Opps!

So today I was doing an experiment with heavy duty acid (concentrated Nitric Acid) and I dropped about 10 ounces in my water bath, sample and all.  That was a bummer because no I have to run the sample again in duplicate and that I had a serious clean up project on my hands.  Oh well.  So to clean up I had to take all the water out of the bath, and rinse the water bath out so that the new water bath won't have concentrated acidic water sitting in there for a while.

 

When I had that water out then I had to neutralize it with baking soda and wait for it to react and balance out.  Once it has basically neutralized then I dump it down the drain very slowly...so I had five gallons and could do about a cup a minute with the water running full blast.   That took 3 hours.  I could dump it all at once, but this would result in our place having a spike in the acidity output into the system and we would get a huge fine...like thousands of dollars.  So I was trying to avoid that...

 

I also substitute taught a 6th grade group of classes at a middle school.  It was really easy, we just watched movies.  That was the plan from the teacher.  She has been out for three days because of her sick daughter.  I felt back, she seems like a great teacher but has a sick child...what is she supposed to do?

 

Well I am going to play with my daughter and tie some flies...then sleep.

 

Good night...

Funny People...

Well I had a class today and it was interesting because of the people in there.  It is a policy class and the personalities and opinions are really strong and quite polarized.  Also peoples mannerisms are so interesting as well.  Luckily there is a guy in my class who is a member as well and we hold generally the same ideas and opinions so that we can support each other.  The class definitely accomplishes most of it learning through reasoned (well most of the time) debate.  So knowing that there is someone else there that at least holds the same opinion is comforting.

 

Tonight an interesting person said that he thought all of peoples elementary education would be better if it was focused on group work.  I disagreed especially in my own case because I have rarely ever been in a group that I was equally matched with that allowed stimulated learning to occur.  He disagreed back saying there was lots of research and the professor who had actually taught 2 years as a 7th grade teacher said he would prefer to see that in writing to really begin to accept that.

 

I am sure that by the end of the semester I will love and hate each of my classes in turn... 

A day again...

It is funny how things happen again...and again.  Like work.  It just offers itself each day.  And the sun coming up...some days I wish I could sleep 2 days and nights, but that is probably just a long shot...when that happens again I will hopefully sleep.

 

Okay so it has been a long day.  I just read a 35 page reading for a class.  It is about economics and environmentalist stuff.  Interesting to say the least, but some assumptions I would give them.  So my body is really tired, but my mind seems to be running on all cylinders.  That is so nice when you just want to sleep.

 

Going along with the first paragraph it is funny what we go through each night getting kids to sleep.  Zach tries everything to get a bit more time awake.  I can't wait until he is a teenager and I will wake him up...the day will come.

 

So Zach lately has been trying out the new game of hiding things from us so he can keep doing it longer.  For example today he was cutting up these little kid graham cracker treats with nothing else than our cleaver.  He got that one out specifically and then when he saw Alison spying him he tried to hide it under the microwave and said oh I am all done in his little way.  It is funny to think that even at this age he thinks he is smarter than us, and tries to manipulate and decieve us.  I did it too...

 

 

Hmm...

Well I have to laugh at myself.  I have an office with three desks.  It was at one point shared with two other people. Now it is just me in here.  So do I need three desks?  Not really, but I definetely use them.  I have neatly organized on all three.  That way I don't have to file a thing.  It is pretty funny to see.

Today we went to a doctors appointment with Andrea.  She is doing so well.  Currently she weighs about 14.1 pounds.  Getting big fast.  That means she is gaining about a pound a month.  Wow!

Her heart is doing really well, the problems are all slowly going away.  It is looking like she will eventually have only a slower heart rate.  I am very excited.  We have come such a long way from the first day of worry about if she would even survive to birth.

It is heart going to a heart specialist with such a healthy baby.  I feel guilty for all the parents who have kids that may not survive at all.  I saw a 2 year old girl with a huge scar on her chest indicating open heart surgery at least once, it actually looked like twice maybe.  She was doing seemingly well.

Then I saw a 8 or 9 year old (or maybe 12) who looked like she was on deaths bed.  Couldn't walk without help.  I feel so bad for her.  The does bless and try us.

Also I wrote it in my journal (hand written journal) last night by our prophet has passed away.  For me this is quite a shock.  He seemed so healthy (he was 97 I think), but his time was up I guess.  I really came to know and understand the gospel when he was the leader.  It is interesting to think that my own children won't remember him.  Possibly not even the next one or two.  Wow.

