Logan's zoo

Here are some pictures from our trip to the zoo (more like a bird sanctuary with a couple other random things thrown in) a little while back. I focused on getting just the pictures uploaded tonight, I may or may not add captions or descriptions at a future time. Or I could let you think up your own! Enjoy!

That's all I have for now. I'm very tired.....

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!!!!!!!!!!!

'nother quick one

Here's one of those western tanagers again, this time right outside the window. Do you think he's blushing because he knows I caught him spying on me?

A rainbow from the storm last week

...And another shot of it. Pretty cool, eh?

Just a quick one

 I thought this was some kind of goldfinch, but I literally did a Google search for, "small yellow bird with reddish head".

It told me it was called a Western Tanager. Cute huh? I saw it in the parking lot and had to take a picture!

Debbie Mom

We had a super-great Memorial Weekend! We had Callie over all weekend and it was lots of fun. She and I even got to spend some quality time together while Zach went on a hike Monday afternoon.

Callie has started to call me Debbie Mom or Mom Debbie, since that's how her maternal grandma refers to me. I really, really (I can't seem to type enough reallys!) love it when Callie calls me Mom, or even Debbie Mom. Aww!

That will probably be the closest I ever get in this lifetime to being called Mom, and I'll take every one of them and hold them in my heart. I love you, sweet Callie.

Progress

I posted this tree about two months ago right after I first collected it. Back then it was completely leafless and bare. To most people it probably looked worthless and dead, but I knew better. Look at it now!

It still has a lot of growing to do this season and many seasons in the future, but I'm happy that it is recovering strongly so far!

It's 1, 1, 1!!

1 month, 1 week and 1 day until our first anniversary. It's been a wild and amazing ride, and I would do it again in a heartbeat! Zach, you truly are the love of my life.

Now that we actually have a secure, reliable, working internet connection again I can feel comfortable posting a few more pictures again. I'm pretty proud of the photo skills I seem to have when the camera does all the work! Here is a picture of the moon at night a few weeks ago.

Here is one of the moon during the day about a week ago.

and here is a fun one of Callie from a couple weeks ago too!

 And Justin and Jonathon at home on his blessing day.

Enjoy!

Wii!!

Now that Callie is staying back up in Cache Valley again after so many months of being down with her grandparents, I get to have regular visits again! Last night I went over and we played the Wii a little bit. She was still feeling a little yucky from being sick over the weekend, but it was still fun.

Life is a challenge

Lately there has been so much going on that I keep wondering how many years of my life have been deducted due to the major events that keep coming up (you know, the one that says if you move, take __ years off your life, if you change jobs, it's another __ years off your life, also seen on stresstips.com.

Anyway, even with one of the biggest changes (moving) in our immediate future, I think that the ease of *how it happened has helped me to recognize that it's ok to let my Heavenly Father be in control rather than ME always trying to be in control and getting frustrated when I fail.

Recently I recognized that my life really was out of control; I didn't feel the spirit, didn't feel at peace, didn't feel like I had a testimony, didn't feel like people around me wanted to be around me; didn't feel anything but frustrated and intolerant. Even when we had Callie over a couple of weeks ago I must say that I wasn't entirely sad to see her leave at the end of the week. (I know that shows the reality of my being a terrible, terrible, almost-mommy, but unfortunately it's the truth.) Anything and everything was making me frustrated and unhappy, and having Callie over with the accompanying constant needs and noise of a 3-year-old for seven days was too much, at least in the state I was in.

I don't think I even realized how lost I was until I remembered that I had disconnected myself with my Heavenly Father. I hadn't said my personal prayers for days, hadn't read the Book of Mormon for weeks... I had complete lost touch with what is important in my life, and, more imporantly, for my family. Then I remembered a quote from one of the Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites books: "If you don't feel as close to God today as you did yesterday, who moved?"

It was then that it hit me that I truly was out of control and out of touch with my Heavenly Father, and that I desperately wanted to reconnect and recommit myself to Him. I started praying again, and even asked (and continue to ask) Zach to join me for prayers together. We are going to begin (again) reading the BoM this Monday (after we move), and I also started (and have since finished) reading Pollyanna. I get so much out of that and similar books; they realy help me to think and be more positive, and to lighten up and remember that it's simply impossible and unnecessary for me to control every situation in my life. I also started listening to the General Conference podcasts while at work, and I've now twice listened to President Uchtdorf's talk about patience (given during the recent priesthood meeting). It was an amazing reminder that my lack of patience means a lack of faith, and that is exactly what I was experiencing. I wasn't filling my lamp with oil, but I still expected it to continue burning when I needed it.

