$32.59

Yup. That's what I spent on vole poison. Today. Not last week. Today. Hoping it lasts me a week. And then it'll be another $32.59. This includes boxes of poison bricks, 6 mouse traps, D-Con pellets and mole peanuts.

Voles. Think mole that looks like a mouse. I mowed the lawn yesterday and not one hour later there was a new pile of dirt in my lawn. It's the 6th pile in a few days. This WAS new lawn. I was furious. AM furious. Clearly, I'm fighting the battle but losing the war. I found numerous new feeding tunnels in our hillside last night. We've cleared 40 dead voles from traps the past month. Washed a dead one out of a drain last night.

And still no success.

They look cute, right?


Until you see these feeding holes/dens ALL over your newly landscaped yard.


And with teeth like this...you better see the dentist regularly. Or just eat boxwoods to keep them shiny.


Trust me. NOT cute!

Natural Beauty

This is Oregon.


Trails everywhere...beckoning.


These are the Champions of the Nike Cup in Lake Oswego, OR, 2010!

This is soccer love from Grandpa.

If only every soccer field were surrounded by this much natural beauty.

Good thing I'm going back in 3 weeks. Not enough taken in the first time around. Green like you've never seen it...or remembered it.

Thanks, Dad, for a great trip!

Sherman, if you would?

This is my awesome brother in law Matt. He is deserving of a post, I should think. One of the landmarks of growing up and growing older is watching your siblings get married and move on in their life. I can only imagine what that will be like when my own children get married, but for me, having a sister 9 years younger, I always had a very maternal instinct towards both my sisters, but particularly the one Matt was lucky enough to marry.

"Giving her away" -- though not my right or responsibility -- was exciting and scary all at once. Especially considering how much love and protection I've always felt towards both sisters. I didn't know Matt very well when he married my sister. And really, if you knew my family, you can only imagine how frightening that endeavor might be. There's a lot of us. I'm not the only one with a strong personality. (You should meet my mom!) But I can think of NO ONE better than Matt for my sister. He is everything any sister could want in a brother in law. Not only is he an amazing father, an adoring husband, a smart and witty guy, admired and adored by all who are lucky enough to encounter him in either a personal or professional manner, but he gets me. He has gone out of his way to make long trips to visit us when he could have been doing something else. He's helped my friends with legal advice. He gets my sense of humor and isn't offended by it cuz he knows me. He knows my heart. And when we are together, we laugh. A lot. We have intelligent conversations. (At least I think so. He sinks to my level to make me feel smarter...and we share a common love of mindless computer games). He isn't threatened by my close relationship with his wife. We've had many a speaker phone conversation. He doesn't seem to mind that I think I'm their realtor or travel agent or Dr. Laura or Rush Limbaugh at times. He's thoughtful and calming. And despite the fact that between he and Rebecca it takes over an hour to make a decision about which movie to see or which public pool to visit, I still love him. I look up to him. Even more, I love them together. I consider myself lucky enough to call him family.

So Sherman, can you bring my good buddy Matt another Vanilla Italian soda please? Cuz it's his birthday. And he deserves that and so much more.

Happy Birthday Mattie! You're the best!

Stomping Grounds

I'm off to Portland, my old college stomping grounds, with Lindsay...AGAIN...for soccer. Last time it was taking her back to Palo Alto. More old stomping grouunds. This is one of the things I love about competitive soccer. It takes us away from home. Like an extended date with my daughter(s). I go back again in a month with Mal. (Whew, nothing like keeping it equal!). I'm excited because not only do I get to keep up with my sister (impossible), but it's a chance to break new ground. Something about sharing a part of your former self with your child that is something special. And I get to see my Dad. Always a treat. So here we go on another 4 day adventure. Heaven's to Betsy -- where is this summer going?

To Portland, that's where!

(And...you can't pump your own gas there...reason enough to visit!)

It Was Bound To Happen

Yup. Becoming my mother, I am. Just returned from a trip to the mall with my kids. I can honestly say whatever I like, they don't, and vice versa. I can specifically remember my teenage years and those exact experiences with my mom.

