Christmas..

We had a great Christmas, and it's not over yet. X-mas eve we went to Mick's Grandma's house and had dinner and opened presents w/ her and Mick's Aunt and cousins.. It was nice, the kids recieved new clothes, which is always appreiciated. We finally put the kids to bed around 10 or so, and they were both so excited about Santa coming. ** Now Clay does and doesn't belive in Santa, sometimes he says he doesn't and that he knows it is Mick and I, and then when I talk "Santa" up he starts to believe in him again, so it's kind of a catch 22 with a 10 1/2 yr old buy**

Anyhow, so we wait till about 11 before we go to the barn and get Sis' big present to bring into the house, and then we start filling the stockings. 11:30 and Michayla is up and going to the bathroom and not wanting to go back to bed... AHH, I paniced when she started towards the living room. I detoured her to her room. We waited till a little after midnight and decided we were good to go to bed. I don't know how many times thru the night that those two came into our rooms saying "Santa came, can we open our presents?" Umm, I looked at the clock it was 1am, 3:30, 4:30 and finally at 6am a sleep deprived mother got up. Of course I remembered that the camera was in the truck from the trip to Grandma Betty's so I went to get it and decided I better just feed the horses while I was out there..
Anyhow, came back in and they both opened their stockings first and then onto the presents. Sis was so excited that she got a new dresser from Santa and Clay almost passed out when he opened his new hunting coat! Along with all their other gifts they had a great time opening presents.
My parents and Amanda and family showed up. Mick made scrambled eggs and sausage, I made cinnamon rolls and Amanda brought pull-aparts. It was a nice gathering.. Opened gifts again. Clay got a new sling for his 22 that he bought with his pig earnings. Michayla got a new desk and chair and some necklace making kits. My mom was nice enough to buy me new dishes, I so needed them. Two years ago she bought me new silverware, so my kitchen attire is rather nice now.. Mick of course got Cabelas gift cert. and some new outdoor shoes.
Then my folk's took the kids and we went to see Marley & Me. I read the book a couple years ago and I just loved it. The movie was really well done, it compared to the book rather well. Then to Mom's for dinner and home to put all of Sis' things together. Clay spent the night at mom and dad's so he could go hunting w/ Dad on Friday and Snowmobiling on Sat. Maybe I'll get him back on Sunday.

Sunday night we go to Mick's folk's house to exchange gifts with them. We usually spred X-mas out over 3 days just so we don't have to do so much running around in one day..
I am putting together a photo slide to post, but will wait to post till after Sunday. Hope everyone had a great Christmas with their families...

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!! Take care, god bless...

X-mas card thank you's..

I just want to say thank you for all of the great Christmas cards we have gotten this year. We have recieved a ton and I really appreciate all the pictures and traditonal cards, they are all great!!

The winner for the Scentsy Bar drawing is Melissa!! More than likely Amanda may be dropping it off to you, but I will try to do it myself.. :)

It was a very busy weekend, but I need to get to bed so that I can go to work tomorrow, I work 10 hr days for the next 2 days, so I might not get to post about Michayla doing a terrific job in her Christmas singing Program at Amanda's church today until X-mas eve!! It was great, she really wants to be a singer when she grows up, too cute!

Till then......

Missing..

Doesn't it just drive you crazy when you have something, then go to look for it and it is missing? I have 3 bamboo pampered chef spoons, and now I can't find any of them. Clay's chore is to unload/load the dishwasher. I asked him where they were and he says he doesn't know, Mick and Michayla have the same answer. Where could they have gone?? It's not like a sock in the dryer, I don't think that my dishwasher ate them, but I searched every drawer and cupboard and can't find them anywhere... They have to be around here someplace, I guess I will continue to keep looking...

**A Christmas give-away**
Leave a comment about something bizzare that has gone missing at your house. You'll be in a drawing for a Scentsy Bar, just perfect for this time of year. I will draw the name on Friday, and get the bar to you before X-mas!! Good luck... :)

Busy weekend..

