Saturday, December 27, 2014

Another Going Away Dinner for the Edstone Folk. :-)

 Ms. Paula Powell is so kind.  First off, she organized a going away cake at lunch for the Edstone Pioneers on Friday that I missed since I was away from the office, and then this weekend, she organized, and almost paid for everyone at the table, a dinner in honor of the Edstone pioneers.  That lady really sets a wonderful example of serving.  I love her!
Ms. Larsen, Deepika, and I were the only ones there who aren't going to Edstone, so we felt honored to be invited.  The Burns and Hansley's were also there representing the AC administration.  We are so going to miss the Edstone pioneers.





Ms. Powell ordered a fancy duck appetizer for everyone....was delicious!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

A Very Wonderful "Staycation" Week!

ABOVE:  Grandma and Sophia's hand.  This pic was totally not staged...they were "naturally" sitting like this.  Too adorable! 
This week has been so productive, yet peaceful.  I spent good quality time with Sophia, visited with my parents for a bit, finished with the "brain work" and desktop publishing of my Bible flashcard game though I haven't had them printed yet, finished sewing the two table cloths and napkin gift sets for friends as I had run out of thread last week, and  my house is all clean for this weekend and it's only Thursday!  What a great week!  The only thing I have left on my "staycation bucket list" is to practice my flute and piano a little bit.....I only have 1.5 days left, but it might happen.  :-)
BELOW:  Sophia seems to really like to hold Aunt Carolyn's hand when she gets the chance.  She's so cuddly.  I love it!  Her hand is soooo tiny.  It fits neatly around my little finger.  :-)

I love this video of me singing to Sophia b/c Sophia's wrapped in a royal blanket and looks so royal in the top video and looks like she's enjoying the song a lot.
Below:  Grandma is burping Sophia and she is just so gorgeous!


 ABOVE:  Grandma with Sophia
BELOW:  Grandma caught Aunt Carolyn with the niece who was in a VERY deep sleep.





More fun videos with Sophia




Mommy's back!  Time to go back home Sophia!  :-)

Switching gears, literally with the sewing machine  :-)
Finishing up one of the napkin/tablecloth wedding gift sets for some friends....Last week, I had gotten to the last napkin when I ran out of thread.  I still had the two tablecloths to sew which I got done this week.  Yeah!  I hope their recipients will like them.

I really love the blue color.  I almost used a different color for the napkins, but I think it looks so regal and royal all in one color.  I went according to their color theme.

 Below:  finished this other napkin and table cloth set for another couple.  I went two toned for theirs.....champagne colored tablecloth with brown napkins.  I think theirs looks more regal with the two tones.  Hopefully they will like!




 The Tablecloth/Napkin Sets all Gift Wrapped and ready to go out.

Below:  A sneak peek of my flashcards though you can't see my fun point system...with the memory scriptures being the highest in the point system when the answer is correct.  I obviously had to be careful about what I posted on these, but here are few examples of the categories:  memory scriptures, Israel history, Interesting Bible Facts....etc.  There are hundreds, literally of cards.  It's so exciting!!!!






Monday, December 22, 2014

My Dad's Going Away Dinner for His Edstone Friends, and Fun at the Lamberth's!

 Having so much of our extended family around is such a huge blessing!  Really it is.  Hopefully we don't take it for granted!
With Edstone starting up next semester, we are losing some great family friends to go be pioneers at that new college campus.  Many of these fine folk :-) have been very helpful to my parents and family in general with tasks like mowing the grass etc.  
In honor of their Edstone blessing and adventure coming up, my dad hosted a dinner in their honor.  He hosted it, but it was at my brother and sister in laws place.  It was small.  My dad simply invited a few of the Edstone pioneers that he feels closer to.

 Kiall, Sam, and Kaitlin.  I know I am going to personally miss them .  They are all so thoughtful, and their heart is so much into the Work.  It's really exciting to see them being so blessed in their lives!  I'm so thrilled for them!!!
 Above:  Joel H. is not going to Edstone, but he is always very helpful to my dad, so he was invited.
Below:  Two "Edstoners" Chris E and Jessie H.  That's Jamie in the middle.  She's staying here, but she's become like family to us.

 The bro and sis in law, and Jamie among the "trees" in the living room.  "It's a jungle out there."  :-)

 My dad and mom's amazing spread....Wow!  It was like having a menu at a restaurant....they had.....mac in cheese, spaghetti, homemade chili, nachos, brisket, steak, green beans, potatoes, cake and more! WOW!





TOTALLY switching gears!.....but on the same weekend.....The Lamberth's were so generous and hosted a fun evening in their home.  Danielle and I spent a little gal pal time together and had dinner together out at a restaurant, and then we went back to her dad's place, and he had invited some of the AC students over for a fun movie night that turned more into a funny ping pong in the garage type of night.  
Above:  I teased that their ping pong playing was a little dull for me shooting a video, ....so
.....BELOW:  They tried to make it more exciting....I missed it, but at the beginning of the video, Tim did a 360 turn while hitting the ball, and from that point on, they started hitting the ball all crazily in fun, and I absolutely love Rachel G.'s laughter in this video. 

 Wow, Emmanuel is glowing in the above pic, but below, he's back down to planet Earth.  :-)

 The gals.....Kayla, Arienne, Rachel, and Danielle.
It was a great extended family weekend!
Stay Tuned!....Coming up Next!.....(trying to sound funny like a TV broadcaster :)  )  ......I'm taking advantage of all of the extra time that I have this week and working on a project I've been working on for six or seven years, no joke!  I'm soooo happy to have time to maybe finish it before my schedule goes back to normal next week!  It's not food or sewing machine related either.  I've been going over my notes from messages and the literature and working on turning my notes into test pop quiz answer form to really absorb things in, and about six or seven years ago, I started turning my pop quiz studies into a fun Bible Flash Card type game that is categorized by subject like memory scriptures, history of Israel, and other things  I am almost finished, for now anyway!  Wow, it feels so rewarding right now to almost have it done. It's been a really fun way for me to gleam a lot from the literature and msgs, and now when the cards are all done, I'm thinking it will make it so much more exciting to study with it in game form!  I know this might sound silly to some, but it's really exciting to me!  To be continued.......  :-)

Thursday, December 18, 2014

A Fav Quote

"Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won't, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can't."

Fun Gals Night Out

 A fun gals night out at:  Gages Steakhouse/  with the very lovely Deepika!
It's not a restaurant that we would go to "everyday" but it was one of those times where we "splurged" a little and had a great time.  :-)