Did I forget to mention . . .

that I got a new calling? Yep. I. did. I was released as the 10/11 year old Activity Day Leader. *sniff* and called to be the compassionate service leader. Not sure why. Except I am sure I have some learning to do. I'm still looking for the "Compassionate Service for Dummies" book. Let me know if any of you locate it.

The problem is I'm following one of the most compassionate, sweet and service oriented people I know. (Yes, Krista - you know you are!)

I already had my first funeral - we ran out of ham.

I work with an assistant, who handles the new babies - she is ultra sensitive and I've already offended her and she called me and gave me an assignment that she didn't want to do and I still haven't done it. (See how compassionate I am?)

*SIGH*

Mostly, I feel like I'm supposed to be doing something, but I'm not sure what and so I do nothing. I suppose that is good - that there is nothing to do - that means everyone is healthy and well, right? I hope so. I would hate to think that I'm not doing my calling. Besides the aforementioned oversight that I really shouldn't be doing but I'm not really sure what it is I said I would do.

Well, that's it. That's my new calling. And now you know!

Oh, Happy Labor Day!

(I made this USA banner this summer - thanks to the inspiration of my friend Lyndsie!)

This year we are celebrating Labor Day in the literal sense!

While some of you are enjoying the fresh mountain air, boating at the lake,
or swimming in a pool, we will be LABORING.

I was feeling *sorry* for myself that I couldn't do anything FUN, so I decided to create fun.
OK, it's not that it's fun, but it will be rewarding.

It's time for home improvements!! So - here are the goals:

1. Paint and install baseboard and trim around closet door in the girls room.
(it's only been a year since this should have been done, but who's keeping track?)

2. Paint east wall in laundry room and cupboards which have never been painted and
have been hanging for like . . . 20 years? This will clean up and brighten said room.

a. Hang cute laundry-esc decor and paint clock black so it will match decor.
b. Paint top of chest freezer.

3. Install and paint bead board in kitchen nook, back splash and under the bar.

a. Install and paint new base board and trim in kitchen nook.


This will NOT finish the kitchen, but it's a start! I'm so excited to finally do some
much needed updating. There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint!

Vaughan and I went to Home Depot yesterday and made lots of plans!
My mind is whirling with all the home improvements I'm ready to start.
Of course, money is required to do them and that will slow me down some...
but at least I have goals!

Before and after pictures to come soon!

Menu Planing in the making!

I am SO excited I just have to share! I subscribed to this website that sends daily email on organizing. I know cool huh? It's called I'm An Organizing Junkie. I have loved it. It's done really simple and doesn't take very much time to read. Lots of the time I open it - think "I'm not interested..." delete. But today I opened it and it's titled "Organizing your Freezer". I'm ALL over that. So I check it out... which led me to this.

MEAL PLANNING MAGIC!

So I check it out. It is so cool. If all you do (which is mostly what I've done) is check out her resource guide I think you will be amazed!

I have been wanting to clean out my freezers (yes, that is plural - I have 4 total and no, I do not have a problem. They aren't all BIG ones! tee hee) and do some meal planning with what is in them and *MAYBE* (I'm afraid to commit) make some freezer meals. I think making the freezer meals would be an answer to prayers. But as of now, there isn't room. And I know there is some mystery food in my freezers that need to be tossed or identified! :)

Anyway, I just wanted to SHARE! I hope you get as excited as I did! OK, maybe not that excited. But I hope it helps in some SMALL - or small way!

Summer Vacation

We spent the month of July in Forest Lakes at my parents cabin! I left July 1st at 10 pm and didn't come home until July 27th. We had SO much fun.The first two weeks I got lots done.

I bottled 3 cases of tomatoes, 3 cases of pinto beans and 2 cases of chicken. I made some wood blocks that say AMERICA. I watched movies and visited with my family.

We celebrated the 4th of July in Heber! I love the Heber fireworks!

The last week and half I started reading - I got 4 books read and lots more movies watched! It was pretty relaxing!

It also started raining...and raining...and raining! It pretty much rained everyday! It was heavenly. One day we had a pretty amazing hail storm. Being the Arizonans that we are, we took lots of pictures!

I LOVE visiting with my sister and sister in laws. They are some of my favorite people! I think I enjoyed the visiting the most!

