twogirlzstuff

twogirlzstuff...

2012-01-22T09:28:00.005-05:00

is back in business!!

(pic courtesy of stephanie howell)

with the explosion of project life, i've had several requests to reopen my shop.

a few ladies (**cough**cough** stephanie and nicole) have been VERY "persuasive". check this out to see what i mean. haha.

the requests and comments have been amazing! i didn't even realize i had a "following".

when i made the decision to close the shop, it was mainly due to the amount of time i was missing out on with my family. in an attempt to make things a bit more manageable, i've reduced the number of styles and colors that i offer in my shop. there used to be a variety of 200 labels...now i'm down to 72. (but, no fear...if there's a particular style or color that you love, convo me, and we can work out a custom listing.)

i am so excited to relaunch my shop, and i'd like to say from the bottom of my heart:

THANK YOU for your encouragement and support!

**ETA: the response to my shop has been aweseomely, wonderfully amazing. due to the volume, i'm expecting my turnaround time to be 1-2 weeks.**

my project life...

2012-01-05T21:19:00.008-05:00

i have been stalking blogs and pinterest for the past couple months, looking for anything and everything related to project life. i became enamored with the idea of it. with the look of it. with the ease of it. with the fact that, at the end of the year, i will have my first complete scrapbook album. ever. (i'm really, really good at making pages and keeping them in stack and boxes. none of them have made their way into an album yet. oops.)

i told my hubby that the only thing i wanted from him for christmas were the core kit (clementine edition) and page protectors so that i could become less of a stalker and more of a follower. i reeeeally wanted to jump on this bandwagon.

and, being the fabulous hubby he is, i got just what i'd asked for.

tuesday was my last day of christmas break. the girls were in school and the hubby had to work. i had a blissfully quiet house to myself for one. whole. day.

so, i gathered anything and everything i thought i might want to use in my project life, and started organizing.

apparently, sophie has a new position in quality control and felt the need to inspect my container.

here is what i finally ended up with. i found this big wooden breakfast tray at the thrift store for $3. score! (never mind i bought it like 6 months ago...i just knew it would be perfect for something eventually.)

i picked out some of my favorite divided containers (one's wooden, one's cellulite, and one's a quilted hankie box) and a few milk glass pieces to hold all of my project life eye candy.

some close-ups of the tray.

top left: twine, project life core kit journaling cards, extra journaling cards, and paper embellishments

top right: i found these vintage plastic trays at the thrift store. i have no idea what they were made for, but they hold my washi tape perfectly! the tiny milk glass container holds some of my hand-cut labels that i used to sell on etsy.

bottom left: additional cards, labels, stickers, and larger journaling cards from the core kit

bottom right: tags, embellishments, and fun mini gift bags found on etsy

in addition to the tray, i have a basket (remember sophie the inspector above?) that holds bigger supplies. my album, page protectors, 12x12 paper, and more journaling cards. (i took all of my journaling card 12x12 papers from october afternoon, crate paper, etc, and cut them all apart to fit into baseball card pages. now i can flip through quickly and see front and back designs.)

the second pick shows a different view of the label and border stickers in the front. they are all stored in a wire basket that i can pull out and keep near my work area. i also threw in a few old ledger papers, receipt books, etc.

sooo...what did i do with all of this? i am a social scrapper. i don't do well if i'm not around other people. i even have a scrap room in the basement, but, because it doesn't have any windows and no one ever wants to come down there with me, i (sadly) don't use it often.

i'm also a visual person. if it's out of sight, it's definitely out of mind. organizing my supplies visually (the way i did above) would be a waste of time if i stored everything in my scrap room.

so, i bit the bullet and decided that the tray and basket will "live" in the living room. i see it every day, and it's a reminder to me to keep tabs with my journaling. (that's something else the hubby picked up for me for christmas. an inexpensive planner that i keep in my purse. if we're out and about, i can jot down notes. but i mostly just record daily events each evening after the girls are in bed.) best of all, because all of my project life goodness is portable, i can move it if we have company, or just plop it on the living room floor when i want to create a layout.

just like i did when i created my title page.

please note, that is our first "family photo" in like 4 years.

it's also one of the very rare sightings of me.

i'm pretty much never in pictures...it's always just assumed or alleged that i was at an event or gathering.

i'm like bigfoot.

so, if you can't tell, i'm totally excited about this. i've been collecting bits and pieces (and keeping them in a small accordion-file-coupon-holder-thing-a-ma-jig) and taking pictures of the little things we see and do every day. things that i usually ignore or take for granted. i think this will be a fantastic keepsake. not just a beautifully, painstakingly done album that highlights mostly major events and holidays.

it will be an album that actually showcases US...

it's a new year...

2012-01-01T19:20:00.005-05:00

that can only mean one thing...resolutions.

when i look back at 2011 (seems like it was only yesterday), i can confidently say that i sucked at adhering to my resolutions. hahahaha!

i debated whether i should even bother to write new ones.

i kinda feel like i need to.

maybe because i want this year to be a great one.

maybe because i feel like i should.

maybe because i'm a list person (i've been known to make lists of the lists i need to make), and putting things on paper, so to speak, will help them be realized.

maybe because, in reflecting on what i didn't do last year, i'm more determined than ever to make sure i do it this year.

i know that i'm really good at starting things. i'm an excellent planner. it's the follow-through that i seem to have difficulty with. (just ask my sister.)

i have goals for myself this year. i think that, in order to accomplish them, i need them to be general...have some leniency.

i don't want to limit myself to certain things or box myself into a set number of things, dates, etc.

so, without further ado, my resolutions (goals) for 2012:

*restart my fat girl blog (and the healthy changes that go along with it. we cleared all of our weaknesses out of the house today. no ice cream!?!? i'm gonna be one cranky girl)

*enjoy more of the now (and worry less about everything that's coming up/has to be done)

*make an effort to capture more moments (and worry less about capturing perfect pictures)

*participate in project life (this will help me track all of those little, every day things that make us who we are)

*scrap more (i'd like to say one page a week, but i feel like i'm boxing myself into a corner of failure by setting a specific goal)

*make more (i'm a craft supply hoarder...time to put some of it to good use)

*take a vacation (like one where we actually leave our state)

*complete at least one major home project (attic insulation? clean and organized basement? crown molding in the living room?)

overall, i hope to improve myself.

be happier.

be healthier.

enjoy my life as it's happening and not stress about what's yet to come.

here's hoping that 2012 will bring you all that you want and hope for.

meet benson...

