Quilting

Our ward just started a Sewing Group, and I am really excited! Over the weekend I learned how to do these really cute, and easy patch work quilts there. We donated the blankets we worked on, but I bought extra stuff to make Nathan this one. He was at JoAnn's with me and really liked these fire trucks.





I bought a sewing machine about a year ago, and NEVER used it. I was way too scared! So I am very pleased to say that I made this one all by myself. I don' t know what I was so scared of. I am so happy that our ward offers so many fun and educational activities. I really like learning how to do the "lost arts" like sewing, bottling food, making breads from scratch, and stuff like that. I just really feel like I am going to someday need all those skills. To me those things really are an art, and I admire people who can do them.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Today I was sitting at the computer, when the doorbell rang. "Hmm, I wonder who that could be..." I thought. Nathan ran to help me open it. There was a lady holding the beautiful flowers pictured above! I was totally excited. Tyler is the BEST!!!
Then for dinner I made Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon, Potato Casserole, Rolls, Salad, and for Dessert -- Chocolate Souffle. Yeah it was so good.
I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband. He is so great, and does so much for us. I love him so much!!!
Here are some dinner pictures:

AHHH.....WARMTH

So it has been SO WARM the past few days! I am really excited. We cleaned out our nasty hot tub, this weekend and it looks fabulous. Now I am hoping to sell it, and use the money to help buy things like a swing set, patio furniture, BBQ, lawn mower, and shed. Tyler really wants to get a pool, but I am just not sure it would fit in our yard. Our lot is a pretty good size, but 3/4 of the back yard slopes up- it is pretty lame. So now he wants to get bids, to dig out the hill and build a new retaining wall so we can have more room. We will see what happens with that. I think it is going to cost way more then we want it to.

This early warmth makes me a little nervous for what the summer will bring. I mean it is mid-February, and we are wearing shorts, and I even laid out today and got a tan. It is crazy! I sure hope we don't melt.

Cookies, Cards, and Haircuts

So I really love to cook/bake, and I am pretty good at it. But lately my desserts have just not been cutting it. I had almost given up in the cookie department. My Grandma makes the BEST Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, and I thought I had been using her recipe. Turns out I had NOT! I called her yesterday and said, "Can we please compare recipes?" So we did, and lets just say more than 1/2 of my 3 dozen cookies are gone- they are delish!
I had them up on the counter on a cooling rack while I was transposing this sheet music for some of the girls in YW. All of a sudden Nathan sneaks up behind me and starts doing his "I know I am in big trouble, but I am so cute that you can't get mad" laugh. I turn around and his face is COVERED in chocolate! (The picture doesn't really do it justice- this was taken after I wiped most of it off) He had a new cookie in his hand, so I was like "How many have you had?" He booked it out of the office, straight for the couch(yes, with his chocolaty face and hands). I think he had only eaten half of one, so I took the new one and the other half cookie away, and it turned out alright. I moved them right after that. Not that that really helps. If I put things higher, he just pulls a chair from the dining room, over to the counter, hops up on the counter, and gets whatever he is looking for. I am running out of ideas on how to toddler proof my house, someone should seriously write a book! Tyler asked me "How can we stop him from dragging the chairs?" I suggested tying weights to the bottom, not so sure how that would work.
We sure love Nathan, and he sure keeps me skinny with all the chasing I do.

So since I am hoping to be pregnant soon, I have decided to make all my cards for the year so I will have one less thing to worry about. I think I have finished all the Birthday cards, but I still have tons more to make for other occasions. My Mom-In-Law was a Stampin Up demonstrator, and she sort of got me hooked. I really like making them, and it helps me relax. Here are a few for you to see:

I must say that this weekend was rather exciting for me. My baby bro has been growing his hair out for way too long. I finally convinced him that it was time to cut it, and to my surprise he actually let me. It was like shearing a sheep- not that I have ever done that, but I can imagine. I totally loved it! I think I miss my salon days. I still do hair for family, and have been getting the word out a little at church, so maybe I will get a little business. I have been really hesitant because I don't really have a dedicated spot in the house to do hair. In STG, we had a salon in the house, but the layout of our new house just wouldn't really allow it. So I cut hair in our master bathroom, and wash in the kitchen sink. People I have told don't seem to really mind the set up, so that is good. I have thought about maybe working one or two days a week in a salon, while Tyler is home with Nathan, but who knows. It is no fun smelling morning perms when you are pregos, (which I hope to be soon)so yeah.