We're Moving...to Sunny Arizona!

I hate to announce things this way, but it is easiest for me (I will cry if I talk about it, so typing is easier)...So, yes, we are moving to Arizona. We plan on buying a house west of Phoenix. Ted got a job offer with Verizon, opening new stores in that area, and we couldn't pass it up. We are super sad that we are moving and leaving our families, but excited to have a new adventure! Thankfully, we know one person in that area, my dearest friend, Sarah. We are hoping she will show us the ropes! We will miss you all! But, feel free to visit anytime! We will have a couple spare bedrooms, if you are ever in the Phoenix area! Love you!
P.S. Merry Christmas!!!

December Already???

Can't believe it! Last night we went to The Forgotten Carols in Idaho Falls and LOVED it! What a way to kick of the Christmas Season! Have fun putting up Christmas Decor!!!

Lovin' Pie Night

This year for Thanksgiving, we went over the river and through the woods to the Garling House. It was lots of fun! On Wednesday, we had Pie Night, so we eat pie the night before Thanksgiving so we can enjoy it. Then, on Thursday, we cooked up a storm in the kitchen and made a huge dinner. Everything tasted excellent, and it is nice getting the family together. Today, Ted and his brother Josh, went up to Targhee to go snowboarding, and it sounds like they had a great time! They wanted to be the first ones on the mountain, so Ted left at six this morning. Crazy!!! I slept in until nine...
Anyway, we had an excellent Thanksgiving. I couldn't choose one favorite part of the last couple days, but it sure was fun watching my sister-in-law, Melissa, go through every single add in the paper and make a list of things she would buy on Black Friday (today). She's a brave woman! Never before have I shopped on Black Friday, and I don't intend to...ever. But, I hope all of you who braved the storm of people and did go shopping had a good day, and found lots of deals! Hope everyone had a Happy Turkey Day, and Happy Thanksgiving.
Some things I am thankful for...
Heavenly Father, Jesus, Religion, Freedom, Loving Husband, Family, Friends, Plan of Salvation, Restored Gospel, Inspiration, Hope, Love, Understanding, Forgiveness, Knowledge, Education, Food, Shelter, Warmth, Kindness, Happiness, Service, Technology, Books, Computers, Animals, Water, Tractors, Vehicles, Music, Dancing, Laughter, Optimism, Faith, Cheerfulness, Life, Constitution, Temples, Mountains, Trees, Fresh Air, Flowers, Neighbors, and Holidays...to name a few...

We're HOME!!!

