Latest Idaho adventure

Gracie at the ranch sporting her trucker hat and purse, next to some super tall grass.
Gracie, Grandma and Jan on the 4wheeler.
Ashley caught the first fish.

Hi, Friends,

So much catching up to do with everyone. My Google Reader is so very full. I'm looking forward to reading up on y'all.

We had a great week in Idaho with my family. We went to Baby Wyatt's blessing--cute, little, fluffy-haired boy. We had a fun 25th anniversary celebration with my parents, and the girls played non-stop with cousins. It was so much fun to see Jan, Brad, Josie and Hallie. The kids had a treasure hunt in the garden with grandpa, slept on the trampoline, played with sparklers and glow sticks. We went to the ranch where Ash caught the first fish of the day. She was super proud. We celebrated Jon's birthday, and I even caught up with Becky Elliott (Marley) from high school.

And I helped my sister Kerry set up her new blog, which took up all my blogging efforts, so for the real Idaho scoop check out http://www.kjudy24.blogspot.com.

I did post a couple ranch pics. cause I think these are just about the only pictures she didn't get on her blog. Believe me, we posted just about everything else. Love ya, Kerry!!

To our Dads

I love this picture of Kev. Kourtney snapped it a couple of years ago when we were in Disneyland. Maybe I love it so much because she took it. Anyway, that's my sweetie. I love that he's so patient with his little girls (and his big girl), that he takes the girls school shopping and that he buys me great outfits that get me more compliments than my own outfits. I love that he demands nothing and gives everything. I love that he knows way more about old movies, and current events than most people. I love that he notices people's shoes. I love that he teases his girls and tells them how much he loves their mom. I really love ya, Kev. This is my cute dad, Bob. He's funny and charming. He has an amazing speaking and singing voice. He's always a standard for what's right. He's always made me feel like he has confidence in whatever I decide to do. I love you, Dad!!

We made these magnet board pictures with the kids' hand and thumb prints for the grandpas this year. They turned out really cute.

Kev's cute dad, Ron, is funny. He has great wit, loves to read and is probably smarter than any of us will ever really know. He keeps things on our level though and always raves about how brilliant his grandkids are. We sure love you, Dad.

Note the baby book he's holding. That was his last gift from Kirsten and Anthony--who announced they are expecting!!! Congrats!

Don't tell Grandma!!

Kev's Grandma Johnson's birthday was Sunday. Since it was Father's Day we had a party for her on Saturday. She doesn't like a big fuss or pictures, so don't tell her we made one. Since she spoils us with trips to Disney World and big ole wads of cash on our birthdays, I wanted to at least tell her "We love you Grandma!!

Spring Dance Recital

Ashley is becoming quite the beautiful ballerina. I'm really proud of her because she skipped a dance level, and she does a great job keeping up with these older girls (bit of a bragging mom moment there). I did a lousy job with pictures. The stage was occupied the entire time we were there, and we snuck out early on account of Grace and all the family that was there to see just Ash.

Thanks Knudsen clan for coming to the recital. What supportive troopers. Kev's parents just drove in from OK that same day, and they were pretty beat.

These were some quick snapshots I took in the hall. The still shots Kev took on stage didn't turn out very well, which is too bad. The backdrop was adorable--bright, huge flowers and memorabilia from Alice in Wonderland. You'll all just have to hurry on over for the home videos of this one. j/k

The Real World

Yesterday morning I got off the treadmill (that is crucial information for what you are about to see), grabbed some juice and checked my Google Reader. That's where I came across Liza's challenge. Gulp--I'm up for it. Here's mine.

RULES: GO take the following 10 pictures right now, without cleaning up!!

1. What is your favorite place?

(This is why I waited a whole day to post this--I totally took all the pictures without cheating, promise. I was just waiting for this pic.)

