Eric's Home!!!

So my BIG little brother got home from his mission last Wednesday. He served faithfully and honorably for two years in the Florida Jacksonville Mission. It was so fun to see him come home and it is fun to have him home. Here are some pictures from the airport. I realized I didn't have a single picture on my camera with Eric-hopefully someone else does!

This picture is funny. This was Pres and Cam waiting for him to come. We were all straining to see him through the glass!

Here he is walking in the doors! Doesn't he look good!
Classic mother/son picture! I love it!

Classic father/son picture! They look so much alike!

Here are three generations! Both grandpas, dad, and the boys! The priesthood of the church!

Eric said that Cameron had changed the most. He said everyone looked older except Mom and me. He also said we both looked prettier than before! (What a wise boy!) It's been fun to have him home. I only got to be around for a few days bet we had a good time. He really has some amazing stories and miracles from his mission. He was truly blessed and watched over. The miracles he witnessed and the changes I see in him are a testimony that he was a good and faithful missionary! I love you Eric!

Mom

I have the best Mom EVER!!!! She is is kind, beautiful, smart, loving, supporting, and fantabulous. She is my very best friend. I have always had a really good relationship with my Mom and I am so grateful for that. We have never had to go through those rocky years when I was a teenager because we have always got along great. I can tell her anything and she listens patiently and lovingly. She is an amazing cook and loves to feed us! I think one of the best things about my mom is that she genuinely cares about people and what they think or feel. She will pay attention to people that others shun because they are disadvantaged. My mom has so many people who view her as a close friend and that is because she cares about them. Even in her insurance job my mom is sympathetic and loving of the people she serves. If the insurance she wants to sell them will not be good for them she tells them that and helps them find something that will help. She is a wonderful example and I hope to be half the mother she is someday. Her love for her husband and her children is such a wonderful example. I love you Mom! Happy Mother's Day.

Spring Projects!

Now that I am out of school and not working nearly as much as I would like to be. ( I was hired part time. However, starting in June I will be full time!!! NIGHTS!!! Yuck! I don't really like nights, but hey, I am glad to finally be going full time with everything that comes with that-money, benefits, less spare time, etc.) Anyway, I had to pick up some hobbies; I am also trying to cultivate my homemaking skills. So I have been doing some fun projects. Today I planted a garden!! We have a spot but it doesn't get a ton of sun, so I am a little dubious, but I think it will work out. I will keep you posted. Here are the flowers I planted. I planted marigolds, dusty miller, and some strange purple flower. Yay for flowers! I will post pictures as the summer progresses to show the growth.

Now to the vegetable garden. Here are the pepper plants I planted. One green bell and one orange bell.

Tomatoes are a must for me in the summer. Here is my cute little tomato plant. I have great hopes for this little plant! Please grow for me!

Here is the whole thing. It's a nice little garden, don't you think?! I planted tomatoes, peppers, walla walla onions, carrots, cucumbers, and cantelope! The cantelope are in another area, but you are looking at everything else! I really hope this works because I love fresh veggies and I like saving money at the grocery store!

Another fun project I finished today was the rag quilt I have been working on since I moved to Utah. Look at how cute it is!!! It was my second quilt, and my first rag quilt and I had so much fun making it!
Here is a picture of the back of the quilt. I went with green and purple as my main colors and I really love how it turned out.

This is a close up of the fraying. I washed it today and I was worried about how the fraying would turn out, but it worked!

Here is the finished project on my bed! It looks a lot better with my curtains than my other quilt!
The other thing I did this week that I was excited about was I made a menu! I have been planning on doing this for quite awhile, but I finally did it. I find that it does simplify life quite a bit. I don't have to think about what I am going to eat. I used to end up eating something that was fast and easy because I was always starving by the time dinner came around. Now I find that I am cooking better food, and I am able to use leftovers to make other meals. Some fun things i've made this week are: fajhitas, rice pudding, german pancakes, and tonight I had lemon-herb chicken that was FANTASTIC! If anyone would like the receipe let me know! Wow I am liking this domestic stuff! Now I just need a man to cook for!!!;)

Home Sweet Home!!!

So I may have mentioned before, but after having lived with my aunt and uncle for about a month and a half I finally found a place to live on my own. It is in South Ogden, so it is slightly closer to where I work and it is close to Weber State University, so that is nice to be around a college again. After being used to living with six girls in apartments with next to no room, the place I found to live is a TREAT! First of all it is a house, a big house, with only three other girls besides myself living here. The girls are great; I like them a lot. This house is a little old, but it has been remodeled on the inside and it is beautiful! I am so glad I found this place!

This is the front of the house. Notice the nice big windows in both the upstairs and downstairs- I love big windows!Especially when I don't have to wash them!!!This is the entryway. This picture is a little dark, but notice the stained glass window?! Screams 70s in my opinion- I like it!
Here's the kitchen. Also screaming 70s-observe the dishwasher and refrigerator. Love them! Seriously though there is enough room for all of our food and dishes and tons of counterspace which is really nice.

Upstairs family room. Oodles of room. In fact we really can't fill it up. No one has furniture. Notice the fireplace. There are a total of three fireplaces in the house- Love it!
Bathroom I share with ONE other girl. Not two or three girls, but ONE! It is rather short on shelf or counter space, but still. Love it!
Here's my bedroom! I love my bedroom! TWO windows- I love windows! There is tons of space and I like having my own room again. The curtains are nice for when I have to work nights and need to sleep during the day.

Here's my closet. Again, tons of space. Love it!

Best part of all!!! The backyard is fabulous!!! Look at these trees! I love the backyard.

Close up of the trees!

Yes, my friends, we do have a pond. Obviously no water in it right at the moment, but there is a cool waterfall thing that winds around and drains into this pond with a bridge over it. Can you tell why I love it so much!!! I never thought I would find such a great place! So, to anyone out there reading... Please, come and visit! We have tons of room and we can play in my backyard and have a blast! I love my house!