bonne buche – Numéro 1

Thankful for google and a thesaurus today.  (psst… My bro Adam – did I get “number 1” right in French?  Or is that all sorts of wrong?)  Looking for a better way to say “tidbit” I happened upon bonne buche, which is French for “delicious mouthful” or “good bite”.  Perfect for these little posts that just tell a little bit.  Random, life-filled little love notes and observations.

I am a girl that likes to know her options before making a decision.  This is manifest one way by my listening of the radio.  When I first start to listen I like to know all the songs on at the moment before I decide on a station to listen to.  After I’ve selected one I’ll continue to listen until a song (or commercial) comes on that I don’t care for and then the process begins again.  It’s a blessing I live in a small town where there is not a station at every bump of the dial.  If it is evening time I usually end up at 88.3 when jazz is playing – my favorite!

There is one exception though.  Whenever Jim Bob is on the air (weekday afternoons and some Saturdays) I tune in to him.  I know from the get-go there will be nothing better on.

Have you played Apples to Apples?  Our little ones are just getting to the age where it is hilariously funny.  They get the hidden meanings (on some) and can play forever if we let them.  One player pulls out a green card (an adjective) and everyone else picks a red card from their hand (nouns – seven of them in a hand) that they feel best fits that green card adjective. The “judge”- player that pulled the green card – picks their favorite and then the winner gets to keep the green card.  Everyone draws a red card until they have 7 again and play another round.  The first player with a pre-determined amount of green cards wins.  Confused?  The rules are explained much better on Wikipedia and there is even a video tutorial on how to play at Amazon.

For the veterans of the game – have you seen all the variations on Wikipedia?  Here are a few favs I want to try out:

Apple Potpourri: Each player selects a red apple card from his or her hand before the judge turns over the green apple card. After the red apple cards are played, the judge turns over a green apple card. The judge selects the winning red card as usual.

Apple Turnovers: The roles of red and green cards are reversed, with players using adjectives to describe the given noun. This can be stymied by the relatively low number of green cards in the box (a third as many as reds).

2 for 1 Apples: The judge turns over two green apple cards to start the round. Each player selects the red apple card from his or her hand that is best described by both green apple cards. After the judge selects a red apple card, both of the green apple cards are awarded to the winner.

Apples Eye View: The Judge must pick a red apple card based upon the point of view of somebody, or something else (a house cat, Rush Limbaugh, Bill Clinton, a speck of dust, etc). The player to the left of the Judge determines which point of view the Judge must use for that round.

The photo of the cards above are from my favorite win so far.  🙂  And now we are back to talking about our favorite DJ – how we love to listen to him!  You can too, if you have a hankering.  He’s on live here in the afternoons.  Streamed over the internet for wherever you live.  Or you can turn on your radio, 95.1 FM, if you’re blessed enough to live in the area.  🙂

And here are a few crafty items on the topic.  The first is a layout from back when Jim Bob started “his hobby he gets paid for” (as he likes to call it).

And this calendar is from last year – made with photos about a year before that.  The whole family loved the tour of the radio station.  Just looking at these photos… how our littles have grown.

And this has now turned into quite the mouthful.  Bonne buche for sure.  😉

More eats…

To help with filling my specials board in a timely manner I present pretty-fluffy-girly menu planner:

I adore the hot air balloon graphic by Crystal.  Just in case I want to switch it up I have made a banner/pinwheel version as well:

It just screams summertime to me – evenings full of fruit salads, breadsticks and fresh lemonade.

{Credits:  all products by Creativity by Crystal:  Printable Daily Schedule & Meal Planner{Sweet Summertime} Elements{The Room Collection} Element Pack}

Special! {It’s what’s for dinner}

Introducing my retro diner specials board:

It has a permanent place on our piano in an easy-to-read spot.  Too often I am asked what is for dinner and I answer with “hmm, good question”.  This is to help me along and honestly, who would not want to eat the special of the day every single day.  😉 (I can hope, right?)

The specials board is made with a document frame – the glass is so easy to write on with a dry erase marker, erase and do it all over again. Kinda like meals and dishes, but more fun.  Someday I might even turn the responsibility of writing the menu over to one of the children.

This board would also work lovely as a spontaneous menu for a frolic-y picnic in the backyard.

{Credits:  Half Way Cafe Elements by Cosmo Cricket, pancakes and salad by me.  ;)}

Peek-a-boo Parcel

I posted a fun tutorial over on the Mouse, Paper, Lovely blog last month.  A whole post on how to use clear packaging to show off fun, simple gifts.

Here’s a peek at the unwrapping:

and the first project inside:

For the rest, you’ll have to flit and fly on over.  There is always so much inspiration to be found there.  I love the magnetic bookmarks featured earlier this week.  Just love.

Here’s a little behind-the-scenes on the photoshoot for the above parcel.

A big ol’ pot and a fun-lovin’, colorful Usborne book:  Drawing, Doodling and Coloring held up the package.  The pink polka-dot material and green shag come from my grandma’s house.  She cleared out boxes of yummy material and sent them to my sister’s place.  One family reunion we got to pick out our favorites.  I love my cardboard box of moose-printed, white puffy heart, bright colored fabric.  I have some big plans for that material.  In the meantime it makes a fabulous back drop for my photos.  🙂

The pink polka-dot fabric is actually a dress:

And the tag reads size 11.

