random newness

We have daffodils! (in the stores...not out of the ground .yet.)

I found an area rug. Some may know the hunt that went into this find. I am so excited! (so excited, that YES! I took pictures of my rug!)

Happy March!

fun, fun, fun!

it hit the 20's here yesterday!

HEATWAVE!!!!

so, what do true blooded Iowan's do when the mercury rises above the teens??? WE GO SLEDDING!

So, we trekked down to Vinton to my granparents house, and had a blast! Grandpa Willie and I did alot of pushing, Grandma Susie did alot of cheering. The girls did alot of slipping and sledding.

We all did alot of laughing!

It was a great day! (finished it off with some Jolly Roger's Pizza, could it get ANY better?)

for becky...(and anyone interested)

s'more cupcakes

this is what they are REALLY supposed to look like. (I didn't have the graham crackers)

I used just a good 'ol box of chocolate cake mix for the cupcakes. the REAL goodness is the frosting which is:

1/2-3/4 lb. (2 or 3 sticks) butter, room temperature,1 lb. (2 cups) confectioner's sugar,1/2 tsp. vanilla,16 oz. tub of marshmallow cream (I recommend Fluff)

Cream the butter (I love my Kitchenaid!) on high until it's light and fluffy. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and beat until fluffy each time. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated. Then dump in the Fluff and mix it up 'til it's all creamy. Transfer to pastry bag (if desired) and pipe onto cupcakes! (You can also cut the corner off a Ziploc bag and use that instead.)

Then sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. and top with a square (rectangle actually, I guess) of a Hershey's chocolate bar.

when trapped inside....

I love the snow, i love snow storms. I DO NOT love felling trapped inside! Sooo I bake. This is what i did today. (they even got rave reviews from Josh)

Two girls and their rottweiler.... a beautiful thing!

one for grandma connie...

for the fun of it

last year....

This year...

first day of school

seriously, where did the summer go????? I cannot believe school is here already.

Alayna told me this morning she didn't mind the first day of school, it was all the days after it she didn't like.

Westin asked me if it was bad that she was excited for homework? I told her, More power to her!

the backpacks! (it's ALL about the backpacks!)






(westin is a rather small child...any backpack that can hold a folder is HUGE on her.)

Alayna B---4th grader.

Wessy---1st grader.

mini vacation!!!!

Last week as a pre-school, pre-business opening trip we went to Rockford to meet up with a friend of Mike's (well, he's everyones friend really) from there we went to Madison for 1 day and then to Chicago, then back home. it was quick and fun, and provided some pretty good pics.

Before & After.....

Before:

After:

*I did some work on the inside too, but I need to wait for the "finishing touches" before I post them.

My baby is 6!!!

Westin is officially 6 years old!

How crazy is that?????

How old does that make me feel???

*WAY! is the answer to both of the above questions!

random...catching up

this summer we....


had our last day of school: (yes! I am THAT behind)

*** had a lemonade stand:

hung out with the dogs:

Flip Flop Summer Tour

A whole crew of us (10 in all) rented a 12 passenger van and traveled to Des Moines Friday night to see Pat Green, Sugarland and, of course, Kenny Chesney! It was AWESOME. What is it about concerts that makes the music that much more meaningful, inspirational, cool....whatever you want to call...just that much more everything???

If any of you ever get a chance to go to a concert with my brother, I would highly recommend you do just that. You will NEVER see a happier individual in your life, than Josh at a Kenny Chesney concert.

Sea Port Village

*Alayna had a bad cold.

*Westin did not.

finally...vacation pictures

whatup dog????

one last look

one last picture for you all to see the house as it is. We are going to get new siding and new windows. I am so excited! I'm excited to be done with the decision making process and so excited to see how it will look. we are going with a clay color (get it??? we live on Clay st.--isn't that fun) and white trim, I won't know what to do with easy clean windows. Our windows now are original to the house (circa 1923)


I've decided that you know you are old when this stuff is what you look forward to.

ANOTHER winter storm coming at us. with ice and wind and all of that good stuff. I check the weather in Arizona every morning next Wednesday when we get there it is forecasted to be 88 degrees and "abundantly sunny" YA-HOO.

I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my Good ness! I can't believe it. I don't know what changed, but I am FINALLY able to post!!!! HURRAY! now I need to think of something good to say.

I'll give you the readers digest version of my last 3 months:

*survived Christmas & New Years

*Mike quit his job Jan. 5

*Mike left to go to California to become an actor Jan 11(to try it for 6 months at least)

*Mike came home Feb. 2nd (maybe he does like us!)

*Hale tore a ligament in hig leg on Jan 17th required surgery and a fare amount of $$$$) but he is completely recovered!

*went to IKEA...that is all that needs to be said about that!