The Frame

I get alot of emails regarding this frame that has been in the background of some of my pictures.  It's right by our front door which has the best light which explains why it is in so many pictures.  I made it with a couple of girlfriends, projects are always more fun and cheaper that way.  You can also find one like it at Designer Blvd. for an extremely over priced amount, but that is where the inspiration came from.

The frame is large and in charge.  You can see the size difference with it next to a 5x7 frame in the first picture.Everything was purchased from local stores but we definitely had to divide and conquer for the supplies.  Hobby Lobby, Michael's, Walmart, Ribbons and Lace, Mesa Sales and Al's Lumber Yard.

It is glued, stapled and even taped.  The fabric has batting underneath it and then is stapled to a board which is then placed in the frame.  It gives it a little poof.

If you have specific questions I will try and answer them in this post but hopefully that will get you started.  Try it!

School is in Session

Logan is in 5th, Trey is in 2nd, and Avery is in Kindergarten.

They all have outstanding teachers this year and I know it's going to be a great year.

One of the most critical decisions of going back to school....choosing a backpack.

Avery has been so excited to go to Kindergarten.

Not a worry, fear or hesitation.

So not normal for our family.  But so refreshingly great.

She changed her shirt 3 times and her skirt twice. 

She wanted to make sure she looked her best.

She loves to wave goodbye to me. 

It makes me question why she is so happy to leave me but I know she is happy to be doing big girl things now.

Each day she waves goodbye, then she waves "I love you" in sign language, then she makes a heart with both of her hands. She looks like she's throwing gang signs. 

And just like that she's gone. 

I cried. 

I didn't think I would, but as she ran away from me to go play on the playground I walked back to wait behind the line like all the other caged mothers and I cried.

Luckily I had Aaron there to help....all day.

I remember as I brought each new baby home from the hospital I always got a little nervous and anxious about my new "normal" life. 

My new "normal" life now is that they are all in school and I feel that same nervousness and anxiousness as I did years ago only this time they are away from me not with me.

Picture of the Week

She's so excited to have spectators (us) watch her play soccer.

But she's especially excited that dad is there.
I don't think I could pack in any more personality into that girl.
Her pinky has more personality in it than my entire body.
She's her own girl and she owns it very well.

I Will Stalk You, Flip Out on You.....

found here

This is my promise to my kids. 

I need this in my house to help them remember that when I lose my sanity and start going "crazy town" it is just because I love them. 

I'm not really insane....really....I just love them.

This would explain why my mother hunted me down in her nightgown without make up on and embarrassed me in front of the boy I liked, when I broke curfew.
I guess I can be considered a responsible adult now that I recognize it.
And some day my kids will too.

This Summer We...

Along with swim team, basketball camp, swimming lessons, hunter safety classes and certification, our big Utah trip, reading, book reports (I'm a drill sergeant I know), sweating our eyeballs out, cleaning walls and baseboards (for whining and fighting....here comes the drill sergeant again) movies, and late nights we also....

Went on fishing trips.

Explored nature.

Learned to bait, cast, catch and reel in a fish all on our own.

Danced on the porch at the cabin to Grandma's cowboy music.

Played rodeo outside as we enjoyed the 30 degree (cooler) temperature difference from Mesa.  Ahhhh.

Apparently others liked the cabin as well this year. (Climbing up the tree.)  I guess bears have a 3 strikes you're out program just like my kids (although we use consequences not guns).  This bear had already been tagged twice for being too social and coming in to town.  He pushed his luck and this was his last visit to town.  There was a bear attack and fatality this year so it was a bad year for this bear to try and make friends.

We counted the many, many semi trailers that went back and forth carrying hay to help out with the erosion of the Wallow fire which made us remember the Rodeo Chedeski fire that caused my mom and dad's land and cabin to be destroyed years ago.  (This pic is from the Wallow Fire, so sad.)

We built relationships with cute cousins that we love.

Discovered new places and strange food to eat.

Went to many different museums.

Explored our state and saw beautiful scenery and vistas.

Practiced looking cute as always.

Got sat on, stepped on and pushed around all the while trying to get the $200 off of the baby calf.
 I love this 24th of July tradition.

If you live in AZ you HAVE to go to Snowflake for their Pioneer Day (weekend) Celebration.  Parade, activities, cooler temps, rodeo, fireworks it's a must.  Something physically happens to me when I watch women's barrel racing.  I get teary eyed every single time.  Weird I know. Aaron laughs every time that I cry.  I think it's the respect that the rider has for the horse and the horse has for the rider  The adrenaline rush of going as fast as you can and feeling the wind in your hair.  The country music playing in the background which makes it a patriotic event.  And I'm just a spectator, imagine if I really could ride a horse and race.  I'd be a basket case.  Logan gets closer and closer to that money on the calf every year.  He was so excited to be able to share that male bonding experience with his cousin Blake.

