Old News, New News

Kirstin just finished up at BYUI and got her Associates Degree this past week! Yay - Kirstin!!

 She also was accepted at BYU Hawaii so that is where she and Kyle will be living for the next two years! Only 23 more days until her sealing in the temple. Just over 3 weeks! Then the Ring Ceremony and reception a week after that. 

The time has certainly been flying here!!

 Emil's Mom threw a sweet Bridal Shower for her last weekend. I didn't think to take pictures. I just had this one of her and her cousin Cara. It was fun and the food was amazing as always! We are certainly lucky to be so blessed with family and friends who are eager to celebrate these times.  We will be having another shower in NC at Nell Longs house on April 30th for all the NC friends. If you'd like to come and don't get an invite just let me know and I'll fill you in on the details. Her bestie, Catherine Trotman is hosting that with Nell.  

So 7am the morning of her bridal shower I was in Hampton at the starting line of my chocolate race. 

Seriously- when you start a race like this how can you go wrong? :)

me freezing and waiting for the start!

Actually they started 30 minutes late and it was freezing and windy so that was a bit of a rough beginning however I did do better than I expected. 

Here were my final stats.

I expected to average a 9:30-10:00 minute mile so I was very proud of myself for coming in at 9:07!

I don't have any races I'm training for currently so I'm enjoying a little down time right now and working on decreasing my pace for the minute in short runs. Yesterday I did 4 miles and my average was 8:35! After I'm totally whooped!

I had some helpers over to make our cookie favors for the Reception the other day and these ladies did a stellar job! Seriously, they cut down a 4 hour job to 45 minutes! I'm going to have to employ them for some holidays!

Rosalie Moster, Nell Long and Dede Raney- you girls rock!! Our favors are safely in the freezer until right before the reception when I'll bag them for our guests. It's all starting to come together!

I promised to tell you about Bullet Journaling. I've kept a journal, since I was 7. Sometimes I'm more routine than others but I love writing down my thoughts and I love making list for my everyday activities. So when I happened upon a picture of Bullet Journaling on Pinterest it really caught my attention. 

Bullet Journaling is just keeping a list of to do's in an organized manner. (It's more than that but that's the condensed version and if you're really interested check out this post on Youtube.)

However I really like the artistic aspect of it that I found from one blogger in particular. Boho Berry. 

Her style and doodles just sucked me right in. So I've been doing it for a couple of weeks and have really enjoyed it. I've found it's helped me be more consistent with tasks and not so many things fall through the cracks because all my list are in a book and if I don't get to it one day then I just migrate that task to the next day or later in the month when I have some open time. 

If you like to be organized, miss being a little artsy, and love colored pens. This is the thing for you! 

I'm still plugging along in the hand lettering and doing the bullet journaling has helped me with that as well as the Chalk Art. 

Inspired by Spring...

First Quarter Recap!

Where has the time gone? It's hard to believe it's April already. Time just keeps moving faster and faster the older I get. Weird!

 So I decided that one of my goals for 2016 would be to learn Hand lettering and how to be a amateur chalk board artist. One of my blogs mentioned that they tried to learn a new skill every year as a goal and I really liked that idea. So these were the two I picked. 

Kirstin did find a beautiful dress and it is all altered and ready to go but I can't put up any pictures
because we don't want to risk Kyle seeing it. However, you can message me and
I'll send you a pic if you just have to see it! :)

So every month (and more if I have the time) I try do at least one chalkboard composition and I'm working on my hand lettering as I write people notes and just recently in my Bullet Journal. (more on that next time!)

 At the end of January we went to my nephew, Michael's going away party.  It was at the Volcano, and was very fun. Michael is currently in Basic Training in Fort Benning, GA. He is a great young man and we are so proud of him!

                 Emil here photo bombing the unsuspecting, happy couple.

In February we celebrated Kirstin's 20th birthday!  

Our annual Birthday dinner at Grandmom & Grandpop Mosters.
Did Emil M. sneak a bit of birthday cake?

