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.

Fat fingers

Just a little FYI, sometimes I publish your comments (those of you who leave comments:) on my phone and there has been a couple of times when my fat fingers click on delete instead of publish. And as far as I can tell there is nothing I can do to retrieve it once it is done. So if you leave a comment and never see it published then just know that I saw it, read it, and was so happy you commented and then my clumsiness ruined everything.

Also I guess I should say, I really like comments:)

FHE

So I have talked about FHE before here on the blog and some of you may be wondering what the heck that is. Well, I am going to tell you. Our church leaders have asked us to hold family night once a week that is used to spend quality, undisturbed time together. In the church Monday night is reserved for family night and  no church meetings or activities are allowed on that night. We try not to schedule anything on that night. I was asked to share what family night was like at our house for a Sunday school lesson and Mimi was kind enough (as always) to help me out with it. So now you can see what a typical family home evening looks like for us.

If the video isn't working here then go here to watch it (and other video's Mimi has done. Baby Gavin's video is soooo sweet).


Family night is something that I would recommend for EVERY FAMILY, no matter what faith you are. My kids look forward to it so much. They love having time that they know is just for us to spend together. And it is good for Russ and I to have a reason to plan and think about the things we want to teach our children. Otherwise I feel like those conversations and lesson would be something I would *think* about having with my children, but never actually doing it. Have that one evening set aside for that every week gives us a structured setting to talk about all kinds of stuff with our kids. I feel like having family home evening has made us closer and happier as a family.

Other FHE posts found here, here

A perfect day

Today was a prefect day. I just laid down in my bed with some hot chocolate and was about to tackle my google reader and I decided that I need to write about what a good day this has been.

I woke up a little early so I could shower before the kids were up. Then I cleaned and made the finishing touches on the baby shower that would be at my house that morning. Connie came to help with the kids cause Russ worked today and because she is an angel. Everything went really smoothly. There was a moment of panic when it was time for people to come and I still had a lot to do in the kitchen, but right then Chelsea came in and asked what she could do. Everyone helped and we had a wonderful shower with delicious!! food. It was so nice that we sat around and talked forever (if you know me, you know that is the way I like it). The shower started at 10 and everyone was gone by 2.

And everyone helped clean up so when they were gone I put my feet up for awhile and then picked and shelled pomegranates with the kids. Then because Heavenly Father loves me (and Robyn) he reminded me that I was going to take dinner to Robyn from my ward because she just had a beautiful baby girl. I was this close to forgetting and I am so glad I didn't, cause I really didn't want to forget. I want to be the mommy that remembers things. I got to sit and visit with them for a few minutes and hold the tiny new baby girl.

I came home and ate cinnamon roll waffles for dinner with my family. Russ got the kids in a bath and I took over when he left to go and watch a fight with a bunch of other guys. And while I don't really like that he likes to watch fights, I am glad he got to go out and do something he likes cause I get to do it all the time and he rarely does.

Also I forgot to mention that Connie took the kids to their primary program practice that they will performing in church tomorrow (I am so excited) and she took them to McDonald's. And William got to watch Harry Potter 7 part 2 again. It has been a good day for everyone. It could have been crazy and/or stressful, but it wasn't it was prefect.

A birthday for Mimi

I have not been on the good ole' blog for some time now. Just busy I guess. It has been party central around here and will be for awhile. On Tuesday we had a small party for our good friend Mimi.

We threw up some hot air balloon and had some french onion soup and caprese salad.

There was gift giving.

Chelsea didn't want to be in the pictures and moved. Russ sat there cause he loves to have his picture taken:)

It was a fun night and it was just really nice to get together and talk. I wish I saw Mimi more. I love being friends with her. She is so smart and kind and super talented. Remember when she made this (my favorite video EVER.). She also made a video for me recently that I have been meaning to show here and I will do it soon. Tomorrow I am hosting a baby shower at my home so I need to go get ready for it.

Happy Birthday Mimi!