The Russell Roundup

Macady's 10th Birthday

2010-05-29T23:35:00.000-07:00

We tried ushering Summer in with a Luau party. They bobbed for apples, got their faces painted, made flower hair clips and ate lots of pizza, cake and ice cream. Macady got loads of prezzies from friends and family, including her first dirtbike. Because what little girl isn't complete without one of those?

Happy 10th Birthday to my most cherished blessing.

4th Grade Science Project - Root to Shoot

2010-05-01T23:24:00.000-07:00

May came in like a lion and went out like a lion. Actually, it didn't get nice until July, but I'm getting ahead of myself. We had a science project the last month of school:

April 2010 Easter and Barrel Racing. Hello Spring!

2010-04-01T23:00:00.002-07:00

In April, my bestie and I hit the Salmon Select horse sale, which is an annual auction we go to every year. We rent a hotel, hang out and watch horses all day, let the kids run wild and best of all, we get to run barrels in the afternoon. So we saddled up and ran our butts off against some 100+ other girls. We didn't get any good pix of us running,so these warm-up ones will have to suffice. Later in April, we went to Farmington, UT and ran in another 2-day barrel series. I was in way over my head, but it was a blast!

Along the way, we celebrated Easter and Ms. Red went on an Easter Egg hunt in the snow.

Someone should tell Ye Olde Calender Planner that Idaho doesn't thaw out until sometime mid-May. Usually.

Anyway, she got a basket and a new truck/trailer coymbo from Nanny and a basket and a new bike from Mum and Dad

March/St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

In honour of all things GREEN, I made a green dinner, complete with cubed elk steak (a family fav), green mashed taters, green gravy and of course, homegrown green beans.

And a very English non-green/non-Irish Ginger girl!

Mid-February 2010

2010-02-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

We went to Utah to get a new backhoe trailer, went to the SLC temple...

And took Macady to Chuck E Cheese for the first time. Dirty, gross and overpriced food, but she got to ride the horse, so that made it worth it. Obviously, the six real ones we have at home just aren't enough :)

Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T23:32:00.000-08:00

Treats for my Sunbeams.

Treats for Macady.

And Scottie 2 Hottie made me something too.

Short and sweet. Pun intended.

Quick update

2009-12-18T23:44:00.000-08:00

We had Thanksgiving, here's a picture of all of the grandkids together.

Scott and Macady bought ski passes for Christmas, and here's a shot of them sorting out skis. Not sure what that means, but they worked on them for quite awhile.

Her fish, Big Boy, died the other day, but here's a pic of him in happier times. *Big sigh* Ok what else.... Uhm, I started a job in September at Pathology Associates, not sure if I mentioned that earlier. I hated it at first, but it's like fungus and it's grown on me. No pics for that though, I'm afraid.

Macady and I ran Shiner in a barrel series and won some moolah. What's a blog post without yet another video of one of us running a pattern?

Frightmares at Lagoon

2009-10-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

We hit Lagoon this weekend and had a riot. We managed most of the rides, (My thanks to Colossus, for making me ill) and I skipped Wicked because I turned into a freaking pansy...Anyway, we saw some awesome chainsaw band who rocked out to our fav. song by Muse, and although I missed the first 30 seconds of recording, I swear Macady turned around, flashed the "Rock On" sign with her hand and was head-bangin' with a HUGE grin! We watched a fun kids' show do the Monster Mash and a bunch of other numbers, took in a hypnotist show, and rode more rides until everything closed. Loads of fun and we are so taking Chris and Mandy there next year. After Vegaz of course.

A very happy birthday

2009-10-10T21:40:00.000-07:00

This was one of the most happiest days I've ever had. It was perfect in almost every way, with the exception of my family not being here with me to help me celebrate, but I spoke with them on and off all day, and their prezzies and flowers and cards all arrived on time, so everyone was happy! So I just wanted to post pictures of the beautiful flowers received, and my uber-surprise party planned out by my dear sweet Scotty, including cake and friends and everything I could've asked for. ♥♥♥

Go.Fight.Win.

2009-09-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Macady has been going to the cheer clinic at Bonneville since she was little. I am in the process of looking for older pictures of her, but for now I am posting the ones from yesterday. After going to Gus' birthday party, she spent the night and Kammi fixed her hair in oh-so-cute pompoms which she sprayed green for the school colors. I got some fun videos, but somehow I deleted them, so I will post the only routine I was able to salvage. (She was behind the dancer on the left, in the front of the vid. most of the time).

