Our Garden - May 2008

Just what you've all been waiting for I know! LOL! Here are some pics of my neighbor Amy's and my pride and joys! (ok! so our kids are our pride and joy...but these little "babies" give us much pleasure to watch them grow and mature!

Here is our long awaited lettuce...or is it spinach? Not sure 'til it gets bigger... *grin*

Peas. We LOVE peas. Enough said.

(Notice the dogie footprints through the middle...grrrr...there were carrots down the middle...*sniff*)
Green beans. These little beans are being so picky! We have two rows of them...and they are taking f-o-r-e-v-e-r to come up... Can't wait to can them!

Mr. Stripey. He is an heirloom tomato. We speak often of Mr. Stripey. Mostly because his name is so fun to say! LOL!

Here are the babies. They have guardians... keep them aphids away little marigolds...

This is MY favorite little plant. I never knew how much I enjoyed cilantro. Yum. Now I have 2 cilantro plants... fresh salsa, yummy eggs, (and any other recipes you all want to send me) to use this tasty plant would be appreciated! *grin*

Peppers! They are happy little peppers! We have a small variety... Salsa will be so fun this fall! And BBQed Anaheim's are Jestin's fav!

The little pumpkin that could... He keeps trying... I think any moment he is going to take off and we are going to wish he were small again! Tee hee!

This is Jestin's courtesy Corn. He buried corn cobs last year (fertilizer you know...) and did you know that corn would go crazy if you planted the whole cob?? We keep pulling these little corn babies... it is a hoot!

Winter squash. Not sure what he will look like exactly. Hoping it's like the big pink banana squash... but I am going to plant some seeds of that kind just in case. *wink* (the more the merrier right?)

Tomatoes! Oh my! Do you see them?? Do you see our tomatoes??

Zucchini. Now I will say this now... we have 3 zucchini plants. We love zucchini. Come the end of summer though... if you leave your windows down on your car... no. ...it was not us that left zucchini on your car seat. We would never follow in the grand Utah tradition. (bwahahahaha)

Yellow squash. (oh boy!) To go with the Zucchini. BBQer here we come! YUM!!

MORE tomatoes!! These are the kidlets plants. They have grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and yellow pear tomatoes (though they may have to fight Amy for them...she LOVED those last year! LOL!)

And last but not least...my strawberries. They have gone a little crazy in their tubs... time to get a flower bed ready for transplant later this year. SO FUN!! Jestin has 3 blueberry bushes, 2 pear trees and a row of pretty sad but struggling sweet potatoes. We have really enjoyed this gardening stuff this year! We are using our tax relief check to put up the remaining fence in the back yard to keep the wandering children and dogs out of this wonderful pass time of ours. This fall is going to be SO awesome!! YUM YUM YUM!!

You Are An INFJ

The Protector You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity. Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is. You are an excellent listener, with almost infinite patience. You have complex, deep feelings, and you take great care to express them. In love, you truly see relationships as an opportunity to connect and grow. You enjoy relationships as long as they are improving and changing. You can't stand stagnation. At work, you stay motivated and happy... as long as you are working toward a dream you support. You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher. How you see yourself: Hardworking, ethical, and helpful When other people don't get you, they see you as: Manipulative, weak, and unstable

What's Your Personality Type?

Kindergarten Graduation

Well Folks! It's official! Cam has completed Kindergarten! And he is rip roarin' ready for 1st grade! He has been out of school since last thursday... (I tried to post this then but it wouldn't upload once I had all the pics saved! grrr) ... and DAILY... multiple times DAILY I hear the question... "...so I started 1st grade tommorow right??" or "...how many more days 'til I can go to 1st grade??" This kidlet *really* has no concept of time... no matter the manner in which I explain it or teach it! AHHH... it's gonna be a L-O-N-G summer.... Tee hee He was part of a fun history... he was in the very first class (being an A.M. student) to ever "graduate" from the new elementary school. Pretty cool eh?

We are so proud of Cam! He really has come SUCH a long way despite his not being able to attend any kind of pre-school (due to his previous health concerns) and then his mommy being sick all year! He got straight "O"s (as Emma used to call them) with the exception of his homework... but this mom takes full credit for that grade! We can't say he didn't *try* to help me help him do it! But from knowing very little but math... to reading on a "C" level and excelling in all other areas... GOOD JOB LITTLE MAN!!! You are doin' GREAT!!

Tagged Again...

3 Joys
1. My Babies, Husband & Family
2. My Health
3. Anything good and chocolately

3 Fears
1. Snakes
2. Being shot
3. My kids getting hurt and me not being there for them

3 Current obsessions or collections
1. Savings - I feel like a squirel LOL
2. Getting projects done I couldn't do this last year
3. Planning get-togethers with friends and family... I feel like I want to spend as much time with those I love as I can!

