What Have I Done Today?

Okay, so this hasn't been just today! I wish I were that good! Anyway, I have finished my first adult hat! Actually I have now done 3! I think they are turning out really cute! Kinda late in the year for this season but I am trying to think ahead for next year! I am looking into a boutique in Layton that would be the beginning of May. I have to apply to get in. They take applications and then take about 44 vendors of their choice so they don't have all of the same thing. Knowing my stuff would be mostly going out of season by then my mom suggested trying a thinner headband that would be better for summer! I did and have been using them on my girls and I love them! As a part of the application for the boutique I have to show how I would display my work. I have a neighbor who did a board for her daughters bows and it sounded like just the thing I needed so I have done a couple of those too! And now you all know why my house is a mess! Let me know what you think!

Adult size hat!

I think I might actually wear one of these next winter! And for those of you who know me you know I HATE hats! =)



The lighter weight headband!

I put Maycie in one almost everyday now! I even want to make one for myself!

I found some pastel pink in the right crochet cotton to make these!

Is that something people would be interested in?

Board #1!

Both boards are 16X20 canvas.

On this one the ribbons run up and down the 16in side.
So it is wider...

On this board the ribbons are running up and down on the 20in side.
...and this one is taller.

(Thanks for the fabulous idea Megan Rees - neighbor who gave me the idea and all the help with the ribbons Megan Fewkes - my wonderful sister! I am so lucky!)

I should know in the next couple of weeks if I get into the boutique! I will keep you posted and in the meantime I would love some feed back! =)

New Camera!

I have said it before, I am saying it now and I am sure I will say it again next year! Tax season is the 1 time of year is pays to be broke and have 5 kids! We ALWAYS get a refund! So that is when we get some of the bigger things that we have been wanting that the money is just not in the budget for! Last year it was my washer and dryer! This year is a new camera! Our other camera has been a good camera. But it was definitely starting to show it's age. Right before Maycie was born it just quite working and wouldn't turn on. We had to borrow a camera from my mom and dad to be able to take pictures at the hospital! It did that for a few months and then just started working again. Some times the shutters don't open all the way and so the picture looks like the sides are shaded! So we started doing research and checking out cameras and options. I found out during football season that my camera couldn't zoom far enough in for me to get good shots of the boys. So that was a major feature for me! I found 2 that I liked that seemed to be almost identical except the $100 price difference! When I found out that the major difference was that 1 did HD video and 1 didn't. I decided we could save the $100 and go without HD video for now! I went outside and took a picture of my house with my new camera!

And then I zoomed in and took a picture of my house!

I think we are going to be able to make this work just fine!

Porter's Valentine Program

Every year the 3rd Grade learns a few dances and then they get to show them all at a program. They have done it at different times during the year. This year they chose to do it as a Valentine program! It was so much fun watching Porter do these dances!

I think he really enjoyed himself!

Getting ready for their turn as "lead couple"

They did alot of the dances "in the round" so everyone got a chance to see!

What a gentleman!



Very into it. Wrong foot! But very into it!

Porter Gets His Wolf!

Porter turned 9 in November and should have gotten his Wolf at that Pack Meeting. They didn't do it with Thanksgiving and such so he was supposed to get it at December's Pack Meeting. That one had to be canceled at the last minute. He was pretty bummed but what do you do?! January's Pack Meeting was upon us and we got a phone call the day before - it had to be cancelled again! They needed the building for a Funeral. Instead of making all the boys wait until February's Pack Meeting which is also the Blue and Gold they did a make-up Pack Meeting the next week! The time had finally come! Porter got his Wolf after waiting for 2 and 1/2 months!

He got his Wolf, the Gold Arrow point and 2 Silver Arrow points!

We are very proud of you Porter!

My sister has been in Scouts off and on for the last few years and made these really cool ribbons for all the families in her ward! Being the wonderful sister she is she made one for me too! Now I have a place to put all of the boys pins all the way through their Eagle! And they have something to pin the award on that neither one of us has to worry about poking or getting poked! =)

Thank You Aunt Abby!

Emma and Her Surgery!

4 years and 2 months ago we were at Primary Children's with Emma. She was just 2 months old and was running a temperature of 102. We had to watch her go through so many tests and when they had to do the spinal tap is when I finally left the room. I couldn't watch them do any more to my baby. Through that stay at Primary's we found out that Emma has what is called Urinary Track Reflux. It was something we hoped she would out grow. Every year we had to go back and retest. These tests are not enjoyable for Emma or mommy! Every year hoping that would be the year they would tell us we were done, she had out grown it! This time we had the testing with an appointment with the Urologist right after. She looked at her test results and looked at us and then said, "You guys have given it a good go. I think you should do the surgery." We had 2 choices and a decision to make. So Jeron and I went home and talked and prayed alot about what to do. Not as much about IF we should do the surgery but about if to go LESS invasive or MORE invasive! Less invasive there is no incision. More invasive there is a small incision. In the end we decided less on her left side and more on her right.

