Thankful Thursday: Thankful for Protection from Snakes!

I have decided to start blogging weekly about something I am currently thankful for.  I may have a story to share of a blessing that has touched my family, or I may have something small that I have been thankful for throughout the week.  I will also challenge you in the comments to share something you’re thankful for!  I will call this, “Thankful Thursday.”

On Saturday last weekend, my husband and I traveled to his family’s ranch to have a barbeque/picnic.  It was just the two of us, and it was a lot of fun.  I rode the four-wheeler around while my husband watched the fire, and then we decided to walk around and look around a bit.  There are a few sheds and different structures around the ranch, and my husband was showing me some of them.  He showed me inside one of the sheds, and then we were going to walk around the other side of the building to see another thing.  As we were walking, he said, “You wanna keep exploring?  It kinda makes you nervous doesn’t it?”  I said, “Ya, but it’s okay.”

About 10 seconds later, we hear a rattle snake’s rattle.  I look down, and my husband is about an inch (or less—it happened too fast to tell) away from the snake.  The snake was coiled, and the rattle was shaking and loud.  The snake was right next to my husband (to the right of him), and sitting right at his feet.  Afterwards, my husband said he didn’t know if he stepped on it, or was just very close.

I turned and ran, and so did my husband.  My husband said he didn’t have to ask me to move out of his way!  We were both safe, and okay, but I was super traumatized.  We were about an hour’s drive away from hospital, so getting there fast would have been hard had something bad happened.

About 20 minutes later, we said a blessing on the food.  I prayed that we’d be able to calm down from seeing the snake and be able to enjoy our meal together.  I walked around a rock/cement island meant to prepare food on, and almost stepped on a small garden snake that was moving quickly across the rocks.  I was doubly traumatized by then (I still see that rattle snake when I close my eyes!).  I knew that this snake could not hurt us, but it told me we needed to get out of there quickly if we’d already ran into two snakes in less than an hour.  We ate quickly and left, and got home safely.

After this experience, I have been more aware of the the times that I have been protected from harm by my Heavenly Father.  My husband and I have both had several scares with semi-trucks during the last few months while we’ve been commuting to and from work/school.  We have been very blessed to be protected, and this experience has brought an awareness in me that I can’t fully express in words.

Thanks for reading!  I challenge you to write a comment sharing something you are thankful for this week!

P.S. Tomorrow’s my last day of Student Teaching and I’ll definitely be back and blogging next week! :)

13.5 weeks down...2.5 to go!

Hi friends!  I'm getting closer to having a real life again!  I'm more than halfway done with my second placement, and have only one more assignment to finish for my portfolio!  Then I'll just correct typos and turn everything in again for my final grade.  I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  Who knew that it would take me six years to get a bachelor's degree, but considering that I took a year off to get married and move several times, I'm doing well.  My program is a five year degree anyways!  I'm just glad I'm really close!  Can't wait to blog more frequently!
Thanks for your support!
Lynette

A Quick Hello

Hi all!  I just wanted to let you know that I am still alive and well.  I’m insanely busy with student teaching currently, but also loving it!  I have a little less than 3 weeks left of my first placement, and then I have 8 weeks with preschoolers with disabilities.  I am getting closer to graduating from college and doing other things on my priority list…like blogging, cooking dinner for my husband more regularly, and keeping laundry done! :)

I’ll be back, but it may not be before the end of April!  I’ve done a few little sewing projects lately (like hemming pants and putting adjustable waistbands in dress pants), but haven’t taken time to take pictures.  Maybe I’ll just do a quick round-up post after I graduate, because lesson plans are simply more pressing!

Hope you all are doing well!  Thanks for reading, even though I’ve been quite absent lately!

Lynette

It’s a New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  I’ve been seeing several bloggers talk about their new year’s resolutions, and decided that it would be a good idea if I had some too.  But FIRST….let’s roll back a year and see how I did on last year’s resolutions!

Last year, I wanted to:

1. Keep my (clothes) closet clean and organized.

The problem was my undershirts.  They were always stuffed somewhere because I couldn’t ever find the color I was looking for!  I purchased one of these over the door organizers for like $8 to put my undershirts in.  I folded the undershirts in half and rolled them up and kept them color coordinated.  (I also stuffed swimming suits, belts, and headbands in extra pockets.)  I hung this on our bedroom door until we moved a few weeks ago (the hanging things would ruin our doors in the new apartment).  I now have the undershirts rolled up in dollar store baskets on a shelf.  Works fabulously!

2.  Craft at least a couple hours a week to stay sane.

As I was evaluating, I wondered if I had really done this.  I’m sure I missed a week or two due to moves, big papers, or lack of inspiration, but I sure did pretty well.  Some of my favorite projects from this year include:

Apple Green Ruffle T

First Quilt Ever

Purse/Makeup Organizers

I look forward to another year of crafting (but we all know by now it will mostly be of sewing!)

