Living life and loving it

If she could walk, Keetley would be toddling down the catwalk, winning me some more material!

I started this little gem at 10 pm Saturday night.

But when the jumper's zipper didn't go in perfectly (1/16th of an inch off...and with plaid, it was REALLY noticeable), I decided to go ahead and make the jacket to go with the dress....It was all cut out anyways, and baby girl really needed it to make THE LOOK.  I started with a pattern, but after realizing it wasn't what I really wanted, I drafted my own. (Thank you, "true major" required classes!)

I am in love with this fully lined, dropped waist, pleated, invisible zipper, scalloped edge, frog toggle and peter-pan collar ensemble!!!  Long enough to cover legs in tights, but short enough so when Keetley starts to crawl, she won't be too frustrated (which I anticipate will be happening before I can get her New Year's dress done!).

I won the plaid wool at my very first "Make It With Wool" contest when I was 13 or 14.  I think I might have cried when I opened my paper bag prize, and saw this horrid piece of material!  I have held onto it for over 17 years knowing I'd someday make a darling Christmas Dress with it.

The red wool came from a large 'donation' to the 4-H office when I worked there.  The majority of the fabric came home with me, including all the gingham, wool, vintage rick-rack and a handful of zippers.  I was floored that the club leaders didn't want to deal with it.  Didn't I get LUCKY?!

I finally turned off the sewing machine at 4:32 am.  Took this picture, and decided to shower, then head to bed for a cat-nap before getting ready for Church.

:::

I was asked to prepare a piano number for Sacrament Meeting.  Found a little ditty on Sally DeFord's website, and practiced every day for the 5 days notice I got.  Being as sleep deprived as I was, I am so proud of myself for getting lost on line two and ending up at the end of page two, without having to stop and start over.  Quite honestly, I don't even remember playing the song once I got to the piano, so to say I made it through, was pretty special.

:::

Every once in a while we have to just live a little.  Since I've re-dedicated my life to motherhood and am more focused on being at home and with my children, we decided to cut 'er lose and enjoy our Christmas decorations!

Yay for trains, exploring, pajama pictures, nativities, and ornaments that roll like balls!

Tonight we drew names.  Not to buy gifts, but to do acts of service.  Taylor excitedly wrote the name of each family member on a piece of paper and with Kortlen, they folded and placed in a bowl.  Our family could use a healthy dose of service and humility, especially since we seem to have a bad case of the gimme-gimme's.  I'm excited to see how this all unfolds in the morning!!!  We seemed to be off to a good start after dinner, and I hope it goes well.

Merry Christmas! {2012}

We couldn't decide, so you get to see my favorite and then everyone else's favorite.  I even saved all the addresses from cards we received this year, in hopes that season's greetings would make their way from our home to yours....That said, I'm not super woman, or even organized enough to print and mail (or deliver) all 50 cards I wanted to.  Maybe  next year?!  Let's hope so. 

We hope our home is filled with the Spirit of Christmas and gratitude as we recollect on the past year and focus on what we can improve on in the coming year.  We are grateful for the birth and love of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and for his atoning sacrifice.  Without his marvelous plan of salvation, we could not be a forever family!  As we learn and grow together, we give thanks for our many wonderful blessings, including or family and friends. 

Merry Christmas!  

♥, the Poulsens

Some Days

Some days I really am a good mom.  Some days, I actually do fun stuff with my kids!  And some days, it all happens on the SAME DAY.  No sense in spreading out the wealth of fun, if I'm up for a circus, right?!

We all (including daddy!) went to the Museum of Idaho to see the annual Christmas Display, where our kids were impressively well behaved.  We had fun seeing all the different santas and nativity scenes from around the world.  I think we topped last years time, and spent a whopping 45 minutes perusing the displays!

Afterwards, we came home and tidied up a bit, then started making messes again.  ...Some days, that's how it goes.

I got the dishes done, and the floor cleaned, while kiddos played with birthday presents.  Then we cut loose! While Tanner was busy cutting 16 pieces of construction paper into 128 strips for a paper Christmas chain, Kortlen and Taylor watched me make playdough.

I.hate.playdough.  Okay, maybe just a strong dislike.  But I make it for my kids.

I dislike the texture when I'm mixing it, I dislike the smell, I dislike the mess it leaves, and I dislike the way it turns gooey if we don't play with it often.  I think my dislike for playdough stems from all the playdough my mom made us as kids, and how my younger siblings would eat it.  *shudder*  Mostly little pieces, but still.  yuck!

