I feel like I can breathe again.

school for the summer is over. I turned in my last paper and took my last test on Wednesday. I also shipped out all of the yarn I dyed for the co-op and when that was all done-I just sat down and had the biggest feeling of relief overcome me.

here is my yarn; 25 lbs worth!



for some reason, it shows blurry. I hope it doesn't for you too!

I also was inspired with the upcoming fall season-my favorite time of year for those that do not know me! LOL and here are a few new colors



shawn is now home from scout camp. I think he had a lot of fun. Him and Conner both came home tired and sunburned. Conner is peeling like mad! He got burned really bad and is peeling several layers in some places. Of course, I wasn't too thrilled about that-but they were constantly appying sunscreen. I told him that next time he should wear a tshirt. oh duh mom, didn't think about that! LOL

I am currently working on a really cute sweater for Harrison..and I plan on making him a Mrs. Weasley sweater too just in time for Halloween!

Other than that, not doing much around here except enjoying the time with the kids and hoping my school break goes by S~L~O~W!!!!

A meaningful gift I’ve given or received

So I found another one of those good topics to talk about while reading those prompting sites. I want to thank my friends that left comments or told me in person how much they enjoyed my last topic. I think it was a great way to let you get to know me a little better.

so on to the topic:

A meaningful gift I’ve given or received:

There are two incidents that immediately come to mind. The first (the one I will share today) was when I was still working in southern Idaho. I worked for the hospital down there and it was Christmas time. In previous years, my department had always chosen to do something special, so this year we were adopting a family at work that was having a hard time. The family was a single mother with 3 children. Our Christmas "bonus" that year was a gift certificate to Fred Meyer and a turkey. We all decided to donate our gift certificates to this family and we collected cash as well. By the time it was all said and done, the collection was up to about $300. I don't know why, but I was chosen to do the shopping for this family.
I spent so much time going to the stores and selecting items for them. When I was done and brought the gifts into work, my bosses and co-workers were amazed at the amount of items I was able to find for them. Being a thrifty shopper pays off! and I was able to get everything on their wish list, plus MORE!
I was elected to take it home and wrap all the gifts-which if you know me is my favorite thing to do! and as I sat there wrapping their gifts, listening to the music in front of my tree, I was so full of joy. Knowing that I had a hand in making this Christmas special for someone else. Knowing that we could have just donated our turkey and gift certificates and done nothing else-but we all chose to do MORE and donate money too! I was so proud of what we had done-and I will always wonder what their faces were like Christmas morning when they got to see their gifts. That experience touched my heart so much. It blessed MY life.

Since then we have adopted families to help out many years. the kids enjoy this so much. In the years when the money was too tight, we have gone through our house and gathered toys and books that the kids do not need or use and have taken them down to the thrift stores. They know that by doing so, some family that does not have a lot of money will be able to purchase an item there for their kids.
I think this is the tradition they enjoy the most. And I am so proud of them for loving to give to others!

What makes me happy

so dh has started getting ideas for his blog from journal sites....it gives him a bunch of ideas to chose from and then he writes. This is one I found today that I thought was a good idea.

What makes me happy?


There are so many things that can bring a smile to my face other than the obvious answer of family.

My friends. I love having good friends. Friends that you can go to about anything. Friends that you can laugh with and cry with and share your high points and low points. Friends that you learn from. Friends that no matter how much time has passed between the last time you talked, you can still pick up and share where you left off at. Friends that do nothing but bring brightness in your life and will not do anything to purposely bring you down. Good friends are the best thing to have.

Knitting. I only learned to knit a few years ago, but I love it. It brings me happiness to take a ball of yarn and create some amazing object that I could not get in the store. I love the colors and the textures and the relaxation it brings to me. I like that it is a forgiving hobby and if you screw up you can usually fix it! LOL I especially love being able to do the whole process of putting the dye on the yarn and then making it into something for a friend. My yarn collection is big-and it makes me happy-and gives me a lot to work towards for project making! LOL

My crunchiness. Yes, my way of living makes me happy! It actually brings me joy to get my natural remedies and use them instead of using artificial methods. to use something "crunchy" instead of main stream. I am sure that it sounds funny to like a way of living, but I do!
I like knowing that the choices dh and I have made for our kids ie: family bed, NO circumcision, vaccines, extended nursing, homeschooling are the best choices out there for us.

