10-31-2009

Sorry this is belated, but my camera is going through a funk right now and not working properly. Thankfully a dear friend took these for me, so here they are.

If I could have, I would've taken a million pictures of Brooklyn's costume from every angle, I was so happy with the finished product, and the make-up just finished it off perfectly. The other two costumes, however, I take absolutely no credit for. Lily devised that lovely outfit up herself (no surprise there, right?) And Tyler actually switched from a rock star with cool blue hair to a rat... really, no surprise there either right? I have to give them credit for being very creative and give props to them for being so independent and confident to pull off their own costumes the night of Halloween.

If I get pictures of my Hallwoeen party for the kids, I'll post that, if not, just know it was fun! Donuts on a string, spooky stories, feeling rat brains and monkey hearts in the lab and making popcorn hands...

Pumpkins with Papa

Zoo Boo Tatoo (do I sound like Dr. Suess yet?)

Zoo Boo was impressive... so spooky that no one would pose in front of these realistic Pirates...

The iphone, Papa and tic-tac-toe with the kids... they kept cheating so they could win...:)

Brooklyn designed this and I carved it...

We were lucky enough to have Papa in town last weekend to carve a pumpkin with us!!! We did Discovery Green Park, and Zoo Boo too.

Fabric Flowers

These are my newest obsession!!! I love them on jackets, purses and especially in my girls' hair! They're so fun, you can make them to match anything or everything and they're just funky enough. This is one of the fun little things I taught the girls this summer during my sewing camp, along with the head band, which is reversible. It's totally crazy how much money I had spent on these prior to sewing them, at GAP they're about $7 each. I have a feeling this is the beginning of a long love affair with fabric flowers!

Ps. they're much cuter on, and the picture doesn't do it justice. I would've used one of my models, but thankfully, they're asleep.

Countdown to Halloween begins...

This is what happens when you are laid up in bed for a day with no responsiblities... well, I did start this 4 years ago, so it was due time! It's been so long, I had thrown away many of the pieces and had to recreate them, but it's nice to finally be able to hang it up and use it. The kids were completely thrilled when they got home from school and saw it.

I began this when Pottery Barn had one very similar, now they have one that is shaped like a house. It's an advent calendar for Halloween, each day in the pocket will be a tiny suprise for the kids. Today was spider rings... you can never have too many of those :) It isn't perfect, so don't bother to click on it and look closely... it's just for the kids and I know they don't care if all the rows line up perfectly... It'll just be a fun little way for them to get excited about Halloween. (not that they needed help, come on, what kids has to be prodded to be excited about dressing up and getting candy! :) Usually I start about now making my October dinners (the spooky food ones), we'll see when I get better what we can come up with this year. happy counting!

Extreme (well, maybe not quite) Makeover

I know what you're thinking about this. Yes, I have "done" Brooklyn's room too many times. Never to my satisfation though. There was always something a little off... or something missing. So, I finally painted and finished it up... (except for the white curtains I'll be getting from IKEA, which I will get as soon as I am fully recovered and don't have a drainage tube in my back...) I also put a pink rug in that is not on these pictures, so imagine the rug and curtains. The rest of the stuff that didn't go in her room anymore just got transfered to Lily's. Everyone is happy!

I had intentions of painting the whole room pink, but we got VOC paint, which is environmetally safe. (no smell or anything) It was unexpectedly difficult to work with and took more paint to cover up... so I only did the one wall. Which, I actually like better. It provides a nice, subtle contrast to the kakhi. I was pleased with the end result, especially the sihlouette I made. It looks just like her!!! The beautiful desk was the one Jeff pulled out of a dumpster for me, it was cream and had horrible hardware, so a few pulls and black spray paint gave the thing new life! I also mod podged over the magnetic board I made last year with a pretty black and cream pattern that is very classy. I made the black pillow too, which you can't really see from the picture, but it has six rosettes on the front it, making it very feminine. Fun and easy make over!

O M F

This most exquisite creation was so close to me, I desperately wanted to get Lily in the shot, but it was camera shy and bolted. I was especially excited because Brooklyn is going to be a peacock for Halloween, and I'm making the costume, so I got excited about the vibrant colors.

Lily liked the bird's "mohawk..."

the "perfect" pumpkin

Lily told me this was one of her favorite parts "with her friends on both sides of her." ~how sweet.

We were front and center with the exhaust piping right in front of us... I learned, the next ride we took the back seats!

rope swing and hay, like a typical princess, she wanted to be helped on and off, no jumping in the hay!

Lily and her sweet friend Crystal. and the deer.

Lily and I took a fun little day trip (can you still call it that if it only takes 15 minutes to get there?) to Old MacDonald's Farm.

We tagged along with some friends and enjoyed the beginnings of Fall weather. The weather was spectacular and the animals were tame and happy to eat as usual. For $1, you get a bag of animal feed that most of the birds and animals on the farm will eat out of your hand, including the deer. So, we embraced (me, reluctantly with a lifetime sized supply of hand sanitizer in my purse) the petting zoo.

We had a really fun time and will probably go back with the rest of the kids... or maybe the Oil Ranch... I love that place!

