2024, November 18-24

We had another quiet week at home leading into next week's holiday.

Now that the days have gotten noticeably shorter, Hallie has started using a knit cap with an embedded headlamp. Her coworkers wanted a pic.  

Just a reminder that Hallie and her Starbucks coworkers make the drinks with lots of love.  

Here is Hallie's wrist showing her love for Dutch Bros too. Hallie, Mike, Eliza and Hallie's coworker Ty waited in line to get a fun Pura Vida x Dutch Bros collab bracelet. Or maybe she is showing off her beaded bracelet. 

She received gifts from work in celebration of Education Assistance Day.

Eliza made this hanging horseshoe picture frame for art at BUH. The shoe is massive and heavy, as it comes from Big Mack. We need someone's hand for scale.  

She also made this acid-etched vase. 

As an experienced rider, Eliza got the chance to ride one of her favorite buddies, Rome, who doesn't stay at the BUH stables or get ridden often by the other girls. Thank you, Lisa and Nicole, for going to get him for Eliza to ride. 

Here we see Hallie in her element. Wanna sample? She also works at the high school sporting events and of course as a preschool tech, but those jobs don't offer many photo ops. Hallie's manager is in a contest to show doing samples. The Starbucks Hallie works at has not done so well, so we are going to have fun with it.

Landon finished off his gymnastics job this week, and Mike continues substitute teaching while the TSA does its thing. He has his second UVU interview the week after Thanksgiving and has spent significant time prepping for his teaching and research presentations. He was also asked to prepare to discuss Utah HB 261, which was passed during the most recent legislative session. He has some opinions, as one might expect. 

2024, November 11-17

We have finally gotten a taste of winter. 

Here's the new-to-us van. It has been known to squeak while turning the steering wheel as it warms up. We decided that maybe Squeaky or the Squeakymobile might be a better name than the Ghost. Time will tell. As Eliza is already called Squeaky at school, she says that means she gets to inherit the car when she gets her license. 

While letting Fergus in on Veterans Day Monday, Mike spied this young buck crossing the front yard. He followed the deer over to the north and west fields. 

He also met up with this new group of goats. 

Kai came back on Tuesday. Fergus sometimes warms up to the pup pup. Sometimes. 

Stormy weather rolled in this week in two waves. We got rain early in the week and snow later in the week. 

Hallie got a new 'do too. 

A mysterious portable toilet showed up in the neighborhood. It could mean that the people moving the cattle, horses, and goats around need relief. Mike thinks it means a road crew is coming sooner than later. 

Another of Mike's artist friends drew his arms in ink. 

Hallie caught these ponies in the west field. 

Hallie and Amanda went to Costco to support Perk Energy, a local business that sells protein-enriched energy drinks. 

The holidays have started at Starbucks, and Hallie has this year's cup. 

Landon took a bunch of pictures of Fergie. Isn't he a cutie?

Dutch Bros had a promo, so Hallie, her friend Ty from work, Eliza, and Mike went to grab a drink. Mike left a memento on one of the sticker poles. 

Later in the week Mike caught the west field ponies bright and early while walking Kai on a frosty morning. 

Hallie had a serious incident happen at school this week where she was able to help out in a time of need. The administration gave her this bouquet in appreciation. 

Kai came back this week. He is back to his cuddly ways, whether it be downstairs on one of the couches or upstairs hanging out with Mom. 

Hallie often sits in the car while Eliza rides or takes classes at BUH. Sometimes she gets surprised when the local deer come by. 

While Hallie admired the wildlife, Eliza rode. 

Here is the view from the front porch Saturday morning. We got snow off and on all morning. By Sunday evening, most of it was gone from the valleys, and now (hopefully) the mountains will be covered for the rest of the season. 

Eliza and Mike did some drawing together, and Landon has also been brushing up on his crosshatching skills. We got pics of Mike and Eliza's work but not Landon's. Maybe next time. 

2024, November 4-10

It's been an interesting and unusual week, to say the least. 

The neighbors have a mouse problem that Fergus can hear through the wall. Landon found the faces and actions the kitty made amusing. 

Kai likes playing tug-of-war with us and one of his chew toys. 

He's such a love. 

Hallie got her Springville High tumbler customized. 

She also got holiday-themed nails. 

Mike worked at the Springville polling station on Election Day Tuesday. He had an early start and a late finish, working some 15 hours. What an interesting experience! He saw many people he knew from around town, and many people other people shared their stories about what motivated them to vote and why they were there physically to vote (as opposed to not voting or voting by mail). We poll workers received quite a bit of support and assistance from employees from Springville City, and Mike is especially grateful for how they rallied round to get stanchions and ropes so those waiting to vote could move along in a quick and orderly fashion. At one point we had people filling the main reception area and nearly out the door! 

Mike has recently been reading and listening to Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. The late Sir Terry (GNU) always has something apt to say about the human condition. 

As a reward for his work, Mike got a goodie bag with snacks and an "I Voted" pin in addition to the sticker he had received with his mail-in ballot a few weeks back. Pretty cool memento! 

