GO VOTE....RIGHT NOW....PLEASE!!!!

In my sidebar there is a "vote now" button. This is VERY important. There is a law being written that states that after August 2009 it will be illegal to have a handmade item for a child under the age of 12 in our great United States. This includes toys, clothing, booties, blankets....anything you basically find on ETSY for kids and babies. We will not be able to give handmade gifts for showers, birthdays or holidays. The law was written to protect us from lead and other imported nasties. Obviously it needs to be rewritten. I will move to Canada if this law goes through. I cannot imagine my personal world without handmade items. Please go vote so we can change this law. It is very important to me and many other Mom's across this country!!!

Sad, but true....

Every year I say I won't do this.... but every year I stay awake until wee hours trying to get things finished for Christmas Day!

I hope your holidays are perfectly wonderful!

xoxoxo,
Amy

Family Christmas Party!

The PRINCESS is finally four!

Brighton Hannah Summers (Super-hero Princess). Where do I start with Nanna? Well, I'll start at the beginning. Nanna is named after my Grandma Hannah Hazel Scott. As I've mentioned before, she was my favorite person ever and I think about her every day. I think my Grandma must have had a very hard time letting her go from heaven, because Nan was VERY hard to get here. I wasn't sure if she would ever be mine! I knew there was a Hannah somewhere for me...I kept fighting and fighting and after many, many miscarriages I became pregnant with my Hannah. I felt instantly at peace because I knew this one would be okay. I sang to her everyday while she grew in me. I knew she was a girl, I never even doubted it. I even knew her name was Hannah. Then I dreamed about a beautiful light haired, hazel eyed little girl named Brighton. I knew that this was my baby and that her name was supposed to be Brighton Hannah. From the minute she was born I called her Nanna. She isn't just Brighton to me. She's my Hannah. But her name fits her...she "brightens" up the room the minute she dances in. And yes, she doesn't walk, she dances. She loves everything girly, doesn't realize that little girls can't always do what big sisters do. (She does it any way!) She loves make-up, dressing up, and changing clothes (about 10 times a day!) There are just not enough accessories in the world for Nanna. The world just doesn't move fast enough and you can see the curiousness in her eyes. She refuses to leave the house without lip gloss. (I tell her every day she is too pretty for everything except lip gloss!) She is every little bit feminine that I am lacking. It is just a part of who she is and I LOVE it. She will share anything, loves babies, wants to help do everything and hates to clean her room. She says it isn't mess, it's just her stuff. (Where do you think she came up with that?) Nanna is always good for a snuggle, she comes and climbs in our bed every morning (If she ever makes it out the night before!) Nanna doesn't look a thing like me, but she processes things the same way I do, and I believe she inherited my ability to see beauty everywhere. She gets so excited over things that I don't always see and she helps me to see them too. I love the world through Nanna's eyes. Nanna doesn't have an ounce of stage fright, loves to be the center of attention and I know she will do great things in her own time. I am thankful everyday that I kept trying, it was worth absolutely everything. I love you Brighton Hannah! Happy 4th Birthday!

Randomness

I'm way too busy to take new pictures, so please enjoy this random pic from my stash! Poor Mialeigh, I don't think she knows how to play the piano without "help"!

Today is my baby brother's birthday. Obviously he isn't a baby anymore, he got married last year and now they are expecting their first baby :) Happy Birthday Big D!

Now that we are on the subject of babies...I get to babysit my newborn niece a few days a week! Brian went out and pulled out the pack'n'play, bouncer seat, and other assorted little objects that haven't been seen around here for quite some time. My house looks a little more normal to me now. (Pack'n'play set up in the living room!) Wish me luck, she's only 3 weeks old! I'm very, very excited! (Can you tell?)

Warning...Possible Future Therapy Issue:

I have no idea where she learned this. Who could she possibly know that is this freakish about ownership of a drink??? :)

I am thankful for...

