One More Picture

Do you know what "esse quam videri" means?

Unless you are Braeburn and read Virgil in the original Latin, you might not.

Let's just say that our family pictures this year are the essence of that sentiment.

Chief Mechanic of the Fleet

Thank heavens for Nova Spy.

While Mr. Bechtel is away he takes care of all our cars with tender loving care.  (Actually, even when Mr. Bechtel is in town he gives a lot of stuff to Nova to do...)  Since all of the vehicles are senior citizens this requires commitment.  

This week we went and got Granny Smith's baby lambs from the Sheep Experiment Station.  I threw a sheet in the back to protect the upholstery, but with hindsight I should have brought something a little more water proof...

Nova was not impressed.  "My car smells awful!"

Prairie: "Your car?"

Nova:  "Well, I do all the work on them after all..."

and now we have a great suburban with it's oil changed, tires at the right pressure etc, that smells like sheep.  It's terrible.  Just ask Nova.

Family Pictures

First of all, a milestone has been reached.

I have written over 500 posts for this blog to date!

Hooray for eating an elephant one bite at a time.

This has turned into a great way to record the events of our family.

Now on to business:  Before Golden Delicious left we really wanted to get professional family pictures.  We love the lady that did Golden's senior pictures and wanted her to do them, but Braeburn couldn't get away from school until the last minute.  We ended up not really doing anything.  But then at the last minute I had Uncle Josh and Cousin Elaina take some pictures of us after we ate lunch on Sunday.

Well, to make a long story short, although Josh and Elaina did a great job, the pictures were so awful that I wanted to delete all  of them.  (I don't understand why boys cannot smile and behave for pictures!!)

Finally after thinking about them for several days I decided they were like those really hoky dress up pictures that people get in places like Jackson Hole.  So, armed with the concept of, "if you can't fix it, feature it" I just decided to make us very vintage.

As a Family of Poster People:

My Favorite:

Ma and Pa:

and the Martins and the Coys.

We'll shoot for some real family pictures in about a year and a half when Golden gets home :)

Daddy's Girl

When Golden Delicious was 10 days old we (GD, Braeburn and me) flew from Idaho Falls to Denver so Daddy Mr. Bechtel could pick us up and take us home to Laramie.

I will never forget how exhausted I was. (I had to sit down on a suit case while we were waiting for our other luggage) or how happy I felt when Mr. Bechtel came trotting down the airport aisle towards us.  He took Golden Delicious in his arms, snugged her up close to him, and expertly took us out to the car.

Golden Delicious loved him from the start, and she has been her Daddy's little girl ever since.

And now little Jo is on a mission and her Daddy is lonesome.  

He misses her.

Sand Dunes 2

Nova Spy used his trusty tree to make us a great fire for roasting hot dogs on. 

This is Granny Smith's buddy, Caleb.  He hangs out at our house a lot and is great to have around.  As you can see, Pete is hiding behind Caleb.  Prairie Spy did a bit of target practice with his .22 and Pete freaks out with guns.  We had to tie him up or he would have run back to Idaho Falls.  I think he has been shot at before... the adventures the dogs have....

 Jack, meanwhile, was ardently chasing smoke from the fire.  He is obsessed with smoke.  

Golden Delicious pretending to be posing for engagement photos :)

I need to come up with an artistic title for this photo.... 

how about 'Cowboy Boots and Sand'??

Granny Smith with her sand angel.

Ah... if only our family pictures could have been this cute.

I love Idaho.  It's so great.  Not a soul around, except for this big truck that had a train horn and honked at us as we were walking back to the suburban.

We thought he was cool.  And so did he.

St. Anthony Sand Dunes

The weather has been so amazing... I really do feel awful that we're not getting enough water, but the sun!  The warmth!  I tell myself that a few good rain showers through March and April in the low country, and lots of snow up high will make up for it.... we shall see...

This is the third trip to the sand dunes we've made this year.  Just three weeks ago there was a foot of snow covering everything - and now look - poof! vanished!  no snow!

I love the sand dunes.  You can see the Tetons and on a quiet day (no wind) they are sooooo fun!

This was that kind of a day.

Granny Smith headed off on a quest to reach the highest hill.

Nova Spy found a dead tree and dragged it a quarter of a mile just because he could, mainly, and also so we could have wood for our fire.

Good Job, Nova.  You are awesome... and dangerous....

These three have been inseparable the last few weeks.  (Since Golden Delicious is in the MTC as I'm writing this, I feel like bursting into tears seeing her right now... we are not used to a boring life without her yet.)  The boys all adore her and she is so much fun.  Like a bright candle that lights everything up around her.

Thank heavens I have the 3 boys at home still.  I told Mr. Bechtel that when the Spy Twins leave I am going to be a disaster.

Who will provide the drama when Prairie Spy is on his mission????

I am going to need the whole next year and a half to prepare myself!

This was a perfect afternoon - more pictures to come.

The Farewell Festivities

Miss Golden Delicious gave an absolute A+ talk in Sacrament Meeting.

 (well, it's true.  I can't deny it.  I am her mother, after all - she was marvelous.  I didn't even try to be modest afterwards.  To everyone that told me that she was wonderful I just said, "I know." - no false modesty there.... )

Mr. Bechtel made his famous whole wheat pancakes afterwards.  Braeburn cooked bacon and sausage and we had a great visit with everyone.

Grandpa.  The best.

Cousin Trevor and his beautiful wife Samantha.  Trevor is the 4th of July pyrotechnic hero at our house.  So much fun to be around!

GD with her cronies:  Cousin Elaina, Kelly, and Katie.

And Uncle Josh - I am happy he appears to be resting peacefully - and seems to be comfortable at our house.  I love it when people are comfortable at Crabapple Farm.

And I love Golden Delicious too.