The Month of May....how fast it went by....

Wow.....I can't believe that May is over and the first week of June has passed us by in a jiffy. So much has been packed into the last six weeks I don't even no where to begin. The end of April Robert got the front part of his tattoo filled in. This piece has been in the process for some three years now and while it still isn't finished it looks wonderful all filled in. He still has another sitting of four hours or so to have it all filled in and gone over one more time. April ended with my bridal shower at the Dodo, which Margaret and Erin work hard at getting together and it turned out wonderful. We has lunch and played a couple of games.....the weather was beautiful. Afterwards we had a BBQ the first of the summer. Robert cooked up some of the pig meet and we had a great time with friends.

Robert's tattoo filled in in front.

Robert, Kyle, Shawn and Chris at the BBQ

Robert and me!

The first of May was filled with warm weather. Unfortunately non of which we were able to enjoy since I was painstakingly studying for my last week of finals at the U. I am so excited to be done with school and have my B.S. in Biology accomplished after 7 years!!!! The weekend after finals I took off work to have a graduation party and get ready to leave for mouse trapping and hanta virus research with the Dearing Lab at the U. However, the morning of the grad. party Robert and I ran to Eyemasters in Sugar House to get our annual eye exams and contacts ordered. Since it was such a beautiful day and the boys had been couped up all week with me in finals we loaded them up in the truck for a ride. While in Eyemasters for 40min tops, we had someone call animal control on us for having dogs in our vehicle and at the same time some lady hit our new truck and left with out notifying us or authorities. So while I was dealing with the cops on the hit and run and a huge dent in our brand new truck, animal control was writing me a warning for animal cruelty for leaving the dogs in the car....mind you with all 5 windows rolled down and it only being 58 degrees out.......I was livid......and not to mention if they had actually written me a ticket I'm sure I wouldn't haven been able to go to vet school......The animal control believed our dogs were in distress because Widgeon was panting....hahaha the dog pants even when its 2 below out.....he was just F..ing excited...The cops couldn't believe I was getting even a warning......So that pretty much ruined our day and at the same time the animal control pretty much told me I was horrible mom the day before mothers day.....And I have the most spoiled dogs of them all. We are now teaching Widgeon not to pant on command

House with tree in bloom and yard finally finished.......

Truck with nice big dent in side

Monday morning I packed my stuff and headed out for a week of mouse trapping and hanta virus research. In the morning before I left a drake mallard landed in out pond out back. We have never had any big birds drop by for a bath and hang around for 30min like this guy did. While heading out of town I left Robert get the dogs registered and pay my no Rabies tag on dog ticket to animal control. He also spent the day paying a speeding ticket and taking care of insurance issues on our truck while I headed for the desert.

The week of mouse trapping was very interesting and educational. We trapped 6 different sites around the Tintic Mountain area and Little Sahara Recreation Area. We caught several types of animals including a chipmunk, vole, deer mice, pocket mice, and pinon mice. The pinons were my favorite with huge ears and adorable little noses with little black eyes.... I even got to microchip a few mice.

Drake mallard in pond out back......dogs about went through our glass back door after him!!

Getting ready to process animals in my respirator

Pat (a grad student) and me microchiping a deer mouse

Pinon mouse after ear tagging

Pinon mouse upon release

Deer mouse

Baby wood rat...type of pack rat

Sunset over Tintic Mountains

Upon getting home my focus was turned from school to prepping for the wedding and getting house projects done. Fist off I made an appointment at Enizios Salon in Highland/Alpine area for a trial hair up do for bridals. I also had my makeup done and Cynthia and Stephanie were wonderful. Robert and I then started focusing on figuring out were we wanted our bridals taken and visited several locations that were options. We went to Wheeler Farm in Salt Lake, Red Butte Gardens up by the U, American Fork Canyon, and Big Cottonwood Canyon. After several trips up American Fork we have decided to have pictures taken there tomorrow and can't wait to see how they come out.

Front of hair

Back of hair

Robert at Wheeler Farm

Pig Kisses

Cow nose

American Fork Canyon

Wisteria at Red Butte

Robert and me Red Butte

During all of this we were hit head on with serious plumbing disaster in our house. A week and 1/2 ago our toilet stopped working and stuff started backing up into our shower....we also had the bees wax ring blow out under the toilet and the water leaking all over the bathroom and under the house. After trying hard for two days to get things fix on our own we called a plumber who came out and roto-rootered our system. He wasn't convinced at the time that he had solved the problem completely. He had found a 'hard' spot in our system. He said he was unsure of how long the fix would last.....a week , two months, five years......but at any rate it was fixed before Roberts brother Brant flew in from Washington and the boys headed to Flaming Gorge on a guided fishing trip for his bachelor party. The boys had a wonderful trip, caught lots of fish and are already planning the next one. However, Widgeon was very up set he couldn't go since he spent the day before the boys left helping dad fix the boat and waiting on a boat ride....

