Happy Go Lovely

Scrappy Time: GCD Studios

2011-06-08T10:43:00.005-05:00

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to act as a "Product Tester" for GCD Studios. The papers are so nice...all double sided and with a fabulous texture to them. I got to play with the Material Girls Collection by Heather Tozzi and the Scandia Jul Collection by Rob and Bob. Here's what I made:

MATERIAL GIRLS COLLECTION

Happy Feet

Sweet Boy

Material Girl

For the Bride Card

SCANDIA JUL COLLECTION

Christmas Outfits

First Christmas

Ready, Set, Open

Noel Card

lovely: I especially love the look of the Christmas papers...they were really fun to work with.

not-so-lovely: I never have enough time to scrap anymore!

Scrappy Time: GCD Studios

2011-06-07T14:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter!

2011-04-25T09:29:00.005-05:00

Happy Easter one day late. It was an amazing day. True Life Ministries had service in our new Auditorium for the first time. So, not only was it exciting already because it was Resurrection Sunday, but we had the added excitement of being in our new building that we've waited so long to occupy! A-mazing:)

My family came to church and afterward came over to our house for lunch. We had a fabulous Easter Egg Hunt outside and the kids were so cute. Miss E. gasped at everything and said, "just what I always wanted" it was so funny. Evan was all bundled up in a blanket with Aunt Dee and smiled at everything...melted my heart.

For dinner we went to the Kohlmeiers and had a nice time eating, playing games, searching for eggs around the house and opening Easter goodies.

All in all it was a fabulous day! Thank you Jesus for your love!!!

I love to reminisce, so here are some pictures from previous Easters. I'll post from this year soon:)

2008

2009

2009layout (scraplift from Creating Keepsakes)

2010

5.4.3.2.1 blastoff!

2011-04-15T15:30:00.005-05:00

I made this onesie in March of 2009 and it was published in the August/September 2009 issue of Simply Handmade Magazine. It is super-duper cool that I now have a little boy who can wear it! How cute is he? TGIF! lovely: getting to play outside in the sandbox this week. not-so-lovely: still dealing with sickness - now I have an annoying cough!

let me count the ways...

2011-04-11T14:28:00.007-05:00

My AK is 30 today. I'm the luckiest girl to have him as my hubby. Here are 30 reasons I love him so much: 1. He's super smart. 2. He laughs at really lame jokes. 3. He is an avid reader. 4. He yells at Packer games. 5. He still loves cereal.

6. He is an excellent Daddy. 7. He watches reality tv with me. 8. He is a hard-worker. 9. He likes to try new things, like surfing or rock climbing. 10. He loves to travel. 11. He loves the number 11. 12. He is so musically talented. 13. He has such ambition. 14. He honors his parents. 15. He loves to run (sometimes I hate this). 16. He was in Kids From Wisconsin. 17. He likes to go to good restaurants. 18. He gets closer to God everyday and that's important to him. 19. He is obsessed with getting the mail. 20. He is asked for his advice and his opinion by many people. 21. He always has a "great idea". 22. He's still writing a musical that will someday be on Broadway:) 23. He's really funny - really, he is! 24. He is so stable...nothing really shakes him. 25. He is so busy (which I don't like) but always makes time for his babies. 26. He is a really good guy and always wants to help people.

27. He is pretty much succesful at anything he pursues. He always said he'd be retired at age 30, and so far, that's the only thing that hasn't happened that he set out to do. 28. He is focused and will accomplish many extraordinary things. 29. He loves oreos. 30. He loves me.

There are so many more reasons I love him...but these are some of my favorites.

Happy 30th Birthday my Aaron! Love you babe!

I finally did it!

2011-04-07T13:29:00.005-05:00

Well, I finally did it! I finally applied for and made a Design Team for a local Scrapbooking Store. I just started my 6 month term as a Guest Designer for The Scrapbook Store (Greenfield, WI) and I could not be more excited. This month they gave me 3 different lines to work with: Posh by Teresa Collins, Lush 2 by My Mind's Eye (in turquoise), and Nikki Sivils' Beatrice line. Here's what I made:

I also finally got up early to walk BEFORE AK went to work, since I have no time at night.

***

lovely: going to the library Thursday mornings. I love it even if it tries my patience some weeks!

not-so-lovely: feeling really guilty about spending so much at the grocery store yesterday now that I've seen TLC's Extreme Couponing show! I vow to start couponing (in all my spare time)!

3 years 5 months

2011-04-03T14:51:00.011-05:00

She is 3 yrs old now. He is 5 months. Wow...time is flying by. Don't get me wrong...some days drag on and on. For the most part though, it seems like we just brought each one home from the hospital. Oddly enough, it seems like they've been in our lives forever at the same time. she... Is into playing dress-up, especially as the Disney Princesses. Loves singing. She plays with her microphone all the time now. At church she practices right along with us. She'll bring her microphone into the living room when we're watching American Idol. She says, "ladies and gentleman, boys and girls...presenting Evan on guitar and Ella on microphone". Watches Max and Ruby and Bubble guppies and sometimes Dora still. Mostly Max and Ruby. Goes to Ballet class on Saturdays. She learned about Pirouettes from a show and is obsessed. Is just about potty-trained. We thought she'd be easy-peasy at 2 to potty train. not.so.much. Wants to do a project all the time. She just got scissors and glue for the first time. Likes to "watch" her brother for me, help me with cooking and baking and wash dishes. Never wants to take a bath. We have to make her (hold her down while she's screaming). Goes to the Library once a week and has her own library card. Says, "I want that for Easter!" after almost every toy commercial. Asks, "Is it breakfast time, lunch time, dinner time or snack time?" if she's hungry. Seems to never forget anything we say. She reminds us of things over and over if we make a mistake too! Wants to be a Soccer Player when she grows up. Asks a lot of questions and will repeat things over and over until someone repeats it back to her ("But I don't have to get a shot?" can't just say "No"...have to say, "No, you don't have to get a shot!"). Is still very stubborn. Is still very sweet, compassionate and funny. He... Is such a great baby! Is on a pretty good schedule. Naps best at 9:30 if I put him in his swing. Is super ticklish. Screams really really loud - in delight or if he's upset! Started using his jumper and jumps like a maniac. Plays more and more everyday and almost scoots to get a toy. Is eating rice cereal and has tried apples, bananas and sweet potatoes so far. Just went in the church nursery for the first time. Rolls over immediately when we lay him down. Loves to look in the mirror. Pretty much only cries if he's hungry, tired or needs a diaper change. Is really starting to laugh. Acts super funny when he wants to nurse (at least he makes Mommy laugh). Really checks people out. I'm pretty sure he loves music. Is really starting to look at the TV in amazement. Shoves his whole fist in his mouth. Makes us happy when we're feeling stressed. Needs to sleep through the night without waking up soon. Is such a delight, a love and a joy! We... Are so very busy still. Are trying to get the house organized and the family on a set routine. Are working hard...and playing hard when we can. Are very blessed. ****************************************Lovely: Papa is making us a sandbox! Not-so-lovely: We've been in the doctor's office once a week for 5 weeks!

we're back...

2011-03-24T21:56:00.003-05:00

After a 3 month hiatus...we're back.

...and so are the balloons stuck up on our high, unreachable ceiling.

my favorite trip of 2010

2010-12-30T23:13:00.002-06:00

We got to go on a 3-night Royal Carribean Cruise to the Bahamas to celebrate our 4th Anniversary this past June. It was amazing to go just the two of us. We missed Miss E. but we knew we had to take the time...especially with a new baby on the way. It was fabulous. I earned a free book from Shutterfly and knew I wanted to use photos from our trip.

Here it is...

Click here to view this photo book larger

stay-cation

2010-12-28T13:57:00.003-06:00

We had an absolutely amazing, wonderful, fabulous Christmas. I have lots to share but this week we are trying to soak up as much family time and relaxation as possible, since it's our last week of stay-cation. Hope your Holidays were joyful:)

merry days

2010-12-23T10:25:00.002-06:00

Here's our 2010 Christmas Card. I made it using Microsoft Photo Editor and printed them as 5x7s through snapfish.com.

Today we're hoping to clean up the house a bit, make a few treats, finish up our shopping (just have papa to buy for...food at Sam's club!), wrap all the gifts and FINALLY see Tangled!

May your days be merry and bright!

snow day!

2010-12-21T13:08:00.005-06:00

We love, love, love when Daddy's home! We thought the house would be cleaner...but nope, it's not. We do get to have fun times playing - and today in the snow - so it's ok!!! What memories we're making:)

lovely: eating every meal together as a family

not-so-lovely: haven't wrapped one gift yet!

the one with all the baby announcements

2010-12-16T23:44:00.004-06:00

It was super hard to decide which baby announcement to go with. I made them myself (patting myself on the back as I type) and I just kept making more and more. As usual, I found inspiration on sites like tinyprints.com and shutterfly.com. It's way cheaper that way and I like making them my own. It's probably illegal or something but don't tell.

the one we sent out:

the rest:

lovely: I baked 21 loaves of bread today.
not so lovely: I have a stye on my eye.

sweetness

2010-12-14T13:02:00.003-06:00

Isn't he just soooo kissable?

