Big Spring Hike

One Friday I was feelin' particularly couped up in the extra small apartment so as soon as it stopped raining I said bye to L'Anita, who was working on another long paper and Abby and I went looking for a hike. This one was in Provo Canyon, down the road by Vivian park (South Fork?). We hiked for over two hours and had a great time. It was fun to see what the other side of the mountains that we look at every day look like.

This is the view on the way in. We actually made it pretty far up, passed where the mountain on the left descends into the canyon. I really wish that we could have gone farther, but the sun was setting on us and dinner & bedtime were calling. Maybe another day.

Abigail tried out her hiking legs on this one. It was nice because it is not as rocky as Rock Canyon. She's not intimidated by the steep hills.

This is the view heading back to the car.

Abby was really good. We stopped several times to eat granola bars and to chew on rocks and other interesting things we found. Life doesn't get much better! Hopefully a long tradition of daddy-daughter dates like this will follow.

Visiting college campuses

We took Abigail for a walk around the Brigham Young University (BYU or the Y) campus. The campus is always beautiful, but to my delight, all of Utah is much prettier in the summer and especially when they are having lots of rain to let the desert flower and come to life.

This is a little stream and duck pond on the north end of campus by the bell tower. Abigail has developed quite a fascination with all fowl. She stops us wherever we go to point out the robins and other birds pecking the ground and flying about.

Here we go chasing those pesky ducks with Abby leading the way. They initially came up to us likely thinking that we had food. They quickly retreated when they realized that we didn't, but we came back later to make amends with the poor things (although they are probably over-feed, they are also likely over-harassed by little girls like mine).

Mom & Abby are feeding the duck and her ducklings. What fun!

Dad has a try at it. One for the ducks and one for me, right Abby?

The stoic look...

Looks like she might be a daydreamer like her dad.

Rock Canyon

We live about a half mile from a huge canyon. I used to go there weekly as a freshman and frequently throughout college. It brings many fond memories and a sense of peace and happiness for me. I couldn't wait to visit Rock Canyon again and so the first Saturday I after I arrived while L'Anita was busy doing homework, I decided that the best way to keep Abigail entertained was to do something; so we went on a hike. (We hiked to the Y on the mountain the day before which Abigail wasn't thrilled about - maybe because she soaked her diaper and pants through around the top. She decided that no one, but her dad would be allowed to carry her down! That was interesting. Try carrying a baby without touching their pants.)

On the way up to Y. Sorry the view is not very good. Like my grandmother says, "unless you're at the front of the pack the view never changes".

Here is the mouth of the canyon.

Here is Abigail after 20 minutes. Snack break! And by a nice, cool stream too.

Cindy thinks that the Colorado Rockies are much more beautiful that the stony Wasatch front. I usually tend to agree with her, but I've never seen them in the summer. Looks like there are some trees and green on them after all.

Finally, here is a picture of the two hikers. I forgot her nose was running the whole time, otherwise I would have been a little embarrassed with all the people seeing her on our way down. We hiked for 2 hours, 1.5 up and .5 down. We found snow and some strange chicken-bird. We went farther than I had ever been on that trail before. Last time I was there is was all snowy and I turned around when I saw paw prints as big as my hand and no one around to hear me.

I wonder what we will do this weekend? Perhaps hunt down some ferocious wild animals...? Tune in again next time.

Trip to Utah

Well, shortly after I turned in my last final I jumped in the car and headed west. I had planned on leaving quite a bit earlier to avoid traffic and get to a reasonable point to stay the night, but everything took longer than expected and I hit the road around 4:30pm, just in time for rush hour. Not too bad though, and with a bundle of books on tape I didn't mind all that much. I hoped to surprise L'Anita, but when I called her for our evening chat she guessed right away that I was not on my way home from Wendy's at 11pm, but really on the road to reunite with them several days ahead of schedule. So after many miles and a couple of books, plus a couple of nights sleeping in the back of my car (no room in the Wyoming inns for a pathetic, smelly cross-country traveler) I made it to Provo just about 40 hrs after I left Atlanta (30hr drive).

