A New Home!!!!

It is a Beautiful, Wonderful day in Utah! The quilts are going to a new home, a good home!

They will be loved and hugged and cherished! The struggle and curse words you uttered as you were making them will never be known to the child who is loving it! Who ever they are, where ever they are, what ever their circumstances are, we may never know.

Total 30 completed Quilts!

THANKS to those who donated fabric, cut squares and gave completed quilts!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Party! Party! Party!

I was wondering if we could spread the Christmas parties through out the year? I am not ungrateful for the Great opportunities to get together and enjoy each others company, but how much can a girl eat?

Ward Party! This was at my home ward. Lasagna dinner and Mac & cheese for the kids, someone was thinking on that one!

I don't have a picture of my singles ward party, it was at the Spaghetti Factory! Yum!

Rickenbakers at the Ogden Airport! I would give this 5 stars! I had the best chicken pasta! Loved it! Crave it!

The whole group!

The Missionary Moms! Ha Ha - The boys are all home, so we decided to treat them to a dinner with us! The boys think it is kinda weird we are friends! I think they think we talk about them .

No, we have other really important stuff to talk about!

Yes, they are cute boys and GOOD friends! The second one from the left is visiting Mitch from Russia! The best part of the whole night was when they said Happy Birthday to Miriam in the language they spoke on their missions! It was also finals week, and all them were a little stressed! We missed Chris and his parents, he had 3 finals the next morning!

This is the mild crazy picture of them!

Before we went to the Christmas Concert of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, we ate the Roof! The buffet is the best, and yes we started with the deserts!

We still have a few more parties, and I am rolling myself to them! No wonder every ones New Years Resolution is to Diet!

Red Berries and Bulbs!

I have a problem! I love red berries! I have way to many Christmas things that are made of red berries! When I am in a store - I am drawn to them and have to make myself not buy any more! I have posted a few, not all of the them, but you'll get the idea!

Bad picture, I know, but yes there are red berry wreaths hanging on my windows!

Wrapped around by candles!

Hanging on my wall, and sitting on my table!

Hanging on my chairs!

I decided to branch out a little and use something other than red berries. Bulbs!

I bought this stryofoam tree from JoAnns with my 40% off coupon and the shatter proof blulbs at Hobby Lobby for $5.00. I already had the gold paint, and the glitter paint. I hot glued them on and I love it! It is not red and it is not berries!

Yes, I have another wreath, with red berries on the fireplace!

This picture is here, because I don't know how to delete it, without deleting the whole post!

Ha Ha - Erin will help me later!

Your WHAT???????????????????????

HAVING A BABY?

This is Erin talking to Paige on Thanksgiving! Paige had just told everyone her & Phil are having a baby! Erin's face is priceless!

Yes, it will be 2 plus 1 = 3!

Due date - July 11, 2010! I can just see them hiking with a baby in a pack on Phil's back!

Is it a boy or girl? Whatever it is, it will be beautiful!


This joyous picture of Morgan describes how we all felt hearing the news!

CONGRATULATIONS PAIGE & PHIL!

SUPER DUPER COOPER!

Today this little boy turns 5! What a joy he has been to our family!

Cooper is:

C - CUTE, creative, curious, candy lover!
O - Outstanding, outrageous, ornery when he doesn't have a nap!
O - Observant, obsesessed with jets!
P - popular, playful, precious to us!
E - energetic, extraordinary, entertaining!
R - remarkable, rambunctious most of the time!

Happy Birthday Cooper!

Immunize!

Michael T. Ringwood of the First Quorum of the Seventy, made a surprise visit to University 1st Stake on Sunday! He attended another wards Sacrament, then came to the our ward for Sunday School and Relief Society & Priesthood!

For 2 hours he had a captivated audience as he taught a packed Relief Society room of college singles. He answered their questions and addressed their concerns!

I was spiritually fed!

There were so MANY things I felt, but am only going to post about one thing I felt strongly about!

I have 4 children , 2 son-in-laws and 2 1/2 grandchildren! They are the most important things to me! I am so grateful what good kids they are!

I am not to worried about this crazy world we live in, because it is a wonderful time to be alive!

After saying that, I want my kids and grand kids to have a Happy, Productive life! Now, life happens, and bad things happen to good people, just by living!

Elder Ringwood talked about how we can immunize or innoculate our families against the wiles of the world by simple things! Prayer, scriptures and Family Home Evening!

We are so concerned about their physical well being, and make sure they are fed, clothed and immunized against disease.

So to immunize them against the things that can make them so unhappy, addictions, in what ever form it may be! Make sure they are fed, clothed and immunized by these simple spiritual things!

(At any age we can physical & Spiritually ail - so this is for all ages!)

