Re-purpose

I re purposed this shirt from a long sleeve shirt that I bought at Wal-mart forever ago for $1. I used the cut off sleeves for the ruffles, and flower. I love the way it turned out, I might even be brave enough to wear it. (I had typed instructions on how to make it, but blogger erased them when I was moving pictures, so if yo want to make one comment or call me! I don't have time right now to type it all again!)

(sorry about my self photography, I didn't wear makeup today, and didn't want my face in it)

My Handsomest Cowboy!

This little man had been waiting a year to do Mutton Bustin' at the Oakley Rodeo on the 4th of July.

Here he is waiting for some other events to be done. He is focusing hard on "cowboying up", because he decided at the last minute that it looked a little too scary.Izac decided the morning of the rodeo that he wanted to invite a guest to come watch him. He ran across the street to ask our neighbor Karla if she wanted to come. A few minutes later I answered the door to them saying that they would love to come watch! We love the Hortin's they are such great neighbors! So here is Izac's fan club!
(I wish that someone would have told me how horrible I looked in that hat, and I'm pretty sure we were the last ones off the stands, we didn't have anywhere better to be) After the rodeo we went to Grandma and Grandpa Kusterle's in Marion to eat dinner and see the horses at their house. I truly think we might have a "real" cowboy on our hands. He wears his cowboy hat EVERY day, and begs me to wear his cowboy shirt everyday.


*I'm SO MAD, I cannot get the mutton bustin video to upload! I can't wait any longer to post this, I'll try to upload it some other way soon! Anyone have any ideas of another way to upload a video, besides on blogger?

Life has been CRAZY!

I have so much to post about.

I'll try not to go overboard or bore you.

Since my last post:

My firstborn turned 6 years old.

Seriously, where does the time go?

He got a new bike for his birthday, and we told him that it didn't come with training wheels. It took a little help, but he was riding on two wheels in no time. Now he's zipping through the streets (really just our backyard) like a banshee! He also chose an annual zoo pass, instead of a party, so here he is on the carousel at the zoo!
The day after Izac's birthday, my Grandpa Smith's health took a bad turn. He ended up passing away a day later. It was bittersweet. He died very peacefully, with all his kids and some grand kids present. He opened his eyes and smiled as he took his last breath. It's good he didn't have to be alone too long, and got to meet my Grandma so soon after her passing. However, like Grandma he was young, and passed away two weeks before his 74th birthday. I didn't have to speak at his funeral, which was a relief. I did however go with my dad to the mortuary to set up all the arrangements and pick out a casket, which was a new, and meaningful, somber experience. He will be missed. I feel that I bonded with him (although I've always loved him) while we sat in the hospital day after day with Grandma. I loved to tease him and make him laugh after she passed. I was always happy when I could make him laugh and smile. I also loved to call him "handsome young man". I will miss him, until I meet him again, at Jesus' feet!

Izac finished kindergarten, June 2nd, and even graduated to 1st grade. He had a fabulous teacher, Mrs. Hawkins, who he loved! A few weeks before school ended the kindergarten put on a play called "The Three Piggy Opera". Izac was cast as the brick peddler and had a small solo, which he practiced diligently and performed very well!!! Through kindergarten I met some of the greatest friends. I met a group of moms, who get together for lunch, and play dates. These are some amazing women, who teach me alot, and love me for who I am. They are so kind and thoughtful. I hope these relationships endure! Here's to you Maria, Melanie, and Jessica!

A couple days after school ended, I took the boys and went to St. George, to my parent's house, for 10 days. It was a great trip! We woke up everyday and went swimming, played with cousins, saw my Grandma and Grandpa, got frozen yogurt, went shopping, teased my little sister and her new boyfriend. We also had a memorial, open house, for my G&G Smith, for all their friends and neighbors in St. George. It was a fun and relaxed trip, and thankfully not too hot YET! One of the reasons we went, and left Justin, is that we got new windows in our whole house. So I came home to them all done and the mess cleaned up. They look so good and make such a difference. We had single paned, aluminum windows before, which were almost like not having any windows. The only thing they kept out was wind and bugs. I hope they make a big difference in our power/gas bills too. I feel so lucky to be able to make improvements to a home that we hope to live in for a long time.

That's the excitement that's gone on i our lives the last little while. I hope to be a better blogger in the future.

(P.S. I got a big girl phone (blackberry) just before I went to St. George, so it's easier for me to keep up with things now!)

