Jack-O-Lantern

Are you crazy? This was one of my first questions to my Keetch family, after I had been a member for less than one month. As family traditions go, we each have our own and this one at this scale was new to me. The Keetch family tradition is to carve pumpkins for Halloween decorations. No, I'm not talking one or two pumpkins. We have done up to as many as thirty jack-o-lanterns in one year. However this is a tradition that I have enjoyed making part of my own. This year we bought twenty pumpkins. On Monday before Halloween Dallas, Gaylene, Wayne, and I gutted the pumpkins. We spent a couple of hours every night for the rest of the week creating our jack-o-lanterns. An individual chooses a pattern from Dallas's foot tall stack (he carefully selects one's that he has not done before). Traditionally , the pattern was taped to the pumpkin, and one would poke holes around the pattern. However this year things changed. Thanks to a tip from the channel 2 news team, we found a time saver in tracing paper. We taped the pattern onto the tracing paper and the paper onto the pumpkin, traced the lines with a pencil, removed the papers, and viola the pattern was in a wax line right on the pumpkin. No more connecting the dots. Easy and less time. Why didn't we discover this soon. The best part of the project is unveiling the pumpkins at the ward party or on Aunt Pat's lawn all lit up.

Halloween Cookies

Oct. 23, 2010 H is for Halloween. C is for Cookie. Who wants to make Halloween Cookies? Years ago my mom started a tradition of making Halloween cookies and taking them to my aunts, uncles, and neighbors. As we kids grew older, she stopped doing this. However, I picked up on the tradition. I loved the cookies too much to let it die. Before I married Dallas, I would gather my cousins to make cookies. The first I year I was married, I still traveled home to Randolph to make the cookies. Eventually, I bought a home with a fabulously large kitchen that houses two ovens, immediately the party was moved. This year I was joined by my mom, Bridget and her three girls, Char and her two daughters and one son. We greatly missed Landen's and Lydell's families. The party began as soon as all arrived (Bridget was a little delayed). The girls eagerly began rolling the dough and cutting out pumpkins, cats, bats, moons, and ghosts. The older girls would lose focus and need an occasional break, but Tyla was trooper and rolled and cut through the end. Frosting the cookies made for the greatest entertainment. Gracie was so attentive to detail, even smoothing the frosting with a wet finger. Paisley heaped as many sprinkles and candy corns as a cookie would hold. Haydee covered her cookies with M & M's. Tyla would frost a cookie lick it off, add more frosting, and lick it off again. Braylyn was the funniest when it came to frosting. Char had just set the bowl on the table with a spoon still in it from stirring. Swift as the wind, Braylyn swooped the spoon up and shoved it in her mouth; frosting dripped from both corners. The next thing I knew, Bray had the sprinkles and was shaking them all over. The table and floor were covered with black and orange sprinkles. What fun memories! Exhausted the cookie crew left with plates of cookies for Grandpa Jack, Grami & Gramp, and several aunts, uncles and cousins. I am still finding sprinkles in my kitchen.

October 16, 2010 After a busy day of working cows, Dallas decided we needed to go to Logan for our annual pumpkin drive. We drove to Logan to buy twenty pumpkins. Yes, twenty. Now, this is not a walk in the store and grab any old pumpkin situation. We carefully look at each pumpkin in patch's sale area. Each pumpkin is examined from every side. Needless to say this is a lengthy process. Dallas's creative outlet is to carve the pumpkins and display them for the community Halloween party. I have learned to like the occasion, but simply because of the pleasure it brings to my husband. In addition to watching his eyes light up over his creations, I do thoroughly enjoy picking out the pumpkins from the patch just outside of Logan.

October 16, 2010
Dallas and I were able to help his parents gather, sort, and ship cows. The weather was nice, and all the animals cooperated. It was a fantastic day. Of course, any day we spend together, outside, with animals is perfect.

Horse Pack Trip 2010

Chris Ledoux put my thoughts and feelings about living out west to words and music in his song "Western Skies". I have put this years photos on to a video using this as my theme music.

What a Day!

I spent the morning with Trevor working with his horse and mine. We all learned a lot.

Garden is in

Last night Dallas and I went to Georgetown to fetch raspberry starts from the nicest couple. When we arrived home, we planted those raspberry starts. Plus we planted corn, peas, carrots, beets, lettuce, cucumbers, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, and strawberries. If it all survives, it will be a miracle. I am looking forward to a lot of weeding and a bountiful harvest.

Well, today is my first attempt at blogging. I hope I enjoy it as much as some of my family members do. Dallas and I are heading off to Point of Rocks, WY to help Lydell and Carly brand cattle. We can't wait to spend time with them.