Life As I Know It

Good Times

2010-01-10T09:35:00.002-07:00

Last night Scott and I went with some friends to the Morrison Center to watch The Wedding Singer. Wasn't sure what to expect. I love the movie, but sometimes the good parts get lost in translation. It did not disappoint. It was freaking hysterical! We laughed so hard through the whole thing.

2010

2010-01-04T08:55:00.002-07:00

Wow! This past year has FLOWN by. I admit, it hasn't been the best for me. In fact, just the opposite. It has truly been the worst year of my life. But it's over, and I am determined to make 2010 an amazing year. I have learned a lot of important lessons over the past year. I truly have the most amazing friends and family. I am a very blessed person. But, there were also some good things that came of 2009. I would love to take the time to write them all down, but I have to hurry. I just wanted to post some kind of update for my friends who wondered if this blog was history. (T & L) :O) I will write more as soon as I have a chance, ladies!

I Do, again and again....

2009-10-21T08:17:00.002-06:00

On this day, 14 years ago, I married my best friend. Oh what a ride the last 14 years have been. A ride I would willingly take over and over again. It has been worth every minute. I love this man with all my heart. How I got so lucky, I will never know.

Happy Anniversary, Scott!

I Love you!!!!

2009-10-16T10:47:00.003-06:00

2009-10-16T10:47:00.001-06:00

And the Winner Is.....

2009-10-03T18:41:00.002-06:00

The Beautiful Kimberly!!!

Congrats Kim! If you would rather have your gift card for a different coffee place, just let me know. Some people don't care for Starbucks. Thanks for reading my blog.

2 Year Give Away

2009-09-29T08:38:00.002-06:00

I was looking at my calendar the other day and realized I missed my 2 year blogging anniversary. Maybe if I updated more often, I would have noticed this sooner. :O) I know I don't post as much as I used to, but I can't believe I have stuck with this for 2 years. I love going back and reading my old posts. It's crazy to see how much my kids have changed over the years.

So, to celebrate this milestone, I am giving away a $5 Starbucks Gift card. Just leave me a comment and you will be entered into the drawing. I will draw a winner on Saturday. Good luck...and thanks for reading my blog!

Mini Update

2009-08-21T09:10:00.003-06:00

School started last week. Makenzie is now an official Junior Higher. She looked pretty darn cute in her school uniform...cute, and so grown up. (I don't have the pics on my laptop, but will try to post them soon). Caleb loves first grade, except the "getting up early" part. Gonna be a long year for that one.

Scott has been running/riding lately and has dropped 28lbs so far. He is in great shape and is feeling so good. He signed us up to do a duathlon together in a couple of weeks. It consists of a 3.1 mile run, a 11 mile bike ride, and another 3.1 mile run. I was going to do both legs of running, but Scott wants to run the first one and then do the bike. That leaves me to run the last 3.1. Oh boy!

Our family has been going through a very hard time of trial right now. I am not able to share particulars, but whatever happens is going to change our family dynamic forever. It has been a very difficult summer, and things are still not even close to being over. Prayer for our family would be much appreciated. I can say, however, that God is good. He is near to the broken-hearted. Things may not turn out how we hope they will, but God is in control.

With both kids going to school all day now, I have been tossing around the idea of finding a part-time job. I love the idea of getting out and interacting with other adults, and having a little extra money never hurts either. So, I got a job at a tanning salon less than a mile down the road from my house. I am so looking forward to it!

Awana is getting ready to start in a couple of weeks. This year I am the Cubbie director. Am I freaked out?? Y-E-S!!! This is such a new and big step for me. If any of you are interested in helping with the 3 and 4 yr olds, let me know. I could sure use some extra hands.

I'm sure there is so much more I can blog about from the summer, but I am tired and hungry.

Rescue

2009-08-09T11:42:00.001-06:00

Thank you, Lord, for giving me this song at this moment in my life. I WILL take hold of You.

Drowning

2009-08-05T18:56:00.002-06:00

This is how I feel right now. I feel like no matter how hard I kick I am still sinking to the bottom. "This, too, shall pass"...I know, I know. Just wish it was passing faster, and with less pain.

My Little Man

2009-07-14T09:06:00.002-06:00

Today my son is 6. I remember praying for almost 2 years for this little one, and wondering if we would ever have a second child. When I found out I was pregnant I was so excited and SCARED! I had just lost a baby a few months before. I remember the day we found out he was a boy. Everyone in the family was shocked. Out of 9 grandchildren on both sides of the family, he is the ONLY boy. We all thought he would be another girl. I had a very easy pregnancy, and an easier delivery.

Here is Caleb at 3 days old:

And here at 3 months:

Today he is a handsome, thoughtful, caring, loving, sensitive, mischievous, joking, sneaky, fun, playful, adventurous, talented, adorable little boy. We love you, Caleb! Have a very happy birthday.

My Musical Babies

2009-06-15T09:30:00.002-06:00

My kids (fortunately) have their father's musical ability. Makenzie is our bass player and Caleb has recently expressed interest in learning the electric guitar. We got him one yesterday and this is how the afternoon was spent.

We have already arranged lessons for them both. I can't wait to hear them play as they learn more about their instruments.

For My Sister

2009-06-01T08:23:00.002-06:00

It has been almost 6 months since I lost my sister. I can't believe it has been that long. It feels like just yesterday that I received that devastating phone call. Grief is a nasty emotion. Just when you think you are doing good...BAM! It knocks the wind out of you all over again.

I recently decided I wanted to get a tattoo to honor Faith. I have always wanted one on my wrist, but didn't know what to put there. Faith's name was the perfect thing. I was just going to put Faith, but to our family she was Faith Marie. She even referred to herself as Faith Marie. So it was only fitting that I would have Faith Marie tattooed instead of just Faith. She also had great handwriting. Anytime I saw her writing, I knew it was hers. It was very unique.

Last week I went through all of her papers and documents to see if I could find her signature in her handwriting. I found the perfect one. I had it tattooed on my right wrist.

It was hard to get a good picture, but you get the idea. This tattoo means so much to me. I find myself looking at it off and on all day long, and it always brings a smile to my face.

First/Last

2009-05-28T22:45:00.006-06:00

Just a quick post to share the first day of school pics and the last day of school pics:

First:

Last:

First:

Last:

They aren't the best quality, but at least I have them for my record.

End of School

2009-05-28T22:22:00.004-06:00

I can't believe school is out already. I am looking forward to this summer and having my kids home. They really are a lot of fun to be with. Here are some pictures of Caleb's Kinder graduation.

This is his teacher, Mrs. Swift:

Hmm...I think I better keep my eye on this boy:

This is Caleb's best friend, Sydney (on the right) and her sister, Shelby. They are already arguing over which one of them gets to marry Caleb. Too cute!

Caleb and Sydney:

Cute kid:

This is a blurry picture, but he was so bored. He didn't even want to go in the first place. Boys!

This is Makenzie at her 5th grade goodbye party:

This is her with her state project display. It was for the state of Wisconsin

I can't believe this girl will be starting middle school in the fall. Where is my baby?

Caleb Funnies

2009-05-15T07:40:00.002-06:00

Had to take a moment to record some of the funny things Caleb has said the past few days.

Caleb: Mom, I want to go to Heaven.
Me: Why?
Caleb: So I can be an angel
Pause for a second...
Caleb: And steal all the gold!

****************************************

On Wednesday the school had a celebration for all the kids who have summer birthdays. They take them to the cafeteria and give them all a Burger King crown and a donut. When I picked the kids up from school, he was wearing his crown and he said, " This is the best day of my life!". I asked him what made it the best day and he said, "Because I got a donut at school".

****************************************

The morning after the "Donut and Crown" day, he woke up about 7:30 and asked me if it was still early. I told him it was and he said, "Yes! Another day, another opportunity to wear the crown!".

****************************************

This kid cracks me up every day. I wonder where he comes up with this stuff.

Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-11T08:40:00.003-06:00

Just thought I would take a second to brag on my amazing, thoughtful, sensitive husband. The past 2 weeks have been very rough for me. I have been really missing my sister. Lots of crying and very little sleeping. I know it is all part of "the process", but I keep feeling like I should be past this. So, yesterday morning, I open my Mother's Day gift and this is what I find inside:

(Front)
It says "In Memory of Faith Marie"

(Back)

On the day that Caleb was born, Scott gave me a gift in the hospital. It was a silver chain bracelet with a heart charm that had Makenzie engraved on one side of the heart, and Caleb engraved on the other. Yesterday he gave me this precious charm to add to that bracelet. The music notes are so fitting. Faith LOVED to sing and she had the most beautiful voice. She sang in our wedding, she sang to my kids, she sang to the animals...she just loved to sing.

Thank you, Scott for being sensitive to my hurting and doing all that you can to make me feel loved. This gift is so very precious to me and I will never forget the tears in your eyes as you watched me open it. I love you with all of my heart!

