Where Have We Been Part CXXXVIII (Or Something Like That)

So, where have we been all these months?  BUSY!  Since we last blogged (not counting last week's post about Keegan), we could be found doing any of the following:

1.  Planting flowers in our perennial weed patch so the ward doesn't contemplate us as a potential service project.

2. Planting an Herb Garden to more fully benefit from my wife's ongoing refinement of serious culinary talent (favorite new thing:  Thai basil -- it is killer).

3.  Planting a Garden Garden (see no. 2 above). Doing so actually required installation of a deer proof fence, since the blasted critters seem to think I grow things just for them to eat (and yes, you can put me down for the next Bambi Killers Unite rally;  I almost went shopping for semi automatic weapons until my wife noted the high likelihood and poor manners of collateral damage).

4.  Weeding and harvesting said garden. We could stop here, and it would be a completely sufficient explanation of our absence from blogging and all other activities--the fact that you can pay 79 cents for a cucumber in any grocery store is a flipping miracle.  But it does make for one cute gardener showing off her first produce (radishes, of all things!)

5.  Potty Training our youngest. At times Keegan seemed determined to see us extend diaper purchases forever, but he has finally decided (knock on the now idle diaper genie) that poopy butts are not such a great thing.  Nice to know I won't be changing diapers at age 50!  (Bonus: I think I have at least a few years before mom and dad start :-)  Note: I will spare you the pictures here.

6.  Closing the sale of a refinery in Bakersfield California (only someone who has done this really has any understanding of what that sentence entails).  No pictures here either -- trust me, you are not missing much.

7.  Taking a San Diego Cruise on a private yacht, paid for by my work as a reward for number 6. My CEO is really great to work for, a very generous person.  

8.  Searching for wildflowers in the Uintas (my favorite wildflower spot -- Soapstone Basin) with the kids.

9.  Testing out the new Camelbacks while Hiking Dog Lake Trail in Millcreek Canyon --  I love having the Wasatch Front in our back yard.

10. Marking a new Independence Day -- July 23rd -- as the company I work for, Flying J, finally emerged from Bankruptcy after 18 excruciatingly long months.  Happily I still have a job, which was totally up in the air for at least 16 of those 18 months. Whew! 

11.  Camping and Hiking near Tony Grove Lake.

12.  Taking our first trip without kids in 10 years (wahoo!). Went to England with my sweetheart and my parents to visit where my Dad grew up (and much more, such as Bamburgh Castle on the Northumberland Coast).

13.  Enjoying Bear Lake with the Cousins on the last full week of summer.

14.  Losing baby teeth, and sending Mr. Adult Teeth :-( off to Kindergarten, in a special Chinese immersion program, no less, that he will do through the rest of grade school.

Much more to come on a number of these, but, as I hope you can see, it has been enough to leave one poor old man too tired to blog on most Sunday evenings, which is when I usually find the time. Hopefully, things will calm down and I can be a little more faithful in reporting on our lives.