Brynley and Santa

Kent and I took Brynley to get a free photo with Santa at the Bass Pro Shop Monday night. The boys wouldn't have anything to do with it...I guess they are too old for that now *sigh*

Brynley always says "Santa" and "ho ho ho" when she sees any Christmas decorations or Santa things.

So when she got closer to Santa and it was her turn for a picture she became very shy...hiding behind my legs and not wanting to look at Santa. I picked her up and she buried her head in my shoulder. I went and sat in front of Santa with Bryn and he tried to talk to her but she wouldn't look up at him at all...until he gave her a candy cane. She looked up at him very nervously and I turned her around for a picture. She is making a funny face, but at least she isn't screaming and crying like she did last year LOL!

Good movie

The kids had a PD Day on Monday, so they had no school. It seems like they have a lot of days off every month. Anyways, Tyson got invited to a birthday party and my sister in law Melanie invited us to go with her and her kids to go see the new Disney movie called...

This movie is about Rapunzel and her magic golden hair...and her rescuer Flynn Rider.

It was a really cute show and had us all laughing out loud. Brynley even did well and was clapping in certain spots and giggling and saying "oh no" out loud as well. It is definitely one we will buy for our kids when it comes out on DVD.

We recommend it for anyone with kids young or old.

This is Disney's 50th animated movie...and it is a good one!

Just some thoughts

This week as I have been doing some of the readings our counselor gave us to read I came across a few things that really touched me. So, I thought I would share them with you all and maybe it will touch you as well...

Orson Scott Card: Spare rod, but not the iron one- GREAT article...so, so true!! I think ALL parents should read this...I know I needed it =) Just click on the title of the article and it will take you to where you can read it.


Our I am also reading a book called:

  Eternal Values & Personal Growth 

 A guide on your journey 

to spiritual, emotional, 

and social wellness.

I am reading a chapter in it called Eternal Identity and Mortal Overlay. It is in one word...A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! It has awakened something in me about things that I never knew nor did I think of them in that way. But the funny thing about it all is that as I read these things it is like my spirit is jumping for joy that I am FINALLY learning all this...like a "AH-HA" moment...does that make any sense LOL! Learning about all of this is bringing SO much peace into my life that I have sooooo needed and yearned for...it is exciting! 

 Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:

The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,

Hath had elsewhere its setting,

And cometh from afar:

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God, who is our home: 

Heaven lies about us in our infancy!

                                   

                                        by William Wordsworth

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be reveled in us" (ROM. 8:18) 

"Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of they life" (D&C 25:1).

 After I read these 2 scriptures (above) it was like an understanding washed over me. Now, don't ask me to tell you what these scriptures mean...cause I can't explain it...but what I do know is that they are right and they brought me peace. 

In this book it also quotes Elder James E. Talmage and what he says about the functions of the Holy Ghost:

He is a teacher sent from the Father;...He will reveal all things necessary for the soul's advancement. Through the influences of the Holy Spirit the powers of the human mind may be quickened and increased, so that things past may be brought to remembrance. He will serve as a guide in things divine...; unfolding the mysteries of God...; sanctifying those who have been cleansed through obedience to the requirements of the Gospel; manifesting all things...

Ok, so I know what the Holy Ghost does for us...but, I guess I never thought of him in the way Elder James E Talmage describes him. I loved reading that!


I was reading one of the stories in this chapter and it was about a 16 year old girl describing her experience that helped restore her perspective about herself in God's plan. 

"New understanding transcended my warped sense of myself, and I understood my true nature as a pure, ever lasting spirit. I neither young nor old just there. I was neither good nor bad, just a steward over certain things God had seen fit to give me. I owned nothing, I needed nothing, and the problems that I felt were so exclusively and painfully mine really had no bearing on me except for what I might learn from them. It was a feeling of comfort, of peace, and a kind of relief to know so positively that I had always been loved in an everlasting, fundamental way. I understood more than I ever have before or since the wealth of meaning Jesus employed in that simple name I AM. In that moment, I knew that HE is, that I AM and that I will always be."

After I read that, I re-read it and re-read it...I GOT it! Every fiber of my being was telling me this is truth! It is like a switch was turned on in me.

It made me think of  the day when I received my Patriarchal Blessing and the feelings I felt that day. 

