Quilt show

It has been another crazy week around here. Jon has been out of town all week, and I'm just no good without him. I needed some time away so I took my mom to my favorite quilt show.


It's called the Quilt Show in the Barn. It is on the most beautiful estate and a beautiful barn.


Sorry for the blurry pictures, I just brought the little camera and it's seen better days. I love how they had quilts displayed everywhere.

This was my favorite quilt at the show.

Me and my mommy.
It was a lovely morning and I'm feeling very inspired.

End of Summer

Brianna has continued riding this summer and loves it as much as ever. In these pictures she is ridding Buck, but she has mostly been riding a pony named blue. Ponies are notorious for being stubborn and naughty but she does a good job with him.

We've also done a lot of swimming this summer.

Goofy kid

I love these three kiddos. They make me smile and I will miss our Sunday swims.

Carnival

I know...........

It's been a while, but I have been very very busy. Last night we had our school's PTA carnival, of which I had a very big part in. I wish I had pictures to show you, but I never had a chance to even think about pictures. We had games, bounce houses, food, a boutique, bake sale, and silent auction. I helped with the planning and of most everything but my main focus was the silent auction. We assigned each class in the school a theme and then asked the kids and parents to donate things to make a gift basket. We also got some donations from businesses, this year we had over 40 baskets. We also were able to get footballs signed the BYU and U of U teams. Our carnival was hugely successful this year. I'm so proud to be part of such a great group of women who all worked so hard to do this. This was months in the planning and we all worked so hard, and it is so satisfying to know that all the hard work and stress had such a great out come. I couldn't feel my feet at the end of the night but it was all worth it. I know this sounds cheesy, but I really love being a part of the PTA. I have met some really amazing women (and men) who have become great friends, and I feel like I am doing something important.
Hopefully life will return to normal soon, althought as I look at our upcoming schedual it doesn't look like that will be happning anytime soon.

Growing up

My baby started kindergarten today!

I can't believe how old she looks.

They always hold hands when they walk next to each other. It's so sweet.

Waiting in line to go in. When she had her meeting earlier this week with her teacher she was so shy she wouldn't answer any of her question, her teacher said she was more comfortable today and talked and participated a lot. She is a little smarty pants and I know she will do great.

I actually did pretty well with her going to school this morning. I was babysitting my niece and nephew so I was pretty busy. Good thing I have plenty to keep me occupied while she is at school.

Week in review

I'm a little late with these. Bri started school last week. She looks so big and grown up.



We all walked her over the first morning. Carly doesn't start for a few more days.



We are really excited about her teacher and class this year.

Friday night we returned home from dinner to find our tree looking like this.

So Saturday we started cleaning up.

It just kept getting worse. We love our big trees and the shade they give us but I don't think we can save this one.

We tried to go swimming this weekend, but it was a bit chilly. Carly and Atty sat poolside wrapped in towels.

Brianna and Daddy were the only ones who braved the cold.

Today Carly started dance. She really likes dance and she is quite a good little dancer too.

We have another busy week ahead of us, but we are looking forward to lots of fun.

School Shopping.... Ugh!

We procrastinated going school shopping till pretty much the last possible minute. We only ended up buying a few things because I couldn't find anything that didn't reminded me of the 80's. Seriously, The clothes are so ugly. I don't want my eight year old looking like Madonna. It was a bad bad decade for fashion. Lets not repeat it.

A Grand Adventure

We really hadn't planned on taking another trip this summer, but after listening to Jon's parent's talk about their recent trip to Yellowstone we just couldn't resist. We decided to go to Grand Teton National Park, and it was so beautiful.

Our little family on the shores of Jenny lake.


The girls actually went up the day before we did with Grandma and Grandpa and had fun without us. Jon and I drove up a day later, just the two of us and we had such a nice drive in. So our first day there all together we went on a boat ride on Jackson Lake.

Grandpa and his girls by Jenny Lake.

Sisters.

We just couldn't resist driving into Yellowstone one day. We saw this guy on the way there.

It was very cold and rainy that day but Bri wanted to walk around the Old Faithful Geyser Basin anyway. Carly and Grandpa hung out in the lodge.

Lewis falls.

The famous entrance picture. We managed to get to 5 national parks this year.

We always love to have Grandpa Gail with us.

We went to a spot called Oxbow Bend and saw lots of wildlife. There were 3 beavers swimming around a coyote, and some really neat birds.

This is the top of Signal Mountain.

such a great view.

Another view from Signal Mountain. We went up here twice just so we could see the sunset.

On the way down the mountain we saw 2 cow elk and when Jon got out to take the pictures he saw this bull elk there too.

