MK & Olivia's Super Sweet Sixteen

Centerpiece.  The Yorks were a must.

B-day Banner.  I used up my old scrapbook paper.

 

 Converging in the kitchen.

 With Hannah, Ashley, Hadley, Cami, Karly and Katy.

 Matt G, Parker, Nick, Graham and Cole.

 Birthday Girl.

 Hannah, Katy, Ashley and Cami.

 Hadley, Karly & Matt.

 Matt, Ryan & Peter.

 Incredulous Janessa.

 NCAA Sweet Sixteen Games.  Olivia's cousin, Stillman White, was a key player for UNC.  The Hartts were biting their nails on the edge of their seats as UNC eked it out in OT.  Thanks to the unseasonably warm spring the kids all went outside with glow sticks so we could watch the last 10 minutes of the game in relative peace and quiet.

 Garret, MK and Janessa.

 The YM obsessing over a remote control car game.

 Olivia had to come a little late because of her soccer game.

 Graham pulling out tissues one at a time in barely under a minute.  

 The aftermath.

 Cami playing a minute to win in "tennis" game.

 MK playing the game.

 Nick trying to flip the cup onto the water bottle in 60 seconds.  

 The Dizzy Mummy.  Unrolling a full roll of TP by spinning--in under a minute.

 Garret and Mikey trying to kill themselves doing the cinnamon challenge.

 16 Candles.

 Besties.

 Woo hoo!

 BEEF!

 Eating cake.

 Loving on Jesse.  He gives the BEST GIFTS.  Vera Bradley?  Oh, yes he did.

Cherry Blossoms

On Thursday afternoon MK and I piled into the car with the Powers and headed downtown (along with Meagan and everyone else on the eastern seaboard) to checkout the cherry blossoms.  They were just getting past peak, but still gorgeous.  We dropped the girls off to walk around the tidal basin while we searched for a parking space.  We found a FREE spot (??) about 1/4 mile away and walked alongside the DC channel.  When we got to the Jefferson Memorial I called MK so we could figure out where they were so we could meet up with them.  She had her ringer off.  It took 7 calls and 10 minutes before she finally answered.  As it turned out they were right around the bend from us.  All in all it was a great time.  Thanks Kim! 

 Meagan, MK and Hadley.

 I took this one on the sly for G-ma.

 MLK

Belated Birthday Wishes

What do Justin Bieber and G-Ma D have in common?  They are both awesome and good looking.  They both have fans out the wazoo.  They're talented and successful at what they do.  AND they share the same birthday.  March 1st.  Sadly we couldn't celebrate on her special day since she was in Florida soaking up the sun with G-Pa.  So we had them over this past Sunday for din din and present opening.   

 She got an apron:)

 G-Pa rocking his J-Dawgs shirt.

 We had the Elders for dinner too.

 MK and Mikey looking good:)

The girls.  

Mulch Madness 2012

Every year Vienna Ward has it's annual fundraiser in which we sell and deliver 14,000+ bags of mulch.  It's an enormous undertaking requiring countless hours of preparation.  The kids spend several mutual nights in January and February rolling over 7,000 fliers that they deliver door to door.  Once the orders come in, a big map is generated with each customer's house flagged.  The areas are color coded and binders are created with addresses, the amount of bags to be delivered and receipts for every customer. The mulch is ordered from West Virginia and shows up on several 18 wheelers which are unloaded in the nether regions of the church parking lot. Forklifts are then used to transfer the pallets onto smaller flatbed trucks, which were reserved months in advance. Food is also provided for all of the people who come out to help.  We have been doing this for the past 8 years.  This year was without a doubt the best effort so far.  I guess we have it down to a science by now.  The weather was perfect and I personally had a great time with the awesome kids I schlepped around.   

 Just a tip of the iceberg:)

 A big rig being unloaded.

 Jeff and his map.

The binders ready to go with the two masterminds behind Mulch:  Jeff and Jeff.  

 Awesome young men at the crack of dawn.

 Amazing young women bright and early.

 Strapping down the pallets.

 Bruce, Jeff and Scott.

 Scott, Bro-Mo and Bro-Co. 

 Mikey  and Garrett.

 My awesome Saturday crew.  We were so happy that Spencer got sprung from the hospital on the same weekend as mulch:)

 Jesse, MK, Karly and Meagan.

 My little goof ball.

 Perfecting their best homecoming queen wave.  Nothing like sitting on bags of mulch rolling slowly down the street on a flatbed truck to bring out the royalty in us all.  

Taking a break after subway sammies.  

By Saturday afternoon at 4:30 it was all delivered and the trucks were being returned.  What a fantastic fundraiser.  And such incredible teamwork! 

Washington DC Temple Visitor's Center Textile Exhibit

For the past several days, my friend Connie and her husband Charles, and I have been hanging and arranging quilts and other textiles at the Visitor's Center.  Special thanks to Diana for shipping 9 quilts and 7 tea towels from Utah for the exhibit. 

Gingerbread, and To Grandmother's House We Go.  The red and white one, Winter Wonderland, was auctioned off to raise money for Primary Children's Hospital.  It sold for close to $10,000--the one hanging in the exhibit is an exact replica:)  Nice job, Diana!

Chocolate Bliss was made by Diana and it's a hoot!  Connie made Winter Winds during Snowmageddon two years ago.

 Love the applique on this one.  All done in batiks, too:)  The one on the right was made for a granddaughter when she was baptized.  The quilter has three more granddaughter quilts displayed as well.

 This stunner was completed a few days ago by Rachel, a young married girl in our ward who's husband came home with a stack of molas from his mission that she set to turquoise and black.  Nice work for a first quilt, huh?

Professional quality.  Absolutely amazing quilts!

In this quilt, entitled "Emma's Vigil at Cumorah", the details are exquisite!

  

 Talent talent and more talent!

 I love Diana's Nauvoo quilt.  Great story behind it too:)

 Celestial Windows is ALL HAND DONE!  This masterpiece is truly a labor of love.

 Sweetness:)

 Just as we were getting ready to leave today after the last things were in place, a little old lady showed up and asked if we would like a woven piece for the display.  We happened to have loom on exhibit and the piece fit perfectly:)

  More Chocolate Bliss

 Cute jar quilt.  Scenes from Utah too.

 Cathedral windows and my DC Temple quilt.

 Kind of different--someone painted over a double wedding ring quilt.

 Celtic Rings on top.  Anonymous (aka Connie) made the small green one not intending it to be in the  show.   It was going to be a table topper center piece, but it was the right size and color and we needed to fill that space!  I think it's awewome:)

 Campbell Soup  Kids.  They get a lot of oohs and aahs.

Check out the sweet blessing gown on the left:)

If you want to see more, you need to come!  The pictures don't do it justice.
  The exhibit runs through April.