The things I LOVE to do in my spare time

Lately I have been in the crafty mood. And when I say lately I mean.... my whole life. I have ALWAYS loved doing quilts, scrapbooking, etc. but I never really have had a lot of time to do it. Well, these are the projects I've been doing this last month. I started at the end of November with all of these and been going strong ever since.

This is a baby blanket that I crocheted around...it also has a matching burping pad. I have done several of these over the years that I just save in my hope chest for later on when I need it.

This is a quilt I made today actually. Its not a great picture but I'll tell you a short history behind this quilt. Every year for the past couple of years my grandma gives me a couple doleys for christmas and birthdays. I had so many I didn't know what to do with so I decided to take a lot of them and mount them on a quilt. I am not quite finished with it...but I really like it. Its something I will be able to keep for a long time and always remind me of my grandma and some of the things she has made me. I thought it turned out pretty good.


I've also been making aprons lately. I might end up trying to sell them at some point once I perfect them but I'm not to that point yet. I've just been making some though for me and friends and family. These are a few that I have done over the past couple weeks.

I tied this quilt yesterday. My mom helped me. It went really fast and then I bound it all up by hand while watching Anne of Green Gables. I had never bound a quilt by hand so it was fun. It is a full size quilt but I did it up closer so you could see the pattern better.

I have also been making cards the past month or so. Its been a lot of fun. I have about 180 made now. I also am planning on trying to sell these at some point too ... but we'll see what happens. Here are a few different ones I have done.
Well those are a few projects that have been keeping me busy lately. It's been a lot of fun doing them. I'm always up for some good old fashion craft time.

Hope you enjoyed!

Christmas Project

My family started a new tradition this year that I absolutely loved! Every year in my family we all get to open one present on Christmas Eve and it is always without fail...pajamas. I know several other families that do this tradition as well and I love it. BUT this year in place of Christmas Pajamas my parents at Thanksgiving time gave each of us kids and our families (but since I don't have a spouse just me) $50 and with it we were supposed to spend it on someone else for Christmas that we know was struggling. As soon as I got my money I knew exactly what I wanted to do....

When I was student teaching in the Fifth grade I really immediately was drawn to this little girl...her name is Lupe. I talked to Lupe a lot everyday and even though you aren't supposed to have favorites...she was definitely one of mine. She told me all about her family and talked to me a lot about anything and everything. This is a little of her story.

Lupe was born in Mexico and lived there until she was about 6 years old. When she was 4 her dad became really sick. He moved to America because he knew that he could get better care here. They could only afford to send him though, so Lupe her mom and all her younger brothers and sisters stayed in Mexico. Her Mom in Mexico, and Dad in America, worked as much as they could in their circumstances until they saved all they could to move the rest of Lupe's family to America. It was pretty much their whole lives savings. They got here when Lupe was 6 and she is now 10. She is the oldest in her family. When she first moved here NOBODY in her family spoke any English at all. She started in school and struggled for a long time because she didn't know any English and she couldn't get any support at home really because her parents don't know any English either. Lupe is one of the sweetest little girls you will ever meet. She has so much life in her and is such a hard worker. She is now the top of her class, speaks great English (even better than some of the kids that have lived in cedar all their lives) and is one of the top readers. She is an amazing little girl. She used to come up to me and say how worried she was how she would do on a test because nobody at home can help her study and she didn't fully understand something so I would work with her a lot one on one to try and help her. She always got top scores. Her parents still don't know hardly any English at all and she basically is the translator for her whole family. She has a lot of responsibility in her family but is such a good example to everyone. I know her family struggles financially a lot so I wanted to at least help her out to have a Christmas that she deserves. In the things I got her there were a few things she could share with her brothers and sisters but I think I would like to get something more for her whole family soon to help them ALL out a little more. It felt so good to be able to help out a little. ... Oh and thanks Bryan for being the knock and run guy. Here are a few pictures from what I got her. (we were supposed to document our experience and tell about it..that was part of the deal). A few of the things I got for Lupe for Christmas.

Me with the Christmas gifts all packaged up!

I hope you enjoyed!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Touch the Temple

Thanksgiving break was great! There was lots of food, lots of family, and lots of fun! I wanted to share with everyone one thing my family did over the break and that was go to the St. George temple. A couple months ago in the ensign, my mom found an article that she really liked. It was called "Touching the Temple" (some of you may have read it). If you haven't read it, I would highly suggest it. Ever since my mom read this article she got this idea to do over the Thanksgiving break when all my family was here. It was an amazing and spiritual experience....

All of my family met at the temple on the side where the staircase is that leads up to the big doors. My mom talked to us for a minute about how President Monson has said that as we touch the temple the temple will touch us. She shared her testimony of the temple and how important it is in each of our lives. All the grandkids were there and after my mom talked to us each grandchild walked up the stairs and touched the temple doors and said "Today I touched the temple and one day I will enter the doors." and then we took their pictures touching the temple doors. It was so neat to see all my nieces and nephews do this. You could tell it really got them thinking about the importance of the temple. After all the kids had a chance to touch the temple, we all gathered at the bottom of the stairs again together and all of my family sang

"I love to see the temple. I'm going there some day,

to feel the holy spirit to listen and to pray. For the temple is a house of God, a place of love and beauty. I'll prepare myself while I am young. This is my sacred duty."

The spirit was so strong and it was so amazing to be at such a sacred place with all of my family singing those words. All of the adults were able to go in after our program and go to a session at the temple. (I of course am not endowed yet so I was on babysitting duty...which I love too.) I can't wait to go to the temple someday. Until then I try to go to the temple regularly to do baptisms for the dead. I have had the opportunity to go to several temples and have the spirit touch me in so many ways. I am so thankful for this gospel. I am so thankful for Temples and the sacred work that goes on inside. I'm so thankful for the blessings in my life and the amazing family I have. I'm thankful to know that they are my eternal family and I will always live with them.

"Yes, temples can touch us as much — more so — than we can touch them. When we go to a temple, we touch its solid surfaces, but the temple touches us on a deeper level. It touches the spirit." -Touching the Temple Ensign talk.

Here are a few pictures from our temple trip:


I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Christmas ... Here we come!