My weekend started early on Thursday. Mick had been sick since last Sunday, it was pretty bad for about 3 days, then Clay woke up Thursday morning and had a fever and a terrible cough. Mick has not been working but 1-2 days a week, and of course the one day he is called to work, is the day that Clay is sick. I was scheduled to work 10 hours that day so I couldn't really call in sick. Clay went to work with Mick, he was fixing some things so Clay just hung out in the truck. After I got to work we looked at the schedule, it wasn't busy and almost all of us were there due to it being a Surgery day so I was able to go to Nampa and take Clay home.

We did some errands before coming home then Clay was banned to the cough and some medicine and eventually took a little nap. It definitely isn't like it was when he was little. Before you could give him some medicine and he'd be out, now it's a huge ordeal, he thinks he's to old to rest, but I got him to anyway.

Friday was Clay's X-mas Concert, he felt a little better that morning, he was excited about the concert so there was no keeping him home from school. Mick and I took the opportunity to go to Cabelas so we could finish Clay's x-mas shopping. It never fails that when we go there Mick just "happens" to find something in the bargain cave that he just has to have.. :)
Clay's concert was at 1, Amanda and the girls came and it was a nice concert. Some kids used the percussion instruments and sounded great. Afterwards we ran some Scentsy to my niece Shannon's teacher and then home.
I have been using my myspace to get a few friends' address for X-mas cards and had told our friends the Anderson's that if they were coming into town for the holidays to call. With apologies Shannon contacted me and wanted us to get together Friday night for drinks. We hadn't seen them both since right before the moved about 3 years ago. We met up at the Ram in Meridian, thank you Amanda for watching the kids on such short notice. It was nice seeing them, they really haven't changed.

Sat Mick got up early to go Goose/Duck hunting. My dad has a special membership to some blind in Nampa, the Geese always fly but have gotten smart and fly around the blind. Oh well they still came home with 6 ducks.
Sat night was both Mick and I's company X-mas parties. This being our first we wanted to go to them both. Of course they started at the same time. Mick's was in Meridian at the Golf course and mine was at our Dr.'s house in Star. We went to Mick's at 6-8 then mine 8:30-10:30.. It was nice to see all the guys that Mick talks about.
Sunday Mick and Clay and my dad got up and went goose hunting, the weather was perfect, a overcast and snowing, couldn't ask for better conditions. They got 3 Geese this time.. I dropped Sis off with Amanda and the girls at church and then went and sat with my Grannie for about 3 hours till church got out.
My Grannie is looking and doing wonderfully. Great news is that she gets to go home on Thursday! I am excited for her but bummed that she'll be back out in Homedale, it's so easy to see her here in Meridian. I guess that just means we'll be making more frequent trips out there. She is trying to make arrangements to move into Meridian, I hope all that pans out for them.
Then it was home to start laundry and all of that stuff for the work week preparations. Cass came by to get some Scentsy that she bought, she looked too cute in her little van. When I was saying goodbye, Ella (her wild child) was sitting in the passenger window, stradling it. She cracks me up. Always keeping Cassie on her toes.. Too fun, for her.. ;0)

I can't believe that X-mas is in a little over a week. And, in 1 month from today my baby turns 8 yrs old. Oh my goodness...

I believe that I have all my shopping done, I know there are a couple people that I still need to buy for, but for the most part, I am done. Hope all of you are too..

This next weekend Michayla is singing at church, she has a solo part in a song they are singing. I can't wait to go and watch. She loves to sing, and does a great job of it. She reminds me of myself when I was little. I always had the radio on and I knew all of the words to most every song. Can't wait, my mom bought her a beautiful winter dress and she will look just adorable in it. I'll post about that then..

X-mas a little early!!

