Day 30 of 30: Avocados

Day 29 of 30: Swing

In which Brynlee and Jace pull the exact same face...

Day 28 of 30: Party

Happy Birthday to me!

Day 27 of 30: Art

We waited 37 minutes for this moving art gallery to pass so we could make it to "The Great Potato Bowl". At which we consumed a meal that consisted almost entirely of Idaho's finest. Potatoes! Good thing carbs and calories don't count when the money goes to charity. Plus, if it has salad or baked in the name it automatically qualifies as health food. Right?

Day 26 of 30: Sign

99 percent of the time I find that to be 75 percent true!

Day 25 of 30: Kite

Today's wind and warmth was the perfect mix for flying kites.

P.S. Happy Birthday to my little brother, Alan!

Day 24 of 30: Bags

Grocery Day

Because it takes more than a college degree to run my camera...

Yesterday we traveled to Provo for my sis-in-law, Rachel’s, graduation from BYU. Congrats Rachel, we love you! I’d love to post a picture of the thousands of BYU graduates dressed in their blue caps and gowns and a Marriott Center full of proud family members there to support them. I’d love to post a picture of Anna and Rachel’s names in the big program of graduates. I’d love to post a picture of my two little ones dead asleep during the graduation ceremony. I’d also love to post a picture of the excitement on my face when they both fell asleep. I’d love to post a picture of President Uchtdorf receiving his honorary doctorate degree and of him giving a speech that made me laugh, cry, think and plan for a better tomorrow. I’d love to post a picture of the amazing Mexican Food that Rachel’s mother-in-law prepared for the Graduation Party. It too, made me laugh, cry, think and plan for a better tomorrow. I seriously debated filling my pockets with the homemade guacamole so I could bring a little home with me. I’d love to post a picture of my kids with Grandma and Grandpa M. and my mother-in-law with the Victorian Dollhouse Book that the kids and I found at an Antique Store for her for Mothers Day. I’d love to post a picture of Brynlee when she fell asleep on the car ride home with an Airhead duct taping her mouth shut. But, alas, my camera battery died and I didn’t get pictures of any of those things. So instead I guess I'll post a picture of...
Mainly because those and this picture are the only ones I have of the trip. And yes! I do wish I wouldn’t have wasted the last of my camera battery taking less than mediocre pictures of Spencer making faces while driving down the freeway. But what can you do? Hindsight is always 20/20.

Day 23 of 30: Graduate

I am dating this post with yesterday’s date because I am a BIG, FAT, DIRTY CHEATER. Cheater, cheater, cheater! Oh, and because it may or may not irritate my OCD side to no end to have day 23 posted on day 24. I’m just saying that’s a possibility, but probably not (read: most definitely) the real reason!

Day 22 of 30: Nature

Today's prizes for our collection.

Happy Earth Day!

Hope you spent some time outside today planting a tree, some flowers or just enjoying this beautiful place that we call home.

Day 21 of 30: Picnic

We went on a picnic here today.

Day 20 of 30: Tree

Idahoan Palm Tree

Day 19 of 30: Tires

I do believe this is what the tire people refer to as legally bald.

Day 18 of 30: Little Hands

Day 17 of 30: Email

I have loads of pictures from today. There’s one of Brynlee at the antique store. She’s sitting on a little wooden rocking chair reading antique “Dick and Jane” books. The picture makes me smile. There’s one of Jace sitting in the little reclining chair. He looks so big and his smile lights up the entire picture. The picture makes me proud. There’s one of Brynlee at the park. From the picture you can tell that it’s spring. Brynlee’s giggling smile reminds me how nice it is to be outside. The picture makes me excited. There’s one from our dinner tonight at the Chinese Restaurant. We had a massive amount of food, and we still have enough for tomorrow’s dinner in the fridge. The picture makes me hungry. There’s one of our evening spent roller skating around the neighborhood. Spencer is wearing his Rollerblades and Brynlee her Fisher Price Barbie skates. The picture makes me delighted. Then there’s one from the subject line of an email that Jessica sent me. The picture makes me ask…WHAT IN THE SAM HILL! And for some odd reason, that’s the picture I feel inclined to post. Have a great weekend!

Day 16 of 30: Mark

Happy Birthday to one of my hero’s, Uncle Mark!

And now he sits...

