The Front Porch Project

This quarantine life has brought out some new trends.  One of which is The Front Porch Project.  Professional photographers come to your house and take pics of your family, pets whatever from the sidewalk.  There have been some funny ones with parents holding their kids by the ankles or the kitties having a meltdown in the yard.  A photographer on base offered these pictures a few weeks ago and I thought “eh, whatever we don’t need those” then I saw some and kind of wished we had done it.  So when she offered them again I jumped on the opportunity.  Leading up to it I didn’t have any genius ideas for what to do and I thought about cancelling. The day before the idea popped into my head to have Haylee in her prom dress and Sierra’s graduation cap.  Haylee’s quarantine life is missing this stuff. I wore my yoga pants, slippers and was holding a Harry Potter book and Coke Zero which is my quarantine life lol.  Joe was thrilled when he found out he got to put his uniform on on a Sunday evening but that’s what he has been doing during his quarantine life so I told him that’s what he had to do :) he was a good sport. 

The pictures were SO MUCH FUN!  And they turned out great!!  I am so glad we did them!!!!  

Haylee’s face!  Lol. 










My favorite ones of us. 


I took some of Haylee after the photographer left. 

I love this one!!  








Her Mickey graduation ears are a gift from HD and Kass.  We surprised Haylee with a Disney trip later this year.  :) we are all going and can’t wait!!!!  


I am thankful for all the thinking outside the box this virus has made us do.  Time marches on.  

Roller Coaster

Quarantine life is a crazy life.  Some days I feel happy and normal, other days I feel blah, others I am sad and extra tired and some says it’s all of the above.  It’s a crazy time.  I am trying to pay attention to how I am feeling and give myself a minute when I need it.  I feel pressured to do lots of things but I don’t have nah motivation for doing them.  I think endless time makes you feel like you should do 100 things everyday and when you don’t you feel like you are lame.  Lol.  I made myself a daily chore chart last week and I am loving that.  I feel productive getting things checked off each day.  

Easter was good.  We had a nice day together and ate turkey (Haylee is not a fan of ham) potatoes and stuffing and rolls and other stuff.  Haylee and I dyed eggs and it made me wonder if I would dye them next year since I won’t have a kid at home.  That is so weird to think about!! And a little sad.  

I started making masks finally.  You have to wear one to any of the stores on base.  I had a couple of friends make them for us but I also wanted to try to do it.  My first two attempts were not amazing but try #3 was wearable.  Tomorrow I will make some more.  I offered to help a group make some and I have had that fabric for weeks but didn’t want to ruin it so I had to find practice fabric first lol.  Anyway, I think tomorrow will be real fabric time.  Fingers crossed I don’t mess it up. 

Every weekend we take a drive. Mostly up to lake darling and then down to town just to drive and see the world a little lol.  

We found a buffalo farm last weekend. 

This week the weather finally warmed up!  70’s high 69’s each day.  We are loving it!!  I went for a walk yesterday and Haylee and I sat outside and read for awhile.  It is so nice to have the windows open.  

Last night we had a spouses club social via zoom.  It was great.  We went “camping”.  We made origami cranes and roasted mini marshmallows over a tea light candle.  Then we went outside and bowled at 8pm.  It was fun to see everyone and chat a little.  

Speaking of the spouses club, Haylee won a 2500.00 scholarship from them.  Yay for free money!  

This boy was crawling around and found some Easter peeps.  He was happy to help himself to the marshmallow goodness.  He is so cute and fun.  

The most exciting news of the week were our troops finally coming home from Guam.  They were supposed to be gone 180 days and were extended due to world events and Covid to almost 300 days!!!  It was so hard for their families.  Every time we would get close to bringing them home something would happen and they would have to stay.   

The arrow on the left is Colonel Cowley and the arrow on the right is Joe, welcoming their airmen home.  

This is a pic of Haylee when we made her hang out with us tonight.   She is over family time.  And she only stayed face down for a minute or two.  Lol.  


Saturday will mark SIX WEEKS of staying home.  Ready to get back to real life now.  

Covid log day 27.....ish

Oy.  Weeks are passing.  It seems the days are long but the hours are short.  How does that even make sense?  It doesn’t.  Nothing does these days.  I am becoming an expert (ha ha) at zoom which is an online meeting platform.  We had a good MSC meeting this week.  I am not looking forward to putting the new board together this year.  I think it will be a lot harder since we aren’t meeting in person.  I have enjoyed being the president on the social and leadership aspect but I do not enjoy the business side of it.  I don’t like dealing with money or taxes or any of that yucky stuff.  

