Why We Will Never be on The Amazing Race

For weeks Alex has wanted to climb the hill.  The hill is a little dirt path that Keith and Alex found last year near the Ogden River Parkway path.

Alex has never forgotten the hill.

We decided that Saturday would be the perfect day for a little family outing...breakfast, a walk along the river, climb the hill and as a bonus...we'd try to find our first (and last) geocache!  We started with one that was located at the MTC Ogden Botanical Gardens and was rated easy.

We looked and checked the GPS and sat on a bench and looked.  We looked from the backside and we looked up and we looked down.  iKeith dismantled a stone bench and we still didn't find the cache so we gave up.

The next thing I wanted to look for was a letterbox.  It was called The Arboretum and our clue was

The park entrance is at1750 Monroe Blvd. Park in the lot and find the paved asphalt trail which parallels the Ogden River. Walk toward the east. Leave the trail at the definite bend to the left at the 1/4 mile sign (about 0.4 mile from the parking lot). Walk through the large cottonwood trees on the south side of the trail and find A.A. Bennett’s tree. Then find W.L. Bennett’s tree. Then find SSgt Williams’ three small pines (two bristlecones and one Ponderosa).

The Arboretum letterbox is hiding in the branches of the Ponderosa pine. There are benches in the vicinity to sit on while stamping in.

After having trouble finding the Geocache...iKeith wasn't in the best mood to find the Letterbox and made me trapse around every single cottonwood tree that we came across. I knew where I thought the bend in the trail was but he wouldn't listen to me.

He commented that we should just walk and enjoy the scenery but I explained to him that I'm a Type A person and I need a goal and things to do while I'm hiking so that I feel like I'm accomplishing something.  This is why I thought these treasure hunting activities would be great for me. He rolled his eyes.

The boys hiked the hill while Mallory did this.  She wanted to go home.

Finally...we were able to search for the letterbox.  Here is a vlog of our adventure.  This is also proof that Keith and I should never attempt to go on The Amazing Race together.  We can barely survive looking for treasure and I'm pretty sure he was ready to throttle me when we were done.

Drinking Game while watching my vlog:

Take a sip of your drink each time I say:

• 3 pine trees
• Ponderosa
• Spider

Geocaching is a lot of fun and a good way to sharpen your GPS navigation skills. It's actually modern treasure hunting, except you don't get to keep what you find. With geocaching, you find the "treasure" and replace it with something else. Then you take what you find and place it in another cache. The item is usually some sort of collectible of minor actual value. Very helpful (or not) iPhone App.

Letterboxing is growing hobby that combines elements of hiking, treasure hunting and creative expression into an activity that the whole family can enjoy. Participants seek out hidden letterboxes by following clues that are posted on the Internet , and then record their discovery in their personal journal with the help of a rubber stamp that's part of the letterbox. In addition, letterboxers have their own personal stamps which they use to stamp into the letterbox's log book.

Vlog: Connie Escapes

So....I'm switching my vlogs to Monday because I'm going to be doing the Countdown to Christmas with Liz on Fridays.

I had very big plans for Saturday since I rarely get a day out without my kids (and husband).  Without them, I can move about freely and get so much done.  At least that was what I thought was going to happen.

Much to Bobbi's chagrin...I had a packed schedule with little wiggle room.  I didn't account for traffic, lingering over coffee, multiple bathroom breaks and 1000 trees.

We started off at Caffe d'bolla in downtown Salt Lake City. This is where I had the most amazing cup of coffee and something called a Bubble Tea.  You can read all about my fun coffee experience here.


Our next stop was Home Goods and we had a little difficulty getting there because my navigation system *bitchin Betty* was picking on me.  In case you don't remember...I won a $200 gift card from The Inspired Room to make over my bedroom.  We found sooo much great stuff and I can't wait to get started putting it all together and showing it to you.

Next...meeting JenJen from Tattertots and Jello at the Festival of Trees. She is even more beautiful and sweet in person as she is on her blog and I got to meet three of her four kids too.  We had a great time looking at all of the hundred's of trees and gingerbread houses and even picked up a couple little treats at the Sweet Shop.

Soon, we had to head for home and the Heartland Paper Company in Bountiful.   I'm working on a special order for my friend Jessica and this place has the best paper selection.

I made it home in time to cuddle with the kids for a little while before I headed out again...this time with Calvin.  I told him that I had a surprise for him and to be ready by 5pm.  And I gave him a clue:

The state of being joined.

I was surprising him by taking him to see 2012 at the JUNCTION (hense the clue).  He thought I was taking him to join a gym and I really had him going because Gold's Gym is right across the street from the theater at The Junction!  He was really surprised!

As for the movie....Calvin loved it.  I, was freaking out and scared through the whole thing and half way through I wanted to go home and hide under a table with my kids.  I came to the conclusion that if the world is ending...I just want to go quickly.  I won't be one of those folks racing around trying to survive.  I'll be the one looting the gun store......

I hope you enjoy a little snippet of our day!

Guest Vlogging for a Manic Mother

If you read my hints from yesterday...then you know I had a very important shoot going on at my house. My friend Beth at Manic Mother asked me to give her a day off while she cares for her son who has been battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. I love Beth, and her strength during the last 5 months is so inspiring. I can only hope that I would handle such a situation with as much courage and grace as she has.

