Fa la la la la...la la la la

I've been "Decking my halls"
How 'bout you?



Happy Hollidays! I think I'll go listen to a little Mariah Carey Christmas tune!

Call me Gretel

I had the best time on Wednesday!
My sweet friend Norma invited me to a gingerbread house party. This was just what I needed. Didn't I just throw out a request to be invited to a party? Way to respond Norma!
When I arrived I quickly discovered that all the hard work in making the gingerbread and putting up the walls to my sweet home were done. All that was left was the fun part! Yea!
The display of sweets on the table was abundant. We worked on those yummy houses, snacked, talked and laughed late into the night.
Thanks Norma!
I had a great time!

Here are some pictures that my friend Sara took and gave me permission to share.
I had forgotten my camera. (gasp!) I know...it won't happen again. :)


Now if I could just get the kids to stop Hansel and Gretel'ing my sweet home!

Well another Thanksgiving has come and gone. Can you believe it? Me neither. We made our annual pilgramage to Utah to visit the fam. It was great to see the nieces and nephews. Man oh man are they growing up! I loved spending time with my mom and the sibs. Can I just say... I love my sisters. As always, there wasn't enough one on one time.

We spent a day downtown and visited Temple Square.



We spent lotsa time with cousins!


We went on the "Utah food tour"





We just enjoyed each other!




But...
Did it have to be so cold?


now...on with the Christmas festivities. There's lots to do, where to begin?
.........................

The Tree!

So I went to a party.
What kind of party, you ask?
A SHOE PARTY!
Can you believe such things exist?

These are the little beauties I came home with....

I would have modeled them myself but the pedicure is looking pretty knarly.

I was thinking about some other "parties" that I would like to be invited to.

A purse/bag party
A new recipe party (with samples of course)
A spa party
A book pary (bring your favorites and discuss and trade)
A dessert party (duh)
A massage party (party for one...me)
A craft party

What parties would you like to be invited to?

All in a day's work

Just 'cause.
Goodnight!

Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around.....

Have you ever wished you could do something better?
Has there ever been a skill you wished to acquire?
On Wednesday of last week I was driving my 6 year old home from school. As we talked about the days events, she shared with me that she wished she could jump rope. She told me how at recess her friends would often choose this activity and she would just have to sit there and watch because she couldn't do it. (insert sad face here)
I hated this. I hated that she so wanted to be part of the fun but that she had to feel "less than" because she wasn't able to do something that her friends had already mastered.
I told her that we would go buy her a new jump rope and practice until she could do it.
The next day after school we drove on down to the nearest Big 5. No kiddie jump rope was good enough for my athlete. She would have the best "real" jump rope we could find. The best turned out to be a $4.99 beauty with black handles.





I noticed that as she walked out of the store with her package, her shoulders were a little further back and I swear she was holding her head a little higher.
I could tell that she could see victory in her future.


We got home and she immediately took the jump rope out of it's packaging.
I watched her struggle to grasp the concept of jumping and turning the rope at the same time. Would she be able to do it? Would my daughter be shunned from all the playgrounds in her future because of her lack of jump ropedness? I admit.....in the beginning....things didn't look too promising.
I tried to give her the fundamentals. I huffed as I demonstrated my skills at jumping over the rope....again....and again....and again...and again...and again... and enough!
A call to my 12 year old son to take over the jumping enabled me to explain how it should be done. One shouldn't really be jumping AND talking anyway...right?....right?
It was so fun to watch her practice over the next 3 days. And watch her we all did.
Can I just say that I am so proud of that little girl. She was determined to do it...and guess what?
She did!



It was so awesome to see her so proud of her accomplishment!




What an inspiration she is to me.
I only hope I can live up to her greatness.


By the way....
why does that teddy bear feel the need to tie his shoes while jumping rope?

I went to my friend Jennifer's house today for a little craft therapy.
I am feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Friends and Creating. A great combination.
Thanks Jen!

Just Bee

The former President of my church Gordon B. Hinckley
(a great and wonderful man who has moved on from this life)
once spoke to a group of youth
(go to lds.org to read "A Prophet's counsel and prayer for youth")
and shared with them 6 "Be's" that would help them to become better people. They are...

Be Grateful
Be Smart
Be Clean
Be True

Be Humble
Be Prayerful

What wonderful counsel. I have tried to apply these to my life.
I've come up with a few to add.

Be Joyful
Be Tidy
Be Rested
Be Nice
Be Sure
Be Still
Be Safe
Be Present
Be Diligent
Be Long Suffering
Be Patient
Be Cheerful
Be Healthy
Be Trying
Be Trying again
Be Creative
Be Sweet
Be Helpful
Be Learning
Be Growing
Be Relaxed
and
Be Happy

You won't get stung with these.

Keepin' it Funky

So it's been a while, right?

I've been thinking about blogging. I've had thoughts. I've done stuff.
I've also been in a serious funk.
That ever happen to you?
There have been specific things that have caused this funkification (yea....i said it) and there have been days that it's been there for no reason.
Sometimes it just can't be helped.
There were a couple days there where I had to struggle to get out of bed. sigh....
(btw...don't call me with your funk remedies) (That last sentance was wisppered with love)
Sometimes life gets hard. Sometimes the day's are too long and other days are too short.
Sometimes I don't wanna do the laundry again. Didn't I just empty the dishwasher?
The joys and struggles of motherhood. Am I a good wife? Why do I slack so much in doing the things I know I should be doing?
Why is it soooo hot? Where is fall?

I'm better. I've been clawing my way back up for a few days now but wanna know what brought me out into the light out of my funk? A trip to funky town.
who knew?

The good stuff

Just thought I'd make your day by "keepin' it real".

Your welcome!

Turets and crafting

We have, in our home, a room. A round room.
Officially refered to as a turret, i believe.

Turret : A small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building, such as a medieval castle.

Exactly.
I don't think I live in a castle. I mean I do, on occasion think of myself as a queen and I do have a knight in shining armour.....but as far as I know, I live in the suburbs.

Instead of using this room as a place to project defensive covering fire to those around the grounds as it was originally intended or as a place to store the foosball table, i decided to take complete ownership and make it my craft room.

This room used to be a loverly barn red color, so of course that had to change.

Here is what it looked like after I primed the walls.
(p.s. didn't realize how hard it is to paint on rounded, curved walls)



Here is my room dressed it it's new color




Don't adjust your eyes......it's a blurry photo.

and...... drumroll please..............

I even added a chalkboard/dry-erase board for Dylan so she could hang in there with me.

We've had lots of fun in our new room.
Yea for us!!