Saturday, January 14, 2012

Coyotes in Dimpledell.  It was a beautiful sunny, warm day today.  Kevin and Adam were flying the plane from Salt Lake to Fillmore, so Kim and I went on a horse ride in Dimple Dell Park.
We meandered our way up to the bridge and were heading back when two pup coyotes came up and over the river bank cut out and headed our way.
Kim and I stopped the horses and watched as the pups trotted back and forth across the grassy open space, looking for a mice morsel or rabbit lunch.
It was a moment in time that reminded me, "I'm alive!"





Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Our house - According to Cadence:
Tiff and Rob came in for Christmas!  The first week they were here, over Christmas, they stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Johnson, then just before Rob had to go home, They came to our house and stayed.  After Rob went home, Tiff and Cadence stayed with us for another week.  This is a picture story of our favorite memories.

Every morning, Kevin, aka. PaPa. left early to go to work, Cadence got up pretty early to start her day.  Most mornings she wanted to come outside and help me feed.
I loved having her follow me around the yard and say good morning to the critters.
 Cadence took Skittles an apple one morning, but this was as close as she wanted to get to Skittles.  The apple didn't quite make it to her and Cadence was trying to get Skittles to come and get the apple.  The horses were big and little scary!  Cadence called them "neigh neigh's."
 But goats aren't so scary!  She didn't mind climbing in the pen and helping throw a little hay!  These are the "baa baa's".
 The "bauck bauck's" however, were her favorite!
She shooed them out of the chicken coop.
 Tried to pick them up!
 And told them "down", when they were walking along their roosts.
Cadence turned her back on the roost one time and a chicken jumped on her shoulder.
She bent her knees and waited for her to get off, then continued with her chicken rounds.
 It didn't matter how cold it was, she wanted to go outside, multiple times during the day and see the "bauck bauck's".
Ohno was her buddy and she made sure he got a good morning pat every morning.
Ohno is the only one she called by name!
Great Grandma and Grandpa Leake have two kitties.  This soon became "Grandma meow, meow".  Here Cadence is giving Milly a hug.  Grandma says she hasn't seen Milly let any of the other little kids hug her.  Milly must like Cadence. 
 Cadence is telling Milly a story!
 These are some of my favorite pictures of the silly things Cadence did.  She knows how to make us smile.  I have a white ceramic garbage can next to the toilet.  Cadence would sit in the garbage can, like she was sitting on the toilet, and then smile.
 Here she tried on some big boots!  Have you ever seen a tongue that long on a little girl!
 The weather was very nice so we loaded the horses up and went to Dimple Dell for a ride.  Cadence did great.  She did get a little restless when we were about half way back and kept telling us that she wanted to walk.
 Go Rusty, Go! 
 I got this look one morning during breakfast.
We met Kevin for lunch, so he could have a few more moments of awe and wonder at this cute little "punky bug"!
Sending them back to Oklahoma is really hard. 
Thank goodness for cameras.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

We shoot in an archery league on tuesday evenings and I have an amazing partner.
Tonight she Robin Hood'd my arrow.  She shot her arrow right into the end of my arrow.  Way to shoot, Jodee!

Saturday, December 31, 2011

We decided to finish the year by going to Adam's family cabin and eat a little food, watch a few movies, do some sledding.  It was a great New Year's Eve!
Go Grandpa, Go!
What is this big sled?
It was slow and we only used it a few times! 
Go Mommy, Go! 
All three girls on one sled.  Hang on tight! 
 Aw!  Daddy and one of his girls!
 Going to the top to ride down again.
 Ohno needed a ride up,  he was getting pretty sore in the hips!
 Ready, Setty, Go!
 The Leake Ladies!
 All done!
Time to go in for hot chocolate!
Thanks Adam, for sharing your families cabin!
We had a really good time!
Now bring on 2012!

Friday, December 30, 2011

2011 Christmas Letter
Begin with a dream of the exceptional.
Ponder the possibilities and exam the fire.
Chip away objections until a plan formulates.
Begin, Work hard and the result will transpire.

We indulged in the exceptional snowfall!
Reveled the mountain bike trails of St. George!
Experienced San Diego’s beaches at sunrise!
Someone had an idea and a plan was forged.

Cruising to Mexico was a remarkable week!
Running Ragnar was a two day Endeavour!
Harley trip to California with Dad was a gift!
All because we dared to imagine and desire!

River running at Jackson brought great satisfaction!
While 3 trips to Tulsa were tricky but just!
Skydiving for Chase was sweet jubilation!
Envision a quest, go forth; reap the harvest!

Bicycle ride all summer to a Lotoja finale!
Experience a slice of Heaven at Havasupai!
Now we take to the air with new aspiration!
Cause dreaming is a treasure of this life!

We Thank God that we were born now!
We Thank God for our family and friends!
We Thank God for the Son that he sent,
To bless us, befriend us and atone for our sins.

Merry Christmas to you!
May your dreams whether big or small
Come to fruition in 2012
Love Kevin and Shauna Leake

Monday, December 26, 2011

It is really nice to spread the dinners and get togethers out over a few days!
Christmas feels like a big holiday this way instead of a 6 hour holiday. 
So our shopping we spent months getting down, feels a little more appreciated.
Plus we get to see relatives that we don't see all year and enjoy our visit.
This year we had the Martinson family dinner Monday evening at Tom and Shelly's.
 Rodney got a ....it smells like lemons.
After dinner we draw numbers and put all the gifts in the middle.
Then you get to pick a gift when your number comes up.
If you don't like the gift, you can trade with somebody who has opened a gift.
 Jason waiting for his turn!
 Arial and Deb are deciding on which already opened gift they are going to trade for!
 Wayne got a chocolate diaper!  Rob was kind enough to demonstrate that the brown stuff in the diaper was chocolate, by taking a bite.....Wayne traded!
 Oh Adam, I think your swim trunks will hang on those real nice!
Anticipation.... 
The gift Froggie picked off the floor, unopened, was a frog hat.
How did she know?
Her Frog senses told her to pick that gift.
Did anyone try to trade her?  NO WAY!
Spoil that smile.
Merry Ribbit Christmas!
Christmas was on Sunday this year, so Monday was an official holiday.  We sat around and visited and ate all day yesterday.  Time to work off some energy.
 Jamie, Tiffany, Rob, Tom, Adam and Myself.
I love the Bell Canyon hike.  It is close to home.  It starts out easy to the reservoir and then you do some climbing up to the falls!
 Can you see Adam at the top of the falls on the far right?
 The falls were frozen over.  We couldn't even hear water running under our feet.
It was very beautiful!
 Beautifu, Beautiful!
 We went above the falls looking for the upper falls, but without the sound of water running, we didn't find them.  Made for a good hike!
The way down was steep and slippery, but we made it!
Myself, Rob, Tiffany, Adam and Jamie
Thanks for taking the picture Tom and coming along with us!