On Tuesday I was mixing up a half-batch of pancake batter for dinner when I suddenly had a bright flash-back memory of my dad making apple pancakes, and I wanted some! I'm sure my mom made apple pancakes too, but this time my memory highlighted my dad slicing perfectly even, thin apple slices, arranging them on the moist pancake circles on the griddle, and flipping the apple pancake over.
Yesterday Benjamin submitted the final project needed to complete his bachelor's degree. Early in the evening, we received word that it had been graded. He passed with flying colors! I am so proud of him. He has worked hard and maintained motivation even when he was discouraged, sleep deprived, and crazy-busy. Independent, distance learning is hard, but he succeeded!
The recipe: I like potatoes. I really, really like potatoes, so when I stumbled on this easy recipe for Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes, I just knew I had to bookmark it and make it someday. 
Benjamin's parents have a duck couple who has taken up residence in their yard. Little Man loved watching them and throwing pieces of bread to them.
He also thoroughly enjoyed chasing them. They fled the premises quacking, though they did return later when he wasn't around.
But perhaps the highlight of the trip (other than seeing his grandparents and auntie--he had been eagerly talking about and anticipating seeing them for days) was the new-to-him "bike" that Little Man's Auntie found for him. Now he is looking forward to the next visit, and so are we.
We were honored to help by playing music for the prelude and ceremony. Some of the music we played was flute and guitar, and some of it was flute and piano. We were pleased that it was about 98% perfect which is especially good for wedding music where finishing and starting all the pieces at all the right times is difficult. We becoming a better and better team the longer we do music together.
It was an exquisitely joyful, lovely wedding. Not so much because it progressed flawlessly in lovely surroundings, but because the couple was radiantly happy. They are perfect for each other!
As I listened to them exchange vows, and watched the love shining in their eyes, I couldn't help but be reminded of my own wedding day. The good though normal and everyday life we have forged in nearly four years of marriage was pulled aside. As I remembered, I tasted again of the new joy of being just married. Perhaps that's the best part of going to weddings after all. : )
The wedding was a perfect mixture of seriousness and fun. I enjoyed seeing how their personalities complement each other and are already melding into one unified expression.
At the end of the day they rode off in a horse-drawn carriage. I'm so glad we were able to go to Colorado do help in their celebration and to witness their joy.
On our trip, we stayed in a new, nicer hotel for our two nights in Colorado. I know that hotel staying isn't all that exciting to many people, but to us it's a pretty big deal. We rarely stay in hotels when we travel, preferring the more economical approach of staying with friends and family. And the rare times we do need to stay in hotels, we usually go the more budget approach, so this was a real treat.
Little Man was very hesitant. I think he would have stayed outside of the pool just watching if I hadn't insisted that he try going in the pool with Grandpa just once. He did try it and wasn't very impressed. We finally convinced him to stand in the water on the top step into the pool, which he liked much better.
Brother, however, enjoyed being in the water quite a bit and happily went in with Grandpa a couple of times.
Since my parents wound up their week-long vacation by going to the same wedding we did, it seemed sensible to get adjoining hotel rooms. We were all happy to see each other again, and the boys enjoyed the new blocks they bought. It was so nice to have some extra space for the boys to play, not to mention the free and loving babysitting the boys got while Benjamin and I took care of our wedding music responsibilities and went on a couple of mini-dates. : )
[Clockwise from top left: Mountains and clouds less than an hour south of our town, red rock and blue sky after Vernal, Utah, Utah, mountains and valley in Idaho, and breathtaking peaks outside of Heber City.]
I also experimented with slow shutter speeds and highway lights. It was fun to make light-scribble hearts and squiggles.
Of course I also had to snap a few photos of the handsome guy beside me. ; ) Benjamin spent his long hours in the car driving, driving, and driving. He gets motion sick if he isn't the one driving. Plus he has good reflexes, good judgement, and good stamina which all combine to make an excellent driver. Plus I would rather take photos out of the windows than focus on the road ahead. All of those factors make him the logical choice for being the driver on the long road trips we so love to take.
Coming soon! Our trip: the hotel
