Play, Play, Play!

Brother/Uncle's for morning swim.


Mom/Grandma's for afternoon BBQ.


Friend's for evening meal, playtime, and sleep-over.


Raid friend's sewing room for obsessive scrap sewing (these blocks are cut 3.5", the record holder (in this group) has 24 or 25 different pieces of fabrics.


Come to think of it, this may also be my record for the most blocks pieced in one sitting!

Crazy?

I think so!

But, oh-so-much-fun!!!

Drive Time

We departed (shockingly) as scheduled by 6 am and were immediately blessed with an amazing sunrise. While I’ve witnessed many gorgeous sunsets in Rio Rancho, this was the first sunrise I’d seen… and it was impressive enough to make me contemplate getting up early just for the occasion.


At the Arizona/New Mexico border, I saw the most stero-typical oriental tourist… one shot from the driver’s seat captured her:


Gorgeous blue skies on the high-plains:


More blue clear skies in the mountains:


The blue skies stayed with us all the way down to The Valley of The Sun:


I also think of this mountain as being covered by “Marching Cacti Soldiers”.


I just love the desert-scapes as seen on The Beeline Highway.


We stopped by the house Tom and I owned in Mesa. I was delighted to see only two changes to the front yard landscaping AND to see how well the yard has come in (when we left it had only been planted about two years.)


Can you see why I so love to drive in Arizona? It is SO BEAUTIFUL!!! I love me home-state!

WOW Wyoming Photography from Fieldtrip

I've been working a lot this week with photos from my Yellowstone Geology Field Trip last September. I received photos from six classmates. With my photos, there were over 1,700 from 4 days. I've been organizing them into a chronological-thematic succession.

This afternoon I paused and worked on some panoramas and montages. I really like them!

Collection of Macro Photography by Myself and Others

Wyoming route 191, North between Rock Springs and Farson. The Rockies Bear Tooth Mountains are in the background.

Red Canyon

The Chugwater Formation

Travertine Terraces in Thermopolis

Somewhere on the route North to Cody.

Nez Perce's Last Stand along Shoshone River

Near the Highest Peak (along the Axis of the Bear Tooth Mountains) in Wyoming.

Tetons with Snake River Below

Cathedral Formation of Tetons

The Grand Tetons

Montage of Nature and Man-made Formations

Montage of People on the Field Trip

While I made all of these panoramic photos and montages, and most of the photos were taken by myself, some of them were taken by others on the trip, including: Ryan Deichmueller, Michelle Gatti, Carmen Meeks, Madisen Mitchell.

Time Moves On, but we're Staying in Arizona - For Now.

The boys and I won't be back in Wyoming until mid-April. Monday my 95 year old Grandmother Decided to Move On with Her Journey through Time and Space. So. I'll be spending more time here helping my Aunt (who's 75) to clean out my GM's place and prep it for sale.

The boys and I are fine with all of this... actually, they miss their Dad, but they are having fun in the warm weather with our friends and family here.

Road Trip - California

So, Tom's doing some training classes (for Work) in California for two weeks. We drove over last weekend, spent this weekend sight-seeing and will drive home next weekend. During the weeks (two) the boys and I are exploring and enjoying all sorts of activities. We're in Dublin, California, about 30 miles east of San Fransisco. There is just SO MUCH to see and do here! We're actually WIPED OUT from all the running!

Here are our activities so far:

Friday 19 September - Play date, Final Pack and Load of Van, Nutcracker Auditions
Saturday 20 September - Drive from Wyoming to Lovelock, Nevada, Stride Rite Outlet
Sunday 21 September - Leisurely drive to Dublin, California (missing our freeway turn and thus getting to see the Ocean for the first time on the visit), Stride Rite Outlet, Fry's Electronics, Mall (Dinner), Grocery Shopping
Monday 22 September - Target, Dentist (Suzy - Teeth Cleaning), Goodwill (silverware and dishes for room, small side table)
Tuesday 23 September - Planning, Optometrist (Frank & Suzy), Shopping, Dentist (Tom - Teeth Cleaning), Yarn Shop
Wednesday 24 September - Joanns Superstore, Fry's Electronics, Jelly Belly Factory Tour (45 miles away)
Thursday 25 September - Oakland Museum (30 miles away) via BART (Electric Train), Laundry
Friday 26 September - Target, "Knit This, Purl That" Yarn Shop, McD's (1 hour playtime), Quilt Shop (the first on the trip), Kohl's, Dentist (Tom - Filling), Yarn Shop, Kohl's
Saturday 27 September - Bay Bridge, San Fransisco (2 Hobby Shops), Golden Gate Park, Nudists (run-away!), Golden Gate, Muir Woods, Tilden Valley Steam Trains, Spaghetti Dinner (about 100 miles round trip)
Sunday 28 September - Fry's Electronics, Northern California Renaissance Faire, Mimi's Cafe, Barnes & Nobel, Target (about 160 miles round trip)
Monday 29 September - Laundry, New Tennis Shoes (Suzy), Rest, Optometrist (Suzy, check contact fit), Dentist (Suzy, touch up to cleaning), Groceries

