Thankful Thursday

This Thankful Thursday is a simple one...I am thankful for the days that I get to talk to the ones I love. I have realized lately how easy it is to take this for granted...having Nick gone at scout camp for a week without anyway to even tell him goodnight about KILLED me. And this week Brian is on a backpacking trip up in the high Uintas without cell service so I'll go about 3 1/2 days without hearing his voice either. It really makes you realize how wonderful it is to be able to pick up a phone at anytime (or walk in the next room) and talk with the ones you love!

And I thought a DOG was bad...

Well evidently I'm going for "Mom of the Year" this year and I will be awaiting the flowers and fame that go along with that title. :) On Sunday I was taking a trash bag out to the garbage can and I turn the corner and about step on a slithery little snake on our driveway. So I scream and run in the house yelling for Nick to come see it. He comes running out of the house with his net to catch it. Next thing I know he has the snake in the net and his old hermit crab cage all set up with a water dish, rocks etc for the snakes new home. I couldn't believe the words, "sure you can keep it" came out of my mouth and I looked around to see who said that. That DID NOT sound like something I would say about a SNAKE!!!!!! I did however make the stipulation that it would NEVER be in the house...it would have to live on the back patio. So Nick is one happy boy and has dug up worms for it to eat since that's what it said on the Internet to feed it. We'll see how long this lasts but I'm really hoping snakes have a very short lifespan!

On a side note, the kids are still totally in love with Rocko and he's getting to be a better puppy every day. Who knows, maybe we'll even beat our record of having a dog more than 3 months. :)

More Progress...

Well we are seeing that there actually might be a light at the end of the "construction tunnel" in our basement. Over a year ago we decided we'd finish a bedroom & bathroom downstairs for Nick...then Bryson would have Nick's old room when he came down. Since we've lived here Bryson has just thrown an air mattress down in either the office, bonus room or one of the kids rooms when he's here. But he's started to bring friends down with him when he comes so it would be nice for them to have a room to crash in rather than an "area". :) So we started with the framing, electrical work, vent work & plumbing for the whole basement last summer. The framing, plumbing, and vent work went pretty quickly because we hired that out but it was also fairly expensive so Brian (with the help of friends who know what they're doing) have done the electrical work and they've worked on it here and there over the winter and this summer. About a month ago we had someone come in and drywall, texture, hang the doors and attach the moldings and yesterday we actually got to the painting stage...HURRAY! Nick has been so patient waiting SO LONG for his new room and he was very excited to help paint. We got his bedroom and bathroom fully painted yesterday and the 1st coat on the hallway walls with most of the 2nd coat before we ran out of paint (and energy). So tomorrow we'll finish the hallway and then we're ready to order carpet. Wahoo!!!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for a new school year kicking off today and for kids who are excited about it. Even though I think summer went WAY too fast, this time of year is always exciting. Going to see the class lists and finding out who your teacher is and who is in your class; going to meet your teacher and seeing where your desk is and who you sit by; picking out your "first day of school outfit"; filling up your new backpack, and waking up with a few butterflies in your tummy when the big day finally arrives. I'm thankful for the teachers and the PTA volunteers who do so much for my children and we're looking forward to a great school year...Nick's LAST year in elementary school...WOW!

After the kids left this morning Rocko searched the whole house looking for them. I think he's going to be a sad little poochie during the day while the kids are gone.

One of the PTA members decorated the Teachers Lounge in this jungle theme.

Nick's face was one of the monkeys...so cute! (Thanks for telling me about it Mary.)

Thankful Thursday

Since yesterday was Brian's 40th birthday I thought it was only fitting that this Thankful Thursday be about him. I am so thankful for him and the husband he is to me and the father he is to the kids. We are so lucky to have him and I hope he always knows how much we love him.

He is VERY against surprise parties and made me promise a long time ago that I would not plan one for his 40th birthday. So I told him in advance that I was inviting some people over for dinner Saturday and our wonderful friends volunteered to make some of his favorite dishes. Krista made delicious ribs, homemade macaroni & cheese and creamed corn, I made a squash recipe & baked beans & Ana made flan...all of these things are definitely "Brian food". Wade & Lynette brought him some of her homemade zucchini relish and zucchini bread. Yummy day for him!!!

Then on his actual birthday I told Brian to be home by 3:15 but didn't tell him why. When he got home I told him to change his clothes because we had a tee time at 4:00. He and I golfed 9 holes then we hurried home to get cleaned up since I had made dinner reservations at 7:00 at Market Street Grill. Krista and Courtney surprised him at the restaurant but that surprise was okay with him since it wasn't an entire room full of people with all the attention on him. :) It was a great day!

I hope we celebrate many more birthdays together...I love this man!!!
Brian and his buddy Alan ran another 1/2 marathon a couple Saturdays ago.

We got Brian a 4-wheeler cake to remind him that the 4-wheeler we got him a few months ago was his birthday present. (He hasn't forgotten but I thought it was a cute cake.) :) Those suckers in the bowl say "40 sucks" on them. :)

Happy to be out golfing!

He had been hitting monster shots all day off the tee but on this last hole he hit about 4 into the water and he was so frustrated he went in after them. NEVER in a million years could I picture him wading into this water...see turning 40 is very liberating and we can now do things we wouldn't normally have done. :) I was laughing so hard I could barely hold the camera still to take pictures.

Brian and Courtney have vicious games of ping pong where lots of smack talk is exchanged. Brian always teases Courtney about his case he has for his ping pong paddle so for his birthday Courtney got Brian a new ping pong paddle with a case...it's awesome!!! :)

Brian is not a lover of balloons and on the way out of the restaurant Krista clipped these balloons onto the back of his shirt and he didn't notice for a few seconds...it was hilarious but I didn't have my camera ready...so this is Krista trying to get those balloons back on the back of his shirt.

Thankful Thursday

This week I have been keenly aware of selfless acts going on all around me and I am thankful for the examples of others. I'm thankful for the friends who are willing to make yummy food for Brian's 40th birthday dinner this Saturday (is it sad that my husbands favorites are things other people make? lol), I'm thankful for friends who bring a birthday cake for my son to Bear Lake, I'm thankful for a mom who performs selfless acts of kindness for my family on a regular basis and who makes my children feel so incredibly loved, and I'm thankful for a husband who will change his schedule so I can have a night out with friends and not have to worry about anything.

I'm also thankful to witness this week the biggest act of selflessness that I can think of and that is for the sweet teenage girl who is allowing my friends to adopt her beautiful little baby girl and become parents.

For all the selfless acts big, small and in between, you are all truly my heroes...thank you for the great examples you all are to me!

Quotes from Hailey

My two favorite things that came out of Hailey's mouth in the last couple weeks were:

1) "Isn't it weird that people that speak Spanish can't read English and that we can't read Spanish? That's the 1st thing I think about every morning when I wake up and my 2nd thought is...what's for breakfast?" (How's that for random but it really made me laugh hard.)

2) "Mom PLEEEASE leave your hair straight today because you're meaner when you're hair is curly."

That's my daughter. :)