Breanna's BBQ

One thing I've learned - teenagers don't want their picture taken for my blog. Too bad for them I'm quick on the trigger:) Breanna had her end of school BBQ last weekend. Sadly it was totally crappy weather so they just hung out inside. We didn't even get to do smores. I promised they could come back in a couple weeks for smores one night. But they did eat and hang out downstairs playing and just "chillin". So I'm counting it as a success.

Seth and Breanna

Courtney and Sara

Monty trying to hide from the camera.

A couple more showed up later - but I'd already put the camera away so they escaped from the pictures - Joe and Leah.

Lamb and Wool festival

Last weekend was the Lamb and Wool festival up at Thanksgiving Point. We hadn't ever gone - but my mom and sister go to wool festivals all the time and love them - so we thought we'd try it out. I was not impressed - but we had fun anyway. We could only convince Hillary to go with us:( For our admission price we each got a ticket good for either a pony ride or a wagon ride. Hillary of course wanted to use hers to ride the ponys.

She didn't get her first choice of pony but she got her second choice.

As you can see she still had a grand old time.

Pat was generous enough to let me and Hillary use the last two tickets to take a wagon ride while he waited for us. That's Rocky and Rio - the ten year old horses that pulled the wagon. At one point they got up to a trot which thrilled Hillary to death. She thought we were going "SOOOO fast."

There was nothing to hold on to and I couldn't get her to scoot any further away from me for a picture. So we got a close up.
Rocky and Rio again - after the ride.

Petting the sheep. We actually saw one get sheared - but I didn't take a picture.

Petting the Llama.

The other fun thing I didn't get pictures of was the sheep dogs herding the ducks. Pretty impressive dogs. They had some hands on stuff you could do - making a hacky sack from some wool . We tried - but they just had room temperature water and I don't think the the girls instructing us really understood. They just had Hillary roll her wet wool into a ball and after about 10 seconds told her it was done and just needed to dry. For anyone who knows felting - it didn't work. She just ended up with a wad of wool. So I was not impressed. We did see an expert spinner make some yarn from wool and I was impressed with that. Overall - I'm glad I didn't pay much to get in and the pony and wagon rides made it worth it.

Car Show

We go up to Thanksgiving point every year for a car show. It's a pretty big one with classic cars and such. It's mostly a heaven for the boys - but we all like to go. I buy them whatever they want for lunch and they love it.

Hillary sitting in the UVU rock crawler

Connor sitting in the UVU rock crawler
Hillary's favorite. The pink panther car.

One of Pat's favorite.

Hillary saw this car from three rows over and dragged me over to it because it had cool things on the top. I'm not sure what you'd call them - they're not windows or doors - but she called them wings. Maybe that's what they are.

Connor thinks he needs this off-road golf cart. I don't.

The younger kids BBQ

We offered to have Breanna's friends over for an end of school year barbeque. Then the younger two wanted their friends over and Breanna was horrified that I would let them come to her party. So we had two separate BBQ parties. The younger two invited a bunch of kids - but only one friend for each of them showed up. Which turned out perfect - no one was upset and I only had to watch 4 sets of hands around the fire.

Pat manning the fire.

Breanna trying to toast marshmellows- she just burned them though.
Hillary and her friend Sydney. You can't really tell - but they have pink marshmellows on their smores.

Sydney and Hillary

Connor and Colton

Colton

Bre Connor and Colton asssemling smores.

More Sydney and Hillary. I couldn't believe how still they sat.

Trying not to look at the camera...

Pink marshmallows.

They all had a blast. Hopefully the older kids will have a good time this weekend too. I'll post those pictures next week.

My craftyness

I don't know why I don't post more of my projects on here. Maybe I'll start. But today you get to see what we made my mom for Mother's Day. It's a felted pincushion with a corset thingy around it. The kids made the pin heads out of shrinky-dinks. They had a blast. This is also a little for my mom so she knows who made what pin and what they are exactly.

This is a view of the pins. I'll go from left to right.

