Love Pockets

I was looking for a fun little Valentine's day project to do. . . I found a pattern for some cute felt pocket birds , but they ended up being too time consuming for what I wanted so made hearts instead. I made some 'guy' hearts: And some 'girl' hearts: And since I work a little backwards, I then had to find something purposeful to use these cute little Love Pockets for! So I developed a FHE lesson and a little service plan from President Eyring's talk Our Hearts Knit as One. Here are a few of the quotes I used:

The need for [unity] to be granted to us and the challenge to maintain it will grow greater in the days ahead, in which we will be prepared as a people for our glorious destiny.

He cannot grant [unity] to us as individuals. The joy of unity He wants so much to give us is not solitary. We must seek it and qualify for it with others. . . .We can pray and work for the unity that will bring us joy and multiply our power to serve.

God will help us see a difference in someone else not as a source of irritation but as a contribution. The Lord can help you see and value what another person brings which you lack.

We discussed the importance of unity and how we could develop it and qualify for it as a family. I suggested to the kids that as we serve each other within our family we would feel greater unity. Then I presented the Love Pocket Plan:

We each chose a heart.

We each made a list of things we would enjoy having others do for us: our daily chores, our night of dishes, our laundry, play time together etc. (The reason I did this is so the kids will focus on serving another in a way the other person would enjoy and not what is necessarily convenient or what the server would mind doing.)

We also each ranked an assortment of Valentine candy I had in a box as to which ones we would most like to receive. These papers are kept in the candy box.

To put the plan into action, we choose a person and a service to provide. We write about it on little note papers kept in the candy box and put it in the Love Pocket. Then we put 3 candies the recipient would like in the pocket and leave it on the recipient's bed. When the recipient gets the Love Pocket they have a day to return a service to the giver. This way each person gets a treat but also performs a service almost everyday. So far it has worked well and has been fun.

Usually working 'backwards' like this doesn't turn out this well, but I sure like it when it does!

Christmas Party

Didn't take too many pictures of the Christmas party my parents had this year. . . only got one of a few of the girls holding their PJ's (homemade by grandma), but everyone got them. And I did get one of Great Grandma playing Life with the grand kids. So fun for the kids to get together and play. We had good food, chatting, games and sledding in the canoe.

Retro Bowling

Cache has been into 'retro' lately. . . anything retro is cool. So we took him bowling to a 'cool retro place' along with his 'cool retro bowling ball and shoes'. Who recognizes the place?

Christmas Activity

For Christmas, Jerry and Carolyn wanted to do something fun with each of the grand kids. They thought about what each age group/family would like the best and planned fun things for everyone. Cache and Caleb were taken to the Provo temple (they couldn't get in to Salt Lake) to do baptisms for the dead then out to dinner at Brick Oven. Fun times for them.

They took Chan and Tess to Build-A-Bear. That was a hit! Chandler has slept with his bear every night since then and uses him to play football games in the basement along with other things. And Tess LOVED going to the mall! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Waddoups!

Killer Bunnies

A couple of years ago we received the game Killer Bunnies for Christmas. The name bothered me at first but it has been such a great game that we have played it many times more than any other game we own (and we own a lot of games and play them quite often). After you get the original game you can add booster packs (there like 10 additional packs) and we got the 4th one for Christmas (green). So since we've had a new pack and it is winter and since we have 9:00 church (vs. 1:00) we have been playing it 1-2 times a week. So fun! Love that the kids will all sit down and play with us. Anyone else Killer Bunnies fans?

Yay for journals!

Ran across this journal entry the other day (from November 2006) and smiled. At this stage in the game I'm not sure whether I'm most excited for a new baby or to not be pregnant any more. Unfortunately it is a toss up. (I'm so not a good pregnant person!) Anyway, it gave me hope that there is happiness in more ways than one at the end of this tunnel --which was encouraging since my muddled pregnant brain has a hard time seeing either. (click to enlarge and read the NOTICE)

Cleaning

Doing a little bit of cleaning and I came across this: Chandler wrote it last April. Love the algebra equation. Made me smile. Definitely a keeper (both him and his writing!)

And speaking of cleaning. . . I've been doing a little bit and am gathering a pile of things for give aways (mostly scrapbooking stuff, but also a few organizational items.) I want to do something fun on my blog to find them loving homes. . . if you are possibly interested, let me know (either comment or email chart@utwire.net) and I'll devise some way to make a fun give away.

Muffin Tin Advent Calendar: This week's cure for Depression

So I don't typically have an issue with after Christmas blues, but knew this year could be different since I struggle with fairly severe depression at the end of pregnancies. And although I suspected I might experience an onset once Christmas break was over, I still wasn't really ready when it hit. It has been a hard week. Very hard. Depression is real and I'm so thankful that I only battle it during pregnancies. I {think} I'm also thankful to experience a taste of it so I understand it a little. (I'll be more thankful after it's over!) In my "normal" thinking, depression is something I would say one could 'just snap out of '. But after experiencing it for myself, I know that isn't quite how it works. Answers are not easily found and feelings of peace and self worth are a struggle to catch glimpses of. I have gained greater sympathies for those who struggle frequently and severely. Anyway, today is a good day so that is why I can write about it a little. . . . being this open and honest is a bit difficult, but maybe someone relates a little and can benefit from this post. (not that I've got any great light to shed on the subject, just a knowing someone else struggles sometimes helps.)

