I have wanted a garden for a while, but just never got around to doing it. So, this was our year to begin. I had decided to do a square foot garden, no weeding, easy upkeep it all sounded so great to me! I still don't know what I am doing, I keep asking those that have gardened before me many questions. But so far, so good. I am ready to eat.

Our first growth in the garden was this cute jalapeno. I am ready for salsa.

What cute little tomatoes.

If all goes according plan we will be eating tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, onions, cilantro and watermelon. We also have sunflowers growing for fun and strawberries for next year.

Eye See You

Sandra, this is for you! A cow's eye. Guess he doesn't need lasik now.
Each year with our homeschool group we do a dissection. This year we did a cow's eye. Yuck! But I put on a brave face for the kids, and told them "This is going to be so cool!" Yuck again. Now I love to watch the surgery shows. I don't get grossed out by much, except, the eyes. Anytime I see someone coming close to cutting or doing any type of surgery on the eye the channel quickly gets changed. So, I knew this was going to be tough for me. But once I got over it, it was kind of cool. It took a lot for Andy to even touch the eye, but he did. I think he liked looking while I did the working. Last year we did a shark (which happened to be his idea) and he got all into it. He still has some teeth and eyes. Yuck, boys. We did learn alot about the eye. After we did that our leader, our brave leader had a cow's heart that she was going to dissect and let us watch. Now, that was cool.

He wouldn't even pick it up with his hands, he used a large pin.

Here they are looking at the heart.

In as little as

1)

2)

3)
We have a new ceiling. Steve had contacted a guy who was licensed and had him come out and give us a quote on how much it would cost to fix our lovely hole. We would provide the dry wall and he would provide everything else. When he came Steve was asleep, so it was up to me. I make an executive decision. The guy had everything in his truck, including the dry wall can could fix it right then, so I told him to get to work! Now we just have to clean up, again. They did a great job, didn't make too much of a mess. But we still have a ladder, tarp and dry wall pieces in the basement. Think I could hire a maid to clean it up for me? And while they are at it finish the laundry, mop, vacuum......

To the dads in our life

What could Steve and his dad be looking at? They are looking at what we had just found in our basement, where the water fall had just been flowing. We heard water running and we went running to find it flowing in the basement. And what is it you do when you don't know what to do? You call dad of course. Kathy and Ev had been out and didn't mind a stop before heading home to help us out.

And Ev's words of wisdom? "Let's cut your ceiling!" Really, is that helping to make more of a mess in my living room? Well, I guess father knows best.

At first Steve was a little hesitant to cut into the water logged ceiling, but once he got started he just kept on cutting.

Then the search was on for the leak! The looked and looked and looked some more.

Until they finally found the leaky pipe. And like any good repair man Ev returned the next day to fix our leaky pipe. Thanks dad. You see this is why we will always live by our parents. If we had been close to my parents house, you can know for sure my dad would have been right over to help us out. And just like Ev he would have helped Steve find the problem and get it fixed. We are very blessed to have some great dads in our family. So to my dad, my dad-in-law and Steve: Thanks for being such great dads!! We love you.

Oh, by the way, this is how my basement currently looks. I have to remember it could have been so much worse.

What's in your purse?

Ellyn has a love of purses just like I do. Steve can always tell when the seasons are changing because that is when I get a new purse. You got to have a winter one and a summer one. Can you really use a summer purse that has cute flip flops on it in the winter, I don't think so.

Today I noticed Ellyn's new purse sitting on the counter and could tell that there was stuff in it. So I looked it in to see just what a 5 year old has to have in her purse. And for this one it is: Her play Dora phone, Her new bracelet she made in art class and a big pink bouncy ball. The must haves for an active girl on the go.

Fun with Cats

George

Snowball
Smokie
Tim
Dusty
Little Bit
Tigger
Rudi
Gracie
Thomas
Miller
Jessie
Mama Cat

We (me and the kids) are cat people. That is the list of cats that have been in our family. From before I was born to our newest member of the family. We have had many cats just move in with us. We open the door and they come on in like they own the place. We have rescued some from shelters or pet stores. Our latest addition come by way of our neighbor, she was moving to California and couldn't take all her cats with her. We were talking one day and I happen to mention that we might be getting a cat, and she asked if we wanted one of hers. I was so excited! Mama Cat is the sweetest cat. She just purrs and purrs. Steve is not a big fan of cats, but Mama is a big fan of Steve. Right after we got her, the kids and I were gone to the store and Steve was sitting on the couch watching tv and here comes Mama and tried to sit on his lap. Up to this point she had not even done that with me! Last night we were watching tv in our room and she jumped up on the bed, on his side and snuggled up with him. She is doing her best to win him over.It is hard to see her, but she is mostly black with brown and a little white.

She loves her belly rubbed!The first few nights that she was with us she slept in the bathroom where her food and kitty box are. I guess Ellyn wanted her to be comfortable, so she let her use her own pillow.

Fun blogs

I have been reading some blogs and will be adding them to our blog, I will also tell who they are or how I found them. This blogging thing is fun. A great way to keep in contact with our family and friends.

New Adventure 4 Me an' DE

This new blog is from Steve's Aunt Diane and Uncle Mark. They just moved to Canada and this is a great way for us to follow their adventures. Keep the posting coming ME (Mark Ellsworth) and DE (Diane Ellsworth.)

Family fun + 2

On Friday we went to the Hill Air Force Base in Ogden. I thought the air show was on Friday, well as it turns out it is on Saturday. But it wasn't all for nothing we went to the Museum, and the kids didn't seem to care we missed the show.

We had two extra kids with us, Torri and Talon. They are like family so it was fun to have them. A good time was had by all.

On the way up Steve made up a game to play in the van. He would pick something and we would have to find it. Like a red truck and who ever found it first got a prize! He had picked up some candy from the gas station before we headed out.

we were wondering where this plane took off to? all that was left was the tire tracks.

A little family fun

I was ready to leave.
Not sure where I was going.
But I knew I was ready.

I was just about done, with everything and everybody. I had been "doing" too much and needed to not be "doing." I told my wonderful husband that we (family) needed to get away to do something, or I was going to be getting away, and maybe in a rubber truck to a padded room.

So, the plan was to take off to Mesquite. Not too far away, but far enough. We stayed at the Casablanca. We had never stayed there and was not too sure what to expect. We had seen the pool and it looked fun. So, we tried it out. And love it. The rooms were nice, the pool great and the food even better ( i didn't have to cook it!!)


All we did this weekend was eat, watch movies (Night at the Museum, UP, and Hotel for Dogs all great) and swim. It was a great get away.


Ready for the trip. The kids have their beds made, books on hand and snacks ready.

Just a few of the things the kids did to try to pass the time while waiting for our food.

Ready for the pool.

The Pool.

In the pool.

Ellyn getting her towel ready, Steve taking pictures with his phone. Got to have something to do until the pool opens.

This is Andy's "I am grumpy because the pool is not open" face. We had to wait until 9am for them to open. That is a long time when you get up at 6am.

They had a fun water slide. Ellyn only went down twice by herself, and Andy had to be there to catch her. I went down a few times the day we were leaving, and she loved it then.


Ellyn came with everything she needed in her two suitcases. Everyone thought she looked so cute leaving the hotel.

We ran into some rain storms on the way home. It was pretty cool to see some real rain storms. These Utah rain storms are not like the ones I grew up with. When it rained, it RAINED.


The kids slept on the way home, which made for a very nice ride. Take a look at Andy's hair, that boy needs a hair cut.