3 Surprising or random facts about me
1. I like to organize things...and I used to make huge lists and find great satisfation in them... now I just work with whatever needs done and I rebel against my own lists. *blush*
2. I get hives everyday. My antibodies attack me for no reason. I have to take Zyrtec everyday just to not itch or look splotchy.
3. I can't stand to have water on my face...sprayed or otherwise.

I tag: Tammy, Nicole, & Jenny

Confession...

So I have to confess... I have played hard with my kids. I have done my own grocery and Walmart shopping. I have cleaned the camp trailer and my car. I have planted a garden (with my neighbor's help). My home is back under my control and keep. My laundry gets done *completely* when I do it. I have sold 2 houses. I have gotten JWD caught back up with finances and paperwork. I have walked to the neighbors houses multiple times...I can even go get the mail! Sunday we went to visit with the Bishop and his family & see their yard...and I STOOD talking for over 2 hours without notice! I helped Jess and the boys build a sand box. I went with Jess on Sat to multiple small electrical jobs and helped him (even to one in SLC) and I didn't fall asleep once! And I wasn't completely exhausted! My bathrooms have been cleaned. My dishes get done without notice. I can shower everyday again... and can actually shave my legs and wash my hair in the same shower... and still feel great enough to do my hair and make-up afterwards!! And no naps after showers anymore! No afternoon naps at all!! I am ONE HAPPY GIRL!! Thank you Thank you Thank you...to each and everyone of you who helped make this possible! YOU ROCK!! I have been more blessed than I deserve!!

End of School Year Carnival

The kids school threw a great fundraiser for the last weeks of school! They had a carnival that was just what the Dr. ordered! We had SOOO much fun!! There were many huge inflatables, and for a flat fee the kids got a wrist band they could go as many times on each one as they wanted. It was perfect! Each of the older took one of the younger and off they went! Jess and I wandered between the two sets keeping an eye on them...but what FUN!!
Caleb and Emma did the slides over and over!

Cameron had a twist jump to his slide manuevers!

Here we go again!

Caleb ran hard and he ran fast! Climbing jumping, eating hotdogs and cotton candy and drinking snow cones! What more could a 3 year old want??

WHEEEE!!!

Emma kept slipping and sliding on her runs!

Caleb's favorite was the Spiderman maze! It had a slide on the back once you made it through...

Mom stood in line for over 40 minutes for Emma so she could try the rock wall...

She started out great...

and could have gone all the way...but she looked down...and that was it! LOL!

Cody kept trying to do it head first...

So Caleb followed... he wasn't so sure that was fun!

Cam begged and begged and we finally let him... he stood in line for 15 minutes for this:

Isn't he so cute?!?!?!

One last slide before we head home...

And one last try at the wall...

And three hours later we are beat and smiling! What a blast!! Talk about an event to remember!

4th Grade Utah Program

Tonight we got to enjoy Emma's 4th Grade Program. They studied Utah this year. First Em & I got to Square Dance - Dad was too "shy"! LOL! Bless my healing heart I am outta shape! *whew* It was a riot and so fun!Then they sang us a song about Utah...

We learned about the indian tribes of Utah...

And about Pioneers...

(one of Em's best friends)

Caleb loved the song about the meeting of East & West...trains are "AWESOME!"

Un-beknownst to us Emma and one of her best friends were the "Grand Finale"!! They did a dance while the other kids sang... and they did AWESOME!!

UTAH!!!

And here they are taking their bow! LOL!! What a cute bunch of nuts! It was a delightful evening!

Urban Fishing

This year we signed the boys up for Urban Fishing... it was their Dad & Me time. They only made it to half their classes (due to unforseen circustances; ie; weather, illness etc) but they LOVED it!! Cody and Cam were great at it!

Granted the pond was filled with tons of hungry fish that would bite at an empty hook... (LOL) but they caught fish left and right!

Cody's last fish. Cam's last one was an albino one (creepy!) and on the last day of class they had a fish fry party. Both boys said they like my Talapia better than the fish they caught! Bwahahaha! (Couldn't be the butter and the seasonings on mine or anything eh? *grin*)

Now we all REALLY have the itch to go camping... Jess included... can't wait so he can fish too!! Uncle Tyler.... when can we do a boys day out?? LOL

I remember why I love my job...

