like I need another project idea.

What we're up to around here.

Lots of cute, rolling, crawling (about 2 steps forward so far...), chewing, smiling, and the like.

These two love playing together.
Reid is just too sweet. I don't know how to describe it, but he has this magical magnetic quality. Even when he's napping. Look at how sweet!
Close-up on the angel face.
And an idea of something fun to do:

So there's this blog, Wee Wonderfuls, that I love. Super love.

She has patterns to make little dolls that I think are so precious. Do little girls still play with dolls? I hope so. All the girls I know are into Hannah Montana and Wii. Yikes.

Here are the dolls Kit, Chloe, and Louise.

And she also sells notecards of the girls doing cute things.

Seeing these doll patterns and this story from her blog (please click on that link, it's painfully cute) gave me a ridiculous idea. My sister Annie and I don't get to hang out very often, and I always think of fun things for us to do that we never get a chance to do. One day I thought it would be funny to make an Emily doll and an Annie doll and take pictures of the two dolls playing together.

Absolutely ridiculous, right? But in an awesome way, yes? I think so, too.

If I ever actually make the dolls and set up a blog for their adventures, I'll let you know.

summer of miracles.

Could you use a miracle?  

I'll make you a promise.  If you join me in this challenge that our bishopric gave our ward, you'll see miracles in your life this summer.

Seriously.  

I know it will happen for me, and I know it will happen for you, too.

(It was originally given to the youth in our stake by our stake president at seminary graduation a few weeks ago.  Our bishop thought it was worth giving to our ward as a ward-wide challenge.  I'm so glad he did.  I know in my life that I've seen over and over again that when I show Heavenly Father that I really mean it, when I put in the work to let my faith grow...miracles happen.  It's always good to get a reminder of that, and that now is always a good time to try harder and to love more.)

Here's the challenge: (my thoughts are in blue)

The Summer Formula

1. Daily Private Devotional

  a. Read and ponder the scriptures - The Book of Mormon (There is something about reading The Book of Mormon that connects me to my Heavenly Father more than any other scripture.  We read a chapter a day as a family and I know that we've received mountains of blessings just for that one effort.)

  b. Prayer that connects ("What can I do to be more clean and pure before God?") (I loved this phrase, "prayer that connects".  Sometimes doesn't it feel like your prayers don't even go past the ceiling?  You know what I mean?  I love the reminder that prayer is a conversation, a communion, and, when we put our hearts into it...a connection.  Oh, and one more thing.  Part of my efforts to be "more clean and pure before God" is to clean up my language.  I don't swear, but I do say crap and turd a lot.  I think they're funny, but they are also rude and not very...well, clean and pure.  So, I'm doing it.  I'm going to clean up my language.  If you hear me say either of the aforementioned words, then get me in trouble.  Okay?)

2. Daily Christian Service

  a. Eliminate selfishness (Wow.  That will take a lot of work.  But even small steps toward unselfishness are going to make a big difference, no?)

  b. Contribute to love and peace in the family (We can all do a little better, right?  And imagine if everyone in the family each did a little better.  That's a LOT better!)

3. Keep the Sabbath Day Holy

  a. Prepare, serve, magnify, worship (I am proof.  Miracles happen when you prepare.  We've been working really hard to try and be more reverent during the Sacrament.  Usually that's exactly when the babies are hungry, so that means that during Sacrament Meeting we (and everyone around us) hears a lot of LOUD slurping, burping, spitting up, pooping, farting, fussing, etc. etc. etc.  Not very conducive to worship.  So we've really put a lot of effort into changing our schedule so that the babies will be ready to sleep about the time that Sacrament Meeting starts.  That's tricky, though, because that means they're tired, and it's a risk.  Sometimes tired babies fall asleep.  But, sometimes, tired babies want to scream.  Our miracle is that for two weeks now! the babies fell asleep in their car seats parked in front of us.  Like it was no big deal.  Their eyes were open one minute and closed the next.  And they slept all of Sacrament Meeting.  For me, that's a miracle.  A big one.  I'll tell you what, putting in the work necessary to have a fulfilling worship at your Sunday meetings it worth the effort.  It makes a difference.  I don't know why I forget that sometimes and have to be reminded.  But I guess that's just how it goes.  We just always have to try a little harder and remember things we used to know.)

  b. Duty to God, Personal Progress (These are programs for the youth, but the first thing I thought of was things that I should be spending my Sabbath time on.  My goal?  My journal.  I know I'll want to look back on this time and remember all the little details of my sweet little ones and our wacky life.  One thing I know, is babies don't keep.  Our babies our six months already.  SIX!  I desperately need to write our family's story.  It's a good one and I'm going to want to read it in the future.)

