bring spring

YAY!

We're supposed to have high 70's this week!!

More outside playtime!!

winner winner chicken dinner

Oh, I keep forgetting to say who I'm sending my little give-away to.

JANICE you are the recipient!

I chose the first comment, and that my friend is YOU!!!

Watch your mailbox next week. And thanks for all the other comments from people.

It was nice to know you're all still alive.

☺

ME ♥ STAMPS

Two weekends ago I got some girl time with myself!

I am a Stampin' Up demonstrator and they had a regional event in Branson, just two hours from my home...so I loaded up my car with swaps in hand (that I copied from Mandy E ☺) and headed to Branson for the day with me, myself and I.

I actually love alone time, and I don't mind doing things by myself. I knew the room would be full of friendly crazy women who all loved to stamp, so I didn't have to worry about feeling

"alone."

(cute samples)

We learned some fun new techniques and stamped some adorable projects!!

I love creating.

We all know the power women feel when we create...whether it's sewing, cooking, stamping, whatever!

And when the night was over I headed down to the Landing where there was plenty of shopping, and only me and the CLOSED signs swaying from the doors to stop me.

It was fun feeling the crisp air and walking around enjoying people bustling here and there. Then I stopped in at Joe's Crab shack and ordered myself a little dinner to-go of Coconut Shrimp and hush puppies!!

YUMMMMMY. To die for.

Then I decided to head back to my lovely family and make the drive home. It was a fabulous day and I love stamping!! I'm grateful for such a fun outlet, and I'm so thankful my husband supports me and let's me develop talents and have ME time!

It was an awesome indulgence. ☺

WARNING: if you don't want your baby to grow up...

don't do pig tails in her hair!!!

I decided to try pig tails with Kambrie's curly long hair! (it goes a few inches past the base of her neck when it's straight)

This week she's had a few different do's with the piggies. Bangs curled up, pinned back, swiped to the side...

Any way you have it, it makes her look SO BIG!

She's not my little baby anymore. She's a big beautiful toddler.

ahhhhhhhh.

We got her dressed up and ready to go see the big kids at school. Tanner was receiving an award so we got to attend his assembly.

Kam thought she fit right in with the big kids!

We were so proud of Tanner getting the "caring" character award. He has such a big heart, and he loves his sister so much.

Such a sweet heart ♥

We're so proud Tanner!!

And once again...all the kids swarmed around Kambrie.

They just love her!

My once 5 lb and 6 lb babies are so big now!!!

It makes me sad, but they are so beautiful and happy that it makes me so proud!!

cuz I have a little spitfire

HOLY COW.

This was my day today!!

I could NOT keep up with my baby. I had to take a deep breath, and just "carry baby on." Kambrie is a little spit fire. She gets into EVERYTHING.

And I mean it.

It's exhausting! She's so flippin cute and I'm obsessed with the stinker...but sheesh.

This stage is energizer bunny stuff.

caffeine overload

this cracks me up. i'm not a coffee drinker, but i have plenty of friends who are and i would have to agree with this! ☺

GUSSY

SUPER CUTE giveaway HERE.

are you simplified?

"We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives. We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something. We have to learn to be content with what we are. As you create a home, don’t get distracted with a lot of things that have no meaning for you or your family.... ~Marjorie P. Hinckley

SIMPLIFY

So much easier said than done.

So, I've confessed before that I pretty much don't know how to simplify my life..I'm disorganized and yearn for simplicity.

Lucky me, I chose to do an activity for our church ladies on SIMPLIFYING.

My husband laughed when he heard it was ME teaching it. ☺

Here is a synopsis of our night:

• Short and sweet lesson with a few highlighted items on ways to simplify our lives: de-clutter our homes, simplify with meals, allow time to meditate and let the Spirit touch your life.
• 4 demonstrations on fun and simple ideas!

1. How to make home-made noodles. So simple and yummy!! They demo'd how to make the dough (just water, flour and an egg), rolled them out and cut thin slices. Then we dumped the noodles into some chicken noodle soup we had cooking the remaining time.
2. How to make home-made laundry detergent. Again, so simple and cheap!!
3. How to "up-cycle" and make trash a treasure. Save money, save time going to the store...I showed how to turn an empty soup can into an adorable gift holder, formula canisters into table centerpieces, a notebook into a cherished journal...again, cute and simple ideas!
4. How to make fabric flowers! This was a hands on project that everyone got to try. I've posted the tutorial here before. Darling and simple. Use on hair clips, on purses, as a broach...

The night was tons of fun. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and we ended eating our delicious soup with bread and cookies.

Good luck trying to simplify your own lives. I'm working hard at mine!!

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication-Leonardo DaVinci

If you enjoy the simple moments in your life, you will be happier.

