We just keep sewing!!

WE JUST KEEP FINDING MORE FABRICS AND MAKING MORE BAGS!!

We're really having fun with the combinations we're finding. It's going to be hard to give some of these away!!

This diaper bag is for my cute niece, Melissa Roundy, who is having her first baby in November. We're so excited for her and Josh!

Monday, Kenzi was on break at work and pulled out her purse. The ladies went NUTS and ordered five of them! I told her to lock it up in the closet and not to let anyone see it again! (At least for a while...)

These are the same fabrics, just reversed. I think they're ADORABLE!!

Even more purses!!

We're still making bags and...we'e still having fun! Everytime we walk into a fabric store, we come out with more! There are soooo many cute patterns with coordinating fabrics! It's been terribly addictive!

This one is for my laptop. I made it bigger than the purses and kinda overdid it. It's REALLY big but I guess I can carry school stuff in there as well. I love the fabric!! Whodda thunk WalMart would have such cute fabric??!!

I fell in love with this fabric the minute I saw it. I didn't make it for anyone or anything special--I just wanted the fabric! It reminds me of Mary Engelbreit!

Mallorie saw Kim Longhurst's bag she made while she was here in Utah and loved it. She asked me to "copy" it only do it in blue. I can't believe how the blue "pops" against the black and white. It's really classy looking!

NOTE: THIS IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

Zack and Kenzi have decided they want to do their baby's room in John Deere. (Anyone who came to the Open House when they got married will know why...) We found this fabric at Hobby Lobby and knew we had to have it! She made diaper bags for a boy and a girl out of it and will put it in her Hope Chest until it's needed. They are absolutely adorable!!

The button that holds it closed is a little John Deere tractor. How cute is that??

More fun bags!

Kenzi and I had a great time this weekend making more bags! We've been hit by the "bag-bug"!! The possibilities are endless...just limited by the fabrics you can find (and the money you have to spend...). We made three whole bags and have two more just about finished. I have material to make one more and a laptop bag; Kenzi has enough to make one more. We're going to keep busy in the next few nights. (It's a good, productive way to pass the time!! :D )

Kenzi's new purse

A diaper bag I made for one of my WPJH first-year students.

Another diaper bag I made for a dear friend's daughter, Camille Packer Duckworth.

More to come in the next few days!!

I am a Missionary Mom!!

Today has been the hardest day of my life! I knew it would be hard to take Sammi to the MTC but I had no idea how hard! Tonight, I feel as though someone has died! Personally, I think it's a part of ME! I KNOW it's the right thing! I KNOW it's good! I KNOW it's where she should be at this point in time but...

I MISS HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check out her blog for today's updates and lots of pictures! SISTER SAMANTHA DENSON

Sammi's Farewell

Yesterday, we had Sammi's farewell and gathering afterward. It was a GREAT day full of many emotions. I updated her blog and just copied everything here. Sorry to those of you who follow both...I just didn't want to do it again. I also posted her talk on her blog if you're interested in reading that.

Today, I spoke in my ward for my "farewell." Afterward, we had a "gathering" at our house for friends and family. It was a great day and I was able to visit with a lot of loved ones.

My one request was that Mom get me a "Dick's Cake." White cake with raspberry filling. YUM!!

One of my bestest friends, Lauren Johnson! Love that redhead!!

Dad visiting with our good neighbor, Roy Millard.

Thanks Roy and Rosalie for loaning us your shade and tables!!

Saying good-bye to the Potter family. We talked about how old the kids would be when I get home...Kobe and Carsen would be passing the Sacrament, Tyson would be almost old enough to do it, Logan would be turning 7, Sydni would be ready for pre-school! HOLY COW!!

Mom setting things up and chatting with my Aunt Sherrie.

My cousins Brigham and Becky Denson.

Cousins Michael, Brigham, and Becky Denson.

Cousins Mysha, Jason, and baby Ella.

Great friends Travis and Linda Webb.

My baby sister, Maddi and her "honey" Dez. (I consider him my little brother and will see him in the MTC two weeks after I get there!! YAY!!!!)

It was a GREAT day!

THANKS EVERYONE FOR SHARING IT WITH US!!

Sewing Projects

Since Sammi gets to wear "cute" skirts on her mission, I've been sewing some for her. (I've sewn a couple of "traditional sister-missionary skirts" as well but those aren't nearly as fun!) These two skirts are ADORABLE and pretty easy to make. The instructions on the pleats weren't the best so that took some time. I've really had a good time making them for her!

Then, Sam and I were down to our good friend's house, the Fitzgerald's, showing them the skirts and they showed us purses they had been making! I HATE purses!! But...being an "old lady," I've had to start carrying one. Well, since I love the Vera Bradley purses but can't afford them, these are the next best thing! They are SOOOOO easy to make and SOOOOOOOOOOO fun! I'm only limited by the fabric I use!

This one is being used as my "purse." When I emptied my old one and organized it into this one, there was a TON of room left! Now if I can just keep from loading it all up!

