Homemade Decor

I have had a little vision for these plain silver buckets that I got at a Garage Sale last summer for a dollar. Today, I just decided to bring them to life with creativity! Plus, anything with Burlap and fabric is cute right? I am loving using my sewing machine more lately. I made Jayna curtains for her room and they turned out so lovely, and I was proud of myself because I had never sewn anything bigger than hair bows since like grade 11! I was also stoked because I got to use my Silhouette Cameo cutting machine to cut out the layered flowers. I have been wanting to try that, and now I have! Btw, the Silhouette Cameo is so amazing, and I love it so much! I bought it with some of the money I made in my latest Craft Fair, which seemed very fitting to me! Today, I had a little helper. Jayna likes pins for some weird reason. Side story: When she was about 13 months old, she snuck into our room where I had a cowl I had knitted on the floor. I was "blocking" it and had pinned it to a towel to let it dry. We had some friends over and after a minute or two we were like " Where is Jayna?" Andrew opened our bedroom door to find her by the cowl with pins hanging out her mouth and holding some in her hands. His intense side came out full force, and I didn't hear the end of that for weeks! "How could you leave PINS on the floor!?" He swore that Jayna had swallowed one of them and it was lodged somewhere in her tiny body about to cause some major problem that we couldn't see from the outside. Personally, I knew she didn't swallow any, she just was curious to what they felt like. But needless to say, that was the last time I blocked a cowl with pins in it on the floor. (Blocking a knitted piece is when you soak it in this special liquid with water and then pin it to a towel in the way you want it to be, so it stretches it a bit and lets it dry into the shape you want.) Anyways, she still likes pins, and if she can get her hands on one from my etsy table she will. But today, she was my little helper! I got her to hand me the pins so I could stitch materials into place....

Then she took each pin out for me as I sewed along and put them to the side of the sewing machine...

She also helped me with the laundry today and putting the soap in the dish washer. I love including her, and I know she loves it too. Here are the finished products:

I had fun, and now I have crafty little bucket to store some of my etsy stuff. I actually like the simple one in the middle the best, but the others are fun too.

My Winter Beauty

I wanted to post some photos I took of Jayna the other day before we went out. I thought she looked so cute in her new toque, scarf, and mittens. I am really loving this age, 2 years. She does have those occasional "terrible Two" moments, but for the most part she is just so darn cute! She is picking up on so much, and saying lots of new words lately. Right after I took these pictures, we were walking out to the car and she says " mommy, MOON!" and looks up at the sky pointing. That was her first time saying Moon. I am always so proud and happy when she does something new, it is so facsinating to watch your child literally grow up before your eyes! There is nothing on this earth like those beautiful moments. I love them so much. When we were in the car, she pointed to the roof and said " Moon, Sky!" Another new word! Yay! I thought it was pretty cool. We went to my Mom's house, my Auntie Nee Nee, my favorite Auntie is visiting for 2 weeks. She is just sooo fun, and Jayna calls her " Mee Mee" haha. Later that night Jayna learned "Ding Dong" and points to her nose, Auntie taught her that one. haha. Some of my favorite things that Jayna does that I always want to remember at this age: 1) A lot of times after her bath she will go into my bed and pull the covers over her and just giggle. I will always join her and we just giggle and cuddle together and get all cozy. It is sooo cute, I love it. 2) We have started the habit over the last month in the morning, Jayna calls out for me or Daddy when she wakes up, and usually Andrew goes and gets her from her crib and brings her into our bed. She always comes to me and cuddles up and says " Hi Mom" in the sweetest voice with a smile on her face. I just tear up thinking about her sweet voice and face. What a precious daughter I have. 3) I have a beauty mark on my tummy and Jayna noticed it, and goes "Oh Mama," and points to my beauty mark. I showed her that she has one on her bum cheek. So she points to it, and says : "Oh mama, e la da!" ( E La Da ) means look at this, what is this, where is that. Her version of asking those questions. lol 4) She loves brocoli, and eats the tops off and leaves the stems. 5) She calls everyone "Alma"! The only people she says by name is : Mama, Dadda, Nana, and now Mee Mee. When we went to Toronto back in September and stayed with Anna and Carl, she started calling Anna " Alma". It was really funny, especially because she could say Anna. Once we got home, she called my Dad Alma, and everyone else. Even strangers if she wants to get their attention she calls " Alma " and they obviously don't know she is talking to them! haha. 6) When she plays on the phone she always calls Anna. "Hi Anna. " Then she talks and says " Bye Anna."

