Giving Back

My Family has had a few great opportunities lately to give back to our community.

Last week Kirt, Amanda, and I volunteered to help with the Deuces Wild Triathalon. It was amazingly easy and fun to do. Our job was to stand in the middle of the running course - which was on the back side of Fools Hollow Lake and point runners in the right direction.

Hard work - nearly killed us!

LOL! There were a couple girls that may have been around 13yrs and some guys that looked like they were in their 70's out there kicking it. Amazing to see.


Then this last weekend we participated in The American Cancer Society's Relay For Life. Our team B.F.F.'s (Boylan family and friends) had a great time raising money and walking the track all night. I was team captain and loved the time it took to put this together.

We raised over $900.00 just from our team. Mom, Dad, Lori, Cara, Brianna, Kelsey, Tyler, Kari, and her friend Natalie all came up to help. They got into the team spirit by wearing purple striped tights and flowers.

We also celebrated Natalie's birthday she was so surprised! Our neighbors the Barney's also came to support our team. Becky Barney is a Cancer Survivor. All the time spent raising funds, doing yard sales and bake sales was totally worth it. I hope we can figure out how to do it again next year. Our thanks to everyone who helped by donating to our cause. We had a great time the rest of the weekend playing pounce and trying to catch up on the sleep we lost. Dad, Kirt, & Tyler even went fishing and then to the Car Show.

My favorite quote of the weekend..."I never knew you could raise so much money for other people" - Natalie

Flowers Make Me SO Happy!

I can't believe I am such a flower freak!


I have been the biggest crab lately. Stress and a toothache do not mix well. One day a couple weeks ago I saw a landscaping truck carrying the most BEAUTIFUL Hydrangea plants. Instant smiles were beaming across my face. Is it possible for a potted plant to cause such happiness! It was then that I remembered how much I LOVE having flowers in the yard.


I spent a day renewing my front yard and my withered spirit. It only took $80, 2 Large potted Hydrangeas, 1 potted delphinium, 1 new rose bush, 8 pink geraniums, and 2 flats of purple petunias.

Kirt even gave me a Lowe's card so I could buy more! I moved the porch swing to the front yard so I could sit under the tree and see my flowers. We finally put the trampoline in the side yard...now I have what I call "Swing Therapy".
And it's wonderful! I love to sit in my swing and watch Amanda jump on the trampoline and take in the beautiful flowers. The weather has been so nice...aside from a few windy days.
Its definately my favorite time of year!

Memorial Day Weekend

Okay so I have to admit I have been horrible lately about keeping my blog up to date. There has been so much going on but I will try to do better.

Memorial Day Weekend was our first official trip to the Lake this year.

How do you like my tan!! (hee hee)

The weekend started with a Luau at Steve's house to celebrate his birthday then it was back to the lake for us. We brought Kelsey & Tyler for the weekend. Jack & Kay came to see us on Sunday, Kari learned to drive the boat, Mom & Dad, Kendall & Alicia, & Lori, Cara, Brianna, and Elijah came to hang out with us on Monday. We had a great time trying to crash the tube - I was nearly drowned - and Skipper & Gilligan actually got time to chase the fishes. Here are a bunch of pictures of all the fun!

WHOO HOO!

Roosevelt Lake - Memorial Weekend 2009

It's a slow bake!

OK....so life has been a little nuts lately. Somedays I just feel like running away.

Thank goodness for my life coach...she is a good listener with great advice.

She said I needed to make a little time for myself everyday.

Something I practically never do.

(Thanks Sis...you are the best Life Coach ever!)

It seems that most of my days are planned for me. I know you know how that feels right? So I decided to take her advice. It took me two weeks to get the nerve to buy a one-month unlimited pass to the local "Fake Bake" called "One Tan Banana". Its not much and someday I may have cancer...ha ha

(I know not funny)

but its 10 minutes in a booth with NO ONE else!

And I get to pick the music!

Here I am before:

and here I am after one week:

You will have to be the judge because I don't see a huge difference.

But afterall, this isn't really about the tan...although I am happy to not scare everyone the first time we take the boat out this summer...This is about recharging my batteries. I am also excited for June 5th/6th. I am team captain for our BFF Team. (Boylan Family and Friends) for the White Mountain Relay For Life. Its a 24-hour cancer walk...and such a worthy cause.

I had a great time Mother's Day weekend...I ran into so many good friends that I had not seen in really long time. It was another great battery booster...then I got to see most of my brothers and sisters as they came to wish my mom a happy mother's day.

I still feel the stress of life but with some great advice, good service, good friends, and the love of family I am pretty sure I am going to make it...and the tan is just icing on the cake.

Spring???

I got all excited for Spring to get here...afterall the Easter Bunny came...but Mother Nature had other plans. When do the flower fairies get here to change all the blah to beautiful? My Grape Hyacynths started blooming a few weeks ago. I half expected them to croak but they have survived a couple snow falls now and frost in the mornings too. The Lilac bush is trying to blossom but hasn't quite figured out the weather.


The best thing about April is that tax season is over. I am hoping to have more time to "tend to my gardens"...time to think about things like cleaning out the garage and sorting out the muck in the closets. Its time to repack the camp trailer and toss out what needs to go.


We went to the valley to spend Easter with my family. It was a fun weeked. The kids were even able to hunt easter eggs outside before it started raining. We also celebrated family birthdays but getting all the cousins together for a picture is one of my favorite Easter traditions.

Everyone was there except Jennifer (who is on a mission in Italy), Jared (who is on a mission in Brazil) Danny lives in Salt Lake City, and Kelsey who was in the room but sick on the other couch. Well, and Kendall was taking the picture. Oh, and for some reason Jasmine wasn't there either. So I guess I should have said "most of the cousins" were there.

The girls colored Easter eggs Friday night. Amanda mostly concentrated on the googly eyes and Kari, ofcourse had about half her eggs decorated for"Jake".

Easter morning came early as Mom and Dad have 8:30am Church.

This was Alaina's first official Easter and she was having a hard time waking up...LOL! We managed to get to church about 20 minutes late!

After church we had our traditional photo shoot on the church lawn.

The girls both looked so nice. Pictures from Easter Sunday make me so sentimental. They just grow up too fast. Before you know it we will be planning a wedding and another graduation. Then what?? Kirt says fishing....I'd like to think we would travel more than just to the Lake, LOL. Probably not, Ha Ha!

I just glad to be here one more Spring.

Party Weekend!

I just LOVE March. Not just because its my birthday but because it means spring is coming. This year my niece Kaela was baptised.

Gramma Karen made her dress it was so pretty! Afterwards we congregated outside to take pictures. LOTS of pictures!

(Lori, Kari, Randy, Ryan, & Kyle)

(Darrin, Lyndie, Kim, Randy,

Logan, Trevor, Kaela, Ryan, & Kyle)

(Kirt, Grampa Max, Randy, Tom, Kendall & Kaela)

Amanda looked pretty that day! Here Kari & Kirt are reviewing her pictures...notice that Logan is usually shadowing Kari! He's so cute!

And I just LOVE this picture of Kimmie and Lyndie.

Then we all raced over to Randy & Kim's home for lunch and birthday parties.

(Elijah, Kyle, Kari, & Kaela) (Amanda on the hammock)
We had such a fun day!


And Me....I blew all the candles out and I hope I get my wish!