Portraits From A Weekend

The Great Fight

We are all fighting the great fight,

and despite the circles under my eyes,

the quiver in my voice,

or the ghetto tshirt I've been wearing

for two days I am doing well.

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So...

Here's to the family that reached out today

and gave me love and support,

pitching in to help when I need it,

make me laugh, or just give encouragement.

You are my Matador's,

helping keep the bulls at bay.

painting from Emily, who snuck back to the second hand

store to get it for me and surprise me because of all

my ooohhhing and aaaahhhing over it.

Thank you Froska.

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Here's to fighting the pirates that attack us everyday-

A crooked politician, school bullies,

adult acne, a scratched c.d., or a bad burrito.

I just finished reading Peter Pan with the kids-

wow there was a lot of killing.

Those are some tough kids.

When times get tough in our house

we say, "Have Schofield Courage!"

We moved on to read Moby Dick

until we came to the part about

the cannibal,

at which point I decided for a simpler book,

because I don't want my four year old to get

any ideas about people eating people.

Here's to kind neighbors who bring

sweets and hoses,

who wave hello,

and offer to have us over for

FHE with their family,

and ask me

if I'm sure I'm okay.

Here's to pretty things that make me happy.

Colors of fall and Halloween just

around the corner.

Coolness in the air, but warmth

of the sunshine on my cheeks

as I swear under my breath

in the backyard

while I'm trying to help

my scout make a blasted birdhouse

with crooked wood, bent nails and

a dying saw battery,

because he only has three days left to

complete everything in time to

get his wolf badge.

Here's to phone calls from friends

who know just what to say and

understand when my one year old is crying

in the background as he has been

for fifteen minutes straight

because I won't pick him up,

and my ten year old overhears me talking

about a possible job opportunity

and is yelling that there

is no way she's moving to Vegas because

there are naked lady posters everywhere,

and she threatens that if we do move there,

she will turn into a scary goth girl.

photo by flickr-janed42

Here's to all of us fighting the great fight of life.

Here's to comfort from answered prayers.

Here's to peace despite unanswered prayers.

Here's to being alive and a joyful journey.

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane...

thanks for the goodies girl:)

Card Group

Tonight I hosted Card Group Dinner at my house.

Once a year my Lehi girls make the drive out to see me, and we have our dinner at my house instead of a restaurant. It was supposed to be a surprise shower for a soon to be first time mother, but she couldn't come so we were just a little group of six...still fun though...it's amazing we actually made it happen tonight, with an emergency room run to get stitches, an injured ankle, babysitting, working, ear infection, absentee husbands...no wonder us busy ladies need a night out. We've been going strong for almost five years and we still have ideas for things to make each month. The world is definitely a better place because of our handmade cards and such:) I'm not a scrapbooker, but this is the perfect little bit of creative outlet to keep my lovely paper obsession in check.

thank you!

I love Swaps!!

Are you kidding me yumminess and cuteness?
We got a note in the mail today saying that there was
a package at the post office for me.
What?
I wasn't expecting anything.
Then Chris walked in the door and said,
"How much do you love me?"
After the playful taunting because he knew he had something
good in his possession he handed me the package.
What a treat! And I do mean literal treat!!
Emily had sent me oodles of fabulous things-

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Scrumptious Snickerdoodles and Fancy Chocolate Wafer Cookies

that came in a cute sewn bug bag that I can't wait to

savor with a big glass of cold milk- girl, you can bake!!

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Adorable handmade doll that I was oogling on her blog...

serious cuteness, I love the ribbon tag on the side and the buttons!

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Wonderful Stained Glass Ship, so perfect coming from Rhode Island

(my past swap partner is from there too,

I think that place is calling my name!)

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Fresh and tingly tinted lip gloss from C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries

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Sweet double lip balm sugar from Tutti Dolci

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A BIG THANK YOU

for the surprises and thoughtfulness!

They are truly things that I love and will be

my new favorite things!!

THANKS EMILY!

Break Dancin' BBQ FHE

On the menu:

Assortment of Beverages

Chicken Kabobs

Hot Dogs

Chips & Watermelon

Savory Caeser Pasta Salad

Scrumptious Fruit Salad

Delectable Cous Cous Salad

Gummi Bear Ice Cream Cones

Popcorn Popping

Mormon Rap with Breaker Boy accompaniment
Girly Dance Routine
THE ROBOT

Potato Sack Race

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Thanks to all our homies for the good times!

You know you've had a good party when...

a bedroom has been toilet papered,

5 bandaides were used,

you laugh till you cry,

tummies are full of good food,

the men quote lines from

Monty Python and Dumb and Dumber,

and the girls are talking shopping in the living room.

Babysitting

topic of conversation:

ketchup goes with...

everything

Talented Chic- Jennifer Willson

I am a lucky girl to know so many wonderful,

and inspiring woman folk. But along with these

Sparkling personalities comes some amazing talent.

I guess the "entrepreneur spirit" and desire to

create things has bonded us together.

So for the next couple weeks,

I'd like to share them with you and maybe send some business

their way... go check them out- you won't be sorry.
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Jennifer Willson of Hand Picked Daisy

is my friend and neighbor.

She is one of the most positive, cheery, upbeat,

and thoughtful people I have ever met.

There is not one ounce of mean in her cute little body.

Along with all this niceness is talent, talent, talent.

She is an AMAZING quilter and scrapbooker!

Look what she made for Tade...

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I wanted to share with you her

WAY CUTE Visiting Teaching Kits.

She sells them on this blog,

or this etsy shop,

or this store- Bags That Fit in Lehi.

All my girls in Utah County,

go pick yourself up some kits to give to your sisters.

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This June kit includes the message,

a yummy recipe, an "on the go" drink packet, and it's all

wrapped up in an adorable package for just $4.00 a piece.

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