A peek under my bed.

I'm not actually putting pictures of the dust and hair balls (or should I say golden retriever tumble weeds?) that are currently under my bed.  But I do have a this.

A giant box of wishful thinking.  I am a window shopper.  I rarely buy things {that would require making decisions} but I love to look. I have a cardboard box full of pictures of things I love.  Most of these magazines are old Pottery Barn magazines.  I live in Idaho--which I love--but we don't have Pottery Barn around here so items in the magazines are just pictures--ideas.
An actual store?!--Heaven!
 Jenna and I visited Trolley square while we were in Salt Lake.

 I love Pottery Barn furniture.  I dream of completely furnishing my house... 

One late night (or early morning? remember that little monkey that is currently attached to my hip?),  I discovered a treasure chest of fodder for my imagination. It totally beats the box under my bed.   Now I'm dreaming of becoming a carpenter. Next time you are up in the middle of the night you should check it out.  

Then you will want to go buy a table saw.  And a Kreg Jig. 

Have a look for yourself.  

Free Furniture plans Here.

I want to make this.

or maybe this.

or maybe I will start with something a little more simple like this.

I also have a thing for beautiful pottery with beautiful colors.  Good thing it's my dad's current hobby. He doesn't know it yet but building Pottery Barn knock-off furniture is about to become his next hobby!

I really want this--

It's plastic.  

They must have sent a product developer to my house when I wasn't looking because families like mine don't get along so well with glass containers.

But if we could refrain from breaking things I would also love this one--

I have a million mason jars around.  As does any self-respecting Idaho girl.

So this would fit right in to our kitchen.  Right after the dishes are done! 

Click on the pictures to go to the web sites.  

Happy window shopping!

Week three June 20-26

Another great week.  Lots more pictures to come--right after we get the laundry done!

The favorites of the week--

* perfect weather for swimming, hiking and playing

* new cousins--there will be four new babies this year when 

Ariel and Sam have their baby in a few weeks.  Very cute.

* A day at the lake included sand castles, canoes, watermelon football (they float!) and ultimate frisbee.  Not to mention a few rotten sunburns. ouch.

*Climbing a 2600 year old tree!

*Delicious food.  Peanut butter brownie s'mores 

topped the list of favorite deserts.

* Water painting lessons from Aunt Heidi

*Family Dance

*Family testimony meeting

*exploring Minnetonka cave (888 stairs!)

*Soft quiet beds!

Summer week two

We  had a great and BUSY week.
We all went with Rustin to Salt Lake City for the National Optometry Convention.

A few highlights:

*Pushing elevator buttons.

*Having enough room key copies made that everyone could have their own.

*A Risk game on Landon's I-Pod touch that lasted three days. {Landon won!}

*Riding the trolley.

*Rodesio. {We got our money's worth there!}

*Dallin and Landon riding the trax back from Rodesio alone at night. {eek!}

*Hogle Zoo.

*Cousins. {Jackson and Braden went swimming for the first time!}

*Swimming, swimming and more swimming.

*Costco muffins for breakfast three days in a row.
*Kendra and Ryan's wedding on Friday. Congrats!

  We got to see old friends from school in Tennessee.  We have the best friends.  We all picked up right where we left off.  After we ditched the alcohol-laden SCO reception we went to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. We put all the kids at one table and all the parents at our own table.  I'm not so sure the waiters loved it but we sure did!  It was so fun to catch up with everyone.  We missed those who didn't make it.

We are now back home with just enough time to do the laundry before we head out to a Hatch reunion at Bear Lake.  Can't wait!

June 5-12 First week of Summer!

We finally have warm weather.  Austin, Benson, Jenna, Jackson and I missed our 'big boys' and dad all week.  They went to Wyoming to reenact a handcart trek.  They all had a great experience remembering the faith and strength of our ancestors.  Rustin's great... grandmother was with the Martin handcart company.  My Great...Grandfather was one of the rescuers.

Rustin and I had our 16th anniversary.  Time flies!

While Rustin was gone I had a nerve pinched somewhere in my right arm that made my hand swell up and it felt like it was on fire.  Nothing helped--not pain medication, cold or heat. My mom and sister were gone so I had two miserable days by myself.  Thankfully my dad was home and he and all four missionaries from the basement gave me a blessing.  It was a great experience.  I had an  MRI on Friday and it looks like my neck is fine so for now I am hoping that a course of steroids will fix the problem.  My 1st finger is numb/rubbery and my arm is a little sore but nothing terrible.

Everyone is healthy and happy.  We are adjusting to the summer schedule pretty well--I haven't locked anyone in their room yet!  Next week looks like it will be great.

I'm dreaming of

Flowers.

Even though I swore them off.

Flowers make me feel like all is right with the world.

This picture makes me want to move to France so I can browse the little outdoor markets.

Peonies can transport me like that.

Sometimes I fantasize about living in Buckingham palace.  As in--I bet Princess Kate doesn't find crackers under the couch when vacuuming.  I bet Princess Kate doesn't vacuum at all.  I bet no one actually eats crackers in Buckingham palace.  They eat baguettes.  With tiny little shrimp.

There is something about the royal family that fascinates and bugs me at the same time.  I just read a great book called "the Help" about black maids in the south in the 60's and I realized what bugs me about royalty.  It's really one of  the same things that bug me about slavery--that is the idea that a person is born into their place in life with no ability to choose or make it different.  I have always known that I could be anything I want to be.

So today I am glad to choose to live right here in Idaho with my little bunch.  Crackers and all.