Lately

what really matters

So, regarding my sappy post from Friday, it really doesn't matter anymore, especially since a family member has been hurt. My world doesn't seem so terrible. Well, it is terrible right now for totally different reasons.

Here is a toast to my family for pulling together.
For prayers.
For Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ who hear our prayers. And answer them. (Thank you)
For a wonderful husband for comforting me. Which includes holding me, and I love to cuddle.
For friends who support.
For an employer who supports.

JoDee, we are rooting for you. I love you.

hello world

Why is it that I won't just call and friend and talk but I will write how I am feeling for the whole world to see? Is it because it is 11 p.m. on a Friday night and I feel bad calling so late? And let's get this straight, the whole world does not read my blog but instead 10 people will see this but I need to get some thoughts out and I wanted to do it while I am in this emotional craziness.

1. I feel so pathetic sitting here alone watching a movie and crying. Crying over what? Am I wishing that my life was a fun/happy dream filled story? Am I appreciating that I don't have a terminal illness? Am I frustrated with others having families and mine possibly only including the number two? Do I want to do more with my life? I wish I could go back to the days when I first met Mr. M and relive those feelings, the nervousness, the excitement, the desire to kiss him, to not leave, the dream of never having to say goodbye on Sunday nights so he could drive home to not see each other for another week?

2. Why am I lazy? I want/need to exercise more but why don't I? I need to clean my house better/more, but why don't I? I want/need to show Mr. M more often how much I love him and how important he is to me, but why don't I do it more often? Why do I compare myself to others? Why do I always want more, want what I don't have, and not appreciate what I do have?

3. Is this getting too deep? Are you still with me? I'm not sure I'm still here myself. What do I feel that I need to write something profound and something that might not be me just so more people will read my blog? Wow, I'm feeling a little pathetic here.

4. I want to spend more time with friends but I feel overwhelmed with responsibilities and life and with Mike studying a lot when we get a chance to have down time I just want to spend it with him. Sorry friends for not being with you more.

5. One thing I do know is that I don't read my scriptures enough. There, I said it, I struggle with reading my scriptures. I always have. I love reading them when I do, but it is getting me started that is the hard part.

Okay, I think I am drying up. It seems lately too that I just need to vocalize my thoughts. I just need people to listen and not give me opinions or tell me that things will work out but instead I just want them to tell me how crappy things are and that they feel bad for me. I am sorry if my personal issues is all I talk about to some of you, but thanks for listening. What's sad is that now I want to delete this because I am worried about being embarrassed when I see people next and embarrassed about what they might say about what I just wrote. But I wanted to write my feelings down in my journal and why not do it for the world to see.

I love sewing!

As my title says, I love sewing. However, I can't read a pattern but I can do straight lines, although sometimes they aren't straight (ha).

But I do love to try and I have been able to spend lots of time sewing lately. One project I just finished is a pencil crayon/crayon holder. This one I made is for pencil crayons specifically.

Dress design for Shabby Apple dresses

**I am sad to say that I did not make the cut. Thanks for the vote anyway Sachie! Some day.


This is my design for the Shabby Apple dresses design contest.

I had so many ideas running through my head but this one kept coming to me. I wish I could enter them all but I don't know if that is allowed.

Now other than hemming my pants and sewing a few quilts I am not a seamstress, but my ideas for fabric and color are as follows:

Fabric: I don't want anything too clingy so I figure a good cotton/spandex blend would be nice. Mostly cotton.
Colors: I love the idea of a darker purple with maybe a hint of grey or cream as an accent. Right now I am also loving the combination of salmon and grey.

My design inspiration: I am not sure where I thought of the layering idea but I wanted something to swoop from one side to the other and then vice versa, with another layer underneath. But I wasn't sure how that would look so on my sketch I opted for just one big swoop and then a smaller underneath. My friend has a dress that has elastic on the edging and it gives the dress a ruffled look without being too 80's ruffle. Do you know what I mean? I also really like sleeves to the elbow and I like Japanese style collars.

So, if I am chosen vote for me! Check out www.shabbyapple.com to see what Dare to Design is all about. You will love their clothes.

mini holiday/5th anniversary

Boost

Well, you know it is back to school time when everyone gets sick! I have been sick for a week and thanks to free cable for two months I have become addicted to shows like What Not to Wear, The Last 10 Pounds, Hoarders, etc. These shows always give me the boost I need to exercise more, declutter, and to get my butt going! The only problem is that it seems I usually have to make my house more messy in order to organize it. Anyone else feel like that?

So, here is to some belated spring cleaning and hopefully a tidier house!

Oh, and on a happier note after my last post, Mike will be starting school in October! We finally made a decision and it feels good to feel like our life is finally starting to go somewhere. I know no news is good news sometimes, but it was really time for something to happen, so I am excited for Mike to be doing something he enjoys. I just thought I would brag about some of my Young women. We had a great temple trip to Regina. I wanted to post a picture so this is what you get.

