The Newest Tradition~ Girls Crafty Day

We have a new "tradition" in my house~

Girls Craft Day..

Once a month the girls of my family

(that live close enough~

sorry Kira :( but in May

we'll have a super duper one

for you!)

anyway we get together and get 

crafty!

We've held a few now and made

fabric banners with painted lettering.

Fun and easy!

to see more go to Lisa's site~

Stubbornly Crafty

We've made paper flowers~

Clem Bertaux taught us how to make

these cute flowers!

Clem is awesome~ she's Grams VT partner

and thinks she's a teenager. She's got more

energy than any kid I know! She's in the 

red shirt.

Sarai taught us how to make cake and

cookie pops. Sorry I don't have a picture 

of the finished product~ they were too 

good to last long :) 

We also made candy corn flowers~

Mag's and Mal had as much fun

making them as eating them :)

We used all the crafts that day and

made Valentines with them.

Don't judge my house!

We were crafting. Get your priorities straight 

people.

Our last project were aprons.

Ashley came up with an

original pattern for us

to use. She's pretty darned amazing.

Sarai made one for herself and one for each

girl. So cute and extra useful since her

fabric is vinyl so therefore wipe offable :)

She got her fabric at IKEA, I never would

have thought of shopping there!

Sophie's adorable.

And her apron is too!

Here's Lisa.

Cutie patootie.

Here's the finished products.

So much fun!

(wish I were as photogenic as these

girls are :( oh well, I have sweet spirit.)

The fabric I used was Eddie's Grandmas.

I got a stash of her fabric and love the vintage

look. On the selvage edge was the year

(that's why the close up picture)

It says 1961. I really love that about it!

Don't know if I'll wear it a lot or just display it,

either way they were quick and fun to make!

Can't wait for next month. Not sure

what we're making, but I don't even care;

just so fun to be together.

Guess I better show that Sierra

is usually with us too. She's one

of my girls too *heart heart*

A Few of My Favorites~ Today

Just a short post about a few 

of my favorite things of today.

(sorry to those that I've already 

talked your ear off about them.)

I really, really, really (ok one more)

REALLY liked this book :)

Peter and Max~ a Fable

by Bill Willingham

This is a safe read. Very few

"safer" swear words. 

Is there a safe swear word?

This book is so my style. Fantasy

wrapped up in fairytale and nursery rhyme

characters. If you're into 

"Once Upon A Time"

or action/romance/thriller

this is for you. 

LOVE IT

Ready Player One

by Ernest Cline

 I am right in the middle of this

book, but I am totally loving it.

Any one who lived through the 80's

or has a computer/gamer in their home

will enjoy it! 

Sorry to say it has harsher swearing going 

on in it~ the author must think

high schooler boys swear when

they converse with each other.

Just be warned about that. 

This story takes place in 2044

and involves mystery/romance/action

and all the 80's trivia you can handle.

love it so far. (heard this is in the

process of being made a movie.

hope they don't mess it up)

Hello, my name is Wendy.

I am a Pinterest addict.

Well not really.

 But I do love the darn place!

Every recipe I've tried ~so far~

has turned out to be delish!

And I love to see how many people repin

the things that I think are cool :)

so far I've had 73 repins on

this fried pickles recipe :)

Hahaha~ hope they are good!

I really just enjoy pinning

stuff that makes me happy or

looks interesting or delicious or

makes my life simpler.

I used to rip pages out of magazines

and store them in files. 

This is so much easier and neater!

love it too :)

 My iPad

even if it's only an iPad,

and not the iPad 2 I thought it was

(remember I have a pawn shop access)

I love it.

It goes everywhere with me.

It has saved my sanity so

many times as I've spent countless

hours in doctors offices with mom or Eddie.

And the way it's changed my scripture study

is amazing! Each of the sisters in my

RS presidency have something like them now~

you should see us sitting in front

of RS with our little tablets out~

reading the George A. Smith lesson

and finding the scripture asked for faster

than everyone else :)

And did I mention it has all

my iTunes songs on it too?

heaven.

Well that's enough for the now on

my favorites.

I could have mentioned my kids or their

spouses or my grandkids. or Eddie.

Hopefully they know~ they are

my forever favorites. xoxoxoxo

11 Random Answers All About Me

1. 
   

My dear friend Shanna at Just So spotlighted my sad little blog on her blogspot. I have been in a major blogging slump lately so I was excited to have a reason to get back into the swing of things! So here goes!

1. Soda or pop?

It was always "pop" as a kid in Utah, ( sometimes even "soda pop" like we couldn't make up our minds) but lately I'm trying to sound more refined and using "soda". I feel much more sophisticated. 