Drake enjoying the sunshine and protecting the thrown....

Widgeon ready to go with the boys.....but doesn't understand why mom keeps telling him he has to stay home with her.....poor Widgy so heart broken

Robert catching Kokanee

First fish of the day on the guided trip

Robert's brother Brant hangin in the boat.

This week I headed back to Enizios to have my hair cut and died before pictures and the wedding.....I came home early from work the same day to get some other house projects done just have our plumbing back up again.....I was near tears and so was Robert.....We were with out a toilet, shower, or washer......again and facing the fact that we might have to dig up our front yard just 3 weeks before all of our guest form out of town set foot in our home most have not seen.......After having the roto-rooter guy come out again this time he hit mud and confirmed we had a busted sewage line......Robert then took the day of work Friday to start digging up the line and getting it fixed.....Lucky we had our neighbor Jeff who spent all Thursday evening and all day Friday helping us dig.......While now it is fixed....we have a huge muddy mess, our lawn is ruined and we still have all those other projects that need to be finished.....Thank God for good neighbors, good friends and nice plumbers......oh and did I mention a wonderful soon the be husband.....

My new hair........yes this is inside Petsmart bathroom before changing for work....

Thought this picture was awesome I took after getting home.....

Robert digging up the line with the Kubota

Yes the break was under out lovely semi new deck......we had to cut out support beams to get to it....

Our neighbor Jeff learning how to runt he Kubota and filling the hole back in.

Poor boys couped up in the house......

Well that pretty much sums up the last six weeks. I got an e-mail from a family friend this week that asked if we were on a zen like journey towards the wedding day....I replied saying so far I am still waiting on the zen part.....it has definitely been a journey though.....but at least the crapper is working and we are still speaking to each other......Regardless we are both getting extremely excited and can't wait for the big day!!!!!!!

Widgeon in the back yard smelling the flowers

Drake and Widgeon Go To The Vet!!!

The boys went into work today to have their annual vaccines and a teeth cleaning. Widgeon has had a mass on his front left arm for a couple months now. We also have been complaining about bad dog breath and nasty teeth for awhile. It was just time to take it off and get those pearly white look like new again. So this morning we headed to work with empty stomachs and sad faces....No big surprises or much exciting happened....however, I am embarrassed that these are my dogs at the moment. Widgeons teeth were disgusting I can't believe I have let them go this long and Drake....oh Mr Drake....fatty...fatty....fatty. He weight 83lbs... twenty pound more than he did last year at this time. While he needed to gain some weight last year after many months of vomiting and diarrhea...I don't think the magic number was twenty. SO...I guess that means we will just have to get out and do some more exploring and excercising (maybe not top off the old cup of food for a few months) Widgeons mass removal went well. He's such a boob though. there are few patients as upset and beside himself as Widgy is. He never want to go in a kennel at work unless he is the patient then he runs and hides...he drools like crazy and wines....poor Mr. Widgeon. I;ll have everyone know he topped the scales at 100 ibls today. I think while I wouldn't call him overweight he needs to get on the doggy treadmill as well. Here are some pathetic pictures of the boys after we got home. The are both in bed and sleeping soundly....Mama won't be too far behind...

Droopy eyes...

Widgeon....looking a little star struck...

Is it bed time yet.... (its been bed time all day)

Mama's handsome not so brave boy

Wheres dinner ma......

Pearly whites...
Chompers back in order....

Mr. Widgeon's sutures from his mass removal

Jen (my office manager/friend at work) put Widgeon's mass on her face and thought it would make a great mole!!! Creepy

Fast asleep....haven't moved since I started writting the blog...not sure where I'm going to fit in to that bed or Robert either when he gets home from poker with the boys....

Happy Easter 2009

What a gorgeous day......it makes me wish school was over that much faster. Robert got up early and made wonderful stuffed mushrooms with pork sausage from the pigs. He also made me breakfast in bed (thick piggie bacon and an apple turn over..mmmmm) We then headed to church were the little kids were just adorable and we spent most of mass whispering about all their outfits. From church we headed over to Jeremy and Michelle's for a wonderful get together with friends and their family. We had ham (from the piggies), turkey, stuffed mushrooms and all the fixings to go along with it. Robert and I helped hide Easter eggs out back for the kids Easter egg hunt. We had just as much fun hiding the eggs as the kids had hunting for them. After a lovely meal outside in the sunshine and a few good laughs we headed home to pick up the boys. Chris and his dog Tux joined us for a drive out to Horseshoe Springs for a early evening dip. Tux has never swam before so the boys quickly initiated him and he picked up the art of splashing around before long.