Bob ♥ n ♥ Bo

2009-09-07T22:22:00.000-07:00

I had a chance to visit an old friend on Sunday, one I haven't seen in about 4 years....So we had a lot to catch up on. Although we FaceBook each other and call, it is so much better to see/talk/laugh-out-loud together in person. Since I am forgetful, I left my camera in the horse trailer, so I am posting some pictures of us when we were young, many moons ago (actually, 11 years ago this month) when she was in college at CSI, and I was up visiting. These pics are some of my favourites, and aside from having children, we both decided those weekends were some of the best times of our lives. Love ya Bobs!

A Hair Cut

2009-08-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

I was on the phone last night, and Macady was lamenting she wanted "bangs" like her cousin has. I have told her over and over that we tried them, they didn't work, took years to grow out, etc. So before she went to bed, she decided to cut them herself. Right in the center of her forehead. A half-inch to her scalp. Daddy went into to wake her this morning, and after telling me he thought something had happened to her hair, he went into the bathroom (stifling a huge laugh) to find the secret hiding place of the missing fringe. - behind the toilet. How I missed this last night, I'll never know.
The rest of the story: Now, when I was about 5, I got bubblegum stuck in my hair. My mum was on the phone too. (When mum's are on the phone, the answer is always no, just a hereditary thing.) So I took it upon myself to climb to the top of the fridge to get scissors, and sort myself out. Needless to say, I cut the front part of my fringe, to the scalp, and came out of the bathroom with the exact same look on my face, as my little girl did today. I called it my "Little bit" and it took ages to grow out.
So I couldn't get mad, you see. I just had to not laugh out loud, try to muster a stern look and give a lame speech about choosing the right, listening to your mum when she says no, living with the consequences, etc. Anyway, here's a picture of a silly little girl who just wanted a fringe like her cousin.

Boating & a Chukars game

2009-08-05T21:00:00.000-07:00

More condensing....A few weeks ago, Scott took Macady boating on Uncle Doug's boat. Needless to say, our water-baby didn't want to get out of the lake!

We made it to a Chukars game before school started, and before we even sat down, Macady got whacked in the back of her leg with a fly ball, and before I could tell her to grab it, some guy pushed past her and grabbed it instead. Boo to him. Oh well, it was a fun night regardless!

Easy Bake Ovens, Living Green & Rainbow-pox?

2009-08-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

I am trying to condense my blogging, can you tell? All I can say is Easy Bake ovens are so much fun. When you are nine.

Recycling is not so fun, but well worth the effort. Yes, that's my horse trailer, before I had finished filling it. Live Green!

And the Snake River Roaring Youth Jam was cold, and rainy, but I got to paint Macady's face then watch her walk around Winco telling people she had Rainbow-pox. Good times!

Being a mum...

2009-07-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

I was in mom-mode this night. We made Taco Faces,
and then I took pix of the cutest girl I know sleeping with the skunk-dog. But that's a whole 'nother post.

Camping, sort of.

2009-07-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

The fam. was up camping and we went up one night for dutch oven dinner and roasted marshmallows. I mean, what's camping without them, hey? Macady got to ride a dirtbike for the first time, and loved it. Such a tomboy! Oh, and I dyed my hair, it went wacky and then really dark, so here's proof that once in my life, I was a brunette, and it's since washed out :)

4th of July

2009-07-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

At around 6:30 in the morning of the 4th, Firetrucks traverse the City of Ucon with sirens blaring and foghorns shouting a big Wake Up! At the park next to our house, they host a Fireman's Breakfast before the IF parade starts. Some years we get up to eat, other years we stay in bed. This year, we skipped breakfast and hit the parade late. (Since I thought it started an hour later than what it was). Yay me!

Scott took Macady up to where the rest of the fam. was camping. They went on a bike ride, and I sat in my gorgeous swing out back, read a book, watched my chickens, and listened to the wind blow through the trees. When they came back, we watched the firework with our cousins (Killpacks) and hung out until it was time to go home. Nothing major....Just more grateful than anything that we have our freedom. I am a military brat, born and raised, so this is an especially meaningful holiday for me. If you know me, you know how quickly I get choked up at even so much as a picture of anyone who serves our country. I feel, really and truly feel, incredibly grateful for the sacrifices made for me, for my family, for everyone.
One of my favorite quotes is this: "If you don't want to stand behind our Military, please, by all means....Stand in front of them." I am including a link that I think everyone should watch. http://www.gratitudecampaign.org
God Bless America!!!!!

