Saturday, December 27, 2008

Miss S's Special Day

Today my sweet little Miss S was baptized...it was so beautiful and she is such a precious little angel:) And look at all my beautiful family that came for the occasion....from left to right, my step mom and dad, my brother Chad, me and hubby, my brother in law Rick, my mom and her boyfriend and we have my niece, nephew, Miss S and my sister Balls in the front row. Huge props to my mom for being so cool around my dad and step mom:) I know that has to be totally awkward. My brother just left tonight:( I'm so sad:(:( But I downloaded over 500 pictures that he took this week to my computer - totally cool!! You'll actually get to see a lot of pictures with me IN them:)

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas!

May this day of remembrance of the birth of our Savior be wonderful for you!!!! Presents are unwrapped, our bellies are full, and we are enjoying this beautiful day together. We love you all so much!!!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Birthday Girl

Today is my sweet baby's 8th birthday!!! Happy happy birthday!

A self portrait she took at Hubby's graduation over the weekend. I love it when she borrows my camera - I find lots of fun shots on it that she's taken.

This afternoon was my work Christmas party....I got my baby fix holding my co-workers ten week old baby. She was all wrapped up like a little glow bug:)

My Secret Recipe


I've made this fudge almost every year for the last 15 years....my co-workers even specifically ask for "Raesha's Fudge" but it's really called Creamy Double Decker Fudge. It's one of those recipes that is SUPER simple and SUPER yummy:) Enjoy!

Creamy Double Decker Fudge

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup Peanut Butter Chips
  • 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk), divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
  • 1 cup Chocolate Chips or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:
1. Line 8-inch square pan with foil.

2. Place peanut butter chips and 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; spread evenly in prepared pan.

3. Place remaining sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips in another small microwave-safe bowl; repeat above microwave procedure. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; spread evenly over peanut butter layer.

4. Cover; refrigerate until firm. Remove from pan; place on cutting board. Peel off foil. Cut into squares. Store tightly covered in refrigerator. About 4 dozen pieces or 1-1/2 pounds.

NOTE: For best results, do not double this recipe.


Monday, December 22, 2008

Baking

Hubs requested goodie tins for his team members for Christmas....I don't think I even baked at all last Christmas so I'm pretty rusty. Here's the start of what I've made so far: white chocolate dipped oreos and chocolate fudge. The pretzels and candy canes I bought:)


And these are cooling right now - shortbread cookies sprinkled with red sugar. the second batch will have green sugar sprinkled on them.

I wanted to share my fudge recipe cause it's seriously like the easiest fudge ever. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt three cups chocolate chips and one can of sweetened condensed milk. Stir often. When melted and smooth, remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Spread evenly into an 8x8 pan lined with either tin foil, or wax paper. Cover with foil and cool in the fridge for about 2 hours. Once cool, turn out onto a cutting board (peel off the foil or wax paper) and cut into one inch squares. YUMMERS!!!

I have another fantastic fudge recipe for Double Decker Fudge - the bottom layer is peanut butter fudge and the top layer is chocolate fudge. I'll share that this week:)

Sunday, December 21, 2008

It's Official!

My darling, darling Hubby is now officially a college graduate! He graduated yesterday from the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management with a BBA....I am SO PROUD OF HIM!!!!! He did it all while working full time and still maintaining a 3.48 GPA. He rocks.

That's him in the middle of this picture:) My brother took a lot of awesome shots - but we haven't loaded them on the computer yet.

My sister, Ryalin, and her family, and my brother, Chad, were all able to make it to the graduation ceremony. Hubby picked Fuddrucker's for his celebratory dinner:) It was delish:)

In this picture: Hubby, Rick, Ryalin and Chad.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Why God Make Mothers

I'm sure most of you have seen this before but it makes me smile everytime I see it:)

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grand ma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd dye it, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those in visible eyes on the back of her head.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Kickin it into High Gear


Christmas crafting in these parts is moving full steam ahead....here's a nice little stack of zippered pouches waiting to be filled with goodies for nieces and nephews. I figure if I do a little bit each night I'll get it all done in time for Christmas. On the agenda this weekend is our Christmas cards. I don't think I ever started them this late:):)

Monday, December 08, 2008

My Whirlwind Week

My head is still spinning from my whirlwind trip to Silverdale, WA last week. I am so blessed to have been able to travel home for my Grandpa's funeral. The service was wonderful and it was great to see all my relatives - even though it was bittersweet. I think the pictures say it best. Here are some of them - in completely random order cause I have ten other things to do tonight so this is a quickie:)

Heading into town:

Breakfast with my sister, my bff and her friend:


Mr. Rainier - so beautiful. It was rainy and cloudy all week except the day of the funeral. You could see Mt. Rainier so clearly. My Grandpa loved Mt. Rainier. My dad said that when they were going through Grandpa's slides before he moved into assisted living that there were about 14,000 slides and seriously 10,000 of them were of Mt. Rainier:


Little Bro - this one's for you. Apparently you and Tammy made a pact to get tattoos with each other's names in them. She held up her end of the bargain so you're next:) :


Rockin out. And yep - I'm completely sober:) With my beaner, Tammy, her sister and her sister's boyfriend.