This is how we babysit! He is watching a movie! How innocent and sweet - He needs his immunizations!

He also talked about how unfairly we judge each other! I won't judge you if you don't judge me!

Merry CHRISTmas!

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,

Stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?

It came without ribbons.

It came without tags.

It came without packages, boxes or bags.

And he puzzled and puzzled "till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before,

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

Black Friday

Erin, start saving your money for next year!

Where is Waldo? I mean Jake? He is in the back seat of the car!

We wore comfy clothes - tennis shoes and sweatshirts. We didn't get the memo to dress up! I couldn't believe how dressed up everyone was to shop at midnight! Now I know their secret! They can dress like that, because they shop Black Friday at Park City!

We went to Park City Thursday night and stayed at the Holiday Express Inn - very nice! We arrived at about 9:30 p.m. and decided to take a nap before the midnight shopping started. Scrap that, we decided to go to the outlets early to see if there were stores open. We were shocked at the steady stream of car lights. The parking lot was full already! WHAT WERE ALL THESE CRAZY PEOPLE DOING?

We did not stay long because of the masses of shoppers! Some stores were wall to wall people. After a while, they had a a person at the door of the store, and when someone came out, they would let someone in! You couldn't look at the Merchandise, because the lines were wrapped through the whole store!

We went back to the hotel about 2:00 a.m. and thought we would sleep and get up early. THINK AGAIN! We had Jake with us! Never a dull moment with him!

When he is awake it is as Morgan puts it - dance parties, riddles, random shouts of excitement etc.! So why would it be any different when he is asleep? It is not!

He is as crazy asleep as when he is awake! We are all just starting to snooze and He starts talking! It was Jibberish, but we could understand some of it - and then wham he elbows Morgan in the eye! OOPS he thinks he as the the store and someone is trying to take something from him (I think a blanket) and he is not going to let them - so he elbows them! Only it is Morgans eye, and she is asleep! We hear a thud! Oh, it was not funny - but we were so sleep deprived that we laughed until we were crying. As crazy as Jake is, he is also sweet - he was really sorry and apologetic. Thanks Jake and Morgan (good sport) for the entertaining night!

We did get up and shop shop shop! The masses were gone and the deals were Great! Was it worth it! YES YES YES! The sweet deals and the sweet memories!

I think this was the 6th year we have done this and hope to continue - Jake was on his mission a couple of years, and Paige is away at school this year, but that is why we have traditions, because you can always count on next year!

Thanksgiving 2009

The table with the beautiful flowers sent by who? The Turkeys on our plates made by Cooper & Spencer!
I understand Derek helped too! Good Dad!


The Huge family gathering!


The workers! Derek is the master potato masher!

Big brother Cooper helping Spencer put on his coat, so they can go outside and run!!!

Sadie, wondering why she can't come in and eat with us!

Thanksgiving has come and gone!

I was worried that it was going to be Sunday dinner on a Thursday. We did not have a huge family gathering. It was Jay and I, Morgan, Jake, Derek, Erin, Cooper & Spencer. Paige and Phil could not come from school - finals this week for Phil!

I should not have worried, because there is something special about the day of Thanksgiving! It must be because we pause in this crazy fast paced world to be Thankful!

Getting Ready - Kinda!

I went to the DI to drop off A LOT of things we aren't needing anymore! I took a quick walk through and did not leave empty handed. I bought a cake pan to add to my growing collection!
It was a $1.00!!!

I also bought this dresser- changing table! I should be cleaning and cooking to get ready for the big day, but instead I am painting! It is all done, but needs some cute glass knobs!

Had a request for the color - it is Behr paint from Home Depot - Palace Rose, interior flat. The stain I put on it is Miniwax special Walnut 224.

Don't you love to put olives on your fingers and eat them? Spencer sure does!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!! (I have a lot to be grateful for)

M&Ms, a sewing project and a pattern!

Another fun get together with the M&Ms. Missionary Moms - and yes the missionaries are all home and we are still friends. We were going to cut quilt squares for Hope Squared, but instead we WORKED really hard at visiting!

A realtor walking through our house, made fun of my pull down ironing board. He said, " I bet this gets used a lot." and he laughed. Little does he know - it gets used everyday! It is an odd size and I couldn't find a ironing board cover to fit. The one I made is cuter anyway!

I am seeing a pattern in my behavior - I take pictures of the sky, the trees, the flowers and the mountains a lot! I must like them!

This is what I look at every day! Ben Lomond

P.S. Today I am going in for the dreaded colonoscopie! Nothing is wrong, it is just when you turn 50, they recommend you have one! Well the day Jay turned 50, he made an appointment. Me, I am 53, it took me 3 years to decide I really could do this! Wish me Luck! Oh, and I have had a lot of crappy jokes!

