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Feeling the Christmas Budget CRUNCH?

FEELING THE CHRISTMAS BUDGET CRUNCH?

(Warning: this post is not for the faint of heart or easily embarrassed.... It may also be a post with a limited time engagement.)

This was on my Cousins blog about a nifty homemade Christmas slipper craft idea for those on a tight gift budget. It made me laugh and I wanted to share.

These bedroom slippers are soft and hygienic, equipped with potentially non-slip grip strips on the soles, fresh (optional built in deodorant feature), convenient (no more bending over to mop up spills), completely disposable, biodegradable, and environmentally safe.

They come in three convenient sizes: (1.) Regular, (2.) Light and (3.) Get out the Sand Bags.

Materials (per pair):

Four maxi pads

Decorations (optional)

Instructions:

Lay two maxi pads out flat (for the foot part). Wrap a second one around each flat pad to form the toe area/top. Tape or glue each side of the top pieces to the bottom foot part. Decorate the tops with whatever you desire, silk flowers, buttons, ribbons, etc.

Follow the Prophet...

With recent events in our family and also the Country I just wanted to put up a little reminder to follow the PROPHET! I was once told its easier to be good than it is to be bad. The reason for this is you have to go out of your way to make wrong choices. I truly believe this and hope that everyone will hold to the "ROD" and FOLLOW OUR PROPHET. You know when we make right choices things seem to go so much better in life and there aren't as many trials or at least the trials are easier to over come! I am learning the older I get how short life really is and that I need to VALUE every minute that I have with my family! I love you all if anything this is more of a reminder for me! Here is a talk from Elder Neal A. Maxwell...

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'

This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ... Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted... This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religions convictions.

Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened... Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probably, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do.

We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat."

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Meeting Challenges of Today," BYU Devotional October 10, 1978

Aunt Dalene...

I just want to take a few minutes to pay tribute to my Aunt Dalene she passed away on Friday November 7th. What an amazing women she was and she will truly be missed by many.

When my sister Valerie called to give me the news I was in such shock I couldn't begin to even believe what she had said. In fact I even said on the phone "are you kidding?" I was in shock...I just saw her not long ago at our wonderful family reunion. She looked so great and I think that is why it was such a shock. My Dad called not long after and asked if I had heard the news and I let him know that Val had called. I told him how sorry I was and asked how he was doing and he just said that he was NUMB! In all honesty that is how I felt... NUMB in total disbelief that she was gone.

As I write this I weep in sadness for how much I miss her! I keep thinking of what a beautiful reunion she is having with her Mom & Dad and also Stan (her daughter Shelly's Husband that past away a few years ago).

I remember all of the good times we have shared with Aunt Dalene and her family when we would go out West for Easter and they would take their trailer out and so would Grandma & Grandpa. I remember ridding in their brown SUV type car and having so much fun. Our wonderful Easter egg hunts and Uncle Barth and Aunt Dalene would always have candy in their trailer (candy bars...YUMMY). Thanksgiving dinners and Grandma & Grandpa's with ALL the family! Our wonderful Christmas parties and white elephant gifts. Such wonderful times we have all shared with one another. Summer parties with water fights and pure fun and enjoyment for all.

When I was working at Kate's in American Fork I got the privelage of doing my Aunt Dalene's hair several times. It was a great time to get to know my wonderful Aunt better. She was such a wonderful person and a great example to others. She reminded me so much of my Grandma and I will truly miss her!

I LOVE YOU AUNT DALENE AND WILL MISS YOU SO MUCH UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!!! Give Grandpa & Grandma my LOVE and please bless and watch over us all!

Cemetary Vist...

This is my Grandpa & Grandma Mayne's grave. We went down to a Baptism on Saturday and I decided that I wanted to go and visit their grave. Every time I am there to visit I always feel a sense of peace while I am there. Hayli enjoys it when we are there and I tell them stories of my Grandparents. I only wish that Kenli & Gracie had a chance to meet them here on earth. They would have loved them as much as I do! We had the camera with us and Hayli said lets take a picture with Grandpa & Grandma so we did!

I love and miss you Grandpa & Grandma so very much!

Trick or Treating...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! This year STEVE was OFF!!!

