Guest Blogger - Thelma Dahl Davis

Every other week I will be featuring a guest that I know and respect to help me keep some perspective.  

I thought I'd share their perspective with you too...I hope you will enjoy! 

 Here is what our guest, my dear cousin Thelma has to share:

 

Having a Girl

When I found out that I was going to have a girl, my first thought was accompanied by a sinking feeling. 

"I can’t do hair". 

It took going to the store and eyeing all of the delicious baby girl clothes to realize that hair wasn’t that important anyway. 

I was having a girl!

Thelma and Emma as a babe
  

When Emma was born, she was pretty and dainty in ways her brother had been cherubic and plump.  I carefully dressed her in pink.  I hung a row of dresses in her closet.  I daydreamed about my daughter. 

 

Once in the middle of the night, when Emma and I were the only ones awake, I looked down at her tiny delicate fingers.  I nudged my own finger into hers and contemplated our hands. 

This girl of mine.  What would her hands do?  Would Emma’s hands someday hold her own children?  I thought of the mothers I was linked to: my mother, my grandmothers, my great-grandmothers.  

Emma was one of us.  Part of the tribe. Indomitable women.  Mothers. 

It didn’t take me long to recognize the strong will that resided behind Emma’s brown eyes.  She is intrepid and spirited while I was a shy child.  She looks like one grandma and has the fortitude of the other.  She reminds me of my feisty sister.  She is a perfectionist (which she in no way inherited from me). 

But this Emma, this tall, muscular long limbed girl…she’s MINE.  While I often lament she has no sisters (my own sisters are made of the stuff of soul mates), I am greedily glad that I don’t have to share her.  We think the same things are funny.  We both have a lot of the same interests.  And there’s no one I would rather go shopping with.   

Whatever her hands will do someday (her hands that are roughly the same size as mine now), I know I’ll be proud.  And amazed.  I always am when it comes to Emma. 

I am delighted to have a daughter. 

(And I still am no good with hair.)  

You can read more about Thelma's life and enjoy her wonderful stories HERE.  I promise you will not regret clicking over there.  Her blog always brings a smile to my face.

All About Me Spotlight

Those of you who have purchased any of  the MiniMe paper doll packages know that there is a set of four sheets called "All About Me".  I will be inviting some special guests each week to be spotlighted and to share some of their answers from their "All About Me" pages with all of us.

Our next guest is Penelope!

This is what Penelope wants us to know:

I am 6 years old

I have 1 brother and 1 sister

My favorite animal is: a bunny

My favorite color is: orange

My favorite thing to do is: go swimming

My favorite subject in school: Recess and Art

I show others I care by: giving them a hug

When I grow up, I want to: be a Veterinarian and a Princess

 

Thanks so much for letting us spotlight you today Penelope!  I think we can all agree that the world needs more Princess Veterinarians who give hugs!

NOTE: Would you like your little girl to be spotlighted on Lily&Thistle? Send me an email and I'll send her a fun form to fill out!

Guest Blogger - Marianne Dahl Johnson

Each week I will be featuring a guest that I know and respect to help me keep some perspective.  

I thought I'd share their perspective with you too...I hope you will enjoy! 

 Here is what our guest, my dear cousin Marianne Dahl Johnson has to share:

image found HERE

So Much Stuff

Lots of stuff seems to come with having a family.  With six children in ours, we have plenty of stuff.  Some of it seems to multiply on its own.  I could swear our stuffed animals have their own breeding program. 

One day I decided I’d had enough of errant legoes, mismatched toy dishes from multiple sets, dolls with messy hair, and little plastic cowboys and Indians.  I announced to my children that I would buy toys.  I would give a dime for each toy that would be discarded or donated.  My children reacted in varying ways.  Clarissa and Deseret didn’t really have toys anymore and complained that I should have done that when they were younger.  The others participated in varying degrees. 

Morgan was the most excited.  He brought matchbox cars with missing wheels and action figures with missing limbs.  I didn’t care.  I paid him dimes.  I was happy to get rid of anything!  He paid his tithing and then wanted to go to the store, all that money burning a hole in his pocket.  At the first opportunity, he quickly spent his wad on those little toys that are absolute junk that come from a little vending machine in individual plastic bubbles.  As he proudly showed me his new treasures, I wasn’t sure my plan was such a great success.

