The Benson's Fall/Halloween Home Tour

I finally finished my fall/halloween decorations! I have been anxiously awaiting this day for a while! I have been collecting things for the past month from the dollar store and Michael's for my fall and halloween decorations! It was perfect that the dollar store was my friend and I had a gift card to Michael's that I haven't used in forever! Nate let me indulge in my decor hobby for the past week or so and he even got in on the action, helping me! 

Anyways, are you ready!?! Here we go!

Wreath on the front door!

Please ignore my pitiful bow but I made this wreath! The sign, broom, spiders, and web are from the dollar store! I spray painted the broom black! Wound ribbon around the wreath and put a bow on the top. Please ignore my pitiful bow! My mother makes amazing, full bows! Me, I am pitiful! I need more practice!

These are pictures of my front door decor! I got the scarecrow, flowers, pumpkins, and gourds all from the dollar store! The straw bale is from Michael's and I love it! Only problem is that they aren't attached! Remember, I told you yesterday my straw bale is stubborn and I couldn't stick anything in it! Well, I ended up just arranging them on top so I hope they stay! All issues aside, I love it! I wish it was in my house but I would have to vaccum daily!

In my kitchen above my cupboards! Once again the flowers are dollar store!

Table Centerpiece! Flowers and ribbon from dollar store! Cute pumpkins from Michael's

I'm not super proud of this table but I might work on it some more! Those cute headstones are from the dollar store!

I had this bowl already but it was a gold colored bowl that just needed some help, especially for halloween! All we did was spray paint it in black and blotted it with a paper towel! I love it too! It matches our table now! P.S. This is the top of our new coffee table! The bottom has cute wicker, storage baskets that I just love!

Decorations by the television! All courtesy of the dollar store! Except that small pumpkin is from Michaels!

This isn't really fall/halloween but it is an awesome Goodwill find! My second favorite find! My first favorite is coming soon! It's perfect for holding a few blankets!

We found this cute little plant stand at Ross for a good deal! Isn't it cute?

Now, be honest!!! Do you not just love my adorable, beautiful, vintage treasure I found at Goodwill!!! This trunk is my new favorite thing in our home! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! My next favorite, before the basket is these books! We found them all at Goodwill too! There are two fairy tale books, two poem books, and A COMPLETE WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE!!! Yeah, you got it! I love these vintage books! The lace underneath is also from Goodwill! It is a pillowcase! I brought it home, bleached it, and found a purpose for it because that cute lace is definitely useful! 

Anyways, did I tell you yet that I love my trunk? I also, found a cute little milk stool at Michael's with that awesome Apple Cider jug on my trunk! 

I think that about covers it! I have had so much fun decorating! Has anyone else decorated for Halloween/Fall? Do you not just love it!?! I think I get this love from my mother! It runs in the genes! Thanks mom for teaching me and letting me decorate and do flowers with you all those many times!

Stay tuned to this blog for my next long over-due post on "How to Remedy a Horrible, No-Good Migraine!" 

Until next time!

A Not so Joyful Day in the Journey!

I know, I know...why blog about the not so joyful days!?! Well, because I am living in reality and so are you and lets face it, we all have them! Maybe someone else had one of those days and hopefully I'm not the only one!

Today, was HARD! Any major particular reason...no, not really! So, why was it hard?

1. I just didn't have the motivation to finish my peaches! They really need to be done but instead I just stared at them every time I walked in the kitchen and wished they would dissapear for the day!

2. I finished my wreath but the bow is pitiful! I tried to make an awesome looking floral bow for the top of my wreath...the ones my mom makes like a professional because she is a professional! Well, I failed MISSERABLY!  Oh well, all things aside I finished the wreath! Pictures to come later!

3. My straw bale outside the front door was incredibly stubborn! It would not let me stick a flower through it for the life of me! So, what did I do...I gave up! I quit and I will have to do it later when I'm not such a bum!

4. My peaches still are not done!

5. I talked to Shanon and while on the phone she stopped by Sara's house to see my mom and the girls! I could hear Mea and Kaitlyn in the background and all I wanted to do was hug them so tight and kiss them until I had to stop! However, I couldn't because I'm a million miles away and I am afraid every day that the next time I see them they won't even want to come near me! What if they forget me!?!  I was going through a tough time when I lived with Sara and Clay and Maleah was the sunshine of my days during that time in my life! (Kaitlyn wasn't here yet, otherwise she would have been as well!) She could make me smile when not another single soul could! Oh, I miss them so!

