July 20, 2008

Guess what I'm supposed to do that day???

Okay, I guess I could wait and make you guess, but this way I can start talking about the things I'm going through and let you know a big part of way I haven't been posting very much! I'll try not to whine too much, but I suppose that's bound to come it at times.

I'm pregnant! We are really excited, but with my history of miscarriages, we didn't want to tell very early. I usually tell at least family and close friends as soon as I know. This time we told at Christmas and surprised everyone. We were going to wait until the second trimester, but Christmastime seemed more fun. Plus, we thought it would be hard to hide since I have been extremely tired and am still getting nauseated as well.

I looked online to find cute ways to tell people that you are pregnant. I thought that since we were just calling on the phone to tell early, we'd be creative. I typed out a message that said, "We are enlarging our home by two feet July 20, 2008" Then I put a picture of two little baby feet in the corner. I put it with the other presents to be handed out at random at "Grandma's" house. I almost forgot to put who it was from. It actually confused about half of the family. It was really fun!



So, there you have it! That's my big news for the year!

If you're reading this, I hope you are smarter than I am.

Does anyone out there know what I am doing wrong? All I want to do is put a picture of myself on my profile so that it will show up when I comment on blogs. I have tried a picture from photobucket (and the link is valid, since I can view the pic from the link) and I tried it from something posted on blogger, since blogger said I could. Nothing works. The link just disappears when I hit save. Help!

Merry Christmas!

I can't promise that I'll be back to blogging until after Christmas, so I'd just like to tell the world Merry Christmas!! I hope you have a wonderful time with your friends and family and that you come to a deeper understanding of the true meaning of all of the celebrations!

White Christmas?

It looks like we just might get a white Christmas this year!!! I am so excited! I didn't have snow growing up, so I LOVE to have snow on Christmas, especially.

I just hope we don't get too much. In about an hour, yesterday, we got about 2-3 inches of snow. It was pretty crazy.

It is supposed to snow from today through Wednesday. They have said that there are several storms heading this way as well. I am excited!

I think the snow may be helping me get into the Christmas spirit. I have been so tired and busy that I have had a hard time feeling Christmas, this year.

Everything has been thrown at us so fast that Christmas is here all of a sudden. We're mostly ready for it, but we haven't had the time to do the traditional things we love to do. We haven't even gone to look at lights, yet.

Isn't it Strange...

When we were worried about $1200, then expected to pay $450 that $230 sounded nice to have to pay to get our van fixed. As if any amount is ever welcome to have to pay to keep doing something you always do. I don't mind buying something new, but when we have to spend money on something old, it is kind of annoying.

So we have the van back and it is wonderful!

I did learn the reason that they usually spray your car with some kind of air freshener. If they don't (like they didn't this time) then your car ends up smelling like grease for days. I keep meaning to go spray something in there, but I don't want to do it right before we go somewhere.

I need to finish Christmas!

We took our van in to be fixed on Monday. Last week, Aaron replaced the spark plugs and wires. It made the van run so much smoother! It was wonderful...until the break light turned on and a few days later the "service engine soon" light came on and the blower for the heater stopped blowing. Why does it all come on at once?

Anyway, the van is in the shop and it is our only vehicle. I need to get some stocking stuffers and a few gifts for teachers, etc. I can't go to the store. It is starting to be frustrating.

I need to go volunteer in Luke's class. I was going to walk but it is raining/snowing this morning. Frustrating! We are hoping to get it back today. It is expensive, but not so much that we are suffocating under the pressure.

We really need to get an emergency fund for things like this. $500 would cover most repairs and problems!

Anyway, enough gripping! At least being stuck at home will give me time to make the angel costume for Luke's Christmas program. The kindergartners are the angel choir. I haven't started, unless you count finding the sheet that I'll adapt into a tunic of some sort.

Giant Rat

Isn't this just the news you were wanting to hear today??

Randomness

It's no wonder I don't have a lot of readership... If I'd post more than once per week, maybe you'd come back to read, huh?

I guess it's the season to be busy and I've been really tired, so I'm just trying to keep up and I haven't been very creative.

I had some ideas in the middle of the night that would be fun to blog about, but of course, I didn't write them down and they probably were more interesting when I was half asleep anyway.

I did have a random dream, though. (Surprise!)

In my dream, Barack Obama decided to choose a republican running mate. He chose Scott Bakula. I don't even know if Scott Bakula is a republican, probably not. My brain makes up weird stuff.

One rant: I hate obligatory Christmas gifts. You know the ones. You wouldn't get them a gift unless they got you one. I mostly like to give gifts to people that I know well, friends and family. Some years we get around to making plates of treats for our neighbors, but it doesn't go much further than that.

So, that's enough randomness for one day. I hope to be in a more creative mindset, soon!

Superpowers

I've discovered why I am so exhausted all the time!

Chasing kids?
Dogs?
Cleaning? (Probably not, I don't do that enough.)
Not enough sleep?
Sick?

Could be, but the real reason is that Luke has discovered his superpowers. One of them is to make people sleepy. It could be useful in a superhero battle, don't you think? I mean, there you are, fighting the supervillan and all of a sudden you can make him fall asleep. Fight over, you tie him up and send him off to jail! It's perfect!

But why would he use it on his sweet mother???

Kids Say...

Last night, we had our church Christmas party. We were on our way out, when Aaron saw someone he needed to talk to. Belle was in a run away mood, so I was holding her captive on my lap.

A little girl came up to us and asked if Belle was her brother's friend. I told her that they probably played in nursery together (Sunday school for 18 mo-3 yrs).

Four Yr Old: They do.

Me: Um, Okay. (Or something equally lame.)

Four Yr Old: I think they're in Love.

And what do you say to that? It was pretty cute! Kids can be so funny. It is amazing the things that they notice, pick up and repeat to other people!

Defended!

Aaron defended his thesis yesterday!! He passed and will be able to graduate in May!! We are so excited!

It also feels really weird. He has been working on it for two years. The last six months or so have been especially stressful. We almost don't know what to do with ourselves! We have been saying "no" to so many things due to lack of time or stress that we don't know how life will be.

We've only had about 6 months (not counting summers, but some of those had school as well) in our married life that one or both of us were not in school. We won't know what to do, without trying to save for tuition and books and then dealing with student life.

We'll find places (like hopefully a new house) to put the money. I'm sure the time will get filled up as well!

I am really proud of Aaron for all the hard work he put into this Master's degree!

