Crystal Classic Race

A while back we visited my sister, our kids had some quality cousin time, and we cheered on the dads in a cold 5K race:

The kiddos loved cheering and watching the runners and the dads got excellent pace times. Growing up, our whole family supported every track meet, swim meet, baseball game, and art show! (And there were a lot of us, so we spent a lot of time supporting one another!) I loved the sense of community and support and want our fledgling family to have that same sense of love for one another.

Kirk has been a master supporter of all my crazy ideas, even if they require a lot of hard work. He built the booth for the upcoming local makers show that will be showcasing art by Feather & Fir, and he's always been a big believer in my dreams. I love that guy and want to reciprocate and teach our tiny posterities how important it is!

I've been pondering lately about how best to teach support for others' endeavors. What did/do your families do for that?

Road Trippin'

My sister is an angel and took our kids for a couple days so Kirk and I could hear ourselves think without tiny voices ringing in our heads. Sometimes you don't notice how noisy your everyday life is until you take a break from it for a bit, you know? And guess what? We held hands. Without being used as a jungle gym. It was amazing.

We drove through the canyons and forests around Flaming Gorge, and be still my heart! There is just something about the red rocks and the snow that I cannot even get over:

It was a good break, and it was good to be reunited again. We need to take breaks so we can appreciate the many gifts we forget about when they occur on a daily basis.

Frigid 5K

That crazy dreamguy of mine recently ran a frigid 5K, and boy was it cold! He ran through arctic winds and stinging snow pellets like a champ, then jumped in the frozen lake without a care in the world:

(My favorite is the face of the guy watching Kirk as he performed quite the remarkable cannonball.)

Of course we were there to support the insanity, but stayed warm and bundled all the while. Plus, as usual, we got to share in the spoils of a race well run! Pepper has already claimed the penguin plunge key chain Kirk earned, which she assumes is a medal of bravery.

Kirk has been making plans to run a race every single month this year, which we're excited about! This should lead to many great new adventures for our family. He's already gotten plans through April, but if you know of any fun races May-December, I'm all ears.

See ya, 2015

So long, 2015. Let's be honest, you were a doozy. Nevertheless, we had some good times too. The Word Of The Year was "DO," and do we did. Here's a little review of the ups and downs of 2015:




The very first day of the year, my brother's roof literally came crashing down from burst water pipes in his ceiling. He and his family stayed at our house for a month or so while his apartment was fixed. We all learned a lot about living with other people, and we enjoyed the company. Plus, I got to cook my first pheasant, compliments of my brother's hunting prowess.

I got to try out my snowshoes, and did some hiking, more hiking, more snowshoeing, and even more hiking!

Taking a leap and turning in a piece of artwork for the LDS International Art Competition was scary! I hadn't focused that hard on a finished piece of artwork in a long time, but it came together with a steady schedule and purpose. That was a lot of work, but I learned a lot about my art process along the way.

I had been really interested in beekeeping and took a class about it. I loved it! Bees are so amazing and I feel like we are kindred spirits. Oh tiny sisters, I love you! Unfortunately, we can't have bees in our current house, so it will need to wait until we have a different home.

I got back into rock climbing! It had been years since I last enjoyed it, but with a trusty friend to show me the ropes again, I took it up again and had some of my best lunch breaks!

For my birthday, we took a trip to Zion National Park with friends and went on some wicked cool hikes. We got to do some light bouldering and also visited the Valley of Fire, which will forever hold a special place in my heart. We stopped by a crazy cool ghost town and of course an old cemetery. We played games and talked without any children interrupting. Yes, it's a thing!

Not too soon after that, Kirk got laid off due to the dip in the oil market. Well, poop. While it was a major bummer, we looked for the silver lining and decided to move forward as a single income family with a stay-at-home parent. What a lucky kid we have! We had to make some major adjustments. It was a palette cleanser and turned out to be the catalyst for many life introspections and realignments in our lifestyle and the direction in which we want our family to go. All good things, but a painful route.

With a clear and free schedule, we were able to attend a wedding in San Diego last minute. The sunshine was just what we needed, the little kid got to go to the beach for the first time, and we got to see family that we hadn't seen in forever. Cousins, guys.

I got up the guts to submit my first piece of art to the Springville Museum of Art's Spring Salon. It was so much work too, but I am proud of the final product and loved the way the piece turned out.

Also, I got up the courage to get my own website up and running. There are a lot of moving parts and every time I would change something, I would discover 10 more things that I needed to do. Gah! So. Much. Work. But also, it's a labor of love that I'm super proud of! And, I got some business cards made, which helped me feel a lot more official. Being a business owner has been so rewarding and I can't believe I waited so long to get started. Once I got through all the worrying in my brain and got things done, it finally came together. I finally found my purpose and style, which was a major win!

I had my first art booth at the Beehive Bazaar last spring! For some reason, it was a super scary step for me to take but I was blown away by all the support from friends and family and was humbled that people liked my art enough to buy it. Thank you, friends! And, I got more comments on my booth than anything else. Kirk made it for me to display my wares. Isn't it amazing?

