2023, July 3-9

We spent the week celebrating the independent spirit. We also saw an unusually high number of deer and other wildlife. 

Eliza came home Monday afternoon with a jar containing a fish she fished out of the stream in the farmer's field. 

She continues learning her song in her BUH music class.

Outside our therapist's office, there's a swallow nest. Mike tried to capture an image of the chick, but he was not quite quick enough. 

Picking Landon up from work, we saw this deer leaving the parking lot. 

On Mike's way up to work this morning, he saw the hot air balloons that were part of Provo's Freedom Festival. He did not take the picture below, but that's mostly what it looked like from the freeway.

Here is Eliza with a frozen treat she got the morning of July 4th. FiiZ had quite a yummy treat called the Firecracker. No one had tried it before, but Eliza sure did like it.

While Landon worked, the rest of us went to Gma and Gpa M's in the afternoon. The robin below busily cleaned up the mass of grasshoppers that had invaded the back yard. 

Meanwhile, we let Mike's kite catch the breeze. Later, before Mike picked Landon up from work and brought him back, Dad and Eliza took a bike ride through the neighborhood. Unfamiliar bikes and hilly roads made for quite the workout! The two were winded by the time they made it back. 

On his way to get Landon, Mike spied these deer outside the mental hospital grounds on Provo Center Street. 

Hallie has been experimenting with variations on s'mores this summer. She thought to test run a version using rice crispy treats. Let's just say that, while tasty, the treats kind of melt apart when exposed to heat and flame. 

Sunset and fireworks views. 

At about 10:00, Mike got antsy figuring that Fergus had been left outside to contend with all the noise of the neighbors' fireworks. Sure enough, when he and Landon got home, the neighborhood smelled of gunpowder smoke, and Ferg had found a safe place out back. He was happy to see us and cuddled up to Mike after getting his supper.  Sometimes Fergus has a funny eye. Eventually, it gets better, but he should be friends with pirates.

On Wednesday, Haliie got her nails done in western colors and motifs. The girls will be going to a rodeo on July 20th.

She also received this horseshoe-and-heart themed ring from a local jewelry maker. 

Ferg found a funny way to lie down near the wall while staying nearby. 

Hallie is so excited to see her garden grow! She has zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers all coming along.  

Mike spied this dragonfly hovering near the flag. We hope it is making a killing eating the nearby mosquitoes. 

Mike spent the week prepping for, having, and recovering from a colonoscopy. Yay, turning 50! It could have been worse, and it might have been better, but it is now done. 

Here are Mike and Ferg as Mike lets the last lingering effects of his anesthesia wear off. He had quite the deep sleep while he was under. Somehow he managed to remain just a little bit out of it for the rest of the day. 

Eliza made the BUH Mapleton Insta feed again as they featured her embroidery class.  

She also got pics taken of her at yoga class. 

Here's how Ferg greeted Mike as he came home from work on Friday. Mike just thought it was funny how Ferg has claimed the zero gravity chairs as his own. He caught the kitty mid-yawn rather than mid-growl. 

While Landon worked, the rest of us went to the Payson Scottish Festival. We got yummy food and drink. Unfortunately, one of these growlers burst open when we got home. 

We watched pipers compete and dined on poutine and Bigfoot tacos (very Scottish, aye!).

Saturday morning dawned sunny and warm. We try to enjoy the time outdoors early and late in the day. 

Mike took Hallie's car to the shop for an oil change. Cost more than he liked. Time to go back to DIY oil and light bulb changes at this rate! He thought the buildings across from the car shop looked picturesque. 

In the afternoon, Hallie and her parents joined some extended family for a birthday celebration for her dad's cousin in Syracuse, Utah. Glenda Hacker is pictured in pink with her sons Alex, Adam, and Ethan and their families. 

They played this unique(ly norther Utah?) game as part of the fun. Hallie was told it is called 9 square. She was happy to watch the game, and she won at Bingo.

 

Meanwhile, at home (after getting Landon from work and going to an underwhelming European Cultural Festival at University Place -- Eliza got bored before the activities really got started), the rest of us hung out in the shade in front of the house. Once you sit out for a bit and let the soft breeze wash by, it's really nice out! 

Kai has claimed his place in Mom and Dad's bed. Even Mike is (sort of) warming up to the idea.

This was the scene Sunday morning after Mike left and Eliza took his place. 

E really has fun romping around with the dog. We'll have him for the rest of July and into August. 

