glimpses of us

took some more TtV shots today...

2011-07-15T21:04:00.000-06:00

Such fun again. Lots of ideas floating around in my head of what I want to photograph this way...beagles, kids playing, old houses, families and friends at the park, the train station, a wedding... :) But for today... just my little yard and house.

my first TtV pics...

2011-07-14T20:27:00.000-06:00

Today I finally busted out the old, and by old, I mean old vintage Argus 75 camera with the top viewfinder. All by myself, I made a cool black stack that it sits in and then took my first photos using my Nikon D80. This was so easy and FUN! These are not edited in any way, just trimmed. Looking forward to experimenting more soon...

a fun little surprise

2011-06-23T14:01:00.001-06:00

ramdom gifts always bring smiles... I had been gone, and when I returned home, I found this waiting for me. Shand had bought this DVD set for me--Parenthood season 1. I love this show and never have time to watch it. We spent several nights following this day watching all of season 1. It was a blast for me--watching a good show with her. She even has become a bit of a fan.
Thanks, Shand for thinking of me... again. :)love ya!

movie stardom

2011-06-16T12:14:00.000-06:00

I think they could pass for hollywood babes..

the boy turns 26

2011-06-15T15:45:00.001-06:00

5.27.2011. It is hard to believe, but graden turned 26 on May 27th. He has grown into such a smart, kind, funny, athletic, best-son-in-the-world person. Actually, he has always been like this, but it is fun to watch him getting older... He has blessed our family in more ways than are possible to list. Thanks Graden for everything you do, everything you are, and everything you represent. I love you.

25 years ago... just one year old.

His day started with german pancakes, fresh orange juice, blackberries and cream, and cinnamon apples.
Lunch was enjoyed at Lincoln since Graden, Shand, and J were all subbing. We had yummy Don Pedros in my library...

Dinner was deluxe hamburgers, chips, fruit, and strawberry cake for dessert. Shand made the cake... sooo delicious! Michael joined us for dinner; he even helped Shand with the cake.

His gifts included his favorite candy, money, Reebox RealFlex shoes, a 3D movie, Ranger's book, and Vans (from Shanny).

shand's drawings = amazing stamps = cute cards

2011-06-14T14:34:00.000-06:00

She just ooozes talent... Last year I bought the Teresa Collins stampmaker. I really had only one purpose in mind for such a purchase--turn Shand's cute drawings into stamps. We have had such a blast doing just that! Her stamps quickly became my favorites to use on cards. Here are just a few--I guess that I haven't taken as many pics as I should have of the cards we have made. Check these out...

This one is of a debate girl. A friend gave us this idea when she asked Shand to make one. We made two so that we could have one too! Shand coached several of the girls on the debate team, so she whipped out these cards before they left to state to put with goodie bags.

Here are some of her sketches that we turned into stamps. They have made many cute cards... as you can imagine. :)

5 things graden

2011-06-13T21:32:00.000-06:00

Oh my... I've been gone how long???

Poor Graden. I never even posted his 5 things from over a year ago. (Please forgive me, son.)

Here are some things about this awesome boy.

1. National Award Winner This was a cool story. When he first "mentioned" that he was nominated for "some" award, I though ,"cool." But, he didn't say anything more about it. I later found out that Graden was unanimously selected by all of the professors in the college of health sciences as the nominee for this award-- a big honor in itself. He had to write up a little about himself for the nomination form, which he did not want to do, but he did it. A couple of months later, he was congratulated by one of his favorite professors who informed him that he had been selected as the recipient of the award. Like I said, "cool."

He also was selected as the Kinesiology student of the year. The highest award given kinesiology students. Here is a copy of the College of Health Sciences newsletter that he was featured in... Again, something I knew nothing about. A couple of friends in town shared it with me. So grateful for them. Notice his name on the cover and then the article on the next two pages.
congratulations, graden!

2. Graduated Summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences (Kinesiology and Health Promotion)... no biggie.

3. Had fun coaching middle school boys and girls.

4. Loves a dog named Max.

5. Is a fun big brother for Shand and J...

5 things shandryn

2010-05-24T11:00:00.001-06:00

1. piano tunes shand has always loved music, but since she has been teaching herself to play the guitar, she has also found herself drawn to the ivory keys. She only took a year of very basic lessons, and fought me the entire time, but now she enjoys playing by ear (she gets that from her dad).

2. coach trumble It was fun to watch Shand coach another team of her own. She is so good with the kids; this time around she coached 7th and 8th grade girls. They loved her!

3. these little piggies... are so cute! The girls had a fun afternoon decorating their tosies!

4. the band buddy, brady. Shand and Brady, both amazing guitar players, have started a band... it only has two members and an idea for a name...but, hey, it's got to start somewhere, right?

5. friends Shand and Jynese are not only the cutest sisters, but they are also best friends. I love that they share the special bond they have. Here they are with buddies, Trevor and Brady. It was a delight for these two to join our family on several occasions for dinner and fun.

5 things jynese

2010-05-23T22:29:00.001-06:00

1. her cute shelf Jynese, like me, loves the color red. It was her idea to paint her wall, then she decorated the cute shelf that Andy made and hung up.

2. a 40's model She has always loved playing "dress-up" and some things just don't change...maybe sometime I can share the story about her and some wedding dresses... A friend from school needed a model for a 40's photo shoot; J was totally willing. And, the pictures are beautiful!

3. tickets for Paramore Both girls got a ticket to attend the Paramour concert in SLC for an Easter gift. They went May 8th and had a blast! They have been jammin out to P from the day they got the tickets until now...still listening to them everyday!

4. on display at the WWCC art show Jynese had a piece of pottery selected for display (she was especially excited to tell shand this), and the 40's picture she modeled for was also chosen.

5. graduation May 21st, 2010...graduation from WWCC and an Associates degree in hand...now she's headed to Utah State University. So proud of you, j. :)

delicious...

2010-05-21T17:11:00.000-06:00

Here is the first batch of YUMMY strawberry ice cream made with my mother's-day-ice-cream-maker. Took less than 20 minutes, and let me tell you, It was delicious!

Blog Hop Winners. :)

2010-05-16T14:34:00.000-06:00

Here are the winners for the blog hop goodies... I used random integer to pick the numbers. That was kinda fun.

12" ECO paper pad goes to
#6 Catherine "LOVE your page...we're neighbors to the south of you and are hoping to add Wyoming to our list of places to camp-looks like lots of natural beauty awaits us."

Dot roller and edgey book goes to
#18 Christine "Your layout is stunning actually I love the way you make the pictures the focal point. The layout is so simple yet packed with great points I want to now camp in Wyoming!"

Catherine and Christine, thanks for leaving me a comment. Please email me your address so I can send this out tomorrow!
Thanks everyone for playing along and leaving comments. :)

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T22:27:00.001-06:00

three of the BEST days of my life... are these days.
Being a mother is the greatest blessing of all blessings. Being a mother is my greatest joy, but being the mother to my three children makes this blessing even greater. I appreciate their kindness, compassion, gentle demeanor, testimonies, sweet spirits, and the love they share with me. I often think that I have been blessed beyond what I am deserving of, and I humbly thank my Heavenly Father for this. It is because of my children that I want to be better, live better, do better, and love better. Thank you Graden, Shandryn, and Jynese for the greatest love of all and for testing me, teaching me, showing me, loving me, and allowing me to be your mother. I pray that you can always count on me in every circumstance and situation. I pray that I have taught you the most important lessons of life. I pray that you will always be close to your Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I pray that you will always know and remember that I love you all more than anything.

May 27, 1985-- the birth of Graden

October 31, 1986--the birth of Shandryn

October 25, 1989--the birth of Jynese

May 9, 2010--with my girls on Mother's Day

May 9, 2010--with my boy on Mother's Day

Fun gifts--an ice cream maker with recipe books! YUM!

And the Fray CD from Andy. Love this group and their music.

a little quote from President Thomas S. Monson....

"May each of us remember this truth;

One cannot forget mother and remember God.

One cannot remember mother and forget God.

Why? Because these two sacred persons, God and mother,

partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service,

are as one."

Dream come true... Guess who I met???

