I Created!

So, on Black Friday I bought three of these HUGE, fluffy, fleece throws. We have a billion blankets in this house already but I really feel like we use them all the time. So I like to have a variety. I also knew that Sis would love a new HUGE blanket to bring on her away tournaments. So, the one I gave her to use last weekend (her first multi-day tournament, post & pictures to come soon) has sock monkeys all over it & is absolutely adorable. The only problem is that the fleece has pilled and there is blue fuzz all over the place. I have washed it twice & picked the pills all off twice. Nothing seems to work. There is a hotel room in Eugene, Oregon covered in blue fleece pills, sorry housekeeping:( Anyway, I emailed the company & they said I could return the blankets for a refund but they are just too gosh darn cute & the perfect size, so not an option in my opinion. Instead I went to the store yesterday & found another HUGE fleece throw to sew on to the back (since the only side that is pilling is the back). Now she has a HUGE, extra thick, absolutely adorable sock monkey blanket for our next tournament. Until then it has found a home on her bed, yet I am not sure how she can fit anything else on her bed. I swear this girl nests:) Oh and by the way, you're welcome hotel in Spokane, Washington. We will not be leaving blue pills all over this time!

CREATE!!!

That's it! I have finally picked a word of twenty-twelve to represent me! CREATE!!! If you really know me, that was really an easy word to use to describe me but I am really going to focus on creating things this year! Here is an example: two pillows + a couple yards of fabric + 30 minutes = 2 happy happy children with new pillows!

Or How About...

Family! Maybe that should be my word for twenty-twelve.





I could spend the year focusing on family. Not a bad idea. That one is definitely in the running but at this rate, it will be twenty-thirteen by the time I pick a word for the year. Ugggg, I am just so indecisive!!!

My Word For 2012

Every year some of my favorite crafty people pick one word to focus on for the year. I have only done this once a few years ago & my word was enjoy. It was a good word for me & it kept me focused when my world seemed to be blurry. Usually the word is suppose to be chosen by the first of the new year but I am a bit slow coming to the decision of doing this again. So basically I have not chosen the perfect word for twenty-twelve but Optimism is definitely in the running. I will let you know when my final decision has been made! Until then, I am going to try Optimism on for size!

Challenging Times As A Foursome

There is nothing worse for a Mom than trying to make four individuals happy at the same time! And not just four individuals, this wacky group I call my family consists of two girls & two boys. One teenager, one younger & two adults. One who is content to stay home all the time, one who can't sit still. One who plays EVERY sport possible & one who lives for one sport. One who works out every day & one who is happy watching sports on tv. Two who love to create wonderful things in the kitchen, one who can't cook & one who would rather have Wendy's every night. My little foursome is a mismatch of characters but somehow we all seem to miraculously work together!

The biggest problem is usually finding one activity for the four of us to enjoy together, at the same time, without one wanting to go play video games, or without one texting friends saying how weird this family is! That is a challenge!

Last Valentines Day, that challenge was finally conquered! We found hockey! We were given tickets to a Winterhawk hockey game & three of the four of us were thrilled . Our teenage daughter was less than thrilled, wondering why in the world she would ever want hockey tickets for Valentines Day. But on the day of the game we caught her in a rare good mood (you know teenage girls) and trying her best to be a sport, she made sure she had a full battery on her phone (for texting her friends to tell them how lame hockey is)and headed to this hockey game, fully knowing she was going to hate it!!! Little did she know a lot of the Hawks are high school kids just like her. And she had absolutely no idea they would be cute! And so my little family turned into a hockey family! I am so excited that we found something the four of us can enjoy together.

Saturday night we had an opportunity to go to the Teddy Bear Toss game against Seattle. We had not seen this event before but I can honestly say that is was one of the neatest events I have seen in quite some time! After the first goal scored the crowd throws stuffed animals on the rink to be donated to local children's charities & many on the animals are delivered by the players themselves. Now keep in mind, this game was sold out so there were over 10, 000 people in the audience & the bears were flying less than two minutes into the game when Rattie scored for Portland! They flew & didn't stop! In all almost 11, 000 stuffed animals found their way to the rink! Needless to say, we are already making plans for next years Teddy Bear Toss. We are hoping to bring many bears to be donated!

The part that made it so incredibly cool was the way the players conducted themselves on the ice while the bears were flying. The goalie, who just rocks was carrying a huge bear and then a dog around the rink. Players were helping fill the trucks with armfuls of animals. A very cool thing to be able to experience. And it didn't hurt that we won 7-1!!! Let's Go Hawks!

{this moment} November 11, 2011 (11-11-11)

{this moment} - A Friday ritual (idea borrowed from SouleMama). A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.


Oops, two photos this week, but they were from the same day! Enjoy

My Week In Pictures!

Here were the important events in my life last week (not all the events, just the ones that made it into my camera)!


Sis starting in a varsity volleyball game!


A rare home soccer game without rain!



A visit to the zoo with Nonie to see the elephants stomp pumpkins!


Nice block Sis!




Last year we didn't get pumpkins:( This year we got pumpkins but didn't carve them:( Maybe we can get it right next year!

We are almost done with soccer, but Bubba is already on a basketball team & is practicing for the Turkey Bowl (a Lacrosse tourney held in November). School volleyball is almost over, but then club tryouts are this month. So life is busy but we wouldn't have it any other way!