I finally have a Brother!!!

That's right. I have been wanting to learn how to sew for quite sometime and someone gave me a sewing machine! -a brother :) This is my very first sewing project! It was practice for what you will see below...
Grandmother working hard...



But just for proof... I did sew as well! She was a great teacher and I am in love with my new brother!

What we are making: I was super excited to get my sewing machine because I had my eye on a project. I made/am makeing a banner for each of the kids that says "hooray for Riley (Sam)" The idea is that we can not only use it at Birthday parties but also for special occasions such as passing a test, accomplishing a goal, etc. The idea is that we can use it as they get older. I know that it might get a little cheesy when they get older and there might be some years when they say "mom, do we really have to get that thing out", but I think in the end it will have a lot of memories.

Sew, here is what we did:
I had to cut out all the letters in the font that I wanted and then draw it onto my fabric and cut them again.

We cut out squares for the letters to go on. You wouldn't believe how long it took us to make a template of a square. Geesh!

Then we used some sort of adhesive to iron the letters onto the squares.

This process took a LOT of trial and errors. However, after we finally figured it out, I loved the stuff we used!

So my letters went from paper, to white fabric, to adhesive fabric, to white letter on a blue square!

After that I cut out all of my triangles! (that template didn't take near as long)

I laid it out to get an idea of how it was going to look

Then I put a front triangle with a back triangle and got it all ready to sew!

First we sewed the squares to the front triangle, then the triangles together, then we pinned the binding, sewed and....

The Final pictures will come in a couple of weeks at Riley's Birthday Party!!! But I am SO happy with how it turned out. I can't wait to go buy fabric for Sam's!

Meanwhile.....

Riley and Sam were playing dress up. (oh and did I mention Riley was playing in the bathroom sink. Even though she knows that is a no-no, I let her think she was getting away with it because she wasn't in my way while sewing...hence the really wet shirt)

Beautiful. Love that cheesy grin.

She gave her brother some jewelry too!

Sam had lots of fun!

Riley liked to play in all the nooks and cranny's at Grandmother's house.

This was also a couple of weekends ago but I just hadn't had time to blog about it. My visit time with Grandmother was short but I enjoyed the time that I did have. I really liked sewing and visiting while doing it. She was a great teacher and I look forward to learning lots and lots more. I see so many projects that I want to learn how to do, but I guess I should just slow down a little... Thanks Grandmother for helping me on this project. I had a SUPER time with you and will always think of you when I pull out her banner.

It is crazy because Riley will be 2 in just a couple of weeks! My SamMan is 10 months old today as well! It won't be long before he is 1.

I hope other people enjoyed reading my Give Thanks posts in November. I know that I really enjoyed thinking and blogging about it. It just goes to show that we have so much to be thankful for. It was good for me to be thinking those positive thoughts. November was a rough, long month. I have to say, I am really glad it is December!

Family Photos

I have no idea why some of these are big and some are small, but here are a few family photo's...

My sister-in-law Caitlin took some family photo's of us while we were down at Thanksgiving. I was really excited to get some pictures of the kids and of Ryne and I. These are only a few of what we got but I was really excited with how they turned out. Who knows maybe they will be showing up in mailboxes soon... (hopefully)

Thanks Cait for taking time out of your break to snap some shots. We love them and we love you!

Random Riley Pics

(she totally accesorized this outfit all on her own)

Trip to Ikea

Two weeks ago yesterday I got to make my very first trip to Ikea and I am SO in love! I had been wanting to go and Hannah wanted something to do other than be at Austin College so we all met up in Frisco to do a little shopping. Riley and Sam even got to ride a Carosel for the first time at a near by mall. The kids did great for such a long day. I can't wait to go back and do some more shopping! Thanks for meeting up with me you guys. Next time Ryne and Cait will have to come and it will just be perfect!

Thanksgiving 2009

I am sure everyone has a picture of someone sleeping on the couch after all that Turkey!!

Here is Ryne and his dad after the big meal. They are so much alike...

Some more family on the couch

So, Ryne and I have started a new tradition with the kids. Each year at Thanksgiving they will each get a new set of Jammies. I love getting new p.j.'s so I may have to jump in on this next year. But here are the kids playin in the new pajamas.

Here is Sam getting his.

And Riley Getting hers

I even got to see my good friend Tamera over the break and her adorable daughter Mercury!! I am super excited because I will get to see them again in a couple of weeks!!!

