"Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done."

Last year I wrote "What I am thankful for" Post every day of Nov. It made me happy and excited to come up with what I am thankful for. This year my heart swells with thankfulness, but it's from my trials that brings the simple pleasures of life to the surface.

Last night we were driving home from St.George. Our car broke down and the kids and I all had fevers. We hopped in the back of the car and fell asleep in a sleeping bag. I was so grateful for the car to keep us shelter from the blizzard that was outside. AS I sat there I started to think back about a couple of dreams that I have had in the last couple weeks that really got me thinking. What if we only had a year left to live? What would we miss? What would we wish we could do different? How would we get our family prepared? What would we do now to prepare for that. Don't worry I am not going anywhere. However, I decided if I had only a year to live, I want to get my family prepared. Prepared financially out of debt, prepared with enough food and water if disaster hits they will be ok. I also decided to make homemade gifts this year out of financial obligation but then it got me thinking what a great gift it would be to have. I recorded my voice reading to my kids. I am starting to write my testimony and history, all the good AND bad. My life isn't perfect. I don't paint a perfect picture. I am blunt, I am honest, and I am human. I don't want to talk to someone who pretends everything is A ok. I want to know we are n this life together to help one another out. Who cares what others think, it's lessons like these and people who are brave enough to talk about their trials that I am thankful for. I am thankful to be alive, to have friends who are like family to me. I am so grateful for a family with a sense of humor and love that shines so deep within my soul. I am grateful for each one of my kids. WHile In St.GEorge I kept watching my husband do work outside. It brought back memories of being down there while we were dating. I am so in LOVE With that man. Watching him help his parents and just be around his parents house reminded me back in the day when I couldn't wait to be his. What he saw in me I will never completely know, but I love him with every inch of my soul.
I am grateful for the big family I Grew up in, with the big crazy get togethers. It's not a get togther unless we are cracking jokes, screaming at the top of our lungs trying to get a word in with my family,I love every moment of it!! I love getting together with my in laws and all the people in it. Some people don't like big crowds, but when it comes to family- IT has to be big!!

As I sat rubbing my kids heads to sleep in that car, It made me grateful for having even a heater so we weren't cold. I was grateful that the car broke down right at the off ramp and not stranded somewhere in the dark. I am grateful for family and friends who are willing to drop everything to come rescue us. Trent and I have had our share of trials, but with each one a jump of hope starts in my heart because for me it's God telling me, "Ok Jamie it's time for a change agian. You have done your part here, now hold on tight and enjoy the ride because you are going to learn from it and meet new people from it." Like we do everytime a trial happens. I can feel change in the air, it's there. I love this neighborhood and hope that change doesn't require us to move, But I will go where ever the Lord needs us. I could go on and on but tonight I am grateful for simple things, for life, for shelter, and for people who care.

Love this idea:



http://dollarstorecrafts.com/2009/11/ruffly-umbrella/ She links it to the rightful owner, go check it out!

http://diaryofacraftaholic.blogspot.com/search/label/Holiday

Check out these balls she made from Tennis Balls! Shelley this would be a great Rustic looking decor for our party! We could make a mistletoe out of a tennis ball!!

My sister in law Anya, is from Russia! This year for Christmas I decided I MIGHT try some of these. (depends on how they turn out!) If she is reading this... then SURPRISE!! jk. Here are some of my favorites:


Card from www.zakkalife.blogspot.com




Ornaments from http://bananafrog.typepad.com/




http://bananafrog.typepad.com/bananafrogblog/2009/11/project-of-the-day-oh-those-russians.html


Felt from:
http://lmdandmyworld.blogspot.com/2009/03/just-little-puppy-swapping-crafty.html

Party!!

I am hosting a Lia Sophia party this Wed. Nov 18th at 6:30 at my house! Come and hang out and enjoy some snacks! Please don't feel obligated to buy anything, just come and enjoy yourself away from the kiddos!!! There will be games & Prizes so don't miss out!!! Let me know if you want to come.... anyone who reads this blog is invited, just leave me a message so I can send you the address. I know some of you that I blog stalk and you do the same, live close by me and would love to officially meet my you, my blog friends. ;)

http://loveactually-blog.blogspot.com/2009/11/lets-just-fall-in-love-again.html

Fist off I love Jason Castro. Second off I love Love,Actually blog. Together these lyrics have me and my hubby written all over them.

