Shopping with my Sister

On Saturday David made the supremely generous offer of watching our kids so Audra and I could go out and do something fun. We decided to go do a little shopping. I'm usually NOT a shopper. It stresses me out. But I loved shopping with my sister! We had so much fun trying things on and picking things out. I think I need to go shopping with her more often. (Or maybe not, since we both spent a little more than we maybe should have.) :) When we got home we had to do a little fashion show. Audra was rocking her new shoes and hat, and I tried to keep up with her in my new shirt and shoes. It was fun to spend that time together!

(Abbi, next time you have to join us!)

Knoxville

Last Wednesday and Thursday I took the girls up to Knoxville to visit Adam and Jessie and to see their new baby, Alec. My Mom and Dad were also there visiting, so it was fun to see them, too.

Five girls around a new baby can be a little overwhelming, so I tried to keep them away from the apartment as much as possible. We went swimming at Adam and Jessie's apartment complex pool. And even though we go swimming almost every day, it never quite gets old.

My parents treated us to a delicious dinner at the Creamery Park Grille. I had shrimp and grits for the first time and loved it. And the desserts were divine.

We swam some more in the hotel pool. (At night and then again first thing in the morning!)

The big adventure was taking the girls to get their toenails done by "trained professionals" (as Emily would say).

We also spent some time at the Fountain City Park. The stream was so refreshing on a hot day.

It was also good bonding time with my girls. They go back to school in a week and a half, so our time to just hang out together will soon be limited. Sometimes I get frustrated with them, but when it comes down to it I am very, very blessed with some ultra-awesome daughters.



Clothes hanging on the line

I have always loved the look of clothes hanging on the line. But I've recently discovered that it is far less charming when it's your own clothes out there because of a broken dryer.

(Thankfully I have a repairman scheduled to come this afternoon.)

Camping on Lake Lanier

We went camping last week with Mike, Audra, and their boys. It was the perfect summer adventure.

Our campsite was right on the lake, which we needed in the Georgia heat!

The kids spent pretty much the entire time in the water.

Our mud-warriors.

Our kids are happy any time they get to be together with their cousins.

Camping would not be complete without s'mores. Mike and Audra brough "mega-mallows"-- the biggest marshmallows I have ever seen. The kids definitely got their fill of sugar-- and then were hyper until midnight.

Lydia and Avery enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

Even though we had to battle yellow-jackets the entire time, and three of the kids got stung, everyone gave the overall experience a big thumbs-up.

Oregon Trip Highlights

We had a fantastic time in Oregon and loved every minute we were there. Here are a few of the highlights from our trip.

SATURDAY MARKET:

If anyone ever travels to Eugene during the summer-time, they have to make a stop at the Saturday Market. It is a cultural experience. We came away with tie-dye, a feather hair extension, and a really unique "morocco necklace" that Emily fell in love with.

THE GLENWOOD RESTAURANT:

This was always one of my favorite restaurants when we lived there. It has lots of vegetarian choices, which makes me happy. And my kids liked their waffles.

 TCBY:

I worked here the summer after I graduated. It was fun to share all my old memories with my kids. We also drove by my elementary, middle, and high schools. Going back there was a little surreal because in a way I still feel like the teenage girl I was back then. But then I see the five kids I have in tow and I realize a lot has changed.

 MY PARENT'S HOUSE:

We had such a good time just being with my Mom and Dad. Chloe was forever asking me, "Can Grandpa read me a story?" He was always happy to oblige.

We also loved being in their gorgeous yard. My girls spent hours out there exploring, imagining, and playing. (And waiting for the wild turkeys to come every evening!)

David wasn't with us during the first part of the trip, so we were happy to be reunited as a family when he came.

WILDLIFE SAFARI:

We saw all the cool animals: lions, bears, giraffes, cheetahs, zebras, hippos, and MORE.

THE ROSE GARDEN AND SKINNER'S BUTTE PARK:
The rose garden was one of our favorite places. I wish I would have taken a picture of the entire expanse because it was breath-taking. The girls had so much fun looking at the different colors and experiencing the different scents.

My Mom put so much work into showing us a good time. I felt completely pampered.

 

THE COAST:
On the 4th of July we took a day trip over to the coast. We explored the tide pools at Yachats, hiked to a HUGE old tree, and then went to Florence for lunch and ice cream.

It was hard to say good-bye to my Mom and Dad, and to Eugene. Who knows when I'll get back there again. For now I'll just hang on to all the good memories.



Civil War Quilt

2011 marks the sesquicentennial of the Civil War. In commemoration of this anniversary, Barbara Brackman has started a blog where each week she presents a different quilt block along with stories and information about the Civil War. I discovered it while we were in Oregon and was totally inspired by it. So far I've completed 12 of the 29 blocks she has already presented. (I have a lot of catch-up to do!) I am stretching my abilities because to this point I've stuck with very simple, very easy quilt patterns. Some of these blocks are way more complicated than anything I have done before. I've already made lots of mistakes, but from a distance they don't look too bad. And I'm looking at this whole endeavor as a learning experience. With each block I make I learn something new about the Civil War and am hopefully improving in my abilities to piece quilt blocks.

YW binder cover

Right before I left for Oregon I was released as the primary president in our ward and called to be young womens president. (What?!!) I am excited and scared and overwhelmed. And for some reason, before I could do anything I had to have a binder cover. I wanted something that would be a visual reminder of our purpose and focus. So this morning instead of unpacking or doing laundry or cleaning my house, I designed this. Now I feel like I can move forward.