I just wanna squeeze his adorable little cheeks. Too bad for me his cheeks are covered in a little rash. We're going to the doctor this afternoon so hopefully they can give us something to clear him right up! Then we can get back to the cheek-squeezing:)

AK has been SUPER busy so we are beyond excited that he has off this friday...PLUS the next two weeks for us. Yay for us!!!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

2010-12-08T15:01:00.001-06:00

Jingle Bells

2010-12-08T15:00:00.001-06:00

love times two

2010-12-07T15:06:00.002-06:00

Life with two kids is so different. Adding a second child isn't as "shocking" as becoming a parent for the first time. No, life isn't dramatically different...but it IS a big adjustment. It's a challenge to give both children the attention they need and deserve. Most days I'm being pulled in two different directions and praying for Daddy to be home soon. I love being home, but when there are two parents for two kids it's obviously much easier. Some days all we do is feed kids, change kids and try to get kids to sleep.

ella

Miss E. has been doing tons of coloring and eating luncheables once a day. Thank God she thinks they're wonderful and doesn't know that we get them mostly because they simplify mommy's life! She is a great big sister. Our only negative is that she is a little too helpful - she sometimes trys to push baby brother a little too high in his swing or push his binky into his mouth a little too forcefully. She is currently VERY into puzzles, knows almost every nursery rhyme and serenades us at the piano. Her favorite shows are Max and Ruby, Super Why and Caillou...although she still watches Barney and Dora. Miss E. loves chocolate, her "special" water (sugar free kool-aid drop-ins) and mini-muffins. Potty training is still at a stand-still but she DOES like to sit on the potty and read books/sing...sometimes for hours. It's been fun to watch her with all her little friends. They are really starting to play together like big kids:) Miss E. is such a smarty pants and so funny. She makes everyone smile...except when she's beeing TOO sassy (she's discovered she does NOT like time-out!)!

evan

Little man Evan is such a cutie! I'm trying to soak up every single second I have with him. I want him to stay a baby forever and he's just getting too big! Much like his big sister, his first month has been spent in someone's arms - mostly mommy's. He LOVES being held and demands it. If we put him down, he grunts and complains until he's picked up. Then he wiggles around in our arms, sighs in content and falls right asleep...naughty boy! He is a very good baby - as long as he's being held. We put him in the moses basket a lot and he looks so adorable in there. Pretty soon he'll be too big though. He is a GREAT eater...and has been right from the start! He wasted not one second getting started nursing and we've had no issues. He has become a spitter though and how quickly we've remembered the fabulous look and scent of spit-up all over us. Our big boy has already outgrown newborn diapers and most of his newborn clothes...I can't believe how fast he's growing! We are so in LOVE with our little man and can hardly remember life without him!

With two kids, it's hard not to compare the two. We see so much of Miss E. when we look at our little man. It's been such a trip down memory lane - especially when Evan wears things Ella wore. It's like we have our baby Ella again...so weird!

ella

evan

ella

evan

ella

evan

We are still adjusting and have some hard days, but we are SO BLESSED and SO HAPPY. We just love our 2 babies!

33 days

2010-12-01T17:24:00.019-06:00

The last 33 days have been remarkable and have gone by in a blur. Even though we had been waiting for months, it seems like our lives changed so very quickly.

33 days ago...

AK and I checked into the hospital at 6am.
I got an IV.
We filled out tons of paperwork.
I got my blood drawn.
I was poked and prodded.

AK got his scrubs on...including his surgical hat.

I got wheeled to the OR (I saw Nana peeking out of the waiting room window on the way).
I got a spinal.
I couldn't breathe.
I cried.
The doctors made jokes to calm me down.
AK finally could come in.
and he held my hand.
We knew our lives would never be the same.
I felt a lot of pressure.
I saw AK's face.

And just like that...

On October 29, 2010...

At 8:41 am...

...we went from 3 to 4.

We heard a cry.

I could finally breathe.

It was really a boy.

We saw our angel...

...and our hearts grew.

He was 6 lbs 11 oz.
He was 19 inches long.

He had a little dark hair.

He was the cutest little munchkin.

Mommy was relieved.

Daddy was beaming with pride.

Big Sister was happy to meet her baby brother.

We named him Evan Lee.

People came to meet him.

His family loved on him...especially his grandparents.

He made our family feel more complete.

We thank God for him.

We have for 33 days.

We will for the rest of our days.

pumpkin farm pumpkin farm

2010-10-27T21:11:00.008-05:00

This fall Miss E. got her wish and was able to visit the Pumpkin Farm. Lucky gal she is, she got to visit 2 in one weekend! The weather was lovely this year. Last year, not so much (40 degrees I remember!)!

The first Pumpkin Farm trip was with a bunch of our friends from church and all Miss E's little friends were there. We went to Swan's Pumpkin Farm in Racine County and it was really nice. They have tons of activities and I was really impressed. We just went on the hayride and fed the animals, but our friends went in the corn mazes and little train and had a ton of fun.
After the farm we went over to our friends' house and had some yummy taco soup and chillli while the kids played on the tire swing, painted and some carved pumpkins. We ended the night starting our One Month to Live series...incredible!

Pumpkin farm #2 was our "tradition" farm...where we go every year: Jerry Smith's Pumpkin Farm in Kenosha. AK and I have gone there since we started dating:) The best part about Jerry Smith's is the pumpkin displays. Our favorite this year was probably the Toy Story display! This year, just Grammy, Nana, Miss E. and I went. We had lots of fun, despite a few meltdowns from the little one:) We drank apple cider, ate some cotton candy, fed the animals, played on the playground and picked out some little pumpkins and gourds to take home. Our fall is just not complete unless we visit Jerry Smith's.

the farm

2010-10-15T08:15:00.004-05:00

Most Thursdays I try to make time to take Miss E. to story time. We went yesterday and she was very excited on the way to the Library. She told me that I should sit in the chairs and she was going to sit on the floor with "the girls". Most of the kids at story time sit with their parents. She likes to keep me at a distance. She's very independent that way.

I should point out that even though the children are reminded to sit criss-cross-apple-sauce on their bottoms, Miss E. always lays on her stomach during the stories. I have tried to correct her but I mostly just let her because it's so stinking cute and not really disruptive to anyone.

Miss E. at story time this summer:
Yesterday's theme for story time was farm/pumpkin farm. Miss E. stood up right in the middle of a book, came to find me and said, "But I wanna go to the farm!". I told her maybe we'll go on Saturday.

Last night before bed we were watching a Max and Ruby episode about pumpkins. Miss E. screamed joyously, "I'm going to the pumpkin farm too!". I don't even know if she really knows what a pumpkin farm is, but either way I guess we better take her...

Miss E. at the pumpkin farm 2008 @ 7 months old:

Miss E. at the pumpkin farm 2009 @ 1 yr, 7 months old: This year should be her most exciting year for choosing a pumpkin:)

**************************************************

I got this idea from one of my favorite bloggers (nienie) and I'm going to try to do it on my blog too!

Lovely: letting Miss E. have a dinner picnic on a bright red towel in the family room.

Not So Lovely: slipping on spilled bubbles in the garage and ALMOST falling...sometimes almost falling feels worse than falling, don't you think?

tuesday on my mind

2010-10-14T10:05:00.002-05:00

Oh Tuesday, why do you taunt me so?

Monday night I had contractions all night. They weren't terrible and not consistent enough to time but they were bad enough to keep me up and keep me worried.

Tuesday morning comes and I am still not feeling quite right. AK left for the day and I tried my very best to clean like a mad woman in case I was really going into labor (I do not want to come home to a house that his disorganized closets and laundry on the floor...God forbid!). Some doozies of contractions hit me and hit me hard and I was certain the baby was coming.

In the dramatic way that I try to conduct myself in, I screamed for Miss E. to bring me my phone. She came running, saying into the phone, "hello, hello?".

I called AK and he came home (luckily he was still in Kenosha). My Dad came to watch Miss E. and then GG came to take over so he could go back to work. We packed up the car, suitcases and all and headed for the hospital. I called the Dr. and they said to go straight to the Birthing Unit. This was it!!!

We walked into the unit and everything looked familiar...like we had never left. They checked us into a room and hooked me up to a fetal monitor. Of course, not before making us feel like idiots to even THINK that our baby would come this early (36 weeks and some days)...even though Miss E. came at the same time.

Well...as you have probably guessed, the baby did not come. It turns out that I was dehydrated and needed an IV for fluids. The dr. finally came up (at my insistence) and checked me. No open sesame=no baby.

