Life is Great

Listen to Great Day in the Morning!

2011-02-10T15:31:00.001-08:00

NEW POST

2011-02-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

NEW POST NEW POST NEW POST NEW POST NEW POST!

So here's a quick update... We still have three kids, one dog, and two cars. We are still in the same valley, but in a different location. Soon we will be house-hunting! Life is great. This new business we are in is AMAZING! If you haven't heard about it, you should. Time magazine has a great article about epigenetics that really helps explain why this stuff is so awesome. You can also see some basic information about the products at chemfreeskincream.com.

Now, I am off to the company launch! I will try to get some pictures and more detailed updates soon.

WOW!

2010-06-16T15:28:00.000-07:00

So I have several people that say they don't have time to clip coupons and shop the way I do. To that I say, it takes me about 15 minutes a week to clip, print, and sort coupons. Then I just take them with me to the store every time I go (I always regret it when I don't). If I want, I check the website www.grocerysmarts.com, using the password G84CSO. That tells me who has the best deals and it has links to other coupons. So, for about 15-20 minutes a week, I save my family around $400-$600 a month on groceries. I only buy stuff I use. Here is my shopping list for today:

1 can olives, 2 bottles of salad dressing, two bottles of marinade, four boxes of cereal (yummy kind), bottle of vitamins (reg $12, paid $2.47), three 24 oz. dannon yogurts, three dozen egglands best eggs, sunny delight (for fathers day), two gallons of milk, 2 lb peaches, three avocados, red grapes, ten ears of corn, four containers of raspberries, three heads of romaine lettuce, 10lb potatoes, tomatoes on the vine.

My total bill was $98.96. After coupons and discounts I paid: $41.28. That is pretty typical on a shopping trip for my family. We try to keep our bill around $400 a month for food. Because of the coupons and discounts, I have a full food storage room, I feed my family well, and I can afford to buy the name brand and organic items, most of the time cheaper than the generic brand. It just takes a little time each week. I think that saving $48.38 was worth 15-20 minutes of my time.

Oh yeah, we also got a free DVD from Redbox. If you haven't used this code, do so now: DVDONME. You get one free rental.

COUPONS ROCK!!! (cont.)

2010-05-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

So yeah, coupons are awesome! I went to the store today to get chicken, eggs, milk, bread, cereal, fruit and vegetables. Pretty simple shopping right? Well, yeah, kinda. When I got there, they had a ton of stuff on sale that I wanted/needed for storage and I had coupons. That's the best! So, because I am so excited about my purchase, here is the quick version.

My total bill came to $187. I handed the cashier my coupons and typed in my savings card number. (that's my favorite part... watching the numbers fall...

MY TOTAL

$46.17

Plus I got 10 cents off each gallon of gas. COUPONS ROCK!!!!

Idaho ROCKS! Literally...

2010-04-22T17:18:00.001-07:00

So, as many of you know, we took a trip to Idaho recently. There is a butte there called "menan butte". It's an extinct volcano. We thought it would be a great hike! (And give everyone a chance to try out their Christmas presents!!!!!) On this trip, we had Dan, me, Steve, Jess, Alexis, Dustin, and Emily. Here are some of the highlights of our hike. Which, by the way, was a great hike and the view at the top was amazing. We could even see the Rexburg temple.

At the top, there are many neat rock formations. It's amazing what wind and rain can do.

You could see so much from the top. The view was awesome. This is the side we hiked up (from the other sides, you can see the snake river, the temple, and the sand dunes). We rested here to let everyone eat and enjoy the view. Isn't God wonderful!

A father teaching his daughter where to step and how to put her feet down so she doesn't slip on the sand. Dan is amazing!

Alexis (now 4) did very well on this hike. She was still carried for a bit, especially in the steep parts, but overall, walked most of the hike. When we reached the top, we decided to walk around the rim of the volcano.

Jess, Em, and Steve. These three were together the whole hike. They were all great hikers and did extremely well.

Everyone was so excited to try out their new gear! Alexis was a "big kid" because she got to carry her own stuff this time. She was so proud of herself. And honestly, we were all proud of her!

This may look daunting, but I assure you that Steve, Jess, Em, Dan, and Dustin all made it to the bottom of this "cliff". Even Chesney went down (and back up)! Chesney is the dog. You can see her at the top of the rocks watching the girls. She was a trooper! She had so much fun running everywhere and climbing everything. She will be a fun hiking/camping companion for sure! I know!!!! Who would ever think of a shih-tzu as a hiking companion!?!?!?

Does this photo need explanation? =)

Here is Dustin helping the kids get past a tricky spot so they could go see the cave.

Here is the cave. Pretty cool! We saw a lot of them. So many things to look at.

There is the crew! Alexis and Chesney stayed by me on this one, but the rest went to the top. From my point of view, it was pretty awesome! We spent about 4 hours hiking, resting, looking, playing (lots and lots of playing), and just enjoying being outside to wonder at God's creations.

Recent Twisted Metal Project

2010-03-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer.... I am NOT a photographer. There is something I don't get about my camera, and I can't figure out how to change the macro to the off position, so some of the pictures are blurry.

As many of you know, we had a booth at a show called "Novemberfest". It was really fun, and it got our name out there. A lot of people liked our stuff, and we handed out a lot of business cards.

This is a special order that someone called in from seeing our stuff at Novemberfest. It is one of my favorite pieces we have done, so I kinda wanted to show it off...

She also wanted ladybugs for the flower. They are magnetic and can be moved anywhere on the flower and stem. The red one is the largest of the four. We try to repurpose stuff that we find at the junkyard or yard sales. Can you figure out what we used to make the ladybugs....?

It was an exciting project and we are very pleased with how it turned out. She will be picking it up today. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she loves it!

New? Old? I don't know...

2010-03-26T12:01:00.001-07:00

So here is some old and new news....

Dan is loving his job! His boss is SO cool. His company is doing really well!!!! He loves playing his ukulele when he is not busy working, being a dad, fixing his truck, or playing. He works with the 12 and 13 year old scouts in our ward and he is AMAZING at it!!!!

Chandi (me) is having a great time learning guitar. It has been so fun. I can play quite a few songs now and I am working on actually writing one. I am also learning sign language, and teaching it to the kids when I can. I have also been working on more art from junk. I have this awesome idea for a large piece to go on my living room wall. I just have to collect all the pieces now.

Steven is still in 3rd grade. He is doing really well. Awesome grades! Lots of friends. He also loves scouts and riding his bike, rollerblading, and skateboarding. He is learning to weld.

Jessica is still in 1st grade. She is a girly girl. Reads amazingly well. She loves to do her hair and play with her friends. She spends a lot of time reading to Alexis. What a wonderful daughter!

