Merry Christmas

I know I haven't been blogging much lately; just busy with the family!! I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, my hubby is out salting and plowing which is sad but good!! It means we are making money!! :) Will post pics soon!! (of Christmas, not of my hubby plowing!! ;)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

My Dad!

Today 6 years ago I stood in a hospital room with my mom and watched my dad as he struggled through his last day on this earth. I can say that it was the hardest day I have experienced. To have to watch someone you love suffer and struggle in pain. As I reflect back I think of the calm peace that was emanating from my mom and the strength that she had that day and has continued to have throughout these past 6 years, including the past few months struggling with the sudden passing of my brother, she has been such a light for me.

My dad was a lovable man. He was always there for me when I had a problem. I remember spending afternoons with him going out to lunch and just chatting. I have very fond memories of him holding my babies, even if they were screaming their heads off, he always had such a calm manner with them. I can't help but mourn for my babies that have come into this world and will never have his arms wrapped around them. Do not get me wrong, I know without a doubt that they know their Poppop.

My heart breaks for my little brother and sister who will never know dad like us older kids! The hardest of all though, is knowing that my mom doesn't have her soul mate with her anymore. I know that this lifetime is but a short time, but I can't imagine how long it feels to journey it without your spouse. I know that we will all be able to be reunited one day and I SO look forward to that day when our family will feel whole again.

I love you dad, I miss talking with you, crafting with you and mom, and all the other silly things we all did together.

Ramblings

We have been very busy at our house the last month or so. Things don't look like they will be slowing down anytime soon. We are having a Creche Exhibit at our church this week, which is going to be amazing. Then we are also having our Relief Society Progressive dinner on Thursday this week, We have 2 birthdays in the next couple weeks. Austin is going to be 14 which is completely crazy, I can't believe I have a 14 year old!! Christian is turning 8 and will be getting baptized on the 12th of December with two of his friends, we are super excited!! The next weekend we are going to have our annual Christmas Bunko Party, that is if I get my act together and send out the evites!! It is such a fun tradition we have been doing it for probably 7 or 8 years now.

Just had to throw in a picture of my sweet little baby~getting soo big and toddling around! And yes, his tongue is always hanging out like that!!

I have been crafting a little and hope to post pictures soon!! I am going to post a pic of the stockings I made last year or maybe it was the year before?! Anyways, I looooove them, I still have to make the baby's stocking so as soon as I get it done I will take a pic and post!!
On a sadder note December 2 marks the day my Father passed away 6 years ago. It makes this time a year a little more somber at times, it's hard not to miss him at all of these special celebrations!!

Charity's an orphan!!

Charity did such a great job tonight. It was her first play. She plays an orphan and school girl in the play Oliver. I will post some pics tomorrow of her in her costume and makeup. She just looks adorable. I only got to see the first scene because I was down in the costume room. But tomorrow morning I get to see the whole thing and I am extremely excited. Can't wait to see my girl dance and sing!!!

My little brother's tribute

Our friend Pearl submitted my brother's name for a tribute in the KC Star and they choose him. It was just another nice way for everyone to be able to read a little about who Chris was and what a wonderful brother, friend, uncle, and son he was.

What's been going on and what's coming...

Life has felt a little surreal lately. Adjusting to the devastating loss our family has experienced this last month has not been an easy thing. It has been difficult getting back into the "swing" of things, but a house full of children demands things to be "normal" again; even if I feel otherwise. I hope to start crafting again this week. This is something I love to do with my friend Charlee and whoever else would like to join us. So hopefully I will be posting our projects.
My husband is starting to put Christmas lights up this week. YAY!!!
Austin is helping out at a haunted house our dear friend Jane Johnson does every year and is very excited about it.
Charity is performing in a play Oliver and is super excited about it. This has been a lot of work for me too, as I have had to sew costumes for them. She practices once a week for 3 hours and just seems to love it.
Christian is taking a stunts and combat class that he thoroughly enjoys; what boy wouldn't. He is so full of energy; he is one funny kid!
Grace is in Kindergarten this year. This is one of my favorite years to teach because I get to teach them to read. She is doing really well and knows almost all her alphabet upper and lowercase. I am soo proud of her.
Noel is as cute as can be. She is such a talker. She will talk your ear off once she gets to know you and decides that you are A OK.
Peter has decided that he is going to start walking. He took 5 steps tonight. I was very impressed and slightly anxious about all the things he is going to be getting into. I don't think any of my kiddos has walked at this early of an age.
As for me I have been being a mom, teacher, and wife. Trying to do my best to just get through day to day life. I am very blessed to have such a loving family and am grateful to my Heavenly Father for all of my blessings that are so abundantly around me.

My Mom

My mom is my best friend. There are not words to express the gratitude and love I have for my mother. Today was her birthday and I am grateful for each year I get to spend with her. I grieve for my mom at this time as she has experienced more loss in her life; not only has she had to lose her parents, a brother, and husband; but now she has had to bury her young 30 year old son. I love you mom and pray that this year will bring you peace and comfort!

Goodbye Little Brother.

We are Jeremy Christopher's family. Chris has left behind a beautiful mother, 3 brothers and 4 sisters. He has 16 nieces and nephews. We will all miss him. He had a beautiful service with Jane Johnson and Russell Lynn speaking. Derek read the eulogy and we had 4 musical numbers. Which was fitting for Chris's artistic personality. We love you Chris.

