...gratitude

This Thanksgiving brings with it many emotions for our family, but the one that is the strongest is gratitude.

Today I am grateful for:

a warm house | slobbery toddler kisses | love notes from my hub | my comfy, warm bed | steady freelance work | a secure job | christmas shopping | the upcoming holiday to relax with family | cuddling in pjs while watching a good flick | sweet 4-year-old prayers for her cousin | living in a safe and beautiful place | best friends who are my sisters and sister-in-laws | a husband who loves my cooking and lets me know | smiles | hugs | crafting books and pretty yarn | cold cereal | blogging friends | fresh produce | the temple and eternal families | bakers twine in 4 colors | a car that still runs | warm soup and homemade bread | cinnamon special k | a bouncing bundle of joy growing inside me | hot showers | a washing machine and clean sheets | bounteous craft supplies | good books | peppermint chapstick | my new pretty, ruffly purse | siblings who give me pretty, ruffly purses | steel cut oats with crasins | comfortable dress shoes | luxurious shampoo | our heater | clementine oranges | yummy perfume | beautiful, chilly days enjoyed from inside | hot chocolate with extra whipped cream | dulce de leche cheesecake | costco diapers | a nice camera | hub's jokes and humor | a full fridge and pantry | my silly dog | franklin planners | pens that write just-so | phone chats with family | a handy husband | my girly-girl's made-up princess songs | good health | wonderful friends, old and new | loving extended family | answers to prayer | only having 7 more weeks before I get to hold baby #3 | my belief in God | my faith | freedom to worship as i wish | a supportive husband | beautiful children

I could keep going. I have so much to be grateful for. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving full of turkey and pie. A special thanks goes out to you, my blogging friends, who have made writing this blog such a joy.

Enjoy this little clip:

...parfum

I have a confession: I am cheap. I am always on the lookout for a good deal, confident that I can find the expensive product at a cheaper price. I come from a family of bargain shoppers. We don't buy things unless they are obscenely cheap.

I have another confession: I love expensive things. I have developed a taste for the luxuries in life. A habit I picked up from my husband, who was taught that it is better to buy the best and be happy.

I've had to learn to appease my two loves: luxuries and bargains. Impossible? I think not. I have recently been caught buying a $199 diaper bag for $40 and $150 shoes for $29.

I have one more confession to divulge: I adore a certain expensive parfum. But...it is more money than my cheap heart can handle. Whenever I was in the mall, I would stop in to Nordstom and ask for a sample of it. Samples=Free=Obscenely Cheap. I've looked for a cheaper price with no avail. I tried to forget about my smell-love by purchasing a cheaper perfume by Lacoste last January, but it just didn't measure up and I've been unhappy since I purchased it.

My husband, being the gem that he is, bought me THE PARFUM for my birthday, and I have been in aroma heaven ever since. Oh my. It is the best. Sometimes, spending the extra money is necessary. (And, you won't waste money on the cheaper perfume that you will never end up wearing.) Check it out the next time you are in Nordstom. Ask for a sample...or two. And, then be ready to go back for more.

Hanae Mori Paris 'Butterfly'

...it's my birthday

Today, I turn 27!

- It's my 20th birthday spent eating cheesecake. (Today's cheesecake is an assortment of 4 kinds from the Cheesecake Factory. Packing in the calories just in time for the holidays. My mouth will be happy, but my thighs won't be. It's worth it though, right?)
- It's my 8th birthday spent married to the love of my life. (Whoa...did I really just spill my secret about how young I was when I married J?)
- It's my 5th birthday spent as a mother, and my 3rd birthday spent pregnant. (A pile of birthday hugs attacking me in bed this morning was the best present of all. I love being a mom!)

Spent the weekend with my family. It was an emotional weekend; bad news and good news streaming in. Both made the pregnant girl cry. A lot. Today, I am thinking of family, of motherhood and of my faith. Today I want to hold my kids a little closer and give them a little more of my attention. Today, I am not complaining about my pregnancy, because today I am grateful for the kicks and jabs. Today, I am praying for loved ones. Today, my birthday is focused on my family; they are the greatest gift of all.

...my yam recipe

Finally sharing my recipe. I know, I know. I promised them sooner, but things came up this weekend and blogging was pushed to the back-burner. Hopefully, there is still time to incorporate it into your Thanksgiving Day feast.

Before I disclose the how-to, you have to know something about me and my "recipes." First, I am not a chef, but I do know what tastes good. (And these DO...mmmm!) Second, I don't measure. Ever. I am guessing on the measurements, but I usually just add the ingredients until I am satisfied. Third, all my recipes are super simple. I really hope you enjoy this as much as I do! It is a favorite dish in our home.

CANDIED YAMS
6 yams (I always look for the long, skinny ones that are a uniform size from end-to-end.)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut yams into 1/3-inch thick disks and spread a single layer across 1-2 cookie sheets. Melt butter and pour evenly over yams. Sprinkle brown sugar and salt evenly across yams. Place in oven for 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Move to serving platter and pour leftover syrup on cookie sheets over yams.