My Chalk board creation for Feb

Jaime Johnson & Me- I love the composition of this photo!

We went to the temple with our dear friends, the Johnson's on President's Day and despite the snowy conditions, did not get stuck in VA. Yay!

More Practice!

Got a bit of Snow here in February and some fun cookies I did for  Valentine's Day

 In March we celebrated Emil M.'s 23 birthday and Noah's sweet 16! Seriously- where did the time go?? I should not have children this old! I'm only 30~ Ok, I feel like I'm only 30. Sometimes I have to  remind myself that I'm an adult now. I just don't feel that old. Well, maybe sometimes, like after a especially long run. Then I totally feel my age. 

We have been so blessed to have all the kids home for this last little bit before Kirstin's wedding. I'm trying to appreciate every single moment because I know in the blink of an eye it will have passed.

Noah is still growing like a weed. He's been driving a stick for a couple of months now and has gotten much better than he was at the start. He just started working at the Cotton Gin with Emil. His first day was yesterday and Emil M. said he did a great job. It is so nice to see them hanging out and supporting one another.

We ended up going to Cloud 9 then out to Coldstone for dessert to celebrate the boys birthdays. Cloud 9 is a indoor trampoline park. It was a lot of fun but I didn't take and pics inside. Sorry!

On St. Patty's Day I did a 5K and got 2nd place for my age group. Before you get too excited, the first place winner for our age group was in her 50's sooooo. But it was still fun. 

That weekend I went to Time Out For Women in Raleigh with a group of ladies from our church. Unfortunately I came down with a cold and was pretty miserable and out of it the whole time but everyone else had a fun time. 

Emil and I have gone to the beach a couple of times. Even when it's cold it's still beautiful and relaxing to walk the beach. Just not when it's cold and windy!

I made some cakes, cookies and cake pops for our dear Thomas Long's wedding reception.

This is the Red Velvet Cake. I love the Rosette look of the icing.

This was my first attempt at Chocolate Lace. It is a really cool style and I'd like to get more accomplished with it. It'll take practice though. Check out this video. It was my inspiration!

I got together with a couple of friends after Easter to do some silk dyed easter eggs for next year. They are pretty easy and so beautiful!

This weekend I have my Chocolate 10 miler in Hampton, VA. I'm not super ready and I don't think my running partner will be able to make it but I'm doing it anyway! I'll let you know how it turns out.

 Next post- my Bullet Journal and Hand lettering.

Christmas Roundup, new year, new me!

Christmas was so sweet and quiet this year.  We had a couple of friends over that would have otherwise been alone and that was nice. I collect nativities and this was the new one I got this year. 

 It is tiny but there was just something I loved about it!

This year was the year I fell in love with gingerbread cookies. I can totally say that my taste in food has changed since I've gotten older. I have loved these soft Gingerbread Krinkles for many years but I  have a goal to try and find a new holiday recipe each year that I can love and this year it was definitely this recipe! I could not stop eating these cookies and they looked so cute!

We had crazy warm weather over the holidays and on one such day Kirstin and Kyle had their engagement photos taken. 

They turned out so beautiful. I'll only show a few of my most favorites!

They went down to the Kitty Hawk pier at the beach. 

 Our sweet friend Hayley Huggins-Diegelmann and her husband took them. They have a photography business called Coastal Shots. Check them out! 

They are a pretty cute couple! (I'm not bias at all..)

So I typically don't make a big deal about resolutions but I do like to hear other people's. I always have gospel based ones about reading the scriptures but those I tend to look at more as ongoing goals.  However,  this year I decided I wanted to work on serving my brothers and sisters better. These are relationships that I treasure but that often get overlooked because of distance or time or a million other reasons. So hopefully I'll be better about calling or writing and checking up on them since we live thousands of miles from one another. Maybe even a package if I'm doing really good. In a family of 10 that can be a challenge!

