A new purchase

While sitting in the waiting room....waiting for dad to get out of surgery, I went shopping. I was looking for the perfect backpack/cooler to carry into Disney. I friend gave me a tip that you can take in water and food, so I thought taking our own drinks would save us some money. So the bottom of this backpack is a cooler and holds 18 cans of soda! The top is for sunscreen, ponchos (another tip) etc. Then there are pockets for money, phones, autograph books, etc. I think we'll even use it a lot during ballgames. I have a HUGE cooler bag and love it b/c I can put a lot of stuff in it, but it's SO heavy to carry. I will still use it to grocery shop, but am excited about having this condensed version for our 'cation! Side Note
All is well with Dad...he had a double knee replacement on Wed. the 29th. He gave us a little scare, but now is up and going with his usual humor. They are hoping to have him on the joint replacement floor by this evening and hopefully walking. Mom is still down there with him.
I came home last night to be with Emma who had the flu....and I was afraid I might have it and give it to dad. She's going strong, but boy was she sick yesterday.
Jenn, Mike, Lauren, and Natalee are on their way home. It was 45 degrees there last night at 8 o'clock! Jenn and Natalee spent the night in the van. I think they are definitely ready to sleep in their own beds and just hang out. I can't wait to squeeze Natalee.
Thanks for all the prayers yesterday, I'll try to be a better blogger:)

Mr. Ashten!

Sorry the picture isn't very big...it's off my phone. He might get to come home tomorrow....a day shy of his week #2 birthday! Here' s praying....

Trash to Treasure

Ahhhh....the feeling of accomplishing something. Even if it is hacking to death weeds with an old, dull lawn mower. Colby is ecstatic! He hopes we never actually use it for decorating purposes. He wants to mow with it every day! Then Emma got in on it....it was too funny!

Emma has claimed this camping stool as her very own and carries it around with her everywhere!
Apparently my children are neglected and have no toys....so they choose to make a teeter totter out of a board and cement block! They crack me up....

I also cleaned up some treasures, as you can see! More pictures to come!

What I've been up to....

It's been a week since I've blogged! Can you believe it? What else do I have to do? No comment!
Monday Jenn and I with our children went to visit April in Columbia and wish her a Happy Birthday! Mr. Ashten is making huge strides and hopefully will be all April's very soon! We took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese. Miss Natalee's very first trip! She was very intrigued. Lots of noises and things going on.
Vance and I stopped at a co-worker's house on the way home to get some treasures! You all know how much I love treasures! Weeeelll....you'll see we had quite a truck load. We're going back with a truck and trailer to load up more stuff. Then we went into KV to get new phones, we looked like real hillbillies!

Tuesday, we celebrated my dad's birthday, b/c Mike and Jenn we're leaving on his actual birthday.

Wednesday, Colby and I went to story hour. Emma was at the Harding's. Colby didn't want to make an indian hat, so he made Emma and Natalee princess crowns instead.

After Story Hour, I was kidless b/c I dropped Colby off at Remington's. So what did i do? Went to Jenn's and held Natalee. Jenn finished packing and I had lots of fun rocking, playing, and interpreting whines.

Thursday, I cooked supper for my dad's real birthday.

Friday, we all went to Downing to watch Vance rope.

Saturday, was just a day at home.....and cleaning treasures (wait til you see)! You'll be jealous.

A very laid back week.....

today/tomorrow

Today: I worked the nursery at church...had tons of fun hanging out with Natalee and 3 other little sweethearts! They were all different ages, so it was fun to see their different abilities.
Tomorrow: I get to go meet Baby Ashten and wish his mommy a Very Happy Birthday!
Today: I ate lunch at my mom's (my favorite lunch, I might add) and got to hang out and talk....something that was long overdue!
Tomorrow: my husband is off call for the 1st time in 14 days....YAY! I'm so excited to plan some activities that don't require a Plan B.
Today: Vance got our hay baled...whew, what a weight off his shoulders...and I did some much needed house cleaning....
Tomorrow: I get to go dig through someone else's treasures....after my husband gets off work, so he can be my heavy lifter. Maybe we'll get new cell phones too!
I have such a blessed life, hopefully I can remember that more and be grouchy less!
Happy Sunday!

