YARD SALE!!!

Last weekend we worked in the garage. We found a ton of junk that we needed to get rid of. While we were working Paul suggested that we have a yard sale to following Saturday so we would have some extra cash for our trip to Vegas. I wasn't excited by the idea but I went along for the ride. It had to happen eventually.

The weather was perfect and even though things were a little slow it was a good experience. We always love it when people pay us to take away our junk, er stuff.

It's crazy, our big money maker is always the clothes. I guess it's because we only have two kids and things don't get worn out. I don't know, people love digging through our clothes.

Emma and Andrew had set up their own sales and did really well! (We realized later that we would have made a bunch more money if we had shipped them off to grandma and grandpa's house. Back in the good ol' days we would sell their stuff and get the money. Now they want to do it.)

Here's Emma taking a little break in the shade.
Our across the street neighbor, Ann, usually does a sale every year. This year she said she wasn't going to do one, she just didn't have enough stuff. However she kept finding things to bring over for us to sell. She said the kids could keep the money for summer vacation. So nice!

At one point we had our sale, our kids two stations, our two neighbor boys stations' and two little girls from the neighborhood has set up stations. There was a whole row of kid sales going on plus another guy from the area asked if we would try to sell his water drums. We were selling so many peoples things. It was hilarious. At one point we had eight extra kids in our yard and many other visitors throughout the day.

Here's Paul chillin' in a chair Ann brought over.
It was fun watching the kids make deals, counting money, making change and interacting with each other. Andrew would go and buy something "new" from Max or Nick each time he made any money from a customer. LOL!

We met some great people at our sale and found out just how small the world is. One of Emma's classmates grandparent's stopped by and the ballroom dance coordinator bought some of our kids' old games. Everyone was really nice this time and acted like they were glad to get our stuff. Yeah for us for have a productive weekend.

Frickin' Fed -Ex

My camera has been sitting in Salt Lake since Friday morning. It got there at 4:30 AM yet it wasn't put on a truck. Now it isn't going to be delivered until tomorrow. Why? Because there is flooding in Tennessee. WTH? I am very impatient. Can you tell?

Happy Mother's Day

Friday night Paul took the kids out to buy me flowers for Mother's Day. Both kids picked me a bunch of carnations. Paul tried to talk them into a mixed bouquet but they were both insistent on getting carnations. They smelled wonderful and I really appreciated them.

Andrew got me pastels.

And Emma picked brights.
Each kid kept asking me which one I like better. Sillies. I loved them both. Even though each bouquet is different, each is special and beautiful, just like the kids. Both are favorites.
Paul also got me an arrangement. It's gorgeous and I love it too.

He also got me a Willow Tree figurine. She is beautiful. I love the carvings on her dress.

I'm very grateful that I am a mother to these two. It isn't always easy but it's always worth it.

I gave myself a gift and went home right after Sacrament meeting. I straightened the house in silence. After church we had sandwiches for lunch and the family did the dishes for me. Each one took turns helping, can't you tell Emma was thrilled?

After lunch I took a nap and then Paul grilled a tri-tip for dinner. Emma made me brownies for dessert. It's been a nice, relaxing day. Happy Mother's Day.

How Many Days can one Spend Celebrating Their Birthday?

MANY!

Back on April 14th my mom took me birthday shopping to find shoes for my trip to Boston. We had a very nice time and I got some shoes that worked out great. We even went out to Thai for lunch. She had only eaten Thai one other time. We were so brave, we ordered pumpkin curry. On our way home she declared, "I think I like it" LOL! It was fun watching her try something new.

On April 28th my friends and I went to lunch to celebrate my birthday. We were suppose to go to the Tulip Festival after. I told them that's all I wanted, time with friends but the weather was cold, super windy and wet. It was not at all conducive to walking through gardens. It wasn't what we had originally planned but it was still a very nice afternoon. My friends pampered me with candy, lotion, a gift card and picked up my tab. So nice!

I love my friends. They lift me up everyday and make me feel good about myself. They are kind, loving and great examples. I treasure each and everyone and really had fun chatting over lunch. Jennifer C. took off before I could get a picture. A few others who are very dear to my heart couldn't be there, but I knew they were there in spirit. I can't put into words how much I love these ladies.

Me and Angela.

Irene, CarrieAnn and Sara who announced at lunch that she was going to be a big sister!!!
Maggie, Me, Jennifer W. and Kameo
To all the others, we missed you!

Thursday I got birthday money in the mail. LOVE THAT! Friday I went shopping and took really good care of myself. I got some shirts, some Bath and Body stuff and I used my Tai Pan gift card from Maggie on some awesome dishes I had been eyeing. It was so fun.

