Visiting Family In Utah

The girls and I got to spend a few days visiting our family in Utah. My Mom came down as well and we had a great time catching up with loved ones. I love visiting family it brings me so much joy. Part of me wishes that we all lived in the same town so we could have big Sunday dinners, but the other part knows that we all need our own wings to fly to our own place in this world.Isn't my Grandpa cute...I think so.

We visited my Grandparents home...it is looking run down these days but it is still one of my favorite places in the world for all the memories it holds.

On Sunday we went to my Aunt Robyn's ward where my mom and 2 of her sisters sang. It was beautiful...I love how siblings can harmonize. After church we ate dinner at Aunt Robyn's new house. The girls loved having Great-Grandma read them stories.

We played and sang for Grandpa.

We stayed with my Aunt Wendy and her family. She was marvelous and did crafts with my girls and filled up the pool to let them play and cool off. She also let me quilt my moms quilt on her big machine...it was awesome.This quilt has been a work in progress for way to long so I am glad to have it finished.
We helped celebrate my grandma's 80th birthday. We went to the Utah Noodle Parlor...the food in my opinion was not super but it was a place my grandparents used to go in their younger days and they loved it so my mediocre meal was worth it. Emma thought her great-grandma needed a wand for her gift so Aunt Wendy and my Mom helped the girls make one. It was a special treat to have my Mom's childhood friend Barbara join us for the birthday lunch.

My girls had fun chasing cousin Ogden around and using him as a horsey. We went with my Aunt Emilee to an activity at the church where we made necklaces out of metal washers.

We also went to Aunt Emilee's house where Emma got her very own sock monkey...her name is Daisy and she is a construction monkey. Allison has one already who is named Penelope and she is a princess. The girls loved playing with all the fun handcrafted toys and of course they loved the bunnies and dogs.

The girls got some birthday money from their Great-Grandparents and they put it to good use. Emma bought herself a scooter and Allison finally got a little sewing machine. Allison also got to go school clothes shopping with Grandma when she drove back with us to San Diego.

Countdown To Kindergarten

I can't believe that I have a child old enough for kindergarten. Allison wanted to make a chain to count down her days until kindergarten.The chain is becoming very short since she starts on Monday. We went to orientation and met her teacher and We bought her school supplies. She has even picked out which outfit she wants to wear the first day...she is ready...and I think I am ready to send her. I will miss her running around the house all day keeping me and Emma company but I am so excited for all the fun learning she will get to do.

A Book Sling

I was flipping through our latest issue of Family Fun magazine when I saw a cute idea for a book sling. Allison really likes having books up on her top bunk so I decided to make one for her. I was excited because I finally had something to use my Matryoshka doll fabric on...and I know how Allison has been eyeing this particular fabric. The sling in the magazine used iron on adhesive but I chose to sew my sling, Also they had the dowels cut to the length of their fabric but our dowels stick out on the ends...I didn't want to go cut them and I don't think it really matters:) Both girls have really enjoyed having books near their beds so I would say this project was a success.

I wanted one so...

Ben and I made one! I really needed somewhere to hang my necklaces and I thought this would be perfect.

Smurthwaite Family Reunion 2010

This year Ben and I were in charge of the Smurthwaite reunion. We decided to have it in Paradise, UT and we had such a wonderful time with our family. We can't wait to see them again. This picture is of part of the group after a fun day at the park and a Temple session
Allison just adores her cousin Carla.

The sun was working against us in this picture but I think it is still a treasure to have a picture with everyone who was there.

Ben and I referred to this reunion as SmurthFest 2010 and the first night we had a dance. We did the Bunny hop, electric slide, even the Bunny hop.

While the Smurthwaite siblings were at the Temple the kids and some of the moms played at the Logan Zoo and park.

Everyone loved decorating their hats...even the teenagers.

Hanging out at the park.

More fun at the park...we did bubbles and colored pictures.

Everyone loved making button bracelets.

The kids also had fun creating outfits for the foam people.

Ben's sister Sherri did a wonderful job planning the food. It was both yummy and messy! A handle on one of the pots fell off while I was carrying it and the baked beans went everywhere...we stopped mid-cleanup to document the mess.

We played the running game and the girls danced to Barbie Princess music.

We had a talent show...I think the most impressive was Marlise knowing all the Smurthwaite full names, birth dates, and anniversary dates.

Smurthwaite Olympics

After the Olympics they wanted to race and see who was the fastest...I believe Devin won with Adam right behind him.

