The Simple Life

Mmmmm...

You know when people usually say you can taste the love that was baked into their food...well you can taste the FRUSTRATION in mine! ha ha!

I just tried my neighbor's cookie recipe, and of course they turned out nothing like hers! {they were the closest thing I've tasted to a Mrs. Field's cookie!}

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...cooking and baking just aren't my thing!

Progress...

I am almost done cleaning and reorganizing my scrapbook room. The last couple things on my list are to finish putting the rest of my cd's onto i.tunes {I have one box left}, and clear off my table...

 
Well, I got my table cleared off...bad news is that it's all on the floor!

 
Making progress...almost done, and then I will share my scrapbook room!

Pioneer Day Celebrations...{camping day six}

{Monday 7.25.2011}

The sirens went off too early this morning to start the Fireman's breakfast...I think I had barely fallen asleep a couple hours before. Levi got up and got ready with Anthony and then went to the breakfast at the park with Kevin. I was way too tired to go. I couldn't fall back asleep though, so I probably should have gone. We got ready and then walked to Main St {one block away} for the Pioneer Day parade. Small town parades are so nice, small to the point, lots of candy, no crowds! Gulianna reminded me that we didn't bring their little buckets for candy...oops, I can't remember everything.

 
 
 
 
 

Isabella loves horses!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Anthony was content watching the parade and playing with a candy wrapper.
 
 

Afterwards we headed to the park for music and blow up slides for the girls...they rode on the four wheeler while Kevin and I walked.
 
 
 
 
 
 

In line for a bracelet for the slides... 
 

Anthony played for a while in the grass, and then was ready for a long nap! Levi took the girls to play...the slide that was closest to us, turned into a water slide, we didn't want them to get soaked since this was our last set of clothes.
 

Camping...{day five}

{Sunday 7.24.2011} 
 

Tai Pan...

 
We went to Tai Pan today, I had a coupon in the mail for 25% off your total purchase...so I figured I'd see if they still had some paper plates in the clearance section...ha ha I know...your thinking, going to Tai Pan and your buying paper plates! I'm good on home decor, really... until I saw the Halloween stuff again! I only bought one little halloween jar with a pumpkin head on it, only because I really wanted it last year, and they were gone just like that. But of course as soon as I got to the register the coupon was only good for last weekend, which we were gone camping, so here I was thinking I just barely got it in the mail...ha ha! We were gone for a whole week, so no wonder it was expired! The paper plates were only .50¢ and I got a yellow bowl for a dollar :)

I can't believe these are my little kids some days...like today! Three kids? Who would have thought...

Gulianna 3, almost four, Isa 2.5, Anthony 11 months

 
and this is how my photo capturing usually goes...

some one always has to pout...or in this case ALL OF THEM!

{and Anthony with his foot stinking up! always!}

 
 
 
This is our favorite section in Tai Pan by the way...some day my we'll have something like this in our backyard...

 

Gulianna...

Gulianna's almost four. FOUR!

I just told her that I can't believe she will be four already. She said "yep, I'm just growing big and strong. When I get bigger I'm going to cook everything like dad, and watch bad movies."

{bad movies=scary movies that she shouldn't watch}

I asked her if she was going to cook like mom, she said "yes I will cook eggs too!"

Now that's funny! Remember this? That's why she said that.

Maybe?...

So I've been saying that I just want to move so bad and have a place of our own. We eventually want to build our own neat home that we have dreamt about. I said whatever it takes. If we can't find the property with an old home to gut out and add on, then I would rather have property and space for my kids and me to run around and set a cheap mobile home on, and I would be happy with that because it wouldn't cost much to redo or paint some walls, put in new counter tops, new tile and new carpet. All I need is 3 bedrooms! I'd even put my scrapbook stuff in a corner in the living room! I just don't want to live here anymore, we can't stand renting... I said that I would do the mobile home because it would be cheaper to fix it up, than to get into an old home and have a high payment, and then no money for renovations. Then I'd be in the same boat...boring walls, probably gross carpet...etc...

