Pancakes Saturday Night

Pancakes Saturday Night from Kim Lowry on Vimeo.

Who knew pancake batter tasted so good!

Another Teenager in the House

Favorite Color:  Green

Favorite Food:  Homemade Pizza

Favorite Primary Song or Hymn: Called to Serve

What do you want to do when you grow up: 

Go on a mission and then become a doctor

Favorite Game:  Settlers 

Best Friends:  Shane and Tate

Favorite Book:  Harry Potter Series

Favorite Movie:  Pirates of the Caribbean

Favorite Scripture Story:  2000 Stripling Warriors

Favorite Soda:  Root Beer

Favorite Candy Bar:  Snickers

Favorite Family Activity:  Snow Machining 

Favorite Animal:  Turtles

What Makes You Happy?  

Getting along with my family and friends

What Makes You Sad?  Arguing 

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?  Greece

Other facts about Jarom:

Jarom is very gifted musically.  

He is a hard worker and great big brother. 

Untitled from Kim Lowry on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday Jarom!

We love you!

Christmas, Moments 151-161

151.  Christmas!  

We had a wonderful Christmas this year.  As you can see from the picture Santa did come, and he brought me a new camera!  Hurrah!  The one I had been wanting, but didn't even dare hope for.  In all of my excitement Christmas morning over my new camera I didn't take many pictures.  I know that sounds very weird.  You would think I would have more pictures than ever, but I was so enthralled with trying to figure out how it worked that I didn't work it much.  Haha! 


Some of my favorite things about Christmas this year were:
153.  Caroling with our friends.
154.  Making goodies and delivering them with friends.
155.  Listening to Christmas music with the kids.  They love it as much as I do.
156.  Taking the kids shopping for each other.  It is so fun to see how excited they get picking out things they just know their brother or sister will like.
157.  Acting out the Christmas Story from the Bible on Christmas Eve while Shawn read it aloud.
158.  Focusing on my Savior more.
159.  Helping Santa Christmas Eve.
160.  Going to Church Christmas morning.
161.  Having Christmas dinner with Shawn's family Christmas night.

Family New Year Predictions

 With all of the predictions that people are making about the upcoming year we thought it would be fun to make some predictions of our own.

Jarom:  "Someone in our family will break a bone."

Logan:  "Dad will go bald and mom will go gray."

Katie:  "We'll get a million dollars."

Hannah:  "We'll get a horse."

Mya:  "Katie will get in trouble."

Tabetha:  "We'll get to have chocolate chip cookies for breakfast."

Dad:  "Daddy will get a new truck."

Mom:  "Daddy will not get a new truck!

New Year's Eve at Our House

This year, I kicked New Year's Eve off right by sleeping in, and was it ever nice.  

While I was sleeping Shawn got up and took Jarom to the church at 9 a.m. so he clean the building with the other young men in the ward.   Isn't Shawn the sweetest for letting me sleep in.  He is always doing wonderful things like that for me.  

For breakfast, I made the most wonderful egg sandwiches on whole grain english muffins with homemade guacamole.  MMMMMmmmm!  If I do say so myself.

At 5:30 we went to our friends house to celebrate the New Year with fireworks and hot chocolate.

We now interrupt this blog post for an Alaska Living Lesson

Alaska Living Lesson:  In Alaska we don't really do fireworks on the 4th of July because it is broad daylight all night, and so... it really isn't that much fun.  Because of that, New Year's Eve is the big night for fireworks around here.   Well, the good thing about doing fireworks in the winter is that by 3:30 in the afternoon it's dark so you don't have to wait until 10 p.m. to light them off.  The bad thing however, that it is cold on New Year's Eve, really cold.  And when I say really cold I mean like -32 degrees cold., because that's how cold  it really was last night.   We were dressed head to toe in our winter gear with only our eyes poking out, and even then we were shivering after 5 minutes.   So, while the children did enjoy lighting sparklers,  most of them didn't last very long outside and opted to enjoy the majority of the fireworks from inside.  

After the fireworks, we said good-bye to our wonderful friends and headed home.  Shawn took Tabetha into town to the youth church dance and then stopped off at the store for chips and dip, because, as Logan informed me, chips and dip is now a New Year's Eve tradition at our house because that's what we ate last New Year's Eve.  Our favorite dip is a block of cream cheese with salsa poured over it.  Really healthy... NOT, but it tastes really good.
We spent the rest of the evening playing games.   Apples to Apples, and Pitt were the starting attractions, because they can be enjoyed by all.   At 11:30 we sent the little girls off to bed and then the big kids (Shawn and I included) played cards.  Our card game of choice, back alley.  Shawn and Jarom won, but Logan and I put up a good fight, especially since it was Logan's first time playing.
After our card game was over things got  really silly.  We started  making jokes and saying things like, "I'm going to bed, I haven't slept a wink since last year," and, "are you going to eat that.  It's so old it's from last year," or, "the little girls have been asleep since last year."  The one that really got me laughing was, "Wow, we started this card game last year, and we just finished."

