weekend up north

// My grandparents' home in Providence - just got put on the National Register of Historic Places! It's also on the Andrea Register of Favorite Places //

// Their fire pit //

// Grandpa's shop, where he spends his time being "retired" //

// my thrifting loot. The jadeite plates = my happiness //

I don't have to work on Fridays during the summer... ahh. While I could get into all the reasons I love this, the biggest is that I basically get a double Saturday to do whatever the heck I want. 

Last Friday was spent in Brigham City & Logan. Everytime I go up there I always feel the need to do everything. This time it was baking (for the shower), impromptu yard sale-ing, eating at the brand new Taco Time (the old one burned down last year - you need to understand the BC Taco Time is the best Taco Time in all the land), helping my mom redo her master bedroom, and visiting my grandparents in Providence (Logan). Oh and we also went to the swimming pool.  It was such a fun day spent in two of my favorite places. Sometimes I want to move to Logan, then I remember there is no Nordstrom. 

father's day

my dad & his girls




out on a Sunday walk with my family
Went up to Brigham to hang out with my dad. Man I love him. He is one of the...
SMARTEST - he is a legitimate rocket scientist. He does math for fun. HARDEST WORKING - He built his family a house. MOST PATIENT - Never heard him cuss at us (where did I get my bad habit from) & it was a RARE occasion that he raised his voice at us crazy kids. 
...people I know.

I really lucked out in the dad department. 
And that is as emotional as I like to get. 

SIX MONTHS

Mother's Day my family got to skype with Taylor (who's serving an LDS mission) in Germany. My two brothers are doing summer sales in California so they were both skyping as well. 5-way Skype!

 It was the best 40 minutes.  Honestly it felt like a normal Jardine afternoon: loudness, weird faces, weirder jokes, and a ton of laughing. Taylor looks so good and I  just know he's in the right place.

At the end of the call Brian suggested we have a family prayer. One of the top 10 best Jardine family moments. I still get pretty emotional talking about it, but I was so grateful that we could all be "together" for a little bit.

Taylor hit his six-month mark today! I'm so proud of him and his dedication to his work as a missionary.

I love you Elder Jardine!

ST. GEORGE I LOVE YOU FOREVER!

So I guess this is two weeks late, but who cares. I wanted to go somewhere warm so I snagged my 17 year old brother Nate & we made the trip to St George to hang out with my Uncle Mark, Aunt Betsey & their two families. I love having relatives that live in warm places. Yes  I do.

FRIDAY >>>

We went searching & hiking around Snow Canyon. We actually got kind of lost and walked on some riverbed for an hour, where I also fried my shoulders.  It was fun to have some one-on-one time with my baby brother. He's so smart and interested in always learning more. He is pretty much a younger version of my dad. Kraig Jr.!

FRIDAY NIGHT >>>  Turned out to be Fathers & Sons campout, so my Aunt Elaine had a girls night already planned. I like a this very much. We shopped, we ate, we shopped, we ate... My two best purchases were a pair of Joe's Jeans for $3 @ the DI, and a sa-weet ceramic fish from TJ Maxx.

SATURDAY >>> There were only two things on my checklist for my St G. weekend. Go hiking, and lay out. And lay out I did. I am so good at laying out, I would love to be in a competition with you. Or make a friendship with you. I love laying out girfs.

Later I went to dinner with my Uncle & my Aunts. It was a right jolly good time. When we got back, Nate was laying in the most incriminating of poses. He was out!

All of these things, combined with the Eclipse, made for one of the best weekends this year!
I am totally scheming to move to St. George in a permanent way.

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART-SUN

When I was in St. George last weekend, I learned that not only was there a solar eclipse that Sunday, but also Zion's National Park was one of the best places on Earth to see that particular eclipse. One of my uncle's employees has some property just outside of Zion's and threw a huge party!! I love when people throw parties for unusual events. I mean it's probably in my top tier of favorite things. 

The story of the full eclipse 

( I took these by holding the lens of the special glasses over the lens on my camera.)

I'm so glad that we delayed our commute home by staying to watch this! It was so awesome, I felt like I was in a weird sci-fi movie. Especially when the moon was completely covering the Sun, it was casting crazy moonbeam shadows on everything, and it seemed like somebody put a dimmer switch on the sun.

