Baby Shower!

Also during my busy crafting week, we had a baby shower for my niece Skyler.  It was so fun to help my sister, Danna Jo, plan the food and games!  We made a joint board on Pinterest that we could both pin ideas to, and then got together to pick our favorites and divide up the to-do list.

DJ and her Mother-in-Law had already gotten most of the decorations at Zurchers, but then she saw this idea, and had just been given some cute preemie onesies, so we had to do it!  It looked super cute. For some reason I didn't get any pictures of the rest of the decorations.  Or the Baby Shower sign that was posted in the front yard!  Whoops!

Then we have the food - YUMMY.  We found so many cute ideas it was hard to narrow it down.  I took charge of the baby food jar food,

Rice krispie treats,

And Hershey Kiss stickers, made from my Cameo.  LOVE that thing!  I forgot to take a picture, so I had Skyler send me this one via her phone. Thanks Sky!

DJ followed up with yogurt covered pretzels,

Candy Melt Marshmallows, found here, here, and here.

 and then the fruit basket! 

 Jamey (my nephew) cut the watermelon up to look like a little bassinet, and DJ added the cantaloupe head.  It was so cute!

 I had an extra watermelon lying around so when DJ was here planning the food, I sent it with her.  It would have been better with a bigger watermelon, but you do with what you have, right?!  And besides, the watermelon was free from my neighbor! WIN WIN.  We also served raspberry zingers, a veggie tray, cheese & cracker tray, regular pretzels, strawberry wafers, and pink & white animal cookies.  DJ also made pink lemonade and yummy sherbet punch!  With all the PINK food, I'm sure you noticed that Skyler is having a GIRL!

 After we ate we played games.  DJ spear headed the safety pin game, where you can't say the words "baby" or "cute", and then a baby trivia game (who knew the color pink use to be used for boys?!)

I took charge of a Baby Music game.   I played bits and pieces of 25 songs and they had to guess the title.  All song titles had the word Baby in it.  I cut out the music sheet on my Cameo.  Seriously, that thing can be used for everything!!

And the Dirty Diaper Game.  NASTY!  However, this is the ONLY thing about the shower that Skyler requested.  She insisted we play this game.  It was really gross. Anyway, I already had diapers, so I told DJ that I would get it all together.  You melt different candy bars in diapers and have the guests name the "poopy" diaper.  They can smell, touch, and even taste the mess to figure out which candy bar is inside.

Moving on.....  GIFTS!! 

 After the games, Skyler was able to open her loot of presents.

 She got some really great stuff, and lots of it!  My mom got her some University of Oregon gear, and Skyler was super excited.  She loves the Ducks.  My mom also gave her this pretty bassinet.  It also came with a blue ribbon for future use.

After she opened her bazillion presents, we had cake and party favors.

Each party favor was filled with some more Pink stuff.  Strawberry Whoppers, Hershey Kisses, suckers, starbursts, etc. 

Her cake was super cute.  Her Aunt Krystal made it for her.

November can't roll around fast enough for Skyler.  She is anxiously waiting for the arrival of Paislee Jo Hines!  She is due right around Thanksgiving.

Craft Mania

Last week was busy. Crafty busy.  But, you know me, I love crafts so it was a good busy.  First on the list, the Boise, Idaho LDS Temple went under construction and is set to re-open in November.  My Ward wanted to make handkerchiefs with the temple embroidered on them for everyone.  Myself, and one of the sisters I visit teach, had the pleasure of doing all the embroidery work.  I embroidered 21 men's hankies and 35 for the women.  The women's have lace around the edges.  At first they were going to cut up fabric and let each person finish hemming and adding their own lace.  But I suggested another option.  The Distribution Center sells hankies at such a great price that it was tough to compete with pre-finished hankies.  That and I know myself, if I got one unfinished it would sit at my house and never get done.  So I was willing to pay the extra $1.50 to have one already finished, and so was everyone else!

Here is the final look.  The primary actually purchased one for each child as well!

Moving on, we have Super Saturday.  I'm not in charge or even on the committee, but one of the sisters I visit teach is (same lady as the hankies) and I offered to help her with the samples to show at church.  I can remember how stressful it can be, so I wanted to help lighten her load.  I wasn't sure if she would take me up on my offer but I was so happy when she called me a week later and asked for help!  I ended up making four of the crafts and finishing some final details on one of hers.

First one is Ribbon Hanging Boards.

I painted all the blocks for two projects, and then set aside the ones that I would use later.  I mod podge'd on some black and white pictures of the kids and picked some ribbon.  I love the way they turned out.  They kind of look like canvas.

