{Our Fancy-full Life}

So Much For Catching Up

2010-10-25T11:26:00.000-06:00

Well, my attempt to update my blog clearly failed.

Let's see, after returning from Seattle we packed up again two days later to head out on the pioneer trek with the youth of our stake. My mom came and watched our little ones while we pushed a handcart for three days.

After my trek experience I am humbled and eternally grateful for the sacrifice the pioneers made. Just those 3 days I spent in the wilderness exhausted me mentally, physically and emotionally. Not to mention the inch thick layer of dirt I had stuck to my skin and hair. Needless to say, I would like to cordially invite myself to never go on another trek again.

Clint and I were Ma's and Pa's and these were our kids. We actually trekked up into the hills behind our house. We walked 17 grueling miles, mostly all uphill of course. This photo was taken on our last stretch of the trail when we were the most ornery, tired and dirty we possibly could have been.

After returning from trek, Clint left the next day for a two week stint in Alabama for work. When he returned we celebrated Easton's 4th Birthday.

Little mate received a bike for his big day. We celebrated with a beach party.

I made the birthday cake by cutting up pieces of cake and layering pudding, cool whip, then cake. I then crushed vanilla wafers and graham crackers to make the sand. The seashells are just chocolates I made with candy molds.

For being the beginning of July it was a bit chilly- so much so that we started a fire in the fire pit. However, it didn't stop Easton and his cousin Jane from swimming in the pool.

Back by popular demand

2010-09-24T15:31:00.001-06:00

Not really- unless you count my brother saying "update your blog!" on my facebook account.

So, where to start. This summer was the busiest summer EVER. As I mentioned in June we traveled to Seattle for my bro's wedding. The following are a few more pictures from our fun trip.

Here we are out and about sightseeing. Seattle is pretty but it was June and kind of chilly. I am not a fan of chilly weather.

On the way home from Seattle we drove to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to see our friends Katie and Helo.

They took us fishing and camping. Finally, some relaxation on our vacation.

We were also able to visit our good friends the Walker's and the Nelson's on the way up to Seattle but I failed to take photos of our fun times.

And now, more photos of Sean and Nicole's wedding reception.

The wedding was beautiful and Sean and Nicole were SO happy!

Well, that's a start for now. More to come- {hopefully.}

Happy 4th

2010-07-07T08:51:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a happy 4th of July. I loved the fact it fell on a Sunday because the whole weekend was filled with celebration.

Clint has been out of town for two weeks due to work obligations so we celebrated Easton's birthday on Saturday. {Pictures forthcoming}

Sunday we enjoyed dinner and fireworks at Grandpa Mark's and Grandma Debra's house. Followed by a sausage and marshmallow roast at our home while watching more fireworks.

Monday we relaxed and enjoyed hanging out and having our Dad home with us.

I love this country!

Little Mate is 4

2010-06-30T10:31:00.001-06:00

Little Mate is now 4 years old today.

This is the kid that started our crazy parenting adventure.

He makes me smile, laugh, pull my hair out at times, and cry. Most of all he makes me happy.

This boy loves dance parties and glow sticks. We make a weekly trip to the dollar store to get a glow stick, sometimes a turkey baster or a ball but mostly just glow sticks. Anything that is not a toy is what he likes. He's not into swords or action figures but a nice stick or sanding sponge is preferred.

His favorite song to dance to at his dance parties is 'Carol of the Bells' (aka Grandpa Bob song) -even after 2 years it never gets old.

Easton loves his little sister and enjoys teasing her and mauling her at times. He is a good big brother and likes to help out.

{Easton age 3}

Messes are his thing and he is not afraid to make a good mess. He is getting better though at picking up his things and cleaning his room, which I sure appreciate.

{Easton age 2}

The boy adores his grandparents, cousins and friends.

He told me when he is bigger he wants to drive a fire truck (like his uncle Reed), drive a race car and build things.

For his birthday I asked him what he wanted and this is the list he had me write:

Robots (the movie)

Scary Ball

Duckie

Flashlight Glow Stick

Shrinking Star

Ghost Light Show

Root Beer

Popsicles

We love our little mate and are grateful for the humor and craziness he brings to our home.

I just wanted to share this little story about Easton that means so much to me. While saying prayers last week he said, "Bless Grandpa Bob that he can get his house solded." Well, my parents have been trying to sell their home in Grand Junction for the past year so my mom can move to Price where my dad has been working for a year and a half. The next day after Easton's sweet prayer my parents had a showing of their home and received a great offer. They close in just a few weeks on the sale of their home. Such a blessing and an answer to a little boy's prayer.

We love our East! Happy Birthday!

Where Have We Been?

2010-06-29T00:20:00.002-06:00

Well, June flew by like a rocket. Here is a little recap of what we've been up to.

My brother was married on June 11th in Seattle. We rented an RV and made the trek northward. Easton loved the RV and the RV loved gas. I don't know that I loved spending so much money on gas. However, we had a fabulous trip and enjoyed stopping to see several friends on the way up and back from Seattle.

The very happy couple.

Are you wondering why my dress is different from my sisters? ( Maybe you're not but I will tell you anyway.) My sister forgot my dress as well as Marielle's at the hotel. She felt really bad though so I won't name which sister it was.

My beautiful little sisters.

I have lots of pictures of our trip, 404 to be exact. I will post more later. Hopefully.

Memorial Day

2010-06-01T20:03:00.001-06:00

My heart is filled with gratitude for the many men and women who sacrifice so much in order to preserve liberty. We enjoy so many freedoms in this great land because of those heroic, brave people.

My own life has been personally touched by many heroic people. Two of those hero's are Clint's grandfather, grandpa Ralph and my own grandfather, Don. In April we had the opportunity to travel down to Manti to watch as Ralph received his Purple Heart award. While stationed in Iwo Jima during WWII Ralph was shot in the shoulder. He quickly returned home after being shot and therefore did not receive his much deserved medal. Clint's Aunt Kathy completed the necessary paperwork and after over 60 years Grandpa Ralph finally received his Purple Heart.

(Grandpa Ralph with his wife and children)

While in Manti we also had a chance to visit my grandfather Don. He fought in the Pacific during WWII as well. Little did I know that my visit with my grandfather in April would be the last time I would see him. He passed away May 6th. He was 90 years old.

I am grateful for these men and so many others who have sacrificed so much in order that we can enjoy the many beautiful freedoms we have here in America. I love this country and feel so blessed to be an American.

Shower

2010-05-20T14:28:00.002-06:00

The day after Marielle's birthday party my mom, sisters and I threw a bridal shower for my brother's fiancee Nicole. They are planning a June wedding with grey and yellow as the wedding colors so we decided to have a yellow themed shower.

These are the party favors each guest filled with candy from the candy buffet to take home with them.

Now if I would have not had such sweatie armpits from running around and visiting with everyone I may have taken a few photos of the guests. But apparently I did not have the wherewithal to accomplish such a task and so I am left without pictures of my fabulous family members. Next time I'll have to hire a photographer.

Sweetie Pie Party

2010-05-12T16:27:00.002-06:00

The following are pictures from Marielle's birthday party. {It's a bit of picture overload-sorry}

I wanted to create a little party for her that was pretty and sweet like she is.

I love making crafts and so for the past few weeks Easton, Marielle and I sat up in my craft loft or the croft as Easton calls it and created. Easton loves to help me create as well. He enjoys gluing, cutting, stamping and punching out paper. Marielle just likes to dig through all of my supplies and eat the paper.

Most of the frames are from the thrift store, spray painted to match her room.

The banner is made from doilies purchased at the dollar store.

A little scrapbook to honor the birthday girl.

Little Miss Turns One

2010-05-10T14:43:00.002-06:00

Marielle turned 1 on May 6th. I know it's cliche but I truly can't believe my baby is already one. I just love this girl. The way she smells I could just eat her up.

She is walking all around and is a very cautious little walker. She can successfully climb up the stairs and down the stairs as well. My cousin told me to not get a stair gate and just teach her how to go down stairs. I'm so glad she did because I hate those obnoxious gates and now Marielle knows how to navigate the stairs on her own.

She has eight teeth and is beginning to get her molars in.

I think she is already starting her terrible two's because when she gets mad she clenches her fists and starts wailing. It's rather funny to me.

Marielle loves to play with Easton and gets so excited to see him when she wakes up from naps.

She is a great eater and enjoys almost everything. Although she now has a new trick of taking the half chewed food from her mouth and throwing it onto the floor. I'm loving that.

She still gets up at night at least once, sometimes more. I guess she hasen't received the memo yet that it's ok to sleep through the night. So here's the memo- please start sleeping through the night. Thanks, Mom.

We had a little family party for her first birthday. I will post pictures later.

Mantel Re-vamp

2010-04-08T10:27:00.003-06:00

I love to spy in on other people's homes to see how they have decorated. With the blogging world it makes it a lot easier to get a sneak peak into how people decorate. That is why I am joining the mantel linky party over at the Nester.

After taking down the Easter decor my mantel was seriously lacking. I wanted to change things up a bit so I shopped the house {and Ross}.

I took the picture from my living room. I originally purchased it at an antique store. I love the monochromatic feel. The glassware is from Ross. Candlesticks, vase, & frame are from the thrift store. I spray painted the candlesticks gold and rubbed them with raw umber. I sponge painted the plaque thing with cream paint and then sanded it down to see the gold.

It's still a work in progress. I don't know that I'm loving the hydrangeas. {Probably because they are not real.} And Clint asked if I wanted him to put a picture in the frame. Very funny.

I'm sure I will rearrange and rearrange some more but that's the fun of mantel decorating.

Glimpse of Our Easter

2010-04-07T09:00:00.003-06:00

There were Techno Dance Parties in the kitchen, Egg Dyeing, Egg Hunts- 4 to be exact{including an egg hunt with my sisters and myself- it was a blast! Lots of pushing and shoving.} The Easter Bunny came and left lots of goodies. We ate lots & lots of food including coconut cream pie- yum!

Spending the Easter weekend with family and watching General Conference together made for the perfect weekend. I love the spirit that was felt in my home and the beautiful messsages shared. I came away inspired to be a better mother & wife.

My heart melted when I asked Easton who that kind man on the screen with gentle eyes was and he replied, "Thomas Monson." What a blessing to have a living prophet on our earth at this time.

I Did Not Forget

2010-03-29T19:17:00.000-06:00

I wanted to ensure Easton knew I wouldn't miss Easter so we went to two egg hunts over the weekend.

My sister Danielle accompanied us to the first egg hunt. It was held in the Lehi pool and it was a blast. Easton loved jumping in the wading pool and searching for eggs. He even won a big Easter basket filled with toys and candy. After the hunt we all swam in the pool, much to Marielle's delight.

Danielle gave him this kite and a glow stick while she was here. This kid loves glow sticks. I mean LOVES glow sticks. He constantly carries them around with him, sleeps with them and even hands them out at preschool for show and tell even though they no longer glow and are months old.

On Saturday we went to This Is The Place monument for another egg hunt and it really was the 'place.' About half of the state of Utah attended making it crowded and not so fun. However, Easton did manage to find a golden egg worth 4 tickets to the aquarium. Lucky kid.

I'm not sure what is going on in this picture.

And Little Miss is starting to walk at 10 months of age. She will take a couple of steps and then slink to the floor where she prefers to crawl.

Here she is doing the 'slink.'

Is it Easter Time Yet?