My family. Every day they make me proud to call them mine.

My home. When you lose everything, you learn the hard way what is actually important... and it isn't the mansion on the hill. Love really does grow best in little houses.

My hands. They have provided a constant source of comfort when my body stopped working the way it is supposed to. Yarn is magic in my fingers.

My ability to find beauty in the most random things. I consider this my greatest talent.

So, so many more things too numerous to mention.
I am very blessed, even in my darkest hour, I can always find many things to be thankful for.

May you always have much to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!






Note: Of course there has to be something negative. Here it is, my HUGE pet peeve of the day...
Christmas decorations should not even leave the storage shed until the day after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a very under-rated holiday. Let it have it's glory before you let Christmas throw up in your house and ESPECIALLY in your yard. You know who you are. Come on, there only needs to be one Griswold family. One big stupid blow up thing is plenty. Really, plenty. That being said, anyone who knows my husband probably knows he is terrified of heights. We are the red neck family who leaves our christmas lights up year round. (BUT I DON'T TURN THEM ON UNTIL AFTER THANKSGIVING TURKEY!!!)

Funny, so, so funny!

You might be from Utah if..... *You keep your clothes in "Chester Drawers" *You don't pronounce T's in the middle of words.(Moun'n, Lay'n)* You think a "G" at the end of a word is silent. (You comin' fer dinner?)* You know what Fry Sauce is made of.*You go to the duck pond to feed the Seagulls.* Green Jell-o with carrots mixed in doesn't seem strange.*You can pronounce Tooele.* The Y is not just a letter - Neither is the U.* You have actually eaten funeral potatoes.*You've gotten both heat and frost burns off your car's door handle in the same month!*You are not surprised to hear words like "Darn, Fetch, Flip", "Oh, My Heck" and "Shoot".*Your tulips get snowed on three times after they come up and twice more after they bloom.* The largest liquor store is the state government.*You can go skiing and play golf on the same day.*30% humidity is muggy and almost unbearable.* You know the difference between a 'Steak House' and a 'Stake House'.* You've broken down on the highway and somebody stops to help you.*You can see the stars at night.* You were an aunt or uncle before you were three.* You have more children than you can find biblical names for.*Your family considers a trip to McDonald's a night out.*You feel guilty when you watch Monday Night Football.* Your kids believe the deer hunt is a national holiday.*You drink Coke from a brown paper bag.*At least two of your salad bowls are at the homes of neighbors* There is a similarity between a ward basketball game and the L.A. riots.* You think Jack Daniels is a country western singer.*You negotiate prices at a garage sale.* You can make Jell-O salad without the recipe.*You've heard about BYU football in a testimony meeting.*You have two gallons of ice cream in your freezer at all times.* Your father-in-law thinks Ronald Reagan was a liberal.*A member of your family wrote in Lavell Edwards for president in the last election.*Sandals are the best-selling shoes.* Hotel rooms all have the Book of Mormon.*You buy your wardrobe at the local grocery superstore.* You learn about the Mormon Church by taking history in elementary school.* You live in a state where Democrats always come in third place, unless a zoo animal is running. Then they come in fourth.* Schools stay open, even if two feet of snow falls overnight, but closes for the opening of hunting season.*People wear shorts and T-shir ts if the temperature rises above 32 degrees.*People wear socks with their sandals.* There is a church on every corner, but they all teach the same thing.*The most popular public transportation system is a ski lift.*In-state college football rivalries are bigger than the Super Bowl.* You don't have to breathe cigarette smoke until you walk outside.*Every driveway has a minivan and a pickup truck.*When you buy a new vehicle, cigarette lighters are optional equipment but ski racks are standard.*Every time a new family moves into your neighborhood, the local elementary school has to hire a new teacher.*Every time a new family moves into your neighborhood, your whole family has to go and meet them the next day, after you helped them unload their moving truck.*Your paycheck has an additional 10 percent deduction .* More movies are filmed in your town than in Hollywood.*You've never had a Mormon missionary knock on your door, unless you are having them over for dinner that night.*You make a toast with red punch at your wedding reception.* You have more raw wheat stored than some Third World Countries.*Your idea of a good time is playing Pictionary in the cultural hall.*Your idea of a wild party is a six pack of Pepsi and a PG-13 movie.* You and all your friends come to your mother for a haircut in herkitchen.* You measure Kool-Aid by parts per million.*The bride isn't pregnant, but either her mother or future mother-in-law is.You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Utah.

