Ornament Wreath

Well I am very excited to show my latest craft! It is an ornament wreath! 

Supplies you will need:

• Foam Wreath- 12-14 inch
• Ornaments- in a variety of sizes (I used approx 36 small and 50 medium and large) you may need more or less of each depending on size of wreath and how full you want the wreath to look
• Hot Glue Gun
• Ribbon

1. Started with my foam wreath and wrapped it with ribbon, to give it a more polished off look in case you can see through the ornaments to the wreath.

2. Next I spaced out some of my large and medium sized ornaments in 

the center to figure out how many I would need. I then hot glued the ornaments to the wreath, at first I started taking off the "hanger" pieces on each ornament and then realized there was no point if it was the actual ball I was gluing to the wreath. (I think the point of taking them off is so that the ornament ball will not fall off if only attached by the hook) 

3. I then started placing the ornaments around the outside border of the wreath spacing them evenly. After I just started filling in the rest of the wreath with ornaments spacing out the larger ones and filling in the gaps with my smaller ornaments.

*Know that not all of the ornaments are going to be glued directly to the wreath, some of the ornaments are just glued to the other ornaments around it. 

*I would recommend spacing things out if you only have a certain amount of ornaments so that you don't have all small ornaments in one area and large in another. 

*Let your creativity do the work, go with what you think looks good!

The finished project! 

With some of my left over ornaments I just put them in this vase to add a little more color to my room, and another decoration instantaneously :) 

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

The other day I was talking to Regan about how I wanted to FOR SURE decorate our porch this year with Christmas lights, so I asked him to assess our situation so we could hang lights... and he went above and beyond! I came home from work on Wednesday to a completely decorated front porch! I added a picture and just know that he gets ALL the credit for this one :) 

So after Thanksgiving we had a few hours and we started decorating the rest of our house, can I just say that it is so fun to decorate our own little home exactly the way we want to!

So I also wanted to post a few pictures to show off our decorations!  I LOVE our staircase it makes me so happy and our house looks so fun illuminated with the Christmas decor! 

We decorated our Christmas tree and added our new ornament for 2011,  we have a tradition of getting a new ornament each year with something to tell about the past year, so I decided to put up last years as well so that I can show off our large collection :) 

For our first Christmas I think it is a little self explanatory, we got married that was a HUGE deal!

This years ornament is of a stone sea turtle, in May Regan and I went to the Caribbean. We spent 10 days there, we started in Puerto Rico and then sailed to different islands for one week. One of the highlights was while snorkeling and getting to see the many fish and even sea turtles! 

I am so happy with how we have decorated so far, and thanks to Pinterest I'm looking forward to making some different crafts to decorate our home and get ready for Christmas! I love the holiday season and I am excited to share it with friends and family!

Thankful for families :)

I love reflecting on the things that I am grateful for! This thanksgiving as my family got together for the holidays we have a tradition to go around the table and tell what we are thankful for. It pretty much is a testimony meeting... with an added emphasis in "thankamonies" Can I just say that I am so thankful for my family! What an amazing group of strong, encouraging people who each can be an example in my life, I am not just talking about the family I grew up with, but the family I am now a member of as well since being sealed to Regan. It is so amazing that I can be with my family forever, many times when it comes to weekends Regan and I will want to get together with someone from our family. As I sat at my thanksgiving table I thought about how much each person means to me. I love making friendships stronger with our family and to be honest I consider my family some of my best friends. I think one thing I loved on thanksgiving is actually expressing to everyone how I felt and that I was thankful for them. You know how it is said that when you express your testimony you make it stronger? I definitely believe that, and by expressing to others your thankfulness it makes my gratitude for those things that much stronger!

PS. I made rolls for thanksgiving with the help of my other mama Debbie and they were AMAZING! The recipe is on this website:

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/10/worlds-best-dinner-rolls/

Here is my finished product just waiting to be eaten :)

... Back to School

Well it looks like I am heading back to school! I got my acceptance letter this week. I currently am working as a Registered Nurse and received an associates degree in nursing from Weber State a year and a half ago.... but I want to finish it with a bachelors ;)

So as many have asked... Will you get a pay increase? Sadly the answer is No, an RN is a RN those who finish with an associates and those who finish with a bachelors all take the same boards to receive their license so as it works out there is no pay increase because they are just paying for the degree. BUT with the fact that there is no longer a shortage in nursing a bachelors is preferred when applying for jobs, and this way I could always go into management... (doubt I'll do that) I have considered going on to get my Masters, but I'm not sure yet and at least I will be a step closer if I decide I want to.

So Regan is working towards physical therapy, he won't be able to apply to PT schools for about a year and a half, but with that being said... who knows where we could end up! So another reason for getting my bachelors.

It will be 3 Semesters, I start Jan. 2... I am doing an accelerated program so this first semester I have 5 classes! Regan and I will both be doing full time work with full time school... I'm a little scared we won't see each other... AHHHH!

