Happy Valentines Day

Hope you all had a great Valentines Day.  Mine was filled with work and heart-shaped cookies and then fun in the evening with the Josh's family. 

Ever since I was a little girl I have remembered these certain Valentines I had received as a child.  I wished that I could find those valentines again.  So Sunday night I got an idea to Google vintage valentines.  I then was able to find a picture of one of them that looked familiar.  It was selling on Ebay for $9.99.  It had enough information on the desciption that I was able to search for them and find all of them.  Apparently an artist by the name of Pete Hawley illustrated them.  I was able to find them and save them on my computer and print them and use for Valentines 30 + years after I first enjoyed them as a child.  Isn't the internet wonderful at times. 

I tried the cookie recipe that Jenny posted and it is definately a keeper.  I really like the flavor.  I made these cookies for my Visiting Teaching sisters and had some leftover for tonight.   

So here is the finished baby quilt.  The baby was born on Saturday night and will hopefully be wrapped in this soon. 

What Have I Done With My January?

It is 10:00pm and the urge to blog has struck.  I of course don't have any fantastic things to share or remarkable pictures to post.  I am in the mood to blog so there you go.  You get what you get.  I wish I could blog while laying in my bed but I have an ailment I like to call Laptop Deltoid, much like Tennis Elbow.  When I write or surf the net while laying down my right upper arm gets very achy and sore and so I am preventing this tonight by sitting in my clean sewing/office room instead of my usual reclining position.  You are probably wondering how I have tulips this early.  They are actually an apology gift from someone at work for being disruptive while I was teaching at a workshop.  I was a little embarrased to receive them.  But I can never say no to flowers.  So they are hanging out in my kitchen with me.

Speaking of flowers, talk about the slow poke Amaryllis.  They bloomed this week and I may even have some more blooms come Valentines or Pres. Weekend.  Word to self, don't by amaryllis bulbs at Walmart anymore.

So I have been on this organization kick the past few weeks.  For any of you who saw my sewing/office room recently you were probably ready to call the Hoarder's TV show.  I know it was very scary and I cannot believe I let it get that bad.  I should have taken a before picture but sort of glad that I didn't. So Whitney helped me organize the room last Saturday.  I have been walking past it all week and I have to just stop and see how nice it looks.  I tackled two other cluttered spaces today in my home.  My garage and junk cupboard are next on the list.

We color coded fabrics and even did some nice storing of future pojects in these containers. I have even been working on one of those so called future projects this week.

I am nearly done with a set of dish towels.  Anyone recognize these nice Italian vegetables.  Speaking of Melanzana, I have one in my fridge and need to come up with a good Eggplant recipe.  Anyone have any ideas.

I have nearly finished this quilt.  It is in the final stage of the binding.  I just got it back in the mail from Jenny.  This quilt is for my bishop and his wife.  It is their first baby and I wanted to do a quilt from the minute I heard she was expecting.  I still have the quilt that someone made me when Dad was bishop.  I think this baby should have the same.  Sort of a little legacy from one bishop's baby to another.  I was very proud of myself in the fabric choice.   I used all scrap fabric that I already had.  I did end of buying the flannel backing but that was it.  Talk about resourceful.   I even made up the pattern.  Well I sort of combined a few that I have seen. 

You can see the quilting a little better from this angle.  Jenny did an exceptional job.  And talk about promptness.  I think she received it in the mail and had it for probably a total of 24 hours before she shipped back to me.

I put a soft polka dot flannel on the back.  I always think that babies need soft flannel on their quilts.  Anyway thanks Jen for helping me out, with once again another quilt project. 

Our stake had a Women's Conference today.  We have them every January and they are great.  They had Chad Hawkins speak.  He is the artist that draws and paints the temples.  He shared some wonderful stories.  Did any of you know that when the St. George Temple was being built that the women actually donated their hair to mix with the mortar to make it stick together better.  He actually was given a piece of this mortar with some hair in it that he still has.  He says it helps him to remember the sacrifice that the saints are willing to make for their temples.  Also the Jordan River Temple President Chamberlain and his wife spoke.  His wife is actually Rex E. Lee's wife Janet.  She married this man after  Rex died and this man lost his wife suddenly when he was serving as the Nauvoo Mission President.  She shared a cute story.  As the temple matron her office is next to the children's area where they are prior to being sealed to their parents.  She was talking to a 5 year old just after he was sealed.  She asked what was his favorite part of the temple.  He stated " I liked all of the grandmas in their white nightgowns."  Is that not the truth.  That is one of the things I like best about the temple.  All of the wonderful sisters who work there.  

I have made a goal to make temple worship a priority for me this year.  I want to go and enjoy the temple and not have it be a task that I have to get done.  

I hope that January has been a fruitful month for all of you.  It ended better than it started and has turned out to be a good month for me.  Hopefully a good start to a good year. 

New Years

I wanted to blog about New Years even though it was a week and some back.  Josh and Stacy hosted a family/friend party at their home.  That it why you see some familiar faces and some not so familiar.  It was very reminscent of New Years parties past.  We had great food and fun games.  I think the newcomers enjoyed themselves.  We even stayed up to ring in the New Year. 

I thought that I had taken more pictures than I had.  This is of the ring game.  Madi trying to find the elusive ring.

On New Years Day Esme was playing with Jonas' Christmas gift.  She was using it as a doll house. 

Maren playing with dominoes

Jenny had given Maren a New Years style.  Remember the days of French braid crowns. 

Maren was mesmorized by it. 