Here is a picture of the house my Great-grandmother Mohr used to live in and my grandma Bankhead in Heber, Ut.

And this is the view of Mount Timponogas from the Heber side. Indian lore states that a beautiful Indian princess who had a broken heart lied down there and turned into a mountain or something. See if you can make out her head (on the left) and her feet (on the right, obviously).

Can't wait to get up into those mountains for some hiking and communion with good ol' Mother Nature!

Reporting live from Provo, Utah!

Well, Abigail and I safely arrived in Provo this past Wednesday and are now settling into our home for the summer. We're subleasing a furnished apartment from a family with two little boys, and Abigail has had fun discovering all the "new" toys they left behind! They also left behind a piano (a major selling point when we were considering our housing options), so Abigail and I feel right at home! She is adjusting well and doesn't seem at all weirded out sleeping in someone else's bed. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for her mother....

It almost feels like I never left this place. The mountains outside our window became such a familiar sight to me when I attended BYU two years ago. I'm delighted to be back in Happy Valley! Abigail has seen more children under 3 here in the last 2 days than she's seen in her entire life in Atlanta. And I no longer feel like I'm competing for Youngest Mother on the Block. I admit that I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life here, but it sure is a nice change to have so many young families we can interact with here. And it's fun to be living the college life again--albeit with a few changes since I last experienced it! But I certainly wouldn't trade marital status and motherhood for the more carefree days at BYU as a single student.

The change of scenery, though, brief as it will be, is already invigorating to me, and I am excited to start my classes. I am taking three classes during spring term and three during summer. My schedule this term includes a child development course that I've heard good things about, a parenting and child guidance class, and one called The Living Prophets that focuses on the life and teachings of our current prophets and apostles. Lloyd Newell teaches the last one, and I am really looking forward to it. I imagine he's had to make quite a few changes in his course curriculum the past few semesters, and I'm a little disappointed that I will miss out on the Gordon B. Hinckley and James E. Faust chapters. However, one of my New Year's resolutions was to start and finish President Hinckley's biography, Go Forward With Faith, and I have been enjoying it immensely, perhaps more than any other book. It has been a great source of motivation and courage to me, and I reflect almost daily on some experience from his life that helps me exercise greater faith in my own. I think the lesson to be learned from his life that transcends all others is that the Lord truly has a plan for each of us and will mould us, through our experiences, into much more than we can become on our own. What made Gordon Hinckley such a great man and capable servant is that he learned early that the way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the Lord's work.

Well, this is what happens when I just start typing without an end in mind. I am the worst when it comes to stream-of-consciousness. I guess that's why I have so many incomplete journal entries. (and why it's exhausting to post something on this blog...)

So to get back to BYU--the reason I am here, for those who don't already know, is to get enough on-campus credit hours to qualify for BYU's Bachelor of General Studies program. After spring and summer terms, I will be able to finish my bachelor's degree online. The thought of getting such a degree would have been appalling to my high school self, but after some internal struggle, my perspective has changed. I have three motives that are important and worthy, in my mind, for getting my degree: 1) I love learning and believe that my learning will make me a better wife and mother, and I believe continuing my education can help me learn how to learn better, 2) I would like to have a degree to fall back on in case I ever have to provide for our family and 3) I would like to feel the sense of satisfaction and fulfillment that comes from completing something important that I started. Having those "guiding principles" (as my dad would say) has helped me move forward and stop looking back. So with them in mind, I am eager to commence what I began two years ago at BYU! And when I finally get to walk across the stage in my black gown and collect my diploma, I imagine I'll feel an even deeper satisfaction having my sweet daughter (and her now-nameless younger siblings) watch me do it. And I hope someday they will understand why the sacrifice was worth it.

Now onto the pictures...

Abigail loves to plunk around on the piano. (I hope it lasts!) Sometimes I think she does it to get my attention while I'm making dinner in the kitchen. We have a large pass-through window in the kitchen that looks into the room where the piano is, and Abigail often goes over and bangs on it for a few seconds and looks over her shoulder to see if I'm watching. Of course, I always am.....