  

 May 28, 1995

I was 19 years old and getting my Patriarchal Blessing was almost like me getting Baptized. I had been in-active for about 4 years. Those 4 years were the hardest years of my life...I was SO unhappy!

My parents and I! I had put these 2 through a lot in that 4 years. Them being there for this special day meant A LOT to me!

I am making a funny face in this picture cause the missionaries were so uncomfortable getting close to me to get a picture taken ha ha! Elder Oh and Elder Foote were my guardian angels sent to help bring me back on the right path...and that they did. I am still in contact with both of them...hard to believe it was 15 years ago.

This is the Patriarch Bennion and his wife at there home right after my blessing. I didn't want to leave their home as the spirit was so strong there. They are such a special couple and made me feel so loved that day. 

I will never forget the things that were promised in my Patriarchal Blessing. I was told things about myself that in my heart I had always felt and thought to be true. It was like all this time the Spirit had been whispering this to me, like I was hearing how I felt I should be. The spirit was strong this day, it was a life changing day for me. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt I was finally starting the life Heavenly Father had wanted me to be begin.

This is another awesome book that our counselor is having us certain chapters. In a section I am reading from this book it was talking about Self-Esteem and this is what it said and in reading this little bit it has changed how I think:

Elder Maxwell taught: "Since self-esteem controls ultimately our ability to love God, to love others, and to love life, nothing is more central than our need to build justifiable self-esteem. Self-contempt is of Satan; there is NONE of it in heaven."

A couple of weeks ago our counselor asked me to make a detailed timeline of my life. All the good and bad events that have affected me in my life.

 No, this isn't my actual "Life Timeline"...but it is similar to the one I did (ha) and plus I thought it was cute.  =)

Doing my life timeline was a tough one to do. Remembering things from the past and dates when they all happened, names etc was not especially something I liked doing. BUT, I understand WHY I needed to do it...it is all part of the healing process and a VERY necessary one! 

Once it was done and all laid out in front of me like that on paper, it was almost surreal really...hard to explain. I know it is my life, and the good and bad that has happened in it ALL belongs to me...just surreal to look back on I guess. 

Now let me say this...yes, there has been some bad things that have happened in my life...BUT, there has also been A LOT of good things that have happened in my life...A LOT!!

Can I just say how thankful we are for our counselor and all he has been teaching us. The things he gives us to read every time we go have really helped us and opened our eyes and hearts.  

Sunday dinners

Kent has 2 siblings and their families that live in Crossfield not far from us.

Jeff and Melanie Stanford

Their kids  

(from left to right) 

Avery, Jade, Kori and Logan 

Darren and Niki Stone

Their son Lucas

(and a baby girl due in December)

 About a month or so ago we all decided that it would be fun to take turns having Sunday dinner at each others house. I have to say it is nice not having to make Sunday dinner each week. 

After dinner we usually play some games together and visit. The kids have a good time and everyone is usually happy...that is until Brynley or Kori or Lucas or Avery etc...start screaming and fighting or WHATEVER ha ha!!

It is fun being able to do this each Sunday with all of them and having family close by.

Christmas gift

When we were down in Utah this past Summer I was out shopping with my sister Emily when we saw this beautiful sign with a saying on it that we had never seen before...and it made us both teary eyed. I knew it was something I needed to make for my parents for Christmas when they were on their mission.  

This is the sign Kent and I made for my parents for Christmas...isn't the saying on it just perfect!!

 Kent's business partner Phil was going to Salt Lake to visit his family so he offered to take it down to them for us. We were happy about that as then we didn't have to pay shipping LOL! Phil was so excited to take it down and give it to them so he could see where they were serving their mission.

 

 Phil is such a great guy and we SO appreciate him doing that for us. He carried it with him on the plane as it was too big for his suitcase...sorry about that Phil! Nice green bubble wrap hey ha ha...let me explain...since it had to go through customs at the airport it couldn't be wrapped in wrapping paper. So we wrapped it in bubble wrap so it wouldn't get wrecked.

Dad and Mom showed him around their office building. And then showed him where their office cubicle was. Mom said he was happy to see our picture on the wall of their cubicle.

