tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14845983198163693492024-03-04T20:58:51.475-08:00Finding our way HomeTia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-79181003847297766812015-12-14T06:15:00.003-08:002015-12-14T06:15:30.392-08:00A Few Adventures and the Chores<span style="font-size: large;"> We have now been here a little over a week. There have been a few adventures. For instance, I learned that a clay hill where the goat and donkey play makes a wonderful slippy slide... and found myself incredibly grateful for a hot shower and the ability to wash my clothes and jacket as goats and donkeys are fairly unconcerned about where they relieve themselves. Adventurer learned that when Sandman says, "don't walk on the ice," he is trying to help her on a 40 degree day (where the ice is surely not solid especially over moving water) not to go for a swim... and again I am grateful for a washing machine but even more so that my son got my daughter safely out of the creek and up the hill to warm up by the fire.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We have settled into a routine with the animals and home. I get up with the Mountain Man every morning to start the fire while he prepares for work. I am enjoying the simple task of feeding the fire throughout the day and so far it has been our sole source of heat with the exception of the day that he saw flames through the wall. For that 24 hour period we turned on the HVAC and relied on propane as the property manager made some repairs where the piping leading from the stove attached to the wall. Log cabins shift and settle more than most homes and apparently that was the cause but I am very thankful my Mountain Man saw the flames where they shouldn't be and that Joe, the property manager has now fixed it securely!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Adventurer joins me most mornings to feed everyone and make sure the water is unfrozen and full. We call out good morning to the horses (Jon Bon Jovi, called Boy, and Mama) and they meet us by the fence to receive their hay. Then it's over to Odie and Lovey (the donkey and goat) to feed them theirs. Check in on the chickens to see that their water is not frozen and that they have not dumped it during the night. We leave the top half of their door open throughout the day so that they can be free range but with the wolf pack in the valley and the coyotes we count every night to see if there are still seven. Larry, the rooster, says hello when we arrive and if daylight beats us he hurries us on our way. After everyone has food we check the mail, grab the paper, and close the front gate. Then we swing all the other gates wide so that all the animals can visit and range around the property together. Some days their antics are very distracting as they are in the front of the house and others they go down to the creek or in a side pasture and we don't see them unless we go looking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Next, it is inside to feed the Bear and pick up the cat food. Bear thinks it is quite yummy so I put it high during the day and back down for the kitty crew as they wander in every evening. The Bear still heads straight for his bed every evening as my children say their prayers so the kitties get many hours of free time to wander the home and eat indoors before they scatter in the morning as I walk out. One has decided that Bear is tolerable as a pal and will come in in the day to play with him and be loved on by the children but the rest are still fairly shy of us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Around lunchtime, Adventurer and I check the chicken coop for eggs. She gets very tickled by every one we collect and we tell the ladies, "thank you." The evening chores are handled by the animal property manager, Suzanne. She corrals everyone back in their home pastures and feeds them. Sometimes she can stop in for a visit which we all enjoy. Other than that it is basically bringing fire wood into the house, feeding the fire, and back to household chores you'd have anywhere and school as usual. Somehow, the new chores all make the days fresh and new with the animal friends we have here and it is easier for me, a night owl usually, to hop out of bed every morning early. In all honesty, I am sore every evening so it must be more than it seems, for me at least, but it is a good sore and a good night's sleep every night.</span>Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-17424423719974679912015-12-07T22:45:00.001-08:002015-12-14T05:50:13.806-08:00Pictures will have to wait till another time <span style="font-size: large;">We had another wonderful day but definitely a full and busy one. Out of bed and off the ranch before day light, I met the movers at 8:30 and checked off boxes as they off-loaded into our storage rooms. Moving into a fully furnished house means that we only need our personal effects at the house for the next few months. Of course, those personal effects were set to the side to be brought to the cabin. Four hours of standing in the drizzly cold left me ready to warm back up. Another reason to love heated seats in the car! We had time to run a few errands and then back to the ranch to meet the movers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> They beat me to the cabin by half an hour which gave them time to off-load the rest of our things onto the front porch. Then I got to stand at the door and direct boxes to either the basement or the attic. I have to hand it to the men, they were incredible professionals and good sports about all the stairs. Mountain Man's decoy collection was left in the front room for him to see as soon as he walked in from work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The movers left just in time for me to get a ham in the oven and visit with the property manager who takes care of the animals. Suzanne had been off the property for a few days as she drove the owner to Salt Lake City to catch her flight. It was nice to see her again and chat for a minute. Mountain Man literally walked through the door as the ham came out of the oven and the dining room table was covered with decoys in the few minutes it took to prepare the sides. Fortunately there is a bar and barstools for the family to eat together while the decoys took up our usual space. Mountain Man is happy, all the ducks are accounted for. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> After dinner we finished unpacking a few more boxes and the little touches around the house are exciting to see. It's amazing to me how well everything seems to fit. I did a little bit of work on Sandman's space in the loft with him while Adventurer and Cat designed and began work on two costumes they are creating. Being in a house again is heavenly in that the girls had room to spend the afternoon having a tea party, playing dress up, and then creating in spite of the damp weather! I loved listening to them collaborate and am looking forward to seeing their final outcome. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> With the children tucked into bed Mountain Man and I were able to catch up on our day. The job is everything and more than he was hoping but that is his story to tell if I can ever talk him into a guest post. As it is approaching midnight and I have morning chores I decided to share a little about our day and save the pictures for the future. I hope each of you is reading this from a happy, safe place that you are glad to call home. For tonight, I am full of happy feelings and toasty warm by the fire. </span>Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-62054797890823179812015-12-06T22:56:00.000-08:002015-12-06T22:56:20.426-08:00We Have Arrived!!!<span style="font-size: large;"> We feel like we are living a dream! We drove into Montana on Thursday night. As we drove through Missoula, the girls and I stopped to pick up a few groceries and then Adventurer said, "Let's go home and make dinner." Just that simple. Of course, we are not there yet (our forever home) but each day feels a little bit closer. We are feeling incredibly blessed that while we look for property we are able to stay at the Lazy Susan. I don't know where we will be in four months but I am loving where we are today!</span><div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The owner of the house had all the lights on and made sure it was toasty warm inside so our first hours spent in her cabin were very comfortable. Driving up through the front gate and down the drive looked like the perfect scene out of a Christmas movie. I can absolutely see the kids one day driving home with their children to spend Christmas in the mountains at the grandparents' place. The property managers had posted a sign that said, "Welcome to Montana!!", on the front door and they stopped in with a housewarming gift after giving us time to settle. It was a lovely candle that smells yummy and believe it or not is from the Chesapeake Bay Candle Company, which is truly lovely considering we spent the last almost fifteen years calling the Chesapeake Bay area home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Our first few days here the owner was still doing last minute things tying up loose ends before her trip but tonight we are settled in, we have been to our first church service here, and we have even had a friend to dinner. We took a walk down the road from our place and were counting llamas, deer, and wild turkey. Yes, this move feels like coming home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Mountain Man starts work in the morning. I expect him to love his new job. We already like our neighbors and thoroughly enjoyed our new church and the people we met there. I will post pictures tomorrow after the last of our household goods are delivered. I just want to say again, how grateful I am. This last year made no sense at so many different points. We appreciate those who made the last year easier and we are so grateful. All we could do was trust in the Lord and try to follow His will. Whatever comes down the line, I am so very thankful for these moments of rest and ease!</span></div>
