Lucky girl

Two cool finds under $15!

Ok, it's not the boy, (though I'd pay at least $16 for him) but do you see the pretty chandelier in the background? I scored it at a yard sale right before we moved in for $15. (Yep, it's been hanging out in my closet for two years!) Sean surprised me and put it up last week. Pretty huh?

I got this cool chair at Savers for $12.00. I couldn't pass it up. So many ideas for redoing it are flying through my brain! I tried to take the bottom fabric off, but it's stuffed with some wierd things. A little over my head, so I may have to slip cover it or get it reupholstered by a professional. Should I paint it black or white or maybe just sand it and white wash? Hmmm.

Party Time

Just a couple of cute pictures I couldn't help posting.

The sign says "Thar's a partey in taun" (There's a party in town!) Too cute!

The difference between boys and girls...a study in pictures.

These pictures were taken just moments from each other. The kids had some friends over and I thought it was so funny the difference in the way they played. The boys are play kung fu fighting on the trampoline and the girls are dressed up if fluff and wings. Oh, such cute little fairy's and the brave men who will protect them.

(Note: I know Ty looks like he's being picked on in the picture and Ridge looks pretty fierce. But it was all part of the fun and games. No one was hurt in the making of these pictures! Promise.)

Happy Birthday

My sweet hubby just celebrated his birthday. Carly helped make a birthday banner for him and we put up some decorations to surprise him when he woke up. We made him biscuits and gravy followed by a family bike ride. We made a trip to Sportsman's Warehouse for some manly shopping and headed home for cake and ice cream. I don't know that it was his "dream day" per say, but I hope he enjoyed it just the same.
We love you Sean. We're so blessed to have you as a hubby and daddy! Hope you have a wonderful year. Happy Birthday!

Happy New Year!

We spent a nice New Year's Eve at home. The kids and I had a movie fest (Sean had to work late) and we watched "Kung Fu Panda" and "Vegie Tales, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything." Then we counted down to the new year at 9:30. It was so much fun. (I think it's the countdown that makes it fun, because the kids and I felt the same excitement at 9:30 that Sean and I felt at 12:00! Woo hoo! I suggest you try it if you have little kids.)

New Year's Day we watched the Rose Bowl Parade and Sean made us a pancake breakfast, which is Ridge's favorite! We took naps while watching football. (Yes, apparently you CAN do both at the same time!) Then, to top the day off, we made a trip out to Cabela's. It turned into a very short visit, since they were closing early due to the holiday. Bummer. We didn't want to waste a long trip so we decided to go out to eat. I don't know about the rest of you, but sitting in a restaurant with my kids is usually not a fun experience. I hope it wasn't a one time deal, but the kids were so good! I actually sat at the table at the end of our meal and felt at peace! Can you believe it? I know all you mother's reading this will understand and if you were here, you would give me a high five and congratulate me on all the long hours of teaching manners finally paying off! But, it was a short little peaceful moment when they all had to use the restroom at the same time. Do you have one of those kids that occasionally take 20 minutes to use the restroom? Well, this was one of those occasions. Fun. Oh well, count your blessings, right?

Hope you all have a wonderful New Year!

Merry Christmas

We have had a great Christmas break. It has been so nice to have all the kids home and we have enjoyed our time together,but like always, the time has flown by. We celebrated Christmas at my parents house this year with Hayden, Katie, Cindy, Christian and Cooper. Dusty and Julia and kiddo's came over Christmas day. It was sooo nice. I thought it would be a little chaotic, but not at all! We made gifts for each other and they are some of my favorites. We made neclaces and bookmarks, aprons, and Carly even made the boys a ramp to jump their remote control trucks off, just in case Santa brought them some (which, of course he did. Good guess Carly!)

We were blessed with presents from near and far. Thank you all who were so thoughtful.

I love the feeling of Christmas and the beautiful Spirit of Christ that fills our home. Don't you wish we could keep it all year?


Hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

A Brother Date...

