DIY// Pine cone mobile

Lately I've found myself surrounded by pine cones. It seems like every day at work I've been literally collecting truck loads of pine cones along with pine needles, sticks and leaves. It seems only appropriate to decorate my house with them too, right? Well my husband thought I lost it once and for all when I came home with a bucket of natures finest. I think he was pretty impressed with the end result.

Step 1. Go outside and find what nature has to offer. I found 5 really pretty pine cones with different sizes, shapes and colors. Also, any stick will do. 

Step 2. Cut pieces of twine with your desired length. I cut different lengths for each. 

Step 3. Wrap the end of your twine around your pine cones tightly. I didn't even have to tie it. All I did was wrap the twine around the pine cone tightly and snipped off the extra.

Step 4. Wrap the other end of your twine around the stick and tie. 

Step 5. Cut two pieces of twine at equal length, tie to the ends of the stick, then tie the other ends together at the top to create a way to hang your mobile.

Step 6. Hang on your wall with a pin where others can enjoy your unique decoration! 

Julia

This conversation happened after Julia and I got into an awful stupid awkward fight. In a way I'm so glad we had this little battle because what came from it was only love. I always love you Julia. No matter what. 

let go

Thank you Manwaring Center for supplying spoons for poor married college students so they can last another week.

Before..

 And after.. 

Next time we're coming after the silverware.

To Julia

I know we are 14 years a part, but I still have some really great sister memories.

I have such a strong memory of you coming home from college for the weekend. You would get to the house late Friday, we would eat tuna fish sandwiches on Saturday, and on sunday we would take naps on the couch. I loved that feeling of you holding me tight in your arms. As you would fall asleep that feeling of mine was soon replaced with "let me out of here!" But I never wanted to wake you. So I would lay with you and my seven year old self would try so very hard to be patient for I knew that you would be making the drive back to Provo soon.

On my Birthday you were always thinking of your baby sister. Receiving that gigantic box in the mail was literally the highlight of my life. I remember opening it up to find a giant purple bag and inside that bag was a giant brown (stuffed) puppy. My childhood life was complete!

When you told me that in about 6 months I would become an Aunt, it didn't register. I don't think it really did until mom and I were standing outside your hospital room, with our ears pressed against the door, and we finally heard the sweetest, most precious baby cry I had ever heard. I couldn't believe you had become a mother. I watched you be a great one. You loved your little boy with your entire heart.

I imagine that every 18 year olds first part time job experience is a little intimidating or scary. Not mine. When you came to Rexburg and started working at our local gym, you didn't waste any time on convincing the management to hire your two little sisters. My first day, (I wasn't even officially hired yet!) you got me straight to work. Working on knowing every persons life story, that is. You knew EVERYONE. and you didn't just know their names. You knew their entire life. Geez, you knew who exactly was sleeping with who in that scummy gym. Besides the weird stuff that went on there, you truly knew the good in other people. It was just something about you. People were drawn to you. You would always introduce me to the craziest people. And suddenly, because I was "Julia's little sister" I had all these awesome old man friends.. (and a lot of normal friends too). You helped me to understand the importance of people.

You, Stacy, and I signed up for a halloween race in Rigby. We went to Walmart for costumes and you convinced me to be a blue zombie butterfly complete with zombie wings. I'm kind of shy and awkward about these kinds of things but I'm so glad you made me do this. You helped me to get out of my comfort zone. I remember laughing so hard at your "sad" little lady bug antennas (you were a zombie lady bug.. or something..haha).

This was the time in our lives that we were finally getting close. Not just the "you're my big sister and I'm the little sister" close. It was like we were really friends.

These past months no matter how bad you were hurting or what was going on, you were always concerned for me. Asking me questions about school, work, our new apartment. You would message me "be happy!" and give me words of encouragement when I was sad. Your stories were the best entertainment and distracted be from my own worries.

I'll finish right here. I have a lot more but I can't get it out right now.

Julia, I love you so much. This is the hardest thing.

Teach me to Teach

I don't really know what's wrong with me but I am completely in love with school this semester.

Back when I graduated high school and was applying to BYU-Idaho, I declared my future studies as Elementary Education. I just knew it was right for me. I know that in this life, I am called to care of children. My first year of school I loved my major. The classes I took were challenging but every one of them got me more and more excited to teach. Then, for some weird reason, I got side tracked. I remember that I would let others opinions of my major bring me down. All I heard was "oh you're going into El Ed? Just like every other girl here." or "Teachers don't make that great of money. Are you sure that's what you want to do?" or the worst "You want to be with kids all day, every day?". These things were really hurtful and it made me question what I wanted to do. Well. Two years and an associates degree later, I'm back on track. I'm going with my original feeling and it has never felt better.

I've learned a lot from this experience. I know what I am supposed to do in this life and other's opinions should never sway me. That goes for anything that I know to be right.

This semester I am taking only 12 credits (due to scheduling and working) but it will be my best 12 credits yet. My classes include: Integrated Science, Elementary art methods, Health/PE methods, Culture and Diversity, and Capstone. I think so far my favorite has been Integrated Science. BUT it's only been one week. I've just been so excited that I've been doing homework pretty much non stop until now (and only because I've finished all of it for the week). Paul thinks I'm crazy but I'll probably start on next weeks homework in a few minutes.

I am so stinkin excited to teach and to touch even a tiny smidge of a child's life.

Our Sunday Mornings consist of

Jumping like monkeys. Oh and major bed heads.