Memoirs of a Geisha....

Geisha? No, according to Avery she is a "China Girl". This morning she asked me to paint her hair black actually so she could be a real china girl. I told Britt the other day that if Avery remembers anything about her childhood, it would be that her Mother loved her enough to make sure she had a great costume on Halloween. And yes, the vain mother in me answers, she did indeed. Behold our little china girl....

Avery had to dress up for her Pre School Halloween party and then on Halloween day we headed over to Candy's ward Trunk-or-Treat, then to her neighbor's spook house which Avery really did not like, and finally with her ridiculous flip flops replaced by practical tennis shoes her and I ventured through our neighborhood begging for treats. Here are some pictures of Avery the China Girl, Nathan aka Bob the Builder, Zachary the Storm Trooper and Andrew the Puppy. What a cute bunch!

Saturday Avery turned the big #4! She demanded a Halloween bash which she got and we had a blast getting ready for it! She and I made her lovely graveyard cake....doesn't it look enticing? With purple insides, green coconut frosting, gummy severed limbs, eyeballs and tongue (which Candy couldn't stomach eating...) it was so much fun! She had her little primary class (all 3 of them) and her best buddy cousins come over to play with home made play dough, make fun masks, drink witch's brew, and be mummies. Our little girl is growing up so fast!!! We ended the day watching Avery's birth video which was the perfect ending to the day! We are so blessed and happy to have this little girl in our lives! We love you Avery!:)

Last week I headed up to Mom and Dad's to enjoy a fun week with my parents and convinced Chris to join me too. Chris and I visited the dermatologist's office and I believe the esthetian was at a loss of words when I asked her what I needed done..... So the skin regimen began and my face peels off about twice a day and I'm bright red like I've been sun burnt....but my skin is really soft. Next plan is to start our body for life program again. Britt signed up for his work's contest of the biggest loser. The winner at the end collects all the money for entry fees. Lucky for him he only needs to lose about 15 pounds to win since everyone else who joined is puny. Even so it's a good excuse to get back in shape.:)

I always talk Mom and Dad into crazy projects when I go home and this time we tackled the debacle of a counter top by the stove that was supposed to be fixed when the stove was replaced. I officially killed Dad's prized sander he has had my entire life, 90% killed my dremel and wasted a couple of days sanding and coating everything in the kitchen with dust. I probably should have left it alone, but at least I learned how hard oak is.

Mom and I also sewed Avery's costume. I will never believe another pattern when it says easy on the front. They are all liars!

So now the holidays are almost upon us. We are busy getting ready for Thanksgiving and hope to see some of you here! Friends and Family are always welcome! Hopefully I'll keep this site more current! We love you all!

Sweet Child O' Mine....

Yes, I am quoting a Guns N' Roses song, one of my favorites from youth. Avery my sweet child is growing up so fast. Britt got mad at me a few weeks ago for letting Avery wear sandals to church, (it was 50 degrees out) not knowing that she has out grown all her Sunday shoes. Not to worry, he gave me his blessing to go shopping and what girl doesn't like to shop for shoes?







To add to her growing independence, Avery decided she wanted to be Velma for Halloween. Yes, that's right, Velma from Scooby Doo. She has been obsessed watching Scooby Doo in the morning before Preschool and she just loves Velma. So Avery decided that to be Velma for Halloween meant she had to cut her own hair to look like Velma. So luckily it was just a big chunk off the side, which she swiftly hid down the furnace vent in her room. Mommy was in tears and had to cut 5 1/2 inches off to repair the damage. I know you don't notice in the pictures, but it was the perfect length for a braid!!!! And now of all things she has changed her mind once again regarding costumes and wants to be Sarafina, her prized stuffed kitty cat.....

When I was home visiting earlier this summer I stumbled upon a box of old forgotten stuffed animals. Inside were the 2 Snoopy puppies we received for Christmas one year over in Korea at a church party. These two toys were the most highly favored in our youth. I stuffed them in a walmart bag and brought them home and later presented them to Avery and Nathan. It was love at first site! Beloved Sarafina and "Puppy" were quickly forgotten. Although Sarafina has now been included with "Charly", Nathan has recycled Puppy, giving him to his younger brother Andrew, as Snoopy takes center stage to his heart. They have been taken everywhere now and I have to admit it is quite a sweet feeling to see your own child love your childhood toy as much as we did. Here is also a picture of Avery and Nathan busy making poo poo pie. Notice the adorable plumber butt. Never thought a plumber butt would be cute did ya? The other day as they were making another poo poo pie is just wasn't gooey or muddy enough.....so Nathan....the boy that he is.....decided to pee in it to make it muddier. It worked. Now they are not allowed to make poo poo pie......unless we turn our backs....:)

I had to laugh the other day since I should probably rename this site to the Cornaby/Palfreyman families website, since Candy's and my family seem to be one and the same here.:) We sure do enjoy our time together as shown here with the kids making our Spooky Halloween Houses! We couldn't resist the yummy black frosting that made us look like we were in serious need of a dentist!

