Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving has been an awesome adventure! Jake and I were planning on going to Arizona for Thanksgiving and leaving Wednesday to go there, but he got home early from work Tuesday night, so we left to Arizona then! We started our trip off by eating at Jasons Deli!

The drive started off beautiful and was so nice out! We got into Arizona around 4am and expected everyone to sleep. My dad was so excited we were coming, he had stayed up to say hello to us! We all had fun talking for a few hours and went to bed around 6:30 :) I LOVE being home!

Wednesday was a great day! We woke up in the afternoon and went to go see my Amber and John downstairs! They were there with their two cute boys! We all decided to get ready and go get some food at one of our all time favorite places, Native New Yorker! It is the best chicken wing place ever!

We got a lot of wings! Our favorite flavors of wings there are Hot, and Honey Hot. It was fun to be with mom, Amber, John, Bryce, Brandon and Jake.

Jake wanted to order a couple of Suicide Hot wings. I tried one and it wasn't so bad at first, but then my lips were on fire. Overall it wasn't as hot as I expected, but I didn't like the flavor of it. It tasted like black pepper and I didn't like that. I really did enjoy the rest of my wings and had fun eating those!

When we got home my sister Aubrey and her husband David had arrived! Mom was so sweet and made us dinner of one of my all time favorite meals....Hawaiian Haystacks! My mom is amazing at cooking them! While she was making dinner, Jake and I played with Aubrey's kids Shane and Alyssa. Alyssa and I found this big puppet lamb chop and I was so excited because she matched my little lamb chop! So, Alyssa and I had fun playing lamb chop!

 Aubrey getting some haystacks! Oh delicious!!

 For desert we had cookies and ice cream.

After the kids went home to go to bed, Mom, Amber, John, Jake and I played Five Crowns. This was Johns first time playing and he did great! Mom creamed us! She almost won with 3 points, but got 26 and still beat us all big time! I love playing Five Crowns! It is so addicting, I dream about it.

After the game, Amber, Jake and I had a fun late night Walmart adventure! (my favorite!) Jake found this cool dino pillow peewee pet, and I got a new Beauty and the Beast Christmas movie! Amber and I were looking for some bags to put our crafts in when people bought them at our up coming boutique on Saturday! We both forgot to bring some home to Arizona with us!

Happy Thanksgiving! Thursday morning, Mom, Jake and I woke up early and headed to Usury Park to go do a hike called the Windcaves! When we got there, we realized we all forgot our wallets and couldn't pay the park entrance fee of $6.00. So we parked outside Usury and walked a mile and a half to the trail head. I was actually really glad we had that walk because we got to see some beautiful scenery! Jake was going crazy taking tons of pictures! This is his first real cacti encounter! He has seen some, but not a huge dessert scene. Arizona really is breath taking.

Tuna wanted to sit on a cactus. He said it didn't hurt to bad.

On our walk to the trail head.

We made it! Time to now start our hike!

View from the top of the wind caves.

My cute mom and I. I LOVE hanging out with her! She is so much fun!

Inside a wind cave.

Relaxing and having fun resting at the top of the mountain.

Jake really loving the cactus. On our way down, we saw an old high school friend Beau Pomeroy. That was fun and I got to meet his new cute wife. Also on our way down we got to talk to a park ranger. We told him how much we were loving it here, so he gave us a pamphlet of all the months events going on! It was awesome! I really want to go back and do "moonlight flashlight walk," "story time in the dessert," "learning about the desert 101," and"nature walks looking for birds." Doesn't that sound so fun?! I want to go do that this month so bad! They even have outdoor dessert yoga. So cool! We will be going back for sure!

When we got back to the front entrance of the park there was a information building that had a really cool gift shop, movie room, and animals! Here are two snakes we saw!

This is the skeleton of a cactus. Isn't this so neat? Who knew this is what a cactus looks like inside? Its like a tree. It is amazing! I now want to look up and research about cacti.

Inside a cactus that had a hole in it.

When we got home, there was a great treat of mickey mouse pancakes waiting for us! It is my sister Ambers birthday today, so her husband made her breakfast in bed and came up with these cute pancakes and even made us some! Jake, mom and I ate up and then got started on making Thanksgiving dinner!

