CHRISTMAS IN CANADA

THIS YEAR FOR CHRISTMAS WE TOOK OUR FAMILY TO CANADA ON A SKI TRIP. HERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE DID. ENJOY!

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS WISHING YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM

STORM MOUNTIAN LODGE, ALBERTA, CANADA.

CHRISTMAS CRAFT

EVERY YEAR JEFF TAKES THE GIRLS IN THE TWIN FALLS OFFICE A CHRISTMAS PRESENT, AND EVERY YEAR I MAKE THEM SOMETHING CRAFTY. THEY ARE ALWAYS EXCITED TO SEE WHAT I COME UP WITH. THIS YEAR I FOUND THIS CUTE BLOG AND MY CRAFT FOR THIS YEAR. THESE BOTTLES WERE FUN AND EASY TO MAKE.

CHECK HERE TO SEE THE HOW TO INSTRUCTIONS.

MY MOTTO TILL CHRISTMAS IS OVER

"In difficult moments, behave like a duck, keep calm and unruffled on the surface, but keep paddling away like crazy underneath."

A quote I stole from Buhddi's face book he always has good ones.

Jeff and I went to see our friend Buhddi last night in Rexburg.

He was one of Brandons mission companions in Maylasia and we have loved having him close by. I realized that we definately didn't spend enough time with him during his four years at BYU-I and after our visit last night I realized how much we will miss him. He is one of those very special spirits and his testimony of the Gospel radiates from his soul. He will do great things in his life and we wish him well in his move to DC.

WHAT A LIFE!

I THINK RIGHT NOW I WOULD LIKE TO TRADE PLACES WITH MY DOG. WHILE I AM FRANTICALLY RUNNING AROUND CHASING CHRISTMAS, LEXIE FINDS THE MOST COMFORTABLE PLACE IN THE HOUSE TO TAKE A NAP. HOW I WOULD LIKE TO BURY MY HEAD UNDER A PILLOW AND HOPE THAT SOMEONE ELSE WOULD TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING THAT STILL NEEDS TO GET DONE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. I GUESS THE THE UP SIDE IS THAT I WILL GET TO ENJOY THE FRUITS OF MY LABORS WITH A FUN WEEK WITH MY FAMILY THIS CHRISTMAS AND SHE WILL JUST GET A SQUEAKY TOY.

PARK CITY THANKSGIVING

JEFF AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO PARK CITY FOR THANKSGIVING THIS YEAR. WITH ALL OF THE SNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD WE FIGURED THAT WE WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO GO SKIING. THURSDAY MORNING WAS ABOUT 5 DEGREES AND SO I OPTED TO STAY IN AND FIX OUR TURKEY DINNER AND JEFF WENT OUT FOR A HALF DAY OF SKIING. I KNEW THAT I WAS FIGHTING A LITTLE COLD, BUT AS THE DAY PROGRESSED, SO DID MY COLD AND BY FRIDAY MORNING I WAS AT THE PARK CITY URGENT CARE. AGAIN JEFF SKIED A HALF DAY AND I STAYED IN WITH MY ARSONAL OF MEDS. ALL IN ALL WE HAD A GREAT TIME, THE SNOW WAS BEAUTIFUL AND THE HOT TUBS WERE HOT. (DR'S ORDERS, SIT IN THE HOT TUB AND BREATH IN THE STEAM)

FINALLY BY SATURDAY I FELT GOOD ENOUGH TO DO WHAT IS A NECESSITY IN PARK CITY.... SHOP!

BLIZZARD OF 2010

THIS WEEK WE EXPEIENCED THE (SO-CALLED)BLIZZARD OF 2010. THIS STORM WAS A DOOZEY AND WITH THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND AHEAD AND FAMILY TRAVELING I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED FOR EVERYONES SAFETY INCLUDING MY OWN. THE SNOW STARTED ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND WITH THE OLD FAMILIAR WINDS WE HAD A MESS. BY TUESDAY THE ROADS TO MONTANA WERE CLOSED, MADISON COUNTY WAS SHUT DOWN AND IT WAS TAKING PEOPLE AN HOUR TO GET FROM BLACKFOOT TO IDAHO FALLS. HOWEVER, WE IDAHOANS ARE RESILIANT AND WE TAKE THE SNOW AND WIND IN STRIDE. UTAH WAS ALSO BRACING FOR THE WORST , BUT UTAHS STORM WAS A BUST. AND EVERYONE TRAVELING FOR THE HOLIDAY GOT OUT OF TOWN OK.