2010-03-25T14:38:00.000-06:00

I hear this refrain daily.

Easton: "Mom, is it Easter time yet."

Mom: "Not yet. Not for a week or so."

Easton: "I really like Easter time."

Mom: "I know you do bud."

Easton: "I don't want to miss it."

And so it goes, each day we have this same conversation.

The boy also enjoys watching himself open all of his Christmas presents again and again on the flip camera. It's sixteen minutes of boredom to everyone else but to Easton it's non-stop entertainment.

Oh the joy and excitement found in holidays when you are a child.

Enjoying the weather

2010-03-16T17:00:00.005-06:00

The last few days have been so springy {is that a word} and warm. We've been enjoying going to the park and playing outside with friends. A big difference from the snow we had a week and a half ago.

Easton and Clint enjoyed the snowfall. They built a snowman, who disappered by days end, and had a snowball fight. I stayed in the warm house and worked on a few projects.

I was tired of looking at the ugly yellow cord on Marielle's chandelier so I decided to make a cord cover. I had been looking to purchase one but they were about $30.

I measured the length of the cord {7"} and cut my fabric double that {14"}. I cut the width to 7". I then ironed down all four edges with fabric glue. You could sew all four edges if you wanted but I didn't want to. Have I mentioned I hate sewing. I then did a running stitch down each 14" length by hand. Slap a piece of velcro on and your done. Now the unsightly cord is hidden.

Fancy Photos

2010-02-27T17:30:00.001-07:00

While at Bassett Furniture to pick up our new couches I spied these photos hung up in one of their faux display rooms. I am always drawn towards the monochromatic look. Plus with the gold frames these were right up my alley.

I immediately knew I needed them. {Ok maybe not needed but really, really wanted} The sales lady told me the price at which I was even more excited and I snatched them up as quickly as I could before Clint noticed. I shoved them into the truck while he wasen't looking, brought them home and hung them up while he was away on a trip.

Now I don't know why I felt I needed to "secretly" buy them or "secretly" hang them up. {Obviously he was going to see them. They are hanging right above our bed.} My C-Thomp does not care when I buy things for the house-never has. In fact he is always so supportive of my decorating. I guess I felt guilty for already getting couches and adding some pictures to the mix.

I really should have had Clint hang them up though. He is much better at getting things even and straight. Plus I hung them a little too high for my liking. I guess I'll leave the hanging to my husband from now on.

Little Helper

2010-02-22T22:32:00.001-07:00

While cleaning up the kitchen I caught this little helper assisting in unloading the dishes. She still could use a little work learning where the dishes go. Most items just landed on the floor which landed them back in the dishwasher to be washed again.

The Easter decor has made it's debut for the season.

I love placing a different seasonal item beneath the glass cloche. A little bunny from the thrift store and a nest with eggs make the cake stand ensemble complete for Easter.

I figure you can never have too many rosette's {or too much toile but my husband would disagree on that one.}

A simple rosette garland hung on the mantel.

St. George

2010-02-17T12:36:00.001-07:00

I could live in St. George. The weather is beautiful, the landscape is gorgeous and every store you could want is within a short drive around town.

Easton, Marielle and I enjoyed visiting Clint while he worked the gun show {the reason for the trip}. Here we are checking out the big army tank. Actually the tank is not as big inside as it looks on the outside. I learned this by bonking my head several times on the hard metal interior.

My beautiful best friend Holly drove up from Las Vegas to see me! I love spending time with this girl.

Miss Marielle managed to not sleep one wink on the trip down or back. Most babies are lulled to sleep by the car- not our little Miss. She prefers to be onery and stay awake the entire time.

Now that she is 9 months old she weighs 17 lbs 7 ounces putting her in the 21%tile for weight and in the 88%tile for her height at 29 inches.

While in St. George I did a little coupon shopping. Sometimes I get tired of shopping in Utah County because there are SO many coupon shoppers and if you want something on bargain it's usually gone.

At Target I purchased 5 instant oatmeals, 2 razors and 2 packs of gum paying $11.59 after coupons. I then received $10 back in gift cards. So if you consider the gift cards that's only $1.59 for all my items.

At Rite Aid I purchased 3 packages of diapers and 2 packages of truffles for a total of $7.88 after all of my coupons. I then went online and requested my $5 rebate. Bringing my cost to only $2.88 once I receive my rebate check.

Coupon shopping is fun when you get good deals like this but sometimes it's very tedious and time consuming. However, I'm sure I will keep doing it. I've got to stick to my $200 monthly food/diaper budget and using coupons is the only way I think I can do it.

To recap-we had fun in St. George. We swam, ate lots of food, {I pounded a whole bag of circus peanuts by myself}, shopped, enjoyed the weather and saw lots of guns. What more could you ask for from a romantic Valentine getaway.

Clapping

2010-02-10T22:21:00.001-07:00

With the wonderful warm weather we've been experiencing I can't wait for spring. These little rosettes I made sing of spring. I thought they would be perfect to decorate for Easter with.

I placed them in my milk glass vases purchased from the thrift store.

Little Miss started clapping today. If I say 'yea' she will clap for herself. She is nine months old now and I just can't get enough of her. Easton loves to drag her around the house and make her play with certain things. Little Miss is a scavenger and is constantly on the lookout for little crumbs of food on the floor. Needless to say she only needs to look under Easton's chair to find a smorgasbord of snacks.

The boy and I made yummy sugar cookies for Valentine's Day. Actually, I made them while Easton ate the dough and icing.

{Happy Valentine's Day}

New Couches

2010-02-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

The new couches have arrived and I am throughly enjoying their presence.

We purchased these from Bassett Furniture. The store in Orem is remodeling so everthing in the store is currently 35% off, including special order items such as our couches.

I sold our former set on the classified ads and within a day we had a buyer.

Thank you for the birthday gift Clint. You sure know how to spoil a girl.

A Mini Trip

2010-01-31T21:59:00.003-07:00

The little man adores a good trip so when Clint mentioned he had a voucher for a free night stay we decided to get out of the cold and go to where it is even colder-Park City.

There was swimming, more swimming, eating pizza, cupcakes and candy, staying up late, and shopping.

Even though we were gone for only one night, it was a lot of fun and satisfied the boy's insatiable appetite for trips. Oh wait, it didn't. Before we had even left Park City he said he wanted to go on another trip. To that I say- sure, in two weeks we will go to St. George.

Pink Shoes & a Package

2010-01-27T21:47:00.001-07:00

I adore these shoes on Little Miss. Even though they don't stay on they are so very cute.

There was a knock on the door the other morning and much to Easton's surprise and excitement a package lay waiting for him on the front step.

The little guy was squealing and jumping all around. He loves getting anything in the mail. I give him my junk mail and he'll play all afternoon with the credit card terms and conditions pamphlets.

This was much better than a credit card pamphlet though. He tore into the box to discover a cache of treats and goodies sent from Grandma Connie. Marielle tried to get in on the action but she was not quick enough. Easton ate her share of the treats as well.

We made peanut butter kiss cookies with the chocolate kisses Grandma sent. Easton unwrapped all of the kisses for the cookies.

I caught him sneaking a cookie before breakfast. {I'm sure it couldn't have been because he saw me eat one moments before. oops}

The Blah Bathroom

2010-01-23T15:16:00.002-07:00

This little Miss has now mastered the art of crawling up stairs. She has not mastered coming down the stairs however, unless you count trying to go down head first. It is now time for one of those obnoxious gates to be placed in front of the staircase.

{ I can't get enough of this smiley face.}

Several months ago I gave my bland, builder beige bathroom a mini makeover. I was so tired of looking at this:

With a tiny budget {enough to buy a can of paint and a shower curtain rod} and some fabric I had on hand I transformed the blah into this:

{slightly less bland bathroom}

The tiebacks are hooks I purchased for $2 a piece and originally planned to use them in Marielle's room to hang a few things on but I never did.

I love a good apothecary jar or two. Not only do they look fabulous, they are functional as well as inexpensive. I purchased mine at various places, Roberts craft store {using a 50% off coupon}, yard sales and Ross.

I have a list in my mind of many more things to do to the bathroom such as add a mini chandelier above the tub but husbands and $$ prevent such things from happening. For now I will just enjoy not having a beige bathroom any longer.

A New Year a New Me

2010-01-14T13:50:00.003-07:00

As I type this post I am in my room having a time out. Easton sent me to my room because I wouldn't let him have a treat. I really like time outs. He should send me to my room more often.

Although I always dislike taking down the Christmas decor because our house seems so bare afterward, it always engerizes me to clean out unwanted items throughout our home and organize things a bit more. Easton assisted me in getting the hearts out for "heart day" and placing them around the house. With each new year brings new goals. I decided to try a new format this year with my goal setting and set a few goals in five different catagories.

1. Family: Go on a family vacation.

2. Personal: Become more organized. This is one of my goals every year but there are so many areas to become organized in. This year I am focusing on schedules. I have scheduled my daily goals for cleaning and playtime with the kids.

Example: Thursday- Dust & vacuum the upstairs

Craft time

3. Health: Run two times a week. {Many of you are probably thinking- that's it, only two times a week. In my defense I have not run since high school and so I thought I would ease into things a bit. I actually went running for the first time a few days ago and managed to run 1.8 miles without stopping or dying.}

4. Social: Call or send a card to each of my friends on their birthday. I am the worse at keeping in touch so this will help me.

5. Spiritual: Read scriptures and say prayers with Clint each evening.

The new year also brings a new age for me. I am now a thirty something, celebrating the big 3-0 last Friday. My family as well as Clint's gathered at our home for a pizza party. Easton really wanted me to have a roller skating dance party. I wanted to as well but when you have a little one that loves to go to bed early, it's hard to do things like dance parties. I guess I'm showing my age.

Clint took me shopping for my birthday. I've been wanting new couches. I've debated about getting new ones because I don't worry when Easton plays on them or takes off all of the couch cushions and bounces around on them. However, our couches have become so worn they are no longer comfortable and you sink when you sit on them. So in three weeks these beauties will be gracing our family room.

I can hear Easton calling me now- telling me my time out is over. It was nice while it lasted but I don't think I got a full 30 minutes.

2010-01-06T20:38:00.006-07:00

I know it's January 6th but I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. (One of my goals this year is to be better at blogging.) We went to Grand Junction to my parent's home for Christmas. All of my siblings were there. If you notice Easton was really excited to eat the ham at Christmas dinner.

New Year's Eve all my siblings and cousin came over for the traditional appetizer party. Clint and I barely stayed awake to welcome in 2010. On New Year's Day, Easton awoke to find a present under the tree that Mrs. Claus brought to him. She always visits New Year's Eve and brings the one present Santa forgot to bring at Christmas. The tradition of Mrs. Claus has always been a part of my childhood and I'm excited to have Mrs. Claus continue the tradition with my children.

Little Miss is moving all over the place. She is a proficient little crawler and pulls herself up on everything. She had her first run in with the coffee table and received a little shiner. (I wonder if I could say little a few more times.)

She is exactly 8 months old today.

I Love Christmas

2009-12-22T22:03:00.004-07:00

I look forward to laying by the fireplace each night. When it's snowing outside it's my favorite place to be. So cozy.

Of course I love the Christmas tree and I keep the lights on constantly. The ambiance created by the tree adds so much to our home.

Christmas cards from friends and family near and far make me smile.

The beautiful story of our Savior's birth.