First, spent the first 2 hours with the girls at the mall while Hayden was at camp. They shop wisely because they have limited funds. Me, no funds. Girls, limited. Which is good, because they weigh heavily which deal is the best. If it were my money, no doubt they'd want the $68 pair of Hollister jeans! What all of this means is I watch them try on MANY pairs of jeans to find ONE. To purchase ONE. In fact, I had to leave to grab Hayden and come back before this miracle was achieved. 3 hours at the mall resulted in 2 pairs of jeans and one sweatshirt for Mal, and 1 pair of jeans and one sweatshirt for Lindsay. 3 hours. Time well spent? I guess if they're happy...

All I can say is, it's a good thing they started early. Cuz I aint goin' back! They are on their own!

So many posts...so little time

Im the worst blogger! Despite hints from people like "...you haven't blogged in a while..." as if to say: "Get off the couch and put down the bon bons!" Well, it's sure nice to be loved. I've spared you the many rants I've had in my head...on subjects such as the IRS (boneheads), the economy (don't get me started), summertime (way TOO short), divorce (not mine...I'll keep you guessing), long trips and Twilight (the book...you adults acting like tweenies should be ashamed of yourselves)! That is a mere smattering of the many thoughts that have dashed thru this big tunnel of a brain I have. Oh well. I'm back this week. Might be another month before I post 3 more new posts (nope, this isn't the only one today...there's 3!)

Summer has been chock full of summertime delights. And there were some notable occassions before we even headed into summer. These photos are NOT in order. Heaven forbid. And part of the reason I haven't blogged is my computer crashed (totally part of the overall conspiracy...) and I just loaded Picasa TODAY. (Had the new computer a month, I'd guess). Anyway, some are just cute and had to share. We've had Mother's Day, Father's Day, 3 birthdays, and an anniversary. Girls Camp (Mal's 4th year hike and Lindsay's first year attending as a 2nd year...a 2-fer), EFY, and a trip to Utah. Heading to Oregon this weekend and again in a month. You have a good life if you have all this! I'm not complaining...(on this post anyway). :)


Garden toadstools...a mother's day gift to myself. I think they are whimsical!


My grown up, summertime blonde 7 year old Hayden! I love that one dimple of his. Man, he's cute! (Sorry, he is!)

Lego Masterpieces

Human masterpiece...my sweet niece Jane. Boy I miss kissing those cheeks! And those eyes...they melt the heart.

Anna. Now here's a girl who knows her place in the world! And don't you question it. All the while being cute as a button. And she's so tiny you feel like you could put her in your pocket. Little girl...huge on personality!

Cousins...and this ain't the half of them! Good looking bunch with a family friend thrown in. She's my adopted daughter and Mal's best friend. Can you pick her out?

Hey batter batter...

Becca. Young, gorgeous and thin! I wanted to shove more GNOCCHI down her throat every chance I could get. (Which isn't often enough...but I'm not bitter). Dining with Becca -- we just laugh and laugh. Hey Sherman? (...that one for Matt...)

Hayden excited about opening his presents!

7th bday

Mal's 15th...swimming in the backyard with family and cake!

We're not fancy at our house. Thank goodness for Duncan Hines.

EFY -- sorry it's not bigger. A 7 hour nap is required after the return of your child from this week long event. Exhausted but happy. Many friends richer.

Prepping to leave on that 4th level hike, 3 days total. This are just the girls from our ward...it was a huge group.

Made it to the top!

Summer has been good to us. Not pictured but should be noted, I've been married to my awesome husband for 17 years. We celebrated that on my 43rd birthday. Yup, same day. That continues to be my gift to my hubby year after year. :) I'm a lucky gal.

No Justice

My camera is certainly not Grapefruits, and does not do my yard justice...the almost finished product. My husband made the trellis' up against the fence and the pink jasmine are not blooming but spreading happily across it's grid. Everything is bloom, growing tremendously, and making me oh so happy. It's making the voles so happy, also, as they work deftly destroying the plants limb by limb. (To see more on this herbivores, google and shed a tear for me. I'm having vole nightmares...I should buy stock in vole poison!). Still have a rock retaining wall to build behind the trampoline and finish the bark there, but for now...the summer heat is beaten with a dip in the pool. This is my sanctuary and my passion.

I think those sinister voles sense this...

What I love

Summertime. Family. Memories.