Lately.

It's been awhile... so I thought I'd catch you up on a few of the highlights.

Evan got braces. Whew... just in time. I thought we were gonna have to keep that $6000. Well, at least we don't have to pay for college.

We have to pay for college. (More college that is.) Eden and I took a drive up to Logan to look at Utah State on Wednesday. She forbade me from carrying my camera around like a tourist so I don't have any photos of campus. The only shot I got is this one from the drive up Sardine canyon. Wonder why they don't use this one in the brochures. The tour was great. Eden is excited. You don't need both kidneys to live... right?

Evan also had a piece in the student art show at the library.
Tracy had book club that night, but everyone else went.

Cute and colorful mushrooms? A sigh of relief... I was almost certain there'd be a school psychologist waiting by his artwork.

Eden also showed us a photo smile she's been working on. Reviews were mixed.

I took a business trip down to St. George. Long meetings, but with a genuinely nice group of clients. Even though you're still working, sometimes just being out of the office is an improvement. The highlight of the trip for me may have been the ten minutes I stole to shoot pictures of the mist.


Tracy and I have been cooking up a storm lately. Calzone, Kung Pao Shrimp, Stuffed Salmon with Brie... Tracy is a much better cook than I, but seems to have a passion (read sweet tooth) for baking. Today, she's made peanut butter cookies. Last week she made this... A coconut, banana something-or-the-other. I typically don't love cake, but this was sort of like super-banana bread paved with coconut and frosting. One doesn't argue...

I primarily like to cook things that require ingredients and implements we don't have. Introducing... My new Tagine. A tagine is a word that both describes a piece of cookware and the stews that are typically cooked within.

Prior to last week, we had never ever had Moroccan food... a spicy chicken tagine with rosemary, ginger and apricots. Unbelievably good... no joke. The cookbook is on my nightstand. (sorry... again... Scriptures) Unfortunately, the tagine you see here cracked from the heat. One visit to Sur la Table and and an additional $75 later... I have a new Emile Henry version. Once again, I am clearly not a genius.

Evan and I also just finished church basketball. They roped me into coaching, I roped him into playing. Is it a bad sign as a coach that you pray for a blowout in either direction? The last thing I wanted to do was to have to draw up a game losing play with five seconds to go. That said, the kids were great and the time well spent.

Well, that's pretty much it for now.
I still work too much and have too few hobbies.
Hailey is still sewing or un-sewing everything in sight.
Evan is getting used to his new magnetic mouth.
Eden turns eighteen today.
Tracy is patiently waiting for answers.