Chalk Art

After reading this blog post I decided that the other thing I wanted to do was to learn a new skill. I have to say I'm in love with all the chalkboard signs and I'd like to become proficient in creating word art in chalk and hand lettering. I would love to be able to address cards this way! Come join me- we can do it together!

Hand Lettering which is a lot like calligraphy.

 I love words and this just really draws me in. Plus it would be a good skill to have for parties, weddings, my business. I've gotten a book, some pens and today I'm getting some chalk! I'll keep you updated on my progress. Just from my first attempts I'll say this, it's not as easy as you may think but I can practice and improve. It's not about being perfect, it's about getting better. That should be my new motto. Maybe I'll make it into a chalkboard sign!

That's all for now. What resolutions have you made?

Engaging, Accomplished and Grateful + Booze Baskets

So the big news is that Kirstin is Engaged!!!!!

After engagement photo!

Kirstin and Kyle met at a YSA (young single adult) beach party this summer and they've been dating ever since.

Kirstin & Kyle at the 50th Anniversary party

Working with Emil on Kirstin's car

We are so happy to welcome Kyle into our family that Emil put him right to work!

But we've had some fun playing too! We got to take him to the temple for the first time the day after they got engaged

Kyle, Kirstin, Noah, Emil & Kathryn

 and he spent Thanksgiving with us since his family was out of town. We also had Emil's parents and sister, Maria come over for Thanksgiving. It was a sweet, day.

Our Goofy Picture

It's been great to see him fit right into our family and to see Kirstin so happy! We've had dinner with his parents a couple of times and they are great people.

Thanksgiving 2015

So the next few months will find us busy with wedding preparations. They are shooting for late June. We will keep you updated there!

Backing up a bit- I finally got to do my half marathon on November 14th!

Waiting for our heat to start!

After signing up for it in the summer and a few months of training it seemed that it took forever to finally get to the race! The weather was beautiful! I could have not asked for a better day. Just a little cool but sunny. I went with some awesome girfriends-Jaime, Cindy and Sam. Sam is just a few decades younger than the rest of us (can I really be talking about me?) so she ran the full marathon. What a stud!

Sam, Cindy, Jaime, Kathryn

 We had a good time at the packet pick up the night before.

 I had been advised to get "taped" with kinesiology tape so I found the vendor and told them about my knee issues and they taped me up.

It was amazing! I have to admit, I was doubtful it would help but it worked wonders for me. I didn't have any issues with my knee during the race and it felt great after too! I would highly recommend it!

After the finish! Tired but happy!

Moving on....This time of the year is always tender because Kai's birthday is on the 12th. He would be turning 13. It's been over 6 years since we lost him. So many changes and I can't help but think what he would be doing or thinking about them all.

I love this quote. I found it online and the person who posted it had this to say.

"...It's possibly one of the most beautiful and soul soothing things I've ever heard in my life. The reason death breaks us is because we are not destined for an end... We are made of the stuff of eternity. The endings of books, movies, tv, shows, friendships, activities, school, anything! We aren't meant for it! We are made to continue on forever, living out eternity in glory and joy, and we are never meant for an end."

This is truly how I feel. I'm so grateful for what my church teaches of this truth that Families are forever!  One, oh so important truth. What a beautiful, soothing plan. That is what helps me when I start missing my little boy. Knowing that he is there, just beyond what I can see, patiently (or if I know Kai, not so patiently) waiting for the rest of us. And one day, one happy day, we will all be together again.

So this year at Christmas I really want to try to do less and focus more on time spent with loved ones. Making memories and serving those that I can. This is always a struggle for me during the Christmas season. I love this time of year and there are so many things to bake & create for gift giving.  However, sometimes I focus too much on projects and get so wrapped up in them that the reason for the season can get pushed aside. So this year, that's my focus. I hope it is yours as well!

Blaze is ready!

Just as a side note: I saw this sign on my run Thanksgiving morning and just had to share. 

One because it's so Currituck, and two because it just makes me giggle every time!