Penny Patch Top, Trick-or-Treating, and a Jack Rabbit

The top is complete. Once I figured out how to keep all the blocks in order and turned the right direction, things sped up and I finished it that same afternoon.    

For the pattern I used this tutorial. This is not my first time making this quilt but it is the first time I used her suggestion for color balance and I am really glad I did. I love how this turned out. 

  Later that evening we ALL went out trick or treating. Well Dave and I just walked with the kids. But the big kids went trick or treating too. At 17 and 14 the big kids are getting pretty old but I really enjoyed doing this activity as a family this year. And I am pretty sure it will be the last year for at least one of them.  

 Becasue I still haven’t  decided on backing fabric and still need batting for the quilt, I decided to make a Jack Rabbit with the scraps to go along with the quilt. She is all stuffed now but needs her head attached. As soon as I make it back to the store to pick up some floss for a face I will get her all put together. I still can’t decide if she needs a skirt or a dress though. We shall see. 

Read Full Post »

Early Mornings (right now)

(Waiting in the car during early morning seminary)

With all the moves we do and as the kids grow and hit different stages in their life, our schedules and routines have to follow suit. What worked one year, one month and sometimes even one week may not work now.

But right NOW, this moment in our family’s life, this is my early morning routine. It was wonderful to savor and reflect on such ordinary moments with these people I live with and bask in the joy and peace they bring. Also to consider ways that I can strengthen my relationships with them, even at this early hour.

4:45am – My alarm goes off. It is such a shock and I regret that I didn’t set it for 4:35 so I could push the snooze. Regardless of the need to get up, I lay in bed a couple of minutes, notice Dave sleeping next to me, adjust my body so I can relax for a moment with my hand resting against his warm body.

5:52 – It’s late, so I hurry out of bed, potty, get dressed, pull my hair up into a sloppy bun, and head to the little kids room, in the dark, using my phone flashlight app to light the way.

5:55 – I enter their room, place the phone on the dresser with the light pointing to the ceiling to softly illuminate the room. After a second or two to admire Hollis’ chubby cheeks framed in his new haircut, I adjust his body so he is laying the right direction and cover him properly in hopes that he will sleep comfortably until 8:00am.

Next I move over to Bron’s bed. She is wrapped up tightly in a thick grandpa made blanket. As I peel the blanket off her, she begins to stretch and I react to this movement by sliding her legs over to the side of the bed. By the time her legs reach the edge, she wakes up enough to stumble across the room and wait at the door for me to illuminate the way. Before leaving the room I glance around to see that everything is in order and then quietly close the door.

Following Bron to my room, I stop at the door, illuminating the room ceiling until she slides into my bed. I like to imagine she is snuggling up to her dad, adjusting for a few moments until she is still. I close the door partiality and head to Thisbe’s room.

Thisbe sleeps completely covered and so I can turn the light on right away without shocking her. She hears me as I unplug her fan and I ask her if she is awake. After I have been reassured, I head to the school room where I plug in the fan, turn on my exercise video, slip on my shoes and head to the fridge for the spray bottle.

5:02 – It’s late! I walk over to Magnus’ room and before turning on the light I spritz his face (per his request) with the cold water. Before I leave I spritz his face a couple more times as he tries to hide it, assuring me he is up. I ask if he is sure and then take the bottle back to the fridge.

Finally, I start my video and slowly work out the kinks in body.

Read Full Post »

Finding Peace with the Pain

I have been very hesitant to share this part of my life. It has so many feelings attached to it. Some really painful ones and really many that I just don’t understand yet.  However, I feel like I should at least attemp to document this time in our family’s life. 

I can not tell the whole story though. It is way to much for me to try and digest. In fact, right now all I can really wrap my brain around is a small part of MY experience. Some sadness, how I coped, and a little about what I learned.

So… Dave deployed. He packed up all that he needed for 6 months into a large duffle bag, kissed his family goodbye and left the country. 

