The Trimble Tumbles

Happy Times...

2010-05-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Mom and Dad!

Trying out the new merchandise... I have to admit, this carrier was a little confusing at first :0)

JJ with the stroller that is seriously the size of a compact car! It's a good thing that we have a mini van to put it in! (Don't make fun, all you mini van haters!)

Nursery fabric! My Auntie is going to make us baby quilts, and we are decorating the nursery around this colorful palette.

Preggers With Twins...

2010-05-06T14:37:00.001-07:00

I have had many, many requests to post "belly pictures" and I honestly didn't realize that I would be rather shy about this! I have surprised myself with this sentiment. Nevertheless, I need to be better about keeping in touch, so here goes...

Tummy at just over 4 months

4 1/2 months; if you see a BIG difference, please remember that I have two urchins that I am toting around with me! LOL!

JJ's favorite...

My favorite...

This was taken just a couple of days ago. I am now just over 5 months, and REALLY showing! Not to mention, the camera angle is not terribly flattering!

Christmas '09 and Beyond...

2010-01-19T15:53:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year (my year to spend with my family) we all decided to congregate in Oregon at Ty and Molly's house. It really does not matter where we are, or what we are doing... we have fun together, as a family. JJ and I arrived in McMinnville on Christmas Eve, and stayed until the 28. Then we traveled to Spokane to see his parents via Ellensburg and Moses Lake, all the while catching up with friends and lots of family. Good times!

My pictures are random, and in true "Erin Fashion", because I have not blogged in forever (thank you to all of you who sent me "gentle" reminders), there are a ton of them!

Definitely the highlight of spending time with the Matthews' clan was getting to live in Maya's world for a few days. She is the most precious niece in the entire world, and I already miss her so much!

Auntie lovin' on the Princess Pea...

Ty had just gotten home from work, and Maya was already in her Christmas Eve gown. Oh, my gosh! The dress was twice as big as she was and several times she lost her toys under her poofy skirt! It was so funny!

The B.I.L.s: Brother-in-Laws. Nuff said.

And Christmas morning! Molly shows off her pretty, new gifts.

And Brock shows off his pretty, new gifts. A ha ha ha!

And then Brock is done; has had all the fun he wants to have for the night.

Time to go to bed!

Christmas '09 and Beyond... Random Pics

2010-01-19T15:33:00.000-08:00

This is my dad. Yes he is quiet, but he does have the FUNNIEST sense of humor. Here he is demonstrating (look at picture #2) the alarming fact that the older men get, the more their butts shrink! It's true! We have proof!

Sister hit a winner with Brock's hat and shirt! OK, really, the credit for the shirt goes to JJ.

And Christmas would not be complete without a strange, and well.... cute? gift from my mom.

Probably my favorite picture of JJ and Maya. He was definitely her favorite family member by far!

Thanks to my family, JJ and I both wound up with Chuck Taylors. I wear mine everywhere, even to the Jazz games, and their colors are blue, purple and white. Hey! Pink goes with everything!

We were all totally impressed that Christie stepped it up and played rock band with us. She... well... she ROCKED! My mom had never played before, and although the guitar was set to easy, she hit 79% on her first try! WOW!

Christmas '09 and Beyond (cont.)

2010-01-19T15:17:00.000-08:00

After leaving Ty and Molly's house, and on our way through the Columbia Gorge, I MADE JJ stop at Multnomah Falls. It was sooooo cold and the wind was blowing; we literally ran from the truck to the falls, snapped three pictures and ran back! Totally worth it!

Not so cute of me, but an awsome picture of the husband!

We traveled to Spokane via Ellensburg - we stayed with Uncle Rick and Aunt Gretchen and had our traditional taco feast (YUM!) in the 'burg - and while in Spokane we saw JJ's grandma, my grandpa, and Chipper and Chuckar (see below.)

Brock's Salt Lake City Visit...

2009-08-25T20:36:00.001-07:00

I am a little more than behind on blogging; Brock's visit was two weekends ago, and I am just now getting to it. I apologize. We had so much fun, but we never have enough time - so we packed everything we could think of in four days. Lagoon (the amusement park in Salt Lake) was one of the highlights - all the other highlights will have to be stored in our memories as I didn't take any other pictures. Oh, such a bad sister!

I insisted that we play the "Horse Racing" game; Brock won.

And we got airbrushed tatoos. I acutally had one lady ask me if mine was real... she said that the purple color of the monkey was exactly what she had been looking for... ummm... OK?

JJ loves to play games, and more often than not, he wins! We give the prizes away to little kids - I love to see the look on their faces when they get a toy.

Brock's Visit... (cont.)

2009-08-25T20:25:00.001-07:00

I wait and wait, and most often, not very patiently, for my brother to come down and cut my hair! Oh, the luxury!

Brock and I found a yummy looking pancake mix (and it truly was delicious), so we tried it out Saturday morning.

And being the wackos that we are, we had to arrange the ingredients with our new favorite pancake mix front and center so that we could get a good picture.

We Have a Hole!!!

2009-08-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

We can hardly believe that we actually have a house being built! Now that there is a hole in the ground for the foundation, reality is finally setting in. Now if we could just get our mobile home sold...! We have had several offers, and although we have accepted all of them, not one has come through. I am optomistic that all it takes is one buyer, and I know that will happen. In the meantime, we are enjoying watching the process of having our first home built! Yippee!

Our newly dug hole!

JJ is standing "in the garage".

We love our track-hoes and their drivers! Without them, we would still be digging! Ha, ha!

Lazy Lake Days...

2009-08-01T11:50:00.001-07:00

JJ and I are so blessed because each year in July we get to take a long (and usually much needed) vacation in Washington for two weeks, just to relax and hang out with our families. Last year was the exception. JJ was not able to go because he was in Kyrgyzstan, so this year we lived it up. Although we spent most of our days on Loon Lake at my parents' home, we also were able to travel further north to Priest Lake for five days, to play with his family on an awsome island in the middle of the lake. Unfortunately, we do not have one picture from Priest, as I forgot my camera :0( I hope these pictures make up for it - in true "Erin" fashion, I do not blog forever and then post one huge one... Here it is!

