~Before and After~ part 3 and Book

So a few of you have been emailing me, asking me to show another room. I apologize it has taken me awhile. I guess I figure most of you have seen it, but then I realized not to many have since I re-did it! So here are the before pictures of our front room-(how we walked through and viewed it)

Before~



And here are a few afters~





We painted the wall, closet door, and trim. I am glad to finally have furniture in this room and use it!! HA! I would love a deep chocolate shag rug, but until I find a deal, the one on the floor will have to do!!


Also, on a side note, I just finished reading the book "Anne of Green Gables". I have always loved the movies and have never thought to try the book! But I found the entire set at the DI and my sister Rebecca (click her name to check out her book review page, for more great books to read) told me how good they were, so I gave it a try!

Oh my heck, I have been missing out! I love everything about witty, romantic, imaginative, Anne!! I have often read books I have loved and thought someday I will read it again. But I usually have a stack of books to read and never come back to them. This is seriously the first book I have been positive I WILL read again! It is that exquisite! (HA, as Anne would say!) I think it may just be a new favorite!!

Crazy Happenings!

So summer has been fun, crazy, busy, calm, and everything in between for us! We have had so much fun with the kids. Enjoying every moment possible as a family. I can't believe school is just around the corner and I feel myself getting panicky all over again!

Here are some of the fun things we have been up to this last week!

Of course more gardening. I can't believe how fast our little garden has grown. Here is a before picture taken a week before the after picture~

Before


Just one week later....
We have already enjoyed tons of spinach, peas, spring mix lettuce, crook neck squash, and lots of zucchini! Yummy! If I could only have my garden look as lush as my sisters Hanna's.(check it out) Seriously her garden was so beautiful last year! I can only hope to aspire to have mine look that good!!


We had a bbq last Sunday night at our friends the Lovell's with the Church's. On our way home we saw "snakes" crossing in the road. Tons of them. So we stopped and discovered they were actually Salamanders crossing. Also there were toads all over too. So we let each of the kids have two toads to take home and put in our garden. I woke up the next morning to Caleb frantically saying he couldn't find them. They must have hopped away and he was devastated!


On Wednesday my good friend Ana and I took the kids up to Yankee Meadow( My favorite place) ! We let the kids play in the lake and have a good time. We packed a picnic lunch and just relaxed. It was well worth it!! The kids had a blast. Savanah keeps asking when we get to go to that "big pool" again! HA!

Here are a few pictures from that fun day:

We also had the Church's, Feltner's, and Lovell's over Thursday night for games. It always is a good time when we are all together. There is never a dull moment. We played Pictionary. This is my favorite picture. (the middle picture) Can you guess what it is? I will put the answer in my comment section! HA!

(Courtesy of Hans or should I say HONTS!)

We had a Yard Sale on Saturday, and afterwards we just hung out with Ana and Jake and their kids, and also Joe and Lea. It was a lot of fun. The guys played Red Rover, Wheel barrow racing, and hand stand contests with the kids! Then we all went across the street for a game of kick ball with the kids! It was so nice to spend the whole day with them. The kids had a lot of fun and so did we!



The girls also had a lot of fun playing dress up and making up dances. It was hilarious! Don't they look absolutely fabulous?



After a long week and tons of LATE nights. The kids, Beau, and I have been exhausted!! But it has all been well worth it! Kennedy has fallen asleep so many times in my arms this week. And the other two kids have been found in weird places sleeping!


We are loving summer so much and can't believe there is only a month left! We hope you all are having a fabulous summer and enjoying your family and friends as much as possible!!

Happy Birthday Ruuubeeekah!

Happy Birthday Rebecca! I can't believe that you are 29! Boogs....old!! I have always been so close to Rebecca. I love that we are the two oldest in the family! We have always shared such a special bond! She has always been my best friend!

Rebecca is a amazing an wonderful example and sister! She has always set a perfect example for me to follow. And I appreciate that so much!

Here are a few of my favorite things or memories about Rebecca, in no particular order:

1. Rebecca is an amazing cook. She always has been. (If you don't believe me then check her recipe site out here) She has made the most divine chocolate chip cookies form the time I can remember. When I was younger I didn't prefer chocolate. Rebecca would make batches of her cookie dough but before she added the chocolate chips she would take some dough out for me and make me cookies without the chocolate chips. A memory that I still cherish!

2. Another one of my favorite memories with Rebecca is how kind hearted she is. For my 15th birthday she came into my seminary class singing at the top of her lungs Happy Birthday with a giant package in her hands. She handed it to me and I was sure it was a giant bag of pads, or something to embarrass me. (because she is a tease, which I love) So it wasn't until the teacher coaxed me to open it, that I did, but cautiously. Inside was a beautiful, large, handmade blanket that she had crocheted in my favorite color! I didn't want anyone to see me cry so I held it together. But it was very touching. ( I still have it too)

3. Rebecca has always been so knowledgeable. She is very smart and it is something I wish came easy to me. I have a hard time retaining things!! It is one of the many reasons I have wanted/want to be just like her!

4. She is a wonderful mother. She is always doing creative things and sharing them. (Click here for some of her ideas) She is always coming up with unique and fun ways to entertain your child!