2011-12-26T16:10:00.000-05:00

our elf on the shelf.

we recently said goodbye to him, but the girls wanted me to share all of his adventures.

it all started with the t.v. special. after watching it, the girls were hooked. they wanted an elf. they begged for an elf. they shouted to santa to send them one. only problem was, it was already december 2nd. i was in a bit of a bind.

i called my mother-in-law and asked if she had a spare elf that we could adopt. luckily, she did.

so, on december 4th, we woke up to this.

we unwrapped the scroll to find a note explaining benson's tardiness.

the girls were ecstatic! they couldn't wait to get to bed the first night (yay me!). and, best of all? they jumped right out of bed the next morning (yay me, again!) to see where benson was.

apparently, he worked up a sweat during his trip to and from the north pole and needed a bath.

in cheerios.
he popped up all over the house. sometimes he was just relaxing...or watching the girls. but most of the time, he was getting into some sort of mischief.

here are some of our favorite benson adventures.

just hanging out.

woke up to this note...slightly creepy, i must admit.

playing cards with barbie.

reindeer rides.

did you know they wrapped presents? i didn't...if i did, he would have done a lot more than this one small gift!

hoodlum!

okay...so benson almost lost his powers when we found him in the freezer. according to the story, if a human touches an elf, they will lose their powers. the girls had searched the house high and low and couldn't find benson anywhere. when i opened the freezer to grab my lunch, i found him. eating my ice cream. that i don't share with anyone. the girls watched me closely to make sure i didn't snatch the spoon out of his hands.

searching for treasure.

schmooozing the ladies.

making snowman portraits.

jaden left a note for benson to take his artwork home. this is what he left for her.

sleepover in the girls' room.

trying to eat our gingerbread houses.

lighting the girls' christmas tree.

conspiring to get frosty out of the snow globe.

sugar-loading for his trip back home.

i think benson was a hit. the girls were disappointed to see him go. (but rather excited to find the goodbye note he left them when santa picked him up christmas eve.)

i can't wait to see what he gets into next year.

holiday home tour...

2011-11-26T11:59:00.000-05:00

warning...alert, alert. this post if photo-heavy!

i love christmas and i'm not ashamed to show it...lol!

frame wall number 2. this wall only took about 3 years to come to fruition. we did our first frame wall several years ago, and i finally just jumped in one day this summer and made my hubby help me put it up!

for the holidays, we pop different decorations into the empty frames.

papier mache numbers from hobby lobby...

still debating on whether i want to add a border of silver glass glitter around the front edge of each...thoughts?

this is frame wall number 1.

santa's key. since we live in a tiny house with no fireplace, we have to have an alternative for santa to get in. each christmas eve, the girls hang the key on the outside of the front screen door for santa to use. try as they might, the girls can't get the key to fit in the front door lock...only santa and his magic can make that work.

vintage christmas light reflectors...

my santa collection...

sometimes, i sit and admire the tree with just the lights...beauty.

my elves...

our stockings...

this glass knob hanging "shelf" thing-a-ma-jig has served us well over the years. it's perfect for the 4 of us.

each girl has a rhinestone initial clipped to their stocking for easy identification and no arguing about who's is who's.

yep...getting close!! (i think by the time this posts, it will be about 28 days to go...)

a bunch of random stockings i've collected. the onlyone that actually belongs to me is the "aja" stocking. you can't see them in the pic, but the 2 stockings on the end say "shawn" and "steven". do i know shawn and steven? nope...sure don't. but their stockings were too cool to pass up.

christmas card holder...

bedroom...

and finally, i had to include these pics. we have these large, heavy, cracked-glass ornaments that i don't put out every year. my hubby seems to like them, and told me that he wanted them out this year. i told him he had to find something to do with them.

so...he decided to go all martha stewart and make some sort of arrangement with the balls and some leftover floral picks.

i give him points for effort...

holiday home tour...

2011-11-22T16:48:00.000-05:00

sneak peeks...

if you know me at all, you know that i am absolutely, positively, one million percent, head over heels, madly in love with christmas.

i adore it! it is by far my favorite time of year. i always put my decor out early (this year it was 2 weeks ago...lol) and i savor it throughout the holiday season.

here are a few sneaks of what you'll find around my house.

check back this weekend for the full post.

raking...

2011-11-09T17:28:00.000-05:00

leaves?

screw that!

just use the leafblower...

and then? jump away!

favorite!

fall happenings...

2011-11-07T16:58:00.000-05:00

i know...

i'm a bit late, but, what are you gonna do?

here's a rundown of all of our fall & halloween happenings...

we hosted our 6th annual haywood hayride...

and for the first time in about 3 years, we actually got around to carving the pumpkins we picked on our hayride.

this is not one of our pumpkins. it's my cousin's. pumpkin "pi". love it!

a couple shots of our decor. we had a lot of halloween decor out, but this is the only one i took a pic of.

i'm bad about snapping those random, around-the-house-every-day pictures. i need to get better. especially since it's so easy with my phone.

and i know this is not halloween, but it was put up in october. i am absolutely, head-over-heels, madly in love with christmas! can't wait for it! we are never home for thanksgiving. so my poor little house doesn't even know it exists. it just thinks christmas trees naturally follow pumpkins.

we took the girls to foy's...a local strip of halloween stores. costumes, grim reaper on stilts, haunted ambulances, free candy...what more could they ask for?

and of course, trick-or-treating. the girls almost always pick the same or very similar costumes. ashlyn was a spider bride and jaden was a spider witch.

we live in a tiny neighborhood...like 8 houses. and we have the only kids. so our first stop, before heading to my aunt's neighborhood, is the next door neighbor's house. they buy candy just for the girls and love seeing them every year.

then, we hit my aunt's neighborhood. this is the crew that went out to score candy. (that's my aunt in the toy story alien costume) the 2 big kids took the rest of the kiddos around while we hung out in my aunt's driveway with all her neighbors and passed out candy. loved it.

oh, did i mention i'm a candy sorter? and...all this and only one bag of peanut m&m's?!? wth!?

phew...

2011-11-06T12:31:00.000-05:00

it's been a while. i've been busy busy busy.

about a month back, i got to do my first newborn mini shoot.

isn't she scrumptious?!

lots more to come.

planning a fun fall post to catch you up on our fall and halloween happenings.

check back soon.

i told you...

2011-10-09T11:19:00.000-04:00

i'd be back.

took a little longer than i expected.

we've been hit with the cold and flu season. hard.

this summer, i did a senior photo shoot for my cousin.

with the start of school and adjusting to a new grade, etc., it's taken me some time to edit her pics.

but, she's amazing and patient...and beautiful!

i'm still working on the pics from my first newborn shoot. hope to have some of those posted early next week.

and, are you ready for this????

are you sitting down????

i have plans to scrapbook! yeah...you heard me!

i also have some fun christmas projects in mind.

so check back soon for some fun goodies!

i'll be baaack...

2011-10-02T21:34:00.000-04:00

soon.

i promise.

i've been soooo busy with work. trying to acclimate myself to a new grade...a new curriculum.

tyring to keep my head above water.

but, i'm starting to slip into a routine.

i even found time last weekend to clean my scrap room.

and...i did my first newborn photo shoot. just a little mini session 'cus the little missy was a bit fussy, but i'm excited to share some of those pics.

just keep checking back. i'll have some new goodies for you before you know it.

we partied...