Things We Hear Around Here

From This Boy:

*As we are driving to St. George, there is a miniature Mt. Rushmore at a fun center that can be seen as we drive by on the freeway, he says; "look the mountain with the old-time presidents on it." So Justin asks, do you know what their names are? To which he replies; " Well one is St. George Washington, and another one is Hammerhead Lincoln, but I'm not sure the other one's names."

* A few weeks ago in church, I was told that the lesson was getting boring so he let his teacher know it. She basically ignored him, and kept teaching the lesson. So a little while later, he said; "you know this just keeps on getting boring-er and boring-er." (Thank you to the spy who told me this little tidbit of information. We're working on his manners, on terms of omission! It is rather funny though, and so Izac-like :)

From This boy:

* I'm dancing like a "chickmunk" (we've apparently been watching too much Alvin and the Chipmunks)

March Goodness

Admittedly, I enjoy a little College B-ball during the latter part of this month and into the next. But quite simply, there is a sport that I enjoy more than any other during the first few months of each year. The weekend before last I was able to enjoy doing some time on the ski slopes with my good buddy Ed while Kerrah was on hiatus in St. George with the boys.

In fact it has always been a favorite past time of mine that during those frequent drives down South to see the In-laws, we adamantly announce our arrival upon seeing the sign of a town we pass through on our way...BEAVER!! Izac has always had a thing for animals, so of course I find it only natural to nurture his love for outdoor creatures by encouraging a good "Beaver" yell every time we make our trips. Well, just add Creek to the end of that and you have a great destination for a 3-day Colorado man-cation.

All of the thanks goes to our wives for helping to make this trip possible, maybe we'll even find a way to somehow persuade them into making it a tradition!?!? Here are a few shots taken at BC & Vail, we missed having you there Ports!

Make your way through a huge parking garage & the village, then you might actually reach the bottom of a lift!

The vast expanse that is Vail

Hard to think about skiing more after that $25 cheeseburger lunch


How about we just take this run all the way down to I-70?

This is what you get when too many deer get caught in the headlights...

...a pretty sweet chandelier!

Beaver Creek was the convenient favorite

How about this one Eddie?

Steep enough that you can't even see what's coming...

The best part of finishing up two days in a row of skiing

Hope to eventually be able to get the kids enjoying it as much as we do some day before we can't keep up!

Granny Smith

My dear Granny Smith passed away on Tuesday morning, at the all too young age of 73.

I am the oldest grandchild, therefore I GET to speak at her funeral. Pray that I can hold it together and not be an emotional wreck. She suffered a massive stroke on Feb. 6th, then life flighted to Salt Lake and had a surgery to clamp the bleed, but had been on life support since then. After being in her hospital room for many, many hours this past week, I am glad to see her go to a better place, where she can find rest and peace. I'm thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the faith that I have, that I will see her again.

Love you Grams!!!

Happy stuff-we-did-lately Days!

Well, time for some catching up...and for me to do my part to contribute with a blog post I suppose. Can't say I know much about what to do, so I won't expect to hear any complaints from my co-publisher about pictures used or other content.

That being said, we've had some fun over the last couple months with friends & family during Kerrah's favorite time of year here in SLC...when it becomes a cozy inversion filled frozen Hell, in a sort of heartwarming sentimental kind of way...

Here's a few ways that we've passed the time:

birthday partyin'

wheelin'

decoratin'

light seein'

carolin'

eatin'

torch light parade watchin'


Santa Clausin'

drawin'


car drivin'

sleddin'

horse feedin'

skiin'

cousin smotherin'

Grandma smilin'

present openin'...again!?!

Sure was fun! Can't wait for next year's round of insanity...thanks to all the victims & participants for the memories!!

BORING

Sorry our blog is so boring. Half of the problem is that when Justin asks me why I haven't blogged for so long, I tell him that he is just as capable as I am. So I'm still waiting for him to post SOMETHING......anything!

The other half is that our computer is so overloaded and slow. I just about went crazy trying to do the last two blog posts that I did. However, we got some more memory and RAM for Christmas, which should help!!!

(plus, for some reason the Christmas "season" always gets the best of me. too much to keep track of in my little brain, and so much to do!)

That being said, hopefully those will get installed into the computer in the next few days, and I will attempt to make a REAL blog post after that!!!!

Until then.............

I opt out!!!!

This little combination is what Izac came up with for our FHE treat last night.
That's right folks, mint chocolate ice cream, and kid coke (caffeine free Pepsi) floats.
Sad that this was not the only thing we had in the house with sugar in it, although you might think so.

He thought he was so crafty. Justin really let him make them. Izac and Alex thought they were the best treat ever (there were chocolate chips in the bottom, BONUS!).....I opted out! Just the look of them was disgusting!!!