Musings of a Mother

New Haircut

2012-02-11T11:42:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had about 6 inches cut off my hair. I was ready for a change. It feels good.

McKenna the Horse Rider

2012-02-10T17:14:00.000-05:00

For the last few months McKenna has taken hoseback riding lessons from David's sister, Rebecca. She LOVES it. And she apparantly has some natural talent for it. (Who knew riding horses was a talent!) This is a whole new world for me, and I think it is pretty cool.

Here is McKenna "tacking up." She does it all by herself.

This is my sister-in-law's barn and riding ring. McKenna rides a sweet, calm pony named Cookie. Seeing the other horses training in the ring is a big of a rush. They are such beautiful, powerful animals.

Here is McKenna trotting. Well, I guess technically the horse is doing the trotting, but you know what I mean.

McKenna and Cookie.

Today

2012-02-09T12:28:00.000-05:00

This morning while I was running with Knightley he got spooked by one of our neighbor's dogs and totally tripped me. I fell hard on my elbow and got all scraped up. The dog was inside their electric fence, but it was lunging and barking and looked like it would try to eat us if it had the chance. The whole experience made me cry. I have SO much to do. But all I want to do is crawl in bed.

2012-02-02T11:02:00.000-05:00

For the last month or so I have been obsessed with looking at (little) dogs available on Petfinder.com. I have never really been a dog person, but every since we got Mr. Knightley my interest in dogs has grown. I realized that dogs have an incredible capacity to love and that their companionship is very comforting. I have grown to really love Mr. Knightley. But he is a big dog. He can't sit on your lap or cuddle in your arms. (Although sometimes he does try.) And I kind of want something to hold and cuddle. I still have Chloe, but she is three and getting bigger every day. And another baby is not an option right now. So, even though dogs require a huge amount of time and commitment, I have found myself tempted to get another little dog. Am I crazy???

Sometimes I think I am crazy, but then look at these faces....

What should I do?!!

My "new" couch

2012-01-26T15:22:00.000-05:00

When we bought our leather couch 8 years ago we thought it would be a piece of furniture that would last for years and years. We paid a lot for it. But I guess I didn't read the fine print in regards to caring for leather furniture because the leather did NOT hold up. I have tried (expensive!) leather cleaners and conditioners with no luck in restoring the original look. Then recently while clicking around Pinterest I discovered a possible solution....shoe polish. I figured I couldn't make the couch much worse, so I gave it a try.

This is what my couch looked like a few weeks ago... (I am almost too embarrassed to show you.)

And this is what it looks like today...

So much better!!

I tried to buff it really well to make sure none of the shoe polish comes off on our clothes, but for a $3.24 "new" couch I am willing to take the risk.

MIA

2011-12-13T22:57:00.001-05:00

I am not sure how many people read this little blog anymore, but for those of you who thought I dropped off the face of the earth I guess an explanation may be in order. Mostly I was just overwhelmed and something had to give. Young Women's is proving to be harder than I imagined and I haven't had the energy to focus on more than getting the essentials done. But I hope to keep this blog going if people are still reading. (Of course I am living without a computer at the moment, so any blogging will be done via my phone.)

Holiday Baking

2011-12-13T12:01:00.001-05:00

Ready for some holiday baking: caramel, rocky road, candied candy canes, pretzel turtles, and four kinds of cookies! I am going to be busy for a while.

Cheesy grin

2011-10-24T13:51:00.004-04:00

All my kids have give through the awkward smile stage. Chloe is in it now. And as frustrating as it can be to try and take a natural looking picture of her, there is something endearing about the funny forced smile.

Another "stash" dress

2011-09-23T17:34:00.000-04:00

I had some yarn left over from my slouchy hat, so I made a quick hat for Chloe. And then I thought that she needed something to wear with it. So I made her a dress (Simplicity 5695 of course). Originally I had planned on doing the sleeves out of the red fabric, but I didn't have enough. So I did a little search in my stash and came up with the polka dot. Sometimes stash sewing forces you to be a little more creative. I need that because even though I like to create things, I'm not naturally "creative."

Red Slouchy Hat

2011-09-22T16:16:00.000-04:00

Instead of grocery shopping yesterday morning I made this hat. It was a gray day and snuggling up with a ball of yarn was much more appealing than hauling groceries. I used THIS pattern. I followed the instructions exactly and my hat is a little less "slouchy" than the picture with the pattern, but I'm okay with that. It's slouchy enough.

Baby Dress

2011-09-16T07:56:00.001-04:00

I made this dress for a baby shower I went to last night. It's Simplicity 5695 (my go-to pattern for little girl dresses). I didn't have time to go to the fabric store, so I tried to mix and match what I had on hand. The brown is left-over backing from the quilt my sisters and I made for my Mom, the red is from Lydia's star quilt, and I used the print in a few quilts I've made. It's not your traditional sweet pink baby dress, but it was fun to try something different.

New shoes

2011-08-28T17:51:00.001-04:00

There is something about new shoes, a new haircut, and bright lipstick that make me feel good. (I think I need new shoes more often.)

McKenna's Birthday Party

2011-08-28T17:25:00.002-04:00

I am horrible at birthday parties. For some reason they completely stress me out. So I tried to plan something that would be easy and low-key. It didn't turn out to be easy, but according to McKenna it was the "best birthday party ever." Success!!

I'll let the pictures tell the story...

Audra's Fancy Hair

2011-08-27T23:26:00.001-04:00

Last Thursday I took Chloe over to Audra's house to play with Josh. While the kids were playing, we had some fun of our own. Lately I've been on a YouTube hair tutorial kick, and since Audra has gorgeous hair I asked if I could practice one of the styles I learned. It was fun!

My teenager

2011-08-19T09:39:00.000-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MCKENNA!!!!

I cannot believe that my baby girl is thirteen already. It almost makes me want to cry. But the consolation is that I know she is going to be a really awesome teenager. It is so fun to watch her grow into herself. She still has many of the same qualities she did as a tiny girl, but all her attributes are magnified. Her beauty, kindness, sense of humor, and desire to do right have matured and I am so, so proud of her. The chance to have her as a daughter is one of the best gifts Heavenly Father has given me.

I love you, McKenna!

xoxoxo

Lucky

2011-08-16T11:29:00.000-04:00

I feel so lucky to get to hang out with this kid all day.

The Book of Mormon testifies of Christ

2011-08-14T10:30:00.000-04:00

Our Relief Society recently gave us the challenge of reading the Book of Mormon by January 1. We were each given a new, unmarked copy of the Book of Mormon, a pack of colored pencils, and a bookmark with questions to search for as we read. As we discovered the answers to the questions, we marked our Book of Mormon with the colored pencils.

Red=Who am I?
Orange=What are my responsibilities?
Yellow=How do I fulfill my responsibilities?
Green=Atonement: What does it mean to me?
Blue=Joy: How do I find it?
Purple=Charity: What is it? How should I serve others?

I am three-quarters of the way through now and my green colored pencil has been used like crazy. It is way shorter than the others, which is a testimony to me that the Book of Mormon truly does testify of Christ and his atonement. I have read the Book of Mormon lots and lots of times, but I have particularly enjoyed reading it through this time. It's been a wonderful experience searching for answers to the questions and marking the verses that contain the answers. I've been able to stay focused on what I have been reading and have gained some new and wonderful insights. My study of the Book of Mormon makes my life better and I am so grateful for it.

To learn more about the Book of Mormon go HERE.

