The Views

It's a beautiful world out there again this morning. Looking from the front porch, the views are amazing and I'm soaking it up. I've been thinking about "this front porch" a lot lately... actually my blog, you know, From This Front Porch. I started this blog way, way back in April of 2007 so I'm finishing my 6th year as a blogging mama, sharing the details of our life with family, friends and who knows who?

I started my blog as a way to share the goings on of our life with said friends and family and as a way to chronically detail our life as it was happening, so someday we could remember it all. I also started throwing in some pictures from the past from month to month for added amusement . I soon ventured out on the paths of Blogland and began meeting other bloggers, like myself. This made for a very long blog list and the fun of entering into the varied lives of so many wonderful people who I can now call friends. And to meet a handful of them in person has been the icing on the cake. :)

Speaking of cake, somewhere along the way, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite recipes and soon I started a separate picture recipe blog. Others joined in too, and it's been a great source for good, tried and true, quick recipe references. Recipe books and cards are almost a thing of the past for me, although I do still use them sometimes.

Another benefit to blogging has been the ability to dive into photography and photo editing and then sharing the finished products with someone...you. My life, and all that is around me, and everything I enjoy, I somehow want to share it. It's been fun.

And then there is the writing and journaling that I have enjoyed. Let's face it, being a SAHM doesn't offer many opportunities to keep your writing, spelling, typing, and language skills sharp. Most days, I feel completely dry on wit and with no sense of humor, let alone anything worth while to say. I often trip over my own sentences, but... it has been good to keep writing and... thinking.

I promised myself that I would never post anything that would bring regrets later, whether negative, controversial, self promoting, bragging or otherwise. I also didn't want it to be a place were my loved ones would come and I would be asking them to buy something or give something. I want people to leave my blog with a smile, not a feeling of guilt, or frustration, or annoyance. I have erased a few posts that didn't fit my criteria. I do however like to share things I have found useful or enjoyable, things I think other people would like to know about.

My latest blog diversion has been to share tutorials of things I have done. It's been fun to see these tutorials on other blogs and I've been captivated by so many. Usually easy, quick and inexpensive, these ideas and tutorials have been a life saver to me. So, every once and while, I like to share something with you...

...coming soon!

As I start this new year, I reminded about priorities. I have such a tendency to let these things (blogging and projects) that I enjoy doing, take my time up when I should be more concerned with other things that are way more important. It's just a struggle I have. I know what brings REAL joy and peace into my life. And I know THAT is what I want!

So, that's the views... from this front porch.

As always,
Alison

P.S. Today marks day twelve chocolate free! It feels good.

For Me, For You

Winter finally showed up in Montana. For those of you who don't know, we have had no snow, temperatures sometimes into the 40's and sunshine galore! But yesterday a new blanket of snow fell on the ground, and this morning there was a sparkling frost on all the grass and trees, and it was a frigid 3 degrees.

So this morning after I put Lita down for a nap I went outside and took some pictures. My hands were freezing and I was a little worried about the camera in the cold so I made it quick and got back inside were it's warm. Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

Oh yes, it's definitely winter in Montana...


Love those rosy cheeks!
Alison

Holiday Happenings 2011

{New Years Eve 2012}

Things I want to remember about these special days...

-Keith and Melinda and boys came and made our days extra special!
-Skating is fun and great exercise and a little painful when you fall.
-Mom and Dad's for seafood supper, gifts, facials for us ladies, babysitting by the men, and a little relaxing all around.
-Yes, at first Lita was more interested in the bows than in the contents of her gifts. *smile*
-We opened our gifts on Saturday morning and then dinner at our house.
-It was so awesome the get to spend a little time with Uncle Joe and Auntie Karen who came all the way from Alaska!
-Smoked turkey, roast beef, and seven different kinds of salad. And about seven different kinds of dessert too. Mmmm...
-White Elephant gift exchanges always make for a good laugh!
-I loved to sing sweet hymns together on Christmas Eve.
-Sunday was Sunday... we are so blessed.
-Lots and lots of little projects done around the house throughout the week. Big Yay!
-Thanks Jon and Jen for a nice evening of more great food, visiting for the adults and playing for the kids on Thursday.
-Visits with near family and friends are all to often few. Thanks MaryAnn.
-Steak at Applebees New Years Eve and Sunday lunch at The Orient Express all with fine company. Great to see Uncle Steve and Aunt Joanne.
-Grandpa and Grandma time is the best of all especially around the table playing Mexican Train.
-A trip to the top of the mountain for fireworks and night time views was a rewarding excursion. The kids loved it and I love my kids.
-A Midnight kiss always starts the new year off right. I love my husband.
-We have so much to keep us looking up and forward...

