Visit to Ohio

We just got back from a long trip East. It's good to be home, but I have to admit the first few days back in Utah are always kinda sad for me. It was just such a great trip and so good to see family! Maybe it's better that I live far away- I end up appreciating every detail while I'm there.

We went out for a family vacation over the Thanksgiving break, but I was able to go early to spend some time in Ohio with my parents. It was so great. I'm the youngest child and spent my last two years at home all alone with my parents. I've found that's one of my favorite things to go back to- a big, quiet, empty house to lounge around in and work on lots of projects. Here are a couple of my favorite things that we did while I was there.

For as long as I can remember my dad has tried to raise pheasants. He'd order the eggs and get all the warming lamps and everything, but nothing seemed to work. This time we ordered the chicks already hatched (they were shipped to him in a box, which I think is just crazy) and has had better luck. By the time I got there he had 6 full grown, beautiful birds in the back yard. He made our old jungle gym into a cage for them so they have plenty of room to fly around and perch on our old monkey bars. I could stare at those birds all day- they really are so pretty.

Another great night was when my mom and I went to an exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art. They had rooms full of work done by Lalique, Tiffany, and Fabergé. All three dimensional works that I'd studied all through college but had never really seen in real life. Let me tell you, the real things were SO much more amazing than the pictures. Wow.

Doug came out the Saturday before Thanksgiving. As much as I love hanging out with just my parents- I have to admit it I liked it a lot better after he came!