Practically Perfect!

This morning when we woke up the tulips William planted last Fall had finally really bloomed! The beginning of a practically perfect day!

Finally Spring has come to Utah and we have spent most of it outside. I took these monkeys to the park. I had to keep reminding myself to savor it all, how much longer will all three still want to hang with me at the park?

I had a horrible realization of how old my baby has gotten as he spent most of the time on the perilous merry-go-round with his brother and sister. Last year he wouldn't go near it and I was happy with that.

He can make this thing work this year without hurting himself.

Not quite as well as his brother can though.

Which gave me plenty of time to lay on a blanket and crochet these. After lunch outside on a blanket it was time for Matthew's soccer game where he scored his first goal. It was so nice to actually be warm at a game!

Came home to find my man planting not just one but TWO new magnolia trees in the back yard.
Now I am off to get the babysitter so William and I can go out to dinner and look at more plants for the yard. It has be such a lovely day, very little of the usual sibling bickering that usually takes place around here. Must be the sun exposure.

We are getting our first new neighbors, probably next week (don't get me started on the color of that stucco-flesh comes to mind). Josh and I were talking about how the new people would be coming next week on our way home from a walk. He says, "So is Jesus making the people now?" Someone has been listening at church. He has got the part from the lesson where we learn that Heavenly Father and Jesus created us all-it is the size he hasn't quite gotten down!

Since this seems to be a Josh post I have to add this comment he made this afternoon after stubbing his toe, "Mom my toe is crying!" Love that kid!

T-Shirt Makeover

I found Brittany this great skirt for Easter but we didn't have a top. So we gave a cheap top a makeover and I think she ended up really cute.
I took a cheap ($3.50 from Wal-mart) t-shirt. This is the next one that we are going to work on.

Then I made some rolled fabric flowers from a black and white fabric I had. There tutorials for these all over the Internet. Then I just tacked them in place with a few stitches. My friend Circe said she accidentally washed a flower like this that I had made into a pin so I think they be okay in the wash as long as I line dry. That was it! So easy!

Crafty Kids

Over Spring Break my nieces wanted to have an "Art Day" as they call it. So they came up to spend the day and pulled out all of the craft supplies again. Look at all of that creativity flowing!

Matthew's giant watercolor of a really cool car.

Libby got all inspired by my friend Tiffany's creations and since her very favorite subject would be brides and grooms she made these little cuties.

Here is there close up, cute aren't they?

Abby made a fairy wand, a butterfly and a doll. She is also modeling one of Brittany's hats topped off with a cute flower she made with some friends. Busy busy girl!

Brittany worked really hard on these amazing fairies. Their skirts are coffee filters. Gorgeous aren't they?

It was such a fun day, makes me look forward to Summer when we can do it more often!

Lessons of Spring Break

This is what the first half of Spring break has looked like at our house. Luckily the sun did come out today and we finally got to go the park, but yesterday I thought I was going to lose my mind. Somehow I had forgotten that technology is not always a blessing. My kids had been watching TV and playing the Wii a lot. The level of contention at our house was unmeasurable. I am not sure who was grumpier them or me. Finally, after listening to the three year old yell at the TV and the two "big kids" yell at each other I turned everything off. After a bit of a rant about how they were all making me crazy inspiration struck. I told them they could get out all of the craft stuff and make anything they wanted if I could go to my beloved lunch with my girlfriends.

Yes, the mess was large. But guess what? We all liked each other again. I liked them, and they liked me AND they liked each other. A miracle. Granted I know that too much technology makes us crazy, and I know that crafting seems to make all of the members of my little family happier, but I forgot. I hope I remember longer this time. (Matthew does have a show on in the back of this picture but it was after several hours and his project was done.)

Here are their creations. I had these paper mache house half finished in the basement since Christmas so I told them they could have them. I had more little animals like I gave my nieces for Easter so they all made houses for their new friends. In case you are interested the houses are 50% off at Hobby Lobby this week.
So the moral of my little story, for myself mainly, is less of things requiring electricity and more of things involving our brains. Oh, and lunch with my friends! That saves me every week!

Stocking the Shop

I finally got a few dolls in my poor neglected shop.

These two are there with some friends. I have another that item I am considering putting in the shop too.

This is what it started out looking like.

And this is how it ended up. I made these for my nieces for Easter but they were so fun I am thinking of making a couple to put in the shop.

They would come with a couple of different skirts and hair bows. What do you think?

Happy Easter!

These little cuties have gathered to wish everyone a very Happy Easter! We hope you have a wonderful day with your family making great memories and celebrating the Resurrection of Our Savior.

These cute little guys were all created by Miss Brittany and will be making an all-star appearance at Grandma's Easter egg hunt later today. Brittany has really caught the crocheting bug and she is getting really good. She made up the patterns for all of these by herself, and yes, that is a peacock in the back!

Happy Easter everyone!

Eggs Hunted and Dyed

We went to one of our favorite Easter egg hunts this morning. It seemed a little crazy when the temperature reading in the car said 36 degrees, gotta love Spring in Utah!

William "helping" Josh get to the eggs faster!

Look at the loot! Thanks so much Dopp family, for one of our favorite traditions.

Then we went home and dyed eggs. Josh was very serious about it this year. I saw this great idea for little kids dying eggs on someone's blog. Can't remember whose, but thanks it worked great for the little guy.

So the eggs are hunted and dyed, we are ready for the big day tomorrow!

Such talent!