Have a good week!

pity party for me

Okay people, I'm sorry, but this is not going to be an uplifting post.

I get that we are supposed to be patient and that things are for "our learning and our good", but SERIOUSLY...does that mean waiting for FOUR years (yes four...and counting) to start our family. I don't know how much more I can take. Tests. Money. WAITING. Money. Tests. WAITING. Surgery. Wait. Tests. Adoption papers. WAIT. Wait.

Boo.

Boo on it all.

pictures

Our camp site at Battleford Provincial Park

The view from our campsite....looking towards Jackfish lake

Playing Scattegories with the Mulholland's by the lake

Thanks Leigh for the Tornado. It saved our breath and got our fires going!

Skipping rocks

Austin with his special puzzle from Grandma. He did it almost all by himself!

Now who doesn't love a good lego session?! Tyson and Connor made me wait to take the picture until they got their lego men set up where they wanted them.

My birthday cake. Mike always thinks of witty things to put on the cake.

Sisters!

These are the twins in our family. My Grandpa and Uncle (in the picture) are twins, then my mom had twins (my brother and I) and then my sister had twins. The myth that having twins skips a generation is not true. At least in our family!

This was quite the gong show trying to get all of the nieces/nephews/cousins to stand somewhat still to get a picture taken.

Apparently we like to skip rocks. The kids had a blast in the mud.

Here is a picture of the quilt Christine and I are making. We have since switched the order of the squares but you get the idea. There is a star, tree, and Christmas ball. We are making matching quilts. I am sorry if you get sick of me talking about getting something on sale but we got a steal.of.a.deal. That material the squares are laying on is actually a king size duvet cover! We got them for $30 dollars each!!!

Recent happenings

I figured it was about time I updated our blog. Ha, I say 'our' blog, but really it is my blog. Mike never checks it, however he always seems to say "You should post that on the blog" whenever he finds a picture of something!

I love checking your blogs (I'm a blog stalker...probably the worst one out there) so I thought if there was a blog stalker checking mine, I should give him/her the satisfaction of an update.

Well, life has been busy.

1. We are fixing up our basement. I think the carpet down there was the original from 1981. It dirty and I couldn't take it any more. We were given some carpet from my parents and we had a friend (thanks Jeff!) put it in for us. We painted the walls and put in new light fixtures. Ah....
I don't like green carpet but it was free and I didn't have to install it myself. I will do other fix ups but not installing carpet.

2. We have been working at building up our food storage and I think we doing pretty good. While putting things back in the basement we took an inventory of just the canned goods, so far. Anyone else like Cream of Mushroom Soup? Cause we do! I actually don't like to eat it as a soup by itself but I do use it for a lot of recipes.

3. My Grandpa passed away on May 28. That was a phone call I did not want. Dad was crying so much that he couldn't talk....sad. He has always been there and I really thought he always would. My dad and mom sounded SO sad when they phoned it was heartbreaking. My Grandma is a rock. She is an amazing woman to go through this and to remind us to smile and remember the good times. Gramps and dad have been business partners for over 30 years. They have worked so close together and been such good friends for so long. They are a great example to me.

Gramps taught me that/to:

• "a days work for a days pay"
• make a horse gallap noise with my hands on my knees (I'll have to show you I think!)
• treat yourself
  
• laugh
  
• appreciate what you have
• love your family

Oh how I will miss him. It was nice to be together as a family and to share memories. I love my family and this sad experience has helped us appreciate one another more and has reminded us that we need to get together more.

4. Young Women's is great. I am SO thankful for the women in my presidency that keep me going (and everything else). Thanks for being there when I needed a break and when I needed the support. I always need support but especially during the last few weeks. My YW girls teach me so much and I hope I do the same for them. I love that we can teach each other, no matter what age we are.

5. I love Mike! He is SO good to me it's outstanding. We played catch at the park the other night. It was so much fun and good to laugh together and to get some exercise.

6. Friends. What would we do without friends? I am so glad that I am here at this time in my life and that I have friends that know when to call or stop by or just say hi and ask how I am. Truly ask.

7. I have been quilting. I love it! I have a couple of projects going that I am excited to finish. I am making a table topper, a Christmas quilt, and a quiet book.

I will post pictures of everything soon.

I'm on a role....

Here's another giveaway!

http://breeandbrandonsbliss.blogspot.com/

Right to the etsy shop.... http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7195444

Good luck!

Aren't these the cutest?!