One Year Down... Eternity to go!

It is crazy to say, but Regan and I have now officially been married for an entire year! I know everyone always says that time passes so quickly but in this case it is just crazy! I am so lucky to have an amazing husband, he is so loving, has an amazing testimony, is good looking, fun as can be, and laid back all tied up into one amazing package! All I can say is I am one lucky girl!

Happy Anniversary

June 24, 2010

The ABC's of Me

Hopefully I can get some pictures up soon of Regan and I's trip to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean... I saw this on a friends Blog and thought it was fun!

Here is a small sneak peak though :)

Age: 23

Bed Size: Queen. The few times I have been on a King with Regan he was a mile away! I like to keep him close!

Chore I hate: I don’t exactly like any particular chore… it’s more having the time to do all of them. I probably dislike laundry the most… its never done!

Dogs: Maggie was my puppy growing up and passed away this last October… Regan and I do not have a dog, but we will one day because we are definitely dog people!

Essential start of my day: FOOD! I am a breakfast person I need something within a small amount of time of getting up!

Favorite Color: Coral… and RED

Gold or silver: Silver, it is beautiful

Height: 5’7"

Instruments I play (or have played): Piano and the recorder in 5^th grade

Job Title: Registered Nurse

Kids: None yet.

Live: in Taylorsville, Utah

Mom's Name: Whitney

Nickname: Cookie

Overnight hospital stays: When I got my appendix removed… and then once or twice a week when I work the grave yard shifts…

Pet Peeve: Being treated like a child, I am an adult, I have graduated from College and I have a career… please don’t treat me like I’m two.

Quote from a movie: I like to quote Tommy Boy… “hold me Richard”

Right or left handed: Righty

Siblings: 1 Brother through birth Andy, then I have Alex, Michelle, Kelsey, and Jason…

Time I wake up: Depends on the day. If I work in the morning, around 5:30am, if I am Not working: Usually around 8am

Underwear: the Mormon ones.

Vegetables I dislike: Mushrooms… and Beets (sorry Regan)

What makes me run late: my computer… can’t set it down at times.

X-rays I've had done: My teeth, ankle, collar bone, and spine.

Yummy food I make: lemon cake cookies, sweet potatoes

Zoo animal: Monkey’s and Elephants

Update on life...

So the other night I was at work and one of my friends said I should start blogging again, I was thinking about it, and for some reason I only had felt like putting things when big events happened in my life... fun vacations, becoming a nurse, getting married... but really everyday life is great too!

I am coming up on ten months of being married, and I love it! I couldn't ask for a better person to see everyday, talk to about everything and spend time having fun with. We are living in a cute little townhome in Taylorsville we rent for an amazing price and absolutely love! We also have great neighbors, we occasionally do FHE together and it has been good to get to know everyone a little better. Regan is currently working with the Young Men, and I am teaching the 11 year olds in Primary... I also get to be the Young Womens basketball coach and a Counselor at Girls Camp (which I must admit I am very excited about) I loved everything about Young Womens growing up... probably a lot because my mom was always so excited about it, and served in the young women for about 20 years!

Tomorrow is my one year mark from graduation from nursing school... now that is just CRAZY! I am still working at Primary Childrens for the Infant Unit, I couldn't ask for better people to work with and such sweet little ones to help take care of! Regan is working at University Credit Union as a teller with some of his friends which I think makes things fun, he coaches the West Jordan Lacrosse team, and goes to school at SLCC (add in Young Mens... he is one busy boy) Regan is leaning towards occupational therapy, and should be transffering up to the U or Westminster by next spring... Just in time to play lacrosse, I think coaching has been hard on him and he wants to play again... so Westminster of U of U... I guess only time will tell!

Hmm I couldn't leave out two of the most amazing additions to our family in this last year, Mr. Corver Cook and Miss Paisley Bushnell they both made their debuts into our family in November last year, are 8 days apart and it makes for lots of fun at any family event! I know I work with babies but it is so much more fun now to see theses two grow and the changes from week to week with there personalities.... Paisley currently loves sticking things in her mouth her whole fist or any toys we stick in her hand, and apparently hates bath time, she loves to listen to her dad play the guitar, and has quite the variety of leg warmers. Corver would jump all day long if you let him... litterally. He enjoys watching Kenny Chesney music videos, sitting up in his bumbo getting kisses from Bella, and my favorite... he gets babysat by Mama Cook a few times a week while Alex heads off to work which means I can see him more often than just Sundays :)

Mr. Corver

Miss Paisley

In the near future...

- We are excited for school to be finishing up for the semester so we can spend a little more time together.

- We are going on a cruise out of Puerto Rico in TWO WEEKS! just the two of us I am SOO excited!

-Summer! Camping, doing things outside, boating, baseball games, KENNY CHESNEY concert.. and my seven peaks season pass!

So I should be all caught up now, NOW hopefully I won't just tell about the big things but everyday things too :)