Avery has officially gone on her first "field trip" with Preschool last week that Candy and I got to help as chauffeurs. They headed to our local Albertson's grocery store where they were given many treats, frosted their own cup cakes, petted the lobster and got to ring up their own cookies. It was pretty fun for all there!

Britt's parents, Barney and Linda came to visit for a couple of days! We always enjoy having family come to visit! We relaxed and watched conference, went up to Sun Valley for a day and ate too many treats! Their visit ended much to quickly for us! I was also most appreciative of Barney and Linda making an effort to stop by and see Mom and Dad. They are always so thoughtful in this way. We love you guys!

I can't believe the summer is over....

How is it possible that September is nearing an end? Although I am so excited to have cooler weather and that it's almost time for Halloween decorations, I feel almost cheated that the last 3 weeks have passed so quickly! Here's a quick recap:

First and foremost I have to document that Britt actually brought me home flowers, roses to be exact. Avery received one and I got the rest. They were beautiful! This doesn't happen very often so I will give praise when it is deserved....Thank you Britt!


Avery started Preschool this month! She gets to go with cousin Nathan and they have the most wonderful teacher! I will admit I wasn't a real believer in the whole preschool thing but with her being an only child I am eager for her to have any interaction with other kids. It is pretty strange to have free time on my hands. The other day I sat at home feeling guilty for just sitting there and I found myself counting the minutes till I could go pick her up. Don't worry this is not normal....Candy and I realized that we have almost 2 1/2 hours of wonderful free time together where we can actually venture into stores undisturbed or that our kids won't disturb like the craft store. We have so much fun together. I just adore my sister. I feel so spoiled to be close to her!

Speaking of Candy, we have started our crazy creations for Halloween. We are working on a Halloween advent calendar made from felt. It's almost done! Avery, Nathan and I made scary black trees from hacked down limbs from my back yard, to hang fun little scary ornaments on. Many more things are planned so stay tuned!

I went to the most fascinating class on organization done by a lady in our ward. Her name is Mary Ann Wilcox and all I can say is that she's my new hero! I was absolutely amazed at how organized she was with her home, from an alphabetized pantry and food storage to self made wooden dividers in each drawer to get the maximum space. Did you know you can fit a whole years food storage under your bed if you put it up on risers? All I can say is amazing! I told Candy about her and she said "I can't believe this lady doesn't do this professionally and have a book!" So at church the following Sunday I told Sister Wilcox what she said and she simply replied "I did do it professionally, and I do have a book!" It was too funny! Now if I can only get things in order here! I did finally get Avery's bed spread made....it only took me 3 trips to the fabric store and 7 months to do it but it's done! I put the guest bed up on risers and stuffed what little food storage I have there. I got the garage, shop and shed cleaned out and semi organized. I have 2 words for you....peg board. I love it! So until next time.......:)

Lazy Days At The Fair...

So Avery and I decided to brave the fair by ourselves for the first time. I thought as I warned her of all the walking involved that she would poop out very quickly and last maybe an hour or two....little did I know the euphoric inducement it creates as soon as the Ferris wheel comes into view. Two hours turned into 5 and then I had to drag her away so we could make an appointment to show the BMW which we are trying to sell.

We went on a few rides and then headed over to the barns where there were cows, horses, ponies, pigs, goats, sheep, llamas, alpacas, chickens, roosters, pigeons, bunnies, chicks mid hatching, guinea pigs, ducks, geese and whatever else I forgot... We actually made 2 trips to the barn to see them all again. My ridiculous dream of us all living on a family compound, an acre dividing each of us with a common acre of garden and more for raising alpacas was revived. Those suckers are cute!

This week I was able to go to my first Homemaking Enrichment night since moving here. I was so impressed with the level of organization and attendance our ward has. It just seems every time I go to church I am reminded of how my prayers were answered to be in a great ward and to associate with great people! I then attended another class on home organization and I have added a new hero to my ever growing list. Sister Wilcox is amazing and brilliant. My mind is now boggled with all the ideas to get my house in order and to do my food storage. Last night we went to the Elder's quorum party and feasted on delicious grilled fajitas that were to die for! We barely made it though after my list of Honey-do's which I the Honey mostly did. Britt helped me to finally get my peg board up in the garage. Then I crawled under the house to rewire my Internet dsl so I could move my desk. After drilling a few holes in the walls, a run to the store for extra cable and parts, I finally got it fished through the wall and it works. I have inhaled enough insulation to make me quite wheezy today. Life is good and busy and that is great!