I decided I needed a new scripture bag too! I customized this one to hold my scriptures in the middle, and made the inside pockets to fit my Ensign magazine and the Joseph Smith manual. There's a couple of smaller pockets inside as well for pens and such. The only problem I have with this one is the scriptures are floppy so it makes the bag a bit more floppy. I wish there was some way to make it more stable and upright like my purse. Oh well...

I've got some fabric that is ADORABLE to make a diaper bag-type one. It's really bright and girly. Don't have anyone to give it to at this point but I couldn't pass up the cute fabric for only $2.00 per yard!

Poor Maddi!

Maddi had her wisdom teeth pulled this afternoon. It all started when her back molar broke in half about two months ago. I tried to get her to make an appointment with the dentist but, being the typical 18-almost-19-year old that she was, she "forgot." Finally, I made one and the dentist said it had to come out FAST! While we waited to get her in to the oral surgeon, more broke off. On Monday, I got her in to see Dr. Liston and he scheduled it for this afternoon. We figured while he was in there for that tooth, he might as well pull the wisdom teeth. Fortunately for her, she only had three. However, they hadn't even begun to come in so...they were tough to get out. Between the tooth that broke and the wisdom tooth, they were in REALLY deep which meant he had to dig them out. He said he could see her sinus membrane!! EWWWW!!!!!! We have to watch her closely so it doesn't blow a hole in it!! GROSS!!!!! I've given her all the pain meds I can and she still hurts! Poor baby!!!!!

I guess it's official!!

I guess this makes it official! Missionary pictures!!!! As parents, we couldn't be any prouder of this beautiful daughter! What a blessing she is in our lives!!

She doesn't even know how stunningly beautiful she really is! (Inside and out!)

It doesn't even show that she was terrified of the humongous bee that was buzzing her the whole time these pictures were being taken! She's allergic/terrified of bees!!!

These two are "Bestest Friends Forever!!" Boy are they going to miss each other!!!!!

Aren't they beautiful?

(Have I said that enough in this post!? Well??? Aren't they??)

Our dear friend, Renee Packer took these pictures for us at a moments' notice. She does amazing work, as you can tell, and is very reasonably priced. Check out her other work on her website: Renee Packer Photography.

So proud of myself!

Sammi is VERY lucky and doesn't have to wear the traditional "missionary-type skirts" once she gets to Florida. Her mission president doesn't want them to stand out by wearing long, dark, solid-colored skirts so she gets to wear "Florida-style" skirts!! We've had fun shopping at DownEast, TJ Maxx, etc. Last night, we went to the NightOwl sale at Kohl's and found these darling "maxi skirts" with the shirred waist like we used to wear when I was her age! (Don't ya just love how the styles repeat??) They were on sale for $19.99 and then because it was almost 11:00pm, we got another 15% off! Sweet sale!!

Anyway, they were too long and she didn't like the shirred elastic waist. So, we bought them, I cut the elastic off, made them more narrow, put in a zipper and waistband. WHAALAA!!!!! Cute new Florida skirts!!!!!

(Oh ya...Sammi wanted me to be sure to post she has been doing homework all day and didn't get dressed. It's a ligitimate reason!)

Party Friday night

Friday night, we had a fun party at Dez's house (Maddi's boyfriend) with his family, a few of their friends, and our family. Dez told his family it was just a get together for Maddi's birthday and to give her birthday present. He told Maddi it was for her birthday and to open his mission call. He hadn't told his parents he had turned in his papers. Some of us knew it was it was for BOTH!! It was a lot of fun full of BIG surprises for everyone!!

MADDI'S SURPRISE!

Sammi was so excited, she was jumping up and down while she was filming this. :)

Oh ya...and we all suck at singing "Happy Birthday!" :(

DEZ'S SURPRISE!

We're so excited for Dez and know he'll be a GREAT missionary for the people of Indiana!

Maddi's surprise has been so much fun! Dez and Sammi wanted to get Maddi a puppy who would be there for her when they both leave on their missions. Little did they know when they planned this, they would be leaving two weeks apart! So...as an added remembrance of them, Sammi came up with the name "Demi" for the puppy...Dez and Sammi put together! She's adorable and Maddi is already having so much fun with her (so are the rest of us!!).

Being a puppy, she sleeps a LOT!! And...in the funniest positions! :)

She loves Charlie's "baby." Problem is...Charlie doesn't want to share!!

Once in a while, Charlie will forget he's jealous and actually begin to enjoy her!

Funny puppy! She found the big dogs can't get her if she's on the shelf of the coffee table! She naps there and takes toys there to keep them away from Libby and Charlie!

She's getting better at sleeping through the night but loves snuggling in the mornings. Maddi's been sick since we got her so they've spent a lot of time in bed together. Awwwww!!!!!!

Being a typical puppy, she finds the darnedest sleeping positions! What the picture didn't get is she was running in her sleep...on her back! It was hilarious and adorable!

Welcome to the family, Demi!