My corner of the net...

Lonely days

2011-10-05T07:18:00.000-07:00

I got out my nicer camera out today I took some pictures. I decided this is what I feel like when the kids go back to school. You always hear about how the parents are so excited when school starts again.
NOT me!

-an empty yard-

-no kids laughter-

-no friendly conversations-

-no games being played-

-no squeals of glee-

-no leisurely time spent together-

School starts and everyday is full of running here and running there when the kids FINALLY get home. Long days of a quiet house and then chaos when they walk in the door.

I miss summer!

I miss my family being together!

I miss my kids!

"other rooms"

2011-09-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

Well, here are pictures of the other rooms as promised.

Here is the big girls room. We were going for sunset colors they have a beachy theme

with lots of flip flop stuff.

here we have the palm tree and flipflops that are vinyl.

(pardon the mess... these are pre-teens)

they have mermaid dollies from SunflowerRadiantLove and the adorable wreath was a gift from my cousin. We have a flipflop thing. LOL!!

The cute sign I got off etsy... the tiki mask was a gift from a swap of WAHM's I am in.

The baskets actually have tea sets in them... and the shells and starfish are all real! The crab is not!

K, there you have the girls room. It is constantly changing as they are girls and that is the nature of the beast. LOL! But it is fun to watch them play with it.

Now on to Jacob's room: "all boy"

Isn't that the coolest vinyl decal EVER? The little shelf has his handprints on it from when we decorated the nursery for him when he was like 3 months old. Cute huh?

As you could guess his room is decorated in WWII planes!

The shelf my hubby made (I designed) a few years ago. The toy net was a trade with a friend.

Kinda a fun room huh? His quilt is done but I haven't taken better pictures yet, so in them meantime you can see it in this past post!

That post also has pictures of the walls int he little girls room. I still have not got their room the way I want it... so no pictures for you! :)

What is going on?

2011-09-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

BUSY!

That is what we have been around our house lately. With school starting we have sports starting. Kids can play sports from 3rd grade up. So this year we have 3 girls playing volleyball. We have AneMarie and Hannah playing in the younger teams, and then Tiffany is playing ont he 7th grade team. She is getting good. Her coach was happy with the way she played and she says she is going to play her more. Tiffany is really starting to grow up, she is thinning out and starting to act like a teen. Ahhhhh!!!!!
So needless to say we have practice for Tiffany on Monday's and Wednesday's. Then she has games on Tuesday's and Thursday's. The other girls are just opposite, with practices on Tuesday's and Thursday's, and games on Monday's and Wednesday's.
Then there is feeding the missionaries, we do that at least once a week. Then we have YW's and scouts on Wed. for dad and Tiffany. Then cub scouts on Tues. for Jacob and mom. Then we have homework, and reading and FHE.... then there is a Branch party once a month, and activity days for Hannah and AneMarie every other week. Needless to say I have put my AWESOME wall calendar to good use! You can see some pictures and a tutorial for it over on my other blog: 6 and Still Sane
In there I try to do a little sewing and crafting. I have enjoyed not having all the diapers to make, but I still have had a few. I sell some here and there... but that is fine, I enjoy it.

Well, that is about it... just wanted to post a quick update letting you know what we have been up to.
:)

keeping my promise

2011-08-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

I was reading back in my blog and I promised pictures of the swing set. So here they are.

Who doesn't love a tire swing?

This is the "ladder/steps"

The climbing wall and rope ladder.

Our new swing set in all it's glory!

see the bridge?

Cool huh? The kids have been loving it!

I will have to post pictures of rooms... when I get the kids to clean them. LOL! We got Jacob's room painted. Vaughn did it when I took the kids to help Lucy move. (he was so bored!) The plane decal is up and his plane shelf. We also have his window shelf made just need to stain it. I am excited to see his room come together. I got the big girls room all done. They just need to clean it. It is all cute!

Well, I will see about posting more pictures later.

I am still here. . . REALLY!

2011-08-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

I know that I have not been on for awhile. I am sorry. I have been trying to tie up loose ends from diapers and such... then with school starting it gets pretty hectic.
But I think we are getting settled into our routine. Do you have a school routine?

We get up at ten to 6 in the morning. We get luches packed into lunchbags and then send the kids off to get dressed. When everyone is dressed we say family prayer and read scriptures. Then have breakfast. Vaughn leaves for work and then we do hair and finish the last little things you know like ... "remember your home work folder.", "I have snack today.", "I can't find my shoes." You know, those little things. LOL!
Then the kids leave for school at 7:25a.m. They walk since we are close to the school.
When they come home it is homework time, then dinner, then prayers and bedtime. That is pretty much our day. Sometime we fit in other things like volleyball practice, games, scouts, young women's, book club, feeding the missionaries, meetings, and the occasional family time. *phew*

I guess I am feeling a little blah lately. We have lived in lots of different place and that is ok, we have been happy everywhere we have lived. I have been able to make at least one really good friend. You know the kind - The ones you hang out with when you are bored. The ones that you walk with, scrapbook with, sew with, call on the phone just to chat. . . those ones. I really like Colorado, and I really like the people here, I have made many friends, but not one of those really good ones. And this is where we will live for quite a few years. I don't feel like I can call anyone up and say, "Hey... what are you doing today? Wanna get together and scrapbook?" Or, "Let's take the kids to the park to play."

I think in the end I am dwelling on this because next week is my birthday and when we were in Utah there was a group of us that got together and went to lunch (or dinner) when it was someones birthday. I just miss having my friends around.

So do you have friends you miss?

Busy, Busy, Busy....

2011-03-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

That is what I am. BUSY!!!
I have tons of diapers to still make on my way out, and I am close enough to the end that I am anxious to be done... but far enough away that I have so much more to do. ohhh.....
Our Hannah is getting baptized on her birthday... the 19th of March. We have invited all the family to come. So we will have a house full... but we will fit everyone. I am so excited to have everyone to come, but I feel like I need to get a lot finished up first.

I really want:

to get the new swing set all set up. Vaughn has been working really hard on it and I am excited. He is almost done, he just has the bridge and the other tower to finish up. **pics soon!
to get shelves made for the little girls room and Jacob's room. This way I can put up all the decorations I have.
to finish painting the details in the little girls room and add the fairies to the walls.
to put the palm tree up in the big girls room and add the decor I have stored away to their room.
to paint Jacob's room. I have the paint, I just need the time!!! But when I paint I can put up the AWESOME plane decal and the posters I have.
to finish Jacob's quilt... all I need to do is hand stitch the binding. Maybe I will do that tonight.
to find a place for all the extra stuff in my room. LOL! -not possible huh? Well I WILL do it!!!

Then I have a NEED to list!!!
I NEED to:

get diapers done... cute and snapped, and shipped
organize my sewing room since someone will be sleeping in there.
get the new futon set up in the guest/craft room for Vaughn's parents.
clean the diaper chaos in my living room up and get it looking decent again.
clean my room and my bathroom.
take the recycle stuff off the the community center.

Then on top of that all . . . as if that wasn't enough!
-My little girls all have birthday's this time of year so we have a combined party for them. We are doing it this Saturday. We are having a 'Birthday Tea'. We will serve apple juice, finger sandwiches, cheese, cookies, and cupcakes. We will have Easter hats they can decorate, feather boas, and gloves. They have invited 5 little girls, and they are plenty excited.
-Did I mention I am a cub scout leader here? And Vaughn is the Scout Master? So we have a Scout training on Friday night and again Saturday morning.
-Our little Branch has a Branch party every month. That is this Thursday!! Thankfully all we have to take is some salad.

So I guess that is the long and short of it... this of course isn't including the normal... cub scouts, mutual, homework, piano practice and lessons . . you know the things we do all the time. LOL!

So what do you have going on during this spring time?
oh ugg... speaking of spring time... we are due for a time change. I HATE the spring one... the whole "spring forward thing" are you kidding? It is more like drag for a week... Do you like the time changes? I vote we all join Arizona and not do it!!!

well, on that lovely note... love ya all!

Guess what?

2011-01-29T19:16:00.000-08:00

I found my blog! YAY!!! It was lost... really it was. I couldn't remember how to log into it. I was a bit persistant tonight though and I have succeeded!

So it has been a few months. We are all moved into the house. There are still a few boxes in the garage that need to be unpacked... but not many. It is starting to feel like home. With all our furniture and stuff in the house it helps. We have worked on the kids' rooms in turn.

The little girls want their room to be a fairy wooldland. I am pretty happy with how it is coming.

clouds, sky and hills

trees and mushrooms

pond and wildlife

I still need to add faires... which I have in vinyl but I need to finish up some painting first. Then we are going to make a shelf that goes along 2 of the walls so we can put up decorations. I have some fairy doors and lots of flowers with butterflies. Also some little tea sets. It will but cute when we finish it.

I will keep you updated!

The big girls room is painted too... I still need to take pics of it... but there are a few more things we need to do to it to get it where they want it. Then our poor son. . . he has been living in a purple room. We have the blue color paint we are going to use for it. Dad says we need to wait until it warms up more. We will see though... I am getting antsy to get it painted. We have some fun things to put up in his room and his quilt I have been working on is almost done.

I made a pilot from the Overall Sam pattern

Then made a template for some simple planes

Kinda cute huh? When we quilted it we quilted in the ditches and the loop-d-loops behind the planes. We also blanket stitched around the pilots and the planes.

When I get the binding done I will post finished pics.

Well, that is all for the night! Happy I found my way back!

Did we get the house? YES!!!!

2010-08-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

I am so super excited and you are the first to know it!
They accepted out offer on the house!

This is a really good house for our family!

Awesome & roomy family home with 5 bedrooms, 2.75 bathrooms, office, tiled family room with gas stove, nice separate living room, country kitchen, 2 car attached garage, covered front porch downstairs, wood deck, sprinklers system, storage/workshop, apple & apricot trees! Master has private bath. Very nice views!

OUR House!

The Kitchen

The Dining room right off the Kitchen

The living room

the Master Bath

The Family Room

The yard... lots of fruit trees... apples, apricots,and I think a pear.

also some pine trees for Vaughn! :)

The back of the house

It is on the edge of town. But is it right across the street from the church and walking distance to the schools! I am so excited! It will probably still be a couple weeks for the closing and what not... but !!!! It is there! YAY!!!

Thanks for letting me share!

Leaving Grandma and Grandpa

2010-07-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

We went to a Family Reunion yesterday. It was fun to see family and visit, and to meet new family I didn't know before.

This is one of the things that I think I am having the hardest time with when it comes to this move thing.

I am going to miss associating with family. We live by Vaughn's parents right now, and they are AMAZING people!
Vaughn's dad is such a create example of charity and sacrifice. He does so much for everyone. I have not ever meet any person that had a bad thing to say about dad. I have loved living so close to Grandpa and having my children living under his influence.
Vaughn's mother is a great example of obedience. . . obedience to the Lord's commandments. She is so willing to serve and to help others. My kids have learned to much from her, and have also enjoyed spending time with her. She is more patient with the kids than I am. I guess that comes with the "Grandma" title though.