Top with candied pecans if desired. Mmmmmm!

...on my mind

-Adoring THESE shoes. Birthday is less than one week away (woot!) and am tempted to spend my birthday money buying one of each color.

-Planning my Thanksgiving dish assignments. Have become famous for my candied yam recipe with the in-laws and am now assigned to make them every year. (I'll post the recipe this week.) It is one of the only recipes I made up on my own. So simple. So yummy. So not diet approved.
Was also asked to make the stuffing. Am debating between Marta's Recipe and Jeri's Recipe. Am tempted to make both, but worried that would be going overboard.

-Designing away. Working on a magazine redesign and getting the documents done before Thanksgiving break. It has put me a little behind with my freelance jobs, so my work is starting to pile up. Forgive me for the sparse posting over the next week.

-Working on the Utah feature for Kirei Nest. Exciting things planned to spotlight the beautiful Beehive State. Watch for it early next month.

-Making my annual Thank You cards. November is the month of being thankful and I try to let the generous and wonderful people in my life know how grateful I am by sending them a homemade, handwritten note in the post.

Happy Tuesday, everyone. Hope yours is warm; full of a cup of hot chocolate with an over-sized dollop of whipped cream.

...8.5 weeks to go!

Pregnancy has its drawbacks: insomnia, heartburn, backaches, nausea, breathlessness, exhaustion, etc. I'd be lying if I said I never complained.

But...it also has its joys. I love dreaming of my baby. What color will his hair be? Will he, like my other two children, have his daddy's blue-blue eyes or will this baby get my green? What personality will he bring into our family? A attention-seeking jokester like his brother? A sensitive, sweet soul like his sister? Stubborn like his mother? Compassionate like his father? I have a feeling he will be his own person, though, bringing a new dimension into our home.

I love feeling his crazy movements; even his painful jabs in my ribs. He is a strong, active baby. Much more than my other two were. He keeps me awake all night...and keeps me thinking about him constantly.

I bought pretty yarn for his blankie today. Cream and green. Can't wait to wrap the little guy in something warm made with love by his adoring mother.

...i'm a knitter

I knit. I do! Barely, but I can officially get my yarn to stay together. I am currently working on my first project: a scarf who's function will obviously be warmth and not high-fashion. After I master the scarf, I am going to move on to bigger and better things: making a blanket to wrap my cute little winter-babe in. He will be arriving in the coldest of Utah months: January. It better be warm and cozy.

I taught myself to knit. It is true. I had great plans to have my mother, the master, teach me while she was in town...but we were too busy talking to get any real crafting in. (I love having an excuse to fly to Hawaii, but it is hard having her live so far away!)

I did a lot of research to get started and then later to correct mistakes. (Which were many...) Here are two great resources I found:

Teach Yourself Visually Knitting - A FABULOUS book for the visual learner like myself. It gives wonderful, full color, step-by-step pictures to walk you through every step of the way. Also...there are some pretty patterns in the back that are perfect for beginners. (One of which is the blanket I plan on working on next...)

Knitting Help - If you are like me, and are still messing up even with full color, step-by-step pictures because you need to see knitting in action, this is the site for you. It offers wonderful video tutorials that are really what made it click for me.

Good luck with your knitting endeavors! If you know of any great resources and feel inclined to share, please do. I'll be so grateful!

...the anthropologist

Anthropology just launched a brand new site that is just so pretty and simple, called The Anthropologist. I have wasted a good amount of time clicking around and am in love.
Check it out HERE.

Spent a bit of time discovering the followers gadget on my sidebar today. It led me to some fabulous blogs and I learned how to "follow" them. I know. I am behind the "following" times.

Used my weekend to learn knitting. Quite the task for a visual learner. I need to see things in action before grasping how to do them. Found some great knitting resources that I will share with you soon. If I can learn on my own, you can too!

Also, please excuse my recent absence. We had a little bit of a crazy weekend here in our home. Postings may still be a little sparse this upcoming week while I try to catch up on the pile of designs waiting for me. We are also having unusually warm weather for Utah in November. Must spend some time outside with my two cuties while I still can.

...an early birthday gift for myself

Purchased these cute little birdies for myself today with some birthday money! Can't wait to wear them...

...accessory love

Found a new shop on Etsy and have fallen in love. Stash is packed full of vintage-styled goodness. Plaid lovers beware and have your wallets ready. There is a plethora of pretties over there.

Loving This and This and This and This .

...thankful

He is a wise man who
does not grieve for the things
which he has not,
but rejoices for those
which he has.
-Epictetus

I love November. This month is still magical. The anticipation of the BIG holidays is upon us. (Not to mention my birthday, which is also celebrated this month.) Now that I have Halloween out of the way, I am ready to start my holiday planning. I already have my Thanksgiving trip planned, Christmas giving-to list made, and homemade cookie dough in the freezer, ready to be baked and delivered to neighbors. I chose the pie I want to make for Thanksgiving and the recipes printed for my family's Christmas Around the World party. I am ready.

