The Big 29

I now have less than a year when I will no longer be able to be considered "in my 20's". My birthday, the other day was a good one, and really it lasted a couple of days. Of course, we enjoyed the many freebies that come on your birthday: Krispy Kreme dozen, JB's breakfast, Bahama Bucks Iced Goodness and we finished off with a very late dinner at Joe's Farm Grill (first time ever there; really liked it!) My official present was an apron. It's a long story, but I really wanted one, so this is what I got. The strange young man you see modeling it for us is a very sweaty elder that covers our area. He was a good sport!

Happy Bird-day? The morning of my birthday was a wacky one because we kept hearing creepy noises in our attic. It sounded like a rat had gotten stuck in some wiring and couldn't escape. It was, as I said, a creepy sound. Anyway, several hours later, we discovered a small bird had found its way into our fan in the bathroom. Thankfully Ammon was able to open the grate, chase it around the tiny bathroom and release it back into the wild. This would just be a wierd story but when you add in the fact that one of our chickens died that day under very mysterious circumstances, I feel I just have to call this my Bird-Day!

Here is the video of Ammon releasing the bird:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP4ynaNVuhA

Our poor little Kaleb, over an hour past his bedtime, so tired from all the activities of the day:

The day after my birthday, we had a nice little date. We dropped Kaleb off at the in-laws (he was sick of us and the car), and we had lunch at Y.C.'s Mongolian Grill. If you haven't been there you need to try it: SO GOOD!!! We originally planned to go there for my birthday, but among all the freebies, we couldn't fit it in.

Then we went to the Bass Pro Shop for the first time ever and had a blast shootin' it up and getting eaten by bears (CANNIBALS!!) Anyway, overall it was a fun little couple of days!

Just Plain Cute

I've mentioned before that Kaleb loves Elmo's World the TV show. The other day we were shopping for birthday presents and we came upon a live-action puppet-type toy that Kaleb fell in love with. We would have gotten it if it weren't for the $60 price tag. After this video was taken, Kaleb cried until we left Walmart. Thankfully, there was a much cheaper, quieter alternative that we were able to purchase.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_YCVDwGN6U

Ward Campout

This past weekend was our ward campout. We were in charge, and therefore (begrudgingly for me) we had to go. I have built the reputation over the last few years among members of my in-laws family that I HATE camping... and this all came about because when they go camping, they go for a week at a time. That's not camping to me. Thats attempting to imitate the pioneers; that's relocating; that's just plain nuts to me. So, therefore I "hate camping". Well, when we were told we would have to be in charge, my two criterion were 1-enclosed toilets (port-a-potties: perfect) and 2- in the pines. Well, after months of searching, some members of our ward found a spot up in the Pinal Mountains near Globe. It was close, free, in the pines with built-in toilets! AWESOME. So, we borrowed a bunch of equipment (since the closest thing we have to camping gear is a flashlight), dropped Kaleb off at my moms (didn't wanna worry about him eating grass, bugs and cow-pies the whole time) and trekked our way up to the beautiful Pinal Mountains. We got there around sunset Friday night, so I didn't get pictures till Saturday morning.

Ammon set up our wonderful borrowed tent, built for 7 (barely fit us on our borrowed cots)

We (the ward/activities committee) provided breakfast Saturday morning. We planned for 125. About 50 or 60 showed up. We ended up giving away 10 dozen eggs, 7 cartons of orange juice and two tubs of syrup.

Breakfast was made by some of our awesome High Priests and Ammon. The first counselor in our bishopric provided EVERYTHING (equipment-wise) we needed to make a first-class IHOP-worthy breakfast. Many thanks to all who helped out (who I am sure do not read my blog).

After breakfast, we sat in front of our tent and played games. Here is a photo of our neighbors' daughter singing (hollering) "Give Said the Little Stream" and "I;ll be Working on the Railroad" on top of a rock... all by herself. We thought it was entertaining, but it touched us when her mom told us those songs are on a video they made of her grandfather that just passed away. Apparently she really missed him.

Passing time away with a fun game of Mastermind

A view from the scary road on the way back to Globe. The funny thing about this road is that when I was a kid, I used to cry when we'd go camping in those mountains because I was so scared we would careen off the side of the road. (insert nervous laughter)

The rattlesnake that had just been run over on the road back to Globe. Gross but kinda cool.

Do you ever have an event that you are SOOOO not looking forward to that when it actually happens, you think... "I can't imagine that it will be worse than what I've imagined?" Like when you have been told a movie really isn't all that good, and when you see it you are happily surprised? Well, the ward campout was that way for me. The only complaint I have is that I couldn't sleep because the crazy wind made the tent create foot-step like sounds all night long. Otherwise good times. So much so that we just bought a tent and we plan on going camping a few times this summer... wacky little munchkin allowing.