I know that we have been blessed to have this opportunity to live so close to them and to get to know them. I have a great love for them and a deep respect!

my "Aunt Flow" alternative

2010-07-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

I have found the most amazing product! You all know I do the cloth diaper thing...

Well I got thinking one day how it isn't fair that all these babies get amazingly soft cloth on their bums and I have to use crunchy, stiff, yucky pads one week out of the month!

I started to look around on etsy for an alternative. I knew there were cloth pads out there, and heck if I had the time I have the materials I could make my own.... BUT.... no time to sew for myself! :(

In my looking though I was pretty picky. With my Cloth Diaper business I have a knowledge of fabrics and what works and what doesn't. I was looking for something with bamboo or hemp as an absorbent layer and no PUL since it isn't breathable. I also wanted, no REQUIRED, a velour inner layer! That stuff is so super soft, and it is a wicking fabric too.

In all my searching I only found one shop that had everything I wanted in a pad.

Randumosity! Jamie ROCKS! I love that she has fun prints too!

I follow Randumosity on FB now too to keep up with all the new stuff!

I bought my first set, and I jumped in with both feet. I bought a big ol' set

Don't those look so soft? Well let me be the first to tell you THEY are! I LOVE them!

They are very absorbent even for my heavy days. The snaps are perfect for holding them in place and also makes it so you can fold it up into a cute little do-hicky that no one will recognize for what it is.

Then if you are concerned about how to carry around the used ones if you are out and about... check out her wetbags... they are fun and stylish and she has other prints available.

So then you would be set!

Care of is easy-peasy! I have a cute little bucket thingy, and I fill it with cold water. Just put the used pads in until I am ready to wash. Wash in washing machine and then dry! Pretty easy huh?

Aside from them feeling a TON nicer...

They also save a TON of money!

And if you want to think a little bit "green". . . think of all the trash you will NOT be making!

All in all I totally recommend these to anyone! In fact... there a friend of mine is having a giveaway on her blog for some of these... check it out!

http://sillybugandmonkey.blogspot.com/2010/07/randumosity-giveaway-of-set-of-4-cloth.html

So, what do you think? would you be brave enough to try these?

5 years....

2010-06-27T17:55:00.000-07:00

Where will you be in 5 years?

Hum... I have never really been able to give a straight answer to this question.

Last week we found out that we are moving to Colorado. Somewhere around Alamosa. I had no idea where this even was... I had to look it up on a map.

We have started talking houses and stuff now... which is exciting. Aside from our little trailer when we were going to USU We have never owned the houses we have lived in.

It was a cosy little house, and I do understand now why people always said "These are the best years of your life!"

BUT we have outgrown that by a few kids.

So looking for a new house is exciting. :)

I honestly can't say that we will still live in Colorado in 5 yrs...

You know though, I have realized over the years that home is where you make it. If I am with my family I am home.

Wish us luck!

Camping...

2010-06-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

I LOVE to camp! I have always loved camp... I am so super jealous of the ladies that get to go off to girls camp with the young women in our church every year. Young Women's Camp is an amazing experience and I gained a lot of my Testimony while at Young Women Camp.
BUT... I also had lots of fun at girls camp. :)
HAve you ever been Snipe hunting? I can honestly say I have! Did I ever catch a snipe? Ohh, you better believe it! I had one bagged and everything... but you know how snipes are. :)

So I was perusing some blogs I visit this afternoon, and I happened on my friends blog. She is having a giveaway right now. She is reviewing some games from a company called: Education Outdoors

They have a fun Camp board game and a Smores card game, but the one that caught my eye was this:

How fun does that look? It even comes with some snipes! I am soooo hoping to win this game... then I can play with my kiddos! :)

Do you like to camp?

kids, kids, kids...

2010-06-04T18:10:00.000-07:00

I got the inspiration for my new blog post from my sister. In our chatting today she made a comment and my response made me thing about the changes that kids bring into your life.

This is what I want my house to look like:

How nice would it be to have a bright open airy home with clean "gunk" free furniture. The pillows placed where they look nice and fragile decorations placed on a lovely coffee table.

Then I can just imagine a nice big sewing space...

Oh, how would that be? All the space to put all the things I have. A place for everything and everything in it's place. I could fill that thread rack!

But we have 6 kids and we have made some concessions in life as a result. We still don't own a house. We aren't sure where we will be living in 3 years. We drive a suburban and not a cherry red convertible. It is filled with car seats and coloring books. You will find food crumbs under the car seats and stuck in between the seats. You will probably step on a crayon or a colored pencil when you get in, and I am sure there is an empty cup somewhere.

We don't buy our clothes at the big department stores, we shop the thrift stores instead.

We don't go on big expensive family vacations; we have never been to Disneyland as a family.

We can't buy books for the kids from every Scholastics book thingy the kids bring home.

We can't let the kids do all the extracurricular activities they want.

We don't have the latest in electronics.

We do spend quality time together.

We have pizza and movie night every week!

We have good, wholesome, uplifting books to read for all ages.

We have the same quality of movies too.

We go on camping trips and fishing runs.

We have a swimming pool in the back yard and swings for the kids to play on.

We have a big garden and work together as a family to plant and reap from it.

We have pets for fun and animals for chores.

We have the pictures of Jesus and the Temple in all the bedrooms.

We have an old beat up piano that the kids can take lessons on.

We have the food that we need, clothes, and a roof over our head.

We have LOVE and each other!

So my house is cluttered, and sometimes it is just plain dirty. The dishes sometimes sit in the sink over night. You might step on a few toys to get to the kids's beds at night when you sing to them and kiss them good night.

All 5 of the girls are sharing one room right now, and I keep my sewing stuff in Jacob's little room. But would I do anything different?

NO!

just blogging....

2010-05-14T16:15:00.000-07:00

Just a post! That is all this is! I am not feeling so well today... got a pretty nasty cold, so I am sitting here blogging! :)

I really should be sewing diapers. I have been really busy trying to keep up with all the cloth diaper orders and get some other things going to! It has been busy, but fun.

I have been blogging on my webpage blog about the kinds of fabrics use in my diapers.... if you are at all curious you can check it out HERE

The kids have been busy with end of school stuff.... man I can't believe that school is almost out! We are planning on doing some planting in the garden tomorrow. Which is hard to imagine since it has been nasty, windy and pretty chilly here lately. But the ground is all tilled up and we have the seeds, so I guess it is time.

Tonight is friday night! So it is pizza and movie night - YUM! I think tonight we are going to try for a Chicken Alfredo Pizza. You can come if you want! :)

waiting...

2010-05-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

I am sitting home today waiting! .... waiting for fabric to come. I am all out of microfleece... this is the fabric I use for the inside layer of my diapers. They layer that goes against baby's bum. I can't do any sewing without it. I mailed off at least 20 packages today so that was good, but in the meantime... waiting!

So while I wait I thought I might blog. I actually have done a lot of blogging the last couple days. Only not on this blog or even my business blog. I was asked to be a guest blogger on a blog. The gal asked about cloth diapers, and well.... well you can just read the blog!
CLICK HERE TO READ IT!

So in the meantime what have you all been up to? I am loving my own sewing space, but I am still missing a real table. I have been sewing in there, but I can't cut on it because it is VERY low! We are working on that though.

So we still don't know where we will be living in a few month. I am hoping that we will know by the end of the summer though so we won't have to worry about taking the kids out of school. Ahh the fun of not knowing! :)

Well, I guess I better run and try to find something to do!

goings-ons and 8 Things about Me

2010-04-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

So firstly guess what? I was chatting with a friend on twitter about the pink flat iron... she said, "well hey you have a giveaway blog, why not just ask if you can do one?" -What? I can do that?

LOL! no really I didn't hink they would go for it cause I am a piddly blog compared to some.... but I guess I had a good argument. I told them I had 5 girls heads of hair to do everyday! I guess that made me qualify cause guess what I go tin the mail the other day? You better believe it!

It is a way cute little iron, and it comes in a ... oh wait... I will just make you wait and see when I blog the review on my other blog. LOL!

So, what have I been up to? I am super excited about my business...
It is going great. I have 3 really good retailers and I think I am going to be picking up another that will be really good too. I have a secret that not many know... I am going to be revamping my website. :) I am very excited about this. I am going to have it new and fresh, and it will introduce my retailers better. I think I want most of my business to be though them from here on out.
I also made a big move at home! I decided that I NEEDED a space for my sewing. The fact that my kitchen table had been covered for the last two weeks and we didn't sit to eat dinner as a family was at the root of my decision. I moved the girls all into one room. It is a tight squeeze an we had to do some serious de-junking, but the girls agreed that this was a good solution to the problem. I have moved my sewing stuff into the other bedroom where Jacob will be sleeping. I am very excited about my own space for this. It has already made a huge difference. -I have pics I will hopefully post soon.

Vaughn was gone for the last week. I sure love him and he does so much for me. I know that I am so very blessed to have him to support me in all I do.

I really got on here and commented on this blog because Saskia said she gave me a blog award. Can I just say I groan when someone gives me one of these! -LOL! I do have a few minutes though so I guess I will do this. :)

Seven things about ME....
#1- I really like pink! I was never one of those people that liked pink. I played with dolls and such, but I wasn't a girly girl. The obsession with pink didn't start until my 5th child! Eva was born with beautiful blonde hair. She still has it. Have I mentioned that my 3 older girls are all red-heads? I now had a baby I could put pink on! LOL There has been no turning back!

#2- I am a push-over. I know I talk tough, but when push comes to shove... I cave! I give in to people who call and say they need me. I guess I don't know my limits. I should know better... I tell others to stand up and not be a push-over, but can I live that way? NO!

#3- I love music. If you know me this is no secret. I think that music is amazing and can do so much good, but I also know that music can be terrible too and can be used for very evil purposes. We need to guard against this! I try. I try to not let bad music into my home. I try to teach my kids that music that doesn't invite the spirit is not good. I really hope that they are listening to me!

#4- I went to high school in Las Vegas. I love it! I loved the big city life. I was in the band there, and I know that I would not have had that opportunity in Richfield. I mean, they had a band... but they did not compare at all! I am very thankful for the lessons I learned there and the friends I made.

man this is hard. :(

#5- I am always cold. My feet can be cold even in the middle of the summer. I think this is why Vaughn likes to climb in bed and cuddle up by me... because I put my cold feet on him! LOL!
See, he is always hot and I am always cold. I guess it works ok like that, but what about all day while I am home alone with cold feet? Not fair- that is what I think.

#6- I LOVE to go thrift store shopping. Ahh, the thrill of the hunt! enough said...

#7- When I graduated from high school I wanted to be a Computer Programmer! Can you believe that? I did. I loved my programming classes. But then I found out how much math I would have to do... :(
I HATE math! After some more years of school I still didn't know what I wanted to do.. I thought about majoring in Music, and also Speech Pathology. But here again I failed Anatomy the first time and barley passed the second... knew I couldn't make it in Speech Pathology. I do know now what I am supposed to do though. I KNOW I am supposed to work in Music Therapy. I know it will take me a long time to get there and I guess I may never make it. One day in a RS activity a lady shared her experience with Music Therapy and the Spirit let me know that this is what I am supposed to be working toward. I love the thought of helping others though music, but it will take a long time, and I feel it is best if I wait on this until my kids are quite a bit older.

