Something to think about...

As I quickly scanned through the FaceBook  "stuff"

 I noticed a friend had said,

 "Hey, watch this, it's amazing".

Usually I don't,

 but for some crazy reason....I did.

Now, I am one to put my tree up in October or Early November,

 I love the holiday season.

  I truly enjoy the feelings which come to mind at this time of year.

  I like focusing on giving.

I like thinking of others and things which they might enjoy.

  I treasure the yummy smells wafting through my home

 as I bake and stir and create.

I find great Joy in the unexpected drop ins, 

planning parties, working on gifts, listening to music and so much more.

  I love the way my family all of a sudden

 starts thinking of things to do when we get together.

But, enough rambling,

back to the post from my friend...

Yes,  I clicked.

  Yes, I thought...

Yes, I was touched.

  But, what really comes to my mind is this.

  How is it you can take a huge mall full of frenzied shoppers,

 people who would just as soon push you down to get that "perfect item", ones who grumble while they wait in line,

 and seem to have perpetual frowns...

 and

 get them to pause for just a moment.

Yes, 

a flash performance of vocalists.

  I love it!

  One begins and then others join in and then more and more.

  I wonder how they practice

 because it all just seems so perfectly suited to the location.

  But, what I enjoy most

 is the shoppers/watchers who join in.

  Tell me,

 how amazing is that?

As the camera scans the crowd of "watchers" 

some of them are singing as well!

  Folks just don't seem to remember

 why is it they are shopping.

  And this "flash mob" caused a huge group of shoppers

 to pause in their hurry and reflect. 

 Awesome and amazing and fantastic.

Once again, thanks friends for sharing...little moments.

Pajama Pants

Such a funny thing....several years ago 

(like maybe 2 or 3) 

I told my friend Marilyn...

flannel pajama pants will be my legacy to my children.

  They will be cleaning out stuff

 (which they haven't yet burned)

 and discover a little pile of pajama pants.

  Pajamas tucked here and there which I made because I had to and then hadn't gotten around to giving them yet.

I had been pulling out flannel for a project 

every piece was just a bit too  small, yet

too big to throw away.

She laughed

 and we giggled

 and that silly thought

 has been niggling about in my brain...

Pajama pants.

  For birthdays this year I made Pajama Pants,

 for everyone

 (I still have a few to make),

 but I pulled out flannels,

which I already had and made Pajama Pants.

Necessity, the mother of invention.

Some of the pajamas I knew would not be favorites,

 but they made me smile as I made them

 as well as have caused the occasional giggle every now and then...

  Some I fretted over

 and worried 

Just for Tia

and others I just made!

Well the other day I had/have a special order for 4 gowns which need a bit larger piece of flannel for each.  I was determined to find the flannel

which would be perfect, of course,

 in my flannel stash...I have an entire box full of flannels for the holidays.

  I knew there would be

 just what I needed in there  and

I remembered an extra large piece with snowflakes...

I got down on the floor

 (does not happen very often

and dug through this holiday flannel box.

  As I was digging I would pull out a piece,

 perfect..

Then I would open it up

 to discover it was not nearly as big as I needed it to be.

  Frustrating would be the most applicable word right about now.

Then, I started giggling

 as I thought of all of the pajama pants

 I could make out of these bits and pieces of flannel.

  Not big enough for a gown or a pajama set,

 not the right type of print for an accent piece or a way cute sleeve?

 Done,

into the pajama pant pile it went.

  I then took the pile to the big table, and

 cut out 14 pairs of pajama pants.

Most of them are a size 2 to 3, I do have a bunch of 1's, and there is not too many 4's or 5's and definitely no 6's.

  The scraps were tossed except for the pieces which I cut 2 1/2 inches wide for a Christmas Quilt which

 is swirling around in my mind.

My box is no longer overflowing,

 I have a stack of flannels cut and ready (of course, I will need tons more) and pajama pants have been made.

Does anyone remember these?

The funny thing is,

 while I was digging and  looking

I ran across a couple of pairs of pajama pants already made... 

and then I found a couple more which were almost finished.

   Smiles and giggles and

 a secret bit of joy...

I wonder if my kids would like fun pajama pants again this year?

Male Free Home

What to do when Hubby isn't home?

During the day,

 this is easy...

everything you usually do because Hubby isn't home during the day.

Me, I got up and made a batch of cinnamon rolls for the "BOYS",

 cooked a breakfast,

 fetched a few things,

 packed a bag with a malfunctioning pillow,

 and forgot to pack a towel.