Below is Aaron (big bro.) and Jane Johnson (close family friend).

Just wanted to share some pics of the viewing for Chris's friends who couldn't be there. When you walked up our brother Derek put Chris's "Hardley" out front for everyone to see. This is where people signed their names and wrote notes to Chris and the family.

We had some tables set up with pictures and props of things that Chris enjoyed doing.


The pallbearers from left to right are Mike Scoma (brother in law), Aaron Gaughan (big brother), Russell Lynn (brother in law), Austin Lynn (nephew), Griffin Gaughan (little brother), Derek Gaughan (little brother), Mike Husted (close friend), and Travis Hayes (close friend)
We wanted the pallbearers to wear blue. Chris had twinkling blue eyes; thus the blue shirts.

The funeral director Justin was amazing. He pulled a flower out of the arrangement on Chris's casket and gave one to mom and each of the sisters. He made this process more bearable.

My brother Chris

Jeremy Christopher Gaughan

Born March 21, 1979 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Pete and Dona Gaughan. Chris is one of eight children. Chris was an easy going happy baby. When Derek was born a couple years later they were instant buddies. Whether it was getting into mischief together or both cramming on a hot wheels together where you would see one of them you knew the other was not too far behind. Chris was a very artistic boy and loved nature. Chris had a talent for putting you at ease. He talked of traveling the world as he got older and boy did he. Through his travels he touched many lives he has friends in Italy, Austria, Australia, Chile, Spain, Germany, France, Mexico, Turkey, Finland and those are just the ones we know of. When our dad was sick and near the end of his life my brother Chris was by his bedside constantly. He even acquired the name "Klingon" because he was just always there. He had a nurturing and compassionate heart which is why it make sense that he felt strongly about being in the medical field. Chris worked at the hospital here in Olathe in the ER; which really was kinda funny to us because he was a little bit of a fainter and we couldn't believe he was going to go to work in an ER where there was blood and who knows what else that he would be facing. But I think it was his strong determination in wanting to be able to help others and to touch there lives in a positive way that helped to get him through the times that were hard for him. So many people who saw him in the ER have commented on how compassionate he was and his big smile. He was able to put them at ease in their time of need. Chris would have made a wonderful Doctor. Chris also enjoyed creating things. Whether it was a smoker he built with his brother Derek and friends or the planes that he liked to create with Griffin. Some of the things that he made absolutely amazed us. He truly had a gift. His life was short but I think he tried to get the most out of it. Chris was in a tragic car accident Thursday, September 24 in which his short life was ended. Chris you will be greatly missed. We love you and will rejoice the day we get to be reunited with you and dad!

Much Love, your big sis

This was a sudden death and Chris did not have life insurance the cost of a funeral is expensive and we are asking that in lieu of flowers donations be made to Security Savings Bank Jeremy Christopher Gaughan Memorial Fund acct. # is 8300332201. You can call the bank. Lori Keim (913)894-5400 or (913)752-5367.

Charity's in the play!

My sweet Charity tried out for Oliver this past Friday and got the call-back that night. She went in Saturday and that evening we found out that she would be an orphan and school girl in Trilogy's production of Oliver. We are super excited for her. She was so giddy it was just cracking Russell and I up! This is our first experience with this kind of thing so I hope it is going to be a good one. Here is a pic of her excitement the night she got the call-back.

Reusable shopping bag tutorial

As promised here is my shopping bag tutorial.

Turn this:

Into this:

and this:

Things you'll need:

• Reusable shopping bags (I used the ones from wally world)
• fabric to cover the logo printed on them
• scraps of fabric to applique
• lite wonder under
• carabiner (little metal clip)
• 3/4"- 1" elastic
• velcro

The first thing you will need to do is measure the width and height of the area you are going to cover with fabric. You will cut your fabric 1" bigger than the measurement for height and width.
Next you will want to cut out your applique. I cut out my letter on the wonder under first~just remember the design will be backwards. Then I cut it out and ironed it onto my fabric and cut out the fabric. It would be easier to just iron a chunk of wonder under to your fabric and then cut out the applique.

After you iron it in place and you will want to applique around it using a zigzag stitch. I use a tight stitch.

You will then iron under 1/2" on the top and bottom of the fabric and then on the sides.

I then placed it on my back to make sure that it covered the logo still. (after all that is why I am putting fabric on the bag~I refuse to buy their bag and then advertise for them because they have plastered their logo on my bag)

Now you will pin the fabric down making sure not to catch the back of the bag and stitch it in place.

Cut a 3" piece of elastic and cut 1 " pieces of velcro. Sew the rough side of velcro to one end of the elastic and sew the soft side to the back of the bag about 7" down and 3" from the side. You just want it to line up with where you are going to sew the elastic on the top. Sew the elastic to the top of the bag next to the handle with the velcro facing down. I sewed around the sides and then did an x in the middle for extra strength.

That is it for the sewing part.

Now to fold the bag. Put the handles on the front of the bag.

Fold the bag in half length wise.

Now fold the bag in half from bottom to top.

Fold it again from bottom to top and fasten Velcro.

Hook them onto your carabiner s/p and you are ready to roll. I love having them all on the carabiner because then I can hook it to the side of my shopping cart. So that when I am finished shopping I don't have a bunch of groceries on top of my bags.

Just let me know if you have any questions. :)