Eating vegetarian. Again, a lifestyle choice that makes me happy. I love to see all the different dishes I can make out of varieties of vegetables. I feel healthiest when we do not eat meat, and I love having kids that will eat any bean or veggie I put in front of them without being picky!

Books. I love to read. I am a very fast reader and can finish a book in 1 day. I love a well written story. I really have enjoyed the medical mysteries and serial killer books that I have read over the last few years as it challenges my mind. I often irritate my dh though as I tend to laugh out loud while reading or make some comment back to the characters. I try not to do this so I don't look crazy! LOL

Fall. It is my favorite season. So much so that my guest bathroom is actually decorated with a fall theme. I love the colors. The temperature. I love the leaves falling from the trees and I LOVE to walk through big piles of them on the ground. Nothing makes me happier than knowing that fall is almost here. I wish I could live somewhere that was fall all year round!

rain and thunderstorms. I love to watch the rain fall. I could sit in my window with a book or knitting and blanket and just listen to the rain drops. I love a good storm too. Shawn says they had some awesome ones in Paraguay when he was there. That would be so awesome - some of my favorite memories in highschool was taking off late at night with my aunt and cousins to go sit out in the middle of nowhere to watch the lightening storms!

simplifying. I am currently working on simplifying my life. Getting rid of garbage in my life both physically and metaphorically. Letting go of stuff I don't need and stuff that does not enrich or help my life at all. Getting rid of clutter and living simply. I gave my friend heidi a book a few weeks ago that was an amish cookbook - but it also showed a lot of the ways they live. It was very inspiring!!

my education. Having the chance to go back to school and finish my education makes me very happy. I love to learn. I love the challenge it brings to my mind! I am so very happy to be able to do this now-it is a huge part of who I am.

so - those are the things I can think of right now that make me happy! What makes YOU happy?

Eagle Scout project

My son is working on his Eagle Scout project. For those that don't know, this is a very important step in the scouting program. He has chosen to do chemotherapy care packages to be donated. We are asking for volunteers to make a hat either sewn, crocheted, knitted..and then send it him to collect for this project.

there are many resources out there for free patterns:

Headhuggers Patterns

Cancer Caps

they can be adult or child. We just want to collect a lot.

This is so very important to him with all those that we know that has been affected by cancer. If you are willing to help, message me and I will send you our address.

Deadline to reach me by October 1st.

Thanks ladies!!!

Where does the time go?

whew, it seems like the weeks are just flying by. Full of kids, school, friends, business, etc etc...it just goes faster and faster. It is amazing to me that it is already July and this year by now I already had started on hand made toys via swaps and purchases to be set aside for Christmas for 2 months! Completely way behind! LOL

last night I got to leave and hang out with some girl friends for a really lovely evening of chatter, food, environment and yes, a few revelations and some baby snuggles! It was so nice to have that.

Tomorrow we are going to the family celebration in Melba for the 4th. I am not sure how the all day thing will go with Harrison, but we will play it by ear. He is changing more and more, and has really started to remind me of Noah as a toddler. I hope that it is just a passing thing.

I am thinking of taking a spinning class in August with my friend and business partner Stacy . On one hand, it is something I've wanted to do for a very long time. On the other, it is a new addiction! LOL

I am working on a shawl for ME! It is turning out beautiful and I cannot wait for the fall so I can use it. I will update with photos later on.

sometimes you have great ideas...

and sometimes not so great! LOL

sometimes I really surprise myself that I still get surprised by others behavior. I see just meanness or obnoxiousness or hurtfulness all the time, IRL and online and yet I still get surprised each time it happens. It could be a news story or a message board, in the grocery store or in church or school, or in just day to day chatter . Family, friends, strangers-it isn't exclusionary. Like walking through the store and having someone comment in a rude way about the number of kids we have. Or commenting on the parenting choices that we as a couple make like it is any of their business. etc etc..or like this week, seeing a blog that took submissions from people on facebook that copied peoples status that had to do with their kids, and then mocking it on the blog.
Why do people think it is ok to just open their mouth all the time?

I think I still just want to see only the good in people. Is there a way to cure that? LOL because really I am tired of caring.

I saw it again just this week on several occasions. the girl in church that looks down on the others because they cry during a testimony. the one that laughs at the way others are dressed. the woman with the blog made specifically to mock others parenting moments...and more.

I feel so sad that so many people are so full of hate or anger towards others that they have to put them down or hurt them to feel better about themselves.

so can I have a magic cookie? you know, the one with the special chocolate chips in them that take aware you caring button?? because I'd like mind removed please.