The Designer's Aisle

Hey guys it's me Paige!
I just wanted to introduce my blog
The Designer's Aisle! So please visit it sometime!

Paige Dress Design

Paiges Wedding Dress

Paiges Costume Design

Paige's Dress Design

Family Reunion

Before my sister, Jennifer, and her family moved away to Pennsylvania for a few years we had a little family reunion.  We went to Ensign Ranch.  We rented a couple little cabins.  My parent's and Karyn and Jason (and Chandler) stayed in one and Joe, the kids and I stayed in the other.  Nancy and Adam's family and Jen and her kids stayed in tents outside our cabin. Amy and Sloan's family came up one evening and joined us for dinner.

They had super fun horse back riding.  The kids loved it!  We got to guide them around this big pasture.

Abby and Emily feeding the horses.

Jen leading Josie's horse.

We also went to the waterslide.  It is a huge hill covered in plastic with running water.  I was a little nervous at first but it was a blast!  There was a lot to do.  We never made it to the rope swing or the lake for boating.

Giving my filthy kids baths in a tub in our cabin.

   I thought the cabins were fun.  We didn't have to set up a tent so that was nice.  There was electricity, a refrigerator and microwave.  However there was no running water inside.  We just had to go to the water spigot at the edge of our campsite to get water.  Upstairs was a big open loft that was great for kids to play in.  The downstairs had a bedroom with a queen bed and  bunk beds.  We had yummy food every day and a yummy dutch oven dinner one night.  Smore's galore and roasted Starbursts, too.

   Joe and I are going back in the winter.  There are wood stoves so hopefully we'll stay warm.  Anybody want to join us?  P.S.  It's super cheap, too!  There are sleigh rides and sledding.  :)

Summer Time

We had a fun busy summer.  We played in our backyard, once the grass grew in.  Doesn't it look nice!

We played ladder ball and badminton.

We got a trampoline.  You can sort of tell from the picture that it is rectangular.  Joe has a need to be different from all the people with round trampolines.  :)  I like how well it fits on the side of the house, though too.  Romney especially loves it.  He loves to jump and jump.  The kids have slept out on it a couple times.  It's great for putting a sprinkler under and jumping to cool off.  Such a fun investment.

   This summer was also filled with the excitement of getting a dog.  We went and picked her out at the shelter.  Her name is Kaleigh and she is a Border Collie.  She's very good with the little kids.  She is very energetic and playful.  She loves to fetch although she doesn't always bring things back.  She likes to have you chase her around to get it back.  Rebekah is so funny with the dog.  She knows she is in charge and gives the dog commands with all the authority an almost 2 year old can muster.  She loves to give her hugs and tummy tickles.  Romney is mostly afraid or annoyed by Kaleigh.  He doesn't play with her much and doesn't appreciate all her affection.  He just kind of tries to ignore her.  Paige has been begging for a dog for years.  We always had excuses:  We're renting and can't have pets, when we get in a house, after we build a fence, etc.  We ran out of excuses.  Paige adores her and wants her to play whenever she goes outside.  Jacob thinks the dog is kind of neat.  He likes to walk her.  We have to take her in for some training because right now she likes to growl, bark or jump at people.  Not such a good thing.  She is very protective of us!

   I'll have to do another post when I figure out how to get pictures off my cell phone.

Twelve Years Old!

I can't believe Jacob is already 12!  It's gone by so quickly.  Once they hit school, time speeds up.  Now he's a deacon and passing the sacrament.  I couldn't look at him the first time because it was making me cry to see him up there.  (Sappy Mom).

We had some cousins, grandma and grandpa Hull and a neighbor friend come over for a little party.  They played outside with water balloons, slip and slide, and a sprinkler under the trampoline to stay cool.  Then we had a BBQ and cake.

Jacob opening cards and presents.

Miracles

This month in primary we have been talking about miracles.  You are now witnessing a miracle because I am updating my blog.  :)  There is a lot to catch up on so I'm try to make it brief.