The puppies love the peddle boat and anything else lake-related!

Cousin Mac, me and Cousin Oliver in the hot tub goofing.

Cousins Mark, Oliver and Scott with good friend Andy (in the flourescent shorts) spent many an hour playing our "redneck" game called "Washers". I think we even kept the next door neighbors up late one night - my dad hooked up a flood light in the tree. Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time...!

Our once yearly "floatilla"; what is that, you ask? Well, each person has a floatie of some sort, then we form a line, each person hanging on to the person in front of them and we paddle around the lake (really we just paddle in little circles) with one person leading.

And the person in charge??? Brock, our captain (also the one who had to pull everyone else since he drew the short straw for the lead position)! Check out those buns of steel holding that flag up! Needless to say, we did a lot of laughing and not much else during our annual floatilla.

Husband and wife, hanging out in the boat, having a great time!

Lazy Lake Days... (cont.)

2009-08-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

The puppies really can be sweet when they are getting along... ha, ha! They are truly the best of friends!

OK, I admit: we eat well at the lake. Cousin Oliver, Brock, Aunt Martha and JJ having a bite.

Grandpa Wendell and Dad were chatting on the deck.

Cousin Mac and Aunt Marty giving a private concert.

Naps are definitely in order at the lake.

I love this picture! Two sisters noodling about the lake.

And of course, my hubby. God love him - he is so silly!

Lazy Lake Days... (cont.)

2009-08-01T10:47:00.001-07:00

This year, JJ and I were fortunate to have our good friends, John and Marisa Christensen, with their two kids, Braden and Sierra, join us at the lake for five days. We had a great time with them hanging out, swimming, boating and fishing. This was their first time to Washington and although the drive was long (12 hours with two six year olds! Yipes!), they decided that it was well worth it.

The picture for the family Christmas card! Ha, ha!

Dad and son catching some fish. (Thankfully we were not dependent upon them for dinner - I heard that sunfish taste awful!)

Cute little Sierra.

John drove the boat while I went skiing - thanks, buddy!

Lazy Lake Days... (cont.)

2009-08-01T10:42:00.001-07:00

John and Sierra with a BIG catch!

JJ and Sierra flagging while Braden was being pulled behind the boat in a tube. Fun!

Sierra and Braden are ready to head out in "Grandpa Jerry's" boat.

The Christensen's cruisin' the lake in the peddle boat.

Lazy Lake Days... (cont.)

2009-08-01T10:29:00.000-07:00

Brock and Aunt Martha relaxing on the deck.

Uncle Rick and my dad drinkin' beer. It really is funny for me to see my parents drink now - they never did when I was growing up. (Well, I should say that I never saw them drink :0)

Working on my tan.

These are my mom's new "lake birds", Alaska and Amber (coincidentally my dad's favorite beer - do I sense a theme to these lake days???)

New Friends...

2009-06-20T06:17:00.001-07:00

Not only are the two dogs very much attracted to kids, but kids are attracted to dogs, something that I was reminded of two days ago in the park. Normally it is my two puppies that rush up to anyone approximately their own size; today it was the other way around. We were not in the park for two minutes before I found myself totally surrounded by a loving (and rather chatty) group of Samoan kids, who wound up rolling on the ground, dogs licking kids, and kids licking dogs. Oh, jeez! They let me take their picture with the promise that each child would receive their own copy on Monday - I better make good on that promise, otherwise I will not have anyone to wear my dogs out! LOL

From the left: NaNa (don't ask me how to spell his actual name, let alone pronounce it!), Samboy, Cheyanne and Emma.

The dogs are in Heaven! So much attention!

This picture is so cute - blurry, but cute! Samboy plays stick with them every day, and usually they wind up running and chasing after one another.

Packing...

2009-06-09T14:33:00.001-07:00

Those of you that have moved recently know this feeling: UGH! You get to the point where you just sit and stare at what needs to be done and think "There is no way all this is going to go in boxes..." and somehow, yes, it will. I am taking a break today to write this blog post, and this is what I am looking at. I just keep telling myself that it will all be worth it in the end!

As you can see, my dogs are a huge help.

My kitchen? Oh, yes. There is the fridge... I almost lost it there for a minute.

New House...

2009-06-01T16:06:00.001-07:00

So the big news in the Trimble household is that JJ and I just bought our first home - well, I should say our first piece of land that is going to have a home on it! We are so very excited! We have worked hard the past two years to get some debts paid off, and some other things in place, and literally by the grace of God, we were able to qualify for a loan. If everything goes according to plan, we will move in in November, just in time for a Christmas party! Yeah! My favorite time of year!!!

JJ with Jazz and Faith on our new property. It is in the Sunset Hills development in West Jordan, Utah. The back of our house will have the view you see here: the Ochre Mountains. Love it!

So happy!

This is the view from what will be the front of our house; the Wasatch Mountains are on the other side of the valley.

And this is what we see when we leave our development to head into town. I think it will feel good to live out in the "country" again. :0)

Moving Up...

2009-05-28T08:52:00.001-07:00

So before I blogged about the big "Spring Clean", which in all reality is ironic because our home has become an even bigger mess with all the work that we have been doing. The exciting news is that JJ and I are now able to sell the mobile home and move into an actual house! We are thrilled! We have done a ton of work to our house so that we can improve the "curb appeal", and below are pictures of my new flower beds. This is the very first time that I have planted my own shrubs and plants, and I am happy to report that they are all still alive, save one that sadly left us just yesterday. Oh, well. One out of about 60 is pretty good, I would say. Happy planting to all of you!

My gloves were wet after hosing them off - this one is drying :0)

This is the front of our house, facing the street.

The side of the house, leading up to the front door.

And the "Welcome Bird". He will move with us to our new home, and find a happy place in a new flower bed.

Very Sad Day...