Back to School

2011-08-11T09:40:00.002-04:00

All day yesterday I was so excited for my kids to go back to school. But now that they are actually gone, I am missing them!! (Luckily I still have Chloe to keep me company.)

This summer went by way too fast.

One of the best things about walking my younger girls to the bus in the morning is I get to see the sunrise. The sky in the mornings is worth waking up for.

Lesson Handouts

2011-08-01T13:22:00.000-04:00

I get to teach the laurels (16-17 year old girls) at church once or twice a month. I love giving out handouts, but I hate wasting my time on something that will end up shoved in a corner of their room somewhere. So, I had the idea to give them all soft-cover photo albums (the ones from Wal-Mart that cost $1 a piece) and then make all my handouts 4x6 pictures. It's fun for me to make the handouts, and hopefully it will be nice for them to end up with a collection of quotes and scriptures in a handly little photo album.

Here are three of the handouts I've made so far.

Summer Meili

2011-08-01T13:10:00.001-04:00

Summer looked so pretty before church yesterday that I had to snap a few pictures of her. She put her outfit together all by herself. (Of course-- my kids don't let me pick out their clothes.)

She looked (and felt) pretty snazzy.

Shopping with my Sister

2011-07-31T22:51:00.001-04:00

On Saturday David made the supremely generous offer of watching our kids so Audra and I could go out and do something fun. We decided to go do a little shopping. I'm usually NOT a shopper. It stresses me out. But I loved shopping with my sister! We had so much fun trying things on and picking things out. I think I need to go shopping with her more often. (Or maybe not, since we both spent a little more than we maybe should have.) :) When we got home we had to do a little fashion show. Audra was rocking her new shoes and hat, and I tried to keep up with her in my new shirt and shoes. It was fun to spend that time together!

(Abbi, next time you have to join us!)

Knoxville

2011-07-31T22:26:00.000-04:00

Last Wednesday and Thursday I took the girls up to Knoxville to visit Adam and Jessie and to see their new baby, Alec. My Mom and Dad were also there visiting, so it was fun to see them, too.

Five girls around a new baby can be a little overwhelming, so I tried to keep them away from the apartment as much as possible. We went swimming at Adam and Jessie's apartment complex pool. And even though we go swimming almost every day, it never quite gets old.

My parents treated us to a delicious dinner at the Creamery Park Grille. I had shrimp and grits for the first time and loved it. And the desserts were divine.

We swam some more in the hotel pool. (At night and then again first thing in the morning!)

The big adventure was taking the girls to get their toenails done by "trained professionals" (as Emily would say).

We also spent some time at the Fountain City Park. The stream was so refreshing on a hot day.

It was also good bonding time with my girls. They go back to school in a week and a half, so our time to just hang out together will soon be limited. Sometimes I get frustrated with them, but when it comes down to it I am very, very blessed with some ultra-awesome daughters.

Clothes hanging on the line

2011-07-26T10:12:00.000-04:00

I have always loved the look of clothes hanging on the line. But I've recently discovered that it is far less charming when it's your own clothes out there because of a broken dryer.

(Thankfully I have a repairman scheduled to come this afternoon.)

Camping on Lake Lanier

2011-07-26T10:08:00.000-04:00

We went camping last week with Mike, Audra, and their boys. It was the perfect summer adventure.

Our campsite was right on the lake, which we needed in the Georgia heat!

The kids spent pretty much the entire time in the water.

Our mud-warriors.

Our kids are happy any time they get to be together with their cousins.

Camping would not be complete without s'mores. Mike and Audra brough "mega-mallows"-- the biggest marshmallows I have ever seen. The kids definitely got their fill of sugar-- and then were hyper until midnight.

Lydia and Avery enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

Even though we had to battle yellow-jackets the entire time, and three of the kids got stung, everyone gave the overall experience a big thumbs-up.

Oregon Trip Highlights

2011-07-19T22:32:00.000-04:00

We had a fantastic time in Oregon and loved every minute we were there. Here are a few of the highlights from our trip.

SATURDAY MARKET:

If anyone ever travels to Eugene during the summer-time, they have to make a stop at the Saturday Market. It is a cultural experience. We came away with tie-dye, a feather hair extension, and a really unique "morocco necklace" that Emily fell in love with.

THE GLENWOOD RESTAURANT:

This was always one of my favorite restaurants when we lived there. It has lots of vegetarian choices, which makes me happy. And my kids liked their waffles.

TCBY:

I worked here the summer after I graduated. It was fun to share all my old memories with my kids. We also drove by my elementary, middle, and high schools. Going back there was a little surreal because in a way I still feel like the teenage girl I was back then. But then I see the five kids I have in tow and I realize a lot has changed.

MY PARENT'S HOUSE:

We had such a good time just being with my Mom and Dad. Chloe was forever asking me, "Can Grandpa read me a story?" He was always happy to oblige.

We also loved being in their gorgeous yard. My girls spent hours out there exploring, imagining, and playing. (And waiting for the wild turkeys to come every evening!)

David wasn't with us during the first part of the trip, so we were happy to be reunited as a family when he came.

WILDLIFE SAFARI:

We saw all the cool animals: lions, bears, giraffes, cheetahs, zebras, hippos, and MORE.

THE ROSE GARDEN AND SKINNER'S BUTTE PARK:
The rose garden was one of our favorite places. I wish I would have taken a picture of the entire expanse because it was breath-taking. The girls had so much fun looking at the different colors and experiencing the different scents.

My Mom put so much work into showing us a good time. I felt completely pampered.

THE COAST:
On the 4th of July we took a day trip over to the coast. We explored the tide pools at Yachats, hiked to a HUGE old tree, and then went to Florence for lunch and ice cream.

It was hard to say good-bye to my Mom and Dad, and to Eugene. Who knows when I'll get back there again. For now I'll just hang on to all the good memories.

Civil War Quilt

2011-07-19T12:52:00.000-04:00

2011 marks the sesquicentennial of the Civil War. In commemoration of this anniversary, Barbara Brackman has started a blog where each week she presents a different quilt block along with stories and information about the Civil War. I discovered it while we were in Oregon and was totally inspired by it. So far I've completed 12 of the 29 blocks she has already presented. (I have a lot of catch-up to do!) I am stretching my abilities because to this point I've stuck with very simple, very easy quilt patterns. Some of these blocks are way more complicated than anything I have done before. I've already made lots of mistakes, but from a distance they don't look too bad. And I'm looking at this whole endeavor as a learning experience. With each block I make I learn something new about the Civil War and am hopefully improving in my abilities to piece quilt blocks.

YW binder cover

2011-07-07T18:14:00.000-04:00

Right before I left for Oregon I was released as the primary president in our ward and called to be young womens president. (What?!!) I am excited and scared and overwhelmed. And for some reason, before I could do anything I had to have a binder cover. I wanted something that would be a visual reminder of our purpose and focus. So this morning instead of unpacking or doing laundry or cleaning my house, I designed this. Now I feel like I can move forward.

Rachel's baby quilt

2011-06-26T12:30:00.001-04:00

This quilt is for one of my dear friends, Rachel. She has been my counselor in the primary for the last two years and is one of the best people I know. She is an emergency room nurse at the children's hospital, an exceptional mother, super talented, and a hundred percent dependable. I would have fallen apart a long time ago except for her help and support in primary.

She is having her third baby on Thursday, so of course I had to make her a quilt. :) I used THIS tutorial and had so much fun putting it together.

I have done strait-line quilting before, but never when I have to turn the quilt. So quilting this quilt was a new experience for me. Luckily the quilt is quite small. It didn't end up being too tricky. And I gained a little confidence in my machine quilting ability.

