Recent Projects March- October

For the Stake Relief Society Meeting this month, I headed up a group of talented women to make 100 hot pads. These would be the take home gift for the women who attended the event. The theme was "Christ's Hands, My hands, Our Hands." Sis. Waldron gave me an idea of what she wanted: hand in heart in sage greens and lilacs. After calling up friends, finding decent fabrics within 30 minutes of here, writing sewing directions, delivering materials, a sewing exchange party, testing the functionality, and sewing them all together, we did it! 100 individually unique hot pads for the women who spent their Saturday enriching their lives.


Quilt for my dear Cristina's baby girl.
One of my best friends from childhood and college had her first baby last month. My mom was going to her baby shower and informed me about it 5 days before. I quickly whipped this quilt out for her and sent it UPS to Utah so she could open it during the shower. It all worked out and I personally thought it was one of my favorite baby quilts I've ever done. Cristina named her beautiful girl Hannah, which means flower in Japanese, hence the inspiration for this quilt.
front and back:


Also, here are some of the baby quilts I've worked on with the talented women here in Mo-town.

These first two quilts, I designed, appliqued, and quilted. Katie J. helped cut out the flower petals, while Amy and Liz cut the front and back squares and Melanie and Michelle helped cut out the palm tree.
Quilt for Michelle's baby.
front and back:


Quilt for Katie W.'s baby.


Quilt for Julie's baby. I guess you could say I designed the bug quilt, we all cut it out, Melanie appliqued it, Mary did the border and binding, and then Katie did the best quilting on it with adorable quilted bugs. (this pic is just the front before it was quilted...I'll try to get a finished pic.)


Quilt for Andrea's baby. This one was us four again (Mary, Katie, Melanie, and I). We each did a block, Mel sewed the blocks together along with the borders, and I did the binding and quilting.


Quilt for Liz's baby. Britta designed this quilt but 9 of us made an original square block following Britta's guidelines of contemporary squares and rectangles. Left to right, top to bottom it goes: Mary, Julia, Amy, Yolanda, Melanie, Amber, Abby, Katie, and Sharleen. Britta then sewed the blocks together, quilted the entire thing, then bound it. Wish you could see her darling quilt patterns, they were fabulous!


I was in charge of the food for Liz's shower and since this pregnancy I've been craving baked goods, I made some of my favorites. We enjoyed Apple Cinnamon Carmel Pecan pull aparts (Monkey Bread), Peach Cobbler, Banana Bread, Pecan Carmel Cheesecake, and Pralines and Cream Ice cream. It was so much fun getting together with friends to celebrate the new baby that will bless their lives soon.

Forgotten Pumpkin Farm Pics

I forgot to post our fun filled day at the Pumpkin Farm last fall.  It was the most perfect day with beautiful weather and I took a million pictures.  I posted a bunch on my photography blog.  Click here if you want to see more. 

Forgotten Family Fall Pictures

and I realized I never posted the pictures we took as a family in fall.  The first pic was used as our Christmas Card photo. 

Ode to Amber...

So this past week I had a big national board test. So for the last few weeks I've been stressed out of my head and trying to study, schedule patients, cure headaches and not fail this test. And throughout the whole thing Amber has been awesome!!! She works so hard (even though she's on restricted activity) and did everything she could to support me in the process. One night she came home from the store with all my comfort foods; sushi, bacon and eggs (I know they don't go together), and cinnamon bread for French toast. Then she made it for me over the next two days while I went through notes and study cards for the third time! She rocks!!!
So I just wanted to let everyone know that MY AMBER is the best wife ever and I love her soooooo much!!! Amber, thanks for being my wife/friend/support/lover/confidant/ and constant motivation! I love you!

General Conference

If I could put a theme to this weekend's conference I would say it was all about LOVE. Love God, love your neighbor, love your spouse, love your children. Show your love by serving others and obeying God's commandments. I also felt there was a great deal of discussion about receiving personal inspiration whether it's to know it the church is true or in making life decisions or for me personally, to receive the daily inspiration needed to lead and teach my children. The talks that stood out to me were:

1. Elder Scott's on personal inspiration and letting the spirit guide and guard you from Satan's temptations.
   
2. Elder Bednar's on "being more diligent and concerned in our homes." We need to express love and show it. Bear testimony to your spouse and children and live what we believe. And being consistent in Family Home Evening, prayer, scripture study.
   