We are SO incredibly thankful to Phil for doing that for us! And we are very happy you like your gift Mom and Dad. They said they are going to put it up on their wall at their office for all to see =)

Big decision made...big changes coming...

For the past few weeks Kent and I have done A LOT of talking, thinking and praying about whether or not we should become foster parents again. We did the foster parent thing about 7 years ago...we did it from 2002-2003 for about 1 1/2 years. We liked the fostering part, but the agency we were with was awful so that is why we stopped all those years ago.

In my sewing group there are about 2 or 3 ladies in there that are foster mom's. In listening to them about how there is such a HUGE need for foster parents (especially right now) as there is a minimum of 5 babies A DAY being dropped off or taken from there families right now...and that is just the babies let alone all the other kids. Holding those babies that they had there and knowing in my heart this is something I would like to get back into...was a pretty easy decision really. Kent jumped on board as well and didn't even bat an eye.

We start our pre-service training on Saturday. There is A LOT of training you have to do before you can become a foster parent...they are like parenting courses really. We have to have 36 hours of this training started before we can become licensed foster parents. PLUS we have to get all this other stuff done and together...LOT'S of work...but VERY worth it in the end. Our agency Enviros said they are hoping to have all of our training done before Christmas as there is another big boom of kids usually around that time as well...so, so sad!! 

A couple of months ago we got rid of all of our baby stuff and bunk beds and what not...now I am needing it all again....CRRRAAAAPPPP!! Oh well, I have been offered lot's of baby clothes so that will be a good start. We aren't just planning on doing babies...we said we would also take full time school age kids from 5-12 years old. So we shall see what happens.

So we are getting our list slowly crossed off that we are required to do:


1. Enviros Application Form
2. Drivers abstract
3. First Aid Course
4. Medical Reference
5. Confirmation of Home Ins.
6. Intervention Record check
7. 3 personal references 
8. Criminal record checks

We still have 6 more things to accomplish before we can get licensed...so we are getting there....it is a good start!

It only took moments...

Yes, I know, as you come onto my blog I already have Christmas music playing...so either turn it up or mute it if you like ha ha! Cringe away people, but I LOVE IT!!!

This morning I was in a great mood and decided to try to make some Christmas gifts. I had Christmas music playing and all was good in my world...that is, until I heard Brynley laughing her mischievous laugh...I KNEW she was doing something NAUGHTY! 

She had taken these beautiful roses Kent had given me for my Birthday...

and this is what I found in my room...

Brynley had massacred my roses and threw them all over our room...AND pulled our laundry out and mixed rose petals into our laundry baskets... 

WHAT THE CRRRAAAAP!!!

 As you can see she was dancing away and quite pleased with herself. I stood there starring at her and I thought I have 2 choices here...either lose it and get mad (like I wanted too) OR go get my camera and document the situation as it is what it is! As you can see, I chose to get the camera out and take pictures LOL...I calmed down and made her help me clean it all up.

As we were cleaning up the pedals she kept kissing them saying, "mmmwhhaaa"! 

I tell ya, it was a LOOONG day today...but, she is alive and well and so am I...ha ha!

Things I have made recently...

Cupcake Pincushion ring...

I saw this and just had to try to make it as I thought it was SO dang cute and creative! I think I will make some more and give them to my sewing teachers for a Christmas gift?? It is so handy to have it right on your finger to place the pins in as you are sewing...I love it!!

Miss Brynley L-O-V-E-D this cupcake pincushion ring when she saw it. She had to hold it, wear it and touch it.

I made these blankets for the boys for Christmas. They are easy peasy to make....just cut the edges and knotted them. I wanted to make them some blankets as they are always needing some for while they are watching T.V. in the basement. 

I have made some baby blankets and baby room decor recently for gifts as well. Now that that is all done I am needing to start making my other gifts for Christmas I plan on doing. 


I am "sew" enjoying all these projects!  =)  
Lot's more to do...I need to get moving and get things done.

Niki's Baby Shower!

Saturday, November 13th we put on a baby shower for Niki as this is her 2nd child BUT, her 1st girl! 

We didn't make any fancy invitations to hand out at church...soooo, we made these up quick in the colors that Niki is doing the babies room and handed them out at church.

It was at our church building in Airdrie in the Relief Society room. There was a good turn out and LOT'S of food to say the least!

