My Front Door Has Been Neglected Way Too Long

I came back from visiting my neighbor to see that she had received a very cute wreath for her birthday and was showing it off on her front door. The nerve! So I came back home feeling sorry for my neglected front door. I mean occasionally I throw a holiday wreath on there if I happen to have one, but nothing to match my house decor the rest of the 11 months of the year. I thought I better run home and see what I could do about that.

I ran to my craft closet {someday it's going to be a room like this one}. Found a straw wreath that I had purchased at a thrift store awhile back. I must have been inspired then but just threw it in the closet. {I wonder what else is in there just waiting for me to make}. Grabbed some ribbon that I bought at Costco at Christmas time, all fifty yards of it. {I knew I was going to make something with this someday and today was the day!} And some red felt that is the craze these days.

I started wrapping.

Used some of those cheap pins that come in Quincy's new shirts. Luckily it was just Father's day and his birthday so I had quite of few of those little things.

Cut about 40 circles out of felt. I was too lazy to cut a circle from my silhouette so I just used a ribbon spool to trace the circles and it was the perfect size.

Folded those circles in half and then in half again. Used more pins from Quincy's shirts to place them just so.

And this is what I made.

Now look what I am showing off on my front door 11 months out of the year.

Hope you can come visit soon and see it for yourself!

Play Date: Mission Hills Park

It's Monday already! That was a quick weekend. Monday means another play date for us and we welcomed it. Especially the splash pads with temperatures of up to 106 today in Vegas. Wasn't I just writing about us getting snowed on in Utah? I'll take the heat!

Today our travels took us to Mission Hills Park which has the biggest splash pad in Henderson. It was well worth the 3o minute drive for the splash pads. The park wasn't too special but it didn't matter today because we only wanted to be wet. I wish I would of even dressed a little better to get wet. You could tell the Veteran Moms at the park. They either wore their swimsuit and joined in on the fun or had their lawn chairs parked under a tree and looked like they were going to be there for the day reading a good book.

The splash pads were pretty big for a city park with lots of different objects all spouting water at different times. If you weren't careful you would be snapping a picture and the next thing getting a shower from one of the trees. (Camera survived!) It also started to get busy but there were so many spots that it didn't really bug ya.

We will definitely go there again when we feel the need to cool off again!

They did have these big slides at the park coming down the hill. Jensen thought about going down but chickened out.

Jensen's Exciting Day

Jensen wants to tell you about his day. He was really excited about it!

So were all his cousins but probably not as much as him.

We all went to see Cars 2! Kapow!

Don't you just love his t-shirt?! It's for all those Twilight fans out there.

To make it even more Jensen's day we ate pizza before the show. It seems like I am always blogging about pizza and Jensen. The two just seem to go together.

This is only Jensen's second time to see a movie in the theater. The first time he sat on Grandma Haworth's lap and they both feel asleep through Tangled. This time I was pretty sure that there wasn't going to be any sleeping going on. I was right. This kid was glued to the screen. I handed him treats and a drink during the movie and he wanted nothing to do with them. He was in the Cars zone for sure.

To top off Jensen's day we stopped for a Slurpee on the way home. He called it ice cream and slurped it all the way home.

Play Date Mondays: Aliante Park

On our morning walks Marian and I can come up with some pretty good ideas. One idea that I am very excited about this is summer is to try out all the parks here in Las Vegas/Henderson. We plan to go to a new one each Monday with all the moms from our neighborhood. The first one up is Aliante Nature Discovery Park or better known as the Dinosaur Park. This is about a 30 minute drive from our house but I think most of the parks we will visit will be around that time. There was lots to do at this park. We started off with a good one if you ask me and the kids!

First, the playground. A plus is it has a big kids and little kids playground. The sad part was the little kids playground looked way boring compared to the big kids (six and up) playground. That didn't stop Jensen or his friends. They climbed all over this playground. Jensen was nervous to go down the slides. I went down one and called it good myself. They also have a fence around the whole playground which is any mom's dream.

