Monday, December 15, 2008

Star Mill

I have a well known love of antiques. Any kind really, i'd kill for the nice stuff, but the old junky stuff usually laying out in the yard or the flea market is the kind that really holds a special place in my heart. What I wouldn't give to spend my days searching for fabulous pieces and carefully placing them in a shop of my own, but that is a whole other epilogue. So my favorite "local" place is Star Mill in American Fork. I love everything about it including the ecclectic owner Daniel that I could spend hours talking to. He has a story for everything. So I get his monthly card and it says there is going to be a Santa Parade, the same day I had decided to take my kids down and take their pictures on his property (he charges a whopping $15 and it is photography paradise). So we get up and go down in the morning to check out this parade, and I stumbled into the most magical morning. It really was a parade. There was a float and 4 fire engine and then Santa and Mrs. Claus were brought in on a sleigh pulled by beautiful horses. They were escorted into the old house on the property which is also filled with antiques and we waited in line to go in and see the "real" Santa. The kids got to sit on his lap and we took our own pictures and they gave out big candy sticks. He had tables EVERYWHERE of used children's books and the kids got to take as many as they wanted home. There was hot Chocolate and a beautiful old Fire Truck that they gave rides around the block on as well. It was the perfect family outing, like something out of a novel. We went Christmas shopping after then home to get dressed for pictures and pick up Capone. Then back for our "unprofessional" shoot, and dinner at Cafe Rio after. Great Memory, thanks Daniel.


























Happy Birthday Mom!

SOOOO, I finished my Christmas shopping way too early this year (a feat I have NEVER accomplished, I am usually crying in TOYS R US 3 days before Christmas) so decided that instead of just enjoying my time to do nothing, I would throw a suprose party for my mom's, eh hem, 58th Birthday. Sorry mom, I know you will hate me for that. My mom share's a birthday with my brother CHris, therefore has never really had any attention of ANY kind for her birthday. Also, if any of you know my mom, you know that she does EVERYTHING for everyone else and never takes in return. Time to turn the spotlight and give her a little for once. She was actually suprised, even after john sent a text to her instead of me saying we are just getting here! Luckily she didn't clue in. It was mostly family, but several of their friends drove out here, whcih I was so grateful for since i don't exactly live close to most. The only thing missing was Troy...


SUPRISE!




ODE TO JODES...
My mom is NOTORIOUS for not being able to keep her eyes open in pictures...So obviously this one was staged, with my mom being left out of the joke of course. We are so amusing.

Thanks Iracema, for keeping Phils spirit there even though he couldn't be.
The only down side to throwing a party FOR my mom is that she couldn't make the cake, and there is nothing in the world like one of her cakes. They are so good you eat till you literally want to thrown up, I am serious, every time. We never learn our lesson.




~HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM ,WE LOVE YOU!~