Look What I Made!!

So, I love my camera, my good Canon, so I want to take care of it. So I have a great camera bag. It hold everything for my camera: cords, books, lenses, even the video camera. The only problem is its BIG and BULKY and it does not fit in the bottom of the stroller, AND its a pain to lug around. I have a case for my video camera that the DSLR fits it, but that's all I can carry, just my camera with attached lens. And neither of them are very cute ...

So I started looking into camera bag purses, and they are ADORABLE! But, have a ginormous price tag on them that I really cannot justify. So, being the oh so creative person I am (somewhat creative, but really cheap...) I Googled it. And got lucky. There were TONS of different tutorials to make your own. I really liked this one on tatertots & jello, and this one on Vanilla &Lace. Two different approaches, Two Super cute results!

So then I went on a search for a bag....

Well, not really a search, but I kept my eyes peeled for the last few months, looking for a bag that would work, ( for the project and the budget!)

I was at the Thrift Store looking for some things for ANOTHER project, and I walked past the row of purses, and I thought, "Why Not?" and I found this one...

Nothing spectacular, but cute, had a great base, easily cleanable and was in pretty good shape.

3 reasons I REALLY liked it?

1. It had room for camera, lenses AND purse necessities.

2. It had a zipper pocket on the inside, and two pockets on the outside.

3. The price...$7.99!

So then I rounded up the rest of the supplies.

Some foam, sticky Velcro, thread, material, and two sided tape.

I really like the lining of the bag, nice and bright. So I wanted to Follow the Tutorial about splitting the lining and working with it, like the one on tatertots & jello. And I lucked out and found this material in Walmart. One little block section was all that was required!

So first, I split the seam down the middle with a seam ripper.

Then I measured the base, length and width. Then up the sides about 6 inches.

I cut the foam accordingly, keeping the base about 1/2 inch smaller so that the side pieces would fit and not be too snug.

I was using 1 inch foam, and I think it was a little too thick. So I left it for the bottom, to give extra support, and for the two long sides, and two short sides, I split the foam in half.

Then I used my double sided tape to stick the foam in the bottom and along the sides. I found that the purse itself was quite sturdy and I didn't need to add cardboard, or plastic to reinforce. It would totally depend on the bag and the type of foam you used.

Then I hand stitched up the seam. I suppose you could use a sewing machine, but I didn't feel like it. And, with the extra padding under it, I had to take it in a bit to make up for the slack.

I measured 2 pieces of foam for the dividers. Then I took my cutesy material, measured them to cover the foam pieces, and wrapped and used the two sided tape to glue and hem the ends. The ends were a little longer than the foam. Approximately the width of the Velcro, so you get a little 'hinge' effect when its in the bag.

Again, you could totally use a sewing machine and make nice little pockets, but I was feeling lazy, and in a bit of a rush. (I was too excited to get this done!)

Then I stuck the 'rough' side of the velcro to the divider. That way, if I ever feel like not using one of the dividers, you don't have the 'scratchy' part on the inside of the bag!

I put the 'softer' side of the Velcro inside the purse. I used one divider on each end and saved the middle for the camera.

And with the 'hinge' effect of the flaps on the dividers, it kind of hugs your equipment.

So I have a pocket for the video camera, or an additional lens...

And everything fits in so nice, with room for a wallet. So when I head to the rink, or the zoo, or wherever I'm trying to capture our lives...

I have all my stuff, safe and protected...

And looking pretty dang cute!!

Happy Halloween!

I LOVE Halloween!

I love that you get to dress up, and people don't think much about it.

You go to people's houses and get treats...(or at least, you send your kids, and they get YOU treats!)

I love the Spookiness of the decorations, and the fun of decorating your house.

So I love it!!

This year was a little different on many levels.

One: I wasn't feeling the creative genius that comes with finding Halloween costumes. I really like the Theme dynamic and we (meaning I the mother) like to dress in a group. So Years past we've been everything from pirates, to Austin Powers, to the Clue Game.

This year was Comic Book Characters revisited.

Here's my kids at the Halloween parade at school.

There's another thing that was different, they got to wear their costumes to school.

They liked that.

I stayed for Brody's Halloween party, and I think he is a little off on the pumpkin face there...

Two: We didn't have or stuff together, very well. So we made our pumpkin that day. And again, Mom had to clean it out because my kids are grossed out by pumpkin guts...

I think they each got one scoop out and were like, 'Eww! Gross! I can't do this!"

What kid doesn't like pumpkin guts?!

Three: My kids have never been Trick or Treating.

What?!

Yep. Never.

At least not door to door.

We've gone to Disney and then Ward Trunk or Treats, but never have they run through the neighborhood, knocking on doors, getting candy for their mom, I mean treat bags.

