Happiness...

...is seeing this little vision in your house early in the morning!

It's Not Disneyland...

The kids were out of school yesterday for a staff development day. I REALLY wanted to hop in the car after church Sunday and drive to Anaheim so we could spend Monday at the happiest place on earth. But, alas, it was supposed to rain on Monday. It POURED on us the last time I was there (no, I mean P O U R E D!!!-my camera was ruined, INSIDE my purse, UNDER my rain poncho!) So I wasn't going in the rain again right away...
SOO. We settled for playing Las Vegas tourists. We went to see the Chinese New Year exhibit in the Bellagio Botanical Garden.
It was really cool. They change it out completely every season. Really spectacular.
Then we watched their famous water fountains show outside and went to Olive Garden for linner. (You know, like brunch, only later.) (My battery died at the Botanical Garden, so no pictures of the rest...)
And you know what? It wasn't Disneyland, but it was a pretty nice afternoon, anyway!

Arise and Shine Forth

We made wall hangings in Young Women last Wednesday. They feature our new theme for the year. We got the idea from this post on Sugardoodle.
This was the sample I made and brought to Mutual.
The girls were WAY more creative than I was! I loved Savannah's.
Maddie took time out of her busy schedule to finish hers at home. SO cute!
We also finished this one for Ashley, who wasn't able to attend Wednesday.
Sister P. made this one for Sariah, who also wasn't there.

I was worried that we would have a nightmare of tangled thread and frustrated girls, but they all just ran with it and everyone seemed to enjoy it!

More Favorites

I'm remembering more favorite gifts from Christmas.

Amy made "photo booth props" for the little kids. So clever! They are all the rage in the crafting-blog world right now.
Sidney with her Harry Potter glasses...
The "big kids" had fun with them too! (Shawn as Batman...)
Amy later found more that she had not put sticks on yet...

They were a HUGE hit and I wish I'd gotten more pictures. We'll have a photo shoot soon and post lots more pix!

New Posts

If you scroll down, you will see five new posts I made today.

More coming...but I have to get to work for now!

Lucky Me

Some of my favorite gifts of 2011
Brian and Susan made this for me. We think it will look great on the brick or rock wall in Mt. Pleasant.
It's not everyone who gets a PERSONALIZED stitchery from Allyson. (Well, okay. Amulek and Sydney got one too.) But I feel pretty special! "Nana and Papa Go to Disneyland" - notice the mustache on Papa? SOOOO cute!
Allyson also made the coolest refrigerator magnets - "Shrinky Dinks" high fashion Disney princesses. And look closely. Yes, she made the cute packaging herself too! (She almost died of excitement and anticipation because I was the only one here when she finished them two days before Christmas and I wouldn't let her show them to me early! She HATES surprises! I LOVE them!)
Amy and Maddie played a cello/violin concert for Jeff, Grandma D. and me for our present. It was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes! (And you KNOW how hard it is to do that...!) :)

Jeff got me the bracelet I fell in love with. Beads will be added on appropriate occasions...
Then when I went into the office the morning after Christmas I found this on our desk. David had sneaked it in on Christmas night and never said a word! What a nice surprise! I can't wait to work withOUT my glasses on!

I feel very loved! Thank you EVERYbody!

Merry Christmas, Ally!

Ally was the only grandchild for whom I had not yet made a quilt. (I was at a different place in life when she, Julie, and Maddie were born.)
My favorite present we gave this year...

(Poor Maddie. I have not yet made her a quilt, either. She saw my WIP this season and thought it was for her! She was disappointed when I worked more on it and she discovered it was for Ally. The next quilt is for HER!) (Hey, I said I was in a different place during that season of my life...)