My best friend Laura and I always buy X-mas gifts for each other, and we never wait till X-mas to give them to each other.. She and her husband Zach just bought their first house together and I am so glad that it is only 4 miles up the road from me. Thursday we both needed to get some more shopping done, and thought heck why not exchange our gifts to each other. I bought her tons of towels, washcloths, and kitchen rugs and pot holders. Although she has lived on her own for however long, she needed new and exciting things for the new place. I was shocked when she gave me this Ok so my gift doesn't really compare to hers but I am so thankful to her, I love it, it's brown suede and has pink crystals on it..

She didn't spend that much on my gift, but won't tell me how much she did spend. She said that she was tired of me always fixing my little crystal clips on my cheap purse that I bought off Ebay. While I love that purse and always got a ton of compliments on it, I am very appreciative to her buying that for me!

Laura is the kind of friend that you know is always going to be there. We can call each other at any time of the day or night or early early morning for that matter. She cocktails at a local bar and if something interesting or funny happens she thinks that at 3am is the time to call me and tell me about it. I love that we talk about 4 times a day, usually about nothing too important.

Laura is more than just a friend, she is more like family. We have been through so much together, she was right there for me during some really hard months a few years back and I too for her. We are ok with just sitting and watching TV not talking at all. She went camping with Mick and I and the kids for 5 days one summer.. Although she doesn't have her own kids I know she will be a great mother when that time comes!

Thank you "Laura Bell" for all that you do for me, I am a better person for our friendship!!

Things to look forward to in 2009

I can't believe that 2009 is only about 2 weeks away. This past year has just flown by. It feels like every year has just gone by faster and faster. Next year our family has so many things that we are planning on doing. I hope that on this list of things we will be able to get them all done. Some of them are just ideas, some of them are definitely planned and just waiting for the time to come.

* Go to Jackson Hole, WY and take a sleigh ride through the Elk Refuge with our family and the Chatterton's.

* Celebrate Michayla turning 8 years old

* Go to Disneyland with the Wagners, maybe I can get my sister and family to go too

* Celebrate 11 years of marriage to Mick

* Go to Reno with friends and family for Mick and I's 30th B-day's

* Go to Colorado to see my brother and sister-in-law

* Camping, Camping and more camping

* Go to Bear World in Eastern Idaho

* Celebrate Clay's 11th B-day

* Go to Vegas for the PBR

I love that we have a small family and will be able to afford to do just about everything on our list. Last year we really didn't do too much and I just want to take the kids out and show them more than this little valley. I think it is great to change up the pace of things and have adventures in life!!

Is it us??

Some of you have inquired if the picture header is the 4 of us Tully's. Well the answer is, of course! :) Amanda came over Friday afternoon and took various pictures of us for potential x-mas cards and this is one that she did. I love it!! She of course loves all these foot/feet pictures from when Andrea took her pictures this past summer. She can then put in this picture thing on her computer and "spruce" all of the pictures up.. Anyhow, thanks for all the complements on the picture, I appreciate it!!

Life..

I believe things happen for a reason.
People change so that you can learn to let go.
Things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they're right.
You believe lies, so you eventually start to trust no one but yourself.
Sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can come together!
~Marilyn Monroe~


Doesn't that say so much? I think it's very true. I appreciate things that have happened in the past, they definitely make me look to the better in the future. I know that people change, I hope that I have changed, I know I have. I believe that the things that have happened in the past have helped make me who I am today.

I have so much that I am proud of, so much that I am thankful for, and I have soo much to look forward to in the future. Next year will hold great things for my family!

Things that I love more with each passing year:

I love to see my kids turn another year older and all of the lessons I learn with each of my children. I love that my kids make me who I am.

I love that my husband is always supporting and encouraging me in everything I do. I appreciate him, for his effort and willingness to always provide for his family.

I love that I have a nice place to call home

I love that I have awesome family & friends, people who I can always count on at anytime, who don't judge and are always supportive.

