Halloweek in Review

I kind of love Halloween. Here's the evidence:

Provolicious

Seeing as how it's nearly winter, I figured I should document what was probably our favorite trip to Provo - that we took way back in July.

Wednesday morning, the kids were up bright and early - despite their not getting to sleep until midnight the night before. I wanted Dan to be able to get a little more shuteye, so Bapa and I took all the little ones on a walk to a nearby park. No hair was brushed. No clothes were changed. We just threw on shoes and off we went. The perfect start to a great trip!

You know those friends who you ALWAYS want to be a part of your life, no matter the distance? Lori Carter is one of those for me. I love that girl. She is so dang spunky, full of life, put together, an exercise mama, and decorator extraordinaire. My sister Charity {bless her beautiful soul} swam with Bella, Calvin & Azure the entire time we were at the Scera swim park so Lori and I could sit and chat with our babies. After swimming, and lots of laughing, we got the BEST snow cones ever. Oh, so yummy! Who knew ice cream in a snow cone would make it one hundred million times better? Such a fun day! Thanks Bing! So good to see you Lori!

My little ones love their Nana! So, they were happy to do the "Nana Parade" at my mom's work so she could show off her cutie-pie grand kiddies. They had too much fun spinning in Nana's chair!

I love this place. I remember visiting this museum as a little girl and marveling at the Angel Moroni statue, revering the church artifacts, and wishing one day that I could be married in the temple, at a beautiful alter, like they have replicated here. {the girls are sitting in front of it} Glad to be able to pass on those same memories to my little ones.

My Dad was able to come with us on most of our little adventures during our trip. It was great to have some Bapa time - he sure loves those little kiddos - and they love him! {the temple was wonderful too, by the way. I love bringing my kids here, and telling them all about the day Dan & I were married here - it was beautiful.}

What a fun place to have a birthday! Dan & Azure were showered with gifts, and then showered during the waterfight that ensued afterwards. Azure had a large advantage with her new heavy duty super-soaker watergun! Azure picked out "their" birthday cake with Nana, the night before. We all thought it was pretty funny that she wanted a princess cake that said: "Happy Birthday Azure, you are 6." She must have forgotten that she and her dad share a birthday!

We went to Seven Peaks to celebrate Dan & Azure's birthday the next day. Dan took off work {he always works in the Salt Lake office when we're visiting Utah} and joined us for a crazy day! How on earth are you supposed to keep track of kids in a place like this when there's more of them than you? Whew! Lots of work, but the kids had a blast. They loved, loved, loved the wave pool - and the kid's area was so much fun. Towards the end of the day, Nana & Bapa watched ALL of the chitlins for a while so Dan, Lia, and I could go ride some big kid rides. That made it all worth it! Woo-hoo!

We went to Sprinville for their Pioneer Day celebration. It was perfect! Not too crowded. Not too hot. But just right. I love a parade, and this one was so cute. Bella loved cheering with the cheerleaders. Azure loved chasing down the candy that was thrown from the floats. Calvin danced with the marching bands. And Emmett ate the dirt. Everyone was happy. Afterwards, we met up with Uncle Todd, and went to the little carnival close by, rode some rides, ate some treats, and enjoyed a little face/arm painting. Seriously, a perfect Pioneer Day. Followed by a delicious BBQ at Nana & Bapa's house --- it couldn't have been better!

















This really was our favorite trip we've taken to Provo. We did lots of fun things, saw great friends {Dan & I met up with the Barkers one night too - love those guys!}, played with my family, and it was drama free. You can't beat that. Thanks Nana &Bapa, Lia, Sam, Charity, and Richard for the good times!

Engaged!

My baby brother got engaged yesterday!

Congrats Sam & Val!

{unfortunately I don't have any pics of his fiance ~ but here's the lucky guy with Azure!}

Crossing it off the list

Have you ever purused craft fairs or spent hours sifting through all the wonderfully creative products on etsy, just to decide... I can totally make that myself for 1/4 of the price...and then never, ever get around to actually making anything?

