After the Long Week

 Since last week lasted forever long because we had sickies in the house, this week, I wanted to relax.   Duke and I took a walk outside so I could show him the massive icicles that are hanging from our roof. He loved them, and so do I.  Lilli has been asking for weeks if she could go out and chop them down, I won't let her.  They are just so pretty.

Duke looked so cozy watching Hoss play Mariocart on the Wii.  He pulled the pillow off the couch himself, tossed it on the floor, then planted himself in front of the TV.  Lilli was nice and got him a blanket.

I found more pictures of Hoss on the iPad.  He really likes that thing, especially when he can take pictures of himself and watch Bob the Builder.  And he will only read scriptures if he can use the ipad or Kindle, he won't waste his time with the old fashioned bound books.

Then I caught Hoss massaging Sexy Farmer's face.  Too funny not to take a picture.

Duke helped me with dinner last night.  I turned around and found his fingers full of the olives Lilli had just sliced.  Sometimes I secretly wish I could still squeeze them onto my fingers.

Long Week

"The whole town of Ontario is sick right now." - We fed the missionaries the other night and that was what they had learned.  One of them was sick himself, we gave him a 2 liter bottle of 7UP for the road.

Speaking of the missionaries, Tara - one of them just transfered from McCall and I asked if he knew you...Elder Porras...he did!  He said he loves Blane and that he's the best man ever!

So while Elder Rogers wasn't feeling well, Sexy Farmer and Duke were sick too, so in other words, their prediction of the town of Ontario, was true, at least for them and our house.  Sexy Farmer had the chills so bad that he was never able to get warm.  I woke up one morning and found him laying in front of the pellet stove.  Duke walked over, slumped down and fell asleep too.  It was a long week.

Mutual: Cake Decorating

 For mutual last night the girls learned some cake decorating skills.  They are going to make each one of our new beehives a cake for her birthday.  I thought that was such a great idea.  Not only will they be learning a new skill (cake decorating) but they will be giving such a nice welcome to the new girls who will join us this year!

Our first newly crowned 12 year old will join us this coming week.  The girls wanted to try their hand at fondant, and I think they did a GREAT job!

Here's the top.  I'm so excited for them to present her with the cake.  She's going to love it!

January Date Night

 Sexy Farmer has been feeling really bad since we didn't get to go on our November Anniversary get-a-way, so he arranged a surprise weekend in McCall for us.  He had arranged places for the kids to go, sleeping arrangements for us in McCall, and time off work.  It was MUCH needed.

First off, I want to say THANK YOU to amazing grandparents who are willing to take kids for an entire weekend, especially cranky, crabby, teething kids.  Second, I want to send a HUGE SHOUT OUT to our great friends, Weston & Lori, for allowing us to use their timeshare!  This vacation wouldn't have been possible without any of these people so I feel that I owe them all so much!  THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!

Sexy Farmer didn't tell me about his plans until about three days before we were to leave.  I thought it was odd that he kept talking to my mom on the phone but yet my mom would never ask to talk to me, but I guess I was just hoping that my husband really enjoys talking to my parents! HA!  Funny, right?  Anyway, I picked up the kids early from school Thursday and drove them to Vale to spend time with grandparents.  My kids love their grandparents so much and from what we hear, they got very spoiled too!  When I got home, Sexy Farmer had gotten off work early too so we could get on the road before dark.  

Apparently I got out of the habit of taking pictures because I didn't take a single one the entire weekend!  So, I googled for a few things that we did and found these treasures that explain some of our activities, which mostly consist of food.

We ate at the Pancake House one morning and OH WOW.  Be careful what you order.  Their portions are massive.  I ordered a much needed omelet (I have been craving them so bad but since Duke is allergic to eggs, we don't eat them anymore) and a cinnamon roll.  I was not expecting this...

Seriously!  They are the size of your plate!  Massively huge!  I just started busting up laughing so hard, then Sexy Farmer made the comment that he's glad he didn't order his own.  The waitress laughed and said, "I would have warned you."

Then, she brought out our breakfast, and Sexy Farmer started busting up laughing because his pancakes were the size of his plate!  Again, massively huge!  Hoss would have LOVED them, he's our pancake eater.

By the time we were done, it didn't even look like we had touched our food.  It was sad.

We also ate at a very expensive steakhouse called The Mill, and a yummy Mexican restaurant called Pueblo Lindo, both very yummy.  Other than eating out, if you don't have snowmobiles or know how to ski, there really isn't much to do in McCall during the winter.  Good thing the timeshare office had free movie rentals.  We finished watching the final Harry Potter movies and watched the movie version of The Secret Life of Bees, and got in some pretty good naps.

First Haircut

 Duke's hair had finally gotten to the point of craziness.  It was way past his ears on the sides, but super short in the back.  It was intense.  Sexy Farmer decided that it was time for a trim, which lead to Duke's first haircut!

Sexy Farmer busted out the clippers and got to work.  He looks such like a little man now.

