Lydia And Violet's Little Play House

When we got our washer, we decided that we definitely had to keep the box. When we got our dryer a while back, Ryan made it into a little fort for Lydia and she thought it was the coolest thing ever. So, this time we had to make the box fort extra cool! Ryan cut out shapes all around it for the Door, windows, peek-a-boo holes, and a star shaped sunroof. Then we got our painting clothes on, covered the kitchen floor with tarps, and we all painted it together. Violet preferred to paint herself, but she did get some paint on the fort! It was so much fun. Right now it's in our living room. Like the last one, it won't last for too long, but we'll enjoy it while we have it!

Our New Washer!

Our new washer was delivered to our house this morning! It's awesome! I can't wait to do laundry!! We got such a great deal on it- almost 1/2 off. It was $100 off, plus an extra 10% plus $150 in rebates from the gas and electric companies, plus free delivery and installation and haul away of the old washer. And we are going to save so much because it's so efficient too! (Thanks for the extra $ George W.!)

I Feel The Earth Move Under My Feet....

This morning there was an earthquake in Northeastern Nevada, that was felt here in Cache Valley! It was a 6.0! I guess it was felt from Northern Idaho all the way to Southern California. One building collapsed in Nevada, but other than that, there were just some cracked walls and pictures that fell off the walls.
When Ryan's friends told him about it when he went to school, they said that it woke them up. I was awake laying in bed at the time it happened and I didn't fell anything. I kind of wish that I did so I'd have some sort of story about my first earthquake experience.
My sister studied the fault line in Cache Valley when she was in college, and she said that it is always active. So, I guess I have been through many earthquakes, I just can't feel them. Next time I feel a little unstable or off balance, I'm blaming it on the active fault line!

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Chrystal Snowmaid"

Yesterday it was about 40 degrees and awesome outside, so we all went out to play in the snow. We really haven't had great "snowman" snow this year because it's been so cold, but yesterday the snow packed awesome, so we decided to make a snowman. After we had the three huge snowballs piled on top of each other, Lydia said "I know Mommy, let's make a mermaid!" So, thinking that it would be a really fun thing to do together, I started shaping our snowman into a mermaid. The snow was so easy to sculpt, that I was having so much fun, I hadn't even payed attention to the fact that Lydia wasn't helping me at all- she was off playing in the snow somewhere else. So, I got a little carried away. After two almost hour long sessions, I had to stop (even though I felt like she wasn't quite finished!). I did make her her tail and body thinner after taking the picture, but haven't had a chance to go back out yet to do more.
Lydia and I decided to call her Chrystal Snowmaid. I enjoyed doing this form of art because it's here and gone so fast, that you have to appreciate it as much as you can in the NOW. It's a good reminder of how things and people can be here one moment and gone the next, so we need to appreciate them while we can!
My neighbor girl told me that she came over and took pictures of her yesterday, and today people have been driving by slowly to look at her. I'm glad she's getting seen before she's gone forever!

When my Grandpa died, my sister was inspired to write this beautiful poem in his memory. I have always thought of my sister as a creative woman, and she inspires me so much, but I haven't read much poetry of hers. I am so impressed. Just another of the million things I love about her!

"The Fisherman"

by: Janel Graham

A man sitting in his boat
Fishing pole in hand
Sunlight on the water
A flash, a splash
The remaining ripple of where a fish just jumped.
A deer on the shore
A heron flies over
A beer in his hand
His wife smiles across the way
Grandkids squealing with excitement
A bobber disappears
“A quarter for the first, the biggest and the most,” he’d say.
A full boat
A full basket of fish
A full heart
A full life.

A man sitting in his boat
Fishing pole in hand
A stranger on the shore beckons to the man.
“Drop your net and follow me.”
“How do I follow you?” asks the man.
The stranger replies. “Believe.”
Out of his boat steps the man
and takes the strangers hand.

I Love Her

I saw the commercial for the Mac Air a few weeks ago, and instantly thought "I have to find out who the singer of that cool song is!" So I Googled her. Her name is Yael Niam. She was born in Paris and raised in Isreal and had a classical music upbringing. I also found this beautiful video on Youtube that is really great. It sort of reminds me of one of my favorite foreign movies "Amalie". I watched some other clips of her on Youtube as well. She's very different from anyone I've seen before. Very quirky, but in a unique beautiful sort of way. Check out the video...