Seeing the World in Color

Do you dream in Black and White? Or in Color?

I realized I see the world in fabric. I look out around me and think about which fabrics I would choose to represent that color. Or what a great fabric palette that view would make.

I came to this realization as my husband and I spent 10 fun filled days in Maui to celebrate our 15th Anniversary. Wa-Hoo!  

Lahaina Beach

The colors there are so vibrant. Brilliant. Stunning. I was constantly looking around me at all the beautiful colors. Look at this blue, blue water I was lucky enough to snuba in!

Molokini, Photo Credit Russ Babcock

And this stunning bamboo forest I hiked!

Bamboo Forrest in Haleakala National Park, Maui, Photo Credit Russ Babcock

Everywhere were stunning views with saturated colors.

North Maui, Photo Credit Russ Babcock

And as I looked around at all the beauty around me I thought "This would make a beautiful quilt."

Iao Valley, Maui, Photo Credit Russ Babcock

And my husband just laughed at me.

Where have I been?

I can't believe I haven't posted in almost 2 months. Life has been so hectic here lately that I've had little time to sew. But, it has been a fun hectic.  So what have I been up to?

1. A Family trip to Arches National Park

Arches National Park

Our family overlooking Delicate Arch. 

I had never been to Arches National Park. So beautiful! And so much to do--I had no idea! I want to go back, and so do my kids. 

2. Spring Soccer

My Son at one of this soccer games

My 9 year-old son loves soccer and plays for a local club. Spring games started up again. This means many weeknights cheering him and his team on. 

3. Spring Baseball 

An old photo of my son who loves baseball. (My photos from this season didn't turn out.)

My 11 year-old son LOVES baseball. His season has started, which means more weeknights cheering him and his team on. 

4. My own fitness make-over

(no photo here)

I think we've all know this story--you get on the scale one day and realize you are unhealthy. I was back up to my heaviest...actually a few pounds OVER my heaviest. And I was tired of not fitting in my clothes anymore. I've enlisted the help of Team THF and have been making a change. I've been working out and eating healthy. It's been a lot of work, but it's paying off. I've lost weight, gained muscle, and I can feel myself getting stronger. I have more energy, and just overall feel better. 

Although it's been a fun couple of months, I've missed my sewing table. I have only found bits of time to sit down and sew. My Wheel of Fortune Quilt has been sitting on my table so I can work on it whenever I get a few minutes. I'm so close to being done!

Wheel of Fortune Quilt

I'm half way through with quilting the borders. It's exciting to be almost finished. 

Tulip Festival

I love Spring!

A week or so ago, we went to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point. This was my first time attending even though I've wanted to go for years. According to their website, there are 250,000 tulips displayed in 55-acres of gardens. That's a lot of tulips. Since tulips are my favorite flower, I was in heaven.

S, MK, and C squinting in the bright sun

S, MK, C at Tulip Festival

MK among the tulips

Tulip Festival

One garden area had all sorts of lawn games and activities. 

We found a large chess board. Of course, S and C had to have a game.

Outdoor Chess Set

S, C, and MK as tulips.

MK said it was just like 'Alice in Wonderland.'

Tulip Festival

MK taking a rest in the butterfly garden

Tulip Festival

One of my goals this year is to make a unique quilt. I'm taking part in my guild's challenge this year to make a quilt titled "I looked out the window." It can be anything we see out our window--kitchen window, living room window, work window, car window, etc. I have been toying around with the idea of making a flower garden--3D flower garden. 

(images found here, here, and here.)

There are so many possibilities, I can't decide! And so, I don't start.

But having spent a day among the flowers, I really am motivated to choose and move forward with this project. 

A Wedding

My mom, the Quilting Guru, has been making Wedding Quilts for several years now. She started when all the grandkids were little so she wouldn't be scrambling to make a quilt whenever they announced an engagement. The first of the grandkids was married on Saturday. The bride and groom looked through all the many quilts she had made and narrowed it down to two quilts. (The bride liked one while the groom liked a different one.) We never heard from them what they decided, so we just hung the quilt the bride loved.

Wedding Quilt made by the Quilting Guru, aka my mom.

Wedding Quilt

I've spent the last week traveling, helping my sister prepare for her daughter's wedding, participating in wedding day activities, and traveling again. It was a very busy week. But for my sister, it's been a very busy 4 months. Everything came together, and we made a lot of great memories.

The Happy Couple

S, MK, and C

MK acting as the Flower Girl and the Bride

 

My favorite photo was captured by my sister. I just love this one of MK looking in on the Temple.

I Love to See the Temple

Me and my sister, the mother of the bride

Sisters

SISTERS! We took this selfie with a REAL camera. 

Sisters

Now I'm sitting at home with a pile of suitcases, sleeping bags, and dirty laundry. I guess I have to get back to real life. Although, my sewing table is calling my name. 

Field Trip to Museum of Art

Yesterday, we took a family field trip to the BYU Museum of Art. 

