Neighborhood gift idea

I was going through my pictures ... (you know ... end of the year, trying to clean up everything) and archive my pictures and I ran into this idea that I wanted to share with you. This is what I did last year for my neighborhood gift. Of course it was easy to do since AC did all the work for me with their AWESOME gift wrap ... but I thought the tag turned out pretty cute too! Hope you like the idea and it will inspire you for next year!


OH and hope you all have a GREAT new years eve!

Happy Holidays!

What a wonderful holiday break we have had.

We drove to Orem, Utah to my families house on Christmas Eve. Right as we arrived, we unloaded as fast as we could so we could head to my sister's house to go sledding! We only went down the hill a few times, and then figured it was a little cold for Bryson.
Following sledding we had soup and scones, destroyed our annual pinata, and decorated sugar cookies. It was a wonderful evening. (We took some awesome picts and I can't wait to scrapbook a few of them!)


We drove back to my parents house, put Bryson down, and then prepared for Christmas morning. Bryson was like any 10 month old and enjoyed playing with all the ribbons off the packages more than his toys.We had a wonderful Christmas breakfast and drove around to some of our siblings homes to see what they received for Christmas and then home to finish our annual family slideshow of pictures we all took through the year. Christmas night we got together once again for a great dinner of Ham and Funeral Potatoes. {I know you are wondering, what are funeral potatoes? Feel free to click on the link to grab a recipe. They are a great tradition in Utah culture!} We also got to watch our slideshow and even a few previous years of our slideshows that we have done in the past. We have been doing this slideshow for almost 20 years in my family.

The holiday season has been wonderful. Adam and I even got to go skiing! (yes, four months pregnant ... I just couldn't go another year without skiing!)

Adam took a day and went snowmobiling with my sister's family, (bouncing on a snowmobile isn't the best thing for your unborn child. We also have spent many evenings going out to dinner, seeing a few movies, relaxing, shopping and enjoying Adam's time off while we can.

We head back to Arizona on Saturday hoping to miss yet another snow storm. As much fun as it is to visit family and be on vacation we are looking forward to getting back to life and starting out the new year with a boom!

Hot Cocoa!

An update of our Christmas festivities is coming, but while you wait, I thought I would give you Adam's Grandma's homemade hot cocoa recipe. It is tradition to always dunk hot toast in Hot Cocoa for breakfast... and it MUST be Grandma Whites!
ENJOY!

1 - 25.6 oz Box Nonfat instant milk rowder
1- 2 llb 7 oz or 39 oz Can of Chocolate Drink mix like Nestles, etc.
1 1/2 cups Cremora
1 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Mix all together well and store in an airtight container. WARNING ... This makes a LOT of hot cocoa!

To make drink:
Add 4 level tablespoons of mix to 1 cup of hot water. We sometimes like to use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup water to make to creamier.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I promised that I would share my Christmas card with all of you, but wanted to make sure everyone in the family got theirs first. I hope you all have a WONDERFUL day!!





That is right! We are pregnant! Even though it was pretty unexpected to have our first two so close together, we are VERY excited and can't wait for June. Here are the facts:

I am due June 11th, but if I have another C-section, then I will have it May 30th.
I am starting to show more by the day.
I find out what I am having on January 19th.
We are excited to have either a boy or a girl. If it is a girl then I will get my wish of having at least one girl, but if it is a boy, then Bryson will have a best buddy!
We don't know what names we like yet, I have my girl's name picked out, but Adam isn't sure he likes it. We are struggling with boy names. Our likes are ones that aren't trendy, but are different ... easy to pronounce and easy to spell. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any suggestions!

Visiting Daddy

About twice a month, Bryson and I take Adam Taco Bell out to his job site. It was a little slower week because of Christmas, so we decided that TODAY was the day! I got this picture while we were out there and just had to share!

MONDAY

I have my weekly routine, but this week it has to be accelerated because we leave to go to my parents house in Orem on Wednesday (Christmas Eve). SO hears to LOADS of laundry and cleaning the bathroom. Good luck on your going out of town preparations too!

FINALLY

Here is the last page of my Album. I bet you are glad to finally have the completed project aren't you. I also have attached a sheet that I printed out for the girls who couldn't make it to do the album each week and needed to catch up at home. Here is page ten:

These pictures are of just a few of my friends that were all married in the Temple to their husbands. In order to be married in the temple, you must live a life of personal worthiness, including not having premarital sex. I am so blessed to have friends who hold the same standards I do. They are such a great example to me and always have been!
Here is the page to print out of all the pages**.

**Please use this idea for future personal and group projects. Please DO NOT use for personal gain or for teaching classes for payment.

