What's New....

Since I haven't posted in awhile, quite a bit. But not to bore I will keep it current.

-70 degree weather, then ice and snow and then 70 degree weather. At least I know that while I'm white knuckling the steering wheel as I slide down the road that by the next day I can lay out if I want. Which I have yet to want.

-Spring Break. We stayed home. I usually go to Az but it didn't happen this year. So we spent our days doing things around here. I think the kids favorite day was when we went to Denver ate at Casa Bonita and went to the park. I went to Casa Bonita when I was a kid and still remember it. The crazy gorilla, cliff divers. I thought it was awesome. Going back as an adult....completely different experience. But the kids thought it was great. Gavin asked me if it was a 5 star restaurant. You don't get MSG headaches from a 5 star.

-My dining room is no longer Terra Cotta colored and the office no longer has a navy blue accent wall. One more step out of 1985 and one step closer to 2011.

-Serger. Oh the possibilities....I have yet to pull it out of the box. I know that when I do all other projects will be shoved aside. So, I am in project mode, motivation...serge my day away without guilt!

-Gabriel is missing 6 teeth. 3 of them molars. I can also fit comfortably in his shoes. (not that I would want to) I wear an 8.

-I'm cubmaster. I knew I would be involved in scouts having two boys but...cubmaster? So far I have made it through blue and gold and pinewood derby. If you don't like looking like an idiot in front of people...become a cubmaster. You get over it real quick.

oops!

Forgot to post back to school photos....Sorry about that mom. Here they are ready for third grade. It 's been another new school. So far they have been doing great. Fingers crossed :)

Radioactive...

I'm radioactive. Yesterday I took my radioactive iodine pill. It's the main treatment for graves disease. So while no one is allowed to get to close to me, share my glass or use my bathroom, for a week I will start feeling better. I think if you have to be radioactive you should at least glow a bit when you turn off the lights.
I don't know..maybe superhero powers for a week. It would be a lot more fun for the kids.

The Rest...

I finally downloaded the last of summer photos. So, here is the rest of summer....

Red Rock Loop

Craw hunting with cousins

Fishing with Grandpa

 

My parents came to visit for a couple weeks.

Tia and cutie Zane came for a visit.

Well, most of summer anyway. Way too many pictures.

Hello....

I've been gone for awhile. I don't know if I should blame it on the fried graphics card in my MAC, graves disease, busy schedules...
So, Greg moved my photo program to another computer gave it some extra memory and we are good to go. I decided that if I had blogged this summer I would give a highlight of what it would of been.
Summer started off with a three day cub scout day camp at the Air force academy. Boys loved it!

Then continued with a family reunion. My sister in law was sweet enough to hold it at her house. This entailed having up to 40ish people sleeping at her house. The unfinished basement was filled with tents, some slept in the yard.  It was a bit crazy but it is always good to see family.

Caught up with MaryAnn one of my missionary comps.

Hiking up to the waterfall.

silk worms

Melinda & Monica- two of Greg's 7 sisters

Ashleigh the hostess and sweet Sariah

The boys

Spring

Spring took a strange turn this weekend.  What was supposed to be rain turned into one of those blizzards everyone says only happen every 5 to 10 years. Of course my husband is working, power is out for most of the day and huge pine trees are snapping in half in our back yard. The neighbors  tree actually found a resting spot on the side of our house.  At least the view from my kitchen window was beautiful.

Here a few of the trees that fell from the weight of the snow. One hit our gutter and barely missed the house. It is so sad to see them fall.

Ok, so the tree that landed on our house...no major damage, just a dent in our wallets when the guy comes to take it down. Notice the orange tie down? That would be Greg's attempt to pull the tree down himself. Between me screaming at him while he climbed it that our insurance deductible is alot more than it will cost to have a guy come and do it and then  him realizing it was a very  heavy tree... disaster was avoided.

PS This post is from the end of April. When I loaded photos it changed the date on me.

Packing, again

I just packed up a house in June of last year and I'm doing it again. Of course during one of the busiest months of the year for me as well. Isn't that how it always is? So , I should be packing but here I am catching up on February..someday I will be caught up. This year is a big birthday year, kids turned 8. This means, cub scouts, activity days, 3 birthday parties, and too many cupcakes to count. I have survived and am still sane. We still have the baptisms coming up in March but will head back to Az for that. This is why packing has not been a priority and now I am way behind. That and after all this fun the stomach flu has invaded our house and I have the worst cold ever! Here are a few photos of our fun filled Feb.

 

Isa's party was first, games, food, crafts!

