Catch Up Eight

The other day as I was ironing E'lyses dresses for the trek Faith and Gabby come  in to the bath room and this is what they had to say. 

If you couldn't hear or understand what they said: Mommy we really need to update our 72hr.kits, uh ugh.

It has been a few years as you can see by the very tight and small clothes they were wearing. My funny little girls! Hugs, Bobbi Jo 

Every four years our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has what is called the Pioneer Trek. Some parents are called to go on this but they will be parents to other children from our steak boundaries. The youth age 14 and up are highly encouraged to go on this. Coco and Dallas have both gone on one. I have never been on one and I would make an awesome Ma !

Anyway this time was E'lyses chance to experience this wonderful adventure of pushing a handcart and re-enactment some of things that happened with the Pioneer settlers. The people load on to buses and go on a trip up north somewhere. They make a 4 day journey walking, eating together, working together and growing closer to our Heavenly Father through this experience.

Coco's Mother in law, Diana, was nice enough to lone us these beautiful dresses, bonnets, aprons and bloomers for E'lyse to use this year. She had made the dresses in the past for her daughters. This is one fashion style I wish would come back I would SO wear these I think they are so feminine and pretty.

E'lyse in her day dress

E'lyse in the more fancy of the two they were allowed to take

E'lyse and her cute little bloomers. This picture just makes me laugh.

It is Saturday afternoon about 2:41 and she should be calling soon to come get her from the church. Can't wait to see her and hear all about her journey.

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Catch Up Six

Miss Faith likes to get in the kitchen and cook a little here and there. She wanted to make a chocolate cake so she put on her pretty little pink Hawaiian print apron and set out to make a cake.

She is somewhat of a poser here! he he

Faith concentrating on mixing up the ingredients. Belle (the dog) walking behind her hoping that something is going to drop for her.

Since I am trying to lay off the regular sugar I didn't try any of the cake. But the family said it was yummy & moist.

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Catch Up Five

A month after our 24TH wedding Anniversary Alan and I found the opportune time to get away. Faith and E'lyse were going to girls camp so we asked Coco if Gabby could come stay with her.

We dropped Gabby off and went to our room at the Mountain Haven Inn in Pinetop.( I told you I love Pinetop.)

We had the Romance room. As you can see it was full of hearts and romantic things. Alan was relaxing while I went around taking pictures of our sweet little love next for the next two nights.

Another view of the room. 

Alan resting at the front of the room. 

Bathroom vanity area

I can't believe I didn't take a picture of it but you can see the top of the toilet it was pink and so was the bathtub. Did they design this room just for me or what. It was all sort of English/Victorian/ Country just the way I like it. With a lot of PINK everywhere! My poor hubs!

The front of the room. They had the swings and tables w/chairs and a hammock to rest in.

Love the touch of the pine-cones in the planter box at the window.

The room was very clean and quiet. And now the Pièce de résistance, are you ready for this? Look at these sheets. Oh I know I am weird but I fell in love with them. I wish I could find some just like them for my own bed. I think Alan thought I was nuts when I pulled down the bed and started making a fuss over them but I think they are just beautiful.

I would recommend this quaint inn to stay at and we will be coming aback again. We had a great time spending time alone, talking, driving around and did a little visiting with Coco and her family. Yes even as an older Mom I can't stay away from my children to long. I love each of them so much, probably more than they will ever know.

 We had planed on going to Alpine on Friday to go to Bear Wallow Cafe for one of the best pieces of pie in Arizona. But due to the Wallow Fire the area was evacuated and so there went our pie. Sniff sniff I still don't know if it made it through. 

I pray for the firefighters and people of the White Mountains. This has been so sad to see all the smoke and damage of the amazing area. It is one of the places where I have lived that I felt like I belonged and was at home.

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Catch Up Four A Fruit Tip

Yummy Fruit 

You might look at this and think "That looks a little yucky!" Well it's not. My son, Dallas works in the produce department at Fry's. Since working there he has taught me the proper or easy way to cut fruit. He also has passed on how to tell if things are good or ripe. This watermelon would be considered super sweet due to this mark. It is wear the ants have much on the sugar that was released.

 As the saying goes " the proof is in the pudding" or in this case the melon. This was a super sweet and yummy watermelon. And everyone since I learned this trick has been the same. 

