i have to say...

a christmas (post)card idea

Taking the family Christmas pictures can be stressful if you are trying to capture the perfect shot.  Over the last couple of years I just gather everyone together and say, "Give me 5 minutes"!  Then I start shooting using the camera's timer or a friend with a camera.   I pick the best shot and that's that!

Then I make about 50 copies of the picture and I do this to the back of  all of them:

Then I apply $.26 postcards stamps and I throw them in the mailbox.  All done.

The stress of getting the perfect picture or crafting a great Christmas letter is gone.  And I think that people appreciate that Craig and I still add ourselves to the picture.   Have you noticed that the older people get, the less you see them in family pictures?  Personally I like to see what my long-distance friends look like these days. 

I vote for keeping the whole family in your photograph this year!

a couple of craft ideas and some links

I posted two simple how-to's at Me and My Girl today.  Paper chains and candy canes are great crafts for all ages and they are inexpensive to make.  I hope you enjoy!

Here are a couple of craft links that I wanted to share:

***Write, Mama, Write has a tutorial for making adorable fabric mittens for your children.  They look simple and fun to make!

***Allsorts has a tutorial complete with a pattern for making elf shoes.  Simply sweet!

***Mid-Life Bliss shows how to make poinsettia napkin holders.  These would be great on the holiday table!

Have a lovely day!

princess for a day

The highlight of our trip was my grandma's 90th birthday party.  She loves to be the center of attention and I have to say that she looked more beautiful than I have ever seen her.  When she walked into the room I didn't have my camera, but I assumed that someone else would take a shot of her grand entrance, but alas no picture is available except for the one above.  I am kicking myself for not grabbing my camera!

All of our family was gathered in one room, including my grandma's sister from Guatemala.  They laughed and talked all night long and it was so sweet to see their closeness and happiness with each other in spite of the fact that they have lived in two separate countries for all of their adult lives.

I call my grandma "Grandma Lita".  "Lita" is a term of affection in Latin countries indicating that someone is special.  My grandma deserves this name.

My childhood memories are filled with her and the times we shared together.  Driving around town in her little blue Datsun, we visited the fabric store (she is to blame for my crafty fabric love!), the mall and K-mart.  She likes to shop.  She taught me never to pay full-price and to be confident when making exchanges and returns because persistence will always get you what you want.

I love cream cheese and when I was a kid she always had a small package of it in her refrigerator for me, which she let me eat with a spoon.  I am not sure that my parents approved of this or not.  Grilled cheese sandwiches were always served with mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato, and birthday cakes always had raspberry or lemon filling, depending on the birthday person's tastes.  The small touches make life special.

Holidays were always special with decorations and carefully selected gifts.  My favorite gift of all time, a typewriter, was presented by her.  She always believed in her grandkids and their dreams.

When I was 14 and beginning to show signs of teenage-rebellion, I brought one of my records to her house so that she could take a listen.  After hearing the first few songs of AC/DC's Back In Black, she simply smiled and said, "This sounds nice".  I am pretty sure her eyes told a different story.  People were always more important than their actions or their appearance.

As a mother, my grandma is with me daily in my desire to place my family first, to make them my priority.  She is my example.  Money was never abundant for her, but time was always given liberally.  Sharing her life and her heart are among her many talents. 

In spite of the fact that life has been hard for her, she doesn't waste too much time fretting over it, a smile can make a day seem so much better than it really is.

I absolutely adore my grandma.  My Grandma Lita.

Ninety years old and still going strong.  In January she is planning on visiting Guatemala to celebrate her older sister's 100th birthday.  We have some longevity in our family and I am blessed that my grandma taught me to live my years well.  Minutes are not meant to be wasted.

***My dad and my grandma:

beach fun

I am not sure if it possible to be at the beach and not have fun!  From the minute we got out of the car all of the kids (and the adults) were happily roaming and collecting and wading.   The water was oh-so-cold, but the toes went numb after a couple of seconds and things were fine after that.

The beach has a way of bringing out the kid in anyone.  Even finding a sand dollar laying on the sand is a treat.

We explored tide pools and walked in the pier where I was reminded that wearing shoes on a wooden pier is essential.  I was also reminded to be thankful to have a hubby that is willing to remove splinters from my feet.  I was also reminded to be more gracious and understanding when my kids have splinters in their feet and they scream while I take them out.  It hurts!

