Thankful hands 2009

For the last approximately 10 years we have had one traditional November Family Home Evening activity. Last year it slipped---I knew that I couldn't let that happen again.

The Thankful Turkey Hands

We have had the kids trace their hand and then write the things that they are thankful for. My two older kids are starting to bawk at this tradition, hence it not happening last year. They started to complain and I told them that they would do it because it wasn't fair to the Little man to stop a tradition just because they are getting older---he deserved to have the tradition as well. I then told them that I have saved every single year and some day they will enjoy going back and comparing the things that they wrote. MissA was surprised at this. I told her that hers will probably be the funniest to look at in five to ten years!

More

This coming Thursday is Thanksgiving. THANKSGIVING---already?! With this realization I have been thinking beyond that to Christmas. I have really been pondering how to bring the True Spirit of Christmas into our home. I work and worry about this every year. I think that we have done okay at it.

I want more. I want to really feel love, kindness, service and joy. I want my children to do some things that they will remember forever. I want experiences for my family.

What are those experiences that will bring a change upon us?

We have helped gather food for the food banks before, valuable--very, but I think that a basket of food taken somewhere doesn't really hit their hearts.

I have never helped at a shelter. I wonder if we are ready for that. What type of service could we provide. Hats, gloves?

We have many widows in our neighborhood. I know that they are terribly lonely, and it is so much harder during the holidays. What are some ways that we could truly serve these people?

How can we serve each other inside our own home? I struggle daily with this. I serve constantly, I am the Mom. Mr. Sugar Daddy serves, he is the Daddy. What about the children? I want them to be able to step outside of their own little world that revolve around them and look around. What could be done to serve? How do I go about helping to instill this?

These are the thoughts that have been flooding my mind. Now to get them from my mind to paper to fruition.

A good Friday

Mr. Sugar Daddy is away fishing. He needed to get away, relax and have some Man-Time. What do I do when he is away? Maybe I should talk about what I did NOT do.

I did not:
make the bed
do the breakfast dishes--actually I didn't do last nights dinner dishes either--eewh!
fold socks
do laundry
vacuum
dust
put away toys


What have I done this lovely Friday?
Crocheted four hats
Found new patterns to try--too many patterns, not enough time!
started sorting kids books
went shopping with the girls--separately --so two trips into town

That is about it! I probably better actually do the dishes soon.

Kreativ Blogger

My sweet friend Mia tagged me with a blog award--a bit silly, but fun---!

Thanks Mia! You are too sweet!

Here are the rules:

Copy the pretty picture and post it

Thank and link to the person who gave you the award.

write seven things about me that people might not know.

1. I went to college at BYU-HAWAII!!!!! It was one of the best experiences of my life. I have only felt homesick a few times in my life but leaving BYU-HC was one of the hardest things ever. I have felt homesick for that place for 20 years now.

2. I love rocks. Pretty rocks. My Grandfather was a rock hound, as was my Father and Uncles. I have one brother that is now. When we were trying to clear rocks from the yard so we could plant grass I would pick up every rock I found and inspect it. I really don't know what the rocks are--I should have been a geologist---but I know if it is "leavorite" or not!

3. I want to be a motivational speaker when I grow up!

4. I am a trivia junkie. I remember tiny bits of information that I can spew out at the most random times. I however can not remember where I leave my keys!

5. I love stories. People stories. I want to know people and where they have been, what has happened to them. What they have learned. I am a people reader. I am actually fairly accurate at assessing where people are. Everyone has a story.

6. I have a dent in the top of my head. It is weird. If I lose my hair I will have to wear a hat because someone will think that I was dropped or had a terrible accident!

7. I ran away when I was six years old. I had my bandanna with food, hooked on a stick and I set off, just like the hobo's in books. I made it around the block and then came home through the alley and sat under the tree. No one even missed me while I was gone!

I am supposed to tag seven other people and link to them. I will think about this--I don't know that many people!