I'm also REALLY glad to have him back! We have missed the family time with him!

Enchanted

We went to see Disney's new movie, Enchanted. It was so cute! It was sweet and refreshing and clever. I really liked it.

We don't go to see movies in the theater much, especially with the kids. The last one we saw was Superman Returns. Belle and I spent most of that one out in the hall, since she thought she should cry through the entire thing.

We thought this one would be better. At least I was the one to spill a ton of popcorn on the floor! And we should have gotten a larger bucket. Belle got bored and started to wander around the theater. At least she wasn't too loud, most of the time.

The best part was Luke. He decided that he needed to teach Belle how to go to the movies. He held her hand in the parking lot and into the theater. Then, he showed her how to push the seat down to sit on it. He was SO cute! He is a great big brother!

High School Reunion Dream

My HS reunion was this summer, but I wasn't able to go. It was in Florida and that is an expensive trip that we need to make when we aren't moving, selling a house, having a baby or going to school. We need to stop doing expensive things in the summer.

Anyway, I had a long and weird dream that I was at my HS reunion the other morning. I saw lots of people I knew and I even knew a lot of their names. (Which I wouldn't be able to do in real life!) It was really vivid and I woke up wanting to know what some of my old friend were up to.

I got out my yearbook so that I didn't have to guess on names and spellings. I found a web page set up for the reunion and it had links to lots of the people I wanted to know about. I emailed several of them and I have already heard back from one.

Since I moved 2000 miles away from where I grew up, there have been very few people that I have kept up with. I really tried for a while, but I got discouraged when no one wrote back.

Nativity Blocks Instructions

I got so many comments about the Nativity blocks that I posted about, that I thought I'd write a post about how to make them. I have to start with a disclaimer: I can't find my instructions, so I have to go make them up.

We started with blocks that were already cut, so I measured them and you'll need:

From a 2X3:

5 blocks cut 2 inches long and 7 blocks cut 3 1/2 inches long.

From a 2X4:

3 blocks cut 3 inches long.

Either bevel or sand the edges and any other rough spots.

Next, you paint the blocks with a cream acrylic paint. (Make sure it isn't a washable one, since it takes FOREVER to dry...we found that out the hard way.) Let the paint dry. Sand the edges a little if you'd like a bit of a worn look.

Either stain them or thin some brown acrylic paint. Paint it on and rub it off as if it were stain. (I used paint and I really like the effect. Plus, I didn't have to deal with an oil-based stain all over my hands...though you could use gloves.)

Our instructions had us put the stickers on before staining, but that makes it so that there isn't stain under them, only white. And, some stain creeps under them. It looks a lot better if you stain them first.

After the paint/stain dries, apply the stickers. Some of the blocks will have to be turned on their sides to fit the larger stickers. The camels and the horse will go on the blocks made from the 2X4. The baby Jesus sticker just barely fits, so you may need to make sure the edges are down and around the block before you seal it.

The last step is to coat the blocks with a clear protectant.

The manger is made from a CD crate that's made to be customized. Michael's sells them.

The stickers are called "Nativity Kids" by Me & My Big Ideas. The only website I can find them at is Treasured Memories. I know there are others.

I hope that helps! If you have any questions, just ask!!

I Elfed Them

Okay, so I have no clue where I saw this first, so I have to apologize for not giving credit!

Go check these out! Then, make your own!!

Dancing Elves!!!

I sold my first item at etsy.com!!!

I am so excited! I just sold a purse at etsy.com!! I haven't had anything sell before, and it has been a while. I was starting to get discouraged. Now I am excited to put more things on there. I just have to get some things made!

I think I had come to the conclusion that I wasn't going to sell anything and I didn't think I'd put too many more things on that site! Now I am so excited to put more things on there!!

YAY!!

Oh, yeah. Here it is! It is a miniature purse for a little girl. I actually really like the size of it for myself. I have made others of a different pattern that I use a lot. It can fit all the things I need when I want to go light.

Talk about Tuesday

First off, IT'S SNOWING! I am a lot more excited about it than I thought I would be this year! I love it!

I haven't done a Talk About Tuesday before. I thought I'd show our Christmas decorations. I keep adding new things. And I just realized I forgot to take pictures of two my new additions this year. That's probably because I can't figure out how to put them up, yet.

I made these cute nativity blocks for the kids to play with and learn about the Savior's birth. I love them! They were easy, once we could get the paint to dry.


They usually look more like this, though.



I also made a plate with vinyl lettering on it. I won a nativity on ebay!! I have wanted one like my mom's since we got married! I kept trying to find one that was good enough, but none of them were good enough. I finally decided I wanted that one. I won it for $4.99 plus shipping and insurance!

Last year, I made the matching stockings, tree skirt and advent calendar. Thankfully, I still like them.


This is one of my favorite ornaments. Aaron's mom gave it to us the Christmas we were engaged. I think it is really sweet and fun!



Luke thinks it is a fun game to get Belle to hug him! It is so sweet! They are really good friends, lately! I hope they keep it up. It is a lot more fun for me that way!



Go over and Talk About Tuesday with Lara!!

Save the Babies!!

That was the game that Luke and Belle played for a lot of yesterday. The couch was a boat, but it started to sink, so they had to move to a large pillow on the floor and try to get to the kitchen floor, which was land. You also had to keep your "baby" alive. Belle's baby dolls got tossed around a lot. I tried to explain that if you held a baby by the head it would get hurt really bad, but they were more concerned with getting them safely to land.

It was so cute. I love it when my kids play well together. It was fun (and loud) to watch them play.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Okay, so it isn't very cold, yet, but it is supposed to get pretty cold soon.

I love the cold. A lot of people think I'm crazy for liking Utah and it's weather over Florida. But I do.

I love the snow! (Not driving in it, but taking pictures, playing and seeing it!)

I love my leather jacket. I feel like I look pulled together and kind of cool in it. I usually just wear jeans and a t-shirt and in a leather jacket, that looks nice, rather than just "Mom". I also really like making and wearing scarves. The kids love them too. They spent quite a while last night running around the living room wearing several scarves between them.

I really like that you can bundle up against the cold. It can be pretty hard to do the opposite, unless you want to be indecent.

I love to sing "Baby It's Cold Outside" with Aaron. He plays the piano really well and I love to sing with him. It is a fun duet!

I love soup! Soup is so much nicer when it is cold outside and you can come in and have some warm and yummy soup. It's even better with some warm, homemade rolls!

