Summer Break

So, in case you haven't noticed, and I really hope you have, I took a Summer break. I should have posted something notifying you of said break, but I didn't. That was all part of the break. But school's back in, we're no longer traveling back and forth between Salt Lake and my rural Utah location, the kids are in bed at a reasonable hour... I should have time to blog a bit.

The summer photo recap:

Hiking the Mormon Trail above Salt Lake City

Realizing that you went the wrong way and your ride is nowhere near

Hogle Zoo Classic

Baseball and Fireworks, July 4

More Baseball and Fireworks, July 24

The shipment from India came, but we still don't have a house, so it still looks like this.

And we saw so many of you as you passed through Salt Lake or as we passed through Dallas. It was a great, all-American Summer. I'm looking forward to the next one already.

Realtors! Honestly!

So, it looks like we're gonna take the plunge, you know the big one, the one we've so far avoided in our nine years of marriage. A house.
Somewhere in all the rentals and sublets we've gone and gotten all opinionated, which it turns out, makes it difficult to find something that we like. We went out with a realtor on Friday. Not my mother in laws realtor, his name is Jim Shorts. I can't even say it without laughing, how could I make serious decisions about my families home and financial future with Jim Shorts? If the Simpson's ever sold their house they'd list it with Jim Shorts.
No, not Jim, another realtor who took me to a few places I asked to see and a few of her listings. Nothing doing. Then we started discussing lots and building and she told us about a beautiful 3 acre parcel with a beautiful view she's just listed. It's out of town a ways. We drive out there. It did have a beautiful view, once you looked over the freeways and past the train tracks and turned your back on the substation. No joke. Three acres sandwiched between a freight train spur, the freeway and the regular tracks, bordered to the south by a electrical substation. Oops, I guess I just forgot to mention those drawbacks?

More of the Same

We are residing walking distance from an upscale little strip mall. Do those go together? I guess I should say upscale little shopping centre. There is a White House Black Market, Chico's, Subway, Asian-ish furnishings store, gelato place, charming children's store, fabulous toy store. Just like the last upscale little shopping centre that we lived within walking distance of. They both even call themselves "Something Village". Eerie.

And quite the opposite of the shopping villages sandwiched in between:

Not So Conflicted

Apparently, the woman from whom we're subletting this summer is not as conflicted as I am about toy weapons. My boys love her.

Calling all Trappers

This arrived by mail one day last week. Thankfully it was misdelivered. It's only my neighbors that read this, not anyone I actually live with. Time to move you think?

Oh, now that you mention it, we will be moving on. We're headed north, to the capital for the summer, see if it has me claiming it's the place. So if you're passing through (and I actually know you, and you don't read Trapper and Predator Caller) let us know.

More Baby J

And a couple of N, who seems to have it all figured out:

Tooth Fairy

This is my Grandmother, a.k.a. The Tooth Fairy

A few weeks ago while visiting, S mentioned that he had a loose tooth (he'd already lost two teeth that week). She heard this and started in with, "Oh really, come here, let me have a look at that... hmm... I don't know. Yeah, I'm not sure if it's ready." And he walked away.

"Not loose enough?" I asked.

"Yeah" he said as he felt it with his tongue and then in all sincerity, "Hey, I can't find it. Which one is it?"

And I knew she'd done it again. He was elated when he realized she'd pulled it out. I remember standing in front of the mirror at my uncle's house and her doing the exact same thing when I lost my first tooth. I'm still trying to figure out how she does it.