On Wednesday as she waited to pick Eliza up from BUH, Hallie spotted these turkeys meandering into the parking lot. Maybe they heard about an upcoming holiday and decided to make a break for it. 

That afternoon, Mike had an interview for another position at UVU, and it went so well that he got word on Friday that he was a finalist. Here's to a successful on-campus interview in a couple of weeks. 

We were sorry to hear about the Mountain Fire that tore through near where we used to live. 

As Hallie worked at Starbucks on Sunday, she met this adorable furball. Kitty devoured a pup cup of (unsweetened?) cream and milk. 

To round out the week, we now have a new-to-us car, a Toyota Sienna minivan. We've been grateful that our friends the Melos have let us look after their car while they've been out of town. Landon is already laying claim to the Sorento as his car. Whatever gets him motivated to get his license, right? 

2024, October 28-November 3

It's really beginning to feel like fall -- just in time for winter storms. We enjoyed plenty of sun and fun as we celebrated Halloween and our loved ones who have passed away. 

On Monday morning, Hallie took this shot of Buckley Mountain from Smith's. We had rainy day schedule at school. 

Fergus does not like the rain, so he stayed inside. He also blessed Eliza with the touch of his paw. 

Kai was a cuddle bug too. 

Mike will be a poll worker next Tuesday. Hallie is a bit concerned given news of people burning cast ballots in drop-off ballot boxes. Pat Bagley of the Salt Lake Tribune has an opinion on the matter as well. 

Mike had an uncomfortable interaction with some kids near the local field playing unsupervised with BB or airsoft guns shooting at the local wildlife. He asked them to consider shooting at non-living targets, and one kid retorted, "You're not the boss of me!" Mike thus has unofficially graduated to a new middle-aged man status. Ugh. At least the sunset was pretty.  

Hallie is smiling here for some reason. She may have been cold as she is wearing her favorite Springville High School jacket in the house. 

Maybe it's because she and Landon and Kai went to The Human Bean! The dog is always up for a pup cup.

She continues holding down three part-time jobs. Working ticket sales at the high school keeps her off her feet and lets her see people. In this picture she was trying to convince her friends to come hang with her.

Here is Kai expressing his political opinion. One more week to go. Well, not really, but anyway. 

With fall comes actual leaf changes in the neighborhood. Yay!

On Halloween Eve, Eliza carved her Jack O'Lantern. She went with a My Neighbor Totoro theme. She found the image, drew it on the pumpkin, and did most of the scooping and carving herself. Nicely done!

Hallie got an early Halloween present in the form of a phone call from Deseret First Credit Union! She and Eliza had gone to an activity there a few weeks back, and Hallie had entered a drawing for unspecified prizes. Apparently one was a midnight blue Macbook Air! 

In the evening while she took E to TKD, Mike went to the library to participate in a Dia de los Muertos art activity where he made a sugar skull and remembered departed loved ones at the altar there. 

He even managed to get included in the library's Instagram story. 

Kai sure loves to play tug-of-war and fetch. We try to accommodate him with toys and time. 

Halloween meant costumes! 

Here are the five of us all decked out (Mike was a ghost, obviously. Ferg was kind enough to take the picture, ha ha). At the preschool Hallie and her high school students took 18 preschoolers trick-or-treating. It is a highlight for many of the teachers.

In the afternoon/evening, Landon and Eliza joined Jocie and friends at her house and carved pumpkins and went trick-or-treating. Hallie served up coffee drinks at Starbucks, and Mike handed out candy at home. 

Hallie handed out shots of themed drinks for the upcoming Wicked movie. 

Poor Kai didn't handle all the door knocking and bell ringing very well at the start, but he got lots of reassuring and pets. He was very happy when all his people finally got home. 

Eliza had a post-Halloween candy hangover on Friday. After doing some schoolwork with Mike, she fell asleep for some time afterward. 

With Hallie's new computer, Mike got renewed access to some drawing tools he has sorely missed since leaving his former employer. A couple of friends made these emblazonments (not everyone who draws heraldry is a native English speaker). 

Hallie had a little friend from preschool come visit her at Starbucks. 

On Saturday for Dia de los Muertos, Mike and Eliza went to the Orem Library to celebrate. Eliza made the corona she's wearing, and she participated in some baile folklorico. 

She got some tinsel in her hair too. The lady working with her admired how soft her hair was. 

Eliza also got a hand-painted porcelain sugar skull from Salsa Madre (holiday-themed gift-with-purchase).

While walking Kai in the drizzly late afternoon, Mike came across a flock of local blackbirds flocking between and among the trees. It was quite the surprise! 

Sunday started rainy and windy. Mike reveled in having that extra hour we get with the shift back to standard time.  Hallie spent most of her time on Sunday at Starbucks. Hallie definitely spends a lot of time there. Mike has an interview for another job this week after Election Day, and he'll find out whether he is moving on to the next interview round with the job he interviewed for last week in the next few days. He has moved on to the final background check with TSA. We hope that one of these jobs comes through just to give Hallie a well-deserved rest.