Just stopping by...

Life has been crazy around this house the last couple of months. I know. I know! L.I.F.E is one of those 4-lettered words. I have been working 60 hrs a week at the hospital and just had to let something go. Never fear! I will be back just after the first of the year. I have still been doing a few projects here and there. I plan to share the good with the bad. All those pins from Pinterest that didn't quite work as well as what did. And I hope to start another 52 projects in 52 weeks. So stay tuned.

 For now, I am focusing on my family for the holidays.

Merry Christmas to you all!

PTA fundraiser ideas and a printable.

We have a wonderful PTA. We work hard to send each class on a field trip, increase technology in each classroom, and support our teachers and show them how much we care. This year we have decided to do away with kids selling products in favor of other fundraisers. I am thrilled! They are going to be fantastic!

This is what we are planning:

1- A Flea Market sale

2- Our annual Halloween Carnival

3- Santa's Sweet Gift Shop

4- Penny Wars

5- Fun run/walk

We have done the middle 3 yearly but added the other 2 this year.

I am in charge of the Flea Market and I couldn't be more excited with how it is going. We hope to turn it into an annual event. I wanted to have 80 spaces 'rented' and have so far gotten over 60 with 3 weeks left. The PTA is renting the parking spaces to those with yard sale goods, homemade crafts, or small businesses. We have such a variety of vendors already signed up. From DoTerra, Tupperware, and Pauperauzzi, to Custom concrete, Maxi skirts, and homemade treats. All the money the vendors make is theirs to keep. Our money comes from the space rental making it a win/win deal. Now to pray the weather holds. I think I will be getting quite a bit of Christmas shopping done myself.

Although we have done the Santa shop in the past we decided to stock it ourselves. We felt the company we used in the past charged too much for...well...basically junk. As frugal moms we just couldn't handle our kiddos paying for useless junk. We thought we could do better. So over the past year we have shopped after season clearance sales, made crafts and requested donations. I think it is going to be so much better. We only made a small amount last year because of the large overhead. It is such a great time for the kids to be able to shop for their family without mom or dad that we wanted to continue it but wanted to provide better quality products for them. I have been putting together crafts big and small. I was tasked with gifts for dads, grandpas, and brothers...all the boy gifts. It made sense with 4 boys but boy gifts are a bit harder than girls and they are not found on sale as easily. Still, I have to admit it has gone well. I have more to make and need to pull out my sewing machine but we are getting there. I will let you know how well we do in December.

Last year we had the Penny wars among the classes. Those little kiddos brought in over $1500 in coins from their piggy banks! How awesome is that. A little healthy competition can go a long way. The bonus was just watching all the kids get excited to see their jars fill up. This year we found a couple of spiral wishing wells that will add to our penny wars. We plan to have "vs" wars with them. For example iphone vs android, vote for your favorite. Should be fun. Besides ya gotta admit those funnels are just cool to watch.

Our other new fundraiser this year is the fun run/walk. It will be our spring event. Although I am not a runner races are always a great way to build support. 

Our Halloween Carnival is our biggest event. It is a huge undertaking but the kids and community love it! After all what is Halloween without a school carnival. ;-)

I will keep you posted on the success of our adventures. We are also working on grants and bigger company programs like box tops, Walmart, and Target gift cards. What are some of the fundraising events you have had success with? I would love to hear your ideas. Our parents have been thrilled with the idea of not selling products. This momma included!

I thought I would share a printable freebie. This is the sign I made up for our Flea Market. Hope you have fun using it too. Just click on the photo to download.

DIY tile~ cooling the storage room

We have a small cool storage room under my stairs but it was time to fix a couple of issues.

I store the produce I bottle from our garden in there so it needs to be cold and dark.

It was also a bit of a squeeze through the doorway.

I thought if I took the insulation off the outside walls it would cool off more and I wanted to cover the floor in something. We had used the sticky tiles in our other house and they worked great! This was definitely a project that needed to be done before canning gets going full swing.

I found some nice (but cheap inexpensive) vinyl tile at Home Depot. I didn't have room to empty the storage out completely so I enlisted my boys help and did the job in 3 sections.

 First I started under the stairs. My boys were great helpers at taking out all the empty bottles. Once the tiles were laid they went to work moving the bottles back in place. 

Now for section 2. We had to move my homemade shelves, no easy task mind you. Those babies are He-avy!

Most of the tiles went down nicely. We have to do a bit of cutting but not much. I am not good at that part so thankfully dear hubby indulged me after he got home from work.

Then we finished off with the last little bit, working my way out the door.

