Hardware Ranch

The gross, nasty, chocking inversion is back.

With a vengence.

So as we awaited the time for our Super Bowl party, Jeff's parents took us up to Hardware Ranch (up Blacksmith Fork Canyon) to see the elk. And as we learned the higher up the mountain we went, to get out of the inversion and cold.

It was spectacular in the mountains! Gorgeous blue skies and warm temperatures. The elk have it made!

There was hardly any visitors at the ranch so we didn't have to wait in line or hurry through the elk herd. (If you've never been there, two massive work horses pull a sleigh through the feeding grounds so you can get right up close to the elk.) The ranch feeds between 500-600 elk each winter. We saw several bull elk, some had some pretty big antlers. And it was easy to tell which elk were this last Spring's babies. We even got to hear them calling for their mommas. 

While Jeff and I were enjoying our adventure, the kids were more than a little grumpy, hungry, and in Cole's case either getting sick or cutting molars. 

Oh well. That's what memories are made of, right?

XLVII

Ah Super Bowl Sunday.

What year is XLVII anyway? I'm too lazy to Google it. 

A day of snacks, football, funny commercials, and obviously more food as I seemed to have only gotten pictures of the 5,679 calories I consumed during the day.

To keep the women interested in the big game (and to keep bringing the men folk snacks), my Dad has an arsenal of Super Bowl games and a really big basket of prizes. This year's hits... Commercial Bingo, Super Bowl Bingo, Super Bowl Squares, and Super Bowl Trivia.

My Dad has so much fun organizing our Super Bowl party. And it's a lot of fun bringing back childhood traditions that I cherished so much for my own kids.

Super Bowl

Growing up, Super Bowl Sunday was a big deal for my family. Well, at least my Dad's side of the family. They love a good game, good food, and good parties. So naturally we laughed, ate, and played games. And what better game on Super Bowl Sunday than bowling.

Now this wasn't your ordinary game of bowling. No. An intense three game, cut throat, serious game of bowling complete with an official rule book that outlined such things as scoring, how to determine your handicap score, and how to submit your scores in the even that you were unable to attend the designated time of bowling or lived out of state. 

It was serious.

But we had an awesome trophy. Also outlined in the official rule book, rules for what was/wasn't acceptable for adding on to the trophy during your winning year. 

I never won. (And this year was no different.)

After a long hiatus from our traditional Super "Bowl" activities, Jeff and I insisted we bring back the bowling. Now, in our second year, even the kids are starting to remember that at least once a year, we go bowling. They were so excited! Too bad the rest of my siblings had other plans like a headache, dance, and weekend in a cabin. Pffff. 

Cole wouldn't wander more than an arm's length from the bowling balls. He figured it was his job to hand everyone their ball, even if they weighed three-fourths of his own body weight. 

Pearl figured out how to align this contraption just right to get strikes, spares, and basically kick our butts. While Cole preferred the "I'll throw it myself" (with a little of Dad's help) method. 

 

Cole got so excited when he'd knock down the pins. Like really excited... yelling, "YESSSS!!!" and throwing his hands up in the air and jumping around. Then he'd run over to everyone and give us high-fives. It was so funny.

My Dad is a bit of a perfectionist. Just a bit :) So naturally, his bowling is also a tad on the perfect side. Perfect form.  My Mom and I though? Well....

If you'd ask the kids what their favorite part about bowling was, it might just be the drinks Grandpa bought them. 

Of course, Pearl will also probably tell you that her favorite part was WINNING! Yep. She kicked all of our butts this year. She even beat out my Dad who is more than slightly competitive when it comes to games. The rest of us losers were pretty pumped about the homemade Cafe Rio salads that Jeff and I whipped up for everyone after the game.

Shockingly this was our best family photo. It's makes me smile.

 

Oh, aren't you just lovin' the Aggie love we have?! Even the floors in the bowling alley had USU logos painted on them. 

Snickerdoodles

This is how we make Snickerdoodles in our house.

Mom makes the dough. With two eager helpers shoving and pushing each other out of the way so they can watch. And cough and sneeze in direction of said dough... don't judge you know it happens at your house too.

Mom refrains from tasting the delicious, buttery, sugary, sweet dough thanks to her chosen career path of public health and the ever present thought of salmonella from the raw eggs. 

Mom makes two assembly stations for her eager helpers. Once progress is being made on their job in the whole process, the kids finally stop fighting and whining and pleading that they want to help.

And we begin.

Rolling, rolling, rolling. Keep those doughy balls rolling. In that delicious cinamon sugar, rolling. Rolling! 

Or something like that. 

Of course, Cole has his own take on the appropriate shape of Snickerdoodles. Smashed.

Pearl, however, takes the job very seriously. While also exhibiting a slight OCD with rows of perfectly shaped balls of sugary, cinnamon, sweetness. Yum.

 

We get a thin layer of sugar crystals over the table, floor, chairs, and our clothes. Everywhere.

Pose for a picture with approximately 60 cookies. Then bake!

Well worth the mess.

The Next Generation of Couch Potatoes

I am raising a couch potato.

One who happens to know how to use my phone better than I do.

In my defense though, Jeff says I'm a tad ridiculous about screen time in the house. Little does he know that doesn't apply to days like today when I let the kids watch cartoons off and on all day long. And a movie after dinner.

Super Fans

I stood in line for more than an hour to get Chuckie Keeton's #16 signature for the boy.

Ok, for Jeff.

Fine. By the time I got to the start of the line to get the entire football teams' signatures, and then was told they were shutting it down and I couldn't get any signatures, that signature was for me.

Even if it took Jeff's streak of rebellion to butt in line to ensure we got that signature.

And boy were my boys happy about it. 

(That and I spent $10 on popcorn to keep them quiet for the basketball game)