#8- My dream vacation is to go to Bermuda. Sounds fun huh? the sun, the beaches, the snorkeling... for me though I would want to see the cemeteries , the churches, the homestead and the family owned beach. You read right. My mom was born and grew up in Bermuda. I think it would be so fun to get to go back there and get to see the home that she grew up in and the beach that they owned, and the church that her brothers and sisters where the band in before they met the missionaries. It would be so fun to get to go and follow the family history back to the first boats that landed on the island on accident! To find the ones that were the "legal PIRATES", the Privateers- To see where the Ghost Ship sailed- To see the banana trees- To visit the Air Force Base where my Grandpa served. How fun would that be?

ok, I did it. That wasn't easy either! :(

do I need this? YES!

2010-03-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

Guess what? I won the Suit case giveaway! I love spots! I am super excited!

So I found another giveaway I want to win.

How awesome is this? A PINK flat iron? I so need this!

Well... I really do need this. My flat iron die on me last week. The bottom ceramic shorted out. No heat makes for no flat iron! :( It was a really nice one that I lucked out on and a dear friend gave me. She showed me some cute ways to do my A-line cut and when she hears I didn't have a flat iron she gave me one of hers. She had just upgraded but the hand-me-down was a really nice on! It has served me well for 3 years.

So in the end a new flat iron that is super cute... AND pink would be perfect!

Wish me luck!

wanna enter? Enter at SUGAR POP RIBBONS

GIRL extravaganza!

2010-03-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

I hope this counts... :)
I have entered a couple giveaways on my friends Girl event that I blogged about.
Check out what she has ... the name is a link to the giveaway!

My Doll's Life

PolkaDot Spots

My Fancy Princess

3 Doll Diapers

Looks like a fun lineup huh?

Well, I am hoping to win all of them! hahaha!

a look-alike doll?

2010-03-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

Wow, I found the cutest and best giveaway ever!

How precious would it be to have a doll that was you Twinn?

The Twinn Doll is adorable! If I win this I have the cutest little niece that is the lone girl in her family... I will give this to her.

Check out this giveaway here @ Happily Domestic

** but hey, don't enter, I wanna win it! :)

a fun Event!

2010-02-21T16:52:00.000-08:00

My friend is gonna have a girls event on her blog! I am pretty excited about this because as you know I have 5 girls!

I have put her event button up and here is a link to her blog

Happily Domestic

New holiday...New template!

2010-02-19T21:38:00.000-08:00

So do you like it? I think it is kinda fun! I am super excited cause I have gotten so much more wool. I will take pics and post later... I am more excited cause right now I am posting from my latest toy! I got a Mac Book! I love it, it has been so super nice! And fun to play with.

Tomorrow is the last day of the Chinese New Year! It has become a silly custom in our home to have a party and eat chinese food. The kids love it, and we get to dedicate a whole day to cooking yum food and sharing it with our friends.

Here are some snapshots from past years:

We have a yearly craft, this was the year we made fans and wrote our names on them. The were in Japanese cause I couldn't find translations in Chinese. We have made paper lanterns, and dragon puppets for a parade. We have pics to color and we figure out what zodiac animal we are all born under. So, do you know what animal you were born in the year of?

find out HERE

I was born in the year of the snake! *ssssssss

So Happy Chinese New Year! :)

Testing, Testing, 1...2...3... can you hear me?

2010-02-18T14:56:00.000-08:00

I am playing om my new mac book! I am trying to figure out how to make my webcam work with STICKAM so I can make tutorial videos and put them on my webpage! This is our test one!
I know that the quality isn't that good, I think I can fix that, but here goes!
Enjoy:

Did it work? I don't know, let's see!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T14:46:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

My obsession spreads!

2010-02-10T18:21:00.000-08:00

I have been obsessed with wool ever since I found it for diaper covers! I have made bags out of it and gloves and I'm gonna try slippers!
BUT....
Yesterday my friend Saskia introduced me to latest faucet of wool obsession! :)

Welcome to Needle Felting!

looks like fun huh? Well it is! :)

These are the felting needles! Saskia was a sweetie and left two with me so I could keep playing!

This is the first thing I made. It is a duck! What do you think?

Then I made this egg, I want to felt more for bowl fillers! cool huh?

Then I tried my hand at something else! I made up a flower! I wrapped wool yarn over the top of the middle of the flower. I needle felted the yarn on!

Here is the finished items! I felted the flower onto this wool bag I made out of a sweater! pretty fun huh? I love it!

So after I played all evening I jumped onto the computer and bought me more wool, and more needles and a tool, and , and, and... hehehe! Get the picture?

----------------------------------

So here wanna see a few pics of my baby! We braided her hair for the first time the other day! She was great and sat very still!

What a cutie huh?

Beautiful story!

2010-02-04T20:29:00.000-08:00

I read this blog post tonight and just had to share it!

Enjoy the Small Things

It is an amazing story of a mama's birth story, but it is so much more than that!
Grab a box of tissues, you will NEED it!
I love you guys! :)

midnight blogging!

2010-01-24T23:15:00.000-08:00

Do you really want me to sit here and blog at midnight? I should be in bed. I have to be up at 6 a.m. to get the kiddos off to school. But do I sleep no, I sit and blog! :)

I just wanted to throw up a .... what? What do I want to blog about? I don't rightly know. I know! In school the kids are memorizing poems to recite at a program. I have a poem book that is filled with mostly poems I wrote when I was younger! But it has one in it that my great grandma Reeve used to recite. It is a fun little poem and so I will share it with you now!

The Dead Dolly by MARGARET VANDERGRIFT

You needn't be trying to comfort me,
I tell you my Dolly is dead!
There's no use in saying she isn't
With a crack like that in her head.
It's just like you said it wouldn't hurt much
To have my tooth out that day,
And then when the man most pulled my head off
You hadn't a word to say.

And I guess you must think I'm a baby
When you say you can mend it with glue,
As if I didn't know better than that;
Why, just suppose it was you!
You might make her look all mended,
But what do I care for looks?
Why, glue is for chairs, and tables,
And toys, and the backs of books.

Oh Dolly, my own little daughter,
O! but it is the awfullest crack!
It just makes me sick to think of the sound
When her poor little head went whack
Against that horrible brass thing,
That holds up the little shelf.
Now Nursey, what makes you remind me?
I know that I done it myself.

I think you must be crazy,
You'll get her another head!
What good would forty heads do her?
I tell you my Dolly is dead!
And to think I hadn't quite finished
Her elegant new spring hat,
And I took a sweet ribbon of hers last night
To tie on that horrid cat.

When my mamma gave me that ribbon,
I was playing out in the yard,
And she said expressly,
"Here's a ribbon for Hildegarde."
And I went and put in on Tabby
And Hildegarde saw me do it,
But I said to myself, "Oh, never mind,
I don't believe she knew it."

But I know that she knew it, now,
And just believe, I do—
That her poor little heart was broken,
And so her head broke too.
Oh my baby! My dear little baby!
I wish my head had been hit—
For I've hit it over and over again
And it hasn't cracked a bit.

But since the darling is dead
She'll want to be buried of course.
We will take my little wagon, Nurse,
And you shall be my horse.
And I will walk behind and cry,
And we'll put her in this, you see,
This dear little box, and we'll bury her then
Under the apple tree.

And papa will make me a tombstone
Like the one he made for my bird,
And he'll put what I tell him on it,
Yes, every single word.
I shall say, "Here lies Hildegarde,
A beautiful doll, who is dead.
She died of a broken heart,
And a dreadful crack in her head."

Hope you enjoyed it! I love it! :) Night!

a WONDERFUL evening!

2010-01-22T07:07:00.000-08:00

I know this is totally a shocker that I am blogging on this blog! Sorry, but I have to tell you I wish I was a better person!
I am in a book club. We pick a book, and then we all read it and get together once a month to talk about it. We end up visiting into the wee hrs every time. I love it! There are some pretty amazing ladies in our group. I look at them and their lives and wish I was better! I wish I could have their enthusiasm and love of life. They get so excited about old stuff, like dishes and furniture. We sit and talk knitting, and sewing, and antiques, and of course books! It is so fulfilling to sit and be a part of, and then I go home and think my life is so lacking. I...well... I don't know how to explain how I feel.
Do you ever feel this way? Do have people that you look up to - that inspire you? I would love to hear about them.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T09:11:00.003-08:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

mom, I can't find any socks!

2009-12-15T10:46:00.000-08:00

Ever hear this? It is a frequent quote at our house!
check out this great giveaway, I just entered. I already won a pair of socks off twitter, and I'd love to get more! :)

http://www.smartknitkids.com/holiday/index.html

BLACK FRIDAY SALE!!!! on my webpage

2009-11-26T20:42:00.000-08:00

Wow, am I big enough to do this? Don't know I guess we will see how well it goes over huh?

It has been pretty dang cold where I live, what about you? I sit and think how nice it is that my baby's little legs stay all warm in her longies! So can you guess what the sale is?

How about:

Buy 2 Nifty Nappy's get a pair of longies FREE!

How does that sound? You can also use the code BFNAPPY for 20% off your entire order!

Go ahead and buy away. Oh, and I would love it if you would Tweet this :
BF Sale @myniftynappy buy 2 Nifty Nappy's get wool longies free! Also 20% off code:BFNAPPY #clothdiapers http://niftynappy.com/ RT :)

Love my customers!
Vilate

I just realized...

2009-11-14T13:04:00.000-08:00

...that I never did post about my sweater stash! Well, I did blog about it, but it was at my other blog. So Instead of blogging about it twice, here it the link

So, today I am so very thankful for my warm house. I can sit her and watch the snow swirl around out side and I don't have to worry about it. I don't have to bundle up to go out and use the loo, or haul water in, or chop wood to stay warm. Yeah!

WOW- I found Giveaway Heaven!

2009-11-07T15:47:00.000-08:00

I found a blog with 50 giveaways going on right now! The first 10 end Sun night though so you better hurry!
I am going to go and enter ALOT of them!
http://fabulousfunfinds.blogspot.com/

Wool Shopping!

2009-11-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

I am EXCITED! I get to go wool shopping tomorrow.

First I have to explain that we live in (very) small town USA. The closest thrift store is an hr away, and it is a small one. I have to go 2 1/2 hrs to get to the city, BUT they have lots there.

So I am leaving the kiddos with a sitter and hubby and I are driving out to the city. This is a real sacrifice for him since he HATES to shop! He will get a good lunch out of it though, my treat even! :)

Here, come with me...

