Christmas projects!

I was a nerd and didn't take pictures of the projects I made for my Mom and T for Christmas. I took the pattern I got from Cramster and made it bigger! I was so excited with how well they turned out. T had specifically asked for one in brown and aqua/blue and I was so nervous that she wouldn't like the colors/patterns I ended up with but I never saw her without it the rest of the trip so I must have done well. :)
My Mom had asked for a bag for her to take to Young Women's (she just got called to be the ward's YW president). Hers turned out massive and a bit deeper than I anticipated but she still claims to like it. :)
They were fun to make and so quick! I changed a few things from last time and felt so smart! :) I used fat quarters for all my calicos and bought the pre-quilted fabric for the liner so I wouldn't have to make a liner or use batting that felt so thick but I wanted the quilted look and it worked wonderfully! Plus I only had two layers to sew. I also attached the handles early so I wouldn't run into the problem I had last time of not knowing where to put the handles! It worked great!

ps-thanks Kathy for posting these so I at least have one picture of the bags! Maybe we can work out a jewelry/haircut-bag exchange for the next time I'm in town!
pps-Gma Jan asked what "fat quarters" are. They're small squares of fabric that you can usually buy for a discount so you don't have tons of fabric left over. They're convenient because you also don't have to wait in line to get your fabric cut! :)

I know it's a little early

but if you know me, then you'll understand why I bought M a swimsuit in January!

Until she's old enough to beg for an Elmo swimsuit, I can push my cherry fetish on her!

Some of the reasons I miss my husband

W has been in Utah for almost two weeks. I've only been home for a week so it hasn't been so bad yet. Scratch that. The first day was awful and the rest have been not so bad. I cooked my favorite meal that he doesn't like (Spaghetti Deluxe Casserole) but I'm also discovering the many wonderful ways that he takes care of me that I hadn't quite expected to deal with on my own.

I'm scared of the dark. I make him turn off the lights at night. I kept joking that I needed a "clapper" now that he's gone so I can climb safely into bed and then turn off the lights. Now I have to turn on all the lights to our room and progressively turn them off and run and jump into bed!

He always takes out the trash. I have rarely had to take out the trash in our four years of marriage. It's just one of the things he does.

He brings in the mail after work. I have let it pile up over two days twice this week because it's just not a habit for me to get the mail. He likes to.

He reminds us to have prayer at meals. I'm lazy with this but luckily W has trained M well and she often automatically folds her arms when we sit down.

He talks to me!!! M may be having a big language burst right now but toddler conversations are just not the same!

The bed is just EMPTY!

I have to shovel snow now????

But...I get to go to Utah in less than two weeks for the weekend!!!! We have some airline credit that I have to use by April. And we have to pay for a ticket for M after February 2nd, so we basically had to use the credit now to feel like it was an actual discount! So Happy Early Birthday Present to M&W we get to be together for four days!!!!!

oooh!

M LOVES clementines! We even put them in her stocking! But we hardly ever buy them. They're usually so expensive. But today, Target had a great sale on them so I splurged while she was at play group. When I was unloading groceries after we got home, I told her, "guess what I got for you at the store?" and dramatically pulled out the clementines. She responded just as I'd hoped with an exaggerated, "oooooooh! oranges!" like ooh lala! She's so funny!

She also told me a story today. She's growing up! I asked her as we were driving away from play group what she did. She said, "play in kitchen". I asked what else and she said "play Ethan Mary". She described an event! yes!

Safe and Sound...and sad

I was getting really good at the going home thing. With W and M in tow, it's a whole lot easier leaving my ENTIRE family in AR after a visit. When it was just me, I would bawl and bawl when I'd leave my parents. Even in college, my room mates thought I was crazy that I wanted to go home for the entire break! What can I say? My Mom and sister and now sister in laws are some of my very best friends and I LOVE being with my Mom. Going home with my little family makes it easier. However, with W in Utah now (call him, he needs friends! :) I came home to an empty house and it has been the loneliest day! I'm such a baby. And I'm so glad M is here to keep the monsters away!

It only took two weeks!

for them to play nice!

so of course, we're leaving tomorrow! :(

Look What I Made!

We had this for New Year's Day dinner. It is sooooooo good! It's a yummy fudgy mousse cake with almond chocolate frosting that we layered in a trifle dish!

Please excuse the profuse horn-tooting here!