The insulation I took off the walls gave me 8 inches more space. I know that doesn't sound like a lot but it was perfect. Now the shelves fit better and my lunch bins easily slid in between the shelf and wall. Remember that tight fit~ yep, no more.

Ahh, that is wonderful! So much better. It's amazing how little things can make big differences.

Now my bottles are no longer right on the cement. Did you know that water bottles can leach the taste of  cement into it. Uck! This is better. I plan on putting my water on pallets as well.

I don't mind the cement walls. They are outside walls and will help to keep the room cooler.

Now for a door and light switch of it's own....

Bike Helmet Rack

 I found this large but narrow piece of peg board in Home Depot's cull lumber area. They have a cart that they discount various pieces of lumber on. It is usually only $0.60. Sometimes they have great pieces on the cart. I always check it out. I wasn't sure what I would use it for but knew this peg board would come in handy. The price was literally pocket change.

I already has a 1x2 to frame the back. It turned out to be a great project for my boys to learn to use the power tools with. Simple cuts. No big deal if you cut wrong. They did a fantastic job.

 Just frame the back to give a space between the wall and the peg board. This allows the hoods to slide into place. I think the pegs were less than $5 so for around $5 I have all the helmets within easy reach.

An just above the helmets are the fishing poles. After returning from camping I set a pole up on this tool wrack and realized it was perfect for holding all the rods. Sure enough, a perfect fit. Now the rods won't get tangled with other camping gear. 

What do you think? Are you bikers in the fall? This might work for you.

Horray! School is back in....

My boys went back to school last week. We all couldn't be happier. Mr. Matthew starts kindergarten this week so he has less than thrilled to not have his buddies to play with. He will join in the celebration this week.

As I watched FB I wondered if I was an enigma.

Unlike my friends who were missing their kiddos within the first hour, I was thrilled to have the quiet at home.

I had a reason to get up earlier. (Quite the deal when you work nights.)

Chores were done first thing.

I didn't have to field video game questions all day.

My house stayed clean (until 3:30).

I got my own chores done.

I even had time to myself to craft.

Uh, yeah, I was wondering if I was missing something. But I must say my boys were thrilled to get back as well. They enjoyed seeing their friends and new teachers. My oldest (nearly 14) enjoyed the added independence of being away from home. In fact, I still haven't gotten the "first day of school" photo. Gonna add that to my list for morning.

So with my celebration comes time for organization. I love structure. I love clean lines and spaces. I love organization.

Last year I shared how I fix lunches for my brood of 4 boys plus dad. I thought I would share a couple of other ways to have lunch made in a sec.

I work full time nights. It's tough going without sleep but it works for my family. I am able to be there for my boys when they need me. It does mean that I need to have be organized. Some mornings are better than others. I have a wonderful 13 nearly 14 year old who enjoys cooking and actually prefers to make his own lunch. (I know you're all jealous, don't hate me) He is wonderfully helpful with little brother lunches too. I try to plan things out to make those rough mornings simpler.

Several years ago this is what I used. I bought several stackable bins. I had a bin for sides such as fruit cups, desserts such as pudding, and drinks such as Capri Sun.

 The morning of school I would proceed to make the sandwich or whatever while the boys ran downstairs to pick out the rest of their lunch. It worked great. They got the choice but I had a bit of control over it. They knew they had to pick one from each bin. During the summer they could also pick their snack out of the bin. It worked great. 

Here is a link to Amazon to the bins I used. They are perfect.

This is an easy system to put together and the kids have fun being involved. The downside is things have to be prepackaged. I can't cut my own vegi's or have my divide up my own jars of fruit. The dessert is easy to fill but I have to be a bit more creative for the "sides". You can put crackers etc in snack size ziplock bags and toss in the bins. Even do this with crackers.

Check back tomorrow for another option. Then let me know which system you are using.

My Liebster Award

A while back Britney from The Princess and Her Cowboys nominated me for the Liebster Award. It was so wonderful of her...

The Liebster Award is an award for blogs with under 200 followers. Liebster is German for dearest, or beloved and a blog nominated for the Liebster Award is said to be worth watching. 

There are a few things to follow once you have been nominated:

• Acknowledge the blog that nominated you with a post.
• Share 11 facts about yourself.
• Then answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
• List up to 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you believe deserve some recognition.
• Post 11 new questions for them to answer.
• Notify all the bloggers you've selected that they've been nominated.
• Do not nominate the blog who nominated you.

So for the 11 facts about me.

