Jaimie's Surprise party of the Century

My best friend Jaimie turns 23 Monday! We turned the whole weekend into a celebration! I have been planning a surprise party for her for months and pulled it off without her knowing.

It started when I found this old shelf out by our dumpster. I knew with a little bit of work it would be perfect for Jaimie's entry way. So I haul it up to my apartment. Later Jaimie is talking about the shelf she wanted and she had told Nayt to go get it but when he went down it was gone! I was so happy with myself. So over the last month or so I've been working on a frame for the top and a couple of baskets and liners to go on the shelf as well. Travis helped me prime and paint the baskets and the shelf! He is a lot better at it than me! I should have taken before pictures but just imagine an old shelf that fell apart and had lots of scratches and stickers on it. And the three little baskets were rainbow easter baskets and the bottom basket was light wicker.

When Nayt mentioned we could have a girls party I thought it would be awesome to have a surprise party. So I had my Aunt Shari make these AWESOME Digital invites with her digiscrap stuff.

For decorations, I used the streamer idea from MADE and loved how they turned out! I also borrowed a birthday banner from Ashlee

For the guests I made everyone part tiaras and rose earrings for the goodie gift. Jaimie got the queen crown.

And lastly the surprise! It was perfect. She had spent all day in Spokane with her mom and sisters and when we were ready I called and told her my washer was overflowing. She hurried over with towels I opened the door and we all shouted Surprise! It was wonderful

Happy birthday Jaimie!

I've had this weird rash on my stomach for the last couple of weeks. I hate going to the doctor because they normally don't know what is wrong with me (or they say its cancer... but thats a whole other story) and this rash didn't itch it just looked really bad. I tried Benadryl cream but it didn't really help. So I went on trusty WebMD and they didn't have an option for symptoms of a non itchy rash spreading up, only down... ya thats not my problem. So I tried google and sure enough came up with the self/google diagnosis of 

Pityriasis rosea

 Pretty much its viral so there is no real cause, not contagious, not itchy in one and four suffers so I scored on that one. Anyways glad I could figure it out on my own. Also super glad it is going away. (it last 4-6 weeks) best part: Only 2% of sufferers get it twice!

Ps this is not my stomach (google images) but it looks the EXACTLY the same

So now if you get a weird rash that doesn't itch you can know not to waste a co-pay and lab fees! 

Small world!

So I had this super fun super cute roommate named Marie when I was in Rexburg. I loved her and we had a blast together. Anyways she got married, I got married, she moved to Utah, I moved to WA. We still keep in touch through blogs and facebook and such. She has a cute dog that looks a lot like Nala and she has a super adorable baby too! (which I do not have ;))
Anyways she went on a little trip to Detroit and left from SLC. and guess who was on her plane? as in the seat right next to her actually!
Good old, Elder Christian Reid!!

Here is her story!
"On our first plane to Detroit a missionary leaving the MTC to go to his mission sat next to us.  I asked where he was from and he said Seattle.  (I wanted to ask of do you know this person and this person what are the odds he would know some one so I didn't.)  He is going to Canada, French speaking mission and we left it at that.  He slept most of the plane ride.  It wasn't until I saw his name tag when we were getting ready to land that I had to ask.  His name is Elder Reid.  I had to ask if he knew Courtney Reid, one of my old roommates back at BYU-Idaho.  So I leaned over and said, "I have to ask do by chance know a Courtney Reid Mattoon?"  He leaned back and smiled and said, "Yes I do."  Holy crap.  What are the odds!  Well Elder Reid is Courtney's little brother!  Small world.  So we talked about her and about Opal and it made me miss them so much!  I told him how I knew them and about how Courtney and I both have Boxer's that look very similar and just random tid bits.  It was so funny so when we got off the plane we had to take a picture.  Here we are in Detroit."


I was SO happy she shared this with me! I loved it! I love my brother and even though it's hard to have him away I know he is where God needs him.

Take me out to the Ball Game!

 What a beautiful weekend we had in Pullman. We enjoyed the summer sun out in about in Moscow with the Dunn's (are you surprised) We went to the farmers market, window shopped a bit and then headed back to Pullman to watch the Cougars play a little baseball! We met up with our friends the Childs, Samm, Andrew and their darling son Boston! The cougars won! It was a fun game and amazing weather!

We love the sunshine!

We are LOVING the nice weather we've been having here in Pullman. I went on 2 field trips with my class because it was so beautiful outside. We have been spending time on our deck, playing catch and taking the dogs for lots of walks. And this is just the beginning!

Here I am on our deck watering our plants! I love going out on the deck after work!

Travis can be found playing his PS3 (borrowed from his parents) and watching his fantasy feed for baseball. He has quite the step up.