Mod Podge & Hawt Glue~

(this pin board isn't mine, I found it on google to give you the idea. However I am going to find that material!!!)

Man I have been having a blast!!! I love having projects that keep my mind on just that.. PROJECTS!! For Christmas I am making a fabric pin board for Hannah. She is a hoarder and loves to stuff things under her bed. This way she can pin her stuff up with ribbon or even laundry pins!! If you have old ribbon, paper scraps, or whatever you don't want, do NOT throw them away!! I have seen this before and decided to make the clothes pins to fit my style. I LOVE Sparkly things, sequences and things that catch the eye. My friend's little girl Alina and I go hand in hand. She even named her cat "Sparkles" totally a girl of my heart~! I also LOVE pink spots and brown! So I found these pink dots I was going to throw away and glued them onto brown fabric! I Love Zebra print WITH pink. Yes it has to have pink on it for me to love it. I also am a fan of girly skulls. (my husband thinks I am crazy) I love how they turned out and I am sure Hannah will too! For Christmas I am moving her bedroom downstairs. We have a closet that comes out of the wall and for the longest time I wanted to make it into a western looking INN, an Old fashioned OUT HOUSE, a House with cute little curtains, or a castle. Now that it will be her room I will try to make it girly!

For Other projects I am in the process of making some things for loved ones. Here is the first thing I am making. I saw the inspiration on TIP JUNKIE.

For preschool today we learned about Harriett Tubman! I love this courageous woman!!

My next Project for Christmas!!! Thanks http://needleinahaystackstitchery.blogspot.com/

Step 7- You have yourself a Snowman craft!

Step6- Add googly eyes, orange pom poms, and felt mouths!

Step5- cut strips of foam and glue sequences on it

Step 4- Paint the top half black and one whole craft stick black

Step3- paint the sticks white

Step 2- glue 4 of them onto card stock!

Step 1- get five craft sticks!






For thanksgiving, I am in charge of making a craft for a lot of kids. There are 13 siblings in my mother in laws family and each of them have a lot of kids. Just my mother in law has 8 children, and we all have about 3 kids each! So for 25 bucks I have to come up with a craft for a TON of kids. Here is something I have wanted to make for a long time that I once saw. I decided to try it myself.

http://holesinmyshinyveneer.blogspot.com/2009/11/photo-tutorial-spool-doll-nativity-part.html

LOVE IT

http://oneinchworld.com/blog/index.php/2009/10/lollipop-tutorial/ THis would work awesome for my wizard of Oz book!

CUTE!! I HEART Felt!!! Check it out : http://blog.thecelebrationshoppe.com/2008/11/17/festive-turkey-table-runner/

Love this idea from http://www.lindseyscraftlist.blogspot/. Match boxes~ Go to her website to look at more How To

IF you know me I love things that sparkle. I love Dorthy Shoes and this is why I came up with an idea that I want to try. My problem is I can come up with the idea but putting it together is another thing. It never turns out the way I want it to. For Christmas I wanted to make a Wizard of Oz Quiet Book. On the front cover I would have the lion, scarecrow, and Tin man's face. Whoever I give the book to I would put their name above it in felt. Then you would open the book with the number 1 in felt. You would see a fuzzy little Toto dog. Number 2 you would see two red ruby slippers with sequences. Number 3- Lolly Pops. Number 4- Dorthy, Tin man, Lion, & Scarecrow strolling down the yellow brick road. Number 5- Maybe have the wicked witch of the west counting her flying monkeys. *Again out of felt.* Number 6- have Glenda with her 6 bubbles coming from her wand. I need some ideas for number 7, 8, 9 and then for 10 I would do munchkins. If anyone can put something like this together and show me what they came up with would be great, or if you have any other ideas let me know! Today I found Dorthy blue and white fabric, shiny metal looking fabric for the tin man, a witches hat, and yarn for the scarecrow hair. By the time you purchase everything it does become expensive so I didn't end up buying it all. This will have to be a project in the future. Just thought I Would share my idea. Here are some pictures of ideas I have found at the store or online. The Lion is a cute quiet book from www.thedixonstory.blogspot.com Awesome job she did!!




This material for Tin Man


make shoes out of felt and hot glue red sequences


I could go on and on... so we will see how it turns out later. Maybe I should have kept it a secret... nah I'm not like that, I will share with everyone my ideas!!
JaMiE

Letter of the day "S" Number of the day "40"

Here's to 40 years~!!!

