Little peek into bedroom re-do

 Black armoir, about to get a facelift.
you can kind of see the "snowmobile white" through the plastic.
this was the before paint colors, beige, white, and chocolate brown.
These are a few of the paint colors that were in the running.
This just looked too much like mint chocolate chip to me.

So about a year ago, Nate fell through our bedroom ceiling, (that is another blog topic that I really should document) anyway, to say the least there was a giant patched up hole in the ceiling (thanks to great friends) and the mud and tape went down the walls, giving our bedroom a nice redneck look and was desperately in need of some love. So, about a year after the falling through the celieng fiasco, we have completed our bedroom. These of course are the before pics, but, I want to get our curtains up and done first before I show you all our, new to us, bedroom. That way I can tell Nate that I have to blog about them because the 3 of you who follow my blog are dying to see it, right?

Chopping down the tree, round 2

Arshel's, we hold you forever in our hearts. 

 This is showing the steepness, so steep I couldn't open the van door.

 This is Neil & Becky's tree, beauty eh?

 The kids' shrubbery.

 Our family tree. She looked lovely in the forest,

even lovelier in our living room.

 Please notice how much rope is on those trees.

 Please notice the safety line, as to indicate any lifting by the tree.

Please notice me in the front seat, having waited around

40 minutes or so for the master tie on to occur.

So, there we were. In the Beaver mountains, surrounded by beauty, and evergreens galore. It was lovely. Nothing to it really, not this year anyway, no rules to speak of, other than "NO BLUE SPRUCE." So, it began. The search for the perfect Christmas tree. It didn't take all that long. We ended up getting the very first one I picked out, it is a beauty. After looking at about a gazillion trees in the 100 yard circumference that we ventured into, mine won out. Now Neil and Becky's took a little more time. Choosing a tree for someone else really puts on the pressure. We did find a keeper however and her branches are lovely, just like ole tanunbaum's. The real fun came when we tied it on to the van. We were a little apprehensive after our last chopping of the tree venture a couple of years back. Real quick recap: tree on van, friends traveling in front of us, just got on on ramp, friend says, 'hey your tree is lifting a little' 1/2 second later "oh, ooooh, there it goes." Our tie on was soo great it ripped our rack right off the poor van. Our tree went flying, got ran over by a diesel as he honked, and we nearly killed an old man who had to swerve, to miss the tree that looked like a corpse wrapped in a tarp. Oh what I wouldn't give to have that on video. So back to this year, it was quite uneventful comparatively speaking. Nate jimmy rigged our old rack with some u-bolts, (you're a genius babe), and the rest is history. A lovely evergreen stands noble and whole in our front room. Good times. Very good times.

Party Like it's YO Bert-Day yo Bert-Day!

HE'S 9!!

I don't claim to know how this happened, but alas, C'est Vrai.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLE!!

You are the coolest kid I know & I hope your day is amazing,

it looks like it is shaping up to be just that-
Amazing, just like you.

We love you,

Mom, Dad, Maggie, & Fisher

Fest-O-Trees

 A couple of the best people on earth. True heights depicted here.
Cristy is my tiny little friend, with a great big heart. Krista, my tall friend with a great big heart.

 Still awesome people, Cristy & Krista. A bit of squatting along with tippy toes.

I won't tell who is doing what, that's our little secret.

This tree is made out of Motorcycle tires. Awe- Some.

I had a special treat the other night. I got to be a volunteer at the Festival of trees, thanks to my cute friend Krista. She has been volunteering with her mom for years. The whole thing is quite the production, requiring hundreds, if not closer to a thousand, volunteers to pull the whole thing off. It's amazing and good to see how selfless and giving people in the community are. Everything is donated including, trees, ornaments, small trees, wreaths, gingerbread houses, centerpieces, food, quilts (which I have a fond appreciation for, knowing how much time and money it requires to make a quilt), not to mention the purchasers, accounting talents, hostessing, leadership, invoicing, time, talent and delivery, which could be anywhere from St. George to Idaho. Impressive. The money goes to Primary Children's Hospital, and I for one have told myself that it goes to families having financial troubles.

What an awesome venture involving awesome people. Hope is abounding for humanity. Look around, goodness is there in full force. Let's add to it. 

3-2-1- Blast Off!

 Do you have a bit of Space Derby Rocket envy? Pretty cool eh?

 Cole with his awesome Rocket as well as hair that is also very aerodynamic.

Some of the cronies and the cool track- thanks to amazing leaders.

Space Rocket Derby. Who knew. Gone are the days of soley derbying with pine wood cars. I have to say It was pretty cool. You know, as a  parent, competitions involving your young child somehow evolves into a competion involving the parents, or dads, if being mostly accurate. Wow, there are alot of tricks and details that could mean victory or failure depending on if you choose to incorporate them or not. Tricks like, clean lines, smooth sanding, the right lube, how many rubber bands are legally allowed, and of course, the awesomeness of the paint job. Cole's shark rocket was stellar. In a rocket world where fat and chunky rockets reigned, Cole's was sleek and clean. A trick achieved with none other than a potatoe peeler. Sweet. As luck would have it, Cole got his moment of glory in one heat, where "The Shark" sailed seemlessly past all other enemy rockets coming in first place. Thank goodness for that one moment, in that one heat, for that was to be his only taste of victory of the day. Congratulations Cole on a competiton well competed with pride and dignity, laced with great sportsmanship. You are "The Shark" of goodness & awesomeness.