I'm So Proud...

Okay, okay. I know. Pride is one of the seven deadly sins. So. Let's just say "I'm So Happy." "I'm So Satisfied." Or "I'm Amazed."


I have tried a new skill. It is one I have wanted to try for a long time. I free-design quilted on my sewing machine! I used a tool (screwdriver!!) to put a darning foot (which I didn't even know I owned) on my trusty Janome sewing machine and quilted crazily all over this wild Halloween table runner. I purposely used all this wild fabric so that the quilting would not be prominent. It is VERY rough and totally a practice effort. But I did it and I can only get better from here, right.

I'm pleasantly surprised with this crazy runner. I think it looks kind of eerily festive! Thanks to my good friend Jill who made me the original summery one and to Moda Bake Shoppe for the idea.

New Posts

There are four new posts today. If you want to read them all, just keep scrolling down. They are the last four posted.

She's a Nerd

It's Homecoming/Spirit Week at BCHS and today is "Nerd Day."


I think Maddie pulls it off a little too well--how about you?

Double Blessings

My friend Lara had twin daughters this summer.


Maddie with Hailey and Harmony.


Some of the ladies and young women in the ward have been helping out with the babies and Lara's three-year-old, Landon.

What a blessing it has been to be a part of that!


My friend Kimberly and I also got to sew Hailey and Harmony's blessing dresses. It was a little traumatic for us, as Lara had us cut up her gorgeous WEDDING GOWN to make the dresses. They turned out very pretty though.


Friends and ward members Savannah, Leisel, and Sophia helped a LOT with the girls this summer.

We all made sure we were in town Labor Day weekend for the blessings. Brian loves ALL babies.

We even made Jeff hold Hailey. He always looks so comfortable with the tiny ones...

We are so blessed to be part of a ward family.

She's a FRESHMAN!

Impossible! How did this happen?

My beautiful, sweet, kind "little happy-surprise baby" is in high school.

Excuse me while I go and cry a bit.

Outdoor Adventure

Talk about adventure! We attended the annual ward campout Friday night.


All started well. Dad set up a two-man tent for us and a one-man tent next to us for Maddie. (The family tent is in Mt. Pleasant...) When I went inside this SHOEBOX I should have had my first clue that it was going to be a VERY long night...

Then the High Priests cooked us some delicious food. Rick is hard at work; Carl is giving good advice.

Hafen, Carson, Grandma D. William, Aubrey, Tyler, and Eric enjoyed the food.

This tent "The Stubbs-Majal" was the envy of all attenders. It was purchased at a yard sale for $5!! It had shelves, a closet, and more shelves! So cool. And cool-looking too. Dallin was quite excited to sleep in it.

We had a very nice evening of eating, visiting, singing, campfire, and game-playing.

THEN we went to bed. And the WIND started up. No. I'm talking THE WIND!!! It seriously sounded like a FREIGHT TRAIN was going through! And it just kept on, and on, and ON! All night long!! It was one of the three nights of my life that I didn't sleep a wink. And remember, we were in a tent the size of a SHOEBOX!!


The next morning we faced some flattened tents. Luckily we had set this one up for a family that didn't end up coming.

Luckily, Aaron sent his wife and baby home, as he only ended up with an air mattress. What happened to his tent??? (Carl-advising again.)


Sadly, the Stubbs-Majal was all fluff and no substance. It ripped apart and blew down during the night and Steve, Camden, and Dallin had to sleep in their car. But in the morning they WERE able to "save the Oreos!!" inside. So all was not lost.

This is a night we will all remember forever and will definitely go down in infamy in ward history! What an adventure!

Amy's Open House

SO HAPPY TOGETHER...AUGUST 2010...BOULDER CITY CELEBRATION


(I should title this "The Rest of the Summer" since I haven't posted for so long. I'll just play catch-up again as needed...)


You may remember that Amy got married this summer up in Utah. Lamoni's friends threw them a really nice party there. Friends and ward members here wanted a party too. So we held an Open House at our friends' house. (Thank you SO MUCH, Andy and Rachelle!) It was a LOT of work, and so NOT my thing. When Allyson got married we hired someone to do the reception. This time it was a little smaller so Mom, Allyson, a few really close and good friends (thanks Michelle, Rachelle, Carol, Gertie, Willie, and Kimberly) and I did it ourselves. Whoa. Never again, thank you very much. I am NOT an entertainer! Too nerve-wracking. But actually, it turned out very well and was lots of fun. I'm glad we did it, and I'm especially glad it's over!

Jeff said our "table spread" was the prettiest he's ever seen. It's so nice to have an easy-to-please husband. We made chicken croissant sandwiches, veggie trays with Dad's special Zesty Bleu Cheese dip, cherry-cheescake brownie bites, peanut-butter fudge puddles, meatballs, crab-stuffed mushrooms, cream puffs, mini-cheesecakes, caprese ka-bobs, strawberries and dip and Sunshine Punch. I think that was all of it...Yum. Yum.

My friend Leisel took Amy and Lamoni on a photo shoot before the Open House and got some incredible pictures.

Arriving at the Open House.


Nice guns. Notice Amy's reflection in the door.

A cute black-and-white.


The "Princess Bride" shot. Yes, Leisel was lying on her back in the grass for this one...


For some reason, we all love this old Power and Water Building at the Reflections Park. This photo is called "New Life, Old Building." (Leisel gave them all names. My favorite was "I Can't Even Think of Another Name for Another Photo.")

Lanterns lined the path to the front door.

Amy's eyes and tiara.

Climbing to Rapunzel.


My creative, thrifty friend Michelle did the centerpieces and displays. It was so beautiful. AND so affordable!

The happy couple.


Allyson did the announcement, guest book with photos, and lots of cooking and support. Grandma D. was a big help too.


Leisel's photos were so good and are so much fun to have. I wish I could post everyone of them.

At the Lake Overlook.
Yes, it did cost $100 to clean the dress after the photo shoot...(But it was worth it...)

So the photo shoot and the Open House turned out successes. And boy, am I glad they're over. :)