Reasons for not posting

This blog has sort of gone by the wayside while I've been busy with other things lately. Here's just a few of them.

My kids... what can I say they are the main reason I don't get as many things accomplished in a day as I'd like. I walked in the other day to find these two playing to their inner musician on my guitar. They were just too cute and Caitlyn got so excited when she'd pluck a string and it would make a sound. Thrills over little things.:)

We made two unexpected trips home to Star Valley to visit my grandfather who was dying from cancer and then returned two weeks later for his funeral. I was able to see cousins that I haven't seen for 7 years, and remember the wonderful person he was and the wonderful life he led. He has some wonderful stories growing up and my goal some day as to write a few of them into some children's picture books.

While I was home I also realized that I didn't have many pictures of the place I called 'home' all growing up. So I spent some time driving around taking pictures of all those familiar places of home. It took me right down memory lane and I realized how fast the years are flying by. This barn picture is the place where I worked for a couple of summers counting earth worms and packaging them by 12 into Styrofoam cups for fisherman. Oh the jobs you can find in the country! Across the street from the barn we also moved sprinkler pipe all summer long for a couple of years. Good times.

We've been working on the garden getting it ready, planting it, trying to keep plants alive and harvesting our first round of veggies for a salad. They were delicious too. I'm looking forward to seeing what else we can grow from a few seeds.

Caitlyn's birthday is coming up here a few weeks and so I've been trying to get things done ahead of time. (Which is not my normal way of working. We are trying very hard to change that.) I have known for a while that I wanted to make her a doll so the other night I tried coming up with my own pattern using some ideas from some other dolls out there that I liked. It turned out pretty good for my first time. There are a few things I'd tweak but I was happy with the result. Savannah keeps looking at it and declaring in her sweet girly voice, "It's just SO cute! I can't keep my eyes off her!" They've all be begging me for one now giving me the run down on what color they want, and how they want her hair and dress. So you might see some more. I might even try to pump one out for this cause. We shall see.

I'm hoping to get some matching pants made from the doll's dress material for caitlyn as well as a little blanket to wrap this baby up in.

Life has been good lately. I'm trying to figure out a better sense of balance, priorities and planning in my life lately. In fact the other day my visiting teachers from my church dropped by a plate of brownies (which were amazing) and this thought that has been a similar feel of what has been going on my mind lately.

"When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue and the order of our priorities."

- Ezra Taft Benson

Today is Savannah's last day of kindergarten. Where has time gone. She is growing up too fast! I hope to be able to relax and enjoy the summer with them. Especially since next year she'll be at school all day in stead of a half day... :(

I've also been dying to get out the oil paints... I've been drawing more and see a need to draw EVEN MORE... and the oil paints just keep calling... It's been years since I've pulled them out. I've got some big projects coming up in the near future and I need to get started on them now and get them done early.... my new goal. Get things done ahead of time and early.....