I think I pulled a muscle driving home

Driving in the snow is treacherous, but driving in the snow with a baby in a car that doesn't have 4WD means tense straining of muscles I didn't know I had. Had to post this gem of a picture, not because it's soo cute but because it shows my husbands creative mind and silly humor. He went downstairs in my sis's house to get the babe so we could go home. Later I see him walking around with a camera and a sword and some other things my sister gave him, and later he shows me this. Hilarious. He said it was just the perfect position for him to be wielding a sword. Can't you just see it? It's like when someone sees a picture in the clouds and they try to explain it to you, but you just don't see it. Thank goodness for the sword or it would be lost on me.

Here are some more between-tubes pictures in the sweater my mom knitted for Lainey. I know, right? And some of me and Ben celebrating his last day of finals this semester. Our food took a particularly long time to come, so we took pictures like that for about 10 minutes at the restaurant, we were so entertained.

Live Nativity

Didn't disappoint. Most of the pictures did though, it was too cold and dark to take very good pics, most of them were pictures of half a body or face. It's so neat to see something like that. I would love to be very involved in a production like that, it's right up my alley. Reminded me of how much I want to see the Holy Land. Someday. I also thought about how the Christ child seems almost like a paradox. How could something so huge be so small, and someone so glorious be so humble. Truly miraculous. How would it have been to really have visited that manger, and worship that babe.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Family Picture

This morning Peter pulled his tube out and all the way off. I made a split-second decision to take a family picture before we put his tube back in. Since we were all getting ready for church anyway, it seemed like it would be easy enough. Not so, but I'm so glad we finally have a picture of the three of us without Peter's tube. It is seriously the first. It is an early Christmas present to me. Thanks to Natalie my neighbor who was walking to church and we made her stop and take the picture. Hope you weren't late!

'tis a gift to be simple

I just love this video. Peter found the door jamb and laughed for 45 minutes. Speaking of laughing, we went to The Messiah Sing-In at Abravanel Hall to ring in the season, as is tradition with the Curtis' and it's so fun to be with the sibbies. Ben with his broseph and me with sis.

thankful

The happiness of these two is what I'm most thankful for. Every smile and movement Peter makes is a marvel to me. I do not exaggerate. This might sound weird, but I love to watch him in the bath because I can see every little move he makes and all his muscles working. He still isn't crawling or anything (16 months), but to see him move his little legs is so amazing to me. To watch him progress and develop is a miracle to me every day. Lately he has been able to be happy and healthy and I can't even express how grateful I am to be able to see him have a normal life right now. It's such a blessing to be able to focus on just growing and learning how to move his body. If Peter is happy, I don't need anything else to say my life is complete.
Of course, that is not including Ben. I'm thankful for someone who loves me even when I don't deserve it, and who understands me when no one else does. I'm thankful for his character and for how much fun he is. He lightens my heart.
On Sunday, I taught a lesson on the Restoration of All Things: The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. In light of Thanksgiving, we spent part of the lesson saying what we were grateful for that has been restored. It was a beautiful way to look at things. Here was my list:

What truth has been restored for which you are particularly thankful? Mom's experience with knowing about Peter's mature spirit after death, knowledge that she would raise him in the Millennium, knowledge of plan of happiness: our purpose in coming to earth helps me to desire my trials as challenges and tests of my faithfulness, Holy Ghost: knowledge of revelation: prayer: God will speak to me personally, blessings are personal, counsel of a prophet to avoid debt, pornography, to pray and study with our spouse and to attend the temple and have FHE: things for our day, to strengthen us against the power of the Destroyer, the power of the devil: that it is real, the power of the Priesthood and the ability to cast Satan out; the Priesthood and the opportunity to be healed spiritually and physically, temples: to be sealed to my sweetheart for eternity and to my family and the family of Adam, the opportunity to learn in the house of the Lord, miracles have not ceased, the visitation of angels (Moroni etc. to Joseph) they continue to minister: I know the veil is thin and my ancestors are near, knowledge that we can become like God, knowledge of the council in heaven: I chose this, the Book of Mormon: Christ in the Americas, he visited his "other sheep" and ministered, it shows his character more clearly, his true tenderness and compassion, Nephi: how much is possible if we truly commune with God, stripling warriors: miracles and the importance of a mother's teachings, the Nephites: the cycle of pride that we are all susceptible to; the organization of the Church: Bishops, Visiting Teaching, Relief Society, Home Teaching, the realization of the need to reach the one, the seventy and area authorities, Missionaries, Missions, Perpetual Education Fund, the DI and the welfare system....

