Jeff and Angela Boyle Family

Things I never thought I would say as a mother...

2009-06-30T18:19:00.002-06:00

Wow, this week was a funny week. There are a few phrases that I said that I never thought would come out of my mouth.

Here are my 2 favorite ones...

1. Parker, can you please put away your gun?

2. That's right Andrew, we don't put poop in our mouth and eat it.

I'm sure that I'll think of some more things I've said, and I'm sure this is not the end of the never-thought-I'd-say-that communication.

I would love to hear yours. Leave me a comment.

2009-06-28T19:31:00.000-06:00

My family all went to the park for dinner one night last week, and being the competition type, my husband decided to show everyone this yoga move and see how many of his sisters-in-law could do it with him. This is how it went down. (or maybe I should say up!)

(left to right - my sis Natalie, hubby Jeff, sis Emily, sis-in-law Wendy)

My sister Natalie stayed in for a short time, but still came down first. Emily and Wendy never even made it up to the full headstand. Jeff, of course, was so happy that he could hold the pose the longest.

Oh what do you do in the summertime - when all the world is...wet?

2009-06-20T19:12:00.000-06:00

We just had a rainy day awhile back that would have put me in the nut-house - well, if it weren't for these empty boxes I had laying around.

So, what did they do - made BOX CARS!

My kids totally had the greatest time ever with these boxes. It was a total Mastercard commercial (you know, the ones where they get the best toy, the best book, and all the kid wants to do is play with the cardboard box it came in - priceless)

The car turned into the robot, you see. (Can you tell he was excited about going to see the new Transformers movie later that week?)

Garage Sale Succes!

2009-06-09T14:25:00.005-06:00

Now, most of you may not usually see blog posts about garage sales. But, this one might peak your interest.

See, I had a garage sale this past weekend, along with my sister and a friend. Together we filled 10 tables, had 4 canopies (because it poured rain!), and put numerous boxes, storage containers and items under all 10 tables. We even had a separate hanging apparatus for the adult clothes for sale. Plus there were 3 desks, 7 office chairs, 3 lamps, 5 bookshelves, and 3 computers. And it all fit into a 3 car garage! It was truly amazing.

The best part of the story is how much we made –
Together we made over $1200!!!!!

And I took a good chunk of that change home with me - $848.25 of it, to be exact. Wow, huh?

I've had several people ask me how I could have made that much money. After much thought, I have decided to share of few of my tips.

First, here is my disclaimer (sorry, I'm married to a law school graduate):
I have had a garage sale every year for the past 8 years, and have made $200-$400 each year. This year was a little different in the fact that we had some office furniture from our magazine business that brought in quite a bit more money than I would have made usually.

This is a long post, so you can come back to read later if you need to. I'll understand.

There are 2 parts.

PART 1

Preparing for a garage sale:
Go thru EVERYTHING in your house. I mean everything – from your kid’s toys and clothes, to your bathroom and linen closet. From your garage to your storage unit/shed. From your kitchen to your home office. This process will take you at least a month. Pick a day to go thru one space. You should allot at least 2-3 hours per space. If you try to do it all in one day, you won’t get it done, and then your house will just be a mess.
Place your garage sale items in storage bins. When you go thru each space, place a storage bin next to you. This will be easy to know what you are planning on selling, and easy to transport and store until your sale.
Make a commitment that you will be honest with yourself. If you have multiples of it, sell it. If you haven’t worn it in the last year, sell it. If you haven’t used it in the last year, sell it. If you haven’t seen it in the last year, SELL IT!
Price your expensive things online. If you have something that is worth more than $20, look it up online and print out what you find. Then keep your papers with that item when you price it for the sale. Also, you could go a little lower on the price to show that you are giving the shopper a good deal. It’s always handy for the shopper to see that it’s really worth more than what you have priced it at with an Ebay printout.
If you think that someone won’t buy it, you’re wrong. Garage sales are funny events. I’ve had items at garage sales that I thought were so dumb to have there, and someone bought it in the first hour! I’ve also had things that I thought would FOR SURE sell, and they ended up being donated. My rule of thumb is this – if you don’t want it anymore, put it in the sale. You never know what people are looking for – and you can always donate anything you don’t sell.

Part 2 – Garage Sale Do’s and Don’ts

Here are the do’s for the garage sale itself:
Do place ads anywhere you can. Newspapers, Craig’s list, thrifty penny, etc. Get the best deal that your money will buy. You want a lot of people to come, and if they don’t know about it, chances are they aren’t going to just drive by. A good visible ad will catch their attention, and bring in money.
Do invite neighbors to join in. You can organize it by street or subdivision. The more people holding sales, the more buyers you can attract. Give them plenty of notice (like a month). You can always split the cost of advertising too.
Do put up directional signs. Place these at least 2 days before your sale. If it’s a subdivision sale, place the signs at least 5 days early. For a personal sale, you’ll want a sign at your main entrance, and then a sign at every crossroad that buyer would drive by. It should direct them to your house! One of my pet peeve’s is entering a subdivision and then not knowing where to go. Ugh! Make sure you put dates and time too. No one likes to search for a sale that was last weekend.
Do use tables. Most people will not get on the ground to search thru stuff on a blanket. If you don’t have enough tables, at least flip boxes over or use storage bins with the lid on. It’s a lower version of a table, but it’s more appealing to the shopper. If you want to rent tables, they are usually pretty cheap at your local party or event rental store.
Do put a price on everything. It’s a lot easier for the shopper to shop if they see a price on it. If you’re not sure about the price for an item, write down your best guess for what you might pay for it if you saw it at a garage sale. Then if you see someone looking at it, tell them that you’ll take less if they really want it.
Do have a FREE box. I’ve seen a garage sale where stuff is marked at 5 cents. It’s not worth it! There is usually a lot of junk we collect – fast food toys, miscellaneous odds and ends that are not worth the time to price. Dump them into a box and make a sign on the front that reads FREE.
Do have a money box/bag and change. Many people will stop by the ATM on the way to do their garage sale-ing. I’ve seen people come to me with 20’s, 50’s, even 100’s at my garage sales. Stop by your bank the day before and get at least $100 in change – dimes, quarters, ones, and fives. Remember to subtract that out when it comes time to figure out how much you earned.
Do greet people as if they are coming to your “store”. They are a customer, and a friendly face can win them over far more than a good deal.
Have grocery sacks for multiple items. We all have a ton of the white plastic sacks we don’t use, so get rid of them here. Offer your shopper a sack for their goodies.
Do negotiate! People love a good deal – why do you think they are out garage sale-ing? If they ask you if you’ll take a lower price, make a deal with them. If you think it’s too low, go up a little from their offer. If it’s reasonable – say “Sure!”