Boo.

P.S. I'm looking into having the baby somewhere exotic like Lake Geneva...I'm SURE they don't treat their patients like morons there.

just thinking

2010-10-08T09:06:00.006-05:00

This morning Miss E. climbed into bed with us. She said "pillow" and I handed her a pillow. She said "juice" and AK handed her her juice cup. She went back to sleep and we did too. Most moments I feel like we still don't have the hang of this parenting thing. Miss E. gets her way too much. We are tired a lot. We give in. We get frustrated. But we have moments-like this morning-when we are so in sync and know exactly what to do. Then I start thinking, hey, we're pretty good at this.

A short time later Miss E. woke up and said, "hey, where's Daddy?".

Then the conversation went something like this:

Miss E.: What are you doing Daddy?

AK: I'm getting ready for work.

Miss E.: Why you have to go to work again?

AK: So we can have money and live in this house.

Miss. E.: But why we need money to live in this house?

AK: Don't you like this house?

Miss E.: Yeah....I want you stay home with me and play with me. Because I want to play with you because I like you.

AK: You like me?

Miss E.: Yeah, I like you.

AK: (out by the bed now) Do you love me?

Miss E.: Yeah, I love you.

It was super duper gushy sweet and it made me start thinking again. Does she even know how much her world is going to change in such a short time? Will she adjust well to having a sibling? And most importantly, how in the world is she going to SHARE her Daddy (she hardly shares him with me!)?

And right when we are starting to get the hang of one, we'll have two. Are we ready for two children? Will we have to establish a more strict schedule? Is this our last baby? Are we going to get ANY sleep? How will all four of us fit in one bed? Are we headed for a mini-van? Is there enough attention and love to go around?

Will he look like she did?

so long farewell

2010-10-06T19:19:00.009-05:00

Today as I was rushing through the front door (when you read rushing, read RUSHING...there are a bizillion little black and red bugs on the front of our house during the day and I have to go as fast as I can to get inside without letting the bugs in) I noticed my 3 plants sitting sadly in the corner of our front porch. They are sad plants because I forgot to water them...for the past 4 weeks or so. I said to myself, "It's time to say goodbye to summer." This is a confusing statement to myself, (you know, who I was talking to) because it is technically Autumn but every time I decide to officially make it Autumn in our house and in my mind, it's hot that day. It was like 80 out today. Oh well. The point is saying goodbye to Summer. We'll worry about Fall later.

If you know me well...or even a little bit...or even if you've heard about me, you probably know that I am not a huge "summer person". I don't prefer heat. I don't prefer freezing either but again, we'll worry about that later. There are however, a great number of things I WILL miss about Summer and must say goodbye to.

goodbye boat rides
goodbye outside bike rides (and helmet hair)
goodbye summer birthdays, cute summer dresses and waiting outside
goodbye parades
goodbye fireworks

goodbye long walks
goodbye rides with the top down
goodbye day trips to museums

goodbye zoos

goodbye warm-weather pjs and silly sunglasses
goodbye beach
goodbye lazy lunches at Sam's Club
goodbye sweltering hot soccer games
goodbye CRAZY devil weeds
goodbye ice cream cones

So long summer...you'll be missed!

dear blog

2010-09-23T13:38:00.003-05:00

Dear Blog,

Of COURSE I realize I've been neglecting you. And yes, I know it's been a month since I've posted anything. Well, what can I say? Life gets busy. I've been sick. I've been tired. What? That's the point of a blog? To keep up with the everyday things that we miss when we get to busy? The little things that are too easily forgotten? You're so right dear blog. I will do bettter. I WILL!

Love,

N

P.S. This is what we look like right now...you know, since it's been so long.

yesterday

2010-08-24T13:16:00.004-05:00

AK has off all week, so we got to go to Monkey Joe's as a family. Daddy got to play on all the jumps while I got to act as photographer and basically just sit there:) It was a night-and-day difference from the last time I took Miss E. She was so clingy and scared last time but this time she was a brave, happy girl. She had the most energy of any child there. It was great to see her have so much fun and spend time there with both Mommy and Daddy:)

last weekend

2010-08-24T13:06:00.003-05:00

We had a nice relaxing couple of days this past weekend. Well...as relaxing as we could being home and having so much to do:) Lately Miss E's been wanting to climb into the pack and play and be the baby. I wonder what she's going to be like once the baby comes...

She's also been a little stinker, demanding to do things herself and pouting and folding her arms a lot too. I love her personality but don't like her little attitude (although it's hard not to laugh sometimes because she's too stinkin' cute!)!

two weekends ago

2010-08-24T12:57:00.005-05:00

The second annual St. Joe's Alumni Soccer Game was 2 weekends ago. It was so very hot out, but the old guys hung in there and beat the newbies 7-2. I'm so proud of my hot soccer player...and my future soccer player:)

night and day

2010-08-13T08:37:00.003-05:00

The last couple of nights have been.... frusterating to put it nicely. Miss E. wakes up and comes to our room and demands to sleep with us and demands juice and demands anything else her little heart desires at exactly 4:27am.

AK and I both have a REALLY hard time with getting up in the middle of the night. I know everyone does but I can't help but think that we REALLY do (everyone thinks that too, right?). I think we're taking it so hard right now because we know the new baby will be here soon and then we will really be waking up a lot throughout the night. I think we're somehow trying to store up our sleep, even though we know it doesn't work that way.

Oh...and Miss E. ONLY wants Daddy to put her to bed or put her back to bed which we both LOVE, except when he's really tired (then it's hard for him and I feel bad).

The only saving grace is that Miss E. absolutely wakes up in the cutest moods and looks adorable of course (even though it's still way too early). She still loves her morning routine of watching a little Dora in our bed and then gets Daddy up and rides on his back downstairs. Then they go out in their Pjs to get the paper and read it while they eat their cereal. Then they come wake me up. We're working on having Miss E. NOT jump on my belly to wake me, but other than that I'm happy to have her wake me (especially if I don't have to talk to anyone until my contacts are in and my teeth are brushed).

I wish with all my heart that I could get more sleep, but until we are done having babies and they are all grown up to about 11yrs old, I doubt that's going to happen. I guess all we can do is grab a juice box, turn on Sid the Science Kid and try to capture how they cute they are. Someday maybe I'll be hoping my lazy teenagers would just get up early and jump in my bed...

we aren't in wisconsin anymore

2010-08-12T16:39:00.006-05:00

I mean, how can we be??? It's like we're in the AMAZON with this 90 degree make-you-wanna-strip-down-naked-and-stand-in-front-of-a-fan-but-you-know-that's-not-appropriate-or-pretty-so-you-won't, humid weather! You know where else it's hot...Tennessee! Speaking of Tennessee...that reminds me, I FINALLY went through my pictures from our mini-trip (nice set-up, eh? amazon...tn...hahaha).

little friends pt.1

2010-08-11T10:00:00.005-05:00

It is so sweet to see Miss E. growing up with her little friends. I definitely don't take enough photos of her with her playmates, but I am making an effort to start. And I decided I have to record them all growing up together so they can look back someday and see how adorable they were!!!

It's hard to say, but if I had to I'd say Bret was Miss E's first boyfriend...so, today is Bret's day to shine!

Bret as a newborn...how could you not love that face?

Since she was born we (as in I)decided she should marry Bret, our friends Sarah and Joe's little boy. He is a major cutie and of course, then Sarah and I can stay close:)

Miss E. loves going to Bret's house to play in his pool and on his "park" (aka larger than life swing set). They have had their moments...Miss E. used to cry because Bret was bigger than her and would take toys (this was when they were still babies). And they both used to cry when we'd force them to get pictures together. But now they play really well together...we just need to get them together more!

Here is the adorable pair from the past 3 summers. How cute are they?

2008

2009

2010
hmmm...they are always eating popcicles aren't they?

long time no blog

2010-08-10T08:20:00.004-05:00

Well, a lot has been going on in the K household! The last couple weeks we have been (and weeks to come we will be I'm sure):

1. Getting our pool set up, deck painted, and back yard looking nice (just in time for cold weather lol).

2. Hanging pictures and making our house look nice.

3. Finishing up the kids' rooms.

4. Going through baby clothes to find the "neutral" items (one neutral to every 100 pink) and also to organize the bins better by size.

5. Hosting out-of-town friends...Carl and Adrienne came in for Maggie's wedding. Carl and I took our kiddos to Chicago for some Lincoln Park Zoo and Sweet Mandy B's...fun but HOT. Then we had the wedding Friday and everyone came to our house Saturday for a BBQ, non-pool party and we hit the town (aka had dinner in downtown Kenosha) that night.

6. Attending our baby shower hosted by Sarah and Carl at Olive Garden Sunday...we received adorable, generous baby boy gifts, and ate too much yummy food.