She is 4 and not excited about doing surgery. Primary Children's does a pre-surgery class and it was a little hard to find the time to go with everything else we have going on. In the end we decided to make the time and I am SO GLAD we did! If you are ever given this option TAKE IT! When we first got there for the class she was obviously feeling some stress over the whole situation. By the time we left it was gone! There was nothing that was a surprise to her! She got to see every room she would spend time in. She got to smell all the different smells of the "sleepy medicine" she had to choose from. She got to put a mask on her face so she knew what it looked and felt like. She came home with a hat, gloves and a mask! She looked ready to be a surgeon herself! Most important she got to see the doors where we would say "see you later" and we decided exactly what we would say at the doors before hand.

Of course I forgot my camera. I so wish I had a picture of her walking away to show everyone! She took the doctors hand and started to walk away. She looked back over her shoulder and waved to us with a big smile on her face! She was so grown up and did so well.

Everything has gone better then could be expected! We were at the hospital almost exactly 6 hours. We were there for more then an 1 and 1/2 before she even went into surgery. We did almost have to cancel because she started coughing AFTER we were at the hospital. After talking with everyone we decided to go ahead with the surgery. I really didn't want to go through getting her ready for surgery all over again! She was supposed to be in surgery for 2 and 1/2 hours and then was in less then 2! After she came out of surgery we were only there another 2 to 2 and 1/2 more hours!

The best part of watching her wake up was asking her questions! She would answer with the appropriate answers but in a very annoyed tone! A tone that very clearly said, "Leave me alone I am tired!" By last night she was laying on her tummy! Oh to be a child and recover so quickly!

When we first found out she had this more then 4 years ago I really just wanted her to out grow it. The thought of surgery was just more then I could take at the time. After the last 4 years and all of the medications and bladder infections, accidents and fevers, after all the worry about kidney damage and having to do that test every year we had to at least try the surgery. We do have a 5% chance this won't work. That was a chance we were willing to take. I do have to say that after the blessing she received Wednesday night I am not worried! I am glad we did it now before she got any older and even more self conscious about what the surgery would include and where it was.

Thank you all for all of your concern, love and prayers! It has definitely been felt! We love you all!

My Stuff is on KSL!

Just for information I finally took the plunge! My mom told me that I had been dipping my toes for too long and that I just needed to plug my nose and go for it, so I did! I put my hats, headbands and flowers on KSL the other day!

If you go to the classifieds go to the heading General and then Handmade goods or click here: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=9541467&cat=516&lpid=. It is a few items down now but it has a cute picture of Emma! If you click on more info to see more about my stuff there is a contact seller box. In that box there is a Share on Face Book button. If you click on that button it will put a link on your FB page (if you have FB!). I would really appreciate anyone willing to share the link with there friends and get the word out for me! The link is awesome because it takes you right to my stuff when you click on it! Thanks for all your help and support everyone! =)

Emma Can Speak Spanish?

Emma came to me and said I am speaking Spanish mom! I thought I would do a little video clip so that I could show it to Jeron when he got home from work. When I finished it I decided it really needed to go on the blog! I hope you enjoy Emma's version of Spanish!

Baptisms For The Dead!

This is a picture of Jaxon at Porter's baptism. He had just turned 12 a month before and the suit we got him was still too big. Now he is 13 and the suit is almost too small!

Right after he turned 12 the Young Men were going to the Temple to do Baptisms for the Dead and he got his recommend in time to go! He was so excited! He was so excited that he had taken his recommend to school in his wallet and then when it came time to leave he couldn't find it. He was very disappointed. And if I was a good mom I would have made sure that we got him to the Temple right after that. Well, I didn't. And the YM Deacons Quorum hasn't been since. And then his recommend expired. I felt VERY guilty! So guilty that I have made it a personal goal to get him to the temple once a month! So he got a new recommend and then we were at the end of January. I really wanted to get him to the temple. Have you ever had a trip to the temple planed and had everything go wrong to the point that you just want to stay home? We had the hardest time getting a baby sitter. Jaxon had a horrible headache right as we needed to get ready to go. I was so tired I think I could have gone to bed at 5pm and slept all night! I didn't get Jeron's white shirt on to wash until really late (thank goodness for a washer and dryer that are amazing)! By the time Jeron got home from work I was ready to say, "It just isn't going to happen!" But then I knew we would all miss a wonderful experience!

And it was wonderful! We got there just in time too. About 20 min. after we got there it got very busy to the point of standing room only! I loved telling people that it was Jaxon's first time! He was so nervous! I told him we were in the temple and that there would always be someone who would help him! It was wonderful! I am so glad we took the time and went. I am glad we got to be there with him for his first time. I hope he has the desire to go back often and make this a part of his life. I will make sure that we get the other kids there much sooner then this, that is for sure! Thank you Jaxon for being such a wonderful young man! I love you!

Best Friends!

I thought it was young for Jaxon to have a best friend at 2! And he did! There was a little boy who lived upstairs from us in the apartment complex we lived in and they were best buds! They have moved away now but we still try and see them once a year and Jaxon and Josh are able to pick up like they see each other almost every day!

Jaxon and Josh at 4 years old!



This is Maycie and Afton!