I am truly grateful for the Conference talks I am able to listen to, and for the patience of such a wonderful husband. I am especially grateful for the Gospel that guides me toward him, and allows me to feel His love even when I feel like I am utterly undeserving of such.

I am also grateful for strong sisters(in-law) and other family members who exhibit love, strength, faith, and so many other virtues they cannot be numbered, and are splendid examples to me of those virtues. Thank you all for being who you are, and for helping me become who I can be, even when you may now know that I'm watching (and reading).

*I've told Zach numerous times that I know we are supposed to move into the townhome we're going to this weekend. We were only casually looking; knowing we needed to move, but in no big hurry. My sister was also looking for 3-bedroom townhomes in the Logan area, so we were sort of competing for them; one day I asked her to tell me what she found that night on the internet, since we still don't have it in our home (which wil change as of this Saturday night - WOO HOO!!). She didn't get back to me and so I went over to the library to get on their computer to search. I came across this ad for 2 and 3-bedroom townhomes; there were several of the same ads listed in the paper over several days. I went to look at the office hours that night, since they weren't stated on the voicemail, and saw that the following day they would be in the afternoon, just for that day. Since I didn't get a call back from the voicemail I'd left I wanted to stop by the office. I was in the area just a few minutes prior to the office being open and dropped by on the off chance... She was there! I asked her about available 3-bedrooms, and she told me that they had only one available that had come up unexpectedly, and that she would give it to the 1st ones who gave her a deposit (OAC, of course). She told me that she was actually closing the office in a few minutes (at the same time she was supposed to open the office that day only), and that if I wanted to return my application and deposit that night she would be the first one to see it in the morning. I took Zach over to see it that night, just to make sure we both agreed on it, then dropped off the ap and the deposit. She called me the next day and said we were approved. The amazing thing is that if I hadn't worked for the Census Bureau last month, there is NO WAY we would have ever had the funds to move, what with a deposit and extra rent and all. Things really did work in our favor; we were absolutely blessed. Thank heaven for little miracles.

Til next time; we love you all.

A multitude of conglomerations

First here's a random picture I took of the clouds a few days ago. Prettty cool, eh?!  I love this camera!

Ok, here's  the first bit of news from our neck of the woods.

                                                            *We are moving into a new place!*

 Our new abode will be in a nicer area of town, it will have much more space, newer building, closer to stores, bus routes, etc. It is a 3 bedroom townhouse and is going to have brand new carpet, paint, fixtures, etc. (The last tenants got evicted for trashing the place so they are re-doing everything.)  We have our own garage! There is a tennis court right across the street and a little playground just up the street too. We wont have any downstairs neighbors and we will only have one side neighbor because we are on  the end unit. Actually there isn't even anyone in the next door unit yet, so we can party all we want and not worry! Woo hoo!

       One of the coolest things is that the owner of the company that Deb works for is a part owner of the company that manages this property so we get a 20% discount on the rent! We will be all moved in by this Saturday. I will email our address to you all individually instead of publicly here on the interwebs just for security reasons, I hope you'll understand.

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Two weeks ago we got to have Callie spend the whole week here with us because I was off for spring break. While she was here I took her and the Hansen girls to the "Baby animal days" thing down at the Pioneer farm. I only got to take a few pictures because I was busy trying to wrangle three lively girls and all their gear. We had a very fun time though. Here is one cute one of all three of them together as we were riding the little train around. 

*at the baby bear exhibit:

Here's Callie banging on the bongoes: I'm not exactly sure how bongo drums fit into a pioneer themed park, but they were fun nonetheless.

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To the untrained eye this may like your average ordinary shrub. But to someone who has had over 10 years of Bonsai studying and training, it looks completely different. I got permission from the groundskeeper at school to dig up this burning bush from their hedge because it was half dead-looking and had taken quite a beating from the snow blowers and things over the years. I got it about a month ago and I promtly trimmed it  into a more pleasing bonsai shape. This is what it looks like now:

It has a lot of years of training to look forward to, but this is the basic outline I will start with. Here is a link to one done by bonsai master Walter Pall:   click here

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I can't think of much else to write about at the moment, so I will sign off for now.

Annnnd....we're back....... Kind of....

