5 Christmas Craft

Today my sister Abby came up from Clearfield to spend the day. Her girls are each a year older than mine & boy did they have a good time together. They were so well behaved! Abby & I were able to finish our goal: create a set of paper dolls for quiet play at church.


We used my new Cricut cartridge & made them extra sturdy with many layers. Next we will laminate them & add velcro so that the girls can change their clothes. What a fun project.

4 Christmas Traditions

Saturday: Temple Square LIGHTS
Both Nate & I have wonderful childhood memories of the lights on Temple Square. So, this year we decided to take our little family. We spent the day in Layton visiting Nate's bother, Troy, and went to dinner with him and his date. I have to comment that Allie was very well behaved in the upscale restaurant (minus falling off her booster chair & who can blame her for crying then). Nate found us a great parking spot in downtown Salt Lake City which is amazing considering that it was the weekend before the big day, the Jazz were playing at home, & the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was in town. I am thankful it was a balmy 32 degrees since I've been there when its been much colder. Both girls were big eyes the whole time. Nate & I reminisced how EVERY tree was lite & there was 6 feet of snow when we were kids. It was so fun to watch the girls take it in. I wonder what they will remember?
Before we left, we stopped by the North visitor's center to view the Christus. I was explaining to Allie that it was a statue of Jesus & how much he loved her, when she made two comments. First, she noticed that his feet were bare (cute), but second, she proclaimed that his hands were 'dirty', referring to the nail prints. I have been thinking about this comment quite a bit today. I am so greatful for my little angles and how pure they are. I hope that we can we the teach them & raise them the way they deserve.





Friday: Ward Christmas party
As soon as we walked in to the stake center, Allie took off took off in search of her best friend, "Lou"(aka Alysa). After we found a place to sit & got Kylie out of the infant carrier, I went to see what Allie was up to. Even from the vantage point of the stage, it took me several minutes to spy her. A neighbor was trying to console her. Poor girl couldn't find her family. It was nice though, since she stayed right by us for most of the night. By the end of the evening, she was back to her "business" self. I caught this great candid shot of her getting into the leftover salads during the nativity program. When she saw I'd gotten caught with her hand in the cookie jar, she proclaimed, "Mommy, I LOVE lettuce." I just had to laugh, since just the opposite is true. On the right is a picture of Kylie being held by Kendall, one of our favorite gals. It was Kendall we called at 4am to come watch Allie when Kylie was born (see May posts). We feel so blessed to have so many great ward members. They truly are our family.


(Allie & Lou eating popcorn - a new favorite)

3 Grades are in...time to play, FINALLY!

I L-O-V-E my Cricut!

I saved up & got it for my birthday last year & haven't regretted it one bit. If you're in the dark, it is a machine that cuts out letters and shapes. You can buy all sorts of font or shape cartridges for scrapbooking, cardmaking, ect. Check out the webpage for more info.

I pre-ordered the coolest cartridge about 3 months ago:
"Paper Doll Dress-Up"
& it came a week ago, but I didn't let myself open it till tonight...after I got all my final grades enter for the USU Stat 1040 class I've been teaching. It took a great deal of self-control, the fact that I waited so long impresses myself! Way to go me!


So tonight Allie & I made 3 little dollies. They aren't very impressive, but it was fun.
What do you think?

I can see that this cartridge is going to be one of my favorites! It has so many extras. I'm hoping to make a set & laminate them for Allie to play with. I might have to wait till after Christmas.

5 A is for Allie

I found a moment today to add the initials to our stockings. What do you think?

Allie loves to have her hair done nowadays. She comes to me requesting 'curlies' in her hair. Poor girl doesn't have a curl on her head. Yesterday I even tried hot-set, steam rollers. Not successful, but it was fun anyway.

6 The stockings are hung

Between Saturday's Jazz game (poor Jazz) & Sunday afternoon, I crocheted 3 more stockings. I was getting fairly dizzy by the time I was finishing up the last one, but I'm glad I pushed through the pain (LOL) & got them done. I LOVE how they turned out; nice & hand-made!

Questions #1) Do I add an initial to each stocking to designate who they are for? It would be easy, but Santa is not filling these (I don't want them to get stretched out). Yes, we have other stockings for gifts.
Question #2) Do I go ahead and make a few extra for future additions to our family? NO! We are not expecting, but I'm fairly sure we will have at least one more kid & I'd like them to all match.

5 I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Last night a wonderful winter storm rolled in. We got a good deal of rain, but woke up to several inches of fluffy snow. After a yummy waffle breakfast, we dawned the snow-wear & the whole family ventured out. BOTH girls loved it. I got my morning workout pulling them around in the little sled. No treadmill for me today!

