Brenda and Rocks and Halloween

This is my cute friend, and my cute husband. We went on a double date to the shooting range. I wanted to write a little about this because I realized I've got complicated feelings about guns. I grew up in Southern California where regular use of guns for hunting, like around here in Utah, is not the norm. My exposure to guns was hearing about drive by shootings, and a gun tragedy at my Dad's employee's house. They weren't something good guys had. The bad guys had guns. 

 A few years ago Jeff talked me into getting my concealed carry permit. I remember being in the class as they handed around a gun to show us how to take it apart.  I was shaking and had a really hard time through most of the class. I felt like an idiot reacting this way, but as I remember and write all of this out, I'm inclined to give myself a pass. Anyway I got on board, and Jeff and I have had some really good times at the gun range with friends. 

 My friend's husband is a great hunter as is Brenda herself. They have been very generous with elk and fish --not a bad gig to be their friends! The guns themselves are fun -- like high tech toys. You just have to always keep in mind at the same time that they are dangerous. It's an odd juxtaposition.

 The bullets themselves are pretty --like shiny jewelry. As you shoot, the bullet backs (the brass) pop out of the back of the gun, and they are HOT. One of them popped right into the neck of my blouse and burned the heck out of my chest before I could get it out. Turtlenecks only for me from now on at the range.

 Monte brought his high powered rifle to let us try. I was scared to shoot it because I remembered the kick of a shotgun and how much it hurt my shoulder, but there was next to no kick on this guy --it was just LOUD. That was one drawback of a date to the range, you can't really have a ...conversation!

 The next day Brenda and I had our Haunted half marathon up the south fork of Provo Canyon. It was beautiful. One of the prettiest courses I'd ever seen. Huge race though --there must have been 2,000 people there, and most were in costume. We saw: the Jamaican bobsled team, Wolverine, the Joker, Tweedle dee and dum, a Home teacher on the last day of the month (that was hilarious. He was in a  full suit and tie), lots of witches and Minnies and Mickys. I wish I could remember all of them. 

 Great props.

 Oh! Alice in Wonderland.

 I liked the big markers --you weren't going to miss them!

 I loved this -- a group of friends dressed as the Pink Ladies. They welcomed us to the finish line. We took our time this race :)

 This last Thursday I needed some centering, and indulged in a drive up to Rock Canyon for my run. Most of the leaves are gone now, but I still loved it. The rock formations are spectacular here. 

 I saw a Western Blue Jay --can you see him? I may buy a dang telephoto lens for my phone camera!

 I don't know why this happens, but every once in a while you see a candle flame of a tree left with its glory. 

 Halloween itself we went to our neighborhood's street of treats. Who need trunks?? My friend Kelli puts herself on the line year after year organizing it, and it's a wonderful time to talk with everyone and just enjoy yourself. When I was little we would have ward potluck dinners that I loved (I have great memories of running up and down the halls --reverence? What's that?), and this reminds me of that casual, fun atmosphere although it's a neighborhood thing instead of church. 

 We take our Halloween seriously around here!

 It was my turn to plan the date night, and I really wanted to go do this Sleepy Hollow ride that Brenda had told me about. Her husband was hunting, and this was the last weekend, so I booked Jeff and I for Halloween night. I felt kind of bad leaving the trick or treating early, but the kids were good with a movie and PLENTY of treats, so we went for it. My other friend called last minute to ask me for a good date idea for her and her husband, and I asked them to come along. Made it twice as fun. We hadn't done anything with them in a long time. 

 I still had my orange "Merida" hair from street of treats, but I figured it matched Halloween.

These were gorgeous horses. They pulled us through Sleepy Hollow village, and we saw Ichabod's school, and Katrina van Tassel's house, and raced through the forest with the Headless Horseman chasing us. The story played in the cart, and they had the whole thing set up around us. It was really cool. I highly recommend it! I tried to take a picture of the Headless Horseman, but...black horse, dark night... you couldn't see much. 

Now I want to go back for this. Brenda are you up for it? I stole your idea for Halloween so I owe you!

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Harvest fair and Girls' weekend.

 Every year our Stake (a group of neighborhood congregations in our church) does a Harvest Fair. In the past my girls and I have really had fun competing in the cake decorating, canning, and produce competitions. It's fun to say in passing  "my prize winning tomatoes"...""my prize winning chocolate cake"..."my prize winning daughter"...

 This year was a hard year for us. We all had a million places to be that day. Ari had been planning a flower arrangement though for a while, so she made that, I threw some tomatoes on a platter, and we rushed over -just her and me. We were too late to be in the judging, but I was still glad we went.

 My friend entered his wood sculpture. He designs them on a computer, and then, as he puts it, uses "every woodworking tool and machine known to man" to make them become a reality. This is him with his daughters.

 I have another friend who enters a metalworking project every year. Pretty impressive --last time it was chain mail.

 There were pony rides for the kids. 

 These ponies --only as big as large dogs!

 Face painting and kids crafts,

 A one family bluegrass band. I'd heard these guys before at a park concert and they never disappoint! 

 I was so excited to hear "Devil went down to Georgia". Been a while!

 Gardening demo ladies.

 Chick loving girls.

 

 Here was my tomato platter. Fancy. Ish.

 Ari's flower arrangement. She bought the water crystals, and a flashing color changing LED light for the vase with her own money.

We didn't stay long at the Harvest fair, because I was due up the canyon for a girls' weekend. Oh my gosh I needed this! My friend was moving back to California, so one of our group borrowed a cabin for us to stay in for a night as a going away thing. I was so excited to get up there, I drove without thinking right into BYU game traffic and was stuck an hour in Provo. I was not happy. I hated BYU, football, the entire city of Provo, the guy in the car in front of me (you were lucky you weren't a passenger in my car or you wouldn't have escaped my wrath either). 

But I finally made it, and it was worth the wait. I have to give you a tour of the "cabin". It was like going to a parade home. The bathroom was the cutest. In fact we wanted to take the group picture in the bathroom because we all loved it. Weird I know, but do you see that tub and tile? 

 Cutesy bedroom.

 Adorable kitchen with our plethora of snacks.

 Cozy living room.

 We ate (of course), and then furiously played games for hours.

 and I mean furiously!

 We talked and talked, and I loved it. So many stories. I was chatting with one of my friends later, and she commented on how cool it was that the conversation never dragged into gossip and criticism of people. These are nice girls. Of course we didn't go to bed until like 3:00, but it was worth the missed sleep. My sister always says, that talking and talking about your feelings (and listening and listening to them) is not a husband's job, it's for girlfriends. 

 The next day my fantastic friend made crepes for all of us, and we ate them with hot chocolate and herb tea. 

It was raining as I drove back down the canyon for church, but it only made the canyon more beautiful. A great memory.

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