Christmas Break in Alpine

Aspen Lodge.
This was our 4th time staying at the lodge with Jared's Family. We had a reunion right after Christmas. It was the first time the family was all together since before Jared's parents went on their mission. It had been over three years!

Grant and two of the many cousins Isaac and Josh. Grant and his cousins went sledding and had several snowball fights. On the last day two of the uncles were challenged to a big snowball fight. The boys would not give up they fought for nearly two hours before the uncles finally gave in.

Davey was so excited to show me how he could make snow angels. I thought it was so cute I wish I would have got it on video. I just wasn't thinking.

We all had fun, I really enjoyed watching it snow and wearing a coat and cute mittens and a scarf. It's rare that I really need true winter clothes.

Applesauce and apple butter!

This year for Christmas I gave my parents and Jared's parents applesauce, apple butter and apple jelly. A friend in my ward had bought boxes of apples for $7 a box. She ended up with too many boxes and so she sold one to me. I then, with a dozen phone calls to my friend and a couple of days in the kitchen made and canned for the first time applesauce, apple butter and apple jelly. It was a fun project. I really want to can peaches this summer!

Halloween 2009

Grant and David with their Jack-O-lanterns. We had a good pumpkin for David that he picked at the pumpkin patch but when we got home it was not in the car? It's a mystery but I think it got left on the bumper of the car. Good thing I had this little one at home for him to carve. So that is why Grant's is so big and David's is so small.

How we love Grant and his fun personality. He is always cutting up. At his Cub Scout Pack Meeting in October one of the leaders was telling Halloween jokes and crazy enough Grant knew the punch line to one of them. The joke goes "what is a vampires favorite mode of transportation?"Grant blurted out "a blood vessel." He was right.

David and Grant ready for the ward Trunk or Treat.

Grant is Ron Weasley from Harry Potter. He started growing his hair out for this costume months in advance. He told me that Ron has longer red hair. I always kept his hair in a clipper cut because that is the only way I know how to cut it. Since Halloween Grant does not want to clipper cut it anymore! He has had it trimmed once and I think the longer look is growing on me.
Grant also made his own wand from pecan wood.

The boys: Alan as a zebra, Grant as Ron Weasley, and David as the cutest pirate ever.

David loved looking at the catalog of Halloween costumes this year. He carried the catalog around for a couple of weeks and kept begging me for Halloween to come. He cried a time or two because I did not take him to Halloween. It was so funny and cute. I can't believe he is going to be a Sunbeam in just a couple of weeks!

Fall 2009

Our family went to pick pumpkins this year. We took a hayride out to the pumpkin patch, the hayride would return every 5 minutes or so. When we wanted David to finish up we told him that the hayride was going to leave us if we did not hurry. Well it did leave and David was so sad. He did not know there would be another one a few minutes later. Poor David I had to get a picture of his sweet sad face.

Grant found his pumpkin!

Grant and David on the far right looking at pumpkins.

This was fun there was a cornmaze next to the pumkin patch so we gave it a try. Fun and little scary at times. Do you like my shadow in these pictures?

Me and the boys in front of the sunflower field right next to the corn maze. Sorry you can't see Alan he was sleeping.

Rex Allen Days 2009

Rex Allen Days Parade. David and Jared watching the parade several floats threw out candy and so David cashed in.

Me and Alan watching too.

Grant and his Cousin Josh watching the parade. Sorry Josh I guess I didn't catch you at the right moment. I will do better next time.

Rex Allen Days is always the first weekend of October. We have been to several of the Rex Allen Day Parades over the years and have even been on a few floats. This year we watched and enjoyed.

Kitchen !!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can see my back splash and microwave shelf.

It all started with this. The farm sink, how can you live on a farm and not have one?

Computer desk with file cabinet.

Appliance garage , holds my Bosch, whisper mill and blender. Love this corner cabinet with the glass in the door.

One of my favorite things is the turned legs on either side of the bar stools. My Dad turned them himself.

Dad at work, he is touching up the crown moulding.

Me and my Dad, in the finished kitchen.

As soon as I knew Jared and I were going to build I started to think about my kitchen. I spend the most time out of my day in the kitchen and that is one place I did not want to skimp. I collected tons of pictures, watched " Spice Up My Kitchen" daily for several months and really could not stop thinking about it. One thing that made this Kitchen special for me is that my dad did the cabinets and counter tops. It was so fun to design this kitchen with him. Thanks Dad for all your patience and input along the way and for helping my vision a reality. I will love this space for years to come.

Some Outside Shots!

Front of house- I like my red door, I didn't get more of the house because my Mother in law was painting and she did not want to be in the picture.

Back of house- yes that is me and Alan and no that is not my ride it is Jay's (tile guy) truck.

Back porch- I love the full front and back porches.