New YEAR...new beginning!

I have decided to make this day...

be a 

CATCH UP

day.

Meaning, I am only doing things that are non-work related!

Usually every day involves

something work related...

and well I just didn't want to think about it.

Instead...

I wanted to enjoy the fact that I was able to 

be VERY much involved this year in getting my kids ready for

the FIRST day of school!

I never knew how important my health was...

until it hindered me from being a 

MOM!

I started my MOMMY-KID dates with

Christopher...aka

CHRIS!

School:  Higley H.S. 

(Yikes...he is in High School already! Where did the time go?)

We enjoyed dinner and a movie...just the two of us!

2.  Jacob...aka

JAKIE!

School:  Cortina Elementary-2nd grade

We enjoyed the Science Center and Panda Express!

3.  Rachel...aka

RACHIE!

School:  Cortina Elementary-7th grade

Did you notice her cute hair?

Well the boys at school did...! :)

We got our hair done and a yummy lunch!

4.  Katie...aka

KATE!

School:  Cortina Elementary-5th grade

We enjoyed Pedicures, shopping and lunch!

On our way to school the first day...

Can you tell Jacob is trying to contain his excitement?

I'm so grateful for each one of my children and for the good choices they make each day...

I will miss you,

but not TOO much!

LOL!

My WALL reveal

I'm so excited about my new wall!

Thanks to my loving husband who is always willing to

help me with

my crazy new ideas and decorating creations...

he helped me install

this wall...

well he installed and I painted!

LOVE,

LOVE,

Love my new wall and I can't believe how different it makes the space feel.

I also am changing out the floor lamp behind the chair...

I have a really cool idea for that as well...

so stay tuned.

In the meantime,

here is my BIG wall reveal.

A new PASTIME...and what I've been up to!

It's time for me to get caught back up on my blog.

I can't believe 

SUMMER

has already passed by

and we are all back in school.

Makes me long for the DOG days of SUMMER...

except that

with the HOTTEST 

AUGUST on record...

I have no choice but to look forward to FALL

and some much needed cooler

temperatures!

I will post soon the pictures of the kids' first day of school,

oh golly life goes by FAST.

I've also taken on a new 

PASTIME!

Somehow I found a really FUN new blog...

all about repainting furniture and finding really fun

VINTAGE

type pieces and re purposing them.

I now have two projects under my belt and I'm so happy with the results!

I just finished a old-fashion barn bench today...

and it only took me a few hours...

the first project took me 4 days!

Yippeee...that means I'm getting the hang of it!

Here is my BEFORE and AFTERS:

The original was cute enough...

BUT
pink and it definitely wouldn't fit into my space being that color.
So I stripped off the paint and sanded it like crazy,
stained the top and painted the rest.

Here is my version:

antique white with a light blue drawer.

(Just wish I knew how to get better lighting from my camera!)
My Second Project was much easier, because I didn't have to strip off any paint!

I found this bench on Craigslist...my before shot!

AFTER

I wish I could get a better photo shot with all the 

distressed work, staining and waxing.

But here is how the room is turning out...

I have a few more projects for this room.

But I have to enlist the help of my best friend...

RON!

He isn't off this weekend like the rest of America,

so we will be doing it another day this week!

This project is really cool and I can't wait to post the

before and after on that one!

We have FRIENDS....

okay...well we ALWAYS had friends,

but not always friends that INVITED us to do stuff...

and I have to admit...it's mostly our fault.

Ron's work schedule,

me working,

kids' schedule,

church schedule,

being party poopers, etc and the list could go on.

But the Letner's are

AWESOME

and didn't let any of those excuses stop them from being our friends!

So when an invite to Rocky Point (Mexico)

with them came about...we originally said NO.

Again...for all the reasons I listed above.

But Dennis is pretty persuasive and he DIDN'T take no for an answer.  

We are so GLAD he didn't...because we had a blast.

I can't believe how much fun we had in just 2 short days!

Here is our itinerary of fun in pictures:
 
GIRLS must SHOP!!
 

While the girls shop...the boys will wait!

After an afternoon of HOT shopping...ice cream is promised!
 
Thrifty Ice Cream...one of our favorites is everywhere!

