Morphew Moments

Celebrating our Missionary!

2009-11-11T19:31:00.011-06:00

Warnock cousins are very close and many of us are are as close as siblings. The baby cousin, Scott made the decision to go on a mission & we could not be prouder or more excited for his adventure! We had a huge family weekend at my parents to celebrate his decision & say our goodbyes. We swam, cooked out and played volleyball Saturday. Saturday night all of the adults headed to the Country Club for dinner. We had a room to ourselves so we got to have a memorable night talking about family memories & giving Scott advice. Next Sunday happened to be fast Sunday so we got to hear many family members' testimonies, most importantly Scott's. The spirit was so strong the whole weekend. I am so thankful for Scott's example for my boys and though we will miss him terribly, we are so proud! The people of Buenos aires, Argentina are very lucky to have our Scott for two years!

2009-10-10T11:48:00.001-05:00

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Deanna's baby shower

2009-09-05T21:08:00.005-05:00

One of the cutest girls I know is pregnant and I was excited to get to co host her shower. Lori & I had so much fun with the planning. I love Lori, she is so smart, fun & creative! Thanks to all of you other fabulous ladies who helped so much with the food. There were 26 ladies that came & we had fun visiting & celebrating Deanna's upcoming sweet pea!

This is the cardstock banner I made.

Martha Stewart tissue poms. I love these, they are fun for any occasion.

Fun details.

The food was so yummy! I especially loved the watermelon baby carriage.

Is Lisa gorgeous or what!!

Deanna will definitely be set with diapers!

Everyone had fun visiting.

Lori's cupcake picks turned out so cute & Megan's cupcakes were DELICIOUS!

The candy buffet was a big hit. Before the shower, Matthew said to me, "Mom, that is so cool, can we keep it there all the time? Just what we need,right!?!

Second Grade

2009-09-05T20:55:00.003-05:00

I can't believe Matthew is a second grader! It seems only yesterday I was taking him to his first day of Kindergarten. I am so thankful he loves school and is always happy to be there the first day of school each year. He is so lucky this year, he got an incredible teacher and he could not be happier!

Luckily I knew ahead of time who Matthews teacher was going to be so we were able to give her something fun at meet the teacher night before school started. I love having my vinyl machine because I can throw together last minute gifts that are one of a kind!

Annual Lake Travis Trip

2009-09-05T20:03:00.004-05:00

We look forward all year to our annual Warnock family Lake Travis trip. It is the one time of year that my entire family including spouses & children get together. For a group of 31 (with one more on the way) that is quite a fete! We stay at The Hollows where we have individual houses with beautiful views of the Texas Hill Country. It was sad to see how low the water was. Even sadder for those who owned boat docks that did not float to adjust to the low levels leaving them dry dirt.

As usual, we played on the party barge the first day. It is so nice to have a bathroom, lower level
shading for the babies to nap when tired, a slide off the upper deck and a grill to cook hamburgers for lunch.

The little kids love to take turns being captain and first mate. I love how serious Jake looks during his turn!

The older kids (and adults) love to jump from the upper deck. It is so funny to watch them do it over & over again.

The best part is the time the kids spend together making memories and growing closer. I heard several of them say, "this is my favorite vacation ever"!

Because the water was so low & most of the ramps were inaccessible, we spent a lot of time at the pool. We swam for hours,cooked out, made smores at the fire pit and sunbathed. Austin is so beautiful, we love it there!

Thanks Mom and Dad as usual for providing such a fun and memorable experience together for us. We are always sad when it ends but are already counting down to next year!

Lake Whitney

2009-09-05T19:25:00.004-05:00

We went to Lake Whitney with Chris's family & some friends. We stayed in a cute cabin that overlooked the lake. The boys had a great time kneeboarding, wakeboarding, riding the tube and playing on "the beach". When the kids were in bed we stayed up late playing games. We had a really good time & are grateful Chris's brother bought a new boat & lives close!

Katie's 32nd Birthday

2009-09-05T18:57:00.003-05:00

I have to say that at a time in my life when I needed it most, I had one of my best birthdays ever! The week before my Mom drove up with Emily & Liz. They took me shopping at Nordstrom to get new clothes and shoes. The day before my birthday, a little birdy who knew how much I love cupcakes, left some on my front porch. The Cupcakery provides a little heaven here on Earth, or at least Frisco! On my birthday, Hillary, Liz & Alicia made me a FABULOUS dinner. It was so yummy, especially the lemon cake with lemon pudding filling & cream cheese frosting! I got the jewelry armoire I have been wanting for years. After dinner we played lots of Settlers of course! My dear friend Natalie organized a birthday luncheon for me at Chili's later that week. I got some fun presents & I especially love my new python purse! It was so much fun and meant so much, you girls made me feel so loved , very much needed!

Chris's 34th Birthday

2009-09-04T23:48:00.009-05:00

This year Chris turned the "Big 34"! A boy after my own heart, Matthew wanted to plan the party. He planned it down to every last detail. We were looking at a birthday cake website and when he saw the hamburger cake he excitedly told me, "that's the cake mom, it's perfect"! Matthew planned the meal, Mexican food, & he made sure we had Blue Bell ice cream to go with the cake. Jake, Alicia, Liz & Brandon & their kids all celebrated with us. Chris got money from my parents & new running shoes, movies & clothes from the boys (they picked everything out themselves, I funded it).We had a lot of fun & as you can see, Jake wasted no time, or utensil, on his piece of cake!

Random thought

2009-08-20T21:51:00.003-05:00

Ok, so I know this is totally random but I have loved reading Stephanie Nielson's blog (NieNie dialogues). She finally revealed a picture of herself since being burned in the plane crash. I have felt such empathy & love for this woman I have never met. Another favorite "stranger blog" of mine is Kelly's Korner. She posted a link to her friend Katie's blog (http://therowefam.blogspot.com/. Katie was 8 months pregnant, had to go in for an emergency c-section & ended up losing her baby. As I read Katie's posts tears welled up & I felt so much love for this stranger. I wanted to reach through the computer & give her a huge hug. So, the point of this.......I was thinking today about human emotion & the ability to love and I believe these are gifts that we all posess. I was thinking that it was a blessing I could feel such deep sympathy and caring & love for complete strangers I read about & how good it made me feel to send them a message & let them know that I was thinking about them. It was such a simple, small thing I did & yet it made me feel good & my problems seem small. Just think, if each day we all made an effort to seek out a stranger(s) that needs an encouraging word or small (or large) act of kindness, how much better would the world be. The whole pay it forward thing really works & you don't even realize it or how easy it is! I have enjoyed being home with my boys & will treasure that time forever. I am grateful that they both will be in school this year because a dream of mine has been to volunteer at a children's hospital and work with a battered women's shelter. If there is anyone who would like to join me, I would love the company.

Going Private

2009-08-19T09:41:00.002-05:00

After much contemplation, I have decided to make my family blog private. I saw a special on the news about people who steal pictures of children from blogs and use them in adoption scams or other types of scams. I love being able to share my life with my friends & I really love the sweet comments you leave! If you would like to be able to view my blog in the future just leave me a comment with your email address & I will add you to the list. Love you guys & thanks for being part of my life!

Pierce & Cecy's Birthday Party

2009-07-09T17:57:00.006-05:00

Pierce & Cecily's birthdays are the same week as the 4th so we celebrated their birthdays with a big Luau party. The decorations were awesome, the food was fabulous & it was fun to have so many cousins there!
Brian made the most amazing Cantelope punch. It was so sweet and refreshing! Serving a mission in Mexico really brought out his domestic skills!

Double ice cream cakes made with Blue Bell of course for the birthday cuties!

Cecily thinks ice cream cake is delish!

These kids made out like bandits with the presents!

Everyone swam & had a good time for the rest of the day.Jake & Will used rafts to create a wave pool, with all that muscle it was just as good as the one at Hurricane Harbour!Two of my favorite girls! The hit of the party was the rocket the Will Warnocks gave Pierce The kids loved it & launched it again & again & again! That thing went so high, it was pretty amazing.

4th of July

2009-07-09T17:01:00.003-05:00

As is tradition of late, we go to Wichita Falls for the 4th to be with family and cookout, swim & watch the fireworks. Also, it is tradition to go to the church's pancake breakfast & parade. Thankfully Dad is the bishop so Mom was able to talk him into moving the breakfast from 6am to 8am. 20 yrs at 6am was long enough! The kids had a blast & Matthew & John had a contest to see who could eat the most pancakes, luckily, it was a tie at 6!

There was a parade for the kids complete with a clown handing out candy. (I'm 31 & clowns still creep me out!)
We are spoiled because we can lay on the front lawn & have a pretty up close view of the fireworks. Good thing Mom & Dad have a big front lawn; all of the cousins, Em's friends & the rest of us were there!

This little piggy went to Market!

2009-07-09T15:17:00.007-05:00

We were vendors at Dallas Market Hall for the Home show. Much preparation went in to this venture! We had fun designing our color scheme & booth decor & getting our samples ready. All I can say is we would not have made it without the help of our friends & family! I have the most incredible friends! They helped paint, weed vinyl, consult, sew, babysit, design my logo & set up my web page & the list goes on & on! Thank you Lori, Deanna, Leigh, Julie, Alicia, Jake, Cherie, Liz, Diane, Gary, Mom & Dad & all those who offered service to us during our time of need!! Our success is thanks to you! We took orders from retailers across the United States & you will be seeing Cherished Expressions products in over 15 stores & several here locally! One of my favorite booth elements was the floral arrangement I made, several people wanted to buy it but I love it too much & will be using it in all of our holiday booths.

