Sweet Texas

We went to the Provo Gun Club this last week, and this is my target at 25 yards, after not shooting for probably 2 years. So, not too bad. . .
















This is the pistol range in the background, and Mark with his newest toy. . .1911











And here's me, aren't I charming. . . .357 mag.











This is with my back to the pistol range, BREATHTAKING! And the people down below are sighting in their rifles for hunting season.












I don't know if you can see, this is a pict. mostly for my dad, can you squint and see all that brass laying on the ground, we couldn't help ourselves, we did a little picking up.


















This is looking up above the targets on the pistol range, and right above the dirt area there is a deer that stayed there the majority of the time we were shooting. . . Like our friend Mark says, "he's taking notes on which hunter to keep away from."

Amy brags about. . .

Ok, so, here's what Mark has been up to. At least in the hobby/income area. And not just school (even though he is doing that quite well also.)

This is the beginning of a knife as you can see.
With the guard and the blade.







These are the knives completed and drying, with the wood handles hand made, and the sheaths are not raw leather, they're "fancied up"










Here's a close up of that first knife, all finished and shiny. Isn't it pretty! (This is thanks to Sam's stockpiling of wood and willing to share it with us.) That is not two pieces of wood put together that is how the wood comes.









OK, here are the finished products. Two different knives with their own fitting sheaths. Notice the leather is "worn in" a little to help them have more character.








Nope, we aren't done. This is the real excitement to the story. This is a display in the mall at a knife store! It isn't just off in the corner somewhere in the store, this is the main window that you look in as you walk by the store. They have asked Mark to sell some of his "custom knives." Isn't that cool! The picture frame holds a bio. of Mark and pictures of other knives he has made.

The big knife is a "Texas Bowie"
The little knife is a "skinner"

The M things

Ok, so here's just and update in no specific order.

This is the girl's school sign, S. C. Ele. I love it, very progressive and new. Not progressive in liberal agenda. . . but progressive in new technology. Notice how close the mountain is in the background. It is not an optical illusion. Across the street IS the mountain! The school is almost in Springville just off highway 89. and over the mountain to the south about a mile is S.











When Mark comes home from school, the kids run and hide in parts of the house so he has to come and find them. When he came home last night, Autumn and Brooke ran into eachother, this is Autumn's casualty, a black eye the camera didn't quite capture it all the way. I wonder if her school is now "keeping and eye on her" for other signs she's not being well treated at home. . . we all know the truth. Probably taken better care of than a lot at her school.




The weather has honestly been AWESOME the last week or so. This is us in the evening last night out at Utah Lake, throwing rocks into the water.










This is my little chub a lub. Look at the jouls (sp) and the double chin. Aparently she is going to be different from my other girls. She still has the strawberry birthmark between her eyes, I hope it will lighten more. And her eyes are blue.








Everytime I get my camera out to take picts. Spencer has to look at the screen to see the pictures. This is him copying Autumn showing me her eye and the bruise, except this is Spencer, with no bruise, but being cute none the less. I just looked at the picture, he needs another hair cut. . . Notice his shirt, it's one of the Owen handme downs. He lives in those clothes! Thanks Jess.

I'm back up and running

This is my beautiful baby! She has grown so so much! She is now 7 wks old. Can you believe she's lived in Utah longer than she has lived in Spokane. . .












These are picts of my boy, and my new couches. They are navy and leather. See how the recliner works. Totally comfortable, and a steal of a deal! These are one of the craigslist items.

just an update

This weekend was great.

FRIDAY

we were able to get those elusive couch and loveseat, you guessed it from craigslist.com. Nice leather country blue and the couch reclines on each end. I guess the name is namebrand. Which I really don't know much about Natuzzi. . . like Mark says "I'm going to lay on the Natuzzi and take a snoozie." It is so nice. And a steal of a price. Just very pleasing to the eye, and comfortable!

SATURDAY

It usually goes by way, way to fast. We woke up kinda late and went to the farmers market just down the street, for some much needed fresh produce, since we don't have mom and dad's garden. We got a few things that were experimental. Like a banana squash that is larger than Sarah, a big sucker, but the "farmer" said you just cut off what you are going to use saran wrap the end and it will store all winter. We got an Armenian cucumber, it was very large also. We sampled it and tasted like a cucumber, so I bought one of those. There again BIG. about the size of my arm. Then corn, good 'ol corn, gave some to our neighbors, they told us about the market, and also have shared a pleanty with us. And a box of mix and match fruit like peaches, pluots, pears, apples, and the like for 10.00! That was a steal! And I know this last one you are going to laugh, but we bought some zuchhini. Just a few mind you, but they were CHEAP, and we are hankering for a little BBQ zuchini. Came home and ate produce. I put some squash and potatoes in the crockpot for Sunday dinner, well needless to say we loved the banana squash and potatoes there wasn't enough for dinner.

Cleaned out the van, man it was GROSS, traveling and etc. in it was yucky. Filled er up with gas, and went to Costco to get some essentials.

Came home, cut Mark's hair, since he has a dress code that says he needs hair above his ears. He was kinda shocked when he went to get his ID and there was a guy with a scruffy face that they wouldn't take his picture. Realized he needed to read what he was suppose to uphold. (Like he's a rebel and doesn't dress appropriately)

Went to the mall to see where Mark has a display to sell his custom knives and also to be the "knife sharpener" for the store. He had to learn how to sharpen a samuri sword. . . hmmm, I was amazed, no time and it was sharp.

SUNDAY

We went to regional conf. where Pres. Monson, and Elder. Wirthlin spoke, I loved every minute of Elder Wirthlin's talk. I really feel like I can just keep trudging forward. I really related to his talk.

Pres. Monson talked kinda off the cuff. It was so different hearing him be carasmatic and funny. We were definately NOT at general conf.

Took naps, and then went to the provo temple. Man, I love our Spokane temple, but there is a difference in the bigger temples. It is just amazing how much different a fountain makes. There were a lot of people doing the same thing we were, taking picts. of the beautiful grounds. You know the MTC is right there and there were missionaries doing their picture taking. It was interesting.

Us as a family are doing as well as could be expected. I don't wish to be where we were a week ago, but still would much rather be in Spokane. so, we are adjusting ok. We are going throught the motions in some cases, but getting to spend a whole lot of time together as a family which I LOVE!!!

Check in with you later.

Ode to craigslist

Do you know what craigslist.com is? Well, let me tell you. It is a free online advertising and garage sale swap type of a place a lot like ebay for locals. You just go and pick it up at their house.

I was all geared up to save up all my money and take a year or two to get some things for our little family to make our house more livable. The things on my list include:

Twin size mattresses for 2 beds, my girls
A baby swing for Sarah, my old one broke
Kitchen table, ours, has been a card table FOREVER
A couch (preferably leather) we couldn't fit our old one in the moving truck (shucky darn)
Computer that's newer

Like I said we were willing to wait and save up and find the right deal.

so, back at Christmas time we are in the market for a new van. We find one and LOVE IT off of craigslist in Spokane, so we get down here and start looking on craigslist to see if they have anything.

Long story short. We have some new things for our house for VERY good prices!

Baby swing
Twin mattresses
Kitchen table

Mind you, we didn't settle, they are really really nice. The baby swing is better than my other one. I thought my other one was pretty nice. This one is quieter, and has a comfy-ier seat. The twin mattresses are better than my own bed. The kitchen table is and oval shaped with the ability to add a leaf. It has 2 pedistals on the bottom, so no bumpy into the corner's and its solid oak! With real and comfortable wood chairs. It's like a real dinning room set. I love it, it makes our kitchen seem right. My kids can do their homework at the table, etc.

What's still on our list.

Leather couch
And now, pillow top queen mattress.
and have decided the comuter's are gonna have to be dealt with a different way.

I'm here to tell you you have to be ready to swipe that item your looking for as soon as it pops up on the list. They go QUICK!

But hey! We are living like real people with real beds and table.