Spring Happenings

I rarely post all of the fun things we get to do, so here is something out of the box for me.

Between March and April we made two trips to Zion National Park.  Our family loves it.  There are so many hikes for all levels, and of course, it is warm.

 

We went to California for our spring break/Easter and spent some time both at the beach and in the desert of Apple Valley

 

The older our kids get, the more they love the beach...wish we lived closer to it like our cousins :)

We took the kids on a hike by my parents house and lit fireworks at the top. It was quite the dramatic experience getting all five kids down though!

 

While in the desert Derek got to go shooting for the first time.  He is a fan.

 

Next was the wonderful Greek Easter

 

This is the cousin we think Audrey looks the most like.

Our good friend Brandon came into town just in time for Greek Easter...it was so great to see him.

We hadn't been to the zoo in a while, so...on to the Hoggle Zoo.

 

 Then my family came for a cousins wedding and Mother's day. We had a BBQ in this glorious weather.

 Audrey had a school field trip to the farm. Chad was very excited that he got to go to.  We took a tractor-pulled wagon ride around the farm singing "Old McDonald Had a Farm" as we passed each of the animals. It was so much fun.

 

Home Decorating #2

Our bedroom re-do
 
Before
Unfortunately I did not take a before picture, but it was white...not in a good way. The walls were dirty and scuffed up, the old flat door had a hello kitty "no one under the age of 16 can operate this door" sticker on it, and had leopard shower curtains hanging as the closet doors.


Although this bed has now moved, this was our bed set "before"
 
Half-way
Got the bedding, lamps (which have since changed), and side table decor figured out.

After

Got a different pillow, bought and recovered a dressing chair for ($15.50), created my own "subway art", painted the walls "cloud cover" (very light gray), put in new matching door and closet doors, painted some cool DI frames silver, painted our gold light fixture silver too. Now it is a peaceful, calming place to be. I love it.



 

The Chair Redo

Home Decorating #1

Well, I have a secret blog that I use just for our personal journal keeping, and have been keeping some before and after home decorating posts.  I decided I am going to share them...hopefully you are not all bored, but if you are I guess you don't have to look right :)

Boys room = Thomas room
I tried to do a themed room tactfully.

Before
White walls, door with peep holes drilled into it, no closet doors...blah.

We had the furniture at least, and I had already mostly redone the changing table (I later sewed a full-length skirt for it).



After
Painted the walls a soft blue, replaced the scary door with matching door and closet doors, sewed mock roman shade curtains and pinned them up with railroad crossing medallions (the same used for Derek' s 6th birthday party), sewed Derek's quilt, make name pendant banners, sewed some Thomas pillows (so the Thomas theme was not over the top), and added a bulletin board, original train art from Grandma Scow, and a customized pencil holder that Derek built and designed.


Grandma whipped these paintings out in about an hour flat one evening. She is amazing!

Love these

Chad will eventually have a matching quilt, but with that comes a bigger bed and a new furniture arrangement.


The door...what an improvement!!

Giddy-Up

"Don't Smile"

Chad got to do a modeling job for Naartjie kids clothing.  He had so much fun playing "don't smile...don't smile...click" with his "friends".  He has made cameras out of blocks and played don't smile for weeks at home.  Here is the link to the website http://www.naartjiekids.com/ (he is on the front page for the video, on the inspired by page, and in baby boy-outfit ideas page.)
Maybe we will get to do this again some day...it was so fun to have someone else be the photographer.

Flying Saucer

How about something new on this good old blog.

Derek built a flying saucer...although I think his perception of what flying saucers are is a bit off.

Derek, " Look, its a flying saucer...it flies through space saucing everything"

Toothless...Sort Of

Derek's grown-up teeth grew in before his baby teeth came out. So for about 8 months we lovingly called him Smiley Shark. However, last month Derek went into the dentist for a check up. They said the baby teeth had to come out. Derek was brave, and is no longer our Smiley Shark. Love you Derek.