Memories today...word art freebie

We had a wonderful weekend. We traveled to Idaho for a family reunion. There were a lot of people there but still just a fraction of our very large extended family. It was great to see my cousins. I haven't seen them for years! You don't realize how much you miss family until you see them again. We are hoping to plan a trip to Texas to see them again in the next year or 2.

We love to travel. I enjoy the quiet (sometimes) time on the road. It is a great time to talk with my boys. We make a point to turn off the electronics and just look out the windows or play those long lost road games. My boys travel well. It helps that we have always had to travel to see some family or other but they generally do well. The trip back is the hardest (they are usually tired and grouchy) but we try to time it for a nap or settling in for the night. 

Each trip is memory laced. We mark milestones with our trips. The boys will comment, "remember when we went to Oregon" or "yeah, that was on our way to Nauvoo!" or "that time we went to San Diego". There are lots of them. I keep them straight based on how old each of the boys were. Soon, we get to add Colorado and Texas to our growing list of states we have visited. Generally, we camp along the way with our little pop-up. Sometimes we stay in a hotel. Either way you grow closer as a family when you travel together. There is something about the tight quarters that discourages the "he's touching me!" syndrome. (I wont' add that I pull out the movies in times of desperation).

In the end, it's all about families. About making memories together. The house, the garden, the cars, the toys, the clothes....all of it will go to the way side, but the memories we make together will remain with us forever. I want my children to have all the memories I can pack into their big minds. I want the to know how to work but to remember our trips. The fun we had together.  The sights we first saw together. Then I want to be with them when they pass it on to their kids.

The classic summer road trip! I love it!

New Years Challenges

Happy New Years.

I hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season and look forward to a fabulous new year. After a couple of difficult years this house hold is hoping to have a fantastic year. We have lots of plans and things we (I) hope to finish. Dear hubby gets frustrated because of all my to do wish lists and I always have one project or another going on. It's just how I am. I always have to have something going on. With our new house we have some "need to" do projects. This year I am hoping to:

Finish our basement

Fence the backyard- gotta keep the dog and Matthew fenced in

Build a deck

We also are planning a trip to Disneyland this year. Our boys have never been. Dear hubby and I have been to Disney World and I went to Disneyland as a kid. We are now only about 8 hrs from Disneyland so we figured this would be the year to take the boys. They range in age from (by then) 3-11. Yep, I think it will a grand time.

I am hoping to teach a couple of couponing classes. I love saving money and getting great deals. I am not the best but several of my new friends and neighbors have been asking about it so....

I also MAY tackle a neighborhood project. We have great empty corner lot in our neighborhood. The 2 streets wrap around it in such a way that only one side is not bordered by a street. I think it would make a perfect little park. Our neighborhood is newer and struggling to finish selling the new homes after the fall of the economy. I'm not sure who ownes the ground but already have people offering resources and time to go toward the project. Yeah, kinda ambitious I know but there is no park in our neighborhood and I think it would be fantastic! So many people would be able to enjoy it's use....we'll see.

WW: 10# in 10 weeks

My personal goals for this year are to finally regain control of my weight. I had lost a lot then had 2 more boys and just haven't gotten back to where I want to be. I have a weak back (to much lifting as at the hospital) and I am feeling the effects of being overweight and out of shape. So I am going to make WW work for me again. I only do online as I don't care for meetings. So,  I'm starting the year off with 10# in 10 weeks challenge.

PYP: January- nessessities only

On PYP we are doing a challenge of only buying nessessities during the month of January. No extras, no eating out, minimal traveling= minimal gas usage. I will need to plan some freezer meals so dear hubby won't be tempted to order pizza on the nights I work. I am hoping to take the money we save and apply to debt. I want so badly to be out of debt. That is another of my goals for this year. By the end of the year I want to only have our house debt. Tough order but doable.

A Year of Homemade gifts

Okay dear family, listen up. This year I plan to have homemade gifts for birthdays, mothers day, and Christmas. It's another way to be more frugal and reach my other goals. If you watch closely you will see each of the gifts as I post them. You can even put your dibs on 'em if you wanna. I hope you will like what I have in mind and anything else I stumble upon.

So there you have it. After finishing my 52 projects everyone has wondered what I have planned next. Now you know. Bigger projects but still a full load as usual. We will see what I accomplish this year.

What about you? What plans do you have for the new year? Please share, lets inspire each other!

