The stinkin' cutest wreath ever!

I'm so proud of this wreath I could cry! Saw it online somewhere and I just had to make it. Took me a while to get around to it, but I finally did. It is made from pages ripped from an old book, lots and lots of hot glue, and a styrofoam wreath. That's it. Took about 2 hours but I love it!!! Combines stuff I love: books and old things! I "heart" it :)

Florida, baby!

I'm finally getting around to updating my blog. I was super lucky and able to go to Daytona Beach, Florida on a trip with Steve. The first morning there as I walked on the beach RIGHT OUTSIDE our room, I seriously sent a text to Steve that said, "I totally feel guilty for even being here!" I mean, seriously, how lucky am I? We stayed at a fab hotel right on the beach with ocean views and fancy dinners every night and..everything is paid for! That's the cool part!! So here are some photos from the vacay. Yep, this above picture was the view down the beach from our hotel. Isn't it fabulous!! Plus we got to go on a boat ride in a swamp and found a few gators. Let's just say that a very loud "Holy sheep!" was yelled by me when one of these acted like it was going to climb up on the boat and eat me. My mormon version of a certain expression definitely brought laughs to Steve's peeps from work. But, you know, whatev! We also got to go to Downtown Disney..Oh, and did I mention it was 85-90 degrees! Sigh...I told Steve I wouldn't come back unless it was the same temp here, but he didn't listen to me and now I'm here and he left today for New Zealand. What up with that?? Of course on a side note my diet went totally out the window and I gained 3.5 lbs of the 4 lbs I had lost back. What can I do? I had possibly the best meal of my life and I couldn't stop eating!! Crab (the messy part done for you) with butter for dipping, fab garlic mashed potatoes, hush puppies (if you haven't had these you are so missing out) and Key Lime Pie for dessert. Oh my gosh...I thought I'd died...no worries though, back on the diet and back to 2.5 lbs lost. (Can't wait to reach my goal of 5 lbs so I can eat and gain it all back again...) I think my hubby is seriously adorable and we had the best time...thank heavens for G & G Clement and Gary and Noel who watched the kids..They had the best time and so not excited to see us, but hey, if we gotta face reality, then they've gotta too!

On my mind..

I changed the name of my blog..love the cottage thing, but there are just too many of them out there. It took me a while to think of a new name..but I collect heart rocks and the kids thought this one was good. So for today's 10 on Tuesday, here's what's on my mind right now.

1. Wondering where my mom and Phil will go on their mission. The suspense is killing me!! I mean, I need to make plans here. I need to know when I'm going to Idaho, and if I can visit them on their mission, and...oh yeah, this is so not about me..but still!
2. Worried about my brother getting deployed and how he and his family are going to handle it. I'm so going to miss my bro!
3. Wondering what's going to go wrong in the next few days since Steve is in Mexico and something major ALWAYS happens when he's gone..oh what will it be this time!!??
4. Just finished the book "The Postmistress." Very good, though it was a slow start. Really made me think...
5. I am very into spray painting now..I think my lungs are going to turn black. I have spray painted lots of furniture and been to my least favorite store..Home Depot..3 times in last 1 1/2 weeks! (I hate it because the guys in the orange vests intimidate me.) I'll have to show my creations on this blog soon..
6. Getting bored with American Idol. Is it just me, or is nobody really that great this year? I just can't get into it. Where's the David Cook, the Daughtry, the David Archuleta, the Bo Bice? Ok, I only care about the guys, but I think it's losing me, even with my fave funny person, Ellen.
7. Wondering where/how I'm going to get Austen a suit before his big date next week..and a light pink tie??!
8. Excited to meet my mom in Utah for some mom and me time. Her individed attention!! Haven't had that since I was 1...those pesty siblings have always been in the way. Plus looking forward to Tai Pan!
9. Missing my hubby. Ok, I just like having him around!I can't sleep without him..bad dreams, random sounds, serious anxiety! Wish I could stay under my bed while he's gone...
10. Addicted to listening to Harry Potter books on CD! Love the narrator and considering I live in the car..it's entertaining me through the boredom..

Why??

Here are a few things that have been on my mind:
1. Which is worse: The fact that Braden wore the same jeans every day including weekends for 2 1/2 weeks (at least!) or the fact that it took me that long to notice?
2. Why does my 16 year old son want to wear his slippers to school? And not those slipper shoes, actual slippers?? So not going to happen. Let's just say, "Wrong family."
3. Why can Braden get up at the crack of dawn every single Saturday to watch cartoons, yet I can't get him up any other day of the week?
4. Why can Olivia remember what any given person was wearing, down to accessories, yet can't remember a simple job I give her to do?
5. Why does Cassidy insist on reading the Twilight series over and over and over again? I mean, seriously, they were good, but come on, they weren't that good!!
6. Why does Austen have no ability to get the whole left turn thing in driving? No, you NEVER have the right a way when turning left, but that doesn't mean if you can see a car but it's still a mile away that you can't turn!
7. Why does Cassidy pretty much dislike everything I cook for dinner? She claims she likes it but then picks it apart like she's doing research on it! Seriously!?
8. Why do my older kids think it's uncool to wear a coat to school? Since when did staying warm become the uncool thing to do? Why must they freeze to be accepted? I mean is peer pressure really that bad? Does wearing a coat ban you forever from being cool??
9. Why does Austen feel grades don't show how smart you are? Uh, gee, I'm actually smarter then this, but they just aren't good at showing it. How did he get his grades don't really matter policy? Since when is a B acceptable when he sees himself as the smartest person on the planet?
10. Why does it seem that there's always something up in this family? And why, overall, would I not trade it for anything?
Just wondering....