Happy New Year!

{watching the fireworks light up the New Years Eve sky}

Love,
Alison and Family

Simplify: Week 6

This week I wanted to share our library/playroom in the basement. Besides having fun this holiday season, Randy and I were busy working in the basement finishing window casements, organizing and cleaning. The bookcases above are a new addition and the kids like to call this area our library. It sure is nice to have a place to put all those books that used to lay in piles in various corners throughout the house. Much simpler to find the book we're looking for now too! Yay!

Below is the playroom part of the room. Randy made the bookshelf/toybox on the left when the kids were toddling around. It stores all the picture books and Highlights. The rest of the playroom is organized on the shelves-games, puzzles, toys, stuffies, etc...
In the middle of this room sits our old dining room table. It's a great place for overflow when we have company, or doing projects with the kids or laying out sewing projects. Kyla's currently working on the quilt below for her new room...
And I've been working on my sewing/craft room. It also doubles as a guest room. I can't wait to get it done. It'll be nothing too fancy but it will be a place that I can work easily. The goal is organized and simple! :)

Have a great weekend,
Alison

P.S. I'm working on my next Simplify project as we speak. I'll share it next week. It's making me REALLY happy!!!

Couple Things

While I continue to go through our holiday pictures, I wanted to share a couple things (would you like some chocolate?)...

1. I have three bags of chocolate chips left over from my holiday baking. I'm trying to figure out what to do with them (besides taking pictures of them). Should I give them away or should I save them (eeek!) to make something for my family or a potluck or something else? Decisions, temptations, decisions, hmmm...

2. Lita's doing good now and is sleeping through the nights. We switched around our sleeping arrangements over the holidays and she's finally working into a good routine. She's been sleeping from about 8:00 at night to about 6:00 in the morning. Ahhh, sleep is a wonderful thing! ;)

3. I've been reading Little Britches by Ralph Moody before bed to the family. Everyone should read this book several times in life. So very good...

4. This beautiful bouquet was delivered to our house during the holidays. WOW! It was so pretty with the red and white carnations and green boughs and then a few days later these beautiful lilies opened up! It was just so lovely and it lasted until now. Thank you MaryAnn!

5. Colter and Maya are all excited about Lita's first birthday since all the Valentines stuff and hearts and chocolate is showing up in the stores now. I guess it's safe to say I'll have plenty of time to plan this birthday party.

6. Kyla made this paper mache' gift for me at school. He's the cutest Santa Claus ever!

7. I've been informed that chocolate is in a food group of it's own. Some people have suggested that it might not be a healthy choice to give up chocolate completely. Gulp.

8. Yesterday I went to town with no coat. Only a long sleeve shirt and vest. Is this weather for real? I'm loving it! Oh, Randy said some weather man said that winter will hit in February. I think I better get rid of the chocolate.

9. About the chocolate chips? I didn't eat one single one! The truth! So far, so good...

10. I have lots of New Year Cards to send out... hopefully soon. Send me your address if you've moved, or if you think I don't have it and I'll be sure to send one your way. hugsfromus(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Have a wonderful Wednesday,
Alison

Basking in the Glow and a High Resolution!

Dear Front Porch Visitors,

The above picture was one of my favorites taken of one of the "highlights" of our holidays. You can see Randy with Lita on his back and then Maya, Colter, and Kyla headed up the stairs to view the torch and firework display at our local ski resort. Beautiful New Years evening.