Sesame Street! I love watching for Google every morning to see their creative ideas for Sesame street of the day~!

some days...

And I thought I was having a bad day.. AGH~! Take a minute to laugh, makes ya feel better!

Can you say Christmas pictures for Cards anyone?

It's time for Christmas pictures!!! If you want some pics taken contact my sister and friend at this website: http://www.utahphotographicmemories.com/

Here is some of their work!

The above picture is the one where we were at a wedding and I told he she should get down by the flower... LOOK it turned out way better than I was even thinking!! I love these next temple ones!!

More Pictures from my sisters website!

xmas

I have seen so many fun ideas for Halloween that I wanted to post on my blogs, but I have been very busy. Now that I am not feeling all that well I decided to just stop an take a minute to relax. I have been sleeping all day and now I decided to share with you some of the ideas I have found that I am going to do for Christmas. The economy got you down? That's ok because these ideas are cheap, handmade, and will give you a new talent. Hopefully. First thing I am trying to look at my talents. I like to make montages for people on their wedding and so forth. I decided I want to make movies for the people I love of why I love them so much. My kids will LOVE It. They watch their Little baby movie I made them Over and over again. I'm not exactly sure how I will do this yet. Maybe I will do " 25 reasons I love you" and find pictures to go with it.

2. Next idea I decided I want my neighbor Hilary to teach me how to tie tutu's. She makes the cutest Halloween costumes ever! Her little baby girl was Tinkerbell and she made the cutest little tutu. She told me she is making capes for her son and asked if I wanted to come over *thankfully she has two sewing machines, and I don't have one so that works* to help make one for my son! She told me that er mom sewed dresses for their Christmas presents and they loved them for years.
(picture from Ehow)

The Next couple Ideas I found from The Idea Room HERE:
3. I am learning about the sewing and hand stitching things, but I Found this on a website and thought it would be a great fun idea for friends, grandparents, or parents. Due to terms of use you will need to go to her blog "Theidearoom.blogspot.com" on the link above. Check out the handtowels and candles Idea she has used. This is what I want to do!!

4. LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea.Remember the Read along Disney used to put out? I love them!! My kids LOVE to read. Even Faith pretends to read and blabber words as she turns the pages. I am going to get Trent and I to read the kids books and put it on tape like this smart woman did! Then if they want to read a book at bedtime they can put on the tape, hear our voices and go to sleep. This would be something to treasure for years to come. I think I will even ask my parents and Trent's parents to read and record one of our books. We get a book for Christmas every year so it might be fun to have them do the Christmas books and Trent and I to do normal everyday books. That is something to love
Now I just need to borrow someones tape recorder!!

Website of the Week:

My sister Kelli and her Friend Kari, have taken some photography classes together. They are both very talented and I enjoyed looking at their pictures. (Not just because my kids were in some of them ;) I remember going to watch Kelli take video and pictures of some of our friends for their weddings. I once told her to get down and take a shot by the flower to look up at the temple. When she did and I saw the result little did I know it would turn out better than the thought I had in my head! Ever since I have asked her many times to take pictures of my family and kids. I like how Kari likes to take pictures with a punch of color and trendy sass, and I like how Kelli captures moments with simple grace and perfection ! These two are a great team!! Now that she has a business I guess I will need to start paying her LOL But it is well worth it!! Check them out:



www.utahphotographicmemories.com/







Here is some of my sisters work I would post more of the temple pictures she took but I don't want people taking them since they aren't mine. Check out her site or more!!:

GhOsTs of Halloween PAST~

2008- "Yo Ho"

2008- "Under the Sea"

"Woof, Woof! hahaha " -Cruela

2007- Snow princess, Dalmatian and Mr. & Mrs. DeViL

2007- Princess Liaha

Party at the pumps

2006- "Frankenstein, Bo Peep, Cops& robbers oh My!"



She ate one too many APPLES
2004 " Disney"
2004 " There's No Place Like HOME, My Pretty!"2003- "Lady Bug, Lady Bug fly away home.."
2002- No pictures for this. Trent dressed up in a Gorilla suit and I dressed as a freaky zombie and we scared kids at my mom's in the garage. I was a couple months pregnant at that time! 2001 - "Wanna grow Old With You"

I saw some blogs while surfing the net the other day do this.

GHosTs of Halloween Past