News From The Lius

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Apple Orchard

Chris had spent a lot of days in the car and couldn't stand the thought of hanging around home yesterday. So we headed off to the Apple Orchard with Lexi!

Lexi and Chris with their prize bags of apples! They had a contest to see who could pick the most!

Lexi took this picture!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Happy Birthdays!!!

Happy Birthday Erin!! You are such an amazing friend! I've loved watching you become a wonderful wife and mother. I'm so blessed by our friendship!

Happy 18th Birthday Dalton! I was so blessed to have gained you as a brother when I married Chris. It's been wonderful to watch you grow up, and Chris and I are so proud of you!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Pumpkin Patch

Allison, Nicole, and I all took Elijah to the pumpkin patch on Saturday. It was one the only warm days we've had since we've been back, so it was the perfect day for the pumpkin patch!

Showing off his messy hands and face after roasting marshmellows.

Making his way through the obstacle course.

We were trying to get a cute pic beside the pumpkins in a the cute chair....he was more interested in the fudge we had bought earlier.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Recaps of the week: I drove from St. Joe to Worland, Wyoming on Monday, which was a 14 hour drive. Then from Tuesday thru Friday I've been getting up at 6 every morning so I could shower, get my maps ready, eat breakfast, and head for the courthouse to do research. The reason I've been getting up so early is because of the Mountain Time Zone, which is an hour earlier than Central Time Zone. I couldn't sleep past 6 because it would actually be 7 in Missouri. My body was used to getting up at 7 everyday. Just this week I've driven 2,600 miles, more or less. It felt really awesome not doing anything yesterday, but watch movies. Luckily, my room came with a love seat couch which I took advantage of. I set up a little movie center. Yesterday I watched Tropic Thunder, Bangkok Dangerous, Max Payne, Hostel 2, and Evan Almighty.

Just trying to show Dalton up with his mad photo editing skills. I don't have any photo editing softwares on my computer so I actually had to do my own stunts. Here is a picture of me teleporting from the couch to the bed.

Movie Center

Sorry about my dirty socks, I didn't realize those were in the picture.

Friday, October 24, 2008

How Much Would You Bid?!

We cleaned out our closets the other day...which of course means it's time to put some stuff on Ebay! I was taking pictures of some of Chris' shirts yesterday and Emma was pretty sure she was supposed to be in the picture!

National Land Marks on the Oregon Trail

Just wanted to share pictures of what I've seen on my mini adventure.

Devil's Gate

Devil's Gate is a narrow cut made by the Sweetwater River through a rock formation. Devil's Gate is three hundred seventy feet high and more than a quarter mile long. length. Martin's Cove is about four miles west of Devil's Gate.

Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock rises four hundred and seventy feet above the North Platte River in western Nebraska. The tip of the formation is three hundred and twenty-five feet above the base. To fur traders, mountain men, and the Oregon and Mormon Trail immigrants, Chimney rock marked the end of plains travel and the beginning of the mountains on the overland trails.
Beyond Chimney Rock, the next Oregon-Mormon Trail landmark was Scott's Bluff. The first traders to see it was Robert Stuart and the Astorians in 1812. The bluff was named for Hiram Scott whose body was found near the bluff in 1830. The Oregon Trail picture is taken from the summit of Scott's Bluff.

Oregon Trail

Oregon Trail Landmark

Scott's Bluff

Meadow Muffins

Doesn't that sound good, don't you want to rush to the store and buy some?

If your answer is "Yes"..........please continue reading.

Don't be fooled by the name, it's not what you think it is.

Buffalo chips were as important as any landmark on the Oregon and Mormon pioneer trails. Dried buffalo manure was the only "firewood" for cooking and heat that could be found on the prairie. One of the first tasks when the Oregon and Mormon Trail wagon trains stopped at night was to gather armfuls, or aprons full, of dried buffalo chips. Called "meadow muffins", it took two or three bushels of chips to heat a meal.