BUT this time around, I dumped in a whole-lotta peppermint oil to cover up the playdough-smell.  I also made a mental note to buy a more hardy stirring utensil....my rubber spatula was pretty useless.

Some days, we know how to have fun, and love each other while doing it.  Some days, I LOVE being a mom, and I LOVE my kids more than ever!!!

I have to add, that some days my kids surprise me.  They shouldn't, but they do.  We went to the ward party after all this fun, and while Ryan was at work, I totally rocked being an awesome mom.  My kids sat BY THEMSELVES while I played the piano, were reverent while 'not my kids' were running helter-skelter, and I was just so proud to have a good parenting moment!!!  For once, I wasn't running helter-skelter after my kids.  :)  It was AWESOME!  My kids are AWESOME!

P.S.  what do you do with all the single staples that are perfect good, but broken from the larger pieces?!  Ugh....we went through a LOT of staples today.  LOL!

How is your tree holding up?

Ours has been slightly traumatized today...

Behold, the dart gun.  Our boys got some from grandpa Poulsen (excuse:  They were really good wisemen in the play) and needless to say, some darts have gone astray from their intended targets.

: : :

On a happy note...I can hardly wait to snuggle with my hubby next to this:

It's "What's On" on our local news station tomorrow night...oh, can't see what I'm talking about?  Here:

It's a Holiday Hearth...A fire on our tv.  :)  I'm sure we can find something to do while there's a 'blazing fire' *cue floor heater on the feet* and the chillins (if you're not a Crandall, that's "Crandall" for Children.) are soundly slumbering.  We are in desperate need of some romantic time together.  LOL!  I'm talking about real adult-to-adult conversation besides something involving a checkbook or what's for dinner.  

: : :

In other news, we have written the same letter to Santa nine times today.  All because the "a" isn't connected, or a line for the "n" went too long, or an entire name was written backwards.  *palm-to-forehead*

Our son is a perfectionist, and it is cracking me up.  I finally got him a pencil with an eraser, and he is having MAJOR writing issues.  I wish he'd just leave the mistakes, but he refuses that it look anything less than perfect.  I tried to explain during a melt-down that it's okay to make writing mistakes when we're learning, but he wouldn't have any of that.  I have NO idea where he got this trait from.  We have yet to actually draw a picture of a gift idea for Santa to bring.  The clock is ticking...like way too fast.


Sometimes I'd like to see what is going on inside his brain.  He has done this on nearly every letter, and now on the envelope...

Do you see what I see??? 

Perfectly Backwards.  :)  Should I be concerned?

: : :

Santa's workshop is planning on closing tonight.  Hallelujah!  My sewing machine is a workhorse and I've had to explain WHY not to go into mommy and daddy's room the week before Christmas a hundred times today.  (I cannot remember to shut our bedroom door when I leave the room!)  A certain five-year-old just doesn't get it!  He came across some surprises and I had to make him pinky-promise not to tell Taylor what mommy made.  I think he secretly likes to keep secrets like this.  

So, now begs the question:  how are all of you Mrs. Clause's and your misters holding up?  Is Santa's shop closed for holiday yet?  

I'm outta Stamps, so.....

You get it this way.  :)  

I also ran out of ink...which isn't in the remaining 2010 budget...so enjoy our Merry Christmas to you, the electronic way!

Option (b)

and Option (c)

Celebrate

This time of year is full of celebrations for the Poulsen Family!

With three birthdays this month, it is sometimes a challenge to focus solely on the birth of our Savior.  Every year I struggle with how to 'present' my little nativity so it can be prominent in our home.  My grandma Crandall gave me the beautiful carving of Joseph, Mary, and the Christ Child and camels several years ago.  I think I finally found a way to display it that is pleasing to me, yet noticed by my children.  I don't have any other pieces to the nativity besides the Holy family and the camels, but it's a good reminder that 'wise men' still seek Him.  

__________

Taylor received some money from Grandpa and Grandma Poulsen (they're in St. George for the winter, and it was easier than sending a package) to buy a toy for his birthday...and he was dead-set on getting "Night Fury" from the movie "How to Train Your Dragon".  I thought the dragon's name was "Toothless", so I was completely confused at all the stores we went to...I had no idea what a "night murry" dragon was!

We decided to showcase "Toothless" on Taylor's cake for when Grandma and Grandpa Crandall and my siblings came up to celebrate.  I really need to invest in or make a more manly cake stand.  This one is Ryan's grandmother's...it survived the flooding of the Teton Dam...so it's kinda' fun to have around. 

