shop 'til you drop

November 10, 2011

Audrey and I went shopping today.  For Christmas!  We shopped, ate lunch, shopped, ate dinner, shopped again. Our last stop was at Tory R Us.  Ben squealed with delight and sang along with his jammin' guitar and microphone.  He couldn't take his hands off them, but finally succumbed to sleep.  Lullabye...

Sugar Cookies and Pumpkin Walk

October 20, 2011

Today was a Day Adventure with Audrey and kiddos.  Grandma and Alia started the morning out making Halloween Sugar Cookies.... pumpkins, ghosts, cats!  

Sugar Cookies

1.  cookie dough (make the night before; put in fridge)

2.  cookie cutters (frightful, delightful, Halloween shapes)

3.  rolling pin

4.  cookie pan

5.  aprons  (one for grandma; one for Alia)

6.  frosting  (white and chocolate)

7.  sprinkles (orange, brown, black, yellow, silver)

8.  happy grandchild(ren)

Pumpkin Walk

There's not too many FREE things in this world anymore.  But the Pumpkin Walk in North Logan is!  A farmer started the tradition, twenty years ago, making pumpkin scenes in hopes of delighting children of all ages.  And it has!  I took my kids the first year it started.  

Audrey, the kiddos, and I meandered along the path at North Elk Park spotting our favorite scenes.  It was a pleasant, sweater-kind of day.

  

12948... you've got to be kidding!

October 18, 2011

Audrey and I went to Salt Lake today.  We met Shaniel in Riverton.  Carson had a pre-op appointment with the Cardiologist for his heart surgery scheduled for November 2nd.  

Afterwards, we headed West toward Herriman to find a cloth diaper store Audrey located on the internet.  As we got closer, we started weaving in and out of residential single housing subdivisions.  We went through a very nice subdivision that led us to a dirt road.  "Is this for real!  We checked the address again.12948.... you've got to be kidding!"  A run down house in a dirt patch with beat up cars all around.  No business sign and no sign of a business.  We were apprehensive about going up the dirt road.  Audrey inched her way to the house and cautiously knocked on the ratty door.  I was sitting in the car with the kids, ready to make a quick get-away if needed.  A face appeared from behind a torn curtain in the window next to the door.  Soon, the door opened and a young lady, probably in her late twenties or early thirties, greeted Audrey with a huge smile on her face. She was plump, a little unkempt, but very personable.  We had found the right place!

The store was in somewhat condition as the lady that ran it.  Just a little unkempt, but pleasant.  That was a surprise.  We spent about a half hour browsing the cloth diapers and educational toys and puzzles.  The kids had a blast playing.  I bought Ben a puzzle and Alia a Ballerina Magnetic Doll Set.  One thing I learned today... don't judge a store by it's cover!

Beehive Grill

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Audrey and I went to Logan today.  I picked up some paperwork from Circle B Irrigation and we went shopping at J.C. Penny.  I got Tera and Tianna outfits for their birthday today (happy birthday girls!) We went to lunch at Beehive Grill, what used to be the DI.  It is located on main street, just a block from our old house.  It was strange to go inside and see how it had been remodeled into a restaurant.  It didn't even come close to resembling the DI.  Logan has made a lot of changes since we lived there.

Lunch was free for the kids with the purchase of our meals.  Ben got Mac and Cheese, and Alia got a burger and fries.  The homemade brew (Root beer) was absolutely delicious!  I got a teryacki chicken sandwich and Audrey got a grilled chicken sandwich.... we shared.  It was a yummy good day!

Ben is a big boy.... just chillin' in the high chair                            Alia colors on her place mat

Hoover Dam

Sunday, June 19, 2011

We went to the Hoover Dam today.  We got out of the 100 degree heat and toured the insides of the dam.  You can see the new Memorial Bridge in the background.  It was completed October 2010 and it bypasses the dam.  No more driving over the dam to get from Nevada to Arizona! 

We are standing on the Memorial Bridge, looking down at the dam, on the bottom picture.  Spectacular! 

How to get a little girl to sleep....

put her in the car seat and go for a drive!  Today was our first day back to the Summer Movies at Walkers (our favorite theater... next to ours!).  We watched a movie, went to lunch, and took a drive to Kelsey's.  This is the only way to get this little girl to take a nap.  Alia fights it, even when she is dead tired!  

Random Memories... Logan

Friday, June 3, 2011


These pictures are from yesterday.  We had so many good and lasting memories of Logan and decided to make a few stops as we made our way up to Main Street from Willow Park, all the while reminiscing about the good old days! 

