2011-A New Year, A New Blog

Here it is...2011.  I can't believe it is a brand new year.  I am trying to make a lot of changes in my life right now.  I am trying to Simplify and Focus my life a little better.  So in my attempt to do so, I am starting a new blog.  Seems more complicated, but in the long run it will not.  I already have two other blogs.  I will be shifting all of their content here to combine them into one.  One seems easier than two, don't you think.  I will also be attempting to catch up on the last half of 2010.  This has been my only form of journaling for a couple of years, and it is important to me that I catch up on the past.  I hope to reach a point where I am completely caught up and can just post as life happens.  It may take a little while though.  I want this blog to be a greater snapshot of my life.  Not just the family, or the crafts I make, but ALL of the things that I like to do....The Sum Of All Parts of my life.  So, here is to a new beginning, and a new year.  Wish me luck!

Pine Wood Derby...Elders Quorum Style...

Our Elder's Quorum did a Pine Wood Derby. It was so fun! The girls had never seen one before, so it was really fun for them.

We had a dinner first and then the games began.

Some of those guys really got into it. There was some trash talking going on....all in good jest I am sure!

That little red car on the far left was the overall winner. That thing was fast! I think it helps that its owner is an engineer.

We may not have had the fastest cars, but we had the coolest ones. These were the 5 we raced, Big Cheese (complete with tiny mice), pink Cadillac (which looks more like a Buick), Black Beauty, Cinderella's glass slipper, and The Blue Racer. The Big Cheese, Black Beauty, and The Blue Racer are all cars that DH made when he was a boy scout. He has kept them for all these years.

DH decided to make us some girly cars. So he made this cute little pink car. It was really fast and won a lot of races, until that little speedy red one came on the scene. It didn't stand a chance with that one.

Our little pink Cadillac won an award for the car with the most detail. We tried to add as much detail as we could....antennae, gem head lights, white walled tires, front grill. It was soooo cool!

I bet you have never seen a Pine Wood Derby car shaped like a high heel shoe! This is Cinderella's glass slipper...complete with little pink pillow. It was a hit!

She wasn't very fast, but she sure looked good. We got an award for the most original design.

It was so much fun to get to do the Pine Wood Derby. I think DH had the best time. He spent HOURS out in the garage working on the cars. I guess little boys never grow up completely!

My what big broccoli you have....

DH grew some pretty impressive broccoli in his garden this year.

It was as big as little H's head! She wouldn't eat it though.

Annual Zoo trip

We try to make it to the zoo every year. The girls love it, and so do I. It has always been a fun place for all of us to go.
DH with H and K.

A was not too happy to share her egg with her sisters. Soon they won't be able to all fit in there.

We just have to go on the train every time we go. I don't know why, because it is a pretty sad little train ride. Those mannequin people kind of creep me out.

The tigers are pretty fun to watch, especially when they are eating. They have a fun little pool for them to play in, but we have yet to see them in it.

In a lot of ways I feel like a rhino. The bottoms of my feet look just like their skin. And I kind of look like that from the back. Big back side, skinny legs...I am just missing that horn. :)

Oh it would be fun to be a monkey and swing through the trees.

These penquins were so cute. I felt bad for them though on this hot, dry summer day. They are probably just going nuts waiting for winter to come.

The girls loved little baby Zuri. She was pretty playful when we were there and we got to see the trainers doing some tricks with them.

 Zuri was definately the girls favorite animal at the zoo. We had to go look at her several times. It will be fun to see how much she has grown when we go to the zoo next year.

Happy Father's Day 2010

Yes, I am really that far behind on my blog that I am just getting to Father's Day! I think DH had a great day.

He got a new lunch bag. His old one was falling apart.

The girls made him lots of little gifts wrapped in bits of paper.

M gave him a sweet card she made at activity days.

My girls have a great dad! I am a lucky girl to have him for my husband.

Original Artwork....

 The girls made this in the sand one day. I thought it was so clever. It is made of sticks, grass, leaves, and flowers. What creative artists I have at my house.

Last big project and how our garden grows...

This was our last big cement project for our yard. We wanted a little stepping stone path from our front yard, through the orchard to the backyard.

DH is pretty much the King of Cement. He is a pro! He can whip out cement in a hurry. And he was a bit rushed for this project because I had a Relief Society picnic scheduled for our backyard. I wanted to have this pathway done before my activity.

He got it done in plenty of time, and it turned out great. We planted some creeping thyme between the blocks in the front yard.

Our yard looks nicer and nicer every year. We still have little things we want to do and plants to add, but it is looking good so far.

We got a few more strawberries this year. Next year should be great!

DH always has such a pretty garden. It is fun to get food right out of your yard. We tried broccoli years ago and it got weird worms in it. We thought we would try it again this year. It turned out so great. Little K loved all the broccoli we got to have.