The Elk at Hardware Ranch

This winter in Cache Valley has been pretty miserable.  I think I had forgotten how cold it can get here in January since last year was a very mild winter.  I think we shoveled snow all of two times last year and I don't really remember having lows even in the teens.  This year...different story.  We've had tons of snow and beyond freezing temperatures.  It's awful when the high is in the single digits.

My neighbor asked if we wanted to go see the elk up at Hardware Ranch on Martin Luther King Day.  We haven't ever been up there and I figured it would be a great day to go so we wouldn't be cooped up in the house with the kids having a day off from school.  I think it was -7 degrees when we woke up that day and I didn't really know if I even wanted to attempt going outside.  With the inversion, the air is super nasty and it is way too cold.  We decided to brave the cold temps, bundled up everyone in their snow gear and headed up Blacksmith Fork Canyon.  One nice thing (scratch that...the ONLY nice thing) about an inversion is that the higher you go, the better the air is once you get above the nasty air.

When we left our house, our car said it was 4 degrees (oooh, warmed up from the negatives!).  When we got up to Hardware Ranch about 45 minutes later, it was a balmy 20 degrees, blue skies and clear air!  At Hardware Ranch they feed the elk that come down from higher elevations once the snow comes, in hopes to keep them up in the mountains and not down in the residential areas of the valley.  I think our driver said there were about 350 elk this year, and they've had as many as 600 during other years.

The view of the elk from the visitors center...

This little miss thinks she is so big.  Wait...she is so big! Where's my baby?!  She walked the whole way down the hill from the visitors center and across the street to where the horse drawn sleighs were.  She just meandered along without a care in the world and did not want to be held.  I couldn't get over how dang adorable she was all bundled up.  I could eat that fluffy marshmallow puffed kid!

We had just missed a sleigh so we had a little time to wait before ours was going to leave.  Picture time!

The Barton and Bailey kids...

About 5 minutes before the sleigh was set to leave, Trevor suddenly became scared about the whole sleigh riding thing. He had asked if it goes fast and Rob joked "only during the race part." That totally set him off and he was throwing a fit and trying to get off the sleigh. He did not want to be on there at all.

Trevor was throwing a fit at this point and didn't want in the picture...

The ride was going to start and I finally convinced him to sit on my lap but he hid his face in his gloves the first part of the ride. By the time we got up close to the elk, he decided the ride wasn't bad after all and enjoyed seeing the elk up close.

Just a few of the herd.  They are scattered across a huge meadow.

 

This was the biggest bull elk out there...

Afterwards we ate some lunch in the dining area by the visitors center and then got the sleds out of the cars for a little fun.  It probably wasn't the safest place to sled (the pathway from the visitors center down to the parking lot/road) but we couldn't find anywhere else.  We had to stop the kids to keep them from going into the parking lot and I'm sure other people using the path for it's purpose (getting to and from the visitors center) weren't too happy (luckily none of our kids crashed into them...that might have gotten ugly) but they had fun. 

 

The kids thought for sure these planes were going to crash...

Oh phew.  Missed.

By the time we left to drive back to Logan, it was 30 degrees.  When we got back home, it was 10 degrees and the air was filthy.  It was nice to get some sunshine and breathe clean air, even if it only lasted about 3 hours.

Double Digits for Brynlee

Brynlee celebrated a birthday and she is now TEN! She had a rough few days before her birthday (previous post) and the night before her birthday, she requested breakfast in bed. We had let that tradition slip the past couple of years so I figured since it's the first birthday of the year for our family, we'd start it up again. She got to sleep in and then had pancakes, banana slices and a smoothie in bed. I think I need to get one of those trays if we're going to get back on track with this tradition.

 

After school Brynlee had gymnastics. I think I mentioned back in another post that her coach had given them a challenge for the month of December to not eat artificial colors. If they went the whole month, he would take those who did the challenge to Cold Stone. Brynlee did it! And then chose Sweet Cream with no mix in for her grand prize. Really?? Oh well. It was a goal that she accomplished and I'm proud of her for doing it!

Brynlee wanted a pie for her birthday. Rob had suggested banana cream pie and Landon (and I might have also) "complained". Really? Banana cream? So he also made a Key Lime pie. :) It's not my party but I'll still cry if I want to!

 

It's a friend birthday party year for her and let's just say it....Brynlee has ALOT of friends. I think that says something about her personality (and the fact that there are just lots of girls her age around here plus her gymnastics team friends!) But really, many of her friends' moms have commented on what a good friend Brynlee is. Such a nice compliment for her. I hope she continues to have good friends throughout her life that help her be a good person.