Here is our snowman: "Frosty," a.k.a Frosting.
Allie was business, as usual & helped Nate scrape the skiff of snow off the driveway.

3 Tender Moment

This morning Kylie fussed at 5am. Unable to sleep after getting up to give her the pacifier & tuck her back in, I got up to work on writing the final for my Stat 1040 class. (I'm not letting myself play with my new toy that came in the mail 2 days ago -the Cricut Paper Doll Cartridge- till I finish the exam I'm giving next Wednesday.) Anyway, while sitting at the kitchen table two hours later, I heard Kylie start to fuss again. Just as I was about to get up to check on her I heard the sweetest thing to my mommy ears. Allie was talking to her; "it's 'K' Ky-wee". So sweet! Allie kept chatting with her for a bit before coming to get me. Ah, I love witnessing my girls interact.

2 Play Date

Allie has a best buddy right next door! Alyssa Buttars (a.k.a. Lou) is just a few weeks younger & they are like two peas in a pod. Every Monday we have a play date here & Wednesday they go to her house. I don't know who loves it more; the girls or the mommies. Here is the craft that she came home with today.

4 Old Navy anyone?

I can't take credit for finding this...but I sure am going to try to use it!
Just click HERE for a printable coupon for 20% off in-store purchases through Dec 6th!

0 Merry Christmas, Darling

I took this great footage at Thanksgiving.

"Merry Christmas, Darling", by the Carpenters, is my parent's song.



My Mom left this comment, so I added this picture:

"Hey Sarah, thanks for the memories. I was just thinking about the dance on thanksgiving morning. Remember how Bailey stood watching until finally, with tears in her eyes, she asked to dance between us? I don't know if she was moved by the poignant sight of her aged grandparents still dancing after all these years or if she thought she could keep us from falling and breaking a hip. Either way, Merry Christmas Darlings."
-Martha

3 Sunday afternoon project

My sister, Maren, made me this great sign at her super Saturday craft day (she designed it, too). I LOVE IT! But...our old Christmas stockings are bright red, store bought ones that clashed terribly with it. So, this afternoon I tried out a crochet pattern I found on the internet using some leftover yarn. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I think that this week I'll have to pick up a few more colors to make some coordinating ones for the rest of the family. Ah, one of my favorite parts of the holiday season is all the crafting projects.

2 Dolls that I love

LI'L ME DOLLS


I've been trying to collect these very hard to find dolls for years. My sisters & I each had one. I ended up with my red head & Maren's brunette, plus some clothes. Last year I was finally able to buy a copy of Abby's lost blond on E-bay. I'm still looking for more; they are very hard to come by. They were called "Li'l Me Dolls" & were only sold for a year or two in the 1980's. Have you seen them or played with them? Click HERE and HERE and HERE to read more.
(Note: the pictures above came from the links above. I will have to take a picture of my collection)

SNAP 'N STYLE DOLLS


It was last year during my weekly search for Me Dolls that I ran across the "Snap 'n Style Dolls" that Santa brought to Allie & all her cousins last year. They are a similar concept to the Me Dolls, but larger. Allie now has the 4 dolls above & several other outfits. I bought the snowboarding outfit for me, but it has turned out to be her favorite. Last week I was lucky enough to get one of the newest additions, the princess (below right), which sold out in one day. I'm sure Allie will love it Christmas morning! She plays with them everyday & has to sleep with all 4 of hers every night. The fairy (below left) is not available, yet.

2 2-weeks worth of posts in one!

We had our first snow a few days ago, but it melted. We were all so excited to see a skiff of fresh powder on the lawn this morning. Allie had to get all bundled up AGAIN to go out to play.

After returning from Thanksgiving, we decorated the tree. After some time in COLD Idaho & Black Friday shopping it is starting to feel like the HOLIDAYS are really approaching.

We spent a wonderful long weekend in "ICEBURG" (i.e. Rexburg) with my family. Everyone was there: my parents, all 3 of my sisters & their respective spouses, & all SEVEN granddaughters. What a gaggle of girls! My sister Maren made these great turkey hats. Allie is still wearing hers. See the Jemmett family blog for more cool pics.

I turned the BIG THREE - O last month. Nate got me a neat STONE BAKING DISH (in which I made my own cake) and a cool STIR PITCHER. He is such an awesome gift giver. I never tell him what I want, and yet he always takes my breath away.

