Saturday, October 25, 2008

Fall is in the air, and here is the evidence to prove it...















Here we are, the happy family at the Central Elementary School school carnival. Tony was able to see and reminisce with so many of his old high school chums (& their wives & kids :) from 13 years ago! Who knew so many of them were still around sweet lil' Sugar City?? While he chatted, I waited in lines with the boys for the awesome games (they love them truly!), and my night was certainly complete when I was able to satisfy my once-a-year-craving for the orange rolls made by the school--yum! The best part? Tony doesn't like them, and the boys had enough sugar to keep them happy. I had them all to myself, pure bliss!














And here we see our garden after the first freeze of the year--good bye until next summer (kind of a blessing since it was so cold for so long this year, nothing grew for forever! And then after we got married & moved next door it was pretty much a thing of the past after that)!















Here is my pirate pumpkin carver Jaydon & my oh-so-docile-for-the-picture-Jyson. The rest of this story is that about a week after we put the pumpkin outside it started collapsing on itself (the frequent temp changes from warm to cold, I guess?) & looking pretty pathetic, but I didn't want to throw it away for fear the boys would be sad. Lo and behold I came home one day & it was on the ground, totally smashed in (we live on the top floor of a duplex). Tony immediately surmised that it was probably a little boy who threw it over the railing from our deck, & he even pointed to the one he thought it was. Jaydon guiltily owned up to it, leaving me to shake my
head in wonder---oy!!!!!! Needless to say, he got to clean up the deliciously squishy pumpkin...















This is our very fall-ish view from out our front door, right after the grain field has been tilled under, now prepared for the winter. And can you spy the thing we love the most about our view? (especially when the grain is still green & it's a stormy day, or at night when it's all lit up...)? It blends in pretty well, but I'll give you hint...it's where we got married :)




















And here we see the boys, ready for one of their favorite manly fall activities--loading up coal with Papa (my Dad)! Oh boy, they came home so black this last time, with racoon eyes to complete the ensemble. I even found it in their ears--grodie! Then when my Dad unloads at his house they play in their "tree house" (a.k.a. a tree with branches that cover them) for hours. My Dad goes about 4 different times to get enough coal to last through the winter, and they really think it's just the greatest thing ever. Simultaneously it blesses my life by giving me a chance to clean the house & bask in its beauty for at least the hours they are gone

And here we have the "fruit" of our labors from this year. We just do canned peaches & dried pears, but eventually, when I'm all grown up I'd like to do tomatoes, salsa, ground beef, carrots, & beans. And yes, I do believe my dreams can come true!!!!!!!!!!! Dream #1 : Prince Charming enter my life & marry me--check check!! Dream #2 : be able to do more canned goods...

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

The Rexburg Temple...and us!

And even more pictures!!!!!


Tony's work of art

A little sass...!

A couple views of the reception...
Our little boys

The big boys

Loyal students

The Newest "Fam" meets the Newest "Blog!!"


Here we are at long last...the blogging community! I'd like to thank all of you who encouraged us to get here and made it all possible :)

Well, let's see, what HASN'T been happening lately? A short month ago we were getting ready for the wedding, moving, and preparing for work/school to start (Tony is working at Chesbro in Idaho Falls as a wholesaler, I am still a 5th-grade teacher at Madison Middle School, and the the boys are now in 1st grade-sniff). It all crazified at once of course, and then it all came together beautifully. I had some awesome help to get my classroom ready (thanks go to Shana Shirley of Rexburg), we had a million and one worker bees help us move in, and the wedding? Voila--it just all fell into place!

The reception was on the night of August 29th in Tony's sister's backyard in Rexburg & it was magnificent (see pictures for those of you that weren't able to attend). We prayed the weather perfect--one of those tender mercies I guess. I wanted it simple, yet elegant, not a lot of fuss (or money!), but casually beautiful with lots of evidence of nature all around for people to enjoy! It honestly couldn't have been any better. It was just what I hoped for and MORE! How blessed am I? Anyway, the night was perfect (complete with Godiva chocolate cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory Tony surprised me with since we didn't have a cake), we were supported by so many loved ones (thanks everyone!), and even all the kids had a blast on the swingset & in the cute playhouse that Dina (Tony's sister) had movies set up in going non-stop. Plus we had Millhollow Frozen yogurt, a true Rexburg treat!

The sealing the next morning made it all complete. It was so special and sacred I don't even have the words to describe it, but wow, what an amazing feeling of peace and "rightness." Hooray for foreverrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!

And now, one chapter, one month later it is still total & complete bliss!! The boys think Tony is the best thing since Legos were invented, and I'd have to agree--minus the Legos, he's just THE best thing!!

Thank you to all of you who have been such a love and support during my "again-singleness" and yeah for happy forevering!

Love from us to you!