Field Trip Fun

2009-05-01T21:55:00.003-06:00

Scott and I got to go with Caleb on a class field trip today. We went to the Zoo and the Discovery Center. Here are a few highlights:

Caleb shopping in the Discovery Market.

This picture was taken at the end of the day. Bet you can't tell that I am so ready to be done.

Caleb and his best friend, Sydney. She broke her leg 2 weeks ago, so she had to endure the day in her wheel chair. Caleb pushed her around for a while. It was pretty cute.

I can hear you!

Pointing out something interesting...I'm sure.

All the kids love the giraffe slide.

Caleb pushing Syd.

It was a bit chilly, and everyone was shocked to see a few snowflakes this morning at the zoo. It's May already...sheesh! But what a great day of memories we had. Caleb keeps telling us how much fun he had. Totally worth every second.

Alright Already!

2009-04-20T19:35:00.004-06:00

I have been asked by many, when I would ever update my blog again. I guess I better get to it. We have been very busy the past month. Lots of stuff with friends, family, and church.

Yesterday we went to Shoshone Falls with some friends. I have lived here for more than 20 years and this is the first time I have ever gone. We had a picnic lunch, then spent the afternoon walking around the falls. It was so beautiful.

A few weeks ago, Scott and I went to watch the PBR. The kids stayed with his parents, so we had a fun evening together. I love to watch bull riding. I have always thought it was so cool. It was a fun night.

Makenzie has been expressing interest in wanting to learn to play the bass like her Dad. Scott surprised her with her very own bass. It is smaller, so it is easier for her to control, and it is purple with sparkles. She has only had it for less than 2 weeks and already she can play 3 different songs. The songs are ones that Scott has learned for worship team at church and for his Band. I am really impressed at how easily she has picked it up. She has her Dad's gift when it comes to music.

I had to throw in a few pics of the dogs. They are so much a part of our family. We love taking them over to my parent's house. We got my mom a puppy for her birthday a few weeks ago and our dogs love to go and play with her. This is what Olivia usually looks like after we get home.

They love to be together. I am so glad we have them both.

This is Olivia's favorite place to lay, first thing in the morning.

I'm sure there is so much more I could blog about, but I am just blank right now. This will have to hold you over for now. :O)

Back To It

2009-03-30T08:28:00.003-06:00

What a fun week. But MAN am I tired! We got home Friday night and were consumed by exhaustion. I loved and snuggled my puppies and got everything unpacked. Had some dinner, then we all fell into bed. There is nothing better than sleeping in your own bed after being away.

Saturday I did something I NEVER do. I slept until 10:30!!! I was seriously tired. We used this day to recuperate. :O) None of us got dressed or did anything but lounge around, watch TV, and play on the computer. It was a slow and relaxing day.

Sunday we had the privilege of supporting our dear friend, Tom Rasmussen, as he was ordained as a Lay Pastor at his church. It was great to be there for this important event in his life, as well as visiting with friends I haven't seen in a long time.

Today is back to reality. I was bummed to have to set my alarm clock when we went to bed last night, but I feel so blessed that we were able to enjoy our time away together.

Thanks to everyone who helped out while we were gone. Thanks mom, for the airport shuttling, and for helping with the dogs. I love you so much! Thanks Brittany, for staying at the house with the pups and making it so nice to come home to. Love you! And thanks to my friend, Lisa. She took my puppies to her house to play during the day. That helped so much. You rock!

Day 4

2009-03-27T10:27:00.007-06:00

Today we went to the San Diego Zoo. That place is huge. Lots of walking up and down hill. It was pretty cool though. At the end of the day I asked Caleb what his favorite part of the zoo was and he said it was petting the goat! Of all the cool things we saw, he loved petting the goat. Silly kid. After leaving the zoo we went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner. It was another place we were told we had to go. I am a chicken lover, so it was the best! From there we stopped at Starbucks for coffee and hot chocolate, then went back to the hotel where we CrAsHeD!!!! This has been the best week. We have enjoyed it all so much. It has been so fun to watch the kids get excited about things. I love that we have had this family time together.

Day 3

2009-03-25T22:19:00.005-06:00

Today we spent the day at Sea World. It was a gorgeous day and we enjoyed every minute of it. We saw the shows and touched slimy things. We rode rides and walked until we felt like our legs would fall off. We loved watching the Shamu show. It was our favorite by far. Those creatures are absolutely amazing. After leaving Sea World, we went to In N Out for a burger. We had never been there but had been told it was worth the visit. My brother has been known to fly to LA on a day off just to eat there. It was very good. From there it was back to the hotel to soak our weary bodies in the hot tub. I actually got the kids into bed early tonight (9pm). Now I'm getting ready to knock back a couple of Tylenol PM and hope for a good night sleep. (I woke up with a head cold yesterday. UGH!)

Tomorrow we will be at the San Diego Zoo...I already foresee the struggles of trying to decide which pictures to share.

Days 1 and 2

2009-03-24T22:26:00.006-06:00

Here are a few of the MANY pictures we took today:

Sorry if you all think I am posting this to rub it in that I am basking in the sunshine, but it is really just so I can document it to look back on later.

Monday morning we set off for San Diego. We left cold, but sunny Boise and landed in a blizzard in Salt Lake City. It was SO cold. We had a short layover then left the snow for the warm San Diego sun. Everything went smooth...kids were awesome, flights smooth, no lost luggage. We took a shuttle to get our rental car and everything changed. Apparently earlier in the day the computer system had gone down and it was still down. The line was out the door. Scott stood in line and the kids and I sat on a bench outside...FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF!!! By the time we got our car they gave us a free upgrade for the inconvenience. We are now driving a Chrysler Aspen. It's nice, but way bigger than we need. After finally leaving the car place we went in search of our hotel. After only 1 wrong turn we found it pretty easily. Our room is great. We have 2 rooms separated by french doors. One has a queen bed and the other bunk beds. The kids are loving it. They have all of their clothes and toys put in the drawers. It's pretty cute. After getting settled we went in search of dinner. There is a mall about a mile down the road, so we decided to just run there for a quick dinner at the food court. It was so nice to be able to sit outside and eat. After eating we took the kids to Build a Bear and let them make a new furry friend. Then we walked across the street and had dessert at the Cheesecake Factory. After a quick dip in the hot tub, we all headed for bed.

Tuesday started with breakfast at the hotel, then off to Lego Land. We got there right as they opened (10am). It was so much fun. We saw so many cool things. I can't believe some of the things that can be made with legos. All day I had the urge to buy some legos and build stuff. We walked and played all day long and finally left at 4:30. From there we wanted to go to downtown San Diego to find dinner, but somehow ended up lost. After driving around for an hour we finally found where we were supposed to be. We enjoyed dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, then headed back to the parking garage...where we couldn't find the car. Yeah...not kidding! The way they have that place set up is crazy! We found it sooner than later (whew) and back to the hotel we went. The boys went for a quick dip in the hot tub and Kenz and I jumped into our jammies. Now the kids are asleep and Scott and I are laying in bed watching the Biggest Loser. This has been an amazing day. My feet hurt, we are all sunburned and exhausted, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am so very blessed!

Tomorrow we are going to Sea World. Stay tuned....

Not Just For Babies

2009-03-21T18:20:00.003-06:00

Olivia loves to be snuggled. She loves to be held close to you while she sleeps. This is not convenient when I'm trying to get stuff done. After a couple of days of trying to hold her and do everything with one hand, I wondered if a baby sling might work. I have a friend who makes them, so I got one from her. It works great! I just pop her right inside and she snuggles down and goes right to sleep. I know some...if not most of you are thinking I am crazy right about now, but I don't care. She is our little baby and we spoil her. She is just another member of the family.

Here are some pics of her in her sling:

If anyone is interested in buying a sling for their baby, dog, or maybe an expecting mother...just leave me a comment and I can get you the info. She can make them in any color.

My New Toy

2009-03-18T08:00:00.002-06:00

This is my Dell Mini Inspiron 9. I love it. It is so small and compact. It fits in my purse. Now I just have to get used to the small keyboard. I'm getting very familiar with the backspace button. :O) I'm excited I got it before we leave for San Diego. It will be much easier to carry this on the plane instead of the full size.

Our New Baby

2009-03-16T08:36:00.005-06:00

We have been wanting to get a playmate for Sophie, so for the past month or so we have been looking. Yesterday we brought home our new baby. Her name is Olivia. She is a 7 week old Chihuahua.

This is where she spent most of her first day.

Sophie loved her immediately.

She is very feisty. She will chase after Sophie and tackle her.

She is a little dog with a BIG attitude.

We already love her. She is so sweet.

Just Cuz

2009-03-12T09:15:00.005-06:00

Just felt like posting some pics of our little princess, Sophie. She has been a great addition to our family. We are all in love with her...however...I think she has a greater affection for Scott. She loves us all, but she absolutely adores him.