Some don’ts for your sale:
Don’t put anything out for sale that is less than 10 cents. If it’s worth less than that, put it in the free box. You can always bag a bunch of little toys and mark the bag for 25 cents.
Don’t leave your money unattended. You might think that this is a no brainer. But you can get carried away - especially when there are a lot of people at your sale. You might be talking to someone, or welcoming them, negotiating or rearranging items on a table. No one wants to have their money stolen. Keep it in your hands or stand by it at all times.
Don’t argue over a price. If you are negotiating, be pleasant. You want them to buy your stuff, so it’s best to keep your happy face on!
Don’t let your stuff come back into your house. If you don’t sell the item at the garage sale, don’t keep it. Take your stuff right to Good Will, Deseret Industries, Savers, etc. right after your garage sale.
Don’t get discouraged. A garage sale takes a lot of time to put together, but it can be well worth it. It’s a good feeling to make money and cleanse your space at the same time! Remember, a clutter-free space is a clutter-free mind.

Send me some of your stories or tips that you have found to work.
To your garage sale success!

Andrew's candy search

2009-06-02T20:14:00.009-06:00

Ok, we have been potty training with absolute great success for a week and a half. Only one accident to date. Wahoo!

I've been giving Andrew a treat whenever he goes potty on the toilet. I know, you are supposed to give them stars or stickers, or whatever, but this is what's working. So be it.

So the other day, I came downstairs to find a chair next to the counter and this in front of it...

This is a picture of a partially chewed Viactive calcium chew from my vitamin cabinet. He obviously didn't like what he had tasted and just left it there.

Then, I went into the play room to see where Andrew had gone. And this is what I found...

This is Andrew fast asleep with the SweetTarts candy in hand. The funny thing is that he hadn't eaten any of the already-opened package. He just couldn't wait to get candy, but then he was too tired to eat it!

2009-05-25T22:20:00.007-06:00

The Grass is greener on the other side……………..….or is it?

This phrase we use so commonly about the grass being greener on the other side can sometimes make complete sense. We have a well on our property for our sprinkler system, and in the spring we have to have professionals come and “turn on” our water system before we can use our sprinklers. Before this happened in late April, the weather was nice with some extremely warm days. Our lawn was starting to get some brownish spots to it. I would look in envy at our neighbor’s yards and see how nice and green their lawns were; no brown spots, no weeds. It appeared to be that the actual grass was, in fact, greener.

Back in high school, all I wanted to do was make the cheerleading squad. Did you ever watch the cheerleaders as they hung out in the hallways, in their cute skirts and long blonde ponytails, talking with friends and cute boys? Did you ever study them at the games while they cheered and yelled for their team to “shoot that ball!” or to block their opponent by screaming “defense!” ? They always looked like they were having so much fun. They were always surrounded by people, and were well liked by everyone. And I just wanted to be a part of that. Their “grass” looked so much greener.

In my high school, there were usually more than 75 girls who spent a week in late May learning and practicing a dance routine, yelling cheers and chants, perfecting jumps, turning cartwheels, and if you were really good, throwing a back handspring or two. It all came down to 2 sets of “competition.” The first being in front of a panel of judges, composed of teachers at the school, as well as the cheerleading coaches. They were there to critique your every move – strong arms, straight legs, loud words, and high jumps. They were going to pick a total of 16 out of the original 75 to go onto round 2. Imagine a huge high school gym, a table at center court, 5 chairs occupied by your teachers, and you – all by yourself in front of them yelling at them to “B – E – Aggressive!” It was nerve racking. And the odds were stacked against you.

Funny thing however, every year that I tried out, I ALWAYS made it past the judges into round 2.

This is where it got difficult.

Round 2 was in front of our peers – on stage, at an assembly, with everyone getting a chance to vote afterward. Only a total of 8 Varsity cheerleaders would be chosen. We would perform our same dance, same cheers, and same jumps. Then the student body would go back to their classrooms and cast their ballets. All 16 of us would be called down to the office and they would tell us the outcome before they announced if over the P.A. system to the rest of the school. This is where I NEVER got enough votes. I was always 1st or 2nd runner up….which basically meant squat!

(I know, this isn't a picture of me, mine are in storage somewhere. Plus, I have better hair!)

Until my junior year. During Christmas break, one of the Varsity cheerleaders decided to quit the squad. You can imagine my utter shock and surprise when the cheer coach called me and informed me that I was to take her place. No way, is this a joke? Is this real? Oh my gosh! AAAAAHHHHH!! One of the cheerleaders came to my house and taught me all the chants and cheers in an afternoon cramming session. In January, I showed up to school with my cute skirt on, and my blonde hair in a ponytail. And just like that, I was one of “them.” I felt good, I was well liked, and I was on the “greener” side.

It’s amazing what you can find out once you are on the other side. I started to see how these girls acted outside of school. It wasn’t the image that I had studied in the hallways. I saw the girls in whole new light – and it wasn’t green. It was an atmosphere that I started to dislike and was glad when it was finally over.

What I learned about my brief experience as a high school cheerleader - while the grass may seem greener for now, once you get into it, it could be full of bugs that just eventually turn it brown later.

I didn’t try out for the cheer squad my senior year. I had bigger and better plans coming my way.

BTW, my neighbors' grass is turning a little brown.

Airing the laundry

2009-04-29T15:13:00.006-06:00

Have you ever had a day where you are just going along and in the middle of something a strange thought enters your head?

Today was one of those days for me.

I was folding the laundry this morning, namely socks. My husbands’ socks, actually. (I know, a little June Cleaver-ish, but it’s a good thing)

I noticed that there were more white socks than there were dark dress socks. Now, normally I wouldn’t care how many or of what color his socks are. But then I realized why this was the case.

Last weekend, Jeff got to go on a “guys” weekend to Bend Oregon to play golf. I’ll have you know that it’s been a really long time since he has done anything like this with just the guys. And of course, he wore white socks all weekend. (I would hate to picture him wearing dress socks with his golf outfit!)

It made me smile to think about him hanging with guys, talking trash about each others’ golf game, most likely burping and farting to their hearts content, with a little movie trivia thrown in for good measure. He came home refreshed and happy.

SUDDENLY
(that was my AH-HAW moment)
I realized what this soon-to-be parable was about.

We need to have a balanced set of white and dark socks in our laundry!
(What???)

Yep, you read it right.

Think about this - what kind and color of socks do you wear when you have an office meeting, go to church, meet with an important client, or go on a nice date?

What kind and color of socks do you wear when you work out, go to the park with the kids, go golfing, or working in the yard?

