Easter Saturday

Well...we celebrated Easter on Saturday so the kids could run around and be "rowdy" in the back yard. We dyed eggs....we hunted for eggs....we threw egg water balloons...we ate "deviled" eggs and we broke open a duck pinata. We made cornflake "nests" with the kids using Grandma's modeling chocolate to make little blue birds to sit on their nests filled with jelly beans. Everyone brought food...it was dubbed the BEST family party so far. I bought little pin wheels from the dollar store and they looked so cute in the breeze as they surrounded the back yard. Our favorite little hummingbird joined in the party....all those kids running around didn't seem to scare him away for a second. He likes to hover about six inches above our grass. We have to give him a name .....he is practically the family pet now!

My camera is broken ...so no more pictures for awhile.....

The Pageant

Here's a picture of Simona (her first time to the pageant) and Keira's mom (acting in pageant.) You can't really see Anastasia Sofia...but she went TOO! She did a lot of kicking and made her mom VERY uncomfortable! I think the sound system went clear through to the womb.....

Yes....I did it again.....I sacrificed MY body to sit in the broiling sun for three hours so that my family members could have a great seat at the Easter Pageant. This year the pageant had HUGE banners that read.....

NO RESERVED SEATING

I thought that was really nice....so that all the people who come late can just march up to the front and have the best seat in the house.....except for one MINOR detail. There was a rope right behind me blocking off an entire section of seating. Everyone who passed me asked..."who are those seats for???" As if I would know.....I mean....I was not sitting in them myself, or anything like that....

I anxiously awaited the V.I.P.s ....they showed up about one hour before the start. Once they were settled I leaned over and asked them....."who ARE you people???" They got big grins on their faces and told me they were "VISITORS from Tempe." I said, " well, I didn't think you were beamed down from a space ship." Then the smart aleck (there is always ONE in every crowd) answered me, "how do you know we're NOT aliens?" I informed him that I do not go to those scary movies, so I really wouldn't know.

I always find it refreshing when there is someone out there as sarcastic as me.........I did happen to over-hear the name Sterling, OVER and OVER and OVER again....He is the person responsible for reserving all those seats.....I asked the hubby (who arrived MUCH, MUCH later)....would it be Sterling Tanner? Sterling Hilton? Sterling Trump? Sterling Gates? I need to get acquainted with this person....then I might not have to roast my little rump in the sun next year.

Movie time!

We took the grandkids to HOP. Had to walk out before it was over....too bad. The factory scenes were cute though. The rest was tedious and didn't capture their/our attention. Despicable Me was better.

Saw the Conspirator directed by Robert Redford. Great movie! Recommend it to everyone.

Just started reading the Cleansing of America by Skousen. It came highly recommended, can't wait to "dig in."

Spending the day with Simona tomorrow...she will take her driver's test. GOOD LUCK! I can't even imagine going to another country and having to take a test in a new language. She is one amazing person!

Charity Baskets

I crocheted 50 baskets for Relief Society. Using the illustration of the little boy with the baskets of fishes and loaves, I encouraged each Sister to take her own personal basket of kind words and deeds and allow the Savior the increase what she already has and "feed" those around her with acts of charity. I added Marjorie Pay Hinckley's quote: "There is no such thing as a small act of kindness." I put in some sugared almonds just for the fun of it. I had left-overs....so Sonia's chandelier got hung with a dozen and today Mark and I will sneak over and hang a dozen on Dan's tree for his boys. Mark had to cut the beautiful ficus tree way back because of the frost damage. It looks so barren. Hopefully the little baskets will cheer things up a bit. I added

small boxes of gum from the Chinese store and candy corn for his boys.
Here is Dalton pitching! Babysat Sonia's kids all week while they went to San Francisco for their anniversary along with two other couples. We had a busy week with ball games and pack meetings, etc.... Dalton and Sutton are both the consummate athletes. Peyton is right behind them. Ashton is a precious little girl who has many friends and I am so pleased with her progress on the violin. Ashton and Dalton were perfect little helpers to Grandma who had to figure out the computer, heating-cooling system and other random appliances....I didn't master the alarm clock but woke up each day at 5 am...so didn't really need it LOL!
Sutton (in the middle) played several positions and both he and Dalton hit home runs!
Forgot to buy milk one night and so the next morning had hot chocolate and peanut-butter toast. Here is Dalton leaving the crusts behind.....I didn't flunk out every day. We also had french toast and scrambled eggs on other days.