My childhood house in Idaho. My sister's family eventually bought it from my dad when we moved--thanks for the picture, Nettty! It's this big, beautiful old farmhouse built in 1922 out in the country. You can hear the birds chirping and the giant trees rustling. It is full of hardwood entryways, creaky floorboards, copper door knobs and nostaligia. There's this great rust and cream-colored velveted wallpaper with tulips and other flowers on it down one hall. In fact I picked my blogger background because it reminds me of that wallpaper. There are two built-in book cabinets in the family room that were always stuffed with old hardback books that I thought were so neat. I could be totally alone there and never feel alone. It's a great place to walk out in the open, read, think and have big parties. I remember lawns full of people bbq-ing, playing croquet and nights of teenagers crammed around the kitchen table playing Masterpiece and Uno.

2. Show us your kitchen sink.

I need to unload the dishwasher.

3. Self portrait:

So embarrassing. Warned ya I just got off the treadmill.

4.What is your favorite room in your house?

I think this will be my favorite some day because it has so much potential. It has my piano, lots of wall space for big mirrors and paintings and the window nooks. I just painted in here, and I love the color. I also love these chairs. Still pretty bare though.

Sadly, this is probably my actual favorite room because it's the only place in the house that's finished--and it's not even a room. It's a landing above the coat closet. SAD.
5. Show us your second bathroom.

Liza showed her 1/2 bath, so that's what I'm doing. The girls' bathroom is pretty clean actually because I just cleaned it up for Kylene to come babysit over the weekend. It's just not very cute right now. (Family, can we please just put the t.p. on the roll when we get out a new one!!)

6. Show us inside your closet

The first picture is Kev's side. Those two ancient suit coats in front are from our 70s night. I image Kevin would want that noted. We also keep our Qtips up high away from Grace. The second is mine.

7. Show us your laundry room.

Got to work on that after this picture. Thanks for the motivation.

8. What are your children doing right now?

Kourtney and Ashley are at school. Grace is eating her mid-morning turkey pepperonis and sauce snack with some grapes. CUTE sauce face!!

9. Show us the inside of your fridge.

Um, I cook like 2-3 days a week. Girls, we've had this discussion before. Everyone is picky. I actually short-order or say, "I made this tonight. If you don't like it, you know how to make Ramen or grilled cheese." Heather, you can show this picture to Bryan.

10. Show us your favorite pair of shoes.

My current favorites are my white bejewelled flip flops Kerry made me because they compliment my purple toes. That is a really unflattering picture though. I should have done a cuter pose like Liza. These showcase my big toe-fat.

Okay, there you have it. If you're up for it, I challenge you to let us into your Real World!!

History Fair Extraordinaire!

These were a couple of my favorite displays--Joan of Arc dead at her stake and Marie Antoinette demonstrating her guillotine.
Kourtney participated in the annual 6th grade history fair yesterday. The kids did such an impressive job--lots of work. Of course Mrs. Long is notorious for demanding great work, and the history fair is the event for which she's best known.

Kourtney did the history of the Olympics. She wore a white sheet toga, and she made a great display board. Below is a picture of Kourt with her good friend Henry VIII--Anna. Also on display is the 37-page report Kourt completed for the fair.

Mrs. Long is tough, and I've really loved her. I've watched Kourt blossom from asking me how to do nearly every assignment to doing this history fair project all on her own. She just wanted me to proof-read the report at the end and pin her toga. Way to go, Kourt!

Ashley's Piano recital

Cute Ashley gave a great piano recital last week. She played "Annie the Elephant." She did a great job, making one teeny mistake, but she covered it up so well nobody noticed. She had to point it out to me on the tape too. Beautiful performance, ASH!!!

Ashley would like it noted that her two-year indenturehood to piano is now over. She wants to move on to singing lessons.

We've loved Elisa Galhardo, her teacher.

Cabin Fun

Bunco Girls' Weekend

We had a fun bunco girls' getaway in Idaho this weekend. We even brought out hubbies (I stole some of these pics from Cori and Kelly--had to confess). Thanks to the Millers for inviting us up to their family's cozy little cabin. Actually it was more of a shack.

We could barely fit six couples into their own beautiful bedroom suites, complete with bathrooms and balconies overlooking this gorgeous private lake. This was the view from our room.

It was cold. Steve and Bryan both crawled into the panoramic fireplace the first night to light it, and although the two of them fit quite nicely, it would have been mighty cramped if we had tried to shove in all the husbands. Mighty cramped indeed!

