The costume Parade

I swore off making Halloween costumes this year....But Reagan came home from school saying "MOM I have a great idea.  Since we are reading AliCe in WonDerLanD in school...I should be the queen of Hearts for Halloween."  After searching online for all of 10 minutes I realized how cheesy everything was...I headed to my home away from hom (aka the fabric store)

A few sleepless nights later...this is what I came up with. 

The crown was a total copy cat of one I saw on Etsy.  That was the funnest thing to make.

Hope Riley and Avery like it too..because someday it will be their Halloween costume too. :)

You know a child is growing up, when your pre teen gets invited to her first middle school party.  Madison has very definite tastes now.  No longer does she wear what ever I bring home.  She studies Latin at school and they learned about the Greek Gods.  So she wanted to be Aphrodite!!  I was not going to buy the $65 costume that she wanted. So here is what I came up with from her closet and a few cheap gold accessories.

This may be the last time you see her put pink on her body...or willingly let me put lots of makeup on her.  Yes, the sporty fun gal has emerged.  Maybe she just recognizes that her inner beauty far outshines the made up version.  But wow what a knock out. She is gonna be breaking hearts all over Utah.
But I still chase her around the house with lip gloss...saying "some Moms teach their kids to floss...but I teach my kids to GLOSS".

Now Riley is a different story.  I take fashion clues from her.  She has known what looks good together since before she was potty trained.  No lie. She just couldn't decide...so she had 2.  One a cave girl made from my fabric stash.  

The other a Spanish Princess.  I vote for look 2. 

Its more fitting of her diva demands!

And finally the littlest babe.  You have seen her as the bumble bee from her birthday party, which was her real costume.  But I had to show you this get up...she struted around in.

 
So there's our costume parade for 2010!
And one more peek...It was rainy and COLD...Go figure, its UTAH!

Queen Bee Avery

We all know that its the toddler that rules the house.  So when I was thinking what kind of birthday bash to throw for this little chunk...I reflected back to her previous shindigs.

• 1st Birthday- Little Witchy Poo
• 2nd Birthday- Little Monster Mash

I had to keep with the theme of this high energy (= high demanding) baby...so queen bee was what it  had to bee.  First I secured the outift ( you know I always have to dress them like the theme).

I knew the cake would be the 2nd most important thing to obsess over...so I spent many LONG hours searching the web for the perfect cake.  And here is what I came up with.  Everyone knows that I am NO cake decorator...but here was my shabby attempt.  It only took about 8 hours and a few curse words being said. I made the FAT bumblebees out of fondant...that sure is a sticky mess to make..but fun.

The cake was black and yellow striped inside...for each size layer I made a chocolate and a yellow cake.  I sliced the layers in half...so the finished product wouldn't be 6 feet high.  So I had a choc and yellow 9" layer...a choc and yellow 8" layer...a choc and yellow 7" layer...a choc and yellow 6" layer and FINALLY the top layer was a yellow cake that I baked in a metal bowl and inverted to be the top.  WOW WEE that was a lot of eggs, oil, sugar and flour.  I must have gained 5 pounds from licking the bowl for 9 layers.

I found the cool wire thingys for the bees to fly on at Michaels.  Good old Chef Duff from Ace of Cakes designed these fabulous-O things.

Next I hunted for BEE-u-tiful paper products and goodies to decorate the party.  Not an easy task in the middle of October.  This is usually a summer theme.  But found them I did.  Which really stung the pocket book.

As for the guest list...It included everyone she counts as "her friends"...no matter their age.  She thinks her sisters friends are hers too and the funniest she thinks her mommys friends are hers.  She talks about her friends Mrs.Jen, Mrs. Julianna, Mrs. Ellen.  So come one...come ALL.  We decided to have Bar-BEE-Q and feed everyone.  Daddy whipped up his spicy TEXAS brisket and we fed the whole herd.

It was another party for the record books (ok..so maybe only my record books).  And I am sure Avery, the Queen Bee will not remember a thing of the event.  But I sure will.

Sorry for all the cake pictures but it seems that it was what I focused on with all my pics.

A Decade Ago

Top 10 Things I Miss About Mason

1. His SMILE that could not be contained.
2. His sweet baby SMELL.
3. His FIGHT to live.  His FIGHT to baffle the medical world.
4. His INNONCENCE.  Pure and simple.
5. His DESIRE to be my son.  His choice to be born to us 2 lucky parents.
6. His STRENGTH to bear his burdens.
7. His BALD basketball shaped head.
8. His ability to make everyone who met him BELIEVE in MIRACLES.
9. His CHARM..  He drew so many people close to him.
10. His ETERNAL BOND...that gives us the desire to be with him again someday.

