Our Valentine's Day

I know I know. Valentine's Day is over- but you guys should know by now I take forever to post stuff....next week will be Christmas photos :)

I designed several Valentine's Day cards so Ashton could have some cool options- little did I know that he would change his mind a gazillion times. Seriously- this kid is nuts.  I reeeeallly tried to convince him to do the dinosaur ones, but he thought the bugs were cooler.  YUCK. They seriously gave me the heebedy jeebedies. In any case, I gave in and I had to just close my eyes and touch as little as possible while tying them to the cards.  Ashton did a great job with the hole punch....and playing with the bugs.  He also wanted to make necklaces for his teachers (and his BFF) so he beaded these all by himself! How sweet is my baby?

For my love, I designed this card (freebie!) because we like being more silly than romantic.  You guys, my husband seriously loves maps.  Funny story: (and slightly embarrassing) One time we went out to eat at some restaurant with some friends.  Lorin had to use the bathroom- right as we were leaving, of course- and we waited FOREVER. Like 20 minutes. I totally knew he had gotten distracted by something. When he came out we all gave him a hard time and he was like "what?" like it was no big deal. Turns out there was a vintage map in the bathroom and he just stared at it and followed all the roads to see where they led and where the lakes were and blah blah blah. Sooo, now you all know how much I love my husband- as much as he loves maps.

 OK.....almost done. For their Babba, we made this hand print set that didn't quite turn out like I imagined in my over-thinking brain.  I thought the paint would be more distinguishable between each handprint....but alas, trying to force down the most defiant toddlers hand and an infant who wouldn't release her death grip made for this weak-sauce hand print of the 3 grand-kids in the shape of a heart. You see it, right?? Perhaps it would work better if we had pink paint or something.  Oh well, it is the thought that counts right? Always next year.

Yummies: Salad Savoy Chips (kinda like kale)

I have a child that eats everything (sweet baby hah), a child that eats mostly everything and a child that eats nothing.  I have a minor freak out at least 3 times a week that my middle child is going to starve. After about 2 weeks of making him green smoothies (which he loves!), I just wanted him to eat something NOT blended.  My friend told me about these kale chips she makes her boys and they love them.  This past week I got salad savoy, which looks like kale, so I gave it a go.  All I had to say was "chips" and they dug their chubby little hands right in.  I really don't give my kids junk so they 

saw this as a sweet treat! Muahah- silly children. I actually loved them. I couldn't stop munching. And better yet, the kids ate them. Point for me.

Most kale-ish chips have the same recipe so I remembered one that I saw somewhere on the internet.  And it is so easy that any kiddies can help.  I had mine pour the oil and stir.  I put them in and took them out of the oven because I am a safe mom- and my child is 4.

Salad Savoy Chips:
1. Wash leaves and tear stems.
2. Once leaves are dry, put in a bowl and mix in about 1 tbsp. of olive oil and sprinkle salt.  I used sea salt.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. Line cookie sheet with tin foil and spread leaves so that they form a cup.
5. Bake for about 16 minutes.  I took them out at 15 minutes but should have kept them in longer as I like crispier chips. 
6. Eat and eat as many as you can before you have to share! Just kidding.....this snack was for the kids....

DIY: Valentine Ribbon Bunting Garland & A Revelation

I love crafts. I haven't crafted in quite a while because whenever I tried, a little child would wake up or need me or just mess it up.  So...I stopped.  My house has been looking a little bare since Christmas was put away, so I decided I should make a little something.  THEN I realized that I should just involve my kids in the crafts I make.  I can get my creativeness out whilst playing with and teaching the little ones.  Why oh why hadn't I thought of this before? I mean we've made crafts before but they've all been kind of kitschy and childish.  Of course, I still want to make those sorts of projects because little kids can only do so much, but I want them more involved in my forte. Does that make sense to anyone else? Anyway, by the time I gathered my supplies and set up, my youngest 2 were out.  Just me and Ashton were left to take on the easiest project ever.....and it was free.  You guys can try and tackle it:

Cut some string. Cut some ribbon. Tie them on in whatever random order you choose. Hang up. And voila.