I found a use for some of my Halloween decorations!

This booth had the most beautiful ribbon I have ever seen! Their wholesale pricing blew my mind. My friends know I am a ribbon addict & I ordered several bolts of ribbon that I have never even seen in stores before to use on a new line of frames we are making.

I loved this booth because they share my affinity for lime green & polka dots! Their stuff was darn cute too! I love personalized & monogrammed items!

This booth was tres' chic, I loved it!

This lady had the cutest handmade decor! She has been featured in several magazines & We had fun visiting about our businesses. I was excited when she wanted to trade some items! That is the best part of these shows, getting to trade for fun things!

I picked some Halloween sticks....

and some of these cute snowman boxes. I can't wait for the holidays now to add them to my decor!
Gypsy Soule! I love my bling & nothing like some seriously blinged out flip flops made by some good ol' Texas girls. I am so excited...these retail for $300 & I would NEVER pay that for a pair of shoes!!!

I have wanted one of these for a long time!
Got for my niece Grace! I need a girl!Market was so much fun! I love to shop but even this was just too overwhelming for me! It would take days to see it all & there is way too much stuff I wanted. It was fun to see things I love that are in the stores I love & find out what the "cost" is!! Retailers mark stuff up 100-200%! The best part is I made a lot of good connections & contacts so my production costs just went down for my own products! I am going to add jewellry to our business & I can't wait to show you what kind!

Flour Power!

2009-07-09T15:01:00.002-05:00

Getting ready for market has taken all of my time & I have not been able to play with the boys like I would like. I decided to take a few minutes & do something special for Matthew & make him a German Pancake. I guess I did not realize just how much I needed to slow down because next thing I knew I had 10lbs of flour all over my kitchen. It took me an hour to get every last bit of flour up & the German Pancake never tasted so good!

Little Lovie Oliver

2009-07-09T14:47:00.002-05:00

My friend Nicole just had her first baby, Oliver. His room & baby shower is jungle theme. You know me, I love a theme! I made this picture frame to match his room. My favorite gifts in the hospital when my boys were born were my cookie bouquets. Nothing like a soft sugar cookie with almond icing after no food & hard labor for 12 hours. I wanted Nicole to have the same luxury since she had over 24 hours hard labor! I was even more excited to be able to get it in the jungle theme. I love Cookies By Design!

Cafe Rio Salad

2009-07-09T14:25:00.002-05:00

Those of us that don't live in Utah or California don't have the luxury of strolling in to the local Cafe Rio for a little taste of heaven. I can not tell you how many "knock off" recipes I have tried & tweaked before I finally hit the nail on the head. Sweet pork, black beans, cilantro lime rice, romaine, cilantro lime ranch dressing, crispy tortilla strips & the pies de resistance......crumbled queso fresco. We even served them in pie tins for Settlers night.

Good Ol' Texas Storms!

2009-07-09T14:13:00.002-05:00

We have gotten used to these crazy Texas storms and even have our tornado siren drill down pat. The boys actually now enjoy laying in the tub eating twizzlers & watching a movie on the laptop by candlelight while the sirens blare. What we are not prepared for though are the outdoor casualties left by these storms. I guess we should be grateful this is the worst the high winds did. And yes, that is a full sized grill, very heavy actually, thrown several feet!

Cousin Neighbors

2009-07-09T13:44:00.005-05:00

We are loving having our cousins living up the street! We get to do lots of this.........

And this..............

And this.....................LOVE!!!!!

Matthew's End Of Year Party

2009-07-09T13:27:00.003-05:00

The last day of 1st grade was bittersweet for me. Bitter because Matthew is growing up WAY too fast & sweet because he has excelled in school, become a phenominal reader & loves advancing. Here is his picture of the last day of school.....minus quite a few teeth but plus quite a bit smarter!I enjoyed being very involved in his school this year. I was a room parent, worked in the teacher work room, went on the field trips & even subbed one day. It was very special getting to be so involved & see Matthew's interactions & learning growth! I worked with a FABULOUS group of ladies throughout the year and enjoyed helping plan the year end party. They had a snow cone machine, popcorn, lots of games & water cannon fights. The kids had a great time & I Matthew & I are looking forward to next year, 2nd grade!

Father's Day

2009-07-09T13:01:00.004-05:00

Matthew was in charge of planning Father's Day this year. Matthew is a boy after my own heart, a meticulous planner. He had every detail planned to the "T"; Dad's favorite breakfast served in bed, hand made cards, dvds for the gift & Dad's choice dinner. Much to Matthew's distress (And he was quite distressed) Chris got up early so we had to move to plan B. As you can see here, all ended well & now that I think about it, disaster was diverted by not having biscuits & gravy, fruit & eggs eaten in bed on my new comforter!

Activity Days Frames

2009-07-09T11:53:00.002-05:00

I love my calling as an Activity Days leader. I don't have a daughter yet & these girls are the cutest, most fun little ladies. For mother's Day I was in charge of the gift, a task I live for! We had each of the girls pictures taken & put them in these cute frames I made. I was up until 3 am finishing them but the looks on the girls faces when they saw them made it all worth while!

Cupcakes

2009-07-09T11:36:00.002-05:00

I am always looking for an excuse to make cupcakes! A friend's birthday & visiting teaching provided the perfect opportunity. I have been wanting to try some new recipes & I settled on a Butter Vanilla cupcake with key lime frosting and sugar crystal sprinkles. Delish! I boxed up the ones to give away in fun cupcake boxes from Hobby Lobby of course. These are my new favorite!

Home Sweet Home

2009-07-09T11:07:00.003-05:00

I love going home to visit my parents. I get to return to the same home that I grew up in as a child. There is no greater comfort than the familiarity of my parents home. It always reminds me of the old adage; the more things change, the more they remain the same. Now as an adult, I frequently load my boys in to the car and we make the 1hr and 45 min. drive to Wichita Falls. As we turn down that street, and drive under the rich canopy of trees, the excitement mounts.....any moment now Ma & Pa's house will pop into view! My kids are already unbuckling their seat belts & ready to spring the moment the car doors open. Unsure of who's more excited, me or them, we hurry to the door and before our hands are on the handle we can already hear cousins in the back yard playing, Pa's classical music wafting through the house & Ma clanging pots around in the kitchen as she is cooking something to feed the constant masses. Home Sweet Home!

I love my mother's rose garden. My apartment always had vases stuffed with colorful, sweet smelling roses every week! I miss that luxury!

Memorial Day in the Falls!

2009-07-09T10:00:00.006-05:00

The kids love to ride the power wheels. They ride them around the yard until the batteries go dead.

It is fun to watch the kids play in "the sandbox" because I logged countless hours in there as a child. It is a rare occurrence to see "ripe" strawberries in mom's garden, what with all the grandkids/helpers to harvest them.
Jake would not even wait to let me rinse the berries off, guess boys & dirt really do go together!
It was a relief to see the onions were growing back! Some of the grandkids who shall remain nameless decided to help Ma by "weeding" her garden one day. Lets just say the onions unfortunately too closely resembled weeds to the wee ones with no green thumbs!
A boy & his little doggie!
Celebrating little Will's birthday with the Texas cousins (We missed our Josh & Rachel!)
Too much fun in the sun! Ma sent us home with her whole aloe plant!

8 years down, Eternity to go!

2009-07-09T09:54:00.005-05:00

May 21st My sweetie & I celebrated our 8 year anniversary. The road has been long & difficult but all good things require sacrifice. I think the quote "We may not have it all together but together we have it all" sums us up pretty well! I am so blessed!Our engagement pictures

Wedding day

Pregnant with Matthew

Hiking the glacier in Alaska

The day we were sealed in the Houston temple!

Mexico

My best friend Devon's wedding

Pregnant with Jake

Salt Lake City temple, my sister Liz's wedding

Reliving one of our first dates!

Love my "Lilli-bug"

2009-05-04T23:28:00.003-05:00

Hillary was here this weekend & spur of the moment took My niece Lillia to my front yard to snap some photos. I know I am biased but my Lilli-bug is GORGEOUS!!! Who would have thought my plain old front yard would be the back drop for these awesome pics!

My new calling

2009-04-16T12:49:00.004-05:00

Along with teaching the Gospel Doctrine class I am now an Activities Day leader. I can not tell you how excited I am or how much I will love this calling. In prior wards I have always been in Young Womens' & I miss it terribly! This calling is the next best thing, maybe better! I went to the Achievement ceremony last night. The bishop had the girls all sit on one pew as he spoke to them. As I sat looking at the girls I was overwhelmed with the spirit & so much love for them & I don't even know a lot of them. Heavenly Father has such a magnificent & divine role for us as women and those sweet girls represented the purest form of young "students" to be molded and taught to fill that role. I get to work with some amazing women who could not be better role models! I look forward to getting to know these girls and being reminded by them of such sweet & simple principles of youth, innocence & faith in it's purest form, things we somehow lose as we get older. The best part is I get to finally have "daughters" even if they are not my own. I can only take so much Star Wars, Lego's & sports talk, have to have a girlie outlet!

