Evolution of the hat......

2 days before Christmas 2Cool decided he wanted to crochet hats for his siblings for Christmas. So he and his dad went to the store and bought yarn and a crochet hook. He came home and got on youtube and watched a couple videos.

This lovely thing was the result.

His grandma came down and took one look at it and said, "That looks like a wiener warmer, my friend made one for her husband to wear while hunting." 2Cool relayed the conversation to me afterwards. " He told me it was sooooo embarrassing! "Mom, I could have just died!"

Then grandma stepped in to assist, this was the next creation. Cutie loves it!

LittleMan's hat came next. It is a bit small but he has worn it every day since.

Please note the hot chocolate on his face.

Red's hat is a lovely green color because that is his favorite.

There was another hat in between, but for the life of me I can't find it!

Here its the hat he made for himself after Christmas! He LOVES it and thinks it is the coolest thing ever.

Side view of his hat.

Not only did grandma teach him how to crochet, but Red has learned how to Knit! I am very proud of both of them for working so hard on these projects!

So that is how a wienie warmer became a hat.

Christmas day........

Big D got a train set, please ignore the gross floor, it is Christmas morning. But even though he got a train set, he has hardly touched it....

Why not you ask, Because he has not put down the $ store guns, and handcuffs his sister bought.2Cool and his new helicopter, jacket and hat!

Later in the day we went to my Brother Zeke's house and opened presents and ate yummy food. My Brother gave my dad this......

It is SO my dad. we all giggled about him putting it up in his office at the church.
Then, my sister gave each of us a window from my parents house with this saying on it. We were all thrilled! I love it, I have yet to find a place to hang it but will!

Don't these two look like a barrel of laughs? They were watching a Mythbusters marathon!

How cute are these two? You couldn't even talk to them though, because they were both plugged into their music!

This wee boy has the most kissable face, even when it is covered in chocolate!

His brother really liked the green cupcake! Ewwww!

All in all we had a great day. My MIL wouldn't come with us even though 5 members of my family personally invited her. She ended up staying at my house while we went. I suggested to my hubby that we not go with my family, and he said, " she could come with us, and it is her choice." so we went for a few hours.

My family is amazing, I sure do love and appreciate all they do!

Today, as I ventured out to finish my Christmas shopping, I realized how much I LOVE snow. Snow was falling and I turned my face up toward it, like most would do with the sun in summer. I am sure to some this is a bit silly, but I LOVE it. As the snow fell on my eyelashes and cheeks, I just enjoyed felt joy, and gratitude for the beautiful white stuff.

It made me giggle!

I posted this on Facebook, but wanted to share it here because it made me giggle!

This just in from CNN............ The Supreme Court has ruled there can't be a Nativity Scene in the United States Capital this Christmas season. Not for any religious reason. They simply have not been able to find Three Wise Men in Washington. The search for a Virgin continues. However..... there wasn't any problem finding enough asses to fill the stable.

It makes me giggle every time I read it!

Oh my Heck!!!

Apparently my hubby had a job to do out at a local train yard........This train must have been in the way, so he had to move it.
Just kidding, apparently it got switched at the wrong time so it was stuck like that. He thought it was really funny.

Trees, tunes and how I suck.

So I suck at being a DIL, I am pretty sure this will come back to bite me in the butt someday.

But, good thing is Tues night 2Cool played in his band concert, if I had a working camera, you would have cute pics of him wailing away on his saxophone, while both of his grandma's and his remaining set of great grandparents (his great grandparents are both in their 80's)watched. The other great thing about the concert was that he got to play with his cousin who goes to a different school. Good times.

Last night we decided to go get our Christmas tree! We LOVE to go cut our own! Fun memories. The first year we went our van wouldn't make it in the snow so I piled in the back with the bigger kids and we rode that way down the mountain. If you look closely I think there is 5 little faces in that tree.

Then we did a couple more years where we had bawling kids, big tree's not enough adults to help carry the saw and the kids. But we just laughed the whole time. this year we waited for my Hubby's mom to get here to go get it, normally we would have gone much sooner, but thought it would be fun for her. Needless to say, I don't think she had fun. She wouldn't even come looking with us in the knee deep snow. But we as a family had a great time. Even if we were wet and cold by the time we got done. Here are some really crappy photos from my phone. Can you tell what the biggest issue was this year?

We hadn't been there 2 seconds and this is what 2Cool and Red were doing. They would run at you shouting "MOOSE" and try to knock you over in the snow.

Here is BigD and Cutie claiming the tree they wanted. Trust me the one we got is only slightly less Charliebrownish.