I've heard of a "Daddy Daughter Date" and a "Mother Daughter Date" but this week I was introduced to a new kind of date! My boys looove their sister. Carly is a natural born leader with a contagious energy and love of life. She is exciting to be around so when she's home, the boys are usually not far away. Their play usually revolves around her and I love to hear their squeels and laughter and schemes.

One day, the boys wanted to play and uncharacteristically, Carly was too busy for them. My heart caught for a second and I felt a twinge of sadness for them. I love that my kids play together. I waited a second to see what would come of this odd change to their day...then Ridge came up with a brilliant plan: "I know! Let's have a "Brother Date" and off they went!

Picture Tag.

This is a fun little tag from Sarah and Diana. Here it goes.

This picture is the fourth picture in my fourth picture folder:

We were working in the back yard after school one day, when Sean sprayed the kids with the hose. They had a blast as you can see on Carly's face! Somehow when Sean and a hose are involved in the work, the kids always end up wet! I think they anticipate it because they know Dad is a little mischevious! But hey, the family that works together and plays together stays together. Right? Right!

I tag all my sisters! I know you girls have a ton of picutes! Open your fourth picture folder and select the fourth picture and tell us about it.

Have a great day, Lisa

Halloween in Utah

We had such a fun Halloween in Utah with my sister Keri. We all dressed up and went around the neighborhood trick or treating. When we were done, we went back to their house and sat in the driveway and watched "Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfeman". (A projector is a fun investment!) The porches were all decorated so beautifully and the weather was awesome! The leaves were changing and dropping and the kids had so much fun playing in them. What a beautiful Fall experience!

Happy Birthday Grandma #90!

Recently we were blessed to tag along with my Mom and Cindy on a trip to Idaho. We went to celebrate a very special pretty lady in our lives. Our Grandma Denning turned 90! We grew up with our Grandma singing songs to us. Our all-time favorite, hands down, is the Little Fishy song. My Mom and Aunts threw her a fun Birthday party and they even sang several of her special songs. She took a turn and sang to us as well. What a treat!

For some reason, I forgot to bring in my camera. I got a shot of her the next day. Isn't she a pretty lady?

Some random memories of my Grandma:

My Grandma has the most positive outlook on life. I have never met anyone like her yet. This is a quality I hope I can grasp. Especially during this challenging time that we live in. So, if you hear me complain, punch me in the arm and remind me of my Grandma!

I lived at Grandma and Grandpa's house one summer after High School. It is one of my favorite memories. I had a blast living with them. It was such a great opportunity to get to know them, since they lived in Idaho and I lived in Florida. We sat up and listened to old western music with them. Grandpa even found a tape my family sent them when we were little. (It was fun hearing our tiny little voices singing them songs and my Mom sang to them.) They had tears in their eyes.

One day that summer, my sister Keri and Cousin Shalee were working out with me upstairs when we heard Grandma yell up from the bottom: "Hey Sha, how many situps did you do? I did three!" and then we all giggled like a bunch of school girls!

Shortly after I had Ty, my Grandma was here for a visit, and she would sit and hold him an hour at a time, singing him songs and rocking until they both fell asleep. Sweet.

Grandma was a home ec. major and she liked to cook in the kitchen. She was always worried about us girls "taking care of our men." I can't remember being at a party with her when she didn't ask me if Sean got enough to eat and requested I go fill his plate up one more time. I have to admit, it rubbed me wrong sometimes, being the modern girl that I am. I'd think, he's a big boy, if he's hungry he can get his own plate. But I was wrong. She was right. Her generation knew how to take care of each other. Sometimes it seemed a little lopsided to me, but if I take a little of what I know (or think I know) and mesh it with what she knows, I think that would be considered progress. I am lucky enough to have a husband who puts my needs before his. He will offer to get me a drink of water on the way to fill his own cup. He doesn't expect me get up to go get his. If we both look out for each other, as Grandma asks, I bet our relationship will last 70 years as well. A little unselfishness goes a long ways. (I hope that made sense.)

I love you Grandma. Hope you had a wonderful Birthday!

Thanks for letting us tag along Mom!