Highlights in My Hair

For the first time I decided to get some highlights in my hair, and I wanted it to be closer to my hair color with some red in it. My friend Laura did a good job getting the color I wanted. It's not too bright to catch eyes but just enough to be noticed. With colorful trees around me I am not sure you can easily see the highlights. I'll post the pictures that I got today anyway.

Happy Halloween!

For the first time ever in my life I dressed up for the Halloween today! I have to say I had a lot of fun figuring out our costumes and fixing and making them. As I bought a new black dress a week or so ago I thought I could wear that. Cleopatra was an easy choice for me. I almost cut my bangs to match hers but luckily I found a wig!


Then Jim's choice was even easier - Marc Antony.


This year it was the first time for me to go to the Trunk or Treat at the church, and I got excited to go to this one because it wasn't going to be just for the kids. There was a chili cook-off contest. I made our family's favorite mushroom and chicken chili. There were 17 different chilis. The judges decided to choose my chili!
We also had some corn-bread and dessert.

There was also a pumpkin carving contest. Next time I am going to carve a pumpkin. I haven't ever done it before.


Everything was so well organized, and everybody looked great!

Here is Carol and Amanda.


After getting home Jim wanted to take a few more pictures (of me!).

A Haircut and a Painting Class!

Today Carol and I had an appointment with our friend Laura Lydan to have her cut our hair. She did a great job!


Then we went to the painting class.

It was fun. Wish I could do a better job!

Why are the guys so adventurous?

Curiosity kills the cat!


Jim and I went to do some errands today, and he decided to check and see how the construction is going with a new subdivision. Even though there is really nothing to see but a fairly flat dirt-area as a pad for new homes. I guess he forgot that he was driving his Mazda not my Honda, so the car got stuck in deep mud!


Jim took off his shoes and got into the ankle-deep mud trying to pull the mud away from the tires.

Then he started pushing the car. It didn't move a bit when he was pushing from the front of the car. Jim went and pushed the car from the back. After trying a bit and getting the tires spin like crazy and splashing mud everywhere, on Jim, on the car and even on me inside the car as the window was open, and we were about to give up when the car suddenly took off and got out of the deep mud.

Jim found some pit with rain water in it and "cleaned" his feet. As he finished getting "cleaned" and got into the car, we discovered that we were headed to a dead end. we had to go back the way we came - through the deep mud. We were nervous but we managed to get out this time without getting stuck. Just barely!

We surely enjoyed the deep car wash at the gas station afterwards!

What a Day!

3 years ago this day Jim and I got sealed in the Temple in Utah. Right after that we went to a cruise to Mexico and Belize. We had a great time!
This year the General Conference is the same day, so we decided to stay home and watch it on our big TV. As we have canceled our satellite service and now we have only basic cable channels, there is no BYU channel to watch. So, I connected my new computer that has a HDMI port to the TV, couple speakers and we enjoyed the conference with the best quality picture and sound!

Jim promised that after the second session we'll go out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary. In the middle of the second session I remembered that there is going to be a priesthood meeting at 7PM. And I wasn't going to be ready to leave right after the conference as I hadn't showered or anything. At 5 o'clock I literally ran into the shower without wasting time so I could be ready to leave soon. As I came out of the shower we got a phone call from Sister Bennett to remind us about cleaning the church right away. NO WAY!! I decided no dinner tonight, no anniversary, and I have to admit I wasn't happy with the situation. Jim insisted on me taking my nice outfit that I was planning to wear today and some make up to do it in the car. I grabbed those quickly and with no make up, and with wet hair we drove to the church, did our cleaning, and then Sister Bennett said there were only 2 rooms left to vacuum and that they could handle that and sent us on our way to dinner. What a lovely person she is! I changed my clothes in the car and did my make up while Jim was driving. Anyway, we went to Outback Steakhouse, and after there Jim took me to our favorite ice-cream place for some ice-cream.
As we were running a little late for the priesthood meeting, I went there with Jim and then Carol came and picked me up and brought me home.

What a busy day. We think we'll watch a movie and call it a day!!

I have to say, Jim is fun to do things with, it doesn't matter if it's cleaning, cooking or vacation!

This is at the restaurant. You can tell how "relaxed" we look.

Moths in My Pantries!

We have 2 pantries in our kitchen, and a few days ago I noticed dozens of moths there. One of the pantries especially has been so loaded with food and other stuff that it scared me to think about emptying and cleaning it.

Finally after researching online and learning what I need to do to get rid of the moths and their eggs and nests, I went to Lowe's today and bought some moth traps.

Carol and I emptied the pantries, vacuumed the walls and shelves. Then washed them with soapy water. We also washed all of the containers, threw the grains and similar items away (no, I didn't just throw them away, I put them in a garbage bag and froze them in my big freezer, in batches, and then took them out of the house), and then after cleaning every single item that came from the pantry, we put them back nicely. We got the moth traps in there, too.

Now both of the pantries look clean and organized and there is a lot of room there! I am looking for some stackable container/organizers to store my new grain in. I would love any suggestions you may have.

Why am I so tired? Just because it took several hours to do the job?! What a trooper Carol is!! She has no complains!

I don't have pictures of this, sorry! Jim is traveling and he has the camera with him.

My New Aprons

The RS activity for the last month was to make a reversible apron. With the great help of my friend Carrie I made 2 aprons as I got some fabric from the store that I liked a lot and couldn't decide which ones to use. So I used them all! Here they are:

They turned out pretty good, and now I am not sure I want to wear them for everyday cooking.
Thanks to Melissa for organizing it and making this happen!