'Snow kiddin'.......

.......this is what I woke up to this morning and what accumulated all day as evening came. It was beautiful. Rain was predicted but this was truly amazing. I loved having one last time to enjoy this passing season. The snow pack is good for all of us as well.

I have been enjoying watching a little bird build a nest in this quaint little bird house that I always thought was just for decoration.

The bird would fly down to the ground, pick up a stick and bring it to the little quarter-sized opening and most of the time, the stick would go in easily but once in a while, the stick was just too big. On the medium sized twigs, she would turn sideways and slip it in but a lot of the time the stick was just too big for the little bird to handle. It was fascinating to watch and it really did get me in the mood to "nest".....(fix up my house a little). I did get a huge closet project done....really wore me out but that little bird just keeps going and going and going and the humming birds keep coming and coming....as do the turkeys.

Out wandering checking things out. We are all mesmerized by the change of seasons and looking around in awe as we watch the transformation....(I guess that's why the snow was so captivating. We were just getting used to the color....then everything turns white. Hopefully, the snow will make everything more vibrant, that which doesn't freeze).

*****************************

I look forward to the end of each month. Randy and I seem to be getting into a pattern where he works really hard in California for the first 3 weeks of the month then comes and works really hard here in Pine Valley for a week or so then I drive back with him and spend a week in Cali and then fly back and start over again. We like to travel up Highway 50 (Loneliest Highway in America) and it usually takes us about 12 hours to get home. However, we left a couple of days early so decided to make a road trip out of it. This was the Urban Definition I found on line. (Road Trip: When a bunch of kids get in a car (most likely a VW Bus, most likely with tons of drugs, and drive to an exotic destination (like Vegas or New Jersey). We were old people in our Kia Sorento with lots of snacks and our exotic destination was Cameron Park, California. The fact that we stretched a one day trip into three, made it a road trip to me....first night being in Ely staying at the Four Sevens Motel (that's pretty exotic I would say). 

But before that we would go through Austen and make a quick stop at one of our favorite spots, a little "hole in the wall" that serves the best soft serve ice cream.

We always enjoy the sites of this quaint little town. These are places we usually just drive through and never really stop to enjoy. Same as the shoe tree. Seen it many times but this time we stopped and took in an "up close"  look. If we could have gotten to them, there were some pretty nice shoes hanging off that tree.

We took a detour to the Hickison Petroglyphs Recreation Area  Clicke HERE to learn more.  We snapped a quick selfie, took a small hike, and did a geocache. What's a road trip without a geocache, right? 

We saw a bunch of recreational vehicles taking a turn off the main road so we followed them to this huge sand dune. Snapped a selfie, watched for a minute then went on our way. 

We made it to Tahoe and spent the night there. This truly is one of our favorite spots to vacation and we took in all of our favorite things, including wings at the pizza place. (don't even know the name of it but we always go there. Best wings ever.)

Headed on down the hill to our favorite lunch spot, Sweetie Pies in Placerville. We took in our favorite antique store and hardware store and made it home fairly early, able to catch a couple of sessions of conference. 

I guess Randy was in charge of food for Conference Sunday. We got these in the morning (left) and this yummy spaghetti squash dish for dinner. What a chef. He's amazing. I stayed a few days.....

...enjoying my days at Cameron Park Lake and evenings with Randy. Then it's always time to come home. I often wonder why but I'm grateful that we have this Pine Valley home that needs care and I need to be with my family so for now, our arrangement is working out. It's always fun to anticipate the time we can be together again. We talk every day and FaceTime every night so we're not really too far apart. While here in Pine Valley, I fill my days with "nesting" (I'll be doing that for the rest of my life, so much to clean out and put away).

I also love leisure reading, watching the birds and often I'll take in a ball game and do some baking. I also love any time I can spend with my family. I try to see mom at the Meadows but it has become hard lately as she is still struggling and I'm feeling guilty. A few issues with staff and aids and mom's paranoia but for the most part, it's good. I had a good visit with her last week and I still feel really sad that she's there. I pray daily for her comfort and contentment (and mine). I got a chance to spend some time with Mason and his kids while Mandy went to Boston to run the marathon. I drove up with Lauri and James and kids and they dropped me off at Mason's. 

I got to have my much needed dental appointment, cleaning and cavity fillings from the best dentist in the world. As always, no pain whatsoever. He's at Jordan River Dental and it's pretty nice digs for him. I was there to shuttle the kids to their activities but it rained Friday so we went to Scheels....

So the only games were Saturday. I skipped out for one of them and had a fun dinner with Russ, Traci and family and Lauri and James and family. Then Traci and Mae (bottom right) took me back up to Layton to finish the tournament.

McKay's team "Skull Candy Crushers" played and won four games and got these pretty sweet rings instead of trophies. Just comparing......

...Mason's two state-championship rings to McKay's one day tournament ring. Interesting. It's so fun for these boys though and I've loved watching them improve with each year of the sport. I try to get to what I can but they are all so very busy.  I did get to take in a track meet in which Laynee and George participated. They are both very good at this and it was fun to watch them compete and do well.

All of my grandkids are busy with extracurricular activities and I do love to make it to their activities whenever I can. I've been able to spend time with Maycee and Jack for their birthdays and a lot of time with Lauri and James and kids. Love having them at Lexington Drive. They came up and spent Saturday with me (can't believe we didn't take any pictures. They are all so cute).  I got to one of Evan's baseball games and I'm looking forward to spending time this week with the Staheli kids while Russ and Traci head to Chicago for a little getaway.  One last note before I leave this epistle; once a D-Day Queen, always a D-Day Queen.... I attended the annual honor activity where all of the former queens are invited during D-Week.

I was queen in 1970. Cathy Lundin (right) was queen in 1969.  She came from Seattle to be there and it was so good to see her. The only part I don't like is going up on stage during the pageant. I always feel like I make a fool of myself but I'm proud to represent my class and the great college that has been a part of my life for so very long. Proud to be a Trailblazer now (I'll always be a Rebel) and proud that Kyle is a part of the evolving process of this great school. Dixie State University forever. So I bid adieu to this month of April, grateful for my heritage and my five children and their children that make my life so rich and especially for a husband who is willing to work with my need to be close to them. He's such a great support to me and I'm so glad we found each other in this stage of our lives.