My absolute favorite thing I love about Christmas are these little gifts under the tree.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Dear Santa

2009-12-16T15:05:00.001-07:00

Dear Santa,

I've been a really good boy. I help my mom with my baby sister. In fact, just yesterday my baby sister pushed me so I sat her on the stairs for time out. To make sure she wouldn't fall I placed lots of pillows around her. I gave her a five minute time out. I know she is only 7 months old but she pushed me so she deserved an extra long time.

For Christmas I would like a big football, a big candy cane and a blue ruler. I would also like another turkey baster. My dad already bought me one but I figure you can never have too many turkey basters as a three year old.

Love,

Easton

Dear Santa,

I've been a really good girl. The last few weeks have been kind of hard on my mom because I've been getting my two front teeth in. I know I get up a lot at night but I just don't feel well. Other than that I've been good. Oh, except for when I pooed on my moms bath rug today while she was getting me ready for the tub.

For Christmas I would like a nice beard like yours and some knee pads. I've been slithering around the house for a couple weeks now. I forgot to mention that I keep pulling ornaments off the tree and ripping the wrapping paper on the presents under the tree. I'm just so cute that maybe you could overlook that. I can almost crawl on my hands and knees. I get up and rock back and forth, take one crawl forward and then go down to my tummy to do the army crawl. I really think a pair of knee pads would come in handy as I crawl around.

Love,

Marielle

Finally Finished

2009-12-10T10:46:00.002-07:00

I finally finished decorating Marielle's nursery. I was waiting for the dresser and nightstand before I could complete everything. I originally purchased the dresser and nightstand at a consignment shop about two months prior to Marielle's birth. The consignment store owner told me she would paint them and have them ready for me within three weeks. Well, three months went by, I had Marielle and still no furniture. I called the owner who informed me my items had been stolen by the consigner. She said she would find something similiar to replace them with. I waited and waited and seven months later the consigner finally delivered my dresser and nightstand which she said she had "painted." Turns out she sprayed a few coats of spray paint on them and called it good. Apparently she didn't have her glasses on when she was spraying because she missed the whole bottom portion of the dresser. I can't complain though. I received a great deal on the set. I plan on repainting them in the Spring and spraying all of the knobs pink.

Almost all of the accessories have been spray painted to match the colors of the room. I mostly focused on a pink and cream palette and added a splash of seafoam green. I purchased accessories from the thrift store, Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxx.

As I mentioned in a previous post awhile back, I was able to get the chandelier for free because they no longer carried the crystals that went with it. They gave me my money back and I went to Home Depot and purchased my own crystals. The medallion was purchased at a yard sale for $3. It's actually an umbrella stand but for $3 it became a very heavy medallion which Clint nailed to the ceiling.

The crib is from Babies R Us, as well as the rocking chair and ottomen. Originally the chair was purchased when I had Easton and so I just moved it into Marielle's room. It has held up really well and I love rocking my babies to sleep in it.

Christmas Spirit

2009-12-08T22:09:00.000-07:00

The Festival of Trees is not only brimming with the most beautiful, amazing trees you have ever seen, the stories behind each tree are so touching. My eyes always well up with tears as I see the faces and hear a little about the life each tree is dedicated to.

If you notice Easton has his snow boots on. Even though the boots are two sizes too big he insists upon clomping around in them wherever he goes. He also insists upon bringing his giant plastic candy cane with him as well. The candy cane was purchased at the dollar store recently. It was a tough decision between a turkey baster and the candy cane but in the end the candy cane won out. Those turkey basters can be a lot of fun though.

Over the weekend we had the chance to get together with our friends from Utah State for a little Christmas party. Clint lived with these fellows his senior year and daresay the fun never stopped at the Chateau.

'::::::::::

Coupon Happy

2009-12-01T23:03:00.001-07:00

I know Clint is really going to like this post.

For $10.07 at Target you would be able to purchase the below items.

However, if use coupons you can get all of this for the same amount of $.

10 boxes of cereal

4 boxes of crackers

12 cans of vegetables

8 cream soups

2 tubs of butter

7 wipes

10 rolaids

2 marshmallows

Coupons and Target make me happy!!

First Thanksgiving

2009-11-28T17:30:00.001-07:00

Marielle and I both celebrated firsts- her first Thanksgiving and my first time hosting the event. We had my family as well as Clint's family over for the traditional meal. I had a rough start as I grabbed my turkey out of the fridge it had been residing in for 4 days only to find the dumb bird still frozen. I soaked it in cool water and it thawed out just in time to be placed in the oven on schedule. Everyone helped out by bringing side dishes.

I made little bags filled with treats for each guest that also served as the name cards. I wrote each persons name on a leaf that I stamped, cut out and placed on the center of the bag.

Everything turned out fabulous and I appreciated all of the great help I received. I could not have done it without everyone. To finish the Thanksgiving Day we had a rousing game of Settlers, my favorite.

Easton also had a Thanksgiving celebration at his preschool a couple of days prior to Thanksgiving. He has the best teacher, Miss Mandy. ( He used to call her Handy Mandy for some reason.) The children sang a few songs and then we enjoyed a turkey dinner. It was so cute to watch the children sing. They did a fabulous job!

Although Marielle was not able to eat turkey at her first Thanksgiving she did enjoy delicious rice cereal with harvest vegetables. Marielle is 6 months old now and she adores food. There has not been anything she will not eat. I started her on the rice cereal at 5 months and she didn't like that as much but I started adding a little fruit or vegies to it and she enjoyed it much more.

Little Miss also had her incisor teeth grow in just in time for the release of New Moon.

Marielle weighs in at 16 lbs (51%) and is 27 inches long (85%). She can sit up and enjoys playing with toys. Her favorite activity is to chase brother around. She giggles and giggles as you hold her and run after Easton. Little Miss loves to sleep as long as she can be in her crib otherwise sleep is not happening. She goes to bed every night around 6 p.m. and is up for the day around 7 a.m. Ever since she started teething she gets up 2-3 times a night to nurse. She is quite the squealer and is always making lots of cute high-pitched squeals. This little one is a happy one!

New Knobs

2009-11-24T23:32:00.000-07:00

Our computer has been out of commission for a week due to damage to the power cord. I don't want to mention any names as to who caused the damage but his initials are Easton Thompson. We finally got a new cord so it's nice to be able to get on the computer again.

As many of you know I love treats and making treats for my family. I also enjoy a good cake stand. I keep this stand, located on my counter, filled with treats. It makes me happy. And makes me keep my gut too.

My own C-Thomp installed these beauties for me in the kitchen. I love the glamour they add.

33rd Year

2009-11-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that this stud muffin is now 33 years old as of Monday. Luckily, his taste in fashion has improved over the years. However, he is still as funny and sweet as the day I met him eight years ago. ( By the way Clint- Don Johnson called and he wants his suit back.)

Clint requested a carmello cake which I was happy to oblige him with.

Happy Birthday!! You are one cool kid!

I held out as long as I could but I couldn't wait any longer- it was time to put up the Christmas tree today. One month of Christmas decor is simply not enough. I figure if I put up a little at a time then it will be easier and Thanksgiving will not be completely overlooked.

Happy Halloween

2009-11-04T21:58:00.005-07:00

We started the Halloween festivities by attending the annual carnival put on by my sister-in-law's mother. She throws quite the shindig. Easton's favorite event of the affair is launching paper rockets and then chasing after them with his cousin G.I. Jake.

This little lion was delighted with the buckets of candy he was able to obtain while traipsing around the neighborhood. I was delighted with the many mini candy bars I snuck from his bucket.

This little pumpkin enjoyed eating her tutu. I enjoyed kissing on those chubby cheeks.Little Miss Pumpkin with Grandpa Bob, Grandma Connie and the Wild Lion.

Oh, and the lion's cucumber friend.

Grandpa Mark and Grandma Debra with the cute ones.

And of course Halloween isn't complete without a visit to see Great-Grandma Glenda. One of the sweetest ladies around.

2009-11-04T21:33:00.002-07:00

Last Friday my mom was in town so we met up with my aunt and we went to the Children's Museum. Easton loved it.

Here he sits patiently waiting for the helicopter to take off. He really thought it would fly away because it makes loud sound effects like it's going to. He was very disappointed when he never left the ground. Easton's 'work' as he called it was to lift and build with the blocks. If I had one of these builder stations in my house I would probably never see my child. This kid loves construction.

Las Vegas Baby!

2009-11-04T14:10:00.005-07:00

As you may have noticed I fell off of the blogging bandwagon for a bit. For those of you who regularly update your blog. I admire you. For some reason I lack the ability to do so. When my life fills up with so many other things, blogging gets put on the back burner. Those other things I'm referring to include listing and selling my cousins home within two weeks' time. Listing another home, teaching an enrichment class, being sick 3 times (I've decided I'm not leaving the house for the rest of the winter) and various projects around the home.

As a result I am behind on our blog and would like to update what we've been up to. At the end of September we went to Vegas for a few days. Clint had some work obligations to attend to so we decided to join him and make a mini-vacation out of it.

This picture is what vacation is all about. Hanging out, enjoying one another's company and just taking it easy.

Easton chased this poor pigeon around and around before the dumb thing finally flew away.

The pool was the main event of our stay in Vegas. We spent many hours enjoying the sunshine and Easton loved soaking in the hot tub. His favorite thing to do however, was to sit in the shower for an hour at a time. The shower had a built-in bench which provided the boy with endless enjoyment. Every towel and washcloth he could get his hands on ended up covering the bench. It was his "work" he told us.

While we were in Vegas I was able to spend the morning with my best friend Holly and two of her boys. Everytime I get together with her it's as though little time has passed between us. She's just one of those friends that you can talk about anything with and leave feeling so uplifted after talking to her. Unfortunately I forgot to take photos.

Beautiful baby girl. She didn't mind swimming but was more content to lay on the lounge chairs with daddy.

It was nice to have some time in the sun to spend with my family (and to not have to do the dishes for a few days.)

Roly-Poly

2009-09-16T21:50:00.004-06:00

Little Miss is 4 Months old. She weighs 15 lbs 8 ounces putting her in the 86th percentile. She is 25.5" long and is also in the 86th percentile for her length. Her bottom two teeth are starting to come in already. Marielle is a wonderful baby and has such a happy temperament. She is captivated by big brother and enjoys watching him run around and be silly. He can really make her laugh too.
She sleeps wonderfully. I put her down for the night between 8 and 9 p.m. and she usually sleeps until 5 or 6 a.m. I am loving that. When you get a good nights sleep it makes a world of difference.

She is also rolling over from her back to her front now. Much to my disbelief she started rolling from her stomach to her back at just three weeks old. With the addition of her new rolling ability she is quite the mover, rolling all over the floor. Little Miss steals my heart.

Fall is in the Air

2009-09-13T15:52:00.002-06:00

I caught this little guy doing something he often likes to do outside instead of taking the time to come in and do. We got our fence put up this week and I am thoroughly enjoying being able to send Easton into the backyard to play and not worry about him wandering off. It's also nice to hide the little guy when he is pulling one of these numbers. This is our family room. You can see the crown we had installed several months ago. Love it. Clint installed the mantel, purchased for $75 off of the classifieds, and did the tile work around the fireplace.

Easton and I decorated for fall. He was anxious to get the pumpkins and the leaves out. He also wanted to hide the eggs and went and got his Christmas tree and plugged it in as well. It's a season for all holidays apparently.

