Fun in the west.

Someday I will have a concealed weapon license, but maybe not a gun. I really did have fun shooting until it started to rain and we had to quit. Look at the flash point Awesome. I can't wait to shoot at Wayne's next. Thanks for the fun in the old west. This has been a great trip.

IKEA, working to help homesick travelers feel at home.

When we were in Iceland we saw the large IKEA they have there and I mentioned that it looked just like ours in MN. I guess they are all identical on the inside. Elder Jansen, a visitor from Germany working for CES, made a comment about this daughter. She had moved to UT and married a man there and when IKEA was built in Draper, she was so excited. When she gets homesick she goes there because it looks just like the one near her home in Germany. We all laughed, but its true. If you are traveling and need to feel at home go to the nearest IKEA. Its amazing how the Scandinavians are bring the world together one store at a time.

At our recent visit I picked up bendy straws, a garbage can, and a 3 pack of scissors. Every time I go I get scissors(1.99), I think the kids must be eating them. I can never find any when I need them.

The secrets I've learned and you haven't.

I've discovered a secret and I thought I would let the rest of you in on it. There is no secret formula to get you into heaven. As Bro. Cook said on Sunday, "We learned everything we need to know in Primary to get to the Celestrial Kingdom." If that's so and I believe it is then cut yourself and everyone else around you some slack. "Judge not lest you be judged." Sound familiar? Thank you for listening.
BTW: Whether you think my children are going to jail or on missions is really not any of your business. So keep your concerns to yourself, or better yet forget about them altogether. I'll raise my kids so you don't have to worry about it, you will not be held responsible for them. And yes, if they want to grow their hair to their knees, or shave their heads bald I DON'T CARE!!!!!!

OH YEAH!!

My two favorites together at last

High Praise for e-MEALZ.

Gunnar has been impressed with dinner since I started the menu plans from e-MEALZ. The other night he said, "It's like a real meal every night." What can I say, it really is good food and cheap. Last week was less then 80 dollars for my family. I shop at Aldis now, and it is working out great. The apricot chicken was delicious.

An "I'm getting old" moment.

Under notifications on facebook I see that someone named Brian had commented on a post I had commented on. Well I looked his profile up and I was not a friend, but our mutual friends are all from HS so I looked him up in the year book. Funny thing, we went to PROM together. WOW I am getting old. I don't even remember the name of my Junior Prom date. Hahahaha. I found him commenting on a post about a friend of mine getting old. Slap...Snap...funny moment.

Idont' like cheese by the way, David got in again when I forgot to log out.

I LOVE CHEESE

and everything about it to!

Perfect Moments in Time.

For awhile now I've seen perfect moments in time . At first the occurrences seemed few and far between, but now I see them everywhere, everyday. You all know my preference for country music and one song I like mentions that life is not a snap shot frozen in time, but I think that's wrong. Many perfect moments in time, are what our lives are made up of. Add enough together and you have a perfect life. At least the parts you'll remember and the parts and really matter to you. Take a look, I bet you'll see more then you thought. Take a snap shot and keep them in your heart, life goes by fast don't miss out.

Examples: A concert at Ellis with all the seven of us there, a friends little girl on my lap and some fun band pieces being played. Snap: Perfect moment. Horse back riding on a black sand beach in Iceland. Snap: Perfect moment. Fourth of July where the band is playing, 'Stars and Stripes Forever' and the fireworks start flying. Snap: Perfect moment. Christmas Eve Mass at St A's when the choir sings 'Oh Holy Night'. Snap. Standing in a hotel room where my mother says, "Wait, look around." we look around and yes all seven of us and my parents are in the room together, something that has not happened for a very long time. Snap. Biking around the mill pond with the wind in my face on a quick down hill turn. Snap. Working together fixing and painting bikes, happy faces and no fights. Snap. Watching the kids laughing and enjoying themselves, helping out the 3rd of July at the park. Snap. Dinner at the park. Snap.

I'm sure you get the point. Snap.

Paige and the new car!!

Paige came up for the 4th and then went looking for a car to drive back to KC. She researched the best small hatch back and Holiday Dodge was able to get her a great little car for a very reasonable amount. The is a Pontiac Vibe. I would love to have this car, in a few years with two less children to tow around. Yea Paige see you soon.

More 4th photos!!!!

Loved the weekend. See you all next year.

Twins?

What do you think? Pretty similar, just 16 1/2 months apart that's all. Zeke agreed to this and that alone made me laugh. Her features and build are much more slight then his.

One thing more, last night was the volunteer appreciation dinner for Freedom Fest and I'll tell you what a great thing it is to volunteer. Qatar, Gunnar, Zeke and I did a few hours(less then 3) running games at the park on the 3rd of July. We had a blast and we got $5 in chamber bucks, a t-shirt, many many free rides(If there wasn't a line, Paige ran a jumpy slide, Amanda ran a jumpy hamburger, and Gunnar and Eric ran the Giga balls. Qatar and I had the speedway with the little race cars. We had to be sure they were all running correctly at least every fifteen minutes or so.), and a great dinner last night(Fried chicken, cole slaw, beans, rolls and all the pop you can drink, or beer if you're so inclined). I also won a Spam gift set at the drawing last night. WOW!!! I can't really say it was volunteerism with all the great perks. Doing it next year for sure. We all got free shirts last night at the dinner also. What a deal. Win-Win.

More 4th photos

Too much fun for only one post.

I see the future, thanks Uncle Steven.

For her birthday the Bremners gave Cenneidigh a Hannah Montana game with a wig and mike. I think she will be a blond sometime in the future, she really likes the wig. She really has grown up this year, it is almost scary how fast time is going. Cenneidigh Montana. She received many other items she loves, but the wig was a big hit. Looking at her in the wig just makes me think about the future and her making her own decisions about her appearance.

4th of July fun!!!!

The parade(the kid got lots of candy again and Paige may have no voice tomorrow) followed by a picnic(too much food like usual, thank you) and then a concert(Austin Community Band Yea!!!) and fireworks(WOW ohh ahh). What could be better then that. Austin is the place to spend the 4th of July. Vanessa made her cake(again thanks). David thrilled as always to be at the fireworks.

Happy July 4th and Happy birthday to Cenneidigh

Cenneidigh in 9 years old today. She was born at about 5:15 am July 4th 2000. What a way to start a new millinium. She has quite the personality and loves to dress, what I consider, strangely. But when we were in Iceland I noticed most girls were dressed like Cenneidigh so maybe she's just European at heart. We love America and we love you Cenneidigh. Happy Birthday to both.