2011-08-30T20:51:00.001-04:00

like rock stars!!

(alert! very very very long post with lots and lots and lots of photos)

ashlyn's 6th birthday party was her big "theme" party. we had to do something on the same scale as jaden's princess party.

we made invitations and asked our guests (kids mostly...but adults were also encouraged) to dress like a rock star!!!

the night before the party, we laid out all of our goodies and assembled "swag bags"...

this is what our rock stars received upon arrival. it's okay...you can be jealous.

swag bags & the signature canvas.

of course, in order to be a rock star, you need a microphone, mesh gloves, a guitar, and colorful hair. here's the birthday girl all decked out.
i just snipped some scrapbook jewel strips for face bling.
the funkier the hat, the more rock star, i guess...
divas!
mamaw & dirt know how to party...

we had our own girl band. eat your heart out pussycat dolls.

see this? this is why i love. my. family. they get so involved in our theme parties. i can't wait to see what they come up with. uh-mazing!
bobo...
marky marc and the funky bunch (a.k.a. the webkins dressed as avril lavine, jay-z, taylor swift & madonna)...

and my two beautiful rock stars...

we set up a hair-painting station. which the kids l.o.v.e.d. i think all 8 cans were empty within an hour. even the hubby opted for a new do. apparently, it took an entire team of stylists to decide how to make him an appropriate rock star...
rock. on. (see his badge? it says "v.i.p." i had one that said "press" and "i'm with the band")

more fun hair...
yes, that IS a smiley face...

ummm...even rock stars need presents, right?
favorite present? why, the singing justin bieber doll, of course.

cake...

okay...i don't know what's up with this kid. she kept blowing UP instead of towards her candles. you'd think she hadn't done this at least 5 times before...

but she finally figured it out.

after cake & ice cream, things got c.r.a.z.y.

wearing stretchy balls on our heads.

passing out (a.k.a. napping) in the hammock...

and glo sticks...

lots. and lots. and lots. of glo sticks.

all in all, i think we had the best rock star event ever. well, at least of the year. okay, at least in our neighborhood.

gotta run. i've only got 9 months to plan jaden's next party...and we all know she's gonna want to outdo her sister.

i have been...

2011-08-12T20:48:00.000-04:00

working my butt off!!! (don't you wish that actually worked? i mean, if that were true, after the time i've put into my room this week, i'd be nearly invisible!)

i was moved from 2nd grade to 5th grade, so i needed to revamp my room and decor. (somewhat for the older students...but mostly for me.)

so, here's a tour of my room...

i finally made some banners and my sweet hubby helped me hang them up. i've also started collecting vintage globes. see the giant one in the middle? given to me by a fellow teacher.

my check-in chart. students pull their card out when they arrive. (quick and easy attendance) i also plan to use this chart in some way to monitor bathroom breaks. i used to use it for my 2nd graders in order to track behavior, but i think my 5th graders will laugh at me if i ask them to turn their card.

my writing center. i ordered 3 more inflatable globes to fill in this area a bit more. i wanted a theme that would last for a few years...i'm not much for picking a new theme each year...so i went with maps/globes/travel.
spelling station. monthly books. estimation station.
my classroom rules. simple and sweet.

also, my "skills board". i will record standards being taught and vocab for each subject. i sectioned it off with electrical tape, and my kind friend, sarah, cut the titles out with her cricut.
homework board. i just covered a piece of foam core board with dry erase paper. sectioned it off with electrical tape and labeled with scrapbook stickers.
thanks to my pinterest obsession, i made a quote to go above my main board. all letters were purchased at 50% off from hobby lobby.
part of my reading area. you might recognize the canvas i made. the little frames will showcase photos of my students of the month.
i covered two of my bulletin boards with old book covers. (again, thanks to pinterest.) it might be hard to notice, but there are 12 bulldog clips hanging on the board. students will display work they're proud of and swap it out weekly.
my favorite pic!!! remember the dark blue couch from above? the one with the babyish circus animals and dots? my final project today was to make a slipcover for it. (i used 2 clearance tablecloths from target.)

i must admit, i was rather bummed when i found out about my grade level switch. but, after working in my room all week, i'm finally starting to get excited about my new kiddos! (although i'm still in denial that they come back next wednesday.)

king's island!

2011-08-10T22:17:00.001-04:00

(warning...lots and lots of pictures!)

we surprised the girls with a trip to king's island.

we left early monday morning and told the girls we were going in to work on my classroom. we actually stopped at school and dropped off a bunch of stuff, but then we grabbed breakfast and jumped on the highway. the girls wanted to know where we were going, so i might have lied and told them a school supply store.

as we got closer, ashlyn decided to play nintendo ds under her towel since the sun was in her eyes. we "coerced" jaden to do the same thing so we could pull off the ultimate surprise.

they didn't know what was really going on until we pulled into the parking lot.

we're here!!!

dinosaurs alive. while the dinos were kinda cool, i would NEVER pay to see it again. nor would i recommend it to anyone. unfortunately, the dinos move on timers, so you don't see most of them move, and the interactive boxes didn't work.

but...it did make for some fun photo ops!

i'm not much of a rider, so i did a lot of bag-holding and picture-taking.

all she did was drive. in. circles. that's. all. she. did.

oh look...i was actually there! see? i have proof!

hanging out in "kiddieland"...i have no idea what it's actually called because it's changed names so many times.

jackson paid ashlyn $5 to ride this. it worked...and she loved it!!!

face-painting. i might have been a little more excited about this than the girls were.

in honor of breast cancer, the "eiffel tower" was lit in pink. loved it!
we opened and closed the park. 10am to 10pm. i thought my feet were going to fall off.

but, doing something like that with my family was totally worth it!

more summer fun...

2011-08-02T11:38:00.000-04:00

*shopping at...

think we could get any more in here?
spending a sunday putting things together and redecorating the living room...
the result.

dayton vectren air show...
cotton candy in style...
the one on the left is my oldest...cutest banner carrier i know.

trying to stay cool in the oppressive heat...

even our neighbor asked to be sprayed.

and this? this is how you water your garden when it's 105 outside.

back to school...

2011-07-29T11:46:00.000-04:00

is WAAAAAYYY too close for comfort.

i learned at the end of last year that i was being moved from 2nd grade to 5th.

so, in preparation, i've been making some of my own room decor.

i've been scouring thrift stores for old atlases and maps, which i've been using to cover anything that will stand still.

dollar spot black office passes...turned hall passes.

$1 michael's wood cut outs...turned bathroom passes.

and a fun #5 just because.

i've also been collecting cheap tins.

painted them white so the patterns wouldn't show through...turned pencil, pen, and marker cups.

thrifting thursdays and craft fridays...