And what fun is it, if Dad doesn't join in?

Ya. I'm married to that.

But its all good, I am Cat Woman after all!

So when Liza Dawn invited them to go Trick or Treating with them, they were pretty excited. And I was too. Every kid should get to experience that. And every parent should get to let them without worrying about candy that's poisoned, or child abductors, or razor blades, or hypodermic needles, or generally scary things that may happen to your kids on All Hallow's Eve.

That's why we sent these guys to go with them.

Betcha all the Scaries kept their distance with these two walking around.

Surprised we didn't get a call on behalf of the welfare of our kids...

Happy Halloween!!

There are No Words...

I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose a child. Mine was gone for 15 minutes and I had lost it completely. How do you go on? How do you face the next day knowing you'll never hear them laugh, see them smile, kiss them good night...

When I first heard about the accident today, I knew the first kid, not well, but knowing the family only makes it harder. I thought, "I can't believe it. How can that be? He's so young, what will that family do?"
Then we got thinking of the other three kids, we only knew there were three others in the vehicle, nothing of what happened, where, or the outcome. And my second thought was, "What if Dustin was in the ER when they brought these kids in? How do you deal with that?" I know he is professional and all, and he may not personally know the kids, but when you come from a small town like Magrath, you know them somehow. And I've seen him after working on kids that he doesn't even know, it affects him, how could it not...

So I went through the morning thinking of this family, a little worried about my husband, and feeling sad yet grateful about my life Then I heard about the last three kids...

I didn't know them well, at all, but two were in our ward. The one girl was in my Mia Maid class, I only got to teach her a handful of times. She was such a happy, sweet kid. And the other boy I met just a couple of weeks ago at our Youth Activity. I ended up driving him to the activity, and even though he had to ride in a van full of 12 year old girls and a woman he didn't know, he was kind and fun and just a great kid!
Seeing the kids at church was hard. Seeing the parents of the kids was hard. Everything about today was hard and like I told the girls, "It sucks. It's not great to say, but there's nothing else to say, it just sucks."

What do you tell the kid who's just lost her best friend? How do you comfort the group of kids who just a few hours ago had there naive small town life crumble down on them? How do you pick them back up and help them carry on?

The bishopric had a wonderful meeting with the youth. They talked of Our Heavenly Fathers plan of salvation. How we know that we are Children of God, that he sent us here, and we can live with him again. We will see our family and friends again. They reminded all of us of how these kids were in a place of happiness and they were waiting for us. And how we needed to remember to make the right choices so we could be with them and all our friends and family again.
It was really beautiful. My heart just ached for these kids, but at the same time, my heart soared because I knew what was being said was true. There is a plan for us, we may not always understand it, but it is there. God knows us and knows what we are going through and what we need. He will give us the strength and the comfort, especially when it's tough. I was just so proud to be a part of that group if kids, seeing them comfort each other, lift each other up and work together to get through this tragedy.

It also reminded me of why I love Magrath and why I wanted to move home. Its awful that 4 kids from one small town had to die so suddenly. I can only grasp a small bit of the sorrow that their families are going through right now. But I've seen this town pull together for so many things, that I know that there will be that support for these families and friends and they will have some help to struggle through. They will have people to lean on. They will know they are loved. Like tonight, merely hours after the accident, and there are 500+ people on the football field holding a Candle Light Memorial for these kids...

I ached for the kids today, watching them work through this. I hurt thinking of the mothers of these kids, knowing I would never know how to handle it. And yet I am so grateful for days like today when it makes you think. It makes you think of your life, how much you have, and how much you have to be grateful for. I'm grateful for the reminder that life is short and precious, and that 'I Love You's' should be expressed so many more times than they are. I am grateful for what I have been blessed with in this mortal life and with the knowledge of what awaits me and my family in the life to come.

Right now I am very grateful for MY life...

Gracie's Baptism...

Well, it was a beautiful day...and I was sooo happy all day long. I am so proud of my daughter for making this decision; the decision to be baptized.

Last year, when we hadn't known about moving home, we talked about having her baptism in Canada while we were here. She was very excited about that, and about getting baptized in

Del Bonita. So when we were moving home, it was going to happen anyways, AND, we were going to do it with Rylen.

These guys are so funny! Even though they really have been apart for most of their lives, as soon as they get together, its like there has been no time past. They just jump right back in. They were blessed together, they might as well be baptized on the same day.

And of course, she wanted her Dad to baptize her. She was a little nervous about it, especially being the first one, but I told her, her Daddy would help her. After she come out of the font, I couldn't stop crying, and she asked, "Why are you sad, Mom?" I told her I wasn't sad, I was just sooo happy and proud of this day, and that I could hardly believe that she was Eight Years old already.

