Cute card and envelope templates

Traci Sims has these really cute Halloween envelopes and cards that you just download and print:and it got me thinking that I could make my own cute envelopes with stuff I already have. (But hers are SO stinkin cute!) I found this great site with lots of different templates for cards and envelopes you can make yourself: http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/templates.htm I can't wait to try some!

And THANK YOU so much for all the great dinner ideas! They have really helped me- keep them coming if you think about it!

I know I have been a really bad blogger, I have been busy and tired, but I will get better soon! I have gone through my blog and tried to make it a little more "anonymous" without making it private. My children are now going to be known as "Miss B, Miss G and Miss E." I got a little creeped out by those commercials where random scary people knew this girls name because they saw her MySpace or whatever. (you can see it by clicking HERE.) Not that there is anything of interest here for creepy people, but I do feel better knowing that strangers won't be able to call them by name from reading my blog!
Today I started making some BOO letter blocks (like THESE I did for Easter) and I will post a picture when they are done. After a month of doing nothing creative, I am ready to get busy!

What's for dinner?

I am having food issues- I don't know what's for dinner. What are you having? Comment on this one every day please- this is a common problem around here. I would love to know what everyone else eats.

I love vintage/victorian art

I don't really know what to do with it, but I have a little collection of vintage and victorian clip art on my computer and I just love it. I got most of the clips from The Vintage Workshop. They have CD's or you can download smaller sets straight from their site, plus lots of great things to print on- including inkjet printable canvas! I recently discovered this ebay seller that has compiled huge collections and sells them for really reasonable prices. Click HERE to see the Holidays collection. So if you like it too, check them out! And if you have a good project idea share it because I really want that holiday cd but I can't justify it until I have a specific project in mind. Doesn't it just make you happy to look at these?

Hints of Fall

After months of the hottest summer ever, I opened my door this morning and left it open. For almost an hour. Until the second time the a/c kicked on.
Also, I noticed cool water coming out of the faucet the other day. The end is in sight!

We went camping

It was our ward camp-out. The once a year I will sleep out on the hard ground, in the cold, listening to wild animals wanting to eat me. (in a tent of course) The kids have the time of their life getting filthy, playing in or near a fire, and running wild with other kids. I used to think I was a camper, but I think I'm a cabiner now. Miss E fell in love with Uncle Preston and his hammock.

Me + Sam

Sarah I am considering myself tagged, I have been struggling with blogging topics! Here's the beginning of Sam and I:

1. Where did you two meet?

We actually met twice- the first time, he was on a group date, and a friend of mine had to work, but he wanted to meet up with them later so he asked if I would go. (kind of "be my date for this un-date) I saw him standing in front of this Mexican restaurant next to Filibertos and felt all fluttery! We went to Kyle and Ashley's house (first time I met them) and we watched some really lame movie over there. I watched him through the whole movie to determine that the girl he was with was not his girlfriend, and then I tried to strike up a conversation on my way out. ME: "I like your hat." HIM: "Thanks- it matches my belt." (he reveals his superman belt that matches his superman hat.)

Now he has no memory of this conversation. (hmm, I wonder why?) So our next first meeting was the next day on my first visit to the singles ward where I joyously spied him right away and got to watch him through Sacrament Meeting and then stared at him until he noticed me, and started talking to me.

2- What was the first thing you said to him?

oops, I already answered that. I will make my answers shorter.

3- Where was your first date?

We went to Macaroni Grill for dinner, and then went and listened to Esteban. (you know, the guy who sells guitars on infomercials?) We doubled with his parents, his sister and her husband, and 2 other couples they were friends with. No pressure.

4- Where was your first kiss?

This is so sad! I need to go get out my journal because I am not sure! I bet it was my doorstep though...

5- How long did you date?

Four months before we were engaged

6- Did you have a long engagement?

I don't think so, it was 3 months.

7- Where did he propose?

Officially, with the ring and everything, we were waiting to eat at American Grill (I think it was called?) and we walked out to the fountain in front of the Bank of America building. He had slicked his hair and borrowed his dad's Corvette and everything. I was clueless. (isn't my scrapbooking of the event awesome??)

8- Where were you married?

The Mesa Temple.

9- How did the reception go?

It was long and I thought it looked pretty- I heard it was fun though- I was in a daze, and really hungry.

10- How was the honeymoon?

Fun! We went to San Francisco and got to wear jackets in July! And ate caesar salad every day.

Now if you're reading this, I'm tagging you! Go! Tell!

First, I would like to thank all my fans...

I'm really slow on this- Crystal from Crissybug's Crazy Clan awarded ME the Rockin' Girl Blogger award! Thank you! I really was quite flattered- my blogging has been pretty pathetic lately though, she might want to take it back but I will be better, I promise! So the bad part is I have to pass the award onto 5 other Rockin' Girl Bloggers, and I think there are a lot of them out there, and I hate to not nominate everyone! But here are my picks and why:

1. Stephanie of Barefoot in the Kitchen has to be my first pick- hers was the first blog I ever read, and I still find it so inspirational and fun to read. She is so creative and has such a wonderful view of her role as a stay at home mom- reading her blog makes me want to be better.

2. Shauna of Here We Are Together- well I might be playing favorites a little with this one because she has been one of my best friends since we were like 15 but her blog is so fun to read. She has the most adorable boys and always has the cutest pictures and funny stories. Plus her husband is in Iraq, and she's pregnant with #3, and she is amazing.