Back to Work!

2009-04-16T12:29:00.002-05:00

We are back to work coming up with new products & I love designing things that are unique to our company. Here is a sneak peek of one of my favorites.

Finally!

2009-04-16T12:18:00.002-05:00

Matthew has complained on many occasions that he is the only kid in his class who has not lost a tooth. I guess I had forgotten that a gaping hole in your gums is a status symbol at the ripe ol' age of 7! Sure enough, he finally got his wish and lost his first tooth. Of course it had to be his front tooth! I swear I caught him stealing glances in the mirror at least 8 times that day. That night he put the tooth under the pillow & dreamed of large bills while he slept. The next morning I was getting ready & could hear him waking up. He comes shuffling in to my room with head down and a cross expression. "She did not leave me anything" he told me frustrated. Thinking maybe he had not seen the dollar "she, the tooth fairy" had left I suggested we go look together. He then showed me the dollar and said, "this is all that I found". I had to laugh! I'm not sure what the tooth fairy left his friends at school but he had hopes set higher than a dollar. I reminded him the recession affects mythical creatures as well & to be grateful. Geesh! I only got 50 cents when I was that age!

My Easter Surprise!

2009-04-16T12:03:00.003-05:00

Sunday night after we had driven home & gotten the boys to bed the doorbell rang. Much to my surprise it was beautiful little Ariana complete with bunny ears singing "Hoppy Easter to you". As if that was not awesome enough, she was bearing a gift. Earlier in the week her amazing mother had posted her latest project on her blog, these adorable hand made fabric eggs, nestled in moss grass in a glass bowl tied with a cute ribbon. I had seen the post, immediately coveted them but knew I would never be able to make them. Ariana presented me with my own bowl of those very eggs. I can not tell you how excited I was. That Lori! I can now add "mind reader" to my ever growing list of things she does that amaze me!

Easter Morning

2009-04-16T11:46:00.002-05:00

This was a very "symbolic" Easter for me. We spent the weekend in Wichita Falls with my family. Saturday night we watched "To this end", a beautiful depiction of Christ's birth, crucifixion & resurrection, bringing his purpose full circle. As we went to bed, a pretty big thunderstorm had rolled in & kept us up most of the night with very loud thunder & rain, reminiscent of the movie we just watched and the storms after Christ's death. The next morning we woke up to the sun shining brightly & a beautiful Easter morning. The Easter Bunny had managed to hop through the rain & leave the boys treats. At church, in lieu of talks, the choir performed an Easter cantata & the spirit was so strong. The final song, we all joined in and sang he is risen, one of my favorites! Mom made a wonderful lunch & it was so nice being with my siblings & watching our kids play together on such a beautiful day.

Bunny Pancakes & An Egg Hunt

2009-04-16T11:42:00.003-05:00

Easter Egg Time

2009-04-16T11:23:00.006-05:00

It's that time of year again & the boys were very excited to dye Easter eggs. Chris & I still like to get in on the action ourselves & we are learning that all the eggs do not have to look perfect or even good for that matter. Full creative control was given to the boys this year & I throw in that disclaimer before you see the results below! Can you guess what Jake's favorite color is!?! He did ALL 12 of his eggs blue! He refused to try any other color, I guess better that than pink, right?

Be the CHANGE!

2009-04-15T10:40:00.002-05:00

I'm one of those goofy gals that loves a good motivational thought to ponder on throughout the day. Today I remembered something my mom always used to say to me..."You don't like something? You observe an indifference? Be the change that you want to see, for you know, change begins with...ME!" I have set a goal for myself to be a more positive person, I love positive people! This little thought will help me achieve that goal!

Spring has sprung!

2009-04-09T00:18:00.003-05:00

Ok, either I am way too tired or just on a "feelings" streak but I have to give a shout out to Spring. This is my favorite time of the year. I love the symbolism of a cold, sleeping Earth that bursts forth with new life, bright colors and light. With Easter so close, Spring symbolizes Christ's new life bursting the bands of death to bring back light. Every green leaf and new flower bud makes me smile and thankful that the Lord has given us so many beautiful things that we need to stop and notice. My cousin Shelley lives in Japan right now while her husbands job has him there. She posted pictures of the beautiful cherry blossom trees now blooming in abundance there. I thought it was too pretty not to share!

Simply too sweet!

2009-04-08T23:54:00.002-05:00

I have a beautiful, amazing friend at church named Lori who is a mommy of 3, crafter & blogger extraordinaire & .......the bishop's wife! I know, triple threat, right!? Oh wait, did I mention she has a business too?!? You have to check out her personalized jewelry, it is simply too sweet! I am going to order a mommy necklace with my boys' names on it & a necklace for my nieces baptism gift. NOTHING is more meaningful than something personalized! Please tell all of your friends about her site, beautiful jewelry that is VERY well priced so you can get more than one!

http://simple-blessings.net/home/

May come fast!

2009-04-08T23:21:00.003-05:00

To follow up on my last post..... I have struggled with a sense of loneliness this past year that has been my silent struggle. We moved to a new area & I watched my 31 year old sister in law lose her 4 year fight with cancer. I miss my dear girlfriends from home & college badly! Anyone who knows me knows how I internalize everything so I have not been as proactive socially as I should have been. I have poured my heart out to the Lord many times recently for some good friends. My cousin Jake, who is more like a brother, & his wife Alicia decided to buy a business in Dallas & move here. They just so happened to find a home within walking distance of mine. This I feel, is an answer to my prayers. The Lord is so mindful of my simple, silly requests! My sister Liz will be here all summer. Again, the Lord's goodness to me. I doubt she has any idea how much I needed her, even if just for a short time.

It's almost General Conference time again!

2009-03-28T19:45:00.004-05:00

My parents still laugh when I say I am looking forward to General Conference! My parents ALWAYS had us sit quietly through both Sunday sessions & sometimes Saturday sessions too, no exceptions! Thankfully, I now appreciate the blessing of hearing the words of our prophet & leaders & "feast" upon their words. I wanted to do something cute for the girls I visit teach for the upcoming session. I put together a little survival kit complete with snacks, gum, flavored water, cute notebook & pen. Craft nerd strikes again! I hope they love it!

No rest for the weary

2009-03-28T19:38:00.002-05:00

Has anyone else had a day where you take 2 steps forward & before you can sit down & revel in your awesomeness, TAKE 4 STEPS BACK!?! Jake is STILL potty training & I had just put new sheets on his bed. I had also just picked up the playroom, done laundry, cleaned the kitchen, fed Jake & put him down for a nap. I was feeling pleased with my work completed so I sat down to check my email. I woke Jake up when it was time to get Matthew from school & this is what I found! Sneaky Snake! Sheets in the washer AGAIN!

Julie's baby shower

2009-03-28T19:25:00.003-05:00

I love baby showers. My fabulous friends Amy & Natalie threw a baby shower for Julie who is having her first baby, a boy. This was one of the cutest, most fun showers I have ever been to, good job girls! I made the favors & a diaper cake. I was pretty proud of my play on words for my sign for the candy bowl! I'm such a craft nerd, I seriously need therapy!!

Now that is smart!

2009-03-28T19:21:00.003-05:00

Sweet 16!?!............I should say so!

Do I really even need to comment!?! This made Chris & I smile!

Jake's 4th Birthday

2009-03-28T16:24:00.006-05:00

My little Firecracker is 4! Jake has one speed...FAST! I love his obsession with Spiderman & Thomas the train. I love that he still likes my horrible singing voice & can't go to bed until I have sung to him. I hate how fast he is growing up! Despite all his running, he always stops to snuggle me & tell me he loves me & then he's off again!

Jake wanted pancakes for breakfast. Again, the curse of creative minds struck....Chris made spiderweb pancakes since Jake's alter ego is of course, Spiderman!

Jake wanted an ice cream cake but could not decide what kind of ice cream. I did a Neopolitan cake; strawberry, chocolate & vanilla, he loved it! The cherry sours on top were his favorite part.

We went to Peter Piper Pizza for dinner & games of course! It was so funny, Jake would get so excited and run to one thing, Chris would put in a token & before it was even finished Jake was off to the next game or ride.

Matthew's 7th Birthday

2009-03-28T15:32:00.010-05:00

I can not believe my sweet boy is 7! Time flies by way too quickly! Matthew is my heart & my joy! When he was blessed as a baby Chris said he would be my comfort child & that blessing has been manifested time after time. He is my little kindred spirit; artistic, loves to read, loves babies, very creative and has a quick wit. He still has that childhood naivety & innocence & I am clinging to it as long as I can! We are so excited about this big birthday, it marks a year of preparing for his baptism. I love my Matthew & I thank the Lord every night for sending me such an "old soul" who enriches my life in a way I could never have imagined!

This was the first year that we have not had a big party for Matthew's birthday. We decided this year to have a one on one night with each of the boys on their birthday & then a family party the next day. Matthew's birthday seemed to morph in to a 3 day celebration! Friday, his actual birthday, the morning started with balloons & a special breakfast; Cinnabon & strawberries. I took cupcakes to school for his class and then went with his class on their field trip to the Dallas Aquarium. I had as much fun as the kids did! The trip was extra special for Matthew because he got to wear the birthday badge. Friday night when Chris got home we went to Christina's for Mexican food and then to Main event for some bowling. Matthew is very competitive like his mom so bowling was serious business. He is quite the little bowler! Saturday morning we met family at Rain Forest Cafe for lunch. We sat right next to the aquarium & water fall, the kids had a ball.

