Pics of the Kids

I am not a good blogger these days- I blame it on my computer b/c it's so slow and doesn't like to upload pictures right now. But dad and mom took some dang cute photos of some of the kids, so for documentation's sake, I'm uploading the ones they took. I LOVE these pics.

Isabella

Braxton

Robert

Cayden (LOVE this kid's smile)

Emily

Natalina-bina

Emmy and Kayla in Alabama

Emily playing in Alabama

Another cute one of Isabella - what a sweetie



Hopefully I'll have some other fun new ones soon.

Craft Time

Wow - it's been a long time since I last posted. Things have been busy and, thanks to my good friend Emily, I've been getting my crafty on. I've been following all kinds of blogs with great ideas...sometimes I follow exactly and sometimes I put my own special themes on it. Above are some homemade hurricane lamps. All dollar store pieces and some seashells I've had for years. I tried putting them together with gorilla glue, but it made a mess. The hot glue, although slightly less stable, is definitely my preferance.


The Topiary was one that I did with my mom. I sent her the instructions and she made hers first. She did a great job so I basically copied her. This turned out pretty well, although the picture doesn't do it justice. I'd love to get a pic of my mom's hearth where she is displaying two topiaries in a beautiful fall display.


The rosette balls were fun to put together, although I'm not sure what to do with them. I thought they'd look great in the bowl on my table, but the colors are a little too bright for me. I'm planning on re-doing my kitchen colors soon though, so at that point I might decide to pick new colors and make some additional rosette balls...or maybe I'll find something else fun to do. I'm thinking or either changing the flooring, or for a simpler solution, adding a runner along the entry way and a rug under the kitchen. Any thoughts on some great colors?


The halloween wreath is all dollar store. The orange ruffle is actually a bath back scrubber (well three back scrubbers). Everything else is dollar store and, for my first wreath I think it looks pretty good. I did a fun birthday balloon wreath that now resides at my mom's house - both of those were "distraction" projects to do during the BYU/Airforce game. It was a good thing I had them because it was NOT a fun game to watch. That day I also made a slate tile tic tac toe game that is now on the deck of my grandparents house. I doubt they've used it - but it's my personal opinion that it was CUTE! Pictures coming if I can remember!


The barrettes are just a few of the ones I've made. The originals were given to Isabella for her Birthday. I saw some darling ribbon barettes at the Stake Fair we had last week so I just knew I needed to use up my ribbon by making these cute things. I made a fun flower one with gold accents for Natalie - but again...no pics. I should really document how totally cute the stuff is that I make! Some day when I'm old and grey, it'll be nice to look back and see that I once made things that turned out not too darn bad!

Contortionist

I've never uploaded a video so here goes...this is part of La Circe De L'Orange at Lagoon. The first act was this insane contortionist doing things that just shouldn't be done...

24th of July weekend

Emily, Heather and I thought we'd celebrate the 24th of July weekend by walking in the steps of our pioneer ancestors...and walk up the mountain to the Timpanogas caves. Okay, so it wasn't as hard as they had...I mean the paved walk-way, the short distance etc etc, but it was still a fun hike and the caves were cooler than I even remembered (and by cool I mean 45 degrees...ok and they were pretty awesome too).

Caramel Sundae - named by the two 15 year olds who discovered this place back in 1920 something. Crazy that they would even venture down here without lights and without help.

Inside the cave...chilly!


The "Heart" - the biggest Stalactite in the caves. Do you know the difference between stalactite and stalagmite?

The view from the top


After we left the mountain, we headed to Kneaders for their chunky cinnamon bread french toast (delicious) and then, of course, we needed to head home for a nap. My nap didn't happen though since I decided to "fix" a sprinkler, ended up breaking it off the pipe (oops) and had to start all over. I did fix it though, using a mix of the tools dad made me buy, some boiling water, my hair dryer on an extension cord, lot's of over-the-phone dad advice and some muscle. Yes that's right, muscle. When I got to the hospital to visit Grandpa, I told him about my incredible feat of fixing the sprinkler all by myself and he said, "that's what you get for not having a husband.". Well...he's right! Hahahahaha

Elaine's Wedding

Summer pics are coming...but we'll start with Elaine's wedding. I might add some later - pics of the cake and things, but her wedding and luncheon were beautiful.

Our old book club group!



The mandatory large picture!

A Must Read for all of you who want to know what to say to me all the time!

Since we could all use a good laugh, I asked some friends and Twitter followers to send in their most hated adages. I know you've heard them all before (obviously), but I just couldn't believe how many there were! Here's a tiny compilation. Enjoy — today, they're not directed at you!

1. It happens when you're not looking.
"This is just bull. Some people find people when they're looking; some don't. You're not doing anything wrong by going out and meeting people." —Beth

2. There are plenty of fish in the sea.
"I dated a guy whose last name was Fish. People just had a BLAST with that one." —Kelly

3. So, why are you single?
"I generally dislike this question. I mean honestly, if I knew why, I don't think I would be single right now, now would I?!" —Erica

4. You're too picky.
"This may be true, but it feels like I'm getting criticized for my taste, vision, and close-mindedness — when I'm already down." —Sarah

5. You'll find the right person for you.
—Kelly

6. He's out there.
—Kelly

7. It was just bad timing.
"Like it's so easy to dismiss a guy on such an emotionless and objective reason." —Taryn

8. Just have fun with it!
"Um, don't tell me how to date in my thirties when you got married at 24." —Maya

9. Have you tried online dating?
"Duh!" —Elisa

10. He just wasn't the right guy for you.
"I know! That's what I'm complaining about!" —Elisa

11. Well, when my boyfriend and I first got together…
"Wait, I still want to talk about me." —Elisa

12. When the time is right, you will meet someone.
—Betsy

13. Wow, I wish I were single and in your shoes!
"Really?! I'm pretty sure you CAN be single if you actually want to be. That there is an attainable dream, so if you aren't messing with me right now out of pity (which I suspect you are), please go for it!" —Kim

