October catch up post...

Don't you hate it when bloggers do a catch up post because they got behind?... Hopefully you don't because that's what you are about to get.

First item of castle of hassell... 

We bought a bed. A fancy memory foam KING size mattress. I haven't slept this good in years... I mean years. So lately we have been very very busy building a bed frame for our new bed. When I say we I mean Adam and our friend Taylor. Taylor and Christin were/are nice enough to let us build this bad boy in their garage. Its been there for weeks now and they still like us. That is definitely one of the hard things about living in an apartment, not able to build in a garage.

Here is the latest on the bed. Adam and Taylor feel 215% more manly by working on this. We should finish this week. More details on that. 

Adam also applied to vet school this week so we are praying that all goes well in that field. This will be his last year applying if he doesn't get in we will have to move on to plan c... D? Maybe Plan V. More to come on that. 

Today... Thayne, Josy, and I went on a walk. Thayne found this praying mantis and had to have him on his arm our whole walk. 

Josy today decided to feed upon the words of the apostles by eating aunt Lauren's conference notes.

Thayne also had me working on a sewing project today. It's in the process I'll also have to show you when it's all done. It's a sweater blanket from all our high school sweats.

What do you think?

Adam and I got to go to conference this weekend. Our first time together ever. So awesome. I know you can feel the spirit at home when you listen, but the feeling when the prophet enters the room is indescribable. I was so touched by each talk and learned much. Now I need to change my ways and act on all the promptings I got.

I also did a cheap update in the kids room... Christmas lights. Thayne loves them. And it makes the room look bigger. Have you ever used Christmas lights for anything other than Christmas in the house?

So totally random post. Lots of projects going on lots to write about later. Glad you can see our life in the process. These past few months have brought a lot of craziness. Things are definitely in fast forward. 

Dad's 50th Birthday Surprise Party

My Dad just turned the big 50 this past week!

I don't know about your family but nothing says I'm 50 better than boating right?

Here is Dad wake boarding away!

Adam and I on the tube. I think Mom was trying to kill us. 

My back and arms hurt for days!

Although boating was super fun it just wasn't big enough for a 50th bash...

Surprise Part...

I volunteered myself as honorary person in charge of the surprise party.

I didn't realize how hard it is to pull off a surprise. 

Luckily my mom and dad have amazing friends who helped so much! 

The Clingers even offered to have the party at their house (which was a HUGE blessing!)

After a bit of planning, some stress, and a phone call we somehow got dad over to their house without 

having a clue what was going on.

Here we are...

Yes, that is a depends diaper cake in the middle of the table!

The fabric banner mom and I made. Turned out amazing!

We are not even allowed to say sucks at our house so I thought only in this context is this ok.

Lauren made this for Dad. It is too true! She did an amazing job!

Group photo! Happy birthday Dad I hope you wont ever forget your 50th!

Just another day at the Castle of Hassell

Just Another Day at the Castle of Hassell!!

Yes I actually came up with my own recipe...

"Go-go moms smoothie"

Doesn't everything here look so good???

So I made this up yesterday and it was so good I thought I'd better share it

What you need:

Blender

Quick oats (1/3 cup)

Frozen blueberries (2 hand fulls)

(or some other kind of frozen fruit)

Peanut butter (2 TBS)

(could easily do just one I just love peanut butter)

Applesauce (1 quick pour around 1/4-1/3 cup)

(I used homemade sugar free)

Banana (just 1 medium)

2% Milk (1 cup)

(could easily use soy milk)

Put them all in the blender and there you go! So yummy. And notice how no sugar was added? Didn't need it. All the fruit made up for it. Try it out and leave me a comment if you tried it.

Yum! Made enough for just me

P.S. this cup was filled I had to drink a ton then I thought I better take a picture.

Reusable Bags

I would do a tutorial on this but... there are a million out there. Just google or look it up on pinterest.

Just make sure you DON'T use PUL

I used 100% peva (bought the cheapest shower curtain you could find)

It turned out really good!

Onto us...