The Mommy Date

It was raining today....what else should we do?

Go on a mommy date.....

And have fun taking pics before too!

Look at the height difference!

It was a cute movie. Colby's first 3-D adventure. It was fun to do something just the 3 of us....

On another note....

Busy day tomorrow.

I'm excited for Monday, I think I'm going treasure hunting at Annette's house! Also making tentative plans to go visit April with Jenn and take the kids to Chuck E Cheese.

Have a great weekend, Friends....

A Photo Update

A trip to Honeycreek....Emma's favorite thing to do was jump the "lillypads(sp)."

Mommy and Emma in the hot tub!

At Emma's swim party...Colby and Bronson going off the diving boards. Notice Colby doesn't have on a life jacket. He did great jumping and swimming to the edge, but it was hard for mom and dad to watch. We spent the first 6 times right under the board in case he needed help.

A group photo...minus 2.

Colby's big catch of the day...in all he caught 9 fish. I think that's pretty good for a 7 year old all by himself. We had them for supper and even had a few pieces to spare. Notice in this picture he has a life jacket, b/c mom is a nervous wreck with him around the pond. I try to sit with him when he fishes, but I sometimes venture to the house from time to time. He is very safe...his dad has taught him well. It's so cute to see him out there fishing with a bloodhound at one side, and a Labrador pup at the other. He's a little boy with an old man's heart.

Thinking of many people tonight....keep your friends and families in your prayers.....

July 5

It's been awhile. I haven't done much. I've had much fun with my treasures....I'll post pictures as I use them. Friday, I went to the indoor waterpark at the Honeycreek Park with Jenn, Natalee, Lauren, Corin, and Levi. It was great fun for little guys. Saturday, I spent the day wishing for sunshine and breaking things. I knocked over Vance's bbq grill while pulling my van into the garage...we have yet to try and see if it still works. I cleaned out my van and Vance's truck. I ran down the battery on his truck...in my defense, he needs a new one. Couldn't get the battery charger to work and had to wait for him to get there. He ended up jumping it and then the stinking thing wouldn't run right all the way to town. Pretty sure it doesn't like working when it's clean. Bree and I rented the worse movie in all of 2009 last night, Revolutionary Road. Yuck!
Today was much better....we went to church, to the Bloomfield Pool for Emma's ball team's swim party, and then back home to accomplish a lot of things. The swim party was so much fun, what a great group of kids.
Before I head to bed, I need to tell you about July 5th. It's kind of a neat date....
17 years ago....July 5, 1992....I was baptized. I remember it so clearly in my head. I went forward at church camp, I-MO.....and decided to wait until I was at my home church with my family. My Uncle Everett, much more a brother, also got baptized the same day. I tried to get dressed quickly so I could watch him after I was finished...in hindsight, I wish I would have just wrapped a towel around myself and dripped right there before God and everybody. It was a great reassurance to know the exact date he had been baptized, 5 years later when he passed away.
12 years ago....July 5, 1997....Vance and I started dating. Once again, we met at I-MO (that place is awesome)! We went home and he ended another relationship and we left for a mission trip a few days later....at the end of the 2nd day, we were an "item."
I can't wait to see what the rest of July 5th's have in store for me!

treasures

Here is a couple pictures of the "treasure" I sweet talked my husband into dragging out of my dad's old barn. I'll post more tomorrow.....

And a couple pictures of....pictures:) Go figure!

If you have a little girl...

If you have a little girl, this book is a must! I saw it for the first time at Barnes and Nobles on Sunday....I was in tears after reading it. I googled it today, to see if it would be cheaper to order online....and found a site where the author is reading it. So go here to listen and watch, but be prepared with Kleenexes. I think I will order it and save it for Emma's wedding day....from her daddy. Think it's a little too soon? Who knows, but it never hurts to be prepared:)