LIVE and LEARN~

Yesterday was the big Holly Fair....the day that Dayna, Dana, Halle and I had been working toward for the past 8 weeks. We've spent many long days, evenings and late nights crafting, sewing, glueing, tieing and losing sleep. Dayna made home decor blocks, Dana made tutu's, Halle made her hair accessories and I made my aprons. The Holly Fair lasted 2 days. The girls and I had a good time spending the long hours together. We talk, made our "Christmas wish lists" with all the fun stuff that we saw there, we people watched and even got some fun ideas of things that we might want to make ourselves....BUT as far as the Holly Fair itself goes, I don't know that its something I would be interested in doing again. It was a lot of work, for not much return. It was a good experience and I don't regret doing it...but I will leave it to the pro's! I appreciate all of my dear, wonderful, sweet friends who supported us! So many of you come by our booth, came by the house, ordered things on-line and bought things even before we went to the Holly Fair...you girls all know who you are and I appreciate you so much!!!! Thank you dearly for your support....Love you all! And for the many of you who supported us with all of your encouragement, kind words and sweet thoughts, you are all wonderful! I have the best family and friends around, I couldn't ask for any better!!!! Thanks for being such amazing people in my life!!!! Being a business woman is something that I thought I might want to do at some point in my life, but after this experience I have decided its not something that I am going to pursue. Its certainly something that is meant for some people and not, for others...and I happen to fall into the "NOT" category. But- I learned alot about myself and my abilities. It wasn't a complete waste because I grew from my experience...AND as a bonus, I got to cross off one more thing from my bucket list too...."Sell something that I made"....and I did! Thanks ladies!!!!!!

*NOTE~ I still have MANY aprons, both adult and little girls sizes...I would love to sell them. If you are interested you can email me at julie@ubtanet.com They would make awesome gifts for friends, mom's, daughters, sisters...co- workers...or anyone.

Growing "OLD"...gracefully!!!

As you know, (if you read my blog on a regular basis) last year I made up a "Bucket List". I came up with 75 things that I plan on doing before I die and I am determined to DO every single thing on that list...if it takes me until I am 100 years old, so that's why I am starting NOW. No, I don't plan on dying anytime soon, but one never knows when they will be snatched from this world and taken into the next, so there is no time like the present for me to get busy with the things that I have planned for the rest of my life. Having a bucket list gives me purpose and something to look forward to. I've never wanted to get older, wrinkles and saggy skin...leaves little to be desired. BUT I believe that by staying busy, living my life to its fullest and having things to look forward to, will make getting old seem alot more fun.

Last week I got to cross off the 1st thing from my bucket list. I got to "drive a convertible with the top down and the music up!". I loved it!!!! Todd owns a convertible, but its been broken down for quite sometime. He'd been telling me that as soon as he was able to get it fixed we could take it out for a spin. Last weekend he was able to get it fixed and ready for us to take a little drive. We decided that Sunday after church would be the perfect day...even though it was a little nippy outside, nothing was going to detour me from seeing this dream out. I invited Cameron

to ride along and share in this exciting experience with me. So off we went, Cameron, Todd and me... with the wind in our hair (except for poor Cameron who was a little Eskimo), the bugs in our eyes, and huge smiles across our faces. We drove down the old

country road, back to where I grew up. I was able to share with them, some experiences that I had as a child and some of the crazy things that I use to do. I showed them the places that we used to play and told them some of the mishaps of my youth. We drove past the old canal that I use to ice skate on, the swimming hole, the sledding hill, the old barn, the place where I use to live, the old "apricot orchard", the corn fields, the "pine tree", the "big tree"~....it all brought me right back...to yesterday. It was sad, in a way, to see how things had changed over the years. A good part of the area had become unrecognizable. The "big" swimming hole, wasn't so big anymore.

