I've got sunshine

I am happy to report that there was sunshine in Kerbyville today and tonight I actually saw the stars. To be honest I had forgot they were there so we I headed out to feed the dog and looked up it was a nice surprise. Some of you may wonder what I am talking about and why I would be so happy for sun. When you live in the Northwest there is something called stagnate air. I know sounds lovely. Basically the air does not move so when you live in a valley the air above becomes warmer than the air below. This really means the air does not move so you get a low cloud cover and your valley becomes a pit of fog. That's right, cloudy, foggy, and gray for 2 weeks. So when a storm rolls in and moves out that air, you start praise'n Jesus. Even if that means it is sunny and the high of 20. Hey, at least there is sun!

Double Digits

My little man turned 10 today....10! Wow, I know what every mom says...I can hardly believe it. But you know, it is true. I wonder where the time went. You spend the first 5 years wishing they were more independent and that you could get a little free time and then they get in school and you just wonder where the time goes. Now I am the mom of a "tween" and again I wonder how that happened. There is no way I am ready to handle a tween or teen but I said the same thing about a newborn. Now all those diapers and feedings seem like a breeze compared to questions about life. You know those questions that you really pause before you answer because it really matters what you say. You can't get away with those simple answers that you gave a two. I mean what do you say when he asks what meth is and why do people go to jail when they use it. Wow!!! See pause and stop. So I have decided to take it a day at a time like all parents do. I like that he is at an age where he is still safe and with me most of the time but I can tell you those teen years are sneaking up and I am trying my best not to think about it. Breaks my heart a little. That same heart that breaks just a little as he gets older and more independent swells a little with pride when I think of the boy that he has become. He is kind, funny, smart, friendly, and helpful. He has values and a strong sense of right and wrong. He is a leader. That strong will that I battled at age 3 is now paying off a little. He knows his mind and is not afraid to stand for what he thinks. I pray that he will continue to grow and keep true to himself and what he believes. So to my little man I say...Happy Birthday!

Christmas Crafts

Well, Christmas has come and gone but I am just getting around to sharing my Christmas craftiness. So here you go. These patterns were fun and easy. It was such a treat to see everyone open them and enjoy them.

My SIL nad niece in their matching aprons. Gigi is begging me to make her one so I better get the machine fired up!

Fun sling bag from Amy Butler. I could barely part with it so I think I will be whipping up a few more of these.
Another fabric combo that I did. Very cute.
These bags are super spacious but really cute. I think they would make a really fun diaper bag. The inside has pockets to hold all those baby things.
Just a few of the fun things I whipped up. Super cute and easy. Now just to find the time to make something for myself!

A New Year

The new year has rolled around once again. Everyone is hitting the gym and making resolutions. I am not one for resolutions. I think if you want to change something you should just do it. Why wait around for Jan. 1? I was thinking of this as I was driving to work today. Why...I have no idea. Maybe it is because it occurred to me that it is Jan 8th and I have not even thought about it being a new year. No time to stop and reflect. So this morning as I was driving on clear roads and I was actually on time I had time to think. As I was thinking ever so deeply a song came on the radio. One life is the name of it. I love this song and thought to myself....hey this is going to be my motto for 2009. No resolutions to hit the gym or lose a few pounds or eat better or recycle more. Nope. My motto is going to be to live life to the fullest. If you have heard the song it is all about a man who is dying and reflecting on all he missed in life, how he would change things if he could. My favorite line from that song is you only get one chance to find out what you don't want to miss. Simple yet profound. So quite down cluttered closets, stuffed drawers, old workout videos, unfinished scrapbook pages, and endless projects because I am not making any resolutions to finish you! I am going to have fun, love my kids, play with my family, travel, read, sleep late, chat with friends, stay up late, talk on the phone to long, spend to much time on facebook, watch to much TV,create, make messes, and love life! So there I guess I made a new year's resolution. That's it. None of the things that I am supposed to do but all the things that really matter. Happy New Year everyone...there are some warm chocolate chip cookies calling my name....yes I am going to eat them and yes they will be good!