S, MK, C in front of BYU Museum of Art

Currently, they have an exhibit entitled "Sacred Gifts: The Religious Art of Carl Bloch, Heinrich Hofmann, and Frans Schwartz."  BYU has managed to borrow several amazing paintings that have never been lent out before. 

One of the first paintings seen in the exhibit is this painting titled "Agony in the Garden" by Frans Schwartz. This one is MK's favorite. 

Agony in the Garden, Frans Schwartz

This one is titled "The Mocking of Christ" by Carl Bloch. I was stunned by this painting. It looked so much like a photograph. I kept returning to this painting while we were there. 

The Mocking of Christ, Carl Bloch

I have been spending so much time looking at quilts and fabric I sometimes forget about other artistic and creative things. After seeing these, I have no desire to pick up paints. However, I do have a desire to seek out other beautiful things and create my own beautiful things.

Disneyland

 

I'll be back next week. I'm going to Disneyland!

Real Salt Lake Game

Where have I been? Busy. 

One of the fun things I've been able to do lately is go to another Real Salt Lake game with the entire family. We were lucky to score tickets to the semifinal game between Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy. What a crazy game! It went into overtime where RSL sealed their win. Amazing game play.

The whole family after the RSL Game

At the start of the game, MK needed help from R to hold up her scarf to welcome RSL out onto the field. 

C is just cheesing it up for the camera.

Cheering on the RSL Team

During halftime, MK snuggled up to R. He's got a scratchy beard while he takes part of Movember and is rubbing her cheek with his whiskers. I love the look on her face! And, little stinker she was, she wouldn't keep her hat, gloves, or scarf on even though it was so cold and windy.

 

C had stayed home sick from school that morning. I wasn't sure if we were going to take him, but he was doing SO much better even if he didn't have a ton of energy. 

 C cheering on RSL

S and me bundled up against the cold cheering on RSL

When I told S we'd be going to watch the RSL game he told me "one day I want to be a real soccer player." 

 Me, C, S, MK during half time

Me and R. I'm not used seeing him without facial hair!

Me and hubby 

We love going to the games. So much fun. We'll be going to a lot next season as well--We got season tickets for the next season. 

Birthday Hike

It's my birthday today. I know what you are all thinking, and it's true--Everyone got the day off from work and school today to celebrate with me. You are welcome. 

The boys woke me up for breakfast in bed. They made me oatmeal, a small bowl of blueberries and yogurt, and toast with garlic butter. Yup--garlic butter with my breakfast because they know how much I love garlic. I had to cover up my smile of that one. It was sweet of them to think of things that I love. 

I wanted to do something with the family for my birthday, so we went on another hike. I figured if the kids could handle the hike to Timpanogos Cave last week, than a hike to Stewart Falls would be a breeze.  The funny thing about that assumption is that today's hike was just as long than our other hike and we did about the same in elevation over the duration of the hike. R and I have fitbits we use to keep track of our physical activity. When we hiked Timpanogos Cave, it said we did 110 flights of stairs. WOW! Today, at the end of our hike to Stewart Falls it said we had done 91 flights of stairs.

Midway through the hike we took this group selfie. 

 

C, S, and MK along the trail.

 

S, C, and MK after a break.

 

S and C looking out at the views.

 Brothers

S in the waterfall. He was SO cold after this. 

Stuart Falls

C in front of the fall.

Stuart Falls

The boys and I hiked up the falls. MK and R did it earlier.

Stuart Falls

S, C, and Me up at top of the falls.

Stuart Falls

And because we can't ever be serious...

Stuart Falls

I really like this one of S.

 

S, MK, C, and R just before we headed back.

Stuart Falls

We hiked back to our car and ran into one of my very good friends and her family along the trail. It was so random! 

After the hike, we came back home and everyone cleaned up in record time so we could go out and eat.

It was a great day!

Timpanogos Cave

We hiked to Timpanogos Cave today. 

We tried to do this on our anniversary last week, but the cave tours were already sold out. 

It started out a beautiful day--not too hot, not too cold.

S, MK, C, R looking out along the trail

The hike is 1-1/2 miles up hill, over 1,100 feet in elevation. Some parts were quite steep. I ended up giving MK a piggyback during part of the hike. Then, we walked a mile through the caves. After that, we hiked back down the mountain while it rained and hailed on us. Quite the adventure.

1/4 of the way up. MK, S, C, and me

MK, C, S before entering Timpanogos Cave

Family shot at the mouth of the cave

Some pictures of the inside of the Cave.

Timpanogos Cave

Timpanogos Cave

Timpanogos Cave

We had such a good time. The kids did SO good hiking up that steep mountain. We were all kinda beat by the time we got home. I think we are going to sleep well tonight. 

I want to do another hike on my birthday in a week. It isn't nearly as hard as this one. I figure if the kids can do today's hike, they can do just about anything.