shameless plea

Hello friends.

I think it would be fair to deem this month family picture month. Thanks to the friends who helped coordinate outfits, & squeezing in last minute eyebrow sessions...all the important things in life.

We had the pleasure of taking family pictures out at Utah's hottest & happening beach...you know: the Great Salt Lake. It was really fun. Jen is an amazing photographer. We've been friends for awhile now (back in the sorority/fraternity days). Bug & her hubby began their friendship long before that.

Lucky for us she has started up a photography biz. And here is a sampling for your viewing pleasure:

And now my shameless plea: if you go HERE to her blog & leave a comment, we get a free print. You'll also see more of our family goodness.

And up next, I will show you the wonders she worked with the kids & the great-grandparents.

apologies to my bountiful friends

I have a confession. I am a complete novice when it comes to anything north of North Temple. I will confidently get you to where ever you need to go around the salt lake valley, even anywhere between here & Payson. Heck, I'll take you all the way to Vegas with out a worry.

But today I ventured up to Bountiful which is off my radar. Completely.

Confession: I had to google map how to get to main street in Bountiful. Please don't disown me, all the family & friends that reside there. I probably could get to your house (if I can get directions from Bug, or use trusty map quest).

A friend of mine's mother-in-law owns a very cute little shop on main street, All Tucked In. My friend called my up to tell me they were having a great sale (especially on shoes) and I was totally hooked. So after loading up my car, and picking up a friend on the way, I pulled out my google map and fortunately drove right to it.

I did utter a comment when getting a little anxious about find the ideal parking spot: "Sorry, I'm not from here." When my friend started laughing and said "but you do realize you live 20 minutes away, right?" Yep, new situations make me nervous I suppose.

After perusing the wonderful shop, and buying yummy suckers for the road, we hit the local craft store (also carefully map quested before hand) and then spontaneously hit a local thrift store. And I am drooling at the mouth at my discoveries. I have even found myself talking out loud about what "a great find that one was." More to come on that later.

Then we piled back into the car, and headed for a delicious wonder: Vito's. Also a tip from my friend. And good news my friends: I didn't need map quest to tell me how to get there. I simply figured it out on my own (with the help of my copilot). Suddenly I feel like a Bountiful native.

Who knows, you might find me there more often.

today...

today I am thrilled to be posting on the blog without a month disappearing in between my last one.

today I am admiring the job my new power tool (a paint sprayer) accomplished this weekend:

turning the green table into gray

the red tv cabinet to gray, as well as adding a little sass to the doors. (you think I would remember to shut the doors before taking the picture)

and while this was a last week project, I might as well continue the admiration: a chair gifted to me, which I repainted and reupholstered (for the new casa).

the admiration continues as I love the newly covered footstools my mom took on (including me & my demands for piping and material).

today I've kissed this sweetheart about 30 times, and probably will kiss him about 30 more before the days over.
today my house smells like carrot cupcakes. mmm. I used the new kitchen aide mixer Bug & I sprung for (finally) as a joint anniversary present to each other. I was close to getting one four years ago, but that was due to someone forgetting to get me a present (he claimed he got me a house for my birthday. lame.) So after muchos apologies he offered to "run out and get a mixer." No way. My pride is too stubborn for that business.

today I finally let her open up the watercolor paints she's been begging to use. And oh my. I think she's discovered her new favorite hobby. We went out briefly to grocery shop, and I offered to buy her a donut (her favorite treat). "no thanks mom, I want to go home and paint some more." The girl I was back in high school totally understood.

Today I am figuring the new places to hang these masterpieces up to dry.

today I am loving spending the entire day at home (grocery shopping excluded of course). Even being the person I am, loving being on the go, July was a little overwhelming with all the places to be. Thank you August for letting us enjoy the Disney Princess songs filtering through the house, painters deeply concentrating, mixers whipping up frosting, quail-watching out our back window, and little boys sucking on bottles.

july favorites

Well, friends. Another post trying to explain where and what we've been up too. July happens to be the busiest month of the year for us. (puts even frantic December to shame).
So here's a ton of pics for your enjoyment. My niece has started asking everyone after we go out what our favorite thing was we did. Well here's my favorites for July: (p.s. how is it already August?)

#1 Favorite: My little Miss A's birthday. Cannot believe its been 3 whole years. I'll spare you the rantings of a mother lamenting the loss of her children fastly growing.
For Miss A's party I decided I would pick the theme this year since forever after this she'll probably want a princess this or fairy that for a while. So given our last name, Pirate Party it was. And it was SOOO much fun to gear up for. I tell you honestly, I prepared for 2 solid months, and could've kept right on going. We had just the family & cousins again this year. So fun! Here we are, on the deck of the cabin. Thanks to my husband for being my biggest supporter/enabler. Cute Christmas card, don't you think?

Sorry I am lame and too lazy to fix this next one. Its the outside of the cabin AKA the pirate ship. We had pirate music blasting as well.

Here's a pic of the pirate crew. We went on a treasure hunt, played musical islands (aka musical chairs but using carpet squares) had a lovely lunch and of course spoiled Cap'n A with presents.

Here's Mr. B. As you can see, everyone was issued a pirate name. (I think all of my creativity was zapped after this party.)