Logan River.... summer days were spent in the river.  And I just found out another stunt the kids engaged in (Amie's confession).  The McEvoy kids, my kids, along with other neighbor kids, used to tie a rope underneath the bridge around the corner from our house and surf down the rapids on makeshift surfboards.  My kids ever bored?.............never!!

The Logan 14th Ward was the perfect ward to start a new life in.   Even though I was in the old part of town where many of the members had been there for years, they took the kids and I in and made us a part of them.  I was the only single mother that went to church but never felt like it.  The girls had exceptional young women leaders, and Steven had an awesome Scout leader that took him under his wing and made sure he got his projects completed.  We were blessed with many moms and dads!

See the wing of the church building on the left side?  Another confession...... Kelsey and Liz used to climb it and lay on the roof that overlooked the Logan River, do some star gazing, and dream up adventure schemes...  which they were really good at.    

This is Logan High School where Kelsey attended school.  It was only a few blocks away so the kids walked there every day.  Kelsey excelled in both academics and extra-curricular activities.  She was a favorite of all her teachers.  She did especially well in Science and was nominated to attend the National Forum on Medicine in Washington D.C. her Junior Year.  We put a plan together and raised the money for her to go, which proved to be one of the highlights of her school years in Logan.   

Willow Park Zoo

Thursday, June 2, 2011


Today was Makaela's and Brayden's last day of school.  Kelsey took the day off, and at noon we headed for Willow Park Zoo in Logan.  Kelsey always has an end of school celebration for the kids, and this is what they chose this year.  I love our adventures together, and Willow Park Zoo has always been a favorite.  


It is always been so much fun to go places with Kelsey and the kids.  They find joy in everything around them. They have such vivid imaginations and love to explore.  Every adventure is super fun and memorable.  We went to Macey's (a tradition for over 20 years now) after our day out and got an ice cream cone before heading home.     

sun-bathing turtles and a duck shows us his dunking skills

Dry Lake

Audrey and I went to Logan today. We went shopping. Stores we visited were a new Antique Shop - About Time, Down East Outfitters, and Macey's (ice cream for the ride home). The banks of the Logan River were high with swift running water. Along 10th West, the water had overflowed into farm land and were threatening homes. It was quite a spectacular site.

On the way home, I got this picture of Dry Lake in Sardine Canyon. It's not so dry right now.... I love the reflection of the snow-topped mountains in the water. Sardine Canyon and Logan reminded me of the state of Washington. It was so green and just beautiful!

ReAL Salt Lake

Steve's family took me to a ReAL's Soccer game in Sandy today. We met at the city offices and walked a couple of miles to the stadium. We stood around for another hour waiting to get in the gates. Got to our seats.... yeah! It was very hot, but we had our water. It was a long game. The band was just above us and they beat on those drums the whole entire time. Rather annoying! REAL finally scored the last two minutes of the game and that made it all worth it! (actually, it was being with the kids that made it worth it) Score 1 to 0.

Celebration!!!! There's a lot of red. Guess you know what color REAL's uniforms are.

Thunder Crashing

Audrey is my visiting teacher, along with Karla McArthur. They came to the house around 11:00 a.m. and I took Karla on a tour. By the time we were finished, it was time to eat, but we had things to do! Like boil eggs. We did, but then started thinking about Thirsty Thursday (49 cent pop at the Exxon). It was ony 8 miles away in North Odgen! Lots of places to eat, too. So, feeling lazy, we jumped in the van and decided to eat at Bellas (a Mexican Restaurant). While we were waiting for our burritos a ferocious and very loud thunder and lightning storm raced through. I got my Carbon County Spring storm! Alia is looking out at the lightning and thunder show. She said the thunder was "crashing!" We did get our Thirsty Thursday, too.

Busted

I played pat-a-cake with Ben and read stories to Alia today while I got my car inspected (Big O Tires is only two blocks away). Ben laughed his head off when I would pat his hands together. It was so dang cute. And I always love reading to Alia! Playing with the grandkids was just the thing I needed to get my mind off of my criminal past. I got busted yesterday....


my car was illegal. When Audrey and I were going to Salt Lake to meet Amie, I had a cop following me, or rather, tailgating me. He turned his lights on me and I soon found myself along the side of the road with him approaching my window. He asked "do you know why I pulled you over? I said, "was I speeding?". He said "were you?" I said "NO!" (because I knew I wasn't). He said "you're right. I pulled you over because your license plate is expired." I had no idea! I was quite embarrassed. I hadn't even paid attention and I had never received a registration notice in the mail. It was a month overdue, but the kind officer just reminded me to get it done and sent me on my way. Whooo...sigh of relief! So, first thing this morning I took care of my illegal car and my life of crime ended.