I love the space things because it makes Earth feel real, not just a place where people are running around thinking they own the place.  It also reminded me that I'm small, but also a part of something really big. How's that for a thought? I don't know if it makes sense, so.. yeah.

Gifts for my mama

I've been wanting to make some new drapes and pillows for my mom's living room. I didn't ask for colors or ideas, just my mom's trust! And I went with it.  

A little before shot of the old curtains (I forgot to take one of the whole living room, dang it!). The pillows also coordinated with the curtains.

And after: 

The new curtains really lightened up the space and made it feel fresh. I probably said "This looks so great!" about 50 times. Luckily my mom agrees. 

I got the idea for the curtains from these beautiful Anthropologie ones. I wasn't about to pay $168 per panel though, so I made my own version.

A $500 look for under $50 (thanks to my coupons from Jo-Ann's)! Can I get a what-what?

Close-up shot of the new pillows:

(there is also a solid-colored pillow under construction-didn't quite make the deadline) 

Thanks mom for letting me test out my ideas on your living room! 

ST. GEORGE: P.S. WE WENT BOWLING

Saturday night, my aunt & uncle went to a stake meeting, my parents were watching Downton Abbey, & there were a bunch of kids wanting something to do. Tyler & I commandeered a mini-van & nine of us squeezed in. It was a lot of fun. A lot of ridiculously loud fun. 

The best part about the whole thing is Tyler was playing the part of "dad". He kept yelling "Quiet down back there! I'll turn this thing around!"

This picture cracks me up, nobody is ready for the picture. Royal (front left) was my favorite bowler of the night. He is a very animated bowler, and the whole outfit really just put the cherry on top. He had fun!

Sweet Maeci

I got the high score of the night, can you believe that! My average score is usually 86, so this is a big deal. We went to McDonalds afterward for more sugar! 

I also decided that when I'm a parent I will drive a limo so I can put that partition up to block out some noise. 

(DID YOU) HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

Scenes from Christmas Eve.

This whole Christmas felt like one huge gift to me. 

I got to:

 hang out with my family (+ Tyler)

eat tons of  delicious food

 stay in my PJ's for two days

 laugh 'til it hurt

read the story of the Savior's birth

be grateful for my knowledge that Christ lives.

I wrapped this Christmas up and will forever keep it.

*But don't think these are all the pictures I'm posting from Christmas*

walk in the park.

Pictures from a walk to my favorite park in Brigham City on Halloween. 

The photo above is one of my favorites. It just screams childhood! Pure joy on Katie Anne's face.

 It makes me miss Taylor a little bit too.

11.11.11

Reasons for a party on 11.11.11

My Dad & Taylor share this day of birth.

Taylor would be leaving on a mission in 3 short weeks.

11.11.11 was a Friday.

I like planning parties. 

11.11.11? Coolest date ever.

THEME:

Twinkly lights

Turquoise, white & silver

H'ordouevres

Fancy beverages

General fun-ness

(So mostly the theme was "party")

INVITES:

(designed by sweet friend Ashley. Don't you love this?! )

DECORATIONS:

(I don't have a super fance camera, this is the best I can do!)

In real life, the lighting was perfect and dare I say dreamy.

PEOPLE:

There were so many people that showed to support my Dad & Taylor. When I had a minute I snapped some photos.

This picture makes me miss Taylor

Thanks to Meg, Adam, Sarah & Denis for keeping Tyler company while I refilled punch bowls. 

I love my friends!

Beautiful ladies

PHOTOBOOTH:
Photobooths will never be overdone because they are so much fun. So many of my parents friends wanted their picture taken and I LOVED IT.
Can you tell we added the date last minute?

I said, "parents, act like you're at prom!"

My brothers worked hard to coordinate their attire. So handsome!

little hearts

my girfs!

aww shed a tear!

11:11 PM

Nobody knew what to do so we made wishes & shouted hooray!

Taylor went through the temple today. 

It was so amazing being there with so much of my family, I will always remember it.

I can't believe Taylor's leaving in a little over a month! 

The whole crew

(It was FRIGID.)

 Tay & my parents

 

Kenny, me, Taylor & Brian. 

I am so proud of my giant younger brothers!

 After party:

Dinner @ Cheesecake Factory

Delicious as usual, but an insanely long wait (as usual).

this is my new favorite picture by the way. 

It was a near perfect evening. I am really blessed to have the family I do.