1-31-2011

This picture is significant for two reasons:

1) We made it thru my least favorite month of the year!

2) I got a new planner today, and I love it! (thanks alisha!!)

1-30-2011

If you have not heard of the blog

the "nieniedialogues" you are

really missing out! I have been following

Stephanie's blog for about 2 years now.

Checking her posts has become part of my

"get ready routine"!

I check it while I dry my hair.

It gives me perspective and puts a

smile on my face first thing in the morning!

Well, yesterday me and the MR. went on our

date out to eat at Paradise Bakery.

It was a wonderful dinner-

love their Cajun Chicken Caesar salad!

As were walking out of the restaurant,

who should be walking in, but

Stephanie and Christian Nielson!

I almost did not say anything-

but luckily, Darren nudged me out of

my stunnnedness (is that a word?), and

I smiled and said "Hi"!

I introduced myself, and told her

that I felt like I knew her!

She was so kind and gave me a big hug.

We chatted for a minute, and then we went our separate ways!

Of course, I wanted to follow them into the restaurant

and join them for dinner!!

I wished I would have had my camera-

what a picture of the day!

I just count my blessings that Heavenly

Father put me right where I needed to

be to meet her! And the funny

thing is, I alway knew I would meet her!

1-29-2011

Tickle those ivories, Mary!

After months of hearing her practice

Canon in D by Pachelbel-

Mary was able to perform it at

her recital today!

She was cool as a cucumber

and she looked really cute, too!

1-28-2011

It's Friday night--

and we are all feeling like we

deserve shakes after surviving

another week in January!

1-27-2011

My starving college student is

coming home tomorrow!

I made sure we have plenty of milk-

(that will last until Monday!)

At as his request,

smothered burrito's are on the

menu for friday night dinner!

1-26-2011

A BYU basketball win like this--

eases my longing for some BYU
football!

San Diego State

you just got "Jimmered!"

1-25-2011

Well, it's not fun or glamorous

but paying the bills has to be done!

I have to admit it is more fun with my laptop!

1-24-2011

Sew Busy!!

Remember all that material I cut a couple

of weeks ago?

Look how cute it looks now!

Let's just say if you work at

Leaning Dynamics you are in for a treat!

1-23-2011

It's Perfection!

(I'm talking about the cake, not Connor!)

Connor has taken over the honors of making

pumpkin cake! I honestly do not

know how he does it, but it is a

heavenly treat for a Sunday evening!

1-22-2011

So here is the project that kept me in my pj's

until 12:30 on a Saturday afternoon!

Well, truth be told, Pride and Prejudice

kept me in my pj's until 10:30, and then the bookcase

project filled the rest of the time!!

I am so pleased with the "after"picture.

(see before picture on 1-20-2011).

As you can see the bookshelves are a lot less cluttered

and the look is more peaceful and intentional

looking!

First thing we did (Darren helped, of course!) was to

remove all the book jackets from the books!

This gives the books a far more clean and

simple appearance!

We put a lot of the paperback books in the

cupboards underneath.

I also like the look of the brown baskets being

divided up (they hold our DVD collection).

This helps with the balance of the overall look!

I did break a design rule, and

put framed pictures back in the bookcase, but I

like what I like--no matter what the rule!

Someday when we are feeling really

ambitious I would love to line the back

of the bookcases with a patterned fabric--

that would be Fabulous!

But for now, I am pleased with our

simple make-over, that did not cost a dime--

just a little time!

1-21-2011

For our "date" night we made a trip to the

beautiful Mt. Timpanogos Temple.

Darren snapped this picture as me and our

friends were walking out.

When you leave the temple you invariably take part of

it with you--the peace, the sense of priority,

the reminder of your personal divine nature,

and of course the power to keep trying

to do your best!

For more about LDS temples go here!

Temples

1-20-2011

So, this is a "before" picture! Actually this is an

"as is" picture! This is what my built in bookcases

look like down in my family room!

I have been doing some design research

about how to design your bookcases,

and I am going to make some changes!

Call it cabin fever, but spending so much time

inside my house, forces me to look around

my house at areas that need some attention!

These bookcases are gonna get a little facelift-and when

I'm done, I'll post the "after" picture! Feel

free to give me any ideas you might have!

1-19-2011

Spreading a little love around

the house, as I decorate

for Valentine's Day!

1-18-2011

Uh-oh, what have I done?

The kids talked me into downloading

this fun new game--I can see hours

being wasted throwing angry birds at

grunting pigs!!

1-17-2011

We're gonna bowl tonight!

For human rights day we exercised our

right to officially "stink" at bowling!

But we all sure had fun!

1-16-2011

The infamous mission papers!

That's right! Alex is starting his papers for

his mission!

Where do ya think he will end up?

Samoa or Boise??

1-15-2011

My darling niece Miss Addison Louise is seven

years old!

To celebrate, Addie wanted a cheer party!

Lucky for her, we have a really cute

cheerleader in the family!

Cassidy and her friend, Maddie, went to

Addie's party and taught the girls some

moves!

I hope Corb and Alisha( Addie's parents)

know what they are in for!

1-14-2011

Friday night, we attended a wedding reception

for the son of our wonderful neighbors

Carl and Lori Johnson!

