August in retrospect

Ok, so I've been bad about posting pictures and happenings from this month- I can't find my camera, so I'm blaming it on that. however I do have a webcam and took a few pics of my new haircut. It's the same type of wedge cut as last time, but I went shorter with more texture.

One a completely different note, Megan is LOVING kindergarten! A week ago she was called to the front of the flag ceremony in front of the whole school and the principal gave her a neat white pencil for being a kind person. It turns out she had tried to console a little girl who was crying a few days before. What a sweetie. We just went to the curriculum night and her teacher said that by the end of the school year they will be adding double digits and be introduced to fractions. In kindergarten! Crazy. On the meet the teacher day (the day before she started school), Megan met a girl named Amelia in the playground that was going to be in her class and they found a little frog together. Well, it turns out that Megan isn't so great at remembering faces. The other day an exasperated Megan got in the car after school and said "Amelia thinks her name is Rorie." HA HA HA. It turns out Amelia thinks her name is Amelia and Rorie thinks her name is Rorie, it's just that Megan thinks Rorie is Amelia. Too funny.

One last note- I finished the fences and they are in- I only have to plant in a few weeks and find my camera so I can show you all!

FREE CRAFTY STUFF!!!

I am so excited for this giveaway on vanilla joy !! This is my attempt to gain more chances to win all this awesome stuff!!! If you are a crafter or a scrapbooker, you ought to check this contest out!

http://www.vanillajoy.com/craft-giveaway-schedule.html

Here are a bunch of posts that I'm providing links to for extra entries! This is awesome- I'm having a blast doing all these little bonus entry challenges :o) It's like a game and I gotta win! Thanks for a good time, Kelsey!
“kids face painting”
“family fun”

“obaji skin care”

“creative date ideas”

“discipline for children”

“take surveys for money”

Calling all fairies!

Ok, so my friend Natalie wants to know how I made Megan's wings last October for her angel costume. Here is the tutorial video I used to learn it (beware the slightly annoying acting):

I however, used netting to wrap the middle, sewed on elastic loops for the arm holes, and I shaped them differently since it was an angel, not a fairy.

This was EXTREMELY easy and totally worth the nothing I paid to make them (I had everything on hand). hardy har har

The Divine Institution of Marriage

Hi all- This is one of my favorite "call to action" quotes,

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

Edmund Burke

With that in mind, my friend Anna sent me this email and I loved it, so I thought I'd pass it along:
I found this article very informative and comforting in the midst of all that this world throws at us. It is very well written and helps me understand how crucial it is that we do what we can to support the sanctity of marriage between man and woman. I am grateful for our leaders and their great ability to express the will of the Lord.
Thought I would pass it on.

http://www.newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage

Somewhat Free DVD

Blockbuster is giving $10 off $10 and free shipping for previously viewed or new DVDs when you use the code augappreciation through the end of August. If the DVD is under $10, the code is not valid, so you may have to spend a few dollars to find one that works with the code. I hope this is useful! I got this off of two of my frequently visited blogs:

http://wantitall4free.blogspot.com/

http://www.simplythrifty.com/

By the way, I'm almost done with my fences! I've puttied, sanded, and am halfway done with painting! I'll post pics when they're done!

I made a skirt for Megan yesterday- it turned out really cute! It's red with tiny white polka dots and a belt. It doesn't look professionally done- I didn't have any red thread so I used tan, and I didn't have a pattern, so I just measured her and made it up, but I think it worked out well. Here it is:

Trash to Treasure....

Ok, so the other day I was on my way home and saw some miniature picket fences propped up against the dumpster. Of course I had to throw them in the car and take them home. I have outlined the place I want to put them, now all I have to do is nail the posts straight , sand them, have my kids paint them white, and nail some stakes to the back so I can pound them into the ground. After that's all done, I have to dig out at least 6 inches deep by however big this area is and replace the packed dirt with good, nourishing, airy soil. And then plant. Obviously it's going to take a while, but I have to get it done before I need to plant which will be the beginning of October. So here are the beginning pictures:

I'll post the after pictures when I'm done.

One neighbor, when she saw these at my house, said "Oh my gosh you DID NOT! I saw them by the dumpster and then they were gone. I'd wondered who took them. I should've known it was you!" Another neighbor said that when he drove by the dumpster he thought, "Someone could take those and fix them up nice. I bet Stephanie could find something to do with them." Well, I have. :o) Is it sad that people see junk by the road and think of me? LOL

First Day of School!

What a great day! It's so happy and sad at the same time! Megan started school yesterday at Benjamin Franklin Charter school. She was so cute with her little backpack. She was ready to leave us as soon as we got back by the flag pole and just lost herself in this crowd. AHH!
Every day at 8:10 they all get in their class lines facing the flag and recite the pledge of allegiance, sing a patriotic song, and then learn and recite a short poem all together (K-8). As the classes leave to go to their rooms, everyone skip counts... 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.... and then once they reach 100 they choose another number to skip by... 5, 10, 15, 20.....

Megan loved that when the principal, Mr Lee, said "good morning everybody!" and the school said "Good morning, Mr Lee," He said "No, no, I want to HEAR you! GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY!" "GOOD MORNING MR. LEE!!!" She told me later, "Mr. Lee REALLY likes it when we say good morning to him! He also really likes straight lines. We have to stand like soldiers!"

We know a few people who have their children here- Luke Denton, Alex and Julie Matheson, Stacy Weber (who used to be in our current ward), Scott and Ruth Potter(from our very first ward in Gilbert), Lillian and Chris Knapereck (from our Tempe ward) and Justin and Brittany Rohner (went to my HS)



Here is Megan after school with her teacher Mrs. Memmott (When she first heard Mrs. Memott's name she gasped and said, "Oh what a beautiful name!") After we got home she told me what a great time she had and how they learned to draw a circle (Luckily they start out slow but have a condensed curriculum, so it won't be circle drawing all year long :o). She did her homework and was so excited to go back today (Matthew was crying because I told him to look at the camera and smile, but his eyes hurt from waiting for Megan in the sun, so I just took the picture anyway. Poor boy!).

Here is panoramic pic of Megan's School- Don't you love the mountains? Click on it to get a larger view.

Homemade Bibs

My friend Rachel had her baby shower yesterday. You all know what I make for girls- bows bows and more bows. I've had to get more creative to do boys gifts. I've done a large vinyl (faux leather)/flannel changing pad, but to get the vinyl cheap I have to drive all the way in to Tempe's SAS (my favorite hole in the wall) and I didn't want to make the trip this week. So this time I looked up a pattern for really cute bibs and used soft absorbant chenille on one side (all except for the halloween bib). Here's the pattern I used: http://chickpeastudio.typepad.com/chickpea_sewing_studio/files/bib_pattern_final.pdf

And here they are........

And a cotton halloween bib. the fabric for the applique is that same as the other side.