Then, there is always hot chocolate! Stephen's is my favorite! I love their white chocolate...MMMmmmmm......

This can all be difficult since I don't like to wear shoes or big heavy coats... I don't like to have my feet confined and I don't like to bother with the big coat when I get where I'm going.

I hope you have a wonderful winter!

Thesis done, More school?? Probably not...

Aaron has finished writing his Master's thesis!!!! He just has some minor revisions and then it is done. We aren't sure if he'll be able to defend it this semester, but we hope so. If he can't, we'll have to pay for another semester and we have other places for that money to go.

This semester has been so stressful that we are really glad that he is done writing, even if it does stretch into next year! It has already gotten easier.

I think we are done with degrees for a while! We really need a break. Aaron doesn't want another, anymore and if I go back for more, it won't be until all of our kids are in school.

We both love to learn, so we'll probably take some classes at the applied technology college. There are lots of vocational things that we'd like to know how to do. Those are a lot less stress and commitment, so I think we can handle it.

It has been about a year and a half since I've taken a class. I haven't missed it. I guess since I graduated, the "finished" feeling is still here. Thinking of taking a lot of classes again, with kids, keeps the feelings of wanting to go back at bay!

I do wish I'd kept myself up on a lot more of the things I knew. It is so easy for me to forget. I need to read my horticulture books more often. I pretty much take them out if I need something.

That should be a goal for me. To read and remember the things I learned during my time at school. It is fun for me, so I should do it more often!

It is embarrassing, when people find out that I have a degree in horticulture, and then I can't remember the answers to their questions. I can usually find it, though.

Christmas Giveaway!

5 Minutes for Mom is running a Christmas Giveaway!

They have lots of prizes to win and they'll continue to add more as the season progresses!! I want to win one of these (from the Stroller Depot):



They are versatile, light-weight and they fold really flat! I love that kids can choose how they ride...sit or stand, front or back! I think it would be so nice to have one of these! Wish me luck!

You can see what the strollers can do and how they work with these great videos.

So, go over and try to win something...Just leave the stroller for me. (And the 200 or so others who've already signed up to win it!)

Sweet

This morning, when Luke left with the carpool for school, Belle started saying that she missed him. Every couple of minutes she'd stop and say "Miss him." in such a sad, sweet little voice.

It's nice to have moments like that to remember, when they are fighting with each other.

Weirdo!

No, I'm not trying to be offensive, I'm calling myself a weirdo! I just wanted to make public some weird things about me...

1. I am paranoid about smells. I can never be certain that my house smells good. If I know someone is coming over, I almost always light a candle, open an air freshener, or make sure I am running the dishwasher--I love it when my house smells like the baking soda in the detergent!
2. Which brings me to my next eccentricity. I LOVE the smell of cleaners. I love the house to smell of Mr. Clean especially! Yum!
3. I love the smell of Play-Doh. Are you noticing a pattern, here? I am a very smell-oriented person. I think Play-Doh must remind me of the innocence of childhood or something. I can be found sniffing some most of the times the kids are playing with it!
4. I love cheese! We used to go and try all kinds of weird cheese in the store. I miss that, we should do it again! I really like warm string cheese. I discovered this once when I took one for a snack and it stayed in my van. It was soft and tasted so much better. Now, I put one in the microwave for 13 seconds and it is delicious! I also love to put a piece of SHARP cheddar cheese between to graham crackers. I even have my kids doing this one.
5. I was bitten by a dog when I was 13. (Yeah, I know, not so weird.) I had to have 12 stitches and I couldn't stand up for long periods or it would bleed, so I had to spend about two weeks laying around and reading. I wish I could do that, now! Okay, so on to the weird part... I was more afraid of dogs before I got bitten, than after! I guess I faced my fear and it wasn't all that bad??
6. I hate shoes. I hate shopping for shoes. I hate wearing shoes. Part of that probably comes from growing up in Florida, that would explain that if I do have to wear shoes, I'd rather wear a slip-on. I hate to have my feet feel enclosed and crowded. I also hate shoes because my feet are so wide that I can't wear very many cute shoes. I'm lucky to find something ugly that fits my feet! I guess I'd like to like shoes, but I just can't wear a lot of the ones that I'd like to, so that makes me hate them! I guess I'm jealous of girls with normal feet. (When Belle was first born, I checked to make sure her feet were narrower than mine! They are!! Thank goodness!)

Okay, so that's it! So, what is weird about you??

Fall Pictures

I know I should have posted the Halloween pics a long time ago, but I only just got them off of the camera! So here they are. The kids have also had a lot of fun playing with the leaves! They make such a nice background!

It's Sad When...

It's pretty sad when I can't have more interesting dreams than those with poopy diapers in them! I guess I've been dreading the after-effects of the stomach flu that Belle and the little boy I watch had.

Actually, my dream last night was interesting. There were weird travel plans in these little ski lift-type devices. And then came the colossal messy diaper!

Belle is feeling much better. She was sick on Friday, slept a lot of Saturday and then seemed fine on Sunday, but we think she got carsick, so Grandma got to experience the loveliness. Now, she seems mostly back to normal, though I don't think she has her full appetite back, yet. None of the rest of us have gotten sick. I was a little woozy, but that could be from cleaning up after her.

Higher Education Meme

It's been almost a week since I posted anything, so since I was tagged by My Ice Cream Diary, I'll post this cute meme!

Here are the rules:

Devise a list of 5-10 courses you would take to fix your life. It’s more fun to be in classes with friends, so include one class from the person who tagged you that you’d also like to take. Tag five.

Remembering Anything 201 (I'll take this class along with Ice Cream!!)Learn how to remember names, birthdays and to actually look at your lists, to do lists, calendar and every other place that you have written things down so that you won't forget and yet still do!

Learning to Say NO As long as you say "Yes" to this class, you will learn how to say no to everything else. Also, several lessons on not feeling guilty for saying no, especially when you can't do it even if you wanted to!

How to enjoy and continue to exercise and eat well for more than 5 minutes 101 Learn how to exercise in your sleep, while eating and anytime of the day that you won't notice!

How to Just Do It! Lessons in going from the list (which I am great at!) to reality and making it all happen at the right time and place! (Not always so great at...)

Forcing Children to Eat Healthy food Why is it that there are only about 4 meals that I make that my children will actually eat? (Not including Mac and cheese and chicken nuggets) I need some kind of lessons for me to learn how to convince them that carrots and broccoli taste good. Maybe she has it right with hypnosis!

