Crafty Platters

Several months ago I offered to do the food for my sister-in-law's wedding.  When I got out to Utah I realized we didn't have many serving platters for the food.  Jake's mom and sister had a few flat trays, but not nearly enough trays and nothing that fancy for a wedding.  As we were trying to figure out what to do I got an email from Allison, friend from my ward, about different craft ideas she wanted to do.  The first link was to a site about how to make your own serving platters!!!!  This couldn't have come at a more perfect time.  The platters were so easy to make and I was in Utah where we have DI and lots of options for pieces to make the platters.  My sister-in-law, Trina and I headed to DI.  We found several pieces for the stands and several plates and trays for the tops.  The bases consisted of vases, candle holders, bowls, and cups.  We found both glass and plastic items to use.  This was seriously the easiest craft project.  It took longer to clean everything than it did to put all the platters together.  In the end we had seven platters for a little under $20.  Plus we felt totally crafty afterwards.  Thanks Allison for the perfectly timed email.  You saved the day and a huge headache of figuring out where to get serving trays from.

These are the cups, vases, candle holders, and bowls we found for the bases.

These are the plates and trays we found for the tops of the platters.

The final product.

The final product in action at the wedding.  Turned out pretty cute for really cheap, huh?!?!

 

Namesake

Our trips to Utah are usually for special occasions like holidays or weddings.  For instance the trip we are on now is for a wedding.  When we come out for these occasions we try to fit a million other things in as well.  Jake's whole family is out here plus I have a ton of family too.  Then we have friends from the mission, school, and other stages of life.  Trying to fit visits in with all our friends is next to impossible.  I knew on this trip there was one visit I couldn't miss.  It was to see my cousin Andelyne.  My little Andelyne needed to meet the person she was named after.  For our children we decided to use family names for middle names.  Tade's is Gunnar after my awesome Uncle Gunnar and Seth is Duncan after Jake's Grandma Wangberg's maiden name. Andelyne ended up with two family names.  Andelyne after my cousin and Arris after Jake's other Grandma's maiden name.  Plus it's also Jake's middle name.  So tuesday I headed down to Salt Lake with Seth and Andelyne to hang out and have lunch with Andelyne's namesake, my cousin Andelyne.  We were lucky enough to have my Aunt Jann, Aunt Billie, Debbie (cousin), Tara (sister-in-law), Amy (niece), Nicole (cousin), Ida and Elsa (Nicole's daughters), and Soleil (Andelyne's daughter) there as well.  It was a wonderful afternoon.  Andelyne has recently moved from Boston to Salt Lake.  They are at the end of remodeling a beyond beautiful home so we sat around enjoying the home and one another's company.  The kids had a great time playing together.  I love that my kids know their great aunts, second cousins and first cousins once removed.  It was a delightful and important visit.  I really wanted the Andelynes to meet.  I absolutely love my cousins name, but that is not the only reason we used her name for our daughter.  She is also someone I have observed and looked up to throughout my life.  We would visit Utah when I was younger and Andelyne would go out of her way to include me.  See we were the only family on my dad's side who lived back east.  Everyone else lived around each other and knew each other a lot better.  I was very shy and was somewhat uncomfortable visiting.  I also didn't match up with any cousins.  All my cousins matched up exactly with other cousins.  My family was a little off age wise.  We were always younger or older by a year or so.  Andelyne was one who was a little over a year younger and really close to other cousins her age.  Anyway, I have the best memories of our visits to Utah because of her kindness.  That has continued to the present.  She is just so easy to be around and chat with.  We always have great visits.  I leave feeling loved and often with a stitch in my side from laughing so hard.  It's important to be able to laugh with family and we have had our share of side splitting laughs too.  I hope our little Andelyne turns out just like my cousin with a loving heart who shares that with others and makes them feel special.  The being able to laugh until tears come would be good too.  So my dear little Andelyne you have been named after a remarkable person whom I hope you grow to know and love like I do.  Thanks Andelyne for being such a great cousin.

Playtime

Now that Tade is back in school I have more time and energy to give Seth and Andelyne.  No matter how many kids you have things are just easier when you have one less kid around.  Tade is my easiest child right now because he's the oldest and most self sufficient, but having him at home all day during the summer wore me out.  Tade and Seth have mastered the art of picking on each other.  Summer was very long because of that art.  I was happy when school started because it meant the house would be clam and quiet during the day.  Seth is a pretty good little kid as long as Tade's not around telling him to do things he knows he shouldn't be doing.  so of course the day after school started I was more than willing to head out and enjoy the ease of having two kids.  It was still a very hot week (this summer has been miserable), but all the pools and splash parks are closed.  Our friends and I found an alternative though.  In Rockville Towne Center there are fountains the kids can run in.  We've never gone before, but I remember Shauna took some kids for a summer camp.  We didn't let the close of the pool get us down.  We had found another option, a cheaper option.  We only had to pay $2 for parking.  The kids had a great time and the moms were about to sit in the shade and chat while watching these adorable kids get wet.