So there it is.  I hope you'll join me.  And let me know how it goes.  I'll post about the miracles I'm seeing in my life, and I'd love to hear the ones that happen in yours.  Believe me, it's gonna happen.  

True business.

Oh, and do you have a Book of Mormon?  If you don't I would love to send you one.  Send me an email with your mailing address and I'll get one out to you right away.  And I'll send a fun little present in there, too.  How about a cute little pincushion or something?

Okay, that's misleading.  I am not sure that I could make a pincushion this cute.  But I'll sure try.

just too good.

You know how I used to post about stuff?  Just for the fun of it stuff?

I'm going to do that again.

I mean, my kids are dang cute, so pictures of them aren't going anywhere.  I couldn't do that to you.

But in between episodes of "my three sons" you'll get sporadic installments of of awesomeness.  There is no charge for the awesomeness.  Or the attractiveness.  (name the movie...)

Today's awesomeness/attractiveness is from one of the coolest blogs ever.  True business.  Goal for 2009: attend one of her killer parties.  Don't know how I'm going to pull it off, but I'll do it.  Here are some ideas she posted the other day.  

Okay.  

Wasn't a little random Emily-ness fun?

(remember how I raved about the labels I used for Reid's party?  That's her company.  So cool, right?  Makes me want to start my own company, too.  Oh, right.  I already am.  What?  I haven't told you about that, yet?  Well, I should.  Because it's going to be awesome.  Keep your blog ears open.)

and head injury free!

Here's a good one from ohdeedoh, a really cool parenting/kids/design/home blog.

It's a coffee table playmat, something that you could just wrap onto your existing coffee table.  We had a coffee table, but when we were getting ready to move from Alaska here to California, and with the impending birth of two more little ones, I convinced Erik that a wood coffee table (and therefore hard corners at little person height) was just not a good idea.  (sorry, Erik)  I wish I had seen this then.  What a great idea to just wrap it on and take it off, besides the fact that Reid is obsessed with all things cars and would love this.

good idea.

Some good ideas for a Thursday afternoon:
This one was my idea. I have a bunch of fat quarters (for you sewing folk) that are just sitting around, waiting to be used. I also love cloth napkins. So, I figured, how about I make these fat quarters into napkins! My mom and I serged the edges with a rolled hem (lickety-split) and now they're all ready to go. We actually had company over on Monday night for our standing cards night (after FHE together) and I could have used them for dinner that night, but Erik grilled ribs. Messy ribs. I know it may bother some that if you did this your stash fabric might get dirty, but the way I figure it is that if you are someone who would use a vintage (used) tablecloth in a quilt project (I would)...then what's the difference with this? Someday when these fabrics make it into a quilt, they may have a little wear on them, and that's fine with me.

But I draw the line at ribs.

When we moved into our house 2 months ago, a family from the ward that lives down the street brought over this pan of brownies for us. It said (before I started eating them in a very unladylike fashion) "Welcome to the neighborhood Olsen Family." Isn't that so cute? And nice? And yummy?

So as I'm cutting up the brownies, I see something strange about the bottom of the pan. (Look to the left of the knife in the first picture...do you see an "S"?) I look at the bottom of the pan and see that she had etched the family's last name onto the plate. Genius! Ward Party Potluck Dilemma SOLVED! I even happen to have some ArmorEtch from Michael's sitting in my craft area. I love this idea.

And lastly, I saw this on Design Mom and loved it. I mean, LOVED LOVED LOVED it. It's a play tent, made out of great fabrics, and just the cutest thing. Check out the etsy shop here.

So, there's some good ideas for you.

Next up, posts of cute babies.