Really? Full on JUMPED.

Funny story

I was making some zucchini bread.  The best zucchini bread in the entire world.  It's actually our third time making it out here so I thought this time I'd take some pictures of the steps and make a little post out of this YUMMY bread.

So I have my iPhone out and I'm taking a picture of the eggs, oil and sugar... as if you need to see a picture of the eggs oil and sugar.

Well.  My iPhone JUMPS.  Yes, it jumps into the bowl of oil.  Not even kidding.  I didn't even know what to do!  I yanked it out of the bowl as fast as I could and just started drying it.  My sister and I were laughing our heads off because it seriously just jumped out of my hands!

It's sitting on the counter in a bowl of rice.  The speakers weren't working well... super muffled.  Anyway.  If it doesn't work tomorrow I will cry.  I will sit down with a bowl of Halloween candy, shove my face full of chocolate and just cry.

On another note, I think I'm going to start parting my hair down the center...  It's been a popular style forever now and I have been completely in love with it.  Just not on me.  I think it's because I have loved my bangs so much.  But I'm going to try it.

This picture was taken from my iPhone this morning... oh my gosh I just might cry.  Luckily I sent it straight to blogger right after I took it.

It's not a complete center part but I'm working on it okay!  I need my bangs to grow out just a little bit more.  You should see my sisters hair.  I'll sneak some pictures of her!

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We've got a Chicken Little and Tater T-shirt winner!

Jamie, send me an email to claim your prize!  Thanks Gabby for such a fun giveaway!!  

Check out more of Gabby's designs here.  

Oh yeah- HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!  Silly me.  Hope you guys are having a blast!  If you take some pictures you just love of the kiddos, tag me in it on FB.  I'd LOVE to see them!

i believe in unicorns

Hello, I'm Ashley from i believe in unicorns. 

Over on my blog I like to do a feature called {Top Five} on Friday. 

I list my 'whatever i feel like' favorites, and then I ask for my readers input.

It's a great way to share ideas and get to know everyone a little better. 

So I'd love to hear some of your ideas as well!

Without further ado, my

{Top Five} Date Ideas on a Budget:

Learning the Argentine Tango with my German friends, Christian.

 1. Learn to Dance.

In almost every city there are places that teach partner dancing lessons. 

Decide if you'd like Latin, Swing, or Ballroom and try out a class. 

They're usually only about $5-7 a person. 

It's a great way to have fun, be active, and observe patience and perseverance skills ;)

2. Movie At Home, But Make It A Little More Interesting.

Hit up your local movie store, redbox, or netflix, pop some popcorn, build a fort, and snuggle up while you watch your favorite flick. (This is fun to do with kids as well!)

Total cost around $5.

source

3. Get a Couples Massage.

Go to a massage school sometimes they have 2 for $20 deals!

Or perhaps give each other massages for free :)

4. Paint!

Stop in at your favorite art supplier a pick up some super cheap canvases, paints and brushes. 

Turn on some good tunes and paint what you feel. You can learn all sorts of things on this date.

(I had no idea my husband, Marcus, was artistic until we did this.)

Total cost around $20.

5. Watch Planes come in at the Tarmac.

Get some deliciously refreshing glass bottle sodas, borrow a friends truck (if you don't have one), fill the back up with pads and pillows and enjoy your time watching the planes come in and talking.

I hope you got some fun ideas. 

Now let's hear some of your favorite dates!

My Angels From God

I've known Abby for a long time actually. We went to the same elementary school, Jr. High, and High school. We didn't get to really know each other 'til high school and then my life took a different turn and took me to a completely different school. Thanks to social media (FB) we've been able to reconnect and share our love of crafting, being a mother, music and adoption.

Adoption touched my life at a young age when my aunt and uncle adopted a beautiful baby girl. However at the time I had NO idea how much a part of my life the adoption world would become. The summer after I graduated from high school in 2006 I was dealing with a nasty break up and wasn't as strong in the gospel as I had been raised to be. I met a guy named Branden on myspace. He messaged me and asked if I had been the girl in the white mustang he'd helped the other day along the side of the road. I let him know that I didn't drive a mustang so it coudn't have been me. We kept talking though and met up for dinner about a week later. We hit it off. He was sweet, caring, generous, and very kind to me. We dated about a month before he deployed to Iraq. Watching him leave was the second... no third hardest thing I've ever done. The second came 4 short weeks later when I had to tell my mom and dad I was pregnant. And the first came 8 long months later when I placed my daughter into her mother's arms.

