Tuesday, July 26
Save some moolah this summer
Our next door neighbor is an AC guy. He installs them, fixes them, and knows all about them. He recently recommended that we switch from Filtrete to Flanders air filters. They are sold only at Ace Hardware with a white cotton pad and a brown cardboard edge around it. I guess the super-ultra-mega filtration filters have such stringent filtration that they keep the AIR from flowing to the machine thus leaving your AC working harder than it needs to and your house stuffier than it should be. And the plus is that the Flanders filters cost $1.97 while the Filtrete filters cost upwards of $10.00 each.
Sunday, July 24
What I seen
Being in the mid-west-southern region of the U.S. was awesome and I loved experiencing a new climate, culture, and topography. Here are my general observations about this area that I saw.
1. It is so GREEN!
Things grow naturally here. People in AR don't have sprinklers and they mow every week. There are trees, bushes, plants, shrubs, ground cover, etc. everywhere in this area. For a girl from the west, living in the desolate desert, it is amazing to see so many living plants. Can I say Garden of Eden...
2. It is humid.
Humidity is death. It makes you sticky. You feel like you're breathing through a towel. It zaps your energy. It doesn't go away. It is what allows the trees to live like they do. It spares you from using lotion for dry skin. It is something I apreciated experiencing and enjoyed leaving.
3. It is quaint.
The cities I visited all had a home-town feel to them and you felt safe. There were neighborhoods then fields, then stores, then farms, then churches, etc. which made it feel more like a small town than a sprawling metropolis. I loved the interspersion of nature with the homes and wished there were more open spaces in our neck of the woods.
4. There are cemeteries, churches, and donut shops everywhere.
At least along my route I saw 9 cemeteries, 15 donut shops, and I-can't-even-begin-to-count how many churches. There is a real church going population in these towns and you can tell that you're in Bible belt country. I loved the cemeteries on random street corners and knowing that people had inhabited those parts for many many years. And as a true connoisseur of donuts, I was so happy to sample some of the local mom and pop dount fare. I have to say they make a good donut in Tyler and I loved the originality of each store.
5. "People speak funny"
We were in a store and a sweet woman called my girls "lil darlins" in an awesome southern drawl and Lauren couldn't get over how what she said sounded so funny. We then spent a fun time talking in accents and discussing how people from different places often speak differently. It was an awesome learning experience that is one great benefit of travel with kids- exposure to different kinds of life.
6. Walmart headquarters looks like a high-school.
For real, when you think of Walmart, the corporate giant of America with market power to command the little guys, you think they would have a corporate office to show it. But no, in Bentonville, AR they are housed in a 1970s looking building that resembles your run of the mill high school. It is amazing how this corner novelty store is now the biggest business in the world.
7. Southern homes are unique.
Although there are newer subdivisions of homes that look alike, the majority of homes I saw are old, original, and amazing. I am not a lover of our cookie-cutter looking neighborhoods and relished the chance to drive through neighborhoods of beautiful old homes that are each a sight to behold.
8. Southern hospitality is real (as are confederate statues)
The people I interacted with were all so genuine and helpful. They called me ma'am and were always quick to smile and give a a patient look as I was traveling alone with my girls. I appreciate the slower paced life that exists there and how people seem to relax.
9. Tyson chicken farms are out there.
After watching Food, Inc. and being shocked by the living conditions of our meat, it was crazy to drive by multiple farms with the "Tyson" chicken sign outside their front porch and realize that those are the places where our cheap chicken comes from.
10. Water towers rock
Maybe because there are no mountains to give you perspective Southerners invented water towers so that you'd know it when you moved from one city to the next. Again, being a westerner it is strange not being able to see for more than a mile around you at one time. You almost feel boxed in by the trees and rolling hills. I guess if I were ever feeling smothered in one of those towns I'd climb the water tower to have a vantage point and see for miles around.
All in all I loved the mid-west-southern region of the country and the new experiences it had to offer.
And in honor of my pops and D&C, no trip would be complete without a picture in front of a STADIUM! Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie. Razorbacks!