2009-05-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been following my blog, you know that my mom and dad brought my other lab, Indy, down for a visit while they went to Arizona. We had been having a good time; she was even getting along well with the two rambunctious puppies, but last night Indy passed away at about 10 PM. JJ and I think that she must have had a heart attack because one minute she was eating and getting a drink out of the toilet, and the next she was on the ground with no heartbeat. I have to say that right now my heart is breaking. She was a wonderful dog, and a member of our family, and I can say that we are all missing her very much. My consolation in all of this is that she went quickly, and like my brother, Brock, says: "It was how she would have wanted to go, because she always did things HER way, not the way anyone else would want her to do them." I guess she lived up to her name right to the very end: Independence.

You will be missed, sweet dog!

Plus 1 Makes 6...

2009-05-07T08:11:00.001-07:00

So it is no surprise to all of you that I really love my puppies, and this week my mom and dad brought me another furry, little gift - my other black lab, Indy. My parents had to make another quick trip to Arizona and asked if JJ and I could watch "Blackie"... And how could I turn down that sweet face??? So, that makes 6 of us (three dogs, a cat and two humans) living in a much too small house. Oh , well. We love our three-ring circus life, and thankfully, we all get along really well, although getting a picture with the dogs AND the cat could be a bit more challenging!

Surprise, Dad!

2009-05-04T21:56:00.001-07:00

My dad's 60th birthday was on April 18, a day which unfortunately fell right in the middle of our Albuquerque show. Although Mom and I tried to make his happy day special, in all honesty, we were working hard at selling jewlery, and did not have time for much else. Thankfully, we had another plan in mind. Brock and his roommates, Richard and Jay, graciously offered to host a surprise party for my dad on May 2. Because of the belated date and our excellent secret keeping (I personally nearly blew it on three different occasions), my dad was truly surprised, and the party was a huge success, not to mention, a ton of fun. The theme, as you will see below, was a Mexican Fiesta! Ole!

The birthday boy in one of his finer moments....

Molly and Maya arrive for the party in style.

Supposedly my dad is holding up two fingers for the "two amigos"... not sure where I fit in, but whatever! I am just a gringa...

Brock's happy gingerbread-man potholder helped us get all the yummy enchiladas to the table just in time for the hungry crowd to strike.

As you can see, that sombrero made its way around the party. Here Mark makes the perfect model.

Richard and his roomie Jay (not pictured - that is me), definitely did the lion's share of the work for this party. From cleaning their huge house, to running errands, we could not have pulled this off without them. You guys are great! Thank you so much!

Surprise, Dad! (cont.)

2009-05-04T21:42:00.001-07:00

The "birthday boy" with Uncle Bob and Mark.

Ty, Scott and Molly are engrossed in a heavy conversation - if I remember correctly, it had something to do with the Portland Trailblazers and their most talented players. I am sure, had JJ been there, he would have had something to say about that! Go Jazz!

Cousins Oliver and Blair striking a pose. Thanks for making the trip for dad's party, guys!

Good friends, Aaron and Bonnie Drake, with Brock.

Maya is quite serious even though Blair and Vince are enjoying every moment with her.

Surprise, Dad! (cont.)

2009-05-04T21:34:00.001-07:00

Uncle Rick and Aunt Marty share a moment, and a beverage, in the kitchen.

Dad is opening his presents amidst the family. Surprisingly, he was not embarrassed, and did not kick up a fuss at having to be the center of attention.

Brock and my Fairy God-Mother, Jenny Powell.

Grammy and Uncle Vince playing Patty Cake-Patty Cake with Miss Maya.

I just couldn't resist. Maya was having a little snack before the party, and I got down on the floor in front of her with my camera...

The Spring Clean...

2009-05-04T21:13:00.001-07:00

While JJ was deployed to Turkey, my mom and dad came up to my house on their way home from Arizona to Washington, and helped me with some much needed repairs on the house. JJ and I are so grateful to them for helping us with these not-so-small projects. Thanks Mil and Ed!!! We love you!

Dad shows particular skill with some ribbon - we had to have something to hold our insulation in the ceiling, and this was the best I could do. I don't think that he has ever fixed something with scrapbooking supplies before. :0)

The next project was laying pavers next to our car-port. I would love to say that I helped with this project, but other than shoveling some dirt, I didn't do much.

Taking a much needed break for a little lunch.

It is finally spring here in Salt Lake, so we dragged the lawn mower out of the shed, and while dad and I worked on pavers, mom mowed. Whew!

Mouse Ears and Sunshine...

2009-03-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know my family well, you know that our very most favorite place on earth (next, of course, to the cabin on Loon Lake) is Disneyland. JJ and I went there for our honeymoon a year and half ago, and since then, we have talked, as a family, about going back. So, this past Christmas, in lieu of gift giving, we all pooled our money for a trip to Disneyland. Thanks to Molly, our resident travel agent, and my husband's awsome military discount, we were all able to go this past week for four of the most enjoyable days I think I have ever spent with my family. In addition to JJ and Maya, once our two newest family members, Brock brought along his new beau, Vince, who completed our "family". What a time we all had!!!

Our now extended version of the old "Matthews' Family".

"Ed and Mil" in front of It's a Small World - one of my very most favorite pictures of the two of them.

Vince and Brock in Tommorrowland... We had such a good time with Vince, and I believe that he is reflecting the same sentiment about us, too. Whew! What a relief! Our family can get a little crazy sometimes, especially on vacation.

JJ, the group clown, tried on every hat he could find. Brock and Vince however, needed a bit of convincing for me to get this pic! Thanks, guys! You look great!

JJ and I sporting our "Pirate" Mickey Ears. It's hard to tell, but JJ's ears even have a gold hoop earring on one side, just like a real-live pirate!

Disneyland (cont.)...

2009-03-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

The first day that we were at the parks, we attended the "Princess Luncheon" at Ariel's Grotto in California Adventure, thanks to Uncle Brock, who made all the reservations. Maya looked so cute in her "Fairy Princess" dress that Brock bought her; she was much too young to really appreciate what was going on around her, so I guess we could say that it was more of an adult indulgence on behalf of our little princess. So fun!