 When I found out I was pregnant I was scared and alone. Branden (the birth father) had left the morning after I got pregnant and other than emails and a few brief phone calls wouldn't be the support I needed. I was determined to make things work and raise my baby even if it meant doing it alone. That was until Branden told me he wanted nothing to do with a child. My mom and I had a talk and she let me know she thought it was best that I talk to LDS family services.  At first I had NO desire. I didn't understand why she would want me to. However I was that the point in my life where I knew I needed to listen to my mother.  I went to see a case worker after much thought.  Then things started to change for what I thought was the best.  Branden emailed me and was willing to step up. I was going to do what my heart was wanting me to do all along.  HOWEVER my head had other plans.  After meeting with my case worker again I knew I needed to come up with a "list of demands" for potentional adoptive parents.  I decided that if my case worker could find a couple that matched everything on my list I would have no other option but to place my baby with them.  I felt like I had set my case worker up for failure and would be free and clear to parent like my heart was screaming at me to do.  I soon found out that all my demands could be met... in Lori and Barton.

 The moment I saw their picture my heart and head combined and I realized that the child I was carrying was meant to be part of their family.  I told Lori and Barton that I would be placing my baby with them the day before thanksgiving.  Meeting Lori and Barton only further convinced my how right adoption was for me and my situation.  Through out my pregnancy having Lori and Barton there was SO amazing.  Bonding with them and their family made the tough times in my pregnancy a little bit easier.

No matter how much I knew the child I was carrying was meant to be there I couldn't deny that I was hurting.  My pain was only compounded when Branden (and his family) would say and do hurtful things.  I never imagined that I'd be in the situation I was in but being in it all alone was even harder.  Branden was adamant that "our baby" was not going to be "given away".  I found out after I had told Lori and Barton I would be placing with them that he actually had a ton of control over the placement.  After a meeting with Branden he signed the papers and I was able to feel complete relief that I would be placing my daughter for adoption.

Ally was born on May 10, 2007 with her mother and father watching in joyous awe.

I had planned to stay in the hospital for 2 days with her and spend as much time as possible cuddling her.  My plans didn't work out because Ally was sick when she was born and was rushed to the NICU.

I had moments of doubt while in the hospital but knew that I was doing the right thing.  My very first mother's day and first birth mother's day were spent in the hospital with my daughter.

Placement was the hardest day of my life.  I was surrounded by family and friends.

Over the following years there would be some moments harder than others.  Her 3rd birthday was very hard for me.  My heart was healed when I adopted my oldest son Cayden.

I never dreamed I would be a birth mother and an adoptive mother.  Through the years Branden has come around and has realized that the hard decision I made almost 5 year ago (this thanksgiving will be 5 years since I told Lori and Barton I'd be placing with them) was the right one.

I share my adoption experiences and those of friends on a blog called My Angels From God

This is a video that was made for me and LDSFS to help birth mothers and adoptive couples get a better understanding of what adoption is really like.

My family now

Thank you so much Abby for letting me share my story with your readers.  I hope that the things I've lived through can open people's minds to the miracle that is adoption.

My Favorite Things

My heart swells to happy every year the holidays approach.  There is an

electric feel to the air and I feel content amongst the chaos. 

Christmas has already been ushered in among the stores and windows and

although some find it a bit extreme, I love it.  Every time I venture to

Target I can guarantee my four year old will ask to walk among the

decor and lights with his eyes all aglow.  I suppose I am just a big kid

when it comes to the holidays.  I decided to peruse pinterest and

gather up an armful of cheery inspiration to help you readers get into

the holiday spirit too :)

xo.

Molly from MFT (my favorite things)

whimsical christmas decor | Walther & Co. | via tabitha emma

berry branch | via

shimmer & shine nutcrackers | via birdie to be

reindeer wall art | re-nest


table with tree branch | photo credit : Victor Schrager | via Country Living

felted ball wreath | Pickles

modern wall christmas tree | via

pinecone table | real simple

Crafty Sisters- BEWARE!

Hi! We are Candace and Nicole from Crafty Sisters.

We are excited to be here at My Yellow Sandbox while Abby is away!

We love making Halloween crafts, it's our favorite!

Today we want to show you how we made our latest project, a "BEWARE" banner.

I don't know about you, but we have TONS of scrapbook paper leftover from our many projects.

  We put them to good use!

So here's how we made our banner:

We downloaded and printed off this spooky font, Beyond Wonderland.

(shared at Eighteen 25)

It's a wickedly pretty font, with a "splattery" look.

We used MS Publisher to size the letters to about 3 inches, and then we added circles for easy cutting.

See, you don't have to have all the fancy machines to create a banner, although they are very nice! :)

This is how we made a  4 inch paper yo...in a hurry!

Cut 4 (4x6) pieces of paper, then fold each at about 1/4".

Fold over and glue each gap together to create a circle.

We absolutely love Beacon Adhesive Glue...it is wonderful!

It has a quick and durable bond, like a glue gun without all the burns.

To give the paper extra thickness, we used spray adhesive to bond the decorative paper to card stock.

We cut each large banner at 6 x 8 inches, and notched a triangle out of the bottom.

Cut your circles, and accent circles and glue them all together.

We added some of the black furry yarn in between the circles,

and also added some fur to the ribbon to hang the banner.

