Playing in a band

So a few nights ago we got our instruments out and Lilly too to the Wash Tub bass. I guess she really likes it. It was fun.

THE BOG

So if you havent heard my song yet, let me know. I wrote a song about my parents back yard called the back yard bog. I recorded it on my lat top so if you want to hear it I can email the mp3 to you. To be brief, the bog use to be in teh back corner of the yard. It is from septic problems, so you can imagine how fun it is when you are down wind. :) We have tried a few things to get rid of it but nothing really worked. This is the bog now. It is pretty much always like this. The pictures are mainly for my Idaho friends who don't know what a bog is. :) It's a wet marshy swampy puddle of water and mud.
My parents actually bought a brandnew lawn mower this year and the first time my brother use it, the blade hit the bog and broke. ha ha. So Dad ended up getting a weed wacker today. Joseph cut it down today, but it was at least 2 feet high.
So enjoy the pictures of "The Bog"

Casting a Ring

Believe it or not, I have actually never seen Dad cast a ring before. Neither has Mark. And since his stuff is right out side our door, it made it rather convenient. Dad was casting a ring Saturday night, and Mark was helping him, so I thought it's be fun to post some pictures.

This is the scrap white gold before it's turned into a ring.
Mark melting the gold and Dad is pokeing it. What did that gold ever do you you dad?

Dad just put that black cylinder on the back of the white thingy with the gold in it. That is where the mold for the ring is. (Aren't you impressed that I know all the big official terms for everything?)

Then the whole round grey thing spun really fast then Dad pulled the gold filled mold out.

careful it's hot! The water discentegrated teh mold thingy and then he stuck his hand in and pulled out the ring.

Isn't it beautiful! It's actually 3 rings. they still have a bit of finish work, but you get the idea. :)

Civil War Project

Well I didnt get a picture of this but Thursday was Hyrums last day for his Civil War Project and at last minuet that morning he was trying to figure out how he could get more points. Well I volunteered to come play my banjo for his class so he got to school and asked his teacher then called and told me when and where to come. I did a little resherch to get my details straight and I ended up taking my concertina (little accoridan) and my harmonica, and jaw harp, and wash board, and my echo harp (fancy harmonica). Mark came and brought his guitar. I talked about the kinds of instruments they played and played a song about a soldier in the civil war, and played a few songs they played during the civil war. I told them about the wash tub bass, but it was too bulky to bring. But last night we set it up and everyone took turns playing, even Lilly. She played it really good. :)
Now Hyrum has decided he wants to take banjo lessons, he has been playing for 3 days and can already play a song. Way to go Hyrum!

Conference

Ok today is catching up day. I'll probably post a few times to catch everything up. Yesterday was Stake conference, and we sat in the RS room, we didnt even chance staying in the main room with Lydia. Well there were 2 little girls in front of us with a bunch of toys and they had a mr potato head. Lydia found the ears and carried one in each hand for several mins, till she found his glasses. Lydia LOVES glasses. She tried to put them on so she coudl wear them and be a cool dude, but they were too small for her head. But that didnt stop her. After messing with them for several mins she got them on. I wished I had my camera. She only got them as wide as her temples. The ear pices were on her temples and the lense part were 3 inches infront of her face above her eyes. She was walking around tilting her head up to keep them from falling off. It was so funny!
Then after conference we went to Grandma Adams house. IT was so fun. Lydia didnt explore too much. She would walk around and then stop and look at everything and listen to the brids, then walk around again and stop and look at the trees. Everything looked so different then it did in Idaho. It was funny.
Late afternoon I pulled my banjo out and played "The Back Yard Bog" for everyone who hadn't heard it yet. I ended up playing it 3 times. twice at grandmas by request and once at home for my brother in law Mike who didn't hear it at grandmas. IT was a fun afternoon.

