the sun will come out. tomorrow.

the sky is grey.

I got a negative feedback on etsy

(that is so not my fault- the person never paid. like I am going to send them something when they haven't paid. and I did try to contact them. several times.)

I am tired.

and grumpy.

I pulled out my Christmas decorations and my nativity snow globe that I loved is broken.

and now maggie is pulling out all sorts of stuff.

like Christmas threw up in my living room.

and have a house that needs cleaned.

and no gumption to do it.

but-

the weekend was so fun.

I spent it with my mother-in-law, and my sisters-in-law.

we saw new moon.

(let me just say that I always did like Jacob. and still do. yowsa.)

I get to see my aunt this afternoon.

then I think I will have a nap.

and then I think things will feel better.

it's not so bad.

I think I will have some spinach dip for lunch.

that sounds really good to me.

stuff

1. we no longer have internet connection on our pc, so I am on the mac, where I know nothing about pictures and stuff, so my posts will be pictureless for a while-

until I figure out the apple,

or we get wireless onto the pc.

2. more sewing planned for tonight. Need to get those dolls some cute outfits!

3. girl's weekend coming up.

so excited.

4. New Moon! I am going. can't wait!

5. I am bringing along some scrapbooking stuff.

(on the weekend-but not to new moon- in case that is what you thought I might mean!)

it has been way, way too long since I have even looked at pictures and paper at the same time.

6. looking at blogs today I am really sad that it isn't thanksgiving up here. yummy turkey and pumpkin pie. I think if I was going to be home this weekend I would cook up a turkey just because. Happy Thanksgiving to you Americans!

(and find some great deals at the stores tomorrow!- one of these years I am going to hit black friday!)

7. I guess I will keep the turkey in my freezer until Christmas.

8. which is now less than a month away.

9. does that freak anyone else out like me? lots to do! stuff to make, and buy, and cook, and decorate!

10. I am so excited to put up our tree!

I bought a new-er one at a garage sale over the summer- it is a pre lit one! I can't wait to take it out of the box and set it up and see what it is like!

and then, if it is not so great, we will pull out our old one, and the lights. fun. not.

11. whoever invented pre lit trees was a genius. seriously. what a great idea. I am amazed at people and the things they come up with.

12. I got a hair cut. and it is cute. maybe I can figure out how to put a picture up sometime soon!

13. had parent teacher interviews for all the kids this past week.

good reports for all four.

makes a mother proud.

(it is so nice to hear that your kids are good from other people. so nice.)

the vortex

do you ever think that if you could just stay off the computer, how much stuff you could get done?

I do.

but here I am.

on the computer.

finding more ideas, and craft things,

and gifts to make.

instead of finishing the ones I have started, and doing the ones I have bought stuff for.

silly me.

silly computer.

sucks me in.

like a vortex.

must get out.

and get stuff done.

help!

the girls

in the mail a while ago, we got a little catalogue.
not rare, at this time of year.
flyers, and catalogues everywhere.
but this particular one caught Sadie's eye.
it was the Maplelea girl catalogue

beautiful dolls, yes. nice clothes- no doubt.
but that price tag- yikes.
for a doll?
sorry - but I won't spend more for an outfit for a doll than I do for myself.
so, I was thinking maybe ebay.
maybe an american girls doll. we aren't too picky around here!
but all the ones I saw, and bid on went too high.
and once you add shipping- way too much. so sorry sweet sadie.
but then,
my sister.
who is a deal finder.
found these- Springfield dolls
at Micheals.
for about 1/4 of the price. - and yes, I know not all the same quality, but they are dolls- and will get tossed around, and I don't want to be freaking out every time I see them holding them by their $100 hair! know what I mean?
and of course we use the 40 or 50% off coupons whenever we shop there!
(because this poor little doll comes without clothes!)
so, I decided this year both girls will get a doll.
they can play together that way
(that is the plan, anyways)
so, every time I hit Micheals now, I use the coupon for some fun accessories for these girls-
so far I have a pair of glasses and some crocs.
and my sister and I have spent a couple of nights sewing outfits for these poor naked dolls.
now I need to find a fun case to keep the clothes in.

and that is my story of dolls,
and thriftyness,
and what they are getting for Christmas.