Jr. Rodeo 2009

2009-07-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a video from the 2009 Jr. Rodeo season. Macady had fun running barrels & poles, and bummin' around with her rodeo buddy, Ethan. We have a friend who is fantastic with a camera, and she took some awesome shots of the last rodeo, one which I posted here, the other is in the video. We are really lucky to get some great pics this year! We also think Shiner really is one of the coolest horses we've ever had the privilege of owning, and he has taught Macady a lot this year. His previous owners were able to come down to the last rodeo to watch and cheer Macady on. We had a great visit with them. It was nice to know they could come and (hopefully) get some peace of mind that their beloved horse is adored and is starting a new chapter in our lives. Anyway, enjoy :)

Pizza Night

2009-06-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

Just a few fun shots of a summer night when we made pizza and Mexican Dip. I have no idea when this was, sometime the end of June.
And of course Paisley had to have her pic taken too ♥

Catching up!

2009-06-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

I was called as Asst. Camp Director in January. I was asked to costume the Ucon Stake production of LAMONI which started in Feb, Joseph auditions started in March, with rehearsals weekly, then daily, which pretty much consumed my life until performance the last week of June. Jr. Rodeo started the first week in June. Girls Camp fell the week before Joseph performance, and I feel like my entire summer has already blown by. We've tried to make time for random road trips to the Elk Refuge, trail rides at Sandy Downs, Jackson Hole for lunch on day, Warm River to fish, etc. Since I am an awful blogger, I am just posting some pictures of our whirlwind life!

End of 3rd Grade

2009-06-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post about the 3rd grade. The last day of school fell on her birthday, so we picked up some cupcakes to give to the kids as they were leaving, but class got dismissed early and we were left with a ton of sweet stuff. We took it to the horse show the next day, and they were a hit. I also made a Candy-Gram for Mrs. Shenton, which went over quite well. She is an awesome teacher and Macady were lucky to have her at Taylor's Crossing this year.
Anyway, here's a few shots of those fleeting days.

Happy Anniversary

2009-05-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Scott and I met on the Rexburg cruise on Feb 23, 1996. As he got in his truck to leave, he told his buddies that one day, he was going to marry me. As he walked away, I turned to my friend Julie and said, "That's the man I'm going to marry." We took our time, had a beautiful daughter along the way and finally chose to get married on May 15, 2004.

We have never celebrated an anniversary, so on our 5th "married" anni, we decided to actually celebrate. He surprised me with a dozen peach roses, and I surprised him with a night at the Rustic Inn in Jackson, dinner at a local dive and a Mountain Man retreat the next day. Nothing major, but it was fun to just get away and hang out. When we got home, we realized that we hadn't turned the radio on the entire drive there or back, we were so busy talking and catching up.

I am so glad I married the man of my dreams. I am so glad that we moved here so that we could find each other, and I am so glad we have a beautiful life together. Scottie, I can't wait to grow old with you.

Couponing

2009-04-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Bethany stayed up late last Monday night to teach me the art of "couponing." I was lost at first, but after her patient lesson, I went out the next day and to my surprise, I saved big bucks on things our family will actually use. So here is a little post & pics of my Albertson's adventure. I got all this for $22.24!

2009-04-04T22:35:00.000-07:00

So here it is ya'll....a new personal record, and about time too! I'm having a blast learning on this awesome horse. He's helping me ride not-so-English, and I'm learning to loosen up and just have fun with it! Way, way, way too much fun!!!

Poles

2009-04-01T23:05:00.000-07:00

The first night I tried this, I about gave up. After a bit of practice, albeit speed, I time only-ed him and needless to say,
SHINER ROCKS!

And another thing

2009-03-15T23:54:00.000-07:00

This video shows that even though she makes lot of mistakes, Macady keeps going, learning & smiling. There's still has a lot of room for growth :) but she is getting better. Hopefully by rodeo season, she'll pocket her turns and add a little speed. Until then, she's just having a blast with Shiner!
(And a little $$$ incentive doesn't hurt)

Past Blogs

2009-03-15T23:51:00.001-07:00

So I was looking at my Myspace page and decided to post some of my past blogs on here, because it's late, and I can't sleep...as usual. Enjoy learning a little more about me, as if I wasn't weird enough already.