Let it Snow!

Living in Page, Arizona, I don't get to see much snow, BUT someone gave me a little mercy this year and sent 4" on Thursday! SWEET HUH! (I know I am nuts, but what is the Christmas season without snow folks!)No joke! All of the schools got canceled too!

So my promise on my previous post was to give you the reasons why I feel like this is the most WONDERFUL time of the year ... and so I will fulfill that promise ...

1. There was snow at my parents house in Orem, snow in Kanab at Adam's parent's house, and finally at our house. OH how I love the snow and can't WAIT to ski in it over the Christmas Break. Did I mention I have a SEVERE passion for snow skiing? Here is a picture of Adam and I two years ago skiing. I didn't get to go last year because of being 8 months pregnant ... but I am bound and determined I am going to make it to Snowbird this year dang it!

2. Christmas Trees- How could you not love christmas trees? My christmas tree is Red and silver with a candy cane feel. Bryson has loved looking at it, but he KNOWS mommy doesn't let him touch it! :)

3. Christmas cards. I have already explained how much I love receiving mail ... How awesome it is to see that little PO BOX FILLED with wonderful envelopes in Red and Green. As for my Christmas cards, here is a sneak peek! I won't be displaying the entire Christmas card for a few more days so the 96 people I sent them out to this year can get the surprise in their mailbox, before reading it on my blog!

4. Christmas Parties. The two parties we got invited to were our Church party and our friend white elephant gift party, which both we had to miss because of driving to Utah. I was so sad, but that didn't stop me from making the darling treats below, even though we couldn't enjoy them.I would like to take full credit for the ideas, but sadly I can't. My sister Tiffany called me and told me that she saw the segment on the Utah Channel Studio 5 and just had to share. So click HERE to watch the whole segment ... believe me, it is worth your time!

5. Did I mention Christmas shopping was another one of those reasons I love Christmas! The window shopping, the hoping you get that perfect gift for someone you love (or in my case trying to find an AR-15 gun for my husband. YEAH nice try! They are no where to be found!). Though finding the perfect gift doesn't always happen, the feeling of all the shoppers, searching and searching is indescribable! I do have to give a little shout out to Nordstrom for their AMAZING decor! It just makes the season that much brighter!

6. Christmas lights. I just got this email from my husband this morning. Can I say props to those awesome people who TRULY know the reason for the season.

7. Family, we will be in Orem at my parents house for 10 days! I miss my family extremely bad so this will be some great bonding time! Here is a picture of last Sunday night ... the boys at mom & dad's table!

8. Gift Giving. I love those gifts that just shock the heck out of the person receiving, and you KNOWING you "did it" this year! For instance, my husband and his siblings all decided we would chip in and get his parents a mattress for Christmas. It was delivered yesterday and they were SO surprised! I was informed that the mattress they had was about 15 years old! They were so grateful. Isn't that what it is all about? I also am SO excited about my parents gift this year, but I will have to wait to tell you what it is until after Christmas Day.

9. Presents. Okay, I must be insane, but I LOVE to wrap presents. I am planning on making my tags this afternoon so I will be sure to post them when I finish! I love to coordinate the wrapping to my tree and who better to make the perfect wrapping than the infamous AC! (Sweet that rhymed!) Click HERE to check out their wrapping goodies!

10. Christmas music. I am one of those people who REFUSE to listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving and turn it off after January 1st, but between those days you better believe I will be listening to it! I grew up listening to "The Carpenters" and to this day still claim it is BY FAR the best Christmas album out there! If you don't have it, buy it!

11. Christmas Piano music. I have been playing the piano since I was 6 years old, but I am no where near a concert pianist. I do have to say, that my favorite time of the year to play is Christmas. My mom has this book of music that we all have looked for and it is no longer in print. While I was in Utah she was kind enough to make all of us girls a copy of that old book for us to enjoy playing during the season. Now we don't have to fight over "who gets it when mom dies". We all now have a copy.

12. FOOD! Don't you just LOVE holiday food? The neighborhood cookies and goodies, to dips and fattening treats galore! UMMMM I just love the season! OH and while we are on food... who ever invented Gingerbread houses should go STRAIGHT to heaven! I made my first one this year! Who knew that a kit could turn into this! (okay it actually looks terrible but I tried! I get an A for effort right?) Next year I am going to go for the making from scratch!

13. Seeing Santa. I always remember Santa being a good experience. Well, it wasn't for me this year. The Santa in Orem at University mall was the WORST Santa I have ever seen. I will give him props for his looks, he did look great, but he had no personality, wouldn't look at the camera, didn't smile, scared Bryson to death, (which is next to impossible), and asked my 10 month old if he wanted a bike! Can you say ... we need a new Santa? WHEW! This was the only picture I liked! Do you think this will stop me from seeing Santa next year? HEAVENS NO! It is part of the fun of the season!

