... Dad.

Father, grandfather, brother, son, uncle, provider, priesthood holder, temple worker, crazy-trip-planner, golfer, Rook player, babysitter, entertainer extraordinaire.
Happy Birthday Dad!

... a day with the birds.

Today I spent most of the morning watching all the birds in the yard. It always amazes me the variety we have here, just in the backyard. (Having lots of trees helps, I'm sure). The quality isn't that great on a lot of these pictures, but the interesting part is that I took them all today.

European Starling
This is probably the bird we see the most often. They are flocking birds so we see them in groups all the time. They have yellow beaks in the spring and grey in the fall.

Common Grackle
Slightly larger than the Starling, the males have green iridescent heads that look really neat in the sun. (It was overcast today and rained a lot.)

Juvenile Cowbird
This one took a long time to figure out. It's got really brown and black mottled feathers right now. Cowbirds are parasitic - they don't build nests, instead they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds thus abandoning their young to be raised by other birds.

House Finch.
This is my favorite picture. I stepped outside to take some other pictures just as this finch was flying toward the feeder. I expected her to wave off, but instead she landed right on the hook and struck a pose.

Mockingbird
They make lots of different calls.

Robin
Besides Starlings, a frequent visitor to the yard. I don't usually photograph them because there are always a couple around.

Baby Barn Swallows!
The intrepid barn swallows rebuilt a nest after a neighborhood cat destroyed the first one. I can make these babies open their mouths by firing the flash at them.

Blue Jay (and a Robin)
The bluejays sound like hawks. One morning one landed in a tree outside my bedroom window and woke me up at 6 am. Not so much fun.

Cardinal (male)

Cardinal (female)
We have two different pairs that spend a lot of time at the feeder.

Juvenile Cardinal
It's not a female because the head is red, but not quite a full grown male. Notice the grey spots on the beak - young cardinal beaks are grey.

Carolina Chickadee

The newest visitors to the feeder, these are tiny 5" birds. Very pretty.

... 14 years.

Fourteen years ago today I married my sweetheart. I'm thankful for the wonderful husband he is and the great marriage that we have. Love you Ryan!



We haven't changed a bit, have we?





postcript...
We're so in tune with each other we nearly bought each other the same exact anniversary card. ;o)

... the Friend magazine.

Today we got the recent issue of the Friend in the mail. Rachael is really starting to get into it... she wants me to "talk" to all the pictures (which means read it) and she just pours over any of the black & white pictures and the "for little friends" pages. They are great entertainment at home and at church, and I am grateful for the opportunity to talk about gospel topics with her.

... 10 things.

10 things I miss about Colorado:

1. Real mountains.
2. Blue sky so blue it hurts your eyes.
3. Drier air.
4. Open space.
5. Pine trees.
6. The Denver Zoo.
7. Cultural activities in Denver (like the CSO).
8. The Denver Temple.
9. Friends.
10. Family.

... pictures and more pictures.

Lots of photo opportunities today! I took some for a friend of mine with her kids. They were lots of fun to photograph, and I was wondering why I don't do this more often. Then I reviewed the pictures on my computer, and quite a few are a little blurry. (I was trying to hand-hold the camera at F 8.0, guess I learned my lesson there). Still fun though. I'm always grateful for the opportunity to learn more about photography.



Tonight I helped out at a wedding reception for a super-cute couple in our ward. I was not the wedding photographer (thankfully!) but I did manage to get a few good pictures with my point n shoot camera. It was fun to be at their reception because my 14th wedding anniversary is in a few days.

Once again, my favorite pictures usually don't involve actual people... this is her shoe.

... and a propitious award.

My friend Jolayne [Only With the Heart...] gave me an award for my blog! How fabulous! I have so many people I would like to thank... First, my husband, Ryan, for all the love and support he gives. Plus his blog [Perspicacious Words] is funny sometimes.

Of course my sister-in-law, Lorie [My Providential Exitence], who started her own blog (but hasn't posted since she moved - we're dying to see pics of the new house when you finally get some time!). I think she's the only other member of my immediate family with a blog. (I think she inspired her sister-in-law to start a blog; I love reading about all of Amy's boys on Gang of Seven.)

My friend Carli [My Miscellaneous Musings] for the inspiration to start a blog, and my mother for the idea of a gratitude journal. (My mother doesn't have a blog.)

My friend Becky [The Way I See the World] for the inspiration to use my own photographs on the banner at the top. Plus I love to look at her photographs.