I love that I am getting older. (Yes I did just say that) Most people don't like to get older, but I can't wait, in just 8 short, quick years it will be just Mick and I doing our thing together all the time and I can't wait!! We will be young parents of adults and I can't wait to get to explore this world with him..

I love that God has guided me in the right direction. I know that he is in control of my life rather I acknowledge it all the time, in my heart I know it. It's because of him that I am able to love all of these things in my life.

Elk x's 4!

All I have heard about the last couple days is how Mick can't wait for opening day of Elk again. We soo need meat in our freezer. This morning, Mick, Jason Dawson, Jason Hoodenpyle and my dad all got up around 3am and headed to their hunting spot. Of course Mick couldn't go without waking me, again... :)
Anyhow I had a good feeling for them today, I think things were in their favor... I told Mick to call me if the got some down today. About 9 or so my sister called my work and told me that they got 4 down!! Wow, I was so very excited. 4 Elk in one foul shot and they all had their tags filled. At first they could only find 4 of them, after searching all over on the way back to the truck they finally found the 4th one. I was so glad that they don't have to go back up there again. It's so much nicer then everyone gets them all at the same time.

So Mick being the Red Neck guy he can be at times, came home down Eagle Rd. with this look in our truck:



Can you imagine the looks they got with all of those people. Jason said there were people taking pictures with their cell phones. And of course they were pulled over by a sheriff. He congratulated them for the kill but also had to make sure everyone had there licenses and tags.
Amanda and the girls, Darcy and her kids, and my mom all met up at our house for pizza while the guys did the necessary things to take the Elk to Tackett's in Nampa to cut ant wrap it.

I know some of you aren't really into hunting, but you have no clue as to how much this helps out our family. I was raised on Elk, and it is soo much cheaper than going to the grocery store and buying beef. I can't wait to start cooking with it again. Our family ate all of last years Elk about 3 months ago, so we are definately excited. We now have a Pig and Elk to eat I couldn't ask for more at this time.

Thank you God for providing for not just 1 family but 4!!

So very Thankful!

I have so much to be thankful for this year. Family, Friends, Jobs...

I live an awesome life with the 3 best people in the world to have with me each and everyday! I am first and foremost so thankful to Mick. He truly has shown me over the last 10 years what love is all about. He loves me unconditionally and I can't thank him enough. He is always working soo hard to give our little family everything we want. He is always thinking of how he can please everyone else. I am so blessed that God has kept us in each other's lives through all the trials and tribulations we have been through. I am truly blessed to have that man in my life as my husband and as my children's father.
My two wonderful, beautiful, completely different children. I love that I have one of each. I get to see how my little boy and girl see the world. Clay is a very loving child, he is so caring and giving. He is a lot like his father, always wanting to help around the house to get things done, when he puts his mind to it he is one of the hardest, most dedicated boys I know.
Michayla: Just the most giving, heart felt, ambitious, loving, generous little girls. She wears her heart on her sleeve and is always the first one to help anyone out. She is a terrific big cousin and always is such a helpful addition when around.
Those two make me so proud to be their mom, I am so thankful that I will get to experience both worlds with them.
My sister: Always here for me, never gives up, knows me probably better than anyone, and one of the most important people in my life.
My parents: Are always there for me anytime I need them. I am so very thankful that they are so important to my kids. They truly are the best grandparents a grandchild could ask for.
My grandparents: I am thankful to have your words and wisdom available to me and my family.
My friends: I have some of the best friends in the world. Time knows no boundary with most of them, and therefore I truly know we are friends. Laura Wagner is my best friend and I adore her to death. I thank god that he brought her into my life 10 yrs ago. She never judges, or asks questions. She is someone I can be myself with, and I am so thankful for her!
Our jobs: we both are loving what we are doing. Without our jobs and our continual dedication to working we wouldn't have the life we have today. I am very thankful that with these "trying economic" times we both have full time jobs that we can count on each day. Thank you lord for that blessing.


