not so great with the follow-through.

so I realized, I said I was going to catch up on the picture-posting, and well, I haven’t.

I could toss out any number of excuses, the effects of a head cold, the effects of little people when they are sick, holidays, houses, global warming..

but really?  like any of those have stopped me?

(okay, maybe a couple have aided me in my failure..)

so I am going to attempt to rectify this situation.  and I will do you one better than that, I will even get a thankful thing out too!

what better way to start than to start off with my best friend.  mostly because she is my best friend, but secondly because she is amazing, and so is her family.  and then, well, because she is my best friend.

I am so thankful (if you can’t tell already) that she is part of my life.  I am so thankful to have her right next door pretty much any time I need her, or anytime I just want to be near her.  she was my sanity while merrill was gone for two weeks (far, far too long a period of time for that man to be absent), and she has been the sidekick to many of my creative projects (many of which were undertaken while merrill was gone).  she is there to listen to me, talk me off of a cliff, ledge, or any other bad spot in life.  we laugh a lot and she never makes me feel guilty about my choice in food groups (sugar anyone?).  my family loves her.  partly because she notifies me when our favorites have gone on sale at a local store, but mostly because she helps me maintain my sanity.

I am thankful for her family too.  I love her kids!  we enjoy double dating when we can, and love getting our families together (although it has been a while..).

I am thankful that she asked me to snap some new family pics this fall.  it is always a good time with them.  it is quite an honor to capture a family, especially when it is one I love so much!

love ya ju!!

   

So Much to Say....

So I will try to start where I left off.. not blogging daily (or multiple times a day..) is hard!! My fingers are out of practice when it comes to typing, and I am misspelling a lot..
Life has been quite busy, and it has definitely taken a toll on us.. we are trying to recover.. Peyton has trouble sleeping alone, Ashley is, well, Ashley.. and Lynnie-lou isn't feeling well and sleeping a lot.
I began to tear apart my craft room last week, thinking it would be quick.. not so. I have many things to get to many people, and I would, if I could find them in the mess that lies therein.. it is cute and will post pics when it is all the way completed.
Diamonds in the color of fudge (which make me very hungry by the way..) do exist on this wall now.
It was tricky, and not so quick, considering I was doing that while doing many other things, most of them at the hotel..
Friday I went snowboarding for the first time in seven years.. I remembered how to do it all, like I never stopped! My first crash came as I was goofing off.. I promised Merrill that I wouldn't venture off into the trees, and do crazy stuff. I did manage to return home with all appendages intact. It was a lot of fun, I think Christie and Julie had more fun..
Casey and I did go down the face for our last run on that foggy night.. there were multiple crashes there.. but that was the funnest run of the night!
The only sore spot on my whole body the next day, was my shoulder, the one with the arm that I use to steer myself as I fly down the mountain.
I was far more sore after cleaning the hotel...
I had to get a new phone.. my old one was like a gadget out of the 1900's.. "can you hear me Watson?"
It needed to be held by two hands to be remotely affective. Oh, and the antenna didn' t want to stay where it should. It also like to hang up on people just for the heck of it.
New one, much smaller, and it's a slider, not a flipper, not that "flippers" are bad.. (eh Juju and JFreeze ;D?!)
For our RS birthday social, I did a cake decorating demo (more pics on the other blog..) like I could think of three other women far more capable than I in this department... but it was fun.
After that, we went to the hotel, to bust our behinds some more, to prepare it for the QA (quality and assurance) walk through that took place the next day to ensure we were ready to open..
It was a miracle as Merrill would say..
So Friday, he wore his new accessory to his new job..
That's right, it says "General Manager".. I am so proud of him!!
There will be some more adjusting to come.. it's a 24/7 job.
Friday was also Hallie's 11th birthday!!!
Happy Birthday Hallie!!! (and Levi too!!)
..and because I had fondant to be used, I decorated a cake for her..
Last night, we enjoyed dinner, with Mer at the hotel.. then we enjoyed a swim. That spa.. oh my goodness.. I wanted to fall asleep right then and there..
The lights are turned on, and I have to admit, I got teared-up. It's been a road.. an emotional one these last couple of weeks. I am so thankful for such good friends and family to have helped us out so much!! Love you all!!!!

100%

Before Merrill and I got married, almost 9 years ago, my mom and dad gave us some awesome advice..
"You hear of 50/50 marriages.. make your a 100/100 marriage. That way, you both give all you can all the time, and when someone just can't quite make up their part, the other partner is still giving their 100, and you can make it."
See, awesome advice.
This has worked for us. When he's sick, I can fill in. When I am sick, or crazy busy, like I get a lot, he is there, doing what needs to be done.
This week is a 100% week for us..
The hotel is set to open next week. It's crazy busy, for both of us.
I have been down there every day this week. Either helping him with shipping (because he is still Warehouse manager..) or at the hotel.. me and my "cronies" (as Merrill calls us..) can make a king bed, to Best Western standards (mattress pad, fitted sheet, flat sheet with hospital corners, duvet, duvet cover, runner and four pillows; all placed per Best Western standards) in three minutes flat.. we are pretty awesome!
I do have awesome cronies.. ahem.. I mean friends :) We do have too much fun...Thanks, "sistas".. ;D
In all of this craziness, I don't mind it at all. I enjoy helping my husband.. increasing the love, teaching our kids what's important.
I have also learned that when you eat crap for three days, you feel like crap. McDonald's 3 days in a row.. bleh!!! How did that "Super Size Me" guy do it as long as he did?!
We all need foot soaks at the end of the day.. very long days..Caught Ashley checking herself out the other night...

