unbloggy

photo by Rebecca! age 9

So.... I know I'm not alone in the blog world of feeling like just not blogging. I have let go of any guilt associated with it. I want to blog. I really do..... sometimes it just seems like it's just one more thing to do. Although sometimes I feel like I don't do enough.

I have a confession.... I think facebook is easier. I mean you get instant comments and I can jot down a quick note and I know other people see it. Now, I'm not saying that those people are more important that the few readers I have (or had) here. Most of those people I would not have any contact with or even care to have contact with if it weren't for FB.

SO to those of you who have stuck around. Thank you. You are my true frineds... or you just haven't unsubscribed from me yet :)

I really wanted to start a blog for the family preservation that it represents. I don't scrapbook. I don't journal.. I blog. But I found in the mean time, friends, women who I can relate with and we can lift each other up! SO I'm back to make a commitment to myself.. and any of you who want me to commit to you! I promise myself to post once a week. That's not to much, right?

There are a lot of new and exciting and scarey things going on around here. I want/need to document them! especially the notes my girls leave me. One who thanks me for being around so she can talk to me and the other who wants me to know that it's ok if she is my favorite!!

I love my family. I want to pass this on to them. Thanks for hangin on, my true blog friends! xoxo

first day of school... 2 weeks late :)

last day of school 6/09

(saturday before the first day of school, she has early morning seminary @ 6am..

I was up , butI didn't dare ask for a pic :)

last day of school

first day of school 8/10/09

not much difference, huh?

last day 08

first day

last day

first day!

i love my kids but i'm glad they're back in school. i don't love going through gas a lot faster then over the summer! gee wizz!

ignorance

so.. i've been kinda done with my arden. i've loved it and all of the fruits of our(my) labors... but i'm kinda done with it. but apparently it's not done with me.....

this is what happens when you don't go out for a couple of days! i think my neighbors would hate me... but i know a lady who likes em this big. zucchini bread, anyone???

wedding pics... lots of them... beware...

got to be a part of 2 amazing weddings last weekend. here's some of the pictures. i love being an integral part of someones most amazing day. i am thankful for my talents...

car was PACKED full. this is from the back of the car.

WEDDING #1

watering can centerpieces.

i loved these and they were SUPER easy to do!

can you tell that i loved these???

tossing bqt

brides maid's

bridal bouquet

part of the backyard. i want one of these when i get my own house!

WEDDING #2

bridal bouquet

bride's maids bqt

(still in the cooler, but whatever... we were busy!)

flower girl wand for the 2 yr old!

table centerpieces.

i'm sure they were more amazing

after the sun went down & the candles lit!

we didn't do the cake but isn't it beautiful?

just 'cause they looked so good

deco on pool gate.

you had to carefully walk around the pool to get to the food.

i hope no one fell in!

these are some of my favorite decorations at a wedding.

they belong to a family that loans them to friends.

we have used them for several weddings...

katelynn wants some for her wedding reception!

i think we'll get our own from crate & barrel. i want them in my own yard!

and..... Katelynn thinks she wants to be in the "flower biz", too. would i ever take over for my mom and have my girls help me too? even if i had thought of it myself.... i don't dare to dream...

she was having a blast and very proud of her work :)

during a break in the day, we happened upon a farmers market about 4 blocks from where i grew up. mom and i had a fun break and even ran into old friends and neighbors

so if you're in walnut creek on saturday mornings from 8am - 1pm until october... head over to kaiser at shadelands, on n. wiget lane.... huge market and so much fun! yummy crepes, too!

my favorite sunflower from the garden...

yes, i have a favorite!

i've been a pretty lousy blogger lately. i could make up all kinds of excuses... ones like.... i'm stressed to the gills about our business and why the heck the bank won't hurry up and loan us the $ we need. or things like how are we gonna pay our bills.

but i don't like dwelling on those things. i know there is a plan for us and that we are here where we need to be. it's just hard.

so i fill up, well not really fill up, my blog with things from my garden. i have loved being part of the earth and experiencing little every day miracles out there. it brings me closer to heaven. so here's a couple more pics of the garden ......

getting a little sparse looking. tomatoes are heavy

and i need a good recipe for them!

curly cucumber. so far no luck with a good cuke.

they have all been SO bitter! major bummer

a surprise watermelon!

it tried so hard for so long and now we have success!