I am so Thankful to all that grace my family with their friendships. I appreciate each and every one of you! Have a fantastic Thanksgiving with your families..

I am officially a...

Laura has been ranting and raving about the Twilight books and telling me how I need to read them. I told myself that I don't think in the 10 yrs of our friendship had I ever heard of her reading any books. She told me the movie was coming out and that I needed to watch it. Of course it premiered at midnight, and Laura calls to tell me she bought me tickets and I am going. Um midnight, I am definitely in bed by the latest 10, so I wasn't so sure. She didn't give me an option. :)
Anyhow there were 4 of us girls, Laura, Candace, Amber and myself. We met up for dinner and drinks before hand and then it was off to the movie theatres.. They had 2 screens showing at the Majestic in Meridian and it was jammed packed full.
It was a great movie, I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. Laura said that the book has more details and that I still need to read the first book. It was a great movie, very addicting. I can't wait to get the books and read all 4 of them. So this morning I am off to Walmart to pick them up and get reading them this weekend. Don't know when the next movie comes out, but I can't wait till it does.. I guess the books are so easy to read that you just fly right through them. Go out and buy the book and get to reading if you haven't already, I am!!

$1.99/gal, $50 & a full tank...

Can you believe how much and how fast the cost of gas has dropped? I was just amazed with excitement when I drove to work this morning. Maverik had gas for $2.03 and then came home not 6 hours later and it was $1.99!!!! I filled up for $50 last week and it actually said that it was full!! I can't wait to see how "little" it will cost the next time. With Mick having a Company truck, I get to drive our Dodge Ram to work everyday. I love that truck! I am such a Truck girl, I hated driving cars. It gets great gas mileage, not some piecer that only gets 8 or 9, but it actually gets 12-13 around town. When Mick and I drove it to Jackson Hole this past May it got about 20-21 on the freeway. Luckily I only drive about 8 miles to work one way, so the gas is able to be stretched quite a bit.
I am so very excited to see gas come down. Although I am affraid that when our new President takes office that things will spike. Mick and I talk about filling our 150 gallon fuel tank while it's cheap and then we won't be so desperate when it spikes again. I know, I won't think like that, but with this new president bad things are bound to happen, atleast I think they will..

(You want gas that cheap, it's at the corner of Lake Hazel and Cloverdale, it's even cheaper with your Maverik savings card, it's $1.97!! Who wants to pass that up??)

Picture Tag..

This is a new tag, it's a picture tag. You go to your picture folders, chose a folder number and picture number and you have to post that specific picture and write a little ditty about it, then pass it on to 3 of your friends.

Here goes. I counted and I have 86 folders, I think I am going to chose folder #43 and I am going to chose picture #10. I didn't look to see what folder or picture, don't you do that either. This way it's more fun. You might come across a picture you haven't seen in a while.. Don't cheat, even if the picture isn't very good...

Have fun:


This is from a few years ago, 4th of July boating at Lucky Peak Reservoir. My mom asked my dad to put some sun screen on her back and this is what my dad did. Way too much.. It was quite funny!





I tag: Amanda, Cassie & Rian!! :) Pass it on...

Eyes in the back of my head...

Last night we went to my Aunt's house for a family get together dinner. My other Aunt and Uncle were here from Washington so we had a little get together. At the end of the night, Michayla went home with my parents to spend the night.
Clay and Mick got up early (well they got up late) but anyhow went with Jason H. to go Elk hunting. I spent the day doing pretty much nothing. Messed with the horses and dogs, cleaned the horse stalls and then waited for Sis to call me to pick her up.

I picked her up and we ran over to Walmart to deposit some Scentsy money in my accnt and buy a few things. She wanted a new book to read, so we bought one about Best Friends. On the way home she was reading to me. The words are a little out of her realm but she does really well most of the time. She would have difficulty with a word and most of the time she is right there but the word just isn't being pronounced well enough. I would say the word for her without looking at the book. After a few times of helping her she said to me, "Mom you really do have eyes in the back of your head don't you?" I laughed so hard, it was too funny!
She is such a good little reader, I love listening to her try to figure out what type of character voice to use.