This time we're all smiling pretty and you can please just forget you see that fat tire otherwise known as my belly. I'll have to crop that out and get copies of this for all of us - isn't this a great picture? We totally love each other so much:)


Look at my handsome Grandpa - with my Grandma and their oldest daughter, Peggy. I love old pictures so much. And isn't my Grandpa a little cutie pie!!! If I had to guess this picture is probably from about 1945ish.


At the funeral. Grandpa was in the Army Air Corp (now the Air Force) so the Honor Guard was there to play taps and fold the flag draped over Grandpa's coffin. That gets me choked up everytime.

My beaner and me. Getting a quick midnight snack at Shari's in Silverdale. Aren't her dimples the cutest!


Me and Ryalin with two of my cousins that we haven't seen in 20 years - Tanya and Dana. I always had a crush on Dana growing up - he's 6 years older than me and was the oldest boy cousin that lived in the area. He had the cutest little page boy haircut growing up. It was amazing to reconnect with them.

So that's it in a nutshell. I went from posting everyday in November, to Grandpa's funeral, to hardly posting at all. Christmas preparations are now in full swing here!!! I'm looking foward to wrapping packages and finishing up our cards...oops I mean STARTING our cards:)

Friday, December 05, 2008

Home

I'm home - safe and sound.

Monday, December 01, 2008

I love you!!!!

I'm sending each of you a big handful of daisies and hugs and kisses!!! Thank you all so much for your beautiful, kind and loving words as I mourn my dear sweet Grandpa Terry. I fly out tomorrow to Seattle for the funeral. I'm looking forward to spending a few days in my hometown of Silverdale - though it will be bittersweet. I wish I could visit all my totally awesome blogger buddies that are up the Pacific Northwest but that will have to wait until the next trip.

Until I return - I'll miss you and I love you!!!!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

In Loving Memory

My dear sweet Grandpa Terry passed away this morning. I have such wonderful memories of him. He was a kind, quiet, humble man. He suffered a terrible fall on Friday and has been unconscious since Friday night. Early this morning he slipped away quietly and peacefully.

Ferdin Foch Terry
March 25, 1919 - November 30, 2008

I think I was 19 when we took this picture together.

Grandpa was a wonderful knitter and tailor. He knit this white blanket for Miss S when she was born, and he made this dolly for me when I was probably only 8 or 10.

His organ graces my front room. I remember countless hours playing this organ when I would spend the night with him and Grandma.


And his sewing table graces my bedroom and my heart.

His sewing machine is also on its way to me. A loving gift from him that was sent just a few days ago, before we knew this weekend would be his last. His legacy will live on through his descendants and he will always be remembered. Today I am especially grateful to believe in the eternal nature of families and to know that Grandpa is reunited with his family and loved ones that have passed on before. I know it was a glorious morning for him to be with his beloved wife again, my Grandma, who passed away more than 20 years ago.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Ribbon Giveaway

Remember THIS post? Well I've finally unburied my desk enough to get around to mailing out some of this lovely ribbon to you all!!! But I need addresses for some of you:

Treasures of joy
Andrea
Jess (I need your new address:))
sam D
Bonnie
LaurenSmash (I need your new address:)

I believe I have addresses for everyone else:):) Ladies - please email me at raeshadrz at yahoo dot com

Friday, November 28, 2008

Black Friday

I love Black Friday....not for the shopping...not for the craziness....but because each year I celebrate Black Friday by staying in my pajamas as long as possible, lounging around and getting the house ready for Christmas.
I didn't get out of bed until 10:00 am. Nice:) I didn't get out of my pajamas until 5:00 pm (and only because we were having the missionaries over for dinner). I worked on a few Christmas crafts, and started deep cleaning the office/craft room/crap room. Right now it looks atrocious, but I've already thrown out two bags of trash and I have a huge pile of Goodwill stuff. I'll work on it a little bit more tonight then finish it up tomorrow.
But as for right now, I'm going to lay on the couch and watch movies with Miss S.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Week of Gratitude - Day Five

My heart is full today with gratitude for so many things. For my beautiful family - Hubby and Miss S. For a loving extended family. For kind friends and neighbors. For the scriptures. For a home, jobs and always having enough of everything. For freedom of speech and freedom of religion. For the beautiful rain that is falling outside. For my abilities. For hope. For peace.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Week of Gratitude - Day Four

I am thankful for my friends - near and far, old and new, best friends and casual acquaintances, and blog buddies. You are all so dear to me!!!

