Advent Calendar

You know, I am TERRIBLE at remembering birthdays. For a Papercrafts issue last year I submitted this cute advent calendar, but it didn't get accepted. I usually am not terribly disappointed when my things don't get accepted, but I wonder, NOW what I am I going to do with this? It has not been the case with this little submittal!

Here is how to make one for all you "Birthday forgetters" out there:
Get a cheap $.99 photo brag book at walmart.
Print out 2" x 2" pictures of each person in your family. (I did both my family and Adam's family)
Decorate the top part with their pictures and place a calendar ... one that doesn't expire from year to year ... on the bottom portion of the book. I just made my own in Illustrator. (feel free to email me if you want a PDF of them!) skierdouglass@gmail.com!
I happened to use the DARLING calendar rub-ons, and embellishments from American Crafts to decorate it.

I will tell you one thing, I have surely enjoyed using it this past year. I still forget birthdays on occasion, but it sure has helped me out! Hopefully it will be a great project to help you out too!

Recipe Exchange

Here is the lo-down:

Recipe Regatta - Mandy's house - AKA: SERIOUS MEXICAN FIESTA!

Each month women from my community get together and meet at someone's home. Eight people bring a recipe prepared and the ingredients to pass along. The rest of us enjoy gathering new ideas for family dinners and get away from the daily groove for an hour. It turned out great ... Here were a few of the recipes that changed my life:

Chicken Enchilada Casserole - Jessica Banks
(The picture didn't do is justice ... this was AWESOME!)

2 cups cooked chicken diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can milk (use soup can to measure)
1 cup of favorite chunky salsa
10-12 flour tortillas
grated cheese (cheddar or cheddar jack combo

Spray 13" x 9" casserole dish with Pam. Cut up tortillas into fairly small pieces. Arrange half in bottom of casserole dish. Combine chicken, soup, milk, & salsa. Pour half of mixture over first layer of cut up tortillas. Generously sprinkel with grated cheese. Repeat layers. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with lettuce & tomatoes if desired.

Oatmeal (I could have eaten the entire dish myself) cake! - Niesha Johnson

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 c. Quick Oats
1 cube butter

Pour boiling water over the oats and add butter. Let stand until melted.

Add:
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp soda
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch salt
Mix and pur into ungreased 13" x 9" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes

Topping:
6 TBSP melted butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
Mix and heat until sugar is dissolved:

Add:
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup coconut
1 tsp vanilla
Spread on hot cake. Put in oven under broiler until coconut is browned. "WATCH!"

CHA Showdown!

What a crazy, but marvelous couple of days!

On Sunday I woke up at 4:15 am and caught a flight out of Page to Phoenix and then on to LAX. From there, I traveled to the CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) convention!

It was a fun couple of days meeting new friends, catching up with old friends, and seeing all of the hottest and greatest new products for this season in the crafting and scrapbooking industry.

I have been going to shows now since 2004, and have traveled with 3 different companies. One as a buyer, one as a manufacturer, and now as press. Each has been fun and brought a different view of the industry. When I went to my first show, my dear boss and friend, Brenda Birrell, made a travel log of the crazy things that happened at that convention. It was one show I will never forget! I decided that I would do the same thing for this particular convention to give you a little look into this awesome trip:

* Started out with MASSIVE head cold ... not so much fun!
* Airport at 5:30 - Hair moose exploded in my suitcase.
* Security made me eat my yogurt before going on the plane ... ate too fast ... drooled off the spoon, onto my shirt!
* Got onto a 2 prop, 10 seat plane ... closed my eyes and PRAYED that I would make it to Phoenix.
* Got to Phoenix ... heaven sent Einstein Bagel (potato with strawberry cream cheese ummmm) on my way to terminal.
* Have to go through security AGAIN!
* Stand in line at Starbucks. Man is determined that the tea MUST be green in color or all heck will break loose. Made an ABSOLUTE fool out of himself!
* Sit down to eat my bagel and see that the same man at Starbucks, happens to be on my plane ... and REFUSES to wait for his "Zone" to load. He must be on first.
* I load the plane, and find my seat is right behind this same looser guy. After listening to him yell at the stewardess because his I-Phone doesn't have service, and then quickly to find out it that he actually does have service, (he is just an idiot) ... he decides to wake up some employee at 7 am and tell her she is fired if she leaves the place in which she was staying.
* Before plane even took off, I decided the IPOD was going to be VERY useful this flight.
* Norah Jones, Coldplay, Rascal Flatts ... "What to expect the first year" as my reading entertainment.
* Arrived in LA only to sit down, look up and watch DAVID ARCHULETA walk up to his limousine driver ... tried to talk, couldn't speak ... realized 5 minutes after that my camera was sitting on my lap! Instead I thought this picture will have to do! (don't you love the long hair underneath?)