7. Thinking about getting the rest of the basement organized.

8. Making lists of everything else we need to do before baby #2 comes!

9. Soaking up the rest of summer with friends and family at pools, lakes, fairs, bbq's etc.

10. Napping.

rise and shine and give GOD the glory glory

2010-07-27T10:11:00.005-05:00

It's a miracle!!! Miss E has slept in her own "big girl" bed two full nights in a row. Thank God:)

Now if only we can get her potty trained, get her to take NAPS in her own bed...and get her to keep her clothes on all day we'll be in business!

Miss E. napping in the playroom in her outfit of choice...just a pull-up!

That's all for today. I'm not feeling so hot (just the pregnancy aches and pains)and Miss E. is standing in my lap while I type saying (as she typically does when I type), "Can I work with you?". Yes, it's cute, but no, it does not allow for any real "work".

right now

2010-07-19T08:38:00.006-05:00

Right now we're...

Enjoying the pool
Trying to get the deck painted
Working on the kids' rooms
Wishing we could have rooms like this from Pottery Barn

Knowing that our rooms will be much more affordable and still AMAZING
Thinking about scrapbooking
Relieved that the long hours are finally ending (AK)
Singing lots of songs
Trying to stay cool
Enjoying Berenstein Bears and Dora
Laughing at a lot of things Miss E. says (even if they're naughty)

Shocked that summer is half way over

Spray painting lots of things
Feeling overwhelmed by how much work we want to get done in the next 3 months
Feeling overwhelmed by how blessed we are

Still sleeping all 3 of us in the same bed
Loving all things Toy Story
Looking forward to our baby boy
Really happy

2 layouts

2010-07-16T10:11:00.004-05:00

So glad it's Friday! I love the weekends, since AK can be around more, as gushy mushy as it sounds.

Well...I haven't finished (er...started) the beach layout, but I'm hoping to tackle that and a cousins layout (and 2500 things in the house) this weekend. I did make these 2-page layouts recently and wanted to share;)

And with that...we're off to the lake!

treasure hunt

2010-07-14T08:45:00.003-05:00

Lately I've been like a mad-woman, trying to get things done in the 3 months we have left before baby boy makes his appearance. Most of the projects on my never-ending to-do list involve chores/decorating the house. Yesterday, however, I began the daunting task of sorting my digital photos on the computer and ordered some through snapfish. I haven't printed any photos in...are you sitting down???...over a year and a half!!! I'm not able to print them all at once but I am hoping to order a few months worth of photos each month.

It is so fun to look at the older photos...Miss E. was just so little. It makes me sad too that she's growing up so quickly. I thought I'd share a couple of favorite photos I found on my little photo-treasure-hunt yesterday.

Wish me luck on all my organizational endeavors...I sure need it!

june according to blackberry

2010-07-12T08:43:00.005-05:00

Well, we're recovered from the flu...thank God! This week holds more long hours for AK, more potty training for Miss E. and more organizing and decorating for me:) I also hope to get a couple scrapbook pages done (if I blog it maybe it'll be more motivation to get it done!)!

I was just going through the photos on my phone and came across some favorites from June...so glad to have a camera phone for those moments when I don't have the regular camera on hand!

photos top to bottom:
on the slide at the park by our house (wants to go everyday)
on the swings at the Recplex park (it's rare anymore that she wants to swing)
singing in her carseat on our roadtrip to TN
Lake Michigan beach in Kenosha...enjoying the sand
Lake Michigan beach snackbar in Racine with Charley and the boys
at Brown's Lake in Burlington with bff-s Nevin (pictured) and Kenzie
walking into the furniture store with Daddy to look for a "big girl bed"
watching the parade floats get ready as we waited for the 4th of July parade to start

Happy Monday!

top 10 reasons not to get the flu

2010-07-07T09:11:00.001-05:00

10. Your family will probably have it too.
9. If your family is sick too, you probably won't get to control the tv...and Barney is much more annoying when you're nauseous.
8. Your toddler will still insist on crawling all over you...especially on your stomach.
7. Your toddler will bang like crazy on the bathroom door if you close it to spare her the details.
6. Your hubby will be the one who gets to stay in bed.
5. You will have to cancel all your plans.
4. Your toddler will steal your comfy spot on the couch AND your pillow.
3. You will be hungry but will be afraid to eat.
2. You won't want to tell anyone because they'll treat you like you have leprosy.
1. You will have to forgo your post about the Holiday weekend and blog about having the flu instead.

Let Freedom Ring!

2010-07-04T07:28:00.004-05:00

God Bless America...Land That I Love!

God Bless America...My Home Sweet Home!

hello beach.

2010-07-01T08:23:00.003-05:00

We're off to the beach again today (we= me, Miss E., Charley and maybe Grammy and GG if I can make them...and maybe meeting Sarah and the two little girls she babysits). We've been going a lot lately because I love the view of the water and I love the joy of splashing kiddos (as long as I'm away from the splashing)and I love sitting on my towel watching. What I don't love is the trek from the car to the beach and back again, then covered in sand. I haven't told the kids yet because it may be too cold today...but the beach is the current plan.

I started thinking about the first time we took Miss E. to the beach, on our cruise in Mexico when she was a wee 9mo old. I just love these photos and remember the day like it was yesterday. I think I'll have to scrap these soon...

oops

2010-06-29T16:37:00.003-05:00

So, I thought it would be a good idea to let Miss E. "drive" the car while I unloaded the groceries. She wanted to and since the car was SAFELY parked in the garage, with the garage door closed, and the keys were SAFELY inside the house, I thought there would be no harm in me avoiding a dramatic melt-down. Well...as you've guessed, I made a huge mistake.

Leave it to Miss E. to find the one thing in the car that could both make a HUGE mess and potentially poke an eye out...my "emergency" mascara (I keep it in the car for when I need to look presentable in a flash). She said she "needed to put on her make-up". Luckily, she did not poke an eye out and AK and I were able to get some photos for memory's sake. Un-luckily, I forgot that I took the "emergency" mascara out of the car during said drama, and did not have it today when I "needed" it. My friend's little girl said I looked "different". Oops...

a favorite

2010-06-28T09:15:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite people, in the category of people I have never met and don't really know, is Elizabeth Kartchner. She is a brilliant scrapbooker and blogger, and recently added designer to her list. Her newest scrapbooking products will debut very soon and since I'm so very excited about it, I decided to share 2 layouts using her first Dear Lizzy line.

Happy Monday! We're off to run errands and then have a play date at the beach:)

happy father's day!

2010-06-21T10:19:00.007-05:00

Warning: This is a sappy post coming to you from Paris, TN (yes, they have internet here...shocking, I know!).

I have been beyond blessed with wonderful men in my life. My father, father-in-law, gramps, grandpa, grandpa nelson and of course my awesome hubby have been such great examples of great men. They have all served God with all their heart and have loved and taken care of their families above and beyond what we could ever deserve. I especially love to watch them interact with Ella with a gentle love that only a Daddy or Grandpa can give (I really wish I could have seen my Gramps with Miss E). Happy Father's Day to every Father, but especially these remarkable men in my life!

Miss E and her Daddy

Miss E and Papa

Miss E and Papa Bob

This year Miss E. and I got to spend Father's Day with my Grandpa Carson and my Dad in Tennessee...as well as my Uncle Dick and family. It was really nice because I can't remember I time I was with my Grandpa Carson on Father's Day! We missed AK terribly and his side of the family and will celebrate with him when we get home. I hope Miss E. never has to spend a Father's Day without her Daddy again though!

Miss E and Poppy

Miss E and Grandpa

challenge no.1

2010-06-18T00:00:00.003-05:00

I've been wanting to do a challenge for soooo long! My friend Adrienne and I used to do scrapbooking challenges all the time but we haven't in a very long time. Finally we are getting back into it and our first challenge was to take a page from a Pottery Barn catalog and use it as inspiration for a layout. Here's my take:

The Pottern Barn room:

My layout "It's a Boy":
(not the best photo, as it was 7:45pm...but I had a deadline!)

why not?

2010-06-17T07:33:00.006-05:00

Two weeks ago we began a journey that we thought would be pretty laid back and easy-going. Hmmm...not so much. Our flight was delayed and then after 3 hours in the air, landed safely back in Chicago, not MIAMI. Thank God AK is a good schmoozer and was able to secure a flight for us first thing friday morning or we would have not made it to the ship in time!

Luckily, thankfully, we made it to our beautiful ship in time, Royal Carribbean's Radiance of the Seas (a much smaller ship than we have been on in the past but still really, really great) and thus began our wonderful anniversary we-can-finally-leave-ella-and-won't-be-able-to-do-this-again-for-a-long-time-since-the-baby-is-coming trip. Here are some of the highlights:

first night of the cruise

view of our ship from coco cay

self portrait on the tiny boat that brought us to the island

the GIANT iguana that tried to kill me...or at least scare me to death

formal night

our ship parked next to the newest ship, oasis of the seas...looks so tiny:) next time we're going on oasis...why not? as royal carribbean would say
finally at Atlantis Resort! (what a handsome man he is)

a great shot of Atlantis (see that middle section connecting the two towers? that's a private suite that goes for $25,000 a night!)

last night:(

goodbye cruise!