Just Because!

You know I had 3 girls, before Jake was born. We were a very girly house, and thennnnn, the girls left! Now I am out numbered for the first time in my life and I am adjusting to a very boy house! I am getting used to ESPN on all the time, and rough housing. Jay and Jake like to push each other around, having fun, until someone gets mad. What is really weird, in 2 seconds they are over it! Not like girls!

It used to be 4 girls and 2 boys!
Now it is 4 girls and 6 boys! We added 2 son-in-laws (the best) and 2 grandsons (the best)

It is a good thing, Jay & Jake are so nice to me, or I might cry !

Spring!

Is what it felt like this weekend, in sunny St. George. With green grass and flowers blooming, I forgot it was fall!

I made some new friends too! When you put 50 people on a bus for 7 hrs. coming and going, your bound to bond!

This trip was a board & spouse retreat for the Davis Chamber, and it was GREAT!

One of the best parts, was while the board members were meeting, the spouses played! A few of us went on a hike, and it was a hike! 5 hours later, I returned to my room, tired and happy! We walked the sand and red rock up to the top, and found a cave!

We ate, played games (washers) ate, went to a dinner show in Mesquite, ate, visited, ate, ate, ate. The funny thing is we were at the Red Spa resort, and you could only get healthy food, very good food, but when the bus pulled out and stopped for a break, everyone bought junk food!!!

Too Cute! (This one is for Paige)

I was babysitting these two little stinkers and they were loving the weather and the leaves !

Spencer is taking a break! Ha Ha, too cute!

IN LOVE!

I finally got around to painting the green shelf in my pantry, and WOW I am in LOVE with it!

If your interested , the paint is from Walmart. Latex Flat Wall, Color Cosumal Aqua - # 91402. I was not too happy with the quality of paint (like water), but the end result was GOOD. The stain I put on after, is Minwax brand - Color Jacobean #2750.

Gotta go, I can't wait to paint some more furniture!

3 doors!

(This picture was taken from my back porch)

A challenge given in a great talk!

Before you speak, run what your going to say through these 3 doors:

1. Is it NECESSARY?

2. Is it TRUE?

3. Is it KIND?

I have a feeling, it would be a much quieter world if we did this!

I am going to take the challenge!

HOPE SQUARED!

A service project to give a child hope, one quilt at a time.

WOW! Thanks to everyone who wants to participate in Hope Squared! I want to do the Happy Dance!

DEADLINE
Nov. 18th for donations
Dec. 1st for completed quilts

IF YOU ARE COMPLETING A QUILT - Here are more details, or should I say suggestions.

We have decided to narrow it down to crib size quilts! This is a good size for a child and makes the measuring easy.

This size quilt requires 1 2/3 fabric or 60" long and 42 wide. A solid piece for the back.

For the front it is additional 1 2/3 fabric or 60" long and 42 wide, cut in squares.

It can be made from scrapes or coordinating fabrics. Anything goes!

Suggestions for square size - 8x8 which means 5 across and 7 long = 35 squares. This will give you 2 inches extra on width and 4 inches extra on length. Good to bind the quilt.

Or 6x6 which means 7 across and 1o long = 70 squares. This is exact and you can sew the front to the back and turn inside out, and save the step of binding. However, with this, be careful of the selvage. It sometimes has white or printing on it.

The batting should be thin, and it comes in crib size - 60 x 45. Or you can purchase in from a roll.

HOWEVER, now I told you what we are doing, you can make any size you want!

IF YOU WANT TO DONATE - THIS IS WHAT WE NEED

1. finished quilts
2. fabric - any amount
3. 1 2/3 fabric for the back
4. batting
5. money
6. People to sew squares
7. Picture of you (emailed to me) You might be in the Weber State Signpost! Jake is on a committee for Weber State University, the purple pack, and they are participating in this service project. They will be cutting squares of fabric for the quilts. Weber State wants to see how the community and the University are working together.
8. If you know of a specific need, let us know and we will consider it when deciding where to place these quilts!

We are donating these quilts locally in Ogden city. I have made many calls and I am shocked how much need there is for these quilts. TEAR TEAR! We will let you know where they are going, and if you have any suggestions please share with us!

Please email me to let me know what you will be donating, and I will email you to tell where to bring the donations. Any Questions?

Greavesma@hotmail.com

Magic carpet ride!

Loaded onto the blanket

NO grandpa, not over the stair!

Oh Good, safe, pulled quickly away!

Lost our balance!

So fast, too much fun!

Whoops, over the stair!

Grandpa do it again!

(I know the pictures are not so good, but this was to much fun to not post about!