7.I wish I was freezing peaches and making peach jam with my mom! She is so smart and she knows how to do it! I had to call her multiple times with questions!

8. I miss all of our family so very much! I miss just being with them!

9. I wish my mother-in-law could zone my feet! She has a gift for healing and when I start to hurt she always helps!

10. I was going to post on my fall and halloween decorations but didn't finish because of my frustration and lack of motivation!

11. I still don't have thank you cards done! I stamped thank you cards forever and a day! Please don't judge me for the fact that I have still not finished my thank you's from our wedding! I promise they are super cute and I will get them all out soon!

12. Some times we just have a "bad day!" I love this song on those days and the music video is pretty cute!

The remedy to a not so good day is this:

1. Cry while laying in my husband's arms. Cry some more. When he came home I was a bump on a log! He could tell. He paid the rent, came back, and asked what was wrong! I cried, he held me, I cried some more until I could finally just say, "Some days it's just hard living here!" He kindly agreed and then held me some more! Exactly what I needed!

One of these sweet kisses can make everything all better!

2. Dry my tears and make warm potato-corn chowder to eat with my homemade swedish braided bread I made yesterday!

3. Have a peach milkshake!

4. Listen to Elder Wirthlin's talk "Come What May and Love It" after finishing my blog post while my husband is finishing home teaching!

5. Snuggle up next to my husband and watch a movie!

I hope that most of you had a good day! Here is to hoping we all have a good day tomorrow! If not, try to remedy it with the above mentioned suggestions and let me know I'm not the only one! ;-)

Saying Farewell to Josh

This is my brother-in-law!

 He might look like an ordinary young man! He might be an ordinary young man but he has definitely got a few things on me!

This past week there were so many hearts breaking as they watched their loved ones leave in big white airplanes from Idaho to prepare for there departure to Iraq! So many said farewell to sons, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, friends, and neighbors! I saw and heard of so many people affected by their loved ones leaving them for a while!

My brother-in-law Josh was one of those that left in a big white airplane! We are so proud of him. Although we could not be there to say goodbye in person it was nice to talk over the phone for a few minutes! He is strong and he is ready to serve his country! Not only will he serve his country but he will serve his Heavenly Father and when he comes back in a year he will serve his Heavenly Father for another two years (as his mission was put off after getting his call and everything)!

My mother-in-law said when talking to her on Tuesday, the day Josh left, it is so much different from the feelings of sending her son on a mission! She is strong though. The whole family is strong and everyone could not be prouder of him!

This is my brother-in-law, as well!!!

Like I said, he might be an ordinary young man, but, he is an ordinary young man who knows a few things about sacrifice!

Thank you Josh for serving your country, your God, and your family! I am proud to count you as a brother! We love you! We will see you in a year! Be safe!

Distractions

When I woke up this morning I decided I was going to deep clean the house!!! Yahoo for the motivation!

THERE HAS JUST BEEN ONE PROBLEM!!!

THE PROBLEM:

I BELIEVE I AM THE MOST DISTRACTED PERSON ON THE PLANET!!!

I have said before that I have the attention span of a 4 year old! Well, I am proving this today! I got through the kitchen, made a few adjustments and I got halfway through the living room! Then, I decided to try different options with the couches! I moved the monster, heavy, feels like ten tons couch by myself and if I didn't need a chiropractor before I'm sure I will need one later! Oops! Then, I decided to re decorate a little bit! After that I decided I wanted to hang more pictures! I dug through pictures and frames, ate lunch, changed the laundry, and now I'm stuck! What project that I started do I finish! Oh, the horror of my tiny, minute, small, little, almost non existent attention span!

On the good side of things, we purchased a cute coffee table for our living room! It definitely adds to the empty space in our huge living/dining room!

It even has cute wicker, storage baskets on the bottom shelf! I am pleased!

Now, if I could  just learn how to focus on one thing a day!

P.S. I got to spend all day with this hunk yesterday! :o)

What better way to spend your day, right?