I'm busy, busy, dreadfully busy.....

Lucky for you I didn't put the sound of my voice singing that song. Today,I have Christmas in my head. This is the most unprepared I've ever been for the Holidays. (Having lack of funds does this kind of thing.) My Christmas Crafting List. Insane....absolutely. Impossible...maybe. We'll see. More later.

summersandco's ETSY shop is finally open!

whew! That was a lot of work! Ok, click on the link to the right (left? no, right!) And you'll see my new etsy shop! I will be listing some more by the end of the week! Cute stuff, no? Tell everyone you know! Right now... GO!

Kellie, this is for you...

It's about time....

This is what almost two weeks overdue gets you...I'd say it was pretty worth it. Brian's little sister Marie is finally a Mom! We spent all day at the hospital yesterday and after a long, long wait little Rowan popped out with her eyes wide open and looking around at the world. I have never, ever been so proud of someone. Marie was the calmest, and most in control person I have ever seen in labor. Even now I am puffing up with pride. I've been around long enough to see Marie go through a LOT of stages. I wasn't sure this one would ever come. I am so thankful it did. She is going to be a wonderful Mama. Rowan is just stunningly beautiful. I am a very proud Aunt Mamie today!

Mmmmm....smells like cold weather?!

Most people say that pumpkin pie smells like fall. Not me. I think nothing smells more like cold weather than homemade granola. This just might be an unknown fact about me. I love whole grains. I adore oatmeal. I will choose a hearty wheat bread over white bread every time (except one...grilled cheese sandwiches). I love wheat germ, I eat it on my ice cream. When I was growing up my Mom made this granola, but only in the fall and winter because of the oven time.
My whole house smells YUMMY today!
Go make some.... right now, it's good for you and your soul!

Mom's Granola

8 c. oats

6 c. wheaties

2 c. wheat germ

2 c. coconut

1 tsp. salt

2 c. brown sugar

4 oz. sunflower seeds

1 c. oil

1 c. water

3 tsp vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients in a very large bowl. ( I usually make half this recipe so I can smell the goodness twice!) Mix remaining wet ingredients and pour over dry mix in bowl.

Mix well. Pour onto a large cookie sheet. Bake @ 250 degrees for 3 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes so it doesn't burn :) After it cools store in an empty oatmeal canister. I usually add dried cranberries, raisins, or chocolate chips before I eat it! I even eat this as a trail mix type snack!ENJOY!

Coming soon to an ETSY shop near you....

Carter's Crocs

These just might be the cutest booties I've ever seen. (Yes, the strap does move back and forth, just like the real ones!) This little pair of cuteness is for my nephew Carter... but there will be more!

Okay, add it to the list...

...of things I'm just not very good at. Unfortunately the list is getting longer by the day! As usual I had a lot of things to say this month, but the more behind I got, the bigger the panic attack got when I thought of trying to catch this poor little blog up! So, I thought I'd show you the last 6 weeks or so in pictures and maybe the chest pains will go away so I can get to the good stuff!

These are actually backwards in order...(see, another thing to add to the list!)

By the way... my poor house is still in the middle of a very LONG remodeling session! Hopefully one day it will be finished enough to post before and after pictures... it doesn't hurt to dream does it?

Ok, here it goes!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Halloween!
Brighton's pretty-school Halloween party!