I hate cancer!!

2009-02-21T20:07:00.002-06:00

I will not rant, I will not be angry, I will feel better by saying the "h" word only once, in the title of this post. My grandmother lost a breast to cancer a few years ago. I lost a beautiful sister in law a year ago to cancer at the young age of 31. My sweet mother in law was diagnosed with breast cancer almost a year ago. Today, an amazing, beautiful woman (Deanna Obrien) who was like a mother to me growing up, lost her battle with cancer. Her husband was the bishop who married Chris & I. I am so sad. I don't like to see anyone suffer much less people I know and love. I could be mad, I could want to ask why and maybe I have done a little of both in my mind. I am so thankful for the unmistakable knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father who knows us each by name and loves us each in a way we could not even fathom. I am thankful for the knowledge of a saviour who broke the bands of death so that we might all have the opportunity to live together again after this life. I am thankful for temple and the opportunity we have to be sealed together as couples and as families so that there is no such thing as "till death do us part". I find peace today in knowing that Deanna is in the Lord's presence and no doubt was able to look him in the eyes and not be afraid. I want to live my life, one day at a time, so that when my time comes, I can look Heavenly Father in the eyes and he can say to me, well done my good and faithful servant. I then want to see all of my friends and family there with me!

I see trouble on the horizon!

2009-02-19T00:27:00.002-06:00

So, anyone who knows me knows History & Math are not my strong subjects. English Lit, Science, Art, I'm your girl. Thankfully my sweetie is very strong in all subjects, especially History & Math. First grade homework is actually intensive! Don't laugh yet, I bet half of you reading this can't answer some of the questions on "Are you smarter than a fifth grader"? Matthew has lots of homework now so I am dreading the years to come. Luckily between Chris & I the boys will be just fine. Pray nothing ever happens to Chris or Matthew will have to rule out being a doctor or a historian!

Bummer Valentines Day

2009-02-19T00:19:00.002-06:00

We had a fabulous Valentines day planned! Dinner at Ruth's Chris steak house with our good friends the Rothey's. I was just still in too much pain from the accident to go out so we put the kids to bed, laid on the couch & watched movies & ate chocolate with a side of Diet Coke & pain meds. My sweetie was disappointed but I promised we would have a do over when I felt better.

Black Beauty

2009-02-18T23:48:00.004-06:00

(This picture is after the outer bumper was was ripped off upon collision)

If you would have told me a year ago that I would be driving a minivan I would have been insulted. Last December we looked at Sequoias, Tahoes & Yukons. We needed an SUV with a third row, leather seats & my requirement was that it HAD to be black. Needless to say I researched, surveyed, test drove, price shopped until I was blue in the face. All the while Chris & Will are saying, get a Honda Odyssey, get a Honda Odyssey. I finally gave in

enough to entertain the idea. One rainy night after 2 hours pounding out a deal on a Tahoe, Chris convinced me to quickly run next door to the Honda dealership we had not been to & just see an Odyssey one more time before making a final decision. Long story short.....there she was...."Black Beauty" tan leather interior, Touring deluxe edition, every bell & whistle; sunroof, power gate & doors, nav unit, tv/dvd player, heated bucket seats, and on and on. I took one look at Chris's face & could see stars in his eyes. I'm a sucker for my sweetie & it was a pretty car, I caved right there on the spot. SO, why this long diatribe about a car that I never wanted to begin with? I love my Odyssey, it is my baby, I keep it immaculate inside and out & keep my metal Longhorn decal on the back proudly polished, just ask anyone. I had finished visiting teaching on the 12th & since Jake was at the sitter decided to run to Michael's for cellophane wrap. I was only going 45mph almost to my turn when all of a sudden, with no forewarning of brakes, the man in the Lexus behind me slammed into me throwing me into the turnout to my right where I slammed into the curb & stop sign. I hit my head on the visor & & that is really all I remember. He had hit me so hard my sunroof, glove box, console & drink holder all popped open. Matthew & Jake's booster seats popped out of the chairs they were in & I could see my bumber in the middle of the road. I am so thankful I was alone & that this man hurried over & was so kind. A policeman happened to be right up the street & was there in seconds. Information exchanged, he even told the officer it was his fault he was not paying attention & called his agent right there on the spot to get the claim rolling & told her to do whatever I needed. I was only 2 miles from the Honda dealership so it took no time to get the car where it needed to be. Ironically they gave me a GMC Yukon to drive until my car is fixed, probably 2 months. This was my first car accident. The Lord's tender mercies are just too obvious to ignore by the things I mentioned above. I went to the emergency room to have my back and head checked because once the shock wore off I was in a lot of pain. Everything checked out ok, pain meds, muscle relaxers & anti inflammatory prescriptions in hand I finally got to go home. All in all a traumatic experience that could have been so much worse, my body will mend but I miss my Black Beauty, The Yukon is pretty but so not kid friendly & convenient like my Honda so I will patiently wait for the damage assessment. As a side note, my wonderful friend Rachel brought dinner & yup, hot, homemade wheat bread & my beautiful friend Lori Tolbert brought over the most delicious carrot bread for me. I hate to say it but maybe I should be traumatized more often! Maybe not. (I will post pics as soon as the adjuster emails them to me).

Matthew's Valentine Box

2009-02-18T23:37:00.005-06:00

We are cursed with creativity! It truly is more of a disease than a gift! Even my boys are quite creative & crafty! So when we got the assignment to make a Valentine's box for school we could not just take a shoe box and wrap it with wrapping paper. No, us Morphews have to be complicated. Chris sketches the design & measurements, I raid my scrap booking arsenal & do his name in vinyl lettering. 1 hour later we have a Valentines bucket fit for our Matthew. He was so proud, especially of the skulls & ribbon with footballs on it. He now has it proudly displayed in his room.

"The Precious"

2009-02-18T23:17:00.003-06:00

As a young girl I remember the distinct aroma of Mom's hot, homemade wheat bread fresh out of the oven served of course with her homemade strawberry jam. As I got older, there were more kids and more going on, she did not have time to make it very often. Enter Grandma Daetwyler. She moved in to an assisted living apartment in our city. We loved going to visit her, especially on Sunday's when we should have been in Sunday school. The minute we would step off the elevator at the end of the hall our noses were greeted with the smell of her hot, homemade wheat bread. Word spread quickly & our friends begged to go with us to see Grandma D and eat homemade bread with strawberry rhubarb jam. Ironically enough I have not mastered the art of homemade wheat bread, tried once, failed, gave up. As fate would have it we live in a ward with the most incredible gourmet cooks! One professional one who studied in Paris. Every Sunday, our sacrament is thick, sweet pieces of homemade wheat bread. Matthew & Jake LOVE taking the sacrament. Matthew will pick the biggest piece, put it in his mouth and say, "mmmmm, mom, it is so good", it is pretty hilarious. My visiting teacher & dear friend Rachel is one of those gourmet cooks I mentioned. I get wheat bread regularly from her & Matthew, Jake & I have most of the loaf eaten before Chris even gets home. Mathew calls it the brown bread & it is better than ice cream in his eyes. I have now decided to be the good Mormon homemaker I need to be & master this wheat bread thing! I think Matthew might prefer a loaf of wheat bread to a birthday cake next week so I better get cracking (wheat that is....ha ha, funny me)!

Matthew's palette

2009-02-18T23:01:00.003-06:00

Matthew was diagnosed sensory integration disorder at 30 months & it has been a major struggle to introduce new foods much less healthy foods. We had gotten so used to the rejection that we quit reintroducing certain foods. Recently I had the prompting to change my approach. Instead of begging & punishing our new rule has become to try one good bite, if he does not like it, end of story. It was amazing how this worked. Matthew now eats fruit, vegetables, takes vitamins & even tries anything we ask him to. His new favorite food is fish; salmon, tilapia, shrimp & broccoli! Anyone who knows Matthew can pick their jaw up off the floor now! He tried steak for the first time this week & loved it....Chris got so excited! It is so funny but cooking is exciting for me again, no more short order cook! Each meal now is an adventure & we try new recipes daily, Matthew really looks forward to trying new things. Now, I will say there have been only 3 or 4 things he has not liked after 1 bite but we could not be more thrilled!

My new "Bling"

2009-02-18T22:41:00.004-06:00

As busy as our show was, you KNOW I found time to browse. I only made it to 5 of the 7 buildings, it was seriously insane how many booths there were. It is such a good thing I do not have a daughter or I would have gone broke! Luckily, there were some really fun booths close to us that wanted to trade products. I am so excited about my new "bling" that I traded for!

This is a cute magnet board that My friend Meredith made for Matthew, he loves the bottle cap magnets!

This is a funky ring I love!

These shoes are Okab's & they are sooo comfortable, like Crocs but much cuter. My favorite part is the bows are interchangeable so I have zebra, leopard & striped ones I can swap out, LOVE!