I won’t talk about his experience but I do want to show this pic. 

  
This picture make me laugh every time I look at it. It is his first time participating in Mustache March. I can’t decide if I am happy or sad I never got to kiss him with that thing on his upper lip. But apparently if anyone can pull off a mustache, he can. 

To keep it simple (mostly because I lack the ability to understand let alone explain all those feelings I experienced) lets just say, I was really really sad to have him gone. I have never lost a close loved one to death and so I can not say this from experience but it felt like I was mourning him like I would if he had died. My heart was broken.  

This was a new depth of heart ache for me and it caught me off guard. I would love to say that I handled it gracefully but I didn’t. I did the best I could though and don’t have any regrets. 

I may have handled it better if I was only dealing with my own personal emotions. I don’t live alone though, and had 4 struggling children in the home with me. To be honest it was not always pretty and we definitely had our ugly moments of struggle but…

WE MADE IT!!

And I would even say we came out stronger. Well I guess I can only speak for myself here; I made it out stronger and as a mother I can tell our family is stronger and more united because of it. I would even go as far as saying I am grateful for the experience. 

As far as the coping goes, I relied on my faith and the testimony I have of our savior Jesus Christ more than I ever have. His grace is the only reason I made it. It became absolutely clear to me the difference between my own ability and the strength He provided. I never had relief from the pain in my heart but I had so many blessings to feel grateful for that I had peace with the pain. 

I think that is all I want to say about this right now. 

Anyway, he’s back and we are finding a normal again with his transition back into the home, a new season, and the start of a new school year. 

Read Full Post »

Swimming

  

Swimming season is upon us and the girls have signed up for swim team. There’s nothing like scheduling something for every single weekday, for a handful of weeks, to speed up time a bit. 

Read Full Post »

Prom

My beautiful daughter went to her first formal dance. Even a few days before the dance she was beaming with excitement and anticipation. It is really fun having a child old enough to be experiencing these types of things.

Read Full Post »

Camping

A couple of weeks ago we had a huge storm in our neighborhood. Like many roofs now need replacing and many cars need body work due to the wind and hail. This is the night we decided to go camping.

Don’t worry we were not camping in our neighborhood and missed out on the hail. We were close though and got quite the surprise at 3:00 in the morning while all snug in our tents.

A night to remember for sure.

In the morning we found a few displaced critters including this spider.  To be honest, it seems kind of small now that I look at the pictures but we were all a little uncomfortable with the idea of him being under our tent.

I am glad we braved the rain though. We weren’t expecting such an exciting night but memories we definitely made.

And the next day…Sun

Perfect

Read Full Post »

Toilet Paper Babies

Sometimes as a mother I get distracted and then notice that my two year old is being really quiet and I haven’t heard from him for a while.  I know you mothers out there know just what I’m talking about. Right?? 

Well, this time it was me realizing that Hollis was still in the bathroom and it has been quite some time. I peeked in to find him arranging a completely unrolled (a fresh roll no less) roll of toilet paper into a nice pile. He was so proud and stood up and declared “Baby!!” 

Not sure what he was talking about I asked him what he was doing and he started to gather this large pile of tissue and declared “Baby!” 

He quickly left the bathroom with as much of his pile he could carry and started talking about a blanket and wasn’t satisfied until I had it all wrapped up. 

   
     

It’s a good thing he’s so cute…

Read Full Post »

My 39th Birthday (review)

It was a lovely day.   

   

• Started my day with my favorite breakfast, refrigerator oats. (1/2 cup oats, 5/8 cup milk in a jar overnight. I heat mine in the microwave with a drizzle of maple syrup in the morning)
• Lovely flowers delivered to my door from Dave. 
• A couple visits from friends bearing gifts and birthday wishes.
• I ate lots of cookies. 
• A good long nap
• And more cookies. 

My favorite part of the day was heading to the temple. (If you want to learn more about our temples see this link.) My mother and I both traveled to our local temple, mine in San Antonio hers in Seattle, talked along the way with Bluetooth in our cars, searved our ancestors in our temples and then talked on our way home. 

