Chelsie's Wedding

I'm no photographer, but I love taking pictures and editing them. I am looking forward to the day when I can own a DSLR camera and take legit photos for friends as well as my own creations and events. Until then, I'll make due with Bob's little broken-screened Canon.

Chelsie is a very close friend of mine--like a little sister I never had. I met her while serving as a missionary for 18 months in San Antonio, TX. A few years later, Bob and I let her live with us for a month while she got back on her feet after couple of exceptionally difficult years of life and trials. Once she got her life in order, she met a fantastic man named Josh, and they fell head-over-heels in love. Within a matter of months they were engaged, and married shortly thereafter.

The wedding was in Salt Lake City, UT, and it wasn't until after Bob and I had moved to San Diego. But Chelsie means enough to me that I was willing and excited to drive up for the celebration and help her out in whatever ways she needed to make the wedding as special as possible.

So while there for a week, I helped her make her veil, her bouquet, and Josh's boutonniere. She's not the extravagant type, so a simple little bouquet and a plain veil with a ribbon sewn around the edge was all she wanted. I also fixed her hair for her.

I was going to add a train to her dress too, but I came down with the flu the day I was going to do it. Miraculously, I was perfectly well during the entire day-of the wedding, but the following day I was back to feeling sick and recovering for two or three weeks after that. Weird, but I'm so thankful that I was well enough to be there for the full day of celebrating!

Here are a bunch of photos I took from her wedding day. 

 They were so happy as they walked out of the temple where they were married for time and all eternity.

 Cute and simple bouquet & boutonniere. 

And just look at the love oozing from them!

 Chelsie's and Josh's families combined.

 Chelsie & her mom. I love both of these ladies!

 Me and Chelsie. 

I was so happy and the sun was so bright that I couldn't help but get squinty-eyed.

 And this is my favorite picture I got of them. They're so in love it's absurd. And wonderful.

Congratulations to you both! 

I couldn't be happier in your choice of spouse--either of you!

Upholstering Our Headboard... Again.

Remember that headboard Bob and I built last year? Well, we picked out the fabric for it without realizing how small of a repeating pattern it makes. It didn't take very long for both of us to realize we didn't like it on the headboard. The fabric is great--we both still like it! But not for something with so much surface area.

I used another 50% off coupon at Jo-Ann's and splurged on some really nice upholstery fabric. I originally wanted it to be a rich, dark brown, but I didn't mind the idea of making it another color. So off came the red printed canvas, and on went the new dark brown stuff--tufted and everything!

When we first made it, we never figured out a way for it to mount to the wall or bed frame. Instead we just pushed our mattress about 2 inches away from the wall and let the headboard rest on the box spring which we left right up against the wall. The headboard is tall enough that even though we lost about a foot of its height that way, it still looked pretty good.

I started working on it back in September (hence, no pregnant belly in those pictures) and got it done to a point where I needed to figure out how to mount it on the wall or bed frame again. Bob and I talked over idea after idea and couldn't figure out something we both agreed on. I even went to both Home Depot and Lowe's and asked a few of their employees or "specialists" their ideas. I got a whole bunch of worthless answers, including, "I don't think we have anything here that can do something like that for you." I sometimes wonder why and how those people got jobs working there.

So it got put on hold for a few months. It's been sitting in a closet, tufted and buttons on it, but the fabric wasn't stapled to the back in case I should wait to do that once we figure out a solution. But it's been driving me nuts because every time I open that closet, there it is, beautiful and just waiting to be put up!

It wasn't until we were recently talking to a friend of Bob's who's a handyman and home repair/remodel specialist that he gave us the brilliant idea I'd been waiting for but couldn't think of:

make a French cleat for it. 

Duh!

I know exactly what that is, but how did I not think of it sooner?

I had Bob cut it for me (to let him do some of the manly work because I love him, although I could have done it all myself), and then I attached it to the back.

(I love that I'm nearly almost 7 months pregnant and I'm using power tools. 