Where did the month go?

I can hardly believe more than a month has gone by since I was last on here. Avery seems to be growing up so fast, literally inches every month! She is obsessed with jumping on the bed and has become quite the artist. She started a new habit at Grandma and Grandpa's of displaying her "artwork" on every door available. I am constantly looking for cool pictures for her to color on the computer. Her last request was for ones with sharks. When I thought she was satisfied with the 6 I printed out she wanted more and said "How about a picture of a shark eating a man?" I calmly said I don't think they have those....."How about one with lots of blood?" I guess this is what I get for indulging her with Discovery channel's Shark Week.....

The month was filled with a wonderful trip home to Mom and Dad's where we played hand and foot every single night till midnight most nights, gorged on Mom's homemade blueberry pie, a first attempt at tiling in the bathroom and wonderful conversations and memory sharing with Mom. It was one of the best trips home I've ever had. There is always a peaceful calming feeling in Mom and Dad's home and it is rejuvenating to my spirit. When I am there I feel and know that I am loved unconditionally. I love them for that!

As soon as I got home Britt was whisked off to St. Louis for Airport Management training for a couple of days. On one of the days I treated myself to the most delicious day of freedom that I've had in almost 4 years! I got the baby sitter for the day and went out and went shopping, ate at my favorite little fresh Mex place and got my hair done. All I can say is that I need to be more selfish more often!:)

Next we headed down to Wendover Nevada to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary. Yes, many of you ask why Wendover? Because there is nobody there and it's quiet and there's a big pool and good food! Avery was more excited than Britt and I were and was on her best behavior. I got to indulge this time in a wonderful pedicure! AAAAAHHHHHHH! The week ended all too quickly as we rushed back for Britt to go on a scout hike/campout as the ward's varsity scout leader. He returned filthy, tired and with bruised feet. He said it was the most physically difficult hike he had ever been on and the most rewarding. Whether it was fact or fiction we'll never know.....maybe it was his age that made it sound like the 2 miles uphill and barefooted walk to school every day....

Dad popped in for a pleasant surprise visit coming through on business! This is certainly a sweet result of living here. I will gladly be a hotel for anyone coming through! We drove through more neighborhoods searching for the perfect place for them to retire. Hopefully sooner than later!

Candy and I got the kids together for our super summer project of making special treasure boxes. I only have a picture of Avery's for now but will update soon! They had so much fun painting and bedazzling them! It was a hoot!

Speaking of painting....I finally finished all of my touch-up's with the house painting. It's not perfect but it's done and it is the most wonderfully fulfilling feeling in the world! Now we start the Halloween projects and Avery will begin preschool with Nathan. Should be fun!

What a chuckle...

So I saw 2 funny things today I had to share....The first I got a big chuckle out of was a bumper sticker while driving home from Costco.

JESUS IS COMING---Look Busy!

The second was a funny picture....

This year I was a party pooper with the fireworks and bought some crappy pop-it type thrills which Avery still loved and so did Chris! I had multi-colored confetti everywhere in my house and I'm still finding it! We sure enjoyed having Mom, Dad and Chris down for the holiday! We shared them with Candy and her boys and had a blast! Dad brought down the most beautiful and tasty Washington cherries (is there any other kind)! The boys fought over Chris and his tired shoulders for yet another piggy back ride..... He is and will always be their favorite Uncle....sorry Dallas, Vaughn and Cam....
Nathan with Uncle Chris
My turn, my turn....Zachary and Chris, and below adorable Andrew, sweet and quiet as can be with Mommy Candace.
We enjoyed ourselves BBQing, making homemade treats and ice cream and spent a day traveling to Burley to see Grandpa Mitchell. He is doing great and we actually survived the 85 degree temperature of his cozy home. Avery commented on how she especially liked the fluffy green carpet!

We went out to visit Grandma Mitchell at the cemetary and thought her grave stone was just beautiful!
We haven't got too much planned this month. Next month we are headed back down to Wendover...yes, shocked you may say but we have gone there now a couple of times and love how quiet and desolate the place is. There are only a few old snowbirds hanging out at the gorgeous pool, which we can't drag Avery out of. There's great food and buffets, golf for Britt and this year I'm going to get my massage and pedicure. It will be fun! Plus we all need to start thinking about reunion plans for next year pronto!

Just ran across this accidentally taken video from last summer by Sierra trying to figure out how to use my camera. More to come later now that I've figured out how to do this!:)

Sunday July 1, 2007

I snapped this shot the other day as Avery was so excited that she had our scaredy cat Fluffy trapped in the bathroom, able to scoop up and proudly hold as her baby. These chances come so rarely with Fluffy, it was too funny!

Alrighty then....

