Hitting the Beaten Path

This weekend we decided to get out and find a trail in Ogden that we could do with the kids. It was fun, we hiked Indian trail. It runs along the Ogden River and was used when the river was high. The kids did great and there's not going to be too many days left of them!


Is it just me or does this look like a fake backdrop? Green screen anyone?

He's Made for the Stage

As many of you know Ethan started at a new school last week. It has been a great experience for him. The kids are a little better behaved and the school actually encourages the parents to log at least 30 hours of volunteer work in or out of the classroom. His teacher is a super cute and nice lady who I believe is younger than me. And I'm only 28!

The first day of school E's teacher sent home a note saying that this Friday they would be performing a poem that they had made up in front of the class and parents. I had to laugh because in her note she implied that this might be hard for Ethan to do, to memorize a short poem and read in front of an audience. For all of you who know Ethan, you know that he is quite fearless when it comes to an audience, frighteningly so, for me anyway. :) Here's the video and he decided to add little something to the end.

The Boy's Getting Bigger

Careful What You Wish For...

Ever since we moved up to Ogden the thought of Ethan going to that space portal of a school really didn't sit well with me. So we looked and looked and applied and applied for 2 months straight before school started. We did not get in to any of these schools. Buck and I decided to throw ourselves into helping in any way we could at Dee. Two weeks ago we had a meeting to try and get a PTA started there.

Which brings me to this Monday. My sister-in-law Molly told me about a charter school that had openings. The school is about a 20 minute drive and requires uniforms. Sounds good right, but on my drive there I got lost. Not terribly lost, but pretty lost. I thought, is this a sign? Was Ethan not supposed to go to this school? And then I remembered that I get HORRIBLY lost no matter where I go. Really. Always lost. I finally made it and it seemed as great as I always thought it would be. I met Ethan's teacher and her name is Mrs. Furse. So Ethan will be starting first grade with Mrs. Furse. How funny. She already solicited me to do an art project with the class next Thursday. Anyone have ideas? It needs to be able to hang on the bulletin board and be for Halloween. HELP! I'll post pics on Monday of him in his school uniform because I can't wait. So cute.

The Orton's

Back before we had kids (a million years ago) we lived in a little trailer in Moscow. This is where we met the Orton's. They also lived in a trailer just across the way. I think Buck and I could safely say it was one of our favorite times of our marriage. There's something about having small babies and sharing those experiences with another family at that same stage in your life.

Brent and Tanya are such loving, GOOFY, run with the punches kind of people. We were sad to see them go after Brent graduated from the University of Idaho. They moved to Caldwell Idaho and it's been hard to see them since. We love getting together with them whenever we can. So last night when Tanya called to see if they could stay the night at our house we were stoked. They got over here kind of late, 11pm. But not too late for us or them. We used to stay up with them until 1 or 2 in the morning because we were watching Blackbeard's Ghost or fixing a roof that Bucky had fallen through the night before. That really happened. And this night was no different. We stayed up until 2 talking and laughing and then a little bit after that because their little guy Paul woke up.

Needless to say we were REALLY tired in the morning, so the pictures are a little scary...

Ode to Kelly

Has this ever happened to you? You live somewhere and say you've lived there for 2 years and a couple of months before you move you find a really cool person? It's tragic. Really sad. That's how my friend Kelly is. I'm writing this without her knowledge and she's probably thinking, "Dude this chick is crazy." Then she'll stop returning my calls and stop talking to me cold turkey. Probably not. She doesn't scare easily. :)

She is creative and smart. Sometimes I think that I'll stop hanging out with her because she just oozes creativity out of every fiber of her being and it makes me just a smidgen jealous. Ya'll should check out her Etsy site. Every time I look at it it makes me think of different members of my family and friends. Christmas is coming up! Beth I have you, so find something you like!

The Party....

Well, my party last night was to say the least, fantastic. Not only did it push me to do things decorating wise that I'd never done before, but wanted to, but it was also fun to just hang out with friends and family.

Here is something that maybe everyone as done, but I've never done before. It's simple, you cover a artists canvas with fabric using a staple gun. I found this HUGE canvas at DI ( Deseret Industries Thrift Store) for $8. Here it is. An old woman that walked past me said, "What a lovely picture!" And she was serious. I guess it's lovely in it's own way... Do you like the finished product? I'm hanging it above my dresser.

It's never a Cash Bash until they get out the instruments. :) Buck on Banjo, D on guitar and Nick on mandolin. It was fun. I got to use my collection of old canning jars with tealights to set the ambiance. I don't know what it is about candles, but it just makes everything seem so magical! Anyway, I too was busy having fun to take pictures. Sorry!

This is Evie's first day of preschool. I'm not sure why she's making this face, she does it all the time though. She's a bit hard to handle. :)