Chocolate Pudding

I may need to rethink my choice for white decor.

Great choice of music Clint.

Just a Few Projects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(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.