3. Elder Uchtdorf's about being a true disciple of Christ, prioritizing our life's actions, and that love should be at the center of all we do.
   
4. Elder Oaks on God's love and God's commandments.
   
5. President Monson's on serving and easing others burdens.
   
6. Elder Holland's powerful testimony of knowing the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

It seems like every year I get more and more excited to hear what our Prophet and Apostles have to say to us. Maybe it's because I know I need to hear what the Lord wants me to be doing with my life more now than I felt when I was younger. And for sure being a mother, I feel a great sense of responsibility to my children that they learn how to be righteous children of God and become the men that God wants them to be. I feel I've got to do all I can as their mother in teaching them truth and love.


Jaxon, Talon, and Colton,

I love you dearly and know that the Lord loves you. I know that he sent us to earth to be challenged and tempted so that we can overcome trials and temptations. I know that He speaks through latter-day prophets to teach us how we can draw closer to Him and prepare ourselves to return to live with Him someday. I know that our current Prophet, President Monson is a man called of God and that he lives his life in accordance to God's will for him. I know that the Holy Ghost can manifest truth to our hearts and minds and that he is one of the greatest gift's God could give us while here on earth. The Holy Ghost can protect us from Satan's grasp and can provide inspiration on making good choices so we can be happy in this life. You boys are special to Dad and I and I know Heavenly Father has a plan for you here on this earth. I pray you will learn to live your lives in accordance to His will always.

I love you- Mom

Count your many blessings...

So this morning we wake up to our doorbell ringing at 7:30am. I hear a lady outside say, "Is this it?" I asked Doug if he was expecting someone and he said, "No." My immediate thought was, "Jaxon is outside..." Doug jumped up and ran out our bedroom door to find the boys' door open with no little ones and the child lock broken on the floor. He then runs down stairs and luckily Talon was in the living room and then goes down the next set of stairs to the front door. Upon opening it he finds a lady with our 3 1/2 year old who is wearing only his pull up and wet socks (it was raining) and his white Pottery Barn quilt wrapped around him (soaking wet...thank goodness I got it crazy cheap at Gabes). The sweet lady said she found him in the road (at the bottom of a hill that cars fly down) and so she stopped her car and started knocking on doors. Thank goodness one of the neighbors thought he might be ours and she brought him over.

Wow, all the crazy thoughts that filled my head with "what if" statements. I feel so blessed that the Lord watched over my child and brought him safely home. After Jaxon did his timeout time, I had a serious talk with him and then Doug did. Then I had Jaxon say a prayer with me and thank Heavenly Father for bringing him home safely. Today could have been the worst day of my life and I'm so thankful that it wasn't.

Doug then switched the door handles so we can lock the door from the outside now. Speaking of Doug, he had a hard day at school loosing a patient who needed 4 crowns and a root canal. He has to get 9 more crowns and 5 root canals completed before December and is stressed out! Doug rarely gets overwhelmed and stressed but this sure is doing it for him. So if anyone knows of someone who needs crowns (veneers and bridges also fall under this category) or root canals, PLEASE let them know that they can get the work done for 1/2 price at the dental school and that Doug desperately needs these patients. Also, on top of this, Doug has his first round of clinical boards this weekend and in two weeks from then, is his 2nd round of written boards. It's a challenging process to get certified and licensed as a dentist, so we are asking for prayers on his behalf.

Again with the counting blessings, at least he is in dental school pursuing the career of his choice and at least we get to go through this together as a family. Doug, I'm so thankful for all your hard work and your dedication to educate yourself in a way that will provide for our family. I admire you and support you 100%.

Frontier Fest

Doug's cowboy action shooting group held a Frontier Fest this weekend. We all came, including Doug's parents, to watch our cowboy win 1st again in the shooting competition. He also won a custom made bowie (sp?) knife. To show my support, I thought I'd get dressed up for the occasion. Luckily Gabes had a maternity "cowgirl" shirt for cheap. I also got a hat, but was too shy to wear it...baby steps...maybe for Halloween I'll wear it. The boys loved playing in the buggy and my mother in law is convinced I need to have that in my back yard instead of a playground.