Every morning Caleb and Sophie snuggle together in our bed while Caleb watches cartoons.

They eventually end up wrestling together on the floor.

Dachshunds love to burrow, so she can always be found sleeping in or under a blanket. After she fell asleep here, Caleb decided to get some of his "friends" to rest with her. Aren't her two little paws sticking out of the blanket just the cutest?

Here she is with her Man!

Trying to get a picture of her in one of her many sweaters, but she doesn't like to pose. When I get down to take the picture she wants to climb in my lap.

Have I mentioned how much I love this Baby?

Her first winter.

The snow covered her legs so she had to hop through it.

Pay it Forward

2009-03-09T08:40:00.002-06:00

Thanks, Stephanie, for this great idea!

Pay It Forward …..So, here’s how it works: the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year, a special treat from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going (or copy and paste like I did). Then come back, let me know you’re going to play and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your goodies! Please submit in an e-mail or on the comment, your address, if I don’t have it already. Remember that only the first 3 comments will receive a gift from me, so be quick! Have fun!

Bunny House

2009-03-04T08:48:00.004-07:00

During the holiday season, Caleb kept asking me if he could make a gingerbread house. I had every intention of getting a kit so he could make it, but things got a little out of control for our family and it was forgotten. Last week I was shopping with my mom and I found a kit to make a bunny gingerbread house. He was SO excited. I think he may have eaten more than he put on the house, but he had a great time.

Who would wear these???

2009-02-27T16:49:00.003-07:00

This and That

2009-02-13T12:29:00.007-07:00

Lots of stuff happening around here, but nothing too interesting so I haven't blogged much. One cool thing is that Makenzie took part in the Awana Bible Quizzing. This is where they are quizzed on what they have learned in their books. They have to know Bible verses WORD PERFECT, references to verses they have learned, what the definition is to words that are in the verses, etc. This was the first year that Kenz has participated in this, so she was nervous, to say the least. She did AWESOME and took 3rd place! Here are a couple of pics:

Funny story: The other night I was on my way home with the kids. It was dark, they were tired, and Caleb had a pen (that I didn't know about). The results....

When I asked him what in the world he did, his response was, "I wanted to look like a warrior."

Makenzie got her hair cut today. She has been wanting it short again. This is what she decided on this time:

(Front)

(Side)

(Back)

Absolutely adorable, if you ask me!

Happy Birthday, Faith Marie!

2009-02-05T09:13:00.005-07:00

Today my sister would have been 35 years old. She would have called me before I had a chance to call her and she would have sang, "Happy Birthday to Me". She always beat me to it!

I love you Sis, and I miss you more than I can put into words. Enjoy your birthday with the One who gave you life.

Anyway

2009-01-29T10:09:00.002-07:00

I am so glad I have a God that loves me. I'm thankful that I can go to Him anytime, with anything. I'm glad that he knows me better than I do. That when I pray for something I want, He knows better and gives me what I need...which is sometimes better.

I have this song on my iPod and I love it. It is a great reminder that no matter what happens, we need to keep on keepin' on. We should keep living, dreaming, loving, believing...no matter what the end results are. God never quits, neither should we.

ANYWAY

(Martina McBride)

You can spend your whole life buildin'

Somethin' from nothin'

One storm can come and blow it all away

Build it anyway

You can chase a dream

That seems so out of reach

And you know it might not ever come your way

Dream it anyway

God is great, but sometimes life ain't good

When I pray it doesn't always turn out like I think it should

But I do it anyway

I do it anyway

This worlds gone crazy and it's hard to believe

That tomorrow will be better than today

Believe it anyway

You can love someone with all your heart

For all the right reasons

An in a moment they can choose to walk away

love 'em anyway

You can pour your soul out singing a song you believe in

but tomorrow they will forget you ever sang

Sing it anyway!

Yeah I sing,

I dream,

I love anyway!

Busy Crazy

2009-01-26T18:54:00.002-07:00

This past weekend flew by. Possibly because we jammed it as full as we could with as many things as we could. It went like this:

Friday: I had a party with some girl friends, so Scott took the kids to his parents where they spent the evening. Scott came home a little after ten (without the kids...woohoo), and our friends didn't leave until after midnight. Got to bed way too late.

Saturday: The morning came all too early, as we had to be at the church for a meeting Saturday morning. After the meeting, Scott and I went to Mike and Erin's for lunch and an afternoon of loafing and playing Rockstar 2 on the Wii. I was reminded of how little rhythm I have. After a very relaxing afternoon with them we headed over to Tom and Lorene's for dinner. The food was great, but the conversation and company was the best. From there we went to pick up the kids from Scott's parents and headed home.

Sunday: We went to church. This was different for us because we usually go on Saturday night. I didn't like having to get up early, especially after 2 late nights in a row, but it was a great service. It was the celebration of our new church name: Bridgepoint Church. After coming home I ran over to Amber's for a few minutes because she was having a Cents of Style open house. After coming back home I decided to read for a little while...this turned into a nap! It felt so good. Then it was off to the Foss home for Small group. Since our study hasn't started yet, we decided to spend the evening playing games. We played Wii for a bit and then let the kids take over and the adults moved on to Phase 10. It was crazy, loud, chaotic, and SO much fun! We had a great time. After getting the kids to bed Scott and I watched a little tv and then called it a night. Whew!

Today was back to normal. Up early, kids off to school, then over to my mom's to play our weekly Canasta game. Today Matt joined us. I'm starting to think I am the unlucky one. I lost when I was Matt's partner and then I lost again when I was Aleana's partner...hmmm. Now I am sitting on my comfy couch with a full belly, a hot cup of coffee, and my family around me. We are watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and I am feeling blessed.

Proud and Excited

2009-01-23T08:18:00.005-07:00

This weekend, Broadway Avenue Baptist Church will officially become Bridgepoint Church. This is a very big and exciting step in the direction of our church and I feel blessed to be a part of it.

This is Why I Don't Dance

2009-01-16T08:21:00.001-07:00

Random

2009-01-13T07:52:00.002-07:00

Here are some of my random thoughts I have been having lately:

~ Why is it that when I stay up until 1 in the morning and sleep in until 9am I feel rested, but when I go to bed at 11pm and get up at 7am I feel SO tired? Both are 8 hours of sleep.

~ I wonder what Faith is doing at this very moment. My mom and I were talking about how cool it is that even in heaven she is being an Auntie. I lost a baby 7 years ago and I know they are together and having the best time.

~ Why is 70 degrees in the summer so much warmer than 70 degrees in the winter?

~ How come when you fly and are allowed 2 suitcases, but only use 1, they still make you take stuff out even if it is only 1 lb over the 50lb limit. A person can have a whole other piece of luggage that weighs 50lbs, but that 1 lb over is too much, so take something out.

~ Why can I think of so many things to blog about when I'm not at home, but when I sit down to blog, nothing comes to mind?

~ My little brother is going to be 30 on Sunday. THIRTY!!! It didn't bother me to turn 30, but watching him hit this milestone seems to be harder for me.

~ American Idol starts tonight. Woohoo! One of my favorite shows.

Answers

2009-01-08T10:47:00.001-07:00

A lot of you have wondered what happened with Faith. My mom has put it into words better than I ever could. Read this for more info:

http://lifeaccordingtosharon.blogspot.com/

At the end of her post is the slide show that was played at her memorial service.

My 3 Week Blur

2009-01-05T08:44:00.003-07:00

Where did the month of December go? So much has happened and I feel like I have aged 10 years in a matter of weeks. In spite of our loss, we did manage to have a good Christmas and New Year. Christmas Eve was spent with Scott's family. It was a nice relaxing evening and we enjoyed it so much. Christmas day we spent the morning enjoying our children. It filled my heart to watch them have so much excitement about the smallest of things. How blessed I am to have these precious babies. Christmas afternoon we went to my parent's and had a day of food and games. It was a bittersweet day. Joy and celebration with the ones around us, sadness for the one not there.

Three days after Christmas our good friends from Oregon came to visit. It was a nice reprieve from "reality". We had such a great time. We went to Cascade and spent the night at the Ashley Inn, drove up to Bogus to see the city all lit up, rang in the new year at my parent's, played LOTS of Wii, and watched movies. It was a busy but fun week that went by way too fast.

With all that has happened in the past 3 weeks I am totally and completely EXHAUSTED! Sunday was the first day that we had no plans so we took full advantage of it. We all stayed in our pajamas all day and did nothing but watch tv and play the Wii. It was a nice way to end a very busy and stressful vacation.

Now it is back to reality. Up early, kids to school, house to clean, laundry to do...yup...reality.

Whew!

2008-12-24T09:34:00.004-07:00

I can't believe it is already Christmas Eve. This past week flew by in a blur. I want to thank everyone for their prayers, words of encouragement, flowers, meals, cards, and support. Our whole family has felt so much love during this time. We are so thankful to be blessed with friends like you.