Kids...

I am amazed at how much my children look alike...

 

Today I was looking at pictures from when Zach was about 8 months old.  If I didn't know better I would swear that they were about the same person.  They are different, but they are definetely siblings.  That is for sure. 

 

I have also been looking at the pictures I have taken in Ruby Valley and have discovered that I have about 25,000.  Wow.  That is even after a rough edit as well.  I amaze even myself...

Stumbling Block...

It is interesting where each day will take you.  For me today has been good. 

To start out with my wife and I discussed financial investments.  We had spoken about this subject with my uncle Don when we were in Arizona and she had some questions about how certain investments worked.  Like a 401K and some others.  Also we discussed how our goal of retiring by age 55 would be possible with me pursuing a phD.  We will have to see about that.  If we can invest wisely in things that will pay more than the normal 3% interest then we might be able to do it. 

Talking about that really got me distracted for the morning.  I didn't leave until 5 minutes to 8 am rather than my goal of 7 am.  I might have reached that goal but I was really just a bit too lazy. 

At work I think I was able to fix my machine.  It is an atomic absorber and testy at that.  The current problem is that it has a leaky hose in a very tight place.  I think that I was able to repair that satisfactorily.  We will see tomorrow when I fire it up again.  I hope that it works for me.  Please oh please.

This afternoon I have been working on  my thesis  and that is going well, but a bit slow.  That is how it will probably work out though so that is what I will do.  Slow and steady. 

So now I am about headed off to class again and really I can't wait to get home and see my wife and kids.  It really is to bad that this class is 3 hours. 

What a bundle of dough!

I guess I have had a generally good day of work so far.  I am about to head to class, but decided to write in my journal now as I am beginning to think about the days events.

 

I found out today that I got a scholarship for being a good student and having financial need.  I guess because I applied I got it.  It was worth 3000 dollars.  I am pleased that I decided to actually apply.  It tool me about 30 minutes off work.  I am pleased, I guess I have said that several time now.  Oh well.

 

I only had to spend about $135 dollars on my books for the semester.  That again was good news.  I think that my worst ever semester was when I had pay out about $750 dollars for books.  Anyway, things are looking good.

 

I need to clean up my little space so that I can go to class on time.  It is hard to go back to classes after 5 weeks off from them.  Oh well.

Home again...

Well my family and I have returned from yet another hairbrained trip.  This actually wasn't hair brainded at all.  We had a wonderful trip to Southern Arizona that allowed us to visit family and see a new national park and see cool birds. 

 

The new National Park was Saguaro National Park.  It was lots of fun to be there and hang oug amoung the gigantic cacti.  We saw lots of cool birds that were all new for the year and many new for me having ever seen. 

 

We also visited family in Phoenix.  It was my dad's sisters family.  The Mineers.  They are so much fun.  We talked for hours and enjoyed good food.  My kids loved them and they loved my kids. It was really nice.  One event that was lots of fun was Zach chasing their dog around the house.  They have a little dog and it was so fun to watch him go at that. 

 

It is late now though, so I am off to bed...

 

Enjoy!

Now that wasn't to hard...

Today I worked on getting the water bath I need for my lab.  My professor has been supposedly trying to get it for 3 months.  I have suspicions that he just has things he thinks are more important to do.  This is very aggravating.  I have been waiting for 3 months not being able to do anything else without it.  We talked and he said go ahead and see what you can find out.  I said okay.  I hate having other peoples jobs put on me but decided that it was best to do all I could. 

I called them and on the first try they were there and said that they would send me a cost estimate and how to order.  So this morning it was in my email box.  I am kind of peeved.  It has been 3 months of waiting and it took me 5 minutes.  What a waist of my time.

Anyway the rest of the day is going well.  I am working on fixing my other machine and it is going like normal, I get hurt while trying to fix something...the usual.

So now that I am needing other parts and stuff like that, I am going to eat lunch and head to another meeting.  Then I will start to have fun and plan my trip I am going on tomorrow...such is life.

Thesis Proposal...

Well today I did my thesis proposal.  I guess that this was the event of the day, or maybe the month.  Anyway, it was interesting to say the least. 

 

I spent most of the morning getting the paper work and other things in order.  This wasn't a big deal but was something that just needed to be done and it took time.