I swear every woman at that show had one of these chunky necklaces on. You can layer it with other bead necklaces & the pendants are interchangeable. I picked one with swarovski crystals that I can put a picture in or cute scrapbook paper squares; zebra, leopard, etc.

These chunky pendants can be added on or look cute on a strand of pearls & of course I got "M" for Matthew, "J" for Jake & "K" for me!

OK is a-o-k!!

2009-02-18T22:12:00.002-06:00

As many of you know, we have been working REALLY hard getting ready for our first "big" show, a 3 day show in Oklahoma City. This show was held at the Oklahoma City State Fairgrounds, comprised 7 buildings with over 2,000 vendors. We rented a 10x10 booth since this was our first big show & did not know what to expect. You had to check in by 7pm Thursday night & be set up by 9pm or forfeit your booth. Chris had a big project he was bidding & could not leave until Thursday night after 6 which would be too late. In true Warnock style, I stayed up all night Wednesday night getting everything ready and packed everything in the car myself (took 2 hours & filled every square inch of the car). I then drove to OKC by myself where I had to unload & set up in only 1 hour and 15 minutes. Luckily, my friend Meredith was also a vendor & checked me in by the 7pm deadline since I was still 1 hour away. Chris got in late & we got up at 4 to put together some more products. Let me just say all of our hard work payed off....BIG! Our booth was so crowded, there was a line of people waiting to get in. The people there came every year & had big rolling baskets to put purchases in. Over the three days, we slept little, worked lots (7am-6pm Fri. & Sat. & 10-5 Sun.) but it was worth it. We sold everything we brought, took lots of custom orders & had 5 vendors visit with us about carrying our products in their stores. Needless to say, we put a deposit & contract in for the largest booth at the next show. Our little business is really taking off & exceeding our expectations! The Lord truly is blessing us & deserves all the credit!

Ok, Ok....Message Recieved!

2009-02-18T22:10:00.001-06:00

To all of you, you know who you are, who keep sending me messages about my need to update my blog....you win! I have been unbelievably busy & some big things have happened so buckle your seat belts folks, I'M BACK!!

Suprise Chris!

2009-01-28T20:03:00.002-06:00

So my little hubby took me by suprise by telling me that he actually enjoys checking in on my little blog here. I, being the hopeless little romantic thought I would suprise him by posting a little "G" rated love letter.......
Chris,
I just wanted to let you know how much I love you & appreciate how hard you work for our little family. I know things are not perfect, I know I'm not perfect but I know I love you and that makes up all of the difference. I love that you are such a wonderful father. I am so thankful that you are such a hard worker. It is such a wonderful example to our kids that you put yourself through college to earn your bachelors. I am so proud of how you are the first man to work and after a long day you still come home, help with the kids & then head out to your workshop to work on the products for our business. I love how good you are to your parents & my family. People know they can count on you & you're already in on the "little secret" that I married the best in the extended fam. I think one of the things I love most is how smart you are. You know so much about everything it seems, it has made me so proud on countless occasions. I could honestly list so much more but what I love most of all is the fact that with as much as we've been through & as much as we'll go through, We have stuck together & have lifted the other up when neccesary. I love you and if I don't say it enough....I love you, I love you, I love you!!! Bet I suprised you with this one!

Almost like Mom's

2009-01-28T19:50:00.004-06:00

I decided to break tradition & go for one of my good ol' childhood comfort foods for our dinner tonight. I have the best mom! Every single morning when we would get home from early morning seminary, mom would have a hot, delicious breakfast ready for us. Favorites included french toast & fruit, homemade raisin oatmeal with brown sugar on top, homemade egg Mcmuffins but the best were her pancakes. No store mix for her, always made from scratch with unusual add ins like pureed apples, bananas, cinnamon & my personal fave....fresh blueberries that popped in your mouth when you took a bite. The legacy is still alive today & my boys count on it. Every time they visit Grandma she will get up & say "come on boys, pancake time". I will not even try to lie, I am not up at 6 am with an apron on & a hot, delicious breakfast waiting my sleepy eyed crew. But hey, that is why dinner is still able to accommodate breakfast food every now & then!

Texas "Ice"

2009-01-28T11:30:00.006-06:00

Here is all it takes to cause mass pandemonium on the streets in Texas; no school, multiple car wrecks, city halls opening late & did I mention NO SCHOOL!?!

Today's school cancellation prompted a funny memory of mine. I lived in Alaska for a year to go to college. I remember the morning of the first snow there was like 3 feet of snow on the ground. Being a native Texan, I could only assume that this meant no school, no work, no nothing! Excitedly I plopped down on the couch in my jammies to watch t.v. with a bowl of cereal. My uncle walked in & asked why I was not getting ready for school. I laughed & told him school would be cancelled for sure. He in turn laughed even harder & told me in Alaska snow would have to be over the front door with a moose leaning against it, prohibiting exit, for school to be cancelled. After a winter of that, a year of walking in snow & ice on campus at BYU-Idaho, I look at Texas"Ice" & wonder what the fuss is all about. I will say it was pretty cute when Jake opened the door, squealed & said, "look mommy...Popsicles in the trees"! Oh well, pajamas, story time & s'mores at the Morphew house today.

The Lord's Qualified

2009-01-25T19:30:00.003-06:00

This is a long one.....I have been so blessed to have AMAZING bishops all of my life. There was Bishop Obrien in my home ward; a very funny & gentle soul, as youth, we loved him. I see him every time I go home to visit my family & my prayers and love are with him and his incredible family as his wife is struggling with cancer. There was Bishop Bos in my first ward as a married couple; a bishop that was a father figure to Chris & I & very loved! Bishop Growald; he is Chris's best friend & he & his amazing wife helped Chris & I prepare to be sealed & traveled to Houston to be in the celestial room when we took out our endowments. Flash forward to today...Bishop Tolbert. Where do I even begin!?! We have been in this ward for 18 months and we LOVE our bishop, he is AMAZING! He has been in our home numerous times; helping Chris administer to me during my cancer scare, giving me the gospel doctrine teacher calling (good thing that one was done in person, haha) and checking on us when Chris lost his job. His frequent calls to Chris during the day, & setting him up with contacts & appointments ultimately led to his new job. I met with Bishop Tolbert today and yet again it was abundantly clear how the Lord has qualified him. He asked me about things that were heavy on my mind that I had not shared with anyone. As I was leaving he was hurrying out the door to help his wife at home who has 3 children (2 under 4) and is sick. I have always loved the bishops in my life but have never truly comprehended the magnitude of their sacrifice & responsibility until this year when my father was called to be a bishop. I challenge anyone who reads this to take 5 minutes & write your bishop a quick note, let him know you appreciate him. Reach out to his family as well; drop off a meal, mow their yard, offer to babysit. You would be amazed at the joy you will feel and what better way to teach our children to serve and honor our bishop and his family. Thank you bishop Tolbert & thank you Lori, we all know there is always an incredible woman behind every good man!

Today's blessings

2009-01-23T20:37:00.002-06:00

We have our first "big" show in Oklahoma City the first weekend of February. We have to have a well stocked booth for 3 full days so we have a TON of work to get done. My sweet father in law came over today & measured, cut, sanded & routed for hours to help us out. He even helped Chris make templates to enlarge the picture openings in our frames. I am thankful for a father in law who is always willing to help & has provided all of the tools & equipment Chris has needed in his workshop for this business. Natalie Walker called & invited me for a girl's night out......Thanks for thinking of me Nat, you're awesome! All in all, today, I am thankful for the people in my life who think of me & are so good to me!

My Little Men

2009-01-22T00:20:00.004-06:00

This is random but my thoughts tonight none the less. I have decided at the end of each day I will pick one thing I am grateful for to "journal" about in an effort to be a better person. I must admit When I was pregnant the first time I dreamed of having a girl but the Lord had other plans. Second pregnancy, hopes were high again for a girl. The Lord had other plans again. I am the mother of two healthy, beautiful boys who craze yet enrich my life in a way that no girl ever could. With each passing day I am humbled at the trust the Lord has extended me to raise righteous priesthood holders who will one day hopefully serve missions and administer to the sick & the needy. Could I want anything more....NOPE!! Could I love anything more....NO SIR!!

Small acts of kindness

2009-01-14T23:03:00.004-06:00

After an especially rough month, a good friend telling me she was leaving the church, struggling with Jake to sit still with his Sunbeam class for 15 minutes & sitting alone in relief society again I think I finally reached a breaking point. I had to get up and leave before the tears came. I am ashamed to admit all of this but there is a point..... Every day we cross paths with people; friends or even complete strangers who need a kind word or a small act of service. A smile is nice but requires no effort yet we are all so quick to deal them out & call it good, myself included! Back to my pathetic breakdown....so I get home & am still feeling sad when my phone rings & it is Natalie Walker, my visiting teaching companion, letting me know she noticed I was down & wanted me to know she was there for me.....small act of kindness yet huge impact! Monday, my doorbell rings & it is Megan Tilton with home made rolls & english muffins & jam....small act of kindness yet huge impact! Rachel McEwen calling to tell me she wanted to come get Jake to give me a break, making my family dinner when my finger was hurt & countless other kindnesses....small acts of kindness yet huge impact! Evonne Wallace calling to make sure I was ok after church...small act of kindness yet huge impact! Ladies, I am not perfect, I struggle, I'm not afraid to put that out there anymore because when we know there is a need, service can be performed & charity IS the pure love of Christ! I want the same opportunity, I resolve to do more than just smile in passing. I want to serve so someone els can feel the love I feel when served.