Alexis is a little tomboy. She is constantly making us laugh (or cry...). The other day she was eating a cookie and I asked her if she liked it. She closed her eyes, nodded her head with a very serene look, said, "It's delightful." She loves riding her scooter and "training" the dog.

Chesney (our dog) is 3. She is so cute and a wonderful little girl. We all love her (yes, even Dan). Totally surprising considering we weren't even supposed to keep her. Looks like she is staying for the long haul.

Dustin (19, our neighbor, and the other welder for our Twisted Metal, Renewed Creations project) was baptized on January 23. It has been amazing to watch his testimony grow. He is planning on serving a mission in a year. He has been met with TONS of opposition, especially from his family, which is really hard. But he hasn't allowed his testimony to be shaken.

So overall, we have been blessed greatly. We have a full food storage room thanks to coupons and smart shopping. Everyone is healthy and for the most part happy. The laundry is done (for today anyway). We've had some rough spots, but the prognosis is GREAT!

Love you all and wish you the best!

P.S. If you are looking for a good book to read, please consider this: Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. A phenomenal read! Also, talk to my mom about the "closer to Christ" program she gave her kids for Christmas. Totally worth the effort.

New pictures

2010-02-01T13:51:00.003-08:00

We had a photo shoot this past summer in St. George with Dan's family. These are some of the pictures. There are a TON more. Our photographer was awesome. She did a great job on the pictures and the editing. She took a ton of pictures that were posed and some that were casual. Overall, we got a lot of fun pictures.

Before and After

2009-12-09T07:16:00.001-08:00

Meet Chesney. She is a 9 lb. Shih-Tzu. She is one of my mom's dogs. We brought her to Logan because someone had "purchased" her and was supposed to pick her up (on Sunday within an hour of my returning home). Well.... Needless to say, they didn't come pick her up and they never paid for her, so now she is hanging out at our house until our next trip to Idaho. I thought she might need a hair-cut since Miles got one.

So, what do you think?

She has turned out to be a really fun little girl. Her sweater fits her personality perfectly!

Our New Dog, Miles!

2009-12-09T07:10:00.001-08:00

We just got a new dog. His name is Miles. He is a two year old Scottish Terrier. We just took him to the groomer yesterday. So he has a fresh hair-cut!

We got Miles on KSL from a really cool family. It's unfortunate that they had to give him up, but we are glad they chose us to be his new home.

He is such a fun dog. The kids love him (and so does Dan!). He is really laid-back. When we go outside, he loves to run in the snow. And his bark is really low for such a small dog! I will post more pictures later, this is all I have for right now.

AND THE WINNER IS....

2009-11-10T10:23:00.001-08:00

Well, after reviewing all the name suggestions, and taking a TON of time to consider the options, we have settled on a name.

Twisted Metal, Renewed Creations.

And the winner is... Adam Brown and Dan's cousin (that I can't remember his name right now... oops! Sorry.) Boy that's embarrassing.

Anyway, Novemberfest is coming up soon and we have a lot of work to complete. I am hoping to post lots of pictures so everyone can see.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions and help. You are amazing!

I need help AGAIN... there is a PRIZE for the winner!!!!

2009-10-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

So we have decided to rent a booth at Novemberfest. It cost $130, but I am hoping it will be worth it. What I need your help with is a name. We have to have a name for our "company" so we can make business cards and create a website.

Here are some ideas that have been presented to us:

Junkyard Junkies recycled art

Heavy Metal Art

Trash to Treasure

Recycle Me Home

I want there to be something about recycled stuff in the subtitle. The lady in charge of Novemberfest really really really liked our stuff. She said advertising "recycled" will attract people because we are using stuff that would normally sit in a landfill forever.

So here is the deal! Whoever comes up with the name gets a prize. I will give you one of our pieces. (maybe I'll even let you pick).

Good luck to you all!

Total Money Makeover

2009-10-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

Hey friends and family. If you have not read this book (Total Money-Makeover, by Dave Ramsey), you really should. The principles outlined in this book are in complete harmony with the gospel teachings we hear about so often. Dan and I started our "makeover" last week. We estimate that if we are really diligent and completely gazelle-intense, within two years from right now, we will be completely out of debt (COMPLETELY) AND have our six month money reserve. In TWO years. Will it be difficult? Sure. Will it be worth it? ABSOLUTELY! I will keep you updated on our progress, and hopefully many of us will take this journey together!

Going Private

2009-10-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

Hey friends and family. A lot of people are making their blogs private. Just wondering, for those of you that have, why did you? For those of you that have not, why not? I am just curious. I have been debating it for some time. Just not sure what I should do.

P.S. Heidi, I need you to invite me to your blogspot. =) Elisa has my e-mail address. I don't think I have yours. Sorry! I am not well connected!

More welding.... need your opinion

2009-10-02T08:39:00.000-07:00

These are some of my new projects. I have not painted them yet (except the music one). When they are painted, they will look a lot nicer. I am trying to decide how much to sell this stuff for. I have seen items at the store for over $100. Seems a little ridiculous to me. Someone was selling a simple pumpkin (about the size of mine) for over $300. I was thinking more along the lines of $30 ish as a basic price. Anyway, I am hoping for some constructive criticism, paint color ideas, and which is your favorite. Thanks for your help!!!

This was made from an engine fan. It's about four feet tall.

Many of you have seen this one. Here it is on my wall. I found some magnets to put the notes on. They are not permanently fixed, so they can be moved around to make new songs. This one is five feet long and two feet tall.

This is one of my personal favorites. It's a pumpkin (in case you couldn't tell). It is about 2 feet tall and about 2 feet wide. Not sure if I should paint it orange and green, or metallic like the flowers in front of my house.

This is a new idea (for me). It has a stand so there is no need to put it into the ground. It's about four feet tall. Very heavy. Will have to cost more than the regular flowers due to the stand.

This one is really cool looking in person. I can't decide if I want it on a stem, or just as a wall hanging. It is about 3 feet wide. Would be super cute in a little girls room. Probably wouldn't cost too much on this one. Wasn't too expensive to make. What do you think?

This is a definite favorite among my friends. Most people are drawn to this one. I like it as a wall hanging (maybe on the fence in the garden or something). Not sure if I should paint it a solid color (like black) or more like a sun. This is about 2 feet wide.

I also have a bunch of small flowers. They are about 4-9 inches wide. Some are on stems, some are for hanging on the wall.

So there it is. My new projects. I am going to make more like the ones in my front yard (the post beneath this one). My price idea for those is about $35 for the small one, and $75 for the large one. Really not sure about this whole project, but I am having fun being creative. Thanks for your opinions and help. I can't wait to see what other people think.

