When you're cooped up inside...

... it's time to play! The kids and I have been keeping busy this past weekend.

We bought a container of beads at Micheal's, and they have both had so much fun creating icycles.

...my favorite one

...a little sparkle over our kitchen table

...i made some new laminated Bible Study lists

...i took advantage of the few hours after the kids went to bed to work on some cards

...this one is hard to see, but they are a deep chocolate brown with the leaves and stems stitched in green floss. It takes a bit longer to finish the cards, but I love how they turn out

...more cards using the floss

...the kids worked on Christmas cards for Bob and I

...it's times like this that I'm very happy to share my stamping/scrapbooking stash!

...we did a little baking

No -bake chocolate peanut butter cookies, peanut blossoms, chocolate chip and

soft ginger cookies

....created a masterpiece

...sweet hugs from a sweet almost-four-year-old

...and sweet smiles from an almost-eight-year-old

...watching the snow fall with a cookie in one hand

...and a banana in the other

...playing a little Go-Fish

...tying fleece blankets for gifts

...working on the icycles.

We've enjoyed our time spent cooped up together as we watch the snow pile-up outside. Our thoughts are with those in Portland who are completely shut-in with the snow and ice! Hang in there...hopefully it melts soon! For those of you traveling for the holidays, take your time and be safe. Enjoy time with your family and friends...remember kindness...bring joy to others...and enjoy the season. Happy Holidays.

How to cool your hot chocolate...

First, an apology. I still can't figure out what order to upload the photos so they are in the order I want. These are reversed, so we'll start with our hot chocolate treat after playing in the snow.

The kids don't like their hot chocolate hot...more like warm chocolate. After playing in the snow this weekend, they cooled down their drink with spoonfuls of snow. Yum!

My two snow angels

Can you tell that they are loving it here where the snow comes and stays around for a while?

On creating...

Creating has been on my mind lately. My two favorite "things" that I helped create are these two...two of the loves of my life. In my opinion, no one can ever top these creations!

My children love to create. Whether it's music, painting, drawing, sculpture, papercrafts...

they love to create.

When we were kids, I remember the gentle hum of the sewing machine going late into the night as we slept. With four kids, Mom sewed alot of our clothes. I remember the anticipation of having four new dresses for convention, dresses like no one else's. Often, it came down to the last night of sewing on button and putting in hems, but she always made it. Many years later, Mom sewed my wedding dress. Everything I look at the photos, I think of the many hours she put into. Amazingly, even though we were 120 miles apart, it fit perfectly on the first fitting.

I have friends that create. I'm awed by their talent and by their love of creating. This cutie is a new addition to our home. Her name is Mollie, and she was created by Cassie

She sleeps with Emma and listens patiently as Emma tells her stories.

These toys never go out of style. Ryan uses his to practice juggling, and Emma uses hers as pillows for her dolls. They were made by Amy

As the kids grow, there will be many more games and uses invented for them.

So, why do I love to create? It's something that is just in me. I love the excitement that I feel when I come up with something or see something I want to create. I love gathering supplies, matching colors and patterns. I love the joy that comes from giving my creations to those they were intended for. I enjoy creating things to keep, but I love to create things to give away.

Happy Creating!

Partying with Friends

Bob and Ryan trying out the game Boggle

When we lived in Portland, we lived in a small townhome with parking for only our two cars. When birthday time came around, we had room in the house for our family, but not for many of the kids' friends. Now that we have a large house with plenty of parking, we were excited to be able to have a birthday party for the kids with some of their friends. We had four families over for chili, cake and ice cream, and plenty of board games. Ryan and Emmalee had a great time! All of the gifts they received were perfect for them, and they've thoroughly enjoyed everything! Included below are photos of just a few of their gifts...

Ryan loves to play catch with Bob. He was very excited to get a new football...a big improvement over his Nerf ball.

Emmalee played with her My Little Pony set for hours after the party.

Here's Wyatt...he might be protecting his cupcake from Ryan and Carson.

Almost FOUR years old!! How can that be?