1. It is so GREEN!
Things grow naturally here. People in AR don't have sprinklers and they mow every week. There are trees, bushes, plants, shrubs, ground cover, etc. everywhere in this area. For a girl from the west, living in the desolate desert, it is amazing to see so many living plants. Can I say Garden of Eden...
2. It is humid.
Humidity is death. It makes you sticky. You feel like you're breathing through a towel. It zaps your energy. It doesn't go away. It is what allows the trees to live like they do. It spares you from using lotion for dry skin. It is something I apreciated experiencing and enjoyed leaving.
3. It is quaint.
The cities I visited all had a home-town feel to them and you felt safe. There were neighborhoods then fields, then stores, then farms, then churches, etc. which made it feel more like a small town than a sprawling metropolis. I loved the interspersion of nature with the homes and wished there were more open spaces in our neck of the woods.
4. There are cemeteries, churches, and donut shops everywhere.
At least along my route I saw 9 cemeteries, 15 donut shops, and I-can't-even-begin-to-count how many churches. There is a real church going population in these towns and you can tell that you're in Bible belt country. I loved the cemeteries on random street corners and knowing that people had inhabited those parts for many many years. And as a true connoisseur of donuts, I was so happy to sample some of the local mom and pop dount fare. I have to say they make a good donut in Tyler and I loved the originality of each store.
 |
| Picture taken while driving...not to be recommended |
5. "People speak funny"
We were in a store and a sweet woman called my girls "lil darlins" in an awesome southern drawl and Lauren couldn't get over how what she said sounded so funny. We then spent a fun time talking in accents and discussing how people from different places often speak differently. It was an awesome learning experience that is one great benefit of travel with kids- exposure to different kinds of life.
6. Walmart headquarters looks like a high-school.
For real, when you think of Walmart, the corporate giant of America with market power to command the little guys, you think they would have a corporate office to show it. But no, in Bentonville, AR they are housed in a 1970s looking building that resembles your run of the mill high school. It is amazing how this corner novelty store is now the biggest business in the world.
7. Southern homes are unique.
Although there are newer subdivisions of homes that look alike, the majority of homes I saw are old, original, and amazing. I am not a lover of our cookie-cutter looking neighborhoods and relished the chance to drive through neighborhoods of beautiful old homes that are each a sight to behold.
8. Southern hospitality is real (as are confederate statues)
The people I interacted with were all so genuine and helpful. They called me ma'am and were always quick to smile and give a a patient look as I was traveling alone with my girls. I appreciate the slower paced life that exists there and how people seem to relax.
9. Tyson chicken farms are out there.
After watching Food, Inc. and being shocked by the living conditions of our meat, it was crazy to drive by multiple farms with the "Tyson" chicken sign outside their front porch and realize that those are the places where our cheap chicken comes from.
10. Water towers rock
Maybe because there are no mountains to give you perspective Southerners invented water towers so that you'd know it when you moved from one city to the next. Again, being a westerner it is strange not being able to see for more than a mile around you at one time. You almost feel boxed in by the trees and rolling hills. I guess if I were ever feeling smothered in one of those towns I'd climb the water tower to have a vantage point and see for miles around.
All in all I loved the mid-west-southern region of the country and the new experiences it had to offer.
And in honor of my pops and D&C, no trip would be complete without a picture in front of a STADIUM! Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie. Razorbacks!
Deep in the heart of
TEXAS! The 2nd leg of our trip consisted of a 6 hour road trip south to Tyler, Texas to visit J's brother James, his wife Jenny, and their 2 sweet kids. It was awesome and we loved getting to spend time with them at their cute apartment. They cleared the decks so that the girls and I could have our own room and showed us a great time. The cousins loved playing together and my girls got some much needed teasing and boy time from this sweet little man.
We crafted, played in their pool, visited UT Tyler campus, ate some Texas BBQ, visited the Rose Gardens and princess museum, and drove the brick paved streets with beautiful southern mansions.
I love talking with J&J and we had some good conversations about all kinds of stuff. It was nice to see where they've been living, hear about their work and plans for the future, and see them being such great parents. Thanks again for having us and for being such great family! We can't wait to visit you again soon.