Taking a break from cooking, and sitting by the fire! I love sitting by the fire and relaxing. I could stare at the flames for a long time. A small fire can be so beautiful (if its a contained fire ;)

That evening, all the families gathered around for a Thanksgiving Feast! Jake is doing a puppet show with Morgan and Brandon for Alyssa, Dean and Shane.

Funny kids.

All the kids tackling Jake. He is a good sport.

Thanksgiving dinner has begun! My brother in law David always makes the Turkey and does a fantastic job! He takes turkey making very seriously, and it shows in the taste and the moist turkey.

Mash potatoes, corn and homemade rolls!

Mom putting the finishing touches on this smorgasbord.

That is one good looking turkey! I don't really enjoy eating turkey, but I love eating Turkey at Thanksgiving, and especially when David makes it!

Deviled eggs! Mom always goes all out! She is the best cook ever! I hope someday I will be able to cook as good as my mom! I guess that also means..I need to start cooking...

Yummy! We all ate, and ate again, and ate again and had a great Thanksgiving!

Dad, Morgan and Cami.

John and Dean have really bonded. I would consider them best friends now.

This is one of my favorite pictures of the day.

I love this picture! So cute!

After a great dinner and tons of pumpkin and berry pie, Alyssa and I played some more Lamb Chop.

Jake played outside with all the rest of the kids for literally hours. He is going to be the best dad ever. I think he pushed Alyssa on that swing for at least an hour and a half. He is the best! I am so glad he loves playing with my family!

Gavin and Bree.

All the kids playing on the playground!

Mom made Amber a birthday cake and we all sang happy birthday to her! It was so fun having everyone there! After, Jake and I ran to Walmart to see if we could get any of the Nintendo games! We got to Walmart around 9:30 and stood around the crate of stuff we wanted, while the stuff was all wrapped up in susan wrap. There were so many people there it was a mad house. Jake and I felt like savages. Good and bad. I was really liking the black friday starting at 10pm. Well, guess what? When the susan wrap came off, I reached my hand in crate, and happened to grab the things we wanted! The people using there carts to block people didn't keep me out! Just kidding, the shopping carts did work, but I went around!
Jake and I got for the Wii Lego Batman and Harry Potter for $15.00 each, for the PSP How to Train your Dragon $10.00, and Toy Story 3 (which my cousin helped make because she works at the Disney gaming factory designing)$15.00, Grand Theft Auto 5 and one other random game Jake got. We also got Scooby Doo and 27 Dresses for $1.95 each. Awesome! Merry early Christmas to us! We LOVE playing video games!

When we got home, we hung out with everyone till midnight, and then everyone went home. Mom, Amber, John Jake and I stayed up till two playing Five Crowns! I forgot to take a picture of the score card but John won us all big time! He had like 20 points and everyone else had 100+.

When we were finished playing games, we were all so tired and going to go to bed, but Jake had a better idea. He said, lets go to Walmart! So mom, Amber, Jake and I went to Walmart at two am! We had so much fun looking around and playing! After, we then went to Target and got some more good stuff! If black friday could start every thanksgiving night instead of early morning, I would be 100% in!

When we got home, Jake and I had so much fun looking at all the fun stuff we got! I am so excited to start playing some awesome video games and watching some great movies! Thanks Black Friday.

Friday, we woke up in the afternoon from staying up till 4am partying ;) Totally worth it! Amber, Jake and I worked on printing out some flyers and getting them ready to pass out!

Bryce, his cosign Payton and Brandon were awesome and volunteered to pass out flyers for a QT trip and a good tip. We all got yummy corn dogs, icee's and candy! YUM! They did so awesome! They passed out enough flyers for 3 hours of flyer passing out! They were the best! Thanks boys!

Then Amber and I got all our stuff ready to the boutique the next day, by putting all our stuff in containers and getting things ready to go. Then her and I and Jake went to Michael's to try and find some bags. We found what we were looking for, and of course a lot more! These kind of stores are so hard for me to only buy what I went there for.

Then we decide to top off the night with a late night Native New Yorker trip! Yes please! I can never get enough of these wings! So delicious! This was a perfect way to end the night! Time to get to bed early to get ready for the boutique tomorrow!

Burlap Stocking Tutorial

Hello friends! Here is a tutorial on some Burlap Christmas Stockings!

Heres the 2 stockings we will be making today!

Lets get started with making stockings! 