Yeah, I've got some sweet skills!

2009-07-31T07:26:00.001-07:00

Well ladies and gentlemen, it's official. I have sweet skills with a welder. (hehe, just don't look too closely!)

I snapped this puppy together yesterday. Just decided to have a little fun with molten metal. You know, child's play.

And there it is. All painted up and pretty.

I would first like to thank my mom and dad. You were such an inspiration to me. Dan, thanks for your undying support. Dustin, thanks for showing me what to do (and making one for me to copy). And to all my fans, I love you! Yeah, you know who you are!!!

Really? I mean, really???

2009-07-24T09:06:00.001-07:00

I looked out the window and what did I see?

A big ole camel staring back at me.

This drive has brought me such a nice surprise,

Three Yaks sitting right before my eyes.

Feeling astonished, I must take a seat,
A water buffalo standing there nice and neat.

Yeah, it was really so,
and I'm not quite through,

Let's throw in a zebra just to surprise you!

Wow. We were driving around and found these guys just hanging out. Seriously, about five minutes from my house. hehe. (by the way, the captions work with the song "popcorn popping" in case you didn't figure that out). We even saw buffalo. Yes, a herd of buffalo.

Steven is EIGHT!

2009-07-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it!!!
Steven is eight years old now.

He had a great birthday. It was a lot of fun. Then on July Fourth (yes, I said July 4th) he was baptized. Here are a couple photos. For those of you that may not know Steven very well, this is a day he has longed for for quite some time.

Certainly a day we will never forget.

Does anyone know how to make the picture turn? I can't figure it out!

Another cool rock!

2009-06-08T11:52:00.001-07:00

So as many of you have now discovered... I like rocks. No, let me rephrase that; I love rocks! We went camping this last weekend and during one of our hikes, I was looking through a pile of rocks. I looked up the hill and saw this one just sitting there. I must say, it is one of my best finds! The only thing that could make it better is if it had D+C in the middle (hehe, get it... Dan + Chandi..., it's funny because he's my husband... If you don't get it by now, you probably won't.)

There is a layer of mineral (I haven't identified it yet...) between the layers of rock. I think it's a type of granite (the white layer). It's about the size of a cantaloupe cut in half.

All in all, fun camping trip topped off by a GREAT rock find! This one is definitely going in the rock garden.

Alexis' serenade

2009-06-03T09:08:00.001-07:00

Dan and I were sitting in the kitchen talking when we hear a beautiful voice filling the entire house. What is it? Where is it coming from? Let us find out...

I especially love the end... Too bad it took me so long to get the camera going.

Recent family excursion

2009-06-03T08:33:00.001-07:00

This Saturday past, we went on a hike up to the Wind Caves. It was totally awesome!!! Next time I'll get some better photos. But these ones are pretty good.

The pictures are out of order... This is actually at the caves. Some of you may truly appreciate this photo for what it truly signifies... others, well, I'll give you a hint... "Ice cold." (Horatio)

Here's Steve climbing the wall. he's a great hiker! He made it all the way up and down without problem. It's a little over 3 miles total.

This is one of my favorites. I love the silhouettes against the green landscape. Next time I want to get our whole family standing there.

That's Dustin with Alexis and Jessica. Dan, Dustin and myself took turns carrying Alexis. She actually did very well on the hike by herself, but we had a time limit, so we did have to carry her a little... hehe

Next time I'll get a better shot of this "bridge". It's about 15 feet down on either side of where Dustin and Dan are.

Me and Dan. In the corner of the picture, you can see Nicole (Dustin's cousin) holding Alexis. Chandler did come because she had dance practice. Next time, Christy (their mom) and Chandler are coming with us.

Some of you may appreciate this pose for what it truly signifies... Others may be left confused, but enjoy it anyway. "Hey girly man, here's a treat for your girlfriend."

Cute pic. Thanks Dustin!

Cute girls playing in the dirt!

Big snake. Wasn't too happy, but very cool to watch!

The grand adventurers! Totally worth it!!!

Pretty clouds. I thought they were pretty.

St. George

2009-06-03T08:22:00.001-07:00

We recently went on a family trip. It was a blast! Here are a couple photos. Unfortunately (fortunately) there are none of me in here... I had the camera!

Totally cute cousins! That's Mattie. She's Amy's daughter. She's a couple months younger than Alexis.

Amy and the kids playing in the water.

Dan trying to decide if he really wants to jump... He did.

Sam and Alexis. She was very nervous! But thankfully Uncle Sam kept her safe!

Did I mention she was cute!?!?!?

My very handsome son Steven.

Jessica loved the boat. We watched the motor and the wake from the boat. It was fun!

I some other pictures, if you really want to see them, you can come over for a family trip slide show!!!

explosion in the kitchen

2009-06-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

So by now, most of you know who Chandler and Dustin are. For those of you who don't, here's a brief synopsis. Dustin (18) is the kid who helps me in the yard and goes to football games with Dan, Chandler (15) is his younger sister, who is extremely talented. They live across the street. Very cool people to hang out with.

The other day, Chandler was making dinner (yes, she is awesome, and no, you can't have her!) while Dustin and I were mowing my lawn. We had just finished and were coming in when I hear this explosion! I had no idea what it was so I run up the stairs to the kitchen and Chandler's face is pure white! She opens the oven door, and this is what we find.

She was making chicken and the glass pan exploded. It was CRAZY! Has this happened to anyone else???

Yeah, it's snowing!

2009-04-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that it is currently snowing in Logan UT. Sure gotta love it! Spring is here my friends. It's officially official.

Strawberry Jam and All Things Tasty!

2009-03-31T20:20:00.001-07:00

So we ran out of home-made strawberry jam a month ago. We had to buy some from the store to tide us over until harvest time this fall. Well, let's just say that the store-bought stuff is just not quite as tasty as the real stuff. So when strawberries went on sale at the store, I decided it was time. I can't take the withdrawals anymore!

Let's get the built-in slave-labor involved. They are really cheap! Allow me to introduce the team.

Steve: The muscle!

Jess: the blades!

Lex: The supplier

With honorable mention... kitchen aid: with meat grinder attachments (thanks mom and dad!)

The end result! Beautiful freezer jam. It's tasty. I know what's in it because I made it! And best of all.... it's cheaper than the store bought stuff!!!!! The pectin was $1.50 (on sale of course) a box. I used 8 boxes for a total of $10. Twelve pounds of strawberries for $15. Ten pounds of sugar for $5 (I think... it was already in our food storage). Ya gotta love good food for less!

Elder Brown has returned!

