Before and After

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After

Before

After

Before

After


Before ~Everything in this display cabinet is too small.
Note the horse collection
Double click to enlarge

After~Larger scale looks so much better.
It almost doesn't matter what you put in
here as long as it is the right size.

Before

After~Horse collection where it can be appreciated more.

Before

After


Before

After

I'll post the Circlepix on Monday
I apologize for some of these photos~weird exposures
~the Circlepix will be better!

The Lazy Days of Summer!

Picnic Anyone?

I was just wondering how many of you are having a lazy summer filled with warm summer nights sitting outside chatting with friends and loved ones, lovely times at the pool, relaxing drives in the country, giving or attending someone's BBQ, relaxing on the chaise lounge with a favorite book in the shade as you sip a lemon aid , etc?

Empty Pools

I am having a hard time realizing it is the end of summer and Jim and I have not done one thing in the vein of fun summer activities that sustain us all through the winter as we daydream about them. Has life really changed that much or is it just us? I remember my parents would sit out in their lawn chairs almost every night in the summer. We would go on picnics and no one made potato salad and fried chicken like my mom. We would go swimming, hang out with friends, etc. Now I know that was when I was a kid and I saw things as a kid, but I do not remember life being so crazy for my parents either. We were human beings instead of human doings back then. The older I get the more I want to rebel against this life style we have that is so demanding and constantly on the go. The "To Do" list is like a never ending revolving door, scratch something off add something new. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat!

Do you have to be 90 years old before this changes or is it just us? Don't get me wrong I want to be busy, anxiously engaged in a good cause, etc. I just want some time to breathe, hang out with friends, have a BBQ...is this too much to want for? We have five fun picnic tables in our backyard, a gorgeous waterfall that hasn't been on two times all summer, and chaise lounges that still have last years dust on them. Somethings gotta give!

Unoccupied Lawn Ornaments

Too Much Bull!

I am over here chuckling to myself about the decorating project I am working on this week. Sometimes the design plan comes as a big challenge, other times...not so much! This room is the latter. Take the bull by the horns and say, "Adios!!" 'Steer' clear of this idea~even adding flowers and greens doesn't cut it!

What's Up With The Winkee?

From Simply Stated Accessories | Lingerie | Time-Saving Solutions Multiply Your Wardrobe With A Winkee "I am so impressed with the Winkee ($15-$16 at TheWinkee.com), because it offers a solution to one of the eternal challenges of summer: dressing modestly enough for work and other daytime activities without piling on the layers and inviting all those meticulously chosen clothes to become a sweaty disaster. For low-cut tops that usually require camisoles (or banishment to the “maybe some day” part of your closet), the Winkee is just perfect. Here’s how it works:Position the triangle part of the Winkee in the middle of your bra. Fasten the longer pieces of fabric onto bra straps with the included stickers (“Winkeedots”), and you're sporting an instantly higher neckline; no bunching, no extra layers." I was doing fine with this until I came to the highlighted part of the next paragraph. "And if your top isn’t objectively too low-cut just too low-cut for, say, a board meeting - you can easily duck off to the ladies’ room and un-stick your Winkee before dinner. When folded up, it’s smaller than a running sock." For some reason this struck me as silly and sad.Why does anyone think it is OK to be immodest over dinner? Says a lot about why people dress as they do. Fashion industry take note! Not every woman is into this notion of showing all to every Tom, Dick, and Harry, or Sue for that matter, that comes along! We shouldn't be needing the Winkee in the first place.

It's all Attitude, Man!

I ran across this quote today and thought I wish I had read this sooner; like when Jen and I were going CRAZY in the hospital this month.

“Nothing is miserable unless you think it so; and on the other hand, nothing brings happiness unless you are content with it.” --Boethius *

So in keeping with this great quote from now on Jen and I will be referring to our excursions to Primary Children's Hospital as Hazel's Trip to the Health Spa. It seems to work since it is very pricey, everyday they give her a luxurious bath, do her hair with a pretty bow, give her fresh linens daily, breakfast, lunch and dinner in bed, and they give her a total body massage with heat wrap every time they need a vein!" This new paradigm should do wonders when she goes in for a possible surgical "enhancement procedure" in about five weeks. I like to call it that since a "bladder lift" makes her sound much older than she actually is.

