Painted Pumpkins that will last Beyond Halloween!

One thing I hate about Halloween is having to throw away all our pumpkins that we've carved. I like to keep several of our pumpkins for Thanksgiving!!! I've found a few ways to decorate pumpkins that will take them from October all the way through November!
This cute one...they used a doille as a stencil! So cute!



I love this idea as an address marker on the porch!!! I wish I had the time and energy to do all these ideas!





For more detailed instructions on how to make these pumpkins click HERE!

Good luck and happy "no carving"!!!!

Fall is Here!!!

As a girl, I grew up in warm sunny So. Cal, so fall never made an impression on me. It wasn't until I moved to Utah my first year of college that I was able to fully appreciate the season we call Fall. I was overwhelmed by the vibrant colors and the cool crisp air. I finally learned to love fall! It really hit me this past week that "fall is here". As I drive the streets in my neighborhood I again am overwhelmed by the beauty of the fall colors I see. I don't think I will ever get used to the transformation I see in some of our trees and bushes.
This is one of my favorite bushes in my yard...the burning bush!




I especially love to see the range of colors...from yellow to orange to red!



The leaves in the back yard are changing at a bit of a slower rate...but had to take advantage of all my girls willing to let me take a pic!

To kick off the official arrival of fall...we set a fall dinner table and had homemade chicken soup and homemade rolls for dinner. A family favorite. I would of taken photos of our dinner, but it was so yummy, we didn't stop to grab the camera!

Bunco....Asian Style!

This year for bunco I decided to host an "Asian Bunco". I seem to have bunco in the fall quite often and thought this would be a different twist since I'm sick of all my fall decor!!! And I'm sure all my bunco friends are sick of my fall decor as well. Luckily I had my creative daughter Alex to help me set up!


We set the tables w/a asian fan for each person and chopsticks! Of course I couldn't find cute fans anywhere....so we spent the previous weekend making our own. You can do anything w/scrapbook paper!

Then thanks to my friend Jenn, who is the best hostess ever, I borrowed some asian lanterns and parasols to add some more decor!




Now it was time for the party to get started!!!



Time to EAT!!!! The best part of having an Asian themed party is....you get to order take-out!!!! That means for a hard working woman like me...no cooking!


The menu was....Kung Pao Chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken and Lemon Chicken. Sharon also made my favorite wonton salad!!! I can never get enough of that salad!!!



Marilyn wore her new "Bunco Bracelet"....would she get lucky tonight?

Sorry Marilyn....maybe next time!

For dessert I dipped fortune cookies in chocolate and added fall sprinkles. My plan was to make homemade fortune cookies w/some great bunco inspired fortunes...but as I mentioned before....lots of work this week, so I settled for a semi-homemade cookie. Premade cookies dipped in chocolate. These were served w/icecream and a yummy homemade Symphony Choc Bar topping (thanks Kathy). I wrapped the gifts in asian take-out boxes!!!! Every girl knows that good things come in little packages!


It's so helpful that Kate has her license....she took her sisters out to dinner!

Alex....thanks again for all your help!!! A Mom has got to love daughters!!!

Pleasant Grove Homecoming 2009

How did this happen????? It seems like yesterday that my cute little girl was having tea parties

....and now, she's all grown up!

My mom warned me this would happen. To enjoy them while they're young...why do they have to grow so fast, while I never age a day!!!! LOL!


Kate and her friends Ciera and Brooke


Kate and her date Cole....such a cute boy!

Kate had a great time at her first formal dance....and I sat home feeling kinda old...since I could vividly remember my own homecoming dance when I was 16...do I dare say the year???? Oh well, to stay young and wrinkle-free forever!!!!

Happy Birthday Tyler!!!!

Tyler turns 9!!! What??? How did that happen???? That makes for one sad Mom!!:( This year Ty's bday landed on "Labor Day", what could be more appropriate??! And better yet, no school!!! We had a whole day to celebrate!

We started Tyler's bday with breakfast at her favorite donut shop...Krispy Kreme!!

Ummmm....decisions, decisions, decisions!!!





Yummy!!! A true breakfast of champions!!!!
After donuts, it was off to the pool! This summer was the opening of the new Lindon Pool. We got season passes and had a fun time this summer enjoying the lazy river, the waterslide and the pool...but today Tyler and Alex had lots of fun on the "Flow Rider", almost as good as the real thing at Grandma B's beach!!!





I don't think we had any wipeouts this time!!! Good job boogie boarders!
After the pool, we went up the canyon for a little time spent w/the Ladd Family. Next we headed to the movies and then home for Ty's favorite "Oreo Cake" and presents!!!!

What a busy and fun day!!!! Happy Birthday Tyler!!! We love you, but one small request from your parents....please stay sweet and don't grow any more!

How to Repair Dry Cracked Heels!!!

It's Labor Day Weekend and sadly that means the "official" end of summer. Although I always welcome a three day weekend, it is always with less enthusiasm that I make plans for this holiday weekend that also kicks off our fall season. Don't get me wrong, I do love fall. Especially after growing up in So. Cal, I love the beautiful colors, the crisp cool breezes we begin to enjoy and the cool evenings accompined by chripping crickets. It just that as a "summer girl" at heart, I know that fall always seems too pass to quickly and then we are hit w/cold and snow and a day by the pool seems decades away!!!

Okay...now I'm multi-tasking. I still need to put blogging time on my scheduler so I'm make time to do it!!! I love blogging, I just run out of time!!!

So....click here to finish reading the rest of my blog!!!!

I love you all and appreciate you being patient w/my slow blogging efforts!