Karol- the picture below is for you. It is a cake stand made with a plate and a crystal candlestick from the thrift store and glued together with an epoxy. A glass cloche on top completes the cake stand. I enjoy decorating for each season with a different item under the cloche. A little ribbon tied on top and the ensemble is complete.

Love Coconut

2009-09-08T22:00:00.003-06:00

Growing up my mom always made yummy homemade treats for our family. I now find myself enjoying doing the same for my family. (Let's be honest- I also love eating treats.) I've been on a coconut kick lately. These chocolate coconut brownies are delish-and easy to make.
Step 1: Mix a chocolate brownie mix as indicated on the box. Spread into a 9"x13" greased pan.
Step2: Mix 8oz softened cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 2T of flour, 2 cups coconut & 1/3 cup of almonds.
Step 3: Spread over brownie batter. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Voila! I also made some lemon-coconut bars tonight, which I am eating right now, and they are yum. No wonder I can't lose that last 10 pounds of baby weight. While I've been busy eating chocolate coconut bars, Clint and Easton have been working hard in the back yard getting the rest of the sprinkler system in. Don't you love that beautiful new trailer Clint purchased? I was pleased as punch to see that beauty pull into our yard. Apparently it was a screaming deal on KSL and it gets the job done so I can't complain about the eyesore.

Easton has also been trying his hand at photography. He's very artistic.

More Family Photos

2009-08-31T20:05:00.006-06:00

Clint was out of town when we had our first photo session. We had another photo session with the man of the house. I love this photo of Easton. He looks like a little model to me. I think this boy is now well trained on how to pose for pictures because he was doing all sorts of poses for the camera.

My little princess. Love that sweet look on her face. She must have been watching Easton and contemplating what in the world he was doing. I also contemplate that same thing. She loves to watch him run around and do silly things.

A Little Inspiration

2009-08-27T21:51:00.003-06:00

It has been well over a year since I have done any serious paper crafting. Last week I purchased a new shirt and the following tag was attached to it. This little tagged sparked my creative juices and inspired me to make a card using the same color scheme and idea.It has been too long since I have played with my paper supplies. I have forgotten how much I enjoy making cards- and giving them to others. If you would like a homemade card while I am on my cardmaking frenzy, drop me a line with what kind of card you would like and I will send you one.

First Day of Preschool

2009-08-25T21:31:00.003-06:00

Easton started preschool today. Five minutes prior to school I rolled him out of bed. He was so excited and a little out of it due to having just woke up. He got to play with play dough, paint a bus, eat snacks and play some sort of bear game that apparently "shcared" him.

After school we decided to hit Thanksgiving Point for the last $2 Tuesday. We went to the Dinosaur Museum. Easton was too "shcared" to sit by Marielle and myself while taking this picture. Lately everything seems to "schare" Easton. I don't mind it except for when it's 3 a.m. and the little guy is too "schared" to sleep in his bed anymore.

It was wear matching shirts to the museum day today.

Happenings

2009-08-21T13:39:00.002-06:00

Every Tuesday during the month of August you will find us at Thanksgiving Point. For only $2 per person you can get into any of the venues. Easton enjoyed feeding the goats at Farm Country.

I made Blackberry Jam with the fresh blackberries Clint and I picked. Every year we like to battle the prickly blackberry plant to pick these sweet berries. I tried to make the jam while Marielle was sleeping but halfway through the process she woke up and was fussy right as the fruit began to boil. Then Easton decided he wanted to be a part of the process too and climbed up on the counter and filled some of my jars with water. I was trying to console Marielle, dry out my jars and stir the boiling fruit. It's amazing the jam even turned out.

And as promised, a picture of the finished frame project. Not the best picture as I was trying to console Marielle while snapping a quick pic.

Keenie Anyone?

2009-08-15T21:31:00.003-06:00

I know what many of you are thinking- Easton has turned into a vampire and he's holding a giant zucchini. Don't worry it's not blood, just kool-aid that he drank. And the keenie, as he calls them, is just one of the 3,765 zuks we've plucked from our garden.I've made zucchini bread, cupcakes, sauteed it, blanched it, frozen it and given it away. Yet, there still seems to be an endless supply. Easton has even made friends with it. He also made friends with a fellow squash and cucumber. If you look close at the picture below you can see the cucumber has a few bites taken out of it with tape, rubber bands and paper clips attached to it. This cucumber became best friends with Easton and was carried around for about a week until it shriveled up into oblivion I've also been up to my ears in green peppers. I diced some and cut some into strips. I then laid them on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for about an hour. After which I put them into freezer bags. Now when I need pepper strips for fajitas or smothered chicken I can just pull some out of the freezer. Hopefully they taste ok. I've never frozen them before. If anyone has- will you please let me know how they turned out.

Captured

2009-08-12T22:29:00.006-06:00

My friend Lyndsey @ SeenBoxPhotography came over to our home and took pictures of my little ones and myself. The pictures turned out so beautiful. I love how she captured the personalities of my kids. It was fun to be able to do the photo shoot in the comfort of my own home as well.

8.9.03

2009-08-10T16:28:00.002-06:00

Thanks for the Happily Ever After six years ago. Oh, and thanks for the Scooter to celebrate that six years with.

Frame It

2009-08-07T22:56:00.003-06:00

This picture, found at the thrift store for $5, was faded. However, when I took it out of the frame I found $10,000.
Just kidding. I wish. You always hear the stories on the news about people finding treasures in their old things. Every time I buy something old and crappy I always hope I might get lucky one day and find a real treasure. Hey- it just might happen. I buy enough crappy stuff.
Anyway, I bought this picture and took it out of the frame to create ......

This! I love vintage frames so I thought it would be fun to create a magnet board with it. My hubby stapled the metal to the back and there you have it. I then Mod Podged paper on it to hide the ugly metal. (I'll post a picture of the finished project later.I forgot to take one.) It now hangs in my pantry where I hang notes, letters, invites and other things on it. That way my fridge stays clutter free.

Be Our Guest

2009-08-05T21:20:00.004-06:00

This little guy thinks he needs two bedrooms. Apparently one room is needed to house his toys and clothes. The other room, our guest bedroom, is for sleeping.However, I don't blame him. Why sleep on a toddler bed when you can enjoy a big comfy queen sized bed.

If any of you would like to make the trek out to our home and be our guest, the little man will surely give up his lap of luxury. The bed and side table were previously my grandmother's. I painted them an antique white. The desk is from the thrift store. A $45 find. The chair is from a consignment shop. I covered the headboard and chair cushion in the same fabric.
This mirror has been several colors. At first it was black, then I painted it gold, and now it has new life in cream.

Please come and be our guest. We would love to have you. We will even turn down the sheets and leave a mint on your pillow.

Coupon Commotion

2009-08-03T16:23:00.003-06:00

As of yesterday and for the next two days Smith's is doubling coupons. When I discovered this while reading Sunday's newspaper I was ecstatic. At 12:05 a.m. I was at my local Smith's with about 12 other crazy coupon shoppers making out like bandits. We were the only shoppers in the store. I kind of felt like I was on Supermarket Sweep. Do you remember that show? Running around the store, trying to find the sale items. Below is a sampling of some of what I purchased. Almost everything I purchased was on sale. I also bought some produce and 6 gallons of milk. My total came to $199.50. After coupons the total was.... Gotta love that! So many free items I could hardly contain myself. Candy bars, tuna fish pouches, yogurt, salad dressing, mustard, toothpaste and more. It was worth going to bed at 3:00 a.m. this morning to get these good deals.

Summer?

2009-07-29T22:32:00.005-06:00

Why is it that winter seems to drag on and summer flys by in the blink of an eye. Easton is very distraught just thinking about it. He has been having such a fun summer and will be starting pre-school once the school year begins.Easton has enjoyed frequenting several local carnivals. Apparently the carnies and germ-infested rides don't deter this little dare devil. He would ride on all the rides if he were tall enough. What is summer without going to a parade or two? It took all my willpower to not jump out in the street and help Easton gather up candy. He did a pretty good job of gathering goodies, with some help from his cousins. He's still young yet.

Easton ran in the Kid's Fun Run and I don't think it was that fun for him. Halfway through the race he threw in the towel and had a mini melt down. However, he managed to pull it together and finished the race. I guess we'll have to do a little training for next year.
Each day we try and have mini-school. Pants are not required at this school-just come as you are. Easton loves to put on his backpack and come knock on the door to the "school house" located in the guest bedroom. We spend about 30 minutes (or as long as I have patience for) learning about the ABC's, numbers, colors and more.

This crazy guy doesn't slow down for a minute. Not even to try and get a family picture taken.

Little Miss Marielle

2009-07-17T15:23:00.004-06:00

Look at that face. Oh how I love my baby girl. She is quite the chub weighing in at 13 pounds 10 ounces which puts her in the 95th percentile for her juiciness. She is in the 85th percentile for her length at 23.5 inches.

I haven't yet finished decorating her room. I'm waiting to get a dresser and side table which will help me determine where I want to hang things up. I purchased the fabric online. My mom made her bedding and I made the curtains. I love this toile. Actually I have a deep love for all toile and would probably wallpaper our house in toile if Clint would let me. But alas, his love of toile does not run as deep as mine does so I'm lucky to have Marielle's room in toile, my craft room in toile and our dining room chairs upholstered in toile.
I painted the walls in a light cream color and then did a pink accent wall. We had a guy in our ward come and do the crown moulding. We actually had him put up the crown throughout almost our entire home. I will have to post pictures of that later.

She is my little angel now. The first two months were a little rough- I'm not going to lie. She would wake up every two hours at night to eat and didn't sleep all that well during the day either. At night she seemed especially fussy and suffered from a bit of acid reflux. However, at two months I moved her into her crib and out of our room and now she sleeps 6-7 hours at night. It is heavenly. Plus during the day she sleeps like a champ as well. After she wakes up from a nap she has about an hour of wakefulness and then I start our little routine to put her back down. If she gets tired she gets fussy- she needs her sleep.

Look at those chubby little legs. I can't get enough of this girl.

So Blessed

2009-07-07T23:39:00.007-06:00

Marielle is now two months old. On Sunday we had the opportunity to bless her. Clint gave her such a beautiful blessing. My ever-so-talented mother made her beautiful blessing gown out of the same material my wedding dress was made out of. Almost six years ago Clint and I were married and to have Marielle's blessing gown created from the same fabric I wore on that very day we created our family was so special to me. Thanks mom.

Shots from the luncheon held at our home following the blessing.

I created a dessert buffet for our guests to help themselves to yummy treats from following the meal. We had ham, cheese potatoes, coconut strawberry salad, maple glazed carrots and seven-layer salad for dinner. The buffet featured chocolate cupcakes with buttercream icing, macaroons and an assortment of pink candies.

It was such a beautiful day. I am truly blessed to have two sweet little children and a wonderful husband. I am grateful all of our family was able to attend.

3

2009-07-07T22:37:00.004-06:00

Easton celebrated his 3rd birthday on June 30th. I'm a little slow at posting-as per usual. When we asked Easton what he wanted to do for his birthday he replied "roller skating!" We told him he could have a roller skate party if he went poo-poo in the toilet. Well, he did- and has yet to do it again. Ugh. However, on a side note- Number 1 he has got down. No accidents, even at night. Now if I could just get him to go number 2 because Clint and I are tired of cleaning out dirty unders.
I digress- so we had a roller skating pizza party and Easton loved it. I made him this roller skate birthday cake to match his party theme. I made the skates by filling two empty soup cans with batter and baking them along with the cake.