Waiting to go into Disneyland and California Adventure, we took LOTS of pictures of Maya in her new outfit. She was such a trooper, and didn't fuss once when we put layers of clothes on her, followed by her dress... Once again, this was much more fun for the adults than for her. :0)

Although I am sure she did not appreciate being plopped in a stranger's arms, she did not make a peep while we got pictures of her with the Little Mermaid, Ariel.

Uncle Brock and Maya with Belle, from Beauty and the Beast.

Needless to say, by the time the fourth and last princess, Cinderella, glided by our table, Maya had had enough. She was hungry and ready for a nap, which equated to a bit of a cranky child. We figured that Uncle Brock could stand in for her, which was appropriate considering that this enjoyable lunch was all his idea. Thanks, Brother!

Disneyland (cont.)...

2009-03-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

JJ and I at my favorite place on earth!

Miss Maya wearing "Auntie Sissy's" mouse ears.

Playing dress-up after riding "It's a Small World". Not traditionally my favorite Disneyland ride, but with Maya riding along, it became truly magical.

This picture was taken as we were saying goodbye... After lots of hugs and a few tears (OK, really, I cried all the way home - ask JJ), we decided that this had been the very best family vacation ever!!!

Jazz and Faith's First Birthday...

2009-02-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

Much to my complete pleasure, and (I must admit) much to JJ's embarrassment, I threw my two dogs a first birthday party. I know most of you are thinking that I am a complete wacko, but really I love to have people over, and since I have been out of town for what seems like forever, I wanted to do something fun for the kiddos. Well, needless to say, we had fun alright! Along with the help of my good friend, Stacey, I made tacos, spanish rice and cupcakes for about 20 people. The kids played two games, plus knocked a pinata around for a few minutes - until the body fell off, and head split open and all the candy flew out - and the adults sat around and chatted and laughed. I would say that the "Puppies First Birthday Party (thrown in honor of all my most-loved kids in all of Salt Lake)" was a great way to end the week. JJ even had fun! :0)

Yes, I am guilty of making my dogs wear clothes - for one night only, as promised to my husband!

Faith and Jazz were both very well behaved, and even wore their feather boas proudly, until pinata time came around, and they were forced to retreat to their kennels. Faith promptly dismantled her boa - feathers flew and the kids were horrified; Jazz sat calmly in her kennel and I don't think even so much as tasted one of her feathers. For being twins, they sure have completely different personalities!

The first game that we played was a new take on "Hot Potato". I wrapped a little AM/FM walkman-radio in about 12 layers of wrapping paper. We turned on music ("Who Let the Dogs Out... appropriate, huh?) and when the music stopped, whomever was holding the package got to unwrap one layer of paper. The person holding the present on the last turn (which in our case was Taylor) got to unwrap the last layer of gift wrap and got to keep the prize. I cracked up when Jazz decided to join the circle - I guess she wanted to be a part of her own party!

Jazz gets some love from all of the kids! We tried to include Faith in the picture, but she was having nothing of it.

Puppies Birthday (Cont.)

2009-02-07T09:58:00.001-08:00

Elyssa won first prize in one of our games, and proudly wears her new doggie ears!

Braden takes a swing at the pinata, definitely one of the highlights of the party.

Jazz gets some love from her new friend, Jesse.

And last, but not least, the girls each got to have their very own cupcake. Yum!

Roadtrip with Mr. Needles...

2009-02-01T19:49:00.001-08:00

Say "Hello" to Mr. Needles! He was my loyal, yet rather quiet traveling partner during my very long roadtrip back from Arizona to Salt Lake City. Needless to say, I am ever so glad to be back home. As for the turtle, he was a gift to Ashton and Elyssa in exchange for all of their hard work while I was away - they helped sort and categorize charms in the warehouse. Thank you both so much!!!

Mr. Needles gets one last look outside his bowl before we head out.

We say "goodbye" to my mom and dad, and leave sunny Arizona behind us as we make our way 12 hours north to snowy Salt Lake. Bummer! Both Mr. Needles and I love the warm weather.

This was how Mr. Needles had to ride for the duration of the trip. We stayed overnight in Kingman, Arizona; we had a king-sized room all to ourselves, complete with a flat-screen TV. I watched CSI and the turtle slept, exhausted after a long day of traveling. I would say that the only hiccup to our whole trip was when I stopped for gas, and got a snack. I had some explaining to do to Mr. Needles when I returned with "Turtle" flavored chex mix... No offense intended!

I hopped out at the Hoover dam to take a few pictures - one of the coolest sights I have ever seen! The turtle had to remain in the car as the sign on the top of the wall read: "No pets allowed on wall!" Sorry, Mr. Needles!

Safe at home after two long days of travel and one rather big scare - I thought that Mr. Needles had died (in the eighth hour of the second day of travel he literally passed out from exhaustion) - we are both thankful that our trip is over.

January Sleepover at Auntie Erin's...

2009-01-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

I have been feeling really guilty lately because I have been promising these three girls (my "neices", who are actually the daughters of JJ's and my good friends) a sleepover for about six months now. With my crazy schedule, and my being out of town for what seemed like "forever" to them, I have had to put them off, until last Friday night. We started the night with a yummy dinner of chicken nuggets, tater tots and canned fruit (OK, well the kids loved it - and if truth be told, my husband too! :0). Then Elyssa brought out her new soda pop making kit, and gave us a sample of her favorite concoctions. I liked the Cherry Vanilla the best! In the meantime, I started assembling the gingerbread houses, and JJ made home-made chocolate chip cookies, which are always a hit! Finally, after an activity filled night, the girls put on their PJs and settled into their bed on the "sofa sleeper" to watch Ice Age - the Meltdown with some air-popped popcorn (my favorite Christmas gift from JJ) and juice. Whew! What a night!!!

All three girls snuggled into a queen-sized hida-bed, and would have slept tight as bugs in rugs if it had not been for the fact that Auntie Erin forgot and left the kitchen window open all night (which was originally due to a fallen tater tot in the oven that left the kitchen filled with smoke)! OOPS! Sorry, ladies!!!

Very happy with our finished product. From left to right: Taylor, Cheyenne and Elyssa.