Smiled, and waved, and sighed

 and off the "BOYS" went.

To George I went,

 gathering supplies for the "BOYS" for when they come home,

spent a bit of time wandering around

 looking at what I was interested in,

 at stores I don't usually go to,

 and came back home just in time to get Hope from school.

Actually, quite a lovely day,

 doing some things I like to do.

Put up my feet and relaxed for a bit,

 read in a book for a minute,

 looked at  the clock and

 got "cleaned" up.

Erica and Scarlet and I went to George.

  We left at 5.

  Stopped and got our toes done.

 Happy Mother's Day to me, thank you so very much Erica and family.

  My toes are now a nice deep red.  They are ready for my new sandals Hubby gave me for Mother's Day as well.

After toes, we went out to eat dinner,

 Erica was starving...

As we were finishing dinner it was an,

 "OK, now where do we want to go?" moment...

The list is endless,

 everywhere we don't like to take our children shopping.

  So, this was basically an Erica decision

 as the rest of our party was without children responsibility at the moment (Hope had 2 different evenings planned without us,

 unfortunately, both cancelled and she could have gone and played with us).

We went to Target`

 and to Old Navy.

 We were on our way to the mall

 when we realized 9:30 was a bit late.

   A quick stop for gas and

 another for salt and we were home.

  A night out with a few of my girls

 and home a bit after 10:30.

  I didn't even have to go to Vegas!

Temple Walk 2012

22 Mile Stroll

Yes, we did it, 22 miles through the barren dessert, through the sand, through the wind, through the dirt, through the town, and through the streets.  We walked in the dark lit by truck headlights, we walked led by flashlights and headlamps and Sister's voices.  We followed footprints in the dirt and watched for the porta pottie marking our passage.

We chatted, and discussed and commented ...and we thought.  We munched and crunched and trudged.  Some walked backward, some walked forward, some jogged and some jogged here and there.  Some sprinted to the finish line with smiles of joy on their faces.  And some, even rode for a bit.  But, all finished!

Who would have known what a fantastic experience this was to be?  The path was marked with signs telling us how much farther to the finish.  In between were thoughts, scriptures, and statistical facts.  All things to ponder on as we walked and watched  for the next marker.

It was interesting how we began to look forward to the porta pottie in the distance. This gave us a physical statement, we had accomplished another segment of the 22 mile stroll.  As we started in the dark, we had in our mind where we were heading, we had a vision of our end goal.  So we walked.  Just for fun we stopped and turned off our lights and looked at the night sky...we also looked directly around us and realized we were alone.  Beautiful night with Sister's voices murmuring in the distance.

Then a little more than half way we were rewarded with a vista, our goal was now in sight!

Some of us finished with blisters, some with killer knees, some with sore toes, and aching calves, and shins which would not quit.  Some were nonchalant in their aches and pains, and a few of us were without physical pain.  However, I feel all of us have an inward smile of "Yes, I did this".

As one sister commented, "You know, it's kind of like child birth....hard while you are doing it.  But, you kind of forget once you get there and can't wait to do it again."

 

So just what have I been up to???  I would love to say something terribly amazing, however...this is the List!

• Trying to reclaim the shower so it may be used
• Helping Scarlet with a blessing gown
• fixing a formal for a friend of Hope's
• finishing Hope's formal so she can wear it
• washing dishes
• washing clothes
• planning a 22 mile hike
• playing with grand-kids
• helping dad
• helping dad some more
• playing spider solitaire
• looking things up for dad on the computer
• finding parts
• driving around
• watching a few games
• watching a $3000 week houseboat trip never get bid upon
• lending supplies
• finding new patterns
• thinking about Yosemite
• talking with my family
• driving Hope everywhere
• working on a 22 mile hike
• watching the last of the NCIS season we own
• buying pink flannel
• thinking about making over my bedroom
• and the bathroom
• and the kitchen
• and the....
• trying to put Tia's room back together
• going to meetings
• taking pictures
• reading blogs
• catching up on facebook
• and a gazillion other things I just haven't mentioned.

No More Drippy faucets, more like running faucets...

Please notice that small circle thing-y, this was my problem

This was my Monday project, I thought to myself...

"Self, I have had it with the crazy shenanigans we have to go through to turn off the kitchen faucet".

So, I turned the water off to the house, pulled the kitchen faucet apart (a call to Grandpa for back up), went to Ace, and came home with the repair kit for the kitchen faucet as well as a replacement cartridge for the family room shower, and a special tool.

You know, that shower has been dripping for so very long we just have stopped using it.