What?  They certainly do not make them like they used to.  😉

{Credits: Crystal’s Artisan Label Templates No. 3 and Sweet Summertime Papers HERE, HERE, and HERE, and a little glitter for the butterfly bodies. Also used Crystal’s 5×7 Template Set #2 and Set #1 for the layouts above and Earth Love recycling sticker by Cosmo Cricket .}

Saddle up

Last week was Spring Break.  Can you guess what we learned about?

Text on poster:    Wanted – Young’uns hankering to learn about “one of the most stirring chapters in the making of America”.  Anyone willing to saddle up, belt out songs about the wild frontier, create dapper doo-hickies, gobble up grub and stuff your brain with lore about a great race against time please sign up below:

peeling…

Flashcards made with Nisa’s Feelings Signs Album. Her album is pure genius, I tell you. I love all the words and sign descriptions ready to use and so much that can be customized too.  It makes a sweet book, but I went with a variation.  One side of the flashcards shows the sign and the other side is multiple photos of our children hamming it up.

Above are four of the eight signs included in the album pack.  I glued the sides of the prints together, punched holes and tied ribbons and buttons on.  I think Caleb was equally intrigued by the photos and the buttons.

He even dressed up in his nice tux jammies for the photoshoot.  Caleb tried to figure out what those cards were all about:

Then finally sat back and enjoyed:

Then just that fast…

Autumn also enjoyed the flashcards… and being silly.

{Title of this post comes from one of our family’s favorite books, How Are You Peeling?.  It shows real veggies and fruits in various states of emotion.  Adorable.}

Happy Day!!!

This President’s Day was extra special!  Preparation began over a year ago at Stake Conference. We were told of the wonderful opportunity for our stake to worship in the temple for President’s Day 2011.  Temples are usually closed on Mondays, but this year it was open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m..  All the temple ordinance workers were from our stake and everyone that worshipped in the temple was also from our stake.  I thoroughly loved being surrounded by people I know and love.

Photo taken on February 21, 2011:  President’s Day.  This is the view from our front yard, specifically by our tire swing.  We are so blessed.

3695 ordinances were performed in one day.  How wondrous to be a part of this redeeming work! All temple cards were also provided by the members of our stake.  We were encouraged to search out relatives that still needed temple blessings.  Those that found success were able to share with those not able to find the names or the time.  There were plenty of cards available.  I was able to perform the temple blessings for my father’s father’s sister.  I know that would make her my great-aunt, but the first way gives the exact relation.  🙂  It was wonderful to be able to do all the ordinances over a long weekend.  Jim Bob and I went the Friday before to perform baptisms, confirmations and initiatory and then went Monday for endowments and sealings.  I am glad we followed that suggestion.  It was so peaceful and quiet on Friday and so bustling and joyful on Monday.  Both were wonderful and I’m glad we got to experience both.

One of my sweet friends in town, Nora Gabriel, wrote this poem about the day.

{When I asked Nora if I could share her poem she said that she wrote it to be shared.  When I tried to explain a blog to her she did not quite understand, but she said that I could make photocopies to give to anyone that wanted one.  Consider this your Xerox.  🙂 }

Tending Wildflowers

A set of cards about growing wildflowers… and love. Each has a homemade paper–wildflower seed infused piece that can be planted.

{Tutorial for homemade paper here at Family Fun’s website.  Instead of drying it as a sheet I put the pulp into cookie cutters and then popped out and dried that way. A little messy and a lot of fun!}

Quotes:
Left card–
“A single wildflower,
Given with love
Is better than
A dozen perfect roses
Given with indifference.”
– Anonymous

Right: “Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow.” – Frances Hodgson Burnett

This is one of my favorite quotes of all time, from “The Secret Garden”. I first came across it, over a decade ago, in Seminary.  Each morning we wrote in a notebook.  There was always a quote or scripture on the board and we would write our thoughts about it first thing while everyone was gathering.  The Secret Garden quote is one that stuck with me.  It doesn’t hurt that it was easy to memorize.  🙂  This inspirational quote is true in all aspects of my live.  If I can learn to tend a rose – in my thoughts, actions and words, then a thistle cannot grow in the same place.  Love that principle.  The constant tending is where I need to focus.  A drowning every week or month doesn’t work the same as constant watering and love.  And those little weeds?  So much easier to get rid of than after they have had time to take root.

Jim Bob and I put the quote on our wedding invitation (hidden behind the main photo as a bonus. 😉 ) to remind us that a marriage is worth tending:

The wildflower cards above are wonderful as anniversary or everyday giving.  I’m thankful for the reminder to refocus, recommit, and continue on in love.

{Credits:  All by Cosmo Cricket:  Earth love paperselements and candy candyEarly Bird paper packMr. Campy paper pack}

peeksy…

I have so, so, so many posts sitting in draft mode.  Some waiting on photos, some waiting on words.  There’s a sleep update and a President’s Day to never forget among others.