Nine and Twenties

2009-03-15T23:46:00.002-07:00

Friday, October 10, 2008
5:40 a.m.

Current mood: not-so-peachy

This is the last day of my twenties and I don't think it could have gone much worse. I thought I'd have more to say about it.
Here's to tomorrow.

Ode to the Chicken People

2009-03-15T23:46:00.001-07:00

Monday, September 15, 2008
8:35 p.m.

Current mood: content
Category: Blogging

I am a chicken person. Yes, there is a select group of people who own and love their chickens. and I don't mean with a side of fries... I mean we love our chickens! They are our pets. They have names, personalities, likes/dislikes and favorite foods. Our chickens follow us around our backyards/farms/stables like little dogs, they come when called, they talk to us.

After losing all my "Ladies" so horribly in July last year, I grieved, yes, grieved people......for my loss. I was the last person who should have found them the way I did, I knew as I walked towards the coop in the pitch black that they were lost to me and I have refused to walk back to the coop ever since. Yet I still start toward my backdoor, crumbs in hand to throw, before remembering they aren't there. I even ask my husband, albeit infrequently, if he heard Booster the Rooster crowing....so call me haunted. Even at the Fair last week, I bit back tears as I walked through the chicken pens with Macady. (I'd luckily avoided these every other day I was there.)

So when my friend called me the other day to ask if I could re-home some hens, what else could I say? Scott cleaned out the coop, I filled the old watering unit, thinking of feed, water heaters, the scraps that will not go to waste again...

My little coop is in full swing and soon I'll have fresh, brown, speckly, warm, beautiful eggs to gather, a crowing rooster and little ladies who cluck and talk in their own little way. I am a chicken lady, and a happy one at that.

Today

2009-03-15T23:45:00.002-07:00

Monday, August 11, 2008
10:28 p.m.
Current mood: froggy

I am an awesome mom. I may be a meanie-bo-beanie sometimes. I may yell, ground, take away, or time out. I may not be perfect, but today, I am an awesome mom. I rock enough to search all over just to spend $7 on some sort of gelled larvae to feed the six wild frogs I let my daughter bring home this weekend. I rock inasmuch as I actually squeezed out the gel/larvae into the fish tank and managed not to be sick.
Today is a good day.

Riding

2009-03-15T23:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 28, 2008
10:11 p.m.

Current mood: content
Category: Blogging

We got up early this morning, when it was still, and cool, and quiet, to ride in the dunes at Sandy Downs. It is an incredible feeling to ride a good broke, quiet, finished, nice nice nice horse, after riding young ones. The sun was high and hot by the time we got done, but I felt so complete, so safe, right down to my soul. If I had money, I'd buy that finished horse, and feel more comfortable going places and doing things on him.

What was more awesome was seeing my little red-head who seemed so lost for so long, and watching her take the lead on her big red horse, and know, and feel the trust that runs in and between them both.
After the last few months, I needed this.

Someone once said that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man. Someone was right.