A perfect way to start a new year. 

Read Full Post »

39 Years Old

  
Today I turn 39. I just realized that this will be my very last year in my 30’s. Not at all sure how I feel about that.

Today promises to be busy and not with traditional birthday fun. I do have a few things up my sleeve to make it special though. 

Read Full Post »

Holding The Bowl

The calendar says it’s time for another birthday but it just doesn’t feel like it. Dave has been out of town and so we celebrated his birthday almost a month ago as we prepared a care package for him instead of the usual cake and presents last week. Usually the house has leftover decorations from his day to remind me that my special day is on the way. Not this year. Hmm

I decided to break more birthday tradition this year and make up a batch of my favorite chocolate chip cookies to enjoy instead of cake. (You can find the recipe here)   

It’s still a couple days early but I figured I’d make up the dough today so I can snack on it a bit. I also have a friend who could use a few of these cooked up for her family today. Hollis and I need a couple to sample as well. You know, just to make sure they are birthday worthy.

And so the fun begins. 

One of my favorite memories with my mother is of making cookies together. My job was to hold the bowl. As a young girl she contracted polio leaving her with only minimal use of her right arm. If someone wasn’t there to hold the bowl it would spin and spin as she used the beaters. I was always rewarded with one of the beaters and if I wasn’t taking turns holding the bowl (it was often a coveted position when making cookies) I got both. 

Now that I have my own children I often ask someone to hold the bowl for me when I use the hand mixer. Not that I need the help but because I love to share the experience of baking cookies with them. The big kids will all tell me that I have already told them, again and again, that I used to hold the bowl for my mother. I tell them all about it anyway. 

Today it is Hollis’ turn to help with the cookies.  The first time he has been interested. He is even strong enough to hold the bowl. 

   
        
So… Are these cookies birthday worthy??

   

They most certainly are.  

 

Read Full Post »

Together

This is a rare scene that I hope to see more of. 

   
   

Read Full Post »

Getting Started

I have got my time organized and now all that is left for me to do is get to work.

Tuesday – Blog

That’s what it said on my schedule. For one reason or another I decided to not give up on this blog.

Today I bring you my daily companion, dramatically playing with his favorite little people character.

The Chicken

This is the scene just after getting knocked out in their wrestling match.

BAWK!!

  

Read Full Post »

Well hello there…

It sure has been a while. Things got crazy and this blog was removed from the to do list.

With all the craziness of summer camps, packing and moving I somehow managed to finish all 6 of my quilts before the move. 3 scrap penny patch quilts and 3 baby quilt for new mamas. However, all the pictures are still on my camera waiting to be uploaded. I hope to show them to you but I am not committing to anything right now. Well anything except enjoying my summer and finishing the unpacking.

I do have some fun news though. My baby Hollis turned 2 yesterday. Here are some pics from his day. All and more found on Instagram #hollisis2 Follow me at lirpacrom.

 

Read Full Post »

38

Well, it happened. I turned 38. Funny though, when I imagine what 38 years is like, I don’t feel I fit the bill. I suspect that is normal though.

Pics from my birthday walk with Hollis.

Read Full Post »

Today

Magnus returned from a scout campout with brown legs and arms and a pink neck and cheeks. I guess sunscreen will be in his pack for next time.

Bron and I, with some help from Thisbe, planted some peas in a large pot, crossing our fingers we can enjoy a few pods before it is time to move.

Thisbe gathered and filled another jar with walnut shells found beneath our oak trees.

I noticed splatters of pink smoothie on the stair well walls and walked by without cleaning it up. Don’t judge but it is still there.

Read Full Post »

Burning

Today I woke up with my heart just burning with love. Gods love for me but also love for my life.
After a couple of days of fighting almost opposite feelings (hormones??) it was so wonderful to see things clearly.

