*Day 24*

Spiderweb crepes

Since my husband is a little more domestic than the average husband, he decided to make these delicious crepes for a nice Sunday breakfast. Although they weren't the perfect circles that my "type A" personality would have attempted, Andrew got a kick out the "spiderwebs" and we had an awesome breakfast. Thanks babe!

*Day 23*

ALL aboard!

The "double decker", as Andrew affectionately calls it, commuter train is finally ready to go! Andrew has been waiting for this day for what feels like eternity. However, when we got to the station to take a promotional "free" ride, we weren't the only ones there. Luckily Andrew decided that 1 1/2 hour wait for a ride wasn't worth it. So, we hope to take a ride later this week. Luckily there was a back up plan of hottubbing at aunt Jennifer's. Andrew was an amazingly good sport considering the months of anticipation of this event.

*Day 22*

A spontaneous moment captured!

During a little picnic excursion to the canyon I snapped this shot of Ashlee reaching over and giving her brother a hug. Nice to know that they don't view each other as solely a threat to their belongings or space!

With a small sign of spring we were off to the mountains. It was beautiful. The wild grass was green and the mountains were capped with snow! I'm just sad that with such a late blooming spring that the heat of summer will be here soon. But, I guess I should just enjoy the moment, or it will be gone too.

So, I'm having a hard time sticking to one picture each day. Sorry if you're getting over-loaded reading and "looking" at my life. I just have a hard time thinking about pictures that I know that won't get scrapped and will otherwise just sit in the files of my computer. So, here are a few more:

Here we are out for our little hike:

*Day 21*

A fast camera can't keep up with this one!

Today we attempted to take some pics of the kids in their Easter clothes. Yes, Easter was forever ago, but the weather has really stunk around here. Some how shooting in the snow didn't sound appealing. However, getting the weather to cooperate was only half the battle. Andrew was definitely more interested in chasing the ducks then standing still, but I think I still got a few shots worth printing (I better have after taking 92 pictures in only 30 minutes).

*Day 20*

8 Amazing Years!

While we were in Idaho for the weekend, Justin sneakily (is that a word?) set-up for us to stay the night in Jackson to celebrate our anniversary, while Justin's parents watched the kids. This has been the year of surprises (I surprised him with a trip to Cali for his 30th birthday. I still have yet to post about it because I ruined the pics and I'm trying to fix them! Sometimes I really miss "auto"). Anyways, we left Sunday night to enjoy a relaxing evening in Jackson. The Tetons were amazing (a bit too cold and windy to capture any good pics). But we found some other interesting photo ops:Some die-hard skiiers!


Anyone up for a picnic in the middle of the snake river?

The geese need a haven, how about the roof?

In honor of being married EIGHT years, I thought I would post the top 8 qualities that I adore about my honey (try not to be too jealous when reading the following, my hubby is pretty amazing!):

1. He's the hardest worker I've ever met! He's not done until the job is done. I still think of him out in the 106 degree weather working on our sprinkler system, getting the job done. I think I lasted about 10 minutes, compared to his hours of time spent! Thanks!

2. He's disciplined (and that's an understatement). If he has a goal (like not sleeping longer than 8 hours a day), his promise is as good as gold. For that reason, he gets up with the kids every morning that he's home.

3. He's domestic!! He often cooks dinner, helps with all of the cleaning, including the bathrooms. He makes banana bread whenever we have an abundance of old bananas and he always lets me leave him a chore list when I'm away at work. I really am spoiled in this aspect. There's no reading the paper on the couch while I take care of dinner around here.

4. He's hot! At least I think so. He's very physically fit. He tries hard to exercise and eat healthy. I really should try harder in this area.

5. He's very giving with his money. He is definitely a saver and "be frugal" kind of guy, but he'll never turn down anyone in need. One time at a gas station, some guy with his wife approached him asking him to fill up their car. The guy said that he had lost his wallet and were on their way to Colorado. $40 later, they were off.

6. He loves me! After 8 years, I know that he's still totally in love with me because he is so good at showing it by his actions. He's always trying to figure out how he can be a better husband and dad.

7. He would make a better mom than me. He's always reading to the kids, taking them outside for a walk, turning off the TV, wrestling with them, going to the library, building things with the legos or whatever Andrew asks.

8. He has a sense of adventure. He would take off today and move to South Africa if the chance came up. He's not afraid to try something new. I LOVE this. I know that we have an exciting life ahead of us.

These last 8 years have been everything that I have dreamed of in marriage. I love you hon!

*Day 19*

Farewell Grandma and Grandpa!

