Getting it all together

I never seem to be ready for Christmas, try as I may, every year I find myself out and about at the last second looking for the perfect gift.

But what is it really that I am looking for? Just that perfect item that conveys how much that someone special really means to me. It has to be in the true spirit of Christmas, yet also be affordable without looking cheap. I really like to find something in the right size so they won't have to worry about returning the item or hurting feelings about sizing them up wrong. It's also nice to find something that won't become a nuisance down the road...even thought puppies are so adorable! You have to consider allergies and storage and time constraints as well as if it will cost the person money down the road that they may not have. Then what about if they just don't like it.

So this year, We have changed strategies and would like to announce that we will be offering our love as a gift to all our friends and family.

Merry Christmas!

Thursday 13 - Christmas Songs

Just a quick Thursday 13 of some great Chrismas songs to get you in the Holiday spirit.

1. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry


2. Breath of Heaven - Amy Grant


3. Baby it's cold outside - Dean Martin


4. Run Rudolph Run - The Reverend Horton Heat


5. Deck the Halls - SheDaisy


6. Stille Nacht - Mannheim Steamroller


7. A Mad Russian's Christmas - Trans-Siberian Ochestra


8. Trucking Trees for Christmas - Red Simpson


9. My Christmas List - Ricochet


10. The littlest Angel - Bing Crosby


11. Silver & Gold - Burl Ives


12. Hey Santa - Straight No Chaser


13. Mary's Little boy Child - Jim Reeves

Have a few that I missed...let me know what I should check out.

Snowflakes

How cool is it when you make a super easy craft and folks complement you on how great it looks and just how amazing it is.







Well that my friends is exactly how I felt this week when I made a few snowflakes for the office. Just look how cool these babies turn out...

I found the instructions here... http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-3D-Paper-Snowflake

Trust me, it is super easy.

The boys

I know that this is going to be the last place that people involved will be looking for holiday gifts this year. But just in case...family members must don't ruin it for yourself. Turn back now! lol

I took my little nephews out on the town the other day and did a little photo shoot for them to give photos for their parents and grandparents. I can't say exactly what they thought about it all in the end, but I for one had a blast spending a little extra time with the munchkins.

Here is a little preview of some of my favorite shots.

But of course they are so darn much fun...I had to laugh at most of the ones that I liked because I just let them run wild a few times and snaped photos of whatever they were doing.

Happy Turkey Day!

As you find that point in the holiday season where you don't remember if you have purchased the perfect gift for your second cousins' new girlfriend that will be bringing her three wildly misbehaved children to the extended family Christmas party, I hope you can sit back and say to yourself. 'Who the heck dosen't need a snuggie?'

No really, I hope that we can all step back this holiday and remember all the things that we really do love about Christmas. My list...

1. Being such a bad cook, that everyone just invites us over with no expection for me to cook!

2. That just because I am having my photo taken dosen't mean that I can't slip and spill my drink on that camera later!

3. Holiday sweaters were made to look hidious on everyone.

4. When someone asks if you want pie, it really would be rude to not accept.

5. Leftovers were ment to feed starving husbands on the day after Thanksgiving while the woman are out shopping.

Hope this is the start to a very Happy Holiday to all our friends and family.

Halloween Party

We had a great time this Halloween when we invited friends and family over to share in the chaos that is our life.

Help me out...

Once again it's time for the annual Utah County Art Gallery Photography Show. This year I have decided once again to enter, but the delema becomes what to show? So it's up for a vote. I have narrowed all my entries down to a few solid choices.

I just don't know what to take. So send me your thoughts on the matter!

Santaquin Celebration

What a weekend...Nikki started off the Orchard Days Celebration by walking the 5K with friends. Then we snuck away to enjoy the shade at Doug and Denise's home to watch the parade.

The whole family was there!

We took a quick tour of the Car Show and a little buggy trip up Santaquin Pole Canyon and then spent the rest of the afternoon hiding in the air conditioning. But it was after a few rounds on the karaoke machine before we hit the sack after a long and eventful day!

Happy 4th

A happy 4th of July, was spent this year being grateful for the beautiful land that we often take for granite. We spent most of the day making a trip over the Mt Nebo scenic loop and down Mona Pole Canyon.

Happy Father's Day

Comments - Graphics - Layouts - Photobucket

Happy Birthday to Me!

Sam was so kind as to let me plan my own birthday this year, and to celebrate I was accompanied by a handful of friends with me to Las Vegas to see Thunder from Down Under!

We had quite a good time, but I was so happy to return home to Sam. After all...I get to keep him all to myself!

Week in Review...mother's day

To Mother on Mother's Day!

For all the times you scrubbed my ears,
Spanked my pants
and dried my tears,
Patched my clothes
and troubles too,
this comes with loads
of love to you!

We really are quite blessed, having our loving family so close by, that we often take them for granted. I just wanted to thank both of our mother's this week for all that they do for us...all of the time.

I don't think they know just how much we really appericate them...

My mom for example drives me to work every day, takes me out to lunch, and makes sure that I always have someone to go with me when I gamble!

Mert on the other hand, always is ready to drop everything for a day to house sit for us when we won't be home to have something delivered. And for crying out loud, how many of us can say that their mother in law took a trip to watch them shoot their first big game animal! By the way she even held a leg while I did all my own gutting...what a woman!

Thanks ladies for all that you have done and I'm sure that you will continue to do for us! We love you.

Happy Mother's Day

Flashback Friday - Moab

Back when gas was still a little more affordable, we liked to take a road trip every now and again. One memorable trip was our first out of state truck show that we went to. September of 2006 we made a bit of an excursion to Farmington, NM. Along the way we stopped in Moab, UT for a scenic diversion, and a chance to stretch out our legs.

