Up and Going Again

I decided that maybe I would like to get going again on my blog. Although, I am doing it all backwards, but I will get the hang of it again soon. Above is Grandma's bday gift. A Topiary arrangement that I thought looked particularly good on her table.

This is a picture of the pumpkin topiarys that I made for the front porch. I still need a wreath and some mums, but that is the next post.
close up of the topiary
Just realized that I am doing my posts backwards. The above picture is the apartment door wreath.
Yesterday was "Crafty Saturday" up on the "Ridge". Enthused by the fall like weather that we are having after a 90 dgree Thursday I decided to make some fall accesories for the back door and the apartment door. This picture above is the back door.

I am still alive in the blogworld

This has nothing to do with anything from Christmas, New Years or the kids. I haven't posted for a million years and wanted to start getting into the habit again. Here is Rusty this past fall in his favorite spot up by the pond and the field by our house. Doesn't he look as though he is smiling. Wouldn't it be nice if all it took to make us happy was a jaunt around the pond and a dog treat!! Have a great day!!

Senior Ball

HAYLEY'S SENIOR BALL
Here are the friends of Hayley lined up by color before the dance
Hayley and her date Chris Van Zandt- notice the matching vest and tie on the date!! They look like a commercial for toothpaste.
Brian, Maureen, Hayley and Chris before the dance. Maureen is about 12 inches shorter than Hayley.
For George and Lois- more pics of the house are coming

The Rest of the Story

After our trip to NYC we then ventured to Utah to see Maren graduate, the Dille fam and the Hansen gang. Here is Master Luke in B&W.
Julia showing the 6 pack.
Grammy and Luke.
The graduate with her sippy cup.
Since I have no graduation pics with this camera-here is the proof- Maren's fav-Costco cake.
Three Hansens and a Dille at the FREEZING picnic in honor of Marz
Mark- the son of Allison (Dille) and Chris Whitney in the Francisco Park Ward, Las Vegas Nev.
Maren and Les at midnight walking the strip- we were a wild bunch.
Les walking into Gordon Biersch- a very yummy restaurant in LV. We had garlic fries and ginger glazed chicken wings for appetizers. We were not even hungry for dinner.

Spring Break in NYC

We are finally back from our 10 day spring break extravaganza to nyc, utah and las vegas. I tried to down load all the nyc pictures but could only do the ones you will see here. When Hayley and I got to JFK airport on Sat. 4/18 we spent 3 hours riding subways, train and lugging our 49 lb. bags up and down countless subway stairs and through turnstiles to get to our New Jersey hotel room. It was 1:30 in the afternoon and we had been traveling for almost 6 hours- it would have been quicker to drive! After a short nap we ventured out of the room to see some of NYC After another long subway ride we got back to Manhattan. We spent the rest of the day shopping at Century 21, glimpsing at Ground Zero, buzzing around Soho, and eating. We went to Lombardi's- supposedly the first pizzeria in NYC. It was YUMMY- then we went across the street to the place above-Rice to Riches- a smorgasbord of rice puddings. We had a combo of "French toast" and" vanilla extraordinaire". We thought we would never be able to eat all of it but we rallied and finished the whole thing.
Sunday am- Got up and conquered the subway again to go to church on 14th street. A church where the chapel is upstairs. It was a very busy crowded ward and the missionaries were from Russia and Brazil. Then we met up with GSD (who flew in that am) and we went to see the Manhattan temple across from Lincoln Center, then to get a really bad lunch at a little Greek restaurant. Then on to see the Little Mermaid. This is the back drop to the play. It was wonderful and we wondered about Julia and how we would ever get her to see it.
Hayley and I FREEZING out side of the theater.
A picture of Time Square after the play.
We dragged GSD to this very popular Freeman's restaurant. In a very old, hip building in Soho. The atmosphere was cool, but the food was expensive, not that good and (as i most NY restaurants) the people at the next table were touching elbows with us. GSD is still talking about the warm water and watery potatoes.
GSD waiting in the only chair at Urban Outfitter- it was in the window. He got the funniest book ever and made us laugh so hard we were crying when he read it to us at the subway stop.
Monday- spent touring Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty- it was foggy but still cool.
Me and Hayley FREEZING at the Statue of Liberty
All in all we had a good time and left saying what we always say- "I would never want to live here-but it is very fun to visit"

What I Did This Weekend

Here is what I was doing this weekend. No not hanging from basketball hoops, but hanging with this crowd. Who would have thought that a "church" dance could be so lively! This past weekend was Youth Conference, held once a year for the teens ages 14-18 that go to our church. Others are of course invited. I guess "dancing" has taken on a whole new meaning for this group or else the dance moves got so fast that they ended up on the basketball hoop! Who said "What do you do for fun?" "Uh, we hang from hoops in the church gym, of course!"

Me showing up for duty.
My companion during the whole thing- the one with the glasses.
My other friends were there too. They included, Hercules, sleepy the dwarf, a various assortment of princesses, a king, snow white in a little red riding hood costume, a narrator/jester, the devil, an angel, and one guy that was in the hall when we said, "Time to get on your costume!"
The star of our show-in case you did not recognize her it is Hayley-she got to dance with the King! I hope you all had a lovely weekend as well!!

Maren's Masterpiece

This is not Maren's masterpiece. It is actually Chris VanZandt, Hayley's bf. Poor guy needs a new pair of longer britches!
Hayley and Chris going to the Jazz Dinner Dance- she actually is wearing an "old" dress. The one she wore to Maren's wedding-3 years ago.
Another pic of the dancing couple.
At last the masterpiece. Maren actually made this dress, especially for Hayley. It is a very cool dress with the dark blue part attached to the dress but loose on one end so that it could be worn as a shawl or however she wanted to configure it. What a beauty in a beautiful dress. Thanks so much Marez.