Christmas Wreaths

I volunteered to make a Christmas wreath for a Silent Auction that the Hospital Auxiliary is holding in the next 3 weeks. Each department is decorating a wreath and the one with the highest bid wins a prize. So, I came up with a few ideas and couldn't figure out which one I liked best, so I made all of them. Let me know which one you like by voting for it in my poll on the left side of this page. The one with the most votes will be turned it for the Auction. :)

Thanks for your help!

A Good Weekend

We had a great time with the Prescotts this weekend! We left on Friday morning from Mountain Home, met up with Dana and the boys in Tulsa and headed over to Oklahoma City. Austin seems to be doing better and better traveling as he gets older. We'll pop a Baby Einstein DVD in the player and it'll keep him occupied on an otherwise boring stretch of pavement.

Oh! But first I must tell you about the bikers we saw on the way there! We stopped at a Gas Station on the way to Tulsa and saw a big group of bikers. Austin LOVED the bikes. He said "Ooh!" every time one reved its engine. He stood there for 20 minutes hardly moving an inch just watching all the bikes. Boy am I in for it. :P (Side note: I'm not a biker hater. Most of them I'm sure are good people with a love for the open road and wind through their hair...or across their scalps. ;) I simply don't like them because of the people who don't exercise caution for them while driving and wind up causing the fatal accidents. That's my beef with bikes.)

So, once we arrived in OKC, we went to eat supper at this really great Mexican Restaurant that gives you complimentary hot handmade tortillas along with your chips & salsa. YUMMY! I absolutely MUST find a great homemade tortilla recipe after having that experience! No more store-bought Mission tortillas for this family!! :)

The next day, after Keith and Dana went to the temple, we went to this HUGE outdoor wildlife Expo. It was pretty cool. There was a part where the kids got to experience some primitive means of hunting such as Atlatl, Goose Knocking, Ax Throwing, and Archery. Then, inside the arena they had all kinds of booths surrounding this huge pond where kids were kayaking. One of the booths had a big tank of freshwater fish by which Austin was completely enthralled! (Remind me to get a fish tank with some guppies or goldfish for him for Christmas.) And two booths down from the fish were 3 people holding falcons and talking about falconry. While Micajah was mezmerized with the art of falconry, Austin just wanted to stare at the birds. So, we stayed and watched the birds for another 20 minutes. Although, there was much more to see at the expo, we were all getting hungry and Dana had a $25 off coupon to a really awesome BBQ place just down the road. So, we couldn't pass that up!

After we ate our fabulous plethera of BBQ'd meats, we headed back to Tulsa. Dana and I stopped at the Stake Center for the General Relief Society Conference and the boys went back home.

Conference was great! I always dread going to them, but I'm always glad I'm there after I arrive. This time was no different. Its kind of like working out. You never really wanna go, but once you're there, you're glad you went. I suppose these things are like getting a spiritual workout. :) So, back to the Women's Conference...we were delighted with a sit-down lasagna dinner with our choice of peach, cherry, or apple cobbler for dessert with ice cream and entertainment from some Mong young women who did a couple of Mong dances for us while we ate! It was quite the cultural experience! Which leads me to think...wouldn't it be so cool to see first hand every culture's style of dance? And wouldn't it be even cooler to see it in their native land? THAT would be quite the bucket list item!

So, anyway, after we went to church the next day, we played outside with the boys, took some pictures, and Austin got to run around naked for a while, while I took more pictures worthy of blackmail later in Austin's life...not that I would actually use them for blackmail... ;)

As, Sunday was winding down, Dana and I were outside with the boys while eating breakfast for supper. Keith had me make a dozen scrambled eggs. Well, I volunteered to make eggs and he suggested I make a dozen. So, it was a large portion of eggs we served with some pancakes. The boys noticed the large portion of eggs and I mentioned how many eggs Gaston would eat when we was a "lad". Dana knew exactly who I was refering to and we entertained the boys with a little bit of Gaston's song from Beauty and the Beast. I don't think they knew who or what we were singing about, but it seemed appropriate...you know, for the eggs. :)

I like to think our weekend was pretty enjoyable. I enjoyed it and Austin always loves hanging out with the boys. I think he and Zachary are warming up to each other. And Brett didn't seem to complain too much. ;)

Austin's First Birthday!!!