Blue flower without stem (Me)

Blue flower with stem (B)

Hillary (Me)

Connor (Me)

Bre (Me)

Pink flower (C)

Green soda can (C)

That black spider looking thing is a bumble bee (B)

A Donut with sprinkles (C)

Green Chili pepper (C)

Red heart (B)

Turtle (Me)

Pink and black thing (H)

Pink squiggles (H)

Black blob (C - I think)

Colored dots - (C)

We had a lot of fun making the pins. I got the idea from one of the blogs I read. I orignally couldn't find the link - but then I just came across it again so I have it for you. It's actually a triple link. I read a cute blog called Creative Itch Boutique. She does some link partys where you can link your crafts up to share with other people. So I followed a link from her blog to At Second Street a creative blog. Then I followed a link from her blog to the tutorial about how to do them on Wee Wonderfuls. Feel free to visit any of those blogs - they're all great.

A new widget

I've added a bookshelf over there on the side of my blog. I've put my favorite all time books on it. You will think I'm weird. Don't judge me. I read strictly for pleasure usually. I can't go to sleep without reading - so there's always something on my nightstand. I love nothing better than a good love story or a great housewife/old lady sleuth. I'll probably change it up pretty often so feel free to check it out. Or don't. If you are looking for something to read may I recommend The Wednesday Letters. It has a message. I cried a lot while I read it. But it was good. I happened to see that one of my friends on Facebook became a fan of it so I checked it out on a whim. I'm glad I did.

It's gonna be a busy blogging week.....

So be sure and check back often. I'm promising at least 3 posts this week - maybe more. Or maybe I'll spread the love to next week. We'll see.

The first up this week is The ever talented Connor and his photography skills. He is currently really into these little things called Go-Go's. Like the boots - only not. Every once in a while he'll ask to borrow my camera and I'll let him. Then I'll forget until I go to download other pictures and this is what I find.

Oh yea - he's into his own feet too apparently. I have a lot of these shots too.

Happy Birthday Alicia

It's my sister Alicia's birthday today.

Things you may not know about Alicia


• When she was young she couldn't stand to get dirty. Reading the paper was too much because it would leave black marks on her hands. Now she's an outdoors/camping/hiking fool.



• She has two of the cutest kids ever, Tasman and Amelia.


• She's a vegetarian even though when we were young she was not.

• She (like me and any other sane person) is disgusted by soggy bread in any form.


• She used to hate spinach. I haven't asked lately though, so maybe she likes it now.



• She rocks a pretty good garden. And bottles a lot of it in different forms.


• She spent several years living in Australia after she got married. Her husband was doing research there. I think she loved living there - but missed her family.

Happy Birthday Sister. I love you tons and wish we lived closer. Have a fabulous day!

Because I think this is HILARIOUS!

Zoom down and turn off my other music. Go ahead. I'll wait.

Now you can enjoy this video. Despite the words - the tune really gets stuck in my head and I like it. Plus it's pretty funny. And with all the rain and crap weather we're having here in Utah - I needed a pick me up.

Happy Thursday!

Happy Mother's day Mom

Things we love about our Mom

• She is the best seamstress I know. All kids all have countless outfits made by her.






• She creates the best halloween costumes with the help of my dad. My kids are always the hit at halloween parties.

• She never gives up.



• She taught us how to cook when we were young. And then expected us to do it so we could learn more.



• She spoils her grandchildren.
• She doesn't complain. Even when life really sucks.





• We love how willing she is to help us out and forever doing for others.


• She is such a great grandma, never tiring of reading books, playing the same thing over and over, and just about anything else requested of her by a grandchild.




• She has been an inspiration, especially these past 1 1/2 years, with her spirit of determination and positive outlook.




• She is a great mother, and mother in law, and grandmother to all of us.

We love you Mom/Grandma. Have a great Mothers Day!

Prom 2010

I have survived my first prom with Breanna. It was a little rough on me - but I think we did okay. We only had a few days to find a dress - that was the hardest part. Trying to find something modest in a little bit larger size (not huge but not a zero either) in the picked over stores was hard. But we found one she and I were both happy with. Not super fancy - but just the right price and she can wear it for church and school even which is a bonus in my book. She had a date (Monty) for ticket and flower purposes - but they mostly went as a group. A fun filled day of lazer tagging - pizza making and after the dance - a bonfire up the canyon with smores. She had a blast.

The whole group

Just the boys. Monty is the in the middle front row.
Just the girls.

Cute girls.

Bre and Monty.

Bre and Monty.