Crafty Craftin'

The boys have been busy doing a bunch of crafts that I planned for their time at home...all have gone pretty well, all things considered...that would be the fact that doing crafts with three boys can be a bit, ahem, challenging at times!


This one included Dad and Desiree', who happened to be around on the evening we did this in front of a movie. I got the idea from one of the fabulous blogs I follow and it was alot of fun!

We started with a big bowl of felt squares cut into pieces, about an inch or so:
Oh, and Bart decided he would lay RIGHT in the middle of it all as well...We took large Darning needles...(think BIG eye) and strung Black DMC floss on them. Then, I let the kids decide what their color scheme would be, and they just started stringing them on. Very relaxing and mellow craft I must say. I just stayed in limbo, to be available to restring needles for the little two every few minutes or so!
Jared ended up doing only one...and it was PERFECTLY straight. No crazy crafting for this guy.
Justin and his finished Beaver believer wreath:
Jeremiah and Desiree' hard at work:

I believe Jeremiah opted for Honda colors, and Desiree' did a rainbow sort of mixture. Travis also did an OSU wreath:
After we got the right amount of squares on, we just tied the floss in a knot to make a circle. I tied matching ribbon on, and to the tree they went! FUN!

Christmas Fun!

Well, we are cruising into Christmas weekend, and I am REALLY tired of sewing! Whose bright idea was it to make all of this handmade stuff anyway?!??! :) I have made three trips to Joann's already, BUT, I am on the last project, then it is time to wrap it ALL! It should be wrapped for approximately 24 hours. Yay.

I managed to get the boys presents all wrapped before they were out of school, hence avoiding the need to lock myself in my bedroom for two + hours...seems things always go BANANAS when I do so, so am happy to prevent that!


I had a TON of fun using the Cricut to make fun tags for their gifts...I know, I know...a little over the top, but hey.

These are their P.J.'s to open on Christmas Eve...
For the professional sleeper in the house:

I also used just their initials to label some others:

Martha Stewart, EAT your HEART out. Oh. YAH.

Have also had a ton of fun scrounging through my Grandma's old Christmas decor and using her old vintage ornaments to decorate with...YES, Mother, you are vintage...(she says these aren't old...they are the ones they used when she was a kid)!!


I love the look of these old ornaments:

Can't forget our AWESOME pieced together in random Goodwill fashion village!
AND, the only real tree out of the six we have up:
OK. Must go finish final two presents. Would love to share pictures, but don't want to give away any suprises. Next time! Also, I have to show you some of the crafts the kids and I fit in this week around all of my sewing!!

Wishing you all a WONDERFUL, Christ filled holiday!

AlWaYs an interesting time in the life of the Horton clan....Christmas card photo day.

HOW many pictures and how much TIME does it take to get just ONE good one you ask?????


Well, approximately 20 minutes and roughly 35+ pictures this year. WHATEVER.


First, we must try and throw Mom in the mud:

Then, we must just generally be obnoxious and mess around, instead of standiing NICELY in a row and SMILING:



And don't forget the FIGHTING and absolute defiance about putting out hands at our sides:


And there you have WHY it takes 20 minutes and 35+ pictures to get ONE good one.

I will save the ONE good picture for you all to actually see on the Christmas card and enjoy, but when you look at it...you will know the pain and suffering I endured to make that happen. I KNOW you feel my pain. I KNOW you do.

Bring on the holiday cheer.

Proud Mama moment

>

This past semester Jared has been in a photography class for his elective...along with a backpacking class...which, as he concluded, was fun, but he prefers a little convenience when it comes to "camping"!!!

Anyhoo, I thought I would post a few of the pictures he took.

I was pretty impressed with some of these...he learned alot about my

camera, which is great, 'cause I have NO idea about half the

things that sucker can do!!

Aren't those drops of water cool!

I love the color on this one:

I think the texture here is SO cool:

and this was a "unique" perspective one:


So, not to bad for a beginning, budding photographer!

Way to go big guy!

"The Gift of an Ordinary Day" by Katrina Kenison

Wow.

That's all I can say about this video.

I got to see it on another blog I follow this morning and I decided to put

it on here so that all of you can

decide to make today

a count my blessings on an "ordinary" day

kind of day.

As I struggle to find my place in this new found

"Mom" territory, I find myself wishing I

could go back and do so much over...

but that isn't the point, as she says...

Immerse yourself in the memories that you

are making just in your everyday routine with

the kids...it does go WAY to fast, but

make even the simple moments count

I am finding out.

Oh, and it is OK to smell your little ones blanket when you pick it up off of the floor and fold it...but try not to cry, when you realize that he, too, is slowly pulling away from needing you so much.

ENJOY!

Well, here are the three cherubs ready for school...each year that "seriously, hurry up" look on their faces gets more pronounced. I just LoVe to torture them!

They have seemingly settled in well to their new surroundings...this week will be better I hope...more familiar with the new faces, more comfortable with the new routine....each week should get easier. It's hard to watch them be the new kids on the block...wish I could take the brunt of that for them, but I can't, so I will just try and be supportive and encouraging...ya know, that thing Mom's are supposed to do. Oh, and pray harder that they fit in well and make some lasting friendships.

As excited as I was for them to start school again, I am seriously dreading the 6 am wakeup call every morning...I was so tired last night I turned out my light at 9:45! Didn't take long for me to pass out in a fit of exhaustion!! I also thought having a quiet house would be great....but I actually miss the company (most of the time)!! Eating lunch alone for the first time in 13 years hasn't been as great as I thought it would be....its WAY to quiet!!

I know in time that I will get used to it, and actually, the days have gone REALLY fast, but in my heart, I miss my guys...they have been my life for the past 13 years and I enjoyed having them around...fights and all.

OK, enough sensitive subjects...I am going to cry now.

All I can hope is that they miss me a little during the day, and that I have made some sort of difference in their lives so far.

And, just so I have something to aim for in the little time that I have with them now each day, here is my Mom checklist:

Don't worry, I know this is ALOT to live up to each day, so I will shoot for at least a 50% success rate here...don't want to disappoint myself or add to my "mother's guilt"!! After this long, I know how much I am capable of.

But, I encourage you all to look at this list and give it a shot...our kids are worth it don't you think?!?!?!

"Belly" Laugh...

Just had to post this...funniest thing I have seen in a long time, and made me LAUGH OUT LOUD!! I needed that today.

I have always been in awe of those women who can have those LOVELY maternity photos taken...oh how I wish my pregnant belly would have been naked belly photo worthy...it was NOT.

Enjoy the laugh...will be back tomorrow to share how I feel about being alone in my house all day now that all of my kids are in school . . . ALL DAY.