Treats for Brighton's pretty-school party.

Kellie, if this barn was closer we would SOOOO be getting our picture taken there. Unfortunately it is in Canada. Really high up in Canada. Pity.

Brian and Ben's big moose hunt. Notice the wrong date. This is what happens when you send two men alone to do anything. It's amazing they didn't get lost.

Halloween Cookies...Just the way I like 'em (lots of frosting!)

The corn maze ( for Brighton's pretty-school)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIALEIGH!

I can't believe it's already been 9 years!

I really hate snow, but I really, really hate snow when it comes the first week of October!

I'm still alive......really, I am.........

Quick update, it's been a crazy month. I will be posting more soon :)

First Day of School (Part Two)

Brighton's first day of preschool! She calls it "pretty-school". The world is just full of "nanna-isms" She is one of a kind. This morning Miss Brighton decided that she didn't want to go to pretty-school, so being the just and kind parents that we are... we bribed her. Her Daddy had to take her ALONE, in the truck, she HAD to wear her super-hero-princess-cape for "tattletale" (show and tell) and after I was to pick her up and take her directly to lunch! After this was decided and the tears stopped, Brian told me to just plan on leaving early and be in the driveway at the school "just in case". He said that when he walked in the door she said, "Bye, Dad" and was just fine. Such a little Drama Queen! I don't even know what the world would be like without nanna-isms. Boring that's for sure. More nanna-isms to come!

Off My Needles.....

Clover Tweed Dishcloth

I love this dishcloth! It matches my kitchen perfectly!

Apple Cozy - one for each new teacher :) A little suck up never hurts!

Garterlac Dishcloth - For ME :) My dishcloths are looking pretty sad.

Knit dishcloths are the best!

Just a few super quick projects this week! I'm working on a couple of "secret" projects for Marie's baby shower! Shhhhhhh!

First Day of School (Part One)

My two "big" kids off to elementary school!

My Grandma would be sooooo proud...

My Grandma Scott taught me how to do most things with a needle. I would spend hours sewing buttons on fabric. (She would cut them all off for me to do it the next time!) She had soooo much patience teaching me things while I was so little for them. I know she is the reason I love all kinds of needles. Grandma was the first person that taught me how to crochet. I love to crochet, I still think it is easier than knitting. It's like second nature to me. My kids are so used to seeing me with some sort of project, that sometimes I worry that they will have no interest in the things I love. So... you can imagine how excited I was this week when MiaLeigh FINALLY asked me to teach her how to crochet. Well...whatever big sister does, Brighton thinks she can do too! (surprisingly, she usually can) I had to snap a picture of their "chains". MiaLeigh is chaining with the same crochet hook my Grandma gave me when I was 6 years old. Brighton is chaining with her fingers exactly how Grandma taught me when I was too young for a hook. Everyday I wish my Grandma was still around to see my kids. I know she would get a kick out of their spunky attitudes! I'm pretty sure she is beaming with pride today where ever she is!!!

The Tooth Wars.....

This last week we have had what we like to call THE TOOTH WARS....(not to be confused with the Star Wars) MiaLeigh and Mack have had a little contest going on to see who could loose the most teeth! Well, we have a winner! Mack has unwillingly lost both of his big fat white fake "chiclet" teeth! I have never seen such a lovely space in a kid's mouth! I hated those ugly teeth from the moment the dentist put them in almost 5 years ago. He finally looks like my handsome little boy again! I was so excited I could have danced with the tooth fairy!!! MiaLeigh managed to lose one tooth this week too! It was an exciting week around the Summers' house!

MY FIRST BLOG.......FINALLY!

I have been thinking about starting a blog for quite some time now. Yesterday I found out that sadly, I am the last to actually start one! I don't like being last in anything so I figured I'd better get my butt in gear and get going. This blog will be a random assortment of anything and everything going on around here. (Get ready for a crazy glimpse into my busy brain!)