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Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-77360163819950575272015-10-17T21:17:00.004-07:002015-12-06T22:31:04.311-08:00Turning the page<span style="font-size: large;"> This weekend has left me feeling refreshed, hopeful, joyful, and most of all, grateful! We came to Montana for a few days to look for a home base for the winter as we learn this new area. Our goal was to find something that would fit us all somewhere hopefully in the country. As we journey back to Cheyenne to wrap up the final details of our life there we are looking forward truly to a new adventure with lovely new faces who already seem to hold the promise of becoming quite dear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The need for a peaceful landing spot after this last few months seems to have been met by someone who is by far a better planner than I. In July I was hospitalized briefly and ended up on oxygen. It turns out that my general lack of energy and pep has probably been an inability to breath throughout our entire time in Cheyenne. Six thousand feet in elevation is a dramatic change from the forty feet above sea level from our home in Maryland. After three months on oxygen the pulmonary specialist and Mountain Man and I had reached the conclusion that my lungs simply were not adapting to the change. Trips to locations a mere 1,000 feet lower relieved my need for supplemental oxygen entirely and my breathing became regular. Fortunately the Mountain Man had continued to look for a way back to Idaho and was already receiving requests for interviews on various job possibilities. This is where another's plans enter the picture. We received two offers for what seems to be an ideal job, one in Boise, ID and the other in Missoula, MT.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> In all our travels since moving west we have spent time in Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota... We had not yet ventured into Montana at all. Comparing the size of the two towns alone kind of indicated a better fit for us in the more sparsely populated Western Montana. We really are small town folks at heart. So with a surprising twist after a year of looking to return to Idaho we find ourselves moving to Montana. Driving into Missoula on Thursday we found ourselves in awe of the beauty all around us. Mountains and forests, rivers and creeks, this definitely seems the place for us. Which brings us to the need to find a temporary home while we look for property for our forever home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We started with a list of addresses for rentals that would allow our Bear. Many of the contacts provided never returned our call. There were also several who asked that we schedule appointments online rather than simply speak to us in person. Two had full voicemails and no other way to contact them. The very first person to return my call introduced herself as the lady with the log cabin in the mountains in Montana. I spoke to her for fifteen minutes learning in that time that she was a retired wildlife Biologist, a spinner, a weaver, a wilderness activist; a lovely lady who upon retirement began living out her dream in the Montana mountains. At this point in her life she finds she needs to go somewhere warmer for the winter and so she looks for people to share her home over the half of the year while she is away. A wonderful woman who is happy to share her Montana dream with us while we find our final home here in the mountains means we will spend our first several months here helping to care for a lovely log cabin with a creek running behind it at the bottom of a gentle slope... there are two horses, a Sicilian donkey named Odie, a lovely goat, and several fun little chickens. We haven't met them all but there are also between 7 and 9 cats. Best of all the neighbors who are also the property managers seem to be wonderful people with whom we share a great deal in common including the fact that we are all just starting into our Montana adventure. They moved sight unseen three months ago to their new Montana life... Sound like anyone else you might know?</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Part of the new back yard just after the deer left.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Gratitude and amazement at our good fortune just fill me. I cannot adequately express how wonderful the last two days have been and how much I am looking forward to the future. After meeting everyone and seeing the property on Friday it was decided that we would come back on Saturday and help set up a tipi. Painted by our new neighbor, based on artwork from a book called "Gifthorse", based on a Lakota legend, raising the tipi together as a group seemed like a lovely start to this new joint chapter in all our lives. I will share more in the months to come.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The owner of the Lazy Susan and her tipi. </td></tr>
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Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-18375378318558986372015-06-12T12:10:00.001-07:002015-10-17T21:20:27.719-07:00Not Planting a Garden in this Dirt...<span style="font-size: large;"> A lot of time has passed since last November and my last post. I apologize for not getting back with a post about scheduling a school year in a trailer and now our school year is almost at an end. Cat, Sandman, and Adventurer have grown both in stature and maturity and for myself and them this has mostly been a lovely year, definitely so as far as our educational pursuits. I have realized though, that I have a tendency to write when all is well and honestly this leg of our journey has left us wondering if we took a wrong turn and made a serious mistake in coming to Cheyenne.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Everyone I know who has been to Cheyenne loves it here. They consider it a wonderful place to raise a family and have had only good stories of the people they met here. For us, we have not had that same experience. It is not at all what we were looking for with an hours drive to be in the mountains or fishing a mountain river and for some reason we have just not found a sense of community and fellowship. I promised in my first post to share the good and the bad and the squiggly parts of our adventure and yet when things became less optimistic I quit sharing. For instance, twice in our time here I have had a strange male grab ahold of me in public and make me feel threatened which is something I had never experienced before in any location...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We have still had family adventures with trips to Sheridan, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Laramie, Boulder, and many more lovely places. We simply lost that sense of peace, belonging, and coming home that we had found in Idaho. Mountain Man is still seeking employment there to take our family home and we have made a few trips back to the 7N Ranch to recharge and see the loved ones we left behind. On one of our recent trips back we learned of the passing of one of our loved neighbors. He had worked forty years in the town of Idaho Falls and two months after his retirement he passed away from this life. His guitar playing in the summer nights will be forever missed along with his dear, friendly face. Rest in Peace, Fred Rowe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> When we first arrived in Cheyenne we had high hopes that a very much loved family we were moving near might be the reason we were coming here. We spent many weekend trips to build those relationships and hoped that that might continue but for reasons that aren't mine to share those visits have come nearly to a complete end and we now know that for whatever reason our family is here in Cheyenne that is clearly not the purpose. I wonder now if this isn't a valley of darkness to bring us closer to our Lord and help us learn to