Well we found a property with lots of mature trees and a log sided old manufactured home. We thought this could work, we'll clean up the yard, since it hasn't been maintained in a long time, remodel the inside, then save our money and start building. That was the plan until we finally got a chance to walk through the house dump on Sunday. We tried to be in contact with the realtor, who is also in charge of the estate. The story, her mother passed away, and they rented it out and used to have family reunions and get together on the family property, but now they are so disgusted with the renters and how un kept it is, they want to kick them out. So we thought, perfect!  We might have a place! We drove by it Sunday, and what do you know, perfect timing, the couple and their new baby were walking home from church. Our first thought...grreat church goers...and now we our trying to kick them out, plus the have a new baby. Levi asked the guy if he minded us walking through the place, he said that he didn't hear from the realtor, {uh, huh} but we could, just don't mind the mess. Sure no big deal, you can't always have a clean home, understandable. Boy were we in for a surprise. I definitely understand having a few dishes piled up, maybe you need to vacuum and sweep. But hell, this was so disgusting. I just don't understand how people live like this. Not only was there house a dump, both sinks full of crusted, possibly molded over dishes, 5 plates of cat food on the floor, ammonia pee smelling filth, pet hair every where...and do you know what they said!??! "We have a kid! They're messy! It's hard to find the time..." Okay, first of all you don't have a kid, you have a BABY, and that baby didn't make any of that mess except for dirty clothes and diapers!!! Holy crap...don't blame it on the baby! Then he precedes to tell us that he tried to block off the holes that the cats would get into, they just seem to get in and then have their babies underneath the house! Okay some what understandable, dang stray cats that multiply! But then they were all over the inside too, and they were his pets! Don't get me started on the ferret circus they had in the "master bedroom." For the love...I just don't understand people who live in filth. I feel so sorry for that poor baby. We did look past the filth and tried to see the short term potential that we could have with the place, hey the kitchen did have avocado green countertops! That's a plus! We walked away completely disgusted and sad for what might could have worked. They seem to be out of there mind for thinking that trailer has any value on it, and we are only willing to pay for the property.

After that Levi went to the next town and searched everything, and not only was nothing promising, it is a college town. Monday we went to Fairview to check out something for Cherrie. And then we got lucky! This lady just so happened to tell us that she's been wanting to move back to Iowa and rent herself to see if she permanently wants to move back. In the mean time she wants to just rent her home out. Hello! Exactly what we need since nothing else is working out in our favor. New home, with a couple of unfinished rooms downstairs. Bathrooms still need to be finished as well. Doesn't have a garage, but we can put everything in storage, or in a shop if Kevin finds one for him. This just might work for us, and it would give us a decent place to live. I will take white walls in a new home out in the country. Anything to get me away from the city.

Oh wait, did I say anything? Well Levi sends me a few texts today on my crappy non existant phone, and says that house could be a go. Cool! Wait, what house? Oh please don't tell me the cat, rodent infested house...yes that one. Be careful for what you ask for, you may just get it! A crappy dump of a trailer on some property out in the country. Isn't that what you said you wanted, well here you go!!

Geee...that's grrrrreat.

 

Camping...{day four}

{Saturday 7.23.2011} 

Today Levi took Gulianna and Anthony and drove with Kevin to Fairview to look around, Isa stayed with me...she was extra stubborn all morning. Isa and I drove around Spring City for a bit...I was trying to get her to fall asleep, that didn't work. Then I drove to Mount Pleasant, just the next town over to go walk through all the shops, only most of them were closed for Pioneer Day! Dang it...bad planning...I also thought that all the festivities were today, seeing how that's what the website said, but I guess it was wrong, I later found a different one, and everything was scheduled for Monday.