We had it at Del Bonita, and our Bishop, Bishop Boyes was there to conduct and preside. Both Grampas were there to be witnesses. Great Gramma Chalmers was there as well as Penny, Larsyn and Ethan. Ethan gave a great talk on Baptism for the kids. We had to ask him, the kids just love him and he is so good with them! Uncle DJ and Jeri-Lynn were there with Lauren and Levi. JL gave a great talk on the Holy Ghost and gave the kids a bag full of goodies to help them remember everything He can do for them. Aunty Annie came, and so did Rylen's Gramma and Grampa Blasco. It was nice and small and just the family, just how I wanted it...

Gracie wore a very special dress. Her Gramma Sherry had made it for her Aunty Kelsey for her baptism and the Aunty Annie wore it as well. So now its Gracie's. And she just loved it!

I cannot believe these kids are 8!! It seems like just yesterday we were planning the blessing for them. But here they are. Gracie said, "It looks like we're getting married!"

Oh, Little Girl of Mine, I can hardly believe how big you are! I am so proud of you making this decision...

We are so grateful to have you in our family. You are always so happy and having fun. You brighten any room you come into...

I hope you remember this day, and remember what it means. Your Heavenly Father loves you so much, and this Gift of the Holy Ghost, will help you make the decisions you need to to live with Him again Someday...

Remember to be "strong and courageous and to stand up for what you believe in" like your Daddy blessed you with...

It is times like this that I am soo glad you have a mind of your own, and that you don't mind going against the grain. I know you will make the right choices, even if they are hard...

Sweet Gracie Dawn. You look so beautiful in your white dress. I cannot think of it, because I don't want it to happen, but I know that all too soon I will have a picture of you in another White Dress, ready to walk through those temple doors with your husband...

I cannot think of it, but I am so glad because I know you will be strong and make the best choices for yourself to get ready for that day.

I just hope it doesn't fly by like the last few years have...

Happy Surprise!!

So my husband loves me, and I know that...but he's not so much into the whole romance side of things. So I always know he puts a lot of thought into things when he does them. That and he loves to research things to death...

So, he tells me he is planning a little weekend just for us for our anniversary. He was feeling bad because we had originally planned to do a BIG trip for our 10 year. I had been saving and planning for 2 years! But I got to move to Canada, so I was ok. But he de decided we needed a little something, and I was excited! No kids for 3 days! (I won't tell you how I cried right after we left...)

So we drive to Kalispell, and I think that this is it! Great! Relax in the mountains with no kids! Then he pulls into the airport, " You wanna go to Vegas?" "You dork! Turn around before they charge us for parking!" He just grins and parks the car. "We're going to Vegas!"

No wonder he made me pack in a little bag!!

So we went to Vegas for the weekend...I feel fancy saying that..."I go to Vegas on the weekends!". But, really it was so fun...busy because of the things we wanted to do with no kids, but fun!

We walked the strip at night and didn't worry about bedtimes for kids (though in all honesty, 11 is getting way past my bedtime!) We ate at real restaurants, we slept in, we went to shows WE wanted to see...like PHANTOM!

I have wanted to see Phantom of the Opera for sooo long. I quite enjoy live theater and I was always a little jealous of Dust that he had seen it as a kid. So I was super pumped that he had gotten us tickets. It was amazing! Loved every minute of it and would see it again in a heart beat. The only problem is that now I just want to see so many other productions!

It was such a nice get away for us. We have NEVER left the kids, so I missed them, but it was really nice to have some alone time with my sweetie. And to think he planned it all himself! I am so grateful for him in my life. He is my best friend, my sanity, my rock. He makes me laugh and makes life fun, but is still there to make everything better. He is amazing...

I love you, Dustin and I can't wait to see what the next 10 years+ has in store for us!

Ball Season 2011

Since I am little behind... I'll show you some pics from this year's ball season.

Gracie played Bobbysox again, in the 8u division. So she learned to steal and really get into the game more. She made a bunch of good little friends too!

This is Jessie, she was in Silvercreek Ward with us. She is such a character!

This is my little girl holding her trophy. I got to help out with the team this year which was a brand new experience. The girls were a lot more vocal with many new chants and cheers to go along with it. 13 girls in a dugout is LOUD!!

There's my girl!

She wasn't always so much into the game, though...

But their team did great and they got first place in their division!!

Go ORANGE CRUSH!!

Brody got to play Coach Pitch this year with Ryan and he really liked it! He made alot of great friends too! Here he is with Ryan, his brother and sister and friend Aiden!

Batter up!

He became quite the little hitter...

SAFE!! Our little ball player sliding into home...

He really liked playing catcher...

He is becoming a good little ball player, and he can throw both Left and Right, though he prefers Left. He said he can't wait till next year!!