2009-03-31T20:15:00.001-07:00

Here we are, just waiting...

Here is Elder Brown sharing some moments with the family. It's nice to have him home.

Sunday, as we were preparing to go home, the storm hit. The snow was literally blowing horizontally! You can see how everything leans in the same direction. The ice, the trees, people...

Food Storage and Being Prepared

2009-03-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

If you have read this month's Ensign, you have (I'm sure) realized the emphasis is on being prepared. I thought it was so exciting to have this counsel. After reading through most of the articles, we had a family home evening about being prepared. We have decided to cut costs, and do without some of the extras so we can acquire our 3 month food, water, and money supply. The kids were excited by the idea of having that kind of responsibility, and were willing to do what the prophets (and our local government leaders) have asked.

We promptly took out our 72 hour kits and streamlined them. We also added a couple new things. We use backpacks. Each kid has their own pack so it's tailored to them. Dan and I have the extra stuff that the kids can't carry in ours. Here is a list of some of the things we have in ours. If you have any ideas that I don't have on my list, please share. I am always interested in new ideas.

Freeze dried food (one pack feeds two)
MRE
can of tuna
pop top can of soup
ramen noodles
3 packets of instant oatmeal
water
water purifier
socks (two pair, one their size, and one pair of Dan's old socks. They can be used for gloves, leggings, or whatever)
pants (one pair)
shirt
underwear
first aid kit (bandaids, antiseptic wipes, surgical gloves, etc.)
paper and pen
card game
candy
duck tape (some wrapped around a pencil)
whistle
non-battery operated flash light
non-battery operated radio
matches
candle
fire starter materials
garbage bag
grocery bags
zip-lock bags
emergency blanket
hand/feet heaters
toilet paper (rolled up really tight and put inside the cardboard tube)
a total survial book (how to survive with only a pocket knife)
pocket knife
can opener
utensils (we use heavy duty plastic ones)
tissues
wash cloth
baby wipes (to "bathe")
sample size: deoderant, shampoo, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, laundry detergent
toothbrush
pack of gum
a contact card with family photo

Dan's pack has some extra items like high-calorie bars, a real can opener, extra food/water and items for the kids (just to keep their packs lighter). I have a ribbon on his pack so I know which one it is. This way if he isn't here and I can't carry both mine and his, I can just grab his since it is stocked with more stuff.

I can't remember anything else right now... I'm sure there is more. My mom says that if everyone has at least one good meal a day, you are in good shape. So we have tried to keep our packs light and easy to carry. The freeze dried meals are a bit more expensive, but they are tasty and very light. I found some for $4.50 each. Oatmeal packets are very light and you can cook oatmeal in your soup can after you eat your soup, you will want that soup can (or something like it).

It feels great having our kits ready. This summer we are going to take them for a trial run. Our kids are excited! This will give us a better idea of what we do and don't need in our kits.

As far as our food storage, we are doing very well. I was wondering if you happen to know anything about oxygen absorbers and whether or not we should have them in our buckets.

Just found a great recipe for another way to eat wheat.

Cooked Wheat

2 C Wheat in a pan, add water (about 2 inches about wheat), bring to boil, reduce to simmer for 45 minutes. Drain, store in airtight container in the fridge.

Popped wheat

2 Tb oil in pan
1 C cooked wheat (recipe above).

Cook on stove like you would popcorn. (shaking the pan over the heat)
When wheat is browned and "crispy", turn out onto paper towels. Sprinkle with whatever flavoring/seasoning you want. Eat on yogurt, fruit, salad, or just like popcorn.

I'm excited to try this one out. It looks yummy.

Update

2009-02-15T21:38:00.000-08:00

Well friends, here's an update on our lives. We recently sold our dog to a wonderful family. They are spoiling her silly. Steven has decided he wants to take piano lessons. He has gone three times and is doing extremely well! Jessica is taking hip hop dance lessons from a really cool teacher. She is going to start an adult class that sounds pretty cool. Alexis is still loving gymnastics. She loves to show off her "nastics".

Overall, things are going very well for us. Dan loves his job. That's almost an understatement. He is having a lot of fun with his boss, and coworkers. He works with some very talented people. It's amazing the things some of these guys can do! I'm working on transposing some of the music I wrote. I figure it's time to get it on paper before I forget how to play it.

We sure love you all.

Activity Days

2009-01-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

I have been called as the activity days assistant. Do you have anything you've tried that worked really well (or not...) so I have more ideas of what to (or not) do?

Thanks for your help!

Yeah, another post

2009-01-09T18:45:00.000-08:00

Feeling kinda bad right now. I was looking over the posts from 2008. Did you see my garden!? The herb patio?! Boy, I'm missing that pretty bad. It was so beautiful and took so much work. Wish we could have brought our yard with us to Logan.

new blogs to check out!

2009-01-09T11:42:00.001-08:00

Hey all. Grandma and Grandpa Craner have a blog now. You can see it at http://www.maxcraner.blogspot.com/

My parents also have one of their own. You can see it at http://rexbrownfamily.blogspot.com/

Happy blogging!

Rice Bag Things....

2009-01-09T11:21:00.000-08:00

Aunt Brenda asked for pictures and directions, so here ya go!

This is the rice thing IN it's cover. It's nice to have a cover that you can wash.

This is what it actually looks like.

What I did is...

1. Decide how large you want your rice thing. Ours are big enough to lay across your shoulders.

2. Get some fabric... (hehe)

3. Cut your fabric for the inside and the cover.

4. Hem the top side of your cover then sew up the sides (make sure it's inside-out)

5. Turn it right side out.

6. sew up three sides of the rice pack fabric (again, make sure it's inside-out)

7. Turn it right side out.

8. Sew three vertical strips. You can measure if you're a perfectionist, or free hand it if your really good (or maybe a little CRAZY!)

9. Fill each pocket about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Do not overfill the pockets or it won't be pliable and you'll never get it in your microwave!

10. Be VERY CAREFUL to not spill the rice... fold over the top a couple times and sew it up. I did a lot of double stitching on mine just to make sure none of the seams will come undone.

11. Put the cover on and microwave about 3 minutes.

12. Enjoy!

13. Try not to surprise your kids. They just might think it's a poopy diaper hidden in their bed.

I suggest rice. Popcorn is out for obvious reasons, as is wheat. DON'T USE WHEAT! It smells really weird and it has the ability to burst like popcorn. Rice is probably the best. However, there are products you can buy that will hold in the heat longer and some have really nice scents.

My kids rice things are different colors. The one above is mine. Hence the extra luxurious cover.

new background site

2009-01-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

Just searching the web and found this site. They have some unique backgrounds. Now I need help finding a header. Any ideas!?

http://www.simplychicblogs.blogspot.com/

The finished projects!