trust in Him even more than ever before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Mountain Man has a 'good' job that is giving him valuable experience in his field but it is the first experience he has had working in a State job and honestly it has not been a good fit in this particular office. He misses the camaraderie of his years in both the military and construction. He also misses the great outdoors as all of his previous employment has included large stretches outside and nine hour days in a silent cubicle simply cannot compare to his previous experiences. The lack of fellowship is quite likely the largest surprise, I have never seen an office building so completely lacking in this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Cat has enjoyed a year preparing for her Confirmation at a wonderful Parish that we are blessed to have found. She and Sandman thoroughly enjoyed the youth program and it has been fun watching their comedic team in action with the other youth. Adventurer was able to experience her first year in a religious education program outside of our home and her comments and insights after every class have also been quite entertaining. She is openly longing for the day she can participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Eucharist which is lovely to see. There is even an adult education program that I have quite enjoyed led by a wonderful Deacon who spent most of his adult life as a Biologist working at National Parks and his friendship has been extended to every member of the family which we appreciate more than I can express in words.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Somehow as lovely as the Church family here has been and as contented as the children seem Mountain Man and I simply feel more and more lost and long for what we left behind; the peace, the joy, the sense of belonging. I do not know when and where we will go from here but I do not believe that we have found our home. As our 40's rapidly approach it is easy to feel overwhelmed to be so adrift but I continue to trust that the Lord has a plan for our family and a place where we are needed. I will try to share more often even if the twists and turns continue to be not quite what we expected. In recognition of the extreme desire to move forward from here we are once again not planting a garden in the dirt but relying on a small container garden to carry us through. I hope all of you are well. Be kind to one another.</span>Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-64209406598369225122014-11-19T07:30:00.000-08:002014-11-19T07:30:03.051-08:00While in Idaho...<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Having shared some snap shots of our life before the move you might find yourself wondering why we ever moved. We were, after all, choosing to take our children from the home and church they had known for almost a decade and take off to the unknown. Prior to arriving in Idaho this last June, neither the Mountain Man or I had ever set foot there.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are on our first week in ID. Just playing around.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Mountain Man’s family had left farming only a generation before his birth. His father vividly remembers growing up on a farm. Mountain Man spent his teenage years working on another family’s farm. As much as Mountain Man might call me a hippie, my family had been on ranch land in Wyoming until my grandfather and grandmother moved away with their children. Land is part of our heritage, living close to it and getting our food from it, not at a store but at the end of a day’s hard work. Even living in town my fondest childhood memories are of summer days with dinner straight out of my mother’s garden. Ultimately, we both wanted our family to be more self sufficient. We wanted our children to grow up with the obvious proof of the rewards of hard work that working land will provide. You plant, you nurture, and eventually, God willing, you eat the fruits of your labor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Obviously we could have bought land on the East Coast near our parents. His are both living on the Delmarva Peninsula and mine live in Florida. Why didn’t we just move outside of town with a bit of land? In our previous location visiting with grandparents was easy. Why would we set out across the country? We had both been drawn to the wide open spaces. Our visit to Crook County, Wyoming two years before had shown us both a place where there were more animals than people. The worst traffic jamb we experienced there had been four horses in the road. The scenery was breathtaking and awe inspiring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We enjoy a sense of community and friends and family around but as the years have gone by we are seeing people who are increasingly busy. Busy and the years passing us by was a real fear as these kids grow… We moved looking for more connection, for life to follow the natural patterns set by season and weather, hoping for a closeness that comes with fewer people to know and more time in which to know them more deeply. In other words, we would like to be more intentional with our time. We would like to live more deeply.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqlR2Jq-8_Q1UsA3wm8er3wGy9hsqCimRCnHi34SICiEk9SK4ZJW0kcaBIPo4PXUZKTgFCacc_WV3g6qp5fqk_A1fFes2xVihUwzCYPU7zfy7h9K-Cv7Tiutx1dN4fxN-aB0_7Bm4Vik/s1600/IMG_1784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqlR2Jq-8_Q1UsA3wm8er3wGy9hsqCimRCnHi34SICiEk9SK4ZJW0kcaBIPo4PXUZKTgFCacc_WV3g6qp5fqk_A1fFes2xVihUwzCYPU7zfy7h9K-Cv7Tiutx1dN4fxN-aB0_7Bm4Vik/s1600/IMG_1784.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom had this hanging when I was a child.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What did we do with our time once we arrived in Idaho? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We had some family time.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGsoRrNda0XUPK5dczCiXbtODvXId3m-E2Ldj9Z8tGJyIVwQmdWgU21Eaez7C-Wq4kBUrghuw7OogsE5vtohyzl1G8xZBdPlgeUY_OBrrK51EsFvT3SwCVMFr0yCaNmDdBvaZQrvYwOw/s1600/IMG_5044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGsoRrNda0XUPK5dczCiXbtODvXId3m-E2Ldj9Z8tGJyIVwQmdWgU21Eaez7C-Wq4kBUrghuw7OogsE5vtohyzl1G8xZBdPlgeUY_OBrrK51EsFvT3SwCVMFr0yCaNmDdBvaZQrvYwOw/s1600/IMG_5044.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountain Man's brother helped get the generator running.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Vb0rdZDTOx1ziSw10sB7aTIhLMBipu3gYiL6keMtJzXO8Rdt_t_QIrmdB2VioDo6j1EWHWr7-i-ofCuuyR61_PPAsAvkgH78QNmkDA9aGhljr3F-0bDps-rkrFERD16o6yC9dnhj1xY/s1600/IMG_1665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Vb0rdZDTOx1ziSw10sB7aTIhLMBipu3gYiL6keMtJzXO8Rdt_t_QIrmdB2VioDo6j1EWHWr7-i-ofCuuyR61_PPAsAvkgH78QNmkDA9aGhljr3F-0bDps-rkrFERD16o6yC9dnhj1xY/s1600/IMG_1665.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt's are fun to have around with Playdoh...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXm2TCskNB38tDtCZa64vp8cOML6nDf7zdJCK0p6POsbQOKSZ71vBambysfcQgFrwmyfeWSbIwkGeB-754Z4APFSRAjs9g5SkSPy4V2ifsGWugQK2crlSbUojuOAtwnu98Dz0dZrIg74/s1600/IMG_5049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXm2TCskNB38tDtCZa64vp8cOML6nDf7zdJCK0p6POsbQOKSZ71vBambysfcQgFrwmyfeWSbIwkGeB-754Z4APFSRAjs9g5SkSPy4V2ifsGWugQK2crlSbUojuOAtwnu98Dz0dZrIg74/s1600/IMG_5049.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">And the family enjoyed a meal.<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Cat enjoyed time to work on her art, music, and writing.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of her many drawings.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EHJT0E6ipga_-VrjglAbJS7vxHmxQLdzsEgZbvsnM9GseK3S6csMAbQwKko7HNwbEsoUo4WE5WQVAVPlMh903JxA478Dq41BzWdguCGpIkCiZFt0aDEjhtsgYmZU2sGrgR4Ap-z6ZxE/s1600/IMG_1666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EHJT0E6ipga_-VrjglAbJS7vxHmxQLdzsEgZbvsnM9GseK3S6csMAbQwKko7HNwbEsoUo4WE5WQVAVPlMh903JxA478Dq41BzWdguCGpIkCiZFt0aDEjhtsgYmZU2sGrgR4Ap-z6ZxE/s1600/IMG_1666.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of five instruments that lived with us in the trailer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmmUeDgrvkXeCm8vzYbdS5FmhZZ-k0qMndqICQ7eCzobJ32umGaGJacetGjBYO0inH4wEaap2NSERH1NxtN1nC10WQCpUfDBlj52IxGzjMfPB3Rzt8n6WynzkXHYTtxBMIcKnSV-keJ4/s1600/IMG_1349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmmUeDgrvkXeCm8vzYbdS5FmhZZ-k0qMndqICQ7eCzobJ32umGaGJacetGjBYO0inH4wEaap2NSERH1NxtN1nC10WQCpUfDBlj52IxGzjMfPB3Rzt8n6WynzkXHYTtxBMIcKnSV-keJ4/s1600/IMG_1349.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like a serious writer to me!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I did a little more of a few things I enjoy.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQCwzKrFvKogKgLpOzGHdjDwA1ylfd4s64R1B6DNrYQ_FzLzscVzlYijrxQVhr5lms218ICn32mB4cGQJ0ow3hZkIQkYifBXPpV64uFl2IS5e6U-WvXnVjtwFJ5U-ml5IoPGNEgGlhFs/s1600/IMG_1323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQCwzKrFvKogKgLpOzGHdjDwA1ylfd4s64R1B6DNrYQ_FzLzscVzlYijrxQVhr5lms218ICn32mB4cGQJ0ow3hZkIQkYifBXPpV64uFl2IS5e6U-WvXnVjtwFJ5U-ml5IoPGNEgGlhFs/s1600/IMG_1323.