Spencer's Summer Update

Hello, friends!  Welcome back for the next installment in our series of  What Our Family is Up To where I go person by person and give a little update on what our family is doing this summer.  You can see previous updates  here:  
 Ellie
 Adam
 Emma 
 Cami 

...and if I get my act together, I'll do updates on Glen and I soon too, but in the meantime, here's SPENCER!   

NOTE:  Spencer has not outgrown his aversion to picture taking, so his update will be less pictorial than the rest.   

  For the last couple years Spence had been working as a relationship banker at a local branch of a big bank, which gave him some great experience and proved to be a  confidence booster for him. However it did not prove to be as upwardly mobile as promised when he was hired and he did not enjoy getting shuffled around to work at several different local branches, despite being hired to work at the branch 5 minutes from home.  

Eventually, he decided it was time for a change and he quickly found a job in a related field, but not before winning a prestigious performance award at his old job.   The reaction of his soon-to-be former manager when he found out about the award confirmed to him that he'd made the right decision by leaving.  

His new job seems very promising.  Not only have most of his co-workers worked there many years (which seems like a good sign), but part of the training is helping him receive licensing and certification that will increase his earning potential and future marketability, wherever he works.   He also enjoys working from home every-other-week, so the longer commute is less of a factor than it would otherwise be.   

The last couple of years he's gotten a few tattoos--each of which has special meaning to him.  

In addition to being busy with a new job, Spence has been enjoying the long hours of daylight by taking Kiwi out on long walks most days.  He still loves to read, listen to podcasts, play disc-golf, rock-climb at the gym, and play Magic the Gathering whenever he can talk Glen and/or Adam into joining him!   

His health remains good and we enjoy having him live close! 

As Seen On My Morning Walks

Hello dear blog readers!   

If you happened to live in the same neighborhood as me (or if you read this blog regularly), you already know that walking is my sanity saver.  I have yet to figure out the secret for making friends in Utah (or anywhere for that matter), so I just walk a lot...by myself, unless Glen is home, then it's with him.  And when I say I walk "a lot", I mean like 35+ miles a week a lot.  During those long treks around and about the area, I mostly just  wander and explore until I feel done, then I go home.   It works for me and it keeps my mental health on the positive side.  

With all the miles I log, I see  glimpses of a lot of interesting things out and about.   Here are a few from the last week or so...

One day I returned from my 7.25 mile walk to what I can only describe as wild sunflower "kisses"...

They confused me at first, then I realized that they're from walking through overgrown sidewalks like this one.  The wild sunflowers are everywhere right now and when they hit my leg head-on, the pollen leaves a little "kiss' mark.   I like it! 

This lovely dragonfly caught my eye and didn't fly away when I approached to take a picture.  It was definitely still alive, but I worried it may have been on its way out with how close it let me get. 

You've all heard of a "snake in the grass", but have you ever heard of a snake in a bush?   Not me, until the other day.   This snake was about 2 feet off the ground and just slithering around the bush!   I very much kept my distance from that one! 

Spence and I took the doggos out for a little jaunt around the block and found the loveliest double rainbow.   It looked like we could have walked right behind that house and found that elusive pot of gold right there. 

I am not normally much of a cat person, but this cute little kitty was super friendly  and had the most beautiful coloring.   I actually even gave it a little love, which is not very Lara-like of me.  

The Halloween decor is starting to pop up around town and this one was wild to me!   I thought it was supposed to be a skeleton basketball game until I saw there was an extra player in there.   I wonder how many small children are scared to walk by their house this time of year! 

Road closures are EVERYWHERE right now!   We just had our road paved a week or two ago  and now it's closed again for them to do work on the manholes.   It's rare for me not to run into at least one closed road on my walks each morning.    On the plus side, that means the massive potholes that popped up everywhere during our endless winter last year, are finally disappearing! 

So, that's it.  Thanks for reading my blog today. 

Pre-Independence Week

This little life update is taken straight from a letter we wrote to our missionary.  It's a nice way to accomplish two things at once!  

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July 3, 2023

Hola to our favorite missionary! 
How's life in the Farming-hood?   Tell us all about your new companion, your new mission president, and whatever else is new!  What is your schedule like today given the fact that your p-day is also a national holiday.  I imagine that you'll be in your apartment for the night long before the fireworks begin??  

Oh yeah, speaking of the national holiday upon us....

Our Independence Day will consist of wearing goofy red, white, and blue outfits,  a Ward Breakfast in the church parking lot, then a hike to Primrose Point.  After that I'm making the very iconic "Sausage Salad" for dinner {which I've never made before}.  It will be totally delicious, but whatever you do don't ask Ellie about it, because she has decided it's terrible already.  😏 

We'll probably, maybe try to see some fireworks too.  We shall see. 

Speaking of Ellie, she's dog-sitting this week and taking care of Denali on steroids pretty much.     His name is Sarge and he's as sweet-natured as they come, but he clearly likes food and doesn't exercise much.  Denali and him get along just fine.  We are not introducing him to Kiwi. 

 

 I think Ellie likes this job. 

