Before and after.

Remember the small kitchen fire MONTHS AND MONTHS ago.. Well we have the kitchen back to normal. and even better..

Here are some "before" pictures. The picture on the right is of it set decorated for the eHarmony shoot so there is A LOT of stuff on the counter tops but we did not have a lot of just kitchen pictures.

Now here are the after pictures. We have not gotten new appliances yet so I was going to wait to post them but wanted to now.. So I will post pictures of a new fridge and stove when we get them. We upgraded many things and the things I love most... MY NEW SINK... LOVE IT.. and my tile backsplash... I think it makes the entire room.

A GREAT Gift!!!

It is soon to be my Birthday and as we get older these birthdays just seem to kind of run into each other and becomes just another day. Dont get me wrong, I like to celebrate birthdays but I have been holding at 39 for 5 years now heh.... no need to celebrate 39 again. So I really don't expect much for presents or anything but Debbie has had something on her to do list for me for some time now. I have been asking for a collage of pictures for my office at Maverik of our family and memories. I came home from work on Thursday and kissed Debbie and sat on the couch with her to visit and she asks "do you want your present now????" with a huge smile on her face. Now how can I resist that as I take my clothes off thinking I know what I am getting right? (I am kidding of course) I said sure and she said wait here.
She brings up this huge frame with pictures of memories all over it. I sat with her and looked at this for a long time talking about each one. Some of these pictures you may recognize being on our blog. Just gives me warm fuzzies and smiles when I see this. Memories of when we first met, family, Mexico, Kentucky, the cabin, kids, Red Fish Lake, eHarmony shoot...... there is one pic in there of last year at Red Fish Lake with me kissing Debbies forehead a few days after her accident... black eye and all. I was so happy to have her with me I almost lost her.

Anyway...... Debbie I know you spent days working on this so THANK YOU SO MUCH for the most wonderful gift. I LOVE IT.

socks!

I am having a Monday.. BAD at my house. I hate Monday's.. It's the days I grocery shop, do laundry, clean up after the weekend and today... and today my complaint is SOCKS..

After I got up and cleaned up the usual stuff like the chewed sunflower seeds my daughter had sat at the computer and dropped on the ground (SERIOUS?) It's laundry time... I gather the laundry, I sort the laundry, wash, dry, and fold. It's the kids duty to put the laundry up.. I will ask them on Monday evening to put the laundry up and the grumble and complain than take the clean nicely folder clothes and SHOVE in the closet or in a drawer they can find that will fit them..

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE THAT MAKES A STAY AT MOM HAPPY.. Like when you take off your socks could you turn them right side out before you have me wash, fold, and try to sort 678 white socks that are inside out.... same with shirts, pants, shorts and pajami's..

k thnk!

MacCools... a cool place

Every week Debbie and I go on a date night. We usually go to Logan and have dinner with our good friends up there for a few hours. This week we were invited to attend a Food a Beer pairing dinner with some friends at MacCool's in Layton. I have heard of these types of parties with wine and food but never beer...... so we went. Now this is an Irish Pub so the food is a lot of lamb. Here is a link.
http://www.maccools-utah.com/

All the beer was from Wasatch / Squatters in Park City. Here is their link
http://www.utahbeers.com/
I wish I had the menu with me to give you more detail but the first appetizer beer was a jalapeno cream beer. I know.... sounded sick to us too but DANG it was soooooo good. We went on to have several other micro brews with 3 different salads. What a great combination.
Then to top it off we had a chocolate cake and ice cream dessert with a chocolate beer. Now I am not a chocolate fan but taking a bite of the cake then drinking the beer brought the flavor all together... I was quite amazed.

I had so much fun and ate WAY too much... but fantastic date night!!

Big or Small.. "LETS SAVE THEM ALL.

Salt Lake City. Race for the cure.. 20,000 people showed up.. I think EVERYONE loves boobies! All the survivors that raced!!! Each face has their own story. What strong women.... and.. there are no boobs required to be in this group... *hmmm!
survivor walk.. I seemed so tall.. I walked with the group 11 -15 years and even though I was about 20 years younger than most of the women.. I met "breast" friends!!

My cute hubby lookin' like a hippy.. My good friends Cheri and Bart to the left!
I don't know if you can see but the lady holding this little baby is a survivor and that is HER baby.. Cheri was looking at her and said to Sam.. "look how sad that is with her having that little baby..." and then Cheri said.... "SAM, THAT IS HOW OLD BROCK WAS WHEN DEBBIE HAD IT"!!!