One thing I know about myself is that when I start to dip, I need something creative to keep me going. If I have something, the rest of me can stay a little more put together. So this week I pulled out a project that I wanted to have done before December, but didn't have time to even start. You've maybe seen some muffin tin advent calendars. . . they have been all over this year (Etsy and crafty blogs) ,. . . and no wonder since they are really fun! So I pulled out everything I had set aside and got to work. It was fun (and very healing). Here is what I put together. Close ups:The down side is now I've got to pick up the pieces of what I neglected while playing. . . . I've *got* to finish 3 more assignments on my last class to keep my teaching certificate current (but that is no fun and SO easy to procrastinate!). And my house could use a little attention. And I really, really should approach the daunting task of finding a name for this child. I know it sounds crazy, but it is a job I just don't want to face (former school teachers are forever cursed in child naming). And there are a few other undesirable tasks on my list but my pregnant brain isn't thinking of them atm. All sounds depressing. . . anyone want a muffin tin advent calendar that I can use to battle this week's bouts? JUST KIDDING! Procrastination breeds deeper depression. . . I'm going to buck up and accomplish something real this week! Wish me luck :).

The Typewriter

Over Christmas break we all went to lunch at Olive Garden and on the way home, the kids asked if we could go to DI. So we stopped in. While there, Cache found a typewriter that he just HAD to have. . .so he forked out $1.50 for this "cool, retro typing machine". He has now decided that his parents had it hard (but more like grandparents since we learned on electric typewriters). . . after all on a manual typewriter your fingers have to work much harder and have to manually return it to the next line. He has learned for himself why the shift key is actually called the shift key (it actually shifts!) And how in the world do you actually center something on the center of the page?? Oh the limitations of a typewriter!

So in this day and age, what in the world do you use a typewriter for? He is determined to do at least one school assignments on it (I wish him luck!!!) and perhaps even take it to school and use it to take notes (teachers will LOVE him!) For other ideas, read on!

Type up your priesthood assignments. . . Type while you eat lunch. . . . Type up the text on your playing cards. . . . Type on the way to Danny's baptism. . . .What kinds of things do you type? Click on the images to find out! With how much mileage we've gotten out of this typewriter, it was well worth the $1.50! (and as Cache would say, don't be jealous!)

Tess's first haircut

It is no secret that I stink at doing hair (my own included). So having a little girl is very challenging for me in that department. And it doesn't help that Tessa's hair is difficult. Before her haircut, her top layer (consisting of about 7 strands of hair) went half way down her back when combed out while wet. Under that (which had about 12 strands) was quite a bit shorter. The only thing that I could do with it was pigtails. But they rarely looked very good since they were so sparse and the shorter, thicker part of her hair didn't cooperate. Anyway, I finally got brave and cut it. She didn't hold still AT ALL, but somehow we managed something sort of straight. Doing it now isn't much simpler because to in order to give her any body, I have to take the curling iron to it and that is hard on a wiggly head, but on stay home days a simple pony tail on top to keep it out of her face suffices. (the little clippies just slide out so this little hairdo was a one time thing)Anyone who has hair advice is welcome to help me out here!!!

Christmas Update (finally!)

This year our "Christmas Day Surprise" was having the kids complete 'tasks' to earn the next round of presents. I put the following tasks in envelopes with a corresponding tag on the envelope so the kids knew which presents to get after the task was completed. All tasks were cooperative so there was absolutely no competition between the boys. It turned out quite fun! (once again, I got too wrapped up in it all to remember to be the family photographer:(

1: Your task is to build a 2 ft high structure out of straws that will support one of our blue plastic plates.
2: Your task is to stack 50 matches on top of a pop bottle.3: Your task is to play Grandpa in ping pong to 60 points. You must each switch off every 10 points.
4: Your task is to use Ruckus cards and build house that is at least 12 x 12 and that has 3 stories.5: Your task is to earn 30 points by shooting a bow and arrow at the front door. The arrow must stick to the door for the points to count. Inside each rectangle on the front door is worth 5 points outside of that is worth 10. You must earn 30 points all together each taking 3 shots at a time.
6: Your task is to land 50 bouncy balls into the bucket. The ball must bounce once before going in. You will each throw 5 balls then switch off.
7: Your task is to untie all of the knots in the rope provided. You must each place your hands on both sides of a knot. You may not take your hands off the rope until it is all untied.8: Your task is to blow up one balloon and put a marble inside before tying it. You are to keep the balloon in the air at all times (no holding it) for 3 consecutive minutes.
9: Your task is to use Grandma and Grandpa Bingham's book to look up the answers to the questions on the enclosed sheet.

On Christmas day we also take time to play with things as we open them up so opening presents took over 7 hours this year. So fun! (The kids are used to it, but Grandma Great wanted to pick up the pace!)

