Strange Reality

Today, I fully realized that I am Domestic. Or more specifically, that I have been domesticated. How is it that I got this way? More importantly, how is it I never realized it?
I even have a schedule detailing which days of the week something gets cleaned. For example, Mondays & Thursdays are mop days. Wednesday & Friday are vacuuming (throw in any other day it needs it), and Tuesdays are bathrooms.
Then comes the cooking part. I've always enjoyed cooking, but it has come to a whole new level since moving. Last night we had some friends from the bay stop over for dessert. My first impulse was, "Yea, now I can make a caramel apple pie - from scratch!" And that is just one example of many. My little brother thinks that I am the best cook that has ever lived because I'm constantly making up things and trying them out on him. His most recent favorite is my Lemon Blueberry Cake.
To make things worse, I wear an apron. Not only because I'm messy, but because I like it. Now, if I start wearing vintage 1950's era dresses daily, someone please stop me. On the other hand, this one is pretty cute. Yeah, its a wedding dress, but change the color and you're set. Which leads me to believe that I have stepped into a deeper circle of domestication.
On another note, I have spent the last week weeding. This has all been done by hand, and using a hand shovel to ensure the tap root is taken too. Seriously, I think having a yard is overrated. I always dreamed of having one, and now that I do, I can't believe how much work they are. I suppose the fact that the people who lived here before us did NOTHING to take care of the grounds before us doesn't help. But I just can't understand why my grass can't be green, soft, and only grass. It is my constant war - the battle of weeds, and I'm afraid they are winning. It doesn't even matter what herbicides I use, they still survive and seem to sprout even more.
Truly, these weeds are the bane of my existence. This evening I'm going to try pouring boiling water on those in the cement cracks. I've heard it should cook them and kill them instantly. Hopefully, I'll have something to say for it, and I'm crossing my fingers that it will be to say it works.

Monticello pt. II

Bronze is the craziest rocking horse man that I think has ever lived. He had such a lack of fear and zest for life that my grandma is convinced that his veins are filled with vinegar. Sadly, poor Triton didn't escape that label either. At least we know that life will never be boring with them around.

My car has finally been taken off road. At one point I had at least a quarter inch of dirt on this bad boy. I feel so complete.

Monticello has a natural wonder on its mountain over looking the town. Its the horse head,

can you see it?

My baby brother, Matthew, and I decided to go on a four wheeler ride. Here I attempt to radiate the same grace as Nacho Libre. Even with my perfectly pointed toe, I think he has me beat. Matthew of course is the same wild man he's always been. Rather than attempt the same, I decided it was easier to sneak up on cows. I guess they thought I stunk or something because they turned and ran away once I got too close.

Trust me cows, the feeling is mutual.

We then headed up to the old ski lift. And look, I caught a deer - its that brownish lump in the bottom right. Its not a rock, I promise, I saw it move.

I just love quakie trees. I hope someday soon to have quite a few of them around our new place. Here we are on the way down. We were completely surrounded by thunderstorms. It was pretty amazing we didn't get enveloped from all sides. This is looking off into Colorado. I'm always amazed that there are places where you can see open land as far as they eye can see. And I have no idea how I managed this. That white dot that you see there is the start of a lightning bolt before it tore through the sky.

Monticello so far

It has been so great to be back! And I have to admit, I think I could live here. Yeah, there is one grocery store, one stop light, and I think only one gas station, but there is a certain feeling to country life that I find I enjoy.Triton has found one of his favorite things is to run with the laundry around the clothes line. Have you ever noticed how clothes dried on the line smell better than those dried in the dryer?

I guess its just the smell of clean air that can't be duplicated.

Triton has also decided that its pretty funny to wear his shirt like this.

Putting not ripe yet apples in the bird bathThis picture cracks me up. Have you ever seen a child look more disgusted?

One of the best things about Monticello is that it is situated right against the Abajo or Blue Mountains. This is one of my favorite places called Dalton Springs. This is the Monticello, UT temple. It is the first of the smaller temples our church built. I am happy to say I was present at the dedication, actually inside the temple, and it is still noted as one of my favorite experiences. And then of course, there is our farm. Yes, I am a farmer's daughter. This is a shot from our place looking toward the mountain. Triton and I in the wheatBeing attacked in the wheat

Deciding I'd had enough and leaving him alone in the wheatAnd at last, he's happy.

Here is my brother Craig giving Triton his first taste of raw wheat. Which he willingly tried because uncle "diddy" which I think is supposed to be Craigy, gave it to him. Raw wheat is actually really great. This time it was particularly good becuase it was still in the chewy phase before it dries out.

Looking at eagles.Shooting prairie dogs

attempting to shoot prairie dogs

Triton's favorite thing is riding the tractor. Which because Craig can drive the tractor, has made him Triton's favorite person. And upon closer inspection,

Im pretty sure that Craig thinks Triton is pretty awesome too.

Of course, life wouldn't be complete without trying to get a group shot with the arm extended trick. Finally, I think we got it.

Summer Opposites

For the next two weeks, John will be in NYC for school...Yeah, I'm a little jealous but what can you do? Luckily, the remembrance of the humidity and heat of the east coast quickly killed all envy I was experiencing, and made me extremely grateful to be in homes with air conditioning. On a side note, the tall building to the right of the Empire State Building is where I used to work. Top floor of One Penn Plaza. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I have especially fond memories of the building swaying 15 feet in any direction with the wind gusts. And I'm not lying when I say, I miss it. I, on the other hand, will be in Monticello, Utah at my grandma's house. I don't think you can get more opposite than these two places. Featured in the picture above is the towns one and only stop light. Interestingly, I miss it here too. This is where I spent my summers while growing up. There is always a feeling of nostalgia whenever I go back. I'm excited for my boys to experience it too.

John Fell in Love with a Cow

This weekend something happened that I never dreamed would happen. John fell in love with a cow, and ever since, all I've heard about is how cute this baby cow was - to the point he's been consistently encouraging my mom to buy a baby cow as a pet. Unfortunately, said cow also fell in love with Bronze. Everything was going just fine until the cow wrapped its long tongue around Bronze's arm and put all the way up to Bronze's elbow in his mouth.After pulling the unhappy Bronze's arm out of its mouth, the cow immediately bit on to his shirt and started trying to get him that way.

Of course, John and I being the parents that we are, couldn't contain our laughter.

Then it was on to the pony rides. Triton was so excited, that is, until the pony started to move. Then he was a little scared. He cried for the first two minutes and then decided that it was pretty fun.

Bronze on the other hand loved every minute of it, and cried his eyes out when our turn was over. Triton is still on that tie kick. I must say, he picked this one out himself and even made sure it matched.

It Changes so Quickly

One minute the boys can't figure out what the other is supposed to do, but they need each other almost all the time, and now they have realized that having a brother is the best thing ever. Seriously, I don't know what inspired this, but they do it all time.At the end of it all, Bronze is so exhausted he falls asleep within seconds afterward.