Then came the actual birthday which also fell on the Blue and Gold Banquet. The boys loved it, and the birthday theme with magician included made it even better.

 Happy Birthday!                                                       









        The Blue and Gold Cake

Spaghetti anyone?

 Two more birthday parties the following Saturday.....

It was a space theme and the initial planet cake become a fighting space alien one. :)

After the 10-12 party came the 1-3 party. The boys had a great time...lot's of wrestling, flag football in  the basement and of course, flying UFO's and making space blubber.

Then the following Friday Isa went to her first Daddy daughter and it was a Sock Hop. She says it was the most fun she has ever had. 

 

Did You See That?

Oh, that was the month of January and guess what? February is going by even faster. I've decided it's going to be one of those years. We have years where we look ahead and it seems nothing to new is going to happen so we set resolutions and find ways to grow blah, blah. And then there are the years where you are looking ahead and see that many changes are on the horizon and resolutions aren't needed for growth. You are going to get plenty, you just need to smile and strap in because it's going to be a fast ride. This is my year. I need to be better about blogging, living away from family and so on. So here are a few highlight of the past few weeks....well month.
January:

A new year, 13 years of marriage! Love my man. School programs, forgot my camera:(. Illness, oh and  finding a house. We decided to expand our boundaries a bit and found a little house in the woods. We were going to have to find a house by May and came across one a bit early. We close March 10th if all continues to go well. It will be more of a change then we had planned on but we are excited. I am browsing many a home decorating blog as this house  was built in '78  and is still hanging out there . Check out the drive way....the mini van does not like it with snow. Should be interesting.

 

hmm...with this photo you can't tell but it's a horse shoe and it's steep.

Whirlwind

Whirlwind pretty much describes this holiday season. Beginning with a wonderful visit from my parents at Thanksgiving. They brought beautiful Az weather with them and we were able to hike, shop, eat, decorate the tree, and spend a great time together. I have missed family and it was so fun for us and the kids to have them here.
When they left the holiday preparations started, Christmas shopping, school activities, church activities. I was working on new holiday decorations, homemade gifts and then we received the call that Greg's Aunt Patti passed away. She had been fighting cancer for a year and half. We had a shift in the whirlwind and began the prep to get ready for an unexpected trip home. We left Thursday night drove through the night to arrive in time for the funeral on Friday. Patti was only 50, the baby of the family. The trip was bittersweet. We were able to be there with family in the sadness of saying good bye to a loved one and in the same trip have the opportunity to have the joy of kissing these sweet cheeks for the first time. We have arrived home just in time for what looks like a white Christmas. I drove home myself with the kids,(first time!)a day early due to the storm coming in. The 12 hour trip wasn't bad, just have lot's of movies, snacks and a good audio book.

I WANT....

it all!
My sister sent me a check this out email and I am in love. I really want them all.Check it out. You will love it to.
Shabby Apple

What's new....

Not much.
We recieved eight inches of snow last night. They even canceled church so today is filled with reading, sewing and hot chocolate. Not a bad day. I finally uploaded some pictures so I thought I would share.

Sweet package came from Mom...buttons,thread, spice and these cute monkeys.

Project finally finished. It was my Moms birthday present. I sent it a few months late but hey better late than never. One project down, so many more to go. With the holidays approaching my list gets longer!

Being the great mom that I am I completely missed the school picture deadline. I have decided that I really don't like school photo's. For the same price I can get cuter ones taken somewhere else. So, that's what I did. I love the candid shots...here are a few.(raw photos)
Gavin sharing his cow joke..caught at the Moo part of the it.
She eventually gave in later gave them a smile.
.

Knock, Knock

The flu has arrived. I am sure it is planing on staying awhile. I am hoping it does not hit one kid at a time which means one week at a time. Yuck.

On a brighter note:
No need to panic! My boys were not lost walking to school by themselves for the first time today. I guess snowball fights are much more fun than getting to school on time. Thank goodness for good neighbors who picked them up on their way to school.Boys...

Happy Birthday..

to me....sort of. My birthday is actually next month but we needed to up our Amazon total to get the free shipping. So, I had this book on my wish list and I received it yesterday!

There are a few more purses then I would prefer but lots of really cute projects to try out most of which use scraps. A few more Pj's and then on to this book.

Am I the only one that really wants to see this movie?

Pop Up Pancakes

Quick. Easy and Good. If you like German pancakes....try these. We ate ours with powdered sugar and maple syrup. Here's the link to the recipe. Pop Up Pancakes ENJOY!