Almost EIGHT years old! Am I even old enough to have an 8 year-old? :)

Dee Anne, Carol and Sonya

Brenna

Dawson trying out some of Ryan's toys

Dee Anne and Gage. He got quite excited when Ryan showed him

how to run the cars down the stairs!

Amy provided the lap for the Pokemon Book.

(Brenna, Amy, Carson and Ryan)

Aislyn digging her fingers in the playdoh. She discovered that it tasted pretty good, too!

Ember, Annette and Emmalee playing with PlayDoh

Ember and Emmalee

I invision these two as life-long friends

Thanksgiving

Just a few Thanksgiving pics...decided that I'd better get the posted before it's time for Christmas and birthday pics! We spent the holiday in La Grande with Bob's family. Except for Ryan getting a 24 hour flu bug as soon as we got there, we had a great time. Once he felt better, the kids had so much fun seeing their cousin Jordan again. Here are Uncle Greg, Aunt Holli and Jordan at the annual Santa parade.

Sorry, Greg, for this picture; however, it's the only one I have with you and Emma. Emma loves to play with Uncle Greg and Jordan...she spent most of the weekend with them.

Cousins...Friends

Grandma and Grandpa with three of their six (soon to be seven - not me!) grandchildren

I was SO happy to get to spend a few hours with my dear friend Betty. Miss you!

The kids waiting in the rain for the parade to begin.

Emma kissing Aunt Holli

Uncle Rick was brave enough to play My Little Pony with Emma

My hubby and I

The kids with Uncle Rick and Aunt Ann

Does buying STUFF equal HAPPINESS?

This is what makes me happy...my two favorite little people popping bubble wrap in their jammies while holding hands.

Does buying stuff equal happiness? This has been on my thoughts lately with the holidays
fast approaching. Cassie said it much better than I ever could have. Click on her name...

A few projects...

Desk Calendar...love the wallet-sized photos from Costco

Cassie was kind enough to share this idea. I've only made three strands and I already love the way they reflect off of the window. I don't think that you can see any here, but I added a little scrapbooking "bling" to some of the circles...very pretty in the sun.

Our kitchen has dark brown cabinets, light tan counter tops and backsplash. The walls are another shade of tan. There's a window over the sink and three more in the nook area. It was getting too plain for me...needed something. So, I made curtain toppers yesterday for all four windows. This picture doesn't really do them justice, but I love how they turned out. The kids were excited because they got to help me. :) They took turns pulling out the pins and sticking them in my pin cusion.

After years of making calendars for other people, I finally made one for myself! Here are a few of my favorite pages. Can't wait to spend the year looking at these adorable kids!

This was a little project that I worked on in La Grande while we were all just sitting around. This one is for my sister-in-law Holli who loves palm trees. It was my second attempt...I made a few improvements on it. This next one was my first attempt...

It's small...probably 2" x 3" when it's closed....I love it because, when you open it up...

it's a little place to stick those needles. For those of us that do a lot of hand sewings, it's the perfect size to take with us...or it would also be perfect to stick in your suitcase with a couple strands of thread for when a button comes loose. This was my first attempt...not the greatest hand sewing job!

So, that's a little of what I've been up to. We're having a small birthday party/game night for the kids this weekend. Once that's over, I plan on pulling out the sewing maching and working on a few more projects.

We've got a volleyball game tonight at 9:30!!! So, I'm off to get family stuff done before I need to leave for that. Wish us luck!

The next post should be pics from Thanksgiving...hopefully!!!

Conversations

This afternoon's conversation:

Ryan: "Oh, Emma. Can I use your (toy) phone?"
Emmalee: "Sure, Ryan. Who are you going to call?"
R: "The police."
R: "Hello, Police? Can you come pick up a robber named Emma?"
E: "No! The girl police (came to Emma's school) said that she and all her cousin-friends won't take little kids and little girls to jail!"
E: "And also, Ryan, I'm very disappointed in you!"

Another favorite saying of Emma's (that she borrowed from me - gotta love those little ears)
"I'm sorry, Ryan, but your attitude stinks!" Pretty cute when said by a 4 year old girl to her big brother. :)