Happy Birthday Rich!

Rich is such a good husband, father and friend. He is so patient and loving with each of his children, and loves to spend time with them. He works so hard for our family, and makes sure to always have time for us too. We love you!!! Thank you for all you sacrifice and do for us. I know I wouldn't be anything without you. Happy Birthday!!!

Yesterday was Richs' birthday. We spent the morning with his family for Baby Samantha's blessing. It was fun to be with all of them. Then that afternoon my family came over for a BBQ. We enjoyed lots of yummy food and desserts. For his birthday Rich got Guitar Hero World Tour. We didn't see much of the guys, or kids for the rest of the day. They had so much fun rocking out.

This is my little brother James, playing the guitar. As you can see, he really got into it.

It was so funny to listen to them. I wish I took some video of it! Rich is playing the drums with my nephew Christian. James and Ben on the guitars, and my Brother in law TJ, was singing. It was a lot of fun. Happy Birthday Rich!!!

A Sneak Peak

We are almost done. The carpet came on Monday, and I am in the process of decorating!!!! So until then, here is a sneak peak of our new, beautiful railing. I love it.

Abby's Answers

1. What is something I always say to you?"
"Go make your bed."

2. What makes me happy?
"Icee"

3. What makes me sad?
"I don't know."

4. How do I make you laugh?
"Tickle me."

5. What do you think I was like as a child?
"little."

6. How old am I?
"29"

7. How tall am I?
"Medium"

8. What is my favorite thing to do?
"Play."

9. What do I do when you're not around?"
"Work."

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?
"Making Bows."

11. What am I really good at?
"Cleaning up the house."

12. What am I not really good at?
"Piano"

13. What is my job?
"Cleaning."

14. What is my favorite food?
"Stroganoff."

15. What makes you proud of me?
"When we play games."

16. If I were a cartoon character, who would I be?
"Pluto." (???)

17. What do you and I do together?
"Go to the movies."

18. How are we the same?
"Brown Eyes."

19. How are you and I different?
"I play the piano, you don't."

20. How do you know that I love you?
"Because you love me."

21. Where is my favorite place to go?
"shopping."

Kids Say...

So here's the deal. Ask your kids these questions and see what answers you come up with.

My cousin posted this, and I thought it was cute. Here are Nate's answers!! I will do the other kids later. Some of his answers cracked me up. I'm glad I got to write them down as he thought of them.

1. What is something I always say to you?"
"Clean up your Room."

2. What makes me happy?
"When I listen to what you say."

3. What makes me sad?
"When you tell me something, and I don't do it."

4. How do I make you laugh?
"Tickle Me."

5. What do you think I was like as a child?
"...umm.... cute."

6. How old am I?
"Eight!"

7. How tall am I?
"Big"

8. What is my favorite thing to do?
"Play with me."

9. What do I do when you're not around?"
"Paint." (Can you tell what I have been doing lately?)

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?
"Five." (???? I don't think he understood.)

11. What am I really good at?
"making food."

12. What am I not really good at?
"not making what I say, I want for food."

13. What is my job?
"painting!"

14. What is my favorite food?
"pancakes"

15. What makes you proud of me?
"Playing with me."

16. If I were a cartoon character, who would I be?
"a mom."

17. What do you and I do together?
"play."

18. How are we the same?
"I don't know."

19. How are you and I different?
"I am little, and you are big."

20. How do you know that I love you?
"cause I'm awesome!!!"

21. Where is my favorite place to go?
"shopping."

Valentine Hair

Today was Abby's Valentine Tea Party. She was so excited to dress up for it. So we thought that it would be fun to do her hair cute too!! So this is what we came up with. I think that it turned out cute, and she was happy with it, so I would say it was once again, a success!

Valentine's F.H.E.

I invited my sister and her family over for family night. I had the table all decorated when they got here, they were so excited, they didn't know what was coming. We started the night with a nice sit down dinner, because, at my house, this seems to rarely happen. We had fun just talking and visiting with each other.


