June 2014. Getting ready for family, and Melissa leaves me.

There were two stories to tell this month.  One of a gleeful Melissa, surrounded by her close and extended family, enjoying a wonderful Pacific Northwest summer. The other is of a husband left alone, to build and clean, in an attempt to prepare the house for her return. 
 
This is his story...
 
Melissa and I decided our guest room, hereafter known as "Grandma's Room," would have a western feel.  Melissa's Grandma Flick spent a few days in this room last year and loved the bed. Once everyone decided to have 4th of July in Blanding, she called Melissa to reserve "her room."
Melissa and I worked on this room for a couple weeks, building the headboard, sewing curtains and pillows, refinishing a farrier's chest, installing baseboard, painting, and refinishing the ceiling fan.
 
 
Curtain, rod, horseshoe brackets, ceiling fan
 
Melissa's custom horseshoe art on the wall and refurbished chest.
 
Our painted lamp
 
Melissa had an old decorative mirror from her stepdad Bill's mother. She painted it coral to add some pop!
 
To make a weekend memorable you only need a few events. Doctor's visit for intrauterine insemination, spend a few thousand dollars on off-road toys, and finish a year old puzzle.
The weekend dropping Melissa in Lindon to fly to Washington had all three.
Waiting the requisite 15 minutes after the procedure before we could leave. (no success in the procedure, we've been trying to get pregnant for 2 years, this wasn't a spur of the moment decision)
 
The first of two toys and a trailer bought this weekend. (Neighbors ended up asking what had happened when I left for Utah County with Melissa and came home alone, with two ATVs)
 
Mum and Melissa finished a puzzle they started a year earlier when my cousin Sarah was over from England. Sarah came to the USA twice and Melissa and Mum worked on it who knows how many times. They finished it this weekend, minus the 4-5 pieces lost to the vacuum.
 
 
When Melissa left for her Grandma + Grandpa Clift's 50th wedding anniversary my first project at home was to clean the garage and weld horseshoes into curtain rod hangers and a curtain tieback hook (see above).
 
 
And burn a heart into the concrete with a blow torch... that's what happens when I'm left home alone... stuff gets burned.
 
Then my neighbor Tanner took Zoe and I looking for Bayles Arch on the mountain north of Blanding.  We walked a long time... and didn't find it.  We wandered for about 6 miles to complete what should have been ~2 miles round trip.
 
But we saw some cool old cowboy ruins.
 
During a dump run while Melissa was gone I found some antlers for the antler room and took them to my other neighbor Clay to mount.
 
Melissa left me a few other projects, just to keep me busy and out of trouble after work while she was gone.  The house ended up pretty clean by the time she got home.  I married a smart woman.
 
 
Melissa's turn to blog!  My weekend up North with my family started in Washington.  I spent a couple days at my mom's house.  The first day there, I went with my SIL, Shanda, and her kids to the park since my mom and Bill were working at the temple.  It was a sunny late afternoon, so the kids ran around a water park, and then played on the toys at the regular park. 
 
 
 
 
The second day there, I helped Mom weed her garden, since she has way too much to keep up with.  It was another sunny day.  I even got a sunburn!
 
 
We decided to take my nephews and niece to the pool to give Shanda some time to work.  When we got back to my mom's house, we decided to warm up in the sun and eat some of Mom's delicious homegrown fruit.
 
 
The next day Mom, Bill, and I drove down to Oregon.  They visited Trisha at her dentist office to get their teeth cleaned.  Then we headed to Trisha and Jeremy's house, where the girls were very excited to see me.  That night Mom, Trisha, and I went on a shopping spree since they both have been doing amazing at losing weight. We also needed a girls' night out!
 
 
The next day we went across town to my Grandma and Grandpa Clift's 50th wedding anniversary.  You may think the math doesn't add up, but this was the 2nd marriage for both of them.  Grandma Clift and I are not blood related, but she is definitely my grandma.  These two are amazing examples to me.  I love that I lived near them when I was little, and they have been a big part of my life.
 
 
I just love these two!
 
 
It was a great weekend with my mom.
 
 
 
 
Here they are with almost all of their kids and spouses.
 
 
After the party, we spent the night at the grandparent's house.  The next day we had another gathering at the park.  It was another beautiful day in the North West (except for 5 minutes of rain), spent with lots of family.  Grandpa read all the cards he and Grandma got from friends and family.
 
 
My nieces had fun running around together.
 
 
Mya got a little cold, so I warmed her up.
 
 
This little man had fun scooting everywhere!
 
Here is a picture of all of the family who were able to make it. 
 
 
Now just my close family (missing a few).
 
 
Uncle Steve loves to hang out with the ladies!
 
 
The next morning, Trisha and her family, and Andrew and I left for Utah to spend a week at my house. We stopped in Idaho for lunch.
 
 

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