2009-01-14T17:21:00.007-06:00

Ok, I've been tagged & I finally got around to doing it....so there Michelle!

5 favorite places I have traveled to;
1. Maui
2. Bahamas
3. Aca Pulco
4. Alaska
5. Disneyworld

5 favorite places to eat;
1. Cafe Rio (Utah)
2. Houston's (Dallas)
3. Pyramid Room at the Fairmont (Dallas)
4. Kota Sushi (Frisco)
5. Del Frisco's (Fort Worth)

5 favorite movies;
1. Dumb & Dumber (Devon, a.k.a Harry, this is for you- "shhh..just go, I hate goodbyes!")
2. Anne Of Green Gables
3. Napolean Dynamite (I lived the Idaho experience,Rick's, YUK!!)
4. Life Or Something Like It
5. Go Towards The Light

5 Favorite past times;
1. My vinyl lettering business
2. Entertaining & game night with friends
3. Watching football with my boys
4. Dancing with my sweetie who is an amazing dancer
5. Going to the lake with the fam

5 favorite places to shop;
1. Nordstrom
2. Pottery Barn Kids
3. White House/Black Market
4. Arden B (when I am thin)
5. Anne Taylor

5 wishes;
1. Lifetime of health for me & my family
2. My children to always have a strong testimony
3. Continued success & growth for my business
4. To serve several missions with my husband in different parts of the world
5. To be the kind of person everyone wants to be around & be like!

5 People I tag;
1. Hillary Howland
2. Devon Hammer
3. Colby Warnock
4. Michelle Kair
5. Lyssa Mcaleavy

New Years

2009-01-10T23:30:00.007-06:00

We went to Mom & Dad's for New Years. New years eve Mom

made a yummy steak dinner & tons of treats. John, Sheri, Colby, Em, Steven, Will & Becky came over & we all had fun talking & a toast at midnight. The weather was beautiful that weekend so the kids had fun riding the power wheels, swimming(thank heavens for the heated pool) & climbing trees & playing football. It is so fun to watch the kids play especially Grace & Matthew. They spent hours in the sand box digging moats & building dams. It reminded me of the countless hours Will & I spent out there doing the exact same thing when we were kids. Other highlights were Brian's yummy dinner & playing settlers with John & Colby, dinner at the country club, Colby, Becky & I taking the kids to Jump 4 Joy & mom giving all the boys haircuts. We had not even pulled out of the driveway & Matthew was asking when we were coming back!

Christmas Morning

2009-01-10T23:01:00.005-06:00

PaPaw, I mean "Santa" left dollar bills all over the living room for the boys to find & $10 in their stockings. Jake called the money "tickets" & was not very interested which pleased Matthew who collected them quickly!

"Santa" got the new playroom put together even though he left several tasks for us to finish in it.

Matthew wanted "sports stuff" from Santa, We are so grateful he is in to art, reading & sports & not video games. The funniest thing was that his favorite gift was his Gap fleece coat...love that boy!

Jake loved his Santa's helper apron & yes that is a santa hoodie on Kacee!

Christmas Goodies

2009-01-10T22:56:00.003-06:00

We finally got around to baking our annual goodie plates for our friends & neighbors. Tried some new stuff this year & it was a lot of fun. Grandma Daetwyler's thumbprint cookies, peanut brittle, shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate, mini meringues & oreo truffles. Chris was not thrilled with the fact that I made sure there were no extras for us!

Toffee & Breakfast Rings

2008-12-28T12:57:00.003-06:00

Anyone who knows me knows how important tradition is to me. Growing up there were several Christmas traditions that were my favorites; breakfast rings & caroling & helping mom make her homemade toffee. I am so lucky to have incredible in laws that make my holidays spent with them just as special and happy as those spent with my family. This year I attempted to keep up a tradition & make breakfast rings for the Morphew clan. They turned out pretty good, not as good as mom's of course! I had a wonderful time with Chris's family & the breakfast rings made me feel a little closer to my family since they were not here. After returning from the hospital yesterday I was laying on the couch thinking about how I missed seeing my family over the holidays & a package arrived almost simultaneously! It was from my sister Sheridan & she had made us mom's homemade toffee. I almost cried! Sheridan, you have no idea how this package took away my homesickness! I of course had to immediately open it & sample some......just like mom's!

Katie loves her bling!

2008-12-27T17:45:00.008-06:00

I always muse that I made it 31 years without a broken bone or stitches, well one out of two is not bad! I was working on my gospel doctrine lesson & decided to take a break & clean up what was left of the Christmas festivities. I picked up a glass I did not notice was broken & next thing I know...intense pain & blood coming out pretty fast. I never got to see the cut because the bleeding would not slow down. I wrapped it & in true Warnock style sat down thinking I needed to be "tough like an indian" & ride out the pain & bleeding (that only lasted 20 minutes)! Again in true Warnock style, I worked through the pain to apply makeup & fix my hair before driving myself to the hospital. The doctor was worried about tendon damage because of how deep the cut was on my knuckle. 2 numbing shots, 1 tetnus shot & 8 stiches later, this is the mess I call my index finger. Because of the depth & location of the cut, I must admit it hurts REALLY bad! The doctor was kind enough to give me some Vicodin. I am so thankful this happened on the weekend so I did not have to drag kids to the hospital & I can take my pain meds & pass out while Chris is here to help. After seeing my splint Chris was quick to point out I should be grateful it was not my middle finger! That would have made the next 7 days real interesting!

2008-12-15T22:22:00.004-06:00

Could I love anything more! I have been so slammed with custom orders & my Vinyl business that I have not taken the time to appreciate my "little lovies" like I should. It is so easy to get frustrated with them but I am working so hard on smothering them with kisses & tickles just as easily! My life did not begin until I became a mom & I hope they have an inkling as to how much they make my life worth living , even when they are coloring on the walls, tracking in mud and acting crazy. I am amazed that Heavenly Father trusted me enough with these two boys! I went in to tuck them in after they fell asleep, as I do every night & I could hear the sleet falling outside. I don't know why but as I kissed their warm cheeks I had the thought that there are people, children, out there tonight that don't have a warm home & toasty blankets to keep them snug. I had to swallow hard to choke back tears because it is such a small thing we all take for granted. The gospel doctrine lesson I taught Sunday was on Mormon 7-9 & it reiterates our duty to administer to the needy & have charity towards all men. My prayer tonight is for all those who are in need & I pray that I would never pass an opportunity to help them!

Santa Traded His Sleigh For A Fire Truck

2008-12-15T22:01:00.004-06:00

Last night we had just put the boys down & we heard a loud fire engine siren that sounded like it was in our driveway so we hurried to the door to see what was going on. The fire engine was on our street, lights flashing, siren ringing & Santa was on top waving & saying "Ho,Ho,Ho, Merry Christmas!" Chris ran to get the boys, I ran to get the camera. We only caught the back as it had already passed our house. By that time all of the neighbors & their kids had come outside as well. As luck would have it, the fire engine circled back by twice so the boys got to see Santa & catch candy that the firemen were throwing. It was pretty cool, even Chris & I were pretty jazzed! Chris called it our little Christmas Mardi Gras (minus the flashing of course!) We love the firemen & now Jake is convinced Santa travels on a fire engine & not on a sleigh! A much cooler mode of transport to a 3 & 6 year old boy.

2008-12-15T21:45:00.003-06:00

In case you could not tell, we LOVE Christmas!! Jake has 2 stuffed Santa's that we have to pry out of his hands to bathe him. They go everywhere he goes. He screeches every time he sees anything Santa & he calls him "Santa Closet" for some reason. It cracks us up, we try to tell him there is no "t" on the end but he'll still say it. As our little Morphew family inside joke for that I bought a large cut out Santa to put on his closet door. Matthew was envious so he got Frosty. The things only a mother could love!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2008-12-07T21:42:00.004-06:00

Every girl needs a little bling in her life. Any girl who knows me knows I love a lot of bling in my life. My Christmas trees are no exception!

Gingerbread house time again!

2008-12-07T21:22:00.008-06:00

Today we had our annual Morphew gingerbread house making party. Chris, the professional builder constructed the house. Matthew, the professional perfectionist applied the candy symmetrically & by color code. Jake the professional candy eater, well he ate the candy, faster than we could apply it. And finally me, the "wanna be" professional photographer, ha! We'll see how long this baby stays intact on the counter. Little fingers work quickly around this house! I think we have decided that next year we will each do our own house. It is so funny how hard it is for Chris & I not to dictate how the house should look. Too many creative minds in this house!

Houston Arboretum

2008-12-07T21:06:00.003-06:00

We are so lucky to have a talented photographer in the family! Saturday after Thanksgiving we went to the Houston Arboretum for a photo shoot for Matthew & Jake. It was a beautiful day & the arboretum was amazing! Disclaimer- the pics posted above are from my camera taken by Chris. Hillary's are much better...she is the pro....can be seen on her site .....(hillaryhowlandphotography.blogspot.com) I was so happy with how they turned out! I can't wait for our Christmas cards that Hillary is doing, she has some cute templates, check them out on her blog! Thanks Hilly, we LOVE the pictures!!