2. What would you consider your best trait?
This is a hard one. I guess my best trait would be *pause as I really try to think of one* staying away from drama. I hate it, so I usually try my very best to stay away from anything or one that brings it with them. I love smooth sailing living~ doesn't happen very often, but why add more frenzy and hysteria to life?

3. What advice would you give yourself at 13?

Hang in there, you will grow out of this goofy looking stage :) and also, junior high school (and high school) gets over and life will be so different. Friends will go away, new ones come on the scene; those who you thought were so cool and needed to be impressed will no longer matter. Don't be a fence sitter- choose a side, a battle and never look back. 

4.Romance, Action, or Mystery/Thriller?

none of the above. Fantasy baby! all the way! Just read a fabulous new book (which our library does not carry :( let's not get on that subject of our sorely lacking library) Peter and Max by Bill Willingham- all about Peter Piper and his brother Max Piper. A great good VS evil book . I LOVED it! - check it out! just not at our local library.

5.Would you rather vacation on the east coast or the west?

I would vacation on Utah lakes' coast just to get outta the house! Who cares! I love seeing new sites and eating new cuisine. Just take me away :)

6. Who is your favorite literary character?

I wish I could say some genteel character from Jane Eyre or one of those dashing English dandies :) But I would probably say Stew from "The Stand" or Scout from "To Kill A Mockingbird". I also love Peter in "The Eyes of the Dragon" . There I said it. I feel better now that it's off my back. 

7. What makes you laugh?

What make me laugh the best belly laugh with tears running down my cheeks or snorting like a pig is when Eddie starts to laugh. Oh man, that's the best. We'll both make each other laugh harder and more violently so my sides hurt when it's finally run it's course. And usually it's over some stupid thing or we are just so tired anything seems funny. :)

8. What would you buy if someone handed you 100 dollars and told you to spend it on yourself?

An iTunes gift card.  I am addicted to that little piece of plastic. I would buy me ebooks to put on my ipad or audio books to listen to while I clean and mow the lawn. Or I would buy what little there is left of the 1970's classics that I don't already enjoy. I heard one the other day and thought "I don't have that song! I need to get it!"   now I wish I had me an iTunes gift card :(

9.What songs speaks to you the most at this moment?

hahaha- sure rub in that I don't have the stupid gift card! The song that speaks to me.....? oh is my ringtone. I love that darn song and love it everytime my phone rings- Crowded House- "Don't Dream It's Over" 

10. Do you have a favorite poem or quote?

Of course I do. Had it for years and used it on my kids. "Now you know, and knowing is half the battle." Thanks to GI Joe, the 1980's cartoon GI Joe. classic

11.When was the last time you cried and why?

I'm not a real big crier. So I really can't remember. But I can tell you the last time Eddie cried was while watching the movie "Facing The Giants". I LOVE watching movies with him because he gets touched by them so easily. Love seeing a man get teary at heart tugging shows. It was also the one of the times we laughed so hard we couldn't breathe for a while. xoxoxoxxo

Thanks Shanna for getting me going again with my blog and for doing some soul searching. You're my hero. Now for my 11 bloggers to spotlight-

Sierra at Where the Green Grass Grows 

Sophie at I'm Just Sophie Ny

Chantal at Bugslife

Jessica at HARVEY'S

Kristi at Nelson Family

Kira at the life of a Bundy

Bradie at the fowlers live here

Sara at The Hunter Life

Jaymie at The Holdaway's

Max at The Maxi Taxi

Dexton at Life of a Teenager

 

Here are your 11 questions!  

1. If you could be a superhero, what would your super powers be? 

2. Hot dogs or hamburgers? 

3. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

4. In the next life, when we are all perfect :) what age would you be?

5. Tell me your favorite movie and why it is.

6. What would your dream vehicle be?

7. If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you'd do with your new found wealth?

8. If you could spend an hour with anyone (alive or dead) who would it be?

9. Where would you like to see yourself in 10 years?

10. If we had the "beam me up Scottie" technology- where on earth would you travel to?

11. If you had to change into either a dolphin or a falcon which would you become?

 RULES

*You must post the rules

*Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you; then create 11 questions for those you are tagging.

*Tag 11 people and link them in your post

*Let them know you have tagged them

Halloween 2011

I can't believe it's Halloween time ( and past )

Where did the summer go?

Thought I'd post what Halloween is like around our house~

Here we have our carved pumpkins~

They look better in the dark.

Yes, that's the John Deere logos and

Conan's logo.