Jessie's baby quilt

2011-06-26T08:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was my sister-in-law's baby shower in Knoxville. I really wanted to be there, but since we're leaving early tomorrow morning for Oregon I wasn't able to make the trip. I was able to send her gift though. And I am crossing my fingers she likes it.

When they were here for Emily's bapsism, my Mom & Jessie picked out fabric for the heirloom quilt my Mom makes for all her grandchildren. I offered to make a drag-around quilt with the left-overs. But instead of sticking with the fabrics Jessie picked out, I added in some from my stash as well. Now it has a little bit of both our styles represented. It's a "Jessi quilt" and a "Jessie quilt." :)

Rainbow Toes

2011-06-21T17:51:00.001-04:00

Whenever we paint their nails, my girls want to use two or three colors of nail polish-- ie., pink & purple on their hands with red sparkles on their feet. I think it looks tacky so I usually try to convince them to do the same (one) color on their hands and feet. But when Lydia came up with the idea to do rainbow toes I agreed to try it. Probably not something I would do on my own nails, but she totally rocks the look.

Summer's first sewing project

2011-06-21T17:08:00.000-04:00

I showed Summer THIS tutorial online and mentioned that maybe she could make herself a bow. (She has just started learning to sew on the sewing machine.) She had to be a little patient (or as patient as a 6 year old gets) while I finished some time-sensitive projects of my own, but I could tell from her persistence that she really wanted to learn. Today we finally made it happen. And look how cute her finished project is!! I love it when my kids feel good about themselves.

Summer's watercolor handprint

2011-06-21T10:33:00.000-04:00

One of the coolest thing about being a parent is seeing your children develop into unique individuals. It's fun to see their natural talents emerge. At church on Sunday, Summer's class made handprints to give to their dads for Father's Day. Just a plain handprint wasn't quite good enough for Summer. So she got out the watercolors and spruced it up. And I think the end result is so cool! Maybe I'm biased, but I think she has an amazing eye for color and design. She never just colors a picture in the traditional way-- her pictures are always a little abstract and bursting with color. I'm curious to see how this talent will translate in the future. I know that as parents we are supposed to shape and guide our children, but sometimes I think it's good to just step back and watch what they can do.

Marla's quilt

2011-06-20T15:25:00.001-04:00

My sister-in-law, Marla, is having her first baby in about three weeks. She has her nursery all decorated and ready. A while back she asked if maybe she could pay my Mom to make her a quilt because she wasn't finding anything she liked in the stores. My Mom is an amazing quilter. But I can make quilts, too. :) So I offered to make her a quilt as a baby gift. She picked out some of the fabrics and I added some I had in my stash. It was so fun to put together!! I forgot to take a picture of it before I gave it to her, so this is a pic Marla took for me with her cell phone. (I like to have a record of all the things I make.)

Summer so far...

2011-06-20T15:13:00.000-04:00

Besides our trip to North Carolina, we have had a pretty quiet summer. Here is a quick summary of the highlights so far...

Emily and Summer were able to go to a week-long dance camp. They loved it!

David and I went with Brian and Marla and their kids to see Josh Groban in concert. We lucked out on seats!! Below is a picture I took with my measly little camera. I didn't even really have to zoom!! (I kept trying to get a picture of his face, but since I was trying to be discreet and take a picture without my flash, none of them turned out. But trust me, this is him.) :)

He is every bit as good in person as he is on his recordings. So, so talented. Did you know he also plays the drums? He does. Really well.

We have been going to the pool pretty much every day. I don't think we would survive in Georgia without a pool.

On Saturday my sister-in-law, Marla, went through the temple for the first time and we were able to go with her. (David's sister, Leslie, and his parents also went.) It was a beautiful experience. I'm so thankful our temple is available again after being reconstructed.

The next big thing will be our trip to visit my parents in Oregon next week. I can't wait!!

Looking on the bright side

2011-06-17T10:59:00.000-04:00

The other day I was bemoaning the fact that all summer I am constantly washing towels. But then I realized that at least there are no socks in the laundry pile. That fact is worth smiling about.

North Carolina Trip-- Deep Creek Hike

2011-06-10T13:09:00.000-04:00

If anyone in the area is looking for a fun family hike, I would highly recommend the Deep Creek Campground right outside Bryson City. It has three beautiful waterfalls that are easy to hike to, water to splash and play in, and lots to explore. It's definitely kid-friendly.

Just look at this hanging-vine-turned-Tarzan-swing.

Usually when we go on hikes we take Chloe in a hiking backpack. But she was able to walk most of the trails by herself.

This is the first waterfall we hiked to.

And this is the second waterfall.

We could have stayed here for hours letting the kids splash in the creek and hunt for critters.

My battery went dead, so I didn't get any pictures of the third waterfall. But it was beautiful as well. The kids splashed in the water at the base of the falls there, also. And there is the most magical little area that you can walk into and feel like you're surrounded by enchanted creatures. :)

Deep Creek Campground is a place I would definitely not mind returning to!

North Carolina Trip-- Great Smokey Mountain Railroad

2011-06-09T17:26:00.000-04:00

The ride on the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad takes you through picturesque country-side, alongside the Nantahala River, and over Lake Fontana. The turn-around point is on the Nantahala, where we cooled off by soaking our feet in the river.

North Carolina Trip-- Indian Village

2011-06-09T11:47:00.000-04:00

Our cabin was not too far from Cherokee, where we toured the Oconaluftee Indian Village. I really enjoyed learning about the Cherokee culture, crafts, and way of life. It amazes me how resourceful the Native American cultures were.

It did make me appreciate our living conditions though. This house below is smaller than my bedroom-- and I don't have a terribly big bedroom. Their true living quarters were outdoors-- and the surroundings (as I've mentioned before) are beautiful.

The kids seemed to enjoy the village as well. Of course any time with cousins on vacation is a good time.

We got one of the guides to take this picture of our entire "clan" in one of the clan huts. I'm happy to be part of the Pyne Family clan. :)

The highlight of the experience was a pottery class my Mom arranged for the kids. They let the adults participate, too. It was fun to see everyone take a clump of clay and turn it into a beautiful, unique pot.

North Carolina Trip--Fontana Lake

2011-06-09T08:40:00.000-04:00

We rented a pontoon boat and went out on Fontana Lake one of the days we were in NC. It was a gorgeous day in a gorgeous setting. I LOVE boating, so this was a real treat.

(Later in the week we went on the Smokey Mountain Railroad and rode over the trestle in the background.)

One of the best things about getting together with my family is that we really are best friends. My kids are friends with Audra's kids, and they have such a good time being together. Chloe and Josh are even little buddies.

Almost everyone got a few turns on the tube.

And the brave ones among us jumped off the rocks...

and tried out the rope swing.

The rest of us just enjoyed the water and sun.

How could it not be a great day when we were surrounded by scenes like this:

(Photo by Abbi)

North Carolina Trip-- In the Cabin

2011-06-08T12:25:00.000-04:00

Last week we had a wonderful reunion with my family in North Carolina. We stayed at a cabin just outside of Bryson City. That area has to be one of the most picturesque places in America. I have kind of fallen in love with the Smokey Mountains.

This is the view we saw every time we drove to and from our cabin.

Here is another scene from over a bridge right by the cabin.

This picture is a close-up view of the white building in the picture above. Doesn't it look like it belongs in a movie?

After a short drive winding up into the mountains, we arrived at the cabin. It was perfect for our family. Lots of bedrooms, a HUGE kitchen table, two refrigerators, and a great room where where danced, played, and watched TV.

