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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Out with the Old and in with the New

One last post before 2011 is officially over for us on the West Coast? Sure. It will be quick because I need to watch the ball drop and work on a few things before tomorrow. Just got home from dancing to this:
for four straight hours...well not literally but it was on for a loooong time. I let myself stop after I got 4 stars on the Bollywood song :D.

I've never danced in 'public' but we were at the Pratt's house and the peer pressure just got to me/I just realllllly secretly wanted to do it. Emily and I danced the most, we were in high competition, not even the babies could get in our way ;).  I hide my dancing queen fool side most of the time but tonight it just had to be set free. I think 2012 will be a good year to work on my moves.

Be ready world. \\

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Daughter of God YW Lesson

Being in the YW Presidency for my third time in a row means that I get to keep teaching the girls ages 12-18 at church once or twice a month. When I first started this calling, it made me SICK to my stomach and I was nervous and shaky but now after four plus years, it's gotten 'easier'. Easier in the fact that I know all the girls and am more comfortable speaking in front of them, but sometimes it's difficult for me to know exactly what they need to hear...

With this new presidency, I believe I'm teaching every 2nd week now but since it's the new year, the schedule is a little wonky so I get to teach the first lesson of the year. This is usually my favorite because it's usually a basic principle. Sometimes I do best with the basics.

This year it's, A Daughter of God.

We say these words every week with our theme but how can they know it, beyond any doubt?


While preparing, I found this quote card that I really liked, but the resolution was too low to print, so I made my own. If you'd like to see /download it, you can click here (side note, I LOVE when I'm on Pinterest and I see people who aren't LDS pin LDS quotes & Scriptures, it happens alllll the time):


Daughter of God Handout 


This is my very first time using Google Docs so hopefully this will work. It doesn't look right when you open it online, but when you open it with word it should work well...if not let me know and I'll fix it.

I have several other things we are going to do during this lesson but this will be my handout at the end of my lesson, so they all have that reminder.

Handouts are always my favorite part of a lesson, I still have many from when I was a youth. I'm close friends with many of the girls in our YW and I've been over to many of their houses and I LOVE when I see their bathroom mirrors, many have my handouts lining their mirrors or in their rooms hanging on the walls. It just reminds me why it is OK for me to spend a little more time/effort on these handouts. Sometimes I wonder if all the time is worth it, but seeing that tells me that it is. I don't always have to go so extravagant but I know for me personally, they will keep them if they are cute/fun.

This one was really simple but calm at the same time.

Enjoy the handout and if you have problems let me know!!

Edit:
I forgot I was going to post this poster too (found via Pinterest). This is the mutual 2012 theme

Monday, December 26, 2011

Christmas, Unwrapped

Get it? My goodness I'm so punny...get it? OK I'm done, promise :).

I got prettttttty spoiled this Christmas. I think the older you get, the more you buy for others, you start to get really good gifts yourself...maybe? I know it's not about the gifts but I don't hate it =).

Here are a few of my favorite things!

A zebra pillow pet, every 24 year old needs a pillow pet, come on!! I seriously love it, it might seem childish but I've used it a lot.

So practical, a car emergency kit. It's about time I got this kind of thing. I think I want to put together a whole 72 hr kit in my car too just in case. I love preparedness.

Ummmm a whole Costco sized pack of hand warmers because my hands and feet are always so cold. I actually didn't know these were for me, I saw them in the back of the car a week or so ago. I was driving through a parking lot and saw a homeless person's cot set up under the eves of an abandoned store. That person probably needs this more than me. Maybe I'll go back and see if they're still there.

KB socks, represent!! These are my favorite socks ever. Thanks Costco & Mom for getting them for me while I was shopping with you. Your efforts to hide them from me didn't go unnoticed.

Random box of stuff, mostly stocking stuffers, scrapbooking stuff, HARRY POTTER, a smash book which I'm excited to start and various other items.

A NEW CANON LENS!!.....

.....that doubles as a drink holder..... :) wah wah....

Some new TOMS. Favorite shoes ever. I got another pair in an army green color from my aunt as well. So two kids who need shoes now have them.

This might be one of my favorite favorites. Roald Dahl was/is my favorite author. I have been wanting to buy all of his books for several years now but it was going to be very expensive. Well at Costco one day I saw his entire collection for 25 bucks. I was with my mom and she bought them as an early gift for me. See I'm way too spoiled.