Tonight we are heading to Scott's parents house for our annual Christmas Eve celebration. This year we all decided to make our gifts. I will post what I made after tonight. I can't wait to see what everyone else made.

Tomorrow is Christmas. I have such mixed emotions. Excitement, sadness, anticipation, dread, happiness, anxiety. I know these are all normal feelings. Makenzie and I have talked about how very lucky Faith is to be celebrating Jesus' birthday with HIM! She gets to sit at His feet with Peter and Paul. With Mary and Joseph. With Moses and Aaron. This Christmas she is WITH the Reason for the Season. Thank you Lord!

I hope you and your loved ones have a very blessed Christmas. Make memories, cherish each other, eat lots of food, laugh and laugh, but most of all remember the Reason we celebrate. Jesus Christ our Savior was born.

In Memory

2008-12-20T08:39:00.004-07:00

Faith Marie Hernandez

Faith Marie Hernandez, 34, had her last breath here on earth and her first one in Heaven on Wednesday Dec. 17, 2008. Free from the pain of this world she is now free to rest in her Saviors arms. Faith had a generous heart, was passionate about giving to others and would intentionally seek out opportunities to help someone in need. She spent her earlier years working as a counselor at her church's Junior camp and worked as part of the youth staff for the church high school youth group. She loved nature and authentically savored the beauty God had created around her. The loves of her life were her nieces and nephew and she showed such joy being with them.

Faith is survived by her parents, Lupe and Sharon Hernandez; siblings Tyrone and Aleana Hernandez; sister and brother-in-law Jessica and Scott Plumley; nieces Makenzie Plumley, Rebecca Gillies and Tristyn Hernandez and nephew Caleb Plumley.

A memorial service will be held at Broadway Avenue Baptist Church (2530 Broadway Ave. Boise, Id) on Sunday December 21st at 4 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the High School Student Ministries of Broadway Avenue Baptist Church.

Info

2008-12-18T22:16:00.002-07:00

Just wanted to let you know that a memorial service will be held for my sister, Faith, on Sunday December 21st at 4:00 pm at Broadway Avenue Baptist Church. We are asking that instead of flowers, contributions be made to the youth department at Broadway Avenue Baptist Church.

He Said What?

2008-12-17T08:50:00.002-07:00

This boy cracks me up! This morning we were snuggling together in my bed and he was rubbing my cheek. This is the conversation that followed:

C: Mom, I like your cheeks. They are like a tushie.

M: What??

C: Your cheeks are like tushies.

M: TUSHIES?? Like buns?

C: Yeah. Like buns, cuz they are soft and they can't grow a beard.

Oh My! How I adore this little boy.

Glory in the Highest

2008-12-11T11:12:00.001-07:00

This is a song that we have done at our church a few times. I have it on my iPod and listen to it every day. It moves me to tears each and every time I hear it. God is truly Amazing and I am overwhelmed at the thought of Him and His love for me. Glory to You, Lord!

Annual Baking Day

2008-12-09T08:25:00.002-07:00

Every year my mom, sister, and I spend a day making Christmas goodies. This is a long time tradition. I can remember as a child my mom making tons of different cookies and candies. As we got older we got to join in. Now it just doesn't feel like Christmas without it. We make pretty much the same stuff every year. Once in a while we try something new. This year we stuck with the "regulars": almond roca, pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting, peanut butter balls, fudge nut bars, 7-layer bars, sugar cookies; plain, frosted and dipped in chocolate, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate caramel pretzels, and we ran out of time for the no bake and molasses cookies. They will be made today. We always end up giving most of it away, but that is why we do it. We have so much fun laughing and talking in the crowded kitchen as we bump into each other and make messes everywhere. The music blaring Christmas songs, kids screaming, playing, and sometimes fighting, dog running around under foot eating everything we drop...this is all part of the wonderful chaos that makes the day so special. The aching of my feet and the dull throbbing in my lower back is just a pleasant reminder that yes, I am alive. I am blessed with the most amazing family, and I am here to share these special memories.

Fun Times

2008-12-01T08:38:00.002-07:00

What a great weekend! Other than the fact that most of my family is sick. Thanksgiving was great. We spent the day at my in-laws. There was more food than should ever be allowed in one place. We had fun visiting, eating, walking, eating, playing Bingo, eating, watching a movie, eating. Unfortunately Scott was really sick, so he spent the day at home. After spending the day with them we stopped off at my parents' house to say hello. I love that both sets of parents live just a few miles apart.

Friday was pretty slow. I'm not a crazy black Friday shopper. I don't like to shop at normal hours of the day, so I don't see the sense in getting up in the middle of the night to do it! Scott and Makenzie go together every year though. They went and were back by 7:30 then Scott headed off to work. The kids and I went over to my parents' for a while and then bravely decided to go to Walmart. By this time it was about 2pm. The store was not crowded at all. It was very nice. No waiting for check out either. I ended up getting the kids some new pajamas. They loved that.

Saturday I took advantage of Scott being home and I ran out and bought the kids their Christmas presents. I have to say, it is nice to be done with most of our shopping. At church on Saturday night Phil Eastman led the worship. It was FABULOUS! He has so much talent and it is awesome to see him using it for the Lord. Made me feel a bit old, however, when I thought back to when I used to babysit him and his brother. Where did the time go??

Sunday we got out the Christmas decorations. I guess I should say SCOTT got them out. He and the kids set up and decorated the Christmas tree. I went and picked up my little sister and took her out to lunch for her birthday. We had a great time.

Now after a week off of school, it's back to routine. Makenzie woke up sick yesterday, so she stayed home today. Poor baby. It is definitely making it's rounds in our house. I woke up with a runny nose and sore throat this morning. Ugh!

My Favorite Holiday

2008-11-26T09:43:00.002-07:00

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love that it involves all of my favorite things (family, food, fun) without the expectation of gifts. It is a day to be thankful for what we have, not what we will get. So, in keeping with the theme of the holiday, here is a short list that just touches on the many, many things that I am so very thankful for:

~My Lord and Saviour. I am thankful that I have a personal relationship with God. That I can talk to Him any time, anywhere. That I can come to Him confidently, knowing that He is there listening, loving me. That He is never too busy for me. That what I have to say is never too trivial for such a big God.

~My MAN! I am so blessed to have Scott as my husband. He is amazing. He is selfless, giving, loving, my protector, my provider, and my best friend. There is never a day that we don't laugh together. I have loved spending the past 13 years married to this man!

~My children. Growing up, all I wanted to do was get married and have babies. God has blessed me with the desires of my heart. I love my children. They are so completely different, yet so much the same. Makenzie has a heart of gold. She is so full of love and mercy for others. All she wants to do is take care of everyone. She loves the Lord, which thrills my heart. I can't wait to see how God will use her in her life. Then there is Caleb. The little boy our family thought would never be. Out of 9 grandchildren (both sides of the family combined) he is the only boy. For this reason, he has no problem playing with a barbie, or carrying his stuffed animals around in a purse. Given the choice, he would pick pink before any other color. But trust me...this kid is ALL boy! He loves superheros. Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Ironman, Hulk, and of course all the Star Wars characters. He has every light saber known to man and loves to fight and wrestle with his dad. He is stubborn, strong-willed, and loves to drive his mama crazy. But he is also sweet, sensitive, and loving. He loves to sit and snuggle on my lap. I love both of these kids so much!

~I am so blessed to live close to my parents and Scott's parents. After having moved away and not being able to visit them whenever we felt like it, this mean so much to me. Family means everything to me. I am blessed with godly parents who taught me right from wrong. Siblings that I love and have so much fun with. In-laws that I love dearly and love to spend time with.

~My home. It may be small, but I love it! It is clean, warm, and cozy. I have food to cook, coffee to drink :O), a warm bed to sleep in, hot water to shower in. My kids have rooms that they love, my pets have a warm place to sleep and people that love them and take care of them.

There is so much I could list. I have an amazing church, the best of friends, reliable vehicles, Scott has a great job, I could go on and on. But for now I just want to say:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The Big 1-0

2008-11-23T12:48:00.003-07:00

Today this girl is 10. I cannot believe I just said that. 10!! I remember 12 years ago praying, crying, begging for a baby. 2 years later I was holding this precious gift in my arms. She is the most amazing kid. She is sensitive, kind-hearted, loving, gentle, a peacemaker, motherly, funny, strong, bold, daring, brave, talented, creative, encouraging, sweet, spunky, and so much more. I can't put into words how full my heart is with love for this girl. We are more blessed than I could have ever imagined. So, on this day, I want to wish my daughter the most happiest of birthdays.

I LOVE YOU MAKENZIE DENAE!!!

Hooked on Phonics

2008-11-18T09:53:00.004-07:00

This morning after cleaning the bathroom I noticed my son doing the "gotta go potty" dance. I was doing my make-up while he was going and this is the conversation we had:

C: Mom, can I clean the toilet?