One of the first orders of business after we were all gathered was to give my Mom the quilt my sisters and I made for her over Spring Break. It was our Mother's Day present to her, and it was hard to keep a secret this long!

Feeding 20 people breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week is quite the effort. But the food turned out to be one of the best parts of our reunion. We ate well. Each family was assigned a breakfast, lunch, and dinner so no one was totally overwhelmed. And it worked out well.

Probably the hands-down favorite meal was Audra & Mike's breakfast of crepes with strawberries, nutella, and whip cream. It was so good my Mom & Dad decided to do a repeat later in the week. My mouth still waters every time I think about those crepes.

Playing games was another favorite in-cabin activity. The favorite games this reunion were Werewolves, Bananagrams, and Sequence.

It was hot the week we were up there. (As I'm pretty sure it was everywhere!!) So we gobbled up many a pack of Popsicles. In some ways they became a source of contention, but who can survive a summer without Popsicles?!

Stay tuned for a recap of the fun outings we went on while we were there. It was a week full of adventure!

Can you take me to North Carolina?

2011-05-27T17:59:00.000-04:00

We're in the midst of packing for our family reunion. Chloe is super-excited. She's never been on vacation before. And while she has no clue what exactly is going on, she knows it's going to be good. Every two and a half minutes she asks me, "Can you take me to North Carolina now?" Poor kid. Waiting is torture.

Running Buddy

2011-05-27T10:47:00.000-04:00

When we first got Knightley one of the things I looked forward to was taking him with me jogging. But as a puppy he was AWFUL on a leash. He would not walk. He'd sit his little butt down and would not move. We tried to train him with treats, and he did a little better. But there was no way I would ever take him with me running. And I just kind of gave up on the idea.... until yesterday. We went three miles and he did great! I think we're going to be a good team.

New Last-day-of-School Tradition

2011-05-26T10:47:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the last day of school! My girls came home with backpacks full of paper and old workbooks that we usually just dump into the recycle bin. But some of our friends shared a tradition that we decided to copy-- burn all the old papers and then have s'mores.

The girls had a blast watching their papers burn.

And of course the s'mores were a hit.

Now we're ready for summer!!

What I'm working on today...

2011-05-19T11:46:00.000-04:00

I go through phases. Sometimes I get super-motivated to sew dresses, sometimes I want to organize everything in my house, sometimes I just want to knit or crochet. Right now I'm in a quilt phase. And I'm enjoying it. The pattern I'm using for the one above is one I got in the mail. Since I have a (very) limited amount of space to store my fabric I figured I better use up what I have so I can get some more. :) Most of the fabrics are the same from my tablecloth quilt, but it's fun how they look different. I still have lots of more sewing to do, so I better get back at it before I get tired of quilting and want to do something else.

Tablecloth Quilt

2011-05-16T13:30:00.001-04:00

A while back I made THIS quilt for a friend and liked it so much I decided to make one just like it for us to keep. I initially planned on displaying it folded on our quilt chest, but as I was sewing it together at my kitchen table I realized how cool it would look as a tablecloth. And I am thrilled with the result. Probably not the most economical tablecloth I could have chosen considering I had it professionally quilted, but it makes me so happy. Sometimes splurges are okay, right?

Mothers Day Poem

2011-05-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

This morning I was sorting through the papers on my desk and found a poem McKenna wrote, but never gave me, for Mother's Day. I thought it was pretty sweet.

We sisters love our mother.

We wouldn't survive with any other!

She means a lot to this family of girls,

Even when we aren't always perfect pearls.

She does more than we could ever count.

And it just makes us nearly sprout!!

We love you, Mom. You love us, too.

Even though you have to change Chloe's poo.

It's nice to be appreciated. :)

I want a gardener

2011-05-13T21:54:00.000-04:00

For the past couple summers I have kind of ignored my yard. But this year I got all motivated and decided that I was going to maintain everything the way my Mom & Grandma would. No weeds for me!! So I've been outside a lot working in the beds, tidying things up. It's been frustrating because we have a big yard and it's way more work than I feel like I can do alone. But I've been trying. And my efforts have been rewarded with a big fat case of POISON OAK. I know what poison ivy looks like and avoid it, but apparently I need a lesson on how to identify other poisonous weeds. I am broken out in a rash on my arms, neck, hands, and face. Joyful. So now I'm thinking that maybe I was right in ignoring my yard. It's dangerous to my health.

Green "Roses"

2011-05-06T09:23:00.000-04:00

When I've looked at lettuce in the grocery store, I have never thought of it as beautiful. But seeing it growing in my garden I am amazed at how gorgeous it is! I think it looks like a big, green, frilly rose.

Green Leaf:

Romaine:

Grandma's Recipe Box

2011-05-04T10:59:00.000-04:00

When Elaine came to visit, she brought with her my Grandma Pyne's recipe box. The recipes are written in my Grandma's handwriting and are an absolute treasure. I spent some time looking through them this morning and it brought tears to my eyes thinking about how I was holding a tangible reminder of my Grandma and the countless hours she spent in the kitchen cooking for her family. My Grandma is one of my heros and was one of my very best friends. I miss her so much. There are so many things I wish I could talk to her about and to learn from her. I want to be like her in so many ways. So, having this keepsake means more than I can describe. I am excited to go through it with my sisters and to start trying her recipes. Thank you so much for sharing this treasure with us, Elaine!!

Recipes for Aunt Elaine

2011-05-04T10:40:00.000-04:00

We just had the most wonderful visit from my Aunt Elaine and Uncle Morris. I enjoyed every minute of our time together. They are some of the coolest people you will ever meet. It was hard to let them go. (Emily & Summer cried and cried when we had to say goodbye.)

On Sunday we gathered with my sisters and their families for dinner and we had the best time talking, laughing and eating. I promised Elaine that I would give her the recipes for what I made that night, and figured that since I'd be typing them up anyway I'd go ahead and post them here. So, here you go Aunt Elaine. We miss you already!!!

Mesquite Chicken Salad
Layer: lettuce (romaine), black beans, corn (I like to used thawed frozen corn), diced tomato, diced green pepper, avocado, red onion, grated cheese, and grilled chicken.
Top with: BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, lime, and tortilla chips.

Chunky Artichoke Salsa
1 (6.5 oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup chopped black olives
2 T. chopped red onion
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
2 T. fresh basil leaves, snipped
salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything together and serve with tortilla chips.

(I tripled this recipe on Sunday and we did not have a drop left-over.)

Southern Lights Salsa & Stomp

2011-05-03T11:04:00.000-04:00

Here is the footage of our young women doing the salsa dance at the temple celebration. They look awesome. (McKenna is in the same row as the really dark haired girl in the blue shirt.)

And here are the boys from our stake doing the stomp. They were the only dance in the entire program to receive a standing ovation. The young man doing the tumbling in front is my nephew, Spencer. That makes me cool. :)

Southern Lights

2011-04-30T15:02:00.000-04:00

Tonight McKenna gets to perform in "Southern Lights," the event celebrating the rededication of the Atlanta Temple. She has worked for months learning and perfecting a salsa dance that she will perform for 4,000 people at the Atlanta Civic Center-- including President Monson. She is amazing at it. She has a special sparkle that will make her performance beautiful. I cannot wait to go and see her on stage!!

(Their ending pose.)

