This Is MY Country...It's Here Where My Home And Loved Ones Are Found

Celebrating Independence Day is the epitome of summer time! Spending time with family and friends, grilling everything in sight, patriotism, watermelon, fireworks, freedom, homemade ice cream, and making lasting memories...now that is my definition of summer!

For the first time in four years, Michael had to work so we stayed in town instead of our traditional trip to Frisco for fireworks over Dillon reservoir. For the first time in YEARS my dad finally had the fourth of July off so they came and spent a few days with us. How cool is that! Out of all the places they could have gone they wanted to come and spend the 4th with us!

Our dog was barking like crazy and we discovered this pesky little guy reaching under the dog's kennel trying to get the dog food and he then moved on to our corn. My redneck hubby took care of him permanently from the window of our kids' bedroom in the dark, two stories up! What am I gonna do with guy?! I just knew the cops were going to show up at our door when the loud boom of the gun went off! (they seem to do that quite often when Mike gets insane ideas into his head!) Luckily it was July fourth weekend and it sounded like a firecracker!

We took my mom and dad up to Doc Holliday's grave above Glenwood Springs. Did you know that he was a dentist? It seems ironic that after a life of crime and thievery he died a destitute man.

Mikie the brute hauled Madse up the trail!

What is with my posey little kids? Look at em' posing for the camera!

Cha-cha-cheesy!

Little hammy!

Look out America's Next Top Model! You've got nothing on Mikie!

See what I'm talking about!? silly little posers!

Eeew...I had no idea that Madse was licking that fence....ick, bleck, cucky!!!

Madse robbing from a robber. There was money, playing cards, and cigarettes on Doc Holliday's grave and Madse tried so hard to reach for all of the loose change!

It never fails, take my dad to a historical site and he will spend HOURS reading EVERY marker!

YOO HOO... Dad..eh-hem...Dad, DAD...

SMILE!!!

We learned a lot from what my dad read. A twelve year old girl died by her own hand because she got scolded and decided that nobody liked her her so she drank lye and died a slow and torturous death. Poor thing! Some body should have just taught her that song, "Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I'm gonna eat some worms!" The outcome would have been less fatal!

Chipmunk May storing grapes!

Tough Mikie hauling May May down the mountain!

It's always a crazy fun time together!!! They are my definition of happiness and I get to be their mom!

Madse is controlling the fireworks like an air bender...really!!! That's what he told me!!!

Little London (my favorite nursery kid) sat by me and kept me entertained through out the whole show! Did you know that she charges $5 for lemonade at her lemonade stand!? I would pay it...look at how adorable she is!

I annoyed Mike with all of my picture taking but everybody knows that watching people watch fireworks is so much funner than actually watching the fireworks!

It has been a few years since our small town has done a fireworks display. They did it on the third of July because it cost them ten thousand dollars less than doing it on the fourth. We watched the show from the cemetery and it was quite a delightful little show!

Grandpa provided us with a spectacular private firework show in our culdesac!

He engineered each firework to go off simultaneously and there were a few close ones too! It must be a boy thing!

Sunday, July fourth, my parents left, we went to church and sang lots of patriotic songs, and then we went to my friend, Erin's bbq. She told me that I didn't need to bring anything but that is like telling me not to breathe so I sliced up some watermelon and when we got there it looked like everyone else had the same idea! Good thing watermelon is so good! That evening I had the opportunity to speak at a baptism. I have been going with the missionaries to teach Karen and it was such an amazing experience to see her accept truth and light into her life and make the choice to be baptised. It was a blessing to witness her conversion and a fitting way to celebrate our nation's birth.

Be Kind. Rewind.

A look through the photos stored on my computer made me realize how many things I haven't taken the time to document here on the ol bloggity blog. With this mooshy brain of mine, I might forget about what we have done entirely if I don't take the time to record it somewhere. Mike always gets after me because I do not print out our photos. So, if I post them here I don't feel so guilty about not having a cute scrapbook or album full of memorable photos.