* Met up with Brian Tippetts ... White convertible pick up "supposedly" the only car available, wink wink (right Brian).
* Meanwhile must circle the airport multiple times because "Officer Friendly" wouldn't let us wait on the curb for Amanda Probst, (yeah we finally met!) and Erin Bayless, (SO much in common ... GO NORDSTROM).
* LAX to Anaheim, Quiznos for lunch!
* Hotel for refreshing, only to find rooms not ready yet. Washing hair moose out of skirt, blow drying in lobby bathroom.
* One room available until that evening .. kids suite for Erin, two bunk beds ... Party at Erin's Hooorah!
* Signing for Amanda & Brian. Brian's book is a no show.
* Make and Take at 3:00 pm ... autographs signed, new friends made.

* Walking the show with Maurianne, meeting old friends and new. AC friends and Pebbles friends all in one stop!
* Dinner with the CK team at Tortilla Joes in Downtown Disney ... Washing hands with Angie; Megan's pictures of Paris Hilton and using press badge to get it; television talk with the team; Wendy dessert extravaganza, so full I wanted to die!
* Taxi ride back to hotel, feet about ready to fall off, nice warm bath before bed, Lights out at 9:30pm.
* Breakfast at 8:45 ... ummm OATMEAL!
* Walking the show with Lori.

* Make and take at 11:00 am.

* Lunch with CK contributors.
* Taco salad ... eating in a circle upstairs ... Megan + Jane Seymour = one awesome meeting; duck, duck, grey duck? Meeting Brenda from Ogden, UT (GO APRIL ISSUE).
* Happy 5th Birthday Paper Crafts!

* Walking the show with Maurianne.
* Wanting ice cream, finding I threw away my cash card with my food, digging through two trashes, and chasing down trash carts. No such luck ... goodbye cash card :(
* Sizzix at 3:00 pm .... AWESOME pop-up dies.
* Walking, okay pregnant woman practically running, to the remaining booths I wanted to see. Didn't get to see them all, but amazed by all the new amazing products.
* Booth talk, who loved what, followed by walking back to Hotel.
* Jeans and Born shoes saved my life ... catching Taxi in front of Hilton.
* Taxi driver OBVIOUSLY didn't like palm trees in response to Erin comment "I love palm trees".
* Dinner at House of blues ... Strawberry lemonade with "one" strawberry, Salmon & Jambalaya, and the KEY LIME PIE that not only changed my life, but everyone's life at the table as well!

* Lego land for Amanda, ever seen a giraffe wearing a beret, 3 stories high, made out of legos? I HAVE!
* Back to the hotel lobby to meet my cousin Michael living in Anaheim. Talking until 12:30 am.
* Off to bed ... Breakfast at 8:30!
* Sitting with Cath and Susan ... two awesome women if I might say so myself.
* Pictures with CK gals ... and goodbyes

* Shuttle with ALL CHA attendees.
* Security line at LAX outside ... froze to death!
* CPK BBQ Pizza eh-okay. Missed Ty from "Extreme Home Makeover" by minutes!
* SMALL plane from LA to Phoenix ... sat next to old man farmer, obviously didn't want to talk, single, not married, never want to be married, got the clue!
* Read Lain Ehman's "Snippets book" on the way home. Snorting, laughing, and making note to tell all my scrap friends to go and buy one! It is a scrapbookers MUST have!
* 3 hour layover in Phoenix, met cutest older couple from Elmira, NY!

... and that is where I am right now ... waiting to go home to see my two boys ... CAN'T WAIT!
Check back for my favorites from CHA!