Hazel Jo's Intermountain Beauty & Health Spa for Children!

All kidding aside, we are grateful for this place and thankful for all who labor so diligently there for the good of our babies!

We know we will return and I am loving it more already! For now though, it is great to be home.

Something's Missing

It seem like no matter where I am something, or rather someone is missing. I guess this just happens to a mother that has her family scattered all over creation, but I do long for the few days when everyone is together. I try not to be a "glass is half empty" kind of a person but I do get tired of always missing someone! Always saying good-bye this year it seems. I am so happy to be going home to Jim Bob, but will miss everyone here. I barely got to see Chris and Missy and their kids this time but I did for a little while when they stopped over the day we came back from the hospital. Jen and Lowell's two big girls are in Idaho with the their Stewart cousins so I only saw them twice for a few minutes. Chris is heading out for Asia soon and Robert to Africa and with Laura and the boys in Italy...geeesh, it is hard sometimes. But I love that they all have such happy, productive and good lives and that is great on all counts. When I realize that they are all doing exactly what we would want them to do, I know that my glass is not only full but running over. I just want them to know that if they are not near by we truly do miss them so much!

Saying good-bye to our good friend, Paul,
from Scotland and Chloe Jane!

This man is a special guy~so funny
so bright, and so much fun!

Lowell is such a good daddy!

Good-Bye Beanie!
We had to resort to taking our own goofy picture!

Good-bye to Grandma Mary Jane and Grandpa Read,
Lowell's sweet parents. We sure love them so much!

Until we meet again at Julia's baptism in September!

The Drawing

The Awesome Participants

The Drawing

The Winner!

The Prize! Enjoy!

Although I have not met Jessica, I know a little about her from Jen. She is Jen's good friend so I already know I like her a lot. I selected this prize for her because she has 4 beautiful little girls and because she has also been so good to Jen's little girls and has invited them over several times during the past hospital stay. Thank you, Jessica! I hope you like what we selected. I wish I could have gotten something for each one of you! Your comments make blogging so much more fun~I love it!

Hazie Jo Entertains Herself

I think I'll read my new book!

Love my Grandma and Grandpa Stewart!

I love my family but I think I'll do something different now.

I Have a Great Idea!

I Think I'll Just Remove All
This Stuff and Get Comfy!

Ahhhhh....Being Naughty is Kinda Fun!

A Visit With President and Sister Hinckley

One of the nights I was in Salt Lake City I discovered that I was staying right down the street from the Salt Lake City Municipal Cemetery and the burial place of many famous and prominent Latter-day Saints. Two prophet that I dearly loved are buried there...Spencer W. Kimball and our beloved Gordon B. Hinckley. I didn't have a lot of time and the cemetery has over 120,000 people buried in it so I went to the office and got a map. I only had time to find President and Sister Hinckley's graves and I wanted to take some pictures for all of our grandchildren and all of you that loved President Hinckley as we did. I never dreamed I would find his resting place and that I would be able to spend some time alone there just thinking about him and all he has done for the world and our family personally. Here are some photos:

The graves face east the monument faces south.
There are always flowers left there.

This is the back side of the monument that states
this is one of the stones from the Conference Center.

This is a really special place to visit. There are 11 of our 16 prophets buried here. Plus people like Orson Pratt, W.W. Phelps, William Clayton, Mary Fielding Smith, Porter Rockwell, J. Reuben Clark, Mark E. Petersen, Bruce R. Mc Conkie, Neal Maxwell, the list goes on and on. I definitely want to go back and visit more of the graves one day with James. The only prophets not buried here are Thomas Monson, our current prophet, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Lorenzo Snow, and Ezra Taft Benson. Brigham Young is buried in a private cemetery just few blocks away.