Girls!

We always love a house full of girls and we were thrilled to welcome this beautiful family of girls along with their Mom and Dad to Utah last weekend. Nicolette, Francesca, Isabella and Gabriella (just love those names) came to ski Utah powder at Snowbasin and Beaver Mountain. The girls are all awesome skiers. We started to call them Chet's posse. What fun we had skiing, eating, playing games, celebrating a birthday, etc. We really enjoyed these sweet, giggly girls!

A special coconut cake for Isabella's 9th birthday.

Bella is thinking of a great birthday wish.


Dione, Sarah and Chet join the girls at Beaver Mtn.


Gabriella loves her picture taken...here she is
with Francesca. I started calling her the
purple marshmallow.

The whole bunch including Joan and Hannibal
at Jocie's monument.

Superbowl Sunday

Traditions in our household hold strong and Superbowl Sunday is one of those. We get together and eat great food, pick our favorite team based on mostly whose uniform looks the best, and then cheer for our favorite commercials. Here are some highlights from this year's bowl-o-rama.

Yummy food!
Getting ready for the 3-d commercials thanks
for the glasses Caroline.

Pick your team... This bunch picked the Steelers

to win. Although Lindsay kicked Dean out of the

group towards the end of the game.

This group picked the Cardinals. They had the

best uniforms after all.

Caroline is taking in the 3-d thing. Pretty cool!

Peace out bro!

Do you think dogs can see 3-d even though they

don't see color? Just wondering...

Amazing commercials... almost better than the game.

Caroline napping after too much to drink.

This is the tippy-toe dance after Santonio Holmes

made the incredible catch in the end zone. Boy those

two kept rubbing it in.

Birhday Shoutout

My favorite hubby (OK he's also my only one) is having a birthday today. Most men tell people they are 32 years old. I'm pretty sure Dean is also 32. Although most times he acts like he's 18. He fist bumps, listens to rap, and skis like a maniac. Through life's ups and downs, this guy has made my journey so fabulous and so much fun. There is never a dull moment at our house when Dean is around. With his strength, he keeps our family together and laughing all of the time. Love him!

Happy Birthday Deano

This is one of Dean's favorite places, the Uintah Mountains.

Reading his favorite book "Two Badd Babies" to
Francesca and Chet.

He's the man...looking very cool in Juicy glasses.

Izzy the doodle.

Izzy has been with our family for 2 years now. This big white ball of fluff is a Golden Doodle (cross between a standard poodle and a golden retriever). Everyone who meets Izzy wants to take her home because she is so sweet and good natured. Before bringing Izzy home I read up on raising puppies, watched The Dog Whisperer, and even made her a quilt. Yup I did! I wanted this puppy to adapt to our family and feel instantly at home. This bunch is a bit dog crazy... you should meet the Grand-dawgs. Above all Izzy is always there when we need some puppy love. Here are a few of my favorite Izzy pics over the past 2 years. Happy 2nd Birthday Izzy!

Izzy just after her last grooming...complete with pink bows.

Izzy da smart doodun...yet again we are
dressing up the dog.

Izzy the puppy doodle. Notice how her fur changes as she ages.

Izzy the teenager with my fabulous teenager.

Izzy being tormented with Cassandra's

"My little baby Baby" rendition.

Izzy as a glamour girl..."Juicy Creature"

Izzy sporting her "poodle look" don't worry we

won't let that happen again.

Izzy teasing her sister Kenya with a good

old-fashioned tail biting.

Izzy in desperate need of a haircut with Chet.

Izzy deciding the back seat is stoopid, and

lonely...move over Dione.

In a brown paper bag

A couple of weeks ago I woke up and told Dean I

needed to go to the liquor store and asked if

he'd come along. He laughed and said "OK, bad day?"

I use white wine to cook with on occasion and

the cooking wine in the grocery store is beyond bad.

So game on... we went to the State Liquor Store. We are

so naive we had to ask some dude in the store what to buy.

He was very helpful and it turns out the liquor store stuff

is much cheaper than the grocery store. And you

get your wine in a brown paper bag when you leave...

just like the movies.

FYI... in case you go, the helpful dude in the store

suggested buying the cheapest wine since you are going

to burn out all the alcohol anyway.