My dad got me this book--that will remain sideways--just flipping through it quickly I've seen some really neat projects I can't wait to try. Perhaps they will be blog worthy?

A gypsy machine for my cricut. This is actually kind of for me and my mom. It's a handy dandy device that lets you plan what you want your cricut to cut...trust me it's neat. Not pictured: I also got a cricut case to use while transporting my cricut.
Super excited for my new soft box to go over my flash. I took Christmas party pics a few weekends ago and used a SOCK to get the same effect, but this looks more professional  :). I also got a cord that makes my flash 'portable'.
 My brother also got me a handy carrying case for all my paints as well as some new brushes and saaweeeet paints.
Santa heard that I needed a new external hard drive to back up all my photos and the big guy pulled through.

But the best part/s of Christmas?
.
.
.
.
.
.

the gift that keeps on giving!!
 I bought us all animal print snuggies (a WOOT special). Not pictured: My father wearing his cheetah snuggie....except that he never even took it out of the package...rude.


 But really the funnest part was skyping with my brother Ty. He's serving a two year mission in Santiago, Chile. This was his last Christmas in the mission field!!

So one more skype until he's home...well in Aug/Sept. So he's still got some time.

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas. What a wonderful time of year. It's my favorite time of year, fo sho.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Really Last Minute

Two blogs in one day...wahhhhhh? WEIRD. Someone better take my temperature. Like I mentioned in my last post, I wanted to very quickly, post about a few very last minute Christmas gifts I'm working on. All my gifts from my previous post are wrapped and ready to go, if I didn't have a splitting headache I'd go deliver them now :(.

The first is a gift I'm making for my grandma, I should be working on it now.
It's going to be a birthday calendar eventually.
So I had a bunch of these poker chips...why we have them when none of us play poker, I dunno, but we did. So I started by spray painting all the ones that weren't black, black. 

Then I picked out 6 pieces of slightly patterned paper and printed the first name of each member of my family along with the day they were born ex: Mariah 8th.
Cut out each name with a circle punch and glued it onto the now dry poker chip.
This is a horrrrrible picture of the basic idea behind this bday calendar:


It will be a wooden piece that says, Peck Family Birthday's. Underneath that, I'll have the months written across the bottom of the board. Each month will have an eye hook beneath it where I will daisy chain the poker chips.
Still with me?
No?
OK.

 This tool above is called, a Crop-a-dile. It cuts through just about anything. I'm able to cut through the paper and plastic poker chip. Once the holes are made, I'll use jewelry jump rings to connect the chips, in order under their corresponding month
 
I apologize deeply if you're still reading. I don't think I'm making ANY sense but it's been a long day!!
 These are all the poker chips, basically done, I still have a few more that I need to redo do to glue mishaps. Tomorrow I'm going to punch holes in each of these and place them in order by month.
I guess this might be a gift that gets delivered a little after Christmas because I don't have any wood to make the sign. So that's a bummer. I think I also need to find some eye hooks.


SOOOO if you're still reading here is another last minute gift I've been working on:


 Headband Earwarmers!! They are so hip right now and I can make them in about an hour so they are the ultimate last minute DIY gift!!
I've made three in the last day and a half, one was already gifted so just two are shown. These two will have homes soon. If you know how to do basic crochet stitches, you can make this so super easily.
If you want to make your own, watch this video. 
I didn't make mine as thick as hers and I added a flower. She's very wordy and kind of slow getting to the point so once I watched enough to know what I needed to do on the ends, I just made up my own directions as I went but it's pretty simple.

I'm thankful for my knowledge on how to knit and crochet, I'm able to make gifts for people that I wouldn't otherwise be able to make. It's pretty fun to watch a piece of 'string' as my dad calls it (yarn) turn into something else like a hat, blanket, scarf, earwarmers etc...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Breaking My Rules

Rules are made to be broken right?

In this case, RIGHT.

One of my most favorite and essential Holiday rules is that I do not shop after about the 15th. Usually I have all my shopping done way before that anyways so it's not a hard rule to follow.

This year I made an exception. Seeing all the gifts under my tree grow over the last few days made me feel reallllly spoiled (even though about half of the gifts under the tree are FROM me to my family). But we are pretty lucky to have good jobs and to be able to afford nice Christmas's every year.