2010-05-04T14:51:00.001-06:00

I met this incredible lady... oh my goodness! She has been a favorite of mine ever since the first issue of Creating Keepsakes came out--14 years ago, I think. I have read everything about her and have purchased all her stuff. You could say I am a huge fan. I can't wait to share how fun that little meeting was...
Yes, it is THE Lisa Bearnson! She is even more beautiful, sweet, and kind in person than I dreamed she would be, and that's sayin a lot. :)

Cross Country Road Trip...Wyoming.

2010-04-29T22:52:00.004-06:00

Since I don't do much traveling...and that's not because I don't want to...I chose to share a bit about my beautiful state, Wyoming. It is nice to be able to drive out of town and within minutes be "free"! Here is a page that I created about spending time in the mountians. I love to camp, and camping with my family is the best!
(Sorry about the bad pictures. I even tried to scan and stitch it, but it wasn't working. It looks like it's all chopped up and taped back together... not to mention that I didn't have time until tonight to print the pics and my printer is almost out of ink...and I am headed out of town tomorrow morning and won't have any computer access or printer ink for a few days...sorry about that, really.)
Please leave a message before hopping to landerson because I am having a little drawing for my own giveaway... fun stuff. The paper is beautiful, textured paper that is made from 70% recycled paper...cool and nice for you "greenies" out there! I love the AC dot roller, and the album is just plain cute!

Cross Country Road Trip to Wyoming...
(click on the pictures to make them larger)

Don't forget your next stop...

http://www.landerson.typepad.com/

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Breathtakingly Beautiful.

2010-04-24T19:21:00.003-06:00

shand's at it again.
You all know that Shandryn is an amazing artist. (and she is not going to be happy about me mentioning that...) However, moms have the privilege of bragging a little bit on their kiddos, right?
Here is the pencil drawing that she made for Jynese for a graduation present. It is so beautiful! I don't want Jynese to take it with her when she moves, but apparently, that is her plan. It captures the sweet relationship these three have always shared. And that is the biggest blessing of all. :)
I wanted to scan the actual photo that she used, but it seems to have disappeared. And, sorry for the bad photos after it got framed. I totally forgot to take some shots before she took it to the framing guy, and I didn't want to "unframe" it to photograph it.
I wish that I had just a fraction of her artistic ability; it's nice to know though that this amazingness comes from someone that I gave birth to!

USU and the little sister

2010-04-24T19:08:00.000-06:00

Well, the little sister is headed to USU in the fall. She will be graduating in May from WWCC and can't wait to settle in Utah. She has had her heart set on Utah State Universtiy for a long time, and now she gets to attend there and live in Logan. Aunt Shelley graduated from USU, so they are going to have a speical bond with this...go Aggies! Jynese and I spent the weekend with Nancy and Val. Got familiar with the campus, the city, some yummy restaurants, and found a place for the girls to live! Lots accomplished.

They look just a little bit excited, don't you think?

February 2010 highlights

2010-04-24T18:58:00.000-06:00

Happy birthday, Dad! We took him and Mom to dinner to celebrate at our favorite restaurant, Bonsai.

Here is the card I made for him using a pic of when he was a younger man. I am so thankful that he is my dad. He has always been an example to me in so many ways and has helped create the person I have become, the mother that I am, the testimony that I treasure, and the (mostly) easy, non-stressed way that I look at life...all comes from this man.

Had a special little visitor again. We absolutely love when this little girl comes for a visit. We have such fun, and so does she with her grandpa, mom, dad, and sister. Kenna is always welcomed; she definitely gets spoiled when she shows up! We can't get enough of her. All of the family and other dogs constantly fight over her and her attention!

Have I mentioned lately that I have the BEST sisters in the world? One of them, Shelley, is an amazing seamstress, quilter, and LOTS more... She pieced and quilted an adorable heart quilt for each sister and mom! I think she also made one or two more for her daughter and someone else...that is a total of 7! All we had to do was add the binding. She is so awesome! I love her and am in constant awe of her kindness--thanks, big sister. You truly are the best.

The girls and I came home from church on Valentine's Day to find this yummy surprise from Andy. Lucky for me that my giant cookie was the biggest. Delicious!

January Highlights: activities

2010-04-02T21:29:00.002-06:00

I love my little lamp that I found in a clearance aisle in WalMart long ago. It is simple, cute, and puts off just the right amount of light for my nightly reading.

I used my Christmas money to buy a serger. I have wanted one for a long time, and now I can make even more stuff! Excited to use it but am a little intimidated at the same time...so many things to learn in order to use it properly.

The kids love playing games. Graden seems to be the biggest family game player. Whenever he is home, no matter how busy he is, he takes a little bit of time to play a game with whoever is in the house and available to play. One of the kids' favorites is cribbage. They love it. I, however, am not such a fan of this one...there's so much to remember. I love games like pictionary and taboo. Games where you get to describe and talk fast giving details. :)fun

January Highlights: cards & projects

2010-04-02T21:01:00.001-06:00

For Suzanne's birthday, I made her an apron and a stack of cards. It was such a fun way to use up some supplies, spend some time doing something fun, but mostly it was fun making a gift that will be useful for her.

I am falling in love with aprons. Not sure why, but I think I am going to make one for everyone on their birthdays (well, for the girls anyway). This is Suzanne's. It is just a half apron. It was fun to actually start and finish a project in just over an hour.

Here is my first serged item...a quick receiving blanket. Nothing special or fancy, but I was excited to try out my new machine. Looking forward to making some cool stuff with it.

January Highlights: organize

2010-04-02T20:40:00.000-06:00

I love organizing. If you came to my house on almost everyday, you may not believe this, but I do...lots. It makes me feel so good, in control of my life, content, at peace, and happy. Unfortunately, life takes over every day, and it shows. I look forward to the few minutes here and there that I can steal to "organize". It helps me get back on track. Plus, whenever I feel creative or just simply need to make something, it is soooo much easier and more enjoyable than creating in the middle of a mess!

Lately, I seem to start in my workroom but seldom make it to any other areas in my house. That has got to change!

The best way for me to start my week is with a clean and organized purse. This is one of those little moments that I look forward to on Sunday night--cleaning out and making sure my bag is ready for the week. I also use this time to go through my planner to make sure I'm aware of all that I need to be.

January Highlights: pets

2010-04-02T20:28:00.000-06:00

Nemo and Shand. This little dog sure loves her girl.

January Highlights: people

2010-04-02T20:23:00.001-06:00

Jynese and Hannah celebraing the New Year!

Chet in GR for a visit. Love it when he is here. Brings back lots of fun memories of the funny boys. Graden definitely needed a hair trim--head and face!

Grandpa and Grandma Smith over for Sunday dinner.

Shand had these two cuties (McKayla and Emma) over for a fun day of baking homemade oreos and scrapbooking.

just trying to figure out how to get a decent self portrait with my new digital. I am LOVING my new camera that I got from the kids for Christmas.

The "move-back-to-western" day. Jynese was not too excited about this (in fact she is permanently back home and making the trip each day...wish I would have listened to her back in january and saved even more money). All is well with the move, and we love having her here full time. It is especially nice for the two sisters. :)

So Thankful...

2010-03-25T18:04:00.000-06:00

Another quick share. Here's another scrapbook page that I made several years ago. What's gotten into me lately? Lots of SB stuff! Just stumbled on it while organizing scanned stuff. There are few words that can express how cool, amazing, humbling, fun, exciting, and rewarding it is to be a parent, especially when you witness your own kids making good choices, treating others kindly, strengthening their faith in God, having fun living life, working hard, setting goals and achieving them, and inviting you along to enjoy this journey with them. I feel that all three of my kids spark this inside of me, and I love them even more for it (if that's even possible). And, by the way, this is a SHORT list of Shand's qualities!

Creative Girl...