It's a Boy!!!

2010-06-15T08:42:00.004-05:00

Well...I haven't mentioned it here on my blog, but WE ARE HAVING A BABY! And you probably guessed by the title, but it's a little boy! I am still in shock I think (I don't know why as there was a 50/50 chance it would be a boy!), but proud daddy AK hasn't stopped beaming since yesterday morning:) Our newest addition will be born via C-section November 1 or sooner.

Here are some photos of the little guy!

face:

feet:

forearms:

hands:

a balloon, a layout, a disease, an activity...and some gardening

2010-06-11T16:20:00.006-05:00

That's a mouthful...eh? I have a TON to share about our anniversary trip but it will have to wait as there is top news to be shared today.

Our top story today is that the balloon has safely reached the ground...FINALLY! A few mornings ago when I was being pulled half asleep to the playroom to watch Dora I was stopped in my tracks. The balloon was hovering in the doorway of the guest bedroom. Like a crazy woman, I grabbed the string, shoved it in the room and slammed the door before it could migrate to the too-tall-to-reach ceiling again. It has now made it's final landing. I don't know why I didn't just pop it...I guess I felt it hung in there for so loooong (since March 6th if you've forgotten), that I owed it to the balloon to let it deflate on it's own.

I also wanted to FINALLY share a layout! I made it awhile ago and FINALLY got around to taking photos. I also took photos of a few more layouts, so expect some creative posts soon!

"The Coolest Park Ever" (can't wait to go this year!)

close-up of pg1

close-up of pg2

In not so great news, Miss E. has hand, foot, mouth disease and it's no fun at all. A few nights in a row, she had a fever, so I took her to the doctor. Nothing seemed wrong so they ran some tests (poor baby had to give blood and go through the icky process of collecting urine...too much info but when I look back on the blog post I'll remember). We left for our trip not knowing what was wrong and when we returned we learned it was HFMD. Luckily it won't last too long and will go away on its own. No fun at all though...not at all.

I've gotten into the habit of sharing Miss E.'s favorite activities, and the activity of the week is puzzles! She is such a genious, I tell you! She can do so many "advanced" puzzles mostly on her own! Impressive...eh?

Lastly, Miss E. and I have been doing some gardening with the help of GG and Grammy. This weekend AK will be out there with us and I can't wait. Note: I don't like working outside really at all, but I love relaxing outside and playing outside and once the hard work is done we'll have a beautiful place to do both!

So there you have it. Lots of news, some photos, and the promise of vacation tales and creative posts. All brought to you by the letters E, A, K and eh!

more three-days please

2010-06-01T12:37:00.006-05:00

Who doesn't love a three-day weekend? Like we do most three-days over the summer, we went up to the Dells to stay at Grandma and Granpa Nelson's cabin. We got there late Friday night and would have loved to sleep in, but Miss E. did not want us missing out on any fun that was to be had on our mini-vacation.

We started the day out right by picking up sticks from the yard.

The rest of the day was spent at the Farmer's Market in Baraboo, playing at the park, eating our favorite (but over-priced) fried pickles, napping, going to church with the family and having a wonderful dinner at a wonderful restaurant.

Miss E's day wasn't complete without a little wind-down time with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse though...

On Sunday, we had brunch at Thunder Valley Inn. It's a bed and breakfast that the family has been having brunch at for years and years. This is the third summer Miss E's been there to eat the yummy food and feed the goats.

After some outlet shopping, playing in the baby pool on the deck and another yummy meal, we headed home to get a good night's rest.

Memorial Day was amazing! We were honored to walk in the Burlington Parade with Congressman Paul Ryan (and family and supporters). We had an awesome time! The rest of the day was spent at our good friends' picnice...a perfect ending to a perfect weekend!

it was the best of times...it was the worst of times

2010-05-27T15:28:00.004-05:00

This is a tale about sleep.

Miss E. has been sleeping in our bed for about three weeks now. We never really had an issue at bedtime and she always stayed in her bed until morning. One night she just decided she was afraid and hasn't slept in her room since.

At first we didn't make a big deal about it and let her sleep on the love seat in our bedroom. She was really good and went right to sleep. Well, she must have noticed that Mommy and Daddy get to sleep in the same bed so she decided she would join us too. My mom says it probably doesn't seem fair to a two year old...why should she have to sleep alone?

I don't appreciate her kicking...especially in my head. Or how she sprawls out in my spot when I get up to go the bathroom for the fourth time. Or how she screams for juice, startling us to jump out of bed in shock at 2am.

But...I must admit it has helped AK and me get to bed at a VERY reasonable hour. And Miss E. has slept later in the morning. And there are times that her little hand reaches over and touches my face...and that just melts my heart. And I like having her right there to check if she's breathing (yes, I still do that). And it makes me feel like she's still our baby.

We will be laying down the law pretty soon and Miss E. will be returning to her own VERY pink bedroom, very soon. Until then we will try to stay patient and AK will try to refrain from sneaking into the guest bed.

The End.

P.S. That balloon is still on the ceiling (since March 6th)!

time for tea

2010-05-20T08:36:00.005-05:00

We've been really busy in the K household lately...even more than usual. We (meaning me) also are experiencing a total lack of energy. Many things have been put on the back burner, including scrapbooking (for the most part) and most cleaning (ooops!). It's not for lack of ambition, because we have plenty around here...it's just the season we're in.

For now, we're trying to enjoy the precious moments we have with Miss E, such as taking time to pick up sticks in the yard (a favorite activity I suspect her grandmas all taught her), snuggle while watching Dora, and enjoy our afternoon tea. Oh, and we (meaning me) are trying not to be too hard on ourselves if the beds aren't made and we are having sandwhiches again for dinner. There will be time to make gourmet meals later...and hopefully money to hire the maid I've been dreaming about.

um this is a little ridiculous

2010-05-06T09:02:00.007-05:00

This balloon is from Ella's Birthday Party on March 6th. Yes, two months ago today. Yes, it's stuck on the ceiling at the tallest point in our house. When you want a balloon to last, it deflates. This is crazy. I wonder what the ceiling looks like without a balloon up there.

we like play-doh

2010-05-04T14:01:00.002-05:00

Mostly, we like pink and purple play-doh, and mostly we like to make snakes with it, and mostly we love playing play-doh first thing in the morning.This is the start of something good...don't you agree (lyrics from a song I can't think of right now).

a layout

2010-05-02T21:35:00.004-05:00

I've been wanting to get a layout up for awhile now. Here's one I made using some fun Jillibean Soup products and my favorite Martha butterfly punch. I tried using tone on tone with this layout and I love the results.

P.S. We planned on a low-key weekend but didn't do much relaxing. The good news is that we got the garage cleaned out (mostly) due to our neighborhood rummage sale, and it feels like we've gotten the ball rolling on some much needed organization! Maybe next weekend will involve less work and more rest:)

just like the bunny from alice in wonderland...

2010-04-21T16:29:00.005-05:00

I'm late, late, late in posting to my blog, blog, blog. It's not that I don't want to post, and it's not like I don't have anything to share...it's just that I'm exhausted and am favoring my bed over most everything. I wanted to share 2 major things that I am majorly late in sharing:

1. Happy Easter! We spent our Holiday going to church, eating lunch by Nana and Papa (The Kohlmeiers), and eating dinner by Grammy and Poppy (The Carsons). The greats and uncles were there too, and cousin Charley...and we had egg hunts and lots of fun at both houses!

2. Happy 29th Birthday to my wonderful, generous, intelligent, funny, handsome husband! I love you AK!

and the winner is...

2010-04-08T21:44:00.002-05:00

Aaron Kohlmeier! AK won the election and is Kenosha County Supervisor for District 17 (I think that's how you say it). He won with a little over 70% of the vote and our family and friends could not be more proud of him...me especially! I'm so glad we took the time to get a few shots of the signs on election day. What a great memory!

april fools

2010-04-01T13:50:00.002-05:00

I definitely stink at April Fools. I try to prank people but they always call me out, knowing it's April Fools Day. AK got me good today (I tried to trick him earlier today and failed), making me believe my credit card info was stollen. Isn't that so mean? Especially since he knows I am terrified of Identity Theft!