We are adjusting to Mike's 9-to-5 routine as we have spent our entire family life with him doing something pertaining to education and school which frequently meant some nights and weekends but was never 9-to-5. 

2023, June 26 - July 2

We have all sorts of fun stuff going on, some of it involving ukuleles, some involving rental cars, and some involving outdoor lounge chairs. 

Eliza started taking ukulele lessons at BUH, shifting back from the violin that she thought she might like. She's learning how to play chords. Eliza took lessons several years ago and really enjoyed it.

Mike had an early start to his day, going from plasma donation to getting another car rental while we tried another shop to see what to do about the Sorento to going up to work and back. By the evening after his bike ride, he was tuckered out. Good thing Fergus was there to keep him company. 

We got Kai back unexpectedly for a few extra days. While he is crate trained, he's not a big fan. Here he is wanting into (or out of) someone's room. He much prefers to be with people. 

Fergus is master of his domain. 

Kai very much likes to play fetch. We have taken to sitting out in the front yard and tossing the ball to him until he tires out. 

Here's the Instagram capture of Eliza with her BUH music class. 

Kai definitely likes to cuddle up. He trapped Hallie on the couch, both of them lying down lengthwise. 

Having the dog means having to take him on a potty walk at least a couple of times a day. Good thing he has friends in the neighborhood. Here he is with Sophie. 

We received some good news about the Sorento on Monday, a repair done on Tuesday that cost substantially less than the engine and transmission replacement we thought we might have to do. After we took the rental car back on Wednesday and before getting the Sorento, we took Eliza to BUH and then took a walk around Bartholomew Park before going to the car shop. We saw this brood of ducks as we circled the pond. 

We had more afternoon time during the week. The mild spring weather has persisted through the end of the month. The only problem is that the mosquitoes really like the weather too. Here is Charlie, another neighborhood dog. 

On Thursday, Hallie got a couple of zero-gravity chairs so we could sit out front more comfortably. Notice who is sitting in the chairs though. 

We had a pretty sunset that evening. Due to the mosquitoes, Mike thought it was best viewed indoors. 

On Friday morning, Eliza learned barrel racing at Guide 'N' Gallop. She also got to help out with the horses and goats. 

In the afternoon, Eliza had a BUH class in flower arranging. She managed through, injured finger and all. 

The boys seem to tolerate each other. Note the ever-present ball under Kai. He loves that ball. 

In the late afternoon/early evening, we saw some jets fly over the house (probably a lead-in for Saturday's Stadium of Fire). We missed taking a picture but did catch a couple of ducks who got spooked into flight. 

On Saturday morning before taking Eliza's flower arrangement to Gma M, Hallie took Eliza to the urgent care to deal with her finger. The doctor poked a hole in the nail with a heated metal tool and then wrapped it all up. Eliza was quite the sport about it. Eliza had hurt her finger while working at Guide 'N' Gallop. Somehow only Eliza really knows how her finger got between a rock and some metal.

While at Gma and Gpa's, the girls saw a doe with a couple of young fawns. 

Mike held the fort with the boys, who seemed content to sleep. 

He even caught Ferg blepping. 

Here is the flower arrangement Eliza made on Friday on BUH's Instagram. 

Later in the day on Saturday, Hallie, Mike, and Eliza went to the grand opening of Chip Cookies in Spanish Fork. The cookies were warm and fresh and soft without being doughy. 

Landon has decided he likes the zero-gravity chair so much it should be an indoor lounger. 

Mike concurs, at least in principle. 

Eliza woke up early on Sunday, said hi to Dad as she went out to enjoy the cool air, and fell asleep on the outside lounger. We saw her there as we took Kai for his walk. 

On the walk, we noticed the sunflowers in bloom and the corn at Jaker's starting to grow. 

These join the thistles, which are now easing past their prime and getting ready to shed. 

By the time we got back, Eliza was still asleep but had changed positions. 

Mike has gone on bike rides pretty much every day since the beginning of May, exploring the area north of our house. Today he rode over ten miles, getting to the Provo city limits and back. Outside of the ADT offices, he came across this herd of goats. So much eye candy and interesting things to see when you go off the beaten path!  

Eliza wanted Dad to take a picture of her cozying up to Ferg. 

With Mike's work schedule changing significantly, Hallie has become the professional Uber driver for the family and seems to be tired a bit more than usual. But it is keeping her busy nonetheless. We will see what this week holds for this very busy family.