We also did two other fun things this Christmas. The first was having 'Intermission Gifts'. We got each of the kids 8 different, unique and fun food items that they don't usually get. They each have a favorite food so they got different varieties of their favorite food. Cache got 'selected beverages'. . . mostly different kinds of soda and sparkling juice drinks. Caleb got a combination of things. . jerky and sauces (like a special mustard and Pick-a-Pepper Sauce etc.). Chandler got fruit. He got a star fruit, a pummelo, a tangerine, a container of black berries, a mini pineapple etc. Tess got mini boxes of sugar cereal. They got to open one between each task/gift set. This was a huge hit!!

The second fun thing was getting all of the kids a "DI Find". I was at DI one day early in December and saw a couple of high ticket items that the kids would like. I called Tom on the way home and told him we should get all the kids something from DI. He loved the idea. So almost every day in December and on many of our date nights we hit the DI in search of exactly what we wanted. We found Cache a bowling ball, which included a bag, shoes (that even fit!) a partially used score card and some talc powder. (it was only $3!) (the picture I found is cropped from another one, but he LOVES these shoes!--I love the quirkiness of teenagers!) We found Caleb some hockey skates. He has been wanting some new ones but since he is in adult sizes but hasn't stopped growing we can't justify $200 for something that won't fit for long. So getting him some at the DI was an excellent idea. And our luck was good in finding a very nice pair. He loved them!

And Chandler has been wanting a desk for his room to do his homework on. We found him this awesome old school desk. We scored with that gift also. (He's the only I have a picture of with his gift--it is the refinished picture with him in his new pj's from Grandma Porter.) Tess just got a few clothes for her DI find since she doesn't play with much else. (she's easy to please!) Although it was a bit difficult finding exactly what we wanted, we may just revisit this idea for another Christmas. It really was fun!
Just wanted to end with a cute picture of Tess in all her Christmas stuff. She was a happy girl! I just have to say our day was so awesome with all the fun extras we added this year and having my parents and grandma here. . . This will go down in my book as one of my favorite Christmases!

The Trap!

One thing I've learned over the years is that while the traps my dad makes are cool, they are very hard to photograph and impossible to get the whole effect of it on film. They almost always make noise and have some gadget that triggers the whole thing that just doesn't look as grand as the effect it causes. So imaginations are required when trying to explain them. Here goes this year's:
My dad came to our house a bit before Christmas (just passing through) and took measurements of door ways and the hallway. Then on Christmas Eve, he pulled out a large duffel bag of stuff and got to work. It took him most of the night to get it all set up. Basically it was a frame that fit snugly in front of the bedroom door made from 1x2's. It was all held in place without nails, screws etc. You can see pieces that go across the hall that held it in place. There were a couple on the floor as well. He strung string across it in a spiderweb fashion so that if it were touched on any part, a burglar alarm would go off. You can see the contraption that caused that. Then he wrapped the part the kids would see when they opened the door in wrapping paper. Viola, a trap of all traps! (he even said so himself!)One funny thing about Caleb breaking through was I was outside the door trying to get pictures but I had my lens cap on so only the flash was going off (couldn't figure out why I couldn't take any pictures!) But Caleb on the other side could see the flash going off and thought that the trap was a camera set up to take pictures of him coming through. So he got busted this year. . .in more ways than one since we were all outside watching him get through and he couldn't avoid setting the alarm off. Fun stuff and a great way to start Christmas day!

Christmas Eve

We were SO lucky to have my parents and Grandma Bingham for Christmas. It made my whole year!!! They came on Christmas Eve so they got to participate in the festivities from beginning to end. My only regret is I wasn't very good at getting many pictures. . . . I get too wrapped up in what's happening that I forget :(.

We always have homemade Chinese food for Christmas Eve dinner. This year we had Kung Pao Chicken, Beef Benihana, Tiny Spicy Chicken, rice and Egg Rolls (just got those from Costco). We use traditional Chinese dishes and chopsticks. It is a meal we all look forward to even though it is so much work to pull off. So yummy! And it was fun to share it with guests this year.

Then we reenact the nativity. It always seems to be a bit more comedic than serious, but hopefully the memories count towards something! Top left picture: Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem on a trusty (and incredibly awesome) donkey; the angel is waiting in the wings. Top right: Joseph, and shepherds (Mary, being so young and irresponsible left the scene leaving all the newborn care to Joseph) Bottom left: The three (and one adopted) wisemen pointing to the star; Bottom right: Our very sweet angelic angel, Grandma Bingham; The efficient narrator (Cache) was somehow dismissed from all photos--he didn't complain at all! After the Nativity, the kids open one gift. . . their ornament. We always get them a Hallmark ornament that has something to do with the previous year's activities or events. (So Chandler got a football player since he played flag football this year.) Then it is off to bed for the kids and the adults get to work . . . extra help this year was MUCH appreciated since we hadn't wrapped much because all of it was in the attic. And my dad worked on a trap. (pictures of that in another post). Such good memories I'll keep forever!

Christmas (and other catch up posts) Coming Soon!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Christmas break with everyone home (including Tom). . . so I'm so sad to have it end tomorrow. But with the end of it, I will (hopefully!) have time to catch up on my blog. So check back soon! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!