As some of you know, we have been on a two week road trip the last couple weeks, and have finally made it home.
We left on October 30th to go to Coeur D Alene to watch the State High School Cross Country Meet on the 31st. Jon, Ted's little bro ran and took 10th place!!! It was amazing! At the beginning of the race, he got caught in a huge group in the middle. By the first lap, he had gained ground and was running in 25th. By the second lap, he pushed himself into the front contenders and held 10th. He held his position and came in 10th on the last lap! Way to go Jon!!! The weather was freezing, and by the time we got to the car after the race, I think I was frozen to the bone.
After the meet, Ted, me, and Ted's dad went to a restaurant called The Cedar's. It is a restaurant that literally floats on the river. They had amazing food, so it turned out to be an excellent night as well.
We traveled to Seattle and Tacoma Washington on November 1st. We were lucky enough to get reservations at the Sky City Restaurant and eat in the Space Needle. If you don't already know, the restaurant rotates, so you get a 360 degree view of Seattle as you eat. The food tasted great, and our waitress kept us entertained with facts about the city. We found the Seattle Temple, which is actually located in Bellevue, and got some great pics! Another great day! Washington State is absolutely beautiful...driving across the state was a lot of fun!
After Washington, we headed towards Oregon. We took a detour off I-5, and visited Astoria, OR on the coast. It is a cute little town, and there is an amazing Coast Guard Museum there. It took a couple hours to walk through the museum, but well worth the time. We went out to Seaside after the museum, and traveled down HWY 101 for a while. The coast has the most adorable little towns.
Traveling towards Portland, we decided to continue past Portland and land in Salem for the night. It was a nice city, and we ate in because we were exhausted from the long drive. The next morning, we turned the nose of the car south again, and made a few stops along the way. First, we stopped in Brownsville, OR. It is one of my favorite little towns in the whole United States. We walked through the museum and got a T-shirt to add to our collection. (We buy T-shirts wherever we go, then cut them up and put them in a pile. We are going to be making a quilt out of them soon. It is going to be our "travel quilt").
After Brownsville, we stopped at Mt. St. Helen's Visitor's Center. It was great! I learned so much about the mountain! I remember when I was in elementary school, they used to show us the video of when the St. Helen's erupted, and it scared me to death. I used to have nightmares about it. So, when we went to the visitor's center, it brought back lots of memories.
We continued down the I-5 until about Grantsville, then we turned west towards the coast. We wanted to see the Redwood Trees. So, as we drove, we found out that there was a familiar place on the road signs. Crescent City is a town about 15 miles south of where I wrote about the town of Smith River in my first book. As you can guess, our trip took a detour to the north for a couple miles, getting us to Smith River, California. Let me tell you...this place was amazing!!! We rented a cabin on the edge of the ocean and stayed for a night. It is a perfect place, because there isn't a lot of commercial places, yet the ocean is beautiful and it is gorgeous! One of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. We are definitely going back to Smith River. It is a place I could visit every year. Absolutely breathtaking!
With the cabin, they had a hot tub on the deck, so we sat in the hot water, and watched the sun set into the ocean. It was a perfect night, and we even got to eat a a cute little diner next door, which had some of the best food we had on the trip. The restaurant was named, Nautical Inn, and it had a great view of the ocean as well.
The next day, November 4th, we headed south again, getting to see some of the biggest trees on the planet! The Redwoods are huge! If you haven't seen them before, you need to! We stopped by the Chandlier Tree and drove our car through the tree. That was lots of fun! We got great pictures of it too! After that, we continued south, going through the Vineyard Country of Northern California. It is very beautiful. All the way from Washington to Northern California, we were speechless at how pristine our surroundings were. The people who live there are very lucky to have the sights they have.
We spent the night a a quaint Bed and Breakfast just outside of Santa Rosa that night. It is called The Gable's. The house is Victorian, and very nicely restored. The owners served us breakfast, which was amazing, and we were off on another drive.
We made it to Santa Clarita that night, spending a couple nights with my friend from BYU-Nauvoo, Anna Carr. She was so sweet, letting us spend a couple nights with her family, and keeping us very entertained. We loved her cute pets, Cocoa and Scratchy. She cooked us dinner, let us use her washer and dryer to wash clothes, and even let me do homework on her computer for a couple hours. We went to the LA Zoo together, went out to eat at an amazing Mexican Restaurant, and then took us to a football game. Her husband, Mike, is a coach of a high school team, and it was a great game! The whole game was a nail biter, and it has been a long time since I have gotten that into a football game. Very fun! And, Anna and Mike's team won, so it was great! Anna's little boy, Jeremy is adorable. He is extremely well-behaved, and easily entertained. When we were at the house, he would open the cupboards and pull out pots and pans. Sooo cute!!!