Fact:  There is a genetic defect in the female line of my family that makes everything said seem 10 times funnier if it is said after 12:00 at night.  This defect partially explains the extreme amount of laughing that was done by me on New Year's Eve.  

Happy New Year everyone!


P.S.  This year I'm not making New Year's resolutions I'm doing this instead.

The True Spirit of Christmas

This gets me every time!  

 

Happy Birthday Tab-a-lou

Favorite Color:  Green

Favorite Food:  Mom's Potato Soup

Favorite Primary Song or Hymn:  If You Could Hie to Kolob

What do you want to do when you grow up: 

Study hurricanes as a meterologist

Favorite Game:  Settlers

Best Friend:  Katelynd

Favorite Book:  

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations

Favorite Movie:  

Pride and Prejudice (The A&E Version)

Favorite Scripture Story:  The Story of Esther

Favorite Soda:  Sprite

Favorite Candy Bar:  Twix

Favorite Family Activity:  Going Swimming

Favorite Animal:  Horses and Dogs

What Makes You Happy?  

Reading a good book while drinking hot chocolate

What Makes You Sad?  Doing the Dishes

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?  Egypt or France

What do you want for your birthday?  I don't know

Other facts about Tabetha:  

She is learning to play the violin this year.

She is becoming quite the piano player and plays each Sunday for Young Women's.

She just completed her first semester at Williamsburg Academy and did very well.

She loves doing any and all things crafty.

She is a wonderful young lady and it is fun to see her talents and passions come alive.

Happy Birthday Tabetha.  We love you!

He Said / She Said First Date Memories

Today is the 8th year anniversary of our first date! Wow, how my life has changed since that day! 

 And, it's all been wonderful.

Here are a few things we each remember about that day:

The Basic Details

She said:  For our date I picked Shawn up from his friends' house.  We went to dinner, to temple square to see the lights, then we went and got hot chocolate across the street at the mall.  When I went to drop him off he was locked out of his friends' apartment.  They had all gone to a movie and forgotten about him.  I couldn't let him freeze to death so we sat and talked in the car until it was time for me to go pick up my kids.  He went with me to get the kids and met my ex. (that was a bit nerve racking)  Then we picked up some fast food for the kids.  Meanwhile his friends had come home, and then I dropped him back off at his friends' house.  

He said:  This hottie picked me up, and drove us to dinner, at Rodizio's Brizillian Restaurant where they serve lots of meat, and I remember thinking, "I hope she's not a vegetarian."  After that she said, "Have you ever seen the lights at Temple Square?" I had not so she said, "Let's go,"  and so we did. It was pretty cool.  Then we went and had hot chocolate.  When she went to drop me off at my friends', they had locked me out of their apartment.  We tried to call them several times, but they would not answer because they were at the movies.  Then she said she needed to pick up her kids.  She asked me if I wanted to come along, because she didn't want to leave me on the street.  How thoughtful.   Logan was asleep, and the other 2 were watching cartoons.  We rounded up the kids, and kids being kids with bottomless stomachs, they were hungry so we went and got them something to eat.  This gave us more time to talk before my friends finally called, and said that I could come home now.  

What were your thoughts before our date?

She said:  I was nervous but excited.  He seemed really nice on the phone and in our emails so, even though we were meeting for the first time I wasn't too nervous.  
He said:  I was looking forward to it, because she was the most normal, down-to-earth person that I had talked to in a long time.  


Your first impressions?
She said:  I was relieved that he didn't have any crazy tattoos or piercings.  I thought he was really nice looking and looked even better than his picture.  
He said:  I remember thinking that she's a lot prettier in person. 


What did we talk about that night?
She said:  At dinner,I remember talking about school, and I remember Shawn talking about work.  I remember thinking that he sounded like he really enjoyed being a heavy equipment operator and he sounded like a hard worker.  Later I remember talking about old relationships, dating, family, and dreams for the future.  
He said:  We talked about everything!  We talked about everything from church, to missions, to kids, motorcycle wrecks, ex relationships, LDS Singles, dating, school, the future.  We covered it!