So you go to the thrift store and make a bee-line for the closest sweater rack. Ooooh, the excitement...you have done this enough you can tell the ones that definitely aren't wool. There are some that are a big "?" mark, so you check the tag. Aaah, there isn't a tag on the neck what do you do? Ahh yeah, you know that if the tag isn't on the neck it is in the side seam, usually the right one. Darn, only 30% wool, that isn't enough...the next one is 80% that might work...yeah it will it is made with another natural fiber- and it is super soft! SCORE! This one is 100% wool, but it isn't the softest. Hmmm...you rub it on your arm, well.... then you rub it on your face....no, to scratchy! DANG too bad. It might make a cute bag though if you felted it. Throw it in anyway! :) Look, there are three more right in a row. *you do a little dance

When you get to the check out line you have like 21 sweaters... you did good! :)

There, now you have gone wool shopping with me! Was it fun?

along those lines...
My Gratitude posting:
I am so very thankful for a wonder hubby! He is so great! No-Really he is. I don't know why he decided to marry me, he deserves so much better.
Let me brag on my hubby for a minute.

He cooks! He actually likes to cook. -makes breakfast every morning :)
He changes diapers! -CLOTH DIAPERS!!!!!
He spends time with his kids.
He loves to be at home!
He isn't a big sports fanatic! The occasional football game on TV is about it.
He let's me sell my diapers even though he has to live with the cramped quarters and ALL the fabrics!
He supports me in my church calling!
He thinks I should have time to go and play with my friends every once in-awhile.
He even volunteers to watch my friends' kids so we can you out!
He doesn't baby-sit his kids "They are my kids too, it isn't baby-sitting... it is parenting."
He holds the Priesthood and he presides in our home with love!
Did I mention he is an amazing daddy?

With that long list how can I not be so very thankful for him?

Goodbye!!!

2009-11-02T14:48:00.000-08:00

It is with a down trodden heart that I must say adieu to Halloween for another year!
I LOVE halloween.
I am sad to see it go! I love all the decorations and the candy and the costumes! We even went Halloween caroling. :) the kids were good sports about it and the folks we sang to really enjoyed it. I taught the kids a song that I learned when I was in grade school, and we found another one for them to learn. It was really lots of fun. I wish it lasted longer!
Ahhhh.....
Well I suppose now we can look to Thanksgiving. I like this too! I am so thankful for so much in my life.

I guess now would be a good time for my Gratiutde post huh?
Today I am GRATEFUL for my knowledge that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father. So many people out there don't know this. It is so comforting and uplifting to have this knowledge!

Speaking of knowing I am a Child of God, what do you think of my new template for my blog? Cute huh? I got it from one cute blog I also have her button on my sidebar!

I WON! YEAH!!!

2009-10-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited I won this amazing giveaway from TheStoneHouse I love, love, LOVE her blog! She is an amazing woman and she accomplishes so much! You should visit her blog. She is also the one that is doing the grateful posts! Her button is on my sidebar.

I am GRATEFUL today for my friends. I have some amazing friends. I love them and appreciate them and all they do for me.

the circle of life-cut short!

2009-10-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

Our cat had two little kitties about a month ago. They were orange striped.
The kids named them Cheeto and Skeeto.
Well, needless to say this was mama cat's first litter and she wasn't the best mama. We moved them up to the porch cause she spends lots of time there and we thought this way they would be with her a little more. The night before last though she followed Jacob down to barn when he went to feed his calves and she never came home that night.
When Vaughn left to go to work they were both dead. The kids were sad, and we had to explain to Eva that it wouldn't be all better when they thawed out. We have had to restate that they are dead.
I had to haul them off and toss them in the brambles over the fence. it was too cold to go and dig a hole (besides our shovel is over at the garden) and the kids where so obsessed with them that they kept opening the door to look at them. Why do I get stuck with the nasty jobs? Guess that is what being mom is all about huh?
We weren't planning on keeping with of them, but is was still sad. you know you always have those thoughts, what if.... The night before I had thought I should bring them in it is kinda cold out there. I honestly thought that their mama would come back and then they would be ok.

On a nicer note though. We got 5 more chickens to add to our 4 so now we have 9 chickens and 2 roosters. They are all white and will lay white eggs. They haven't layed any yet, I think thye are still trying to get used to the new surroundings. I was watching them the other day though and it is like we have 2 different flocks of chickens. They really don't associate with each other very much!
Kinda like people sometimes, huh? We get in our little "flocks" that we are comfortable with and don't like to open up to new people or join a new "flock". Just a thought! :)

I almost forgot my thankful thought....

I am very thankful today for the family that I come from. My roots so to speak- they are GREAT people and I have a lot to live up to.
I am also thankful for Vaughn's family too!
We come from good people and we have a great legacy to carry on. I just hope we are up to it. I also hope AND pray that we can pass that legacy on to our children!

Awesome Review and Giveaway!

2009-10-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

Wow, I am speechless! I know I love my diapers and covers, and I know other's like them, but I just love to hear what others really think about them.

BethAnne over at HappilyDomestic09 did an amazing review on her blog
here http://happilydomestic.blogspot.com/2009/10/nifty-nappy-review-giveaway_15.html

We are also teaming up to do a great giveaway of the products she reviewed!
the giveaway goes from now through the 29th, but you want to get there before the
22nd since you get more points for blogging it before then! :)
I am so thoroughly pleased with this review! Thanks so much BethAnne!

Vilate

Giveaway, and Grateful!

2009-10-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

here is a giveaway I found, you should check it out!
www.momsmilkboutique.com
let me know what you think k?

Also I need to give a grateful for huh?
K...
Today I am grateful for my harvest! I love planting a garden and harvesting it. After this year I finally feel like we are really starting to get a good food storage going!
Tomatoes-spagetti sauce-salsa-jam-jam-jam, did I mention jam? -green beans-pumpkin pie filling-squash-cabbage-carrots-beets-potatoes-onions-pumpkins-and the list goes on...
I love it!

giveaways and gratitude

2009-10-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

I am going to be featured in a few giveaways over the next few weeks.

The first kicks off Thursday, 15th.

http://happilydomestic.blogspot.com/

check it out!
I also have a button on the side that links to her blog!

Happy Diapering...

Also I have a very dear friend that is going to be hosting a GRATITUDE ATTITUDE CHALLENGE. You can visit her blog and join in. TheStoneHouse
It will be fun to think of things I am grateful for. It really falls into the holiday season huh?

So for my entry this week! I am so very thankful at this time for my family and our health. As you know from previous posts I have a cousin that has an adorable little girl that is fighting leukemia. I have never felt so grateful for my health and the health of my kids and my hubby than I do at this time watching their family go through this.
what are you thankful for this week?

You can help Taylie!

2009-10-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

There is a gal that is trying to help raise $$ for Taylie. She has found a man who will donate $2 fro each link on a blog to Taylie's blog. So if you would like to help out. You just need to blog about Taylie and then link to her blog then go to
http://www.adashofseason.blogspot.com/
and let her know you blogged it! Then leave a link to her on your blog so that others can participate too! He will also pay if you become a fan of her facebook page here
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?drop&ref=mb#/group.php?gid=149153549492&ref=ts

and if you tweet about it. BUT you have to visit her blog and let her know.
Help spread the word and help Taylie. I have a button on the side that links to her webpage!

Tulsa!

2009-10-06T21:56:00.000-07:00

Oh, this has been a blast! well...some of it was kinda boring, for me anyway! Amelia had a class after the fair. I got to sit in the hotel room with Kimball, but it wasn't too bad! I just forgot my books! We went out to dinner and got to hob-nob with some big names at dinner though! :) It was fun.
I have pictures up on my facebook, and I am tired and so you just get a link! Sorry...
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=2039057&id=1143284453&ref=mf

Aside from that, I did manage to make a new blog for my webpage. I wanted one with the same name. I don't want 5 different names to have to keep straight to find all my stuff, so http://niftynappy.blogspot.com Check it out. It is cute and you can follow me. I feel lonely! :)

My new webpage! huge sale!

2009-09-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

It is HERE!!!!!
the Give-Me-A-Month sale!
I get a month to make the item and you get 25% off!
The Sale Code:MONTHSALE
today through oct. 9th! HURRY!!!!
http://niftynappy.com

I also have free shipping on sets of diapers on top of the 25% off! :)

I would also love it if you would visit the blog and let me know what you think of the new webpage! Also any love you could show my little webpage would be great...facebook, twitter, blog!
Thanks for all your support!

Vilate

sorry I goofed! and some info...

2009-09-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

So I was re-reading though some of my posts and I realized I didn't leave a link for the diaper review. Here it is LINK!
The giveaway is coming up!

I also was asked about prices on my diapers. I thought I would give you a link to my new webpage. It isn't all pretty and perfect yet, but when it is I am going to have a big sale!

Anyway it is
http://niftynappy.com
I am excited about this. I am going to try to go BIG! It is decisions time either go big or get out. I can't give up my diapers so I guess it is go big! We'll see how well it goes.

Giveaway Blog

2009-09-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

I found a blog that all they do is giveaways! Right now they have a fantastic Jelly roll, cake and charm of fabric! check it out
http://giveawaytoday.blogspot.com/

Vote for this Tutorial!

2009-09-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-a-Tank-Top-Tote/

check this out! My friend Tammy made up this instructable. She did a good job with the tutorial and it is a cute idea! I think my girls are going to be making these for their friends for Christmas this year. Thanks to my friend Ammi, who has been saving tanks that have passed through her door! We have a great selection and I think it will be a cute gift!

Give it a try make one up...
but
first go and vote for Tammy's instructable!

They are having a contest and the person that wins gets a new sewing machine. She is going to give it to her sister if she wins it!

Show some love and Tweet, Blog and FaceBook about her tutorial!

Vilate

just a quick one today!

2009-09-13T14:39:00.000-07:00

I have been bad at blogging. I thought I need to at least do little ones every now and then or you get nothing. So here goes.
I am having a hard time being a mean mom. We were give ALOT of cloths that fit AneMarie. They are cute clothes and I wish she could keep them all! The thing is she is my worst one about putting away her clothes. There is usually a pool of clothes in their room. You don't even have to step on the floor to get to the beds. It is bad! -And that was with a set # of clothes.
I am torn on this one. I want her to have the nice stuff and she really wants to keep them, but....
So I guess today we go through cloths and she has to pick ... we aren't keeping them all. It makes me sad to have to be mom today and make her get rid of the cute fun stuff she wants to keep. I would think she would put forth an effort to take care of them and show that she is responsible enough to keep them all. Nooooo.

Next subject. I am frustrated with this whole blog thing. I have friends that have cute blogs. Change the color and size of the txt and all that. I can't do this on this blog. I can on my business blog. what is up with that?
and I love the signature thing too, and I can't figure that out! :(
Any suggestions? I think that I have the old version of blogger here. How do I update?

Well, there you got a post! good luck on getting another :)

You are gonna wanna see this!

2009-09-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

Isn't this just adorable? I Love to see my diapers on cute little tushies! :)
Lena from GrowInStyle.com did a review of my organic Nifty Nappy. She is also going to be doing a giveaway featuring 2 Nifty Nappy's, some inserts, and a wool cover. She is making them into a diaper cake! Perfect for a gift for a baby shower! How fun huh?
Make sure you visit her and check back for the giveaway which will be after Labor Day. you could also give the Nifty Nappy a little love and Tweet this or FB it! Heck even blog it! :)

This makes me so MAD I could spit nails!