Second, we have Rotating Dowel Frames.   I went back to the other black blocks and roughed them up a bit. and then painted some balls.

I grabbed a dowel and had Sexy Farmer drill some holes in the wood, and viola - a super cute rotating picture frame.

I only had three pictures, so I cut some vinyl on my Cameo (seriously love that machine) and stuck them on the back of each block.  Duke spins the blocks all day long.

Third we have Name Blocks.  I wanted these stained instead of painted.

While we were waiting for the stain to dry, I picked out my scrapbook paper and printed some vinyl. I used the font Three Dates One Night, and LOVE it!

Duke was playing in my tote of ribbon and enjoyed every second.

Then we mod podge'd it all together and added some ribbon for some extra flare and pizzaz.

Fourth we made Temple Blocks.  Hoss really wanted to help with the Mod Podge this time.

Then we made faces for the camera while we waited for it to dry.

I didn't like the option they had for the Boise Temple, so I picked Dallas, Texas instead.  They look exactly the same after all!  Well, not anymore, now that the Boise Temple has been updated, but oh well.  Anyway, I let Hoss pick out some "boy" ribbon, and wham!  Finished!

Fifth, we have Stamped Coasters.  I  didn't do this one, I just added the finishing glaze top coat.

Moving on again, we had Skyler's Baby Shower!  DJ and I found so many cute ideas, but I also told her that I have tons of baby food jars that we could use if we found something cute.  DJ found just the thing!  Parfaits!  So, I grabbed my box of baby food jars.

Gave Lilli the goo-gone and let her have fun!  Doesn't she look like she's having fun? HA!

Then we decorated them!

And filled them!  We decided on the family favorite, 3 Layer Jello, too!  Can't have a party without it!  We got so many compliments on them from the guests!

And finally, we have some Baptism towels.  My visiting teaching partner, neighbor, and the family Brandon home teaches, have twins that are getting baptized this Saturday!  So, I made them each a towel!  I cut the CTR shape and names with my Cameo.  LOVE that thing, have I said that enough lately?!!

So, I apologize to anyone that I neglected this past week, but I was busy.  Candace, I haven't forgotten about the bottle cap birthday chart, and Billie Sue, I'm gonna jump on those boot socks soon!  But those will have to wait until I finish making an apron for the Young Women President's birthday, and a hooded towel for baby Paislee.  Or maybe I'll take a nap first.

YW Manual 1 Lesson 37: Caring For Our Physical Bodies

During the Grooming section of this lesson, I pulled out a picture of one of the temples.  I had the picture in a sheet protector, and then drew a pretty flower on it.  I asked them if it made the temple prettier.  They all said no.  But I asked again, "Are you sure?  Flowers are so pretty though.".  Again they said no.

Sometimes it's easier for me to teach a lesson on a topic that I have done wrong, so that I can be the example of what NOT to do.  Today I told the girls that if they only learn one thing from me through out my entire tenure as their teacher, let it be this one thing.  That got their attention.  I told them about how when I was younger I got a tattoo and that it is the one thing in my life that I regret and wish I could go back and change.  When we are uncomfortable with our bodies we can change certain things.  You know, our hair style or color, we can lose or gain weight, we can even buy contacts to change our eye color.  I can't change my tattoo.  It's there forever.  A constant reminder of how stupid I once was.  Just as we would never graffiti the Temple, we shouldn't do that to our temple either.

That lead me to the idea for the handout.  I found these GIANT smarties at the Craft Warehouse in Boise.  The girls had never seen them before, but then I hadn't either.

I made the tag with my Cameo (LOVE that machine) using the font Charlie.

If you have a Silhouette Cameo - You can download the tag HERE.

Shapes used:  Assorted Classic Frames, Welcome Banner

Raccoon Part 2

Our dog found another raccoon!  This one is a little baby, we are wondering if it belongs to the one we shot last week.  They are pretty cute when they are little!

Duke - 11 Months

Weight - 18.6 lbs

• 2 new teeth (top front)
• plays patty-cake
• puckers lips to kiss
• flirts
• points at things/people
• loves to eat (FINALLY!)
• hates socks
• cruises around furniture
• getting the hang of sippy cups
• helps rotate laundry 
• loves peek-a-boo

Duke is getting more and more comfortable with his movements.  He has no fear when it comes to climbing stairs, but he bonked his head once going down, so he won't even go close anymore.  He has finally decided that he likes food and will eat 2 baby food jars in once sitting.  We figured that meant he was ready for some real food, so now he loves what we are eating.  He is so messy, but he loves it.

