My Top Pick

Yeah!!!!! I just got done watching American Idol. And my 2nd favorite guy made it through to the top.(Mark is my first favorite guy!!!:))I usually don't follow American Idol that much. But Cole and Mark are really into it and we have started watching it together as a family. So naturally I've gotten addicted to it too. My favorite part of the whole thing is following all the contestants' stories. I had Danny picked out on the first day of the show. He's down to earth. Is a true teacher. And has been through a pretty tough time. He deserves it!!! Hope he makes it to the top!!! Who's your favorite????
Please, please take the time to read his story. It will touch your heart, uplift you and inspire you to let go and let God...
(Just click on the link on the sidebar.)
My heart to yours...

Pray for Gracie

Little Gracie is in need of our prayers right now. Please send her love and light in the days ahead...
(For an update just click on the link on the side.)

Friday the 13th

When I picked Carson up from school today I was mortified to see his jeans ripped clear up to his knees. Who is his mother? Seriously? How embarassing!! As soon as he got in the car I started laughing and asked him what happened. He said he was just out at recess and his pants tore. (That meant he spent all day like that???) I think it was his moon boots. He likes to wear them to school everyday so his feet stay warm. But sometimes his pants tear at the bottom. When I told him I was going to post a picture on our blog he started screaming, "You're going to humiliate me on the web? Ugh!!!!" (He blamed his bad luck on Friday the 13th.) I couldn't help but share. It was just too funny!

3rd Time Is A Charm

Well, I finally did it!!!!!! A few days ago I was having a craving for some good cinnamon raisin bread. So I went searching for a great recipe. I found one I thought would work. But failed miserably. So I started experimenting. (Now, I know I am much better at baking cookies than bread but I just had that craving...)
After 3 attempts I got it!!!Here's what I learned from the whole process:
1. Use the right ingredients! I used a no name brand yeast and my bread didn't rise the first time.(It ended up in the garbage.)Your bread will not turn out unless you work with the right tools and ingredients.
2. Mix slowly! The second time I just dumped all the flour in as fast as I could. I was sick of spending so much time in the kitchen. You're supposed to add the flour slowly. Making bread requires patience and long suffering.
3. Watch what you're doing! I didn't pay attention to the bread cooking in the oven. So when the timer went off and I pulled it out of the oven it was all burnt on the top. Bread comes out the best when you keep your eye on it until the end.
(Not a bad recipe for life as well...)

Just a Few Things...

Here are just a few things I think are pretty cool..



Cole has started working out in the morning. He gets up as early as 6 sometimes.

Keri is taking all kinds of pictures. It's fun to see her enthusiasm for it. She talks about becoming an outdoor photographer someday.

Carson lost two of his bottom teeth. Yeah! One step closer to getting braces.






***Mark tried out boot camp with me. He's talking about maybe giving it a run sometime in March. I've missed several times over the past few weeks. But I'll get back on track soon...
***I'm reading a lot more now...I think Twilight did it to me...

Aunt Beth's Trip

"Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better."
Albert Einstein





"We need not wait for the world to become more mystical;the world is mystical."
Marianne Williamson




This past weekend my Aunt Beth came to Utah for a visit. She had gone to Montana for a business trip and planned a detour trip here before going home. This gave my sisters and me an opportunity to clear our schedules and spend some quality time together. (Thanks for being an angel Aunt Beth. It was just what we needed.)We talked, laughed, got some awesome pedicures, played Scrabble and much more. But my favorite part was the trip we made up to Sundance for Sunday Brunch. There was a storm that had come in that morning. It was just raining in the valley so we didn’t think anything of it heading down to Provo. But once we got to the mouth of the canyon the roads were pretty bad. (This storm brought in 18-30 inches.) We decided to make the journey anyway. It was well worth the trip once we got there. There is nothing more surreal than freshly fallen snow. Sundance was absolutely beautiful and the Foundry Grill served up food that was amazing…

Marley vs. Rocky

Last night we took the kids to see Marley and Me. I was a little hesitant to take them because so many people had suggested against it. (Because it was so heart breaking.) But I was not disappointed. And neither were the kids. We all laughed at how much Marley reminded us of Rocky. I put together a comparison list. Let us know which dog you think is the worst...

Marley vs. Rocky

Marley: Swallowed an answering machine. The next day came back for the phone. No doctor. No vet.
Rocky: Swallowed Mark's tube sock. Had to call 3 vets. Gave him hydrogen peroxide so he would throw it up...messy cleanup.

Marley: When he gets anxious he chews everything
Rocky: He just chews everything. Anxious or not. He's chewed our bushes down to 4 inches. Chewed all the corners of our deck. Chewed the wiring to our boat. Chewed numerous shoes. Chewed several of his beds no longer useful. Has brought countless stuffed animals to their death...

Marley: Tried and failed to jump out of a running car.
Rocky: Successfully jumped out of Mark's truck while he was going around a corner and broke his leg. Costing us $1200.00

Marley: Likes to jump on people.
Rocky: Goal is to pin people down. Has cornered several people and dogs against their will. (All in fun.:)

Marley: Barks when there's a thunderstorm.
Rocky: Just barks all the time. For no reason...

Marley: Found a babysitter while family went on vacation.
Rocky: We know better than to even try...


Even though we've had a tough run with Rocky we wouldn't change it for anything. He lights up when we come home. He plays hard. He's smart. He's a phenomenal guard dog. And his love is unconditional...