I had every intention of having Sarah take Jace’s pictures when he turned six month. But, I also wanted to wait until he was able to sit up by himself because I love me a six month old, sitting unassisted and smiling for the camera. Seriously, makes my heart smile. Jace turned seven months last Friday, and we went ahead and took his pictures because, MYWORD WHAT IF THE KID NEVER, EVER SAT UP. Five days later…look who’s a master at the sitting thing! I remember when Brynlee was in this same stage. Spence and I worked for hours trying to get her to first roll over, then to sit up and finally to crawl and walk. We spent hours on the floor, coaching her. Assisting her. Bribing her. I’d like to go back and slap some sense into the both of us. Dumb rookies. We now know that the sooner the little things become mobile the sooner you can say goodbye to organized kitchen cabinets, desk drawers, bookshelves and pantries. It’s all worth it, but I’m okay if he’s content rolling from point A to point B for a little while longer.

Day 15 of 30: Magnets

Brynlee and I made fridge magnets today. It was just like we were Martha. But without all the money, fame, and the ARTSY TALENT! But we're proud of the end results. Plus they do a fine job holding up all the crayola masterpieces.

Day 14 of 30: Hobo Dinners

We made Hobo Dinners (a.k.a. Tinfoil Dinners, a.k.a. The-food-that-you-eat-when-you-go-camping Dinners) in the wood burning stove today. They were good. It was fun. We enjoyed ourselves. But it still didn’t take away the fact that we had to start a fire today to fight the chill from the snow! {insert rolling eyes here} Oh, how I want spring to come and stay!

Day 13 of 30: Addiction

It’s a disease and I have every intention to quit cold turkey.
Tomorrow.
Or maybe the next day.

Day 12 of 30: Twofer

I'm posting two because I couldn't decide.

Picture 1: Disgusted

Picture 2: Thief

Day 11 of 30: Potato

Edited to add: Katie said....So I have to add a sidenote. Notice the knife in Jami's hand. Notice Jami's face. Yes, she cut my finger. And Kim, as usual, had her camera close by to catch this touching moment between sisters.

Edited to add (2): Kim said...Accident or skill on Jami's part? Judging by her face, I say accident. But cutting somebody with a knife, while peeling potatoes, on opposite sides of the table, just doesn't happen by accident. What do you say?

Bunny Blunder

Our FHE lesson last Monday was about the real meaning of Easter. We talked about how the day was in honor of Jesus and what happened on that very first Easter morning. We talked about how the Easter Bunny and other Easter holiday tradition were just fun things that we do on a very special day. Today the kids and I were in the car running some errands. Brynlee was quiet for a few minutes. Then she leaned in real close to Jace and whispered in a very matter-of-fact voice, “Buddy, did you know that the Easter Bunny is really Jesus?” I think we might need to revisit the subject next Monday!

Day 10 of 30: Picture Day

Day 9 of 30: Rodeo

Today was a busy day.

{woke up. gym. breakfast. read three dozen children’s books. bathtime. breah stopped by for a short visit. laundry, dishes and wiped tiny fingerprints off the windows. lunch. naptime for Jace, watercolors with brynlee. made sugar cookie dough for saturday’s easter hunt. jumped on tramp. made tent out of blankets. read my next relief society lesson while listening to the kids in the blanket tent. ran errands for the easter bunny. playground. ran into the easter bunny. took pictures. got groceries. raced home. greeted our overnight guests, rachel and jordan. changed into pink {because i’m “tough enough to wear pink”}. went to the dodge national final rodeo with katie and jace. finally, kicked up our feet and relaxed.}

Notice from the picture that Kate and I are sitting in the very front row!

Thanks Katie for the great tickets and the invite.

Day 8 of 30: Vice

No matter how many times I remind him,

they can always be found here; under the kitchen table.

Day 7 of 30: Library

The last 8 million (not an exaggeration) times we've gone to the library Brynlee has begged to sit on the benches in the courtyard and read her books. Given the snow that occupied the benches I declined. Today she got her wish.

Project Barstool

Four ugly and very dangerous barstools from the Goodwill. Ten dollars. Three cans of spray paint. Fourteen dollars. Black vinyl fabric and upholstery foam. Twenty one dollars. Hearing that I had in fact ruined Brynlee’s “favoritist chairs”. Priceless.

Day 6 of 30: Eggs

There were more, but they missed the photo shoot. They were instead being pushed around in baby strollers, repeatedly dropped on the floor and 'laxin in beds made of toliet paper.

Day 5 of 30: Marieski

I love conference. I love the sun. And I love my parents and Marie's visits. Today was good!

Day 4 of 30: Intermission

A little fresh air between conference sessions.

Day 3 of 30: Lunch

Day 2 of 30: Shoes

I saw these shoes on my way to the gym this morning. My best guess at the scenario...

A frustrated and exhausted mother shouting to her teenage son: “For the millionth time, PICK UP YOUR SHOES or I'll throw'em out the window!” Said teenage son, with eyes still glued to the TV, pretends not to hear her. Mother annoyed by his arrogance follows through with the promise. She obviously was not aware of her own strength!

Day 1 of 30: Bowling