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4iMMOECEI1nlP-ZOQXdorC0x04Xj_cKxSWV2hdbhTDDBrLrOnp0z8frpFGGtZDI8fhrhoHh2W1ZMPNerD5cGpbBEN_MlTrxRkw3fz4eTyhUGPqks275M8JlLz9QT-Qt-77fWKcTQFJ0/s1600/IMG_1324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4iMMOECEI1nlP-ZOQXdorC0x04Xj_cKxSWV2hdbhTDDBrLrOnp0z8frpFGGtZDI8fhrhoHh2W1ZMPNerD5cGpbBEN_MlTrxRkw3fz4eTyhUGPqks275M8JlLz9QT-Qt-77fWKcTQFJ0/s1600/IMG_1324.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We went to farmer's markets, days in the park, and one awesome Fourth of July celebration at the 7N Ranch. </span>http://www.7nranch.com/7N%20Ranch.html</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Timber Wolf we met at the ID Falls Market.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Some of the many musicians we met at different parks in the area.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Newby's amazing fireworks display!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Adventurer said this was our best fourth of July ever!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We went fishing, played in creeks, climbed trees, and took hikes.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So nice to have all this time together!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Come back for our next post so you can hear about scheduling a school year in a 26 foot trailer and what we did with our free time as it started to get cold. :-)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dress up!</td></tr>
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Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-88547943960435632452014-11-11T13:19:00.001-08:002014-11-11T17:54:35.133-08:00Pictures from before and now... Choices<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> Our family has spent the last eight years in our own home. We loved our neighbors and our privacy and our autonomy. This decision to sell what we own and change our lives so completely was not easily made. However, when we researched this part of the country, Cheyenne was not on our radar. So, we</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> <span style="font-size: large;">chose to rent at first and will wait to consider buying a new home until we are more familiar with the area.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBrxq2r3uk6OKjLimxCONac4yyLjAMlqrzOK6Im_lFaQa1vlubCdK5SNS-Tvgxp5YbuVE-tABTueb1xrDM5lZLoXIRQllBETm9aMYEEOIRRbKdTUcjnFXbkfWz1UBO2BYfkTtyregC-4/s1600/IMG_1922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBrxq2r3uk6OKjLimxCONac4yyLjAMlqrzOK6Im_lFaQa1vlubCdK5SNS-Tvgxp5YbuVE-tABTueb1xrDM5lZLoXIRQllBETm9aMYEEOIRRbKdTUcjnFXbkfWz1UBO2BYfkTtyregC-4/s320/IMG_1922.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We grew by one person in this home.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwXOOXpbfcar9v2RiuI5WQcZfcb3qRKnG3sbNL28yaN_OvT2ecfHiSDfQx0T5mFMxLfljcna0gCRDSc6Jd46Rq3VfPVnp0OE6seXVXWJ1IXnVhSoxyhI9CkUwk8hxyo_iW2ilCYGmvmo/s1600/IMG_1098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwXOOXpbfcar9v2RiuI5WQcZfcb3qRKnG3sbNL28yaN_OvT2ecfHiSDfQx0T5mFMxLfljcna0gCRDSc6Jd46Rq3VfPVnp0OE6seXVXWJ1IXnVhSoxyhI9CkUwk8hxyo_iW2ilCYGmvmo/s320/IMG_1098.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My lovely husband built this fire pit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOsnJTxTreuxoSBsiuy68ardB5gBVrbkH2eyCySccIhyphenhyphencBmCDsT74grTUkLxZzvqz-Br3neAGxVfIJaFtq66bdWaV0uGExHiNMyrjUdEtpsENK_gN331wxCFg0GtCepBZazXtv9XHEZM/s1600/IMG_0442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOsnJTxTreuxoSBsiuy68ardB5gBVrbkH2eyCySccIhyphenhyphencBmCDsT74grTUkLxZzvqz-Br3neAGxVfIJaFtq66bdWaV0uGExHiNMyrjUdEtpsENK_gN331wxCFg0GtCepBZazXtv9XHEZM/s320/IMG_0442.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes we laughed our heads off</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBg43SOgGBVt8SnLawvH1O97jKBgXqKqqx1b3DLogCxXHZDko0pqtwVl6vAzVA_CgWxVQ0mJBG1GcTqy3Uod_aV0ItkBue_vheVqSIpQAXCTilL4VEn4nsGVKV3Alg4dnv98BaGLBRsgE/s1600/IMG_2039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBg43SOgGBVt8SnLawvH1O97jKBgXqKqqx1b3DLogCxXHZDko0pqtwVl6vAzVA_CgWxVQ0mJBG1GcTqy3Uod_aV0ItkBue_vheVqSIpQAXCTilL4VEn4nsGVKV3Alg4dnv98BaGLBRsgE/s320/IMG_2039.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and hugged up on each other.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYum-sbQstsm419TbyCcEBkWDuPsN7_aYjxakP4ZUtpHAEoe2wtGYbMVPZbG7FwW6YpuEGZI8Ax78Q_rV6czHf0uJ2MJ4ZWcFh6hukozvOhy4mK_BOYEfTU4-OXPy9_x-56LF6HVmBrQ/s1600/IMG_2169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYum-sbQstsm419TbyCcEBkWDuPsN7_aYjxakP4ZUtpHAEoe2wtGYbMVPZbG7FwW6YpuEGZI8Ax78Q_rV6czHf0uJ2MJ4ZWcFh6hukozvOhy4mK_BOYEfTU4-OXPy9_x-56LF6HVmBrQ/s320/IMG_2169.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We played in the snow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZand0t4yY4EVvY9t8ztNxinMuzQL8hU_kqpYRUdoe8Q00lxtZbbKvdkedRtSYYOBdBl5zfQBOeKdx5lGO_RXFKThhT6U-E1D37DO7Elp-MzxHzM_W-Kw4-kucDJ_Zyb0wHshFpDhz4jQ/s1600/IMG_3327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZand0t4yY4EVvY9t8ztNxinMuzQL8hU_kqpYRUdoe8Q00lxtZbbKvdkedRtSYYOBdBl5zfQBOeKdx5lGO_RXFKThhT6U-E1D37DO7Elp-MzxHzM_W-Kw4-kucDJ_Zyb0wHshFpDhz4jQ/s320/IMG_3327.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and the leaves</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoYUNMKouom-2lrNcm0YLQSkUR2tPgwDGO4AOHLJCGx9t-m36ZWnKeJrYBmvlU-_tRhEfslsriRYSyuUPGnBkOVTEyNttIDmB_N01-RZ8O3UD9eFGnx_utDoMrhn1tfAl2oM7feGFWMQ/s1600/IMG_3157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoYUNMKouom-2lrNcm0YLQSkUR2tPgwDGO4AOHLJCGx9t-m36ZWnKeJrYBmvlU-_tRhEfslsriRYSyuUPGnBkOVTEyNttIDmB_N01-RZ8O3UD9eFGnx_utDoMrhn1tfAl2oM7feGFWMQ/s320/IMG_3157.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">planted gardens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqcM8AB_uHtT4Ct5A4FFiuImf0yrGTVUKhizXediwovehTnx8LDSjlVZYinoG5B3iqUsmBtGdqK9t3KkUj2b6vUDBSx21lF_2TgJQpK-hG_rKCbjqBZiiygw4V3AGyPnyytLiN5qWeP8/s1600/IMG_3444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqcM8AB_uHtT4Ct5A4FFiuImf0yrGTVUKhizXediwovehTnx8LDSjlVZYinoG5B3iqUsmBtGdqK9t3KkUj2b6vUDBSx21lF_2TgJQpK-hG_rKCbjqBZiiygw4V3AGyPnyytLiN5qWeP8/s320/IMG_3444.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and had family visits</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4rFSZB9AUGN23MKPXBPBoMrFn3FeDaMjhSl-QvhnheVfv4rQyY8RYhifbSw3Kp5Q3JOLRlXi7QWRrdjJG4o79hUoDrJEqShMiMuD9ywR1oN1NkiRhC9Ld5xRmVsjJGE5o8S0F8tddfQ/s1600/IMG_3859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4rFSZB9AUGN23MKPXBPBoMrFn3FeDaMjhSl-QvhnheVfv4rQyY8RYhifbSw3Kp5Q3JOLRlXi7QWRrdjJG4o79hUoDrJEqShMiMuD9ywR1oN1NkiRhC9Ld5xRmVsjJGE5o8S0F8tddfQ/s320/IMG_3859.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">as often as we could</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW-pBuwfJ3bfM19PSDVOy-eL6MHhcXjDJxKMugNUw8klLME7Xj3hWpWUymqIYTNUz9EEiJi50DzBoiJmpbYFgHtRGcGMXoeN8Q5ORNU2ROjR4brSAEACnUQBEYqJRCkHbyD3tta0pCPw/s1600/IMG_3661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW-pBuwfJ3bfM19PSDVOy-eL6MHhcXjDJxKMugNUw8klLME7Xj3hWpWUymqIYTNUz9EEiJi50DzBoiJmpbYFgHtRGcGMXoeN8Q5ORNU2ROjR4brSAEACnUQBEYqJRCkHbyD3tta0pCPw/s320/IMG_3661.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and we laughed some more</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiox6pkWhEDwUZiSvtlbvY-pWFpY3grRtB4WLoz0QF8sqoK3mty3ZHUK7qJjt3LhyphenhyphenX63SsLyxRzps9Eo4SyxM5boAdroh4-P3MoAX5cSIQlNWxpvlo1S43dx5YHcqfVKjg6s5ytb2SZFkQ/s1600/IMG_0045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiox6pkWhEDwUZiSvtlbvY-pWFpY3grRtB4WLoz0QF8sqoK3mty3ZHUK7qJjt3LhyphenhyphenX63SsLyxRzps9Eo4SyxM5boAdroh4-P3MoAX5cSIQlNWxpvlo1S43dx5YHcqfVKjg6s5ytb2SZFkQ/s320/IMG_0045.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In case you weren't sure, we had a good life.</td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Apparently the rental market is booming in Cheyenne. Plenty of properties available at a wide variety of prices had us feeling optimistic. As the answer to whether or not pets were allowed kept coming back no over and over, we started remembering some of the very best things about owning our own home as we had for the better part of the last decade. As we drove through several shady neighborhoods our sliding scale of suitability was based on two questions, “Does this property fit the budget we are trying to maintain?” and “Do we think we will die in this neighborhood?” After several owners told us they had just listed and rented their properties within a week and that they had waiting lists of up to two pages if the lease they had fell through, it was obvious this was a quickly moving market. One woman called us as we waited outside a home for our appointment to see her listing to tell us it had just been rented to the people who were scheduled to see it before us. Finally, it became apparent that we might have to adjust our budget to get into a home we were comfortable with where we could keep our family dog in our home. Our plan of living debt free and saving for property of our own again remains important but we may have to figure out a way to bring more in rather than living so inexpensively. Cheyenne is shaping up to be more expensive than our time in Idaho was. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some more memories from MD.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbdk3leE49kJ3Arpgx6q8yB70G53h3fQAtFi3D2NP7NqwkjfraDceAiObYotP1xyNc010NmFcel790BGiVEq_OU3njlCdDuYQGiasGxft9EsbMlwRy8BNF8VVHmimnWO3kgwAnBbtCfY/s1600/IMG_0429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbdk3leE49kJ3Arpgx6q8yB70G53h3fQAtFi3D2NP7NqwkjfraDceAiObYotP1xyNc010NmFcel790BGiVEq_OU3njlCdDuYQGiasGxft9EsbMlwRy8BNF8VVHmimnWO3kgwAnBbtCfY/s320/IMG_0429.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camping on the beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqRJG7B3MmFUHu-UW_G9MpMfCvOPPm9S8wtUf30og5tF4DaFgnW5ydAAJ4uAFCD63XOhSdviYuJaHwInLBaMSxZeTGafJ7wyu1Lb0yugbRMX8jN9COALQvY0-0XwJ-P85rqHGOc_Th5o/s1600/IMG_0440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqRJG7B3MmFUHu-UW_G9MpMfCvOPPm9S8wtUf30og5tF4DaFgnW5ydAAJ4uAFCD63XOhSdviYuJaHwInLBaMSxZeTGafJ7wyu1Lb0yugbRMX8jN9COALQvY0-0XwJ-P85rqHGOc_Th5o/s320/IMG_0440.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishing at the beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZd8WQ0BTWzPg7tdg8gjWYyctS8s1a0NluMBeLNFKlAl8anN6QUgSR6_oBeNkxvtpqlA_6SjPcs_FCmlU5KnrQEc_ywCYrNlxpmS8jjV7aJOCiN1gZ_mNiKRBT0lVuV35tqMVAd6rYna8/s1600/IMG_0763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZd8WQ0BTWzPg7tdg8gjWYyctS8s1a0NluMBeLNFKlAl8anN6QUgSR6_oBeNkxvtpqlA_6SjPcs_FCmlU5KnrQEc_ywCYrNlxpmS8jjV7aJOCiN1gZ_mNiKRBT0lVuV35tqMVAd6rYna8/s320/IMG_0763.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monkeying around with friends</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHfMI6oRnDt3DY6xXEsQz9p0B-ndktYzUPT2d_11jSmgJMWC2RApLDbBAcms1cGGE-YiqsopW2Mo9fqUk0ieIncVVnWm8SuerCpUIHw0n3f_aaKjAMCp_W14iVXPDmxObFh1-a5dC1MI/s1600/IMG_0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHfMI6oRnDt3DY6xXEsQz9p0B-ndktYzUPT2d_11jSmgJMWC2RApLDbBAcms1cGGE-YiqsopW2Mo9fqUk0ieIncVVnWm8SuerCpUIHw0n3f_aaKjAMCp_W14iVXPDmxObFh1-a5dC1MI/s320/IMG_0721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and having back yard battles with cousins</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVviTDdIglvJZmXl5VmwRJuAR9wlkCBN_9_n1tbTNI9RZAYzX0MOwCncRzS-x5Ez-BExyuBZ9PwM447x9D-1sv1YoLoh8kZuToCGpQLk24TLCimHSKwbepaJgQtFQElOr24YoWGBzQ1M/s1600/IMG_0597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVviTDdIglvJZmXl5VmwRJuAR9wlkCBN_9_n1tbTNI9RZAYzX0MOwCncRzS-x5Ez-BExyuBZ9PwM447x9D-1sv1YoLoh8kZuToCGpQLk24TLCimHSKwbepaJgQtFQElOr24YoWGBzQ1M/s320/IMG_0597.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking barefoot, of course</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAKf55woqnyMImzcVfegok20Uu5TACpuIHAb2rqi0T4fTkygv7SV7oeZOipBc8z3SYzHbVsqCT8eFtD17xPcW84NN5o30EBIodW-sYigznDXBjkpAv8B-8J7-XQnubYlnYHiObsy8pMY/s1600/IMG_4575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAKf55woqnyMImzcVfegok20Uu5TACpuIHAb2rqi0T4fTkygv7SV7oeZOipBc8z3SYzHbVsqCT8eFtD17xPcW84NN5o30EBIodW-sYigznDXBjkpAv8B-8J7-XQnubYlnYHiObsy8pMY/s320/IMG_4575.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the Sandman's friends...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCk5HxR9zES6kM4J5vLwGBDLR_0dln1-Pg6iuNrkJ7mAi8Q_V7rRikcejAUeIuhMKT2jnXdos_D2QCQKJ6aAqToMIb3B1UEm-qhHgyuYDDizbliE_pqXYNUvZQkLx4TP6t6AAQg4evGvU/s1600/IMG_1242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCk5HxR9zES6kM4J5vLwGBDLR_0dln1-Pg6iuNrkJ7mAi8Q_V7rRikcejAUeIuhMKT2jnXdos_D2QCQKJ6aAqToMIb3B1UEm-qhHgyuYDDizbliE_pqXYNUvZQkLx4TP6t6AAQg4evGvU/s320/IMG_1242.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: xx-small;">A random visit from a neighbor a few doors down.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMS006_W80hWCWVXuxMF2daXnSnyxDCPFch4HijsUuyKya6aqwcK8JdVTgBkN1qBTnnvbKNcMyrGeUGEQCgE4SGDGwhefgplwhmFOQg28br52LfObw4XKiG3KoVpYLy3d61mmUqfikTpY/s1600/IMG_4589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMS006_W80hWCWVXuxMF2daXnSnyxDCPFch4HijsUuyKya6aqwcK8JdVTgBkN1qBTnnvbKNcMyrGeUGEQCgE4SGDGwhefgplwhmFOQg28br52LfObw4XKiG3KoVpYLy3d61mmUqfikTpY/s320/IMG_4589.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cat's friend clearly making an important point.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A few friends from our time in Idaho...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1HcaEH6NRUZu9-KwwQM6OYTPID919pp8IseIJ6Qvaq3NUZZW9rSf_SAVDuaDweaWfGNhxoJQNqRcn2c_a4hpDP-masl7I4W3zn36rpZfbtW2nsSd0ZmFPUGwfDJhBo8fCH04aqIT5MA/s1600/IMG_1640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1HcaEH6NRUZu9-KwwQM6OYTPID919pp8IseIJ6Qvaq3NUZZW9rSf_SAVDuaDweaWfGNhxoJQNqRcn2c_a4hpDP-masl7I4W3zn36rpZfbtW2nsSd0ZmFPUGwfDJhBo8fCH04aqIT5MA/s320/IMG_1640.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pPstHAF5raK5J5w2CruHoEjLfWqIkQTVTYXfL_UYpFwD75M9TbzaWGmJ4jFG587UPFa_Fv2yN_r6dRCBDCEDKt4_QJ2Sg3KoeJTvC8iv1_8BK_fDG6wcW7NNMi1ySABiO1BBhr6uIMk/s1600/IMG_1639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pPstHAF5raK5J5w2CruHoEjLfWqIkQTVTYXfL_UYpFwD75M9TbzaWGmJ4jFG587UPFa_Fv2yN_r6dRCBDCEDKt4_QJ2Sg3KoeJTvC8iv1_8BK_fDG6wcW7NNMi1ySABiO1BBhr6uIMk/s320/IMG_1639.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemzojbP230ree5Iu07cnOAsMSHmkTh1NiidNW4o1OzK8yAX-TRC3KxR3z91HgnA9e1-Df70aOU-LQrtMC9o5XN0R_NhovXZjNUAs9CYwIBYXsV8Z23Gn2ZmcFbv77Ex2gsm6ZbYzKntM/s1600/IMG_1636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemzojbP230ree5Iu07cnOAsMSHmkTh1NiidNW4o1OzK8yAX-TRC3KxR3z91HgnA9e1-Df70aOU-LQrtMC9o5XN0R_NhovXZjNUAs9CYwIBYXsV8Z23Gn2ZmcFbv77Ex2gsm6ZbYzKntM/s320/IMG_1636.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzwcecVP_A0XlLwo3WIMlt_SscJfrKnZ4dRpshzBJynGiO_emoxQBgSuUGoGD_abf5rGqUjLbcXjQAq01LSTbBYpOuNXsu-EaWo0KgwAyBUVX4Vwj-2R0n67mAXHA67kGZypzrGpnffY/s1600/IMG_1723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzwcecVP_A0XlLwo3WIMlt_SscJfrKnZ4dRpshzBJynGiO_emoxQBgSuUGoGD_abf5rGqUjLbcXjQAq01LSTbBYpOuNXsu-EaWo0KgwAyBUVX4Vwj-2R0n67mAXHA67kGZypzrGpnffY/s320/IMG_1723.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> While we were in Idaho we were reminded of just how important friends and a sense of community are to our family. It is not places we will miss but the faces of the people we leave behind.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVCVyGgx7SdObXoZmyIjfvRA98BHCJmAPpCoPMNmBksS3szqCaQat0FNTLpupgzmriqulr0ELQ31OA7URlGKV4gKOmXC9GBwce5eXQoZMK8CkF5D0W32Ed1wpwn-VYuXnZejmsbUcbYw/s1600/IMG_1668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVCVyGgx7SdObXoZmyIjfvRA98BHCJmAPpCoPMNmBksS3szqCaQat0FNTLpupgzmriqulr0ELQ31OA7URlGKV4gKOmXC9GBwce5eXQoZMK8CkF5D0W32Ed1wpwn-VYuXnZejmsbUcbYw/s320/IMG_1668.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> So we move on from our temporary place of refuge and all the beloved people we came to know there.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwq6QsVI7YYxFuboOV7tkk20GR3CkhVXUa9eeGqTOQ3oCnDwDdxuipZy40lcA0zCbu4xxQta7rnOCx7exjOfaZtarHtl3JohXlo5vY9f3DBkzTZYmcGiSoBveNJ1NeDm-LRCRWH7DUpbE/s1600/IMG_1678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwq6QsVI7YYxFuboOV7tkk20GR3CkhVXUa9eeGqTOQ3oCnDwDdxuipZy40lcA0zCbu4xxQta7rnOCx7exjOfaZtarHtl3JohXlo5vY9f3DBkzTZYmcGiSoBveNJ1NeDm-LRCRWH7DUpbE/s320/IMG_1678.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> And we move forward to a new place. On our drive in to Wyoming I happened to glance at the map and see Daniel, Wyoming with the location of the first Mass in Wyoming just as we approached the exit to that very spot. Believing in His ability to lead us we made that our first stop on this leg of the journey. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our home for this year</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 1 in Wyoming</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We are settling in at the new home and the kids are looking forward to a very white winter with our first morning in the house finding the back yard covered in snow. </span></div>