We have had such a wonderful couple weeks behind us now. I will post some other highlights soon! Tomorrow the kids return to school so I'm sitting here tonight, basking in the glow of our wonderful days, not quite sure I'm ready to face tomorrow. Just not quite thinking about it helps. But, the alarm clock will ring bright and early and we'll be off to the races. Thank goodness the kids are happy to head back to school. :)

And then there is this business about my new years resolution. I'm going way out there this year! This was someone else's idea and when I read that they were going to make it their new years resolution I thought "oh, my... that poor person!" Then I thought to myself... "why don't you do it!" It's absolutely CRAZY!!! But I know if I can stick to it, it would really be a healthy step for me and if I say it here, on this blog, I just might have a chance of sticking to it! So....... (drumroll please)

I resolve to eat NO chocolate this year.

There I said it! And... I'm gonna do it! It's a high resolution but think of all the desserts, treats, drinks and snacking it would cut out! Plus, I'm highly addicted and I'm taking drastic measures. It'll be kinda fun to... to see if I really can do it. Anyone want to join me? I'll be sure to post updates along the way. :)

Do you think I'm crazy?!?

Welcome to this New Year everyone! Hope you have a wonderful 2012! It will be a chocolate free one for me. Cheerio!
Alison

Home Of The Ten Cent Cup of Coffee

Saturday afternoon found us down at "the home of the ten cent cup of coffee". We enjoyed a lunch out with Grandpa and Grandpa accompanied by (uh-huh) a 10 cent cup of coffee. This is small town stuff! If you come in for just coffee it'll cost you $1.25 for that cup though. Yeah...

We also enjoyed live entertainment, on the piano, by the kids. Christmas tunes ya know...

A stroll through the grocery store on our way out. It all looks so good and colorful! We turned it into a "modeling session" for Kyla's new skirt that I made her the night before from this tutorial. Took one hour to make the skirt...yeppers, it did!

Penny candy or eye candy- whichever you prefer!

This little place was a store I used to avoid but now I found it very pleasant. Wish I lived a little closer. Anyway, it made for a pleasing, unhurried and very "small town" afternoon!

So, here's what's going on here...
-Randy is off starting tomorrow until the new year (hopefully). Honey do list?!?! Oh yeah!
-Kids are off starting on Thursday through the new year. Parties tomorrow at school so getting ready for those. Parties, parties, parties!
-Lita is still rubbing her ears after 2 double ear infections these last couple months, and antibiotics. Now we're just doing ear drops and I'm watching her temp. Any ideas? poor baby. Oh, did I mention she's been popping teeth one right after another. Poor, poor baby!!! Anyone want to do night duty?
-Special company coming Wed! So, so excited...
-And I made some fudge yesterday along with some other goodies. Why, oh why did I do this?!? I hope it doesn't do me in.
-So, I'm off to attack my "to do" list for the day!

What's going on with you all lately?

Happy Holidays if I don't see you again! Looking forward to a New Year! Hugs all around!
Alison and family

Loving Longfellow (again)

Holidays

The holiest of all holidays are those
Kept by ourselves in silence and apart;
The secret anniversaries of the heart,
When the full river of feeling overflows;--
The happy days unclouded to their close;
The sudden joys that out of darkness start
As flames from ashes; swift desires that dart
Like swallows singing down each wind that blows!
White as the gleam of a receding sail,
White as a cloud that floats and fades in air,
White as the whitest lily on a stream,
These tender memories are;--a fairy tale
Of some enchanted land we know not where,
But lovely as a landscape in a dream.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Alison

Crawlers

The boys have been having a grand old time setting up obstacle courses for their "rock crawlers" to maneuver all over the living room. The course in this video was quite tame compared to what they usually have. Couches, tables, pillows, boards, books, toys... they all make for hours of climbing fun. If only the batteries would last for hours!

And there is another little crawler in this video. See if you can spot her! She was set in motion about a week before Thanksgiving and hasn't stopped since. Although her five teeth coming in, in the last month did slow her down a couple times...uggghhh.

More on this crawling and teething business to come...

Happy Week! WE ARE COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS!

Alison

Four Smiles

I did it again... got the kids school pictures taken. I wasn't super happy with them but again, it's kind of a tradition. Instead of scanning them all and putting them on here this year, I thought I would just take a picture of the wall where they hang. I like how Melita's 8x10 picture turned out.

