Coming home

Coming home from a trip up north the west desert sky as aflame  and as beautiful as I can remember.  We have the most gorgeous sunsets ever, and this one was a perfect example (although the photo doesn't do it justice and should be edited to look more like the real thing)

We can see the steam from the stacks from a great distance leading us home.

Although we are far from finishing the van build, the bed is very comfortable, as well as the bench.  Taylor could feel the slates underneath so we stopped by Walmart from a couple of foam pads that could easily be added to the bed underneath the cushion.  Success.

It is definitely comfortable enough to rest between hikes and study the map.  The study part only lasted a few minutes, and the sleeping part took over.

Elk hunt 2019

M&T decided to put in for a "once in a life-time hunt" on Monroe Mountain and have their Dad go with them.  M was good enough to put in the paperwork.

T picks up his phone to discover that, although they had put in together in a group of three, they had one spot available and he was offered the tag.  His brother had put him first on the list, which cost him the opportunity (but with his job it worked out better that T take it anyway).

We loaded up the van and the jeep and headed to Kisharam for 10 days in November.  It was beautiful, and not nearly as cold as it could have been.  I stayed at camp while the mighty hunters went out.

Scouting they saw two 6 point bucks, but on the first day of the hunt other hunters spooked them with a shot.  They were taken down on by two older gentlemen.  We were very happy with the buck he did find, and at the perfect time.

...and there was light

We focused hard on getting the ceiling up and lights in.  We were pushing the deadline for me going with the boys hunting.

I've been super frustrated that we haven't made much progress so this was a huge uplift for me.  With lights working, I can suck it up with water (only a 5 gallon with pump is in so far, but at least we have water), and the last wall must wait until we figure out what is going on with the 110.

While on the hunting trip I plan to move all food to under the bench.  Right now it is too warm for the pantry near the ceiling.  I plan to organize and do some work on the van but took handiwork just in case I find the time to do that.

Utah Lake fishing/sleeping trip

Dean, T and sister C went out on Utah Lake for the day.  We were going to take turns and have me go out as well, but they were having so much fun I just couldn't break that up.
Mr. Little and I spent the day on the beach and then in the rocks.  He played very hard, but when it was time to go to sleep he was excited to finally get to sleep in Gma's Van, something they had been talking about for months.
Gma has put the bed up and taken it down four times as we build, then need to travel, then down to build something more.  This time it stays, except when we finally get around to painting it.

Education Week 2019

Oh, how I miss the electricity in the van.  No taming that hair without it.


We were excited to be able to attend BYU Education Week this year.  This was Dean's first time and we got to try out the van for our second week in it.

Just prior to the week, we received our mission calls to join our friends the Lisonbee's on a mission with Pathway.  We met Lowry's and got a bit of training.

Feasting on the word and moving forward to serve.

Trip close to home

Oak City Days was a great excuse to bring my girls home, and home is relative - because home for J is Ashton's Meats.

Our local children come home each year to help carry the Moonlighters through the dance on Saturday night each year.

I's so proud of these guys talent and their willingness to share it with others.  The Oak City Days Dance is such a fun event.  I wish every town, everywhere, could have this tradition.

Floor in today

I never ever.... no wait I did!  I put a floor under three 100 pound batteries tied together next to an inverter tied to a bed.  My daddy would be proud... or mad I didnt just undo the cables (but I cant afford to mess up the electrical nor do I think I'm strong enough to dead weight lift them out of the hole).

I ended up lifting each battery up just enough to slide the flooring underneath it and snap it into place.  It took a fair amount of time, but was able to get all locking pieces of the floor together exactly.

Never let an opportunity to take a photo go by because you should dust off the batteries first.  LOL

Plans up in flames

Hunt's Settlement near Penrod, Kentucky, is the home of my earlier Hunt family.  We were able to go and visit it years ago when Dean had a class in Kentucky.  We spent a few wonderful days here, looking around and photographing the cemetery.  It was a trip I will always remember fondly.

Today, however, was the end to my plans to return and see the inside of the little school.  It was locked when we were out there, and I looked forward to going back, and making arrangements to get inside for a view.  Today I received word that the little school had been destroyed by an arsonist.  It was burned to the ground.

Having places to go and visit to remember your ancestors and their impact on this world is an important thing to me.  As I watched the feed about the fire, I was amazed to see how many people were torn up by the news, and even some that wanted to rebuild.

I'm very grateful I was able to see it and we will return to the spot again, and continue to remember those great people who sacrificed so much so that I could have the life I have.

Muhlenberg, Kentucky is one of my favorite spots to see.  It brings such a peace to my heart and feeling of excitement to be looking for family.

The view of the school at a distance.  The cemetery is just about that far away and the spot where we spent most of our time.

We also had to experience a little Hunt's Pizza while we were in Kentucky.  The name lives on.

New old boat

I had been thinking about it for a long time, but finally voiced it to T.  "Can you keep your eye open for an older boat that we could replace Grandpa BD's with?"  He had one on Kolob which was stolen years ago.  I have always missed that little part of our heaven.

Well, T wasted no time.  Within 12 hours I had six boats to look at, and this is the one we chose.

Life often hands us trials that are not fun to go through and we had one going on in our family.  There was a sad heart and I suspected that this might help.

I'm so grateful that Dean has a good job, and that we could find enough pocket change to pick this little boat up.  I can see many happy moments in our future.

Oak City picnic

We changed things up a little in 2019 and instead of going to the derby went to Oak City for some quieter family time.

Dean has been doing much better with his anxiety but with this many people here for a visit we didn't dare push things.  He came home with me from the parade and we fixed Navajo Tacos for the family when they returned.  Then about 4 p.m. we headed east.

It's been long enough since going there that the littles had not seen it, and the teenagers hadn't for a very long time.

A picnic in the Ponderosa was just the thing for the family.  It was perfect:  quiet enough to keep the Grands calm, and plenty of things to discover.  I think this should be our new tradition.Sadly we were missing one group.

Good crazy...

Independence

A little fishin'

Temple trip

Graduation

Rock hounding/homework trip

Gardening 2019

The focus this year has been on getting healthy and definitely not on gardening so imagine my excitement to see such a beautiful arrangement of color in my surviving bulbs.  I couldn't have planned it better if I had put in some work.

Always watching ....

Easter 2019