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Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-4362203066989757082014-11-11T09:53:00.001-08:002014-11-11T11:37:21.991-08:00Finding your Huckleberry<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have I mentioned that plant identification is a little hobby of mine? In Maryland I had planned a beautiful butterfly garden that could be viewed through our front window and every May we planted our vegetable garden over Mother’s Day weekend. One of my only complaints about the summer we have spent is that I have seldom had dirt under my nails at all.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beloved butterfly garden at our last home.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>With that said, I have a confession. I spent the month of August looking on every outing for huckleberries completely without success. I had visions of huckleberry jam, smoothies, and pancakes and it was beginning to look like it was not going to happen unless I went to a store to buy huckleberries. While some people would hesitate to do that because a cup of this little berry can cost as much as $20 I did not want to do it because I knew they would taste better if the family and I picked them ourselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Cat and Mountain Man had not complained to much when I kept dragging everyone out in the heat to search for these berries. The Sandman was my champion, willing to forage near and far and even volunteering to taste any berries we came across when I said I was not sure what they were (rest assured, I did not take him up on that offer, it is very unsafe to put things in your mouth if you are not sure what they are, even more unsafe on a mountainside hours from medical assistance if you make a mistake). Adventurer was happy to go with us but some of our rambling became to much for her tough little feet and I was very thankful for all the years we have spent wearing her in a wrap on our backs because it was quite easy to swing her over my shoulder and just carry her with me and at this age she hangs on and we no longer even need a wrap. Finally, though, I had to admit defeat. I have never seen huckleberries other than pictures and I was fairly certain nothing I was seeing on our hikes was the right berry. I bought a small jar of the jam so we could at least taste the berries and thought I would have to wait for another year to pick our own.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All those babywearing years paid off. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Out of the blue one day, Cat mentioned to our neighbor, who grew up here and is a farmer and quite use to spending time in the local mountains with his sons, that we had been searching far and wide for huckleberries. He looked at his wife and asked if she would like to show us where to go the next day. She had never gone picking with him, so she seemed almost as eager as we were at the invitation. A plan was made to head out the following morning.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Sandman is always up for adventure.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As this kind, quiet man, who has impressed me from our very first meeting with his gentleness and patience for our Bear’s enthusiastic greetings, walked out to his truck the next morning he handed us two buckets. Apparently we were not too late in the year to expect to possibly find some. I had thought we were merely going to learn where the bushes were and what they looked like to help us the following year. He said, “Well, you never know.” He then drove us straight up the mountain and when we reached the parking lot at the top (what I had thought was as far up as you could go by vehicle) he turned onto a dirt path and continued to drive. His wife asked if we had four wheel drive because it appeared we would need it if we were ever going to go back up on our own. I am not sure what elevation we reached but when the dirt path came to an end he put his truck in park, switched from his driving slippers to a pair of boots that looked quite a bit more rugged and said, “Well, let’s go.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>At something like 6’5 this quiet man’s long strides were difficult to keep up with as he strode further yet up the mountain. Moving from 40 feet above sea level to more than 5,000 feet above sea level has taken some adjustment. A little bit in the distance he pointed to some bushes with leaves starting to turn red and told us we had found our first patch. We spent the next two hours hunkered down in a squatting position picking berry after berry. It appeared my first mistake had been never going high enough up the mountain and my second had been looking for a bush that might grow to eye level. None of these reached above my knees. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://wildandfreemontana.blogspot.com/2010/09/huckleberry-culture.html<br />
This picture and link will take you to more information about these berries. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As our fingers became stained with sweet purple juice and our buckets and tummies started to fill, Sandman and I heard a sound like a breaking branch. Cat asked if we had surprised a bear but our guide seemed unconcerned. We continued working our way up through the pine trees, as the berries seem to like to grow in their shade the best, and maybe we were just a little more talkative so as not to surprise anything that might be enjoying the bounty of the forest with us. Suddenly I heard more branches breaking and looking through the greenery I saw a huge bull moose not thirty feet away. Rob said we probably woke a family from their nap as we spotted a mama and her baby at the bull’s side. We continued picking and Cat and Sandman worked their way around me to get closer and have a better view. Rob’s wife said this had to beat any school day in a desk being out in the forest so close to these beautiful animals. Once again, I feel so blessed in my life and the opportunities my family and I have been given. Obviously deciding we were no threat the moose family had their lunch and we spent a short time longer picking before deciding it was time to head home. Rob casually pointed out and identified different plants as we passed by, taking care to mention to Sandman which were edible.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jar of Huckleberry Jam. YUM</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When we arrived home Liz surprised me further by giving us all the berries as they have plenty from previous excursions. I spent a short time cleaning them and sorting them into one cup portions to freeze for those smoothies and pancakes I had dreamed about. Our wonderful neighbors gave us a jar of jam they had already prepared. What a truly wonderful gift people give when they share their time and their knowledge!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish night photography was a skill I possessed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun to run into in the night...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just as I finished typing this article I went to the camp facilities. As I stepped outside into the dark I startled a very large, dark shape and as it ran one way I ran the other. After dashing back to my trailer to get a good flash light I quietly walked back and discovered a lovely, large, moose standing in the slough that runs behind our camp. She stared at me and I ran home to gather the clan. We all tiptoed back and were able to watch this beautiful creature having her moonlit snack just behind our summer home. I don’t know how anyone can question the existence of God when such miraculous creatures can be found.</span></div>
Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-76838234786363466552014-11-04T22:10:00.003-08:002014-11-11T12:27:34.750-08:00Decisions <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5s8wyL2DYJxPaZHIkZLAE6wBMulBKkuedNx0eh47d-yI4-LuPSS0Pf3bs9ZK6I1u8FmFJI5h2OEKMsyM6oIKThC86x0jNFDIgUOw1BS7CmKUj_cmYcUuLfBO5Z3DWBj_vUal-_vo-y3A/s1600/IMG_5248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></a>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The next stop in this adventure feels like it has come all to quickly. As much as our family has enjoyed our time outside of Idaho Falls with all the outdoor spaces and lovely people, we have now been given the chance to move forward. With temperatures dipping down to 18 degrees on his most recent fishing trip with his brother, the Mountain Man has been all to aware that winter approaches. While out on that fishing trip, he received word that he has been offered the job in Cheyenne. Decision time has come.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7q1xRxWZXmzALZxTNMaDnAlZB47qukn5pjtLyQJIdSj1egod40YPFXdqG_r1yD1dnb_vVPxPI3I4efQmO1F07Kj0hUmX9t2d6nfXihWTGjxDrQi2PwvHet5jJvvRarOLY89K7c5LnWWM/s1600/IMG_1625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7q1xRxWZXmzALZxTNMaDnAlZB47qukn5pjtLyQJIdSj1egod40YPFXdqG_r1yD1dnb_vVPxPI3I4efQmO1F07Kj0hUmX9t2d6nfXihWTGjxDrQi2PwvHet5jJvvRarOLY89K7c5LnWWM/s1600/IMG_1625.jpg" height="115" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mountains seem a little far away from this view...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; white-space: pre;"></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> Our quick flight into Cheyenne had not left us feeling convicted that it was the right place for us. My husband’s words as we got close to Cheyenne had been “where are the trees?” Now we had to decide whether we should wait for any further job offers near </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">where we have been all summer</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">or take this good job offer and head out for new adventures with optimism. The job offer came on a Friday. Monday we heard back from our first choice location saying they were sorry to inform us the job had gone to another… Tuesday, several e-mails came in saying a few jobs (Federal) were actually not going to be filled at this time. Wednesday we drove back to Cheyenne to look at the housing situation. Considering our complete lack of familiarity with the Cheyenne area we knew we would prefer to rent at least initially as we learned what<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> we could about the town.</span></span></span><br />