That old barn that brought back so many memories, looks as though it might fall down at any given moment. The yard that my mom and dad worked so meticulously on...is run down

and no longer exists and the little grove of trees that we use to play in has become a large forest of overgrown brush. But...things change...I guess that's just the circle of life. It was nice to "live a little of my past again and share part of my life with Todd and

Cameron. We had a great visit. And enjoyed the afternoon together. I loved driving the convertible. It gave me such a feeling of "FREEDOM". I felt a little bit like a kid again...not that I am old or anything...but I felt just a taste of what I felt like 25 years ago. I loved feeling the breeze on my face and being able to smell Autumn in the air. Life is what it is. We all grow up, we all grow older, we all experience life in one way or another. We all have experiences (both good and bad) that make us who we are. I have always had a wonderful life...never a perfect life...but I have always been very blessed. Many of my life experiences have shaped me, molded me and many have even given me heartache and have been trials along the way. I've never had a "glamorous life", I've never been blessed with wealth, I've never traveled to exotic places or lived in mansions...BUT I am grateful for who I am, the experiences that are mine and what I've become~ and no matter what- I am going to enjoy the rest of my life...living it out and enjoying it to the very fullest!!

Life's little "bumps"....

Last week we had the "Piano Dr." come to look at our old antique piano. He determined that "yes, it was worth fixing". We were thrilled that we were going to officially be "Piano Owners". Halle was excited that she would finally have a piano to practice on. She has been using our electric keyboard for 2 1/2 years, has never complained, but it will be nice that she can finally use pedals and have an entire set of piano keys to work with. While the Piano Dr. was here fixing the piano, I felt as though I should stay close in case he had questions. I had things to do in the kitchen, on of which was some baking SOOO...I started to make bread. I guess I didn't think through what he was doing like I should have. He was trying to tune the piano, and I guess my baush (bread mixer) was very noisy...he proceeded to LET ME KNOW that I was disturbing him...SO I had to take my bread making excursion into another room (after all it was well into the mixing process by the time he said anything to me). Halle's was the cleanest room that day and so it was dubbed the "official bread making room" for the day....lets just say, it was interesting and I hope NOT to have to cook in the bedrooms again.

Ohhhhh the Halloween Hoopla....

Halloween morning came and I was trying to think of some "fun" thing to make for breakfast. After searching on the internet I found something fun and easy to whip up. I made "GHOST pancakes". They were cute and everyone thought they were a fun holiday thing to eat....I guess thats the extent of my Halloween holiday celebrating....but hey, I go all out for Christmas. Todd and Dana had a big Halloween party this year. They invited family and friends that were close to their age. Dayna and Jack were able to come out for it. We didn't get to visit with them for very long, but they got ready at our house...getting into costume and preparing their goodies to take to the party. So we got to take some fun pictures and visit for a little bit. Its

always fun to see them...no matter how

long or how short of a time it happens to be. Kim and Cameron were

invited to go as well. They were excited to have plans

for the "Howl-oween" Holiday and got dressed up for the occasion too. Dayna was "The QUEEN BEE"...Jack was "A nerd of some guy that is on a show they watch"....Kim was a "Lady bug" and Cameron was a "Monster". It won't be too many more years that I will get to see my kids dress up...they are all growing up and moving on. So I'm glad that we have pictures to help us remember the fun times.

It's Halloween with the Kiddo's!

Halloween is one of my very least favorite holidays of the year. It ranks right up there with St. Patricks day for me....BLAH! BUT I know that the kids love it, so I've always let them have fun. It was alot more fun when my kids were little, to see them get all excited about what the were going to dress up as, about going trick-or-treating and coming back with a stash of goods that were going to rot out their teeth. Yes, I was a good mom and let them do all of the traditional things, but Halloween to me has always just been the gateway to the "Christmas season." This year Grandma Kathy (my wonderful Step-mom...whom I love dearly) had a really fun Halloween party for all the grand kids.