Super Star..

This last month, after two years of being a Scentsy Consultant, I was officially promoted to a Super Star Consultant!! I have kind of been neglecting selling Scentsy, but this last month I was completely motivated, got the job done and was able to promote and collect off of my down line. What a fantastic month it was too. I think I will get enough money in my commission check to do all of my Christmas shopping and some.. I was kind of wondering what kind of X-mas we were going to have. With the economy and the price of things I was wondering just exactly how creative I was going to have to make it, although I still think I am going to have to be creative, I am just glad I will have this extra money to fall back on. It's so hard when your kids aren't into toys, or movies or the more simpler things. My kids want the bigger and more expensive things. What to do?

Haloween was fun, Clay thinks he's to old to go with us, so he went to his friends house and went with a bunch of boys from school. Mick, Sis and I went to Amanda's sub and treated around there. Clay was of course a Bull Rider and Michayla was a Red Velvet princess. We had fun..
Anyhow our weekend was just a simple, realxing one. Sat I went to the Eagle Bazaar with my mom and sister and Michayla. It was fun, we have always made it a yearly ritual to do that together. Went and saw Grannie. She is looking great and seems to be feeling better with each day. Went and saw Laura and Zach's new house that they bought, it's close and just adorable for them. Can't wait till they are here and close, they move in Dec. Mick left Sat evening to meet up with Jason D. to go hunting. Abigail spent the night, she's too cute. I remember hearing, "Annie, I need a drink, Annie, I can't get the bathroom door open, Annie, I need another drink," I felt bad that she didn't sleep all that well and it made me realize just how lucky I am that my kids don't get up in the middle of the night anymore.
Sunday, Michayla and I just hung out together. Clay had spent the night w/ my parents to go Goose hunting with my dad, We were able to do some cleaning and then went outside to clean up stalls and then ride Goldie. Laura came over to hang out, she wanted to ride so I put her on Goldie, it was too cute. She doesn't ride but anyone can ride Goldie, she is an awesome horse for anyone!
Mick and Jason saw a lot of Elk but couldn't get them out of the brushes, they are off to try again this weekend.
It's been a long week, I have 4-10hr days and am exhausted 2 days into it.

A's & B's...

I have to say how proud I am of Clay this year! He has completely turned around academically from last year. I believe it has a lot to do with the fact that he has a great teacher that is nice and likes him, therefore Clay tries hard to please her and so far it has worked for him! He has 4 A's, 5 B's and 1 C. The C was in math because he didn't turn in a worksheet, interesting how that 1 turned his average to a C, but he is doing great! I am so proud and want him to feel encouraged to keep up the hard work! He usually gets his homework done first thing when he gets home. He still doesn't like to read, so that is our challenge with him, but eventually he will get it that books are very interesting..
Clay has a lot of privileges, he gets to go boating, snowmobiling, hunting, riding 4 wheelers, has a cell phone. He knows that he has to try hard and do well in school in order to keep all of those privileges. So far, so good!
Clay loves to be rough and tough and act like such a boy, but he is really kind hearted. Our elderly neighbor and Clay have become great friends. Clay goes over and hangs out with Mr. Green, listens to his stories, learns how to tie knots and lately has been going over every night to help him feed his cows. I think it is so sweet, and he refers to him as Mr. Green. If Clay can't go help he wants to call to let him know he can't come. I think it is just so respectable for him to want to help.

Michayla was the only student in her class to get all S+'s. Her teacher said that she doesn't typically give Satisfactory + to any students, but Michayla does so well with all of her assignments, and is always willing and able to help anyone if they don't understand, reads above and beyond her grade level, so she felt it was appropriate. I am a very proud momma these days! Michayla loves to write, read chapter books and is of course always a little helper.
I really like the school's that the kids are going to this year, not that the other schools were really bad, but they have great teachers, activities and school functions.
I expect great things for my kids this year!

