Kayaking Down The River

Off to Island Park

 What Fun

 Austin is Somewhere

Kathy and the kids (minus Harley who had to work) are going to Kayak in Island Park. We all love it up there. They had to wait forever but they said it was so worth it and it was there favorite thing they did. Gracie and I stayed home and hung out. 

Gracie Painting Rocks

After they came back she painted rocks with Bailee and Lexie. What fun she had.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for the beauty of nature. I never tire of looking at the beautiful scenery around me. What a blessing to enjoy the mountains and fields around my house.

Sabbath and Tanks

 Loading the Dishwasher

Tanks at the Park

Gracie loaded up the dishwasher with all the bowls from her cupboard. She loves to help and watches everything I do.  She is a pretty smart little girl.

The kids hung out all evening after Harley got off work. They had fun posing on the tank. What crazy cousins they are. I am sure Kathy and I did something today but I can't remember what. If only I would post everyday and not have to try to remember I would be better off.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for this little girl. She just makes my heart happy. She is a true blessing in my life.

Artisan Bread

 Artisan Bread Dough and Pickled Beets

Grace and her Horsie

Playing in her Cupboard

Kathy and I made Artisan Bread from my Craftsy video. We had tons of fun. It was a complete hit with Matthew. He loves bread so it was perfect for him. Kathy ordered her Danish Whisk and a bucket so she can go home and make some more.

 I also pickled my first batch of beets from my garden. It was so easy. I had never grown or canned beets before so I learned something new. 

Gracie is riding her horse that one of Janna's friends gave her. She love it. And of course, playing in the only cupboard she is allowed to play in my kitchen. She loves the bowls and colanders. 

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for my garden and that I'm learning so much. How blessed I am to have garden boxes just outside my front door. 

Zip Line

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 Becca must be taking the picture.

 There's that Becca.

I think they are ready to go!

Harley got the day off work and all the kids went up to Heise Zip Lines to have some fun. They really liked it. Kathy and I stayed home. It is so good to have drivers so the kids can go where they want and we don't have to drive them. They came home all excited about their adventure. What fun these cousins have together. Kathy and I worked on calendar pages for her and got them all done and sent to Persnickety Prints.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that gave me this wonderful family that I come from. I am so blessed.

Kathy and Family have Arrived

 Kathy, Lexie, Becca and Matthew have Arrived

Gracie Mae playing with her Ponies

While we were waiting for time to pick up Kathy, Gracie played with her My Little Ponies. She has had these forever and is just now starting to really play with them. What a cute little thing she is. Bailee watched Gracie so I could get Kathy and all her luggage home. It was so good to see them. Matthew had grown a ton in the two years since I saw him last. It was so very good to have them visit me. We had White Chicken Chile for dinner (which everyone loved) and then talked awhile then we were all tired so we went to bed.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for this wonderful niece of mine. I am so grateful that she comes to see me each summer. Family is the center of my world. What a blessing they are to me.

Beautiful Sabbath

 Look what I found on BJ's shelf.

Going to a BBQ with Aunt Janna

I went to Ward Council Meeting today. We discussed the members that need extra help or efforts to fellowship. The speakers were the new couple in our ward that moved into the Robertson's house. Their talks were good. Then it was off the Gospel Principles class where I got to sit by a sister that is just coming back to church. It was a good lesson on the Sabbath. Then on to Relief Society. Lyn Olsen taught the lesson from the talk "Stay by the Tree". It was fabulous.

Came home and started to clean for Kathy's visit tomorrow. Home teachers came to visit. It was Tiffany and her son Carson. Lane is flying the Melaluca big wigs somewhere.

Bailee and Harley painted their rooms and got new bedding. When I went in to see Bailee' room there was her shelf with a picture of her Grandpa on it. She has always loved her Grandpa. When she was little she would follow him around everywhere he went. He even took her to put up signs.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for the Sabbath. I am grateful that Heavenly Father saw fit to give me a day to renew my strength for another week. I am so blessed.

Winco Again

Gracie and her Stickers

It was a Winco day today. It made me tired, but it's done. Came home and put it away. Finished my laundry and put the groceries away. Cha Cha sent Gracie some stickers so she put them on her book. She loves her Doc McStuffins stickers.

I picked her up from Lolo's and she was sound asleep so I had to wake her up. She was pretty tired but happy by the time she figured out I was picking her up. She is such a sweetheart. 

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for this day. I am glad for each day I am blessed with. Growing old gets pretty hard sometimes but each day is worth it all. 