2011-07-16T12:21:00.000-04:00

the girls and i decided to add thrifting thursdays and craft fridays to our summer to-do list...

so, thursdays, we hit the garage sales and my favorite thrift store, valley thrift.

last thursday was the best day yet...just look at all the goodies we found!

the ceiling medallions and frames were only a buck each! and the little wicker shelf was 75 cents.

another find...vintage hankies.
which i turned into this:
our craft fridays consist mostly of me spray-painting things while the girls do some sort of art/craft project. (if it doesn't move, i can and will paint it,)

now the girls have a mail center above their desk...
found this chip & dip bowl for $1.
turned it into lulu's new bed...
one of my favorite finds! my $1 frame (painted, of course) and letters from hobby lobby (50% off last week!).

another favorite find...$1 ceiling medallion. i think i'm going to add more to this wall, but i'm debating on what it should be. pictures? more medallions? hmmm...we'll see.

and i finally used these turquoise tweed fabric from the thrift store to recover our old, grungy, ripped up ottoman.

can't wait til next week!!!

my fabric stash...

2011-07-15T21:05:00.000-04:00

has been neglected.

i've been collecting vintage hankies and sheets for a while.

the pile slowly started to take over my basement, so i decided to finally put it to good use.

here are a few pillows i made with some of my favorite hankies and fabrics.

my next project is a set of banners to hang in my classroom and a tablecloth of vintage sheet squares. i'll keep ya posted.

spa day...

2011-07-14T17:13:00.000-04:00

was something on our summer to-do list.

after the accident last week, my cousin's daughter was itching to get away from the hospital and have some fun. so last friday, we brought her home with us for a sleepover.

the next morning, i set-up an impromptu "spa day" for the girls.

step 1: bubble baths...

step 2: hair-do's...

step 3: manicures...

step 4: photo-shoot...

(thanks, honey, for holding the "back-drop"/sheet up for me!)

i. can't. handle. the. cuteness.

and, once you're styled to the max and totally feeling the diva attitude, what better thing to do than head out to gigi's cupcakes and order delectably delicious mounds of sugar??
aren't. they. amazing!?

the girls...i mean divas...had a fantastic time. i'm so glad we could help out family members in their time of need and make memories for our girls at the same time.

summer to-do list...

2011-07-12T19:25:00.000-04:00

the girls and i are making our way through our list. here are a couple of their favorites so far...

*making popsicles...

pretty simple. capri-sun & fresh fruit.

freeze & enjoy!

*catching lightning bugs...

jaden was a bit afraid to touch them.

ashlyn wouldn't put them down.

after studying them a bit, we opened the lid and let them go...

mom b's birthday...

2011-07-11T15:53:00.000-04:00

was spent:

meeting new people...

swimming...

laughing...

hamming it up for the camera...

snuggling and staying loyal to their team...
opening presents...
eating cake (hair by eddie munster)...

being with family...

family...

2011-07-10T16:43:00.000-04:00

is important.

incredibly so.

this past thursday, 3 of my cousins were involved in a car accident.

2 of them were taken to the hospital by ambulance and later treated and released.

one was care-flighted from the scene and remains in the hospital.

the first couple days were scary. we gathered in his room and the waiting room. sharing hugs and prayers. holding his hand. talking to him. encouraging him to wake up.

yesterday, he did just that.

he is now awake and alert...and extremely exhausted.

and we are thankful.

the shot above was a total fluke. i pulled my phone out in the room and it snapped a picture. it wasn't even my intention to take a picture. i was only going to text an update to my sister. i didn't think i had actually captured anything...i mean i looked in my album and nothing showed up. as i looked again later, this image popped up...

and took my breath away.

i think it perfectly captures the importance of family and their love for each other.

***eta: he is being released from the hospital today! so thankful.***

lulu...

2011-07-09T23:21:00.001-04:00

says hi...

in between naps, of course.

i finally...

2011-06-29T17:02:00.000-04:00

made our summer to-do list.

never mind that it's nearly july. but we've still got about 6 weeks to get through it.

the best part? painting with watercolors. totally therapeutic. haven't used those in years!

we got a new...

2011-06-23T16:00:00.000-04:00

kitty!

she's a rescue from the local shelter.

welcome home lulu.

world's longest and most random post...

2011-06-21T18:48:00.000-04:00

ever.

there's no real rhyme or reason to this post. well, actually there is a reason.

i'm addicted to pinterest! full-fledged-need-a-twelve-step-program-addicted. love it!

no more tearing magazine pages out and cutting and gluing ideas into notebooks.

nope.

it's all right there. on my virtual pinboards.

the amount of inspiration is amazing!

i want to add some of my pics, but i have to blog them first. so this post is a combination of a where-the-hell-have-i-been-since-april-review and a way for me to pin some of my own work.

so, here's what i've been up to the last 3 months...

this monkey tried to ride a 2-wheeler for the first time...

this one turned into a robot...
and tried to DO the robot...
went to heaven's corner animal sanctuary...

jaden's 9th birthday - an art party. i used to have guests scrapbook a photo of themselves with the birthday girl before they left. i wised up when that got old and made this canvas for them to sign.

fun with pipe cleaners...
my 1st ever attempt at a rainbow cake! {this is actually the 1st stacked cake i've ever made}

a little scrappiness...
playing with sunlight...
and lens flare...
some shots from around the house... our frame wall.
vintage bedsheet as our shower curtain...
chasing butterflies...
tending to the garden...
camping at KOA brookville...
playing with sparklers...

making washi tape reference cards.
jackson's father's day gift.

so, that's it in a {very large} nutshell.

daddy's girl...

2011-04-12T18:29:00.000-04:00

number 1. jaden. she is absolutely, utterly, and totally a daddy's girl. he loves her beyond belief. playing with her. teasing her. teaching her right from wrong. encouraging her to do her best in school. practicing her spelling words and multiplication facts whenever he has a spare minute. grabbing her up and hugging and kissing her every time she walks by. pretending to cry when she tries to go to bed without a goodnight kiss. talking her through bad days at school, arguments with friends, and temper tantrums. staying calm when she's not. lighting up when she walks off the school bus. making it known to her how special she is to him.

new lens...

2011-04-10T13:50:00.000-04:00

i finally got my new lens. yay!! i've been dying to get a 50mm prime lens. that's the first thing i did when we got our tax return. (shooting joe & tara's engagement shots were a nice argument to my cause.) and although they'd probably rather jump in front of a semi, the girls obliged me in an impromptu photo shoot.

spring...

2011-04-08T19:45:00.000-04:00

is teasing us. a couple nice days. a couple crappy days. some sun. then some snow. i'm over it. let's go spring!! we took advantage of one of the nice days and ran the girls out to the park.

extreme makeover...

