These are just a few highlights from our North Carolina trip. If I knew how to make an album I could put plenty more amazing photos but I am clueless as to how to do that.

I had to get this picture off my camera because we just took it last night of our girls with their pile of pumpkins. See I planted pumpkins last year and not one came up so this year I went a little crazy and planted quite a few and it would seem as though they all came up. It was a fun little trip for our girls out to our own pumpkin patch.

I decided to post this picture to let you all know why I have not been very good at keeping up with my blog this summer. We had a wonderful garden this summer, I have been very busy weeding and harvesting all that we grew. And that was just in my spare time. We also had some amazing summer trips. It is hard to believe that summer is over it just flew by. Our garden is finally done except some tomatoes that are covered by blankets and tarps. We just picked all of our pumpkins and Henley sold one right after to Nana, but we have many more and Henley is anxious to sell them. There are a few tall skinny ones and I told Henley I want to keep one of them and she said "That's okay mom I will just tell them they can't buy that one." She is quite the sales girl she tried to sell Nana the smallest little green one we had but Nana told her she wanted a nice orange one.

Our Family Home

Some of you might have already heard that our family home burned down, which is just awful but I can't tell you how grateful I am that Dad, Carol and Hieron are all safe. As sad as it is the rest of it is just stuff. And they will also be able to live in the trailer on the other side of their property which is blessing. It is incredibly sad that the old house will not be there anymore. When Dad was down here this fall we talked about it and He just loved that old house and all the memories he had there. I am going to head up there in a couple days to help them get situated and help them find and collect everything they need. Carol and I talked today and she said they might have everything they need stashed out in one of Dad's trailers it is just a matter of finding it.:)

Our Spring Break

We planned a last minute trip to California for spring break. We spent a couple days in Indio, California which is in the desert and it was almost ninety degrees a very nice break from our cold weather we are having. We spent some time swimming and catering to our girls who were not feeling good. We found out on this trip that Henley gets a little car sick. We got to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa Futrell who Macey had never met. We also spent a few nights in San Diego, where we got to go to SeaWorld. Which I highly recommend. The whale show there was awesome. We loved it! Henley loved it so much she forgot all about her ears that had been hurting her. And of course we spent some time on Coronado Beach which was beautiful.

Pomerelle Ski

After 7 years for me and a few more for Eric we were able to go skiing yesterday. We had a lot of fun. We were the first ones on the hill for night skiing and it was snowing so the snow was completely untouched. It was beautiful! And we got to get all of our insecurities out without being seen because about an hour after we got there the swarms of young men and young women came for mutual. It was a wednesday and a lift ticket was only 5 dollars so that is what a lot of the wards were doing for their activity. It was great to see a lot of people we know even though you could hardly recognize anybody with their goggles on (a must have in the wind and snow.) It was a great date night thanks to Nana for watching our girls.

Our Girls are Feeling Great

Henley has pretty much made a full recovery and hopefully she is not contagious anymore because we have returned to life as normal. Oh I almost forgot she does have a new ouch! I was taking the garbage outside and I gave Henley an assignment to take the bathroom trash can back to the bathroom and she completed her assignment quickly and tried to follow me with her arms full of all her treasures she was going to bring to town with us. Only she thought that I had gone downstairs and apparently she tried to follow me and fell. I came into find her screaming and all of her toys scattered down the stairs. I don't know exactly what happened because everytime I ask her the story changes a little bit, and so does the bruise on her right cheek. It has been red, blue, purple, and yellow, and is now finally fading.

Henley has Mono

This is so strange but we took Henley in for an ear infection and we were told she had double ear infections so she was put on an antibiotic. Well a week later her fever spiked again, so we were back to the doctor and at that time doctor said, "That is strange her ears look worse than they did before and she has the worst case of strep I have seen all night, I think she might have mono." So we had some blood work done and sure enough she has mono so we have been stuck at home. We can't figure out where she got it from because we pretty much have been home the last few weeks. Diana said that I guess it is a Peine girl thing to carry mono so maybe she got it from me. She will be contagious for awhile and they put her on some steroids so she will catch anything from anyone right now. I can't believe her though she was tired and had a fever for a few days but now she is all energy and apetite. She ate two bowls of cereal and two hot dogs and whatever else... she is not usually a big eater but this antibiotic or steroid is doing something to her.
The other day I said to her when she was feeling bad, " You just don't feel like my Henley huh."
When she woke up the other morning when she was feeling better she said, "Mom I am back to Henley."

I am still alive!

I am still here so please don't delete me...Liz!!! Diana told me that you were going to delete me if I didn't get on the ball so I am making some time. Anyway, I am so sad I missed you Liz. We need to just have a big get together this spring, we could do it here or in Utah. Somewhere, anywhere this is just ridiculous that we do not see eachother more.
Well those of you that were wondering about pictures of my kitchen, I am going to try to put them on here right after I am done writing this. I am just loving my new kitchen. Now if I could just keep it clean, my girls rearange everything daily and fill the cupboards with books and toys of all sorts.
We had a great Christmas and usually I am sad to see it end but this year I am excited to move on and continue with more projects. My next one is to paint Henley's room and finish the trim in my kitchen.