1. I love to garden. It is hard work but getting to stand back and see the plants bloom and grow is truely rewarding. 
2. I love to travel, by air or ground, I love seeing the land and sights. 
3. I would love to learn to fly.
4. I am very type A. I have to have things just right much to my boys and hubby's dismay.
5. I have a son with Aspergers. Read a little about it here.
6. I work full time nights as an RN in our local ICU.
7. I enjoy working out.
8. Idaho is the greatest state in the nation. You won't understand until you have lived there.
9. I have been married for 17 years and am still madly in love with my sweetheart.
10. I think Grandparents teach lessons parents never can.
11. I am addicted to creating. I think I go into withdrawals if I haven't done anything for a while.

1. Where would you travel if money were no object? Europe, always wanted to see the classic sights.

2. What language would you like to learn if given the chance? Spanish for the practicality but really Russian, I just think it is a fascinating language.

3. What do you like to do as a hobby besides blogging? Crafting, card making, gardening. I kinda do it all. 

4. Who is your hero and why? If may be cliche but my Dad! He has the greatest work ethic of anyone I know. He doesn't complain. He has always been the calm steady in the storm of life for me.

5. What is your favorite childhood memory? More funny than favorite: Dad taking me to the park when I was 3 for a spanking. I was throwing a mega fit (kicking on the floor of the pickup). He wasn't happy with himself for loosing his temper but I only needed to be reminded of that the rest of my life and I would straighten up. Dad seldom loses his temper but oooh boy!!

6. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why? Idaho. I miss it. The cool nights, hot days....I have visited 35 states but Idaho is still my fav. There is just something in the air. You feel it but can't explain it.

7. What makes you unique? I am completely transparent. I have never been able to hide my feelings. Turns out to be a good thing. I am genuine. Don't worry about what I think, you can read it all over me, the good as well as the bad. Truest true!

8. How did you come up with the name for your blog? I wanted something unique and memorable. Something that defined me. Few families have only boys. I kinda feel part of a unique club. With talk of 4 boys inevitably you will talk about how they grow. 4growingboys fit.

9. What is your favorite part about the summer? Not having to shuttle kids back and forth to school. I hate that there are no buses where we live. Such a waste of resources to have so many cars going back and forth. (yes we do carpool) but it gets tough when we buy cars to fit our family, not the neighborhood.

10. Favorite food? Currently- salmon.

11. What blog has helped you out the most as you've started? I'm not sure but I have been inspired to do more word art from Bethany at Elegant wordart.

Check out these blogs!
Cheri @ DJ's Sundries 
Michelle @ Greene Acres Hobby Farm (love this name!)
Maria @ Krafty Cards etc.

I searched through my other favorite blogs but they are doing so well they don't fit the less than 200 followers criteria. I will keep watching and add any newbies I fall in love with.

Back 2 School wordart freebie

Summer seems to be quickly winding down. I have been spending more and more time canning jams and vegi's. We will love that later this year. I even pulled a nice big carrot up today while weeding. Each week I am able to do another batch of fresh strawberry jam.Fall is my favorite season and I am thrilled that it is just around the corner. The cool nights and warm days are perfect for me. The pumpkin spice, harvest baking and changing colors is wonderful. Plus it means Christmas, the BEST time of the year, is drawing close. After school gets started then I get to start focusing on Christmas shopping. We don't go all out on gifts but I prefer to break it up over several months. It makes it a tad bit easier on the budget. 

PTA is picking up too so I will be busy with that. Which also means I will be posting fun PTA ideas and boards. 

We might get in one or two more camping trips. With that I will be sharing more fantastic tips to keep your trip running smoothly. 

And last but not least my fabulous mother in law is putting together a post of ways to use everyday supplies in paper crafting. You won't want to miss it. She is amazing!

So lots of changes right along with the season. Exciting times!

Are you ready? Ready for back to school? Better get ready, it's coming....

Enjoy another freebie!

Back 2 School Download

ABC....123 Download

Elementary wordart freebie

This is the first year I have really looked forward to school starting- really! I usually love having my boys home but they have been quite rambunctious lately. Time for more structure. My youngest starts school this year too. We will see how that goes. I think I am excited for that. He has been in preschool the last couple of years so he has been gone several hours 3 days a week already. I have lots of plans to spend my quiet time although running back and forth to the school several times each day will put a damper on those plans. I really wish they bussed here but alas they don't. It won't be too bad until winter sets in and they can't ride their bikes or scooters...which reminds me we need to get going on bike lessons. The big boys have taught him how to ride a scooter but he still needs to work on his bike. 

