4 down; many more to go!!



Our Indian Corn! Super easy and cute!!



Fall Trees. We had to make more after Zoe missed out making them with Teagan and Payton.



I finished 4 Christmas gifts this week!! I'm so excited! I love that I have quite the stash of Christmas gifts collecting all over the house; I'm feeling oh-so-prepared! Usually, I'm just now getting started with even thinking about gifts but this year demanded a bit more thought and preparation. We are still adjusting to being a one-income family, so I've gotten really creative and am really enjoying all the creative energy! My sewing machine is getting a work-out and I am really hoping it keeps plugging away because getting a replacement is not a priority right now (though I did suggest $$$ towards a new one would be a great gift from my parents!!)

Ok, enough blogging about my projects - time to get back to work on them!!



Blanket for Baby Isabella

 


Reversible dress for Harper





Other side





Name Pillow Cases - 2 down, 3 to go!!





Waiting to be made into dresses - possibly for niece Izabella????



Waiting to be snuggly blankets and matching pj pants for Zoe and Teagan.



Snuggly blankets for Harper and nephew Zach. Harper was all over this fabric at the store, so I had to make her one!!





Shutterfly Coupon!!

Isn't this a great idea??? Shutterfly is giving away 50 free holiday cards to bloggers!! I found out about it from Gretchen and wanted to share! I love doing Christmas cards and getting half of what I need for free - that's even better! My Christmas card list seems to be getting longer and longer (BTW - if I don't have your address and you'd like a COOL card, email me your info!!!) each year and I always spend so much time looking for the perfect card.  I'm loving the flat stationary cards but the folded cards are catching my eye too! Oh no - way to many choices!!  Now, I just need to decide which is my favorite! Maybe I'll do 2 different designs, hmmmmmmm.



I love this one because I wouldn't have to write out and print an additional letter about what we've been doing. I just don't know if I can come up with 10 things that people really want to hear about!!



Is this not SUPER CUTE???



More of a traditional style but I like the spot for our initial



Too cute - love the little bird!



Totally what I was looking for last year!! Still love the color and style!



I would love to do these with favorite pictures for each of the girls. Maybe with that winning lottery ticket in my stocking this year!! I also like their calendars - being able to add birthday and other special date is AWESOME!!

Family Dynamics

This past weekend (Memorial Day) we went camping. Well, sort of. We camped our trailer in my grandparents yard and enjoyed the comforts of their dry, warm house! We got to spend a lot of time with brother, Bethany and Izabella - It's been awhile since we could just hang out and not have a bunch of stuff going on! I'm so thankful that we all get along, have so much fun together and the girls get to grow up together - it just makes me sad when it comes to an end because I realize how far away Portland really is!

We also got to spend some time with a lot of my extended family. It's been a really long time since we've been able to spend more than an hour or two with my aunts and uncles, cousins and their kids. I love that my girls can't wait to play with their cousins and I love watching them all grow up together.

Sunday was spent celebrating Duffy's 36th birthday! He got to sleep in (a rarity at our house), play Cabella's Big Game Hunter (how he could fight of the mountain lions and not have a heart attack, I don't know!!!) enjoy great BBQ and yummy food prepared by all the great cooks in our family. His cake request (cupcakes in ice cream cones) was a big hit with all the kids and even some of the adults! At one point, we counted 28 people, including Duffy's parents (it was also his mom's birthday!!) and brother's family. We feel sooooooo blessed that our families are close in proximity and relationship to share in birthdays and holidays - it makes things so much easier when time is limited!! And I love to see everyone together - it makes my heart happy.

Now it's back our real life. Teagan finished with school this week and Zoe has 2 weeks to go. We have a busy summer full of Vacation Bible Schools, having friends come and hang out a couple of days a week, weekend trips to Grandma and Grandpa's, vacation with Dad in August (maybe another camping trip....), and oh, yeah, Harper's First Birthday in July!!! Fun times ahead!!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the great moms and grandmas! The world is a better place because of all of you!!!

Thanksgiving

thanks·giv·ing:
1 : the act of giving thanks
2 : a prayer expressing gratitude
3 : a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness

I give thanks for my healthy family, happy children, wonderful husband, thoughtful friends, comfortable house and good, secure employment. Thank you God for all that you have given to me and help me to be thankful daily, for all that I have.