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10 links to bloggers that you will like-

It is fun to share when you find something fun, yummy,inspirational or just plain happy....so here is my list of sites I like to visit.

1. Shannonbrown.typepad.com   For starters she is the one that got me to start a blog in 2005 so, of course I would have her on this list...and she is my daughter....but she also has a awesome blog- she blogs about everyday life, dating, projects and parties, being a mom, faith, embracing change and finding joy in the journey.  You may of heard about her from her year of dates...because it was "crazy" pinned a "million" times on pinterest.
2. theinspiredroom.net  Melissa has been a long time blog friend...love her design style.  She also got me started writing for blissfullydomestic.com (stop writing there when Dan got cancer.}  she is sweet and understanding- she blogs about decorating, DIY and Homemaking.
3. creolewisdom.com   she is a very creative twenty-something and I enjoy her comments.
4. thefarmchicks.com   farm girl meets 5th ave.  Serena is caring and sweet...plus her stories remind me a little about my remote childhood. 
5. reluctantentertainer.com   because I love a pretty table.
6. designmom.com  Motherhood as seen through a design filter- she blogged about her life in France- they are now back in the states- makes creative videos with her children and is remodeling a French cottage....she is living my life =)
7. awkwardgirls.blogspot.com-  fans of the silly, the stylish, and the socially awkward...helps me stay in touch with my young side. =)
8. yourhomebasedmom.com  a mom, wife, and blogger who uses her vision, creativity, and time management skills to inspire women to create the life they want while discovering the pretty and delicious in life...plus she is fairly close to my age...someone to relate too...come on ladies start a blog =)
9. Velvet & Linen  Brooke has awesome style- I love following her through the process of building her dream home- Patina farm- she also has a beautiful design book out Patina style.
10. LDS.org   I know this site is not a blog...but I go there just about everyday for inspiration and help from parenthood to marriage help.... it's awesome.

Do you have a site you love to visit?  If so share.

Happy Day

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On Being Refined?

Two for Christmas-

(Our gift to each other army boots "bunny boots" for snowshoeing.}

As things would turn out....Christmas Morning this year was just the two of us.  We made the best of it and had a sweet time...(it had been over 35 years since that happened....well, for that matter this was really the first time...just the two of us.} 

Christmas eve was spent with Jessica and Mason.....we baked and had dinner together....fun.

Back to Christmas morning...we slept in....that's always nice.

Then we opened gifts....thanks Danny for the Christmas coat and army boots.

It was a different kind of Christmas morning...but it was good.

We filled the rest of Christmas day this way.

Click over here. 

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What I made...Homemade Christmas

What I made...Homemade Christmas

Now that Christmas is over and all the gifts have been opened.....thought I would share what I made for our children that went along with our Homemade Christmas theme-

Gift Number one-

First- hold your breath ladies....yes, I cut up my Wedding dress

I wanted to make a special little envelope for my Daughter, daughters in law and my granddaughters.  Something special for them to use in the Temple.  My dress had been sitting in the closet for over 35 years...so it was time to do something with it.

 

 

 Shannon being my only daughter...received my wedding veil in a shadow box.  I was able to make 10 envelopes from my dress. ....  I included my personal testimony of Temple work and a picture of me wearing the dress. (I was able to soak my veil to help it return to white...but the satin on my wedding dress ...not so much...so they received vintage satin and lace envelopes}

Gift number two-

 Over a few years I collected Dans old work jeans- and turned them into picnic blankets for the kids-

30 pairs of jeans, 500 squares, 5 picnic blankets = lots of sewing.

1. Each was given a large picnic bag- filled with bamboo plates, spoons and forks- wreck jars for food, a cheese cutting board, and a few fun extras
2. Signed- Love always Mom and Dad.
3. With a gift note saying we plan to help with a project they want done around their home.
4. Raw seams- meaning I washed a few times before wrapping....it took some time to trim all the threads.   Happy Day

 I plan on taking a vacation from the sewing machine for awhile. =)

 Gift Number three-

Each of our children received a shadow box with something sentimental in it.

1. Denver received his "blankie" back....see note.
2. I saved all Sam's swimming ribbons ...to remind him how awesome he is.
3. Shannon received my wedding veil
4. I forgot to get a picture but Kent and Mason received a shadow box with coins in them....They were some 1960's Kennedy Half dollars.....Danny's Dad had carried them around then gave them to Danny when he was a boy....they went to Kent & Mason.

 

While I was preparing these gifts, I kept thinking how blessed I am....it really is a wonderful life.

The grand-kids received a gift from their wish list.

Happy New Year.

 

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Santa on his Sleigh-

Libby's Mom made these darling "Santa in his Sleigh" for Sam's Kids....made completely of candy.

 

If you need to make something fun at the last minute...I think this would be... Sweet =)

She used double sided tape to keep it together...topped with ribbon.

You better watch out you better not cry, Santa Claus is coming to town.

