Men in ties.

These are my men.  They are wearing bow ties courtesy of my fabulously crafty sister-in-law.
Surprisingly they didn't even take them off after 30 seconds.   

Even if they weren't overly fond of holding still for the pictures...
I still think that they look handsome on this fabulous Easter Sunday.

Big D

This is Big D.  Just incase you didn't ever know.
He is a dad.  A husband.  An avid sports (basketball) watcher and player.
He really likes to read books.
He likes to play the guitar and sing.  We all like it to.
He is still going to school.  He really likes everything that he is learning about and stays very busy.
He is a very passionate person.
He is totally honest.  Sometimes I feel a little too honest.  But, thats usually because I am the recipient of said honesty!
He loves making people laugh... He has been known to do wild things to get a reaction. We are quite the team because I sure love a good laugh.
He is really smart and a very good judge of character.  It is sometimes creepy the things he will say about somebody after just meeting them... and then finding out in the future he was completely right.
He has mean dance moves.  You are pretty lucky if you know what I am talking about.
He does leave his socks on the floor and bread crumbs on the counter after his midnight snack of pb and j.  If it bugs me I tell him, he tries to joke his way out of it, and it makes me even more mad.  Then he just laughs and says he is sorry and will try harder.  Then he smiles his crooked smile and I forgive him.  Even if I know he is going to do it again the next night!
Big D loves a good cold drink and someday dreams of a fridge full of them just for him.
He also likes to eat and asks regularly for me to make his favorite wings.
One day he asked me to make him an Irish ulster fry.  Just like the kind that he used to have in Ireland.  Hence the Irish!  It was so fun and so yummy.  I dream of sitting in a B and B on the coast of Ireland eating an authentic Ulster Fry someday.  A girl can dream right?

here are some pictures....Irish Soda Bread

bacon, sausage, baked beans, fried tomatoes and mushrooms

the finished product

t taking in all of its yumminess

I. Am. Loved.

This last week I have had some amazingly overwhelming experiences that confirm I. AM. LOVED.
This revelation that I have received for my own life is so personal and so specialized for me that I can't help but KNOW with all of my heart that the Lord KNOWS and is AWARE.

That is a good feeling.
I feel so blessed and rejuvenated.  
And in turn I want to bless and rejuvenate others!
Quite the cycle if you ask me.
Today my heart is full to the brim.
Full to the brim because my life is good and I. AM. LOVED.


 

Pots and Pans

What are your pots and pans used for?

Probably to cook.  Right?

Mine usually are as well.  

But, occasionally they are used as catchers masks.  

And suctions cup shoes. Or tap shoes.  Totally depends on the day.  

Even just a mirror.  Or a chew toy.  You choose.

What ever the purpose.  They apparently bring a lot of joy into the Packer home.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY. 

We've been

...away for the last week.
Visiting family and welcoming "ELDER" Evan Dunn home from his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Mozambique.

He was gone two years.  He fell in love with the people and became a man.  Not to mention he came home to cold Idaho with a tan.  (I just realized that I rhymed!  You'll also have to excuse the blurry pictures.)

Two years ago this he wasn't walking or talking.  Now he is potty trained!  He was excited to see his new friend, Uncle Evan.  Each airplane we would see, he was convinced Evan was on it.  But, in the moment, Uncle Evan became a bit scary and he was quite shy.

Two years ago he wasn't in our lives yet, now he brings so much happiness.  It's all about his shy smile.  He is crawling and standing up to everything.  He was angry and tired at the airport and not overly impressed with Uncle Evan either, but throughout the week became fond of him singing and playing the piano.

 

Unfortunately he wasn't able to come with us on the trip.  He couldn't get away from school.  We missed him very much and are glad to be home with him again!  Almost every picture that I have of him recently he is making this face.  ha.  We missed you a lot Big D.

friendship

I so cherish good friends.
The conversations.
The bond.
The ability to teach and to learn.
The inspiration.
The understanding.
The laughter.  Oh how I love to laugh.

I found THIS story about friendship today.  So perfect.

Maybe the only thing better than old friends is finding new ones.  Friends that you just connect with.  It is all about the vibe.   No matter who or what your friend is... a good friend makes you a better person just for knowing them.

love the rain not the worms

it was a rainy day today.
loved it.
love the sound or rain on the roof.
love the smell of rain.  and the grass as it grows after.
love kissing in the rain.  one of my favorite kisses with Big D was in the rain!
love dancing in the rain.  even jumping on the tramp in the rain.
something about it is so magical and romantic.
love everything about the rain... except worms.  giant man eating worms.

Not only are there a ton of them... they were huge.  YUCK.
Thomas thought it sounded fun to go out and "pick" up a worm.  He changed his mind once getting outside and wouldn't even step on the sidewalk.  Little did he know that there were even more worms in the grass.

I promise I didn't try to teach him my fear of worms.  As a child I don't think that I had an opinion either way.
Until the summer that my family decided to make some extra money and go worming.
What is worming one might ask?
It is where you find a spot that tends to have a lot of worms.  You pour a chemical into the ground to suffocate the worms and as they come out of the ground to breathe you pick them up and put them in a bucket and then sell them to fishermen to use as bait.
It definitely wasn't a pleasant experience.  I am pretty sure that I screamed every time a worm came out of the ground and who knows if I ever touched one.  I think that we only went the one time.  Thank goodness.  I have been terrified of worms ever since.
YUCK.  Especially the giant ones that are "grown" here in Cache Valley.
Just thinking of them makes my skin crawl.
oh well, still love the rain.