SUPPLIES:

For 4 christmas stockings:

*1 and a 1/2 yards of burlap (available at Walmart, Joanns, fabric stores. (burlap comes in lots of fun colors)

*2 yards of a thick white fabric (or what ever color you choose) for borders around stocking and inside lining. If you opt out the lining you probably would only need 1/2 a yard of fabric.

*scissors

*sewing machine

*optional....buttons or other creative ideas you have to add to stockings.

1. Get your supplies together
2. Cut out your pattern for a stocking. I used a sock and made my pattern off of that, but if you don't want to do that I am working on a download-able pattern and it should be posted in a few days (hopefully)! Cut out how ever many burlap stockings you are going to make. If you are making 4 stockings you will need 8 burlap stocking pieces.
3. Cut out the white fabric by tracing one of your burlap stockings. This will be your lining inside the stocking so it looks like you have nice seems and the inside of the stocking will not be itchy.
4. Use your left over white fabric to cut out what you want to decorate your stocking. For a traditional stocking, cut a two pieces of fabric the width at the top of your stocking and the length you want it to come down (plus a little extra for sewing a seam).
*Make sure to also cut a 2inch by 4inch piece of white fabric for each of your stockings to hang by. So if you are making 4 stockings, for 2inch by 4inch pieces.

Now all your cutting is done! Lets move onto sewing!
-I used 1/4 inch sewing seams on the entire stocking.

5. Take your two top white pieces and fold each of them pretty side to ugly side about half an inch and sew a seam. This way when you flip the pice of fabric over on its pretty side, it will have a nice seam and look good on the stocking. If you made a toe piece, fold over the right side of that so it will have a pretty seam when it is done to.

6. Now flip over your two top stocking pieces to the pretty sides and pin them to the top of your stocking. Sew around the squares. If you made a toe piece sew that on to. Make sure to not sew the squares on the same sides of the stocking, do them like the picture above so the top white part will be shown on the outside of the stocking no the inside.

7. Take your two pretty sides of the stocking and put them together so the all red/ugly side of the stockings are on the outsides. Pin the stocking together and sew around the edges! But don't sew the top together, or else you will sew your stocking closed.

8. After you sew around your stocking, turn it right side out and iron all the seams flat. This will help your stocking have a nice crisp look. Now you are half way done!

*If you are not lining your stocking, this is where you fold over the top of your stocking (the opening) and fold it over half and inch and sew around it, and then put on a loop so it has a nice clean edge on the top of your stocking.

Make a loop to hang your stocking! *you could choose not to do this option and not have a hanging stocking, or use some type of yard, tweed, or something else to sew a loop on the right side of you stocking to hang it by.

9. Take your 2inch by 4 inch piece of fabric.

10. Pin that fabric in half long wise ugly sides together. Sew around the piece leaving one small end open.

11. Flip your piece of fabric right side out. I used a screw driver because the loop is small.

12. Iron your loop flat.

13. Fold your loop in half and sew on the right side of the stocking.

Lining the inside of your stocking!

14. Take your white fabric for the lining of your stockings and pin pretty sides together. Then sew around the stocking, leaving the top of the stocking open.  DO NOT FLIP this part right side out.

15. Put your burlap stocking pretty sides, inside the lining (white fabric). 

16. Pin around the top of the edges leaving a 3 inch gab not sewn. (this is where you will pull the stockings out right sided. Sew around the top. Make sure to leave your 3 inch gap.

17. Flip your stocking so all the right sides are out. This takes some time trying to get the stocking though the 3 inch hole you left in the top of the stocking. After you got your stocking, with both sides flipped out and are the pretty sides, push the white lining, into the burlap stocking.

18. Pin around the top of your stocking for one last step! Where you have your hole, pin it into itself from both sides so you don't see any seems and pin it.

19. Sew around the top of the stocking to finish it off with a nice look! Then iron one last time to get the stocking looking great!

Now you are done with your cute stocking! Hang it to enjoy! Or hot glue gun a couple buttons down the right side of it to add a cute touch! Way to go! You finished :)

If you want to make a bow for your stocking, cut out two 8 inch by 18 inch strips. (I would look online for a bow tutorial that is more clear that this...:) sorry, I am not to great at explaining...

1. Fold both of your strips in half, pretty sides together and pin it. Sew around the strip leaving one of the smaller sides open. Turn each strip ride side out and iron.