There is no one else I'd rather spend all day with!

 

In the Meantime

So, I haven't actually sat down and posted about any of our adventures lately on this journey of ours together! However, I am here now to make up for my lack of posting our adventures!

Here is what we have been doing in the meantime!!!

Our cheesecake patio movie night!

Us excited for a little mid-week home date!

I surprised Nate on a Wednesday night when he got home from his scout meeting with a note at the door, and one on the patio for this little mid-week date!

We also love spending time with friends! We spent some time to spend with our good friend, Nate's mission companion, before he had to head back to Rexburg for school! I could swear that is secretly half the reason we moved to Oregon is because Hildebrand (Paul) lives an hour away! ;o)

Paul and Nate

Nate had been craving a food they had on his mission for awhile so we decided to take a shot at it! We mad Cincinnati Skyline Chili! We had to make a few adjustments to the recipe until Nate decided it was so close to the actual he and Paul devoured the stuff!!! It's built more like a spaghetti with a heaping amount of cheese on top and oyster crackers but doesn't taste like spaghetti!

The finished product!

We had scones with honey butter and raspberry butter for dessert and I must say it was delicious! I fell in love with raspberry butter! ;o)

Our next stop of interest on our journey through life had to do with the "Oh so big number" 3!

That is right! We had our 3 month anniversary and Nate had a cute little surprise waiting for me on the table! He woke up early and got it all set up for me! You are thinking how sweet! I know, right!?!

The whole presentation!!! :o)

3 months!!! Yep, Believe it!!!

That is my anniversary loot and our breakfast of champions!!! It was a celebration, so cake and ice cream were needed that morning! :o)We spent the rest of our day at the fair with some new friends, also newlyweds in our ward!

Us after a huge heaping amount of Italian Ice! Yummm!

Well, that is about it for now! I am going to make a full fair post soon! Why? Because I want to record it in what I am calling my journal!

Also, the good news of the day! Tonight is Nate's last night shift for awhile! Yeah, that's right we will have a normal schedule for the next week or two or whatever! This means less money but I am celebrating that I get to go on an actual date with my husband tomorrow!!! :o) Please be happy for me! If you aren't well then, I am happy enough!

We love life and learning together! My motto "live every moment" has become so much more enjoyable with Nate in my life! We truly are building our own "happily-ever-after" together and it is indeed happy!  We have bad moments but the good ones never fail to make us forgive and forget the bad!

Let us know what is happening in your own meantime!

One Virtuous Woman

Previous days we called happy can sometimes turn sad for those of us left here when loved ones pass on! Most often those days are birthdays, anniversaries, or days of loss.  Today is one of those!

This dear woman, passed away close to two years ago! We miss her so much and today is her birthday!

I remember her whole family congregating at their house celebrating the life of this beautiful woman! I miss those days, those celebrations, those dinners, those laughs, those hugs, and those kisses! Last night my her family in Idaho released baloons at her headstone for the second time! I wish I could have been there but even so I can still see those balloons floating in the air up, up, up into the air!

This woman was a beautiful woman. I wish I had more pictures on my computer to show you. She grew up a beautiful, strong, hard-working, sensitive, caring, corageous, virtuous, and valiant individual!

She grew up through hard times but she pulled through! She also ran into many trials throughout her life! One large trial happened in the later years of her life when she contracted West Nile Virus while working outside in her vegetable and flower gardens, one of her favorite past times! This illness threatened her life many times. After being in a coma, spending months in the intensive care, losing the ability to walk, talk, or function normally, spending months more in the hospital, spending months in a nursing home (wishing she could come home every day), and many countless days working to regain her life back this woman was still strong and valiant in her testimony of the gospel and life!

I remember when she came to live with my parents and I would come home on weekends to help out seeing her struggle and yearn for her independence. She had to learn to depend completely on other for help! I remember her tears, her prayers, her love! Throughout it all she never lost her amazing ability to LOVE! This woman was the epitomy of pure, christlike love! I remember her hugging me and not letting go! If we pulled away she would hold tighter. I remember her kisses, her soft hands rubbing my back or playing with my hair during church! I remember walking through the field to visit Grandma and Grandpa at least weekly to visit, play games, and eat popcorn! I remember countless Fridays I got to spend with her on the weekly trips to get her hair done and get groceries! She always had to fill up her mug with Diet Coke and Grandpa's with Pepsi. Then she would buy us a treat, usually doughnuts! :o)

This beautiful, valiant, corageous woman reminds me so much of the scripture found in Proverbs 31:10. It says, "Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies." She was a virtuous woman. She is a virtuous woman and her price is far above rubies!