And I just could not leave out the other two members of our party: yes, they are girls, too! True to lab form, they were in the middle each of the activities all night long (and they may have even gotten a little snack or two, as well.)

Sleepover (cont.)...

2009-01-11T08:54:00.001-08:00

The highlight of our night was the making of our gingerbread houses. The girls and I enjoyed creating, decorating, and even snacking on our creations.

Taylor and Elyssa are just getting started.

Cheyenne and I worked together on our house. She wanted to start with the peak of the roof... Cool!

The finished product: Cheyenne did all the work on the front - I added the icecicles on the eaves.

This is the front of Taylor and Elyssa's house. I love the creative windows designed by Elyssa, and the gingerbread man in front with yellow hair and a half lifesaver smile (decorated by Taylor) is my favorite!

A Must See...

2009-01-04T12:31:00.000-08:00

My mom, dad, JJ and I went to see this movie last night... Let me just tell you that it is absolutely life-changing, so if you see it (which I highly, highly recommend for adults only) be prepared to be completely and totally stunned. Will Smith is fantastic, and I don't just say that because I am a huge fan of his; he really is! Let me know what you think!

The True Story of Santa Claus...

2009-01-03T08:43:00.000-08:00

Many of you probably know this, but I have always "believed" in Santa Claus. My best explanation for this is that my mom has been a believer for as long as I can remember, and I have followed in her footsteps (no surprise there); we have even gone as far as to each start our own collection of hand-crafted likenesses of him. I have to say, each Santa Claus is as beautiful as it is unique, and many have been made by friends, which makes them even more special to us.

My parents have been staying with us for the past few days, and although my home is not completely decorated for Christmas, I do have several of my Santas out. My mom made the comment that she heard a wonderful story on K-Love about Santa Claus and where our belief comes from. It got me thinking: although I knew that St. Nicholas was a good person, I have never truly known his story, and more importantly, how it relates to me being a Christian. I found the following excerpt on the internet, and thought that I should share.

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor

Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day.

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas' life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need.

This story warmed my heart, and gave me even further affirmation of my belief in Santa Claus. I hope that you enjoyed it too!

A Christmas in Pictures...

2008-12-29T13:52:00.001-08:00

Dad and Stubbs. Life is good... and funny too!

JJ and his dad.

Dad got a new 3-in-1 printer.

A Christmas in Pictures...

2008-12-29T13:41:00.001-08:00

I tried to be cleaver with my camera and had the setting on "Candlelight"... Of the four pictures I took of our tree, this one turned out the best; it is still fuzzy. :0(

Oh, happy Christmas morning!!! I was up early to get the food prepared; JJ got an early wake-up call by the puppies. He looks thrilled, huh?

Ginger-Mom and JJ fixing Christmas dinner.

Oh, and the puppies got gifts too! They each got a stocking filled with a large rawhide bone, wet dog food (what a treat!) and a Greenie for good oral health! Ha, ha!

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-25T06:59:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, all!

Wishing you all the joys of this wonderful season, and only the best in the upcoming year!

Merry/Crazy Christmas Everyone...

2008-12-21T21:19:00.000-08:00

Hello, hello!!! I am finally home and am FINALLY posting on my blog (many thanks to those who are loyal followers :0) I got home to Salt Lake City this past Monday and spent the week trying to get caught up... I think that I am almost there. I have had snowman slate orders to ship, earring charms to get sorted, and yet even more orders to ship. Does anyone else HATE the post office this time of year??? I try really hard to have a moment of meditation before I go in, but even still I find myself having to talk myself off the proverbial ledge of IAmAboutToSaySomenthingThatIsNotInTheChristmasSpirit!!! Needless to say, everyone is still alive, and all my packages have been shipped.

JJ and I are spending Christmas with his family this year, and we are all looking forward to that. Below are some of the pictures taken while decorating his parents' home for the celebration:

The ever-challenging setup of a real Christmas tree... JJ was a trooper.

JJ, bless his little heart, thought it would be nice to decorate his mom... also a trooper!

JJ and Stubbs, Ginger and Jerry's dog (the poor little guy was terrorized by our two labs, and was very much, yes you got it: a trooper)!

I know that this was a very short blog, and it has probably left most of you more frusterated than satisfied, but I could not let another day pass without posting, and here is the explanation for that: I found out today, much to my horrified dismay, that certain people (and I am not going to mention names, you know who you are!!!) actually keep track and then INFORM the blogger (that would be me!) how long it has been since they have posted! ACK! I couldn't believe it! So, Miss Stacey, this one is for you, Sister!!! Tee-Hee!

The Sweetest Girl...

2008-11-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I was finally able to meet my niece, Maya. In the midst of my crazy show schedule, I had the opportunity to spend three wonderful days with Ty and Molly at their home in McMinnville, Oregon. Of course, I fell immediately in love with that little "puddle" (JJ has lovingly nicknamed Maya) and wanted to spend each and every waking minute with her. You have to remember that I have never been around a newborn, so all of this was a very new and emotional experience for me. Some pictures of our oh-too-short-time-together:

This is Maya with her cousin (1 month her senior), Bradley.

Life on the Road...

2008-11-18T07:56:00.001-08:00

Hello! Long time, no blog, huh? I have to apologize for that, but I have not had much time as I have had a total of four days at home in a month. 'Tis the season. I left Salt Lake City on October 20th to set up for our show in Tacoma, Washington. The following weekend I was in Eugene, Oregon. Then I traveled to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and then this past weekend I was in Denver for one of our biggest shows of the season. Tomorrow I am off again; I will be in the Tri-Cities in Southeast Washington, then I will fly home only to turn right around and head back to Washington for Thanksgiving, thankfully with JJ traveling with me. Our last show of the year is in Puyallup, Washington, so JJ will fly back home and I will get into "costume" for the Victorian Country Christmas. (By the way, I laugh and say that we play the role of the "peasant population" among the nobility of the Victorian Era.) I love my job, and I love working with my family, but I also miss my husband and puppies, so I try to travel home as much as possible.

Below are a few pictures so that you can get an idea of what it is that we do, especially since we now have a little different show set-up with our new jewelry business. I promise to make a better effort at keeping in better touch, and to update my blog more frequently.

