Various Items -- Picture Edition

I love it when the kids are getting along.  This was at dinner a few weeks ago.  I don't normally go for toys/coloring/etc. at the dinner table, but we were having a pretty low-key dinner that night and they were all getting along so well -- how could I break it up?

I believe these were from that same night.  I love that first one -- the boys look SO happy.  I hope Stanton's back makes it through these next several years of young children....

Lily is my exerciser.  I love it.

Found this at my parents' house in my closet.  Jamie Peery drew it for me in high school.  I can't hang on to every single thing from my younger years, but thank goodness for the ol' blog, because I want some sort of record of it!

Another item from my parents' house.  This is one I had a VERY hard time letting go of.  I know I'm weird, but I love those postcards and pictures and darn it, I think they're cool.  So, goodbye postcard collection.  I will miss you. 
Also, I have to admit something here.  I have always thought Stanton was the packrat in our marriage.  If you look in our storage room, you will agree.  I have one box of memorabilia -- he has 6.  Well, I've always taken a bit of pride in this little tidbit, but when I visited my parents this last time, it became painfully obvious to me that I am as bad or worse than he is.  My poor mom and dad.  I am talking old Rolling Stone magazines with the cast of Seinfeld on the front, old Franklin Day Planners (mostly empty, but my kids will one day want to see what a did with the few days I actually wrote in them right?  Yeah, not so much).  Notebooks from high school and college.  Pictures of people whose names I can hardly remember.  So much crap.  I'm a packrat -- I just prefer to have it in someone else's house.  Sorry Mom and Dad.  I'll make it right.  Someday...
BUT, cool postcard collection, right?!

When we were on our trip to Colorado, Kelly and Adrian tended for us.  Adrian took the girls to the hoedown at the elementary school.  They were in heaven and he gets serious bonus points for doing it.  Awesome.

Dating in the digital world. 

Brigham wanted to be one of the model-quins.  Cannon had to join in, too.  I think Brig actually fits right in. 

 When Stanton was on his Targhee ski trip, I met Dave & Judy, Rachel, and a bunch of cousins for an Aggie Women's basketball game.  Fun. 

We take the kids to Chick-Fil-A way more often than I should be okay with admitting.  I love it. 
And looking at pictures like this one makes me realize how very much I love and will miss this phase of life. 

Her birthday was in February, but she left this note for Stanton and a week or so ago.  Spontaneous expressions of gratitude like this warm my heart.

This is from St. Patrick's Day.  I didn't do much of anything because I had dress rehearsal for Jr. Miss that night.  This picture makes me laugh though, because even though it looks REALLY disgusting, the kids thought it was so fun. 

Yes, I got after him.  I might have even yelled.  Sorry, Bud. 
Before I saw what he had done, he came to me and asked if we could make an apple pie.  I thought it was a totally random request until I saw what he was trying to make right.  We made chocolate chip cookies instead and the kids are still eating their way through these guys.

Last week we had Allan and Jill Corbridge come and remodel our laundry room.  The room has always been frustrating to me -- cluttery, messy, impossible, small, etc.  We had them pull out all the base cabinetry, move the washer and dryer from the middle of the room (on the West wall) to the North wall of the room, move the upper cabinets together, and install beadboard all the way around.  It is so much more spacious now and will be a great home for our new puppy when it comes.  I feel like a breath of fresh air every time I walk in there. 
Allan made each of the kids their own sword and shield, too.  They were in heaven.  So cool!

I MCd Blackfoot Jr. Miss program (Distinguished Young Women of Blackfoot now...) on the 19th of March.  It was such a great experience.  I enjoyed it so much.  The girls came with Stanton and while they enjoyed all 210 minutes of it, Stanton?....not so much.....but he humored me.  I appreciated that.
Here's the one and only picture that, thank goodness, my mom thought to take.  Seriously, what's a navel gazing blogger to do without a picture of herself in a fancy dress once in a while??

That lovely gal is Rachael Hansen, who is the director of the DYW program.  She invited me to MC with Val Ellis and I'm so glad she did.  It was a great experience.