Spring Break

My kids just started their Spring Break. I have to laugh about it because this is a picture of the weather Friday afternoon as "Spring Break" began. Not looking like spring yet here, although it is warmer today.

Friends, Flowers, and Frogs!

What a wonderful day today has been. I was able to attend a baby shower for a friend today from my old ward. It was great to see her and other friends that I don't get to see as often as I would like. She is having a little girl after 2 boys, so as you can imagine everything was pink and purple. This little girl is going to be a girly girl one way or the other!

On the way home from the baby shower, I stopped at a store and picked up a bunch of Fuchsia's to plant in my hanging baskets in the front yard. I stood in line for about 15 minutes in the cold waiting to get them "planted" for me in my pots before I realized that I was freezing standing there in short sleeves in the drizzling rain, and that I could just plant them later at home. I hope that I don't kill these flowers as I tend to have a black thumb.

When I got home, I was anxious to get my new beads out of the kiln. The other day I asked some friends on LampworkEtc. what I should make, and one of them told me to try frogs. Well, I never have tried them before, so after spending an hour or 2 searching for my Passing the Flame book that had a tutorial in it, I went out and made some. I made 11 frogs, 9 made it into the kiln, and 2 lost toes the next day! LOL! So, I had to make more yesterday, and practice is helping. This time the frogs bodies are larger than their feet, and all of their toes and fingers are still on! Here are yesterday's frogs, fresh from the kiln. These little guys are so much fun to make, so thank you Josie for giving me that push I needed to try them!

A baby?

My sister just called with the best news! She just received a call from her adoption agency with the news that we have all been praying for. They may have a baby! The birth Mom is having the baby today and is looking at their profile. We are all just so excited and praying that this is the child they have been waiting for. When I told Allison and Travis, Allison asked," Is the baby in her tummy or the other way?" We have been trying to explain adoption to her and I think she understands. Now we are all on pins and needles as we anxiously await more information. Kim, if you are reading this, don't wear out a path in your carpet!

UPDATE:

Well, my sister just heard that they weren't chosen for this baby. It is breaking my heart for them. I have so much admiration for my sister though. This is what she said in an email: "We just found out that we weren't picked.  We have a strong belief that the right baby will come to us at the right time.  Guess this one wasn't ours."  My little sister is so strong, and I am so proud of her. She is going to be an incredible Mother when the right baby arrives.

Easter

My Mom and I were talking the other day about how there are certain orders to things in life. For instance, when Easter is. It is suppossed to be the arrival of spring, General Conference, and then Easter. Sometimes Easter and Conference end up on the same Sunday, and that is great. However, Easter coming before Conference? The kids even felt that Easter came way too early this year. That still didn't stop them from making sure their baskets were ready to be filled by the Easter Bunny though. When the kids all woke up, they were happy to see what had been brought for them. However we weren't happy to find out that Travis had been awake off and on since 3 a.m. feeling extremely sick and Tyler was feeling worse as well. As a result we had to call and "uninvite" our friends, the Welsh's from coming over for dinner. It still worked out as we sent them dinner and they sent us dessert. We were just unable to enjoy the meal together.

Travis, Allison, Daylyn, & Tyler

Chris and the girls went to church, and I found myself wishing I could be in Utah with my brother John and his family as their new son Chase was being blessed today in church. I heard it was a great day for them. I can't wait to get to hold little Chase myself. He was in Grandma's arms when I talked with her yesterday.

Here is the family after Chase's blessing:

Dad, Mom, Sharley, John, Kelsie, and Chase.

and a close up of little Chase...

As they day came to a close, we gathered the family together to enjoy a gift brought to me by my visiting teacher. It was a basket containing 12 numbered Easter Eggs. As we opened each egg, there was a small item inside along with a scripture, telling the story of Christ's Resurrection. As we each took turns opening and reading an egg, I was so thankful that my children really do understand the reason we celebrate Easter and that it finally felt like Easter.

Hearts, flowers and more

I had so much fun at the torch yesterday! I made hearts with tiny rosebuds, raised florals, and even played with a little bit of Kronos (a super silver saturated glass color) from Double Helix Glass I love their glass! Today I will get all of these wrapped up into stitch markers for The Yarn Deli. They have such a great store. My Mom introduced them to me a few years ago. I don't knit, but love visiting their store.

 

Spring has arrived or has it?

I woke up this morning to snow falling. Yes, snow. It is suppossed to be spring, but alas no one seems to have told Mother Nature. The kids were thrilled of course, and I am just grateful it isn't sticking. It is going to be a cold day here for sure. Soon spring will actually arrive and bring with her color and warmth. Until then, we are going to continue to bundle up, drink hot chocolate and wish for spring to arrive. I am looking forward to those warmer days to arrive so I will no longer freeze in the studio. I just peeked out there and the kiln is at 46 degrees! I think I will go out and make make floral beads today so even though there are no flowers blooming yet in my garden, soon my kiln will be full of them!