Me

2009-03-15T23:41:00.001-07:00

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

3:10 a.m.
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Blogging

So I was cleaning the kitchen tonight, as usual, and my wandering mind was once again diverting from the beaten path. Whilst in thought, I realised that I don't know what the acutal definition of "blog" was, although I did know that my MySpace page had availability. It was about time I Googled the definintion. Web-log. This got me to thinking about obituaries. (Really sad that my thoughts wander into such territory). Anyway, I am not that hip to reading other peoples random thoughts, online anyway, (haha) I decided that since I have my own little spot in cyberspace, I might as well add my own, in case I should die, or not, and someone wastes, or spends (depending) the time reading it.
As I was cleaning, I also got to thinking that I don't know a lot of my friends quirks. This is probably one of my own quirks, ahhhh the irony of it all. I just love to know weird facts about people, mainly my friends. Maybe its because I waste/spend time wondering about these things that people find me so odd. eccentric. whatever. Maybe, for the sake of reverse psychology, (says Freud), I have an innate need to know that I am not the only one who isn't normal. (As far as the def. of normal goes anyway.....) I also cannot stand starting words with "But" (see above) and I don't like the awful old wailin' (not Waylon, 'cause he's cool) country music RFDtv is playing as I type this right now.
However, I don't want this blog (if you have bored yourself silly reading this far...) to be about what I don't like, but rather about what I do like. And also other idiosyncrasies that might strike my fancy at any given time. I think it's about time I put all my rambling ideas on cyber-paper as they come. Just in case anyone ever wanted to know. Or maybe so that I may not forget. Here goes:
1. Google
2.Wikipedia
3.Funky-flavored (as if we taste it) Palmolive soap, and the tiny bubbles the bottles can make on the odd occasion.
4.Absolutely love the summer smell of fresh-cut alfalfa.
5.Love when I rub my horses, how my hands smell just like them. I used to be able to tell, with my eyes closed, which horse was near me in the pen, just by the smell of their coats.
5 1/2 .Loved my chickens, still grieve for them and wonder if maybe I might get some more.
6.I love my dog Pard who is 12 now. I loved him when he was 1 day old and I picked him from a big litter. Love him and puppy-breath.
7.I love the fact my daughter told me one day when sitting in the back of the car, that Heavenly Father told her that she had to take care of a rescued kitten which had been sent our way. Stripes is 2 now and we have rescued another since then. That is an amazing feeling. So awesome to watch how responsible little kids can be when prompted by a Source much higher than ourselves, and how easily they can be moved themselves.
8. Love the fact that I can wake up with one dog on each side of me, Gordy fast asleep and still purring on my chest and Stripes under Scott's pillow.
9. Freedom, albeit the sacrifice it has cost us all.
10. My family, Scott's family, inlaws, cousins, friends, in no particular order. I am so lucky that this list is constantly growing and that its late and I am forgetting so many names.
11. I like big words. A shame Big is only three letters though.

Kelly Canyon

2009-02-17T08:20:00.000-08:00

Scott took Macady skiing on President's Day. This was their 3rd time this season, and about Macady's 6th overall. Needless to say, I am quite proud of her. As I don't like skiing myself, I don't ever go up, but today I wanted to surprise her by coming to watch.
The weather was perfect, the feeling of being surrounded by gorgeous mountains, the sun was so warm and bright....it was a beautiful day, spent in one of my most favorite places in the world!
We topped off our day at Heise Pizza and thoroughly enjoyed spending this holiday together as a family.

Naughty Puppy

2009-02-16T08:37:00.001-08:00

I was on the phone the other day while cleaning the front blinds, and Scott was at the kitchen table reading the paper with his back to the living room when Paisley got very, very bored. She snuck into the bathroom, stole my loofah off the hook and decided to....well you can see what she did! Maybe she wanted a bath??? I thought it fitting that the vacuum cleaner and a fast-asleep Pard are both in the picture. Paisley is an important member of our family and we love hear dearly, but some days, we just have to wonder about her!

And after all that fun, she curled up and went to sleep!

Our Beloved Brownie

2009-01-25T15:03:00.000-08:00

They say that the hardest part of owning a horse is having to say goodbye...it's the truth. We lost our old man, Brownie last Monday, Jan. 19th. He had been leased to a loving family to help give their little boy confidence and responsibility this last summer, and as with so many other children, Brownie did his job the best way he knew how to help a little boy gain the trust and confidence he needed.
Last Sunday afternoon, we received a call that he was down and not getting up, and by that night, he was at the vets inside a heated, thickly-strawed stall. We prayed for his health and well-being, and hoped that he would feel comfortable and out of pain. By Monday, we knew that all the treatment he was getting was not working, and his heart was failing. So that evening, as the sun began to set, we made the kindest and most difficult decision we have ever had to make, and we chose to let our Brownie go home. Before he was loaded in the trailer, the children got to say goodbye to him one last time, and he told us all he was ready to go. Macady and I said a prayer with him, thanking our Heavenly Father for allowing us such precious time with him, and for all his honest service to others. Brownie was surrounded by those who loved him as he passed away, and he was taken home and buried with as much honor and dignity as we could provide for him.
Brownie was a very, very, very special horse to us, the Hunt family, and many other children whose lives he touched during his 30+ year tenure on this earth. We are so grateful for the time we spent with him, for the Hunt family who provided the utmost care during his last months and ultimately for the valor and patience Brownie showed to everyone he met.

