Women's Conference

 This was the first Women's Conference that allowed 8yrs and older to attend.  I took my girls to get a bit to eat then met up with my sister Tana and her daughter Hallie to ride up to the Conference Center in Salt Lake City.  It was great to be together for such an occasion.  Thank you to my brother Jeff for getting us great tickets.

Because we were early, we were able to see different news stations broadcasting on this event.  Tana had to get a picture with Carol Makita from KSL.  If you see the lady in the background, we were actually interviewed by her 2News at 10.  I'm sure there is a link to our footage, but who knows when that will expire, so no need to post it.  But it was cool to see us on TV that night.  Me and Raegan made the editing cut. :o)

Once inside, we soon met up with Trent's mom, sisters and their daughters.  It was a wonderful night in Salt Lake.

Afterward, me and my daughters went out for ice cream.  It was a perfect end to the night.

Choir Concert

Rian did a great job on her Concert Choir concert at Vista Heights Middle School.

Trisha Howard

This beautiful person is someone who taught me a lot about the purpose of life.  She really did have a bad hand of life dealt to her.  Being the oldest of...I think 10, she was definitely the strongest.  She had some sort of disorder with the frame of her body, keeping her stature short.  She had her first stint of cancer at age 7.  With little support from her family life, she made it through with great determination.  But because of this, she would never bear children.  This saddened her thinking no one would ever want to marry someone who couldn't procreate.  Either way, she again picked herself up and accomplished so much, such as going on a mission, loving all of her nieces and nephews as her own, and even taking care of her own siblings in their hard times.  

Among all this, she continued to battle a cancer 6 more times...a cancer that is not common to come back even a second time.  She is a warrior and true soldier of strength.  She testified of our Savior again and again!  I awed at how strong her testimony was through all her trials.  She did have the blessing to marry and take care of children, but on her last test of strength, the mortal body had lost.  I did notice a slight peace from her that she knew her time was near.  But she still would brighten up and smile.  I had the honor to be her companion in Visiting Teaching.  I loved her gentle heart, her sweet outlook on life and her unwaivering point of perspective.  She knew her purpose and she lived it well.  I love you Trish and I will always remember your life you shared with me. 

At the funeral near the round about, the ward had put purple ribbons all over!  Trish's motto was Purple War.  Such a strong spirit was there!  It was so powerful and forever strong.  

A Gormley Night

Our good friends from Cedar Hills, the Gormleys, also moved out to Saratoga Springs.  Stratton is one of Ammon's best buddies.  Jacque invited us and some other old friends from Cedar Hills to be together.  It was a lot of fun seeing all the kids growing up already.  Ammon had a blast most of all.

Random Post

 With our ward split, the YW had another retreat for the girls to get to know each other.  This was the only picture I was able to obtain for evidence...even if she said she didn't have "fun", I know she did.

School was out March 10th, so I took the kids rollerskating and fun center.  It was fun being together and having a good time.

Our neighborhood it just a dirt pit, so the kids found the sand pile left by the builders.  Ammon had two friends from Kindergarden over with Natalie as our neighbor also in his class.  Another kid was in carpool.  Ammon, Natalie, Kaiser, Porter (brown shirt) and Chase on the end.

Raegan had a loose tooth and wanted me to help her with it.  I told her I'd meet her in the kitchen.  When I got there, this is what I saw...  Funny girl!

Ammon loves Liona.  This cat is the most patient with this boy.  Perfect match for our family!

Dentist time of year.  Not sure how they came to match each other, but it looks cute.  Waiting for their turn in the chair.  Two days of dentist reminded me of the days with my family growing up taking multiple days.  I've come full circle.

Kitchen Trim Project

Here is my latest project.  I don't have too much time for myself ever, and I'm always planning on what I could do next (but it's rare I actually get to execute an idea, so this was huge).

We had this row of windows in our kitchen that I asked for in our building plans because the view is amazing and I don't need too many more cupboards.  Extras were adding up in our house "upgrades" so I had plans to do it myself.  Without trim these windows look simple and even sad, so I decided to bring them and the view to a grande level.

 This is my first attempt, so I know there are things I could have done better, but I'm happy with the outcome.

This is what swirls in my brain with all my ideas.  I love using my hands and designing new things.  Sadly, I don't have a 'mentor' or anyone to encourage me or bounce questions off of.  Many things never come about...but this one I was determined to make it real.  Drew up the plans and measured and double measured and triple measured...

This is how it all started...

Took this blank slate of three windows and wanted to make it look like ONE continuous piece framed out like a picture.

