Snowtastic!

I don't know when my fascination for snow started but I have always loved it!
The weird thing is I don't really like to do things in it I just like to look at it! I don't really ski, don't snowmobile, cross-country,snow shoe, ice skate or even really go sledding. I don't like to get wet or be hit with snowballs but I could just sit and stare at it all day.

Whenever I see snow my mind conjures up scenes of sitting by an all glass bay window while the fireplace is crackling in the background. I am sitting on a cozy chair and covered with an antique quilt holding a cup of steaming hot chocolate while a book rests on my lap waiting to be read!
And when has that actually happened to me . . . um . . . never!
Chances are if I take a look the person in the scene is either not me or is me when I am 80 and my hair is all gray and just off to the side out of the picture is a sleek, steel walker!
Anyway - we had a beautiful snow last night even against Kurt's discouraging comments of how it really was only going to rain and I couldn't help snap a few pictures to share.


I love the contrast of the red twigs of this Dogwood against the freshly fallen snow!

On my Virginia Creeper by the front walk!

Oh to have one of those beautiful spendy professional cameras to get a much closer shot of these beautiful little red, tear-shaped berries on my Rose Glow Barberry. It is really rather stunning close up. . . again, the red and snowy contrast!

The trampoline!

When there was a little bird sitting to the right of the feeder the snow on the left was taller than the little guy. So cute -

My wonderful Honeysuckle that never gives in to the weather. You can always find little birds hiding inside! I am glad I can provide them with some shelter and food!

The butterfly bush that I didn't trim down yet.

Look at how amazing these little puffs of snow are! They are just sitting daintily on the top of these little flower seed heads left over from their profuse flowering this summer. These are a beautiful daisy like flower with a wine red and yellow coloring.

The stark beauty of a leafless tree - amazing how snow can take something so drab and dismal and make it beautiful!

Front yard before wandering pets and kids destroy the peaceful blanket of snow!

Don't ask me why but I found this little snowbound plant to seem so serene!

This tree has so much character - the bark is just gorgeous and it seems so statuesque alongside the porch! I can't wait until a little bird decides to build a nest in it!

Well, if it would be possible it would be wonderful to live up in the mountains during the time of snow! To be surrounded by wildlife, beautiful evergreens and mountain plants all covered in an unbroken blanket of snow, well, until you would need to run to the store for something and it would take you three hours to go a mile!!!

Hope you enjoyed my winter wonderland trip through my yard. It is supposed to rain in two days and all will be changed. At least I can refer back to this and relive the serenity!

When Grandma Comes To Town!!!

We had a really nice time with Grandma who came to visit last week! We only had her for about 3 1/2 days but we were all glad for the time! I didn't capture pictures of everything we had done (trust me, I wish I had a picture of Grandma and Hayden sitting in the dressing room waiting area at Kohl's while Hailey shopped for jeans) but I will share some of the things that we did!

Hailey and Hayden worked on some duets to play for Grandma to show her how they are progressing with their music! Although Hailey plays piano and violin and Hayden the Cello, they decided to mix it up a bit and play a song with Hailey on the Cello and Hayden the violin!

They also played a duet with Hayden on Cello and Hailey on the piano and then Hayden played some songs he has learned in Orchestra. I believe Grandma enjoyed this a lot.

Tyler wanted his picture taken too!

Kurt actually took time off of work where he didn't even run into the shop!!!!!!! Wow, I was astounded . . . here is Kurt relaxing!

Grandma had brought down some gifts for the kids and they enjoyed them!

Here they are eating some licorice!

Grandma also gave the kids some really great Boise State Stuff! They loved it!

This gift was an answer to a plight. . .

Notice the fear in Willow's eyes! I have a feeling we will not have to be dealing with the dog and her garbage can shenanigans anymore!!!! Woo Hoo, Thanks Grandma!

Friday morning Grandma took the time to teach the kids how to play Pinochle. I was busy in the kitchen trying to clean up breakfast and was listening to all the instruction. . . I think I will just stick to doing dishes! It sounded very complicated but the kids seemed to pick it up.

After the instructional time, Grandma and Hailey, Kurt and Hayden decided to play an actual game.

This looks almost too serious for me . . . game of slapjack anyone?

Well, Saturday morning rolled around too quickly but we decided to have a little photo shoot before Grandma left for home.

Kurt isn't one who likes to pose for pictures much but hey, it's your mom!

After that it was time for pictures with the kids. This was harder than it looks. Trying to get them all to smile and be quiet at the same time.

I don't know if Hailey realizes that we can see what she is doing to her brother . . . and the picture is proof!

Grandma is sure that someone is having gas issues during this photo session. It was hard to control the group after she said something about that!

The kids are also wearing the hats that their Aunt and Uncle had sent down. They loved these, warm and snuggly!

We all had a great time visiting with Grandma. Hope we can do it again soon. Thanks for coming down for a visit and making some memories with us Grandma!

Bye Bye Facebook!

This is what facebook looks like after you have deactivated your account. What was really weird was the fact it took a bit of effort to actually push the button that asks if you want to deactivate your account!


This was a very weird but necessary decision! As a wife and mother of three growing children the term that always comes to mind is that "there just isn't enough time in the day"! There are so many things that need to get done and things you want to do that days just whiz by with most of your "to do's" not done.
I had an element in my life that I realized was sucking away any precious time that I may have had left over after housework and homework.
I had so many projects that I wanted to do, time I wanted to spend with the kids but I found myself in any moment in between logging on to this place and wasting time doing "nothing important"!