2009-08-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

sorry guys if you read my etsy blog this is a repeat!

Check this out and then please write your congress members and ask them to have this changed: This is ridiculous! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090827/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_product_testing_mattel

Mattel- the main reason this law was enacted is exempt from 3rd party testing. They are able to offer "their own" testing on site. Which despite them being the biggest toy mfg in the world, and able to afford 3rd party it also gives them an edge which makes them able to "skew" the results as they have in the past. So the big guns who can afford to pay for the 3rd party testing are exempt, and the little people aren't? Well, sadly that is lobbying shown in it's true light.

Please write as many people in your political circle as you can!

here is a link to help you find your reps!
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

The seven letter word...

2009-08-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how you almost know what words people are talking about when they refer to swear words this way? The 4 letter words!

WHAT IS the seven letter word? What am I referring to?

I have been thinking today alot about it too...

DISEASE

I have a cousin that is amazing. She is so cute and fun and full of life. She is a few years younger than me, so I have watched her grow up. I remember her as a little gal trailing behind the big kids. Then I got to watch as she chose a vocation and a hubby! She always looks adorable since she chose to be a beautician. I had most of my family before she started hers, but her little ones are the same age as my younger two kiddos.
I just want to cry when I think about the heartache she has facing her. Her littlest one Taylie has just been diagnosed with Leukemia. (and not the nicer of the two kinds either.) On top of her hubby being away when she found out, she is pregnant and due in Sept. Pretty hard huh? I worry about her and wish I could help, but really besides $$ all I can do it pray and be there for her and her little family when can.

So I would like to ask you to pray for my cousin Lacie and her poor little Taylie. I did put a link on my side bar to get to the blog they are going to do for her. There is not much there now, but you can check back and get updates!

Isn't it nice to believe in a higher power and know that we have a loving Heavenly Father that know and understands all we go through. I don't know if I would make it though life without this knowledge.

De-Junking!

2009-08-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

Anyone out there an expert on this? I could use some help! I have way to much stuff crammed in this little 3 bedroom! I don't know how to fit it all and make it livable. The house is a total disaster all the time. How do you get the kids to pick up and put away all the stuff they play with before tearing into something else?
You can come and help if you are up to it!
Many have tried...

....none has succeeded!

A big change!

2009-08-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

I have been put in the Relief Society Presidency. I am the first counselor. I am over the music, education and compassionate service. Sounds fun huh? I am kinda excited. It is going to be a big change though. More meetings and more visits, and more-more-more! I am excited to work with the gals that I am with though. They are going to be fun to get to know better and work closer with! :)

I am also going to go bigger on my business. I am really excited about this. I am getting a new webpage up and going and I am going to be putting together a newsletter and all sorts of stuff!

Well, I better run and figure out who won the blog giveaway! :)

My first Giveaway!

2009-07-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

I am having a giveaway on my other blog. I am excited aobut it.
here is the link
http://vilatesniftynook.blogspot.com/2009/07/giveaway-time.html

good luck!

hello? hello...hello...hello

2009-07-21T09:40:00.000-07:00

I feel totally alone in bloggerdom this week. I have tried to pick up my blog activity, but I have had no comments and not seen very many new posts lately. Why is that? Here are some reason I imagine people have for not blogging:

1. It is summer, there is way to much going on to sit and blog.

2. My internet has been on the fritz and I have been unable to reach the wide web.

3. I have mountains of laundry and toys between me and the computer it was too daunting so I gave up.

4. I broke my ring finger on my right hand, so I can't type all the o's, l's, ,'s, p's, .'s. and ''s. with out all those this sentence would read...

i brke my ring finger n my right hand, s i cant tye a the s,s,s,s,s,s
:)

5. My crocheting was calling to me from the other end of the couch and I couldn't concentrate on blogging long enough to get a paragraph in!

6. Ahh, my cows are out, my cows are out! -Gotta know the diaper changing story for that one! :)

7. My favorite tv show is on.

8. July is my busiest month.

9. I have 6 kids need I say more?

10. I just don't have anything to say that anyone out there wants to hear.

So there you have my list. I really do hope I start to hear from some people soon, so I don't have to sit in bloggerdom all alone anymore. cause "One is the loneliest number"!

another giveaway i am hoping to win! :)

2009-07-20T14:37:00.000-07:00

here is a link to it!

http://jaimiecollette-logansmommy.blogspot.com/2009/07/tiny-wiggles-giveaway.html

here are the deatails as posted on her blog:
Tiny Wiggles is an amazing shop specializing in all things bath related for baby! Hooded towels, facecloths, and my favorite the wash mitts! Little Jumping Beans has teamed with Tiny Wiggles to do a great giveaway for all you readers.

Jamie is a great buddy of mine, so you should follow her blog and give the giveaway a try! :)

good luck and happy blogging!

my idea

2009-07-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

here go to my other blog and tell me what you think...
http://www.vilatesniftynook.blogspot.com

I would love some honest feedback and suggestions.

visit this sentsy giveaway

2009-07-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

Brea's Mommy has great giveaways and reviews on her blog. I love it. She has just signed up to sell sentsy and she is doing a giveaway. You get a warmer and one scent! Awesome giveaway huh?

here is a link to the blog:
http://breasmommy.blogspot.com/2009/07/scentsy-review-and-giveaway.html

here is a link to her sentsy site too:
http://www.scentsy.com/breasmommy

Check her out!

TIME!!!

2009-07-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

I am trying to figure out how to get my time all lined out. I feel that I am doing my sewing all the time and everything has to take a back burner to it. That isn't what I want though.
My family is really important to me. I want to be able to spend time with the kids not get all ornery cause I stayed up late with diapers or something isn't working like I need it to.
I also have many other hobbies that I feel like I haven't had time for. I want to be able to quilt with my friends, do some scrapbooking, or not feel guilty when I am sitting down doing a little crocheting that isn't a soaker.

How do you ladies all do it? I don't want to just give up, but I don't feel that I have my priorities right and I am not ok with that.
Any ideas?

One of the ideas I have had is to sell a "Sew your own diaper" kit. I would cut out all the fabrics and the elastics and such and then I would have a tutorial video on my webpage to help them out.

What do you think of that idea?

I am also having issues with the whole lead testing and labeling things. That is a major thorn in my side.

Ahhhh.... sorry I just had to vent my feelings somewhere. Any suggestions or advice would be welcomed!

All a-twitter!

2009-06-05T22:38:00.000-07:00

i am all a-twitter now! got myself a twitter account. you can follow me here:
http://twitter.com/myniftynook

it has been fun so far i have 23 followers. most of them are from etsy but it is fun. i would love to see some of my personal friends though wanna join me and tweet tweet, tweet?

The Cake

2009-05-31T19:22:00.000-07:00

I helped make a wedding cake this last weekend with my really good friend for her brothers wedding. It was fun, but a little stressful. I looked at it and saw all the things that were wrong with it, but everyone else said it was beautiful. So here it is:

There is one more picture i have to show you! Some of the people there decided there wasn't enought seating and so they pulled up a chair! Believe me there were no chairs there to start with! i couldn't belive it! i even had to go tell them to not touch the cake cause they started tapping at it!

Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

Every Monday night before Memorial Day the Thacker clan has a FHE and cleans up at the Upalco cemetery.

This is the program they had at the new Memorial in front of the Altamont Elementary school. The program was nice. A gal recited a poem, and I liked it so much I found it to share here with you!

There is a beautiful wall of memorial with the names of all the Veterans in the area. Here is Grandpa Thacker's brick.

This is the Flag ceremony at the Altamont Cemetery.

It is the VETERAN

A protest raged on a courthouse lawn, round a makeshift stage they charged on. Fifteen hundred or more they say, had come to burn the flag that day.

A boy held up the folded Flag, cursed it and called it a dirty rag. A man pushed though the angry crowd, with and old gun shouldered proud.

his uniform jacket was old and tight, he had polished each button, shiny and bright. He crossed the stage with military grace, until he and the boy stood face to face.

Then the old man broke his silence.

"Freedom of speech, is worth dying for. Good men are gone, they live no more. All so you can stand on this courthouse lawn, and ramble on from dusk to dawn.
But before the Flag gets burned today, this old veteran is going to have his say.

My father died on a foreign shore, in a war they said would end all wars. Tommy and I weren't even full grown, before we fought in a war of our own. Tommy died on Iwo Jima's beach, in the shadow of a hill he couldn't reach.
Where five food men raised this Flag so high, that the whole world could see it fly.
I got this bum leg that I still drag, fighting for this same old Flag.

There's but one shot in this old gun, so now it's time to decide which one. Which one of you will follow our lead, to stand and die for what you believe?"

The boy who had called it a dirty rag, handed the veteran the folded Flag.
The crowd got quiet as they walked away, to talk about what they heard that day.
So the battle for the Flag this day was won, by a loyal veteran with a single gun.
Who for one last time, had to show to some...That these colors will never, never run.

It is the veteran, not the preacher, who has given us FREEDOM of religion.
It is the veteran, not the reporter, who had given us FREEDOM of the press.
It is the veteran, not the poet, who had given us the FREEDOM of speech.
It is the veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us FREEDOM to assemble.
It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us the RIGHT to a fir trial.
It is the veteran, not the politician, who has given us the RIGHT to vote.
It is the veteran, who salutes the Flag, who serves under the Flag, whose coffin is
draped by the Flag.

Remebering...

2009-05-24T19:15:00.001-07:00

Guess what? my sister had a baby yesterday! How fun huh? Well, here is a coincidence my cousin had a baby yesterday too! Baby Leah and baby Eliza. They both are beautiful babies, but they both have had some complications! As I watched this all unfold -on facebook- I couldn't help but remember my little on that I am so blessed to have here today! So I thought I would share my story of Eva!
*warning this is going to have lots of photos!

This is my little Eva's first picture. She was born emergency c-section cause she was friendly hand had to wave to the world. Literally, her hand was the first thing in the birthcanal! When the nurse was trying to figure it all out my water broke and the cord prolapsed! When she came out she couldn't breath on here own. We had her in a little hospital in ND. They didn't have a NICU or even a respirator machine, so a nurse bagged her for 4 hours before the helpicopter came to get her. When I came to they took me to see her through the nursery window. The Dr. talked to me and explained what was going on. They wanted to send her to minot (2 hrs. away) to the NICU where they could take batter care of her. the only thing I could think was that i wanted my baby to have a blessing. I told my nurse to tell Vaughn to make sure sh had one before she left. My nurses name was Walta. She was so wonderful. She told Vaughn even though I'm sure she didn't know quite what I was talking about. We had only lived there for a month and a 1/2 so Vaughn called the only person he felt comfotable with calling. An amazing man, Pres. Guy Schiessl, a member of our stake presidency. -his wife had taken our other kids for the night! This wonderful man got out of bed at 3 a.m. and put on his suit and came to the hospital. He helped vaughn give my little baby a blessing and then they came and gave me a blessing of comfot to help me got through the ordeal! Our cute nurse thought it was so touching she even took a picture of them giving Eva her blessing. She told me the next day that in her opinion that blessing is what saved her little life. She said she was so lathargic and white before the blessing and shortly after the blessing she started to pinken up and even coughed and tried to start breathing on her own. When the helpicopter got there they redid her breathing tube and then took her away!

