Tricky Boy

We have a very tricky boy at our house. He does amazing tricks and flips! Hope your Summer is full of fun too!

The Finishing Touch

There have been so many fun things people have been creating with the free paint chips you get at the hardware store that I decided to attempt a banner to finish off Brittany's new room. This photo is horrible, but you get the idea.

I think it was the little touch the room needed!

Dressing the Pets

What do you do if you have some adorable "pets" that you wish had pajamas? You get your sister to outfit them! (Picture taken by Josh)

Happy, happy boy with a nice big sister!

Boy Artist

Matthew has been working on a masterpiece all week! First he sketched this mustang multiple times. Then he sketched it onto a canvas-he needed a really big one and promised me it would be his best work ever. Then he took about three days to slowly paint it. His patience really paid off and I think it is his best work ever. It is now hanging in his room!

Lego Land

My house has turned into Legoland without the rides this Summer. Every morning I get up to a family room floor covered in the things. But my boys let me sleep in. I go to the grocery store and come back to Legoland. But I don't have to take them with me. So I guess it is a fair trade off. I keep telling myself creativity is messy. The latest craze it to set them up on my rock fireplace as if they were mountain climbers. I am going to miss this stage at some point I know.

Skirt Ensemble for School

I have become obsessed with denim skirts this last weekend. I have made a couple of them for myself this summer using this tutorial. I love them because they are cool and look much better on me than shorts. So I decided a variation would be fun for Brittany for the new school year. After a trip to my darling Hobby Lobby we had picked out some fun fabric to add to the skirt. Instead of using one of the legs to fill in the middle front panel I used some polka dot. Then I had about 1/2 yard of the floral which I cut in half, then sewed the ends together to make a big circle. Then I folded that in half and gathered it to fit the bottom of the skirt, which really does hang evenly although it doesn't look it in the picture.

I had a little fabric and motivation left over so I decided a flower headband and matching bracelet would be fun too.

I sewed the fabric into a tube which I then threaded beads into tying a not between each bead.

I made flower with burnt edges and put a fabric knot made of the matching fabric in the middle.

The whole ensemble. Brittany says I should trim out a T-shirt in matching fabric too, but I think that might be taking things a bit far!

Bubble Boys!

We had a go with the bubble makers again this week. We firs tried this a few Summers back. That post is here with the link to the instructions. It was just as much fun as it was then. Brittany helped Josh and his friend Gage get the hang of it.

Gage got pretty good!

So did Josh. Then it turned into a whole game of restaurant, using all the dishes they could think of to make from bubbles! Kept them busy for almost an hour which is pretty good for five year olds!

The Zoo 2011

The kids and I had a great day at the zoo this week.

This is the second year we have met up with our friends the Franks. We became friends when we all lived in Syracuse, several children ago. It is so fun to get together for a good visit with my friend Jen, and to let the kids remember each other.

Josh made friends with Luke, watching rhinos.

Apparently our kids are even bigger than I thought, the same size as Apes!

I love this picture, Jen's boys Chase and Luke checking out the elephants but Josh couldn't get past the smell!

Brittany and Emme. They have been best buddies since they were two. They are getting so tall and lovely. It breaks my heart they can't see each other every day like they used to but I am grateful that they seem to be able to pick up their friendship when they do get to see each other.

Boys and trains. It doesn't get better. I loved that no one wanted to sit with the moms. This was at the end of the day and by then they all had a buddy they wanted to sit with.

Such a fun day! Until next year Franks!

Bear Lake 2011

Last week was our annual family trip to Bear Lake. We look forward to this one all year. I don't think I have mentioned lately that we got a new vehicle around Christmas. It amuses me that I love this car as much as I do. This is why, Smiles! Actual smiles in the car. For the record we were waiting for the Dad to
come out of a store, that is why Josh is not wearing a seat belt.

We stopped in Brigham City to check on the new temple. Amazing!

The first day at the beach we got busy with the sand. I have to say my family really excels at sand castle/sculpture building. We Rock! Well, Uncle Nate, William, and the kids rock. Tiff and I supervise with a little help from Mom.

The other important activity is Wave running. Even Josh was into it this year. Brittany achieved her goal of making me scream while she was driving. Visions of the future.

Brittany found this rock that sat just under the surface of the water, making it look like you were walking on water.

Everybody had to get out there with Grandpa to try it.

Abby was cold so the amazing resourceful Grandma made a warming tent out of her chair.

Most of the Grown-ups

Grandma's one request was that we bring the kids to this cool field of poppies for a picture. Glad we did!

End of the trip! The group on our way out, minus Aunt Christy who made a stop and Oma, Opa and a couple of cousins who hooked up with us too. It was such a fun trip, than thanks to Grandpa and Grandma!

The Fourth

Another fun Fourth of July is over. Somehow it became tradition to paint the kids faces while we wait for the parade to start.

The parade is always more fun if you have a grandpa to climb on.

And if he will cover your ears for you when the siren blaring firetrucks go by.

Grandma and Grandpa came over for a BBQ for dinner and then for the after-dinner entertainment we watched the tractor digging the foundation next door get loaded up and leave.

Then it was off to the park for glo-sticks and fireworks. I love the Fourth of July!

Ready for the Fourth

We are ready for the Fourth of July! I have meant to do this post and share it on some of the crafty blogs earlier so there might be an idea or two I could share but I was ambushed by birthdays. This is my mantel. I love it. My mom came and helped arrange it. She is so good. My favorite thing this year is that flag. It came from the dollar store I think, or Michaels. It was one of those on a stick. I cut the stick off. Then I cut a piece of canvas fabric the same size as the back of the frame which I hot glued to the back of the frame. then I hot glued the flag with tiny dots of hot glue. Then put it all back together in the frame. Which used to be gold before I spray painted it. I also already had the frame from a family picture making the total cost of my new favorite flag picture about $3. Oh, I do love the stars I stuck in glass coke bottles up there too.

This is the baby version I made for a friend. It was made with an x10 frame and one of those tiny flags on a stick.

I decided I needed a new patriotic wreath too.

Which spiraled into a little patriotic vignette on the porch. I know, I have problems.

Forgive the morning sun, but here is the whole thing from the front yard.

Hope you all have a marvelous Fourth of July!

The Party

To finish out this series of posts I seem to have going regarding birthdays this month I have to add one including Brittany's parties. Yep, plural. First there was one at Grandma's with the Butler family. Grandma made her this gorgeous, delicious, giant birthday cake. Grandma thinks there is no such thing as too tall when it comes to cakes. You should see her cut them.

On the actual day we had cheesecake at our house with Grandma, Grandpa and special guests Uncle Ron and Aunt Barbra who were in town briefly.

A rare event. A hug between brother and sister after receiving a great gift (DVD of the royal wedding). Lucky for me I caught it on film, it may not happen again until Christmas!

The friend party! This year I was brilliant if I do say so myself. We have Cherry Hill passes and since Brittany was only intending to invite a couple of friends I suggested we make it a big Cherry Hill day. They seemed to have a blast.

They even let the brothers tag along.

Those are my toes. Best. Birthday. Party. Ever. I read my book through most of it. How many times can you say that?

Then we stopped at Yogotogo on the way home. Which just happened to be decked out in cute balloons. I am such a good planner. It really was a great day.

Whew! No more birthdays until September!