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF OUR YARD AFTER THE BLIZZARD OF 2010, IDAHO.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

TODAY I CAME ACROSS THIS QUOTE THAT MICHELLES SISTER-IN-LAW POSTED. I HOPE THAT IT IS OK THAT I AM PASSING IT ON... THANKS TIFFANY
‎"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

BITTEN BY THE BUG

BEING THE GOOD GIRL THAT AM I DECIDED THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD IDEA TO GET A FLU SHOT THIS YEAR. WELL I DON'T KNOW WHAT STRAIN THIS YEARS SHOT IS FOR, BUT EVIDENTLY NOT THE ONE THAT GOT ME THIS WEEK. I GUESS THAT THOSE FREE FLU SHOTS GO ALONG WITH THE SAYING "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR". ON THE BRIGHT SIDE HOWEVER,WHEN I STEPPED ON THE SCALES THIS MORNING I WAS DOWN QUITE A BIT, UNFORTUNATELY THAT WILL LAST ABOUT AS LONG AS MY FLU DID. :)

GREAT DAY

FALL IS IN THE AIR AND TODAY WAS NO EXCEPTION. LAST WEEK I THOUGHT MY DAYS OF TAKING A NICE WALK UP THE HILL WERE OVER BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAD A LITTLE SNOW. TODAY, HOWEVER WAS A PICTURE PERFECT DAY AND I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER, I CAN ONLY HOPE FOR A COUPLE MORE WALKS, CAUSE I NEED TO GET THESE OLD LEGS IN SHAPE FOR THE SKI SEASON.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I HAVE BECOME A HALLOWEEN SCROUGE. NO DECORATIONS, NO PUMPKINS, NOTHING. BUT I DID HAVE ONE COSTUME IDEA THAT EMBRACES OUR FAMILY AND WHAT MOST OF US WOULD LIKE TO BE......

.

SKI BUMS!! HA HA HA

TREES

THIS FALL JEFF FOUND A GREAT DEAL ON SOME PINE TREES, SO WE DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD PLANT A FEW BEFORE WINTER SETS IN. THEY SAY THAT FALL IS A GOOD TIME TO PLANT TREES AND WE HAD A SPOT THAT WE NEEDED TO CREATE A SCREEN SO THAT WE DONT HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.

SO WE PLANTED THESE:

SO WE DONT HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS:

HOPEFULLY BY NEXT YEAR OUR NEW SCREEN AND UPCOMING PLANTING AREA WILL HELP BLOCK OUT THE VIEW.
disclaimer: this post is not being posted to be mean to my neighbors, just an update on our yard and because i choose not to have to look at the neighbors. And yes, it really is a pig farm.

SOMETHING TO WORK ON

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say,

"I used everything that you gave me."

--Erma Bombeck

TOP TRUCK CHALLENGE

LAST WEEKEND WE MET BEN AND MICHELLE IN TWIN FALLS AND WE WENT TO THE TOP TRUCK CHALLENGE AT MOUNTAIN HOME. IT WAS A DAY FULL OF DIRT, MUD AND CARNEGE. IT WAS FUN TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE DO TO THIER VEHICLES JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT AND LITTLE TINY TROPHY.

CRRAAZZY!!!

CUTE PICTURE

I REALIZED THAT I MISSED BLOGGING OUR JACKSON HOLE ANNUAL FILM PREMIER. "LITE THE WICK" WAS THIS YEARS NEW TGR MOVIE. THEY EVEN RODE THE 3-D WAVE WITH THIS MOVIE. GOING TO THIS MOVIE HAS BECOME A FUN FAMILY TRADITION.

A QUICK VISIT TO UTAH

LAST WEEK I HAD A LITTLE TIME OFF AND SO I MADE A QUICK TRIP TO UTAH. I CALLED MOM AND TOLD HER THAT I WOULD BE THERE ON THURSDAY MORNING AND THAT WE WOULD BE GOING TO LUNCH AND MAYBE MAKE A QUICK TRIP TO TAIPAN. A FEW QUICK CALLS AND TEXTS MADE AND KAREN, AMANDA, DAYNA, HAILEY, MOM AND I MET AT ZUPPAS IN LAYTON FOR A YUMMY LUNCH. I FEEL VERY ASHAMED THAT I ONLY THOUGHT ABOUT TAKING PICTURES OF OUR CUTTIE HAILEY AND THAT I TOTALLY FORGOT TO GET A PICTURE OF MY MOTHER. SORRY MOM :(. WE WENT TO TAIPAN AND HAILEY WAS A TROOPER, SHE WAS TOTALLY KICKED BACKED IN HER STROLLER, BUT FINALLY SUCCOMBED TO THE SHOPPING AND FELL ASLEEP. WHAT A SWEETIE.

