Lunch with a GA

Last weekend we had our stake conference. Elder Spencer Condie was the visiting General Authority. Brady and I got to have dinner with him and the rest of the stake presidency on Saturday night before the adult session. He and his wife were a joy to be around.

On Sunday Brady insisted on driving together, saying that their little "post conference wrap up" luncheon would only take a short time and me and the kids could wait around in the foyer. I was fine with that. Well, call it miscommunication, confusion, whatever, but the sack lunch for the presidency and Elder Condie turned into a sit-down lunch including wives and they all wondered why I wasn't with Brady. When he told them I was in the foyer with five kids, Elder Condie insisted we all come in. Brady came out to get us and I told him we were just fine waiting for him. We would go for a walk, a drive, just hang out in the foyer reading the Friend and New Era I had brought.

Two minutes later Elder Condie was in the foyer, shooing us into the high council room. When I started to protest, he said, "Now go on with you, be obedient!" Yes Sir! So, me and my entourage settled at the other end of the high council table and ate delicious BBQ pork sandwiches and brownies with marshmallows and frosting on top.

You know all those times you try to reinforce manners and proper behavior at the dinner table and you're sure your kids are going to be with you forever because after their first date at a restaruant, their date is going to bring them right back and say, "no thanks"? Well, our lunch with a General Authority proved that my kids ARE learning! No one said "yuck," no one wiped their mouth with their sleeve, no one burped, in fact, the kids hardly made a peep! Now I need to work on dinner conversation I guess. But they proved there were manners in there somewhere! Whew, what a relief.

Stretch Marks

focus on the version in the top left hand corner

When Meghann brought this pattern to me in Joann's a few months ago and asked me if I would make her a dress, I knew I was going to get some stretch marks.

Not this kind...thank goodness.

But the kind that come on my brain when I have to do something that is out of my comfort/ability level.

So, aiming to please, I said sure. We bought, what else...pink and zebra fabric. Meghann decided what color she wanted where and she even cut almost all of the pieces out herself. That's half the battle for me so I was glad she decided to tackle that project herself. She's going to be a great seamstress someday - no fear of cutting out a project.

It sat on my sewing room floor (or "The Cave" as my family refers to it) for several weeks before I found the courage to start. Once I started, it came together fairly easily. I only had to pray over the pockets :). I've never put pockets in anything before!

Meghann was thrilled with the finished product and I was happy to know that it wasn't so bad earning new stretch marks.

Fall Fever

With the onset of Autumn, it seems that everyone is talking about fall, fall, fall. But, we're still having temperatures in the 90's, high humidity, and my AC is still running full blast.




So, in an effort to get excited about fall like the rest of the world, to pretend that there was a chill in the air, that I needed another blanket at night, that I was pulling out my sweaters and wooly socks, I made some cute pumpkins to decorate the house (come November, that is. First the Halloween decorations must come out). I saw the idea here and loved them so much I thought I'd try my hand at pattern-less pumpkins. I'm not very good at anything without a pattern, but they turned out okay. Not as gorgeous as the originals (loved the fabric she had), but not too bad for around $2 a piece.

Now, back to my flip flops.

Extreme Bedroom Makeover

Just before school started the girls talked me into repainting their room. It's only the third time in six years. The boys keep asking, "When are you going to repaint our room???" Hmmm... never?

Anyway, they are into pink and zebra right now, so that's what their room is too, naturally. It turned out so cute and "teen" looking. Here are some pictures of the various stages:

What the walls used to look like

Meghann helping to apply primer

See my head over there in the corner working on the primer?

And now, the AFTER pictures... (drum roll please)

A HUGE thank you to Aunt Liseanne for all the CUTE vinyl clings and zebra dots. The dots just totally made the room and the girls kept saying over and over how "amazing" all the vinyl clings were. They are definitely perfect. THANKS, LISEANNE!

Curtains made by mom

Wall canvases made by Meghann

We even found a spot for a dot on Meghann's shelf

Last week I was feeling a need to start and finish a project all in one day so I made this pillow sham for Meghann's bed. She bought the sheets and I made the sham, complete with zebra piping all the way around (hard to see).

vinyl cling above the closet

Another cute font

above Courtney's bed

I love this wall - the font on that vinyl is so fun. As Brady was hanging this one we joked that he needs one that says "Dad's make the best wall hangers!" :) Courtney made these canvases to hang above her bed.



And finally, this is Meghann on Sunday afternoon trying to get some rest. I like to call this picture "Zebra on Zebra." More to come later this week on that darling dress!

Birthday Re-Cap

I had to post this picture of Spencer and his excitement at getting a new Wii game for his birthday. You can practically see all the way down his throat! I'll bet the dentist would love for him to open that wide.

He had a great birthday. Thanks Grandma and Grandpas for the gifts you sent. I'm posting pictures of those too, along with the birthday treats (pencils) he took into his class.