"Too much fun!"

Lily started preschool. Bittersweet for me.
I have been waiting/dreading this day for years. It's so sad to have my best little friend gone most of the day, for a few days a week. I hurried up and called a few friends immediately after dropping her off on the first day, to control the water works...but they still came. I'm not going to lie though, it's nice having more time to do things that aren't exciting for the kids... shopping, cleaning,shopping, sewing, shopping...just kidding, but really, it does free up some time.

It is too quiet at home for my liking, but I am happy knowing she has the best possible teachers I could pick out, they are so sweet that I want to adopt them. They love her and she loves them. The first day she told me she had "too much fun." Can't beat that! Now when I pick her up I always ask how her day was, if she had fun...etc. She always says, "Sure." In her happiest little voice, so I know she is well taken care off. So, she is off and away and learning lots of new things. She is growing and absorbing things like a sponge, I love this little blonde bundle of joy. Next year will be the really hard one...

funky white boy

This is what you missed at our ward BBQ and band performance tonight. Jeff had the crowd going wild! And my cute little Tyler rocked it!

First day of 1st grade, and 3rd grade

After a pancake, bacon and egg breakfast, we rode our bikes to school.

Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. McCone (sp?) We're so lucky Brooklyn got 2 teachers!!! YEAH!

Mrs. Waschak and Tyler. She has to be the sweetest teacher I've ever met. another YEAH!

What a beautiful girl Brooklyn is, I am so proud of her. She has been a huge helper to me all summer, getting food for everyone, playing computer games with everyone, organizing play activities.., I'll miss her this year. If you're wondering about the jacket, isn't not cool enough at all for this, but her class room is FREEZING, polar style.

Can you tell this is his "fake" smile. He has such a brilliant smile, but it has to happen naturally.

More half smiles, I think they're just ready to start the day!

We had a great first day of school (well I did at least! :) Brooklyn loves her class, her good friends Kathryn and Keira are in her class! Tyler also has some friends in his, even one from preschool at Good Shepherd. I couldn't have hand picked better teachers, they both seem so fabulous. So, basically I'm looking forward to a wonderful year and hoping for the best!

Back to school Feast and Fashion show

So, we started a new tradition tonight. The fancy feast (isn't that the name of cat food?) is a borrowed tradition that we like. (Especially since Jeff made his """Famous BBQ Chicken"""" , according to Tyler.) Wow, if they only got half that excited when I cook. Jeff cooks once a month and gets an intro like that... Anyway, the feast was all I could have hoped for, they gobbled everything up, Lily even downed the spinach salad, NICE! I think eating off the China and drinking out of goblets made them especially eager to eat!

Grandma Mouritsen painted this gorgeous watercolor and gave to me when I went up, it goes beautifully in my dining room!

Then we took Jeff's sister Katie's advice and did a BTS fashion show. At first they were reluctant, Tyler finally decided that was definitely only for girls (even after I promised girls LOVE guys who are models...) So, the girls giggled and posed for us and we loved it. I love confidence building activities. I loved watching them pick poses, Brooklyn actually had a knack for it, which I was not expecting! So, here it is. We'll have more pictures tomorrow after the occasion. It's been built up so much, I hope they have a good day!!!
FASHION SHOW!

The audience. Must've been one exciting fashion show!!! (Jeff said the flowers on Lily's dress were popping off at him. ha ha ha)

ps this is the dress I made for Lily, don't look closely, I haven't hemmed it yet.

Then we took Jeff's sister Katie's advice and did a BTS fashion show. At first they were reluctant, Tyler finally decided that was definitely only for girls (even after I promised girls LOVE guys who are models...) So, the girls giggled and posed for us and we loved it. I love confidence building activities. I loved watching them pick poses, Brooklyn actually had a knack for it, which I was not expecting!

We topped the night off with Grandma Phillip's yummy carrot cake, which sent the kids into a frenzy!!! That's when you know it's good!

Utah or Bust

1 million gorgeous flowers at Temple Square (2 picked by Lily)

Thousands of dinosaur bones at Thanksgiving Point Dino Museum

$12 the money Brooklyn found at the Davis reunion sawdust money hunt

6 delicioso gelatos - best gelato place ever in Park City (good thing Grandma knew about this place)

5 Jones Family in front of the Beautiful Christus Statue

4 brave hikers go all the way up to Wilson Arch

3/4 mile deep hole -Kennect Copper Mine

3 Park City Trolley Rides - First ever for the kids!

2 kids rock climb all the way up the Mouritsen Rock wall

1 of the most beautiful buildings on earth-Salt Lake Temple

Tree House?

A few Mouritsen's get together at Wheeler Farm for a picnic.

BYU- had to take the future cougs!

tire at Copper Mine used on the trucks that bring the dirt out - MASSIVE!

yum. Gelato. YUM.

PS ---did you know they have a Herrerasaurus???....awesome.

Boutique at Thanksgiving Point....way more fun than the Dino museum or Imax :)

In Mouritsen's house. (my cousins) They have a closet turned rock wall than spans almost 3 floors. Paradise for Tyler. He actually went all the way up, Lily almost did.

Wilson Arch