Commodore Bug Sharkchum was our fearless leader. I can't tell you how many nights we fell asleep watching Pirates of the Caribbean so he could learn to "speak pirate." And I am telling you, it paid off because he was totally a professional. Sometimes it can be a touch frightening with how far he can take such a task.

Cousin birthday party: a tea party that Miss A tried to become like Fancy Nancy. If I wasn't totally exhausted after playing pirates, I'd get giddy and through another one soon because this was incredibly fun.

Then, for Miss A's actual birthday celebration we:

went to Red Balloon for the 1st time so she could pick something out herself (HILARIOUS to see what she picked-even pushed through my coaxing for something more shiny and practical)

For dinner: her pick was Cowboy Grub along with all the other 90 year olds in town. (Bug loves this place too. We know class around here)

After the Grub, it was off to the drive inn, which A adores. Such fun. We also enjoyed a trip to the Aquarium, and Bug with his weird phobia of fish was conquering his fear left & right. He even touched the creepy/slimy stingrays. He was so proud.

Mr. B discovering his tongue.

HAD to see the Nemo fish.

Also this summer, Bug's bro & sis-in-law have been in town, and we enjoyed being able to have playdates with them. We spent one at This Is The Place Park. Tons of fun.

Here's Mr. B: my forever happy camper.

Miss A with Grandma enjoying doing the wash together. How can I get Miss A to be this excited to do chores at home?

Cousins petting creatures. Wish we lived closer...

A highlight of the summer for me was escaping for a night with Bug to catch Katie Herzig in concert (one of my favorite artists right now). And I totally geeked out when I she was gracious enough to pose for a pic. Also we were introduced to Brandi Carlile. Amazing. And L.O.V.E.D. being at the Red Butte Amphitheater.
We are still going strong over here. I feel like I am jamming something into every nook & cranny of our time. We are going to need to hibernate this winter I am afraid...

its time for another one

This is another one of those posts where I have to convince you I am still trying to update my blog. Bug came up from being on the computer one night, and said "I tried to find out what was happening in our life, but you haven't updated the blog for a while."
Like all of you, we have been busy.

I have been really sick for a while now, and after many tests, and many doctors my pulminologist thinks he has it narrowed down. So, I find myself on several big horse pills a day and some heavy duty cough medicine at night. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

In the meantime, my sisters and I decided it was time to update the family pictures with all the cousins and with my parents as well. With 7 kids it went relatively well...


Mr. B also had his first taste of "real" food. No tears just a lot of grimaces. This pictures is also a favorite, because it shows how Bug is one of those feeders that always opens his mouth when he feeds others.

We have also been spending a ton of time at the cabin, and believe me we have all really enjoyed it. I love that its only a 20 minute drive away, but then when we spotted a moose, baby moose, and a BEAR...I keep thinking "I live 20 minutes away from a wild bear."

And then, off to girls camp. Here is the happy crew. We had a ton of fun this year. I got a "clever" idea to take prom pictures with each of the girls during a dull moment. (So sorry, but those choice pictures are on face book.) I laughed pretty hard, coughed pretty hard, and yes even cried pretty hard during testimony night.

Bug was able to come drive us up Tuesday and spend the night.

He is never afraid to make a fool of himself while around the girls. (for better or for worse...)

And then the 4th.

Here's miss A with her cousin.

We celebrated by jumping in the car nearly the same time as I returned home from camp. My dad's side of the family had a reunion at his hometown. The exotic local: Salina.

We celebrated small-town style with parades, swimming, eating at the one restaurant in town, a rodeo, BBQs and much more.

Here's the parade where we taught A to shake her stuff to get more of the free stuff.

We played those great little carnival games all day. A funny moment came when A got stuck at the top of an inflatable slide. She did not want to slide down.This picture makes me laugh, because its miss A's first race. (Her cousin is beating her by far) I was laughing so I didn't get their faces in the picture. Every kid got a quarter from the fire department.
Mr. B soaking up some rays with Grandpa's glasses.
This kid is still the happiest around.

In other exciting news, as soon as we returned home from our trips, A has been successfully using the potty this entire week. I couldn't be happier.

In fact last night when Bug was tucking A in,

she said: "Mom's happy when I use the potty."

Yep. I am.

what i've been up to

girls camp prep
serious tests on my cough
breaking ties with my asthma doctor
finishing our deck
won my first blog giveaway contest
"opening up" the cabin for the season
still working on potty training the kiddo
preping the yw for trek
father's day shopping, wrapping, and card decorating
slowly gathering items for A's birthday party coming up
reading stolen innocence. can't stop thinking about it.
discovering my new favorite nail polish for me & miss A

a little handful of what's kept me away.
I have a goal to do better. promise.

capturing spring

This afternoon I was busy putting a dinner together for somebody, when one of my little somebodies kept calling for me to join her out in the backyard.

I wish it didn't take as much coaxing on her part to get me out there. Once I did, I quickly decided we needed to document the spring fever taking over our yard. And mind you, I have absolutely nothing to do with it. It was planted before buying the house, and just all blossoms on its own. I love our backyard. Love it. Snowball bush with blossoms bigger than my fist meant A & I had a snowball fight. And then spent time cooling off under the tree canopy covered in flowers.

p.s. Miss A is pretty proud of her mad skills as a photographer (see pic of me above helping her hold the camera as she took it.)

Time spent in the backyard is worth putting up with our less-than-humongous home, if I do say so.