Haircuts

Here we all are with our new haircuts. We got it done last Monday. I asked Bananas how she wanted her hair cut and she said "to my chin" soooooooo We all got or hair cut to our chins. Sometimes having all girls is really fun. Here is another one of just the girls. They are just the cutest things ever! I was really excited because of how easy it was to flip their hair out with the new flatiron I got for Christmas.

I am Still Alive

Just a quick post to say that I am still alive. We had a fabulous holiday and in spite of our efforts at simplicity our kids were once again spoiled by our families. We stayed in WJ for a week and a half. I slept in until 9 or 10 every day thanks to grandparents who fed my kids breakfast and let us sleep. It was wonderful!! I maybe shouldn't have been so lazy though cuz now I am playing catch up. This time of year is so busy. New Primary Stuff for church list after list after list, activities, board meetings. We also have new kids at work. Busy busy busy but that is how I like it. I know a lot of people that have it a lot worse than me so I can't complain.

So I think this week we might all go get hair cuts- maybe not Cam- I cut his last month. I will post pictures if we do it.

I just finished the Percy Jackson and the Olympian Series. I totally loved it an recommend it to anyone who is like me and can't get enough YA fantasy. I studied mythology a little in HS and took an ancient civilizations class in college but these books really increased my knowledge of the Greek Gods. It was a fun way to learn them without feeling like you were learning at all.
Anyways a great read if you haven't checked them out yet you should. Oh I read the last Book of Bayern Forest Born by Shannon Hale. I really love those books and the Characters. I really hope that some day she will write more about Isi, Enna Dasha, Rin, Razo and Finn. I recommend these too.

Hope this informative post wasn't too boring....... Happy New Year!!

Holding Back

The TreeMy girls in Front of the Tree

Around our house at Christmas we try to keep things really simple. We made a decision the first year we were married to not go overboard. We really wanted Christmas to be more about spending time together than getting lots of presents. Once we had kids we decided even Santa should keep it simple. Santa brings one present for the kids and fills stocking for everyone. He does not bring the grown-ups gifts. Then each of us gives a present to the others. About this time every year I start getting anxiety because the pile of presents looks so small. I have to constantly remind myself that we have everything we need. Cam really helps me stay focused on our goal to keep it simple. I would probably go broke at Christmas without him- or crazy- maybe both. We are constantly bombarded with images of what Christmas "should" look like. Stacks of presents- all in coordinating wrapping paper and bows, a giant tree with matching ornaments and ribbons, trays of goodies, fancy meals, clothes and toys and lights and the list keeps going. Not that any of these things are bad but..... It is easy to get caught up in other peoples ideas of what Christmas should look like. I am finally starting to figure out what I want my Christmas to look like. I don't have the biggest best tree, my decorations aren't fancy- in fact I made most of them myself or got them as gifts. My Christmas is a modge podge of memories all put together in a way that makes me feel happy and loved. I love looking at my Christmas tree and not seeing tons of matchy matchy ornaments that I just bought. I love that almost every ornament reminds me of someone or something. Christmas is a great time to remember not only Christ and the gift his life is to us but also remember all those around us who bless our lives every day. This is me wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful new year full of new memories to last a lifetime and beyond.Our Gingerbread cookiesUs singing the Christmas song we wrote( I couldn't get the video to upload here so I posted it on Facebook if you missed it)

Below are the words and Chords of Our song- for fun.....

All Aboard!!!

Today was one of my favorite days at school. It was Polar Express Day. Let me start by saying I don't love the book or the movie- but the concept I love. I read about polar express parties about 4 years ago and couldn't wait to have one. Sooo I convinced my co-teachers to go along. We now look forward to this day all year- almost as much as for the Fairy Tale Ball. We go on a fake train ride, sing carols, make train ornaments, drink hot chocolate, and do cotton ball "snow" in the parachute to songs on the Polar Express Soundtrack. We sing "When Christmas Comes to Town" in Sign Language. We do watch the movie at nap time as well. This year I had another idea (which usually means a lot of work cuz I have no idea how we are gonna pull it off) - I admit I come up with a lot of ideas. You should see the look I get when I say to Diana (my co-teacher) "I have and Idea." She is excellent at helping me realize my visions. I am slowly learning from her how to do and make-do to create a lot of fun things. Not all of my ideas are good or work out but this time it did. We made some big gingerbread houses out of cardboard boxes. My class looks so cute right now! Anyways I promised I would try and post some pics. Oh and I forgot the best part of Polar Express Day is that we all wear PAJAMAS to school. I have to buy a new pair every year just for Polar Express Day- silly me......
My gingerbread VillageMy class holding up their ticketsMe and Bananas in our Jammies

