I am grateful for...

If Jasper could write his own blog post, I think he might say that he is grateful for:

Things to climb on.

Moseying down the street.

And playing in the sink -- with and without clothes on. Preferably with a truck or car.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Mike, Jasper & I had a nice quiet Thanksgiving in our home. Jasper was actually napping during dinner.

We are grateful for our each other and for our blessings. We are especially grateful for Mike's job, as we have many friends who have been laid off and have lost their jobs.

We are most grateful for our testimonies of Jesus Christ and for our knowledge that our family can be together forever.

Christmas Ornaments

Miss J came over on Friday afternoon for a fun ornament painting session.

Craft-O-Rama

We had a great time, and even ended up having Miss J come join the party. We crafted for SIX hours straight! Whew!

The girls decided to make stockings for each of their family members. Miss L and Miss E made four stockings each, and Miss J cranked out eight!

It was Miss L's first time sewing, and she loved it.

Before we started, Miss E. said, "Can we make these stockings how we want to -- or are you going to tell us how they have to look?" She has obviously not crafted at our house before, because we don't have very many rules during craft time. Just let those creative juices flow!

I made some bread for us to snack on. I sliced up 1/2 the loaf to start off with. I went back an hour later to slice up the rest, and found 1/2 a loaf of bread with the entire center carved out and missing. Just the shell remained. I was so shocked I just started cracking up laughing. I asked the girls who ate the bread. That's right -- 6 year old Miss E. What a silly girl.

We did get all 40 gifts wrapped for Mike's co-workers. In the morning when Mike saw all the wrapping paper and ribbon cut I explained that I had asked the girls to help me wrap the gifts. He then smirked, "Well, I see you have your little sweat shop set up." Thanks Mike!

Ready to Wrap, Ready to Craft

I am babysitting two girls for 4-5 hours tomorrow so my friend (their mom) can go volunteer at the cannery.

I spent time tonight setting up for the scheduled events. I brought a folding table in the "craft zone", because everything has to be up off the floor, out of reach of two tiny, very busy hands.

We are going to make felt Christmas stockings. The Etsy shop RikRak is serving as our inspiration. We are adding sequins and mini pom-pom trim to to jazz things up a bit.

Since I seem to be unable to get a thing done if it is just me and Jasper, so I asked the girls if they would be willing to help me wrap gifts. We are going to wrap our gifts for Mike's co-workers.

I pre-cut all the wrapping paper and ribbon, so hopefully we can plow through all 40 boxes. I hung the ribbon from our kitchen chandelier, in hopes that it would be safe from Jasper's
grip. We'll see how well that plan works. :>

Should be a super fun day!

Just a Nice Day

Today was all girls, all day -- plus a little tiny man named Jasper.

He and I went on a walk and then hung out with my friend and her daughters,and their friends.

The walk took quite a while, as the girls meandered up and down the streets. At one time, the younger girls were pretending to be Hansel & Gretel, and dropping small rocks (which for this game of pretend were breadcrumbs) along the sidewalk where we strolled.

The older girls skipped along, innocently holding hands, and just enjoying the day and their friendship.

It all brought back memories of my childhood in Beaver, Utah and my best friend growing up -- Bonnie. Love you Bon!

The Music Man

Besides "the truck" that Jasper ALWAYS has in his hand, his new favorite toy is a small music player. When I hoisted him into his high chair this morning, he kept his grip on both toys.

The music player is another one of my 25 cent Goodwill bargains. It is so old, that it has no volume control and no on/off switch.

Now toymakers are smarter, and offer these sanity saving options on musical toys. The funniest thing is to watch Jasper sing along with the songs.

On Sunday, I made Mike remove it from his vise like grip and hide it -- because I could not take the songs anymore. It stayed hidden for 2 days. Then Jasper spotted it. Way up high on top of a cabinet. He stood there like a hunting dog treeing his prey, screeching and yelping until I rescued the toy.

And ever since then I've been thinking -- we need a new hiding place!

Special Christmas Blanket

One of my friends is collecting new blankets women who are on bed rest at the hospital during Christmas. She has spent time in the hospital during this time of year because of past childbirth complications.