PUMPKIN PATCH

DAYNA SENT ME THIS CUTE PICTURE OF HAILEY THAT SHE TOOK OF HER IN A PUMPKIN PATCH IN CALIFORNIA.

CONFERENCE WEEKEND

WHAT A WEEKEND... BEN AND MICHELLE CAME UP TO SPEND CONFERENCE WEEKEND WITH US AND MICHELLE WANTED TO DO APPLES, AND SO WE DID ALMOST EVERYTHING APPLE. WE MADE APPLESAUCE, APPLE BUTTER, DRIED APPLE SLICES AND THEN MADE PEACH COBBLER, SINCE I HAD AN OVERABUNDANCE OF PEACHES. (LIKE I SAID ALMOST EVERYTHING APPLES)

BEN AND JEFF WENT UP TO BLACK CANYON IN THEIR RIGS AND WATCHED THE GUYS FROM THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE CLUB BREAK THEIR RIGS. WHILE THEY WERE GONE, MICHELLE AND I DID APPLES WHILE LISTENING TO CONFERENCE. WE ALSO MADE THESE CUTE BOWS THAT I FOUND ON A FUN BLOG. CLICK HERE FOR THE INSTRUCTIONS. WE HAD THE PERFECT IDAHO WEATHER THIS WEEKEND, NO WIND AND GREAT TEMPERATURES. WE COOKED STEAKS OUT ON GRILL WHICH HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO MUCH OF THIS SUMMER BECAUSE OF THE WIND.

ALL IN ALL IT WAS A VERY NICE WEEKEND.

SISTERS WEEKEND IN PARK CITY

I arrived in Park City on Tuesday night. Marilyn, Karen and Beth were already there and having fun. I woke Wednesday morning to partly cloudy skies, I love Park City and the terrain because you can get in a great heart pounding walk up the hills (which I enjoyed everyday while I was there) and by the time I got back from my walk the heavens opened and it rained, hailed and a little thunder. And just when we thought it was safe to go out to the farmers market, that it started all over again as you can see by the picture. We met Jen for Lunch at Kneaders and it was yummy. Kelli joined us later and we spent the evening eating a delicious pasta salad compliments of Karens great cooking skills, doing some sewing, watching letters to Julia and playing games. That was our latest night and funny thing as the week progressed, the nights got earlier and the mornings got later. Thanks to my sis Marilyn we all came home with a cute necklace. The week went by so fast and it seemed like each day someone left to go home and before I knew it by Saturday it was just Beth and I. We finished up our week with beautiful weather, a ride on the zip line at the Olympic park, watching Date night and eating junk food. Perfect!!


I left Sunday morning and the Fall colors were beautiful down Weber Canyon. I spent several hours with mom and then went to Logan and had dinner with Ben and Michelle.
Sisters weekend was a lot of fun and maybe we will be able to do it again next year.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

I THOUGHT THAT THIS QUOTE WAS APPROPRIATE FOR MY WEEK SINCE I AM HEADED TO PARK CITY TO SPEND SOME CRAFTY TIME AND DO SOME BONDING WITH MY SISTERS, OR WITH THE NICKER NACKER CLUB, AS WYNN WOULD REFER TO US.

"THE DESIRE TO CREATE IS ONE OF THE DEEPEST YEARNINGS OF THE HUMAN SOUL. NO MATTER OUR TALENTS, EDUCATION, BACKGROUNDS OR ABILITIES, WE EACH HAVE AN INHERENT WISH TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT DID NOT EXIST BEFORE... CREATION BRINGS DEEP SATISFACTION AND FULFILLMENT. " 'DIETER F. UCHTDORF

LABOR DAY AT BEAR LAKE

WE WENT TO BEAR LAKE FOR THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND. BRANDON, DAYNA, HAILEY, JEFF, JESSICA AND I HAD A NICE WEEKEND TOGETHER. WE WERE SAD THAT GRANDPA DIDNT MAKE IT BECAUSE HE WASNT FEELING GOOD. WE MISSED BEN MICHELLE WHO WERE WITH FRIENDS IN YELLOWSTONE. NOT FOR SURE, BUT I THINK HAILEY HAD HER FIRST 4-WHEELER RIDE WITH HER DADDY. WE HAD GOOD FOOD, FUN AND IT JUST FELT GOOD TO GET AWAY.

