It a BiRtHdAy!

I have always been the un-tradional on in the family. I refuse to cook the Big Sunday Dinners (its a day of rest people!) I try to find the easiest way to do anything. (Like did you know that instead of cutting all the veggies like carrots, celery, onions you need for a soup base that you can find it pre done in the freezer section of the grocery store! GENIUS!!)

OK lets get back on track! I love Birthdays. I am 38 and I still count down to my day. I even make sure that no one forgets by leaving hints here and there. BUT I am not a fan of having the BIG 1 Birthday party. I know I am weird but here is why.... They don't really now what is going on and they end up getting really fussy and they don't really get to enjoy it! SO what we decided what we would do is have just a nice quiet 1st Birthday party with just us. We have a cake and we do let them go to town with it. But then here is the fun part for them, we give them a box of Tissue and just let them have the best time ever! It ends up being a great time for all!

AND we did however decide that we would have a party for the 5th Birthday! Its just as important for them at 5. They are a "BIG KID" now! They are going to start school soon and they are way more independent (as most of you already know!)

Here is my 5 year old! Happy Birthday Kiddo!!! She decided that she wanted a Tinkerbell Party. SO everything was done kinda woodsie and fairly like. (just so you know I like to make up words too!)

I have been pretty obsessed with making Banners lately (and I have some cute ones that I will post some other time!)

Love the twinkling lights. I even made the tulle and the leaf garland. I was in a very crafty mood for this day. For the tulle one I just cut pieces of tulle and bunched them together to make pom pom like balls and glued them to some Jute twine. Then for the leaf one I bought a container of leaves and also glued them to Jute. Looks pretty cool huh? I also went to the dollar store and got wings, tutus, and fairy wands for the girls. (we had 5 girls!) I know I have a pic of them just could locate a good one to share. All in All they had a blast!

Now for the fairy food. I found everything on a small scale. Anything that said Mini, I bought it and the girls LOVED it! As the "Fairies" were munching on their snacks they watched the New Tinkerbell movie that came out last fall. (Pixie Hollow Games)

She still talks about her BIG day! It was something that she will always remember

What do you do for Birthdays? What are some fun Traditions?

My New Obsession

OK this might be lame, but my new obsession is printing on 4x6 cards

They are cheap, and I don't have to cut them down to size. I print my recipes on them, make quiet books for my kids out of them, checklist for projects, and anything else I can come up with.

This is a Baptism book I am putting together for our Primary Baptism Preview
I use these photo albums from Wal-mart $1.00

And now you have a small book that can keep your kids quiet and busy.

Great 4x6 Printable's

Here

Here

&

Here

Something Saturday

What are you doing this fine Saturday?

I am a little undecided.

~ I could go clean some of the craft room. (you know that dead line I have the end of the month)

~ Could run to the post office and mail a package to my sister. (Which I still may try and do)

~ Could clean the Kitchen. (went on date with hubby last night and I didn't get it done before I left. Thankful for our AWESOME babysitter who attempted to straighten it the best she could with 3 toddlers)

~ OR and this is what I think just may help me start the day.... BUILD a house of Cards with my kiddos!

Fitness Friday: Mason Jar Salad

If you have been on Pinterest, I'm sure you have see these AWESOME little salads in a jar.

New year & new goals, I am sure in one form or another one of those goals for most of us is to be healthy. This is one of my favorite ways to get a little more veggies in my diet. This pint jar may look small but it could sure hold a lot of salad. We love to shop for produce at Costco and buy the ingredients in bulk. On Saturday's I chop all the veggies, fill my jars, and place them in the refrigerator for a fast easy and healthy lunch.

What are your ideas on how to become more healthy?

Something Crafty

Before we bought our house we went through 5 others looking for the perfect floor plan. We wanted a open and bright feeling, 4 bedrooms, and at least 2 bathrooms. House #6 was perfect. The second we walked into the house we were sold! It has everything on our list including....

A craft room!

