Camping in the Shenandoah

Over Memorial Day, we went camping in the Shenandoah National Park.  We camped in Mathew's Arm from Friday to Saturday with friends from the MPA program and friends of friends.  It was great!

Camp at Mathew's Arm

A little snug in the morning

Carefully identifying the Common Crow

The view from our tent, and where we "were sure" we heard a bear traipsing around in the middle of the night.

The biggest difference between East Coast camping and Utah camping: fire making.  Here we are victorious after no small battle.

The handsome party

Caterpillar

The view from the bottom (we hiked down first.  Who's idea of a bad joke was that?).

Taking a rest from being carried

Abraham had no shortage of audience with so many singles around

He was a champ hiker, hiking about three miles!  Lots of "Going on a Bear Hunt" and other songs, as well as promises of ice cream kept us all going.

Benjamin trying the pack on for size.  He also hiked a bit.

What most of our family photos look like

After we realized we had gone a mile or two in the wrong direction, Andrew picked up both boys, and started off in the right direction!

Our good friend saved the day, helping carry both boys at different times.

The well deserved bubblegum ice cream.

"Taste for Taste"

The Handicraftswoman

There's a red underline under the title of my post right now, indicating that I have misspelled a word. And perhaps I have, for while the word "handicraftsman" is found in the dictionary, "handicraftswoman" is not. However, this needs to be altered, not in the name of gender equality, but because Ariel Beatrice Galli Marshall is exactly that--a handicraftswoman.

Please, allow me to take you on an exclusive (though by no means comprehensive) tour of some of her work over the past eight months since we've moved into our home. Projects range from craft to construction. She is the visionary, the engineer, the manager, and on the ground working away through it all. I was grateful that she recruited me to join her team, even if I was only used for my brawniness and my submissiveness to her brilliance. We had other help along the way, including long hours put in by Nonna, Yaya, Chris Dean, Jason Wilcox, and the missionaries. We are all in awe of Ariel whose refreshing start-to-finish style has seen changes made to this house that I didn't expect to see in the first two or three years. And based on these eight months, I'm certain we're just getting stated. So join me in celebrating the graceful, beautiful, wise, strong, and brilliant Handicraftswoman.

Ariel Beautifies the Ugly Room
This was our first project coming into the home. It involved painting, tearing out carpets, capping gas lines, throwing out curtains, and laying down new flooring. The room went from kinda nasty to kinda really beautiful. Now it's a library where we read books and play instruments. Great way to kick things off, Ariel. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Projects don't keep her from her priorities.

Thanks to Nonna and Yaya--messengers sent to us for a "vacation" that involved no little amount of work and discomfort.

A willing soldier in Ariel's cause.

Chris Dean and Jason Wilcox--two true Latter-day Saints of College Park Ward class.

Tintin is not just a passing fad at the Marshall's, it seems.

Ariel Brings Color to the Dining Room

So I walk in from work one day and find our family signature on the wall. I know in an instant that she's at it again.

From Dungeon to Playroom: Ariel's Legacy Continues

For the full scoop on Ariel's basement vision and execution, check out ODL. The basement wasn't exactly kid-friendly. The old carpet, wooden panels, bizarre light fixtures, and general mustiness of it all didn't beckon the tykes to play. Yet, Abe loved the basement. And it's a great space, just not put to great use. Ariel saw, Ariel envisioned, and Ariel conquered.

BEFORE

AFTER

Even demolition doesn't come naturally to me.

Elder Mataele priming.

So I thought I'd surprise Ariel by testing out a color for the basement. I should have known better.

Those PVC pipes aren't supposed to bend quite like that and for the first time, I felt useful.

 

I was thinking of doing a castle on a hill, or a big colorful mural, freehand. That would have been disastrous. This turned out so much better. Abe, Ben, and baby girl in hot air balloons with AA in a sailboat leading the way.

She can make striped pillow cases. By ear.

And creative bookcases.

 

Beanbag from scratch? Might as well scratch it off the to-do list now, because Ms. Ariel has done it.

In Her Spare Time Ariel Keeps Creating

The following only represents a sampling of her work. She's brilliant and I'm always astounded with what she can produce. It's tenacity and stick-to-itiveness. It's creativity and amazing attention to detail. She may have the only brain where the right and left are equally strong and indefatigable. 

Crayon cupcakes.

Little skirt and apple onesie.

Picture frame for the library taken from snippets of the children's book "A Hole is to Dig."

Rhubarb pie. An entire post, wait no, an entire blog, wait no, the entire Internet could be dedicated to Ariel's culinary handicraftswomanship. I'll look into that.

Ariel, I admire you and am unabashedly in love with you. I am eager to share with one and all my ever-growing awe for who you are and what you do. Being on your team is pure excitement.