Our family took part in a fun run.

We were in charge of a large family reunion, and it was full of crazy fun times and crazy fun people. We hiked along a petroglyph ridge, visited our old stomping grounds in Nevada, spent time splashing in the pool, and swapped stories. We also got to spend some time with our little family visiting Zion again, and tricked our daughter into hiking with us there.

Pepper took some swim classes and turned into a little fish and may have proposed to her instructor.

I did some hiking, more hiking, even more hiking, and solo hiking.

Then, there was that one time I had a baby. He arrived a couple hours after one of my favorite woodsy hikes. He just needed a little encouragement but he came with a smile and a sense of humor. We took a couple weeks off of our regular lives while we adjusted and got to learn how we would be as a family of four. We spent those weeks exploring the wilderness, exploring more, and exploring even more.

We planted and cared for and harvested a garden and flower beds this year. We also got some unexpected blessings from our labors and dried, juiced, and froze some of the best food.

Again, we participated in the Beehive Bazaar. Kirk's booth construction was all the rage again, and I added more pieces to the booth. I loved making all the art!

We got to cheer Kirk on in his half marathon through the beautiful fall foliage. He practiced diligently and did a great job!

I submitted my first-ever art piece to the Springville Art Museum's Religious and Spiritual exhibit. Again, it was a ton of work but I love the way the piece turned out. (The post will be up soon!) Plus, I was able to see a vast difference between this piece and my first submission from earlier in the year. Progress, guys!

I read some books.

Pepper's preschool ended, and she said goodbye to her friends there and hello to a full-time life with a great stay-at-home dad. She started a dance class, though, and fell in love with performing on stage!

My brother got married! In a whirlwind of familial excitement we spent loads of time planning, prepping, doling out unsolicited advice, and participating in general merriment. I took photos of our family with all the new additions before we all went our separate ways and started our own roots.

I got in some delicious autumn hiking, more hiking, and even tried mountain yoga hiking!

We partook in some of our favorite holiday traditions during the fall and Christmas seasons. The last quarter of the year is always one of our favorites! We also started new traditions to make our family life more intentional and to encourage one-on-one time and great family times too.

We cheered Kirk on in another race and got to share in the sugary spoils.

I tried a new thing on Instagram where I posted a different art series every month. I did an alphabet bird series, an autumn leaf watercolor series, and a series of requested wildlife sketches. I love being able to share my art with others!




2015 was indeed a doozy. While we are still trying to figure things out, we are managing to make the best of it and enjoy our precious family time while we can. 2015 was a good lesson in reevaluating constantly, making purposeful decisions, and getting up the courage to do things (because waiting through all the thinking is oftentimes more painful and difficult than actually getting things done!) So, there you have a few of our highlights from last year.

After talking with a friend about how I didn't think 2015 was a really good year, and that I felt I hadn't accomplished much, I was encouraged to write about it. Once I started writing, it opened my eyes to the many positive things we experienced last year, even amid the challenges. It was a great exercise in positivity and looking back I was surprised at what we were able to accomplish during crazy times and despite a definite funk.

So, if you've made it this far, first, you're a dedicated soul (thank you!) and second, I'm passing the advice forward. You don't need to post it publicly, but I encourage you to reflect on your past year if you haven't done so already and write down some of the major events. Looking back on your photos and social media accounts might help you out. So what do you say?

Tubby Santa Race

Earlier this month, we got to watch Kirk run a Santa 5K, fat pillow belly and all (which according to a certain 4-year-old wasn't necessary to achieve the proper tubbiness):

It was fun for all of us to try on the costume, cheer him on, and share the milk and cookies for refreshments afterward.

Family Fun Days

In our family, we hold what we call 'Family Fun Days' every week or two. It's usually on a Saturday after we get all our have-to's done. Here's how they work: for a set amount of time (a few hours, or even an entire day!), we each take a turn selecting an activity for us to do as a family. The rule is that we have to do what the person choosing wants to do, no matter what. We rotate through the members of our family until time runs out. Sometimes we include extended family members in select activities, but not always.

This is a great exercise for our family for many reasons. First, we get to do things we personally wouldn't normally do. Second, everyone gets a chance to do something they enjoy. Third, we spend quality time with one another in a variety of settings. Fourth, we learn how to take turns and respect what makes other people happy. Fifth, we connect and bond during and after, as we create happy moments and remember the good times we've shared together.

One of our more recent Family Fun Days looked like this:

A trip to the art museum because, duh. Art museums are the best. Even the baby got an eyeful of creative beauty.

Next up, a visit to the nearby petting zoo. Because animals are the best too, even if the ostriches and emus are sometimes scary.

Then, a quick frozen treat at a grocery store because a four-year-old doesn't care if it's winter. Chocolate ice cream is always a grand idea.

Then, a hot dog roast in our back yard to wash down our ice cream appetizer. It's good for us to shake things up for dinner because I find it makes our normal everyday rituals exciting and memorable.

