Like so many other things, this blog has been moved very near the bottom of things I have time to do. There is a tickle in the back of my mind at times that I need to be better at keeping in touch with family and friends that I haven't lived near for years. Time seems to move faster than I'd like it to.

It's not just this blog. My time on facebook is far and few between and pinterest held some regular interest for a few weeks but it too is now a guilty pleasure. I think I've actually tried one recipe and not one craft, although they're fun to look at. I still check email daily and that's about as regular as my computer time is.

So what is the bulk of my time taken up with? Yesterday I woke up at 5:30 to make sure Nathan was up for seminary and cook him a really good breakfast since I knew that by noon his mouth would be extremely sore from new braces and he'd likely be on a liquid diet for the next few days. I also seared a pork roast and got it seasoned and in the crockpot so we could have our version of Cafe Rio for dinner. I thought the meat might be soft enough that Nathan could get some of it down. Brianna takes him to seminary and although there is an angel friend who drives 7 kids from seminary to school every day, she needed help yesterday so I picked up. Half way there one of my young women called and was still at the church without a ride so I told her I'd go back as soon as I dropped one boy at home. I picked her up and took her home and then went back to my own home. Olivia woke bright and early and was exercising with the Kinect. (Love that electronic game for kids who live in the rainy Pacific Northwest.) I got her started on getting ready for school and we had our Thursday morning piano lesson. She had memorized all of her songs and earned a reward. No shower, no make-up, a ponytail and I was out the door with Nathan for the braces. I had planned to go grocery shopping while he was there but they asked me to stay in case of any problems so I watched his mouth get stretched, dried and then each tooth get glued. He had on movie glasses and was having a great time watching psyche. After the braces we went and picked up another student (High school late start) and dropped her off at school and then since Nathan missed his 10:30 lunch period (really???)I got him a Jamba Juice and 2 tylenol and dropped him off at school

Finally home and it's about 11:30. The kitchen is a disaster but I've got to go grocery shopping or we won't have anything besides the sweet pork for dinner. Since I am not stuck with shopping at the grocery store by the orthodontist I decide to check the ads that Bryan saves for me each week. Safeway is the winner and it's the grand opening of a new Whole Foods by us and they have ground beef for a steal with no limits. My deep freeze has been empty of ground beef because there have been no sales so I haven't stocked up. I decided to go there first even though I know it will likely be an hour because of the crowds but it's worth it. Beautiful new store and I feel healthy just being there. Enough help and meat that I don't feel like a hoarder when I start my order and I find heavenly lavender dryer sheets while I'm in line down the cleaning aisle because the lines are so long.

Next stop is Safeway and it looks like I can get done and home before Olivia is out of school. I'm almost there when Nathan calls me at 2:06. He went to brush his teeth after school and one of the brackets came off in his mouth. I don't have the orthodontists number in my phone yet so I pick up Nathan and back we go to the orthodontist who tells him it's no big deal. It was on a back tooth that was not yet attached to the wire so they will put it on at his next visit in 10 weeks. I take Nathan back to the high school for track but now do not have time to get my shopping done and get home before Olivia's out of school so I go home. Put away the groceries from Whole Foods and then check my email. Normally I walk to the school but today I drive since we're heading straight to the grocery store. As I'm checking out, Nathan calls and says he's done at track and because it's my day to drive I take two others home. We all unload the groceries and I get the kids putting things away so I can start dinner. They don't complain and are happy, helpful and cheerful. A tender mercy. I shred the pork first and then start the beans, salad, etc. Nathan makes the guacamole. It's now 6 p.m. and Bryan's home but Olivia has swimming lessons at 6:30 so I let Bryan know what still needs to be done so that he and Nathan can eat. Olivia and I will eat when we get back from swimming. Finally by 7:30 everyone's eaten and it's time to clean the kitchen with Bryan's help, the floors, vacuum. I go to bed with the downstairs presentable.

Yes Brianna's home but not much on this day. She got Olivia off to school and made her lunch. She was preparing a lesson to teach a new convert with the missionaries in the singles ward and then went and taught the lesson with them shortly after. She has been doing this every week for the last month I think. She also bathed Rocky at a do it yourself place and went to work.

I wish I could say that this was not a typical day but it is. Other days are full of other things. I remember when Brianna and Nathan were little and we spent most of our time at home unless we were going to a park or somewhere fun that we chose. Maybe I should write about what I'd like my day to have been like and then work on making that happen. Today, if I can start with a shower I'll be doing good!

Merry Christmas from our home

We wish all of you could be with us for Christmas. Since we're far away, here's a glimpse of the holidays at our house. Nathan spent most of Christmas Eve eve and Christmas Eve building a super fort in his room for them to sleep in Christmas Eve.

We had a super Christmas Eve dinner with great friends, food, music and percussion. Put the kids to bed when we got home around 10 p.m. Bryan and I were in bed by 11:15p.m.

