Clean. Christmas. Crazy....

This weekend was crazy, but crazy in a good way...

A funeral in Campbell River

25 for dinner at our house

Ward Party

Church

Concert in Port Alberni

and a Baptism back here.

The only thing that was stressful was trying to get the house ready for hosting dinner and apparently I was a wee bit cranky....although the degree to which I might have been. depends on what rug rat you ask....

None of those joining us for dinner would have cared if the house was perfect, but I cared and thought it was a great opportunity to get the house really clean.....

I wrote this on the white board...to show the rug rats I meant business...some unnamed rug rat wrote "like that will work" :) how could they be so sarcastic? :)...... The house was perfect thanks to them and dinner was awesome. and yes I did apologize for being cranky.

On an entirely separate note:

I collect Nativity sets.

I love my Nativity sets.

The rug rats aren`t supposed to touch my Nativity sets.....

I swear they love playing with my mind!!!

Let's Face It

Good thing he landed on his face, otherwise he might have really hurt himself.....

Not sure, something about the monkey bars, gravity and gravel and the Kramer crash gene :)

I'm just glad it didn't require the dentist....

O. Sew. D.

Holly got here first legit paycheck ever on Monday. I love my employed children, is that so wrong. When she got home from school she said "Mom you wanna go to Fabricland?" "Sure" Apparently they have fabric there...I had never been there on purpose before, its like Disneyland for sewing nerds. I felt overwhelmed and out of my league the minute we walked in the door....Holly walked around like she owned the joint. She wanted to get flannel to make a baby blanket for a friend of mine in the Ward, that had a little girl last week. After an hour (too many choices) she picked.....

So what does my teenage daughter spend her first hard earned money on....Fabric and a Fabricland membership. Awww my little suzy-homemaker...at least nobody can ever blame that on me :) It must be those crazy YW leaders she's had ;) You did a fantastic job Holly.

Here's what I'm working on....

Stockings....this is when five kids seems like alot :) Hey they're even lined, I know even I'm amazed, and I didn't even sew my finger. Now I just have to make three more...sigh

Check -out Reality Check

Ever have a mini reality check, you know something that makes stop and reflect on your own circumstances....

Holly and I had run to get a few groceries last night. We walked the aisles and quickly grabbed what we needed and headed to the till. As we finished  unloading our items onto the belt, I noticed another mom unloading her groceries behind me.

This mom looked vaguely familiar, I'm sure our kids have attended activities in the community together....I noticed that she was trying to add up her groceries as she placed them on the belt, placing the most essential items first and telling her kids that some things were maybes...

As I gave her a friendly smile, she said "My power's been out since Thursday...they gave me $50 bucks to get just the essentials" "Oh, That's tough " I say.... It was then that I noticed she had a emergency  government voucher in her hand.... "I hope things get better for you quickly" was all I could think to say.....{I wish I had done more}

As I got in the car, I had an instant reality check....
We are blessed and blessings have nothing to do with our bank balance....

{Money has been increasingly tight for us...Now I don't mean digging in the couch cushions or selling one of the rug rats, broke, I just mean we have  had to realign our priorities, cut out my daily spa treatments and fire my personal yoga instructor :).(Now you now why I've let myself go)}

I realized many things in the minutes that followed driving home.....

I am blessed to live in a country that can provide emergency help if I was in dire need

I am blessed to belong to a church that can provide for temporal needs if necessary

But more, I realized....
We are able to provide for the needs for our family....Sometimes re-evaluating our the definition of NEED is necessary.

I am grateful for the principle of tithing....math wise it doesn't always make since, but when we pay our tithing our needs are always met. It honestly never ceases to amaze me. When people ask "how we survive?" I always say, " tithing"

In a relief society lesson a while ago I heard the phrase "Enough is as good as a feast" which continues to stick with me.

When you think you have it rough...somebody is suffering more. The best thing to do when we feel down-trodden is serve others.

The worth of a soul is never quantified by a bank balance or processions, I hope the struggling mom behind me, somehow knows that.

I am grateful for that mini reality check in the grocery store.....especially as we head into Christmas.

Jazz. Hot Chocolate. Friends = AWESOME

Friday night I was sitting with a bunch of friends, in a coffee shop, sipping a fancy hot chocolate and listening to a dear friend sing jazz and Christmas standards with her amazing jazz quartet......yes, I live a blessed and charmed life. Friends. Hot Chocolate. Music. All soothing to my soul.....

We were indoctrinated with Jazz and all things music growing up....every single happy memory I have as a child involved music. Watching my dad direct the marching band at football half time, listening to my mom play hymns as she woke us up on a Sunday morning, listening to my dad captivate an audience of students and peers as he taught the intricate rhythms of jazz percussion, mom taking us to Les Mis for the first time in LA.....I learned early the power of music. The spirit of peace music brings. I learned early to seek good music to calm and sooth and provide clarity.

When Mom could no longer share her gift of Music, I mourned as hands that once glided, could no longer find middle C. And now as my dad who could once read a symphony score in his sleep, struggles to remember my name, what day it is, or his grandchildren I mourn once again....

But their love and legacy of music remain.....

So as I sat among dear friends, sipping hot chocolate, listening to music my parents taught me to love, I felt gratitude, gratitude for dear friends who are family and also happen to be insanely musically inclined and peace, peace that is still possible when you live my crazy life :)

Thanks Swing Set for soothing the soul :)

2010....

Snowballs Chance

So I came across this idea on line for a "snowball fight in a bucket". Every site was sold-out, so I thought I could make that. White felt, large cup to make a circle, black and orange scraps, batting and rice.....

Perfect homemade gift for Dallyn (sorry girls, as I am sure this will be rather annoying :)

So I wasted most of the evening making these (dinner, what dinner). But I think they turned out great for my second sewing project. Happy aiming Dallyn :)

Sewing Insanity

This was delievered to my door about a week ago...Apparently its a sewing machine. My first in my 19 years of marriage. I swore I would never own one, cause that would require me to sew. Something I said I would never do....But I did mention to the Superman several weeks ago that I could make this really cool thing on Pinterest if had a sewing machine....I guess he took that as a dare and surprised me with this as a late birthday, early Christmas present.....

Nothing to fancy, but I was scared to touch it. My past experiences with sewing machines have not ever been positive, my mother usually taking over after I jammed her fancy machine for the tenth time in an hour (no I would never do such a thing on purpose, would I?). So for several days I stared at my machine like a monkey doing a math problem....Then Holly decided to help me....

"You know mom, you could read the instructions" ..."But that's what I had you for"....She had the thing threaded, and running in ten minutes. And in an hour had made a make-up bag, lined and with a ZIPPER.....she actually paid attention in Home Ec....

It will take me months to work up to a zipper.

Today was my first attempt with the machine....

Felt Piggy Banks....

Don't look to close...but it will do for a first attempt

Hey Holly,  maybe I could sew your Grad Dress....what????