It's a Leap

Bear with me...I'm ganna get my smart on for a minute...
We learn from an early age that there are 365 days in a year.
But in all actuality the earth turns 365 and a quarter times on it's axis
by the time it has completed a full years orbit around the sun.
Which means occasionaly the calendar has to catch up.
Hence the Reason of Leap Years.
This 2012, there are actually 366 days in the year.

Facts & Folklore
Persons born on Leap day are called Leaplings or Leapers.
It's said Leap Day Babies will be hard to raise and sickly.
It used to be said Leap Year was a never a good Sheep Year.
Beans and Peas planted in a Leap Year grow the wrong way.
Leap Day give women the priveldge of Proposing Marriage to men
instead of the other way around. ~ Love that movie Leap Year ~

I think having a Leap Day party would be so fun.
Really just celebrating a day that only comes along about every four years.
I googled activities, but of course they were geared to kids and classrooms.
If I still had small children, I would totally host a Leap Day party,  but I don't.
If I were a college student, I would totally use this day as an excuse to party with friends, but I'm not.
I should have had snacks and games with friends anyway, but I didn't.

Fun Activities
Leaping/Jumping contests
Celebrate FROGS...
Musical Lilipads, Croaking contests.
Have a Leap into spring party, all things spring.

So... for my Leap Day celebration
I will bowl with my girlfriends just like I do every Wednesday.
I will watch Survivor just like I do every Wednesday.
Maybe watch Leap Day for the bazillionth time this month.
It is just another regular day for me.
Hope it's something more creative and fun for you.

Halloween Hater

I don't know if I have always been this way...
I seem to remember enjoying Halloween as a kid.

I really liked going to the Haunted Houses as a teen.

But now as an adult....

I am a Halloween Hater.

I really think it's the commercialism of it all.

When I was young finding a costume consisted of looking in old boxes of clothes or what you could find laying around the house.

It was easy and cheap.

Now finding a costume requires huge thought, sometimes sewing

and most often money.

I HATE spending money on costumes.

Urgh!!  I wish I could like it...

We also have the pressure of decorating.

I used to put out some things for the kids.

I need help getting in the Halloween spirit

If there is such a thing.

I don't mind the actual trick or treating...
I always liked taking my kids..

(although at our house when you reach the age of 12..no more trick or treating)

I like seeing the other kids from my neighborhood..

I like parties, if I don't have to wear a costume.

~sigh~

I think I've narrowed down my hate...

It's the costume issue.

How to choose something fun, creative

and most of all cheap.

And on that note..I am off to try to sew part of Brooklyn's costume.

should be fun with my amazing sewing skills

That's the crux of it all...

I guess I'm cheap.

My FAVORITE part of this Halloween celebration...

Pumpkins!!

And the creative things people do with them.

I would love to go somewhere and just look at a lot of Jack O lanterns.

That would be a fun Halloween.

"Lovers, Dreamers and Me"

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines").

Valentines Day

seems to always be about

Love...

But I say it's more...

It's about Love,

Friendship,

and Companionship.

I don't think Valentines Day

should be only for "Lovers"

but for friends who care about each other..

Parents love to children..

A good friend..

Anyone you have caring thoughts for.

For "Dreamers"

Those who have not yet found love

But know it is around the corner waiting for them..

For me...

It's about all of the above.

and the chocolate. ;)

So I give you.. images of Valentines day.

Me and My sweetheart.

(in a not so flattering photo...but shows the love, lol)

Flowers....

Flowers are love's truest language.- Park Benjamin

“We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”
~Author Unknown





Conversation Hearts...
Cute but I really don't like them.

They taste like chalk.

They remind me of the days

when we delivered Valentines

to friends by doorbell ditching.

That was fun.

There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with Chocolate.
~Linda Grayson

For me...
I personally love chocolate for Valentines Day.
Chocolate covered Strawberries are the best.

And my Sweetie always remembers...

Happy Valentines Day to all my friends.
Enjoy it any way you can..

P.S. This blog post had severe technical difficulties...So the layout...yea messed up.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...

After almost a month
I have finally downloaded my holiday pictures.
So without further ado...

