Bracelets

I am not normally a crafty person. But occasionally I find something I enjoy. When I lived in San Diego all of my friends had baby girls. They all wore the cutest bracelets. I thought it was such a cute way to say "I am a girl!" I was thrilled when I finally had my own girl. One of the first things I wanted to get for her was one of those adorable bracelets. Especially since dressing my bald baby in pink and putting a big flower on her head wasn't enough to stop the question, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

I searched and finally I bought one and then was given and even better one. I realized, "Hey, I can do this!" Now its been a year, and after lots of searching, shopping, practicing, trying new things and asking a great friend for help (thanks Leah!) I figured it out! I have decided to share my "talent" (which really doesn't count, because anyone could make these if you had enough desire) and make a little extra money.

For those of you who have been around me, you've seen the many variations of bracelets that Mackenzie wears. With the plan to make and sell them I have upgraded to much better quality beads and clasps. They are beautiful. I plan to have a bunch on hand if you want to pick one up or I will take special orders as well. The infant ones can be simple or I can add more colors or charms.

I will also make "Big Sister" bracelets to match or just bigger ones for older girls...any age.

I can make ones to match an outfit or a holiday:

Or for a special occasion:

The beads are beautiful "Cat's Eye" glass beads in various colors. I use small, oval trigger or "lobster" clasps (as shown on the pink and white bracelet above) and closed jump rings. Satisfaction guaranteed! If for some reason it breaks or doesn't fit, send/bring back the pieces and I will give you a new one. The infant ones range from $10-$12 and the bigger ones from $12 to $15, depending on the beads and charms you choose. I will give a discount for additional bracelets purchased together.

These are great for gifts...especially for the person who is having their 3rd girl and you want to give them something "different" or even for that first daughter that you want to treat as a princess. Mackenzie has worn one since she was only a few months old. She always has it on and rarely notices its there; unless we tell her how pretty she is...she loves that!

Email me and let me know what you want: tiffyj@byu.net

Vonage

You know me...when I find a product that I think is great...I have to share.

Now, I can't say that I love the Vonage phone system. We do have a few issues with dropped calls and no service. But not enough to override the $25 a month fee for unlimited everything.

The thing that I love about it though, I just discovered (after two years). I can forward my home calls to my cell phone. Now, I know you are thinking, big deal. But the cool part is that I can have the call ring simultaneously to my home phone and my cell phone. That means that if you call my home phone when I am home, I can answer that phone. But if you call my home phone when I am in the car, I will answer it on my cell phone.

This makes it really easy to get a hold of me, if I am reachable). Call my home phone and I will get the call even if I am not home. The reason this works so great for me is that I leave my cell phone in the car (otherwise I forget to bring it with me when I leave). If you call my cell phone and I am not in the car I won't answer. Before, if you called my home phone and I wasn't home, I wouldn't answer (duh!). And then you would have to try my cell phone. Now I can give out one number, you can call that one number and if I don't answer its because I am not available, for whatever reason. Cool, huh?!

Pay it Forward

You may have seen this on other blogs - you sign up to receive something homemade or crafty, and then you pay it forward by doing the same thing for 3 people who sign up to do it on your blog.
So here’s how it works:~Be one of the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post and I will send you a handmade gift sometime in the next 3 month (feel free to pick your own time limit).

~You get to pay it forward as well by doing the same thing for 3 people on your blog.~Once you leave a comment telling me that you want to participate, you need to make a pay it forward post on your blog within one day.

So, anyone game? You can be a friend, family member, or even a random visitor to this blog. Just as long as you’re willing to pay it forward, you are eligible to participate!

(Note: some examples of homemade gifts...baby bracelets, headbands, baked goods (if you live close by), cards, scrapbooked pages, blankets, crocheted hats...whatever it is that you make).

Happy Valentine's Day

These are a couple pictures of our Love Day morning: the boys opening presents, Mackenzie feeding her new baby, pink heart-shaped pancakes with red rasberry jam (and pink milk), and Dane's gift to me (a paper bracelet that says BMF...any guesses what it stands for? Hint: Brice's said BBF, Dan's said BDF and Mackenzie's said BSF).

Dress Up

Mackenzie likes to do everything that her big brothers do...especially Brice, who is really into superhero costumes right now. She brings me costumes and grunts at me until I put them on. Then she runs around just like her brothers. I think the combination of the costume with her cute girlie outfit is great!




Then the other day the boys were at school and she was digging through my drawers...she loves to empty them onto my floor. Well this time she found something she wanted to wear. The first picture is how I found her. I thought I would help her put on the pretty "dress". So, at what age can I start buying her princess dresses??