More to come: Halloween..

Getting the job done..

Our weekend started early Friday afternoon, and we have so much that is changing in our lives that it really shows me how much God is watching after my family.

Anyone who works in the Construction industry knows what a whirl wind it has been this year. Mick went to work for a company called Willtran/JBBJ this past Jan. He really likes working there. He was sent to Crouch to work and when the business up there couldn't get all the funding they pulled Mick out and brought him back down here to the valley. There were rumors that layoffs were on the horizon and of course Mick went into his "how to take care of my family" mode. He did some calling around and toyed with the idea of going out of state for work. Eventually deciding that he would go to Colorado at the beginning of Nov to work with my brother. He quit working there to do 2 weeks of sprinkler blowouts before going, JBBJ did not want to see Mick go. He was well liked there, they told them they were bidding on the new private prison and if they got it they would call him. Well, Wed night when Mick got home from picking the kids up Dan from JBBJ was here waiting at our house and wasn't leaving until Mick agreed to come back to work. They had gotten the winning bid and were going to start work within the next week. After thinking how scarce work is in the valley and how he really didn't want to be away from us this winter, he took his job back and will be starting work on Monday. I am relived, I didn't really want to be running our household all by myself. Not that I couldn't do it by myself, but it's a lot of work with all of the animals we have and having to have the kids somewhere else after school when I work late, it just works out so much better, and I am just excited to keep him here!!! Thank you lord for listening and answering my prayers..

On to the rest of the weekend:
Firday after getting off work at 1, Mick brought the kids to me and we went and picked up Clay's 2 new pairs of glasses. He hadn't been wearing them since school got out before summer and the other day, said that he needed to get them again. So we got an awesome deal for two pairs and once again, he looks adorable. He has a weird perscription, he is near sighted in one eye and far sighted in the other. So, he will always have to wear glasses/contacts, hopefully when he is older he can have the lasic surgery and not have to worry about that through his young adult years.

Michayla has been so excited since hearing about the HSM 3 coming out. So as a surprise I took her to see it Friday afternoon. We invited one of her very best friends: Kayla, and her mom Christina. The girls are just a month apart in age and they get a long really well. Christina and her husband Shawn have so much in common with Mick and I, it's kind of scary. They both met in High School and started dating at 16 just like Mick and I. They were married young and had Kayla shortly after. They are awesome friends. The moved up here from California about 4-5 yrs ago and we just love hanging out with them. Here they are being silly after the movie.



Sat I had to work, and Mick, Clay and my dad along with Tessa, went to Parma to duck hunt again. I went to dinner with Laura and then met up with some of our other friends for drinks. It is great hanging out with her. I can't wait till they get their house bought so that we can be at eachother's house more often!
Sunday has been a relaxing day, just hanging out around the house. We went to my sister's house around 3 to carve pumpkins and have dinner. It was fun to watch the kids put their hands in the pumpkins and hear their reactions.



All I remember is hearing Ash say, "oh my gosh, eww gross." She is so funny! After her little pumpkin was all cleaned out, she started putting all the gunk back into it. She is a seriously funny little monkey!
Wew, I have had a lot to say for this post. This week, Clay and Michayla have their Parent Teacher Conferences. I am very much anticipating Clay's. All of his papers he's brought home have all been A's & B's this year, so I am excited to see what his grades are! Michayla is such an over achiever. She has always done well. I can't wait to hear what good things are going on with her! I'll be updating I am sure!

Another great Craigslist find..

