unhappy 2 year anniversary

I suppose this date will always kind of stick in our minds...

Happiness can be found in...

salt and pepper shakers!! I have loved and felt sorry for the knorr salt shaker since I first saw the commercial months ago. I scoured the internet trying to find out how to order them, and they just didn't exist...well they DO NOW!!!

They are ceramic...I love them!!!

friends and family...

This week I've had a couple stresses really getting to me. They shouldn't even be happening...but they are...and the one thing that really gets me through..every single time...is good friends! so thank you patient friends and family who listen to my sob stories!!!!

new heights....

Ben is now the tallest member of our family...by an inch!!!

Christmas in the springtime...

was the name of one of my team's dishes for IRON CHEF 3rd WARD last night.
It was actually iron chef YM YW. and it was my idea....it seemed like a great idea 4 months ago, by yesterday afternoon I was seriously wondering.
BUT...the activity was so much fun!!! here's what we did...
we all met at the church, had a quick prayer, then I spelled out the rules. I gave all the team leaders an envelop. inside, were there team members and some extra instructions....
When I said go, they had to gather their team...then come up to the front of the room and choose 4 main random ingredients, and 4 dessert ones...my team was slow and we ended up with 2 packets of kool-aid, sprinkles, and an orange. some teams got whip cream, chocolate...strawberries...etc.
then we had to take our team to our homes and come up with a main dish and dessert. we already had cooked hamburger and a white cake made.
It was really fun!!!
we went back to the church at 8 on the dot...everyone made it on time, although some groups were still plating at the church...
It was absolutely amazing to see what different groups came up with, and how creative they were!!! some things looked IFFY...some things looked so good!!!
The bishopric then judged...it took about a half hour to complete the judging...
Everyone showed up, other than one girl who had an appointment...it was amazing!!!
my only regret is that I didn't take a single picture...

the week...

reed, pete, melanie


tracey, randy, mike (Lawes)


ben, anna-lee, mom , tracey


G-pa having some ice cream with some kids.


Blake with his new best friend...


I dont' know how clearly you can see my high score, but it says 142 by my name! YEAH!


we all went bowling yesterday. It was fun to all be together. there were a couple missing...Sandy, and Danielle...everyone else was there so that was fun.


Jaryn and her daddy



Stephen aka "Twinkletoes"


Tracey and Pops





the Code-ster


Ayden, Madison, Blake, and Cort checking out their scores rather anxiously!




Stephen checking out his score...


Pete and a great bowling technique...

Ayden aka "Andrew" with his fancy shoes...


Tracey after getting the moose-head bday presentation at Montana's last night. she was....uh, suprised!!! But she was also a good sport...so fun!



Grandma Baker's funeral. It was really really nice. There was a nice spirit at the service, and I'm sure she's so happy where she is right now...
It was fun to catch up with long lost cousins...and it was fun hanging out with the sibs!!!




This week was FULL. started out with new beginnings on tuesday, which was a lot of work for some but turned out SO CUTE! Then on wednesday on the way to redecorating the YW room with Betsy, voila...this happened to Luci (my van) in the cul de sac...I pulled in to her driveway, she came right out, I back up and there was a truck parked in the middle of the cul de sac. sigh...good times!

yesterday...

Some of us...last night.
Kev's family is missing...sorry guys, I wasn't thinking pictures earlier...we'll catch up later today...

Grandma!

My grandma Phyllis moved on yesterday morning. We knew it was coming since Christmas...she has struggled with diabetes, and mini strokes. She was 88, so she lived a good long life.
I had a great chat with her last friday. she was happy and upbeat. she talked about the nurses, about the olympics, what I was doing, and we chatted about "the doctors" which we were watching while we talked.
I will always be grateful to grandma for being such a good example to me. She has always been kind, classy, and taken pride in her domestic roles.
I will miss her giggles and twinkly blue eyes!! the ones that got passed down to Tessa!
Can't wait to see my grandparents again!!!
PS...may I add that I love how she had an all-pink bedroom! with lace and frills everywhere. and I love the fact that she was a chocoholic, because I know I can claim that I at least inherited one thing from her...

kub kar rally!!

fun times today...CRAZY times...we had a bi-stake rally...it was huge with tons of people! they did lots of different group activities...
Ayden's car was his first, and it was a pickle. designed by him...and painted by him!!!