EDITED: AnnieB-Please see end of post for info about the cabins at Bear Lake.
I am an indoor girl. I have three degrees of comfort. I LOVE my air conditioning. So what was I thinking when I decided to take my three daughters, two nieces, and mama CAMPING for the weekend. I guess I was thinking of how much fun we would have! And it really was such a blast. Of course, I did learn quickly how much work camping is. Cooking meals, hauling equipment, keeping track of all the parts pieces and clothes involved with 8 female campers.But the memories can’t be beat… check out pictures from our trip. (note: the SUV we rented had NO space for all the bags, food and equipment. I literally loaded up the kids then packed all the STUFF on top of them. They were troopers…)
Some other memorable moments…
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… and hidden again. As the snow falls {yes you read that right. The snow is falling outside my window as we speak} I am happy to have some little hints of spring to brighten things up.
The paper flowers [above] use the same technique as my white wedding flowers. I just used some fun spring patterns rather than plain white. I also glued a Jenni Bowlin mini bingo card to one of the picks and created a fun jelly bean topped flower to for an extra touch of whimsy.
Easter weekend was a busy one for us – spent with family, friends, and lots of yummy food. It’s hard to believe {especially on a cold day like today} that summer is just around the corner. Here are some family highlights. {my kids were being butts on easter so I dont actually have any pictures of them in their pretty Sunday Easter outfits…boo}
Xander and Savannah getting ready for the neighborhood egg hunt… too bad he refused to touch any of the eggs.
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I am quite proud of my simple $5 Valentine’s Day Dress. It started out as an after Christmas find at Walmart. (one of those compulsive buys… went to get TP and got sucked into the sale racks) And customizing it was fun and simple!
To take it from Christmas to Valentines was simple.
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This is Sedona.
She is the youngest of my three totally amazing daughters. Tonight, she showed me what the holidays are all about. I was sitting on the couch in the living room admiring the Christmas Tree and enjoying the neighborhood lights. In walks my little one. She plops herself next to me, and with out any hesitation asks me to sing with her.
So sing we did. Christmas tune after Christmas tune… laughing all along the way. Joking the way only Sedona can. Lea and Xander joined us. The Xman added his own special brand of dancing – complete with kick ball change, marching, and even a little break dancing. Sierra and Savannah joined in adding more love and laughter. And ending our little “program” with our own rendition of the 12 days of Christmas - ”and a pickle in a white plastic tree”. All the glitter, tinsel, and lights are the outward expression of what this season is about. LOVE.
Thanks Sedona, you rock.
I have to admit, when getting ready for the holidays I always look to see what Martha Stewart has going on. After all, it was Martha who (along with my mom) inspired my love of cooking and decorating and crafting. Inspired by her felt corsage, I created these simple but super cute Hair Holly for my girls.
I have to admit, when getting ready for the holidays I always look to see what Martha Stewart has going on. After all, it was Martha who (along with my mom) inspired my love of cooking and decorating and crafting. Inspired by her felt corsage, I created these simple but super cute Hair Holly for my girls.
Creating it was very simple.
- Cut the individual leaves from wool felt.
- Using a sewing machine (or by hand if you prefer) add some contrasting stitches along the edges.
- Sew (or hot glue) the leaves together, gather at the center.
- Add a bow and a little ornament for an added festive touch.
Look for unbreakable or plastic ornaments when making for younger kids. Th glass ones can shatter pretty easily. I found mine in a tube at Target.
Be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win our first prize, a Martha Stewart Glitter sampler. Leave a comment below and one lucky winner will receive a finished bow from me to you! I will announce winners for this week’s giveaway Monday AM. So tell your friends. See you tomorrow!
Usually when I hear that topic at church (Sunday school) I want to head for the hills. This last Sunday, part of our Sunday was devoted to just this topic. But I have to say, I am glad I did not run. There is no better topic to help refocus your life as a single parent than this one.
I often get asked, “how do you do it all”. Well, aside from the massive lack of sleep I have in my life, the real answer is that I DON’T. Not by a long shot. I do my best… but I fall very short of reaching the status of doing it all. I am very blessed to have such fantastic kids who are so wonderful in so many ways. But as my little divas are getting older it becomes more and more evident that being a single mom is not the ideal scenario. [not that I ever really thought it was except for my pink wall that no self respecting man would allow in the family room]
As we discussed the tips and reminders of being a good husband, wife, and partner in marriage. It really made me think. It made me think and come face to face with what it is that really separates me from those with good spouses. The funny thing is, its not what most people would think. Its not the money, or day to work of running a home. It is the support that comes from someone asking how your day was. The feeling that SOMEONE cares about how things are, how you feel, what you did, your accomplishments, your failings, your insecurities, your stress. Of course in these economic times I would be remiss if I wasn’t stressed over money. Who isn’t? But money, house work, career issues… those are all just issues that need a solutions. They are not matters of the heart. (at least in my opinion they are not) As the RS President asked the men to describe ways to show love and support… I wanted to jump out of my seat. Who better to ask than a single mom! We after all know exactly what is missing from our days.
So to answer the question “How doI do it all”? The simplest answer is that I dont. My studio looks like a scene out of haorders, there is ALWAYS laundry that is behind and needs washing, folding, my baseboards are dusty, I should mop more often, I don’t get to spend as much time with my girls as I wish, my car needs fixing, and so on and so on.
But I love my family I love them dearly.There is nothing I won’t do for them. I hold to my faith very tightly. I rely on my extended family, my friends, and anyone who reaches out a helping hand. And then… its just one foot in front of the other.
