Sage Brush Star Wars & Mini Jaws

I am now 9 days in to our family "vacation" with 5 more to go. We spent the 1st day driving for 10 hours--always a joy. Then the next day I got to hook up with my dearest, bestest friend Deb and I drove 4 hours back to Idaho Falls so she could pick her son up at the airport the next day. It really doesn't matter which way you drive that piece of highway--its pretty ugly. (Please no hate mail--its just my opinion) I did take advantage of the fact that I had Deb trapped in my car and that I was in charge of when we stopped for potty breaks to tell her every boring detail of my life--it was great! I really enjoyed that uninterrupted time but it does remind me of how much I miss her and living closer to her. Thursday night I got to go to the movies with my daughter Nat who is living in Provo and Kelly. We went to see Prince Caspian. First of all it was so cool to go to a movie with my daughters. Second of all I absolutely LOVED the movie. I love C.S. Lewis and even though the movie isn't completely true to the books it stays completely true to the battle between good and evil and that good always wins. We had the best talk afterwards about how Satan no longer tries to capture us with absolutes--he just tries to cloud the issue and make everything grey. About how the battle for right is not always pretty and it can feel like we have lost the war but then Christ steps in and we rally and triumph. That true love is about sacrifices and doing the right thing and controlling our passions. Not chasing after something forbidden. And that in this earthly battle you want to be very careful and make sure you are fighting on the right side. It went on and on--sorry--I got a little carried away. But it was a wonderful evening and I can't believe that you Utahan's can see a movie for a buck!! Apparently though--only charging a dollar gives the theatre the right to not to replace the wooden part of the armrest when it falls off. Because when I went to squeeze my chubby self into the seat--not only was that metal armrest painful on the posterior but I heard a huge rrriiippp! The movie had already started and all my girls were concerned with was the fact that I was flinging the popcorn everywhere as I tried to extricate myself from the situation. So it wasn't till we were exiting the theatre that my girls caught on to what had happened. Apparently it was very amusing but of course they weren't the ones that were walking with a severe tilt to the right. Everyone else probably thought I had vertigo. I did think it was funny when we were trying to make a dash to the bathroom and I said, "Cover me!" and the girls did a Charlie's Angels thing.
Then we left Alpine on Friday for Midway and are currently enjoying a week at our time share condo thingie. It is lovely here--lots of wildlife, floating the river, biking, golf and I really like having a kitchen and more room to move around in. The pool and rec room are a big plus too for bored children and parents who need to relax.
Here's the thing, (can you tell we have been watching Monk?!) I have no pictures to post of all this because I am semi-terrified to pick up my new camera. I have been using a great little digital camera for years and I have a Regular SLR too but I have been so inspired by my friend Annie's pic's that I thought I was ready for the next step to a digital SLR. SO my hubby bought me a Canon 40 D. It is beautiful to behold. But it is so tricked out with gadgets and weighs more than the chocolate bars I am used to holding---I feel like I need a degree and some serious weight lifting just to pick it up! I know I just need to strap a pair on and pick it up and get to know my new friend--its the first step that is the hardest. What a mess I am.
Soo--I thought I would post some of my favorite pics my camera brave daughter Kelly's camera--

I am posting this one because yes, my hubby has GREAT form but he is and always will be a "snappy" dresser. Check out those Carharts (pants) Eat your heart out Tiger.




These are from the Alaskan Fishing trip that Phil took Kelly on in July. This is truly one of the grossest things I have ever seen-- but Phil looks so happy--its just so hard to see my dinner in this form. I really need it to just be packaged up neatly and put in the freezer.



Kelly said the fishing part was okay but the really cool thing was seeing all the whales, seals, sea otters and various other exciting sea life. She said the whales got really close to the boat--while fishing is definitely not on my Fab 5 list seeing a real live whale in the wild would be!



I love Kelly's face in this one--obviously she and I share similar fish issues--but I also love those snappy overalls Phil is wearing that make him look like Papa Smurf. They brought home 100 pounds of fish for our freezer--40 of it was Halibut--my favorite.




Okay--so this was definitely a have to share thing--one of those I live in the middle of nowhere Montana and I love it!! My friend Missy and her family took Kelly with them to something called Bannock Days in--well--Bannock, MT. From the pictures I am guessing it is kind of a return to the Wild West thing. This is Kelly learning how to shoot a black powder rifle. She so has Annie Oakley beat.





But of course I saved the best for last--at first I was going to say it needed no caption but I just couldn't leave it alone. First, I should probably clarify that I don't know this man--I'm sure he was a volunteer and does not deserve to be mocked------but I can't help myself. I get the outfit--the whole Mountain Man thing--but the hat--THE HAT! Does it remind anyone else of those little Ewok guys in Star Wars??!! Hello--I mean what are those 2 sticky up things for--to cover his horns?? lHEELLOO! I could go on and on but I'll just let you enjoy it--it IS my new favorite.