The Baby Shower

It was definitely a group effort I could not have done it without my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law.  Cara did all the invitations and decorating.  Terril made the main dish Natalie made most of the food, and I provided the venue, making your house and yard "party worthy" is a job.

The cutest idea for a baby shower. It was a book shower to start a little book collection for baby girl. Up above: book marks as a party favor.


Book plates to fill out and place inside the book. "You'll love this book because..." "Love..."

Cute little mama to be...

ADORABLE baby quilt made by Terril.

Can't wait to snuggle this baby come September.

backSPLASHIN'

We have a back splash! (the more I look at that word to weirder it gets) We finally found some back splash tile that we liked and that was reasonably priced.  Perfect timing too, I was to host a baby shower at my house for my sister in law.  Nothing like a party to finish up little projects. I'm thinking that I need to host one more often!

Here it is:

A few things about it:

It is busy.
It takes on a whole different look once it is ALL up on the wall.
It once again takes on a whole new look once you grout it.
Non-sanded grout is a PAIN. Pain is an understatement.
It's going to look great in the bathrooms against the black tops only going about 4 in up.
Hopefully I can post pics of that soon... hmmm what other party can I host?
It only took 2 late nights to get it done.
I am SO happy it is done. I have the best hubby.
AND
My kitchen does NOT look like this right now. : /

Grandma Camp

Grandma Mickelsen invited all the grandkids to Grandma Camp for 3 days packed with fun!

Missing the two oldest grandkids :( Regan and Ethan.

I don't think I can begin to name all the things they did, here's a few.

Cloud Dough

Basically it's flour and baby oil...super messy and fun!

They also made color burning pinecones, spoon bugs and ice cream sandwiches. Grandma taught them a little sewing too and they all made a drawstring bag.

Aunt Andrea flooded her yard and the kids played in the water for hours! I had to take Hudson home because he was running a fever and not feeling too great.

Maggie came and showed them how to paint and brought a few other cool things like these magic airplanes and racing bears. Thank You Maggie!!!

Hot Rocks! Just like the name sounds hot rocks colored with crayons...watch the wax melt. A great way to use up your crayon pieces. 

Hudson's rock is red...his FAVORITE color!

We also made slime/gak but my hands were covered in slime so...no pics.

I was not there as much as I thought as I was going to be (sorry mom) With Hudson feeling under the weather, then I had a dentist appointment, and I couldn't miss my pilates class...heaven forbid. I missed out on a lot of fun and excitement.  I heard they also had fun with glow sticks, stories bubbles and lots of good food.  Mom brought out trays and trays of snacks for the kids. My kids' favorite meal was breakfast the last morning.  Sausage on a stick dipped in pancake batter and fried, the breakfast version of a corn dog.  mmmm sorry I missed it! Thanks mom for all your hard work and for providing memories that will not soon be forgotten. ♥

The Fourth

I absolutely love the Rupert Foruth of July festivities, they start on June 30 (our Anniversary) with a breakfast in the morning and fireworks that evening. Then you can usually find us at the square every night before the fourth enjoying all of the food booths and entertainment.  It is a busy busy week for us because Nate is involved in the Kiwanis club and is usually helping with their food booth in one way or another.

Here we are at the parade:

Two cuties eating snacks.

Brody, Joslyn, Hudson and Jake watching the parade.

Braiden was on the Pioneer Equipment float:

"Hi!"

Nate's brother Cob pulling a handcart for the Rupert West Stake. Kiley and Hailey dressed up as little pioneer children.

After the parade we went to my mom and dad's for a picnic.  I saw this cute jello on Our Best Bites and decided to try it out.  It turned out so cute and patriotic, a tad time consuming but cute still the same.

After mom and dad's Nate's aunt Louanne had a picnic at her house.  They planned all these fun carnival games and crafts for the kids.  They had a blast!

Ashley and Joslyn went from innocently playing with the ducks.

To getting all in, fully clothed, up to their necks.

Diving out.  Silly girls!

Grandpa Kurt doing the Mento's & Diet Coke fountain.

Cute little hula girl!

After that we ran home changed clothes and were off once again to watch fireworks! What a fun, fun day & week!

That's The Game

Baseball season has come to an end for this year. We had fun! Hudson loved his games and they were so fun to watch.  He loved wearing his team shirt, I practically had to sneak it into the washing machine.  It was fun for him to finally be able to do something instead of just sitting on the side lines.

Go Hudson Go!!

Here's Brody..

He will be graduating from T-ball to machine pitch next year. Braiden will be graduating from machine pitch to live pitch next year!

Sawtooth Relay 2012

June 8-9

This day creeped up on me a little too quick this year, I didn't feel prepared.  But I packed my bags anyway with lots and lots of clothes...rain and snow in the forecast. :(  The Housewives arrived with their gear and we all piled in the car, away we went, destination Stanley, Idaho. 

We got to our hotel room and enjoyed a delicious carb-heavy meal. :) After a leisurely stroll and some chatting it was off to bed, alarms set for 4:30 a.m. Start time for the race this year was 5:45 check in at 5:30.  A much more respectable time than last years 1:00 a.m. start.

Here we are at the starting line: Julie, our lovely volunteer, Amber, Heather, Jacque, Renee, Brittani, and myself...The Housewives of Heyburn! Renee is geared up to run the first leg.