Got woken up at 3 a.m. by Nathan who was reporting Olivia had a tummy ache. (I did mention all the good food...) Got her a pan but she started feeling better (whew!) and woke up for good by 7 a.m. We headed down to squeals of delight from our favorite 5 year old. No squealing from Brianna and Nathan but they were delighted all the same.

We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!


Santa came through despite Mom & Dad's feelings about stuffed animals!


Another view of our house from the street. Bryan's verdict? Not quite enough lights so we'll be hitting the after Christmas sales.


Our white Christmas Tree


The Stockings were hung by the chimney with care

Olivia's 1st Day of Kindergarten

The hardest part of every day is waiting for that clock to reach 12:20.


We love walking to school. Suddenly since she started walking to and from school, she's tired at night.




Lining up the first day took some practice but now they've got it down.

June & July 2010

Brianna in a "new to her" car on her 17th birthday. She has been waiting for this for quite a while.


Sunset at Ruby Beach, WA


Dad & Olivia skipping down the trail through the rainforest


A deer we saw in the Hoh Rainforest


Gorgeous trees & mosses in the Hoh Rainforest


The Beach in La Push, WA with Grandma & Grandpa Dunaway - we also visited Forks, WA on our way to the Olympic National Forest - all of you Twilight fans will know what I'm talking about. It wasn't even worthy of taking pictures - ugly! They are doing their best to benefit from the books though.



How Bryan & Nathan spend time waiting for dance recitals to start



June 18, Olivia's at her dance recital as an "Elegant Elephant"

3rd Times a Charm

We welcomed Rocky to our family 3 weeks ago. He was previously the Dunaway Family dog that Tyler & Todd admittedly fake cried in order to get. He's always been a sweet dog and Brianna has always loved him. Now he lives with us. I'll include a little about him to calm all of your deserved fears over entrusting us with another dog. We know our track record isn't so good but after a couple of weeks with Rocky we think we just hadn't found the right dog for our family-until now.

Rocky doesn't bark at squirrels or the cats that walk the fence of our backyard. He doesn't even leave the backyard when a gate is open. He won't come out the front door unless invited - even with the doors all open to let the breeze in. He doesn't jump on people. He rarely barks - usually just at the back door when he's ready to come back in - and at strangers which I like. He loves a bath. So here is a typical day in the life of Rocky here in Washington:




Rocky sleeps in our family room near the French doors that open onto our back deck. That's his resting place unless it's really hot out - when he prefers to lay directly on the tile floor in front of the doors. (Thank you Dad!) By 8 a.m. someone has gotten up to let him outside. When he finishes his business he quickly returns to the door and comes back in and lays down again - often with his head resting on the floor with the rest of his body on the bed. He greets everyone as they come to the kitchen and gets several neck rubs all morning. Olivia feeds him breakfast and sits by him while he eats.

He gets walked at least once a day but sometimes twice. As we turn the corner to head home we let him off the leash and he bolts for home. If we leave we put him outside while we're gone but he comes back in as soon as we get home. If we're working in the yard he stays out with us by choice and follows us around. If we head towards the back deck he races back and waits by the door in case we're going inside. He's fun to play ball with and always drops the ball when we tell him too.

If I open the fridge he comes right to the kitchen hoping for a hotdog - he gets about one a day but we cut it into pieces so the kids can all give him a treat. Olivia has him so trained with what she likes that if she's holding a hotdog he sits, shakes and turns around without being told anything and then she tosses him a hotdog. It took him about 10 minutes to learn her drill.

He has learned that under Olivia's chair there's always a snack and after meals he cleans up after her. They have also shared a popsicle but I try not to think about that. If we're leaving Rocky wants to come to and sometimes we let him. He came to pick up Brianna at the church after youth conference and was as excited to see her as Olivia was.

In the evening we feed him after we finish dinner and he mostly relaxes until bed time. We joke that he's enjoying life in retirement! These pictures are from our recent camping trip to Birch Bay, WA right on the Canadian border.

Nathan is 13!

Nathan is now 13 and here are some highlights from his big day. He had a fun time with friends at the Y - That's YMCA for all of you in Utah. They played basketball, went swimming and then came home to watch a movie on a giant screen that Bryan made.

Happy Birthday Nathan!



Nathan and his friends just before he blew out the candles



Nathan opening up the best nerf gun ever - he got two so that he could battle with a friend, sister or Dad!



Nathan with his presents. The mirror makes it look like twice as much and Olivia decorated with the stuffed animals herself. She was as excited for his birthday as he was.



Nathan and his amazing Angels Baseball cake!

Brianna's First Prom

Brianna and her friends before going to Mormon Prom. What a beauty! Bryan picked out the dress after I spent many unsuccessful hours searching with her. He walked in the next day, picked the dress, she loved it and we bought it. I think from now on he'll do the dress shopping!