On my own

Well the family left.

Ryan got some work down in Utah and since I have to work every day next week, he took the kids with him. Its only for about a week so we figured we could wing it. Our close friend Jen is going to help watch the chitlins while Ryan works which is so much help to us! Thanks Jen!!

SO-its just me. And while I was sure I was going to love my free time I find myself thinking of Ryan and the kids constantly. I think its going to be a long week!

I got a lot of Laundry done today...

made some freezer meals (Sarah taught me how)

Porter and I went on a couple mile walk at Sunset which we both loved

I got to talk to my Mom on the phone for awhile

I took a nap

and then Ryan and the kids arrived in Utah...safe.

I am learning that I love to cook. Sarah took me to a cooking class a few months back and then let me be a part of her freezer meals friends group where a bunch of her friends get together and make these meals. I have been learning tricks from people at work and even thinking seriously about a garden. I am finding this part inside me that I never really new was there. I love to cook. I love to bake too-

On a different note, I have been getting that Christmas is coming feeling. Its barely snowed here so its a really different feeling realizing that Christmas is on the way.

I know Provo and those mountains so well that I know the second the leaves start changing or depending on the smell in the air, what holiday is around the corner. Tonight on my walk with Porter it was all fields, animals and sunsets. People are covering their homes with Christmas lights and the talk of Santa is here and even though I don't have the snow capped mountains in my face I am feeling it. I love the country! I can't wait for this Christmas to come. I am going to wait to put up the tree until the kids get home. There is nothing like putting up the tree with your little kids. They make Christmas. I hope your all feeling it too. Happy Holidays!

and Wish me luck guys...its going to be a long week.

Happy ThanksgivingWe Love You!

the Guys Weekend

Ryan and his buddies got together last minute for some guys time. They met in Nevada for some 12 degree dirt biking...So, I got to be home with the kids all by myself and it was really nice. Don't get me wrong, I missed Ryan, but I don't get time like this with my kids.

We slept in. Every morning Paxton and Gauge crawled into bed with me and we watched TV and slept together. I never get to do that.

We woke up, took Porter out for our regular walk and hung out all of the first day.

That night Sarah came over and had dinner with us. She and I talked until the wee hours of the morning. I love that girl!

The next day was about the same only I did something that I don't think I have done since I was a single gal. I stayed in my PJ's the whole day. The day started off the same, boys came in early and hung out in bed with me...we got up and played games...it was snowing when we first got up so we turned up the Christmas music and we made blue berry pancakes shaped like Santa, frosty, a christmas tree and the gingerbread man (I have a pan') then we made cinnamon ornaments for the tree, we cleaned some, watched the Wizard of OZ and How the Grinch stole Christmas and we played memory-a lot! But we did it all in our PJ's.

Then, Sarah came over with dinner that night, and she came in her pajamas too. She made us all dinner and we watched the Notebook after the kids went to bed. Not a good movie to watch when your missing your husband.

Here are some pictures of Gauge and Mommy hanging out in bed in the morning. He tries to be so tough...but you can't be too tough when mommy's kissing you.

Thanks for spending time with me kids. I didn't really take any pictures all weekend, but I loved every minute of hanging out with you. You are the sweetest, happiest kids I know and I love you all so much!

Getting a face lift

We are almost done prepping for paint. Our friend Ricky is going to paint it after he finishes the final prepping touches

I thought it should be documented because this is a really big deal!
This is my favorite part!

Ricky, take your time man! (just kidding Ry...not really though :)

Doing it himself

Paxton loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He especially loves to make them himself. We told him that if he wants to do it himself, he will have to impress us...I am impressed!

A Flashback

for Ryan

We were out for a Sunday drive when the boys started getting cranky. They wanted to go to a park. Apparently, several hours in the car every day is not very fun. It must be a back seat thing.

So, being near Kuna we thought we would find a park.
We passed Indian Creek Elementary. One of the several elementary schools that Ryan went to. Several is because for some reason, you only went to each school for a couple of years. I still don't know why, but this school was fourth grade for Ryan.
The school is right off of the actual Indian Creek that runs through Kuna. The playground was also next to the creek and it seemed so beautiful there. There were leaves all over, you could hear the water and it was a perfect chilly fall day.
Shelby even tried the slides here. It was her first time. She is clapping for herself in the picture above. Its one of the cute things she does now. She also shakes her head no while smiling, she waves hello and goodbye with both hands and she still tries to sing when she hears music. She also pulls herself up on the furniture now. She might set a record in this household for walking.
These may have been the very same monkey bars Ryan played on. I guess we will never know.Me and my baby girl!
When we got back to the car I could not help but take some pictures of the creek.
Its kind of weird living through fall somewhere else. I think I kind of miss those big huge leaves at the old house. We dread them every year. But this year, not having to rake them and just being able to smell them was just fine.

Home Decor

Thanksgiving is around the corner...

so we thought we would create!
We have decided we like being crafty...we think we are pretty good at it!

It's another countdown...yeah, that's right!

We're thinking we might open an etsy shop

but whatever!

Our Greenbelt

We are lucky enough to live next to a greenbelt. For some reason it had never occurred to me to use this wagon in order to go on walks...
It's so easy now! Even with the dog!

Paxton rides his bike...we can't talk him into giving up the training wheels yet...
He is Super Fast! Porter hangs back with Mom,
and Ryan pulls the big load
We have been going every day...
that's two days in a row so far :)

Idaho City

I had an extra day off. So we took a short trip.
Ryan checked the map and we decided to hit Idaho City. It is supposed to be a pretty cool Ghost town and since Pearl kind of let us down...we couldn't wait to show the boys what a ghost town really is.
On the way there we finally saw Lucky Peak LAKE. For Ryan's sake I will mention, it is a reservoir...but I called it a lake and it is entitled lucky peak lake...but anyway
Does anyone know why they chose to write this on the side of the damn? Keep your forests green? What does that mean?
the LAKE was beautiful! It seems to be quite the hot spot around here in the Summer.

Idaho City was pretty small. The weird thing about it is that although a ghost town...people still live there. So the strip with all of the old houses, some of them had signs that said "someone lives here, do not disturb" Why would you live there?
The town consisted of only a couple of streets. This main street that we hit was pretty cool. There were old shops and restaurants. We think we missed the on season though because almost everything was closed.
This was a house that we passed. I think it was a house. When you first see it, it appears to be an antique shop. I think the guy just collects though. Of all the signs, no store type signs.
I love it
Walking along where the cowboys walked
Is this a little inappropriate? Who carved this little lady?
This is the jail...or a jail. That is President Clinton inside. These people have a sense of humor. We laughed anyway.

Some pretty pictures. Idaho City is way up in the mountains. It smelled like fall!
Shelby was a good sport. She hung out in Mom and Dad's arms the whole time

We found the Ice Cream parlor. Between Paxton Gauge and myself we talked Ryan into Ice cream. These boys though...First pick for Paxton, he picks black licorice ice cream. The lady told him to taste it first. That's when he changed his mind to bubble gum. Gauge wanted what Paxton got. If your ever in Idaho City, don't get the bubble gum.

they didn't mind

the next street over had a museum and a printing press type place. Some of the buildings were really cool looking.

but mostly the kids just wanted to eat ice cream and hang out.

Its getting more difficult to take pictures with these ones!

It was a great trip. I loved being up in the mountains and even though this Ghost town wasn't very ghostly...it was still there.

Thanks Ryan, for taking us!