3.  Say, “No,” more often to things that aren’t important.

I am doing lots better!  A few years ago, I said yes to everything asked of me even if it wasn’t important!  This year, I said no to orchestra performances, church meetings, a few job offers, and pampered chef or card-making parties, just to name a few.  Every time I was asked to do something that wasn’t top priority and said “No,” it got easier to say “No,” the next time. 

And now, we have a brand new year to make NEW resolutions.  Hooray for more changes!  Here’s 2011’s three resolutions for me:

1.  Continue FLYING and refuse to let my perfectionism stop me from trying something new or start a task.

2.  Read the Ensign magazine for 7 minutes each week.

3.  Do my best in student teaching this semester and GRADUATE from college in May!

What are you working on this year?

~Lynette~

Random Facts about Me!

Hi there!  Amy over at The Idea Room is hosting this link up party. 

(I tried to post the pretty button, but it wasn’t working…so use the links in the text to get there)

Sounds fun, and I’m stuck at home with icy roads today (in a place where it NEVER snows!), so I thought I’d write a few tidbits about me.

In late high school and early college I would never wear matching socks.  They were always bright colors, but  I always liked turquoise and hot pink worn together best.  The last year or so I’ve pretty much grown out of it, but when I need a bit of cheering up, I will put on a non-matching pair of socks! :)

I didn’t like pink until I was at least 18.  Now it’s one of my more dominant colors in my closest.

I thought sewing, cooking, and all that “domestic stuff,” was ridiculous until I started dating my husband.  I didn’t start sewing until a little over a year ago, and it quickly became my favorite hobby EVER.  I love how you can make anything, or alter clothing, specific to the way YOU want when you sew things yourself! :)

I play the clarinet, and love it.  I wish I could play the piano well enough to play for people to sing to.

In our 2.5 years of marriage, my husband and I have moved about 8 times.  (You stop counting at about move 5).  A good 2/3’s of our wedding gifts are in hubby’s parents basement.  We’ll open them up and use them when we buy a house…someday. :)

I like four wheeling with my husband, but can’t drive a stick shift to save my life. 

I love walking.  In high school I would walk to work in 110 degree weather just so I could walk. (I’m not nearly that crazy anymore!)

I love writing and receiving old fashioned letters.  And I love typing and writing…hence the blog. :)

Well I’m sure that’s more than enough about me!  I hope you all are enjoying a fabulous holiday season!

Grandview Bag

A few months ago I participated in the Purse Week Contest over at A Lemon Squeezy Home.  I loved looking at all the beautiful purses, and especially loved the winner’s design.  Thanks to Emily at The Boy Trifecta she made a tutorial for the Grandview Bag, and I decided that my sister would love one for Christmas.  I asked her what was important in a bag for her, and she gave me several suggestions.

She wanted a bag that was fancy,

with an adjustable strap,

a magnetic closure,

a key holder hook thingy,

and a inside zippered pocket!

Whew! That was enough to make me tired just thinking about it, but I went about gathering my supplies and went at it.  I’d never done an adjustable strap with hardware before, and was up for the challenge.  I had also never done a magnetic closure, but I knew I’d try for my sister.

I found the fabric at Joann’s, and then finally a few days before Christmas sat down and started working on the bag.

Here it is, all ruffled and fancy and ready to go!

Here’s a peek at the inside zippered pocket, magnetic snap, and the key hook.  I took the hardware off a broken strap to make it adjustable.  I used this tutorial to do the strap, and this tutorial for the magnetic strap.  Both tutorials were great and made the new “scary,” tasks very easy and manageable.  The tutorial for the bag is in two parts, so click here for part 1 and here for part 2.

Well there you have it, my handmade Christmas gifts for 2010.

Hostess Apron

Hi all!  Now that Christmas is over and I’ve given out gifts, I can show you what I’ve made!  One day my mom was talking about how cute the ruffle aprons were that EVERYBODY has now, and that she really wanted one!

I took that as a hint and began searching for patterns and tutorials.

And I found this one from sew4home

Then I found the lovely coordinating fabric at Hobby Lobby (how I will miss that store now that I’ve moved away!)

Here’s how it turned out for me:

My mom absolutely loves it!  She loves how the bib has enough coverage to protect her clothes from spills, and she loves the ruffles.  I felt that this tutorial was one that was okay to follow, but they left a few things out that super-beginner sewers may have trouble with.  If you’ve been sewing for a while, you’d be fine.  Thanks for reading and stay tuned for another Christmas gift very very soon!