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Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-28868891268403197952014-10-19T18:24:00.003-07:002014-10-19T18:25:33.957-07:00Trying to do His will...<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The week following our trip to Boise and Salmon, ID we were off in the opposite direction for another interview. This time we would have the opportunity to drive across the great state of Wyoming and Mountain Man would be interviewing for a job in Cheyenne. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the family homesteads...</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When we researched the different states Wyoming was actually in our top three choices. My family homesteaded in Wyoming several generations back and I still have cousins living in the Hulett area. I had grown up hearing stories about home in Wyoming and have always imagined the possibility that someday I would live on my own little piece of land there. I have never seen more wildlife anywhere than we saw two years ago on a trip to Hulett. When we picked Idaho it was in part due to the incredible homeschooling laws and in part due to the amount of land that is available for public access. Our family values the ability to head out in the woods and see land stretch for miles without any signs of modern times. The time we spend hiking or fishing a mountain stream is soothing to my soul and starting over at this point in our lives I do not know that we will ever have more than five acres of our own to explore.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkMqCQHvAfCHbSJg9GMkuZ-mT_gEmuuY9wsvYtBCUZEUdZuh2AJDy6er-99f31ngcLVRhWUbLoyNeswwQ8pLKGO0-j_gTaOqVsEJ320DGrLJ9T2CJmv2GPWuFFGr9xZLnmKsy49UB-W8/s1600/557092_10150988582748040_37645842_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkMqCQHvAfCHbSJg9GMkuZ-mT_gEmuuY9wsvYtBCUZEUdZuh2AJDy6er-99f31ngcLVRhWUbLoyNeswwQ8pLKGO0-j_gTaOqVsEJ320DGrLJ9T2CJmv2GPWuFFGr9xZLnmKsy49UB-W8/s1600/557092_10150988582748040_37645842_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where some of my cousins grew up. It is so beautiful!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I had no idea that I would fall so much in love with Idaho when we moved here. After all, none of us had ever been here before and the decision was made based on internet searches, however, after three months we feel very strongly that we had made the right choice. Ultimately, however, we had committed to going wherever we felt called to go and beyond that we want our family in a solid home by winter. Off to Cheyenne we went with quite mixed feelings.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of the views as we left Idaho for Cheyenne.</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In route I received a message from a friend letting me know that my priest at the home parish we had left behind in Maryland had mentioned my family in the homily that morning. He was discussing how decisions are made and used the story of our faith in the Lord’s will as an example. This was such an uplifting message to receive as we headed into the unknown and such a spectacular reminder of my own intention not to live in fear of the future but to rest assured that God had plans for us that would be revealed in time. I truly wish to do His will.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It is a nine hour drive for my family to Cheyenne from our starting point near Idaho Falls so unlike our trip to Boise it was actually to late to do any real sight seeing when we arrived. We stopped at one store that had the most spectacular array of boots I have seen since moving East almost 13 years ago. With Mountain Man’s interview at 9:00 am the plan was for the children and I to see what we could see while he interviewed and then to head back out on the road so that we could make it back to our little home by nightfall. With the Bear in tow we did a little exploring and then picked the Mountain Man up. He felt his interview had gone well and liked the man he would work with if he should get the job.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Honestly, we are not big city folks. Aside from meeting a few friendly people and having the general idea that the town had a very Western feel there wasn’t much I could say about Cheyenne on such a short trip. Driving into the city the surrounding land scape was lacking in two of our favorite things, mountains and trees… On the plus side there were many pronghorn sightings alongside the highway and the landscape had a certain beauty of it’s own with the gently sloping fields.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLaf0sRGfKIPqDXeuMvY1EdbBaxLW-vL6ikQyT31KThUIRWHRV8oWGCmifGJYB4oOsYn5eNqNZ88vw1HvjRiVsTwmC6rFeS85CQJcsp6CYAmyRCFqDyqDy7ZDLE-PamDc6Sx4hrhowa8/s1600/IMG_1521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLaf0sRGfKIPqDXeuMvY1EdbBaxLW-vL6ikQyT31KThUIRWHRV8oWGCmifGJYB4oOsYn5eNqNZ88vw1HvjRiVsTwmC6rFeS85CQJcsp6CYAmyRCFqDyqDy7ZDLE-PamDc6Sx4hrhowa8/s1600/IMG_1521.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpine lake above Laramie</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As soon as we were away from Cheyenne we found the closest mountains just outside of Laramie and pulled over when we reached an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet. It was time to stretch our legs, let the Bear run, and let mom check out the wild flowers while Mountain Man took the kids a little further up for a snow ball fight. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountains outside Laramie</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Adventurer was excited to report that she climbed the mountain all by herself in the snow and I found myself thankful that we had stopped in to a little thrift shop that morning in Cheyenne and picked up a pair of boots. She has been barefoot since our trip to Yellowstone nearly two months ago. The Sandman and Cat loved having the opportunity to have a good snowball fight in early September. We all started envisioning a spectacularly white winter and all the possibilities that would bring.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Cat at the bottom of the snow slide. :-)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Once we reached Rock Springs we detoured again and took a path through Hoback Junction. While on the road we found a church named Our Lady of Peace and we found the Mountain Man Museum… Getting closer to Idaho we felt like we were coming home.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Museum of the Mountain Man road sign</td></tr>
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Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-83825837262948586152014-10-11T21:45:00.000-07:002014-10-19T13:56:32.658-07:00Still and Listening<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> After two months of submitting applications and handing out resumes, Mountain Man suddenly became very busy this September. Suddenly he was in demand for interviews and with winter on the horizon we were happy to make ourselves available no matter how far we might have to go for a meeting. Of course, many potential employers were happy to start with phone or video interviews but two in particular required a bit of a drive.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>First we traveled across the state of Idaho to Boise. There was a giant trout inflated in front of the office where he interviewed. With his love of fishing that seemed a good sign. The children and I took the Bear exploring the river walk in the downtown area while the interview took place. After our walk we were standing at the river’s edge when we got the rare opportunity to sight a mountain man in a suit next to a river. With the interview behind us the fun part of our trip could begin. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We went to a local farmer’s market and discovered some wonderful Idaho made mustard. Bob Wagner and his wife Cari are the owners and they make several flavors of mustard. </span>If you have the opportunity I recommend one of every flavor! <span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">You can find them at www.wagnerdahofoods.com. After two months camping we then enjoyed an early evening at our hotel room playing in the indoor pool! No one else had the same plans that evening so it was a private pool and hot tub for the family. It was fun splashing and giggling.