Here are my tomato plants. Travis planted the green one and I planted the teal one. We are having a competition to see who can grow the best/most tomatoes
 

A bed on top of the crate!

Bandits new favorite spot

Cute Nala Bear ready to play

Cockroasches

This is just a google pic not actually the ones in our class. But they look exactly the same. The top one is a boy the bottom one is a girl. You can tell because the boys have those bumps on their heads or "horns" as my kids call them.

So in case you didn't know my preschool class has 12 cockroaches, madagascar hissing cockroaches actually. The kids LOVE them and I, well they have grown on me. We have even seen them have babies (they give live birth) so now we have 6 babies.
Well I was cleaning out their cage and giving them some fresh pine chips so I put them in this big bowl. Well they have mad climbing skills because of their little claw hands so I always assign a "helper" to watch them and let me know if one is getting out. I also counted the roaches as I took take them out, especially the baby ones. I change the bedding and clean the cage as quick as I can. Then I put them back in. Well today I only put back 5 babies. So then I was second guessing myself. Were their 5 or 6 ? 5? 6? And the "helper" says "Six one got out!!" And then I panicked I searched the floor, the cupboard and nothing. I was super worried! I even took off the "helpers" shirt and shook it off. Still nothing so I just thought well maybe there were only 5 because I was so quick it couldn't have gone too far. So I put the cage away and had to set up breakfast. As we were eating breakfast I looked over at my "helper" and that baby cockroach was crawling down his FACE! I say "DON'T MOVE" and quickly pinch it off his neck. He was a little panicked but more excited saying "I'm going to tell my dad how brave I am"

WOW never a dull moment in the D.B.

What the HAY it's MAY?

I can't believe it is already May. I can't believe we've lived here for almost 10 months and that Trav is done with the school year! It is already the 5th month into 2011! Crazy sauce!

One time on my friend's blog she shared their "Roses, Buds, and Thorns," The "rose" was the good part of the day, "bud" was something you were looking forward to, and "thorn" is the not so great part of the day. I loved it, so....

"Our Roses"
Travis is done for the summer from school and can stay up late, play video games and take care of the dogs.
Preschool graduation is on Friday and I am really excited for it!
The puppies aren't crated all day now that trav can be home more!
Bandit loves running with me and can out run me every time.
Summer is right around the corner
Our Electric bill was only 24 dollars!!
I got 2 plants to keep alive... tomatoes and roses!
I babysat for a friend and smelt like a baby for the rest of the day!
Travis made me dinner and called me a mother of 3 (2 pups and him)
Bandit and Nala got a giant tennis ball that is too big to chew up but perfect to chase.
We had an AWESOME girls night while the boys had their man night! Two locations is key :)


"Our Buds"
Travis is going to help at his Grandparent ranch this summer to help out! He loves it out there and really loves his family.
I can't wait to have sunny weather and have a small summer preschool class.
We are going to Sun Lakes with my family for a mini vay-kay over Memorial day!
We should get instate tuition next year!!
I can't wait until I like running! and either can Bandit!
My best friend Jaimie's Bday is this month! and I'm giddy over her gift!

"Our Thorns"
It's still pretty chilly
Trav doesn't have to go to bed early or wake up early and I do!
Bandit and Nala chewed up both their leashes while unsupervised!

And here is some pictures of the pups just because I know you love them!

Mother I love you

FB status for the day: Sorry to inform you but Clara, Christian, Chloe Chase and myself have the best mom in the whole world. All other moms will have to take second to the most beautiful, selfless, funny, and caring mother around Tiffany Reid!!! Love you mom you are the best and wish I could be home on your special day!

Last year Me, Travis and My sister surprised our moms for Mother's day. Best surprise ever. This year my Brother Christian will call my mom from his mission. So pretty much anything I came up with wasn't going to top that. But I did make something she loved. I made her a bird's nest necklace. I saw these on Etsy... but it was pricey and I'm on a budget so with a friend I made one for my mom and mil and she did too for 5 dollars. Then I showed them off any ended up making and selling 10 more. Then I gifted about 10 more and 2 pairs of dangly earrings so ya it was a pretty good deal :)


I wrote this poem and ashlee made the card.

SO if your mother's day gift wasn't everything you hoped I could make you one of these too. It looked so cute with one or two eggs too. And I made some with white eggs that were darling as well.

I LOVE my mom. She is a great woman and makes me so worried that I can't do what she does for my own children!

I also LOVE my Mother in Law Chris. She is such a wonderful person and I am grateful for all she does for us.

I am surrounded by women who are excellent examples of AWESOME moms! I am so thankful for their example even when it makes me insecure that I can't do it!

Yay for Mom's everywhere

Cinco de Mayo

Yay for good friends and yummy Mango salsa like my mom always makes!