2011-04-07T21:40:00.000-04:00

the not-so-real-edition. we did a little redo of the girls room. cleaned things up. purged. organized. painted (a little). created a "nook" with a padded toy box/bench. new curtains. new bedspreads. new beanbag chairs. new rug.

joe & tara sue...

2011-04-05T19:34:00.000-04:00

and here's the reason we spent the weekend in pittsburgh. to take pics of these two fantastic people. my cousin and his fiance... joe & tara sue. i love, love, love these two. did i say that already? i think so. but i can't say it enough. joe means so much to me...and by association, so does tara. :0) they've been together for over 10 years and they are a HOOT! here are some of my favorite pics from their engagement shoot:

pitt...

2011-04-03T13:09:00.000-04:00

a couple weekends ago, the hubby and i got to travel to pittsburgh to take some engagement shots of my cousin and his fiance. i was soooo excited to do this for a few reasons... 1. i don't get out of ohio much. hardly ever. 2. i LOVE these two....love, love, love them! i mean this guy gave me away at my own wedding. i was dying to spend time with them. 3. i got to play photographer for the weekend. here' s a little taste of pittsburgh:

jen's college.
university of pittsburgh.

stunning.

let me tell you about pamela's. it's this amazingly cute retro diner that is ridiculously popluar. i mean...gobs of people lined up inside and out waiting for a table. once you get inside and try out their amazing crepe-style pancakes, you realize it's totally worth the wait. and a note on pittsburgh food in general...it's BIG. LARGE. ENORMOUS. i mean the portions are ridiculous! our first night in, we ordered in some calzones. they came in PIZZA BOXES because they were so huge. crazy

market district.

the incline. two trolley cars that travel up and down the side of the hill. very cool spot for pictures and the touristy thing to do.

resolution #1...

2011-02-05T13:35:00.000-05:00

my first resolution was to quit being inspired and be inspiring.

well, here are some fun valentine pretties i made. it's been a while since i've made anything just for me or just for fun. (scrapping aside, of course.)

these were super simple.

some vintage crepe paper, glass gitter, paper scraps (punched in circles), and velvet hearts & letter stickers to embellish.

i haven't exactly decided what to do with these yet.

maybe string them together for a garland?

what do you think?

ice ice baby

2011-02-02T12:45:00.000-05:00

it is day 3 of our major winter storm.
it started rolling in monday night.
woke up tuesday to about 1/4 inch of ice.
on EVERYTHING.
had a decent "break" tuesday morning/afternoon.
it started back up again tuesday night.
went to bed with close to an inch of ice.
last night was INSANE! couldn't sleep at all.
sounded like we were under attack...every time a branch swayed,
the ice shattered into a bajillion pieces and rained down on the roof.
the girls even woke up because they thought it was thundering.
now it's just snow and crazy wind...
and a waiting game on whether the power stays on or not.

my sidewalk? unpassable.
my driveway? an ice rink.
my street? don't even get me started.

thinking of taking up curling. or shooting the girls over to the neighbors in a garbage can lid.

anyway....it's given me a couple days off. MUCH-NEEDED days off.

here are some of my favorite shots of our "natural disICEster".

scrapiness...

2011-02-01T13:23:00.000-05:00

so, one of my resolutions was to scrap at least 1 page a week.
well, lookie here.

i can't honestly say that i've done exactly 1 page per week, but here are the layouts i completed in january.

and here are few i did back in december...

now that i've decided to close my etsy shop, i should have lots more time to scrap and craft. so i think i need to set up one of those white boxes to shoot layouts in. i also need to take a bit more time to take close-up pics of some of the fun details.

it's time...

2011-01-21T11:18:00.000-05:00

i've made the decision to close my etsy shop.

after some thought, i've decided that it takes quite a bit of time, and right now, i need to put that time back into my family.

i have listed everything that i have available...all my labels, cards, and fabri-scrapped chipboard words.

i haven't selected a final closing date, but i'm thinking around MARCH 1st.
but when it's gone, it's gone.

all orders ship for $1.

the repeat customers, features on amazing blogs, and excellent feedback have kept me going this long. i can't express how grateful i am to those who have supported me.

thank you.

resolutions...

2011-01-08T18:11:00.000-05:00

i'm a list maker.
i make lists of the lists i need to make.
i've even put things on my "to do" list that are almost finished so i'll have more things to cross off sooner.
crazy, right???

if i don't write things down, i don't remember them. i have no follow-through.

so, i thought it'd be a good idea to put my resolutions on paper (so to speak).

here they are:

1. quit being inspired and be inspiring - yes, if you follow it, you know this is on my fat-girl blog, too. i spend hours upon hours looking through books, magazines, and websites. looking at and for beautiful things that spark my creative interest. but do i do or make any of them??? nope. sure don't. time for that to change. this year i want to spend less time hoarding craft supplies and more time using them.

2. finish projects - this kind of piggy-backs on #1. i have lots of things i've started that i've never finished because i get too busy/distracted/overwhelmed. 2011 is going to be the "year of completion".

3. be consistent - this is a mom/teacher goal. i make a lot of statements to encourage/discipline my kids (my actual kids and my school kids). then, i give them another chance. this year, i'm working hard on only saying what i mean....only saying things i can/will follow through on.

4. institute family night - i've managed to organize a ladies' night once a month for the past year. why can't i do the same for my family? at least once a month, it's family-driven fun. movies, games, the girls' choice of meals, visiting someone's house...whatever. spending time together has to become more of a priority for me.

5. save $$$ - i am baaaaaaaaad at saving $$. so my goal this year is to get into the habit of putting a little bit back each paycheck. i'm not sure i can set a specific amount because, let's face it, i'm one of the millions of "working poor". we make ends meet, but it's paycheck to paycheck...every penny counts. some weeks, i might only be able to put aside $10...some weeks $50. whatever it is, it will all add up in the end.

6. scrap 1 page a week - i am absolutely, completely, totally, 100%, certifiably addicted to scrapbooking and all of the amazing and fun supplies created for this craft. too bad i only use them about once every few months. i even have a scrapbook room! too bad i'm hardly ever in it. not any more folks. this year, i resolve to scrap at least 1 page a week. with a space devoted to my craft where i can leave things lay if they're not finished, i should have no problem completing one page a week. i hope...

i do have a few more resolutions, but those are all over on my fat girl blog.
it seems like a lot, but i think it's something i'll be able to accomplish.

here's to an inspiring, project-finishing, consistent, family-night-filled, money-saving, scrapping New Year!

i'm baaaaaaaaaack....