We were at the rink for over three hours and when we went to leave Easton had a huge fit. He loves to party. I made this edible centerpiece for the party. It's mint chocolate suckers I made from candy melts and stuck into floral foam.
Easton received so many fabulous gifts from his family. Thanks everyone. The next morning following his party was like Christmas morn. He came into our room bright and early while we were still sleeping and wanted his toys out of their packages. Apparently the skating did not wear him out enough the night before.A fun time was had by all.

I love my sweet little guy. He is full of energy and keeps me busy but he keeps me laughing all day long too. He has a love of 'junk' including ear plugs, rubber bands, combs, old credit cards and more. He likes to call me 'Ma' for some reason. He just loves to dance and when we are driving if I try to dance with him he says "No Mom." I guess I don't have the right moves. Happy Birthday Easton!!

4th

2009-07-07T22:19:00.002-06:00

For the Fourth of July my family came over, including my aunt from California, and we had a weenie roast. Easton loved the fireworks show we did in our front yard. Each time Clint lit a firework Easton would turn and look at me to make sure I was taking pictures and then he would immediately ask to see the photo. The sparklers were also a hit. He was a little nervous of the glowing sticks at first but he quickly caught on.

I am so grateful to live in this amazing country. I feel so blessed for the freedoms I enjoy and the sacrifices that were made and continue to be made to make this country what it is. I love America!

Put me in the zoo

2009-06-20T23:10:00.010-06:00

The whole Thompson family (minus Rafe) was able to join us for a delightful day at the zoo. Even Grandpa Mark and Grandma Debra came out. Of course, it was not easy to get them to pose for a photo so this is the best we could do. My dad wore his Wranglers just in case he had to bulldog an escaped rhino. Plus he heard from Brett Favre that they are “real comfortable jeans.”

"Tokyo...this is Easton...do you copy?...over" (I promise I didn't teach him this)

Easton, your wingspan will never even get close to that of a gorilla.

No comment.

Marielle didn’t get to see many animals but she did have an animal sized poo that exploded all over her outfit. The good news is that Grandma Debra came to the rescue and bought her a nice Hogle Zoo onesie.

Taylor was kind enough to lift Easton to see many of the exhibits. This happened to be the bear exhibit...as you can see he is tightly gripping a fencepost. He may have remembered what happened to Luke Wilson's character on the movie Anchorman.

We’ve got this nice monkey backpack/leash to keep Easton from getting into trouble. And who better to hold the leash than his younger cousin Jane.

Here's another cute picture of the Easton and the cousins...oh...and Thad.

Big surprise. Out of the hundred animals on the carousel, Easton chose to ride the wild turkey. I guess birds of a feather do flock together after all.

The day at the zoo was capped off with an enchanting train ride.

Happiness is this right here.

Life Begins at Eighty

2009-06-20T22:11:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to Grandma Glenda who had her eightieth birthday party a few weeks ago. It was a lot of fun to attend her party and socialize with her thriving posterity.

Easton and I really enjoyed the delicious food served at the party.

Charisse and Marielle had a pretty good time as well.

Truman Madsen, 1926 – 2009

2009-06-09T02:43:00.004-06:00

When Charisse told me that Truman Madsen had passed away a few weeks ago, I felt like I had lost a close friend since I have spent so much time listening to his voice. I first heard Madsen’s lectures on Joseph Smith when I was on my mission in Italy. Since then I have listened to those tapes and some of his other lectures hundreds of times. I relied heavily on his material when I majored in Philosophy at Utah State. He was probably the main reason why I majored in Philosophy in the first place.

Anyway, when asked why he spent so much of his life studying the life of Joseph Smith, he responded that Joseph Smith was a window through which he could see the Savior. Well Truman, thanks for letting me look through your window.

My Baby Girl is 4 Weeks Old

2009-05-27T10:08:00.013-06:00

I can't believe Marielle is already 4 weeks old. She is growing so quickly. Last week she learned how to roll over from her stomach to her back. At only 3 weeks old I could not believe it.

I wanted to write down my birthing experience with Marielle so I don't' forget how amazing it was. I apologize for the length of the entry but I didn't want to forget the details.

When I first discovered I was pregnant my thoughts immediately went to how difficult Easton's birth was and how there had to be a better way. With Easton I started having contractions around 11:30 at night. Finally around 4:30 a.m. the contractions were much more painful and I decided I should go to the hospital. My biggest fear was that the hospital would send me home because I wasn't far enough along in labor so I wanted to make sure if I was going the hospital they weren't sending me home. Once I got to the hospital I was found to be dialated to a 7 and they immediately said I could have my epidural. Due to my minor scoliosis it took the anesthesiologist almost an hour and several failed attempts to get the epidural in. Once in however, it was wonderful but at the same time I think that's where all the difficulty with Easton's birth came into play. The doctor told me that around 8:00 a.m. he would come back and we could start pushing at that point. He indicated it was good to just let the baby sit to help things out. Yeah right. Finally around 10:00 a.m., after performing an emergency C-section on another patient, he came back. At this point I knew I was long past the point of needing to push. I needed this baby out 2 hours ago. We started the arduous pushing process, with the doctor coming and going as he pleased. After 2 1/2 hours of pushing and no baby I was terribly worn out, my epidural was wearing off and I could feel Easton in my birth canal. Plus, as Clint always likes to indicate, he had been holding up my leg for all that time and was tired as well. The hospital should have paid him for having to do such work. Finally the doctor came back in, discovered Easton was posterior, did a little flip move to turn him around and out he shot with a giant cone head. Thanks doc, could have used that two hours ago. Needless to say I was completely exhausted and really did not have much desire to even hold my sweet little boy. I felt as though because I had an epidural the doctor and nurses were not that concerned with delivering my baby on both my baby and my body's time table. Instead it was what was convenient for them making it much more difficult for my baby and me.

After that experience I just felt as though there had to be a better way to birth. So, I looked into several birthing options and decided to try hypnobirthing and hiring a doula. Hypnobirthing is simply relaxation techniques which allow you to naturally birth your baby more comfortably. A doula is someone is who there just for you as the birthing mother. They don't take part in any of the medical aspect of the birth, they are simply a coach for the mom. They are normal people unlike many preconceived notions family and friends had when I explained I was hiring one. I found a hypnobirthing instructor named Becky who was also my doula. Clint was expecting some hippy lady but was very surprised to discover she was normal and not weird. The thing I loved most about taking the hypnobirthing class was the fact that Clint and I were doing it together. It wasn't like he did his part and now the rest was up to me. He was as much a part of preparing for the birth experience as I was. Every night he would read me my relaxation exercises and he recorded them for me to listen to on the iPod. I felt more prepared for Marielle's birth and a lot closer to Clint.

May 4th was my due date and even though I was dialated to a 3 and 90% effaced, the day came and went. The next day I had the doctor strip my membranes and Clint, Easton and I hung around the area for the day thinking at any minute I would go into labor. We went shopping, out to lunch with Clint's grandma, to the park and to get ice cream. However, nothing was happening so we came back home. Shortly after arriving home around 6:00 p.m. Clint went outside and started doing yard work and then I started having contractions. I wasn't sure at first if I was in labor but it quickly became apparent that I was. Whenever I had a contraction I would stop what I was doing and proceed to do my breathing exercise. Easton would say, "What's wrong mom?" Finally I knew it was time to go to the hospital. Clint was still outside and I couldn't find him. I told Easton to go find Dad and tell him I needed to go to the hospital but he couldn't find him either. Around 8:15 p.m. I finally found Clint and told him I needed to get to the hospital soon. He quickly began rushing around getting his bag packed and Easton ready. It was funny to watch the flurry of action. Clint revealed that he didn't think I would be going into labor until the next day and so he wasn't quite prepared and felt bad he had left me in the house without checking on me. We left the house around 8:45 p.m. and headed for the hospital. I continued to do my breathing and relaxation exercises on the way. Easton continued to ask, "What's wrong mom?" Once we got to the hospital, I was found to be dialated to a 5. We called my doula to let her know. Clint's parents came and picked up Easton. While walking to my birthing room the lady next door to my room was screaming and yelling. She kept saying, "Help me, I can't do this!" Needless to say it was a bit unnerving. I quickly asked to get in the tub. Shortly after getting in the tub my doula arrived and then my sister Danielle. I listened to my relaxation exercises and just focused on each contraction. Everyone said I looked like I was sleeping. I was slightly cognizant of what was going on around me and could feel the peak of each contraction but I was still relaxed. My doula was able to sense if I needed a little something extra and would help me focus. I remained in the tub for over 2 1/2 hours. I finally felt ready to get out of the tub. At this point the doctor called to check on my status. The nurse found me to be dialated to an 8+ and almost ready. My sister, Clint and my doula were massaging me and helping me stay focused. I began to feel a lot of pressure and contractions were coming really close and hard. The nurse checked me again at which point my water broke. Right then the doctor walked in. At this point I lost all focus and was in need of a little extra help to get me through. I asked Clint for a blessing at which point everyone stopped what they were doing and folded their arms while I received a blessing. Labor was very intense at this point and I remember saying, "I need my baby out" several times and began pushing. A few pushes later and out she came. It happened so quickly. It was 12:53 a.m. when she was born. The doctor laid her on my chest and I was so overwhelmed with her beauty. Outside of the temple, it was the most spiritual, amazing experience I have had. I was on such a natural high and felt so good after her birth. It was the birth I had wanted, prayed for and worked together with Clint to prepare for. Clint was so amazing throughout the whole thing and must have been on a natural high as well because he proceeded to provide quite a bit of comic relief. Marielle was perfect and began to nurse within the hour. I couldn't have asked for a better birthing experience.

First Week and a Half of Life

2009-05-18T17:43:00.003-06:00

Our beautiful baby girl. Big brother is slowly getting adjusted. He doesn't show much interest in her, other than the occasional kiss and hug. He does want to be held if she is being held which he never wanted before. He also has developed a passion for her blankets, or "nokets" as he calls them. There are certain ones he has taken a keen liking to and doesn't want to relinquish them once they are in his grasp.

Marielle's first big outing was to Salt Lake to attend Clint's induction to the Bar Association ceremony.

She didn't care for her first sponge bath much.

Marielle's bilirubin count was a bit high when we left the hospital so we had to have a light table brought to our home which she spent all of her time on the first 24 hours. After the first day her count began to slowly go down and she no longer needed to constantly be on the bed. Thank goodness. I wanted to hold my little girl. I was actually surprised her bilirubin count was high due to the fact that she is an excellent nurser. Within the first hour of life she latched on and has been going strong since.

We found out Marielle does not like being put in her car seat. She cries for a brief moment every time we strap her in.

It's so fun to get to know our little girl and see more of her personality unfold each day. She is such a sweet girl and is rarely fussy, only when she wants to eat and at night when we are trying to sleep. Hopefully she gets her nighttime schedule worked out soon. Clint has been such a great help. I think he gets less sleep than I do.

Welcome Marielle!

2009-05-06T23:06:00.002-06:00

Marielle Thompson was born at 12:53 A.M. today. She was 8 pounds, 3 ounces and 21 inches long. The birth went really well (no epidural...just a lot of focused relaxation techniques on Charisse's part). Marielle and Charisse are doing great and looking very lovely. More photos and comments are forthcoming.

