It's a Wonderful life

I have finally found a little time to get this post on her about last week. I should be doing about 50 other things but I need to get this out there so I don't waste my Christmas title.

Cue last saturday (the 13th) in my kitchen. Bob and I are starting to bake some Christmas goodies for a Friday afternoon bakesale. The bakesale is for our Son's Europe trip (which still needs its own post). I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with this whole thing. We have a payment coming up on the 20th and we aren't even 1/4 of the way there. I'm scared and I'm second guessing myself. "did we make a mistake signing him up", "can we just cancel?" I cry to Bob, I feel better (he's such a good rock). We focus on baking and finishing up the Christmas shopping.

Monday morning I am focused on the bake sale. We do what we can when we can. My craft cutter arrives and I get no time to mess around with it like I want. But my husband did.

Tuesday, it freakin' snowed. Wake up Grey to go scoop a friend's driveway for some extra cash for his stinkin' trip. Once again think this is going to take forever and what the hell were we thinking? But Wait,

Remember those friends that have the porn in their home? Both of them called me with a TON of good ideas for Grey and raising the money. Start to feel like we just might actually make this. I love having good friends and they will never know how much their words saved my day. Thanks guys. We do a small Hot cocoa sale at the ditch where everyone sleds that night and make 8 bucks. Better than nothing.

Wednesday, I have no baking done. I have too many crafts done (which was not on my list to do) and once again I have a small melt down. I try to focus on the bake sale but I have a million other ideas running through my head. 2 friends think I should sell some of my crafts to help raise the money. I'm flattered and decide I will add some crafts to the bake sale. Got some baking done. Give up even worrying about the money thing, we do what we can and deal with it later. Let God deal with it because I'm too stressed and too tired.

Thursday, freakin' snowed again. Wake up Grey go get the neigbors done. Bob calls and says I'll be having a crappy day Friday because it is to snow all day long. Freak out once again about the bake sale and wonder what I should do. Those good friends once again save my day, they say I should cancel the bake sale and have Grey shovel driveways instead. I decide to cancel, I feel better. We go across the street to shovel the neighbors driveway and find out that they too have had kids go on these trips and they are so happy to help him. YEAH!! things are looking up.

Friday. Day of the supposed bake sale. One of Bob's friends calls and wants the treats for a party they are having that night. Make up cute trays and get another call from one of my friends that they also want some treats. See, things are looking up. She gives us way more than she should and I cry for the first time that day. I can't help but feel that God is really looking out for us. We would never have made that type of money on a regular bake sale. So thankful for my friends.

Friday Grey also got a huge check from a friend of his Grandparents. Sold some crafts to a good friend and Grey received his passport. We count out all the money we have received and we are only $5 short of our payment. In one week we made the money! We were all amazed. Not only did we make the payment but we also have ideas for so many other fundraisers and jobs.

And I owe it all to my friends for helping out with ideas, phone calls, and a supportive shoulder. My husband for being a rock and helping me stay focused. To Greyson for wanting to go on this trip in the first place and pushing even me to rely on others. To God most of all for putting me in this place at this time because he knew I'd be needing it. He never abandoned me when I was mad that he wasn't following my plan, but when I gave it up and let him take care of it, he rewarded me. Things always work out for a reason.

THis is a long post just to say what a wonderful life I have. The week held so many other small calamities that I didn't mention. I did feel like a basket case. But I made it through because of the support system I have created. I don't know if I can ever truly let them know how much their generosity and support really means to me but I hope that Karma comes around to them some day and they are all rewarded, they all deserve it. Thanks guys and gals for being some of the best friends that any girl could ever want.

It's a wonderful life. One I am thankful for each and every day. And even better, this week I get to show off my house to 2 sisters, one brother and one mom. This is their first time to my Utah home. I can't wait to see them. They are driving here so I'm praying for good weather and leaving it up to God. He seems to really know what he's doing.

More crafts that you must look at because I said so....