While watching my daughter walk into Seminary this love and peace was almost overflowing. I felt so proud and honored to be her mother. This girl, my first born, the one who made me a mother, has taught me so much.

At home, I watched my 8 year old proudly using her new skill of tying her own shoes. I thought about the day before on the couch, assuring her that if she tried it 200 times she would have it. (isn’t it funny that I was teaching this at 8?) She was beaming as she wiped away her tears. ” It didn’t even take close to that many times.”  I wouldn’t have traded that moment with her for anything.

Then there was the moment at the dentist. I watched this mature woman,
probably the age of my mother, lift and even more mature woman (her own mother??) out of the car and into a wheelchair. At this point things were overflowing. I watched and was filled with love for my own parents and inlaws. Will I get to have the honor of being there for them, and serve them in the way that they served my husband and I so many years ago. Oh, how I wish we lived closer.

Oh this life! Isn’t it wonderful, that we have people to share it with? People to love and be loved by. Those to teach and be taught by. Mouths to kiss and bodies to hold. Moments to share and treasure.
Today my heart is just burning.

Read Full Post »

Yellow, Purple and Grey

We enjoyed a simple conference weekend. As of now we have not maintained any traditions around this twice yearly two day event. Well other than the actual gathering and watching it as a family.
This year we had an active, mobile, noisy toddler with us. I don’t remember Hollis being much of a disturbance in October but boy things were different this time. There was the normal happy toddler noises but also the desperately trying to get your attention, throw a toy at your head things too. At one point he was dive bombing people from the couch. Ouch.

Funny Hollis Story

I am pretty sure he assumed that each person speaking was simply give a very long prayer. When he noticed the person talking on the computer he would fold his arms and close his eyes super tight and start mimicking what the speaker was saying. Slowly we’d see his eyes start to open and then he’d shut them tight again, continuing to mimic what the speaker was saying. After a few moments he would get bored and wander the living room and play until he noticed the speaker again. Quickly he’d close his eyes and fold his arms and repeat.

Such a cutie.

By the end of each two hour session he was pretty crazy and loud. I wondered more than once why we were even bothering watching conference. I always concluded that it was well worth any disruption. If not for the message it’s self then for the tradition of gathering.

Today I revisited the Sunday morning session and listened to it while I did some sewing. David A Bednar’s talk was very enlightening. (hmm, how did I miss this talk? Maybe it was the crazy toddler insisting on riding my leg like a horse) I had one of those, this talk was written just for me moments. If not, it was something, I too, really needed to hear.

So about these quilt blocks.

These belong to my last Penny Patch quilt made from my scraps. I am really loving the yellow, purple, and grey combo. I didn’t give much forethought to this or any of the other penny patch scrap color combos. These were just what I had left. My hope is that I can continue to find time to revisit conference,  during Hollis’ nap time, down in my little sewing nook. I am itching to complete this top so I can move on to quilting. This one will make 5 quilts that will be ready to be quilted. Three penny patches and two baby quilts for gifts. I suppose the baby quilts should be done first since those little girls will be born in the next few months but the kids are hoping I get to work on the penny patch they have claimed for themselves.

 

Read Full Post »

“Mama, mama”

 

 

Hollis surprised us by walking towards me, arms out stretched, saying “Mama…Mama.” This was followed my me scooping him up and getting the biggest hug ever. I hugged and squeezed him till he just about popped.

This little guy only uses a few words and none consistently. So this “Mama!” was so very special. Thank you Hollis, you definitely made my year.

****

This weekend our family will be camping out in the living room to watch General Conference. I love this time of year and encourage you to join us in listening to a prophets voice. You can find it here.

Read Full Post »

Who You Calling Shrimp?

 

Indeed! My little guys is getting so big and it is breaking my heart.