After LA, we headed towards Arizona!!! Yeah! I was so excited to be on my way to visit my dearest friend Sarah. We have been friends since we were in elementary school, and since I moved to Idaho, it has made it hard to keep in touch, so I was excited to see her and her cute husband. They live in a a place called Surprise, Arizona. It is outside of Phoenix, and quite new. It was founded in 1960, and is now a booming town. It reminds me of Ammon, Idaho, for those of you who are from Idaho, except ten times the size, and a lot warmer. We made it to their house, and were greeted by Sarah, Brenton, and two cute pups, Bosley and Lucy. Then, they took us out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse and to Scottsdale! It was a blast! We looked at these huge mansion homes, which were incredible, and then we went to a mall. It was ginormous, and they had tons of amazing shops, including True Religion, Gucci, Barney's, Lucky, Guess, and Louis Vutton, to name a few. Walking around the mall was hilarious...we all had to go the bathroom, and we couldn't find them. Finally, Ted stopped and asked some girls where they were, and we found them. We went into a Christmas Store there, and everything cost about ten times what is should have. I don't know how that mall stays open, except for the fact that tons of rich people live there, so they can afford expensive things. We pulled up next to a Ferrari at a stop light, and cheered the guy who was driving it to light it up...or something like that. He laughed with his wife, who was in the passenger's seat, then took off when the light turned green! It was amazing! Definitely a highlight to the trip! The car sounded amazing, like a roaring lion, and it was sooo fast! It left us in the dust. Then, there was the smell of exhaust...mmm...there must be something the car companies put in their engines that make expensive cars not only sound good, but smell good too! Wish I could afford a car like that. I would drive it around all day...LOL! I wish.
The next day, Sarah took us to church before we headed towards Phoenix again. I wanted to go to ASU so I could get some research on the campus for my book. ASU is great! Mill Ave is going to fit into my story line wonderfully, and we even found some brand new places to live for my characters. It was exactly like what I had imagined, right there in front of me, and I couldn't believe it! Hope my book turns out as good as it really is down there. After Phoenix, we went back to the house, and I got to talk to Sarah! Yeah! It was so nice getting to talk to my best friend face to face for hours. I can't remember the last time we got time to ourselves to just talk. It was nice! Then, Brenton and Sarah cooked us an amazing dinner, BBQ chicken, baked potatoes, salad, and rolls. It was delicious! I haven't had grilled BBQ chicken that tasted so good before. My hat goes off to Brenton who was the master chef of the grill that night. It was a great couple days, getting to spend them with Brenton and Sarah. Love you guys! Thanks for having us!
After we left Sarah and Brenton's, we started north, something I was both excited about and sad about. Sad because we were leaving my friends and the warm weather, but glad to be heading home. The Hoover Dam is quite the sight. They are building a new bridge that is going across the top of the mountains instead of weaving down into the lower part of the canyon where the dam is, and it is incredible. It is unfathomable at how it is supported and standing there without being finished. It is going to be a work of art once it is finished. We stopped in Henderson NV, spending the night with Adam, Ted's little brother who is going to school there. Henderson is just outside of Las Vegas, so it was nice being in the city, but also outside of it. It was a great night! We went out to dinner with Adam, then got back to his apartment and kicked it for the rest of the night. He was so generous, he gave us his bed to sleep in while he slept on the sofa, then he got up early and made us breakfast before he went to school. He is such a nice kid! Sure love him!
After Nevada, we stopped in St. George to do some outlet shopping before we went through Zion National Park and stayed the night in Tropic, Utah at a hidden Bed and Breakfast called Stone Canyon Inn. It was really beautiful! I love Zion's! We drove through the cutest little town just outside of the park. I think it is named, Springdale, but can't remember. We decided when we retire, we are moving down there.
After spending the night just outside of Bryce Canyon, we drove through the park the next morning before heading north again. Bryce was amazing! Can't believe how much detail and beauty there is in the world.
We stopped in Midway, Utah, spending the night at Johnson's Mill, another Bed and Breakfast. It was great! Since it was our anniversary, we got there early, then went outside and canoed around the lake, seeing a beaver, ducks, and two swans. Then, we went on a walk, finding a buck, doe, and two baby fawns near the Provo River. It was great seeing all the wildlife right in the backyard. We got extremely close to the deer, and they didn't run away, so I got some good pictures of them. Then, we went to eat at the Blue Boar Inn. They had incredible food! It is on my top three list of best places to eat, along with Chico Hot Springs, and the Nautical Inn.
Our room at Johnson's Mill was beautiful!!! The bathroom was as big as our living room at our house, and the bedroom was the size of half our house. We stayed in the Waterfall Terrace Room, and it is the whole top floor of the Inn. It was amazing! The whole mill is newly remodeled and has some of the best views in the whole city of Midway/Heber City.
Then next day, we woke up early, getting ready to go to a wedding for my niece, but I got sick...deathly sick. So, we decided to skip the wedding and head home. I am sooo glad we did, because we got home around 4 in the afternoon, and if we would've waited and gone to the wedding, we wouldn't have gotten home until midnight. My mom, brother, and Morgan went to the wedding and represented the family, which was a relief. I am just so glad we came home. Today, I am feeling a little better, but I don't know what hit me. I was just glad we were on the last leg of our journey so that I could get home and rest.
Overall, the trip was the best trip I have ever been on. It was nice getting to spend all day every day with Ted, and we bonded a lot. I was really nervous about the California traffic, but we did well, and didn't die. The weather was perfect the whole trip, and everyone commented on how lucky we were to have warm weather. It was a good 10 degrees above the normal temperature everywhere we went. We feel like that was a huge blessing. Thank you to everyone who let us visit and stay with you! We love you all, and are so glad we have friends and family like you! The best part of the trip was seeing friends and family. Even though the landscapes were great, and the cities incredible, there is nothing that compares to friends and family.
P.S. I would post pictures, but my computer is not letting me. I don't know what is going on, but I am going to give it a break because it has traveled the 4000 miles with us these last 2 weeks. So, hopefully it will start working again soon, and I will post pictures. If you want to see pictures though, just go to my facebook page. I posted the pictures of the trip as we went...so, they are all on there. Enjoy!!! :)

