Simple ideas make the BIGGEST splash!

This is the invitation we received on our door, this week...



...and THIS is what they were talking about...



Someone got big-plastic-billboard-sized advertising banners and spread them out on this hill. Add some water, and a few kids and crazy parents, and we had one whopper of a slip-and-slide. ...and everyone had a blast!

We had kids coming down head-first-face-first...



...head first backwards... racing...



Jackie won that one...



...and in various other creative sliding styles...



They all ended up in the same place, if not the same direction they started in.




...What a fun way to spend a beautiful summer afternoon...





...and a fun time was had by all...even those of us who just watched and took pictures.

You make me feel like dancin'...

...Well, maybe not ME, but Jackie and Amanda certainly did. This past week, they attended a dance camp for 4 hours a day at the Legacy Center (community center) here in Lehi. They learned several different types of dancing. Everything from ballet to jazz and folk to hip-hop. Being as different as they are, of course they each had different favorites.

Amanda LOVED the grace and beauty of ballet and hula.



Jackie had such a good time learning jazz and especially hip-hop. Being as energetic as she is, this didn't surprise me at all. In this picture, she is getting ready to start the jazz number, so she doesn't look too energetic.



In the end, they were awarded certificates of completion. They both had a great time, made new friends, and learned something new. That was the point, so I'd say dance-camp was a roaring success!




Smokey, on the other hand...didn't dance, at all. She just laid around looking cute...

Father's Day...

On Father's Day, it's only natural to think about your dad and what he means to you. I had a great Daddy. He was big and warm and cuddly. No matter what was broken, it always seemed as if Dad could fix it. From broken toys and bikes to broken cars and hearts; Dad always seemed to know what to do. Most of the things I value most, I learned from my Dad. He spent 20 years in the Air Force and taught me the meaning of duty, honor, and love of country.


He and my mom allowed me to learn the Gospel and join the Church. Honesty and integrity are words whose meaning I learned from watching my Dad. When it came time for me to marry my sweetheart, my dad gave us counsel that we've used to make a good marriage and relationship that have only gotten stronger over the last 19 years. I love my dad, and have missed him everyday since he passed away in 2003. He's not here in person, but his memory lives in my heart.

Father's Day also makes me think of the father of my children. I am so blessed to be married to my best friend. Kevin is the love of my life. He's a good, honest, honorable man, and everything I hoped for in a husband and a father.



As a Daddy, Kevin always tries to do what's right for our girls. I know I can always use his actions as an example of good behavior. Still, he knows how to play and be silly, so the girls have fun with their Daddy.



If I had a wish for my girls, it would be that when they look back on their lives, they will feel about their Daddy the way I feel about mine. And when they get married, they'll marry men who will be as wonderful to them as their Daddy has been for me.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads and Grandpas out there. We hope you know how much you are loved and appreciated; and how much you bless our lives. We love you!

Crazed and Insane...

I am crazed, and Kevin is insane...just thought we should warn all of our friends and family, before we get carted off to the nut-house...

When we lost Gracie and Rover so close together, we promised Jackie and Amanda that we would let them get another kitty. After talking about it, we decided to let them get two. That way, when our remaining cat (who is 12 years-old) passes away, the new one wouldn't be so lonely. It made sense at the time. Until we got to the Humane Society shelter and saw all the cats and kittens just waiting for their forever-family to come save them.

Right away, Amanda spotted 'her' kitten. The shelter called her "Blossom", but Amanda named her "Smokey".



It didn't take Jackie long to find her new friend, either. This one was called "Sassy". It fit, so "Sassy", she is. She and Jackie have very similar personalities...curious, busy, and full of mischief. It is a great match, all around.






Thinking the business of adopting was done, I went to complete the paperwork so we could take our new friends home. Imagine my surprise when Kevin called me back to where the cat-cages were. He had found a friend for himself, and let her talk him into bringing her home. Kevin felt like he needed to ask for my opinion, but I'm a sucker for animals, so here came number 3... Her name is "Peek-a-Boo", but we just call her "Boo". She's two, and is quite a chatterbox. We should have named her "Chatty-Kathy".



In case you think that this mental-lapse was limited to our little family, think again. Marc and Debra (my brother and his wife who live in the basement apartment of our house), came with us to lend moral support. They too, succumbed to the insanity of the moment and brought home a year-old kitty named "Egypt" - she is dainty and sweet with black fur and orange-colored eyes. Did I mention that they already have three cats? Hey what's another one???...the more the merrier!!!

In spite of my grousing, everyone is getting along and settling into their new digs. The dogs think we brought home new toys for them to play with. Our old kitty, Freeway, wonders where his peace and quiet went.



Especially since the kittens find him fascinating and follow him everywhere. They really like to stalk his tail and can't understand why he gets cranky when they pounce on it. Poor Freeway doesn't realize we did this so he'd have company. He just tries to maintain as much of his dignity as he can.

Me? I shake my head at how weak-willed we are, give thanks that we saved four lives this week, and understand better why we call this place: Happy Acres - welcome to life at the ZOO!

Moving...moving...moving...

This seems like the move that never ends. We were so happy on our original moving-day, May 18. Everyone was excited to finally get our stuff out of storage.



We all worked together and got so much done in that first weekend. My brother, Marc, and his wife, Debra, pitched in and really helped get the kitchen set up. Amanda and Jackie did whatever they could, as well.



A quick trip up to Idaho a couple of weeks later, and I brought the most important things back home for good...Kevin, being at the top of THAT list!



On this last trip down from Idaho, we had evidence that we're not in Prescott Valley anymore... The temperature dropped 50o and there was snow on most of the mountains we drove through. This was in JUNE!!!!! YIKES!! Big weather changes for us, I'm sure.


The best thing I can say is that although we are still wading through a sea of packing-boxes, we are all in the same house and in the same state. It may be a state of confusion, but we're in it together!

Moving on...

It's been awhile since I last posted because we've been hopping between two households in two states... We were originally supposed to move into our house in Utah in May (which we did)


then stay in Idaho 'til the girls got out of school on June 7th(which we didn't). Due to construction delays in finishing our basement, it was necessary for someone to stay here in the house to supervise the workers. Since Kevin had to work (imagine having to actually earn the money to pay for this house..hahaha), the girls and I were elected. So, after moving our stuff in; the girls and I made a fast trip back to Boise to withdraw them from school - thankfully only two weeks early. Then we came back here so Kevin could go back up and finish his training in Boise. Kev stayed the last two weeks at the apartment provided by his company while the girls and I stayed here and tried to get unpacked.

This past Wednesday, I drove up to Idaho to pick up Kevin and supervise the movers packing the last of our stuff from the apartment. The girls stayed with my brother, and his wife, here at the house. The next day, Kev and I drove back down here. We are now all FINALLY in the same state AND the same house. YIPPEE!!!

Something about this move has been hard on our pets, however. We lost Gracie just before we moved. A week after we moved, our kitty, Rover, passed away from a blood clot.



Rover LOVED Kevin, but pretty much considered all of us "his" humans. He was a fun kitty who played hide-n-seek, tag, and fetch - which is why we named him Rover.



Rover also LOVED do-nuts- yes, I said do-nuts. He loved the smell of tuna, but wouldn't eat it. He had been known to sneak into a box of do-nuts and eat around the outer edge of his favorites. We had to be very creative in how we stored any do-nuts since Rover was very creative in sneaking into the do-nut boxes.

We had Rover for 8 wonderful years, and he, too traveled with us to France. We all loved him and will miss him terribly. His loss hit all of us hard because it was so unexpected.



At least we know Gracie will be in good company and Rover will have a friend in pet-heaven...