Final Countdown

2009-04-27T19:11:00.004-06:00

With only one week left until my due date, I've been busy getting things ready for my little one. We still don't have a name picked out. I'm leaning towards Leona, Elle, Estelle or Lydia. Clint doesn't really care for any of those names. Anyone's input would be greatly appreciated.

I made some little do-dads for her hair. Hopefully she has some. If not, these will help her not look like a boy.

Easton wanted to model the hair accessories. Doesn't he look lovely.
I got my thank-you cards made.

I actually made a quilt. I dislike sewing immensely and I am not any good at it. Maybe that's why I don't like it. Thanks to my husband who can do anything, including electrical work without having any instructions, Clint hung the chandelier and installed the medallion. I can't keep my eyes off it. I have to look in her room every time I walk by.
The best news about the chandelier, I got it for free. The company I purchased it from sent it to me without any crystals. When I called to request them they informed me the manufacturer didn't have them and they would credit me the cost of the light. Woo-hoo. I just went to Home Depot and bought some crystals instead.

Now I will wait for my little one to come. The doctor said my body is ready so she could be here anytime now.

Introducing C Thomp Esquire

2009-04-13T17:08:00.006-06:00

The beastie pregnant woman thought she would make a blog appearance to announce some very exciting news. My dear husband is now Clint R. Thompson Attorney At Law. After months and months of stress, loss of appetite, lack of sleep and arduous studies, Clint passed the bar exam!! We are so very proud of him.

Not only is Clint one smart cookie but he can lay tile like a pro. He created our beautiful tile surround and installed the fireplace mantel.

If you need cement laid- Clint can do that as well. He is currently working on our patio in the backyard.

Clint is also quite the workhorse and is teaching Easton the same work ethic.
I hope everyone had a good Easter. We sure did. There were lots of egg hunts and treats to be had. Enough to make little Easton sick from eating too much candy.

On the baby front, I am three weeks away from my due date. We've been busy getting her room ready and preparing for her birth. I will post pictures once we are done with the room. Thanks for everyone's love and concern.

A Farewell To Blogging

2009-04-05T15:03:00.003-06:00

This just in from Charisse:

"I'm through blogging...and you can tell everyone I'm not reading their blogs either!"

Don't worry friends. I think it's just the pregnancy talking. I'm sure when the baby girl arrives in about a month the spirit of blogging will be re-born as well.

By the way, we haven't decided on a name so we are open to suggestions (except for stupid and trendy ones).

Signs of Spring

2009-03-26T20:51:00.005-06:00

The annual spring tumbleweed storm. This one even topped last year's.

Luckily I was home during the storm and was able to deflect most of the tumbleweeds away from our house to a convenient location in front of my neighbor's garage.

The really good news is that President Obama declared Eagle Mountain a Federal disaster area. He allocated one trillion dollars toward the cleanup efforts. We never would have gotten that kind of love from McCain.

After the wind died down, Easton and Sandy decided to dig a huge hole in the back yard.

After a few hours Easton needed a break. Grandpa Mark would probably "peak out" if he saw this kind of laziness in the hole. Then again everbody needs a "spell" from time to time. (Disregard these comments if you've never dug a hole with my dad before).

New Car

2009-03-01T13:41:00.003-07:00

I appreciate everyone's voice on our tough decision. Clearly the overwhelming majority of you voted for the Honda Pilot. So I suggested to Charisse that we consider getting something different. After lengthy negotiations and marriage counseling sessions, we decided we would get a car instead. We ended up getting this nice Chevy Impala. Moral of the story--If you're a big enough jerk, you won't have to get your wife what she really wants.

Rush

2009-01-11T00:03:00.003-07:00

Charisse disclosed today that she had never heard of the band Rush nor had she ever heard the song that is currently playing. Well she’s going to hear it now baby! Crank up the Tom Sawyer!

Incidentally, Charisse and I have been in the market for a newer vehicle. I know what you’re thinking—“why do they need a newer vehicle when they have that kick-A Geo Prism?”

Answer: we would like to have a larger vehicle for when the new baby comes. There are no other reasons (especially not the blue replacement front fender or the bondo and primer or the missing hubcaps or the mysterious Pizza Hut smell that introduces itself whenever the carpet is damp). After all, the Prism played a substantial role in Charisse’s decision to marry me.

Now the dilemma: we test-drove two vehicles last week—a Chevy Tahoe and a Honda Pilot. I am strongly pulling for the Tahoe, while Charisse has her feet firmly planted in Pilot Land.

Please friends, make let your thoughts be known in your comments…I mean try to talk some sense into her.

Thanks

Honda Pilot (left) Chevy Tahoe (right)

P.S. Happy 29th Charisse. Enjoy your last year as a bubble-gummer. Next year you’ll join us grown-ups (who carry heavy loads—not unlike the Chevy Tahoe).

We're Back!

2008-12-03T15:12:00.016-07:00

Last Monday Clint and I returned from our trip to Cancun. I flew into Grand Junction from Cancun and stayed the week with my family for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Clint flew into Salt Lake as he had to work a couple days and then joined us on Thanksgiving Day. After almost three week's worth of vacation I'm glad to be back in my own comfy bed and to see my little Easton but I sure had fun lying on the beach.

We stayed at the Mayan Palace Resort. We actually were able to stay there for free. Clint and I endured a three hour time share presentation in order to qualify for a free weeks stay. Dare say it was well worth the three hours. We also were able to get free flights down to Cancun because we cashed in our miles.

The resort was absolutely beautiful. It was so large that shuttles were needed to take you from place to place. The pool is the world's largest pool and holds the Guinness Book of World Records. It wound it's way around the resort and was amazing to see.

The resort provided various activities everyday. We participated in bingo, tennis, water aerobics and a bike tour around the resort. I also did stretching on the beach and dance lessons. This is my little dance buddy Luis. Clint wouldn't dance with me so I had to find a new dance partner.

We spent a lot of time relaxing on the beach. The weather was perfect. It was in the 80's everyday. Don't worry, Clint and I didn't get sunburned. With our pasty white skin we didn't take any chances and lathered on the SPF 500.

This is Tulum, an ancient Mayan civilization. The people that lived here were not as barbaric as other civilizations and didn't believe in sacrificing people. They did, however, believe in stretching out their babies heads so they looked like aliens. Fifty-percent of babies died during the process.

(See my baby bump. For some reason Clint and I like to take vacations while I'm pregnant. It's better that way because then I get motion sickness really bad and need to throw-up any time we drive or fly some where. Needless to say the flights were not my favorite part.)

We sent snorkeling at a place called Xel-Ha. The water was perfect. Clint and I did much better this time with our snorkeling skills. Not that it's very difficult but we kind of struggled in Hawaii when we were learning how to do it.

Xel-Ha was an all inclusive "water park" with trips down the river, cliff jumping and bike rides. The 'trip down the river' was not really what I thought it would be. It was more trying with all our might to move our tube anywhere and not making much progress. The water did not flow like a river, it was like a lake. Apparently they don't know the difference between a river and a lake.

We loved swimming in the ocean. Due to a bad hurricane that struck several years ago a lot of beach was washed away and so traveling out into the water was made difficult unless you had water shoes. We went and purchased some right away to save our feet from the rocky shoreline.

We also went to Chichen Itza. It was much larger than I thought it would be. They were a very barbaric civilization and sacrificed men, women and children. I would not want to be hanging around that place at night. It felt strange just being there during the day.

This wall was double in length and featured the heads of the team captains who were killed after they lead their team to a victory or a loss. Historians aren't sure which. A game was played, apparently often because there were a lot of heads on the wall, and when it was over the captain of one of the teams got his head cut off. Sounds like a lot of fun.

We really wanted to climb to the top of the temple but unfortunately they don't allow it any longer. It was very steep looking and appeared to be quite dangerous.

The last couple days of our trip we actually spent in Cancun. Our resort was about 30 minutes south of Cancun. The first day at our hotel I was admiring how pretty the water was and thought I would wade out a little bit to see how warm it was. I still had all my clothes on and hadn't yet prepared to swim. Well, I wandered out a little too far and looked up just in time to see a giant wave come barreling towards me. I couldn't run so I thought I would hold my ground and brace myself for the impact. I was no match for the giant wave and was knocked on my back and thrown completely to the ground. After the wave washed over me I quickly sat up to see who had witnessed the embarrassing wipe-out. I looked up to the beach and saw several beach-goer's laughing and smiling at me. So at that point what else is there to do but laugh at yourself and try as discretely as possible to get the sand out of your pants. This is me shortly after the wipe-out. I figured a flower in my hair might help me regain some of my dignity back.

Cancun is awesome and I loved the time I had to spend with Clint. I didn't even get sick of him once. We missed Easton so much and everywhere we went we would comment on how much Easton would love to see this or that. I want to thank my parents as well as Clint's parents for watching our little guy while we were gone. As much as we missed him it was really nice to just be able to relax and not have to change diapers or worry about what he was up to.

As beautiful as it was there I am so glad to live in America. I couldn't believe the amount of poverty we saw as we drove to different places. Billions of dollars are coming in from tourists and yet ten minutes away from these beautiful resorts people are living in stick huts with dirt floors. It was so sad to me to see little kids living in such squalor. I also appreciate the fact that I can pump my own gas at the gas station, I don't have to give anyone a tip and there is more than just one gas station chain to go to.

Thanks for letting me share this really long post about our trip.

The Fun Doesn't Stop

2008-11-14T20:07:00.005-07:00

Last weekend was Girl's Night Out in Park City. All of the mothers and daughters on Clint's side of the family got together and stayed the night in a hotel up at Park City. We went out to dinner, sat in the hot tub, stayed up late talking and went shopping. I am so blessed to have married into such a great family.

The fun didn't stop there. On Sunday we celebrated Clint's Birthday. I know I'm a little late at posting this but I just wanted to tell my Clinters how much I love him and how grateful I am to be married to such a spectacular guy.

And to keep the fun alive, Clint and I will be traveling to this beautiful locale tomorrow:

See ya in 10 days!!!

More Catch-Up

2008-11-07T10:37:00.004-07:00

The first snowfall of the season occurred in early October. We woke up Sunday morning to a blanket of glistening snow covering the ground which Easton immediately wanted to play in.

For those of you who may not know, Clint is quite the dancer and loves to dance with Sandie. The grapevine is his favorite move as seen here. Just look at the great form and style he has. Now if only I could get him to take me dancing.

After playing in the chilly snow it was time for hot chocolate and "blue white treat" as Easton calls the Cool Whip.

Random Facts

2008-11-07T09:59:00.005-07:00

My darling friend Jeana tagged me some time ago and I am finally posting the tag. I am supposed to list 7 Random Facts about myself.

1. I love a.m. talk radio and rarely listen to music any more. Man- am I old and boring or what?

2. I spend at least an hour a week cutting and organizing my coupons.

3. I always grind my teeth when I get excited.

4. I cry when I'm happy, sad, mad, angry, frustrated, nervous- actually any emotion I have is tied to my tear ducts. The good news is that while I'm pregnant the waterworks are even more hyper-sensitive. (Just ask my husband.) Look at me wrong and I most likely will start crying.

5. I enjoy reading books about money and investing.

6. I always talk to Easton in a funny way because he is so darn cute. I might say something like "Hey juice-a loop-a fruit-a scoop. " I'm probably not helping him develop his language skills much with phrases such as this.

