ten years ago in Venice, Italy
Here they are before the big overhaul.
This is all I can remember form this week, rolling and painting for hours on end. The rest is a blur.
My little brother who is still in post missionary service mode helped me for hours and hours. I enjoyed spending time with him and chatting and reintroducing him to cafe rio and Costco hot dogs on our lunch breaks.
Curt's dad John took three of my cupboard doors and gave them new glass fronts, I think they turned out so beautiful! He is so handy and I glad to have his handiwork around my house.
My boring sort of out of place bread box got a touch of blue with a chalkboard front, now I love it. Who could not be happy with a blue bread box around?
Some of the other glass fronts John put in. I love being able to see my blue dishes and my prized tea pot.
I left the very top cabinets exposed so I could have some of my serving bowls and platters out to see. Overall it was a long hard project but I am so glad to have done it. One of the best things about buying Curt's grandparents house is knowing how happy it would make them that we love their house and that we try to make happy memories in it.
So much so that these cupboard in all their 30 year old oak glory are getting an overhaul next week. Wish me luck! Any Leasure's remember what they looked like before the oak? Just curious.
Laura threw this little party together. Laura is the kind of friend you want to have. The kind that drops anything when you need her, will do any project with you is always in a good mood and when you point out a necklace you like at urban outfitters she buys it behind your back and gives it to for your birthday.
Me and cute Michelle who is my partner in crime and favorite person to got to tj maxx with. Wanna know why?
Cause all you have to do is go there with her and point out all the stuff you love (mostly anything that looks like it belongs in your grandmas house or has a bird on it) and then she surprises you with it for your birthday! Love that Michelle.
Me and Kallin and a sneaky Matt in the background. Like your plaid shirts you two. 
Blowing out a birthday candle with my cupcakes on my new cake stand I bought. I love cake stands!
These cupcakes were darling and tasty, my dad thought he could have made better. Put your money where your mouth is!
In n out=happiness.
My fellow Birthday party animals. Deacon however was ready for a Birthday nap.
This picture was taken in the theater before our movie and I think it is so funny! Two funny things happened in this theater. First thing was at the beginning of the movie when it shows the Disney castle Deacon yelled out "Temple!" Second thing was Walker and Dana went to get drinks and came back with a giant tub of popcorn (my celebration just kept gettin better and better!) and sat down next to me and Deacon said "Oh! I love popcorn!" Later that night after Deacon went to bed Walker and I went and saw Sherlock Holmes, which was awesome. Thanks to everyone who made my Birthday so fun.
Me and Walker with Grandma Diane. Does Walker look twenty feet tall or what?
My Grandma has saved cars and blocks from when her boys were little and Deacon had a hay day with them. Some of them could be 50 years old, I thought that was so cool. Deacon loved them so much he slept right next to them. He would line them all up in a row and take the one airplane in the basket of cars and crash his line of cars.
Even though in this picture my Grandpa was sick he still managed to kick our butts in aggravation. I do not know how he does it. My favorite part of playing all the aggravation games we played was my Grandpas hilarious comments and also my Grandmas cute giggle. My least favorite part- how long each roll takes my Grandpa! I called him the sloooooooow killer.
Deacon sitting on Grandpa Johns lap. This is a picture I will treasure.
My dad and his mom. Now this picture is taken in the midst of cooking a big Thanksgiving like feast for New years day. Literally not twenty minutes after eating the feast my dad got a mean case of the stomach flu. No one really thought much about it since it had been passed through the family. That night I went to bed (my birthday was the next day!) and around midnight had the thought "oh no am I sick? no I can not be sick, I am not sick" Well around three am I knew I was sick, stomach flu sick. Luckily Isaac and Lesley had come down the night before, so for my birthday while me my dad and Dana all had the stomach flu they watched Deacon. They were lifesavers! I know it was a waste of a vacation for them but I sure made my life easier. The next day Grandpa had the flu as well! I was feeling good the next day and by Monday we all felt pretty good. 
our new church time is looking good for these two...........
Not so good for this guy. Late shift+ hardly any sleep=really fun church experience.
First of all it was great to have Walker home in time for the holidays. He brought home these "red letters" that are good luck or congratulations, cant remember but anyhow I put it right on my tree. I like it there.
Deacon loving his toy train set he got from Grandma and Grandpa Bickmore.
Deacon got really good at opening presents. My favorite was when he stopped in the middle of opening one and said "Woooooah!" so cute and funny.
Grandma was helping Deacon check out the contents of the stockings they brought him and this is a excellent picture of my Dad.
I am looking fresh as a flower on Christmas morning. But I was happy to be opening two stockings, I love stockings!!
Grandma was helping Deacon paint a picture with the paints they had brought him.
Some of Deacons loot that Santa brought to him. 
