The Secret to Life

I think I have finally discovered the secret to life:

Go to bed before you want to.
Get up before you want to.
Stop eating before you want to.

Now I've got it figured out I just need to apply it.... :)

Quite the Hike

The hike to Timpanogos Cave is only a mile and a half long, but it climbs 1,000 feet. That means it's very very steep.

It's worth the climb though, even without the nifty cave at the top. The scenery along the way is stunning. Just ask Fish.

(Here's what he's looking at:)

We had such a happy hiking party when we trekked up there earlier this month with Grandpa Badger.

I'm looking forward to being back in Utah where I can do more stuff like this.

A Day to Remember

Ten years ago today, the Badger and I hiked up to Timpanogos Cave. I was taking an upper-division Geography class at BYU on landforms and one of the requirements was to tour the cave. I decided since I had to go anyway it would make a romantic date.

It turned out to be very romantic. After the cave tour, as the Badger and I sat on a bench overlooking the canyon, he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him.

I was so surprised that I didn't say anything at first. A panicked look came over his face and he said "please???"

There wasn't anyone around to take a picture of that historic moment. But earlier this month we were at the cave again and we reenacted the scene. This time Grandpa Badger took a picture. Here we are ten years later (with our little pink and purple offspring in the background.)

What an amazing, hard, crazy ten years it's been! We would do it again. Oh, yes, we would do it again.

Here's my Badger ten years ago on the trail down from the cave (so, just minutes after we got engaged).

Here's my Badger in just about the same spot, just about ten years later.

I'm so very glad he asked. It was a good thing we started. And it just keeps getting better.

Switchback

Our life here on the prairie was zooming along at a breathless pace, full of plans and projects and ideas and dreams.

Suddenly it all came to a screeching halt. My Badger lost his job.

We didn't even remotely see it coming. It was like hitting an invisible wall and having the wind knocked out of us. We were totally numb for a couple of days.

Then we asked ourselves, "Now what?"

That is a very hard question to answer. The market for pilot jobs right now is like a large vegetable bin with a handful of small, moldy potatoes in the bottom. The prospect of getting employment that can support a family in another field is even worse, however, so we're probably going for the little potatoes. The bin is so deep that they're going to be hard to reach and it will likely take quite some time.

After much discussion, prayer, and pondering, we have determined that while we wrestle through the job-getting process we need to move back to Utah. We have so much family there to support us. It will be like coming home to recharge.

So suddenly I find myself once again scrounging for boxes and trying to figure out what I can get rid of (sorry, Couch. You're staying in prairie-land.) We're loading up in three weeks-- or sooner, if a job comes up in the mean time. This will be our tenth move in just under ten years of marriage and our fourth interstate move.

My goodness, you feel vulnerable without income.

But I'd rather go through unemployment than a death or a divorce. My children are all healthy and my family is all together. We have plenty of food in the house, thanks to our food storage. And we have enough money, or very nearly so, to get us back home to Utah.

And then we'll go from there.

Even though I have no idea where our next income will come from and how long we will be living on very little, I'm actually excited. I will love living in Utah for as long as we're there. I will love seeing the mountains every time I look out the window. There will still be fall color on their flanks when we get there and then I will get to watch them become covered in their winter coat of snow. I will love getting together with my sisters and my brother and their children. I will love letting my kids play with their cousins. All the precious family closeness that we only ever got a few small rations of on brief vacations will now be dished out in abundance. When I think about these things I am almost grateful that the Badger lost his job.

I can say that because I know that there is a purpose for this. The Badger's entire career looks mortally wounded at the moment, but we will go forward with faith.

After all, switchbacks are the only way to get to the top of the mountain.

Badger Burger

My Badger is serious about his hamburgers.

Two patties with lots of lettuce, tomato, onion, and grilled mushrooms. The Badger likes mushrooms on everything.

The leaning tower of Burger...

Here he goes! Can he get his mouth around it? He can barely get his hands around it!

Almost in!

Mmm.... yeah.... Good!

South Fork

While we were in Utah, we had a picnic with the Badger's family up the south fork of Provo Canyon. There is a fairly new park up there that has fast become a favorite place for family gatherings. It's very picturesque.

We all enjoyed marvelous food.

It was nice to meet Aunt Kaa's boyfriend.

And there was lots of sparkling conversation.

Family, good food, and mountains. Does it get any better?

Kids at South Fork

At our South Fork family picnic, the kids were in Kid Heaven between having cousins to play with and having nature to play in.

The boys climbed trees

and messed around in the stream

while the girls engaged in more genteel pursuits such as wildflower arranging

and worm examining.

How They Sleep

They do have their own beds, but if you try to make them go to bed by themselves they freak out. Then they end up falling asleep like this.

A Fish First

He waited a loooooong time for this!

Grandma's Family Room

So, we just got back from a way-too-quick visit to our families in Utah. It may have been a short trip, but it was packed with fantastic memories. Just look at this picture-- fun cousins and train tracks and Grandma's cozy family room floor. Perfect fodder for a secure, contented childhood.

The Rabbit enjoyed the fake remote control. She's really into technology.

The Rabbit also enjoyed playing with her cousin. They really interacted well with each other. I'm not sure which one can shriek louder. I did predict last year that they would be tearing the place apart before long and it was fun to watch my predictions come true.

On Having a Tall Sister

As I write this, Roo is having a great time playing with Cousin Fiend. My sister and I dreamed of this day when we were both expecting our little girls. And it's turned out great. They are perfect playmates, being only four months apart.

Yes, I meant four months and not four years. You can now understand why we get all of Cousin Fiend's hand-me-downs even though they are both currently three years old. Look at that darling shirt Cousin Fiend is wearing-- it will look so cute on Roo in two or three years!