Corbin Cakes

So who doesn't love a guy who can bake?  Corbin is a great Baker and cupcakes are his specialty!

These were ooooh so yummy!

Start to finish....he made them himself :-)

My Cadet

As a mom my heart couldn't be any prouder. This Summer Levi joined Civil Air Patrol  also known as CAPS. The closest unit is in Hayden ID.

The three Missions of Civil Air Patrol are Cadet Programs, Aerospace Education and Emergency Services. 

Cadet Oath is: " I pledge to serve faithfully in the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program and that I will attend meetings regularly, participate actively in unit activities, obey my officers, wear my uniform properly, and advance my education and training rapidly to prepare myself to be of service to my community, state, and nation."

At 16, Levi's plate is going to be plenty full with School, Varsity Soccer and Civil Air Patrol.

18th Anniversary

 “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”- Lao Tzu

This year, Troy and I are celebrating our 18th. Anniversary....I look back and wonder where all that time went!

I feel pretty lucky to be married to someone so amazing!

Don't get me wrong... he still drives me nuts when he hides my shoes, but boy do I "LOVE" that man!!!

I truly do know... just  how lucky I am !!!

Earlier this year, Troy wore his wedding band so thin that it broke in two. I figured it may need to be remelted down and re-casted. I have been meaning all Summer to take it into a Jeweler and have them take a look at it.

With our Anniversary just around the corner, it was a gentle reminder to go and get it done.

I was thinking it would have to be a big trip into the city, to get it fixed...

By chance, I remembered that there is a small Jewelry shop right here in Priest River. On a whim, I stopped in with Troys wedding band to see what could be done to have it fixed.  I was so excited to hear that it could be fixed and to my amazement he repaired and polished it in under an hour. While I was there I also had my rings checked and cleaned.

Not only was the repair and cleanings very reasonable, my ring has never sparkled as much as it did after this cleaning... A big reminder for me to keep my business local as much as possible.

Thank you to SG Arts Jewelry for fixing us up.....just in time for our Anniversary!



Listening to the echos at Singing Heart Ranch

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Singing Heart Ranch with my Dad. A place that holds a special place in his heart and many childhood memories of helping out on the Ranch. 

While the old homestead still stands...it has taken unfair hits from calloused and reckless vandals who had no respect for the past. 




 As I took this picture, I wondered how many times this door could have possibly been opened through the years....

I fell in love with the perfectly chipped paint and patina, that could have only been achieved by Father Time.

The inside of the house is  very much falling in and dilapidated, but is still willing to tell  you a  story of another time .

The original Barns still stand all around the property

My Dad

As the sunlight streamed through the cracks in the lumber of the Old Barn it gently creaked in the wind.  

 If you listened closely you could hear the echo's of a harder, simpler, yet happy life from days gone by.

Not a doubt in my mind, why it was named Singing Heart Ranch.

Happy New Year

We spent our New Years Eve in Potlatch, ID. with Troy's
brother Ray  and our Sister-in-Law Doris, for the second year in a row....could this be tradition in the making? ;-)

I didn't get any pictures this time, so you will just have to take my word that we had a fantastic time and they definitely make the trip worth it. Ray is the King of Meat and his signature tri-tip steak is to die for!!!

Ray and Doris certainly go the extra mile to make dinner with family a special event. The boys get a kick out of their Uncle Ray, as he is quite the character!

I love watching Troy interact with his brother and I can't help but imagine that someday my boys will be interacting in much of the same way.

We had a great time making memories and left Potlatch a little later than anticipated. We ended up ringing in the New Year as a family in the car on our road trip home...

Welcome 2012... Happy New Year!

Holiday Season

As the snow flakes settle down around us from the whirlwind  holiday season... Here are a few highlights from our Christmas Season

SUMMER

Beach Toys

Sand in your sandals


campfires


Burnt hotdogs


& Water

A weekend in review

This weekend we took Corbin to his first 3 on 3 basketball tournament in Rathdrum, he was nervous...he usually is before any game.



The boys played hard and won their first game. I am always amazed at how competitive it can get out there on the courts.


They dug in and played hard but lost the next 2 games.


Dad was proud!!!


It just happened to be Rathdrum days so there was a lot going on around the courts. After the games we walked through all the vendor booths. They had a great live BAND playing and lots of fun activities going on.

Ronald Mcdonald was even in Rathdrum sponsoring
the big wheel races.


We just had to watch!


who knew big wheel races were a big deal? It was just too darn cute!!


This little guy had the need for speed.. he pulled ahead of the pack and won the race.


and this little cutie took her time and proudly finished last!


Corbin took a ride on a camel!


and we had to bail the boys out of the Rathdrum jail!!



Just in time to stop a runaway train!



We had a great weekend and hope you did too!

Celebrating America

We hope you are having a Happy 4th. of July!

We are lucky enough to have spent this warm and sunny weekend celebrating America with our family.




Seemed like a perfect time to set our new flag pole and raise the flag high and mighty!








And the perfect weekend to be a kid...





Happy 4th. of JULY

The Gift of giving

Giving is better than receiving because giving starts the receiving process. -Jim Rohn

Troy & I had the privilege of taking the boys shopping for a child in need this holiday season. We chose a 3 year old boy from the tree of sharing. My guys had so much fun shopping and finding just the right items they wanted to give.

Although, Levi and Corbin have outgrown playing with their own wooden trains they knew it was the perfect gift to give the young boy on our list.



A flood of cherished memories washed over me as I watched them pick and choose just the right ones...It really was not that long ago that little wooden trains meant the world to them. So many mornings I would wake to a menagerie of wooden clickety clack tracks constructed all through out the house and little boys in engineer hats with wooden choo-choo whistles.





We decided on warm footsie jammies, a new Christmas outfit, a toy train station with trains and a farm animal box car.



Giving is true having. -Charles Spurgeon




I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.-Maya Angelou

Angel Surprise

This beautiful Angel has graced our family tree ever since Troy and I spent our first Christmas together. Every year she is placed upon the tree to watch over our family all through the holiday season.

This year she gave us a special surprise!


I have never seen it in Christmas's past, but this was the first time in all the years that I noticed a gentle tear falling from her eye. It's hard to see and the light has to be just right... or you would never even know it's there.



I would like to think of them as tears of JOY...Makes me love & cherish her even more! So, as our Angel gently weeps...Let the holiday magic begin!

;-)