13

1. last night at dinner, we were talking about what the boys did at scouts the night before.
Jack said he learned about hypothermia, and hyperthermia. I asked what hyperthermia was, and Jack said it's when you are too hot, and you need medical help, and then Ben pipes in- then call me a doctor!
so funny.

2.Maggie asked me to make some playdough for her today, so I was making it,
and she was asking if I was doing it, then walked past me and saw that I was, and said- good mom.
silly girl.

3. in seminary there is a family that is consistently late. quite late actually.
so today when they came in, I said- you guys need to turn your clocks ahead 20 minutes,
and one kid said- that was rude-
and I was kind of confused about how that was rude- but just said- okay, your alarms need to be set earlier.

4. then I was sitting here at home and thought about what I should have said.
something about how coming in 20 minutes late to my class is rude.

5. why do I always think of these things so late?
darn it!

6. Maggie keeps asking me how many days there are until Christmas. Maybe we should have an advent that counts down from November instead of just December.

7. only 36 days left. just so you know. if your kid asks you!

8. what?! 36! that is not very many. and I have to think of a few birthdays between now and then.
yikes!

9. Sadie wants to have a Hannah Montana party. but she has a few friends that are boys that we are going to invite. is that okay? will boys be annoyed? I am thinking we will play freeze dancing- to Hannah songs, of course, and I bought some guitar shaped papers that they will decorate and stuff. I do have a bunch of Hannah Montana stuff I picked up at the dollar store, and liquidation world, that I hope the boys will be okay with! I can think of one boy who will probably put up a stink, but the other 2 will be fine with it- I think. hmm.

10. another sewing night planned for tonight at my sisters house! can't wait! (I think the girls will love it!)

11. I spent the afternoon crafting and chatting with a sweet friend who I am "helping" make a dress for her adorable little girl. really I am just her moral support. but she was doing so great, and her dress is going to be so super cute!

12. and now we are off to another volley ball game. luckily it is local.

13. I made some cookies, but they taste a bit off. darn it. I hate that. a whole load of sugar and chocolate chips wasted. well, the kids say they taste fine. so I guess that is a good thing. for me. and my hips.

saturday

this past saturday was sister saturday at our church.
the same as the old super saturdays,
but now under a different name.
(I have no idea why, but whatever!)
a day of crafting, and a delicious lunch- I am all over it!

so, I was asked to do a little display about neighbor/teacher/friend gifts.
fun!
so, this is what I did-

(I really wish I had more stuff on the table- but who knew that the grocery store I shop at had no sprite, and no jolly ranchers? not me!
and I was tired of shopping by then, so this is what it was!)

and this is the page that was handed out, with some fun ideas. all courtesy of the internet.
oh, sweet internet. how I love thee.


it was kind of fun to find a bunch of ideas-

(Ben saw my list and said they are all so cheesy. yes, they are cheesy, but they are fun!)

I personally am going with the jolly rancher idea this year. feel free to copy! after all, I got the idea from somewhere out in cyber world! so fun. (as long as I can find some! just not at my grocery store!)

today

1. we hit the library earlier this week, I found a book that I thought might interest Jed- (he doesn't really like to read)- but he read that book most of the day, and into the next.

2. but I am pretty sure he hasn't picked it up since then. silly boy. he told me he knows how it ends.

3. I vacuumed the floor in my craft room yesterday. wow. what a difference. just doing that made it seem so much cleaner in there. - there were a lot of thread bits and yarn bits all over that floor.

4. but it still needs a lot more cleaning/organizing. I am hoping to finish up some projects that are taking up space in there-- that will make it seem way cleaner!