Powerful!!! Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=G44NCvNDLfc

Believe It or Not

Ahhh...let's all take a deep breath before I begin...yes...doesn't that feel better? Well, that is how Ted and I are feeling right now. For the last couple months, we have been working on selling Ted's business, and getting Ted into a teaching career. It has been a very eventful and changing road, to say the least, but we have finally been successful, and gotten the business sold. The buyer is from Denver, CO. His name is Frank Dodge. Him and his wife, Whitney, have been our friends for about a year now. Their son, Mitch, worked for Ted before Mitch went on a mission to Arizona, and that is how we met. It has been a wonderful transition, we love the family, and hope that they will continue to be successful, as we have, in the business of cell phones.
We agree with the saying that says, when one door closes, another one opens. And, since we have now closed the door with Ted's business, we are finding doors being opened for teaching opportunities. There is a charter school that is starting just ten miles from where we live, and Ted already has his foot in the door. So, we are praying that he will be hired on by January. Please pray with us, that if this is where he is supposed to be, that it will be. We feel very blessed to have the opportunity to find work for Ted so close to home, and hope that all will go well.
As you can tell, things have been pretty crazy around here, selling the business, and getting a career change is a big opportunity and blessing. Well, I hope all is going wonderful for everyone else out there. Hope you are all excited for the holidays coming up. This is my favorite time of year because we get to spend so much time with family. Love you all! :)

Doggy Fortress and Kitty Palace

Just in case you didn't know, I LOVE animals! And, since I do, Ted has to go through the hassle of taking care of them the way I do. Because it gets so frigid and snowy in Idaho during the winters, we decided to build our dogs a shelter. We used to get huge hay tarps and hang them around the kennel, but they get ripped and torn in the wind, so we end up spending about $100 or more in tarps each year...and Ted was sick of that, so he decided to build them a covering. The straw we got from my mom, and it works like magic. The actual building took us 8 hours to build. Ted had one of our home teachers, Casey Polatis come over and help him build the structure, then I helped him put on the sides and the roof. Let me tell you, it is an art to put down shingles.