Like I said, Niki is having a girl and she has already picked out her name:

 

Brooklynn Margaret Stone

The Lynn part is after Niki's Mom Debbie that is her middle name. The name Brooklynn is because her Dad (Russ) who passed away last year liked that name and wanted Niki to name her 1st baby that name if it had been a girl...which of course it was a boy and they named him Lucas.

 This is Lucas.

I wanted to give Niki some decorations she could use in the babies room. So I bought some wood letters that spelled Brooklynn and modge podged scrapbook paper onto each letter. Niki helped me do it as I had never done it before. They turned out really cute! Niki plans on hanging them on the wall in the nursery with ribbon attached to each letter.

 The paper we used was all patterened and they are all the colors she is planning on using in the nursery.

 I made these candy wrappers to go around some chocolate mints for a display. I thought they were perfect and got them free from online =)

 We made these tissue paper poms poms and this is the display we set up with them and her name and the food table. It looked really cute and everything turned out nicely. 

 The only problem was that the darn things kept falling down...you can see the far left large pink one is slipping in this picture LOL!

 On the other side of the room we hung a rope and made a clothes line and displayed some gifts that she had received already.

Niki's Mom had bought the babies crib bedding so we displayed that and also her blessing dress. Sheri had made her an amazing reversible car seat cover/nursing cover and a baby sling carrier. We also displayed the 2 blankets I made for her as well.

 This is one of the blankets I made for Brooklynn. I love the colors...they are a hot pink on the one side, light and dark pink, white and light and dark purple polka dots. SO CUTE!!

 This is the other blanket I made as well. The material is so cute...Niki picked it out and wanted it.

 Niki received wonderful gifts and lot's of stuff she is needing! 

Sister Lancaster was confused by one of the gifts Niki had received and just didn't get what it was so she had to go up and have Niki explain it to her ha ha! It was a baby wipes holder that a relative had covered with material and made it all pretty. 

It was fun to visit with family and friends and members of our ward that came.

All in all it went really well and we were so happy so many ladies came from the ward to meet Niki and get to know her too. 

My Birthday!

To be completely honest, I wasn't looking forward to turning 35...as that just meant I was now closer to 40 than I was to 30...and that is NOT COOL in my mind ha ha!!

Our boys were VERY thoughtful and decided to make me pancakes for breakfast. Cole had a friend (Nathan) over and he helped as well. When they called Kent and I to come eat we had to try hard to not show our reaction to what we were seeing LOL!

 

The kitchen was smoke filled so we had to turn on the fan. The pankcakes were huge and thick and burnt!! ha ha They were SO proud of themselves for setting the table and making everything.

We ate breakfast and praised the boys and thanked them...they are wonderful!

With Brynley being sick I really didn't expect to do anything on my Birthday. BUT, she stopped barfing late in the afternoon so we decided at the last minute to go out to dinner. Cole offered to babysit...such a sweet and thoughtful boy!

 

 Kent and I ready to go out...LOVE this man!

We went out for dinner at The Keg in Calgary. The food was good and we were stuffed!

Jeff and Melanie, Deb, Niki and Sheri all came in and met us for dinner.

Kent and Jeff had us all laughing as they were being there usual silly selves.We got talking about our smiles and Jeff and Kent were saying how they don't like their smiles and so they were showing us their smiles and they were making the funniest faces...ok, so ya had to be there LOL!

 
In the end my Birthday turned out great! We went to see a movie with Jeff and Melanie after as well. We saw Hereafter...we don't recommend it ha ha...it was REALLY slow and there wasn't much of a point to it.  

I am SO blessed! I have such a loving family and they helped make it a great day in the end. I felt VERY loved and cared about with all the phone calls and messages I received as well. My parents called and even sang Happy Birthday to me that morning!!  =)


THANKS EVERYONE!!

Goodbye 34...HELLO 35!!

My Birthday is November 11...so therefore my birthday is always on Remembrance Day! It has always been a holiday and the kids have the day off from school. It has its pros and cons to being on this day...but mostly good! 

I came home Wednesday evening to some beautiful  flowers and a card from Kent on our kitchen table. 

 He gave me the sweetest card with them. I love Kent...he is so good to me!

