Pioneer Day Party

Every year for the 24^th of July, my family and the Wagstaff’s put on a huge party to celebrate the day the pioneers came to Utah. This year was no different. Tracy rented machines from work (the p.l.), so once again there was snow cones, cotton candy, and pop corn. The water fight was epic this year. There were a ton of people and somehow I escaped getting soaked, but you don’t hear me complaining. Later that night we had a fantastic BBQ which is always a favorite. Something new that apparently started last year while I was in Europe, was a dance party. It was all super fun… good to be home and to see old friends.

 Filling up water Balloons

 Maren and Teegan got a brand new baby sister, 

this weekend so they came to play with us 

while mommy and daddy went to the hospital.

 Silly - but I had no idea water balloons could weigh so much

 To keep the kids away from the water 

balloons before the party started 

we turned on the sprinklers... 

they didnt seem to mind much.

 

 Snow Cone Machine : Grape, Tigers Blood, or Peach

Cotton Candy and Popcorn

 I think they each had at least 3 snow cones. 

 Epic Water Fight

 Lots of Good Friends

BBQ and Dance Party

Glow stick Rave

Leelou Swag

I love following creative peoples blogs! Leelou has to be one of my favorites. Check it out here! You might just love what you see...in fact I know you will. As part of her blog she has a fabulous "side blog" where she has awesome giveaways. 

This weeks giveaway is from Lisa Leonard. Go enter this fabulous give away... all you have to do is visit here ...read the post (why wouldn't you)... and follow the directions. Its that simple.

My choice would have to be the illuminate necklace

Doesn't it just scream Interior Design? Even if I don't win this giveaway, I must have this necklace and never you fear... I will own it soon! 

For more of Lisa's wonderful jewelry designs visit her website.

Love, love, love.

Craving

I really, really, really want…

Sushi

or

Risotto

or

a fabulous crepe

or

Fajitas

or

A big piece of chocolate cake

or

a chicken skillet.

Basically I’m just hungry and I have no food…

Oh well Ramen it is.

Fun and Fabulous Art

One of my best friends –Rachael Skidmore- has an amazing blog (go check it out at www.itssimplelove.blogspot.com), where every Friday she post a “Fabulous Friday Find”. A little while back she found this fun little gadget that I would like to share with you. Provided by flickr, with this little toy you can pick up to ten colors and flickr will go through millions of pictures to make an incredible collage for you. For people who are very visual- like me- this gadget can offer hours of fun.

Multicolr Search Lab - Idée Inc.

Below are a few examples of what it can do:

So go ahead and try it. You just might enjoy what you see.

Another really fun form of art I have recently learned about -last semester in school- is Mixed Media Collages.

 Mixed media collages are made with:

photographs, old news paper articles, books, fabrics,

metal, trinkets.

Basically, anything you can think up can go on a mixed media collage. One of my favorite MMC Artist is Michelle Caplan. To see some of her amazing pieces visit her blog at http://michellecaplan.blogspot.com/

Below are some amazing examples of what mixed media collage has to offer:

I think they are amazing and I can only aspire to be this creative in my chosen form of art.

WOAH! Where’s Alton?

Almost every summer, for the 4^th of July, my family and I head down south for the Merrill and Afton Heaton Family reunion in ALTON, UTAH. About 20 Miles South of Bryce Canyon, this little town is “Home to the Heaton’s”. I love this reunion and look forward to it every year because it’s a time for whole family to get together… and when I say my whole family I mean my whole family. Basically, I’m related to just about everyone there by blood or marriage.

 penny flying on the way to alton

I couldn't believe my siblings had never done this before

 "the father of alton"

This year was a little bit different from the others because a couple of years my grand parents bought some property down there, so we had a place to stay where we could basically run wild… sort of. Because my family and I only had a small tent my sister and I decided that we were gonna sleep under the stars to free up some room in the tent. It started out as a great idea because the stars in Alton are so incredible, but about 2 am it was so cold that Tracy had to go into the tent. I made it to about 5:45 am and then I couldn’t handle it any more. I had to go in too. I was really bummed because I really wanted to sleep outside. After borrowing some sleeping bags and blankets from the Judd’s (some family that lives down there) I was able to sleep outside without freezing.

Every year for the 4^th there is:

a dance  

a family parade

 program

Uncle Art has “train”

“age races”,

 a town luncheon,

 water games

 in remembrance of Aunt Joy

 only in alton

 mckenna, kim, and alexa waiting for the program

 

and of course the family dinner:

Dutch Oven Mutton and Potatoes are the main course but each family brings salads, fruit and veggie plates, and desserts.  It’s always a good time. Now that the family (extended and all) is getting so big, its hard to fit everyone, so it has been said- for a couple of years now- that we are only going to have the reunion once every two years, but because Grandma and Grandpa have land, I think we are gonna try every year. I hope so, because  

I love Alton.