My week

in Boise...

Amber, Ella and I went to an art class where we learned about ink printing. 

Afterwards we went to lunch and stopped at my favorite cupcake store Lilly Janes.

Ella insisted she wear her Moab shirt (because Jordan was in Moab) and that we make cupcakes for the family BBQ to celebrate Shane's birthday.

We went to the zoo one afternoon with Kylene, our friend Emily and all the kids. 

We got there a little early so Ella and I walked over to the rose gardens while Amber waited for Emily and Kylene. 

Ella was interested in all the different roses and she smelled and took pictures of almost every rose that she saw.  She decided that the yellow roses with the pink middles were her favorite. 

I haven't been to the zoo since they remodeled it and had as much fun as the kids.  All the animals were out, we had a picnic and the kids loved being able to run around.  It was a perfect summer day. 

Saturday morning the family went to cheer Clay on while he ran a local 10K.   He did awesome, running his best time ever!     

I loved being able to spend the week with my family.  We had such a great time and it makes me so excited for the family reunion coming up! 

With that said I really missed Jordan and was so excited when he got home from his canyoneering trip.  He had a lot of fun cayoneering in Moab.  The canyon he was in on Saturday had a few minor problems and so it took a lot longer than they thought and he wasn't able to get home until two in the morning.  We spent the early morning telling each other about our trips and were so happy to be able to sleep in the next day.          

Baseball in Boise

I decided to come to Boise for the week to celebrate Kylee, Shane and my Mom's birthdays.  Sunday is Father's day and then my Dad turns 60 on Monday.  That is a lot of celebrating! 

Jordan wasn't able to make it down this trip.  He is busy with school, interviews and had a canyoneering trip planned with school.  I love being able to visit my family and he loves that I am not alone so it works out perfectly for us.    

When I got to Boise I found out that Shane had a baseball game so we went to support his team the Tiki's.   Amber and I took Ella and Kresimir with us.  They loved cheering for Shane (Kres's favorite saying "Shane!! Shake what your Mama gave ya!") and when Shane let them run around the bases after the game they were giddy with excitement.  They were having so much fun they wouldn't hold still to take a decent picture.         

After the game Amber and I made fun 'corn on the cob' cupcakes for my Mom to take into work to celebrate her birthday. 

Bowling and counting

One of the things I will miss most about living in Rexburg is spending time with my sister in law Vanessa.  She is the manager at the local movie theater/bowling alley and we meet her there to go bowling or see a movie with her employee discount at least once a week.  It has been so much fun getting to know her better.        

She was able to get Jordan a fun job counting people in theaters for the movie production companies.  They pay him $10.00 a showing and free tickets to see any movie that he is counting.  They then use the numbers he sends them to figure out advertising and what movies to send to the theater.  This weekend he counted seats for the movie "Killers".  The movie was OK but seeing it for free made it a fun afternoon plus Jordan made $100 over the weekend.    

Here we are bowling the other night. 

Carrie Underwood Concert

Kylene and Clay surprised us with discounted tickets to see Carrie Underwood, so Jordan and I decided to stay a few extra days in order to go to the concert and it was worth it. 

The Sons of Sylvia and Craig Morgan opened the show and Carrie Underwood put on a great concert. 

 We had so much fun!!!

Our week in Boise

Jordan's week in Boise went really well.  He liked a lot of the companies that he met with and even landed a phone interview for a job he is really excited about.  We both hope that this job works out.  We should hear back within the week. Our fingers are crossed!

I loved spending time with my family.  I was able to work on a lot of projects, went to the movie 'Letters to Juliet' with Jordan and Amber, finished to Kill a Mockingbird (which I loved), Jordan and I went to the local thrift stores and ended up with quite a few books and a picture frame that I am going to turn into a bulletin board for our kitchen.   

Here are a few moments from our week in Boise:

I sewed my first skirt!!  I have wanted longer skirts for awhile but couldn't bring myself to buy a new one when money is tight; so I bought a pattern and with help from my Mom I was able to sew two skirts while I was here.  The best part... it cost less than $5.00 a skirt!!   

Ella was so excited that she was wearing glasses and lipgloss just like her Aunt Brook.  Ummm....kind of.  So Funny!!

Kylene and I took the kids on a walk to get snocones

I took Ella to gymnastics and she was showed me her ballet moves before the class.

We had a BBQ for family Sunday dinner.  After dinner the kids played outside while we played Scrabble and Wits and Wagers. 

A TV dinner in Boise

Jordan is coming to Boise for the week with school to meet with different companies in the area.  Graduation is approaching fast and finding the right job and deciding where we will live for the next few years is our main focus right now.  It can be stressful at times but these trips to cities in the area have been such a great experience for Jordan.  We hope to have decided where we will settle in the next few weeks.

 

I decided to come along to spend the week with my family.  Ella was not feeling well so Amber asked if I could stay home with her.  In between her resting and reading books we decided to make "funny" cupcakes to pass our time at home. 

 

We decided on making a TV dinner.

I was surprised at how easy they were to make and how cute it turned out.  It made a HUGE mess but sometimes a mess is worth it.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary how does your garden grow?

Jordan and I started a small flower pot garden. 

We didn't have much hope in it at first but things are growing so well.

Flowers

Onions

Lettuce

Peppers finally starting to grow

Sweat is the cologne of accomplishment

A few weeks ago I went to our local gym to inquire about joining and discovered rather quickly that it would simply cost too much.  Not being able to find work the last few months Jordan and I have had to really watch our spending and joining the gym would have become an unnecessary expense that we simply just couldn't afford.  So I was thrilled when I opened my birthday present from Jordan and found a gym membership.  He had secretly gone in and talked to them.  He got all of the new member fees waived and we now only pay $10.00 a month!!  For the past three weeks I have faithfully gone to the gym five or six days a week.  Although I haven't seen a dramatic change in the scale, I have seen a change in how I feel.


I still can't run a mile, can only lift five pounds and tire out after forty minutes but going to the gym every day has given me a sense of accomplishment and confidence that has been missing for awhile.           

Bread baking adventures

I was inspired by my cousin Kelsey's bread baking adventures and thought I would give it a try.  So here it is my first attempt at homemade wheat bread!!  It turned out pretty good and the house smelled sooo good all day. 

I bought a new cookbook called 'Now Eat This'  by Rocco Dispirito.  

"It transforms America's favorite comfort foods into deliciously healthy dishes-all with zero bad carbs, zero bad fats, zero sugar, and maximum flavor."   I LOVE this cookbook.  Jordan and I have been trying out the recipies and they are so good, and when they say maximum flavor they mean it.  YUM!  One thing I have noticed since using this cook book is that you are in the kitchen cooking more and we always end up with a lot more dirty dishes.  No complaints here.  I enjoy the time Jordan and I spend cooking dinner together and it has inspired me to spend more time in the kitchen and less time buying convience and probably not the most healthy of foods.     

A work in progress

Lately it seems I have been enthralled with finding thrifty, trendy and modern ways to decorate the next apartment that Jordan and I will be moving to.  It is the first place that is not furnished and we get to decorate it from the top down.   

Here is the beginning of one of my most recent projects.  I am making a throw pillow to either go on chair or bed.  I wanted something a little different and I love how it is turning out.  I decided that want to find a fun print to use as the back of the pillow which is why it is still a work in progress. 

Grey felt from the craft store that only cost $2.00!!

Cut the felt into circles

Fold the circles and hand stich to hold the shape in place

Next stitch the circles onto the pillow

It only took a few hours to complete the front of the pillow.   

 Finshed project photos coming soon........