2009-01-07T13:45:00.000-08:00

Because of the great stuff I found at the warehouse sale, I was able to get my booty into gear and get some projects done. Well, here they are.

We purchased our piano a while ago. It didn't come with a bench. Well, we found one at Savers. It was beat up, and a little broken. It was brown with a blue plaid cover. Didn't really match our BLACK piano. Well, I found this red vinyl at the sale and it was perfect. The color is quite rich looking. I like it. Yes, vinyl is not breathable like other fabrics, however, I got two yards of this stuff for $1. Can't really beat the price. So I sanded and painted the bench, fixed the broken parts, and recovered the top. I also put new covering under the piano face so it matches the bench. What do ya think?!

This is how our kitchen chairs looked. You can't tell in the picture, but there are a lot of stains on the cushions. We have six chairs total. Two of them had broken seats. So, again, because of the sale, I was able to find some nice fabric to recover them. So take another look. Notice the fabric, imagine the stains, think about the brokenness of the seats...

Okay, scroll down.

Behold! The finished product! Notice the fine chocolate color of the leather. (It's not really leather, but we'll just say it is...) Now we don't have to worry about spills and stains.

Pay close attention to the fine detail work. All done by hand of course! Imagine the comfort of the soft new cushion. Let me tell you! We are living the high life now sister!

So there you have it! Some pretty major projects are finished! What's next??? Well, I still have boxes to unpack, so I suppose that should probably come next on the list. Then again, maybe something else will creep up on me and demand my time and attention. I guess you'll just have to come back and see for yourself.

You are wishing you were there!

2009-01-01T18:55:00.001-08:00

So, what did I do today you wonder??? Well wonder no longer because you are about to find out!

I went to a HUGE warehouse sale. It was awesome!

In this box of treasures you see things like: velcro, bolt cutters, a hammer, a staple gun, more velcro, really really nice webbing straps with clasps (for sleeping bags, extra blankets, etc.) binnoculars, a rubber mallet, more velcro, and more stuff I can't remember. I'd have to go look, and I don't want to. So use your imagination.

This is three rounds of webbing. Black, white, brown and multi-colored... Yeah, all four cost $3. No..., not $3 each, $3 combined! And the biggest roll is about 20 inches in diameter.

I am very excited about this. It was the last one. It's 9 yards of faux fur fabric. This stuff makes the best blankets! It was $9. (Yeah, I know! $1 a yard!!!)

These are my new lamb skin slippers. They have a TON there in lots of colors and sizes. I might get some for my kids. They also have some for babies that are so cute!

This is going to be on my kitchen chairs! I am reupholstering them, and this stuff is perfect! It's actually car seat covers. It look a lot nicer in real life so you may have to come over and see. These were $5 a set. I bought three sets just to make sure I have enough fabric.

I also got three boxes of canning jars for $1 a box. Very exciting!

So if you want to come down and hang out for the day, I'm available, and I'm going back tomorrow. I was there for over 4 hours and I didn't even get to see it all!

Told ya you were wishing you were here!

Painting

2008-12-30T19:15:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, this is the first time I have ever had the kids paint in my house. They have done it at Church and school, but never at home. My dad gave the kids this fingerpaint kit for Christmas. They sure love it, and it's quite fun. I even made my own picture. WooHoo!!!

Merry Christmas to All!!!

2008-12-30T18:58:00.000-08:00

Well, Christmas is finally over... I mean.. umm. Aren't we glad Christmas was so FUN! Teehee. We had a wonderful Christmas this year. Sam (Dan's brother) spent Christmas Eve and Day with us. So if you see a strange guy you don't recognize (or some of you do), don't fear, it's just Sam. He checks out with the dog, so he's allright.

Steven, Jess, and Lex got EVERYTHING they could have possibly imagined.
Here are some of the highlights, and some extra pictures for you mom Broadbent.

Uncle Sam's new fancy guitar! Sure is nice and sounds GREAT. Sam is really good at playing. And singing... Very talented.

New Christmas jammies for the kids. Don't they look cute! Everything fit very well. Thanks grandma Janet.

This is our BEAUTIFUL (pre-lit!) Christmas Tree. We bought this at my dad's store. It was definitely worth it! It turned out perfect for our family room.

Alexis found her chapstick. She is very excited.

Waiting to see what Santa brought.

Steven checking out his new DS.

After all the presents were unwrapped (we do have pictures) I went around to see what was going on. I didn't take a picture of sam because he was sleeping. I figured you know what that looks like.

I found Steven and Dan... they hadn't gone too far... playing their new games with their new DS's. Boy oh boy! I got one too. Had Dan been taking the pictures, that's exactly what I was doing as well.

Beautiful Jess playing with her new baby "Tina". She comes alive. It's so DANG cute! Thanks Santa.

Alexis showing off her new monkey and crib. This was her favorite toy. Thanks Grandma Janet. You hit the nail on the head with this one!

All in all, a very successful Christmas. We had a blast. Uncle Sam bought us a new guitar, we got DS's, games, dvd's, dolls, clothes, food storage (Thanks mom and mom Broadbent for that!), and everything in between. We have been very blessed with material things. We have also been blessed with a wonderful family. Grandma and Grandpa Craner made us a really cool book. I hope you have read yours! What a wonderful world to live in. God bless and be with you!

So, yeah, you may wanna sit down for this!

2008-12-22T11:48:00.000-08:00

Well, here's an update...

The other day I decided to make those rice things that you heat up in the microwave and they keep you warm. Well, I had this cool idea to make them all fancy and stuff and then give one to each of my kids as a surprise. They always want to use mine, so I thought they would enjoy one of their own. It took me about 2 hours to make THREE of these rice things and a washable case for each one. They turned out pretty cool. So instead of telling my kids, I decided to heat them up and sneak them into their beds. After they were safely hidden, we said prayers and sent the kids to brush their teeth. When we went to tuck them in, here is what happened:

Alexis FREAKED out! She didn't know what the heck was in her bed. All she knew was she didn't want it there! It was quite funny to behold (teehee).

Jessica snuggled right in. She loves it and wants it heated up every night.

Are you sitting down??? If not, you may want to. Also, swallow. You really don't want whatever you are eating to come out your nose.

Okay, you ready?

Steven comes walking into Jessica's room (where I was, tucking her in) and says "I'm not sleeping in my bed tonight." I asked him why he couldn't sleep in his bed and he says, "because it's bad luck!" I asked what he meant by that and he replies, "It's bad luck because there's a poopy diaper wrapped in a blanket in my bed!" He was close to tears, and I gotta say, so was I, for completely different reasons. I took him to his room and showed him what it was. Needless to say, he was unnerved for a bit and then decided he would use it. Now he uses it nightly. I just can't believe he thought I would hide a poopy diaper in his bed! Now what kind of a mom is that I ask you!? He later apologized for being so rude, I assured him I found it hillarious.