Melanie Mauer, who I have never met but have loved her blog since I moved to Lexington. She's a Lexington photographer [melanie mauer photography], and Becky turned me on to her website not long after I moved. it has been an invaluable resource for things to do and see and eat in Lexington, plus I adore her photography.

My friends in Colorado so that I can keep up with them from 1700 miles away, my Kentucky friends so I can keep up with them without leaving my sofa, my former Young Women who insist on growing up and getting married, and all the other blogs I have run across that keep me informed and entertained.

There are rules associated with this award (see Jolayne's post), but since I don't usually tag people with my blog, please consider yourself awarded if you read this and you have a blog. Thanks for the fun Jolayne!

... she's so talented.

Every child develops certain talents of which their parents are enormously proud. Some are athletically gifted, others academically, some can burp the alphabet. (Right now I would settle for completely potty-trained.) My daughter has developed just such a talent:

Rachael can give herself the hiccups anytime she wants.

Oh, the endless possibilities...

... Pioneer Day.

If you're not from Utah, then July 24h probably has no significance. If you are then you know it's bigger than the 4th of July. It commemorates the day Brigham Young and this first group of pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, and it's a chance to remember our Pioneer Heritage. I'm certainly grateful for all the sacrifices our ancestors made to come across the plains and built up the church in the early days. Between Ryan and I, we have quite a handful. Here are a few that I could find pictures of...

Parley P Pratt; my great-great-great-great-grandfather

Mary Alice Cannon; my great-great-great-grandmother

Benjamin Woodbury Driggs; my great-great-great-grandfather

And of course Ryan's great-great-great-great-grandfather, Thomas E Ricks.

... the DVR.

I mean really, how would I be able to keep up with all the TV I watch if I couldn't record it sometimes?? Seriously, I love to be able to record a couple of my favorite shows, then watch them when it is convenient - and skip the commercials.

... my brother.

Happy Birthday to my one and only brother, Kirk. He will be starting graduate work at my alma mater, Colorado School of Mines, in just a couple of weeks. I couldn't be more proud!

... Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey.

My mom turned me on to this new cookbook: Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth. Doesn't that just sound like me? It has some seriously sweet recipes in it, and an entire section on chocolate.



We tried a dessert called "White Trash Panini," it's basically peanut butter, chocolate, and marshmallow creme on a croissant, then cooked on the panini press. Kind of like a glorified S'More. Yummy!

... 10 things.

10 things I like about visiting Utah:

1. Real mountains.
2. Blue sky.
3. One LDS church for every 10 people.
4. More temples than you can shake a stick at.
5. Church distribution centers everywhere.
6. Deseret Book and Seagull Book.
7. Sunsets over the mountains & great salt lake.
8. 75 mph on the freeway.
9. Sees Candies in the SLC airport.
10. Family!

... my ward.

Today I missed church at my ward, and I realized again what a great ward we have. I enjoy going to the meetings not only to hear the talks and lessons, but also to catch up with friends and neighbors. It's fulfilling on several levels!

... walking.

Recently I have been walking in the evening again. Why I can't bring myself to exercise regularly I'll never know, but hopefully I can keep this up for awhile. It always makes me feel better and helps me to sleep when I exercise.

... freckles.

As if Rachael couldn't get any cuter, six or seven tiny freckles have appeared across her nose lately. I suspect they are sun-related. I'll try to post a picture when I figure out how to take one of her face up close!

... fun and games.

We spent the day shopping today and had a great time. Rachael was really pleasant and cooperative (and dry!) so we topped it off with a trip to the Build-A-Bear store. I always spend more money than I mean to at that place, but they suck you in with all the cute outfits and accessories. Besides, Rachael has such a great time putting it together. Meet our newest bear: Faerie Bear.

... yummy dessert.

Here is the fantastic dessert we made today: Pecan Cream Cheese Pie. I realize this is yet another in a long string of being grateful for food, but believe me, this one is totally worth it.

It's recipes by Paula Deen for the pie and Alton Brown for the pie crust. I'm already excited to make it again!

... B&J one more time.

I got a chance to go to an actualy Ben & Jerry's store today... mmmmm..... heaven on earth.

Seven Layer Bar Milkshake, complete with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Worth every calorie. (And there were several.)

... FHE.

We still don't do Family Home Evening as often as we ought to, but I really enjoy dedicating Monday nights to just spending time with our family. I don't feel like anything else needs to get accomplished after dinner except spending time together, and I am thankful for the way it strengthens our family.

... 10 things.

