Katie Sue...

I like calling her that. Her middle name is really Sandra, after my mom, but since my mom is Sandi Sue (her middle name) then she is Katie Sue. The two Sue's are buds. Here they are at the beach watching the surfers.

I know even though we moved, and they don't get to see one another very often they still will come together and it will be like old times. We sure can't wait for you to visit Grammie!!!!
Love
Mommy and Katie

Another Day on the Lake

Katie had her first boating experience today. We picked up Aunt Carrie and Uncle Jack's boat and took it for a spin. Katie was so excited as she was told she could drive. I didn't know what to expect as she had only been to the lake by shore and I was worried about her spending a day in a boat. I also had memories of hating being in a life jacket all day and thought she would object.

Alas I didn't have to worry a bit. She took to the boat like a navy sea woman, and she didn't seem to mind the life jacket one bit.

When we threw her overboard to see if she liked deep water (just kidding she really went gracefully into the water with assistance from mommy, daddy, and Uncle Jack) she was a floating fool.

She needs a few more driving lessons, but she will be Captain soon enough. She is already ready to get back out there.

Taking off on her first boat ride, the smile when we went fast was priceless!!

Katie swimming in the Gorge!! I think we were a little over safe with the floatation devices! Resting with Daddy
Look out boaters, she is at the wheel and she doesn't want help!!!

I am pondering....

..Where my life could be and where it is. I just read my favorite blog thepioneerwoman.com and she was pondering the thought of where she thought she would be at her age. She asked people to ponder where they thought they would be too. I decided instead of putting my thoughts on her site I would put them down here for you to read.

When I thought of myself at 27 I thought I would have more. I thought I would have a house, and kids (more than one). I thought I would be done having children. I thought I would still be living in California as I couldn't see living anywhere else. But I didn't know anywhere else.


Now that I have almost finished my 27th year I see that life doesn't always turn out the way you want it to and it isn't all bad. I LOVE Wyoming. I love all the things there are to do here, and how relaxed the environment is. I love that my husband and child love Wyoming. Katie is a natural outdoor girl. She loves looking at, and throwing, rocks, observing wildlife, and generally exploring the great outdoors. She loves horses, and I hope someday to be able to enrich her love by giving her lessons. But I thought I would have more than one child. As you all know we have had an extremely hard time having more children, and I hope that the change of pace in our lives, will help see a pregnancy, or three, through to the end. I wanted my children to be closer in age. I wanted Katie to have a playmate. But we will just have to make friends. We are trying awfully hard, in the friend department.


I love that my hubby was willing to pack up and move all the way out here to try something totally different so that we can have and do things that we couldn't have or do where we were. He was resistant to moving this far from Lake County but he loves it here as much as I do. We love that we can look at homes, and not see something unattainable, but something that with a few more months of saving will be a reality. I love that he is my shoulder to cry on, my friend to laugh with, and my sounding board for which to bounce ideas from, or vent my frustrations too. He and I make a great team, and I am proud and happy to be his wife.


I never thought I would be where I am today but I'm here and I am content with the life God has seen fit for me. I am thankful everyday for my family, both here and in California. Without support and love we could never have made it.


Well thanks for listening (reading) and if you want post a comment with your own thoughts on your life!!! I'd love to read it!


Love
Amy

Why Do I Even Try???

