Knolls

Saturday morning we woke up early and met Dan's Dad for a little riding at the Knolls. I have never been all the way to the edge of the dunes where the fence is marking the edge of the government testing area. The sun was shining and when we were standing still it was warm... but we were moving most of the time.
There are moments in a fathers life when he passes on the knowledge he has gained throughout his lifetime to his son. This was one of those moments!

Dan taught Seth to pee in the great outdoors!
Dan had him start by picking out the perfect rock to pee on.

Seth really liked peeing on the rocks!

After a picnic lunch we headed to the flats and the white dunes nearest I-80.

I think Chloe's favorite part of riding is playing in the sand.

Dan showed Chloe and Seth how to somersault down the hills:

Chloe didn't dare do it, but Seth gave it a whirl:

Not to be one up'd by her little brother, Chloe loved it:

Then she tried her own version:

After rushing home and a quick clean up we headed over to my oldest nephew, Ben's Eagle Scout Court of Honor. He is the first of the 22 grandchildren in our family to have earned his eagle. It was so great to be there and congratulate him and all of his hard work. It was all new to me, but he was asked to pick a mentor, someone who has helped him and guided him... NO it wasn't me but it was my brother Tom. Uncle Tom is a great mentor. I hope he still has the patience and the energy when Seth is this age.

Ben and a future Scout!

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About Last Night

I just finished hanging the shamrocks I made last night at Wendy's make and take. They are twirling so, so much on this gusty day. It was so much fun to meet the crafty ladies that use and abuse Wendy's skills each month. I can't wait to go next time. Maybe after a little time, I might attempt something more difficult...

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Princess Day

I don't know what I am going to do when Chloe starts kindergarten and each day doesn't have a theme... Seth and I were waiting for Chloe to make an entrance.

Doesn't she sparkle?

Seth was so good, running errands, he got a gum ball!

The sun was in his eyes and he needed some glasses:

After wer got home we baked some cookies, Yum!

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Draper Temple Open House

I know that this picture shows Chloe a little distressed but this was the only opportunity I could take to snap a quick shot with the beautiful, new Draper Temple in the back ground. We were waiting for our bus to take us back to the parking lot where our car was. She was so worried that it was going to leave with out us! It was so wonderful to take these little munchkins through the rooms of the Temple. Chloe loved the Brides dressing room with the beautiful chandeliers. She isn't sure if she wants to get married here or where I got married, the Salt Lake Temple. She stopped to admire all of the pictures and flowers and Dan had to hustle when Seth let me loose to make a run for the baptism font. I'm afraid to admit it, but Seth's favorite part was the bus ride and the cookies...

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SPT ~ I'm Saying I Love You When...

I'm saying I love you when I agree to drive hours, leaving my warm bed, to sleep in a tent ~ arriving to SNOW and lucking out and getting a cozy cabin! {You are So Lucky!!!}


I'm saying I love you when I trek through the snow and elements to follow you up and down the green river. I'm saying I love you when I wear fishing waders, I never thought I would be wearing rubber pants again in this lifetime...
Even though these are some ghetto scrapbook pages I did years ago, I love looking back at all of the adventures we took together ~ when it was just the two of us. Both Chloe and Seth asked where they were in these pictures and Seth has gone off crying in his room because I hurt his feelings, telling him he wasn't born yet...

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Kindergarten '81 & '09

Can you find me?

I went to the Kindergarten Roundup on Friday afternoon to sign Chloe up for school. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. There is one part of me that is so excited for this girl to go to school every day I am jumping up and down. I loved school, I loved to learn, to read, to do homework, I LOVED SCHOOL! I also loved kindergarten, Mrs. Hill was one of my favorite teachers. I'm also looking forward to having some time each day to spend just with Seth. On the flip side, I'm not ready for my baby to leave me and be surrounded by 20 little monsters with their germs and naughty words who might make fun of her or not be her friend. And who, just who is going to entertain Seth while she is gone ~ he will be so board with out her... I have six more months to prepare myself for the daily detachment of the umbilical cord ~ I guess it's a good thing she stopped breast feeding some five years ago!!!

