livnluv06

1st Day Of Preschool

2011-09-06T14:44:00.001-06:00

Emery started her second year of preschool today.

She's excited to be in Mrs. Hope's class.

break..

2011-08-26T16:34:00.000-06:00

I'm taking a blogging break. For those who don't know, I'm growing a fetus (9 weeks) and have become very ill. (aka morning sickness) I will hopefully return soon.. Until then I will be laying on my couch eating peach shaved ice and feeling bad that I'm missing out on all the fun things around me.

To A Child Love Is Spelled T-I-M-E.

2011-08-16T18:20:00.000-06:00

I found this list here and want to share it. (#10 is my favorite)

40 simple ways to show your child love:

Take them to a movie they want to see.
Go on a treasure hunt (collect all the loose change around the house/car) together and then make a trip to the arcade with your findings.
Take a long nature walk together, at their pace. Let them lead the conversation.
Find qualities about them that you genuinely love, and compliment them in front of others.
Frame a photo of the two of you, and display it in their room.
Put a few Hershey’s Hugs in one of their coat pockets, and Kisses in the other.
Play a game with them.
Let them win.
Make bath time special. Add lots of bubbles, colored soaps, maybe you could purchase a new tub toy or let them play with things found around the house. I let my kids play with things like colanders and funnels from the kitchen—they love it. Don’t forget to warm the towel!
Send them a handmade card in the mail with a coupon to go get ice cream with you.
Gather all the home movies that feature them as the “star” and have a movie night complete with popcorn and treats.
Using blankets and chairs, or a card table, build a clubhouse together and have a picnic inside.
Read “I love you” books together.
Let them stay up past their bedtime with you and watch cartoon classics together.
Do a chore that is normally reserved for them.
Tuck an encouraging note inside their lunchbox.
Give them your full attention.
Tell them some of the ways they make you happy.
Make them laugh.
Laugh with them.
Make their favorite treat to welcome them home from school with.
Show them your joy when they arrive.
Ask for hugs and kisses.
Listen, and let them make their own decisions whenever possible.
Make them a coupon book filled with things they’d enjoy doing, or things they’d like to get out of doing.
Take a day off from everything: work, household duties, technology, etc. and focus entirely on them.
Cook together.
Write them a poem using the initials of their name.
Decorate their room for no reason.
Create a sign that lavishes them with praise.
Kidnap them from school and take them out for lunch.
Make home a fun place to be.
Make a treasure box from an old shoe box, fill it with “gold” (chocolate coins) and make an official looking treasure map with clues for them to locate the hidden treasure with.
Go to the store and let them pick out all the ingredients to make banana splits. Make and eat them together.
Wrap up in a warm blanket together and take turns making up stories to tell each other.
Make a list of things you love about them and put it on their pillow before bedtime.
Talk about what they did in their day at dinnertime.
Sit down together and write a list of fun activities to do in a day. Write each idea on small slips of paper, roll up the papers and stick them inside balloons. Blow up all the balloons and then pop one balloon at a time until you’ve completed all the activities.
Play back rub/tickle games—ie; Spider crawling up your back…
Make a CD with all their favorite tunes and have a dance party.

Island Park

2011-08-11T14:35:00.003-06:00

We went camping with my parents and sister and her family last weekend.

The boys woke up at 5am and went to Yellowstone Park. They saw buffalo, black bear, grizzly bear, antelope, elk, deer, a wolf, and osprey. We all saw a moose on the drive home. That made Jace's day since he loves moose!

Floating the Buffalo River

Floating in a hail storm.. I couldn't stop laughing.

Crafty Boys

2011-08-04T23:35:00.000-06:00

Jace and Tommy made a bow and arrow at Grandpa's house last week. Right before we left, Jace asked me to take his picture.

First Day Of First Grade

2011-07-27T10:09:00.001-06:00

Our month long Summer has come and gone and Jace is now a first grader! I already hate having him gone all day, but I am glad to know that he's learning and growing.

Rigby Lake

2011-07-26T15:00:00.001-06:00

We went to the Albiston reunion last weekend in Idaho. We had a lovely time visiting with family, playing in the lake, winning prizes from the raffle, playing horseshoes, and playing farkle.

Boys Night Out

2011-07-17T09:30:00.001-06:00

Tommy took Jace to the rodeo last night.

Utah Lake

2011-07-16T23:30:00.001-06:00

Today we went to Utah Lake with Tommy's mom, sister, and little bro. We played more in the river next to the lake since we had a canoe and kayak.

Montana Mountains

2011-07-14T22:36:00.002-06:00

Every year we go on a fun trip to the Montana mountains with my family. Here are a few pictures from this year's trip.

Jace lost his tooth at a rest stop on the way.

Emery posing for Grandpa at the Calf-A restaurant.

Jace and Brendon

Grandma, Emery and Lauren

Papa and Emery

Yours truly

The boys attempting to catch a squirrel.

Lauren and Emery

Jace

Emery

Tommy Brendon Emery and Jace

Jace

Emery

My dad just had surgery on his arm, but he still managed to make the best breakfast! I will post more pictures as soon as dad sends them to me... hint hint.

4th of July

2011-07-04T23:27:00.009-06:00

On this day, 235 years ago,
America declared its independence from Great Britain.

