My Yard is Seasonally Challenged

It is Spring and my yard is beginning to bloom all over.

I can't wait for this corner to be in full bloom

It will soon look as pretty as this corner

And I was so excited last Spring to discover this growing in my yard

I had never seen a bleeding heart bush until my mission and I fell in love with them.

Mark does not love them.  He has been known to chop them off and dig them up

But I had saved a few in our last place and I was sad to see them go.

It was a happy day to discover them growing in my new yard.

But what has confused my yard this morning is what was found in the front!

Why would a scarecrow and two Christmas Trees be in the yard in the Spring???

The Scarecrow answer the question for us with his nice note that was tucked in his pocket

It says . . . 

Dear Mark-

I hope you're happy with my new home, I know I sure am!  I've been waiting for someone to notice me for all these months and I can't tell you how pleased I am to know that it was you.  To be honest I've had my eye on you for awhile now too!  Thank you so much for caring enough about me to want a better place for me to live -- that closet was getting really boring.

I know we will be very happy together! 

-- Scarecrow

P.S. I hope you don't mind that I brought my tree friends.  I just can't imagine life without them!

If the real owners (not the kind neighbor who delivered them to our yard) would like them back, please let us know.  We will be happy to return them.  But I can understand why Mr. Scarecrow was tired of the coat closet in the church.

Las Vegas, Part II

The Las Vegas trip continues to be a great trip!

I don't think this pictures needs an explanation

Let's just say my favorite stores did not disappoint, and I did not disappoint them!

This is what happens when you only shop for yourself once a year.

It is great having a daughter old enough to babysit so I could do some serious shopping

I love this picture!  My mom looks tired.  Brent and Jessica are excited.  And John is moving so fast it can't catch him.  That is pretty much his speed all the time until he lays down long enough to fall asleep.

We were waiting for this to start

My very talented Sister in Law, Kyleen, playing Mary Magdalen in Savior of the World at the Henderson Amphitheater.  You would never know in her big solo that her microphone was not working and she was trying to belt it out.  We were glad they got it working for her next song.  It was an amazing show.  The spirit was so strong.  And it was so beautiful to be reminded of our Saviors birth and resurrection so close to Easter.  If you are in the Vegas area in the next week, be sure and go see it!

Here is proof that I was actually there!

Saturday morning brought brunch at Egg Works .  A little place that was recommended by Food Network.  They did not disappoint.  I loved my Key Largo Crepe.  But Ashley's breakfast was the funnest.

We then spent a few hours with our cute niece, Hailey, at the Cinderella Pageant Open Auditions

She took home "Most Beautiful"  for the Tot division.

The kids finally got some pool time at 6pm on Saturday night.  But it was still 80 degrees and the water was warm.  Oh how I wish we could stay another couple of days and just lay be the pool.  Why do I have to be a responsible adult???

I've managed to hit several really great places to eat.  When traveling I try to eat at places I can't eat at when I'm home.  So to name a few . . .
In-N-Out Burger
Freeds Bakery (oldest bakery in Vegas)
Dunkin Donuts
Pei Wei
Cheesecake Factory
Egg Works

I would say Spring Break was a great success. Now for the long drive home. At least we won't have rain, hail, sleet and snow like we did on the way down!

Las Vegas Part 1

We left this . . . 

And we hear a heck of a lot of snow

To come meet these guys

And see this

M & M in 3D!

And play with her

 

Can you see how excited Ashley is in this pic

And my gorgeous Sister-in-Law, Kris, is hosting us

And squeezing some fun in on her lunch break.

And keeping John safe on The Strip

And then we did this with a different Sister in Law, Kyleen.

And there isn't more joy than this from my niece Hailey

Somehow these two dressed alike this morning even though we aren't staying with her

And the anticipation of a ride

The brave 3 year old rode this, even though her big 5 year old cousin, John, would not

And this face thought he could sweet talk me into spending more money on carnival games

But this was the reality

And she is hoping this will give her some road experience

And I didn't hear a peep from them once I turned out the lights tonight.

The Naughty Spot

I think the trip to Vegas will be much quieter if we threaten them with this as the time out spot.

But there will be less wind resistance like this.

She looks like it was made just for her.

And he would have way too much fun riding like this.

Easter 2009

Happy Easter!  Easter is a great way to celebrate Spring.  Mark's family once again did their AmaZing Easter party on Saturday.  My assignment is always Deviled Eggs.  It started because I had tools that made it easy to make them.  Now it is just out of control.  I think I boiled, peeled and assembled 5 dozen eggs.

But the Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorate makes filling the eggs a piece of cake.  This was tray 1 of 3 trays.

The weather did not cooperate very well.  This is the site that greeted us upon arrival in Santaquin.

Rain and egg hunts don't go well together.  But since there are about 1000 eggs hidden in the yard it isn't too hard to find some.  How many eggs can you find in this picture?

It is a great time to get together with family.

Siblings together . . . Kris, Mark and Carole  really they were probably stealing olives or deviled eggs out of the kitchen and got caught!

Paige and Cory made their way down from Wyoming.  They know if you want to be in the Will you had better show up for this event.

More sisterly love . . . Melanie, Carole  and Kris with Kittels

And if WW III were to occur during this event I think we would have enough food for the masses.

Let the hunt begin . . . Don't get in the way of the kids . . .

John is officially the youngest grandchild, but they have recruited neighbors and long lost relatives to attend this event so there will be lots of small children.

But it is not just about the hunt.  Then there are the prizes afterwards.  And everyone must get at least 3 prizes a piece.

The BiG SCORE!






















We even ended up with the Grand Prize!

The happy family after the HUNT!

My Worlds Keep Colliding

It's a Small World after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small small world. I know you all hate me now because you are singing the song, sorry. But it is just crazy how our lives criss cross and connect. A couple of situations lately have shown me this.

The Friday before General Conference there was a Mission Reunion for the Massachusetts Boston Mission. We haven't had a reunion for years.  I've been home for 18 years (yikes I hate admitting that)  I considered not going because I didn't feel good and I was worried I would not know anyone. But then one of the sisters commented on Facebook she was going so we went. This sister and I were never companions, but we knew each other. As we were talking she commented that we must live close to her parents. The more we talked I instantly knew who she was related to. Her parents live two doors down from us and she looks and acts just as sweet as her mom.

What a fun surprise to know I knew her long before I ever thought of buying a house just doors away from her parents.  I would have never put two and two together if we hadn't seen each other in person and talked.

Then this past week we had a viewing to attend.  I knew the man, Jason, who had passed away when he was a teenager and his parents and my family were in the same LDS Church Ward.  But I attended the viewing because I'm now good friends with his sister, Lori. But at the viewing were people I knew as a teenager, relatives of mine who are in the same ward as Jason's Mom, our old Bishop from the ward we attended with Lori for the last 13 years and other friends from that same ward.  It was a crazy combination of people we have known over the years.

And then there is the whole Facebook connections you find out about.

It is true, we are just one big happy family connected in one way or another.

John's Valentine Video

Can you tell this is catch up Blog afternoon.  For those who are not viewing this in a reader, be sure and scroll down because I post dated several posts.

Thanks to my friends at the Dentist office (thanks Melissa) I figured out the best way to get video on the blog is to put it on YouTube first.  And yes, I visit the Dentist Office WAY too much and know the girls WAY too well.  But who else could have told me about the best kept secret (Sonic VIP button to make Route 44 drinks always 99 cents!)

So without further ado, here is the video of John on Valentine's Day.  Keep a close eye on those lips!