2016 Blue Jeans Week 8

Basketball is officially over--yeah!  That is a really long season.  This week we had another senior night for winter activities, last basketball game of the season, Mr J had his cub scout pinewood Derby, Ben finished up working with a student at work and life in general was very good, but busy this week.  Take a look at our week. . .

One of the consequences of driving a car is learning how to take care of it.  Ben instructing Miss O on how to check air in her tires and put air in them.  Good life lesson right here :)

Winter activities senior night.  We got to escort this amazing girl across the floor for her forensics, pep band and singers activities.  One more "last senior" moments.  Yes, I cried.  

Life doing homework is so much different for my kids than for me with no computers, internet, etc.  It is a different world.  Mr J working on writing a story for school.  

Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby time!  Look at that awesome orange and black car!  It was a fun night!  His last pinewood derby. No, I did not cry :)

For young women's activity at church this week the girls learned how to make flower arrangements.  The cute girl in the middle was their teacher.  They all did awesome and made some cute arrangements!

For the last 2 months Ben has had a student shadow him at work.  Friday was his last day.  It was a good experience for both of them.  Hoping he comes back after he graduates!!! 

And Miss O's last basketball game.  No need to worry that she will get bored.  She auditioned for the high school musical and was very excited to get a part.  Practices start today :)  No rest, but it is all good!  Loved the basketball even if the season was a little long!  

Thanks for visiting!  Come back soon!  Hope you have a great week!

Friday thoughts. . .

So wanted to share the picture that made my week.  We have a family room in the basement where the kids hang out, and I exercise down there in the mornings.  We have a white board on the wall down there, and on Monday morning after the kids left for school I went down to exercise and this was what I found written on the board.

Made my week!  Sure love my kiddos!  

Hope you all have a great weekend!

2016 Blue Jeans Week 7

What a week.  It was parent teacher conferences so the kids got off Thursday and Friday.  We had a great family day in the city Friday and got exciting college news Saturday!  College.  ugh.  That exciting thing is coming way too fast.  Take a look at our week. . .

Sunday Valentine's Day dinner was at my mom's and my girls rocked it in the dessert department!  Valentine's day trifle and tuxedo dipped strawberries.  They were a hit!

It is cub scouts pinewood derby time again.  Ben and Mr J are working hard on his car.  

Forensics is in full swing for Miss A.  She qualified for state in poetry a few weeks ago and this week she qualified for state in impromptu speaking.  She was excited about that!

Friday family day to the city--the kids rockin' out on the drive there.  So fun!

We went to a marble factory, did some shopping, went ice skating--in 70 degree weather, went out to eat and just had a great day together.  

On the way home they were a little quieter :) Love this shot.

And Saturday we got the official news that these two cute girls are headed to BYU in the fall! (that is why they are making the "Y" sign :) Miss A will be a 3rd generation BYU cougar!  So proud of her!  These two will be roommates and super excited for them!!!

Thanks for visiting!  Hope you have a great week and come back soon!

2016 Blue Jeans Week 6

Had a fun Valentine's week.  Valentine's Day is a big deal at our house.  Lots of traditions.  We do a special Valentine's day dinner that my great-grandma started when my grandma was just a little girl, so going strong for the 5th generation now with my kids having it.  As just our family, we do a valentine's box and fill it with homemade valentines for each other. Homemade cards are a big deal at our house too.  It was a fun week.  Take a look. . .

Years and years ago I made these valentine bean bags and bought this heart bucket for a classroom party game.  It is part of our Valentine's Day decorations that the kids always look forward to. "Are the Valentine's bean bags out yet?"  Mr J playing valentine bean bag toss when I got them out this week.  Fun memories.  I think I made them when Miss A (now a senior) was in kindergarten.

Everyone hard at work on their homemade valentines--a great family tradition.

Another big family tradition is our family Valentine's box.  Everyone decorates a side

We open it on Valentine's day and pass out the awesome cards and share the love.  Lots of fun!

I had to head out of town early one day this week, and the sunrise was so pretty.  

Had some basketball games this week.  Miss O scored 6 points in her game.  Awesome! 

Ended the week on an amazing note--we got to see the excellent show of SIX--which is 6 brothers--no instruments, all voices and they were absolutely amazing!  They are in Branson, MO and if you ever make it there, it is a show NOT to be missed!  Our whole family went and LOVED it!!!

Hope you had a great week!  Come back soon!

Friday thoughts. . .

Valentine's Day is kind of a big deal in my family.  It has been ever since my great-grandma started her fancy Valentine's Day Dinner when my DeeDee (my grandma) was a little girl.  We are blessed to live close to my mom who also keeps the fancy Valentine's Dinner tradition alive, but we started our own family tradition several years ago when our kids were little.  We have a family Valentine's box--like the ones you made in elementary school for all your friends to put your valentines in--we do that for our family.  We each help decorate it and stuff it full of valentines for each other.  We open it up on Valentine's day and share the love (and usually some chocolate that makes its way in there too.)

