Contest/Giveaway!

Who likes card games? Our Family Pastime has made it possible for you to easily create something amazing-- A set of cards that is customized to be unique to you (or whomever you make them for), and can be used for SO MANY of your favorite card games!

Not only are they totally a great thing, but there's a contest right now where you can get your deck for FREE! Easy to Enter, 3 Winners, and 3 Ways to Win!

I don't care who you are--you can make a deck that is meaningful and fun for you, a family member, or a friend. You can't not check it out. It's too great a thing! Especially with the holidays just around the corner. So PLEASE check it out and share the idea with everyone you know!

How to enter:

- Sign-up at OurFamilyPastime.com- Create as many "14 Things" decks as you would like.

- Click on the "Enter in contest" button on the deck(s) you want to submit.

Each winner will have their deck setup, printed and shipped to them for free.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT!

The contest ends on Halloween, Oct 31st, 2011.

Joseph & Everlit. A Book Just for Them.

I hope they are always such good friends.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Start your own Shutterfly Photo Book today.

A Story. No, A Memory.

Monday was Labor Day. Monday was also the day that I met my husband 8 YEARS AGO. It was seemingly a normal Labor Day at first. Full of yard work and house work (because it's the day of LABOR). But THIS Labor Day soon became unforgettable. Because Sister Brake invited my family over for dinner, and the Frees were there too.

It was 8 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting at the kitchen table, watching Aisling work on an art project. My new bishop, Bishop Free, was sitting next to me too. There were a few others standing around, and we were all just visiting. That's when I found out Bishop Free had 8 kids. I hadn't thought he was that old. He told me his oldest had just started at BYU Provo, and the rest were outside. Then HE walked in. He was wearing a white sport tank top and red swim shorts. Bishop Free said something like, "Oh. See, this is my oldest son, Joseph." He came and sat on a bar stool to visit with the rest of us. I found out he was a swimmer, and a senior.

Then it was time to eat and everyone migrated outside. My brother and I sat next to Joseph on the steps and visited with him and Michael, who was sitting across from us on the porch. I learned that Mike was a runner. I remember Joseph tapping rhythms with his toes on the steps-same as he does to this day. The youngest, Adam, was only 2 at the time, and started making faces and playing games with us through the glass on the back doors behind us. Then we went inside to play with him. Joseph played some little game with him hiding under the pillows on the couches. After a little bit, Adam left to play with others and Joseph sat on the couch across from the fireplace hearth, where I was sitting. By the way, I was wearing some rust colored capris, a tan button-up shirt, and tall wedge sandals. The two of us just sat there and talked the rest of the time. I remember finding out that he didn't know much about cars, and that we had a lot of other things in common.

Toward the end of the evening, my mom came over and sat on the couch to visit with us. She asked him how old he was (17), what grade he was in (senior), if he was going to the homecoming dance (he didn't know, probably not). At that, my mom shared that she always told her boys it was their priesthood duty to make sure the girls got asked. And I remember hoping for an instant that that conversation would spark the idea in him to ask ME. He didn't.

As my family left that night, I remember thinking that I wanted to get to know him better. And that's how my CrAzY cRuSh began. I can hardly believe that was 8 years ago, and yet at the same time, it feels like I've known Jopes my whole life.

I sure love you, Joseph Jamison Free! Thanks for 8 fun years of knowing each other and the infinity more that we have together!

Things to Blog About

I'm behind. Again. But I still don't have time right now to fully blog about all the things I want to tell you about, so here's a list of all those things I'd tell you about if I could right now.

* Family Pictures - we got professional family pictures taken for the first time.

* Everlit's Birthday - she's 1 now! I can't believe it.

* Joseph's Potty Training Attempts - enough said.

* Our Surprise Find - so unexpected and just at the right time!

* Family Update - kids are growing, life is great!

Hope you're looking forward to the full stories.... :)

The Last 30 Days

I was looking at pictures we've taken recently, and realized I haven't shared any in a while. So, here ya go. Pictures from the last 30 days... May 20th-June 20th. :)

Oh, and a couple things I'd like to add, though I don't yet have pictures:

1) Joseph loves the carousel at the park. We've been riding it lots. He tells us almost every day that he wants to ride the horses. And then he tells us which color horse he wants, and while he's riding he says things like, "Woohoo!," "Giddyup!," and "Yeehaw!"

2) Everlit loves the splash park just as much as Joseph does. Even if it's cold! Today for example, I was holding her hands to help her walk, and she walked right over to the little baby spouts, right up to her favorite one, and plopped herself down to play in it. She tries to grab the water over and over again and just loves getting wet.

3) We got a go-ped for Jopes to ride to work, frisbee, etc. Our poor car has been getting bad gas mileage lately, and we were spending more than usual on gas. So, now he gets 100 miles to the gallon, and I am no longer stranded at home without the car. Oh. And, apparently he really wanted a go-ped when he was a little boy, so now he's finally got one. And let me tell you, the look on his face when he first rode it around was great. Dream come true.

And that's about all folks! Oh well, if you haven't seen our garden updates and you'd like to, you should look here.

Date Ideas, Anyone??

For my class Wednesday night, I'm supposed to come with 4 great date ideas.

2 for before marriage,

and 2 for after marriage.

Any suggestions??

What have some of your favorite dates been?

Thanks!