I also really like that I have photographic evidence of it.)

And then Bob helped with the other side of the cleats. Finding studs in these old walls is impossible, but he figured it out (after drilling about a dozen pilot holes). And he hung it up too, because it's heavy and he wouldn't let me try by myself, being pregnant and all.

 And now it's finally finished.


Ta-dah! 

Look at that tufting! Not too shabby for the project I learned it on.

Bob snapped a couple of pictures of me enjoying our handy-work. 

It's comfy and looks pretty too.

Down & Depressed

I've been feeling down the past several days. Maybe it's just crazy emotions and hormones from being pregnant. Regardless, my feelings are still valid, and I'm sad. It's been quite a while since I've had a day like this.

I'm not sure how to pinpoint it or where it came from. I kept Bob up late last night talking and crying. I feel bad about that, but I really needed it. Today I slept until nearly 11am. I woke up to my stomach grumbling. Were I not pregnant, I would have rolled over and gone back to sleep. But for this child's sake, I got up to eat, but then I got right back into bed. Bob came home for lunch, and after taking him back to work, I decided I wanted to have something (no matter how silly) to show for myself when he comes home tonight. So the Costco-sized bag of toilet paper that has been sitting in our hallway next to the bathroom for 4 days finally got put away.

And then I got back into bed with a bag of chips to munch on.

My friend Adam called. He and a few of our friends from Provo are planning to come and visit for a weekend in February.

Lyssa called and wants me to come and take Valentines Day pictures of her and her husband today around 3:00.

As much as I would love to close the blinds and go back to sleep today, maybe it'll be good for me to get out...

*sigh*

Here's what's been weighing heavily on my mind.

I miss my family. I miss my mom. I wish I was still little so I could curl up on my mother's lap and cry as she'd hold me close and sway gently in her old rocking chair.

I've never lived in California, and the weather here is gorgeous 90% of the time. I'm not used to that. I miss rainy days, thunder storms, snow and sleet, playing in the frosty woods, and watching the sunrise over acres of trees and fields of grass. I've always dreamed of living here and how amazing and glamorous it would be. Everyone from a small town secretly (or not so secretly) wants to live in California, right? Well, I did, anyway.

I have these irrational fears that have only surfaced recently. I worry that something will happen to Bob. Every day when he leaves for work, I make sure that I kiss him and hug him tightly for a moment, just in case it's the last time I ever do. I make sure he knows I love him, because I never want him to leave home without being reminded of that, in case it's the last thing he hears from me in this life.

My life has been filled with wonderful people and an amazing family. But it has also been filled with heartache, hardships, pain, and loss. I've needed my parents and siblings and close friends to help me through all of the difficulty I've had, whether they know about it or not. Right now it seems like I'm just coasting and everything is too good, like it's about time for something terrible to happen again. After all, Heavenly Father never lets too many good things happen to me. He just never has. I'm not bitter about that. If I need trials, then I'll take them humbly and try my best to learn what I need to and prove to the Lord that I'm becoming who He wants me to become. I'm just nervous and anticipating the worst right now because it's been too long since some heart wrenching event has occurred in my life.

And I'm going to be a mother in under three months. I've had the faith that this is what God has wants us to do--have children now and not wait any longer. I've been terrified of having kids for most of my life. The responsibility overwhelms me, not to mention my fear of  childbirth. I need to be so selfless for this tiny person that Heavenly Father is trusting me to take care of. My own mother was and is incredible, as well as the epitome of selflessness. How can I ever amount to that? How can I set my own comforts and hobbies and passions aside as frequently as this child will need me to, when those things have been the therapy and means of getting me through the trials and pain that I've been faced with in the past? I still have faith that this is what God would have us do--become parents and bring more of His spirit children into the world to have a chance at life. I know that much is true. I'm just so worried that He's overestimating my strength and ability. Of course He isn't--He knows me better than I know myself. But what if I'm overestimating myself? Am I really ready to be responsible for such a helpless infant who will need 100% of my time, energy, and love?