14. Last but not least, the focus of the Savior. Living in a small town has been a struggle for me. I am one of those people who love the hustle and bustle, the traffic, the shopping, but the blessing about not having anywhere to shop, no traffic, and only one restaurant open during the winter season, is you can focus on what matters most, and that is celebrating the Savior's life and recognizing the influence he has had on my life. I hope you all feel the same way!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

It's the MOST wonderful time of the year!

It really is! I love Christmas! But I don't know if I love running around like a chicken with my head cut off!

Adam and I were planning on going to Utah for his work assignment to Salt Lake on Sunday afternoon, but because of a Winter Storm Warning, we ended up leaving Friday on a whim instead. (Which seems to happen more often than I would like, but my husband is one of those fly by the seat of your pants individuals:) I have been able to spend almost 5 wonderful days with my family, but time doesn't permit me to do everything I would like to do, include update my blog! I promise I will be back to give you some great pictures, fun projects, and positive opinions on the holiday season!

As Arnold would say "I'll be back!"

Almost done!

I am almost finished posting the pages of my album. Here is page nine for your enjoyment!

This is a picture of me in the library on Cornell Campus in Ithaca New York on my mission. I am holding one of the few original copies of the Book of Mormon still around. I love the scriptures and I am so grateful for the great joy they bring into my life. Stay tuned next week, for the FINAL page and hopefully a sheet you can print out with all the pages on it!

New office

CK came last week to do a photo shoot of my office for an upcoming issue. I do have to say that I was a little nervous, because my office is not what I would call .... well .... ideal. Here is a picture of what it looked like before they came, and you will just have to wait for the article to see how it turned out. Now you can see how I REALLY work ... most of the time in utter chaos!
Just for a teaser ... It looks COMPLETELY different ... including a new desk! Just wait and see!

Picture Time

My friends asked me to take some photos for their announcement of their new baby and for their Christmas card. I am still really unfamiliar my camera, but thought I would give it a shot. I thought they turned out pretty good. Here are just a few to share!
(PS ... these were taken this week ... I know there is still green grass and it looks warm, but it is actually quite chilly!)

And the Winners are ...

Allison and Krissa Allen! Congratualtions!
Be sure to email me your addresses and we will get these off to you as soon as they are shipping!
skierdouglass@gmail.com
Mandy

Happy Hour with CK

Hi Everyone! Tonight I will be joining the scrapbook threads on creatingkeepsakes.com for Happy Hour. I will be on from 7:30-9:30 pm MST. Come Join in! I would love to share with you my passion for scrapbooking!
Click HERE for the link to the threads!

PS ... I will be back Friday to display who the winners are for the 101 Expert Solutions idea book! Be sure to comment on the GIVEAWAY post by 9:00 am MST on Friday for your chances to win!

Giveaway!!

In honor of my new column I am doing a giveaway today! It is the new book 101 Expert Solutions that will be coming out in the next couple of weeks. This is a book put together from this past year’s SOY, (Elizabeth Karchner) Dream Team, and Hall of Fame winners. Post your comment and I will randomly draw a few winners!

Good luck!
M

ANNOUNCING!

Since August and the big announcement of becoming the 2008 Scrapbooker of the Year for Creating Keepsakes, I have been preparing my new column, traveling to CKC in Seattle, and doing lots of fun projects. The hard part has been that I haven't been able to talk too much about my new column or anything I have been doing for CK ...

UNTIL NOW!

Today I get to announce my new column being printed in the January 2009 Issue of Creating Keepsakes.

My column is Mandy's Challenge and will appear every month!

I provide fun and exciting challenges using the experiences I have had in scrapbooking for twenty years, and hope to inspire some creative projects for you. Each month, I will pose a challenge to a few different scrapbookers and show the results in my column.

In the upcoming new issue for January 2009, you’ll see my first challenge—creating a set of layouts and projects for under $5.

Be sure to check back on Wednesday for a giveaway, and Thursday where I will be the Guest for Happy Hour on the CK thread this Thursday Evening (and how about another give away?) I will give you definite times as I know them!

I am so excited to share my challenges with you, and hope in someway, I can inspire you, as well as the AWESOME scrapbookers that have taken the challenges as well!

Last but not least, Monday (December 8) I will have a new Challenge Group where you can post your results of taking my challenge!

Well, I am off to cleaning my house, putting up Christmas Decorations, and hoping Bryson is still sleeping!