"29" already?

Today is Don's Birthday....For his Birthday he was able to wake up and head to the Airport, so he could WORK!  We ( me and the kids) felt really bad about this, we were hoping that we could celebrate his birthday on the day of his actual birthday,  instead of waiting until he gets home 3 days later....(story of our lives).  Anyway, we are so grateful that we have him in our lives he is such a blessing to us.  

Here is a little Birthday wish from all of us:)!

A Splash of Color

I am the kind of person that likes to mix things up a bit & ;make changes around my house quite often.  I don't like to make huge changes, just a little paint here and there, new towels or comforters etc.  Don made a deal with James, that for every room he paints he gets $100.....although I am sure that it's worth more, but he was more than willing!  So far he has done his bedroom and our upstairs bathroom.  I have been feeling really unorganized during the painting process, but today James finished the bathroom.  It looks so nice and it feels  great  to have things in their place once again.  

"Master Bedroom/Bathroom....

with the exception of a few pictures, curtains, it's pretty much finished.  

I'll take suggestions here also!

Upstairs bathroom.....It's really yellow...

~~any ideas(BRANDY) on accent colors to tone it down a bit or decorating tips?

suggestions would be much appreciated:)!!

Above the tub~I have a white shower curtain but I think that it blends too much with the 

walls.  I'm thinking I may need to go with one that has a pattern on it to stand out.

*****Next on the list......Ashlee's room!!  YIKES!!!

~~WISH US LUCK~~~

we're gonna need it!

~~Remember~~

A friend of mine (Joy Williams) is always finding craft blogs and posting the links on facebook, and I really  love them all, however, this morning she posted  THIS LINK',  and I felt that I needed to share..,it  is by a woman who visits New York City frequently.  On her last visit she went to the Ground Zero Museum.  The pictures really speak for themselves!  Very thought provoking.

**NEVER FORGET!

Happy Anniversary. . .

Happy Anniversary Don!

James in Washington D.C

James in front of the Washington Monument

Last week Don and James went on a little trip to Washington D.C.  Don planned to be there that week for work, so he could take James.  They left on Thursday morning.  Friday James took the Subway to the mall and did some sightseeing,  I think he was a little nervous(how could he not be?), although he wouldn't tell you if he was!  Saturday afternoon after Don's seminar was over, they spent the rest of the trip together walking the city and seeing the sights.

The Washington D.C Temple

 The doors of the Temple

The White House

The Tomb of the unknown Soldier

Don said the "changing of the Guard"was amazing 

The Smithsonian Institute

Now all three of our kids have taken a trip there, I haven't but  I told Don that it was okay, because for my birthday I wanted to fly to New York to see "WICKED".  To my surprise he didn't say no....So I guess we'll see if I can work my charm(fingers crossed)!!!

***Of course they forgot the camera, so the only one they had was Don's phone, which means the pictures aren't really high quality....Better than nothing though!

Pictures in the Park.

Before Ashlee's Birthday party, my niece Becca came and took some darling pictures of Ashlee and her friends!  They turned out so cute.

Sadie and Mikayla were late so they weren't in any of them but they did stay over two extra nights, so the next day we went to Memory Grove and took some of our own..Actually they turned out okay:).

Officially Outnumbered by "teenagers"!

Don and I are officially outnumbered by TEENAGERS!!! 

Ashlee turned 13 on the 3rd of August.

****

She really is a  good kid but there is a lot more drama with her than there ever was with the boys....which makes sense because, she is a girl....and the ONLY girl at that.  She had a sleepover party with some of her close friends and cousins. 

7 girls+ too much sugar =CRAZINESS!!

I also made chocolate cupcakes and decorated them instead of a cake.

  I really can't believe another year has gone by.....Sheesh!  Where does the time go? 

"Let her eat cake"!

I can't believe that my baby girl is 13!!  Wow, where does the time go?  She is such a beautiful girl with a beautiful spirit to match:)!!  She is having her friend party on Tuesday, so I haven't really made her a cake yet, when Sarah brought her a cake she was sooo excited! The cake was absolutely  fabulous,, and it's  better than anything  I  could  have EVER made. 

***Not only did it look great!!!  It tasted just as good:)!!

**** Thanks Sarah,,,You're Awesome!!

Happy Birthday ASHLEE!

Customize your own scrapbooking design

Arizona Cousins:)

For the past 2 weeks Don's brother Jay and his family came for a visit from Mesa, Arizona!  Ashlee LOVES to spend time with Jays girl's, Katelyn and Brittney.