Here’s the parable - If you have a balanced number of white socks to your dark dress socks, you are most likely leading a balanced life. AH-HAW!!

We work hard. But we should also play hard. A balanced life is so necessary during these times. We need to take back the simple things in life. We need to refocus our energies into what is good and pure and makes us happy.

Seize the day – and go balance your laundry!

2009-04-26T16:41:00.000-06:00

Just a few of my favorite pictures from these last 2 months

An inch taller and we wouldn't have this pic!

The sisters-in-law - after we each received our own temple packet made from my mom's wedding veil.

I wonder who instigated this event.

Root, Root, Root for the Daaahh - jers! (Dodgers, if you didn't get that)

Nothing beats walking on the beach with your daugther

He waited all day to see Mickey Mouf...

For some reason, Parker didn't want anything to do with this picture!

We are here, we are here, we are here!

2009-02-25T20:23:00.016-07:00

AHHHHH! We're back! Did ya miss us? Don't tell me if you didn't.

We have been so busy with all sorts of activities, businesses (yes, that's plural), holidays, family, church, and sports - we even included the kitchen sink! (well, not really)

Here are a few photos to catch you up...Enjoy!

Christmas was at the Boyle's house - all the cousins loved being together and singing Christmas songs. You should see the video!

We had a small get together after Christmas at my sister Emily's house. Andrew really wanted to take some pictures to capture the moments...

I know - total future in photography!

Then we had our Business Expo that I got to run while also being a supermom (glad that's over! The expo I mean, not being a mom :-)

That is Coach Peterson next to me (Boise State Head Football Coach) He was our guest speaker.

Jeff and Parker went Go Kart racing - Jeff totally won his heat (he actually lapped everyone, then went an extra lap and still came in 1st!) That's my competitive husband for you!

Grandma Bev, Katie, Andrew and I all had fun cheering them on.

And then we just went up to Bogus Basin to go skiing - we taught Parker over Christmas break, and Katie just wanted to go sooooo badly, so we all went up and had a great time. And suprisingly enough, 2 of my kids know how to snow ski now. Ha!

wondering where we are?

2009-01-18T21:13:00.002-07:00

ok, I have to apologize to ya'll. I have a big project that I'm in charge of, so I promise I'll get back to this blog in February.
Until then... :-)

Andrew is a gabber...wonder where he gets it?

2008-10-11T08:51:00.005-06:00

Andrew is speaking more and more each day. He's putting together some of the words to make a broken sentence and it's so fun to listen to him.

Here are some of my favorites...

Tees = please

fuh fun = this one or another one

wub eew = love you

tah low = towel

gi gi = blankie

ah ah = monkey (the sound stuck with him more than the word)

mooze = move (he says this when he wants me to get out of the way)

skiddy = scary

oh reek = oink

jaw bib = garbage

ah dee que = I'm going to get you

draw bee maylk = strawberry milk - this is his absolute favorite drink!

And he knows everyones name in our extended family.

Tahrter = Parker
Kee Dee = Katie
Drah Ma = Grandma
Pa pah - Grandpa
Day bib = David (uncle)
Mee Mee = Stormy and Emily (aunts)
I nan = Ivan (uncle)
Per per = Cooper (cousin)
Lah lie = Ellie (cousin)
Jee nee = Janie (cousin)
Bye nin = Brian and Ryan (uncles)
San = Sam (cousin)
Lah lik = Alex (uncle)
Wee nee = Wendy (aunt)
Hah tin = Austin (cousin)
Nah lee = Natalie (aunt)
Tee ler = Taylor (cousin)
Keh kin = Kelton (cousin)
Flil (extra tongue thrust on the "L")= Phil (uncle)
Sissa = Melissa (aunt)
Daht doh = Livia (cousin) I know, odd, but this was started when she started calling Andrew Ratso (because daddy called him that). He transferred the "2yr. old version" of the pronunciation onto Livia as her name.
Bad = Brad (uncle)
Enin - Erin (aunt)
Jake,Tyler and Thomas he can say really well (cousins)
Layne too (uncle)
Bailey and Taya are pretty clear (cousins)
Hailey too (aunt)
See nah = Sienna (cousin)
Fishin = Nathan (uncle)

Parker is 9!

2008-10-09T14:05:00.006-06:00

Parker was a chunky baby, and a happy guy!

He liked to run around naked (thanks for hiding the "?!@%&#*" Jeff)

This was taken outside our first house - well it was really a condo, and this grassy spot was shared by all 8 neighbors.

He likes to play outside, no matter the weather.

Parker loves to hang out with Dad.

He loves these "hands" found out Grandma Bev's house.

He likes most sports, but baseball is his favorite.

He is a good big brother to his sister Katie, and his little brother Andrew.

He likes to be goofy too.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOUGH GUY!! WE LOVE YOU!

Vegas (again) baby!

2008-10-05T10:57:00.005-06:00

We had our official Jus International launch in Vegas. There were over 250 people there and we even had about 15 people from our Japan office. It was great to see how far this company has come since our pre-launch in February (we had only about 75 people there then).

Parker got to come with us this time too because Jeff thought it would be good for him to start to see what he does and what Jus International is all about. He was so grown up in his suit - tons of people commented on how mature he looked and how it was so great to have him there.

We watched the water show at the Bellagio on the strip, then went walking. Boy, was that an adventure with an 8 year old! When they say Sin City, they are right!

We even stayed up until about 2:30 one morning - Vegas is the place to be if you are an insomniac.

Mom

2008-09-26T14:41:00.002-06:00

4 years ago today, we experienced the death of my mom, Jennifer. At times it seems like it's been forever, and other times, just yesterday.
We miss you mom!

What Disney Princess are you?

2008-09-22T14:30:00.004-06:00

Ok, a friend of mine did this, and it was very fun to try too! (thanks Debbie!) I was surprised to find out that I'm Ariel - I totally thought I would be cinderella or someone like that. But once I read the description, it just fit! (the first 3 words, for sure!)

Description:

Headstrong and fiesty. You have a mind of your own that's full of romantic dreams about the world around you. Exploring exotic places is your ultimate dream, and although you can be a little naive you'll realize that there is something to be gained from your family's wisdom.

Click on the link below and see what you are...then come back and tell me!

http://www.greatestjournal.com/quiz.bml?Q=16354

Head Honcho

2008-09-15T10:50:00.016-06:00

Here is Jeff. He is the CEO of Jus International. He is having an article printed about him in IQ Magazine and this was his photo shoot. He is just so powerful here, isn't he!

I love the color in these photos - his eyes really stand out in the one on the left, don't you think?

The photographer told me that he was on the phone a lot during this shoot. I guess business doesn't stop just for a few pictures, huh? :-)

What do you suppose he is looking at - the future? It sure looks good from here!

