How'd ya like them apples?!?

It's a tradition at our house to make Caramel Apples in the fall, I don't know, it's sort of like Gingerbread houses at Christmas time..my kids still have fun doing this activity, but to be honest I'm pretty sure that I LOVE  it more than they do, which is probably why they cooperate!   I kept putting it off for other activities, until I realized that this is the last week of October.  So we planned it for last night and invited the Crawford's over too, we played a very competitive game of Apples to Apples, and then had the apples that we dipped for desert.  I really LOVE this time of year, before ya know it Winter will be here!!!  I know I say this all the time, but I wish time would just slow down a little..  I love my children and I am so grateful for the fun things we do together!!!

My Disneyland poster child!!!

I have been going through a mountain of pictures, trying to get them scanned into the computer  and ready to scrapbook.  I came across this adorable picture of Ashlee in Disneyland 3 years ago.  It makes me smile just to look at it..  With the Mickey ears, the sucker and the sweatshirt she is a walking advertisement, the only thing that was missing was Mickey himself:)!!

Hello Autumn....

Autumn is my very favorite season. I LOVE the way the leaves change colors and the chill in the air.  But I think the real reason I love fall is that we all love decorating our house and doing fun things as a family.  Last weekend we decided that our Halloween decorations were a little sparse, so the kids and I got in the car and headed to the craft store. We had so much fun (James especially got into it this year, I think because he'll be gone for 2 years)  and we even saw his creative juices flow!!! 

Goodbye Summer..........................

 I can't believe the days of going on canyon picnics, and warm days are almost gone!!!! On Labor Day, we packed up the family and headed up Mill creek Canyon for one last BBQ, picnic.  It was really quite cold up there, but we had a fun time roasting hot dogs and marshmallows around the fire.  Benji and Casey had fun going for a long walk/hike with us.  I can't believe that this is the last Summer that James will be here for a while, he will be leaving for his Mission in June.  Wow....I guess we'll take advantage of every little thing we can!!

"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.