Family Home Evening Boards

Tis the Season to be Crafty

My snowman family
made with wooden blocks

Working on some other projects to post soon

Goodbye 210, Hello 2011

I have several friends that say they are sad to see 2010 go, but as for me, I couldn't be happier! 2010 was a loooong year and not in a good way. We did have lots of fun too though, great vacations, lots of time with family and we made many happy memories. I just love new beginnings and I am confident that 2011 has lots of things in store for us.

I haven't really made any resolutions this year,

but I do have a few "to-do" items:

1. Convince Robert that all of those old Baseball cards really do need to be thrown out or given to a good home :) Wish me luck on this one...I think it is the one that may not be accomplished!
2. Clean out all of my closets. When I say clean out, I don't mean organize, I mean throw away. We have entirely too much stuff for two people.
3. Start a food storage. This is something that I know I should already be working on, but thus far I haven't. This year I want to have at least a few essentials set aside in case of an emergency.
4. Buy a second car. We have been juggling one car since we got married and it has been quite the blessing financially to be able to do this and with little hassle considering our comparable work schedules, BUT the time has come that we are both OVER IT!
5. Start working on family history. This is another one of those things that I have wanted to do but never found the time. I want to have family show me how to do this and make it happen. This is a big goal because it is sooo time consuming, but I think it will be interesting to learn about my ancestors :)

So here I am, welcoming 2011! I am curious to see what it has in store for my family and friends. May this year be one of happiness, health and lots of love!

Sweet Deliciousness!

an early Halloween Treat, caramel apples!!!

MMMmmmm, banana-nut bread :D

Bowling Queen

I purchased a pair of not-so-cute bowling shoes. $5. This sounded expensive to me, but they are almost fabulous not to mention shoe rentals are $3! A bit more snug than I would prefer, but I won't be running a marathon, so I can deal with the curling of my toes in these not-so-sporty shoes. The guy that I purchased them from was asking $10 for the bag, ball, shoes and a dirty pair of old socks tucked in the corner of the bag... I offered $5 for just the shoes and he accepted! I'm considering joining a bowling league or something ridiculous. haha. jokey-joke about that! Anyways, We are purchasing this coupon book that schools sell and it has coupons for free bowling games in it, just sayin' what a great date night! Now, if only I could find some bowling shoes for Roberto...

P90X - Take 2!

So we are attempting the P90X thing...again. Yes we were failures for a minute there, but we are back in the game and that is all that really matters. So maybe we were lazy for 5-weeks, not getting any more exercise than an occasional evening walk BUT all of that is in the past now. We are dedicated and motivated...again...
I am so sore that it is almost unbearable to take a single step and we will not get into switching positions from sitting to standing and walking up and down stairs... I remember many moons ago when we first started (before failing miserably) I went through this same torture and for some irrational reasoning I thought taking a break wouldn't be so terrible, WRONG! as usual :(
On a more optimistic note, Robert has stuck to his diet and lost a little over 20 pounds! Go Robert! And now combing diet and exercise...consistently, he is going to have awesome results =D. Oh, did I mention we converted our fellow Lamb folk to the routine...that's right, the four of us are sweatin' it out together!

I am grateful for...

Do you ever have those days where you just look around and think about how blessed you are? Well, I have been having a lot of those days/moments lately. These are some of the things I have to be grateful for today...

ROBERT, especially since he shaved the summer scruff
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Having the opportunity to work with the YOUTH at Church
My job
Robert's job
Our families
our comfy little house we call home
My kitty...and the barking dogs
modern medical technology
Cable Television (Jersey Shore)

Sometimes it seems that trials come relentlessly our way, but when I take a short moment to reflect, I realize that I have more than my share of blessings and I am so grateful for them.

Baby Quilt for Baby Niece

This is my first quilt

I made this for Lisa & Brian's baby girl that is due in August...

I am satisfied with the outcome,

but will definately allow myself more time to finish such a project in the future.

I got the fabric from Jo~Ann's, they have sooo many cute patterns to choose from.

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

"When LIFE gives you Lemons

make Lemonade"

"Crying is not going to change anything"

"Chear up Charlie!"

"Cry for me crybaby!"

"If you chance to meet a frown, turn it for a smile..."

Chears, to a better day! =)

Seasonal Satisfaction...or not

Is Summer OVER yet??

I am so ready for Fall!!!