Still Planned:

Tuesday 30 September - Errands, Get ready for Birthday, Tires (Order)
Wednesday 1 October - Frank's 6th Birthday!
Thursday 2 October - Aquarium? Monterey Bay? Other?, Laundry
Friday 3 October - Pack, Load, Reno?
Saturday 4 October - Driving
Sunday 5 October - Arrive back in Wyoming, Unpack

Is it any wonder we're exhausted?!!? I'd wanted to go to the Winchester Mystery House today, but the boys and I are all wiped out and they've been acting up, so, I've been ditching the big outings and doing smaller things as well as spending more time in the hotel room.

I've been quite ponderous while I've been in the city. Perhaps I'll find a moment to blog about it soon.

One thing of note. You know how when you travel and you just want to go home? Well, right now, I have a sense that I just want to go and rest... in Arizona! Even though we've been living in Wyoming for 15 months, when I'm at my most tired, and people ask where I'm from, I'll instinctively say "Arizona" and when they ask for my zip code, I give them my Mesa one. If I'm coherent, I'll say "I'm from Arizona, but I've been living in Wyoming the past year now." I just can't transition to being "from" Wyoming. Somehow, I doubt I ever will.


Post Script: No providers accept our dental or eye insurance in our area. We've actually been told "there's a shortage of doctor's here; we don't need your buisness." This was in defense of not adjusting their bills to match "usual and customary" insurance charges. So, annual eye exams, glasses, and teeth cleanings happened at the beginning of our trip. Cheaper and just plain easier here. Not to mention, we received superior service and choice of frames. :D

Traveling by The Tree of Utah

Yesterday we began our journey from Southeastern Wyoming to Northern California. Previously, I've never been West of Salt Lake City, Utah or North of Bakersfield, California.

Pretty much as soon as we went past Salt Lake International Airport, I began to be treated to new scenery. The first clue of what was to come being the Morton Salt Plant. I've heard of "salt flats" before, but really hadn't given them much thought. Who was to know that a Salt Flat basically looks like a big field of flat snow?


What about the fact that when you walk on the field of snow, it crunches under your feet? Trying to break it up with your fingers is a tough endeavor. Better off to use your BRAND NEW shoes...


When you lick it? Yep! It tastes like salt.

But what's this? From a distance Tom thought it was a Cellular / Satellite Relay tower.


We needed a break in this vast (80 miles or so) field of salt flats. So, why not stop and inspect this oddity? We were greeted warmly by a barbed wire fence and "Emergency Parking Only" signs. As well as this...


"I didn't do it" says Tom while Jack shakes his finger at me...


What's going on here? Did these "pods" fall from the structure? They certainly are located regularly around it's base. What happened? What is this, Thing?!


Why, it's "The Tree of Utah", of course!


A quick internet search will procure you plenty of commentary on this piece of Modern "Art".

What we procured during this stop, was a small piece of glass / rock, some natural salt crystals, about $4.50 in change, and a Cabela's Token.


Which was quickly divided between the boys.


From the internet search, we learned that this structure is made of native materials of Utah, and was donated to the State of Utah by it's owner / creator. We also learned that the creator spent Millions of Dollars on the Tree, but didn't feel like springing for a freeway off ramp... because he didn't want people to stop and look. The State of Utah feels the same and tries to keep people from stopping (thus all the "friendly" signage nearby).

What we couldn't figure out was why we found so many coins littering the side of the roadway. Our guess is that perhaps people toss coins out to "The Tree of Life" the same way they would into a fountain or a Wishing Well. Of course, it doesn't do a whole lot of good to leave them sitting in the gravel along a deserted highway. Maybe we just stole away someone's "wishes" and maybe we granted a few wishes for my boys, for they are delighted to have pockets-full of money!