(this pic 7/29/09)

(yes, i need a pedicure!)

todays size! 1 week later!

i really want to do a better job of blogging the memories of my family for postery's sake. school starts monday, so i think i'll have a little more time soon!!!

trip to utah

before anyone gets upset that i didn't tell anyone that i was going to utah, i didn't have time to see anyone but my brother and his family and the event that i went for. i know you are all disappointed and so am i. one day i'll come out there with plans to see/meet all of my friends out there. just an fyi :)

my mom and i took my 3 youngest kids to my brother's to see cousins and attend a conference in layton. i'll post about that later. the best part was the party on friday eve. the band was great but so loud that people couldn't mingle. so there was a dance party for the miles family! PARTY TRAIN is the name of the band. they were totally awesome! the kids had so much fun. it wore them out and even i got out there and shook it! it tired them out so they slept right through the people partying at the bar right next to our room. me not so lucky :)

there were chocolate fountains and eli enjoyed them.

he would go and get a strawberry, dip it, come back to the table,

take one bite then go get another. repeat about 10x

had and amazing conference! then headed back to logan.

enjoyed a restful sunday then off to the waterpark on monday.

emma was so hapy that she could go down the big slides there.

here she's about an inch to short, bummer!

we had fun in the sun

i promised no names on this one, but i was very impressed ;)

then back to their house for a little birthday cake in honor of yours truely!

since i'd be driving home all day on my bday!

all i can say is sam's club does an awesome cake! cheap, too!

had a great time, too short, but happy to be back home. missed my man and missed my girl (who didn't come cause she was hiking 27 miles for girls camp! she's a beast!)

garden update

just in case you were wondering and just in case you need any large zucchinis!

this is just a smattering of what there is.

i swear everyday there is a huge one that wasn't there the day before!

i wonder how big they will be when i get back from utah!

something had been eating the tomatoes as they got red.

so i put some fancy stars in the garden and it hasn't benn back since!

feeling my roots! and yes, i AM in my jammies :)

my most favorite part of the garden.

SUNFLOWERS!

they are my favorite flower.

I love how tall and thin the stem is

and yet it is strong enough to hold an amazing creation that looks to the sun!

happy bee!

I love my family!

Here are a few family photos.

I love being together with my brothers and sisters, blood and by law!

(the spot in the middle is for Jonathan who can't be here :(

I love that all 16 cousins pick up where they left off.

Can you see how many boys there are?

Youngest to oldest

(well the youngest is at the end, he can't stand yet and he was sleeping!)

I am blessed to have a forever family.

I am so grateful for the Plan Of Salvation!

The reunion in heaven will be awesome

(just hopefully not for a very very long time!)

God Bless America

Quick post on the rodeo last night. I can now say I've been to a rodeo... and i never have to go again. Fun, but not my cup of tea... or drink of beer! Getting all 24 of us arranged and settled, took all night :) Hardest on the little kids and our butts! 

I did want to share this most of all. This was so magestic . I'll fill ya'll in about the rodeo and weekend later. Like the lady pretending to be  security and getting in my sons face :)

the crowd :) (it was sold out) 

There's another section to the left of me and the right , just saying.

Parachuter

way high up there. so glad for great zoom!

getting closer

took your breath away

Into the stadium. It was amazing!

(had to share the big hat guy. so glad he didn't sit infront of us!)

they're almost here!

the family is coming! my kids are giddy with anticipation! i've been cleaning and painting and planting ( i love a deadline :) In a few short hours most of us will be in Folsom, ready to party!

There are 30 poeple in my immediate family. 29 of us will be here. 16 of them are cousins! 

We have so much planned and not planned. Mom and i went shopping for food yesterday. 2 stores, 400$. not bad. Easy food, bbq, corn, easy....

our weekend is as follows:

7/2 - mileses, mileses, daphne arrive

7/3 - loseys arrive - go to swim park, play, play, go to rodeo! (there is a real live rodeo in our town, 3 minutes from our house!)

7/4 - mileses arrive - go to beach at river, home for pictures, bbq, fireworks, play play play

7/5 - church - bless baby cody, lunch, play play play

7/6 - every body leaves :(

I'll do a big post when I've recovered!

Happy fourth of july!!! I love america!