12 Days, Two: Filtered Fun

Alrighty, for day TWO of the twelve days of Christmas I wanted to share these awesome craft projects that are super cheap! I don't drink coffee but man are the filters versatile. You can use them for so many things, and especially crafting. I've seen people make wreaths, flowers, dye them and all sorts of amazing things. I have discovered two favorites for the holidays! Making snowflakes and winter trees! Coffee filters are sold at our $Dollar Store for just a buck and so these projects are practically free, and hey who doesn't like a free piece of decor?

I love that they are white! That is a color we may not think of at Christmas when our focus can be red and green. But white is my favorite Christmas color. It is clean, pure, crisp and vibrant. White reminds me of the sweetness of a perfect child. It makes me think of the first blanket of snow that covers the ground. White is such a symbol of peace, and that is Christmas. It is a time when we celebrate the prince of peace and a time when we get to cozy inside our homes from the peaceful coldness outside. I love white!

I hope you get to try out these fun crafting table ideas. Hey are so easy and inexpensive. I have snowflakes all over our home now and I am just waiting for a nap time long enough so I can make some of those beautiful trees! Happy 12 days!!

Filter Flakes:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J3q9rJ7qmm8

Filtered Forest:

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/coffee-filter-trees/

Oh Christmas Tree!!

We went and hunted our Christmas tree down today!!! Such a fun fun tradition to go cut it down ourselves in the woods. Jane did awesome in the snow and did some good first time snow hiking!! And William didn't fuss one bit. It was so fun! And Mister James was our amazing lumber jack. We have a favorite spot up in an Idaho canyon that we go to. It's magical driving through a snow covered forest, like Narnia. And James loves the slippy slidy 4wheel drivin Subaru!

These times are such treasures to a mommy heart. Watching my little girl in her puffy snowsuit and coat walking carefully though the snow with her mittened hands out front. Seeing my sweet new babe all wrapped up and snuggled close staring at the big world around him. And having the support and love of a husband who helps me keep this tradition (and looks so dang handsome while doing it). I love this trio of mine so much! They make me so very happy. I had a few hard mornings the past two weeks and James knew exactly what I needed to cheer me up; Jane. She is a ray of sunshine that can't help but brighten a day. My little family is the best thing that ever happened to me and I am so thankful I get to have them forever.

All because a babe was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. Jesus Christ has made it possible for eternal families and eternal joy. During this Christmas season I am so grateful that the son of God was born a small babe, in a stable, to a faithful mother and father. It makes the process of families so much more meaningful and important to know that even the Savior of Mankind was born to a man and woman and raised through his early years as all of us were/are. What humbling and powerful lessons are learned in a family!

Bouncing around in the mountains I was filled with gratitude for this time of year. We are so blessed to have a whole month we can dedicate to thanking Christ for His life and our Heavenly Father for his son. This beautiful life is so much richer with the knowledge of Christ and what His life means for each of us. I'm thankful for the traditions we have as a little family that bring us closer together and closer to Christ.

October 1st, Hurray!

Warm scones, gray cloudy sky, leaves changing colors out the window, bats getting hung up, pumpkin scent going through the house...yes it's a happy October 1st! These blueberry scones are simply the best, my mom gave them to me for my birthday and they are magnificent! So light and fluffy and so delicious. We also broke open the raw honey I was given as well. What a spectacular breakfast to start the day.

Jane and I had fun putting bats all over the front room and even a tattoo of one on her arm. She was quite intrigued by it. I love decorating for holidays and the season of awesome holidays is just beginning! Fall and winter are such special seasons. I get so giddy when they come around again I feel like a little kid when Halloween and Christmas arrive! It's so much fun to decorate, eat festive foods and be with family.

I made my first successful GREEN green smoothie! Usually when I make them they turn out brown and look like swamp sludge. This one was a perfect witch skin green! And it was so yummy to! Must of been Halloween luck ;)! Happy October! 

First Day of Fall

I wanted tonight's dinner to be special and so started prepping food early. The first day of Fall is very special and important to me because it is the start of my favorite season! I love the colors, smells, foods and traditions of this time of year and I await it every summer. As the cooler weather comes, I get a warm feeling in my heart for this cozy time of year. In between baths, playing, feeding chickens, feeding kids, doing laundry, going on walks and collecting sticks and flowers, I prepped our first day of fall meal.

I made a pepper tomato soup, garlic bread, ranch chicken and pumpkin cookies. Jane helped me mix the cookie dough and has fallen in love with chocolate chips. Just like her Bop and mama! It all turned out really yummy and was all finished right as Mister James biked in from work. I love making meals for my family! Right now it's a little hard and overwhelming to do them with two very needy kiddos but when I take the time to do it I am so happy.

