Back To School 2012

Jaxon is on the flag football team and is loving it. He grew 9" last year and gained 25 lbs. No wonder he was passing out and having problems due to fast growth.

I felt better knowing Sophia had her big brother Kade to help her get to school and do the whole bus thing. They are too cute. Kade's in 5th grade...can't believe it.

After a week and a half of loving school, loving the bus, loving her teacher and saying she "wasn't doing weekends anymore because school is so fun", Sophia refused to get on the bus or go to school for about four days. Let's just say it was dramatic...there was a lot of yelling tears. She's a stubborn little thing.

After a week of this nonsense, I came up with the idea that she could bring the puppy to the bus stop. She totally went for it and has been fine ever since.

 

If Loving Tim Riggins Is Wrong...

I don't wanna be right!

It's been a rough year, I'm not gonna lie.

First Favre got injured and retired (for good) and now my favorite t.v. show is going off the air,

so I'm doing what any true fan would do...

I'm throwing a party!!!

Friday Night Lights is my fave...second only to Arrested Developement.

I've watched all five seasons,

following it from network to network...

slowly picking up speed,

all the time secretly annoyed it wasn't actually aired on Friday night.

I will miss you Tim Riggins and Coach Taylor!!

xoxo,

Linking up with Things I Love Thursday's.

Minnesota Trip 2010

This is the third year we've gone to Minnesota to visit our friends and see a Vikings game however, mother nature had some other plans causing this...

It was crazy, the worst storm they've had since like 1984 and we happened to pick that week. I have to admit though, I was way excited to see all the snow considering we live in Arizona. Don't mind Kimball in this ladies coat...desperate times call for desperate measures.

After having been snowed in the first few days and temps dropping to 40 below at night, this sunshine was a welcomed site! We eventually made our way out of the house for dinner and a movie and we went to the girls piano recital.

As always we had a fabulous time and are thankful to Tammy and Darrell for having us. Sophia loved all the hand-me-downs she got...it's been a dialy fashion show ever since.

Back at home, my parents were busy shuffeling the boys back and forth to their performances and enjoying Arizona's 80 degree weather! Is it just me or are the leaves unusually colorful this year? I've been here for ten years and I've never seen so many beautiful fall leaves, I feel like I'm back in Utah...love it!

Green Thumbs and Black Eyes...

                                              Or I guess I should say my 'not so green thumb'.

We planted a garden for the first time in our married life.

Its a square foot garden...

quite small.

It's been a long, hot, dry summer.

We did our best,
we fought a good fight,
but in the end...
few survived.

We were a little late getting started
and a little unprepared for scortching sun rays.
We weren't sure what would make it
and what wouldn't...
now we know.

The other day we were at the store
and Kade dropped (and broke)
a wooden giraffe.
The store manager told him
not to worry about it.
So as Kade said that day..."Live and learn".

I decided to move my herbs inside
since for the first time in my married life I have a big
kitchen window...the perfect fix.
Now for the cooler planting seasons...let's do this!

This weekend Soph took an elbow to the face

and ended up with a black eye.

She's small but she's scrappy.

With two older brothers and a wrestler for a father,

the girl loves to throw down!

{Other Happenings}

Kade's staff infection went away thanks to nurse Sophia. She made sure he took his meds on time 2x a day...for 10 days!

She also did ballet to the church hymns during sacrament meeting, and part of me wants to just let her dance!

I got asked out on a hot date...turns out we ended up watching college football at a sports bar that just happened to have 26 flat screens. Hmmm. It was fun though.

Jaxon turns twelve at the end of the month...my stomach hurts just thinking about it.

I finished reading Emma, I thought it was slow...but I'm a sucker for romance so all's well that ends well. I'm reading Robinson Crusoe with Kade. I really like it, I love that classics deliver good morals while building our vocabulary and stretching our reading abilities. It's a tough read for Kade but I know he can do it and he's actually enjoying the book too. He's becoming a great reader.

My good Nikon camera's not working, I'm crossing my fingers I can fix it.

On a brighter note: I realized the other day we'll be in New York the same week the Vikings are playing the Jets...I can't believe what a lucky coincidence that is, so looks like we're going to two Vikings games this year...I can't wait!!!

Join Darcy for Sweet Shot Tuesday
and Emily for Tuesday's Unwrapped

The Time Has Come.

Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints

Thursday, 09/09 at 7:30 PM CDT

(RED) Meatless Monday - Hawaiian Chicken & Shrimp Skewers & Football

We had a get together with some friends last night to watch the Vikings/Saints game. I meant to take more pictures of the food but was preoccupied and totally forgot. I wish I could say I tried a new recipe that I can share but I just bought Lawry's Hawaiian Marinade for the chicken and a garlic butter rub for the shrimp. Super quick and easy and they were delicious. I served them over wild rice.

What a fabulous season...

Way to go Vikings!

