A little over a year ago a friend told me I should start a blog. My response... "A What?" Now everybody is blogging which is fun but more than anything I treasure this blog as a record of our lives... as average and mundane as they may be.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ummm... blog!
Ain't no board too long or pile too high for Trev and his truck (at least he thinks, I think the cars that had to drive around him might disagree).
In RS we are making and filling diaper bags for a local charity and so I took the pattern to my mother when we visited ~since I am clueless when it comes to sewing and she is an amazing seamstress, I'm serious, we have enjoyed many quilts, pj's, dresses, crib bumpers, etc. made by my mother's hands.
Needless to say, I showed her the pattern and within a few hours she had whipped one up. Then I told her I wanted to adjust some things and make one for myself and viola... it was done and look how cute it is.
It is great to have such talent in the family. Thanks mom!
If you know me at all then you are shocked that I left this header and background on as long as I did.
What can I say, I've been busy. But, it's time for a change and since in a few months it will no longer be "the five of us" I thought I'd change the title while I'm at it.
We made it to Utah and what a great trip we had! Trevor could only get 1 week off and I wanted more time there with the kids so we left a week earlier and Trev met up with us. It was great to see so many family members and good friends.
We were so blessed to be able to attend my families annual trip to Bear Lake. It was the first time in many years (if ever) that all of us were there. We had a blast swimming, wave running, playing the wii, golfing, hot tubing, eating, and playing card/board games late into the night. Hallie and Megan were in heaven with so many cousins to play with.
When Trevor sets his mind on something- he gets it done.
This particular day he decided he wanted to put in the window for the new room (after working a graveyard and then sleeping about 4 hours... I was nervous) so after measuring and taping then going back to Lowes and buying a different window, measuring and taping and measuring again (this time using string!) Trevor got his saw out and started cutting (at 8:00pm!). Minutes later our neighbor came out to tell us that there was a big storm coming with a tornado warning. Perfect.
Luckily our neighbor volunteered to help us get the window in. Just imagine Trevor climbing a ladder about 15 ft up balancing a huge (it's bigger than it looks, 3ftx5ft) window with one hand and his forehead. It was sooooo scary. I was in the room ready to catch the window and praying my head off.
Long story short, at 2AM the window was done and look how great it looks! We are going to add black shutters to match the rest of the house and a black planter box underneath.
The best part... look at the view we have of the neighbors . Now we can really keep up with all of their comings and goings. heehee
Last week we got to go on a leisurely vacation at Fairfield Glade Resort in Tennessee. We got a great price on a condo through the military vacation club (thanks dad!) and spent a whole week just playing with the kids!
Pony rides, days on the beach, paddle boating, swimming in the pool, bike rides, and hunting for turtles and frogs in the pond were a few of the favorite activities.
My favorite part... Trevor did all the cooking and cleaning up so I could actually have a vacation too!
Good times.
Okay, so here are some before shots we took in April I think. This is the hole in the wall we climbed through to work on the new room and pictures of the attic before we put in the floor etc.
Yes, that is sweat. I know, gross, but he has worked soooo hard on this.
This picture was taken in the garage of the new floor we put in for the room. This was a huge step for us... a lot of work!
This picture was taken yesterday. Doesn't it look awesome!!!! It is finally looking like a room and it is so exciting for us.
Here is the new wall Trevor built. It was a little scary cutting down all of the support beams but the new walls seem to support the roof well. The room is about 15ft x 12ft and it will be about 9ft tall at the peak with the drywall up.
Finally a door instead of a hole in the wall. Now it actually feels like it is a part of our house.
Doesn't that door look like it's been there all along! I just look at it and smile.
Last night we were trying to come up with some names for our new room... because every room needs a name right?!
Here were some of the suggestions:
-Living Room 2
-The Coolest Room Ever
- The Room that Daddy Built
-If You Give A Dad a Toolbox
*Can I just say I married such a talented man! He amazes me with is ability to figure things out and to work so hard! Honestly, he has a crazy work schedule then he comes home and plays with the kids and works on the house. I feel so thankful to have such a great husband. He blesses all of our lives in so many ways, this room is just another one of those ways.
Thanks Trev!
I was getting some crushed ice out of our refrigerator when all of the sudden there were brown chunks of stuff coming out with the ice... gross!
I didn't know what it was so I emptied the cup and filled it up again but this time there was a big brown square... and then instantly I remembered where I hid my chocolate bar from the kids.
This is my mom... Okay, one sentence and I'm already teary-eyed.
Of course I didn't realize it as a kid but now as an adult, and especially as mother, I look back on my childhood and I am so grateful for my mothers wisdom.
Just a few of the lessons I am most grateful for:
- My mom often would share "spiritual experiences" or prompting she would receive with us when we were just kids. I remember many times growing up my mom would tell me about how she was at the store, or in the car, or cleaning the house, and the spirit prompted her about something. I remember thinking that my mom must have been really special for the Lord to talk to her so much. As I've grown I've found that it is easier for me to recognize the Lord's hand in my life because of my mothers example. I learned from her at a very young age that He is very much a part of our everyday life. What peace and purpose that brings to me today.
- I remember as a teenager I would hear adults talking about how hard it was to talk to their teenagers and how they were always fighting with them and I just didn't understand it. My mom and I got along great during my teenage years. I felt like I could talk to her and I was excited to tell her about my dates and other "teenager stuff". I think about that now and wonder how she did that!
I just hope my kids feel the same way with me when they at are going through their pivotal teenage years.
- My mom taught me by example about humility. I can't tell you how many times I would walk past my mother's room and find her on her knees in prayer. It also wasn't uncommon when we had a disagreement to find my mother a few minutes later sitting on the end of my bed and apologizing for what she had said. It was good for me to see that she wasn't perfect- and just like me- made mistakes but was trying to do better.
- My mom made our home a safe haven from the world. There was peace and love in our home and as a teenager my friends were drawn to our home. It's like they felt it too. I hope that I can create that kind of a home with my children where they will long for the comfort and the peace of home.
Trevor has mentioned several times since we've moved away how he misses being in my parents home. That good feeling is still there.
We spent a few days at Natural Bridge State Park. The hike was the best part. The kids loved it. Meg biffed it on the way back...so we all cried the whole time back. For some reason the tics loved Megan. We pulled 3 off of her head. I had three but not all were attached, Kathryn had 2 crawling on her (she did not like this), and Tink had 6 suckers on her. I am not sure if Hallie or Cam had any. It was a lot like a cross between Southern Utah (my favorite place) and a jungle. It was really cool. Anyway...her are some pictures of our trip. Oh, the black food is our dinner. Hallie's face said it all. Finally, quote from the trip "Mommy says she knows everything...how could she know everything?" dad says "I know everything." Megan says "No you don't." It is true I don't...I was just testing them. They passed. I guess.
Side Note by Kathryn
More like Lyme Disease State Park! I don't love bugs but I draw the line at bugs that can give you a fatal disease! Oh, and the blackened dinner- I looked up several web sites before the trip to find out how to make yummy tinfoil dinners, obviously they didn't know what they were talking about (either that or we cooked it too long ;0 whoops). But Trevor is right about the hike to the natural bridge, it was AMAZING! It almost made up for the plague of ticks.