We have been spending our days staying up too late usually 1 or 2 am!  And sleeping in until 9 or 10.  Well, for me.  Haylee could sleep all day I think.  Joe is still working but not crazy long hours.  The other day he said he was actually “bored” at work!  That never happens.  Since they just sit in their offices they are getting their work done.  Usually they are out seeing people all day and going to meetings, endless meetings.  Since everyone is meeting via teleconference or video conference I think they are realizing how many meetings can be combined or skipped altogether.  

Haylee does school each day, reluctantly, she is SO DONE.  Like senioritis isn’t bad enough when you are IN school let alone when you are working from home.  Besides math and physics her load seems to be pretty light. 

As for me, I do the usual.  Sleep in, make the bed, spend too much time on my phone, talk to friends, FaceTime my grand baby and my cutie nephews and Sierra, and sometimes my mom.  I have been trying to take the time (it really is an effort.  It’s way too easy to let the days slip by mindlessly) to call friends who I don’t get a chance to talk to and catch up.  I chatted with my friend Lana yesterday.  I served with her in the stake young women’s presidency in Maryland.  We had the best time doing that.  It was great to hear her voice and chat about this crazy time in the world.  I have always looked up to Lana and consider her a wise friend.  

Today included my first curbside pickup at Walmart -life changing people! I stopped at one more grocery store in town to get a turkey breast for Easter, stopped to say hi to Joe at work -I don’t go in he comes out to the car- and then came home and put everything away.  At 2:00 Haylee and I decorated the car and went to participate in a birthday parade for one of our maintenance group’s airman’s daughters.  She was turning one and her parents were having a hard time with no one to celebrate with so some of their friends arranged a parade to go by their house.  It was super fun and really cute.  It was a warm day today so it was nice to be out and about.  Haylee and I ran to the BX after that and got her Easter gift.  

In the line with 10-12 cars.  

Masks are required in any stores on base...here we are ready to head in looking like outlaws but really being good citizens. 

Tonight we lit the fire pit and two sets of neighbors came over.  We sat 6 feet apart and enjoyed talking for a bit.  I had mixed feelings about it but everyone was good not to sit together, no one went in the house and I am sure that it was beneficial for our mental health.  Still, I spend the whole week not going anywhere or doing any visiting even at a distance so it felt weird.  I will be glad when this is all over!! 

This little one is getting so big!  Look at those three teeth.  How I wish they could come next month like they planned.  I miss them all so much. 

Just some light trading while on his walk

Look at those blue eyes.  He’s such a sweetheart.


When Kass FaceTimed me today she said she asked Emmett if he wanted to FaceTime Mimi and he got really excited.  Heart melted!  We FaceTimed earlier this week and he fell over so I pretended to fall over and he was laughing so hard. I did it over and over again.  He was cracking up.  It was so fun to play with him.  He’s also starting to point and babble about things and I love when we FaceTime that he will point at something and then look at me to “show” me.  It is the BEST.  I’m so thankful for technology!!  

Last thing, Haylee and I fasted today.  Following President Nelson’s invitation at conference.  Fasting is very hard for me.  I usually wind up with a terrible migraine- enough that it sends me to bed sick.  So today I tried drinking water in the morning, then around 1:00 I could feel the headache coming so I drank a Powerade for the electrolytes and sugar and took some migraine meds.  I was able to finish my fast and didn’t break it until dinner.  Even though it wasn’t a “true fast” of no food or water I felt so good about it!! I know the Lord knew the intentions of my heart and that I was blessed.  I felt a little sick the rest of the day but nothing I couldn’t handle.  I’m so thankful for a living prophet. 

General conference was last weekend and it was amazing.  I felt inspired and uplifted as always.  Even more so this time because things in the world are so hard.  We did the Hosanna about and it was such a spiritual and uniting thing.  All the messages were wonderful.  My testimony grew.  Looking forward to Easter Sunday and worshipping at home.  