An overview of the Holiday Food and Gift Festival in Tacoma, Washington. From this angle, we cannot see our booth; it is directly below where I was standing when the took the picture.

"The Mom" at our booth in Tacoma. They are hard to see, but in the trays in front of my mom, all the earring charms are displayed.

Each and every time we set up at a new show, our booth is different, which is what makes the business challenging and fun for me. My dad is adjusting a light in our booth in Eugene, Oregon.

"Eclectic and Eccentric" would be the two words that I would use to describe our new friend, Jeanne. Her booth was right next to ours and she was a kick in the pants! I think her goal was to keep us laughing the entire weekend in Eugene. We would love to do more shows with her and I look forward to seeing her again soon.

Wigged Out...

2008-10-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

I love the fall season, and I love Halloween, but with everything going on this year, I have to be honest and say that this is the extent of my Halloween costume... I bought a wig and freaked the kids out! It was truly priceless to watch their faces as they realized who was under the black and blue hair; I even fooled a couple of my adult friends. :0) Happy Haunting!

"Annual" Pumpkin Carving Party...

2008-10-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

My heart was warmed about a month ago when several of my little buddies asked me when the "annual" pumpkin carving party was taking place. What makes this funny is that we have only had one other party of this nature, and that was last year. I am thinking that after several more years we can make it "annual". As you will see from the pictures below, it was a great success and everyone had a wonderful time!

Step 1: Pick your pumkin. Ashton, Elyssa, Stacey (their mom) and I went to the 90th Street Pumpkin Patch; I think we must have wheeled that 'barrow about a mile before we found the perfect carving specimens.

Step 2: Pick your stencil. My pictures don't do any of these carving justice, but let me tell you, some of them were so intricate and well carved that by the end of the evening, we had a difficult time picking the winners of the carving contest.

Step 3: Take the lid off. Tamea had never done this before, and she thought the pumpkin "guts" were "cool, but really, really slimy."

Step 4: Start the cutting! Most of the kids are a bit too young to do this part themselves, so the parents stepped in... They probably sawed, cut, scooped, carved and detailed for over two hours straight!

Step 5: Display your masterpiece! This is the very best part of the whole evening: when the finished product finally has a candle in it, the designs absolutely come to life. The kids and parents really outdid themselves this year!

Step 6: Have some fun, why dontcha???

On the March...

2008-09-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

I was able to attend this year's Utah National Guard Governer's Day up at the University football stadium, and I have to say, the show was pretty impressive. Because JJ works for the Air National Guard, his commander-in-chief is the governer of the state of Utah, and each year, he does his "review of the troops". It was a sight to see and definitely made me feel 100% patriotic, and so proud to be part of a "military family".

Lining up before marching onto the football field (they had to stand in approx. 95 degree heat for over three hours - one and a half hours were at attention!)

I can tell which guy is JJ, but can you? :0)

I ran way high up in the stands to get this shot, and still was only able to capture about half of the field.

JJ and Jerry with Ginger and I - all of us so thankful to finally be in the shade! This was Jerry's last Governer's Day with the Guard; he will be fully retired in about six months.

Lean Not...

2008-09-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways follow Him and He will make your paths straight.

- Proverbs 3: 5-6

This is the Bible verse that has been running through my head for the past two days, and I feel compelled and prepared to share the reason why: today I gave my two week notice at my construction/office job. Yes!!! I really did it!!! I know that some of you probably find this baffling, especially my close friends and family, because I have not talked about it with anyone; but my mom and I just bought a business together, which will become officially "ours" in the middle of October.

Most of you know that we have been selling earring charm jewelry for the past couple of years; well, we are taking it a step further, and we are going to be the wholesalers now. It is a big step for both of us, having been mainly in the "retail" end of business for most of our lives, but I feel that we are up to the challenge, especially since we are buying a well-established company. I signed a lease yesterday on a little office space about a mile from our home here in Salt Lake City. In the meantime, JJ is looking for promising jobs in the Spokane area, as that is where we would like to be in a year or so. Until that point, I will operate the wholesale business from my office, and then travel with my mom and dad for retail shows and other business trips.

The most difficult part of this entire event has been having to tell my office that I will not be with them any longer. My announcement this morning was met with surprise, sadness, anger and well-wishes all rolled up in one 15 minute time frame. That was hard for me. I have been really happy at my current job - I enjoy each and every person that I work with, and the job has proved challenging and exciting, although at times (and more often than not lately) extremely boring. When I sat and weighed all my options, the words of a very dear friend of mine came back to me: "You can always settle for stability and security, Erin. There are many, many jobs available at all times that offer both. But how many times are you going to get an opportunity like this? Is it worth it to pass it up, when the chance may never come around again?"

I say: "Wise friend."

Lagoon...

2008-09-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

Brock came down and visited us for the weekend, and what better way to have fun then spending a sunny Saturday at Lagoon?! We had a great time with him, and we have the pictures to prove it:

Playing "Whack a Mole" (which JJ won every time. Cheater!)

Brock on the Fire Dragon. Wheeeeeee!

Brock was one seat in front of us and took this picture.

JJ with "Frogger". He looks thrilled, huh?

Poopies on the Deck...

2008-09-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, they went with us for Labor Day Weekend, and I have to say, they were both Angels! Can you tell? (Faith on the left, Jazz on right)

Labor Day Weekend...

2008-09-09T09:53:00.001-07:00

JJ and I made a very quick trip up to the lake for Labor Day weekend... We both feel that our time there is never, ever long enough, especially with a 12 hour drive on either end of the trip, but we both agreed that our time could not have been better spent.

Some pictures from our fun-filled weekend:

The "boys" playing Sequence, one of our favorite lake games. From L to R: Uncle Bob, Uncle Matt, JJ, Cousin Oliver and Brock.

A great picture of Aunt Marty and Brock.

JJ in the infamous Shark Hat, generously given to my dad by my Auntie Gretchen. For those of you who don't know, my dad is terrified of sharks and loathes anything to do with them. Funny!

My dad and his boat. What more can I say???