Christmas also marks the day this bouncing baby in my belly becomes full term. From that day on, we will be ready to welcome the darling babe into this world. Yes, the holidays will be happy this year.

But, let us not forget Thanksgiving: the holiday of good food and family. The holiday where we remember the abundance in our life. And, I do have plenty of things to be grateful for. Today, I am thinking about the loved ones in my life:

01. My sweet husband. How could I not think of him first? J is the ultimate. He is so kind. A magnificent father, and a caring friend and son, and a sweet & gentle husband. He is perfect, or at least very, very close.
02. My adorable son who always is wearing that silly grin and making us laugh with his teasing ways.
03. My sensitive, loving daughter who takes after her father in so many ways. She teaches me to think of others and to love unconditionally.
04. My sisters/best friends: Sarah for being such an elegant example. She is always dressed to the hilt and cooking the gourmet. Ready for a party at all times and suppling nursing advise generously. Missy for loving my kids and being so generous in every way. Jenny for making sure our kids are the best of buds and for all the phone calls and chats. Hilary for being so kind and fun. For the long talks about our pregnancies and work.
05. My parents for their support and concern. Dad for knowing all the answers and loving my kids. Mom for being my favorite person to talk to and always making me laugh.
06. My new pup. We are still getting to know each other, but the whole family has fallen head-over-heels for the havanese cutie.
I have so many others I could list: my brothers, my teachers, my friends. I have such a wonderful support system in my life. So many great people. My heart is truly full thinking about everyone.

And that is what this month is about for me. Carrying a heart full of gratitude with me always. Seeing how good I really have it.

...halloween review

I have to join in on the blogging fun and show off the cuties in my life all dressed up. My fairy and elephant were totally into Halloween this year. It finally clicked for the fairy this year. She ran from house to house and got frustrated when her jumbo-hipped elephant brother and basketball-belly toting mother couldn't quite keep up. We were joined this year by our favorite little ladybug cousin who was as cute and happy as can be.
We had some deliciously creepy eats. Worms (black noodles) with pumpkin (uh...butternut squash) and slime (white sauce.) Sarah, my gourmet sister, made dragon scale salad (a green salad), witches brew (delicious orange-colored punch with dry ice), and maple spider webs (a delicious variation of funnel cake) for dessert.
We live in trick-or-treaters central. (My neighbors go all-out with their decor. Check out my the house below that is kiddie-corner from my own. It is also a safe neighborhood with tons of houses and no busy roads.) I bought $30 worth of candy and ran out before 8:00. (Check out the back-side of that cute elephant. Way. Too. Funny!)
Hope you had a wonderful Halloween. I'm quickly taking down all the Halloween decor and bringing out my pilgrims. Thanksgiving happens to be my favorite holiday and November one of my favorite months.

...throwing a halloween party

The Halloween party was a great success. It was fairly low key. I told my almost 5-year-old that she could pick 5 friends to invite. (That's my rule to keep my social-bug daughter from throwing an enormous bash. A 5-year-old gets 5 friends; an 8-year-old gets to invite 8 friends. It was also all that my can-no-longer-bend-over-pregnant-belly self could handle.)

We had plenty of activities and the kids were adorable in their costumes. We had a fairy, a cat, a fighter-jet pilot, an astronaut, and a spider. Oh...and my youngest came as a nudist because he refused to wear his elephant costume to the party. (The joys of having an independent minded 2-year-old.) We ate plenty of sweets, thanks to my daughter who insisted on having cookies AND cupcakes at her party. The kids didn't seem to mind...

THE EVENTS:
01. Monster Posters: Each of the children were given a set of markers to keep and a monster poster to color while we waited for all the guests to arrive. I didn't realize that this would be the favorite event of the party, or I would have allotted more time towards it.
02. Pass the Pumpkin: Similar to hot potato. Daughter chose to play to the tune of "Monster Mash." Each child won a stuffed monster.
03. Monster Walking: Basically Red Light, Green Light, but with monster movement rules.
04. Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Decorating: Each child received a pre-frosted sugar cookie made by yours truly and a baggie full of goulish treats to decorate with. (Halloween colored M&Ms, Candy Eyes, Candy Bones, Candy Bats.)
05. Ghost Hunting: Think Easter Egg Hunting but with a Halloween twist. The kids ran off their stored energy outside while looking for "ghosts." (Lollipops wrapped in white tissue paper and colored-on eyes.)
06. Licorice Eating Contest: Ate licorice from a string without using their hands. A real feat for a 4-5 year old.
07. Cupcakes: The kids finished off the party by devouring a cupcake while waiting for their mothers to pick them up.

We gave each child a little favor bag to take home with a Frankenstein notepad, monster stamp and stamp-pad, pencil, glow-in-the-dark bracelets and pumpkin bubbles.

Thanks for coming, cute kiddos! We had a blast.