I think I say that every Summer...

but then when Winter rolls around,

I'm ready for Spring...

...never satisfied : /

P90X

SOOOO, we are now P90X people! Just this week and we are incredibly sore, but Robert is going to have biceps like Arnold...

...and I'll have the beach body of Courtney Love...just sayin! I'll keep you posted...all 2 blog viewers =)

The Wild West

**WARNING** 384 pictures were taken on this trip, we only posted 17...You're Welcome!!!

Lots of the stuff we did on our summer adventure out west...

Robert & I conquered Ensign's Peak! =)


We checked out Kennecott Copper Mine...

visited the Heritage Pioneer Park (or whatever it is called)

The Christus in the North Visitor's Center at Temple Square

the gardens at Temple Square are beautiful!








A cute couple took our picture in front of the Salt Lake Temple
What a fantastic structure! Definitely the highlight of Salt Lake for me

After Salt Lake City we drove the rental car to Jackson Hole, WY. This was an incredible drive...the mountains, snow still on the mountains. The beauty of the West is breath-taking!

We had to stop and play in the snow and check out the view...I was changing from flip flops to tennis shoes...haha!

We went to a few shops that night and ate at a delicious restaurant.
Robert had the Elk Chops while I enjoyed the Trout. Yummy!

The next morning was rainy and freezing cold. We were not prepared for the weather at all. I only packed a thin fleece jacket and Robert had a long-sleeve t-shirt, so we spent the early part of the morning finding rain gear and sweaters! We ventured out in the rain (during a short break in the weather) and went horseback riding. I have always wanted to go horseback riding out west... It was everything I had hoped for...well, except for wearing rain gear. But the sky cleared up and we rode up the mountain and had a perfect view of the valley and the Snake River below.

Next was Robert's big thing for the trip, White Water Rafting in the Snake River. Did I mention it was cold & rainy?? Yeah, about that...so the water was super high and moving too fast for me, but that was not enough to convince the ol' husband of the dangers...so off we went to conquer the river! Thankfully we had wet suits, fleece jackets, "splash gear" and booties to keep us cozy...As soon as I got on the river I was alert and ready to paddle this raft like a little viking and paddle we did! the rapids were very strong in some areas, but because of the high water some didn't exist. To spite the rain, ice, wind, thunder and freezing temperature we successfully conquered the river without even flipping (unlike some of our fellow rafters). I'm glad Robert insisted because that was a big highlight of our trip. (We only have hard copies of these pictures and are yet to scan them)

The following day we were off to Yellowstone where we saw tons of buffalo and mule dear, a few grizzly bears, big horn sheep and who knows what else...but no elk :( North Yellowstone was my favorite, the mountains and wildlife are just beautiful. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to live is those temperatures, but beyond beautiful for sure!

We couldn't believe how close we were able to get to the animals

We were clearly in their territory...

Old Faithful was a must see...once. Being the brat that I am, we waited entirely too long for nature to do it's thing...I was entirely too cold and hungry, which made the wait even more dreadful... I'M JUST SAYIN'!

We flew home Monday and we were so ready! This vacation was fabulous and we have sooo many wonderful memories, BUT there's no place quite like home! I've never seen Robert as happy as he was when we stepped off the plane at the Atlanta Airport and the humidity nearly knocked him over! We are definitely southern folks!

This was taken near the West Entrance of Yellowstone. It was the only sunset we saw during our entire vacation. We were so exhausted (lame), by the 8pm we were out cold! But what a beautiful sunset it was =)

Spring is here and Summer is near

So I've pulled out all my summer clothes, some of which don't quite fit the same and I've turned to the tanning bed for some unnatural attention. This whole tanning bed thing is too much work for me. I think I'm pasty and always will be.

What I like about the tanning bed:
-feeling as though I am eventually going to have that healthy summer glow!
-Nothing else, that's the only good thing!

What I dislike about the tanning bed:
-smelling like burning flesh for several days. The scent I have after tanning literally makes me sick! I have to marinate in scented lotions just to be able to handle the odor...I can only imagine what others think about this lovely smell...
-Just KNOWING that I have about twice as many wrinkles everytime I open the toasty dome
-Taking the 10-15 minutes out of my evening to roast with less than satisfying results
-Having a nearly uncontrollable urge to scratch my gleaming red body
-Resulting in a crisp red for the first two days and then fading to paste all over again.

