What a BALL!

Saturday was full of fun, fibbing and fantastic surprises!

I returned home from Oklahoma to discover that our Stakes 'Rose Ball' had not yet happened. So I decided since it was our last weekend with a live-in babysitter (my sister Nicole was still here), at least for a couple of weeks, Kevin and I should go. It's the first time in a while that Kevin and I have had the opportunity to go out dancing. For those of you who don't know our history, Kevin was my very first 'slow dance' at my very first Church Youth Dance. He was also my dance partner for our Stakes Youth Dance Festival, when I was 14 and he was 16. From the Dance Festival experience he and I have a smattering of dance techniques that are now over 10 years behind us. But I get ahead of myself.

I informed Kevin that I really wanted to go and that I had set up a babysitter. He was up for it. FABULOUS news! I had a surprise a-brewin'!

Well, I decided that it was time for me to "Blow Away" my husband. We spend so much time in our daily mundane routine that I figured it was time to knock his socks off. With the help of my sister and two good friends (Mendy and Scarlett) I was able to do just that.

It all started on Thursday, May 1st, when my sister Nicole helped me to pick out the "perfect" dress. We spent 2 hours scouring the racks at Burlington Coat Factory and trying on dresses in various sizes, styles and colors. I fell in love with the dress when I put it on. (Pictures to see below, but wait.)

Earlier in the week I had approached two friends from my ward about doing my hair and makeup. And both graciously accepted. I am so lucky to have such good friends here who are also talented. Mendy and Scarlett you both did a fantastic job, thank you.

Scarlett's Make Over

I have never before had a true "up-do" and really liked the way my hair turned out. Doesn't it look amazing?

Mendy's Amazing Up-do

(side note: I was able to sleep with a shower cap over my hair and still have my up-do looking great for church the next day. That was awesome! Getting up for church and not having to do my hair! What a blessing. Also, I was super proud to do it and let every one know just how amazing Mendy is with a curling iron, bobby pins and hairspray. ;) )

So the fibbing. . .To get out of the house on a Saturday without Kevin becoming suspicious Nicole, Leah and I were out having a "Girl's Day Out." According to him that included a trip to the Mall, library and miscellaneous other errands. Well, we did do miscellaneous errands but we were mostly at Scarlett's getting made over. At one point he called, we were nearly finished and I had to just get some finishing touches on my make up and hair done. I had to assuage his fears that anything had happened to us and that "Yes" I would be able to be ready to go by the time we were meant to meet up with some friends for dinner before the dance. As I hung up we women were laughing out loud just anticipating the surprise he would get.

Half an hour later I hadn't yet left and again my phone rang, it was Kevin. I was in the middle of getting my dress on and putting on the final touches. I called him back as I was getting in the car and he was so anxious and scared that something was wrong. According to him we should have been home "20 minutes ago." Again I calmed him said we were on our way and asked him if he were ready. He came back with a quick, "No, I've been watching the boys." I said the boys would be fine, just get dressed so at least one of us was ready to go. He agreed and we hung up.

When I pulled up Mason heard the car and came out the front door. ("Mommy you're home! Hi Mommy! Leah! Leah home! Hi Leah! Hi 'Cole!" I was out of the car pulling out some things from the back when Kevin came out. I tell you he looked right past me! He didn't even realize it was me for 5 seconds! O that was fabulous! Leah was given the job of announcing the surprise to Daddy and though her thunder had been stolen by Mason coming out the front door she still ran to me and said, "Daddy, my I present my Be-u-ti-ful MOMMY!"

(side note: That suit Kevin has on is the one he wore on our wedding day, nearly 7 years ago. He stills looks pretty good in it don't you think? I do. ;) )

We had so much fun that night. Eating out with friends, visiting with old and new friends, dancing, twirling, sitting, talking, complimenting (Kevin kept telling me how beautiful I looked that night. Ah.) and of course...

Friday Night Fun

I have many a post I would like to do, but I'll put that off just a little while longer. :)

Tonight Leah and Kevin had a date. ;) They went to a movie and then dinner...at the house. Kevin sat down and watched "Enchanted" with Leah. Then when that was over their restaurant experience was waiting. In "Enchanted" Giselle and Robert eat at an Italian restaurant on her second night in the city. So what did Leah and her Daddy get? Chicken Parmesan!!! It was delightful. And how did they pay for their dinner? (This was last minute BRILLIANCE on my part.) They had to clean up the dishes. Oh, it was MARVELOUS! I have not had her be so willing to help for quite a while.

Beautiful. It was a good night.

Dun, dun-dun, dun...DONE!

So a lot of my friends thought me crazy when I told them that Owen would be getting his first haircut while we were out in Utah. Yes, they were right. I waited till Mason was 2 1/2 years old and Owen is barely 16 months, but it HAD to be done.

BEFORE

DURING
AFTER

He was really good during the haircut. He was perplexed by the hair falling down around him. He lost a good 3 inches from the top, and the "rat tail" at the back was a good 4 inches. He now looks like the "Big boy" that we knew was there. It is just amazing how each child's personality is unique and different.

Doesn't he look cute?

My New Look

I just spent the morning creating my blogs new Header, and I am very pleased. I think it came together well. I had to shrink it to size so for those of you who would like a closer look click on the image below...


I used an assortment of pictures from last March through this past January. I put it together in Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 and tried to showcase each of us equally. Well, there goes my Saturday morning. :)

Quilting...A New Adventure!

I grew up being schooled in the ways of home-making by my Grandma Graham. One of the skills I worked on with her was Quilting. I would spend hours and hours working with her on one quilting project after another. But my grandmother's idea of quilting was finding a piece of fabric that could easily be followed to tie or quilt. The quilts were clean, fresh and beautiful but very uncomplicated. She knew how to piece-quilt but, as a mother of 8 home alone 5-out of-7 days in a week, simpler was better. Quilts were always made for birthdays, graduations, weddings and births of little ones.