Weird, worried, Covid, crazy

This is such a weird time. I have started blogging about it multiple times and always erase what I have written or the words get all jumbled up. We have been in quarantine for about 18 days.  This virus is wreaking havoc everywhere.  I have been doing ok.  Some days seem fairly normal, we do a lot of FaceTiming and phone chats, others I seem to just wander around the house and get nothing done, some days I am really irritable, and a lot of days I cry over one thing or another.  The crying mostly has to do with worrying over graduation, seeing my big kiddos and sweet Emmett and my parents.  Everyone was supposed to be here the end of May to celebrate with Haylee.  Graduation has not been officially cancelled but it very likely will be.  So sad for these sweet kids.  I have taken dinner to two families who had babies in our ward and I feel so grateful that we have enough to share during this crazy time.  ImJoe is still working normal hours- well normal but a bit longer days as they deal with the ever changing “what if’s” his job is not one that can be put on hold.  How grateful I am that he has a steady job though.  HD and Sierra too!  HD is working from home completely and I am so thankful there is no danger of him being laid off.  Sierra is not having a fantastic time not being able to see her friends and get out of the house besides work.  But I know she is thankful to be working.  Many people have not been so lucky.  It is so weird not to have to go anywhere.  I actually do have a doctors appointment tomorrow for an ingrown toenail.  No fun but it is very painful so it needs to be taken care of.  Honestly I am super worried about just being in the clinic.  I am considering wearing a face mask just for a little added protection.  Ugh. So much to worry about.  I am so looking forward to conference this weekend. When president Nelson said this conference would be different from any other he wasn’t kidding!

  Let’s hope I will be a better blogger now.  I always feel so much guilt to catch up. I need to just write what I can and not worry about it.  

The rest of Christmas/New Years

Picking up where I left off but quickly through the last couple of months...

Christmas was great.  I was pretty emotional with just having Haylee home and knowing it would be her last living at home Christmas.  It was hard not to be with the other kids but we FaceTimed and had a nice day.  

Joe and Colonel Cowley serving lunch Christmas Day at the dining facility.  It was fun to see the airman and wish them Merry Christmas. 

New year’s we spent at a Chief’s neighborhood party.  Haylee was with friends.  

Next blog will be my trip to Utah!  It was so much fun!! 

Holy Hades we are busy!!

Quick overview of December 6th through the 17th.  And yes I know it’s the 14th but I won’t have time to blog again for a bit cause we are BUSY.  Like don’t know what day it is BUSY.  

Here we go: 

6th- Joe home from Guam at 4:30. Attended three Christmas parties starting at 6. 

7th- MXG kids Christmas party in the morning pajamas and pancakes with Santa. Ward Christmas party in the evening, made a bunch of food Haylee performed magic in the talent show.  The bishop said her real talent was keeping all the primary kids attention at the same time. 

Maintenance group command.  We love the Cowleys!!

We have the BEST grinch 

He is a retired chief and he’s about 6’6! 

8th-day of REST

9th- Spouses club December social.  Ornament exchange.  I won best soup!  Wasn’t even trying just wanted to make sure we had enough food. Lol

10th - worked the thrift shop until 2:30. Hosted our chief spouses holiday party at 6. We have such a great group.  A second ornament exchange. 

11th - Haylee had young women in excellence for church.  Her last one.  The youth program is changing I January and I’m so glad.  I am honestly over it.  Haylee is kind of over it too so that doesn’t help. That sounds terrible it has been great for my kids My busy week didn’t help my attitude this evening.  Lol.  I kept a smile on and I am so thankful for the inspired programs for the youth.  

12th -Leslie and I attended a Team Minot Senior Leadership spouse social.  My third ornament exchange that week.  Joe and Colonel Cowley headed to a squadron Christmas party. 

13th -got some of the kids stuff wrapped (that I need to mail) made 100 pancakes for a breakfast with Santa thing Saturday morning, attended another squadron party with the Cowleys.

14th- got up at 7 to get ready and deliver pancakes, manned the gingerbread house station for 3 hours then helped clean up, went to the commissary and then to another -and our LAST- squadron holiday party, then we went to dinner with the Cowleys.  We are so lucky to be a part of their command team.  We have a lot of fun together. 

15th- I am speaking in sacrament meeting. Prepped my talk in bits and pieces all week.  Hope it flows smoothly. 

16th: Cookie drive, interview with the news station covering the cookie drive, thrift shop in life the evening. 

