Weekend in Cedar City

So a few months back I had promised Hannah that I would take her on a mini vacation with me. Miranda had invited us to come down and see her and Brooks and so we took her up on the offer and spent the weekend in Cedar City with them. The above picture is looking west at the sunset over Cedar City. It was weird to be there in the Spring. I am usually there in the middle of the Summer. It was a nice change. Miranda was the perfect hostess and had yummy food waiting for us on Friday night when we arrived.

On Friday evening we went on a little exploration of Miranda and Brooks' backyard. Can you believe that this is their backyard. You just cross the street behind their place and you are in the wilderness.

On Saturday morning after breakfast we decided to hike up the mountain in the above picture. It is called the hike to the "C". C for Cedar City. I guess it is a big C on the side of the mountain that they go up and paint and see, etc. We did not make it to the C but it was a good workout nonetheless.

Then we packed ourselves a picnic lunch and we were off to the park because the wind had really picked up and we thought it would be great for kite flying. It was very windy. Here is Brooks getting a kite started.

Here is Hannah with the kite stuck to her. You can't really tell but the wings were flapping really hard.

Miranda's picturesque view of the kite flying. Pretty cool picture, huh?

Here we are struggling with the wind.

Miranda is now flying the kite. Sometimes the kite would dip down onto the ground and then it would automatically fly right back up on in the air on it's own. Not something you usually see. It ended up being too windy to picnic at the park so we had a picnic back at the house.

Hannah the kite runner.

Later on in the afternoon we watched Twilight. I would nod off once in awhile and then I would wake up a few minutes later and Brooks would have to catch me up on the story. He was very patient with me during my lethargic state.

Saturday evening, Miranda and Brooks took us out to the Ninja, a cool Japanese restaurant that they cook the food there in front of you. It was really yummy and really fun. I nearly lost my eyebrows to a huge flame but other than that we were good. I even caught a flying shrimp in my mouth. I think Miranda did too.

Here is our cook. I don't recall his name we will call him Kimji. Kimji had a funny little sense of humor. Sometimes it was hard to understand him with the accent.

Fast at work cooking our din-din.

On Sunday we went to church with them to their young marrieds ward. It was interesting to see all these young couples and then a few babies thrown in. Hannah did very well considering she had to sit through a Gospel Doctrine class, not to mention Relief Society. We had a great time and it was hard to come home and get back into the swing of things. Miranda and Brooks, thanks for a really fun weekend.

Planning Ahead

So we have made plans to do a bridal shower for Becky over Easter Weekend in Castle Dale. Probably something on Saturday afternoon after the annual ceremonial Easter Egg Hunt. By the way who wants to be in charge of that? So I was thinking small and fun with just family. Any objections? I am not going to do invitations, just this little announcement here. I am hoping to do a tea party of sorts. We shall see. I am open to any ideas.

I am also open to any recipes that you may want to share. I was hoping to start a recipe box for Becky and I thought it would be fun to have recipes from the whole family to give her at the shower. Let me know if you have any that you want to include.

Speaking of shower gifts. I was trying to decide what to do. I was looking through my above collection of fabric. I wish it was better arranged to show all that I have to offer, but anyway. I chose a quilt pattern that I always imagined doing for one of my nephews. So it is with Noah in mind that I am doing it but I will give it to Becky just the same. I had a bit of a struggle and got a week behind because I forgot how difficult it is to sew triangles together and that you can't line them up flush. Anyway it has been a minor quilting miracle but I have finally figured it out. I have noticed that all quilt books and magazines show their quilts much bigger than the actual pattern is. So I am having to do a few more squares than I anticipated but good thing I am adaptable and that the Cotton Shop is nearby.

I was very happy to be able to use fabric that I have just had around. Some of you may recognize some of the prints.

Just a little sampling of the quilt. I have done five more squares since I took this photo. Another 8 to do. I like this pattern because it is nothing like anything I have done before. This quilt hints of masculinity don't you think.

Liz, about the pictures of Ben. I put all that I had access to on the CD of pictures that we did last year for our family. Look and see if you can get some off of there. You should be able to just copy that disk to your computer and then it would be in your My Pictures. I will keep looking though.

My So Called Random Life

1. I used to make up stories about my future in my head and plan them all out including conversations with a make believe husband that I would have out loud. I have quit doing it.

2. I think my feet are my best physical feature.

3. I have dreams that bulls or pigs are trapping me in their pens biting me or impelling me or stepping on me. And it really hurts!

4. My favorite things to watch are BBC movies because they are really long.

5. I do not pay for movies. I get them free from the great SL County Library System.

6. I love anything with coconut in it or on it.

7. I also have dreams that I am running up mountain trails without any heavy breathing or breaks.

8. I keep a journal of my favorite quotes and scriptures and then I write down my thoughts about them.

9. I will watch or read anything about World War II.

10. I love the smell of dryer gas.

11. I like to collect anything that reminds me of my childhood; toys, books, games, music, etc.

12. I like the sound of the word "caveat" and use it whenever I can.

13. I think about retirement a lot.

14. I use to hate avocados and now I love them.

15. When I am cleaning my house I often get distracted and start cleaning in a different room even though I just went there to put something away. Sound familiar? At least I don't read while I vacuum.

16. My favorite fruit is nectarines.

17. I love to admire things I have made with my own hands.

18. My favorite months are May and September.

19. I have to sleep with a flat pillow.

20. I love to put my face in Jonas' hair.

21. If I am driving to Castle Dale alone I always start crying between Huntington and Castle Dale.

22. I wanted to go to Australia or England on my mission. I was afraid I would go to California or the Phillippines.

23. I love music from the 70's and 80's.

24. I slept with Mom and Dad off and on until I was 13.

25. I often wonder why I was born into such favorable circumstances.