The bread and butter of my blog posts are the pictures. Ever since my camera died back in January, I haven't been able to upload much since then. Now that tthe lack of camera issue has been resolved, I'm back in business. So here are a couple pics of Callie to satisfy all those photo cravings you guys must have been having from our bloggity-blog-blog-blog.

She has Grown ALOT in the past 4 months! Gained 6 pounds and about 6 inches it seems like. Her vocabulary is amazing and she can read almost any 2nd or 3rd grade word you put in front of her. She can count to 100 with a little help between the -9's and the "-ty's".

 Her health is much better and she's just being an amazing girl for the most part. Her uninterrupted stay down at Grandma's house in Orem has left her with a very wide streak of spoiled-ness. (you know how that girl is in "The Secret Garden" who doesn't know how to dress herself at the beginning?)It's been a rough several days for all of us up here with her, but we should have her attitude realigned just in time to take her back and be re-spoiled again. oh well.

With how smart she is it's hard to keep in mind, 'She's only just barely 3 years old'.

I've started working back at the Sprinkler Store again drawing plans part time; Still going to School part time(currently on Spring Break!woo hoo!) and doing Primerica part time too. If you have any questions about how we are doing or any other updates you need, please feel free to ask. I'm sure there will be more blog posts from me again inthe future now that I am photographically empowered again. 

Ever had a breathalizer test?

I was working for the Census Bureau last month; what an adventure - going on roads where no man has gone before (or so it seemed). There were paved roads, gravel roads, dirt roads, snowy/muddy roads, and I even went to the top of the Great Salt Lake! It was quite the adventure.

Anyway, I had to drive on one of the snowy/muddy ranch roads for about six miles before getting to the homes I needed to verify, then six miles back out. Luckily I was driving my mom's little SUV and had an apple-cinnamon oatmeal square to snack on! I was back on the freeway going toward the next exit and having a great time listening to my book-on-CD.

I have extreme difficulty resisting the temptation to drive 5-miles over the speed limit, so I was going 80 in a 75 zone; typically acceptable; I've even been told so by a UHP. Well, I passed a UHP who was perched in the median between the two sides of the freeway. Always being suspect, even when I'm the prescribed five miles over the limit, I started to slow down, as did the one car in front of me. About 60 seconds later I see the UHP turning around and following me/us; uh oh! A few seconds later, it passed me and got behind the car in front of me; shew! The car in front of me slowed and pulled to the side, and the UHP passed him; hoy veh! Then he slowed to about 72 mph. I WASN'T ABOUT TO PASS HIM!!!

Finally, recognizing that I would probably slow to 20 and still not pass him, he pulled onto the right shoulder so I had no choice but to pass him. I had several thoughts come to me: 'less than a mile to my off ramp'; 'he passed me once, so he must not really be going after me'; those and many other fallacies went through my mind at that point. He pulled behind me; lights went on, and after a minute of not pulling over since the offramp was right in front of us, sirens went on too. My heart sunk. I got off the freeway and pulled over.

The officer came up to the window, and told me he pulled me over because he couldn't see my license plate. So I guess five over is still ok! He asked for my license and registration; thank goodness he didn't ask for the insurance, because I didn't (and still don't) know where my mom keeps it. I handed him the documents and he asked if I'd been drinking. "NO! I never drink." He walked back to his car.

A couple minutes passed and he came back without my info and asked me again if I'd been drinking. "No! I don't drink! I NEVER drink! I've only had water, want to check," holding out my water jug as if he'd actually check it.

Of course, he chose not to check the water jug, but did ask me to step out of the car so he could "check my eyes". Sure thing! Then we played the "follow the pen" game for a minute.

All this time I had a huge smile on my face. "I know this is very serious for you, but it's really funny for me because I NEVER drink."

After the pen game he requested that I step in front of his car. Great! "Please stand with your feet together and your arms down."

There we had a problem, since I can't even stand straight when I'm not being tested for drunk driving! Maybe I was drunk after all! "I can't even keep my balance when I'm doing Yoga!"

"Please take 9 steps, toe to heel, from my car to yours while keeping your arms at your side."

"That's easier for me than balancing. One, two, three..." And back, "One, two, three..."

He walked over to his car. "Maybe it's the apple-cinnamon oatmeal square I had. THAT'S the problem - I put on clean underwear this morning, but didn't brush my teeth!" He smiled, then brought out the breathalyzer test! Sheesh!!

He said he thought he smelled something on my breath or in my car - darn those oatmeal squares! I breathed into the breathalyzer. "Zero, right?!"