One thing is certain...I am hoping and praying that this wonderful weather we've been having is NOT a cruel April Fools joke. Please, please, please don't let it snow again! It has been 75-80 degrees out the past two days and we are all enjoying it. It's like the Wisconsiners are ALIVE again! I have to admit that the thing I will miss most about the cold weather, quite possibly the ONLY thing, is this lovely coat of Miss Ella's. It brought a smile to my face each time she wore it...and a smile to the faces of many passers-by, might I add. I just hope it fits next year!

vote for my hubby

2010-03-31T16:40:00.003-05:00

Life is busy right now. Aaron is running for Kenosha County Supervisor for our district. The election is in 6 days. He has worked so hard and he really deserves to win!

Not much else is going on right now, as we are very focused on the Election. Kindermusik is in full swing. We're trying to get ready for Easter. Baby dolls, "kitchen", jumping on the bed and finding the perfect park consume our days. Not much time for scrapping...or cleaning, really. But that's ok. Life is busy. Life is fun. Life is wonderful.

just a blur

2010-03-22T19:58:00.007-05:00

The past two years have been such a blur. I've said it before and I'll say it many more times...Ella is just growing way too fast! Here are some photos I came across, taken exactly 2 years ago and one year ago today. It's so cool to compare the same day from different years...it really shows how she's changed!

March 22, 2008 (at just 21 days old...1 day before her due date)

March 22, 2009 (these are some of my FAVORITE photos of Ella)

It was the first day we could get outside after the long, snowy winter...and Ella LOVED it! I can't believe it's already been a year!

And today, March 22, 2010

i made some cards

2010-03-16T18:31:00.003-05:00

I made some cards last week. I haven't made cards in a really long time and I kinda liked it. You never know...you may end up being the proud recipient of one of these cards someday...so try to forget what they look like (he, he, he)Here's what I came up with:

ribbon ribbon everywhere

2010-03-11T08:15:00.005-06:00

I have soooo much ribbon, so I've been trying to come up with fun ways to use it. Recently, I made a layout using some of the many pink and brown ribbons we used in our wedding. I am really pleased with how it came out. Here's the layout:

"Pinch Me"

How to make the Ribbon Heart:
1. Weave ribbons the old fashioned way, securing to cardstock with tape as you go. I taped both ends of ribbons in rows all the way down the page, then in the opposite direction, taped at the top, did the weaving, and taped at the bottom.
2. Your large square of weaved ribbon should look like this:

3. Trace a heart on the back of the cardstock you want to use for your layout and cut it out with an exacto knife.
4. Take the negative heart piece from your cardstock, trace onto patterned paper, and cut out with a decorative edge.
5. Secure cardstock with cut out on top of base cardstock and secure decorative heart frame on top of that. Your layout will look like this:

Add some photos and goodies, and you're done! Here is the finished layout again:

birthday festivities

2010-03-09T13:39:00.005-06:00

On Saturday we had Ella's 2nd Birthday party at our house. We had our family and about a dozen of her little friends over to celebrate (plus their parents). Ella really wanted a Barney party, so we rented a costume and had Aaron's brother dress up as Barney to sing songs and dance with the kids. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE THINKING! The kids were TERRIFIED of poor Barney. It was so chaotic...children screaming, crying and running everywhere. Fortunately, they DID have fun jumping in the bouncy house and eating lots of treats and cake! It most definitely was a day we will NEVER forget!

P.S. Thanks to our family for helping to make the party fabulous with their generosity, creativity and yummy food!

weekends

2010-03-05T07:22:00.004-06:00

I live for weekends, as most of us probably do. I used to love Saturdays especially because I adore sleeping in. With a little one in the house, this is impossible...unless of course she sleeps over at her grandparents house (hint, hint...just kidding). NOW I love weekends because we get to be together as a family. Our Saturdays can get busy, but they are still great because we're together. Sundays are usually more relaxing...we go to church, eat a nice lunch and relax.

Ella in her Sunday Best (yes, those are chocolate chip cookies)

Last weekend we had an open house for Aaron's Campaign. He's running for County Supervisor. This weekend we have Ella's 2nd Birthday Party and our Young Marrieds Group from church is having a fondue night. Should be a fun-filled weekend!

Ella was born on a Saturday night. We actually went to the hospital right before midnight FRIDAY night and she wasn't born until 11:14pm Saturday. She came 3 weeks early (I still am sort of disappointed that we had to miss the musical we had tickets for) so we weren't really prepared. Here's a layout I made about the night she was born, using journaling her sweet Nana wrote in a book she gave Ella.
Have a great weekend!

layout to share

2010-03-02T07:53:00.004-06:00

I made this layout a few days before Ella's birthday. I just always want to remember all the little things that she loves as this age.

Most of the elements on the layout are circles...I even made the flowers out of hand-cut paper circles (much like I did on her Birthday Invitations).

Almost Two

Close-up of the flowers

two years ago

2010-03-01T07:42:00.004-06:00

two years ago we welcomed you into the world

two years ago we became mommy and daddy

two years ago so many people were waiting to meet you

two years ago so many people fell in love with you

two years ago we became a family of three

two years ago you took a long time to make your entrance into the world

two years ago you worried us a little bit

two years ago you took our breath away

two years ago we found out you were a girl

two years ago I couldn't wait to dress you in pink and put bows in your hair

two years ago you almost had a different name

two years ago our hearts couldn't contain the joy we felt

two years ago we knew we would do anything to give you a great life

two years ago we promised to love you and protect you

two years ago you were the most beautiful thing we'd ever seen

two years ago you became the most important person in this world to us

two years ago you made us so very happy
two years ago you changed our lives forever

2 Tomorrow

2010-02-28T14:25:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow our sweet, sweet girl will be two. She has grown so very much! She means the world to her Daddy and me...it's hard to remember what it was like before she came along!

Here are some pictures to show how much she's grown:

the day after she was born

at six months old

at one year old

at one and a half

at almost 2

Miss Personality

2010-02-26T08:13:00.004-06:00

Anyone who has spent any time with Ella knows she has a great big personality in a tiny little package. She has been like this since day one and she's almost two now:)

For the layout below I (finally) used up the Pink Paislee owl paper, and Making Memories postage paper I'd been saving for maybe a year and a half (see a trend here?). I also got around to using some favorite photos of Ella when she was much smaller.

Journaling: At just seven months you have such a big personality! We love watching you make silly faces! Sometimes it's as if you're hamming it up just for the camera! Silly girl!

model model model

2010-02-24T07:25:00.005-06:00

For the longest time Ella was completely against letting me take her picture. Lately she's been really into dressing up...which I love! To get her to cooperate while taking her picture, I taught her to "be a model". She even walks around saying, "model, model, model." It's so funny!

dreary days = bright layouts

2010-02-22T20:32:00.002-06:00

Alas, another dreary, snowy, wet day in Wisconsin. However, I've been scrapping fond summer memories to keep me happy and warm. It also helps that these are just the cutest photos of Ella!

I've been trying my best to use up my stash of products. This is a layout I made using some yummy Basic Grey Lemonade papers and Luxe Designs stickers that I had been holding on to (hoarding?) for a veeeerry long time.

I used scraps cut off of the photos (the green grassy portion) to make the leaves for the flower and give my small white alphas some oomph.

pretty please...with a cherry on top?

2010-02-21T22:34:00.003-06:00

I beg, please let this be the last snowfall of the year. I am so sick of the snow! What can I say? What can I do? I can't take anymore snow!

The fact that it is snowing (again) and the fact that 3 families that are near and dear to my heart will be in Florida, at Disney World this week(possibly my favorite place EVER...no, I'm not feeling left out), has made me dig out these Disney layouts I made in 2009. I do have NEW layouts to share this week though!

We Love Disney World - created this for a "Make it Yours" submission call at Scrapbooks, Etc.
Worlds of Fun - I used a map from a Disney Brochure and pointed Heidi Swapp Ghost Arrows from the attractions to the corresponding photo.

Close up of Page 1

Close up of Page 2

precious moments

2010-02-19T08:23:00.005-06:00

I am so glad that I caught these moments on video! (you can pause the blog music before playing the video...just scroll down to the bottom of the page)

Saying her prayers

as seen on Youtube back in December, Singing "Twinkle Twinkle"

(disclaimer: yes, the house is a huge mess in the Christmastime rush)

watch what you say

2010-02-18T15:03:00.003-06:00

Some advice: watch what you say around Miss Ella Rose! She is so smart and catches on so quickly. She has such a great memory too! Lately she's been saying the funniest things! (photos taken in December)

"I watcha video"
"I no like that one...that's for babies"
"Just one...just one" (with her little finger pointed, in regards to a chocolate)
"Just one" (in regards to a chocolate, after she's already had a chocolate)
"I don't need that" (in regards to her binky)

me: Where's Daddy?
ella: At Work
me: What is Daddy doing at work?
ella: He getting money!

"What's a matter Mommy?"
"What Mommy?"
"I wanna come" (anywhere...even the bathroom)
"I wanna talk" (on the phone)
"I take a shower" (she doesn't take showers)
"I want something eat"
"macaroni macaroni"

me: Ella do you need a diaper change?
ella: No, I just tooted.

wish we were here...

