2009 Plans/Resolutions

I never like to make resolutions because I can never seem to keep them!

I am planning on working on a few things this coming year. Some of these things are (in no particular order)...

• getting in shape
• eating better as a family
  
• working on and continuing our goals of "being green"
• learning to knit
• getting to know my camera better
  
• drawing closer to God
• working on our finances
• being more thrifty

One thing I am excited to be working on is keeping a book for myself for the whole year. Thoughts I have, stories to tell, events I go through, etc. Along with this will be my picture a day goal. Each day I will take one picture that represents the day, my thoughts, whatever is going on in my head! I am hoping it catches on and it is something I can stick with throughout the years. What a neat thing to be able to look back on as we raise our family and live life!

What kind of resolutions or plans do you have? Do you stick with them?

Your mom goes to college.

I got really funny looks wearing this. People either got it (like my sister or the young guy at Best Buy who just kept looking at me and laughing) or they didn't (like the returns guy at walmart and my dad... "but what does it mean?") . This shirt is so cool. Napolean Dynamite is so cool. Micah is so cool for getting me this shirt and loving me despite my sense of humor and knowing that I would think its so cool.

I know I probably get on people's nerves for saying it a lot, but I think its funny and thats what counts, right? :)

Your mom.

Pot Holders W/ Apron

I am loving pot holders right now. The problem with pot holders though, is that (mine at least) get stained up, burnt up, and just well loved.

I made a set of four of these for my sister in law...and now I want to make more! I looked at one of mine, and went from there with it.


I plan on making a lot more, and will post a tutorial with the next batch!

(and here is the matching apron that my sweet sister in law was nice enough to take a picture of me for!)

Headbands

I have seen some great patterns and ideas for headbands lately. Check out here and here for some!

I kind of did my own thing though, and made about 10 and gave them away in two sets of five. I did ribbon headbands and cloth headbands. They all were the same concept: a band of fabric or ribbon with about 4 inches of elastic sewn on to make a band. I was bad though and didnt change the thread out from black. Thats ok, its not shown when you wear it.:

Plush Rocket Ship

I finally get to post some of the Christmas gifts we made! Sadly, I slacked and did not take pictures of everything. (such a slacker.) I will post them all this week.

Here is the rocket ship I made my son and my nephew... I got the idea here The fabric, felt and thread all came from Grandma Eloise! I thought it was pretty cool!

39 Lemons.

That sounds like the name of a band, doesn't it?

39 lemons is actually the number of lemons we got off of our first harvest on our lemon tree! We started this tree when it was just a tiny five dollar stick at WalMart, and 5 years later, we have made 5 pitchers of juice and still have enough to do more!

Speaking of juice, I *won* a juicer Christmas eve at my parents! We have been juicin' fools every since! 3 pitchers of a citrus juice (grapefruit, lemons and oranges..all local from family and friends' trees!), apple/pear/banana juice (requested by my sweet brother), and 2 pitchers of lemonade.

Christmas Eve's Remington Chiller:

I know I look haggard..chasing two boys in a nonchildproof house, making two cakes and wrapping the rest of the gifts while doing laundry, and cleaning up Christmas eve will do that to a girl.

But then.....

Mmm!

My "Naughty" shirt is one we made last year...my "nice" husband's lights up.

(picture from 2007, which just goes to show how haggard Christmas makes me look!)

Sneek Peak Reveal!

Remember this post? Surprise! Its finished! (and I dont mean that in a "surprise! wow! its finished!" I mean that as in.... hahaha)

Ok, here it is:

Supplies Included:

• wood
• door handle
• knobs from ikea
• brackets from ikea
• wooden dowl for rack
• hinges
• recycled kitchen bowl (my favorite and only silver bowl...its for a good cause.)
• paint

all dishes towel and utensils with cup are from ikea





And here is the play food for it:

The first picture includes old and new felt food

And this is some awesome wooden food that Jackson got from his aunt on his birthday:


I kind of feel like we are regifting the food...but its more of helping them set it up...ya know, to get the full effect when they see it. :)

I will have action shots from Christmas later this week...with their fun aprons i (*gasp*) bought from JoAnn. Hey, you cant beat a dollar!

I {heart} Christmas Tree Pictures

Early this morning, before the sun was even up, there was a loud crash in the house. I still have not figured out what it was, but I never did go back to sleep after. I woke up with a pretty bad headache too, so I slipped out into the living room. After awhile, I whipped out the camera and played around with my lensbaby lens that I have no clue how to use.

I have a long way to go with photography. Especially with this silly lens. I got a couple of fun shots with it though:

Free Fonts!

As a scrapbooker, crafter, photographer, I am always on the lookout for cute and (free!) fonts!

This way fun blog makes your handwriting into your own personal font! My sister had one done and it was put up on the blog! Check it out here (its peafaye). She has cute little doodles like hearts and bees in it too!

Check it out and say what you think if you download the peafaye font!

Santa Claus Adventures

Yesterday afternoon, we trekked up to the Bass Pro Shop for the second year to see Santa. I was a bit dissapointed, as last year he was in this awesome rustic sleigh, but what can ya do, money is tight for everyone this year!

Jaden was SO excited. He couldn't wait to go see Santa! He kept asking JJ if he wanted to go too, and Jackson kept shaking his head no and get a worried look on his face. I know why. He was traumatized at Disneyland this October and then we always tell him that Santa Claus is watching him. Poor kid was freaked out that this was the guy that has been spying on him!

So Jaden hopped right up on his lap and gave him a big hug.


Then he got down to business. "I want a rocketship."

As soon as he finished letting Santa know what a good boy he was, he turned and automatically posed for the camera. I love him.


Then it was JJ's turn. Santa wanted Micah to sit on his lap too...hahahaha. Micah declined.

Don't worry Jackson, its just Santa! Jaden, obedient and taught well, kept his pose on.


"Seriously guys, let me down. I am so out of here."

"I like Christmas cookies, lights, and music, but if I have to sit on Santa's lap for presents, forget about it."


and with that, he was out.

Jaden, however, had to make sure that Santa didn't forget. "Thats a rocketship. and I will leave you cookies."

Candy makes everything better.


One more week!

8 more days til Christmas?

How can that be?!

Yesterday, Jaden was helping me clean up my scrap stuff and found a big bell. He told me he wanted it, so I let him go ahead and take it. I was thinking it would be a lot more fun to have on a string so I put it on a green ribbon. Then he wanted some wooden "Beets" on it, and it grew from there with the button eyes and red pompom on the bell into a reindeer! Can you see it?

Brothers Box

Just wanted to share what I did last night for my grandma for Christmas (I used modpodge for the box and the front and the back of the book):