What a talented boy! What is he doing you ask? Why "swimming" across Grandma's polished floors with the help of his beloved Kiki!

Multi-tasking

This is my daughter. Want to know how you can tell that she is mine? Check out the multi-tasking she was practising the other day in the backyard.
She is swinging, and reading how to crochet.

Crocheting and swinging. I think there was also a book on tape playing at the same time. That is my girl!

The Silhouette Family

My sister-in-law wanted me to do her kids in silhouette for her birthday. The frame I found was big enough for her whole family.
I don't know why this reminds me of Snow White and the seven dwarfs.

I was dying to try out this idea too. I took the silhouettes and photographed them on white paper, then shrunk the whole thing down and turned it into a pendant! Now I want one of my kids!

Aaaah...Alice!

We did go see Alice with our Grandma yesterday, just as planned. It was lovely! I was a little nervous-Tim Burton can be a little out there for me. But I thought Alice was just perfect, maybe the little bit of weirdness didn't bother me because the original Alice's story was a little out there itself. We did not see it in 3-D and I am glad, I think that might have made it too scary for Josh. It was so lovely to look at. Such fun to watch Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter's colorful faces. I loved how Alice kept changing size so she kept changing pretty dresses. I plan on buying it on DVD and I don't do that very often anymore so that is the highest praise I can give!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

See this woman? She is just about the most fun any kid can have in the Grandma department. She is willing to ride magic carpets with you.

Will go right into the mouth of a shark for you.

Explore animal kingdoms with you.

And meet all sorts of interesting folks with you. Yep, she is one of a kind and we are so glad she is ours! Today is her birthday and we are going to see Alice in Wonderland. More fun with one of our very favorite Grandmas!

Stitchin' Along

My internet was done for several days last week so I didn't get to post any Stitchin' Along pictures. I don't know if this is a flower or a snowflake or what.

A winter house.

A little red bird in a tree!

The Wedding Singer

I took my kids on a trip back to the eighties last night. As a child of the 80's I really enjoyed our local high school's production of The Wedding Singer. They always do such a great job. It was a little surreal sitting there with my kids watching kids that were just the age I was in the late 80's looking just the way I did then. The hair and clothes were perfect, they must have hit the local thrift stores hard. They brought back the mullet in a big way. Even the 80's wedding dresses were pretty familiar. I came home very nostalgic for my youth. I can't believe I am this woman now, I remember the adults telling me back then to enjoy things, it would go so fast. They were so right. At least I have a lovely youth to look back on and I am lucky that the people I cared about then, for the most part are still part of my life. I realized that as much as I loved my teens I really love my life more now. I have so many amazing blessings in my life and even more people to love. I do however really miss the waist I had back then. Don't miss the hair though!

Let's look past the fact that they are brother and sister and just enjoy the cuteness okay?

Happy Spring!

I had my girlfriends for lunch the other day. My very most favorite day of the week! It was a good excuse to get the chandelier ready for Spring. I love having lunch with "my girls" as they are known around here. I still can't believe we have managed to do this all winter. One of the kids asked her mom when they were going to "that women's shelter". Her mom couldn't figure out what she was talking about until she finally pieced together that she was referring to our lunch group! I have to admit to calling it that in my head now, it is so appropriate because these women save my very sanity some weeks.

My friend Tiffany brought cupcakes from Cutsie Cakes in Layton to help us celebrate St. Patrick's Day. They were amazing! If you or anyone you know needs a treat this is the place to go! They also are part gift boutique to!

Liberty of England at Target!

My girlfriends are coming for lunch tomorrow (Yippee!). But do you think I spent my morning cleaning house and getting ready like I should have? Nope. I went to Target and had such a party with Josh looking at all of the Liberty of London goods done for Target. They are so much fun!

I wish I could wear this dress I got for Brittany. Look at the matching headband!

I got this scarf for me! Three Liberty fabrics all in one!

If you want to see more you can look online here. It was fun looking all over the store for the pretty pink butterfly too, even if you aren't a fabric geek like me. Now I better clean my house!

Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

This is my new favorite soup! I only wish it looked as good as it tastes. I think that is the problem I have with trying to get my kids to eat soup, really it doesn't look so great sometimes. I loved this one so much I will probably be serving it at lunch for my girlfriends this week. So if you are one of my lunch girls, consider this a preview and let me know if anyone hates mushrooms.

1 6 oz box of Uncle Ben's Long grain and wild rice mix
1 T Olive Oil
1 C chopped red onion
1 C celery (I left this out)
1 C carrot chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 pkg mushrooms quartered(I added more because I love mushrooms)
1/4 C flour
1/4 Thyme
2 C water
2 T cooking sherry
2 C chicken broth
1 can evaporated milk
2 C chopped chicken (optional-I like it with and without the chicken)
Prepare rice according to package directions; set aside. Saute the vegetables in the olive oil for 6 minutes. Add flour and thyme, cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Add water, sherry, broth and milk. Return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in rice and chicken if desired. Cook until heated through.

A Square A Day

I don't know how many of you remember but I got all inspired last summer by Amy's Square a Day Sampler. It has been a lot of fun but still isn't finished. So when I saw she had started a new one to celebrate her 39th birthday I had to join in hopes of finally finishing mine. It has been a really great project, it has come to represent the different characters and interests in our family.

This is where I am at now.

I have added these new squares since I joined. Good progress, there might just be a chance of me finishing!

Just finished this one too.

You can join up of just look around at all the pretty samplers on the blog that Amy started just for this project. There may be periodic square postings for a little while now until I finish!