Allie loves to sit on the potty, flushing, washing, & wearing panties, but she hasn't been much for actually 'going' in the potty. She did once about a week ago - HURRAY! So, we went to town for an ice cream...her choice! I was tickled & thought that a long Thanksgiving weekend at Grandma's with all the "big" girl cousins would be just the ticket to getting her trained. No such luck. After wearing the panties proudly for 15 min, she asked for her diaper back.

0 Congratulations Ellen - this is the first time I've played tag!

Here is another "Survey" with a Christmas Twist

1. Wrapping paper or gift bag? Wrapping paper with bows and ribbons

2. Real tree or artificial? I love the smell of a real tree, but I like to have mine up for a long time, so mine is artificial. It is a one piece, pre-lite with while twinkle lights AND fiber optic lights that can shimmer white or rainbow. It is beautiful!

3. When do you put up your tree? My birthday, which usually falls a few days before Thanksgiving. In fact, when I was away for my first year of college my mother asked me what I wanted for my birthday. When she refused, but wonderful sisters pitched in and bought my dream gift: my first artificial Christmas tree. Thanks girls!

4. When do you take down your tree? Dido Ellen: "I hate when it has to come down, usually after new years." Nate really gets on me about this. He wants it gone the day after Christmas.

5. Do you like eggnog? I'm anti-milk (lactose really), so I've never wanted to try it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? There is NO way I can possibly answer this one. Too many to choose from.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Two: one is a delicate cute ceramic one with a home on a high shelf. The other might not count, since it is a set of felt puppets I made with my sisters a few years back. They are Allie's favs right now. I've tried to tell her the story, but didn't think she was listening...till she started telling Nate all about each puppet when he came home from work yesterday. It was amazing!

8. Hardest person to buy for? I agree with Ellen that fathers (& father-in-laws) are HARD, but not nearly as hard as my husband. I always struggle. But this year, surprisingly, Kylie has been pretty tough, too.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Allie! I'm having to restrain myself. She is in such a fun stage.

10. Worst Christmas gift you've ever received? Can't think of anything right now. I'll try to come back. Hum, still nothing.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Neither. I'm just not that formal I guess. or rude?

12. Favorite Christmas movie? The Christmas Story & Christmas Vacation are 'classics', but I do enjoy the Charlie Brown special.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I actually bought a few things BEFORE Thanksgiving this year, but usually it is Black Friday.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, but I refrain from dispensing the details. Ya never know who's reading this.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Everything. But eat up, because the day after Christmas it's all 'tumble weeds' - LOL

16. White or colored lights? White and lots of them, everywhere.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Sleigh Ride - from playing it so much in orchestra, but I'm LOVING Josh Groban's new holiday album 'Noel'. If you don't have it - GO GET IT!

18. Traveling for Christmas or stay home? Historically we alternate in-laws, but I think thoes days are in the past as our families are just getting to big. Logistics ya know. This year we will be at home. I'm kind of excited to have our little family traditions started.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Only since I just read what Ellen wrote.

20. Angel or Star on top of tree? Star. It is hard to find just the right one, but I like the one I have now.

21. Open presents Christmas Eve or Morning? I quote Ellen again: "The tradition is that we open one on Christmas Eve, the rest in the morning as soon as everyone will let me wake them up." The Christmas Eve gift was usually new PJs, which is a great idea 'cause then everyone is wearing new Jammies for all the pictures the next morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Having to keep working. I just want to make gifts, bake, ect.

23. What I love most about Christmas? Being together with family.

24. What is your family's favorite tradition over the Christmas holiday? SO many to choose from. There is the advent calender, drawing names, doing the 12-days of Christmas as a kid...the list goes on, but mostly just being together more as a family.

25. What do you want to do different next year? Start making home-made-gifts earlier. I feel rushed right now to get all my wish-list projects done.

2 I'm still here

Yes, I am still alive. Life has been getting in the way of blogging lately. I've got fun Thanksgiving & snow pics to share, so stay tuned!

9 I'm sick about this!

Allie has been getting into my pantry for quite a while now. Sometimes it is handy; she gets her own snacks. But most of the time it is not so good. She has played in the flour & sugar several times & dumped more things than I can count. So, today I bought & installed a latch to keep her out. Everything was going great until I screwed the last part to the molding. CRACK! Oh, I wanted to cry. Someone tell me what to do! To make matters worse, the latch doesn't line up very well since the moulding isn't flush/flat with the door.

5 We love our park!

Yesterday we walked up to our new neighborhood park. The play equipment is in, but the landscaping isn't. But we love it!!!! It is so nice to have it only a block away. On this day Allie walked the entire way...pushing her little stroller and 'Baby Jane' next to me pushing Kylie in a full size stroller.