I bring you our December.....

Nutcracker

Starring Brooklyn as Clara

Big Sister doing the make-up, night after night...

A happy performer..

Brooklyn's supportive friends

Casey and Ali

The Lights at Temple Square

somehow most of my pictures

were not of people...

go figure.

Hardware Ranch

Lincoln was being a TEASE all day...

You will see.. no words will be necessary

just look at his face.

A beautiful day for a wagon ride

in the mountains.

Christmas

Take notice Brooklyn made all her siblings

and herself a silky blanket.

Special thanks to Debbie Peterson

for helping me bind them.

How grateful I am for this...

My family.

It was a great month.

Southern Belle

Happy Halloween!!

After many days of discussion...
Brooklyn became a Southern Belle
for Halloween.

She is Beeeaauutiful!
If I do say so myself.

It is her last year for Trick or Treating
as we only allow our kids to Trick or Treat until they are 12.
So she needs to live it up.

Here are some photos to mark the occasion.
Plus a photo of her in the school parade.

It really has an old fashioned hoop skirt under it.

Love my mad hair skills.....

What a cute face. :)

Last night she picked the pumpkin

from our own garden...

Cleaned the pumpkin.

Carved the pumpkin.

She did a good job.

The fruits of her labor.

The last Halloween I have to worry about Trick or Treating.

Hurray because we all no how much I love Halloween.

Sad...well because it means my kids are all grown up. :(

BOXES

I pretty much loath valentine box making.

I am not crafty at ALL!

ALL of my kids had to make a box this year.

Seriously...

I mean we're talking High School.

(sigh)

Both my teens had parties in a classes and had to make a box and bring Valentines.

I told them they were on their own.

Ben went simple.

The little white generic box..

HIS!

lol.

It's a travel cereal box. ;)

Bailee's I didn't get a picture of.

HUGE

Covered with pictures of drama stuff

and shows she has been in.

Cute but not done till this post was finished.

Brooklyn came up with the crayon box.

It was easy.
Her idea, which I like.

All in all glad it's over.

We won't win any prizes

but all that matters is that's its finished.

The "Trees"

Brooklyn performing the part of "Clara" from the "Nutcracker"

Trees, trees and more trees. Beautiful trees.

Yesterday we went to the "Festival of the Trees".
Brooklyn's dance class was performing
so we made an event out of it and took Benjamin as well.


WOW!!

I have not been since I was a Laurel.
I had always been misinformed that it was terribly expensive.
NOT TRUE!! $4.00. That's it.

Well worth the worthy cause.

Trees decorated in every imaginable theme.
Sports Teams
Princess
Winnie the Pooh
Disney
Fishing
Racing
Reading
John Deere
The Grinch
etc. etc.

Sold at huge amounts of $$!
I heard on the radio that it earns over...
One million Dollars a year for Primary Children's.

Plus add the fudge shop with many goodies besides fudge.
The gingerbread houses.
The wreaths.
All of it amazing.

You too can see this wonderful
Christmas extravaganza
until tomorrow.

I think it ends December 5th.

Load up the kids and go!

P.S. We ran into a member of Benjamin's surgical team.
She saw him first...and said she almost didn't recognize him.
She could NOT believe he was the same boy.
She hugged him and was soooo glad to see him looking so good. :)

Masquerade

I am a little late with my Halloween posts.
But nevertheless here they are:

Bailee had a Drama Club Social for Halloween.
It was a Masquerade Ball.
She and her guest made their masks.
Luckily for me she was fine to wear last years prom dress.
I was invited to attend for the whole night....
no not chaperoning, but asked to take candid photos all night..
It was fun. ;)

I think she looked beautiful!

Didn't her mask turn out cute?

Believe it or not, his mask was made all with Sharpie.

Yup, he drew the whole thing.

Amazing!

Brooklyn is a NERD!

Literally, well for Halloween that is.

I loved this costume because can you say...

EASY PEASY!

She carried it off so good.
Extra bonus, warm for trick or treating.

I have a picture of Benjamin on Halloween too....
He is laying unconscious in a hospital bed.

I didn't want to post it without full disclosure from him first.