Alexis is still afraid of hers so I gave it to Dan. Jessica loves her bed being warm when she gets into bed. Steven no longer worries about random poopy diapers in his bed.

Boy, life sure is GREAT!

The moral of the story is: when I tell you to sit down and swallow, you had better listen up because you never know what you might read!

Still Here, Just Busy!

2008-12-12T13:39:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to drop a quick note:

Thanksgiving was a ton of fun. We went to Arizona and spent the week with Dan's family and his grandparents. The food was AMAZING! We all had a great time. we're excited for Christmas. All done shopping, so now we just get to relax!

Love you all.

Tag

2008-11-19T11:30:00.000-08:00

I just realized that Cami "tagged" me. So here it is!

8 TV Shows I like:

1. The office
2. The office
3. The office
4. Good Eats
5. Judge Judy
6. You Are What You Eat (on BBC)
7. How Clean is Your House (also on BBC)
8. Made

8 things that happened yesterday

1. I did laundry
2. Played Volleyball
3. Hung out with my awesome friend Shai
4. took a nap
5. played with the kids
6. did yard work
7. played with the kids some more
8. helped Steve and Jess with homework.

8 Places I like to Eat:
1. Cafe Sabor
2. Red Lobster
3. Chilis
4. Bucca Di Bepo
5. My House when Dan is cooking. (he's really good!)
6. Olive Garden
7. Quizno's
8. The Greasy Spoon

8 Things I'm looking forward to:

1. finishing unpacking
2. buying a bed so we don't have to sleep on air mattresses anymore.
3. Giving Dan his Christmas Present
4. Watching the kids on Christmas morning
5. Getting off medication
6. Dan coming home today
7. Vacation

8. Dan coming home tomorrow (I like it when he gets home)

4 Things on my Wish List:

1. To open a cool store like my dad's
2. The clean fairy to come to my house
3. For the clean fairy to LIVE at my house
4. To invent something cool, make a load of money, share the wealth & retire young :)

8 People I tag:
1. Andrea
2. Shai
3. Brooke
4. Aunt Brenda
5. Lisa
6. Elisa
7. Ummm...whoever else wants to do it I guess
8.

Family Pictures

2008-11-19T11:05:00.000-08:00

We have a friend that is an aspiring photographer. She took these pictures of our family. There are a lot more, but these are some of my favorites.

I like the way Lady looks like she is protecting them from something.

Just dang cute kids!

My very handsome husband!

I really like the concept of this photo. If we could get Lady to sit a little more forward, it would be perfect.

Once again, I LOVE the concept of this photo. I think I would arrange us a little differently.

I can't wait for our next photo shoot. We had so much fun! Thanks Brooke. You are awesome.

Coupons

2008-11-07T12:17:00.001-08:00

I have had a couple people ask me about what I do for coupons. Here's a couple ideas. Every week I look through the grocery ads. If I see something on sale that I particularly want (let's say Cheerios are on sale for $1.50 a box) I google "cheerios coupon". Then I click every link I can find and print every coupon I can. That makes the cheerios about $.75 a box instead of $3.50. So watch for the sales and then you can use your coupons to buy that item. Right now at Albertsons you can buy cake mixes for $.50 a box, add your $.50 coupon, and they are free. Cookie mixes will be about $.08 per package. Frostings for less than $.25 each. It's waiting for the sales and then using the coupon. I only print coupons I will use. I don't have the huge binder with all the dividers. Some people can do that..., I don't have that much patience, and my purse is really small. If I print a coupon and I find I am not going to use it, there is usually someone I know who will use it, so I give them away. Just make sure you follow the rules on the websites. MOST websites will only let you print TWO of each coupon. Don't cheat and copy them. It costs the grocery stores money. When I want more of one particular coupon, I just google it and I usually find several websites where I can print it off. If the website looks questionable to you, don't trust it. When you use a coupon that is not legitimate, the manufacturers WILL NOT reimburse the store for that coupon. Macey's grocery will only accept newspaper coupons because so many people were faking coupons. You can call your local newspaper and ask for the penny pinchers deal. They will send you 5 Sunday papers every week and you can clip all the coupons and save quite a bit of money. I haven't done that yet. I just print them right now. We'll see if I evolve.

So here are some of my favorite websites. Some of these you have to sign up for.

http://www.bettycrocker.com

www.coupons.com (one of the best!)

http://couponbar.coupons.com

http://www.boxtops4education.com

https://www.pillsbury.com

http://coupons.smartsource.com (also one of the best!)

As you search for coupons, you may find other sites you really like. Just add a folder to your bookmarks and put all your coupon links in that folder. Then you aren't crowding your bookmarks page.

I recommend searching and printing as many pillsbury coupons as possible. It's about time for them to have another HUGE sale event. If you live by an albertsons, get a savings card from them. They will send you lots of coupons in the mail. TOTALLY WORTH IT! There are also coupons for retail stores. For instance, you can print of home deopt coupons. Just google what you want and see what you find. You never know what might be out there just waiting for you!

Good luck! If you have any suggestions for me, please share. I am always looking for a great way to save some money.

It's time for Tricks and Treats!

2008-11-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

Jessica had all her friends over for a party. It was a smashing success!

So cute! For the ward party, we were all on safari. Alexis was a giraffe, Jess was a zebra, Steve and I were the safarians, and Dan was our safari guide. It was pretty sweet! When it comes down to trick or treating, we let the kids be whatever the want. This is what they came up with.

As the hostess of the party, I felt it was necessary to dress up. I asked my friend to come over and help me out. This is what she came up with. Pretty sweet, yeah? I think this should be my everyday look.

And, of course, who can forget my incredibly handsome husband. He makes a cute cowboy! Believe it or not, this isn't much of a costume. Most of these items he wears on a regular basis. Yeah, I like it!

What's that? A pumpkin you say!

2008-10-31T10:45:00.000-07:00

Hooray! It's time to carve pumpkins!

That's Dan. He's cleaning out MY pumpkin. What a guy!
I don't care who ya are, that's true love right there.

Steven, being crazy as usual. Hope it tasted good.

Jessica designed and carved her pumpkin. WAY TO GO! Mine never looked
that good at her age.

Clean out those babies! Grandma pretty much did Alexis' pumkin. However, Alexis picked the face she wanted. After it was done, she kept talking to it and kissing it's cheek. Today when we left to get Jessica from school, she said "by monster pumpkin, have fun!" What a kid!