Carolina is my baby.  She is four.  She has never met a McDonald’s toy or a stained and holey pair of pants that she didn’t like.  Her bedroom is continually overflowing with treasures such as the paper she drew at preschool four weeks ago, and the paper she drew at preschool three weeks ago, and two weeks ago, and last week, and yesterday.  None of them can be parted with.  She doesn’t want to part with board books that she loved when she was two or Little People animals that she never plays with anymore.  The thought of passing on her too-small clothes to her cousin (whom she loves) brings her to tears.

I have learned how to handle Carolina.  I have had a lot of experience with four-year-olds who cling to their possessions.  The secret is to perform periodic cleansings when the four-year-old is playing at her cousin’s house.  When the four-year-old comes home, she is thrilled that, for that day, she doesn’t need to clean her room.  Her mom did it for her!  What a happy surprise.  She doesn’t even miss those beloved possessions.

  Carolina’s older sisters are 14, 12, and 9.  This afternoon we were cleaning out their bedrooms—going through drawers, closets, and bookshelves.  Suddenly and unexpectedly, I found myself acting like a four-year-old.   

“Are you sure you want to get rid of your fashion design kit?  You had so much fun designing ball gowns.” 

“Grandma made that doll blanket for your fifth birthday.  You want to store it in a bin in the garage?” 

“But that was the first chapter book you ever read!”  “Are you sure that doesn’t fit you anymore?  It was the first skirt you ever sewed yourself.”

I realized that I was the only one feeling nostalgic.  They are excited for the future and I’m the only one looking back.  Clarissa will start high school in the fall.  Deseret will go to Young Women’s Girls’ Camp for the first time.  Liberty is enjoying her first year in 4-H.    They are giving up doll blankets and I’m not sure I’m ready for that. 

I think I’ll visit Carolina’s room and suggest a stuffed animal tea party.  She and I will hold on for a little longer.  

Marianne's AMAZING family (seriously people, I wish you could each sit down with them and experience what a joy it is to be surrounded by so many great people).

Thanks for the perspective Marianne!

New Lower Prices on While They Sleep Patterns/Tutorials

Since so much of my time and attention has gone to paper dolls lately, I thought it would be nice to make some of my patterns a little more affordable...for good.  I probably won't be having half off sales anymore or anything like that...just "everyday low prices".  So if you've ever wanted to try one of these, now is the time.

Click HERE to go to my While They Sleep Pattern Shop

Enjoy!

All About Me Spotlight

Those of you who have purchased any of  the MiniMe paper doll packages know that there is a set of four sheets called "All About Me".  I will be inviting some special guests each week to be spotlighted and to share some of their answers from their "All About Me" pages with all of us.

Our first guests are two of my favorite girls in this world.  My sisters' daughters Elsa and Abby.  Here is what they wanted to share:

Elsa Louise

I am 7 years old and have 2 brothers and 1 sister.  

My favorite animals are cats.

My favorite color is pink.

My favorite thing to do is go to the Play Place at McDonalds.

In school, I really enjoy "Word Work".

I show others I care by drawing pictures or cards for them.

When I grow up, I want to be a Teacher.

Abby Olivia

I am 4 years old and have 2 brothers and 1 sister.  

My favorite animals are cats and dogs and penguins.

My favorite colors are pink and purple and blue.

My favorite thing to do is play with my Little People.

In school, I really enjoy colors.

I show others I care by feeding them.

When I grow up, I want to be a Princess.

Thanks so much for letting us Spotlight you today girls!  You are both so great!

NOTE: Would you like your little girl to be spotlighted on Lily&Thistle? Send me an email and I'll send her a fun form to fill out!

May Day

Rain just keeps falling on our heads over here.  I must say I am ready for some sunshine.  But the twins seem to be pretty content with the weather...

Wishing you either a dry day or a day full of puddle jumping!

Guest Blogger - Olivia Dahl Cobian

 Each week I will be featuring a guest that I know and respect to help me keep some perspective.  
I thought I'd share their perspective with you too...I hope you will enjoy!  

Here is what our first guest, my dear cousin Olivia Dahl Cobian has to share:

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH TO REQUIRE HONESTY?