Apparently, he was talking to me, his little wifey (a.k.a. fish) on this phone call.

This could be a picture from the Godfather or something...

And he really isn't your typical CEO - if you get to know him, he has this fun side too!

Dancin' Queen

2008-09-05T19:50:00.003-06:00

Katie is taking dance classes this year, and she absolutely loves it! Her teacher is Miss Anna and is very nice. There are 6 girls in her class. She'll get to perform at a Christmas show and an end-of-the-year show.

She gets to do some freestyle dance to help make their ballet movements flowing and graceful. As you can see, Katie likes to do this with the scarves.

Into the sun we go...

2008-08-26T10:47:00.042-06:00

Just before school started, my sister Emily and I and our 6 kids drove, yes I said drove, to Arizona. My sister Natalie lives there with her husband Ryan who is going to school to be a Podiatrist. We had originally intended this trip to be a surprise for her (ryan knew). But as the summer progressed, and thru a few series of events, she found out. Nevertheless, she was happy to have us come down. So, we headed out for the 15 hour trip down.

Here is everyone packed in the car - we surprisingly all fit! We stopped in Draper and ate lunch at the park with Dad and Lorna. The kids had fun climbing the huge tree and playing in the stream. Then onto St. George. We stayed in a hotel there for the night.

The next morning we left to head thru Vegas. As we started to cross the border, by the Hoover Dam, we got stopped by security (because we had a car topper). Since 9/11 they have to be very careful about who goes over the Dam. Once they realized we were 2 moms with 6 kids, they let us pass. I guess we weren't considered terrorists...

We stopped in Vegas to have lunch with Grandpa John. John is my step-grandfather - he married my grandma Jan(dad's mom) when I was young. He has always remembered ALL of our birthdays and our kids birthdays - he is absolutely wonderful like that. We really consider him our real grandpa - afterall, he is the only grandpa we have left living.

We got to Phoenix around dinner time and checked into to our resort. We watched Nat and Ryan's kids that night so they could have some alone time for their 6th anniversary.

We swam a lot, but only before noon, or after 8pm. No sunburns either!

There was this lifesize chess game that Parker and Kelton and Andrew played.

We went to church on sunday and spent the day with Ryan and natalie at their house. Ryan practiced for his "foot" test on Emily - and then made dinner for us - good thing you washed your hands Ryan!!! :-)

We had to wait and play at the park after it got dark because it was so hot during the day.

We went to this very cool indoor jungle gym for kids, and the kids at heart. It was called Makutu's Island. There were slides and nets, and fish and all sorts of climbing and tumbling things to play on.

Too bad the kids couldn't stay "caged" up longer....:-)

We visited the Mesa Arizona temple...

We "adults" went out to dinner and to the mall...

We visited the Phoenix zoo and water park...

We ate at the Rainforest Cafe...

We had so much fun, that we pretty much wore everyone out...

The only bummer was that we had to leave and that we had to drive 15 hours again to get home.

Good thing our shopping trip didn't overload us, but Emily still had to get on top of the car to smash it all in!

Do you know me?

2008-07-07T23:27:00.000-06:00

My sister did this once and I thought I would take on the challenge. So, here you go - 100 things about me. I must warn you- these thoughts are very sparatic and not in any sequence at all!

1. I'm more of a night person.

2. My favorite color to wear is blue because it brings out my eyes.

3. I love to watch chick flicks.

4. I'd eat chocolate for every meal if it was better for me.

5. I like to lick the salt off the back of a Pringles chip before I eat it.

6. I learned to play the organ while in Moscow, Idaho.

7. I'm pretty good at speaking in public.

8. I love being a volunteer for MADD - it keeps my brother's spirit alive for me.

9. I wrote my brother's obituary.

10. I'm the oldest child in my family, and the shortest in height.

11. I love to go on dates with my husband Jeff.

12. I love to hear a really good belly laugh from my children.

13. When my kids tell me they love me, it makes my day.

14. I love to jump on the trampoline.

15. When I give money to a stranger on the street, I always feel so good. I just hope they really use it for good and not for booze or something.

16. I love my hair length and fullness.

17. I'm a physical touch and quality time person.

18. I would love to travel to Europe for 2 weeks with my husband.

19. I want to take my kids to all the Disney lands and worlds.

20. I love it when my husband sends me flowers.

21. I like to watch my husband speak in front of groups. He is so confident and poised.

22. I'm proud of my accomplishments so far in life, love and family.

23. My pet peeve is when people don't use their blinkers when they turn.

24. I hate it when I forget something important.

25. I love to work out -I love the way I feel afterward.

26. On lazy days, I love to wear baseball hats instead of fixing my hair.

27. I like the smell of newborn babies and cinnamon toast.

28. I like rainy summer days - I like that smell too.

29. I LOVE the nickname that my husband calls me - FISH. It's my very own.

30. I like to dress up - and I don't need a reason either.

31. I really enjoy being by myself sometimes.

32. I always got A's in Math and English in high school.

33. I was a cheerleader in high school, and I cheered for BSU too.

34. I was voted Best Personality my senior year.

35. I prefer showers to baths.

36. I don't like to shave my legs - don't worry, I do it anyway.

37. I like things organized, but can't get in a routine to keep me organized. Is that an oxymoron?

38. Back in college, in a matter of a month, I was in 4 car accidents - fortunately, they were all the other drivers' fault. The last one was in my sister's car that I borrowed. She was hesitant in the first place to let me use it. The crash totalled the car. Even though I was not at fault, I felt so bad.

39. I've never broken a bone.

40. I twisted my knee out of socket my senior year, but the surgery confirmed that I didn't need anything other than physical therapy to repair the half-attached tendons.

41. I tried out for a dance part in a play in college and made it, only to twist my knee again while doing a 2 person cartwheel during rehearsals. Bummer!

42. I'm proud of being in the Mrs. Idaho Pageant 3 times, improving every time - 1st year, no placement, but was voted Mrs. Congeniality - 2nd year, top 10 - 3rd year, 3rd runner up.

43. I like making new friends.

44. I cry at commercials, extreme makeovers, when Oprah gives away to those in need, and when other people cry. I can't help the last one.

45. I used to write poetry.

46. Jeff and I got engaged on top of the fertility pyramid at the Mayan ruins at Chitzenitza in Cancun Mexico.

47. I took Jeff to revisit his mission in Uruguay for his 30th birthday. I was 7 months pregnant.

48. I have sat in a swimsuit above a dunk tank in 50 degree weather. All in the name of charity.

49. I can type about 50 words per minute.

50. I got braces after I was married. I still had them while I was pregnant with Parker. I had retained so much water that I couldn't wear my wedding ring and I had mild acne. I looked like a teen pregnancy case.