M: Sorry Buddy, I already cleaned it.

C: I knew it. I can see the blue.

Silence...peeing...then:

C: It's not clean anymore. It's N-S-O-D "DIRTY"!

Pretty dirty if he felt the need to "spell" dirty. He is too cute!

So Fun

2008-11-13T08:22:00.004-07:00

Makenzie and I have birthdays this month that are about 3 weeks apart. Back in September I got the idea to take her on a mommy/daughter birthday trip. It was a complete surprise to her. I didn't tell her until the day we left. She was SO surprised that she had tears in her eyes. It was priceless!

WEDNESDAY: We flew to Portland where we were picked up by our friend, Sara. We went to dinner and had a great time laughing and eating. From there we headed back to Sara's house where we stayed up late visiting and catching up.

THURSDAY: After sleeping in and enjoying a lazy morning that included watching The Price is Right, we headed out to meet some friends for lunch. After lunch we went to Target and bought out the store. (Including matching pajamas for everyone.)We then headed back to Sara's where we spent the rest of the evening in our new jammies eating and watching movies. We stayed up WAY too late, but had the best time.

FRIDAY: This was our busy day. We started by having tea at the cutest tea house in Philomath. Makenzie loves to go to tea. She was so cute acting all lady-like with her tea. After tea Makenzie and I had an appointment to get facials together. It was the first time for both of us and we are hooked! Kenz said she actually fell asleep it was so relaxing. I'm so glad we were able to do it together. Great memories. After facials we went to Borders and had coffee and looked around for a while. From there we stopped at Fred Meyer because I was trying to find a specific "surprise" I told Caleb I would bring back for him. We headed back to the house where we spent the evening making homemade pizzas and watching another movie. Once again stayed up way too late but it was totally worth it.

SATURDAY: This was another lazy morning spent laughing with Kerry about pictures on the internet. After getting all packed and ready to go, we headed to Red Robin to meet Darrell and Lynn for lunch. Enjoyed the yummy food and laughed ALOT. Then it was off to the airport to wait for our flight home.

This was a great trip with many memories made with my little girl...who isn't so little anymore. I can't believe she is going to be TEN! I love her so much and am thrilled that we were able to spend this time together. And thanks to Kerry and Sara for letting us stay with them and for being our chauffeur. :O) You guys are the best!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho

2008-11-05T08:32:00.002-07:00

It's off to play I go! I leave for Oregon today. Got LOTS of exciting things on the agenda. I will post all about them when I get back.

Don't Forget To...

2008-11-04T16:15:00.003-07:00

Pics

2008-11-03T12:50:00.004-07:00

Here are some photos from the past week:

Went to a friend's house to tie-dye Halloween shirts. We had the best time and the kids loved decorating the pumpkins on their shirts.

Saturday Scott took Makenzie on a motorcycle ride to Horseshoe Bend and back (about 70-80 miles round trip). They stopped and had breakfast and Makenzie can't wait for the next trip.

My Rock Star

Anakin (This mask creeps me out!)

This one includes my cute little niece, Tristyn.

And Scott, being Scott.

Sunday was my birthday so Scott and the kids took me to breakfast.

Over the weekend I was also able to spend time with lots of different friends. Had a craft night at Candace's. Made a cute time capsule and had fun visiting with her, Tabitha, and Andrea. Thanks Candace for the great evening!

Sunday night, after an INCREDIBLE prayer service at church, our home team had a girl's night out. I had a blast eating and laughing with all of them.

An amazing weekend that went by way too fast. I am looking forward to this next one though. Stay tuned for the details.

Drum Roll Please....

2008-10-29T17:10:00.004-06:00

I can't believe it's finally finished! It has taken about a month, but the baseball mural is completed. This all started when I told Caleb I was going to paint his room. I asked him what he wanted and he said that he wanted his wall to look like you were in a baseball field. Great. How in the world do I do that? I started searching online for large stick-on baseball pictures, but they all cost WAY more than I was willing to pay. I found a pattern for this one and, after convincing my mom that it wouldn't be that hard to do, I ordered it. It might have been a little more work than I anticipated, but it was well worth it. Not only to see the smile on my little guy's face, but I loved all the time that I got to spend alone with my mom. We did lots of talking and laughing. Thanks, Mom, for all your help. You rock! It is not as neat as I would have liked it to be, but I had to stop or I was going to make myself crazy. :O)

So, for all of you who have been waiting on pins and needles (Lynn!)...Here it is:

Still Waiting

2008-10-28T08:55:00.002-06:00

Ten years ago I put in an order for an extra set of arms and I am STILL waiting for that delivery! Hmm....the factory must be backed up.

The First

2008-10-24T11:02:00.005-06:00

Yesterday I got to go with Caleb on his very first school field trip. We went to Linder Farms where we went on a hay ride, went through a corn maze, a small maze made out of hay bales, saw the animals at the petting zoo (yes, this is where there is a camel and a zebra...odd for Idaho in the fall), and picked pumpkins. It was a crisp fall day and we had so much fun. Here are a few pics from our day:

This is Caleb's best friend, Sydney. She is the sweetest thing ever! They were both so excited because it was their first bus ride.

Decisions, decisions...which one do I want?

This one!

This kid is a goof just like his father. So much fun!

What a great day! Thank you, Lord, for my kids. And thank you that I am able to enjoy times like this with them. I am so blessed!

Guilty Pleasures

2008-10-19T18:45:00.002-06:00

I have a new favorite magazine:

I got this in the mail yesterday and I can't put it down. It is the best magazine! It has 128 recipes listed all through the magazine, and they vary from easy and quick to fancy/elegant. There are many of the Food Network cooks featured inside. I love watching the Food Network, so this is just icing on the cake. I haven't noticed if it is in the stores yet, but I subscribed online. Just thought I would share!

Drip, Sniff, Sneeze, Cough

2008-10-16T08:43:00.003-06:00

What have I accomplished this week? Hmm.....ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! Why? Because I have a stupid sinus infection. I started feeling bad late Saturday night and I'm still fighting it. I went to the doc yesterday and finally got some antibiotics, so hopefully I will be on the mend soon. So, for that reason, everything on my "to do" list has been completely neglected. My house is a disaster, my laundry is piling up, the mural on the wall still needs to be painted, and my legs are very hairy! I have no energy to do anything. My amazing husband has been very understanding. It has to be frustrating to leave for work in the morning with your wife laying on the couch and then to come home after working so hard to find nothing done, no dinner made, and your wife laying in the same spot on the couch. My sweet, sweet Makenzie has been such a huge help. She keeps asking me if I need anything and is very willing to help with anything. She has helped with Caleb so much and I am so thankful for her and her servants heart. Ok, so enough about my pathetic self.

On a more serious note, Some of my dearest friends could sure use some prayer. Last week they suffered a miscarriage, yesterday his grandpa passed away, and they recently found out that his aunt is in the last stages of cancer and not expected to make it much longer, and his dad has been diagnosed with a blood disease that will require chemo for the rest of his life. Our friends are very strong Christians, but his family is not. If you would be kind enough to say a prayer for them during this time of grief, I know they would really appreciate it. Not only for their grief, but that God would use them to be a witness to his family. And that somehow, through these hard times, that God would open the hearts of his family and they would come to know the Lord.

I feel very blessed to have godly friends who I know I can go to with these requests. Thank you, friends, for your prayer. I also feel overwhelmed with thankfulness that I live in a country where I can publicly ask for prayer and be open with my faith without negative consequences.

I'll Give it a Shot

2008-10-13T08:47:00.006-06:00

I was tagged by Alisha so I will do my best to come up with 6 interesting things you may not know about me. Here goes:

1. Two cups of coffee. I have to have two cups of coffee every morning. One is not enough, three is too much. And it HAS to have flavored creamer. My very fav is Coconut Creme, although I love to try all the different flavors. I think I have 5 different flavors in my fridge right now. I use a different kind with each cup.

2. I have a horrible memory. I can't remember anything. Scott will tell me something and within minutes I can't remember what he said. For this reason I live by my day planner. I write EVERYTHING in it and I look at it first thing every morning to see what I have to do. I don't know what I would do without it.

3. I love cheesecake. I think it is the best dessert ever. I love that there are so many different kinds. I usually eat the inside and leave the crust. That is why I love this stuff:

It is perfect! It taste great and it's perfect for when I just want a little taste and not a whole slice of cheesecake. It is also available it Key Lime. YUM!!

4. I could watch the cooking channel all day long. I love to cook. I just don't always do it. I love to try new recipes. I love to create my own. There is just something fulfilling about creating something delicious with a bunch of different ingredients. I would love to go to culinary school at some point in my life. We'll see.

5. I HAVE to have my toe nails painted. It doesn't matter what time of the year it is. I cannot stand to see my toe nails without polish. I keep them polished all year long.