2010-03-21T13:33:00.000-06:00

Jynese is being creative and making a scrapbook page for her friend. I LOVE that my girls like making stuff. Shand is really the artist in the family, but it is such a blast for me when they want to spend some time creating my kind of art. :) Jynese made this adorable page for Val. She made a hybrid page (digi scraipbook + traditional scrapbook), and it turned out darling. Val and J are such great friends. Both so good for the other. We are again very happy that they are going to be going to USU together next year.

first stitched page

2010-03-11T20:44:00.002-07:00

Today I learned how to "stitch" my scrapbook pages, that is. I have been wanting to do this for a long time. So, today I found a program, downloaded it, and gave it a whirl... Here is the result. My first stitched page (scanning a larger sheet than 8.5" x 11" and then stitching all of the scanned images together to create the larger page). This page was a 12" x 12".
This is a little look at my three babes a few years ago--Graden a groomsman in his buddy Troy's wedding and the day Shand left for Fiji and New Zealand which also happened to be Graden's 21st birthday. Fun memories. So glad I can get an occasional one captured on film and paper.
The word stickers tell a bit of how I feel about them and how they feel about each other:

friends for a lifetime...
joy
I luv U
Family
supported
kids
together
KINDNESS
quality time
big hearts
Cherish The Moments
Warmth
get happy
L O V E
Best friends

Something Cute.

2010-03-03T22:48:00.002-07:00

Just a quick share. I know I am behind, and I do plan to catch up soon. But, I have something to share... Shand made this adorable "card" (the message is on the back) for this cutie, Ty. He is headed to the WWCC conference tournament (he is a bball player for the WWCC men's team), and Shanny put together a goodie bag for a surprise for him. Check out the cute pictures. He is a sweetie, and they are quite cute together. :)

Christmas Eve 2009

2010-02-06T09:26:00.002-07:00

We started out our Christmas Eve the traditional way--lots of running around getting ready for the big night. There always seems to be extra things that need finished: wrapping and delivery those last gifts, shopping for the things I either forget to get, consumed without realizing they were for this night, or just yummy stuff we are craving, our drive to look at the luminaries, recleaning the house, and making sure all is ready for Santa's visit. We enjoyed the night with all of our favorite finger foods. (I can't believe that I forgot to take a picture of it all, but I did.) Too worried about making sure everything was "just right" and that everyone was full. Next, we hit the games--Bananagrams and Apples to Apples. It was a fun game night. Frieda and Chris stayed for games as did our friend, Kristi. She admitted to me later that she "helped" Jynese win by donating a tile or two! :) Jynese snuck in a little nap so she'd have the energy to stay awake for the night. This was her last snuggle with Zena. Christmas Eve was the night she left with her new family.

We ended our feast with our family's own traditional drink--hot raspberry drink. This stuff is seriously the best. We all love it and can't wait for the Christmas season to enjoy it once again. Jynese pointed out that we could make it more often throughout the year...would that make it less delicious? Don't think so. Might have to take her suggestion into some serious consideration, after all, it would be the perfect treat on a snowy day. (The picture doesn't really show how yummy it is.) The history: We lived in Lander in 1989 waiting for J to be born while Andy was student teaching. Zac was the manager of Mr. D's grocery store and asked if Andy would like to work one afternoon giving out warm drinks to cold shoppers. This was the recipe that he came up with. I've tweaked it just a bit, but the main ingredients are the same. Delicious!

My changes: make only half of this amount at a time (so cut all ingredients in half), use the frozen cran-raspberry juice instead of just cranberry juice, add a dash of ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, and only use 5 cans of water.

Aaahhh. My favorite part of the night. Reading the Christmas story from the scriptures with my kids around the soft glow of the tree. Graden has been the reader for many years now. It makes my heart so happy to hear him read this beautiful, sacred story. It is always the perfect ending to a great day.

The Last of the December Photos.

2010-02-05T17:46:00.001-07:00

The kids love singing with the karaoke. Graden is always the one to get it out...but we all follow along and bust out the tunes! Some of us (me) don't always sound the best, but it is always a blast and a good time for a laugh!

While working the Flaming Gorge Classic (for three LONG days) Brett stopped by to say hi. I was working at Monroe Intermediate School as the ticket saleslady and enforcer. When he stopped by, one cool thing that Brett shared with me (that I had either not known or completely forgotten about) is that he helped paint the school mascot husky above the stage opening in the gym. He always has been an amazing artist. I tried to take a picture of it, but my camera battery died. I will, however, never forget that my little brother helped decorate the gym with its long standing mascot painting.

I was inspired by my mom to create a few Christmas gifts. I hadn't made these in a long time, but they are quite easy and fun. Hooded towels for little ones. I made these three for Breanne's kiddos.

These were the last couple of days that we had with Zena. We snuggled her every chance we got. Jynese didn't want to put her down.

I love catching my kids doing good things. This was such a day. Jynese was diligently reading her scriptures as she does everyday. I love how both girls are such great examples to me, and this is just one of the many things they choose to do that brings them closer to Heavenly Father and gives them peace and comfort. I know that I am truly blessed as their mother.

More December Daily pictures

2010-01-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

My mom needed a little bit of help with a Christmas project she was working on, so I made a quick ride over to their house. Graden had just gotten home this day, and he and Shand rode with me so they they could visit "g-ma" and "g-pa". I love it!

December Daily Pictures

2010-01-22T13:38:00.001-07:00

taking one picture each day in December to document this month. Then they will get put into my cute DD book that I made last year. Here are some of my shots.

Shand and I volunteering at the Senior Citizens dinner. It's always a fun night of service. Next, Shand is showing off how much she loves parmesan cheese..she just ate a mouthful out of the jar!

To read about Jynese and the story of the "Ugly Sweatshirt"... click here.

My favorite gingerbread cookie recipe. I made cut out cookies for the ward Christmas dinner.

The 2009 Family Christmas Photo

2010-01-22T12:46:00.004-07:00

family photo op...okay, on Thanksgiving morning, I announced to everyone that this would be the night our family Christmas photo was going to be taken. I didn't know who was going to snap the picture, and I didn't really care who it was...I just wanted this item marked off my "to do" list. I gave the girls plenty of time for them to be as ready as they desired, and the boys just needed to know it was going to happen.
     For some reason, our family doesn't have the best luck with the family photo, so I was taking the few measures I could think of to eliminate any negativeness about this little event.
   We stuffed ourselves with 2 Thanksgiving dinners, returned home, grabbed the camera, and then called Bruce's house to see if anyone was home that had a couple of minutes and knew how to click the "picture" button on a camera. Luckily, Bruce was home, available, and willing to be our photographer. We dashed outside to the backyard and stood in the snow by the tree. Other than knowing the picture was going to be taken this day, everything else was unplanned. We only bothered Bruce to take a handful of pics (around 7), and we were done. He did a great job, and we are thankful for him doing this for us!
     When they got loaded onto the computer, sure enough...Graden had an odd face in almost every shot--especially the pics that the girls thought that they looked best in. All I wanted was one pic with all of us smiling and looking at the camera. Found one---and that was my "best thing about today" thing. It's the one I used for the cards I sent out. The last three show a few of Graden's camera faces. He sure can entertain himself (and the rest of us) with his silliness!
     I love this picture. What lucky parents Andy and I are; we have such adorable kids.

Go ahead and click on each picture to blow it up nice and big so that you can really get the full effect of the funny faces! Oh, and take note of the cute font I used on the picture cards. It's Shand's handwriting that we turned into a true-type font--so fun! I love it.

Coach Shanny

2010-01-22T12:00:00.001-07:00

Shandryn coached last fall for Lincoln Middle School. She was the C Team coach for the boys team made up of 7th and 8th graders. This was an extra special first coaching experience because she had cousin Skylar on the team and Ben Nathan (her good friend's son). It's fun to see her share her knowledge and experience with a younger generation. She is so patient, kind, and a great example for those kiddos. She is currently coaching the girls C Team and is loving working with girls---they are totally different than the boys she is discovering.

2009 Missing Pieces...Part 3...November

2010-01-20T14:32:00.003-07:00

Graden right after the first puppy left us. Nemo on the left, Zena on the right.

I came out from my workroom to find the two sweeties. So sad that they couldn't get around the gate.

Shand, Tatem, and I made yummy homemade pizza for Sunday dinner. Tatem is so sweet; we love having her come over and spend time with us.

Greek vegetable pizza. Chicken alfredo with homemade sauce.

