Friday, September 3, 2010

August

So for whatever reason I can't load pictures onto blogger. I don't know if its blogger, my pictures, or my computer but it's just not working so I'll have to give an update without pictures.
Life has been good and busy around our house. Monty finally ordered his flag pole and got it all installed and the flower bed put in around it. It is still missing flowers but looks really good. We have spent a lot of time outside lately. We went on a few picnics, ate lots of Popsicles on the porch, and went on a few walks. I have to say I'm a little sad that September is here because I know cold weather is just around the corner.
We went up to Logan a couple weeks ago to get everything situated for Monty for school. He is starting his MBA next week. He's a Utah State student but taking classes at Weber State. It works well because he can still say he is an Aggie but classes are much closer to home.
Hopefully I can figure out how to get pictures up so by next month our update is a little more entertaining. We even got a new camera so that will be fun too.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

July

OK so I know July isn't over yet but I am working a couple night shifts this week and it's just easy to update the blog in the middle of the night during downtime, especially know that I have a working computer and don't have to share with Monty. Besides, we don't have any big plans for the next couple days so I figured this would work.
July was a fun month with lots of soccer and fire works. We went to the Real Salt Lake game July 2nd and they had fire works after the game. We also won, and scored 3 goals which mean free burger king breakfast. When they were handing out the coupons they gave us a couple extra so we've gotten a couple free breakfasts. Sadly, the camera was dead so I have no pictures from that game.
On the 23rd we spent the night at Monty's parents and did fireworks in the backyard with Monty's 3 nieces. It was fun and they got all excited over the fireworks and were wanting to help. Each took their turn lighting a firework then running like mad to get away from it. Dummy me forgot we brought the camera so I didn't get any fun pictures of that night. For the 24th of July we also went a soccer game and they had more fireworks.
Us at the game The big RSL flag
The madness on the field before the fireworks. We chose to stay in our seats.
FIREWORKS!!

So these are just a series of what I thought was rather cool pictures. We were sitting out on our porch the other evening and the moon started to crest over the mountain. It looked really cool so I ran inside to grab the camera. It didn't take long at all for it to rise and was already more than a crest by the time I made it back outside.

August is going to bring some more yard work. Monty finally ordered his flag so we'll be putting in the flag pole and finishing that flower bed soon. Because of how schedules worked out for August, I'm working every Saturday so we won't get a camping trip in but hopefully we'll get another one in in September before it gets cold. I'm done with cold weather camping.

Monday, July 5, 2010

June

June brought warmer weather and with that came our first camping trip of what will hopefully be many this summer. Other than the fact we froze our tails off it was a good trip. We just went up Ogden Canyon and found a nice little campground and a quite spot by the river. The weather was nice and sunny. It was a very cold and damp night though. We had camp broken down and were headed home by 7:30am. We spent the afternoon relaxing and just hanging out. Monty decided to soak his feet in the river but the water was too cold for me.
I found a make-shift fishing pole in the bushes so I tried my hand at fishing. I didn't have any bait so I tried leaves and that didn't work. I tried putting dinner roll on the hook but it just floated away. I also tried Frito's but by the time it was soggy enough to put on the hook, it didn't last long before floating away either. If I'd caught a fish I don't quite know what I would have done with it. I used to go fishing with my dad as a kid but I have never gutted a fish in my life.
I have to say I am very proud of this fire. It was a one match fire and really kind of a work of art. We cooked dinner in dutch oven over the coals from the fire. We had chicken, bacon, and potatoes for dinner with peach cobbler for dessert. It was delicious.
Most of June was pretty low key for us. I'm excited our garden is growing nicely. It's been fun doing our own garden for the first time.
We have a couple little peppers on our pepper plant. We got starts from Monty's mom so we don't know what kind they are yet. We're guessing either cayenne or banana peppers, I'm hoping for banana.
The radishes are already ready to eat. This is a picture of the first harvest from our garden. Monty isn't really a fan of radishes but I have enjoyed them.
Who knows what July will bring. Hopefully we will be able to go camping again and spend some time with family. Until next month : )