Ok! So, today I got a reminder as to why I really enjoy my job as a Realtor. It was great! A sweet client of mine had put an offer in on a home she loved right before my surgery. A few days post surgery, days away from closing, due to no fault of her own, the deal crumbled. She was so so sad!! My heart broke for her! Well... 3 weeks ago she found another home in the same neighborhood, same floor plan, $10k less. And this deal went almost perfectly! Today I got to go and enjoy her complete joy as she got a home she loves, for a great price, with twice the upgrades! It was WONDERFUL!! The joy on her face and the excitement in her voice reminded me that dispite all the shady agents I have met, dispite the hard work it can sometime be, dispite the bitter disappointments, there can be utter joy... and I LOVE helping people find their right home! It was AWESOME!! I have such a blessed life!

6 week follow-up

I keep forgetting to post! I had my 6 week follow-up appt on friday. It was really good! I told him how I truly have felt so much better and he actually smiled! LOL! I asked him about the heart pain I still get when my heart rate gets up there, and he told me I needed to take it easy for 4 more weeks. No strenuous exercise, and only "wittle wocks". So small walks only for now and build myself up slowly. yea! There is a beginning in sight to feeling stronger and healthier and it's just around the corner! He also counseled I needed 4 more weeks of blood thinners, & than aspirin therapy from then on out. He will see me in August and we can discuss weaning my body off of my heart medications at that point. It was a really good visit! He explained to me that I don't actually have A-fib... I have Super Ventricular Tachycardia which triggers A-fib. Interesting. It could have been a result of being born prematurely and a hole that healed in my heart after birth. Anyway, Dr. H. explained that he worked on both sides of my heart (from the inside) and that he is hoping that it should prevent anymore SVT issues. *grin* I am game for that!! Oh yeah!

It was really very sweet too... he would not let me be charged for my visit. He may not have the best bedside manner, but he is a really neat man. I will be forever grateful for his talent and kindness... and so will my little family!

I've been tagged...and it's all about me!

What I think: I think many different things... but the greatest is how much I love life. I think people are too hard on themselves - If they could only allow themselves to see what the eyes of love can see, and what our Heavenly Father sees, this world would be a much safer, loving, gentle, encouraged and uplifting place. I think it is almost 2 am, and as the office manager of JWD I should not have played outside today (sunburn! ouch!) I should have gotten more paperwork done ... instead of now in the wee hours of the morning with my poor exhausted sweetheart falling asleep sitting up. *sigh* Next month for invoicing I will be more on the ball!

What I like: I like sleeping. I like playing with my kids. I like finding great deals. I like kissing my husband and being held in his arms. I like having people over and enjoying others company and friendships.

What I know: I know that I am meant to be here. I know I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father who, for some reason, loves me dispite my enormous faults, and cares about even the littlest of things that matter to me. I know my prayers will be answered. I know God's voice. I know my children were destined to be mine in heaven, as was my husband. I know the sun will rise and that whatever was so terrible the night before, after some time on my knees, and a good nights sleep, nothing can be so bad.

What I want: My children to grow up to be responsible, respectful, happy people. I want my mom to find joy again. I want Jestin to be healthy and live life to the fullest (ditto for my kids). I want to someday go on a mission with Jess. I want to grow old with him... and die in his arms. I want to hike to Timpanogos Cave once in my lifetime. I want to go camping ASAP!! LOL!

What I see: Hope for the future. The second coming right around the corner. Piles of paper that keep having babies I must face tomorrow for sure! Jestin in a towel ready to finally go to bed! Yea! G'night!

I tag Tammy and Steff and Diana

12 years ago today...

Twelve fast years I’ve shared your name,
My life with your’s been part.
Time truly makes love richer
And draws closer faithful hearts.
I ponder on our wedding day
So young and long ago
Though time has changed the goal remains
To watch our family grow.
I cherish all my time with you
My love grows richer still
Each day’s a gift from God above
Such contentment…loved fulfilled.
I’d take your hand again I know
Knowing now what I didn’t then
I’d gladly trek those days gone by
With you my dearest friend.
And on the edge of the next phase
As I pause and ponder on
The next twelve years are coming quick
Yet I say “bring it on!”
Together we are “Everything”
No challenge is too rough
For the two of us who feel deep down
That love’s more than enough.
~Heather Dorius Well it's official today... 12 years of marriage. Seems like maybe 2? Ok...so lots longer than that... but not 12! I just adore this man of mine so much! I am so thankful for the last 12 years... every stinkin' road bump and boulder... every high time and low time... every life changing event and the little things that pass almost unnoticed. I would not trade any of our life together for anything different. I never knew I could love Jestin more today that I did on our wedding day. Love truly is like wine... it gets better with age.

And Life's a Dance, you learn as you go, thank heavens I am blessed with a terrific partner!!

I LOVE YOU JESTIN!!