Happy Independence Day America!

To celebrate, we went to my brother's house for a bbq and watched a few fireworks.

GOD BLESS THE USA!

Last Day Of Kindergarten

2011-06-30T12:41:00.000-06:00

Super Hero Field Day

School Program

2011-06-28T21:25:00.003-06:00

Jace had his end of school year program today. Last night I got an email from his teacher with a small part that he had to quickly memorize. (since the girl who was suppose to say it wouldn't be there.) He did awesome. He is awesome. I'm so proud to be his mother! I wish I could bottle up this time and keep it forever. He's growing so quickly!!

They sang some pretty funny songs.

On our walk home, Jace said he felt like he was going to cry. I asked him why and he said because he was sad that Mrs. Black isn't going to be his teacher anymore. He has such a tender heart. I love that about him.

The Pond

2011-06-21T23:21:00.003-06:00

We went to the local fishing pond this evening.

I took the kids on a little walk.

I love evenings like these!

MOOSE

2011-06-15T15:52:00.002-06:00

Jace had to give an oral report in school today. They were able to choose their favorite animal. Jace chose moose. I'm so proud of him. He spoke loud and clear and had his whole report memorized.

I know my phone doesn't take good pictures, but this is the only picture I have. I was planning on filming his report, but when he went in front of the class, my phone had turned off and I couldn't find the dang video button fast enough. By the way, Did you notice the little boy picking his toes in the picture? Gross.

Moose

Moose are really big. They come from the deer family. They live in the forest and eat plants, twigs, and bark. Boy moose are called bulls. They have large antlers. Girl moose are called cows. They don't have any antlers. They can have one or two babies per year. Here are some of their features: They have dark brown hair, loose skin under their chins, large noses, short tails, and really long legs. If you ever see a moose, you better watch out, because moose can run really fast.

Jackson Hole

2011-06-14T23:11:00.003-06:00

We drove to Idaho Falls last Thursday and spent the night at my parents house. Early Friday morning Tommy and I drove to Jackson Hole to celebrate our 9th anniversary. My parents and sister were kind enough to watch our kids for us.

We went on a two hour horseback ride. I rode on Big Cheoroke and Tommy rode on Nel. The funnest part about the whole ride was listening to the other three ladies in our group. They were from Atlanta and went on and on about how beautiful everything was. I take so much for granted. After our ride, we ate lunch at a yummy cafe called Shades. Then we walked around the fun little shops and bought some souvenirs. We ate dinner at The Merry Piglets. If you ever go to Jackson Hole, you must eat here. Trust me. I loved everything about this place. The fun decor, their homemade chips and salsa, my fresh veggie fajitas, our waitress was sweet.. I could go on and on. After dinner, we watched the town square shoot out. This is always fun and loud. Then we went to Seven Brides For Seven Brothers at the Playmill Theatre. We loved the play. That night we stayed at the Rustic Inn. We had our own little cabin and the breakfast the next morning was delicious. I'm glad we were able to go on this trip and spend some quality time together.

Hike

2011-06-13T23:22:00.000-06:00

We hiked to the Timpanogos cave today. It was hard, but worth it.

ZzZzZzZzZzzz

2011-06-09T15:23:00.002-06:00

Jace was sleeping awkwardly on the stairs when I came home on Monday night. (after my self defense class that i'm loving so much!) Tommy and Uncle Matt were watching a movie and he didn't want to go to bed yet.

Love

2011-06-08T09:59:00.000-06:00

Today, we celebrate nine years of wedded bliss.

Surfing

2011-06-07T23:57:00.003-06:00

On Saturday we went to Flow Rider in Ogden to celebrate Tommy's little brother Matt's 15th birthday.

My sister-in-law Megan made this amazing cake on Sunday.

Graduate

2011-06-02T19:44:00.000-06:00

Emery graduated from her first year of preschool today.

Memorial Weekend

2011-05-30T23:04:00.000-06:00

We spent Memorial weekend at Greg and Megan's home in Heber.

Meikle Ladies

2011-05-30T11:11:00.012-06:00

We had a Meikle Ladies Get Together a few weeks ago. (my mom's side of the family) Some of the ladies stayed the night at my Aunt Brenda's house in Brigham City on Friday night. On Saturday Morning, I went with my two cousins (Aubrey and Lacey) and Aunt (Shirley) to the Day Break garage sale. It was amazing. Then we met up with those who stayed in Brigham City for lunch, crafts, and visiting. I loved seeing everyone and can't wait for next years get together. I get to plan it!

Eye Candy

2011-05-28T15:54:00.001-06:00

I haven't blogged for a couple weeks. Why? Because, I've been lazy and impatient when it comes to uploading pictures. So, starting with the most recent, Tommy and I saw Thor on our date last night. I'm not a huge comic book fan, but Chris Hemsworth's muscles lured me in. Wowzah! The movie was pretty good too.

I like this..

2011-05-09T19:04:00.004-06:00

mothers make the world go around...