Cait and Sam playin

Who knew that a Barrel of Monkeys could be so much fun? Riley and Sam both LOVE to play with this at Grandma and Grandpa's

This was the beautiful center piece after we had put the leaves on. We each had a leaf name card for where to sit and afterwards we wrote what we were thankful for and put it on the tree. It was SO cool. Way to go Hannah and Cait!

We got to use Grandma Sandvig's china. It is SO beautiful not to mention I feel so special when we get to use it.

Here is the Bergren Family right before we headed back home.

Ryne and I had such a good Thanksgiving this year. We are so fortunate to have such a great family. Ryne's aunt and uncle and their girls got to celebrate with us as well. We had such a good time getting to shop, play, and of course EAT! Thank you so much for a wonderful time. We miss you guys when we do not get to be with you. Love you!!!

Give Thanks

I almost completed my goal of blogging something that I am thankful for each day in November but I just have to face that I didn't make it. If I do not just move forward I will get all sorts of behind and there are WAY to many things going on these next few weeks but I do want to put in some quick things that I am thankful for: (in order to save time I had to cut the pictures this post... Finals are next week)

I am thankful for my Dad. I feel bad because the post for my dad deserves nothing but the best. I am SO thankful for him and for the rock that he is in my life. I love it when people tell me that I am just like him or that I look like him. My dad is incredible. When kids would say that their dad's could do anything, I always knew it was (and is) true about my dad. He is truly the jack of all trades. If he hasn't done it before he can figure out how. What some people may not know is that he is a great carpenter. He made and amoire for my mom that is beautiful and perfectly thought out. He is even going to make my kids a toy chest soon (hint, hint) He is a pastor, a teacher, a father, a husband, volunteer, officiator, grandfather, friend, uncle, protector, comedian, and one of my very best friends. (and that is only to name a few. I didn't list some of the things he has been like a stock broker, manager, athlete, etc) Some of the memories that I cherish the most were my times just me and him. We would talk together while in the truck. One of the best things he ever instilled in me was the love to sing and whistle. We would sing together on our way places and even whistle some tunes. A big part of why I am so joyful is because my father is always so joyful. I couldn't have asked God for a better example of my heavenly father than the father that I have here on earth. I am so lucky he is my dad. Dad, I love you so much. Thank you for constantly teaching me and loving me and for all the times you would hold me in your chair. I sure do love watching you hold my kids in your lap. You are the best!

I also just have to say that I am SO thankful for LeTourneau University. I won't go on and on like I had planned on, but Ryne and I feel so blessed to be here and to live in the community that we live in. I don't mind some of the "bad" that may come along with being here in Longview Texas because the "good" far out weighs the bad for us. I am so thankful that God opened up doors for us to learn here. He is SO good!

What are you thankful for today?

Give Thanks

Today I am thankful for Clifton. I am so thankful for the small town that I called home for about 10 years. Many people dislike small towns. Most of the reasons why they dislike them are exactly why I like them. I like knowing everyone and everyone knowing me. I don't mind people knowing my business because I should be keeping my business clean anyways. I love that my teachers, sunday school teachers, and business owners are the same people who come and support my while I play sports, march in the band, participate in UIL. I am thankful for Clifton because there are SO many people that mean a lot to me there. I am thankful for my Elementary and Intermediate teachers. They are a big reason that I want to teach. I am thankful for librarians that encouraged me to read. I am thankful for my coaches in middle school. Coach Moore is still a friend to this day. I am thankful for the administrators there. My favorite job by far was the short time that I got to be secretary (kind of) for Mrs. White. I LOVED getting to visit with Mrs Roper, Connie, Mrs. Spitzer, Rhoda, and even Mr. Maddux everyday. (I am also thankful that he taught me how to spit sunflower seeds) I am thankful for all the men that were my coach on Monday nights when I would play basketball with my dad and his friends. Mr. Raines, Mr. Wimmer, Mr. Moore, Mr. K, and so many others encouraged me and challenged me to make me better. I am thankful for my high school teachers. I even got to be at Mrs. Williams wedding! I think about Mrs. Finstad often and our times in Student Council and English. I think Mrs. Cockrell's speech class was my favorite class of all times. I have so many special memories of getting to babysit her kids.