  I really feel so bad that they are so far away and aren't as close as we would like.  They are leaving to go home this weekend and Ashlee is really going to miss them...they have been with each other almost everyday...breakfast in the canyon, movies, making cookies, swimming....Grandpa Hulet even gave them some art lessons:)! 

Maybe a trip to Mesa is in our future?  I guess we'll see.

~~~HULET cousins~~~~

Katelyn, Ashlee, James, Jake  & 

Danielle.....Brittney wasn't in the picture because she was sick 

and couldn't come for a visit.

"Faith In Every Footstep".

Martin's Cove
Distance: 993 miles from Nauvoo
Having started late from Iowa and suffered innumerable mishaps and miscalculations along the way, two handcart companies under the leadership of Captains Edward Martin and James G. Willie were caught in early snows near the Continental Divide in 1856. In one of the greatest tragedies in overland trail history, hundreds died of exposure and starvation before rescuers from the Salt Lake Valley brought them to this location a few miles west of Devil's Gate in early November.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On this particular Holiday, my thoughts turn to the Pioneers.  Many of my  ancestors who lived before me and loved this Gospel enough to  courageously  leave all of the comforts of  home and many worldly posessions, and in many instances give up their lives to make the Trek out West... I am so grateful for those who had the faith to  make that sacrifice.  It often brings me to tears to read these stories and to feel the spirit as I do.  It truly makes me appreciate all that I have, and hope that I can strive to have that kind of faith, courage and dignity, when facing adversity and challenges in my life. 

'A night with Paul McCartney:)'

I love Music... and... really, if you love music,  then you MUST love the "Beatles" and Paul McCartney"! 

Don and I went to the Paul McCartney Concert last night at the Rio Tinto Stadium!!  

***

WOW! 

~What can I say.... It was such an amazing show. Our seats were down on the floor, they were really good!.  He really put on a great show, and he sounded awesome....I wouldn't expect anything less from him!!  .  This is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity for me,( who knows) I am so glad that we went..  It was definitely a night to remember:, and I LOVED  it!  

****

...and yet ANOTHER camping trip!

Wow!!  Life since school's been out has been absolutely crazy......It seems like the kids have been going to camps, Trek and vacations all Summer long.  Seriously I am exhausted just thinking about it.  Every year Don tries to schedule at least two camping trips for him and the kids to take, usually on Memorial day and the 4th of July.  So this last weekend Don, James, Ashlee and Ashlee's friend, Monique went camping..

***

Ashlee and Monique

.Jake decided that he needed a rest from all of his travels and decided to stay home with me, which I loved BTW..

Anyway my family absolutely LOVES to go  camping!! They love it so much that none of them wanted to come home.(I've heard this from at least 3 people since 2:30 this afternoon), interestingly enough only 3 people went...hmmmm... go figure!  They really had a good time playing phase 10, horseshoes, and shotgun shooting.  Spending time with cousins, sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows,  and eating good food!  

****

Ashlee, Monique and; James  playing a "WICKED" game of "Phase 10" Our family takes this game VERY seriously!!!                                                               

 James playing a good game of "Horseshoes". 

***

 AND Ashlee shot a shotgun for the very first time today, and she did awesome and Don was so proud of her:)! 

****

It was a nice Holiday weekend , but it sure is nice to have everyone home tonight.  I think this may be the last of our Summer vacations, but we'll see.

****

****sidenote:  Don and I are getting really excited to go to the Paul McCartney concert a week from tomorrow.

Happy Birthday AMERICA!!

I have been doing  A LOT of scrap booking lately, which forces me to go through TONS of pictures.  I came across this cute little picture of my kids in 1999 today..  I really can' believe how fast they have grown up.

I sure do love my kids:)!!
James~7, Jake~5 and Ashlee 2

Such a sad story!

Sophie Barton was a young girl who went to Olympus High School with James. Monday afternoon while hiking at girls camp up in Heber she collapsed, (her mom was also there).  Emergency Vehicles were called and responded at around 4:00 p.m and she was taken to the hospital where she passed away @ around 7:00.p.m.  She was such a beautiful and talented girl.  You can read her story here, and her obituary here.  

 

James was so shocked and sad by this, teenagers have a tendency to think that they are invincible, so when something like this happens  to someone that they  know, especially someone their age,  it hits close to home because they can relate to it.  I have to say it breaks my heart also...it has been bothering me since it happened..  You never know when tragedy can strike you or someone you love, which is why it is so important to always let those close to you know how you feel..  As I was reading her obituary I noticed that her dad grew up in the same ward I did.  I can't imagine the pain that their family is going through.  Luckily she was a really good girl and her family has the gospel in their lives....and although it doesn't take away the pain they do have the knowledge that this is just a temporary separation.