For Christmas these were my gifts.  A few months ago, my compressor was stolen out of our garage in our rental house.  I was so angry.  I knew it was a service guy who fixed the rental garage door, but nothing came about the accusations.  So for Christmas Trent found a great deal and got one along with a new saw (old one died many many years ago).  These were all I had to do my project...a table saw would have been a better tool, but some day I will own one.

Cutting straight lines was difficult, especially with so many long pieces I had to cut.

Hooked up the nail gun and secured all the pieces into place.  My last nail hit into the wood was close to my ear, so I turned my head to minimize the sound and...

...next thing I know, I had a nail going through my finger.  The gun must have angled when I turned, and my hand was holding the MDF in place...I was a bit shocked.  Especially when I had to pull a two inch nail out of my finger.  Luckily they are thin nails and no long term damage was made.

After things were nailed I had to do all the finishing work, like filling the nail holes and caulking the seams.

Finally taped and painted.  As I've learned, MDF takes at least three coats of paint to have a finished product.  Using an oil based paint it was really smelly and messy.  Not as easy to clean up as latex. 

I was so glad to peel away the tape and see the final reveal...

Fixing Stuff

 I've had this cupboard thingy for a long time, but the hinges were so bad.  Years ago I took the doors off to replace the hinges, but couldn't find the right size hinges...then we moved and I was afraid to loose it's parts...moved again...  anyhow, I finally found parts but the holes for the screws were so striped I had to do something.  In the class I took "Finishing Basements,"  I learned this trick.  I asked my father-in-law for some of his golf tees, drilled out the bad holes that were rotted away and too large for the smaller screws.  Put wood glue on the tees and crammed them into the newly made holes. 

Then I sawed off the ends to be flush with the board...

There you have it, new wood to drill new holes for the hinges.  Now I have a door hinge to work on...ugh.

Ice Rink

For President's Day, no school, we headed over to the ice rink in Provo Peaks Ice Arena.  Of course everyone had the same idea, but we still had a great time together as a family.

Mornings Getting Ready

Don't mind my morning look, but I had to document this...at times this is how the morning goes.  With three girls to get ready and so many things to get done, this is the only way to work it.

Saratoga Springs Event On The Lake

This event wasn't publicized too well so not many showed up...which was ok for us, we just enjoyed walking around on Utah Lake, sipping hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows at the fire pit.

100 Days of School

Ammon is 100 days smarter.  He was counting M&Ms for 100 day for kindergarden's snack mix.  Although he didn't dress up as 100 yrs old (too embarassed) there were kids who did.  They were really cute and creative.

Science Project

Time for child number 3 to start the science fair projects!  Thank goodness for the internet for ideas.  Tarin had a fun time working on this one.  It was simple concept but taught what was needed.  She learned about the scientific method, of course, but also how mints work.  The don't actually cool things down through temperature.  It was a good experiment.

Family Fun Night

We had a great time at the Fun Center in Sandy.  Rian's Orthodontist hosts a big activity like this 2 or 3 times a year.  Roller skates has been a long time gone in my history, so it was strange to get back on them and roller around.  A fun memorable night.

Another Cut

Someone else liked Tarin's results and wanted to cut her hair to be just like her.  So cute.  I was so sad to cut this, because I loved the length for curls...oh well.

The finished cut, now to style it and see if curls will fit.  

Frozen...Lake That Is

Every now and then we'd see specs of people out on the lake.  It was all white and surely had to be frozen over.  So instead of speculating, I decided to just check it out.  I was weary at first, but once I saw how solid the lake was, it wasn't a big deal.

I wanted to go really far out, but Trent was still worried about safety.  Of course you hear how every year someone falls in, but I think that is when it's thawing and people just aren't sure...Lately it's barely gotten about 32 degrees, so I wasn't too worried.  The kids loved it.

Once you swipe away the top inches of crunchy snow, you can see the ice.  You do see cracks now and then from the shifting pressures of movement. In these cracks, you can actually see (not in this pictures) the thickness of the ice.  It must be easily 6 inches or more thick!  It was really interesting.

 On the edges of the lake the ice was more exposed and the kids liked "ice skating" around.  Now our wonders were put to rest, the lake is frozen over and you can go out on it.  There was a group far off doing ice fishing, that would have been fun to see...

Time For A Change

Tarin has the most beautiful, golden brown, curly hair... I love it so much I never wanted to cut it.  But she never wants to style it or do anything with it, so it was time for a change.  Wish I had gotten a before picture with it curly.

BEFORE

AFTER

11 whole inches were cut off!!  It didn't look like that much, but sure sounds like a lot!

This is a picture of her bed head, but I like how it turned out!  And best of all, SHE likes how it turned out, and that's what matters most.