I'll start with Paige's 9th birthday way back in March.  She chose a cowgirl birthday this year.  Her friends came dressed up in cowgirl attire.  We played the traditional pin the tail on the donkey and had a horse pinata.  We decorated bandanas with iron ons.  Then I took pictures of each of her friends at the party posing with Paige on her (Fur-real) pony.  We decorated fun foam picture frames with cowgirl related shapes.  I printed out the pictures to put in the frames to take home.  Her cake was a Wanted Poster with her picture.

We also had a lot of family in town close to her birthday so we had a surprise birthday party for Paige with them too.  Oh, and Joe too, of course.  This was my quick attempt at a Mickey and Minnie Mouse theme.  She was very spoiled this year with two parties and way too many presents!


Oh, and while some of my family was in town we did what a family of 5 girls did a lot while growing up.  We had a tea party!  Sorry some of my pictures are so blurry.  Jacob agreed to come as the photographer for the event.  Romney came as a cowboy and his cousin Tommy came as a pirate.

The girls all dressed up!

Lady in Red (aka Nancy)

Karyn made these lovely petit fours.

The food was delicious.  There was quite the variety of little sandwiches and other yummy things to eat.  

We ate on my mom's china dishes.  Paige and I made the little centerpieces.

Let's see....Easter came next.  Here are some of the eggs I decorated.  Aren't they cool!  I used my Silhouette cutting machine to cut these shapes out of contact paper.  I stuck it on and then colored the eggs.  It was so easy and I love the results.

Well that's enough for today.  I'll have to write about the summer this week while Jacob and Paige are at school!

News Flash: Child listens to Mother

Honestly Jacob is a great kid.  But lately he has started acting like a teenager.  He's only 11 1/2.  Today he made me very happy.

This morning he came in my room to look (through the giant pile of clean laundry) for his pajama pants.  I was a little confused but he told me it was pajama day for the 5th graders and he had promised somebody that he would wear his pajamas.  He didn't find them in the clean laundry so I told him they were probably in the (giant pile of) dirty laundry.  He said that was okay because they probably weren't actually dirty.  Of course I wasn't surprise but asked if he meant that he puts clean clothes in the dirty laundry.  He giggled...

When he came down for breakfast he wasn't wearing his pajamas and I asked why not.  He had decided it would be too embarrassing.  So, I talked to him about being trustworthy and keeping his promise.  I told he could even just bring them to school in his bag and if the other kid remembered to where his he could go put his on.  He stopped me there and told me it was a girl, actually three girls.  I giggled.  A little while later he came back in wearing his pajamas.  I was so happy.  He actually listened to me!  It didn't just go in one ear and out the other.  Maybe he thinks I actually know what I am talking about.  Now those girls better come in their pajamas, too.

Independence

I love it when my children start developing some independence and can solve their own problems.  The weather has been so nice and sunny lately that we've actually been getting out of the house.  Romney loves to ride his bike while I'll push Rebekah in the stroller.  Whenever he has an incline that is difficult to get up or some other obstacle to get over he just hops off his bike and pushes it up or over.  I've been to surprised by this.  In the past he has started throwing a fit or jumps off and throws his bike.  :)

Rebekah refuses to sit in her high chair anymore.  She insists on sitting at the table with the rest of us.  So, this morning I put her breakfast at the table.  She came over and tried to climb into the chair but couldn't quite get up.  Then she went running off.  I thought she was upset.  But, no.  She just ran into another room and came back with a stool.  She set it by her chair and climbed right on up.

It has been so nice having fewer fits and freaking out in our home.

Primary

I taught sharing time this last Sunday.  The theme for the week was "Through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved."  We started by memorizing the third article of faith.  We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.  We talked about what some of the bigger words meant.  I wish I could remember more of their answers.  Some of their answers were cute and I thought I would share.  Mankind:  one person.  Obedience:  something you're supposed to do.  Ordinances:  those parties at church, like the trunk-or-treat.    Don't worry I redirected them.  :)  It's nice to feel like you are actually teaching something new or helping them better understand a concept.  Primary is a lot a fun.  Although most of the time I feel like I am running around like a crazy lady!  It makes life very busy and leaves no time for boredom.  If it weren't for this calling I would probably be doing my usual anti-social thing of sitting in the back row, trying to be invisible.  Now I just need to memorize 145 children's names.