Thayne is 7 1/2 months and is as cute as ever

He can say, "hi" (first word)

and "ya"

he wont say them on demand but he will randomly say them its so cute.

He can roll too easy and eat Cheerios he is growing like no other as you can see in the

next picture...

we love him so much!!!

Proud parents! I told Adam I needed a new profile pic and...

Should I dye my hair blonde? I'm really thinking hard about it

I saw Rihanna's hair and really liked it.

Adam-still working away.

He treated me to the best weekend ever we got to dress up and go dancing and skiing/snowboarding.

Me-oh you know everything about me! Just living the dream!

Bib Bandana Tutorial

Bib Bandana Tutorial

I have a ton of bandanas from high school that just aren't well...

Momish... I guess. Being 22 I'm just not into it any more.

But they look so cute on my little man.

I got to thinking why not make a bandana bib.

Of course I'm not the first to think of this and I have to give credit to

Dirtydiaperlaundry

A lot of concepts came from there.

What you need:

Bandana

Old Towel

(terry cloth or old flannel blankie)

Measuring tape

Pins

Velcro

Patience

He looks innocent enough. But he is a drooling machine! This bib so far has held a lot more drool than the other bibs I have.

Here is the old bandana. Measure 12 inches (I cut off anything that wasn't part of the pattern.)

I used a normal pen and did a circle on the zero inches and 12 inches. Then measure 12 to the other side of the point (its going to be 17x12x12 if that helps) I just used the lines from the bandana I didn't really do a super straight line because they didn't have one.

See my nice dot? Just pretend like you do.

You should have 3 dots.

Line up your dots then draw a line.

Cut away!

Next the old towel.

I used the bandana as a pattern to cut two pieces of terry cloth because I am so making more than one of these. You only want to make one... then don't fold.

NOTE: old flannel would be much thinner. If you just want it for show and not a whole lot of function then thats what I suggest.

The terry cloth is so thick for my teething baby. It is working awesome.

This is what we don't want to use! Cut off all binding that was on the old towel it'll make your life so much better!

Everything is cut nice pin the right sides together. (AKA you can see the fabric you don't want showing I know I picked fabrics that really either side didn't matter.

Now that everything is cut sew away! 1/4 inch seam allowance and be sure to leave a hole so you can pull it back inside out! (I swear every time I get in the zone and almost forget)

Be sure to cut your corners very nicely!!! Give a little room from the actual seam. If you don't cut the corners you have even more thickness.

After pulling everything inside out be sure to sew up the hole. I made sure mine would be hidden in the back by doing it on a side.

This is how I measured out my velcro.

Add the "stick" part to the towel side and the "catch" part to the bandana on the opposite side.

EDIT: Wait, wait opposite!!

I later had to change that. the towel part touches the babes neck... don't want the stick part to scratch them.

This is where patience comes in if you are using an old towel (its SUPER THICK!)

Sew on the velcro and take it easy on the sewing machine.

Once you get through that...

All done!!!

How cute is that?

Totally going to be making some more and putting them in my etsy shop!

Happy Tuesday!

Happy Baby!

Let me know if you have any questions or need some more clarification.

God answers prayers!

Its been super, super dry here!

We've had a really hot winter. Which for Utah never happens.

We've been praying for moisture and well...

It came! Although I was enjoying the warm its very comforting to have some wet.

This pretty much sums up Sam and Vada's relationship

As for us in Minersville... we are snuggled up inside! Let it snow!

Just got our electric bill though... $166.53 ouch. Wish our house was better insulated.

Sew, sew, sew...

I have set a new winter goal to go through one bobbin every two days... so far so good.

These are placemats I have been working on. I'm thinking about have that plaid be the back.

What do you think?

The cutest little man ever...

Here he is almost 7 months old I can't even believe it. This is one of my favorite outfits on him

I thought I better get a picture before he doesn't fit in it! He can smile, laugh, roll from back to tummy and tummy to back. He recently learned he can wack things. So he does that often.

He also misses things when they are gone.

Which makes it hard when he finds something I don't want him to have.

Now your pretty much all caught up on us. We had a blast this weekend.