CHA...Here I come!

So I leave for CHA tomorrow ... AHHHHH ... a little stressed! We have had a Young Women's leadership retreat the last two days ... Yeah I forgot my camera! Then we had to clean the church ... it was the Young Women's turn ... now packing. I thought I would take a break for a minute and show you the make and takes I will be doing there. One on Sunday at 3:30 pm ... and one on Monday at 11:00 am. Here we go! ... PS all the products are Sizzix die's, Wassau Cardstock, AC ribbon and pens!
- Card for Valentines day!
Candy box! Isn't this the cutest die cut ever?

Activity

Each Wednesday night we do an activity with the young women in our church. It is a great way for them to learn about the gospel in a more informal (rather than just Sunday) setting. This past week we combined with the young men and did an activity to explain the new church wide theme for this year. It is 1 Timothy 4:12 - "Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

We did different stations to help them understand each one of the words in this scripture. I was assigned the station "WORD". We made little journals so they can record their goals, and feelings throughout the next year. We even included a little calendar so they can mark off the days they said their morning and evening prayers, read their scriptures, and smiled. (This is a goal made for all the youth in the church to do this next year).

I found some really cheap (4 for $1) composition notebooks at Dollar Tree that worked perfectly, and covered them with paper. Then created a little page to list the theme and goals, as well as the calendars mentioned above. The boys weren't too excited about being "crafty" but they all seemed to enjoy my station. It was a great evening!

And the Gender is ...

Well, It has been 24 hours of waiting for a lot of you, and I am sorry that I am now just getting to the blog but the baby is:

ANOTHER BOY!!

As for names, I am really struggling. When we had Bryson, we were trying to decide between Landon and Bryson ... so who knows, maybe we will end up with this one named Landon!

In other news:

SUNDAY WAS MY BIRTHDAY!
But I would have to say that I had more of a birthday weekend rather than just a birthday! Here is a recap of the weekend!
My mom & sisters called me and said, we are coming to St. George this weekend to get out of this cold weather and to celebrate your birthday! So they drove 3 1/2 hours South and I dropped off Adam and Bryson off at his parents house in Kanab on my 2 hour and 15 minute drive West to meet them! It was a great overnight trip filled with GREAT food (Olive Garden, Bear Paw Cafe, Texas Roadhouse Grill), lots of shopping, laughing (how can you not laugh at Tammy with that head lamp!), relaxing (hot tubbing & basking in the nice 60 degree weather), and just being together! Although everyone was sad I didn't bring Bryson, we all got our baby fill with Addy joining us. She isn't quite weaned yet, but fit right in with "the girls".

I got home Saturday night and had to prepare my lesson for Young Womens. On Sunday I had meetings starting at 7:00 am, then teach my lesson at 8:00 am (that is right, church starts at 8:00), then sing in Sacrament meeting, then another meeting after church. Luckily I was able to get a little nap in after church and still have time to make my own birthday cake. (Don't worry, I like to make my own cake! It was an ice cream cake!) On top of everything else, Adam even made me spaghetti for dinner! (He doesn't cook much so it was a REAL treat!) Our friends the Ricks came over to bring me a card and say Happy birthday. Their little girl colored a picture for me and brought me some candy too! It was SO dang cute! Angela gave me the gift of lunch on Monday with no kids, while her husband tended the little ones! Here are some fun pictures:

Last but not least ... Adam got me the new printer I have wanted for years! I think I got all the expensive toys I have wanted for now. Camera, CHECK! Desk, CHECK! Scanner, CHECK! Printer, CHECK! OOOooooh! Now I have all of the office toys I have been saving for! There aren't too many presents, well cloths, that can you ask for when you're pregnant. So why not get scrapbooking stuff! :)

Call from my sister

So my sister called me today, and said "I have had it, and so have the rest of the girls ... we decided we wanted to celebrate your birthday with you in St. George for the weekend. Are you up for it?" ...

HECK YES ... I said! So much better than sitting around all weekend doing nothing and having no where to shop! OH BOY ... I am SO excited!