Abigail and I were privileged to accompany Joseph to one of his track meets a few months ago and were thrilled when he won his race! We were very proud to claim kin with him to all those sitting near us. I brought the camera to the race and of course didn't remember to take any pictures, so here's a snapshot with him later that day. (If he looks a little constipated, it's because he's flexing for the camera...)

At a nearby park - Abigail loves to swing, but her parents have found they have lost their youthfulness somewhere along the way; that is, they get queasy pretty quickly on the swings.

Abby & Hyrum share a birthday cake. 13 candles for Hyrum & 1 for Abby!

"How does this thing work again?"



Editor's comment: In case you were wondering what the brownish-green stuff is that's smeared all over Abigail's face in this picture, it happens to be my homemade babyfood, and I'm happy to share the recipe....It's pretty simple: chicken liver, peas & carrots, and rice. Yummy, huh? Those four ingredients might not sound bad as a tidy list separated neatly by commas, but I assure you that when you plop them all together in the blender and turn it on, it quickly becomes a sticky, stinky mess that doesn't look appropriate for human consumption. I got the recipe from my mom. Apparently it's the secret to rearing 10 healthy (and good-looking, I might add) children because she says she didn't feed us much else when we were babies. That may be true, but 20 years later my taste buds have obviously become more selective. I felt like I was going to vomit as I spooned that slop into ice-cube trays to put in the freezer. As I finished transferring the last of the batch, I actually gave an involuntary shudder. However, Abigail actually seems to like it, especially when I mix it with a little applesauce. She has also found that, when she's eaten her fill, it makes for very effective styling gel...
(Dad also shuddered the time he accidentally touched the spoon to his mouth when pretending to eat the yummy stuff.)

Easter egg hunt!

A fun little hunt in the Weilers' back yard. I believe that it was sponsored by Michael and Brittany - they are the most organized/fun ones. It probably has something to do with him being the oldest or her being the youngest in their family. I am also the oldest. I wonder if my family thinks that I am fun??? (If there is any organization in our lives it is directly linked to L'Anita!)

Looks like Michael is cracking into one of those treasure-filled eggs! Hey, look! There is even a bunny at this hunt. Wow, too bad the kiddos are too young to really appreciate this momentous Easter egg hunt. Too young to savor those sweet little delectables inside the plastic eggs as well! After all Michael is a dentist and we can't have those kids eating sugary... yeah, parents' prerogative.
Clara's got her stash and she's not letting it out of her sight either.

"Ohhhhh"

- One of her favorite words along with uh-ohh when she drops/throws something.

"I got one!"

Gotta love the crinkled nose. She really likes making faces at you.


"Eggs are cool, but bark is better"

Fillin' in the gaps

Here are some of the things we may have left out in between.

Abigail loves dogs, especially Gayle's dog, Magic.

"Ok, Abby. Don't pull the doggie's chain when his eyes are glowing."

-This reminds me of the Incredible Hulk, "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

Magic is the gentlest dog around, but he is a little vocal when he gets jealous.

Here I think Abby was trying to help with the laundry, but ended up in time out. "Don't worry sweetie, we won't leave you there."

One day we found an Amazon parrot outside out condo. He looked frightened and frazzled so we grabbed him with a towel and forced him into a trash can. To make up for it we gave him some carrots and let him stay the night in our kitchen. The next day we found his owner who said he had been missing for over a week. We brought him back to his mate; you can see the reunited couple in the background. Parrots (Order psittaciformes), are monogamous breeders or in other words they will only pair up once in a lifetime. We learned a lot about parrots that weekend. The owner was very nice and said we could come back any time and see his two cockatoos and his two dozen doves/ pigeons.

Abby & Jane Richter are having fun emptying the toys out of the bins.

"Say, do your parents have plug covers on the sockets in your house?"

- Yes, we do. Contrary to popular belief she actually gets her hair from her mother whose used to stand up even more than Abigail's does.

That is one great smile from Zella. What a cutie!
Here we are visiting the Kryscynskis' beautiful home for an Easter dinner.