I'm sure all of these thoughts are due to me being pregnant. But how do I keep going with all of them weighing me down? It's a lot for me to try and deal with right now, on top of the current responsibilities I have.

I mostly just needed to let them out so that maybe they won't be such a focus for me anymore. They're written down, not forgotten about. Maybe I can move on from them, or at least they'll be in the background now.

Another Car Caddy

I made one of my nephews a car caddy last year for Christmas. It turns out that his little brother loves it just as much and would often try to take it and play with it too. 

And ensue sibling disagreements over yet another toy...

So I made another one. Here's how this one turned out:

The inside.

The outside.

I love the detail on it. The paths on the corners,
the pond, the flower bed, and the road, of course.

The latch to keep the caddy closed.

I like how this one turned out too. When I finally have the time and space (which is always the excuse, I know), I'd love to make these and sell them on a regular basis. 

And every one of them would be different and unique. 

Mom & Dad's Christmas Present 2011

My mom and dad can be kind of difficult to Christmas shop for. It's not that they're picky or have expensive taste or anything like that. But they literally have everything they need. And if they don't, they'll build or make their own.

They built the beautiful house they live in, and it's out in the country surrounded my fields and forests. My mom has a hobby room where she can sit and make whatever crafty stuff she can think up. My dad has a shop to keep and use all of his fancy tools when he needs to make or repair something. They have a hammock on the back deck for gorgeous, slow days, and lovely furniture inside the entire house. They have a Camry, Jeep, and a little farm truck. Annually, they raise a summer vegetable garden and frequently plant more fruit trees as space and seasons permit. My mom cans or freezes 85% of what they grow so they have delicious, home-grown food year-round.  My mom is a fantastic cook and really knows how to make a house a home. They have 4 grown-up kids who are all married, and 8 grand-kids with a 9th on the way. They have a steady, decent income. They've got a fun and healthy marriage, and laughter is a part of every-day life.

So how am I supposed to give them anything they could possibly want or need for Christmas?

When I was 7, it was easy because they'd adore whatever I made with paper and glue and sequins and glitter. I still prefer making them gifts, because they're far more personal and one-of-a-kind. But these days my skills have increased from those basic glued crafts into serious works of art made from whatever medium I'm in the mood for. I know they could care less about what I give them, and they'd prefer to sit and talk and get a hug from me. But I don't live close enough to them to have that option. I live in California and they live in Tennessee. I want them to have a reminder of how much I love and appreciate them. I want them to have something they can see or touch when they need a pick-me-up. So that's what I attempt to do when I embark on making their gifts.

As I was walking through a a huge bead and jewelry warehouse a while back, I noticed some pretty little decorations toward the back on some shelves. There were trees made from wire and natural stone. I'd seen things like that before, but these ones cost between $150 - $350. I think they were quite overpriced. However, I do know wire-wrapping techniques and have made some relatively intricate jewelry in the past, so the gears in my creative brain began turning.

I bought a few spools of copper wire, searched for the perfect color and shape of natural stone beads, and got to work.

I'm pretty pleased with the outcome.

Then I felt like the tree needed an explanation. I wasn't going to be there when they opened it, and I wanted them to know the materials it was made it from as well as the symbolism that turned up in it. Plus, they probably will want to frame or set whatever written description of it with it on display. So I typed and printed something up to go along with it.

Here's what I wrote:

Our Family’s Foundation

copper, Russian jasper, and yellow jade

handmade by Janae L. Pettit

    “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”

                                Helaman 5:12

Mom and Dad, you established Christ as the foundation of our home, which gave us all the faith and ability to do the same in our individual homes & families. Here is a gift to show my gratitude for the immeasurable and priceless gift you have given me--my testimony and understanding of how important gospel centered living is. 

 We have been through the storms and trials that have come with living in this world. Like this tree, our family began growing from the “rock of our Redeemer,” and each of us have taken root in a firm place and continued growing and building ourselves upon it. We haven’t fallen, regardless of the ferocity of the adversary’s winds and hail. 