7. I had a paper route from 7th grade until 11th grade.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2008-11-04T09:57:00.003-07:00

While sitting down to lunch one day I was starving so I quickly began to eat my soup. I heard a sweet little voice say, "prayer mommy, prayer." I looked at my little boy who had his arms folded and was anxiously waiting for me to say the blessing over our food. At that moment I felt such complete joy and love for my little Easton who reminded me of how important my example is to him. Even though I often think he is not paying attention to anything I say or do, I realized he does notice and he is learning. That simple phrase, spoken from the mouth of a two year-old, motivates me to continue to try strive to be a better mother everyday. It's moments such as these that make the challenges of motherhood so very worth it.

My Blog Catch-Up

2008-11-01T11:33:00.005-06:00

As I mentioned earlier I wanted to catch-up on some of my posts. Well, a few weeks ago we went to Colorado to visit the family. Sean and Dani are both attending college but all of the kids managed to make it home on the same weekend. We decided to take some family photos. Let me just say it's very difficult to take the photos and be in them as well. I had to run like the wind in order to make it into this shot before my camera went off. Needless to say I am really out of shape and was a bit sore the next day.

The highlight of the weekend for Easton was riding on the motorcycle with Uncle Sean and Dad. He also loved digging in the garden with Grandpa Bob- where they managed to harvest potatoes, carrots, parsnips or 'snips' as Easton calls them, and gummy worms. I didn't know gummy worms grew in the garden but apparently at Grandpa's house they do.

I love spending time with my family and was grateful we had the opportunity to all be together for the weekend.

Our Little Monster

2008-11-01T11:00:00.004-06:00

Easton was "Sully" from Monsters Inc. for Halloween. I was nervous he wouldn't wear his costume because every time I put it on him he immediately wanted it off. (Can't say I blame him. Who wants a bunch of fur in their face.) However, once he realized people gave him candy while wearing his costume- he loved it.

Sandy was an ATF bomb sniffer dog.

Running around the neighborhood with cousin Jake as fast as their little legs would take them in order to gather as much candy as possible. That's my boy!

Easton is now working on getting diabetes. He insists he eat his whole bucket of candy at once. What's a mom to do? I enjoy eating the candy as much as he does. Those kit kat's are delicious.

An Announcement

2008-10-30T20:15:00.008-06:00

As you may have noticed I have grossly neglected our blog for the last two months. I have had a lot to post about but I have lacked the desire to blog or to look at other's blogs for that matter. Sorry everyone. For the past two months I have felt very nauseous and tired. If you are thinking- sounds like she might be pregnant- then you are correct. I am 13 1/2 weeks along. I'm finally beginning to feel a little better, except for during the evenings. Despite feeling lousy for the past while I love being pregnant and feeling the little life flutter in my stomach. I feel so blessed to be able to carry such a precious life inside my own.

And now, if you will forgive me- I would like to catch up on the last two months of blogging that I have missed out on recording.

I will start with the most recent happenings and work my way back. Last weekend was the Halloween Hullabaloo that my sister-in-law Natilie's mother puts on every year. It is quite the carnival- with games galore, inflatable playthings, a cake walk, pinata, hot dogs and more. Jousting with my niece Taylor.

Easton loved the bounce house. Last year he was a little nervous, this year- no way. Here is Easton in awe of the homemade paper rockets launched hundreds of feet into the air. After the initial launch of the rocket, Easton launched himself across the ground chasing after the soaring rockets. He completed several successful rocket launching voyages. However, one rocket, The Challenger, was blown up upon take-off. I think chasing the rockets was his favorite. A little bum crack to make the day complete.

Ok- I'm tired and ready for a pre-bedtime snack. I guess I will post more later.

Our Little Narcissus

2008-09-26T16:24:00.004-06:00

During naptime this afternoon Easton dismantled the frame and removed this portrait of himself and lovingly admired it until he fell asleep. He is quite a handsome little man but we may just have to monitor his arrogance in the coming years.

Labor Day Tribute

2008-09-03T09:14:00.003-06:00

Why do we celebrate labor day? I'd like to think it's given as a time to reflect on those who have laid down their lives in labor for our country...On labor day my thoughts turned to my old government issue 1996 Buick Century. This wonderful car and I saw just about every major highway in Utah and Wyoming as we were about our Nation's business. NOT ONCE did this car hesitate to do her duty. Her 3.1 liter V6 engine offered great fuel economy and just the right amount of pep to pass a semi truck pulling a "rocky mountain triple."

Earlier this year, the powers that be decided that our partership was to end and she was decommissioned. A coworker snapped this shot of her as she was being hauled away to auction. I don't think it was a coincidence that Old Glory was flying above her as this shot was taken. Buick, I salute you as a legend, a patriot, and a friend.

Chocolate Pudding

2008-08-29T11:48:00.001-06:00

I may need to rethink my choice for white decor.

2008-08-26T11:20:00.001-06:00

Great choice of music Clint.

Just a Few Projects

2008-08-22T09:40:00.000-06:00

We've been working, or I should say Clint has been working on putting in our backyard. He tried to till the ground with our tiller but due to the rock quarry in our yard it was like watching a bull ride and seeing the cowboy get bucked all around. It was funny to watch, not so funny for the cowboy trying to till. Therefore, he went and borrowed his dad's tractor so he could actually till the ground instead of get knocked to the ground. Easton loves the trac-tor as he calls it. He talks about riding on the tractor daily. Somehow he even managed to fall asleep while riding on the machine. He won't sleep in his big, soft bed but put him on a noisy, bumpy tractor and he's out like a light.Then there was the backsplash project. Do you remember this post?
We decided to just do beadboard. As much as I would have loved a tile backsplash, money and time prevented such a thing.
And then Easton performed a few projects of his own. This nice project took place on our bathroom wall with some white paint I had been using. Lovely artwork isn't it? I was hoping to add a little something to our walls. Easton knew just what I wanted.

Oh, and how about this baking project. I couldn't have been more pleased with the results from this one. Nothing says cookies, cakes and brownies quite like a 25lb bag of flour on the floor and a little two year old in it.

Quirkiness Revealed

2008-08-22T08:57:00.000-06:00

I was tagged to list 6 quirks of mine. I'll be honest, I really gave it some thought. I didn't want to reveal some of my quirks lest you discover how strange I am.

Quirk #1. My Bed. The first thing I do when I wake up is make my bed. I can't leave the house unless it's made. The only exception to not making the bed daily is when I am sick. I also have to change the sheets weekly and must have clean feet to get into bed. I wash my feet every night or change my socks before getting into bed. It drives me crazy if I think they are the slightest bit dirty. Also, if you are in your day clothes and get in between the sheets I can't handle that. Think of the germs you sat in throughout the day and then you are bringing them to the bed.

Quirk #2. I can't stand hair growing on my arms or legs. As a result I shave my legs daily and also my arms every few days. Arm hair doesn't grow back as quickly and arms are really easy to shave. I've been shaving them for about 8 years now.

Quirk #3. I hate buying anything unless it's on sale or I have a coupon. I am constantly checking to make sure I am getting the best deal on whatever it may be. If I purchase something and then a few weeks later find a better deal I calculate the amount of money I could of saved and think about how I can do better.

Quirk #4. My shirts must be hung in my closet on white hangers and grouped by color family.

Quirk #5. I must wash my hands right before eating. If I'm out somewhere and I am unable to wash my hands before eating I play back in my mind everything I have touched and how those germs are going to be on my food. It drives me crazy. Perhaps I am a little obsessive-compulsive.

Quirk #6. I like to scare my husband. I'll hide behind doors or sneak into the house when he thinks I'm gone and then scare him real good. I once scared him so well that at the time he was brushing his teeth and accidently chipped his tooth a bit. Oops.

I would like to tag whomever would enjoy revealing the quirkiness that makes them who they are.

Extreme Makeover: Dining Edition

2008-08-12T15:01:00.000-06:00

I purchased this buffet and dining table off of the KSL classified ads for $340. It was in great condition but I did not care for the knotty pine look it had.

With an investment of $90 for paint, polyacrylic and fabric my table and buffet set now look heavenly. I love all things white. You probably noticed. You are also probably thinking I must be crazy to coat my house in white. I most likely am.

I would like to give a special thanks to my husband for allowing me to use this wonderful toile fabric on my chairs. I have a deep love for toile. My husband does not. However, being the manly man that he is he let me use it.

Littliest Sis

2008-08-04T14:44:00.000-06:00

My baby sister JaNae is going to be a senior this year. Crazy! My mom and dad will soon be empty nesters. I went and took JaNae's pictures for her senior potrait. The following are a few from the photo shoot. Dare say she is much easier to snap photos of then Easton. JaNae actually held still and looked at the camera. I think she is beautiful.

Coupon Crazy

2008-07-30T10:20:00.000-06:00

I have always been a coupon user. My mom used coupons while I was growing up and I learned from her the value of saving money. Well, it seems lately that I have become coupon crazy. I get so excited for the Sunday paper each week to see what coupons are contained therein. It's almost like Christmas morning for me. I can't wait to see what coupons I'll get and what items are on sale where. I know I'm going to take a lot of heat from Clint on this post but I just wanted to share my coupon excitement. Example of the benefits of coupons. I went to Rite Aid this week and purchased these items. My total came to $50.97. I used my coupons plus the rebates Rite Aid offers taking my total down to a mere $11.24 for 19 items. I know I'm a nerd but I just wanted to share my coupon excitement.

Central High School Class of '98

2008-07-29T09:05:00.000-06:00

On Saturday I had the chance to go to Grand Junction and attend my ten year high school reunion. Yeah-I know I'm old. It was so fun to see everyone and catch up on each other's lives. Here I am as a senior. Notice the awesome letterman jacket and stylish wave I had going on with my hair.
Here I am as a little freshman. I know what you are thinking- what a nerd. And it's true. I was in marching band for three years of my high school career. I finally had the courage to try-out for the dance team my senior year and made it but I always did enjoy the band. I mean look at that stylish uniform. What's not to like about that. If only this picture were a full body shot you could see how the pants were a few inches too short. I just don't think they made band uniforms for skinny long-legged girls.
This is Amy, one of my best friends from high school.

Former Law School Buddies Reunion

2008-07-19T13:53:00.000-06:00

The much anticipated Bear Lake post is finally here. After our Toshiba lappy nearly gave up the ghost this past week, Clint was able to clear some memory and make our computer functional once again. It was a close call though. I didn't think good 'ole Toshiba was going to pull through.

Last weekend our friends the Budges invited us and some other former law school buddies to their cabin at Bear Lake. Dare say it was the most fun we have had this summer. We went wakeboarding, boating, rode on the 4-wheeler, hung out and played a rousing game of Settlers. Check out TJ on the waterski. This kid can do anything. Easton loved playing on the beach and being in the water. After a fun-filled day everyone was exhausted- everyone except for Easton that is. He was having so much fun that he didn't want to sleep and just kept going and going and going. Helo was doing his usual back flips, triple spins and other tricks when he took a bad spill.
Carver and Easton really enjoyed watching Thomas the Train together. Who knew Thomas was so funny?
The kids playing on the shell-filled beach.It takes a lot of concentration and some really white legs to wakeboard as well as I do. Sometimes I'll do a flip or two but I don't like to show off so I mostly just stick with going back and forth across the wake.

Some high fives for an awesome trip!!
Thanks Budges! It was so good to hang out with everyone. We had such a fun time!

