happy food

Soon after this picture was taken, we gave the guy a full head of spagetti hair.
yum

loving it

etsy.
what a great idea.
a place where people can sell unique
(or maybe not so unique- you all know what I am talking about)
handmade things.
for a small fee.
(those etsy guys are loving life- $0.20 at a time)
well, I am not one to miss out on a good thing.
so I jumped on. and what a ride.
I have had my shop for over 2 years.
wow.
things are picking up.
I usually have something that needs knitted up.
and I love it.
these are some hats that someone requested. sort of like what I have listed, but to their own specifications.
I love that.
I love that someone could see what I make, but have a different vision, and trust me to follow through.
and I just love knitting these pixie hats.
any color. any size, any length of top twist.
and I will even add stuff on them. but maybe not a tree.
you know what I mean.
check out etsy.
there are so many things there to love.

13

1. we have the beds painted, and in the girls room! yay.



2. they actually slept in there last night, but I am not revealing yet, since we taped up tin foil on the windows so it would be dark (very white trash-ish)



3. and I am almost done quilting one quilt- but still need to find some great fabric for the binding, then need to get going on the other.



4. so, when the quilts are done, and real curtains are up- then you can have a looksie. okay?



5. oh, and maybe a few cute things on the wall. I have some ideas, but apparently they need to be approved by the head construction forman/decorator dude. haha.



6. and I have some cute ideas for some pillows for their beds. boy, I had better get busy sewing!



7. I needed to go to Home Depot yesterday, and I needed to do some walking, so I combined the two- popped maggie in the stroller and off we went. it didn't take as long as I thought, and was actually a really great walk! might have to think of a few more things I need to pick up there!



8. we just had a little playdate at the park. man, it was chilly and windy. then we came home and sat on the front steps and it was very warm. what is up with that?
I guess my front steps are sheltered from that cold wind. I think I will sit out there all afternoon!

9. Sadie has been doing swimming lessons with her class at school. she has requested that I come and see her swim this afternoon. but I don't want too. but I will. does that make me a bad mom and a good mom- all at the same time? I can live with that.

10. I taught my last day of seminary yesterday. but they are doing a big breakfast tomorrow that I am going to crash- because I can. then no more seminary for three months. hurray!

11. hopefully today, or tomorrow, or someday really soon I can get rid of this dresser that is in my living room. that will be nice. and along with it- it was given to as as a set of three dressers, so Cory is big on sets and stuff, so all three must leave together, so we are actually going to be getting rid of three dressers. ahh. more space. less stuff. I am liking that. a lot.

12. my tread for my treadmill got delivered this morning. any bets as to how long it will take to get it on the treadmill?
(I am hoping not too long, but in reality, it could be a really long time. I mean, really. I think you pretty much have to take the whole thing apart to get it on! yikes.)

13. my silly girl.

happy Thursday!

warning

deliciousness ahead.
found the idea here- on the cute blog- A cup of JO
follow the links for the recipe. be warned. it is delicious.
if you like the chocolate and peanut butter combination like we do at our house.
but if, no, I mean when I make it again I would use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate for the ganache icing.
other than that. perfection.
sorry, no more to share. we finished it off.
but I will call you next time I make it.
maybe.
but I don't think my kids will let me.
it is that good.

sweet

this watermelon I bought last week wasn't the best tasting one I have ever had, but when I cut it up, I think it was the sweetest. look what I found-

sorry-

no muffle news. i have not been cleared by the creator to reveal the secret of delicious muffles, but if and when I get the go ahead you will be the first to know- or if the creator decides to share her fabulous idea with the world, I will link you to it.
so, I woke up with a sore throat, but got over it, then went to seminary, the gym, the school to help with hot lunch, then when I came home to get my own kids lunch I could barely function. so I had Jack set maggie up with a movie, and the computer, and called Cory and begged him to come home early and deal with life for me- and spent about 5 hours in bed.
I would like to say I feel better, but not really.
this weekend is supposed to be the big push to get some progress on the girl's room. hopefully I can help more tomorrow!