Robert and Chris

Tux sitting on the bank watching the boys......thinking "I don't know about this guys"

Tux trying to swim but more splashing...

Robert and Chris calling Tux over.

Once he got it down he was flying...(not swimming)

Chris and Tux...love this picture

As some of you may know Widgeon is an avid fisherdog. He takes after his father in that he loves to hunt and fish...he also comes home sorely disappointed and skunked. He has been trying to catch a bass or carp at Horseshoes springs for two years now and spends all his time watching the water then diving in if he sees a fish in the water ( horsehoe springs has very clear water) or if he sees one antagonizing him by jumping. Poor dog....it drives him crazy. He was so close this time and even put his head underwater but came up empty mouthed. He even tried to catch a muskratthat darted into the bank. Poor Widgy...he'll catch one before he leaves Utah. In the mean time it is extremely entertaining to watch and he has so much fun doing it.

Widgeon scanning the water for fish....

Widgeon swimming around looking for fish and muskrats.

I got one......nope I missed

Widgeon, Daddy and uncle Chris looking for the fish...

Mamma stop taking my picture....your interrupting fishing

See ma you made me miss a fish I heard it jump over there (lips flying as head turns)

Drake on the other hand only cares about fetching his rubber floaty stick.....
Stick....stick.....stick

Widgeon and Drake fetching stick

Tux and Drake playing

Handsome man

While the boys were playing and fishing....down at the other end of the springs I found a large group of American Avocets. I suspect they are using the area for breeding, as they typically show back up in March and their breeding season is from April to June. GSL counts of the American Avocet have exceeded 250,000 – greater than any other site within the entire Pacific Flyway. The GSL is an extremely important ecosystem to the American Avocet. I was also able to see non breeding Avocet which have a differing plumage that doesn't display the rust colored head.
Female on right, male on left (females beaks are more turned up)

Flock of American Avocets

Beautiful birds

It was such a wonderful sunny day. I even got sun burnt during the hour we were at the springs. It was great to get some fresh air and relax after a long week of exams and rain. These pictures make me long for more nice weather, camping, hiking and spending weekends at the lake.....makes it hard to study. At least the boys got out some energy before they are locked up in the house all week while I study.....speaking of I need to knock this blogging off and get back to it.....Happy Easter everyone...hope your days was as lovely as ours.

This about says it all....Drake and his stick.....Widgeon wouldn't look at camera he's too busy fishing.....Tux's head coming into view!!!

Happy Birthday 2009

SO this year we had a huge turn out and a wonderful time for our annual birthday dinner. The last couple of years we have gone to PF Changs, but this year opted to go to Stone Ground. After spending the morning trying to get a hold of someone at the restaurant to no avail Robert finally spoke to the manager of Stone Ground who wouldn't take a reservation because it was Friday night and would not accommodate all 20 people in our party. After royaly pissing Robert off, Margo suggested Buca de Beppo's who was wonderful at accommodating us with such short notice and smiling faces. For those of you who do not know what Buca de Beppo's is all about, it is a family style itialian resturant, which makes ordering for 21 people quite the overwhelming task. We all had to agree on a few dishes and someone has to take charge to get the descsions made and everyine happy. We had a wonderful time and had great company. It is so great to be able to get 21 of our closest friends together and have a night of catching up and fun. Thanks you all for making it such a joyous celebration with lots of laughs. For those of you who couldn't be here to celebrate my 25th and Roberts 28th here are the pictures. ( the only ones not on here anr Brian, who bought me some gorgeous roses and Chris) See you all next year.....if we are here in SLC.

Robert, Gadas, Chris, Ryan and Kelsey waiting to be seated!!!!

Janice and Annette
Thanks Margo for putting together such a great night!!!! Can't wait to go to the Melting Pot!!!
Kevin King and his girlfriend. Sorry Kev. I'm bad with names just means we need to hange out with you two more!!!!
Wouldn't be a birthday with out a pictureof me and Kevin. At least I don't have umbrella's in my hair in this one!!!
Janice and Aaron Hamm
Drew and Allese Smith

Gadas and Annette

Tim and Monica

Ryan and Kelsey Frisbee
Erin and Kyle Evans

Everyone signig Happy Birthday...robert and I fighting over the candel

MMM...cake