Once Upon a Time

Happy Halloween!

Another Home Improvement Post

I haven't taken many picture of the basement yet because the trim work isn't up so it's not 100% "finished" but here's the boys' room. This is the carpet we put in the whole basement. That and paint really make a huge difference.

If you're annoyed by my basement-finishing blog posts, be of good cheer. Today's post isn't just about the basement. It's about the upstairs bedrooms, too! We're switching rooms upstairs and getting new carpet in the upstairs bedrooms so I painted over the wall art in the kids' old room. I was sad to see it go, so I took some pictures. They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. This next one speaks volumes about why projects take so long to to finish around here. Isn't potty training joyful?

(When she's a teenager, won't my baby will be glad I don't have her actual name connected with my blog?)

This isn't the girls' room, just a picture of a bed I love. I found plans for making it online. It's our next project, after the upstairs bedroom painting/carpeting. SO is eager for the real bed and keeps asking if it's "coming soon." She can't wait.

Oh, and Halloween is about to crush us like bugs. Bring it on!

Celebrate

Happy Birthday, Dad!

My dad is seventy-seven this week. I haven't joined in on the celebration yet. But that ends now.This is a picture I love of Dad and my Co. taken this April when we were visiting. My dad is a retired professor. He worked in the School of Business at BYUH in marketing then hotel and restaurant management. I was able to take a class from him when I went there and he is a dynamic teacher who encouraged his class to read, and not just the required text for the class. Love that! I have several memories from my childhood that make me smile and remind me of how lucky I am to have a good dad. Whenever I see an insect with a pin in it or a giant fish stuck to a wall I think of my dad. No, my dad didn't work at a museum, but we used to go on campus to visit him and have adventures all the time. The Monte Bean museum is a big part of my childhood memories from BYU Provo.

We'd visit my dad after Saturday matinees. We'd eat at the cafeteria at the wilky Wilkinson center blowing milk bubbles with our straws. But we also met Dad at his office at BYUH where we seemed to always be licking an ice cream cone from the Seasider/Snack Bar. My brothers perfected the "suicide" fountain drink at family dinners there, too.

I remember the kids taking turns riding around with Dad on his moped. I loved when he'd "pedal" the moped. Like it was a bike. Amazing skills.

I also remember that catchy tune, "My Dad," from childhood. I always thought the lyrics were written especially for my dad. The part that goes ". . . he always has money for bubble gum, I haven't figured how he does it yet, but, my dad's the smartest guy. . ." For years Dad always had a Big Red PLENTPAK and we would get a half stick whenever we asked.

My childhood was filled to overflowing with vacations and activities that I took for granted. I wish I were a better writer, so I could adequately explain how lucky my siblings and I are to have such a kind-hearted provider. These days my dad wears the "retired" hat well. He loves watching TV, is a voracious reader, has served several MTC missions with my mom, and even works out at the gym! I love you, Dad. Happy 77th birthday.

Love This!

Sesame Street is turning forty!



(Stay down, doot doot Dora.)

I grew up watching and loving that show. My all-time favorite Sesame Street song is this one:



Six Soccer Socks is also a favorite of mine. And I have to say that Grover and Oscar the Grouch are definitely my favorite monsters and Maria is my favorite human.

Ooh, I just found Six Soccer Socks:


Happy 40th, Sesame Street. And Happy 42nd, Uncle Ryan!

Almost Camping

We almost stayed at another Fire Lookout, this time with Daddy in North Idaho near the Canadian border. Once we got to the park, we drove for about 16 miles up a mountain on Friday along switchbacks for about an hour. We were amused at first by the snowflakes we were seeing and glad that we had some new warm sleeping bags. But the snow got deep fast the higher we went. We decided to turn around the second time the van got stuck. A park ranger in a Rhino reported 6 to 8 inches at the summit.

We ended up staying at a hotel with indoor water park and although I got a great deal at $129.00 for the room and family water park pass, it was the first summer we did not get to have a family camping trip.

Here are a few pictures of the cold kids playing in the snow before we surrendered and headed back down the mountain. JO was making us laugh as he hurried to squeeze as much snow-related fun into the few minutes we were stuck. He made a snow angel, had a snowball fight with RO, ate a big snowball, and wrote in snow with, um, yellow "ink."