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The next morning we decided to take a long route home and drive north through the Sawtooth Mountains to reach Salmon, Idaho. If the interview went particularly well, this town would be our new home. The trip was absolutely worth the extra hours on the road. We stopped for a picnic lunch along the Salmon River and it is just a beautiful area! Along the way we drove through Idaho City, founded in 1862. The main road looks much the same now as it did in the beginning with eighteen of the original buildings still in use by today’s inhabitants. Shortly after that we passed through the town of Clayton. This is not the smallest town in Idaho but with a population of 7 people it is the smallest town we have driven through. I am very impressed, for all that the town was so small, it did boast of a library, a museum, and a dry goods store. The country towns we traveled through all had informational signs that were wonderful for any history buff on the road to see.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Stanley, Idaho, we met the father of a soldier named Matthew. He showed us many pictures of the local hunters and fishermen with elk, moose, wolf, and mountain lion as well as salmon and steelhead. He explained that they were not trying to eradicate these beautiful creatures but merely working to keep the balance. With everything going on in Iraq, where his son is stationed, I would ask that you please join me in praying for those in the Middle East. It is a blessing, to me, that we live in a place where we can each freely live according to our beliefs, where I can ask that you pray and you can choose whether or not you will. Thank goodness there are men and women willing to protect our rights.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sawtooth Mountains near Stanley, ID</span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We finally reached the town of Salmon late in the day. I wish I had taken pictures but ever the optimist I went with the hope that this would not be our only visit to town. As we drove through the main area of town it seemed close to perfect. It has since been mentioned to us that Salmon is one of the most remote towns in the lower 48. With quilt shops, fly shops, and antique stores it seemed quite lovely to me. If you ever get through you should stop in to the Cornerstone Gifts & Collections. Her store has a little of everything and she is quite friendly.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Having thoroughly enjoyed our day it was time to drive home. Next time I will tell you about our second long interview trip, across the state of Wyoming into the bustling Cheyenne. As a homeschooling family, Cheyenne interests me personally because I know there would be a lot of opportunity for my children in such a large homeschooling community. As Catholics, there would also be the contrast between having one or two priests serve many churches spaced far apart as we see in the country towns in Idaho, vs. being in the Diocesan Seat with three churches to choose between in one town. Between one of the most remote towns and one of the busiest we’ve been to since our journey began how would we ever choose if we were lucky enough to end up with two job offers? Our hearts may long for the peace and quiet of a remote mountain home but we have said from the beginning of our journey that our main goal is to go where God would have us go. Honestly, I am glad that I do not feel I have to make the final choices… We just need to be still and listen.</span></div>
Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484598319816369349.post-201066713527827442014-09-09T21:50:00.000-07:002014-09-09T21:50:18.990-07:00Hippie and the Mountain Man and the Clan<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; margin-bottom: 12px;">
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="letter-spacing: 0px; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Whim...Doing something on a whim tends to imply a certain 'fly by the seat of your pants', devil may care, or cavalier attitude. Most great adventures may look that way from the outside or when the story is told after the fact. Successful adventures are usually planned out in advance and have some 'behind the scenes' work taking place of which the general public is unaware. I discovered, somewhat to my surprise tonight, that I am offended to hear our adventure described as taking place on a whim... Surprised because I have always been a somewhat spontaneous individual having once driven into a war torn area exactly on a whim, though that was many, many years ago. Perhaps I should not take it negatively, after all, if it appears to be no more then a whim, we must be making it look easy. I have been considering writing about our journey to share it's ups and downs and even it's squiggly lines, with you. Yes, we'll include the squiggly lines because if you went everywhere in a straight line, following 'the plan' perfectly, it would make for an awfully boring story.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: pre;"> All the plants I had to tend this year and our little home on the road...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I guess I will begin with where we are now. My family of five and our yellow Lab, affectionately referred to as 'the Bear', are all living in a 26' trailer on the side of a mountain in Idaho. We have spent the last two weeks preparing for a new school year to begin at our little campsite in between hikes, fishing trips, and my husband’s job interviews (we homeschool). Before June 24th of this year neither my husband (who I will call the Mountain Man), nor I, had ever set foot in Idaho. Over the course of the previous year we had systematically reduced our personal belongings to what would fit in a moving truck/storage room, used a spread sheet to help ourselves pick the state that seemed like the best fit for our family, paid off all of our short term debt and sold our home of the previous eight years. You see, we decided to change our lives. From the Eastern Shore of Maryland with blue crabs and beaches to wilderness areas scattered with mountain streams and huckleberries, the day after Father’s Day we drove west.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We had been talking about moving for years. As beautiful as Maryland is, it has not felt like a good fit for our family for a long time now. Two years ago we took a trip to a family reunion in Wyoming and were able to show our children the area where my father's people had homesteaded generations ago. Driving into Wyoming, Mountain Man said if we ever drove that far west again we would not turn the truck around. I think from that point on we were collecting information and the wheels were turning. In September we learned that the job that had supported us for nearly ten years would be over in the Summer. Our opportunity had arrived.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;">What we left behind and the lovely people who traveled with us as we headed out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">As little as I like labels I will use a few to complete our introduction post. You can decide whether or not to stick around and get to really know us beyond what the labels may or may not tell you. I am Tia. I am a home schooling, healthy life style pursuing, crafty, child of God. Mountain man calls me a Conservative Catholic Hippie. He and I have been together eighteen years. We have done a lot of our growing up together, you might say. He is an outdoorsman, a hunter since he was young, an avid fly fisherman, and an Environmental Engineer by training. He recently told me that it is curiosity about what he will find around the next bend that keeps him going further and further, whether he is fishing or hiking. The oldest child in our family is thirteen year old, Cat. She is an artist and musician who would like to be further out in the wilderness. When she was younger I would go to round her back up for school only to find her learning something like the Greek Alphabet on her own. The middle child is eleven year old, Sandman. He is a mix between the ever joking class clown, the scientist with ruffled hair as he writes in his book of ideas, and the sweet, generous brother everyone should have. The youngest for now, is Adventurer.... Reminding me every day of the many different ways there are to see things and reminding us all just how much fun it is to learn new things, she makes it clear that she is not a baby just because she is young. Happy to help and insistent on having work of her own, she definitely pulls her weight. I am grateful every day to have the privilege of being the wife and mother here. I have had a variety of jobs in my life but the joy of helping to guide this clan is by far the best.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: pre;">The kids... With me... </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: pre;"> And the Mountain Man...</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> The wolves are howling in the distance reminding me of a recent hike cut short by a close encounter with a pack, but it is getting very cold so I will say good night for now and save that story for another time, perhaps. Be kind to each other.</span></div>
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Tia Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06851834199800501189noreply@blogger.com4