I posted more "photographic pics" on my photography blog along with several of these.

In Honor of the "first" season

This is all too true!! Well Amber and I had our annual discussion of time allotment for the "first" season. It seems that it never gets any easier. Hopefully this year's seasons will go well. I found this and it says it well.

Jeff Foxworthy's Commentary on West Virginia
If you consider it a sport to sit in a tree stand all day long with a bow or a gun just to put food in your freezer, you might live in West Virginia.
If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Elkins is the coldest spot in the nation, you might live in West Virginia.
If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March, you might live in West Virginia.
If you instinctively walk like a penguin for five months out of the year, you might live in West Virginia.
If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in West Virginia, 'cause you're all so damn friendly.
If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, cause he wears a hardhat you might live in West Virginia.
If you have worn shorts, sunglasses and a parka at the same time, you might live in West Virginia.
If your town has an equal number of bars and churches, or if you are in church and your priest or minister asks you to pray for the MOUNTAINEERS, and wants to get you all home for 1 p.m. kickoff, you might live in West Virginia.
If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in West Virginia.

You Know You Are A True West Virginian When:
'Vacation' means going up north past I-64 for the weekend.
You measure distance in hours.
You know several people who have hit a deer more than once.
You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching.
You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including weddings).
You install security lights on your house and garage and leave all the doors unlocked.
You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them.
Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.
You can identify a southern or eastern accent.
Your idea of creative landscaping is a concrete statue of a deer next to your blue spruce.
You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age.
Down South to you means CHARLESTON, WV.
A critter is something you eat.
Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his NEW FORD F150.
You go out to a fish fry every Friday and bingo every Wednesday.
Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.
Someone in your family killed Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.
You have at one time lived in or have at least 10 relatives that live in Ohio.
You know that the smell around Easter is worth it because ramps are Yummy.
Brown beans, fried taters, ramps, and cornbread, now that's fine dining.
You wave to 99% of the cars you pass on the road.
You are sure that Autumn is a gift from God and this really is Almost Heaven.
You are aware of all 4 seasons:deer bow, deer gun, deer muzzleloader, and turkey.
Because your home isn't remote enough, you have a "camp" way up on a mountain somewhere.
Y ou have a rifle in your car and your girlfriend knows howto use it.
When asked where you arefrom, you name your county.
You know that canning occurs in glass jars, not cans.
You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all our West Virginia friends and amily.
my own additions would be:
When Jaxon (or your own son) says house and it has two syllables!
When your son (Talon) wakes up from a nap and the first thing he wants to do is shoot his gun!
When your son routinely practices shooting animals (native and non native)!
When the biggest husband/wife fight of the year always comes two weeks before bow season!

And Amber would add:
When you become a single mom from Sept- Christmas due to hunting season.

Preschool for Jax

Jaxon will be attending preschool 2 days a week for 2 1/2 hours. His first day was this week and he was all into it. To make it special, I let him wear clothes from the closet (the nice ones), make his bed, brush his teeth, and comb his hair (ok I helped with that). I'm sure for a moment he thought we were going to church...shows how good I am at getting my kids ready everyday huh. His teacher Ms. Mickey wanted them to bring a leaf with them, so he climbed in a little tree and got one. I know I'm bias, but what a good lookin' kid!

After we dropped him off Talon and I ran some errands and then went to the park. It was so weird to be with one kid again...I forgot how much easier it is. Talon got all the attention and I think he appreciated that. He's been so moody, throwing fits, and crying to get what he wants...so I've been trying to modify his unpleasant behaviors. It was delightful to just laugh and play with him without any distractions. Also, we had a break through yesterday...he gets frustrated easily and so I've been trying to help him learn how to deal with this emotion through words versus crying. For example, if he drops his spoon on the floor, I've tried to get him to say, "Oh man!" instead of crying. So yesterday it finally happened (twice actually), he dropped his tools out of the tool box and said, "AHHHHH, MAN!" I got such a kick out it. Then he spilled his grapes and said the same thing. It gave me hope to keep going with the other behaviors that I'm trying to change.