None of these pictures are in order and I am entirely too lazy to move them around. Like I tell my kids, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit!"

Back in February we threw a double Birthday party for Ashley and Mikie. Mikie's birthday was in November but due to my health issues and just being a slacker parent we never got around to doing anything for her. I took Ash and Mikie and a few of their good friends to Glenwood Springs for some ice skating and swimming. There were a few accidents and Mikie forgot a coat so she used mine and I froze but I am pretty sure all the girls had a blast!

I am not one to spend lots of money on birthday parties but having that many kids in my itty bitty house was totally out of the question. I was pleasantly surprised that it was pretty cheap to have a party at the rec center in Glenwood. I would definitely recommend it.

Hallie turned three in January and my family came out to help us celebrate. We don't get together as often as I would like so it was really nice to have them.

It was fun to see Mike and my dad working together in the kitchen!

Little Makiah was a show stealer! What a little hammy!

My sister, Royeal, knitted this adorable lil kitten for Hall. That girl has more than her fair share of creativity. I think she got in the artsy fartsy line twice in Heaven. So not fair!

Our sweet little friends also came by to wish Hall a Happy Birthday. Friends that are more like family...how did we get so lucky?





A few times we have gotten surprise visits from my dad which completely made my whole year! He works so much that we really don't get to see him too often. The kids love his visits and Hallie quickly attaches herself to him.

After getting into pajamas Hall fell asleep in his lap during prayers and scriptures.

Oh so precious!!!

This year I coached Mikie's Destination Imagination team with my friend Liza. I might be partial but I am pretty sure our kids are geniuses! I am not one to get out an do extra stuff because I am not good at staying committed so it was hard for me and poor Liza put up with me being late to all of our meetings but Mikie really shined at DI so I was ok with doing it.

They don't compete at their grade level but they performed a skit and made a structure and they will be more prepared for competition next year. The structure is what Liza and I are sitting on!!! It was SO solid! It was made out of only newspaper and duct tape. If it could hold my lard butt, you know it was super strong!!!
The kids came up with the design all by themselves. In DI there is no adult input just kids making all the decisions.

Liza and I tye dyed their shirts for competition.

Mikie is an excellent leader and is a take charge kind of girl! We couldn't be more proud of our Smarties success and hard work!

Here is a picture of my little Halloweenies! Ash was Elphaba and Mikie was Glinda for Wicked. Ash won best costume at our ward Halloween party. Madse was a vampire (a real one not that poser Edward haha!), May was a care bear and Hallie was a unicorn. Mike worked and I didn't dress up because I thought that every one's eyes were still scarred from last year's debacle!

Oh May May! The reason I smile!





In October, Mike's brother and his fabulous wife, Randi came out for a visit! They are so much fun to hang out with. We took them to a zoo exhibit which probably wasn't a good idea because their baby Miles looked more like food to all of those big scary animals! We took them to the hot springs. We also went out for sushi and had banana splits!

I hope they come out again really soon!!!

I have another memory card full of pictures from christmas, New Year's, a trip to temple square, and Thanksgiving that I need to put on a cd and then I need to return the camera that my little friend Brinley let me borrow. So stay tuned for the second addition of Be Kind. Rewind. but don't hold your breath because it might take me almost a year like this post has!

The Men I Love

My father is Gentle, kind, soft spoken, and affectionate. He is book smart and is a fountain of knowledge and wisdom. He has a green thumb, he is a dreamer, and a visionary. He loves without judgement, is patient, and provident. I want to be like my dad. As my brother once said, "He is my hero!" He is MY dad!

My children couldn't ask for a better father! What an example of hard work and determination, a master camper, risk taker, and adventurer. This man does not take no for an answer and won't stop until he achieves his goals. He stands firm for what he believes in, he is a patriot who loves his God, his family and his country. He directs his family in prayer, Family Home Evening, and scripture study. He is a dutiful man and no one is more blessed to have such a man, as I am.