 Love that stuff!

It adds the perfect amount of spookiness to any Halloween project. 

There you go, a fun and easy project anyone can do!

Plus, you get to use all those old paper scraps you have hanging around your house!

Thanks Abby for having us!

Chicken Little and Tater

How've things been going? I've been having a blast here in OK. Boston has been having such a fun time with his cousins that he refuses to nap. Just calls for Hudson and Greyson for 2 hours in his crib. Cutest thing ever.  We miss Daddy but we'll live... I think!  It's Tuesday- so y'all know what that means!  There's a special giveaway!  More awesome guest bloggers to come- for reals.  JUST WAIT!  And I miss you all!

Gabby, from Chicken Little and Tater is offering a $25.00 credit to her shop.  She makes these wonderful appliqued T-shirts.

So with the holidays coming up, get something special for yourself or someone in your family!  Check out more of her designs over at her blog.

To Win:

1. "like" Gabby on FB

2. Leave a comment below letting me know what applique you love!

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See Lori Sew SLR Camera Strap Giveaway WINNER

You lucky, lucky girl!  Are those camera straps not to die for?  Email me at myyellowsandbox@gmail.com and I'll set ya up with Lori!  Remember, Lori is offering a 20% discount to my readers until 10/31.  Enter "myyellowsandbox" at checkout.  These make AWESOME gifts and are SUPER cute!

Family Ever After

Hi! I'm Rachel blogging over at Family Ever After, and I'm so excited to be guest posting here!
I just bought Abby's ebook. I can't wait to check it out!

Since Abby is widely known for her beautiful hair and tutorials, I thought it'd be fun to show you how I make hair bows for my little girls. Bow tutorials are all over the internet, but here's the version on how I was taught. This technique is pretty much fool proof and is great for beginners.

(pssst... read to the end... there's a little giveaway)!

Here are the supplies you'll need:

--needle and thread (preferably upholstery thread)

--rubber thimble (optional)

--rulers (i use varying widths... 2 inches, 2.5 inches, 3 inches, etc. you can buy these plastic rulers at the craft store, or make your own by cutting cardboard and winding clear packing tape around it)

--tape

--glue gun

--candle and matches

--ribbon

--embellishments

--hardware (clips and carpet tape)

Instructions

Step 1: Tape end of ribbon to your ruler.

Step 2: Wrap it around the ruler 3 times, and tape the edges to ruler. (You'll see 3 rows of ribbon on top and 2 rows of ribbon on the bottom).

Step 3: Find the center of the ruler, and start hand sewing through each ribbon. Point in the direction of the edge of the ruler. Double your thread, but you don't need to tie a knot at the end.

Step 4: After you've sewn through all 3 rows of ribbon, pull your thread, leave a bout 2 inches of a thread tail.

Step 5: Flip the ruler over, and sew up the back. There are only 2 rows of ribbon to get through. Make sure your needle is pointing in the direction away from the ruler's edge.

Step 6: Sewing is done. Leave a tail of thread about 2 inches.

Another view.

Step 7: Remove the tape.

Step 8: Slide the ribbon off the ruler.

Step 9: Grab both ends of the thread.

Step 10: Cinch the ribbon down.

Step 11: Cool huh?! Tie a double knot.

Step 12: Repeat process with accent ribbon if desired, in a smaller size.

Step 13: Place smaller bow on top and glue the bows together.

Step 14: Glue an embellishment to the center of your bow.

You could also tie a boutique knot (a simple loose knot) and glue it to the center of your bow.

 Step 15: Choose the type of clip that you'll be hotglueing to the back of the bow. You basically have 2 choices, a french barrette or an alligator clip. If you use an alligator clip, you'll want to glue a piece of carpet tape the the top side (not the side that is straight). Cut a small piece from a roll of carpet tape.

I bought this at Target for a few dollars, and I'm sure its more than enough to last a lifetime, plus share with my friends! This prevents the clip from slipping out of your daughter's hair.

The side where I glue the tape is the TOP. This picture makes it look like the bottom, whoops.

Step 16: Now glue the clip to the bow!

Voila!!!

Step 17: For the finishing touch,you're going to melt the raw edges of the ribbon so they won't fray in the future. This is the key to making a professional looking bow.

Note: I've found that most ribbon is made of synthetic fiber (polyester, for example), which melts very well. But once or twice, I had ribbon made from cotton, which totally burned and smoked, and doesn't melt. So, if its a natural fiber, don't attempt to melt it. Read the spool of ribbon to see it's content.

Done! I have 4 of these to give away. 

To enter...

1. Make sure you're following My Yellow Sandbox.

2. Then come on over and follow Family Ever After.

3. Then leave a comment on my blog with your contact info. 

Easy!

 

ps- Did you hear about my huge blog bash? Abby is giving away one of her Ultimate Hairstyle Ebooks. There are over 20 giveaways, and you can enter until Halloween. Click here!