The Move

Well all, this has been a stressful week, and it's over. Thank Heaven. I had every intention of taking pictures to better share with you our adventure, but the overpowering thought of "get this over with" took over all my thoughts, so no pictures.
Monday- wake up in the morning, stressing that all our crap wouldn't fit in our 17 foot truck. We were looking at our stuff trying to see what we could leave behind. we went and got the truck at 9, but when the guy pulled it out it hit 17 feet and kept coming and coming and coming. It was the 24 foot truck. They didnt have any 17 footers so since we had already reserved it we got the 24 foot truck for the same price as the 17. All my stress just flew out the window. It was awesome. WE had some guys from the ward come help load the truck, and it was all loaded in less than 40 mins. AWESOME!!!
Mark had his last final from 3-5 and when he was done we went bowling. I won :) 132. Then we went for ice cream at Farrs and saw a few people from our ward, that was fun too.
Tuesday- The truck was mostly loaded, we had a few extra things like our comfy sleeping bags we slept on. (that was not a good sleep) then some more friends in my ward came to help me finish cleaning. We were done in record time. HORAY! Then Lydia needed a nap. no crib. So we called my sister in law Kendra, cause that is where we were staying that night, but there was no answer, but we didnt really want to go out there yet cause we weren't done in town. So we called my cousin Heather, she lives...er lived close. So we took Lydia over for a nap did our running and came and bumed lunch off of her. Thanks Heather. Then we hung out till our last ward party. Pizza at the Park. We took our instruments and played a little for everyone. It was so fun, but so sad to say good bye to all my friends. We both had a LOT of freinds to say good bye to. We miss you guys already!
Then we went straight to Dave and Kendras. Lydia was so tired, and so were we. We got our stuff in and then I realized I couldnt go to bed, I hadnt bought groceries yet. DANG. So I drug Keith with me, we didnt get back till 11. SOOOO TIRED. We went to bed as fast as we could, since we were getting up at 4:30. But NONE of us could sleep. We were up for at least an hour soem of us 2 trying to fall asleep but we couldnt. BARG! Lydia was sleeping but she kept waking up.
Wednesday-FINALY! Get that stupid night over with and just go. There isnt much to tell about wednesday, other than we drove from 5 am to 11 pm. But we made it to our hotel in Lincoln. Lydia did SO good. She slept at least 1/2 the time and was drowsy for the other 1/2. I SWEAR I didnt even drug her.
But then we had the issue of the truck. We noticed how much the gas tank held. And figured out the milage...what's that smell? It's getting stronger...kinda smells like stress...with a hint of debt. Yep that's it. Don't ask me how much we spent total. I didnt add it up...I don't want to. And we slept GREAT that night.
Thursday-We werent quite as punctual about leaving as we planned, but we were only 10 mins late. It was just nice to rest. We were on the road a little after 8 CST. Only 6 hours to go. AND, and and and. We never did print off a map. AND we even made it through Kansas City with out any directions. We missed the belt and had to go through town but we never got lost, didnt have to turn around. We did it. We filled up just south And Lydia did NOT want to be in the car. she went in with out a fuss, but she was so annoyed that we were still driving. talking loudly and waving her hands like she was saying I really REALLY don't want to be in here!
We made it to mom's house right at 3. I TOLD YOU SO. EVERYONE doubted that I could adn woudl actually do it. BUT WE DID IT. But we did. And what a blessing. We got the stuff to stay at my parents house unloaded and our room set up. And Lydia got to run around out side naked in the mud. she got so dirty and it was so FUN!
Friday- We had a slow start in the morning but we went into the Rones and unloaded the Uhaul, and got rid of that stupid thing. Then we had lunch and went to Bass Pro. The fish scared Lydia, she didnt like them. Lydia needed a nap so we came back. Then we went to Nancyanns play. That was fun. and when we came home we had Lilly's birthday party. She had a dirt and worms cake so I thought that was a good time to sing the song I wrote. About teh Back Yard Bog. Mom and Dad were busting up. IT was very fun.
So the move is over and we are getting settled, and no more road trips for me for a while.
I'll take some pictures soon to show all my Idaho friends what MO looks like. it's GREEN!!!

Christmas Party

Ha Ha. Lydia did NOT like Santa. I hadn't seen this picture till today, and I thought I'd share.