I love that she is a bit of a tomboy, having two older brothers. She is tough! But I think its great that she can be a little girlie. She is already gets excited about pretty dresses and shoes. She is so proud when I tell her how pretty she is.

The other day we were looking at shoes at Target. I found some pink ballet slippers and tried them on her. When I took them off and put her other shoes back on she screamed, jumped off my lap, grabbed the ballet slippers and ran away. Then she sat back down, took off her shoe and tried to put the pretty ballet slipper back on. Ugh! What am I in for? Adorable, yet so stubborn!

Women's Eyes Only

Okay, not that there are many guys who actually read my blog but this is just a warning...you probably don't want to read this blog.

So, I have finished breast-feeding Mackenzie. She is 14 months old and really couldn't care less. After breastfeeding three babies for a year each my "girls" are not what they used to be (not that they were much to begin with). I have always been self-conscious about them anyway so NOW I really am. So began the search for the perfect bra!

I had a "water bra" from Victoria's Secret when I got married. I tried that one again and just felt incredibly fake. I have a couple other ones from there but they just don't fit anymore. I hate spending a ton of money on bras but, as I am sure many of you would agree, Victoria's Secret really does have the best bras. I got some money for Christmas and decided that once every three years or so was reasonable for spending that kind of money on something so necessary. So, I headed to the closest Victoria's Secret. I tried on 20 bras, at least. When you go there they have a whole box of bras in your size...all the different styles they carry. It came down to two...pretty easily actually, all the rest looked horrible.

And the winner of the "Best Bra" award is...

Biofit: Bra Personalized Lift and Shape

It really is a great bra!! If anyone is shopping for that perfect bra to do whatever it is you need done with your "girls" you should really check this one out!! It has different features depending on your cup size. It gave me just what I need, plus its comfortable. It accentuates what I have (takes what's left and puts it where it SHOULD be) without a ton of padding to make me look fake. In fact, before I told Dan that I had it on, he noticed :0)

So that next part of my bra search was getting the best price. I bought the one I tried on at the store (even though it wasn't on sale) because the girl helping me said that it would not be on sale online either (even though it was during the Semi-Annual Bra sale). But I decided to check for myself. I paid $45 plus tax in the store. When I got home I went online and found that it was, indeed, on sale. After some searching and trying different combinations of online coupon codes I was able to get the same bra for $25! I got an additional couple of things (including another bra) and my total, plus shipping was less than what I paid in the store for that one bra. I am a bargain shopper!

Sorry to those of you who think this may be too much personal information. But I have to share when I find a great new product that makes my life better! Now I have a new reason to be self-conscious, if any of my readers check out the effect of my new Biofit bra. Sorry, no before and after picture for those who I don't see often. That's definitely too much info!

Too good to be true

I knew it! I knew if I got too excited I would jinx it! Last night Brice went back to his old routine of not staying in bed. He couldn't care less if it meant he would lose all his post-it notes and therefore his "special treat". See this post for details. He even lost his ladder again last night. I was so bummed last night.

Today we made it a point to show Brice that Dane got a treat because he stayed in his bed. I told Brice that he could try again tonight so he could get his treat tomorrow. "Nah...I don't want it." That's my Brice, stubborn to the core!

Heartbroken

I am not normally good about just blogging my thoughts. But, right now I am heartbroken. I tried to call Ranisa, who is usually my sounding board but she wasn't home. I sat in my car for a while after I got the news and just didn't know what to do. After wasting time on the computer and my kids are still happily playing outside (whew!) I can't stop thinking about it.

I have a friend, some of you who may read my blog know her... Amy Mathewson. I don't know her real well but I always enjoy talking to her, she makes me smile. She has three boys that are all about the same age as my kids. In fact, today she was supposed to come over for a play date. We've been trying for weeks. I called several times this morning to make sure we were still on but I couldn't reach anyone. She was supposed to be going to a doctor's appointment this morning and then come over after lunch. Then I got a message from her mom saying that she got hung up at the doctor's office and would either be delayed or would have to reschedule and would call me later. I tried for a while to get a hold of someone to let her know that today I am completely flexible and my boys were looking forward to their play date. After a couple hours I decided to take the kids to the park and then hopefully catch up with her later.

As I was headed home I got a phone call from Amy's sister...

Amy is five months pregnant with her fourth child. Her first three are boys so you can imagine the excitement she must have felt when she found out she was having a girl. Believe me, after two boys, I was ecstatic to have Mackenzie.

"Amy is in the hospital, the baby isn't going to make it."