2011-05-08T21:30:00.018-06:00

My picture won't upload, so you will just have to picture this in your mind.. Tommy and the kids delivered a delicious breakfast to me in bed this morning. It was oatmeal with milk, honey, and raspberries, toast with fancy raspberry jam (that i bought at the ogden craft fair yesterday), orange slices, green machine drink, and fresh orange juice. The kids made me homemade cards and Tommy gave me a gift card. I love mother's day. I love motherhood and the opportunity that I have to be a mother. God has given me two beautiful children to teach and love, and for that I'm grateful. I'm blessed to be surrounded by great women and mother's in my life. I'm grateful for their examples and love.

Finding Love Within

2011-05-05T21:30:00.001-06:00

I'm working on being more open minded this month. Aristotle once said, "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Listening to others' ideas may not be easy, but it could be a valuable way to learn something new or change your perspective on life. We all have our own beliefs and convictions. Here are a few things that I've found that may help us be open minded.

-Decide now that you don’t have to be right all the time.
-Recognize that there are many reasons why people have certain beliefs
-Learn to listen carefully.
-Look at things from a different perspective.
-Take time to try something new.

Do you have anything to add?

Mini Vacation

2011-04-30T23:30:00.003-06:00

We had a fun sleep over at Greg and Megan's house in Heber last night. We made our own pizzas, put the kids to bed, ate snacks, and watched a movie (the tourist) in their awesome theater room. This morning we ate Megan's delicious crepes and watched another movie (mega mind).

Cake/Dancing/Babies

2011-04-26T11:54:00.001-06:00

Last night we went to Thai Basil (my fav) with Tommy's family.

We ate this cake.

Then we danced to Michael Jackson on the Wii.

I gave my sister Natalie a foot/leg massage to help put her into labor.

Guess who went into labor in the middle of the night!?!

I like to think that my massage helped, but I'm pretty sure it was all the dancing to MJ. That girl can bust a move.

Easter Day @ My Parents House

2011-04-25T15:03:00.000-06:00

The Baskets

Easter Dress

Easter Egg Hunt

31

2011-04-25T14:49:00.000-06:00

I celebrated my 31st birthday at Carino's with my family on Saturday night. (tommy, mom, dad, and dixie. we missed you shane, kelly, and tricia) I had my favorite Italian meal. (spicy romano chicken with an italian wedge salad.) It was delicious. Then we had their heavenly chocolate cake for dessert. It was a perfect birthday.

Easter @ Gallups

2011-04-25T14:03:00.013-06:00

We went to my Aunt and Uncles house on Saturday afternoon. We had lunch, the kids played outside, the men played best ball golf, the kids found Easter eggs, and Jace helped Uncle Bob take care of the bees.

Coloring Eggs

2011-04-25T14:02:00.000-06:00

The kids colored eggs at my parents house on Friday.

This is not my favorite Easer activity. The last picture explains why..

2011-04-23T08:00:00.002-06:00

happy birthday to me.

2011-04-21T21:47:00.009-06:00

Here's Emery and her Easter eggs that she took to school today.

She's waving at Jace in the door way. He did a wonderful job distracting her from looking at the camera.

Emery's Nose

2011-04-20T08:27:00.001-06:00

This is what happens when you fall off my bed.

The incident happened on Sunday morning @ 10:50am.

Church starts @ 11:00am.

That was fun.

kindergarten homework

2011-04-19T17:25:00.003-06:00

This was one of Jace's homework assignments last week. They were to draw the cover of their favorite book. Then they hung their pictures in the library. We learn so much from this book. If you're looking for a fun/educational/interesting book for your kids, this one's great.

#7

2011-04-16T14:16:00.001-06:00

Jace played in his first soccer game today. He went right to bed last night.. He said the faster he fell asleep, the faster his game would come. He was so excited! He woke right up this morning and showered without a fuss. He was ready three hours early. He scored the first goal and loved playing with his team.

Baby Hungry

2011-04-14T21:53:00.002-06:00

I met this little darling today.
(son of our friends Nick and Vee)
His name is Gabriel and he's adorable. Look at those cheeks!

Natalie's baby can come any day now. I'm excited to see if their first is a boy or a girl. After meeting Gabriel and seeing Natalie so close to her birthing date, I'm getting a little baby hungry.

Emery had fun playing with her cousins and friends. Nicks parents have some awesome toys at their house. This one made me a little nervous, but Emery loved it!

Dreams

2011-04-07T18:34:00.006-06:00

I have a dream of sitting at a cute and organized desk in a clean and organized office. I'm making my weekly menu, paying bills, making homemade birthday cards, and laughing at how unorganized I use to be. This cutie of a desk would make my office dream come true.

Nails

2011-04-05T16:53:00.003-06:00

I went in for a $13 manicure at Walmart (don't judge me) and came home with a $23 gelish gel polish manicure that will last for up to 3 weeks! The color is very similar to the ipod on the left side of my blog. It's a fun springy purple color.
You can buy the whole gelish kit online and do your own manicures.

Hmmm.. Tempting.

Surprise

2011-04-04T23:20:00.003-06:00

We spent this last weekend in Heber with Tommy's family. On Friday evening, we celebrated my father-n-law's 60th birthday (which is actually on the 7th) with a surprise party. The theme was basketball/Jazz. Then on Saturday and Sunday we watched conference. It was a lovely weekend!

waiting for the guest of honor to arrive .

the grand kids

cousin abbey and grandpa kim

emery

grandmary and grandpa kim

the original mcgary10

Finding Love Within

2011-04-01T14:09:00.002-06:00

Negativity is simply a bad habit. I have a lot of negative chatter going on in my head. Whenever a negative thought comes along, I need to recognize it, and then try to find something positive in the situation. I'm sure this will take some practice, but eventually, my mind will get the idea. Right?

