Topaz mountain and Dugway geodes

What a fun and interesting weekend...

Here it is the middle of June and we had CcccccOLD weather.  We were out in the west desert in the RV camping this weekend.  We first went to topaz mountain.  Grandma and Grandpa met up with us out there.  We headed out Thursday afternoon.  The weather was nice (a little on the warmer side).  We got out there and it was WINDY!  We got some sprinkling rain here and there, but we weren't prepared for the COLD weather.  John and I found a geocache.  Then he took the girls to find another one.  In the process, he found a GREAT spot to get some topaz.  He came back with the girls and I went up there with him.  We spent about a half hour hiking to the spot and then about an hour and some change digging out some beautiful amber topaz.  We got some really pretty pieces.  NOW we know what were looking for!!!  Saturday morning the weather turned worse and my grandparents pulled out to go home.  We headed over to the Dugway Geode beds.  We had got some GPS coordinates from someone that we met on our last trip to topaz.  It was a crazy drive in...we even broke off a valve for the grey water.  We got there and it was EVEN WINDIER!!!  If thats even possible.  We found lots of pretty geodes that were broken open just sitting around.  We walked to the open holes (the pit) and found lots of people digging in the sides of the pit.  We were just kind of poking around when another group showed up.  They were expert geode diggers and they taught us what to look for and what to do.  They were really helpful and nice to the girls.  John started feeling sick so he took Rachel back for a nap.  We went and got some tools and started digging too.  We found some nice geodes but before too long, the wind got the best of us and we left.  We got on the road and headed home.

What a fun trip.

There are always funny things that happen that are memorable.  One of those was while we were driving on a deserted road in between topaz and geodes.  We come upon a car that is stopped on the side of the road and there is a lady standing in the middle of the road and they have a bench grinder sitting next to the car.  There is no way we can pass them.  We stop and ask if they needed help.  The man asked if we had a jack.  He said that his wasn't tall enough and they had been driving for hours on this flat tire......that they "fixed"..........................with.......................................... *wait for it*...................................chewed up gummy bears that they made a paste to "glue" the hole shut, electrical wire (extension cord) that they wrapped around the tire and in between the spokes to reinforce it, and duct tape.  They had been driving on this for quite a while.  They could only go 10 miles per hour.  They had only seen 1 other car besides us in 4 hours.  They asked the other people for a jack but theirs wasn't tall enough either.  WHY DIDN'T ANYONE THINK TO JUST PUT A ROCK UNDER THE JACK TO MAKE IT TALL ENOUGH????  We got them our jack and they got their spare tire put on and away they went...back to Texas.  Lol!!!

Cake Pops....ohhh!

Last month we had a ward auction and someone made these cute "Cake Pops."  I finally got the recipe from her and I am so excited to try them!  Here is a link:

http://www.bakerella.com/make-your-cupcakes-pop/

and

http://www.bakerella.com/red-velvet-cake-balls/

They are SOOOOoo Yummy!  I think I will have to try them today!

What can 10 years do?

Today as we celebrate our 10 year anniversary, I look back at the last 10 years and all that has happened.

What can 10 years do? 

1.  It changes cute kids into teenagers / adults (Johns younger brothers, for example).
2.  We have 3 cute kids of our own.
3.  We have gone to college.
4.  John has had many jobs.
5.  I have become a mom and worked on this job for almost 8 of those years.
6.  We have a home that we have been in for 7 years.
7.  We have grown as people...and grown UP!!
8.  We have made many choices....most good, some not so good.

My list can go on and on.....and as I ponder on this today, I will probably add to the list.

What has the last 10 years brought for you?

What will the next 10 bring?

The garden is done...FINALLY!

After slaving away for hours and hours over the course of a week and some change......THE GARDEN IS DONE!  I fought waist deep weeds.  Banished snails.  Toiled with snakes.  Wrestled the wild ground cloth.  Strong armed bark and dirt.  But alas, ITS DONE!  I spent almost the whole day in the garden yesterday.  I got everything (including seeds) planted!  Whew!  What an accomplishment.  I have a nice garden area...and a good sunburn....to show for it.

As I worked in the garden, I pondered why the prophet has said to plant a garden.  Here are my top 10 reasons:

10. To teach us hard work and...exercise.
9.  So we know how to grow our own food...*just in case*
8.  To teach us patience (helping the kids isn't easy).
7.  To spend time with our kids and family. (Yep, I let them help with the planting...took FOREVER!)
6.  To teach us to have patience (when the snails devouter my freshly planted things)
5.  To give us time to meditate as we do a mundane chore (weed pulling).
4.  To "ground" us....using our hands and body to work in the dirt makes us healthier.
3.  To help us understand the "life cycle"  (seed, sprout, grow, bear fruit, die).
2.  To give us a sense of accomplishment.
1.  To TORTURE US....*mwahh ha ha haaaa!*  (I have lots of sore muscles!)

Let me know if you have any ideas of why the prophet has asked us to plant a garden.

(I got the comments section fixed!)