Merry Christmas.

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Progressive Family Christmas Dinner

With a few of our children so close by we decided it would be fun to have a Family Progressive dinner. Starting at Denver's for appetizers, then to Mason's for Hot Soup and ornament exchange then on to Sam's for peppermint shakes and singing. 

It was a perfectly fun evening...the only thing that would of made it better was to have Shannon and Kent there....

Here is our evening in pictures.

Merry Christmas (sorry some of the words get cut off in typepad format...but the rest is there}

 

 

Denver and Bree-

Sam, Mason and Denver

Mason, Jessica and baby girl due in late April =)

Sam, Heidi, Carlee, Preston, Audrey and Cole

Merry Christmas from all of us...even Audrey and the Christmas puppy.

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Thanksgiving 2013

Cabin work weekend

Picture a Christmas Concert-

I just returned home from a wonderful Christmas concert weekend at Shannon's home.

What Joy!

Shannon's home was perfectly beautiful for Christmas.  She always makes me feel so welcomed and the children are adorable.  

I followed them around as they went about their day.

What we did-

• Conner's Winter concert
• Christmas Shopping and lunch dates with Shannon
• Wired and hung a new light for Shannon in her kitchen
• Helped Anna make about 30 copper wire stars
• listened to Conner and Payton play Christmas music on the piano
• Hot chocolate twice
• Blizzards... the kind you eat. 
• Payton and Conner's awesome power points .....something about squirrels and the end of the world.
• Wrapped Christmas presents.

That about sums up our few days together....here it is in pictures.

 (tiny pictures on instagram for fun.}

 

Picture a Christmas concert-

Conner's Winter concert- 

 

 

(photo bomb...that would be Payton =)

Anna's Glee Christmas Program-

Anna had a great glee Christmas show!  she sang the Grinch & Where are you Christmas? with a group... and Silver Bells (Solo)

 Both concerts were fabulous ! !!!

Payton kept me entertained with his many expressions....this is perplexed.  He also played Christmas songs for me. =)

click on the link below to hear his song.

watch  Download PaytonpianoDec2013

 give it a second to load...and that hand you see floating around is Anna dancing to his music. =)

It is always a joy to be part of such "Grandchildren fun"!  

My stay never seems long enough. ....but I enjoyed every minute. 

and Thank you Anna for letting me use your room.

 Thank you Shannon and Scott for awesome Children.

Happy Day

Sharing the Bunkie gathering-

Click on over to my cabin under the pines blog....for the latest Bunkie happenings.

Also we received our first snow of the season and it is just beautiful!

Cabin under the pines- snow day

 

Three Things Christmas-

Working on a few things for the cabin- we had a few trees die on us up at Catheys Valley- so, I'm making good use of them....more on that later....but, it has something to do with a cheese platters and cake stands.  =)

Using more "Tree" for these ornaments-  simple as pie

(if you have a man around that is awesome on a chain saw =)

- pencil a design on the wood...then burn in the design with this-

Home depot and Lowes carry them....wood burning tool.

The one and only Christmas decoration I have up....a boxwood wreath... (Merry Christmas)

  Merry Christmas

 

 

Thanksgiving 2013

 

We had a wonderful time with family for Thanksgiving- here is a little run down of how our day went. 

-The Table-

1. cuttings from the garden
2. Magnolia's running down my vintage wood table
3. Becca helping with the table prep.
4. magnolia printed napkins

Amber colored glasses

Prizes for the kids at the kids table

 

Crafting-

1. Wire stars
2. the older girls helping the younger kids with painted ornaments.  
3. Mason jar snow-globe
4. birch log wood burned ornaments

 

The Turkey Hunt- 

This year we added something new- A Turkey Hunt-

Everyone was given a card with 6 numbers on it....They were to find the Turkey with those numbers.

The competition-

Each year at Thanksgiving we have a friendly family competion....this year....who hit the bulls-eye the most out of ten shots.

 

John and Libby's family won- 7 out of the 10 shots dead center.

 

We felt very blessed to have family share Thanksgiving with us...of course we always miss those who are not there

So wonderful to share with Family-

 Ellie, Becca, Kent and Nicholas

Denver and Bree

Ashlee, Mikayla, Libby and John

Oh....I almost forgot....Kent and Danny also cut down some dead Trees-

Happy Thanksgiving-

 

Check out what we did at the cabin-

 

 

 

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Falls last Stand-

The zoo, the Lake and the Tree-house.. oh my-

Kent, Becca, Nicholas and Ellie came home for Thanksgiving- Happy Day.

So, we found some fun things to do-

The Zoo- The lake and the Tree-house

The Lake-

The Tree-house

Kent giving Nicholas a gun safety lesson-

Kent and Becca has sweet history with the Tree-house....Kent proposed there. 

We are enjoying our time with this cute family-

 

We also squeezed in a little trip to Sam and Heidi's for Church and dinner-

 

 More to come....