it's peevish

Introducing...

More stupid photos for your viewing pleasure!

Some are just plain hilarious set ups.

abby chillin:

darin says this one is almost too awkward to look upon:

and some, it's harder to tell what's going on (jarom spraying himself in the face with perfume):

joey's poses are always true classics:

and i think bella's taking lessons:

although the situations can get quite dangerous sometimes...

we shall rise above:
this one requires no words:

mikie, ever the charmer:

oh, and art gets REALLY into it:

and i pee my pants a lot:

that's it for now folks.

there's a lot more where those came from.

from my rainy day to yours.

Planning in Advance........(ohwhatagooseI'vebeen)

So.....I really want to start a dialogue here (I HATE THAT PHRASE!!!!) :) I want to get honest opinions from ALL of the Beattys about our summer camping extravaganza. I know that there is a plan, somewhat loose at the moment, to go to the Lost Coast and do a long hike there. I believe that loose plan is set for sometime in August. If anyone knows more, please fill me in. I am not sure how many days that hike will take etc etc etc.
Secondly.....how does everyone feel about a desert hiking soul-search circa the end of May beginning of June? If we get on it fast, we may be able to reserve camping down at Havasu. Or perhaps we want to get a house at the Lazy Lizard Hostel in Moab for a couple of nights (a whole house rents for about 130-180 for a night and sleeps about 17 people!!! or more!!!) and then doing an overnight hike out in Canyonlands one other night and a couple of day hikes at Arches???
Any ideas kids??? How many of us want to go on both? Any friends?? (nick, ryann, stan, les, phil...etc) What weddings might fall during what dates??? (Martin's, Ruebi's, etc.....)

Do you even want to take on TWO camping ordeals? I certainly do. Despite my full blown BRAThood last August at Glacier I am left with only beautiful memories now and not the icy cold shivery senses that made me so upset back then. Sorry, I know it took a while for me to not be a jerk about it. I think my main "beef" was with the weather and how it didn't give me the warmth I craved. But I think of our overnight hike....rainy as it was on the way back...and I am in love with it. Dad TOTALLY should have come!! I loved playing cards in the late night starry cold. I loved that funny video that the guys made and also cooking meals together in that little square. I know I am owning up to my own true Beattyhood when I say " I AM SO SORRY FOR BEING MEAN, PLEASE FORGIVE ME".....I even think back to the grouchiest moments for me and I laugh now, like seeing Mikie and Dad fight like cats and dogs, like hurrying to the payphone with a dollar in change to sob to Art for the 4 whole minutes it bought me. Even at the top of Logan Pass (on the way home) when it was icing sleet down on the car and I stayed inside the fogged windows and thought about how I'd rather be AT WORK then in Montana.... OH HOW WRONG and very dramatic I WAS and am!!! I love being with my family, and I also love that we (i.e. "I") have our drama and our livelyness and our loudness and our indecisiveness and our sentiments. We are so NOT a boring family..we all are extremely strong characters and that is what makes our vacations so fun! I promise, to myself and to everyone in our family, that I will be MUCH MUCH nicer and more peaceful this year. I PROMISE!

Please post any ideas other than these two as well!!! and soon!! I want to help get this trip organized and well thought out....enough to at least eliminate some of the little issues that traveling can create.....I want us to be super communicative with each other and make sure we all get the right dates off work, figure out some kind of car pool plan, have a meeting to fig it out right prior to the trip.....

Do you like this idea???




Or this idea???






Or might you have some other ideas????

But no matter what......thank you so much, all of you amazing favorite people of mine ever.....for this idea.

Saying Good-Bye to the Great Horned Owl

New Year's Eve day, we had Stormy's funeral in the backyard. 905 Darlington, site of many sweet souls who have gone to rest. Bella took it very seriously, wearing this flower garland for the procession and during the slideshow I made she turned to me and solemnly said, "that almost made me cry." She is a wise and sensitive little spirit, that's for sure. Jarom also helped a lot, wanting to do a lot of digging (it was so cute how he'd place his foot on the edge of the shovel and kick kick kick rapidly with great vigor) and telling how much he loved Stormy and would miss him, and even throwing in some kitty treats for the afterlife.

Good-bye to Stormy, as Emily has so lovingly described him, our gracious and good big boy full of love. I can't believe we have had to say good-bye to him, and that I only have four cats now. It breaks my heart that Cleo will never snuggle again.

The helpers.

Bird, bone, pine needle, light.

The forever cycle.

Thanks for being here with us, Utahn Beattys, and for keeping the energy high and the spirit jolly. That's how Stormy would have wanted it....love and happiness all around.

Matt

My special brother