bargin shopping

There's not much I love more than getting a good deal at the store.  Even the grocery store.  This week Smiths had some great deals, and with the addition of a few coupons, I came away with $100 worth of stuff for the amazingly low price of $33.10!!!  Can you say WOW?  Now granted, most of these items are things we don't really NEED, but when you can get  2 liters of the best soda that's only available during the holidays for 40 cents, wouldn't you get 10 or so of them like I did?  I'll hide them in a cooler in the garage, and forget about them, then it will be a nice surprise this summer when I come across them (that's happened before, and it was great!).

I love getting good deals on clothes, household goods, beauty products, sporting good- you name it. This week at Kohls, I had an extra 30% off everything coupon, plus for every $50 you spent, you got $10 back in Kohls cash. I went with all three kids, plus Brad there on Thursday night to get some needed items, plus a few Christmas gifts.  When we were ready to check out, I realized I didn't have my jacket which I remembered having about 10 minutes before.  So I retraced my steps, but it had vanished.  I've been back three times to check in the lost and found and retrace my steps again.   I wouldn't be that concerned about a lost jacket (although it's a cool one Kylee brought me from Alaska) BUT, my CELL PHONE was in the pocket. . .AHHHHHH  I'm sooo upset.  If it was stolen, whoever has it hasn't used the phone, but no one answers when I call it.  Where did it go?  It's a mystery but I"m not ready to get a replacement phone just yet.  I'm still hoping for a miracle. 

Engagement and Birthday

There have been some very exciting things happening at our home the past few days.  First off, and most exciting, is JESSICA & BRAD got engaged Saturday night!!!  It was so fun to be a part of the planning and surprise.  Since they met at a Halloween party a year ago at our house, Brad wanted to propose at a Halloween Party at our house this year.  So even though this means they'll only be engaged for exactly TWO MONTHS, I think it's so fun that he waited and did it the way he did.  He had her convinced that the ring wouldn't be ready for another 3-4 days, so she was totally surprised.  (This picture is a re-enactment since I was downstairs at that special moment)

 I love that they're in their Halloween costumes!  They were so cute and happy for the rest of the night.  It happened while their friends were out on a picture scavenger hunt, so they had fun showing and telling when they all got back.

Jake celebrated his 17th birthday on the 29th.  Can it be?  We had a nice family dinner along with Grandma Freda and Aunt Stacie, Jaxon and Sidnie.  We excused Grandpa Tom since he had the really great excuse of being gone to the WORLD SERIES game in San Francisco!  How fun for him!  Most of Jake's gifts were candy and gift cards.  He also got a PS3 game.

 Jessica and Brad gave Jake this picture frame full of funny pictures he has taken on Jessica's Mac computer.  That boy can entertain himself for a long time on that thing.  If you know Jake very well, you know he loves to make funny faces.  We've all had some great laughs over what he comes up with.

I am so thrilled to have Brad as a member of our family.  Even though it won't be "official" until December 31st, it's felt like he's been one of us for awhile now.  I love how he treats Jessica, how he's easy and fun to talk to and be around, how well he gets along (and tolerates) the boys, how he enjoys doing what we enjoy doing, what a hard worker he is, how even tempered he is, and how polite, kind and funny he is.  Good job Jess with finding such a wonderful guy!

Harry Potter Trivia

I have a love affair with Harry Potter.  I've read all 7 books many times.  I adore them.  Love the movies.  Love the characters.  Love talking about it with other lovers.  When I was a leader in Young Womens, there were times when the first part of my lesson was devoted to talking about the most recent book or movie (because the Laurel class was full of devotees).  I have to say as excited as I am about part one of "The Deathly Hallows" coming out in a few short weeks (AHH!!!!), part of me is quite depressed about it because it means after just one more movie, it's over and done. Nothing new to look forward to anymore.  So, in honor of the movie coming out in less than a month, I thought I'd share my list of character names that have the same letter for first and last names.  I wonder if JK did this many on purpose?  Without further adeu, here is my list:

*Manerva McDonagall
*Severus Snape
*Mad-Eye Moody
*Dudley Dursley
*Peeves the Polterguist
*Nearly Headless Nick
*Poppy Pomfry
*Dedalus Diggle
*Pansy Parkinson
*Padma Patil
*Parvati Patil
*Luna Lovegood
*Colin Creevey
*Bloody Baron
*Moaning Myrtyl
*Cho Chang
*Gregory Goyle
*Florean Fortescue
*Ted Tonks
*Salazar Slytherin
*Rowena Ravenclaw
*Godric Griffindor
*Helga Hufflepuff
*Bathilda Bagshot
*Gellert Grindelwald
*Peter Petegrew


Can you think of any I've missed?

