Laundry Day Quilt

I want to make this quilt with all my heart.

Problem #1 I have no time.
Problem #2 I have many other projects to do
And oh yeah, problem #3, I don't know how to quilt! Dang, I just might have to learn for this one.

Quilt design by Pine Mountain Designs, seen at Pine Needles at Gardner Village.

Salt Lake Connect Pass

Today is the last day! Buy one now!

This is a wonderful deal to do so many things in Salt Lake. You can see it here.

A pass costs $20 for adults and $16 for children. And for that price you get two days of unlimited fun! You can get into the Hogle Zoo, the Clark Planetarium, Tracy Aviary, Red Butte Gardens, the Living Planet Aquarium, This is the Place Pioneer Village, Discovery Gateway, a tram ride at Snowbird, Thanksgiving Point Garden and Dinosaur Museum, a free lunch at the Lion House Pantry and so much more!

That is amazing. If you were planning on doing any of these things, don't miss this chance to get so much more for your money. If you buy today (the last day) and can use it anytime before the end of the year.

Globes and Maps

When I was in middle school, I wanted a globe. I asked for one for Christmas and by birthday for a while. I think my parents didn't really think I wanted one. But I persisted and finally got one. I loved it. I still have it.
I still like globes. I love images like this one with globe collections.

I love fancy globes like this.

And I love maps of the USA. I saw these dishes at Target the other day and they were so cute (cuter in person). Since I really don't need them, I settled for two place mats in the same pattern. They would look so cute with these bandanna dishes and gingham glasses.



I also happen to like state pillows, I just don't have one yet.


Just what I need, another collection to start!

Our No-Shopping Experiment -- Part 3

I went to Target to get diapers, we were out. They are a necessity. I bought a package of 75% off caramels. I love caramels. It didn't even occur to me that I wasn't supposed to be shopping. I also bought a gravy boat on clearance. It is white and cute, and so it was a necessity because my current glass one has a crack in it.

What, you don't have a gravy boat, and you are okay? Who wouldda guessed?

My experiment is really not going well. I think I'm going to postpone my experiment until the last 2 weeks of January and first two weeks of February. Wait, will that interfere with Valentine's Day? What four weeks are the least likely for me to want to shop?

Our No-Shopping Experiment -- Part 2

On New Year's Day, we were discussing resolutions. Matt's brother said that they had a FHE on resolutions and they all set some. One of his daughters set a goal to have 20 Daddy Daughter dates this year. I asked him how often they had "special times" (which is what they are at our house because we do dad and mom dates).

He said and I quote,

"That was her resolution, not mine!"

Well, this little shopping experiment is turning out like that.

I discussed it with Matt. He listened without much comment but the heaviness in the air that meant he was not wholly on board. So I asked what he thought.

In a nutshell, he thinks it's great if it doesn't affect him. He pointed out that

1. He's been purposefully waiting until after Christmas to buy new fish and a tank heater

2. He's still having dates and going out to eat.

3. We were planning on organizing our craft/exercise/future guest room and he's ready to do it now.

4. If we are just putting it off until February, what's the point.

5. If we can get stuff on sale now, why wait until February (or next Christmas season) to buy it at full price.

6. If I don't buy any house decor or scrapbook stuff, he thinks it's a great idea.

So our experiment is not going well.

Patio joy

I just can't wait for some consistent warm beautiful spring weather. I'm likely to have a newborn baby and be asleep on the couch or my bed or where ever I can fall asleep when it occurs, but still.


In order to prepare, I've been scouring all the patio furniture stores from Provo to North Salt Lake, and it isn't pretty. Here are the stores I tried:
Home Depot
Lowe's
Target
A spa place
An awning place
R C Willey
Sears online
Kmart online
Walmart online
Shopko online
Pottery Barn online
a bazillion other places online
Sam's Club
Costco
Home Goods
Leisure Living
and. . .
my local garden center, Highland Gardens.

Whew. Besides spending a fortune on gas, I feel like it has eaten up many days in the pursuit. But we did not look in vain. We have prevailed. And of all the places we looked, we found the best deal three blocks from our house!

It is cast aluminum, so it is very heavy and Cedar Hills-wind-resistant which makes Matt happy ("I can sleep when the wind blows").

It has a nice design and the red granite tiles are replaceable (so I would buy it).

And they hadn't marked up their prices to this year's prices yet (so we could afford it!).

Isn't it great when it all works out.

Shopping in Sugarhouse

I read an article in Sunset Magazine about some great shops in the Sugarhouse area. I want to share them and mostly document them so I can go someday when I have time and few kids in tote. I wonder when that will be?

Bountiful home: French furnishings, faded chic, 2021 S. Windsor St.
Hip & Humble: faux and real vintage items, 2030 S. 900 E
Edish.com: china and crystal, 815 E 2100 S, www.edish.com
Green Ant: mid 1900's decor, 2011 S. 1100 E.

Have you ever been?