LITTLE DRESSES FOR AFRICA UPDATE

I FINISHED MY "LITTLE DRESSES FOR AFRICA" LAST NIGHT. I DONT HAVE EXTRA FABRIC LAYING AROUND, SO I WENT TO THE DI AND BOUGHT THE ONLY 4 PILLOCASES THAT THEY HAD AND MADE MY DRESSES. THEY TURNED OUT PRETTY CUTE FOR PILLOW CASES AND I HOPE THAT THERE ARE SOME LITTLE GIRLS WHO WILL BE HAPPY WITH A NEW DRESS. PROJECT DONE, AND WHO KNOWS MAYBE ON MY NEXT VISIT TO THE DI I WILL BUY MORE PILLOWCASES.

HOW DID THEY KNOW I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A CRAFT PROJECT?

"Too many people believe that creativity is a talent with which some people are born and the rest of us can only envy. This is a negative attitude that is completely mistaken. Creativity is a skill that can be learned, developed and applied." - Edward de Bono

A GREAT THOUGHT TO START THE WEEK

FOCUS YOUR PASSION:

"The way to get good is to get interested. The way to get great is to get downright fascinated and passionate. Imagine being completely intrigued, and so passionate about something that you simply can't get too much of it. When you can do that in some particular field of expertise or endeavour, you can accomplish anything you choose to accomplish in that area."

 Ralph Marston

A DAY OF COOKING.

THIS WEEKEND JEFF, CLIX, MICHELLE AND BEN WENT A LITTLE 4-WHEEL DRIVE RUN IN MONTANA. I STAYED HOME TO BE WITH JESSICA BECAUSE SHE JUST HAD HER TONSILS OUT ON WEDNESDAY.  I DECIDED THAT I WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE DINNER READY FOR THEM WHEN THEY COME HOME SO TODAY I AM COOKING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE WANTED TO MAKE FOR A LONG TIME.   IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE I HAVE MADE A COMPLICATED SUNDAY DINNER, I BURNED THE BACON, AND MADE A HUGE MESS OF THE KITCHEN, BUT ITS GOING TO BE GOOD.  HEAD OVER TO MY RECIPE BLOG , IF YOU WANT THE RECIPE FOR THE BEST FINGER LICKIN RIBS YOU WILL EVERY HAVE.

LITTLE DRESSES FOR AFRICA

I AM A VERY VISUAL PERSON AND SO I DID SOME LOOKING ON THE INTERNET FOR A TUTORIAL.  I KNOW SOME OF YOU MIGHT LAUGH THAT I WOULD NEED THIS FOR A VERY BASIC PILLOWCASE DRESS, BUT I DID.  OF ALL THE ONES I VIEWED I LIKED THIS ONE THE BEST.
HERE YOU GO....  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtuGUB-jsH8&feature=fvw

MY CHALLENGE TO THOSE WHO VISIT MY BLOG

 

TODAY JESSICA HAD HER TONSILS REMOVED.  SHE HAS BATTLED WITH STREP AND SORE THROATS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND THIS LAST WEEK THE DR SAID IT WAS TIME TO TAKE THEM OUT.  ONLY 6 HOURS LATER AND SHE SEEMS TO BE DOING REMARKABLY WELL.  I AM NOT SO OPTIMISTIC FOR TOMORROW, BUT SHE MAY PROVE ME WRONG.   HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT THE PURPOSE OF MY BLOG  TODAY.  AS JESSICA AND I WERE LEAVING THE RECOVERY ROOM WE NOTICED ALL THESE CUTE LITTLE DRESSES PINNED TO THE WALL AND INQUIRED WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.  WE FOUND OUT THAT THESE DRESSES ARE GOING TO AFRICA.   THERE IS A DR. HERE WHO GOES TO AFRICA SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR AND TAKES MUCH NEEDED ITEMS WITH HIM  AND THESE DARLING LITTLE DRESSES ARE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE TAKES WITH HIM.  I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF " LITTLE DRESSES FOR AFRICA" BEFORE, BUT IT IS A ORGANIZATION THAT MAKES THESE CUTE LITTLE DRESSES AND SENDS THEM TO AFRICA.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OF YOU OUT THERE THAT CAN SEW, SOME OF YOU HAVE LOTS OF EXTRA FABRIC LYING AROUND JUST WAITING TO BE USED SOMEHOW, OR YOU MIGHT EVEN HAVE A RELIEF SOCIETY GROUP OR YOUNG WOMAN WHO NEEDS A PROJECT THAT WOULD ENJOY MAKING THESE DRESSES.  THEY LOOK SO SIMPLE AND EASY.  I JUST FEEL WE ARE ALL SO BLESSED AND TALENTED THAT WE COULD, NO---SHOULD  MAKE A DRESS.  HERE IS THE BLOG SITE THAT YOU CAN GO TO FOR MORE INFORMATION AND THE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE A DRESS.  http://www.littledressesforafrica.org/blog/.  HERE IS THE PDF WITH THE PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS  http://www.nancysnotions.com/text/pdf/LittleDressesforAfrica_pattern.pdf
IT IS AWAKENINGS LIKE THESE IN MY LIFE THAT MAKE ME FORGET MY WOES, LIKE I CANT GO TO MONTANA WITH JEFF AND BEN AND MICHELLE THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE I AM BEING JESSICAS NURSE/MOM, THAT STOP ME IN MY TRACKS AND REMIND ME THAT I HAVE SO MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR AND TO STOP MY WHINING ABOUT THE TRIVIAL THINGS.  I HAVE A HOME, FOOD A JOB AND THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE  ALL AT MY FINGERTIPS, IT IS TIME TO FORGET MYSELF AND THINK OF OTHERS!