Thanksgiving in Houston

2008-12-07T20:24:00.004-06:00

We got to spend Thanksgiving in Houston at Mat & Lora's & with Nick & Hillary. It was so much fun! True to form, Mat & Lora had a fabulous menu prepared;
An insanely delicious butternut squash bisque, Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn souffle', sweet potato casserole with crumb topping, homemade macaroni & cheese, green bean casserole, homemade rolls, cranberry relish, frogeye salad, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie & my favorite part- homemade creme brules that Lora used a lighter to torch....SO YUMMY!!

After a delicious dinner the kids played in the backyard while the adults got to chat. Thank heavens for warm Texas weather at Thanksgiving! On a whim Lora, Hillary & I decided to head to the outlet mall at midnight, definitely a first for me! It was actually fun, not too busy when we got there. We only went to Gap, Banana Republic & Ann Taylor. Everything was 1/2 off & we got some great stuff for super cheap! Hillary & I decided to brave black Friday at Target at 6 am. Being the party animals we are we stayed up all night so we would not be late. We got to Target at 6:05 am & the parking lot was full, every single shopping cart & basket was taken. People were running through the store & literally grabbing everything in sight! Hillary & I really got a laugh at the people with walkie talkies who were giving orders. It was a pretty funny morning & needless to say we were so tired anything was funny at that point.

We had such a fun weekend; kids playing together, lots of late night talks, shopping & playing games-Settlers of Catan is our new favorite! Thank you Mat & Lora for hosting a fun Thanksgiving, we love you & we would like to put in a reservation for next year as well!

Texas Cousins

2008-12-07T20:05:00.002-06:00

Our kids are lucky to have so many cousins that live so close! It is so fun to watch them play together & develop life long friendships! We love our cousins!

Yummy crock pot recipe

2008-11-24T00:41:00.003-06:00

I am so busy with my vinyl business that I have come to rely on my crockpot to have fabulous dinners whipped up for my family! Hillary shared a recipe that we tried & loved;

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cranberry sauce with whole cranberries (not the jelly)
1 c barbecue sauce (Cattleman's is my fave)
1 sauteed onion
1T balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
- Throw it all in the crockpot & cook on low for 5 hours & enjoy!

*If any of you have a great crockpot recipe, I'd love for you to share it with me!

The Nielson Family

2008-10-26T12:39:00.004-05:00

The Lord's hand continues..In an age of technology with so many dangers stemming from the Internet there are as many blessings. Women I have never met personally, have inspired and encouraged me daily through their "journals" or blogs. I love the concept of 6 degrees of separation! One in particular I have loved, a woman who definitely could be classified as a kindred spirit, is Stephanie Nielson. I first learned about her from a family in my church. Stephanie's beloved husband, "Mr. Nielson", his cousin is in our ward. I could write pages about why I enjoy her blog but you'll just have to see for yourself! http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/
Anyways.....to get to the point... She & her husband were in a terrible plane crash and have been in medical comas while having skin grafting surgeries for major burns. Their story is amazing & is such a testimony builder if you read the testimonies of the sisters taking care of their 4 young children for them. http://web.me.com/andrewtbagley/NieRecovery/News/Entries/2008/9/25_MomLogic%
http://blog.cjanerun.com/
3A_Nie_Nies_Sister_Speaks_Out.html
You can also read lots by clicking on the icon I have top right corner of my blog. You will be uplifted & will want to include this little family in your prayers. Kiss those around you today, thank the Lord for them, and live each day as if it could be your last because you never know if you will have the same opportunity tomorrow. Though bad things do happen & will happen, the Lord loves us and will carry us & has commanded us to carry each other. To my family- I don't want to let the sun set today without telling you that I love you!

My cute apron!

2008-10-20T14:19:00.002-05:00

There were so many cute booths at the Holiday Bazaar but ALL girly stuff. I don't have little girls, hmmff! But my favorite booth, "Sticky Fingers", happened to be across from mine & after eyeing their adorable dresses, purses and mommy & me aprons all day, they made my day by trading product! I love my apron & I'll save the " & me" one for the daughter I hope to have some day!

The Lord's hand continued

2008-10-19T13:01:00.002-05:00

I have yet again truly seen the Lord's hand in our lives....Many of you know Chris lost his construction manager job 4 months ago. We had anticipated this possibility with the housing crisis but did not actually think it would happen to us. As timing would have it we had just 2 weeks before purchased equipment to start a vinyl lettering business, a dream I have had for over 2 years! Needless to say, Chris worked tirelessly to find a new job, he spent hours on the phone, Internet and pounding the pavement. He has a bachelor's degree in business management, plus he had received some job offers while he was working for Holiday homes that he passed on so we figured it would be easy finding a new job. It felt like everything had literally dried up & disappeared. Chris is a worker so when he was not job hunting , he threw himself 110% into helping me start "my" business. Thanks to loans from family & tools from his dad, Chris spent hours turning piles of wood into beautiful frames & other products for "our" business. I joke he was Rumpelstiltskin, locked in the garage turning piles of wood (like straw) into gold. Long story short....We were able to do in a few short months what would take others much longer. The Lord even blessed me to have 2 wonderful women...Jenny & Teressa, who literally gave me the keys to the Vinyl lettering kingdom! Teressa was a complete stranger in Utah who told me she was not sure why she felt compelled to share info with me that had taken her years to acquire after she started her vinyl business. The Lord knew me & he knew I needed that info. Staying busy with getting this business up & running kept Chris & I busy enough to not worry "as much" about our situation. As timing would have it, 4 months later, with a product inventory in place, business details ironed out & booths & events scheduled & prepared for, Chris got a job offer. It was not as much as we hoped for & I am ashamed of the attitude I had. It took a stern talk from my mother to have the "broken heart & contrite spirit" I had ironically just taught about in gospel doctrine last week. I knelt down & begged the Lord's forgiveness. Almost immediately as I changed my attitude I was able to see, truly see the Lord's plan, not my own plan. The Lord allowed me to have Chris full time to labor & start my dream business. The Lord allowed Chris & I to have time to work on our marriage. The Lord allowed us the opportunity to worry together, cry together, plead in prayer together & ultimately recognize his plan for us all along during what we thought was punishment. I am thankful to the Lord for his tender mercies & I am thankful to all of you dear friends & family for your support, prayers, and simple words of encouragement. You never realize how much a few simple words can help someone! I am most thankful to the Lord fort my dear husband who puts up with so much and does anything & everything for me! I'll get in trouble for saying this but unnamed family members tell me I am the one who married the best & I could not agree more!

The Holiday Bazaar

2008-10-19T12:31:00.002-05:00

Not going to bed before 2am any night this week and only getting one hour sleep Friday night totally paid off! Our booth was a big success! I am justified in saying that because we had SEVERAL vendors leave their booth to come upstairs to ours & say,"we had to come see what the fuss was all about, customers are stopping other customers to ask where they got that frame or glass block. We got over a hundred names on our sign up sheet for our home party the second week of November. We even got a few business cards from other vendors who want items for their business. After the high of the day's excitement, as we were packing up to leave, someone told us the elevator was broken. We laughed thinking it was a joke......it was no joke! It took Chris over 5 trips down the stairs with 6olb or more bins of products before some men came & helped carry our display racks & other huge items. Needless to say, My husband did not complain once! He worked. We went to dinner with our good friends Mike & Melissa Rothey and then literally came home & passed out!

Remembering Cory

2008-10-19T12:08:00.003-05:00

Chris's beautiful sister Cory would have celebrated her 32nd birthday on October 9th. This is the first time Cory has not been here on Earth to celebrate her birthday but it still is truly a day worth celebrating! Chris's family our family and Cory's little boy Collin released 32 balloons into the beautiful, sunny sky to remember a dear daughter, sister, mother and friend.

Collin said "Happy Birthday Mommy" as he let his balloons go. Happy Birthday Cory, we love you!

The Coveted Golden Fork Award

2008-10-09T22:17:00.003-05:00

First off, my camera, one of my most prized possessions, is broken & I want to cry. So, sorry no picture to accompany this entry.....

Matthew came home from school today on cloud nine. He promptly produced a Golden Fork & award certificate. Apparently there is a contest at school during lunch the teachers watch for a student who exemplifies "good manners" & they are awarded the "Golden Fork Award". According to Matthew this is a coveted award amongst the kiddos. They receive a golden fork that they get to take home & eat with along with an award with a disclaimer that you are supposed to give praise & make a big deal about your child's exceptional etiquette. Two things immediately came to mind when I saw this;

1. Is this fork the same one previous winners have used? Anyone who knows me knows what a

germ freak I am! Thankfully it was not, his to keep!

2. Why the heck are those "exemplary" manners not exhibited at our house!?!

Oh well, at least I know now he payed attention all the times we have tried to teach him!

Now if only they had a golden dust rag award. Maybe Matthew would try to keep his room clean.

Future Gap Model?