My hubby got in on the "being a weirdo at the beach" action:

It is hard to take him places sometimes, but he more than makes up for it with sweet notes:

My hubby and I discussed moving closer to family and closer to the beach, but it is simply too expensive for us.  In fact, that is why we left California 15 years ago.  I suppose that in reality the beach would lose some of its magic if we had access to it all the time, the same way the mountains and trails and rivers of Colorado can seem so uninspiring if I am not careful to notice their beauty.

I guess that is what a vacation provides: the opportunity to notice.  A cross-country move might provide a more perfect backdrop, but not the eyes to comprehend all that surrounds us.  For that, a relaxed vacation mindset is all that is necessary.  Now I just need to figure out how to bring that into my day-to-day life.

Have a lovely Monday!

home sweet home

It is so nice to be home after a vacation!  My family drove to California to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday along with my grandma's 90th birthday.  I felt sneaky not mentioning it before we left,  but the blogosphere isn't the best place to announce that your house will be completely empty for a week, you  know?

Am I the only one that falls in love with their house all over again after being gone for a while?  The light coming through the curtains looks perfect, the cat is being extra snuggly, and the beds are oh-so-comfy!  Why didn't I notice all of this before we left?  Even the mountain of laundry on the floor seems like a welcome task compared to being in the car driving, driving, driving.  I probably don't need to mention that a mini-van stuffed with 7 people is a crowded place!

After I download all of my pictures I will share some with you.   Amazingly I have over 1,000 of them!  Deleting some is a must!

At this point I am off to do some laundry and then to the grocery store lest my family go hungry.

See you in a day or two!

signing off...

...until after the Thanksgiving holiday. 

We are blessed this year to be able to spend time with family that we have not seen for over 10 years!  In fact, we are having a family reunion of sorts and I am so excited about it.

I wish you all a great week and a Happy Thanksgiving!

See you soon!

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His love ensures forever!
---Psalm 136:1

I have a post over at Me and My Girl today.  This mama thinks my girl has gone too far!

thankful for...

...baby pink clouds at sunset...roses bushes in fall bloom...twinkling stars on a clear night...my cat napping in the afternoon...baby toes... Aubry's smile...a child sleeping...laughing with a friend...a new pile of fabric...coffee with a friend...a walk by the river...my family...late fall leaves still clinging to the trees...and so much more

some crafty stuff

It has been a while since I have had time to sit at my sewing machine and make something and my mind is full of ideas and projects.  This always happens when I am unable to find time to craft---my craft-wheels get to turnin'!

The first must-do was a little bag for Aubry to take to church.  Each week she sits there with a pile of loose papers and pencils and crayons and books, and she tends to get a little cranky when it comes time to gather her goods and go home.  So I made her a "church-bag", as she is calling it.  It is a messenger-style bag made with the adorable Heather Ross fabric that I received from Sew, Mama, Sew a while ago.

My favorite part is the pocket.  There is a tiny Volkwagen van on it:

I also made a little baby blanket using "Dick and Jane" fabric that I bought, not because I was making something for a specific someone, but because I thought the fabric was way too cute!  (Sorry for the wrinkly photo!)

After Thanksgiving I will be in full crafting mode for Christmas.  I am hoping that a certain friend and I will be having some sewing-dates to make the time more worthwhile.

Anybody else want to join us?

Happy sewing!

my habits

Welcome to Let's Get Real Monday--on Tuesday!   Today's topic is My Habits and if you would like to play along simply post your answers to these questions on your own blog and leave your post URL in the auto-link below. 

---What is one good habit that I have?

I am organized.   I know how to plan out my day and stick to a schedule while still being flexible.  I      know my limits and I don't overplan which avoids stress in my life.  It has taken me many years of trying to find a balance between work and enjoying life, and in the last few years I have seen much fruit!

---What is one bad habit that I have?

I like junk food too much.  I don't eat it all the time, but when I do I eat LOTS of it!  I know it isn't         good  for me, but at least I wait until the kids are in bed before I raid the cupboards.  Goodness knows that I don't let them eat it!  Some of m favorites are Cheetos, Hostess Chocolate Donuts (we call them Little Waxies), Corn-nuts, Snickers, Baby Ruth, etc., etc., etc!

---What is one habit that I would like to cultivate in my life?

I would like to be a better eyebrow-plucker.  I like to think that I am going for a vintage Brooke          Shields look, but both of my teenage daughters insist that it isn't so.  They feel that I look like I have   two caterpillars trying to connect above my eyes.  (Think Frida Kahlo).  The main reason I don't pluck?  It hurts and it  makes my nose run, but apparently those excuses aren't good enough for my girls who both, by the way, have perfectly plucked brows!

My habits open for everyone to see. 

What about you? 

Have a great Tuesday!