Here’s a peek into part of our Valentine’s Day:

Joshua had big plans for his valentine box – a science experiment. His dad helped him build a pump-inspired “experiment” with two colors of liquid passing through a tube. Very exciting – and it made it through an afternoon of lots of little hands – impressive! 🙂 It was loved by all. Especially Joshua, and that was the point. 🙂

p.s.  Although the whole area around Joshua’s mouth is the same color of the liquid, it is in fact Fun-Dip residue and not unsugared Kool-Aid (that is what is in the containers). You know – for future reference.  For posterity wanting to make the same impressiveness.  (And psst… the containers are a Tupperware salt shaker with the shaker part cut out and a Kool-Aid Burst bottle that’s been throughly emptied.  I have no worries about Tupperware being around generations from now.  Kool-Aid Bursts? – we’ll have to see 🙂 , Squeeze-It’s are gone after all.  🙁 )

The day in photos is soon to follow… but I couldn’t wait any longer to share.  🙂

{Credits:
Template by Mandi Miles, available on her blog. Love!  Love her template AND her!  🙂
Daisy Jane paper, v.3, Little Uniform Affectionate word art by Carina Gardner,
Love: Me paper pack and accent pack by The Queen of Quirk
Love Yoo frame by Splendid Fiins
paint from Digital Distressing kit by Nancie Rowe Janitz, included in the Brush*abilities class by Jessica Sprague.}

Of Cookies and Family History… Happy Birthday Week Dad!

Happy Birthday to my dad!  This is his present this year – He gets to redeem it in a few short weeks.  🙂

Homemade bread, pancakes, chili and oatmeal raisin cookies were all recipes I mastered at a young age.  The cookies were for the benefit of my dad. Of course he shared, but those are his very favorite.  They are the kind I remember most in the cookie jar growing up.  I also remember whenever there was a darker batch he didn’t complain.  They tasted quite good crunched up on top of a bowl of oatmeal.  “Even the queen of France doesn’t eat oatmeal cookies for breakfast!” he would say after eating a bite.  Whenever he visited me at college I made a huge batch of oatmeal raisin cookies – partly to make sure there would be enough for the road.  It made the parting easier to send a little of my love with him.

When he and my mom were in the MTC, there was no question what I should send in a care package (that and Jr. Mint brownies for my momma).  They even had enough for their long road trip to serve their first mission in Chicago.  🙂  Now they are serving in Salt Lake City at the Family History Library:

Photo and following quote taken from Church News on the 25th Anniversary of the Family History Library:

“When the Family History Library in Salt Lake City was dedicated in 1985, President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) said the structure—then called the Genealogical Library—was a “companion structure to the temples of the Lord.” President Hinckley, then serving as Second Counselor in the First Presidency, petitioned in the dedicatory prayer that the library “may be used by multitudes to search out their kindred dead that the necessary ordinance work may be carried forward in thy holy houses, with both genealogist and temple worker cooperating to the accomplishment of one glorious end.”

{A virtual tour is available.  In person is even better.  :)}

I must admit I am happy I get to hand deliver the cookies this birthday.  A few weeks late, but it will do.

Speaking of their mission, I loved my dad’s email this last Sunday (February 20th).  He sends one every week with a wonderful highlight from his service that week.  I love all of them.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Saturday we were working on the International floor.  I had been helping patrons with Norway, Sweden, and NewFamilySearch, and Sister Gedeborg came up all excited and said she had to show me something.  She went to Ancestry.com and clicked on a new section they have on International.  I had only used them for United States and Canada before.  In there, she took me to Europe, then to Sweden.  They had the Swedish Parish Records images there in Ancestry!!  I looked up some I am familiar with, and it was pretty exciting.  Just then I was asked to help a young couple from France.  He is on business in Laramie Wyoming for a year, and had come to see Temple Square.  They just had some names, with no dates, as they hadn’t planned on doing family history.  We tried the pilot site (now the www.familysearch.org homepage) but found nothing except some Italian immigrants to the US with that name.  We went to the Wiki, which was good, but no solid leads.  Then I remembered the new info in Ancestry.com.  We went to Europe, then France, he typed in his information, and up came his great-grandfather and his family.  I was so amazed.  Sister Gedeborg had only showed this to me ten minutes earlier!  I could hardly wait to tell her.  This proved to me once again that although we must prepare ourselves so we can recognize what the Lord is talking about when he inspires us; in the end, it is his work – and we are just tools in his hands (sometimes sharper than at other times).  The Lord obviously knew the French couple was coming, and prepared us quickly to be ready.  We appreciate so much all your prayers for us.  They are being answered.

We hope you have a wonderful week.  I know we will.  You are always in our hearts and prayers.”

I love how much he loves his mission.  I love that he and mom are working hand in hand.  Or computer by computer.  Love how they complement each other and are excited in their discoveries.  Love my dad’s sense of humor.  Love how he knows his week will be wonderful.  Then again, how could he not?  It is his birthday week after all!

Happy Birthday Dad!

{retro coupon from Martha.  Cut apart and revised.  Altered with love.  ;)}

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