When they got to Minot she was already breathing on her own. I had to wait until the next day before they would let me go. They told me they would release me if I would only go to the other hospital and then stay as close to it as possible. We had called Vaughn's parents and they dropped everthing and came running to out aid! We couldn't have done it without them! They stayed with our kids for the whole week! We had to get our baby to eat. That was alittle hard. My milk finally came in and then she started to nurse. After she was eating good enough and everything had checked out they said she could go! A week after we had her we got to take her home!

She was a good baby. The first while was kinda unnerving. She didn't cry out like my other babies had. She would wake up at night and just lay there and make little sounds. I didn't know if I should get up and feed her or just leave her be. It was odd having a baby that didn't cry! She was also a big baby she was 9 lbs. 2 oz. In the NICU she was a monster compared to the little 4 and 5 lb babies! She was a beautiful baby! She was very smiliey!

Just a little photo shoot we had with her!

Her first b-day!

This is another little photo shoot we had -we were living in NV here!

She wasn't always so stinkin' cute! Sometimes she was just a stinker!
This was a camping reunion!

But there there are the time when like this...

...she was going to bless her cake and icecream! Adorable huh? *2nd b-day!

She doesn't like fireworks either, as you can see neither does AneMarie!

This is my Eva now, my miracle baby! I am so happy to have her in my life! What a sweetie she is and such a big help to mommy now!

FREE Swim diaper

2009-05-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

I am having a contest to name my swim diaper. If you have any name suggestions I am more than willing to consider them! Send them my way and if I choose your name I will send you a swim diaper for free!
I love these, they are so cute. They have a PUL layer sandwiched between microfleece and either a flannel or a cotton knit. They have 4 sets of snaps so you can custom fit this diaper to your baby. I love that they have side snaps for when there are poopers you have to change.

Endless Possibilities

2009-04-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

So I have a day That is totally open! I don't have anything I need to be doing today! I love days like this I always make up a huge lest of things I would like to get done. I think of all the craft projects I could do, or rooms I could organize, or my yard really needs a good cleaning up. I could also bake some yummy treats, or get dinner stated. I could visit with friends I haven't seen for ages, or make a run into the city. But I usually end up getting to overwhelmed by it all and sit and play on the internet. :) LOL!
Not today though, I will get something accomplished today! I WILL!!!

*wish me luck!

How many of me are there out there?

2009-04-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
1
or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A.

http://howmanyofme.com">How many have your name?

Surprised? I should say not!

There are fewer than 1,531 people in the U.S. with the first name Vilate.

There are 24,502 people in the U.S. with the last name Thacker.
Statistically the 1454th most popular last name.

My maiden name is Dastrup
There are 521 people in the U.S. with the last name Dastrup.
Statistically the 48525th most popular last name.

So that was fun!

Blogging speed bumps!

2009-04-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't blogged for a few days. I have been very busy. I have had extra kids all over the place and have had the swap and a school program and then tonight is my book group. We are reading and discussing Jane Eyre. I think next time someone picks a book that is more than one inch thick I will request 2 months for it! Man, i had a hard time getting into reading this on. The language and such was so different and i was so unfamiliar with it that is made it hard to read. I found myself re-reading parts because I didn't understand or skipped or the kids were talking about something that caught my attention. I had a hard time focusing on this book. I like the story line, but I doubt I will ever read it again. Ahem...
*actually I didn't READ all of it this time. I found LibriVox and listened to the last 18 chapters. I never would have gotten it done on my own. Don't tell anyone though k?*

But besides reading and running around and all this jazz I am supposed to be sewing a diaper and a wool wrap cover. I also volunteered to help out in a gift for the mail carrier lady for our co-op, so I made a hat and some beaded soaks and a card. All in all I haven't had time to blog!
Well, off to the book group! After dinner that is! :)

This lady is amazing!

2009-04-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

Check out this Youtube video of a lady on BritanSoTalented
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
She is amazing. Take the time to watch it you will be inspired. I get goosebumps just listening to her.

What are you working on Wednesday?

2009-04-15T07:28:00.000-07:00

I have a list of things today to work on if I get to them all. right now I am crocheting clothes for some 15" dolls we picked up for the little girls at DI. My big girls have some 18" dolls and the little ones always want to play with them. When we saw these ones at DI we jumped on them, for a buck a piece it was well worth it, and then I found some cute crochet patterns for them on crochetville.org! so I have been doing a few of them. I just need to finish up with Daphne's and then I have my old Jenny doll that is 15" also I thought I would make her up a few outfits too.
So, here I sit crocheting while I blog.

Then I need to work on my scrapbook pages and cards for the swap I'm in. They have to be done by next tues. I'm thinking graduation pages and baby cards. I am all out of baby cards. can you imagine that?
When we at DI and bought the dolls we also found the most adorable skirt for AneMarie. It is so cute and I thought they wouldn't be too hard to make. We are going to get some family pictures taken in a few weeks and I thought it would be cute to make some matching skirts for myself and all the girls. Then get some matching shirts for Vaughn and Jacob.

So this is the skirt we bought at DI

This is the fabric I bought to make some more out of. Cute huh? I am so excited!
So we went to visit with Lizzy when we got home Sunday night. she is doing much better. they decided it was a very rare form of meningitis. They have only 6 known cases on the books. How wild is that? So she has been doing a ton better since they started giving her the right meds.

So also Vaughn is going to be done with his Masters' and he is going to walk at graduation. It is May 1st at 1:30. If any of you want to come you are more than welcome. It will be at the Spectrum at USU. If youwant to come let me know K?

BTW I finished the skirt for the doll while I uploaded pics for this post! :)

Lizzy is HOME!!!!

2009-04-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

They still don't know what the problem was before, but they decided that at least the 2nd time it was a nerve disorder. They gave her some medication for it and she is doing a lot better. They went through quite a few things, cancer in her bone, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and spinal meningitis. The poor thing was in a lot of pain the last week. They started giving her the medication for the nerve disorder and she started doing a lot better. They went home this evening. Yeah, we are all so glad she is home! Thank you all for your prayers!

Lizzy....

2009-04-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

I thought I was going to have good news. Lizzy got sent home yesterday. They were so relieved and excited. They got her home and over the night she spiked a fever. Now they think they got it all wrong. They sent her back to Primary's and they will have to start all over to figure out what is wrong with her. Poor thing. Poor mom and dad, and poor family! They need prayers, so pray for Lizzy!

I will post tomorrow about our fun weekend that we had. But wanted to update on Lizzy!

Last night was a good night! :)

2009-04-02T07:29:00.000-07:00

First, Lizzy... They started her on the medication for the Kawasaki Disease hopefully they will see improvements in the next 2 days.

So, I did it, I got out my spindle last night. Man, you gotta have at least 3 hands to do that stuff. I have 1/2 my roving that came with it all done. It is poor yarn I must say and I have no idea what I will do with it, but I am trying. I have decided that a spinning wheel is totally the way to go, only I don't have anywhere to keep one. I also have more little baggies full of different types and colors of roving. I am excited about this new venture. My parents had picked up some sheep and a couple llamas. I would love to spin my own wool and then do some to sell to. That would be so fun! We'll see how it goes. Speaking of selling...

I got more fabric yesterday. I have to share this here, cause Vaughn wasn't excited enough for me. I am so thrilled. I think that these will make the cutest diapers and blankets! Here they are...

Long post...no fooling! :)

2009-04-01T11:28:00.000-07:00

Before I get into the long post. I want to update on Lizzy. She has been taken out to Primary Children's hospital. They still don't know anything about what is the matter with her, but... There are lots of Dr.'s helping now! They have the Infectious Disease Specialist, and a Cardiologist along with about 6 other Dr.'s. They have made her comfortable and have let her start eating again. She is feeling calmer, and so is her mom. They now feel like in the end even if it is something serious they will be able to handle it. they have taken all sorts of samples and sent her for an echo cardiogram. If they don't get any answers by this afternoon they will start her on the medication for a disease that is called the Kawasaki Disease. This is what I found out about it:
Kawasaki disease is an illness that involves the skin, mouth, and lymph nodes, and most often affects kids under age 5. The cause is unknown, but if the symptoms are recognized early, kids with Kawasaki disease can fully recover within a few days. Untreated, it can lead to serious complications that can affect the heart. Kawasaki disease occurs in 19 out of every 100,000 kids in the United States. It is most common among children of Japanese and Korean descent, but can affect all ethnic groups.
from http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/kawasaki.html
If this is what she has they want to start treating it right away. So I guess we wait and see. Keep praying! Thanks!

IT'S APRIL SHOWERS!

Isn't my baby just so adorable? She is so fun , but she is definitely a two year old! She is always getting into stuff; the fridge, the water, the flour, the wipes, the umbrellas....

APRIL FOOLS DAY!

So for April Fools we usually do some "trick" for the kids. We haven't ever done anything mean though. It usually has something to do with food too. So this year Vaughn made blue popovers for breakfast. The kids love to eat the funky colored food! What a fun daddy they have huh?

POETRY READING

Last night we went to a Poetry Reading. They had a little contest in each of the classes at the school and the winner got to preform them for everyone last night. AneMarie made it into the final performance with her friend Lizzy that is still so sick and in the hospital. Hence AneMarie was excited to go, but at the same time a little subdued since she would think about Lizzy. What a sweetheart we have. The kids had a lot of fun going and supporting AneMarie. She did really well. The Poetry Reading was a fundraiser for the music program at the school so they could pay a little money to the volunteers that put in their time to teach the kids music! They had a really good turn out and I think it was a big success.

This is the Long Horn in the commons area in Altamont High School. The kids all had to touch it, then begged to have their picture taken with it. Who am I to say no to a great photo-op?

JACOB WRESTLING

As long as I am throwing up videos. Here is one of Jacob wrestling in the matches two weeks ago. He did really well. He had a blast. He won 4 out of his 6 matches that he had.

MY POOR FRIEND...

2009-03-31T06:57:00.000-07:00

I have a friend that has a very sick little girl. This is one of AnMaries best friends. They don't know what is wrong with her. It is so sad she sits in the hospital while they poke and prod her. She is so scared and feels alone even though her mom has been by her side the whole time. It is so hard to watch others go through trials and not be able to fix all their problems. I get all emotional just thinking about it. My friend has been through alot as of late. Her father died just over a year ago, and her grandpa passed away a couple weeks ago. She is always jumping in to help her family with all their numerous problems and just takes on more burdens! She is such a lovely person and I just yearn for her to have peace. At a time like this though all I can do it Pray and offer to help with her kids. I offer words of comfort when I can, but I feel helpless to fix the problem. So please pray for Kristen and her daughter Lizzy!

nothing to blog about!