Normal Jack-O-Lantern designs :)

These are the two crazies that carved the pumpkins~

a ditzy zombie

and Rex Kwan Do

We had the cutest fisherman come to visit

(his grandpa LOVED his costume~

a future fishing buddy)

and no that's not Tommy's costume, just

his everyday clothes :)

We had Belle come a calling.

What a cutie~ she loved being

all princessed up

We had Shaggy, Daphne and a 

frustrated sugared up dragon drop by.

I think Halloween is hard on us younger and 

older trick or treaters. Too much of a good 

thing you know.

I had to add this awesome group that showed 

up at our door! What dedication Bert and Ernie

showed ~ both shaved their heads for this night.

And crafty mom made their stripped shirts

with duct tape :) The Pepsi can, Tinkerbell,

and Draco Malfoy were too cute also.

Gram had to get into the spirit of the evening!

She let her facial hair grow out and came

as the bearded lady!

(Don't tell her, but I think she might be

related to Hagrid some where back in

the family line)

I stole this picture from Lisa~ 

just to show you how we answered every 

knock on the door~

running Gram in the wheelchair with

the candy to yell 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

If you missed our house on your

trick or treating rounds~

hopefully next year you'll 

come join in the fun

Mary Poppins

Disclaimer- this post has Mary Poppins spoilers in it- so if you don't want to know anything about the play- I'd leave :)

   Last night I had an unexpected treat! My dear DIL Sophie took me to see the Broadway production of Mary Poppins at the Capital Theater in Salt Lake City. I am still in shock that I got to go :)  It was fabulous! (I heard that word thrown around a lot last night  :)  But it is oh so true)

    The story line is a bit different than the traditional Disney movie Mary Poppins, and I really loved this story more. Disney produces the play so it still has all the Disney magic (if not more) than the movie, but goes into greater depth on the characters, especially George and Winifred Banks. I came away loving those two, when in the movie, I really have no feeling at all for them. In this story, the whole point is to get the Banks family closer together and have the parents be the parents, not the nannies.
    The sets were amazing- moving all over the place and opening up to reveal rooms you'd never believe were there. And the costumes were spot on to what we've come to love about Mary Poppins.  Depending on the

  scene, they were muted, drab or they could be bold and bright. The music was phenomenal! Most of my favorites were there- I will never listen to "Feed The Birds" the same again- breathtaking. And the dancing- what other words are left to express "really good"? :) because I'd use it here.

The chimney sweeps dancing to "Step In Time" was my favorite. Think of chimney sweeps in tap shoes- and a dancing AROUND the front of the stage Bert and you'll understand. (Around as in around all 4 sides of the stage opening- up one side- upside down - and down the other side. CRAZY)

    I had a hard time sleeping when I got home. All night I had the song "Just a Spoon Full of Sugar" going through my brain! I think I had visual and audio overload :) I am so glad I got to go, my only regret is that I didn't buy Sophie one of these :(

  I could just kick myself. Sorry Sophie, but thank you so much for the opportunity to go!!!!! And by the way- did I tell you it was FABULOUS?!?!?!  xoxoxoxoxxo

Strawberry Days and Reunions (finally)

I don't want to hear about it-

how I'm so slow in getting

Strawberry Days stuff posted.

I realize I'm the last one to get this done,

but I've been busy- really :)

Every year our family sits in the same

place to watch the Strawberry Days

parade ~ the one SD event I never miss.

I'm not so good anymore with the carnival

or rodeo- can you imagine dragging

Gram around those places?

SD festivities for Eddie and Wendy

amount to getting up early (or going

at midnight) to set up chairs to 

mark our spot. We sit right in front of the 

antique store on Main. Next door is the

printing shop~ look! Sophie and Tommy's

announcement was on the front window!

 I set up 3 nasty old chairs and six nice

newer green chairs- when we arrived, two

nice chairs were missing! Amazingly enough,

on the corner were two chairs just like mine

but on the back in big black sharpie marker

was written "GRANDPA'S SO-IN-SO'S CHAIR"

and "GRANDMA'S......" on the other. 

What a coincidence! 

The people who had them were too

creepy to approach, and I really couldn't

prove they were mine or theirs, so

what the heck. I hope they enjoy them chairs :)

Gracie and Andy started the day

out right with the world's biggest donuts!

Gracie admitted to me later

that she had a tummy ache :)

Livvy enjoyed from her stroller

Grammy had a blast! 

Watch for her in some of the next pictures~

she waved to everyone in the parade and

clapped and cried some.

A successful parade for her :)

We sat by the Naugles' and extended family.