2009 missing pieces...part 2...Shandryn's Birthday

2010-01-03T12:39:00.006-07:00

Shand turned 23 on October 31, 2009. This was her first birthday at home for a couple of years. That was awesome! It's so fun for her to be home while she decides what she is going to do next. She makes life so fun, exciting, colorful, and real. I love you so much, Shanny. Thank you for being you and making our lives complete and better!

Shand's favorite See's candies. I made her a Halloween coffin for her birthday money.

Getting help from cousins, Nate and Nick with the lighting of the candles. With sooo many...all the help is appreciated! We love these cousins so much and am grateful they live next door and can be part of our celebrations and every day lives.

Getting ready to enjoy one of her favorites, banana cream pie.

Shand told us later in the day, that all she had hoped for her birthday was the gift of this little girl, Nemo. Well, she is going to end up with her after all. :)

2009 missing pieces...part 1...Jynese's Birthday

2010-01-02T23:25:00.009-07:00

October 25, 2009. J's 20th birthday! no more Trumble teens; the baby is 20! WOW. where did the time go? J was in need of a "pamper me, please" day, so to celebrate her, I scheduled a special day on Saturday the 24th. We went to Bonsai, her favorite restaurant. She, of course, ate sushi, and I ate spicy noodles. very yummy. Next, we headed to Escape Day Spa for an hour of massage. Following that, we went to Foxy Nails so she could get new nails. She loved it all, and I loved seeing her so happy. Then, on her birthday Sunday, we had family over for cake and ice cream. I love you more than you will ever know, sweet Jynese; you are an incredible blessing in my life everyday. We said "goodbye" to this sweet little girl on J's birthday. Took a last few pics, gave her lots of kisses, and watched her leave...then shed some tears. She is going to be a great dog for Ashlee; we are so happy that she will now be Ashlee's baby.

Graden had to head back to school after church. So sweet that he makes the "sister birthday trip" two weekends in a row. Such beautiful kids.

Baby Maxine/Zena fell asleep just like this...so funny.

The birthday table.

shandryn, mom, the 20 year old birthday girl-jynese, dad

the family that could come for her celebration

zachary getting a kiss

jynese trying on skylar's hat

Sweet, red vans from Shand. She has a knack for keeping us all "cool". Jynese and I share the love of the color red. It's our favorite. I might have to borrow her shoes!

silly girls-- val, jynese, hannah

Christmas Projects

2009-12-15T20:30:00.006-07:00

Here are a few of the things I have been working on for the holidays.

1. Christmas tags. I love how they turned out. I used a Yudu machine and screen printed the santas onto canvas, then stamped the sprig and "to/from", sprayed a light bit of gold glitter, and tied on a ribbon with a jingle bell. So cute I think. Although, my kids pointed out that they are "just gift tags, and did I realize that they are going to get thrown away?" Yes, I did realize that. But, that was my creative thing to do that day; it didn't even take too long, and maybe someone will use it as an ornament? That's what my mom said she was going to do with the one I gave her. Besides, it made me happy to create them. :)

2. Cloth envelopes. This idea came from Liz Kartchner. I loved when I saw it on her blog and decided to make some. They will look cute with money or gift cards
3. A few of my December Daily pages.

Shand's French Butter Keeper.

2009-12-14T20:04:00.004-07:00

Here is a quick post to show another of Shandryn's pottery creations. I love it. Keeps my butter soft and fresh all the time--a necessity for a true butter lover. yum.

Quick post today...

2009-11-16T15:30:00.004-07:00

Here are puppy updates for you, Graden! Wish you were at home so you could snuggle them. They are so cute! They will be leaving us soon :( They have been such a blast!

Random pics...

2009-10-26T12:07:00.004-06:00

from this summer. Just came across these as I was cleaning up my jump drive. I'd wanted to post them some time this summer. I don't think I did, but if so, enjoy them a second time.

One of my favorite summer treats...fresh bing cherries. Maybe I love them so much because they remind me of picking cherries at Grandma Munson's house, filling lots of buckets, and eating way too many! YUM! Aren't they the prettiest color too?

Shandryn baked this strawberry pie. It tasted just as good as it looked too! And, isn't the pottery pie dish so beautiful? I love being able to use her pieces. It's so fun.

I got this awesome, fun machine this summer! I only wish I had lots more time to just play with it to make stuff!

Choose This Day.

2009-10-11T18:21:00.001-06:00

I love Mormon Messages. It reminds me of what I need to do. Enjoy. :)

Puppy videos.

2009-10-09T14:11:00.004-06:00

"I'm not ready to get up yet."

2009-10-09T14:01:00.004-06:00

Funny Grandpa Buzz. Last week when Andy and Shandryn were at State Tennis, I was in charge of all the dogs--6 of them. On Thursday morning, I got the puppies, Boo, and Max all outside for the potty. Buzz, however, had been sleeping on the couch and when I came downstairs, I tried everything I could think of to wake him up gently. He is old after all, and it's getting impressive to see him jump on the couch for his night's sleep. Finally, I began softly shaking him while he was laying on his back (I was really needing to get out the door for work), he let out a little moan, rolled to his side, cracked open his eyes to stare at me, then covered them up with his paws!
I know he was saying, "I'm not ready to get up yet. Please leave me alone and let me sleep a little longer."
He literally stayed like that for 10-15 minutes before moving! Cute old man dog...we love ya!

Panic in the AM.

2009-10-09T13:33:00.004-06:00

Help, I've lost a puppy! Okay, I'm already five minutes late for work this morning. I get ready to walk out of my bedroom, the current spot of residence for our little girlies, and little Maxine is missing. I begin my search high and low! I call for her, I look in the closet, I run through the house thinking she somehow escaped, I lift everything that is not too heavy from the floor to see if she has buried herself. Well, I did find her fifteen minutes later! Snuggled and sleeping in my sock basket under my dresser. Don't let the pictures fool you. She was totally invisible unless you were laying on the floor and had the basket pulled out! She was so content there that when I tried to get her to come out, she wouldn't budge, and then she tried to climb to the next basket over. What a silly dog. It's going to be so sad when they have to leave us.

Snow Angel, Jynese.

2009-10-09T13:21:00.004-06:00

Jynese enjoys a first snow with Hannah outside. It was a chilly night, but they wanted to go out and play in the falling flakes. They even took the puppies for a little taste of the white stuff.

High-ten in the air.

Domesticating Shandryn :)

2009-10-09T12:54:00.007-06:00

Making strawberry jam. Yes, that's right. Shandryn is really becoming domestic, and she likes it! She had a whim to make jam. So, we went to the store, bought up the best strawberries we could find, washed out the jars, and got to work. After making 2 batches and still having strawberries left over, we decided to head back to the store for more berries and double or triple our efforts. In all, we made 7 batches of delicious, pretty strawberry goodness. I thought it went perfect with my homemade bread (recipe from Shelley)--made with my new wheat grinder and 1977 wheat from mom & dad's food storage. Shand thought it went better with her homemade white bread. Either way...tt was so yummy! And, we have 2.5 shelves in the freezer full of jam to eat and share.

Puppy Update.

2009-10-08T15:18:00.004-06:00

Here are the latest. I will try to post more tonight. In a hurry now. :)

Charity: Water (click to link)

2009-10-03T01:36:00.001-06:00

Look what he is doing in less than 5 years...I love hearing about these kind of inspirational people.

Cute Baby Boo.

2009-09-30T23:21:00.004-06:00

Baby Boo. Shand snuck her favorite puppy and met Graden and I at the ball park while we were taking Kaylund's senior pics. Graden snapped this pic of Baby Boo; named after her mommy that she looks just like! How beautiful!

Five.

2009-09-29T13:39:00.005-06:00

Inspiring. Sure makes me think. What will I be doing in 5 years? What will you be doing in 5 years?

Puppies on Monday.

2009-09-21T17:03:00.008-06:00

3 weeks old. Took some pictures today when I got home. I actually have done this several times, but I have only posted a couple of days.

hope.

2009-09-21T10:13:00.002-06:00

beautiful message.

puppy update...17 days old.