I really wanted to walk through the drug store, but they were closed too! One of the thrift stores was open, actually only open on Saturday's so I lucked out on that one. I talked to the owners while Isa was tempted to break things in the store. Luckily she didn't :)

Afterward we had lunch at the mexican restaurant with Jeremy, Levi and Kevin met up right after I got there. We headed back to Cherrie's place and the girls played with their cousins and had fun with four wheeler rides. The boys went to unload Jeremy's food storage. We had a bbq later that evening and then had some fireworks and sparklers before Jeremy and Amy went home. Should have stayed and camped with us!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finally some sparklers! Gulianna has been begging us every day and night...since after the fourth...but we haven't done them, except for when Cherry was here, because we literally get eaten alive by mosquitos if we are out in the evening. If it's not raining it's the mosquitos...but finally we got to do some more, and we still have a couple boxes left!

Swimming...{day three}

{Friday 7.22.2011}

We stopped to pick up sandwich stuff and chips at the store, and then went swimming. Gulianna and Isa were excited, they waited all day to go!

 
 
 
Anthony is usually a little whiner when it comes to swimming, he likes to play but if it is too cold he wants out! Gulianna and Isa were never like that, they just like to be in the water! But this time Anthony was going crazy! He was kicking his legs, ready to dunk his head under water, splashing and crawling around like frog! He loved it so much! We took the girls down the water slide, Levi took Gulianna, and I took Isa, yes I'll admit I was a little scared, I haven't been on a waterslide in a long time! And it scares me to think I may drown my little one and the end...or myself too! Obviously we survived, but with a hard landing, I swear I could have blew out my ankle...Levi said the same thing! Levi took them down lots of times, they didn't want to stop.

 
 
 
 
 
 

She's been waiting...

Gulianna has been waiting for this moment for a while! She loves umbrellas...especially this pink one that we got a while back for free...

Of course it's rained off and on since then...but today I let her take the umbrella out in the rain!

She quickly grabbed her hat, jacket and rainboots...and little Isa in her boots and the apple vest, so funny!

 
 

Camping...{day three}

{Friday 7.22.2011}

More playing outside! I set up my little camping tent for my kids...I've had it for years and would take it for my nieces and nephews, wait...this is my second little one, the first one blew away in the wind one year while we camped at Bear Lake. Finally I get to use it for my own! They love it!

Anthony playing in the plants and leaves. We drove around for hours looking for property. Went swimming at the pool in Manti, the girls loved going down the waterslide! We walked around Spring City when we got back, then made it back to main street for the Street Dance, Gulianna and Isa loved it! Everyone loved watching them dance, especially Gulianna! Levi, Anthony, Kevin and Buzz went back to the trailer, Levi had a headache, I thought he said he was going to take some ibuprofen and come back...but he never did...we went home to eat some cereal and grab some sweaters, then went back to dance the night away. {me, Gulianna + Isa}

 

Camping...{day two}

{Thursday 7.21.2011}

Today was Levi's birthday...thirty four...and I didn't get a single picture of him all day...wow! This camping trip wasn't planned, just a last minute thing as usual. Otherwise we would have been celebrating at Tucanos with some brazilian food! Happy birthday Levi! We drove around looked at properties, had lunch at the pizza place in Mount Pleasant, played at the park...later in the evening they went for a walk. Anthony was sleeping so I stayed behind.

 
{Buzz, Kevin, Gulianna, Isabella, Levi} 

Camping...{day one}

We've been camping for 6 days, just got home last night...it's good to be home, but at the same time, this place doesn't feel like home anymore. We've been anxious to move for a while...just tired of searching for the dang place! We long to live in a peaceful quiet place that reminds us of Idaho, but a lot warmer...we have spent a lot of Sunday's searching for an old home, or property, or an old home on some property for over a year now, and either it's not the right price or it won't work for us. We know we need to move, but sometimes get discouraged when nothing looks promising. Anyway in the mean time we sure enjoyed camping on Grandma Cherrie's lawn this past week!