More yarn fun!

Here is a picture of the fun scarf that I made. It is a short scarf with two large wooden buttons. It is really darling on top of my coat. I am thinking that a rust brown color would be great. Actually, teal, red for Christmas--etc. etc. etc.

I have also included a picture of my cute model MissA wearing a different flower on the brown hat. It turned out so cute.

We had a service auction at our ladies Relief Society last night. It was so much fun-I donated this hat and my neighbor used a ton of her "money" to buy it.

The flower is still fluffy but isn't as thick as the "rosie" rosebud hat.

A little bit lost

For three years my family has participated in Family Home Evening on Monday nights with the singles ward. We have had spiritual lessons, gone skeet shooting, carved pumpkins, eaten corn dogs, ice skated, played lots of games and basically had a wonderful time. There have always been at least 20 people-often many more.

Last night my little family of six did Family Home Evening by ourselves. We went bowling. It was very different to be just our little group.

I am certain that we will have these lost feelings for a very long time.

More Sparky Hat Goodness!

More Sparky Hat Goodness!

I have been making more "Rosie Hats". I am mailing a few this week and I am making one for a Relief Society social auction tonight. I am really enjoying this quick fun little project. I want to go and buy some more yarn. Black for my sweet niece--needs to be done so she can wear it in the frozen north of Idaho.

I took a picture of MissA with hers. She wanted an off white flower, without the little leaves.It is a different rose flower.

It is not as puffy as the "rosie" flower.

If anyone is interested in purchasing a hat just email me. They are $30 with $3 shipping. If you are a Spark girl you get a discount. Email me with your details!

Release Day

Today was a day that almost three years ago I could not have imagined. My sweet husband was released as Bishop of his single adult ward. We have known today was the day for two weeks. I knew that he would be sad and emotional. I knew that it would be a difficult day for D. I had no idea how difficult it would be for myself or my children.

Early yesterday, D met with the new Bishop for four hours, trying to explain three years of experiences into that short time. It was an impossible task. We then attended a wedding, bought gifts and went to empty out his office at the church. I was not prepared. Taking down pictures that have greeted everyone who entered that office in the last three years. It was rough.

Today came with a feeling of sadness. As I entered the building I was fully aware that this was the end of an incredible experience, an experience that we never imagined. An experience that can not really be explained in words. We met with the group of people that served together. It was hard. We then met with the stake presidency, this was even harder. They said many kind things.

As we were preparing for Sacrament meeting I watched my sweet husband walk in his office, push his chair under the desk and lay his keys on the desk and walk out. He never looked back.

As the meeting began I walked in the chapel and saw unfamiliar families sitting in the chapel pews. I remember how I felt that day, three years ago. I was so worried about myself and how I would handle this challenge. Three years have flown by. This calling has been one of the choicest experiences of my life. It wasn't always easy or fun for me. I often felt left out and not a part of D's world. I often had to stay home and be the Mom. However, as I sat in that chapel I knew that I had been blessed by this experience in more ways than I could have ever imagined.

After the meeting was one of the most emotional experiences of my life. We talked, hugged, cried and said goodbye. How do you express to people in a hug what they have meant to you? I watched all of my children struggle with their emotions as I struggled with my own. I hugged people that I have loved. It wasn't hard to love them.

We walked out of that building that we so hesitantly entered three years ago. We left with changed hearts, having served and loved and having been loved in return.

Storminess

My Mom was a teacher for twenty years. I remember coming home in the late afternoon to find her sitting in the chair by the fireplace without any lights on. The only light the waning afternoon color. In Idaho, in the winter that happens early, around 4:00 pm. I would ask her why she was sitting in the dark and she would say something about the quiet. This usually was on a day that a storm was raging or on its way. In Idaho, this is a lot!

Mom always said that the kids at school were always really hyper, "bouncing off the walls" when there was a storm. I laughed at her, that's what teenagers do to their mothers. Then I got older. I started to work in classrooms doing my education. I started to ask other educators their opinions about the subject. Almost exclusively they would agree, children are wound up when a storm is coming or raging.