Fall Break Weekend

We had such a great fall break this past weekend.  On Friday, Me, Mike, Jess, Brad and the boys headed down to SLC to walk around beautiful temple square and shop at the Gateway.  We then headed down to the Romneys to spend the night and the following day. It was so fun to see their "new" house after their 2 month long remodel.  It's amazing!  On Saturday morning, Mike and I joined Rick for a grueling hike to the "Y."  It was a killer, but I"m so glad I did it as it's something that's been on my bucket list for awhile. We then ate a yummy breakfast in their nice, new dining room, then we all 8 went on another hike to Stewart Falls!  This one was much easier, and so beautiful with the fall colors.  By the end of that hike, I was ready to rest.  But that was not to be, as the Romneys then sponsored a fun fall party joined by the Caspersons and Searles.  We had a great time playing kickball, four square, around the world ping-pong, pumpkin carving, and eating a delicious meal.

 

Thanks, Romneys for planning so many fun activities in a short time!  It was fun to be together with everyone! Now back to reality tomorrow. . .

Weekend Fun

My friend Nan and I hiked this gorgeous mountain last week.  I was in heaven!  It was so beautiful.  There's nothing better than being out in nature.  It was a strenuous 10 mile hike that took us about 5 hours. I can't wait for our next one.

The day after the hike, I had a wonderful weekend spending time with Mom, Janet, Von and Carol in Yellowstone Park and Jackson Hole.  Mom had the brilliant idea of taking a trip down memory lane, since Yellowstone is where we spent our summer vacations growing up.  It was so fun go to all the old places and enjoy talking about all the fun times we had.  It was neat to stay at the historic 100 year old Old Faithful Inn.  The weather couldn't have been better, and it wasn't very crowded anywhere.  In Jackson we attended the Bar J Wranglers, and thoroughly enjoyed that.  It was a great get-away made possible by Mom.  Thanks again Mom!  It was so much fun. We missed you Ann.

Yummy produce, fun hike, and good reading

One of the best features of our house, I feel is our backyard, and in our backyard, my favorite things are our fruit trees.  It is sooo divine to take just a few steps, and pick a lovely, delicious piece of fruit to eat.  I also love our garden which Mike so lovingly plants and tends.  Here are some pictures of what we're enjoying right now.  If you're worried that I won't remember you when it comes to giving away the pears and apples, don't be shy to let me know you want some!

Yesterday Jess, Brad, Ann and Trace joined Mike and I on a delightful hike to Temple Fork Saw Mill. The leaves are changing, and I dare say that you won't find a more beautiful sight in very many other places of the world than fall in Logan Canyon. . .

I just finished reading Pride & Prejudice for the first time.  I've loved the movie for years, but never attempted the book.  Now I'm wishing we all talked more like this. . . "we must stem the tide of malice, and pour into the wounded bosoms of each other the balm of sisterly consolation." or "and though she was not very sanguine in expecting it, the application was a something to look forward to." or "no arguments shall be wanting on my part, that can alleviate so severe a misfortune; or that may comfort you, under a circumstance that must be, of all others, most afflicting to a parent's mind." and lastly, the most eloquent way of putting someone in their place. . . "Allow me to say, Lady Catherine, that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged.  You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked on by such  persuasions as these.  How far your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine.  I must beg, therefore, to be importuned no further on the subject."  Go Elizabeth!!!  I love her!  And I love, love, love the love story between her and Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Labor Day weekend

We have had a really fun-filled Labor Day weekend.  I uploaded my pictures in the wrong order, so I'll start with today and go backwards.  This morning, we ate a delicious big breakfast at home, then went on a fun bike ride along the Logan river trail.  Jake missed out because he had to work on the last day the Aquatic center was open.  He felt really bad about it---- we then joined the Ericksons, Caspersons, Petes and Bundys at the Skeens for lunch and some games and visiting.  We dropped by the Griffin farm on the way home to show Brad around, and came away with some good produce from the garden.  We stopped for a Zeppe galata on their opening day.  We're so excited they're in Providence now.

We had a fun time going swimming to the Logan pool after a hot day of camping/hiking.  It was extra fun that Jake was working, especially when he got to catch the little kids coming down the twirly slide.We had a great time camping with everyone we were with today with the addition of Carol, Tanner and Taylor for a few hours.  Friday night we ate delicious tin foil dinners, and played ultimate frisbee in the pitch dark.  It was a little crazy, but fun.  On Saturday, we played more games, and went for a hike to Rosys mine.

We had a never-to-be-forgotten experience seeing a rattlesnake in real life.  After our hike on Saturday, we were driving back to our campground, and the kids could hear the snake in the rocks off to the side of the road.  We stopped to check it out and take pictures.  The camp host came before long with his shovel, and we got to watch while he wacked the snakes head off and buried it, (since the snake can still bite 24 hours after he's been decapitated!  Who knew?) then he cut his rattler off and gave it to Caleb.  The snake body was still moving for an hour afterwards.  It was quite the show!  The picture below the kids in the pickup is when we first saw the snake, and the one on top is after he'd been tortured.

After such a great weekend, it will be extra hard to get back in the swing of school and work tomorrow!