Endure through Faith

2011-04-26T18:05:00.000-04:00

Over the past couple months, my scripture study has focused a lot on how the Lord chastens his people; how we must be patient in affliction; and how we are required to endure to the end. Then recently I've been thinking about how, because of Christ's atonement, he has power to succor and help those that come unto him. In my mind there was a disconnect between those two ideas: 1) That we must patiently endure affliction, and 2) That Christ would carry the burdens of his people. If Christ carried our burdens, what would there be to endure?

In looking back, this line of thinking has caused me a lot of doubt and discouragement-- not doubt in my Savior, but doubt in my own worthiness and ability to exercise faith. I erroneously believed that if I had enough faith, Christ would pick me up and carry me through the hard times. He would take my burdens upon himself and I would not feel them. But then when I experienced hard times and felt pain and sorrow, I wondered what I was doing wrong.

But I think that I am beginning to connect the dots. Christ did take upon himself all of our sins, pains, afflictions, sicknesses, infirmities, and temptations so that he would "know according to the flesh how to succor his people" (D&C 7:12). But His succor does not mean that he will remove our afflictions, but that he will strengthen us so we can endure them. In a very literal sense, Christ walks with us and holds our hand through our mortal experience (see Isaiah 41:13, 42:6). The help he offers is perfect because he knows exactly what we are going through-- he has experienced it for us so he can experience it with us. In some instances he will lift the burden, but because he knows that "all these things shall give [us] experience, and shall be for [our] good" (D&C 122:7), he allows us to go through the refiners fire. But he promises, "I will not leave you comfortless" (John 14:18). The scriptures are replete with assurance that Christ will help us, strengthen us, comfort us, and even carry us. Like a spotter in weight-lifting he allows us to exercise our spiritual muscles and to press forward in faith. But when the weight we carry is too heavy for us to bear, he lightens the load just enough for us to be successful. We still have to use all of our strength, but he will never let life's burdens crush us.

Life is somethimes very hard, but we can go forward with the very real hope that because of Jesus Christ, we can "one day rest from all [our] afflictions" (Alma 34:41) and receive a great reward. We will ultimately be free from all pain and sorrow. But our immediate mortal experience requires that we endure to the end with faith in our Savior.

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-25T11:39:00.000-04:00

Last night we had Easter dinner over at Abbi & Chad's house. After dinner the kids got to hunt for Easter Eggs. Even with lots and lots of eggs, the hunt that lasted about 2 minutes. These kids are fast! Afterwards they were all smiles. Can you tell from this picture how much they all really like each other? They are the best of friends.

Easter Pay-off

2011-04-24T23:22:00.000-04:00

I started working on Easter dresses in February. Today I got to enjoy the fruits of my labors. (And thank heavens for afternoon church. There is no way I could have gotten everyone ready in time if we met any earlier!)

McKenna--age 12

(Actually my Mom made her skirt while she was here for Emily's baptism. I could have made it. But my Mom is an expert and did a much better job than I would have.)

Lyida-- age 10

Emily--age 8
(You should see this girl twirl!)

Summer--age 6

Chloe--age 2

Do you see how big Mr. Knightley is?! He's part of the family now. :)

Our neighbor dropped by just in time to snap a quick picture of our whole family.

I hope you had a very, very happy Easter.

I love my house in the spring time

2011-04-22T23:44:00.000-04:00

Over the winter I kind of got lazy about picking weeds. But while I was in North Carolina David worked like a mad-man and got our yard looking spic and span. He planted our garden out back, spread pinestraw in all the beds, and got ferns to hang on our porch. It was such a wonderful surprise. Now every time I drive up to our house I am reminded of how lucky I am to be married to such an awesome guy. Some days I really don't deserve him.

Emily's Baptism

2011-04-22T23:36:00.000-04:00

Emily turned eight years old on April 15 and was baptized on April 16. All of our family was able to be here and it was a wonderful celebration.

She wore her pretty white dress to church the next day, and in primary when we brought her up front to be recognized they asked: "Does anyone know what happened to Emily yesterday?" One of the cute little 5 year olds said, "She got married!!" :)

I am glad we're not at that stage yet. She still needs to be our little girl.

These are the flowers Audra & Mike gave Emily for her baptism. They are blossoming so beautifully. (Underneath the flowers you can get a sneak peek of the quilt I am making for my sister-in-law, Marla's baby.)

Every once in a while it hits me how blessed I am to have these wonderful little girls-- and Emily is extra-special. There is no one else quite like her and I absolutely love her to pieces. She took her decision to be baptized very seriously and wanted everything to be perfect. And it really was.

Sisters Retreat

2011-04-22T23:12:00.000-04:00

Where has April gone?! My last blog post was in March! My next few posts will play catch-up for anyone intersted in what I've been doing for the last month.

April began with a wonderful "sisters retreat" to a cabin up in North Carolina. I was so busy relaxing and enjoying myself that I didn't take many pictures. (That's Audra & Jessie's job when we're together, anyway.) But here are a few experiences I did catch.

One of the first days we were there we took a little walk along the river and railroad tracks at the bottom of the mountain where our cabin was located. Everything felt a little rustic and old-fashioned-- I loved it.

We took a drive into the Great Smokey Mountains National Park and walked around a campground there. We discovered this old church-- originally built in 1836 and later reconstructed in 1912. This picture is meaningful to me because while we were there Abbi started reading the book "Christy," which I then read once we got home. It was set in the Great Smokey Mountains in 1912. It's fun to imagine that this church is similar to the one she taught in.

At the same campground we took a walk along the river. It was actually a horse trail that we followed, but we were careful to watch where we stepped. :)

We wanted to get a picture of the four of us together, but since no one was around to take one, Jessie came up with the idea to hang the camera from a tree and use the self-timer. It worked!

On our drive back to our cabin we passed a family of elk. I think there were about 5 or 6 in all. They seemed used to cars slowing down to take their picture.

In one of our trips into Bryson City I fell in love with these beautiful blossoms. I later discovered it is a Pink Dogwood. Someday I want to have one in our yard.

I missed getting pictures of the gorgeous cabin we stayed in, the yummy meals we ate, the good books we read, and of us watching General Conference and the NCAA tournament. Our one big adventure was that on our last night a big storm came through and knocked out the power to our cabin. Luckily the cabin was prepared with flashlights and candles. And in the morning it gave us a good excuse to check out a couple hours later than we would have otherwise. Of course I missed David and the girls, but I can't imagine better company than my three wonderful sisters. They are the best friends a girl could want.

(Mom, next year you are coming, too!!)

Go Cougars!!!

2011-03-24T17:22:00.000-04:00

I have had butterflies all day thinking about BYU's game tonight. It would be so awesome if they won. I'll be cheering them on from my living room. Go Cougars!!

Who I Am

2011-03-17T20:26:00.000-04:00

One of the things I struggle with is the gap between the ideal and the real. For example, ever since I was a young teenager I have had a vision of who I wanted to be when I grew up-- a published author, popular public speaker, fabulous decorater and homemaker, and a perfectly patient and loving wife and mother. My house would always be immaculate with flowers in the yard and decorations for every holiday. Needless to say, that is not quite the reality of who I have become. And sometimes it gets me down. I want to be spectacular, exceptional, and wonderful. (Hence yesterday's quote.) But since that is not what is required of us, I am trying to let go of my unrealistic expectations and to embrace the genuine, down-to-earth, everyday goodness of who I really am.

