Busy

I have been keeping VERY busy lately.  Since we have been home from our trip, I have continued working like mad on my bookkeeping course - I must finish it before November and I'm so close.  I've also determined to become an acceptable seamstress, so I began an extremely cute turtle sleeping bag for when Grant gets a little older with the help of a lady from Sheran Park Ward who made the pattern herself.  This weekend, with Sheran Park Ward's Super Saturday (an annual Christmas crafts day that each ward traditionally does in the church, our ward's is in three weeks, check out what we're making here and you may spot one of your Christmas presents), I had an extremely busy six hours making as many crafts as I could and spending all our Christmas money.  I made a small nativity set, for us since we don't have any nativities, and let me tell you, they are RIDICULOUSLY cute.  They are wooden, and only two pieces - a Mary and baby with a Joseph and sheep.  I'll post pictures of our Christmas and you'll have to try and spot it.  I also made a wooden plaque for the wall that says Curtis Family Home Evening, and has hanging tags for Mom, Dad, and Grant underneath the various Family Home Evening assignments:  Song, Prayer, Lesson, Activity, Treat, Scripture.  Every Monday is Family Home Evening, and unless we are joined with our other-young-couples group, we get together in the living room, don't answer the phone, sing, pray, have a lesson, play a game or have another activity, and a treat.  It's intended to ensure that families set aside at least one evening a week to be together as a family.  I also made another wooden plaque that I will post a picture of soon, which follows a verse of scripture - this one.  It's lovely.  And I got a bit of a start on the turtle sleeping bag.  I also had a few minutes to eat the free lunch.  It was a hectic day!  The most time consuming was the nativity - sanding, painting, scoring, staining, using antiquing gel, and assembling the bits.  I am SO happy with the end results.

I have also been busy with other church activities.  Last Thursday was the first meet of a new group in our ward, Recipe Club.  I made my famous Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes, since it's the best thing I can cook, and there was an absolute feast waiting at the Hartleys.  It was a really fun night, and I was able to leave Grant at home.

Also, Book Club is meeting at my house this month and I'm still deciding what the treats and other eats are going to be for the women.  The book is a hilarious LDS book by Joni Hilton, As the Ward Turns - as I keep saying, it has just the right mix of giggle-out-loud comedy and sweet Families-Are-Forever sentiment.  There's a sequel called Stop the Ward, I Want to Get Off, which I also highly recommend.  Her books are easy reads and are SURE to make you laugh right out loud.

Finally, our friends have invited us to a Halloween party on the 31st and we have to bring a treat.  I really want to make these - I don't know if I'm up for it, but they are incredible endearing!  I think I'm going to have to give it a try.  They are wrapped in candy coating, not fondant, so maybe that will work in my favor?  They are just too cute to pass up, so wish me luck.  I've only taken a first glance at them tonight, so I'm going to have to read Bakerella's instructions a little more and figure out how much time they will take.  I have almost two weeks, so I should be fine...

Tomorrow morning is Grant's nine month checkup!  So watch for a post with his stats and a fresh update on my little guy!  Also, I posted some pictures of him to facebook and our other blog here and a gorgeous photo shoot I did yesterday for some friends here.

Whew - that's it for now!