Solving puzzles, plowing snow, and a bear!

Skyler has gotten pretty good at playing on his iPhone.  His newest favorite app is "Toddler shapes and puzzles".  Take note how fast he solves the puzzle.

(Yes, I'm aware the video is somewhat upside down.  I had to sneak in to record it because he wouldn't let me watch or film him).

My "office" for the past 3 days.  Skyler has really enjoyed playing in the tractor.  It looks like we get a break from snow for about a week.

And finally, look what happens when this bear walks in to this photo shoot.  :)

1983.

Remember the floods of 1983 in Salt Lake City?  I vaguely do.  I stumbled on these pics yesterday while researching the current snow levels in our mountains.  (We're not in danger of not being able to water our gardens thankfully).  Enjoy!

Looking North to the Capitol.

I do remember doing this.  My Dad hung on to my belt loop on my pants so I wouldn't be swept away.

Do you see what's playing!?  I saw it in theaters.  Not the Centre Theater though.

An International Harvester loader.  They're out of business now.  You can just barely make out Sears behind the loader.

All the Whoos had to cross the river in Whooville.

Look at all the sandbags!

It's hard to believe that was 30 years ago!  I don't think we'll have to worry about history repeating itself this year.  Although, if it keeps snowing (we're on day 3 of 4 days of snow) I might get to show Skyler this scene in person this Spring.

Pasta!

This is the end result of having pasta with Marinara sauce. Lots of Marinara sauce....

This is what clean air looks like!

We got an early morning walk in yesterday before more apocalyptic snow hit. It was SO nice to breathe clean air! Skyler enjoyed the walk from his warm, dry, and wind proof all weather cab on his stroller.

Playing with boxes.

Skyler has been quite entertained with the radiator boxes. Here he's playing with toy trucks while perched on top. (Altair has a new radiator installed by me in her car now. I figure I'm $500 closer to getting my Salsa Mukluk fat bike with the parts and labor savings).

Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubbles!

Altair's new radiator showed up yesterday.  (Can you guess what I'm doing later today?)  It was packaged with lots of bubble wrap!  Skyler found this to be the most entertaining thing in the world!!  He probably played with it for 2 hours off and on.  When he was finished playing and popping, all the bubbles were popped!

Powerhouse!

Yes, another post featuring 1950's cartoons!  This time it's Looney Tunes with a great factory scene featuring the music of Ray Scott's "Powerhouse!" And two possibly gay gophers. :)

Happy Friday everyone!  We survived another (long) week.

A late Christmas/early birthday.

Skyler got his "Mighty Trike" yesterday.  I ordered this 2 months ago and thought I would never see it.   It's just a little big right now but come Spring, I bet it will fit him fine.

Beware of low flying aircraft!

Note, there's some profanity in the video, turn your work speakers down or use headphones. 

Where's Waldo?

Skyler doing his best "Waldo" impression.

Escape to Park City.

Yesterday we drove up to Park City to escape the shitty air down here in the valley due to the pressure inversion.  I'm pretty sure inversions are one of the reasons I hate January.  Anyway, we had a nice time.  Skyler got to run around with his monkey leash and we got to breathe some fresh air.  It was so nice to see the sun and feel temperatures in the upper 30's for a change!  The Sundance film festival is happening right now and I'm not sure if that's why everyone along the trail was so nice or if Park City people are always that friendly.  People would stop and talk to Skyler and to ask about what kind of dog Maizey is.  Altair says we're going back up there next weekend.  We'll see, I have to remove and replace the radiator in her car Saturday.  That doesn't sound as fun as playing outside...

(Blogger is acting like a bitch again today, the photos are not in order...  Sorry!)

The windows of the barn are painted black plywood.

This was sad, it's the utilities pole from the Osguthorpe farm house on the north side of the road across from the barn.

Telephone service anyone?

Along the property fence, an outlet.  Probably for plugging in a block heater on a tractor to feed cows.  I remember seeing the dairy when I was a kid.  If I remember correctly, when Park City inherited the property they also inherited something like 250,000 gallons of liquid cow manure from the dairy's manure pit!  I think it's still entombed on the property too!

Doesn't everyone walk their kid on a leash?

Skyler had to see what the plaque said.

A lovely, clear day.

Skyler's viewpoint.

Another twinkie little stream!

He was saying "wawa" for water.

Silos at the old Osguthorpe dairy.  The barn is now preserved as a national historic site.  The dairy moved to Delta around 1990.

John Deere 14t baler from the 50's.

More "wawa".

Walking around the "barnyard". 

Back on the world's friendliest trail.

The shitty air viewed from the truck on the way back down Parley's canyon.

Maizey dog found field mice tracks that led to the tumbleweeds sticking out of the snow. 

Getting clean with a balloon!  (yes, that's a John Deere balloon)

Self portraits!

Skyler loves my iPhone.  He'll do anything to get it or try to play with it (even though he has his own). This morning was no exception.  I was trying to get pictures of him cleaning up his room (that didn't work) and he ended up on my lap taking his picture using the facetime camera on my phone.

We're heading up to Park City today to walk along the rail trail and get out of the valley's smog laden air.

One full belly!

Skyler ate an entire box of Annie's macaroni and cheese yesterday!! This is his satisfied face. :)

Have a drink!

In a box!

Let's have some Tom & Jerry!

Remember this post?   While snowshoeing with my Sister this past Sunday, I was telling her about the Tom & Jerry cartoon "High Steaks" and that it was nearly identical in style to the Simplot fertilizer man.  Enjoy!

"Where's your tongue?"

I wish this was me...

Skyler has been getting up earlier and earlier lately. Yesterday he joined the pets in his room for a nap. (He was sleeping in the crib). I may cave and have a nap with all of them today...

Snowshoeing round two.

My sister joined us for snowshoeing yesterday.  Initially we were supposed to go up Millcreek canyon but the avalanche danger was too high.  We ended up back at Butterfield canyon.  I think my sister thought we were as far west as Nevada the whole time.  (Yes Karen, the Oquirrh mountains are mountains too.)  We had a good time even though it was 12 degrees!  The sunshine was nice and we went off the main road and got to see some winter scenery.  We even got to see a Golden Eagle eating and flying on the way home.

Altair getting ready to take a picture.

The same twinkie stream that we saw last week.

Looking west up the canyon.

Karen taking pictures with her magic iPhone 5.

Our path though the scrub oak.

A dangerous water crossing.

More scrub oak.

A frozen waterfall.

Looking north at Kennecott's massive tailings pile.

More water.

Golden Eagle!!

It's the size of a small plane!

We actually passed him eating by the side of the road.  By the time we turned around, he was flying.

Is that a small bear in that tree?  Nope, just a Golden Eagle!