first holiday craft installment

ok here it is kiddos. i have to say that what ever your expectations have been please low low lower them. i am struggling right now, i realize that my life right now is much harder then i am aknowledging. as my usually golden fingers have turned to something of less desirable nature i have been frustrated and confused, that is until i made some serious realizations about how so much of whats going on extends and sort of dampers the creativity. so i have simplified, what i will be offering you in way of holiday crafts will be easy and simple, childlike and fun, and far less in quantity then i originally planned.


my edition of a simple candle holiday craft .... and the inspiration edition a much better edition

if you want to do this fun activity pick up a few holiday candles, i love how it looks with red but i wonder how green would turn out so if anyone does it that way be sure to send me a pic! then a few vases clear or even better just candle glass (what i used) and some sort of platter, plate, box etc... for display. you will need a glue pen and some fine dust glitter. i actually used the same sand/glitter mix i used at halloween for the carribean style bones. just simply draw on the vase a winter scene, the more detailed the more difficult. and sprinkle that fairy dust. simple as that. the sand at the base cake platter style is nice and looks a little snowlike, especially if you were to go out and get a bag of really really white sand, i used natural colored. candles lend to a warm inviting ambience and are so splendid at this time of year. dont be afraid to burn them, like me!

and by way of the fam ...
Stock the rock took first in the mapleton wrestling tourn this morning. this one was a little harder to come by. he still rocked it dont get me wrong. first two matches he kicked trash and kicked it fast both finished with pins in the first round. third match was tough the kid was a little taller then stock and a pretty good wrestler. they went three rounds, no pins but the other kid won by points only, and only by 2. stock was so upset. but you know he really worked it, he is so much better then last year, something clicked. in the end there was a 3 way tie for his bracket for first place, so the rule book states that first goes to the wrestler with the most pins. the other two boys only had one pin each so stock took first and then whichever boy had most points out of the remaining 2 took second. so it settled him down a bit taking first on a technicality. anyhow i am so proud of him and how he is excelling at this sport! i believe in having something your good at, and what that does for you inside, and at working hard to be good at it, and being proud of yourself! i believe that for a kid its vital to keep them out of trouble as well. no boredom when there is focus and goals.


storie played violin in her first concert this last week. i am so glad she is a bit more musically capable then me. she is really enjoying it, and so am i. i watched this first chair girl really rock on the violin and just hoped and prayed that my girls someday will be that good. it was a really fun and entertaining concert and my fav song was "on my own" from les mis. we or maybe i should just say i, because really thats who makes the decisions around here right ... have decided to add private lessons on top of school orchestra for storie and we are starting private lessons for saylor as well. thanks to a spectaculer friend who actually has made that affordable by loaning us her tiny violin for a time for saylor. they start monday and saylor will join the school orchestra in january as well. today they played a little together and i LOVED LOVED LOVED what it did for both of them.

storie has been having struggles with her bladder and is long overdue for tests. i guess i have avoided this to some degree, unable to handle more then what we carry medically. but i see now that we need to address some continueing issues. she will go in for tests and to see the doc that did her surgery a few years back on dec 16th.

saylor has a lot going on right now we are struggling a bit academically with her and keeping her up with her peers and interested in learning. there are some things that she is just brilliant with, others we struggle. i guess its getting around the obstacles. this brings up heartaches socially that i had hoped to not endure, but then again she is just that a public example, a social exception, sometime heartache but with that comes inspiration. she is and has always meant to be shared. she too is due for her 3 month post op check on dec 16th so they go together, same uro doc. we expect to continue waiting out a healing period until its time to do a sling. she also is not doing well with gross motor right now and her therapist will be stepping into class and pulling her out, compounding one problem to fix another, to get her back to where she was preop and then maybe we could work on new goals. she is already begging to go skiing. but she is not even near as strong as she was last year and we could only get 2 bunny runs out of her then. i am not sure we could make it down the hill this year. so perhaps at the end of the season, for now she will have to enjoy her horse & violin.

i am getting a long in school. no doubt its HARD! but i insist staying focused on the goal one step at a time. still working and running studio stems as well. looking forward to snow and wondering how to scrounge up the money to board this year and also realizing i do need some things for christmas, like a few skirts for church or maybe a backpack ... and some makeup would be nice, but then i dont get ready anyhow. i am writing papers these days and need some good editors to help me through the process, so if any of you dig that kind of thing and are willing let me know asap! nate is watching the BYU VS utah game at boogies house, the outcome most certainly will affect his mood the rest of the weekend. he has been busy helping coach stocktons wrestling team and run the tournaments.