Apparently, the baby is suffering from a chromosome disorder and won't survive. My heart aches for her. Tears keep springing to my eyes as I think about it. I just can't imagine being that far along in pregnancy with such anticipation and finding out that its over.

I know Amy sometimes reads my blog, and if she does, I just want her to know that my thoughts and prayers are for her. Don't worry about missing our playdate...I got my house all clean and pretty for you and its still that way :0) I wish there was something I could do. Truly, I feel heartbroken.

Four nights...

...and counting, I pray! So, I read a new parenting trick in a magazine. See, we have this problem keeping Brice in bed. When we are at home we can put him in his bed (the top bunk of a bunk bed) and take away the ladder. While that does keep him in bed, it doesn't keep him from yelling at the top of his lungs repeatedly for 30 minutes, at least. When we are not at home we end up laying next to him and literally holding him in bed until he is asleep...nightmare.

I hate, hate, hate bedtime! Until 4 days ago... The suggestion was to put a certain number of papers (we use 3 post-it notes) on the door, wall, etc. Each time I have to go into his room (IE to put him back in bed) I take away a paper. If he has at least one paper left in the morning he gets a "special treat" (which happened to be great-grandma Jenkins fudge). I remind him each time, "if I have to come in again, I will take a paper away...you only have one left, you won't get a special treat in the morning if I come in again." It actually works! He always uses his first two chances, not usually for anything worthwhile (sometimes he just walks out of his room, straight to me and hands me the paper. I then pick him up and put him straight back in bed). After the second paper is used up, he usually asks to be "covered up" and then I don't hear from him again. Who knew it could be this easy?!?!

Of course, I have probably jinxed it now...

Our LONG holiday

Christmas Eve Traditions:

Opening one present...pajamas!

Reading the Christmas StoryDan chose to use the script from our Ward Choir performance.
We decided that we were short a few people (since Mackenzie was asleep and Dad was reading) to act out the Christmas Story. Instead we used our Little People Nativity set.

We started a new tradition (thanks to a story in The Friend).

We celebrated Jesus's birthday with birthday cake.

We each "gave" him a present...a promise to do something for him.

Dane said he would say his personal prayers. I think Brice said he would be nice to his sister??

Christmas Morning!

The kids were not allowed to come out of their rooms before 7:00. And then they could call for mom to come get them. I like to see the expression on their faces when they first see the Christmas tree. Dane was worried he'd forget so I had to put up a baby gate in the hall with a sign reminding him he couldn't come out without us. This year Mackenzie woke up at her normal 6:30-6:45. We played with her in our bed for a while. By about 7:30 we couldn't believe WE, the parents, were waiting for the kids to wake up. I decided to shower. Dan was so amazed, and bugged that he decided it was time to wake them up. We started with opening the door and leaving it open. Then I took Mackenzie to change her diaper (so she'd cry outside their door). Brice woke up first and didn't seem to remember, or realize what the significance of Christmas morning was. Silly boys!

I have always wanted to get a rocking horse, with each one of my kids. This year I just decided it was time! Thanks, Santa!

"A fruit rollup! Look...ANOTHER one!"

Who knew that that was all it took for Brice to be REALLY excited?!

And then there is Dane. He was honestly, truly excited, and thankful for ever little gift he received. (Except the new shoes...how was I supposed to know that he had to have "sneakers" and who knows the difference between "sneakers" and "tennis shoes"?)

And the last present that had to be discovered: (Dane found the box with the enclosure in it under a blanket behind the chair)

The Trampoline!

After our new (donuts) and old (quiche) traditional breakfast we headed out.

Grandma's house.

That night we performed the Christmas Story (since we had plenty of people to play all the parts).

Christmas at the Brice home:

It was almost like Christmas Morning all over again (just a few days later).

January 2nd and 3rd, San Diego

Since my little brother insisted on getting married in San Diego, we decided to go down a day earlier to cut back on the driving time (with three kids in the car). We visited some old friends (thanks Bedells for letting us stay at your house!! And thanks Leah for the rest/break after the wedding) and of course we went to the beach (thanks Liz for coming to play with us!). It was the worst weather out of the entire 10 days we were in California, go figure! But we just bundled up and enjoyed it as much as we could. It didn't stop the boys! They even ended up soaking their sweats so they could jump in the water.

And the big finishing event:

Josh and Melanie got married!

Whew! And we are home, unpacked and rested. The Christmas tree is down but I just can't bring myself to taking down the rest of the decorations. I love Christmas time though each year seems more and more a whirlwind. I enjoyed all your Christmas cards and pictures. Thank you for your love and friendship!