This year I decided to grow up. I have picked a name off a giving tree pretty much every year for about five years by myself. So I shopped for an 8 year old girl this year. I hope she likes the items I got her, I hope she knows someone was/is thinking of her.

The other part of this 'growing up' was deciding last night that I needed to get a few gifts for a particular family. I'm not sure why, but I couldn't stop thinking about it all night while I should have been sleeping.

Today I broke my rule, I braved the crowds/traffic and last minute shoppers to get a few things for this family. I'm only writing this because I know she doesn't read my blog, I don't want them to know it was me.

It feels really good to do something for someone else. No matter how big or small the impact might be. They only have three people in their family so it wasn't very hard to find gifts, but I did want them to be useful gifts.

Now I'm listening to music and packaging up their gifts to deliver under the cover of night :). I sound so CIA I know....psh.

I wish I could buy something for everyone who needs a little extra this year, but I know that's unrealistic but I'm happy to help one small family.

I think this will be my new tradition. Since I don't have my own own family, I can 'adopt' one. I have the means to do so, so what's stopping me?!

Should have been doing it all along.

Even if there are times we are struggling financially, there are other ways we can give. We can use our talents and time to bless others around us. It is Christmas after all.

Stay tuned, maybe tonight or tomorrow I'll update with a few reallllly last minute Christmas gifts I've been making. I know you have nothing better to do these last few days before Christmas than read my blog :) just kidding.

Monday, December 19, 2011

2011 favorites

This year hasn't been too different from past years but on my way to work tonight I was thinking of my favorites of 2011 so here's a mishmash list...with no pics because of my iPad:

1.going to see two movies in one day new years day, Gulivers travels and tangled. Loved both of them.

2. Buying a kayak and trying something new. I love it...I'm not great at it but I love it.

3. Using said kayak to explore the sound, San Juan's, nooksack, etc...

4. Getting a letter from my parents company telling us we were headed to disneyworld in September...all expenses paid. The day we got the letter was incredible!!

5. Sticking to my project 356 and taking a photo EVERY day this year...more on that soon?

6. Being the busiest I've ever been with my photography

7. Being called back into young women's after being released....again!!

8. Getting a new position at work that gave me more hours (overnight) that works with my otherwise nutso schedule

9. Buying myself an iPad...using my new work shift as an excuse ;$ hey it's paid for itself by now, I don't regret it at all!!

10. Redoing my room, finally. It also meant I purged crap like I've never done before...let's not talk about the fact that it needs to be done again ;) but at least I cleaned it last week and mt. Vesuvius of clothing is GONE!

11. Going to girls camp with some of the best people I know and getting to know them better.

12. Going to Disneyworld!! I'm convinced it is the happiest place in earth jkjk kinda.

13. Going to some fun concerts and taking a few fun road trips.

14. My Harry potter themed birthday was pretty spectacular, the movie opened the weekend of my bday so a few of us from the scrapbook retreat went. The whole day was HP themed.

15. Helping my grandparents redo their house.

16. Videotaping my grandpa tell his stories...need to finish though.

17. Making things, crafting in whatever form I wanted

18. Making a few new friends.

19. Sharing/talking about my church with a friend at work a lot.

20. Finding pinterest and addicting all my friends to it

This isn't all that happened this year, just a few things I can remember. It was a good year and I have some big goals for next year hopefully next years list will be even better. Hopefully it will include skydiving with Emily!? I reallllllly want to skydive. You can check out my new board on pinterest it's called, what do you want to do before you die. It's my bucket list maybe a few things will be crossed off next year!!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Nacho Libre and Me

I've had some very strange posts in the past, but this one might just take the cake on strange and possibly disturbing?

I know you are all wanting to see more of my painted figures...hehehahahahohoho ya right but here they are anyway:

 one of the star wars guys with Nacho Libre. Ty is getting the Nacho Libre guy in his next package and the hairy star wars guy is going to be added to my star wars set for my uncle:
I do find it a little funny that I've never been into Star Wars and the only names I know are, Darth Vader, Luke, and there's a princess. OH MAN I forgot I was going to make them glowing swords. Perhaps I'll make a few out of toothpicks after I post this...
This is quite possibly the weirdest thing that's ever been on my blog:
 
 They're for my dad for Christmas so shhhhhhhhh. It's Kiss, one of his favorite bands when he was younger. Don't ask me WHY that is. These officially take the cake as being the hardest figures I have painted on yet.