And that's it for this mini round of Family Fun Day activities! Most of our activities include doing things outside, going to new or favorite places, or getting treats. Sometimes it's something as simple as each picking our favorite book to read together or sometimes it's an expensive night out for dinner. No matter what we do though, it makes me happy to spend the best times with my family.

All Over the Place

This is a super fun space I use to share the goings-on and general hubbub of the Baxter clan, but I have a professional side, too, with my art business. If you like some of the content on this blog, then you might want to check me out elsewhere too. I'm all over the place, guys!

If you enjoy reading some of the deeper or introspective things, the Feather and Fir blog might be a good fit. It's not as irreverent or goofy as it is here, but it's still me! It's a place where I share my weekly thoughts on nature, explanations of my nature-inspired art, art how-tos, and art case studies. And, if you ever want to geek out together about nature, or if you have questions about my art or processes, you can always send me a line. I'd love it if you joined me as we explore and discover new moments of wonder together.

I'm also on Instagram. I share daily posts about nature experiences I've had, as well as the current fine art projects I'm working on. I've done a couple of monthly art series lately that have been super enjoyable. I'm a busy little bee over there. If you are interested in getting posts in your feed on the daily with nature art, behind-the-scenes and in-progress shots, nature facts and ponderings, as well as some of my adventures in the wild, then I'd love it if you joined! I get giddy seeing the comments and discussions on that platform! The nicest people ever hang out there. For reals.

And, if you like to see and save visual inspiration, you can find me on Pinterest too. It's an awesome spot to see some of my favorite nature photos and my artwork all in one spot. Gotta love the giant bowl of digital eye-candy. Pinterest is always a go-to for me when I'm looking for visual inspiration or building a moodboard. Is it for you too?

And then finally, there is the Feather & Fir shop. Did you know I have a shop? I totally do! It's only been running for a few months but I'm super proud and crazy about it! It's been a lot of work to put all of it together, but I hope that it shows the stories behind the artwork and encourages people to pause and really take in those amazing moments that nature is waiting to teach us. All of the artworks in my shop are originals. There aren't any prints or copies. Say what? Yep, it's true! Like I said, it's been so much work. I have personally created and crafted each piece with love and care. I'm continually putting new things up in the shop, and prices start at $6, which is a pretty great starting point for original art. I like to keep a variety of prices and items in there, from small happy reminders to bigger conversational pieces, for a variety of budgets and tastes.

Right now, my watercolor leaf series are at a great price for only $75 for a set of 6 original paintings. That's a sweet deal! I don't ever discount my art, but I do like to reward the loyal people who act fast. Tomorrow, the prices on these newest sets will go up to the full value of $90, so check them out while they are still around at the introductory price.

So yeah, I'm a regular on those other platforms, as well as twice-a-week posts on this ole' blog. Each platform has its pros and cons, you know? I thought I'd let you know, just in case you weren't already aware. Mostly, though, I appreciate all the kind words and support from you. Thanks for sharing some of your precious time here, with me. I really do appreciate it, it's so encouraging.

P.S. I've been thinking about joining Periscope soon. Have you tried it? What are your thoughts?

Grandmas Are the Best!

I don't know about you, but our grandmas are pretty much the best. Last month we took a trip with Grandma to see some Halloween spookies and spend some time together:

Time together is even better if it includes pirates and a much-anticipated pony ride. Blaze was a pro, and so was our witchy little cowgirl.

Thanks, Grandma, for the fun outing! We are still talking about it to this very day.

Pumpkin Patch!

One of our favorite family traditions is visiting the pumpkin patch each autumn. We have a favorite that we frequent because it has awesome activities like a hay pyramid to climb on, a tractor ride through the pumpkin fields, and a corn box, which is like a sandbox, only awesomer:

We loved visiting the animals and running through the mazes. It is good for us to form memories and experiences with our kids. Plus, being in the wholesome outdoors is always a big bonus!

Stewart Falls Hike

Lest you think our family outdoor adventures are all fun and games, do not be deceived:

This is a more realistic picture of what these hikes are sometimes like for us. Can you just hear the groans and statements like, "Noooooo! Not the mountains again!"? We just try to focus on the good, you know?

Wilderness Appreciation- Part III, Mt. Naomi

We hauled our hineys up to the Mt. Naomi Wilderness area too:

This was not such a fun trip. Can you tell? We had a couple diaper incidents, as well as a frustrating time of trying to find access to the nearby Wellsville Wilderness.

If you know how to access the Wellsville Mountains without trespassing on private property, tell me! For reals, though. Tell me if you know! I feel like this is something I must find an answer to before I can rest peacefully in my grave (or urn, or whatever).

Wilderness Appreciation- Part II, Mt. Nebo

The next wilderness area on our list was Mt. Nebo. I think we may have been just outside of the wilderness boundaries, but the glorious mountains we appreciated nonetheless:

Guys. This place is unreal! It feels like the world just goes on forever up there!