6 months - she said...

So far, it truly has been the most amazing time and best growth experience of my life. Every time I think of how much I love you I get so overwhelmed that I can't control my emotions. I can't imagine my life without you and Callie; you have both been wonderful, happy, difficult, tremendous blessings in my life.

Thank you for bringing me into your life and into your heart. You are my best friend, my confidant, my example, the love of my life.

I love you forever.

6 months!

We've been married 6 months today! A lot has happened, we've come a long way and stil there's alot more to do and a long way to go but we are going to do whatever comes our way and i know we'll make it. I know this isn't exactly the most insighful or deep post in regards to this subject, but hey I'm tired...

To all Seversikes, Johnsons, Borgs, Swainstons & Howells...

Orchid 's sense of time

Mom you hit the nail on the head when you said orchids are on their own schedule. It's been three weeks since I posted the last picture of this plant's buds. Now the first one is finally getting open!

I can say that it has been worth the wait to grow this one out to blooming point. this is a very vivid  color and not what I was expecting at all. Another day or two (hopefully) and it will be open for us to enjoy fully!

Winter Barbecue and more

The "and more" part may have to come later today, but I will start with the Elder's Quorum barbecue we had last Saturday.  We covered the front of President Mecham's carport with tarps and blasted the place with our arsenal of space heaters.(There were more that aren't pictured here)

There was plenty of food and fun to go around. It was surprisingly well attended for a semi-outdoor winter barbecue. I guess one doesn't need much of an excuse to escape the dreary, cold cabin fever atmosphere.

It got to be quite comfortable in there warmth-wise by the time it was ready to be over!

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Cali and I are going to go run some errands now, so we will have to update some more later! Take care..

Ok, we are back. i wanted to put up a picture of my little aloe plant that is blooming right now. It's Aloe descoingsii x A. Haworthioides, and blooms every winter.

Each flower lasts about a day or two , then closes back up and eventually falls off. They're very cute while they last!

Now the story of a nice little dracena I replanted yesterday. When I got it a little over 5 years ago it was about an inch and a half tall with only three leaves. It grew and grew and got healthier and healthier. Yesterday I did a switcheroo. with a couple plants that needed repotting, including this dracena. Debbie had this tiny cactus growing in a pot that was way too big for it. I transplanted it into a more appropriate sized container and it looks very well suited to it's new home.

The dracena had gotten so big that it was top heavy it the pot it had been growing in for the past year and a half. It was also very rootbound!

It went into the cactus' former pot, which was a perfect match for the marking's on it's leaves.

Granny's blackberry jelly

Tonight Callie and I enjoyed some dough gobs with the yummiest homemade blackberry jelly ever!

You can tell that Callie REALLY enjoyed it, so did her face, her hair, her hands...

After such enjoyment, it's only right to be hosed off (or in this case, bathed). I don't remember being small enough to flatten my legs in this direction in the tub, do you?

And Zach thinks she's getting sooo big! Ok, she IS getting big, but still little enough to wiggle around the tub with ease.

Thanksgiving

This morning we ran out of juice to drink- on Thanksgiving, no less! Ever resourceful, I went over to the neighbor's apple tree and grabbed a few of the ones that were still left on it. We blended them up, squeezed 'em out and viola! Very fresh and tasty apple juice!

7 years

Not in Tibet!

But that is how long I've waited for this plant to bloom. Here is an orchid that I started from just the tiniest little nub/growth from it's parent plant long, long ago. The parent one has since passed on, but this one has grown all up and taken it's place(finally).

The buds are a couple weeks away from opening still, but I'm so excited about it I couldn't help but share. I thought it was going to be this variety with the green petals and purple lip called burana jade, but upon closer inspection there are distinct differences in the coloring on the unopened buds so far compared to other pictures I've found of that cross. 

I guess it will be a surprise! I can't wait!

A Wii bit of fun...

(These are links, so you have ro click on them to watch the videos)
Callie playing on the Wii this weekend (she had some help)

This one was pretty fun to watch too!

These pictures were taken last Sunday and were supposed to have been posted on Sunday night, but for some reason the blog wouldn't let me put them up on that day. I'm trying again to see if it will work this time! Debbie gets the credit for capturing these moments of perfect angelicy. We won't talk about the two hours of fussing and orneriness(sp?) that took place beforehand.

I'm free and clear!

After several months of waiting, and fixing and waiting, and dealing with issues and waiting, I"ve finally got everything taken care of with the Cadillac. I put the liscence plates on it this morning and now I can finally drive around with out worrying about anything.(I have had the temporary ones in the window, but it just wasn't the same) I've been doing everything by the book exactly the way they've wanted me to, jumped through every single little hoop, gotten every document, paid every fee, done every repair, every insurance thing- everything! All done! What a relief! Phew!

Now I think I can be ready for my next trial/affliction. Bring it on!

The week's news

Let's see if I'm cognicient enough to formulate a post for you all. Wednesday we had a Halloween party at the Primerica office, it was pretty fun.

Gaylen, our Regional Vice President:

and his wife Debbie the cereal killer:

My trainer (Justin) as our Nobel Peace Prize-winning president, and the mamma-to-be ladybug (Sarajayne)

With special guest, Chris Rock  !!

Our securities leader, Kathleen "Money Tree" Moser!!!!!!

My great District Leader, Paul Phillips as the Great Pumpkin!

Kelly Mathers, telling us we are in a "bear" market...

Primerica: So easy, even cave-folk can do it!

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The other news of the week: I harvested some Saffron for the first time!

Those red things inside are the saffron threads

Pluck them out , dry them up and they're ready for your next saffron-needing meal! Yay!

 (Joni, I'm working on getting you a recipe from a lady in my class)

Pumpkin Walk 2009

I took Callie to this year's Pumpkin Walk last night and here are some pictures of what we saw! I have to admit that it wasn't as good as in years past but there were still some pretty creative displays.

 Well, there you go! Hope you enjoy them!

I'm just mad about...Crocus!

Doesn't sound quite right, does it??

 It is highly doubtful of course that that song by Donovan back in the 60's was actually about the real spice Saffron. The  meanings about that "mellow" song I found while doing a quick google search revealed some less-than-reputable activities akin to a 60's lifestyle that aren't going to be mentioned here.

Crocuses(Croci?) do however, have a lot to do with the world's most valuable spice, beleive it or not. They have everything to do with it. It is harvested from the stigma of a fall-flowering version of the spring bringer and I have some! Yay!

 A Lady at school asked me why her Crocus sativus(saffron crocus) weren't coming up yet. I told her that I would look at them, but my fee was that I got to have one of the bulbs. Today she brought me one of those two gallon Ice cream buckets full of dirt with one little nub poking out of the hard pan soil. I think part of the problem is that a lot of the plants here are just barely beginning to realize its actually Fall, and another part is that even the loughest of bulbs have a hard time pushing through concrete! well, I told her that she oughtta get some peat moss to put in her other bucket of bulbs while I take this batch under my wing. Between her, another guy, and I we will get a good harvest of saffron threads in a few weeks or so!  And by next year when these bulbs mutliply, I'll be able to share those with others!

Alright, I'm way tired but I just wanted to share about my acquisition of this interesting flower.Maybe it will inspire you guys to actually BLOG about something in your lives!