Jeff thinks I'm crazy

So I guess I was ready for Christmas because exactly 1 week before Christmas I ripped the wallpaper off our front entryway. It was peeling at the edges so badly that each time I passed by I'd rip a bit off. I was planning on doing the whole project right after Christmas. I guess the peeling was really getting to me. Now it looks so much better. I did a faux technique with venitian plaster to give the wall a textured look. It turned out different than I thought it would, but I really like it. It looks marble and is very smooth. Now the problem is I think it would be really cool up our staircase. However it takes three steps and is more time consuming, but wow it would look awesome. I'll let you know what I decide.

Step 1

Step 3-- Seth helping

I think you can see the final product in this pic.

July 4th

We had a great 4th of July!! We started out at Pratt Falls for the church picnic. It was beautiful and fun with lots of friends and good food. Towards the end Oliver, Bryant and I took off on our bikes to ride home. Jeff stayed behind with the other boys to hike to the waterfall, then come pick up Oliver and Bry. We didn't think they would make it the entire way. They did great and went about 3 or 4 miles. Bryant was ready to be done when Jeff caught up to us. He had to work the hardest having the smallest wheels and no gears. Oliver wanted to go on despite a spill and road rash on his knee. He made it about half mile more until his pedal fell off. I guess it got hit on the wipe out. Jeff was still hanging around so it wasn't too big a deal. He picked up Oliver and took the boys home, while I continued on. It was a great ride.

That evening we headed over to our friends the Riddels for more food, good times & company. Debbie makes some awesome baked beans. The boys played ball and in the hammock having a blast. In the end we headed out to put the two littlest in bed and watch the fireworks at the fairgrounds from the backyard. Too bad the trees had grown over the last two years and our view isn't quite as good as it once was.

Birthday

It was my birthday this last week. I had a great day. I was cleaning out closets. I know not your typical birthday activity, but it felt very good to finally have it off my to do list. Plus we are planning on having a garage sale next week.

Thanks everyone who called with birthday wishes and tokens. Everyone asked, "What are you doing for your birthday?" As a point of principle I don't plan my birthday celebrations. I don't bake my cake. I will however make dinner. So I didn't exactly know what we were doing that night. Plus we weren't sure when Jeff would get home. We were hoping for between 6 and 6:30. He made it at 8. To try and keep this short. Oliver and Bryant made my cake. Oliver, during the prayer that night, asked for a splendid day and blessed the cake that it would be good so he wouldn't be embarrassed. Oliver and Alex decorated the cake words and all. Seth had a present he got from our friends garage sale. Don't worry it wasn't bad. It is a cute little candle holder for when we have homemade pizza at the 'Nelson Pizzeria'. He was very excited. Alex told me I was princess. He was looking at my bridal shot. I was still in my sweaty running clothes when he said it. I didn't look like a princess, but my picture did. It was cute.

The most tender part of my birthday was my friend Cathy. She is trying to quit smoking. She saved her cigarette money for two weeks when she didn't smoke and bought me a very nice pair of pearl earrings-- my birth stone. Now I know that she didn't have to do this. But I also know what a sacrifice it was for her. Quitting smoking is a difficult thing to do and I am sure their are many other things she could do with the money saved. That is the part that made it so special to me.

I haven't uploaded my pictures to the computer, but I'll add some pictures when I do.

amazing morning

This morning I got up early to go biking. I have to be back before Jeff needed to leave at 6:30 or 6:45 and I try to bike for an hour. That gives you an idea of the time. I don't enjoy getting up that early in general. However today's ride was amazing. Firstly there are very few cars on the road. It was so quiet. Quiet enough that at one point a fawn and I startled each other. I didn't see the sun rise. The sun was already up. But the dew was still fresh on the grass. The trees now are full of green leaves. At 6:24 I realized I had to get home. My views were amazing and quiet. I wished it could go on a bit longer.

getting old

We went to the MOST, a children's museum. It has a fabulous jungle gym. It is really more than a jungle gym. I couldn't tell you how many levels it has. There 'guns' for shooting balls in the middle. When it is not crowded it is a great place to tag. I was chasing Oliver, Bryant, Seth and Alex. It was really tough to catch them. But I was doing pretty well. I was right behind Bry when he took a head first dive and somersaulted down a hole to the next level. I was started to follow thinking I can-- pause-- NOT do that. It was still very fun though. pictures to come.

Also in another area there is a guy who makes toothpick buildings. It is pretty amazing. His exhibit is entitled temples and towers. It is really cool. He had the Salt Lake Temple and many other temples of other faiths. www.toothpickcity.com is the website. Check it out.

projects and more projects

I loved Pres. Uchtdorf's talk the last Relief Society General Conf about creating. It makes me feel good about all my projects. Jeff however thinks I am crazy when I tell him what my plans are. Here are a few of the things I have been working on or plan to work on in the near future---

• Pirate quilts for each of the boys. Fronts and backs are done. Dane's is finished completely. The others are at a friend of my mom's who is doing the machine quilting. These were supposed to be done for last Christmas, but I am aiming for having them done by the boys' birthdays. That spreads it out a bit. If you want to see the fronts of the quilts they are posted in one of my first posts.
  
• A quilt for Bryant's teacher. Bry has had her for the last two years. She is great. It will have a square for each of the kids in the class with their hand prints and names on it.
• An apron for Oliver's teacher with the kids hand prints.
• Getting ready for a garage sale in the early summer. I can't wait to get rid of some stuff.
  
• Painting circles on Dane's bedroom walls to decorate it.
• Taking out a few flowers and adding a few morein my garden. I also curse the deer that eat them.
• Reading the books for book club (I always give a disclaimer when I join a book club-- I may or may not finish or even start the books, but I will come and enjoy everyone's company. That way I don't feel guilty when I don't finish or feel like I shouldn't go).
  
• Training for a mini triathlon in July.
• Tiling our bathroom-- I tiled, Jeff put in the new toilet with the boys.
  
• Keeping up our blog
• Our taxes
  
• Trying to keep the house clean (notice this is at the bottom of the list)