 

When I got the the room a 1/2 hour early I had no idea that I would have such a related problem.  Mine was that everyone except my advisor forgot and was late.  One person just didn't show up at all.  My advisor is sometimes impeccably on time while others late.  On person that came late said I told them the wrong location.  I thought oh no.  Well I checked what I had sent and it was correct and clear.  To add upon that it was correctly stated grammatically.  Anyway so that was sad.  We got three out a four people there and I went ahead and did it.  It went how I thought it would.  I passed but with lots of constructive criticism.  That is what I really wanted. 

 

I emailed the last person and she said that she was so sorry but never got the email about it.  To bad she told my advisor yesterday that oh yes she was planning on that tomorrow no problem.  Argh.  It amazes me that professors at this university (and likely many other places) refuse to be wrong, they always try and sneak a way around things so they will always have the upper hand.  That is quite juvenile and pedantish.  The absentee did say that I was welcome to come to her office and talk about the proposal with her.  On her territory.  That annoys me.  Oh well.

 

After I got home and was able to talk to me wife we went on a walk and in our friends yard we saw a rabbit.  This is in the middle of Vegas.  It was hopping around eating stuff.  Zach was excited and our friends the Smiths fed it some broccoli and it was funny to see a domesticated pet running around.  It was their neighbors and it was pretty funny to see.  Anyway.  That was the funniest part of my day for sure.

The eve of the big day

Today I am trying on to get ready for my big thesis proposal tomorrow.  I am excited and worried and some other things.  I guess I shouldn't be to worried but really I am begging for mercy in proposing that they accept my proposal for thesis work.

 

That is the way of life.  I will work hard and what comes my way will be what I need and deserve.

 

Overall my day has been full of checking out details and making things look nice.  I also checked that the projector worked with my laptop and things are looking good so far.

 

I still need to head to work to try and fix my dumb machine but that is hopefully a small thing that now that I have the right tools I can quickly fix. 

 

I hope that this semester when I am working hard to get everything done with my thesis my little family is okay.  I know Alison can deal with more than I could probably work, but my kids sure like to see me a lot.  I also enjoy them a lot more than I like work.  That is the nature of work and family life.

 

Anyway, that is all I guess for today.

Sunday...

Well it has been a good Sunday.  In fact a great weekend.  I love the time I have to just hang with the family.  It really makes me a happy person.  Today I took a nap, made lunch for my wife and played with my kids.  What a great day.  I love it. 

 

I also got to read scriptures with my family.  I really like that.  We have done it every day this year so far.  That really makes me happy.

 

Today was my brothers birthdays, and I talked to them a bit.  It was nice.  They weren't really excited though.  I guess when I hit 24 I was kind of amazed that I was that old.  Oh well life goes on...

 

I hope all is well!

Saturday

My Saturday has been a good one to be sure.  I started out by going and doing some bird photography at the Henderson Bird Preserve.  That is close to where we live here in Vegas (that is 10 or 15 minutes).  I was putting my new camera the 40D Canon digital through it's paces.  It did pretty well.  I am impressed with the focusing improvement over previous models.  Well done Canon.

 

After that I headed home and watched the kids while Alison went to a Relief Society interview and then the Temple.  While she was gone I listened to a book on tape and cleaned the house.  All except for the Vacumming.  I felt really good about that.  The fun part was that Zach helped me do everything like washing dishes for an hour.  Then he decided he would skip the bathrooms and took a bath for almost 2 hours.  He had a blast.

 

Later we went for a walk and had fun watching the sunset over the vegas skyline. 

 

We got home and had dinner.  We decided that Ribs and Hotwings would be the ticket.  So we bought a rack of pork ribs and cooked them up with the wings. He had some stove top stuffing and apples.  It was a good dinner.  For dessert we had orange smoothies.  Wow that was great.

 

Then it was off to bed for Zach, I tied a fly and Alison posted a load of pictures to our family website at www.chrisandalison.name.  Check it out, it is an overview of all the fun we had over Christmas break. 

 

That is it for tonight!

 

My Wife...

I must say and tell you all, that my wife is amazing.  I love her.  Definetily my life is good because of her.  She makes things oh so good.  I am really thankful for her.  Wow I am lucky.  I go and do things I like all day, so does she and everything works out amazingly.  I love being with Alison. 

 

I am going to go cuddle with her in bed right now!  I love her!

What a Day...

Well I was back at work today for the third day after my vacation and I was able to really get a lot of work done.  I found out as well that my professor hasn't as of yet ordered the water bath we need to replace the one we have that has broken.  I am basically waiting to do all the rest of my projects that all involve the water bath.  This wouldn't be very bad but I have been waiting since the middle of September of last year.  This is putting me very behind schedule. 