Now, who should I tag??

Gretchen

Kathleen

Amber

Laura

PJ

Have fun!!

Story Request

I am giving a lesson in church, soon, about achieviing friendships, sociality and especially sisterhood through service.

My request is that I'd love to have some original stories about ways that you have gained relationships through service. It can be from someone serving you, you serving them, or from serving together and bonding that way.

If you have any personal (or family or whatever.. :) ) stories, would you PLEASE send them my way! It would help me a lot!!

Thanks!!!

What to do you think?

I'm not going to bother with trying to commit to a new SMART habit this week or probably next, either. There is just too much going on. I did, though, want to report on last week's progress. This is the hunting mask that my Dad requested. I think my design turned out pretty well. We had fun trying it on. I also made the Mary Jane slippers that I have been wanting to try for Belle. She loves them. They still need some latex on the bottom. I still need to find some. I also made a hat for my niece and play snakes. This week I started mittens and a matching hat for Luke. I am really taking a chunk out of my list!! It feels really good to be able to catch up to myself once in a while!When I come up with a plan to accomplish everything we have planned this weekend, or when I recover from it, I'll have to post about it! If we survive as more than piles of goo!

My Night

We watched my friend's kids at the last minute, last night. Things went pretty smoothly with stories, running around like crazy people and magic tricks. Oh, and splashing in the toilet. Right after Emily knocked on the door, I found Belle and two of the other kids playing in the toilet.

I could probably turn this into a much more entertaining post full of laughs, but I am having trouble spelling this morning. Seriously, I am misspelling every other word! I guess I didn't get enough sleep. I got uninterrupted sleep, since the kids were worn out, but I need more.

Cuties!

Moments like this are wonderful!

Lately, though, these two have been on each other's nerves! Belle loves Luke and wants to do everything he does. They both want the same spot. And she STILL wants to be him, too! It is really wearing on him. He just wants her to go away!

Any tips on how to get your young children to like each other? I haven't had to deal with this until now.

Human For Sale

HumanForSale.com - I am for sale!

Okay, no more posts today! This was an interesting quiz. Go see how much you are worth! LOL

Blog Action Day

I just found out that it is Blog Action Day. It is a day to post about the environment! I was on a real "green" kick for a while and I have gotten busy and not been doing as well. I should get back to that better attitude!!

For in the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught. Baba Dioum 1968

I found this quote on the wall at the aquarium we visited this summer. I think it is really true. We need to be aware and make our children aware of the beauty around us. There is so much to enjoy in this world! We have the responsibility to teach our children about our world. If we can teach them to love the planet and make them aware of how to preserve and make it a better place to live, we can change the attitudes of the next generation!!

SMILE

A while back a friend shared this with me. I thought it was really neat. If you aren't LDS, here is a link to the Book of Mormon online at lds.org. (Or just click below to go to the full reference.)

2 Nephi 9:39

...Spiritually-minded is life eternal.

What a wonderful reason to smile!! We are here to grow and learn and also to prove ourselves worthy of eternal life. If we attain that, we will be eternally happy!

Also, here in life, if we are spiritually minded, we will be happy!

Wuthering Heights

I just finished reading Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, for the first time. I was first introduced to the story by a movie version. I loved it.

I'm not sure what the draw is for me. Usually, I have to like characters to be able to read a book. The characters are horrible. They are well written, but they are mean and malicious people. Though, there are some very good characters who redeem the story and make the some of the others better people.

It is a story of love, betrayal, revenge and redemption. As I was telling Aaron the plot, and as I am writing here, I can't figure out what it is that makes me really love the book and movie! Maybe it is the ending that pulls it all together for me.

Does anyone else love this story?

Chalk Art OR Graffiti??

I just read this article and I think New York is taking things way too far!!

Since when it a child's chalk drawing considered a nuisance? I can't believe it went that far. Why would a neighbor report on that?

Even here in Utah where we don't get much rain, chalk washes off all on its own!

What's next, driving citations for toddlers on tricycles?

Smart Habit Saturday

This week I was working on getting up at 5 AM. I have done an okay job. I have usually at least turned on the light and read in bed instead of trying to squeeze a few more minutes out of the night. So, I think that is a keeper and one that I need to continue to work on!

This week, and probably until I finish all of my current projects, I am not going to add more projects and I am going to complete the ones I have started.

When it gets to be closer to Christmas, I start thinking about all of the things I could make for friends, family and for my home. I usually get too carried away and I don't get them all done. I hate that so much!! I even started early this year, but I keep getting fun, new ideas and I put the ones I really need/want to finish down for too long.

So, no new projects and I am going to finish up the old ones.

It's too bad that I did this goal a long time ago. I guess it is the curse of a crocheter to start too many new projects!

If you are new to SMART Habit Saturday, go and check out The Lazy Organizer. She has great ideas and is always inspirational!

Two Spidermen?

Luke has been wanting to be Spiderman for a long time. I like to make my kids' Halloween costumes if I can, but I didn't think I could do Spiderman justice, so I found one at Wal-Mart that was cheap and cute. He loves it.

The problem is that now the only thing Belle wants to be for Halloween is Spiderman! I want her to be something pretty or cute. She won't have it! Do I let her have her way, or do I have mine??

Cute Sleeper

Belle has always been a great sleeper, Luke, not so much. So, when she started not liking naps so much, I wasn't happy. Today she wouldn't go down at all.

Then, this evening, she was looking really groggy as she ate a treat from a neighbor. I was thinking that she'd fall asleep really soon and I told her I'd eat her treat (I'm so bad!) if she went to sleep. She said something and then the next time I looked at her, (about 10 seconds later) she was asleep! It was so cute.

So I am debating whether I should wake her up. It isn't even 7 PM, yet. I wonder if she'll sleep all night...

Eclipse

(If you haven't read this book, and will, I may give away some plot points...)

I really enjoyed reading these books. This one not so much. There were several things that really bothered me.

Bella (the main character) is a jerk! The author tries to make her this mature teen, but I really don't think she knows what mature is. She is a twit! She is mean and hurtful and she does it on purpose!!

When do love triangles happen in real life??

What 17 or 18 year old really knows what they want for the rest of their lives? They don't know what life is really about!

Why did she even bother to use vampires? The only similarities to fabled vampires is that they drink blood and are pale. They are killed in different ways (nastier in her book), they can be in the sun, they can have control...it goes on. She should have just made up her own creature, rather than change one so much that it isn't a vampire anymore. I know she tried to make it as if the old type were just legend, but still!

