randomness...

Someone stop me. I'm afraid I'm just getting too crafty these days. I found a website that showed how to make origami bookmarks and now I just can't stop making them. They're so easy and cute, I don't lose them, and now I don't have to dog-ear my books as I read (speaking of which, I bought Wind in the Willows and Persuasion on Saturday. I can't wait to read W.i.t.W with Natty and Dallin- too difficult for Lou-lou to listen to) :









If you want to know how to make them, go here: 52books.blogspot.com/2006/01/how-to-make-simple-origami-bookmark.html

Here's my littlest angel with her gargantuan bow. Forgive me. I couldn't help it. And if you don't have enough websites to occupy your time, here are some fun blogs I follow:
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/
http://tipjunkie.blogspot.com/
http://www.fabulousfunfinds.blogspot.com/
http://orgjunkie.com/
http://simplemom.net/
http://theinspiredroom.net

grateful, grateful, grateful.........

Sunday as we were leaving for church, the winds from Ike hit Louisville and it was a little scary to be honest. The winds topped out around 75 mph, and were strong enough to do this: (It's not our tree- just an image I got off our local news website). It was enough to keep over 200,000 people without power. In fact, many of those people are still without power 5 days later and there is a projected estimate that it may take up to 14 days to restore power. And it was enough to have school canceled for this entire week.
So in light of all this, I've been grateful for a few things especially this week:
1-We were lucky that we only had our electricity flash off for a second on Sunday and then everything was, and has been, fine.
2-It wasn't worse- I think of what it was like in TX where they received the brunt of the hurricane and I can only imagine what kind of nightmare that has been for them.
3-Air conditioning. Sunday we had church in the semi-dark and only had open windows to cool the place. It was toasty. We are so spoiled. I will never complain about the chapel being too cold again.
4-A modern-day prophet who warns us and commands us to get our homes in order in case of emergency: food storage, water storage, emergency kits, etc. Watching our bishop's family cooking on a camp grill, using the generator to power their fridge and freezer, and not having to eat out once despite no power for 5 days inspired me to get more on-the-ball. There was no panic involved. There is truth in the scripture that says "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear". I need to be MORE prepared.

Did I mention how grateful I am???

busy week.....

I am officially a big girl now. I have my own fall wreath that I actually made! See??And truthfully, my friend had all the stuff and helped me figure out how to put it together. But the point is, I started a project and *finished* it. I need to celebrate. It feels SO GOOD to complete a craft...maybe this will be the momentum I need to finish the 50 *unfinished* projects I have sitting in my closet....starting with the quilt I've been working on for 10 years. Literally.

Today we went to my good friend's house to check out the latest additions to her family:
Rhonda, L'il Red (Kendall), and baby sister due soon!:Daddy (Boomer):
Mommy (Rixie) and babies: (the "puppy train" as my kids called them)The kiddos enjoying the pups- aren't they CUTE??!
Rhonda and Ryan also have 2 pet longhorn cows that live out back...don't know what their names are, but they're toothless and they like apples, so the kids got to feed them a little treat...