I LOVE BEING A GIRL

Last week I went to Deseret Industries (which is like a Goodwill or Thrift Shop) looking for some old books to convert into cute little purses. As I made my way to the book area, I noticed a couple of pieces of furniture. One was a large, overstuffed chair that was practically new. Then behind that I saw this beautiful make-up vanity with an upholstered stool. The stool was still new with a piece of plastic covering it. The vanity also appeared new with a couple of small scratches. And the best part was both pieces were just $35.00. I put it on hold and drove home to see what Steve thought of buying it. He came back with me and looked it over and agreed it was a good deal. The only flaw was there were no lights and where we wanted to put it in our bedroom we would have to install lights. We went to Home Depot and after thoroughly confusing an older gentleman that was working in the electrical department, we walked out with two light bars. Steve, the handyman that he is, attached them to either side of the mirror on the vanity and wired them to have a plug and on/off switch. He did such a great job.

So this morning I moved my makeup into the little drawer. After taking my shower I got to sit at my "girlie" make-up vanity. What a fun way to start off my day...I LOVE BEING A GIRL!!!

PATRIOTIC PROGRAM

Steve and I went to the 5th Grade Patriotic Program this morning. Katie and Becky both participated. I enjoy the Patriotic Programs probably the most. I love listening to the children sing the Star Spangled Banner, God Bless America, the Constitution Song.
The sang a song about the importance of voting. Which gave Becky the chance to spell out the letter V-O-T-E like a cheerleader

Have you ever just stopped and listened to children's voices. I swear their is just something special that come through those sweet voices. The sang a song, "Thank You, Military" as a video projected images of service people and their families. I was tearing up and I am not sure if it was because of those beautiful voices or the moving images that came off the screen. Katie and Becky were hoping that their Papa Sansevero was going to be there, so he could stand and be recognized as having served and protected our freedom. So I want Pop to know that we thank him too...

I'M DREAMING OF...

A WHITE THANKSGIVING? This is what we woke up to this morning...9" of snow. I am actually pretty excited. Most of the leaves have fallen off the trees and the yards were beginning to look at little brown and dead. So once that happens I am ready for the snow and the winter. Its not our 1st snow...we had gotten a few dustings, but nothing that really stuck through the day. This was REAL snow.
Steve and I got the kids out of bed and they donned their snow clothes and shovels and took to the driveway. It was a pretty heavy snow and it took them about an hour, with the help from Steve, to get it all done. Once they were done they enjoyed hot cocoa and a yummy breakfast. Then Steve left for work. It was then that I got the 1st phone call...

Ring-ring...

"Hello?"

"Oh, hi Lindsi"

"Yes, it is good packing snow"

"What is Steve gonna make?"

"Well, he has gone to work"

"You think he is looking sick last time you saw him and he should come back home? And making snow sculptures is a great way to treat a cold?"

"I'll let him know"

It continued after I got to church. People told me how excited they were to see what he was gonna to make. Telling me they wanted to drive by later to and see what was in our yard. So when I got home from church, I called Steve and told him that I was pretty sure that if he did not do a snow sculpture tonight the neighborhood might rebel. The kids went out to the backyard and tried to make a snow fort of their own, but I wouldn't let them build in the front yard, so they could save the snow for Steve.

So after we finished our Sunday dinner, Steve changed into warm snow clothes and grabbed one of the resin turkeys I have sitting on the hutch and out he went. The kids were excited to join him. Belle actually said that it is a tradition to help dad out. I'm not sure how much they actually help, but I think they enjoy being out there with him while he is doing it.

Even after all these years it still amazes me how quickly he can get one of these up. He did tell me that the snow was already beginning to get crusty when he got out there. Which made it difficult to but much detail into the feathers, but I still think his turkey turned out pretty good.

Hoping that the neighbors who inquired about what he would make, will enjoy driving by and seeing our sculpture. Its neat that he has this talent he is able to share with our neighbors and that they seem so excited to "appreciate" it.

HP 7~The Deathly Hallows pt.1

Last night Steve and I took the kids to see the first movie in the Harry Potter Series. The kids had done so well on their report cards, we wanted to do something to celebrate, so we purchased our tickets a few weeks ago. We thought about going to the midnight showing, but we could not get seats all together and the prospect of going to bed at 3:30 and waking up a few hours later was not fun.
We waited for Steve to get home from work and went to the Megaplex Theater at the District. We had 10:10 pm tickets for the Imax version. The kids were so excited!! We purchased our popcorns and sodas and got settled into our seats. It was fun to listening to the audience (and Steve) cheer when the Harry Potter theme music began playing.

I have complained when we have watched other HP movies, that they leave our parts of the book that I think are so important or had looked forward to seeing how it would be depicted in the movie, but I did not have that feeling with this movie. There was a few instances where things were changed up a little, but over all I was pleased with what we saw last night. Even though much of the movie is dark and intense, there are some very funny scenes.

Probably the saddest part was a scene involving Dobby. I looked over to see Katie and Belle wiping her eyes to the right of me and then to the left Becky looked into Becky's eyes to see them filled with pools of tears...too cute!!

Definitely looking forward to July 15, 2011 to see Part 2.