"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results. " -- Willie Nelson

Random Happenings

2011-03-31T14:00:00.005-06:00

You know what's worse than being sick? The neglected housework that you have to deal with when you finally feel well enough to stand up. I have so much to do and so little energy. Jace was also sick. When Jace gets sick he gets really needy. He wanted me to snuggle him all day long, so if I wasn't by his side, he was yelling "MOOOOM", and hearing that all day will drive you batty. Trust me. This morning the fever was gone, so off he went to school.
While both kids were at school, I went to Costco with my cousin and two of her kids. I'm loving Costco these days. Especially since I'm working on my food storage. Today I bought paper towels and tuna fish. (I love tuna melts and I've been making them almost everyday with the George Foreman I scored from my sister-in-laws DI pile.) I also bought some Izze drinks, bread, chips, bananas, sweet potato fries, and M&Ms. It's conference weekend and I need my snacks.
After Costco, I went to a nail shop by my house for a quick wax. (upper lip and eyebrow) This was the first time I've had ABOVE my eyebrow and UNDER my lower lip done. I told the lady that was a first. She said, "Someting extra fo you". Great lady! Now I will have to do above and below every time. By the way, the first time I waxed was in college. I didn't have any facial hair, but all my volleyball friends were doing it, so I wanted to be cool too. The things we do to be cool. Every month since then, I've had to do it. I even had my own wax for awhile, but it was ruined when SOMEONE (not me.. not sure who though) put the wax away hot and it spilled all over in it's bag. Sooo, I get to pay monthly again to get er done.

Flat Feet and Crabs

2011-03-29T18:04:00.003-06:00

My son, Jace was born with flat feet.

Poor kid.

Ever since he started walking, he's gotten foot and leg cramps. This usually happens at night after his body has had time to relax. His muscles tense up and cause painful cramps. Massaging and stretching his feet and legs help them go away. He hasn't had them for awhile, but he just had some. I heard him yelling from downstairs. "I have cramps! I have cramps!" My daughter ran upstairs and said in her sweet girly voice,

"MOM! Jace has crabs. Can you make them dead? They're on his blanket. Come on... Crabs!"

I was trying to hold back my laughter as I massaged his foot, and explained to her that it was cramps, not a crabs.

Funny girl.

Easter

2011-03-28T14:41:00.002-06:00

My Easter candy weakness and addiction...

Baby Shower

2011-03-26T23:32:00.010-06:00

We had a baby shower for my sister-in-law, Natalie today. The theme was vintage storybooks and toys. The colors were blue, turquoise, pink, and red. (inspired by the napkins meg and i found at target) My friend, Dorey lent me the decor and helped me with the invitations. For the activities we played the yarn game, where you cut a piece of yarn how big you think the belly of the mother-to-be is. I'm always way off on that game. Then we each wrote down advice for Natalie on a 3x5 card and picked out a bead. (i got the beads from a cute little shop called the bead fairy) When we introduced ourselves, we gave our advice and our bead to her. I made a bracelet with the beads there. Now she can remember the kind words from her friends/family every time she looks at her bracelet. The food was delicious. Croissants with tuna and chicken salad, a green poppy seed/strawberry salad, fresh pineapple, chocolate covered strawberries (made by moi), delicious sugar cookies, and a sprite/limeade concoction to drink. We had a wonderful time celebrating motherhood and my beautiful sister-in-law.

ps. our friend ashley made the yummy sugar cookies.

you should check out her blog.

It's Monday!

2011-03-21T15:45:00.013-06:00

Artsy..

I planted some lavender today. My kitchen smells so yummy!

Sometimes I wish I could be in Jace's six year old mind.. Today he thought wearing goggles on his bike ride was pretty cool. It reminds me of Doug #4 on Multiplicity. Did you bring me a pizza Steve?

Our FHE lesson tonight is on Modesty. I still need to prepare the lesson......

We're starting CHE (couples home evening) tonight. As soon as the kiddos are in bed, Tommy and I will have our own lesson/activity from this book. Tonight we are playing Blank of Hearts. You fill in the blank to several questions and then share your answer with your spouse. Here are a few examples:

You make me laugh when _____________

You make me feel special when ___________

You strengthen my testimony when ___________

Aquarium

2011-03-19T22:09:00.003-06:00

Green

2011-03-17T13:25:00.007-06:00

We had green pancakes for breakfast yesterday. Jace said it was the best breakfast ever! Today we had green macaroni and cheese for lunch. It was a last minute idea. Hey.. It's green day. Throw some food coloring in and make the kids smile. It works. Tonight we're having green pesto pasta, green green salad with cilantro ranch, parsley garlic bread, and homemade limeade for dinner.

Dessert will be Green Smoothies.

I taught Emery's co-op preschool today.