Trying to find the tree.

We had fun, plus got to have dinner at the Firehouse. Which is one of our faves in the north part of our state.

He passed...... our story.

I always hesitate to share spiritual things on here, because I am not sure if it is appropriate.

Having said that, I want to share with you about things that have been going here! Again, I am recording this mostly for posterity. trust me when I tell you this is the shortened version!

Six and a half years ago my hubby got an apprenticeship with a power company. We moved our family to a state just north of here. He worked hard to learn. the guys he worked with told him he was doing a good job. But then every month when they filled out his Evaluations they would give him a really bad scores. We tried to figure out what was going on and why they were doing this. There were only a couple of things we could think of.

1~ they were really 12 year olds

2~ My hubby would have had seniority over them. He had worked for the company longer, and that is how job placement is based in this company.

He tried to fix it and make it better and asked them what he needed to do. "You aren't were you need to be." they would tell him. "Where do i need to be? He asked. "I don't know" That is what they replied. Not super helpful.

Eventually he was removed from this apprenticeship, because of the evals. Only about a year and a 1/2 into a 4 year program.

He had to go back to being a meter reader, I got a job so we could support the family. After a year he bid another apprenticeship and got it! So back we went to the state we started from.

They guys he worked with now knew a little about the last apprenticeship from the proverbial grapevine.

He worked hard and they guys here appreciated him and all his hard work. They treated him like an apprentice, which is just lower than whale poop, but that was par for the course.

Trigonometry, tests, lots of mandatory voluntary trainings on Sunday, 4 years of that and he was done, it was time for him to take his tests, so he could journey out and get a raise.

During his testing. He did great on his two written tests, then came the pole test, the practical application of all he had learned. He got up there 35 feet in the air and started to solve the problem that as given to him. The safety instructor, old them to come down about 1/2 way through the problem. His sleeve had brushed the wire, that he had already covered with rubber. According to this guy.

He would have to come back 3 months later to re-test.

Then through the grapevine he heard lots of crap. Like that guy had told people there was no way everyone would pass, he would make sure of it. The question that was given to my hubby and his partner, had never been given and on a scale of 1 to 10 it was a 10 as far as difficulty went.

Guess where this examiner was from? Go a head guess...... Yep he was from the last place where we lived, the place where we lost the first apprenticeship! All I could think was, "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!"

Fast forward 3 months, now it is December 11th 2009.

My dad and Brothers are giving my hubby a priesthood blessing, Hubby has been sick and tomorrow is the test day.

In the blessing my dad gave, he blesses him that he will get feeling better, and that the prejudices of old will not effect the outcome of the test.

Saturday the 12 dawns snowy and cold. Hubby leaves the house at 6:00 to be there by 8:00.

They end up waiting quite some time for all the examiners to get there. At about 9:30 they start, even thought the examiner from the place we used to live still isn't there! Hubby heads up to do his problem, completes it just as the guy gets there. He had no say in what happened during this test!!!

Hubby passed!!!!!!!!!! He passed the test!!!! Seriously there cannot be enough exclamation points added here!

We were so blessed, that man who could have failed him again just to be a butt head, didn't make it. I know that Heavenly Father had a hand in it! My hubby is a great guy who has worked so hard for our family, he deserved to pass!

I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who watches out, and cares about a one of His sons who is just trying to better himself and make things good for his family.

I hope this all makes sense to the outside reader.

Letter....

Dear crotchety lady at the deli,
When my cute son says he would like lots of handle chicken, you don't need to snottily tell him it is called drumsticks.
He is a kid, and you are supposed to say how cute it is, not poopoo it.
Thanks,
His mother (who thinks he is great)

Boutique...... trying again to make some money.

Another boutique is coming up so....... I haven't been doing much blogging. My laptop cord died too, and is going to cost $75 to replace, and at this time of year that just isn't in the budget. Maybe Santa will bring me one.
Anyway, busy, busy with the creating. I made these planners to sell at the boutique. I am selling these for $5.

Here is my Twilight ones. The bigger one I am selling for $7.99.

Then I did some indoor family activity blocks. $4.99

and Family Home Evening blocks

The boutique info can be found here.

Please help!!!

My MIL is coming to stay with us for about a month. I am glad to have her come, but I am very concerned about what to do with her all day. She doesn't drive, and I don't know what she likes to do. Plus, this is the push to get stuff done right before Christmas, which tends to be a crazy time for me. She often likes to give me unsolicited advice. How do I handle this? Even about sex. I know she doesn't think I am a good enough wife, or mother. I probably am not, but I am doing my best. Have any of you lived through similar situations and have words of wisdom?