I found the wall saying at Target I think. "The greatest joy in life is to see those you love happy." I liked it but if I could change it I would say... "One of the greatest joys in life is to see those you love happy", because I have so many "greatest joys"!

Sending you four smiles today,
Alison

Concert Night 2011

Tuesday night was concert night at the school for Colter and Maya. It was pretty sweet to see the kids all dressed up and pretty cute to hear them all singing together, as usual.

Enjoying the season,
Alison

MADE

MADE by dana has been a huge inspiration for me lately to do some sewing. So, that is where my post title comes from. :)

I hate to be a complainer but... so, so many times I've been known to complain about the availability of "age-appropriate" skirts for my 11 year old. There just isn't enough "skirt" to the Junior section skirts of most clothing stores (if you know what I mean). And skipping up to ladies XS sizing just doesn't work either. I have a hard enough time finding skirts that I like in ladies clothing as a matter of fact.

I always ask myself "why don't you just make her some skirts". Then I laugh at myself and go back to changing diapers, helping with homework, or folding clothes. But then Dana and other sewing bloggers stepped in and encouraged me to get out my sewing machine and try making another skirt for my daughter.

One of the best things about this sewing project was that I didn't have to buy anything. I had the material. I had the zipper. I had a cute pattern. No excuses!
I cut out the smallest pattern and then made a couple adjustments. I was a little nervous about the 'invisible zipper' as I had only done 'centered zippers' in the past. I did have to rip it out several times but finally got it right. Not so bad!!!
I really am inspired lately and have been using my sewing machine a lot lately. One of the hardest things for me is that I don't want to stop what I'm doing until it's DONE! Sometimes I can get a little cranky when things get in my way and that is the reason I don't tackle some of the things I want to do. Gotta work on that...

The other thing I realize is that now-a-days, I have a lot more freedom to do stuff like this than I did when I was in the thick of baby/toddler/child rearing. I couldn't do a lot then when my kiddos were smaller and so dependent! But now, when Lita is sleeping I get busy. Some days work. Other days don't work. I guess I just want to encourage other Mother's in the busy years of your life to enjoy your little ones. A day will come when you will be able to do some of these things that you enjoy doing. Nough for now!

Happy Wednesday!
Alison

Kewpie Doll

{ the eyelashes, the cheeks, the button noses }

{ pointing and poking }

{ such kew(C)pie poses }

{ nine months old is passing by }

{ soft and sweet }

{ and happy girl, my! }

{ kew(T)pie }

{ enough! pouting lip }

{ smile and bye-bye }

Now that our little Doll is almost 10 months old, I suppose I should get these 9 month old pictures posted. Thanks to my super camera-smart husband for helping me with these pictures one Saturday afternoon when he had so many other important things to do... and I had way too much fun editing them when I should have been in bed one late Sunday night! But alas, she'll never be nine months again.

Love you, my little kew(T)pie,
Ma-Ma

Memory Lane Monday: Dear Laura,

Ice Skating with Laura-December 2009

We went ice skating on Saturday.
And of course it made us think of you.
And thinking of you made us very happy.
We are glad that you are where you are.
And we love the stories and pictures.
Enjoy some warmth for us!

Until we 'skate' again,

See you around the next corner on memory lane,
Alison

Copy and Paste my button. I'd love to walk along with you down memory lane!

<center><a href="<a href="http://hugsfromus.blogspot.com/">http://hugsfromus.blogspot.com/</a>" target="_blank"><img alt="From This Front Porch" src="<a href="http://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/April2010/scan0001/844740824_XVxeh-S.jpg">http://hugsfromus.smugmug.com/Family/April2010/scan0001/844740824_XVxeh-S.jpg</a>" border="0" /></a></center>

Fifth Grade Fun

Sometimes I wish I was in fifth grader again. I'm kind of enjoying having my fifth grader. I like putting our heads together to see what kind of things we can create in the various project assignments she brings home. These were both fun projects that she did so far this year.


I'm not the only one that is enjoying this fifth grade year. I think she is enjoying it too! A lot more than last year. But some days are a grind. Yeah... I guess I'm glad I'm not in fifth grade again. But it is fun to walk along!