While Sexy Farmer had the clippers out, he trimmed up Hoss and himself too.  Sexy Farmer got this new suit for Christmas, he loves it and I'm glad.  Thanks DJ for picking it up for us!!  I just LOVE it when my boys wear matching ties!  Now if only Lilli and I had matching dresses to go along with their ties, we would be in good shape.  Hint Hint - Heidi!!

PPW - Virtue #1

Virtue #1 -

Virtue is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards. It includes chastity and purity. The power to create mortal life is an exalted power God has given His children. He has commanded that this power be used only between a man and a woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. Study the meaning and importance of chastity and virtue by reading Moroni 9:9; Jacob 2:28; “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”; and the section on sexual purity in For the Strength of Youth. Also read Article of Faith number thirteen and Proverbs 31:10–31. In your journal write the promised blessings of being sexually clean and pure and your commitment to be chaste.

*Original finish date - September 19, 2012*


We will be able to have the spirit with us at all times you'll be happy and clean and receive blessings. As a mother I can't help but think of my daughter and how much I want for her to stay morally clean. The promises and blessings we will receive far out way the immediate satisfaction. I can remember my seminary teacher once saying that sex is addictive and after being married I completely agree with that statement. 

Hoss and His Goose Egg

 On Wednesday we went on a double date with our neighbors, while we were gone Hoss had quite the accident.  The sitter said that he was climbing on the beds and his feet slipped out from under him causing his forehead to slam down on the railing.  Which resulted in a nice goose egg.

The sitter said that he was really strong and didn't cry much.  I think he was probably showing off for all the other kids (our neighbor's kids and our kids were all together) so he didn't want them to see him cry.  Such a trooper!

2013 Mutual Theme

When we helped at the Boise Temple Open House, I took picture of each youth in front of the temple with the purpose to make them a gift with the 2013 Mutual Theme - D&C 87:8 "Stand Ye In Holy Places and Be Not Moved."

I couldn't fit the youth and the temple in the same picture so I had Jenn from Wettstein Photography photoshop the pictures for me.

I sent her this picture

And this picture (one of each youth)

And she made this.  LOVE!!

I couldn't decide if I wanted to put the picture in a frame and then decorate the frame or mod podge them onto blocks.  I opted for the blocks. For the boy plaque, I stained the wood.

 I was a little worried about giving one to the boy, I didn't know if boys like that kind of "stuff".  However, I handed it to him at mutual one day and he was so excited.  Especially that he was the only boy that got one.  He said he was going to go home and put an alligator claw on the back so he could hang it on his wall.  Sexy Farmer said that after I left (he's in Sexy Farmer's quorum) he kept talking about it and showing the other young men.  That made me feel good.

For the girls, I painted the wood white and added a flower to the top corner.

The day we helped at the temple, we only had 1 boy and 5 girls attend.  I'm so proud of the youth we have.  We are such a small group (7 girls and 10 boys), but their testimonies are so strong and I love being able to work with and serve them!

New Toy

Sexy Farmer got an iPad for Christmas.  I was sitting on the bed one day downloading some apps for him and thought I would play around a bit.   It has a photobooth app that we have found to be very fun.

Sexy Farmer walked in as I was playing and was wondering what in the world I was doing.  I told him to come check it out.  He decided that he wanted to try.

And so did Lilli and Hoss.

So then we figured that we couldn't leave Duke out of the fun.

 And now I keep finding more and more pictures of Hoss.  He must really like to see funny faces of himself.

New Year's Day

We decided to celebrate the New Year by going on an Elk viewing tour.  We did this a few years ago in North Powder, Oregon, but this time we headed to Garden Valley, Idaho.

We bundled up all cozy.  There were a few things I really liked better about this tour.  When you arrive, they have hot cider or coffee inside a heated tent so you can warm up while you wait.  They also had a fire outside and marshmallows for the kids to roast.  The thing I liked better about North Powder was that we got right up close to the elk, this wagon ride, you have to see them from a distance.  Both were great and the kids had a blast!

This is Duke and I waiting inside the tent for the wagon to arrive.

Here are the elk.  This was as close as we got to them.  If you look at our last trip, you can tell we were right in the middle of everything.  Sexy Farmer was pretty bummed, but at least we saw some, right?

However, you also get a 40 minute wagon ride which the kids were excited for.

Hoss' nose and ears were getting pretty red by the time we were done.

There was a couple with us on the wagon ride that we got talking with.  Sexy Farmer loved his coat, so we started chatting. The guy actually went to college in Ontario, so we had a great conversation with them for the rest of the ride.  Turns out they have been dating for 4 YEARS!  We told them they were crazy!  The girl mentioned that they had been talking about marriage just on the ride up to Garden Valley.  So, we told them our sappy love story and how Sexy Farmer proposed.  The girl got all giddy, so then we told them about one of Sexy Farmer's cousins who was proposed to by her husband branding a cow.  Maybe we shouldn't have told him all these elaborate proposal stories because the girl was getting all excited.  When the ride was over, we told him to "buck up" and make it happen!  HA!

Hoss crashed on the way home.  He looked so comfy though so I had to snap a picture.