I am also getting ready for PTA projects. I am PTA VP. It's not as bad as it sounds but I still am kept plenty busy. I have some meetings, help the teachers, and do monthly bulletin boards. It is fun but keeps me on my toes. Everything has to be written down or it just doesn't happen. 

This week we will be laying tile in our storage room. Not a bad project for the hot summer days. Just working in the cool basement. It actually excites me. I love to walk in and see clean organization. We won't finish the room entirely but I wanted to add insulation and cover the cement floor. I just picked up the sticky laminate. Nothing fancy but it adds a nice touch. I will post pictures when we get it all done. The trick has been moving the stuff out. My boys did a fantastic job of that. Heck, there's 4 of them and only 1 of me. They should be able to get it done 4 times as fast right?! ;-)

Enjoy my latest back 2 school wordart. I seriously need to get to my own photos. My goal this year is to finish 2013 with the year in print. Let's see if I can do it!

You should be able to just click on the picture. Enjoy!

2+2=4 wordart freebie while reminiscing

One of the fun things about blogging is it becomes a sort of journal. Just looking back at previous posts is a walk down memory lane. How quickly life changes. Just when we think things will never get to what we want it changes in the blink of an eye. We have lived in our new home for 3 years now and A LOT has changed. We have 3 rooms finished in the basement and our yard is landscaped with beautiful trees and berries growing. We have made new friends and enjoy our new jobs. We have truely been blessed. I still wonder what the lessons are that we need to learn but I am thankful to be together as a family on this grand adventure. My heart will forever be in Idaho, (there is just something intangible about it that I am drawn to) but this is becoming our home too. 

Isn't it amazing how far a bit of trust and hard work can take you. 

Watching how my boys grow is perhaps the most amazing. That is what I love about scrapbooking. I do simple pages. It's about the pictures and the people in the pictures more than the page layout or embellishments. When we moved my Tyler was getting ready to start kindergarten. He was thrilled. He had looked forward to school from the moment I pushed him in the stroller to the bus stop with his big brother. Now my sweet baby is heading off to kindergarten. And my oldest in taller than both me and his dad. (And I am not short mind you!) Ahhh, the joys of parenthood. Can't wait for them to get older then wish they were still little. 

I guess the lesson learned in it all is to live in the moment; to enjoy every single second. Yep, that's what I am going to do this week. Refocus and recommit to enjoy each moment of each day. I hope you do too.

Enjoy your day. Hug your little ones a second longer. Be slow to yell and quick to smile and laugh!

2+2=4 Download

Bye Bye Download

School Days Download

Nerds are Cool wordart freebie

I have a house of boys but we are not big sports fans. We enjoy a good game once in a while but I have yet to decorate a room in sports theme. We are self proclaimed NERDS. Yep, both hubby and I would rather read a good book than watch tv. In school we were the typical nerds. I went to a very small school so it didn't matter as much. Although I joke that the coaches were terribly disappointed when their star center's tall younger sister couldn't shoot the ball worth a darn. They would have to wait a couple more years for the next star in the family. Student government was more up my alley.

 Dear hubby was painfully shy (although you would NEVER know it now) and couldn't hardly talk to anyone. Books became a safe retreat for him. A 2 year service mission helped him as much if not more than the people he served. 

Now raising our boys they have picked up our traits. Tracking reading minutes is more work than the reading. The boys are always reading and enjoying it. My oldest has even been "hanging out" at the library this summer. At our house, you get grounded from your book, not the other way around. 

I love it! I love that my boys are finding joy in reading and learning that we have. Mad scientist parties are always a big hit. 

So when I found a chemistry font I was thrilled. I couldn't wait to give it a try.

 What do you think? Sports fan or Geek Squad? My oldest didn't want to do track but he jumped at doing Science Olympiad. Geek Squad it is in this house of boys. ;-) 

Enjoy this fun word art!

Nerds are Cool Download

 My Class Download

School is Cool wordart freebie

Summer is quickly coming to a close. We have had lots of adventures. Now the adventure of school shopping is beginning. How are you doing with that? Have you started yet? There are many benefits to having all boys and this is the time of year I celebrate the most. My boys are easy peasy to shop for but finding pants for my oldest son could be interesting. He is tall and skinny! Then the run begins for school supplies. I miss being able to hit all the deals of the week and be back home in an hour. Yep, just an hour, if I hurried. The stores were close to home and each other. Now I have to plan out my trip a bit more. Do I price match at Walmart (the only store in town) or travel 45 minutes? At least I like planning and shopping. Now if my boys can last through it all. 

In light of this and school starting soon I made up several new wordarts. My goal is to be ahead and ready for the next event or holiday before it gets here. Let's see how well I do eh?!

