Did ya'll have a nice Thanksgiving? We did. I was a little surprised actually. I didn't think my Thanksgiving Spirit would show up, but it did. These will be our first holidays without my sister. My breakdown came early. We hosted Thanksgiving Dinner at our house. On Monday I was finishing up the menu and thought, "Maybe we should have a green salad too. I'll call Court and she can do the salad."
And then I felt like I wanted to double over in pain because I had to realize all over again that she is not here.
That happens sometimes. It is excruciating. So I spent Monday mourning my sister. It was not a good day. I saw a quote somewhere, I should have written it down. The thought was that having a good cry was what we needed sometimes...that our tears wash our wings so we can fly again. That was kind of what happened to me. After spending Monday in my grief I girded up my loins and headed into Thanksgiving. And it was good.
This layout is at Thanksgiving at my house in 2007. In 2008 Courtney was in Florida so we did not get to spend it together.
We had lots of family over and too much yummy food. Lemme tell ya'll...we can cook.
Just in case you didn't know...the very best thing you can do with leftover turkey is make Turkey Noodle Soup! It will make your heart happy!
I diced up the left over turkey, an onion, five carrots, five celery stalks, and a little minced garlic. I let it simmer on low for a few hours in chicken broth. I had some homemade broth in the freezer from the last time I made chicken but canned broth would work too. Salt and pepper it to taste and about 15 minutes before you eat add 1/2 a bag of egg noodles.
Of course my kids screamed bloody murder when I tried to get them to eat it...cause you know, there are vegetables in it. Oh well...more for mom!
TURKEY TROT
It is true. We trotted. The Wresh Family got up bright and early on Thanksgiving morning and trotted our buns two miles to benefit the Maricopa Food Bank.
46 IS OLD
It really is. It is only 4 years away from 50. I think we are all aware that 50 is really really old. I guess for now I am going to have to make my peace with really old...because I am married to it! In four years I will be married to a 50 year old man. I am not sure if I am allowed to be married to someone that old. I will have to check. Love you Mr. Wresh. Happy Birthday!
By the way...he refused to act right so this is the best shot I got!
With the holidays just being over and Christmas decorations out I just didn't have it in me to make a birthday cake. I know. I bug.
I did get Mr. Wresh a super yummy cake from NothingBundtCakes. Gotta tell you...the Wresh Family highly recommends them. I picked the marble flavor and it is a dense cake. It reminded me of the cakes my Great Grandma Norton used to make.
We only put one candle on the cake. We just didn't think our little bundt cake or our smoke detectors could hack 46 blazing candles.Good stuff and they ship too!
CHRISTMAS EXPLODED ALL OVER THE HOUSE
I love Christmas. I love the smells, baking, decorations, nativities, celebrating our Savior, and all the sweet memories. I also love to buy decorations on clearance after the Holidays. So I have A LOT.
This year we took out some of my favorite ornaments. They are glass balls that are hand painted. Gorgeous. Each one has it's own cute little red box to keep it safe. My mom used to buy them for us in China when she was still a flight attendant. You can see on the back of the boxes she would write our initials. My mom is very into everything being "fair". She is so cute.
I have not taken them out since Ryan was a baby because I was afraid they would get broken. I an feeling confidant that they are safe this year so we took them out and put them on the tree!
These pictures are of last weekend when all the decorations came out of the attic. Rest assured everything has found it's place and we are no longer swimming in plastic storage bins!
I need to take pictures now that all the garland is up and everything is done. We are feeling very cozy.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE
Last year when we were in Florida for THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER I brought along a Ginger Bread House kit. It was just an afterthought. Something I thought would entertain us for an evening. The kids had so much fun decorating the Ginger Bread House. Courtney and her kids, Corinne and her girls, me and my boys, and Grandma and Grandpa. It was such a fun night.
Here is a picture from last year decorating the Ginger Bread House.
My mom and I were reminiscing about that night and how fun it was. When I went back to look at the pictures Courtney was not in them. I think she was taking them. Dang it. We decided that in honor of the memory of that fun time Ginger Bread Houses would be a regular part of Christmas from now on!