51. I used to have 4 ear piercings in one ear.

52. I like to try new recipes.

53. My favorite cereal is between Cookie Crisp and Raisen Bran Crunch.

54. If I get a compliment on something I'm wearing, I can't help but tell people where I got the item.

55. I prefer using my full name Angela. If someone calls me Angie, I'll correct them.

56. I still waterski on 2 skis.

57. I shot a riffle for the first time in my life this year. Safety first, of course.

58. I love to eat out at restaurants.

59. When I ride on the back of my husband's motorcycle, I feel like a teenager again.

60. I would like to learn to ride my own motorcycle.

61. My favorite ethnic food is Mexican.

62. I still have 20/20 vision. (knock on wood)

63. I've lived in Idaho my whole life.

64. I took my first airplane ride when I was in college.

65. Jeff and I have owned a total of 10 cars together.

66. We have moved 9 times over the past 10 years.

67. I wrote a poem when I was 8 years old that won 2nd place in a state competition. It was also published.

68. I like to decorate and redecorate my house.

69. I make the best chili - it's called Sweet Steak Supreme. It won grand prize in a chili cookoff in Moscow, Idaho at the U of I. Boo-ya!

70. I have a birthmark on my left leg that looks like a potato.

71. I love buying shoes and jewelry.

72. I'm not one that likes to just go shopping, I have to have something specific I'm looking for in order to enjoy it.

73. I certified to be a lifeguard in high school.

74. I worked at TCBY in college, and learned how to decorate cakes.

75. I made the wedding cakes for my sister Hailey and my brother Alex.

76. I can get stressed pretty easily - so I like to get backrubs often.

77. I have the coolest pair of leather pants - they are maternity pants and I have worn them proudly while pregnant.

78. I was on a track team in 9th grade - I was not really any good. And go figure, I hate to run.

79. I like hanging out with my siblings, their spouses, and their kids.

80. I even like hanging out with my in-laws too. :-)

81. I hate it when people smack their gum or chew with their mouth open.

82. Things that make me smile - an 80's song that comes on the radio, seeing a butterfly fly around, and hearing my husband laugh.

83. I like to people-watch.

84. I love the smell of a clean house - a freshly mopped floor, clean sheets, no dishes in the sink. I feel like the day's work is done when it's all clean.

85. I usually save room for dessert after EVERY dinner meal.

86. I would love to get up the nerve to go skydiving and bungee jumping.

87. I love to ride roller coasters.

88. I was nominated for Homecoming Queen in college.

89. I'm definitely not a pet person.

90. I can remember phone numbers with ease.

91. I like to snuggle on the couch with my kids.

92. Someday, I would like to own a 2nd home.

93. My children were born the same # of weeks early as the # of child they are - Parker, one week early - Katie, 2 weeks early - Andrew, 3 weeks early.

94. I love my husband more and more each day.

95. I still miss my mom.

96. I like having garage sales - in fact, I've had one every year for the past 5 years. I've made between $100 and $400 each year.

97. I don't like surprises.

98. I coached cheerleading for 4 years at 2 different high schools.

99. I wish I spoke a second language - Spanish would be good.

100. I would like to go on a mission with Jeff when our kids are grown - Spanish speaking preferrably.

New babes

2008-07-01T18:42:00.004-06:00

In May and June, we got a new nephew and a new niece.

Austin Craig Marti was born on May 7, 2008

Sienna Lynn Frogley was born June 14, 2008

Aren't they just cute!?!?!

I'm sorry............so sorry

2008-06-29T19:45:00.001-06:00

I hope you will all forgive me. I've been so busy with trips out of town, and kids and business stuff that I just haven't kept myself update, let alone this blog.

So if you are interested in anything that we have done lately, I hope you will view my history often - I'll be slowly getting caught up and start posting what we have done for the last couple of months.

Bye for now!

Girl's Rule!

2008-06-23T18:59:00.001-06:00

Girl's Camp 2008

TREK was our theme, bonnets and pioneer skirts are what we wore.

We pushed and pulled hand carts, made homemade dolls, and sang songs.

We sat around the campfire and told scary stories while eating smores.

We branded wood, held potato sack races, and soaked our feet for pedicures.

We went hiking and stayed up late (you know, only until 1 or 2 am).

We let the girls do everyone's hair in the 80's style and put on heavy makeup.

We even shot riffles at a shooting range.

We are so well rounded!

WE HAD A BLAST!!!!!!!!!

This is my presidency -

L to R - Amber Titus, Holly Sundwall, Lindsay Roberts, Me, Sarah Parker

We were all MADD

2008-05-30T19:55:00.002-06:00

While it's been 5 years since the crash that killed my brother and niece, I'm still passionately involved with Mother's Against Drunk Driving. Every year, I help organize the Memorial Day Event and Fundraiser. We always have this dunk tank, and I've always gotten other girls to be on it. This year, I thought I'd better take my own turn. So, us beauty queens did it - Mrs. Boise, Miss Boise, Mrs. Treasure Valley, and Miss Idaho all took turns.

It was very cold water. And it was kindof mucky and dark water - EW!

This man paid so much money to keep throwing the ball, but never got me dunked.

Guess who finally dunked me? My good buddy Mason who is only 8 years old! Do you see how thrilled Jeff is in the picture?

Mason's younger brother Corbin also tried, but didn't dunk anyone. He just wanted his picture taken with this cool ribbon.

I ended up being dunked 5 times in 45 minutes. We made twice as much money on the dunk tank this year than any other year we have done this! So it was all worth it! Yeah!

Hey Mr. Big Stuff!

2008-05-20T17:55:00.001-06:00

During the middle of May, when we finally had some good weather, Parker got his turn in the spotlight of Aunt Melissa's camera.

I found this old junk yard of Datsun cars next to this even older barn. The owner was more than willing to let us come and take some pictures. Parker had so much fun - even if the inside of the barn was a little creepy.

He even let his funny side come out a little - I think it was only because mom wasn't there.

It's a good thing I had asked the owner of the property for permission - these dogs were watching every move that Melissa and Parker made. I think they knew what the sign said.

The fabulous escape artist!

2008-04-24T21:09:00.002-06:00

Andrew knows how to get in and out of his own crib. He really thinks he is big time now. And he'll come into our bed around 3 in the morning just because he can! What a goof!

In he goes.....

Out he comes.....

Robie Creek Race - a goal to be admired

2008-04-19T21:40:00.002-06:00

My sister Emily, just 6 months after having a baby, ran in the Robie Creek Race.

My brother Alex and his wife Wendy and I went to see her off!