6. I love to color. It just seems to relax me. I like to buy the coloring books from the craft stores that have geometrical designs. Like this:

I have the largest boxes of crayons and colored pencils and I keep them in my room where the kids can't get them. I will not let my kids use my crayons or pencils. I get them their own. Mine are off limits.

So, there you go. Maybe not all that interesting, but it's me. So here are the three people that I am tagging: Andrea, Nicole, and Tiesha.

Thought I Would Share

2008-10-10T08:09:00.005-06:00

I was looking through some pictures this morning and thought I would share a few. Some of these are from the past few months, but they make me smile.

Caleb loves candy corn. His favorite is the pumpkin shaped candy corn. I walked into the living room the other day to find this on my couch. He set it all up on his own. He said his animals were hungry. Funny boy.

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Sophie loves her baths...as long as the water is running directly on her. This was one of her earlier baths. She is a little bigger now so she gets baths in the tub.

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Caleb had the stomach flu recently. I gave him a bowl to hold so he wouldn't have to run to the bathroom every time he got sick. He was throwing up so much that he kept the bowl right up against his face. Poor baby thought he wouldn't get the bowl up to his mouth in time. He actually fell asleep with it up like this.

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Makenzie got new glasses this week. Sorry about the poor quality of the picture. I can't believe how grown up she looks.

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Caleb didn't think it was fair that Makenzie got glasses and he didn't. He kept trying to tell me that he needed them to make him smarter. So we took the lenses out of Makenzie's old glasses and now he thinks he is so cool.

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Scott's parents came over for dinner last night. They had never played a Wii before, so it was fun to introduce them to it. This is them playing baseball.

I can't believe how fast the time is flying by. The weather has changed from warm to freezing overnight. No easing into it. I'm still working on the painting project in Caleb's room. I am painting an 8 x 4 foot baseball mural on one of his walls. It is looking pretty cool. I thought about posting a picture of what I have so far, but then I thought it would be more fun to show the finished project. I'm not sure how much longer it will be. We have only been able to work on it a couple hours at a time and not even every day. My mom is helping me. Thanks Mom!

So, there you have it. Not too exciting, but it's my life and I love it!

Weekend

2008-09-29T09:07:00.003-06:00

The weekend is over and it went WAY too fast. I got to spend the afternoon with my baby sister on Friday. I enjoyed that so much! She helped me get dinner ready for a party I had that night. It was fun having the girls over. Some of them I haven't had a chance to visit with in a long time, so it was nice to catch up.
Saturday was nice and slow. Got to sleep in and lounge in my pajamas longer than normal. Took Makenzie to the eye doctor Saturday afternoon. She was excited to pick out new glasses. Went from the doctor to church. Had a great service, I love our church! After church we enjoyed dinner out with friends. We had a GREAT time! Looking forward to hanging out with them again!
Sunday was my Daddy's birthday, so we spent the day at my parents' house. We had a great lunch (thanks Bug), and lots of fun playing cards. We went from there to our Home Team. LOVE our home team! So glad we are part of this group.
Looking forward to the short school week. Kids have Thursday and Friday off. I'm hoping to get the project in Caleb's room started this week. I have lots of other stuff to do, so I'm not sure how far I will get.

I Did It!

2008-09-24T08:20:00.002-06:00

One year ago today I wrote my first blog post. I went back this morning to read my first entry and couldn't stop. I just wanted to keep reading. It is so cool to see and remember the things we did and feelings I had a year ago. I was never good at keeping a journal, but this is actually FUN! I can't wait to see what this next year brings.

Just a Few Things

2008-09-22T08:26:00.002-06:00

*I finished phase 1 of Caleb's bedroom. I'm waiting for phase 2 to arrive in the mail. Should be here tomorrow. I'm guessing phase 2 will take at least a week, if not longer. I will post pics when it is finished.

* Did the Women's Fitness Celebration on Saturday. Yep, in the pouring rain. We were soaked to the bone before we ever hit the starting line. We had planned to walk at a leisurely pace (it was a 3 mile course) and just enjoy ourselves. The rain changed that plan. We ran part of the way and speed-walked the rest. We were SO cold! But it was a blast and I can't wait to do it again next year.

*Saturday night Makenzie and I went with my mother-in-law and niece to a ballet at the Morrison Center. It was Makenzie's first live ballet experience and she loved it. I can't wait to take her to another one.

*I can't believe it is the first day of fall already. Where did the summer go? I have to admit, summer has always been my favorite season. It still is, but fall is running a very close second. I am loving this cool weather. I'm not ready for the cold winter, but I do like the crisp mornings and evenings.

*I've been watching the Dog Whisperer on TV and I think I need to try some of his stuff on my Sophie. I'm amazed at what he can do with dogs.

*Looking forward to a clam week. It seems like we have all been going at 100 MPH lately. It will be nice to relax at home and enjoy some time together.

Blue is the New Red

2008-09-18T08:21:00.002-06:00

After 3 coats of red, and it obviously needing 2 or 3 more, I decided to paint it blue instead. I only have one coat of blue on so far and it looks better already. I will only need the normal 2 coats of blue. Whew! Now I just have to figure out the rest of my decorating scheme.

UGH!

2008-09-17T07:42:00.002-06:00

I started painting Caleb's room yesterday. I bought bright red paint to paint a strip on the top of the wall. I already have 2 coats on it and it looks horrible. You can see all the streaks from the roller. I'm hoping today, now that it is 100% dry, one last coat might do the trick. If not, I may be altering my painting plans.

F.R.U.S.T.R.A.T.I.N.G!

Project #1

2008-09-10T16:00:00.008-06:00

Makenzie's Room:

My brother has lived with us for the past year and just moved out last weekend, so we decided to repaint before we put all of her things in. She picked out this comforter set, so we painted to match.

Here are the before and after pictures:

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

And here is an extra just for the fun of it!

Not bad for my first "real" painting project. Project #2 is Caleb's room. That will start next week. Pictures to come.

Help a Girl Out!

2008-09-09T07:49:00.003-06:00

I'm wondering if there is anyone out there who has a hobby of making/decorating cakes. I'm looking for someone who could make a wedding cake. Scott's daughter is getting married in June and is on a tight budget, so we are looking for cost cutting ideas. If you do cakes or know of anyone who does, please let me know. Also, if you have any suggestions on money saving ideas, I would love to hear them.

Surprise Weekend

2008-09-07T16:58:00.002-06:00

This year for Scott's birthday I decided to surprise him with a weekend away. I made all the arrangements and just waited for the day. His birthday was on Friday, so it was perfect. He wanted to go to Art in the Park after work on Friday, so we made plans to meet at the bank after work. He was expecting both Makenzie and me, so was a little surprised when I showed up alone. I told him the kids were staying at his mom's so we had the evening to ourselves. We headed to the park and spent some time walking around and enjoying the fun things to look at. After a little while we decided to leave to find something to eat. We were in the car talking about where to eat and I asked what was over in the State Street area. Scott said there was nothing really over there and that it would be out of the way since we still had to go back to the bank to pick up his car. He told me to head back towards Fairview Ave, so instead I turned to go towards State Street. He got quiet for a minute then said again that there was nothing in that area. I said I know but I still want to go over there anyway. He asked where it was that I wanted to go and I said over where Highway 55 starts. He looked at me with a very perplexed look on his face and said, "To Home Depot?" I laughed! I told him no, that I had reserved a room for 2 nights at the Ashley Inn for his birthday. He was so shocked that he just sat there and stared at me. Finally he started asking questions ...What about his car that he left at work. He didn't want to leave it in the parking lot all weekend. I told him that I had already given his parents the spare key and they were picking it up that night and taking it to our house. The kids were staying with his parents and the puppy was staying with my parents. It was so much fun to surprise him! We had the most relaxing time. We slept in, had late breakfasts, went to antique stores, small country stores, ate at several little "hole in the wall" places that were DELICIOUS, and spent lots of time just vegging in the room...or, for me, soaking in our jacuzzi tub. It was a great weekend that wouldn't have happened without the help of many. Thanks to Scott's family for keeping the kids for the weekend. Thanks to my family for keeping Sophie. And thanks to Doug for finding a replacement for Scott on worship team. You guys rock!

My Best Friend

2008-09-05T08:25:00.002-06:00

Today is my husband's birthday. I can't even begin to describe everything this man is to me. He makes me smile everyday. He is so full of life. Everything is an exciting new adventure to him. He loves his family and will do anything for us. He works very hard to give us all that we need. He is a great dad, an amazing husband, and my very best friend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SCOTT!
I LOVE YOU!!!

Racing

2008-08-28T20:47:00.002-06:00

Caleb has an infatuation with Scott's motorcycle helmet.

Here he is playing Mario kart:

And this is what he looked like when we took the helmet off...after about an hour.

He even wore it to the store tonight. We got a few funny looks, but he was happy!

