Great Weekend For A Ride (or two)

Last weekend Rex and I were invited to take a Harley ride to Death Valley to see the wildflowers that are out in full bloom. It did not work out that we were able to go with that group, so we took off on our own for a beautiful ride. We started by looping around the valley and having lunch across town at Firehouse Subs. That has become one of our favorite lunch spots...really good sandwiches. Then we stopped in Henderson and said hello to the Roundys. From there, we went out by the lake and looped around through Valley of Fire, then back to I-15 and on home. It was such a beautiful day for a ride. We must have had the fever, because on Sunday after church, we hopped back on the bike and rode up through Red Rock Canyon. We putted through Blue Diamond then back home. I am happy we got those two beautiful days of riding in, because the week got ugly the last couple of days....windy and cold. Looking forward to more great rides.

Rex at one of the stops we made near Lake Mead.

Beautiful flowering cactus and other flowers near the lake. Valley of FireRed Rock Canyon

Me, at a look-out in Red Rock Canyon.

garth

I took this picture before the show.

"The Band"

I love my husband. He sat at the computer and on the phone for 2 hours for tickets to see Garth Brooks. We went this past weekend and it was amazing. Brandon and Janna came down and went with us. We spent the day on Saturday just soaking up the sun. It was a beautiful day, about 83 degrees. We went to a couple of different parks near our house and just relaxed and enjoyed the sun. (except Lauryn, she was already burnt from a ski trip) Later that day, Brandon and the kids got in the jacuzzi. Then that evening, Rex and I and Brandon and Janna went to the show.

We headed down to the Wynn at about 6 or so. The show was not until 8 but they way they do their tickets to prevent scalping we practically had to pee in a cup just to pick up our tickets. Just a joke...they make everyone show ID, wear a wrist band and then stamp your hand when you pick up the tickets. We thought we would have time to eat but by the time we found the place to pick up the tickets, it was cutting it too close, so we ate a quick delicious salad at the ZooZa Deli at the Wynn. We got seated at the show about 15 min. before showtime.

I've seen Garth's concert a couple of times, but this was a totally different experience. Just him and his guitar. He talked to the audience, telling a story through music. He talked about the songs and artists that influenced him and sang songs from different artists as well as his own. Very casual too...he came out in a hoodie sweatshirt, wrinkled jeans and some lace up bugger bottom boots. They did not allow photography during the show, but Janna snuck a shot. I was too chicken. So happy to have gone to the show...THE BEST!

Brandon, Janna, Lauryn, Parker & Ashby at the park.

Having some frozen yogurt after the park.

Brandon and the kids in the jacuzzi.

For a joke, Rex put on his 15 year old Chris LeDoux shirt and overalls...said he was gonna wear it to the concert. I think he had Lauryn going for a while.

Us, just before the show. I love this guy!

tales of the truck...part?

If you follow my blog, then you know about the truck Rex bought to restore. The first post about it was back on October 21, 2008. I posted again in November about when he put the engine in it. Getting this truck painted and back so he could finish it has been, well should I say a LONG time coming. Since my last post, witch was when he sent it back to the pain guy to "touch it up" - alot has happened. Or should I say not enough has happened. He had it for about a year and on the Friday before Rex was going to Utah for the deer hunt, he got a call from Metro telling him that someone had stolen the engine out of it while it was at the paint shop. UGGGG! Someone broke into the yard of the shop and although they did not take the entire engine, they took the carburetor, distributor, radiator, powder coated brackets, valve covers, condenser and air cleaner. He was not going to let it ruin his hunting trip, but he was pissed. The shop owner did not want to claim it on the insurance so he told him to take it to his mechanic and get it fixed and he would pay for it. This guy did not know Rex WAS the mechanic but instead of doing it himself, he decided to go ahead and have someone else fix it at this guy's expense. Rex decided to take the truck to his friend Dale @ Winners Circle. Dale painted his Monte Carlo and he had a mechanic that could fix the truck. He also had Dale Color Sand and Buff the paint. WOW~! It's a beauty! Although the paint is not perfect, he has decided not to put any more time or money into it. He brought it home yesterday and had the new wheels and tires on it in no time. I guess interior is all that is left to do. Maybe after that he will turn the keys over to me.

Success!

I have never been able to make bread. It seems like maybe that all changed when we got a wheat grinder and a bosch mixer for Christmas. Rex and I decided to make our first batch of bread...with fresh ground wheat flour. It turned out burly. (as you can see it LOOKS beautiful-and it tasted just as good as it looked).