Lance and Amber and their cute kids.

Chantal, Andrew and Pep ~sorry I didn't get AnDee :(

and I'm sorry I didn't get pictures of Andrew

doing some awesome ninja moves

when the Karate school kids went by.

He demo'ed how good he was.

Made me laugh pretty darn hard :D

Sierra and Stevie looking all

paradey.

Brad, Ash and Mags sitting

in anticipation

watching for the horribly

noisy fire engines

(possibly my least favorite part :)

Tommy and Sophie ~

so cute 

(notice gram in the background :)

Lisa and Josh made it! 

possibly the best picture ever taken.

Andy looking a little Nacho Libre to me.

Bank of AF handed out these

pansy masks to the kids ~

Andy managed to get everything

possible that was handed out.

Brad and Will

Mags had a fireman from the Firehouse Carwash

come all the way through the crowd to give him

this super cool fire chief hat!

and a tattoo

(which was still on his arm as

of Saturday when I watched him :)

he loved it.

It was a great day, even with the great chair

heist :) We, along with half of the city

ate at Taco Amigo and felt very

community involved :D

Last Saturday my aunt Faye had a party

to celebrate her 90th birthday.

It was pretty neat that all my mom's surviving

siblings and most of their spouses could be there.

We took tons of pictures of them 

and ate good food.

In this picture is-

back row- Uncle Lynn (NaDeans husband), mom,

Aunt NaDean, Uncle Eldon, Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Neil

Front row- Aunt Vera (who is also 90) and the 

birthday girl herself- Aunt Faye.

Happy summer you all! It feels like it's finally here!

Potpourri for 200 dollars, Alex :)

For you younger than 50ish- the title is a reference from Jeopardy 

So be prepared for a little bit of everything :D

I decided to post a few pictures that I have 

taken lately and a few that I've found on 

some dusty old slides from the early 70's.
You're in for a treat now :)

literally-

My niece Sarai has started decorating cakes-

When ever we have a get together

she volunteers to bring dessert, which is

okay by me :)

This is the Mother's Day cake she made.

Not only is it beautiful, with it's magnolia

on the top, but it was chocolate/cherry cake.

It was divine.

When Kira comes in July, we are having

a cake making play date- so book

early, it's gonna fill up fast :)

These next two pictures just make me smile.

The many faces of Mags.

I just liked them.

This past month was Prom-

So now a few of Sierra's prom pictures.

She bought this dress on line,

we just had to add the top underneath

so it was wearable. 

(Where are all the modest designers nowadays?

I realize Alyce's in the mall has some, but 

they charge over 400 bucks for them.

Someone could make a killing in this area

if they'd offer affordable, decent dresses!

I'm done now)

It took a second to get her into the thing

with all that lacing up the back!

She had to have me help her get it off 

when she came home that night. hehehe

Made me feel a bit safer sending her out in it :D

 She loved how poofy it was.

and her silvery "Tom" shoes.

Pam and Stephen took the dress to 

the tux place to get just the right color to 

match. makes me giggle- what a big

deal was made over it all :D

*sigh*

A BIG shout out to Shauna for getting this boy's

act together! thanks again! xoxoxo hugs to you. 

Get ready for some crazy

blast from the past pictures!

In March 1973- just a few months

after my brothers passed away, my

parents took me on a "let's be happy 

and function like a family again" trip to 

SoCal. It worked for me.

We went with my cousins- stayed in campgrounds

 and had a wonderful time. 

My mom was a trooper.

but her hair makes me laugh

real hard! When Sierra saw this picture

she said, "Grandma used to have eyebrows?!"

ha ha ha

You bet she did.

See me talking to my mom?

See my shirt? I LOVED that shirt. :)

I forgot I even had it until I saw these slides.

I had so much fun going through them!

In the red is my aunt Colleen Davis.

Look close at the food on the table-

who would travel with bottled goods now?

Me and my cousin Christine

in front of the St. George temple.

What a looker I was, hubba, hubba.

I was in 9th grade people. Don't forget this

when you start judging :)

 

 

  I also found pictures

 of my brother Randy from his mission

to Chihuahua Mexico.

This is him and his last comp on

a big old pile of cotton.

 Just a weird side note- these two were

killed when driving in a datsun pickup

by a cotton truck. It was a little freaky

to find pictures of them and cotton

and even a big cotton truck

in the slides. 

 

 This last slide he had labeled "Sunday 

Dude". What a corn ball! 

But I love this picture.

 

Now wasn't that fun?

It sure was for me.

Except now I have that dumb Jeopardy

song stuck in my head....