Spreading Sunshine

This sounded fun, so here it goes :) 

The first three people to respond to this post will get something made by me! Made with tons of love just for you! It might be a card, goodies, or you might be surprised what you get! Give it a try! The catch? You must re -post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 3 people who do the same on your blog. The first 3 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a lovely little treat for themselves! Have Fun! Ready........Set............Go!

Maybe you could even leave a comment of what you'd actually want...I'm not exactly famous for anything :)  But I like the idea of service...and I want one of my other friend's gifts :)

Crazy Colorado

We've been having a really mild winter...we even got flowers early.  These daffodils were taken from my grandma's garden a couple days ago.  They weren't cut for fear of frost, but fear of deer (which eat them).  

This morning we woke up to a little snow...it's noon and you can't tell from this picture, but it's a BLIZZARD!  We've gotten over 10 inches of snow in a little more than 3 hours!  Dave works minutes from home and I'm scared for him to get home.  
He's coming home early because he doesn't like me scared :)  But, we're sooooo excited to go sledding and snowman making tomorrow!

zoo

  Lydia's been sick so we've been laying low.  But we decided to go to the zoo today for the afternoon.  The weatherman said it would be 70, but it wasn't.  Oh well, still fun!

Al is an eagle in this picture.  We went into Bird World (it's an indoor area where birds fly around you and walk around freely)  A bird pooped right on Alex's head.  He wasn't even that mad about the whole thing...maybe because there weren't any other kids in there to laugh at him.  It's an older exhibit.
  Lydia had fun looking at the elephants, and they named the crocodile Charlie.  Good day

Chairs

  I found out something yesterday that I should have known...  even if there are only pinks in your wardrobe that doesn't mean everything will match.  Who knew that there were 10 different kinds of pinks?  Now I do.  This picture doesn't do her justice...the shirt has sparkles on it with polka dot sleeves, the pants are orange and pink plaid, the socks have a dark pink ruffle, and then her dirty camo pink crocs.  It was almost hard to take her out :)

Alex has learned to write his name.  He practices all the time now, but he still doesn't understand how we only read from left to right...not up, down, in a circle, and upside down.  If you look closely, you can pick out all the letters from his name...or this could be his dinosaur :)
  And last, it's almost spring and I'm getting the bug.  So I decided to reupholster my dining room chairs.  They are hand-me-downs and the cane in the back has holes all over the place.  So I replaced them.

Before
After
  That's all here, I hope you are all doing well there!

Yogurt

This will be quick because I know no one really cares about yogurt...but I had a coupon for this "exotic" yogurt and it was SOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!  I doubt it's healthy, probably 130 calories or so.  But it was amazing!  I got 3 different flavors and this one was my favorite.  I've never tried Acai berries, but if they taste as good as this yogurt then I'll buy a bushel (if they grow in bushels ;)

   Anyway, if you want a fabulous dessert that also has good things for you in it..try this!  It really is amazing.  I wouldn't even share it with my kids, they got the yoplait :)

like father, like son

  Al likes to ham it up while in costume (just like Dave)

  We went to a murder mystery dinner where Dave was a school headmaster...it fit him perfectly.  After, Al wanted to wear Dave's "costume" and you could really see their similarities.
Here's Monty, the insane cricket player headmaster :)

28 years

  Happy Birthday Dave!  He turned 28 on Friday and we did a quiet celebration at home.  He worked all day, but came home to pizza and cookie balls :)  I forgot birthday candles, so I made him blow out my scented candle, and those are cookie balls next to him.  They taste great but they don't make much of a picture.  

  It was also 70 degrees here on Thursday...and it's february!!  We are totally spoiled.  Usually there is snow all over, and when there's not snow, there's wind.  But it was a gentle breeze day.  We even went to the zoo with Elijah and Autumn (and grandparents).   I'm already ready for spring, but I think there's going to be 6 more weeks on winter :(

I liked this one, good memories

What have you done??

Bold the ones you've done & post on your blog!
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch-hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie or on a TV show
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Had an encounter with a wild animal
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Taken a martial arts class

toilet paper

  Lydia went through a phase about a month ago that I forgot to post about.  Anytime I would get mad at her, or tell her "no".  She would run into the bathroom and unroll all the toilet paper, unroll it so far that it would be off the cardboard holder.  Then she would run in to show me what she had done...kind of a like a "so there!"

  I saved this one :)
 And last, since Christmas has come and gone I can show you the project I made for my family.  Dave and I took pictures of letter-like objects in Denver & Golden.  Then I put the pictures on painted cork board and varnished it to look like tile.  We did Rozeski, Talley, Mauger, and Arp.  I love them, and still have a ton of cork board left if anyone wants to try it :)

photo shoot

  We know a few people who are photographers, some portrait, some landscape.  We also have a great many more who want to be photographers and can take pretty darn good pictures but don't charge for them.  I thought I'd try a dabble in it.  And the cutest subjects I had in the kitchen?  My kids :)  I tell Alex to go hug his sister...this is the look I get.

  Luckily, Lydia perks up when I say hug and runs to Alex.
Al won't get off the hippity-hop, so they fall...
  And this is Lydia's close up :0
  So, I guess I just don't have the talent :)  They even tried to pose.  Lydia then wanted more pictures of her so she got all dressed up, sunscreen on with sunglasses and keys in hand.  Then she blew a kiss goodbye and headed out the door.
  Maybe I'm not cut out for photography, but I still love these shots.  

Anniversary

  We have officially been married for 6 years.  Our anniversary was on the 27th, but everything is delayed during vacation :)  We went to Joe's crab shack and the next day went skiing!!!!!!  The best of both worlds :)

  We look pretty young back then huh?  I'll post a few things (maybe 6?) that I know now that I didn't know in that picture.