Miss J, Jasper and I had fun singing Christmas carols as we danced around the store while choosing this fabric yesterday. We are going to make a snuggly blanket full of love. We are looking forward to joining my friend and her family to deliver the blankets a few days before Christmas.

While my friend and her family were delivering the blankets last year someone asked her, “Why did you do this for me?" Her husband replied "Because we've been here".

If you want to make a blanket too, they need to be completed by Dec. 17th and we are delivering them on Dec. 21st. You are invited to join if you want to. It is a great way to start feeling the Christmas spirit.

Grumpy Santa 2

I am still trying to get a photo of Jasper in his Santa hat. All attempts continue to be futile.

He refuses to smile while wearing "the hat". Mike says that I am torturing him. He might have a point there.

Wheat

I added a jar of wheat to my staples area, tucked right in between Honey Nut Cheerios and my favorite breakfast item, Coach's Oats (available at Costco).

Mike thinks that I have gone overboard on adding wheat to our diet, and honestly, he is right.

I add wheat berries to the following:
Ground hamburger or turkey (taco meat, casseroles)
Oatmeal
Breakfast potatoes
Stir Fry

We now have 45o lbs. of wheat (in buckets) neatly tucked behind our loveseat because I have nowhere to put it! Gotta love food storage.

Do you have any great wheat recipes or favorite dishes to add wheat to?

Jasper's First Dental Visit

Officially it's called a "smile check", and Jasper's first one was Oct. 30 -- the day after Trunk or Treat. We left Trunk or Treat with NO CANDY. Jasper doesn't really know what candy is yet, and I figured that Jasper has a lifetime of Halloween candy ahead of him.

I am guessing that not many patients show up in their dinosaur PJ's. I was not about to wake Jasper up before I needed to. We just did a quick outfit change after we got there.

Being a first time mom, I had no idea that baby teeth are supposed to have space in between them. Jasper's top teeth have that space, but his bottom teeth are right next to each other. The dentist told us clean his bottom 2 teeth well, as there is no natural space for food to pass through.

He chose a blue car from the toy box. If I would have known they hard cars in there I would have asked if he could have had the car in the beginning he would have been more willing to sit still.

See you in one year Dr. Campbell!

Little Blue Pillow

Since we made Miss J's baby brother a tiny pillow, I thought it would be fun to use some scraps and make one for Jasper too.

It works great to put behind his back when he is riding around in the top of the shopping carts. He usually has a lot of extra room in the top of the cart, so the pillow makes him a little more secure up there.

Jasper just likes to carry it around the house.

Las Vegas Temple

In Nevada Oct. 31 is not only Halloween, but it is also Nevada day. Mike had the day off work, and our friend Heather watched Jasper so we could go to the Las Vegas Temple in the morning. It is not too close to us, so we are usually gone for 4 hours total.

We had a wonderful time and can't wait to go again.

As we were leaving, we saw a family taking photos in the courtyard of the Temple, and I recognized one of my friends who I have not seen in 10 years. Six months pregnant with her 5th baby, she looks as beautiful as ever.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her, because she lives in Ohio. But I did know that her family is from Las Vegas. Tacie and I went to SUU together. What a treat to see her and meet her entire family.

1 Year Old Photo Shoot

While Jasper and I were in Utah this summer we had our photos taken by Elisha Snow, and I have never posted the photos.

Jasper was 11 1/2 months old, and he had just started to really walk well on his own.

Once we let him loose, he was impossible to stop as he toddled down the trail. We were on the Lagoon trail outside Lagoon in Farmington.

Afternoons with Miss J

For the last few months Miss J has been coming to our house once a week or so to join Jasper and I in crafting and sewing.

She has 5 other siblings, so her mom doesn't have oodles of time to sit around and sew. :> She is 8, but acts like she is 18.

If I am on my game, I have a loaf of bread that finishes baking upon her arrival.

We like to have a slice of hot homemade bread and chocolate milk for our snack before we start our projects. It helps you sew better, you know.

Last week we finished a taggie blanket for her new baby brother. She picked out the vintage cowboy print because her family is "a little bit cowboy".

Previously we made a matching pillow with an applique initial "F", which she was happy to present to her baby brother as a Nevada Day/ Halloween present. Apparently he loves it. :>