The Thwarted Post

Okay, so...maybe I created a little too much anticipation for this new post. It's a fun one for me, but it's not that exciting.

I wanted to show a few of the projects I've been working on. I'm not a crafty person by nature, so it takes me a bit longer to learn artsy-type skills than it does for a lot of people. And sometimes it takes me a really long time to get craft projects done. So I like celebrating when I learn to do something new, and then I get really excited when I actually make something with it.

And this is why I needed my camera. I can't just write about craft projects. That would be silly. Pictures are necessary.


This is something I just threw together. Unfortunately, I wrapped it before I took a picture of it. And...I can't say anything else about it because I'm not sure if the recipient reads my blog. Probably not, but I guess it's possible. So, uh...just believe me when I say that I crafted something. D'oh!


This project has taken me ages. I won some vinyl-ey things in a blog contest a few months ago--you know, the vinyl decorations that you stick on walls? But I didn't want to stick them on my walls because we live in an apartment. I know they come off the walls easily, but I'd like to keep enjoying them after we leave here. So I've been gathering other media to stick them to and then hang them on the wall. There are actually six of these flowery ones. There are also a couple of birds and a train, but those aren't even started yet. I think I'm going to put the flowers in my bathroom.

  
And now, the coolest project ever [if I do say so myself]: I learned to knit. I didn't think it was possible. And frankly, I'm not very good at it yet. But I sometimes see knitting projects that I'd like to try on other blogs, so I persuaded my sister to teach me. Plus, it's supposed to be relaxing, and I could definitely use that.

Oh Well.

I was going to post tonight, but I need my camera for the post I wanted to do. And my camera is at my mom's house. And I'm snowed in. *sigh*...

Catching Up

I'm feeling a lot better, but I have a lot of catching up to do. I'm behind on everything. Everything. As in, pretty much every dish in my house is dirty. So I'll be brief. While I was sick, I did a lot of lying around; but we had nice weather for a couple of days, so I actually got myself up off the couch a little bit. Little Boy got to play on our deck, where I could watch him from the couch.

And then all three of us went to the park on Saturday. I usually spend my Saturdays running errands, but I couldn't resist the...well, it wasn't really sunny, so...the lack of precipitation outside.

Little Boy thought the slide was fun...

...but the slide was nothing compared to the motorcycle. Little Boy pronunciation: moe-mer-sigh-tull.

The motorcycle was the best thing ever.

So now I can check "blogging" off my to-do list. Thanks for your well-wishes, everyone. I'm off to scrub something.

Checking In

I've had a raging sinus infection for the last few days, and I've spent most of that time on my couch watching DVDs (or at my mom's watching actual television). Sometimes Little Boy watches with me, like this:

...which is pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen. So anyway, I'll be back if I ever feel better.

“Parents can offer a unique and wonderful kind of prayer because they are praying to the Eternal Parent of us all. There is great power in a prayer that essentially says, ‘We are steward-parents over Thy children, Father; please help us to raise them as Thou wouldst want them raised.' " -M. Russell Ballard

Friday Fun - All You Need is Love

Kup, Kup Land


erin MC hammer


etolane 


adwriter


Ella's Dad


karen horton


nodie26


gussifer

Spreading the Word

The lovely Tara is having a kick-off for her side project, kidz, next week. From Tara: It is a site that celebrates the lives and lessons of special needs children, a.k.a. kidz. It is a site for everyone, not just friends and families of kidz. The mission is to increase awareness and understanding about different health conditions and to help all people cope with challenges and enjoy life! Of course, there will be giveaways and prizes and lots of fun. But besides all that, it's just a great site. I highly recommend checking it out.

CHOCOLATE COOKIES

(Did that get your attention?)

I'm going to make these cookies for Valentine's weekend. I love them.


From Crisco.com:


Cracked Chocolate Cookies
Yield: 3 dozen


1 1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 c Crisco shortening
1 T water
1 t vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 3/4 c flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
2 c miniature chocolate chips
1 c powdered sugar


Heat oven to 375*F.