We saw quite a lot of scenery before the trip was done, making our way threw NM and parts of CO. Even taking the narrow gage railroad to Silverton, CO.

Week in Review

What can you say about the cutest kids in town? Well I can sure say a lot...since they just happen to be my nephews. Look how adorable...I know I'm partial. We were just hanging out at Grandma & Grandpa Pockets house after going to the movie to see Monsters vs. Aliens on Easter Sunday!

Easter was a little different this year, with Sam working about 40 hours in 3 days for the Search and Rescue, and me playing sick to this darn cough that is still holding on. We just had to play it all by a new set of rules.

I got a whole bunch of yard work done Saturday in the rain, and then tucked in early and watched movies in bed. By the way how long has it been since you watched your favorite childhood movie? I watched The Never ending Story, I forgot how cheesy the graphics were. But I still loved it.

Sam bribed the Highway Patrol for a helicopter ride Sunday. I can't believe that he got to go, they usually just tour the 'big wigs' around. From what I gathered he was left in charge at the Sheriff's post and the guys came in to try out the 4-wheelers on the sand dunes. Sam got them all unloaded and cooked up the guys a steak for lunch, when they got all finished up he talked the pilot into a ride. He told me that that is definitely the best way to go up Sand Mountain. I tried to talk him into a photo in his uniform, but you all know how shy the big guy is. But let me just tell ya how handsome he is in his get up.

We can't wait to get this week all over with. Our trip to California is just around the corner!

Friday Flashback - The Easter Bunny

It's OK...I know what your going to say. I've been wondering it for quite sometime.

What crazy person dresses up as a Bunny and then adds pimp clothing to it?

I really have no idea, I would like to presume that it was all a costuming error and that the bunny really had nothing else to wear to the photo shoot. I try to use that one all the time with other photos of myself so we'll give the bunny a break today.


This is my big brother James with me by the way. And if I know anything about the smile on my brothers face... He has his arm around the back side of the bunny and has figured out how it works. While he knows that this alarming large pimp rabbit is just some poor collage guy trying to make a buck, he never tells me. So that innocent smile on my face is pure imagination. I was thinking all along...Do you think that the Easter Bunny and Santa are friends?


Happy Easter!

Week in review

Sometimes when your loved one is feeling under the weather you forget all the little things that they do all week long to keep your home moving along the right track. But when it strikes the whole family all at once you see the unraveling happen quite a bit faster.

With the weather playing all the tricks that spring can pull, both Sam and I caught a cold. Everything that we thought we 'had' to do this week just got put on the back burner. While we both got in a full week of work (and Sam his little extra) we both broke down on Sunday and took the day to relax and enjoy the rays of sunlight creeping threw the blinds.

As you can see, the buggy didn't get a whole lot done. The parts that we needed to put the old gal back together are getting harder and harder to come by. An afternoon spent calling around you soon find that we live in quite a geological oddity...we seem to be about 5 days from anywhere that can get us parts.

Even Steele and Marilyn came by to help us wish the thing back together. A ingenious idea that seldom works around here.

On a good note thought...with Easter creeping up on us next week, Sam finished up his qualifications for his new gun to carry on duty at the sand dune.

As terrifying as it is to think of the other guys that finished up this training as well, I will feel much safer knowing that Sam will be prepared for anything crazy that could happen while he is on duty.

Flashback Friday - Grandpa Harold

I always thought that everyone had a family like mine. Before I was ever a twinkle in my parents eyes, both of my grandfather’s had passed on. I was luck to have two very loving grandmothers that spent loads of time with me. Where the unusual part rolls in…my paternal grandmother had married and divorced multiple time after grandpa was gone. I don’t blame her…raising 6 children (the youngest was only 3) after you lose your husband would be hard, and I’m sure very lonely.

One of the men that grandma married stuck around even long after the divorce. And boy howdy…I had the best grandpa ever!


My grandpa stopped by our home every Sunday morning for coffee, a smoke (always Pall Mall cigarettes) and Fig Newtons. Unless my mom had made his favorite, lemon meringue pie.
Dad and him would argue about everything, mostly driving truck. They could one up any story the other ever told. But the best part was, we had all heard the same stories a hundred times before. Grandpa had one of those husky smokers voices though, you could listen to him for hours at a time.

I was his little girl though. I remember his huge hands grabbing me under my arms and swinging me up for a hug and a whisker rub across my cheeks. He was always clean shaving, so I really don’t know how his whiskers always seemed so ruff.
I think this photo was following a birthday for me. Grandpa, dad and me always celebrated our birthdays together, we only lacked 8 days between them all. I can honestly say that the care bear in that photo is still in my possession to this day.
Unfortunately Grandpa is not with us still, but I’m sure glad of the memories that we shared.

Week in review

I don't know about the rest of ya, but the work week has this way of dragging along while the weekends seem to be so busy with all the rest of our lives that nothing ends up getting accomplished.



We were happy to spend a little time with Sam's family and celebrate Steeles' birthday this week. We went up for the obligatory strawberry shortcake that is Steele's signature birthday cake on the day of his birthday. But for a little more fun we went out to Outback for dinner on Sunday.



I think it was actually a ploy by Sam to avoid working on our VW buggy that we need to put back together in the next week, so we can take the first trip of the buggy season out to Topaz after Easter.



So if you happen to run upon a little German mechanic that is willing to work for peanuts, tell him to bring his little magic 13 mm wrench and wave it at our garage. He has a lot of work to do to get this little baby back on the road!

Well here we are!

I have been wasting to darn much time online following the lives of strangers long enough. I thought it would be about time to have a place where our friends and family could see what's up with the Coombs Clan...so here it is.

Hopefully I will be able to keep up...you know how busy life can get.