Kitchen Update

I am always looking for ways to make our home a little nicer but a very short shoestring I saw on sawdustandembroys that this girl paints backsplashes to look like tile. I thought I might as well try that because you can always paint over it and what have you lost. I spent $10 in paint and tape and ended up with this. I love how it turned out. It really warms up our kitchen and gives it a little pizzaz. Now I just need to figure out how to get rid of that drop ceiling.

HALLOWEEN - 2011

Besides a lot of sickness going around we had a really fun Halloween. Carter was sick for his preschool party and Michael and I were sick for out ward's trunk or treat but we had a great surprise family party for their cousin Makaela and trick or treating with lots of family. James was a headless horseman but since he couldn't wear the mask to trunk or treat this is what he came up with he painted his own face and did a great job and won scariest costume. I made Carter and MJ's Mario and Luigi costumes which turned out pretty cute and mom helped me make Princess Peach out of one of my old prom dresses. They loved trick or treating and we loved their candy.

ELLIE'S FIRST TEA PARTY

FAMILY PICS or PIC FOR NOW

My sweet little girl

I'm not playing favorites but she is just so stinking adorable!

SO FUNNY

The kids wanted to finish dinner outside which was fine, kept me from cleaning up a mess but I had to grab some pictures when I saw Ellie with TWO corn cobs stuffed in her mouth riding around on her tricycle. Priceless!

Random pics

The modern soapbox racer aka gravity racer.

VW Campout at Sandhollow.


I love happy kids in the morning.

Carter wanted to be like James :)

So cute I had to make sure he freed himself before I could go to bed.

Bloomington Stake Pioneer Trek

We were able to be a Ma and Pa for eight teenagers on the trek at the beginning of June. We didn't know quite what to expect but we went with good attitudes and had a fabulous time. Our "kids" were amazing. They were so fun! Early Wednesday morning we met our families and headed off above Diamond Valley into the mountains. The first day we pushed and pulled our handcart eight miles. It wasn't too bad until we got to the end when we started the sister pull up a nice hill. We were the first cart so we started along just us five girls until we couldn't go any further and then we could feel the push from behind and a girl grabbed the rope up front and started pulling with all her might. Being the first cart up we went down the hill many times to help the other carts up. It was really tough. That night was very cold and someone saw a cougar. The next morning was a mile straight up the rest of the mountain climbing about 1000' in elevation in that mile. We were at end this time and had to wait two hours until the other carts made it up the hill. Again we had to help each other so all the carts could get up the mountain. We stopped for a delicious breakfast and then walked another 2.5 miles to our next campsite. That afternoon we played games and then in the evening had devotional and a hoe down. It was fun to see everyone participate. Next morning was more games and that afternoon was about 5.5 miles down the hill to a nice, sandy, warm campsite where we had a great speaker and testimony meeting. The next morning we were welcomed to the valley by Brigham Young and then our families and had a big breakfast at the Diamond Valley Chapel. It was so amazing to see our kids along side of the road waiting for us. We missed them so much but realize how much easier 8 teenagers were than our own 3 babies. THe trek was amazing, so well planned out, food was delicious, and such a great experience.

2011 Anderson cousin's reunion

Over Memorial Weekend Michael's cousin Jessie and her husband Billy were able to come to St George for a cousins reunion. Unfortunately his other cousins were unable to attend but we had a great time with Jess and Billy. They got here Friday evening and we made two big bowls of salsa and almost ate both of them that night. I gave Billy a copy of the book Ender's Game because I thought he would really enjoy it, well that first night he stayed up and read six chapters and ended up finishing the book that weekend, crazy. The next morning Jess and Billy went to the farmer's market and the DI while the rest of the family (stephen and michael's sisters) went down to the river to check it out and go tubing. It was so fun and the water is perfect for tubing right now but it was a little scary with the little kids. We then came back to the house and had a yummy lunch, played dodge ball in the backyards with a few games that just the adults could play. Later we swam and then got cleaned up so the adults could go out to dinner. When we got back Billy and Jess had brought a projector and a big 15 foot blow up screen and we watched Tangled in the backyard, it was a perfect night and so fun. Sunday we went to a bbq at Charity's new house where they had all sorts of food, hamburgers, hotdogs, bratwurst, salmon, porkchops, it was so delicious. Billy and Jess also brought out potato guns so we had a little shootout. Monday we decided to take just the adults back to the river to go tubing. We had seven tubes and went from Walmart to the Bloomington bridge, it took us about 30 minutes so we went twice. It was a little chilly that day but it was so fun and very relaxing. After tubing we had a great lunch and then it was time for them to leave. It was sad to see them go but it was such a fun-filled weekend and everyone was exhausted. Also we needed to rest up for the Pioneer trek we would be going on a day later (see next post)

We love Saturdays!

Well the day started out a little slow but I got about an hour and a half nap thanks to mom and dad. That was SO nice. I can't remember the last time I actually had a nap. Then we had a visit from a fire truck, nothing too exciting they were just checking the fire hydrants but ours ended up leaking afterwards so they had to come out twice. Then that night we decided to build us a little campfire and roast hotdogs and smores. It was so fun. We put the kids to bed and Michael and I enjoyed a nice evening around the campfire but instead of crawling into a freezing sleeping bag in a freezing tent we just came in the house and watched a movie. I love backyard camping.

Easter Fun

Here we are at the Easter car show in Hurricane. Michael took the Thing out there and we were able to go out for a few minutes to check out the cars. Everyone thought his car was just 'getting started' but little did they know that car is a finished project for now until I inherit it.

cr@zy h@!r