A great full weekend

Thanksgiving weekend started at my moms. Here is Joe playing the piano and he was killing me cause he kept closing his eyes. I guess he was really feeling it.

My mom out did herself again. She claims it comes from majoring in Home Economics but she prepared and made EVERYTHING BY HERSELF. And we start on time.

Here is everything she had there for us...

Pepper jelly with cream cheese and crackers, Turkey and ham, veggie tray, and deviled eggs.

Stuffing, turkey gravey, mashed potatoes, and mashed sweet potatoes and apricot glaze.

Cranberry sauce, homemade rolls, corn and green beans, and roasted asparagus (I did that, but that is all I did).

And then the pies! Pecan, butterscotch pudding, cherry cheesecake, pumpkin, and chocolate pudding.

I even got to take a nap and my hair ended up looking like this. It was fun to see family and get to eat and relax. We also got to skype with Mark, Ashley, and Sam.

Friday is the day we have Thanksgiving with Russ family. I was able to go for part of it, but then had to leave early to go to the Temple to do baptisms for the dead with the Young Women and it was so nice. I didn't take any pictures that day, but it was a really good day just the same:) William and Gracie got to spend the night at Connie's house and Gracie had fun playing with her Jane Austen doll.

The next morning I headed to the park with my Huston family (Russ had to work). We went to McCormick Park and the kids had a really fun time. 

We had a good time eating and visiting.

And riding the train. How cute is this little caboose.

He is just like Gracie, loves to throw sand on his head.

The kids love the stage coach.

And the carousel was fun except Gracie started crying as soon as it started going because there wasn't a strap and she felt like she was going to fall.

Waiting to ride the train.

Waving to grandma

Joseph knows how to use a wand. Point and cast.

He was so tired by the time we went home and I tried to move his head to the side, but he would just move it right back. After we got back I headed over to a friends house to help get ready for her baby wedding. They were able to be sealed in the temple to their adopted daughter and she had been waiting for a long time to do that. I was so happy for them.

This is a little hot air balloon wire sculpture that I made for her. I was inspired by her daughters dress. I am going to have to steal pictures from someone else though cause I took NO pictures of the party. Luckily Miss Mimi did a video of the whole thing and I can't wait to see it!

The only picture I took was of me pumping gas on my way home. 

Then on Sunday my cousin Jacie and her family came over and it was so nice to see them and talk with them. The weekend was full of seeing people I love and nothing makes me more grateful than that.

The thanksgiving decorations are down and hopefully Christmas ones will be up soon! I am excited for Christmas but this year I am feeling a little bugged by the materialism of the whole thing. Maybe it is because my kids are getting older and it turns into "I want, I want, I want" kind of thing. I have no problem saying "no", but the whole Santa aspect makes it kind of tricky. I have already made the rule that Santa only brings one thing, but still...

Saturday Morning Shower

My good friend Jaime is having her first baby girl after having three (adorable) boys. I wanted to throw her a shower and luckily some other friends wanted to too. It is so much easier when there is lots of help and they helped with the part I like the least - the food. I should say making the food because I do love eating the food. Especially this food, man it was yummy.

Photo courtesy of Kayleen

Photo courtesy of Kayleen

Dianna, Chelsea, and Bekah helping me out in the kitchen.

I wish so badly that this wasn't blurry. I thought it was funny that almost exactly a year ago we were having a bridal shower for Chelsea and now I was having a baby shower for her sister.

AND I even used some left over things from Chelsea's shower for this one.

The food labels became chalkboard labels.

We head mini stacks and yummy buttermilk syrup that Dianna brought. The mini stacks are easiest to make if you put the batter in an old salad dressing or ketchup bottle.

Cinnamon roll waffles that Reachel introduced me to.

I love breakfast food.

The umbrellas I ordered from here and then painted them with craft paint while watched movies with my husband.

I wanted to give a favor that I thought people would use and I feel like you can never have to much stationary.  So I made some. I borrowed my sisters art supplies and decided I liked water colors a lot.

