Why I am so busy?!? I'll tell ya!

"What happened to your blog?!?" says Ericka.  I respond, "It's there, I just haven't updated it.  I'm very busy."
So this is why I am so very busy, that I can't email, write, blog or go on fb for 5 seconds.

I volunteer at the Pack N Pounce Animal Rescue  These are some of the pets we are adopting out or have adopted out.

Paisley- renamed Gizmo

 Paisley is a "pure-bred" AKC Registared Beagle.  NOT!  When she came into the rescue we threw her papers away because they are worthless.   She is not a beagle, well maybe 1/16th Beagle.  She was from a good home, but the owners were having trouble potty training her.  She got adopted and the new family had the same problem.  So she is back in the rescue for potty training, but will go home to her new family soon.  She has been renamed Gizmo.

Popper- still needs a home

 Popper is a very sad story.  He is a Chihhuahua-Italian Grey Hound mix.  That explains the large chest.  You can see some blad spots on him, especially his tail.  Popper was owner by a Meth addict, who lived in a Meth lab, his home, and regularly tortured him.  He was burnt all over his body, especially his ears and tail.  He ate poop and didn't know how to use the doggy toilet(dirt outside).  His ears were crumpled up from the burns, but have unfolded.  It was expected that his ears would need to be cut off, but they, and he, has recovered better than expected.  He is now ready for adoption after 1 year of recovery!  But he will never grow all his hair back.

Curly- back with original owner

 Curley's owner felt that he couldn't spent enough time with him.  He was concerned that Curly wasn't getting the attention he needed.  So he was brought into the rescue. After about a week, Curley's owner called us back in tears, he said that he kept having dreams of Curley coming to him and telling him, "I want to come Home!"  The owner could not stand one more day without his little buddy and pick hm up right away!  Curley had never been happier!

No name- stray with Kittens. Kittens are in homes, she is too feral(wild) so is learning to be a barn cat.

 This kitty was found under a bush with a litter of kittens.  The woman who found them tried to feed and care for them, but the mother just kept loosing weight.  So she caught them and brought them into the rescue.  She paid for all their spays/nueterings too!   We were able to separate mom from the kittens and feed her some his high calorie kitten food.  She had been starving herself to ensure that her kittens would have enough to eat!  What a wonderful mother!  She is now spayed and will not need to burden herself and body anymore.

No Name- Adopted and given as a Christmas Present to a 8yr old

 I wanted this bunny so bad!  She is so cute!  But She went to a wonderful home!  A little girl who wants to be a vet someday adopted her.  We don't have much information on her, other than her owner could not care for her anymore.  Some towns, in Utah, consider rabbits to be farm animals, or pests.  So if you live in a city, you can not own rabbits as pets.  We get most of our rabbits because of this law.  But occasionally, we get some that are ill and the owners can't afford the vet bill.

Snickers- (closes his eyes- everytime- for pictures)- indoor-outdoor cat- not adopted

Snickers is a great cat!  He got dropped off at the rescue as a kitten, no note.  So we know nothing about him other than he's a great cat!  He's already nuetered- we try to get that done early! And so he just hangs around until adoptions. He usually jumps into the car because he likes going to adoptions.  We just haven't found his Forever Home yet. 

So I work with the animals, sometimes socializing, sometimes feeding, sometimes giving love, and lots of times working the Thrift Store!  To pay for all the food and vet bills, we run a thrift store.  We take donations just like Salvation Army, and sell the goods at a really good price.  Cheaper than the other thrift stores.  The idea is to help the people and the animals.  Everyday we take in new animals.  We have taken in about 205 this year, and counting.  And have adopted out over 180.  Our goal is to reach 200 adoptions by December 31st.

But I have written a lot here, and it's now 9am, time to shower and get to work!

Visiting Temple Square at Christmas

Jordan took the camera from me while we were still in the parking lot.  So all these beautiful pictures are her's.  We went to Temple Square to see the Christmas lights.  It was our 6, plus Brenda and her son Kevin, and at the time, his girlfriend Karley,  I really like the name Karley!  I hope they name their kids all K names, that would be fun!  And Brandon was there too.  Brandon was visiting from Louisiana, where he is currently stationed. Brandon will be shipped off to Korea soon. So it was nice to see him before we won't be able to see him for a long time.

Salt Lake Temple

Kevin and Karley, they just got engaged Christmas Eve. I wonder if they will name all their kids K names?

The Lights at Temple Square

It's an amazing light display!  Very beautiful

It look slike every tiny branch is covered in lights

The Big Move II

We stopped at a few places while traveling across the country.  And today I'm posting pictures, because I don't have time to write out our adventure!

Madison on the moon

Nauvoo from the rear

Nauvoo from the front

Abe's head in Wyoming

A memorial to Abraham Lincoln for doing something with the highway out in Wyoming.

A water fountain that makes a bubble

Salt Lake Temple

The Cristus

Huge organ made in Boston, of all places!

Pretty Window

A really cool wall behind us!  This wall represents the many generations and nations of people who do genealogy.  Or something like that.

Salt Lake City from above

And the other side of Salt Lake City

Taylor on Mars

Bailey on the Moon

Taylor on the Moon

Bailey on Mars

Jordan on Mars

Madison on Mars

Jordan on the moon

The Big Move

So we moved back in August.  We moved from Massachusetts to Utah.  It was huge.  We have all had quite a few adjustments to get used to.  The actual move wasn't bad.  We had a fun time peering out the car windows at  the different parts of our beautiful country.  The flattest lands were like a giant snow globe.  It was as if we were on a tiny little road running down the middle of grain fields.  The sky was so blue!  And the clouds so white!  It was amazing!  When we hit the Rockies it was night, so we missed the view there.  We did get to drive down the side of the mountain in pitch black!  Even with the other headlights, it was like ink- think and dark.  Very scary.

Once we got here we had a couple of people come and help us move in.  We had really hoped that more people could have come to introduce themselves, or some of our missionary friends shown up.  But it's ok.  One Missionary did show!  Elder Davies, who is something like a 2nd cousin by marriage, of mine. Of the group of women that did make it, they mostly just talked to each other while I and one other sister unpacked the truck.  It kinda sucked.

One of the many things that I appreciate out here are the sunsets.  AMAZINGLY beautiful!  I love going out into my yard watching the sunset.

Jason got called to the same calling he had in MA, Elders Quorum 1st Counselor.  And I got a calling teaching the 5 & 6 year olds.  I was hoping that my primary days were over, but obviously these sweet children have something to teach me.  (I think, humility, but who know's for sure.)

So that's all I have time for tonight.  I will post more about what we have been doing since we settled in shortly.  I'm very busy with the holidays, so please don't hold your breathe!  But do feel free to text me and remind me to blog!

The line between the hills and the blackness below is the Great Salt Lake