this & that

the Mouse surfing in Kona, Hawaii, June 2010

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So I had a few photos here and there that are a bit out of order now, but still wanted to share...

I decided to group them together for this little bloggie post because I foresee bigger blog stories on the horizon.

Speaking of which, how *adorable* is that Mouse up top, surfing for the first time!?!? I love that photo :)

He had the amazing opportunity to spend a week in Hawaii with a friend and his family this summer - he loved it.

Such nice people, they did awesome activities every day - I should have the Mouse create an actual post!

And I should probably say how *cool* he looks surfing instead of adorable... he starts HIGH SCHOOL tomorrow!

Some of you may remember the time I posted on Facebook that we arrived home from a movie only to find my naughty babies had somehow knocked the leftover pizza AND cinna-stix off the table and had eaten an entire pizza and the last box of cinna-stix........... LOOK HOW STINKY THEY ARE!!! This was a hard pill to swallow - ironic wording, I know - as I had not even had the opportunity to PARTAKE of any cinna-stix yet.

My sun tattoo and that's all I'm going to say

The Mouse practicing the banjo before leaving for church one Sunday. I think John caught him by surprise because you can tell he's concentrating. I love how he's in his suit :) But if you asked him, he'd much rather be one of Mumford & Sons. If you asked me, I sometimes feel like I'm in Deliverance country (shudder).

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These next 3 pics are teasers because I'm working on more photos for my Zagg skins! Hope you like them!

Candy Perspective

Hand-cut Paper

Dubskis!!!

the x-factor

Hellooooooo! And happy Monday :) Apologies for ignoring my blog lately - life has been crazy and we've been out of town which always gets things off kilter. But we're back and I'm anxious to begin blog life once again! So.......

A few weeks ago we attended the X-Games for the first time. We've always wanted to go, especially the Mouse. We had a great time! Our favorite event is Motocross Freestyle, which was being held at the L.A. Coliseum. All the photos you are about to see, except for just 2, were taken by the Mouse. He took a few hundred AMAZING photos. Unfortunately, most of the riders are hard to see because they blend in with the bleachers/people in the background. These are the ones that really stood out and turned out to be exceptional photos. Nice job Mouse!

And just something to remember: these bikes weigh 230lbs.... and not ONE of these tricks resulted in a crash!

And then there's Travis Pastrana, the Golden Child of Everything Motocross. Actually just about everything else too, because he's one of those insanely amazing guys that can do just about everything he tries. And he's so talented, and SO GENUINELY DOGGONE NICE that you can't even hate him. In fact, it gets even worse than that. He's such a freaking babe, he has magnetic powers and you are forced to sit in the same room with your son when he's watching rerun after rerun of Travis' show Nitro Circus. But I digress. To finally see Travis perform in person was a real treat. He truly is divine. He is so far above and beyond the rest - everything is smooth and effortless, like a well oiled machine. It's like he was just born to do what he's doing, and it's a joy to watch.  

King of the backflips. And just about everything else. Good 'ol number 199 :)

I look awesome. Davy looks like Ruprect the Monkey Boy.

last blast

Davy's band's last practice... for their last performance that evening.

It totally caught me off guard - as soon as they started, I got all choked up for the first time,

realizing that this was the last time I would be hearing them play Davy's music in our house for 2 years :/

I love, love, love this photo :)

Performance time - John's band "Primrose Gardens" goes first and they sound great. It's already a packed house.

Davy's band's turn..... they were awesome. AWESOME. It was the most electric night ever. EVER. 

I can't even tell you how much I wanted it to go on and on. There was major foot stomping at the end too. 

Henry even played his glassed off :) You guys were so amazing. It's going to be a long 2 years without you.

So the next day it was time to become the missionary Davy had chosen to be. So let the transformation begin...

which is somethings hard :)

But just look how wonderful and handsome he looks. This is our Stake President, who had just set Davy apart as a missionary of Jesus Christ - he gave Davy the most beautiful blessing. It was absolutely everything Davy. So now we begin our journey to take Davy to check in to the Mission Training Center. Oh how I love my boy ❤

I'll say it how I want

*Disclaimer: I apologize for dragging my readers into this. It's an announcement to my cheeky, knucklehead sons. You're more than welcome to continue reading (but consider yourself warned). If you'd rather not, I understand. Take this opportunity to catch up on Apartment Therapy, read a book, visit Dooce's pathetic site, or just chillax.

So Davy and Matthew, here's HOW IT IS: Sometimes I put the 'em-FA-sis' on the wrong 'sill-A-ble'. SO WHAT. It's just part of who I am. You can laugh hysterically all you want but it's how I've always said things. And it doesn't even remotely compare to the doofuses (doofi?) you two are. My hair is white for a reason, you know!!!

SO. If I want to say Whole Foods you are more than welcome to point your fingers and laugh.. But I may as well give you advanced notice, you'll be in charge of  finding your own way home.  

We are most certainly as non-denominational as it comes when it comes to recycling and entertaining a variety of soda in our home . So if I want to say root BEER in stead of root beer, then just DEAL WITH IT YOU WEENIES!!!

And yes, I'll have you know that these are hash BROWNS. And really good ones too, BTW. 

One. More. Thing. 