Blast from the Past- High School

I was going through some Pictures today and found a few from High school I just had to share....Sorry if anyone wanted those days to be buried and gone- I just dug them up....!
Child Development 2 class
Emily's Blue tounge
Yes that is N'SYNC and yes it is upside down on purpose.
I love this one of Kat curled up in the best chair that ever existed- notice the journal clutched to her chest:)
Me Tonya and Emily at a sleepover- one of MANY
Backstreets Back! That is all I have to say about that:P
Kat's House in hills- I miss the log walls!
Dec.31 1997 New Years Eve. Ready for a Region Dance Lookin' Good!
Tonya and Kat- This was a makeover night. I remember waving hair then wetting it down and blow drying cuz someone didn't like how it turned out....
Both of these dresses were mine...How many times did we switch clothes. Stylin' for yet another Region Dance- Let's get ready to Macarena (sp?)
I can't remember what we did this night probably not just drive around in Tonya's car and honk at the houses of the boys we liked... WE were much to mature to do something like that!
Me and Emily- let us just note that once in my life my room was CLEAN.

I had a lot of fun coming across these pictures. Those were fun years full of great friends and fun. This is dedicated to all ya'all. I love you still. Even though we aren't close like we used to be I think about you all the time and send good thoughts your way. Thanks for all the FUN!

Halloween

Little Black Cat

Scary Witch

Whole Family at Grandmas Halloween Party

By the time Halloween rolls around I am ready for it to be over. We dressed up for the 3rd time tonight to go Trick- or- Treating. Maybe I should say Trunk-or-Treating.... In our area everyone goes to the church for a Trunk-or-Treat. I had never been to one before tonight it was a lot of fun though. My girls were so cute. So far I have only gotten 1 trick-or-treater at my house. We had mummy hot dogs for dinner- I saw them on line and had to try them. They turned out really cute I think. Hope everyone had a Fabulous Halloween! Next on my list Letters to Santa:) I am really terrible getting the pictures to lay nicely I'll work on it.......

Square Pumpkins

I really love to do crafty projects-especially fall ones. Of all the things I have made for my house probably 80% are fall oriented. This year as I was unloading my box of decorations I fell in love all over again with my square pumpkins and thought they would be fun to post. I got the idea for these when I was at Roberts making a Halloween card. I made mine a little different than theirs. That is why I like this project- there is a lot of personalization that can go into it. I will tell you what I used then you can make it fit your personality.

What You Need

1 4x4 cut into a 6in, 5 in and 4 inch rectangle these are the pumpkins- (we actually used an old fence post I like the weathered look)

1 dowel I used 1/2 inch but you may like yours wider... cut 3 1 inch stems or shorter you choose:)

rafia in orange and green

Orange and green acrylic paint- my orange is Americana brand "Burnt Orange" the green was dark green but I can't remember exactly

Sand Paper

glue Gun

-First Cut and sand your pumpkins to the desired texture

-paint all three blocks orange you can paint all the sides but I left the bottom brown

- when they are dry sand the edges; I rounded my edges and corners and roughed up the sides a bit for the weathered look

-for the stems I rounded the top a little before I painted- then paint green- after it is dry sand with sandpaper until desired look has been achieved.

-hot glue stems top middle of painted orange blocks and you have a pumpkin.

-I used rafia to tie around in a bow. You could also use wire twisted to look like vines, ribbon, leaves or whatever else

This was a simple craft that was so much fun. I thought I should share it. Every year when I pull them out I love them more.

Hope you enjoy