HOUNDS!!!

I don't have much to say about this other than it is absolutely gorgeous!

Birdie Domiciles

All cut and ready for staining.

Staining the first two roof's.  The first was too dark so I cut it with some clear.  Then it was too light...

Here we go!  This is much closer to what I was aiming for.

You can't tell that these are stained, but I promise that they are.

Nearly finished.  A little touch-up and some clear coat and our feathered friends will have some new housing options in the Spring.

Happy 10th Anniversary Got'cha Day!!!

10 years ago today, this kid entered our lives and made everything better!!! Love you crazy, Caleb!

 

Horseradish Update, Pt. 1

One of the crowns is going nuts!  There are three others with greenish areas growing but they're way behind in the race.

 

A Wonderful Sunrise

 

Thanksgiving With The Schmitz Mobile Chaos Unit

 

Steve, the Champion

Steve celebrating the Southeast Polk Football teams state title.

 

2021 State Football Champions!

I was watching warm-ups from the vantage point of behind the goalposts, hence the netting. When suddenly I got hit in the chest by a ball as the kicker was practicing field goals! Just thankful that it wasn't to my nose/glasses! LOL!

 

Rob lined up to catch warm-up passes from Jaxon, the starting QB.

Ball in the air with Rob running under it.

SEP taking the field!

Preparing for the National Anthem, the SEP boys lined up across the field with both teams cheerleaders intertwined with each other, which I thought was super cool!

These four...  hoooooo boy.  From left, Caleb, Gabe, Ben, and Caleb.

In the locker room after distribution of their championship hats!!!  He sure looks like a happy boy and I can't wait to talk to him when he gets home.  It's 12:55am as I'm typing this and they just got back to the school!

Congratulations to Southeast Polk for the 2021 football season!  State Champs for the first time!

Vaca 2021, Day 13, Pt 2 - Arches National Park

After we left the dino fossils, we drove the scenic route as, I don't know if I've mentioned this, but we're kind of fried.   Super cool park and we plan to end our vaca with a hot-air balloon ride over it.

It was a bit cool as there was a small storm system that we drove with for quite a few miles before it culminated in Arches and we actually got wet, but never were in the heavier precipitation.

Lets get on to some pics without much of my wordiness as I can't add much to them as we were mostly driving thru.

I love this pic despite the thumb on the side.  Rob looks pretty zen, in his 2021 SEP football t-shirt flipping the pool football as we put in our miles.  It's no wonder why he has such good hands for catching balls.

A bit of the storm system that I mentioned at the top.

I believe that it was in this parking lot (we actually had to hike to get this roadrunner/coyote view") where, when we went to leave, I put the van in reverse and proceeded to back out.  That is when I heard the absolutely terrified shrieking of a dad, that I immediately recognized and hit the break.  Turns out that his families toddler had run from the back side of our van, headed to the sidewalk in the front of the van where mama and siblings were.  We avoided a horrifying/life altering situation by a hair.  The mom and dad were nearly in tears and so thankful that I stopped and apologizing.  In my now shaken head, I was thanking the dad for his shrieking as it was my cue to stop immediately.  I shutter to think what would have happened if one of the boys were driving.  UGH!  Brings me to tears just thinking about it...

The Moab Food Truck Park that I previously mentioned.

The critters got Chinese food, Mama Chaos got a panini, and I ordered a small pizza with an alfredo pasta.  We all shared and it was outstanding food!

 

We were off to find our last AirBn'b.  It was easy to find and not a bad house at all.  We just wished that it had a pool like the house in Tucson instead of a hot tub, but we also realize that these are 1st world problems.  There was a community pool but we never found it...

Tommorrow is Canyonlands National Park early and then a fantastic (and scary!!!) adventure for later in the day.  Stay tuned, if you still are...