Activities:

Made rainbow headbands

(inspired from this awesome preschool website.. the band is a boarder for a bulletin board)

Made rainbow necklaces with Fruit Loops

Sorted and ate Lucky Charms

Ate Irish kiss cookies

Played find the shamrock

Read the book What Makes A Rainbow?

Watched and danced an Irish jig.

(aka River Dance)

What are your St. Patrick's Day traditions?

Family Night

2011-03-14T22:06:00.005-06:00

The boys went fishing

(at the little pond close to our house)

Emery and I picked up dinner

(picnic at the pond)

Our lesson was on Nephi and his broken bow

(I found the lesson on this site)

We had strawberry/banana shakes for our treat

(I just realized why they tasted so different/delicious...

I forgot the spinach- Oops)

We ended the night with a movie

(open season 2)

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
[Proverbs 22:6]

Outside

2011-03-12T22:24:00.003-07:00

we saw a glimpse of spring yesterday. it was lovely.

playing at greg and megan's house

Cookies

2011-03-10T21:08:00.017-07:00

I can't stop thinking about these little gems.

A healthy alternative to girl scout cookies-- I'm in trouble.

No hydrogenated oils!

No high fructose corn syrup!

No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives!

House on the hill

2011-03-09T22:35:00.005-07:00

Greg and Megan bought their first home today. (tommy's oldest brother) We drove to Heber this evening to see it. It's beautiful! I'm so happy for them and I look forward to many fun visits.

Ladies Weekend

2011-03-06T23:04:00.010-07:00

I spent an amazing weekend in St. George with some lovely ladies. (my sister-in-law megan, her sister whitney, their mom sherrie, and aunt jane) We each worked on our own projects. I started organizing my recipe book and I love how it's turning out. We also watched movies, went shopping, went to their cousins baby shower, had two awesome workouts (megan could easily be a personal trainer), and relaxed. It's exactly what I needed.

Emery is..

2011-03-02T07:10:00.013-07:00

potty training

(it was time)

missing her binkies

(especially @ 3am)

sickly

(coughing, no voice, fever, runny nose, cold sore, diaper rash)

Finding Love Within

2011-03-01T07:00:00.011-07:00

I often feel like I'm on automatic pilot, and before I know it the day is over. Here are some things I will be working on this month.

Be present in every moment.

Notice my surroundings more.

Slow down.

Listen and really hear others.

Taste and savor my food.

Be 100% focused on every activity I'm doing.

Be more present in my conversations.

Focus on what I really want.

Keep a personal journal.

Be still.

Goodbye Beloved Binkies

2011-02-26T21:51:00.036-07:00

Emery's Binky Trick

Books and Burgers

2011-02-25T21:45:00.006-07:00

We went to the library after school today and stocked up on books and movies. If you're not taking advantage of the free entertainment that your library offers, you need to be! Jace has a whole month off track from school. I LOVE having him home. My only problem is trying to keep him entertained. Any suggestions? Karate (his buddy gave him two free lessons to try out), Discovery Gateway, Dinosaur Museum, and The Aquarium are already on the docket.

In front of the library is a fun musical thingy. My kids thought this was the coolest thing ever! Jace was doing an interesting dance/jig, while Emery jumped up and down.

After the library we had lunch at Arctic Circle. The food was mediocre, but they have a play land and give free ice cream cones, so it was totally worth it!

Cousins

2011-02-24T21:59:00.031-07:00

I played with these cute kids today.

jace - emery - olivia - keaton

iscreamyouscreamweallscreamforicecream

2011-02-23T21:30:00.003-07:00

Thrifting

2011-02-22T13:52:00.003-07:00

Jace was just asking me for one of these this morning!

White board on one side/Chalk board on the other.

$5.00

Books and Pencil box
$2.50

Jars

Atlas jar for flowers- Apothecary jar- Glass pitcher

(i now have two pitchers... I want two more)

$4.00

Mirror
This beauty is now hanging in my bathroom!

$15.00

(a little pricey for DI but worth every cent)

Chips

2011-02-18T12:37:00.003-07:00

I'm obsessed with chips. Really really obsessed.

Here are my favorites right now:

Fire Roasted Chipotle- Perfect alone

Roasted Garlic and Black Bean- Perfect alone or w/ a dip.

Sweet Potato- Perfect with a yummy tuna dip!

Lime- Perfect Alone

Multigrain- It's a chip/cracker. The dip choices are unlimited!

What are your favs??

Love

2011-02-15T09:21:00.004-07:00

valentine's day '08

i love v-day. not only because i enjoy getting thoughtful notes, gifts, and flowers from my sweetheart, but because it's a fun filled day that we get express our love to those close to us. tommy is my valentine. he's the best too. i love being his wife. our children are my little rays of sunshine that brighten my day. i love being their mother. i'm truly blessed.

2011-02-14T21:41:00.010-07:00

EL-OH-VEE-EE

we decorated sugar cookies at grandmary's house on sunday

(thanks to aunt megan and aunt kristin for making that happen)

i made my little valentines breakfast this morning

(eggs, sausage, & heart shaped toast)

i bought myself some calla lilies

(i couldn't resist)

husband gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers

(which had a calla lily)

he also gave me a bed bath & beyond gift card

(for a laundry center.. to make life a little easier)

we had our first non-family babysitter

(the kids loved her)

husband and i went to thai basil for dinner
(my favorite place to eat right now)

then barnes and noble- our tradition
(i bought this book- husband felt rushed, so he didn't pick one out)

then bed bath & beyond

(for said laundry center)

then maverik

(for frozen yogurt. yum)

HAPPY LOVE DAY!