Dillon and Ellie Ana were our waster buddies.  They were a lot braver than Seth was in the beginning.

Seth was very apprehensive and stayed on the outskirts for a while.

I knew if he went through the water just once he would be fine.  So being the loving mom that I am I kind of kindly pushed him into one of the fountains.

He loved it!

And after that he had no fear.

You can see how much fun he was having.

In the end he was drenched and loving life.

First Grade

We have almost completed the first two weeks of school.  The first week as a full week, but this week with Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah the kids only have 3 days of school.  Then next week Tade goes monday, has off tuesday for elections (they use the schools as polling places), then leaves for Utah for a week on wednesday.  I feel bad pulling him out, but his aunt is getting married and we all need to head out to Utah.  Anyway, Tade survived the beginning of first grade.  I guess there's not much to survive because he really likes school.  He was ready to get back and see all his friends.  Only four kids from his class last year ended up in his class this year, but that's fine for Tade.  He makes new friends so easily.  WE also lucked out because there is a new family who moved into our ward and school boundaries who also has a first grader.  Tade and Carter get along great and they ended up in the same class.  Tade couldn't have been happier.  He loves Carter because he knows all about the Wii.  He likes him for other reasons too, but for 6 year old priorities the Wii is pretty close to the top of the important things list.  So needless to say Tade is going to have a great year.  He has a wonderful friend in his class, Carter's mom, Shelley, and I are going to be the room moms, and we got the teacher I really wanted.  Tade's a happy kid and I'm a happy mom.  Plus it's a TON quieter around the house during the day.

The Perfect Way to End the Summer

Our last official day of summer vacation was spent in the most beautiful and relaxing place.  My cousin married into the most wonderful family.  They are the nicest people in the world.  They have also done well in life and as a result have a beautiful home in Easton Maryland.  Their house is situated on a peninsula on one of the rivers shooting off the Chesapeake.  The house is on one side of the tip of the peninsula and the boat house is on the other side of the tip.  basically they own the whole end of the peninsula.  What a perfect place to build a house.  The home itself is lovely.  When I'm in it I can very easily picture a Jane Austen movie taking place there.  The land around the house is even more lovely.  There is a ton of green lawn, beautiful gardens, gorgeous trees, the river, a pool, boat house, and plenty of peace and quiet.  So last week my cousin Dan and his wife Jenny invited us to join them at the Easton house for a day of boating, swimming,and a bbq.  I was sooooo excited.  I've been to this house once for their engagement party, but it was during the early spring.  It was wet and cold so we couldn't really take in everything the house and property have to offer.  Well friday we ventured out to Easton for seriously the most relaxing day.  Jake was even able to take the day off and join us.  We had the best time.  None of us wanted to come home.  Tade and Seth had so much fun on the boat, checking the crab cages, in the pool, and just running around the yard that they were asking to spend the night so they could stay longer.  We are so lucky to have such wonderful cousins willing to share this delightful spot with us.  I guess I should also thank Jenny's parents for picking such a beautifully situated home.  I wish I had taken pictures inside the house you could feel the Jane Austen movie presence I was feeling, but the outdoor pictures will have to do.

This is the dock and boat house on one side of their peninsula.

The boys were fascinated with catching crabs.  There were a couple small ones in the cages when they pulled them up.

There were jelly fish everywhere in the water.  That's Maryland water in August for you.

Jenny took this picture from the beach at their house.

This was Andelyne for most of the boat ride.

I think this kids was the happiest on the boat.  He LOVED it.

They didn't really drive the boat, but they sure wanted to.

Just floating and relaxing.

The sun was bothering Seth and we left the boys sunglasses in the car.  Aunt Shauna was kind enough to lend him hers.

Dad you're the best.

These are some of the huge houses we saw on the shore.  They were seriously massive.

This boat house and house was where some of the movie Failure to Launch was filmed.

This house is where Wedding Crashers was filmed.  It was just a few minutes from Jenny's parents house.

This is the view of the house from the water.

More pictures of the beautiful house:

Isn't that a perfect view from the pool.

First time in a pool.

Man I loved these kids!!!!

Bear, the dog, was such a good sport being hounded by Tade all day.

After a day with views like this and the perfect weather we left so relaxed and happy.  It was truly the perfect way to end the summer.