Brynlee decided that going to a USU gymnastics meet would be a fun birthday. The first home meet was two weeks after her birthday so last Friday night we celebrated! Her neighborhood friends met at our house, packed into two cars (thanks to our neighbor for letting us borrow a car since we lost the keys to one of ours!), and Rob and I drove them over to the Spectrum.  Her gym friends left a little early from practice and carpooled over to meet us there. I was a little nervous about being responsible for 17 girls (could have been 20 but 3 girls couldn't make it) and I'll admit it, we lost two. BUT it was because after I told the girls to stay in a group and wait over by the wall while I bought tickets, they decided to play on the escalator and elevator and two got left behind when we went in. Luckily a miracle occured and they found us. One was in tears and I don't blame her. That place is huge!

I found a cute gymnast image online and made these water bottle labels with their names and treat bag tags so the girls would have their own snacks for the night and I wouldn't spend a fortune at the concession stand. I did buy popcorn for them and some of the girls brought their own money and bought some snacks.  They all went into the bathroom and to get wet paper towels to apply their Utah State tattoos on their cheeks.  Go Aggies!

Since the diaper bag was packed with treat bags and waterbottles (sshhhh....no outside food allowed!), I forgot to stash the camera in as well so this picture is from my phone. 

The girls had fun and even managed to get the cameraman's attention not once, but twice to make it up on the Jumbotron. Silly girls!

 

After the meet, the gym girls were picked up and then we took the rest of the crazies back to our house for cupcakes.  Can I tell you I have the best husband ever?  Friday was a busy day and I didn't get the cupcakes frosted before we had to leave to go to the meet.  After dropping a carload of girls off at the meet, he went back home and frosted the cupcakes and then brought some back over at the end of the meet so the gymnastics friends could have one.  

 

I didn't get a picture of the cupcakes until everyone was gone and there were only three left.  I always loved cupcakes in a cone when I was little so I was glad when Brynlee was looking through our cupcake recipe book and chose these ones.

 

The best part was when everyone was gone and Brynlee said, "That was the best birthday ever!" Love her.



Piano Notes

Let's just say it.  Brynlee does NOT like piano.  Probably more appropriate....she hates it. I'm having a hard time deciding whether I should let her quit.  I was probably about her age (maybe a little younger even?) when I quit taking piano lessons.  I think my mom might have tried to teach me herself after that, but I very clearly remember being in tears and telling her I was never going back to that other lady.  The only thing I remember is that the other lady was SO mean.  In reality, she probably wasn't.  But to my little (8, maybe 9 year old) self, she was.  I really struggled with piano because I just couldn't read the music.  I was definitely one that looked at the little number above the note that told me which finger to play.  Once those numbers were gone, or heaven forbid, my fingers had to move from C position, my dislike for piano began.

So I have some sympathy for her.  I really do.  But now I'm the parent who has realized in hindsight that I really wish I would have stuck with it.  I can "play," if that's what you call it.  I can plunk out a few hymns and I might even be able to play Choose the Right fast enough for you to sing along without wanting to poke your eyes out (ever been in Sacrament meeting and the songs are being played waaay tooooo slllooooww?).  Okay, back to my point.

We struggle with Brynlee every day to get her to practice.  Tears, throwing herself on the couch, 9 year old tantrum.  What a stubborn one she is!  :)  I'm pretty sure she knows the notes.  Rob quizzes her with flashcards.  I know she likes her teacher.  But for whatever reason, she just doesn't like to play the piano.  I get that.  There are things I don't like to do either.  But playing the piano is such a good skill.  Sigh.

Last night after she finished practicing, I went into the living room and saw this note on the piano. 

I just laughed it off.  She has always been my dramatic one.  She is also one that loves to leave notes around the house.  I really wish I would have taken pictures of the "notes war" she and Landon were having during Christmas break, leaving post it notes on the toilet lid for the other to see.  It was comical.  Notes teasing the other one about TV shows they like to watch, with "LOL", smiley faces, and "hahaha" doodled all over the square paper.  Things like "Landon likes girlie mermaid shows" (can't remember exactly how that one came up) or "Brynlee likes to watch my big big fried (yes it said fried and not friend)"  Sibling silliness/teasing, really.  But I laughed every time I saw a new one.

This morning I took Ashlee to piano for her 7:45 a.m. lesson (we're trying out morning lessons this school year since they are so busy after school with ballet and gymnastics and Activity Days.  Wednesday is a "late start" day at the middle school so she goes to school an hour later instead of having to be at the bus stop at 7:50.  It's working so far!)  When I got home I went to wake Brynlee up.  I quietly called her name and she didn't budge.  So I said it a little louder, telling her it was time to get ready for piano.  Still no movement.  I knew she was bluffing.  Finally she opened her eyes, scowled and rolled over.  Funny thing is, on every other day besides Wednesday, she is up on her own by that time.  Hmmmm.  I told her I would make her pancakes if she started getting ready.  She slowly rolled out of bed.  It wasn't until after I had taken her and come back home when Ashlee asked me if I saw the note Brynlee left.  Yes, I saw the one on the piano.  No, I hadn't seen the one above her bed.  So I went to take a look...

Do I let her quit?  Take a break?  I hate these decisions.  Help!