They are heading into the MTC next weekend. They are hoping to stop by for a day or two on their way. We look forward to spending a little more time with them. The kids just love them to death. We will really miss them!

*Day 18*

Riding like the big boys, minus the training wheels (I didn't even know they had them for kid's motorcycles!)

We went up to Gma/pa Hogge's in Idaho Falls for the weekend to wish them well on their mission to Honolulu. Considering their destination, I'm not sure they needed much well wishing, but we will greatly miss them! (And you can be sure we'll be going to visit them, at least once!) Here are some more pics from the day:


We spent the afternoon riding grma/pa's 4 wheelers. Some how we managed to squeeze all 4 of us onto one 4-wheeler. We all had a great time!

*Day 17*

Our new place!
A tent trailer, probably the same year that my Grandma owned. =) But, we can't wait to use it!

*Day 16*

*A*N*D*R*E*W*!

*Day 15*, half way through my 30 days of everyday us!

I'm declaring the digital scrapbook page below that I posted last night as the picture of the day. Digital scrapbooking is definitely part of my everyday and especially this day and I'm relieved that this day is coming to a close. It's been a bit crazy due to my little enrichment presentation. It's kinda a long boring story, but basically I spent from from 1:30pm to about 4:30pm on the computer dealing with "technical difficulties" all in the name of digital scrapbooking. I do love it however.

So, today as I was trying to free up some hard drive space for tonights presentation, I thought up a horrible computer virus-- one that goes in and "uses up" all of your hard drive space. Yikes!
Don't get any ideas, you awful computer virus makers!

Justin, however, says that it already exists. It's called "CAD", Computer Addiction Disorder, aka digi scrapper/blogger! Within a few months, your gigs will all be gone!

He really had a good point.

Enrichment Night Digi Scrapping!

For those who hang around me even a little know that I talk about digital scrapbooking a lot-- I LOVE IT! Anyways, you also wouldn't be surprised that I got myself into doing a presentation on it at Enrichment this month. I'm excited to share this fun hobby with new people, but a little nervous about getting up in front of a group. But, luckily I have some awesome fellow digi scrappers that will be helping me out! We're going to talk about all kinds of digi scrapping (photo books, printing blogs, photoshop and templates etc.). I'm sure we'll have some empty seats, so anyone that is interested-- COME! It's Wednesday night (4/16) at 7pm at my church building. Let me know if you need specific location directions. Here's a preview of a page that I will be demonstrating how to make:


FYI, we'll be going pretty quickly through the information. This will be more exposure to the various options out there for digital scrapbooking versus actually learning how to digital scrap. But, maybe there will be a part II?

This is a test =)

This is a test!

*Day 14*

Lunch is served.

Hmm... I wish I had the desire of one of those moms that makes homemade bread, serves only organic fruits and veggies and never prepares any meals that contain cream of chicken condensed soup, but I'm pretty sure that will never be me! I debated this week about putting an order in to buy an electric wheat grinder with another ward, but I don't think bread making is in my future plans. (I do have a hand grinder, though, for emergencies). So, hopefully I'm not doing too much damage to my growing children. And, who knows maybe one day I'll find that desire, but until then, Mac'n Cheese it is!

*Day 13*

One opinionated girl!

Ashlee has fallen in love with these snow boots and can't even seem to part with them at naptime. It's interesting how opinionated about what she wears she is at such a young age (21 mos.) whereas Andrew still hardly notices what he wears at age 4!

*Day 12*

Heart of the Home

Tonight while doing the Sunday night thing at my parents, we were looking at some old pictures from my childhood. I found a picture of some of my siblings and me sitting around the bar on our beautiful lime green barstools in our lime green wall-papered kitchen with white washed cabinets and WOW, the memories flooded in. I knew that I had to snap a picture of our family kitchen and bar to include in this "every day journey". Usually my now clean island is covered in coloring or art projects, dinner being prepared and other remnants of the days happenings. I wouldn't say that my kitchen is anything special in the design department, but I do know that a lot of life is lived here and I look forward, as I look back over this blog (hopefully in printed version) to being reminded of the great times we're having doing the everyday thing in this spot in our home. My friend Heidi made a great suggestion of creating a mini album from this "every day journey". I think I'll do it. Life seems pretty hectic at times keeping up with the little ones, but one day I know that I will long for these days and it will be fun to have a little album of our every day.

Sorry for the rambling, but today we had a lesson on the restoration of the gospel in YW's and we talked about the beautifully simple things of the gospel that were restored, making me stop and reflect on those things and other "beautifully simple" things in my life that I have been blessed with to enjoy-- the gospel, family life, friends, the good times. Great Lesson Kysha!