Yummm. I love the different textures!

Look at this face!! He is so proud- as am I! He did this one on his own!

I organized them for those of you with OCD.

 

 For more detailed instructions, here ya go:
1. Cut string to your desired length. I cut about 9 ft.
2. Cut enough ribbon to spread out through string (I cut 37 total using 7 different materials: ribbon and fabric about 4" long).  I spaced them out about 1.5".
3. Tie them on- a single knot will do. At this point I taught Ashton how to tie so if you are doing this project solo it should take you about a million years faster....but you won't get that proud grin from your lovely (and stubborn) little one!
4. Hang wherever you please.

Breakfast with Santa

Does anyone absolutely LOVE Christmastime?  We love everything about Christmastime and try to do something fun everyday with our family.  One of our favorite traditions is Breakfast with Santa.  We've been to several Breakfast with Santas- even when Ashton was a few months old.  This is our 6th one and was our favorite by far! We went to the Gardens at Dry Creek in Lehi.  We were welcomed into this quaint reception area. It was so pretty- like a winter wonderland. They had a really nice buffet (the french toast was AMAZING!) and you didn't have to stand in a long line!  They called each table by name and while you waited you could color and make a little Santa craft.  Our whole family (8 adults, 2 children and 4 lap babies) was able to sit at one table! There was also a North Pole room where Santa was sitting waiting for the kiddos to tell him what they would like for Christmas.  They called each table up at a time and we were able to decorate cookies and get our face painted while we waited.  The North Pole was just like what the North Pole would be like: white, cozy and chilly.  Santa was the real deal.  The kids were so happy and most were ok with Mr. Claus-  no major meltdowns.  Ashton was all business- he gave him a picture he drew and told him all the things he wanted.  He was very specific. Oliver was very stoic, only uttering a few words but no crying.  And Adelle was just a perfect little princess.  She had been getting a little separation anxiety lately but she was just perfect. I seriously loved this place.  We felt welcome and not just one of the crowd and our kids had such a wonderful time.  We will for sure be back next year!

Blessings in Disguise

As most of you know, we (Lorin) has gone back to school to get his MBA.  That means a lot of changes for us- the biggest one being financial.  Every little dollar counts. The transactions were pretty small but were occurring every month.  I thought Lorin was doing it and he thought I was.  When we finally decided to talk about how we shouldn't continue those anymore, we realized neither of us was actually doing it!  So when we looked back on past statements and saw some unauthorized transactions that had been happening for over a year, we called right away to get it cleared. In fact, 2 other people in my neighborhood had the same thing happen to them with the same company!  We felt surprisingly calm and the company was very helpful.  In the end, we were to get back about $400.  $400!! Can you believe that? I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason.  It was like a forced savings- and now we are able to pay for our plane tickets back East. 

I would like to share a few other blessings in disguise:
- My beloved Subaru's transmission died.  We were able to trade it in for a car that had room to grow in.  A few weeks later we found out that I was pregnant with sweet baby A (surprise!) so we really needed the room! There was no way we could fit 3 car seats in that car.
- My first car's, a cute little Honda, transmission also died.....we were able to trade that for a car with 4 wheel drive.  My husband has a 40 minute commute each way and with the snow it makes it a safer commute.  And I don't have to worry as much with him driving so much.
- In our church we pay tithes.  Well, in January we "overpaid" for some reason.  Well after reviewing our tithes with our Bishop we realized we did back then which means we are all caught up this year.  There was no way we could have paid what we supposedly "owed"- not now at least.
- As we were reviewing our budget for Christmas gifts this year (my heart hurt for my kids) we got an email.  We were able to collect our rewards for our bank card.  It was just a few dollars short of what we had set the kids' budget. 
- I went to 2 boutiques. I spent days preparing.  I sold 0, ZERO, zilch of my products.  I did sell a bottle of water.  Needless to say, I was ready to quit pretty much everything.  I was a bit dramatic.  After talking to my rational husband, we made some decisions.  Boutiques are not my thing.  I can't do them.  I met a lot of wonderful people and I enjoy that aspect.  But for all that work and no reward it is just not plausible.  I don't have the time.  So after feeling like a failure, I realized I do OK online and will just focus on that. 
- We applied for a loan to help us through grad school since Lorin is not working.  For some reason they still think we are making what Lorin made last year.  We only have enough money for the next few months.  Because of that extra money we are getting from the bank we are able to save more this month.  At first I thought having such a frugal husband was hard, but it has come in pretty handy! I don't know how the rest will play out but that's ok.  I think it will be fine.
-My last one is very personal and probably very controversial.  I will be as vague as I can :) I was working hard at achieving something when something else happened.  I was not ready for that to happen.  I had a very hard time with it.  It was something that would affect all of us, not just me.  After a few weeks I learned to accept it and now I know that it was supposed to happen at that time.  I could not be happier.