The girls had a great time playing on the lake and would as to go down every day.

Carly called this her 'boat.'

Both girls got their Jr. Ranger badges. Their 4th of the year.

We really wanted to see a moose, but didn't have any luck. We did see this guy on our way home.

We have had such a great summer and have had so much fun on our trips. We feel very lucky to have the chance to visit so many great places.

Saturday fun.

We got to go to Jon's company party on Saturday. Small amusement park. The girls have been very excited for it. The pictures are not the best, but here they are.

Mommy and Carly on the Racetrack.

Daddy and Bri on the bumper boats.

Mommy and Carly on the bumper boats.

Golfing. Carly was actually pretty good at it.

Our family self portrait.

Summer is winding down, I'm pretty sad for the girls to go back to school. I'm very nervous about my responsibilities with PTA. I really don't like being the one in charge, I'm also often reluctant to ask for help with things, two things I'm going to have to do a lot of. I've actually been having anxiety attacks about it. We are having a carnival, which I'm in charge of, I know I have good people to help me, but I'm still not sure how I'm going to pull it off.

I wish summer could last a little longer.

My new favorite thing

A month or so ago my wonderful hubby got me a new toy, an itouch. I'm a little behind the technological times and have never had an ipod before. I love it. You might think that I promptly filled it with all my favorite music, but I have discovered podcasts. My new favorite thing is to find a nice shady spot under the misters and listen to my shows and play solitaire while Bri has her ridding lesson. I'm even looking forward to dance classes to start so I will have even more time with my shows. I've been working on a big quilt order and have to tie 7 quilts.I have 4 tops done click here to see them. I was a bit worried that the tieing would be very boring, but I tied one this morning and it was quite enjoyable because I had Ira Glass to keep me company. My favorite podcasts are This American Life, an NPR show, and another called The Parent Experiment. The Parent Experiment can get a bit naughty, but it is basically two ladies and a guest who talk about being parents, it reminds me of conversations I have with my best friend, and makes me feel normal to know that every mom freaks out a little sometimes. So cyber friends, do you listen to any podcasts that I should be listening to?

The best summer ever

So remember how I complained a few weeks ago about going a little crazy, well we finally got out of the house and have been having lots of fun.

Last Friday I took the girls to Farm country. We always have so much fun there.

Of course, we have fun there, they get to ride horses. You'd think that the novelty of riding the ponies around the exercise wheel would be gone since she rides real horses all the time. But, Brianna never met a horse she didn't want to ride. Carly got to ride too.

We also went on a wagon ride.

These horses were named Bell and Holly.

Last week was a rough week. Our good friends and neighbors grown daughter died suddenly, then later in the week our other very good friends and neighbors announced that they had sold their house and were moving. I spent the better part of the week trying to help my neighbors, so Friday night we dropped the girls off at my Mom's and after attending the viewing for our neighbor's daughter we headed up the canyon and had dinner on the patio of our favorite restaurant. It was so lovely and I felt totally recharged after a good nights sleep.

The girls got to do lots of swimming with grandma and Saturday afternoon we took them to see Despicable Me. (very cute show, we all really enjoyed it)

Monday I took the girls to the float preview party for the big Pioneer Day parade this weekend.
They both got their faces painted.

Jon called me Monday afternoon and said he had tickets to the Rodeo that night. Remember my Mommy guilt over the parade? Well I also have mommy guilt about rodeos. When I was young, we always went to the rodeo, every summer, and I loved it. So I've felt huge guilt over the fact that I have the worlds most horse crazy little girl and I've never taken her to a real rodeo.

Needless to say we were very very excited to go. Sadly I didn't take a camera so I have no pictures of this even, but we had a blast. Durring the rodeo Jon asked Bri if she was having fun, she told him that this was the best summer ever. I haven't been to a Rodeo since I was a teenager and I had forgotten how much I liked them. We are hoping to get to another one soon.

Bri is still taking horse lessons, as she calls them, and is currently riding a pony named Blue. They make a good pair.

While Bri has her lesson, Carly gets to play with her little friend Willow. She is Brianna's teacher's daughter. They drive around the 'tractor' and deliver hay to the horses. Such cute little girls.

Wednesday, the girls and I convinced Grandpa Gail to go on a hike with us. We wanted to go to Lisa falls but couldn't find the trail head. Then I fell and messed up my ankle, so we called it a day.

Honestly, they are just too cute.

Thursday (today) we went to the Zoo with all our cousins. Cousins make everything funner.

Cutest bunch of kids!

Can you guess tomorrow's plans?

SLEEP! I'm exhausted!

Hope your all having a fun summer!