Fast forward another almost twenty years. I have been on another experiment. Life. Mine. I started to notice the storms. I started to notice how my own children acted when a storm was was on its way. I also started to notice how I felt. I do not bounce off the walls. I am not hyper. So I started to watch other adults. Noticing their behaviors and attitudes.

I have come to the conclusion that I am not entirely crazy! Storms make me tired. Storms make me emotional. Storms make me slow. Storms make me want to crawl into my bed and pretend that I am not the Momma and I don't have fifteen loads of laundry and dirty toilets. Storms make me cry in yoga. Storms are a struggle for me, especially since I live in Utah---winter capital.

So, today, to combat the storminess that I feel, I put a pretty piece of tulle in my hair and am going to lunch with a friend.

Hat update

For those of you that attended Spark(or anyone else) and were interested in my brown hat with the pink rose I have them for sale.I don't have an etsy shop(yet) so Just send me an email and I can give you details. I can make other colors as well.

Maybe I will name it the Rosie Hat!

Spark!

Spark! was this past weekend. It was magical. The venue could not have been more quaint or perfect. It was held at This is the Place Historical Village. Which depicts life in Salt Lake City in the late 1800's.

The littlest details were thought about. From the trees to the lamp posts to the bows on our lunch. Music wafting through the air as we walked to the different buildings. Every little detail just created a feeling of belonging.

(images by Wynonna Robinson)

My dearest friend in the entire world got to share this experience with me. It was so much fun. We are so good together because there is no pressure. She wasn't interested in all the same things I was. That was okay, we just did our thing and found each other again in a minute.

We attended make and takes with different artists and learned a few things that we had never done before. We attended workshops that that were all totally different. We had a fabric workshop, jewelery, a creative art journal workshop and a photography workshop. They were all so different that it just made me want to learn and learn.

Jefra Starr taught the photography class. Which was actually a very conceptual class. The main thing that I learned from her class was to lighten up! Sometimes the best pictures are NOT the best pictures. They don't have to be out of a $4000 dollar camera. I have always believed this. The camera doesn't make the photographer. Trying to see the real picture, getting the feeling that you want to portray.

Jeffra took these pictures of Tina and I and I just love them.

As I have been trying to absorb what I got out of this experience I would have to say that I was motivated. I was reminded of my light. I was reminded that I am a creative person. I love people. I love to touch pretty buttons, fabric and learn new things. I love to make new friends. I love to connect with people. I love to learn about people and their story. Everyone has a story.

Spark helped me remember who I am.

(photo by Wynonna Robinson)

Now I want to help other people remember who they are. I want to help other people find their light. I want to help other people relight their spark. We all have one.

We just have to remember.



(edited: if any of you want to purchase the "Rosie Hat" they are now for sale. Just check out the rest of my blog for details or email me for details. Teen /adult hats $28 plus $3 shipping--childrens $18 babies $14)


edited Jan. 2010--I wrote about feelings before Spark! read the post here-

Here are my feelings about how my Spark was lit after Spark---read here--I am imperfectly perfect!

Finishing our inspiration necklace--look here.

Fun Stuff

Remember the short list of things that I want to learn? Well, here is a look at what I have been learning!

Here is what I must now do so that I have a happy family that doesn't smell bad!

Halloween 2009

Happy Halloween!

The Little Man and Misse had a ton of fun trick or treating this year.

E was a funny little clown and J was a star wars storm trooper. J wasn't too excited about the mask "it makes my head sweaty!"

Their Uncle D hooked up a small trailer, hay bales, blankets and they were good to go!

We are lucky to live in a little tiny old township that we still know our neighbors so we can actually do the door to door trick or treating.

Working on the list!

I am busy working on that list of things I want to learn!!!! Hopefully, I will take pictures tomorrow!!!