I know, I know, I'm more than a month late posting this! Forgive me (batting my eyes)? :)

So, Austin's birthday was July 24th, most of you Utahans are thinking, "Hey, that's pioneer day!" Well, I never really celebrated pioneer day, even as a Latter-Day Saint...mainly because I was born and raised here in the South and we don't tend to have many ancestors who made the trek from MO to UT. My point is that July 24th is all about Austin in our household. :D

Austin and Grandpa Kingrey

I worked really really hard on Austin's birthday party. I invited pretty much everyone I knew. I planned on doing everything I could think of as decorations are concerned. And I thought up an entire smorgasbord of food for the 50 people who had RSVP'd...including a paper mache'd whale with a chocolate fountain spout. ;) I was planning this party to be THE party of the year! Afterall, Austin, our dear darling, our entire world, was turning ONE!!!

In the process of planning and buying decorations, food, and entertainment, I stressed myself out, put my darling husband through H E double-hockey-sticks and back ( who already had a million things to do to prepare the house/yard for the party), and expected far too much of my close friends and family.

Two days before the party...let me back up...one month before the party I agreed to do a cake for a baby shower a friend of mine was throwing for her sister. The baby shower was to be held the same day as Austin's birthday party. Number 1: I should have said no and saved myself the stress of an additional cake to bake on top of Austin's HUGE cake. But my reasoning?...I thought to myself "what's one more cake? I'll just do it on Thursday so I can do everything else on Friday."

Three weeks before the party I agreed to do another cake. A two-tier wedding cake for a wedding to be held the same day as Austin's birthday party. Number 2: I should have said no and saved myself the stress of TWO additionsal cakes to bake on top of Austin's HUGE cake. But my reasoning?...I thought to myself "Eh. I might as well do this one while I'm in the groove of baking this other cake on Thursday."

Two weeks before the party I agreed to yet ANOTHER cake! Where on earth was my sanity!?! A two-tiered chocolate with chocolate covered strawberries cake for Austin's Doctor's birthday party to be held the day before Austin's birthday party. Number 3: I SHOULD HAVE SAID NO and saved myself the stress of THREE FLIPPIN CAKES to bake on top of Austin's HUGE FLIPPIN birthday cake! But my reasoning?...I thought to myself "I have a lot of respect for Austin's Doctor's wife. She's a great person and I want to make a good impression. Besides...what's one more cake gonna hurt?"

Wow, kinda stresses me out thinking back on it.

SO, on the Thursday before Austin's party, I baked THREE cakes. By the time Friday rolled around, I was so tired I could hardly stand it AND I still had a million things to do for Austin's party, family in town to entertain, etc etc. Friday was all about cutting up fruit for the chocolate fountain, baking Austin's HUGE birthday cake, making sure I had all of the decorations and tableware ready to be set up, and praying it wouldn't rain the next day during the party. I couldn't possibly have too many hands to help me. My mom, my dad, Brett and my best friend, Dawn, did SO much for me that day. I'll forever be indebted to them for their hard work. And as much as they did, I still didn't have enough help. I just planned too much and invited too many people. I really got far too ambitious.

But despite the troubles in carrying out all that I had planned, the party went really well and everyone had fun...even my darling nephew Chase, who is mentally challenged, had a great time! The rains did come, but dispersed before the party started. We did move most of the decorations and the food into the new garage, but the kids were able to still take advantage of the kiddie pools and the slip-n-slide...though I did forget to break out the water guns...but then that was probably a good thing. ;) I got to spend some time with my family and close friends. And, thanks to my sister-in-law, Dana, we got some GREAT pictures of the whole event!