The thing that bothers me the most is that Stephenie Meyer advertises that she is LDS and then she puts LOTS of things in her books that are definitely NOT LDS. (She doesn't claim that these are LDS books, but still!) She is also writing these books for teenagers. She has the two main characters in bed together all night, every night!! Sure, they don't DO anything, but it is a horrible example for the teens reading. She also has Bella hate marriage, but want to spend eternity with Edward. I don't get the point.

Side note: Meyer also has no idea how to properly use foreshadowing.

I will probably read the last book in the series next fall, but I don't think I'll recommend the books to anyone without some warnings.

Smart Habit Saturday

I did better this week than I did last week. That is a big step!

This week, I want to work on waking up (and actually getting out of bed) at 5 am!! I know, it sounds like some crazy person time to wake up and I agree with you. Aaron commutes and carpools, so he has to leave the house at about 6:15. I get up with him, make breakfast and help him get ready for work. The kids also get up pretty early. Belle does anyway. Luke is not a morning person!

Anyway, Aaron usually gets up and showers at about 5 and I stay in bed until 5:30 or 5:40. That doesn't give a lot of time for helping him much.

So, I want to wake up and actually get out of bed at 5 and start the day. I think it will give me some time to get myself ready for the day as well.

Come see what all the fun is about at The Lazy Organizer!!

Aaaaaahhh!!!

So, I think I may have solved a little of my stress issues!

I have been taking care of a friend's 9 month old, my SIL's dog and my own darlings. It was really hard at first, but then I thought I had it under control.

That was until I wigged out on Aaron. He totally didn't deserve it and I owe him some big and fancy dinner or something to make up for it.

The night before last, I had had my fill of being mauled by children and dogs and I was completely stressed out. It carried over to yesterday and I blew up at Aaron. He has been working so hard at teaching, trying to finish his masters' degree and being a great husband and father, that he didn't deserve the added stress I gave him.

Anyway, I think a lot of what it comes down to is hormones and not getting chances to calm down and de-stress throughout the day. (Also, my current crochet project has been frustrating me. Crochet is a great de-stressor for me, so that just made things worse.)

Anyway, lately, I try to relax while the two little ones sleep and Luke has some video game time. The dogs have been wrestling, growling and barking like crazy!! I get so frustrated with them and I yell to try to make them stop and not wake up the kids.

But, the good news is that Daisy will be here in the mornings rather than the afternoons, so I can have some peace and quiet during the day!! I think I can be a much better wife and mommy, now!!

Note: I am usually not a stressed out person. I let most things roll off my back or sleep them off and I am great and relaxed again in the morning. Therefore, I don't think I handle stress very well since I've not really had to very often...

Poor Freckles

My dog, Freckles, has an ear infection. She has scratched it for a while, but we didn't realize it until she started whimpering when she did. She'd whimper and then lick her paw, so we thought it was her paw. I checked it and didn't find a problem. We didn't see anything on her head and then the other night, my SIL looked in her ear and it was rough and goopy. We were able to get her in at the vet's office, yesterday. She got her shots and we also got antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory to take care of her ear. I hope she feels better soon.

Owls

Yesterday I asked Luke if he knew his school's mascot. He didn't so I told him that it was an owl. He replied:

Can I turn into one?

General Relief Society Conference

I was able to go to Salt Lake for the General Relief Society Conference* at the Conference Center. We were given tickets for the balcony section, but they had open seating and we got wonderful seats on the floor. I've never been able to attend in person before and it was a great experience!

I think two of the talks are going to be great for the lesson I have to teach in November. I want to talk about the importance of women and ho we can be better wives, mothers and sisters if we are first whole and complete people. I'll post my lesson when I have it done. It is a topic that has been on my mind for a long time.

I started feeling sick before the conference and now I am staying home from church. I hope I feel better, later.

*Relief Society is the organization for the women of our church. We are able to be organized to learn from each other and serve others.

Smart Habit Saturday

Well, I don't have much to report. I didn't do any better on my goals than when they weren't goals. I mostly forgot to do them for most of the week.

I think I want a more concrete goal to go along with scripture reading. I still want scripture reading to be something that I do EVERYDAY without fail. That is something I definitely need in my life.

I also want to have my whole house better each day than the one before. I think I should at least take this one floor at a time. I'll start with downstairs. That is where we spend most of our time and what is the most visible. So, I want to tidy up (with the kids' help) the living room when the extra creatures are gone at the end of each day. I've heard several people say that they clean up after the kids are asleep so that it is nice in the morning, but at that time of night, I am too tired to care, much less do anything about it. I also want to keep the kitchen clean by actually getting around to empty the dishwasher and then refilling it as well.

So that's it. Scriptures, tidy living room and clean kitchen! I think that is manageable.

If you are new to SHS, go check out what everyone else is up to!

Two-Headed Turtle

Aaron sent me this article since it was cool and he knows I like turtles!! It is so weird!

New Moon

So, I spent the last couple of days reading book #2 in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. I finished it yesterday morning and then I looked around and realized we'd barely gone outside and I hadn't opened the blinds next to me. Do you think I'm turning vampire??

Have you ever gotten into a book and then went out to run errands and started having to remember which thoughts were reality and which were the fantasy of your book? We went to the library and I had just been reading, so the images and ideas of New Moon were still in my head. It was so weird. I started thinking about plot points and then I had to realize that it was the road (I wasn't driving!!) not the book that was real.

Maybe I shouldn't read the third book right away....

Ourstory.com

I found a neat site! It's called Ourstory.com. It's free!!

You can set up a timeline or answer questions about your life. It is really neat, because it allows you to remember and record your personal, family, love, baby or any other type of history that you'd like! I just found a cookbook on there as well! You can include pictures, memories, dates, etc!!

You can even share your timeline on your blog!

It looks really neat! Go check it out!

Smart Habit Saturday

I bet you never thought I'd do this again! I had too much to try to figure out with a completely new schedule that I couldn't think about adding new and better habits.

As I type, I'm not sure what I should improve. My bathroom, clutter, bedroom, kids' room and scripture study are all things that need some help. Hmmm...I'm doing okay with scriptures, but I want that one more solid.

I think I'll resolve to read my scriptures everyday and also take time to deep clean once per day. It can be a different project each day, but I want to make it a habit to do some of the household things that tend to get neglected.