I am kind. I try to treat others the way I want to be treated.
I can do a lot of different things. Some of my "talents" are-- reading, knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting, cross-stitch, embroidery, running, yoga, finishing furniture, water skiing, blogging, cooking, organizing, decorating, cleaning, yard work, scrapbooking, teaching.
I care about what people think of me. I want to be liked and understood.
Although I am easily frustrated by my faults and imperfections, I continue to try to do better.
I am happy in my comfort zone. It's hard to push outside of it, but I am really proud of myself when I try. (Like when I first started running.)
I don't have an abundance of energy-- so I try to work efficiently and to be selective in where I focus my energy. I usually get the important things done.
I get really grumpy when I get overly tired. So I try not to get too tired. :)
I love it when things are all clean and tidy. It makes my heart happy. But sometimes I choose to let things go a little.
I appreciate simplicity.
I am reliable.
Nature inspires me. Every sunrise and sunset is a reminder of how much our Heavenly Father loves His children. I try to notice the beauty around me and to find joy in it.
I am good at time-management.
The members of my family are my best friends.
I am naturally shy. But I try not to be.
I really am a child of God. I know He loves me and wants me to be happy. I am happiest when I exercise faith in Him and in His will.

Something I needed to hear

2011-03-16T12:41:00.000-04:00

Vintage Sesame Street

2011-03-11T10:42:00.003-05:00

Chloe and I spent the morning watching old Sesame Street skits on YouTube. They brought back good memories. Chloe's favorites are Ladybug Picnic, The Aligator King, and the Fairy Alphabet.

Did you watch Sesame Street? What are your favorite skits? There are so many good ones!! (C is for Cookie, Rubber Ducky, Funny Farm, Daddy Dear, My Martian Cutie.....)

Greek at home

2011-03-10T19:33:00.004-05:00

I love Greek food, but have only ever eaten it at restaurants because I didn't know how to make it....until tonight. And the most amazing thing is that my kids liked it, too!!! (And they are really picky.) They gobbled it up-- feta cheese and all.

I made Chicken Souvlaki Gyros & Greek Lemon Chicken Soup. (Both recipes from allrecipes.com.) The Gyros recipe says that it feeds 4, but I would guess it could feed about 8 at least. We only ate 1 1/2 chicken breasts between the 7 of us. And I omitted the chicken soup base from the soup because I didn't have any. It was still good. Really, really good.

Summer & Tanner Dancing

2011-03-08T19:56:00.001-05:00

The girls and I were looking through pictures on my computer and we came across this video. It absolutely deserves to be shared. (Audra, I don't think you have even seen it yet.) It's from Christmas, 2009.

Bowl Game scarf--finished

2011-03-08T11:16:00.000-05:00

I finished my bowl game scarf a couple weeks ago (long after football season ended). But when I finished it we were experiencing a wonderful warm spell and it was too hot to wear it. Today we had a little drop in the temperature, and as much as I love warm weather, it was nice to have a chance to wear my new scarf.

Not giving up

2011-03-08T11:04:00.000-05:00

On Sunday we tried making fudge again. This time I let David tackle his Nana's recipe and I made my Grandma's Rocky Road. They both turned out!! David says that his batch wasn't quite as creamy as the way Nana made it, but now I have an idea what he is going for-- fudge so smooth and creamy it literally melts in your mouth. My Grandma's recipe is (almost) fool-proof and so, so, so good. My Aunt Elaine sent it to me (along with a perfect batch already made up!!) and I owe her big time. We have decided that David will master his Grandma's recipe, I will master my Grandma's recipe, and then we'll teach our girls and they can pass them down to their kids. Because these recipes deserve to be preserved.

Music to clean by

2011-03-07T14:21:00.000-05:00

I usually listen to music when I clean. Today instead of listening to my normal tunes I put on some classical music-- the kind of songs you usually hear in the background of movies when there are scenes of exquisite vistas or poignant romances. It elevated the tasks I was doing from menial to grande. (Except it was a little depressing when the Funeral March came on.) :)

Easter Dresses To Be

2011-03-02T14:28:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking since January about what I want to make for my girls' Easter dresses. I was feeling really ahead of the game, but now that it's March already I realized that I better get going. (I know some people are able to bust out dresses in a few blinks of their eyes, but I'm slow-- and I have five dresses to make.) :) I got all the patterns planned out, took my girls' measurements, did lots of math, and finally made it to the fabric store this morning. I'm crossing my fingers that what I got will translate into gorgeous dresses.

Here is the stack of fabric I came home with:

McKenna doesn't like to be too matchey-matchey with her sisters, so I am going to make her skirt in the solid blue. (Still trying to nail down exactly what style I'm going to make it.)

Lydia is also getting a skirt. The main body of the skirt will be in the stripe and the bottom edge will be in the blue. I hope I can find something beautiful for both her and McKenna to wear on top. (Any suggestions?)

Summer and Emily's dresses are the ones I'm a little stressed about. I am cutting and pasting pieces from different patterns to create the look I want. This is my plan. Hopefully it works out.

Emily's dress will have a blue accent and Summer's will have the pink.

And I'm still trying to figure what pattern I am going to use for Chloe. I was going to do a tiered dress for her too, but the combination wasn't working out for what I planned. Instead I think I'm going to make the main part of her dress in the floral and then just do a pink ruffle on the bottom. (Or something...)

My goal is to have them all completed this month. Wish me luck!!

Hair for Whoville

2011-03-02T09:13:00.000-05:00

Like many schools around the country, our school is having Dr. Seuss week in celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday. Today was crazy hair day. Summer was the only one of my girls who wanted to participate. She went with more of a Medusa theme than Cindy Lou Who, but either way she was definitely "crazy" (and cute!).

Coming out of hibernation

2011-02-28T15:42:00.000-05:00

I have been on my thyroid medication for about a month now and wow, I can feel the difference. It's amazing. I have energy to do more than just survive and it feels so good! This morning I pulled my running shoes out of hibernation and went for a little jog-- something I haven't done since November, 2009. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to jog for more than 2 minutes at a time. It was painful towards the end, but I was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise and the opportunity to see lots of cardinals, blue-jays, and some gorgeous trees in blossom. I have set the goal to run another half-marathon in October. I will be 35 in November (just a couple days after the race), and I want to enter the second half of my 30th decade as strong and healthy as I can be.

Fabulous Fox

2011-02-25T10:04:00.002-05:00

I generally don't have high-end taste. I'm happy shopping at Wal-Mart and Target. I like Subway and Taco Bell. And I don't mind decorating my home with things that are hand-made or hand-me-downs. But there is one luxury I definitely have a taste for-- going to the Fox Theater, especially when gorgeous music is involved. Last night I got to go see Celtic Woman with my good friend, Connie. Her husband gave her tickets for her birthday and then selflessly suggested that maybe she should go with someone who would really love it. I really, really, really loved it and am so thankful Connie invited me. Our seats were amazing, the music was beyond gorgeous, and the whole experience was awesome. Getting to experience it with Connie was such a treat. I feel so, so blessed to have gotten to share that time with her. Now I'm floating a few inches off the ground. Regular life is so much easier when I have memories like last night to reflect back on.

Fudge Failures

2011-02-20T21:47:00.001-05:00

David's grandmother was known for her fudge. I never got to meet her, but for the past 14 years David has raved about "Nana's fudge." It was creamy and soft and the perfect combination of peanut butter and chocolate. (Or so he says.) I have tried several different fudge recipes over the years, but according to David none of them are even close to Nana's recipe. But a little while ago we got a recipe from his sisters that is supposed to be close. So we have set out on a mission to make fudge like Nana's. So far we've met with big fat fudgey failure. Last week David tried to make a batch-- his first attempt at fudge. And it turned out to be a grainy mess. Then today I tried. I made two different batches. I tried to follow the recipe with exactness. I documented everything I did. (Kind of like a science project.)

