours out in the woods strapping large PVC pipe feeders to trees.  Then lifting 40 lb bags of corn over my head to fill them.  But it is done and they are in clear view of the hunting blinds but still a fair distance from them.  I even knocked over 2 dead saplings (taller than me mind you) to make sure there were clear, unobstructed views.  I AM WONDER WOMAN.  Oh, and as an update to my last post.... the kitchen has been clean since that day and the new rule is that all dishes must be at least in the dishwasher and the kitchen clean before bed.  No excuses.  It has REALLY helped.  And I have managed to check one or two little house projects off the list.  Today life is good.  And I am happy.  Have a happy day and good hunting.

Spiralling

Have you ever had one of those days?  A day that just seems to keep spiralling down.  The house is a wreck.  Partly because I have been lazy and partly because I have been busy.  The laundry and ironing is piled up waiting to be done.  The kitchen is literally FULL of dirty dishes.  I am half finished working on the wood burning stove project and it NEEDS to be finished soon.  The bathrooms need to be cleaned the floors need to be cleaned.  And there are a ton of little household projects that need to be done. (Hang a coat rack, fix the washer/dryer closet, reroute the vent that blows under the dresser... etc)  And I haven't even gotten to the piles of boxes that still haven't been unpacked from moving in throughout the year.  And on top of that I have been procrastinating working on a big activity that I am supposed to be helping to plan for church next month.  (It is coming up way to quickly now!!)  I feel like there is this HUGE weight of to-do's pressing down and crushing me.  And my instinctive reaction when that happens........  ignore it all, curl up on the couch and play video games or watch TV.  I know that it doesn't make ANY sense.  It doesn't help the situation AT ALL, but that is where I go.  It just makes for one huge out of control downward spiral.  When the kitchen is a wreck, I don't want to cook... when the house is a wreck I don't even want to work on craft projects.  I just want to veg.  I guess it's my way of shutting it all out and escaping from it.  Or something.  And so I have to force myself to look at it all, organize it and decide where I am going to start.  But even that can seem SO overwhelming.  And another ridiculous quirk I have.... it is hard to be motivated by myself.  So when Hubby is away at work all day, I have to make myself do things.  Once I am working or crafting or DOING anything, it isn't too bad.  But getting moving and getting started seems to take SUCH an effort.  I don't understand WHY I am that way.  It's just the way it has always been.  And so, today, is a downward spiral day.  And I think it is starting to make me depressed.  I can't let that start either.  Come on me!  I can do this!!  Let's go load the dishwasher and the washing machine.  Then I can get the little saw out and finish the trim on the floor.  I CAN do this.... I WILL....  Wish me luck.  I am off to fight against the current.

I'm back.... and I WILL do better.

I know it's been ages since I posted last. And the closest thing I have to an excuse is.... I didn't want to blog while Roy was still in Africa and I was living in the country alone. But he's been home for almost 5 months now, so that excuse doesn't hold water anymore. ~~ SORRY ~~ I am going to try this again. But I make NO promises. I am going to try for at least a couple of postings a week and hopefully with pictures.

Anyway, I am definitely happy to be in the US. It's been almost a year since I left Africa. Time can sure fly sometimes. There have been a lot of adventures since I got back. Most of them involve buying our home and land and getting things settled and checked off our list of "to-do's" and "to-buy's". I really love the property we bought and we are slowly making it our own and getting it set up as a farm (maybe). We do officially own a 4 wheel drive pick up and a tractor! Neither of which are new! I will post more about those later. I never really thought I would be a country girl, but the more I am out here, the more I love it. It isn't the most convenient life, and it is a lot of work. There is always something that needs to be bought, or built, or torn down, or fixed, or looked after, or painted, etc. But it is definitely a satisfying life. One where you can step back at the end of the day and say, "Look what I accomplished today. With my own two hands." I LOVE IT! And hopefully next year we will have a garden in and maybe even some chickens! Who'd a thunk it, ME, owning chickens! HA!! I've done a lot in the last 4 years that I never thought I would do. Crazy how life has it's own idea of how it should go. And it hardly ever matches my original plans. LOL

Well, I have to get laundry going and do the dishes. (I really miss Grace, our old steward.) So until I post again... Love your life!

Is your pool ever supposed to resemble skim milk?

I couldn't see past the top step of the ladders! Who knows what could be lurking in the depths of this pool!! It is actually starting to look much better today and maybe by the end of the week I will feel that it is safe to venture back into its watery depths. We'll see.

I'm NOT a slacker... it has been a BUSY summer.

I realize that I haven't posted anything since April. But it isn't because I have been laying about doing nothing. So here's a little catch up on what's been going on.

First, I had to travel back to the US (again) for my little sisters wedding! And I found out, at the last minute, that she wanted ME to take the pictures at her wedding!! YIKES


It was a beautiful day though (other than some big wind) for an outdoor wedding. And all in all I think that, I'm not a professional, but I did ok on the pictures.

After I got back from that, I was home for 10 days and we left for our cruise. It was our 10 year anniversary. (Can you believe it!!) So we went on a 12 night cruise to Scotland, Ireland and the port of Paris. Then we spend two extra nights in Amsterdam. It was really nice.


It was a long trip, but if you look through all the photos we really had a good time.

Then when I got back from that trip I was home for just under a month and went back to the US for family reunions. First was the Bennion reunion.


My sister was able to come from Utah for that. She brought her two kids Z and I. We had so much fun spending time with them. And we had a blast at the reunion. I didn't do real well at taking pictures on this trip. I think I was really getting tired by this point and holding up the camera was becoming a huge effort. But I really loved getting to see my family.