Aimee J

So I found this website with these DARLING scrapbooking papers on them. It is http://www.aimeej.com

At first I was going to order them all for Bryson's Album, but then I decided to do my own thing because I wanted to do his album in 8.5 x 11. Even though I didn't order them, I really liked the concepts behind each themed paper. You'll have to check it out!

Time to post!

I have wanted to post for three days now, and just now have I finally gotten to sit down and type!

First and most importantly ... Does anyone watch 24?

Well Adam and I LOVE 24 and were so disappointed that it wasn't on last year. I can already tell it is going to be a good season for the reason that three fingers of mine are in excruciating pain right now because they have been bit WAY too short! Adam is now demanding I call him Jack and Monday family night has turned into putting Bryson in bed early so we can watch an already AWESOME season. GO JACK and TONY!!!

Okay, now lets get down to business ... It is a New Year! Too bad we didn't take even ONE picture of our New Years Eve. Adam and I went out to dinner with my family, then came home, visited for a bit, and then went to bed at 10:30 pm. I know ... we are the worst!

So lets start with the resolutions!
** I am going to scrapbook for myself more, and hopefully this will mean more creativity for you all to look at :) I started it off with going to my monthly crop with some of my friends this last Friday. My goal is to finish Bryson's first year by the time the baby is born. I can't wait to give you my concept of how I decided to do Bryson's book but that is for my future posts!
I was planning on posting all of my pages I finished that night, but I am afraid CK may have to use a few of them.
So to be safe, I finished my title page for Bryson's book ... so I will give you a sneak peak.

Just a side note - My style is ULTRA simple! I am a Graphic Designer and like things very clean. So if you are looking for a ton of embellishments and pages that will take you 3 days, you won't find it here, especially for pages that are for my personal books. Now I can't say that my pages still don't take a while. The thinking process takes more time than you think!
** Adam has resolved to use his elliptical that he bought after Bryson was born to help get that "baby weight" off. It lasted a month and he hasn't used it for 9 months. He threatened to sell it, but instead made it his New Years resolution to finally use it.

Notice the elliptical is in my kitchen. We moved if for the Christmas tree, and never moved it back. Bryson decided he wanted to help daddy work out. Isn't this the cutest thing you have ever seen?
** I am resolving to update my blog more. I have hesitated posting a goal, but I am going to do it, so I can be more responsible. I am going to update my blog 3 times a week. Hopefully Monday, Wednesday, and on the Weekend, so I need everyone to hold me to this!
** Time to clean my house ... Here is what is on my list:
Clean my blinds upstairs, dust all baseboards, go through my closet and get rid of cloths, clean out all my junk drawers, and hold a garage sale! WHEW ... it may be a while, but I am going to do it before the baby is born!

Time to watch American Idol! Don't worry, I will be back with more!

Crawling up stairs

I can't decide whether this is good or bad. Good ... because it is really hard carrying him while being pregnant up and down the stairs every five minutes, but then it is bad because he hasn't quite perfected it and occasionally falls. Luckily I am there to catch him. Either way ... I just can't believe how fast Bryce is growing up!

Crayons

While at my parents house during Christmas break, my sister showed me this DARLING gift that my nephew got from his friend for Christmas. I thought it was so cute, I just had to share! It is a crayon holder that rolls up! SO cute huh! I think this will be AWESOME for church when Bryson gets older!

Time to renew!

Time to resolve ...

... Time to clean ...

Time to gain weight ... ha ha ha Just me folks :) The only good thing about being pregnant!

... Time to update my blog more ...

Time to scrapbook more for myself

... Time to think outside the box ...

Time to start thinking of what I want for my birthday (13 more days and counting!)

... Time to think of valentines, YIKES, lets just think about the VDAY candy for now shall we? ...


STAY TUNED, ALL OF THESE ARE COMING!

M

Happy New Year!

Great wishes for a Happy New Year. I didn't take NOT EVEN ONE SINGLE picture for New Years Eve. Pretty sad huh! We went out to dinner with my family to the HAPPY SUMO in Provo. Then headed back to my parents house for dessert and games. We ended up just visiting instead. It is a rare occasion that we all are together without kiddos. Adam and I finally decided we couldn't stay up any longer and went to bed at 10:30 pm. PATHETIC ... I know. Hope you all had a great New Years Eve.