We crafted, played in their pool, visited UT Tyler campus, ate some Texas BBQ, visited the Rose Gardens and princess museum, and drove the brick paved streets with beautiful southern mansions.
I love talking with J&J and we had some good conversations about all kinds of stuff. It was nice to see where they've been living, hear about their work and plans for the future, and see them being such great parents. Thanks again for having us and for being such great family! We can't wait to visit you again soon.
Ar-kan-sas
In February our best friends moved to Arkansas. In February we also got a lovely re-gift from Uncle Sam. Since we had some left over funds, we decided to let our girls do something out of the ordinary. We asked them if they wanted to go to a summer dance camp, take gymnastics, tumbling, tennis lessons, etc., or visit their bestest friends in Arkansas. Hands down, every time we asked the answer was the same.
So two weeks ago their dream came true as we flew on Allegiant airlines (great prices BTW) to Northwest Arkansas to see the Gardiners! We were welcomed with an awesome banner, chalk-board sign, flower, and these sweet faces.
We spent Saturday catching up and the girls played like they hadn't missed a beat. I loved seeing Hays again and hanging out like old times. We left Sunday for a 3 day trip to Texas, then returned Wednesday for 3 more days of fun. We swam (thanks Ali), we jumped, we shopped, we toured the area, we ate great pizza and Thai food, we hiked to a waterfall, we visited a farmers market, we talked and talked, and the girls played 24/7. The only bummer was not having J there to help E not be so outnumbered.
I asked them if they were sick of each other and they all responded NEVER. Their favorite thing was finding a toad on the back porch, trapping it in a bucket, and spending an hour trying to keep it from hopping back out. Thanks again G's for letting us visit and for being our friends!
So two weeks ago their dream came true as we flew on Allegiant airlines (great prices BTW) to Northwest Arkansas to see the Gardiners! We were welcomed with an awesome banner, chalk-board sign, flower, and these sweet faces.
We spent Saturday catching up and the girls played like they hadn't missed a beat. I loved seeing Hays again and hanging out like old times. We left Sunday for a 3 day trip to Texas, then returned Wednesday for 3 more days of fun. We swam (thanks Ali), we jumped, we shopped, we toured the area, we ate great pizza and Thai food, we hiked to a waterfall, we visited a farmers market, we talked and talked, and the girls played 24/7. The only bummer was not having J there to help E not be so outnumbered.
I asked them if they were sick of each other and they all responded NEVER. Their favorite thing was finding a toad on the back porch, trapping it in a bucket, and spending an hour trying to keep it from hopping back out. Thanks again G's for letting us visit and for being our friends!
Sunday, July 17
28 days
We just got back from a fab trip to AR and TX (pics and posts to follow) that ended an almost continuous 28 days of summer travel. The family, the fun, the friends, and the memories will carry us for a long time. Now its back to life, back to reality. Deep cleaning is on the list, along with prepping the kids for Kindy & preschool, teaching a music class, re-visiting the gym, and establishing a better daily routine.
Monday, July 11
Nature
Utah is a beautiful place in the summer. I love the cool night temperatures, the flowers in bloom, and the beautiful green mountains. I requested that we take a little family trip into "nature" and my parents lovingly obliged. My mom packed up a great picnic and we headed up the canyon. We walked along the Bridal Veil falls trail and had fun playing at the bottom of the waterfall. We had a picnic by the rushing river and enjoyed being out of doors. Being in nature...check.
Saturday, July 9
Wedding
My wonderful sister-in-law Jen married Taylor on June 25. It was a beautiful day, wonderful temple ceremony, and fabulous reception. We are so happy for them and know they will have a great life together. It was so fun to be together with all of the family (my in-laws even got to come back for a week from their mission) and watch the cousins play in full swing. It was the event of the summer!
Friday, July 8
The best holiday ever
Thursday, July 7
All run out
Wednesday, July 6
Welcome home
Last night, after we rolled back into town, we were welcomed by this huge haboob that literally covered everything outside with dust.
I always thought we were free from most natural disasters here, but now I know that we have dust to fear.
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