Now for the cats...they have been inhabiting our garage for the last year, and Ted has had enough! He finally put his foot down and said our cars will not sit outside for another day...so, we bought a little shed for them. Cute isn't it? We are going to be putting in insulation, a window, and shelving so we can store things in there too. So, that is going to be tomorrow's project. I can't wait to be able to come home and open the garage without having to worry about letting the cats out, and I am sure he feels the same way. Since Smokey is strictly an inside cat, we will have to carry him from shed to house, but that is only a 30 foot walk. The reason we don't let Tom Tom out is because our dogs would kill him. They are the best defense and protect dogs, but they hate other animals, especially cats. So, I have to keep him safe, which he actually loves. He is getting older, and doesn't like to be outside where the wild cats live and fight. Smokey and Tom Tom are best buds, so I am excited to give them a palace of their own. It should go well! Wish us luck with finishing the shed!

One more thing...the sunset tonight was to die for...enjoy!

Lovin' the Snow

Ahhh, snow...while most people are out scraping their windows, driving slow to work, and complaining about the cold weather...I am sitting inside my house, sipping hot cocoa, and writing in front of the fireplace. What more could I ask for? Hope everyone enjoys the first day of snow!

Conference Weekend...Hooray!!!

Oh, the wonderful time of year, when the colors of the leaves change, the snow comes, and we get to listen to our church leader's voices! Last night, I went out to dinner with my mom, her friend, MaryAnn, and MaryAnn's daughter, McKenzie. It was so fun! Girl's night, while the boys went to Priesthood Session!!! We ate at Texas Roadhouse, which was packed full of people, but the food was worth the wait. After Priesthood Session, Ted and his brothers and dad came out to our house, and ate the dinner I had made for them. Thank goodness they liked it, because I slaved over dinner and cleaning the house all day Saturday...and, a bonus was, the boys cleaned up after they finished with dinner...so, as I came home from Girl's Night, I was expecting another hour or so of cleaning, but the whole place was spotless! Literally! Cleaner than how I left it, and the dishes in the dishwasher! I couldn't believe my eyes! It made me cry I was so happy! Then, Josh, Adam, and Jon all stayed later and chatted with Ted and I. We also watched Forever Strong, which is one of my favorite movies! Loved it! So, I had a perfect night! Thanks guys for cleaning! You're the best!
Today, Ted and I went up to the Garlings and had a wonderful time eating lunch with them. It was more like Thanksgiving dinner...even better! All the family was there, except for Jake and Melissa's Family, so it made for fun times and great memories, as always! Ted's mom, Karleen, got called into work at the last minute, which was way sad! We missed her! Lissa had her sweet and shy friend Brianna up there with the family, and I was impressed at how well she held her own with all the nieces and nephews. If you don't know, they are a little on the hyper side when they go to Grandma and Grandpa Garling's house...which makes life even more exciting up there. I just feel bad for Karleen, who has to clean up after everyone has gone home. But, it was a great day! Conference was amazing, as usual, and Ted and I even got to take a trip to Carey, Idaho for some research on the book I am writing! Yeah! It was fun until it started snowing so bad we couldn't even see anymore. The clouds were so low that they literally touched the ground...which was a little spooky for me, being caught in the clouds. We also discovered a hidden valley that I loved! I am totally writing my book in that valley! And, if you are curious what valley it is, you will just have to wait and read the book, or drive to Carey and try to find it for yourself. Well, hope everyone else loved conference!

Ahhh...Harvest!!!

It is potato harvest here in Idaho, and there are tons of trucks driving up and down the road. My road is usually nice and quiet, but all I have seen for the last week are trucks, full of potatoes, heading towards different potato cellars in the area. I am helping my family with the 3rd crop of hay, which we are trying to finish before Wednesday, because it is supposed to snow. We are working like crazy! Adam has been loading me in the semi all day, and we just finished a pivot. Now, he is out in the baler, following my mom after she rakes on our last pivot of hay. We are really pushing, trying to get our hay in before the moisture comes. The potato farmers must be feeling the same way, because they are moving their tractors along in the fields. The schools let the kids out for two weeks for potato harvest up here, so there are tons of kids running around and driving trucks. So, you usually want to stay off the road during harvest, and if you have to be on the road, keep your distance from the trucks. Sometimes I wonder if the kids driving are even old enough to have driver's licences, because they can barely see over the dash. Anyway, it is a busy time right now for us farmers. Pray we get our hay in before it snows! Thanks!