       1.  Dave is really clean, he likes the house and his body to be clean, always.  Luckily he cleans the house just as much as I do, so this doesn't mean extra work for me.

       2.  We really do finish each other's sentences.  Before we knew what my seizures were he would always finish my thoughts when I would black out so I wouldn't be embarrassed.

       3.  Laundry, dishes, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.  Is all way more fun with your best friend.

       4.  You can have absolutely no money and still have a blast.

       5.  The biggest thing I miss by not having girl roommates anymore is sharing clothes, I just don't seem to fit right (or look good) in Dave's .

       6.  Dave's feet are never cold, they're always toasty warm...and Michelle recently told me that they never smell (because Maugers don't have smelly feet).  Interesting.

   I've also learned that marriage does get better with time.  I thought nothing could beat our first year of marriage, but the next year is always better.  I'm excited for #7!

Merry Christmas!!!

  We had a great Christmas here.  I didn't post a ton of pictures though, because they're all the same...a kid or an adult holding a gift they just opened with a great smile on :)  

    We woke up and took the kids to look at our tree and stockings and they weren't even close to excited (we were though, as evidenced by Dave).  They needed warm milk and some cuddles before tackling the presents.

  Then they got into it.  Lydia got a stroller that she just LOVES, my mom even made a dolly blanket for her.  Alex got a walking triceratops and playdough.  Dave got a gigantic summer sausage (shown below).  And Dave got me a book of art...I love it so much that I honestly almost cried.  It was a complete surprise.  There were other presents that all were wonderful too.
  After we went to the Maugers' and ate a lot, and then we went to the Rozeskis' and ate a whole bunch more.  Great Christmas :)

The big 4

Alex turned 4 years old on Friday...he's so big now!  A couple months before we told him how 4 year olds buckle themselves in the car, and they don't have sippy cups anymore..etc.  To prepare him.  Yesterday he told me that he doesn't get bedtime stories since he's 4 either.  I think he thought that 4 meant that you don't have any fun anymore :)

We celebrated with a few of his closest friends by going to "pump it up".  It's an indoor inflatable playground.  There were many bruises, tears, laughs, obstacle courses, jumps, slides, and pretty much every kid had a perpetual smile.  It was awesome!  I even got to go on the obstacle course, but Jaxen AND Madeline beat me.  I'm so old...
Autumn made it for the big day, she's chunkin' up rather nicely.
Jaxen with Al's new magnifying glass.  It's HUGE!
All the kids checking out the presents
Both sets of grandparents were there, great grandma too.  We also had Melissa and her clan (Autumn, Elijah, MAdeline, and Jaxen) and then Alex's school friend, James.  I love Alex at every stage he's in, and they continue to get better, so having him grow old isn't sad at all.  Although I dread the day when he doesn't just want to hug and kiss and cuddle on the couch with me...

snowday

  We had our first real snow this past weekend.  I found almost all the snow stuff except for Lydia's boots, but she was totally happy having baggies over her normal shoes.  They could've played outside forever but I started getting cold so we went in to have hot chocolate...yum!

  In other news, thanksgiving was really fun.  The Rozeski family laid low because of the newborn baby, but the Daniel and Michelle visited from Utah so we had a big dinner with the Maugers.  We played games, made cookies balls, and even got to see Twilight.  We also did a little shopping in there too.  It was great, and it's nice to just relax now :) 

New Baby!!!

I always have my pictures in reverse order.  So, to see Jason & Melissa's new baby  Autumn Grace Rozeski...scroll to the bottom.  This is a picture of Lydia frosting christmas cookies..this is pretty much how I thought it would go.  Mostly eating, decorating, licking the cookies, generally messy.  It was fun :0

Alex concentrating on his gingerbread man...made out of sugar cookie dough...he did really well on this little guy.  Then he started eating frosting and this was his first and last cookie decorated :)
Here's where all my bowls and spoons go.  I think they're warriors.
  Here she is!  She was born Friday night about 8 pm.  She's so little and very happy.  She's only a day old, but we can tell :)
  She fell asleep in Dave's arms, he was really excited :)  So there's our big news!  We love new babies, especially when you just get to hold them and cuddle but you're not expected to change diapers and wake up in the middle of the night with them.  Congrats Jason & Melissa!

Family Pictures

  Melissa took our family pictures a few weeks ago.  Alex was none to happy to be there.  He wouldn't smile at all until Melissa bribed him with ice cream (it was 8:30 am).

Then all of his pictures were like this :)
  She did a great job.  She's really got an eye for the right kind of light and background, and somehow she always makes us look good.  Thanks Melissa!  I also like her artsy style...I like artsy.

Halloween

Happy Halloween!!!!  We've had so much fun here this year.  Al was a dinosaur.  This was at his preschool party, he's fighting with a pink pterodactyl.  His best friend is Superman in the background :)
  We had a ward party and Dave and I dressed up too..can you guess who we are?  (no one famous ;)

  Lydia the pirate:)

Happy trick-or-treating everyone!

pumpkin patch

  Jason & Melissa invited us to go to a pumpkin patch in Northern Colorado.  It was on a Thursday so Dave couldn't go but, we still enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.  It's a place you could stay for the whole day, easy.  There were plenty of animals, we even fed a buffalo (very slobbery!) They had hay rides, corn mazes, hay mazes, food, pumpkins, little trains, a haunted field that we didn't go into, and you could even pretend milk a fake cow (kind of disturbing) that the kids loved.  Melissa took all these pictures, she's pretty artsy :)

  This last one is Alex explaining something in depth to the old farmer.  He called his tractor Olly and made us all ask her to pull us nicely :)  They immediately bonded.