Fickle Idaho

Thank you FALL for coming out today!

Because you shined on us I took my children to buy tiny pumpkins for 50 cents each. We spent a long time in the red barn touching green bumpy pumpkins, white pumpkins, 86 pound pumpkins and even saw a gourd shaped like a swan!

We talked about the beautiful world Jesus created for us to live on and care for. We talked about how amazing it is that every seed knows exactly what to do. Then Benjamin said "Do you know what the most AMAZING thing about Jesus is? He rattled off a bunch of sweet things that flew in my ears and out of mind with my excitement over the conversation . . . . cute, sweet truths from my boy.

Thank you!

Sick and WRONG

Snow on October 5 is wrong! Sure it melted- but it WHERE is my FALL?

Last fall I was sitting on the couch with a broken ankle, narcotics and my Mother-in-Law, husband and ladies from my ward waiting on me. Oh, the memories. But I did get jipped on outdoor fall fun last year; now THIS?

Also sick and wrong, SO WRONG is husbands being gone for more than 5 days. Hunter, Airline pilot and military wives, and don't forget those abandoned for Scout camp . . . HOW do you survive?! :)

Living life ...

I finally have the chance to live unfulfilled dreams through my children!

GO SEE my little Ballerina's on my photo blog . . . PLUS read my very short official business announcement!

In Progress . . .

Doesn't Fall just call for room make overs? Well, thanks to Craig's list a domino effect has happened at our house. . .

We (meaning me) sold B's bunk slide bed, bought 2 twins for the girls, moved their bed to him, changed his curtains, got him a new dresser, painted his old dresser and put it in the girls room . . . . and it continues.

The girls room barely holds the 2 twins but I think it will be SO, SO CUTE in the end! Their "old time country fair" inspired room will be full of fabulous colors and textures. Some is still formulating as I go.

Picture white Swiss dot and ruffly slip covers with bows on the head/foot boards, white or pink walls, beautiful royal blue/aqua-ish velvet curtains with red pettiskirt ruffles, green and red bed pillows, stripped and polka dots, pinks, greens, yellows, reds . . . hum, this sounds BAD on paper. But it will be so GOOD I know it! Can't wait.

Here's some of my inspiration:

Great - NOW our rooms are really going to look "in progress" :)

A few facts about me:

I LOVE old things. I love nearly all styles of furniture. Old furniture is made so well and of high quality materials. I always want to find that one REAL find at a thrift store. You know a "real" piece of vintage furniture. I thought I may have found it in Benjamin's new dresser (bargained from $120 to $90 thank you very much.) but I was skeptical because the lines just didn't seem right for the 1950's Danish modern I was comparing it to.

I'm not a furniture expert. There are a few vintage pieces that I just must have some day - like white Barcelona chair or bench and the Louis XVI ghost chair.

When you touch "real" furniture you just know it. It feels different. When I saw the twin beds I LOVED them. Then I touched the wood I loved them more. Smooth classic lines, perfectly sloped dainty feet. I hated the coloring and I wasn't thinking 'matching twin beds' at the time.

I couldn't stop touching the beds, I was in love. At a mere $79 each, this was a sieze the day moment! We stuffed them in the Pacifica and I planned to paint them white. I can't PAINT a real classic, I just can't. So I checked to be sure. What do you know . . .

They are real 1950's modern furniture from the company Heywood Wakefield. So FUN to finally have a "real" piece found at a bargain price! Beat that Pottery Barn! I love the beds and will keep them forever. Depending on the region you live in the beds are popular/special or not. Here, not so much, but in California they cost up to $500! Someone refinished our set - those stinkers! The original finish was much softer, more blond I can see it on the inside. Oh well, I still want them to be white and our cute slip covers will fix that.

Here's some history on our bed's maker :)

Well, projects and dinner are calling ...

Carnival Hair

Benjamin really loves to comb his hair into new and exciting styles for all occasions! The fall festival at his school mid September was a much anticipated event for him and obviously called for a special "do".

"Mom! This is my carnival hair style."

Wow Benjamin (trying not to laugh) may I take a picture of your hair for Grandma to see?

"SURE!"

He worked it for my camera let me tell you.

Recently Aubrey said very matter of fact:

"Mom, Benjamin thinks he's cool but he isn't."

Somehow I don't think she'll convince him of that any time soon!

Did Elvis know he had Carnival hair too? I can only imagine the excitement if I showed these pics to Benjamin! I think we'd have requests for shinny hair gel. . .

Pics and Projects

Our back to school festivities this year included a walk to the school on Sunday night to show Benjamin around and let the kids play (and me to take a couple pictures of course). Mini Ben & Jerry's ice cream cups upon return home then baths, stories and hugs. Monday we had a "Back to School BBQ" with hot dogs, corn on the cob (first time for the kiddos) and fruit. YUM.

Maybe next year I'll plan "real" festivities - Or do those wait until the following year when everyone attends ALL day?!

What am I talking about . . . everyday is a party at our house! Just depends on who you ask ;)

Awww Dad and Daughters - always a sight I LOVE. Abby loves the pink house.

JUST LOOK what Jake brought home for us a few weeks ago (with our skilled help of course)!This playhouse/swing set is so awesome and the kids love it.

A friend at work bought a house and this play set was in the backyard. The friend wanted it OUT of his yard. This beast takes up 14x18 feet of yard space! I have to say, it looked MUCH smaller in the friends' yard.

The previous owners had nailed and screwed all kinds of doors and shelves on the house part. Most of the wood has completely lost its finish. Some parts are so bad the wood is white and fuzzy. It took much longer to move it then we expected and I don't think Jake ever wants to move it again!

My goal is to have it sanded, stained, and assembled by the end of Labor Day weekend. Free stuff is the best!

I'm also working to redo Benjamin's room using some cool lockers and the giant canvas print of him as his headboard. Pics of that another time. His loft/slide bed is going on Craig's list today!

Abby Sees

I noticed Abby's right eye starting to occasionally go crossed or lazy. I was like "what the heck is that!" Feeling nervous for the worst case, we took her to the eye doc. Turns out that her right eye is 4 times farsighted. Coke bottle basically! And her other eye is perfect. So the poor seeing eye was being tuned out by her brain and thus the wandering /lazy appearance. The doc said she just tunes it out to compensate for the discrepancy. If she didn't tune out that eye she would see DOUBLE- crazy!

I don't understand all the aspects of her funky eye, but he did say there is a chance to improve it partially or completely over time because we caught it before she turned 6. Cool! We got glasses and she is adjusting just fine. She's not wearing them all day yet but she loves them and that is a huge start in the right direction.


I thought this would be a huge ordeal because she is fairly self conscious and shy. However, it's been the opposite. She is excited to show her glasses to everyone. She's talking more and out of her shell quite a bit!