On May 1st (the day we decided to celebrate my birthday) Paul got up early to get me donuts for my traditional birthday "cake". I wanted to go to Olivia's baptism that morning so I got all ready. As I was leaving everyone asked if I could do my donut cake then so they could eat some for breakfast. I obliged. This year Paul got donuts holes to put in the donuts to add a new dimension and he surprised me with balloons.

It's hard to see put the plate is pink and square and I love it. Thanks Maggie!
After the baptism, which was lovely by the way, we headed to Gardner Village. They are celebrating 30 years, just like me ;) Look everything was decorated for my arrival. Ha! It was just a happy coincidence.
Emma gave me these for my gift. I'm not sure if she really wanted to give them up but she knew I would treasure them.
After lunch I bought myself a little bitty quilt kit at Pine Needles. It's Aster Manor and maybe someday I will feel like sewing again and actually make it. This is right outside the quilt store.
After Gardner Village we went to Leatherby's for ice cream and I got to open another present. It was a cute pair of Nautica pajama's.

The ice cream was delish.
Sunday, my real birthday,we went to church and then came home and took a nap. Napping is one of my favorite pastimes and I'm really good at it. After the nap we went to David and Nancy's for cake, cake and razzelberry pie. I had all three. Yum!

Joi got me a super cute cupcake decorating set from Williams Sonoma. It has cute liners and little flags. I can't wait to use it. David and Nancy gave me a savings bond. We got to visit for a while and the cousins got to run around and play together.
I was going to wait to post about my birthday until I had my "big gift" but it hasn't come yet. I should be getting a brand spankin' new D90 on Monday. Gasp. I'm still a little in shock but more excited than anything.

Thanks everyone for making my 35th so special!

I'm Addicted

to these templates by Janet Phillips. If anyone has 2 Many Photos it's me. It's like they were made just for me. ;) While I was searching through my 30,000 photos for kissy face pictures (to use on one of these other templates she made) I realized that I had a lot of fun pictures that needed to be used, so, I threw these together. Right now I seem to be on a scrappin' kick so I am sure I will be making many more of these types of layouts.

Mystery Funk

Yesterday Andrew and Max were playing in the living room with lego dudes and action figures. I was cleaning in the kitchen listening to them play. (I can't tell you how much I adore these two.) All of a sudden I hear Uh-Oh. I asked what happened and they said something (I they were purposely vague) had gone up into the ceiling fan. I tried to unscrew it cut couldn't so I let it be. I figured it was just a little lego piece.

Last night we were helping Emma with her country report and we started smell something awful, like burning rubber. Our first thought is fire. We start searching the house seeing if we can tell where the smell was coming from. We couldn't locate it. There were stronger spots near our windows and swamp cooler so we thought for sure it was coming from outside.

This morning everything smelled fine, until I turned the light back on. As soon as I smelled the same burning rubber smell I knew it was connected to the light. At that point I instantly remembered the boys saying something when in the light.

This time, with more motivation, I was able the get the fixture removed and found the source of the funk. Emma was horrified. It was her koosh that they bought with tickets from Chuck E. Cheese.
What a sticky stinky mess!

She was seriously in tears. I felt bad for her but each one of was guilty. She didn't put her things away, the boys shouldn't have played with something that was theirs and I should have tried harder to open the light. Now our house smells like burning rubber again, I have a sad baby girl and a son who is feeling pretty guilty.

What happens when you finally clean your living room?

Your kids mess it up again, almost instantly.

With two trips in April the living room got really messy. Mostly the stuff was mine but the kids had a hand in the messes too. My mom did a good job while we were gone keeping the center of the room open but there were mega piles in every corner. I had quilt stuff, unfinished craft projects, piles of things from my purses and wallet to lighten my load (lipsticks, lip glosses, frequent shopper cards, receipts, etc), clothes I had opted not to pack, magazines, books, school papers and upon our return lots and lots of folded laundry.

Last week I spent literally hours cleaning up the piles. I worked in 30 minute intervals while rocking out to 80's music on my Ipod. (I am now down to one messy corner, my quilting corner.)

Suddenly the room felt so open. I guess the kids thought so too because the next think I knew they had made beds right in the center of the room. (Keep in mind this is right before the decons arrived for fast offering. Just once I would like them to come when that room is clean. Geesh.)

They were determined to spend the night on the floor. If there wasn't school the next day I wouldn't have cared but I new we were in for a mega giggle-fest. We told them they had 10 minutes to prove they could handle sleeping together.

After pictures they settled right down and slept really well.

I could hear one of them talking in their sleep. They cleaned up their messes the next morning. I won't be encouraging the behavior but it did go rather well.