We started Family Night, by breaking into groups. We put the kids that couldn't read with an adult. Then we looked up LOVE in the scriptures index. Everyone picked a scripture and read it. But if someone in the group ahead of you read that scripture, you had to find a new one. Then we talked about love, and why its important to show others. Then we played games.

Amy (my sister) helped me to put all the games together, and this one is a calendar of February. They each took two turns dropping a penny, and whoever had the highest score won. But on a few of the days, there were things they had to do, like stand on their head, sing a song, do a somer sault. As a treat for every game, they each got a Hershey Kiss, regardless of winning.
We had heart puzzles for each of the kids. They all had to put them together. Abby got done and said " I don't need this piece." We all laughed, her heart was square!



For this game, we had about 45 paper hearts, and put them on the blanket, when I said "Hearts Fly" the kids pulled the blanket tight, and the hearts flew everywhere, then whoever picked up the most hearts, won! We played over, and over they couldn't get enough of it.

The kids had to shoot the bow and arrow, (suction cup arrows) onto the heart. The closest one to the center, won. I used my balloons from my centerpiece for prizes, and the kids loved it. We taped the heart outside the door, so that the arrows could stick to the window. We ended the night with heart shaped cookies for our Family Night Treat. The kids had a blast, so I would call it a success!!! Happy Valentines Day!

Part 2

There is now a wall. Instead of chiseling every piece of cement off the wall, Rich and his dad came up with a great idea. They built a wall 3 inches out from the existing one, and covered that. It saved a lot of work, and we really didn't lose any space. Here a a few pictures of them framing, insulating, and the finished product. We are in the process of mudding and taping, and hopefully soon, we will have a finished project. so, once again, stay tuned...

Rock Wall Part 1

In my living room, we had one whole wall that was a fire place, and the entire wall was covered in rock. It was sparkly, and looked very 70ish. I was hoping of someday being able to get rid of it, but I doubted that it would happen. Well, while Rich and TJ (my BIL) were hauling off the scraps from the carpet wall, (yes, on the same day as that demolition) my sister and I got an idea, and started chiseling the wall. We didn't get too far, because the rocks were attached with cement. Rich came back, and didn't speak,I think he was in shock, he had no idea that I wanted it gone. He knew that it meant more work for him! Here are my sisters starting the project.
Here is Rich trying to get all the rocks off, he had blisters, It was really good for him to get his frustrations out, and have something to beat! We had only used the fireplace once, it needed to be cleaned, and I didn't like that I couldn't use the wall at all.
This is the guys ripping up the hearth. It turned out to be nothing but cinder blocks. I am surprised how many corner were cut in building this house. Every day its a new surprise. The nice thing is, is that I can fix it how I want, as we can afford it.
The kids were so excited to help haul out all the rocks. Amy and I would make a pile and the kids were carry out the little ones for us.

And this is where it was for about a 2 weeks, I do have updated pictures, but my new cameras memory card won't let me upload them, so that will be another post for another day, its not finished yet, but it does look better! Sorry, I know every picture I have of them working is of their backsides, but it was the best I could do, stay tuned...

More Demo of Another Kind

Every year for Christmas, my mother in law invites us over to make a gingerbread house. I look forward to it each year. Now that Abby is big enough, she get into decorating it too. Abby and Nate watched that house every day since the first of December, until the first of January, asking when they could eat it. My sister and her kids, and a couple of my siblings were over, and the begging started. I was headed out to the trash with it, but instead let them have a free for all! They loved it, until my little brother cut his finger on the gingerbread. (I mentioned it had been there awhile.) He was okay, but that was the end of the house. Here are a few pictures of them devouring it. It was pretty cute.

Catch Up Time

So those of you that are reading, Beware, it is catch up time on the blog. I know there is a lot, but there is more to come. I have pictures of all the other projects we are working on!! I just hope to have more done, before I show you. So until then, here are all the Holiday pictures.