Believe it or not I found myself slightly addicted to a site through facebook called "fishworld"! This is a site where you can have fish tanks and raise virtual fish, earn money to decorate your tanks and buy more fish and move up in "levels" to become somebody virtually important . . . I had such a pattern set up to where I could purchase enough fish during the day(and grow them to maturity to sell) to raise my level once or twice, maybe even three times a day! But I finally got to a point when I realized my "real" people and "real" duties were become my "I'll get to that as soon as I am done with my fish tank"!

I really had to stop and put this all into perspective . . . What is really important to/in this life? Thankfully I have God in my life and the wisdom of the scriptures to help me see what is really important! Faith, Family and Friends!
All these "technological advances" somehow end up making the things that are supposed to be your focus in life your "I'll get to that later"! Things invented to bring you closer a lot of the time push you apart. How many times in our lives when our kids walk up to us to talk to us do we shush them because of a TV show, your on the phone for the fiftieth time that day or you are busy on the computer? Or you are having dinner with your family and you get a phone call? You are talking with someone and a text comes in?

I have to ask . . . are our lives happier? More fulfilled with all this technology?
All I can say is since I have deactivated my facebook like has become just a little bit more simpler, a little less stressful and more involved with my family.

You know what would be great? If all these technological geniuses would get together with some of the other incredible brilliant people maybe they could all come up with a device that would blast cancer off the map . . . Now that's technology we can all live with!
I just hopped down off my soapbox! Have a great day with your family - don't forget though to shut off the ringer on your phone, computer, Ipod, Mp3 player, Wii, Gamecube, X-box, etc!

Warm and Cozy!

That name actual happens to be an event held in Tyler's 2nd grade classroom this past Friday!
Instead of the typical holiday party in Tyler's classroom his teacher does something different which I think was a lot of fun! It is called a "Warm and Cozy" and all the kids and parents are invited to come and hang out in their pajamas and read books, do crafts, eat a snack and have a book exchange!

I, of course, could never wear pajamas in public and Kurt and I don't want the kids to either but we still had fun in our regular comfy clothes!
We started out the morning with a little snack of Bagels with or without cream cheese, bananas and milk or juice.


Then the kids broke into two groups (girls and boys) and while one group was listening to a story being read, the other group got to work on this really cute craft, a sock snowman! These turned out so adorable I really would like to do them for a church babysitting!

Here is a picture of the whole class with their snowmen and their teacher with hers in the very back in the middle! She is a very energetic and enthusiastic person. The kids really respond to her!

After that they had a book exchange. All the kids were asked to bring in a slightly used book they could exchange with someone else. The teacher wrapped them up and then the kids were to sit in a circle on the floor with their wrapped book in their hands. The teacher then began to read a book and every time she said the word "snow" in the story the kids would have to pass the book once to the right. This was actually quite funny and the kids (and parents) had a lot of fun!

I was only going to stay for the little party but I ended staying and hanging out with Tyler while he ate his lunch and played on the playground.

Both of us had a lot of fun spending some time together at his school. I am most definitely going to go and help in his classroom again! This is what memories are made of!

Winter Concerts . . .

Well, it's that time of year again - time for the Winter Concerts! This year we were able to attend two different concerts! Hailey's, who has been playing Violin for about 4 years now and Hayden who is playing in a concert for the first time on his Cello!

Both these concerts were held in the same week, just a a few days apart!

Hailey's concert was on Tuesday December 8Th - this was also exciting because they finally got their matching Orchestra Uniforms and they looked quite spiffy!


I don't like the fact this picture is blurry but it gives you an idea of how long the dress is! The top part of the dress has black sparkly bead things and it really is pretty. It sure gave the kids a very polished look.

This was taken right as we were getting ready to leave. Tyler likes to have his picture taken with the "performers"! Someday it will be his turn and if it is up to Grandma he will be sitting behind a drum set! (earplugs anyone?)

This is the only picture we got of Hailey at the Concert itself! This camera takes awful pictures indoors so only the close up ones will show up!

The kids played beautifully!

Now onto the next concert! Hayden's was on December 10Th. . . This was almost a heartbreaking event for us. We were sooooo excited to finally get to see Hayden play!

Here he is before we left for the concert.

We were soooo sad because we had major "technical difficulties" at his concert. Originally we get to the gymnasium early and sit near the top of the bleachers where we can plug in the video camera. When we got there the gym was PACKED!!! It was standing room only!

So we didn't have the use of the video camera :( and then the regular camera doesn't take very good pictures indoors and then it kept saying "low battery" or shutting off. I brought 4 sets of batteries and it did it to all of them! (this is when a mother's tears begin to flow).


Here is a VERY BLURRY picture of Hayden playing. He is second Cello on the left!

This was the most annoying part of the whole evening. Since there was only standing room we chose to stand on the Northwest side of the gym so we could at least see Hayden's face while we played but we had NO IDEA who we chose to stand next to.

This picture is of the majority of the 6Th grade choir and part of the 7Th and 8Th grade choir. This group of kids talked, wiggled and hand gestured the WHOLE ENTIRE TIME! It was soooo frustrating. Even though several of us standing by the wall had told them to Shush it didn't work.

We could barely hear the Orchestra playing across the gym.

After having to stand for over an hour and trying to ignore all the commotion and noise to the side of us, we were still so happy for Hayden though! He said at first he was nervous but once he got going he didn't have any problem at all and he actually said he can't wait to perform again! I think he grew up a bit inside himself that night!!!

After sharing with him the perils of our technology, Hayden was kind enough to let us take a few more shots when we got home!

Here he is pretending his Cello was a Violin! Don't worry Grandma, he was extremely cautious when doing this!

And here is our "Tyler with the Performer" shot! The boys had fun with this one!

It is always wonderful to get to see your kids perform. In another instance it tugs at your heartstrings because it just shows you that they are growing up right before your eyes!

Great job Hailey and Hayden! We can't wait to see you play again! But, this time, we are standing no where near the choir!