A Day Out with Thomas Recap

It’s been two years in the planning. My father-in-law and I wanted to take the boys on A Day Out with Thomas trip. We were going to do it last Spring, in Arizona, but Tom left the state the month before-hand and I was very busy prepping a house to sell. So. We rescheduled. This past weekend, we drove and my FIL flew into Salt Lake City. Then, we stayed at a rented Townhouse in Park City (which was half-way between the train and SLC).


The boys knew we were going to meet their Grandad and spend a few days together, but they didn’t know about the trains until the morning of the trip. Here are a few pictures as well as their own descriptions of the day:

Jack's Description:

I was riding on the Hollow Express. I was riding on the big Thomas. I was standing on the big train. I took a nap on the Soldier Hollow Express.

Frank's Description:

We're back from our vacation. We went to Salt Lake to see my Grandad. They surprised me and Jack with riding on Thomas and the Soldier Hollow Express. They are trains that we got to ride on. I had fun riding on Thomas the Tank Engine. Daddy bought us (actually, Mommy bought them and had Daddy fetch them from the van and give them to the boys) some wooden Thomas the Tank Engine toys, Gordon and his tender, and brother got a Breakdown Train. We have lots more of wooden Thomas the Tank Engine trains that are wooden.

The boys had their first Cotton Candy experience... they each ate less than half and were all-sugared-out! I thoroughly enjoyed having my very own “Sugar Floss” (although I could have eaten off of theirs).

We waited and waited in a good sized line to have a picture with Thomas the train. As we approached the front of the line, Thomas departed for a 25 minute trip.


We waited for his return. When we finally got to the front of the line, here are the great pictures I was able to get! :P Oh well… as Pioneer Woman says, just “keepin’ it real!”


The weekend started out with drizzly rains. They continued off and on while we were at The Thomas Event. It actually made for a temperate day and interesting, refreshing weather. Blue skies and sunny one minute, drizzly and gray the next. It was the perfect temperature throughout, though, which was a blessing. Here's a view from our Thomas train ride:


We climbed around on some old engines and train cars. This old caboose just begged for the "Vintage" action from Pioneer Woman's Action Set!


Actually... truth-be-told... I took that picture, of the guys on the caboose, with the Vinatge Action in mind... hee-hee!


This was one of my last shots of the day... right as we were returning on the Soldier Hollow Express (a 90 minute, okay, it was advertised as 90 but really was only 70 minute train ride). I was trying to catch the fact that the cars were waiting for us, while we were on the train, and I did! I got the flashing lights, the train seats, the crossing bars, the waiting cars. I only had a few seconds and luck was with me for the shot!

Anyway. We had a great day! They opened at 9. We arrived at 11. Our Thomas ride was at 1:30 and the second longer ride was at 3. We left at 4:30. Our crew would have been happy with the 11-2 schedule, but, I still think it was a nice way to wind down by just sitting on the second train and watching things go by. Frank sat and talked with his Grandad at one end. Jack fell asleep leaning against Daddy. I took pictures of it all. :D

Sweet Tour

After picking my Father-In-Law up from the airport yesterday, we went to the Sweet Candy Company for a tour. Have you ever had candy fresh off the line? It's amazing! Certainly not stale; it's warm and soft, not yet set, just delicious!


I found out about the Sweet Factory from Factory Tours USA. The tour was a fun, free, informative stop on our weekend itinerary. I definitely will look for more tours as we travel in the future!

Perhaps the best/worst part about this tour is the discovery of the factory itself... it's just three miles from the Salt Lake City Airport and a stone's throw from Tom's Office for work. So. When we want fresh candy (they make over 250 kinds), we now know just where to get it! :D

Toddler Travel Tips

I was talking with my cousin today. She's thinking of taking a 1,000 mile journey, just her, two toddlers, and their dog. I mentioned that I have learned several things that make the traveling "not difficult" and "almost easy". She told me that I should share with the Blogging World. So, here I am. Off the cuff, raw and uncensored...

