The Fourth of July Weekend (the condensed version)

I took over 600 pictures this weekend. Yes I did.

Went to the balloon festival.

Had our big family Fourth of July celebration. Sleepover, scavenger hunts, karaoke, early morning sourdough pancake breakfast, flag ceremony, balloon release. (Another first without my dad. It was hard. But still fun.)

A yummy barbecue at my in-laws with homemade cheesecake.

Watched the fireworks with my brother and his family.

And my house has exploded. Again.

Yesterday I went through and edited some of those pictures and put them up on my Photog Blog. The ones there are my ones that I really loved. I posted more in a facebook album (over a hundred). If you'd like to check them out and aren't my facebook buddy email me.

I'm directing you there today because I need to take care of the explosion in my home.

I hope everyone had a great weekend.

Easter Weekend

I have a feeling most of my posts are going to be photo posts over this Spring Break. So here we go...

Saturday began with getting our egg coloring mojo on....



































The swirly egg was done by using rubber cement on the egg before coloring it and then peeling it off. I loved this idea that was brought to my attention by the blog full of all types of great ideas Be Different Act Normal

Saturday night I put the girls hair up in Bunnies . I learned of this idea awhile ago from the lovely Springrose whose blog for some reason did not get put into my Google reader and I've been missing out!












I had to do McKenna's in much bigger bunnies because she likes bigger curls and I was in a hurry because Ty and I had to leave for the adult session of our Stake Conference that night.

Jillian's hair worked out really well. McKenna's was still damp and I didn't have time to put a blow dryer to it because we were heading out the door to Stake Conference. The girls slept much better in them than they do in curlers and it doesn't take nearly as long to get them in either. We'll definitely be doing this again.

Sunday morning the kids woke up to the Easter stuff in the living room. We had Stake Conference at 10:00 a.m. so they were only allowed a couple of pieces of chocolate. Here they are in all their Easter finery.

Why, you ask is Jillian so sad in this picture? Because I had threatened to take away her chocolate bunny because she wasn't cooperating for picture taking. Yes I'm a mean mother.And in this one she is laughing because George knows how to make her laugh. Which is good.It was a very nice day. We were able to visit with all the grandmas and grandpas and had a fun Easter egg hunt over at Grandma Connie and Grandpa Scott's house with all of the cousins. This is Ty's side of the family. Here's a picture of all but the two littlest cousins after the hunting was over.
It was a good weekend. Today we have a yard cleanup scheduled at my mom's house and a hot dog roast and Easter egg hunt with my side of the family. Should be fun.

Tomorrow it's supposed to start to rain and Wednesday and Thursday the bottom is supposed to drop out of the temperatures. Record cold. Thanks a lot Mother Nature. I think we have a museum trip and hopefully the dollar theater will be open for Matinees.

I'm going to try roasting a Peep over the fire tonight to see how that turns out. I'll let you know.

It is the Season of the Heart

My favorite Christmas movie is

I love the Muppet's. When I die I will seek out Jim Hensen and give him a huge hug and my warmest thanks. He was a genius and he gave the world such a gift in those soft, funny puppets. He made my growing up years so much better through Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.

So every year we enjoy watching it. I love the songs in this movie. They are so catchy and fun. I just love this movie. I also love YouTube because they have little clips of the Muppet's and many other wonderful things.

I've been lacking in the Christmas Spirit this year. I know much of it comes from dad passing on. So in an effort to bring that Spirit into my heart I think I'll search out some of this movie and post it here. If it doesn't help me find it, maybe it will help someone else.

Here's It Feels Like Christmas. The lyrics are posted beneath the video. I've bolded my favorite lines.