this makes me happy.

anniversaries

This was my only costume this year, a witch outfit for the Annual Witches Retreat (a party with the ladies in the neighborhood). I love finding crazy outfits out of normal clothes. I used Cath's scarf wrapped around my head as a turban but it ended up looking like awesome dreads, then I tied it with her belt. Halloween is always going to be a reminder of a very different day for Ben and me. It was one year ago on that day that we brought Peter home from the hospital. It's pretty much like his other first birthday.

Two days later we remembered the passing of my mom. November 2nd, we gathered at my parents home for fondue in memory of Joan. It was so nice, it felt happy, after 3 years it finally feels like we are getting back to normal. I loved going around the table and telling memories of her, and just loving her. My initial memories are always of coming up the back stairs in the morning and sitting on her lap in the warm, sunny kitchen. Laying on her bed chatting or watching her try on new clothes, usually after a Nordstrom sale, watching and helping her cook, entertain, clean, ski. Singing at the piano, singing on horseback, singing on the ski lift and trails across Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. I am in awe of her strength and beauty. I'm grateful for her love, the one thing she worried we wouldn't know enough of, the one thing I could never doubt or forget.

Dress Design for Shabby Apple Dresses

"Dress Design for Shabby Apple Dresses"

I've had a lot of fun designing this dress for the Dare to Design contest Shabby Apple is having. Here is the final design:


Fabric/Colors

The spring 2010 color forecast from Pantone has this warm yellow called Aurora, like Aurora Borealis, which is the northern lights or the dawn. Isn't that appropriate for spring? Yes. So, I chose Aurora. I think it would be fun with a red patent belt, or an indigo belt. Here is the dress with this Anthropologie belt, and dressed down with Mia gladiator sandals from DSW, this bracelet from Shabby Apple, and this belt from Anthropologie.

The yellow fabric would be either a rough silk or a smooth polyester, so there's enough stiffness that it won't fly away, but supple enough to allow the fabric to be soft around the neckline. The white fabric showing would be a stiff tulle backed with a white lining. The dress would most likely need a petticoat as well, unless there was a lot of tulle built in...but I think the additional petticoat makes for a fun option to wear the dress really full or less full without the petticoat. I also think this could be a fun dress design with a big pattern like this one. You can see a sort of example of it in this version of the dress.

The inspiration for this dress came over 10 years ago. I was in high school, and I saw a Barbie at the grocery store. I still wish I would have bought that Barbie, even though I was 17! I can't even remember her name. It sounds like love at first sight...well it was. She had the most gorgeous dress, and luckily, I went straight home and drew it so I could remember it for my wedding. Six years later when I got married, I used this as the base of the design for my wedding dress, even though it ended up being very different. Here is the sketch I drew in 1998:

I love to dress up, and there's no dress that says "party" better than the cocktail dresses of the 1950's, inspired by The New Look by Dior. I just hear the Leo Sayer song, "You make me feel like dancing...I wanna dance the night away." Okay, maybe not with that jacket on, but full skirts are dreamy. Luckily, this style is coming back...these dresses were in Couture Spring 2009, designed by John Galliano for Dior.

I love the dresses Gidget wears, so fun and young, and summery. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, this one is an orange strappy with white lacing up the front.So I began to mesh these two designs together. I used the model off this Simplicity dress pattern envelope, and began to draw dress after dress, variation after variation.

This blouse by Dior finally helped me decide on how to finish the dress, it seemed to tie into the way the Barbie top crossed over and gathered in ruching at the side.

The top 15 entries to the contest will be posted on the Shabby Apple blog by November 10, 2009 and then readers get to vote on their favorite dress. The contestant whose design receives the most votes by November 24, 2009 will win. The winning design gets to be a part of the spring collection. I can't wait to see the other dresses; the possibilities are endless!

Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater...

It's custom to carve pumpkins, but this is what Ben did to his banana last week. He takes it and doesn't have time to eat it, but has time to do this.