 They are such pretty flowers...I love the color!

He surprised me a week ago with a new sewing machine and I LOVE it!!

It is pretty fancy I must say...but I plan on doing lot's of projects with it =)

Today will consist of me doing the mound of laundry that has accumulated since 1:30 a.m. (that is when Brynley started throwing up) and she is still presently throwing up. We have gone through A LOT of towels, blankets and clothes in that time. I am hoping that I will be able to nap with her at some point today since we didn't get much sleep last night.

 

 Bryn wearing her tutu AND her apron at the same time.

It is funny how she can be SO sick...but yet, she is still wanting to put her dress up clothes on and just lay there in them as she is sick...funny girl! Even though I am SO dang tired...I love how she can make me smile when she does cute things like that.

My Mom sent me a very loving email first thing this morning. And then I got a phone call from her and Dad singing Happy Birthday to me before they went to work this morning. 

Thanks Mom and Dad for starting my day off better than it was going =) It is always nice to hear how loved you are...even when you are 35!!! ha ha

Do you have a will?

 
Kent and I had a will made up about 9 years ago and it is in need of updating now. Our kids have grown and life has changed. We realize our decisions of where we want our kids to go has changed as well.


It is a hard thing to decide on. But, in the end as long as they are going somewhere you know they will be loved, raised with the values and morals you want and treated well and taken care of, that is what is important to us.

Kent didn't like having to talk about "our wills" and what we want to happen if and when we die. It is a hard conversation to have...but, a VERY necessary one. It has brought me peace of mind knowing things are in place how we would like them to be if we did die. 

Open blog

I don't know if this is a good idea or not...but I thought I would give it one more try and see how it goes. I have decided to open up my blog again to other people and not limit it to just private. I have had some nasty comments in the past (from anonymous people) and that is why I made it private. So we shall see how it goes...if you don't like my blog, feel free to not read it!

As the old saying goes...

if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it at all!! 

I love getting and reading comments on my blog...but just not negative and hurtful ones.

Generosity of Heart

My Mom sent me this article to read yesterday from the Meridian Magazine. It is called:

Blessed are the Peacemakers. 

It is definitely something I needed to read and try to do from now on. It is worth reading and thought I would share it. 

Thanks Mom...love ya!!

Do you know your worth?

I am reading an amazing chapter in a book that our counselor gave us to read. It is called

 

STRENGTHENING OUR FAMILIES

An In-Depth look at the Proclamation on the Family

As I have been reading it so much understanding has come from it. I am learning that our "worth"  ...my "worth", IS great! That I do have "worth" especially in the eyes of God. I have always felt so unworthy of things in my life. 

I am now realizing that "worthiness" and "worth" are 2 different things...each a different meaning.  Worthiness does not determine worth. 

Our worth is never changing in the eyes of God...no matter what we or anyone else thinks, believes, feels or does. Isn't that an awesome thing to know...it has opened my eyes. It has made me realized how truly loved we all are by our Heavenly Father.

"We do not create our worth, rather we discover it by way of the Spirit. We gain a testimony of our worth." 

 

I am looking forward to reading more and learning from this book. So good!

Christmas Advent Wall Quilt

Halloween decorations are down and now Christmas decorations are going up. Everyone thinks I am crazy and that this is WAY too soon for Christmas decorations. All I have to say to that is...it is never too early for Christmas decorations. This way we get to enjoy them being up longer =)

I have always wanted a nice Christmas Advent wall Quilt. I have never found one I liked so I decided to make one. It was fun to make...time consuming, but fun!

 

It is hard to see, but here are buttons sew all over the advent calendar where you hang each nativity piece. 

Here are the nativity pieces that get hung onto the advent quilt.

Here is what it looks like with all the pieces hung on it. I love it!!

I made a drawstring bag for all the pieces to go into. There was a panel that showed where all the pieces were to be placed onto the quilt and I figured since I needed to know where it all went why not use that.

I figured it can be hung on the wall behind the quilt for easy access to all the pieces.

It all turned out great and now I need to finish making all my other projects that I have on the go! 

This sewing stuff is addicting...but so worth it! I am making 3 girl baby blankets for Niki's baby...those should be done by this week. And then I will start making my family all their Christmas pajamas...I am so excited to make these!!