 

My kids are so funny.  Andrea is so happy to be home and have a schedule.  She was visibly relieved to be put in her bed.  She liked that a lot.  Zach hasn't however been feeling well.  He is really whiny and incredibly clingy.  When he wakes up he just starts out winy and wants to be held.  Oh well.  We think that he is having growing pains or something that causes him constant pain.  It is hard being a parent to a kid when he hurts and can't really tell you what is wrong.  That is really annoying. 

 

Tomorrow I am going to try and fix my atomic absorber.  It needs a few hydrolic hoses and a way to refit some pressure seals.  That involves me going around to a few different stores to get hydrolic hose and a tool to make more pressure fittings.  It shouldn't be to bad of task.  We will see how things go. 

 

So far things on my goals are going well.  I have posted a new picture for everyday of this year.  I guess that I am 11 days into the year, and have only 354 more pictures/days to go.  I am excited about that.  My google ranking is increasing as well with this project.  I am pleased with the results.  Many of which I didn't expect or hope for.  That is what I like about doing bigger projects, unexpected benefits. 

 

That is all for tonight!

Kids stuff...

So Zach is so desperate to be like us that he copies us.  He repeats regularly things that we say.  The most interesting thing is when he copies what we do.  The hardest thing is when he copies what we do with and for Andi. 

 

We let her put our fingers in her mouth.  At this point in life she wants everything in her mouth.  Well he decided that he was going to put his finger in her mouth.  Well he stuck it strait down the tube.  She gagged and then cried. 

 

From now on that is one thing we are going to try and stop doing, so he may stop.  We will see.

 

Oh well.  This is what parenting is about I guess.  It is just a lot more interesting when you have two kids that interact...

hmm...

Well I am back at work.  The trouble I had was getting there.  My usually route is torn up for some time of plumbing problem for the city.  This involves 30 inch pipes (4 of them) that run all through town up and down each road.  Oh well.  It was a lot warmer than Provo.  That was really nice.  Oh well I am in Vegas.

 

The amazing thing about being home, is my kids.  They are relieved to be home, and are back in their routine without a fight.  It is amazing.  I have far better children than I deserve.  Andrea is a bubble of excitement.  She just love everyone around her.  I am lucky to have her in my life!  Zach was extremly excited to play with his old toys, and had his clean room taken apart quite quickly.

 

Good times. 

Home again?

Well I think I am back at a place that I call home.  After being in Provo with both of our families for so long I wonder why I am coming back to Vegas.  I have work to do.  If I had always stayed with family I wouldn't have been blessed how I have been.  More is to come.  I really believe that.

 

The hardest part is getting back to work.  That is what I dred.  The nicest part yet is realizing that we are glad to be back because our boy went to sleep far easier this evening than almost the entire break.  That is a relief.  Ali and I actually could sit down and play a game.  I had a snow cone as well.  My mom gave me a nice snow cone maker.  Thanks if your reading this...

 

 

At the end...

Well our days in Provo are at an end.  We have been here since the 20th of December and now it is the 6th of January.  Tomarrow we are heading home.  We are still in debate whether we will stop in Bryce Canyon, but that is a nice possibility. 

 

I have really enjoyed being here in Provo with family.  It is really nice.  I wished I could have gotten the camera but that didn't materialize in time.  Oh well.  That is life.  I have patients. 

 

The sickness that has been going around has really wiped out about the entire family.  We are lucky there is a quick recovery.  Up to this point myself and my baby Andrea are the only ones that have been able to escape it.  That is 14 of 16 people that have had it.  I am really amazed.  That blows me away.  I am blessed to be able to keep my health the way that I have. 

 

Lets see...I am kind of at an end of what I have to say.  Today we are going to have a party for Nathan and Keven (my brothers) to celebrate their birthday which is next week.  I kind have no idea what to get them for their birthday, but I am sure that it will come to me. 

 

I am excited for this year.  I have lots of things ahead of me and I am positive that more good will come.

 

I guess that I should list a few of my goals as well.

 

This year I have the goal to

     -  Reach 400 life birds by the end of the year.

     -  Get 100 great photographs of birds that would be possibly used for an exhibit.

     -  Finish the Ruby Valley Project.

     -  Read the New Testament.

     -  Tie 1000 fly's.

     -  Write in my Journal every single day.

     -  Set aside at least 7% of my income for retirement. 