Check out our Denver Adventures...

I posted our Denver Trip adventures on my writing blog! Go on there to see the pictures of our rental car, and our get-up for the Saturday Night Banquet. I felt like a movie star! The website is below...
http://kayleewrites.blogspot.com

Lovin' It!!!

We made it to Denver in one piece, with all our luggage, and we even made it here early! Yea! Well, the conference is amazing! I am loving the classes that are teaching us all about writing, publishing, editors, agents, and so much more. Since it is a Christian Writer's Conference, it is wonderful to have prayer, worship, and scriptures incorporated into the teachings. I never knew that there were so many other writers out there that were completely devoted to serving and lifting up God in their writings. It is incredible how the Lord guides and directs people in their lives, sometimes without them even knowing it, but once they acknowledge Him, their lives are enhanced. I have met some very talented and sweet people here, and hope to keep in contact with them. It seems like everyone I talk to gives me one more piece of information I needed, or one more piece of advice. The ACFW truly cares about the members, and tries to do whatever they can to help the writers. I feel like the Lord has directed me to this place and am so excited to embark on this new journey of writing. Hope everyone is having a great weekend too!
P.S. We rented a car while we are here, and it is a bright yellow Mitsubishi Eclipse and Ted is LOVING IT!!! We also went out tonight and ate at P.F. Chang's. It was delicious, like always! The waiter we had was sooo cool! We made sure we gave him an extra large tip because he was great!

The Time Has Finally Come...

First of all, thank you for your comments on my photos and one sheet. It really helped me, and I feel completely ready (well, as ready as I will feel)! I am super nervous and excited at the same time about the conference in Denver. Since it is my first conference, I don't know what to expect...so I am trying to be prepared for anything. Sadly, I have only had this last week to prepare, and along with school starting, it has been a busy last week! I am just extremely thankful that harvest finished earlier this year than last year for us so I actually had time to prepare. Ted is going with me to the conference, thank heavens. I love having my husband and best friend there to support me in everything I do. Even if he had to take off work, and stress over how sales will be while he is gone, he still puts on a smile and a supportive attitude to make me feel better about myself so I can succeed in what my dreams are. Thanks honey, I love you! And, thank you all for being a part of my life! It is great having friends and family like you! Wish me luck at the conference...I am going to need it!
Secondly, since I am getting some requests on what my book is about, I have included my pitch for my book. It gives a quick little blurb about it. You can let me know if you think it is interesting, or if you would want to read it once it is finished, and hopefully someday published. Also, I have a blog specifically for my writings and it will give updates on what is going on in my writing life. It is, kayleewrites.blogspot.com. I just started it, and I will be posting pictures of the conference and ask questions, etc. as time goes on. Thanks for reading, and here is my blurb for my book (some call it a blurb, others call it a pitch).


As Katy leaves her small-town life in the rolling hills of Blackfoot, Idaho for college, she must overcome evil and worldliness to find truth and love that can change her life forever.
Redemption, Am I Worth Saving?
Is a story about a freshman in college, Katy, who leaves her family farm behind to attend school in Illinois. She is confronted with adult temptations she doesn’t know how to handle, and her naïve nature is taken advantage of by a manipulative friend. Fate snatches Katy away from her predator, changing her life forever with a friendship she never knew existed. Although Katy is grateful, she feels something lacking. Searching for the missing pieces, she meets a young man who introduces her to religion, which seems to hold the keys she was looking for. This man, not only handsome and wise, is a gentleman with quiet dignity, making it easy for Katy to fall in love with him. However, Katy’s life comes crashing down with the death of her father, bringing questions to mind about what she has been taught, wondering how God could take her father from her family. Along with doubt, Katy’s past comes to haunt her. Can this new religion heal her scars? Or will she falter back into a corrupting mistake?

Which Picture Should I Use?