PLEASE SEND ME A COMMENT OR SOMEHOW LET ME KNOW IF YOU MAKE A DRESS TO SEND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU--I KNOW I DONT HAVE MANY FOLLOWERS, BUT IT HOPE YOU FEW THAT CHECK IN WILL TAKE MY CHALLENGE AND MAYBE EVEN PASS IT ON.
LOVE YOU KATHY

I WISH

I JUST CHATTED WITH MICHELLE A MINUTE AGO AND SHE AND BEN WENT ON A BIKE RIDE YESTERDAY IN PARK CITY, SHE MENTIONS HOW SHE WOULD LIKE TO LIVE THERE.  I WISH I COULD LIVE THERE AND RIDE MY BIKE TOO.  IT IS MY MOST FAVORITE PLACE TO BE.
JUST A LITTLE JEALOUS.  IT HASN'T BEEN THE BEST SUMMER HERE TO RIDE, LOTS OF WIND,   THAT'S IDAHO WEATHER FOR YOU.

OUR SUMMER WORKOUT

BEFORE

THIS YEAR INSTEAD OF AN EXERCISE ROUTINE JEFF AND I  HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN "PART" OF OUR BACK YARD.  IT SEEMS LIKE A REGULAR WORK OUT THAT HAS TAKEN ALL  SUMMER, BUT WE  FINALLY HAVE GRASS.  IT IS GREAT AND I AM LOVING IT, HOWEVER,  JEFF AND I HAVE DECIDED THAT WE ARE GETTING TO OLD FOR THIS STUFF AND NEVER REALLY WANT TO PUT IN ANOTHER YARD.  THE UNFORTUNATE PART OF THIS WORK OUT IS THAT WE STILL HAVE ABOUT  1/2 THE BACK YARD, OR MORE, TO STILL PUT IN, AND OF COURSE ITS THE HARDEST PART OF THE YARD.

   

AFTER

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR WORK CREW.  WE DEFINETLY COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOUR HELP!

SUMMER THUNDERSTORMS

THIS WEEK WE HAVE EXPERIENCE THE SUMMER AFTERNOON RAIN SHOWERS.  TODAY WAS NO EXCEPTION, THE RAIN CAME AND IT POURED BUCKETS, THERE WAS A LITTLE THUNDER AND LIGHTENING WITH IT, HOWEVER TONIGHT WE WERE FAVORED BY A BEAUTIFUL DOUBLE RAINBOW AT THE END OF THIS STORM.  BEAUTIFUL!

Our True Identity

I know our Heavenly Father loves us. There are days when we can feel discouraged about ourselves and this video  touched my heart today and I just wanted to share with all of you.

LIVING IN THE UNITAS

BEN AND MICHELLE HAVE BEEN LIVING AND WORKING IN THE UNITAS THIS SUMMER.  THIS IS THEIR SECOND YEAR WORKING FOR THE FOREST SERVICE IN THE UINTAS.   WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO SEE THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES  THIS SUMMER.  WE WENT UP IN JUNE ON OUR WAY TO PARK CITY BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO STAY WITH THEM FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.  THE PICTURE SHOW HOW MUCH SNOW WAS STILL ON THE MOUNTAINS IN THE MIDDLE OF JUNE.  THIS MONTH WE ALSO  HAD A LITTLE TIME AND MADE A  DETOUR BY WAY OF THE UNITAS TO GO SEE THEM AND HAVE DINNER WITH THEM ON OUR WAY TO SALT LAKE.   IT WAS A STARK DIFFERENCE IN THE WEATHER, THIS TIME WE WERE FIGHTING THE SKEETERS.  THEY ARE SO HAPPY THERE, WORKING, FISHING, HIKING AND JUST ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS.  I KNOW IT WILL BE HARD FOR THEM TO LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND AND GO BACK TO SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER.