The 'List' Gets a Little Smaller

This week a couple of our goals were accomplished. We took Doc up to Hyrum so he can be close to Brynn. He went up to Carson's family's farm and will have some new friends to play with. Brynn had 'neglected' to tell Carson's dad, Mont, that Doc was a paint. He has this cute little paint donkey named Pepe, so he told Brynn he would make a team out of them. Doc spent the first night in the arena, but then Mont turned him out the next morning. Brynn has spent quite a bit of time with him this week getting him used to his new digs.

Wouldn't you know it, the very next day, our new barn was installed. We've been planning on getting one for a long time and once we were finally ready to get one, off Doc goes.

The young men that installed sure worked fast. I was shocked at how fast it went it up! I was going to stay home so there would be someone here, but since we have somehow magically moved to Seattle (at least the weather thinks that's where we live now), Ken was able to stay home instead. First thing we did...move the hay in. For the very first time in all the years we have had horses, our hay is finally covered!!!!!

Saturday we cleaned up the area on the west side of the barn so that we could park the horse trailer on the side. Next job, moving all the wood that has been getting piled up, plus the parts for the pole barn all need to be moved. Who knows, maybe the pole barn will be up by the end of the year? Ken and Doug will be getting ready for cement next. That will be such a nice project to have completed and checked off 'the list'. Ken was hoping to get the alfalfa sprayed for weeds on Saturday, but, surprise! Rain once again. Maybe this week it'll be dry enough and he can be home long enough to get it taken care of.

Lately we have been making lists of small and big projects that we hope to accomplish in the near future - it's a great feeling to be able to go back and check off the things we have accomplished. It seems like we have been able to accomplish quite a few things this year - 2 ditches filled in, the front yard looks pretty good, the trees are starting to grow, Brooke's room, upstairs bathroom cleaned up, the scrapbook room reorganized, many of the closets cleaned out, quite a few trips to DI, the downstairs bedroom framed and electrical work started, another fence line added, new alfalfa field in, much of the old wood scrap pile burned, and the shed moved back to the farm storage yard (and cleaned out too!). I am so tickled with what we have been able to do, especially with the major events that have been happening in our lives in the last 2 months.

I Feel So Blessed

Today as most of the family was here for dinner, I felt so blessed to have all of our kids pretty close by. And even more important, they all get along so well. Sometimes we are a little irreverent and we are always a little loud, but I absolutely LOVE having them all around.

One of my favorite country songs is the song by Lonestar:

My blessings are in front of me,
it's not about the land...
Yeah, the view I love the most
is my front porch lookin' in.

I keep thinking I need to have that cut out in vinyl letters to put over my front door, because it totally describes how I feel about our little family.

Little Miss Ella has Drew and grandpa completely in love with her. There's something pretty cute about big men and little bitty babies! She is starting to smile and make those cute cooing noises - and she's working on the fake cry. Very important skill!

We had our weekly update from Brooke on the newlywed chronicles. Ah, all those fun things about getting to know each other, learning to live in the same space, budgeting habits, cleaning issues......so much fun! I told her she needed her own reality show - only because it would be pretty interesting to watch all those adjustments happening.

Happy Memorial Day

You know those lists that never seem to end? Well, yesterday we made a nice dent in the latest one. Ken hauled road base for the barn and Doug came over and leveled it out/packed it down. They should be able to finish tomorrow - cement will be next. Then he went down Ed's to work on his tractor for a bit. Drew helped move the pole barn rafters and then took the riding lawn mower home - since it couldn't go up the ramps into a trailer, he got to drive it down his house. Probably the slowest he's gone on a motorized vehicle in 10 years!

I weeded the front flower beds and fertilized all the plants and trees, cleaned Izzy's stall and drove Fred around in the 4 wheeler trailer. He loves to do that and the trailer has had a flat tire since last fall. Ken hooked up the big mower and worked on cutting the weeds in the back and then along the fence line between us and the Arrant's. He took Aaron (Mary Jane's grandson who loves to ride on our big equipment) with him to mow and even let him drive ole John Deere.