Funny Story

Today when I put this old t-shit on him he loved it. It had a picture on the front that I knew the sign (American Sign Language – he still isn’t talking) for and he proudly repeated the sign back again and again. However once I sent him on his way to play he started complaining about the shirt while tugging on the arms of it. This poor little guy wanted his arms covered. So, I slipped it off and attempted to put a long sleeve shirt on him. He was not going to have it and went into full blown temper tantrum. Sheesh. As soon as I put it back on (after he cooled off ) he walk away happy as a clam until he went to wipe his nose and started complaining about the sleeve again. Haha, the kids wanted sleeves to wipe his nose with. The rest of the morning he walked around with a rag in the back of his pants so we would have something to wipe his nose close by. HA!

Short sleeves out side! I can’t believe we made it through winter and it is finally feeling like spring and just in time too. Tomorrow is April! How did that happen? I swear it was just February. I will take it though. I am so ready for some warmth and color.

We have found a few surprise back yard bulbs poking up and I am crossing my fingers that they will bloom.

Like I said, “TOMORROW IS APRIL!!!”

Today though, Happy Birthday to my mother.

Read Full Post »

General Women’s Meeting

I just returned from attending the first time ever General Women’s Meeting with both my girls. What a blessing! To be honest, I didn’t realize there had been an announcement of a change to the annual Relief Society and Young Women’s broadcasts until yesterday but was trilled to be joined by not only Thisbe to a semiannual meeting but Bronwyn a well.

If you would like more information about the General Women’s Meeting see the link on the work announcement above and or this link to an interview of Sister Marriott.

Here are a few of my thoughts from the meeting

This gathering is GREAT!!

I am a  child of God. I am his daughter.

Christ will “Lead me, Guide me, Walk beside me, Help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do, To live with Him someday.”

As His daughters we all have a job to do. We are all needed.

Look to Mormon’s example of knowing who he is.

Look to the examples of great women

I am a daughter in the covenant.

“I will head not what the wicked may say, but the Lord alone I will obey”

I was feeling overwhelmingly (read tears) connected to the sisters present. Both in our meeting house but also all over the world. During one of the songs I thought about the fact that many of the women that I love were watching this meeting at the same time I was. My family and friends in Washington, and so many ladies I have known and loved in our travels with school and military. BYU, Huber Heights, Bothell/Kenmore, Turkey, Biloxi, and now in Lincoln, Nebraska. I could imagine them sitting beside me as we listened to the speakers and sang songs together side by side with our daughters. What a wonderful feeling.

You can find the conference and watch it yourself at LDS.org.

 

Read Full Post »

Spring Break

It’s spring break here. I find it silly to call it spring break since it isn’t even spring yet but I will take it. I have missed my big kids, Hollis has missed the big kids, and he and I are in heaven now that they are home. Being completely honest, my joy is partly because of the added help around the house they bring. It is so nice to have help with the daily household chores but also the company these big kids bring to Hollis. It has been many years since I’ve had a toddler to myself all day. I have been spoiled with so many years multiple children to occupy each other. Don’t get me wrong, I am loving our one on one time together but it is nice to be able to get things done and even have a bit of me time, at least more than a few minutes a day.

So far I have had time to finish up my green, pink, and red quilt top. The back has been started and should be done this week. Yay! I also picked up some colored thread and got to work covering this rock. It was a pleasant change to be working with color on that tiny hook. I really do like the finished product too.

Reading has also entered my day. A magazine no less. I have had time this week to read the first issue of Taproot cover to cover. I was a little nervous about ordering all the back issues without having read a single one but am so glad I did. Now I just need to decide which one to read next. Should I read them in order or skip to the next spring issues saving the other ones for their published seasons. Hmm.

All I can say is that it is Tuesday. Tuesday!! I can’t wait to see what the rest of the week brings.

Read Full Post »

This Boy

Oh Hollis, I sure love you.

I cant help but laugh that you got into your sisters valentines she was going to take to school the next day, removed all the suckers, ran out of the room with as many as you could carry and proceeded to unwrap them as fast and you could.

I had so sigh, but smile when I saw that you had the capability of opening your sister’s rainbow loom rubber bands and were throwing hundreds of them up and over your head while happily yelling “Hooray!”