My little one

2009-01-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

I was surfing through blogs, and ran across a song that Macady sings to herself all the time, hoping that no-one will hear her. The first ten times she heard it on YouTube, she watched the horses run through the screen and just cried. And now every time I hear it, my eyes well up and I think of my beautiful, strong-willed, fiery red-head and think of how she gallops through life....literally and figuratively. Macady rode her first horse at 9 months old, and by age three, we bought Spirit, Wild Stallion of the Cimarron, and spent our entire Christmas morning watching it. I remember her stopping in the middle of all her present-opening and just staring at the screen for the rest of the movie. We are on our 4th DVD now, the others were so scratched from use! I remember thinking that she was as wild and free as the horses she watched and I remember vowing that her beautiful spirit would never be broken. I prayed that I would have a little girl that would love horses as much as I did........Who would have thought there would be a little one born to me that would love them even more?

One year ago today......

2008-12-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

We arrived in England one year ago today. We would spend the next 3 weeks absolutely reveling in our first big vacation as a family. Needless to say, I remember the days preceding our trip, and almost every day that we spent there. I remember not sleeping for 2 nights before we left, because I was cramming for finals...my last one being at 5pm, in Pocatello 8 hours before we were due to drive to SLC. So I do remember being very tired, and we were still packing as we flew out the door. I remember crying like mad as I said goodbye to our little animals, and looking at their precious faces wondering why we were leaving so early. I remember barely making our SLC flight, our connectings, and the ever-so-long but very exciting trip over the Atlantic. And I remember seeing my Mum, Chris and Uncle Chris waiting for me at the airport. I remember hugging them all at once, wishing my arms were longer, and feeling my heart burst with happiness. And that was just the first day! So I am nostalgic, and missing, and wishing, and on the flip side, I am so grateful to be here with my other side of the family, in a beautiful wide-open country, blanketed in snow and listening to the ever-blowing wind, waiting for Christmas day.

Macady and Rex

2008-12-04T22:10:00.000-08:00

It's late and I am feeling nostalgic so I've decided to just post some pictures of my beautiful girl and the her most
awesomest horse.

A Time of Thanks

2008-11-27T21:57:00.000-08:00

After much prompting - (thanks Wendy) I thought I would update my page and post a few pics of some of the things that make my life complete. I am grateful for each moment I spend with them....they are my truest blessings.

Perfectly imperfect.

2008-10-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have spent the majority of our relationship trying to cook as well as my mom-in-law.
A lofty goal, if you've ever eaten at her table :)
I have made some quite, shall we say, memorable meals, and some have actually been pretty good. However, I cannot bake. No matter how hard I try, I cannot make sweets like everyone else can. Casseroles, scrumptious. English roast dinners, perfect. But baking? Not a chance.
Well my mum's birthday was on Tuesday, and since this is the first birthday we have spent together since 2000, I set out to make it as perfect for her as I could. I splurged on presents, I had flowers sent to her during her seminar, I arranged a surprise birthday party, and I decided to make her a cake. Not just any cake, a pumpkin-shaped cake, complete with vines and flowers, straight out of the magazine with the word "easy" in the title. So I called up my mom-in-law, and asked her if she had a fluted bundt pan and ever-obliging, she told me she'd leave one on the counter for me at the house. As I was getting ready to leave, she called again to tell me that I could keep the pan, she kept it so it wouldn't be sent to the DI after Grandma Hale had passed away, that she knew one of her kids would appreciate it when the time came.
I have always loved Grandma Hale, and treasure the lessons and kindness she showed me, so when Mom said I could have that pan, I cried. 'Cause I cry at everything :) Needless to say, I felt Grandma's presence as I prepared that cake. The house was so still, so quiet, and I felt the Spirit so strongly in my home that afternoon. So instead of trying to make a perfect cake, I made a cake for my Mum, who I knew would think it was perfect even if it wasn't. This silly pumpkin cake was made with so much love, that it just didn't matter that the icing wasn't smooth, or that the shell-shaped thingies were just little blobs. It was my first cake, and it was for my Mum. So in the end, it was perfect to me.

Finally!

2008-10-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

I've finally created a blogspot! I've rocked my myspace page for a while now, so I am excited to try something different, more grown-up 'n all. It took me forever to find a name that wasn't already taken, or I would have had this thing set up ages ago. Well enough about that. I'm not sure if this is where I tell everyone who will read this, everything they already know about us, but here goes.
Scott and I met in Feb. 1996. Four years later, we were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, and four years after that, we were married. Our little girl Macady is 8 now, and is the light of our lives. She completes us in a way we never thought possible, and we thank our Heavenly Father daily for sending us such a beautiful blessing. Our little family also includes horses, dogs, cats and chickens and I will post pictures of everyone soon.