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Catch Up Three

On Memorial Day weekend we went camping up a little past Pinetop. Coco, Kyle, Talmage and Naima decided to join us. The weekend turned out to be sooooooooo windy that we had a hard time enjoying the beauty of the area. We ended up going back to Coco's to cook dinner the second night. 

This is Naima going into the girls tent to visit.

 Coco sits with Talmage as he tries out his cool Toy Story sleeping bag. 

 Talmage

 Coco being a dork. Love this picture it makes me laugh

 Gabby sitting in the tent and Naima wanting me to hold her

 Naima got her way so of course I had to take a picture

 Sweet little Nie Nie and her snaggle tooth.

 Naima was having fun with her Aunts playing in Coco's tent

 Talamge chilling

 So much love for this little girl (Faith, Naima & Gabby)

 Elyse giving me the "Really Mom" look

 Alan catching up on some hunting reading

 We had a good time regardless of the wind. But we did come back from church Sunday morning to find that the girls tent had a stinky problem. One of the guide lines came loos and knocked over their potty. EWWW so gross. It was not fun to help get the tent put up to take home so Alan could clean it or toss it. It turns out he is amazing and was able to get it all cleaned out and sanitized. This was a great thing considering the tent had only been used one time prior to this.

Good stinky times at the Nichols Camp!  Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Catch Up Two

So all of the sudden Gabby realized that since I am the Queen she IS a Princess. She wears the tiara well.

 Faith enjoys playing on the computer listening to her songs. 

 Faith is giving a big thumbs up for her cuteness!

 This is Gabby after sitting and playing Farm Ville for 3 days. She is a goofball.

 I made homemade play dough for the girls. Gabby & Faith helped with the coloring of it.

 So squishy and fun to play with and I love the colors.

 Gabby's snowman...she must be thinking of cooler weather.

 Look it is happy play dough! 

As they say on the infomercials......"But wait, there's more!"  Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Time To Play Catch Up ONE

It has been a month to the day of my last post on my blog. Man have I been a neglectful blogger. Life has been complicated for me. But more on that later. It will take me several posts of what I have been up to since my last post.

As part of my complications I had hit a major depression  cross roads in my life. I have been working on getting myself out of it. I am finally seeing a light at the end of the dark tunnel  with starting to get back to the old ME! Cooking and doing the domestic things that I enjoy and LOVE doing.

I decided to make our dogs some good for them organic dog treats. 

 Then of course I had to pull out the cute little bone cookie cutters that I bought some 6 years ago.

 Faith came out and helped me to get them cut out and put on the cookie sheets to bake. 

 Belle started to smell something.....

 Then Nellie conquered that something yummy was cooking 

 These are the doggy treats cooking in the oven

 Nellie enjoyed them as she rolled on her back with a full belly of yummy organic doggy treats.

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Give Away On a FUN Blog

 Giveaway on some good friends blog. Go check it out and you could win a beautiful flower. Besides that the blog is awesome!! The blog is Knocking It Off  .

  These beautiful ladies,Brandi-Lee's and Mileka, have a fun and helpful blog for decorating your home without selling one of your children. Check it out here Knocking It Off. You can get some fun, easy and may I say CHEAP ideas to make your house beautiful! Hugs, Bobbi Jo

On My Mind

 Today as hubs and I are driving to meet up with his brother at a Home Depot he is driving and I am thinking. I tell him " You know 2010 was not only a year of testing us but I think it took some of my spark away. Between the stress of worrying about Gabby, you and school finals I think it took it out of me." He tells me he is not sure what I am saying but he noticed that I am not as tolerant , even of the little everyday things like I use to be. Does this mean that the year had beat me down and sucked the life out of me? MAYBE!! It was a tough year. I held up pretty good with going to school full time, Gabby in and out of the hospital, Alan having cancer and 2 surgeries along with finals, starting the Masters Body Worker Program, having 2 girls living with us and trying to do my best to stay UP, Positive and happy I think I did okay. Now I feel like I am falling apart.
 I am not sure why. Is this my mid life crisis? Not sure what to think about all this that is going on.
 On my health blog I posted about the feelings of letting people down including yourself. Do any of you feel this way? Feeling stuck and not sure how to get out of where you are at? Wanting to live up to that potential that people say you have but you feel so tired.....worn out.......beaten down....that you can't or don't feel like it.
 What do you do in this case? Take the NIKE approach and just do it! Would love some feed back.
Hugs, Bobbi Jo