3. Katy of McDonalds Army Brats- She is very on top of her blog- I can almost always count on a new post! Her husband is in Afghanistan, and she is a stay at home mom of 4 boys! She is beautiful and smart and and her blog is full of uplifting, spiritual thoughts and reading it makes you want to be more patriotic and a better friend.

4. Sarah from Sarah's Nonsense- Ok Sarah is going to be a writer someday, and she is just all around funny. Her blog is smart and always makes me laugh out loud! Plus, if you're a reader, she is big time, and can always recommend a good book. And she loves the movies, she sees them all.

5. Sarah from Palmer Family Post- It must be something about the name Sarah, but this girl is hilarious! I laugh out loud every time I read her blog too. I worked with her years ago at my first *awesome* job and I remember laughing to tears every day. She always had the funniest stories and nothing has changed. She doesn't post often enough, (hint hint!!) but you will be hooked.

Ok, congrats ladies! Come accept your award and pass it on to 5 more rockin' girl bloggers! (sorry about that part, it's hard!) I'm sorry to everyone I left out- really everyone on my sidebar over there is a rockin girl blogger but I only have to nominate 5, and this post is already really long!

The day the world changed

September 11, 2001 started similar to most of my days. I was a new mom, and had just started working again, this time from home, and had gotten into some kind of a routine. I would get up, check my e-mail and sort through my PO's to prioritize my day. Miss B would wake up hungry and I would get her up and nurse her while watching the local news. This morning, Miss B slept a little longer than normal, so I decided to go check my pregnancy turned new moms internet message board. The top comment said "NOW THEY ARE SAYING IT MIGHT BE TERRORISTS!!!??" huh? under that, "OMG- a second plane just hit the second tower!" then a quick skim down the page filled me in enough to totally comfuse me- one woman could see smoke from her apartment windows, everyone had their eyes glued to the news and was reporting every new detail or suggestion... I quickly called Sam over and started telling him what they were saying as if for him to verify it couldn't be true, it had to be a joke? We went and turned on the TV and there were the smoking towers- we had missed seeing the second one hit by minutes but they were replaying it in slow motion and speculating. The day went on, and you all know the rest... Sam eventually had to go to work, I held Miss B tighter and cried a lot that day, and was thankful to have her company. I couldn't turn my TV off. I was afraid I would miss something. I saw the smoke at the Pentagon. I saw them clear the airspace grid. I remember getting a call that was work related and it was offensive that someone could be thinking about making money on a day like this. The most vivid image of the day was a man running away from the clouds of dust, carrying a small baby and pulling some cloth over it's face- a baby the same age as mine was at the time.

My intuitive mother in law said she woke up that morning and looked at her blank, turned off television, and thought, today the world is going to change. And then she laughed at the seemingly silly thought. But in many ways it did, at least, the world as we saw it changed. On September 10th, 2001 we never would have considered ourselves naive, but we were. We didn't think that the problems in the world around us could touch us (if we were even aware of them) And then suddenly they did.

Suddenly we had to worry about things we never thought about. For years I had nightmares of planes dropping out of the sky. I couldn't see a low flying plane without my stomach dropping. I was afraid of my mail- remember the anthrax threats? I would immediately go through my mail and pull out what I needed and toss the rest, and then quickly wash my hands. One day Miss B found a catalog and was joyfully ripping through the pages and trying to fit it in her mouth and I was stressed about it for days. It could have touched something, that touched something, that was tained with anthrax! I know I worry too much, and watching the news is no help, but if I didn't watch it one day, I was afraid something like this would happen again, and I wouldn't know! (would it matter?)

So today I remember how 9-11 affected me, but more importantly, the innocent people, who were just doing their job, the families who kissed their fathers and mothers, husbands, wives and brothers good-bye that morning expecting to see them later that day. I remember the fire fighters who had to go into those burning buildings, and didn't get to come back out. Remember them and their families in your prayers today! Remember the military and their families whose life courses were altered on that day as well! Pray for our country, pray for the leaders of our country, and pray for the leaders around the world.

Fire in my eye!

Product Warning: Do not buy this stuff! (or pay special attention to the instructions if you do!) I have worn contacts for over 16 years now and never had a problem with any contact solution- they are all pretty much the same to me- if they say "No Rub" I just pour it in the little contacts case, and drop my contacts in overnight with no problem. I got this new brand recently because there was a free rebate with it and I never pass up free of course. Late last night, I was tired, getting ready for bed in the dark, I opened the new package and took out my contacts and got them soaking and fell into bed. This morning when I went to put them back in my eyes, FIRE! It hurt so bad! I quickly slid it back out and rinsed my eye for 5 minutes and then read the package- I had followed all the instructions, except I had used my own case and not theirs, so I called the 800 number and they informed me I had to use their special lens case to neutralize the hydrogen peroxide! So I went back and started looking for their special case, and realized I don't think my package had one. I looked all over the bathroom and in the trash and couldn't find anything like that. ANYWAYS, maybe it is a good product if you follow the instructions, and use THEIR case, but I wouldn't risk it. I can't be the first person who has done this, I hate to bash a product, but I don't want anyone else to do that!

Technical Difficulties!

Sorry to anyone who had to witness my header monstrously huge tonight! I couldn't figure out how small to shrink it, and Sarah needed accompaniment to a late movie (Nanny Diaries) so I had to rush out. Thankfully, it is now fixed, and easier on the eyes. Don't you love Glitz stuff? See more HERE or ask your local scrapbook store if they carry it.

Another 1st day of School

Miss G has finally started preschool! She was so excited and had a great time. The only disappointment to her was how short it was- she wanted to go to school as long as her big sister does! She has a friend and her cousin Brycen in her class which is fun.