Soon I should be getting another box in the mail full of more wooden pieces and I have some plans for those to turn into nativities, random people, and Ghost Busters. Right now I'm working on painting more princesses, heroes, and a set of Harry Potter characters. This has turned into a really fun activity for me, albeit time consuming and a little frustrating when I accidentally mess up...So far I've only really messed up bad on one, Harry Potter. His glasses weren't exactly round so I tried to fix it and my hand spasmed in the middle of it and so he has reallllly thick glasses now. OH well.


Today I made this snowflake for my uncle, another Star Wars thing. I believe they are called Storm Troopers (I totally looked it up). I might get brave and make a few more but don't count on it.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

When (if) I Grow Up...

I am going to own and operate a Christmas tree farm, not only will I sell Christmas trees, I will have pumpkins, apple cider, whole wheat apple cider donuts, apple trees, race car track, inside snow park, and so much more!!

It will be next to Disneyland.

There will also be a rock wall.

Did I mention Christmas trees? Each person will get a full size candy cane with the purchase of a tree.

It will be really fun.

I will try to have an elephant, lion cubs, giraffes, and koala bears. No promises though.

This was my dream.

I wish this was reality.

Not lying I've actually really wanted to own a Stoney Ridge type farm since the first time I went there. Maybe one day!!

Friday, December 9, 2011

"Forget Not...

...the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice."
-"Forget Me Not" talk given by Dieter F. Uchtdorf

How can I use this council in my life, right now? If you've read or heard this talk, you'll know that he uses the example of staying up all night to embroider names on pot holders to use in a church lesson, versus staying up all night to help a child who is having a nightmare. Foolish vs. Good sacrifices. 

I am SO guilty of this, not embroidering names on pot holders but close enough. I've sacrificed lots of time/supplies/energy for my various church callings and other events. I'm happy to do it, but I need to find the balance between doing too much and wearing myself down and still taking the time but not going as crazy as I usually do.

Today I was stressing out and trying to finish various projects for Christmas gifts and our ward Christmas Party when I blew a fuse. In the middle of sewing gifts, hot gluing, ironing, etc. Great. After having no success in trying to fix it, I decided instead of stressing out and throwing my unfinished pillowcases to the ground, I would leave it for later. If I don't get those pillowcases done, it doesn't mean I'm a bad person, it doesn't mean my friends (who they're for) are going to like me any less. I can always finish it later and give it to them when they're done.

I'm going to try to be more relaxed and 'go with the flow'. I stress out far too much and I've realized this week as my eye has been twitching for over a week, a friend said it was due to emotional distress...I'm not sure I'm emotionally distressed but I am stressed. I also get this weird scaly skin on my eyelid when I'm stressed and it's baaaack. ugh. So I'm going to let go. Whatever happens, happens. If we don't have enough decorations for the party, well that's just going to be how it is.

A friend posted this list on Pinterest today after I blew the fuse:
instead of immediately starting another project I printed this list and went through each reference and highlighted my favorites in my scriptures. I especially read the "When you are stressed out" reference it's D&C 10:4, "Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be diligent unto the end."

I feel superficial and ridiculous for allowing myself to get worked up over such silly things, there are real problems and real people suffering, I don't need to freak out about sewing a pillowcase.

On another note--

A friend on FB posting this as his status today:

I was also thinking of this today. Last night on my way to work I realized that I was in desperate need of gas. I've never had the blinking DTE screen show up and my gas gauge was below E. I apparently had zero miles before running out of gas.

Well, I was driving thru Ferndale and realllly didn't want to stop at 7-11 because there are some hooligans and ruffians (Tangled :)) who hang out there. So I didn't get gas. All night I was worried I'd become stranded in the early morning on my drive home. I had visions of calling my mom and making her bring me a filled gas tank on the side of the road. I said a quick prayer.

On my way home this morning, I prayed again. I REALLY didn't want to be 'stuck' without gas. It's cold and embarrassing.

I drove straight to Costco at 6:12am (NO CANADIANS!!) and was happily surprised that 1, I made it!! and 2 gas prices were much lower than they have been!!