5. especially if I can get the ones on my table done that have been sitting there for a while. It will be nice to be able to use that table to cut on, or work on. someday. hopefully soon!

6. I have big plans for the girls for Christmas. which involve a bunch of sewing. I am heading to my sister's house tonight to get started! I am so excited.

7. I really hope the girls love them! (I will share more later.)

8. I am happy there is no snow- because no snow makes for good roads, but I kind of wish there was some snow- makes it seem a bit more like winter, you know?

9. does anyone else feel this way? or am I just crazy.

10. anyone else getting Christmas on the brain? My sisters were getting a package ready to send to our parents for Christmas, so I had to work on getting stuff ready for them. kind of nice to have it done. I will show you what I did later- after I know my mom has seen it- because I know she reads this! (hi mom!)

11. I bought a Christmas tree at a garage sale this summer- a pre lit one, so I am kind of itching to put it up, and see how it looks- I think it has some pine cones on it, and some fake snow stuff, so I am not too sure how it will all be- but if nothing else, we can put it down in the basement! it was only $5.

12. but- must wait a couple more weeks. decorations can go up December 1st! ( I think I was anxious one year and put them up a bit earlier, but by the time Christmas came, I was already tired of them.

13. alright- I should go hop in the shower. the cable guy is supposed to be stopping by to pick up something this morning, and I should probably be somewhat presentable. maybe.

so far-

- one quilt top that has been almost done for a long time is now done!
- only a couple of extra jobs given out yesterday.
- none so far today.
- a knitted that (for a friends grandbaby) that has been in progress for a while now is now done!
- hoping to start (and finish) christmas skirts for the girls today.

not a bad week so far.
thank goodness!

Fall break

The kids are home for a week.

which means sleeping in! yay.

and fighting kids to deal with. boo.

I am hoping to get a bit of deep cleaning done around here-

what with having five captive slaves around all day!

(actually, I think I am going to make a list of jobs, and whenever a kid gets in trouble, they have to pick a job to do! genius.)

my to do list is long,

hoping to get a early jump on some Christmas stuff,

and catch up on a lot of half done projects.

we will see if we can all make it through this week alive.

and sane.

hmm.

13

thirteen things I learned today while driving some kids to a volleyball game:

1.Vegreville is far away.

2. even farther than the town the team they played came from, but apparently that team doesn't have a gym. what? yes. no gym.

3. teams that have no gym are easy to beat. - our team is not the best, but they totally rocked today!

4. the only way to kill Jason is to kill him underwater.

5. the only way to kill wolverine is to take away his mutation stuff, ( I think the boys used other terms)then kill him.

6. I think that is the one, I could be a bit mixed up. don't quote me on this stuff. I was just the driver.

7. some kids play a lot of video games.

8. and a lot of those games are war games.

9. my poor kids are so deprived.

10. and will continue to be so deprived.

11. some boys don't hate abba.

12. they might try to convince you to stop at a&w, but if instead you stop at tim hortons and get some tim bits, that might be okay too.

13. I am so glad that is their last away game. (and they way they played this season- I wouldn't be surprised if it was their last game ever!)

Saturday, October 31

we had a Jack in the box. get it? haha a sweet little red riding hood. (I need to share a picture of her with the little pantaloons I made to go along with this costume- so cute) she got so many comments while trick or treating about how cute she looked!
a vampire. scary.

and what is supposed to be Marie Antionette- it came with a white wig, but it looked a bit wonky, so we just went with an up do. I really should have gotten her a tiara- then she would be an obvious princess, but that is what most people thought, and it worked for us.

(there is a hoop in the skirt of the dress, so it stood out a bunch. pretty fun)

and lunch that day-

this is our usual halloween lunch. so fun.-

just cut up the bottom of the hotdog, into 8 pieces, then boil them, and they will curl up like this. so fun!

and here is some of the loot, all sorted and organized.

yummy chocolate bars. so delish.

what a great halloween- and it wasn't even too cold. hurray for that!