Her mom and I would joke before they were born that they were going to be best friends! And then I started baby sitting her 2 days a week and I have gotten to watch these girls really become best friends! It is so cute! Maycie will look around at church until she finds her and then they spend the rest of Sacrament Meeting trying to talk to each other! It is so funny!

I teach Primary but get to go to Relief Society every other week. It is the same thing in there only Maycie spends the whole time trying to actually GET to Afton!
At church on Sunday I decided it would be so cute to get a picture of the 2 of them together! That proved to be a little more difficult then I thought! You would think that as a mom of 5 I would get how hard this would be! Silly me, I actually thought that they would just sit there for me! Ha!


Last night Jeron and I wanted to take Jaxon to the temple to do baptisms. We had the most difficult time trying to get a baby sitter! I haven't had to do that in a long time and now I remember why I love Jaxon being able to do it so much! When Megan (Afton's mom) found out she offered to take the girls for me. She has been wanting to have Maycie over so she could get to see them together anyway. When we got there to pick them up she was amazed! She just kept saying over and over, "They are so cute together!"

I hope she always thinks it's cute when Maycie starts teaching her the naughty things!

Because I'm sure she will! I think the hardest part is that they will be the same year in school but in different Primary classes. I love that Maycie is going to have a friend just down the street and I hope that they will always be the best of friends!

Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning

Disclaimer: My sister-in-law Alicia did a similar post a number of months ago. It is because of that post that this post is happening! I am sure this song would NOT have the same meaning for me otherwise! So for those of you who may read her blog I am not trying to copy her, just be inspired by her!

I truly thought that moving to 11:00 church was going to make it easier to get there on time! We had a whole extra 2 hours and the boys didn't need to be there half an hour early to help set up chairs. We were golden! In fact, I was kind of excited because we haven't had an 11:00 block in YEARS! We are now almost a full month into the New Year and barely slid into a pew "on time" for the first time! I got all flustered because the pew we usually sit on and that Jaxon had put his stuff down on (he was already there and had been since 9:30! Jeron has a meeting every Sunday at 9:30 and this was one Jaxon had to be too.) was occupied by another family on the other end that didn't leave us enough room. I quickly found another bench on the side that I knew would crowd us but didn't see any other options! Jeron was taking care of coats for me and came in a minute after me looking VERY confused! We even had a sister comment about us sitting in the wrong place! We are creatures of habit and sit on the same pew every week! We would be okay on room until Jaxon was done passing the sacrament and so I warned the others they were going to have to scoot over when he came back! I also warned them the my patients were low so to WATCH OUT! And then the opening hymn starts and I look down to see what it is: Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning! I think to myself: are you kidding me?! So I pay very close attention to the words as we sang this morning. I would like to tell you some of my thoughts as we sang this opening hymn.
First line of the hymn:
Welcome, welcome, Sabbath morning; Now we rest from every care.
Already we have a problem. Rest from every care? As the mother of 5 kids trying to get us all to church on time do you think that I really get a rest from every care? I don't think so!
Welcome, welcome is thy dawning, Holy Sabbath, day of prayer.
Loving teacher kindly greet us As we meet in Sunday School,
Where they labor hard to teach us By the Savior's golden rule.
Believe it or not I am actually okay with the rest of the first verse! As a Primary Teacher I like that the hard work ALL teachers go it is acknowledged! I do always try and greet my class kindly, I may not be happy by the end! But I do always try to start out on a good note!
Hark! the Sabbath bells are ringing; Hear the echoes all around.
List! the merry children singing! What a pleasing, joyful sound!
I am not going to even finish the second verse! Merry children singing? My boys are not merry children singing! In fact I had to threaten Connor to open his hymn book today or he would be punished! Even getting through Sacrament meeting is not restful!
I actually really like the third verse:
Here we bow in meek devotion; Here we sing God's holy praise.
Here our hearts, with fond emotion, Seek to learn his holy ways.
From the books of revelation We are taught while yet in youth.
Words of heavenly inspiration Guide us in the path of truth.
And I remember the days when this used to be going to church for me! I know these days will come again, but right now I am lucky if I hear half of ONE talk! I feel so rude some days! Shhhing my children and trying to keep Emma sitting in ANY way that MIGHT be modest so that when she is 12 she already knows how to sit! Not to mention Maycie climbing all over Jeron and I so that she can stay awake because church is now in the middle of her nap!
And then we hit verse four!
Here we meet with friends and neighbors; Parents too are in the throng.
We are earnest in our labours. To God's kingdom we belong.
Trials make our faith grow stronger; Truth is nobler than a crown.
We will brave the tempest longer Tho the world upon us frown.
We have only been in our "new" ward just over 18 months and so feel at home there. The people we meet with are our friends and neighbors in the truest sense of the word! Our Bishop's parents live in our ward and are able to sit with his wonderful wife and 4 small children so she doesn't have to do it all alone. We truly belong to Gods Kingdom! I may not welcome all that the sabbath morning brings but I know I am helping my children learn the things they need to know so that we can be together forever! These trials will make me stronger and I will be a better person-mom-wife for it! Together with these wonderful brothers and sisters in the gospel I will be able to brave the tempest longer no matter what else comes my way!
So bring it on Sabbath Morning!