Only it didn't look like this we when bought the house. And my excuse goes like this...

The day we moved in we had the movers put everything in this room with the intentions of me and my 10 month old going through boxes and putting everything gin its proper place. Hahaha! 1 month after we moved in I started feeling really sick and it was all day long. Why? Because I was pregnant with our 2nd daughter. So now I had a 18 month old and a newborn. Now nothing gets done. I want to nap with the girls. Well...16 months after my daughter was born, #3 a bouncing baby boy was born. SO needless to say the Craft Room was permanently put on hold!

UNTIL now! 4 1/2 years in the house and now I can unpack! The Kids are now 5, 3 1/2, and 2. If you remember from an earlier post this month I made a goal to clean it out this month! I have made good progress so far. I can now walk into it with out having to move something for me to get in.

My cousin came over last night and didn't even know that I had another room in the house. I had kept it hidden pretty well. I just may have to recruit her help so I can make my goal!!

I will post a pic of the finished project. (or at least show you my progress!)

Well Read Wednesday: Book Recomendation

Well were to start with this one, I guess I will start with my love for reading. I am the youngest girl of six children; I have 3 older sisters an older brother and a younger brother. Getting time with mom was not an easy thing at our house. My mom loved to read and when she did have down time she was reading. So I started to ask her about her books and what books she had read that she thought I might like to read. We would check out two copies of a book and I would read one and she would read the other and we would talk about what we were reading.

I loved it! I was hooked, I loved sitting with my mom reading.
Today I have been thinking of my mom a lot, not sure why today of all days I would melt into tears at those thoughts. Maybe it was that the stuffed peppers that I made for dinner last night tasted just like hers. Maybe it is because my son has her eyes and I see her when I look into them. It could be that I my hands look like hers minus the scars of her well lived life. My final guess would be it is because I have chosen adversity as my topic of study this week. My mom helped write the definition of adversity, some adversity was caused by her choices, some was because of the choices of others, and some was just a natural part of her life here on Earth. It brings me to think of our last serious conversation before she passed away. She called me to tell me that "I was not living my life", not the hello how is your day going kind of conversation. I laughed and said, "What are you talking about". She said "you’re not living life, you’re not making mistakes". I replied back, "So you want me to go out and sin?" She was exasperated that I was not getting her meaning and told me that "you’re not getting what I am trying to say". We then moved on to other, lighter subjects. I have often played that conversation in my head over and over again, trying to grasp at what she was trying to tell me.

Mom I finally see your meaning.

Adversity is what makes the weak become strong. You can’t learn and grow to your full potential sitting on the sidelines catching the occasional foul ball. You have to get in and play the game. As a teenager my bishop suggested I read this book, and I pass that suggestion onto you. Life is all about adversity. It is how we tackle the adversity that leads to growth in this life and opportunities in the eternities.

What helps you get through adversity?

New Toy..

My son has a blood disorder that requires him to have frequent blood transfusions. So we are at the hospital every 3-4 weeks. I have a huge backpack that is filled with toys, snacks, and books (for reading, coloring, writing, you name it!) So when Amazon came out with the Kindle it was instantly put on my "Wish List" It would take a load out of my bag. And let me tell you it has! Yep you read it right....





For Christmas my Hubby got me a Kindle Fire

I love it. I am still learning the in's and out's. I love that not only can I get books but that I can stream movies and games, TV shows, Magazines, Newspapers, WEB, and I am sure there is way more that I don't even know. I even have a directory app so I can input all my contacts. I have a notepad app so I can write all my notes or journal entrys while I am out and about. I am pretty much in love with this new "baby" of mine!

Now I just wish that I could keep it from my kids. Daddy had to put the Angry Birds App on it so they go crazy. (i do use it as a bribe at times)

I also have the Kindle 3G keyboard. A gift from my sister and her hubby for my birthday last year. I love how light weight and small this one is.

Do you have a Kindle? What is your favorite app? Do you have any helpful Tips that you would like to share?