2009-09-16T14:03:00.007-06:00

17 days old and on the move. Especially now that they are starting to see where they are and what is going on around them, they are much more mobile!

Graden, aren't they cute? So wish you were home with us to play and cuddle these girlie babes!

The Puppies Are Here!

2009-09-12T13:58:00.009-06:00

August 29, 2009. Boo gave birth to the three cutest little girl puppies ever! Since there were only three, they had lots of room to grow--big, and she had a hard time birthing them. But, she is doing great, and the puppies are too!

A HOLE IN ONE.

2009-07-24T17:02:00.006-06:00

That's right...a real, HOLE IN ONE! Shandryn went golfing with Andy and Graden yesterday. When the boys walked in, both smiling ear to ear, Andy asked, "Well, guess which one of us hit a hole in one."

Now, I'm no golfer, but I know this is a big deal, just didn't know how big a deal it really is. Apparently, this is a once in a lifetime event for only a select few (according to my summer school principal).

So, I guessed that Andy had hit it. "Nope."

Then I guessed again, "Graden?"

"Nope. It was Shandryn!"

Both boys were so excited for her. She wasn't there to deliver her own good news as she had been dropped off so that she could run her daily 6-7 miles.

Did I mention that this is one very special girl? I am so lucky. Did I mention that already?

Here is her story:

I had my feet planted exactly how I wanted them and didn't want to move, so I asked Graden to toss me a ball (exhibit A).

I had to stretch forward with my club to snag the ball without moving my feet, but I got it and rolled it close to me. I set it up and swung (not even one practice swing).

I felt good about the swing and thought, "That's a pretty good swing."

Then I watched it going right towards the green. It bounced once and landed on the green, then started rolling towards the hole. I couldn't believe it! It was moving to the hole...then went in! I started yelling and jumping and running towards the hole. Dad met me and picked me up. We all three ran to the hole to retrieve my ball while we were whoopin and hollerin all the way! My first hole in one. It was so exciting! I didn't have the best score, but I had the best day!

Exhibit A

Working for a living.

2009-07-24T16:47:00.003-06:00

Jynese is such a hard worker. She still has two jobs.

1. Movie Theater Manager.

2. Weed-wacker for the school district. This is where she is pictured here. She had been really excited to get a letter from Conner, so when it was in the mailbox, I had to surprise her (of course, after I'd tricker her into thinking it wasn't there)! One thing that she doesn't like about this job is that she has too much time to herself, lost in her own thoughts. It's driving her crazy. We're trying to come up with some ideas of things she can load onto her iPod to help keep her mind busy. :) ...maybe church talks, episodes of The Office, videos with Conner's voice...

the pancaker.

2009-07-24T13:18:00.004-06:00

a new creation from shandryn. She saw this vintage idea in a picture and decided to give it a whirl! It is so cool. It makes perfect pancakes with a press on the top. It is so neat that all the pieces had to fit perfectly for it to work, and they did. Here it is filled with yummy sourdough batter. yum.

Blue eyes...told ya.

2009-07-20T00:36:00.003-06:00

Graden's eyes. The birthday post for Graden had a couple of baby pics of him. He had the darkest brown eyes as a baby, but they didn't stay that way. Here are some photos to prove it.

Love is in the air.

2009-07-20T00:03:00.010-06:00

This has been the spring for love at our house. Both girls are/were dating terrific guys. Jynese is/was dating Conner. He left on a mission last month. She misses him terribly but is so excited that he is serving the Lord. This two years is going to be quite long for her, I'm afraid.
Shandryn is dating Trevor. She met him in Pueblo two days before she came home! Lucky for her (and him), she had to return for a month to finish up a class.

Shand & Trevor were so sweet and made Jynese a candy bar poster to cheer her up after Conner left. It was so creative and funny. They had just as much fun creating it as Jynese did reading and eating it!

Sharon's Cards.

2009-07-19T23:47:00.006-06:00

Haven't shared some cards for a while. So here are some of the latest I've done.

Flaming Gorge Days.

2009-07-19T23:03:00.007-06:00

June 27th...hot, sunny day...black top & basketballs...lots of water & sun block...2009 Flaming Gorge Days 3-on-3. One of our most favorite ways to spend a Saturday has come and gone. It's been a tradition for at least 13 years of spending one day (used to be two with "school-aged kids") watching some seriously great basketball. Andy & Graden were on a team together, and Shandryn & Jynese were on a team together. The boys did well, going undefeated in their bracket before losing in a quarter-finals game. The girls kicked butt, going undefeated all day and were champions...again.

Jynese, Graden, Andy, and Shandryn

the cute sisters :) So fun they now get to play on the same team.

THE CHAMPIONS: jynese, shandryn, sarah, & ashley

the boys: andy, graden, travis, mike, & dane

Smith family fans. :)

Mandros cousin fans.

Jynese and McCall (visiting from Nevada).

shand, mallorie, & trevor

A Time for Spiritual Growth.

2009-07-19T22:52:00.004-06:00

Last week I was released from my 3+ years calling as the Primary President. I absolutely loved this calling. I have loved all of the callings I have been blessed to have, but this one was extra special. I got to work with such uplifting counselors, teachers, and the sweetest children. It was a constant source of enjoyment for me, and I thank my Heavenly Father for entrusting such special little spirits in my care. I knew that I was going to be released, and I cried for a few weeks waiting for it to happen. But, the new PP is simply awesome (Hi, Mckenna!), and the new presidency will be amazing under her direction. So, I was released at 11:15 and had a new calling at 2:30...and I must admit that I am a little scared to fulfill it. Teaching adults is not one of my favorite things to do. But, I know that teaching Relief Society will make me grow in the gospel, and that is what I need right now. Plus, my incredible-teaching sister, Shelley, has the exact same calling! How cool is that? And, since she teaches the week before I do, I think I can be gettin some great lesson ideas. So, I guess Heavenly Father is still looking out for me. :)

In support of saving.

2009-07-17T21:34:00.009-06:00

This is the kind of treasure that makes me happy that I have saved stuff for so many years. As I have been going through sorting, organizing, and throwing out 25+ years of stuff--pictures, art creations, memorabilia, etc.--I have come across several treasures. This is one of them. Back in the good ole day with only one slow-dial up internet-computer in the house...this sort of thing was a problem. How sweet that this little sister recognized a need to apologize to her big, probably stressed-out sister. So glad they grew up to be best friends. I love memories. :)

Happy Birthday, Dear Graden, Happy Birthday to YOU! 24 years...wow.

2009-07-02T10:50:00.009-06:00

Graden celebrated his 24th birthday on May 27th. It doesn't even seem possible that he has been on this earth for 24 years. Really, where has the time gone? They have been the best 24 years too. :) Graden, you have been an immeasurable blessing from day one. His eyes are now blue...really.

Yummy birthday dinner. Chicken Milanese recipe from Olive Garden here: http://www.olivegarden.com/recipes/demonstrations/

Also, very yummy Praline Turtle Cake here: http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/praline-turtle-cake-3611?click=recipe_sr

Got some cool VonZipper sunglasses from Shandryn & Jynese. Sisters always know how to keep you in style.

A rockin' Office shirt...just the one he wanted!

How many years old are you? I remember him doing this with just a couple and a few...now 24!

Puppy love with Buzz & Max.

Luckiest mom in the world.

I'm gonna play CATCH UP!

2009-07-02T10:48:00.002-06:00

Lots has happened since I posted last. So, I am planning on posting lots of stuff for this week to try to catch up what's been going on here.

Maya Angelou Wisdom.

2009-05-21T12:29:00.007-06:00

It's been too long since I shared, but here is some great wisdom from a great lady. Maya Angelou wisdom.

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70 birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older. And, there on television, she said it was 'exciting.' Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first. The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such an honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:
*I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

*I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

*I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

*I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.'

*I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

*I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.

*I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

*I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

*I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

*I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

*I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

TOMS Shoes (click here)

2009-04-21T13:18:00.004-06:00

Which pair do you want, kids? What a wonderful dream to follow. wow. I have seen this guy on tv for a cell phone commercial, so when I came across this, I was really excited. I love learning about people that follow their dreams, especially when that dream is for the service of others. What an inspiration he is. Plus, cute shoes. I'm getting some.

