life continues on

Now that vacation is over life seems to actually have slowed down a little. The house is still in decent shape...and, for the first time since before I started having children, it just might be able to stay that way.

Anyway, some things:

We've had some nice sunsets lately

kids have been having fun with the dry erase markers

 I've been having fun with my Silhouette cutter. For Primary I've been making scripture cards (and boxes to hold the cards) for the older children so they can work on memorizing while they are waiting for Sharing Time to start. One side of the card has the scripture or the Article of Faith fully written. The other side has some blanks so they can practice. I will show them to the children tomorrow. I hope they like them and that the cards work to help the children like I want (to increase reverence and to have them memorize good things).

And last night was stamping. Always fun.

Michelle's card

my card, based on a Pinterest pin (and using my Silhouette to cut the stars)

Tina's card

Becky's card

pillow from a sweatshirt I bought on our honeymoon almost 23 years ago

 One of my projects over Christmas break was cleaning out my closet. I got rid of some clothes that I've had a long time...some I had since before I met Glen, even. Hannah and her friend Jamee took some to remake. The rest are going to a thrift store. I did take a sweatshirt from our honeymoon and turned it into a pillow...using a hint I learned online. Pillow forms are expensive. So I bought a regular bed pillow and cut it in half. One half is now my new pillow and the other half is in a box waiting for the next time I want to make a pillow. Two pillows for the price of one.

So, Andrew is settling into a new semester. He says he goes to bed at 9 pm and works 4:30-8 am and is all caught up on his sleep and his homework. He once again has 3 English classes, 1 math class, and a religion class, but only has 14 credits compared to last semester's 17.

Eric doesn't start his new semester until the 24th, but he got the classes we were hoping. He has another computer graphics class, a ceramics class, a European history class, and a mythology class (which is an online class). I think he'll have fun.

Ryan is starting his last semester of high school. Blows my mind. He actually signed up to take a class from Glen...intro to theatre (or something like that). He's never done that before. Hope it goes well.

Hannah and Alex continue on as always. Between the 2 of them, there is almost a constant stream of visitors here. We are party central. As a matter of fact, a mean game of Ratscrew going on in the other room now (whatever the heck that is...it involves cards, slapping noises, and a lot of laughing and screaming).

Among other things, Glen is busy with a play "Wait Until Dark" that will go on next weekend. Should be good.

Oh, I almost forgot. Another Silhouette project:

This is our Primary bulletin board for this year. It still needs to have several "Choose the Rights" in various languages written around the border, but it's looking pretty good, I think. Took way too much time to put up (thanks Nicole and Rayanne for all the time you put in!), but I like it. And I don't have to worry about it again for another year.

Pinterest projects...mine, Glen's, and Hannah's

Yes, we've been busy. First off, I finished my "Our Week" at a glance picture frame project. You write on it with a dry erase marker. I had posted it before with Christmas paper. Now it has regular paper and I used my new Silhouette cutter to make the days of the week:

If you don't know what a Silhouette cutter is, it's like a cricut only you don't buy cartridges for the shapes to be used. You download the shapes (or make your own) and use your computer. Click here if you want to see the Silhouette site.

Hannah's been wanting to make wax bowls by dipping a balloon filled with water into melted wax. Then you pop the balloon, even off the edge, and put in a tea light. In our case we used battery operated ones (so the holder won't melt, of course). The glow is really nice:

On Monday I found another great idea while searching on Pinterest: a base for my front loading washer and dryer. For over a year now I've had to bend down to transfer the clothes (didn't want to spend the money on buying the platforms from Sears as they were a couple of hundred dollars). Plus the top of the washer and dryer became a gathering place of all sorts of odds and end. I found a project where a wooden base is made that will hold laundry baskets. We plan on also keeping our newspapers to be recycled under there...and my silhouette cutter, whose home has been the floor since Christmas because I didn't have a place to put it.

Glen was building set in the mornings this week, but he worked on it in the afternoons. Since he used scrap lumber, he only had to spend $6 for screws and about 10 hours of his time. The tops might still be a collecting spot, but too high to really matter. The project was completed late this afternoon:

Hannah used the crayons and canvas Grandma Jervis gave her for Christmas, my silhouette to make stencils, and a hairdryer to make some new melted crayon pictures (see the above photo of the candle holders to see her first one, which is upside-down on top of the shelving unit and in the washing machine picture the "Beth" she did for my birthday is on the bookcase in the background):

 Cousin Becky came over and joined in on the fun. Here they are mid-melt.

Here is her completed ballerina and umbrella picture. Her tire swing one is in the process of getting it ready.

Finished product.

She also used Glen's new snackster and a recipe found on Pinterest to make quick cakes (maybe 7 minutes from start to eating). They were delicious.

We are really enjoying our break! Wonder what projects we'll choose next.