The girls were excited to run around without us yelling at them to stay out of the street! Play all you want girls!

{Wednesday 7.20.2011}

 
 

Anthony helping dad set up the tent...he enjoyed countless hours outside on the grass, in the dirt, just entertaining himself with whatever he could find. Sticks, grass, dirt, ants...water bottles. He loved it!
 
 
 

more to come...after dinner? I'm thinking Rubio's since Levi left for a week or two to work in Idaho. He won't be back to use his birthday coupon, so I better not waste it :)

The 4th with my Bronco...

I planned to take the Bronco to Provo but there was lots of rain clouds, and we didn't want to get rained on...so we left it home. And of course it sprinkled a couple drops the whole time!

Then we drove it to the park at Thanksgiving Point for the fireworks, and sure enough we pull into the parking lot and it started raining! So I took a few photos while Levi hurried to put the soft top on.

 
My fourth of July bows for my Bronco...love them! Again...I've been wanting to do this for years...

 

Yes...Isa was pouting once again...can't you tell!?

 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
I really wanted at least one picture of all 3 of my kids looking at the camera, but this one will do...Isa was just pouting non stop!

Fun times with our little family in my Bronco!

 

4th of July parade and car show...

We went to the parade, but missed most of it, because of our sleepy kids...since we go to bed late, they sleep in! Trying to find parking is crazy with all of the people, so that wasted our time too. Maybe I should have had Levi drop us off, but then I didn't have my phone, so I guess it was a good idea we didn't do that. We were also going to go camping Saturday night some where in Spring City...but that didn't work out either. We did drive down there with Kevin and looked at more property.

This is Anthony's first Fourth of July!

 
 
After the parade we went to have lunch, we couldn't decide...and so Levi picked the Golden Corral. Maybe we should have gone to McDonalds or something...Levi got real sick, that sucked. And 4 days later, he is starting to feel better.

After that we went to the car show at the mall, Gulianna was in love with the aqua car, that's her favorite color!

 
 
 

 

 
 
Isa pouting...she was a stinker and needed a nap, BAD! Isa look at me! "No I don't WANT TO!" 
 

Me and my little rascals...

 

Mini Carnival...

I took my kids to the little mini carnival that they had for Freedom Days in Provo...I got lucky with a parking spot right across the street!

 

The only rides that the girls were able to go on were the inflatables...the bouncy house and the slide, that was a bit too steep! I sent Gulianna and Isa on the slide and then Isa couldn't quite climb up it. Kids were starting to back pile because she was in the way, so I quickly jumped in and helped them both up and then I sent Isa down the slide first, then Gulianna, she flipped at the end, and then I went...scraped some skin off my arm and put my back out a little! Then they wanted to go again...we were done!

Gulianna was dying for some cotton candy! We got 2 huge ones for $5.00...compared to the other booths that had one for $5 or $6 :)
 
 
Anthony kept grabbing the cotton candy, he found it interesting! I gave him some, and he kept getting excited for more! I wish I could have taken a picture, but it was hard to keep my kids close and then snap a photo with sticky fingers...

 
 

Happy Fourth...

Getting ready for the Fourth of July...

I love to decorate for the holidays! But more importantly, I love this country that we live in, the freedoms that we do have. {Yes I was born here...} I've always had issues with people thinking that I was born else where, {Mexico, India, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Iraq...just to name a few}and they ask when did I move here, and how did I learn English...uh hello! I was born in Rexburg, Idaho! So don't even give me your crap... I've heard it all, and then some. :)

 
there was more...too hard not to walk by and grab some chocolate!

 
This year, I finally made bows for my Bronco...I've been wanting to do this for years...with the red star fabric!

And I did a close up of the music paper...I didn't even plan it, seriously! Got lucky as I ripped out a random sheet that had "fireworks" right on it! 
 
Anthony's first Fourth of July! 10 months old...

 
 
The girls are excited to go to the carnival tonight!! Have a happy fourth and a safe weekend!