Three Ponds Hike

Obviously, my diligence in keeping up on my posts/updates is a little lax.  But, better late than never!  These are pictures of a hike that we did at the begining of the summer called the Three Ponds Hike.  True to its name, the trail, which was actually a really sandy and dry riverbed, led to three red sandstone pools all pouring into each other.  It was really pretty, but I will say that walking through 5 inch deep sand for a couple of miles is rough on the legs!

 This is the very top pool, which looked pretty deep.

It was cool to see the reflections in the pools.

Kyle and his sister Gina. Say cheese!

Kyle's mom Pam came with us too.  It was loads of fun!

April Showers bring May Flowers

     It never ceases to amaze me how fast time flies by.  A lot happened last month, both good and bad.  Kyle turned 24 years old!  What an old man ;)  We had a great time celebrating his birthday, the birthdays of four of his siblings and my little sisters birthday!  Busy month for our families.  It was great to be with them all and to celebrate those special days with them.
     Kyle and I experienced a loss on April 4th.  I had a miscarriage.  I was 3 days short of 10 weeks and even though I wasn't that far along, all the feelings of excitement, joy and hope died as well.  I spent a lot of time praying about whether or not it was the right thing for Kyle and I to do, to try and have a baby...I had felt an assurance and peace that what we were doing was a righteous and worthy desire.  I had such a good feeling about it that I just assumed that all would go well.  The truth is, we can never really see what the Lord has in plan for us because in the tapestry of life we are only a couple of threads.  Only our Father in heaven can see the whole work of art.  Only he can really see what is best for us and help us understand that we need to just trust in him and have faith. 
    I felt like my heart was broken.  I felt so sure that because I had received a positive answer that nothing would go wrong with our baby.  I was sure that things would be easy.  Afterwards, as I struggled to understand why I had miscarried,  all I felt was confusion.  Confusion about why it had happened.  Confusion about why there were so many precious babies born into horrible situations with parents that didn't love or nurture them, when Kyle and I were here ready, willing and desiring to have our own baby, why it happened to us.  I felt like one in a million and that no one knew the grief and disappointment that I felt. 
     Then I remembered there was one who would understand.  So I prayed.  I prayed not for understanding, but for healing.  I knew that I needed to trust in my Savior that for whatever reason we lost our baby, it was necessary and that's all that I need to worry about right now.  I read and reread my favorite scripture, one that has brought me much comfort in the past, but that has new meaning and importance to me now.  Alma 7:11 says:

11. And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

     I came to KNOW that the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ is not only to be forgiven, but to be healed both physically and spiritually.  Because of my Savior I was healed.  He lifted me up and carried me through.  He made life good again.

     I don't know what will happen in the future, and I can't begin to guess because anything is a possibility.  One thing I do know, however, is that no matter what my Savior and brother Jesus Christ will be there to raise me up and carry me through.  That is the power of the atonement. 

 

Fabricy Caftiness

I have finally mustered up enough ambition to try making something.  More specifically, a crafty something.  Now, to put it in perspective, the craftiest thing I have ever done was decorate a Christmas tree.  Not very impressive at all.  So, in light of my latest accomplishment, this is a documentation of this rare event.  Just don't laugh....too hard....

Baby Booties!!! I was inspired, thanks to Pinterest, to create these for a baby shower gift.

They are a little rough around the edges, literally AND figuratively, but they came from the heart and that's what counts, right? :]

Voila'!

Snow, Snow, Snow, SNOW!!!!

Okay, just imagine that the title of this post is being harmonized by Betty, Bob, Phil and Judy from "White Christmas."  The scene is when they are sitting in the club car on the train talking about Vermont.  I should know, because I literally watched that show more than 10 times in the month of December last year.  Anyway, take the amount of snow that Vermont has to offer at the very end of that movie and decrease it by about.....99.9%.  Then you can imagine what outside looked like today. I was so excited for the first (and probably last) little snow sprinkle of the year!!  All I have to show for it are a few feeble snowflakes on my sweater sleeve....

Okay, eight beautiful and rare little snowflakes....how I miss getting snowed in!!

In case you are wondering what this random photo of a random dirt mound is, I was trying to capture the beauty of the weak little snow storm....hmmm, not so much, eh?  Trust me, it was there!

A very merry EARLY moring :)

THE VOW:
Kyle and I seem to have our times a little confused.  I told him that no matter what, I intend to be the one the always wakes up early on Christmas morning.  Whether it's just the two of us, we have children or we have to sneak out of the lockdown block in the Nursing Home in our old age, Christmas morning should start no later than 6 in the a.m. (at the latest!). 

