Being creative together.

I like when my kids are creative together.  So much better than when they are watching TV etc.  I like to see them using their minds...

but not permanent marker.  Yup, I realized these were permanent sharpies right after I took this picture.  Thank goodness there were no mishaps.

My reading corner.

One of my favorite places to be is sitting in my yellow chair with my feet up while reading a good book.  It is a warm and cozy spot.

Impressions in the snow.

We went to BYU today to see the Carl Bloch exhibit.  It was amazing and I was completely humbled by such beautiful images of the Savior.  As we were leaving Ella wanted to leave her mark I guess because she leaned over and pressed her face into the snow. 

It was fantastic.

Taste of summer.

Fresh fruit and Silk smoothie... Mmmm Mmmm Good.

I guess since winter is determined to stick around for a while then I will have to bring a little summer into my life in other ways.

*I edited the content of this post.  I realized that in calling the month of February a "mean" name I allowed some negative in... oops!  The problem is fixed now. ☻

Waiting for breakfast.

Their smiles make me happy.

Blue bird of happiness.

I found these adorable little bluebirds at Tai Pan today.

(Under $3 each!)

They look so cute lining the shelf in my kitchen.

Cart cruising.

This is how I liked to ride in the cart when I was a kid.

Tramps.

I extra ♥ these gals!

BFF/ex-roomies are the best!

(If you are wondering why "Tramps"

it's because we had a trampoline in our front yard in Logan... that is the only reason... no really.)

Enchanted Forest

A week or so ago I posted a picture of an abstract painting of Ella's and mentioned that she wants to be an artist like her grandpa. Back in the 1970's my dad painted a few oil paintings... I have only ever seen 3 though.  As of a few months ago I had only ever seen 2 of his paintings... one of deer in a forest that my brother Andy has and one of a pirate ship.  They are both done in a more realistic style and they are beautiful.  For as long as I can remember I have wanted the painting of the pirate ship.  My grandma had it hanging in her house and I always hoped it would be mine one day.  Well, my sister Bek totally stole it!!!  Ok, not really but lets pretend she did.  Somehow she ended up with it after my parents helped my grandma de-clutter and clean her house.  I was valiantly trying to guilt trip her into giving it to me when she pointed to another painting resting against the wall and said; "That one is for you."

It was love at first sight.

I had never seen it before and I was so excited!!!  I am sure I loved it for mostly sentimental reasons, the main one being that my Dad painted it.  He painted it in 1975 and it definitely has that 70's feeling.  It is less "realistic" and more illustrative than his other paintings.  It is also very ethereal, which I love... it reminds me of the imagery used in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty".  

I have it hanging in my guest bedroom and if we ever get another baby I have thought it would be fun to decorate the nursery around this painting. 

I wish my Dad would paint again.  He is a little busy though I guess. 
One of my kids favorite things is to sit on his lap and have him draw animals for them... this was also one of my favorite things as a kid.

Wow this was a very wordy post for this blog... sorry.



Friendship Bracelets.

These cute girls spent most of the afternoon making friendship bracelets.  Then they jumped off the couch over and over. 

BFF!

Intermission.

"B" and I had so much fun during the intermission of Ella's play. 

I have the cutest nieces and nephews!

Winter Shminter!

This morning everything was blanketed with fluffy and fresh white snow.  It was so beautiful and clean.  The best part though is that I knew it would melt soon!!!

Break a leg!

Ella was so cute in her play tonight... and she loved the flowers from Daddy and Shesha and the gummy rat from grandpa (ha ha ha... best after performance treat ever!)

P.S. HOLY COW she is pretty! I don't ever want her wearing makeup...

she looks too grown up.

Best Buds

Hurray for weather warm enough to play outside with best little friends.

Little old man.

For some reason James was using my back scratcher as a cane this morning while pretending to be a
"reawy owd man". 
He totally cracks me up.

P.S. His little skinny legs kill me with their cuteness. 



Flashback!

Dave and I watched the "X files" movie tonight and I was instantly transported back to the summer of 1998 when We met. ☻  

I also remember when were were teased in this movie by an "almost" kiss between Scully and Mulder.

I still feel cheated.

My Hero!

Best Gyro EVER!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Dave introduced me to B & D burgers up by the U for dinner tonight.

I am in love...

with the man & the sandwich.

Abstract art.

For a few years now whenever I asked Ella if she wanted to take lessons of some sort she always asked for Art.  Not ballet, not ice skating, not gymnastics... always art.  I tried really hard to find her art classes.  There was NOTHING for little kids.  The U of U offered some kids summer classes but they were for older kids and really pricey.  Well last spring an angel entered out lives.  An angel art teacher.  My sister in law saw her flier at a school and called me right away.  Ella LOVES her weekly art class.  I love it because it isn't just arts and crafts, it is an actual art class.  Today they learned about Wassili Kandensky, the "father" of abstract art.  Then they did a little valentines abstract project. 

I love that she loves art so much.  She tells me all the time that she wants to be an artist when she grows up, just like her grandpa.  I hope she always has this love and enthusiasm for art. 

De-braided.

Ella's hair was amazingly big last night when we took her braids out. 

A. MAY. ZING.

Hi!

James and I hung out a lot today.  He asked me to draw something on his face.  So I drew a little boy running and saying hi.  James LOVED it.  I did too. 

What a cute kid!

Root Vegetable Romance

I was peeling potatoes for dinner tonight when I pulled this beauty out of the potato sack.  Apparently this little guy was feeling festive... and after all it is that time of year!

Swimming!

James and I went swimming at the Rec. center today with Grandma, "H" and "M". 
It made my heart ache for summer.

Swimming = Awesome!

Our Mahla.

After the Superbowl tonight Mahla stayed and read the kids a story.

It made me feel very happy and grateful for wonderful grandparents.

Ring a ding.

I adore this ring. 

LOVE it.

Dave thinks it looks like a man ring.

I agree with him... but I still love it!

GO UTES!

Amber and I took the girls to see the Utah Women's Gymnastics meet tonight. 

The girls LOVED it and even got free shirts.

(Maybe the first time I typed the above line I accidentally left the "r" out of shirts... Whoops, ha ha!)

Baby "R".

Today when I picked James up from school he was wearing this pig nose.

Awesome.  

I thought that would be my "happy moment" today, but then we got to tend my friend Sarah's baby, "R".  She is beyond adorable and my kids were super excited.  She slept the whole time though so James spent a lot of the afternoon doing this...

Waiting for her to wake up.  It made my heart warm.  

We love us some baby Ruth! 

SO SO COLD!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

It was so cold last night that our pipes froze and that meant no water... no showers... no cooking... no brushing teeth etc.  We were the stinky family.  I bundled Ella up for school (layers and layers folks!) and her little bundled body just made me giggle.  She is so cute.

Valentines decorations up!

I love holiday decorations.  I don't have too many for Valentines but what I do have I love. 

I also like cheesy photo effects on photoshop!