They wear these bands to show their time - Emily made it in 2 hrs. 45 minutes - WOW!

And the winner is....

2008-04-14T19:43:00.013-06:00

Top 5, Left to Right -Angela Boyle, Carmen Peters, Jackie Walker, Sonya Hoadley, Debby Gibson

Even though I did not take the title of Mrs. Idaho America, I feel like a winner. I set a goal for myself to make the top 5 - that is what I had control over. After that, it was up to 5 judges opinions. And... I made the top 5 and then placed as 3rd runner up!

Jeff and Angela

I also won the most ticket sales - which basically means that I had the biggest cheering section there - I sold 43 tickets!!! And I won the community service award which means I made the biggest difference with the service I was involved in. This was a very special award to me because of the work I do with MADD. With all of that, ultimately, I am a winner.

Thank you to everyone who came, and to everyone who couldn't come, but was thinking about me that night! :-) I felt the greatest I have ever felt!

Pictures above, left to right...

My interview group - L to R - Angela Boyle, Jennifer Peters, Lauralyn Salinas-Mrs. ID 2007, Sonya Hoadley, Peggy Parton, Deanna Curtis

The flowers that Jeff sent to me on Saturday afternoon during rehearsal- I was so happy, it made me cry.

My family that came to see me at the pageant. (The Boyle family left and I didn't get a picture with them - sad.)

Pictures above, left to right...

Jackie Walker, Mrs. Id 2008 and myself

The flowers from Jeff and my 1/2 dozen for making the top 5.

Lauralyn Salinas, Mrs. Id 2007 and myself.

Thank you to all the ladies and the staff at the pageant. This year was the greatest it's ever been! We should all be proud of ourselves - not everyone would do this!

Work hard, play hard

2008-04-09T22:45:00.006-06:00

We finally bought a playset for the backyard.

And after Jeff had built the stairs, he decided to hire our brother-in-law Ivan to come finish the rest. He came over on this semi-cold day. There was no sun and a little wind, but the kids didn't mind, and so it seems that Ivan didn't either.

The kids had fun helping - it's a good thing Ivan didn't mind them being in the way. But when it was all done, they played on it all afternoon. Thank you Ivan!!!

And go figure, it snowed the very next day.

City Girl

2008-04-06T18:33:00.017-06:00

She is sassy at six! And you just can't help but love her!

Cousin'd out! for Spring Break

2008-03-29T23:01:00.012-06:00

Talk about a spring break of fun - my kids got to see just about every cousin they have this week! From Jake and Sam Boyle to Janie and Ellie Patterson, to Livia Niu - and onto their second cousins Hunter, Montana, Lexus, Brooke and Brittany. WOW!

The first part of the week, they wanted to play outside. It was cold, but they didn't care. They ate outside and they played outside (but had to use blankets).

Then we went to the Discovery Center. Loads of fun. There were pully's and mirrors and wheels, oh my! Parker and Hunter went off on their own - studying and investigating.

Katie, Montana, and Lexus pulled themselves up to the ceiling! Then they got to go grocery shopping in the "kid size" grocery store.

The coolest thing was these HUGE yellow discs that you sit in front of - one on each side of the room. You and a friend sit in front of each one and then speak into it, and it gets heard on the other side of the room where the other person is! No wires, no phone lines, no speakers - just the discs. It was very interesting.

And Andrew, Livia, Brooke and Brittany just hung out observing and trying to take things in.

Fascinating!

Alex, the Iguana

2008-03-29T21:03:00.001-06:00

Parker has this pet iguana. He named him Alex. It's not the easiest pet to play with, but when he does, the iguana likes to climb - mostly trees, or the window blinds, or Parker's head. You know, whatever is closest. :-)

Andrew just likes watching him move - and he even gave him kisses once!

We're going private!

2008-03-27T19:29:00.000-06:00

We live in a world were there are some crazies out there, so we are going private with our blog.

We still would like all our friends and family to be able to read about us, so I want you to send me your email address - the one you use most often (it can be any email suffix, not just a gmail account). If you feel comfortable leaving your email address as a comment, please do so.

If you don't feel comfortable with that, please send me an email (from the email you want me to use) with ADD ME in the subject line to angboyle@hotmail.com and I'll put you as a viewer.

I want to keep my family safe, and every little bit helps. Thanks for understanding!
Angela

It's Party Time!!

2008-03-24T21:37:00.000-06:00

Since Katie's birthday fell on the day before Easter this year, she got to celebrate for 2 days, practically. With Easter egg hunts and cake, dinner out and presents, she just ate it up! And so did everyone else! We all had such a good time together.

Breakfast of Champions

Of all places to choose from, Katie wanted a McDonald's breakfast of pancakes, sausage, and hashbrowns - her brothers had no complaints about that!

She wanted a "Fur Real" animal for her birthday. This is Fluffy (she picked that name).

Her cousins Janie and Ellie Patterson and Bailey Marti helped her open more gifts!

Katie wanted to go to the arcade before dinner.

Dinner with the Boyle family at Chuck-a-rama (Katie got to pick the place to eat)

The Birthday Cake that Grandma Bev made

The Gang that sang - Happy Birthday, that is.

Easter

2008-03-23T17:53:00.000-06:00

Well, since Easter came so early this year, I almost missed it. I guess it just came so fast after St. Patricks Day and since Katie's birthday was the day before it, I'm almost behind now.

Saturday - The kids had an Easter egg hunt and we ate lots of candy! They got to spend time with their cousins on the Marti side - Janie and Ellie, and Bailey.

Sunday - we got to spend with the Boyle family. Jake and Sam were in town and they had a really fun time egg hunting.

And the finding of treats in the grass was the best part!

Sunday dress up time - the boys are so handsome and the girls are just precious!

Katie turns six!

2008-03-22T18:43:00.000-06:00

Katherine Boyle - March 22, 2002

Grandma made her first blanket!

(also known as the "buppie")

It's hard to believe that Katie is 6 already. She's been my little girl for so long, that it's hard to see her growing up so fast. It just seems like yesterday that she was cooing and saying her first word - which was "Hi!" (A social butterfly from the start!).

Left - Katie at 18 mo. with mommy's hat on, Right - Katie fell asleep on the floor with her "buppie"

Left - Katie (age 2) with Parker after they have colored themselves with sidewalk chalk, Right - Katie (age 2 1/2) and Parker in Moscow, Idaho for their photo shoot.

Left - Katie (age 4) with her "favorite daddy" (her words), Right - Katie (age 5 1/2) and Mommy in a winter parade

Left and Right - Katie with her brothers, Parker and Andrew

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SNUGGLERS!

Help! Call the fire department!