Go Orange, Go Big Blue

2008-08-27T08:48:00.003-06:00

Sophie is officially ready for the BSU football season!

Hmmm.....

2008-08-25T08:44:00.005-06:00

What should I do while the kids are at school??? Perhaps catch up on this:

I just have to add this for fun. The other day Caleb and I were napping on my bed. Sophie decided to join us. Scott captured the moment.

I Did It!

2008-08-21T09:19:00.003-06:00

I survived the first day of Kindergarten! Caleb was so excited to go. He looked so big carrying his lunch box down the hall. So big, yet so small. Makenzie loves her new teacher. She came home so excited about being a 5th grader and couldn't wait to go back today. I hope that newness doesn't wear off too soon. Here are a couple of pictures of their first day:

3...2...1...BLAST OFF!

2008-08-18T09:01:00.003-06:00

Well, this is it. The final two days of summer vacation. Tomorrow we go meet the teachers and see the classrooms, and Wednesday they start school. I can't believe how fast summer flew by! It has been great though. We have had one of our best summers. God has blessed me with two amazing children and the most wonderful husband anyone could ask for, and I feel like we all grew so much closer this summer. Back to my point. As excited as I am for both kids to be in school, I have to admit that I am a bit nervous as well. Caleb just seems so little. I have all of these irrational fears. What if he gets lost in the school? What if he gets picked on? What if he has to go to the bathroom and doesn't remember where it is? What if he doesn't want to eat his lunch and the teacher won't let him go outside to play? What if...what if...what if!?! I'm sure you are thinking that I'm crazy, but I can't help myself. Once he goes on the first day I will relax... I think! :O/ As for Makenzie, she is stoked. She loves school and can't wait to go back. Next year the back to school post will be about how freaked out I will be sending my baby to JUNIOR HIGH!!!! I can't even think about that right now! So, for now, I am off to enjoy our last two days. What will we do? Probably nothing. But that's the beauty of it. We have nothing to do but relax and enjoy the day.

Please Welcome....

2008-08-13T18:04:00.005-06:00

The newest member of our family:

SOPHIE

She is a Mini Daschund/Chihuahua mix and she couldn't be cuter! She is 6 weeks old and full of energy.

Here she is meeting Leia:

She was excited about the new playmate. Leia wasn't so sure.

Attacking a dandelion. Today was her first time outside. So much to explore.

I have already bought her a cute pink collar and 3 little doggie outfits. She is gonna be ALL girl! I'm so excited!

2008-08-09T21:25:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow I am leaving to spend 3 days in McCall with my Mom and Sister. I am totally looking forward to having some "girl time" without my kids. We will be taking games, books, and lots of junk food. I love spending time with them, so I can't wait to be away from home to enjoy each other's company. Thanks to Scott for the extra help with the kids. I love you, Babe! And thanks to Scott's Mom, Sister, and Camille for helping with the kids during the days. It sure makes it easier to leave and have a relaxing time when you know the loved ones you are leaving behind are in good hands.

Over The Hills and Through the Woods

2008-08-04T09:00:00.006-06:00

Camping was a HUGE success! Everyone had a great time. We found the best spot. We had lots of room to set up. There were three groups, so we had three tents, and three cars. Just a few steps down the trail was a perfect swimming hole. There were lots of trails to hike. Friday morning Amy and I went for a run on one of the upper trails. It was so beautiful it took my breath away...or maybe that was from the run. :O) The kids did great! They played hard, and slept even harder. I enjoyed every moment and can't wait to go again. Hoping we can get in at least one more trip before it gets too much colder.

John and Jeremy setting up camp. Scott had to work so he didn't come up until Thursday evening.

Some of the necessary tools. :O)

Makenzie hiking.

Amy helping the kids shoot a pellet gun.

Kenz hit it!

Caleb's turn.

Not sure if he hit it, but he thought he did.

Scott giving it a try.

Kenz found a fresh water clam.

The water was FREEZING but the kids didn't care.

Our home away from home.

John and Jeremy playing cards. Amy was supervising. :O)

Any Advice?

2008-07-29T17:49:00.002-06:00

We are heading to the mountains on Thursday to go camping...for the first time as a family. Yep, you read that correctly. We have never been camping together. I went all the time as a child, but haven't gone since high school. Scott has never been, our children have never been. We decided we have been putting it off long enough. Our friends, John, Amy, and Jeremy, invited us to go with them. So the adventure begins. I think we are pretty well set in having what we need, but if anyone out there has any great words of wisdom to pass along to help make our first trip a good one, they would be greatly appreciated.

Have I Mentioned...

2008-07-25T12:33:00.001-06:00

How much I LOVE these people?!?

Refreshed and Recharged

2008-07-22T09:53:00.004-06:00

Last week our family went to Oregon. We started out by surprising our friends in Albany by showing up a day early. We got to visit our old church and see old friends. We had a BBQ with some, and a bonfire with others. I took Makenzie to have tea with the "girls". This is something I do every time I go back. They have several amazing tea houses there. I love tea, and now Makenzie does too. Caleb's birthday was while we were there, so we took him to Chuck E Cheese. Some of our friends met us there and we had a blast. One of Caleb's best buddies was able to come. This was the first time they had seen each other since we moved. It was the sweetest thing to see them run to each other and hug. They never left each other's side. Tuesday we left for the coast. Our friend's family has a beach house in Seaside that we were able to stay at. It was so much fun! We shopped the little shops, ate at the different restaurants, played at the beach, went to the outlet mall, and spent every evening playing the new Disney Scene It game. We went to an Air Museum, the Tillamook Cheese Factory, stopped at Ft. Clatsop, and rode a trolley through the town of Astoria where they pointed out all the sights. Including the school and hotel where scenes from Kindergarten Cop were filmed, as well as two of the houses where Goonies was filmed. We had a great week. It was a much needed time for our family. The past few months have been filled with some personal battles for me. Thanks to people around me who love me and want the best for me, I have overcome. This was a time for me to rediscover the wonderful gift God has given me in my family. We all came back feeling refreshed and so much closer. I have SO many pictures that it will be hard to choose a few to post. If you want to see more, you can always check out Scott's blog. He has a slide show.

Birthday Boy

2008-07-14T09:48:00.003-06:00

Today my baby boy is 5! I can't believe how fast the past five years have gone by. He starts school in the fall. Seriously! School! We are in Oregon on vacation right now. Tonight we are meeting a bunch of friends at Chuck E Cheese in Salem to have a small celebration and tomorrow we are heading to the coast. Caleb, of course, thinks that this whole trip is for his birthday. He has been so excited to go to the beach and to see his Oregon friends. Happy birthday, Caleb! We love you so much!

No Time

2008-07-09T21:09:00.004-06:00

Since it has been mentioned that I am not doing all that well at keeping up with my blog, (wink, wink Lynn :O) I figured I would post real quick. The thing is...I have nothing really interesting to post about. We are getting ready to leave on vacation. REALLY looking forward to that. The kids are counting the days. Every night when we put them to bed Caleb asks how many more days. He is always bummed when we tell him the number instead of saying "tomorrow". So right now my time is taken up with getting the house cleaned, laundry done, packing for 4, and of course...the important things: nail and hair appointments. I wasn't going to post this, but I HAVE to throw it in. Here is my newest adventure:

Makenzie took these pictures. Sorry they are blurry.

I just had it done today, so I'm not sold on it yet. But hey, it's just hair! All I have to do is dye it black again, so it's hard for me not to "experiment".

Experiments

2008-06-26T13:00:00.002-06:00

I received an e-mail recently that listed a bunch of unusual ways you can use things around your house. I have tried a few and am pleasantly surprised. My favorite was that you can use hair conditioner to shave your legs. You may already know this, or even use it, but I had some conditioner that I had purchased a while back that I never needed. I could not bear to toss it out, so it has been sitting on a shelf. I gave it a shot...it works GREAT! I get a close, smooth shave and my legs are so soft! They don't feel dry and itchy later in the day like they did when I used shaving cream or body wash. And there are a bunch of hair conditioners out there that only cost a buck or so, so it is also a lot cheaper. You don't have to buy the expensive conditioners. And if you want a fruity scent you can also use the children's conditioners. I tend to get very excited about the silliest things. Here are a few others that I found interesting:

**Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.

**When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

**To get something out of a heat register or from under the fridge, add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

**If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

**Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer ... If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

**Smart splinter remover. Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

I haven't tried all of these, but if you have or do, let me know how they work. And if you have any that you would like to share, I would love to hear about them!

Fishing Fun

2008-06-24T09:09:00.003-06:00

Sunday we were able to take the kids out on the boat to do some fishing. No one caught anything, but we still had a great time. The kids thought it was so cool that they got to "drive" the boat.