Presidency Meeting

Today I cleaned a little, made beans and corn bread and started doing a scrapbook page and figured out that I had already scrapped them. I always scrap the pictures of the year before for Kathy so she can change the pictures around and the journal entry. When I started saving stuff I realized that I had scrapped 2013 not 2014. So back to square one.

 Coming Home From Lolo's

I picked up Gracie from Lolo's. She did really well today. She loves the babies and kids. It's so good for her to have kids to play with. Today was water day so she brought a bathing suit and a towel.

I came home and had my presidency meeting. We discussed our Ward Cookbook that we are trying to put together. What a great book it is going to be.

Tramp Time

Gracie had to jump on the tramp before dinner. She just loves it. How much fun she has in her back yard. 

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for the sweet sisters I serve with. We have so much fun together. It will be hard when we are released. But change is always good.

Gracie Is Back In School

Oh Canada

Gracie went to Day Care today so I got lots of stuff done. I delivered all the changes for Visiting Teaching to everyone. I was able to talk with 3 of the sisters that needed to be heard. So lots of good things accomplished.

I finished this "Oh Canada" page, made a cake and put on pork chops in pasta sauce over noodles for dinner. 

Licking the Bowl

When Gracie got home from school she helped me make chocolate frosting for the cake. Then she had to lick the bowl. She loves to help me do everything. When Janna came home she ran to her and gave her a big squeeze. She loves her Nanna. 

It's been a good day and now it's bedtime.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for Lolo's Day Care. What a wonderful place for Gracie to go to school as she calls it. Blessings abound again.

Another Beautiful Sabbath

 Janna and Gracie running the skidster moving dirt.

Cheesy Smiles

Today was a wonderful Sabbath. We had two high councilors speak to us. Their talks were so good. All about the Sacrament. One speaker talked about bringing not only a broken heart and a contrite spirit to the sacrament but our troubles too, or things we need to overcome. Then Brother Floyd gave a wonderful lesson on the Book of Mormon. It was so good. It is so interesting to learn so many new things. Then came Relief Society. Our teacher was coming from California and got detoured from fires on the freeway. So she couldn't make it back to teach. Aarin who is over the teachers was at a farewell so she couldn't do it. Peggy was gone with her husband and his new calling at BYU Idaho. Crystal was subbing in Primary. But she was able to take the roll for Peggy and I conducted and had a discussion on the lesson. 

Heather left around 10:30 to go back to Utah. Next week Gracie is going to church with Bailee and I. That should be fun. Right at her nap time.

I came home and made Chicken Noodle Casserole and that was the end of me.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for the Sacrament that I get to partake of each Sunday. What a wonderful blessing it is. I do feel clean for a little while after taking it. Of course, I always do something wrong. Thank goodness I can do it again next week.

Jumping

 

Salted Caramel Sauce

 A Gymnist In The Making

Hanging Out With Bailee

Gracie love jumping on the tramp. Just another kid in the long line of kids that love this thing. She needs gymnastics.

I made Salted Caramel Sauce this morning from a recipe that was on Facebook. It is yummy.

Heather came up to visit Gracie and meet some friends. Gracie was so glad to see her.

Janna and I went to pick up Austin from Ameripet. We went inside the facility. It is huge. We saw the Great Danes and the cute little dogs and everything in between. 

I worked on the recipes more today. I am almost done with what I have. It's been a good day. 

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for my many blessings. What a perfect life I have, even with it's ups and downs. I am blessed in so many ways.

Caught Up

Going Down Her Slide

Helping me with the laundry.

I am finally caught up on my blog. Yeah me!! I actually accomplished things today.
I made wheat bread and Salmon Patties for dinner. I also watered my garden and my plants. Watched Miss Gracie all day. Entered in more recipes for our ward cookbook. That's what I accomplished today. I also used up a package of corn tortillas. I cut them in strips and fried them. So good with salads.
They also came and pumped our septic tank. Yucky but neccessary.
Grateful Statement: I am grateful today for the beautiful weather. It was perfect. Blessings from Heaven.

Hard Work

Going to School

I have decided a two year old is Hard Work. She puts on her sunglasses and tells everyone bye. When I ask her where she is going she says to school.
I did manage to balance my quicken and enter all the receipts. Why oh Why do I not do it every day.
I also finished up all the Visiting Teaching stuff. Now to just pass them all out and I will be done.
I have been working on my blog to get it up to date and scrapping pages so I can get caught up there too. I seem to be falling behind on everything.
It was Spaghetti and Focaccia Bread for dinner and then it was time to sit in my chair and veg..
Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for the energy I had today to accomplish lots of stuff that I needed to. Heavenly Father answers prayers.

