Moving the bath tub - May 7, 2011

 With the bathroom remodel we decided to gut the thing ourselves, saves big time money.  A job that was harder than I think we thought.  The floor had layer upon layer of tile, plaster, mud, concrete or whatever that stuff was inches upon inches thick.  It took Trevor forever, it seemed, to get it out.  His body was glad when he did.  To be able to get to do all that work on the floor Trevor had to move the 500 lb plus cast iron bath tub out of the bathroom.  It was sooooo heavy, as you can see on Trevor's face, that we put a bath mat under it to help slide it across the floor.  We made it out to the lawn.  By some miracle no one pulled a muscle, got a hernia or had to go to the hospital.  It was a process to get it all done but Trevor did... amazing.  While riping things out Trevor found this newspaper that had fallen behind the vanity.  It is dated March 25, 1974, Trevor and myself were not even born yet.  It was so true to the fact... I always said it had been remodeled in the 70's so I had to get the picture.

love-
Jen

Job interview in Vernal - May 2, 2011

Trevor had a job interview with the State of Utah in Vernal, Utah.  Trevor and I drove down to Vernal Sunday May 1 and came home on the 2nd after his interview.  It was a fun rip and below are a few pictures of the things I found interesting.  Of course dinoland stuff.  In Roosevelt there was this huge Indian in the parking lot of a business and the Temple.  The interview was for a job for a Vocational Counselor.

 

fun times,

Jen

On the hunt... April 23, 2011

Easter Egg hunting at our ward Easter breakfast.  They did separate hunts for the junior primary and the senior primary at the same time.  Katie was too fast to get over to her and snap a picture.  They all loved it of course and enjoy the opening of the eggs and finding yummy treats inside.  I love watching them hunt.

Easter memories,

jen/mom

Easter Basket time...

 Katie left this note telling the Easter Bunny a funny message...  and yes she ate the items left by the bunny.

OH the fun of childhood.  That is what makes such sweet, fun, memorable traditions to do when you are an adult.  I love you my little jelly bean eaters.

love - Jen/mom

Easter Eggs and Dye- March 24, 2011

So like every year we dyed Easter Eggs.  However, this year all four of our children dyed them.  We let Jason do one with dye and then since he had to do it himself we gave him a cup of water with a big spoon and an egg.  He thought he was just as big as the others.  We did give assistance to the other when needed but they are growing up.  Katie even got the crayons and starting drawing really things on them this year.  I love this tradition.  I love taking the white eggs and making them all beautified with color.  To see how my children put them in different colors and see the miracle of science... it is just amazing.  I also think deviled eggs or egg salad is just a little bit better if you have some color specks from the dye in them too. 

So here are our eggs of 2011.

 Some are missing because Jason loved his some much the peal came off so we ate them and we just ate the other one too.  They are just to good not to.  My parents got to be here, they were passing through on their way to or from my brother's house.  I love being a pass through.

Enjoy the magic
Jen/Mom

Memory card frustration

So my memory card from my canon won't upload pictures to my computer {sigh}...so  I am going to have to post things out of order--- I REALLY dislike that and I mean REALLY dislike that.  But since we are shutting off our Internet at home tomorrow for our up and coming move (explained later)  I wanted to get them all caught up today... darn memory card, the reader and/or the computer.  So you are going to have Katie's birthday after Easter even though it occurred earlier and any others on the card... so frustrating.

So make sure to check the dates to be able to put them in proper order.
Jen

Boise Spring break Sum up - March 2011

The children love to visit Boise and want so desperately to live there.  I am afraid that they would then realize that when you live there you don't get a week full of all the fun things Boise has to offer.  That we would stretch these things over a period of time, like a year, and they wouldn't be going going everyday quite like this.  But let them enjoy the dream while they can... they only have on childhood.

Things we did not pictured....{sigh, sigh, sigh}
*cousins sleeping over - Lily, Braden and Jessica all got to sleep over on different nights.  It was so much fun for my children to get that one on one time with the cousin of the night.   A new rule though,  if we have sleep overs again the children have to sleep in the basement.  Moving the beds around that much in the computer room is far to much of a pain. :)
*Lunch with Irish cousins at McDonald's and then shopping at Kohl's
*Bushka took the girls for a girls morning to a play of Cinderella.  They had such a fun time and really loved the time to be fancy girls and go to a play.  Way to make culture apart of them mom.  The boys couldn't be left out of time together so Papa took Zach for some guy time on the same morning.  They however did not go to a play.  They went to an arcade and played and played and played.  Zach still talks about that.(and since I am posting this several months later that says something.)
*I had a get together with some high school friends at my parents house and it was so much fun.  I loved seeing everyone happy and doing well in their life.  Hopefully the next trip will bring another gathering with a few more.  (there was Mark and Karyli Peterson, Lee and Anna long and Lynette Berger Blackburn.)

There is always a million other things I want to remember, get pictures of, people to see and do again... if only I had more time on trips.  There is always the next one I guess.

Thank you everyone for making our trip full of fun, laughter, memories and enjoyment.  I honestly feel that is what life is about and what is most important.  Who needs big expensive vacations when we can have all this wonder right here. (don't get me wrong big fancy vacations are fun and we will do a few of them but not as many as I thought I would when I was but a teenager dreaming of being a mom and planning my future. Funny how priorities change)

LOVE YOU ALL
Jen/ Mom/ Daughter/ Aunt/ Sister-in-law

Play place - March 26, 2011

After Katie's birthday party we met Bushka and Katie Dougal for a little fun at this play place in Boise... I can not remember the name except that is had lamb in it, I think.  So here is our KATie and Katie the bee.  They had so much fun.  Our Katie sure does love cats and cat things!

I think Morgan and Jason went up and down these

 slides a million times.  Upon our return the slides may just remember that bum and belly.

Braden came with us so Zach could have a friend to play with.  They too enjoyed themselves.  Zach played basketball and did quite well.

I didn't get more pictures because my camera was almost completely out of battery power, darn it!  But is a defiantly a do again in our book.  Katie is almost to big but not quite yet, what will we do then ???

Fun play time happiness,
Jen/mom/aunt jennifer

Katie's family birthday - March 26, 2011

We had an Irish birthday for Katie, it was so much fun and thoughtful.  Sara made the cupcakes and frosting and Stephanie decorated them.  They were yummy.  I am not a frosting gal but butter cream is one that I like and I thought they were quite good.  But enough about me... Katie loved them.  Grandma asked Katie what kind of cupcakes she wanted, almond was her response.  (They taste like my sugar cookies, YUM.)  So not really knowing what almond cupcakes where she did a great job.  Katie felt very special and loved.
                                     

So thanks -

Jen/Mom

The Discovery Center - March 24, 2011

The Discovery Center is absolutely AWESOME!!!

 You get to play in water, build a robot, see how electricity works, play with light switches, pull yourself up on a chair, play with bubbles, see a tornado, play store with real cash registers, plus so much more.  We never tire of going here.  I love that they show that science is so fun, wonderful and useful. THANK YOU. 

What a fun educational experience... and they have no clue they are learning, learning, learning.  With all of the hands on stations how could they not.

Learning is fun,

Jen/mom