2010-02-17T21:33:00.001-06:00

A little over a year ago we were fortunate enough to go on a Carribbean Cruise, just the 3 of us. It was amazing! There's really nothing like the middle of February in Wisconsin that makes me wish I were on vacation somewhere warm and exotic with the people I love...or at least just somewhere warm:)

Here's a layout I made to highlight our trip. Can't wait to go back someday!

Invitations

2010-02-16T13:24:00.004-06:00

I wanted to share Ella's Birthday Invitation. I can't believe that she's going to be two! I couldn't believe that she was going to be one either. I know, I know, I have to come to terms with the fact that my baby is growing up!

Ella is insisting on a Barney themed party, but I chose to stick with purple and pink for the invitations.

I used some scraps I had around to make the fun little flowers. Just freely cut circles of various sizes, scrunch the paper circles up to create a weathered, more 3D look, layer in some tulle and attach with a brad. I stapled the leaves on under the flower to hide the staple.

And because I've never shared it on my blog before, here's a peak at the invitation for her 1st Birthday.

Our Funny Valentine

2010-02-15T12:38:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Aaron, Ella and I had a fantastic Valentine's weekend. One of my favorite moments was on Valentine's Day. The three of us were cuddling on the couch and Ella kept saying, "Disney World" in her adorable little voice. Aaron recorded it on his phone and Ella insisted on watching herself over and over again. It was so cute! I couldn't help but remember how little she was last Valentine's Day and how grown up she seems now. It is just amazing how much she's grown...it's going too fast!

Last year Creating Keepsakes had the cutest Love-Notes that I downloaded for free. I knew right away that I wanted to pair them with the Jenni Bowlin Valentine Bingo Cards to create a mini album with my Bind-It-All. Here's a peak at the mini!

Hope your weekend was spent with family or friends that you love and adore!

ahhh...much better

2009-08-25T17:14:00.003-05:00

So, I tried my hand at digital scrapbooking. I basically stink at it and was super unhappy with the outcome. I mean, the photos and the products are super cute but it just wasn't me. I just had to do a redo and I'm so glad I did. I used the same digital products but just printed them and cut them out for a hybrid layout. I think I'll wait a looong while before attempting the digital thing again!

BEFORE (digital layout)

AFTER (paper aka hybrid layout)

the outcome of recent crafty times

2009-08-20T13:46:00.004-05:00

I had a recent bout of crafty-ness and wanted to share some of my most recent layouts. Hopefully I can continue this level of productivity. Don't worry, I will keep some of the photos up my sleeve to share during the slow season.

putting a dent in my stash

2009-08-13T14:27:00.006-05:00

I've been desperately wanting to use up my stash of scrapping supplies (mostly so I don't feel bad when I have to buy the latest and greatest stuff) and I'm not alone my longing. Adrienne felt the same way and our newest challenge was born. We challenged each other to create a layout and card using only products we had in our stash. Not the most creative challenge, we know, but it got rid of some of those older products we've been holding on to. Now if I can find a way to use the other 500 items I've been hording, I can go buy all new stuff!

here's what i made

materials: Decorative Edge Paper by Creative Imaginations (I've had this forever it seems), Patterned Paper and Stickers by American Crafts, Chipboard by Basic Grey (also had forever, bling by kaiser crafts

materials: Decorative Edge Paper by Making Memories, Patterned Paper by American Crafts and K&Company, Stickers by American Crafts, Flower by Heidi Swapp, Brads are unknown but came in a kit a looooong time ago

Thank you Baby!

2009-08-06T17:42:00.005-05:00

(well, first thank you James Taylor for the perfect words) You brighten up for me all of my days...

This baby girl is so funny, wild, crazy, loving and sweet. She fills each day with fun, laughter, sighs, spills, hugs, kisses, messes, frusteration and joy. I will gladly take the fleeting tough moments for the priceless precious moments that fill most of my day.

And...let's be honest, being able to dress her in outfits like these also makes life a little brighter!

Right Now

2009-04-23T09:39:00.004-05:00

This is Ella right now...

loves farm animals

says "wtsda" for What's that? - points and says it to everything

has to have a binky in her mouth and hold a binky before she can go to sleep

has to have the music on before she can go to sleep

loves dogs and tries to feed them even if we are at a restaurant where there is no dog!

wants to go outside all the time

likes to be pulled around in a basket at nana & papa's

is a climber - stairs, into baskets, boxes, etc.

loves her family - especially her cousin charley

dances and sways from side to side whenever she hears music

plays on her princess ride-on toy

sits on her green chair in her room

loves to take things out and put them back in...especially daddy's socks

says "ba" when we ask her to say please...it's so funny

considers cheese, animal crackers and yogurt her favorite foods

is really into books

can't wait for bath time

goes straight to her toys as soon as we walk into grammy and grandpa's house

wants to sit in my lap and watch blues clues when she wakes up

knows when she is tired and points to her crib

is a daddy's girl big time

still doesn't like to be left in the nursery at church but is getting better

has 2 teeth and one more almost in

says "weeee" when she is in a swing or when we hold her hands and swing her

loves her "big girl" carseat

is a sweetheart and such a love (but can be stubborn and naughty sometimes!)

Always Believe In Impossible Things

2009-02-13T09:40:00.004-06:00

I decided to finally post one of my layouts from this past year's Memory Maker's Masters Contest. I had to send the original layout in but I luckily made a copy. The layout had to incorporate the word "believe", so I centered it around one of my favorite quotes:

“There is no use trying, said Alice; one can't believe impossible things. I dare say you haven't had much practice, said the Queen. When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” -Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Brothers don't shake hands...

2009-02-06T22:30:00.004-06:00

Brothers gotta hug! Ok...so I still love a good line from Tommy Boy every now and again! It just fit so well with this "Brothers" mini that I couldn't resist! I made this album for the little boys I babysit for. I used mostly My Mind's Eye products-the album is Maya Road.

A Couple of Cards

2009-01-31T11:30:00.004-06:00

Just wanted to share a couple of cards I made recently. On the first (Friends Card) I used several elements from Rhonna Farrer's "A Camping We Will Go" digital kit and the second I made using a sketch at Caardvarks.

The Grass Is Always Greener...

2009-01-29T15:51:00.003-06:00

This is what happens when I take my eyes off Miss Ella Rose for one second! Of course, I had to grab the camera! Why she has to have the Mac n'Cheese from the bowl, rather than her tray, I will never know! She is doing this a lot lately..if I give her a treat from my hand she throws it on the floor, but if I let her get it from the container herself she's all smiles. What a girl!

Happy {Belated} New Year!

2009-01-27T13:53:00.005-06:00

I can't believe how fast 2008 flew by! I am excited for a wonderful, prosperous, unforgettable and happy 2009!

Closing the Books on 2008

2009-01-19T15:38:00.030-06:00

I can't believe I let the Holiday Season go by without blogging! I just wanted to post a few of our year-end highlights before starting my 2009 Blogging.

1. My Fall Wreath, inspired by Handmade Holiday, as seen on Ali Edward's Blog.

2. How cute is this outfit from Target?

3. Adrienne came to visit from Atlanta, so she, Megan and I got to spend some quality time together. We had so much fun shopping at Windy City Scrapbooking and eating Tapas and Paellla at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba! I have to say that I love both of those places and want to go back soon! Of course, I have no pictures of our adventures because, for some reason, we hardly ever take them when we're together anymore. It makes no sense because we don't see each other very often. Maybe we're all photo-ed out from College?

We did start our December Daily Albums and I am particularly excited about these papers by Theresa Collins.

4. Aaron and I hosted Thanksgiving at our house for the first time. No, all of the dishes didn't match (we did use our Wedding China though!). Yes, we had to eat in the basement to fit everyone around a table (it IS a finished basement at least). But, it was still wonderful and we were very proud of ourselves! WE DID HAVE A TON OF HELP THOUGH, and everyone brought a dish (or more) to pass. I made the BEST stuffing ever! It doesn't look so hot (bottom left corner of photo), although when does stuffing really look that appetizing? I got the recipe from an episode of The Cooking Loft (I left out the turkey "parts" - that seemed so gross to me!).

5. We had such a great time at Disney World and on our Carribbean Cruise in early December. We flew into Orlando, spent 3 full days at Disney and drove the 3ish hours to Ft. Lauderdale for our 6-night Cruise with Royal Carribbean. The Cruise stopped in Belize City, Belize; Costa Maya, Mexico and Cozumel, Mexico.

Disney

Having fun at Epcot

Hollywood Studios

Safari at Animal Kingdom

Meeting Minnie (Finally!)

Ella napping in her stroller

Cinderella's Castle lit up in Christmas lights and Fireworks

Cruise

Ella looking out the Window at Breakfast (she did this everyday!)