Welcome to my life.

I like to think I'm crafty. Artistic even, on a good day. But I am not a seamstress. True, I whipped up a few outfits for myself on Granny's sewing machine in college, but that was more out of necessity than desire.

Besides a little skirt I crafted for Bella as a newborn out of discontinued fabric sample scraps from my store, I haven't sewn a clothing item for at least 11 years.

However, whenever I see adorable, overpriced hand-crafted outfits at boutiques or online, I convince myself that I really probably could make it instead.

It's never really happened, but, yesterday... yesterday was my day.

Somewhere between 3:00 and 5:00 am, I realized it was going to be a no errands, no volunteering, stay at home, and let the baby and myself get better day. I wasn't sick enough to need to lay in bed all day, but wasn't feel up to leaving the house...so I got to looking at my lengthy, dreamy "if I ever have a spare minute" to-do list. {I am kind of a fan of lists. I have lots of them}.

And on this list, was Bella's request from nine months ago that I make her a skirt. The girl has plenty of skirts. She wears them often. Why she wanted me to MAKE her one, I wasn't quite sure. But, it was on the list, and I had fabric, time, and a sewing machine I got for Christmas last year that had never made it out of the box. It was a perfect combination.

I decided that I didn't want to mess with elastic, and I can't stand zippers and buttons, so a skirt was out of the question.

Luckily, I have spent enough time on etsy recently, that I have fallen in love with the pillowcase dress.

So simple. No pattern. No instructions. {Which is great for me, because I can't follow a pattern for the life of me.} Just a ruler, some scissors, an iron, time, and some thread, and voila! Look what happened!

Look at that sweet flower stitch. Oh, I am in love with this sewing machine. I might actually have to use it more than it's averaged once a year now!

She was thrilled to come home to a fun little surprise. {luckily, she didn't mind a bit that it wasn't actually a skirt.}

I should be sewing one for Azure right now...but sewing two days in a row? Whew! I don't know if I have it in me!

Something Old

There’s just something wonderfully comforting about old things.
I love my old piano – even if it only plays Mary Had a Little Lamb when pounded by my little ones’ right hand index fingers.



I adore my favorite old jeans – and though, it hasn’t happened yet, I am still working hard, looking forward to the day that I’ll be able to shimmy into them again.










My babies cuddle up to “old” blankies that they’ve had since birth.



These treasures are not worn out. They are worn in. Comfortable. Soothing. Just right.

I feel the same way about old friends. They know you, and still love you. Remember your silliness, but respect you still the same. They’ve been through your hardships, traveled the road with you, and helped you out the other side. They are the kind of friend you can sit down and pick right back up with. While I LOVE meeting and making new friends, I also cherish my old ones – spending time with them is like coming home after you’ve been on a long vacation. It’s easy. Comfortable. And just right.

This weekend, I got to spend a little time with a friend just like that, who now lives near D.C. It was so good to see and chat with Corinn – I hadn’t seen her since we visited with them in Boise four years ago. Everything has changed, and nothing has changed, all at the same time. Thanks for the memories girl! Let’s make some more!

My very own list

My well read, philosophical, smarty-britches, sister Rachel, often posts lists of all the fabulous books she's read, is reading, wants to read, etc.

Which has inspired me to share with you the last four book titles I have read:
1. The Absent Author, by Ron Roy
2. The Bald Bandit, by Ron Roy
3. Dear Dumb Diary - Am I the Princess or the Frog?, by Jim Denton
4. Katie Kazoo Switcheroo - Who's Afraid of Fourth Grade?, by Nancy Krulik

While I am happy to perform my motherly duty of pre-reading Bella's book selections to make sure I approve of the material (#3 on the list did not make the cut for a seven year old girl, by the way) the realization that I seem bound to the junior's books section of Amazon, has me yearning for something more.

So last night, I started a book just for me: The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.
So far, so good.
I feel like such a grown-up.