2008-09-22T18:23:00.002-05:00

Matthew is my sweetheart but soon he may be my "sugar daddy"! I took Matthew to the Gap the other day to try on jeans. Unlike his parents, he is skinny but pretty tall for his age. Gap jeans fit him best because we can go up to 2 sizes larger for the length he needs but they have the hidden adjustable waist buttons to accommodate his skinny waist. Back to the point, so I am holding up jeans to his waist and anyone who knows Matthew knows he loves to "strike poses". There he is hamming it up for me when we realize we have an audience. The little sales girl & the floor manager are watching him & whistle. The manager goes and gets a casting call invitation & gives me directives on how to submit a photo. So, here is the picture we submitted. Cross your fingers he gets chosen!

"The Lord's hand".......

2008-08-27T12:29:00.002-05:00

After hearing Henry B. Eyering's beautiful conference talk last year about how he journaled his experiences of "seeing the Lord's hand" in his life, I made a resolve to "try" to do the same. My latest entry involves our bishop & our wonderful ward, the Frisco 6th ward. I met with our bishop Sunday after church. As I left his office I was overcome with many emotions. Bishop Tolbert is a spiritual giant disguised as a gentle, quiet spoken man. The story of how is a long one but the Lord's hand led us to this area so that we would be in this ward, with this bishop, at this time. The Lord's hand has allowed me to be surrounded by beautiful, amazing women in Relief Society whose kind words and smiles mean more to me than they could ever know. With all that my little family is going through right now, we would never make it without these small glimpses of the Lord's hand in our life.

Twas the night before first grade.....

2008-08-26T22:15:00.003-05:00

Twas' the night before first grade and all through the house, not a creature in Matthew's "pretend classroom" was stirring, not even mouse............... The backpack was hung by the front door with care, in anticipation of leaving at 7:30, with no time to spare! The children had begrudgingly headed early to bed with visions of freedom dancing in Jake's head; and Katie and Chris had finally passed out, a day with no nap! When down from the hall there arose such a clatter, We sprang out of bed to see what was the matter. When what to our groggy eyes should appear, 6:30 on the alarm clock & excited chatter all too near! Down the hall came Matthew with a bound, all dressed in his new school clothes with his backpack slung over his shoulder. No beard, no pipe but he did request toast & jelly.With a wink of his eye he got straight to work, posing for pictures, lots of smiles, what a perk! He sprang to the car, to his dad gave a whistle and away they drove, like a ....Well, you know how Chris drives!

I heard Jake exclaim as they drove out of sight..... All the toys to myself....Alllllright!!!!!!

Annual Warnock Family Lake Travis Trip

2008-08-10T23:47:00.003-05:00

Warnock family numbers; First there were 11, 6 marriages made 17, 13 babies(& one on the way) have brought the grand total to 29. The majority live in Texas with some in Colorado, Chicago & Utah. We are so blessed to have a father who works so hard to make fabulous vacations possible for our ever growing family! By far one of our favorites is every year in August when we all gather together for our Annual Warnock Family Lake Travis vacation. A tradition we have all come to anticipate all year. As kids we were always at the lake and now our children get to have the same experience.

Day 1

2008-08-10T23:31:00.004-05:00

Mom reserved houses for us at the Hollows, a gated community on the North shore of Lake Travis nestled in the rolling hills. Beautiful houses, beautiful views & an amazing beach club. We were the first ones to the house so we got settled in & Mat & Lora & Sheridan & their kids arrived. Mom & Bekah were picking Christie & kids up from the airport & then loading up on groceries. We went to the private airport up the road & got there in time to see Will land the plane with his crew & Pa. Liz & Brandon got Em & Stephen. When everyone was settled, we headed to the beach club where we pretty much had the entire place to ourselves which was really nice. We cooked out & swam until dark. We all gathered at Mom & Dad's for prayer & then Pa suprised the kids with adorable scrapbooks from the bear hunt in Colorado last Thanksgiving. The suprises did not end there, he had bought 13 pairs of sunglasses & the kids all picked out a pair. Thanks Pa, both were a BIG hit!

2008-08-10T23:19:00.002-05:00

The views from where we stayed. Austin is so beautiful! We'd love to end up there someday since we will NEVER LEAVE TEXAS! Liz, Brandon & Lilly in front of the infinity pool.
We love the beach club pools! Swimming with beautiful open views of Austin hill country! The kids loved their Colorado bear hunt scrapbooks.
Pa's sunglasses were a big hit! The kids always look forward to Prizees from Pa!

Day 2

2008-08-10T23:08:00.003-05:00

The kids were up with the sun ready to hit the lake. After breakfast we headed to the dock and loaded onto the party barge. We love that boat! It has an upper deck with a slide for sunbathing & a shaded lower deck with a bathroom, grill and benches. We found a pretty cove and anchored. We sunbathed & swam while the captain grilled hamburgers for us. Cannonball contests off the top of the boat, Chris took that one! After a long day of fun & sun we headed back & ate a yummy dinner of Cafe Rio chicken & Mexican food. Matt & Lora brought crafts for the kids & they had a blast painting. The kids were all exhausted & went to bed. Jake flew in after 3 weeks in France to join the group. We're grateful the world traveler is back for now!

2008-08-10T23:01:00.003-05:00

The party barge! People sunbathed on top, kids took turns sliding off the slide & jumping off the top. The boat captain grilled hamburgers for us on the grill on the lower deck. We love this boat!Josh was not too thrilled with the sunscreen on his face so he hid under the table. I love that boy, he is one of the funniest kids I know!

2008-08-10T22:48:00.002-05:00

Nathan & Jake swimming with Ma. Jake called Lake Travis the BIG pool.Jake & Daddy hanging out on the boat.The kids weren't the only ones taking advantage of the slide off the back of the party barge!
Jake loves his new glasses pa!
Craft time, building and painting.

Day 3

2008-08-10T22:21:00.002-05:00

After breakfast we headed to the marina where half the group went on the pontoon boat and the other half got on Joe's boat. We found a quite cove with beautiful views and anchored the pontoon boat and ate lunch and swam. The kids took turns riding the tube behind the other boat. It was so fun to just relax, sunbathe and talk. Around 4:30 we headed back to the dock. After a little nap we had dinner & headed to the beach club to swim. Aunt Sheridan brought bouncy balloons and the kids ran around until they all popped. She also had brought a pirate pinata & the kids all got 2 turns swinging at it before it finally broke. Needless to say, there was much screaming and laughter. There were several young couples eating dinner on the patio that had all stopped and gathered to watch as well as a few passersbys. Guess we're more fun than we realized! After swarming the spilled goodies we headed to the house for baths & bed. Matthew & Jake passed out the minute their heads hit the pillows. Another fun day!

2008-08-10T22:14:00.002-05:00

Bella, Matthew, Grace, Lilly, Beth-Anne & James dressed & ready to hit the lake! Matthew was such a good sport & was willing to wear a t-shirt & hat since he had gotten pretty burned the first day.
Matthew, Josh, Jared & Nathan practicing their wave dodging maneuvers before they hit the lake.
Matthew trying out the captain's seat.

2008-08-10T21:49:00.004-05:00

Matthew & Josh were quite the daredevils on the tube! With Dr. Uncle Mat on board Matthew was always willing to chant "faster, faster"! For some strange reason, all the "singles" wanted to be on the speed boat instead of the pontoon boat with all the little kids.
Green drink does a body good!
The kids quite literally "having a ball" with their bouncy balloons! It was all fun & games until they started popping & many tears were shed!
The pirate pinata was "a big hit"! Everyone got a turn and noone was maimed! Thirteen kids under age 8 screaming & hitting a pinata drew quite a crowd at the beach club, it was pretty amusing to see all the strangers that had gathered to watch. Guess we're just used to the noise & chaos!

Day 4

2008-08-10T21:40:00.002-05:00

We all got dressed and took family pictures. Impressively enough for a group our size, and with Emily's boyfriend Stephen & Jake's girlfriend Bekah as photographers, we got lots of great pictures in a short amount of time. After pictures we all went to Mom & Dad's house for brunch & sadly helped pack & clean up. After many kisses & hugs we headed home sunburned & happy with many new memories to smile about! Thanks again Mom & Dad, we sure love you & had a wonderful time!

What are Morphew Moments?

2008-08-01T13:42:00.007-05:00

I love Jane Austin so I thought it would be fun to take the quiz below to see which heroine I would be most like. This got me thinking, who am I?.....I am still the same girl I have always been but through life's changes I have evolved some. I am passionate about everything I do. When asked as a child what I wanted to be when I was older, the list was large....I wanted to be a champion swimmer, an artist, a chef, an author, a photographer, a graphic designer, an interior designer, a personal shopper, be a world traveler, play the flute, be a wedding planner, just to name a few. A stay at home mom with two very busy boys never made the list though. I don't know if anyone has the days like I do where the kids are chasing each other around the house, laundry is piled up, dinner to be made, toys to be picked up and you are on your knees scrubbing the tub while pulling a Popsicle stick out of the drain. For some odd reason this is when I am lost in self reflection, feeling like I'm just not where I thought I would be in life. I just realized, though none of them have become my singular life's profession as I hoped, I have been every single item on my list. Being a mother, though hard, has unknowingly afforded me the opportunity to be everything I wanted to be and more. This brings me to now, Morphew Moments Blog. I joke with Hillary that shows like "the real world" & "the osbornes" have nothing on my family. So here, in its' infinite glory, for your entertainment (& hopefully upliftment) is the unscripted lives of the Morphew family ...........................

2008-08-01T13:41:00.003-05:00

Take the Quiz here!