Round Top 2011 #2

This is one of the camera's I didn't buy. I now glad I didn't too because Brett had some that he found after I came home and I also found some that were a lot less expensive at Wimberly. (A monthly flea market they have the first Saturday of every month in Wimberly. I don't have any pictures but it was very fun.)
An industrial table I bought to use as my husband's desk. (I took this picture on my phone so it isn't great.)
A large camera I did buy. I will use these as display pieces on top of the book cases, I think. My husband does photography.
And two of these bookcases are coming home too. The shelves are recycled 100 year old oak. I also bought one of those antique glass candy jars, some small gears, some locker baskets (1 old and 3 reproductions from Pottery Barn outlet), an old tray used for collecting maple sap in the 1800's (I want to use it as a magnet board), some more piano player music rolls (too inexpensive to pass up), a big printers block with the #6, a pillow made out of an old bus sign (think subway sign), and a few other odds and ends. Candice and I had lots of fun. The hard part is trying to check everything out before buying. We are always afraid we will buy something and then find something we like better or less expense somewhere down the line.

I went prepared with inspiration pictures, a diagram of room layout and room measurements, my tape measure in hand, and then tried to stay open to possibilities and stay within my budget. We took pictures and emailed them back to my husband getting his input as well.

I want to take out the chair rail, paint the room, change the lighting and window treatments, and maybe take up the carpet and put in hardwood floor to match the rest of our house. I'm not sure that is in the budget but would hate to get the room all done and the bookcases filled and arranged and then decide to redo the floors. I want to do some kind of unusual treatment on a focal wall. I have a list of possibilities. Since this room is our old dining room just off my living room space, I will probably repaint that room too. I like change.

Round Top 2011

Isn't the quilting in this quilt amazing? I just had to get permission to take pictures. One of these days I'm going to make something similar. I doubt if I can get my stitches as perfect but I can make a quilt with lots of quilting. (It just might take my whole lifetime to finish.) It was $800. I wish I would have been able to buy it but it wasn't in my budget.
I'm still drooling.

I did go to Marburger and Round Top with Candice again this year. I was looking for industrial furniture for my husband's home office. I think I bought some pieces that will work well. A Restoration Hardware feel without the price. We have lots to do to prepare the room before the furniture arrives. Woody, the shipper, promised to have it here, along with my bookcase from 6 months ago, before Mother's day. I have my fingers crossed.

In the meantime, my life has been out of control. As soon as I got back, I tried to catch up at my job, get my house ready for company, unpack, do laundry, make beds, etc. My parents hit town soon after my arrival, and Marissa was already here with her family from Canada. They have been staying at Mike's parents house until last night. Now it is our turn. Yeah! They have been in and out all week though. We had a birthday party for Campbell with 10 little ones and parents. It was wild. It's so much work but so much fun to have everyone together. (Except for Candice's family in Texas. We are missing you guys.)

Steph and family have purchased a house about a mile from us. We are keeping our fingers crossed that they will be able to work out all the details and close soon. Larry starts work here the end of May. It will be nice to not have to drive an hour to see them. It's exciting really.

I'm not keeping up with life but am having lots of fun. How about all of you? How do you do it all?

A Cool Thing To Do

While on Maui we went to church in Kihei. Someone there told us if you haven't been to the old restored Mormon church on the way to Haleakala you must go so we did. There was such a nice spirit there and we enjoyed seeing a piece of history. We were told the acoustics inside were incredible so we decided to try it out by singing hymns together. We all loved it.
My dad even decided to try out the pulpit.
The church is preserved for historic purposes but not used for church anymore. The missionaries live next door and stopped to talk to us on their way to an appointment. Church in Kihei was great that day too. They needed some help that day so Cheryl led the music and I played the piano. We had such an amazing family/church day and made a lasting memory.

