Tis the Season

I don't have a real reason for not updating the blog. We've been busy, but not so busy I couldn't update. We've been having fun and enjoying life, and I've taken plenty of pictures in the last 6 months. I guess I just haven't made it a priority.

We had a really great Christmas. Mom B. was here for the first part of the week and it was fun to spend time with her. Then the Spencer clan arrived later in the week (minus Trina and family, we missed them) and we had a lovely time. Christmas Eve day we lazed around putting together a puzzle, playing games, watching movies and football, and just enjoying each other's company. We all got new jammies for Christmas Eve from our elf, Petal. Bailee got a Tangled nightgown and Maddox got Animal (muppet) pj's. Grampy took Maddox out for rides in his truck, which totally made Maddox's day. Maddox loves being out and about, and usually cry's when we return home.

Christmas morning was really fun too. Maddox was getting into the excitement this year, so that made it really fun. Bailee is at the perfect age for a magical Christmas. They were both thrilled with their gifts. From Santa Bailee got an Ariel toddler doll and a stocking stuffed full of all things girly; a barbie, lip gloss, necklaces, dangle earings, and bubble bath. Maddox got a big truck that holds his little wheelies car and a stocking stuffed with essential boy toys; Wheezy (from toy story...Maddox is a little obsessed with penguins), Mater, 2 Thomas engines, bath crayons and a tie tack. I think Maddox's favorite gifts (besides candy) were the Wagon from Grandma B. and the cute little golf set from Grammy and Grampy S. He is obsessed with golf right now....that's a sport I will definitely encourage. Bailee's favorites appear to be her Ariel toddler doll and the Flynn Rider barbie she got from McKinley. Luke spoiled me with an awesome iPod doc/alarm clock and a laptop. He got new basketball shoes and a gift card for a round of golf. All in all, it was a pretty successful day in the gift department.

My favorite part of the day was attending church with my family. I love when Christmas or Christmas Eve falls on Sunday. It just really brings the Savior front and center and reminds us why we are celebrating. The program was by the choir, a few beautiful solos, and narrators from the congregation. It was a really beautiful service, and I'm so glad we were a part of it. During the month our family studied about the Saviors life for our scripture study. It was really a neat idea I found on pinterest, a book called The Christ book that contained scripture, pictures, and songs. I look forward to continuing that study, and plan on using it throughout the year.

The kids are both doing wonderfully. Bailee is doing so well in Kindergarten. She's making new friends, learning new things, and enjoying new experiences. She got her first report card before the Christmas break and I was pleasantly surprised at how well she is doing. I am hoping that with such a positive start, she will continue to excel and enjoy school. I also hope she inherits her dad's hard work ethic and study skills. Bailee is dancing still, and loving it. They took December off, and she is really looking forward to starting up again next month. She loves to preform and tolerates practice. :) Bailee is as sweet as she is sassy and though she pushes my buttons, I love that girl to pieces. I often find myself shaking my head at her antics and wonder how my mom ever put up with me.....Bailee is my daughter and there's no denying it.

Maddox is doing better than I could have ever hoped for. Thinking back over the past 29 months, I can't believe the progress he has made and the odds he's overcome. Those first 5 months seem like a whole other lifetime; one that increases my stress and anxiety if I think too much about it. I am so grateful for the good health that he has had. It's kind of hard to believe that it's been 2 years since his last surgery though. Crazy. He goes back to cardiology in February and we will probably start talking about the next surgery. We are planning on this summer, and preferably early in June. It seems so weird to actually want to send my baby back into the operating room, but I know that he needs this next surgery and I know that the lord will watch over us all. I honestly try not to think too much about it right now and just focus on today. He is such a miracle to me. There are so many times I stop and just am in awe at the normalcy of his life. If you don't see his scars, you would never even imagine he only has half a heart. He walks and runs, throws everything he can get his hands on, tears apart my house, antagonizes his sister, is crazy about sports, think's he's a muppet....Walter to be specific, talks more and more each day, and adores his daddy. He has the cutest personality and is such a little ham. He is Luke's son for sure.

Well, I'm going to leave it at that for now and I am going to try and update more often.

Christmas Card Workshop

Christmas Card Workshop-- Saturday, October 29th!

If you are interested in this workshop, but the date just doesn't work for you, please email or call me. I am considering opening up a date in November. I could do a weekday or possibly a Saturday. Let me know you're preference and we will work something out.

Create 50 beautiful handcrafted Christmas cards! If you don't think you'll need 50 cards, find a friend to split them with!

I am now offering 2 different packages:

Super Value Package includes paper, 2 stamp sets, envelopes, accents, a blending pen, some extra goodies, (a full color brochure to help you create scrapbook pages and additional cards, a sheet of Dimensional Elements Stars for use on other projects, and some other fun accents!)and Lunch. Retail value is $84.80!! Workshop price is just $68 (shipping and tax included)

Basic Package includes paper, envelopes, accents, a blending pen and lunch. Workshop price is just $52 (shipping and tax included)

If 6 people RSVP, you will each receive an ink pad of your choice! Invite your friends!

RSVP with payment must be received no later than October 15th for the October 29th workshop, or October 25th for a November workshop.

For more information, call or email me.
801-785-5980
tracibulkley@hotmail.com

Christmas Card Workshop

Check out my crafty blog (Link at the top...) to see this years Christmas Card Workshop.

Summer......where has it gone?

We've had a lot of fun this Summer! But it seems like it's gone too fast! We've had birthday's (Bailee's 5th and Maddox's 2nd!), mini-vacations (to Hiko twice and Kanab), visitors (Grandma B, Grammy and Grampy), and friend's moving closer. We've worked hard and played harder. We've built, dug, created, moved, piled, cut, nailed, planted, enjoyed. And Bailee starts Kindergarten in 27 days! Agghhh!

I have a lot of posts I want to write, but today I just want to get something off my chest.

Maddox is doing amazing! He is growing, and learning and breathing and eating. I couldn't ask for more! Or could I? His next surgery, the fontan, is ever on my mind. I watch him closely and wonder how much longer. I know I should focus on all of the good things, and I truly am grateful that he is so well, but I want to put the fontan behind us. I dread the days in the hospital, of being so near to him and not being able to hold him, of not being able to explain to him what or why. So many things. And I really am grateful for so many things. But I get thinking about this, and then wondering, and it's a really huge deal. This is a huge surgery and really scary and really necessary. Then I get feeling guilty because so many other people have such harder roads than we do.

And I get frustrated when people complain about stuff that I feel is trivial but maybe it's a big deal for them. And maybe I shouldn't be so judgmental about it. I know we aren't given trials we can't handle, and I just need to be grateful that God has given me the strength to go through this with Maddox. And I guess I need to pray for more patience with other people's complaints about their trials. I don't feel like I've complained about this. It is what it is. But I guess sometimes I just wish people were a little more sensitive in their venting. And again, I need to not let it bother me. Signing off. Maddox is awake from his nap and I need to go look at him and be reminded of how God is really so good.

Studio J, Free for All

 

This month Close To My Heart is giving everyone a FREE, no strings attached, JPEG file of the layout of your choice. If you haven’t checked out Studio J yet, go now! It is so fast and easy to use. You can use their quick mix kits and add your pictures and journaling and be done. Or, you can change things up a bit; add more embellishments, change the colors of the B&T paper, layer Stickease, and much more. So go to my website, http://tracibulkley.myctmh.com and click on the Studio J link. Let me know what you think!

This is the layout that I chose to receive a free JPEG of!