Miss S and I spent the evening deep cleaning her room. We are sending three garbage bags of stuff to Goodwill and filled another garbage bag with trash. Her room looks great! These are new (vintage) sheets I just for for her bed...isn't that pattern awesome!!!

And here's another funny to build upon my thankfulness for humor - I was talking to an elderly attorney in town today and at the end of the conversation he wished me a "Happy Easter" I laughed ALL afternoon at that one.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Week of Gratitude - Day Three

Today I am thankful for my sense of humor. My ability to laugh long and hard, sometimes inappropriately. Like today when I got a fit of giggles in the middle of the work day. I don't even remember what set me off. Or my being so prepared and making Thanksgiving cards last month....now I have no idea where I put them. Instead of being pissed off I choose to laugh it off and instead focus on the fact that I have my cards ready for NEXT Thanksgiving!!!

Let's share some embarrassing moments so we can all laugh together. Here's TWO of mine - I have far too many than I should.

My friend up the street had just put in new curtains over her sliding glass door. And they puddled so nicely on the floor like was all the rage a few years ago. Well I got myself tangled up in them, fell over, and took the whole curtain, the whole curtain rod and a big chunk of the wall where the rod had been anchored in with me. All in front of about 10 other ladies from church. I already feel like a dork in most of these ladies' presence and this was just the icing on the cake. Thankfully most of them have since moved.

Or how about when I was playing the organ in Sacrament meeting last month and the settings in the organ had been changed without my knowledge. I started playing the Sacrament hymn, hardly any sound came out, I got flustered trying to change the settings and play at the same time, then I lost my place in the hymn. It took three verses for me to finally recover!!!! That was fun. Especially when the organ is on the stand so everyone gets to see my completely red face.

So come on, fess up and share one of your embarrassing or funny stories and we'll share our gratitude for humor together.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Week of Gratitude - Day Two

Today I am grateful for my beautiful daughter, Miss S. She makes me laugh, keeps me humble, strengthens my patience, keeps life interesting and always fills my heart with love.

I found this note from her on my desk when I got home from work today.

Yesterday at church we were praying. I had my arms folded, my eyes closed and my head bowed. Miss S leaned over and ever so gently kissed my cheek. It's those moments that I will cherish forever.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Week of Gratitude - Day One

Prayer of Thanksgiving

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens, and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to his name;
He forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side;
All glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised!
O Lord, make us free!

Today I am grateful for this hymn, a beautiful reminder of Thanksgiving. I am thankful that I have the freedom to worship the Savior, that I am a daughter of God, and that my faith is a part of my daily life.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Oh My

Perhaps the cutest flannel I have ever seen in my entire life.


From JoAnne's - 1.5 yards came home with me to be made into pajama pants:)

Friday, November 21, 2008

Rockin the Gloves

OH man...this has been a tiring week. I have worked last almost everyday getting ready for trial next week. Today I worked from 7:40 am until 6:15 pm and I am pooped!! Actually make that POOPED!!! I can barely keep my eyes open and I hear my pillow calling my name.

This is going to be me in about five minutes.


But before I pass out...I used the pattern in this book to make my fingerless gloves. I LOVE this book - clear and concise and lots of great projects. I pretty much want to make one of everything in it. And yes, that is my messy desk in the background. Tomorrow is cleaning day:)





I'm 100% positive I'm breaking the law by posting this:) But oh well. If you click on the picture it should be large enough to read clearly.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Sick and Tired

I'm doing so good on my NaBloPoMo!!!!!! But I'm exhausted, sick and worn out from this cold and trial prep at work this week. So this is it for tonight:) I'll be back tomorrow with the pattern for the fingerless gloves I made:) Have a great night!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

New Gloves

New Gloves

Something about being sick just makes me want to hunker down on the couch and crochet. So tonight after pack meeting I did just that. Presenting a new pair of fingerless gloves for me - started and finished in the time it took me and Miss S to watch AFV. I can't wait to try these out at work. My boss suffers from never ending hot flashes so even in the dead of winter we have the air conditioner on. It makes it really hard to type in the mornings when your fingers are ice cubes.
PS it is INCREDIBLY hard to take a decent picture of both of your own hands:) Neither hubby nor Miss S could be bothered to help me out:)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Snarfly

NO, not Miss S - me:) My eyes are running, my nose is dripping and I think I have finally succumbed to my first winter cold. yuk. i think i'm drugging myself up and going to bed early.

