Birthday Bookcase

The beginning stages of my book case - just getting the frame.



The main structure but none of the fancy work on it yet.



Starting to stain. It took three coats in the end. I love the knots in the wood.



Close up of the trim work - even the shelves have it.



Finished product - with my little Mae - isn't it awesome?

Did I mention my Marcus is practically perfect?? For my birthday this year I was interested in bookcases. Since we don't have our own house anymore Marcus hasn't had projects around the house to keep him busy. He told me a few days before my birthday that he was thinking about building me my own bookcase. I was delighted to hear - especially since it wasn't my idea, but his own.

It took him a few weeks to build it, but he didn't have long stretches of time to work on it. Mostly just after work in the evenings. It turned out wonderful, and this is going to be the first in a set of three that I eventually want. I think it might be one of my favorite birthday presents of all time.

I also bought some books to stick on my bookcase for my birthday. My birthday was Sept. 30. The kids were delighted to get me presents. They got me a new calender for next year, some dove chocolates and oreo cookies. Birthdays almost became just as fun again as when I was a kid when you have little kids to get excited over it with you. I also went to my parents house over conference weekend a few days after my birthday and my mom made me one of my favorite treats - mississipi mud for me. Love you mom.

Which one is your favorite???

#1


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6


#7



#8


#9


#10


#11


#12


#13

We had Marcus' sister take a ton of pictures last Saturday. I got the CD and have narrowed over 300 pictures down to my favorites. Now I am having a hard time picking out the family picture that I like the best. So I am looking for your opinion. Let me know which number you like best.

Thank Goodness for Sisters

I was talking on the phone with my sister Rochelle. Kylie was keeping and eye/playing with Tannen. I went in to peek in on them and see how they were doing and this was what I saw.



Tannen was pleased as pie. Gotta love sisters.

I must be be getting old

Yesterday I was taking Landon and Kylie to tumbling. Kylie asked if I could drive without hands. I said no, but I could manage with one hand. Landon then started to tell me about the future. In the future he said cars won't need steering wheels. They will be electric and such. I was fascinated.

So then I was thinking about it and decided to tell the kids that when I was born there weren't cell phones. They were amazed, "How did you talk on the phone?" I told them we had phones but just not cell phones. Then I told them when I was little you didn't have computers at home. Landon caught on and asked if there was email and some other computer games. I told him no. The kids were just blown away with that. Technology is so part of there life they can't imagine it without. I told him we got our first computer when I was in fifth grade and that the screen was just black and yellow. There reactions were classic to me.

Then Landon told me "Well when I am a dad I am going to tell my kids that you used to drive with your hands."

Tannen Crawling

Here is a video of Tannen crawling. There is a lot of help from Landon and Kylie. It is a good depiction on how crazy it feels over here. It is a couple of minutes but I think pretty cute.

For My Brother

So Kylie was going to the bathroom and she didn't shut the door. Landon and I were sitting on the couch and we could see her. Landon whistled at her and said aaawoogaa to Kylie. I asked him where he learned that. And he said Justin. So thanks once again for teaching my son things he doesn't learn at home Uncle Justin. I think every time we see him Landon picks up something new from him whether it is swiping his sister or new phrases.

The Pincher

Every picture was so cute, I just had to put them all on. Tannen tried Cheerios for the first time last night and loved them. So we (yes I munched on them too) had some more today and had a great time eating them. He is really getting the pincher grasp down.

Also yesterday I went in to get him in the morning and he sat up all by himself. He did it one more time yesterday in the evening with Marcus. We are completely in love with this little guy.

Tannen eating O's

New Snow Pants

Silly kids


Playing together

I went to Shopko and bought my kids some snow pants. I was shopping for shirts for Landon and saw in an add that the snow pants were only $11.88 so I jumped on that. I have never bought snow pants for my kids. Boise was really nice and you would only play in the snow one or twice a year, so it didn't seem worth the money. But here it is cold and after last winter I was more than happy to get them. It seemed like a good deal so I got them. Other people must have to because there wasn't a lot in their size left.

After we came home I had them try them on to see how they fit. The fit great, and then Landon and Kylie decided to ride their bikes in them. It really cracked me up and I thought they were so cute so I took a picture of them. The grass is still green, but it is chilly outside.

I did get some shirts for Landon and the other kids. But Landon found a camo shirt - the one he is wearing. And really wanted it because he wanted to hide outside at school. I told him he might blend in with the grass a little, but not the toys. He seemed delighted and also needed to get a green shirt as well.

All I want for Christmas....

.... is my two front teeth

Landon lost his other front top tooth. So as you can see he is missing two teeth. It seems pretty dramatic to have teeth pulled over here. He was eating dinner Tuesday night and pushed it back. It started bleeding but he wouldn't let us pull it. Then dinner Wednesday night he did it again, but I told him it was hanging off, and pulled it before he knew what to do. Afterward he was delighted and said that eating food was a great way to get teeth loosened up. Crazy kid - he was in tears over it. Oh well I am just glad that we don't have any more loose teeth over here for a while.

Canning

On Monday and Tuesday I did a ton of canning. I did Peaches and Pears. In the end I came out with 21 quarts of peaches, 1 batch of peach jam, 5 sm bags of frozen peaches, and 28 quarts of pears. It was quite the job. Marcus helped me with the pears which was very nice. Also about a month ago I went to McCammon to make applesauce with my mother in law. We made 20 quarts of it and I got to take home 14 quarts. I was so pleased with it.

Thou Shall Not Worship False Idols

Landon: In the garage riding his bike

Marcus: "Hey what are you doing get in here." (It is time for bed)

Landon: Rides his bike and hits the car

Marcus: "Careful I don't want you scratching and denting the car."

Landon: "It's only a car."

Marcus: "Ya, but I don't want it to look ugly."

Landon: "It's only a car, you don't worship it."

Marcus: "You are absolutely right, but I don't want dents and scratches all over my car."