Time to read

Cousin Max came for a play date. After some time playing in the kiddie pool and running through the sprinkler it was time for Jane to go down for a nap. I told Jane to get me a book to read her and Max confidently yet so politely said "I know how to read" I asked him if he'd like to read Jane her nap time book. So the three of them crowded in the pink chair while Max read "Dick and Jane" it was the cutest thing ever. Max so smoothly read "Look Duck, Look, See Jane. Jane loved Max reading to her. He's such a sweetheart!

Super Sized Bathroom

The bathroom is complete. I love how open and clean it feels. Bart loves the raised shower head and extra long tub with specialty jets for a real deep massage. Here's the finished results.

Sisters vacation

My mom, all five of her girls, and my niece Belle, who was invited because she doesn't wine when she's had enough shopping and can take herself to the bathroom, went to visit my sister Allyson in California for a long weekend. So what did we do in California with 7 girls all crammed into a mini van? Shop of course! Well at least for one day we did. But first Ally, Sarah and I went to the Newport Beach temple. Then we all headed up to the Camarillo outlets which is close to Ventura. We literally shopped until we all dropped. My mom was so proud she could still out shop all of us.



The next day we spent most of the day at Ventura. Ally, Belle and I, the early risers, hit a farmers market where we bought "picked this morning strawberries". Yummy! We then gathered the troops and rented us 5 and 2 man "curry" bikes and made our way up the beach for a couple of hours. This young boy pegged it right when we passed him and he said Wow I didn't know a bike could hold that many people. I'm sure we looked like a site but it was all a good time.

After the bike ride my mom treated us to lunch at a restaurant on the pier. There's nothing like fresh clam chowder. We then headed back to Seal beach. Most of the gang went and got pedicures then a quick stop by Marshals, yes I know more shopping, and then we ended the day at yogurt land. Like my new purse? I was debated between this one and another one. What sold me was this guy walked by as I was comparing the two and said "Wow that color makes your eyes POP" and walked on. I'm not sure I've ever noticed the color of a purse matching someones eyes but I was sold.

Sunday was nice. We all went to church and then hung out making dinner, bickering a little, and laughing a lot at Allyson's place.

I'm hoping, hint hint, that we can make this an annual occurrence. I love spending time with my sisters and my mom.

Graduation from Preschool

Emily's preschool had a graduation program. The class performed a few short fairy tale skits. Emily was a little black kitten in the story of "The Three little Kittens" Then they sang a spanish song Sapo the song Herman the family pet and the banana song. The teachers also gave them a little graduation bear with the year 2011. Emily promptly named this new addition to her beloved stuffed animal collection "numbers" because he has numbers on him. It was a hard for me to see Emily so sad as she said goodbye to her teachers Miss Hailey and Miss Debbie and especially her friends that she has been with the past two years. She's been coping by planning a "stuffed animal" party that she is going to invite her friends over for. Every day she comes up with something else to include in the party. She's yet to pin me down for a time for this party. I'm glad she's not to that point because I don't have the heart yet to tell her I don't have most of her friends contact information to invite them to this party.

Bathroom Be Gone

Can I tell you how excited I am to finally have my nasty bathroom remodeled. I've hated the yellow ceramic tile on the floor. The more I cleaned it the dirtier it looked. Shower doors are also my nemesis of life. As a teenager my sisters and I cleaned my Aunt Fern's house every week for a little extra cash. I despised her shower doors that enclosed the tub and grumbled through the tub cleaning which was made harder because of the shower doors. Lucky for me we bought this house with grimy shower doors on the tub. I don't think in 7 years I've cleaned my bathroom or bathed my girls without contemplating ways to get rid of them. My wish was finally granted thanks to my hard working hubby who demolished it this past weekend. After uncovering the tile Bart found a rotting sub floor. The handyman told Bart it had to come up. As Bart started ripping it up he discovered an enormous amount of nails. It's almost like someone gave a ten year old boy a bucket of nails and told him to go to town on the floor. Not a fun project but Bart, my hero, inch by inch dug up the floor.
Stay tuned for the finished project......

Star Struck

I've been on many autograph adventures with Bart but for the first time I think I have been star struck.
Last Tuesday, Bart's birthday, Bart takes the day off to chase U2. I'm finishing up at work and Bart calls and ever so carefully and nicely asks if I'd like to come and help him get U2's autograph. I having no interest in going frankly tell him "I hate wasting my time but since it is your birthday I'll go"
I head up to the UofU stadium and begin the painful process of chancing an autograph. Luckily we didn't have to wait too long because a stream of black Suburbans soon roll in. Bono, Edge and Adam get out and come over to the line of Fans seeking pictures, autographs, or just a glance at the stars. Adam and Edge were very gracious to sign and then Bono made his way up the line to me. He stopped when he got to me and turned the photo I wanted him to sign over. At this point I'm literally thinking "Oh crap he's not going to sign this photo and Bart's going to want me to ask him again later" But to my surprise he looks at me and says "You have the most beautiful smile and proceeds to sketch a portrait of me". At this point I'm frozen in shock and embarrassment as he keeps looking at me. When he asked me my name I for a moment totally forget it. After I stammer it out he says "That sounds very Irish". He finishes my portrait signs by Bono and hands it back to me.
I then notice how he proceeds to make human connections with many of the people in line. He joked with some kids who were going to their first concert that he hopes he doesn't disappoint them, he brought a girl in a wheel chair who obviously had cerebral Palsy out of the barricades got down on her level talked to her and then took a picture with her. It was very refreshing to see some genuineness in a celebrity.
So I've been star struck. Who knows maybe I'll go get one of those life sized posters of Bono and stand him up in my living room. OK so maybe not but if U2 comes back to town I'm for sure getting tickets!

Watch out Jeff

Bart has a brother who by trade is a finishing carpenter. He is very talented and can build just about anything including an amazing addition to his own house. When I picked Emily up from preschool, she was sitting at a table, glue gun in hand, with an assortment of items she'd made out of Popsicle sticks. I was amazed when her teacher told me Emily did this house all by herself. She recreated it from a book they often read. (Notice how the house stands on chicken feet, that is exactly how it is in the book. Nice touch Emily!!)
So Jeff if you would like an apprentice I know of a 5 year old who has some mad skills with a glue gun.