Yeah, Yeah. We've been playing with my new toy. Crafts are becoming our crack. I have the ideas and true to form my husband is my worker bee. I really haven't been able to play with my craft cutter as much as I want but the crafts we are making have gone soooo much faster. So, without further ado, here are the newest projects.

These two were made for Teacher presents. The kids did most of the gluing but my cutter did all of the cutting and I did not have to measure ONCE!! Gotta love that.



Next up is friend gifts for a neighbor.























These next ones are some more glass blocks. But these ones are rectangle and can be used alone or all together. I'm going to get a better bow on it but for the purpose of this blog I took the picture before the truly finished product.



Lastly I have done a bunch of different teacher plaques.


























This one was taken with a camera phone so it is not the best quality. But I still like it.




I know they are awesome yes? You all want one yes? YOU can totally buy them from me. I'm trying to raise money to get my son to Europe ( another post for another time). He helps me around the house more and is nice to his brother and sister and I will give him SOME of my profits. And the other part, I really like this stuff its fun and let's me become creative again. I'm so becoming my mom. So, let me know if you want/need or can't live without anything. I'll hook you up. Email me or just comment. I'll be getting a blog just for crafts made sometime before I go completely insane so look for it shortly. Thanks for the applause.

I'm a sexy crafter!!

Yep, more crafts. Blocks again and one new craft. I finally got a craft cutter and it is going to make these craft projects go so much faster!! This time I finally got some pictures of doing the crafts. Figuring out how big to make the words for the glass block. (See, I'm a sexy crafter huh?)

Messing with the bow, it's really hard to get it just right.

Making sure it prints well.

But, my hard work paid off and here is the glass block. It's a gift for a friend. I hope she likes it. I worked really hard on it.

More blocks. I seriously think these ones are the most gorgeous of all of them. Bob did help me cut the papers and stuff but really, they are totally my crafts. I'm such a sexy crafter!!

Wow, they really do grow like weeds

Jake, Natalie and Greyson December 2006. We had really JUST moved into this house. Hence all the boxes and huge mess!!


Fast forward to December 2008. Holy cow!! Did you see how fast Grey grew? Natalie's shoulders are above the banister now and so is Jake's head.

I know that kids are supposed to grow but I don't remember then growing this much in the last 2 years. Made me a little sad when I saw the first picture when I was organizing them.

Just another good reason to make everyday and every word count. I really need to remember that when my kids have pushed me to the breaking point.

Another one bites the dust

Remember that table I finished a few weeks ago? Well, I finally found the fabric that I wanted and today my wonderful husband is putting it on the chairs.

VOILA......

The fabric has a slight diamond pattern on it because that is what Jake wanted. I was debating whether I wanted to refinish the chairs or not and now I think not. I love the way it looks. ONE full crafty project DONE!! That feels so good.

A day for Happy Face

That's what my sister use to call herself when she was 4 and 5.

She also called herself the boss and ran around the house with a dirt devil mini-vac and a hat that said "who's the boss", she would then gladly shout out "ME! I'm the boss".

She could yell out Here's Johnny better than Ed Mcmahon at the tender of age of 2 maybe 3 (not sure here. I'm working with memories that are 28 years old. TODAY)

She was bald until she was 3 and once tried to pee in the front yard of a neighbors house when they had an old sink on the lawn they were trying to sell.

It's her 28th birthday today!! Although I have already made a post about Krissy when she was sick I feel the need to make another to add to the sister birthday posts. Let me tell you more about Krissy.

She is number 3 out of 4.

She is a night owl and never gets the worm.

She is smart, sexy and fun.

She has traveled to a ton of places that I only dream about and she has always brought me something back.

She lived in The Gambia (Africa) for 2 years with the Peace Corps. I sure missed her during that time.

She gives way too much of herself at times and bends over backwards to make EVERYONE happy.

She ended up with her picture in the paper for being the first baby born in Dec. and I thought she was the star of the family.

She has shined ever since.

Hope you have a very Happy Birthday. We love you! Thanks for being a great sister, friend and Aunt.