I want to say I'm smart enough to not put my body through such torment, but I'm not. I know I'll do it again...probably tonight actually...

What else...BEACH!
Melanie and I are venturing down to Panama City Beach for the weekend! I am beyond excited! We are ditching the husbands and soaking up the sun for the weekend. We'll be sure to get lots of pics and I'll do sme much needed updating next week. ahhh, I can hear the waves crashing now...oh wait, no waves in Panama City Beach =)

About the whole house thing, I was pretty pumped about putting it on the market and the whole deal but now not so much. I'm really having some ups and downs with this whole process. Everyone that knows me knows that I'm not much for change and just thinking about moving makes me so nervous...RGH! I don't want to dwell on my negative attitude =) Anyways, the plan is to put it on the market when we return from vacation in June. That's the plan... :/

Speaking of vacation, we have decided to stay at a Marriott Residence Inn in Utah, the whole vacation home search was just not working out for us and the travel time to downtown was not really worth it, so we opted for the hotel. This one is a bit more than I wanted to spend but its perfect because it has 2-bedrooms and a kitchen/livingroom space. We're still working on finding a hotel in Yellowstone...

Wow, this post is a bit longer than I had intended...

Just a few things

Not a lot going on with Robert and I lately... aside from the daily grind, we've been focusing on:

Selling our house...
So many things to be done and not enough free time to accomplish it.
Organizing, Cleaning & Painting Oh My!

For Sale by Owner or get a Realtor?

This is our first house together and we have sooo many memories here.

We live so close to family. I have locked myself out of my house numerous times
(I realize that is one of those things you just don't admit to) and I can just walk to Robert's
parent's house and get a spare key.

I have a fear that we will not be able to find a house that we just LOVE in a more country
location and still be able to afford it.

I'm getting cold feet. I almost convinced myself that I'm not ready for this. Thank goodness
for Robert, he is the voice of reason. Robert convinced me just to postpone it until
after vacation.

And the biggest thing, I like the IDEA of change, but I experience entirely too much anxiety
when thinking about everything that comes along with these changes.



Vacation Plans...
We are planning a trip to Salt Lake City, UT for a week in June with Brian & Lisa. We have
not made reservations for a place to stay yet, but that is in the works. We want to tour
Temple Square and go to the Salt Lake Temple. I would love to go to south Utah and do some
hiking, but we are kinda limited on time so that'll have to be another vacation. We are going to
take 2 days out of our trip and drive up to Yellowstone National Park.
Yay for family vacations!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

I just wanted to show off my fabulous tree. The tree was too tall for our star, so we opted for a bow this year. I love the bow, BUT I must note that it is my first Christmas tree bow so with a little practice this next year I'll be a pro bow maker! Next year, I'm thinking of decorating our tree in purple =)




I found this tiny, hand-made nativity at Christmas Made in the South this year.

I have seen these online alot and you can order the vinyl pictures and letters, well I decided to make one the MB way! Lisa and I bought these glass cubes at a yardsale for $1 each, they just had to be cleaned up quite a bit. Then I found a nativity picture online that I liked and printed it out on photo paper and glued it on the glass with a special glass adhesive. I am so happy with the results and it was a lot cheaper than ordering the vinyl

Cheerful time of year!

I love Christmas! This year has been especially fabulous. Our tree is adorable and no, i'm not partial! I haven't done an overwhelming amount of crafts, but enough to add a few decorations and gifts, our families are healthy and happy! I think this is the first Christmas...maybe ever that I have not been stressing about anything and it feels great!

Earlier I was remembering some of my favorites childhood Christmas memories... waking up extra early to see if our stockings were full, having dad read T'was the Night Before Christmas while cuddled in bed next to him, searching for the perfect tree, (this is when perfection was defined by how fat the tree was and how strong the scent), Making ornaments and decorating the tree with mom, looking out the window before bed on Christmas Eve, just hoping to get a glimpse of Santa! I don't think I remember many presents I received but rather the memories and traditions of childhood are what I treasure most!

I'm trying to make each day a festive day filled with wrapping gifts, greeting cards, hot chocolate, classic movies, LOTS of Christmas music, caroling, a bit of everything to keep me filled with cheer! I definantly need some eggnog though!

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas. Make the most of this holiday season and remember Jesus Christ our savior!

