What we've been up to

Spencer's back. And so is the family self-portrait. {psst, real family portraits are coming. i am beyond excited to see the results.}

We've had a little vacay.

And brought home a white beast.

T-minus: 20 days till we evacuate Idaho, 30 days till Bahrain. Let the fun begin.

YouTube Tuesday: Is this the way to D.C.?

I'm leaving today. In about 24 hours, I'll be seeing my honey again! We get to meet at the airport in Washington D.C. I'm imaging a scene something like this.



But, remember, today is YouTube Tuesday. A video now. You just want to get up march along to Amarillo.

Oh great, Mairyn is 8!

Definition of : Mairyn
Comes from: Irish-Gaelic
Meaning: Wished for child

My sweet Mairyn-berry. My precocious progeny. Ever curious and honest child, you are my beloved angel baby and always will be!

Apron Madness

If you hadn't noticed, I've been a bit busy. Keeping sane by sewing. This is my latest creation.

Another self-portrait attempt. At least I cut off my head. Not a good hair day.

And I made the pocket just a *teeny bit* bigger so I could slide my iTouch in. Truthfully, my iTouch is the biggest electronic accoutrement I like to carry on my person. My phone & anything else fits easily, too.

This is what the book's apron looked like. I didn't like the teapot, etc. applique. That's pretty much the only thing I altered. And I didn't use checks. This book is funny. It's got the aprons named for the fabric they used; this one is Domestic Diva's Checked Dream. Uh, what if I can't find checkers or tutti-frutti fabric? Dumb. But hey, the book has great patterns!

Our 4th

We had a great 4th, er, 3rd of July. Saturday was the parade, fireworks, etc. The parade in Rexburg; historically cold. Seriously, it was 49F when we left the house at 9am. And it warmed up to about 56F by the end of the parade. Fortunately, I still had some comforters in the back of the van. It didn't impair the parade at all. It was the best it's been in a long time. I'd like to say my fingers were too cold to take any pictures, but the truth is, I forgot my camera.

After the parade, we all drove down to Grandma & Grandpa Bowen's for a BBQ. Idaho Falls was at least 10 degrees warmer. I'd say about 71F. Perfect, perfect 'being outside' weather. I'd like to say that I was stuffing my face with grilled burgers & dogs, so I was too busy to take any pictures, but I'd be telling a half-truth! I was otherwise occupied, gorging on picnic yummies, yes, but I again forgot my camera.


The day warmed up a little in Rexburg & we had some fun outside time. We headed over to Mom & Dad Penrod's later in the evening. This time, I remembered my camera. We had fireworks from dusk until way past bedtime.

Dad lighting the kid's sparklers

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We were graced with a gorgeous sunset. I looked over and it was like a framed picture! I had the camera clicking way too many pics, then back to fireworks. Then we'd glance at the horizon again & it would have changed to an even more impressive vista. Camera out again. Repeat about 4 times. Each one was better than the first. It was hard to pick just one. I have a favorite for each phase!

Of course, here's Jacqui looking so edible & yummy!


I think Jacqui was the only one with the right balance of firework interest. She liked them, but knew to give them their distance. I had the other spectrum of kid with Mairyn & Grant wanting to burn the town down & Eliza refusing to even touch a sparkler!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend! I love the 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!!

-

If I could choose to have a birthday on any holiday, it would be the 4th of July. Which was probably why I was so excited when my Mairyn was due on July 4th. (She decided to wait until the 11th.) The reasons why? Not all patriotic, I just like the parades & family time. And the fireworks. And the BBQs. It's a great American holiday!!

Grant's Quest to become a Unicorn

I give you, Grant. The human, I don't know what, accident? That sounds awful. But here is what he did late yesterday afternoon. Apparently he was scaling the railing (rhyme much?) on the porch and then decided to climb on top of it and climb on the small stone lip that runs along the house, just under the window. I think he had just made it to the lip when he fell on his face. Literally. Though flat face probably would have included teeth. He fell on his head. I think if he had broken his nose, it would have been bleeding. And I didn't discover his unicorn horn until I after I had cleaned up his nose & was just playing with his hair. Geez. This kid. I kept an eye on him after he perked up. No concussion or anything.

Here he is this morning. Looking a lot better. He was worried that he would 'always' have a bump. I told him it would get smaller & eventually disappear.

"Tomorrow? Will it disappear tomorrow?" Grant pleaded.

No, Grant. Not tomorrow, but soon. Then once everything looks right again, you'll do something else. You and Murphy's Law are BFFs.