Nothing New

Okay so I haven't added any new post for a very long time.  I know.  But I did change my background and blinkie!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Stressed?

I found this picture on the web months ago and felt like sharing it today.  :)  My sister has a magnet similar to this with the "perfect" retro homemaker and says "Medicated and Motivated".  It always makes me laugh.

Future Missionary

Jacob wanted to cook dinner tonight.  He was looking through the recipes trying to decide what to make.  I need to go grocery shopping. We didn't have the ingredients for most things.  He was "starving" and decided to just put in a pizza.  Then he turned to me and said, "Mom, you need to teach me to cook more things so I'll know how to cook when I'm a missionary!"  Then pretending to be talking to his companion, he switched to his missionary voice, "Hey do you know how to cook?"  "No"  "Crap, I guess we'll have to have pizza again"  "Do you have any money?"  "No, do you?"  Just thought I would share his funny dialog.  I'm glad he is always thinking ahead to his mission and preparing now!

Taking Time...

It was about 3:00 and I could tell Romney was getting tired.  I contemplated just putting a movie on for him and letting him fall asleep in front of the TV.  After all I was busy and had so much to do.  I am so glad I decided to sit down for a moment instead.  He came and snuggled up to me.  His eyes were very droopy.  I began to lightly rub his back and caress his sweet little head and he quickly fell asleep.  I just sat there holding him and enjoying every minute of it.  It isn't often that I can get my three year old to hold still long enough to just enjoy holding him.  It was like having a newborn again.  I didn't want to put him down.  I examined his little hands and fingers (not so clean like a newborn's).  I caressed his sweet little nose and ears and those soft little cheeks.  I don't know how long I sat there but it was quite awhile before the cleaning and such began to nag at me.  At last I laid him on the couch, so glad I took the time to enjoy my toddler.

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to me.  Oh, and Romney, too.  My little buddy is 3 years old now.  I can't believe it has gone by so quickly.  (Time to start potty training.) 

Saturday night Joe took me out to dinner at the yummiest place ever.  Famous Daves.  The food there is so good that everytime you take a bite you involuntarily say, mmm!  We shared a combo with a half rack of baby back ribs and beef brisket.  It came with a corn muffin, corn on the cob, baked beans, and homestyle french fries.  Delicious.  Funny story about it though.  We were seated and soon a waitress came out and asked if we wanted something to drink.  So, she came back with our drinks and left.  She came back a little later and asked if we wanted any appetizers.  No and then she left.  We wondered if she thought she already took our order.  We were getting very hungry and noticed another waitress talking to someone around the corner.  We assumed it was our waitress.  So, finally I got up and told her we were ready to order.  She thought we were waiting for someone else because there were three menus and three sets of silverware on our table.  She was very apolegetic.  It was fine.   I just wonder how long she would have waited before asking if we wanted to go ahead and order.  She made up for it though.  Our food was ready amazingly fast!  I think she told the people cooking to do ours first.    After dinner we went shopping for a pairs of jeans for me.  Lots of fun!

Joe and the kids surprised Romney and I with breakfast in bed.  Romney wasn't sure what was going on.  It was so yummy with all my favorites.  French toast, bacon, hash browns, orange-pineapple-strawberry juice and peppermint hot chocolate.

We had some of my family over for lunch after our special conference with Elder Holland.  The conference was very good.  I was actually able to listen to most of it.  My kids played quietly.  We had a delicious lunch of ham, yummy potatoes and a delicious salad full of yummy things.  We ate at my other birthday present.  My new dining room table.  I can't believe we didn't get a picture of it with a huge red bow on it.  It's lovely.  I said that I wanted that to be my present because we were already getting it and I was trying to get Joe to not spend more money. 