2010-12-01T18:38:00.000-05:00

well, kind of. i looked in on my blog and realized i haven't posted anything since september?!?!

really?!?

what the what?!??!

i had planned to upload LOTS of pics that i've missed...halloween, tracy's bra party, thanksgiving, the house all decked out for christmas, presents that i've made...

but NOOOOOOOOO.

i'm too dang tired.

and already snuggled up in my pj's.

and quite frankly, indulging in some lovely laziness.

some time in the future, i'll post them (probably without much explanation...just lots of random, out-of-date posts with pictures and no words...lol)

but not now.

now? i'll just leave you with these two...

2 of my MOST FAVORITE pics from past 3 months.

as promised...

2010-09-12T16:35:00.000-04:00

my baby's first day of not being a baby any more...

can you tell by this last shot that she's pretty okay with the school thing now?

i mean...it doesn't get much cooler than a personal escort by the principal!

checking in...

2010-09-05T14:48:00.001-04:00

well, since my last post, some things have improved and some have stayed the same.
i'm in an okay place now, and i'm letting things work themselves out.
i have too many other things to focus on right now.

my baby started kindergarten (pictures coming soon). i took the day off so i could take her in and do the obligatory pictures. jackson and i were pretty worried she'd be nervous/scared because she refused to talk to anyone at her kindergarten prep program. but we were first in line and the monk got to hold the principal's hand on the way down to her room...and she thought that was pretty cool!

i sent her into her room and peeked in to snap a couple more pics and tell her bye. i was worried i'd see nerves...or worse, tears. but no. i looked in, our eyes met, and she grinned ear to ear! i was so happy.

i left her room and started to head to the car. i was proud of myself because i was a sniveling mess when jaden started school. then, it happened. i locked eyes with another mom from the neighboring class, and she was welling up. that was all it took. i cried all the way out to my car and then all the way home. figures.

on a super happy note, we celebrated tracy's victory over breast cancer. if you don't remember, she's my daycare mom and was diagnosed in january of 2009. she has officially completed all of her treatments, her final surgery is coming up, and her last petscan showed she's 100% free and clear!!! her hubby threw her a surprise victory/40th bday party. (and i'll be posting some pics of that soon, too.)

it's time...

2010-08-17T14:21:00.001-04:00

to let it all out.
to vent.
to rant.
to unburden my mind and my heart.

i start back to work tomorrow, and i can't take all this baggage with me.

i've had so much emotional and family drama and turmoil over the last month, i have to get it out. i don't normally post personal family issues on here, but i can't let this go.

i need opinions and advice. i need suggestions.
i need to know if anyone else has been through/is going through something like this...or is it just my family?

it all started with a birthday party...and it's blown up from there.

i have been hurt beyond belief. i didn't know someone that i thought loved me unconditionally could turn on me without a second thought.
this someone is my sister...
my only sister.
i have been through pain and grief and anger...but this is unbearable to me.

i've tried to extend an "invitation" to work things out. but it doesn't seem to be a priority.
i'd like to think that i'm not the only one hurting...but i'm not sure that's true.

as if being without my sister wasn't hard enough, now i've been hurt by my mother.
it only took a minute...to disappear without a word.
to ignore family, friends, and grandchildren.

but, again, the pain is undeniable.

i'm trying to be strong.
i'd like to just be mad...angry...pissed.
and pretend it doesn't matter. that it's okay.
pretend that i could speak my mind and voice my opinion and they'd listen and understand.
that they would see and understand my point.
i just don't think that's going to happen.

and so far, the only way i've been able to cope is to find some space by myself and cry it out.

it's all so stupid. something little being made into something tremendous and, possibly, something that can't be fixed.

the only saving grace right now is that my girls don't know what's going on.

i just don't know what i'm going to do when they start to notice that 2 of their favorite people aren't around anymore.

myrtle beach - part 3...

2010-07-23T16:36:00.000-04:00

day 7 - Ripley's Aquarium and Believe It or Not Museum
day 8 - last day! hanging out at North Myrtle Beach
*and a few random sights around town

we interrupt this program...

2010-07-22T20:38:00.001-04:00

to let you know i've been SCRAPPING!!!

yeah...i know. the end of the world is now upon us.
i apologize for bringing 2012 two years early.

but my mom-in-law surprised me with a vintage typewriter and i couldn't wait to use it.
here's the 1st thing i did with my new toy.

this is a layout i did about the nickname my hubby and i use for each other.

journaling reads: "ok. i don't really know remember how the whole "zin ya" thing started. but i do know YOU started it. i think it was just one of those goofy things you did. you started it one day and it just stuck. to this day, we both still use it when we talk to each other. it's even what i have you listed as in my phone. silly, i know. but i love it."

myrtle beach - part 2...

2010-07-21T16:17:00.000-04:00

day 4 - Brookgreen Gardens & Huntington State Beach
day 5 - shopping: Barefoot Landing & Broadway on the Beach (mom b kept the girls for the day)
day 6 - Georgetown - aka "the day of the jellyfish sting"

myrtle beach - part 1...

2010-07-19T15:17:00.000-04:00

i have soooo many pics to post from our trip that i'm just going to post them with a short description and not many details.

day 1 - travel, stop in NC to visit with Ed & Michelle
day 2 - travel, 1st time at beach
day 3 - Myrtle Beach State Park & Pier

hellooooooo summer...

2010-06-06T10:20:00.000-04:00

the slip-n-slide should be the official sign of summer...

ashlyn spent most of her time just running down the slip-n-slide...

she didn't quite get the "slide" part.

then jackson decided he needed to show the girls the "right way" to slip-n-slide...

after his second trip down (while showing them the "right way"), he owed them a new slip-n-slide...

(notice the end of the slide is no longer inflated)

but no worries...the ripped ramp at the end didn't stop the girlies from sliding a bazillion more times...

and ashlyn finally got the "slide" part down.

thanks mom...

2010-05-10T00:08:00.000-04:00

i spent mother's day at home with jackson and monkey. (jaden was out birthday shopping with her papaw)

we worked on the yard, played a little, had lunch, and relaxed.
it was very nice.

i didn't get to see my mom...my sister kidnapped her and took her shopping for the day.

so mom, i hope you're reading this. (i know you secretly stalk my blog, even if you don't leave comments.)

thank you.
for teaching me right from wrong.
the easy way and the hard way. who can learn if everything's too easy?
thank you for showing me the value of education, hard work, and family.
whether directly, or indirectly, you've shaped me into the person i am today.
without you, i wouldn't be a teacher, a wife, or a mother.
simply put, i wouldn't be me.

happy mother's day.

flashback...

2010-05-06T13:14:00.000-04:00

i was looking back through our easter pictures (sorry i didn't post any of those), and i found these of tweedle dee and tweedle dum...

(notice this was back when monkey had long pretty hair...long enough for pigtails. back before she tried to bring back the mullet by cutting her own hair.)

my girls...

2010-05-02T14:02:00.000-04:00

just a few lovely shots of my girlies from a recent trip to the park...

i love this last one of monkey...kind of reminds me of alice in wonderland.