What do you remember most about that night?
She said:  I remember that when we were at Temple Square, we were waiting in line to go into a movie and their was a cute little girl in line with her family behind us.  She was Latino and speaking Spanish to her parents,  I remember Shawn kneeling down and talking to her in spanish. From the way he talked to her I could tell that he liked kids.  That made a big impression on me.
The other thing that I really remember about that night is that when we went to pick up the kids Logan was asleep on the couch.  Shawn just picked him up and carried him to the car for me.  I didn't ask him too, but I remember how touched I was by that. 
He said:  How beautiful she was, and thinking, "What's a girl like this doing being single."  And if they hadn't of locked me out who knows what would have happened.  That extra time to talk gave me more of a chance to see that down-to-earth reality of who Kim was at that time in her life. It is easy for a person to put on a show and be someone they are not when you don't have any one else around but when we went to get the kids I got to see that she really was genuine in both situations, there was no mask to put on or take off . I admired that. 


Favorite part?
She said:  The whole thing.  I enjoyed our whole date.  There wasn't any awkward times or any uncomfortableness.  He was easy to talk to and I enjoyed being with him. 
He said:  Getting locked out.  It gave me more time to get to know her , and dinner, because I like meat.  Ha, Ha Ha.  Temple square was pretty cool, too.

Feelings and/or thoughts after
She said:  He was very nice and genuine.  He didn't play games.  I could tell that he was comfortabel with himself, and he knew what he wanted out of life.  I thought he was a true gentleman and  it was easy to see that he was someone that lived his religion.  I was glad when he called me the next day.
He said:  Sure would be nice to see her again. 

What else do you remember about that night?
 She said:  I was glad that he got locked out and we had that extra time to spend together.  I think it was part of God's plan.  Because he was locked out we got to spend more time talking and really getting to know each other.  I think he also needed to go to my ex's so he could see my complete life, and  I needed to see how he could/would handle that part of my life.  
Obviously he did very well.  
He said:  I already covered everything.  Oh, I remember, Travis laughing that they locked me out.

Would you have said or done anything differently that night?
She said:  No, I snagged him didn't I.
He said:  Obviously not, it worked.  I married up!

She said:

Thanks, for the good memories sweetie. 

That was the beginning of a wonderful life together.  

I love you!

Paper Garland Tutorial

Today, is my first time linking up at Life Made Lovely.

Stop by and visit her lovely blog.

  I adore all of the cute garland and party banners that are all over the place right now.  They're just so whimsical and fun.  I really wanted to make one as a little decoration for Katie's birthday party, and  I ended up liking it so much I included it in her birthday pictures as well.  It was so easy to make and I just love, love, LOVE how it turned out.   My original idea came from a paint chip garland I saw on pintrest. I didn't have enough paint chips to make it, but I did/do have tons, and TONS of scrapbook paper so I used that instead. 

First, I chose the paper and colors I wanted.  I used 6 different colors of card stock and  3 different, coordinating lighter weight, patterned papers.   

Next, I just punched out a TON of circles with a large whole punch  I purchased from Michael's.  

Using glue sticks Hannah and I glued a patterned circle onto the backside of a card stock circle.  You could make this with card stock alone, but I wouldn't recommend making it with just the light weight patterned paper.  I think  it could easily get jammed in the sewing machine. 

                          

Finally, I just sewed  them together in a long line using my sewing machine.   I found it helped to kind of push one through the machine with the next one.  Even though you can't tell from the pictures, I sewed them together in a rainbow pattern.                       

And that's it. Now, hang and enjoy!

I told you it was easy.  

I love easy!

Isn't it fantastic?

I even had enough circles left over to make a small garland to hang on my living room mirror.

Wouldn't this be cute on a Christmas tree in your Christmas colors, or for Valentine's Day in pinks, reds and whites.  The possibilities are endless.  I can't wait to make more!

Oh, it's the little things that make life lovely.

Happy Birthday Silly Girl

5 years old!

 Favorite Color:  Black

Favorite Food:  Cherries

Favorite Primary Song:  I Love to See the Temple

What do you want to be when you grow up?  A cello player and a mom

Favorite Game:  Duck, Duck Goose

Best Friend: Hyrum and the kids in my class

Favorite Book:  Puff the Magic Dragon

Favorite Movie:  Yoggie Bear

Favorite Scripture Story:  Nephi Builds the Boat

Favorite Song Daddy Sings at Bedtime:  I Love to See the Temple

Favorite Kind of Soda:  Root Beer

Favorite Candy Bar:  Chocolate

Favorite Game to Play with Sisters: Horsies

Favorite Animal:  Giraffes and Owls

Favorite Person:  Mommy and Daddy

What makes you happy?  Eating in bed

What makes you sad?  Crying

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?  To visit Grandma

What do you want for your birthday?  A giraffe 

Happy Birthday KateLynn!  

We love you!