She loves her rain boots.

So many feelings and emotions in just one day...

Is it that I am a woman...a Mother...or the fact that I am pregnant that some days are just a roller coaster of emotions that I can literally be in tears one moment feeling so frustrated and then feeling so blessed and happy? Well, it's probably the combination of all three! Wow, being a woman can be exhausting sometimes! ha. I recently read a post from a lady named Glennon, her blog is called Momastery. The part that I love is this: "How was my day? Today has been a lifetime. It was the best of times and the worst of times. There were moments when my heart was so full I thought I might explode, and there were other moments when my senses were under such intense assault that I was CERTAIN I’d explode. I was both lonely and absolutely desperate to be alone. I was saturated- just BOMBARDED with touch and then the second I put down this baby I yearned to smell her sweet skin again. I was simultaneously bored out of my skull and completely overwhelmed with so much to do. Today was too much and not enough. It was loud and silent. It was brutal and beautiful. I was at my very best today and then, just a moment later, at my very worst. At 3:30 today I decided that we should adopt four more children, and then at 3:35 I decided that we should give up the kids we already have for adoption. Husband – when your day is completely and totally dependent upon the moods and needs and schedules of tiny, messy, beautiful rug rats your day is ALL OF THE THINGS and NONE OF THE THINGS, sometimes within the same three minute period. But I’m not complaining. This is not a complaint, so don’t try to FIX IT. I wouldn’t have my day Any.Other.Way. I’m just saying- it’s a hell of a hard thing to explain- an entire day with lots of babies." - See more at: http://momastery.com/blog/2014/01/16/save-relationships-ask-right-questions/#sthash.EiumUUXJ.dpuf She worded it so well, and I read it to Andrew last night because I feel, like her, sometimes I have a hard time answering the question "How was your day?" in a way that I feel really portrays it. Although I tend to tell Andrew all about my day when he asks and he probably tunes out after the first sentence, lol. I wanted him to hear it because lately he has asked, "how can you be mad one minute and then just fine the next?" haha. Well, I wish that men could be inside a woman's body, especially when they are pregnant. I have definatley been more emotional lately and I even feel out of wack. Ahhh those wonderful hormones! They really do a number on us sometimes, don't they? Yesterday was one of those days with lots of emotions. I had to run some errands with Jayna, and in Michael's she ran away from me and I couldn't find her for a few minutes, I actually started to panic a bit because usually I can find in within a few seconds. A lady that works there was on her headset almost calling lockdown for the store, she was really concerned. I found her and she had ran across the store playing with a ball, go figure, and flashes me a huge smile when I find her, " HI MAMA!". I think I will have to have her wear her bear backpack that has a leash on it when this baby comes so that I can actually go out in public with two kids! Then she was having a melt down at checkout and we had to wait for like 5 minutes because they needed to check that something I thought was on sale, really was....I was pretty flustered once we finally left the store and annoyed at Jayna for misbehaving and I felt kind of mad. But I quickly gathered myself together. I had to still go to a few more places but I just showed her lots of love and she was good. Getting mad at them doesn't do any good, I have come to learn that. She fell asleep in the car and I put her down in her crib when we got home, and looked at her all peaceful, and my love for this precious little girl filled my heart to the fullest. There is a lot more that happened yesterday to test my emotions and control, but I just wanted to write about this small example real quick. Life is such an adventure, and it's so amazing. The happy days and good days with my little girl far out weight the not so good moments. But it is in those not so good moments that I learn a lot. Of what to do, and what not to do. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the gift of being a Mom, especially to my Jayna Joy. January 25th, 2014 Age 2 (and almost 1 month)

It's been a while...