2009-03-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

I don't really have anything to say tonight. I haven't blogged for awhile, so I feel like I should but....I don't have anything inspiring to say. It has just been life as normal. We are planning to go to Sigurd for Conference weekend though. I am excited about that. My sister and her hubby are coming from AZ, we haven't seen them in awhile, and my kids are excited about that! I am looking forward to hearing the guidance and counsel from our Heavenly Father, through his disciples, and living Prophet.

We have been reading the Fablehaven books in our house. It has been kinda hard cause AneMarie, Vaughn and myself have been reading them there is a fight over who get the book first and such. I am done, and Vaughn is almost done, but AneMarie kidnapped the book today and is almost caught up to Vaughn. Tiffany decided to wait it out and finish her current book before jumping into the series, she will have them all to herself. She is the smart one!

Well, i should probably go and put my baby back in bed again. She has taken to getting out of bed and falling asleep in front of the door. This is hard cause then we have to scoot her out of the way to get in and put her back into bed. Vaughn should be home in a bit from hometeaching too and I want to spend some time with him before the week starts again!

Thanks for reading this. There are times I feel that I am typing to no one! This is just the vast expanse of the wide web and who is listening to little ol' me?

Pampered ... in Denver!

2009-03-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

So I spent some time and some $$ and I pampered myself. I got a pedicure, that was totally amazing! I loved every minute of it, including the back massaging chair.
I also got a manicure. I usually do my own nails, but once in awhile it is nice to get it done for you. It was really fun, the gal was really nice, she even talked me into ...

...getting my eyebrows waxed. They look nice now. I should get me a kit and and do it that way more often. It hurts like nothing else, but it is over in less than a minute. Great!

Scrapbooking... in Denver

2009-03-24T15:32:00.001-07:00

I took my pages that I have from the swap and my pictures. I got a lot of pages done. It was so nice to spread out and not have to pack it all up at meal time! It was way worth it to take it all! I got about a year done!

There was a nice court yard type thing in the hotel. It was all inside, but there were real plants. It was nice and relaxing. I did a bunch of reading too.
Isn't this beautiful. I had loved to sit here and look at the greenery.

This is the table where I would sit when I went down into the court yard to read. There was also a water fountain and they had nature ambiance going on. It was so lovely and relaxing.

Dinner and such... in Denver!

2009-03-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

For dinner one night we went to Johnny Rockets for dinner. It claims to be the home to the original hamburger. It was a cute little diner with 50's decor complete with little jukeboxes on every table.!

I ordered a shake and it came in this nifty cup and holder thingy. She dished it out into the cup and then gave me the rest too. It was very good. I got a strawberry shake and it tasted like strawberry milk, the nesquick kind.
I didn't feel like fries, but I love onion rings! So my side was onion rings. we shared these.

Oh course I had to order the original hamburger huh? It was very good. My only complaint was that it didn't come with ketchup. they did have some on the table though if you wanted some. I believe that a hamburger is not good without a tomato, lettuce, cheese, mustard, and of course ketchup! :)

One night there we decided to got to the mall and we went miniature golfing. I've never been and it was fun. It was black lighted and they painted it all up. It was way cool. The kids would have loved it!

My cute, wonderful, awesome, loving, talented, patient hubby! I love you!

A New Do!

2009-03-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

We permed AneMarie's hair. She has such thick hair and it is hard to keep it looking good. She gets a funky under curl going on, and the top is bone straight. We decided to do a perm. She has loved it so far.

2009-03-24T06:42:00.000-07:00

Our Feb. and March are filled with birthdays!

Eva's birthday is the end of Feb. She turned 4! We had a little cake and ice cream on her birthday. Grandma and Grandpa Thacker and Lucinda came.

Our Daphne is 2 now! She is getting so big. We have a combined party for all three of the girls. It was fun,

Hannah turned 6, her birthday is 3 days after Daphne's. She invited a bunch of little friends to the birthday party and had a blast with all of them!

They decided they wanted to have a picnic party. This is the cake. if is cake with frosting in the middle. It was cute and finger food! Yeah! They decorated visors and played pin the ladybug on the leaf. It was a fun day!

Lucinda's Talent Show

2009-03-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

We went to Aunt Lucinda's Talent show.

Lucinda read a poem, she did a good job. The kids always have fun going to these. More time to spend with Grandma and Grandpa, and they get to have fun. We love living close the family!

Promise...

2009-03-23T21:05:00.001-07:00

I have alot to catch up on, but it is late tonight, I'll be back tomorrow with lots of pictures. Promise!

The Oklahoma Sugar Art Show

2009-03-13T23:39:00.000-07:00

So, the local PBS station did a piece on the Art Show. They interview Amelia, and I'll bet they were when she took 3rd place. HUH? So you can watch the show here. The "Sweet Rewards" http://www.oeta.onenet.net/~gallery/galleryshows/index.html
It was so fun to watch and see all our friends that we made. I look forward to being able to go with Amelia this year to see them all again. It will be so fun!

almost the weekend....

2009-03-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

I have almost made it through the week. Just have the scrap swap tonight at my house, a birthday party with 18 kids under 6, and a scout camping night- to make it to the weekend.

I am excited about the swap though, I love to get all the fun pages and cards. It is fun to get together with all these ladies.

The birthday party will be ok too. I am going to have my big girls help me out and we have some fun games and activities planned. They get to put foam stickers on a foam visor and play pin the spots on the ladybug we will have a hot dog cake and make ants out of marshmellows. It will be fun.

Vaughn is the scout master, so he gets to go take the scouts camping this weekend. Fun huh?

Well, I gotta run and get things going, and send the kids off to bed.

I was featured today!!!!

2009-03-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

How exciting. My cute little trainers were featured today on etsy. I am so excited that they thought they were cute enough to go into the treasury. It was so fun to get the convo and read that my trainers had been picked. There are lots of other adorable items in the feature too. They feature will only be there until March 11th (wed.) at 12:45 a.m. So, if you want to see it you better hurry! http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=44875
I made more diapers on Sat. I have to finish putting snaps on them, and then I need to take pictures. I am excited to list them, they are adorable fabrics.
I had a lady critique my shop for me this is where it is if you are interested http://etcommeca.tumblr.com/ Basically she suggested I not be so wordy in my titles and my descriptions. I think that as soon as I get my webpage all done I will link to it and cut out a lot of the technical info I have on my descriptions.She liked my pictures and suggested I change my banner to something more simple along with the avatar. I just need to figure out how. If you have any ideas send them this way. She suggested something sewing or a pict of my notions or something simple like that. So, I am excited.
I also had a lady that wants me to make some blankets for her organic baby bedding shop. that will be fun! Alot of good things are happening right now. I am so blessed!

Quick update

2009-03-06T19:42:00.000-08:00

I gotta be quick cause my hubby thinks I have been ignoring him. Between sewing more diapers and working on the web I haven't spent an evening just sitting with him. So ....

I now have 15 little tomato plants up! yeah! I am oh so excited!

Well, that is it! night!

I'm excited!

2009-03-04T15:23:00.000-08:00

I am excited to announce after hours of work, that I have put together a website. It is linked to my etsy shop but mainly it is supposed to be an information web page. Where people can go to find all the cloth diapering info they need in one place. I am really excited about it. If you want to go check it out here it is http://www.niftynappybyvilate.weebly.com There is a blog there where you can leave comments if you have any. I would love input. Thanks! *If there are link problems I am sorry and I will work on it, just let me know.

It is spring time and it is time to start seedlings. We are planting a bunch of tomatoes, I want to bottle them this year. Here are the first few that were brave enough to peek out first. I just love to watch them. Isn't it a miracle? Who says this is all random? Have they watched a plant go from a seed and dirt to a seedling that continues to grow with care into a beautiful plant that gives off a fruit that is nutritious to all? IT IS A MIRACLE!

This little one was just peeking out this morning when I took the picture, but now it looks just like the other in only a matter of hours. What beauty!

Visitors from "happy valley" :)

2009-03-02T20:57:00.000-08:00

We had visitors this weekend. I was chatting with my sister-in-law Kristen on Friday and asked if they wanted to come for pizza and movie night. She said sure. Tommy had to work on Sat though so they came after he got off work. They stayed the night and went to church with us. It was tons of fun. My kids loved having baby Rachel here and Aunt Kristen is just a big kid, so it was all fun! Tommy helped us figure out our Internet and updated all our software too. It was a blast to have them here, and we hope to go fishing with them this summer!

Tiffany and Rachel
AneMarie and Rachel

Jacob and Rachel

Hannah and Rachel

Eva and Rachel

Daphne and Rachel "that's my cousin!"

Fun huh? What a bunch of silly kids. We had a blast though!

Internet and Deer

2009-02-27T19:13:00.000-08:00

I now have high speed Internet. My hubby finally felt sorry enough for me to sign up. I am so excited. I am going to spend all morning tomorrow posting new things to my etsy shop. I can't wait! It is so nice for checking my email and facebook stuff. I am so happy!

On to the deer. Last year my mom posted a picture on facebook of the deer in her back yard. She said there were so many... I wished I had taken pictures of the deer last year. We had a ton. 60 to 70 head around every night. This year it is a thinner herd, but there are still a bunch. Here are a few pics of them in the alfalfa field right out our front door.

Tuesday Thrift Treasures

2009-02-24T17:29:00.002-08:00

These are some of my Tuesday Thrift Treasures. I love the thrift store - I already posted about that, so I won't go into it. I found this adorable clay tea pot. The pail works great to hold my new glasses and the basket holds the glasses cleaner. The bowl is just cause I liked it, it hasn't found a home yet.

I thought I had lucked out! I thought wrong!

2009-02-23T20:16:00.000-08:00

Let's take a walk through the past.
When Tiffany and AneMarie we about 5 and 4 we went to play with some friends. While the mommies scrapped the kiddos played. Suddenly Tiffany comes running in, "Mommy, look what they did to my hair. I thought we were playing and they really cut it!" Well the damage was done. they had chopped Tiff's hair right short. We were able with the help of my cousin to fix it up so it looked like a short cut. It ended up looking rather cute. AneMarie didn't get through un-scathed though. Her's was actually worse. She had a nice triangle on the front of her head cut right down to the scalp. Ahhhhh! we couldn't do anything about it. She just had to wear a hat for a few months. I was very upset. In fact I was so upset I didn't get any pictures. {that hasn't happened again} One of my friends decided that someday I would want to scrap it and she gathered up the hair and bagged it for me. The worst thing about it was that I wanted to be so mad, but it wasn't my girls who had done it and I couldn't really yell at my friends kids, so I dealt with it!

Skip Jacob, cause he is a boy and we keep his hair buzzed.

Hannah...oh....Hannah. That is about all that needs to be said about that, but for those of you who don't know my Hannah. We had 3, count them 3 hair cutting incidences. She cut it herself, then she had a conspirators help, who else Jacob. The last was all her again. We chopped it short after that so there wasn't anything for her to cut next time she got the itch to do it. The first time she cut it I almost cried. She had the most darling little curly waves and I loved it. Now she had long hair again. If we let it air dry she gets a little wave, but no cute curls.