Two posts in one day, I promise it's good. :)

Before we moved here, I had a western couch that I bought from RC Willey just sitting in the garage. Thinking that I wouldn't ever need it again, I sold it, very cheap I might add during one of our garage sales.
After we moved in here I was bummed because we had 2 living rooms, the main living room got our furniture and flat screen TV. While the other got the old TV and no furniture. That is where the kids always watch TV and have been asking if we are going to get furniture for them to sit on instead of the floor.
I have been scouring Craigslist for a nice couch at a reasonable price, and well, I happened upon it today!
I was so excited to see that it was just like my old couch from RC Willey, and BONUS it had a chair and ottoman with it. The only bummer was it was in Mtn Home, Oh well, I called her and she told me where she lived. So the kids and I loaded up in the truck and were off to Mtn. Home.
Very very reasonable price, I almost felt bad that she was practically giving them away, because I know how much they cost brand new. The bottom mesh stuff is ripped open, but oh well we just cut it off, after the picture was taken of course. But it's in great condition otherwise, the color isn't faded on the couch and chair, it is a little on the ottoman, but I once again think I found another great Craigslist find!!! I wonder how we were able to find such great deals before Craigslist? We probably didn't.. :0)

A weekend full of pictures...

We had a great weekend. I was off on Friday, so I ran around with Mick while he is doing his sprinkler blow-outs. Honestly, not the most exciting time riding around in a truck all day, but it was nice to hang out with Mick, go to lunch and just talk to eachother about things that we can't normally because the kids are near. It is so interesting that kids are like little sponges, they listen to everything that you say, and then when the time is just right, they repeat it to anyone. I know that all of you parents know exactly what I am talking about. And my kids know how to spell every word, so we can't use that old trick, so we usually wait till after they have gone to bed to talk about the important things..
Firday evening we went to the Linder Farms pumpkin patch, we have done this w/ my sister and her family, we enjoy it. The pumpkins weren't as good as I thought from last year, but we managed to find 4 that suited us just fine. This is the only picture I got before my camera batteries died, good thing Amanda got some better one's.




Sat I worked, which I don't mind working on Sat, they are such easy laid back days, don't get me wrong, they are very busy, but their aren't any surgerys so that makes the day so much easier.. Mick did a few sprinkler blowouts then came home to do some yard work around here. I forgot how nice the yard looks when it is mowed.. We visited Mick's folk's then came home.
Sunday Mick and Clay went hunting, Sis went to church with my sister and I sat with my Grannie at the Rehab Facility she is in. She looks great! I am so glad that she has pulled out of all this ok. She's not 100%, still has problems eating a lot, is getting fed through a stint in her stomach, and can't walk without help. BUT, she is on the road to recovery. I hope that she gets her strength back so that she can have Thanksgiving dinner with us next month. I enjoyed sitting with her, we talked about dogs, recipies, kids, grandpa, and then I got her out of that stuffy ol' room and we strolled the halls in her wheel chair. I'm praying for you Grannie, you can do it, I know you can... Mick and Clay got done hunting and stopped by to see Grannie, then we met up w/ Amanda to get Michayla back and headed home.
It was such a nice day that I had to get the horse out and ride. The kids weren't able to ride the other day when I rode, but they were up on the fence anticipating the opportunity to get to ride. Goldie is an awesome horse, you can do anything on her. She has such a soft mouth to her that you just pick up the reins and she will move anyway you want her to. I love riding her! Here's a few pictures:

Michayla took the one of me, she didn't know how to zoom out, so it's not the best. Mick and Clay went with my friend Billy to get hay. We just did some clean up in the barn and house and then did the never ending laundry and baths before the school week started again.
I took some pictures of the pigs, they are growing so fast. Wilbur is the bigger one and Charlotte is Amanda/Jason & my mom/dad's pig.. Aren't they cute...


I can't wait for next spring/summer. Michayla will be old enough to be in 4H, and she is expressing that she wants to show sheep, and they are so much easier than when I showed that I don't have a problem with it. Clay will show a pig again, I think at both Fairs this year.. Can't wait.

Well I didn't get to vaccum yesterday so I better get on it. Have a great week!!