Today Ken took Nemo for his walk, Fred and I met them at the end. It takes Fred a little longer each time, but he still tries. Chase had been camping but was home when we got home from church. Drew and Amber came over for dinner, and Heather and Ellie joined us too. Ellie wanted to see Bandit and the other horses, so it was a great excuse to have them up at dinner time. I have just taken the time to get caught up a bit on the blog. Tomorrow is another work day, hoping we can get a few more projects checked off the list. Brynn will be down and we will go see the new Indiana Jones movie. Drew, Chase, Seth Anderson and Casey Higley are going golfing in the morning. I'd love to go just for the comedy!

Last but not Least...

Last Saturday was the culmination to our crazy, busy, way to much happening month. But, as a mom, I couldn't ask for a better way for it to end.

Brooke and Justin got married on the most perfect weather day anyone could possibly ask for! Ben Lomand Gardens is a beautiful outdoor garden with a great staff to keep people like me (that would be the nervous norton mother of the bride) calm and collected.

The kids had a fast rehearsal in the morning, then Brooke, Mikel and Kelly were off to get ready. The rest of us, including Justin and his groomsmen, stayed behind to decorate the gazebo where they got married and hang 71 delicate glass vases that held Calla Lilies, Day Lilies and orange roses. For someone who has no artistic eye, it sounds really eclectic, but for Brooke it was just the perfect addition to the backdrop where the reception line stands. It really did add just the right touch and we heard many comments about them.

They were married by Bishop Dennis Kendrick, who did a great job, kept it pretty nondenominational for Justin's family, but touched on some basic key points. Lots of humor was added, in just the right places. He even told Justin he could do a better job of kissing Brooke!

Bishop Kendrick and Justin deep in their last minute thoughts.

Grandpa Campbell, Rainey and Heather all made it up for the ceremony. It was good to have them with us. All the Utah Miller's were there except Rob (scouts) and Ben (work). We simply couldn't have made it without them. The Miller women were so good about taking care of my needs, making sure the food was under control, and then they all had everything taken down in just a few minutes at the end. What would I have done without them?


Brooke looked so pretty - I'm not a huge fan of strapless dresses, but she looked stunning. I was amazed at how calm she was once we got to the rehearsal and throughout the rest of the day.


Only glitches, the wind came up for a minute and knocked her bridal portrait over and Chase had a flat tire and missed the ceremony. He did get there soon after (after getting stuck in the exit closed detour, not knowing where he was going, etc.) How can we feel too bad about those two things when things could have been so much worse?





We had some great surprises during the reception. Kathy and Ryan Davis, the Smolik's, the Sylvester's, and the Maxwell's all made the journey north. My cousin Carol Ann Valberg and her husband, who was Amber's seminary teacher in 9th grade, even made the trip from Brigham City. We felt really blessed to have friends and family join us on the special day.

It's a Boy!

Bandit meeting Izzy up close for the first time.

About 5 hours old - already up and at it.

This being born stuff is so tiring!

The race is finally over for Izzy. On Tuesday night, I took some pictures of Izzy and sent them up to Brynn to see (good thing no one saw then, they might wonder what on earth I was sending pictures of...) with no hope of a baby any time soon. Boy were we wrong! Early Wednesday morning, Brooke came home from working on her apartment and had the impression that she should check on Izzy. As she was walking down to the stall, she heard a funny noise and decided she better get us quickly. I could hear her thundering up the stairs and down the hall. Out of bed we dashed and went outside to see just one leg sticking out. Not a good start to a first baby. Ken had me hurry and call Doug Justensen to come and help him. As soon as I hung up the phone, Ken remember that Doug was having a sleep apnea test that night. Here he arrives all dressed, shirt tucked in, belt on, wallet intact and his monitor still on his finger with the sleep recorded shoved in his pocket. What a guy!

Once they got both legs out and started to see a nose, they ended up pulling the colt. Izzy wouldn't lay down, so the poor little fella's first introduction into this world was a big ol' thud on the ground as he fell on out. Once again I missed the birth. You know that scene in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers where Millie is having her baby and the 6 brides-to-be were dashing up and down the stairs with supplies? Ok, that was me - trying to gather all the things together that the men would need. Does hearing it count?