Beat brown sugar, shortening, water, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs; beat well. 


Combine flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Add to shortening mixture; stir until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.


Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. 


Bake one baking sheet at a time 7-9 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to cooling rack to cool completely.


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Bonus for me: they're dairy free. That means I can have as many as I want, right?

Supporting a Good Cause

Blog giveaways are always fun, but giveaways that support a cause are even better! Leelou Blogs is having a baby shower to support two baby girls, Mia and Kayleigh, whose stories will absolutely amaze you [and, if you're like me, they'll make you cry.]. So go meet Mia and Kayleigh, then head over to Leelou Blogs and enter to win of their gazillions of prizes to benefit these sweet babies.

When in Doubt, Turn on the Television

Little Boy is having the worst day ever. I don't know what the problem is; all I know is that he doesn't have a fever and he's not throwing up. He's just crying about everything. And that's not like him. I don't feel so great today, either, so I'm letting Little Boy watch waaaaaaay too much television (Pokemon, at the moment). And I don't really feel guilty about it. It's not like we do this every day.

The glazed-over television face makes me laugh every time. Pikachu's so funny. Pokemon is way more interesting than I am. I don't blame him for not paying attention to me. Hey, Mom has the camera out!

And that ends our photo session--I can't take pictures when the subject is trying to grab the camera out of my hands.

"Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: 'The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less' (Loud and Clear [1004], 10-11)." -"Daughters of God," M. Russell Ballard

Friday Fun - Quote of the Day

Isaac: "So my alternator is pretty much a piece of crap."

Girl Working at Schuck's: "Yep. It's craptastic."

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Today is National Wear Red Day. I read somewhere today that heart disease kills 18x more women than breast cancer does. Don't know if that's true, but heart disease is the #1 cause of death for American women. I don't have any red clothes--weird, I know--but I'm wearing a red bracelet and red headband. It's the best I could do.

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for...

...panda bear slippers. More Thankful Thursday here.

St. Valentine & Me

photo by zyphichore

Valentine's Day and I have a complicated history. It was disappointing until I was 20(ish); since then, I've had a few nice V-Days.

But now that I've been married for a few years, my feelings about Valentine's Day are changing again. Don't get me wrong; I don't feel worse about it. I like Valentine's Day. But the thing is, Isaac and I do Valentines-y things throughout the year. February 14th isn't really extra special.

What I love about Valentine's Day, instead of the day itself, is everything else that's associated with it. I actually like the heart-shaped cookies and the cheesy decorations and the chalky candy. But why I would like Valentine's paraphernalia so much, if I don't have strong feelings about the actual holiday?

I looked out the window yesterday and figured it out. I like Valentine's Day stuff because, without it, February stinks. The bright pinks and reds during Valentine's Day cheer me up. Not to mention the chocolate. And the opportunity to show love to lots of people--not just my husband. 

To put it simply, Valentine's Day is fun--during a time of year that would otherwise be just boring.

I'm Baaaaaaack...I Think.

I've mentioned before that I don't blog much when I'm not feeling well [or, if I do blog, it's memes and Wordless Wednesdays.]. And I haven't been feeling well. But I'm feeling better now. So far. And even though I didn't blog, I did manage to take a few pictures last week.

I found this note on the fish tank when I came downstairs one morning. The other fish, Ron Weasley, is blurrily alive and well.

 
My sister sent me a recipe for microwaveable chocolate cake. I tried it. I failed. [I may have altered the ingredients a little bit.]

 
This is Little Boy's "silly face". Or, as he says it, "thi-thee" face.

Which just goes to show that even when the fish die and the chocolate cake fails to be chocolate cake, a thi-thee face can still cheer me up.

“To you who are parents, I say, show love to your children. You know you love them, but make certain they know it as well. They are so precious. Let them know. Call upon our Heavenly Father for help as you care for their needs each day and as you deal with the challenges which inevitably come with parenthood. You need more than your own wisdom in rearing them.” -Thomas S. Monson