it's just me

sorry. apparently I just had my blog set on the wrong thing, I was only seeing the html, when really the pictures were there. yikes. I have a lot to learn.
so- anyways, here is the closet. I don't get it either, but apparently it is going to be great. I can't wait.

here is a glimpse of the quilt.

shadowy, and wrinkled, but just wait until you see it quilted and on a new bed in a fun blue room. ooowee. it will be gorgeous. (or so I am told)

last night I went to my sister's enrichment. we had to bring a dozen cupcakes and were learning different ways to decorate them. this is what I came home with-

I don't know that I will ever again make a pig, elephant or sheep for a cupcake in my life, but they were kind of fun to learn.

those colorful flowers are just marshmallows cut up, then dipped in colored sugar. cute and easy. I will definitely be making those again!

it's Thursday!

man, that long weekend really threw me off. all day yesterday I was thinking it was Thursday- but it was only Wednesday. but now it is Thursday, so here are my Thursday 13!

1. I am trying to put some pictures on my blog, but all I am getting is that computer gobbldygook- that means something to somebody, but absolutely nothing to me.
all I know is that it is not a picture, like it should be. sheesh.

2. I was trying to show you a quilt top- I am almost done one for the girls room- just need to add on a white border around the edge, then the quilting can begin.

3. yesterday I had it layed out on the living room floor, so I could check the size of it, and I was asking maggie if she liked it. I am pretty sure she didn't even see it, but she yelled from the other room- "it's gorgeous!"
I love that girl!

4. I also had a picture of the girls closet. but it doesn't look like much. yet. Cory has big ideas. I do know that he has sat in that closet and pondered for quite some time, so I am expecting nothing less than fabulousness in there.

5. it is warming up outside, so I am hoping later today, or for sure by tomorrow, I can begin priming the beds, and painting them for the room. yay! sadly it has been below 5 degrees for the last few days, and the paint can says it should be between 10 and 32 (or so) when you paint.

6. good thing Jed has a bunk bed in his room. he has been sharing with the girls since their room has been taken apart. and the girls have been sharing the single bottom bunk. cozy.

7. I ordered a new tread for my treadmill. can't wait until it comes. and gets installed. probably not by me. but I might have to try. my membership at the gym expires tomorrow. I should go today, and tomorrow. and hopefully my part will come early in the week.

8. the 5k run is in less than 2 months. yikes. the farthest I have gone - on a treadmill- is 2.3k. and I felt like I might die. I need to run more.

9. my living room is a whole lot tidier than in my last post. the toddler bed has found a new home, the dresser has been put right, and the drawers put back in, and most toys have found a new home in the basement. so now- I have a dresser and a matress right by the front room window. not too bad. much better than it was, that's for sure!

10. apparently lunch foods are running low in our home.
no tubes! yikes. no cheese strings! catastrophe.
I think a trip to costco might be needed. that is always a good time.

11. I only have 4 more days of teaching seminary! there are only 6 days left of seminary! hurray!- until next year that is. but oh, those 3 months of not having to wake up at 5:30 will be so sweet.

12. getting Ben up to get to seminary in the morning next year will not be so sweet. he is not the best at getting up in the morning. unlike Jed. you just have to look at him in the morning and he is up and gets ready right away. ahh. I am hoping he will still be that way when he is in grade 9! haha.

13. tomorrow I am going to make muffles for my class. what are muffles, you ask?- well-
I'll tell you tomorrow!

it was a ball

on Friday night we went bowling.
much to Ben's dismay.
he really wanted to go laser tagging.
but that wasn't really something we all could do.
but bowling was!
we got our shoes- so snazzy.
(man, it was dark in there, and loud. and hot. but it was tons of fun)

found balls that we could lift. - we had to get a special light one for Maggie.
then the boys took a lane and the girls got a lane.
I had them put up the bumpers for the girls, but next time I am having them put up for me too!
too many gutter balls. yikes.
then we noticed some teens - maybe preteens- who can tell? using a cool metal thing that you put your ball on, then push it down a ramp to get more speed going. fun. so we found one for Maggie. I think Sadie used it a few times too.
maybe I should have used it too.
Maggie kicked my butt.
maybe she will be a great bowler like my Grandma Thomsen was!
who knows.

just today she was telling me that she likes bowling now. such a funny girl!