YAY...Daddy gets to go TrIcK oR TrEaTiNg with us!!!

We started about 7:30 and only wanted to go to a few houses in our neighborhood and then off to Centerville to see friends. I figured the kids DON'T need a lot of candy and we had a late start.

We went and visited "GRANDMA & GRANDPA RICHARDS" Paul was Steve's captain/Family friend and our Neighbor for years when we lived in Centerville. They are like my kids' Grandparents that are close since my Dad is in St. George, my Mom is in Orem and Steve's Mom is in Salt Lake, and his Dad is a Truck Driver so he isn't here all that often. I'm so gratful we have them in our lives...we love you Paul & Joan!!!

So after our visit we went to a few of our favorite houses in our old ward and the MAIN stop was the COTTON CANDY HOUSE!!! This is a favorite of the whole family! We were the last to get cotton candy and he had given out over 350 bags of it this year! WOW that is a lot of work for him & his family! The kids LOVE IT though! Our next house is the "MONSTERS" house...a guy dresses up scary and walks around on STILTS and scares everyone! Once again another favorite! Hayli and Gracie weren't affraid of him at all but KENLI on the other hand didn't want anything to do with him. What was so great about Gracie is she wanted to give him a KISS & a LOVE!!! She is so funny!

Once we were all done we went home and the first thing everyone did was sit down on the couches. I went and put things away and when I came back into the living room everyone had CRASHED!!! I guess we wore them all out!

Hope you all enjoy the pictures!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Charlie...the funny places she sleeps!

Our kitty is so funny with the places she curls up to take a nap. We find her in the funniest place all curled up sound asleep. I decided to take a few pictures when I found her sleeping in a box under the kitchen table. She is such a lovey kitten!

Halloween Party at the Fire Department...

Tonight was the annual Fire Department Halloween Party. The kids got their costumes on and Hayli brought her friend Ashley. Steve had to work but he was working at the station the party was at so that worked out great (not to mention that its just accross the street from our house)! Hayli was a CIRCUS kinda girl, Kenli was CINDERELLA and Gracie was TINKERBELL! They all looked so cute...Hayli's friend Ashely was a PINK LADY the other little girl that is dressed like an Indian is Samantha and her Dad works with Steve at the Fire Department.

At the party we had HOT DOGS and CHILI for dinner and GLAZED DOUGHNUTS they even had SUGAR COOKIES that you could frost and decorate. This year was really fun for the kids since they had a great big blow up toy for the kids to play on! WHAT A HIT!!! They all had a blast on it. Gracie had to take off her wings to play on it and Steve ended up wearing them! He is such a GREAT DADDY!!! We really had a good time watching the kids play and enjoy themselves.

Hope you all have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! Love to you all!

Sickness update...

I wanted to give you all an update on everyone that has been sick. Hayli & Kenli are all better and have 2 more days left on their antibiotic. I am better as well other than a little bit of cough lingering around but I feel 110% better than what I was. Gracie the poor baby is still sick. In fact she went back to the doctor today because I think she is WORSE not any better. Her sinus infection is still the same and the PERTUSSIS isn't any better either. She now has a cold in both eyes but heck the strep is gone!!! The doctor put her on a new antibiotic and also antibiotics for her eyes. Poor little thing she just can't seem to catch a break with this stuff. The doctor told me today that PERTUSSIS can take up to 10 weeks before she is completely better! 10 WEEKS are you CRAZY!!!!! That means we would have about 6 1/2 weeks to go!!! I really don't want to go that long with a sick child so I hope this new medicine will help! I'm think I will have Steve give her a blessing to help her recover quicker! I should have done that in the beginning but a lot of times I just don't think of it for little colds... I KNOW this one wasn't little but I just never even thought of it. I guess I need to be more in tune with our Heavenly Father and the needs of the kids...(being a better listener)!!!

What a bunch of silly girls...

As you all know Gracie had given my camera a bath...after many hours of trying to dry it out and after several battery changes it is working once again!!! YAY...YIPPEE...YE HA... YESSSS!!!

I have been taking crazy pictures of the kids in trying to make sure all is well with the camera! So far so good! What a blessing! Hope you enjoy these random shots of the kids being silly!