Here are the Elmo cupcakes I made for Romney.  They turned out great.  Romney really likes Elmo and Nemo.  I'm not sure which one he likes more because they sound the same when he says them.

Here's the yummy ice-cream cake Joseph got for me.  It had a chocolate ice cream layer, then a caramel fudge layer, a cookie crumb layer and then vanilla ice cream layer.  So good!

Joe and the kids put up all these fun decorations.

Karyn and Jason McGary. 

My papa.

Opening presents.  Romney was so excited about everything!

Cute new shirts from my parents.

Romney loves these bead these things everywhere we go so Joe got a little one for him.  It is perfect for car rides.

My new jeans and Romney tearing off paper.

What did Grandma and Grandpa Hull give you?

Elefun!

We got batteries today and the kids started playing it.  The elephant has this long trunk that these little butterflies come blowing up out of.  Then you catch them with your little butterfly net.  Rebekah was just laughing her head off at the kids trying to catch them.  It was so cute.

Veteran's Day

Paige and the rest of the 3rd grade did a Veteran's day concert.  It was a really neat presentation.  I was impressed.  I was also impressed by the many veterans in the audience that stood while the music for their division of the military played.  I am so grateful for those that serve our country. 

Sorry for the fuzzy pictures.  The camera was having trouble focusing because of the dim lights.

More Cake

We had a Super Saturday class about how to decorate a cake with fondant.  Ta da!  Here's my first attempt.  It was so much easier than I thought it would be.  And it was so much fun!

Trick or Treat!

I am finally posting stuff from all our fun Halloween activities.  We went out to my sister's (Karyn and Jason) for a FHE night and carving pumpkins.  We got together with Jason's parent's, and sister, and Jilayne and Garret Jenks and their cute girls.  Romney and Rebekah just wandered around the shop while the rest of us carved the pumpkins.  We also had delicious snacks.

You can't see it very well but Paige's pumkin had lots of fun shapes for eyes and such.  Romney's was a scared ghost.  Mine said BOO.  Jacob's pumpkin was a chicken.

We went to a fun trunk or treat ward party.  There was a chili and cornbread cook off.  Then the kids got to play a ton of carnival type games like a cupcake walk, balloon race,  face painting, ring toss, etc.  The big hit of the night was the haunted house.  After all that we went outside for the trunk or treat; or is it trick or trunk?  I wish I would have taken a picture of our trunk.  The spider webs were awesome.  Anyhow the kids were loaded with candy after quickly stopping by all the cars.  A few days later they would have even more!

My mom offered to watch the kids the Friday night before Halloween if we wanted to do anything.  It worked out great because we could actually go to the Ransom's super fun Halloween party.  Joe doesn't really like dressing up so in a few hours notice I had to come up with a costume that wouldn't embarass Joe.  So, here's what I came up with.  We went as a pair of old blue jeans.  We had nametags  with Jean & Gene and dress all in blue.  And I guess you could add that we are old.  And if we are your favorite people we could be a "favorite pair of old blue jeans".   : )  Strangely enough we won the costume contest.  Maybe it was for the lamest costume.  We had fun playing games, munching, and visiting our old Richland friends.

Rebekah was not a very happy witch.

Here's Jacob as a bum begging for candy.

This is the first year Paige has agreed to be a witch.  She likes to be beautiful things instead.  Since Rebekah was going to be a with it was okay.

 Paige didn't want to clean with us.  So, we told her no Halloween.  Finally right before we left she cleaned really fast.  We told her she still couldn't go.  She acted like she didn't care until she was sitting in the car crying while everyone else went up to the doors.  We didn't tell her it would only be the first 10 or so house we weren't going to let her go to.

Out trick or treating.  Look at the creepy window decor in that house.  Rebekah is actually wearing her hat in this one.  Romney my little pirate.  We put patches on Jacob's knees, elbow and bum. Then we cut open the toe of his old boots and he cut holes in his socks and had his toes hanging out.

Here's the Halloween wreath I made for our door.  I loved it!

Rebekah checking out some candy.  I just love her chubby cheeks.

It was a fun holiday.