Counting My Blessings

I have just been thinking about how blessed we are as a family... So many things to list, and this won't be complete but it is a start.

I love spending time with my children, whether in a work project, or hard at play.
I love visiting with daughters and siblings on the phone.
I love having long conversations with Jim, about all sorts of things.
I love seeing our kids grow up even though I just really miss Sue's sunny disposition now that she is gone to Utah. But that just makes more sunshine for down there!
I love packing boxes to help Kristin and Ty to move.
I even love washing windows and giving their bathroom one last scrub.
I love surprises, like Laura and Mike showing up with muscles and energy and time to help with that move.
I love the willingness and generosity of Michelle and Lane and their truck in helping with the move.
I loved watching Dan's agility as he climbed way up in the moving trailer, to fill up every last space.
I loved going to California to help Julie and Carl and their family, with new baby Jennica.
I do not love flying, but I love that it is an option for quick travel.
I loved visiting with them while there.
I love watching how amazing their girls are at being compassionate, and making cool stuff!
I love knowing that my sisters are there for each other.
I love seeing our children do so much good in the world, and for one another.
I loved going to visit Jani and Ann on my way home.
It is so fun playing at Bear Lake on a hot day, and not being in a hurry.
It feels great helping dig up a swing set ready to be transplanted for grandchildren.
I love visiting with Dan while pulling weeds around our carrots.
I love picking raspberries with Jim and Dan and chokecherries with Taylor and Dan.
I love how our boys get along so well.
I love seeing Dan's great ideas as he rehearsed for an audition.
I love hearing about Taylor's 7th grade field trip all the way to Inspiration Point.
I think the fresh air and sunshine and beauty up at Cottonwood Lake, are priceless.
I always look forward to reading stories with grandchildren.
I love helping with a princess party by making sure there are no little boys running around.
I love bending the rules while playing Go Fish with Liz, to accomodate Spence.
I love answering the phone to hear "Hi, this is my Gramma" from Callie, and to hear Bryan climbing and playing in the background.
I love hearing Erika demonstrate her talents, on cue, over the phone.
I love 'chasing' Lydia up their tall stairs, with her giggling all the way.
I love knowing that our family members all help and support each other, always.
I love the smell of fresh pears.
I love cutting up fresh pears and filling the food dryer, knowing how yummy they will be!
I love helping my friends when they are in need.
I love spending time with Jim's family, and hearing about all of their comings and goings.
I love knowing that our siblings get along.
I love seeing pics of them and their families online.
I love having a computer.
I love that Claudia is willing to share her home with nieces and nephews when they are in school in Utah County.
I love picking zucchini when it is tiny and tender, and eating it fresh.
I love watching the birds in our yard.
I love looking at family pics on our screensaver.
I love it when D.A. stops by for a visit. He is so dear!
I love talking to my Grandma Violet on the phone. She always has only good things to say.
I love family reunions, and the anticipation of seeing people who we don't see often.
I love visiting with aunts and uncles and cousins.
I love knowing that reunions will be easier and more frequent 100 years from now.
I love knowing that we are watched over and cared for every day in ways we cannot see.
I love hearing guidance and direction from a living prophet, and trying hard to heed those teachings.
I love reading about things other people have learned in this life, and trying to learn from their experience.
I love reading.
I love life!

Something to Look Forward To...

I'm excited for everyone to come home and see this:






See you all soon!

Merry Christmas!!!

Denise Pics

Due to the high request from you guys for more belly pics, but not really wanting to post it on my own because I don't want people to think I love posting pics of myself (because I really don't) Here is one 3 days before my due date. I really wish it was a picture of her and not me, but what can you do?

Love you all!

Handsome Boys!

We took pictures of the boys, and need help choosing poses! I can darken, lighten, crop, warm up, cool down, just choose a good pose and we can make it work!

Cottonwood Lake Trip

Here are some pictures from the last trip to Cottonwood. It was such a fun day. The kiddos loved it. It was nice to just be able to "camp" for a day =) !!!!

Man, I love this lake.

We have some really great help!

Our two main floor installers are Jason and Susan. Jim did a lot of tricky places in the hall. They have done an awesome job. Burnout is the biggest challenge--there is a lot of thinking to do, along with getting up and down from the floor, getting cold in the garage while cutting, warm in the house, and fitting pieces together... it is not as easy as it looks! I can't believe how great it looks.

wahooooooo! We have a floor!

Here are some pics that I tried to post a few minutes ago but they got lost somewhere in edit-land or I don't know where else they could be. So--oh well. I can't believe I am actually putting pics of our KITCHEN FLOOR on this blog! (Actually it is pretty amazing that I am posting pics of anything on here.) But enjoy anyway.

here is the commentary for the pics which are below

I posted some pics of the kitchen in a post a minute ago, but I don't know if they are on there or not! So I thought I would just put a note here and then look at it. I don't have time to learn the program. Do I ever? Love you!

Wow it's spring!

Well-it's sort of spring. We can now walk on grass all the way out to the swing set. Another five feet of melting and we will have grass to the trampoline. Then we can set it up! Ok maybe we can anyway. It just takes time to to it. It's pretty weird cause yesterday was Susan's bday and it snowed then and today. Again. Oh well. At least we won't be wondering if there is water this summer. I hope.

We had a really great trip over spring break. By the end of the week we were all pretty much done with being in the car. But we saw and did lots of fun stuff.

Day 1 was driving to Boise, watching conference the next morning at Dave and Joyce's.
We drove to Uncle Judd and Aunt Kathryn Allsop's place that evening in Zillah, Washington, and stayed there the night, watching conference the next morning. It was so good to be at their place!!!! I almost felt like I was at Mom and Dad's watching conference. It has been a long time since we saw them, but it didn't feel like long at all. Sunday morning Joyce (long lost cousin) came so we could visit. I haven't seen her for about 25 years and I loved every second. She invited Susan to come there and work in their cherry orchard in July, working with a whole bunch of cousins. That sounds so fun! I wish we had known that could be an option years ago for our older girls too. Good company and good money. Sounds great to me...

After Conference on Sunday we drove up to Seattle to Julie and Carl's. I just can't believe how green and steep it is in Seattle. Everywhere is hills and trees and blackberry bushes. And the frogs in their pond started singing that night, just for me. Seattle is so big! We went to Pike Place Market and the Space Needle and to Ivar's for supper. Then over to the Temple and home to their place. Tuesday we headed out to the coast to Arch Cape, and Julie and Carl came a few hours after us. We stayed at a little beach house that had leopard print carpet! It was cute! There were lots of Sand dollars and sea shells. The surf was pretty strong, as we knew it would be. It was just perfect for flying kites and finding treasures and enjoying!

We left Thursday for Portland, and stayed at Marianne and Andy's til Saturday. Dan and I loved playing Settlers of Catan with Nick and Marianne. It was wonderful to be at their home--Marianne is so comfortable with herself, and a great mom. Andy is just happy and relaxed about things. He interviewed for a job at the college on Friday, and then we went to a beautiful huge Japanese garden in Portland on Friday. Then Saturday we headed back toward home. We stopped at Verna Kennington's in Nampa for a couple of hours. It was so good to see her!
Drove to Mike and Laura's that night and stayed with them Sunday and came home that night. Whew!!! And the snow hadn't melted any while we were gone. 8>)

Kitchen options

Well I am happy to announce that our kitchen is now painted, and I got our flooring yesterday. I am really excited to get it done. I also bought a bunch of choices, for the tile backsplash behind our stove top. It will be amazing to have it done. Not because it will look so spectacular, but because it will be done!!!!