Favorite Reads 2009

Ok, so I'm a little late on my 10 on Tuesday this week. No worries! I kept a list of all of the books I read in 09. Here, in no particular order, are my favorites:

1. Shanghai Girls Loved it! By the Lisa See who wrote Snow Flower and the Secret Fan which I also loved. Taught me a lot about the Chinese culture.
2. The Help Oh my gosh! So good! Just totally real and very interesting about the South in the early 1960's and the black women hired help and how they were treated.
3. The Book Thief Maybe my favorite. It's a very different book that is narrated by Death. Yep, you read that right. Set in Germany in WWII, it follows a young German girl and her foster family. Couldn't stop thinking about this one.
4. The Invisible Wall This is such a sweet wonderful true story. It is about a boy in England in the early 1900's. He lived down a street where on one side lived Jews and on the other Christians. Such a good book and I also loved his follow up The Dream. Coolest part: the author wrote both memoirs while in his 90's, he's still alive and he's working on book 3!
5. While Falling I really love Laura Moriarty and have read all of her books. This one didn't disappoint. She writes in a way that makes you feel you are living the story.
6. Her Fateful Symmetry Ok, this was totally different from the author's other book, The Time Traveler's Wife, and at first I wasn't sure, but it actually was really good. Very haunting.
7. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle Oh, come on, you've got to read this book. Really addictive. Even if you're not into dog breeding, it is so well written you can't put it down.
8. Hunting Eichmann Wow. This book was fascinating. You know I have a tiny thing for WWII and like to think of myself as an amatuer WWII buff. Eichmann was one of the biggest criminals in the killing of Jews. After the war he escaped to Argentina, and lived there about 20 years before being captured! Gave it to my Grandpa for his B-Day
9. Home Safe What can I say. I LOVE Elizabeth Berg. She writes what I feel, seriously. And I loved her newest novel.
10. Hands of My Father: A Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents and the Language of Love This story just got to me. It was such a wonderful memoir about growing up with deaf parents.
So there you have it. Read some other pretty good ones like In the Heart of the Canyon Sarah's Key, Best Friends Forever, Plague of Lies. Hope to find some good ones like these this year!

Austen Birthday

Can you believe that Austen is 16 today!?? Yikes! I remember when I turned 16 and it seriously doesn't seem like I'm old enough to have one of those yet. These pictures were taken at his swim meet on Saturday. Pretty cute kid, don't you think? So in honor of my Ten on Tuesday, here are ten things about Austen:

1. He thinks he's smarter than the rest of us, and let's face it: he's probably right.

2. Austen is gifted musically. He can play the piano amazingly and he's one of the top trumpet players in band.

3. Austen is really into Harry Potter right now (ok, when was he not?) and has been having Harry Potter marathons with his friends

4. Austen really likes swimming and is very close to making districts in the 100 breast. He's only 4 seconds off, with two more meets to improve.

5. Austen is always willing to do whatever I ask him to do. He never gives me any attitude unlike a few other people that live in this house.

6. Austen is a very good big brother. He has a very special bond with Olivia, who has him wrapped around her little finger. She seriously can get him to do anything she wants.

7. Austen's other many interests include movie making, scuba diving, reading, camping and "real" hiking...the kind where you carry all of your food and bedding and go for a week.

8. Austen will give anything a try and is not discouraged easily. For instance, this year he ran for 10th grade boys' social chair and won! He also tried out for the school play and will be the priest and Baron Elberfeld in the production of the Sound of Music.

9. Austen has always made friends easily. He has a lot of friends and makes everyone feel comfortable.

10. And yes, Austen still seems to be growing. At 6'2 1/2" and with size 13 shoes, I'm beginning to wonder if he'll ever stop. Austen, we love you!

Ten on Tuesday

I'm going to try to post ten things every Tuesday that I'm thinking about currently. So for today...

• Will our ever hyper cat settle down?
• Looking forward to the new American Idol tonight. Ok, so sad to be excited for a TV show, but hey, it gets me through January!
• Currently reading "The Undaunted" by Gerald Lund. Good so far
• Trying to plan Time Out for Women for me and 7 friends in Spokane. It will be Apr 30-May 1.
• Wishing I could get rid of all of the crap that is taking over my house
• Thinking about my Mom...it's her birthday! and hoping she's doing ok.
• Hoping my girls' new dance studio works out. It's way cheaper and way more serious about ballet, but I feel guilty for leaving my old studio behind..since people from my ward owned it!
• Wondering when Steve will get here so we can go pick up the Durango from the shop. Broken fan=no heat. Fortunately we have the best mechanic ever!
• Thinking/praying about who should be my camp assistants.
• Feeling sore from my daily 3mile runs. Uh, gee, does this ever get any better?? And when will the soreness stop? Just wondering....