Here's our three birthday boys!  This year Ryan turned 35, while his sons turned 3 and 5.  My brain hurts too much to think if this fun play on numbers will ever happen again...

It was very enjoyable to have my family here to celebrate, open gifts, eat cake and pie, and then watch the Christmas Devotional given by the First Presidency of the church.  My heart is full!

__________

What goof-balls!  These two are best friends most of the time...and it's great!  Tanner has really stepped up and is starting to show signs of 'responsibility'...while Taylor is completely goofy.  "Look mom!  We're being silly.  Take our picture!!!"

And just as a heads-up...there'll be at least one more birthday post about Tanner's birthday.  I know.  I'm kinda worn out, too. 

{oh, happy are the children}

After being gone for about five days, we arrived home safely late last night.  Early this morning was spent doing six loads of laundry, taking down the trimmings on the tree, and tossing the poor wilted evergreen outside.  I also picked up and put away the mess we left after tearing into Santa's Spoils last week...all the while, the boys played nicely together and it was like Christmas all over again, with them pulling out toys and giggling and getting excited over the toys that made it known that they had secret hiding and moving parts.  Needless to say, I spent naptime folding and putting away laundry and making yummy Chicken Noodle Soup, to warm our tummies up.

We were very blessed this year, as we have been every year.  I don't remember a sad or lonely or deprived Christmas.  Even at 25 years of age, I've had 25 years of generosity and gratitude.

Some of the favorite gifts this year include:

Tanner & Taylor:  Their Bunkbed. 
(They could have cared less about the other two toys they got from Santa, which is fine with me.   In fact, Tanner and I were discussing the number of presents they received this year, "Did Santa bring you lots of neat gifts?"  "Yeah.  It was too much."  "Oh, so how many presents should Santa bring you next year?"  "Uhhhh...Four."  "Well, this year he only brought you two, so should he bring you more?"  "No." "Okay.  I'm pretty sure Santa can handle two presents.")  I'm so glad that we have room to grow...so we don't feel like we have to buy the world by the time they're ten...I can do two presents.  In fact, it was perfect.

I was so worried about the 'small number of presents' the kids would be getting.  Literally, they got to open three gifts each.  And there was a ladder behind the SIX presents that took Tanner at least 10 minutes to find.  I was so worried they would want to open gifts for and hour or so, but 15 minutes was just right for us.  They got little stocking stuffers like a pez dispenser, bath tub color tablets, and a toothbrush, and it was fabulous and it was JUST RIGHT.

Deanna & Ryan:  Socks (I know) and Sleeping Bag Blankets from my mom and dad.
(Funny, how when I was packing I was trying to find a pair of socks that didn't have holes in the toes or heels...and just scrapped the whole idea...silently vowing to only wear socks with my shoes and go barefoot in the house so I wouldn't be embarrassed...and low and behold, Ryan and I both got socks.)

Ryan and I decided not to exchange gifts this year, since we spent the Christmas Budget on the beds for the boys, and I must say, it was GIFT-enough to watch those little boys get so excited over so little!  Ryan did 'cheat' and bought me a wireless mouse...Thanks Honey!

We spent Christmas Eve with Ryan's Family in Rexburg.  It was a once in a lifetime opportunity where ALL of his siblings were at his parents house, so we figured we'd take advantage of that even if it was my families turn to endure the holidays with us.  Christmas morning, after opening a few gifts at home, we drove back to Rexburg to enjoy Apple Pancakes (I had to bring a bit of my own family traditions so I wouldn't feel so down and out) and some more fun with cousins.  Tanner and Taylor really enjoyed playing outside with two cousins their same age, Chandler and Megan.  They were troopers and let our boys use their inertubes to go down the hill in the back yard...I think Tanner was in HEAVEN!

After a quick lunch, we jumped back in the car and drove to Chesterfield.  I could hardly wait to see my family.  :)  We had the most wonderful time, with a delicious dinner and an exchange of gifts.  I'll just say how blessed we are to have such a generous family.  All the gifts were perfect, even down to the book we needed to return (we need to get our copy out and re-read it).

Over the course of four days, we ate delicious food (Tricia, your candy is TO DIE FOR!) and laughed like we'd never see each other again.  It was simply fabulous.  It was glorious.  It's a WONDERFUL LIFE.

I'll rummage through the 13 pictures I took and see what I can find, just so I don't get any complaints about not having a visual.  :)

So, be it said, I hope each and every one of you found the Spirit of Christmas and enjoyed it as much as our family did.  

And here's to a Happy New Year!

{Reason for the Season}

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