SPRING MANTEL and DECOR 2013

In keeping with the tradition of posting things late...here is my spring decor. 

Using a lot of what I already had, I just added some more springy flowers and tried to pull in more pinks and pastels. 

The tulips are Mom's annual Easter gift to me. 

The dining room shelves. 

My bedside table.

And because we still have yet to put grass in our yard, I put grass in our kitchen instead. 

Now I need to start thinking summer...!

HAPPY EASTER

Wishing you all a happy Easter Sunday.

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And a Happy SPRING BREAK! Hopefully I can get that tanning in I was planning on three days ago when it was 60 degrees. What do you think?

P.S. Thanks Mom, for the tulips. They're lovely. 

MARCHING ON

Sup? 

My current free time is spent as a regular house paintin' gangsta. I was horrified recently to find my first patch of gray hairs as I was getting ready for work. Seriously? Already?!

Then I noticed those gray hairs of mine looked suspiciously similar to Sherwin William's pussywillow gray... 

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Hence the bandanna. No gray hairs for me, thank you.

Hello handsome husband of mine. 

Andrew's boss took him snowboarding under sunny skies. I bet you can't find where the gap was between his goggles and his beanie. I made fun of the resulting sunburn all week. And it was a lot brighter in person.




Andrew returned from the mountain with a fever and chills. He was out of commission for several days afterward. 

My hard workin' man can't stand being home all day alone doing nothing. I got home on day 2 to find he had found packed away Easter accessories and lined them up in the living room. After questioning him, he responded simply: 

"I decorated."

We sat in awkward silence for a moment before he said with utter sincerity: 

"Rachel, if I have to stay home for another day, I'll die." 

He was so serious, I had to laugh.




I feel kind of bad for Winter this year. All efforts to really get going just...fell flat.  I never even had a chance to get sick and tired of snow and wind and below freezing temperatures. Instead, it felt like one really long spring. 

Global warming is the bomb.

My excitement for spring may have been dampened, but nothing can ruin the joy of longer days with  more hours of sunlight. When the alarm goes off, it doesn't feel like I'm getting up in the middle of night, no headlights are needed to get to work, and I actually have some day left when I get home in the evening. Glory Alleluia! 

IDAHO IN A NUTSHELL

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haha!

Sad, but true. 
Though it does make summer-time all the sweeter.

THE STORY OF MY LIFE

I saw a tractor. Then, I took fifty-million pictures.

The end.

FROSTY

Southeast Idaho. Back in December. -14 degrees Fahrenheit.

We were driving home from Sun Valley.

The desert was glittering with sparkly-ness.

After making Andrew stop the truck, I bundled up to my eyeballs to take some pictures.

These crystals did not form from falling snow. Just freezing temperatures. 

This was last week. In town. 31 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Beautiful, little sparklies.

Really quite miraculous the shapes they form.

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Can you imagine me on my belly trying to get these shots?

Makes me miss the Snoshack and my daily dose of shaved ice. 

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I'm guessing it probably has to be above freezing before that place opens for the season. 

Drat the luck. 

OF LATE

1.)

My sister who just moved in is very talented. She can read her novel, watch a movie, text, work on homework, and Facebook all at the same time. 

2.)

I love lists. I think I've mentioned this twenty separate times on the blog before. To help organize them all, I bought this board from a thrift store, painted it, and hung it in the kitchen.

We are already very happy together.

3.)

The sight of rain clouds is so refreshing. Especially, after a winter of suffocatingly low, foggy, cottony, snow clouds. But not much white left 'round these parts! 

4.)

I think Becca's presence in the house has made us reckless and irresponsible. Saturday night, we made a cookie monster like this. 

For each of us. 

Cookie Monster:  Chocolate chip cookie dough baked at the bottom of a pan. Then, straight out of the oven, vanilla ice cream is dropped on top before whipped cream, chocolate, and caramel. 

Ooey, gooey, delightful dessert. 

Let me suggest, however, making one to share. The three of us got about a quarter of the way through our individual dishes before we were sick and wondering what possessed us to attempt it in the first place. 

FOCAL POINT FRIDAY--purple, silky bra

The focal points of the week...best and worst...

WORST:

Tuesday
*(7:30 a.m.) I catapult out of bed at about the time I am supposed to be arriving at work.

*(10:15 a.m.) A few minutes before the superintendent and the entire school board parade through my classroom, I spill my berry breakfast smoothie down the front of my blouse and favorite pair of pants.

*(2:35p.m.) I walk exhausted into the restroom where I catch sight of myself in the mirror. I am stained, looking exceptionally tired...and in the early morning rush...obviously forgot to apply makeup.

BEST:

Friday
*Driving home from work today, Erickson's GMC electronic sign flashed a beautiful 67 degree  temperature.

boo-yah.

Especially since it snowed just a few days ago...




Ummm....So-So

Today
Anyone missing a purple silky bra? About a size C cup?

I found it. On the flagpole at the elementary school this morning.

Yes, your joke was very funny. But it had to be removed before my two little flag bearers arrived and became scarred for life.

My students lead a very sheltered, Rexburgian existence, you know.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

The prophet's recent words:

"My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God's love...

...Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.This is a wonderful time to be on earth! While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are may things that are right."

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I don't want to get so caught up in the stresses and busyness of life so much that I forget how bounteously the Lord blesses us. So, let me introduce another weekly installment: Thankful Thursday. Here goes...

Changing Seasons- Isn't it amazing the way this earth cycles in such complete, beautiful ways? Every few months, the world takes on a completely different face--just as picturesque as before. It keeps life interesting, provides an ever changing composition for my camera to capture, and reminds me all year of the fact that God is the ultimate artist.

PERFECT AFTERNOON =

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Beautiful Spring-y Rexburg Weather
+
Frisbee
+
Adorable Husband...

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+ Shaved ice from the Snow Shack ...

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+ sunset on the front stoop

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Purple Poof-Ball Flowers

. That's what we call these. We didn't plant them ,and we've never seen anything like 'em. But every springtime, just as the tulips lose their petals, these pop up in front our home attracting every bee in Southeast Idaho. They remind me of Dr. Seuss for some reason.

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Take a Walk With Us

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Do you not blame us for taking

this walk every chance we get?
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We love Rexburg.

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Yesterday was a Good Day

We spent all day working in the yard and cleaning up after winter. The grass was mowed, timmed, edged, and fertilized. The weeds have been poisoned, tree wells raked out, and everything swept and hosed clean. It felt so good.

At the end of the day, we made a stop at the Valley Wide Home and Ranch Store for icecream. We deserved it. (Above: my yummy strawberry shortcake treat)

This morning we woke up to what I predict to be the very last, wet, drippy snow of the season. (I'm sure glad we didn't plant the flowers yet!)

As for our tulips...the suspense is killing me.