My Balloon Lover

Every trip to the dollar store results in the acquisition of a balloon.  

Usually a purple one (but occasionally pink sneaks its way home with us).  

Silly girl... can't even bear to part with it while she naps.

The "Damaged" House

We went for a walk earlier this year, as we did many warm summer evenings.  It is usually around the large block by the elementary school, but this time, as we passed a yard and house that has been there each time, we noticed the house front door was opened and the house appeared abandoned.  

We went in and explored.  From that day on, Aspen called it the "damaged house" each time we would pass.  She insisted on showing it to Wade, so I took along my camera.

I love the outside architecture of this house.  The colors, the lines, the vegetation.  The yard was amazing. Full-grown overhanging trees in the yard that left you unaware that the main road with much traffic was just in front of the house.  Just peace and quiet. 

The back yard and front yard had day lilies, raspberries, ivy, wild roses, and peonies.

Then just a few weeks after our visit, we drove by the damaged house and the trees had started to be chopped down, one at a time, over the course of weeks, until there were none left.  

I dreamt about the house for the next couple nights.  I dreamt about sneaking over and saving the plants for my yard, pretty sure they were headed for demolition next.  It made me sad.  All this history and growth... removed for the "new and improved" sure to take it's place.

I drove by yesterday. 

The house was taken down this week.  

Nothing remains.

An empty lot.

All in the name of progress.

I never did make it over to save the plants,

but I did sneak in and save a little shutter from a small window.

My earrings hang on it now.

I would much rather have the peonies.

this was written on the wall of the upstairs of the house.

Deer Valley Getaway

 Hayden's birthday present this year from his parents was a two night stay at The Chateaux - Silver Lake in Deer Valley.  We will definitely remember this place for future reference!  It was quiet, mountainous, with our own balcony to sit and listen to the breeze blow through the aspen trees.  Our favorite parts were breakfast at Stein Erickson lodge and riding the ski lift to the top of the ridge and being able to take in such amazing spectacular views without all the effort of a big hike.

Wade and Aspen were able to come with us.  Pretty sure Wade is getting spoiled with all of his get-aways this summer.

Definitely a DO OVER place.
We totally loved it.
Thanks Frank & Debra!

Two Times the "FUN"

Remember back in July when my cat went missing?   

  When I paid $95 to get her out of the animal shelter...  

Then paid $70 at the vet when she was so sick and not eating...

She had been acting strange since she got home from the shelter.  

She hid in the tub and under Aspen's dresser.  

She wouldn't come downstairs, where she usually LOVED to hang out and hide.  

She wouldn't use her litter box.  

She slept with Aspen and not on my head, which was uncommon.

We fully expected her to not make it through the night after bringing her home from the vet, but she recovered and grew stronger.  

She kept attempting to sneak out of the house.

One night we are lying on bed and there she was... outside our bedroom window, begging to get in.

I let her in.

Fast forward two days.

We are sitting downstairs with the cat on our lap, when Aspen comes down and says "The cat is upstairs".

Yeah... we figured it was our all black cat, Mazda, who lives outside.

Aspen insisted it was the new cat, so I made her bring it down.

Yeah...

we saved a cat...

NOT our cat.

$170.

They look EXACTLY EXACTLY the same, except for one little piece of white on the our original cat's nose.

Now we have twin cats, the latter appropriately named.

Mica (the original) and POSER, the impostor cat.

Poser... with the black nose.

Mica... with a piece of white on her nose.

This is why Aspen loves the new cat.

Aspen's 4th Birthday Party

Aspen's 4th Birthday

When it comes to throwing parties... I am an EPIC FAIL.

Thank heavens for Monkey Island in Lehi. 

Invitations + cake + friends = SUCCESS!!

Aspen was able to see her friends from daycare that she had missed since summer began, and I was able to relax (if that is possible with 10 kids under the age of 5), take pictures, and check my email via wireless internet.

Monkey Island... thanks for redeeming my party-throwing reputation!

Pinterest... I love you

I've been a Pinterest user for a few weeks now.

ADDICTED!!!!

It's an online bulletin board to put ideas I've found online.  

(or from the 300+ blogs I follow).

I've had a ton of ideas flagged in my email, 

saved on my computer... 

and so many take up space in my browser bookmarks.  

This is SOOO much easier!  

The one big problem... TIME.

Time spent playing on Pinterest instead of actually doing something crafty.

However... Aspen and I have done great the last week.  All the items in the picture are things we have put together this week.  These were all ideas we found on Pinterest.

Yeah... Pinterest is my new friend.

Captain Wade

On a whim, we took an overlook picture on our first hike this summer to Mt. Olympus.  It seemed like a great way to document our adventures we had on our hikes.

Next summer... Mount Timpanogas!

Donut Falls

 We made it to Donut Falls on Labor Day.  It was crazy busy.  Wade doesn't remember that we took him here in 2004.  I had to send him pictures to prove it.  Aspen has become quite the little hiker this summer. This trail was easy for her (except for the face-plant into the dirt toward the end of the trip...side-effect of running on a rocky trail).

 The weather was perfect.  

Hayden was a good sport.

Wade and I climbed up to the falls (and gave Hayden more gray hairs than he already has).

The trail took it out of her.

3 weeks later

The good part about sacrificing my body to a marathon:

  The bragging rights with my vinyl sticker on my car

The bad part about sacrificing my body to a marathon:

3 toes that will lose their original toe nails.

Yeah... it was worth it!

cold

It was the first really cold morning of the fall season and I was actually excited to run in it. It was beautiful and no one else was out.

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