1. Plan ahead, especially for packing.
2. Plan what you'll need at your destination, load it first.
3. Plan what you'll need on the trip and load it last.
4. Pack one suitcase / bag per day on the road, put everyone's clothes (including PJ's in the first nights bag) in it.
5. Put extra "bottoms" in the daily bags for the recently potty-trained and or diapered children. This way the diaper bag isn't bulging, but you've got what you need.
6. Include a pillowcase in each suitcase. Put the dirty clothes in the pillowcase.
7. Fold dirty clothes as they go into the pillowcase. If someone has an unexpected "need" for cleaner clothes, you can often pull something out of the laundry bag, if it's folded, then it's not all wrinkled.
8. Wear comfortable layers (ie: overalls are not generally comfy for little ones... especially with all their seat belts.)
9. Make sure the children's car seats are properly installed.
10. Make sure all seat belts are used properly... which means that little one's are strapped down fairly tightly, but securely. It's no good to have them in a car seat with loose shoulder straps and in an accident they go shooting out the top like a bullet!
11. Give frequent stretching breaks. At least every 90 minutes to two hours. Think of how stiff you get, and you can wiggle and move in your seatbelt... those five-point-harnesses are TIGHT and most car seats have very little by way of padding.
12. Stretching breaks should not involve more "good behavior" or sitting. They should involve (at least walking) and preferably climbing and or running.
13. I like to take breaks at: rest areas, parks, school playgrounds (even in the tiniest towns you can find school grounds), and in unfriendly weather we stop at Wal-Mart. I also like to stop at dirt piles, hills, and "brown signs" (usually historical types of markers).
    
14. Wal-Mart breaks are beneficial because you can buy healthy, economical snacks, after taking a "lap" around the store... with everyone (who can) walking. Non-walkers should be carried (as opposed to put in a cart or car-seat carrier. The point is to stretch and cuddle. You don't usually need a cart for shopping either, because you are taking a break, not doing you shopping. Although, often something is "forgotten" or needed on the road, and these breaks allow you to pick up whatever that item is without "wasting time" in a big store... because you are using the fact that it's a big store to stretch.
15. Go to your library and check out books on CD/tape. I recently discovered the Artemis Fowl series this way. When traveling with kids, just go to the Child's or Young Adult sections for stories everyone can enjoy (or learn from). My library let's me check out an unlimited number of audio materials for three weeks... and I can renew over the phone, so, even on a long road trip, I can get plenty of materials. I've found this tip really helps ME... especially if I'm feeling groggy. Having a story line to pay attention to is very helpful.
16. Headphones for electronic learning tools (Leapster) and or games. If more than one item is going, I go nutso. I picked up each of my boys a folding set of headphones for about $6.50.
17. Pack a variety of toys. This is an area I've struggled with. I want to bring a lot, but found they tend to play with the same 3-5 things. So, remember to PACK LIGHTLY.
18. I do keep a box of special "Travel Toys" that they only see on trips (View Masters. :D)
    
19. Put toys in their own bags to help contain pieces. (I pick up small zipper bags at thrift stores to hold each toy seperatly.)
    
20. Put a bucket / basket / tub in between seats for toy containment.
21. Bring extra batteries.
22. Plastic lids from medium/large storage tubs make great multi-purpose lap desks. If they have trouble balancing (many car seats have edges that hold the lid), put a pillow or blanket on the lap. These are good for: helping to hold pieces, drawing, writing, automobile toys, snacks.
23. Lots of expensive snack cups out there... I just keep a stack of the "freebie" plastic cups we get when we eat out. They are about 4" tall and 3" wide. Sized well for little hands AND they fit between the legs. Whenever I give out a snack, I put the pieces in these cups and hand them back. They also fit in cupholders.
24. Back to toys... I usually have a few "new" things with me. It avoids buying things at gas stations, and allows me to have something on hand when I really need it (when someone's screaming their head off with an hour left to drive).
25. I seldom make advance reservations for hotels, but, I do have a few favorite places I'm discovering, so, I keep their numbers handy.
26. Often, you know about when you're going to stop while driving (like we can drive another hour, or two, or whatever). When I get to the point of knowing how much longer / farther we can / will drive for the day, I'll call my hubby at home. He gets online and on the phone and makes me a reservation. I like this over just driving an unfamiliar route and "hoping" I find a decent, good-priced place.
27. Plan ahead - look up shops / things that you're interested in (for me it's quilting) and put together a sheet with their addresses and phone numbers (maybe even store hours). Then, if you want to take a break, you can stop at some place you like for your stretching.
28. Be willing to do the unexpected... Jack woke from a nap on a recent trip. He'd slept from 11 to 1. We had been snacking on sandwiches I packed, so we weren't hungry, but we needed a stretch. He saw a coal power plant puffing water condensation into new clouds in the distance. He said "what is that?" followed by "I want to see inside it." I stopped and ask, figuring we'd at least stretch out. We wound up on an hour long private tour! It doesn't hurt to ask, and being willing to listen, even to a three year old's ideas, can turn out to be fun (and educational) for everyone!
    