As I reached Lori in the reception line she gave me

a warm embrace and whispered in my ear--

"It's all worth it! All the tears, and

sleepless nights, and worries. It's all

worth it!"

And someday when I am sitting in the

celestial room, with all my children around

me, I know I will have the same feelings.

It will all be worth it!

1-13-2011

I spent the afternoon cutting fabric for

some Valentines projects!

Thank-you, Heavenly Father, for giving

me the ability to create!

1-12-2011

You can never have to many cute bowls!

These were our anniversary present!

Call me crazy, but it puts me in a better mood to

eat cereal out of a colorful bowl!

1-11-11

It's been 19 years since I married my

favorite blessing! We celebrated by going to

Texas Roadhouse-- after we took Mary to dance, picked Dustin

up from the bus stop, took care of business

at the bank, picked Mary up from Dance,

got Cass to cheer-

well I guess in the past 19 years we

have created a lot of "life" to keep

us busy and happy!

We are still smiling through it all

Side by Side!

1-10-2011

The National Championship Game!

Someday I will be watching my BYU Cougars

playing in this game!

1-09-2011

Oh, there's Sunshine, blessed Sunshine!

After a week with an awful inversion filling our

beautiful valley, I awoke to a sunny,

sabbath morning! My week was pretty

stressful as well, so not only did the sunny morning

brighten my spirit, it also made all my troubles seem

a little lighter. I took this picture from my back door--

how lucky am I to be able to look out my windows

and see my favorite mountains? These mountains

are "home" to me, and when the sun shines on

them I can't help but feel grateful!

1-08-2011

A dinner out with our wonderful friends-

Jason and Mandy-

ended up being a fun and relaxing

way to end a very hectic and stressful week!

1-07-2011

My wonderful sis gave me this awesome picture

for Christmas! I finally found a frame for

it and got in hung up in

me and the Mr.'s room!

1-06-2011

Mary is getting some good use out of our new chair!

It has become the coveted place to read or work on

your laptap or take a nap!!

1-05-2011

Talk about out with the old and in with the new!

My morning started with my hair dryer spewing sparks

at me and then pretty much blowing up!!

A quick trip to Wal-Mart and I

had an exact replica of my old hair dryer--

minus the sparks and smoke!

1-04-2011

My New Chair!!

After months of agonizing over fabric samples-

then waiting forever for the fabric to arrive-

finally my old chair is new again!!

Can you say gorgeous?

1-03-2011

Can you rise from the depths of scumville to become

President?!!

After a wonderful discussion about the importance of every young

man being worthy to serve a mission, we decided

to lighten things up by having the Gibby's

over for some rousing rounds of SCUM!

I love Family Home Evening!

1-02-2011

There is nothing like a bunch of

cute boys cleaning up

Sunday Dinner!

Welcome 2011!

Happy New Year!

I am proud to be posting on the first day of a new year, mostly because

I did not post once in 2010!

2010 did give me a new way to document my family's

comings and goings, our highs and lows, our joys and sorrows!

The new way was (is) called Project Life!( http://www.beckyhiggins.com/)

This entailed taking a picture for every day of

the year, and then journaling about that picture. I am proud to say I took

a picture every day in 2010!

Well, let me rephrase that--I took a picture FOR every day in 2010!

There were a few days I realized after climbing into bed--that

I did not have my picture of the day yet! I would think about what

I wanted my picture to be and then take the picture the next day!

Call it cheating if you will, but I have to be honest!

There were also days I had help from those closest to me! Like

the time Darren and I came home from a date and Zachie asked me

if I had my picture of the day yet. When I said no-

he smiled real big, and said "good, I have one!"

He showed me the picture he had taken of the first quesadilla

he had made all my himself. He has also set the table for him and his twin sister

to eat their gourmet dinner, and he was so proud he had taken a picture

of it! That was the day I knew this project was changing my family!

There was also the day my neighbor took a picture of my family

taking a springtime nap on a blanket in our backyard. When we woke up

our neighbor called out his window "I have your

picture of the day!"(I still need to get that picture!)

There have been friends who have been so thrilled when

I tell them they are my picture of the day! I sort of find it funny

because it is not like the picture will be posted in the New York Times-

I mean, this is just Jamie taking pictures!

I have also had many, many people ask to see my finished product.

It is in an album soon to be put in my family room, after I put

in those last pictures from 2010!

So this year, just to push myself a little (and to

let my friends and family

see all those pictures

they are in!)

I am also going to blog my pictures of the day!

Which means I am going from no blogposts in 2010--to 365 blog

posts in 2011!

The #1 reason I love taking a POTD(Picture Of The Day)

is because it helps me see the little

everyday things in my life that make it

MY LIFE!

I love that I have a picture of unfolded whites

sitting in my laundry room--because I hate folding whites!

I love that I have a picture of the blossoms on my trees

last spring because looking at that picture now

reminds me of good things to come!

I have pictures of all the big things that happened in

2010--Alex graduating from

high school, Darren turning 40, Cassidy going on her

first date, Alex leaving for college, Connor scoring a touchdown!

But almost more importantly

I have pictures of all little things that happened

in 2010, as well--and I am proud of that!

So join me if you would like, on another adventure-just

watch out! You never know who or what might become

my Picture Of The Day!