Christmas 2012

Christmas has come and gone, and the kids are back in school.  It was a fun break and I really enjoyed having the kids home.  Nowhere to be, no schedule.  It was lovely and a much needed break from "busyness" for me!  I think Ellie is having the hardest time with the big kids gone.  She got extremely spoiled with all of their attention for two full weeks!

Here are the annual "kids on the Sunday before Christmas" photos.  I wish I could say Ellie kept her hair like this but pretty sure the clip was taken out before we stepped foot in the church.  It was cute while it lasted.

Recognize her dress?  It's her blessing dress!  I bought it on clearance at Old Navy for her blessing and the only size they had was 12-18 months.  It was a bit large on top but you couldn't tell when she was wearing her little 0/3 month sweater.  Plus the length was perfect for a longer blessing dress.  Now it fits her perfectly as a normal sized dress.  I found the red sweater at Kohl's this year and thought it would be perfect for Christmas.  Crazy to think these pictures are just a year apart.

Christmas Eve Jammies!  I couldn't find any pajamas in the store that I really liked and it's a tradition to get new pjs for Christmas Eve.  They aren't always matching and aren't always sewn by me but this year that's the way it happened.  I went to Jo-Ann's the Saturday before Christmas and found this flannel and it was perfect.  A little mad dash sewing during the day on Christmas Eve but I finished them all by early afternoon while Rob took the older kids sledding and Ellie took a nap.

Ellie was being really silly that night.  One of her newest tricks is "jumping."  You say "Ellie, can you jump?" and she squats down like this...

And then "jumps" up, although her toes never leave the floor.

She knows she is the center of attention and eats it up!

Making snickerdoodles for Santa...

This year for Christmas I decided I wanted to do something I had heard about in previous years but hadn't done yet.  When buying presents for the kids, I followed the "something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read" idea.  I told the kids when they were making their Christmas lists about what I was doing so they helped me out thinking of things in those categories and most had a few things in each category that I chose from (or some items could be used for multiple categories).  It really made the gift buying process so much easier and I didn't feel like I was buying tons of toys that wouldn't be played with the day after the Christmas excitement had worn off or just buying more stuff so everyone had an "equal" (whether in dollar amount or number of items) amount of gifts.  I bought them all books from a neighbor who does a book sale a couple of times a year and has really cheap books...sometimes cheaper than Scholastic Book orders.  My mom sends money for me to purchase gifts so they had those to open as well.

Ashlee's gifts were (in order of the theme) a CTR ring, a metronome, a ballet skirt and a couple paperback books (The Little Prince and Star Girl).  Santa brought her a Kindle Fire.

  

Brynlee got colored pencils, silver sparkly Converse shoes, a leotard and gym shorts (purple sparkly zebra striped!), and a couple of books as well.  Santa brought her a Salon Doll....a doll with REAL hair that you can wash, dry, curl, crimp, etc.

Landon got Nerf swords, a sleeping bag, 2 pairs of pants and 2 long sleeve shirts (yes, technically more than one thing BUT he was in desperate need of something to wear!) and the whole Magic Tree House series.  Santa brought him a watch and Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 Wii game.

Trevor was a hard one to buy for this year.  One, his birthday is just days before Christmas.  Two, whenever you asked him what he wanted, he would look around the room and say something he saw.  Totally didn't get it! The only thing he did say was that he wanted a red dragon.  Santa made that wish come true.

Lame mom moment.  The kids were taking turns opening gifts.  The other kids still had presents to open and Trevor was done opening his.  I couldn't figure out how.  I went back and looked at my list.  I crossed off the gifts as I wrapped them and noticed that I had crossed off what was listed under his "want".  I then realized that I had decided to give it to him for his birthday (the Nerf swords) and never ended up buying a "want".  Doh!  He didn't seem to mind and got to open the family gift from Jeremy and Clytie.  He also got a sleeping bag, some pants and long sleeve shirts (same situation as Landon, although shorts and tshirts are still his first choice, silly kid!), and two books.  Who knew a book about bears would create such an awesome reaction.  That's Trevor for you.  He gets excited about everything and I love that about him.

Miss Ellie got a PINK Radio Flyer trike from Santa.  She climbed right on.  She can't quite reach the pedals but I'm sure by summertime she'll be cruisin' the neighborhood.

I took the liberty of her having no idea what presents are.  Of course she doesn't "want" anything at this age and I didn't really want to buy more toys since we have plenty.  I could have wrapped up the Little People Farm or Dollhouse that we already have but in the end, I chose not to.  Instead she got a sippy cup, plates, Strawberry Shortcake toothbrushes that were even scented! (she steals everyone else's) and a new Sunday dress.

  

After breakfast and presents, Ellie helped herself to more coffeecake while everyone else was enjoying their new things.

A winter storm came through on Christmas Eve so we definitely had a beautiful WHITE Christmas! 

I feel so blessed to have my beautiful family and to live in such a beautiful valley surrounded by such good people.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!