Sexy Farmer even made him his very own pancake a few weeks ago.

He may be good at eating, but he has become a monster with his sleeping habits!  I can't blame anyone but myself.  He had always been SO good at sleeping in his own bed, all night.  Something happened and I'm not sure what or when, but it happened.  He will only sleep right next to me.  He has to be able to touch me!  Sexy Farmer captured this picture the other night when he came home at 2am.  As soon as he moved him to his crib, he woke up.  Sexy Farmer picked him back up, laid him next to me, and he was fine instantly.  His eyes never opened during the entire process.

It's not just at night though.  He has to be with me all the time.  If not holding him, at least in eye sight, but he prefers to be touching.  I've created a monster.

The older kids all fight over his attention when they get home from school.  Lilli wants to take him outside to help her feed the dog, but Hoss wants him in the house so they can wrestle.  It's interesting to see who wins day to day.  But he is LOVED by all, even at church.  Sexy Farmer takes him during the 3rd hour while I teach in Young Women, and he hardly ever had him.  After church I'll always see other men with him all the time.  Duke is blessed to be loved by many, and to fill their baby cravings too!

Celebration of Life

My Uncle Dale (my dad's brother) recently passed away and today we were able to remember him with a Celebration of Life.   I love this picture of him, I can remember him always talking about his grandsons, Mason and Austin.  This picture is of him holding his very first grandson, Mason, for the very first time.

My cousin, Dave (Dale's son) shared Uncle Dale's life story and opened it up for others to share a memory too. 

It's funny that I couldn't think of anything to say, but now that it's over, I can think of many!  Like how he loved model trains, or when you would play a card game with him the rules always sort of changed in his favor without notice.  I remember his laugh, one of those big whole body belly laughs.  It was contagious.  He was always smiling. 

Judy, Dale's daughter, shared some of his final moments.  Dale lived with her at the end while she took care of him.  I can't imagine how hard that would be, to see your father in such a state and take care of him, such love.  Dale loved Boise State Football, and actually fell asleep during their first game of the season, and didn't wake up.  They joked that it was a good thing because he didn't see them lose the game.

Sexy Farmer shared his memory with me a few days before the celebration.  I was going to share it for him since he wasn't able to attend, but didn't.  So here it is.  When Dale was diagnosed with cancer the first time, he had a big yard sale.  We went and purchased a few things.  Sexy Farmer remembers there being a massive amount of Playboy magazines for sale.  He said it was the first time he'd seen that magazine in his 27 years of age!  I didn't let him buy any! HA!

There were photo albums displayed so I took a few pictures of pictures.  I wanted to see the pictures of my dad and his siblings through the years.

Janet, Dad, Dale, Arlene

Dale was the oldest, then Arlene, my dad Don, and then Janet is youngest.

Clockwise from top left: Dale, Dad, Janet, Arlene

This one is from their Aunt Erma & Uncle Ray Olson's 70th Wedding Anniversary.

Dad, Janet, Dale, Arlene

Here they are at my Dad's retirement party.

Arlene, Dale, Janet, Dad

And here was probably their last picture taken all together at my Grandpa's (their Dad's) funeral.

Dad, Janet, Arlene, Dale

I'm not sure who took, and when, this picture of my cousin Kristen was taken, but I LOVE it!

About a month ago we had a family reunion, which was one of the things on Uncle Dale's bucket list.  He wasn't able to attend because he was too sick, but we had taken some family pictures.  Here is one of me and my cousins.

Back Row: Kristen, Chuck, Derrick, Dave; Front Row: Cindy, Me, Danna Jo, Kimberly

Three cousins that were missing then (Karen, Wayne & Judy) were here today, so I made everyone take a picture again.  My sister, Danna Jo, told me that I'm gonna be the family member nobody invites to things because I'm a picture Nazi.  HA!  Sorry, but I kinda wanna remember these things!  They will all thank me later, I'm sure of it!  We were only missing Kirt, Nikki and Kimberly this time. 

Back Row: Karen, Chuck, Wayne, Derrick, Judy; Front Row: Kristen, Cindy, Danna Jo, Me, Dave.

Then DJ pulled Cindy's hair and said we needed a funny picture!  I seriously LOVE how she has one hand pushing against Cindy's head and the other hand pulling her hair.  Classic!

One of the biggest jokes of the day was that my dad was wearing a BSU shirt.  I guess we were all suppose to wear Blue & Orange, but I missed the memo.  Anyway, my dad is NOT a BSU fan, he's more of a U of O or BYU fan, so to see him wearing Orange shows how much he loves his brother!