I realized that I haven't done a random thoughts post in a loooong time. It's not that I don't have random thoughts, it's just that I forget that I have thoughts. ;)
It's weird to have my house pretty much clean all through for days on end. Now if I could just get someone to come look at it. Then buy it. Sigh. I placed an ad today that said "Cutest home in Vernal for sale". I think it's true, so I hope it catches somebody's interest. The problem is... not everyone appreciates old houses. It scared away our first looker, and the second looker knew the lady who lived here from the 1930s to the 1990s, so I think she was just a sweet curious old lady. I didn't mind showing her around though... she loved it! This is the way I see it: This house has been here for over 100 years, and it's still standing strong. I'm willing to bet that a lot of those new houses they throw together are NOT going to be around in 100 years. :)
Tomorrow the youth in our stake are going to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. I'm really excited... mostly to see the temple, but also to have a day where I have nothing to do but follow people around and sit on a bus. It sounds kind of nice right now. Actually, sleeping on a bus sounds really nice right now.
I got my first photography paycheck a little bit ago, which was super exciting. (Thank you, Tari!!) I decided to splurge on a
camera bag that I've really wanted for a long time. (You can look at it, but don't look at the price... it'll make you throw up a little in your mouth. ;) It's so much more "me" than my other bag, and it doesn't look so obviously like a camera bag.
There's a little patio area right outside our bedroom that used to have a hot tub... the hot tub froze and broke during the horrible winter of '08, so it's just been an ugly spot since. We bought a cute little fountain with an iron table and chairs, and now it's a really fun little area. I can't believe we never did that for ourselves... doesn't that always happen? You fix everything up when you're ready to move?
The kids have had fun with baseball/softball. Aubrey's team is in first place right now, Tyler's team does alright, and Cooper's team... well, they're consistent. They've lost every game, except one. Cooper looks really cute in his little baseball pants though, so it's all good.
I want some new flip flops, but I want some like I bought in Cabo. I haven't found anything suitable. That could be because there is no shopping here... I heard that flip flops were really bad for your feet. Like you should never, ever wear them. What do you really think the consequences of wearing flip flops are? Is it bad enough to never wear them again, even though they're the only footwear I really like to wear? (Except high heels... and apparently those are bad for your feet too. ;)
I need a good book to read. Nothing deep, because I really can't think... more of a book to escape. Something that will grab my attention and make me want to never stop reading, and make me forget that Brandon is 3 hours away and I can't sleep when he's gone. Any suggestions?
Aubrey won first place!!
I got a third place, but even better...
They used TWO of my photos full page for articles! (I am thinking they got a pretty good deal though... they don't have to give me any prizes, or pay for pictures for their articles... oh well, I'm published, and that's good enough for now! :)
Brandon just left to work far far away. We're all so sad, and we miss him already.
Luckily I've got my kids to keep me company. And the dog. Thank goodness I've got the dog. (For all you dog lovers out there... that was said with sarcasm. I didn't know if you'd catch that. ;)
My freckled boys will take care of the dog and the lawn.
And keep me in smiles all the time. (There's a touch of sarcasm there too...)
Good thing I just gave them haircuts... or I might've mistaken them for two cute puppies.
See this gorgeous girl on the left? She graduated today! Congratulations, Becca! (The girl on the right is gorgeous too, but she didn't graduate. ;) I sure love these girls.
Today I went to Tyler's 5th Grade Arts Program. They worked together as a class to make up a modern interpretive dance of chemical reactions. I know... you're snickering right now, thinking how lame that would be. BUT you'd be wrong. ;) It was totally cool. I was seriously impressed with what they came up with. About halfway through I realized that I should've been taking a video instead of still pictures, but hey, I'm not a perfect mom. I think we've established that already. ;) After the dance we viewed the "gallery" that had artwork for sale. I bought two original Tyler Smith's for $1.50. I am the ultimate bargain shopper! 
And... the picture of the day. Yum.
His name is Landon Russell and he was born Wednesday morning. They found out Monday that they were going to "have a baby"!
He weighed 5'14"... just a teeny little guy. He has SO much hair. Yesterday she had it all curly, and today she combed it in waves.
I tried to leave yesterday with him in my arms, but she noticed. Darn it.
They're the cutest little family, and they already seem like pros at the parenting thing. He's such a contented baby!
I want one. 
The story behind this photo is kind of funny... I went with Cooper to his 2nd grade field trip last Wednesday. One of these girls came over to me and said that another girl's mom wanted to know if she could borrow my camera to take a picture of the girls by a neat tree. I'm like... no way am I letting someone touch my camera...uh uh! So I went over and took it myself. :) Then I told the mom to give me her email address so I could send it to her... she said she didn't need to write it down because it's really easy. Then she proceeded to tell me a twenty word email address. It was longer than mine, and mine is long. Ridiculous. I told her she'd have to write it down for me, but she never did. Soooo... I guess I have a picture of some cute 2nd grade girls. People are strange. ;)
These are pieces of pottery that my dad made in a ceramics class that he took a few years ago. My dad is really inspiring... he has always wanted to "throw pots", so he took a class and did it. He decided he wanted to try a triathlon, so he did! And now he's run a 5K and is doing a bigger triathlon!
It inspires me to continue to learn and try new things... I hope I can always be like my dad. :) (p.s. Better with the light on or off?)
But... see this? That's a beach. And a lake. And those feet are mine. We went camping this weekend, and it was just what I needed. I didn't think I should go, because I have so much to do, and I tried to convince Brandon to just take the boys, but luckily he wouldn't listen to me. (What else is new? ;) This time it worked out for my good, though, so I'm thankful.
I still feel weepy, but I also feel hope. I know that things will be okay, even if it doesn't seem like it at times. How could you see beauty like I've seen this weekend and NOT know that someone is watching over you?
We found a beautiful camping spot, and ate delicious food, and relaxed. Then we relaxed some more, and the kids played catch (Aubrey practiced pitching). 
Then Brandon gave me picture challenges. He would tell me something I had to take a picture of, and the challenge was to make it interesting. Here's my sagebrush... I had a little help from the sunset, but there are no rules in this game! ;)
This is the view I woke up to. Oh, it was pretty... and the weather was perfect. I can't wait to go again.
When we got back today we showered and got ready to go to a dinner party at Jessica's house (a girl who works with Brandon). It was for everyone at work, but we were the only ones who showed up. They all totally missed out, because the food was delicious (she had prepared it all herself) and they live in an amazing place. They have a little cabin up in the mountains with gorgeous views and a little farm. I felt so at home, and I loved it. I even loved their dog... a huge St. Bernard named Tiny. How cute is that?
I loved this shy cow. She wouldn't come out to let me take her picture.
We watched tons of hummingbirds come to these feeders. Cooper was fascinated by them. He also had a fun time teasing the neighbor's hound with his s'more (yes, we made s'mores over the fire JUST AFTER we had all washed off the previous day's campfire smell :). Anyway, he'd move it back and forth, up and down, fast and slow, and that dog followed it with his head every time. We were all laughing... it was so funny. He did finally give the poor dog a bite. 
I made Brandon stop on the way home to take this picture. It just sums up everything I'm feeling today. Peace. Reflection. Hope. Gratitude.