I also needed to add a shout out to both Wendy & Becky for getting me hooked on Fringe. I love this show. They both just told me to start DVRing it and when I finally got around to watching the two episodes I had, I definitely needed more. I searched on-line and found all but the first three episodes for free on Hulu.com. It is so freaky and addicting! Sadly I rushed through those 11 episodes on my computer not realizing that there will be six weeks before I will get a new episode...

FRINGE!!! I Love it!

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More Explanation...

There is a lot that could be said about the Thomson Clan...

One things for sure, we know how to have a good time!!!

To learn more about Dan's crazy outfit click here.

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Smith's Dairy

Today we went to the Smith's Dairy in Layton with Chloe's Preschool

Our tour guide told us these were their cows,

these long silver containers carried all of the milk from the farmers to the warehouse

All of the kids were looking into the glass windows at large robotic arms turning milk.
It was so fun to see Chloe and Seth holding hands.
Seth is so anti-hold-Chloe's-hand but today he was her buddy
and they had to stay together at all times ~ they did pretty good!

We even go to walk through the freezer,

It was SO, SO, SO Cold!!!

Afterwards our tour guide passed out coupons to everyone for a free pint of ice cream,

which we picked up on the way home!!!

This is the frame I started to paint, it needs another coat or two.

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Today's Grocery Smarts!!!

Albertson's has a super deal going today. I actually got all of these groceries for $16.79;

The total value of all of the groceries I bought was $165.17

Just so Krista is aware, while adding these up I looked at the time on the reciept.

The first time was 11:09 and the last was 11:14, the bag boy couldn't keep up!!!

I felt so good about it that I stopped into Roberts and treated myself to the 'Clip It Up'
this double decker tower has unlimited organizing capabilities. I have pulled out stashes
of supplies that I forgot I had ~ because I couldn't see them!!!


Yesterday we stopped at the Wood Connection and found the greatest frame

for a project I have been thinking about for some time. I also found these little

bins that they had decorated as incoming mail slots... I am going to work on another

coat of paint and then antique them for the kids' bedrooms to hold story books!

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SPT - The first thing that attracted me to you was...

There are so many things that attracted me to Dan it is hard to remember what the first thing was. It's a funny story, our beginning ~ but it depends on who you ask... You see I was dating a couple of guys in the end of summer, 1997. Jim* was a little worried because he was going out of town for a bit. He was nervous of all of the time I would be spending with John* while he was away. So he thought that I should hang out with his best friend and room mate, a guy named Dan. He was this skinny, punk who had longish, black hair, a gray truck and this funny, crooked tooth. I was very particular about peoples teeth. I have a hard time not staring at horrible yellow teeth or huge gaps in between the front two teeth. I am very shallow when it comes to teeth... Dan's crazy tooth was like a magnet to me but for some reason, I loved it. He was very self conscious about it and tried not to smile. But he smiled at me!!!

I had heard all of these stories about Dan, Jim* thought he was so awesome. I remember we were playing video games ~ it was a beavis & butt head game, and I had the strangest thought. Dan and I were just sitting there laughing when I felt that Dan was the man I was going to marry. I vividly remember thinking, "The Hell I Am!" and got up and took off...

While Jim* was out of town, Dan and I were smitten. He came home and Dan moved out. After some time, Dan introduced me to his family, and I met his brother Josh. When Dan was with Josh, he was so happy ~ it was obvious how much he loved his little brother. I knew at that moment that he would love me and our children that much and possibly more! So I married him a few months later in February of 1998!!

P.S. Dan and Jim* didn't talk for a little while but are still friends to this day.

P.S.S. Jim* even married my friend Angie* and they too lived happily ever after!

*The Names have been changed to protect those mentioned!

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Late Last Night...

