When my son saw me in a new dress this morning, he stopped in his tracks, looked at me and said- “You look real pretty mom”.

Later while singing hymns in church he whispered to me-”you sing good too mom!”

and then he willingly posed for me so I could document is sweet little face!

(Just so you know, I don’t advocate throwing stones at birds)

Last week I attended my first session of a 10 week long writing workshop and our first assignment was to write a 10-point Manifesto…beliefs we hold to be true.  Since this here blog needs some updating I thought I would share it with you.

1. If you don’t take yourself seriously, no one else will

2. There is no such thing as too much compassion, for yourself or others.

3. You can choose your future, don’t muddy it by dragging your past into it.

4. Honesty is underrated.  Be honest with yourself and others.

5. Notice the small moments of joy; because they will sustain you through the dark times.

6. When you know better- you do better.  Cut yourself some slack.

7. While the world may seem very black and white, it is really composed of many different shades of grey.

8. If you want others to recognize the growth in you, you must be willing to recognize it in others.

9. Feeling emotions (good & bad) is what makes you human.  Denying them will make you crazy.

10. Tomorrow is always a new day.

After everyone wrote their manifesto we read them aloud. Another woman in the group said something that I really liked and would like to add as my number eleven.

11.  You don’t know another persons reality, so tread lightly.

I would love to hear what would be on your manifesto, if you blog one will you post the link in my comments so I can read it?  The best part of doing this exercise was hearing what everyone else believed. Here is Amy’s (my friend and also instructor).  I would love to read yours!

We set off this morning in search of snow.  We were prepared with sleds, snow pants and gloves.  We checked snow fall totals and talked to a weather aficionado.   We headed to the rim, with visions of this in our minds.  After 80 miles of nearly nonstop crying and screeching,a tense (and not good) meal at Denny’s- we arrived to find this:

Do you see that tiny bit of snow way up at the top of the mountain?  My kids tried their best to make the most of what was available.

The baby had a grand time looking at all the “go-go’s” (aka: goldfish, but it was really trout at the fish hatchery).  After this misadventure I decided we did not drive all this way just to have a bad meal at Denny’s and look at trout!  We drove back into Payson and found a park, because that would totally make the trip worth it right?  It’s not like we don’t have parks here in the Valley!

The the 2year old screamed in utter exhaustion all the way home (read: another 80 miles); finally succumbing to sleep about 20min from home.  The big kids were so so SO patient (really, they were, in case you thought I was being sarcastic) with their tired sister.  While I didn’t utter a single bad word the entire day, I sure as $#%** thought of a whole bunch of them!

p.s. we did see 2 bald eagles while we were out.  That brings my total to four bald eagles I have seen in the wild.

27 years ago, my Grandmother & Great Grandmother returned from a trip to the Orient. They brought back photos of them dressed in traditional Japanese kimonos (a photo that sat admired in our Living Room for years) and dresses for all the Granddaughters (I’m sure they brought something for the Grandson’s too, but I didn’t have any brothers so I don’t know).  My dress was a soft pale yellow and cream, with ruffles, smocking and beautiful flowers embroidered on the front.  I was in heaven!  All of us granddaughters had variations of the same dress, my sister’s was shades of blue and I’ve seen the pictures of my cousins looking much like my sister and I.

Through the many moves my mother has made over the years, each one meaning more boxes being shipped to my house.  In one box I found the dresses.  My sister has no children so my mother thought to send them both to me.  A few years back my daughter wore her aunts dress, which was sweet.  Today, she wore my dress, which was even sweeter.

I showed her a picture of Aunt Sara and I wearing our dresses:

Then I took a picture of her.

Thanks Mom, for hanging on to the dresses so they could be enjoyed by another generation….

I had really high hopes of getting these up last week, you know so people could actually use them THIS YEAR?!  Well, you can always pin it for next year!

These were relatively easy, I think the hardest part was cutting them out, but maybe they would be easier if I had one of those fancy pants cutter machines; instead of the ruler and exacto knife I used.  I filled these with small packs of sweetarts, just stapled them right in!  I put bands of color strategically on these to help me know where to fold them (so glad i did!).  Two of the Valentines feature vintage images, to heighten the cuteness factor, of course.  These were easily assembled while I watched Parenthood on netflix.  How have I not known about this show before?!

You can download the Valentine pdf right here, enjoy!  Hope your Valentines Day is filled with people and things you love!

In about 20 years time I figure you will be sitting on a therapists couch pouring out all the injustices your father and I  ever metered out to you.  About the time we told you to read a book instead of letting you play video games hindered your greater understanding of the gaming world and therefore held you back from your one true profession as a gaming programmer.  Or maybe it was the time we told you that no matter how cute, hip or “hot” you looked, that it was only over my dead body that you would be wearing that outfit out of the house; that caused your sense of self to be stifled.  Whatever it was, I am sure it was our fault.