I was a bit grossed out when I found your sippy cup and beloved Thomas the Tank Engine when I was dumping your dirty diapers into the wash. But really all I could do was love you even more.

I think its interesting that you  try all the cabinet and door locks regularly to see if we have left them unlocked. And take full advantage when we have.

When you grab my nose and pinch that super sensitive spot really hard while saying “my”, I wince and sometimes shed a tear but still think you are the cutest thing ever. That goes for the times you poke me in the eye, again saying “my” and then look so proud.

You keep me on my toes, give the very best hugs, look lovingly into my eyes regularly and are really just the cutest little boy, ever.

Read Full Post »

Some sewing and some snow

I took advantage of nap time and got a bit of sewing in yesterday. I’m a little more than a third of the way done with my pink, red and green penny patches. Yay!

I am so glad my little boy is napping again. He had us scared there for a week or so. I did have to wake him though, to get the big kids today and his cheeks were rosy. Hopefully he isn’t getting sick.

On the note of picking up the kids- It started snowing a few minutes before I left to get them. Upon arrival, one didn’t take my advice and had bare red arms and the other was bundled up appropriately. I love that I didn’t have to say a word and can know that my point had been made. A little silent I told you so smile, if you will. Ha!

Read Full Post »

Ready for spring

Last week we had a teaser of lovely weather. The 50’s and 60’s can feel like shorts and tee shirt weather after weeks and weeks of below freezing.

Today I had to explain to the kids that even though they are tired of wearing a winter coat to school it is must. With a wind chill in the negatives it just isn’t safe to have bare arms.

Sigh… I sure hear them. February is hard don’t you think?
Lots of gray, maybe some snow on the ground, yet so, so, (sigh…) so ready for spring.

Hollis doesn’t seem to mind it all that much. He loves to go outside but is perfectly happy to race his trains around the track again and again.

I guess I should stop lamenting and get to working on my quilt. Ooh, now that I say it, that sounds lovely. I WILL
be turning on my sewing machine today. Even if it is for just a few minutes. Yay!!!

How do you combat the February Blues?

Read Full Post »

Nativity

This year my parents gave me this lovely nativity set. When I opened the package and realized what it was, tears came to my eyes and I felt so happy. This is my first real nativity set. When I was first married we had a  block one, which I enjoyed. After a few years (and moves) it was retired and I have been casually keeping my eye out for a new set. Not in a hurry, I overlooked the ones in the stores year after year and to be honest, I didn’t really think much of it. However, when I opened this gift it just felt so special and right that I was a little overwhelmed.

Later that day, I was talking with my mom, letting her know how much I loved it and how thankful I was. She told me where she got it and this little gift just got even more meaningful.

This year, my parents went on a trip to Israel and got to visit the Holy Land in person. They were on an LDS guided tour and had a lovely time. My mother specifically had told me many stories and her overall understanding of who our Savior was and her connection to him. While there after visiting the site where it is believed Christ was crucified she picked up this Nativity set.  Now, don’t get me wrong, after living in Turkey for a couple years and visiting Holy sites there, I know what markets are like. Far from Holy places of peace and the Spirit. However, when you get away from the crowds at least mentally, you can get a feeling and if you are especially in tune, you may get a spiritual witness of the events that occurred at that location. So, in keeping with that spirit I try to imagine that this little nativity is from a place where my Savior, Jesus Christ has walked. This little piece of information makes me love it all the more.

The first thing the caught my eye was that the figures were made out of solid wood. I loved the different colors in the wood and wondered what type it could be. My father informed me it was olive wood and that the figurines were hand carved. Just another added bonus.

Now, I am not they type of person who would put this up on a high shelf to protect it from the children. And because of that, I imagine the back ground scene and least wont last forever. As you might be able to tell from these pictures it is currently displayed in the middle of our train table with Thomas bustling around it all day. Hopefully however, it will be loved and enjoyed for years to come.