My discovery.....

If you are at all Squeamish, do not read any further.

I learned something new about myself today. I learned about a job, that even if it was the last job on earth, I would choose to die on the street of starvation, before I would do it.
What job could that be you ask?
Working in a slaughter house. Why do I mention this today? At noon today I had to go to a local slaughter house to pick up some pig blood for 2Cool's science fair project. (We are testing alternative substances to see which most closely mimics the properties of human blood.)
First off, the place was kinda like something you would see in a horror movie. Cement, dingy, rivers of blood running down the floor. As I am making my way through the building to where the people are, I am trying not to brush up against the walls and get blood on myself. Now I know you are thinking, I am squeamish, and maybe the blood was the issue. Nah, that didn't bother me. Neither did the guts some guy was carrying across the room. (they were actually kinda cool) The guy cutting off a pigs head as it hung from the ceiling didn't bother much either, it was all quite fascinating. So why wouldn't I do that job even if it was the last job on earth? THE SMELL, I think it was the combination pig and blood smell together. Maybe it was the fact that they had slaughtered 450 pigs in the last 2 days. It didn't bother me enough to quit eating that yummy ham at Christmas. But I am telling you, the smell, not good. I did tell the guy that I appreciated him doing it so I could eat that yummy food. Definitely not a job I would ever want. I am sure there is other jobs in the world that I would never want to do, like being the "Honey Bucket guy." But none I have experienced up close and personal like today.
What job out there would be like that for you?

Late, but not forgotten......

Here I am finally getting Halloween posted. this was my contribution to the evening. Homemade Doughnuts. It was my grandmothers recipe. I think I will use a different one next time. I didn't LOVE it, but they were good. I am very thankful to my mom for helping with making them. I couldn't have done it without her. Here is a rare pic of me. Making the doughnuts.

This Halloween Rit Dye was my friend. Big D wanted to be Scooby-doo, but I couldn't find Brown sweats. So I had to dye grey sweats brown.
Little Man wanted to be a dead soccer player, so I was nice and didn't try to talk him out of it. Not my fave costume.
Cutie was her dad.... She made a really cute lineman.

2Cool, wanted to be something scary, but I am ornery about masks so I wouldn't let him wear one.

He wanted to wear a long black cloak, but he decided that he needed one the day before Halloween so I dyed a flowered sheet black and made his cloak. I used 2 boxes but it was very grey.

Red wanted to be a dementor at the last minute. The sheet I bought was a king sized one so I made 2 tunic cloak things. I dyed the net stuff too and he wore it over his face. This was his last year to go trick or treating. He turns 12 in January after that no more trick or treats.

Proud parent!

See, this handsome kid. I got his grades in the mail today....... all A's and B's. I am so proud o him I hugged him and screamed how happy I was with his grades. Several times! I think he was really embarrassed, because we were in the front yard. But isn't that my job?
Seriously, I am so proud I could pop my buttons off!

To remember how it was in the past go here.

Boutique......

My house is a disaster, my hair uncombed, I am a mess. Why? you ask.
I have been trying to get ready for my first boutique. Holy cow! So much time spent creating. I hope something sells.
These are a family home evening activity block. You roll it to decide what you are doing that evening.

Card with an ornament.

This is just a few of the things I have been creating.

Why I love having kids........ never a dull moment.

I am cleaning the house, and trying to get dinner ready and I hear a kkkssshhhhhh sound, and I look over to find this. Cutie, trying to help LittleMan clean up his mess.
All those little white things are rice out of a heat pack that my kids were whacking each other with!
My friend Jo told me not to kill them on Sunday, because it was probably more of a sin than killing them any other day of the week. There was rice everywhere!

Day, 5......of our trip to Arkansas

Day 5, we scattered Howard's ashes before his cute daughter Kelly, and her family had to leave. We were sad to see them go and had a good time with them.

Cutie, 2Cool, and Little D waiting for the old people (the adults) to get down to the dock.

Hubby saying some words, and showing support to his mom. Kelly, Howard's daughter is on the right of my MIL.
Scattering the ashes. Hubby, his mom, and Kelly. You can kind of see them on the wind in the left side of the photo.

The ashes in the lake.

2Cool, hubby, MIL, and Kelly after. A moment of silence.

The rowdy boys coming down the dock after.

Howard was a good guy and he was my MIL whole world! She didn't go anywhere, seriously I mean anywhere without him. This is a hard time for her. It was good to be there and lend some support.

If you are smoking near my children, you better be on fire.