 

Ellie has also been painting a ton lately.  She has stations like this set up all over the upstairs currently. 

Emma met us for a session at the temple on Friday....I look forward to when you can join us too.  :)

On Saturday Emma did the Muddy Dash {the name says it all}, then went camping.  Apparently she took no pictures camping, because my camera roll doesn't have any sadly.   Here's one of her covered in mud though. 

We started our  red, white, and blue clothing adventure on Sunday and looked pretty snazzy if I do say so myself!

Sunday afternoon we went for a drive on the Energy Loop (I think that's what it's called).  I think Ellie kind of liked it when Denali started chilling on her head.

We saw lots of beautiful vistas and wildflowers, but honestly I had a hard time sitting still for the drive.  I was happy to see the beauty, but was also happy when the drive was over!

I mentioned in my email last week (I think) that Dad got a rock polisher for his birthday.  It takes 5 rounds (that each last about a week) before they're done, but he was very excited about how they looked after Round #1.  I find it very cute how excited he is about it. 

I am taking advantage of the non-wintry weather {acknowledging that it's a short season here in Utah} and getting out to hike as much as possible.  I'm shooting for 4-6 miles per day {except Sundays} and mostly getting it.  I'll have to replace my shoes shortly, because I'm wearing them out fast!  

I've also been cooking up a storm.  I found a bunch of new recipes and have really enjoyed making and trying them out.  Ellie may be getting a little tired of them though {especially since I picked a bunch of peppery recipes}, but I'm having fun and I think everyone else is enjoying them!   This was a Greek filling I made to go in wraps.  They were quite delicious!

I don't have any pics of Spence {surprise, surprise!}, but Spence seems to be enjoying his new job and is still very into going to the gym every day.  He keeps asking about nutritionally dense food choices, started  listening to podcasts, and seems genuinely interested in improving his health.   You will not be surprised to hear that I approve of these developments.  

This probably is more of a surprise, but I sadly have zero pics of Lucie to share with you.   Cami worked a bunch of overtime this week.    She was also working extra while I was in Alabama and when Lucie was here, so I sense that she is quite exhausted now.  I'm hopeful she's now on a path to work more normal hours for the foreseeable future. 

So there you have it....our very non-exciting lives, which, if I'm being totally honest, is probably more the way we want things to be.  Exciting is definitely overrated most of the time...

ON a completely different note, here's a quote I came across when studying CFM recently: 

"The comforting Spirit of the Holy Ghost can abide with us twenty-four hours a day: when we work, when we play, when we rest. Its strengthening influence can be with us year in and year out. That sustaining influence can be with us in joy and sorrow, when we rejoice as well as when we grieve.

I believe the Spirit of the Holy Ghost is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world. It can be more mind-expanding and can make us have a better sense of well-being than any chemical or other earthly substance. It will calm nerves; it will breathe peace to our souls. This Comforter can be with us as we seek to improve. It can function as a source of revelation to warn us of impending danger and also help keep us from making mistakes. It can enhance our natural senses so that we can see more clearly, hear more keenly, and remember what we should remember. It is a way of maximizing our happiness."  James E Faust, "The Gift of the Holy Ghost--A Sure Compass," April 1989

I like that and needed the reminder about how essential the Holy Ghost is to our internal peace.  

I hope you've had a marvelous first few days with your companion and with your mission president.  I look forward to hearing all about it tomorrow. 

We love you!!!!
Love, 

Mom 💗💗💗
 

Your Mom is Weird

Letter written to our missionary:  4/17/23

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Hello dear missionary of mine!  
How's life in  the land of Ports and Dams?   How fun that I still get to make  Dam jokes with you even in your new area.   You probably thought you would get to escape those eventually, but...NOT YET! 

I'm fully aware that my obsession with beavers/dams probably puts me squarely in the "weird category", but I'm okay with that.  At least I'm not also obsessed with sending stupid little 4x6 pieces of thick paper in the mail, because that would be truly weird.  

Oh wait.  Never mind.

I do also send doughnuts to your cousins who have birthdays...

Maybe that makes me slightly more normal...

I also seem to have an issue with dogs following me home...

For approximately the 5th time since moving to Utah, we met a loose dog on our morning walk and had it follow us all the way home.     He had no tag/collar on, so we posted on the community FB page and pretty quickly found the owner to Maverick.  He was a pretty sweet guy, but we laughed that this never once happened while we lived in VA or PA, but somehow it happens on a semi-regular basis here in UT!   Maybe we smell extra meaty or something now.  

I also can't stop looking for "matching" pictures to show Cami after she sends me a  picture of Lucie.  She sent me this one to show how Lucie was wiping her hands in her hair like a napkin, so I found one of Cami doing the same thing...then found one of me doing the same thing.  In other words, apparently messy eating runs in the family!  

I guess it might be  slightly weird that I've started looking for "wishing rocks" to show your little cousins after I read them a cute picture book during Spring Break about different types of rocks you can find.   It gave me Adam vibes to be walking along the trail with a pocket full of rocks...and to now have a pile of rocks on my windowsill for whatever future date we might see the King Boys again. 