2008-03-21T20:01:00.000-06:00

Ok, wait, you don't have to call the fire department, but you will have to keep an eye on us - WE PLAYED WITH MATCHES! Well, at least Jeff and Parker did - Katie, Andrew and I just watched.

Apparently in hic-town (Nampa), you get to burn things in your yard - namely your ditches. Jeff did this all the time growing up in Idaho Falls, so of course, he's the pro. As for me, little ol' city girl, this is my first time. The only mistake made was this: Jeff used up and placed the empty box of matches in his pocket, and got out the brand new box. Then, thinking he had the empty box in his hand, thru it into the small fire, thus burning all 100 matches we had left. Luckily, there was enough flame going to take small portions of the weeds over to the next pile to light it. Our ditch is clean and burnt - good job Jeff!

Parker, being ALL BOY, just loved the fact that we had a fire going (you see him jumping up and down in the above picture?). He could have cared less where it was - camping or in our backyard - fire is fire, mom! Katie got too cold and went inside and Andrew was in awe and just watched it burn.

Needless to say, we all smelt like smoke. And now, we get to pass on this wonderfully-smelly "tradition" to our children. Idn't that sumtin'!? (Eek, it's rubbing off on me already-ha ha)

It's not east being GREEN!

2008-03-17T20:47:00.000-06:00

The party table

Now that I'm a part of the Boyle family, dinner on St. Patty's day always (and I stress always) consists of Corned Beef and Cabbage. It's supposed to be a traditional Irish dish, but the funny thing is that the Irish rarely eat it anymore. If you have never had it, the beef is a very salty red meat (even when cooked it's red) and it pulls apart a lot like shredded beef. The cabbage, potatoes and carrots are boiled and served as a side.

Bit O' Trivia - The last name that our family adorns today was not originally Boyle. Jeff's great, great (I think 2 "greats") grandfather came to America and changed their original name of O'Boyle to fit in with the Americans. So, my husband and my children are part Irish ("part" is stretching it, though).

But I'm not leaving me out, oh no, I'm Irish too. What, you say? Blonde hair and blue eyes should be on a Swiss family tree, not an Irish one, right? Right. My dad's family is from Switzerland, where I get the blonde hair. My mom's side is from Australia - good day, mate! But you see, what you don't know, is that some of my dad's family has been traced back (and not too far back, mind you) to the Isle of Mann (small island alongside Ireland) where most of its people are Irish. So you can see that it would confuse people if I tell them I'm Irish - so I usually don't. You are lucky today.

It's just not east being GREEN!

A Whole Year!

2008-03-10T13:41:00.001-06:00

Craig Marti and Lorna Collette

Happy 1st Anniversary!

Lorna's husband, Brent Collette, had passed away in November 2000, and my mother Jennifer, had passed away in September 2004, leaving 2 very special people alone in this crazy world. In the summer of 2006, they were set up by a mutual friend to start writing each other via email. This friend knew each of their circumstances and their families, and thought they would be good friends - but what this friend didn't know is that they would hit it off and get hitched!!! My family increased in size in March 2007.

Now, I guess saying that my family "increased in size" just aren't the right words - it almost completely doubled! Picture this - the 6 of us in the "Marti Party", all of whom are married with children, were added to by the "Collette Clan", 6 kids, 3 of whom are married with children. So now, for Dad and Lorna, that makes 21 children and 16 grandchildren (3 were born after the wedding) And, to add to the chaos, there are 2 more grandchildren on the way! HOLY COW! You can see that taking family pictures in the future is going to be an interesting experiment with us.

If you couldn't picture that chaos in your mind, this was the best one of kids with Grandma and Grandpa at the wedding - we have at least 3 unhappy kids here.

But, even though there are a lot of us, we all get along! We check out each others blogs, we go shopping together (when we are in Salt Lake), and we love our parents.

Some of the new siblings and in-laws at the reception.

Dad and Lorna...we love you and we hope for a long happy life together!

A day in the life of...

2008-03-09T19:33:00.000-06:00

For most of us, we have crazy busy children and crazy busy husbands to attend to (unless you're the husband reading this, in which case you probably have a crazy busy wife, and can relate). They each have their own schedules that seem to clash with our own agendas for the day - most of which doesn't get done anyway - right? But even when all this "stuff" is going on in our family, there is one little sweet voice that always brings you back down here to earth. If you have met my only daughter, you would know what I mean by her "little sweet voice". Earlier this week she proclaimed, "Mommy, you are the bestest mommy in the whole world!" Most of wish our kids would say this to us at some point in our lives, and she actually did! I just wanted to stop time right there and not let her get any older! She also has at least 3 cards on the fridge for Dad that tell him she loves him. She makes at least one a week. This entry is for her.

Heeeeeerrrrrrre's KATIE!

SCHOOL

First, she loves to go to school!! She is in morning kindergarten and has a best friend named Ruby. She also has a friend named Dawson that she says has a crush on her. But she did have to ask me what "crush" means - So, I think I'm safe, at least for a little while.

Her teacher has told us that she is quite the social butterfly in class, sometimes during the teachers instructions - I don't know where she would get that?!?!

DRESS UP

Katie loves to dress up! She has another little girl in the neighborhood that's about her age named Teagan and they like to go to each others house where the first thing that happens is a change of clothes - either into ballet outfits or princess dresses (I guess it depends on their mood as to which one they will pick that day). She also has her cousins Livia (Jeff's sister Melissa's girl), Janie and Ellie (my sister Emily's girls), Bailey (my brother Alex's girl), Taya (my sister Hailey's girl) or Taylor (my sister Natalie's girl). There is no stopping the creativity!

KATIE and HER BROTHERS

You'd think because she is stuck between 2 boys in the family that she would not have a feminine side - oh no, she does! But she does like to have fun with Parker and Andrew whenever she can.

BEAUTY SLEEP

And when the day is done, a princess needs her beauty sleep. She holds the bear that her Grandma Jennifer (my mom) gave to her just 2 months before she passed away. And of course, she didn't forget the eye patch to make sure the early morning light doesn't shine too bright (even if it's worn on her forehead).

Models for a day

2008-03-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

The vintage touch (color, that is)

Ok, so I'm kindof bragging about me, but then I have to give credit to my sister-in-law Melissa who took these photos. She just got this awesome new camera (I have the same one, but I'm not nearly as talented with it as she). She asked if Andrew and I would come be her models for the day so she could test out her knowledge of shutter speed, lighting, and aperture (and yes, I looked it up to get the right spelling - and it means the opening thru the lens). So we all went down to the Train Depot in Boise and had a ball! If I could get the "smurk" down better, I would love to do this more often - I'm just more of a smiler!