Winco With Austin

Pretty Mollie

Austin and I went to Winco while grandpa and Bailee watched Gracie. After putting away the freezer and fridge stuff Bailee and I took Mollie and Maggie to the vet's office to get Mollie's shots and have them groomed. I picked them up, all clean and pretty. They always look so fabulous after getting groomed.
Made hamburgers for dinner and Janna helped me date the pantry stuff and put it away. Job done for 2 weeks.
Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for my Mollie. She is 7 years old now and has been my constant companion all this time. I am blessed.

Visiting, Cooking and Cuddling

 Helping me grate cheese.

Now we are eating cheese!!

Crystal and I visited a sister who just had a baby and we took her a baby blanket. Her baby was so cute and little. I love Crystal, We have worked together for 2 1/2 years. She is always so ready to do whatever I ask.

Gracie is helping me grate cheese to go with the White Chicken Chili I made for dinner. It was so yummy. I really can't do anything in my kitchen that Gracie doesn't come up to me and say "Help". She is a helper.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for Crystal. She is a blessing.

New Shoes

 Eating a Cookie

 New Shoes

 Garden

More Garden

Janna took Bailee and Gracie to get new shoes. Gracie loves her tennies. What a good Aunt Janna to buy her shoes. Janna and I have worked out a system for caring for Gracie. After she works all day she takes over Gracie. Getting ready for bed, brushing her teeth, etc. So I know when Janna comes home I am off duty. Poor Janna works all day and then comes home to a baby. But we both love this little munchkin so much that we will do anything for her.

And my other favorite thing is my garden. I love to go water it and see what's growing. Thanks to my Tommy for building my garden boxes for me.

Janna and Tommy are digging up the septic tank so we can have it pumped. Yucky is all I have to say.

Grateful Statement: To day I am so grateful for my garden. I just love it. I am so blessed to have it.

Block Cake and Sidewalk Chalk

 Stirring up her block cake with a wooden spoon.

Sidewalk Chalk

Bailee went to the dollar store and bought some sidewalk chalk for Gracie. What a fun thing for Gracie. She doesn't want to stop when it's time to come in. She spent the day making cakes with her block and all my bowls from my kitchen. I had to give her a spoon to mix with.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for loving grandkids. They truly are precious to me.

Hanging Out With Gracie

 Talking on the Remote

 Taking Care of her Babies

New Horsie

What an absolute joy this little girl has brought into my home. She is lots of work, lots of frustration but worth every second of every day. I love to watch her play. She is the very, very best.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for this little angel. Heavenly Father blessed our family with this little Angel from heaven.

My BFF Has Left

 Turning The Lights Off

Putting Makeup on her Dollies

Kathy and the boys packed up the car and left for St. George. The time just went to fast. But I know she will return in 3 months so it's okay.
Gracie drove me crazy all day long turning out the light. I can't see so well anyway and without lights it's really bad. Then she played with her dollies putting make up on them. She is really starting to play with her toys. And she really likes to play with her dollies. She puts them down for a nap covered with a dish rag from my drawer. I love to watch her have so much fun.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for the General Authorities that lead my church. What great men they are. I am blessed to be able to watch them at Conference twice a year.

Kathy and Gracie

 Going Shopping

 Kathy and Gracie in the barn.

Pretty little Gracie

Gracie and Kathy love to visit the barn. They got to see goats and horses and kitties. What a treat for Gracie. And she loves to hang out with Kathy. So it's a match made in Heaven.

And I do believe that the boys went to see the goat at least 50 times. It was good to see them have so much fun.

Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for all the critters that live on this farm with me. 

Amazing Yellowstone

And They Are Off

Ayden and Camden

Bailee and her Best Buddies

Bailee

Kathy, Camden and Ayden

Just Beautiful

Kathy and Bailee took the boys to Yellowstone for the day. It was quite the trip. They ended up going out the wrong entrance and traveled quite a ways before they noticed it. So it was midnight before they got home. But they saw herds of buffalo and elk. The herd of buffalo blocked the road so they just roamed around the car. I think they had a good time. Nothing beats the scenery at the park.

Grateful Statement: I am so blessed to live so close to Yellowstone. What a beautiful place to visit.