I am not a cake baker. I can follow the recipe (almost, I usually leave something vital like sugar out, although I am getting better!) and the cake turns out tasting fine. But for the life of me I can not frost a cake!!! I made the best sheet cake ever (to try it go to http://thepioneerwoman.com and look in her recipes for the best sheet cake ever). The cake part is easy but the frosting is hard to make. It is supposed to turn out smooth and mine was clumpy. It was supposed to spread on the cake as you pour it, I had to use a spoon and stick it in the oven and hope the chocolate would melt to a spreadable level. UGH! I have had these mishaps before as some of you may remember the Christmas cake that was supposed to be two layers, but I couldn't get the top one from sliding off, and break in half because I didn't let the pudding center get cold enough. Or my mom's birthday cakes, one I was too quick to frost and the entire cake peeled off onto the spatula, in chunks. Also her cake that I sprinkled salt on top instead of sugar because the jars weren't marked, a lesson to us all!!!
Fortunately the cake I made for Aunt Carrie was good tasting. The cake recipe I used was transferred already for high altitude, (the one for you to try is fine for Ca. cooking). I hope you try it and enjoy it!!!
Katie made Aunt Carrie a Birthday Crown.
By the way Katie helped make the cake too!! She helped stir the batter, and she is an excellent taste tester. Her favorite part is helping with the candles. We practiced blowing all day!!
Happy Birthday Aunt Carrie!!!

This is the new picture located in the profile section to the left. I thought you might like to see it a bit bigger. We took it out on the prairie in from of an old stagecoach stop. I can't believe these building's withstood time, weather, etc!

Fishing

Uncle Jack and Aunt Carrie took us to Green River Lakes, up in the Bridger National Forest. It was BEAUTIFUL. We went for the day and was able to splash in the water and fish. We took the dogs, and they had a good time too. We were surprised to see that we weren't the only one's out for a day of fishing. We are grateful to Aunt Carrie and Uncle Jack to haul us all over and show us the beauty this state has to offer.
Love
Amy

A Bald Eagle Flying
Here he swoops in for a fish (hard to see I know)
Here is it's mate sitting in a tree
Green River Lakes

Square Top Mountain in the background

The Fishermen
Our fishing guides
Mommy and Katie watching the fishermen

Did they get one?!?!?!?!

Sadly the only catch of the day was a Cabela's trout!!

What a Butte

Well Dee Dee came out a few weeks ago, and boy did we have a good time. We went to check out some dinosaurs, something I will take everyone to do when visiting. And then we did it. I can't believe I did it, but I did. We climbed Pilot Butte. The ensuing pictures will give you some detail into the ordeal. Dee made a very embarrassing video of me climbing up to the top. Thank goodness it won't download onto the blog! I think I will take everyone to see this too, just so you can experience it. It is gorgeous once you get on top. You feel like you are the Indian looking down at the settlers coming across the prairie. Enjoy the pictures, and brace yourself for your trip up.
Love
Amy

Do you see how happy we look? We obviously

don't understand the climb ahead of us.

Dee thinks this is a piece of cakeIt took me a good (no joke) 20 minutes to get

above the 2nd step!

Dee is so mean, she is hysterically laughing as

she takes video with her camera! I notice the

ladder looks small from where Rick is standing

(laughing) and taking pictures, but it doesn't look

that small up there!!!

I maybe a bit hysterical but we made it to the top!!

Go US!!!

Now I am climbing down. My big butt happens

to be hitting the rock, I can't believe I look like that.

Treadmill here I come!!!!

Thanks Dee for such a fun trip!

Poor Poor Cat

We knew Katie loved to talk to cats, she even loved to touch them, but her obsession didn't magnify until we moved. The poor cat who's name is Shuto, but I may have spelled that wrong, is the object of Katie's desires. She has to go and say good morning to Shuto, goodnight, nap time goodnight, etc. We go down to the basement many times a day to see her. I should mention that Shuto never stayed in the basement before we arrived. She usually spent all her time upstairs. But now that we are here and Molly and Katie are taken with her she stays all day in a chair down here. If we bring her upstairs it is like kitty torture, she yowls the entire time. I think she knows though that Katie loves her. She allows her to do anything to her. Not once has Katie been scratched, and trust me she would deserve it. Katie loves to sit down here and watch her movies with Shuto, and often we will here her tell Shuto as the kitty is meowing in what seems to be discomfort, "it's alright, don't cry," and they continue to watch. Shuto must love Katie back, because I can't see her putting up with this LOVE otherwise.

The pictures below tell the entire story!