(some of the pictures are full color, some are vintage color, and some are toned/black and white)
(click on any picture to make it bigger)

Shawn and Sage - We miss you!

2008-02-27T15:20:00.001-07:00

Shawn and Sage

Today marks the 5 year anniversary of my brother and niece's death - they were killed by a drunk driver. Many of you remember him well - his fun loving spirit, his wonderful singing voice, his special way of making you feel special. And some of you didn't get the pleaure of knowing him during his lifetime, but you may be able to get a better idea now. Here is a little glimpse into the life of Shawn.

Left - Shawn and sisters, Right - Natalie and Shawn on wedding day

Left - Shawn and Jeff meeting for the first time after Shawn's mission, Right - Shawn and Angela on their 70's group date

Left - Shawn and Natalie and Sage, first family picture, Right - Shawn holding Parker (age 1 1/2) by the suspenders

We love you and miss you!

Down and Derby!

2008-02-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

The Flying Eagle (red) - 1st race, 1st place

Have you ever been a part of the scouting program? Have you every seen a Derby car race? Well, if you haven't, you've been missing out!!! My son Parker has been a part of the scouting program for a whole 5 months now, and I've never seen him more happy to participate in something! And Katie, well she doesn't want to miss out on the fun too, so she begs to go to scouts with Parker every Wednesday.

Two months ago, the kids were all given Derby car kits to create, cut, paint, glue, weigh down and gear up to be a part of the Derby car race. Jeff and Parker started searching the internet to find the best Derby books to make the best car. They found books and links to all sorts of help and tips to creating the best and fastest car! They purchased a design book and went to work.

We had a friend cut the body out and Jeff and Parker worked on the wheels, the paint and of course, you've got to have decals. Melting the weights in a tin can on the gas stove may not have been the best idea, but at least he didn't ruin one of my pots - like last time. :-(

So when all was said and done, we had our car. The Flying Eagle was ready to take the raceway. Parker was so excited! His races went well, he placed 1st or 2nd in the 8 races, to be 5th overall (out of 20 - that's not bad). Way to go Parker!

Left - Katie enjoying the race ** Right - Andrew cheering - Yeah!

Left - Andrew saluting the flag w/Parker ** Right - Parker showing off his car

Vegas baby!

2008-02-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

The view of the strip from our hotel room window

Jeff is the co-owner of Jus International, and they held their pre-launch in Vegas at the Platinum Hotel from Feb. 7-9. It was so fun! We left the kiddies at home with family and went on a little vacation. It was also our 10 year anniversary too! This trip was extra special because we had taken our honeymoon to Vegas and had stayed at the Stratosphere (you can see it in the picture above). Good times.

We had over 90 distributors come from most of the west coast and Japan! I got to really dress up and didn't have a single tiny handprint on my dress by the end of the evening - fabulous!

our Anniversary photo

our Anniversary dinner

Phil (brother-in-law)
and his monster pancakes

The sisters-in-law

The wonderful 4-star hotel

Shopping with the girls (Melissa bought this dress)

Parker - the basketball star!

2008-02-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

Well, the first season of 8yr. old basketball has come and gone. Parker had so much fun playing - he was actually pretty good - you know, for being in the first-round draft pic for the Bulldogs. The BULLDOGS ended their 6-week season tied for 1st place! We, of course, attribute this all to their fabulous coach, Jeffery Boyle. In the last game of the season, our very own Parker was 1 of only 2 boys who scored the only points in the whole game. We are so proud! We are hoping for a undefeated season in 2009!

Jeff, the best coach, and his son, Parker, the basketball star!

Great block, Parker!

As a point guard, he shouldn't have favored his right side this much...

And the shot went in!!!!

His adoring fans...

Grandpa and Grandma Boyle and Cousin Livia

Sister Katie (w/Grandma again) and Baby Brother Andrew

And not pictured (because I didn't take their pictures - sorry)

Mom - who was behind the camera the whole time (no complaints, I love to take pictures)

Uncle Alex and Aunt Wendy and Cousin Bailey

Uncle Phil and Aunt Melissa

Snow Day!

2008-01-20T13:59:00.003-07:00

Do you remember as a kid getting to have a snow day? A day off of school where all you had to do was play in the snow? We had one of those days. For the first time this year, in the middle of January, the kids got to have a snow day. They begged and begged to go to this snow hill on the back side of a near-by park. So, I let them get all dressed up and off we went. Parker and Katie tried new ways of sliding down the hill on the sled, and Andrew just had fun eating the snow.

(Notice the purple boots on Andrew - cute!)

Jeff's B-day!

2008-01-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jeffery Ray!

For a little fun, I surprised Jeff with a fun dinner with the Bogus Creek Outfitters. Phil and Melissa went with us and we had a ball! It consisted of a horse drawn sleigh ride thru the hills of Bogus Basin Ski Resort to a little cabin nestled in the woods.

The live music was fantastic - a gentleman from Idaho whose music is going to be featured on the hit TV show "Friday Night Lights".

The steak, prawns and veggies were delicious!

And then the comedy of the old cowboy got us giggling.

They brought potatoes with candles, and everyone in the cabin sang happy birthday to all the guests that were there celebrating.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

2007-12-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas! Are you? So, where is the snow? We are getting rain here in the Treasure Valley and I'd rather have the snow! The kids love it more too, I think. It just seems softer, don't you think? Makes you feel like giving (well, I love to give anyway, but the snow just makes it better).

We have been busy here in Nampa. We have our tree up and some presents under it already - although I'm not near to being done with my Christmas shopping. How 'bout you?

For those of you who have asked about our house, we have officially taken it off the market and are going to stay here for a couple years. We had remodeled the outside of this house with the intent of selling, but since the market is a little slow, we will hold on to it for a while and let it rack up equity. I have put a before picture and an after picture to show you the difference - I think it's so cool! And all our neighbors are loving us for fixing it up!

Left - before - front of house

(see how yellow and how long the grass is?)

Right - before of driveway/fence
(yep, it's purty!)

Left - the after picture of the front. The grass is so green, and no, I didn't photoshop that - it's real!!!

I can't find the driveway after picture, so I'll have to get back with you all on that, sorry.

Keep the Christmas cards coming - I have a whole wall with ya'll's cards taped up on it - it's very nice. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Welcome to our family blog!

2007-11-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, I did it! I conformed! EEK! I guess email just isn't enough anymore. I know you all want to see pictures of our kids and know more about what we are up to ... so I made this blog - JUST FOR YOU! :-) And I assume you won't mind if we place a picture or two of Jeff or I, will ya?

If you have a blog, send me your link so I can put it on our friends and family list. Send it to angboyle@hotmail.com

See you 'round the internet!

Angela and Jeff Boyle