Saturday, June 5, 2010

May

May was really a rather exciting and busy month. The weather finally dried out enough that we were able to put the rest of the yard in. I'm so glad we decided to sod the rest of it. It is so nice having it in and done. The sod has taken really well and growing very fast. We also got the garden planted. We planted peas, carrots, radishes, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and peppers. So far it's doing well and everything has already started coming up. This is our first try at a garden of our own so we'll see how it goes. My dad always had a big garden and Monty's mom had a huge garden that he spent many Saturdays weeding so it's not a completely foreign concept to us.
This is a picture of our backyard now with the garden starting to sprout.
While having the yard in is great, the most exciting part of May was VACATION!! We went to St. George for a week and it was fabulous. I had never been down to St. George so it was a new adventure for me. We spent the week enjoying the sunny warm weather, hiking, visiting friends and family and I spent some time lounging by the pool while Monty did some golfing. It was cold and rainy at home the week we were gone which made it even better.
We spent one day hiking in Snow Canyon. Here we are trekking along the old river bed. I've decided I don't like hiking in deep sand, especially considering the ponds we were hiking to were dried up and mucky but it was still fun.
I think Bryce Canyon was my favorite I think. We hiked down through the canyon and then hiked the rim and hit various view points along the way.
There were several caves and alcoves that had been carved out of the canyon walls.
Down in the bottom of the canyon.
It's hard to see them in the background but the whole canyon is full of Hoodoos which are rock pillars that have been formed by water seeping into cracks, freezing, thawing, and seeping further. There were miles of them and many were in symmetrical rows. It was just amazing to see. I hate to admit but yes Monty and I are dressed a like. He noticed it that morning before we left the resort but didn't say anything. I was rather annoyed once I figured it out cuz I hate to be "that couple."
We also went to Zion's Canyon and did several hikes there. Sadly our camera was dead one of the days we were there so we didn't get any pictures from the backside of the canyon but oh well.
Throughout Zions canyon there are places where water has seeped out of the rocks. Sometimes it is only for a matter of minutes and other places have almost a continuous seeping.
Behind us is weeping rock. It is one place that is almost always seeping. Some of the water coming out of the rock is 4,000 years old.
This is the Upper Emerald pool. There is also a lower and two middle pools. I guess there is an algae that grows in the pools that makes them look green but the algae wasn't there when we were so they weren't so emerald.
This is Monty on a bridge over the Virgin River. Apparently all of Zion's Canyon has been carved by this single river.
St. George was a lot of fun and it was hard to come back to reality. I always love getting away, even if it's only for a weekend. The weather is finally getting warm so hopefully we'll have a few weekend camping trips to come (I only camp when it's warm). I'll let ya know next month.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

April

So sadly I have to say April wasn't the most exciting month. We went from great beautiful weather and working in the yard to this.
We still don't know if our peach tree is going to survive our late winter storm but it looks like the apple tree did. It has a few leaves on it now. Luckily the snow didn't last long. We finally bought a lawn mower (the advantage to putting in a yard in the fall we got away last year without it). We have had to mow the front lawn several times so far. Don't let the pictures fool you, Monty isn't the only one who's mowing the lawn, he just did it first.




We also got the rest of the yard tilled and ready for sod (we only have a front yard right now). For 2 Saturdays in a row now the plan has been to put in sod. However, it's been too wet for the company to even harvest the sod so once again we are hoping for this weekend.
Not much else going on around here right now. We're getting ready to plant the garden and thinking about adding another fruit tree to the yard. The most exciting thing is still to come. We are going to St George for a week this month! I'm way excited. I've never been there. I'm looking forward to some warm weather, hiking, and a week of doing nothing!!!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

March

March was a little more exciting for us. The snow is melting away and the temperatures are finally warming up. We have been able to go on walks and check out some of the houses being built around us. Walking through houses under construction is something we enjoy doing. We have also been able to start on some projects outside as well as finish some inside projects. Blogger is not cooperating today with me and my pictures so they are just staying in the order they popped up in.
We've lived in our house for about 9 months but still had not put any kind of window covering over the sliding glass door. I finally decided on curtains and we found some cute ones and made a project of putting them up. I was determined to help put up the hooks that hold the curtains back. Sadly the drill couldn't make the angle we needed. I'm a wimp without electric tools. I thought the pattern in the curtains made them a little more fun and modern.
Just before Easter we colored eggs together. The first year we did it Monty thought I was crazy for wanting to color eggs because that's what kids do. To his surprise he had fun and now we enjoy coloring eggs every year.

I personalized one of mine. We had so many colors to chose from this year Monty was just in awe!
We also planted 2 fruit trees. We planted a peach tree and an apple tree that is supposed to have 5 different kinds of apples. They are just little sticks now but hopefully in a few years we will have some delicious fruit.
I planted the peach tree and Monty did the apple but he had to make my whole for the peach tree a little bit deeper.
I realized when I buried my peach tree it's much smaller than the apple. I just hope they survive the winter storms we had this week.
We have a lot more projects to go outside for April. We are going to finish putting in the backyard, and hopefully plant a garden. Stay tuned...