Christmas Is Coming...

Here a few layouts that I created for my November Rusty Pickle Design Team Requirements. The first one is for the Rusty Pickle blog challenge.

TFL!

Sydnee's Baptism

On October 27th, Sydnee chose to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a wonderful service. She had many friends that came to support her decision. Grandpa and Grandma Garner were there also. It is just one of those days, as a parent, that makes you very proud. I feel that since her baptism, Sydnee has been more sensitive to the world around her. She is making such good choices and continues to be a light in our lives!

Thanks to the Primary Pres. for this family picture. {Sydnee is not smiling because she had a brownie in her mouth.}

To learn more about baptism, visit here.

Strike That...Reverse It!

Ok...I am getting a little ahead of myself! I posted about our concert before I posted about my trip to Kansas City! I had to go to Kansas City for a Creating Keepsakes Convention and while I was there my bff came to visit her sister who lives in Kansas! So...what do you think this work weekend turned into?

lots of laughter and fun! Really, it was so much fun from the moment I arrived in Kansas City. Before I got there it wasn't very fun because it rained. It rained really HARD for the entire drive. But after I arrived it was F U N!

Oh yeah...I also forgot the moment I thought my hubby's GPS was stolen and I locked the keys in the rental car....

but the rest of the weekend was really....I mean it....FUN!

here's some proof:

I promised I wouldn't post any pictures here of our late-night crochet party...so I don't have a picture of my bff's sister...my friend....the most amazing gal! Just look at her decorating skills....I love her entire house and want it for my very own. She is a great decorator for two reasons....everything in her house is organized and looks fabulous....and she loves good deals and amazing finds! She loves to shop the thrift stores and has some amazing furniture that she has literally found on the side of the road and painted and made beautiful again.

What a great weekend....

Let's Start At The Very Beginning....

it's a very good place to start!

Today is the 3rd anniversary of this lil' blog of mine. I really thought it was only 2 years, but it has been three.

Three!

And I have been a terrible blogger the past few weeks....ok maybe months.

So this is my post of starting over again.....posting every day. Pinky promise!

I have a list of 7 posts {or more} that I am behind. So lets get right to it.....

The Imagination Movers! Have you heard of them? We really hadn't....BUT Ella's friend is a HUGE fan and had some extra tickets so we joined them for a great night of music and fun! They really are a great group of 'dads'! {11 kids between the 4 of them!} And they have a great story....when then decided to start a kids' band they wanted it to be a mix of Captain Kangaroo and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Love it!

And the girls love it too! Even the parents were up and dancing to the music. Really, their music is good...not like some of those kids' groups where you cringe when your kids want to listen to their CD.....I love it and even suggest it now. Thanks friends for a fun night!

{Happy Thanksgiving...

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.

~ Meister Eckhardt

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

~ Melody Beattie

All I Want for Christmas...

I usually don't send along these types of posts...but the loot is too good to pass up!

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?
A clean, organized house {I can wish, can't I?}
A new Cocomotion, mine is on the edge of death.
Itunes $
A simple Christmas filled with love & laughter.
My sister's family to make it safely to my home across 3 states...
2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?
Christmas ornaments made by my little kiddos
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?
A t-shirt quilt
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?
A Heavenly Kid...my mom tried so hard to get Cabbage Patch kids the first year they hit the stores....and now as a mom I realize that this gift really, truly came from her heart.
5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?
games, books, etc....they haven't been too specific...yet!
6. What is your favorite holiday food?
Pumpkin Pie - hands down!
7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?
lots of handmade gifts...I hope!
8. What is your favorite holiday movie?
classic movie: Santa Claus:The Movie

current favorite: Elf
9. Favorite holiday song?
Silent Night
10. Favorite holiday pastime?
Sipping hot chocolate with yummy pumpkin creamer :)

Minnesota

I really had a great time up north. I met some amazing people in my classes. And I had one class {you know who you are *wink*} that was fabulous! I loved being with Alaina...I love seeing my Rusty Pickle girls at the conventions! I also got see a new friend that I made this year, Angela with The Button Farm. We met a few shows ago, and the rest is history. Her friend was also there and I hope to see both of them again next year! I love this thing that we all do called scrapbooking. It has brought me some of my closest friends and some wonderful learning experiences. I love teaching; I enjoy hearing people's stories; I do feel very blessed with doing something that I love. Now before I get all sappy on you...here are a few pictures!

Where in the world is Sid? At the CKC convention of course! This makes me smile every time I look at it. {Thanks Nancy & Michelle}

Hope this 'Brighton's your day!

I love when gals leave class and go to the crop or home to finish their project and then bring it back for show n' tell! It makes me so happy....these girls did fab with the halloween album; I even took some of their ideas for my own book.

Pickle friends! {To my sis that styles my hair, this is after a LONG day...please don't hate, I am getting my hair done tomorrow}

Halloween Festivities

We had a great time last week with all the Halloween Fun....will tell more later, but just had to get these photos up....

Bind-It-All Idea

I have a thousand blog posts running through my mind....I just uploaded over 300 pictures and this is the first one in the file. I loved this idea that I found on Shelly Hagaman's blog several months ago. I used the Bind-It-All Machine to put all my kids' flashcards together in one place! Multiplication, Addition, and Subtraction tables; Alphabet; States, Animals, etc. etc.
You don't know how happy I was to get these organized and out of the broken boxes! It was such a breath of fresh air....one organizing project down and a thousand to go!