It always gets worse before it gets better

or at least I hope is the case,
as this is the state of our living room right now. yikes. It is a disaster. worse than that.
horrible. and is already driving me crazy.
why is it so bad?
because this is what the girl's room looks like right now-

soon- hopefully this week,
it will have new carpet, new paint, new beds, new quilts- maybe new curtains, and a new closet system!
wow. I can't wait.
oh, wait. I am the one doing some of the work. better get on that.
soon.
so I can have my living room back.

yesterday

I got a phone call from my mom, in the morning, telling us that supper was at their house tonight.
this could only mean one thing-
they got their mission call!
so we gathered, made our guesses- then ate a delicious dinner.
then, when we could wait no more, they opened it!this was my mom's reaction. I think she is a bit shocked. so- where are they going?
well, they are going to Baguio, Phillipines!

(here's a little picture I found on the internet. ) it looks beautiful. and it is hot there. my mom doesn't like hot. but they are going to be working in an office-hopefully it is air conditioned!

-and us girls are already planning a trip to go visit them. when it is cold here. and nice and hot there.

can't wait.

so exciting. for them. we will miss them. I mean- who will tell me how to cook a turkey- every time I cook one? and no more meals at their house all cooked by mom. but it is all good.

what a great adventure!

(and the green faced kid is my nephew. my brother in law doesn't want pictures of his kids on the internet. just so you know. he really doesn't have a green face like that. in case you were wondering!)

Thursday

1. I find it so funny that Maggie is always- always dancing and singing around the house. but when it came time for the kids at church to go up and sing their mother's day song, she would have nothing to do with it.
crazy girl.
2. I didn't get a picture of me and the kids on mother's day. I will have to do a make up picture on the Sunday coming up, and pretend we took it last week. no one will really know- I mean in a few years it won't matter that it was a week late, right?
3. isn't Ben cute? or should I say handsome? studly? a hunk? I love this picture by Rebecca Cooper. love it. what a babe.

3. Cory commented that I should change my header picture back- that you can't really tell what we are doing in the picture-

we are all eating suckers! heart suckers. so now you all know. and since a few of you commented that you like the picture, I will leave it for a while. until something better comes along. - these were also done by Rebecca. so fun.

( I love that Sadie is totally taking a lick. so funny.)

4. I totally want to have a wall full of pictures in the basement, so I need to go get some pictures enlarged, and maybe a few more frames, hopefully I can get that done soon! I am so excited.

5. I bought some watermelon this week.

very much makes me think of summer.

yum.

6. then today we have this.

very much not summer. yuck.

7. we have gone camping on the May long weekend with a few families for years now. last year it was actually warm. some years- not so warm. the way it is going today, I am thinking that it might not be so warm.

but, our van is having issues. we are pretty sure it is due to the oil change incident- but we have no proof, and since our van was at the limit for weight it should pull anyways with our trailer-

anyways, we aren't going camping this weekend. and we are having issues deciding if we should just buy a bigger vehicle that can pull the trailer- and use more gas, or sell the trailer and get a smaller van.

and Cory and I are not the best at making decisions. so many choices. what to do, what to do.

8. but I am glad we are staying home. hopefully we can get some stuff done around here.

9. so, on Tuesday afternoon a nice young man in a suit came to my door and asked me if he could steam clean my carpets. for free. no catch. all I had to do was tell my friends and family what a great job they did.

well, since my livingroom carpet could really use a cleaning, I said okay. so he called his boss guy, and they came back in a few minutes carrying the box. the minute I saw the box I knew.