Mandy printed them for me and Connie hand detailed all the envelopes for me. Some of the papers say "wassup" and some are blank.

Sweet Jonah.

Ready to hang with her energy drink.

Jaime looking beautiful as always.

It was a lot of fun. We decided that we may need to get together for breakfast on a monthly basis. 

In the nick of time

Yesterday, one week before Thanksgiving,I finally got my Thanksgiving decorations up. Things just kept on happening and I could not get it done, but I didn't want to give up because I love Thanksgiving. I don't think Christmas would be quite the same without a month of feeling extremely grateful for everything we have.

Most of my inspiration came from pinterest (love).

Felt garland, Count your blessing, water color feathers

I got an awesome bag of old felt at the thrift store and new it would be perfect for the leaf garland. I cut out all the leaves and then took them with me to Time Out for Women cause I listen and focus better when my hands are doing something.

The count your blessings sign was fun cause we all sat down as a family and had to say something we were thankful for each tally mark. We were allowed to repeat what others had said. 

And the water color feathers were fun to do. I want to do more and make them better, but I don't have the time right now. Lately I have been wanting to paint and draw a lot, which is strange and fun.

This sign is so easy and simple, but I really wanted it somewhere in our house and big! I don't want any of us to get too greedy this Christmas season. There is joy in giving and receiving gifts so I don't want to get rid of them all together, but last year I felt like I was doing to much running to the store just to get something. I don't like that. I like to really think about the gifts I give. I want my kids to learn more about giving this year than receiving. If you have any advice on that, I would love to hear it.

I just made it using an old role of butcher paper I got at a thrift store and a sharpie. Fast easy and probably my favorite thing. Too bad I probably won't be able to store it. I will just have to make it again next year. Also, would it be weird to keep it up for Christmas? 

See what I did last night. As it turns out strange books make strange movies (I love the books though). AND this mornings fail.

In between the cracks

I try to journal most of the things that happen in our lives at least the stuff I want to remember:) but sometimes (most of the time) there are things that fall between the cracks. My phone catches most of those moments and a lot of the time they are put on instagram. Here are some from the last few weeks.


Pumpkin head Joseph. I want to remember this forever. He was playing so sweet with me.


And here he is playing with William. He loves it when the big kids push him in the car.


I have had some projects that I needed to work on so I decided to watch a movie while I worked (one of my favorite things to do) and this time I watched one of my favorite movies Finding Neverland. I cry every.time.


Russ fell asleep by me on the couch because he says he can't fall asleep with out me.


Joseph was a crabby guy for quite awhile waiting for his top two teeth to break through. They are through now and the side ones are coming in too.



Gracie and William wanted to watch the carnival video over and over again.


Daddy brought home the last Harry Potter the day it came out. Someone was a little excited and a little goofy looking.


This was the cute hand out for the YW lesson on Sunday that Angela taught. I can not tell you what it means to me to have such good councilors in Angela and Jessica. Some have asked if YW is such a fun party all the time and while I do love it I have to say it is no walk in the park. I love my YW and that is what makes it hard. They are ALL dealing with really HARD things.


I am glad that I am not alone in my endeavors to help and support them.


Most Sunday nights we eat dinner at either mine or Russ' parents house. That is when Joseph gets his weekly sugar fix because grandmas always make dessert and his daddy always gives him some.


This last Sunday was the start of super sassy Gracie ( which is still going on) and she wanted to lay down and rest with me so I jumped on the opportunity. I think it helps her calm down.



Last night we were able to join some other families at Dewitt Stables for a hay ride and bon fire with dinner and s'mores.


It was awesome to visit with some people we know and meet others we don't know. A lot of the time I still feel very new to the area and like most Mesa people all know each other so it us nice to get to meet people.


Joseph loved the fire and Russ roasted some of his award winning marshmallows (okay, okay he hasn't actually ever won an award for them, but he should.)


This week is going to be so busy. I have something going on every night! But it makes me happy and grateful to have so many friends and family around me.
- Posted by deb on the go.