     -  Beat my sister at our own biggest loser game (lose 10 pounds first and keep it off).

     -  Read 100,000 pages, and review 100 books.

 

So far this is what my goals are for the year.  We will see how that works out in the end. 

 

I guess this is the last thing.  I have really enjoyed Provo because of the amazing amount of snow that we have recieved over the time we have been here.  It really is cool to have snow.  I am just sad that we could take Zach sledding.  Every time the snow has been good we have had a sick boy.  Oh well.

 

One more.  Yesterday we went hiking up Rock Canyon after a storm.  We took Andrea, Jenny, Alison and myself.  The entire time Andrea was going nuts with excitement over something.  she was mostly looking at the snow and enjoying life.  That made me happy.  My 4 month old loved to be outside despite the cold, snow and wind.  She was dressed up warm, and she was very happy even with rosy cheeks. 

 

Okay, now enjoy...

Another Green Day...

Well I thought I was in the clear with the family sicknesses.  I was wrong.  That is the lot in life of the parent to be sure.  To be wrong.  You kids will always give you the opposite of what you actually think will occur.  I guess not always, but that has happened to me today. 

 

I thought Zach was better and he wasn't.  He wanted yogurt this morning and so we let him have it.  He promptly threw it up right back into the container.  Argh.  

 

On other news we had lunch with old friends, Anna and Mitch.  Anna was a childhood friend of Alison's and it was good to have lunch and hang out.  We went to Brick Oven.  That is kind of a classical place for the local Provo people.  I guess for students as well.  The food is still really good.

 

For now that is all.  We are heading from lunch to my house to hang with my family but on the way we have to get Zach from Alison's mom and I am waiting in the car with the sleeping baby.  Didn't want to wake up our little Andi.  She was quite fussy at the restaurant to be sure. 

Not quite there yet...

This morning instead of everyone getting better after a few hard days of sickness, we had two more people get sick.  This time it was Steve (Alison's dad) and Brent (Steve's brother who is visiting).  So with the 16 people that have gotten together over the last few days for the family things we have now had 10 of them throwing up sick. 

 

So far the only ones that have been able to escape unscathed is Andrea (which really surprises me, she has had the most contact with everyone), Myself, Kara (Alison's sister who is pregnant with twins), Nicky (Brents daughter) and Cindy (Brent's wife).  Wow I hope that we can escape with out getting sick. 

 

Today I have felt close several times.  I then realized that I hadn't eaten well at all and not slept well.  So I ate well and took a nap.  I am feeling much better now and hope that this almost sick moment is as close as I get.

 

Pukey Days...

Well the sickness in my family has spread to Alison as well.  She and Zachariah have now both thrown up and are miserable.  He much more than she.  She is actually feeling quite well (for having thrown up twice).  Oh well.  We are getting better.  Tonight was hard, Alison was not feeling well and both my children needed attention.  Andi needed food and Zach wanted to be held so he could more convincingly demand drinks. 

 

I fed her and told him to sit at the foot of the stairs between sips of drinks.  It all worked out. 

 

A monumental day for Andi had her eating more then 1/2 cup of rice cereal and peaches.  She is only 4 1/2 months old and already getting to be a little piggy.  I am loving it.  I think she really does like to eat.  Zach has always been distracted to eat very well. 

 

I also got more work done on my thesis.  I am not spending all day but am getting several hours of work in.  I am feeling good about things. 

 

Today I also tied flies with Jenny.  We had a lot of fun.  We tied Twisted Damsels.  She picked it and I am actually excited about them.  We are maybe going to try to go fishing this Saturday.  We will see if that works out.

 

That is all for tonight.  I finally got them all to sleep and I had better try and get some while I can...

Bed Time...

Well I am currently on my vacation going through many of the same things that I deal with at home.  It is not just me I must say.  This is something Alison my wife and I deal with everyday.  More so Alison than I.  Tonight though it is me.  We are trying to get Zach to go to sleep.  Argh.  Well that is just the way things are.  He has a hard time relaxing and going to sleep.  However a nice thing is that currently all he wants is me in the room to be there so he doesn't get scared and I can be typing in my journal.  He is listening to the classical music with me and hopefully dozing off to sleep.

