Merry Everything...

...from our family to yours!

Such a Wonderful weekend...

On Friday, the boys and I went to Lincoln to spend the weekend with my brother and his family to celebrate Ben's graduation from college. I am so proud of him and all his accomplishments and cannot wait to see what is to come! I also got to have the honor of joining Lisa in going to see the Nutcracker. It truly was so beautiful...the classic dance, the lush sets and costumes and of course so romantic. Such a wonderful weekend.

Not Just a Strap...

I had to stop and just make something today for me...I have seen these and wanted to get one made. But this last month I have been working on Christmas Projects for those I love (that is why nothing has been posted, you cannot see until you open).

So this morning I decided to make a cover that goes over my DSLR camera strap. Just a little fun fabric for the girly side of me, the colors just make me smile!

Hold Tightly...

Sew darn cute...

I really wish I would have taken a picture of the old sweater I cut up to make this scarflette and hat. I have seen so many different blogs on upcycling your old clothes, I finally just took an old sweater from my closet that I don't think I have worn more then once, over two years ago (I bought it from Pamida, which could be the reason:) and I began to cut it up! This is what I was able to sew up. It turned out SEW DARN CUTE!! I am loving it sew much I think I will have to make me one.

Say Cheese...

I like to joke with Joe that he should not use "my bathroom" I choose to not use the one downstairs so somehow I think that the upstairs bathroom should just be mine. (I do have to share this house with 3 boys shouldn't I have my own private bathroom?? So this is no more than a big joke that we go round and round.
But when Riley got a new book and in it was some funny posters like this one we decided they where ment to put up for daddy's humor. Ry and I posted this one up last night (Ry could not take the fact that Joe had not seen it before going to bed, so Ry asked him if he needed to use the bathroom before he brushed his teeth) Joe bit hook, line, and sinker...everyone of us got a great laugh. So if you use my bathroom please remember to Say Cheese :)

Full "STEAM" Ahead...

When you are part of this house TRAINS are a big part of your life. The daycare boys are wild about trains just as much as my boys were. Joe called last night to say that the steam train would be going through around school time. So we thought that we would be late for school and see if we could catch it. Well it was running behind and so I finally took the kids to school and then the three little boys and I went back to see if we would be able to see it come down the track full steam ahead.

We had to wait a little while but it was worth every scream of excitment when it finally came through. The whisle began to blow and the boys began to scream, with eyes as big as half dollars, yelling choo choo choo. After the train was past Drew said "mommy more choo please" the fact that the train was going 80 miles an hour we did not chase it :) We will have to try to catch it when it comes back through.

Finished...

We have been in need of a new kitchen table for some time now. The finish on our table has been worn off and was looking so bad. I have been looking for a different one for almost a year now with the little space we have for a dinning area I have had so few tables I have found that would work for us. Nothing I have found I had fallen in love with so after having the black paint leftover from the boys room project Joe and I decidied to just try refinishing the table we have. It has been quite the project and we have had fun seeing the change. It looks like a brand new table and I am very happy with it. The only thing is we were going to paint the chairs and bench black also and now we may be rethinking it.

Soccer is over for us this season. So I made these fun Thank You's for the two coaches, with Dots, Hershey Bar and 4 movie tickets for our local movie rental store.

Give Thanks at all Times...

Ok...so I realize that Halloween is not a holiday that most think anything about giving Thank You's, but if you know me, you know that is so a holiday I love!! When I came across these cute free Halloween Printables at Cap Creations I had to do something with them. So I made mini jar candles for the boys to take to their teachers. I love how they turned out!

for the Love of cupcakes...

cute Free Halloween Printable at http://www.capcreations.blogspot.com/

I had to get these cute boxes at Hobby Lobby when I saw they held three cupcakes. I love cupcakes...Hint that would be a reason I am in a weight loss challenge :) I was going to make them for a little Halloween Thank You for the boys teachers but I came up with something super cute for that project and thought well I have a few friends that would enjoy a cupcake surprise.

Dragons & Pumpkin Pizza...

Last night we took the boys downtown to Spook Night. They have been so excitied to be

able to wear their costums. They are dragons off the new movie "How To Train Your Dragon"

Today the kids and I made Pumpkin Pizza's for lunch. They turned out so cute, I think the boys and I will need to make them tonight for supper.

A Sweet Day with Family...

Sunday was Haedyn's dedication. It was a wonderful service and was truly a blessing to be able to attend her special day. I enjoyed being able to see family and spend time with them all. It was great being able to see my grandpa and give him a big hug. It is a blessing to have such a large family and to be able to get together.