*Day 11*

Finally, 69 degrees and loving life!

*Day 10*

Apparently Ashlee had some make-up time while Mom was
having some computer time!

*Day 9*

My new toy: "500 glorious gigabytes", external hard drive (as the box worded it)

Since I've gotten into digital scrapbooking and photography more I've realized how devastating it would be to loose my stuff. So, I'm very excited to have this to back my stuff up. I am trying to figure out how this is going to help my problem of my current internal hard drive being 99.7% full. Hmmm....a new computer? I was surprised to find myself getting wide-eyed looking at some new competers across the aisle from the external hard drives that had very large flat screen monitors, lots of RAM and hard drive space. A year ago I would have never thought this would excite me, nor would I think "glorious" and "gigabytes" could go in the same sentence. Crazy how fast things change!

*Day 8*

Best find of the day: A mini FM battery powered radio found in the toy section
of walmart for only $2.00!!

This was one the last items that I needed for our 72 hour kits. Now we're done! (at least 99% done, it' seems to never end) Now on to finishing my food storage-- I don't foresee ever finishing that.

*Day 7*

A birthday wish for one of my beehives moving on to miamaids

If wondering what? and how?-- "Sunflower cake": 1 chocolate cake mix, 10 twinkies and 1 can of chocolate frosting. I'm sure you could figure out the rest! I got a "oooh, I get it, cute (heads bobbing from the girls with a little smile) not quite the response that this mom got from her kids after her cool food design, but still worth it to try to keep my awesome girls smiling--even if it's only a little smile =)

*Day 6*

10 MINUTES BEFORE WORK:

Justin was getting ready to head out the door to work when the kids starting climbing on his carry-on luggage. Justin grabbed the strap and started taking them for a ride. It made me smile and I thought this was photo worthy and grabbed snapshot.

"Don't leave dad!"

Then, we followed Justin out the door to go for a walk when Justin suggested to Andrew to give the bike without training wheels another try. And, whooo! Andrew did it!

"Yeah!"

*Day 5*

Watching conference "King Benjamin" style (in a tent with the prophet's message coming from a tower aka our tall fireplace).

I heard of a tradition of a family where they "camp-out" inside the night before conference in preparation for the prophets message like those did when King Benjamin spoke to them on the tower. This year we only brought up the Ikea tent from the basement to listen to conference, but next year we may let Andrew sleep in it and maybe have a "camp" breakfast (dutch-oven cheesy hashbrowns?). I'm loving that Andrew is getting old enough to start some family traditions!

Wasn't conference amazing! I really loved the words to the "young moms" from Elder Ballard. I can't wait to re-read them. I had a hard time jotting down many notes because I was too busy being a "young mom", chasing after my kids.

*Day 4*

Cars, trains or planes-- always!

*Day 3*

No baby swings for me!!

*Day 2*

My "To-Do-List", my Prozac!

30 days of everyday us, Day 1.

I was intrigued by an idea that my friend Laura posted that she found here and decided to give it a go. It's a 30 day journey through pictures of our everyday. I'm aiming for the full 30 days, but I can't promise anything. It sounds nice just stepping back and thinking about the little details that make up our lives. Anyone else want to join? (Hey Chanc, I thought this might be fun-- 1st 30 days of life of newborn Aiden? Did you decide on a name? No pressure of course!!) So here I go.

Justin and I have never been much into giving/receiving flowers because "they just die", but after a rough day last week with the kids he brought home these (and ice cream too) and I have been smiling about it ever since! Thanks Justin!
I've decided that there is just something simple and genuine about flowers. I've told Justin he's welcome to bring home more any day!

Isn't this cool!

So, I opened my "doors" to Precious Prints a week ago today and let's just say that things are still getting rolling in terms of the revenue department, but check out the map above of people that have hit my site- from Argentina to Japan. It's amazing how small the internet makes the world. I have a little tracker/counter on my blog that shows me this and other cool things. If you don't have one, you really should get one. Click here to get it. By the way, I have been adding new cards to my shop, so remember to check back on occasion!

Ashlee's New Do

If you know Ashlee at all, you know it would be a miracle to keep her still through a haircut. But, she did amazingly well. This was her first trip of many in her lifetime I'm sure to get a haircut! The trim ended up being quite shorter than I thought and more of a bob than stacked and a-lined, but I guess that means longer till the next trip (and I'm just happy for an straight cut for as much as she was moving.)

It was cute when the first big chunk of hair fell on her lap. She looked up confused and said, "uh oh!"