My "Tikki"...

2008-09-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

I post so many pictures of our puppies, that I am sure our cat (JJ calls him "Tikki"), Hobbes, is jealous. OK, maybe not, but since he acts like a dog - he came in the door last night dragging someone's [for sure not ours] dirty, smelly, icky, white, wife-beater tank top - he deserves his own post. :0)

Long Overdue...

2008-09-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

JJ and I were married last July (on the 21st of 2007) on the banks of Deer Lake in Washington. I am just now getting around to sorting through photos... I honestly don't have a good excuse for myself. Anyway, here is just a snippit of our incredible day.

This last photo was taken at our dance reception. My mom, dad and uncles built this "tent" for us - it was the most perfect end to a most perfect day! (I am in the red dress :0)

So Cute...

2008-09-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

OK, I admit: I think I might be a little bit obsessive about my new niece, Maya. I check my brother and sister-in-law's blog site at least two or three times a day looking for new posts, and then I steal their pictures! I don't think they know that I do this yet; I might have to confess to them. I just can't wait to meet that little sweet pea!

Tagged...

2008-08-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by my friend, Christa, so here goes...

5 Things on my list to do today:

1. Survive the new accounting program at work.

2. Clean my house - my brother is coming tomorrow.

3. Help my husband organize our new book case.

4. Figure something out for dinner. Any ideas?

5. Play with my puppies.

5 Snacks I enjoy:

1. Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.

2. Home-made rice krispie treats.

3. Apples.

4. Popcorn.

5. Anything that is really, really bad for me.

5 Things I would do if I was a sudden Billionaire:

1. Give a portion to a well-researched charity.

2. Buy JJ two '56 Chevys; one to fix up and tinker with, the other in mint condition.

3. Buy houses for everyone in our family.

4. Buy a cabin on Loon Lake.

5. Go on a trip with JJ around the world.

5 Bad Habits:

1. Picking my toenails - gross, huh?

2. Drinking soda pop, especially Coke or Dr. Pepper.

3. Talking on my cell phone in the car.

4. Not keeping my clothes neat and tidy in my bedroom.

5. Forgetting Birthdays.

5 Places I have lived:

1. Loon Lake, WA

2. Ellensburg, WA

3. Anchorage, AK

4. Puebla, Mexico

5. Unai, Brazil

5 jobs I have had:

1. Floor Supervisor, Tommy Hilfiger in Park City, UT.

2. Manager for my mom's company, Goose Lake Mercantile.

3. Flight Attendant, Alaska Airlines.

4. Grocery Store Clerk - I sold cigarettes, fishing/hunting licenses and lottery tickets. Whooppee!

5. Retail, retail and more retail.

5 things most people don't know about me:

1. I am a nerd at heart.

2. I had more than one boyfriend at the same time when I lived in Brazil. Agh! It's true!

3. I wish that I could go back and do things differently during my swimming career - namely eat better and train harder in order to reach my full potential.

4. I never did get nervous, not even one time, before my wedding.

5. I have never had any broken bones (surgery on my foot does not count).

I tag:
Molly and Ty (although they are so busy with Maya, that may be a long shot) and... umm... I am new to the whole blogging world and don't have many contacts yet! :0)

The Love of My Life...

2008-08-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

Our wedding photographer took this shot in Spokane in the early spring... It is one of my favorites of the two of us.

This is another of my favorites, taken right after we got engaged in November of 2007.

I think I got this shot by holding the camera out in front of us. Pretty good, huh? (This is probably the most recent picture of us.)

Fun (But Totally Random) Pictures...

2008-08-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

Can you tell that JJ and I went to Disneyland for our honeymoon? We had a blast!

Clowning around, like we so frequently do...

This is one of my favorites; it was on our Christmas card last year.

Gina, JJ's sister, is so funny!

Our "twins" at eight weeks.

Faith (on left) and Jazzmyn happy to be playing in the sprinkler.

Our puppies are almost grown dogs now; I can't believe it! (Faith on left, Jazz on right) And I know those of you with "human" children are just laughing at me right now :0)

This picture is a little bit dated (taken last Halloween), but it is one of my favorites! Cheyenne (on left) and Taylor are our good friends, Carl and Regina's, girls. They live about 20 minutes from us, so we are able to spend quite a bit of time together. So fun!

Gina and Adam's Wedding...

2008-08-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

Gina and Adam outside Uncle Steve's house in Comanche, Iowa.

Gina and I out by the pool the night before the rehersal dinner.

Right before the ceremony, we were waiting to sign the marriage certificate.

On August 16, JJ's sister, Gina, married her best friend, Adam Moore. JJ and I were both fortunate enough to be able to travel back to Comanche, Iowa, which is Adam's hometown, and the location of the wedding. I was excited to be asked to be Gina's matron of honor, and I have to say, the two of us had a blast hanging out together, enjoying each other's company, even through all of the wedding preparations. Things did get a little hectic - what wedding doesn't??? - but thanks to Adam's wonderful family and friends and all their hard work, the day went off without a hitch, and I now have a new brother-in-law. Wonderful day, wonderful party!

Our new niece...

2008-08-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

Introducing my new niece, Maya Karen Christine Matthews

What a sweet pea!

Mom and Dad say she is a very good baby, and a good snuggler!

Guess what??? I am a brand-new auntie to this beautiful little girl! Maya Karen Christine Matthews was born on August 20, 2008, and she weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces and was 21 inches long. I have yet to meet her, but am already over the moon for this little sweet pea! Many congratulations to Ty and Molly!

In a nutshell...

2008-08-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

If we haven't talked in a while, you are probably wondering what has been going on in my life. For the sake of time (and space), I will try and keep this journal entry fairly short and to the point. Now, where to start? OK, I will begin with a breif re-cap of how I wound up in Salt Lake. I graduated from Central Washington University in June of 2003, and much to my dismay, my three-and-a-half-years-my-junior-brother, Tyler, graduated that same year in December, a fact that he likes me never to forget. Needless to say, he made it through college in four and a half year; it took me seven - JJ laughs and says that they call people who spend that much time in college "doctors". Well, a doctor I am not, but I do have two degrees. Enough said.