This post is not about bad habits, because anyone who knows me knows I have my fair share of bad habits and addictions! So I have no room to talk, when it comes to bad habits and addictions to things.
This post is about smoking in the same house with my kids.
While on our stay in Arkansas the first time we had set aside the money to stay in a hotel. Because of the fact that my MIL and FIL both smoke.
When we went out for my FIL funeral, his death being caused by colon cancer, (the second biggest killer of cigarette smokers) we didn't have the money to stay in a hotel while we were there, and so had to stay at my MIL double wide trailer. Why did I mention it was a trailer, just so you would know how much space we were talking about.
While we were there she smoked in the house sometimes in another room other times in the same room with my kids!!! We are there, to support her, in the loss of her husband who died due to smoking and here she is smoking around my kids!!! Does she want to bury her grand kids too? I mean honestly, this isn't the 1950's we are educated people and know the hazards of second hand smoke! Get a clue.
I didn't say anything because, we were staying at her house, and because I don't have the kind of relationship with her that I can say anything, she already thinks I dislike her.
There are members of my family who smoke and they make every effort not to smoke around others. This is something I respect them for. I know it is a hassle for them when we are all together, but they do it anyway.
So what I am saying here is, don't be all miffed and say I distance myself from you, and then smoke around my cute kids!!! Again, this isn't about smoking itself, it is about respect for others!

Honestly what was I thinking?

I volunteered to teach Art and Music appreciation at my kids school. I go 2 days a month, the curriculum is all outlined and is very detailed and a ton of work. I LOVE art and music, but I am wonderng why I signed up. We learned about Winslow Homer (Artist)and George Handel (composer) this month! I already taught In BigD's class and now this week I have Red's class. 6th graders, I am afraid will be obnoxious and difficult! So we will see how it goes. The people who teach this used to get paid. Too bad for me that isn't the case anymore. I really could use the extra $.

Day 6....

I know I skipped day 7 but, all we did was drive from Arkansas to Oklahoma and drop off our nephew, Little D. While the prairie dogs were thrilling, and my kids think that grandpa needs to come down with his gun, and reduce the population a bit. Nothing else needs to be said.

The morning of day 6 was spent visiting family and then the kids wanted to get back and go fishing. I encouraged ( okay, we all know I nagged until he gave in) my hubby to go down with the kids and I would visit with his mom.
So here is how part of the conversation went:
MIL~ "I have never been so scared in my life."
me~"I am sure, that is understandable considering the circumstances. You know that you can come and live with us, you always have a place."
MIL~ "You know that would never work, because you don't like me. "
me~ (thinking, what the heck, where did this come from? I felt like I had been slapped in the face.) I say, "I like you fine, why would you think that? " (okay, your right I didn't say "you are one of my favorite people!")
MIL~ "You distance yourself from me."
me~ (huh? who was the one who moved to Arkansas? Talk about distance, it wasn't me, honey) But I say, "How do you figure?"
MIL~ "One time, I told you to call me mom and you told me, " I already have a mom." Let me just state for the record that I have never said that to her.
me~ "No I didn't!"
MIL ~ "yes, you did"
At this point I realize where her son gets it and decide not to argue. I am also not sure what to say. Never have been good with the witty comebacks. Now after this little chat, and while it was happening, I was getting upset! I don't call her mom because we aren't close, right after we married she moved from here to Arkansas. I have always called her by her given name. Hubby didn't call his step-dad "dad" . So I never felt the need to call her "mom". Truthfully it never occurred to me to call her mom. Now, I can't out of spite! I just don't think she has a clue. I am sure I don't see her side of it very well either.
But the more I thought about it, the more upset I got!
I made her gifts, which I only do for those I really care about! My time means more to me than money.
We drove 2200 miles to be here for you, we didn't have the money, but we did it because you needed the support!
I let my hubby buy the stupid, damn boat so you would have money to support yourself, while we don't even own a home, and don't need more debt. Did I complain to him, and tell him we shouldn't? No! I let him do it to support her!! And she has the gall to say that to me!
(big sigh)
Anyway, here is the question, do you call your MIL "mom"? Why or why not?

So on to the fun part, after our lovely conversation, I decided to walk down the road to where the kids were fishing to see how it was going and to blow off some steam. Nothing was caught, but I think they all had fun!

Red, (not good pics with my phone, it was all I had)

>2Cool, I love the holes on the rod in this pic! Hubby, just being himself!

Cutie was surprisingly good at casting.

LittleD spent most of his time untangling Red's line. He is a good cousin.

It was a nice cool evening and the mosquito's, which rivaled those on Jumanji, didn't carry us away. Good thing we had extra potent off with us!