The first batch turned into a grainy, goopy, glob. (But my kids did eat some of it.)

The second batch was looking good until I turned around to tell Chloe to not use the dog as a pillow. In that time the fudge completely hardened and I had to scrape it off the bottom of the pan with a knife.

The frustrating thing is I really don't know what I'm doing wrong. I measured carefully, cooked it slowly, didn't stir once it started boiling, cooked it to exactly 232 degrees (what I thought might be under-cooked), and let it cool before beating it. Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!

But even though I really want to-- I am NOT going to give up. Lots of people make fudge. And if they can do it, so can I. (I hope.)

Does anyone have any advice for me?

Flower Hat

2011-02-18T17:33:00.001-05:00

This is the third hat of this pattern I have made. The first one was for my sister, Audra. The second one was for my sister-in-law, Jessie. And this one is for a Girls' Camp/Boy Scout Auction. I think that the next one I make needs to be for me. :)

Valentines Day: Part 2

2011-02-17T20:16:00.000-05:00

On Monday I planned a special Valentines dinner for my family. Homemade pizza, sparkling cider, and strawberry shortcake. David brought home flowers and chocolate for all of us. We felt loved.

Valentines Day: Part 1

2011-02-17T20:07:00.000-05:00

Our Valentines Day celebrations started off with a wonderful evening at Abbi & Chad's house on Saturday. The men cooked us a delicious dinner. Then we watched some fun YouTube videos, played Xbox Kinect, and ate a sampling of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake. It was such a beautiful evening. No kids. Great conversation and a reminder of how much love I have for my husband, sisters, and brothers-in-law.

Graphic Designer!

2011-02-17T10:08:00.000-05:00

David asked me to design a flyer for him to hand out to builders at an upcoming seminar he is hosting. It was my first "professional" graphic design job. And I enjoyed it!

We'll see how successful my flyer is after the seminar. Hopefully builders will all come flocking to David with their business. :)

Valentines Polka-dots

2011-02-10T12:45:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of the year I had a grand idea to make all my girls dresses/skirts for Valentines Day. And I might have been able to make it happen. But I don't like stress. So I chose to just make Chloe a dress. I used Easy Stitch 'n Save M5370 as the pattern. It turned out a little long. But Chloe likes it, so I'm happy.

And it snowed....again. But this time it was the perfect snow. A powered sugar dusting over the trees and grass. Beautiful.

Sharing Time Slide Show

2011-02-09T22:18:00.003-05:00

For sharing time on Sunday I created a video slideshow to show the kids. The theme for the week is "Jesus Christ created the Earth." It was so much fun searching for beautiful images of the world. I set the slideshow to the song "My Heavenly Father loves Me" because when I look around at all the beauty and abundance the Lord has blessed us with, I can't help but feel His love.

(For those looking at this on Google Reader, I think you have to click to my actual blog for the movie to show up.) :)

'cause she's cute

2011-02-04T17:03:00.001-05:00

Every once in a while I have to post pictures just because they are cute. This one makes me smile. I hope it makes you smile, too.

Bring on 2011!

2011-02-04T16:56:00.000-05:00

I had my endocrinologist appointment on Monday. I am now taking 50 mcg of Synthroid and I feel like the future is bright. I'm ready to start 2011!! (Better late than never.) For the first time in a while I feel like I can make goals and accomplish them. I haven't actually set the goals yet. But I'm moving in the right direction. :)

Mr. Knightley is growing up!

2011-01-28T10:18:00.000-05:00

Remember THIS little puppy? He's turning into a dog. And as cute as puppies are, I have to say that I like dogs much better. He still causes trouble (aka, chewing on stuff he's not supposed to), but now it happens maybe two or three times a day instead of CONSTANTLY. He has mostly stopped nipping (except for when Chloe pulls his tail or tries to use him for a pillow.) And he has learned a nice little repertoire of commands. It's fun to show off how he can sit, stay, lie down, come, "leave it", wait, shake, and roll-over. I feel like a proud mama when he does what he's told. I never thought I would like having a dog, but the Mr. Knightley is finding a place in my heart.

Thyroid Update

2011-01-20T21:42:00.000-05:00

Thanks for everyone's kind words of support yesterday. It really does help to know that there are others out there who understand. I appreciate your willingness to share your stories and experiences with me.

My biopsy went well today. The doctor gave me some encouraging statistics that eased my mind. (90% of thyroid nodules are benign.) We'll get the tests back in about a week. In the meantime I am going to make an appointment with an endocronologist and see what I need to do to get some medicine. I feel like today was definitely a step towards getting myself back to normal.

Hanging on by a thread

2011-01-19T09:02:00.000-05:00

"How are you?" I get asked that question at least a few times a day. And lately I've not quite known how to answer it. When most people ask how you are doing they expect a brief and sweet answer like "I'm doing well." But sometimes that answer feels like a lie. Yes, on the outside I'm doing well. My kids are healthy, I'm in love with my husband, and I live a fairly active and productive life. But on the inside I am not doing well. I'm a mess. I try and keep it together, but I'm holding on by a thread. A few months ago at my annual exam the doctor noticed a nodule on my thyroid and did some blood work that revealed I am hypothyroid. I don't know if it's my thyroid or Satan, but for the past long time I have felt like I'm living in a fog. I am able to function at a fairly normal level, but it's a constant fight to keep myself going. I have force myself to stay engaged in the people and activities around me. There is a strong and steady force pulling me into a dark tunnel. And some days I want nothing more than to retreat into quiet isolation. I want to numb out and just be left alone. I also have to fight a constant barrage of negative thoughts and feelings. I feel lonely and overlooked and like no one likes me. Rationally I know that those feelings are not based in reality, but they are something I constantly fight. And it's exhausting. I want to feel good and happy and satisfied with who I am. Tomorrow I have a biopsy on the nodule on my thyroid and I hope it begins the process of getting back to myself. In the meantime I'll just keep hanging on by a thread. And trust that it's a strong thread.

Evening at the Fox

2011-01-17T08:56:00.000-05:00

On Saturday we got to take our oldest girls to Beauty and the Beast at the Fox Theater. It was amazing. I loved watching the show, but even better than that was watching my girls' reactions to the entire experience. The show was a visual and musical delight. Emily sat on the edge of her seat the entire time. And the Fox theater is grand and beautiful. We all felt very rich just being there.

A million thanks to my Mom & Dad for giving us the tickets and to Audra for babysitting Chloe. Evenings like this give life a lingering glow.

(I wish we had better pictures to capture the evening, but our camera isn't very good in low lighting.)

Snow Vacation

2011-01-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

We spent the last week snowed in. And even though I have to admit that I'm a bit of a snow scrooge, it was kind of fun to have a snow vacation. The girls played in the snow a ton. We drank lots of hot chocolate and herbal tea. And we watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. I read a couple books. And ate entirely too much. Below are some pictures I took one of the days I pulled out the camera.

With David's 4-wheel drive truck we braved the roads and went to a golf course near our house for some sledding.

This year we got a lot more than our usual dusting of snow. It looked so beautiful. Everything clean and white.

We have one more day of vacation on Monday (for MLK day) and then it's back to school. I'm looking forward to it. My kids were sick the week after new years, so I've had them home with me since the start of Christmas vacation. I think a little time apart will do us some good.

Priesthood Preview Invitations

2011-01-08T17:03:00.000-05:00

I made these invitations for our ward's Priesthood Preview fireside. It's just a folded piece of paper with a little "tie" glued on the front. Check out the instructions HERE. (I made them using a regular 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper and they worked fine.)