I can't believe it is already way into January.  Morgan and Andrew and the girls were just here for the weekend seeing Andrew's sister's new baby.  It was nice to have them here and be able to spend some time with the little girls.  I am hoping to be able to get started on some new projects.  My callings are going to get busy here in the next few weeks.  Work is going well and I am trying to still enjoy the snow.  I hope that things are going well for all of you. 

Christmas 2010

I spent Christmas Eve night at Josh and Stacy's.  So I got to be there in the morning to see what Santa had left.  It was very fun to experience Christmas morning through the eyes of the kids. 

Esme checking out her new dolly.  By the way she is quite attached to her already.

Hannah thrilled with her new Ipod.  It is blue her favorite color.

Essie went right to work feeding and caring for her baby.

I had Josh and Stacy's name for Christmas and so with the help of Morgan I secretly arranged for a photo shoot when she was down a few weeks back.  The pictures turned out great.  Stacy was taking all the pictures in.

Esme got some new little pets.  She thought her pockets made a good place to store them.

Maren showing us her new dress.

This gift from Tenny was a big hit with Gabe and the other kids.  They played with it for a few hours on Christmas evening.

The kids got some Legos for Christmas.  Maren, Jonas and myself had a Lego building contest.  Jonas made an airplane and Maren and I built a Temple, complete with Moroni on top.  We did not have a trumpet and had to use what was available to us.

Christmas Dinner at my house.  We had Prime Rib and all the trimmings.  It was a nice meal and we got to all sit at one table.  That does not happen too often in this family when we get together. 

Maren modeling her new dress.

We finished our second puzzle of the holiday season.  Lots of help got this 1000 piece puzzle done quite quickly.

These are cute Christmas dishes that Miranda gave me last year.

 We made cinnamon rolls and I was going to take them to my neighbors but we ended eating them all and so I had to make a cheese ball for the neighbors instead. 

Here is the picture collage that I gave to Josh and Stacy.  Morgan took the pictures and designed all of it and then I had it printed and framed it up. 

Jenny and Jim had my name for Christmas and Jenny crocheted me a beautiful afghan.  My camera battery died and so I was not able to get a picture of it yet.  Thank you all for your sweet thoughtful gifts.  I had a wonderful Christmas.  And I hope that all of you did as well.



Thinking of Christmas

I was getting ready for work this morning and I was thinking of Christmas and my heart started to ache for Dad.  I was remembering all of the many Christmas memories that I had of him and with him.  What I would not give to have those times back.  I was remembering a Christmas after Mom had died and John and I were down at the house with Dad and Madi and Arden.  He did not really have a gift for me and he did not have my name that year but I woke up Christmas morning and he had got a few gifts together for me so that I would have something.  I start to cry just thinking about it.  The world is in need of more men like Dad.  I miss his gentleness, his neverending knowledge of life and the world. I miss hearing his testimony. I miss his voice.  I miss talking to him.  I miss particularly his stories because I can never recall them like he told them.  I remember one story he told me when he was a teenager and he had to spend Christmas Eve out on Sinbad and how he rode his horse all through the night to get home for Christmas morning.  He said it was a great Christmas because his parents were actually able to give him a gift that year.  That was the year he got his black leather wallet.  Yes, the wallet that traveled through life with him and around the country with him and was lost several times but somehow always made it back to him.   How blessed we are to have grown up with the influence of such a wonderful man.  





Just a few pictures of Christmas past.  I remember those Christmas visits to the cousins homes seeing what Santa brought them and showing what he brought us. Don't I look a little like a Maren Essie mix in this picture.

Just a few pictures from 2 weekends ago when several of us were together.  Notice the 2 girlies and their princess fashion show .  Maren put on every necklace and headband she owns and was good to share with Leah. 

This past weekend we did a 550 piece puzzle.  It took us 2 days.  It was a warm-up for our next one that has 1000 pieces.  We will be starting that one tomorrow.  

I wish that I was going to be able to be with you all but at the same time I am looking forward to a quite Christmas in Salt Lake with John and Josh and their families.  Hopefully I will be able to at least talk on the phone.  I am excited to get the updates on our missionaries.  I love you all and wish you a

Merry Christmas! 

I've Been Busy

So I have been quite busy this past week getting things done and off the "To Do List".  I got all my Christmas decorations up with a little help from some big and some little elves.  It's always a good feeling to have it up and then just enjoy it.  

I finally bought a new bigger tree.  I am really pleased with it.  Now my little tree does not look so overloaded like past years.  

I have not been Christmas baking or candy making like usual.  I have been Christmas sewing.  Lizzy gave me this piece of fabric a few years back and I decided it was perfect for a runner.  

I had promised the little girls that I would make them quilts for their beds after Stacy painted their room.  It has taken me a few months to get all of this done but it is done.  All except for maybe a little window topper.  I need to still work on that.  Whitney helped out with quilting them on the long arm.

It was my first attempt at applique.  I would like to do some again and perfect that process.

I decided to make them pillows to go with the quilts.  I love using scraps.  That pleases me more than anything to really use up all the fabric.  I put some leftover minky on the back of 2 of the pillows.  It was from Lily's baby quilt.  See what I mean.  I love using scraps.

Here are the beds.  Don't they look fun and girlie.  

Hannah and I spent last Saturday doing wreaths.  She did 2 for her mom and I did one for myself.  She is good with the glue gun. 

I am hoping that all of you are having fun with your little Christmas projects.  I sure have.  Looking forward to seeing many of you on the weekend.