THE TRADITION:
When we were growing up as kids, we would all hunker down in the same bedroom and try to sleep on Christmas Eve.  Of course at that time sleep was almost IMPOSSIBLE to come by, but some how I would always drift off and wake up with even more excitement and anticipation than I had when I went to bed.  The same ritual of running in to see the tree and the stockings preceded someone being chosen to go wake up mom and dad.  Of course we had no shame or reserve and would talk in overly loud voices, jump on their bed and even make annoying sounds to insure that they were sufficiently awake enough for us to return to the tree.

THE DILEMMA:
THIS year, as I said, we had our times mixed up.  We were here in St. George with Kyles family this year and we had a wonderful time!  We stayed up and played games and ate food.  Then Kyle and I came home and played more games and ate more food.  We followed this pattern until 3:00 a.m. on Christmas morning.  At that point I decided that it was finally time to go to sleep.  When I suggested this to Kyle, he looked at me with this confused and perplexed look and said, "But aren't we going to open presents?"

THE PERFECT MORNING :D
I was flabbergasted!  It seems completely unnatural to even consider opening presents on Christmas morning without even having gone to sleep yet!  I expressed as much to him and insisted that we had to go to sleep first and wake up and THEN open presents.  He looked me square in the eye and said, "But Caitlin, I am awake now"  He flashed his beautiful blue eyes at me and I melted.  So on Christmas Morning of 2011 at 3:00 a.m., Kyle and I celebrated our second Christmas together and it was wonderful :)

Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

There is one Christmas tradition that I vowed my husband and I would keep as long and there is strength in our backs and breath in our lungs; cutting down a real tree.  Sure, sometimes they are a little scarce on one side and too full on another.  Sometimes no matter what you do it won't sit any other way than lopsided. And yes, on occasion it a little uncomfortable to find little patches of lint covered sap all over your arms.  However, some of my sweetest and fondest memories growing up were when we would go as a family and cut down our own special tree.  Just let the good times roll.


The victorious man and his dog!  They don't mess around...



See? :) He just man-handled that tree and picked it right up! 



The finished masterpiece!  You can't really see that well, but the tree skirt is something that my Grandma Bankhead started doing for all of my sisters and I.  However, she passed away before she could finish and get the pieces got sewn together.  So last year, my mom gave this to us, finished, for Christmas.  It really is beautiful and wonderful!

Merry LATE Christmas!!

Gingerbread :D

Once there was a gingerbread man, Baking in a gingerbread pan. Raisin eyes and a cherry nose, Trimmed right down to his fingers and toes. A gingerbread man in a gingerbread pan! Here's the old woman who made him so sweet, A treat for her and her husband to eat, She made him with flour and sugar and eggs, She gave him a face and two arms and two legs. A gingerbread man in a gingerbread pan! Now open the oven to see if he's done, This gingerbread man, he know how to run. Out of the oven and onto the floor, Now run away out the kitchen door. The gingerbread man, he's out of the pan! Now chase him old woman, now chase him old man Chase him, yes chase him as fast as you can! Through the garden and out the gate, Catch him right now, before it's too late. The gingerbread man, he's out of the pan! Along came a cow who wanted a treat And the gingerbread man, he looked good to eat Run, run, as fast as you can You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan! Along came a horse who wanted a snack But the gingerbread man, he never looked back Run, run, as fast as you can You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan! Along came a farmer who wanted a treat And the gingerbread man, he looked good to eat Run, run, as fast as you can You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan! Along came a dog who wanted a snack But the gingerbread man, he never looked back Run, run, as fast as you can You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan! Along came a hog who wanted a treat And the gingerbread man, he looked good to eat Run, run, as fast as you can You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man I'm the gingerbread man and I'm out of the pan! Along came a fox who wanted a treat, And this gingerbread man, he looked good to eat. Jump on my back, my gingerbread pet, And we'll cross the river, so you won't get wet Mr. Gingerbread man, who's out of the pan! There was no place to go, there was no place to run And a ride on the river could be lots of fun! So off with the fox did Gingerbread go And what happened next, you already know To the gingerbread man, who's out of the pan That sly old fox had a de-lic-ious treat And the old man and woman had nothing to eat Not a bite was left for the cow or the dog, The horse or the farmer or hungry old hog There's no gingerbread man in or out of the pan! So let us go home and get out the pan And we'll make ourselves a new gingerbread man! And when he is eaten, we'll make us some more But this time we'll be certain to lock the back door! A new gingerbread man, in a gingerbread pan!  This is our niece Jaelie :) she helped us decorated our house!

And this is Jace our nephew :)

Hmmm...sideways photo of the gingerbread in pre-house condition.  Courtesy of Pam and Jessica, fantastic work!

Taking a break and just chillin...

Such concentration! You should have seen Kyles face!

The finished piece! Voila'!!!