Second, the dinosaur part. This area has a place where you can dig up bones in the sand. It was too hot to do this activity today. Maybe in the fall this would be a favorite spot for the kids.

As you can see it wasn't Lucy's favorite part.

Third and most important, Splash Pads. This is a must need here in Las Vegas at any park. This is where Jensen spent most of his time. It wasn't busy at all as you can see in the pictures, but by eleven it was crowded.

Lucy sharing fish crackers with Reagan. I was just waiting for the sprinklers to go back on.

Lastly, it has a pond/river right outside the fence to the playground. It had ducks, geese and even turtles swimming in it. I brought bread to feed them but after seeing how close they would come to us, I decided I wouldn't traumatize my children.

Overall pretty good park. It's going to be hard to top. Wish it was closer!

Fishy Lake 2011

This year we made it to Fishy Lake! I wasn't going to miss two years in a row. This year was a little different in that it was an Ivie Reunion not just a Knudsen Reunion. We were all there to celebrate 60 years of marriage of this cute couple. My Grandma and Grandpa Ivie.

When we were an hour away from Fish Lake, I got a text from my brother saying "I hope you brought your snowsuit." Which we didn't. It's 100 degrees in Las Vegas so who would of thought it was going to be below freezing in Utah, it's just one state to the North. Well, we got a rude awakening when we got out of the car. It was cold! I had to change the kiddos clothes immediately and add a sweater or two to my outfit.

Jensen was loving life. Outside all day he didn't care how cold it was once we got his bike unloaded and ate some M's.

Lucy has her mother's weakness for cold weather. Here she is with Grandpa Knudsen trying to stay warm.




Three girls and Three moms.

This year we decided to rough it in a cabin. That is how the Walkers are always going to do it from now on. Hot showers, flushing toilet, Direct TV. Totally worth it. Lucy in front of our cabin.

That night we watched a T.J and Jody original movie about Grandma and Grandpa. Bryawna was so kind to take the kids out so I could watch it.

The next day the weather was a little better. It even brought Sasquatch out for an appearance. This was Lucy's reaction.

This was Jensen's. He didn't even care what was going on. He was content riding his bike.

When Jensen did notice him he ran and then said monkey followed by "Ah Ah". This really was my Uncle Jerold. He is always up for a good laugh and he got one! It was so fun to be up there with my extended family. I haven't seen most of them for two years.

Utah can be pretty when there isn't snow on the ground. It was nice to see some green on the ground and mountains.

It wouldn't be Fish Lake without the fish pond.

He was so happy with his prize that he gave up his M's. Jensen went fishing with the boys while I stayed back with the girls to craft. The boys didn't have too much success. One fish for the whole day.

We had pictures taken in our matching Fish Lake sweatshirts that my sis-in-law and mom made. I don't have a picture of the whole group. But I did get these ones of the grandkids. Some things never change with Jensen.

The best one. It will have to do.

The kids enjoyed more rides. This is Jacelyn my cousin on her bike cruiser with Lucy in her basket. This is one bike I wouldn't mind owning.

Jensen loved this wagon. He kept pulling it around.

Finally Vienna felt bad and gave him a pull.

Sunday morning we woke up to SNOW! It wasn't sticking to the ground but it was coming down. We had to pack-up and check out before church. We were freezing as we were loading the car in our Sunday clothes. Someone was really reminding me why I don't live there.

Family pictures inside this year of course.

We headed back to the campsite for lunch. My brave siblings and father cooked it for us outside while we the weaklings (mostly me) stayed inside the trailer. The kids found things to keep them busy.

Sunday was also Father's Day. It was nice to be with the two most important fathers in my life on this special day.

Quincy

and My dad. Both wonderful Fathers in my book.

I made this banner for the day but it was too cold to hang it up outside. Oh well I tried.

After lunch we headed home. Another quick trip but I think I wasn't too sad as we left the snow behind us.