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.