Nauvoo- the city beautiful

Early morning, Friday July 10, 2009 we set off on our summer vacation. Our goal to Return to Nauvoo, following in the footsteps of the pioneers. We started later than planned but travel went well until our wagon wheel broke.
We had just gotten new wheels but amid the steep Wyoming mountain slopes it blew! No one was hurt thankfully and we were close to a town, which is a great blessing in Wyoming. We lost 3 hours with this trial but at least it was only hours and not days.In the middle of Wyoming we struggled to find more fuel for the horses. We were getting worried as the fuel got lower and lower. Silently offering prayers that something would come over the next rise. (There is NOTHING in the middle of Wyoming). Our prayers were answered at Muddy Gap, just before Martins Cove. We had traveled through 3/4 of a tank of gas without any other fuel available! After paying the highest price of our trip, $3.99, we traveled on, reaching Martins Cove at sunset. The bugs tried to feast on us but we retreated to the safety of our wagon.After making camp in Casper we set out early to continue eastward. Through Wyoming we stopped at the Gernsey ruts and Register Cliff. What an amazing site! Name after name of those who braved the elements and unknown to follow the command of the Lord's prophet to settle the Salt Lake Basin.How many wagons had to pass by here to carve 5 foot ruts into solid stone? I can only imagine. The hills and mountains were not gentle slopes. They had to struggle and suffer unimaginably!

I looked over the vastness of the wilderness and my heart was full of gratitude and respect for our ancestors. The Mormon Pioneers were, despite hardships, the greatest pioneers in history.
We made a few more significant stops including Scotts Bluff. We passed by Chimney rock shortly after the sun reach it's zenith. Nebraska brought rolling hills filled with corn, corn, and more corn. Once again we traveled good interstate roads making good time. It seemed we were destined to remember our forefathers trials as we struggled to find a campsite with room. Rolling into a Prarie Oasis at 1:00 am we struggled to set up our camper in the dark. We didn't have the hitch locked in place causing it to come crashing down on my hand! All the weight of the camper rested on my wedding ring! Seldom is my diamond centered on my finger as it should be but this night it was. My finger was pinched pretty good but greatly saved with my diamond ring carrying the weight. It is smashed nearly flat. I still have the diamond, having survived great pressure. Perhaps our bishop (and jewler) can help. Another blessing....Setting out the morning of Day 3 we were anxious to reach Nauvoo by the end on the day. After making good time on the interstate we stopped at Winter Quarters. One of the highlights for me of the trip. I was moved to tears more than once to see and FEEL what the pioneers experienced. It was Sunday morning as we walked through the mormon cemetary on the bluffs at Winter Quarters. How many children and infants lost their lives? How many mothers and fathers cried as they left their child's grave behind to continue westward? So many, sooo many......
Traveling through county roads and past small farm towns with amazing farm houses we crossed the Mississippi and traveled up to Nauvoo at sunset.President Hinckley said everyone should experience Nauvoo at some time in their lives. I could not agree with this more. This is a time when a pictures 1000 words is not enough. You cannot explain the FEELING of Nauvoo. To walk where such great people, the Lord's people walked. Where the prophet Joseph Smith walked, ohhh, it was nothing short of amazing. Robin and I went through sessions at the temple- INCREDIBLE! We had fun, shed tears and laughter from the heart and soul. Tuesday night we experienced the Nauvoo Pagent!!! Words just cannot explain the emotions felt as we watched the history of Nauvoo portrayed on stage, culminating in the destruction and rebuilding of the Temple. As they lit the beautiful Temple on the hill, we listened to President Hinckley talk at the dedication. Only the Nauvoo Temple faces West. "Like 2 bookends, the Salt Lake and Nauvoo temples face each other".
The morning that Joseph and Hyrum left for Carthage they were "calm as a summers morn". Joseph said these are the greatest people on earth and the lovliest place on earth. Little do they know the trials that await them.....
What a great experience. I hope the boys will remember the way they felt walking the streets of Nauvoo for a long time!

On the way back we stopped at Mt Rushmore and the Cosmos. We managed to get home a day earlier than planned as it didn't take as long to return as it did on the way there. We missed Independence, Missouri but plan to go back in a few years and will see that then.

Nauvoo

We are planning on leaving for Nauvoo this week. We are so excited. We have been planning this vacation for months. We weren't sure we would make it after a couple of costly mishaps but alas the time has come for us to go. We will be following the Mormon Trail to Nauvoo and hopefully hit Mt Rushmoore on the way back home. Keep watch, I will try to post pictures along the way.....We will be camping with our new (to us) pop up trailer. Can't wait!

Memorial Day!

We are going to Nauvoo this summer so for Memorial day break we went to This is the Place Park is SLC. I didn't realize there was so much to do! We had a great time. I hope the boys will learn to value the pioneer heritage they have. It puts into perspective what our ancestors went through when you see the tiny cabins they lived in or see the simply way of life and talk about the struggles of life on a new frontier. In July we will follow the Mormon Trail from the Salt Lake Valley through Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri and into Illinois. This weekend was a nice start. 5 minutes away from home we realized we were out of kleenex in the van. With allergies we HAVE to have kleenex, so quick stop at the store. Then we get to the park and realize we have 1 baby wipe left. Next stop- another store. It is always an adventure in itself to travel with little ones and this mini-trip was no different. We forgot several things and were able to make plans of what we need to bring for the big trip. I also plan to have a bag o'tricks for the longer trip. Road games, secret rewards, learning objectives etc for the boys. Nintendo DS is great for a little quiet time but I want them to get something more out of this summers vacations. Stay tuned for more summer fun.