Sunday, May 31, 2009

Lazy Days and Sundays

Sundays are wonderful days in our home! We love Sundays because:

1. We love to cuddle in bed . . . EVERYONE!!!
2. Church is always great!
3. Fun Sunday dinners . . . especially BLUEBERRY pancakes!!!
4. Hanging out together, getting ready for the new week.
5. Talking and listening.
6. Reading books.
7. Watching our garden grow.
8. Family and friends.
9. Eating ice cream, sometimes in bed.
10. Watching movies.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Dance, Dance Fever?

Sam was invited to a dance at the middle school . . .
Observations about middle school dances, per Sam:
1. Loud.
2. Crazy.
3. Wild.
4. Fun?
5. Yelling.
6. Dark.
7. REALLY loud.
8. Dancing?
9. Movie night with the fam looks pretty good!

Friday, May 29, 2009

Dog Gone Fun!

Luke, enjoying the sweet, lazy life of summer!
Give a dog swimming pool and a bucket! CHEAP ENTERTAINMENT!!!






























Brothers, dogs, swimming pool, hoses, rafts, and a bucket . . . ALL MAKE FOR A GREAT EVENING OF FAMILY FUN!!!!

I love you Sam and Luke!!!! I am looking forward
to a great summer!!!!





Thursday, May 28, 2009

Summer Reads . . .




Summer is here and the boys all have their favorite reads!! Luke and I enjoy lots of time curled up on the couch together reading great books!!!

"Bud, Not Buddy" is a wonderful book about a boy raised in the Depression in the 1930s. Luke and I have laughed and cried all through this one!!!

Sam is reading "Pilgrim's Progress", written in old English . . . Tim, Zach, and Sam all have enjoyed this book.

Zach is reading some of the books I bought him . . . "The Amber Room" looks pretty mysterious to me!!

HAPPY READING BOYS!!!!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

No Worries








"For every worry under the sun, there is a remedy,
or there is none. If there is . . . go and find it. If there
is not . . . never mind it." Anonymous

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

GrAdUaTiOn DaY!




SUMMER has officially arrived in the Tietjen home!!
We are excited to begin all of our AWESOME, FUN summer activities.
We are going to start our summer vacation by
making YUMMY HOMEMADE ICE CREAM!!!!!

Monday, May 25, 2009

Strawberry Shortcake

After a fun day of swimming and playing, what could be
better than STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE??

My men take over the kitchen to make a fabulous summer dessert.
Mike has a strawberry shortcake Halloween jack-o-lantern in the works!!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Cut the Deck!

What could be more fun than a night of cards and good friends?
We all went to Cathy and Duane's house to enjoy
each other's company and play our favorite card game
3-13! Sometimes it takes a bit of convincing to get the
men-folk to play, but we still had a great time!!
I know that God places just the perfect friends in our
lives! I certainly am very thankful for mine!!

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Army Men and Lincoln Logs!

Our Luke loves to build, take down, and rebuild!
He is passionate about his creations and spends
hours at a time creating various scenarios as
he conquers the world!
How simple . . . a bag of army men .89.
Priceless are the imaginative hours Luke
spends masterminding his creations!

Friday, May 22, 2009

Hen House

I love my hens, chickens, and roosters!!
I love farms.
I would love to live on a farm, a dairy farm.
I am really a country girl at heart!!!

Reasons why I would love to live on a farm:
1. Wake up at the crack of dawn with the roosters.
2. Eat fresh eggs every day.
3. Sleep tight after a hard day's work.
4. Make apple pie every day from apples off of my apple tree from my
apple orchard.
5. Swing on my front porch swing with my family and reflect
on the wonders of the day.
6. Listen to the roosters crow, frogs croak, and cows moo.
7. Bake fresh bread every day.
8. Wear an apron.
9. Look at my beautiful red barn.
10. Sew patches on my husband's overalls.

Yep, farm livin' is for me!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Counting Down!

Yep! The Tietjen boys are countin' down to the
very last day of school!!! We have FOUR days
left . . . including our END OF SCHOOL GRADUATION CELEBRATION!!!

This year has been an extremely rewarding year in homeschooling
as Luke has earned all 20 activity pins in Webelos in ONE YEAR!!

Sam has completed his Eagle Scout Project and counting
the days until his EAGLE SCOUT BOARD OF REVIEW!!!

Summer is going to be a great reward for a job well done!
CONGRATULATIONS SAM AND LUKE!!!!!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Garden Spot

Our SUNFLOWERS are coming along be-a-utifully!!
Luke and I are excited for them to reach 6 feet tall!
Our tomato plant has one tomato growing on it.
We have some pretty cute pesky bunnies that hop
into our garden and help themselves to the
first fruits!!

Gardening is fun, but lots of weeding and hard work!

Zach, Sam, Luke, and I spent two and one-half hours trimming
our lovely rose bushes last night!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Summer Fun!


Summer Fun!!

We are so excited about summer around here! We just can't wait!!

Some plans that we are just too excited about:
1. Laguna Beach with Grandy!
2. Luke's 10th birthday bash!
3. Casablanca at Mesquite!
4. Summer camps!
5. Swimming.
6. Movies at the Red Rock.
7. Staying up late.
8. BBQing.
9. Homemade ice cream.
10. Fireworks.
11. Sleeping in.
12. Fun family time without such a hectic schedule.
13. Friends.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Tim's Recital and Grad Celebration!!!!