Keep up the good work Kyla!

Love,
Mom (Alison)

Friends Old and New

This last weekend was a busy but very "special" weekend. It was so nice to have cousin Elaine here with us for a few nights before she headed back overseas. It will likely be many years before we see her again. Wishing her many good days ahead...

We also had Ron and Kathleen (at left) stay with us. Although we have known them and thier family for years, we didn't REALLY know them. It was so awesome to have them with us and get to know them better. The brought so many good things to eat and they spent special time with the kids talking to them and doing puzzles and legos. I'm pretty sure they will hold a special place in these kids heart for the rest of their lives! New true friends!!!

On Sunday evening it was fun to have cousin John and Suzie (center) stay for supper. Thanks so much for the wonderful apple crisp for dessert guys! We feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many friends and so much love.

We have much to encourage us on and our hearts are full after all the privileges of the weekend. And now another weekend is upon us. Hope you have a great one!

Don't miss my catch-up posts following this one...

Big Bud!
Attitude Up!
Simplify: Week Five

Love,
Alison

Big Bud!

Lets just say that Montana isn't known for it's Manufacturing Industry. There was a day however, that a little company in Havre, Montana called Northern Manufacturing Comapny cranked out some big tractors. Some REALLY BIG tractors. In fact, Colter's teacher's father owns one of these tractors. His tractor was produced in 1977 and happens to be the biggest tractor in the world. The tractor can work more than one acre per minute, at speeds up to 8 mph. You can read about it here and here.

Needless to say, Colter was very excited when his teacher shared this information with her students one day. He came home and told us all about the tractor. We had fun googling it and learning more about "Big Bud"!

Randy's known about Big Bud Tractors for years since he grew up on a farm in Eastern Montana. On our recent trip home for Thanksgiving, he told Colter he would show him the place were Big Bud's were made in Havre. He also thought that there may be a couple Big Bud Tractors that he could show him along the way...
And there was. I think Colter's "Big Bud Smile" says it all!

Alison

p.s. Oh and... did you know that Colter went on a trip to North Dakota for a recent school project? You can read about it here! Thanks Aleta, Rob, Evan, Lana and Mattie for the fun time at your house and for sending him on to Virginia! What fun

Attitude Up!

Attitude

by Charles Swindoll

The longer I live,
the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude to me is more important than the past,
than education,
than money,
than circumstances,
than failures,
than success,
than what other people think, or say, or do.

It is more important than appearance,
giftedness, or skill.
It will make or break an organization,
a school, a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday
regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past..
We cannot change the fact that people will
act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do
is play on the one string we have,
and that is our attitude….

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me
and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you…..

Just what I needed today,
♥ Alison ♥

Simplify: Week 5

* I meant this post for a week ago but never got in completed until today. Have lots more to share coming up. Happy Weekend! *

Time to get rid of stuff again. A never ending process around here.

I took the time to go through Randy's stuff this time. I got rid of a lot of his clothes including an old green Levi shirt he used to wear when we were dating. (above) I've always had a hard time getting rid of that shirt because... well, I'm just sentimental like that...

Anyway, I thought it was time to get rid of it and realized it was just wasn't worth keeping because he doesn't wear it anymore and it's out of style. Just as I was thinking that I looked at the tag on the shirt and it said "Quality never goes out of style." Well sorry Mr. Levi shirt, this organizing mama is sending you on down the road and maybe someone else will appreciate your style. I gotta be tough with myself sometimes like that...

This project was partly inspired by Joellyn's Organize Your Hand-Me-Downs Post a couple weeks ago. Even though I go through the kids clothes a couple times a year, I found there was plenty of things to get rid of.

So, this stuff is staying...
And this stuff is going... (it's already gone!!! Yippee!!!)

It was sad to see most of my girl baby clothes get stuffed into the bag. :( But I did save a few things out... I'm just sentimental like that ya know...
These special little outfits went right into their keep sake bins. Also, all the homemade things I got for the kids go into their bins too. There is just no toughing it out for me when it comes to this stuff.

And let the fun continue,
Alison