Another give away, oh give away (who isn't singing Give Said the Little Stream...right now!)

check these out, I think they would look darling on all of my fingers. and yours!

http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2009/04/art-nest-pincushion-ring-giveaway.html

Get Your Spring On...too!

http://www.simple-finds.com/2009/04/get-your-spring-on.html

Who wouldn't want $25 from Shade?!!
Thanks to Simple Finds you can!

TIME FOR YOU TO THINK !

This is a deductive reasoning example that Mike had in his math class. Figure it out and post your comments.

Crafting question

Okay all you fellow crafters,

I need to get a fabric pen. I want to write on some fabric crafts I am doing and I don't want messing looking puff paint or something that looks like I just took a permanent black pen to it.

Can you recommend a nice looking fabric pen/marker?

To post or not to post?

So, another week and weekend have come and gone.  

Conference was amazing this weekend.  It was fun to spend it with friends.  We got a lot of quilting done too!

Nothing much to say but I figured I should write something so the few people that read this don't stop cause I haven't updated!

This week I see myself taking a self defense class with the young men and young women and celebrating my birthday!!  Here is a shout out to my brother who decided he wanted to share the womb and a birthday with me too!!  I love you Darc.

Hey good lookin', whatcha got cookin'?

I love cooking with my husband.

Thank you to mom and dad Lawlor for what you have taught him.

He usually makes french toast for breakfast on the weekends. Today we had eggs and cheese whiz on toast. We usually have it on bagels but we only have cinnamon raisins bagels and I vetoed the decision to have my egg and whiz on that!

Mike's specialties are taco soup, Red Lobster biscuits and no bake cookies. He can also make puffed wheat squares. I know that may sound silly because they are easy but for some reason mine don't turn out! If you want puffed wheat squares from us, ask Mike to make them! I can do it, but they just don't stick together. Am I not boiling it long enough?

He can make more than was mentioned above but those are the ones he makes on a regular basis.

Today we made shepherd's pie and boy was it tasty.

Where did you come from?

I feel that part of the reason that I am in Saskatoon is to do genealogy. I know it may sound funny but my amazing aunt, genealogy wonder woman, has done A LOT of work on my families genealogy. But, she seems to be getting stuck on the Andres (or Andreas) line. Most of my families history on my Dad's side is Mennonite who came from Russia and settled in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. She said that the line just stops and she can't get any more information than what she has. She thinks they moved to Mexico, as many Mennonite families did, and settled in a place called Chihuahua.

I went to the genealogy library at my church today to see what I could do. I looked in my notebook and noticed that I wrote down the date when I started working on it and it was March 5, 2008....only a few days over a year! Kind of funny.

Mike and I went to Hague over a year ago to find the tombstone of an ancestor that is listed in my book as being buried in Hague. But we didn't find anything. I have looked online and have been able to verify some information that my aunt found. That was cool. I can't imagine what it will feel like when I find information that we didn't know at all.

I love the feeling I get when I am in the genealogy library. It feels so neat to be there. I know I can look at home but there is something there that makes me feel energized. Yah, energy, that is the word I am looking for.

My goal is to go on Saturdays at least once a month or every couple of months and maybe change it up to Thursday nights once spring comes and the library is open later.

Wish me luck.

Where does he come up with this stuff?!

I'm just glad he does!

This is what Mike did for me for Valentines. And this was after we had fondue together and watched a little Magnum P.I.!

He wrote on the balloons what we did for most of the Valentines day that we have been together. Cute, I know. The tulips ended up being orange and yellow. They were beautiful but I am having issues with my memory card so I didn't get a picture.

Oh yeah, and did you notice the Turtle Cadbury egg on my pillow?

I'm. so. in. love.

I've had enough

Hi. I have held back too long in posting this one.

Did you notice the word 'too' in my sentence.

USE IT PROPERLY PEOPLE!

To= I am going to the store....I want to take a shower.....I want to go to Hawaii

Too=I had too much dessert....I have too much stuff on my fridge.

See, that wasn't so hard was it?

sorry if this seemed a little harsh for such a small thing but it drives me nuts when this is not used properly. Thanks for letting me vent.

Big News

No, I am not pregnant.  I am sorry I can't tell you that, but the next best thing is that Mike and I are starting the adoption process!  We meet with Saskatchewan Adoption this week.  

We are now spreading the word so let everyone you know we are hoping to adopt.

We love you all and thank you for your love, support and prayers.

I love giveaways

Sorry this is short notice (again) but here is a giveaway.

http://laniejane.typepad.com/see_jane_run_go_jane_go/2009/01/be-my-valentine.html?cid=145777602#comments

Would you like some company?

** Mike is able to come with me to Calgary, so I don't need a ride!


Is anyone from Saskatoon going to Calgary or Lethbridge this weekend? My cousin is getting married and I am trying to go but I didn't really want to drive by myself. I might fly but I figured if anyone is going then I could maybe catch a ride.

Contact me ASAP. Thanks.