2. Take one strip and fold it in half.

3. Then fold the other side in half so it is overlapping a little bit the other side folded over. Then sew those pieces down the middle so they are secure.

4. Next make your bow shape and put a pin through it to hold its position. Then put the bow aside.

5. Next put your second strip of fabric across the top of the stocking. Cut it one inch longer on each side of the stocking so you have some wiggle room to play with. Then take that extra part that is not being used on the fabric and make it into a loop and fold around the bow and the strip you have laying on the stocking.  Then sew the back of that loop so the bow is secure. I even hot glue it for extra measure of security. Then pin the sides of your bow to the sides of the stocking and sew it down.

*Then you will sew pretty sides of the stocking together, turn it right side out, iron it, sew the loop on the right side of the stocking, and do your lining! 

Now you are done! Hope you enjoy your stockings! I probably left out a lot of information because it is hard to make a long tutorial, so if you have any questions please feel free to leave a message on this blog with a way to contact you back, or email me at kelseybang(at)yahoo.com 
Thanks for stopping by!

spare change for a rainy day

Today has been great rainy day! I got to sleep in, and get tons of errands done! I went to the bank and found out they had a coin machine, and wanted to take advantage of that. I went to the mall today and found my old hair school friend David working at Nordstrom. It was fun to see him and catch up. Nordstrom in Orem is shutting down. Crazy huh? I never thought that would happen. When Jake got home from work, we emptied our piggy bank change into plastic bags and went to the bank!

Getting ready to go to the bank! Guess what? We had $99 dollars in change! I guess it pays to save your change! My piggy is now empty and needs to be fed again soon.

For dinner Jake and I went to the Riverwoods again to go to Happy Sumo. It looked so beautiful out with the lights shinning on the wet ground from the rain. There is something so magical about lots of christmas lights.

For dinner we got tempura veggies, seared tuna and crab wantons! It was great! I love food!

It has been a lovely day! When we got home, I played my Mario game on Nientedo. I pulled a muscle in my neck and can't turn left. I guess I am an ambiturner. Really though...so I took the rest of the night easy playing Nientedo and almost beat the whole Mario game! Whoop whoop!

I am 24!

Today is my 24th birthday! Wahoo! It was an awesome day! Jake woke me up with my favorite breakfast! Chocolate chip pancakes! Yum! Then I got to play my new Mario game! I stayed up last night till 4am playing it and woke up wanting to play it more! I guess thats how you know its a good game!

Jakes grandma was so cute and sent me a card with a cute key chain in it! She is the best! Thanks everyone for all the birthday calls and texts and messages! So much fun!

Later that day Jake and I went and check on the boutique to make sure everything was looking nice and clean, and then headed up Provo Canyon to go to Sundance! It was a beautiful drive with all the fresh snow from the night before.

 I liked all the icicles on the sides of the buildings at Sundance.

 Jake and I ate at the deli! I was wanting a good sandwich! They were a bit behind today, which was fine because it was just fun hanging out, so they made us an extra sandwich and brought us two huge chocolate chip cookies! It was awesome! Maybe they knew it was my birthday. haha

 We got the bacon, turkey, avocado sandwich! It was delicious!

 Lambchops and Tuna playing in the snow!

Then Jake and I went back to Bijou Market for one last time and bought a few more things and got everything cleaned up and taken home! I love the narwhal head we got, the new pictures, and I got this sprinkler thing to hang my necklaces on. When we got home we counted up the inventory to see what was there! I think the sale went pretty good for Utah. 

Then Jake and I went to the movies and saw breaking dawn. I would have to say this is defiantly the worst movie I have ever seen. There was no plot to it, and each scene took sooo long. I was getting really antsy. But maybe its because I never read the books so I wasn't feeling it? I don't know. If I had kids, I wouldn't let them see this 4th movie. No bueno. I did really enjoy my large buttered popcorn and sluprie though! That was a highlight!

Sunday night, Jakes parents were cute and made me a birthday dinner! It was fun to see them and have a birthday cake! Jakes mom did such a cute job on it!

After we blew out some candles, we watched Elf. I love that movie more every time I watch it. Such a great movie! I want to watch it again before christmas! Well, this has been a more than awesome birthday! Thanks everyone for making it such a special 24 for me!