My cute girls.. Taylor and Cassidi!!

Tay numbering Sam up!

There were signs like this all over!!

Hiking for Hooter team... I think in total we raised a little under a thousand dollars (Sam raising most of that)...

they had all sorts of activities!!!

The day of the race was my 11 year 9 month and 3 day clean date.... I not only walked for me I walked for my sister, Michelle, who is a survivor and I walked for my girls and I walked for you!!! Here is to the next 11 years 9 months and 3 days...

"FEEL YOUR BOOBIES AND SAVE A LIFE!!!"

In other news!!

1. Brock found his first arm pit hair.
2. I am trying to make a grocery list for next week. My kitchen remodel will be complete by the end of the week... What do I feed my family from Monday - Thursday.. With no sink, microwave, counter tops or cupboards!!
3. We still have not eaten at our new table.. I am scared to eat on it.
4. God LOVES me and wants me happy.. The weather for the "Race for the Cure" on Saturday is 70 degrees... GORGEOUS.
5. Nolan gets to go home from the hospital tomorrow.
6. We rented a tent trailer for our annual trip to Redfish Lake. Lets hope it goes better than last year!
7. I got a new hair cut and color and I LOVE THEM BOTH!! Life seems to go better when you love your hair!!! (It's a girl thing)
8. I have found a homeless man on one of the corners in Layton that I love. Cassidi and I have a fund in our car and we give him money every time we see him.. He has been missing the last couple weeks and I am afraid he has died... I had to make a promise to Sam that I would never bring him home for dinner and not give him a ride anywhere!
9. I miss my Mom and Dad. It seems like we are all just far enough apart that seeing each other takes an entire day. :-(
10. Cassidi's new car is the cutest thing I have ever seen.
11. I have felt REALLY REALLY good the last couple weeks. My doctor put me on a new medication and it has made a huge difference.
12. I am slightly addicted to the Real Housewife shows.
13. We are having taco soup for dinner.
14. I hate the commercials that play the sad songs and show abused animals!! It makes me sad!
15. I think Biggest Loser is truly inspirational.
16. Sam and I went to the South Town mall last weekend with Joran, and even though I HATE to shop... That mall is pretty damn impressive..
17. and I think I fell a little more in love with my husband this week!!!!

12 year old boys!!!

I caved!! I did something I told myself I would NEVER do!!! NEVER!!!

Brock is now a proud owner of NOT just one air soft gun but TWO... Yes to all those worried mothers out there I bought my 12 year old son TWO airsoft guns.. So he and the rest of the neighborhood boys can go around the neighborhood shooting dogs, birds, cats, and cars that are driving by!!! They sure the hell better not any of the above..

However most evenings you will find Brock wearing safety glasses and hanging with a handful of other juveniles having airsoft wars!!!

*sigh.......

Time to make some memories.

Jordan and her boyfriend were here last weekend. We had a great time with them and when they left I said to Sam.... "YOU DID NOT TAKE ANY PICTURES!"..
Jordan seems very content and happy... It was so nice to see her that way.
Josh came over and we all played games and had a big dinner.... As I was getting ready to serve dinner I said... "Lets have our last supper on this table". (we knew we would be getting a new table and chairs this week)..
I LOVE OUR NEW TABLE... LOVE LOVE LOVE.. It is gorgeous. I am way excited for the memories Sam and I and family will have around this dinner table and I am sure very soon you will find all of us hanging out playing Farkle, Sequence, and at Christmas time you will find us all gathered around putting together puzzles!!! And some day we may even have GRAND children sitting around this table with us.... So here are to the memories to come!!

In other news.... I bought these little glass sculptures at Pier One.. I have no clue why I am so in love with them but I ADORE them... We named them.. (WE NAME EVERYTHING)

This is Rooster!! (I know original)

and this one is named Boise... named after the blue birds that live in Idaho!

We will be getting our new counter tops next Monday, Our tile back splash on Tuesday and than they will grout (spelling) on Wednesday!!! Then everyone I am so so so happy to announce... WE ARE GETTING A NEW FRIDGE.... Have any of you ever heard me complain about our fridge... HA!!!!

Step Dad.

If you have a weak stomach do not continue.. GRAPHIC.

I don't have a ton of time today but wanted to update everyone on my step dad... He is still in the hospital and they went in and removed a LARGE chunch of skin and muscle last week. He is having surgery this afternoon again..

He is still smiling and my Mom is hanging in there also... I will update more later in the week..

This picture just makes me cringe!