Thanks to my friend Kristen Palmer, who is always willing to accommodate my crazy life schedule, I got pictures done for the writer's conference I am attending this next week. Now, I am trying to figure out which picture to use for my one-sheet at the writer's conference. I need to have it done by tomorrow, short notice, I know. If anyone has a suggestion, let me know! Thanks!

Rodney Atkins Comes to Blackfoot

Ted and I went to the concert last night. It was a lot of fun! We saw quite a few of our friends there, which was fun! It was a very enjoyable concert, and although we sat on the top row of the grandstand, the music was still loud and clear. It was a blast having a date with Ted...he's so much fun to be with!

Check Out my NEW Writing BLOG

kayleewrites.blogspot.com

Check it out, add ideas, give ideas, suggest stories, story lines, comment on my thoughts, and have FUN!!!

Family Tradition

So, every year, Ted and I go into the ImPRA Rodeo, because it is always fun to go and see the rodeo circuit I was once queen of. This year, my mom, Adam, and Morgan came along. We had a fun night, and didn't even get too cold. Usually, we are all freezing. The Eastern Idaho State Fair was packed, which we weren't expecting. Ted and I are going to be going to the concert at the fair this year. I believe it is Rodney Atkins. We need to get tickets before they get sold out! If anyone wants to come with us, let us know! :)

*Stacey's New Baby*

Stacey had her baby!!! It is the cutest little girl! They haven't named her yet, but they are thinking about naming her Lilian. She had her, September 3 at 10:06 p.m. She weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. and has bright red hair like her dad. So cute!!!

We're DONE!!!

Thanks to our friends, Terry Reed, Lynette Murdock, Bob Reed, and Bradley Reed, we are now finished with our grain harvest! Yesterday was crazy!!! I got to run the grain cart for 2 combines for 8 hours. Then, Bradley came and helped us finish up with another grain cart, thankfully! It was quite the long, yet productive day. We were out harvesting for 12 hours. Terry brought over 5 trucks and his combine to help us. So, with his equipment, and our combine, semi, and truck, we had lots of driving to do. Thanks to Lynette, Morgan, and my mom, they kept up with us well as they drove the trucks to the mill. Terry and Adam drove the combines and man, did they ever move! We hurried along so we could get all our grain cut before the storms came in. And, thankfully, we did! We are so blessed to have people in the area that love, support, and help us out! Thank you for helping, and even offering your help was much appreciated.

Truckin' Along...

Grain Harvest is moving along. We are about 2/3 done. And, to my surprise, I love driving the tractor and pulling the grain cart. Yes, it is challenging, and nerve wrecking, but at least it has air conditioning! My poor mom has no air conditioning in either one of the trucks, so she is always dying of heat. Well, hope to finish soon, and then start harvesting our third crop of hay! I am hoping we will get a little break between grain and hay so that we can go to the Eastern Idaho State Fair! I can't believe it starts this weekend! Is it really September already? Where did August go?

*Simply Amazing*

Picture Proof that I drive the tractor and grain cart...

The Sunset as the Combine cuts the Grain over the Horizon

Sun setting in the West as Adam combines the Grain

Adam in his Combine

The Tractor I drive, and Adam combining
This is the Tractor and Grain Cart that I get to drive. Adam is combining in the background. I am waiting for him to get closer so he can unload his full bin.

As you can see, we are in the thick of grain harvest! I have the title of "Simply Amazing" on this post, because harvest is simply amazing!It is inspiring to see the huge equipment move through the field (at 2.5 miles per hour) and harvest the hard work from the summer, and it is even more amazing to be a part of it.

I am driving the grain cart this year, filling in when Morgan has other obligations, and it is quite the task. I have to pull the tractor and grain cart up next to the combine, while it is moving, and carefully match the speed, stay close enough for the combine to unload, and drive straight. Then, I get to go and unload the grain cart into the trucks. My mom is driving the trucks to the mill again this year. It is amazing to see all the trucks taking the grain to the mill, and working from sun up to sun down. I still can't believe how good of a truck driver my mom is. So, enjoy the pictures, and admire the amazing sunset that we were blessed with last night. That is one other reason harvest is "simply amazing", the sunsets...how can you not love them?