On Sunday, we decided to channel our inner Adam even further and took an afternoon drive to Bear River Bird Refuge.   It was a lovely day and I had fun using the Merlin App (an amazing discovery) to help us identify some of  the different birds. 

We saw American avocets...

A snowy egret (we didn't need the app for this one)...

An American coot...

A yellow-headed blackbird...

 American white pelicans...

A white faced ibis...

And some hungry Gooldicus Birdicus... {there were too many bugs to eat our picnic outside}.  We definitely need to take you there when you get home.  You would love this place!  

Also, on a different, but related note...Spring is kind of here and I've stopped crying every morning when I see the weather forecast...I also am enjoying post-dinner walks a few times a week.   {PS  I only joined BeReal to be friends with your sisters and the three of them are literally the ONLY friends I have on there (not that they post very often or anything).   Someone else tries to add me and they are instantly and cruelly denied! I will probably let you be my friend in 15ish months or so though, so don't worry.}

In case you're wondering why I only said Spring was "kind-of here"...

There are still way too many cold days in the mix for my taste...not that I'm complaining too much.  I am definitely reveling in the sunshine and not having to wear my woolen outerwear every day for now, but, heaven help me,  if it snows on my birthday, there won't  be enough beavers in the world to justify the  torrent of dams that will flow forth from my mouth. 

Sorry. 

I guess I better go read my scriptures  or something {I'M ON MORONI 9, SO ONE MORE DAY!!!}.   Or maybe send a few postcards.  Or think of a spiritual thought to end with...

Here's a quote in President Nelson's GC talk that stood out to me:  

"The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire—no matter how difficult the situation. True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers."

It made me think of you and the other missionaries out there making the world a better place and it made me thoughtful about what I could do to be a better peacemaker.  

I hope you have an amazing week!  We can't wait to talk with you tomorrow! 

LOVE YOU!!!!
Love,
Mom

 




 

Best Day of Ellie's Life

Ellie has always had a soft spot for anything cute and cuddly.  She's Rocky's biggest champion and is drawn to animals wherever we go. She animals of all kinds (cats, rabbits, llamas, alpacas, guinea pigs, etc), but her favorite has always been dogs.   When she was young, she was known to stop dog owners in parks to chat them up about their dogs, while she played and loved on their pets while they chatted.  She has "Must love dogs" on her list of required traits for a future spouse and has dreams of owning several someday. 

That's why when my good friend, Natalie, announced on Facebook that her sweet poodle mama had just had puppies, I knew we needed to invite ourselves over for a visit.   Luckily they were born right before Fall Break, which meant that we had plenty of open time  for a visit when they were just 2 days old.  

Mia {the dog mom} had just given birth to 11 goldendoodle puppies and it was seriously such a cool experience to be there and watch her gently caring for her large litter.  

Their eyes weren't open yet and they mostly just squeaked and writhed around looking for milk, but they were adorable and so fun to watch.  Ellie was enamored and very much enjoyed giving those sweet teeny little pups lots of love and snuggles.  Not even a pound each yet, they were so tiny they fit into the palms of our hands. 

Natalie's daughters {and a friend} joined the fun and we were having a certifiable puppy snuggling party!  We enjoyed learning all about the process of responsible puppy breeding and what it takes to properly care for a litter of new puppies.  They literally watch them 24/7 the first couple weeks--taking turns staying up all night with them. They also weigh each one of them a couple times a day to make sure they are all thriving and take time to perform some neurological stimulation exercises with them each day as well.   It really was a highlight of fall break for Ellie! 

I should have known this would happen, but as soon as we left Natalie's house that day, I got a full court press that we needed to adopt one of the new puppies.  And it didn't just come from Ellie.  It also came from Cami and then from Glen as well.  

Eventually I said, "yes." 

Here are a few of the reasons I changed my mind {I'm including this here for some future day when I'm overwhelmed with doggy responsibilities and I question my past sanity}:

1.  Rocky is 13-years-old...and the average age that puggles live to is 10-15, which means our time left with him is likely somewhat short.  He is also deaf and sleeps 20+ hours a day.

2. Ellie really really really loves animals 

3.  Ellie is the lone child left at home

4. We are new to the area {again} and still feeling pretty lonely

5. The puppies were responsibly bred and are being very well-cared for

6. Goldendoodles don't shed and aren't normally as high energy as the breeds of Rocky or Kiwi

7.  I read a study about benefits of pet ownership on people's physical and mental health. 

8.  I think I will enjoy having a dog in the house when the kids are all gone 

Soooooooo....I hope I don't regret it, but here's Denali.....

She's now two weeks old and growing soooo fast.  Denali just opened her eyes this week, which adds some depth to her personality. 

 She's snuggly and calm so far and is supposed to end up about 25 pounds.   We'll get to take her home around Christmastime and in the meantime, Ellie is determined to visit and snuggle her as often as possible.  

So what was the best day of Ellie's life?   

First it was meeting the 2 day old puppies for the first time.  Then it was me eventually saying, "yes," to keeping one.  The next best day will be the day we bring her home!   💓💓💓