S is for Stampin Up

The great thing about having a crafty neighbor with the same craft interests as me is that we can get together at a moments notice and have a card night (card night is to be read in a sing song voice). My upstairs BFF was in need of making baby cards for the many up coming babies in her life (not hers personally but friends and family) and she found a super cute idea and ran with it. (so glad I was able to help out in small ways with embellishments).  

 The stamp set she used  was Baby Bundle

Green and purple

  

Purple and purple

 blue with white

and PINK!

I loved her ideas of not using "traditional" baby colors powder blue and pink...until of course the last card, then it was all about baby pink!

SO wanting to be creative too, I finished up some cards

oh, forgot to get pictures, guess I will add it later...

I chose the Party Hearty stamp set

 can't really tell that the card has dimensions, but I raised the scallop punch and then the b.

this card I added a button to the b, helped it pop out just a little bit more.

And there you have it, our cards, from our much needed card night!!!

E is for Explore

Winter is VERY long in Chicago-land so it is important to find and do fun/creative/get-your-energy out things.

We enjoyed visiting the newly remodeled  exploritorium.  

And added bonus, are CUTE little neighbor and her Aunt came along.

Kanikapila

I love it (yes I do!) when family comes to visit. I might go a little crazy thinking about my house bursting at the seams with not a single space for ONE MORE THING and embarrassed about the clutter. But I get over it and just open my doors for whom ever. SO we were so excited when we heard that UNCLE KANDON was coming to visit us!!! We stayed up WAY to late, had WAY too much fun but we would do it again in a heartbeat.

 Eileen and Jesica

*Cute Miss A Story

Miss A was asleep by the time Keenan and Kandon got home, and was pretty shy when she saw a "strange" man in the house who kind of looked like daddy. So I explained to her that Kandon was daddy's brother. Uncle Kandon, she warmed up to him. 

Later Keenan asked Miss A pointing to Kandon "Who is this?"

Miss A: "He's yours" 

I asked: "yours what?" 

Miss A: "your brother"

then I asked: "who is mommy's brother?"

Miss A: "um (pointing her finger to her chin and tapping) Uncle David!" (looking at me like how could I not know that Dave was my brother!)

Then I asked: "Who is Mommy's sister?" (I thought this would TOTALLY be easy with you know Jesica living with us and all...

Miss A placed her thinking finger back up to her chin and thought, and thought then FINALLY said

"OH, um EILEEN!!!"

And yes, she is like a little sister to me and we love her!

 Little G

 Kamae Brothers

Tooth fairy and Flowers

Miss M had a tooth growing in all crazy which was causing her baby tooth to not be loose at all! You know it's bad when they ASK to go to the dentist. So we made an appointment to see the dentist and this brave girl got her tooth pulled! She was amazing. And so excited to loose her first tooth. We have this cute little tooth fairy box that our friends Grandma made for Miss M.

The tooth fairy left special quarters for miss M (Hawaiian quarters) and left her room a sparkly mess of fairy dust. It was in Miss M's hair, Miss A's hair, all over the dressers, pillows, beds. Silly little fairy!
We went to the local farmers market and Miss M was in LOVE with all the beautiful flowers. So, with her money she bought these lovely flowers. And we ran into our friends their girls just happened to be wearing purple too. It was a great family Saturday.

sweet friends

I just thought these were some sweet shots of Miss A and her cute friends.

1. Eli Love and Miss A walking back to preschool from the park

2. Lilia and Miss A at the farm

Hanging with Miss M

Miss M has made some cute friends in kindergarten. This was their first sleep over. And they had lots of fun (especially because it was a school night sleep over). K made a yummy breakfast for us all. And Miss A was happy that the girls included her in their sleep over.

SPIRIT week at school!!! The first day of spirit week was SPORTS day, dress in your favorite sports team gear. WELL, Miss M LOVES sports and all sorts of teams. So she had to show some support for them all. (well almost all, she loves the Dolphins, but we couldn't find a jersey in time.) So, she has on a cubs t-shirt, a packers sweatshirt and a Bears hat. GO TEAM!

A little Mommy and Miss M time. We planted tulips for the spring. I am not sure how well they will do since those dirty little squirrels kept digging them up. My sister pointed out that they probably didn't eat them, just replanted them, so I may have some tulips show up in the middle of my lawn. Oh well...

Crafty birthday gifts

Miss M has been invited to a couple of birthday parties - and lucky me they were both girls who love to wear things in their hair. Last week's party was for our neighbor who had a super fun fiesta - with a three tier pinata! She LOVES to wear headbands. I went to the dollar store and found a few headbands, added some ribbon, bows, or buttons to jazz them up. Then of course some matching hair clips. And I made a quick one for Miss M to match her outfit for the party.
So glad that I know how to make hair clips/bands! Now if I could just get my girls to wear all the
hair clips I make...

Hopping Down the Bunny Trail Part 2

April 11, 2009





Our ward (for this church) has an annual Egg hunt. Last couple of years I have put it together with my girlfriends. This year, the wonderful nursery leader and her family hosted it. And HOORAY the weather cooperated well enough that it could be outside! Miss A and I had to stay home because of her pneumonia but K and Miss M sure had a fantastic time. I heard great fun was had by all!