So, wish me luck and go over to The Lazy Organizer to see what everyone else is working on!!

Prayers

I read Mayhem & Miracles and she has asked for prayers for her niece! I wanted to pass along this request for such a sweet little girl. She is really sick. You can learn all Ashley on her blog.

Have a blessed day!

What are You Giving Up?

I just read this article and it made me wonder. I have actually been doing pretty well at not being online all the time. I have had my days, though...

I can't believe that some people could be so addicted to the Internet that they'd sacrifice so much in the real world!

I wonder how long I could go without getting online...

Potty Training? I'm not sure...

Belle has been really interested in sitting on the toilet, lately. She thinks it is fun and especially wants to do it when someone else is. I think it's a social thing for her.

The only problem is that she doesn't do anything but sit there. She talks about going, she knows we'll buy her Tinkerbell panties and make her cookies, but she merely sits.

She may have weird "cookie"/"poopy" connections she doesn't understand when she grows up. If it gets her to be potty trained, I'll take it.

Hair!

Having a little girl has brought the fun and frustration of needing to do hair. I never know what to do with my hair and I have only just recently found a gel that makes it so that everyday isn't a bad hair day. I have thick, frizzy hair and it needs to be tamed!

Belle started out almost completely bald. She started to have a bit of hair when she turned one. Now that she is two she has quite a bit and it is long enough that it even looks like girl hair, now!

I didn't want to cut her bangs, so I have struggled with how to keep them out of her face.

So, I thought I'd share some cute pictures of the things I've tried with Belle's hair! (My trick is that I have to do her hair wet, otherwise it is to wispy.)

This is a bad hair day. Sadly, this is what her hair looks like many days, since I get lazy.


Cute headband that didn't stay on very long!


Traditional pigtails.


This is a new one I stole from my SIL. I love the twists and they are SO easy to do!!



Ponytail.


Headband with no-slip grip!! It works great.


I love to pull back her hair in halves and twist them under to hold them in better. (Also stolen from a friend. I love that I can learn from others!)


This adorable 'do I stole from Lara! Thanks!


I like this one with the clips holding her bangs back, but it is just too tempting for her to pull them out!


Or maybe we should just cover it up!!

Twilight

After a stressful week, I became engrossed in a great book and ignored my house!

I found Twilight on someone's blog. (and it has been a while, so I don't remember where--sorry) Aaron found it through his colleagues, who are mostly women. He really enjoyed it as well, but he wanted more violence in a vampire book.

I loved it! It is a great story about a girl who is learning who she is and how to love! It is mostly a romantic book, but it doesn't get all...icky!

I'll admit, it is definitely a "girl book" as Aaron put it.

I also learned that it has two sequels!! I need to spend time doing other things, so I am going to wait to get those.

I did make that decision before I finished the book, and if you've read it, the last line REALLY makes you want to read the next book!! I wonder how long I can hold out!

Stinky Children

We had the beginnings of a potty training breakthrough, yesterday. Belle decided that she needed to use the potty and that she was going to go "poopy". I rushed up stairs with her and put her on the toilet. She gladly sat there for 20 minutes or so and did, sadly, nothing. But, she asked to go. We'll see where this gets us.

I'd also like to share my impromptu diaper changing song from this morning: (it goes to the tune of "Happy Happy Birthday, Children Dear")

Stinky, stinky, stinky children dear
Stinky days will come to you all year
If I had one wish, then it would be
For you to be potty-trained before you're three!

I don't always sing while I change diapers, but maybe I should!

Keith Urban!!

I got to go to the Keith Urban concert last night!!! We bought the tickets about 6 months ago! I have been a fan of a few of his songs, but I didn't know the new ones. He has some amazing songs!

He is also a fabulous performer. He plays the audience well and is able to move all over the stage, on the cat walk and onto this alternate stage at the end of the cat walk that was about 50 feet from the stage.

I had a ton of fun and it was a great time.

There were a few crazy things that happened, though. First, we used the men's restroom...because there was a line in the women's'. (Of course!!) That was kind of weird, and I think I have only done that one other time in my life. It was weird to go in and have urinals in there!

Then, there was the make-out couple. They were sitting up really high and just going at it...and not just a little. They were all over each other. It was really gross! I love my husband and all, but why not go home? I'm all for a kiss or holding hands, or even hugging, but when it comes to being all over each other and on each other's laps like that it is just nasty!

Then, there was the butt! Okay, so I am not a petite girl (except that I am short and petite length is what I have to get...I like being petite in some way...) and neither was this girl that sat next to me. She was standing up to dance quite a bit and she kept bumping me with her butt!! It was annoying and a bit gross! Then, she half sat on me. It is really annoying when people don't pay attention enough to the people around them to realize that they are being really annoying!

Okay, enough ranting. I had a great time and I think I'll buy some of Keith Urban's songs! I am definitely a bigger fan, now!

September 11, 2001

I was just thinking the other day, that both of my kids were born after September 11th and that they would hear stories about that day, just like I always heard stories of where people were and what they were doing the day that John F. Kennedy was killed.

I want to tell my story, here.

We had recently moved to Pullman, Washington for a job for Aaron and school for me. Aaron had gone on a business trip, so I was home alone. I woke up early and had a morning prayer over the phone with Aaron. A little bit later, I turned on the TV and a plane had struck the first tower. They didn't know what was going on and it was devastating. I saw the second plane hit!! I was totally blown away, and glued to the TV. Slowly, the story unfolded and they knew that it had all been planned.

I had been suspecting that I was pregnant, and found out later that I was. It was hard to think about raising a child in a world where atrocities like that could happen.

Life changed that day. I think we all went from a sense of false security. We thought we were too powerful to be attacked and hurt. But we were all wrong. Any of us could have been those people doing our jobs, going through a "normal" day, and then...it is all over.

Life is fragile and short! We need to take the time we have and use it to the best of our abilities.

I really believe that if you want to do something, you will find the time for it. If you don't, you'll always be too busy. There are so many wonderful opportunities, things to learn and people to help. All it takes is a little thought and good use of time.

Psychic Dreams?

I had a stupid dream...

The lady who's baby I watch for four hours everyday is the same one we carpool with. In my dream, I had forgotten to get Luke ready for school. She drove up in a white van. (She owns a green van.)

Okay, I know you're thinking this just sounds dumb, and I agree.

But, this morning, when she dropped off her son, she was driving a WHITE van.

