So Festive

Halloween generally is not my most favorite holiday. But the kids love it and I've been in the decorating mood. Being on a tight budget I've had to figure out ways to get festive without a lot of money. Here's what I came up with,  inspired by Martha Stewart and Family Circle.



 The spooky blocks I clumsily made last year with some peeps of mine.
A post just wouldn't be complete without a photo of Grace.
No, she's not my favorite child.




The completed tree.  I collected a branch that I trimmed from my tree out front.  Spray painted it black.  I had the jewels that I bought from the $1 store.




I sat one evening making paper pumpkins and black cats.  Pennies to make from construction paper and regular brass fasteners.



The Black Cat!




Beckham insisted I wait till he got home to help hang them.





The rod-iron silhouette idea I got from Family Circle.
I'm still looking for a crow silhouette to cut out.
Notice the spider climbing out of my candle holder?  I thought that was a clever touch.  

Sailor Take Warning

This is what the sky looked like one morning last week!!


Amazing!!!



While I was at it, I took a photo of my front porch.
This is for my Sis.



Another view.

Wow! 20 Miles!!

This past Saturday Jaren and his Scout Troop hiked 20 miles.  They went from Hobble Creek Canyon in Springville over to Rock Canyon in Provo.  They are striving for the hiking merit badge.  They have just two 10 mile hikes before they get the badge.  I have to admit that I was slightly nervous for everyone going on this adventure.  I was nervous a boy was going to fall to certain death or a leader for that matter.  To my, not so much surprise, they had plenty of energy to run down the hill and greet their parents.  The leaders on the other hand, not so much.

Can you see the hikers coming over the hill?



As I was chugging up the hill to snap this photo,
I heard Jaren say, "Here's my Mom. This is going on the blog!"
You Betcha!!


All the boys that hiked and their Scout Leaders.



All the boys running and rolling down the hill to the eager parents below.

The face of my boy!  I am so proud that he committed himself to this adventure and stuck to it!  He's a part of a group of boys that were the first to accomplish this in our Ward.  Way to go boys!  You Rock!!  


Special thanks to Chris Hansbrow, Bro. Benson, Bro. Campbell, Bro. Otterstrom, and Bro. Duke for escorting the boys on this amazing hike.  You are a wonderful influence on these boys!!!  You Rock too!!

Please, Slow Down

There isn't at any other time of the year that I wish time would slow down then in the months of September and October! How could you not when you experience perfectly glorious days like the ones captured below!! There is a slightly crisp breeze which cuts through the still warm
air. The skies are a stunning blue which is a perfect contrast to the breath taking colors on the mountains. I seriously wish that time would slow down so I could experience these kinds of days more often. It's no wonder that Fall is a superb time of year. It captures my affection for it with perfect ease!!!

Labor Day: Devil's Kitchen

Labor Day was going to be just another Holiday that slipped through my fingers. Our original plans were to pick up a bunk bed from my parents for Isabel and Annika. They have been requesting one for several years now. Then my thoughts started churning. I didn't want to waste a day together as a family on such a project. They have gone this long without bunk beds they can go another week without them.

I ran by Brent and with his approval I announced to everyone that we were going to visit Devil's Kitchen. We stumbled upon this site a few years ago during a leisure drive on the Nebo Loop. I have been wanting to take the kids back but circumstances were never right.

Until today.

My announcement didn't come with shouts of surprise and excitement like I had anticipated. All I heard were complaints, complaints, complaints. Whine, Whine, Whine. Bicker, Bicker, Bicker. I refused to give in and stuck to my guns.

The most complaints came from Isabel. First she's affraid of winding, narrow roads where the 'burb could roll down. And she was pissed we weren't setting up her bunk bed. What ev. she'll get over it, right? You tell me how she feels according to the pictures taken this day.



A view from the Nebo Loop as sseen from a speeding 'Burb.




Grace with her "Da Da".
For some reason, after Brent returned from Scout Camp, Grace has been calling him that.




The Devil's Kitchen.




The kids in front of Devil's Kitchen




One last photo.
There's always time for a photo op.



Another photo taking from the 'burb.



Love the Gray Rock formations!
So rugged and mysterious!!

Funny

Grace just walked into the kitchen stated, " I want a dam-cracker!"

What she meant to say was Graham Cracker!

Still Sweet and Unembarrassed

I just had to document this for posterity.

Early today I got a phone call from Jaren saying he needed some lunch money or else he's be eating a roll and a carton of milk. I hurried down to the school to fulfill that request. I explained to the office why I was there and they called Jaren down to pick up his money. As he came into the office I noticed a slight smile on his face. After we exchanged hello's he took the check, gave me a side hug, told me he loved me and was off again!!!

At this point I guess I'm not too embarrassing to him, yet. Despite my still damp and undone hair he felt as though he could show PDA. What relief swelled through my heart. Not only that, but 2 weeks of Junior High hasn't hardened him yet. He's still my sweet Jaren.

Splash of Happy

One of my new favorite things to do on the weekend is yard selling!! I love love love love LOVE it! At the beginning of the summer I found two tiny folding chairs just Grace's size. They were only 25 cents each. I snatched them up. They were pretty ugly, but Grace still loved sitting and playing pretend with them. As I sat there looking at them I noticed they had screws in the back and on the bottom. I was hit with a brilliant idea; Paint and Recover these succors! So I did. I already had the fabric from a long ago project that I never did. I took that fabric to Walmart and matched the paint. This was the result:




How stinking chic and cute is this? And so easy and cheap to do!

Now on to my large folding chairs!!

That day has arrived!!!

Kelli was SO excited when the kids went back to school! More excited then me I think. She's been waiting for the day for the two of us and our two little girls to hang out together!! Well, that day finally arrived. On the last $2 Tuesday in August Kelli and I took the girls to Thanksgiving Point. We had a GREAT time together. I probably rushed it a little at the end, Sorry Kelli. I don't know why I do that. I need to learn to slow down and enjoy my time!


Ahhh, Thanksgiving Point again!!




Time to smell the roses!




Watch the Koi go by.




Splash in the water.




Get All wet!




Get photographed again...




And again...




And again...




And again...




And again...




And again...




And again...




And yet, again.

Thanks Kelli and Alleah, we had a splendid time!!