Gratitude

Today is Sunday, and probably a good day to reflect on gratitude as I am reminded by so many other blogs.

Things I am grateful for:
1) My daughter and her fearlessness to do any activity at the park...even the rock climbing
2) My garden... tonight we had green beans and steak stir-fry....guess where those green beans came from...
3) My family and that I get to see them on Tuesday in Florida!!!!
4) My little brother and that he made the decision to go on a mission.
5) My husband and how much he cares about his callings and the Young Men in our ward.
6) My primary class and how much fun we had in class today....we drew happy faces and sad faces with chalk as we learned the difference between obedience and disobedience
7) My flowerbed in the front which looks very good as compared with last summer.
8) A divine creator who gives me guidance, perspective, and reassurance is this stage of life that I am in.
9) My wonderful neighborhood and that the swimming pool is open now.
10) A husband who wants to provide for his family...

Stylish or Homemade?

So I have had an inspiration of beautiful little girls dresses from this blog. And in fact although I do not ever buy new clothes (I tend to revitalize them) but rarely buy.... I do like Lily to look nice, which means she does need new....she changes sizes every month. Which thanks to my mother, my next door neighbor, and Aunt Linda, she always looks nice (in my opinion of course).

But although deals come at different prices, what I consider to be a deal is usually below $5. So, with that in mind I looked at this and this store, and fell in love, but not so much in love that I would purchase anything of course.

These were my two favorite dresses. I think this one is darling. So boarding school-esque. You must know my childhood fantasy was to live on the east coast and go to a boarding school and wear a uniform...of course after reading Little Princess, Samantha, and the Little Colonel series. All wonderful books might I add.

Here is my other favorite dress. I think it looks better on than off personally, but it didn't look too difficult.
So....keep in my I have a strict budget. Also keep in mind that when I bake I don't measure anything. Kinda the same with sewing. I like what I see, so I make it like I see it...without a pattern, WHICH without a pattern, things can and will go wrong. Other things turn out a lot better (like it fits better)

What do you think? Notice the gorgeous model....

I think the back is my favorite. The neckline in back is my favorite part of the dress.
I made this to go with it too.

I thought this was a really sweet picture, the way the light fell.





Riding her bike in a dress...And may I note this is my girl. I used to take all my china dolls for bike rides. Needless to say, I don't have many left. That's just the kinda girl I was.

So Stylish or Homemade?

So yeah

Today was the day of taking back stuff. Here goes:



1) Bed Risers- Bed, Bath, and Beyond (Guaranteed to raise your bed 7 inches and hide 300 pounds of wheat) although if you have wheels on your bed like I do, they are not a good idea and turn the bed into a sort of roller coaster

2) Extension Cord- Home Depot (Proves Gary and I have a communication problem since we both bought one)

3) Oil Changer Wrench- Walmart - (Yes we bought two, only because Gary's first purchase got misplaced behind garage shelves)

4) Plastic Drawers- Target- ( Lately, I come into organizing quite a lot...oh wait that is my personality, Organziation FREAK, but I like my measurements to be exact and these drawers didn't fit on top of my bathroom counter without looking ridiculous. Who builds a bathroom without drawers or a medicine cabinet anyway?)



On a different note, the pile of pecans we picked along side Highway 6 (No we do not need food assistance) last year that is sitting on my back porch, well someone found them, and someone likes them. I know it is kinda hazy, since I had to take it through the window or I would have scared the poor fellow. I hope he doesn't get my tomatoes!

Talkin' bout my Girl

Today is dedicated to my Girl and how cute she is.

My girl is the cutest girl I know. Here she is on her new bike.

Going for a ride with her daddy.

Look Daddy, and alligator. Right on. She gave me these for mother's day. Aren't they pretty?

She does look pleased.

What a happy girl. Glad she' s mine.

PS. Don't you love hi-tech camera's. Thanks Mo.

What a Week!

What a week it has been. To tell you the truth, I am glad it is over.

The week started with my brother-in-law and sol here with their family. It was a very fun visit, and if I had remembered to download all the pictures of her camera, you would see a weekend filled with 1) Huge alligators at the alligator park, 2) Kids playing at the big water park in our neighborhood, 3) a wonderful trip to the boardwalk at Kemah where I learned Lily is at the age where she hates restaurants. Here are a few...

Needless to say we had a wonderful weekend of fun stuff in Texas that we wouldn't have probably done without company here.