17th- thrift ship until 2:30, leave at 3:30 to attend our senior leadership team building social- curling and dinner. 

18th take a long nap with drool coming out of my mouth lol

Still teaching seminary everyday, prepping the kids for the end of year assessment and planning our seminary Christmas party.  

Like I said BUSY.  But we are all healthy and things are going smoothly even though they are crazy.  Lol. 

‘Tis the season!!  

It’s Thanksgiving!! And almost December!

What the heck? Time sure flies.  We decked the halls 10 days before thanksgiving this year because it was 40 degrees and you just don’t know how often that will happen in the great white north.  Joe said if he was getting out the stuff for the outside lights he was going to put up the trees too.  So there ya go!  I am always a hard core after thanksgiving decorator but since it was so late this year I was ok with it.  And it’s a good thing we didn’t wait to put the lights up.  48 degrees last weekend and in two days we will be getting a blizzard lol.  4-10 inches so we will see.  We usually fall on the lower end.  We don’t get a ton of snow up here actually.  It truthfully gets too cold to snow lol.  

Today was BUSY.  I hosted cocoa and coffee for several Chief’s spouses.  Can you believe I have never made coffee before in my LIFE? Like ever.  Lol.  I don’t drink it but ya think I would have made it before.  Good news though I own a coffee pot for when Joe’s parents visit and the coffee has directions on the back! No one said it was terrible but no one said it was good either lol.  My hot cocoa got raving reviews but that is because I am a pro at it!  And I put love in there.  That’s the secret ingredient.  Right after my morning company left my friend Leslie stopped by.  Her hubby is Joe’s commander and I adore her!  I am so thankful we are part of their command team.  Anywho, she and I could talk for days but she needed to vent and I was happy to listen.  She was here for an hour And a half or so.  She left and I started prepping for tomorrow. I cut up veggies and cheese, made the stuffing, made the pumpkin crack, and boiled and shredded two packages of chicken breasts so I don’t have to cook for the next week!  Yay!  While I was cooking I called a few friends to tell them I was thankful for them. It was good to visit and work at the same time. Then I saw a friend had posted on Facebook that she was in need of an elf on the shelf.  She had searched high and low and couldn’t find theirs.  I messaged her that I had one she could borrow so she came over.  She was in a hurry but ended up staying a while and chatting.  It feels good to be a trusted listener.  As we chatted about the elf and all the antics you have to come up with I told her our elf, Crimson, would often challenge us to do good deeds.  She loved that idea!!!  Super loved it!  I happened to have a new printed Light The World calendar on the fridge  so I grabbed it and shared with her the church’s worldwide initiative.  She was so thankful for the daily ideas.  It was a fab way to start the giving season.  

I have so many things to be thankful for, my family...oh how they bless my life, my home, my friendships across the world, the gospel, my Savior.  Richly, richly blessed.  I want to note here that a few weeks ago I was mad at Heavenly Father.  MAD. Sierra was really struggling.  I asked Him why he had spared her life in the crash just to torture her with more pain???  WHY?  All the whole having complete faith that there IS a reason.  But why is it so dang slow? WHY can’t she be better NOW? she was really having a hard time which meant I was having a hard time.  I prayed and prayed and prayed for her to see the happy in her life, to see the light, to SEE the tender mercies.  And ya know what? Things got better.  Her life is hard.  Super hard.  But she is fighting every day.  I am so thankful for her example of endurance.  I would’ve given up long ago.  Keep going friends.  It’s what we have to do.  No matter the circumstances of our lives. 

Here are a few pics...

This little man turned 6 months old on the 24th!  He is so happy!!  We adore him. 

Decorating 





A picture of me crying because dumb Disney made a dumb commercial about a girl going off to college and her dad crying and watching videos of their Disney adventures while she packs, with the tag line “Because they’re only little for a little while.” Cue all the crying!!! I am already sad that this is a year of “lasts” Dang Disney! 

My cute seminary kids being amazed I could turn water into “wine” I had some tricks up my sleeve that day!

Then they cheers’d their cups and Braden said “this is us pretending there are more people here.”  LOL

Haylee and I went to see Frozen II.  We LOVED IT!  Super loved!!  We may go again!! 

And Haylee is getting really good at figure skating.  


Gotta go for now.  Happy Thanksgiving reader(s)!  I am thankful for you!