5. She is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. She doesn't care what others think, and I have always admired that about her!

6. Another one of my favorite memories with her is going to the "Old fort" by Angie French's house and playing for hours.

I have so many memories of Rebecca and I. It has always felt like it has been her and I doing things. She is a wonderful, talented person. She is spiritual, smart, and kind! I have so many good memories with her, tubing in the canal, visiting her in college, talking for a long time about life, sharing crushes, sharing secrets, reading journals, driving around in the Blazer together, Sharing our first moments of motherhood together, Becoming mothers together, sharing tips, tricks, etc, ninth street park tag, her teaching me to play scrabble, watching her in the plays she was in, and many many more. But the things I cherish most about my sister is that we have always been close! She is some one I can be completely honest with and I know that she will not judge me for my many flaws and inabilities.

I couldn't imagine our family in any other order, with her as the oldest! She has set a perfect example for all of us to follow! I hope to someday be like her in so many ways! I love you Rebecca and hope you have the best birthday ever!

4th of July

The 4th proved to be a lot of fun! Even though poor Beau had to work! He got called out at 8:00 am (on the 4th) and didn't get home until 7:00AM the NEXT morning! That is right 23 hours! YUCK! I felt so bad for him. He crawled into bed on the 5th at 7:0o am and got called out again at 10:00 am. So Saturday night he was just dragging! Poor guy!

Here are a few pictures of the kids waiting for the parade to start!



Even though Beau wasn't there, and I was bummed, it still was fun! I took the kids to the parade. which they completely loved! Then we came home and relaxed. Shelly and I threw our 2nd annual 4th bbq. It was so much fun and we once again had a huge turn out! We did it at the church pavilion this year. It was nice to have more room for the kids to run and play. We played volleyball, ate yummy food, played horse shoes, ultimate Frisbee, and just sat and visited! Thank you to all those who came! We hope you had a blast!

Hope everyone else enjoyed there day!

New Photography pic's

Check out my Photography Website by clicking here! I have two new sessions posted! Here is a small preview.

I got to do some fun shots of Chelsea~



And my own cute little sweetheart Savanah~



To see more check out my site!

Proud to be an American

I love everything that the fourth of July has to offer! The parades, the fireworks, the barbeque's, the parties going on, just everything about it! But with all of that aside I am always left with the overwhelming feelings of gratitude, love, and respect! I can't make it though a single fourth of July without crying! Sometimes to the point of sobbing.

I love the parades. But the fact of the matter is the second the veterans come down the street, decorated in their ribbons and metals, I am completely over swept by emotions! As I have gotten older and seen many of our family serve our country my gratitude and appreciation has only magnified, and so have my tears!

Beau and I have had two brothers who have served, Wes and Ryan. And one brother Paul, and brother-in-law, Derrick who are serving now! When I think of there sweet families and all that they sacrifice, I cannot begin to tell you how proud I feel! How my emotions take hold of me at the thought of what they do for us! These men and women who serve our country, not only give their lives sometimes, but there time, their moments with family, their opportunity to be there and watch their children grow. Those left behind also give up more than a spouse being gone. They get to be the sole care giver for a time and adjust to life without their husband or wife by their side!

How grateful I am for those willing to sacrifice! To those who allow me, my family, and all of us the freedoms that we enjoy! There are many who long to live in America, to be free to make choices, and give their families a better chance! I feel blessed to live in a nation where I have the right to believe in what I choose!



I would challenge each of you this week to say thanks. To express your gratitude to someone you know who is serving or who has served! If you see someone walking by in the store or on the street in their uniform, regardless if you know them, approach them. Express your gratitude to them! This is America a place to reach out and give hope to others! A place where each of us should reach out and lift those up who need a helping hand! A place where we can use our voices for good! I believe if each of us do our part that what we have and where we live can always be great! Use your voices and express thanks!!

Several years ago, I came across in Idaho Falls, two boys burning the United States flag. I will never forget my emotions, my anger, and my desire to put those two in their place! I pulled over with my sister unafraid if they were armed or had knives, and asked them kindly to stop. Of course I was ignored, but I didn't care, I kept trying to coax them to have respect for others. It only ignited what they were doing and before I realized what I was doing I starting belting out the words to "God Bless America". There I was singing at the top of my lungs, with my sister Sharla joining in, in the middle of a parking lot for all to hear and see! Several other people who saw their protest called the cops and also pulled over to demand they stop! By the time the cops got there, they made all of us watching get back in our cars. They searched the two boys and found they they were in fact carrying knives and were able to arrest them for possession of a weapon. I can still remember driving away crying with my sister at such a display!

I love America! I am proud to be an American, to be free! To live life to it's fullest, to be with family and friends, and to be a citizen with rights!

Thank you from the bottom of mine and my families heart to those who serve, who have served, or who are serving! Thank you to those who make this life great through your selfless acts of service! Thank you to the wives and families who put on a brave face and honor our country by allowing their spouses to serve!! Thank you to our brothers, brother-in-law, and their families! We see the sacrifices you make and are making and appreciate and love you!


*GOD BLESS AMERICA!!*