Belize City, Belize (this is all we got to see of Belize...)

Ella's first feel of sand/first time in the ocean (Costa Maya, Mexico)

Wrapped up like a burrito in Daddy's shirt

Playing with Daddy in the Salt Water Pool & with Mommy on the Hammock

Our Cruise Ship, Independence of the Seas

Our Christmas Card Photo

Bye, Bye Ocean!

6. We were fortunate to have visits from Sarah, Carl & Patrick, despite the icky weather! It was a shame to cancel our reservations at Tsukasa though!

7. Christmas was wonderful. Ella wasn't really all that excited about opening the gifts but she liked the bows and she loved all of the toys that made sounds and had lights! Everyone was so generous and we were so blessed. It was so awesome to experience our first Christmas with Ella Rose!

At Grammy & Grandpa's House (The Carsons) - Christmas Eve

At Our House - Christmas Morning

At Nana & Papa's House (The Kohlmeiers) - Christmas Afternoon

At Nana Rose & Papa Bob's House (Grandma & Grandpa Nelson) - December 27th

Think Pink

2008-11-15T13:41:00.006-06:00

I just adore being a girl and I adore having a baby girl. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to open up Ella's closet and see such an array of pink. Heavenly...lovely...wonderful pink!

Dreaming of Warm Weather

2008-11-12T17:39:00.003-06:00

It's only early November and I'm already wishing for the warm weather...or at least a vacation somewhere warm. I don't really like hot weather either, but I'm just dreading a snowy winter full of shoveling and scraping the windows...I know it will be here soon. Oh, well - maybe it will force me to scrap my warmer memories (like my honeymoon layout here) and snuggle up with my hubby & baby or some hot cocoa (not at the same time...not such a safe combo!). Actually, better yet, I should buy a treadmill and break a sweat - ha! Hope you're feeling warm this November evening!

27

2008-11-04T14:11:00.003-06:00

As of yesterday, I am now 27! In honor of my Birthday I decided to make a list of some of my favorite things.

27 things I love at 27
(in no particular order...)

1. Being married
2. Being a Mommy
3. The color combo pink & brown
4. Starbucks
5. The Library
6. Getting non-junk mail
7. Cruises
8. Singing
9. Pearls
10. Scrapbooking
11. Cream Soda
12. Fondue
13. The Office
14. Disney World
15. Ring-back Tones
16. Ikea
17. Magazines and Catalogs
18. Text Messages
19. Reeces Pieces
20. Making up silly songs with Aaron
21. Walks by the lake
22. Mascara
23. Mexican Food
24. Tights
25. Having my ring cleaned
26. Grilled Cheese
27. Black and White Photographs

Boo!

2008-11-01T12:22:00.012-05:00

This year we dressed Ella up as a Lady Bug for Trick or Treat and visited all the Grandparents and Greats around town. They all got a kick out of seeing her all dressed up!

Then on Halloween we went to a costume party and all of us dressed up. I was a carrot, Aaron was peas and Ella was both! She sure looked adorable!

Ella didn't even mind being all dressed up - she just wanted to keep licking the inside of her costume! I can't wait to dress her up again...we're already thinking of ideas for next year!

Fall Fun

2008-10-24T12:46:00.009-05:00

October 11th was such an exciting, fun-filled Fall day (of course I'm only just now blogging about it!)! Carthage had Homecoming and that always makes me feel like Fall is really here and Winter is on its way. We brought Ella and got to show her off to so many people. We didn't stay too long because we were so excited to get to the Pumpkin Farm! Aaron and I loved going when we were dating and couldn't wait to take Ella there! Grammy, Grampy and GG came too and we had such a good time...most of which we spent taking pictures of Ella! It was such a fun day!

Happy World Card Making Day!

2008-10-04T13:28:00.005-05:00

In honor of World Card Making Day, I thought I'd post a few fall cards that I've made in the past. Hopefully this will inspire you to make some cards today...that goes for me too!

What are you made of?

2008-09-30T11:44:00.002-05:00

A few weeks back we had a guest speaker at our church, John Ragsdale, and he spoke about how each of us has something deep inside us that we love, that we are supposed to be doing and that God put that desire and joy inside of us when He made us. Although I was popping in and out with Miss Ella, I caught most of what he was saying and it really spoke to me - I've been thinking about it ever since. He reminded us that God created Adam, the man who was to essentially have dominion over the earth and all things in it, from the dirt. He further illustrated his point by talking about Michael Phelps, the Olympic swimmer. Of course, being the hugest Olympic fan, this grabbed at my heart stings even more!

His description went something like this:

Think about when God made Michael Phelps - maybe He said, "I'm gonna make you six foot four, with a wing span of six foot seven - usually wing span and height are identical but I'm gonna give you those three extra inches - you should have an unusually long torso but your legs will be disproportionately short - and I think I'll add a bit of Chlorine in there to make sure that you really love the water. In fact, you will be out of place almost everywhere BUT the water. Middle school won't be so fun for you but 2008 - that will be a great year!"

Wow! How cool is it when you think about your life in that way, from God's point of view, why he made you with the desires and abilities you have! Maybe when God made me he threw in a few crayola crayons and some music notes! Sometimes it just seems like we are constantly trying to find the right career or the right path for our lives, but we really know deep down what we're supposed to be doing - what we love and I'd like to think, what we're made of!

Fashion Designer?

2008-09-22T13:19:00.008-05:00

I have been thinking about making clothes for Ella since before she was born. Well, I should say, altering clothes, because I have many ideas for adding oomph to the clothes I purchase. Anyway, like many of my ideas, this has taken a back seat for awhile. To my surprise, Paper Crafts posted a call for altered onesies and I got the push I've been needing. I made two cute onesies using modified clip art images to trace and cut out of fabric. Now I have even more ideas and can't wait to take on more projects! The funniest part of this whole project is that Aaron walks up over my shoulder and asks, "Since when are you a Fashion Designer?". It was so funny! Don't worry, I'm not claiming to be a Fashion Designer...at least not yet!

Poor Baby!

2008-09-16T10:58:00.003-05:00

My poor little baby has Thrush...an icky infection in the mouth. She is so sad and can hardly suck on her bottle. To top it off she has a cold! Through it all, of course, she still manages quite a few smiles...what a good girl!

Six Months Old Already!

2008-09-02T11:48:00.006-05:00

I can't believe our baby girl is already six months old! Time sure has gone by quickly...it's already been a half a year! Everyone tells you that babies grow so fast but you can't understand it until you have a child of your own! Our sweet baby is almost a big girl and looks so different from when she was first born. It seems like just yesterday we were driving to the Hospital to have her and now she's scooting all over the house and eating cereal! Ella Rose has turned our whole world upside down and we are completely in love with her!

I'm a finalist!

2008-08-22T10:14:00.002-05:00

I have not had as much luck as I'd like in the pubs department lately, so I've been a bit discouraged. Thankfully, this news came just in time to lift my spirits! I'm a finalist in the Week 10 challenge in Scrapbooks, Etc. Ultimate Summer Challenge. The winner is chosen by votes...so go here and vote if you get a chance! My layout is called "Honeymoon in Mexico".

I Love the Olympics!

2008-08-19T11:44:00.002-05:00

I pride myself on being patriotic, so of course I love me some Olympics! Although I am super tired from staying up so late to watch, I just can't stop watching! How cool was it to see Michael Phelps tie Mark Spitz's record and then surpass it? Oh, so exciting! Congrats Michael and go team USA!

Seasons of Love

2008-08-15T09:52:00.006-05:00

My friend Adrienne and I made a special scrapbook/calendar for our friend Megan's Bridal Shower. We each did an 8x8 layout of every other month. Although it was a few months ago I just now got the book back to take pictures!

Blue Hill by Crate Paper

2008-07-22T20:18:00.003-05:00

My July DT kit for 2 Sassy Scrappers featured the Blue Hill line by Crate Paper. I just adore the way this paper feels! It really was a treat to work with such a fun kit! Here are some of the projects!

Think Pink!

2008-07-02T10:47:00.004-05:00

Caardvarks is having a think pink challenge right now, which I think is absolutely fabulous since I adore pink!

Sweet Baby Girl (using paint chips...I knew I collected them for some reason!)

Bachelorette (Ooh...la...la!)

Friendship (using Blue Hill by Crate Paper from 2sassyscrappers.com kit)

Happy Birthday (using Blue Hill by Crate Paper from 2sassyscrappers.com kit)

Thanks for looking...and think pink!

Cosmo Cricket

2008-06-21T11:47:00.004-05:00

I absolutley adore Cosmo Cricket! Here are some of my newest creations featuring Cosmo Cricket's wonderful Papers, Rub-ons, Blackboard Letters & Shapes, Buck Naked Buttons and Buttons & More Fashions.

Some layouts...

And some cards...