It might worth getting tickets to the midnight show and being inconvenienced to getting to bed at 3:30am to say good-bye to all these characters that our family have enjoyed reading and watching.

MAYBE YOU CAN GO BACK

I have been busy this week. My good friend Suzanne got the cutest purse as a gift and I admired it a few times, well a few weeks ago she made a copy of the purse and it was BEAUTIFUL and I decided I wanted to give it a try. I asked her if I could borrow the bag she made so I could measure and make me own pattern and try to make one for myself. She was gracious enough to lend me the handbag. I was so excited, but at the same time a little nervous. I am not a novice at sewing, but had never made a purse.

So after bowling Monday morning I went to JoAnne's fabrics and looked at their upholstery fabrics. I was in heaven!!! It was so much fun to walk down the aisles and touch the fabrics, hold one against another to see if the two would work together. It has been so long since I have been "really" sewing I forgot how much I enjoyed it. How much I enjoyed the hand of the fabrics, walking through the notions isles and looking at the different trims and buttons and recognizing the potential each one has of becoming something beautiful.
After choosing a couple of beautiful and luxurious fabrics I headed home and converted my kitchen area into a sewing room. I do have a craft area, but I wanted to be close to the kids as they worked on they worked on their homework and ate dinner. I made a pattern using an old brown grocery bag, which worked perfect and the cutting began...the exterior body, lining, pocket, handles. There is something so awesome in cutting a piece of fabric knowing that when everything is done this flat piece of fabric will become something and have a personality.
By 2:00 am, long after the kids had gone to bed, I had finished my 1st purse. It was beautiful, better than I thought it would be. I made some pretty satin flowers to decorate the front of the purse. I couldn't go to bed until I took pictures and posted what I accomplished on Facebook, but it was more than just a purse that had emerged. There was a piece of me that had been reignited.

Many years ago I was a student at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising) with the idea of becoming the next Donna Karan. My life changed a year after starting school and I knew what I wanted more than to become a world renowned fashion designer was to be Steve's wife and a mom to our children. A mom that was focused on them and their accomplishments, so the creating side of me went dormant. I came up with ways to use those talents as a mom...I have spent hundreds of hours scrapbooking and creating a beautiful place to store the memories of my wonderful children and our trip and events. When the kiddos were little I made Halloween costumes and dresses for my little girls and decorations for the different holidays to make our home a fun place to be in. Don't get me wrong, I have LOVED my life, I don't regret any decision I have made. I am extremely blessed in every way. But now that my kids are getting older and don't need mom around as often, it is neat to know that there is that creative side of me that, once I shake the cobwebs off of, can still take a simple piece of fabric and transform it into "SOMETHING".
Welcome back CREATIVE NIK.
I hope you will stay a while.
~~MOMMY NIK

LION KING

Last night the Parkway Stake put on "A Night of Broadway".

Each ward chose a musical to perform a portion of. There were performances from Annie, Bye-Bye Birdie, Music Man, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mary Poppins and then our ward did the Lion King.

Katie, Becky and Belle signed up to participate. They spent many of their Tuesday evenings rehearsing with the other members of the ward; learning the songs, the dance steps, etc. Which meant for the next few months these were the songs the girls spent their free times singing.

This Saturday we finally got to go and see all what all the hard work had produced. They performed the songs "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", "Can't Wait to Be King" and "Circle of Life". The girls were dressed like cheetahs while the primary children were dressed like lion cubs. The adults in the ward carried cardboard cut-outs of elephant, giraffe, rhino, lion and warthog heads. It was quite fun to watch.

The girls had a wonderful experience. From going to the rehearsals, to practicing the songs together, all the way to performing in the actual production. Belle had actually been sick for the weeks leading up to the play. She wasn't getting better and we took her to the doctor where we found out that she had a little pneumonia. The doctor put her on a Z-Pack on Thursday and Saturday she was feeling quite a bit better and she began asking if she could perform anyway, which I gave in to. And I am glad I did, it was so much fun for Steve and I to sit in the audience and watch our girls dance and sing.

We have so much talents in our ward...singing, dancing, art...so much fun to see it all on display. Hope that the Stake will do something like this again.

A Creative Month

I had something reignited in me...CRAFTING.

I use to LOVE crafting, but somewhere along the way my life got too busy. I have been scrapbooking, which I still absolutely adore, but I had not painted wood or sewed in so LONG!!!!

Then an "angel" entered my life...I became friends with Mikki. She is a SERIOUS CRAFTER!!!

The Queen of the power tools...

the Duchess of tole paint...

the Princess of Glitter...
She has so many great projects and ideas that she is willing to share with me and other friends.

We made these cute Thanksgiving decorations to hang on our Switcharoo Tree. We also made Halloween ones and she has ideas for Christmas, Valentines Day to also make.
This was a cute project we made during girlfriends night. So simple, but so stinkin' cute!!

Once those creating juices got flowing I was inspired to finish the quilt I had started in the spring. I had taken various old t-shirts I had collected over the years and cut them down to 12 x 12. I only tied it together, but I did hand bind it and am so proud of the job I did at that.

I am so grateful for my new friend and for her reminding me of the things that I use to enjoy doing.