(oh, and this was shortly before she decided to channel johnny depp in edward scissorhands and give herself a new do)

this is what she did to her hair

timber...

2010-04-30T21:45:00.000-04:00

so, we've had this half-dead tree for nearly as long as we've lived here.
a few weeks ago, we had a pretty strong storm that finally brought half of it down.
luckily, it narrowly missed hitting the corner of our house and the power and cable lines.

the other day, jackson decided to saw the trunk into pieces (more because he wanted to have a bonfire than he was really motivated to move the debris).

and, after taking a bajillion pictures of him using a chainsaw (not sure why i find that photo-worthy or why it makes me giggle), i decided to carve our initials into the trunk...8th-grade style.

then i decided it was too cute to throw in the bonfire.
so i convinced jackson to keep it as one large log and use as a bench on our patio.

not bad for something that's been dead for almost 7 years.

look what i caught...

2010-04-26T16:29:00.000-04:00

a couple gold-fish-bowl-heads

i filled my house...

2010-04-23T20:17:00.000-04:00

with lilacs.

we've lived here for almost 7 years.

and we've had lilacs for almost 7 years.

i am absolutely infatuated with their scent.

so i finally decided it was time to cut gobs of them and bring them inside.

i was sad and shocked to discover how quickly they wilt. they lasted less than 3 days.

but my house smelled just like spring for those 3 glorious days!

can you spot the monkey?

2010-04-01T09:44:00.000-04:00

the only one NOT using the ballet bar correctly?

yeah...that one's mine.
photographic proof that her nickname is appropriate.

right now

2010-03-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

this one:

* loves to dress up (i can't get the child to wear jeans or a plain top for more than 5 minutes)
* is still attached to "pink"
* has quite the temper (like head-spinning, green-puke spitting kind of temper)
* is smart beyond her 4 years
* loves to draw, write, cut, color, and do just about anything artsy
* really does give some fantastic hugs and snuggles (you know, when she's not possessed)

and this one:

* is a total tech geek...ipods, laptops, dsi's...you name it and she's on it. ALL. DAY. LONG.
* loves music
* enjoys the fact that she's old enough to earn an allowance (although she's not thrilled about what she has to do to earn it)
* is undeniably a daddy's girl
* would rather be outside than in
* has the best smile and will do anything to help you (even if she doesn't get an allowance for it)

well, i guess i asked for it...

2010-02-16T10:34:00.001-05:00

and i got it!

i wished for more snow.
and boy did we get it!

we've had 3 major storms in a matter of about 10 days.

i haven't measured, but i'm guessing we have close to {if not more than} 2 feet of snow.

the benefit? 3 snow days so far. {would've been 4, but yesterday was a holiday}

the downfall? 3 snow days so far....with 2 girls who are going stir crazy and won't spend more than 15 minutes outside playing in our winter wonderland.

oh, and, as i sit here and type this, we have yet another winter weather advisory through tonight.

guess i'll have to be more careful about what i wish for.

i'm waiting...

2010-01-28T20:56:00.000-05:00

for more of this.
more snow, more snow days, more outdoor winter fun.
i'm not sure if we'll get it.
i mean, we live in ohio...not, say, arizona where you can expect 7 feet of snow, right?!?!?
what crazy weather it's been.
near 50's here one day then frigid, below-freezing temps the next.

so, i'm just sitting here, with my fingers crossed, hoping we'll still see a little more winter.

out with the old...

2009-12-30T12:38:00.000-05:00

and in with the new...

i've been away from my blog for a loooong time.
spending time with my family, getting ready for and enjoying the holidays, wrapping up my first experience with a student teacher...
i have just been busy.

so much happened this year...good and bad.
i plan to a "year-in-review" post...just as soon as i find a little time to edit and upload some pics.

but, for now, a list of what i'm looking forward to in 2010...{i've never really been one for formal "resolutions"}

in 2010, i am looking forward to:

*being in love with my husband
*lots of family time
*watching my girlies grow up
*hours and hours of creativity & craftiness
*getting {& keeping} the house in order
*being more active & making some healthy changes
*being more positive
*lots of ladies nights, game nights, cookouts, and bonfires
*learning about my camera & new lens
*taking thousands of pictures

november so far...

2009-11-21T16:41:00.000-05:00

tracy's church bazaar and the girls' first visit with santa.
jaden made sure her requests were secret...

kacy went for a "spin" with santa...

and monkey got in touch with her inner plumber while waiting for the bazaar to end...

and my mom-in-law got a new puppy...
she's about the cutest stinkin' thing i've ever seen!

it's beginning to look a lot like...

2009-11-18T19:09:00.000-05:00

christmas!
yeah...i know i'm a weirdo.
and my christmas stuff has been up for 2 weeks now.

i debated with jackson because he put the halloween stuff out at the end of september...
my rationale was, christmas is bigger and better, so we have to put that stuff out sooner and enjoy it longer.

i won!
wanna see?

the living room...

and the girls' room...
{i couldn't get a picture that really captures all of the snowflakes hanging in their room}

{and they decorated their own trees}

this is precisely why...

2009-10-21T23:45:00.000-04:00

i have to take 300 pics of my girls to get 10 good ones!

i'll edit and post some of the "good ones" this weekend...
happy fall!

i'm still here...

2009-10-02T13:08:00.000-04:00

no, really...i am

sorry for the lack of posting. i've been working my butt off to get this school year started on the right foot.

now i'm dealing with swine flu in my building and sick kiddos at home.

lots to talk about, just not enough time to say it.

soooo excited about scrapping tomorrow at the scrappink event! breast cancer fundraiser and scrapping combined...doesn't get much better than that!

back soon!

go bucks!!!!

2009-09-05T09:01:00.000-04:00

1st game of the season...

friends and family coming over...
lots of food and cheering...

can't wait!

GO BUCKEYES!!!!!!!!

have you...

2009-08-17T18:54:00.000-04:00

seen my family?
seriously...
my real family?

honestly...

i don't know who these goofballs are...

bruiser...

2009-08-10T16:36:00.001-04:00

just a few shots of monkey goofin' around...
about a week or so after her slide catastrophe...

randomness...

2009-07-31T12:57:00.000-04:00

just a few fun pics of our summer so far...

jen & the harley...{at her grad party}

the girls in one of their many forts...{trust me, they're not really sleeping}

our own little fireworks display...

just chillin'...

and this one is my absolute favorite right now! it totally cracks me up!

sophie...

2009-07-30T00:55:00.000-04:00

has finally found her spot...

{she must think that ashlyn can't see her behind the curtain...

and, therefore, can't find her to carry her around like a rag doll}

scrappiness...

2009-07-24T12:18:00.000-04:00

part 2

here are some of my most favorite layouts i've done
so far this year...{in no particular order}

you might want to sit down...

