Hurry Up and Wait... Life of the Army

So if you haven't noticed I have been kinda la de da lately.

And it has nothing to do with blogging.

I love it,

It is a fantastic outlet for what I create.

Also it is nice to get some randomness out there too.

But for the past couple of weeks my personal life has been stressful.

If you didn't know my husband is in the Army.

He has just gotten off of a stateside deployment.

Which left us kind of in a lurch.

We could have gone back to his civilian job.

Which is also working for the Army.

But we would have taken a MAJOR pay cut.

So we put in to go AGR, which stands for Active Guard Reserve.

Fancy words for saying active duty on the reserve side of things.

SSG was picked for the program.

But he didn't get a job offer.

SSG found out there were 30 jobs and he was 41st on the list.

*SCREAM*

So we waited, prayed, and hoped that by some miracle at least 11 people would turn down jobs.

However a 6 a.m. phone call answered our prayers.

He got an assignment.

To make matters even better.

We actually get to stay in Utah!

*SIGH*

Another piece of news that is just WOW!

We were approved for a home loan!!!

NO MORE RENTING!!!!

Can I get a high five here???

The best is looking for a house.

Going into a house and trying to picture it being ours.

So this is why I haven't done much crafting.

I would rather show ya something that is awesome!

How about let's say we take a break until after New Year's?  

That way I can get back into the groove of things.

Much love and happiness to you during this holiday season.

I look forward to talking to you in the 2012!!!

Also I have some new sponsors and we will be having a giveaway after the first of the year!

Also maybe I will be opening my very own Etsy shop!

We will have to do a giveaway with that as well!

{Homemade Stockings}

 Christmas is in a week!

I hate how fast this month seems to go by.

Especially since SSG has been on leave.

It makes me sad he will have to go back to work.

Such is life though!

If You didn't know I bought a sewing machine last November, (a year ago) with no idea how to use it.

I just told myself I was going to learn how to sew.

It is something I have always wanted to do.

With a little MUCH help from my friend Thais.

I can proudly say, yes I can sew.

Not like fancy dresses or anything. 

I am not that talented.

I can however make my very own homemade stockings.

 It is pretty nice that I have matching ones now.

REALLY nice that they are not dollar store crappy ones too.

Stockings are terribly expensive to me.

I used freezer paper stencils to put the names on.

Have you ever done it?

If not and want to learn I will be happy to post a tutorial on it.

It is really easy!

I cannot wait to fill these stockings!

Find me linking HERE.

Kinda in a Slump

I am kinda in a slump this week.

Too many things are up in the air right now.

So I really haven't done much crafting.

I think I am going to take this week off.

Sorry everyone!

I will be back with some amazing things next week!

Love ya all!!!

40 Pounds Lost, I don't Plan on Finding Them

This was me, in 2008.

The sad part is, this isn't even me at my heaviest.

I actually had another baby in 2009 and put on about 

20 more pounds.

I was miserable, I hated looking at myself in a mirror.

Let alone have pictures taken of myself.

I felt like I was always doomed to be the fat girl.

Especially going to my in laws.

I once broke a chair.

At their house.

I was MORTIFIED!

I hated shopping for clothes.

Nothing I liked ever fit me.

I am 5'3 and I have really short legs.

So to find pants that would fit me in the waist. 

They would always drag on the ground since I wasn't tall enough for them.

I cried alot about my weight.

Looking at this picture I can see how uncomfortable I am.

I am trying to hide how ugly I felt.

I tried a bunch of crappy trendy diets.

They all promised the same thing.

Lose weight fast!

And while I did lose ten pounds at first.

I was starving myself.

One diet I ate plain chicken and spinach all the time.

Oh and boiled egg whites.

Which the thought of makes my stomach turn now.

The SSG said to me one night,

'Can you see yourself eating like this for the rest of your life?'

It hit me like a brick wall.

If I had to eat plain spinach and egg whites for the rest of my life I would

DIE!!!

Not just because I wouldn't get the essential nutrients my body needed.

But because I love food that much!

So I ate like a crazed lunatic for a few days.

Then on Friday March 6, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. 

I headed on down to my local Weight Watchers.

It was exactly what I needed.

A lifestyle change, not a diet.

And here I am 

40 pounds and much, much, MUCH happier later.

I feel comfortable in my skin.

I can wear white!

I haven't done that since I was a teenager.

I can run around with my kids.

The best feeling was when my oldest boy was able to wrap his arms all the way around me.

To give me a big hug.

This is a journey that I am glad I was brave enough to face.

Ooooo a tree skirt!

 Everyone has seen this pin on Pinterest.

The beautiful ruffle, no sew, too good to be true 

tree skirt.

Look at it, in it's beauty!

When I pinned this I thought 'Hey!  I can do that'

I have TONS of glue sticks just hanging out ready to find a purpose.

So I went out bought myself some muslin and got to cutting.

Cutting was the easiest part.

By far!

But I labored...

I hurt my fingers by squeezing the glue gun.

I cursed (shhhh don't tell anyone)

Then luckily one of my bestest friends came to help me!

I love that girl!

This is the result!

 It really is quite pretty.

And well worth it!

Maybe next year I will try it in a different color!

• Tighten logic with malleable spanners

Christmas Wreath

 This was my inspiration for my wreath this year.

Maybe I should say Pin-spiration!

Yes, I saw this on none other than the all mighty Pinterest!

This is my version.

 I had never done a yarn wreath before.

And honestly...

I doubt very highly I will do another.

They are HARD!

For me anyway.

I tried to do the candy cane effect.

But after an hour of trying to get it to look right I gave up.

And just wrapped it all in red.

laaaaaaazzzzzzyyyyyy!

I got the picks from Hobby Lobby.

And the snowflakes?

Ornaments I have had for a few years.

So pretty on my door!

Well I need to go get prepared for another BIG storm here in Utah.

Make sure we have candles ready, in case power goes out again.

Linking HERE