Aunt Jo was over yesterday so we got her to help decorate our Gingerbread House!
Never mind the wet spot on Jo Jo's shirt. We had a bowl of frosting go haywire and some of it got on her shirt! I am sure she will be pleased that I posted this picture.
Please take note of the "windows" sliding off the house on the right side. We take great pride in our workmanship.
THANK YOU KATIE THE SCRAPBOOK LADY
I blog surf every now and again. I don't subscribe to any or have readers or feeds. I am not even 100% sure what those are...but I do stop by to visit Katie The Scrap Book Lady pretty regularly! A few weeks ago she had a Martha Stewart giveaway on her blog. I entered, cause you know, who doesn't love Martha? Guess what? I won! Katie sent me a Martha Stewart Holiday book and...drumroll...COUPONS for 50% Martha Craft Products at Michaels. In case you are not in the know...all of Martha's products are excluded from the regular Michaels coupons so these are a rare treat!
I got some cute albums for a few gifts I am making and a few new tools. Martha's circle cutter is my new boyfriend.
Thanks Katie!
FORGIVENESS
I want ask your advice on this subject...because I am not doing very well.
I have always thought I was a pretty forgiving person, right up until this year. This year I learned that I am only forgiving if certain conditions are met.
If someone asks my forgiveness I am quick to give it. I don't have the attention span neccessary to hold too many grudges.
I am also forgiving if I realize that I played a part in whatever the situation is.
What I am having a really hard time with is forgiving people who are not sorry. They would hurt me and my family all over again. They have no regrets. How do you forgive that?
As if the pain of losing Courtney was not enough we were betrayed over and over again. We expected it from some people and other people blew us away with their assumptions and lies. We encountered a viciousness no one should have to ever have to contend with, especially in defense of someone they love who has died. Watching my mom, who has suffered the greatest pain I can imagine, have to suffer this as well has made me hateful towards certain people.
I don't recall ever hating anyone before this year. But I do now. I don't want to. I have been talking to my Heavenly Father about it in prayer and asking Him to help me understand. I know that it is a sin not to forgive. I know that our Savior does not want us to hate anyone. So what do I do?
When I say my prayers I ask for help to even want to forgive. It hasn't come. I know I don't have the luxury of forgiving when I feel like it. To forgive each other is a commandment. I am so conflicted because while I know I have to forgive...I just don't want to.
These are not people I would ever allow in my life again. Some I will have to deal with on a limited basis and some, hopefully, I will never see again in my lifetime.
FLOWER HAIR CLIP TUTORIAL
The other day I got a new nightgown. Cream with pink toile print. Cute, cute, cute. It came with a little fabric belt. Weird. Who wears a belt with their night gowns? I got a little flash of imspiration and decided to glue it to a piece of felt and make a hair clip out of it! Here is how I did it!
The fabric belt
Using my new boyfriend...and now you all know why I am weird...I am left handed!
Perfect circle...thank you Martha!
Hot glue the end of the fabric belt to the middle
Glue the fabric belt down in a circular direction on the felt keeping it close together
I decided that my felt circle was bigger than I wanted so I trimmed it down
Glue down the end tightly and add a little button or embellishment to the center
I used a snap clip and two pieces of felt to cover the clip
Snip a little hole at the top of one of your pieces of felt and slip the back of the clip through the hole. This part of the clip will not be covered. Make sure your little hole is tiny or your clip will slip around.
Put the other little piece of felt over the top and stitch around the clip
Trim around your clip
Hot glue your flower to the felt covered clip. So cute! I had to make two...one for me and one for Sweet Baby Margie!
NEW RELEASE

BLOG TREAT
This one is an oldie but a goodie...it is retired but I thought some of you might like it for holiday pictures!


































































































































