Saturday, October 15, 2011

Pumpkins, vegetables, boots, candy, cars, and more.

Lately, we've been busy bees.  I took my girls on a hayride to a pumpkin patch. We've discovered the magic of a food co-op and love having fresh fruits and veggies from our Bountiful Basket
JD traded one of his snowboards for a fancy-shmancy-remote-control-gas-powered toy car. He loves working on the little engine in all the free time he doesn't really have.
Since October is his birthday month and we're going to Texas soon, we decided it was about time he got a pair of cowboy boots! When he wears them, my little country girl heart pitter patters a little faster. I love a man in boots :) Naturally, he insisted we go country dancing so he could "test them out." We haven't been in ages and don't rememer a lot of the steps, but it was still a fun date night.
We also went to  Blickenstaff's, a huge toy and candy store, for the first time. It was such a fun environment, but the candy was a bit overpriced. Luckily, we got a free pumpkin with our purchase! There's no such thing as too many pumpkins in my book. We picked a bunch from my in-laws' neighborhood garden and they're all crowded together on our front steps. I'm planning on painting and decorating them soon, but I've been too busy lately on other projects.
I finally got to go to Color Me Mine for shift bonding with my co-workers. I could seriously paint pottery every week if it wasn't such a big blow to my budget.
Also, JD's been grilling our food whenever he can. Corn on the cob, shishkabobs, chicken, you name it. . . so yummy.
I'm loving this fall-time season. Seriously, what's not to like about fresh veggies, a cool breeze, college football, and changing colors? Life is good.

Ps. We're leaving for Texas in four days! Stoked.

Monday, October 10, 2011

8th grade.

Today, I had a moment. My littlest baby sister is in 8th grade! Part of me is thinking, "I can't believe it!" . . . which, of course, isn't really a logical thought because it is, in fact, believable. She was a baby and then she learned to crawl and babble and eat real food and walk. She went to Kindergarden and progressed normally and played sports and made friends. She's gone through every year of school since then. . . so, yes, it's believable that now she's here: in 8th grade. But, really, after all that, I am still thinking, " I can't believe it." I remember thinking the same thing when Lindsey, my littler baby sister, was going into 8th grade. How was it already her time? And now, how can Morgan already be in that place where Lindsey was, where I remember being so well?

In 8th grade, I had my first experience with painful rejection. I didn't make PALS, a leadership club I desperately wanted to be involved with, and nearly every one of my close friends did. It was a brutal lesson I had to learn about letting go of my pride, accepting imperfection, and celebrating others' excitement even when it hurt. I learned what it meant to really like a boy. I mean, before that, I'd had a few crushes, thought some guys were really hot, and even gotten nervous striking up conversation. . . but, boy oh boy, did that near obsession with Lee Sharrock teach me what butterflies felt like.  He was the subject of almost all my journal entries, the topic of practically every late-night conversation at slumber parties, and the source of, I think, all my disagreements with friends. In 8th grade, I learned about peer pressure, the nasty monster who rears his head and makes you feel obligated to stick your tongue down someone's throat to win approval in Truth or Dare. I learned how dumb you feel in the moment when you walk away from peer pressure, but how immensely rewarding it can be later when you remember you had the courage to do what you thought was right. In 8th grade, I got my first real kiss under a lamppost on a street corner in a neighborhood where so many of my favorite memories were made. In 8th grade, I experienced the simple satisfaction of doing a back-handspring, a goal I worked so hard to reach. I felt and understood the importance of good friends. I experienced the heart-breaking task of moving away from the place you call home at a time when all good things seem to be right around the corner. I probably learned more about myself in 8th grade than I did in all the years before that combined. It was, and still is, one of the best years of my life.


The years have passed. I made that transition to high school, as did Jake and Lindsey. And now, sweet Morgie, it's your time. Shine on, girl!  Cherish the time you spend with your friends, but remember also that your family members are friends who'll be around forever. Kiss boys you really like, but don't kiss and kiss just for the heck of it. Befriend the dorky people in your classes and never let the pressure to be popular override the importance of being kind. You are so bright and talented and beautiful. Although I can hardly believe you're as old as you are, I'm totally confident in your ability to face whatever struggles come your way this year. You rock :)

Today, I had a moment- a moment to recognize how fast life happens and to appreciate it for all it's worth.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Orange and black.

Halloween Pinwheels Tutorial

I saw something similar to these when I went to a scrapbooking store a few weeks ago and decided to re-create them at home. Here's how I did it:
  • Buy a pack of double-sided scrapbooking paper (I bought a square pack, so I  could just cut once diagonally to get triangles).
  • Cut the paper into various size triangles, depending on how big or small you want your pinwheels.
  • Glue the corners of your triangles together using hotglue to form a pinwheel (Make sure all of your triangle points are circling in the same direction, or it may look funny).
  • To make the edges curl, wrap the paper around a pencil for a few seconds.
  • Hot glue buttons on the center of the pinwheel from both sides.
  • Use a needle to poke a hole on one of the triangles of the pinwheel.
  • String fishing line through the hole and tie a knot.
  • Then wrap the other end of the fishing line around a thumbtack and pin to the ceiling at varying heights.
I think it's best to hang them in a place where you'll be able to enjoy them from both sides. Because I took the door off the frame between my craft corner and the kitchen (it took up too much space!), I figured this was the perfect area to hang mine.


I think these are so fun and they'd be really easy to recreate for any holiday.

Happy crafting!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Sushi and football.

On Friday night, we watched the BYU game at home with our friends Brad and Abby. They love sushi like JD does, so we pulled our table into the living room and rolled our own during the game (JD helped me make chicken, carrot, and cabbage wontons because I'm not such a big sushi fan). Luckily, BYU came up with the win due to an exciting fourth quarter finish. Gosh, I love me some college football!