Sarah!!!

So, my dearest friend Sarah was up in Idaho on Saturday, and I was lucky enough to get off work early so I could go and visit with her! She was at her cousin's wedding in Idaho Falls, so I was more than happy to make the 45 minute drive to see her. Since we have both gotten married, and she moved to sunny Arizona, we haven't seen each other, so this was a great occasion! Love you Sarah! It was great to see you again!

P.S. There is also some exciting news I need to share, sorry this is coming on the same post as yours Sarah, but Ted got put into the Edler's Quorum Presidency as the 1st Counselor yesterday! So, that was quite the surprise and honor! Way to go Ted! I am so proud of you!

Grain Harvest

Our New Holland Combine

The Grain Cart
Can you believe that I fit inside the tire of the combine? It was actually pretty comfortable. Oh, and I am holding shop towels so you know I was working, not just sitting down on the job. We were greasing the combine before we went out into the field.

I can't believe it is that time of year again! This year, I get to drive a truck and the grain cart. Morgan and I are going to be switching off and on with the grain cart, so if one of us has something we need to do, the other person can take over. The grain cart if huge! Well, all the farm equipment is, but the grain cart makes our biggest tractor look small. Hmmm, I will go and take a picture so you can see for yourself...Okay, all uploaded! Take a close look! It is massive!

Do I Look Different?

So, this post is mainly for Ted. I just got a haircut, and he hasn't seen it yet, so I am posting to him so he can tell me what he thinks. Everyone else's opinion matters too, so if you like my new haircut, let me know! And, if you don't like it, well, just pretend you do! Thanks! :)

My Favorite Place in the Whole Wide World

So, Ted and I just got back from the most amazing place, Nauvoo! As most of you know, this is my favorite place to be! I love Nauvoo!
Most of you might be thinking that we are traveling a lot. Well, yes, we are, but we had to get some traveling in before the summer was over, and this was the last weekend before Ted's employees went back to school, so he took advantage of the opportunity to take me to Nauvoo! I loved the surprise trip, and even though it was short, only 3 days, I loved being there, enjoying the people of Nauvoo, and feeling the unique spirit that Nauvoo has. We were able to talk with the President, Dr. Ivie, and his assistant about the Nauvoo University that is starting this fall, and it sounds like the pioneering spirit is alive, and the students are excited about the opportunity to learn in place that is full of rich history and religion. Ted and I are still considering going back to help out with Nauvoo University, so if you suddenly read on our blog that we are moving, you know where we are going!

Let's Go Camping!!!

Okay, so if you are reading this Rachel, yes, I did drive straight home, go to Young Women's and then start posting about this because I am so excited about the trailer! And, if the rest of you are wondering what in the heck I am talking about...well, Ted and I went up to Idaho Falls today and looked at this trailer that Rachel and Reid are selling. It is a 1971 trailer, 18 1/2 feet, and very clean. Needless to say, it is a perfect "starter" trailer for people like me and Ted, and we had to have it! As I was pullling it home with our half-ton dodge pickup, I was really feeling the trailer behind us. It is a lot bigger than I realized! But, we LOVE the trailer. It is perfect for us, and we are so excited to go camping! Don't you love the retro colors? I am excited to dig into the trailer and make some memories with Ted. So, if anyone wants to go camping, just let us know and we will go! You all should know my number!

Shucks, another splurging moment weakness...

So, this time I had a weakness for a hallway table. I wanted to finish off our front room, and this was the only thing missing. I used this beautiful, solid wood, handcrafted piece to replace the white plastic stand I got from Wal-Mart in Keokuk when I lived in Nauvoo and needed some shelving for my bedroom. I figured that Ted and I had been married long enough that my college things could go. Now since I have this table, I am going to keep it forever. It is so nice that I am going to pass it on to my kids and grandchildren, and I hope they keep passing it down. Well, that's all for now...and I am off to the Romrell Reunion! Have a great weekend!