 All this week I will be posting school fun wordart. Check it out. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for stopping by. Happy Shopping!

Nice Job Download

 School is Cool Download

Flashcards organized....

I absolutely love it when inspiration strikes unexpectantly!

I also love that my hubby doesn't question why I buy various things, sometimes I don't know until later what I plan to use them for. 

I stopped by Walgreens today and noticed several items on sale. I make a point to stock up on sale items, even school items. They had several goodies for our PTA santa shop too. I picked up some small notepads (a constant need for OCD list makers like me) then I noticed flashcards for math and reading on clearance. We had looked at them last spring but never bought any. They will work great for our road trip coming up this weekend, so I grabbed 4 different sets. Moving on down the line I picked up a few other items, including some index card holders. I didn't know exactly what I would use them for but I knew there was something wonderful waiting for them. Plus they were only $0.49. Score for cheap organization.

After getting home the boys helped unload the bags. Some stuff to the PTA box. Some to the kitchen. Some to the school supplies.....

Hours later, as I am getting ready for work, I look down at the flashcards on the counter. The boys have already tested Mr. Matthew on his letters.....A thought suddenly comes to me. "What if I put them in those index card boxes?! I bet they'll fit!"

 Downstairs I go, grab the boxes...straighten a few things...notice the boys need to clean up their games...ah-ha that's where the Windex I just bought got put. (every mom multitasks to the max right?!) ......ok, back upstairs

 No to test my theory....

 Wouldn't you know! A perfect fit. Now the cards might have a chance to survive...but how are the boys going to know which is which? Some of those cute labels I have pinned on pinterest...Nah, I don't have time for that right now. The boxes have bright labels already....I wonder....

 Ahhh, just cut around the label and use clear packing tape.

Voila! Perfect storage for our flashcards. These will be going with us this weekend.
Gotta love inspiration!

Priesthood Line of Authority Plaques

Update: I am still doing this for anyone who wants a copy for their line. Just let me know. Thank you to all who have shared their line with me. It has been amazing to see them all! 

 We believe that God has given men power to act in his name today just as in the days of old. Through this priesthood power men can perform blessings and other sacred acts. A priesthood line of authority is a sequential pattern of ordinations that can be followed back to the early beginnings of the Church.  Each worthy man that holds this priesthood power can trace his authority directly back to Jesus Christ. 

It is amazing to me to know the power that my sweet husband holds. Our home has an added sense of safety and security from the storms of the world by his honoring his priesthood power. 

During college I lived with a group of girls and for the first time in my life did not enjoy the protection of having the priesthood power in my home. Although we felt safe their was a noticeable difference. Something was missing. My roommate and I talked several times about this. Never again would we take this protection and blessing from our Heavenly Father for granted. 

Now I am blessed with this protection through my sweet husband. I know that the priesthood is power and authority from Heaven. I have seen miracles happen through it. I have seen and felt the peace that comes with its sacred use. Being able to trace this authority directly back to my Savior leaves me in awe. I know my Father in Heaven is mindful of me and my family. 

I have wanted to have a nice photo of this for some time. I finally got the information I needed to do just that. This is what I came up with.

I love how it turned out! I used a photo from the online gospel library. You can request your line of authority from the Church via mail or email. For privacy they will only send it to the household of living individuals. I had my dad's sent to my mom and had her forward the info onto me. I am doing one for my dad, father-in-law, and brother too. Now I will have it to add each of my boys names to as they get old enough and are ordained to the priesthood.

If you are like me, and have been wanting something like this I am offering to do this for the first 10 people to comment. Leave me a comment then email your info to me. I will put it in and email you the JPEG file to print where you prefer.

Canvas Awning how to....and a summertime word art.

Now that we have a wonderful deck I made great plans to enjoy family BBQ's on it every evening throughout the summer. My boys love Love LOVE eating outside. Great idea right?! Well, the kicker was dear hubby spends all day working in the desert sun. He said he didn't mind the heat but he just couldn't handle anymore sun. By the time he gets home he just wants to relax in the cool shade. I totally understood. We still need to finish the cross beams for the pergola but that won't really shade much. Our umbrella for the table bit the dust last fall and another umbrella was out of the budget. Instead I found inspiration in the paint section of Home Depot...

(Just a funny side note...pulling into Home Depot one day my sweet 5 year old lamented, "Mom, I don't want to go in that store!!" I asked why and he proceded to tell me, "Because I don't wanna do any crafts or projects!!" Oh, my dear son knows his mom so well. Home Depot is often worse than a craft store for me. Outa the mouth of babes right)

So back to my project (hehehe).....CANVAS!! Yep, canvas. You can get large drop clothes for a fraction of the cost of canvas at the craft store.