Grandma, I love you and I look forward to a day when I will see you and grandpa again! I am happy you are together now! Happy Birthday!

Articles of Faith Book

So, I have been visiting LDS blogs that provide lesson helps a lot for my primary class and I have run into some really cute things! On Latter Day Chatter, Jess has the Articles of Faith posted in a super cute format and it sparked an idea!

My creative juices got flowing and this is what the end result is!!!

My front cover creation and assembled book!



A little view of all the pages!

FYI: Blogspot is being really dumb and it is flipping my pictures! I don't know why it is possessed! Any ideas?

I wanted to make a book out of them! So, I decided to design a front cover myself!

The very bottom reads, "A Member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"

I just printed them all off 4 to a page and copied them on cardstock. I cut them, inked the sides, hole punched them, put a ring in, tied a bow and there you have it!

My goal is to relate the lesson each week to an Article of Faith and take 5-10 minutes to work on learning parts of that article of faith!

I like them so much I'm making myself one! :o)

Also, I have to tell you the funny thing Trey Doman said in my class on Sunday after I told them our plan. I told them they would each get a book and they have to try to remember to bring it to church each week so we could work on learning them. He said, "I don't think I can do that!" I told him to put it in his pants pocket and leave it there when he wasn't using it so he would remember it. After I told them we were going to learn them he said, "I don't read English very well!" I wanted to ask him which language he read but didn't. I thought that was so cute!I just told him I'd help them to read and learn it!

P.S. I made a fall flower arrangement!

I also did this in my kitchen

I am excited to decorate for Halloween!

I got all the flower from the dollar store for the fall decor and some Halloween stuff from there too for some cute decorations!

Thank you dollar store! I appreciate you!

Oops: I evidently put most of the message as a caption to the picture! I'm retarded! It's okay so is blogspot for flipping my pictures!



Home

Today, I miss home; my home in Idaho! I know I have a new home in Oregon but some days it just doesn't feel like home! Today is one of those days!

Today, I yearn for Idaho! I yearn for the mountains, the family, the friends, the schools, and so many other things! I try really hard to be optomistic about being in Oregon and making a new life for ourselves but some days it's harder than others and today is no exception! Oregon is a great place, but I still don't feel like I belong yet! Idaho still seems the place where we belong!

Please, don't get me wrong; I am grateful! Heavenly Father has blessed me with so much but that doesn't make it any easier when you miss the place you have called home your entire life!

So, to the place I still call home most days, I miss you, I love you, and all the people who help to make Idaho home, I hope I see you again soon!

For now, I have to go register my car in Oregon! It's a small thing but one that makes me realize I really have to find it in me to call this place home some day, at least, for a little while! In the meantime I will wipe my tears and try to be a big girl, something I am still learning to do!

Sincerely,

Sharon Marie

***She's Somebody's Hero***

So, I saw this video earlier on a friends facebook wall and I decided I had to post a tribute to MY OWN HERO:

MY MOM!!!

Everything in this song reminds me of my mother!

She has done every single thing mentioned in this song and more!!!

She spent and still does spend countless years figuring out ways to help her children and now her grandchildren! There are so many things we all have to thank her for! As her children grew up and moved away she didn't stop caring for people 24/7! Her time simply became focused a little more on her dear mother, my AMAZING grandmother! After her mom contracted West Nile Virus she spent months at her moms hospital bedside, weeks at the Nursing Home, months taking care of her in our home, and then months with her after she was strong enough to move back into her own home!

After grandma passed away she moved her attention to her grandchildren and her father! She spends countless days with her two granddaughters while their mom finishes school and their dad works and she loves every minute of it! Who wouldn't? They are the most adorable girls EVER!!! Not only does she spend the days taking care of the adorable little ones but she spent days on end with her father after he developed cancer for the second time in his life! The last week of his life she spent almost 24/7 with him trying to comfort him, ease his pain, and recall the memories!