Tylor, Lindsey and baby Haedyn during the dedication

My Eternal Family

Fun Filled Fall Day...

We started off last night to North Platte to go on the Scout Haunted Hike...and it began to poor rain and lighting. When we finally found the camp where the Hike was neither Julie or I felt that it would be any fun or safe. So we had to tell the kids that it just was not going to happen, they were sad of course but a treat would heal all!

So today we just decided to head out to Kearney to see what we could do fun with the kids to make up for the tough night before...we first stopped at the Apple Orchard, it was so wonderful. Each kid got to get a bag and go pick apples from the trees, there were so many types of apples, so big and beautiful. They filled their bags as full as they possibly could.

Gwen, Trevor, Julie, Tara, Riley and Chandler

Chandler and Tara

Riley and Chandler picking apples

14 lbs. of apples

We then went to the Children's Museum after a little stop at Hobby Lobby.

Riley Man

Chandler on the Rock Wall

Chandler and Trevor play in the grocery store

After the Children's Museum we went out for Pizza and then headed home.

We stopped outside of Elm Creek at the Cinderella's Pumpkin Patch. It was a small

patch but it made the kids so happy. Julie and I made mother's of the year~four very happy kids!

It has been a long time since we have taken the kids somewhere together, it was

much needed friend time for all of us!! We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends

in our lifes...we are truly blessed.

Trevor, Ry, Chandler and Tara out in the pumpkin patch

Trevor, Riley and Chandler (with his baby pumpkin)

Thank you for a FUN FILLED FALL DAY!!

Mummy's Treats...

Today this mommy made treats for the boy's Halloween Parties. I made 43 of these cute mummy candy bars. Also today I made Pumpkin Bars for Chandlers class for the letter P. I was a busy little mummy today!!

Flaming Gorge Utah

this was the view just a little hike from the cabin

my sweet boys

on our hike on the foot trail to the bottom of the gorge

on our hike along the river

this is the cabins we stayed in We went on vacation to Flaming Gorge Utah...it was so pretty with the golden aspens and beautiful landscape. We went camping for a few days and then on into Salt Lake City to visit temple square. I can say it was one of the best vacations I have ever been on. So beautiful and so relaxing it really made me stop and enjoy the amazing beauty that the Lord has given us. It was a much needed trip to not have any worries of what needed to be done but

to just enjoy everything around me.

A Spook-tacular Day...

Crafting my day away...

Today I made three more American Doll Quilts with PURE by Sweetwater...it is just so soft and

cute! Ava has a little bitty baby Boy named John John and he needed a quilt like the others.

So we could not leave him out. Ava helped me yesturday get the fabic cut and she layed them

all out how she wanted them. (I love how she is growing for a love of fabic)

So I have been wanting to make some of this rosette pins you see everywhere but never have done anything but think about getting them made. Today I decided I would just try one to see with just some scraps of binding I had left over from my "Happy Jack" wall hanging. I think it turned out pretty cute. I have some practice to do and of course need to go get some silk fabric to work with. I am really happy with this one and you will probley even see me wear it! I have loved the vintage look for the last few seasons and I think these pins have just the right touch.

Roughing It...

This week Chandler has wanted to pitch the tent and camp...I used this as a great tool to help Chandler with his mood when he came home from school.

(he has been SO grumpy the last few weeks) He worked hard all week on his attitude.

So the boys are roughing it tonight and camping in the Living Room :)

Chandler and Riley enjoying a little Phineas and Ferb

while camping this evening

Enjoying Life...

Over the weekend daddy went on a camping trip with a few of his high school friends, they use to get together and go on a trip at least once a year but of course as we each have began our lives and families, time is harder to find. We were so happy they where able to get together this year for their trip and it gave the boys and I some time together with so little on our "to do list". Sat we went out for lunch with friends and then both boys got to go play a few hours in the evening with friends as I went and helped Becky out at Bella.

Sunday was Riley's last football game and what a fun game to watch. I have been so proud of him and the great new things he has learned and goals he set.

I started a camera class through the collage, it is for SLR cameras and I am really excitied to learn more about my camera. I have always loved taking photos and had a great love for photography but I am telling you the digital world is so big and I just feel lost sometimes...but want and want to know more. This is a picture I had to take in my class as we were learning more about White Balance.
I am sure you will see more of my learnings as the month goes on...

Monday Chandler's class began learning the letter "A" so for snack he took

APPLE DIPPERS from McDonalds

Can you guess what I have been doing in my spare time???????

You guessed it...I am HOOKED I am loving machine quilting!

This is my "Happy Jack" wall hanging I made to go over the TV in my

living room. He makes me smile and if I say so myself is SO CUTE :)