Life Soundtrack

2011-01-07T10:23:00.001-05:00

Every year my sister, Abbi, makes a soundtrack for the year. I thought it was such a great idea I copied her.

Our 2010 Soundtrack:
1. Lucky by Jason Mraz
2. The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson
3. Dream On by the Glee Cast
4. Keep Holding On by the Glee Cast
5. Tore my Heart by Oona (This summer my friend taught a belly-dancing class that I went to. This is the song our dance was to.) :)
6. The Call by Regina Spektor
7. Defying Gravity by the Glee Cast (this my ringtone when I call David.)
8. Come What May by Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor
9. Lean on Me by Club Nouveau
10. May It Be by Hayley Westenra

And since this was such a fun exercise I went back and made a 2009 Soundtrack. (For us 2009 was a rough year. But looking at it through music makes it not seem quite so bad.)
1. Touch of Gray by the Grateful Dead
2. Gettin' Jiggy Wit It by Will Smith (This was my favorite song on my training playlist for my half-marathon.)
3. Everything by Michael Buble
4. I'm Yours by Jason Mraz
5. Stand by Me by Ben E. King
6. Have a Little Faith in Me by Jewel
7. Danny's Song by Loggins & Messina
8. Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
9. Over the Rainbow by Celtic Woman
10. Remember When it Rained by Josh Groban
11. Dark Waltz by Hayley Westenra
12. You are Loved (Don't Give Up) by Josh Groban
13. How Firm a Foundation by Voice Male

(You can listen to most of theses songs at Grooveshark.com)

What songs would be on your 2010 soundtrack?

Gumbo

2011-01-01T20:17:00.001-05:00

We invited Audra & her boys over for a little football and gumbo today. I'd never made gumbo before and was a little intimidated at first, but it was so easy and SO good.

Seafood Gumbo

ROUX:

1/2 cup cooking oil

1/2 cup flour

Put oil in a heavy pot and slowly add flour. Over low heat, stir constantly until it browns to the color of coffee; cook SLOWLY.

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 quarts chicken broth

salt & pepper, to taste

1 pound chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

1 cup okra, frozen sliced

1/2 pound shrimp (cooked, tail-off, peeled, deveined)

1/2 pound crabmeat

When roux has browned, add celery, onion, and green pepper. Cook until wilted, add tomatoes, chicken broth, salt & pepper, and chicken. Bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes. Add okra and crabmeat. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add shrimp. Simmer another 10 minutes.

Puzzle time

2011-01-01T20:05:00.000-05:00

My sister-in-law, Jessie, Lydia, McKenna, and I did this puzzle the day after Christmas. It's a 300 piece puzzle and took us under an hour. I don't have patience for crazy hard puzzles. This one was perfect.

Bowl Game scarf

2011-01-01T19:58:00.000-05:00

We are big college football fans, so this time of year we spend a lot of time watching bowl games on TV. It's the perfect excuse to sit and knit. This year my project is a farrow ribbed scarf. It's soft and cozy and easy to make. (Row 1: knit, knit, purl -- ending with a knit; Row 2: purl, knit, knit-- ending with a purl; Repeat rows 1-2 until your scarf is as long as you want.)

Spirograph

2011-01-01T19:49:00.000-05:00

One of the gifts I was so excited to give this year was a vintage spirograph set to Emily. (I got it off Ebay and I think it was from the 1970s). I had one as a kid and loved it. But once Emily opened hers and tried to use it I realized she may be a little young for it. So I played with it. And had so much fun. Merry Christmas to me I guess. :)

White Christmas

2010-12-26T10:56:00.000-05:00

We had our very first white Christmas in Georgia. It was beautiful.

We snuggled up inside around the fire and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas, too.

Morning cuddle

2010-12-23T09:18:00.000-05:00

This morning Chloe woke up at about 7:15 and then cuddled with me in bed until almost 8:00. It was so fun. Except she is sick. That is not fun.

Holiday Goodies

2010-12-22T22:31:00.000-05:00

On Monday for FHE we delivered plates of cookies to the neighbors in our cul-de-sac. It's one of my favorite Christmas traditions. We bundle up and spread a little Christmas cheer.

For the gift tags I used the free printable from HERE. I thought they were adorable. This year we gave Lacey Ginger cookies, Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies, and Nieman Marcus cookies. Yum.

Lydia is TEN!!

2010-12-22T08:56:00.000-05:00

Here are some things you may not know about Lydia:

She is the fastest girl in her class.
She won the "Leadership Award" in her soccer team this year. (The coach hands out only two awards each year, the leadership award and the most improved player award, which she won last year.)
She has a "uniform" that she wears almost every day to school: jeans, t-shirt, zip-up fleece jacket or sweater, tennis shoes.
She does not like being tall.
She is an AWESOME whistler.
She has to have surgery soon to remove a mole on the top of her head.
She is FUNNY.
She is an expert at recognizing and quoting movie lines.
Sometimes Chloe prefers Lydia instead of me or David.
She is mature, helpful, and one of my best friends.

We love you, Lydia!! I hope you had a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Mr. Knightley

2010-12-10T16:14:00.003-05:00

This is Mr. Knightley. He is the newest member of our family.

We brought him home two weeks ago.

And my world has been rocked.

I wasn't planning on getting a puppy, but when our next-door-neighbor's dad brought a litter of 8 puppies to give away over the Thanksgiving weekend we made the mistake(?) of letting our girls play with them. And they fell in love. And I fell in love with the look of joy in my girls' eyes as they played with the puppies. So we decided to adopt this little guy. And it's been a roller-coaster ride. The first week I cried every day wondering "what have we done?!" But every time I tried to gently tell McKenna that we might not keep him it made her cry. And every time I thought I just couldn't take it anymore, Knightley would be so sweet. Something tells me that he will be a really good dog someday.

It turns out that even though we got him for the kids, he is my dog. (I do have to give my girls credit though. They are living up to every promise they made when we agreed to bring them home. Poop and everything.)

Does anyone have any great puppy advice for me?

Leg Warmies

2010-11-05T14:38:00.001-04:00

Dear Mom,

Chloe wore her new leg warmies today. She looked adorable.

And she really liked them!

Thank you for making them for her!!

Love, Jessi

Pattern Frustration

2010-11-05T06:32:00.002-04:00

Does this hat....

...look like this hat?

Nope. But it was supposed to.

And it was supposed to fit an adult.

Screwy patterns drive me crazy.

TV worth watching

2010-11-04T15:58:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love PBS. My favorite shows are Masterpiece Classic, Masterpiece Mystery, Nature and Nova. I recently watched a program on Nature that I haven't stopped thinking about. It was about the legacy left by an elephant named Echo. She was the matriarch of an amazing family. Their story made me laugh, cry, and inspired me to be a better person. I hope that at the end of my life I will be remembered as fondly as Echo the elephant.

You can watch the full episode HERE. (Even if you don't watch the whole thing, watch the beginning where it talks about Echo's son Eli. But a warning: You might bawl your eyes out.)

Pre-Christmas Fitting

2010-11-04T10:54:00.001-04:00

I made these skirts and hat for Chloe for Christmas. When I got the sweaters I wasn't sure they would work out, so Chloe had to try them on. And she looked so cute that we had to take some pictures. Now the skirts, sweaters, and hat are tucked safely in our Christmas hiding place waiting to be wrapped and then opened on Christmas morning. Won't Chloe be surprised! :)

I used THIS hat pattern. (But I had to make the 5-6 year old size and increase the hook size to an I.)