Spring Flowers

I just love daffodils. They grow wild along the roads in Scotland and Wales. I have glued together the bottom two pieces of inexpensive milk glass that I find in antique stores. I turned the candy dish upside down and glued it to the little plate. I always try to find pieces with holes to wind ribbons through. I then took the lid off my hobnail cookie jar and put flowers that were 60% off today at Michaels. This week has cooled off and been just wonderful with rain on Monday and expected again tomorrow (Saturday.) I have had the windows open all week. I LOVE FRESH AIR!!! I needed a new bouquet for Relief Society.

The Garden April 2011

After paying $2.88 per pound for squash and zucchini a few weeks ago...hubby quickly planted them in our garden.
We have tomatoes every year and they are a FAVORITE! They make THE best salsa and tomato bisque soup!
These grow boxes have served us for quite a few years now. Mark has figured out how to pick the lettuce without removing the root so the plant just keeps on producing....GO FIGURE!

Easter Baskets!

These are the ONLY glitter eggs I could find this year and they don't open up, but they sure do make my new fringe on my baskets look smart!
I've been crocheting these for years in pastel colors....I decided they needed a new "look" this year and found some fancy yarn. I used to hang them out front of my house in my little crepe myrtle tree with pink blossoms. Now I keep them mostly inside on my tree from Pottery Barn.
This yarn is called FIZZ!
This yarn is called GUINEVERE and looks almost like little eggs around the edge of the basket.
This one is called CARNIVALE from the Italian collection, in fact, all of my fancy yard is made in Italy. This one is not being made anymore...and, of course, I got the last skein the store had. Leave it to those Italians to make fancy purses, shoes and .....YARN.....I LOVE IT! This yarn has a little glitter in it and goes really well with glittery eggs. I never thought I would stoop to glitter at Easter....but.....a girl can change her mind, right?

I really like the little bits of ribbon that stick out....like twigs in a nest.

Mark's 65th birthday!

Mark's birthday bash.....I decided to do mostly Costco food (for the first time ever.) This girl is tired of working on Sundays. I made whole wheat rolls the day before and prepared the baked potatoes. Sonia brought the chicken and Simona did her fabulous Romanian potato salad. Keira made a fruit bowl and Lara knocked out the appetizer.
I did take pity on Will and made gluten-free cupcakes. The mixes are improving all the time and these tasted like the "real" thing. The grand kids didn't notice a difference. I made my own white chocolate frosting and the cute little nests are from Walmart. Most of the family hates cake and prefers pie....so he got birthday apple pie this year.

Grandpa with his grand babies. The kids had a blast in the back yard with the new volleyball net and other games. They made candy necklaces for their craft time. I decided to save the little duck Pinata for our Easter gathering.

These kids LOVE their grandpa. Too bad John, Sylvie-Faye , Chloe and Zander are having to miss out. We love them and miss them.

Mark got lots of well wishes... Uncle Morgan called and left a voice mail singing..."I don't want to set the world on fire." That was good for a laugh...I couldn't believe he knew all the words. I mentioned that he only went off-key at the end....he said he was struggling not to bust out laughing.

Happy birthday Mark! YOU ARE LOVED! This girl mowed the lawn for her hubby since he was exhausted this week from Scouts. He remarked that I mow better than he does......OH NO.....I'm not falling for that line.....but I DID leave nice neat little rows that looked pretty sharp! Grandpa got a nice back rub from Grandma too! More surprises tomorrow....this is turning into a birthday WEEK!