We were all winners in the Olympics but the grand prize went to the yellow team. I think the red team had the best cheer and enthusiasm.

We played pool and tennis and even had a paper airplane contest. The Richmond's dominated the competition.

We headed over to Hyrum dam for some water time. It was very rocky but the kids still had fun.

The reunion was a success and we had lots of fun. I know that was way to many pictures but I loved them all and I couldn't narrow it down any further. Can't wait to see everyone for SmurthFest 2012!!

Blog Post Craziness

So I haven't blogged in awhile but I got caught up today so keep on scrolling :) There are 8 new posts.

Tea Time with Alli

While I was doing homework and Emma was taking a nap Allison was entertaining guests for a tea party. She was given this darling tea set for her birthday and has been putting it to good use. I was not invited to this sweet little tea party but Allison is always game for posing for a picture.

Emma's First Person Drawing

Usually when Emma draws it is scribble scrabble with occasional line of circle but today during church she drew her very first person. I looked over and she said "look mom its you" granted I only have 1 leg in this picture I was so excited for her accomplishment. I still remember the first person Alli drew...it was of me also, which I love.

Above is the first picture from church.

This one she drew when we got home. I can't wait to see her artistic talents develop further!

Quilting, Quilting

For some reason when I am the busiest I get the most quilting done...how does that work? I have been finalizing reunion planning and doing finals for school the past 2 weeks but I have also managed to work on 4 quilts as well. They are small baby and kids quilts but I am still impressed with myself. The quilt on the left is called a stacked coins quilt and it is for Allison. It is from 1930 prints which I love. I had tons of rectangles left over so I am working on another quilt (top right) that I will finish after the reunion. The bottom left quilt is finished except hand stitching the binding which I will do on the drive to Utah. It is for a soon to be new baby in the family.
This is Emma's quilt. I took some of her old clothes and used them in a quilt. She had this adorable yellow checked shirt with a scalloped bottom that she had outgrown but I couldn't bear to give it away so now it is forever in her quilt. Also The monkey is from her all time favorite shirt that had gotten to many stains on it. I also threw in some pieces of an old white shirt of Alli's and the bottom of some pink capri pants. I didn't really measure things on this quilt so it has some quirky lines but I love it, it's imperfections make it special and Emma loves it which is all that matters. She even uses it without the binding be completely finished.

I Turned 27!

My wonderful friends Jenn and Ruth took me out to dinner for my birthday. We went to Extraordinary Desserts and it was so yummy. Ruth remembered that Emma had broken one of my favorite tea cups so she got me a new cup...I love it. I am so blessed to have wonderful friends who are so thoughtful. Thanks Ladies for a special birthday memory, you rock!

Summertime Family Fun

We went to Sea World a couple Saturdays ago. It was a fun day, we got to see the new dolphin show and we watch our favorite cirque de la mer show as well. The girls have been doing the summer reading program through the library and they got free Padres tickets. The seats were way up high so we got our workout doing the stairs:) After a few innings we headed down to the park so the kids could play.

My girls were being cute in their matching dressed the other day so I took some pictures. I love Emma's hair in pigtails...if only she would leave them in longer than an hour.

Leavenworth

The main reason we went to Washington was for Allison's five year old trip with Grandma & Grandpa. She got to go to Leavenworth, WA. It is the cutest little Bavarian town with such yummy food. (You can read about that from my guest post over at Praiseworthy.) We stayed at the Icicle Inn which was perfect for kids. They had a goodie bucket waiting on Allison's bed filled with arcade tokens, movie tickets, disposable camera, and free rounds of mini golf plus a few extra treats. We saw Toy Story 3 in there very small theater, I think it had 6 rows.

Emma and I were on our own for lunch one day when Alli was river rafting with Grandma and Grandpa. We walked to a cute little cafe for lunch and I had to post some of her cuteness. The bottom right picture is of Emma hugging her new piggy bank. It feels like a stuffed animal so it's not breakable...hurray! Every morning she would wake up and say my "piggy is hungry". she would then go around to each of us collecting pennies for her pig.

Mini golfing was an adventure. Emma was a little to helpful at times bringing us our ball or dropping it in the hole for us. However Allison really liked mini golf once she got the hang of it. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the wonderful trip!

Caspar Babypants

My friend Cortney invited us to go swimming and go to a Caspar Babypants concert while we were visiting. We had such a fun time. If you have never heard of Caspar Babypants let me tell you they are great. My girls love their music we now own both of their CD's and listen to them daily. Here are some pictures of our day with the Teeple girls.