Grandma's Care Package

Is there anything more spontaneous and fun than opening your front door to receive a care package from Grandma Frye? Nope. Here's a few pics of the girls showing off their treasures. The heel-less boots were a hit with Kyra and Mom. Just a tad funky with LOTS of style. We took one look at them, looked at each other and said, "Deana!" (our cousin) If Deana would wear these, than it's safe to say Kyra would be the talk of the school tomorrow! The photo doesn't show the tiny sequins, seed beads and scattered jewels. And to think the thrift store lady just 'threw them in'!

The Frye's have been kind enough to keep their eyes open for cowboy boots for Erica's riding. Both boots fit both girls. And personally I think the white ones are pretty classy looking. Who needs a horse? Kyra showed Erica what to do with the concho belt, which promptly went into Kyra's wardrobe and Erica is modeling a shirt that was enclosed. Copper didn't know what to think. He just nosed and sniffed, and nosed and sniffed. Thank you, Frye's, for thinking of us!

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Sick, but Spoiled

What a week! Our surprise anniversary trip was full of surprises. I felt spoiled rotten. A few days before we left, Bill and the kids gave me a digital camcorder. No, we didn't need one, but it's sure convenient having digital files instead of the old VHS to DVD transfer. Bill drove me to Wendover to spend two nights in a luxurious and spacious jacuzzi suite. The pictures don't do it justice at all. It's hard to see, but the room was surrounded by a soffit of mirrors and tiny lights that you could dim. The first night we met friends who joined us for dinner and a John Michael Montgomery concert. The next day I was treated to a spa body wrap. Sunday afternoon we drove up Ogden Canyon and stayed in the Northern Lights suite at the Alaskan Inn. Wow, what a room! They had painted half the room a deep blue and then put fiber optic lights up and around to imitate a twinkling night sky, even including a falling star ever so often. Around the jacuzzi they used glow-in-the-dark paint to create a replica of the Northern Lights, complete with a black light so it would shimmer in different colors when all the room's lights were out. I'll say it again, Wow! When we first walked in the room, they had a CD playing with sounds of nature and a trickling stream. My final surprise was a new wedding ring. Bill certainly outdid himself. It was a very nice retreat from reality, but then we had to come home again. We had left Erica at home with strep throat, and came back to Jacob unable to keep food inside him. Bill got congested really bad from the smoke in and around the casinos, and I came down with something last Wednesday that won't go away. I'm feeling a little better today, enough to write this entry, but not enough to fully function and think clearly. My diet, which I cannot taste or smell, has been consisting of Dr. Christopher's Super Garlic something-or-other and Afrin (to breathe with). My constant companions have been furry Valentine's Day socks from my dear friend Betsy to keep the Vicks on my feet.

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A Sneak Preview

Here's a sneak preview of what I've been working on to surprise Bill for our 21st anniversary coming up Friday. I'm putting it on here early because I know he never looks at this! We have a fairly large wall in our bedroom that right now has a few small pictures on it. I'm going to strip that wall and put up some script vinyl lettering that says "Loved you yesterday, Love you still, Always have, Always will." And then underneath that saying I'll have the above prints, each 11X14, placed symmetrically in a row. My plan is to re-do everything the second he leaves Friday morning. We're supposed to take off in the early afternoon that day to celebrate our anniversary out of town, so I'll be on a very short time schedule. I hope he likes it. I think it will help us remember that the "good times" will always outweigh the bad times.

And while I'm on here, I'm going to add my 2 cents about prayer. I was really struggling with what to do with the pictures last night, and after 3 hours I only had one layout done. I was really frustrated at my creative "block," and was getting frazzled that it wasn't coming together fast enough so I'd be done by Thursday, giving Costco a night to print them. Well, late last night I sleepily pleaded in my prayers for some help here. I knew I wasn't making progress fast enough. And lo and behold, when I got on the computer this morning, ideas kept flowing one right after the other and I got the next 5 layouts done in record time. Bottom line? Heavenly Father really wants to give us the desires of our hearts. He's truly a parent that loves his children no matter what, and if He can grant a specific desire....no matter how trivial to Him it is....he knows it's important to us and He will do it.

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Another Artist in the Family

Since school started, Erica has been taking a 7th grade art class. The semester ended and she FINALLY brought home her portfolio. I was pretty impressed with her skills at this project. The teacher had them find a face, tear the magazine shot in half, then fill in the missing half. I thought she did a TERRIFIC job! So, now 3 of the 4 kids are showing artistic tendencies, with Jacob now showing an interest in drawing in his free time. Read more!

Swim Season Officially Over

Do I look "official"? This year I volunteered to be an "official" official for any swim meet held at our rec center. I knew I'd be at Adam's swim meets, so... I am in the dead center of the picture in my official's outfit of white shirt and navy pants, conscientiously watching the toes and fingers of the relay swimmers. It was pretty cool to be right in the thick of things, splashed from head to foot. The only regret is that I wasn't available to watch every second of Adam's races and take photos -- which is my favorite thing to do. Luckily I have a wonderful friend who is a professional photographer who also had a daughter swimming who specially took pictures of Adam for me. I have a few on this entry of Adam, but I think I will find more of him in the water soon. (I have hundreds to sort through!) Even though I was exhausted after most of the meets, it was thrilling to watch the kids beat their personal best times, break region records and, most thrilling of all, to watch Viewmont High School walk off with both the girls and boys Region 1 championship trophies. Wow! The energy in the pool area was out of this world!

This is Adam mentally preparing for a race right before he takes to the blocks. I have been so proud of his progress this year. On his last race he knocked off a 1/2 a second off his 50yd freestyle race. The week prior he had taken off an addl 2 seconds. It was so fun to see him finish that race, immediately look up at the scoreboard to note his time, than break out in a tremendous whoop of joy, while thrusting a victory fist in the air! Proud, proud Mom. The last picture really encapsulates a swimmer's life.

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Happy 15th Birthday, Kyra!!

January 31st brought Kyra's 15th birthday!

We celebrated with our traditional ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. We also went out to dinner as a family to Olive Garden.

Kyra is ecstatic to receive a new MP3 player that holds 5 times as much music as her old one. Did we need one that held her entire collection? Um.....

Mom also worked very hard her birthday week to finish her memory quilt top for her future bedspread. The bright colors match her "Under the Sea" wallpaper. Spread about are different pictures of her at varying ages.

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