VOILA and TA DAH!!!

So I love a good project! Lately my favorite thing to do is go to a garage sale - find a good "project" for a good price, have Joel get it for an even better price - and dig in. I wish I would have taken pictures of this chair before I totally dug in - but trust me - it was NOTHING to look at!! Notice the missing leg........

This chair was for $10, but we got it for $7. The fabric was $20 a yard (Cassie picked it) but I got it for $3.....and then of course I had to buy the trim - but it was like $1.99 a yard - and I only needed a couple of yards - so you do the math. As I took it apart, I paid CLOSE attention to how it was put together......I painted the wood part black - fixed the leg....gorilla glue and nails ROCK......used my handy staple gun and fabric glue - and VOILA and TA DAH!!!!

The finished product!! Yeah - that's leopard print.....and it feels SO cool!! It's soft, but the black part is like patent leather......GREAT texture! I wasn't so sure about how much I would like it when Cassie picked the fabric, I figured it would end up in her room - or out on the curb when we have a garage sale, but I just have to say I LOVE how it turned out - and now it has found a permanent home in my LIVING ROOM!!!

KUNG FU CASSIE!!!

Today Cassie and Joel went to an Karate exhibit. She got to see her "Sifu" break a stack of 10 bricks!! There was also a blind guy....who helps teach the class who broke ten bricks!! He lost his sight in the war - which is inspring to watch!

Another guy broke bricks with his head!! She has been talking about it NON stop since she got home!

What a COOL thing! I love Karate....because it teaches SO much more than just Karate.....respect, life skills, control - and for Mom the best part - SELF DEFENSE!!!

You go GIRL!!!

Cassie is taking KARATE!! Big shock isn't it.......nope! Cassie took dance for a year - and didn't enjoy it at all - but she is LOVING LOVING LOVING Karate.......and HOLY COW...talk about a work out!! Girlfriend is getting some SERIOUS stomach muscles!! We LOVE her "Sifu" He really pushes academics....is patient.....firm....STRICT......and is just GREAT!! Cassie gives each class 150%....so "Sifu" really appreciates her...he tells us after class how impressed he is with how much she puts her whole heart into it. Joel and I are both SO surprised at how fast she is improving.....Cassie tends to be not all that coordinated....but she is really getting SO much better!! We are really happy she has found something she enjoys so much!!

1,2,3,4.........

OK - so I know....not everyone enjoys the gushy posts....but I am gushy (and I don't just mean my bottom!) Sunday after church, Joel told me about a couple in the ward that is divorcing after 17 years. Joel said that the guy said his wife was just making his life *&%#!!! I asked for details, and Joel didn't have any.....but I felt a little bit defensive for the wife - mainly because I am one.....but because I can see how being frustrated with ones spouse - can make it very easy to make their lives *&%#! We started talking....which lead to us "intensely discussing" some of the situations in our marriage - nothing major might I add...just the little vexations that plague ANYONE who is married ( don't you DARE try to tell me - NOT US....OUR marriage is WONDERFUL) EVERYONE - I repeat EVERYONE has vexations with their spouse from time to time. ANYWAY.....after we finished discussing.....I just sat there - and thought - MAN......he just really doesn't get it at ALL.....and then I sat there thinking some more....realizing that it was perhaps ME who didn't get it at all......In my defense - I will tell you that it is not hard for me at ALL to admit my weaknesses and faults when it comes to our marriage issues....but I hate the feeling of "he just doesn't understand me"...because after 15 years of being married....well shouldn't we be "getting" eachother by now? So....I did what we are told to do - find the GOOD things about our spouses......find the wonderful amazing things that we LOVE about them.....and for me - well it is just TOO easy to find the good. For those of you who don't know.....Joel gets up at 4:15 every morning to be to work at 5. He doesn't usually get home until after 7pm...and doesn't take a lunch....because he doesn't want to spend the money.....he takes almost EVERY Saturday and gives it to Cassie for what they both lovingly call "Daddy Daughter Day". He is in the Elders Quorum Presidency.....and helps every family move, goes on ward visits every Tuesday....teaches lessons on Sunday, and schedules the building for cleaning. I NEVER NEVER NEVER have to remind him to put the toilet seat down.....NEVER......NOT ONCE has he ever forgotten to put it down. He ALWAYS takes out the trash....without being asked.....EVER. And guess what.....after working ALL day - he will finish eating his dinner and start doing the DISHES....because he knows how much I hate doing the dishes. He is one of the TOP Executive Counselors at work - IN THE ENTIRE COMPANY....and bought me a BEAUTIFUL new home....and car in the past year. He honors his Priesthood, has a sweet and humble testimony of The Gospel, is a worthy Temple Recommend Holder, tolerates my dog, tells me ALL THE TIME how Beautiful he thinks I am. Plays with his neices and nephews....and ESPECIALLY his daughter - not because he has to, but because he wants to.......AND THEY ADORE HIM!!! Goes to the box and gets the mail every day - which doesn't sound like a big deal - but here in AZ....they don't deliver the mail to your house - and he KNOWS how I obsess if the mail is left in the box!! He is willing to run ENDLESS erands....and has even gone BACK to the store if I forgot to put something on the list......Is REALLY bad about doing projects around the house, but is SO proud of his wife when she does!! AND....if his schedule wasn't full enough - he is enrolled in school to get his degree - AND finds time to set up football/basketball contests....Play ball as often as he can.....and LOVES HIS WIFE!!! WHEW.......no wonder he is tired when he comes home at night!!! SO - as easy as it is to find the things that he DOESN'T do right - or to say that he doesn't understand me......He does - he TOTALLY gets me - and I am lucky to have him.....I hope he knows that - and if he doesn't......well..........I LOVE YA BABE!!!

New beginnings......

We are BACK!! We spent more than 2 weeks in Utah - having a BLAST!! Joel hooked up with his old friends and played Ball......went to movies....slept....watched TONS of football....and just relaxed!! Cassie played with her cousins, had sleep-overs, went sledding, made a HUGE snowman with her Uncle Brian......got sick.......and had a GREAT Christmas!! And as for me - I got to go HOME!! We got TONS of snow the day after we arrived.....it was beautiful!! I got to go to a play with Mom, go to movies with Joel and others.....went sledding - YEP I even went down the hill a couple of times......LOVED the cold weather - and LOVED spending Christmas in the snow!! It was such an AWESOME time. There would be pictures....but my camera is having ISSUES.....ANYWAY - it was an AMAZING trip home....one of the best EVER I would say. WE were all SO blessed in 2008.....regardless of all of the obvious trials (OBAMA).......I am very excited to look forward and see what 2009 will bring!!! Giddyup....HERE WE GO!!!