Camping, that's our thing...

We came, we conquered, we camped! Robert and I traditionally camp with the other Lambs like twice a year, so in early December we were able to work in a fun trip. We went out Friday night and Lisa packed hobo dinners that we cooked in the fire. They were so delicious! Its funny how food is always better when you're camping. Usually we go to sleep to the sound of coyotes not too far from camp, but this time I think the rain kept them away. That's right RAIN!!! It really wasn't too bad, just sprinkling throughout the night, it had passed through by the time we got up though. Although I doubted it throughout the night, we woke up to a dry tent But it sure was freezing...and windy! Thanks to Brian we got a nice hot fire to wake up to and cook breakfast on. Robert and I always look forward to our camping trips and we'll definitely venture out again in the early spring.

Our camping buddies trying to stay warm

Robert built our fire.

It was kinda difficult to get started b/c the ground was so wet

We forgot cups so we had to cut the water bottles in half for our hot chocolate =)

Gavin kept waking up "Bobert". We caught him in the act...

Where do I begin...

We've been super busy the past month, where do I begin...


I finally got a camera! I love the picture quality, but honestly I only know how to take a basic snap shot... It's too bad because the camera is capable of so much more than the operator can handle.... sheesh! I'll read the manual...eventually.

We spent Thanksgiving at my parent's in LaFayette, GA. It was sooo great to be there!!! There's nothing quite like momma's cookin'! We got there Tuesday night and stayed through Thursday afternoon. Caitlin spent Wednesday with us and as usual, we had OODLES of fun! Blair, Stephen & Melanie drove up Wednesday night. Baby Stephen is sooo cute & cuddly. I just couldn't get enough of him. These are a few pics of the fam damily.

I ventured out into the craziness that IS Black Friday Shopping with Melanie (Melanie the sister. This is really confusing, now we have Dale x 2, Melanie x 2, Stephen x 2 & Grover x 3...pretty crazy, huh!) Anyways, I only picked up a few things, an electric razor, rubbermaid containers, a couple movies and dun-dun-dun...

TV UPGRADE! That's right, we have officially retired the dinosaur tv and purchased a flatscreen. It's so funny how bulky the old tv is, it sticks out like 2 feet!

We had the Lamb Thanksgiving dinner Sunday evening and holy smokes at the food! I should have snapped a shot of the spread, then maybe you'd understand the excessive pudge I'm totin'! We did the traditional family pics, here is the whole family...

What else you ask, well a christmas tree of course! Lowes Knows Christmas Trees! Last year we wandered all around the capitol city looking for the perfect tree only to find ourselves at Lowes in the end. This year we just went straight there and found one within fifteen minutes! So many to choose from and they're very affordable. Well, an artificial one would be cheaper in the long run, but then it would be the same every year and we wouldn't have the seasonal aroma of pine!

So I think that wraps it up. I'll update more often so the next one isn't so rediculously looong and boring.

A little organizing...well, it kinda hurt!

I am on an organizing mission. I should have taken before and after pictures, but the ol' camera is still broken. I am taking that to the shop this week for sure...but let's stay on track here...my mission...to make up for the absence of pictures, I'll describe it as best I can. We had a space in the laundry room with a small shelf that had tons of misc. items (JUNK) just stacked on top of each other and crammed in every available hole. As if that's not tacky enough, beside that I had paint cans stacked up with a piece of wood on top for even more space for junk! Well, last night I cleaned all of that out, including the shelf. Robert and I put together a couple cabinets yesterday so I replaced the shelf with cainets. It has made the room much more organized and tidy. Although, I don't think its quite cozy enough for me to venture in and do laundry...haha.


I almost forgot about Roxy helping with the organizing. When I pulled the shelf into the kitchen from the laundry room, Roxy jumped up on it and knocked everything off...and I mean everything. A glass jar was on it and it busted all over the kitchen floor. We escorted Roxy to the bathroom where she whined while we cleaned up the mess. Robert told me to mop after sweeping, but I didn't and this morning I was tweezing a tiny sliver of glass out of the my foot. That'll teach me!

MB Blogs?

MB blogging? Seriously? Well, seriously for now. I get bored with things pretty quick so we'll see how often I actually post. I have had this blog for months and have done absolutely nothing with it...until now. I'll get pictures up soon and get some blogger savvy people to show me how to make this page adorable =)