So I still have a cold. It's more like a bad cough that gives me a headache and prevents me from falling into a deep sleep... Chloe seems to be improving, so there is some hope. For Valentines Day we all stayed indoors and became stir crazy. We didn't go to church on Sunday and became even more stir crazy. I didn't get very much sleep last night and am trying to channel all of the craziness into something good! I was talking to the queen of fonts {Krista} and had her walk me through un-zipping files and the difference between fonts and digital brushes. I found some circle templates I had downloaded off of the Creating Keepsakes web site and had never used. I have been learning to use some digital scrapbook features a little bit at a time and although it took me forever, I mean F.O.R.E.V.E.R., I came up with this layout:I love how the journaling follows the circle pattern and if you are interested in these templates I can send them to you. Just leave my your e-mail address in a comment!
But, I feel like this page needs a little bit more, something to polish it off...

Suggestions are welcome, criticism is not!!!

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THANK YOU KRISTA!!!

I don't know what it is about getting your hair done, but whenever Krista cuts my hair and styles it, I always feel sexy! I wish that I could have her do my hair every day!!! I forgot to post about it but while Chloe was at preschool, last Thursday, I went and got my hair done. I love it!

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Crafty Girls

If you have ever been to my house you might be impressed by how it is decorated. You might think, "Oh my Gosh! Did she make all of these fabulous crafts?" Then you would reconsider, knowing me as you do and come to the conclusion that Liz doesn't have a crafty bone in her body and someone else must have decorated her house! Which would be true!!! All of my sisters are crafty and can make or do anything. I am the reject of the family who can split a restaurant bill eight ways - to the penny. I am the numbers girl who has been deemed acceptable because I am so much fun to be around!!!

I just wanted to take a moment and put a little plug for the crafty girls I know, because I appreciate everything they do for me and the impressions that are made because of them!!!

My littlest sister Erin has some adorable items available on her new Etsy Shop:

Erin's Etsy Shop

She just made this applique for a lucky woman and I am considering something for me {mostly she makes baby stuff}! I love the detail on the neck line and hem of the shirt.


Don't tell Dan, but I signed up to make this cutest St. Patrick's Day craft at my sister Wendy's Make & Take. She has a great craft blog and has monthly gatherings at her house to teach people how to paint. She cuts the wood and has everything prepared for you. Mostly it is just a night out with some fun girls!!! She also sells her crafts at The Quilted Bear at the Newgate Mall.

Every time I see it I think of Napoleon Dynamite, "Lucky!"

My sister Becky's Kindred Heart Crafts are available at the other end of the valley. She too has a great craft blog and girls night out to help us proudly say, "Yeah! I made that!!!" without telling a lie!My friend Annette has a jewelry website full or beautiful jewelry that she makes and that is so affordable. She truly is a Rustic Mama and I love her stuff. This hat of hers inspired the purchase of my camouflage cap... I still don't know how to wear it.

I just missed her last boutique but can't wait to go to the next one. My wrists are so fat that handmade is the only way I can go...


These are just a few of the crafty blogs I lurk but these are the ones that I personally know and love!!! I have caught Dan's cough and sore throat and am sad to say that I am sick and will more than likely be for Valentines Day. Sad.

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Preschool Valentines Party!!!

Chloe is so excited and nervous for some reason. She wrote her name on all of her valentines and will come home with 12 of her own this afternoon!

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About Last Night...

On Tuesday, Chloe had Silly Sock Day and wore every pair of leggins she had. We even did her hair in Silly ponytails with matching elastic bands in the color order of her silly socks!!!
While we were out looking for some Pajamas to wear to relief society Seth loved stopping at every snow pile and even took aim for ME!

Although I didn't find any new & appropriate PJ's I did have fun at Enrichment Night! We had a slumber party! We played games: fruit basket, huge twister, and apples to apples. Then enjoyed each others company while eating yummy desserts! What more could you ask for?

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SPT ~ I think it would be romantic to:

Stay in bed for days on end!!!

We could order room service from the imaginary cook

We could hire the neighbors to watch the kids

We could take a break form work and everyday life

We could go back to the beginning and just be!!!

Since Dan dislike traveling too far away from the comforts of his own bed, Anywhere that I dream of traveling would be with out him, so, not romantic...

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