2025, January 20-26

We had a health scare for the kitty,  Mike and Hallie celebrated our anniversary, and Mike has found a full-time job. 

Eliza often likes to go back and forth from Smith's to visit with Mom at work. Often she is joined by someone, but just as often she goes on her own. She went with Hallie to work on Monday and returned home on her own.  

Tabitha's Way transitioned to its new location this week, and Mike had the chance to help get things stocked on Monday along with many other volunteers. 

He also hit a milestone on Duolingo. What's funny is that he got back onto Duolingo after several years not using it so that Landon would use it for his Spanish class. As it is, now Mike has finished the Spanish course and is learning some conversational Japanese and quick mental math. 

Having passed his CDL permit test, Mike got contacted by Nebo School District Transportation to start his bus driver training next week. He continues substitute teaching and making art in the meantime. 

Mike got a call from PACE International Academy on Wednesday while waiting for Eliza at taekwondo to have an interview on Thursday. The interview went well, and he has chosen to start working there part time next week and full time starting in February. Just as substitute teaching has been a nostalgic callback to his days teaching in LAUSD, he anticipates working at PACE will feel a bit like his days teaching at the Simi Adult School. 

Mike and Hallie celebrated their anniversary in low-key fashion after Mike did an observation at PACE and brought home some carry-out. Think of it as saving some funds as a raincheck for a splurge when we're in Japan. That being said, Hallie surprised Mike with an Apple Watch. There was a bit of drama in that Hallie had the watch delivered from Sam's Club and ended up with the floor demo model (missing bands) in a blue bag set on the front porch. She and Eliza resolved the issue on Friday, and Mike got a new watch at a discount! 

Landon has completed paperwork for his Jimmy John's job and will be starting whenever the next schedule gets drawn up. His friend Zeke works there, and we've had the pleasure of his company several days this week. Landon has decided to improve his diet and exercise routine by eating more unprocessed foods, less junk foods, and with a calorie deficit as he and Zeke work out. 

Fergus started acting lethargic late in the week. 

By Saturday morning, we decided he needed to see the vet. We always get concerned when Fergus starts acting abnormal. Mike thought he might have eaten a poisoned rodent. Everyone gave Fergus their love before Mike and Eliza took him over to Payson Family Pet Hospital for an urgent care visit. After checking him out, Dr. Fillerup gave Ferg a prescription and recovery plan (thanks to the doctor and technician for being there!). Looks like kitty might have an intestinal bug. By Sunday afternoon, Fergus seemed like he was feeling a bit better. 

We had snow for most of the day Saturday, a welcome sight after seeing so little precipitation this winter so far. Next week is sure to bring all sorts of unexpected happenings, hopefully positive ones.  

2025, January 13-19

Bit of a roller coaster week. 

Fergus joined Eliza for her study time in bed on Monday. 

Here are Hallie and her co-workers horsing around. 

An apartment in Ty's complex burned over the weekend, so we had their kitties for most of the week. While we kept them confined to the office, we frequently came to visit. Mia was particularly affectionate.

Sage tolerated the situation. 

On Tuesday, Mike took the first steps in learning how to be a school bus driver. We are leaving no stone unturned and pursuing all possible avenues in the job search. Who knows what windows this route may open? 

In the evening, we surprised the kids by letting them know we have set dates for our upcoming trip to Japan. They were happy to hear the news, especially Landon. Can't you tell? 

Eliza made some watercolor cards in her BUH art class. 

While Landon spent some time in the office later in the week, he sent this picture. Aww! Mia has found a shoulder. 

We had some chilly weather later in the week. Walking the preschoolers to and from class can be a bit challenging. 

Landon never fails to crack Mom up. Here he is doing his food handler's permit paperwork and getting a rise out of her. 

We received some bad news from UVU Thursday when the dean of the college where Mike applied let him know they had chosen another applicant for the position for which he had interviewed. Fall down seven times, stand up eight. 

We had snow over the weekend, and the kids helped Mike do some shoveling. They also chose to take advantage to pummel each other and make snow ice cream.

Kai has returned, and with that so have our routine walks. Fergus joined in a few times. Here he sits, eyes aglow, in one of the trees on our route. Spoooky! 

We watched the Lions fight valiantly but ultimately lose to the Commanders in the evening. The Lions have been a class act this year, and we hope for continued great things for the team next year. 

Hallie had the chance to join some friend for a yoga retreat Sunday morning. 

In the spirit of the season, here are some snowflakes. They keep the students Mike teaches engaged as he carries on his lessons. 

 

2025, January 6-12

Our hearts go out to those experiencing the devastating fires in Los Angeles. Growing up in SoCal, fire season served as a regular reminder that it doesn't take much for everything to go up in smoke. Carly's husband Shad is among the firefighters battling the blazes, and we've traveled through and Mike knows people in the areas affected, so it hits close to home. 

We don't have many photos this week. We're just getting back into the regular-schedule vibe. 

