Cutting hair... and other stuff

Shea asked Lexus (Andrew's girlfriend) to cut her hair recently. Shea wanted short - I of course said NO! Everything was going great until Lexus cut her hand with the very sharp scissors... Ouch!!

So I tried to finish it up with Lexus helping.... good thing Shea has absolutely gorgeous wavy hair that can hide a MOM haircut.

Garage Sale Fun!!

I love to get rid of stuff!!! Normally, I just give it all to Goodwill,

but decided last fall to save up all that junk to have a garage sale....

to go towards our AK trip. It was great - my house is de-cluttered

and we made a few dollars. Shea and Braden sold soda...

which didn't go over to well since it was pretty chilly.

But they made a little bit to add to their trip savings.

Here I'm holding my friend Melissa's baby -

and taking a break on the sofa

which sold in the last 5 minutes.

I did the garage sale with two friends. Susan is moving

to Colorado and Melissa was de-cluttering like me.

We should have taken a picture before we started,

There was SO much, and most of it sold!

Shea, of course, volunteered to watch the baby.

Happy, happy Mommy!

After much complaining that I NEED more pictures, Kayla and I figured out a plan.... I got her a second memory card so we can trade off. She sends me a full one and uses the empty one. I put all the pictures on our computer and then send it back to her blank. I just got the first one this week. Happy, happy day!!! (all except the part where I thought I had deleted half the pictures. But then I found them!)

I LOVE my missionary!

Kayla with her first companions,

Sister Barlow and Sister Yura

Aren't they beautiful!

Seattle is so beautiful!

Here they were taking pictures for their Christmas card

The Seattle Temple

Kayla pushed Sister Barlow over.

Funny.

Yes... that IS a chicken on her head.

Seattle had record snowfall this year.

This pict is after their car got stuck.

For about the 10th time.

Sledding with a shopping cart.
It's what all the sister missionaries do.
In their skirts.

Kayla and her new companion, Sister Kim

Kayla and Sister Kim eating Sushi.
Kayla was fine with it until she found out
it had fish eggs in it. Ha ha!!
Kayla has been pretty brave at trying foods!

Kayla at their most recent baptism for Camilo.

I've loved reading her letters as they have

gone through the conversion process with him.

This was a very happy day!

Happy 14th Birthday Braden!!!

5 kids

2 parents

1 husky

Camping in the cold.

Can you spell F-U-N?

I LOVE THIS GREAT KID!

The artist....

Braden drew this today at school

(I'm sure it wasn't during an important class)

Great job!

Frugal Challenge - Month #3

$231.10

I know, I know... that's $31.10 OVER my budget.

But technically, it isn't my fault.

It's Russ Wallace's fault.

If he hadn't FORCED me to eat

some of his Shrimp Ceviche,

I wouldn't have been dreaming about it.

craving it.

needing it.

I have no self control. At least when it comes to yummy food!!

So... a quick run to United this morning to get all

the ingredients (plus some hamburger on sale)

The result:

Here's the recipe for all of you

now craving it too!!

Shrimp Ceviche

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

juice from 4 limes

1 cup finely chopped red onion

2 jalapenos, finely chopped

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 jicama or cucumber cut into 1/2 inch chunks (I LOVE jicama!!)

2 avocado, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 tsp Valantina's Mexican Hot Sauce (optional)

Mix shrimp and lime juice and refrigerate 30 minutes

Mix in onion and jalapenos. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Add cilantro, jicama and avocado. Serve with chips.

OK... so back to my frugal challenge. It was a good month! I got 40 bags of Iams dog food for FREE. Donated some, gave some away and stored the rest for our 2 canines. Not as many deals as February, but we are still eating great and keeping the cupboards full.

All so I can...

see a whale

catch a fish

gaze at eagles.

West Texas Sunset

The sunsets in Lubbock or so amazing that sometimes, the inside of our house will seem to glow. The other day this was happening, so Braden grabbed the camera and took these great photos. (after mom of course yelled "be careful with my new baby!")

Beautiful.

I'm supposed to be working right now... but there is a snow storm outside and I'm listening to Paul Cardall on www.pandora.com and drinking hot chocolate. Much funner than work.

Letter and pictures from Kayla

Kayla sends us an email every week (which I forward to some of you - but if you don't get it and want to, let me know! They are wonderful!) and she also tries to send letters to each of us. All those lectures I gave her on writing home must have worked! Here is part of today's email:

Wow, It seems like this past week has lasted for like 10 years! So much has happened! So I think this email will be fairly long :) So first I'll put you all out of suspense and tell you about transfers......We got transfer calls Sat. night and me and sister Kim are staying in Lakota Creek for at least 6 more weeks! We are way super excited. the work here is going great and there are some exciting things that are going to be happening this transfer that we would be sad to miss out on. This past transfer has been a little tough, because me and sister Kim came out at the same time and were both a little worried about what the transfer would bring. You know, as a new missionary you worry that you don't know enough and that you haven't been trained enough, but I've learned that the best way to learn and to grow, is to be put in a tough situation. I have learned so much this past transfer, and my teaching abilities have grown tremendously. When we're put in tough situations, it's really our choice if we will grow from them or not.

There were plenty of times this transfer that I just wanted to give up, but by enduring and turning to the Lord when those times came, I know I am becoming more and more what my Savior knows I can be. He knows our great potential, and the only way we can reach that potential is if we go through a learning experience, usually a trial or a hard time. I'd like to quote the stripling warriors from the book of Mormon.....I don't have my scriptures with me so It's not a direct quote :).......but they said something like this, "Behold, our God is with us, and He will not suffer that we should fall" This is like my motto for this upcoming transfer. I love the stripling warriors and really look up to them, what they said is so true. God is with us, and he will not let us fall, as long as we let him help us. When someone is falling, how can someone else stop their fall if the person falling doesn't reach out? That's how it is with us and god. He will not let us fall, as long as we reach out to Him.

I really wasn't expecting to go off on that tangent....but I think it was a good one :)

Oh....GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ate fish! and shrimp! and guess what!? I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!! I only had a little bit, but I the taste was so familiar and i really really enjoyed it :) especially the shrimp :) Man, I am so silly. It's going to take a little bit, but slowly but surely by the time I come home, I will like seafood :).

Kayla got in an accident last week.

Snowy roads and inexperienced driver.

But like Shea said, "at least they aren't dead"

My sentiments exactly!

Kayla and Sister Kim

"Yummy chicken from Walmart.

Shopping makes us hungry:)"

"Jelly Belly's!

Who knew two sister missionaries

could have so much fun trying to mix

Jelly beans and make cool flavors :)"

Spring Break at home

Not Disneyland.

Not the beach.

Not at a condo with our friends.

Spring break at home.

Just us.

and a little bit of fun.

Flying kites.

Camping in the backyard.

Cracking a coconut.

Garage sales.

Playing at the park.

Braden volunteering at

the Ronald McDonald house.

Shea helping our neighbor.

Egyptian Lentils for St. Patricks Day

Isn't this what everyone has on St. Patricks Day?

lentils, brown rice and pasta

"Kusherie"

I like to have at least one meal a week with beans or lentils.

My family LOVES me.

But not to worry....

I forgot to take a picture of breakfast.

green eggs. green pancakes. green milk.