The Etiquette of Arson

Kristy and I have been working for weeks on planning an etiquette dinner for our Activity Day girls at church. We have discussed menus, centerpieces, stemware, silverware, etiquette tips, etc, etc, etc. We've made invitations, menus, and placecards. We had it all very carefully planned. Too bad that it all went up in smoke. (Cue ominous music please....and forgive the soon to be obvious pun.)



So, we are at the church, in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on our fabulous dinner that we have been preparing all day. Part of the menu was sauteed green beans with slivered almonds, so we were heating a little bit of olive oil on the stove to quickly saute them.



The oil on the stove started to smoke a little bit (not even a lot, a LITTLE bit) as it was getting hot and it set the dang smole alarm off at the church. Just like out of a movie, the lights dimmed, other lights started flashing and a loudspeaker started shouting "danger, please exit the building." Of course we were freaking out and were running frantically around trying to figure out how to shut if off. I ran to the fire alarm panel and pulled off the cover to see if I could shut if off that way and it started sounding off a different (and even louder) alarm. Luckily I was able to get the cover back on and turn the second alarm off. Mind you, the first alarm is still screeching and the voice is still shouting. This is the point when all of the people start showing up at the church. Talk about embarrassing. We were all talking and trying to decide what to do and I decided that we should call the fire dept. to see if they could tell us how to shut it off. I called them and asked them what we should do. They told me that they were moblilizing a unit to come. I screamed NO!! and told them not to come with a fire engine. Could you imagine that pulling up? I talked them into only sending the fire chief in his SUV to turn in off. They finally made it about 20 min. after the alarm first went off. They came in opened a panel and quickly turned it all off. At this time, a man from the stake came and started to berate us for daring to cook in the kitchen. "Don't you know that you can't cook in the kitchen?" "You should have known that you can't cook in the kitchen!" "Are you guys blind, can't you see that there was a partially obscured sign that says that you can't cook in the kitchen?" Forgive us for assuming that a kitchen was meant to be used. We obviously must be stupid to have come to that assumption. (I don't sound bitter at all, do I?) Anyway, even though we were obviously very flustered, the meal went off pretty well. I think that the girls and their moms enjoyed it and if you give me a week I may decide that I enjoyed it too.

She's Craft-tay!

As we prepare to move to our new home, I have been frantically going through our things, purging all of the junk and trying to finish all of the unfinished projects that I have had. Here are a few of my finally finished projects in all of their glory.

Here is a quilt that I started at the beginning of last year. I was so gung-ho when I began it that I was almost finished with it in about 5 days. In typical Becky fashion, I got sick of it and didn't touch it again for almost a year and a half. Finally, faced with a deadline to get it quilted at the store before we move, I was forced to finish it. It took me all of two hours to finish. WHAT is my PROBLEM!!




Here is the intricate stitching that some nice lady did for me for the low price of $100!! I almost wet myself when they told me how much it was, but I held my composure and took this low blow with grace and dignity.

Here is the tutu that I promised Kaitlin approx. a year ago. I bought Camie a similar one at the Hobble Creek Barn Boutique and we went the very next day to buy the tulle so we could make Kaitlin one right away!! As usual, other things got in the way and it was continually put on hold until the last second. When I started, it took me 6 hours to gather each layer of tulle and stitch it to the waistband. This I know, because I started A&E's verson of Pride and Prejudice at 8:30pm and did not finish the sewing until I finished the whole entire mini-series at 2:30am. The ribbons, sequins and flowers I glued on with E600 the next day. (Best glue ever, by the way.) Also, I don't know if you can see it, but the skirt is dotted with tons of hand -placed pink and clear Swarovski crystals. I think might have had a glue buzz by the time I was done with all of this.

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Finally, here is a cute card that I made with some stampin' up stuff I happened to acquire. I am in love with this stamp set, called Tart and Tangy.

Sad thing is that, after finishing all these projects, I still have tons of other projects left to do!!

Carnival Fun!!

Once again, last week, the carnival rolled into town!! My kids look forward to this week with anticipation throughout the whole year. They talk about it in the car, they compare carnival ride stories with their friends, they ask continually when the carnival will be back in town so that they can go on all the "super fun" rides. The girls were frantic with glee last week when they finally saw the flashing lights and heard the horrible music beckoning to them. On Saturday, after a week of begging, we finally were able to make it there!! They were able to ride on the merry-go-round, which is always a favorite...






and ride a few of the other kiddie rides as well.




They had a blast as usual, even though Kaitlin is at an age where she is too big to really have tons of fun with kiddie rides, but is too small to go on the bigger rides. These two girls are really able to have fun wherever they go!! Carnivals are not really my thing, but I think that it is wonderful that even though I am only able to see worn out and dirty old rides, my girls are able to see magic in it all. That is an amazing thing.

Dancing Queens

Once again my little girls had their Charisma Studios dance recital!! It is months of preparation up to this point, with each girl learning one tap and one ballet routine. Camie made it to dance class almost every week, but we kept forgetting to make it to Kaitlin's dance class because it was Friday afternoon at 4:30. Apperently I am not capable of remembering anything that is scheduled once I am in weekend mode. Anyway, we did manage to start making it to class a month and a half before the recital and luckily Kaitlin was able to pick up everything very quickly. Both girls did great at the recital. Camie danced to "Baby Face" and "Rubber Ducky" and Kaitlin danced to "A Spoon Full of Sugar" and "Beauty and the Beast". If I had any technical savvy I would try to post clips of their recital, but since I don't, you will just have to imagine. At the end, Kaitlin received a trophy for attending four years of dance classes. It is her very first actual trophy (t-ball is too cheap and only gives out medals) and she is incredibly proud of it.

Here is Camie in all of her fluffy, be-dazzled glory. She loves all of the over the top costumes and will also take any opportunity to be in full make-up. Love the hat, by the way. Do you think that they make them in adult sizes? :)

Here is Kaitlin in one of her "beautiful model" poses that she so desperately loves. Her costume is not nearly as be-dazzled and shiny as Camie's, much to her chagrin, but we made up for it by her elaborate hair-do (I should have taken I picture from the back so you could ooooh and aaaah over my fine work) and her full make-up complete with shimmery glitter and purple lipstick. A little girls dream for sure.

I am very proud of my sweet little girls and I am happy that they have the opportunity to learn new things. I'm also happy that they were able to do something every week that they thoroughly enjoyed. We are very blessed indeed.