Dear Santa+ Freebie

If you are behind the ball, like me, here is a little treat for you!  I made these for my littles to fill out.  Daddy wrote out what the kiddies said.  Ashton was very specific while Ollie was a little quieter.  I added the last line because I think it is important to think about others.  Ashton really thinks Ollie needs clothes- maybe because Ollie never wears pants!  Now we know exactly what our kids want and Santa will now know, too!  Feel free to print these out for your kids.

 

Download Here

Namesake

As the spouse of a BYU MBA student, we get to do a lot of cool things.  One is participate with the National Advisory Council (NAC).  They had a luncheon last Friday that included a wonderful speaker, Virginia Pearce. She is the daughter of our late Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley.  I will go into what she spoke of in a later post, but just the fact that I was in the same "room" (we were outside) as her was incredible.  I really loved President Hinckley.  I felt like he understood and loved the youth of the church...back when I was a youth! He made such an impact on my life that I named my firstborn son after him: Ashton Hinckley. 
It is funny how things come together.  For school, Ashton had to find out why he was named what he was.  I told him about President Hinckley and how much Daddy and I loved him, even though we never met him.  We told him he was a wonderful and spiritual man.  He was funny, silly and so in love with his wife, Marjorie.  He was well spoken and respectful of others, especially those in the media.  Ashton enjoyed hearing about this and was able to share what he could remember about the man he was named after.  The next day, to my surprise, I met President Hinckley's daughter.  As cheesy as it may sound, I told her that I admired her father and named our son after him.  She was grateful and gracious showing the slight sorrow of a daughter who missed her dad.  She signed my book and took a picture with me.  She is the closest I will have ever gotten to President Hinckley.  It just goes to show that you can leave a great legacy.  It is just a great a privilege to meet a child/grandaughter/etc. of a greatly loved person.
I think it is important to have something to live up to- to not taint your namesake- to make them proud and be proud of your origins.

Mine isn't that cool- my parents named me after an actress they liked.....if you know me, I am extremely shy in public- so there goes that namesake!
Who are you guys named after?

Ashtonisms

Lorin: "Ashton. Listen to your mother."
Ashton: Brows furrowed. Dead serious face. "My mother is dead. A monster ate her."
Lorin & Brenda: "Bahahahhahaha"

Maybe we should not have him watch movies where the Mom dies......aka all kids movies.

Ta-Da!

Finally! After working so hard to get new items in my shop, updating descriptions, pricing, etc. I finally designed my blog!  It didn't take me long to put everything in- what took a long time was figuring out what I wanted it to look like.  I don't know any code so a lot of googling/youtube took place.  

Anyway, I am so glad to have my blog up and I will be posting what I am working on, my inspirations and some family life stuff.  And hopefully I will get pictures from all of you using my products so I can post it to show people using my designs in "real life." 

I will leave you with a picture of my darling boy who loves to be naked.  And climb on everything. And have me chase him everywhere.  Luckily, I was just on the couch relaxing for a brief second and he came to show off his climbing skills....and dance skills.  See the little blur of his right foot?  That's right- he got his dancing skills from his latin mama. Actually, it skipped a generation because I don't dance.  That is all from his abuelitos.