Change

This last year has been challenging: with the recession came a fast decline in work for my hubby. He went from a high-demand water truck owner to one in a crowd...waiting for the call, any call...that there was work.

Any work...work in Utah, work back east, anyone want a big/expensive water party??? Comfortable living went to cutting back on a few unneccessaries....to "only if it is a necessity!"

Prayers, lots of them...and then some more.

We looked, he called, and called some more and then one day an opportunity: a remodel job with his brother-in-law.

Something! Not water-truck work, but any work at this point is fantastic!

Prayers of thanksgiving, prayers for guidance, prayers for help...can we make all the numbers work, somehow??

More cutting back...can we cut back any more??? Grateful for food storage, grateful for prayer, grateful for our family! Realizing what really are necessities and what are luxuries. More prayers, of course...uncertainty at what the future will bring, where do we go from here?

In retrospect, we can see all along the way...we were blessed, daily, hourly, overwhelmingly!

In December, days before business loan default, the water trucks finally have a buyer! More uncertainty, stepping into the unknown, letting go and relying on our faith. More blessings, an abundant Christmas, overwhelming generosity. Tears of joy.

A feeling of peace, knowing that we are being watched over, that we will be okay. There is One over all who is over us.

Remodel job nearing the end...and now a job offer. Production management. New product, but similar routine as previous employment (back when we were newly-weds).

More prayers of thankfulness, some uncertainty-more stepping into the unknown, lots of gratitude...

We are finding out (some of us are slow learners) that in all our uncertainty and worry, there is one sure pattern: we are continually watched over, our needs are known, and that happiness comes from letting go of the guise of security and realizing that true security comes through faith and trust in our Father, who we can confidently depend on.

Of that, I am certain.

The Funnest Sleep Over

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day along with the end of the term created a perfect marriage: a four-day-weekend. While heading down to Sunny St. George was a real temptation, the checkbook revolted and we resolved to make lemonade...you know...

So...with our friendly next door neighbors' movie library, freezing cold weather, and sleeping bags, flashlights, and popcorn:

the kids discovered that they could actually have fun at home. For three days, they had the longest, funnest sleepover EVER!

One of those nights this guy came and sluggled into our bed about 12:30...something about hearing dinosaurs and someone breathing too loud. (although I don't know that it was any quieter next to his dinosaur-breathing father.) We had a fun weekend and enjoyed some lazy days together.

In Full Bloom

I have two Christmas Cactus(es) (I suppose I should say cacti, but for some reason it sounds wrong). They are both plants that I grew from starts (I don't know the right term, but I clipped a piece off an adult plant, grew roots and then planted it). They both have sentimental value to me.

The one on the left is almost eleven years old while the one on the right is only seven years old. In all that time, they have only blossomed twice and with only 2-3 small blossoms per plant. Right before Christmas (maybe this is why they have their name???) they both grew 10-12 blossoms and have bloomed in full splendor! During this dreary, gray, inversion-weary time of year look what I get to see every day!!

Christmas Revealed, part II

Okay, Holly, this one is for you!! It's not December 26th, but better late than never, right??

I made this fun race track for our youngest to entertain him during sacrament meeting. It folds up nicely and so far it has been a hit!

Here are few sewing projects I did for my sister's family. The crayon rolls were really fun and they go inside the little sacrament meeting bags...with paper and stickers to keep little ones preoccupied and quiet, hopefully. I made pillow cases for my nephew and nieces with their first initial in felt and a flirty apron for my sister. I also made aprons for my mom, grandma, and sister-in-law (in different colors).

I made more pillow cases for my own kids with their first initial (we couldn't have them getting mixed up)!

These are the pajama bottoms my kids received this Christmas Eve. They are fun because (thanks to my awesome neighbor and her fancy machine) they have the kids' names on their behinds! (Also great when I'm folding clothes so I can tell them apart!)

I made some BYU pillows for my kids...I made a template out of card stock and a ruler and then cut out the letters in felt and sewed them on before stuffing the pillow. The pillow is pieced out of jean squares and matches their jean quilts (coming up). My husband and I made two cool hat racks for my dad and my brother-in-law. It looks like it might have taken forever to make, but they were really pretty simple.

Since I had tons of jean pockets, I made a jean pocket purse for our daughter. She thinks it's pretty fun and it's the perfect size for all her little "treasures." I made the older boys some camouflage drawstring backpacks out of some of my husband's old pants and some rope. They turned out pretty good and some of the other kids have requested one too.

The kids each got a simple wallet and each of the boys got a pocket bag...to put all their treasures in!



Probably the funnest project was these sock monkeys. They are really easy and turned out really cute!

Definitely the most time consuming projects were these jean quilts. I made one for each of the kids (didn't get a picture of the one on the top bunk...too hard for me to climb up and get a decent picture!) My sister-in-law gave me a bunch of old jeans and my good friend gave me a bunch of jean squares that she had...so I had plenty of material! Our youngest's (the small one) quilt is fun because it is made of mostly pockets. I made a few matching pillows and new curtains that also match. I don't have a picture of the curtains because I still need to get curtain rods. All in all I thought the projects turned out cute...very time-consuming, but I had a lot of fun making them!