Before you start lamenting the injustices there are some things I want you to know.  I want you to understand the all encompassing, ferocious love I have for you.  There are times when my whole being aches with love and concern for you.  Do you know how many tears I shed while wrestling your future with my own, sometimes inadequate, abilities?  The intensity with which I felt your futures weighing heavily on my chest.  How sometimes I would look at you and see my own weaknesses reflected back and cry with my whole soul wondering how I could help you avoid the pitfalls I was sure would come?

I won’t apologize for my weaknesses, because they are what help me grow.  I hope that I have taught you that we all have inadequacies and through them we learn more about ourselves and how to become stronger.

One day you will have your own children (unless we really screwed you up); I hope as you raise them you will gain a greater understanding of all that your father and I did -and sacrificed- for you.  That you will feel the weight of your children’s children as you move forward each day.  That maybe, just maybe, your heart will soften and you will recognize that it had to be, to become the wonderful person you are today.

With all my love,

Your Mother

Winter is in full force across most of the US, but here in the desert it is starting to peter out.  Wanting to squeeze Winter to the very last itty bitty squeezable drop, I made a thick and rich beef stew for dinner last night.  As we ate, I kept remarking to my husband that this was the best pot of beef stew I think I have ever made!  Funny thing is, I didn’t follow a recipe this time, I just started dumping things into the crock pot and hoping it all worked out.

Since it was so good I decided I had to write down what I did in hopes that I (and you!) can recreate its creamy, beefy goodness!

1.5-2lbs of cubed beef
salt & pepper
4 diced red potatoes
3 diced carrots
14oz can of diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1t dried oregano
1t dried basil
1/2t garlic powder
2c beef stock
1/2c water
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Heat a skillet up on high heat, sprinkle meat with salt and pepper and then brown in skillet (be sure to use some olive oil or butter, so your meat doesn’t stick to the pan).  You don’t want to thoroughly cook the meat, you just want to make sure that you brown all sides of the meat- this helps to keep the meat moist while it’s cooking.  Once the meat is done add it to the crock pot with all remaining ingredients EXCEPT the Cream of Mushroom Soup.

Cook on high for 3 hours (my crock pot is really hot and cooks fast, you may have to adjust the time for your crock pot).  About 10min before serving mix in the cream of mushroom soup.  That’s the trick for making the stew nice and thick with a hint of mushroom flavor.

I suggest serving it with a nice Cesar Salad, Crusty Bread and finished off by a nice bowl of Apple Crisp and Vanilla ice-cream!

A few weeks ago I bought this dress pattern from Patterns Pretty Please on etsy.

I think it was the scalloped neckline that made me buy it, but I also really like the bow on view 1.  The pattern only calls for 3 yards of fabric!!  Most shirtwaister style dresses from this era take 5 yards, which is a lot when you figure good quality fabric is about $10 a yard!

I’ve decided to make view 1 first….I’m a little worried the neckline on view 2 will be too wide, so I want to get a feel for the pattern before I tackle changing it.  I need help though…I’m really stumped on what fabric to use.  I think I want a small print (I’ll do a larger print for the second dress), and I’m thinking spring colors.  I want to be able to throw a cardigan over it and pair it with flats for a casual spring day, but I also want to be able to dress it up with heels and fun hair for Sunday’s.

Are their any fabrics you’ve seen lately that you think would look great in this dress?  I like blue, grey, pinks, some greens.  Please send fabric links!!  As soon as the machines get their tune up I want to start sewing this (figure if I start now I might have a chance of finishing it by Easter!).

It is amazing what you can accomplish or rationalize when you are procrastinating something you don’t really want to do.  Some scenes from my Wednesday.

My favorite place to read in the house.  The chair isn’t all that comfy, but I love reading with my feet on the footstool in the afternoon sun.  I totally get why cats sleep in the sun!

My “new” lamp came in the mail!  My grandmother was downsizing and I claimed this lamp, she graciously sent it to me and it arrived without any damage (kudos USPS!)  It lacks a shade…in honor of full disclosure I will tell you that never in my 34 years of life have I ever owned a lamp that needed a shade (well, except for my daughters irmi lamp).  So….any suggestions on how and where to buy a lamp shade?!

I usually eat lunch out and about or pick up some frozen thing to reheat.  I hate making lunch.  Sandwiches (unless they come from SACKS) do not appeal to me.  But, something came over me and I put the effort in to make lunch for one (procrastination).  Hot lunch at that!

My Thursday was a bit better on actually working towards completing the project I am procrastinating.  When I wasn’t sucked into Pinterest I mean!

A $5 long sleeved t-shirt from Target + fabric scraps + heart shaped cookie cutter + steam a seam (and some top stitching)=

inspired by this Boden shirt.