When my Mother Calls me, Quickly I'll Obey:

I just had to post about my sunday school lesson a few weeks back (I teach the 7-8 year olds).

The Lesson was on being Obedient. I have to give a quick shout-out for the Primary Lesson Manuals: They are very inspired and layout EVERY detail you may every need to teach children how to choose the right and come closer to Christ.

Anyway, I was feeling the need to help the kids understand the importance of Obedience more personally than what the book outlines.

So our object lesson was like this:

I introduced the lesson by saying I had made some chocolate swirl banana bread to share.

"I looked at the recipe once and I needed some flour, bananas, salt, chocolate etc..."

I Made one loaf with TONS of salt, I'm talking 5 TB or more and cut it into pieces for each child to get a bite...hehehe

They looked at me all funny but didn't say a word (I think they were honestly trying not to hurt my feelings).

So I prompted them with "I didn't think it would matter if I followed the recipe EXACTLY, I mean i looked at the book once...wasn't that enough?"

Long story short: I gave them their yummy mini loaves while I finished the lesson.

However, one of the older girls said to me: "This would be a great April Fools idea!"

Hmmm I wonder if my hard work each week even makes an impression :)

Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest

This project is a duvet cover for the guest bedroom.

I gathered my material. I was trying to stick to a budget so I needed to find fabrics that I liked, was willing to work with, and were on SALE.

I did pretty well. I don’t LOVE every fabric but I like them and I think they will go well together for the purpose of this duvet cover.

Next I had to cut everything into strips, I don’t actually do a lot of sewing and don’t own-yet-a quilting mat. Nor do I have the proper work space, but you improvise when you’re motivated.

If this duvet cover had a name it would be crème brûlée. I just love these colors, soft creamy golds and dark chocolate browns. I’ve started working on the patched stripes that have the beautiful cranberry or wine color too. It’s gonna look great! Now if only I can get it finished before this weekend is up.

I’m working on a dress (from a pattern) for Emma (hopefully for her birthday).

If you Sprinkle while you Tinkle please be neat and Wipe the Seat

This is my beautiful bathroom remodel. Shane did such a great job!

We replaced, cleaned, updated, or remodeled everything accept the shower.

Tile floor

New Mirror

Light fixture

Toilet

New Counter/Sink

Faucet

Paint

Bead Board Wall

Towel Hooks

Stained Cabinets

We have just a few more touch ups to finish (like those light switch covers if you noticed).

On a Golden Springtime Underneath the Ground:

Ok so it’s not springtime but it’s the best I could do to keep with my music title theme.

This is the current growth of our family Apple trees. We have five seedlings out of six that have popped up to say hello.

I think I may need to name them soon, any suggestions for a plant family of five?

Nobody Likes Me Everybody Hates Me I Guess I'll Go Eat Worms:

Shane only had Sunday and Monday off this week so Monday became our Family chore day.

We finished remodeling the Bathroom (pictures in another post another day)

Trimmed the Rose Bushes

Mowed and hedged the lawn

Cleaned the Kitchen

Folded Laundry

Took out the Trash

and weeded

We found some worms in the lawn while weeding and introduced them to Emma. She was interested for a moment, tried touching the squishy things and cried. She may be fearless to leap off the couch, fly in the air when Daddy throws her, go after sharp objects and, plop backwards at any given moment but she does NOT like worms.

Just Wish'n and Hop'n, Think'n and Pray'n

Someday I hope a have a craft room that holds contents like this. I think my dream craft room will have built in cabinets almost EVERYWHERE and more yellow and blue, not so much pink. It will need to have wall to wall desk space too, but still have room for an ironing board (for the days you sew more then paper craft).

Click to Enlarge

I feel Pretty, oh so Pretty (part 2: add hyperlinks)

Carlie, this post is for you:

Well I decided to clean out the closet a week ago. Out with things I’m not gonna wear even if I did fit in them and out with things I may never fit into again. Besides, with my regular exercise going so well I’m sure I’d rather go shopping for new things when it’s time.

I had a big pile of clothes and decided to go blog hopping to see what I could do with them (before just donating them to Good Will).

This is what I came up with:

I love this recycled t-shirt idea. It’s not mine, all ideas come from other blogs.

It took me maybe 30 minutes-Translation: if you know how to sew you can whip this out in 10 minutes, if you don't know how to sew this is BY FAR the easiest and quickest project you'll ever do, No straight lines necessary.

I’ve done SEVERAL flowers in different ways check out this simple skirt flower.