Best Board Games 2007

The winners have been announced! Check them out here at boardgameratings.com. There is nothing better than a good game with family or friends. Just last night we played the Runner-up family game winner, Zooloretto with our kids. Great fun.

You can also read the press release here.

Cell phones, cheap

Ha you may say. But we just renewed our plan. We talk as much as we need and want. We have rollover minutes for a whole year. We paid $7.20 a month last year.

Sweet. It's a go phone from T-Mobile. I'm so glad we finally went for it. We bought another 1000 minutes for the coming year. Last year we used just under that. Yea for no commitment and low low fees.

Just thought I'd share.

I do love nativities

I found this new nativity today. The picture just doesn't do it justice. I didn't buy a new nativity last year (although I received a really cool one straight from Africa). But I may want to acquire this one. It is the Demdaco (of Willow Tree fame) Pure of Heart nativity.

Board games galore

My family has always loved games. I grew up with Uno and Sorry and Rack-o (well I finally made it into the inner Rack-o circle complete with chocolates and treats when I became an adult). We played and still play a lot of card games like Hearts, Mormon Bridge, the Great Dalmuti and many, many more. My own little family has become great fans of games as well. That is why I'm so excited to let you in on a little secret.

I've been waiting for a while to post this exciting news. The time has come! We are officially part owners of BoardGameRatings.com, a fabulous website that reviews and sells games.

Matt has joined a friend, the original owner and creater of the site, to bring even more great games and reviews to help in your search for the best games for you and your family.

Whether you are looking for a new set of Uno cards or want an inventive new game from across the world, Board Game Ratings has it! So, check it out. Our 2007 Best game winners are coming soon, and there are some really great ones! So stay tuned and tonight, pop some popcorn, gather your loved ones and friends, and play a game.

Just want my kids to go to church

If I were to send my cute little boy to church in pants that were a little too short and a polo shirt with a large stain down the front and shoes that were really just brown everyday shoes, what would you think? Would you point and whisper? Or just laugh? And what if I did it for weeks on end, like 4?

Well, wonder no more. I have found church pants, shoes and still no shirt. Finally at Gap I found kacki's and shoes at Target. Where in the world do you find little boy church clothes? The only time I can find them is at Christmas time when all the country pledges to warm a pew at least once before the year ends. (That sounded negative didn't it. I didn't mean it.) Please share your wisdom. My little boy's love and piety is not at all at risk, but mine may be.

So here's how it went down.

What I really wanted and didn't get. You can't see the top well, but it is divided into sections to put collections and doo dads in. How cute with baskets underneath!

We dropped Rachel off at 9:10 at school and set off for Ikea. The roads around Ikea were all policed and blocked off. Out of the 5 lanes on the road right by it, 3 were set up to go to Ikea, one was empty and one was being parked it. That is where I was directed. We parked, walked past the extra parking lot/fields, past the real parking lot, around the building where we found the end of the line. I got in line about 9:50. It was pretty quick and we never really stopped walking. As we got around to the front, we were greeted with free Ikea waterbottles and frisbees. We almost, well, we did actually miss the frisbees and Scott started crying. We found another cute-Swedish dressed girl who was giving them out, so I urged Scott forward, but he was too shy amidst all the pushy adults. So she ran out. So he cried. So a nice lady gave him hers. Thank goodness for good people out there willing to quell a few tears by giving up their freebees.

We got in the store about 10:10 or so. We were greeted by lots of blue and yellow smiling folks banging plastic balloon thingys together. We ran through the tunnel of people to emerge on the escalator (one of Scott's highlights of the day). It was so crowed that I was glad I'd already been to one to know what it was like. We didn't bring our stroller because I knew there were carts, however, there weren't any upstairs and so I carried Andrew and drug Scott along with promises of a cart downstairs. Ikea is like a maze that guides you through the whole store, each section, so as to not miss anything. Well, Scott was unhappy and it was SO croweded, we tried to sneak around people until we could find the stairs and get down to the carts! We made it and found just what we wanted, the cute plates, dancer figures, and a cool beach picture and frame. The checkout lanes weren't too long, but fairly slow. We made it out by 11:15 or so. Then we treated ourselves to a frozen yogurt and cinnamon bun at the exit.

It turned out pretty fun, crazy and not too inspiring. If you want to really see the inspiring Ikea, I'd wait for the frenzy to die down. Or go have fun in the craze and go back later for a more meaningful experience. That's what I'm planning on doing!

***Matt, don't read this, it is a surprise/secret/spoiler****

I mean it honey.

As a side note, today I went to Tai Pan and was WAY more beguiled by the things there and spent WAY more money than at Ikea. What fun! (Okay, so it won't spoil any secrets for you, just for me!:)

PS Today I will NOT start a new book. I need a little time to get my house in order. I just finished Wuthering Heights. We'll discuss later.

Ikea opens!

Our very own Ikea is opening today. I am braving the throngs of excited and crazed shoppers to participate in the historic occasion! I'll let you know later how it goes!


I love these plates. The subtle concentric circles are hard to see on the picture.


And I've liked these dancers for a long time.


Wish me luck!