Summer Vacation 2011

 San Diego Zoo's Safari Park in Escondido.  Making free hats!

 Preschool work from last year.

 A piece of art!

 The water pump

 Daddy joined us!

 Tram ride

 Alexander was a stinker that day.  Not cooperative for much besides lunch.

 Bowling fun in Moreno Valley for our 6th Anniversary (we also stayed at the Ayres Suites Hotel and got a Groupon to it including a 60min couples massage for a sweet price).  Ed and Teresa took the kids for the night.  Thank you!  We also saw the new movie, Harry Potter :) and got buy one get one free blizzards at Dairy Queen.

 My Gym in Redlands classes for both kids in July.  Another Groupon.  $35 per kid for a month of classes and free play.  They loved it!

 Stuffed squash from the garden.  Alexander gobbled it up!

 Johns Incredible Pizza Tour with the family and Moms Club.  Robin won for best pizza design.

 Kids bowled in their mini alley.

 Michael and I went to an Angels baseball game in July.  School fundraiser.

 Proud of Daddy's tomato plant. (Grandpa Shea gave us the started plant that blossomed into this beauty! Thank you!)

 Pool time with Daddy.

 Peach tree got its first full size peach.  Delicious!

 Raspberry and strawberry plants.

 Beaumont Library Teddy Bear Picnic on a Saturday

 Ready for church.

 My Gym

 Under the sea

Kids Having Fun!

Puzzle time

 Cute new game for Marc and Shay for Alexander's birthday.

 Treasure chest to reward Alexander for staying in bed at night :).  We love sleep.

 Mommy loves the Dollar Tree

 Pretty new dress we got from Kohls for free with Grandma Iottini's $10 rewards certificate she gave us.  Thanks!

 Church time.  Alexander is Captain Hook.

 Wearing Daddy's glasses

 Our first family bowling trip.  Kids loved it.  Morongo Bowling in Cabazon.

 Bumper Bowling for kiddos

 Mommy won game #1, Alexander and Isabella came in 2nd place.  The kids beat Mommy and Daddy on game #2.

 After bowling, we went to The Sandwich Stoppe in Beaumont and we shared The Junkyard Sandwich and got the kids a grilled cheese sandwich.  They also have yummy peanut butter milk shakes.  We should have shared the sandwich with the kids, too!  I could only eat half of my half and was stuffed!  It has lots of meat, a hamburger patty, egg, fried chicken, 3 slices of bread, veggies, cheese, and more!  It was delicious.  One of the best sandwiches I have had. Very flavorful.  Cost: $11.99 for the sandwich which could easily feed 3 adults.

 Michael felt spontaneous and we dropped the kids off in Moreno Valley with his mom and went to the Safari Park in Escondido as a couple.  We had great fun on Michael's almost last day of summer (August 9, 2011).  Beautiful weather and much fun.

 The next day, Wednesday, August 10, Alexander and I joined Craig & Julie Johnson and their 4 kiddos (down from Utah for Beach Week) at the Yucaipa Regional Park.  They have waterslides, a man made lake wit ha pool type bottom and sandy shore and grassy tree area to relax on, low price and such fun.  $7 parking, $4 per person (ages 4+ to swim), $? for water slides.  Only mid 80s that day.

 Zachary age 5 and Alexander age 4.

 Storytime.  Isabella loves to read books.

 Happy Summer!  Michael returned to work, Thursday, August 11, 2011.

Paper Rosette Wreath Craft Project!

I decided to make a cool paper rosette wreath I saw on someone's blog: http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2010/11/diy-faux-curled-rosewood-wreath-made.html

 I got a cheap book from the Dollar Tree (a used book store would be even cheaper) and cut out squares, then spiral circles from the pages.  I cut out 12 pages at a time, then made paper rosettes 3-6 papers thick to add variety.  I then used hot glue to hold it all together.  I used 1.5 books (about 600 pages total of cutting, rolling, and gluing!).

 It is faster to cut out lots of paper circles and then cut the spirals at once, then to roll and glue them.

 You can also use the pretty flowers to enhance your gift wrapping skills!

 A 9x13 pan full of flowers...  Luckily I only burned my finger once on the hot glue gun.

 The moment of truth!  I started gluing my flowers on the foam wreath (at Michael's and Joann's cost is $4-$8 per wreath form.)  I got the 14" one that was green and cost $6.  With my 40% off coupon is was around $4.  I spray painted it white with spray paint I got from WalMart for only $0.99.  Unfortunately Joanns was out of 14" white wreath forms, so I had to spray paint the one from Michaels.

The Dollar Tree also had basic wreaths for $1, but they were not rounded on the edges and were rather small.  Not sure where the other Blogger got her wreath form for only $1...

 Once you start gluing the flowers on, it goes pretty fast (assuming the flowers are all made).  The glue was $1 at the Dollar Tree for my mini glue gun I already had.

 This stamp pad of Distress Ink may be used to antique the paper rosettes.  I antiques about 1/3 of them, but unless you look close, it is hard to tell.  The stamp pad cost $4.99 at Michaels, so I am not sure it was worth that price...

 Alexander (my 4yr old) watched Jake and the Neverland Pirates on my laptop while I glued this together.  Luckily Bella slept in that day.  We are going to have this as a craft option for our Super Saturday for the LDS Church in Beaumont, CA.  Should be fun!

 Almost done!

 Yeah!  I did it!  There are probably about 100 paper rosettes on there.  I did not do the back, since it is hanging on my wall.  Another blogger has it hanging against a mirror so you can see the back, so it took her 3-4 books worth of paper to cover an 18" foam wreath form.  That sounded like too much more work to me.  So on the wall it goes.  (Although it would look cool over our mirror that is above the fireplace).

 Finished product.  I got a yard of white tulle from Walmart for $1 to make my hanging ribbon.

Happy Crafting everyone!