This tree is a symbol of our family’ strength and extraordinary uniqueness, as it was carefully created and there is no other quite like it in existence. There are 8 branches, one for each of your 4 children and one for each of their spouses. 

They were visiting my grandma in Utah for the holiday, so they needed a way to take it safely back to Tennessee on an airplane afterward. I found a sturdy box that fit the tree perfectly, gift-wrapped the outside, punched some holes in the bottom, and zip-tied the base of it into the bottom so it wouldn't move. I included a couple of extra zip ties so that after opening it, they could take it out, admire it, and then secure it back in the box for traveling.

My mom called me on Christmas morning, and it didn't take long for her to get past the well-wishing formalities so that she could talk about how much she loved the gift. I'm so glad both she and my dad like it. It's another unique treasure they can display in their home, and it has far more meaning than if I'd simply bought and quickly wrapped anything else.

And the quest for next year's gift begins...

Christmas 2011

My favorite memories of Christmas 2011:

• Christmas tree shopping with Bob.

We went to the Kiwanis tree lot here and learned about the different kinds of trees they were selling. Then we looked at all of them. We also played hide and seek briefly. After going back and forth in deciding between 2 or 3 trees, we finally picked a gorgeous noble fir to take home with us. Once it was paid for and strapped to the top of the car, we went to Foster's for some ice cream (ice cream + Christmas sounds silly to me, but living somewhere like San Diego makes it seem understandable because it had gotten up into the high 70s during the day), and then we unloaded the tree at home, set it up in the living room, and decorated it together while listening to Christmas music.

• Ugly Sweater Parties.

We were only invited to one this year. But it was fun! And now we'll store those awful sweaters away until next year.

• My gifts to Bob. 

My stocking-stuffers to him sucked, but I made up for it with a Kindle and a Leatherman he unwrapped later.

• The gift from me to my mother-in-law. 

She likes the color red, and she likes to have a blanket over her while she's sitting in her easy chair. Thank you Lauren for the afghan you made for her! It is perfect! She can't get over how soft and warm it is. She absolutely loves it.

• The Spirit of Christmas that never seems to fail. 

I was worried that December 25th just wasn't going to feel much like Christmas this year. Things had been so busy and hectic that we didn't have time to do the usual Christmasy things that I'd been wanting to do. All of Christmas Eve consisted of cleaning and organizing parts of the house for dinner the following day. That night we realized we hadn't bought pajamas for each other yet, so we dashed to Old Navy and arrived after they had already closed and locked the doors. We waited, hoping that we might be able to talk an employee into letting us in. It worked and the employee was so nice about it! Men's pj-pants were completely out, so I got Bob 2 shirts instead of a shirt and pajama pants, and he got me a super comfy pair of pajama-sweatpants. We went to bed tired but happy that Old Navy was so forgiving and kept up what little bit of Christmas cheer I'd felt so far. Christmas morning came around, and we all slept in.

Right after waking up. We went out to see what presents Santa had left us.

Then we went to church and heard some wonderful reminders about how the Savior and service is what the season is about.

We snagged a picture of us just after getting home from church.

We came home and got back in our pajamas. And then we opened gifts. It was fun and happy, filled with kind words and that Christmas Spirit, just like opening presents should be.

Stockings stuffed and presents wrapped, just waiting to be opened.

Christmas dinner was filled with interesting conversation, laughter, stories, and helpful hands.

Christmas night Bob and I read from parts of the New Testament about Christ's birth, ending the holiday just as we began it--by again remembering Christ's birth and thanking our Father in Heaven for sending Him to earth 2000 years ago.

... ... ...

Next year will be different. We're hoping to be in our own house by then. We'll have an 8 or 9 month-old son, and a third stocking to hang up. We'll probably be more broke than ever and have more bills than ever too. We'll listen to Christmas music most days from the beginning of December to the end of the month. I'll bake and cook a lot more so we can give goodies to our friends and so that our house will smell more like Christmas. We'll even try to mail out Christmas letters to all of our friends and family members.