Hopping Down the Bunny Trail Part 1

April 4, 2009

Living in the Chicago-land area there are always some sort of activities to do around the holidays (or any time). In our little park district they do a great job of putting together fun activities for the kids. Especially for Halloween and Easter. This Easter we had a few of our friends join us at the park to enjoy the egg hunt, singing/dancing and craft time.

Miss A is checking out the bunny

on our way out to get the eggs

Miss M's goodies

Miss E showing her cute basket

Miss A was done finding the eggs after 1, she discovered the candy and that is all she needed.

Mr. Q shaking it up

Miss A cruising

Blessed, Humbled, Thankful

I have much to be thankful for, but I think that sometimes I forget about all of the big and small things I should be thankful for. Especially when things in your life are bleak. It is easy to forget
how blessed one is.

Today - as well as most days I am thankful for wonderful kind friends )family included) who bless me.

Recently-ish (I know not a word) little gifts have been left for me, (on my refrigerator - or in envelopes) cards have been sent, phone calls made, e-mails and packages. And some of them anonymously. Like today for example a package came with beautiful Easter dresses in it for my girls. I was moved to tears. I don't know who you are, but thank you, thank you!
I have made several phone calls in hopes of tracking down this wonderful person - but NO ONE
will pick up their phones!

I am humbled at the out pour of love I receive. Humbled that I forget how special I really am, how lucky I am, how blessed I am.

So thank you dear anonymous friends.
Thank you!

I Heart Valentine's

Actually, I think I heart holidays. I really like to decorate for them all.
This year Miss M is REALLY into Valentine's. She goes into my or rather, OUR craft room and makes some everyday.

* She does spell Mommy with an EY, it's her new thing, it's more fancy that way. And after discovering that her name comes from Bob Marley, she has started to sign things,
Love, Bob*


Today, I got this in the mail!
(and Miss M got a CUTE dress from Gymboree - I'll have to get pics of her in it)

thanks mom!!
When Miss A woke up from her nap and saw it. She was all squeals of delight!
"oh gook MommAH, gook it, gook it"
(I am MommAH, and Miss M is ma-ma)

I wish I would have gotten her reaction on video. The other thing I wish I would have recorded today - Miss A discovered my maxi pads. Unwrapped a bunch and stuck them all over herself.
It really was picture worthy!

And today as I was catching up on my goggle reader
(because it is too stinkin' cold to go and do anything!)
I saw some cute Valentine's stuff...

If I had another baby I would want it to be born in February.
and I would make things like this


found HERE on this blog.

Or maybe for my craft day with my friend Heather, we will make this


found HERE

or this

found Here

And then we will make Heart Sugar Cookies!!! YUM!

See I HEART Valentine's DAY/Month

Happy Birthday! (a little late)

I really wanted to wish my two very special friends birthday wishes -
ON THEIR SPECIAL DAY..
But, I couldn't get out of bed.
SO HAPPY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY to TWO of my very DEAR FRIENDS!!!

Rebekeh and Sarah
(last year for her bowling b-day)


Lynsey and Rebekeh
(back when we were nannies
living it up in Chicago)

Wondering where I've been???

Sick - with vertigo! If you have ever had it, then you know why I have not been on a computer.
Or even out of bed for that matter. I really hope this goes away soon! I would so love to get off this spinning world I have been living in for a week.

Thanks to those who have helped, offered to help etc.!

So thankful to have friends like you. : )

Hope you all enjoyed Thanksgiving.

Ward Halloween Party

My friends and I threw a Halloween Party!
It was a great turn out and A WHOLE LOT of Fun!

Here are some pictures my friends took.

1. Miss A the Puppy
2. Miss M
3. Mommy and Miss A
4. Keenan in the Kitchen
5. getting ready to trick and treat
6. Mr. Love and his Mom and Dad
7. my friend Jenn and the Firefighter
8. Talking with Rachel and Lindsay - they are the other big party planners
9.The Lunds and Bishop Downs

1. Angela and Stephan (they are our new neighbors! AND they took care of Miss A and M at the party!)
2. My friend Carrie and her boys
3. Getting ready for the parade
4. Keenan's root beer
5. Bishop Downs and Collin
6. Lindsay setting up
7. Jack
8. Miss A
9. Sister Nelson - or Elphaba!

1. Angela and Miss A
2. Story time with Linda Hoffman Kimball she wrote a WONDERFUL Halloween book, one of our favorites!!
3. The kids listening to her read Come with me on Halloween
4-6. Parade time
7. Jack and Miss A
8. Holden

9. Linda

1. The REAL Rachel Ray (the party planner)
2. a view of the party
3. K the MC
4. Carrie and Jacob
5. Mr. Love
6. BUZZ!
7. Evelyn
8. The Pixton's
9. - Guess I couldn't get enough of RR, there she is again!

Off to get me some of this...

Here

Sarah - I will eat some in honor of you! Sorry you can't be with me!!