After graduating college, I spent a year as a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines, and during that time I lived in Anchorage, Alaska. After just 13 months, I knew that that was definitely not the job for me, so I moved back to Ellensburg to be with my family and our crafting business. Not long after that, my entire family (minus Ty and Molly, who by that time had been married for several years and living in McMinnville, Oregon), up and moved to our lake house. Can I just tell you that during this time, I was floundering; I felt that my life had little to no direction and I was continuing to bounce between my parents home and various apartments, as well as jobs - I just was not sure in what direction I was headed.

Looking back now, I find it rather funny that I was feeling so lost and confused... I believe that at that point, my faith was being tested, as well as my patience - something that I have never had much of. God has a plan for all of us at all times, but it will always be revealed in His way and at His will. I was in the right place at the right time, but could not see it, until I met JJ's Aunt Peggy. We were working together at Yoke's Grocery Store in Deer Park (about 10 minutes from Loon Lake), and to make a long story short, she introduced me to the man that I now call my husband.

JJ and I were engaged after struggling through seven months of a very long-distance relationship; one in which we relied on e-mails, phone calls which racked up very expensive cell phone bills, and once-monthly visits which required equally expensive plane ticket purchases. We both agree that during that time, we became expert communicators both verbally and non-verbally, something which we also agree has allowed us a firm foundation on which to build the rest of our relationship. We were married on July 21, 2007, in a beautiful and very personal evening ceremony on the shores of Deer Lake, in Eastern Washington. Our wedding was attended by many of my family members and good friends, as well as some of JJ's family and very close friends - all of whom were willing to travel a great distance for what I consider to be the most "perfect wedding I could have ever asked for".

The newly married Trimbles (we are still newlyweds after just one year, right?) happily reside in Salt Lake City, a place that for a small-town girl like me, on alternate days seems like the biggest/smallest city in the entire world. What I mean by that, for example, is that not only do I have one huge mall to shop at, but I have my choice of four huge malls, all within 20 minutes driving distance. That fact, of course, is a huge bonus; the not-so-great part is that because the city is so big, finding a doctor/dentist/hair stylist/fave coffee shop is not so easy. The "small city" feel comes from the fact that I can pretty much travel from anywhere in the city to anywhere else in about 20-30 minutes (not during rush-hour however), and because of Salt Lake's ingenious grid system, I can find just about any address in any part of the city. Cool!

Right now, I am sitting at my desk, in my fish-bowl office (so described because of the constant traffic flow in front of my desk) at Continental Engineering & Construction, Inc. I am officially a "Project Manager Assistant", which basically means that I do a ton of paper pushing, filing, phone calling, copy (and coffee) making :0), gophering, etc. Quite a change from my former retail life, huh? All in all, I love my new job - I have been in the office for five months now - and I love the people that I work with: eight men and one woman. Hmmmm... could the reason that I love my job so much be the fact that I work mainly with men all over the age of 50??? Yes, that is most certainly the reason!

JJ is a KC-135 Hydraulic Mechanic in the Air National Guard; a position which he has held for six years now, although he has been in the military for eleven. His job is a bit hard to explain, as he is career military even though he is in the guard. He is employed by the Air Force to work 40 hours per week as a mechanic at the National Guard Base here in Salt Lake, but he also does his "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" commitment for the guard. Yeah, I don't really get it either. Since we have been married, JJ has been deployed twice, once to Guam for several weeks, and once to Kyrgyzstan for a little over a month. Each time he is gone, my feelings are bittersweet: I am thankful that he is only ever deployed for one to two months - as we all know, most military families are apart for at least six months at a time - and always in a non-combat zone, but like everyone else, I hate for him to be gone.

Lately, I have been getting lots of questions about starting a family, so I will tell you MY plan (JJ, so far, is just going along with it, good man that he is). We are on the pyramid plan, and it goes like this: start off with a plant and see if we can keep it alive (we actually started with three and they are still alive, albeit maybe not as healthy as they should be). Then graduate to a goldfish (we lost three until we finally sucked it up and went to PetsMart where we paid $1.50 for the fish instead of Wal-Marts more economical price of $0.79 - as far as we know, Trout is still alive at the neighbor's house; I got sick of cleaning his tank once a week). Now, we take the big step, and get a puppy. Ooops! Here we need to add step 2.5: Cat. The cat was never in my original pyramid plan, but when we found Trout at PetsMart, we also fell in love with Hobbes the Cat, who alternately looks both like JJ's and my first cats: Sabbi and Muffin. And the cat still lives after one year. So, on to step three: puppy. OK, here it get complicated, so bear with me. Last fall, I went to Arizona to help my mom and dad with their jewelry business. There I met Kip, who was the proud owner of Shadow, a beautiful, smart and very well-trained yellow lab. Now, up to this point, when JJ and I talked of getting a puppy, it was always talk of a "small breed", due to the fact that we live in a mobile-home park and have a postage stamp yard. Long story short, for Christmas JJ found out that he was going to receive a yellow lab puppy in April. Shadow had a litter of seven puppies on Valentine's Day, and arrangements were made with my mom and dad to drop "Jazzmyn" off to us on their trip back to Washington. Well, as things go in the Matthews' family, we wound up with two puppies, not just one. My parents were going to try to find "Faith" a good home in Washington, but after traveling with the two lab sisters for two days, we all realized that they could not be split up. Our two yellow labs are now six months old, and althought they are very busy, we would not trade them for the world, however, we are quickly out-growing our little mobile home.

From here on out, my journal entries will be shorter, and filled with more pictures, but I felt it was necessary to give a little background information so that from here on out, you won't be lost.

It's a start...

2008-08-25T09:19:00.003-07:00

This is the very first time that I have ever done something like this, but after seeing my brother and sister-in-laws blog site, I decided that this may be the best way for me to "stay connected", and also give myself an outlet for my thoughts. (I promise to not get too involved with my journal :0) I have always liked journaling, so my hope is that you can have a glimpse into JJ's and my relatively "new" life together in Salt Lake City. Enjoy!~E