We found a large drop cloth (12x15) that I thought would work great. 

The plan was to use pipe to hold the canvas but YIKES that was expensive. It needed to be strong enough to hole the canvas over 15 ft....PVC was to light but conduit just might work. Only 1/3 the cost too.

 

 I had to use this connector to piece 2 sections.

 They were long!

 Then we used these brackets to screw into the beams.

 Now when I want to take it down in the fall I can just undo the brackets but I don't have to take it out of the beams. Perfect!

 Now I needed a way to hold the canvas to the rods. I had pictures several different ways but actually getting one of those ways to WORK was a whole other story. Remember I was trying to keep the cost down as well as be functional and versitile. I thought these curtain clips would work but nope. They weren't strong enough to hold up against the wind.

 I tried sewing a 3 inch seam to slide the bar through. That worked great until I needed to close the brackets holding the rod in the center. The center bracket on the middle rod was impossible to get the screw in the right spot. 

Back to plan A I went...large snap gromets.

By now I REALLY wanted this little project done. I was getting frustrated that I hadn't accomplished anything on our weekend off. Just when I was close to getting it figured out the heavens opened and DUMPED on us. 

I couldn't just let it go though. OH NO!
I was out their in the rain frantically trying to finish my little big project.

 Can you see the drops? They were huge! And came on with a vengeance that only a rain shower in the desert can do.

 Undaughnted I trudged on. I needed to get the holes for the grommets marked and cut. I am so thankful for a wonderful hubby and a son who is learning that mom just needs to "get it done" sometimes. They were out there like troopers helping me as I barked orders ahem, asked calmly. (I mean come ON! It was pouring rain!)

 In the end we did get it done and I LOVE IT!

 We can open and close it as we need and now I can easily take it down at the end of the season.

 Now dear dad will gladly go out on the shaded deck and BBQ juicy steaks for his family.

 I love sitting on the deck, just enjoying the fresh summer air. I love our time at the patio table as a family. The boys love it too.

Did you notice my pillow? We found that at Home Depot. I loved it but dear hubby didn't think it would match the new cushions. When we got them home I knew I needed it! By the time I got back to Home Depot the pillow was gone. Every day thereafter I would check to see if they had gotten another back in. Finally my patience paid off. My sweet hubby just laughed but knew exactly what I was doing. He gets this little twinkle in his eye that says "I knew it!" Yep, he's got my number all right. I love what it says:

Click the picture for the download.

Yummy in my Tummy wordart freebie

You must know that in a house of all boys food is a high priority. It seems the kitchen never closes and someone thinks it is time for a meal or at least a snack constantly. My 5 year old is the worst at this. He is always "starvin'". Crazy boy, he will be back to the cupboard after a bowel of cereal or some other snack less than 2 hours after a nice meal. I can't complain however, they are not generally picky eaters. Being a farm girl at heart my boys know just where their food comes from. They help plant, sow and weed the garden. They help to cook and clean just as much as mom. No free pass for being a boy~ NO WAY! 

In fact, my 13 year old is becoming quite the cook himself. He makes one mean cheesecake, from scratch no less. Yeah, I know you are all jealous of that. hehehe. Helping grow the food they eat teaches them to enjoy it more. When my oldest 2 were little and frowned at their vegi's I simply reminded them about how they helped to pick and bottle them. Suddenly their plate of green beans took on a whole new look. Somehow, the beans looked yummy after they remembered how they worked hard to have those green beans to eat through the winter. There are still a few vegi's they just don't like but mom doesn't mind at all. If they don't want brussel sprouts, well, we will just have broccoli instead.

Laced throughout the pictures of my little ones are numerous photos of them eating. Sometimes what they should and others, well, they are boys after all.  This popular phrase by Winnie the Pooh fits right in with my little guys.

Memories today...word art freebie

We had a wonderful weekend. We traveled to Idaho for a family reunion. There were a lot of people there but still just a fraction of our very large extended family. It was great to see my cousins. I haven't seen them for years! You don't realize how much you miss family until you see them again. We are hoping to plan a trip to Texas to see them again in the next year or 2.

We love to travel. I enjoy the quiet (sometimes) time on the road. It is a great time to talk with my boys. We make a point to turn off the electronics and just look out the windows or play those long lost road games. My boys travel well. It helps that we have always had to travel to see some family or other but they generally do well. The trip back is the hardest (they are usually tired and grouchy) but we try to time it for a nap or settling in for the night. 