But the two things that will stay the same will be our few silly traditions and that never failing Spirit that the Christmas holiday always, always brings.

Bob's Birthday

Bob turned 27 this year! And his birthday happened to fall on Thanksgiving Day. So after all of the eating and festivities were done, we celebrated Bob. And it was EPIC.

Bob was sitting at the head of the table by the window, and couldn't see into the living room. So towards the end of dinner, I started removing guest's plates as they were done eating. Sinjin was sitting on the opposite end of the table, so I asked him to help me with Bob's birthday presents. He quickly got up to help. I showed him to a massize box covered in a navy blue sheet, and he helped me uncover it and bring it into the living room, then bring out some other smaller boxes all wrapped and set them on top of it. I added a giant bow on top of it all, and slipped back into the dining room. Lana and Uncle Bud could see what Sinjin and I were up to through the doorway, and they both just grinned while pretending there was nothing suspicious going on.

Bob hadn't even noticed that I'd slipped away, and he was still carrying on the same conversation with the missionaries that he was when I'd left a few minutes before.

Soon after that I suggested that we move into the living room where it was more comfortable and we could relax better. Bob and I were last in there. I sat on the couch, directly in front of the pile of presents. Bob sat next to me, and Sinjin sat in an armchair to our right. Bob was still carrying on with Sinjin oblivious to the elephant in the room. Sinjin glanced at me with a big grin on his face. Bob still didn't notice. Lana made eye contact with me silently asking if Bob had seen his birthday presents. Nearly laughing I shook my head no.

Minutes dragged by, all of us just waiting. 

I watched Bob's eyes until finally I saw him glance forward. 

He suddenly gasped and said, "Whoa!" 

He put his hand over his chest and threw his head back and laughed. 

"What is THAT?!" he said. 

I laughed and replied, "Happy Birthday!"

Everyone laughed and we poked fun at him for not seeing the elephant in the room. He sat there stunned for a few minutes, because the biggest box was unwrapped and everyone could see quite clearly what it was.

Then he finally went over and began unwrapping his other gifts. 

Pure joy and surprise. Best reaction EVER.

He wasn't anticipating a tv AND and Xbox....

Stoked!!

All together, he got a 50" flat screen plasma TV, an Xbox 360, 2 controllers, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, and Halo Reach.

...Oh yes, I spoiled him big time. 

Then again, his gifts were just as much for me as they are for him, and he knows it. But he's a good sport and doesn't mind sharing.

He's been so busy with work and things around the house that I've been in charge of our finances. I went over our budget several times before determining a way to afford such extravagant gifts, and after researching and talking with friends who know about TVs and Xboxes (especially one who works at Best Buy), I figured out a way to get exactly what I wanted for him. I was only planning on getting a 42" or possibly a 46" TV, but then I found a 50" that's the same parts and manufacturer as Samsung, but it's the Best Buy brand. All I'm not getting are some silver letters that say 'Samsung' on the bottom of it. And it cost the same as the smaller Samsung. That was an easy choice. (Thank you Stephanie for the advice and tips!)

Bob and I talked about it all later, after everyone had left. He said this birthday was more over the top than any other he'd ever had. I knew that, and he knows this might be his last birthday like this for a while. But I remember the times when my birthday landed on Easter. I remember my mom making sure that we celebrated the holiday, but then she always made a special time for me to make sure I didn't get forgotten about. I know Bob's had the same problem with Thanksgiving, and as I explained how important it was for me to have one day a year to be celebrated, I wanted him to make sure he never felt forgotten about on a day like that. Yes, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, but after that, it was Bob's turn to be in the spotlight. He really appreciated that, and I know he still can't believe he's now the proud owner of a beautiful 50" TV. Sure, it's just a temporal thing, but man is it fun!

Isn't it pretty??

And best of all, I'm still his top priority, as his wife and family should be. 

Happy Birthday, Bob!