One for One TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: For every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about.

The Weekend in Laramie.

2009-04-21T11:57:00.008-06:00

Laramie-Graden-Max- and SNOW! Last Thursday, Graden had an honor banquet for the Kinesiology College where he was being recognized for a scholarship he received. I had the plan of leaving right after school to make it to Laramie just in time for the dinner, then turn around and come home after the banquet--you know, getting home at 3:00 AM or whatever. But, as I watched the weather, I knew a storm was headed our way...again. (Every time one of us have had to travel this year, there has been a big snow storm...truly, every time.) So, I wasn't surprised by the weather report, just very annoyed at it! I used my last personal time from school so that I could leave in the afternoon for fear I wouldn't make it otherwise. Good decision. 30 minutes out of town, the roads were horrible. So scary. Total whiteout. Diesels off the road everywhere. Snowing and blowing. Frozen slush covered up with snow. YUK! I was only able to go about 15 miles per hour. I would have pulled off the road, but didn't want to get hit, so I kept going. Thank goodness that that didn't last the entire way. It did snow on me until 2 miles outside of Laramie though. I pulled into town and went to Graden's. So fun to see him and Max. Max-ee-mo was even excited to see me; he was running in circles and jumping off the couch. We played beauty salon and gave G a new do. He had to teach an anatomy lesson for his TA duties at 5:00, then we headed to the banquet at 6:00. It had started snowing by this time--really big, heave, wet snow. The banquet was very nice. We sat with Josh, graden's partner in the research lab, and with two of his professors. All were very nice. His teachers had lots of super good things to say about G, all of which I loved hearing and appreciated. :) Oh, also met another professor, Tina. She was very nice too. After dinner, we headed outside to find about 6-8 inches of snow had fallen, and it kept falling for the next several days. Me, heading home? Not a chance. I checked the road report and sure enough, it was closed. No surprise. And, I wasn't even bummed. I was given an extra free day to spend with Graden and Max. What a gift! I had taken care of work in the event I couldn't make it back. Jynese subbed for an aide so that the aide could sub for me. So, my down and back trip turned into a four day vacation. The roads didn't open up until Saturday, but they were still slick. I decided to wait to leave until Sunday when the weather was supposed to be very warm. Good plan. I had mostly dry roads the entire way home.

before the haircut, thinking about using this pic for his passport

the 80's mullet

the introduction at the banquet

Max, who never barks or growls, started growling...we had to look to see what it was...the scary unfamiliar snowman

the busy-with-studying graden

Max really loves his boy...lots of kisses!

a little look in to g's place

Here's what we did:

*gave G a haircut

*the banquet

*ordered Papa John's pizza and watched Cinderella Man

*slept in on Friday; graden's lab was cancelled

*graden studied for a big test he has today and worked on a paper

*went to dinner at Corona Village

*me...lots of mom cleaning, organizing, and laundry...fun :)

*shopped at WalMart

*made breakfast burritos, chili, cornbread, and brownies

*laughed at Max when he growled at the snowman next door

*fun being with graden and max

"None Were with Him" --Jeffrey R. Holland

2009-04-14T08:30:00.006-06:00

The True Easter Message. (You may want to grab a Kleenex before watching this.) If only we could have even the tiniest concept of what our Savior suffered and did for us. I am so grateful for a loving brother who was willing to do this for each of us.

Easter.

2009-04-13T18:06:00.008-06:00

Easter weekend.

It was a beautiful weekend.

*We had lots of fun hanging out at home together watching movies.

*Graden playing XBOX.

*Graden kickin my butt at Yatzee. He gets more than one each game!

*Making ginger bunnies; they were so yummy and soft.

*Jynese getting her hair colored, and it looks great, thanks to McKenna!

*Coloring eggs. I made my traditional rainbow egg--been making one every year since I was about 12! There is a really special way to make it just perfect.

*Jynese playing Guitar Hero.

*Partaking in a spiritual sacrament meeting.

*Eating dinner.

*The only thing missing...Shandryn. She staying in Pueblo with her roommates. They each prepared a dish for their dinner, and it turned out "sooo good," according to Shand.

Card creations.

2009-04-13T17:10:00.003-06:00

Had lots of fun making cards this weekend. Hopefully, I can get caught up on birthdays and stay caught up. :)

Graden, can you say, "I really want one." (click here for the article)

2009-04-13T10:57:00.002-06:00

Analyst: Apple placed chip order for 32GB iPhones

32 GB iPhone? Now we're talking! (wish it were literally on one of these babies!)

Elton John.

2009-04-05T21:22:00.016-06:00

Andy & Graden went to the Elton John concert Friday night! Elton John came to Laramie, and the boys were so excited to get to see him. Andy said that it was the best concert he has ever gone to, and Graden loved seeing Elton play his piano. He played for an entire three hours and was a super entertainer. I'm so glad they had a great time. Here is a little snip of their night...In order to stop the automatic music so you can hear the concert videos, just scroll to the bottom and hit pause on the music player.

Shelby's book.

2009-04-04T20:04:00.008-06:00

1. A cute book for a cute girl. When Shelby was here with her family, she stayed the night with us. Of course, I took some pictures of her with our family. The plan was to make a book, but we didn't have time to do any of it except print the pics and select the fabric for the covers before she had to leave. So, today I finished it. The thing that I love the most about it--Shelby's handwriting for the font on the tags. It is so cute, and it will be so much fun using it for other projects too! Thanks Shelby for your handwriting! Now, I must finish making the other fonts of her mom, dad, sister, and brothers. I'll do that next. Here's a look into her book, only some of the pages are pictured.

Saturday.

2009-04-04T11:36:00.003-06:00

1. This is what we woke up to. Heavy, wet snow is very hard to shovel from the driveway and sidewalk. That's what I should have taken a picture of; I'm sure I looked awkward. The good thing about that, I have a jump start on my exercising today!

2. A card for today.

3. Listened to and watched General Conference. This is one of my very favorite things. I love listening to our church leaders. More later on my favorite talks.

Wild Things.

2009-04-03T09:41:00.006-06:00

Woo hoo--the Wild Things are coming.
My kids have always been big Wild Things fans, thanks to the book. Graden's checks are even Wild Things, and his new puppy is named after Max. Very fitting since he is a wild thing himself, and he sounds just like these wild things. Here is some eye candy for my kids and anyone else who's a fan! enjoy :)

Friday morning.

2009-04-03T08:24:00.010-06:00

1. Jynese, an official SD#2 employee. yipee! :)
Today is J's first day as a sub for the district. Doesn't she look great? She is excited about making this extra money. We hope she gets lots of calls.

2. Updates. exercising and Worst & Best

Exercising:
Tuesday: walked .5 miles, ran 1.5 miles
Wednesday: does helping Jynese & Shandryn until 1:00 AM while wearing my exercise clothes count for any calorie burning? If not, then nothing today--dang it!
Thursday: warm up walk .25 miles, ran 1.5 miles, power walked for 1.25 miles really focusing on my butt, legs, and tummy by squeezing, and lifting/abs 30 minutes.
Friday: worked out for 1.5 hours.