The Cakes

Austin's Birthday Cake

I didn't get to get a copy of the baby shower cake...sorry 'bout dat. ;)

The Wedding Cake

Dr. Robinson's Birthday Cake per request of his wife



The Decorations

The Picture Banner
With the help of a few of my friends, I made this banner made of fish-shaped scrapbook paper and ribbon on which were pictures of Austin every month from birth to 12 months! :D

Table Skirt (to look like water...it had little fishies randomly attached to it!)

Happy Birthday Crab!
I made this big paper crab to go beside Austin's Happy Birthday Banner.
There was a crab on the birthday party invitations...that's where the crab idea came from. :)

The Whale's Chocolate Fountain Spout :D Yummy!

I made this with paper mache'!!! So much fun!

Havin' Fun!

Dig in...

Happy Birthday to you...!

Austin takes the cake...the top layer anyway. ;)

He does this with his feet every time we put him in his high chair. :)

Colonel Cake!

"Here, Daddy. You have some, too."

A big cakey kiss for Meemaw! ;)

Aftermath of the big cakey kiss.

"DONE!!!"

Ah! Don't get it on my shirt!

Time to hose off and go have some more fun!

AUSTIN IS WALKING!!!

On Thursday, July 9th at 11am Austin let go of my hand and started dancing, then he proceeded to take 6 steps towards the nearest table in the living room. Later that evening we were able to coax him into doing it again for the camera!!!

So, check out Austin's blog for the video...

www.austinsawesomeadventure.blogspot.com

Shame On Me!

I am such a bad blogger. So much has been going on lately. Its been so nice outside so Austin and I have been spending time in the yard (Austin, eating pine bark mulch, and I, watching Austin closely so as not to choke on pine bark mulch. Seriously, what is his fascination with it?). Also, I've been trying to get a few sewing projects done for a couple of boutiques that sell my stuff. AND, I just got done with our studio's dance recital! Woohoo! So, ya'll forgive me, I forgot that I even have a blog until about a week ago...and now I'm just finding time to tend to it. :)




Ok, so I really don't have time to blog about how the dance recital went. Well, maybe just a little blurb...
Dance Recital went really well! It was my first dance recital to direct. I've been in countless recitals and helped produce a few more, but this was my first as THE dance teacher, coreographer, and director. Not to mention, I had TONS of help from my main gal, Tina Smithee...owner of the dance studio.
We had a few little mishaps with music, curtains, lights, and placement of the girls here and there, but overall, I think it went GREAT! I was pretty pleased and we got compliments. :) I love my girls, but I'm so glad its over.
Things I've learned from this experience...
1. I WILL NOT be the only dance teacher next year. I found myself running around like a chicken with its head cut off. AND I was dancing the ENTIRE time! The girls asked me after the recital why I was so sweaty. I told them "you only had to dance a couple of times, while I was dancing the whole recital through."
2. More teachers = more help back stage, more help coordinating, more help coreographing dances, more help picking costumes, more help wrangling kids, etc.
3. Nothing, not matter how perfectly you plan something, will ever go as planned. So be prepared to wing it! ;)







Ok, so enough with the dance recital and on to the main topic of my life...AUSTIN!
Wanna see some pictures we've taken lately? Of course you do. ;)

Hangin outside while the weather's nice

Mr. Muscles

Austin and his new trike that Aunt Dana gave him! He LOVES it!

Duh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh...Batman! (w/ no britches)

Austin was kinda shy about getting into the water when we went out on Norfork, but in his defense, that water was pretty cold at first.

Austin and his first tube ride! (but not his first time on the lake)

Woohoo, Dad!

All tuckered out. :)

BIG CHEESE

Austin has a new smile and its so cute! Whenever he sees the red light on the camera, he's learned that its about to flash, so he does this big cheesy grin. Its the cutest thing!

On Austin's 8 month birthday, we had this balloon floating around the house. He thought it was the coolest thing. :)

Austin's BIG CHEESE

Baby in a box!

Brett was toyin around on the harmonica the other day. Austin LOVED it!

Brett and I were out on Saturday laying timbers to build a sizable garden beside our house. We let Austin play in the grass...one of his latest favorite pastimes.

He likes to eat grass...Parent magazine says its healthy, so we let him! ;)

Cute Austin Pics