Long Recap of the Latest...

Of course we microwaved peeps for Valentine's Day. We do for every holiday! Came home late from a ward conference to this beautiful Valentine's Day sight...a candlelit table set for two and dinner made by:Sarah all by herself. Orange chicken with heart shaped bell peppers and heart shaped rice. She really knows how to spoil her parents!

President's Day at Mom and Dad's was awesome. I loved playing poker with Dad and Ben...and for some reason I won! I have no idea how (beginner's luck!). I still don't really know what beats what. But poker with your brother and Dad is always more laughter than strategy. I totally came from behind and wiped them out. However, I still have NO clue how to make a poker face.
Took the kids on a walk to the old community dock. This old staircase is WAY steeper and and longer and scarier than any picture can capture! I swam here when I was my kid's age! And my Dad just refinished the dock with his bare hands.

We threw huge boulders. What's more fun than throwing rocks, really???



Dreaming of a family photo in this spot.

Russ took Chad night boarding!!!!

A bit icy but fun. We've had a snowless winter and every day it is shocking! But I'm loving it.

Chad told a girl she had a mustache, she cried, so I told him he had to wax his. I mean if this poor girl is going to be waxing for decades, he might as well understand what she goes through! A natural and logical consequence. What a fine and creative parent I am.;) Anyway, he did it and laughed through the whole thing but now has great empathy. And he knows if he ever does it again, he's busting out the waxing strips!

And the main thing that's been going on this last week is a lot of this
Saint Ardis painted my ENTIRE basement!!!!Saint Larry redid our stairs to the garage.
Saint Larry fixed our jacuzzi tub.

For several days now Mom and Dad have spent loooong days painting, fixing, and scrubbing too many things to count (at least a dozen big projects) just in case we have to sell our house. They have saved us thousands of dollars with their elbow grease and brain power. Dad can fix anything. ANYTHING! And Mom can make anything look new again. They are so very sweet. I call them the Spirit Lifters. They always leave me feeling like a million bucks. My gratitude is overflowing!!!

No job offers yet. Russ has applied for 21 jobs to date. And that's only the ones he can remember. Only 2 companies have interviewed him. Both loved him. Both companies are waiting for an open position. But when they do...if they ever do..he's the man.

Meanwhile we enjoy things like Ava eating Fun Dip out of a Frisbee
And it's things like Fun Dip in a frisbee that make life good.