The Change

This was the mantle this morning, all festive and Fallish. I love my pumpkin collection and the few Halloweeny things I have scattered about. 

I love, love, love this fabric garland I made from a kit a couple years ago. It is so dang cute!! But you know what happens around here when November rolls around....the change!!

We go from Fall decorations to Christmas in a big hurry. It's always been this way. We LOVE Christmas around here and we don't care who knows. Do I like Thanksgiving? Yes, of course. Do I celebrate it?? You know I do!! Every year I am extra thankful that my husband doesn't care that I set all this stuff up so dang early. I am also thankful to live in a country where I can let my freak flag fly!!

This year, whether you are an all-up-early gal like me, or a leave it for later guy....give your neighbor some slack. Don't criticize or judge them for not being your own kind of crazy. Celebrate your differences and try to find some common ground. It's probably easier than you think. So Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas, my friends!! Party on!!

Thankful

It's November again. Where has the year gone?  I have watched this tree for the last two months for signs of Fall. It started small, one leaf at a time almost. For two months I have wondered and awed at the beauty of this world. Now, I know it has it's problems...goodness...does it ever. But there are such beautiful things to see and hear if we just take a minute to appreciate them. I ask myself all the time...Am I in THIS moment. Have I lost myself in my vision of how I want things to be? Have I wandered off in memories of the past? So much has happened this year. I have so much to be thankful for. Every day this month I am going to list (either here or on FB...or both...but definitely in my journal) something that I am thankful for. Today I am thankful for my family. All of them. Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, the women I love as sisters, my husband and children...all of them. I was taught early on by my Mother, family first, always and no matter what. I love that she instilled that loyalty in us. My Mom and sisters were and are my best friends. They taught me how to love and nurture. My husband has taught me patience (by being patient with me) and my children have taught me the value of service. By serving them I have become closer to them and to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the blessing of family. I hope you take some time today to just think about what you are thankful for. 

A Quick Pic

Just thought you should see a new picture of Jo and me. We were hanging out at the trunk-or-treat party....in the sunshine...sunburning my nose...Did I mention it's almost Halloween. I do love this Nebraska weather!!

Pumpkin Crafts

Here are 6 of the 7 finished projects. We spent several hours chatting and laughing and painting....They all turned out so different and fun. We will definitely be doing more of these (project days). I wish our church did Super Saturday project days. They are always so much fun. Oh well. We'll just make due. I can hardly wait to put these away and get out my Christmas stuff!!! 

Evolution

It all started with some wooden pumpkins one of my sisters bought at a craft fair. I loved them and wanted all my friends to have them too. Most of you know that I have my own saw. I'll tell you this, it is SO FUN!! Power tools are FUN. It's true. A little intimidating at first but once you get used to them....oh my!! I chopped a couple 4x4 posts into blocks and did the same with a ratty looking 2x2.

Obviously that made more projects than even I could wrap my head around. So what's a girl to do?? Invite a few friends (who are childless during the day because let's face it...crafting with kids is SO much harder!!) over to get their craft on.

I'll post pictures of all of the finished project when ALL of the girls get them done...ahhemmmmm...(slow pokes)

My pumpkins went through a bit of evolution....I like that I can do that. I wanted dots on the yellow pumpkin but the lumpy, asymmetrical dots that happened just weren't doing it for me. At. All. So I sanded them down and gave it another go. Same with the chevron stencil. Didn't match up on the corners. No bueno. So I tried again. 

Much better. I have another set I'm working on. I'll just say it is SUPER CUTE too. I am thinking I need to do this more often. It was so fun to hang out with these women. A few I've not had a lot of time like this with...priceless!! 

Stay tuned...I will show you how different and fabulous they ALL turned out. This was so fun, I'll probably do it again!

Teen No More

This is my baby girl. It's her birthday today. 20 years ago I lay in the hospital in Soda Springs holding the most perfect little girl ever.

She didn't stay small for long. Before I knew it she was crawling and then walking. She was sassy from the moment she could string two words together. She went to school and learned all that public education had to offer.

She has loved and lost and loved again. She has made friends in every city we lived. She has brought us more joy than we thought possible...she's brought some tears too. She has taken it all and learned some very important lessons.

She has tasted adventure and independence. She is the most loyal of friends. She is funny and smart and beautiful. She has a tender heart and wicked sense of humor.

She is a devoted Auntie and a sweet sister. This girl of mine is so loved. I am so excited to see where she goes from here. 

I love her more than more and I feel so blessed to have her for my daughter, and my friend.

Genetics

Michael is 3 months in the picture on your left. Kevin is 6 months in the picture on your right. Guess we don't have to worry that they were sent home with the wrong baby. Such cute babies. I love them both.