My girls spent most of their time playing games with their cousins, riding bikes and swinging!


The last weekend was Pioneer Day, so we went to Snowflake. Heidi and Holli were at girls camp, so it was just Hope, Vaughan and I. We had so much fun. Hope stayed for the rodeo and LOVED it. Could we have a cowgirl in the making???


It's definitely been a fun summer. It was hard to leave the cool air and the carefree life style. (Did I mention that I only wore makeup on Sundays!) But - it's time to be responsible once again! Thank you Vaughan for holding down the fort at home so your girls could play!

Cupcakes and 2 year olds

In June, Ava and her Mom was over visiting.
Ava is my niece. The cutest little thing on two legs I might add!
I was making dinner and Ava came with me to find some pasta.
Of course, there amongst the pasta was a box of strawberry cake mix!
Ava thought strawberry cake sounded yummy... so, we made cupcakes!
Heidi offered to help her and I think the pictures speak for themselves!

The only thing missing is her sweet voice singing,
"Happy Birthday to A-uuu! Happy Birthday to A-uuu!"
(It was just a few days before our little Ava's 2nd birthday!)
We had fun. Enjoy the pictures!

Summer Harvest

(this was at the beginning of the season)

Our summer garden was a success! Yeah, Yippee! I'm so grateful for success! If you will remember, our winter garden failed - miserably. But we decided to try again.

We planted 12 tomato plants where the sandbox used to be. We planted 4 green beans, cherry tomatoes, 3 bell peppers, green chili, banana pepper, fools you jalapeno and a jalapeno in the planter on the east side of the yard. We planted zucchini, yellow squash and 6 cucumber plants on the south side of the house. We have strawberries planted there too. They were planted late, so no berries. But they have been putting off babies like crazy. So our one surviving plant has reproduced about 10 plants. We expect yummy berries this spring! We also have a strawberry plant in the planter on the north side of the yard. It too has been putting of babies! It's fun to see all the little plants growing strong despite the heat!

We enjoyed the zucchini in June. I googled all kinds of recipes and tried them on my family. Chocolate Orange zucchini cake, zucchini muffins, oven *fried* zucchini and zucchini lasagna . I never ended up trying the lasagne, but the muffins and the fried zucchini were a hit! In fact I made them twice! YUMS!

(garden green beans and our oven *fried* zucchini!)

I ended up bottling almost 5 cases (57 quarts) of tomatoes! I'm so excited, because I was hoping to bottle at least 52 jars. Our tomato vines still look beautiful, so if they hold on until September I think I will be able to bottle more tomatoes this fall. *fingers crossed*.


We ended up with more cucumbers than we could eat. It was crazy! I tried to google recipes using cucumbers, but didn't really find anything my family would eat. I ended up taking most of them up to the cabin. I would peel and slice them in the morning and before lunch they would be gone! They really were delish! They were the most mild cucumbers I've ever eaten. I think it's ruined me for store bought cukes now! I thought I took pictures, but I can't find them.

The cucumbers have quit producing, but the plants look good. Even the green bean plants are still surviving! We lost our squash plants, but I'll just plant again this fall. I'm SO excited for our fall garden. We have a little more grass to get out of our planters and I think we will plant carrots and lettuce there! I'm thinking maybe I should turn the front planter into a veggie garden! The possibilities are endless!

Fresh veggies really are the best!

You Have a Birthday - Shout HooRay!

On June 24th Hope celebrated her 11th birthday!
We decided to have a Baking Bash Birthday party.
I made these cute aprons for each of the girls!

We started off by making pizza! Yummy!
The girls did a great job.

While the pizza's baked the girls played JUST DANCE on the Wii.

After all the pizza fun, the girls decorated cupcakes.
Each girl got 5 cupcakes to decorate!

There was LOTS of frosting and bright fun colors to choose from!
Who knows, these girls could become professional cake decorators!


Of course there were presents to open!

And then some more Wii playing!
As each guest went home they got a cookie mix and cookie cutter
to continue practicing their baking skills!

It was LOTS of fun and pretty simple.
Of course I couldn't have done it without my sweet assistants -
Hillary, Heidi and Holli!
I hope you had a fun birthday Miss Hope!
We sure love you. I am amazed at how much you are growing.
You are becoming such a beautiful person - inside and out!