Call Grandpa and verified my procedure, a while back when he was visiting he talked me through the kitchen repair,

"Remember to use Vaseline!"

Which I did, in all took me about 30 minutes, including the trip to Ace.

Next, on to the shower faucet..

Tyler had already taken the handle off, I already turned the water off to the house, so I used the handy, dandy, tool Ace loaned me and pulled that problem out.  Just like pulling a tooth, no problem.

Then, I looked at the replacement part and it was different than the part I had pulled out.

Hmmmmm, another trip to Ace (I had to return the tool) and I did a quick exchange on the cartridge.  Back home I went, Vaselined the cartridge up and went to slide it into place.  To no avail, it wouldn't go in.  There was a part of the cartridge still stuck in the pipe/faucet.  Some of the cartridge came out with a little coaxing,

however there was a large chunk that just had to stay in there.

Ross came to give me assistance, we heated it up, drilled it, scraped it, dug around on it, still, no success.

Well Ross was busy with other things and he said with a smile, "Keep on trying, just be careful with that hammer!"

Tap, Tap, Tap...  for two hours!

Still that blasted little piece of plastic was stuck in the pipe.  I went and had lunch with Hubby, came back and tap, tap, tap.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.  I changed strategies with my hammer and my screwdriver, tap, tap, tap.

And something happened.  I took out the flashlight and peered through the pipe, the blasted piece of plastic had shifted, I could actually see it!  I dug with the screwdriver this way and that, and pushed the blasted piece back into place.  

No more tapping, I dug again with the screwdriver, flipped that crazy piece around again and grabbed hold of it with a paint can opener.  Plop, out it came!  "WhooooHoooo!" I shouted with glee.

Vaselined the cartridge up, slid it into the pipe/faucet and pushed real hard.  Thank goodness Brian was here, he came in and pushed a little bit and slid the "keeper" into place, then I finished installing the guards, and the handle and Scarlo turned on the water and no leaks!

No Drips!

And best of all, I had a 50/50 chance, Hot is hot and cold is cold.

A final call to Grandpa informing him it was done.  He told me he was just packing so he could come out and fix it for me, ha ha!

It appears I have an unofficial new job....

Going with Hubby!

Riding with Hubby!

Being with Hubby!

Who would have known

 changing Hubby's job description would include me?

This past week,

 I have been to the splash pad with "parts",

 gone to Purgatory so many times I have lost count,

 been to the diversion dam,

 out to the Ivins roundabout,

 gone to get cement,

 delivered lunch (repeatedly),

 been to school,

 attended a happy meeting,

 followed a moving piece of equipment (more than once),

 and have read in my book while I am "waiting".

I have become extremely adept at locating parts catalogs on the "net",

 have figured out some of the clues to what the part numbers really are,

 and then I can even call

 and ask for a part price by name

 or by number or by...

something other than than dohickey on top of the thing-a-ma-jig!.

Fun!!!  I wonder what next week will bring?

Happy Hatters Event

 

The Happy Hatter Social

What happens when you get together with a bunch of wonderful, fun women and direct them to a table filled with stuff?

 

 I wasn't quite sure

 how the ladies would respond to this part of our Social...

I pondered it a bit...

and we chatted as a committee...

and then decided we would give it a go.

 

So, on Wednesday morning

 I wandered around the house

 picking up this and that,

 I wandered into my sewing room

 and looked in all of my buckets,

 I picked up a bag full of tulle

 and stuff for hair bows,

 and grabbed the curling ribbon rack

then into the basement I went...

 

I looked into box after box

 and found a whole bunch of interesting stuff; feathers and pipe cleaners,

 beads and lace,

 lots and lots of ribbons;

 bits of flowers,

 parts for corsages;

 stuff left over from projects...

I also had purchased some colorful paper plates, pipe cleaners,

 and silly little party hats.

We covered a couple of tables

 and tossed all of this stuff

 into the center

 added a stapler,

 glue sticks,

 wet glue

 and hot glue...

Our lovely Day Care Providers

 Truly is amazing

 what can be

 created

 with

 a pile of stuff.

The sisters did this and that,

 some walked up,

 dug around a tiny bit

 and then walked away with a "hat".

 Others stared,

 some truly walked away with a "masterpiece", some had hats

 worthy of the derby.

 Definitely, a fun visit time activity.

We enjoyed a scrumptious dinner

Chicken salad croissants,

a delightful salad

 with walnuts, cranberries, and feta cheese,

the most refreshing fruit salad I have ever had, berries and grapes...yum.

