Thanksgiving is over...

which means I can listen to Christmas music! My two favorite albums The Polar Express and Sarah McLaughlin. Those are the best.

My favorite Christmas movie: The Polar Express. I don't think there is any movie that expresses the magic of Christmas as good as that one.

I didn't think I was going to be able to see New Moon with the nursing baby and all, but we decided it would be easier to leave her in the day. So, my sister and I saw the 11:00 matinee today. I enjoyed it.

But, I was more excited for some new movies coming out. Sometimes when you strike out a couple of times on movies (T and I had to turn off the last two movies we rented from RedBox), you think the world has stopped making good ones.

But I think Letters to Juliet and Dear John look pretty good. I also need to see The Blind Side and Sherlock looked good too.

I'm grateful for...

My kids....

And the excitement they still have for holidays. Even the typically less exciting ones like Thanksgiving. Yesterday we heard noises at 6:20 a.m. Big T went and told them that it was too early and B&C needed to back to bed.

All was quiet for maybe another 15 minutes, when our door was pulled shut and then a slip of paper was shoved under our door. Then all three little sweeties burst into our room with a "Happy Thanksgiving" and we have menus for your for breakfast in bed.

This is what C's said for me, "Frostid with watr

Rasiin Bran with joos

Grap nein nuts with cet with joos

And Brandons for Big T said, What would yo like for breakfest?

Frosted Flakes

Almond Crandberry, Blueberry, Grapes Nuts

Milk

Water

Slide under door when done.

And Tyce cheerfully announced that it was "Ready O'clock!"

Big T has never been able to eat until he's been awake for an hour or two, so he graciously took a couple of bites and then dumped the rest in the porcelain God when they left.

These are the moments I hope to remember.

Come check our new blog

Our new crafty/project blog was born today. Me and four friends are going to co-author it to share all things domestic. It's in the baby stages of course, so be patient but here it is:

www.gluegunsandspatulas.blogspot.com

Does anyone care to join?

Ok, so I've just been to the biggest craft fair of the year around here. I don't know if I feel worthy to maintain a craft blog. Maybe I should bow down to the real crafty gurus our there and surrender. Soooo, I was wondering if any of my crafty/domestic friends would want to co-author it with me.

We could post anything that is domestic (not personal stuff), like a great recipe you found, a project you completed, a Birthday cake you decorated, a great deal you found, a chore chart system that worked for you, etc. etc. etc. You wouldn't have to feel any pressure to post a lot or anything. Just whenever you feel like it.

Anyone?

Maybe I should shut up and go in my craft room. :)

So I'm thinking about starting a project/tip blog

But I feel weird about it. I don't want it to seem like I think I'm so awesome at crafts and come compliment me. That is so not it. If you know how hard I struggle to make things looks cute and how many projects end up in the trash, you woudn't think that at all.

I know I don't have the natural craft "knack". Some are born with it. And the rest of us copy them. I just want a place that is seperate place to keep kind of a project journal, mostly for my own benefit. And if I ever did want to share it on another craft blog or something, they wouldn't have to come see all of my personal stuff, which I want to save for only people I know.

Plus, people who check my blog to see updates on the fam wouldn't have to read about my latest project if they didn't want to.

There are only three billion of these already, so I'm not trying to gain a huge amount of followers or anything. Mostly I would be showing these that I copied from somewhere else and linking to them.

Anyway, I'm trying to think of a name. Only every possible craft name is already used. Once my family was taking about adult "binkies", and how we all have something to give us comfort and sanity and drown out the world like a baby does with their binkie. With some people it's chocolate (me included), diet coke, exercise, etc. etc. Lately for me it is creating.

So I was trying to think of something along those lines.

mommasbinkie
momspaci
cheeriosinthebra (because if you have ever found a cherrio in your bra, you are a true mom and need a little downtime)

Something along those lines, but I don't think this should be the blogaddress or title because I need something simpler and something people would get.

Any ideas? There just might be a prize if I choose your title.

I'm on One Pretty Thing!

Yeah! I made it. Check it out here!

Just because...

Almost six-months old, I'm still loving having a girl because...
It's so cute to watch B read to her to try to calm her down I get to get out my crafty energy and make things like baby legs out of knee highs. (Not my original idea but I can't find the link to give credit to, sorry)

And hairbows. I think this one turned out pretty sweet if I do say so myself.

Although, seeing this scene can be a bit scary.
Need I say more?

PS. I've discovered Google Reader where you can go read all non-private updates in one place. It's pretty awesome and a good time saver, however you can't comment from reader so I think it will be decreasing my comments even more.

Personalized spice rack

Today I'm doing this post to enter Blue Cricket Designs show and tell they do every Wednesday. You can show off something that you've made and then go check out others awesome ideas. You should play too.

Anyway, when we painted we did a good clean and kind of accessed what wasn't being used etc. And we came across the spice rack we got ten years ago for our wedding. (Sorry I didn't take any before pictures, I didn't know I would be posting this).

I realized that we really didn't use many of the spices very often and it was taking up counter space. I thought I would maybe use it for my scrapbooking embellishments, but then I realized we do have many spices in the pantry that we do use, so why not make it more useful.

So, here are the steps. 1)Empty spice jars, peel off the labels and clean thoroughly.
2) Clean the rack itself and then sand it down.
3) Paint the rack in your color of choice.
4) Fill the jars with spices you like. Our grocery store here sells spices in bulk pretty inexpensively. Mine weren't even all spices. I put cream of tartar in one and flax seed we sprinkle over meals to add a nutrition to, in another.
5) Print out the names of the spices you are using onto cute scrapbook paper using cute font (like CK Becky from Creating Keepsakes, my favorite font ever!)
6) Trace around the lid on your printed words and cut out. I inked the edges of mine. Mod Podge onto the lid, let dry, then mod podge the top a couple of times. Then spray with a finish spray, reassemble and you are done.
Now, I think this spice rack will be used again.

What I read this morning...

I must have been sleeping or distracted during President Uchtdorfs talk in General Conference but read it this morning and this really stuck out,

"God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe that He
doesn't care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or
homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves
us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we
may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely."

I really should find a way to display this somewhere. I needed to hear it today.

My baby used to be a good sleeper...

The girl C started sleeping through the night at about six weeks. Seriously. I've never had that. And she continued with an exception every week or so. Until about three weeks ago. I would put her down and she would wake up in twenty minutes. So I would throw her in the swing and more or less she would sleep all night there. Everyone slept, everyone was happy.

Now she wakes up after twenty minutes, screams in her swing, I get her back to sleep, she wakes up after twenty minutes, and the cycle continues. She doesn't want to eat, she is exhausted beyond reason and will not go to sleep. The last two nights I've been letting her scream until she goes back to sleep. Is she too young for that? What do you think?

At least she has forgiven us and is all smiles and cooing in the morning.

Other random notes...Sorry if I haven't been a good commenter on your blogs. I do enjoy catching up on your lives but usually only have one hand to type, so I skip the comments. Just know that I love you!

T has been scared of going to bed and monsters. Last night B suggested they made a poster that said "No Monsters Allowed!" for their room. This was especially sweet after our FHE on having a happy, supportive home.

T is also slowly getting the potty training down. I still can't leave him in the hands of others without a pull-up, but I think we will make it before Kindgergarten. Miracles never cease.

Well, better shower before noon!

The befores and afters

Halloween

Tink

Tow-MaterIndian

NinjaWhat are those blue rectangles in the background? My two finalist paint colors. We are done painting. Pics to come...