What a cute little guy he is. It's so amazing to watch them try and get up at first, and then try to lay back down once they get tired.

Brynn made it about a half an hour after he was born. She was so sad she missed the birth - and I think she set a land speed record getting here from her apartment.

Izzy let the men spend some time imprinting the baby, and then she took over and we cleared out. Brynn stayed up til about 3:45 waiting for him to figure out how to eat and then she came in to go to bed. I finally fell asleep about 4:30 and was startled out of bed by the phone ringing just an eye blink later. The little stinker had figured out a way to get on the outside of the stall while Izzy was on the inside.

We have had a great couple of days watching him start to grow and learn basic skills. Today we took them out back and put them in the pasture. The baby enjoyed stretching his legs a bit. We have finally come up with a name for him - Brynn will submit Zips Snip as his paper name and it looks like we will call him Bandit. Brooke calls him Truffle due to his coloring. I just call him cute baby.

USU Graduation

Last Saturday we went to Logan for Brynn's graduation from Utah State University. She chose not to go to the main graduation ceremony so we went up for the College of Agriculture ceremony that afternoon.

Brooke had brought a paint can full of cards to write her thank-you notes and she handed them to Carson to put in our seats. Poor Carson walked into the auditorium and set it down in the row of seats he had picked for us, when a security guard came and swooped it up to check the contents (he was looking for a bomb). I couldn't believe it was happening, but I think Carson was mortified!

We had a great little cheering group - Kim came up for the ceremony, Chase, Brooke, Ken and Carson, and Adam were all there too. It was truly a family celebration - lots and lots of little children, grandparents, and friends. The ceremony was kept to an hour (woohoo!) and there was a reception afterwards in the courtyard of the concert hall complete with graduation cake, Aggie ice cream and punch. Lots pictures, hugs and visiting. What a perfect day it was.




We took everyone to Maddox's for dinner - table for 9 please....Drew and Amber met us at the restaurant and we ate in the Lodge, where they put all the graduation parties. We had a great young man who was in charge of the rolls. The men in our little group were eating the rolls as fast as possible - we we kept that cute young fella quite busy. Ken finally gave him a big tip that made him smile from ear to ear. Needless to say, we were first on the list when the rolls came out of the oven. We had such a great time and I loved having everyone there with us. What a marvelous celebration. Justin will be next - and this time, he won't have to work on graduation day so we can go back again.

Brynn has decided to apply to graduate school and hopes to start in the fall. We could have a few graduates in the next two years (Justin, Brooke and Brynn). Lots of work, but a great payoff in the end.

Bridal Shower Weekend

This weekend was Brooke's turn for showers. She had a friend shower on Saturday night and a Miller family shower on Sunday night. The girls made candy bar advice posters - what great imaginations! Then they designed wedding dresses out of toilet paper. The was talk in the 'underground' about packing all the toilet paper up and taking it back to the student apartments for future use. Both girls looked great and it made for lots of good laughing.

My wonderful friends Ada and Amber came down to help keep me calm and collected just as I was starting to have a melt down. It was so much fun and we enjoyed having all the girls here that night.

Mindy and Rick were gracious enough to open their house to all the Utah Miller gang for a joint bridal shower and birthday party for Kyla (and of course the silent adult April birthdays, Brynn and Kimberly). The house is the unltimate kid house - and the chickens were the big hit of the night. Poor tramatized birds were probably thrilled when everyone finally settled down and left them along for a few minutes. No egg production that next morning!

Brooke had asked for an Ikea shower - so Kimberly turned it into a Brooke-kea shower. We played the memory game with some basic Ikea products (all of which Brooke gets to keep) - Sherie won, (what a surprise!). Then they all went together and gave her an Ikea gift card. She was so excited she wanted to come back to SL and shop on Monday.

There was a lot of stress that went along with the weekend, but it was wonderful to spend the days with good family and friends. How can we ever repay them for their kindness and support?