Then I flew out to Seattle to go through the temple with my friend Julia. (I miss her terribly.) And she showed me all around Seattle. It was good to see her again. And Washington is beautiful.



Then it was out to Utah for fun with the Pearsons (my cousins), my sister Laura and the Mitchell reunion.


We watched "The Dark Night"... seriously good movie. Ate junk and some seriously tasty breakfast (I made the right decision), stayed up late, laughed till we cried and made me wish I lived closer to my family. Then we camped, had to rescue the dogs, camped a little more and enjoyed the company of family and friends.

By the end of the vacation, I was absolutely exhausted. It was a good trip. And then, there was the trip home...

I was able to arrange my flights so that I went from Las Vegas to Chicago, Chicago to Tulsa, (becuase no airlines go straight from Vegas to Tulsa... sheesh) then was supposed to have a 4 hour layover in Tulsa before heading to Atlanta. This part went quite smoothly. I arrived in Tulsa around 9 am and got some breakfast. I figured I would eat a big breakfast and then eat again when I got to Atlanta around 3. Silly me. I sat waiting in the terminal and watched the time to board the plane come and go, and we were still sitting there. Finally they made the announcement that there was severe weather in Atlanta and everyone was on ground hold till it cleared. That was fine, I had a 2 hour layover in Atlanta, so I should still be able to make my connection. An hour and a half later they finally came back and said that they were still waiting for the weather to clear and the ground hold to be lifted. I knew I was going to miss my connection and that meant I would have to spend the night somewhere, since there is only 1 flight per day to Lagos from Atlanta. So I went up to the desk and let them know that I was going to miss my connection and that I needed to be rescheduled. The poor guy at the ticket counter had to sit on hold with international reservations for almost 30 min. Then he asked me if I wanted to spend the night in Tulsa or go on to Atlanta and spend the night there. (I should have chosen Tulsa!) Thinking that I should get to Atlanta so that there is a less likely chance of missing the flight tomorrow, I said "Atlanta please". DOOMED.... DOOMED I tell you. Finally about a 1/2 hour latter they finally load up the plane and we head out toward Atlanta. We are starting our final descent into the Atlanta area when they close the runways again. More bad weather. They put us in a holding pattern in the air for about a 1/2 hour and then tell us it will be another hour before we can land. Only one problem with that, we will run out of gas before then. So they divert us to Birmingham Alabama. We ended up sitting in the plane on the runway for about 2 hours before we were refueled and allowed to take off again. Then we had to in line to land, and then wait on the runway for an open parking spot. A flight that was only supposed to take and hour and forty minutes took five and a half hours. But we were finally in Atlanta. And as we walked to the baggage claim area, we heard the announcement that the runways were closing AGAIN. Apparently we got there just in time. There were proabably about a thousand people in the baggage claim area trying to figure out what was going on. None of the carousels were moving and no one was getting their luggage. After waiting for an hour and a half and watching my flight show up on the board, dissapear and still no luggage was coming up, I decided to stand in the forever long line and talk to the lost luggage poeple to find out what was going on. They informed me that all luggage was being shipped to it's final destination on the next available flight. Would have been nice to have been told that an hour or so ago. So I went to find the shuttles to the hotels. (I had booked a hotel online in Tulsa when I knew I was going to miss my connection.) It was a madhouse there too. There were so many people stranded in Atlanta. I finally got to my hotel around 11pm. And to my delight found there was an IHOP in the parking lot. (Remeber the big breakfast I ate at 9am.... that was the last thing I had eaten!!) I got checked in found my room and dropped of my caryon bags... since I didn't get my luggage... then went and had breakfast at midnight. It was so tasty, because I was STARVING!! Then went back to the hotel, took everything off and put on just my pajamas (luckily I has them crammed in my carryon because I was just barely over the weight limit on one of my suitcases!) and took all my clothes down to the laundry. Then I went back up to my room, filled the jacuzzi tub (yes I said jacuzzi tub) and took a nice hot lovely bath. By the time my clothes were dry it was almost 2am... but my flight didn't leave the next day until 5pm so I knew I could sleep in. The next morning I got up and checked out around 10:30 and headed back to the airport. When I got there it was once again a mad house. It looked like there had been a lot of people who slept there. REALLY glad I wasn't one of them. I tried to get checked in at the self checkin kiosk, but since my flight wasn't till 5 it said I was too early to check in and I had to come back in about 15 minutes. So I went and found some breakfast. Mmmmm tasty pastries. Sat, ate, relaxed and tried to check in again. This time is said that because I was going to Nigeria I couldn't use the kiosk and they had to check and verify my visa at the ticket counter. BLAH... so I went to the ticket counter... The line was an hour long wait. BLAHHHHHHHH!!! But once I got to the desk, it was a breeze and they assured me that my luggage would be on this flight. (I really didn't believe them... that way I wouldn't be dissapointed when it didn't show up!) I got through security and made my way to my terminal where I found an outlet pulled in my laptop and parked it. It wasn't too bad. Everything from there went very smooth. I got a whole row (3 seats) to myself and was able to lay down and sleep for a good part of the trip to Lagos. And my luggage was some of the first out. The only bad thing was that my luggage got soaked in Atlanta, so most of the stuff inside was wet! Good thing most of my clothes were in space bags to help save room!

Anyway, I haven't been slacking. Just crazy busy.... Oh and to top it all off, about a week after I get home, I get called to be the Relief Society President. PRAY FOR ME.

Market Shopping

We went out to the market again today and found some great new things.


This is one of the first masks I've seen that I REALLY like.

This pic shows the size.


I also found this wall hanging.


And this table runner.


They are both reverse applique. I love them!! I think I will be visiting that shop again regularly.