1. Identify what’s most important to you. 2. Eliminate everything else.

It means getting rid of many of the things you do so you can spend time with people you love and do the things you love. It means getting rid of the clutter so you are left with only that which gives you value.

kitchen waterpark

Two weeks ago when we were stuck inside for several days because of the incredible snow storm, I had to get creative with things to do. The kids LOVE water so I made a little indoor waterpark.

I was in denial a little thinking THEY wouldn't get all wet... but it only took seconds for that to happen!

They had a blast getting wet!! They both LOOOOOOVE water. Kam was in heaven sitting there taking water from one bucket and dumping it into another. Then she got the genius idea to dump the end bucket on herself!

It was cute to watch them. And luckily, water cleans up pretty easy!!

just some stuff

Kambrie is teething, in a major way. Almost every tooth is about to pop through. Including...drum roll. YES. I think her two front teeth!!

I am always suckered into reality TV.

• LOVE American Idol.
• Still a fan of Biggest Loser.
• Love Survivor.
• Like The Bachelorette.
• Less than thrilled with the Dancing with the Stars cast. Yay. I can eliminate a show!

I'm trying to diet. It sucks. I'm hungry. I like food. It makes me happy. But I have a girls trip coming up, a cruise to the Bahamas and a trip to Mexico. I hate swimsuits with a passion. So anything to ease my stress will be welcomed...but sheesh. Sometimes I wonder.

I've been reflecting on my life's journey and where we've been and what we've gone through and where we are now, and I just feel overwhelmingly blessed. I'm so grateful I'm a mom of the two cutest kids in the world, I'm so happy we're in Missouri (it only took 4 years), I'm so lucky I have the most amazing husband on the planet, we're so blessed to have awesome friends, I have the best extended family, I'm so thankful my Heavenly Father knows me personally, loves me, and gives me what I need...the list goes on and on.

I. am. blessed.

I want to see The Adjustment Bureau. Bad. Maybe it could happen this weekend. (wishful thinking)

i can't think of what else is occupying my mind right now.

nothing exciting going on.

i know, my blog totally sucks now. it's lame.

peace out

Oh, and maybe just for kicks and giggles...let's see who is out there.

I have a cute giveaway I can send!!!

Give me a shout out!

my superstar!

Tanner actually touches the ball here...yay!! It happens a few times during the game. he he. (maroon #14)

Maybe this will be the one?

Soccer was pretty much a bust with Tanner,

so we're trying basketball this year.

Um. Not much to report here either.

I think a future with the harlem globetrotters would be PERFECT for this little dude...he's got the personality for that!

We're not lost on hope for our sweet Tanner though!

Super star #14

The basketball program is so cute...they make it super fun for the kids. The cheerleaders line up, the lights are dark with spinning bright lights and then the announcer calls each player in his deep professional basketball voice and the boys run their hearts out when they hear their name! Most of the boys don't even run through the girls line-up, but a few make it in there!! It's adorable.

Go Tanner Go

He's got his defensive stance down pat.

He's got the "I'm open" down pat.

Now he just need to move those feet a little more and use his personality aggression

ON THE FLOOR!!

We love you Tanner!

Go Fight Win!

Tanner is the fourth boy to be called...and he actually makes it through the cheerleading lane!! lol.

party girl

I'm the room mom for Tanner's class...so I get to plan every party and attend with Kambrie.

I must say, Kam is the star of the show! As you can see, the kids just adore her.

Tanner always tells me the kids in his class say they love Kambrie!!

such cute girls ☺

As you can see from her face, she loves them too!!

blue vs green

I've had more than one person tell me

"your baby has your eyes!"

Um.

I don't know what to say to that!

Seriously?

weaknesses

I'm horrible at planning.

I'm horrible at organizing.

I'm horrible at maintaining a clutter free home.

These things are constant sources of stress for me, and are often a cause of marital contention between the hubs and I.

I get in a groove where I'm good for awhile and then it dissipates. It's super frustrating.

I WANT to be better. I WANT to try harder. I WANT to improve. But then I come up with excuses or distractions or lack of motivation. grrrrrrr. I constantly drive myself CrAzY.

I don't intend my to-do lists to be like this...but when you're not good at list making in the first place, or when I LOSE my to-do list, it just complicates things even further.

I wish I could be like those people who are organized. Yup. Not so much me. It's my weakness. And it's not a good weakness to have in my profession: stay at home mom!!

But I'll keep trying! It's crazy trying to learn how to control your own self... ya know. Sometimes we're our own worst enemy. My cute blog friend Holly sent me these thoughts and I love 'em. Super funny.

I'm going to look through new eyes and see if it helps. ☺ Or maybe just go with the second idea. (wink wink)

Simple Steps to Organize Your Life

**Assess the situation- Walk outside your front door, close it and take a deep breath. Now pretend you are someone else, and this is your first visit here. Open the door and begin walking through the house, seeing it through different eyes. Go ahead, snoop! Look through closets & cupboards. What do you think? Be honest now!

**Always keep several get well cards on the mantle... So if unexpected guests arrive, they will think you've been sick and unable to clean.