As I was pulling out of the costco lot, I remembered that I had prayed several times to not run out of gas, amidst my internal celebrating I realized I needed to say another prayer. One where I didn't ask for anything but simply thanked Heavenly Father for letting me get to that silly gas station. I did.

I need to remember this more often.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

A Very Homemade Christmas

It seems like every year I end up making more and more gifts. I think they're more personal and fun that way? Maybe that's just me haha. I used to think it was just cheaper to make items but I've learned that's not always the case :D. It also takes a lot more time, which is running low. I'm watching the clock as I blog because I have lots to do and have to go back to work in just a few short hours. Here's an incomplete short list in pictures of what I've been working on for gifts this year:
 Pillowcases!! Wowzers I've been making these things like crazy...well I've made like 6. I made this one two times for each of my brothers, I'm sure Ty REALLY likes his haha. I didn't know how great it would be for his mission, oh well!! I'm also making 'Cars' ones for two little boys and a zebra one for a cousin still.
 I'm sure whoever has been to my FB is tired of seeing these pictures. But These are my favorite homemade items this year!! They are so fun to make, although they are time consuming, they are so relaxing to make (even though I'm very tense when I paint, esp. such small pieces.)
 I decided the girls needed boys to play with too. I remember as a kid Ty and I would always play with our action figures and you NEED the heroes to rescue the princesses. DUH Ty. So they are now a set.
I'm going to make these ones today or tomorrow for my uncle who is obsesssssed with starwars. He has a WHOLE room dedicated to Star Wars/Star Trek. RIDICULOUS. He has glass cabinets he keeps his TOYS and 'real' light sabers. hahahaha good thing I like him, otherwise I would not make these. I've never been a big fan and have a hard time staying awake during these movies.
And here's a really bad pic of one of the blankets I'm working on. It's almost done just maybe four more rows and edging. 


______________________________________________

For those interested in doing the craft night I think we decided to do it Friday, Dec 23rd. Hopefully this will work for you, let me know if it does/doesn't. I know it's pushing it pretty close to Christmas and people have lots going on. Would 6:30 work for everyone? Also I need to think of one craft we can all make together, I was thinking this might be fun:

It would be pretty cheap and we could make a lot with the ingredients. It would be a fun small last minute gift option. Or if you have any other ideas, let me know, I'm WIDE open for suggestions. I'm having a hard time coming up with ideas. 

The rest of the night can be spent working on your own crafts/gifts/wrapping gifts etc...location TBD.





(PS Michelle, I KNOW you'll be home by the 23rd so looks like you'll have to participate in our CRAFT night!! :D)

Friday, December 2, 2011

Get Your Craft On

YAY! It seems like there are several people who would like to do a craft day!! (and Doneva, you are NEVER too old to craft!!) So now that I think we have enough people I think what we'll do is pick one craft to all do together, I'll gather the items together. Then The rest of the time can be spent crafting on whatever you'd like to craft. Sound good? That would be way easier for me.

I'll find a few ideas for you to vote on which one you'd like to make as a group. Soon.

It's not too late either to sign up to come or bring a friend, obviously since nothing is even really planned.

We also need to figure out a date...that might be difficult. I'm not able Monday-Wednesday nights and there's already lots planned for the other nights. Here are three dates I've found that could work in the evening -- (too bad it's the 3rd tomorrow, that would be the perfect date!!)
Saturday 17th --anytime works
Thursday 22nd--anytime but I have to be done by 8:45pm to get to work
Friday 23rd--anytime.

I realize those last two dates might be pushing it close to Christmas...yikes. Maybe this isn't such a good idea, we could do it another month too if needed.

Hmmm just let me know. I'll also have to figure out a place to hold this shindig. I know the Lynden Library has a free community room any other ideas?



Anywhoooo here are a few crafts I'm working on currently:


snowflakes out of old book pages for our ward Christmas party. They might end up being just swirly's instead of snowflakes though, we'll see.

And my Princess in a Box project. Obviously they are not all done, cinderella is rather nakey right now and she along with mulan (and not pictured Tiana) need their bun's glued on. Several others need their jewels glued on to fancy them up a bit. I want to make several more sets for Christmas gifts but we'll see if that happens. I also have guy figures to make some superheroes and whathaveyou.

This set might go to someone who is partially blind because my painting skillllz aren't quite up to par. Yikes.

Well, let me know what dates work, if you have friends interested, and if you have any craft ideas we could make as a group!!

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