 It was super foggy when Renee started, you can see in the pic that the fog is starting to lift, no rain or snow yet. Renee coming in, Amber getting ready to start leg two.  That means, I'm next!!! I ran leg 3 and 9 same as last year. When I started running my first leg there was just a nice little confetti snow coming down...totally bearable, but it didn't take long for that to change.  When I started there was no snow on the ground when I finished there was at least a half an inch!! There was one time during my run that I wished I had my camera, I was crossing 4th of July Creek (which, at the time was more riverish and less creekish) The view was breathtaking! Everything was white, including myself, and you've never seen bigger flakes falling from the sky.  Despite the lovely weather conditions I beat my time from last year!!! Wahooo!!!! I was so excited. Once I melted off I was positively soaked to the bone, but luckily not really that cold. Good thing for a complete change of clothes.

Just to give you an idea.....

This is Brit running up Galena Summit.

The pics are few and far between this year, because frankly no one felt like getting out of the car.

My second leg went so much better than my first which was quite the opposite from last year. The flakes weren't quite so huge and wet and they were coming at my back instead of right in my face. One great thing about running the same legs is you know what to expect. I knew this year that the exchange is very illusive, and is hiding in a little dip in the road.  I knew not to be discouraged when I had been running for miles and all I could see in front of me was a   l o n g stretch of road and no exchange in sight, I knew this year that it was just over the hill. :) I hereby claim legs 3 and 9 forever!

Here we are crossing the finish line YAY!

Another awesome note, our team beat our last years cumulative time by 30 min!! GO H.O.H.!!!

This is Atkinson Park in Ketchum after we crossed the finish line. Seam rising up from the ground, funky and beautiful!

We drug our sore bodies to the car and high tailed it home to our kiddies our  hubbies and a nice hot bath.


AAAAHHHH!!!

Until next year Housewives!

Well school is out, we officially have a 2nd grader and a 5th grader now, eyeyiyi! It is so nice to have a break from school, it was starting to get old. :/ We started our summer off with a bang, we picked up the kids from school on the last day and left to go camping.  We met up with some friends on the mountain and set up camp, unfortunately an uninvited guest decided to show up and ruin the party. RAIN. So when the going got tough, we got going. (really we had a temple cleaning assignment and then went to church.) Went back up after church and brought the good weather back with us because it was decent the rest of the time.

Brody and his buddy, Phoenix.

The kids rode their bikes up and down this hill the whole time we were there, when it wasn't raining anyway.

Hudson got this balance bike for Christmas it has been the best thing ever.  He is becoming quite the dare devil on it.  To him it is his motorcycle..notice the goggles. You can often find him riding around the neighborhood wearing a motorcycle helmet, goggles, gloves and boots.  It seems to give everyone a good chuckle.

What was amazing only 2 kids went flying over their handlebars, luckily no broken bones, just bumps and bruises.

I got out the pool on monday it was in the 90's

They had their fun and then the wind picked up and we packed everything inside, and then the wind picked up some more, and then some more. That evening the temp dropped 40 degrees in about an hour and we were battening down the hatches as a cold front rolled in. The next day was rainy and in the 50's, this morning my grass was frosty.  Heaven forbid we have warm temps for more than one day, we'd all melt around here.

Baseball season is here.  Baseball season is busy, busy, busy but good, good, good.  Braiden plays pitching machine on monday, wednesday. Brody plays boys t-ball and Hudson plays co-ed t-ball on tuesday, thursday. Nate and I usually have to divide and conquer the tues thurs games. It's fun and something to keep us busy.

Pitching machine is fun to watch because these little guys make some pretty good plays. Braiden is turning out to be a pretty good ball player, his skills have improved immensely!

Don't have pics of Brody and Hudson playing yet, But there is nothing cuter and more entertaining than to watch the little tikes play t-ball. One of their favorite parts of the baseball season is coming to the ball park with pockets full of change so they can frequent the snack bar!

Lets see, now lets talk books.  Just finished Crossed By: Ally Condie (Matched trilogy) it was Terrible with a capital T, I don't even want to bother with the 3rd book now.  Hate to say it. Had to make everything right in the world though, Edenbrooke by: Julianne Donaldson was fabulous, had a hard time putting it down.  19th Century England romance, it dosen't get any better.

Wish me luck, the Sawtooth Relay is on Saturday. Our start time is a much more respectable 5:45 a.m. (remember last year?) so I will be running my first leg at about 8:00 a.m. I am so so so not ready this year, but I have every intention of beating my last years times, we shall see ( I am running the same legs.) GOOOO Housewives of Heyburn!

Signing off for now, I have a ton to do before we leave in 24 hours, like making a pot of carb heavy potato soup!

Lately

~Braiden got his braces off. Yipee!

~Best Paint Job... Camo, you really can't mess it up.

~Finally, the winning car. I can't believe it's his last derby.

~The trampoline has seen it's better day, I'm taking it down today.

~Making room for permanent residents. He lost one Monday night and got two pulled last night he was a good sport.

~A good investment. We have been push-mowing this huge lawn for two years and I had had enough! This baby easily cuts the mowing time in half!!

~ We're on the count down to the last day of school.  I am SO ready, I am SO not ready... If that makes any sense.

~ I love our neighborhood, there are kids all over the place, it's a free-for-all, it's safe, I LOVE our neighborhood.

~ Any sort of loud noise is "scary!" to Joslyn, heck it doesn't even have to be loud it just has to be different. Yeah that lawn mower up there, it is "scary" too. The tub is "scary" too, because of the shower head, don't ask me! She asks "Who is dat" about everything, even if it isn't a who...cute!

~Nate took all the boys to Moab for a few days, so it was just me and sis. It. Was. HEAVENLY! Don't get me wrong, I love my boys...I think it was Heavenly for them too. No pictures to account for it though...because I wasn't there to take any. ;)