29. Pack sandwiches and fruit to munch on while you're driving. So much easier, more economical, and healthy than stopping for burgers constantly! Also allows you to save / spend your break time doing fun things and stretching.
30. Portable Potty Seat - Potty training while driving in the middle of nowhere. They sell fancy travel seats, but I came up with something using what I had. I put two matching (similar) height suitcases on the ground. Took the potty seat we have (that fits over a toilet), and wrapped a plastic bag around the handles, front and back. Then, I hung the handles over the suitcases. Instant portable seat with disposal unit (allow urine to drain out before tying a knot around other things and storing in the trunk). Dispose of at first trash can!
31. Potty convenience - I have a big "beach bag" that is our "bathroom bag". It has the previously mentioned potty seat, a step stool (folding or just a little 6" high one), our hand soap, sanitizer, diaper wipes, Clorox wipes. I think you can figure out how handy this bag is. It's got a big opening to make it easy to fit the seat and stool in. It's easier to wash hands and use drinking fountains, as well as potties.
32. Snack Master - I make the five year old the "Snack Master". He has the snack box (I use a Sterilite box with snap on lid, either shoe box size or file box size, depending on the length of the trip) within reach. Whenever anyone wants something, he gets it. Makes it safer for me, and he loves to do it!
33. I seldom buy snacks for a trip anymore, I just pack up all those 1/2 used snacks and things from your kitchen / pantry.
34. Maps. From Google / Mapquest (of your planned route) and of each state. You can usually pick them up at the Visitor Info by the border of each state. Once you have them, file them for the next trip (in case you can't stop easily or they're closed or you want to figure something out BEFORE you get there.)

Okay. So. Do you think I should just write a book on traveling with kids or what?!!??!

One more bonus idea:

1. Take whatever your kids are interested in, and turn it into a theme for the trip. I recently did this with The Solar System. Our van turned into a "spaceship". I brought along the plastic placemat we have, and figured out how many miles between each planet (Pluto was in Lander and The Sun was in Mesa). I also calculated how large each planet in our model would be. Then, while we drove, we would stop wherever our "planet" was and find something the same size. It was really neat to find a cattle gate or a semi-truck or a pile of dirt the size of our planet. It also helped them to understand the vast distance between them. You could do this for timelines, historical periods... my mind wanders around all the ideas for this. The neatest thing was that we never knew where our next object would be, and often it was the middle of nowhere, but, it gave us something to stop for that was just for fun and for us, not because we were needing gas, or food, or to see a tourist attraction. Also, it afforded me a lot of teaching moments.

Muse through these ideas. Let me know of a few of your own. Perhaps I'll share more (if I can think of them... oh wait, they're are more coming...

1. Pack a "swimming bag" for everyone in the vehicle. That way, even in the middle of winter, when you stop at a hotel with a heated indoor pool, you won't have to freeze your tushie off opening EVERY person's suitcase and digging the items out (not that I have any experience with this or anything!)
2. Remember your old goofy, silly, kids songs and sing them to your kids.
3. PACK LIGHTLY!!!
   

And that's it. Really. I'm done. (For now.)

A Great Literary Series

When preparing for my last road trip, I went to the library and checked out several audio-books on CD. One of them was a literary series that we are really enjoying. It is a:

• Young Adult Fictional Series.
• Written by a European.
• About a pre-pubescent boy.
• The main character is brilliant and extremely wealthy.
  
• Audio and Video rights to the series have been sold.
  

Sound familiar?

Sounds like Harry Potter by JK Rowling, right?

Well, what if I add these points:

• Written by a Irish Man.
• About a Criminal-Mastermind.
• Whose parents are alive and well.

Now do you know who it is?

Artemis Fowl. Written by Eoin Colfer. Currently, there are six books in the series with a movie in the works.

• Book 1 - Artemis Fowl
• Book 2 - Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident
• Book 3 - Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code
• Book 4 - Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception
• Book 5 - Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony
• Book 6 - Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox

There are also some supplemental materials out like The Artemis Fowl Files.

You should go check it out. Really. Go to your library and check it out! Then, in a few days (that's all it'll take to read the first book), let me know how much you enjoy it!

I'm Back!

Just thought I'd give you a little warning that we are FINALLY back from three weeks of travels. You can expect me to begin posting again regularly... and also, a new feature has been requested, which I am working on... recipes.

I'll be back online again soon...