CHRISTMAS HIGHLIGHTS!

BRUNCH AT GRANDMA DEBI'S

CHRISTMAS BRUNCH

SAWYER'S NEW KITCHEN

GRANDMA & GRANDPA CARLSON'S CHRISTMAS GIFT TO ALL OF THE GRANDKIDS!

AND A NEW ATV TOO!!

OUR LITTLE SHEPHARD BOYS

CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER AT OUR HOME

ONE OF SAWYERS FAVORITE STOCKING STUFFERS

CAVIN GOT A NEW TRAIN & TRAIN TABLE

THE JOYS OF CHRISTMAS

COUSINS CLUB

EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING WE GET ALL OF THE COUSINS TOGETHER FOR COUSIN'S CLUB. WE TAKE TURNS HAVING IT AT EACH OTHERS HOUSES. THIS IS WHAT WE DID TODAY! THE KIDS LOVE GETTING TOGETHER AND THE MOMS LOVE GETTING A NICE 3 HOUR BREAK! IT IS NICE WE ALL LIVE SO CLOSE TOGETHER.

IT IS BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS!

WE GOT OUR FIRST BIG SNOW STORM THIS WEEKEND! IT WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY. EVERYONE WAS OUT WITH THEIR KIDS SLEDDING AND PLAYING. CAVIN HELPED BEAU SHOVEL THE WALKS. WE HOPE CHRISTMAS EVE WILL BRING US MORE SNOW. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE WAKING UP ON CHRISTMAS MORNING WITH A BLANKET OF FRESH WHITE POWDER!

Our Christmas Tree!

Trimming Our Tree

It is tradition in our family to decorate for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. I was particularly excited to decorate this year because last year after Christmas I went out and got all new decorations! It was like having an early Christmas for me as I opened up all the packages of decor. The boys loved decorating too! We let them put up a tree in their room this year also.

Turkey Day

This year for Thanksgiving we went to my brothers new home. We had about 25 of us there. It is funny how long it takes to prepare for the actual meal and it is over in minutes. Here is a picture of the plate I cleared. Yummy! I would have to say the Pretzel Jello and the Candied Yams are always a big hit in our family!
We all went and saw "Enchanted" after our meal and it was a darling show for adults and children. We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

ENJOYING OUR LAST FEW DAYS OF FALL!

FALL PICTURES OF THE BOYS

SUMMER PROJECT

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Get your own

THIS PAST SUMMER BEAU & I FOCUSED ON FINISHING OUR BACKYARD. WE STARTED OUT BY PUTTING UP A FENCE. THANKS TO BEAU, MY DAD & MY BROTHER RYAN IT ALL CAME TOGETHER SMOOTHLY.
THE DAY AFTER THE FENCE WAS DONE, I WENT TO THE NURSERY AND BOUGHT A BUNCH OF ITEMS AND PLANTED THEM ALONG THE BACK FENCE.
THE NEXT FOCUS WAS BEHIND OUR GARAGE WHERE IT WAS A DIRT PATH. WE WANTED TO MAKE IT A NICE LITTLE GARDEN PATHWAY SO THE KIDS COULD GO BACK THERE. BEAU AND I DID THE HARD PART TOGETHER. WE LEVELED OFF ALL THE DIRT AND BROUGHT IN SEVERAL BAGS OF SAND TO MAKE IT PERFECTLY LEVEL. WE BROUGHT IN OUR CONCRETE SQUARES AND OUR PEBBLE STONE AND MEASURED EVERYTHING OUT INTO THE PATTERN WE WANTED.
I ADDED A GARDEN BORDER WITH PAVERS THAT MATCH THE ROCK ON OUR HOUSE.
BEAU TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO DRIP LINES SO I INSTALLED THOSE ALONG THE BACK OF OUR GARAGE AND THROUGHOUT MOST OF OUR BACK AND SIDE YARDS. I SPENT THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF SUMMER SLOWLY ADDING A PLANT HERE AND THERE. I CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT SUMMER TO SEE HOW EVERYTHING FILLS IN.
THANKS TO MY SISTER IN LAW MISTY, SHE HELPED US GET THE PEBBLE STONE AND ESPECIALLY THANKS TO MY BROTHER RYAN & MY DAD, WHO HELPED US PLAN EVERYTHING OUT AND GAVE US GREAT IDEAS ON OUR PROJECT. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURES OUR BACKYARD HAS COME A LONG WAY. MY NEXT STEPS IN THE BACKYARD ARE TO MOVE OUR AIR CONDITIONER TO THE SIDE OF OUR HOUSE.(IT IS SUCH AN EYE SORE AND IT IS NOISY TOO). ONCE WE MOVE THE AIR CONDITIONER, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A WATER FEATURE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CHANGE OUT OUR WOOD STAIRWAY TO SOMETHING MORE MODERN. LASTLY I WOULD LIKE TO ADD EITHER ROCK OR MORE STUCCO TO COVER UP ALL OF THE CONCRETE FOUNDATION THAT SHOWS. WE LOVE SPENDING TIME IN OUR LITTLE BACKYARD! I LOVE HAVING HOUSE PROJECTS! THANKS FOR LETTING ME SHARE OUR SUMMER PROJECT WITH YOU.

GRANDMA GARNER'S FAMOUS CHILI SAUCE

OUR FAMILY HAS A FAVORITE CHILI SAUCE RECIPE THAT MY MY MOM'S MOM PASSED ON TO US. ABOUT EVERY OTHER YEAR OR SO, MY MOM, SISTERS AND I GET TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS MIXTURE. WE MADE 10 BATCHES THAT TOOK 2 FULL DAYS TO MAKE. I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY IT OUT ON MY NEXT ROAST. THANKS TO CAVIN WHO LOVED HELPING US CHOP UP ALL THE GREEN PEPPERS!

MAKING CHILI SAUCE

SAN DIEGO

WE JUST GOT HOME FROM A VERY FUN VACATION TO SAN DIEGO. WE TOOK THE BOYS TO SEA WORLD, PLAYED ON THE BEACH, ATE YUMMY MEXICAN FOOD, WENT TO AN AMAZING WEDDING AND WATCHED THE SUNSET OVER THE OCEAN EACH NIGHT. WE DIDN'T WANT TO COME HOME...A FEW MORE DAYS WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE.

BEACH BOUND

WE ARE OFF TO THE BEACH...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! "HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE."