Thursday, November 6, 2008

Advent Calendar...

Here's the supply list for those who are interested...
A BIG thanks to the cute lady who thought this one up and posted it on Making Memories Blog last year...

Supplies:
11x17 cookie sheet (other sizes work well too..), the shinier the better, make sure it's not teflon coated, or test a magnet on it
2 12x12 scrapbook papers, pattern is fun!
coordinating papers for your lettering and number 25
calendar grid (I can e-mail this to you... just leave your e-mail address.)
rick-rack or other trim to cover paper seams (about 24 inches)
a 15 inch piece of wire, or you can use ribbon for the hanger part
25 magnets
25 pieces to mark your days
E-3600 craft glue is my fav, but your fav will work too
Fabric Tac glue, a small bottle will be enough
Automotive primer (with the, gray lid, will say automotive primer in white...)
Spray paint, I like satin finish the best

Other helpful supplies:
Punches
Ribbon
rub-ons

Tools:
Drill (to drill holes in your cookie sheet for the hanger)
paper trimmer
scissors
corner rounder, or just use scissors
wire cutters
Sizzix or Cricut (You can also use your home computer to print off text, mirrored so it's backwards, onto the wrong side of your paper, and cut it out by hand, or use stickers or rub-ons for your text...)
sandpaper

Directions:
*Drill your cookie sheet before you do anything!* If you paint it before you drill, it will chip the paint. After holes are drilled, paint it, bottom, or back, side first, with the primer. Get at least two good coats on it, letting it dry well between coats. Turn it over and get a good coat of primer all over, the second coat need only be on the edges, the center will be covered with paper, but needs some primer to help adhere the paper. (I did have a couple of friends who just left it silver, didn't prime or paint, and it still worked out just as well.) Paint it with your choice of spray paint. Follow the same order as priming, bottom or back of cookie sheet, then top.
After it's all dry, you can choose to sand the edges if that's the look you want, or you can leave it.
Trim your papers to fit the bed of the cookie sheet. The top and bottom strips should measure 2 1/2 inches high. The center piece remains 12 inches. Glue down the top and bottom strips first, using the Fabric Tac. Glue down the center piece last to ensure it is centered. Cut rick-rack or ribbon to fit, and glue down, with the Fabric Tac to cover the seams of the papers.
Cut your letters, unless you are using another method.
With the Cricut, I cut "The Days of" in 1 inch height. I cut "Christmas" in 1 1/2 inch height and the number 25 in 2 inch height. Glue down your letters, number, and calendar grid. (I prefer using my Xyron for this, but the Fabric Tac would work well on this too.)
One of the last steps is to get your pieces together and get them numbered and magnets on them! I use the E3600 glue to attach the magnets. You can either go for a collected look (pictured above), where you pretty much raid your scrapbook supply or find trinkets on clearance, and use those as your daily markers. I did a more uniform look, punching out circles of my patterned papers after I printed my numbers on them, and then stuck on a page pebble to add dimension and protection. Feed your wire through the two holes on the cookie sheet, from the back, leaving tails on the front to wrap around the handle. Tie ribbon to the handle.

Tag...

Jen tagged me...
I am- Trying to not eat all of the chocolate in the house...

I think- I want to eat all of the chocolate in the house...

Everything in Life- is a blessing.

I want- The days to go by just a little slower.

I have- 3 sweet girls..

I dislike- when they make each other unhappy.

I miss- Grandma W., Merrill when he's at work, Lynn and Ash when they are at school...

I fear- what my girls will have to endure... if I will have taught them well enough.

I feel- like more pulled pork.

I hear- Ash making Peyton laugh.

I smell- "Cozy Fireside"... Scentsy rocks!

I crave- um... chocolate?

I cry- when I feel the spirit, when I hear about children getting hurt, when I think of my girls and how fast time is going...

I search- for cute craft ideas, cute crafting items, photo ops...

I wonder- what Lynn will have in her homework folder...

I regret- not asking Merrill out to my senior cotillion... going with doofus...

I wish- for my girls to love their childhood, to look back on it someday with utter happiness...

I love- my family.. MY WHOLE FAMILY!!!!

I care- about my friends...

I always- pray...

I am not- a liar.

I remember- just about everything... memories from when I was 2 anyone?

I believe- my prayers are always answered, that there is a Heavenly Father who loves me.

I sing- silly, made-up songs to get laughs out of the girls.. and whatever is in my head...

I don't always- act as polite as I should...

I argue- just to get a rise out of Merrill :)

I write- everyday... well, at least I try...

I win- those arguments with Merrill... no not really... I usually lose everything to him, games of Monopoly, Connect 4, Canasta... I do win in the count of bums wiped :)

I lose- it when I am tired... either frustration or laughter... take your pick...

I listen- to PBS kids more than I watch it.

I don't understand- what Ashley says when she's crying.

I can usually be found- in my craft room...

I am happy- everyday... there's always something to be happy about!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

It's the weather...

Whenever it starts to get cold like this, I hunker-down with a bunch of cozy projects...
I am almost done with Kimmy's pink hat... I am hunting down more of the knit-crosheen. You think it wouldn't be a hard find.. oh boy... I will be starting the green one soon.
I have 3 rag blankets... 2 to cut the edges on still. All little boy ones :( I want to save one, put it with all the cute little boy clothes I still have in the cedar chest.. waiting... Mer said that was crazy. I'll have to post pics when they are done, raggy and cute!
I also made a new wreath:(I so want to paint my door BLACK...)
And just cause I liked the text, a give away:
Leave a comment.. favorite thing to have for supper in the fall.. I'll draw a winner at random by the end of the week!

Just another day...

Woke up this morning after having nothing but Obama dreams.. I woke up, not wondering if it was real, but remembering the night before; witnessing history. No staying up late, watching the returns come in, wondering who will eek away with a lead.. no. That was decided pretty early on in the evening. Months ago, really...
I must say, that both candidates speeches were very eloquent and gracious.
I somehow feel hope.
But on to fun stuff...
We spent the afternoon at mom's. Catching up, crocheting/knitting, and laughing.
I am so thankful to have my mom! I have realized lately, that everything I do, is either something my mom has taught me, or something that she, my grandma, and I would do together. Sewing Lynn's costume, with Grandma's machine, I felt like she was there, reminding me to take out the straight pins before they passed under the presser foot ;)... While I crochet, with her hooks, I remember her teaching me how to hold them so my hand wouldn't cramp.
I miss her.
But I am so thankful that my girls and I still have my mom, their grandma, who can teach them the same things.
Grandpa said such a sweet prayer over dinner as we were getting ready to leave. His voice is so sincere and tender.. I can't help but think of how much he misses Grandma too. He prayed for all of his children and grand-children. He prayed for us to be safe as we drove home. I love my Grandpa!
Ashley and I had an interesting exchange today while picking up a few groceries...
It involved her favorite word as of late...
Ass.
We were picking out bananas.
Me: "Ash, you have a banana ear..."
Ash: "Mom, you have a banana nose.."
Me: "You have a banana mustache..." (There was an old cowboy walking past with a good looking mustache...)
Ash: (Now brace yourself...) "You have a banana ASS..."
Me: "Ash! (Trying not to laugh...) We don't say that word!"
Ash: "But mom, everyone has an ASS..."
Me: (Still trying not to laugh...) "We still don't say it."
Ash: "Why?"
Me: "Because if any of these people heard you say that, they would know that I am a bad mom..."
Ash: "Then the police would come and under-arrest you, huh?"
Now what would Grandma think of that?

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Politics...

I am so happy that this whole circus will soon come to an end, for a few years anyway...
I have avoided blogging about this.. friends and politics usually don't mix... but this is my journal...
So this is one of "those" moments..
It is a bit surreal how times are. What morals and values are on attack, what seems crazy, but I believe should be the norm. As I went to vote today, I felt it all come to the surface again. I have felt the importance of this particular election, and have been what the media calls, "an undecided moron"... I honestly have been pondering the choice I made today for quite a while. I've been praying and discussing the choice at hand with people I trust, and look up to.
I nearly cried standing at that machine thinking, here it is... listening to Peyton and Ashley giggle behind me as I stared at that screen, I prayed yet again, to make the best decision.
All I can say, is the right people's names were not on that screen.
I can't wait for it to all be over.
The funny aspect, is remembering how today seemed so far away just 9 months ago. I was prego with Pey, voting at the primary, and slipping and falling on the ice... four years ago, Ash was our newborn. We stayed up watching the returns come in. Hoping for better with our baby then.
Now we still hope.
And pray, a lot.
Funny to think that in the 2020 election, Lynn will be off, just by a little bit, in her first opportunity to vote in a presidential election. That freaks Merrill out, to think of his little girl being that old...
I was organizing the last months pics, burning them all to a CD and deciding which ones were scrap worthy... I found these:
Peyton's favorite place to hang while I blog. It does cause some problems every now and then, cords get pulled, posts disappear... thank heavens for blogger's auto save!
And this one is from today...
This is her new grin... she shares it with us when she knows she's doing something extra silly.
Ashley proved, yet again, that she is my child too... after dinner, which she ate almost all of the black olives (which Merrill is NOT a fan of) she drank the olive juice straight from the can! My girl!

Monday, November 3, 2008

7 tag...

My friend Jamie tagged me...
7 things I can do...

(I'll try to NOT state the obvious...)
1- I can sew with a child on my lap...
2- I can wire pretty much everything.. light fixtures, light switches...
3- I can burp, "I love you..." shhh! Don't mention that to Merrill ;)
4- I can regurgitate M&M's...
5- I can start a fire with one match, no matches if the fire was banked for the night...
6- Stay at home all by myself...
7- ...well, with a gun.. that I can load and clear...
7 things I can't do...
1- I can't dance... without people laughing.
2- I can't do math, unless it's basic math.
3- Control my facial expressions and hide how I really feel...
4- Tat (but I really want to learn...)
5- Golf...
6- Refuse a root beer float ;)
7- Let my kids go to sleep without prayers and a story...
7 things that attracted me to my husband...
1- He played with our niece Hallie so cute! He thoroughly enjoyed her slobbery toddler kisses. He loves little kids. He was always so sweet to his younger brother and sisters.
2- He is hot...
3- His smile is to die for, when he really smiles and shows his teeth.
4- Family is important to him. He would do anything for his mom or dad, is always there for his siblings, even when it is a dance recital.
5- He works so hard!
6- His priorities are in the right order.
7- He has the same goals as me.
7 things I always say...
1- Chillax... or: Take a chillaxative!
2- Flush the toilet!!!
3- What Darlin'...
4- Crap!
5- Really?
6- Hello...
7- Don't say that to your sister...
7 things I like to eat...
1- Um... root beer floats
2- Mounds
3- Jello
4- Junior mints
5- Nutrigrain bars
6- Bananas
7- Goldfish
7 people I tag...
1- Brookers p.
2- Ally K.
3- Christie J.
4- Randee M.
5- Promise M.
6- Sarah A.
7- Annie D.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Halloweening...



We had a fun, kinda chilly, little sprinkle-y Halloween. Merrill took the girls out for a while... I didn't go because Peyton fell asleep during the traditional chili dinner. Just as well, Ash "missed me", and ended-up wanting to come home early. Notice that Lynn doesn't have any glitter on her dress? That's because I got the fun of washing her dress 4 times trying to get forklift grease out of it from the trunk-or-treat the night before. She says that she wishes she'd have listened when I told her not to play on dad's forklift. Thanks Christie for the goo be gone.. it did the trick. I owe you a bottle!
We didn't have too big a showing. I started to give out lots of candy, just to get rid of it...
I already have Thanksgiving decorations up, and the birthday countdown calendar.. Lynnie-lou will soon be 6!!!
We enjoyed the last night of the season at Lagoon last night. We really made the most of it too.
Feeling kind down today... but I guess we all have those days...
Maybe I just need some PANCAKES...