Maui in February

My sisters and I had the chance to go to Maui with my parents the end of January/first part of February. It's whale season and was spectacular. The best part...getting away from winter. Our family that was there the previous week, made us all orchid leis.
We overlapped with Matt's family by one day. The first thing Adam did was to show us the two pearls he found in one oyster. He was pretty excited about that.
Ali with my dad.
The family.
On the beach in front of the condo, one of the locals drew this design in the sand. It was so interesting watching him do all this with a rake.
We spent time on the beach, did a lot of snorkeling, eating, laughing, whale watching, and bonding.
Cheryl, Kristen, and I walked the beach almost every day for exercise. Cheryl and I were nursing injuries so Kristen literally ran circles around us. But hey, she is 18 years younger than I am.
We went on three different kinds of whale watching boats. The whales were incredible. None of my pictures reflect that. I gave up and let my sisters take all the pictures and I don't have any of them. There were so many whales that you could stand on the beach and watch them. It truly was amazing.

Kristen and Cheryl on the catamaran. On this boat we got Maui Mugged. What's a Maui mugging? It's when you stop within legal distance to the whales and then they come to you. Two whales did this. It was so unreal.
Me on the catamaran. Bad I know but at least I'm not in a swim suit. I'm not showing any of those.
Our second trip was on a zodiac. Here is my sister posing for me. She is so entertaining and fun to be around.
Here is Kristen on the zodiac.

And me.

Stopping to watch the sunset. There was a beautiful sunset everyday. My sister is blowing me a kiss. I told you she was entertaining.
Here is the sunset we stopped for.
Here is the sunset from the hospitality room my last day. Oh, it was so hard to say goodbye and come back to snow.
Some whale pictures...whale tails, breaching, and diving.






In Lahaina, they have a famous banyan tree. It's huge.
Does this give you an idea of the size?

We are so lucky to have such great parents. I look forward to being with all my brothers and sisters and their spouses in June to celebrate my parent's 80th birthdays. I feel so blessed.

What Do You Think?

You probably think that I am crazy but my husband and I found these old windows at a salvage place in Salt Lake. We bought two to go in our family room addition over the TV (see first picture). They need a lot of cleaning up but in my mind they will look amazing. (Sometimes reality paints a different picture however.) Can you picture it? Will it be good?
They are big and heavy. The trick will be how to mount them on the wall. I'm waiting for warmer weather so I can clean them outside and not freeze my hands off. Stay tuned to see the final look. I have my fingers crossed that they won't get broken and that they will look great.

Hiking adventures with Kathee

Kathee and I are back to our Saturday hiking adventures. Yesterday we hiked from our house (See that white blob by my left shoulder. I think that is the Provo temple. So we started close to there.) to the top of the "Y" and back again. Two hours 40 minutes. It was a challenge but fun. We are both still up and moving today anyway.

I came home and cleaned out the gutter in front of our house and raked leaves. I was pretty tired after all that. The Saturday before we hiked up to the Squaw Peak overlook. We had to keep a close eye out for cougars that have been spotted recently. Luckily there were some snow mobilers and a hiker with a few dogs to act as deterrents. I wanted to try out my new snow shoes but it was easier to hike in the snow mobile tracks in snow boots.
Of course we have to call our husbands from the top and say hello. I now just carry my phone to take pictures instead of my camera. So much more convenient.
It's kind of a dreary day but we always love to be outside.
My husband bought me new exercise clothes for Christmas so I've stopped wearing my purple "Barney" fleece. That's probably a good thing although my friends say they miss it.

I joined Weight Watchers right after I got home from Hawaii and looked at pictures of me with my sisters. So depressing. It's bad enough that I have white hair and am 18 years older than my little sister but do I really have to be twice as big? No I don't...so I'm doing something about it. This is my 5th week.

I like the new program and it is starting to work for me. I feel empowered and that I have some control in my life. I like the changes to the program but wish they had an app for my android phone. That would make it easier. I'm determined to look and feel different when I meet my sisters again in June.

This is all part of my "it's all about me" year. I'm taking control of my life, trying to get rid of my insecurities, embracing technology, strengthening relationships, getting my house in order, finding joy in the journey, and doing what it takes to be healthy along the way too. I'd love to hear what you are doing.

I Have A New Table

I found this table at a local furniture store. It looks just like the one I am in love with from Restoration Hardware for less than half the price. It is 10 and 1/2 feet long with the leaves in. We broke it in Saturday night when we had dessert and games with about 5 other couples. We could all sit around one table. Now I need to find chairs that I can afford and that I love. Anyone have any ideas? I'm thinking an upholstered parson's chair. In the meantime, we will be using our old oak chairs. Very study and very comfortable but not very stylish.