Worst & Best:
Tuesday:
worst-feeling soooo sore from running on Monday. I look funny when I walk. I guess I didn't stretch enough.
best-finding out that Shand dedicated something very special to me; it made me cry! I'm the luckiest mom in the world. That's really all I can say about that for now, more to come later. :)
Wednesday:
worst-I truly had a difficult time coming up with something that would fit this category today. Aside from my house needing cleaned (and THAT really bothers me), and having lots of scouts stuff to take care of, I couldn't really come up with anything until Jynese reminded me that three boys in the media center that were testing under my direction got on my nerves a bit; just typical middle school stuff. So, that's what my worst for today will be. Funny thing is, it could also be a best as it's a reminder that my new position is soooo much less stressful than the classroom.
best-working with Jynese on a research paper that she had due that night. A couple of hours into it, after we kept getting sidetracked with talking about whatever we needed to get caught up on, she said, "mom, this is why we never get anything done, we have too many things to talk about." It was definitely a mother/daughter bonding night. She did finish her paper and submit it before midnight, and it was very good. But, the best thing that happened to me that day was just being wrapped up in our own little world for a few hours, just the two of us, feeling happy.
Thursday:
worst-while brushing my teeth, I came up with an idea for Shand's project that might have been really good, but of course, I didn't think about it within the time frame that would have made a difference--it was too late. That always seems to happen to me. I think I get that tunnel vision thing going on and focus so much on one thing that I don't let my mind think things through enough in case there is a better idea. I know I am guilty of this, and I even have learned to say to myself, "Don't get in a hurry. Are there any things that would look/work better for this?" Unfortunately, the answer doesn't come to me until it's too late most of the time.
best-I loved wearing my new shirt that I got from Vanity when Jynese was working there. It only cost $3.00. What a deal, and I love it!
Friday:
worst-I wasn't able to activate a phone for Jynese that she was really looking forward to activating.
best-knowing I get to be home tomorrow, exercising, getting my FAVORITE brand of shirts Shade Clothing on sale for $2.49!!, going shopping with Jynese and buying $65 of junk food to eat with our own movie night (watched The Women), listened to Andy and Graden sound exctied about the Elton John concert they attended, and feeling content.

#15-2

2009-03-30T22:59:00.003-06:00

Just for you, Shanny!

Day 1. Brett's Fam. The Worst & The Best.

2009-03-30T19:29:00.017-06:00

1. Day 1...again.Just why does it take so much time and effort to establish the habit of exercise? And, why is this the one habit that is so easy to break? Oh well, I'm at it again. Graden once told me that it only takes 21 days to establish the habit of exercies, so with that...20 days to go.

Day 1:

walked for .5 miles

ran for 1.5 miles

core and ab workout for 30 minutes

pounds lost: 0

I really hope to see and feel results soon, tomorrow would be nice! It's great to have support from my family. The kids will be excited that I am working out again. The girls are quite diligent in working out regularly, and Graden would if he had any free time. He is still health conscious and is always encouraging us to get in shape.

2. Eating healthy.

Today I had a smoothie (strawberries, banana, fat free milk, and ice) and a wrap (cream cheese, Pampered Chef dill seasoning, spinach leaves, roasted red pepper strips, turkey, and ham). Both very yummy! :)

3. Brett's family visit. I posted earlier that Brett's family came to visit. We love seeing and hanging out with them. Shelley noticed that Shelby was missing from the pic--maybe there is a special connection there. She was at Grandma's and Grandpa's house that night. Plus, Courtney came from Nevada. We were lucky because Shelby wanted to stay with us the last night she was here. Here's what we did with Shelby and family:

1. We had a fun little campout on the floor and watched Nim's Island.

2. Ate sourdough waffles in the morning.

3. Made a font of everyone's handwriting--Brett, Bev, Courtney, Hunter, Tanner, and Shelby.

4. Took some pics and started a cool book for Shelby--not finished yet, but I'm hoping to do that tomorrow so I can mail it to her.

5. Got to download a CD of Seether. Cool (most songs!) Thanks Bev and Hunter. We three have such good taste in music!

6. Hunter and Shandryn played the guitar together. Both little music buffs.

4. The Worst & The Best. For some reason, it is easier to notice and dwell on the bad things in our lives and forget about the good. Too often, I get wrapped in the business of day-to-day stuff and don't even realize how many blessings I actually have. I know that sometimes I have really good things happen to me, but in order to really appreciate that they are good, I unfortunately have to experience some bad things too. This is the premise that I always used when I taught The Giver by Lois Lowry--an absolutely awesome novel and story. This idea also goes along with this scripture:

"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility." (2 Nephi 2:11)

So, I am going to focus of the best and the worst of each day for a week or two and see if I can't get refocused on all the great things in my life that I need to appreciate more.

Day 1:

:( The Worst realizing that I am so out of shape...how did I let that happen?

:) The Best finding some information on the internet that I think will help Graden with next year's registration and hopefully will answer some questions that he has.

Andy: Food and Fighting?

2009-03-29T20:23:00.007-06:00

1. The "Unburger" burger...

Andy has been quite excited to invent a recipe to enter into a cooking contest. He's even spent lots of time coming up with just the right concoction of ingredients for his non-hamburger burger. He's made it a few times, and we all agree that it is quite tasty! Fresh ground pork with yummy stuff added in, then topped with other yummy stuff! Now for the entry process...we sure hope he wins, or at least gets selected to cook for the judges.

2. UFC Fighter???

Every so often Andy lets his facial hair grow out, then shaves some strange design on his face. It's always followed up with, "Don't you think I should go like this to school/practice/the family gathering/birthday party/wedding/etc..."

So, here is his latest one. This time the question was along the lines of "Don't I look like I should be a UFC fighter?"

I think, "Do they also have designs shaved onto their faces? If so, then I guess you're ready."

Some Happy Stuff.

2009-03-24T22:02:00.014-06:00

The planets must have been aligned for our family this past weekend because we finally had three days to be together--an amazing and almost never-happening event these days. Absolutely loved it. J's spring break was two weeks ago (remember she went to Vegas), Graden's was last week, and Shand's was this week. She came home on Friday as soon as her last class on Friday was over, so she got here around 8:00pm. So, we had from Friday night until Sunday to be a whole family complete with three kids. They were the best days...my idea of what heaven must be like. Lots of talking, laughing, reminiscing, showing, more laughing, watching movies, working on "projects" during all hours of the night. Just to hear their voices together...it was simply the BEST weekend ever.The kids at Shand's championship game.

Graden's pics for his passport...don't think we are using either one because of the shadow, but they make me smile.

Shand looking cute. :)

Kellie and Eric came over to say "goodbye" before Graden headed back to Laramie.

So fun that Brett's cute, sweet family were able to visit during their spring break. We just love getting to spend time with them and seeing them.

Some of the things our family did last week:

1. Jynese finished her subbing class, so now she can sub to make $$$.

2. Andy & Graden went to Salt Lake to golf at Thanksgiving Point.

3. Watched lots of great NCAA games. FUN :)

4. Went to RS together:

5. Shopped at WM--most important purchase--Twilight movies (2 of 'em)

6. Ate at Wonderful House--yum

7. Went to Western for Shand to watch and meet a famous potter--John ?

8. Made lots of our own fonts with http://www.yourfonts.com/ --soooo cool. Now I have fonts of handwriting from Andy, Graden, Shand, and me. Can't wait to use them.

9. Made super cool bracelets with Shand.

Create.

2009-03-20T10:17:00.015-06:00

I love gaining inspiration from others, especailly our church leaders. Here is a favorite from Dieter F. Uchtdorf. No matter what religion you are, this is inspiring. (For some reason, the entire screen is not visible. You can click on the link below to view it all. ENJOY! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5eM9-Rv8Lw

Saturday Stuff...

2009-03-14T22:56:00.012-06:00

1.) an end to an era. Even though Shand's team was favored to win the whole tournament in Minnesota and make it to the "elite eight" tournament in San Antonio, TX, the team didn't quite do what they needed to. They lost on Friday, and that was the game that brings Shand's basketball career to an official end. I am so sad about this, and I think she was hoping it was going to last a week or two longer too. But, what a great 15+ years of basketball she has enjoyed. Her game was broadcast through the internet which we watched. That was really cool--to see her on the court, not to see the loss. Perhaps the best part of the game came after it was all over. Shand was interviewed, and it was also broadcast! Nice interview Shand. She was kind, well-spoken, and mature.

Shand, we are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments. We love you and thank you for all the great fun you have shared with us through your basketball career.

2.) shand's art show display. Last month Shand entered some of her pottery pieces for an art show at CSUP, and they were selected. If you click here, you will see a tiny picture of the art show. Her teapots are in the front, bottom right. I don't have pictures of those teapots, but here are some of my favorites that we have pictures of. :) Beautiful stuff...man, this girl is talented!

Game Update & Happy Birthday, Logan!

