Before and after.

This is our Rocky ( or as he is better known Rotty) as you can see he is a very hairy dog, and suffers in the heat,
The last couple of days it has been in the upper 70's here and he has just laid around and panted.
We had decided last year to have him shaved for the summer but he is not a good groomer, he doesn't like it, And for the most part we were worried about how he would take to someone else doing it. So after talking to several I had given the idea up.

So I decided to try shaving him myself. As you can see he came out pretty good and the best part is that he loves it. He acts like a puppy again he is playful and dances, he plays and wants to be held and scratched. And the very best part is he doesn't lay around and pant all of the time.
Now the vet did say ( yes I talked to an actual vet about doing it before I did it) that with these super hairy dogs sometimes the hair won't grow back, If that happens then I will be making sweaters for him this fall.

Alaska is just 65 days away!

A nearly perfect weekend.

I worked all last week so by the weekend I was ready for some fun and relaxation. I was on call but really didn't expect I would go out. (one of the trucks I pilot for above)
Sat was hubby's birthday and the kids and grands showed up all weekend to help him celebrate.
We BBQ on Sat in nearly perfect weather and then built a fire and were able to sit out clear till after dark and not freeze something off.
Drue brought his new friend ( dare I say girlfriend) over and we enjoyed meeting her and hope our crazy family get together didn't scare her off. Also Chellebelle and Whit painted sun catcher for Grandpa and then hung them in the big window for him for his b-day.
Kolby made his fav cake German chocolate. And Damibean even though he didn't feel really good was a joy to have.
Ashes and the babies were over on Sunday for dinner with her dad and we so much enjoyed them.

Hubby and Damibean

The weather is looking so great for the week it looks like spring has sprung.

only 67 days till we leave

And my saying of the week.

Have a really great week everybody!

week in review

There are 78 days left till my cruise. I know this because I get a notification from the cruise line everyday. Now while I am very excited for the trip. I am not sure that being reminded that I have over 2 months to wait is helping. lol but here is a pic of where I hope to be on May 24th.

This is a pic from work yesterday. I am a pilot car driver and mostly we work in the oilfield moving well tanks.

Sometimes I am lead car and out in front and some days I am back car and this is the view.

Either way its a great job. I work with a lot of really nice people and I love running around the desert.

This is my first try at a new medium.

These are 1 in glass squares. You add a picture and then foil it and solder it plus add a hanger and wala you have a necklace or charm for something. I loved how this turned out even if my soldering needs some work. lol

Its 2 sided and has different pictures on each side.

I had so much fun I am going to do some more.

The pictures I used are some I took so I know they are originals but you could use almost anything.

Last but not least we ran away from home for a couple of days and took off to Lava hot springs Idaho.
What we didn't know was that the wintertime is there off season. We had the whole place almost to ourselves.  We had a wonderful room at the Home hotel. The great thing about this hotel is they have giant tubs in the room and they pump  the hot springs water. So you end up with your own very private soaking pool. We went the the Riverside inn  restaurant and had a wonderful dinner. The guy working there is from Bountiful and we chatted for quite awhile about the springs and learned alot about the area.
For anybody going please don't be expecting any holiday inn's or applebee's as most of the town is all original buildings but they are well kept and add charm to the place.

I have returned!

Me and my nieces a few years ago camping at Easter time.

So yea I have been MIA, But I have great news.

As of today I haven't had a cigarette in 4 weeks.

Yes almost a month and I have been smoke free. I won't say its been easy, but then it hasn't been horrible ,awful, ugly, nasty either.

I am so glad that I have quit and I don't plan on going back.

The really good news is I am going to Alaska.

We have booked a cruise for May with a few days in Seattle before we go. I am so excited I am not sure how I am going to get through the next 85 days of waiting.

I have a pair of wild doves that I think are making a nest right outside of my window, They keep returning to the same branch will have to get out there soon and see if I can get some pics of the nest before the tree starts leafing out.

I have been sick.

I have been playing with getting night shots. This is the best I have got but still working on it.

I need to get my tripod out as I can't hold it still enough for it not to come out blurry, lol

And this picture kinda describes the way I have been feeling.

I suppose it was inevitable considering that everyone around me has been sick.

My hubby, the grands, everybody at my work.

I truly thought I had got off easy by Monday as I was feeling better so Tuesday I went back to work. Of course the weather was really crappy with it snowing and blowing so after spending almost 10 hours out and about I came home feeling pretty crappy.

So yesterday I took it easy and slept most of the afternoon.

And this am, well I woke up early took some Advil's and we shall see.

My latest project.

My latest project. I made this as a gift for my mom. She had been wanting a cell phone purse  and I told her clear last fall that I would make her one.

We discussed what she wanted and then I did what I wanted which wasn't even close to what she said she wanted.

And honestly it isn't even what I first thought it would be.

But I love the way it turned out and so did she so all is well that ends well right.

Morning visitors.

We had morning visitors. We haven't seem them for a couple of weeks and I was very happy to get to see them again.

We had our son and the girls over for the weekend. We took the girls to the circus and had a ball. As far as I can remember this was the first time I had been to the circus so I had as much fun and wonderment as the girls had. ( plus I would go anywhere that they serve cotton candy)

I have went back to work and have been working on a project (finished yesterday) so have been pretty busy. Look for finished project pics coming soon.