Sunshine Rocks

2008-06-19T12:51:00.003-06:00

It seems I have been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. (Funny expression, but it is very true. My Aunt can tell you stories!) Every day this past week has had me out and about doing something. Not that I'm complaining. Most everything I have had to do was pretty fun. Minus the few trips to WalMart. Got to spend some time with friends we haven't had a chance to be around in a while. It was fun to catch up and watch our kids play. Took the kids to Settler's Park to play in the water. At least I thought that's what we went for. Turns out, both of my kids would rather play on the playground. Fine by me. Went to Pojos for my nieces b-day party last night. Haven't been there in a while. The kids had a blast. I have a bit of a sunburn, but I LOVE that it finally feels like summer! I'm still a bit shocked that the temp has only been in the high 80's though. Interesting.

Boys Will Be Boys

2008-06-10T12:27:00.002-06:00

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off to Camp We Go!

2008-06-09T15:59:00.004-06:00

This afternoon Makenzie left for a week at church camp. This is the first year she has wanted to go. So, with luggage, pillow, and snacks in tow...as well as a few butterflies, she was off! Here are a few shots I took before she left.

Loaded and ready!

Her friends Brianna and Samantha.

They travel in style!

Too cute!!!!

I can't wait to see her on Friday and hear about all the fun she had and memories she made. She took her camera, so maybe I will let her post her pictures and blog about her experience.

Birthday Girl

2008-06-09T07:56:00.003-06:00

Today is my MIL's birthday. I am so blessed to have an amazing MIL. She is sweet, caring, giving, fun, and so much more. She raised Scott to be the wonderful, godly man he is and for that I will always be grateful. Naomi, you are more than I could have hoped for in a Mother-in-law. I love you and hope you have a fantastic birthday!

Family Fun

2008-06-02T08:22:00.003-06:00

Scott's schedule has been a bit hectic lately, so he told the kids we would all go out on the boat Sunday afternoon and fish. We all were looking forward to some family time and the kids have been itching to get out on the boat. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't so cooperative. Seeing the black clouds in the sky, and the history of thunder storms this past week, we decided it would be best to postpone. We didn't want to take the chance of being out when the lightning or rain started. Instead we took the kids to play some black light miniature golf. We had a blast! There was hardly anyone there, so we could take our time. Caleb, despite many reminders, couldn't seem to get that you hit the ball with a soft swing. He is used to baseball, so he kept putting the club up over his shoulder and swinging it down like a bat. When he would finally hit it close to the hole he would then start pushing it to hit the ball like in pool. It was pretty funny to watch. Makenzie did great. She has some putting skills. :O) After the game we played some video games and air hockey in the arcade. My kids love air hockey and are both pretty darned good at it. I think Makenzie even beat me! Caleb had his tongue out every time he would hit the puck. Guess it helps him concentrate. After that we took them to dinner, then headed home to relax. It was a fabulous evening. We tried to get some pictures, but with the black lights they weren't that great.

Makenzie's First Concert

2008-05-26T11:21:00.002-06:00

Last night Scott and I got to take Makenzie to her first concert. I thought it would be more fitting to let her share her experience. The following it a post by Makenzie:

So, over spring break my mom said that if I read thirty minutes every day she would do something SPECIAL with me. That something special was taking me to my first concert ever! But what I absolutely loved was that it was a Carrie Underwood concert. So you know, I adore every song that she sings, writes, and remodels or redoes. I had the time of my life... although we were in top row seats. My favorite part was when the audience wasn't screaming. My least favorite parts were when we had to wait so long for Carrie to come out ,and also when the audience was screaming and we couldn't here her singing.Well,anyway, I had a great time at my first concert.

Freedom Isn't Free

2008-05-25T11:38:00.003-06:00

It's Memorial Weekend. More than just a long weekend to catch up on stuff or hang out with friends or family, it is a weekend to remember the ones who have given up their time, family, and even lives for the freedom we have today. To those who have ever served or are currently serving in any branch of our armed forces, I say THANK YOU! To those who have a loved one serving now, THANK YOU! To those who have lost a loved one, THANK YOU! May we never take our freedom for granted.

So Close I Can Taste It

2008-05-25T08:59:00.003-06:00

Only 3 and a half more days of school!

Frustrated!

2008-05-22T11:37:00.002-06:00

**WARNING: The following is a venting session.**

I'm am so tired of people thinking they have a right to butt in to your personal business and pass judgement on how you live your life! I'm sick of people who have to have "their say" when you don't do things the way they think they should be done, or the way THEY would do them. To these people I say, "MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!". If your opinion is wanted, you will be asked.

I'm sorry to be so negative, but I am struggling today. Your prayers would be appreciated.

Happy Birthday!

2008-05-20T15:52:00.003-06:00

Today is my step-daughter's 19th birthday. Brittany, I just want to wish you a happy birthday and tell you how special you are. You have grown so much in the past year and I am very proud of you. I am blessed to have you in my life. I hope this next year is amazing. I love you!

Oregon Trail

2008-05-15T10:30:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I had the privilege, once again, of joining my daughter on a class field trip. I guess it wasn't really a field trip as much as it was just a trip to the field. The people who run the Wagon's Ho of Idaho program brought all of their stuff to the school and set up in the field. It is part of their Idaho History lesson. The kids got to wash clothes on a washboard, make wooden buttons, make homemade butter, chop wood, rope an iron calf, brand cardboard and leather, and so much more! It was a lot of fun. The kids even got to help prepare lunch for the adults. Here are a few highlights:

Splitting wood

Posing with her branded cardboard.

Chopping potatoes for lunch.

Washing clothes (this was one of her favorites).

Getting the hang of the lasso.

Sawing wood.

After "working hard" they got to play some games.

It was windy and a bit on the cool side, but we still had a blast and came home with a slight sunburn. I'm am so blessed to be able to share in these memories with Makenzie.

I Love My Life

2008-05-12T08:58:00.003-06:00

Thanks to my husband and kids for a great day yesterday. From the moment they got up, my kids were doing everything they could to make me feel special. I received a great gift (thanks Scott) along with many treasured homemade things from them both. We spent the first part of our day with Scott's family. His parents, sister, and nieces were all there. We had lunch together and the kids had a great time playing outside. Later in the afternoon we went to my parent's house and played cards. It was a great day spent with the people that we love.

Caleb said a couple of funny things yesterday:

-After he woke up and told me "Happy Mother's Day" he said he was going to go to his room to find me a special toy from his collection..."because that's what kids do for their mom's on Mother's Day". (His exact words.)
After a few minutes he came out and told Kenz that he couldn't find the one he was looking for and asked her to help him look. She was doing something else and said she didn't want to and he said, "But sisters are supposed to help their little brothers."
After looking a while longer he came in with his hands behind his back and asked me, "Mom, have you always wanted a telescope?" I answered with a very enthusiastic "I HAVE!". He smiled so big and held out his toy pirate telescope and said, "Happy Mother's Day!". It was so very sweet.

-Later that day as we were getting in the car to leave he started whining about something, so I calmly said, "Buddy, it's mommy's special day. Can you please not whine?" I closed the door and as I opened my door to get in this is what I heard, "Dad, why does it get to be HER special day?" I laughed so hard!

We ended our evening with the finale of Survivor. I was very disappointed in the outcome, but I guess that's all part of the game.

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-10T09:59:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to send a shout out to all of my fellow Mothers. Here's wishing you a great weekend. Enjoy every minute with your loved-ones.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

~Under Construction~

2008-05-06T10:07:00.004-06:00

**EDITED**

I will be reconstructing my blog. Since I have few computer skills, it will most likely take all day. And may not look different in the end.

**I looked at different blog backgrounds all day and can't find one that I like. HUMPH!!**

Cat and Mouse Games

2008-05-05T08:49:00.004-06:00

When we bought our house last year, one of the things we loved about it was the large field behind us. Well, less than a month after moving in, the construction started. They are turning it into another subdivision. When this started I told Scott that I wanted to get a cat. I figured that with the construction would come mice being driven out of their home. Scott, not being much of a cat person, reluctantly agreed and let me get a cat. She has been a great pet. We all love her. Well, this past week she has convinced Scott of her "worth" :O) She has caught three mice in the backyard. She loves to play with them. She will grab them by the tail and throw them up in the air and then pounce on them. As disgusting as it is, it is pretty amusing to watch. While watching her on Saturday I had to snap a couple of pics:

This one is almost cute. If you click on the picture it will get big and you can see the mouse in the grass looking up at her.

This one is her getting ready to throw it into the air.

Disgusting? Yes! But better her than me, and better outside than inside.

Not Much

2008-05-04T12:48:00.002-06:00

I haven't posted in a while, but there really hasn't been much going on. We have been busy, but just with your normal, everyday sort of things. Nothing worth wasting your time over. We did have a chance to get away without the kids last night to attend the wedding of one of Scott's former co-workers. I didn't know the couple getting married, and I didn't know anyone at the reception, but I still had a great time. The people at our table were great and we spent the evening laughing and eating. It was a lot of fun. Today is just a little yard work and then off to church tonight.