"Right. Let me get your documents."

It was so good to know I actually hadn't been drunk driving! What would I tell Zach??? What would I tell the Bishop??? What would I tell my mom, my boss, my family, my friends, ...??? THANK GOODNESS!!

I apologize...

...For the lack of blog posts lately. We are internet-less at home for the moment. The only connection we have is when I am in school at the computer lab working on school things and Deb has computer access at work for work related things, nothing else. Hopefully we can be up and running on the internet again soon so we can catch you all up on what's going on in outr neck of the woods!
 Take care,
 Zach

Feb 6th, 2010

Amidst all the chaos happening over at the Hansen's today after Madi's baptism, we were able to get some cute shots of Callie and I. 

Callie is getting better... mostly

I know many of you have been quite worried about what's been happening. I'm sorry to say that our computer crashed - we got a Trojan, a worm, and several viruses, so we had to get it rebuilt; we finally got it back tonight! Yay!!

Now on to important matters:
Callie had her adenoidectomy on Thursday, January 28th. She also had tubes put in her ears at that time to minimize future ear infections, especially since she's had so many in her 3 short years of life. The surgery went well and Callie recovered quickly - we were headed home within 3 hours of checking in!

Long-term recovery, on the other hand, hasn't been as easy. Callie continues to have extreme difficulty sleeping because her ears hurt so much; lately her average is a total of about 5-7 hours of sleep a night (she can sleep for 10-12 when she's feeling well). This current sleep pattern makes life difficult and unfun for her and her grandmother who has been caring for her since New Year's Eve.

Her grandma says they had a little birthday party for her on Sunday night while her mom was there. When she's well enough to travel again, and the doctor feels she doesn't need to be so isolated anymore, her grandparents will bring her up to Cache Valley for a true family birthday party with Zach, me, her aunt, uncle, and cousins, as well as her grandparents and any other family that is able to come celebrate with her. We are hoping upon hope that we will be able to have that party this Saturday when her cousin, Madi, gets baptized. Perhaps if she gets to feeling better and can sleep for more than 7consecutive hours. If not, well...

Anyway, thank you all so very much for your thoughts and prayers. I KNOW they have helped her come this far in her battle to become healthy again. She has definitely been blessed because of the faith of those who love her.

We love you all and will keep you updated on her continued recovery.

Update on Callie

On my way back from St. George last Sunday we stopped in Orem to Visit Callie at her Grandparent's house. The newest news is that she doesn't have the staph infection and she won't have to have her tonsils removed. The Strep throat is still very serious though and she still needs her adenoids taken out.

 She is still the happiest little camper ever and if you saw her you wouldn't know that she is sick at all. The only time she has ever complained about it was once when she said her cheek hurt, probably from pressure in her sinus area(she didn't say the sinus part, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did...). They are to do surgery for her because she has been getting nose bleeds and they are going to see if that will subside before they do any work up there.

 Here is a picture from my phone when we stopped by on Sunday. She had just barely woke up from a nap, what cheerful little bug! Please keep her in your prayers!

Callie is really sick :(

Special plea: Callie has been really sick lately. Of course, since it's Callie, she still sings, laughs, eats, and plays. However, she currently has strep throat as well as an antibiotic resistant staph infection; this after dealing with a sinus infection accompanied by tonsillitis and swollen adenoid glands.

She has been staying at her grandparents' home since New Year's Eve and won't be able to come stay with us again until she has fully recovered, due to her being so susceptible to any and every infection, virus or bug around, as well as being highly contageous herself.

The doctor has requested blood work and is going to take her tonsils and adenoids out when she is better, but she probably won't be all better when that happens; with as infectious as she is that may take quite some time.

I realize this is a rhetorical request, but please, please, please keep her in your prayers so she can get better and return to us very soon. We love her so much, we miss her terribly, and we really want our little girl to be happy, healthy, and able to return home to us again.

Thank you in advance for your prayers and love. You mean the world to us.

Orchid's sense of time (#2)

Even though I waited years and years for this to bloom, the six weeks it took to grow from brand new buds to full bloom seemed like forever and a day! I have been able to identify it as Dendrobium Bigibbum, or Phal- type dendrobium for it's similarity to the Phalenopsis or moth orchid.

 Anyway, here she is in her full-bloomed glory! Not bad for the first time blooming, eh? It was a very nice surprise and well worth the wait I would say.

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.