Jessica's 6th birthday

2008-10-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

After inspiration from my sister-in-law (Yes, Melissa, I'm talking about YOU), who always creates cute cakes, I decided to try something I always wanted to do.

It was a big hit!

She got a ton of presents! Grandma Janet came all the way from Hurricane to spend a couple days with us. It was a great surprise.

What a beautiful girl.

To Grandmother's House We Go

2008-10-14T13:26:00.001-07:00

My kids have no school for the rest of the week due to Fall Break. Needless to say, what a great opportunity to go to grandma's!!!! So last night, we packed, cleaned, and got everything ready to go. This morning I went to parent teacher conferences, worked at the school, went home, fed everyone, finished the last details of packing and we got ready to go. Dan came home to say goodbye to us (he has to stay and work) and, as is custom, we pray before we leave on our journey.

Well, when we got to the end of our street, we were just pulling up to the stop sign when there was this horrible sound. I asked Steven what happened and he said the window exploded. He was out of his seat in an instant. I looked back to see what he was talking about and there was glass everywhere and, sure enough, his window had literally exploded!

I checked to make sure he was okay then backed the van (away from the intersection) and parked. I got out and surveyed the damage. There was glass everywhere. All over the street, all over steven's seat, all over Ladys' blanket, EVERYWHERE!

This is the glass we cleaned out of the inside of the van. Not the stuff that was sucked up in the vacuum or the stuff that was all over the road.

As it turns out, a rock flew up from a large utility truck and busted the window. It was pretty freaky, but everyone is okay and we got it all cleaned up. What a way to start/end a vacation. Dan is on his way home to tape it up so we can leave.

More to come later!

Ya Gotta Love The Savings!!!

2008-10-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

So I've recently gotten into coupons. Some friends of mine are BIG TIME into it... They have these huge binders filled with dividers and plastic sheet protectors with hundreds of coupons. I'm not that into "it". I have a coupon book I got from the dollar store. That's enough for me =) I search the local advertisements (smiths, maceys, albertsons, etc) and check for their sales. If I see something on sale that I want, I go online and search for coupons. I only clip the ones I will use. No need to get them all...

Yesterday I went to albertsons. They were having some big sales on a lot of stuff I would like to buy, but never do because I am not willing to pay their original price. I go there with coupons in hand, Jess and Lex in tow and one hour before Steven gets home from school. I have been working on my food storage and the coupons have really helped.

Long story short, here's what I bought:

2 packages of Sara Lee Bagels reg price $3.69 each
Capri Sun reg price $3.19 each
5 boxes of Betty Crocker scalloped potatoes reg $2.19 each
12 cans of pillsbury cresents and rolls reg $2.79 each
4 cups of betty crocker frosting reg $2.29 each
2 bottles vegetable oil reg $5.79 each
10 bags of Betty Crocker cookie mix reg $2.89 each
10 boxes of GM cereal like cheerios, kix, lucky charms, etc. reg $3.99-$4.69 each
and of course, some bananas (not on sale) $1.64

my total came to over $156
then I handed her my club card and my pile of coupons...

Are you ready for this???

No... are you really really ready.

This is not for the faint of heart.

Are you sitting down? You may want to...

With the coupons and in store sales my total was:

(keep in mind, it started at over $156)

A GRAND TOTAL OF:
drum roll please....

$48.72 tax included!

Please, please..., I know... You can stop applauding now. Really, stop. It's getting annoying.

Teehee!!!

What's up?

2008-09-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

Well, here's a quickie from us. We are doing well. Still searching for furniture and dog friendly areas! Man, you would think that with EVERYONE owning a dog, they would have plenty of pet friendly parks and trails.... not the case....

Steven is loving 2nd grade. He's doing very well. Jessica is EXCELLING beyond belief in K. Alexis and I have joined a mommy and me gymnastics class. She absolutely loves it. Her favorite things to do are hang on the bars and walk on the beam.

Dan's work is going well. He is picking it up very fast and has received several GREAT comments and compliments from his boss and his customers.

I have been working really hard at practicing the piano every day. I've also been trying to get back into Tai Chi. I'm hoping that doing things that I enjoy will help me to be able to kick the depression in the BUTT! Tai Chi seems to do a lot for my peace of mind and meditation. It's pretty neat.

I will post some pictures soon.

New post.... FINALLY!

2008-07-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

Well, thanks for being patient and waiting for the news.

We are finally moved in. Still have lots of boxes to unpack, but it's hard to unpack until we have some furniture to unpack into...

Dan accepted a new job with a company in Cache Valley. We love it so far, but haven't been here very long to really experience much.

I will post more another day.

It's getting toasty out there!

2008-05-06T18:42:00.001-07:00

The first sprinkler day of the year. Way too much fun!

When you come home, you never know what you are going to find!

2008-05-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

Check out my beautiful family of blond haired girls!

I just realized I don't have any of me! I will have Dan take some.

Surgery update

2008-04-27T21:50:00.001-07:00

Just for your information:

The surgery was successful. It went very smoothly. No complications at all. The doctor did find endometriosis on my ovaries, however, he was able to cauterize all he could see. The recovery is going very well! No stitches, no incisions, therefore, easy recovery. I am supposed to take it REALLY easy for the next five weeks. I know you were all hoping we'd be moving next week, but that ain't happening sister! You know, I was thinking after the surgery, with the removal of an organ, I'd lose a little weight... however, quite the opposite has happened. I have gained five pounds in one week! AAAHHH!!!! Don't fret though. I am sure it's no big deal and it has nothing to do with all the brownies and ice cream and pie and dough nuts. Couldn't be that.

Thanks for all your prayers. I'll keep you posted.

Our Saturday

2008-04-12T21:09:00.001-07:00

We spend most of our saturday's together hanging out. Today we planned a day camp. It was AWESOME! We hunted for wood, roasted mallows and hot dogs, saw a coyote, and played in some snow. On the way there, and the way home, we had to turn around several times to find a different route. Most of the main roads into this part of the mountains were covered with snow or way too muddy to get through. Keep in mind, I'm from Idaho, so when I say "covered with snow", I'm talking a couple feet deep... not just a little dusting.

This is an old cattle shute. It was a lot of fun playing on it. Steven found an old cast iron pan, Dan started a fire with flint and steel, Jessica and Alexis gathered wood for the fire, and me... I just sat around and watched everyone else =).. teehee.

So pitiful!

A man and his dog.

This is one gnarly tree! The picture doesn't do it justice.

Once again, a GREAT day. Lots of fun memories, and some great pictures to add to our "outdoor" scrapbook. Be sure to tune in next week for more of our adventures.