All of that isn't even touching all of the special people that I met at FBC Clifton. So many people have played a role in who I am today.

I love the feel of a small town. I love how Brookshire's will still carry out your groceries for you and how main street is always decorated for Homecoming. I loved cheering for Clifton, especially the year when Hannah, Leah, and I were all on the squad. I met my best friend, and the man that I married in the Clifton High School Halls. I still have some close friends and some of the dearest memories stemming from the small town. I am not sure if I will ever have the opportunity to live in Clifton again but I will always be Thankful for the time that I had and the memories that I made. As I am writing there are SO SO SO many more people that I am thankful for from Clifton. Thanks for the role you played in my life.

What are you thankful for today?

Give Thanks

Well, these past few days have been crazy. I went out of town this past weekend and also had a MAJOR paper due. On top of all that, I got sick Monday and yesterday, so today I am trying to play catch up before we leave for THANKSGIVING!! I am feeling very overwhelmed and to be honest, have had a pretty rough past couple of days. I called my mom to whine and she reminded me to think about what I am thankful for. Even though the things that had taken me away from blogging the past couple of days were very important, I have def missed getting to write about what I am thankful for. I am still very behind and have a LOT of more things to write about, but atleast I am getting a little caught up. I just want to encourage everyone who is busy, or had a rough couple of days like me, to still think about those things which we are thankful for in the midst of those days. Hopefully I will get back on track soon, but my packing has GOT to get done!

Give Thanks

Today I am thankful for my papa! My papa has always been very special to me as well. He was always teaching us things as we were growing up. One of my favorite "lessons" was to be friendly to everyone. My pap and I would go on walks or be riding together and he would wave at everyone that we would pass. I would ask "who is that?" Pap: "I don't know, just bein friendly" I could never understand why he was so friendly to so many people but now I know. He was always teaching us to save our money. Pap is never without a coin jar full of coins. I am thankful that he was around to teach me those things. I am thankful that he showed me how to be kind, to save my money, to work hard, to take care of the things that the Lord has given us and above all, to always be polite. So many of the things that he has taught me, I am now trying to teach my kids. I think that is so special. Thanks papa for all the lessons, hugs, and walks. I love you.

What are you thankful for today?

Give Thanks

Today I am thankful for Greg and Dara. (Ebu and Pak) Greg and Dara have been like another mom and dad to me. I am so very thankful for them both. They both have the biggest hearts of anyone I have ever met. I had both my pre-prom dinners at their house as well as my dinner following my wedding. They have seen me play sports, sing in church, get ready for special events, and cry on occastion. They have always been the best encouragers and such a great example of God's love towards others. They are the founders of the Non-profit organization that my family is involved in: Grace of Giving. It was because of that ministry that I had one of my fondest memories as far as a trip goes. It is incredible to think back to the first time that they entered my families lives. We were still living on Ave M in Clifton I think. Fast forward some years and my family is living in their house while they are in Singapore! I am also thankful that they are now a part of my kids lives. They are Samuels GodParents and both my kids are their adopted grandkids :) I am thankful that I know I can always ask their advice and it will be Godly and wise advice. I am thankful that they are my parents best friends and support and love them. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to learn from them in church and about their travels all over the world. I am thankful for their kids and grandkids and the friends that they are to us as well. Greg and Dara, I love you both so much. I am so thankful that you are a part of our family. I somehow miss you more knowing you are on the other side of the world. I can't wait to hug your necks again soon. I have learned that time really does fly...

We love you!

What are you thankful for today?

Give Thanks

Grandmother with Riley when she was born.
Grandmother with Sam when he was born.

Me and G'ma.

Today I am thankful for my grandmother. (G'ma, diva G'ma, Grandmother next door) I am named after my Grandmother and that is so special to me. I think it is neat how we are so much alike as well. My grandmother has always been a special person to me. We lived next door to her for a few years and those were very special times to me. I feel so lucky that she has been able to be at my wedding, and to see both of her Great Grandchildren. She has taught me how to serve others (we practiced this many a times while visiting her mother at the nursing home) how to be self sufficient (we had to put away our own toys and clean up our own messes at her house) how to sew (this is a recent thing that I can't wait to blog about!) and so many other things. I have fond memories of watching her put on jewelry from her jewelry tray and putting on her bright pink lip stick. Grandmother, I love you so much and I am so very thankful for you.

What are you thankful for today?