...These Are a Few of my Favorite Things...

This song goes through my head quite regularly.

So today I was driving around town and wanted to document some of the things I have loved this Christmas season.

We have a candy store in a little town just south of us, in West Liberty. 

Marie's Candies.

Cutest little store you've ever been into, not to mention the yummiest candy ever.

This year they have a tree with crystals hanging from it.  It is absolutely beautiful.  When I've gone though town I've stopped just to look at the pretty crystal tree. 

I guess this is their version of "Eye Candy".

Most of you know of my LOVE of snowflakes.

I still love to make the paper ones that I mentioned last year.

But this week I went to lunch with a friend and saw these darling snowflakes made out of wide ribbon.  I'm SO making these next year...and maybe a couple this year.  Okay, ya, I've already started one.

The first snowman of the year. 

They always make me smile.

And lastly, at least for today, pomegranates!  These little jewels are nice and juicy right now. 

yum, yum, yum

Merry Christmas everyone! 

I hope you have been able to see things this season that make you smile.

Where Did He Come From?

We got a couple of Christmas boxes in the mail from family.

Justin and I were going through them (thanks for ALL the candy Dad) and I'd pull out a gift and say who it was to, and who it was from.  Then Judd would go put it under the tree.

When we finished we had this conversation:

Judd - I wish we could live in Idaho.

Me - Ya, why?

(Totally thinking it was because after he saw/heard his grandparents, aunts & uncles, & cousin names it made him miss them.  Besides all of the candy, pretty gifts, and fun things inside the boxes.)

Judd - I could totally get my drivers licence a year faster.

He's 5!

(Oh, the picture isn't about anything.  It just made me laugh this morning so I wanted to use it.)

Pretty Kitty

I've had a hard time focusing, finishing projects and forgetting things lately.

Here is my latest example.

Our stake has the Beehives crocheting hats for the cancer unit at the children's hospital. Okay, I thought. My grandma taught me how to crochet. No problem. I can finish at least one hat.

Well, maybe for my cat.

(This cat looks amazingly like our cat! Here is how to make a cat hat.)

I can't seem to keep count with the stitches and my hands keep going to sleep.

This may be as far as I get.

It's back.....FINALLY

After two weeks of waiting

The Shed Is Back!

And so is the mess.

Wasn't that nice of them.

Abracadabra

Missing: One Garden Shed

(full of stuff)

The shed above isn't the exact shed, because I never thought to take a picture of the shed. But it is pretty close to what was in our backyard as of 11:30 yesterday morning.

I left for a couple Visiting Teaching appointments at 11:30. When I got home at 3:00 I didn't notice anything different. I park in the front and can't really see around the house where I pull in. The kids got home at 3:30 and the boys went outside to play football. Todd and Mitch thought they'd tease Justin and hide in the shed, so they turned around to go over to it and this is what they saw.

NO SHED

They came in the house and Todd asked me where the shed was. I thought he was pulling my leg, because that is something he'd do, but he didn't seem like he was joking around so I looked out the window and he was right. The shed was gone.

My first instinct was to call the police to make a report of a stolen shed. Then I decided to call our landlords first to see if they knew of anything. The shed was full of their stuff so I couldn't imagine they'd want someone to haul it off. The other 1/2 is full of our stuff and I know I didn't want it hauled off.

Amy was shocked (and angry) when I called. She made a few phone calls and I guess the company they bought it from was supposed to pick up a shed from someone else that never paid up. Unfortunately, they picked up the wrong shed. They took our shed with lots and lots of things in it, including the flammable liquids inside.

(hope they got home okay)

The crazy thing is that there isn't a whole lot of tracks where the truck & forklift were. It's a medium sized shed. I'd guess 18'x12' or so. It is just like someone came and plucked it right out of the yard. Besides the concrete blocks laying around and uprooted lily's, it is pretty much the way it was before they took it.

They must have one heavy duty forklift. That building has to be VERY heavy.

Anyway, I couldn't stop laughing because the whole thing is absurd. Amy is on the hunt for our stuff & the shed. She is not a happy lady right now. Things were in the rafters so they had to have fallen. I'm sure things had to have been broken.

This could be quite a costly mistake for this company.

Everyone is invited.

Family Week is back!

This is the week we 'unplug' for the evening and do things with the family.

What I love is that anyone & everyone can get into it.

Temple attendance, Family History work, getting together with roommates & friends for FHE, service projects, etc. The ideas are endless.

Last year we had a blast.

We are all signed up for 2009 and ready to remember the importance of families, without the 'noise' of everything else in our lives.

Join in, no matter where you live. If you sign up (and if you live out of the area give them your address) they'll send you a bag for participating.

Get the word out.

November 22-28, 2009

**The week to give Thanks for our families**