Monday night my sol and I had a deep discussion which lasted till the wee hours of the morning. I don't get these talks often because A) Gary is not much of a talker and B) my family lives too far away. Anyway it covered most aspects of culture, marriage, political concerns, and ethics. And I went to bed feeling very satisfied. Thanks Mo.

However, my body did not agree with the enjoyment I got out of this lengthy night. In truth I think we just had a cold coming and it decided to hit the day they left. For someone who usually goes to bed by 9:30, I think my body just decided to revolt. So I was out and when I say out I mean out for the next three days. Gary and I both got a terribly sick.

This was the work week....Lily wakes me up at 8....lay in front of the TV half asleep while Lily watches Sesame Street. Put her down for a morning nap. Go back to sleep and sleep until Lily who has been playing patiently in her crib for 45 minutes gets fed up and needs to get out. Poor Lily. But on the gratitude not, I didn't remember what it was like to have a fever. Now I can empathize with Lily next time she is sick.

I decided this week was a test of both my patience with my family and my capacity to get everything done I had to do this week. Needless to say both didn't fair so well.

But on a different note. As of Friday I started feeling much better (although I probably don't sound it) and I had a piano recital saturday....my first. My students did great!!! I could have improved the introduction, and no one really talked after the recital, which I am not the best at moving group conversations....but the students were very cute none the less, and very prepared.

Sunday brought my class teaching sharing time...I felt so good about the lesson Sunday morning. I have been thinking about it/working on it all week. This morning I felt so good about it. I felt like I really had my lesson planned exactly....but it BOMBED. Just so you know, the game of telephone does not work with 4-7 year old...neither does the game of memory. I ran out of time to play the last game. The only dispute I had was that I felt so good about my preparations this morning then to have it totally bomb. So I figured I was supposed to learn something out the experience. Even if it was only to pray for guidance.

So that was my week. How about you?

Garage Sale!

Today was Sienna's garage Sale. With over 80 people selling "junk"

We stirred at 10 till 7 and embarked on the journey:

1) 2 Kitchen Chairs (that match ours)= $10

2) 1 tricycle= $2

3) 1 scanner (with no power cord)=$5

4) 1 fish bowl= $1

Total $17

Disclosure: I was actually thinking of getting 2 more kitchen chairs at the store. The Tricycle is a little too big and Gary has deemed it "dangerous". The scanner's power cord goes for $25 bucks on Ebay so we'll see if that ever works out. The Fish bowl will be embarked upon at a later date because the idea of getting a pet has been growing on us. I would prefer of course the cute little golden retriever that hops around in the pet store whenever we go to Target, but alas, as we do not have the food budget for a dog at present, and Gary says if we get a dog we get a bull python, I have to opt for th 13 cents goldfish. We'll see.

Well I have been married four years. My actual anniversary was on Wed., but between piano teaching till 8:00, school, canning 300 pounds of wheat, and Lily, celebration has been postponed till tonight, when we are actually getting a babysitter and going on a date.

There are a lot of things I like about Gary, but I've narrowed down five:

1) He cares about people and is a very good friend.

2) He has mad computer skills and always finds deals.

3) He has a list of things I like and does then for me randomly. ( I don't really know what he likes/dislikes.)

4) He gives good advice

5) He likes me back.

My life has changed quite drastically in the last four years. Sometimes it is a little overwhelming to go from being carefree and uninhibited to diaper duty and coupon clipping, but this too shall pass, and then I'll miss the stage. I guess the journey is the adventure.

Things I am grateful for: opportunities for education, exposure to different cultures, the achievements and discoveries of children, teaching Lily handstands, things that grow, people that know how to get dirty and work, people who know how to dress up and be seen, a husband that has more of a perspective than I.

Whoa

With summer fast approaching, this week has been kinda crazy. On the list of things done & yet to do:

1) Can 300 pounds of Wheat (should keep us alive for 6 months)

2) Find a place for 300 Pounds of Wheat

3) Clean Garage, Bedroom Closet

4) Decide if I like the new bedspread I got...I really wanted this bedspread in off-white from Pottery Barn but it was way out of my price range, so Gary found an (all-in-one Amazon) deal, and since I have been saving for one, we got it, turns out cheap price=cheap bedspread.

5) Decided if I can live with the bedspread I made (and subsequently hate), oh yes my first attempt at being a homemaker, and well...it looks too homemade

6) Decide on a baby shower game...I hate most baby shower games

7) Plan piano recital and refreshments

8) Plan Sharing time (AHHHH)

9) Plan two primary lessons

10) Clean entire house from top to bottom for impending company

11) Design my own fashion line....something like this "The Spaghettio look" See prototype...

Here's the side profile...