Good Ridance February

I am so happy today is March because it means it is no longer Februrary. This past month has been a rough one. I felt like I have been sick 20 of the 29 days, didn't run once outside and 12 of the days my husband was out of town. You could say his month was the best of the best and mine was the worst of the worst. Which then my jealously kicks in and then mine gets worse. So good ridance Februrary.
I was thrilled to add my new March picture on my header with a Lebrechaun riding a swan/duck, which seems perfect with Easter being so early this year it is only 6 days after St. Patricks day. April will really miss having a holiday this year - I guess we will have to have a huge April fools day.

yesterday I drove to many mailboxes and passed out our little Lep Day surprise. I even tracked down my maillman so I could give him his in person. I was afraid if I just put in our mailbox he wouldn't know it was for him.
I put the frog and "Extra" gum in a cellophane envelope (the cellophane is so much heavier than on the roll) then tied it with green and while polka dot ribbon. You can buy the envelopes in many sizes at Michaels in the gift wrap section and they are quite reasonable.
The tags I printed about 10 to a page on regular paper and then glued them on to 3x3" chipboard tied with brown and white gingham checked ribbon. (Holly and Emily I knew I find the perfect time to use that ribbon) and wala - little leap day bags were born.
It was a good little project to get my mind off some things this week.

in no particular order some events of the week...
I bought 4 pairs of shoes at Target this week - and 2 were actually for me. I have a hard time spending money on buying quality shoes for myself or anything for myself for that mattter. I even have a hard time buying $12.00 on shoes. I am convinced it is because I am trying so hard to clothe three other people in the cheapest way possible that when gets to me I just would rather not buy anything. since I got rid of 75% of my clothes a few weeks ago,(so much for getting on What not to Wear as they will have nothing to throw away) I do feel like what i have left is kind of dated. I had not bought a black pair of shoes for church in 5 years and they look a bit out of style. I can't stomach buying shoes that cost over $50 and will stick with the $12 special from target.


The good mail Fairy came to Annie Kate this week. I ordered one of Jill's Good Mail kits (personalized stationery, good mail labels, photo stickers, return address labels) from her Etsy Store so Annie Kate would have some stationery to send out. She went through the roof when she found out the good mail on the steps was for her. It is so beyond amazing. I love the photo stickers the best! They are all in her favorite color blue. This is the perfect gift, but especially for girls her age.
Here is the link if you want to order some fabulous items from the Good Mail Queen.

but look how cute the envelope stickers are

"Good mail is Great when it comes from Annie Kate"
charolette surprised me with another CD which was just as good as the first.
Cute packaging of the jelly beans. Thank you! and eat a big pink cookie and mint brownie for me.
carlo sent this note in the midst of my being super sick. she sent a Newspaper article about a new Children's book about Abraham Lincoln.
And Carlo I would have done the same thing of removing the stamp the match the envelope.

Lauralee who is doing an awesome giveway right now(it ends on Monday at noon EST) sent her monogram magic my way for Sally Jane's wipes holder. So if I still have to change diapers (so over it) at least my wipes container will be cute. Thanks girl i love it! you can buy one here.
my neighbor just up and brought me flowers because she heard i was sick - i was shocked. I didn't know we were good enough friends to bring flowers to each other and then I think what does that mean? silly me, you can give flowers to anyone! I am glad she picked me.
I got some great mail on the last day of februrary. It came in a Smuckers Peanut butter and sandwhich box. This is excatly why I love using these boxes and here is my trick. if you can keep the contents under 13 oz then you can send it first class - which is so much cheaper than priority. The box and contents were only $2.15. The food boxes are so thin that you are not paying for a majority of the weight in the box. I loved seeing them on my front porch, but loved what was inside even more. (someone sent me the funniest story about using this box to send mail in and someone put it in the freezer.... who was that?)Jen made a cute pink and white monogrammed tin (you can learn to make one here)with a monogrammed key fob.(you can buy one here) One side says my word of the year and one is my initial K - in a ever so cute curly font. I appreciated any thing monogrammed because for every finished piece you have to account for three where the needle broke, ran out of thread or the hoop moved. Thanks so much this is just awesome.
I got my order from Kramerdrive and just love it. I discovered it from a thank you note that was sent to me and just loved the weight of the paper. I seriously have an addiction for 100 lb paper. It is a great site she is just north of me in Pennsylvania.


Mandy sent me this incredible surprise with a wonderful note on a handmade card. The note was printed on the cute cardstock, which I really loved the look of what she did. She sent flower headbands for my daughters , cute metal buckets sprinkles and even some stuff for Annie Kate. She was thanking me for some ribbon that I sent her but said it was too pretty to use. So I emptied the box, used the same mailing labels that were on the box but just switched them and then filled the box full of ribbon telling her that if the first ribbon box was to look at this one is to use. I hope she uses it all up! Thanks Mandy, you have a good memory about the headbands.
i got some more self induced good mail with my stationery order from Good Things (yea Nashville). I am on a mission to get some Thank You's sent out and this order will help me get that going.