So Many Goals...So Little Time

This is my favorite time of year.

I'm all  for lists, Monday's and New Years.

 There's something about second chances,

starting fresh,

and re-evaluating life.

Setting goals is 'my thing'...achieving them is another story.

I start out with the best intentions.

I get super pumped,

planning,

even obsessing.

Only to get sidetracked by something

interesting, fun OR easy.

(BTW, did you see the Vikings game last night?

Poor Adrian!)

Oops, back to the subject...

I'm not gonna lie,

I'm sure I'll do the same this year

but that doesn't mean I'll stop trying.

The wheels are turning,

my heart is racing,

and I'm giddy with all sorts of resolutions

fighting to

make the list.

The photo is a hint at one of them.

What are your 2010 goals
 and how do you stay focused?

Craft Corner Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peek of my new craft corner. I've been thinking, planning, and working on for quite some time. We have this large, fabulous room over our garage. It's so large that it's kind of a pain. I want to make the most of the space but don't feel that I've utilized it to it's fullest...until now. Move over play room, here I come!

I got some awesome deals this week on magazine subscriptions. I'm talking $5 and $10 for 12 months! Go to Amazon and see if the Christmas specials still apply.

Love plants and flowers so I had to include them and I've been collecting buttons since I can remember but finally have one central location for them...duh!

Quick pause for a photo shoot in my new Favre jersey, (thanks Tammy)...love it!

Taking a picture of my own back wasn't easy, but since I have such perfectly cute ears (definitely my best feature), I had to show them off too.

Go Vikings...game starts in less than 2 hours.

I saw this on lots of craft room pics on the Internet, what a great way to remember the decor/craft ideas!

Since I do still have 3 kids, this is also a play room. It's perfect for Soph to play along next to me while I do my thing. Of course Mom, I will keep the sharp stuff out of her reach!! That's all for now, you'll have to check back next week for the before & after photo's and also to find out where I got all my inspiration, paint color was found here.

Any Given Sunday

Have I mentioned how much I love going to NFL games? The Vikings came to Arizona this weekend to play the Cardinals. Kimball and I got to stay with our friends at the teams hotel. It was a lot of fun. Really fun actually, it reminded me that we need to get away more with our friends...without all the kids. We started the weekend with a girls night out to the Elephant Bar for dinner, then Dolce Spa for an amazing facial. Oh, that also reminded me I need to pamper myself more...and take better care of my skin, even in the midst of a recession. :)

Unfortunately the Vikings were defeated and I had to wonder if it was because I was getting to cocky? The lady who sat behind us blamed it on the jersey she was wearing so during half time she spent $44 on a Cardinals tee shirt...go figure? She travels all over to see the Vikings play, yet she left wearing a Cardinals shirt, so crazy.

After the game we went down to the family area and took a few pictures with some of the players. Leber, Tahi and Allen (all great players). We got home super late and had a rough time waking up to reality Monday morning. Thanks Adam and Andrea for letting us crash your hotel room...great memories, lol. Go Vikings!!

Football, Public Transportation & Curls

Saturday we took the kids on a field trip. We boarded the new Tram in Mesa and rode it to downtown Phoenix, where we stopped at The Old Spaghetti Factory for lunch followed by another stop at a Tram Station where Kimball had done a bunch of neat masonry work. Kade has been learning about different forms of transportation so this was great fun for him.

It was super crowded on the way back. Poor Kimball had to stand and hold Sophia for about 30 minutes before getting a seat. We were packed in like sardines. I had to stand for the full 45 minutes but I was smart for once and wore my walking shoes. This was the weekend for the PF Chang's Rock n' Roll marathon and the Cardinals playoff game (which I'll discuss more later), and a huge expo. Needless to say, it was the wrong weekend to take the Tram downtown. We still had a great day.

Kimball was excited to show us his this neat masonry job he did. He worked for several months with some artists out of California (they should have hired Arizona artists but WHATEVER) and the project turned out really nice. It runs up and down a long stretch on Central Ave. It' cooler in person, with some neat glass pieces and metal cutouts as well.

This was an inexpensive field trip and the kids loved it. The tram is only $2.50 for an all day pass and some guy gave us 3 free, of course when we were done with ours we paid it forward too.

Sophia in her first curlers. Kade thinks she looks like a little old lady.

Now for a man who doesn't just talk the talk but who walk's the walk...Kurt Warner. How awesome is it that the Cardinals have made it to the Super Bowl??? Pretty awesome especially because Kurt Warner is such a deserving man. Click HERE to view some of the charitable things he's up to, he is a family man and a true Christian. Love this guy, he rocked at the 2000 Super Bowl and he's going to do it again!


Now if I play my cards right, I may get a signed jersey from this guy. Larry Fitzgerald did amazing yesterday. Kimball is currently doing a big masonry project at his new home here in Arizona. He hasn't been to the job site yet but maybe after the big day's over, he'll come around...hopefully!