Love, Abby

My littlest has been writing a lot of love notes lately. More than ever now that she knows how to spell more and more words...

This one particularly melted my heart.

I don't think you can find a love more deep and genuine than that of my little Abby for her big step brother and sister.

I think that their love for her is equally as deep.

How lucky we are to have a blended family that works so well. I credit the twins. It'd be hard to find a more loving, helpful, kind and needs-anticipating pair of teenagers.

Yes, it's a word........

I know that there are other wonderful teenagers out there and teenagers probably get a bad wrap too often, but yours don't live with me, so yeah... lol

Her favorite part was "I know how!".

Yep, I think she's been given some divine inspiration on this one...

I love this child. I love ALL my children. Birthed by me or "because God wanted [them on my] side".

convalescing

So I'm laying here in bed convelescing convelessing trying to get my back better (again) and realize I haven't told you about my ultimate yard sale score.

 

 

We went yard sale-ing--that's a thing where you hit several yard sales in one morning--and found a few really great things, but the score of the day was this quilt.

 

You want to know how much I gave for this?

 

Nothing.

 

Nada.

 

Zilch.

 

0.

 

 

Why?

*cricket cricket*


 Because there was cat urine on it. On just one corner.

"I was just gonna throw it away."
"But if you think you can get it clean you can have it."

 

 

 

 

 

I'll take it. :)

*trying not to act too excited*
 

 

I have a washer...

 

And Oxi Clean...

 

And a free new quilt.
 

Here kitty kitty...

 

Spuds

There is a very generous man in our community and he gives potatoes to the people in our community. Free.

I hope blessings are showered down upon him.

We have a LOT of spuds to process. i.e. bottling, bottling and more bottling.

Kids have KP duty...

 

minions

My six year old baby girl Abby asked me yesterday what it felt like to be "old" and what it felt like to be a parent. 

 

She's in a phase where she wants to know what other people feel like. 

 

 

So, I told her that getting "old" means my body hurts sometimes and that she should rub my back every morning to get the old joints movin'. Okay, I didn't say that last part, but should have.  "I have some back problems and it hurts to bend sometimes", I said.  "But I know more stuff, so that's good..." But then I told her that being a parent is the best because you get to love someone more than you ever knew it was possible to love that much.

 

   

So then at dinner time when one of the children was asked to get a cold drink for Dad, Abby says, "I wish I were the parent and had lots of minions to boss around."

 

Minions...

 

MINIONS!

 

 

Well, it is a perk...

 

 

Wish list

After reading my favorite bloggers post on her new, loved robotic vacuum, I realized that I needed to start a wish list.  I needed to.  I'm always the one to say, I can do that, or I have a broom I can do that myself, or I can cut my own hair. But that's another story...

Anyway, my hubby doesn't like to give necessary items for gifts.  That is very nice.  I love that about him.  I don't think I'd really love getting a broom for Christmas or Laundry soap (I have made that myself too).  But we mom's are busy and there is so much other stuff to do that wouldn't it be nice to have something to help that doesn't roll it's eyes or have to "go to the bathroom" when it's time to help out?  Wouldn't it?  (Not talking about you B Rex.)

So this is my domestic wish list because yes I have a vacuum, but this one runs itself. 


Hey, I could have put THIS on my wish list...




No.  Instead of putting on my wish list a Vintage car  (driven by Jay Leno?) I'm asking for a much tinier vehicle that sucks up our families dirt. 

Am I crazy?  Maybe my list SHOULD have diamonds and luxury cars on it...

Or diamond cars!!!




I'd say, I little tiny robot vacuum isn't too much to ask for...

#swanvalleyidaho

Have I mentioned that I love Swan Valley?  Idaho is one of the most beautiful places on Earth and we feel so lucky to live here.

Hubby and I went for a drive (and ice cream) last night and had to stop at the corner of Awesome and Beautiful to snap these shots...

 We couldn't get enough.  We stopped right in the road and snapped away.  We were virtually alone except for a crane that flew up from the creek.  That I didn't get a picture of because I didn't even have my camera ready, but trust me when I say, it was stunningly gorgeous.  Instead, I got cows.  They're slower...
Some of these pics, I played around on with my photo editor.  Can you tell which ones?

hooked--Homemade Hook Board

Living in the country means that you can't just drive to the local hardware store to get everything you need to make that DIY project look Pinterest worthy. 

Sometimes that means mismatched screws and repurposed lumber for your project.  I'm just glad that I had screws and repurposed lumber that worked because I'm tired of my bags on my floor.  I need hooks!

 My floor is for my dirty laundry. 

Juuuuuuust kidding...sort of.

Here's the "new" hook board...

Mismatched screws and all...

My 9 year old son asked me if this was the new backpack rack because it had five hooks.

welcome home

Oh my goodness, I haven't posted anything for such a long time.  Did you miss me? 

Anyone?

Anyone?

Well, do I have a LOT to learn about living in the country! 

Caribbean of the West

So you know how I've said I have always wanted to live by (or on) the beach? Well yesterday I had the chance to visit one. Our very own turquoise blue waters with sandy beaches and play in the waves. This is considered the Caribbean of the West.

  I think we were met with the wests version of a tropical storm, but yes, the turquoise water was AH-mazing! 

 

 

If you've never heard of, or experienced Bear Lake, you need to go. Just go. It's amazing. I'm not sure I would have ever made it there if I hadn't had a family reunion to attend.

 

 

We're going back when it's better weather. Maybe for mine and my hubby's birthday next month. Woot!

 

Where the buffalo roam...

I've always lived in one land locked western state or another.

 

Where I always wanted to live was on a beach somewhere...

 

But this place really can't be beat. Just look at this scenery...