Snow Day

Last night we got an early Christmas present- no school today. I guess I should clarify, my two younger kids were actually a little bummed at hearing the news because they had parties planned and a magician coming this afternoon. However, Troy and I were happy to not have to drive out in the ice that we got on top of the snow we received a few days ago.

Genna has been the most excited about the snow this time. Last week, they had predicted a big storm that missed us and she was so disappointed. So this week despite temperatures in the teens, she spent over an hour playing outside in the snow.



It was good snow for a snowball fight.

Even Mo liked the snow- we needed the leash b/c our neighbors big dogs were out and they like to play pretty rough.


It's definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Wonderful Weekend

Here is a reflection of the wonderful weekend we've had, seen through Jameson's eyes, since these are all pictures from his camera.


You never would have believed that Saturday was the first of November in Nebraska- it was sunny & 70 degrees. We took the opportunity to get some things done outside and made it a family work day. Now the kids weren't overly thrilled at first, but I think in the end we all had a fun time. Now the garden and all the flower beds have been cleared and leaves tilled in.


Look at Mo- he is getting so big. He has gained more than 3 pounds since we got him. He is such a fun puppy and we love him dearly! We're so glad that he has finally figured out that this is his home. While we worked on Saturday, he just played happily in the yard along side us. We were worried because before we would be playing with him and he would take off down the street to where he knew his mom and siblings were.


This weekend was our Stake Conference up in Lincoln. We had an amazing adult session on Saturday night which was all about the temple. Afterwards, we went out with Troy's family to Texas Roadhouse. Sunday's session was equally as wonderful. Such good reminders of how we can do a little more and strive to be better each day. Tonight we were on the road again, traveling up to Troy's sister's house in LaVista. We made welcome home signs because Stephanie gets back next week from her mission. I'll take pictures at the airport of the cool signs we all made. We had dinner together and just enjoyed one another's company tonight.


After Stake Conference today we came home and had breakfast for lunch. Troy made us pancakes and sausage. I was so excited to try out my new cute little OJ glasses. I look at these glasses every time I go to an antique store. My grandma has similar glasses and I just love the size and colors of them. But I could never bring myself to pay the $3-5 per glass price at those stores. Friday, I was shopping at our little thrift store here in town and found 2 sets of 3 for 50¢ a set. The sad thing is that we realized we're not big orange juice drinkers. Connor commented that he thought of the show Fear Factor and just downed his whole glass at once. Maybe next time, I'll have to buy citrus punch.




This is Jameson's halloween candy. He was thrilled with the full sized hershey bars(his favorite). Speaking of candy- you should go read the story of the Candy Bomber from WWII. It is really touching. Here is Cocoa's cool FHE lesson based on this story.


Jameson's trumpet and a few of the songs he is working on for their Veteran's Day concert at school. I'm so grateful for music in my life. This weekend I listened to a lot of great music- at Stake Conference and here at home on the computer. Hopefully Made with Glue and Love doesn't think I am blog stalking her- it's just she has the Mamma Mia soundtrack on her playlist, so I've been hanging out quite a bit at her site.


With Election Day and Veteran's Day fast approaching, I looked at these pictures from a flag burning ceremony we attended, with gratitude in my heart for this great country we live in. I believe our founding fathers were inspired men. I am so thankful to those who serve to keep our country free. I pray that on Tuesday that good men and women will be elected to run our country.




Add finally these pictures are just funny to me. Here is Jameson eating his first atomic fire ball! Thanks Cheryl for taking them.


I hope your weekend was wonderful as well!

At my house this week...

we had a puppy playdate(with Mo's 3 siblings who live down the street)

I'm getting ready to put my heavier comforter back on my bed

I've been packing for Time Out For Women

I brought in all my herbs from the garden

drying lavendar(if I'm doing this wrong- can someone let me know!)

freezing parsley

I'm loving the view from front yard these days

my neighbor's tree

I'm in charge of Genna's Halloween party at school- so I've been getting that organized. This is for a pin the wart(hershey kiss) on the witch game.

I'm scrabooking for a sorority project. Scott Nisely was killed in Iraq in 2006 and we are putting an album together for his mother. We're just doing a uniform basic layout for now and will add titles and possibly embellishments later.

What's going on at your place?

Puppy Stuff

I never realized what a dog person I am. Mo has been accompanying me while I play taxi driver for the kids. He is such a sweet puppy who is constantly making me laugh.

Yesterday he got his 8 week shots at the Vet. It was so funny because we got there a little early (they were all at lunch) and so we walked all around the outside. When it was our time to go in Mo started heading towards the door, but the closer we got the more he started sniffing and he promptly decided he was not going to be led inside that place. The receptionist was laughing at him through the open doorway. I wondered how he already knew to be afraid of going to the Vet?

Mo had his first bath this weekend. He did really good. However, he did not like the hair dryer. Of course, our bathing him ensured that it would rain shortly and it poured yesterday. The corner of the dog kennel has settled and there is a corner where dirt runs off from the retaining wall behind it. So we had our first taste of muddy paws last night.

Here is a slide show from his first bath.

Ok, and the blog where I saw this cool vintage looking slide show also had an awesome link to a video of Jimmy Stewart reading a poem about his dog Beau. It is definitely worth the watch- but grab your kleenex!

Odds & Ends...

Jameson was thrilled to get his cast off yesterday.

He was a little worried when she took out the saw, but it all ended up okay.

He said it felt really weird afterwards.

The kids took Mo for a walk down the street to visit his relatives.

First, we stopped to see his mom. I guess he was a little thirsty after his long walk.

Then, we stopped to see his two sisters, Mindy and Bindi. We didn't realize how much bigger he is than them. They played pretty rough together. At home, he is a pretty calm guy.


And finally a few Halloween decorations...

Here's my little shelf with some treasures I found recently.

Those candlestick holders used to be gold.

This little red box holds all my bird books and binoculars. I just cover it up with a towel, but it is easy to grab when we see a bird out the back window.

This little cake plate was once red. I found it at the thrift store and when I went to wash it, the red film flaked off. It was sort of pink after I washed all the red off. Amber suggested I paint it black after we saw the cutest black cake plate at Hobby Lobby. Good suggestion- I like how it turned out.


I have a couple more things to share- but first I have to do some dusting. The bad thing about black furniture is that it really shows the dust.