So Much Fun!

2008-03-26T21:13:00.000-07:00

Creativity can come from anywhere. Today, Steven decided to see what happens when he lines up dominoes on the counter. What a kid!

Everyone thought it was really funny. Especially Alexis!

Thanks Elisa

2008-03-26T09:04:00.001-07:00

I would like to give a shout out to Elisa for designing my new blog spot. She did a GREAT job. So thank you Elisa! If you come across some new designs and you want to play around with my blog some more, feel free. You are really good at it.

Before and After

2008-03-24T20:34:00.001-07:00

Lady has a friend that likes to come over to play. His name is William. This is what happens when they get together. Both of them end up REALLY dirty. However, Willie is all black, so it's not so noticeable. With Lady, on the other hand... everything shows!

Boy was she dirty! When I bathed her, the water was so black. That was the longest bath EVER. I had to scrub a lot to get her clean. After she got out of the tub I realized I missed a huge spot on her left back leg. OH MAN! Neither of us were happy then...

But after it's all over, we both feel a lot better. She cleans up really well. =) You can still see where her belly was shaved for the surgery. It's growing in fast though.

Easter 2008

2008-03-24T08:33:00.001-07:00

The hunt begins!

On holiday's, we like to be a little different... (yeah right). Instead of a nice ham, or a large beautifully laid out meal, we had hamburgers and hotdogs with homemade salsa, salad, and cauliflower. It was a wonderful meal and everyone enjoyed it.
We also had a lot of fun waiting for the Easter Bunny. We had a GREAT talk about Christ and why we celebrate Easter. Our kids are really in tune with the spirit and love to learn about Christ.

Overall, a wonderful day at church and then fun dinner and easter egg hunt. I'd consider that a pretty successful day.

Candy Corn

2008-03-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

Hey! A friend of mine came over to make chocolate chip cookies and she brought over one of her cooking books. In her book we found a recipe for candy corn (a classic). Holy cow! It is so good. The kids love it, and so do I! The great thing is you can add all kinds of other flavors, like mint, or cherry, or whatever... Very versatile, and fairly easy to make. Here's the recipe.

1 C sugar
2/3 C light corn syrup
1/3 C butter
Combine in a medium sized sauce pan and bring to boil over medium heat stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Turn heat to very low and boil gently for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add:
1 tsp. vanilla
stir
Add (all at once):
2 1/2 C powdered sugar
1/3 C nonfat dry milk
1/4 tsp salt
stir until mixture is plastic and cool enough to handle. Dump onto counter (or whatever) and continue kneading until candy will hold it's shape. Use whatever food coloring you want to and shape into any shape you want to.

I personally add 3/4 tsp concentrated butter when I add the vanilla.

Good luck and let me know how it goes!

Some of Our COOL Rocks

2008-03-14T16:14:00.001-07:00

As you have learned by now, we enjoy playing out in the hills. Whenever we go out, we look for really cool rocks. We have a "cool rock" garden next to our front porch. These are some of my favorites.

This isn't actually a rock, it's a crystal (above and below). It is as big as two softballs. It didn't have enough heat or pressure or something otherwise it would have been clear instead of red and white. We have a crystal mine about 20 minutes from our house. We have a lot of really cool crystals we have collected from there. Most are clear and they sure are beautiful.

(below) A view of part of the rock garden. You really have to see them for yourself to really appreciate how awesome they are.

(above) Again, you really have to see them in person to appreciate the textures and colors. However, here is an idea of what we find. The white rock is actually a bunch of crystals stuck together.

(above) another cool rock. I like the green stripes.

(above) This rock is AMAZING. It looks like caramel. The cool thing about this one is that when you touch it, it's so smooth it almost feels soft.

(above) This is the brain looking rock. It's a orange/red color and has all these crevasse's that make it look kind of like a brain.

We have some other rocks that are so unique and beautiful. One is like red obsidian on one side and crystals on the other side. Another looks like melted marshmallowy stuff, but it really is a rock. Wow! Heavenly Father sure did an amazing job creating this earth.

Lady's Back

2008-03-14T15:58:00.001-07:00

We had our dog spayed, had her shots updated, and had her microchipped all in the same day. In case you can't tell, she's not feeling to well.

We also bought her a new bed and blanket. I think she likes it.

After we brought her home, all she wanted to do was lay in bed. Can you blame her? She is feeling much better today, and her recovery should be really fast. It's also really nice to have her microchipped. And now there is no risk of unwanted puppies.

A Lot of HARD Work

2008-03-14T15:49:00.001-07:00

So, here's a random photo. A couple months ago we had a really bad windstorm. During the storm, a lot of things got knocked over and blown away. Our hammock cover was one of those unfortunate things that got blown away. We searched to no avail. However! Here's the miracle.... today we are having another windstorm, and lo and behold... the hammock cover is BACK! It's a mystery. This time I have it secured so it won't blow away.

We have a little over 1/2 acre, and here is what we decided to to with part of it.

This random pile of rocks is actually a strawberry fountain. It's beautiful in the summer.

This is part of our extensive raised garden. It was a lot of hard work, but it was totally worth it. We have thornless blackberries and raspberries. We also have six fruit trees (two apple, peach, pear, nectarine, and cherry) that are all self pollinating. It's a beautiful garden and looks amazing when everything is green. We will miss it dearly when we leave.

This is my raised herb garden. Yes, I did lay all the stone (my neighbor helped). This is such a peaceful place to sit on a sunny day. Again, a lot of hard work and it will be dearly missed. It's hard to have to leave when we have put in so much effort, but change is a good thing.

A Beautiful Day At The Park

2008-03-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

Just a couple pictures of us playing with our friends at the park.

Jessica spent most of her time on the merri-go-round. It was fun to watch her.

A Great Day For A Hike

2008-03-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

First order of business is...
Get the truck stuck in the snow.

Oh yeah..., we were REALLY stuck. We tried sticks, chains,
digging, rocking the truck back and forth. We tried it all.

Fortunately, we always come prepared with food and water. We had plenty of snacks and drinks, and Lady had some of her own food as well.

We finally had to call in the cavalry to come rescue us.
We have a lot of really good friends, and they were willing
enough to drive out in the middle of nowhere to come pull us out.

After we were rescued, we were able to get down to the real business
of the trip. Time to reflect in the beautiful wonder that we are so blessed to have.

We hiked to the top, and it was beautiful!

Lady went with us. How can you not love that face!

Dan and Steven found a cave. They had fun exploring in the rocks.

When we made it to the bottom, we were all pretty thirsty.

Overall, a GREAT day and a lot of new, fun memories.