Wow, I haven't posted anything since July 2012, and it's now January 2014!! My life just got so busy and other interests took priority over blogging. But I have to say, looking back through my posts, I am really sad I stopped! Eventhough mostly only myself, family, and a few friends read my blog to begin with, it was for me, for my family, and a nice journal photobook. My friend Alex is the one who got me into blogging in the first place, and I love how diligent she is about it. She prints out her books, and it's something really special she has now. I love looking back at all the pictures I posted of Jayna and what I had to say about her. I do keep a personal journal on ldsjournal.com. I have one I sometimes write in as well at home. I used to be a very great journal writer, I have many filled journals that start at age 8. I have a book I write in about Jayna that I started before she was born, but I find the entries are further and further apart even though I think about it often, it's hard to get around to writting in it! I had a pregnancy journal with Jayna, and now I have one for my baby that I've been diligent in writing in every week. So....even though my blog has been neglected, my life is still recorded else where, but definately not as much as I would like. There are so many things I wish I wrote about that I know I will forget! I've really gotten into my etsy shop littlejoycreations.etsy.com and that has kept me so busy with my free time, and then there is my photography and new editing software I bought this summer, along with my new camera, singing, knitting, crafting, being a mother to a toddler, and moving every 8 months to somewhere else in Canada, and just everyday life and all that comes with that. I made a decision to not keep up with blogging, because it does take time. TIME! What to do with our time? I find I don't have enough time to do all the things that I want, and now being 30 weeks pregnant, I know my time will be even less to do all the things that I want! I feel like it will be really hard for me. Like right now, it's 9:22 pm, and Jayna is sleeping, Andrew is 3 hours away with his Vivint crew on a selling trip, so I have the place to myself and free time to do whatever the heck I want. But I know, in a few months, add another tiny human being to this scenario, and time... free time is more a thing of the past. However, I feel in my heart I will embrace it, and dive in with both feet to being a Mother to two children. Life is interesting indeed. It demands selflessness. Otherwise, you are just constantly frustrated, because you can't do it all... I cannot forsee what life will be like in a few months, if it will be like I think it will. I have a few worries, but when I sit back and think about the big picture I know what is most important, so the hobbies I love so much may have to wait until I have more...time.

Flashback to 1984

My Mom has 4 sisters, and is close to 3 of them. My Mom and her three close sisters had girls (boys too) and all of them dressed those girls in beautiful dresses with matching hair bows and the works. When I look back at pictures, my cousins and I looked so well kept and cute most of the time. I think that is where I get it from with Jayna. I like girly things...I guess you could say I'm a girlie girl. Although, I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty and I was a tom boy in a lot of ways when I was younger. None the less, I love dressing Jayna up in dresses and headbands! When I was pregnant, my Mom found a box of clothes she had kept all these years. She passed down to me some of the dresses that I wore 20 + years ago. My, how styles have changed! haha. But the dresses were still cute! My Mom really wanted to get pictures of Jayna in this particular dress that I wore...here are some pictures of baby J. My Mom was in her glory, having flashbacks to 1984! haha

Love sweet girl!