Kirby.

oh no. I told them. I am not buying a Kirby vacuum. so just go now if you want, or you can stay and clean, but I am not buying your stuff. I told them how the last Kirby guy who came to my house- when we lived in Calgary made me cry. yup. nice. he was very high pressure, and how come I wouldn't buy his $2000 + vacuum without my husband there. I didn't need him to tell me it was okay. yikes. it was not pleasant.

anyways, the guy said he would not pressure me, and proceeded to vacuum my living room for the next hour. showing me all the dirt he got out of my rug. gross.

then it was getting to be dinner time, and he still hadn't steam cleaned. so I said it was okay- I didn't need that. so anyways, he called his boss guy- who dropped him off, and he was going to come and get him in about 10 minutes.

so he packs up his stuff and goes to sit on the steps to wait.

Cory comes home and chats with him a bit. tell him how he sold Kirby vacuums once upon a time too! I can hardly believe it!

it was pretty cold out- snowy like today. so I did tell him he could wait inside, but he said it was okay.

anyways, we eat dinner. and the guy is still waiting.

so we invite him back in again, and he says okay this time.

so we watch the news together and chat. he was nice. from BC. didn't really like doing sales. finally the boss guy came - over an hour after he called him. nice. poor guy.

I was just sad that he could have steam cleaned my carpet in all that time he was waiting. darn it.

10. I joined in on Crazy mom quilts block a day nine patch quilt along. and wasn't doing one a day- or following along well. but I did sew up 6 squares yesterday. we are supposed to be at 17. yikes. I have some sewing to do.

11. and due to that yummy watermelon, and little girls eating it and dripping it's juicy goodness all over the floor, I have some floors to mop. fun for me.

12. when we were having the garage sale, my sister Shelley came in and spent a while helping the girls clean up their room. it was so nice. but it is not so nice any more. but today I am going to get it nice again. yes, I am.

13. have a happy Thursday!

10 minutes

on monday for family home evening, Cory told us to pretend we had to get out of our house- we had 10 minutes to grab everything we wanted to take, then we had to get to grandma's house.

this is what the gathered stuff looked like- but the vacuum was already there, and the laundry basket. I wouldn't bring those.

it was interesting to see what everyone grabbed.

one of the boys grabbed the globe. love it.

ben grabbed the quilt I made him. that made me happy.

another boy grabbed a whole pile of games and puzzles.

just in case we get bored, I guess.

Cory made several trips bringing up all the scrapbooks.

it was interesting to think about what is important to us, and what can and can't be replaced.

(there have been some wild fires by some towns close to here, so some people in our ward have been on stand by to evacuate- but I think the fires are under control now.)

something to think about.

and I really should get a big 72 hour kit together.

add it to the to-do list!

science fair

so- guess who got first place for the grade 8's in the science fair?
not ben,
but he did get second place! (sorry for the glare. the title says home sweet home?)

I told him the colored dots on his display sealed the deal.
anything with colored dots deserves a prize in my books!

he did his project on decibels, and the safe level for any noise- then tested people by having them listen to music at a certain volume, and having them guess if it is within the safe limit for listening. very interesting, no?

here- today!

except we aren't moving, and we aren't selling a car. but we are selling stuff we bought at other garage sales- right mom?
good times.

13 blogs you should check out.

- if you have the time, and the inclination, that is!

I thought I would share some blogs I have found and enjoyed.

1. ambrosia girl

I just found her- love it.

check out this download you can print off to give to your special someone before mothers day, so they can get you just what you want! so fun- but I do think she forgot the chocolate box. that is what I would check for sure!

2. film in the fridge.

just look at this quilt she made, and you will know why I like her blog!

3. v & co. I am sure I have shared this link before, and I am sure I will share it again. she is thrifty, and crafty, and super cute. love it!

4. the lettered cottage

she made curtains out of drop cloths. what is not to love?

she decorates houses. and does it beautifully. some day I want my house to look like hers.