JB

2011-02-12T21:34:00.002-07:00

Tommy took Jace to see Justin Bieber- Never Say Never today. Jace is a big fan! Em took a nap while they were gone, so I was able to clean the house without any distractions. It's amazing how much I can accomplish when nobody is around.

PS- This is my new vacuum:

I'm in love.

Seriously.

Valentines

2011-02-09T13:29:00.084-07:00

The kids are holding a sucker in the valentines that they're giving to their friends.

I got the idea from this blog.

I used this site to edit the pictures.

We finally put up our Valentine's Day decorations yesterday. We gave our front window a "heart attack". Jace and I cut and hung all the hearts. I love this fun/inexpensive tradition. We used double sided paper, so we can see them from the inside too.

Our Weekend In Idaho

2011-02-07T10:27:00.015-07:00

FRIDAY

I read The Pioneer Woman Cooks to Tommy on our way.

My friend Katie cut my hair.

We celebrated the Chinese New Year with some delicious food.

SATURDAY

My dad and Tommy woke up early and took some pictures of wildlife.

We took the kids to Home Depot for the kids workshop.

I went shopping with my mom and sister.

Jace lost his first tooth.

We took the kids to play at Leo's. (i'm so bad at laser tag)

We watched Michael Jackson videos.

(home depot pictures taken by my dad)

SUNDAY

We went to church with my sister.

I took a long nap.

We got ready for the big game.

(I never watch the game.. I look up a few times when everyone is cheering, so I see the highlights. I loved the delicious food, funny commercials, half time show, and making my kids Valentine's.)

This year I made:

tuna dip w/ homemade chips

veggie tray w/ uncle dan's ranch

almond joy fudge

I brought:

chips and salsas

sushi

This video is pretty cool

2011-02-02T10:01:00.002-07:00

Finding Love Within

2011-02-01T07:00:00.074-07:00

Here are some of the things I will be doing to improve my self confidence this month:

I will have the courage to be true to myself, even if others mock or criticize me for it.

“Confidence is courage at ease." -- Daniel Maher

I will choose to be happy.
"Feelings are much like waves, we can't stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf."-- Jonatan Martensson

I will be willing to take risks and achieve better things.
"A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for." -- William Shedd

I will admit my mistakes, and learn from them.
"Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can't accept your imperfections, that's their fault." -- Dr. David M. Burns

I will always do my best.
"I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying." -- Michael Jordan

I will improve my posture and stand tall.
"Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the face" --Helen Keller

I will smile more.
"If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it." -- Andy Rooney

I will accept compliments graciously.

"You deserve to be flattered, so accept it, and enjoy it!" --Jane Powell

I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and dog-gone it, people like me.

--Stuart Smalley

Dr. Scott

2011-01-31T13:10:00.004-07:00

We went to Jace's school today to see Dr.Scott the Paleontologist and Buddy from the tv show Dinosaur Train. (i heard he was only visiting two schools in utah and he chose ours. lucky.) I was talking with my friend Farrah, and we decided that this show is pretty awesome, not only is it informative, but it also teaches kids that we are all different and special. You can watch Dinosaur Train on PBS Kids or Netflix.

This Weekend:

2011-01-30T21:21:00.002-07:00

-We took the kids to see Gulliver's Travels on Friday night. We love Jack Black.
-We cleaned house and went to Winco on Saturday. I know! The excitement never stops around here!

-We had one last raw potluck at Tommy's parents house after church today. Tomorrow is our last day of the Raw Food Challenge. As far as diets go, it's hard but awesome for the body. I plan on staying about 50% raw, because it's just so dang good for you!

Grandpa Kim reading to Emery and Abigail.

Walk

2011-01-27T22:39:00.028-07:00

Emery and I walked to pick Jace up from school today. It felt so good to be outside with the sunshine and yummy air. I'm definitely ready for Spring.

[snap shots taken with iphone]

WACKY WEDNESDAY

2011-01-26T13:20:00.003-07:00

Because getting an education is much more enjoyable with a fohawk!

Happy Birthday

2011-01-25T22:08:00.002-07:00

Abbey turned 4 today!

Need a good laugh?

2011-01-24T07:00:00.003-07:00

Read this post. This girl is hilarious.

Daniel Tiger

2011-01-22T21:58:00.001-07:00

I loved watching Mr. Rogers when I was a kid. I use to "UGGA MUGGA" my family every night before bed. (nuzzle noses just like Lady Elaine and Daniel Tiger) Fast forward to 4:15 and you will see what I'm talking about.

Red

2011-01-21T13:31:00.002-07:00

I picked LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD to teach on..

Fairy Tale Friday

I went to Jace's class with my nails painted RED and wore my RED cape. I read from Richard Scarry's Animal Nursery Tales. I grew up reading this book and loved it. I found it on eBay when Jace was a baby, so he could enjoy the tales too! Check out some of the awesome illustrations!