Each trip is memory laced. We mark milestones with our trips. The boys will comment, "remember when we went to Oregon" or "yeah, that was on our way to Nauvoo!" or "that time we went to San Diego". There are lots of them. I keep them straight based on how old each of the boys were. Soon, we get to add Colorado and Texas to our growing list of states we have visited. Generally, we camp along the way with our little pop-up. Sometimes we stay in a hotel. Either way you grow closer as a family when you travel together. There is something about the tight quarters that discourages the "he's touching me!" syndrome. (I wont' add that I pull out the movies in times of desperation).

In the end, it's all about families. About making memories together. The house, the garden, the cars, the toys, the clothes....all of it will go to the way side, but the memories we make together will remain with us forever. I want my children to have all the memories I can pack into their big minds. I want the to know how to work but to remember our trips. The fun we had together.  The sights we first saw together. Then I want to be with them when they pass it on to their kids.

The classic summer road trip! I love it!

Fireworks wordart freebie

Ok, now that I have filled your word art baskets perhaps I need to get to scrapping my own huh. Funny how that is...Well I am hoping to scrap 3 pages this week. It's not much I know but if I set a goal I know I will accomplish it. That is always easier for me than leaving it wide open. I have lots of pictures to do so breaking it down bit by bit helps to get the job done. How are you coming on your pages? I would love to see them. I enjoy working with templates and I don't add a lot of embellishments. I want the pages to still look a bit like paper scrapping. Plus I am kinda slow. Adding lots of embellishments takes time and takes away from my pictures so I just add a few. Works for me. One day I will get caught up again. I did pretty well staying caught up until boy #4 came, now I am behind but managing to not get too far (only a couple of years) behind. Any tips on how to keep caught up? I guess it's the story of a moms life right. Awww but it is wonderful to watch my boys look through their books and reminisce about the photos. That is what it is all about. 

Remember, click on the photo to download.

Moments make up Eternity word art freebie

I have a dear friend who is one of the strongest people I know. She has had her personal mountains to climb. She has made her mistakes, yet she learns from them and always rises above it all. She is true to herself and never lets anyone have control over her. She speaks her mind in a decisive yet tactful way. She recently even faced down a rude and judgmental police officer. She speaks boldly and strongly. She is incredibly opinionated letting you know how she feels. She is just as quick to be the first to say I'm sorry when she is wrong.

I love her dearly! I am a strong person but have never had great tact. I am transparent, sometimes to a fault. From my dear friend I am learning to embrace who I am, the good with the bad. Each of these traits make up who I am inherently. I am starting to love my weaknesses.

So, my sweet friend recently went through another round of challenges. Each time we grow stronger but in the mists of our struggles it is hard to see the beauty until the mist clears. The mist is clearing for her. I love to see the new joy and increased fortitude she shows. I love to watch joy grow around me. Whatever our "joy" is I love to see it. When someone is truely happy it comes through in all we do. Happiness is wonderfully contagious!! 

This post is dedicated to my friend...

May you always find the peace and true happiness you so desire. And for those steep hikes through the mist, I will be there for you~ always! <3 hugs!

 

Independence Day word art freebie

I love the 4th of July! I love the spirit of patriotism. I love the reminder of the spirit of our forefathers. They were men of inspiration. Men who sought divine guidance as they lead our new nation. America is still the land of the free. It is still the promised land sought by many seeking refuge and peace. I am so thankful for great leaders; for freedom. I am thankful to have safety and security for my family.

I have been working on several projects and can't wait to share them with you. Hopefully I will get to it this weekend, iIn between holding my newest niece. She was born last week but has been in the NICU. After a rough start she is doing well. I can't wait to see her and my sister. Thankfully we are only a few hours away rather than days. Maybe I will do up some fun word art in her honor! We are going to try going north again this weekend. This time sans camper.

For now here is something to add to your parade pages! Just click the picture to download.

Enjoy!

America

I have been a cub scout leader in various ways for the past 8 years. My 8 year old was serious when he said he had waited his who life to be a cub scout. He has grown up being part of cubs but not really yet. 

One of the great things of scouting is the lessons of patriotism. There is something about starting each meeting with a flag ceremony; pledging allegiance to this great nation. Sometimes that flag ceremony is simply the boys forming a color guard and presenting the colors of our nation. Sometimes though, I like to instill a little spirit in the meeting. One of my favorite flag ceremonies is to turn off all the lights and have the flag in spotlight. Then I play this by Red Skelton.

Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance

Think about how you say the Pledge. How do you feel about our nation? How do the words move you? How do we teach our teach our children to respect the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance? Do your children recite the Pledge in school?

My children still do for which I am grateful!

Land of the Free word art freebie

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July.

We had a grand adventure this past weekend. Although not one we hope to ever repeat. 

We had planned to visit family in Idaho. Plans changed several times before we were finally able to leave town. On the way out we ran into a road block. They were letting some cars through but not others, confusing!! The car in front of me went through but when I proceeded through the officer waved both arms in every direction and gave a quite a tongue lashing. I apologized saying the other car went through and I couldn't tell which way he wanted me to go. "Oh, FINE JUST GO THEN!" Holy Cow! So we went on our way. (There was an over sized load that had broken through the trailer hauling it. Yikes)

Then 10 minutes down the road we blew a tire on our popup trailer. UGH! These were newish tires too. After changing tires we stopped for gas...now the card reader wouldn't read our card! 

Not getting the hint, we managed to work through that as well and continued on our way. 

30 minutes later we cross a bridge on the freeway with quite a dip after it. Our trailer bounced hard enough to come unhinged. (We discovered later my son and I had not locked it completely on the ball joint.) It started to fishtail worse than a trout pulled from the Snake River! The cars behind us instantly pulled back and away. I slowed as quickly as I dared but the trailer still hit the cement barrier. I think this jolted it enough for the safety chains to come off. The result was a trailer spinning toward the gutter. It took out the fence, shredded the wiring, snapped the propane connection and sent the battery flying!

Thankfully no one was hurt, including the cars following us. I was shaking like a leave. As a nurse I can handle stress but by the time we stopped I was on the verge of tears. My dear 5 year old thought it was grand adventure. He couldn't understand why he couldn't get out on the road too!

We called for help, lead the tow truck to our house, and unloaded our poor trailer. 

7 hours later were back home climbing into bed. OK!! We got the hint!!

We stayed home the rest of the weekend.
It turned out to be a good weekend just relaxing and taking it easy; BBQ with friends, parade and our own fireworks display. 

As for our camper....no more camping this year. Hopefully, we can get it fixed. As long as the lift system didn't get damaged we should be ok.

I am so thankful for this wonderful land and my family. I hope you had a memorial and safe weekend.
I love America! So to celebrate I am sharing some word art each day this week. Come back to check it out. They will be perfect for your 4th of July memories!

A day without Laughter....word art freebie

I am known for providing incentives, usually in the form of baked goods, for things I want. When my coworker offered to help me with some fonts I had to bake brownies. 

They were a hit among all the staff. No sleepy eyes tonight, just great sugar buzzes. hehehe

So now I get to play around with some new fonts. I am so excited. We will see how they work out and you will get to enjoy the ride with some freebies. Gotta love it all around.

When I saw this quote on pinterest I thought it would be perfect for all those pictures of my little guys just laughing and enjoying life. So many of my pages aren't centered around an activity other than to show the growth and day to day life of my family. I love documenting our life, the house, the fun things we do each day. A bit of word art like this is perfect for them! I hope you enjoy it too.

Click the picture for the download.

Gardening...make a difference in 15 minutes!

 We had a great weekend outdoors with family. We played and picniced then cooled in the house for a bit. After a nice rest I became restless. Ironic, I know. I need to keep moving and keep doing. Evening was coming but it was still so hot. Thankfully there was wonderfully inviting shade around front. I had already trimmed my shrubs this year but holy cow, they are growing. I decided it would be a good time to take a few minutes to clean up.

 My flowers had busted out with great glory but now they were looking heat worn, browning and tired. I love the blossoms; enjoy them while they last then clip them back to start over with fresh blooms. Yep, it was time to get some trimming done.

I grabbed my clippers and started with the shrubs. They are full and lush. I haven't gotten my power clippers yet but still manage to do a good job. Just like farming or making garden rows I eye a spot on the house and trim even with it. I actually want the shrubs a little shorter so they go just under the window but have a hard time getting them there. Trimming front to back and left to right I trimmed those shrubs nice and neat.

Then to the rose bushes. I love them but they can easily get overgrown. I am rather generous with my rose trimming. I want the bush to stay small because it will grow long branches before reblooming.
It didn't take long but has a big impact on my curb appeal for my house. I love how clean things looked when I finished. Now I feel better. A little activity and tidying up before the close of the day...just makes my heart smile.

See, what do you think? Gardening doesn't have to take all day or be sweat inducing. Just a little shade and 15 minutes. Look what you can accomplish.