And here is the Hair Flower I did with some leftovers of the shirt/skirt.

Yay for Hyper-links!

I’ve thrown together a new pillow case, a second t-shirt skirt for Emma. I have plans to turn an old skirt into a maternity top at some point, and I’ve pulled together some old curtains to make a duvet cover this weekend.

Isn't she the cutest model EVER?!

Just Another Day in Paradise:

Bought some organic GALA apples-thank you Costco-and when cutting them open found several of the seeds had sprouted. We planted them and started growing our very own Apple Trees! I hope they make it.

My beloved Orchid was a Valentine’s gift back in February. It made the move here to Vegas and Fried crispy. I kept watering it out of pure hope (and habit) and with some Time, re-potting, and a little TLC we are getting our first bloom in MONTHS!

Our beautiful orange tree is starting to show promise. The old home owner says the are DELICIOUS and due to be ripe in mid October or so.

We bought the leftover clearance Annuals at Lowe’s for a temporary splash of color and life in the backyard-LOVE IT!

I've Got You Babe:

Several of my friends and aquantences are nearing the end of their third trimester of pregnancy and it occurred to me that this time last year I was too!

I was contemplating how my life has changed and how being a mother of an infant on the threshold of toddlerhood has become second nature.

For instance: a trip to the Post Office-details included here-

• I’ve had three packages that needed to get out to family and friends for 2+ weeks. Why would it take so long to get to a post office that is less than 5 miles from my house?
• I’ve been to the P.O. on two other occasions and know that this older building has no handicapped automatic door openers, no convenient parking, small walk ways, and long lines.
• Yesterday I finally got the guts to get to the P.O. I packed the diaper bag with snacks, wipes, diapers, emergency toys, water, extra binky, pen, wallet, and keys. You just don’t know how long these government run businesses will take.
• I got the large stroller in the 4-Runner: I needed the extra space to hold the 3 packages and a place for Emma to play if the line was long. I loaded Emma up and got her in the car, grabbed the packages and made the 4 minute drive.

**Please NOte: I can’t say enough good things about my Chico Keyfit Travelsystem. If any of you mom-to-be friends are reading I suggest it, yes you will read the reviews that mention the only two faults it has, but only 2 compared to all the benefits...I’m just saying...

***Pictures of beloved stroller to follow***

• I found a parking spot wide enough for me to open the door to unload Emma-wide enough spaces are always a challenge-I opened the stroller, put the packages precariously on the cup holder and strollered my way to the door.
• A kind man opened the three doors for me: One to get into the Building, One to get through the front entryway, and One to get past the P.O. Boxes and into the actual Office.
• It was smooth sailing from there, minus the fact that I had to open the three doors with my bum and stroller backwards to get out and don’t forget how I held up traffic to get Emma re-buckled into the car. Apparently a car behind me wanted the open spot next to me instead of one closer to the door. Hence, the holding up of traffic.

• I wonder how people handle twins?!

Whistle While you Work

Shane and I were rather busy for his couple days off this weekend. We took a break from the heat and took a hike up Mary Jane Falls on Mt. Charleston. We've had a few significant thunderstorms the past week and hoped there would actually be some water at the falls. We were not disappointed.

It was significantly cooler at 8,000 feet in the woods than here in the city. However, steep inclines are notorious for inviting sweat and a few breathers along the trail.

We broke ground on our spare bathroom too. Remodeling is in the works and Shane got rid of the awful linoleum to replace it with tile.

I want the spare bathroom to follow the same theme as Emma's bedroom: We're gonna put up more bead board and trim, paint with the same blue and change the light fixture and towel racks.

Prospective Completion Date: Before the end of the month when guests are in town!

If a Picture Paints a Thousand Words...

I have a confession:

I’ve never been very pleased with the way my wedding photos came out. Perhaps I had high expectations coming from Utah where the choices in photographers were limitless. I was expecting those glamor shots with the sun shining behind the bride in an angelic way, or titled angles that make the photo just POP. None-the-less, I’ve found my wedding pictures that have been packed in storage and started playing in Picasa.

I spent a solid 3 hours using the different techniques that are free and thought I should just post what I’ve done. There are several from the Wedding and reception but I got so excited I branched out before I even finished-hence-the randomness.

Some of the Techniques are very subtle but compared to the originals I can see the difference and that is really what counts.

I must say it’s been more fun to doctor my own photos and turn it into an art than if my photographer had done it herself...I see a future hobby in the making! Something tells me I’m gonna have to start saving for a new camera...