Cabin Fever

Audrey has had cabin fever lately. She's been cooped up in the house for a month with sickness in the family and was anxious to finally get out. So she, Ben, and I met Amie and Clint in Salt Lake City today to exchange important things..... I had Riley and Nicole's birthday gifts, mom's pillow, and Steve's jeep registration. And Amie gave us clothes, from her friend, for Ben. We dropped Alia off at Dee Dee's house (other Grandma) in Kaysville and met Amie and Clint at JoAnn's before an appointment they had. Notice her arm wrapped up. She just had surgery for carpel tunnel. Poor girl! Our visit was brief, but nice. It was Spring like weather outside. Nice day to escape the cabin!

Melt Down or Blow Out.... take your pick!

I went to Odgen with Audrey today and had quite an eventful day. And it didn't have anything to do with me!

First Stop: JoAnn's to get fabric for some awesome products she is making for her Etsy Shop. Alia wanted me to hold her, but my back doesn't cooperate for very long. She ended up having a major MELT DOWN when her mother told her she could either "ride in the shopping cart or walk". That did not sit well with her! She cried at the top of her lungs. I thought it would be a good idea to sit at the pattern book table with her. Bad idea! She cried even louder, "I want my mommy". Everyone was looking at me like I was kidnapping the poor little girl. I high-tailed it back to Audrey and she started crying for me. Needless to say, Alia and I went to the car while Audrey completed her shopping. It was much easier on all of us.

Second Stop: Wendy's for lunch. What started out as a frosty at the drive-through ended inside with an order of burgers, fries, and frosties off the dollar menu. A fast and easy lunch? Not a chance! Ben had a BLOW OUT and had to be fed. He smelled the place up to high heaven. It took Audrey 20 minutes to change him. I was glad no one came and sat by us. But then, again, maybe that's why no one did! Guess that was OK, because he could do anything he wanted to today.

HAPPY 4 MONTH BIRTHDAY BEN!

Third Stop: Scrapped!

Day 166 - movie day

June 15

The kids and I do summer movies at the local Theater. This year we go on Tuesday at 12:00 noon. Mom was up visiting Steven, so we had her come up for the day. After the movie, we ate lunch at Idle Isle, a historical resturant. It still has the old-fashioned soda fountain and beautiful stained wood on the tables, benches, and walls. Floral wall paper and old fashioned carpet give an authentic look and feel. It is a quanit little place and brought back many fond memories for both mom and I. I think I will be visiting much more often!

Mom is bushed from the long day's activities!

Day 159 - Ice Cream at Macey's

June 8

Makaela and Brayden spent the day with me. We went to Logan and as tradition has it.... we had to go to Macey's for ice cream.

When their mom was a youngster, I used to take her and the rest of the kids to Macey's often for a 10 cent ice cream cone. Their ice cream is soft serve; chocolate, vanilla, or twist. It's been almost 20 years since the good old days of 10 cent ice cream cones... but they're still as good as ever!

Day 150 - Willow Park Zoo

May 30

After church we went to Logan and spent the afternoon at Willow Park Zoo. Ali bear likes the birds and turtles. And she really likes mommy and daddy swinging her. Ali bear mimics her dad in swinging her leg. It was pure joy watching her explore the world of nature!

Day 106 - my favorite flower never ceases to amaze me!

apr 16

Another variation of the beautiful tulip! Kelsey, Shaniel, Audrey, Steven, and I, with their kiddies, spent the day at Thanksgiving Point enjoying the Tulip Festival. The tulips were not all out in full bloom, but you couldn't have asked for a better day for weather and togetherness.... fun!

Day 105 - Busted!

apr 15

It was a busy day today.... house, work, house! It was so warm. It was a good day to look for pesticide sprayers. Work can be quite an adventure with Dave. We were on a street in Odgen and spotted someone spraying a curbside bed.... another pesticide applicator Busted!

This bee was Busted, too! I caught him carrying pollen from one blossom to another. But that's a good thing and it was very cool!

Day 92 - Easter Eggs

apr 2

Everytime Audrey would tell Alia to roll the eggs in the coloring, she would eagerly do so! Mom was always right behind her, wiping up colored spills! We had so much fun together coloring eggs, making cupcakes, and hiding eggs for Alia to find.