Want a little laugh?

Meet my new alter ego...
"Master Pitcher"... dang sexy, I know..
I am the Cubmaster!!! (Think of that in a similar voice to what Skeletor would have said in He-Man...)
The shirt tie? I know.. it is an extra large, in all fairness to me.. I am contemplating getting a Scout belt, earning some belt loops to adorn it, and wearing it as a shirt dress with some olive drab leggings... what do you think? ;)
This is the closest that our household will come to scouting of any type.. says Merrill :)
Really, I think I am okay with it.. I know that we would really be missing out having our son (to be or not to be..) in our Boy Scout Troop.. we do have the most awesome, most experienced, organized, funnest, he's right in there with the boys, working on achievements (and he's pretty handsome too ;) Christie, you agree? Right?!) Scoutmaster of ALL TIME in our ward.. so I can't compete with that.. nor can I compete with the Cubmaster two masters ago.. she was dang awesome too..
I don't know about how sexy she was in her "master shirt" though...
(All photo credit goes to Julie.. anything flattering/un-flattering, is to her credit, or disdain.. ah, love you Julie!!)

It's all about you Skyler...

So one might just ask, "Why are you up at 1:30 in the morning, BLOGGING?!" So Skyler will see.. you see, Skyler was our most awesome waiter tonight (okay.. yesterday) at the ol' OG (Olive Garden).. He was a good sport, putting up with our shenanigans. I highly recommend him :) Thanks Skyler!! See, you can just see how awesome and fun he was in this here pic..
They sang "Happy Birthday" to me.. with a cute pink candle in my Black Tie Mousse Cake.. yummm...
And here we are.. those of us who didn't have to work.. missed you Jen!
I'll have to model the way cute shirt Christie made for me.. tomorrow, perhaps?
Thanks girls for a fun night out.. love you guys! Really, who eats at Olive Garden at 9 pm?!.. Julie.. ;)

and the new calling is.....

any bets?.. anyone?..
well, my deductive reasoning led me to believe that i was to be either a- a den leader or b- cubmaster...
the answer is b...
hello yellow scout leader shirt!
i am excited... i get to work hand-in-hand with the best auxiliary in the whole church... primary ;)... and with my best buddy christie as committee chair... more "meetings" with julie.. ahem... president dickamore.. how could it get any funner or better?

Quick thanks...

Quick thanks goes out to my buddy Julie...
She suggested that I feed Pey the mixed rice cereal, to see if that would help with her sleep issue, which led to my lack of sleep issue.
I got it yesterday, she loved it, there was minimal gagging and no barfing. She slept till nearly 6 this morning.
Julie, do you have a solution for Lynn and Ash now? They won't sleep without the other one, and Lynn is seeing "pretend spiders" when she suddenly wakes up in the night. So... wonderful, omniscient Julie... can you help me with that one so I won't have two little girls sleeping on the floor next to my bed? Stuck listening to their prayers for the "pretend spiders" to go away...
Love ya!

It's done...

The Primary Program is OVER!!! It is just one of those things that come and go, with much preparation between. It's a good thing I have my entourage, there to be behind the scenes with me, working through every possible detail.
The kids did awesome! They sang so well, I just wish that the pictures hadn't been so plentiful, or there at all... darn, I should have left them at home on accident...
Lynn said her part and Ashley was Ashley. She didn't say much of anything, even with a generous bribe, and there was only one song that mom said she really sang. Mom came to sit with Peyton, who has had a bit of separation anxiety lately, and with me and Merrill in primary now, I was kind of worried about that. She was good, till she got tired...
Now we are home, relaxing... wondering what I can do just for myself until the next thing comes...

blessings

peyton and i have been talking... we needed tonight.
got home a little while ago from our "presidency meeting"... we got a lot talked about, not all of it relative to primary... but that's a typical meeting for us.
i realize that it was inspiration to call these women, my friends, to be with me at this time in, not only primary, but in my life.
you guys have helped me out so much! we not only grow and bond serving together in our callings, but in sharing personal experiences and the wisdom we have gained in our own lives, we are establishing roots that go much deeper... i am realizing that i needed you for so much more than "church stuff" right now in my life.
see, someone knows more than we do, has a plan for us. makes me glad that i listened to this one ;)
so if your hubby is sour, or has a ? look on his face, tell him i said thanks, i really needed tonight, or yesterday night... whatever...
christie, julie, & jen...
i love you guys!!!