She had them all come hungry,

dressed in costume and bringing a pumpkin to decorate. Kim and Cameron both had drama practice, but Halle was very excited to go. Her and her cousins that are the same age, were the ones that were going to help with the games, so it was kind of a "grown up moment" for her. I was excited to go and see my nieces and nephews. I hadn't seen some of them in quite awhile and I was excited to spend some time with them and to get to see them all decked out in their Halloween attire, to play games with them and get lots of hugs. I miss them when I don't get to see them very often and I was looking forward to spending some fun time with them. I love hanging with my family, we always have a good time. We arrived at the party with all the kids looking so darn cute, and very excited to be at grandma's. They ate chili and "mummy dogs"....played duck-duck-goose...fished in the fish pond...decorated jack-o-lantern faces...made slime...wrappped mummies...and then decorated their pumpkins with frosting and candy. Everyone had such a great time. The kids played and played, made lots of "excited noises"..(the kind like screeching and laughing). I think it was a hit!!!! I am sure that everyone will be looking forward to next years fun party. Thanks Grandma Kathy for an awesomely fun day!!!

Hair "HooP-DEE-doo's"!

I've always liked to be creative. From the time I was just little I remember creating, whether it was mud pies in a pie tin- garnished with cottonwood leaves, making barbie doll clothes from scratch pieces of fabric that my mom gave me or home decor items for my house as I got older....no matter what it was, I loved it. Last year for Christmas all of my girls gave me a crafting day, WHICH I LOVED and enjoyed so much. We had a blast and made a day of wonderful memories. Crafting is alot of fun, alot of work and makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment when its done....and to make it even better there is something fun to look at when the work is done...I guess that's one reason I have enjoyed making my aprons so much. Halle loves being creative as well. She has been wanting to make some hair flowers and things and join in on the "HOLLY FAIR" extravaganza of selling her handmade goods. She very artistic and likes to craft and make things, she has since she was just little. She has been making a few hair flowers and has even used her own money to purchase supplies. She has even gone so far as to order things on-line. So I knew that she was serious about wanting to make a bunch and sell them. Today the boys were off hunting for deer (which they didn't find) and then were headed off to a football game with grandpa, Kim was going out to the city to a school play, so I thought today would be the perfect day for just Halle and I to get down and messy and have a little fun. We gathered up supplies and got out the glue guns...made a huge mess...and yes, we even got creative. Between the 2 of us (and 9 LONG hours) we made 65+ hair flowers and 20 headbands. We laughed and had a great time. We had a few battle wounds with the glue gun, a few spills here and there, but all in all it was a fun and productive day. Now she is pretty much set to sell her goods at the Holly Fair (we still have to finishe packaging them). It was a memorable day, full of hard work and getting to know my youngest daughter just a little bit better. Couldn't ask for a better Saturday!

"Mom AnD Me DaTes"~

A long time ago....a way back...when my kids were all young, I told them that when they finished reading the Book of Mormon I would take them on a little "date", just the two of us. They could pick where we went and what we did. Some of the kids have been able to finish reading the Book of Mormon really fast and have even got to go on several "Mom and Me Dates", others have taken a little longer and are just now getting to go. Either way, I am thrilled when they finish no matter how long it takes them to read it. Kimberly finished reading it a month or so ago, but we haven't ever had time to plan our date. FINALLY, we got a day and time set and I anxiously looked forward to having a fun time together, just her and I. She decided that she wanted to go to a movie and out to eat at Cafe Rio (no complaints from me!). As the week went by, I found myself getting more and more excited to just go and spend the evening with her, no matter what we would been doing. As soon as she got home from work last night we hopped in the car and off we went. We talked all the way there...about anything and everything. About life, family, her future...we just talked. Its always fun to spend time with my kids, and I treasure any and all times that I get to do that. But I especially like the times when I get to have them all to myself, the little moments when its just me and one of them, and I get to know them personally~ a little better. Those are special times for me ~times that I hold very dear...and this was one of those times. I have wonderful children and I feel so blessed to have each one of them in my life.

"Children are a mother's anchor to Life"