Miss S had her school picture retakes today and I thought she looked darling:)

Monday, November 17, 2008

Have I Done Any Good?

I may have shared this hymn before, but the words came to mind again today when I received an email from a friend (you'll see why in a minute:)

Have I Done Any Good?

Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?

Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.

There are chances for work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying, “Sometime I’ll try,”
But go and do something today.
’Tis noble of man to work and to give;
Love’s labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps others to live.
To God each good work will be known.

So for today....here's a little good that you can do:

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Copycat

I am such a copycat....I have been drooling over these mini journals for the past month now but I'm too cheap to buy them. So I did the next best thing. Blatantly copied them:)



I love it so much and I have a feeling several of these will make an appearance come Christmas. Here's what I wrote on the first page:

dear diary

today

15 November 2008

i love the smell of

brownies in the oven

i love the sound of

miss S and C-bug playing

i love the taste of

diet Dr. Pepper

i love the sight of

freshly folded laundry

i love the feel of

clean sheets


Saturday, November 15, 2008

Super Saturday

Today was our annual crafting day at church...it was a lot of fun and we had about 40 women participating.


Here are two of the projects I worked on (that's a mirror in the mdidle of the I am a child of God plaque). The recipe board is magnetic...super cute!! These will both be Christmas presents. Speaking of which it's almost time to start wrapping!!!! YEAH!!! I love getting everything out that I purchased and made throughout the year, taking stock of what else I need to do, starting our Christmas letter, and wrapping gifts. My big kick off for that is the day after Thanksgiving. I love Black Friday - I never hardly even leave the house and instead just spend the day lounging about getting ready for Christmas.


Even Moki did some crafting:)

For the rest of the day I am doing some serious housework. I've pretty much neglected my duties the last two weeks and it's finally time to get caught up.

Friday, November 14, 2008

My Boy is Back!!!!

I am so in love with this boy:) I can't wait to see Quantum of Solace. If you get to see it before me, totally do please tell me how it is:)

Thursday, November 13, 2008

A sneak peek for Monica....


my sweet partner in Apron Thrift Girl's red and aqua swap:) And just WAIT until you see all the goodies Monica sent me:):) Holy moly!!!!!!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Sucked In


All my plans for the evening bit the dust when Hubby and I saw that this was on...oh my gosh I LOVE "Sixteen Candles". It's such an awesome movie.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

I can do it!

This book has been on my "gotta buy" list ever since I read about it on a blog...I think it was on this sweet lady's blog. I was thrilled beyond belief today when I found it at the thrift store for $1.50!!! Yahoo!!!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Pin Me

I found these little egg cups on clearance at Anthropologie a few months ago (clearance is the only stuff I can afford there:)) I immediately thought of making them into little pin cushions. So, three months later I finally did it:) I used some Amy Butler charms that I have and I LOVE how they turned out. These were so quick and easy - I started like I was making a big yo-yo, then stuffed it super tight with fiberfill. A little hot glue and you're done! I have three more to make and then I also found some white egg cups too. The possiblities are endless!!!

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Saturday

I had planned on crafting yesterday....but instead I spent at least 4 hours completely emptying out, cleaning and organizing my pantry, thanks to the army of sugar ants that decided to move in. The last straw was when we poured cereal for breakfast and ants came out of the cereal boxes. YUCK!!!! So out came EVERY single thing in the pantry. I wiped everything down, threw away almost 2 garbage bags of crap, and filled all sorts of empty Tupperware with stuff. I LOVE the Tupperware pantry organizer storage bins. You can tell from these pics that I have collected quite a few of them over the years. Every once in a while I can find them at the thrift stores but not very often.

So this is what my kitchen looked like pretty much all of yesterday.

My nice clean, empty pantry.

DSC03471

I'll try to remember to post a photo of it all filled up.

Instead of the long list of crafts I wanted to work on, this is the only crafting I got done. We were getting rid of these really nice clipboards at work. I brought three home and spelled "homework" in letter stickers on one for Miss S. Now her weekly homework packet has a nice place to reside, she has a hard surface to work on when she's sitting at the couch, and she'll always have a spot for her pencils. I think it will work out quite nicely. Does anyone have any grand ideas for the other two I have left?