FEATURED!

So I am so excited! I got a message yesterday on my Etsy.com account and found out that someone is featuring one of my pieces of jewelry on her blog! She is a beautiful girl who featured many different pieces of art for Mother's day. I feel so honored to be included with those many other artists who are doing their best to share their talents and joys of creating!
Don't forget to read her experience...it is wonderful!

It's the Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 post titled 'Mommy Love'
http://youandmegallery.blogspot.com

(I'm sorry, I don't know how to make the link an actual button so you can just click on it...if anyone would like to send me a simple tutorial on how to, I WOULD LOVE IT. Just remember, the key word is 'simple.' :)

Loser's 9th Anniversary!

Okay, so I feel like a loser but haven't you ever had burn out? Burn out of all things technology? I have had no desire to do anything computer lately so for that, you have all been left in the dark.
Life in Podunkville is plugging right along...we had a great Spring Break with my hubby's brother, his wife, and one of their kids. We played Hand & Foot (a card game), ate fantastic meals that my sister-in-law made (the best dang cook), and had some good girl therapy. And, because of this multi-talented lady, I FINALLY finished Jackson's quilt! Yes, it had been stuffed in the closet since last April all tied and ready to have the binding sewn around it but to me, that's the crap job, pardon my negative attitude. That's not really why I didn't pull it out and do it. I needed a 'skilled hand' (that would be my sister-in-law) beside me showing me how to do it so that it didn't turn out to look like the one I had done before that turned out...pardon my negative attitude again...pretty crappy. Don't look too closely at the binding on that blanket! :) Anyway, I got it done, it looks pretty darn good, and what made it all the better, Jackson was so excited to finally get it! (If only the smile weren't pasted on for the photo...his natural smile is so much cuter)
The other excitement we had over spring break was our anniversary! Yep...March 25th marked 9 years together. HOLY COW! Ken spent the day at work (hey, it pays the bills, anniversary or not) and then we spent an evening out with Ken's brother and his wife at dinner and playing a little air hockey at the bowling alley. He surprised me with Season One of NBC's 'Life' (love, love, love that show!) and Dance Revolution for the Wii! Awesome! So, I'm learning just how uncoordinated I've become but I WILL master it! We even bought an extra pad for him so we can compete! Yes!
It was a great anniversary and I can hardly believe it's been 9 years and three kids later. He's a blessing in my life.
9 ways he blesses me and our family...
1- worthy Priesthood holder that blesses our home through his faithfulness
2-strives to be obedient to leaders of the church
3-there are ways he calms certain storms in a way that no one else can
4-VERY thoughtful and spontaneous (he gave me 9 Easter eggs to open every hour throughout the day on our anniversary that marked 9 special memories he has of us...too cool, right?)
5-when he notices my weaknesses are overwhelming me, he does something to help bring me back to peace
6-loves me even though I'm CRAZY and 'special'! :)
7-he has a charming wit to him...yeah, we're working on the obnoxious wit! ;)
8-supports me in ideas that may stretch my talents
9-honest, hard worker that sets an example for our boys
Love you Kenny-benny...

Long lost parents! Once they were lost, but now they are found...well, I guess they're lost again! Darn them!

Thought moms and pops would get a kick out of that headline!

So, last Thursday I got a call that my dad's cousin had passed away (crazy incident I won't go into) and next thing I knew, the parents were returning to re-inhabit the Idaho, Oregon region for just a short time...HOORAY! So, in about a blink of an eye (for me...for them it was about 18 or so hours of hard driving) they were on my doorstep! It had been over a year and a half since I'd seen them so you can imagine my heart jumping up and down inside my chest!
These are a few of the photos taken while they were here...yup, I cut the hair. Not so sure if I'm really crazy about it but nothing that can be done now! It grows...sigh.
The sweet chilen's at the 3 hour funeral...no, I don't know how long it was but it was pretty long, I'll tell you...or the kids will! We finally snuck out for a quick snack in the car!
Happy little boy...

My pops and his sister, Diane...she is so wonderful!
Me with my Uncle Mark and Aunt Susie at the cemetery.
The moms and pops...looking handsome and great!
Standing by their mom's gravestone. She passed away 2 years previous.

What a wonderful time we had together! Fond memories already held in my heart. It was all too short but I'll take whatever I can get and hopefully the parents won't stay missing for too long again. If that happens, I'll have to go to desperate measures to show them I'm serious...it's NOT acceptable! :)
I love you so much and miss you already!

Some Cookie Love

Well, I know they look like Easter cookies but I didn't have Valentine sprinkles, and the boys were just thrilled to have something to sprinkle so they didn't care. So come Easter, if we do this again, it may be dejavu.
Yeah...these are some excited boys about their cookies! And I was pleased because it was a relatively painless activity! I had in mind a mess and some hand to hand combat with sharing the frosting and sprinkles but they were surprisingly clean and charitable!
I know you're thinking 'these angels', right? Jackson...I love this boy so much and he is really so snuggly and sweet when he's ready to be...but he is so feisty. His idea and solution when something doesn't go right is hit first and then discuss the situation, but only if mom catches me and makes me. Can you interpret all this in this photo?
And this boy, of course, is still young enough he can't do anything wrong! Look at that angel face!
Here we have some peek-a-boo with the thumb in the mouth...what talent!
Oh, to be a sweet baby and just have to sit there and do things like this to entertain!

Christmas is now a memory...

Alex at his 2nd grade class Christmas party...pump 'em full of sugar and send 'em home! Yippee!
At the ward Christmas party...it was all 'cool' having Santa just sitting in a room waiting for US! Just look at Jackson beam! The boy on the far left is Alex's friend, Hunter.
A little sledding...

A little Christmas Eve game pinata decorating...it's Rudolph! (Caught in the headlights of a truck!)
And let the Christmas Eve game begin! Mitchell testing out one of Alex's prizes...a Baker Bulldog hat...YES!

Some swingin' at Rudolph...it was tough but all that anticipation for the break was fantastic!
Alex giving it his best shot...
A little pictionary...Jackson was supposed to draw Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus...isn't that awesome!?
Christmas morning...we've got some tired puffy eyes!
Who could be more jazzed about a Marvel comics puzzle?
Time for a Christmas afternoon nap...
Jackson and Mitchell loving their trucks from Grandma and Grandpa Alexander...they move on their own and Mitchell thinks that is the coolest thing!

THIS is Alex's Marble Mania...yeah, Ken thought they'd build it right in the middle of the floor with Mitchell trying to join the fun. Three hours and an ulcer later...VOILA! And no missing parts, if you can believe it!

What a fantastic holiday...I need a nap!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

From our family to yours...have a wonderful holiday!

Ick, ick, ick...but nonetheless, it is December!

This was last years snow (2007) and I just had to show our fun snow family the boys and Teacher Lorenda (a family friend) made in our yard...notice baby Mitchell in my arms. Clever, huh?!
So here's our first real snow of the season and I must admit, it was pretty but I can't give up my hard, crusty shell of hating winter! I am truly a summer girl through and through. There's sunshine, short sleeves, longer days, green grass, blue sky, flowers in bloom, open windows, fresh breezes...I could go on and on but you just can't deny the beauty of a freshly fallen snow and then the fun snow activities the kids get to throw themselves into. They built these themselves and I was so impressed! They wanted to go out and play and so checking on them, I found snowmen!


Look at those rosy cheeks! Mmmm, luscious!