Crawdaddin'

Another trip to Utah last week to help Mike and Michelle and Dale and Elaine move. Lots of work . . . and lots of fun. We broke up the packing and moving with a windy day at Strawberry Reservoir on our annual (or at least attempted annual) crawdad fishing trip. Greg and I first went the first August we were married. I felt so confident when we arrived because I had equipped us with wire hangers and hot dogs. Hmmm . . . maybe that's why I never caught many at the lake growing up.

Thanks to the mercy of another group leaving, Greg and I ended up with 10 lines of twine attached to 10 raw chicken thighs . . . and as fast as we could pull the lines up and fling the crawdads to shore and into our bucket, we'd start over and haul in another load! So, needless to say, we don't show up with hangers and hot dogs anymore. Long lines with raw chicken are the ticket. I don't even love to eat the little buggers (although I will), but the experience is long anticipated and the are fun is fondly remembered.

Our total count this year: 815 . . . and we could've kept going! I think next years we'll go home after a couple hundred, as that seems to feed a crowd just as easily . . . and with much less work!

Greg and Rich bonding with the crawdaddies.

Thanks for the 4-wheeler rides, Uncle Mike!

Everyone had several chances to hold the critters . . . except Porter who wanted nothing more than to get his hands on one.

Greg, Rich and Mike: The nitty gritty cleaning. I helped . . . I swear. But I have to admit I wasn't too disappointed when called away to tend to the chilluns.

PROOF!

See? There really is a beach in Pinedale. It's about 8 minutes from my house, and it's the biggest watering hole for mommies and kids in the area. A tan in Wyoming? You'd better believe it!

Craft it forward

My best friend from Washington, Jessy, published a Craft it Forward post a while back and I was one of the three lucky winners! Part of the deal was participation, so although I'm a month or so late, I'm fulfilling my end of the deal . . .

Here's how it works: Be one of the first three to leave a comment on this post, and you win an item handmade especially for you by me! Winners must post this giveaway on your blog once you receive your gift, meaning that you will Craft it Forward too, creating a handmade gift for the first three bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway! The gift that you send can be any price range and you have 30 days to make and ship your item(s). Phew! If no one wants to play, it's totally okay . . . but I LOVE my bracelet (sorry for the lousy picture - camera troubles). . . and who knows what I'll come up with for MY craft . . .