Mother...

Happy Birthday! I have the best mom!!! I look up to her in so many ways as I am raising my own four little girls. I have learned so much from her, most of all her PATIENCE...I have ask R! I really don't, but I wish! She is always so patient and seems to never get upset, an attribute I hope to master someday! Also her CRAFTINESS, I didn't say sewing, however I wish I was half as good as her. We enjoy crafting together and have the same tastes in decorating! Recently we have enjoyed CANNING together and finding good, easy recipes...oh the Beef and Bean Burritos are good! She is also such a WONDERFUL GRANDMA. The girls love her so much and are so excited that they get to spend the next week with her! As you can see in the pics below she loves to play with them! Thanks Mom, for all you have done for me this year, I really couldn't have done it without you there with me! I feel like it has bonded us closer that we already were! Ahhh...I'm tearing up! I have told you many times, but you are the best example that I could ask for! I love you so much and have so much work to do to become like you! Sure love ya and hope you had a great day, despite all the mishaps. (Hope Dad gets better and Smooch is still alive). Aunt Jane and Cyndi hope you both had dandy birthdays also!!!

In May???

so today was the last day of school and it SNOWED. Who has ever heard of Snow for Graduation? It has been a great year! However...forget the last post, the garden is gone as of today May the 22nd...it froze. This week has been the weirdest weather week. Monday and Tuesday it was so beautiful (Heavenly Father knew that's what I wanted for my birthday and he delivered). Yesterday was extremely windy all day long. Mk's class was going to the pool and I was waiting for their class in my car and the wind was blowing so hard the it was making my car bounce. I was sitting there for probably 5 minutes and was actually getting car sick. Now today it's snowing! Getting us ready for the week ahead??? Now I know why I haven't planted my flowers.

I've been tagged...

by Linda...a recipe tag! Ok everyone needs to look at Pioneer Woman's site she has awesome recipes and is super funny too! Also check out my new recipe...Bottled Beef, yummy and convenient!

Beef Stroganoff

1/3 c flour
2 c milk
2 t. beef bouillon granules
1-1 1/2 lbs. lean stew meat
1/2 packet dry onion soup mix
1 bay leaf
1 small can sliced mushrooms--optional
1/2 c water
2 c sour cream
1 sm pkg egg noodles

Make a white sauce with the first 3 ingredients, warm about 1 1/2 c of the milk in a saucepan. Place all of the four and bouillon in a mixing bowl and gradually whisk in remaining milk. Slowly add it to the warm milk in the saucepan. Stirring constantly over medium heat, bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat. Add the rest of the ingredients to the sauce except for the sour cream. Pour in a slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on low until meat is tender. Add sour cream just before serving. Serve over noodles.

I tag anyone who loves to cook...

Getting the garden ready...

Robert's parents always have a nice, big, wonderful garden. On Saturday we went and helped them plant. The girls had a good time playing in the dirt and mud and helping Poppy and Grammy!

Last year after everything was harvested I bought a pressure cooker. I have used it for beans, meat and chicken, but not for fruits or veggies. I love looking in the pantry at food I have canned. I have helped my mother-in-law put up her fruits and vegetables every year since we've been here, so I finally am going to be able to use my own to help! Pretty exciting!

K before, just thought it was a cute pic of her...

planting, everyone hard at work...

B bringing her baby and the cans to protect the plants...

setting the cans...

K watering so carefully!

Karli's big events...

lately include her Texas Ranger t-ball game and the end of the year preschool party at the park. We watched K play in her t-ball game. She actually understands the game as far as t-ball goes.

You hit...

you run to 1st...

outfield--you stop the ball and throw to 1st.

It was fun watching her play. As a little girl she wasn't into playing ball much, but as she has grown up she loves it! K, we loved watching you in your game even though it was freezing cold in May!

K has been going to a preschool they have at the Primary School. She rides the bus in the mornings with Mk which is nice. This is her first year at preschool and she has really enjoyed it! She has made a lot of friends and neat things this year. She can write her name and knows all her letters and numbers, and colors extremely well. Yesterday they had their end of the year party at Ramsey Park. It is so nice to have such a nice park for the kids to play...the kids love going there, however it has been really cold in Eagar for May! We bundled up...the kids played...ate pizza, carrots, chips, and fruit...took a few pictures and came home! K really loves Mrs. Whiting and the aides Mrs. Hamilton, Mr. Barsnest, and Ms. Mary that have worked with her this year. She is ready for the big KINDERGARTEN!!!

Mrs. Hamilton, Wacey, Daniel, Karli, and Dempsey

Pictures, pictures, pictures...

Well throughout last week I was busily (is that a word?) working on getting things together so I could leave on Friday first to check on my dad who was having his knee operated on in Payson (he is doing great!), then off to a photography workshop. I have always loved to take pictures and think that I was taking great pictures, but up until now I knew nothing (or just a bit), but I came away from the workshop feeling that I could be a professional. It was so AWESOME! I learned a ton about my camera and what to look for while taking every single picture. They say that it all becomes second nature, but as for now I am feeling a little overwhelmed. Hopefully, I can practice, practice, practice and become a pro on my camera. I hope that my kiddos are ready for this and I am going to have to get more walls in my house for all I have planned. I had a great time at the clinic and hope to be able to use the information and apply it! These are a few pictures I took while I was there...Holly lives in a great neighborhood and in the evening had set up four families to be ready for 25 amateur photographers to take their pictures. The children were all great, we just walked around to different houses taking pictures of them. Did I mention that I loved it!!!

Big...big thanks to my extraordinaire husband for watching the kids so I could go. They always love it when he "babysits" because it's a big, huge party!!!

Gunner's Blessing Weekend

To start off the weekend I was suppose to go with the High School Seniors on an overnight hike/campout on Friday. Thursday night B, Ry and R started puking. I woke up that morning to get Mk ready for school and K started it. I cannot go off and leave everyone sick, muchless if I go and get the pukes...yuk! So I stayed home and took care of sick people. Midway through the early release day the school called and said that Mk was throwing-up, so off to get her.

Amazingly, Saturday morning everyone woke up and felt 100%. I'm thinking that it might have been something we ate for it to be everyone...on the same day...except me unfortunately!
Saturday morning was Opening Day for Little League. R & I got conned into coaching Mk's softball team and K is playing t-ball.

We got home from getting team pictures and headed off to Pima for Gunner's blessing. It was such a fun weekend, I always have fun there! My mom being the fun grandma that she is played outside with the kiddos...races, rolls, red light-green light. The kids had a good time! My dad took Abbi, Dustin, Ami and I to Dairy Queen for an after-you-get-the-kids-down treat, and we had called in an order for the all important...potato munchers! It has become a tradition of my sisters and whoever else when we get together to go to Jerry's late at night always ordering potato munchers. We stayed with Heidi at her house along with Aunt Ami and Cousin Cyndi...always a good time.

Sunday morning we went to Pima 2nd Ward church, that ward brings back so many great memories of when I was growing up...so many great people! And Baby Gunner was blessed by his dad (I never got a picture). Seeing him in his little blessing outfit reminded me of my Baby Braxton. Grandma had made the same little outfit. I can't believe that it had been six months on Saturday...I still think of him everyday!

After the blessing, we had a taco salad at Grandma Evelyn and Grandpa Joe's house. It was such a beautiful day that we ate outside and visited under the pecan tree. Thanks for the visits from everyone I sure enjoyed my weekend!