Nearly eleven years ago my Grandma Graham was working on the quilt for my cousin Kenny's wedding when she had a stroke. The stroke has left her with limited use of one-side of her body and she has had to give up many of her former activities. I know that she misses the opportunities she use to be able to take to serve others. So throughout the years I have tried, at every opportunity possible, to do what she might do and (in this case) make a Quilt.

Last year my cousin Rachael had her first baby and at her shower I had everyone help to tie a quilt. This year my older brother, Joshua, and his wife, Adele, are having their first baby, a boy! Once again I have decided that a quilt IS needed for the baby shower. But because I am soooo excited to be an aunt for the very first time I decided that I would learn how to do something new and piece-quilt. Well, I started with the idea of piece-quilting and instead learned how to strip-quilt and modified the "log cabin" design to come up with this:


It was loads of fun. Excepting the children climbing all over me while I was thus consumed. All is not yet finished, of course, I am the one making this after all. I plan on using a machine washable pen to draw in designs for people to quilt while at the baby shower next month. And then I am still planning on putting a fun pointy edge on it after it is quilted. This project has been fun and didn't take too long (Monday of last week to Tuesday of this week) and I can't wait for the fun to begin at the Baby Shower! ;)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

10 Things I Love About My Family

10. All of my children still give me hugs and kisses upon request.

9. Leah will draw pictures for me on days when I've been having a hard time.

8. Mason is the first one to run to the door and give you a hug when you've just arrived home.

7. Owen snuggles into your shoulder and pats your back when he is ready to go to sleep.
(It just warms my heart to have him still be my little "baby".)

6. Kevin takes out the trash.

5. Leah tells me, "You're the prettiest mommy ever."

4. Mason will cuddle with me on the couch.

3. Owen's smile, that's all I have to say. :)

2. Kevin's easy interaction with our children. Those kids love him and so do I.

1. The knowledge that I have that we WILL be together FOREVER.

Sabbath Day Moments

I had a Sister from my ward today ask me if I had journaled about an experience we had a couple weeks ago with Leah at Church. I had NO idea what she was referring to, she reminded me and that is what brings me here today.

Leah is our "fun, fun, fun" child. Games, activities, friends the more hype the better. This energy of hers has made her a bit of a phenomena to her parents. We love her, we just struggle daily to help her...make the decisions we want her to make. :) For instance, going to church.

Over the last couple of months, and especially since the start of the New Year and 9 am church, Leah has been struggling with the concept of attending church. Our preparation for Sunday usually begins on Thursday or Friday talking about our weekend and what we would do each day. Maybe talk about what she wants to wear to Church, who she would see at Church, we might even discuss breakfast options. :) I have borne testimony of why I go to Church and want to be there. I have sung with her her favorite Primary songs while getting ready for Church and still, still we have experiences like these...

Sunday, December 16th---Leah was dragging her feet all morning long. She didn't want what was made for breakfast. She wanted a snack at 12noon when we are suppose to be heading down the stairs to the car to make it to Church on time. When we got to Church we sat in the pew behind the before-mentioned Sister and her family.

As a rule I do not allow my children any "distractions" when the Sacrament of Bread and Water is being passed around the congregation. They are allowed to color in a coloring book until a member of the Ward Bishopric stands to begin the service. Then all coloring books are removed and Quiet Books with pictures of Christ, prophets, and other gospel principles are pulled out and available. Only the Quiet Books are allowed until the Aaronic Priesthood members (generally 12-18 year old young men) are dismissed to sit with the congregation. Leah knows this routine and it has served, at times, as an added incentive to prepare properly and arrive at church with time to settle in and acclimate (i.e. color).

On this day Leah was having (to quote her) "a rough day". So when the Sacrament was being passed and we were sitting sans coloring book it really wasn't too surprising to us to hear her say, "Church is boring. Why do we have to come? All we do is sit...and do nothing." Kevin and I just looked at each other shaking our heads and sadly smiling. We have worked so hard to instill in her a love of the gospel, and though she loves aspects of Church her "fun, fun, fun" mentality has a hard time wrapping her mind around "Church". I'm not too worried, she's 5, and I believe we are on the right path to helping her see Our Savior's love in all things.


Lets fast forward to this past Sunday, February 3rd---We prepared Saturday night, bathing/showering, pulling out clothes for church, setting the alarm, and making sure there was something pre-made for breakfast. Sunday morning came and things went pretty well. We got to Church at 8:45am and I really needed to have been there at 8:30am to do all I needed to do, c'est la vie. Kevin took the kids into the Chapel and sat with them while I made a mad dash to draw a "Great and Spacious Building" and "Tree of Life" for Sharing Time and to pull out and review the attendance roles. Kevin was getting pretty nervous till I slid in during the Sacrament Hymn. Disaster 1 averted. But possible Disaster 2 still hung in the future.

The previous day I had been called and asked to give the Benediction. I accepted and remembered all morning long...until the closing hymn was being sung. I was gathering all coloring things and cleaning up so my kids could focus on being reverent for the closing prayer (i.e. Benediction). When the final note was sung it took me a moment and a half to realize I already should have been heading to the pulpit. I quickly stood and pushed out of my pew and to the pulpit nearly losing my footing. Owen screamed thinking I was leaving him and didn't stop till he realized I was before him and talking, by the time I had spoken 10 words he was calm.

After saying, "Amen," and starting to leave the "stand" Leah says, in her normal voice, "Good job Mommy. You did great!" Her normal voice is what most would consider their voice projecting. It made me smile. I think I caught a few others smiling as well. :)