10 things I like about Kentucky:

1. Mild climate.
2. Lots of trees.
3. Lots of green grass.
4. No sprinkler systems!
5. Close to lots of cities.
6. Spectacular sunrises.
7. Fly fishing for panfish.
8. Horse fences and rock walls.
9. History.
10. We live there!

... more fishing.

Ryan once mentioned on his blog that he has an aversion to the color pink, which is too bad for him, since we have a 3-year-old girl.



But he likes fishing, and he's trying to share that passion with Rachael. So today he tied up two flies, one pink and one purple, from one of Rachael's feather boas. We took the pink one over to the lake to try it out, and believe it or not, actually caught several bluegill with it! (Which also shows just exactly how dumb bluegill are - they will eat anything. Not the point here though.) And we enjoyed another lovely evening fishing at the lake.

... the garden.

We enjoyed the first green beans from the garden today. Yummy! So much better than the ones we tried last year... we used a new variety we had never tried last year, and they were stringy and woody. This year we are back on track and they are wonderful, especially with lots of butter.

(Ryan fixed BBQ chicken and cheese potatoes to go with the beans.)

... Ben & Jerry's.

One of our indulgences has always been Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Today we got to share that with Rachael - we love the new tiny sized options! And I love that this picture looks like she's really digging into an entire pint of ice cream. Yummy!

... wrinkle free shirts.

Seriously, I don't think I could cope with all the laundry if I had to iron all of it, too. I love being able to dry Ryan's shirts, then pull them right out of the dryer and hanging them up.

... my collection.

I'm not sure what started it, but I have a collection of headstones from various cemeteries of men who have fought in nearly every major conflict in American history.

... she's learning.

Rachael has been taking pictures with her Fisher Price camera when we take 'photo trips.' She is improving immensely - when Santa gave her a new pink camera for Christmas, most of her pictures were of the floor, her feet, the wall, and so on. I was looking at her pictures today, and although there were quite a few random pictures of things like the remote, mom's shoes, and her juice, she also got some neat pictures from the cemetery and our trip to Blue Licks State Park.

Here is a picture Rachael took at the cemetery:

And here is what she looked like taking the shot:
She is doing a great job!

Here is a picture of me that she took today:
The resolution on her camera is not great, but it's a pretty good picture for a 3 year old photographer!

... BBQ baby back ribs.

A couple of years I gave Ryan a cookbook... the Weber Big Book of Grilling. Both his brother-in-law and his father own copies as well. They read them more frequently than the bible, I think. Some wives might might this aggravating, but not me. The highlight is that Ryan makes several of the different recipes, and one of my favorites has to be the grilled baby back ribs with Type A rub. So delicious!

... and her own swimming pool.

We bought our own small inflatable swimming pool a couple of months ago, but as soon as we did, we didn't have another day warm enough to use it for weeks. Then when it did finally get warm, we ended up over at Paradise Cove. Although we have enjoyed our time over there, Rachael is nervous about all the other kids, so she spends most of her time playing right next to me in about 2 feet of water.

So today we inflated our at-home pool and she played in that. I was surprised at how uninhibited she is when she's at home... she even got her hair all wet and put her face in the water. This is the same child that screams bloody murder when I dump water on her head to wash her hair. Needless to say, this pool will probably be used a little more often!

... cinnamon roll french toast.

Yesterday I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast. (Well, brunch or even early lunch by the time they were finished.) Today Rachael and I were up early and decided we needed something wonderful for breakfast, so we sliced up one of the cinnamon rolls and made pudding french toast out of it. Rachael even got out the ladder and wore her apron - her two favorite things about cooking.

It's two days worth of work, but it was so delicious! I wonder if we could make french toast out of the sandcastle cake...

... our freedom.

I'm glad that once a year we have the opportunity to step back and reflect on our great country. I'm grateful for the founding fathers who worked so hard to start it out right; and I'm grateful for all the men and women that have fought to defend and protect our nation over the years.

... indoor plumbing.

Yesterday Rachael stuffed huge wads of toilet paper in not one but two of our toilets. After I found the first one we had a talk about how much paper to use, but after I found the second one she got a serious time out.

I was pondering what the bright side of all of this might be. After lots of thinking, I am thankful for indoor plumbing, for the plunger, and that I am getting skilled enough with the plunger to get the clog out without too much mess.

... the view from up here.

One of the things I really like about our house here in Richmond is the view out the back. The house is situated on the top of a hill on one side of the neighborhood and overlooks Otter Creek and the rolling hills beyond. No matter the weather or season, there is always a nice view out in the backyard.