and we’re not home yet! We’ve spent the last few days in Star Valley, WY- a place I am excited to say we will be visiting every summer!
Tuesday we went up to Teton National Park and Yellowstone. Oh!- the beauty of this area! Since I can’t share any photos until I get home I was able to snap this video of Old Faithful with the flip video…you can hear my daughter talking to me towards the end.
So far our trip has gone really well (knock on wood, we have a few more days to go), I only got fed up with the kids once after our LONG drive on Saturday. We drove from Newport, OR (on the coast) to Boise, ID; 563 looooong miles. When we finally checked into our hotel I sent Aaron on a wild goose chase in search of chinese take out. We didn’t eat that night until after 9pm, and I don’t think the kids went to sleep until after 11, they were wired and my patience was shot.
Tomorrow we leave for Utah, and slowly make our way home. I am excited to visit Star Mill in American Fork and the Provo Farmers Market (and Jaylee, I’ll be filling the van with boxes of unleaded Dr. Pepper just for you!). I’m hoping we’ll find somewhere in S. Utah for the kids to watch some fireworks…although you can buy them all over this area (something you can’t do in AZ), so maybe we’ll just buy them some sparklers and call it good….
Have enjoyed all aspects of this trip (except I am SO sick of pizza and turkey sandwhiches) but I think I am ready to be home….I miss my familiar surondings.
My aunt let me dig through her stash of old embroidery patterns and this was one of the patterns I loved enough to scan. I just had to share it- it was not in an envelope and was unmarked so I don’t know who the maker is.
We’re heading to the beach today, but not before we visit the 1 1/2 acres of fabric at Fabric Depot!!!
appears to have been lost in the recesses of my home somewhere. Which means that I cannot show you any of the 37 pictures my husband took of Yosemite Falls, you’ll just have to trust me that it was pretty.
We’ve had a great vacation thus far (someone go knock on some wood that it continues), lots of driving, site seeing and turkey and cheese sandwiches out of the back of the van. I’ve been impressed by the fertile and beautiful farm lands of central California. The rolling golden hills, scattered with evenly spaced rows of fruit and nut trees. Such beautiful land that makes me immediately relate to every Steinbeck novel I’ve ever read.
We’ve braved the switchbacks and hairpin turns of Sequoia National Park without loosing our lunch; and hiked what felt like 10 miles all over the Yosemite Valley. But, the highlight of the trip was today, when my son learned to ride a bike withOUT training wheels.
If I’d known that all it would take was the instruction and encouragement of older cooler friends, I’d have brought him to Sacramento ages ago! My friend Ann’s boys taught my son to ride in about 20 min. We had taken the training wheels off his bike at home MONTHS ago and he simply refused to even touch his bike; he wouldn’t even try. Today…in 20 min….and now is can even make skid marks! My heart is swelling with pride!
By the skin of my teeth I was able to finish this before we leave. It has flaws…and it takes a lot of self control to not point them all out to you (although, i did point one out if you click through to flickr). I didn’t have time to make a pattern for the shirt I really wanted, and hope to do that when I get back. Also found this blouse online…i want to make one like it too; and maybe this one too but with a different collar.
Now, if you’ll excuse me I have to: run to the post office, vacuum the van, fold laundry, pack suitcases and make sure I don’t forget any one’s toothbrush!
When we scatter little styrofoam pieces all over the living room floor, we have to clean up after ourselves. She just looked so cute and little with the big broom I had to take a picture!
I woke up dreadfully early this morning- around 5am. In stead of tossing and turning I decided to get up and get some work done, it’s only 8:25am and I feel productive. It was kind of nice to see the early morning light spreading across my kitchen, and the sunlight on the back patio. The early morning light looks really nice around my house- something I rarely see. I was thinking how beautiful it was and it inspired me to create a rainbow of color collage.
After I loaded it to flickr I realized it was comprised of things that make me happy , my beautiful kids, vintage pyrex, lemons, peanut M&M’s and fresh flowers.
We have a full day planned today- lots to get done before our trip. BTW- if anyone is looking for hotels for their travels this summer, I just want to tell you how much we LOVE Hotwire. We’ve been booking through them for about a year now and regularly get Hyatt’s and Marriott’s for less than $100 a night. In fact for our trip this summer, we’ve got a few 3 star hotels for less than $60 a night. Prefect for a family traveling on a budget! We’ve only had one bad booking with them- and they were SO good about it. Last winter we needed just a cheap place to sleep- literally we would be there for a few hours and that’s it, so we looked for a cheap 2 star hotel. After we booked it we were given the name of the hotel and then we went and read reviews. One reviewer said that they would have felt safer sleeping under the freeway over pass than at this hotel. I panicked- we called hotwire and told them the situation and what we’d read. They said that they had a few complaints about the hotel and decided to downgrade it to a 1 star hotel and that they would immediately refund our money under the guise that we had not been given a 2-star hotel that we requested. See, I love booking through hotwire and highly recommend it to anyone. I like it better than priceline, I find that the prices are better.
can you see into the living room where my son is sprawled out with his legos? It is SO HARD to keep a house neat in the summer. I don’t mind so much if they have a toy out that they are playing with, its the leaving of toys and moving on to other messes that drives me up a wall!
Here is one of the finished orders I completed recently. It is a bad photomerge, I simply could not get everything into one image.
It is a banner for the front window of Frances in Phoenix. I think it turned out really cute!! Each letter is circled in a lime green glitter, I’m hoping that the sun will reflect on the glitter and make it sparkle- maybe make it more eye catching for the light rail riders!
I’ve got the itch to sew a few summer shirts before we leave on our trip. BUT, I have some orders that must be filled first. If I can get my work done no later than tuesday, then I think I’ll have time to sew a shirt. Here is what I’m designing.
I’m not all that good at my renderings, but I think you get the idea. The top of the shirt will be right above the bust and the then I’ll attach the bottom part- and I want the gathers to go only in the center- making the shirt nice and loose- and comfortable!
Here are some fabrics I’d like to make it in- they are all on sale at Sew Mama Sew.
Even if I ordered a fabric today I’m not sure it would arrive in time. I’m afraid I’ll have to get something locally….if so then I think I’ll go with this or this. What do you guys think? Any opinons?
the first tomatoes of the season were picked today!
A nice mellow almost sweet with a hint of acidic taste. There are a lot more on the vine- just waiting for them to turn! I think I’ll be having a tomato, basil and grilled cheese sandwich for lunch today! What did you plant in your garden this year?
Seems most of our days are spent in the backyard with whomever wants to come over and swim with us. Despite my liberal use of sunblock the kids are still getting to be a nice brown color. How are you spending your summer days?
Back in April I hit an estate sale where I snagged an old Woman’s Day and Better Homes & Gardens magazine for .25 each. I’ve poured over them both and am glad to have them in my collection. I’ll be sharing some of the BH&G pastel 50’s love soon. Today I thought I’d share some vintage Finnish Embroidery designs… Click on the image to see them larger.
