One down...

We are having an Open House January 2, for Chris and Amanda. Which is two weeks after their wedding because they are having a reception in Idaho the day of their wedding.
What was I thinking?
I was thinking:  it could work out because it's so soon after the holidays, not as many people may even come. It could be more intimate, cozy and casual.
What I wasn't thinking:  the projects just keep multiplying (we had a plumbing/heater disaster yesterday, major water leaking in our storage room),  it's so soon after Christmas, and many many people would be walking through my house.
Hopefully, what will happen:  many people will come to celebrate two sweet people getting married, people won't really notice all the things wrong with the house (and if they do then too bad), and Chris and Amanda will feel loved.

Last week I was sick and unable to accomplish much of anything. I am now working on different projects without full regard of the importance of each project. Such as this cute little kids kitchen cabinet. I wanted to paint it and so Saturday night I did. Some people will hang out downstairs so I want that room cute too (we are going to have a video of pictures of the two of them playing in the tv room).
I worked a little on the hall bathroom (still not finished but getting closer).
I want to make some Christmas gifts.
We may get a new stove and counter tops (I would LOVE new flooring too but that isn't possible) and new counter tops would be so amazing.
I bought some cute green fabric to redo pillows and chairs upstairs (the bird has ruined the pillows and if I redo the pillows I have to change the matching material on the chairs but I get to use my staple gun!).
Now, Davis is sick and time is ticking away quickly, once again...

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving.

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving.


One of the many blogs that I follow is Rockstar Diaries and she had this on her blog. Very sweet. And since this
is from Mormon Messages via Utube I figure I can put it on here too. It is just a link. I was having trouble with putting the screen etc. on here since 
I'm not very good at the technical stuff! 


I am thankful for my health (when I have it), for not having a headache, for most ; ) of my extended family, my dear goofy and hardworking husband, my fantastic and very human children, for their choices of a spouse and/or future spouse, a sweet living prophet, for scriptures to read and to learn from, for the freedom to go to church and to believe how I want, for Jesus Christ the Savior, for being able to move on with my life after I make mistakes, to be able to go to the grocery store and shop the many isles and choose fresh and not so fresh foods, a cool and interesting but oldish house with amazing views, new counter tops, dear friends, to be able to go to the movies, to be able to try to be creative, Diet Pepsi with just the right ice to crunch (yes, I know neither is healthy), dedicated Doctors that I can visit and get the help I need and help for my children, clean sheets, cars and trucks, gas at $2.59 a gallon today, snow but only for a short time, pristine blue skies, a gently rolling ocean in a beautiful tropical setting, the excitement of knowing that Jeff and I are going on an exciting Costa Rica trip in January to celebrate our 24th anniversary, to have Davis happy and smiling, to read a good book and to remember most of it, usually for animals (but I am getting so annoyed with our little Pappillion and then with the Sun Conure make such a ruckous), Sunny, the Sun Conure, was playing hide and seek in between the leaning pillows and laughing, then backing out as she waddles---we all were laughing, to have my children home--even if for but a moment, Jeff bought me dried mangoes, to feel joy and love........I AM thankful for so much. I have more than what I deserve, more than many people, even less than some have. I AM so grateful and will try to share my abundance even the not so abundant things in my life (like time and energy) with others around me. That's the real heart of the matter....what do I do next.... Well for tomorrow, we are eating a Turkey.......

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sweet kindness.

I have a dear new neighbor and friend that brought me warm cream of cauliflower soup and soft home made rolls for dinner tonight.
How sweet that she made and brought me dinner. It is one of the sweetest and most thoughtful gifts.
Medicine for the body and soul.

Sick.

I'm really quite sick.
My head feels like it could explode or I'm going to have a stroke.
I'm going back to bed.

It's all about heart.

I still have unfinished walls in the hall bathroom.  I felt very sick yesterday and I don't think I'll get much done today. I walked into the little bathroom and saw this drop of dried joint compound. Cute little heart.
My parents had a great preThanksgiving dinner on Saturday. About 38 people. Did I bring my camera? No! But I did bring a cooked turkey (we just cooked it for my parents), mashed potatoes, caesar salad (from a bag), and a yummy pretzel salad. Most of the family was there. I'm sorry I didn't bring the camera.

Marine Reserves.

I don't know exactly how he managed this but Chris changed from full time Marines to Marine Reserves. However, I understand it.
Chris won't have to go to boot camp until March 22. He was going February 2. He get's married December 19 so he will have more time with his new bride. He will be a weekend warrior after that. He can still get called to go to Iraq or Afghanistan but he's less likely to go multiple times (or as many) and for as long as he would if he stayed a full time Marine.
Boot camp is three months long. Then he has specific training that takes 6 weeks (maybe more or less---I'm not sure exactly).
Chris had to be sworn in as a Marine Reserves. So I picked up Amanda on the way to Salt Lake.
I'm glad sweet Amanda came. She is going to be affected by him being a Marine more than anyone.
She really is sweet, bubbly and crazy about Chris.