I will meet Beth one day. I just know I will....until then, our friendship grows on the internet.

Please go to Beth's blog today to see the production that took place...our guest vlog.

Vlog: Jumpin and Stuff

Thank goodness it's FRIDAY!  But I just realized it's FRIDAY the 13th! AGH!  Yesterday was one of the hardest days I've had in a long, long time.  So bad that when I escaped to the grocery store I almost picked up a flyer for daycare.  You know it's bad when I'm thinking about getting a job.



Jennifer (who made me wear the bow in my hair) See!  I can rock the bow!

Kerri (who turned me on to Burt's Bee Chapstick).  THANK YOU!

Amanda (also known as Shortmama)  I could have jumped higher if the kids weren't weighing me down.



Somebody's Hero

Vlog: Fat Mommy in a Little Shirt

I hope you enjoy today's vlog. 

I have such a busy weekend ahead of me.  I have to grocery shop, find a scrapbook store that has CHRISTMAS PAPER (this is harder than you would think) and make more Advent Calendar's for my etsy store.  My poor little store is practically empty because I've sold a bunch of stuff this week. YAY!  Which reminds me....if you wanted me to make an Advent Calendar for your family...please think about getting your order in so I can get it to you before December 1st.

Vlog: Wacky Wednesday

I decided to vlog today...since I had make up on.  And I had some stuff to talk about and I will be posting my Connie's Diary entry on Friday so here we are with Wacky Wednesday!

I posted about my skin cancer situation on Facebook today when I got home and found out from several people that when they had their surgeries...the tissue was examined during the surgery to make sure they got everything....instead of sending the tissue off to be checked.  I wish I had know about this type of surgery before I chose this doctor.

In other news...The Ares 1-X launched from Kennedy Space Center this morning and I missed it by 30 seconds. I walked in the door right after it happened. Luckily, Calvin taped it for me.  I was glued to twitter the last two days watching the hashtag #ARES1-X and I was disheartened by so many people that wanted the rocket to fail.  I would like to dedicate this song to those people.

On to the vlog!

Vlog: Stitches, Sitscation and GLEE

Good Morning!  Opps...it's afternoon for some of you.  My PJ day wasn't very restful yesteday.  I got a wild hair up my...and switched my dining room table and kitchen table.  Since Bobbi moved here, we've had to eat in the dinning room and it's too far for me to carry the food every night.  So now the big table is in the kitchen.  Calvin doesn't seem to like it but it more convenient so...oh well.  I also cleaned all of the light fixtures in the kitchen.  And then Calvin brought me wine!  He's a good hubby.




EVO 10 The Evolution of Women in Social Media...Park City Utah June 24-26, 2010

VLOG: SITScation...Day One

After I published the vlog...I realized I forgot to tell you all kinds of stuff. I still haven't recovered from the stress of yesterday and my brain is not cooperating with me. I will tell you in the next installment. Check for that later tonight.

Things to look forward to:

• The old people we freaked out
• Me and Bobbi's special dance
• The Caramel Apple
• How I violated a goat

Vlog: A Miracle in the Playroom

I have a vlog for you today...that I filmed on Monday when the kids and I went on an adventure.  Before you watch this...I need to tell you a little story about our week.  I'm going to start by telling you that we NEVER go anywhere on Monday.  I like to spend my Monday doing laundry, cleaning house and getting everything ready for the week.  It's my catch up day.

Monday morning, something made me get dressed (i threw on some make up but didn't do my hair) and take the kids out.  When we got home...we ate some lunch watched a show and took a nap.  After nap, we got ready for Calvin to come home and we were going to an Open House at the fire station that I had read about in Sunday's paper.  The open house ended up being NEXT week (the paper just said MONDAY) so we went downtown, got hotdogs and walked up and down 25th Street looking at all of the painted horses. Here is my Whrrl story.

Then we stopped for ice cream at Zeppes before they close for the season.  By the time we got home it was bedtime.  Because of our activities...the kids didn't play in their playroom.

Tuesday, the weather turned cold so I made a tent in the family room and we hung out watching TV most of the day....a lazy day after our busy Monday.  Plus, I had much laundry to do....

All day Tuesday, something kept telling me to go clean the playroom.  Rob had slept down there on an air mattress over the weekend but I had noticed that Calvin took it down so I didn't really think I needed to do much down there but this nagging thought wouldn't leave my mind.

During nap time, I finally went downstairs to *clean* and as soon as I walked into the room...I saw it.  A PILL!  There was a prescription pill in the middle of the playroom and it scared the shit out of me.  I ran up stairs to look up what it was and it was LITHIUM.  It was Robert's Pill.  I started crying thinking of what could have happened if one of the kids had gotten ahold of it.  And then I realized....The Lord was keeping us busy...to keep the kids out of the playroom.

Once again...he held my family in his hands and protected them from harm.

The power of prayer my friends!  I've been praying like crazy for God to help us, keep us safe and keep Calvin employed.  I just hope I haven't asked for too much.....

Today is Calvin's 3 year anniversary at work.  And Monday is the day...layoff day.  I want to thank everyone that has been praying for us and keeping us in your thoughts.  I'm confident that no matter what happens...we'll be fine.  Because God is looking out for us.