Played with cousins and friends.

Swam, swam, swam and swam some more.  This summer seamed to just fly by. The kids are all at an age where we can explore and try new things and make new memories with out all the toddler, or baby paraphernalia. I tote around fully efficient and independent little human beings that can take care of their bathroom needs.  It makes it nice for long road trips and outings.  I was worried with Aaron being gone so much that our days would be long and drawn out but it proved to be our favorite summer by far.  Yay for the summer of 2011!

I Love This Day

I love this day because it's the day that you were born.

Happy Birthday Aaron.
Love, love, love you.

Goggles

Goggles are a must.

I buy the first pair, you buy the second pair. 

No one forked over any cash this year.
Success.

Window Trim Work

I don't know why I always pull out the miter saw when it starts warming up but that seems to be my trend.  This summer we added some trim work to our windows.  This one was a beast with all it's different angles. It made the square windows a piece of cake. 

I went back and forth on whether or not to do a apron shelf on them.  I'm glad that we did.  Aaron convinced me to use wood instead of mdf for the shelf since it is sturdier and can hold up to any temperature change or moisture without wear.  I ran the miter saw, he ran the air nailer and together we made a good team.

Utahness- The Fam

We were spoiled with love and attention while we were there.  The kids loved playing with their older cousins who just live down the rode.  I love saying that...."down the rode".  Even though those boys are teenagers they loved playing with my kids and I was so impressed by what good boys they are.

Trey loved the fort that they had at their house.  It was huge!  Jordan helped Trey learn how to do it.  By the look on Trey's face I don't think he was so sure at first.

 
He warmed up to it and thought that it was pretty much the coolest thing ever, which it was.

Awhile after we got home we got a call that Jordan got his mission call to Billings, Montana.  The exact mission his dad served.  We are so excited for him.

The cousins came over with their horses and let the kids ride them.  It was fun to hear about the immunizations that they were going to buy for their horses this next year.  Each of those boys has to pay for the care and maintenance of their own horse.  A sick horse can be expensive so it's better to pay for the immunizations they say.

Avery got to ride with Riley who I think she had a crush on.  Riley went gallopping away on the horse and Avery could not get enough of it.  She laughed the entire time.  This girl has the least amount of fear in our family.

They loved just hanging out as well.

Our vacation time overlapped a little bit with Aaron's brother's families vacation time.  We are so glad that we were able to see them.  Being as how they live back East we don't get to see them that often.  Both Aaron and Gentry (his brother) are serving as bishops right now at the same time.  They sure do love to tease their dad. :)  He's always such a good sport.

I thought Aaron looked a lot like his mom in this picture.

Aunt Timaree, the only girl, constantly harrassed by 6 brothers.  And always a comedian.  My kids refer to her as "the one who laughs all the time".    What a great thing to be known for.

There is always a slew of people at Grandma's and Poppa's which means there is always a baby to be held.

And great stories to be told.  It's fun to hear them talk about all the crazy things that they did when they were growing up. They laugh so hard that they cry.  They could write a book with all the funny stories that they have.  From being staple gunned ontop of the roof, pulling off cow tails (on accident), Poppa burying their radios out in the fields because they played them too loud, a million and one stories about farm animal feces, and all the pranks that they pulled.  They are all lucky to be alive.

More fun cousins to play with....and GIRLS!

The swing set in the backyard is a huge industrial sized playground swing set.  Poppa got it from the school district and had it cemented in the ground.  It's a favorite for the kids, teenagers and even adults.

These boys were such good examples to my kids but especially my boys.  This was right before we left and not everyone made it over.  It was early.  We are missing Kyle (who is on a mission in Germany and who Logan prays for every night) Colton, Ethan and a slew of others.  Boy oh boy did my kids love on those dogs.  My kids want a dog sooo bad.

Grandma gives the best hugs.  She wraps both her arms around you and just enfolds you.  Her hugs are so nice.

Uncle Gentry's hugs on the other hand...not so much.

We had such a fabulous time and the kids are already excited to go back.  We came home with many souvenires; Indian stuff from the trading posts, Grandma Sycamores Bread (4 loaves), and lots of fry sauce that Aaron threw on every meal until it ran out.  Most importantly our love buckets were filled up which adds security and confidence to everyone but mostly my children.