Its been 10 LONG years ago since my little Mason was called back to our Heavenly Father.  I wish I could tell you that I willingly gave him back...but I didn't.  I did resolve myself to accept His plan...but it was a internal fight.  My head knew this was Mason's eternal plan but my heart had a hard time accepting it.  Some how I figured if I had enough FAITH that I could control the will of the Lord.  So I blamed myself for not having enough FAITH.  Some how it must have been my fault.  But I have grown to realize that my FAITH was not going to save my son...but it had to save ME from myself.  I had to have FAITH that I was strong enough to endure a lifetime of grief.  And I found that it was possible only with the help of my Savior. 

There are times I experience that raw grief that encompassed me in the beginning.  Sometimes I even allow myself to go there.  This year as the weeks were approaching his anniversary of his passing, I promised  myself that I was not going to dwell on the pain of his death...but focus on his life, focus on the eternal perspective that I have gained.  So I took myself to the temple as many times as I could in those few weeks.  I knew that in that Holy temple is where I could feel a deeper connection.  Where I could feel the comfort of what a FOREVER family means.  It is where I also realized the unique relationship I now have with Mason.  I know he is busy in the spirit world teaching all he can of the truthfulness of Jesus Christ.  And he needs me here on this side doing my part in the temples to help those who have passed on.  HE NEEDS ME. That sung volumes to my needy motherly soul.  HE NEEDS ME. 

I wish he was here to have and to hold, but someday when I do get to behold his face, I know it will all make perfect sense.  And I will be made whole. 

Thank you Mason Alexander for allowing me to be your mother throughout time and all eternity. 

PS.  I miss your FACE.  (That is what I tell the girls when they get home from school)

New Beginnings

I love love love this time of year.

Not because I have 3 less kids kicking around the house...that would be a terrible motherly thing to say or think....

but because it is a time of NEW BEGINnings.

I must confess, as much as I love sleeping late and staying up later than humanly possible.  I would give it all up to be on a good tight schedule.  I don't function well for long periods of time with the lazy days of summer.

Give me 6:30 alarm clocks.

Give me 10 minute breakfasts.

Give me 3 minute hairdos.

Give me 3 minute lunches.

Give me pushing them out the door so they don't miss the bus.

Give me a clean house by 9am

Give me a 5 days a week without the TV blaring.

Give me dinner to plan and prep by noon.

Give me the 25 subjects of homework to help with.

Give the mountains of uniforms to wash and iron.

Give me the struggle to pull kids from bright daylight to bathe

Give me the 8:30 bedtimes.

This time of year is a re-birth in our home.

A time to re-focus our goals and priorities. 

A time to start fresh.

You thought I had moved them to a Amish home today...when I announced no TV...no wasteful computer time...fresh fruit and veggie snacks only until dinner.

So guess what our topic for Family Home Evening was...

Positive Attitudes.

"If you don't like something...change it.

If you can't change it...change the way you think about it."

(Don't be surprised if I whip that quote out in Vinyl and post it on the door or maybe over the empty TV or maybe on each of their bathroom mirrors or maybe on their ceilings to recite before bedtime)

Lioness-es

What do you get when you invite 3 girlies to see Lion King?

A whole lot of big hair...makeup...and fancy clothes.

I thought my older girls needed some cultural influence and what better way than taking them to the theater...even if it was to sing Hakuna Matata and laugh at a crazy baboon.

MTV and her BFF (we will call her Rose) just turned 12 and I gave them the tickets for their birthdays.  Little sis got to come just cause she is so lively and fun and I knew she would like it the best.

So hairspray and lipstick was flying all over the house as we got all gussied up and headed out for a nice dinner and then the show.

Bad planning on my part...my 2 darlings had to start school the next morning.

But hey...you only live once!

We had a roar-ing good time...now if I can tame the little cubs and get them to bed.

6:30 will be awfully early.  Hope they don't growl at me in the morning.

Being 8 is G-R-E-A-T

Why does it make me sad when another child reaches a BIG milestone? 

I realize that half of my daily parenting is done with this one.  I only have 8 more years to teach and inspire.  Or yell and threaten..depends on the day. 

But it does make me sad. I see the young lady that has

blossomed overnight. 

She went from this...to that above...so fast. 

I think I love her ear to ear smile, whitty and mostly comical personality, her creativy, her sensitivity towards her sisters, her tender heart, her desire to march to her own beat, and her ability to make me laugh and smile.

We had formal pictures snapped a few weeks before from the lovely Lindsey Hale. Reagan had been begging me to get her haircut short months before...but NO Mama wanted long flowing hair for her formal pics. I got my wish. Luckily it was a great Spring Day. You never know around here.

I had to jazz things up a bit and add a little color. That is definitely more Reagan.

A week later, she again asked about getting her hair cut like some star on a Disney show.  I tried to ask her to wait until after her baptism but she threw her hands on her hip and declared

"Is this MY baptism or YOURS". 

Reality Check for this Mama...we headed to the salon the next day. 

We showed the stylist the picture....she put her hair in a pony tail and WHACK...her long pretty locks were gone.  Lots of snips later a sleeker older looking Reagan emerged.

This sleeker look also brought a sassier personality.  She has never looked back. 

So this is what she looked like on THE BIG DAY. 