Thanks mom and dad, I love it. 

Read Full Post »

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year and I hope you all have been enjoying the Holidays as well.

After lunch we took a break from our new toys and headed out to my favorite place in Nebraska. Sadly there was lots of moaning and groaning about leaving the house. There was even a couple of tears from one of the children. However, after the first 30 seconds, the older two took off running and after a couple more minutes, Bron came around and decided to let her self enjoy herself as well. Since it was so cold we used Hollis as a gauge to tell when it was time to go back home but as it was we got to explore the “trails” in the grass more than we have before.

I am hoping, there will be a time in the near future we can dedicate a couple hours to this grassland.

 

Read Full Post »

The Tree 2013

Here are the links to 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009

(This year we finally upgraded our tree!)

Read Full Post »

Crochet Granny Circles

I think I am done with my crochet project. Well, I can’t decide. Maybe I’ll be finished for this year and work on it again for next year. Maybe not.

Quite a few years ago I purchased some yarn to make coordinating Christmas stocking for our family. I started out with Bron’s and then one for me because that is what we needed for that year. That is as far as I got. Mostly because I had altered a pattern to make the first two but lost my notes and then lost the pattern and could never find it again. (honestly I didn’t look too hard) I also started dealing with tendentious in my wrists which put all knitting to a halt and I quickly moved on to other types of projects. A few years later I tried to pick up where I left off but stopped just as quickly and decided that if we were to have matching stocking they would have to be sewn. This left the yarn in a box to collect dust and move to Turkey and on to Mississippi and now Nebraska. Last month enough time had passed and I was officially ready to move on and put that yarn to use in a different project. Not surprisingly on that same day I came across this tutorial. If you go and take a look at the link I bet you will be able to tell what happened first. I was smitten.

At first I wanted mine to have cream as a border as well but quickly realized that I didn’t have enough of that color or any one color to make that happen. So I went with it and was busy for a few weeks on all 50 squares.

I bound mine together using the same tutorial linked to, using the darker of the two colors. However, since I had different colors at each corner I decided to just skip the corners altogether leaving a diamond shaped opening instead. This is where I run into trouble deciding if I am done or not. I could close the opening with the darkest of colors and it actually looks good too. I would even say that I like it better. However, I really don’t like weaving in loose ends and that would be a lot of loose ends to take care of. So, we shall see if I get around to it next year. For now, I will pretend it is done.

As you can see my Christmas Countdown made it out another year. I had thoughts of making another but have decided that  this one works just fine. If I ever make it again, it will be for my grandchildren (haha my oldest is only 15) and then I can make the changes I want.

Read Full Post »

A little announcement

This summer our family will be moving to…

We showed this movie to our kids the night before they found out. Purely coincidence!

Read Full Post »

Flashback

It has been so long since I have seen falling snow. Maybe 5 years. It was wonderful to watch Bron who has no memory of it dance happily in the parking lot as it lightly dusted us Thursday night. In her excitement she set out to make a snow angel right then and there. I didn’t realize this until she is stepping into the van dripping wet and very cold. Haha. “Next time lets wait until we are properly dressed. ”

Unfortunately playing outside wasn’t in our story this weekend. Nope, not at all.

Friday morning I was busy disinfecting toilets at 5:30 in the morning. I was hopeful it would only be Bron but was taken over by the stomach pains myself by the evening. Everything else is a blur. I just remember having flashbacks from Thanksgiving a couple years ago. (no this is not an announcement!) Dave told me I didn’t need to go the ER and so I trusted him but boy I was miserable. Since I don’t remember much means that I have the best husband ever, no meals to make or kids to care for. I am pretty sure I slept all Saturday.

By Sunday afternoon I was out of bed, happy to still see some leftover snow. Actually not much had melted at all. I’m not quite ready to give up fall yet (and it looks like I wont have too) but am looking forward eagerly to a nice blanket of snow this winter.

 

Read Full Post »