~Scarlett

Our Imperfect Christmas

Right before Christmas I received an email that talked about the imperfect Christmas. It was saying that we need to focus on each other rather than all that needs to be done. It also talked about how most traditions start when something goes wrong. I laughed to myself and thought about how I try not to get hung up on all that needs to be done……I think that was my mistake. As a lot of you know our Christmas was far from perfect. Oh it started out perfect. Plans to go back east and spend Christmas with my family after 14 years of not having the holiday together. All was on track. Gifts wrapped and shipped, bags packed, tree down and then we get the call….flight cancelled. Again no big deal we will just go a day later…nope couldn’t get out until the 27th…now it is time to panic. What are we going to do? The mister is very concerned about our gifts that are on their way to VA. All of our gifts, even the ones from Ol’ Saint Nick. So I tell him to call Fed Ex and see if there is anyway to pull the package. They say no problem we will have the package to you on Christmas Eve. Great….everything will be okay…right? So I suck it up for my kids, put on a happy face, and pull out a few Christmas decorations. All is well. Then Christmas Eve roles around. No package. The mister calls Fed Ex, no problem your package will be delievered in Fredricksburg tonight…..WHAT?!! It was supposed to come back to Boise. Okay just keep it there because we will be there in a few days. Now I have to rush out on Christmas Eve and find something that will make Christmas wonderful and magical for my kids. Great, just what I had planned for Christmas Eve, shopping! Off I go leaving the mister at home to make cookies for Santa, get the gifts, head to church, come home, put out cookies and reindeer food, wrap presents, fill stockings, and fall into bed. What the heck just happened? Christmas day roles around and all is well. Kids are happy and Santa came through. The mister is still nervous about our box so he calls Fed Ex. Oh the box will be delivered to your hotel tomorrow morning. On the 26th the mister calls Fed Ex again. Oh your box will be delivered to Idaho on Friday…..WHAT??!! It is supposed to stay in VA. Nope on it’s way home, but we are leaving. The mister talks to the Fed Ex manager and explains this whole messed up situation and they say they will try to fix it. I take down the Christmas decorations again, pack again, and plan to go to the airport very early….again. On the 27th we head to the airport, go through security, mister can’t find his cell phone, that is because it is at home…great. Calls his mom who is staying at our house and tells her to mail it. Do we dare use Fed Ex? We get on our plane and sit on the runway for an hour while they deice and attempt to put in all the luggage. We are an hour behind schedule and I am getting nervous. We land in Seattle at 9:01 and we are supposed to leave at 9:15. Missed our connection…boarding closed!!! Nice. Wait in Seattle for 5 hours. Catch the 2:00 flight to DC. Sit on the plane for an hour while they find a pilot. Circle around twice, wait for a repair guy to fix a latch on a door, take off….finally. Hopefully we make it. Land in DC at midnight. Fall into bed at 2am. Wake up and think maybe the worst is over. Little man says his tummy hurts, Send the mister for some Pepto, give the little man pepto, little man hurls all over the bed in the hotel room. Nice. Merry Christmas! The mister and I just laughed at each other. What else could go wrong???? We have a yummy late Christmas dinner with my family and despite missing a few presents still have a lot of fun. On the 29th the cell phone and gifts arrived…yeah! No more puke and no one else got sick. Our trip was fun and coming home was a breeze. During all of this I kept asking God what He was trying to tell me or teach me and I had no answers. Trust me I was grumpy because nothing was going right and I mean nothing. Then it hit me….the imperfect Christmas. I realized that I had the imperfect Christmas and everything was okay. We still had the spirit and love and each other which is all that mattered. So just like 2000 years ago, everything did not go as planned yet it was wonderful. This is a Christmas that will go down in history in Kerbyville. One that we are already laughing about. It was our Imperfect Christmas!