It was really creepy! Maybe I should try to develop my psychic powers.

My New Favorite Bag

I am obsessed with bags and purses! Just ask Aaron. Any time we are anywhere, I am looking for bags. I love purses big and small. I am always on the lookout for a new one. My mood determines whether I want to carry everything or nothing.

My newest find is this lady bug bag. I has a pocket for my "purse stuff" and one for "diaper stuff" as well as lots of room for crochet or books or whatever I might need on any trip. I change out what is on the inside of the bag for the occasion! I just love it!

One of the best things about this particular bag is it only cost me $5!!! It is really sturdy and I just love it!

Did I mention that I just love it??

I Just Have to Brag!

I LOST 10 POUNDS!!!!

It's a Good Sign

Last week (the first week of school for Aaron and Luke) was the longest week I've had in a long time. It just went so slo-o-o-o-owly.

I am still not quite adjusted to my new schedule, but this week seemed A LOT faster than last! Things are going smoother and we are slowly working into a basic routine.

I'm really not a scheduled person, but since specific things have to happen at specific times, I am getting used to it. I just have to work fun in. I am still getting a lot more done than before and keeping things generally picked up!

I still haven't figured out how to work in my crochet/knitting night. By the time we get to Thursday night, I just don't feel like going. I am really excited to go to a concert next week!! And, this weekend is a city festival that should be a lot of fun!

The Muppet Personality Test

This was a cute and funny little quiz!! When I turned out to be Kermit, I just had to post it on here!

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know. You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems. Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green. Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

The Muppet Personality Test

It's My First 29th Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to me!! I have had a nice day so far and Aaron is making my cake as I type! It's carrot. I love carrot cake!

I really don't care about how old I am. I just don't want wrinkles or gray hair!!

When Little Girls Happen to Big Brothers!

As part of Belle's birthday present, I put together a diaper bag. It has cloth diapers, wipes and burp cloths for her babies as well as toys, a bottle and other doll care items.

The other day, she started playing with Luke's Spiderman plush. She thought he needed a diaper.



I guess it could make saving the world easier if he didn't have to take a bathroom break!

Health Habits

I have been working on getting healthier. I feel like I've made some large steps. I eat a lot less, especially snacks. I think I may have actually shrunk my stomach because I can't eat as much as I used to be able to. And, honestly, I used to be able to eat more than a lot of men I know! It was sad!

I have also been more active. I don't go to a gym, but I am up and moving a lot more. I run and dance with the kids at home. I have been doing more push-ups, crunches and squats. Yesterday, I took a two mile walk to pick up Luke from school. He really liked it, so I plan on walking to pick him up walking two days a week.

I don't think I've lost much weight. I don't own a scale on purpose. But, I feel better. I feel less frumpy and more energetic.

I think my schedule will help with getting healthier as well. When you don't have time to eat lots of snacks, you don't. It helps that there aren't a lot of snacks around!

So, if any of you have any ideas of how you stay active, I'd love to hear them. I'm really not a gym kind of girl, so I want to do as much as I can at home!

Our Frustrating Neighbors are Moving!!!

The neighbors that we've had a lot of dog problems with are MOVING!!!

The dog poo issues got worse...if that was even possible. It was to the point that it was just everywhere! They "cleaned" it up occasionally...by putting it in the flowerbed, in front (why would you want people coming by to see that??) or in the back where the communal spigot for a hose is.

On top of it, another dog had started using the area for his own personal bathroom as well, due to the smell left there all the time!

They also yell at their dog all the time, since they STILL don't use a leash. It is just frustrating.

Anyway, they are moving!! They are mostly gone already! We are super excited. We should trow a party!

The First Day of School!

I was a bit worried with the way the morning was starting. Luke was upset by the silliest things and was just on edge! I wonder if it was just nerves. After breakfast, things got a bit better and he calmed down.

I got him ready for school and took some pictures of he and Belle.


We picked up the carpool kids and then parked so that I could walk him up to the door. There is a playground for the kindergarten right in front of the doors, so he got a chance to play for a few minutes before the bell rang. When the bell did ring, he came right over and got his backpack from me. I gave him a hug and the tears started. I was trying to hide them from him, so when he said, "See you later", he had to say it again to get a response from me. It was really high-pitched, so I hope he didn't notice that anything was wrong. He went right in and is hopefully having a great day!

Belle and I went to the store after dropping him off. It felt so weird to be without him! I felt like I was forgetting someone! I'll get used to it. I hope I don't cry tomorrow, too!

We Met the Teacher!

We met Luke's kindergarten teacher and I think he is going to have an amazing year! She is the teacher I wanted him to get. (Though truthfully, I only knew who two of them were.) She is fun, energetic, organized and she expects a lot from the kids. She is the one who tested him on Monday, too. I think he'll have a great time with her.

He is really excited!!

I am too, but I am also teary anytime I start to think about letting him go out into the world.

Oh, and I was SO excited when his teacher told us the only school supply he needs is a backpack!! Woo Hoo!!! We just bought one for him!

It is amazing to me that he has to know so much going in and that he'll learn even more than I had to in kindergarten. (And I'm not that old...future post about that...) I remember learning my colors, how to tie my shoes, numbers, letters, etc. He's going to start basic math, reading and has to know how to count to 30 by the end of the year. (He's already most of the way there. If I get him to 20, he can get to 29 on his own. And he is most of the way to 20 on his own.)

So, since I just kind of babbled about kindergarten, I'll stop now and I promise to post first-day-of-school pictures!! I'm so excited for him...If only I can get through it without him seeing me cry!

How Does This Work?

I don't quite get it, but I have a theory...

This summer we got so little done it is...shameful! It was really nice to have a vacation together and have a lot fun, but we still wanted to accomplish A LOT more things that we did.

I think that when we are on summer break, I get it into my head that we don't have to do anything since we are on vacation and so our home goes down the drain! I seem to get SO much more done when I have things that I have to do.

I had an extra dog and an extra kid yesterday which put it at two dogs (the extra isn't fully house trained) and 3 kids (the extra is 8 months old). So, there was a lot going on. Well, I was able to get laundry done and mostly put away, dishes done and put away, (which, for me is a miracle...I don't know why I don't put dishes away.) I read my book for a while and played with the kids. I also kept things relatively organized, made Amish Friendship Bread and blogged. Go figure!

For some reason it is a lot easier to get stuff done when there is more going on. I don't know if I just feel that I need to get it done, now, or it won't happen. It still needs to keep happening when I am "relaxing".