Mom, thank you for being who you are! For trying so hard to make the lives of others easier! I hope I can someday be the mom you have been to me!

Couldn't find one right away of  just me and my mom! That's okay I like my dad too!

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1.03.01

Missing Him

We have been given a true blessing but I am having a really hard time enjoying it right now!

Nate, is doing "pump watch" at work right now! They are pumping out a lake and so they have to have someone watching all the pumps and fixing them if needed! He gets paid prevailing wages (more than usual...like double) and he works 12 hours a night, every night, for the next two weeks at least! I'm really worried he is going to exhaust himself! 12 hour shift every night for two weeks or more is going to be a killer! I used to think 4 or 5 days worth of 12 hour shifts at the hospital was bad...he puts that to shame!

Anyways, it is a blessing because we need to save up the money BUT I really miss him and this could be a boring two weeks or more! I hope we will finally get into some kind of schedule together but for now I just miss him! I sleep...he works...I wake up...he comes home...we try to cuddle for a little while before he heads to bed himself...I get back up and wish he was awake with me...he wakes up...we eat...he goes to work again and I still miss him...and then I finally try to sleep without him there!

I just am really going to miss him! I am grateful for the opportunity though and that my husband is a hard-worker! I just need someone here to spend time with because being home alone gets old!

If anyone has ideas to pass some time, let me know! I am going to make cinnamon rolls tomorrow! Super excited about that! I need some other things to do though because trying new recipes and baking all the time will definitely not help my love handles!

Thank you Nate for working so hard! I hope you have a good night at work! I'm so excited to call you later and chat! Can't wait to see you in the morning! I love love love you! 

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1.03.01

Our Trip To Idaho

So, I know this is so late in coming but I did say I would get it up here and I have to fulfill my commitment!

We went back home for the second time in a month in August! Life comes all at once sometimes! However, I am so grateful that I was able to go back and say goodbye to my grandfather, watch my amazingly adorable nieces, meet my brother-in-law who got home from his mission, that we could say goodbye to Josh before he is deployed to Iraq, and to spend time with family and friends for a little while!

I have already posted on my trip home the end of July and beginning of August so this post is dedicated to our journeys in Grace!

We had to get there by Friday morning in order to say goodbye to Josh so we left Woodburn Thursday night as soon as Nate got off work and we drove all night long! Except for the multiple times we had to stop and stretch, rest, or switch drivers! I thought that was a long drive in one day but its even longer at night!

Well, we got there and spent some time with family before Josh left! It is the first time in two years that all of Nates famiy have been together and it will be the last for another year at least so there were definitely some family pictures taken! I don't know why but a lot of them are blurry. I think the lens was dirty! :o(

Us

The boys rebelling!

Their better side! From right to left is Brain, Josh, David, and Nate!

All of the Benson Guys!

The Gals!

Everyone minus the man of the family!

So, I don't actually have one of the whole family but you should read this Dad Benson (Mr. Man of the Family) and when you do will you please send us one you have of the whole family, including you!

It was so fun to see everyone! Brian gave an amazing talk in Sacrament meeting on Sunday (I swear he had all the women in tears) and I'm pretty sure some men as well!

On Saturday we had a BBQ at Grandpa Benson's house with all of The Benson Family (minus Josh) and the Oler Family (minus Marc and Shylo)! It was a blast!

Miss Mea

Grandpa Oler and Kaitlyn

Grandma Mauer and Kaitlyn

Nate and Shanon Carlie

Twins, Sisters, Friends

David and Brian

Mea, Me, Mom, Sara, and Kaitlyn (Shan already left)

Unfortunately, I am a slacker and didn't take any pictures on Sunday with all of the extended family to see Brain's homecoming talk! I wish I had! It was a blast though with tons of food!!!

I would say my biggest accomplishment of the whole weekend home was managing to steal a hug from every single one of Nate's brothers! They are not big on hugging so when we said goodbye to each one they had to give hugs!!! :o)

We can't wait until the next time we can go back! I am going to be having major withdrawls from our family because we were so lucky to visit twice within the two and a half months since we moved!

We love you all! Can't wait to see you again!