It's in the singing of a street corner choir
It's going home and getting warm by the fire
It's true
Wherever you find love
It feels like Christmas
A cup of kindness that we share with another
A sweet reunion with a friend or a brother
In all the places you find love
It feels like Christmas
It is the season of the heart
A special time of caring
The ways of love made clear
It is the season of the spirit
The message if we hear it Is make it last all year
It's in the giving of a gift to another
A pair of mittens that were made by your mother
It's all the ways that we show love
That feel like Christmas
A part of childhood we'll always remember
It is the summer of the soul in December
Yes, when you do your best for love
It feels like Christmas
It is the season of the heart
A special time of caring
The ways of love made clear
It is the season of the spirit
The message if we hear it
Is make it last all year
It's in the singing of a street corner choir
It's going home and getting warm by the fire
It's true, wherever you find love
It feels like Christmas
It's true, wherever you find love
It feels like Christmas!
It feels like Christmas!
It feels like Christmas!
It feels like Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving

I am so very thankful for my many, many blessings. May you and yours have a happy Thanksgiving filled with good food, warmth and love. May you be surrounded by those you love and adore. I know that I will be.

I'm off to get my turkey in the oven and my rolls out of the freezer, (yes the freezer. I'm not from the Norman Rockwell era) so that even though dinner isn't at our house I can enjoy what I love most about Thanksgiving. The leftovers.

Ob-la-di Ob-la-da

Life goes on. This past Monday or Tuesday, I don't remember which, I realized that the coming Friday would be Halloween. How was I going to deal with that? Right after Dad's funeral?

I knew that I would have to some how. It's what dad would want.

The kids have been pestering me to carve pumpkins. The ones we grew were very small and would be very hard to carve. So yesterday with the company of j and my younger brother, Ben, we headed out to Wally World to get some Halloween candy for mom and some pumpkins for our family and a black cat costume for j.

The pumpkins were only $2 a piece! I bet they are down to $1 today and they still had nice ones left. Last night after dinner we gutted the pumpkins. Well j and I did. M and G tried to help but got too grossed out and J wanted nothing to do with that part of the fun.

I love those pumpkin carving kits that you can buy now. Back in my day we carved old school with paring knifes and steak knives. Now they have those great little saws and patterns. We bought one probably four or five years ago and are still using the same one this year. Next year I'll probably break down and buy a new one.

Here are the pictures of our fun filled night. We only did two pumpkins. The kids took turns carving and I think that they did a great job. I only helped j a little bit, she did most of her parts herself.

*warning* If pumpkin guts make you squeamish you may want to skip the first three photos or scroll by them really fast.

Happy Halloween!!

Thanksgiving

100 things I am grateful for
(in no particular order. I tried to put them in order but just couldn't do it.)

1. My Saviour
2. My husband
3. My children
4. My religion
5. My family
6. Sunshine
7. Rain
8. Laughter
9. Tears
10. Good Books
11. Friends
12. My Home
13. Food
14. That my husband has a good job
15. Warm clothes
16. Indoor plumbing
    
17. The stars
18. The moon
19. Automobiles
20. The Mountains
21. Grass
22. Flowers
23. Grandparents
24. Great in-laws
25. My health
26. The love of my husband
27. The support of my family
28. Amazing parents
29. Education
30. Animals
31. Pioneers
32. Prophets
33. A Washer
34. A Dryer
35. Baby smiles
36. Smiles in general
37. Shoulders to cry on
38. Ears that listen
39. Airplanes
40. The internet
41. Cameras
42. Photos
43. Scrapbooking
44. Good Music
45. Hands to hold
46. Goodnight kisses
47. Trees
48. Lemonade
49. Ice Water
50. Electricity
51. Fire
52. Carpet
53. A bed to sleep in
54. The colors
55. The colors of the seasons
    
56. The first snowfall
57. Crocuses
58. Thunderstorms
59. Eyes to see
60. Ears to hear
61. Talents
62. Diversity
63. No Iron shirts
64. Memories
65. Paint
66. Teachers
67. Leaders
68. Our Military
69. Ice Skating
70. Clouds
71. Fences
72. Computers
73. Toilet paper
74. Diapers
75. Wipes
76. Strength
77. Saftey
78. Peace
79. Gardens
80. People who are willing to make tough decisions
81. Dreams
82. Television
83. Doctors
84. Dentists
85. Health insurance
86. Hospitals
87. Firefighters
88. Libraries
89. Good Writers
90. Good Neighbors
91. Good Schools
92. Lawn mowers
93. Vegetables
94. Fruit
95. Farmers
96. Sleep
97. Medicines
98. Shoes
99. Coats
100. Clean Air