Auntie Alfie

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-02T19:24:00.002-07:00

JibJab E-cards

2009-12-24T09:39:00.002-07:00

Christmas is here! Dad created some great e-cards at JibJab, and I thought I'd share them here.

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Come What May and Love It

2009-08-16T22:06:00.003-06:00

We would like to share a wonderful and fitting message from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin:

This past week was a bit rough while we waited for a decision from Kelly's employer. Thursday was his last day of work due to layoffs. The company hopes to call back the employees who want to return in about ten weeks, but they aren't certain they'll be able to. Right now they just have too much finished product in warehouse without orders to fill, and they can't keep everyone busy.

This will make finances quite a bit tighter for the near future, but we're trying to look at the positives rather than negatives. The plus to layoffs, in contrast to when he is sent home without pay for shorter periods, is that Kelly will be able to apply for unemployment benefits until the callback or while searching for another job.

Everything should be okay, if not easy. We hope, with faith, that this bit of adversity will help us grow. We really are grateful for our many blessings.

Another long overdue update...

2009-07-19T18:22:00.001-06:00

Hello, family and friends! It's been a long time since we've been here. Summer, so far, has been a whirlwind of activities for us. In May we went with Mom and Dad to Virginia to see Melissa and Teagan. (We missed Chase, who was out to sea on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower for a long deployment.) There were lots of adventures to be had: Yorktown, Jamestown, the illustrious Stuckey's, Virginia Beach, touring the U.S.S. Wisconsin, a huge Yankee Candle store, Kiptopeke State Park with an artificial reef of sunken cement ships, and one or two trips to the McArthur Center mall. Here are a few of our favorite pictures:

In June, we got to spend some rare time with Kelly's family. His sister Heidi and her family were in town from Texas, and everyone else was able to be there too. We spent an evening at Chuck E. Cheese, having fun watching all our nephews play. Later, on Saturday, Ali got to go up to the Allen Family Reunion even though Kelly worked the weekend. What fun! There was a western theme to the reunion this year. Before everyone went home, we got to spend a fun day at Boondocks with everyone, too. Somehow, neither of us remembered a camera all week, though...dang!

Ali also got away for a Girls' Weekend with her mom, aunts and cousins. They spent a night at Aunt Nettie's house, where they had a riot playing the party game Boxers or Briefs. (This is a game not yet included in our extensive collection. We've decided to find a copy since.) The next day they went to St. George where they saw a great production of Footloose! at the outdoor theatre, Tuacahn.

July has been a bit quieter. Kelly's work shut down for a week over the Fourth of July. Collin Wood was in town, on leave from the Navy, and it was nice to see him again. Mom's birthday came and went with little fanfare but all our best wishes.

Happy 2nd birthday, Boo!

2009-03-12T18:47:00.000-06:00

Happy 2nd birthday, Boo! You've gotten so big, so smart, and so so cute. Auntie Alfie and Uncle Kelly love you. These are some of our favorite pictures of you:

First Birthday Party

Boo!

T and Daddy (Cute duds, kiddo.)

Ultra cool kid!

Auntie Alfie loves you!

Such big, blue eyes. It was fun to see you!

Grandpa, that was naughty!

Hungry bear face...

T at Tubby Time

Fudgeface

Feeling Lucky?

2009-02-06T15:05:00.002-07:00

This was on my sister-in-law's blog and looked like lots of fun!

Feeling lucky? The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice, for you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done this year, hopefully sooner rather than later.
4. You will have no clue what it is going to be.
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange. :)

The catch? You must re-post this on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me you did will receive a homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's...

2008-10-19T19:24:00.007-06:00

The seam ripper hurtling through the air? Yes, sorry. That was me. I've waited to post again because I wanted share photos of a project I'm working on. We've been so busy, though, and now that I've finally had time to sew it's giving me fits.

First, the original Itty Bitty Baby Dress. I loved this tiny, simple pattern at Made by Rae.

I thought, "Ooh, I have that darling fabric I've been dying to cut into. I really wanted to make something reversible. Hmm. I bet I could modify it just a tad." Maybe a bit of a stretch for the first piece of clothing I've sewn since Jr. High, eh?

Mostly cute. It resembles a dress; it's symmetrical. Can you see the problem, though? (No, not Monkey. Although I'm sure I've wounded his pride. He would like his Superman jammies back.)

My plan for making it reversible is to turn under both edges of the bodice, align them on either side of the finished skirt, and stitch through all layers. Try as I might, the stitching doesn't match up from one side to the other; it's wonky. Any suggestions out there? If an expert seamstress doesn't come to my rescue soon, I'm thinking lots and lots of ric rac.

Allow me to show off the accompanying flowers, however. One for the dress and one for a headband. This was a new pattern, too. These little beauties may become an addiction:

Well, I'm off to find the seam ripper. Try, try again. Kelly and I hope everyone is doing well. To our siblings and other family if far off places, "We miss you!"

Moving the blog...

2008-10-05T19:02:00.000-06:00

I've been told our new blog looks...a little lonely. Maybe it's time to post something, so everyone knows we're still here. Sorry about the delay. I've been working on finding the template out there that just screams, "This is SO me!"

In the meantime, our few visitors have asked, "Why Alfie?" Well, I'm Alfie. It isn't my given name, but my favorite nickname, a term of endearment, a name with lots of sweet memories tied to it. My family has called me Alfie since I was a little girl. They often still do, and now that my brother has a little one, I am Auntie Alfie.

My favorite place is Brighton Girls' Camp. Sometimes, I still sneak away from crazy everday doings to hide there. Working there in '99 and 2001, I really became Alfie. This was my camp name...and the name, the memories, the lessons learned, and the many wonderful ladies I worked with really influenced who I am now. (Wow, I miss those great girls!)

Lastly, a long time ago I came across the theme song 'Alfie' in my mother's piano collection. I loved the melody, and the lyrics are something to think about:

What's it all about, Alfie?

Is it just for the moment we live?

What's it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?

Are we meant to take more than we give

Or are we meant to be kind?

And if only fools are kind, Alfie,

Then I guess it's wise to be cruel.

And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie,

What will you lend on an old golden rule?

As sure as I believe there's a heaven above, Alfie,

I know there's something much more,

Something even non-believers can believe in.

I believe in love, Alfie.

Without true love we just exist, Alfie.

Until you find the love you've missed you're nothing, Alfie.

When you walk let your heart lead the way

And you'll find love any day, Alfie, Alfie.