On our walk with Kai on Monday, we greeted the ponies over in the northwest and west fields. 

We've had chilly weather this week with threats of snow but not a lot of accumulation in the valley. It's nice to see the mountains covered in snow even if it means cold breezes on our walks and rides. 

Hallie and Eliza have been looking after Ty and their roommate's cats. Mike joined Hallie on her trip on Tuesday after they took Kai back to his other house for the next few days. 

Landon has decided to make some changes to his diet. Part of this means learning how to prepare fresh meals. Mike taught him how to butterfly a chicken breast so he could pan fry it as part of some other food he was making. L likes to eat pretty late in the day, which isn't always when the rest of us do. We appreciate his independent spirit; it's hard to believe he and Eliza are at a point where they need to develop real outside-the-home survival skills. 

Eliza had art and learned some more drawing skills. She enjoys going on bike rides to the library either by herself or with Dad to get drawing books, specifically those tied to anime. 

On his way to pick up the kids after work on Thursday, Mike came across these pretty tame deer in Elk Ridge. 

Eliza likes mugging for the camera. 

Mike hung the fun little bee ornament she and Hallie had gotten for him from his rearview mirror. Now Eliza wants to call his car the Beemobile (Bee-MO-bee-il?).  

As mentioned above, we have watched on TV as parts of LA have burned in the wildfires this week. We love you and hope the fires are contained soon and that recovery is swift. 

This is one of the many reasons why we let Fergus out to explore the neighborhood (claw, claw, claw). He seems happiest when he can go out for a few minutes in the morning and evening, and then he spends most of the rest of the day sleeping inside. It's tough being him. 😉

  

2024, December 30 - 2025, January 5

We have transitioned into a new year. We hope it will be exciting and full of happy surprises. 

We had several auspicious fortunes in our Christmas Eve fortune cookies, including one that read, "Good fortune is on your side."

In that spirit, Mike opted to open his LEGO Japan postcard in hopes that good things will follow on the job search. Hallie and Tomari approve! 

Eliza loves to baby Fergus. He doesn't always feel like being babied. Here is how he rang in the New Year with Eliza. Three of us stayed home, watched TV specials, and popped crackers, and Landon and friends Zeke and Sonny went to a local park to watch fireworks. They later realized the error of their ways and got a ride to another friend's warm house before getting home shortly after midnight.

Mike stayed up a little bit with the kids before everyone eventually went to bed. He found E on the couch New Year's morning. The grownups watched the Rose Parade while the kids slept in some more. 

We had a pretty chilly day and spent it mostly indoors what with Kai being at Brittany's. Mike and Eliza needed to get out regardless. Eliza's back tire has not held air very well, so we opted for Mike to walk while Eliza rode. We managed to catch the alpenglow off the peaks to the southeast.  

Eliza showed some reluctance about getting her picture taken as Mike checked her tire. 

We saw some ponies over in the west field, so of course E had to go visit.  

Kai came back on the 2nd. Hallie, Landon and Kai played fetch out in the front yard on a dry afternoon. Such a happy tired puppy!

Ferg gets plenty of beauty sleep. 

Eliza had a riding lesson as part of a very busy Friday for Mike as he hauled people and pets all around. First, he took Kai to the groomer out in Woodland Hills before taking Eliza to her riding lesson at BUH in Mapleton. While E was at her lesson, Mike returned to get Kai (now all trim and smelling clean. Thanks, Heidi!) before rushing back to get E. He was only a few minutes late.  

E managed to get on BUH's social media for the week. 

We saw some deer as we left. 

Mike then took Landon to a (successful!) job interview at Jimmy John's and afterwards took him to and back from Jocie's house. In all, he did a typical Hallie shuttle day. 

Hallie worked close to 40 hours at Starbucks this week. She saw a pretty sunset on Friday as she left work for the day. 

Hallie's coworker Ty went on a trip to visit family, and Hallie and Eliza are helping to care for Ty's cats.  

On one of their trips to look after the cats, the girls went to Harmony in Provo, where Hallie got this sticker for her mug. 

Mike spent some more time making snowflake art among other activities related to the extended Christmas season (he highly recommends Terry Pratchett's Hogfather). He experimented with making digital paper snowflakes that have a somewhat more realistic look, whether that be somewhat more like beveled crystal or like cut layered paper. 

He tried teaching our niece Alie how to make some while tutoring on Friday. It's hard to show someone how to fold and cut paper over Google Meet! 

Making the layered ones has been interesting, and he may try going back and attempting to make actual layered paper ones at some point. 

The paper snowflakes get hung on the windows with care. He wants to figure out how to get some of his designs made into Japanese-style mino washe reusable paper window clings. Maybe he can find someone when we go on our trip. 

Mike took down the Christmas decor on Sunday, and now it's time to transition into winter mode as the days get marginally longer. We'll take all the light and cheer we can get!