This is our 2016 box.  Everyone helps to decorate a side.

Lots of fun and lots of love!

Hope you have a great Valentine's weekend!!!

2016 Blue Jeans Week 5

Winter homecoming week this week so it was pretty busy.  Miss A was a homecoming queen candidate again, and she didn't win and that is ok.  She was honored to be nominated and glad that it is over :)  Being in the spotlight is not her favorite thing.  Miss O is coaching a kiddie basketball team and had her first game this week.  It was a good week.  Take a look. . .

The winter Homecoming court as they were presented to the school earlier this week for introductions and voting.  A great group of kids.

Miss O having fun one day after school with frosting and graham crackers :)

Pep band for the basketball games this week--Miss A on her mellophone

Miss A and her escort the night of the homecoming game and announcement.  She looked beautiful!

Proud Mom and Dad here.

Miss O with her adorable little basketball team who had their first game this weekend.  Miss O told me, "Mom, coaching is HARD!"  :)  Good volunteer work for her and makes her appreciate her coaches more!

Saturday was the homecoming dance and all these girls got together before for a little senior girl party.  Most of them have been in school together since kindergarten.  Crazy they just have a few more months together!  

Thanks for visiting!  Hope you have a great week!  Come back soon!

Friday thoughts. . .

Taxes are done!  Yeah!  FAFSA is done!  Needed to get them all done early because of the FAFSA and college deadlines.  I was disappointed this year, though.  I have used TAX Act for free for years and years--yes I do our taxes myself and always have, but this year I couldn't.  There are lots of places to do it free if you just have a 1040EZ/A but we use the 1040 and itemize, and I could not find anywhere to do it for free.  Bummer.  I still used TAX Act because they were the cheapest to do what I needed to do.  $25 did my state and federal e-filed.  Still not as good as free, but the cheapest I could find.  Then I had to do Miss A's, but hers were very simple and free all the way around both state and federal e-file.  Taxes.  What a fun thing to talk about on a Friday :)  but the fun thing is they are done and a refund is coming.  That is the fun thing :)

Have a great weekend!!

What's up Wednesday--a few new favorites

No original "me" recipes to share today, but wanted to share 3 new recipes I tried from other places and that we have LOVED!  They all went into my permanent cookbook, and even the kids wanted copies for their own cookbooks, so you know they were good!

The first one is a skillet s'mores.  Our family loves s'mores and since it is way too cold to go out and have one by the fire, this skillet one is perfect.  We devoured the whole thing in 5 minutes flat--with vanilla ice cream on top of it just after it came out of the oven.  Divine.  Please make it.  It is from Your Home Based Mom and you can find it here

Second new recipe we tried this week was also from Your Home Based Mom--check out her site, I like it.  I is a slow cooker Mongolian Beef, and we also all loved it.  Very easy and very good.  Love throw in the crock pot recipes that are just waiting for you ready to go at the end of the day.  You can find that one here

Last one was a brownie recipe--a junior mint brownie recipe.  It makes a small batch and uses a 4 oz box of junior mints.  Our family loves, loves, loves mint brownies.  The kind I usually make are pretty involved, but these are super simple, make in one bowl and you're done.  I found them at Skip to my Lou here. One thing about this recipe, in the directions it says to add the vanilla, but in the ingredients list it doesn't say vanilla, so I added 1 teaspoon.  They were good :)

Just sharing some yummy finds this week!  Hope you enjoy!  Have a great day!!!

2016 Blue Jeans Week 4

We had a great week.  We had our last school "Christmas" program that wasn't able to be scheduled until now.  We celebrated our state's birthday like we do every year with a sunflower cake.  Mr J and Nana showed off their quilt top.  We played some basketball games, made some treats, and enjoyed some very unseasonably warm weather.  Take a look at our week. . .

Had Girls Lunch Out with these amazing friends. I don't know what I was laughing at, but it was obviously funny :)  

Making our famous addiction recipe--needed it for a church activity.  Yum!

Mr J's school program.  They have an awesome African Drumming Circle group that he loves being in.

And he was excited to play the recorder for a few pieces.

Happy State Day!  We always make a sunflower cake to celebrate, but this year the kids requested a pie instead of a cake, so we had a chocolate cream pie with a sunflower on it.  Sadly Miss A missed our picture, but we all loved the pie!

My mom is an amazing quilter.  She had made a quilt with each of my kids over the years.  This past year or so she and Mr J have been working on his.  He picked out the material, design, and has sewed most of it.  The top is done and they are getting ready to put on the back and then Mr J will machine quilt it and bind it.  So grateful for my mom and her amazing influence in my kids' lives!  What a treasure!

Saturday we had an amazingly warm day and decided to hit some bike trails by our house.  It was really pretty.  Miss E had fun with us, but it was sooooo muddy!  Will have to wait for dry weather for a long period of time before we head back.  It was like riding through quick sand, but it was still pretty.  

Thanks for visiting!  Come back soon!