I bought all these pavers from my neighbor for 35 dollars. I am gearing up, thinking about and gathering ideas for landscaping my yard next spring....







I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last posted something! During that month span, I hit my 6 month mark in my house. It doesn't seem like that much time has gone by! I have accomplished a lot in my cute house. Some of which includes: changing toilet seats, adding shower heads, adding knick knacks to faucets, got a new fridge, caulked, painted, replaced vent covers, added curtains to my room, painted a wall green, got a queen size bed, looked and gave up on my garage door opener, grew a garden, sprayed for bugs, sprayed for bugs again, sprayed for bugs again, sprayed for bugs again, sprayed for weeds, sprayed for weeds again, sprayed for weeds yet again.

The last picture is of a cake I made on Monday. It's with a white cake mix on the bottom. I mixed together raspberry jam with cool whip and spread that over the cooled cake. I then cut up kiwi and put that over the cool whip. I added raspberries, and strawberries and coconut on top. It turned out looking so yummy (and oddly like a Christmas cake...)

Happy 6th month anniversary!!

lightbulb, spider and bone

You may be wondering what these three seemingly random items might have in common. Well, these all happened TO me in the period of an evening in my garage. I bought a lightbulb to replace my headlight and parked my car in the garage to stay out of the sun while changing it. While I was proud to say I remembered how to change the light bulb, I was not pleased with a huge, big, nasty spider who thought he was going to help me change the light bulb. He was parked right in front of my front tire. If I had driven another inch, that fatty would have been toast. (It would have also saved me the experience of smashing him with a shoe. Not sure which way he preferred to die...) After changing the headlight, I was cleaning out my car. I threw some trash in the garbage sitting outside my house, and saw a bone on my way to the garbage. This was not a dog bone, but I sincerely hoped it was an animal bone and not something else....I didn't want to touch it either way. Having put my beautiful bed together recently, I had a bunch of cardboard and Styrofoam waiting to be taken away. I took some pieces of styrofoam and discarded in the trash. Ok, if this day wasn't considered random, I don't know what is.... How was your day?

Blessings from Heaven

I called the PT office yesterday to clarify some things on a bill I didn't understand. While I was on the phone with them, they told me my account had a 140 dollar credit somehow and asked if I wanted that applied to the surgery bill I still owe. I immediately agreed. Now, I only owe 272 dollars on my knee surgery and I am done! Now to pay for the hyperbarrack chamber.... The Lord is so good to us! I feel so blessed.

Shanghai's Orchestra and Opera

I went to a performance by a famous Orchestra and Opera group from Shanghai. They performed at BYU last night, and at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg the previous night. They said how they loved the being able to see the mountains and friendly people, but especially the clean air! They played a few songs and then introduced their instruments. They had instruments I saw when I visited China a few years ago, and some I had never seen before. They had instruments that sounded like a banjo, and a guitar. They also had ones that literally looked like all they did was cut a violin into several smaller instruments that only had 2 strings. The instrument itself was held parallel to the body and balanced on the player's lap while the string is brushed across the body of the instrument perpendicular to the player's body. They had drums and a long guitar/harp instrument that was plucked and pounded rather than strummed. I laughed at the names, and chuckled at the sounds produced by these instruments I had never seen before. I loved it! How cool it was for me to receive such a cultural experience by just driving down south for an hour.

Out of the mouth of babes....and a little older

"You're not a copy catter, you're a doggy catter!"
"If Dora the Explorer was a real explorer, she would have been shot at least 6 times by now."

Freedom is....

For writer's workshop today, I read the picture book called Courage. Each page has a description from a kid's perspective what Courage is. After reading the story, I had each group of kids write what they thought Freedom was on a sentence strip. This is what they came up with:

Freedom is when you go out and having fun.

Freedom is the right to be free!

Freedom is staying up late on Monday because friends come to your house to watch Monday night football.

Freedom is riding a horse.

Freedom is a reward after working.

Freedom is the unimaginable joy when you are doing the thing you love!

Freedom is being born!

Freedom is being yourself.

Freedom is America.

Freedom is going to the bathroom after sitting through a movie after drinking 2 sodas!

Freedom is a dream of a wonderful thing!

Freedom is a happy feeling when you are trusted with a responsibility.

Freedom is having nothing to worry about.

One of my favorites: Freedom is when your parents are gone.

What is freedom to you?

Drum roll if you please....

I have always wanted a green wall in my room. So, I lived with paint chips taped to my wall for a couple months, but couldn't decide on one. I went into TJ Max with a friend of mine and came across a bedspread set I fell in love with, and bought it. Then I came home, and found exactly the color I wanted and bought the paint the next night. Friday, we were off from school and I spent the day painting my room. Saturday, I set up my queen size bed. Today, I brought home my queen mattress. Ta-da! My room is looking more than an adult rather than a kid room. I LOVE it!! I am so excited to go to bed tonight!

Ashley is coming!!

Ashley and Donny are coming for a business thing for Donny. I can't wait for them to get here! It feels like forever since I have seen them, even though it was only the beginning of summer. They will be here on Friday and will be here all weekend! (Funny thought, we will be having a slumber party in my room since all the rooms have roommates in them....) More the merrier!!

Here We Go

So, I am heading into my room right now to paint my wall. I bought the paint and supplies last night. Now, I'm in the process of moving things away from the wall so I can reach it. Stay tuned the next few days....pictures are coming. :) (unless my batteries die...)

Going Green

I got the paint for my room tonight. I am thinking about starting a fun project all by myself painting an accent wall in my room. I am so excited!! I just wish Mom or Ashley or Angela or Donny, or Dad or anyone of my miracle working painting crew was going to be here to help me. It may turn out great, or it may turn out to be a disaster. I am hoping for the first.....wish me luck. :)