All joking aside, thanks Heather and Bryan for your generosity in letting us all come up for the weekend. It was a blast. I think Kev was initially a little nervous about the sound of a Bunco Girls' weekend and what that entailed, but he really had a good time. The guys began the male bonding over a 1000 piece puzzle, which they finished the first night around 3:00 a.m. Impressive. The next day they played basketball, Uno, banko, pool--you get the picture. The girls stayed up chatting until 3:00 a.m., watching the guys finish the 1000 piece puzzle.

The next day we girls went out on the paddle boats and discovered a little too late that ours didn't work so well. We paddled in circles and couldn't get back to shore. Luckily Gary rescued us in the boat and brought us some extra oars. That was good because big dark clouds were rolling in. It started hailing soon after, but by that time we had retreated to the Eagle's Nest--a big, cozy room at the highest point of the house. We shared treats and stories about old flames. Fun!

The Blodgetts made it later Saturday night and brought fun games. (I've always really liked the Blodgetts; they even love "So I Married an Axe Murderer" the wayI love it. Every time I see the fun things the Blodgett family posts on their blog I leave a comment asking Cori to adopt me. She won't. BTW, that movie I was trying to think of at 1:00 a.m. is "Undercover Blues" with Dennis Quaid, Kathleen Turner and Stanley Tucci--an oldie but goodie from 1993.)

We played games most of the night. Trista whooped us all in air hockey (she is tiny but surprisingly fiesty). We split into teams and played a fun DVD game, and we watched this great comedian into the wee hours of the night. Some of us were up til 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. Whew!

All in all, a great, relaxing, fun weekend. We missed all you girls who couldn't come. Thanks Kylene for watching my girls all weekend. We had no cell service up there, but I wasn't even worried. Thanks again, Heather and Bryan!!! Can't wait to do something like that again.

Until then I leave you with memories of paddle-boating in circles, roosting in the Eagle's Nest and laughing at Brian Regan (cuz he's a comedian; not cuz we're mean) until Heather can't breathe.

This, it turns out, is not one of my favorite things

I am seriously not trying to copy Liza--first the toes and now the blog, but this"favorites" blog is fairly common, don't ya think? And purple--so cute!! Next time I'm getting "ruby slipper red."

We saw "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull" a couple weekends ago. Weird. Not one of my favorite things. Actually I really enjoyed it right up until the end. I kept thinking there just had to be some sort of Scooby Doo twist or something to keep the train wreck from occurring. No.

Now I understand the whole Indiana Jones series deals in the fantastic, mythical, legendary, etc. I really do. I just thought this particular movie stepped outside that realm and into another, and I don't think Indiana Jones belongs in that realm. I think ET belongs in that realm. Maybe Speilberg got his movies/genres confused.

I saw an interview with Harrison Ford the week "Crystal Skull" opened. He said the reason it took 20 years to make another Indiana Jones movie was because they hadn't found a script worth doing. This was the big script that got Speilberg and Ford on board, excited to pull on the brown hat and crack the whip? I can't completely swallow that. Anyway, that's my meager opinion.

Sorry if I ruined it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. I waited a bit to post this.

These are a few of my favorite things!!!

Thanks, friends and family for a few of my favorite things. How well you know me. Thanks for presents, treats, parties, phone calls and emails. I love y'all, and you know it. A lady never reveals her age, but it rhymes with dirty floor. That's a bit of mystery to go along with the being a lady part :)

Note the glitter toes. Thanks, Amber!! I'll be showcasing these babies for the next 5-10 weeks--wow. Amber got pretty coral toes, and I got bright purple toes. I like to call them my bowling ball chic toes. They are pretty cute. Liza first showed them to me. I didn't mean to copy her. Amber and I were both going to get pink, but the lady said they wouldn't show up very well, and if you're gonna get glitter toes, they might as well be bright!!



This is Amen and I blowing out candles for our May birthday bash at Kerri's. We actually already blew them out, but that wasn't quite captured on film. I have twice as many candles, now that I'm dirty floor and all. Thanks, Kerri for having us!!