After story time, we made wolf puppets...

and ate RED sugar cookies!

The End.

Park

2011-01-21T08:14:00.002-07:00

I took the kids to our neighborhood park yesterday. Our fingers were cold and our noses were running, but we had fun!

2011-01-20T15:18:00.001-07:00

Playing on the treadmill.

Sushi & Spring Rolls

2011-01-20T15:05:00.002-07:00

Megan, Greg, and kids came over last night for dinner. They brought everything to make sushi and spring rolls.... I love spring rolls and peanut sauce. Raw? No. Delicious? Yes. Of course I took some photos of the food, and then Jace took the camera and took some of us.

I made corn dogs and homemade fries for the kids. Poor kids, they don't know what their missing. That peanut sauce is tasty.

Not the same..

2011-01-19T14:20:00.004-07:00

I may be a little obsessed with food right now,especially chips and salsa. It's been on my mind every day since we started this diet. We've replaced chips with sweet potato slices. Obviously it's not the same, but it's still delicious. My sister-in-law, Emily brought this salsa to my house on Sunday. It's perfect.
Correction: These are yams.

A Contest and Snacks

2011-01-17T15:55:00.011-07:00

Jace had the day off from school today, so the kids and I went to work with Tommy! It's also the first day of the family weight loss contest. We weighed in, took before pictures, and signed a registration waiver. This is legit! I pretty much plan on winning. I'm thirty years old and have thirty pounds to lose. My goal is to lose the weight before my 31st birthday, which is one week after the contest ends. I can do this! I have nothing to lose.... besides the weight of course. Here are a couple pictures of the kids at the office:

Jace loved playing on the fingerboard above the door. (fingerboard? i don't even pretend to know anything about rock climbing, so i might be making that word up.)

Emery had so much fun playing with her cousins. (Apparently she also had fun coloring on the coffee table.. I didn't notice until I looked at this picture. Thank goodness they're washable markers!)

We had lunch at Whole Foods. (salads for me and tommy and soup and rolls for the kids) I was also introduced to this yummy drink, Kombucha. (fermented tea?) It's fizzy, fruity, and full of feel-good ingredients. I wasn't sure after my first sip, but it quickly grew on me.

I also bought some raw buckwheat granola (cocoa bliss). This is my new mid morning snack. It's delicious.

Speaking of delicious snacks... I can't stop eating dried mangos!

Art and Sushi

2011-01-16T07:30:00.006-07:00

Tommy, Jace, and some of Tommy's family went to the BYU Museum Of Art yesterday to see Carl Bloch's work. After the museum, they went out for sushi. Both great experiences for a young lad.

Date Night

2011-01-15T12:06:00.009-07:00

Tommy and I had the best date last night. We ate a wonderful dinner at Omar's Living Cuisine. I had a curry dish and Tommy had pizza. I think that anyone, no matter what type of food you eat, would love this place! The food is rich with flavor. We even had raw PIE for dessert!! I had chocolate raspberry and Tommy had chocolate vanilla mango. I liked his better, so we traded. He's cool like that. After dinner, we went to Barnes and Noble. If you work for the government, please don't come take me away, because I got a book on conspiracy theories. I don't know why this stuff has me so intrigued.

My awesome sister-in-law, Megan watched our kids for us. She even took them out for blue cotton candy ice cream. Talk about a great night all around!

ps. Have you used picnik.com? It's pretty awesome!

Dancing

2011-01-14T13:11:00.003-07:00

Emery and I danced this morning while we waited for our hair to dry. She wore my boots. She loves dancing to Alicia Keys- Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart.

Boots

2011-01-13T21:03:00.003-07:00

I wore these babies to the movies tonight. My snow boots were still wet and my shoes get wet the second I leave the house. (the joy of winter) I hate cold feet while trying to enjoy a movie, so I wore my "I wish I were a cowgirl" boots. They make an awesome clicking noise when I walk.. I love them.

(fyi- little fockers was funny, but i could have waited for netflix or redbox)

Did you notice the date today? 1-11-11

2011-01-11T14:30:00.001-07:00

Jace was feeling much better today, so he played outside in the cold snow. Cats and deer walk through our back yard alot, so Jace wanted to investigate (his word) the tracks. He put a paintbrush, carved knife, and a tape measure in one of my old camera bags and off he went.

Emery wanted a picture of her new clothes. (birthday gift from kel and tricia) I think she looks lovely. ♥♥♥

While the kiddos were at school, I went to DI for some thrifting. One of my favorite things to do! My finds:

-Gently Used Brown Leather Fossil Purse $1.50

-Brand New Adidas Sports Bra $4.00

-Brand New Princess Shoes $1.00

[One man's junk is another man's treasure.]

January is such a happy month, isn't it?

2011-01-10T06:00:00.004-07:00

We've made it through the first week of trying out our new year goals and resolutions. Tommy and I start our second week of the raw diet today. So far so good. The first couple days were rough, but I'm getting the hang of it! (this dressing is keeping me sane) I've come to the conclusion that I can do anything for thirty days! I hope you are all doing well with your new goals. It's never too late to start either. I was sick all week so my workouts and house cleaning start today. Yeah!

Wishing I wasn't sick..