Boy...my kids are CUTE!

The girls got cute cover ups and Christopher looks Top Gun stylish  in sunglasses.

Jacob got a slingshot...watch out!

Christopher

Rachel and Amorette

My BAYWATCH cuties!

 
 I love this baby...he is so HAPPY and the funniest kid ever.

I love how tender these pictures are and shows the LOVE and TRUST he has for his parents.

Seriously...does he just make your heart melt!

Jared, I sure do love you!

But this man is the MAN of my dreams.

(Ronald...you truly are the VERY best part of me.)

Awww...still got the love after 16 years!

Dennis and Kinley we sure love ya guys.

The kids couldn't wait to join us on the beach that first night after dinner.  The tide was low and we were on a mission to search for all kinds of sea life!

What an amazing sunset.

We spent hours and hours at the BEACH or POOL...

we have the sunburns to prove it!

Jacob had a LOVE hate relationship with the ocean...
he spent hours running from the waves...
then decided to jump on in,
before coming to the shore to spit out SALT water.
An unexpected taste he didn't like!

The girls spent lots of time with RON...
on his shoulders...what a great stepdad!

And we found out you can't leave Rocky Point without one of their 

FAMOUS

chili and lime covered Mangoes!

YUMMY!

YUM!

Kinley and I talked about what makes a great vacation for a mom is to know that her FAMILY is enjoying it...
and that we DID!

The list of KIDS activities goes on and on...

Now that summer is almost over...

(I can't believe school starts again in 3 weeks!)

I knew that I must not forget all the wonderful activities my kids

were able to participate in.

Christopher was in a 

BASKETBALL league 

with all his friends from church and while they didn't take any championship trophy home...they did develop and nourish many great relationships...and oh yea,

they had some FUN along the way.

Rachel was my BUSY bee 

being involved with Yearbook, Dance and Color Guard.

She also was in the coveted 6th grade year where all the kids were able to spend 3 days at Science Camp.

Her Color Guard kept our Saturday's busy with competitions and they went undefeated...even against high school teams.

Her dance pushed her to new limits as she learned a new style of dance...Lyrical.

She is EVER busy with friends, friends and Lots of friends.  

This girl could MAJOR in Sociability! 

Katie picked up TWO new activities this year including

volleyball and piano.

In just two months of playing the piano she played her

recital piece in front of 60 parents and kids at church.

I was so proud of her bravery.

Jacob tried his hand at a new sport...
FOOTBALL.
But came home angry on the first day...
saying he didn't know that he was going to have to
"practice!"
He soon learned he didn't know all that he thought he did...
and managed to even listen to the advice of
his coach, Ron and Cameron.
This is just a short list of the activities the kids participate in...
as I could go on and on about
Mutual
Activity Days
Friends Birthday parties
Sleepovers
Trips
Tournaments
School Dances
but it makes me tired just thinking about starting it all over again,
in just 3 weeks!
So for now...
I will take a minute to enjoy the calm before the storm,
and knowing that in the end...
"I love every minute of it!"

Proud accomplishments....

I hope my children know how VERY

proud I am of their 

MANY

accomplishments.

While most of their accomplishments are small,

like when they take out the trash without being asked,

or read to their sibling,

or pay their tithing...

some GET recognized by more than just Ron and myself.

Like Katie and Jacob

who both were Student of the Months this last year at school.

Jacob was student of the month in 

SEPTEMBER,

and those who know the struggles he had during his

kindergarten year know what an 

AMAZING accomplishment it was for him to be the FIRST kid

in his class to get Student of the Month.

Katie my EVER bright student was 

Student of the Month in January and went on to make straight A's

all year long.

A Day to REMEMBER...

We just had a perfect

day to remember!

Cameron and Chelsea

married last Friday, May 27th

in the Mesa, Arizona Temple!

When it was announced at church on Sunday...

I thought it was fitting that the Bishopric member said,

"Two people who are doing things at the RIGHT time and in the RIGHT place."

Here is a quick picture...I will have lots more to come!

Disclaimer: My little Rachie got sick and was throwing up just 30 minutes prior to this picture!  I thought she was a REAL trooper to put her hair back in a ponytail and smile one last time for pictures!