Good news!

The Dermatologist called and told me that the biopsy was normal!
What a relief!

More old pictures.

This was the day that Sheyla, our oldest, was blessed at church. Family came over to my parents house after wards and we had a party.
This is Jeff's family. Jeff's maternal grandparents are standing beside me. They were very cute. Jeff's great grandfather is sitting on the chair. We happened to name our youngest after him. He was SO cute. He had the cutest sense of humor. At dinner he would say, "I'd like to take a pea, please" (asking for the peas). Silly. He played the violin, self taught. He had a girl friend in his 90's. He was darling. He almost died before we were married. Jeff's mother told her grandfather that he needed to get better to see us get married. So, he did.
He died a week and a half before Davis was born. Davis's first name is Oscar because of this sweet man.

These are my parents. Wow. Look how young they look! Look how handsome and young Jeff looks! Meow!

My sister Pam made this dress. She is very talented. Sheyla is darling! She is now 22 years old. At times, when she talks I can see the little girl in her. We really have cute kids! It really is hard to believe how fast the time has gone!

I know, we look very young because we were pretty young! But dang, we were cute!

Only a month away!

These cute love birds get married in a month from tomorrow! The date has changed twice because the temple was closed the week of their first choice and they had to change it again because of conflicts with Chris entering boot camp for the Marines. It is now set for December 19th. Chris brought announcements home yesterday. So, it is for real.
I don't get to see Chris very much, understandably. He is working and spends most every other moment with sweet Amanda. Soon he will be 21 and it is hard to believe it's possible that he has grown up so fast. He is such a darling sweet boy and I love him!
Last week was one of the fastest weeks ever for me. I don't think it's going so fast for these two but it will!

Flashback.

While I was looking for sandpaper yesterday to work on prepping my bathroom, I found a bunch of old pictures. Sheyla was a baby in these pictures and she is 22 years old now. We have been in this house for 9 years and that is about the last time I've seen these pictures. I know, not a good place to put pictures....

My maternal grandparents had taken Jeff, Sheyla and I to Goblin Valley. But on the way to Goblin Valley is a geyser! They knew where it was and took us there. I LOVE geysers! How cool are they!
Here is a true story about this same geyser:  about 13 years ago I wanted to take the kids to Goblin Valley but Jeff traveled A LOT, so I asked my Dad to come with us. I remembered this same Geyser and wanted the kids to see it. So I figured out about where it was. It is now on private property. Well, when we first drove up I happened on the owner and asked permission to see it. He said yes. So we drove around and got out and we started walking to see it. I saw the geyser in the distance and I started running like a fool, so excited to see it in it's majesty. As we were running, we saw this little car crazily driving up to us. The same man jumped out of the car and started yelling at us saying he didn't say we could go up close to it and said other not so nice words. He also threatened to call the police. I stood there stunned. The kids were petrified. I told him I thought we had permission. He went into a tirade of how the government took the property away from his family and how looters come and steal things and put things down the geyser hole. "How would I like if someone walked through my living room?" I apologized and explained that I thought we had permission. He said he only gave permission for us to go to the gate and see it from a distance. We left as quickly as possible. Dad and I joked about it during the trip. On the way home we also suggested we stop by and see it again. All the kids screamed, "NO!" All of them remember it too.

Goblin Valley is amazing! Those years later when I took the kids, they had SO much fun! We climbed and climbed and had a blast as we had our adventure around Goblin Valley!

We had way too many scenic pictures and not enough of the people!
Look how adorable Sheyla was as a baby!
I have other pictures too that I will share later!

I did go to the Dermatologist who took a biopsy of something on my arm, right below where I had a melanoma just last year. It was very small, so that is good. Hopefully, it is nothing. I'll find out not soon enough.
I did work on my bathroom but not much.
I didn't make the soup (I will tonight). Davis and I had left over lasagna.
Jeff helped with Family Home Evening.
I didn't do as much as I wanted but that's just the way things go sometimes....

It's Monday.

It snowed again this weekend and it's cold but it should warm up later this week (I hope, I hope).

I have a few things to do today and lots of projects on my To Do List.
Bathe the dog (she needs one badly).
Go to the Dermatologist today. Hopefully, it's nothing.
Get joint compound and prep and paint the hall bathroom.
Laundry. There's always laundry.
Make dinner (I'm trying a new yummy Chicken Noodle Soup recipe).
Take Sheyla somewhere unless she is sick again today.
Help Davis.
Family Home Evening.
Try to be a good mom, wife and person.
Loose 25 pounds (I know I can't do that in one day but it's ever present on my mind. I know I need to exercise and just be healthier).