How grateful I am that I can conjure up yummy meals for my family and that we are blessed to have food on our table. One thing I love about this time of year most is being THANKFUL. I am thankful all year long but this harvest season adds a special feeling of gratitude in our hearts. I have so much to be thankful for, every one of us do. There are blessings we receive daily in this world. Even when the going gets tough, we have air to breath, the sun comes up each day, the world keeps going round. When we count our many blessings, Angels truly do attend and life is more joyous! How thankful I am for the first day of fall!

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!!!!!!!! I have come to really enjoy and look forward to this fun holiday. It is so important to appreciate this good earth we live on. We are so blessed to have such beauties around us daily and to be reminded of a Heavenly Fathers love, and creativity I might add ;), with all the many animals, plants, people, landscapes and places on this earth. 

Jane and I took a trip to the zoo today to celebrate. It was so special and fun to see how much she loved watching the monkeys swinging and eating, the otters (she thought they were giant squirrels, and made her hilarious squirrel noise to them), the funny stinky flamingos and the duck/swan area. She is so observant and sweet with everyone and everything she meets. It was a very fun afternoon, but would've been more fun with Mister James with us.

Earth Day dinner :) hurray for dyed potatoes!

Check out my latest Cook'n Article for some traditions you can begin this year for Earth Day:

http://www.dvo.com/newsletter/monthly/2015/april/tabletalk3.html

Pie and Charms

We did a bit of a belated Pi Day with some dear friends for Family Home Evening last night. Their pies were amazing and it was so much fun to hang out. We finally got around to eating our chicken pot pie and I made my first time ever pumpkin pies for James (his favorite).

Then today we celebrated the great St. Patrick's Day! With the tradition of an early morning bowl of Lucky Charms (only once a year), and golden Rolos. It was a fun day in between all the errands and to-dos.

I got Jane some of my college watercolors out and had her paint a "rainbow." She loves drawing and painting and getting those hands dirty. We then went and got a free mint shake and showed off our greens. I love Holidays and making time for special traditions and memories!!

Heart a Cookie

Tonight for Family Home Evening we decorated my moms traditional sugar cookie hearts. Her recipe is BY FAR the best sugar cookie ever, and the only one I eat that leaves me with a happy heart. Jacob Johnsons won by far as most well decorated! I told him it belonged in a museum! And we all thought it was reminiscent of My Little Pony.

Those Petersons! They made a cookie for each other, so cute! It was fun to enjoy time with friends and share in this little holiday tradition!

I sure love my Mister James. He has been one BUSY man with work, side projects, school and what not. It means the world to me when he can pause to live life and be with me and Jane and friends. Love him! And love yummy heart cookies, they are pretty much what makes Valentines time Valentines for me!

From the Spencers!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 2014 has been a wonderful year. It started out with a bang with Jane-dear-reindeer being born into our family and it's ending with James having begun the dream job. We have been blessed with flakes of joy all along the way this year....visits from family and friends, a new sister in law, Mary-Katherine, joining the family, wonderful news of our brother and sister in law, Matt&Paige, getting pregnant, James filming a short film, Carolyn getting called into the Relief Society presidency and pulling off many activities....countless flakes that have made this year shine!

We have loved becoming parents and have learned so much by having Jane join our family. She is a true JOY and a beautiful blessing to us! Watching her learn so much in just a years time has been incredible. And laughing at the many adorable things she does keeps our home filled with a youthful happiness.

How grateful we are to supportive and loving family, and to dear friends that make our lives so happy!! We can't thank you enough! Merry Christmas to each of you and may you look back on the year of 2014 and discover your golden flakes as well! Bring on 2015 and the joy it holds in store!

Love,

The Spencers


Go visit our this years message/theme of gold flecks here:
https://www.lds.org/pages/flecks-of-gold?lang=eng

Independence Day

"I have said that the Declaration of Independence is the ring-bolt to the chain of your nation’s destiny; so, indeed, I regard it. The principles contained in that instrument are saving principles. Stand by those principles, be true to them on all occasions, in all places, against all foes, and at whatever cost."

— Frederick Douglass, July 5, 1852

What a day to remember the many freedoms we are so blessed with because of the sacrifices and lives of others! We are so blessed and privileged. We enjoyed watching the Idaho Falls Parade pass by. James had never witnessed the candy throwing at parades and was quite entertained by the children scattering out to collect it. My favorite thing at parades are the marching bands!

Yummy foods are another favorite part of holidays. This year we made fruit pizzas, kebabs (in James' Father's Day gift) and homemade vanilla bean ice-cream. Mmm we love berry season!

Jane enjoyed "nap time" with dad and cooling off outside. We had the Penalos over and got to enjoy their great company playing games, eating, doing fireworks, watching Jane dip her toes in the ice-cream bucket and hanging out! It was fun to celebrate with friends! Happy 4th of July! What a notion we live in!