We are who we are because of the examples of our fathers. Men of God, who lead with quiet strength and faith. When you think that your father couldn't get any better, grand children melt an mold their hearts into kinder and more loving men. Bill Cosby said it best, "These aren't the same people I grew up with...these are old people who are trying to get into heaven." The older we get, the smarter is seems our fathers get.



Wishing the fathers that have shaped my life a wonderful Father's Day!

I Want One!!!!

I LOVE love to applique and Accuquilts has these applique die cuts that would take the pain and tediousness out of cutting out intricate pieces. They also have rag quilt dies that cut the fringe for you! I better start saving my pennies or better yet, maybe I will win the giveaway!

The Coop

We live on a farm...just ask Mike and he will tell ya. We actually live in the city limits in a subdivision but that doesn't stop my man from acting like we live on a farm and no farm is complete without chickens! I wasn't on board with the whole chicken idea at first because I am a tight wad, but after watching the kids help him build the coop, paint it, and then the arrival of our baby chicks, and the promise of fresh, REAL organic eggs, I began to warm up to the idea. I also got thinking of how having chickens makes us a little more self sufficient and I like the idea of raising and growing what we need to feed our family ourselves and what that teaches our children. Besides, when Mike gets an idea in his head there is no talking him out of it and I learned long ago not to even try and to just go with it.

We even wrangled Mike's brother Macklin and his fabulous girlfriend, Tayler, into helping us paint the chicken coop when they came out for a visit in April. What a way to make a first impression on your could be, hopefully, future sister in law by putting them to work on their first visit at our house...I mean farm.

That Tayler was a huge hit at our house and May wanted to follow her everywhere. The girl got bonus points with me when she put a pair of overall over her hip little outfit and just got to work and when paint got on her super cute Sketchers she didn't even freak out like I would have done if I were her! I think she is a keeper!

We took a break from painting to have a picnic lunch. It was the first warm day we had had in April. I can't begin to describe how it makes my whole day when the people I love come and visit and to bring potential family to meet us makes me feel pretty darn special!

We got our baby chicks in the mail right after Mike's Birthday, in April. A mail carrier in Glenwood Springs actually delivered them to us at nine o'clock at night! We had them in a box, under a heat lamp, in our living room for a couple of weeks *cough* redneck *cough* and then they graduated out to the garage until the coop was completed. They have grown really fast and should be laying this fall. The breed is called Barred Plymouth Rock and they are known to be a tame and dual purpose bird...good for meat and eggs. Mike ordered fifteen hens and they sent us sixteen.
After all is said and done, I am pretty proud of my pretend farmer and our little wanna be farm!

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I just stuck this photo in of Madse because it makes me laugh my heiny off! He came into the kitchen crying that the inter tube was stuck on his head and instead of running to his rescue like good parents would, Mike and I both pulled out our cameras first! Poor kid has terrible parents!

Fabric Friendzy

If you find yourself in the Vernal area, you have to take the time and stop at this Fantastic little fabric shop! My friends at Fabric Friendzy have the cutest fabric in stock, they have fabulous classes you can sign up for, girl's night outs, and THE bestest costumer service around!!! The week before Christmas I was out on the wasatch front and pretty much every quilt store was closed for family home evening night. I knew I was going to be going through Vernal on my way home so I 411ed their shop to see how late they were open and they said to come on over and they would keep the shop open for me. I got there a half and hour AFTER they closed and they were more than pleased to let me browse and help me find the fabrics that I needed. Now, if that isn't costumer service, I don't know what is! Once they hit fifty followers on their blog they will be giving away a bundle of fat quarters! I don't know about you but I get all excited at the very thought of FREE fabric!

So, my friends, check out my loverly friends at Fabric Friendzy! I promise, you won't be disappointed and you will walk out feeling like you made some awesome new friends that are so willing to share their passion for quilting!