To Do List on the horizon:
Thanksgiving is next week!
Chris is getting married in a month from Thursday. We are having an open house here two weeks later, the more I walk through the house the more I realize what a scary thing that is.
Christmas is in a little over a month! Christmas comes every year but it seems to sneak up on me and once again I am not prepared. There are many homemade items I'd love to make. I'll see what I can do.
There are walls I'd love to paint before the open house.
So many projects! I know I need to prioritize, ask for help and just let some things be.
I need to be realistic.
Yikes!

Lucky me!

Jeff has so much vacation time left that he is taking the day off today AND most Fridays till the end of the year.
He said he would go to the zoo with me today BUT I have a DUP (daughter's of the Utah Pioneers) meeting today and I happen to be the Secretary/Treasurer. So, I have to be there. Rats! I'd LOVE to go to the zoo! Maybe we can go next week instead!
But we are going to do something today! What fun!
I do appreciate how hard Jeff works for our family! I get to be a stay at home mom! Even with our youngest at 16. One married. One soon to be married (one month and one week away). One soon to be engaged! We feel it's so important right now for our family for me to be home and I am thankful that I CAN be home right now.
Lucky me!

What I want for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

This picture is from nearly 13 years ago. My gosh they were and still are so cute!

The other day Britni tentatively told me their plans for the holidays. I was touched that she cared about my feelings but I was concerned about how nervous she was to tell me. I told her I know how difficult it can be to juggle the holidays and that it's OK.
Later the same day, I listened to Dr. Laura as I was driving in the car and something she said regarding something totally different touched me. I wanted to remember it and share it with my kids.
She said (or something like this), that the only thing that children owe their parents is to be the best people they can possibly be. She said that once they are married their loyalty should be to their spouse.
I believe that.
I appreciate so much that Britni was concerned about being fair but I don't want any of my kids stressing about if I will be mad or not. I want all of my children to know that I appreciate them thinking about spending time with us but I won't be mad if they spend time with their spouses family or spend time with themselves as a new family. I will miss them but I will understand.
They grow up so fast.
All I want IS for them to be the best selves they can be.

Happy Veterans Day!

Thank you to all those who have bravely served our Country.
God bless the USA!

Time for a new one.

I have many many interest. I'm not afraid to try my hand at new projects. The sad fact is that I'm not real good at any of it. Including drawing cartoon characters. I have drawn goofy looking cartoons since I was a young teenager. They haven't changed much.
The first family picture I drew in 1994 (we were married in 1986).
The second one we had a girl live with us for just a few months.
The last one was too long ago. I need to draw someone's husband, someone's soon to be wife, and someone's soon to be fiance. Most of the animals have changed. Luckily, I can always draw myself young and thin (and goofy).
 
 I am quite computer illiterate. So I just figured how to grab a button and put it on this site. You literally grab the button with your mouse! I need a tutorial from my daughter!
Last week I linked my Mod Podge projects on this site.
Today I linked my cute turkey pillow (which I used Andrea Zuill's cute pattern and I linked it to her site too---I give credit to where credit is due!).
You can find some very cute projects with this site.
Oh, so much to do! So little time!

Flowers...

My daughter and her sweet husband gave me flowers yesterday.
She loves Spider Mums (and me). So that made her happy.
I love her so that made me happy!

Cute turkey.

 Made another pillow! Silly little turkey!
Andrea Zuill is an amazing artist. I got the pattern from her blog. Here's a link.

Last one....for now.

I found this box in a cupboard. I've had it for years and years. Look how cute it is now! I'm now in LOVE with Mod Podge!

It is done.

I finally finished! I LOVE how it turned out and it makes me happier that I got it for $45! Here is the before.
I also LOVE how the Mod Podge turned out! They almost look expensive! It doesn't matter. I really like them and it brings a smile to my face!

Those tin plaques I got from DI for $2 each. I like them because they tie the other silver metal (including the ceiling) to each other. It makes me happy and it doesn't take much to make me happy!

Second and Third projects!

I had this box. I wanted some new cute things for the hutch that I painted. So I Mod Podge'd again!

I think it's good for a shoe box!

I had this wood plaque in a box for many years. So I thought I'd use this too. It is harder than it looks.

This is scrapbook paper that I bought when I got the wrapping paper.

Today is supposed to be beautiful and warm. I am going to spray-paint the handles outside today!

I'm excited to put the hutch back together!

First Mod Podge project.

My daughter gave me this box with bathroom oil, gel and a candle. She didn't like the smell. I love the sturdy box.
This technically isn't my first project. I vaguely remember working with Mod Podge when I was about 10. Maybe a picture on a board. But I haven't done anything since then.
I love many blogs. One blog is called Mod Podge rocks. Here is her site. She inspired me that maybe, even I could use Mod Podge. So I did and here it is!

I bought wrapping paper at Michael's Craft. I used one long strip for the side. But next time, I will center each side. It still turned out sweet!

I'm still working on my hutch. The color is this sweet blue. I bought black spray paint for the handles. It's turning out super cute! I'm almost done!