 

Our day got interesting at about 5 am thing morning when Zach threw up.  All over his pillow and blankets.  He was asleep so we just left him but argh.  So this morning we got him up and gave him a bath and I cleaned up the barf.  He promptly threw up again in the tub so that his stomach was definitely empty.  I thought it was already when I got to listen to dry heaving for hours.  Mainly from 5 am on.  He has been tired and achy all day long.  I feel bad for him.  Being a two year old, barfing and feeling achy all over is no fun.  He isn't himself today.  Later when his cousins came over he was actually feeling better and played a bit.  He still isn't tip top.  For example because he is going to sleep much easier that I thought he would possibly.  He also chose to sleep in the crib.  For him this is really weird.  He usually demands the floor so he can play longer. 

 

My siblings started back to elementary and high school today.  I feel bad for them.  My classes don't officially start until about the January 22.  I have three more weeks.  I do however have lots of work to do before then.  I don't have endless time to blow. 

 

One thing that hasn't really come together for this break is my hope of getting a camera to replace the one that I lost several months ago.  Well it broke down.  It didn't get lost.  That is the story.  I did well to save up for the camera and buy it with cash.  I am proud of that.  For me that was a real trial.  The bigger trial now is that I am getting it through my brother Keven who works at a camera store on a pro deal and it is taking forever.  Really a long time.  I am wondering if it is worth the 200 hundred dollars that I will actually save.  So far I am saving about 10 dollars a day for waiting.  Sadly I think that this will get to be less saving per day instead of the instant having right now feeling.  Oh well. 

 

I am also having a good time this break fly tying.  I do enjoy fly tying a lot and maybe a lot more than fishing itself.  I like creating a fly that is really cool as a finished project.  I enjoy the craft of the creation most of all. 

 

What else...I think maybe for tonight that is all that I have to say...Anyway.  I am having a good time here in Provo.  I am kind of sad to think about the day we have to pack up and head home.  Oh well. 

My break...

I have had a good vacation while away from Vegas in Provo.  It has been about 10 days now and we are on the outlook of heading home in 7 days.  Anyway time flies for sure.

 

I guess our break started out pretty neat with a nice trip to Idaho to visit family on my mom's side for party we have each year.  We had it at my cousin Eric's house he just finished building.  It was so new you still could smell the paint, and other things that signify it.  Eric is younger than me by two years.  He has been working at building houses since he graduated from high school several years ago and he is doing pretty well.  I am proud of him.  A bit envious, but I realized (before I got to jelous) that liked the house but it wasn't what I wanted, and I definitely wouldn't choose to live there in order to be able to have a house that was affordable (they live in Blackfoot).  The area is nice, and would be a great place to grow up and live but not really my style. 

 

Anyway it was fun to see cousins aunts, uncles and grandpa's and grandma's.  Zach really liked playing with my cousins kids his age.  He was a bit tired after riding in the car all day long after he rode all day long the day before coming from vegas.  We did have a lot of fun. 

 

This trip to Provo is a bit unique for us because we are staying with my parents instead of hers.  We are actually staying with her parents for half the time and my for half the time.  My parents have their basement open over Christmas and  so we are staying with with them while their apartment isn't rented.  Actually we have since left.  It was really nice.  Especially having two rooms, one for us and Andi and one for Zach.  This was a good thing.  Zach slept very well there.  He actually only had a hard time there becuase he slept on the floor.  Other wise he has loved playing with his Aunts Jenny and Melissa.  Lots of fun for him. 

 

I enjoyed having an entire kitchen to spread out my fly tying things and tie flys for my brothers Christmas presents. The funny thing about that is that I kept tying and tying all the time that they came down and they thought that I was just doing it for the heck of it.  They even played with their presents several times before I gave it to them on Christmas day. 

 

We have also had fun running into old friends from college.  Alison went today and talked with friends that used to help us tend our kid, and we also met up with friends that we had in rexburg that were climbing buddies (Spencer and Ivy) and now we are much more parenting buddies.  That is really funny because we realized that now between the four of us there are now five more people, more than the progenitors.  That was actually really cool to see and experience. 

 

I also had a good year for birding end with a bit of a fizzle.  I didn't get my month goal of 100 bird species for december ruining my record of 13 months.  I knew that December would be the hardest months, but oh well I still ended with 87.  So that was pretty good.  My main goal of getting at least 300 birds for the year was obtained in the first part of December and I eventually ended with 305 species.  A funny thing about that goal was that I got a bird for this year that I never saw last while I was walking through the park.  Oh well that will happen every year.  This year I started with the American Dipper.  This is a bird that always plays in the water.  It really makes me happy.  That is a great bird to get things going. 

 

This is all for now, so enjoy and I will write more tomarrow about our latest!