2009-03-13T09:07:00.008-06:00

1.) Game update. Shand's game is at 2:00 mountain time/3:00 central time. You can watch/listen live for free by going to this link

http://www.gothunderwolves.com/sports/wbkb/2008-09/news/03102009_Streaming

2.) Happy 13th Birthday, Logan...happy birthday to you! Is it scary to celebrate your 13th birthday on Friday the 13th?! Well, he at least has good taste in books. Came in this morning to check out another Mike Lupica book Summer Ball. Good choice, Logie! And Happy Birthday to a super great nephew/cousin. We love ya.

Lots of stuff today...

2009-03-12T21:21:00.009-06:00

1.) Jynese: Currently, Jynese is in Vegas for her spring break. Hope all is going well and safe. I was looking through pictures this week and came across these cute ones. :)

2.) Shand on the front page! While we were in Colorado last weekend for Shand's tournament, we were lucky to get a copy of this. We didn't even know about it, and Shand doesn't like to tell us about these kind of things. So, we are grateful for Chip E being there (watching his sweetheart who was also playing in the championship game against Shand). He gave gave us the paper. Thanks, Chip!

3.) CSU-P Schedule. The first game is tomorrow (Friday) at 2:00 Mountain/3:00Central. Here is the link to watch and listen for free. Go Thunderwolves...Good luck, Shanny!

http://www.gothunderwolves.com/sports/wbkb/2008-09/news/03102009_Streaming

4.) sharon's cards I love the quote "Do something creative everyday." When I go through too many days without doing something creative, I experience "creative stir-craziness". That was the case last night. So, I took a couple of minutes, grabbed some random stuff sitting out on my counter and made a card.

5.) Free Fonts. Okay, this is seriously cool. This is a site that takes your own handwriting and will turn it into a true type font for FREE. I can't wait to have Shand's handwriting as a font. It will definitely be a favorite. Check it out.

http://www.yourfonts.com/

7 High & Puppy Love

2009-03-11T19:20:00.023-06:00

1.) Okay...the first thing that Andy and Graden both said (after being a little surprised that I actually posted something after six long months) was, "Hey, where is the picture of our 7-high tower?" Six is amazing, but seven is even more impressive! How did I miss that picture? So, here it is, boys.

2.) Some puppy love. Graden's new puppy, Max, is so darn cute. He is such a mellow, loveable dog with a sweet disposition. We have made lots of trips down to Colorado to see Shand since Christmas, when Graden got Max from Kellie, and this little guy has made all the trips with us. He is an awesome traveler! After all, I should know since he shared the back seat with me. :)

Buzz and Boo aren't sure about the new little one, but they only have to adjust when Graden comes home to visit.

3.) Now for a first video...I really want to master this whole blogging thing with style. That means I need to be able to add video (even if I don't have a cool Flip--which I could have bought for 1/2 price at the Circuit City going-out-of-business-sale. Seriously, what was I thinking? Okay, I know I was thinking, "Hey, maybe tomorrow they will be even cheaper." Well, tomorrow was the day they sold out before I got back there! Oh, well. I'll live without one.)

So, staying with the puppy theme today, I am going to post a short puppy video of Daddy Buzz's second litter. Beagle puppies are so cute!

Champions & RMAC Weekend

2009-03-09T21:37:00.031-06:00

First...a little look at Senior night (Feb. 28-09). So sad that this is the last of all the senior nights. What a blessing that we have been able to be involved with several for Graden, Shandryn, and Jynese. Not sure that I am ready to be done with them either!

(Thanks Jynese for being such a great photographer. You've got talent!)

So proud of Shandryn for all of her accomplishments. Playing college basketball for four years required lots of time, dedication, and self-discipline. Not to mention that she has done all this while keeping her 4.0 all through college! WOW. What an example she is to our family. Love you Shand; thanks for being so great!

Just thought I would share what she wrote for Senior Night--

"I am so humbled and blessed to have had the opportunity of playing basketball as a part of my life. I appreciate CSU-Pueblo, my coaches, and my team for this experience and want to thank you for the time we spent as one. We grew together, and as I continue with my future, I will look back with fond memories of my time here with you. All for one and one for all!

To my family--I love you! You guys know I would never have been able to do any of this without you. I proudly state that I am a product of my family! I am so humbled and honored to have been sent to you. You are my rock. Thanks for the love, laughs, and the support.

Words of advice for my teammates--play for you; have fun; be fearless; trust yourself. You are a great group of girls, and I wish you the best that life has to offer. May all your dreams come true. Thanks."

...I need a kleenex every time I read this!

Making a shot. (and I am hoping that someday I can take action more clearly!)

Now for this weekend...

{Click on the title above to link to CSU-P for the articles}

the captains before the game

Cuttin' down the net...Shand only cut a little piece, unlike the "bigger" piece each senior was supposed to cut down...funny because she climbed the ladder twice to finish the job!
Check out the article here... http://www.gothunderwolves.com/sports/wbkb/2008-09/news/03072009_RMAC

And contrary to what the article says, Shandryn's Texas State D-1 team was conference champs last year, so she definitely knows how this feels and what to do! :)

Shand with her teammate and roommate, Kristi.

There's just a cool feeling when you win first place!

Shandryn's team had conference play last weekend, and they totally dominated! They beat the #4 team in the nation by 18 points. Shand had 12 of those, plus helped with lots of :) stats. Then on Saturday, they won the 'ship! Way to go T-Wolves! They now will be heading to Minnesota for the NCAA II touney.

Before the celebration dinner at Chilis, there was one mean competition between the boys {Andy and Graden} and the girls {Shandryn, Kristi, and Sharon}...and dang it, the boys won, but just barely! It was funny during the building, there were lots of people watching and even cheering for them. :)

A New Destination for Shanny & Random Stuff

2008-08-02T11:08:00.017-06:00

1. shand

Okay, so I was trying to copy and paste a picture from CSU-P and couldn't believe that my eyes landed upon this little treasure....

click on the title above and it will link to the artice at CSU-P

July 31, 2008
Pack women’s hoops lands D-1 transfer from Texas StatePUEBLO, Colo., (July 31, 2008) - The Colorado
State University-Pueblo women's basketball team has signed Texas
State University transfer, Shandryn Trumble (Green River
HS, Green River, Wyo.), for the 2008-09 season, coach Kip
Drown announced Thursday.
Trumble, a 5-foot-8 wing, played for one season with Texas
State, helping the Bobcats to a berth in the NCAA National
Invitational Tournament (NIT). Texas State made it as far as
the second round before losing to Texas Tech.
As a junior college player at Western Wyoming Community College
in Rock Springs, Wyo., she was an all-region selection after
averaging 12 points, four rebounds and three assists per
game. As a sophomore, she led her team in scoring, field goal
percentage (.418), and assists, and was second in steals and
three-pointers made. Throughout her career, she shot better
than 40 percent from behind the arc.
Trumble, who will be a senior this season, has one year of
eligibility left with the ThunderWolves.
"We are very excited to sign a player of Shandryn's ability and
experience this late in the recruiting process," Drown said.
"She is an outstanding three-point shooter and a proven college
scorer, and we expect her to have a big impact on our team this
upcoming season."
Trumble becomes the fourth player to sign a letter of intent
with the ThunderWolves in 2008-09. Previously, northern
Colorado products Kendall Babler and Jenelle Branting, and junior
college transfer, Kristi Arness, a California product, have signed.

So, Shanny is headed to Colorado to become a thunderwolf; a place she has always wanted to live. The coach seems like a good person, and we will hopefully get to watch some of her games this year. She will miss Texas State and her friends there though, but we are very excited and happy for her. way to go shandryn!

2. andy & graden

are finishing their scuba diving lessons today and getting certified. Finally, they will be official when they go to the lake...

3. jynese
This girl is always on-the-go... either to work or to be with friends. We really don't see her very often. I get tired just watching her.

nikki-jynese-val--funny girls!:)

The weekend with family

2008-07-28T18:16:00.016-06:00

We spent Sunday at Rod's to celebrate Trudy's birthday and wish her and her family a sad "goodbye" as they head off to a new part of the country. Here are my fav pics...some I took and some Graden took. So fun to use our cameras together!

very hungry baby birds--check out the fly food--great shot G

gathered around to sing happy birthday Trudy

the miner's grubstake teepee