Leaves are falling all around

So I had a project done last Saturday for this past week, but I had to mail it first because I made it for someone who reads this blog. It has their name on it and i didn't want to ruin the surprise. I didn't get it mailed until late Wednesday though so it will have to be my project for next week.

I hurried and whipped up some placemats on Friday for this week's project instead. The tree in our front yard had turned so many beautiful colors. I had to try to capture it somehow. Here is the project I came up with ...we'll see if the colors stick around. Attempting Creativity Project #4. Sorry the photo didn't upload quite right. I had to use our computer (I have been using Ryan's laptop from work to post lately, but he didn't bring it home this weekend). You get the idea though.

How to make:

Purchase contact paper.

Cut same size pieces.

Peel backing off one sheet

Arrange and stick leaves on sticky side

Peel back off other sheet

Set on top of leaves (you will probably need help from another person putting pieces together)

Note: It's been almost a week since I made these, and the color has not stayed. I will have to rethink this project and try again. Might have to wait for next year. Most the leaves are off my tree-or I may try again this weekend. I'll keep you posted.

Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plains

So we took a visit to Oklahoma over the past weekend. Ryan and I got to go to the temple in Oklahoma City Friday night then we spent the night down there and had a fun time. We took the kids swimming a couple of times so they loved spending the night in a hotel. Carson was very sad to leave Saturday afternoon...and he keeps asking when we can go to a hotel again.
Saturday we woke up and spent a few hours in the city checking it out. We went to "Outdoor World" in bricktown there and enjoyed looking around there for a few hours. It is kind of like a Cabellas...but not quite exciting. It was fun though and we all enjoyed it. Here are some photos from the store.
Afterwards we went outside and enjoyed a nice scenic walk by the river which was right outside the store. Don't you just love the colors of fall?

We walked on down to Toby Keith's I love this bar restaurant. If you ever have the chance to go there get the ribs. They were delicious! They make a special Toby Keith barbeque sauce just for the restaurant, and it is really good.

We headed back home after lunch. The kids both slept half of the way so it was nice to get some nice quiet time. It was a really fun relaxing weekend with the family. Can't wait for the next one!

E - I - E - I - O

Halli has been learning and absorbing so much lately. She is such a smart girl, and is picking up on lots of things. Here is an example of some of her latest learnings

My favorite is the cow...it sounds more like a lawn mower. LOVE it!

Feeling festive

We took a trip to a pumpkin patch last week with Carson's preschool class. We had such a fun time! They had a fun play area set up so it wasn't boring at all for the kids. We went to a lame pumpkin patch last year that didn't have much to do after you found your tiny little pumpkin. We actually found some decent sized pumpkins this year, and the kids had lots of fun afterwards playing on toys, petting animals, going on a zip line, flying down a huge slide, and climbing all over some hay. Too bad it wasn't a little warmer or we would have stayed a bit longer. Oh well, we enjoyed the time we had! Here are a few of the highlights.

Arrival at the pumpkin patch...not too cold yet.

Check how tall we are

Weighing the options...apparently the one of the left lost the weigh in

I think I've found the one I love

Showing of the pumpkins we chose

Wishing we could take home this MONSTER

You know when there are moments you capture, and they aren't really special, but you just love the photo...this is one of them. I just love her cute little smile and chubby cheeks.

Christmas is coming

I know it seems a bit early to be doing this, but I wanted to actually do it this year so I started early. My AC Challenge for the week was making my Christmas cards! It was tons of fun to do-time consuming, but fun. It took me a couple hours with some friends, and then 3 movies to finish them, but I enjoyed the movies, hot chocolate, and card making. AC#3

Attempting Creativity

So I have a friend who made a resolution at the beginning of the year to do a creative project once a week. I love this idea, and have decided to take up the challenge for myself. (Hope you don't mind me copying Carly!) It is kinda an early New Years Resolution, but I plan on doing it for the next year and 3 months or so...until the end of 2010. So I will now be posting on my blog at least once a week with my "AC" projects-Attemping Creativity. Carly calls hers BC projects for Be Creative, but I'm just attempting it right now so I'm changing the name for me. I'm sure some will turn out horrid, but I am trying to increase my abilities so hang in there with me. I already have one this week, and one for last week done. So here are my AC projects #1 and #2.

Sadly, I don't have a before photo of the dresser. It was really unattractive before the transformation. I got it at a garage sale for $20. It was painted blue, green, purple, and yellow. It was an interesting combination, but I saw the potential to fit right in in Halli's room (which, by the way, is still in progress...it will be one of my AC challenges this week or next week. It has taken a lot longer than I would like to complete!)

I whipped up this little sign for the upcoming holiday in no time. Way easy to do and a lot cheaper than buying the sign already made in stores!

Picture Update

I (Ryan) brought my work laptop home so i could load some pics and a video since our computer has been having problems uploading to the internet. I know these are some random pictures but i thought they were cute. Also, i included a video of Carson and Halli mowing the lawn. They are such good helpers. Pictures include the kids getting ready for church and an activity with flour (Mom is so cool!). Enjoy!!

Carson being Carson

Flour Baby

Sweet Girl

Brushing Teeth

My cute girls!




Mowing the Lawn