2011-01-09T11:30:00.022-07:00

My sister and her family are at my house! I'm ecstatic they're here, but feel awful that I haven't been the best hostess. Jace and I have been quite sickly since Thursday! (fever, aches, cough, etc.) The kids have been playing board games, playing the wii, watching movies, reading books, and playing with toys. I've had zero energy to keep up with them. Bless my sister's heart for jumping in. My fingers are crossed that we will be better by morning, because four days is long enough for a sickness to cramp our style!

Opportunity

2011-01-06T12:52:00.003-07:00

I receive daily inspirational and uplifting emails from a gal (the green smoothie queen) and I wanted to pass on some of her words from yesterday: "Let everything go except for THIS moment and know that in THIS moment lies an opportunity. An opportunity for you to choose. YOU pull the ropes around here. YOU decide what to do, what not to do. YOU decide how much, how little, how fast, how slow." What a beautiful reminder!

Student Of The Week

2011-01-03T20:30:00.004-07:00

Jace returned to school today after having a month long break. (year round school) I loved having him home all month, but he was excited to go back and see his friends. Plus, he's the student of the week this week. I stayed up late making this poster of all of his favorites. (thankyouverymuch)
Kit Kat- Family- Seahawks- Grover Book- Football- Despicable Me- Root Beer- Jazz- Michael Jackson- Basketball- How To Train Your Dragon- The Color Red- Red Ryder BB Gun- Pizza- Wii- Justin Bieber- Johnny Test

While Jace was at school showing off his cool poster.. Emery and I went to the new library and picked out some books and movies for this week.

Finding Love Within

2011-01-01T07:00:00.009-07:00

2011 is going to be the year that I Find Love Within. I plan to focus on different goals each month to help me purify and to better myself.
Body
If I can't take care of myself, how can I really take care of my family? My husband and I are going to start raw food diet on the 3rd. (because we all know diets start on mondays) We have an amazing support group, so I know we will be able to follow through. My body needs this diet now more than ever. I'm addicted to Dr. Pepper (false energy) and junk food (golly, i love fries). I'm sick of being bloated and sluggish all the time! Sleep is also so important. I will go to bed at a good time so that I can wake up early for my power hours. (workout, study scriptures, pray, and meditate) My eating and sleeping habits are affecting who I am, and they are stopping me from becoming who I hope to be. It's time.
Home

Our home is our sanctuary, our haven, our safety zone, and it needs to be a place of peace and comfort; not cluttered and unorganized. I will be decluttering our home this month.. Say good bye to the sock baskets (yes I have two), and the many piles here and there; they have to go! Flylady.net is a wonderful tool to help with this goal. Part of being organized to me is having routines, schedules, plans, and following a budget.

Happy Birthday

2010-12-31T22:18:00.007-07:00

I have one brother, whom I adore, and it was his 33rd birthday today!!

Check out his cool super dad cake!

We went to Anna's Restaurant (4700 S 900 E) for his breakfast birthday party. Oh me oh my... my food was divine!

Having my family come to visit made me happier than I can even express. It was a perfect ending to the year 2010!

Happy New Year and New Beginnings!
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.” -Benjamin Franklin

Having Fun Is..

2010-12-30T07:10:00.005-07:00

Spending time with those I love, eating good food, and playing games. Here are my Top 5 Favorite Games this year:

What are your favorites?

Book Of Mormon

2010-12-29T07:00:00.003-07:00

What would happen if we treated our Book of Mormon like we treat our cell phones?
What if we carried it around in our pockets or backpacks?
What if we turned back to get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped it open several times a day?
What if we spent an hour or more using it every day?
What if we used it consistently to receive messages from the text?
What if we searched for new applications?
What if we used it as we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
What WOULD happen if we treated our Book of Mormon like we treat our cell phones?

by the way..

2010-12-28T23:49:00.004-07:00

we had a table tennis tournament at the cabin. i'm really really bad. tommy won. he's got skills.

We had a beautiful Christmas!

2010-12-28T16:12:00.021-07:00

We felt the spirit of Christmas with devotionals, plays, thoughtful gifts, kindness, and love. Here are some of the highlights..

{{We had a fun cooking demo of some of the delicious food we had on Christmas Eve.}}

{{Christmas Pajamas}}

{{Singing Christmas songs while waiting to see what Santa brought}}

This year we started The McGary Acting Company. We drew names to see which play we would be in. The Nephite Christmas, The Pioneer Christmas, or The Modern Christmas. [not shown.. that was the one i was in]

{{The kids put on the nativity play.. Jace was a handsome Joseph!}}

Happy Birthday Tommy!

2010-12-27T23:00:00.002-07:00

To celebrate we had dinner at Thai Basil, where the food is fit for a king. I love it! After dinner we had a party at Tommy's parents house. We ate his preferred, cherry cheesecake, and played guesstures.

Christmas in Heber

2010-12-23T07:30:00.005-07:00

This year our Christmas will be spent with Tommy's family. (I will miss my family, but I'm excited that they are coming to visit for New Year's!) Today we're going to 'A Christmas Carol' (Jace's first play) at the Hale Centre Theater, and then to a cabin in beautiful Heber Utah. I hope that your Christmas is filled with happiness, love, and joy! Read this short talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. You will love it.