I get the distinct impression that others around here believe the Walker household does not serve 3 square meals per day. The nerve! First of all, cereal is fortified with all kinds of vitamins and minerals - HELLO!!! So I don't know how anyone could possibly be so naive and critical. Second of all, I do admit that yes, we Walkers are just a little different and do things our own way. So our 3 meals aren't square. They are round. And one of the benefits is if you have an upset stomach from eating Hot Pockets or frozen pizza or taquitos or toaster waffles or Ruffles.... they actually make your stomach feel better! How cool is that! So 3 round meals a day ROCK!!! :D

*Namaste*

P.S. You boys need to go to Whole FOODS and get me some hash BROWNS and some root BEER today. So you'd better get a move on.... hey, I'm just sayin :D Because you've got a truckload of yard work later on - LOL!

best evolution ever

I got this vid from the Mouse. I think I'm possibly the last person on earth that hasn't already seen it. That's okay. Because if you already recognize this video, I know you'll want to see it again, right? RIGHT? I SAID RIGHT???

With all the nonstop things that have been going on around here lately - even though the majority of them are undoubtedly AWESOME - we've all been wound pretty tight. I know that even great things can contain their fair share of stress. The Yahtzee dice... and pens... and even the little leather cup... flying all over the place last night while Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" was playing on the stereo, is a pretty good case in point. So I knew we had finally lost what's left of our minds. I felt sure this video would be just the perfect thing for today :)

Ah, laughter :) I plan on watching it maybe two or seventeen times at first, and then some more later on. ENJOY!

28 to celebrate

Our 28th wedding anniversary is today! 28 years of marriage! How can that possibly be?!

(we took our own roll of film to choose our announcement photo. we shot the entire roll in my apartment bathroom. 

the camera was set up on a tripod in the sink so we could see ourselves in the mirror. I was kneeling on the toilet seat. for reals.)

(St. George, Utah at the end of July... what were we thinking? 
it was so hot my hair was wet and my make-up was long gone. but most importantly, a fun, fun day with friends and family.)

Happy Anniversary John - and thank you for the countless wonderful times we have shared these past 28 years :) 

all I see is yellow and cosmic

Ah, nothing like new tie dye. NOTHING! And you'd be a NUTCASE to have come here and not know that I love one color only, and that one color is TIE DYE :D And since you pretty much have the entire contents of my closet before you (you think I jest but alas, except for my jeans and my "Life is Good" shirts, I JEST NOT), you can see that as much as I love color, I was lacking in the pinks and turquoises that I so dearly love. Or in other words, you could also say I was lacking in the colors that separate myself between all the testosterone that I live with. 

I e-mailed my favorite tie dye place in all the land (wait for it... wait for it...) and chose a few designs I was also missing, and asked if they could make me some custom shirts with those designs and colors I felt I was really in need of. I had been saving a bit of money and now was the time or that money would fly out the window. Well the shirts I received are the ones you see above, and I nearly cried with happiness when I unwrapped them. (is that normal, to cry over tie dye shirts? when I don't really cry anyway? just wondering) Are they SO AMAZING!!!!!!

On with my little story. Over the years I have been asked over and over and over again where I get my tie dye shirts. No, I don't make them myself. No, it's not local. No, it's not even in the US! But it IS online, and it IS the best. And they have WAY more items of clothing than just tee shirts - WAY more! So get ready to bookmark this site - I'm pretty sure you'll love it, and no, I'm not joking around. So I'm going to take you on a tiny little tour of my tiny little closet, and then I will reveal my source. Then just like me, you too can wear tie dye shirts and get compliments from WalMart employees and teenage boys sitting on bus benches smoking cigarettes.  

Orange Mandala, Blue Swirl (I have it in purple too, but I hate purple), Rainbow Swirl

Vibrations, Rainbow Heart (*love*), Green Mandala

Shhhhh... a reverent moment of silence for The Holy Ones. They have earned our utmost respect.

These are they who have lasted at least 10 years - yes, really truly. Faded? Never! Marked with paint? Yes. 

Torn by rose bushes? Yes. Out of commission? Never! Relegated to nightshirt status? Yes.  

one of my fave things EVAH - my tie dye socks :)

OHHH!!! Is this not the most gorgeous tie dye Tapestry Art! Now I get to introduce you to... (drum roll please)...

❀ Wildflower Tie Dye ❀

They are the best of the best of the BEST! Created and run by Valerie Shane in beautiful British Columbia Canada Wildflower is the one and only place I ever purchase my tie dye products from - for about 10 years now!

It's true, that once you've found the best, you don't mess with the rest! Wildflower is a bit more costly, but their product is so much more superior, there is just no comparison. Quality fabrics, dyes that never run OR fade, products the entire family can wear or you can choose for gifts, and TONS of beautiful and fun design choices. Wildflower even offers custom orders - which I have also done - and Valerie has always gone above and beyond to make sure I am satisfied with everything she has ever made for me. I really enjoy supporting her business :)

So having made my little speech, here are just a very few samples I pulled from Wildflower's site. This will show you a small variety of what they have to offer. There are MANY items I'm not even showing here - and everything you do see here comes in more sizes, styles and colors! Hard to believe so much variety in tie dye - but it's true!

baby onesies - sooo cute :)

little girl/toddler dress - I know, I know... this was my very most favorite thing :)

woman's "Ocean" summer dress

black & white spiral tee - my next purchase for sure (it's so Tim Burton)

"Earth" tee - I don't know how Valerie does some of the scenes she does, but they are fantastic

Thanks for sticking around for all the eye candy! Give Wildflower Tie Dye a visit & join them on Facebook :)