The band.
Guitarist and bassist.
Our solo guitarist.
The celebration begins!
THE quilt for THE special performer and graduate!
Congratulations Tim on such a wonderful Senior Recital!!!!
We had SOOOOO much fun, but as always, it is time to
leave the college kids and head back home!

And the band played on . . . LISTEN!!!



Reno Fun!

So much to say about our great FAMILY TIME in RENO this weekend!

1. Tim's Senior Recital/Graduation Celebration
2. Entire family together . . . Grandy and Grampa too!!!
3. Were able to listen to some awesome JAZZ!
4. Watched "Star Trek" and "Angels and Demons".
5. Hung out at the mall!
6. Had fun in the hotel!
7. Ate great food . . . Tim and Zach always know the best restaurants!
8. Four brothers laughing and joking together!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Downbeat!

After a really fun night out of family fun in RENO, we
are ready to celebrate with Tim at his Senior Recital!!

CONGRATULATIONS TIM!!

You are amazing!

A few things about your college career:
1. Your awesome grades!
2. Your terrific attitude towards new adventures!
3. Accepting decisions that were sometimes hard.
4. Finding the best in new situations.
5. Peter reminding you to call home.
6. Fun trips to Reno and eating new food.
7. Your willingness to help Zach adjust to college life.
8. Calling home on birthdays and other special occasions!
9. Remembering important things about your family.
10. Pride in your craft!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Reno or Bust!

We are REALLY excited!!!
Tomorrow is Tim's Senior Recital at
the University of Nevada Reno.

We are all traveling to Reno today to
celebrate his recital and GRADUATION
this weekend!!

CONGRATULATIONS TIM and
all that JAZZ!!!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Counting My Blessings

My Blessings:

1. Big project done!!!
2. Lots more projects to do!!
3. Awesome family!!!
4. Options.
5. Fun weekend planned.
6. Hot showers.
7. Prayer.
8. Hugs.
9. Pink roses.
10. Sunny days.
11. Heaven.
12. Great friends!!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Our Cinematographer

Our resident photographer Sam received his new
camcorder today!!! Yeehaw!!
Sam is our resident photographer!! He received
his camcorder just in time for Tim's Senior Recital this
Saturday at the University of Nevada Reno!!!!
I think I might just need a few nips and tucks, as this camcorder
has a wicked zoom lens!!
Isn't this a tiny little camcorder.
We are excited to see all of the awesome videos Sam takes
with this baby!!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

ToPsY tUrVy ToMaToEs

Luke and I planted the TOPSY TURVY TOMATOES!!
We are anxiously awaiting the BIG BOY TOMATOES!!
Luke and I also planted a couple of
different types of SUNFLOWERS!!
I LOVE summer!! I LOVE gardening!!!!
Why God Made Moms

Answers given by 2nd grade students!!

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house . . .
3. To help us out when we were getting born!

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us!
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my mom just the same like He made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers and of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she like me a lot more than other people's moms.

Why kind of a little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

Why did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. Does he made at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did you mom marry your dad?
1. She got too old to do anything else with him.
2. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be the boss, but she has to because dad's such a goofball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees stuff under the bed.
3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms works at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power because that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.

What does your mom do in her space time?
1. Mother's don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Spoiled on Mother's Day!!

Wow!! Mother's Day is certainly a wonderful
day to celebrate with family!!

To start things off, my MOM and I had a wonderful
weekend staying at the RED ROCK HOTEL totally enjoying
a girl's weekend!!!!

Luke just could not wait for me to get home to see the big
SURPRISES!!!!

He was so right!!!! My first surprise was BEAUTIFUL
PINK ROSES!!!!!
Luke had our home all decorated for Mother's Day!!!
Mike and the boys had this lovely card waiting!!!
(Every word is totally true ;0) )

Grandy spoiled me with some awesome new duds for
our fun vacations coming up this summer!!!!!!!
TOPSY TURVY TOMATOES!!!!!!!!! My family is amazing!!!!
They know how much I have been wanting to plant some
TOPSY TURVY TOMATOES!!!!!!!

Red hots are my favorite snack!!!!!
Oink! Oink! These adorable ceramic bowls
are from Grandy!!! I cannot wait to make
some fun PARTY FOOD with these!!!
Being a MOM to four such wonderful sons is awesome!!
Sam was the first to call me at the Red Rock, followed by Tim and Zach!
Luke called a bazillion times waiting for me to get home!!!!
I am soooo blessed to have such wonderful sons!!!!!!!
I must admit, with four boys, THERE IS NEVER a dull moment!!!!!!

I am so grateful for a wonderful family!!!!!


Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!!!
Four generations!! Gram, Mom, Nana, and Jilly in 1963!!!
Nana, Max, and Mom 1947!
My Mom and her brother Max!
My Mom! What a doll!
My Mom ready to make an insurance sale at 4 years old!!!

My Mom going to the Senior Prom 1961!

Grandy and Sam 1997!!!

My Mom and I in Maui, Hawaii!! Aloha!!!!

Happy, Happy Mother's Day Mom!!! I love you so much!!
I am so grateful that we can be so close and have SO much FUN
together!!! I am so grateful to have you for my Mom!!!

I miss my little Gram so much!!! This is our first Mother's Day
without our Gram. I love you Gram!!!