Of course I have to have camera issues that day.  I was running around like a crazy woman and forgot to check the cameras settings...well needless to say..the whole days worth of events are better captured in memories.  But here is what I could salvage.

That picture makes my heart melt. 

She was blessed to have her lovely Aunt Lauren give the talk on Baptism.  As always that girl is beyond her years of wisdom and testimony. 

Next was the baptism itself.  She was worried her dress would fly up in the water.  And it started to...but a quick acting Reagan quickly saved herself from embarrassment and tucked it between her knees.  One dunk was all it took.  She looked up at her Dad with such utter glee and innoncence. 

Then her Nana gave the talk on the Holy Ghost.  Props and all.  Her father then confirmed her a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and gave her the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

It was a simple and lovely ceremony.

But her luncheon afterwards would be anything such.  

I fretted over every last detail...from her dress and bow...to the table scape setting for the luncheon afterwards...to how to color coordinate all of us to the color theme of the day.
Grey and yellow if you can't tell.

I can thank Anthropologie for my canary and grey number and I can thank 4 different quilt stores for the fabric I used to whip up skirts 3 days before the event. That was a skirt a day. My sewing machine has never seen so much action on a consitant basis. Now only if the gym could say the same. But thats another story.

Thanks to all who came in person or in spirit to help make this a special day.  And I couldn't have done it without these 2 ladies...my Mom and baby sister.  LOVE YA!

Live Simply...So others Can Simply LIVE

One day last month...I was rushing to my one of my places I don't feel bad indulging in...a quilt store.  Hey its sparking and feeding my creativity...so spend away. 

It was a Saturday afternoon and after a long 10 mile run earlier that day...I didn't make it quite out as early as I wanted to visit this shop.

So by the time I got there I had less than 30 minutes. Who can look at all the plethora of color and designs in 30 minutes. 

I need more time to digest it all and focus on a project (or 2 or 3 at a time). 

I quickly read a flyer posted on the enterance door...but knew I couldn't spend time dwelling on it...there was fabric to touch and feel and fall in love with.

So I rushed in and was taken by the burst of color.  Right now in the dreary days of winter...color can boost my soul..and promise that prettier things are ahead. 

So as my soul was rejoicing in color...my soul kept turning to the flyer i read on the door.

I couldn't focus on my love of fabrics I had to go re-read the flyer and put my mind at ease. 

I laid the bolts I already had decided had to be mine on a counter and proceeded outside.

I read the entire flyer and was moved.  I knew what I had to do.  I couldn't spend $50 on fabrics plus the $16 pattern to make a dress for the littlest imp of my household.

There were girls in Haiti who needed dresses...and they were asking ANYONE who could sew to put their talents to use for a greater cause. 

So I marched back in...put away my fabric and said another day I can sew for my own...but today I will take care of Heavenly Fathers other daughters.

It was intoxicating to me...to start pulling fabrics to make these simple pillowcase dresses.  They didn't need to be made all fancy...but why didn't the little girls in Haiti deserve some high quality...beautiful prints too.

So away I went...my bag full of fabric for someone elses daughter to enjoy.  But that is not all that was full...my heart was too...finally something I could physically do for the people of Haiti.

The next morning was the Sabbath Day.  My Sunday mornings are usually a day to sleep a little later  (since church isn't until 11:30)...eat a big breakfast with the family and then start the long journey of baths for 6 people...dressing myself and 4 others...and doing 5 sets of hair (and curly messy hair if I might add).

But in the middle of my Sunday routine...I had some inspiration.  I had set a lofty goal of making 20 dresses but what if I spread the word and presented this service opportunity to women in the ward. 

YES this is what I had to do.

I ran downstairs and furiously cut..pinned...pieced...and sewed a pillowcase dress.  It took me about 1 hour since I didn't have a pattern.  I stood back and marveled how quick and easy this was going to be.  And now I had a sample to show the 100+ women I have the pleasure of rubbing spirits with each week.

I made a quick sign up...hoping for 10 people who wanted the pattern to help sew.  I got home excited that the sign up sheet was full..12 people.  Then I noticed that there was another sheet behind the first one full and a 3rd one behind that full. Names scribbled off to the side...I had 38 women who wanted to answer the call.

Over the next 2 weeks we sewed...some of us quietly in our homes...others formed groups and made them together.  A few Sundays later I had 35 dresses delivered to me...then 8 more on my doorstep...then 40+ in a box hand delivered...my 20...and a few more here and there.

A total of 115 dresses.  Did you hear that 115 dresses. 

I thought maybe 50-60 but 115 little girls who may have no home to go back to would have beautiful handmade dresses to liven their day. 

I felt guilty delivering these by myself.  There were many hearts and hands who went into this.  I drove up to the store and brought in a box full of bright colored dresses.  The gal behind the counter was amazed...she said you have a whole box of dresses?  And I said NO...I have 3 boxes of 115 dresses.  They were amazed.  I told them my story so they knew of the good hearted woman I live by..ready to jump at a cause.