5. a friend to knit with

with a blog name like that, how can it not be good?

6.bakerella

cake pops. yum. and sprinkles. double yum

7. the shabby nest. super cute decorating ideas. and thrifty too!

8. confessions of a twenty something drama queen

I think she is so funny. and presh.

9. Design mom so trendy and with it.

everything I am not, but want to be!

10. my insanity- and I quote "an insane amount of ideas"

what is not to love?

11. kate benson photography- because I do love photography, and I do love her style. love.

12. the farm chicks

anyone want to go to washington in June? so fun. thrify goodness.

13. the urban photo blog
another photographer I greatly admire.

now go, look, have fun. then get off your computer and get some sun!

because

it makes me smile. and sometimes, a smile makes things better.
not that things are bad.
but things can always be better, right?

what a guy!

thanks to home-ec classes at school-
that everyone has to take,
Ben learned how to sew-
(or sue as he says it- he claims that's how his teacher says it)
and he made these pajama pants! pretty cool.
and he knows how to make orange julius'-
isn't that what everyone learns in home-ec?
so I need to keep the freezer stocked with orange juice concentrate.
when will they teach him how to cook a full meal?
oh- maybe that's my job.
I had better get on that.

overheard

while at work on Friday, Cory overheard a guy talking to the ladies, telling them about an estate sale he was having- selling his mom's stuff.
according to Cory there would be hundreds of jeans, and thousands of shoes, or thousands of jeans and hundreds of shoes.
he couldn't remember which.
either way, I was sold.
so I went.
and I don't think that guy was a very good estimator, there was maybe 30 pairs of shoes, and just a whole lot of old lady clothes.
but I managed to have a good time.
this is what I got.and a bread machine-now was it $10 like the green sticker said, or $5 like the red sticker at the back?
well, I just gave the guy a $20 for all the stuff, and called it good.
and that bag in the pile- the pretty blueish/greenish flowery one-
well, it was full of knitting needles. tons of them. I sorted them out- kept a very few that I didn't already have that size of, and paired the rest up, and will attempt to sell them at a garage sale we will hopefully be having next weekend. with my mom's help.
should be good.
so- the bread machine- it came with a cook book, but not the instruction manual. so I decided- what the heck, let's try it. so I did,
and this is what I got.
a tiny loaf.
I had a piece. it was very dense.

I think I need to find a manual.

because it could be very fun.

-if I can get it to make light, fluffy, delicious bread.

ps- thanks for all your comments with my last post.

I really appreciate your support.

crafting, and sharing ideas is such a great thing.

the internet is such a great resource.

I love it.

the dirt

so- I thought I would share my story on the whole artistic integrity deal- and see what you guys think-
be honest with me- what would you do?

okay, so I was reading a blog of a photographer I admire, and there was a picture she had taken of a cute little baby in a gnome hat- very much like my pixie hats I had already made, but instead of a flower clip- like mine had, this one had a tree appliqued on it.
wow- super cute.
I can do that- so I did-
and this is what it looked like. and I listed it on etsy,
and there it sat for a couple of months. being viewed, but never bought.
until a couple of days ago, when I received a message on etsy.
from someone very crafty. and well known.
I am sure a bunch of you have heard of her- but I won't name names here. apparently her friend "worked hard to come up with an original and unique concept" and she thinks it is "such a shame as a fellow etsy artist to take advantage of that"
and "i just wish that when someone has a great and original idea, it wouldn't be stolen by others."

well. huh. I thought and thought.
what would I say to that.
what should I do.

so- I have said nothing. and changed my hat to this-

look- my very own idea.
like 90% of what is on etsy is not a copy/version of something else somewhere.
like what this girl who wrote me makes is at all original, and tons of people haven't copied her.
I wonder if her friend even cares that I did that.
and I wonder if this girl has written this same letter to all the people who have copied her stuff she sells.

and those are my thoughts on the matter.
what are yours?