What was I thinking....It's almost midnight!

What was I thinking when I decided to start pumpkin bread at 8:30pm.  Let me rewind a bit and maybe we can figure this out together.

I got a call earlier today to remind me of activity days for Ellie tomorrow after school.  The girls are going caroling to some families in the ward.  While on the phone, I was asked to make something for the girls to give one of the families.  I said yes.  I'm always happy to help.

Since this was an "Ellie thing" I wanted her help in making it.  On the phone, she mention it would be an elderly couple.  I decided bread would be the better choice over goodies and pumpkin bread has been sounding good for a while now.  I knew I had to make it today with her since there would not be time after school tomorrow.  So I had Ellie do her homework and take a bath first that way I could get X Factor down for bed before we started.  I wanted to make it special for her without extra little hands interrupting us.

By the time we got started it was 8:30.  I didn't think this through all the way.  I forgot to consider that the bread would have to bake for at least an hour and then cool so I could put it away before I went to bed.  Poor Ellie didn't get to see the end result before I sent her to bed.  But she was thrilled when I told the kids they could eat pumpkin bread for breakfast.

Of course I had to try one while they were hot!  It's been years since I made good (when I say good I mean full of gluten!) pumpkin bread.  My mini loaves only took 30 minutes to cook, but the larger loaves took well over an hour.  There is a bigger one still in the oven when I took this pic.  It took almost an hour and a half.  

So now I'm just sitting here blogging, waiting for them to cool, so I can go to bed.  Even though I wasn't thinking when I started these, I'm glad I took the time to include Ellie.  She has been having a hard time with X Factor and she really needed some one on one time with me.  I love my little Jelly Bean.  She is so sweet.

Close Call

The other night, I was working on one of the many sewing projects I currently have going and my machine quit working. I thought I broke a needle since that was the error that first popped on the screen but when I pulled it out the needle was fine. The machine still wouldn't work.  Then, I thought maybe I had thread stuck.  So I pulled the little plastic piece off the end and checked it out.  Not a thing.  I then checked the bobbin area for the same thing.  Couldn't see anything.  Dollar signs starting popping in my head of how much this was going to cost to fix.  Fancy machines are expensive to fix.

I asked Wayne to come take a look and help oil the proper areas.  Knowing me, I would put oil on the wrong part!  We pulled off some of the exterior covering to see if we could see anything.  Wayne oiled some parts but it still wasn't working.  All I could think of what how much it was going to cost me for a new machine.  I left the room for a little while and left Wayne alone with the machine.  About an hour later he came down stairs and told me he thought he got it working!  I went back up to check it out and this is what I saw.

I have to admit, I was pretty scared.  Yes, Wayne is an amazing auto mechanic, but a sewing machine repair man?  I had my doubts.  But I shouldn't have.  He did get it working.  He did get it back together properly.  Everything works on it.  The dollar signs disappeared.  I got back to sewing that night.

I almost have the kids' Christmas quilts done.  The sewing is done and all I have left is to cut and wash them (they're rag quilts).  Several more projects to go before Christmas.  I hope I can get them all done in time.

The Blur

As some of you may know, we got a new placement this last week.  It's a little boy that just turned 2.  Going from K-dub who was just starting to pull himself up on the furniture to a walking, talking boy is a bit of change for us. X Factor, as we will call him for the blog, is very energetic to say the least!  He's not the only one that needs a nap in the middle of the day.

Even though X Factor is on the go most of the day, he is super sweet.  His little please and thank you's will melt your heart.  He is adjusting well to our house and rules.  We definitely have our work cut out for us, but he is well worth the effort.  We also get the blessing of grandparents.  They are wonderful people and a great source for respite.

This is usually how I see him...a blur running across the room!

Ellie's Christmas List...spelling and all!

cell phone
compoter
tv im my room
candy
toys
bubble gum
monster high
foot ball
my own gun
a lock door that is mine
soing micin (sewing machine)
purple wall paint
a big roll (a roll of paper for her art easel)
zooball
a sencey lighter (scentsy warmer)
20 doller bill
silly sring
more lego's
a pet turtle
more skeces (more squeakies)
a loneg bord (long board)
whell shoes (wheelie shoes)
a baby dog
a musneoto gun (marshmellow gun)
a bunny
ice skats

I thought some of them needed some translation!

One Amazing Family...

For those of you that know the Taylor family, you know how amazing they are.  Jan is someone I think very highly of.  She is a woman I truly respect and love.  She is one of the best examples of a wonderful mother that I can think of.  Two years ago, the Taylor family lost their little boy Luke.

In remembrance of Luke, I was asked by a friend to make a quilt in his behalf.  I immediately said yes before I even knew the details.  I was told since Luke lived to 23 months old, that we (when I say we, I mean the amazing group of friends I am fortunate enough to have) would make 23 boy quilts to donate to the Linus project (linusidaho.org) in behalf of the Taylor family.  These quilts will be donated to local hospitals.  All this would be done in secret and presented to the Taylor family on Luke's birthday, December 1st.

I am very pleased with the way my quilt turned out and was well worth the time and effort I put into it.  I feel so blessed to be a part of something so special.

Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we celebrated in a different way.  We normally go to Mountain Home to spend it with all our wonderful family, but this year, for one reason or another, our family was all doing something different.  Dad and Mom are visiting Brian & his family in North Carolina.  Steve is spending it with friends.  Lisa stayed in Blackfoot.  And Jeff, well who knows where Jeff is right now!  It's like trying to find Waldo with the extra work he's picked up.  So Wayne and I decided we would go out for dinner to Dickey's!  They're not open on Thanksgiving, so we went tonight instead. 

As you can see by Ellie's face, she was excited. And look at Jake. How often to you get a teenager to smile?  Pulled pork, brisket, mashed potatoes, greens beans with onions & bacon, mac & cheese, onion tanglers, and hot rolls filled our bellies just the same! Yummmmm!  Not traditional, but still amazing.  We even have plenty of left overs for tomorrow.

Afterwards, we came back home and watched a movie.  And no Thanksgiving would be complete without pumpkin pie!!!!

Some of the things I am thankful for...

• Wayne, Jake, and Ellie--Without doubt, the top of my list. I love my family.
• Family & Friends--There are too many of you to list!  And for that, I'm grateful.  I'm very blessed that there are so many of you in my life. 
• The Gospel--I rely on my faith all the time and am thankful I have the gospel in my life.
• Foster Care
• Wayne's Job--I am sooooooo thankful Wayne has a stable, secure job.
• Photography
• Technology--phone, ipod, computer
• Modern Medicine--With all my health problems over the years, this is one I am definitely thankful for. I probably wouldn't be here today without it.
• Music--I'm thankful there are different kinds...rock, country, piano. My mood is reflected in my music.
• My dining room table--We got a new one this year and I love it. I love that we have 8 chairs. I love that we actually sit at it every night for dinner.
• Stampin' Up!
• JoAnn's, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and Craft Warehouse
• My sewing machine--I never would have bought myself this nice of one. I love my grandma!
• Maurice's and Kohl's--It's amazing how a few new clothes will make you feel like a million bucks!
• Our camper and more specifically the bathroom in our camper! I don't think I could ever go back to tent camping.
• Oh, I can't forget blogging! Something I never thought I'd enjoy. It's kinda my version of a journal.