            At the Wendy’s drive thru on Friday, they gave us back a nickel extra.  Five cents.  I hesitated for a moment.  Does it really matter?  Will anybody care if I return the money that doesn’t belong to me?  If it were five dollars, I’d return it.  Fifty dollars? Definitely.  But five cents?  Is it worth going back?  We’d gone through the drive thru to save time . . . 

We parked.  I got out of the car and ran back inside the restaurant.  I interrupted the cashier, put the nickel on the counter and said, “We got too much change from the drive thru.”  He looked at me like I was crazy.  I felt stupid.  “Thanks.”  I said and left. 

I returned to the car—to the six little eyes that see everything, that still think I know everything and that count on me to do right.  The responsibility for those three little souls is sometimes overwhelming.  As we talked about it, I knew the five cents mattered.  I knew that I cared whether or not I returned it, and that I cared that my children knew why I returned it.  I want them to know that morality isn’t relative.  It doesn’t matter how great or small the matter is.  What matters is that we’re as perfectly honest as we can be.

Today I read a quote that helped me realize why I stopped for five cents:

“Honesty is the trait that connects the promises we have made to the Lord to our everyday actions.”

                                                                                    ~Richard J. Maynes

Because I’m a Christian, because I want to emulate Christ, and because I need His help so desperately in my daily life as a mother, I had to return the nickel.  Because I want my children to know and honor Him, because I want them to know the peace only He can bring, I had to teach them why a nickel matters.

 Thanks Liv!
Pictured with Olivia is Lilianna, Olivia's sweet girl.  Lili has two brothers with another brother coming soon.  You can read more about Olivia and Lili's life

HERE.

The Sticky Strip Exposed

Many of you who have purchased the PDF version of MiniMe dolls have asked where you can get your own "Sticky Strip".  I purchased them at Office Depot (but I have seen them at Walmart and Target as well).  This is what you want to look for.  It really is an amazing little invention that makes paper dolls even more fun!

Some Special Guests are Coming to Lily&Thistle...

I'd like you to meet three women I admire a lot.  From Left to Right: Thelma Dahl Davis, Olivia Dahl Cobian and Marianne Dahl Johnson.  Sisters to each other...cousins to me.

When I'm with these three, I feel like I'm home.  They just "get" me.  They also seem to just "get" how to be happy, confident, smart, wonderful women and they are all raising happy, smart, confident, wonderful girls.  Here's a picture of all of their girls (except Thelma's Emma and including Olivia's little Marcos he's a boy, not a girl) being royally beautiful in the wide open spaces of  Starr Valley, Nevada (don't you just want to beam yourself there?)

They have agreed to share some of their perspective with us here at Lily&Thistle.  I will be posting a short story from each of them in the coming weeks.  You'll want to stay tuned....I think you will really enjoy.

MiniMe Giveaway Going on...

 Dana's Little Lucy is the perfect model!

 My good friend Dana is hosting a giveaway today on her blog.  Check it out, you could WIN!

Sweet Norah Jane

She's teething two molars right now...poor baby.  In true Norah fashion, there's not a lot of crying...just a lot of holding and loving and kissing (those cheeks to be exact).

Oh how I love this little girl.

Beauty is a VERB - Free Printable

To download and print, click HERE

The end.

Spring SALE Going on in the Pattern Shop

My Favorite Mother's Day Gifts....

These are the faces that make me a mother on Mother's Day.  What special gifts each of them are.  

I know that I am so blessed to be called "Mom".

Happy Mother's Day!

Nie Nie You Tube - My New Life

I don't know Stephanie Neilson in person though I really feel like I do.  If you don't know her story yet, you won't regret the time it will take to get to know her a bit.  She inspires me in so many ways.  She always makes me want to be a better friend, mom, wife and to have more faith.  I thought this was a perfect reminder of the beauty of motherhood.

A Mother's Day Outfit for Mabel - FREEBIE

Click HERE to download

Audrey Hepburn's Secrets to Great Beauty...

image found HERE

The actual author of the following poem was the great humorist Sam Levenson who wrote it for his grandchild. Audrey Hepburn often quoted this during interviews and lectures. She also read it to her children on the last Christmas before she died in 1993.

Audrey Hepburn's "Secrets to Great Beauty..."

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anybody.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!