And for dessert,

 all of our favorites...lemon cakes, creme puffs and brownie bites.

And of course,

 the required unbelievable

 collection of Chocolates.

We enjoyed some shared talents

 (thank you so very much)

Amazing displayed talents

 (and truly, what a selection of talent)

And a fantastic speaker.

Great evening.

Oh yes, 

I forgot 

and I went home

 with a few less boxes of stuff!

With a bit of string,

 some watered down glue,

One was enough for Hope, she didn't care for "sticky fingers"

 small water balloons

 and a broomstick

Hope and Kate

 we gathered 

for a very quick 

"project" 

for Easter.

Erica and Scarlet

   

Yarn Easter Eggs!

The stage 1 finished project

What I was in the middle of--Grandmama's Cheesecakes!

Thank you Scarlet

for figuring everything out 

ahead of time 

and so we had an "expert" 

to teach us.

Can't wait for tomorrow to see

how everything turns out!

I am sure the marrieds will be thrilled today,

 appears Grandmama was unable to hold on to her bowling title last night.  However,

 Hubby did well (second game, of course!)

  I decided I wanted to be able

 to move today and stopped after the first round.

I do have a few questions however:

 just who's idea was it to go bowling after an all-you-care-to-eat dinner?

  And on a Saturday night?

 I don't think I have ever seen so many people bowling as I did last night...

and why was it boys against the girls?

  Who won, the boys or the girls?

  For that matter, who did win?

Fun time, fun family, and yummy food

 no one had to do dishes...but,

 did anyone remember I was supposed to feed the missionaries last night?

Weeknight Get Together- -February 16, 2012

 February 16, 2012

Weeknight Meeting

We gathered at 6:30,

 you know, very promptly.

  Actually,

we all kind of strolled in

 as we could and

 left when we wished to.

There were sewing machines

 set up to put together our envelopes,

 an ironing station

 to put on that "finishing touch",

 a table full of beads

 and elastic

 and doohickey things

 which could

 "snap" or "pinch"

 depending on

 which end you had hold of.

And amongst it all

 were bunches of chairs, 

lots of smiling women

 and of course,

 the ever present yummy treat.

I am a firm believer in

 "there has to be a treat on the table to work with,

 else wise nothing

 works out quite right".

Every now and again,

 all of us sisters

 would stop what we were doing, look up and give a cheer!

Someone had just finished

 an envelope!

We sisters were visiting

 one with another,

 sharing our experiences,

 and enjoying a night "out".

  Great progress was made,

 I think everyone went home with something completed,

 and I went home with no left overs (except

 for some conversation hearts

 I will put

 into the Grandkid treat jar). 

I enjoyed

 a wonderful evening

 sharing with the sisters

 in our ward,

 and smiling,

 and laughing

 and chatting

 and.....

you get the picture.

  Speaking of pictures,

 my abilities

 with my camera phone

 aren't fantastic

 so I kept them small,

 but I thought

 it might be fun

 to see

 and remember.

 

Pink Flannel Smiles

Pink Flannel...

Let me say that again, 

PINK FLANNEL!!!

Yes, you got it, Pink Flannel is done!

I never thought I would get to the end of all of those ruffles, but Holy Cow, I finally did!

Yipee!

This special request gown is a size 28/30, is for someone very tall who loves, absolutely loves ruffles with lace.  That is 6 rows on each side of the center front buttons of gathered ruffles accented with a wide white lace and the sleeves each have 6 rows of ruffles as well.  Let's face it, I am thrilled to be done with this one before the weekend begins.  So, yes, I am still smiling...

A New Game

 With T and Zack a new game appeared...

Grandma and Pa Peavler gave the game

to some of the marrieds for Christmas this year.  

I was told it was tons of fun and we would like it.

  But, I have never played it.

So T and Zack brought out the cards Saturday night and Hubby and I learned how to play Five Crowns!

We played 3 rounds, learning as we went...

only three cards in a run?

you can do whatever you want?

the cards all need to be the same suit in a run?

wait a minute, you can play one card and two wild cards together?

what is wild this time?

how many cards this time?

so, who is winning anyway?

Yes, we had many questions but my favorite was early the next morning, Sunday, so 8 a.m. was a bit early, Hubby says to me,

"Do you want to get the kids up so we can play?"

Yes, children you have me to thank for allowing everyone to sleep in.  I kept Hubby from "pouncing" you in your beds.  He knows where the keys are...

Thanks for teaching us a new game T and Zack.   

so now, I am going to have to save up the dollars so I can buy my own!