4 Generations...

My Grandma is Genevieve Prete (Butler was her maiden name) She is turning 86 years old August 23rd 2012. My sweet Grandma has vascular dementia. She lives in a Care home in Cardston. My Grandma is one of the most loved woman in my life. She is so special to me. Growing up she was so fun, and I loved spending time with her. My Grandma always looked beautiful. She always had her hair and makeup done, wore a nice dress or outfit and had matching jewellery. She loved jewellery and had a huge selection! (back in the day she wore a nice curly brown wig lol)She was a great cook and baker, and made the BEST pies! Coconut cream pie was her speciality! Sooo dang good! My Grandma kept amazing journals along with pictures and I remember several occasions looking at her journals with her while she read them to me. My Grandma was very talented at the piano, she would play by ear and was so good! I still can hear the songs she would play in my mind. When she would occasionally hit a wrong key, she would say, "Oh shoot." haha. My Grandma had a beautiful singing voice as well, and would sing with me when I was a little girl. My Grandma was very affectionate, always giving hugs and kisses. She often wore an apron. She hates cats! Like seriously, gets sooo freaked out, it's actually kind of funny to witness. She had her first 5 children in 5 years...then another 4. I remember she wore red and pink lipstick, and blue eyeshadow often. She always had long beautiful well kept nails, and super soft silky hands, which I loved to hold. My Grandma loved to laugh and smile. She is so kind and loving to all. My Grandma would often send me a Birthday card and always write a sweet note to me. This was special, since her and my Grandpa have 36 Grandchildren! My Grandma had a really strong testimony of our Savior and His Gospel. I remember her sharing it with me on several occasions and always being a good example to me. She was able to serve 2 missions with my Grandpa, one to Africa and one to Arizona. The Grandma I knew as a little girl, and up to before my Mission in 2005 is very different to the Grandma I know now. It makes me cry thinking about it. When I go to see her, she no longer knows my name, but I can see in her eyes she knows I'm family. She still gives me a kiss and a hug, but she can't have conversations with me anymore, read me her journals, play piano and sing, or bake any pies. She lives in a small room, and sleeps on a single bed. My Aunt Alanna lives in Cardston and takes care of Grandma, visiting her almost every day and bringing her out of the Care Home. It makes me really sad to see her so different. It is a terrible disease that has taken over her brain. But I can keep the memories, and I know that one day when I see her in Heaven, she will be how she used to be. I love my Grandma sooo much, and I'm so grateful that I always expressed my love for her growing up and for the special relationship that we shared. In the recent years, we have sat down at the piano together, but this time I'm the one playing the hymns, and we sing together. Interesting that she still can carry a tune and will sing along with her to whatever song you are singing! I have many precious moments with my Grandma, and I will love her forever. This month, I got to go down to Cardston with my Mom and Aunt Jeanine. We were able to get a 4 Generations picture which was really important to my Mom and I!

I have never seen my Grandma so expressive and happy in the last 5 years until I saw her with Jayna! She really loves babies, and seems to come alive when she's with them. It was really cool to see. She was talking to Jayna in small sentences and totally attentive to her. I will never forget it.

Love you forever, my sweet Grandma Prete!

Girls Night, family style

This post is mostly for my Mom (Nana). On Sunday night, July 8th, we had an all girls sleep over with my two neices Emma and Arianna! They got to spend the night with us since we were going back to Calgary the next morning and could drop them off! This was monumental since they had never been allowed to do this before, and we were beyond excited! First thing we did when their parents drove away was scream and jump up and down in a circle! haha. (I don't ever think I will grow up)Then we wanted to take advantage of the warm weather, so we went for a walk to the park ouu ahhh, very exciting I know, but it's Carstairs. It was kind of crazy with the mosquitoes actually, and we ran screaming through the grass to get to the park, since they are the worst there! I took a bunch of pictures for my Mom, because she is an avid scrapbooker and I know she would want to scrapbook her first sleepover with her grand daughters! My Mom and Auntie can be a lot of fun, and they were just like little school girls themselves! Walking to the park, look at the excitement in their eyes!

First stop...teeter totter. Arianna was about to fall off!

So Nana and Auntie decided to help the girls out!

My Auntie's idea to try and look like animals in a cage, lol

Meanwhile, Anna is loving taking care of Jayna, she is such a good babysitter that girl!

Slide time!

The Queen's of the Castle...

After the park, we headed downstairs because it was still soo hot! Auntie was bringing down a mattress for the girls to sleep on and got the bright idea to slide down the stairs on it! Oh my gosh, this is why I love her, she is so fun! My Auntie is in her 60's and actually has osteoporosis really bad! She has broken her wrist twice and has screws etc in it, and her ankle once and has metals plates and screws in it! However, she still takes risks and lets nothing stop her from being her crazy free spirited self! We all had a few go's at it, some good wholesome fun!

Cousins!

Then we had ice cream and the girls played with Jayna. She loved to touch Arianna's face, well actually pinch her face. Jayna has a super strong grip and little nails that are sharp no matter what and she puts those together to equal pain for whoever she gets her little fingers ahold of! In this case it was Arianna's face. Good thing she's so darn cute, you forgive easily that way, lol.

Or if you're really lucky she'll get your hair!

My Mom was leaning over Jayna and her glasses fell on her face! We were all laughing so hard, kind of one of those times you had to be there! Jayna didn't know what the heck was on her face and she couldn't really see through them either, she kept trying to touch them with her fingers and would miss! Finally, she got them off. I won't do that again, cause I don't want to damage her sensitive eyes if that's possible, but it was a good laugh.

It really was a fun girls night, and I sure love my family!