I tend to get the same phenomenon when Aaron is home and relaxing. If he is relaxing, I want to be and I don't get as much done. If he is home and working on something, I tend to just get to work as well.

How is that??

BTW--I didn't get any requests for the free hat, so if you meant to enter and I just didn't get it, or whatever. Let me know and you win. Today is the last day!

My Trial

I have become addicted to using my Palm Pilot to organize my life. It is really easy and I love it. I keep my ideas, things I need to do, calendar, crochet patterns I have created, gift lists.....It goes on and on. Pretty much my whole organized life is there.

Normally, that works out just fine. Then there are the times it locks up. Usually I can just reset it and I don't lose anything, it just takes a few minutes. It's kind of like when the computer locks up and you have to restart it. No big deal.

THEN, there was last night! I was sitting in a meeting where I need to be able to make notes and keep track of how many people came. It just went white! I couldn't get anything to work. I reset it several times and I could get everything else to work, but not my "Memos". If I clicked on Memos, it would go white again and not let me get into anything else. Then I had to restart it again! Memos are where I keep most things.

I told Aaron when I got home and he spent quite a while online trying to fix it. He finally discovered that I had had too many categories! The Palm just couldn't deal with that! It gave up and wouldn't deal with it anymore. Aaron was able to get it to work just fine.

Now, I just have to make sure that I don't get too organized. I like everything in it's own little space. I can find things easier that way. So, I spent some time this morning reorganizing a little and making it so that I could find things and still not freak my Palm out!!

So, all is well. My Palm and I like each other again! I just have to keep it happy and it won't lose my life!

Luke Did Great!

We had Luke's assessment and it went great! He was hardly shy at all. That is a miracle! I prepped him and prayed and it all worked out well. He did better than I knew he could with the numbers, about as well as I thought with his letters and not so well with rhyming words. When we work on those he does great and hardly misses any, but with the teacher, he got all of them wrong! I don't know what the deal was! Anyway, they want to place him in a normal classroom and I think he'll do great....Now I just have to work on letting go!



We have a kindergarten open house on Friday night. I hope they tell us all the what's, where's and how's. I've never done this before!

It's Getting Closer!

Today, I'll take Luke in for his kindergarten assessment. I have prepped him for it. I hope that helps. I'm also getting him to do things that help him be brave...Right now it is his video game. (He said it would help. But he probably just wanted to play it.)

Anyway, I hope that he does well. He tends to be very shy with new adults. He also has some speech problems we've been working on. So, he tends to clam up and be hard to understand. He is really smart and knows a lot. I just don't want them to place him too low and then when he is comfortable, he needs to be somewhere else.

Belle is going to stay with a friend, and that should help me be there for him, more. She can be SUCH a distraction for me. The last time he had an assessment and got signed up for kindergarten, she got lost for several minutes and we found her in someones office and the school district building!!

So, wish us luck!

My Garden

We have loved having our own home. We love to be able to change and fix things and do basically whatever we want. The problem is that we have a townhouse and so we only have a tiny amount of yard. We really want a yard.


This year, we bought some wildflower seeds and planted them along the side of our townhouse.


These are some of the things we've had blooming! There are some really beautiful flowers out there!


It has also been fun to play around with the great macro setting on my new camera!! It can go up to one centimeter!! It focuses on the flower right below and blurs the background. With these pics that is especially important since we had some men come and paint. They scraped off the paint and lovingly left it for us to clean up. We are waiting until we can stand to damage the flowers because it is all over the flower bed.

Etsy

I created an etsy profile in February!! Well, I have barely even looked at it since then, until today. I was at the park with a friend and her kids and she reminded me of etsy.com. I hadn't thought of selling things there. So, today, I put three of my hats on my new etsy store!! (There's a link on the sidebar as well!) Wish me luck!

You can now get your caffeine a new way!

I was in the checkout line the other day and I looked over at the gum. I like gum. I like to know that my breath is not offending people. Anyway, I noticed that Ice Breakers had a new line. They are now adding gensing, green tea and caffeine to the gum. I was just amazed. I think marketers are getting out of hand.

I guess, if you need a little jolt, and you can't take a beverage where you are going, then gum is a good alternative.

I am actually tempted to buy the other one. It was supposed to boost your mind, I can use that.

I have a horrible memory...

Don't forget to sign up and post about my contest!! No one has signed up, yet,(at least you didn't blog about it...) so you have a really good chance!

A Sense of Wonder

A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantements of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of out strength. Rachel Carson--From "The Sense of Wonder," 1965

I saw this quote on the wall when we went to the aquarium. I took a picture of it, so that I could use it later. I can't wait to read her book!

I think it is such a wonderful thought. So many of us lose that sense of wonder and love of the world around us. We get caught up in all the things we need to do, places we need to be, money we need to make and all the rest that it is hard to notice the flowers blooming and the amazing world we live in.

We have so little time on this earth, why waste it with electronic devices and other things that don't bring happiness and don't matter??

Family History Indexing

In the August Ensign, I read about family search indexing. It is a system where people can make genealogical information available digitally. Now, it is on the original scanned documents.

It is really fun. You download the program (free) and then start. There is a short tutorial and then you are off. It is pretty easy and has a lot of built in features that make it even easier. All you have to do is type what you read. Sometimes the handwriting is difficult, but you just have to do your best. It is done by two people and then mediated if there are differences.

Another thing I like about it, is that I can help with genealogy without leaving my house!! It is great!

If you are interested, go to here.

P.S. Don't forget the contest!!

Handmade Hat Giveaway

This is my first contest! I want to get the word out about the hats I've been making!


I crochet them all by hand out of 100% cotton or a 50% cotton, 50% acrylic blend.


I started a blog to sell them called Daisy Chains Crochet. Click to check out what I've made.


The pictures on this post are just some samples of hats I've been able to make so far. I have lots of other ideas for you to choose from. (They just aren't made and photographed, yet.)


If you win this contest, you get a customized, handmade hat for your child (or you). You choose the size, style and colors!


To WIN just leave a comment on this post, blog about this contest with links to this post and Daisy Chains Crochet. AND, if you don't win, you are welcome to email me to order one...hint, hint ;)

The contest closes on August 24th at noon. I'll do a drawing for the winner!!



All I ask is that you send me a picture of the wearer in the hat, so that I can use it on my blog. The hats look so much cuter when they are on a person and you can really see what they look like!