I am so excited to know that I can make bread! This is the wheat flour, just after we ground it.

My mom got a bosch a few years ago from all us kids and Dad. She has been making bread like crazy ever since. She included her recipe with the Christmas gift.

The AMAZING little machine. Just set it and let it do its thing...it kneads the dough for 8 minutes.

My bread from days past NEVER rose like this.

Coming out of the oven.....I'm so proud, I almost cried...

NOW...I HOPE IT WAS NOT BEGINNERS LUCK!

Christmas

The tree at our house in Enoch. Jessika decorated it, isn't it beautimus?

This year we spent Christmas in Utah. Lindsey and Jessika are both living there now and with both of their work schedules, it was easier for us to go up there than for them to come here. We went up Christmas Eve and had dinner at my parents house with Kim, Mike and family, Shon, Trisha and family, Grandma and Grandpa Spevak, Mom and Dad and us. After a delicious prime rib dinner, we played a few games and had some good laughs.

Grandpa Alex and Grandma Maxine

Rex, kicking back after dinner in Christmas Eve.

We had a very relaxing Christmas morning. We were not in any big hurry to get up, and we had breakfast and finally finished opening presents around 11:00. We went to Harmony later in the day and exchanged presents with Rex's parents. Barbara had been sick, so we did not stay too long. That evening, we had dinner at our house in Enoch with Lindsey and Jessika. We are so blessed with a wonderful family and we had a really nice Christmas.

snuggie!!!


ummm....what is it?


Lindsey with her stero for the Ranger!
Rex and his bag of goods.

Jessika got a fishing pole from Grandma B and Grandpa Ted.

Linds and her present.....CASH

Rex' dad Ted. We got him a chore coat. Gotta stay warm when your out doin the chores.

Rex's mom Barbara. We got her the complete set of the Work and the Glory series.

thanksgiving and such

We spent Thanksgiving in Utah. We ate at my parents house with all my siblings. It was so fun having all of us together. The day after we went to Harmony and had a professional photographer come take family pictures. My mom has always wanted a family picture taken with the Kolobs in the background, so that's what we did. It was really cold, but they turned out really nice. I had my camera, so I took some shots here and there. The one at the top of the blog was taken by my brother Shon.... Then the next day, we went shooting. This has become sort of a tradition. Well, on the years the whole fam is together,(every other year) we go shooting. Fun and very cold.

Mom and Kim....making Thanksgiving dinner.

Trisha and Shon, scouring the ad's for Black Friday deals.

Mom, Grady, Mataya, Dad and Janna, checking out Janna's new laptop.

The WHOLE family.

The Kelseys

Me...trying to hit a clay pigeon.

Jessika and Corbin

Ashby and Jessika

Shon showing Brandon his gun collection.

Dad....do you think he means business?

caught in the act

A few weeks back, I went out in the backyard to find a strange looking bird....just walking around. It sort of looked like a chicken, but had an odd shaped body and did not really have that chicken "strut". Well, I came back inside and told Rex we had a strange bird in the backyard...when he went and looked he just about died laughing. He said "ITS A CHICKEN!" Believe me, I still have not heard the end of that. Well, we can't figure out how he got in our backyard, (this is at our Vegas house)but I'm pretty sure he "lives" at a house down the street that has a few of them roaming their yard. Rex chased it out of the backyard and that was that....WRONG! It kept coming to "visit" us. In the mornings when I would leave for work, I would see it in the front yard. It sort of became a joke that our pet chicken was back to visit us. This was happening on a pretty regular basis.

Well, a week or so ago, Rex planted some new flowers in the planters around the trees in the front yard. After a couple of days, he said that he thought the chicken was getting into the planters and picking at his flowers, scratching at the dirt and making all kinds of a mess. He said there was a bunch dirt in the grass, like the chicken has been scratching at it, throwing it out of the planter. He was a little but hurt that this chicken was messing in his flowers.

That brings me to this morning....as I was pulling out of the driveway, what do I see? Yep, a chicken. It was not the first one I saw in the backyard that day...this one actually looks like a chicken. But there it was headed straight for the flowers. I had to take some pics of it...too funny! Maybe we will be having fried chicken for dinner!

heading for the planter...ready to make his move

on the edge....checkin it out...pickin the right spot

(see all that dirt on the cement edge, thats his handy work)

looking around...is anybody watching?

CAUGHT IN THE ACT!