Introducing Sandra Day O'Thompson

2008-07-10T08:18:00.000-06:00

(We call her "Sandy" for short). I've been waiting for months expecting Charisse's next post to be about Sandy. I'm starting to think that Charisse might be a little jealous...It might be because Sandy likes to hold my hand with her paw...Or it could be our long walks as the sun is setting. Charisse, don't worry baby...She means nothing to me...She's just a dog!

Anyway, we adopted Sandy in March from a family in Highland. It was kind of awkward when Rafe and I stopped in to pick her up. Apparently, the family's eight year-old daughter did not concur with the decision to put her up for adoption. She initially started whining a little and then it turned into an all out tantrum with screaming and wailing. Meanwhile, Rafe and I were just there looking like the worst two guys in the world as we put her in the back of the truck and drove away.

Well, now I can see why she was upset. Turns out Sandy is a great dog. She likes to fetch, she is great with Easton and she is very obedient. (Unlike my old dog "Goose" who was difficult to tame due to his insatiable appetite for affairs with any female dog in the greater Highland area). Rest in peace Goose...One day the Chinese will pay for poisoning you.

I digress. Welcome to the family Sandy. Just watch your back. Who knows what Charisse will do if she sees you licking my face.

Project Makeovers

2008-07-09T14:35:00.001-06:00

Before: Rocking Chair $10 from the thrift store.

After with a fresh coat of creamy white paint: Before: Two mirrors and a frame all from the thrift store.After a good spray paint job:

Easton's Bedroom

2008-07-09T14:20:00.000-06:00

I am finally posting some more photos of our new house. The following are pictures of Easton's room. He loves airplanes and cars so his room is very fitting for him. Plus, each room has a walk-in closet which I love. There is so much storage space for his toys and things. The lamp got a little beat up during the move. Hence it's misshapen shade.

Easton Extravaganza

2008-07-02T15:27:00.000-06:00

Over the weekend we experienced Easton Extravaganza as we celebrated out little guy's 2nd birthday. We started the weekend off by meeting my family at Seven Peaks Water Park. Easton absolutely loved it. He was not the least bit afraid to stick his head under the waterfalls on the lazy river and then squeal with delight.

The following day we had a barbeque celebration at our home. We would like to thank all of our family & friends who came to party with us. Thank you for the many wonderful gifts he received.

I took Easton for his two-year check yesterday and he is in the 36%tile for his weight at 26.9 lbs. He is in the 31%tile for his height at 33". He received his Hep A shot and didn't cry at all when the nurse gave it to him. In fact he actually laughed when she put the purple dinosaur bandage on his leg. He is such a tough little guy.

Easton is saying a lot more. He says "Where's Sheese?" (Where's Charisse?) I don't know why he calls me by my first name but whenever he is looking for me he always calls out "Sheese." He says "Popicle" (Popsicle); "Gook" (Juice); "Choc" (Chocolate) and many other things. He knows his animals and all of their sounds.

He's working on learning all of his colors and can identify orange, green and blue so far. He enjoys dancing, going on bike rides, playing in dad's tools, exploring the backyard and playing in the dirt. He is a mischief maker and manages to break or damage something on a regular basis. One day he spilt half of my 25 lb bag of sugar on the floor and then tried to mop it up with the dish towel in hopes that myself or Clint would not find it. Nice try bud.

His favorite foods include Cheetos, mandarin oranges (he can eat up to two cans daily), popsicles, raisins, pasta and corn. He loves candy, especially peach rings which his Grandpa Dyreng always spoils him with.

Now that he can climb out of his crib he feels as though he is big enough to sleep in the queen size bed in our guest bedroom so that is now where he takes his naps and sleeps at night.

Easton is a darling little boy who always is doing something to make us laugh. We love his sweet yet mischevious personality and are so grateful to have him as our son.

Our Little Guy is Two!!!

2008-07-01T16:26:00.000-06:00

The following are a few pictures I took for Easton's two year photos. "Water gone?"

Easton is a very difficult subject to photograph. I spent most of my time trying to make sure he didn't drown in the nearby creek. I can rarely get him to look at me and smile. Most of my shots are side views or the back of his head as he runs away from me.

How to Climb Out of Your Crib as taught by Easton Thompson

2008-06-17T10:51:00.000-06:00

If you want to ensure that the bedtime process now takes a mere 2 hours to complete and naptime is near non-existent unless locked into the bedroom, please follow the subsequent steps. Step 1. Gracefully lift the left leg onto the crib bar making sure the foot is pointed and a mischievous smile is on face.
Step 2. While maintaining a mischievous smile, lift body onto the crib bar using the right arm to maintain balance.
Step 3. Continue the mischievous smile while carefully lifting the right leg onto the top of the crib bar and dangling the left leg over the edge making sure to maintain precise balance.
Step 4. Now slowly fling body completely over the front of the crib and lower to the floor.

Step 5. Finish with a happy dance! You have done it once again. Bedtime will never be the same.

A Little Behind

2008-06-17T09:39:00.000-06:00

Well, as you may have noticed I have not been blogging for awhile. I have received a few complaints about my lack of posts and I would like to apologize. I have been in Europe the last few weeks and just didn't have a chance to post anything. Actually- not true. I don't really have an excuse as to why I have been missing other than I just simply have not had the time. Lame-I know. I would like to catch up a bit by first honoring the men in my life whom I failed to mention on Father's Day.
First off- my husband. I love this picture of us because it truly captures our relationship. Clint is a very funny person and he is always making me laugh. I love to laugh and to be married to someone as quick witted as he is makes me happy. My Dad. You couldn't ask for a better dad than mine. He is a great man who has always been such an example to me. My dad is very thoughtful, patient and funny. He is constantly making those around him laugh by the funny things he says. He is very intelligent and such a good handyman because he can figure out how to do anything . I know I can always count on my dad. Plus he is an exceptional Grandpa. Easton loves his Grandpa Bob because he gets spoiled with treats and attention. Grandpa can play in the dirt with Easton for hours. My Father-In-Law. I am grateful for Mark and the manner in which he has raised his four son's. He is such a hard worker and never ceases to help others. He often gives of his time and means to ensure others are provided for. He is a great man whom I am fortunate enough to also have in my life. Easton loves Grandpa Mark because he takes him on tractor rides, wheel barrow rides and wagon rides. He knows he can count on Grandpa to take him outside and play with him.

Baby Steps

2008-05-22T21:51:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday was Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover event. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Dave Ramsey he is amazing. He has a daily radio show, lots of books and many other tools to help people get out of debt, save money and become financially secure. I must say that I am very impressed with him.
My cousin Colleen and her husband Don were also at the event with us.There he is, Dave Ramsey. His event was not only informative but really funny and motivating.

Dave has a 7 baby step program. Clint and I are on step 4 but after seeing him live it just gave me the extra motivation I need to keep moving forward and reach step 7. We really had a good time.

On This Day

2008-05-22T14:13:00.000-06:00

On this very day ten years ago, I graduated from Central High School. I never imagined at the time how many wonderful people I would meet, the things I would accomplish or the mistakes I would make on my journey forward in life.Last week we had the opportunity to go and watch my little sister Danielle graduate from the same high school I did. I can't wait for her to go out on her own and experience living the awesome college life. She will be attending Utah Valley University, along with my brother Sean who has already been attending.In ten years' time it looks like my dad's hair got a bit lighter and my mom's hair got a little less poufy. We are so proud of you Danielle!!

A Mother's Love

2008-05-11T10:53:00.000-06:00

On this Mother's Day I am so grateful for a wonderful mother. My mom is a very talented women who can do almost anything. She keeps such a perfectly clean house that Mr. Clean himself couldn't surpass my mother's cleaning abilities. Her cooking skills are to be highly sought after. She makes sure she has dinner on the table everyday by 6:00 p.m. No exceptions. If only I had inherited that same ability, but alas, I have not. She is very creative and can whip up any kind of craft project that would rival Martha Stewart . She can sew a prom dress in no time flat. (She does all my sewing projects for me. If only had listened to her when she tried to teach me how to sew when I was younger.) She is always willing to serve others. She is very knowledgable of the scriptures and can teach a great Sunday School lesson. I also think my mom is gorgeous to boot.
I have also been blessed with a great mother-in-law as well. Debra has raised four boys. The three oldest of whom are each only a year apart. After having a son of my own I am in awe at how she managed to do that.
She is one of the most patient people I have met. Not to mention one of the hardest workers. She also makes a very delicious Sunday dinner. I am grateful for the manner in which she has raised her son, my husband, for he is a good man.
That good son of her's let me sleep in this morning while he got up at 6:30 a.m. with Easton. He made me breakfast and surprised me with tickets to see Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover event next Saturday! He knows me so well.

Debra also celebrated her birthday yesterday so a big Happy Birthday shout out goes to her!

The Kitchen

2008-04-29T12:15:00.001-06:00

The following are a couple photos of our new kitchen. We replaced the laminate countertops when we moved in and we'll be putting a new backsplash up as well. One of the many projects still on the list. I think we will put in a beaded board backsplash. What do you think? Also, I would like to get some cabinet door knobs put on as well.

Treasures

2008-04-29T11:56:00.000-06:00

My weekly trips to the thrift store have yielded a number of vintage treasures over the past few weeks.
This car has probably been the best thrift store find yet. Easton loves driving in his car and pushing it around as well. It has a long pole in back to make pushing him easy. At the park yesterday a little girl came and got in his car while he was on the playground. Needless to say he was not happy about that and threw a huge fit with screaming and kicking of the feet. He tried to get down from the slide as quickly as he could to rescue his car. After some discussion I managed to convince him the little girl could drive and he could push her around which seemed to work just fine.

It's Official!!

2008-04-21T14:26:00.001-06:00

You know you live in Eagle Mountain when you walk out your front door and there is an enormous pile of tumbleweeds barricading you in your home. Clint and I are officially moved into our new home. Despite the mountain of tumbleweeds we have had to fight off, we love it here! Unpacking is coming along slowly but surely. We also have several projects still in the works. I will post pictures of our home as soon as I have a chance. We just barely got our internet up and running so I have been out of the blog loop for a bit.
My dad really got a kick out of the tumbleweeds. He said it was as though we lived in the wild, wild west. My sister Danielle and Easton enjoyed the tumbleweed show from our front porch.

Master of Mischief

2008-04-06T22:51:00.000-06:00

After taking a quick shower I noticed it was unusually quiet in my home. I began wondering what Easton was up to and what trouble he might be causing. I didn't have to look far to see this- my couch torn to shreds. The young mischief maker had pulled all of the cushions off of the couch and somehow managed to pull out the stuffing as well.
There he is, the culprit, basking in his troublemaking glory.
If only that were a bunch of grapes he had dangling from his hand, instead of the innards of my couch.

Power Saw + Nail Gun + Hardwood Flooring = A Wonderful Time

2008-03-27T20:39:00.000-06:00

I think Clint is very sexy when he wears huge safety glasses.

Wow Rafe...that is a lot of hair!

Clint calls this nailing technique the "hang loose"

Next project: transplant some of Rafe's lettuce onto Clint's dome

Five Signs of a Happy Easter

2008-03-24T21:11:00.000-06:00

Birds nest cupcakes. A handsome little boy in a darling Easter suit. (Thanks Jen!)

Lots of Easter egg hunts. Enough candy to last the entire year.
Swinging on the tire swing until you can hardly stand up straight when you get out.