June 26, 2007
Bare with me as I learn how to navigate this blog site! Where to start? How do I sum up the last 6 months? Dealing with the devastating experience of trying to move, Britt living with his saintly Aunt Jana and Uncle Cal and Avery and I living with Mom and Dad for 2 months (Avery and Grandma were joined at the hip!)....everything finally fell into place and through miraculous events we actually got into our desired home here in Boise, Idaho. I have never felt like anything was "home" until we came here. We love it! Even after all the torment we went through to get here we have been so blessed and had things fall into place. Here's a few recent pictures... The trees remind us we are far from Tooele, Avery is obsessed with pinecones and rollie pollie bugs and a glimpse of the back yard. A few before pictures...the only safe way to let Avery help painting....and if I see any more blue gray anything I'm gonna hurt someone!:)

This house, this neighborhood, ....were everything we wanted, prayed and hoped for. We've certainly had our work cut out for us. The first night I arrived in Boise and we closed on the house, we hauled in the mattress, the tv of course and started ripping up the floors. We managed to get some really great deals and replaced all the flooring and the painting began. It seemed like I was in a dreamland, having Candy show up on my doorstep unexpected with milk and food in hand. A relief society president who called and brought by dinner, an elder's quorum and Bryan's brother-in-law Michael coming to help us unload the truck, ward members, with cookies in hand offering the other for anything we might need. What a shocking difference from Tooele. Aunt Jana came to help me paint while Candy watched Avery. After a couple of weeks I was so sick of workmen in my house and I finally felt like it was mine.

Now that summer is here we have enjoyed the beautiful yard. Somehow I manage to get myself into crazy projects and I am offically pooped. So if you're wondering why you haven't heard from us here's a few reasons why....obviously the above mentioned was crazy, also I stripped and repainted the cabinets, put up beadboard and new molding in Avery's room, 8" molding in the bathroom, built new garden boxes, rebarked and added many new plants and drip lines to the garden beds and then being the crazy woman I am painted the exterior of the house with Dad's help. By the time I was done with that I worked myself into a wicked cold putting me out for 2 weeks. I still haven't finished my touch ups! And all at the same time Candy and I have been busy building all sorts of projects and crafts!
I never realized how much I would enjoy living close to family! Even after several months it all seems too good to be true. I feel so spoiled!

Britt's Mom, Linda, has been visiting for the last 2 weeks. We have enjoyed her visit so much! Avery loves her Nana! Although I'm convinced I bored her to tears we had so much fun! We watched lots of movies, made yummy cookies and ice cream and Linda did the most beautiful oil painting for us to hang proudly in our home! Next visit I want lessons!:)

We drove up to McCall for a day and it was so beautiful! We passed a field full of sheep we just had to stop and see! Avery loves her lamby's and here Britt and her are trying to coax one out for a closer look. The only thing they coaxed out was plenty of poop all over their shoes despite my cries to stay away from the "little black rocks"!
Avery and her second cousin Jaycee who lives in Caldwell met and hit it off immediately! We are so glad to live close to both sides of the family! Avery has had such a blast playing with her cousins! Nathan and Zachary have given her a real education in garbage trucks and constructions trucks.

Our saddest experience since moving is the loss of our sweet kitty Kitten Breathe. The move was really hard on her. She has been showing signs of being an old Grandma Kitty for a long time. Our home is so empty without her. We miss her so much!

Our other kitties are doing great though! They love being out in the yard and with the little squirrels that live in our trees they are kept on their toes. Morris has become a robin murderer though. We feel like the wonderpets....there's a baby robin, we have to help him, this is serious!! 2 robins and a little squirrel have already met their demises due to his treacherous hands.:( Morris finally got "fixed" and has lived long enough to reach his first birthday and Fluffy still loves to hide under our bed!

I've been able to head home to Selah a couple of times and Mom, Dad and Chris have come a couple times this way too! Here's a few pictures from recent visits:

I am amazed at how fast my little girl is growing up! She is wearing her big girl underpants now and is so insulted if you refer to as anything baby. Her dress up phase has begun and I hope it will quickly end... She is so beautiful, funny and a real drama queen, always hamming it up! Oh how I love her. Britt is working hard or should I say hardly working!:) He has now been put in as the varsity scout leader and went on his first camp out. He has made a great friend here in our ward that lives down the street and they go golfing once a week. As for me, I am so tired. The last 12 months have honestly been the most difficult of my entire life. I can say that with a complete surety. All I know is that my family is the most important thing I have. I would be devastated if I lost any of you or if I was not involved in your lives. This life is too short to waste worrying about our differences or indifferences. I often think about the night of Chris's pinewood derby victory. I cannot remember a time I felt more strongly that my family was invincible. The sweet Spirit confirmed this and each time I pray I am reminded again of this truth. We have been blessed with so much but especially with eachother. I love all of you!