2009-07-20T23:20:00.000-04:00

i finally took pics of the scrapbook pages i've done {since january!}...
and it's a long post!

yes, i have a thing lately for 8.5 x 11 pages...not sure why

and, these pics are not actually crooked.
i am just apparently unable to take a straight-on shot of my pages.

believe it or not, there's more to come...

i'm saving my best for last. :0)

i wonder...

2009-07-20T00:51:00.000-04:00

how do you save your sleeping 3-year old

from man-eating bedding?

a pair of hams...

2009-07-16T16:45:00.000-04:00

jaden and brat decided to mug it up for the camera in an impromptu photo shoot...

she did NOT break her nose!

2009-07-14T22:43:00.001-04:00

yay!
after a dr's visit and a trip to medical imaging, we were told there are no fractures. woo-hoo!

here's the progression of her bruising...

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

jackson keeps telling everyone

"you should see the other kid!"

it looks really painful, but monk's not complaining. and jaden's doing everything she canto keep things as normal as possible. lol!

my poor monkey...

2009-07-13T21:39:00.000-04:00

jackson took the girls to the park yesterday.
ashlyn decided to go head first down the slide...and she shot off the end of it like a rocket.
landed face first in the dirt....blood everywhere!

poor thing looks like she went about 4 rounds with tyson {i'll post pics tomorrow}.
we have a dr's appt tomorrow at 10:45 where they will xray her to find out if she broke her nose.

my poor baby...

the st chris festival...

2009-07-12T13:42:00.000-04:00

was back in june, but i thought these pics were worth sharing...

my uncle jerry...

2009-07-09T17:32:00.000-04:00

came into town on the 5th...exciting since we haven't seen him in over 5 years.
my mom hosted a cookout at her house...

dirt at the grill...{yeah, that's his name}

my mom...{that's my uncle in the background}

brat, tina, and annabell the dog

jessica...who is the same age as jaden, but wasn't all that interested in playing with her...

until she pulled out the barbies

mom pulled out some photos that belonged to my grandma and she and jerry began reminiscing...

our 4th...

2009-07-07T00:27:00.001-04:00

we had a cookout at our house for the 4th...

{which was actually on the 3rd}
the kids played and the adults talked,

played cards, and had some "beverages"...

then we headed to the vandalia rec center

for sparklers, glo sticks, and fireworks...

june in review...

2009-07-05T21:06:00.000-04:00

june 2: jackson's birthday

june 4: jaden's last day
june 7: new fridge {trust me...it was a big deal to us!!}
june 8: came home to this...{it was not a good night in the haywood house}

june 11: jackson & the girls visited sunwatch indian village...{if you look close, you can see monkey holding her nose. she was not a fan of the smell}

june 12: bd's mongolian grill & the funny bone
june 13: st. chris festival

june 15: my last day
june 16: girls' night out at t.j. chump's
june 20: backyard campout for father's day

june 22-26: jaden at vacation bible school with kacy
june 25-27: garage sale
june 27: took the girls to see "up" and then a night out at bolt's

and somewhere in between, ashlyn cut her hair again, so both girls got short summer "do's"

charleston falls...

2009-06-19T17:40:00.000-04:00

took the girls to charleston falls...
don't know what these are, but they are incredibly cool!

monk found a beetle before we even made it onto the trail...

the girls brought along their butterfly nets...
apparently, they're practicing to be robbers.

{i love that you can see her missing tooth! nothing like a gap-toothed robber!}

jackson snagged a frog with one of the girls' nets...

and i'm pretty sure ashlyn is the animal-whisperer!
she was able to pet the frog without it hopping away...

and she told the dragonfly to stop so mommy could take a picture...
and it did!

{apparently, she forgot to tell it to fly away before jaden scooped it up in her net}

jackson was as interested in it as the girls...

we were even able to catch a butterfly in our butterfly nets...

this tree was huge!

and i don't know what this is either...but it's pretty interesting.

kind of like a mix of lady bug and honeybee.

jaden's favorite birthday gift?

2009-06-16T19:06:00.000-04:00

her hula hoop...

notice the missing tooth? #3 so far...

look who learned to ride a 2-wheeler...

2009-06-09T13:32:00.000-04:00

not him...

her!

jackson helped her for about 20 minutes and then she was on her own...

she was rather proud of herself once she figured it out...
{this pic cracks me up...kind of like "super bike girl"!}

and ashlyn...she was just happy to "flinstone it" in her little car...

murlin's carnival...

2009-06-06T14:40:00.000-04:00

jaden's school held a carnival a couple weeks ago...

lots of fun booths...the girls decided they needed to decorate cupcakes first.

jaden and her friend sydney...

the bounce house...

jaden's 1st grade teacher, mrs. baisden, bravely taking on the dunk tank...

the dunk tank won...

ring toss...

hula hoop contest...

and this last shot cracks me up...
jaden was checking herself out in the "press to cross" button while we were waiting to walk back to the car...

happy birthday...

2009-06-02T17:50:00.000-04:00

to my hubby

love you! {crazy hair and all}

relay for life...

2009-06-01T16:27:00.000-04:00

as you know, my daycare mom and close friend, tracy, was diagnosed with breast cancer in january.
she is currently winning her fight against breast cancer!
to support her and the fight against cancer, we participated in englewood's relay for life during the first weekend in may.

it kicked off with a survivor's lap...
{that's tracy and her dad holding hands...he is a 2-time cancer survivor}

this pretty much says it all...

the girls got all "pinked up" for the relay...

we walked with candles during the memorial/luminaria laps...

love this shot of kacy...

tracy's son thomas and his buddy preston did a reading...
{preston's mom fought and won her battle with breast cancer, too.}

we walked 'til a little after midnight...
then, the girls and i came back the next morning to walk some more with tracy and my mom.
the girls got some balloon sculptures...jaden's was the "little mermaid"

ashlyn's was "dora"...

which she dropped and it immediately started popping...

it was hilarious! she walked up to the balloon guy and threw {what was left of} dora on the ground in front of him...

{oh, and thanks to peggy for the gift subscription to picnik where i've been editing all of my pics!}

happy birthday to my favorite stitch!

2009-05-30T22:11:00.000-04:00

jaden turned 7 on the 21st!
since her birthday fell on a thursday, she was lucky enough to have a week-long celebration...

first, her family party:
the theme was butterflies, hence the nets we used as goodie bags...

we usually make our own cakes, but this year jaden's grandma offered to help out and take care of them...

my cousin, jeromy...never one to take a serious pic!

jaden and monk...

opening presents...{and apparently not agreeing with whatever kacy had to say}...

her new bike...she was so excited!

and, of course, a little rock band to top off the evening...

jaden got to take cupcakes and treat bags into school on her actual birthday...
the next evening, she had a little sleepover with a couple school friends....

they had a little camp rock sing-a-long...

and then they decorated butterflies...