Here is the point of my post today. Eva cut her hair today. I really thought since she is almost 4 that we had missed the "cutting my own hair" stage. Here is how it all went down. At nap time I send her into the big girls room since she will keep Daphne awake if I put them together. Today she decided that she didn't want to take a nap. She got into someones stuff in there- I have a sneaking suspicion it was Hannah's - and found some scissors. She chopped here and she chopped there and then a little more for good measure. Then she knew she had done something wrong, so she hid it behind the dresser. When she eventually came out of the room it took me about three walk by's before I really looked at her. I should have been very upset, but I have been thinking about cutting her hair into a bob for a few weeks. Her hair is...was long and it got scraggly at times. She also doesn't like me to pull it back or up. I guess that I was mostly upset that I didn't get to choose the time or place. I cut it into a bob and let it go at that. I am not 100% thrilled with the job I did, so I think I will have to have someone look at it and help me fix it, but it will do for now.

I will be devastated when this happens to Daphne. The odds are stacked against me. I WILL cry. She has the most beautiful hair I love her locks! So soft and light curls all over. I try to brace myself, but to no avail....
Here are the pics

See, the problem is that she doesn't seem too upset about it huh?
Ahh well, live and learn.

Today was my day to win!

2009-02-20T13:27:00.000-08:00

I am sooooooo excited. I won something today. I was looking for some crochet patterns to add to my collection and I found some I loved from this one etsy shop. I purchased 3 of her patterns. Then I get an email from her telling me that I just bought her 1,000 item off her shop. Because I took her shop to the next level she gave me $50 to spend in her shop. It was so much fun to pick out cute patterns and I even got some fun yarn to make up a few of them. I am way excited........did I mention WAY! It will be fun to make up some of these cute things for my shop. Hope you all had a great day today too!

A day to scrap

2009-02-19T09:35:00.000-08:00

I have decided to scrap today. Not in the sense that I am going to get rid of it, but I am going to make it better! :) No really, I am going to scrapbook today. One of my Friends is going to come over and we will scrap all day. I am excited, I love to be creative and what better way to get the creative juices flowing than with scrapbooking?

I am way excited. Yesterday I started to crochet a cocoon (like a baby sleeping bag) pattern that I bought off etsy. I am going to sell them on my esty shop. It is way cute. It is very soft. I am going to send this one off to my sister in law and see if she will take some pictures of it so I can have good pictures to sell with! I hope it works out.

Well, I better jump off the net and get some stuff going! Gotta get lunch so I can get the kiddos off to to school and naps!

Have a creative day!

new blog to follow

2009-02-15T21:13:00.000-08:00

So, my sister showed me a blog today. I have to preface this with ...
My sister is a professional cake decorator, and in her cake surfing she found this blog. I think it is truly hilarious. Check it out if you like. Browse around and read past entries and stuff.

http://www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com

have fun reading!

Valentines Day!

2009-02-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Day to everyone. I wish you all a good one! Enjoy the day to it's fullest! Wish someone you normally wouldn't a "Happy Valentines Day"!

Pizza and Movie night!

2009-02-13T18:10:00.000-08:00

Even when we are away from home we have to have it. We are in away this weekend staying with my sister. Fortunately they like to have pizza and movie night also. Only tonight we are going to eat pizza and then go to a movie! Fun huh? the kids are way excited! Funny how traditions stick no matter what huh? my kids get upset if we say we are leaving town on the weekends. Even to go visit family. "What about pizza and movie night?" or "We have to have pizza and movie night!" You'd think they would be excited to go see grandma or play with their cousins. We hope this one sticks though and is still cool when our kids are teenagers. They can have friends over and we can bake like 6 pizzas, but we will know what our kids are up to and be able to have fun with the. That is the end goal of this tradition!

10 things I love that start with the letter "G"!

2009-02-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

This was kinda a fun thing to do, but it has been hard. right now as I type I only have a few things in mind. Hopefully the rest will come huh?

1-Grapes-I love grapes. I don't like all grapes the same though. I really love those big black ones that we can buy here once in a while. I don't really care for the green grapes. I like red grapes though, and I love dried grapes (raisins)! So, have a grape on me! :)

2-Gum-I love to chew gum! I am an avid gum chewer. Sometimes it really bothers folks though because I don't just chew I am constantly blowing bubbles. Not just blowing but popping and snapping and all that fun stuff. Once in awhile I like to get a big piece of bubble gum and blow big bubbles, but most of the time just a stick of gum will do. My gum chewing has evolved. When I was in HS I chewed Extra all the time. Then I discovered orbit and I really liked that, but I was given a piece of Stride about a year ago and I fell in love! Stride has a flavor that goes on and on, and I usually throw the gum away cause I'm gonna eat or something before the flavor is gone. Awesome!

3-Gardening-I love to grow a garden. The law of the harvest is amazing and I love to watch the miracle of a seed that starts so small as it grow to a large plant and then blossom and produce fruit. I love to take my produce and preserve what I can and eat what we like.

4-Gabbing-I this one is funny, but I love to Gab on the phone. I usually talk to one of my sisters every day, and I have a few friends that I like to call to talk to. I have one friend that likes to text, not talk, and I have a hard time with that. I like the one on one that a phone conversation has, the personal interaction and all that.

5-Googel-ing -I love to google for patterns and craft ideas and information. I just like to google.

6-Green-not just any green, the green of spring. I love when things start to bud and green leaves start to grow and I know that winter is over! I love the new life green that comes every year.

This is getting harder!

7-Good things-I admit this is stretching, but I love good things. Good books, Good music, Good movies, Good food, Good people.

8-Grandparents-I love my Grandparents. My Grandparents are wonderful people. They have so much knowledge, they have seen a lot of things in their lives. They are so ready to share that knowledge with us too if we will just take the time to sit and listen and learn from them. They are an inspiration to me and I am thankful I have them in my life.

9-Gratitude-I love the idea of being thankful. I love went my children are gracious and kind to us as parents to other and especially to each other. I love that I can be grateful to everyone who has ever helped me. Mostly though I love that I have the chance to let my Heavenly Father and my Savior know how very thankful I am for all the blessings I have and for the Plan of Salvation.

10-Genealogy-I love to find my ancestors and to get to know more about them. Who they where and what they were like. They made me who I am today and I am thankful that I can learn more about them and link my family together with the sealing power of the Priesthood when I attend the Temple.

Well, there you have it, I made it to ten.
If you are interested in doing this just let me know and I will send you a letter.
What are the thing you love that start with "G"?

Couch pictures

2009-02-10T12:34:00.000-08:00

So here are the promised pictures. Sorry the quality isn't great. They were taken with a 35 mm point and shoot, and then scanned into the computer, so.... but here they are.

This is the DI couch. I loved the structure and I could see the potential! It took lots of hours to make it look good!

This is the couch after I finished it. I think it turned out really nice. I also recovered a chair to match it, but I couldn't find a decent picture of it.

the COUCH story!

2009-02-09T21:06:00.000-08:00

So, my wonderful hubby is home and we had a great weekend. A trip into town, a stop off at DI and then church on Sunday!

I love to shop at DI. (a local thrift shop) I love to look around and see what other folks wanted to get rid of. I love to spend hours rifling through the racks of clothes and finding the gems! I go to DI and come home with really good stuff. My friend complains that there is never anything to find. Her problem is that she goes in and looks for 15 min. She doesn't find anything and leaves. I go in and look for hours, literally hours! I used to go and find things for me, but now I have 6 kiddos i can go and look for too. It is so fun. I love to find something for all of them. The other day Vaughn said, "You don't HAVE to buy something for everyone when you go to DI." A belt here, a cute vest there. Here a shelf there a couch....speaking of couches. This is my best DI story yet.

THE COUCH-
When we were in college we went down to visit my parents who lived about a 5 hour drive away. We had a small station wagon, and three kids. I went to the local DI with my Mom. We looked around inside and found some things to buy. Then we ran outside to walk through the bigger stuff that they have. I saw this couch. I loved it. We had a horrible couch at the time. It was the kind that the cushions were attached they always pull down when you sit and they flip up when you stand up. The couch at DI was only $10. How could I pass up that deal? I bought it! When I got back to to my mom's I told Vaughn that I had bought a couch and he needed to go back into town and get it. He about fell off his seat. He didn't really believe me. He went to the store and got it, and then wanted to know how I was going to get it home. In the end by brother took the three kids in his car to his house, about half way home. The cute little couch was a hide-a-bed. The back cushion was hinged so that there was more room on the bed. So, we took the pins out of the hinges and took the cushion off. We put down all the seats in the back of the station wagon and just slid it right in. We started the drive. we stopped and left the couch at my sisters house. We made her a deal that they bring us up our new couch and they could have our old set. They liked that idea. We picked up the kids and headed home. About a week later I had my new couch that I bought at a store 5 hrs away. I spent hours sanding the wood and then staining it. I also bought some twill fabric and recovered it. I took the three cushions and and sewed them together, then wrapped a new cushion around them. I paid $1 a yard for the fabric and bought 10 yards, so now my couch cost me $20. I used the zippers from the old cushion covers so that didn't cost anything. I did buy some upholstery nails though, so that is about $4, so now the couch cost $24 dollars. It was a lot of work, but it is one of the best couches we have ever had. I loved it.

That is my DI story. I have some pictures in my scrapbooks of this couch. Maybe I will try to find them tomorrow and scan then in then upload them.

So now you know one of my little obsessions. I will admit that I can't pass up a DI!

Homeward Bound!

2009-02-06T19:33:00.000-08:00

So Vaughn is headed home to me. I pray that the roads are good for him and he drives safely! I am so ready for him to come home. I have missed him. It is amazing how much he does for us.

I have had quite the week though, extra kids, late nights, midnight visits from various kids, over-flowing toilets, and to top it all off sick kids!

Wow, needless to say they have kept me hopping!

Just a few hours to go. YEAH!!!

To tired to blog.

2009-02-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

So, I am beat. It is tiring keeping up with four little kids all day, and then add the big kids back into the mix after school, with no reprieve. i wanted to sit and write some fun upbeat blog since my last was not so... BUT I am just toooo tired to sit and blog the night away. I think I am going to go crash on my bed and hopefully all the kids will sleep all night this time! I will try again tomorrow!

Letting go...

2009-02-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

I am having a hard time letting go of my baby! She is now 23 month. My hubby and I were talking about it the other day and he said that he thought she might be ready to potty train. She is always coming to us and saying she wants to go potty. She is really good at it. We even put a pull-up on her to go to church, so that we don't have to use 4 diapers. As I lay there it hit me that I know that she is ready, but I'm not! I'm not ready to let go of my baby. I'm not ready to be through this stage of life when I have little ones. She is my last and I don't want it to end! I'M NOT READY! I know how fast it goes. It will be like tomorrow and I will be blogging about how she has found a nice young man and wants to marry him, and I won't be ready for that either! She is already so big and has reached the point that she doesn't want to sit still to let mom cuddle and give loves! It is sad.
Isn't she just adorable?
So, how do you let go? What makes it easier?