Let's go for a drive... June 13, 2009

With all the rain, the past few weeks, we haven't been able to do much hiking. So we've been doing a little exploring by car. Again, our Sunday drive is taking place on a Saturday. And I should have learned by now that when James says "Let's go for a drive...", I'd better change my shoes.

My shoes:

James shoes:

Where we ended up - not driving, but walking - somewhere on the foothills above Centerville:

Playing with our cell phone cameras - B&W

Sepia

James:

He's so fun! And aren't those flowers beautiful! I discovered later that Grandma has some in her garden next to their house.

Real Mascot - June 12, 2009

On my bike ride home, there were balloons and people directing cars for parking near the Life Flight Hangar at General Aviation. I had no idea what was going on until I reached the street. Leo, the mascot for the soccer team - Real Salt Lake - was waving a flag and giving me a thumbs up for my picture. I supposed the soccer team was coming home and people were coming to the airport to cheer them home.

Later, I googled for info and found that JetBlue unveiled a plane with the Real Salt Lake logos and colors. "Real Blue" JetBlue's first-ever sports-branded aircraft. Want pictures of the plane? Click Here. And Carlee - check out this cake!

Happy 35th Anniversary - June 11, 2009

May 1973 - First DateEngagement Photo

June 11, 1974 - Married!


1975 - Graduation and ADD Jed

July 1978 - The Netherlands and ADD Jessi

December 1980 - ADD Kurt & Kim

February 1983 - ADD Kristen

1984 -

1985 - Boise High School Reunion

February 1990 - Disney Land

October 1993

July 1994 - Simpson Family Reunion

December 3, 1995 - New puppy, new house - 837 Hialeah

November 1996 - ADD Maria

November 1998 - ADD Tucker!

May 4, 2001 - Kurt on a mission, ADD Hannah and Deven

December 24, 2001 -

August 15, 2003 - ADD Clay, McKayla, Emma, Hallie & Carlee

October 2008 - ADD Stella & Zoe, ADD James, ADD Tyler, Christy & Jake, ADD Carter, Bree & Ellie, ADD Aspen

Congratulations & Thank you!

Rainbow - June 8, 2009

As I prepared to ride home from work on a blustery Monday evening, just certain that there would be tons of traffic, tons of rain and tons of wind, the first thing I saw was this rainbow! A cell phone picture just can't do it justice, it was beautiful. And the tiny white glow beyond the end of the street ahead is the state capital.

Instead of rainy and wet and windy, my ride turned out pretty nice. It was windy, but I didn't get rained on. The sun had come out over the lake, most of the heavy rush-hour traffic was already gone and it was pretty fun riding through the puddles left behind. By the time I got home, the dark heavy clouds were moving on and I could see the green, green mountains. Spring is so short in the desert.

Hill AFB Air Show - June 6, 2009

My husband, the pilot, is a sucker for anything aviation. This week was Air Force Week and Hill AFB put on a FREE air show starring the Thunderbirds. We had gone to the Mountain Home AFB air show to see the Thunderbirds last September and to Twin Falls for the Navy's Blue Angels last July. I was suprised to see this semi-trailer showing demonstration aircraft. It shows the Tunderbirds, Snowbirds, and Blue Angels. I'd never heard of the Snowbirds - they're from the CANADIAN Air Force. And they're going to be at a show in San Diego in October.... Wouldn't that be fun!

RC aircraft on display - there were SO MANY of these little aircraft.

Thunderbirds in formation.

Beautiful Day for an Air Show. The news says there were about 300,000 people at the show on Saturday, and another 200,000 on Sunday. So we were there for the more crowded, less rainy day and it was beautiful!

Air Sickness Bag from McCall Smoke Jumper Aircraft. The Red Bag says "Sick Sacks" It has several individually labelled yellow "Motion Sickness Bag" envelopes, each of those containing a single air sickness bag.The yellow envelope says, "MOTION SICKNESS BAG (For use during moments of stomach upset) If an upset stomach is anticipated, remove bag from this container and keep ready for use. Do not be embarrassed by this precaution as even veteran travelers are subject to occasional motion sickness."

We spent some time at the Smoke Jumper plane and visited with the pilot and smoke jumpers. I asked a few of them to sing me the "Smokey the Bear" song, NO LUCK!

Chinese Dragon plane - one of my favorite paint jobs!

Perfect date - except that by the time we were ready for a cinnamon churro, all the booths had sold out. Next time!

Alaska Garden - June 2, 2009

During our last visit to Alaska (May-June 2008), I picked up this pattern and fabric as a souvenir. It is called "Alaska Garden" by Mt. Redoubt Designs. I LOVE the different flowers - in the left panel are lupine. In the center are fireweed. In the right panel are arctic poppies, sitka roses, chocolate lilies and Alaska's state flower the forget-me-not. I think the mountain in the background is Mt. Redoubt (the pattern didn't say) - which is the volcano that has been erupting this year.

It has taken me a complete year (on and off) to piece, applique, and quilt these wall hangings and I still need to decide how to make them display-ready. Right now they're on foam board frames, but I want James to help me make permanent wood frames. So I guess I can't say FINISHED IN A YEAR! But, close enough.

Willard Peak - May 30, 2009

This week, our Sunday drive happened on Saturday again. We'd gone to Ogden for a quick visit and ended up in Brigham City at Chad & Kelley's place. Uncle Glen and Craig were helping with the Honey Do's and gave us directions to a nearby road that would take us up Willard Peak. We stopped by Subway for some picnic supplies and headed out. There was still some snow on the mountains, but we thought the road might not be too bad. Plenty of flowers. And tiny caterpillars coming out of their coccoons, I didn't take a picture, but you can see a picture at Sarah's blog that looks exactly like the caterpillars we saw.

And it was a fairly gray, threatening rain kind of day.

The Outlaw could use a rain-bath.

We didn't make it all the way to the top this time, a few switchbacks up the road there was a very large snowdrift blocking our way. Too big for 4-wheel drive, but the dirt bikers were walking their motorcycles across the snow! Lots of OHV traffic to watch out for, but still a perfect exploration.

On our way back home, we drove by the Ogden Temple.