14. Your turn next [at weddings].
—Natlondon, via Twitter

15. It will happen when you least expect it.
—dlegas05, via Twitter

16. Some guy is going to come along and ruin your career/life plans.
"I am 32 and no one has ruined the last 10 years of plans." —frolicblog, via Twitter

17. But you're so pretty! Why don't you have a boyfriend?
"There's just no graceful way to answer that." —earnesteats, via Twitter

18. It just wasn't meant to be.
"Any of these platitudes are exponentially more annoying when coming from the mouths of smug marrieds." —Reberoodle, via Twitter

19. Sure, my guy rescues kids from abusive homes, donated my sister a kidney, and picks up fresh flowers for me daily on his way home from work, but will he QUIT IT with the sports on TV already?
"Single people just hate to be complained to about petty relationship stuff. If you do this, I'm not going to want to hang out with you. (In fact, maybe I'll call your boyfriend and ask him if he wants to grab a beer and watch the Yankees game?)" —Kim

Bottom line, if you're in a relationship or married and you don't have any specific, original advice or wisdom for your single friend—and you must use an established saying — we would prefer to hear neutral ones like, "This too shall pass" or "Take it one day at a time." They are so much more helpful and comforting — you have no idea!

Also of note: not one person I polled mentioned they were tired of hearing, "He's just not that into you." I think that's because it's not condescending. And apparently, it's not overused. So that one is still okay to say. For now.

Happy Mother's Day

I didn't take my camera, so the picture is from last year...right around this time! That's ok though, because neither mom or I have changed much. But I wanted to give a shout out to all the mom's, grandma's, aunts and awesome girlfriends who have helped shape me into the person I am today. Of course - I need all of you to stick around because I'm not done yet. I'm still percolating, and I'm not nearly as awesome as all of you.

Mom- you are my best friend and you have been for years. I love hanging out with you and just chatting like friends, but I also appreciate that you still take care of me just like a mom whenever I need it. I love you!

Also, I'd like to thank all those who gave me chocolate on Sunday. It was definitely a lucrative Mother's day in terms of chocolate. YUM!

Trip Pics - Nauvoo & Carthage

Our first tour was the Family Living Center where we were glad we started. It turned out that everything we needed to know - how cotton makes shirts, how many dips in lard wax a candle takes, how to weave and how to make a rope how to make bread - could all be found in this center.
This sister's hand is on the warming box where the bread rises. Reminds me of when Rick put his bread to raise in his steam room

In Nauvoo, the missionaries make almost all the rugs that are in the restored homes:

We made our own rope. It smelled funny, but I'd say we did a great job



Nauvoo Post office - still looks pretty much the same :-)

At the Print Shop we saw the incredibly painstaking process that building a newspaper would have been back in the 1800s

I don't think they had shoe and boot sizes to fit Forrest's foot!

At the Seventy's hall - Of course I had to test out the podium!

At the silversmith we got to see a tiny horseshoe made, as well as a "desert diamond"

This is the exact horse that John Taylor had to go back and fetch for his little boy. It was incredible to see the handmade woodwork in the chairs, fireplaces and even toys


The tinmaker even had a little rotisserie oven!


In the evenings in Nauvoo, there isn't much going on. But they do put on a musical called Rendezvous that tells a bit about the story of Nauvoo...the industrious people, the peace they searched for, and the way they had to leave "willingly, because they have to".



Saturday morning it was raining so we headed out to Carthage. It was highly recommended by everyone so we definitely wanted to see it. The sister missionary who gave us the tour was so great - she was a convert and was able to bare her testimony many times.
Outside Carthage:

The window the prophet fell from:

Door with bullet hole from bullet that killed Hyrum Smith

The last room the Prophet stayed in. I really think he knew it was his time. I can't imagine being in there with him in his last moments. The window straight ahead is the one he fell through after being shot from both the window and the door:

After coming back from Carthage, we decided to tour the sites that are owned by the Community of Christ (formerly the RLDS church). Joseph Smith's first home in Nauvoo was a simple log cabin. For 3 years he lived there - slowly adding rooms and secret getaways.


Outside the home is the final resting place of Joseph, Emma and Hyrum. Elsewhere in the Smith family cemetery are Joseph Smith Sr., Lucy Mack Smith and various children and relatives.

The Mansion House was the final home of the Prohpet. There were 22 room when Joseph lived there. It has since been cut down to save on the cost of maintenance. I believe it was one of Joseph's sons, later in his life, who wanted to preserve what he could but didn't have the money to maintain the entire hotel.


Sarah Granger Kimball was an amazing woman who always seemed to be involved and leading the saints - both in Nauvoo and later when she went to the west.

Fantastic view of the temple from Sarah's home. It's amazing how much of Nauvoo can see the temple.


Later on Saturday we were lucky that the rain sort of let up so we could take a carriage ride:

This is pretty much what Nauvoo would have looked like when each family was given their 1 acre of land to build a home and garden on. I would have stayed on the wagon!


A look at what the barge would have looked like that carried the wagons across the Mississippi River. it would have held 2 wagons and probably took a VERY long time to cross.

A last look at the temple:


I have a gazillion more photos, but you can only put so many on the blog. This was a fantastic trip and really gave us a chance to feel like we'd taken a step back in time for a bit.