Jen sent me the funniest good mail with some citizen citation's to give to people who ask me when I am due? this was so funny and wished I had had them in my purse the other day at the fabric store. Thanks Jen. Don't you love her stationery custom made by the Good Mail Queen! Shawna B. sent me a thank you for her birthday. It is interesting how different cities totally have a symbol to remind you of where you have lived. there is no who has lived in New Orleans that does remember it there when you see the fleur de lis.

barb sent me this very vintage darling valentine that came out blurry in the photo. but the stamps were just as awesome as the good mail. Seriously the queen in all pink - I will say Canadian stamps are pretty awesome.
very clever idea from my sister in law (spencer W's wife) who used a plastic gift bag as the envelope to send their cute Valentine's card. She used her Pink Christmas labels from Doodlebugs. Thanks Kari the third photo is my favorite!!!

I won a personalized sippy cup for Sally Jane, it is so cute, fro Ellie Bellies. Thanks so much. They have weekly giveaways on their blog so you should check it out. All good things come out of Nashville! I think these monogrammed plates could be my favorite thing in their store!!So just when I thought March would be a turn for the better the first day seemed to follow February style. Annie Kate had her last Basketball game of the season. I have only been to 15 minutes of a game the whole season as SJ and CB can not watch the game with the 6 inches that the parents have to watch the game. Jeff always went as he was the assistant coach. I took a total of 7 photos. I feel like I live in a world not made for kids and while everyone was one, they all seem to drive everyone crazy. Try taking your family to Starbucks to get hot chocolate in the winter. Seriously the door should say no kids allowed, because no one in there wants them. Anyway...
I was fully prepared to go to the game by myself as Jeff is out of town and I even got someone to watch my kids. Annie Kate spent all morning preparing her video camera (yes her video camera she had saved up 2 years to buy it when she was 7) to have me tape the whole game. They had their award ceremony afterwards and I knew I could not handle them by myself. We left the house late and then got lost (I am so tired of still getting lost after two years of living here - GPS failed me today) and could not find the new location of the game (changed because of snow last week) We were so late I didn't have time to drop the kids off and sucked it up to take them in. Annie kate had her heart set on videoing the game in it's entirety.
One of my kids is always crying and I guess i am more used to it than the general public. Sally Jane started crying as soon as we got in the gym and was uncontrollable for a good 10 minutes. One of the refs stuck his fingers in his ears and looked at me to take her out. Even I was amazed by her volume in a screaming gym with basketball game going on. I ignored it the first two times but the third time our eyes met and he knew I saw him. I could not have felt more alone today sitting there out numbered by my two. I tried to video tape by Sally Jane kept hitting the camera. I then felt myself getting ready to lose it (which I totally did 5 mintutes later but at least it was in my car) I got up with tears streaming down my face and went to the other side of they gym and asked one of the Dad's if he would take AK to the awards lunch and home after the game. I could barely talk. I then made the embarrassing walk back to the door to push out my double stroller,that was not made for gym doors, to the car. Sally Jane did not stop until 5 minutes before we got home. She was crying because Caroline was holding one of her yellow wooden fish. I felt horrible leaving and didn't even try to get Annie Kate's attention that i was leaving. I didn't have the heart.
Annie Kate got home and I could tell she was trying to hold it together like I was a few hours before. The mom who dropped her off told me she was a little upset when during the game she looked around and couldn't find me. At the awards lunch the coach had the girls stand on a chair and tell them all the wonderful things about them, rats I would have rather seen that then the game. Then she lost it just like me. "Why did you leave?" You didn't tape the game. She then tells me that during the game she rebounded the ball and dribbled it all the way down the court and made a basket. It was then she looked in the corner and didn't see me. She really started crying at this point. She said she went to the corner of the gym where had been sitting to look for the video camera thinking I would have left it for her to video tape the game. (she is a trusting child) She said, Mom I could have videoed the game when I was on the bench. Her comment Last Sunday about the girls getting all the attention sure made a lot of sense today. And I wonder why she wishes why she wants to be an only child.
oh the joys and pains of parenthood.
To end on a Pink note, Sally Jane got this little poster in Nursery on Sunday that says, "Heavenly Father and Jesus Love me" She carried it with her every where the whole day last week. So I taped it to her bed and every night this week after her prayers she puts her dainty finger under each word and says, "Vevenly Fader and Jesus Wuvs .... (long pause...and then yells) ME!

it wasn't until late last night when I was making my little frogs that I came up with the idea to throw in some Extra gum into the ribbon and cellophane. So in case you are still packaging your frogs go grab some gum!

The Cadbury Egg is like my
Grandmother's house.

You know when you are little and you think your Grandma's house is so huge and then you grow up and think, "wow, this has shrunk" then you realize it is just you who got bigger.
that is how I felt when I bought my first Cadbury Egg this season, (my all time favorite Easter candy)
The fact I paid $.89 (I can remember paying $.25 cents each when I was a kid) already had me irritated but them when I opened it to eat it I said, "They made them smaller this year"
So if you google search "shrinking Cadbury Egg" it appears I am not the only who feels this way. Even BJ Novak "the Office" talked about it on late night T.V. in 2007.

. . . . . . .

During an interview on the April 4th, 2007 episode of Late Night with Conan O' Brien, actor B. J. Novak drew attention to the fact that American market Cadbury Creme Eggs have decreased in size from previous years, despite the claim on the Cadbury's website FAQ that the eggs were not getting smaller, but rather, "you've just grown up!"This FAQ has since been altered to clarify that only American eggs have altered in size.

. . . . . . .

So, i am not sure if it is just that my hands are bigger than last year or if they are indeed smaller, I just know I still love them. And will likely never forgive my brother, Ryan, for calling this year and telling me about the Orange filled ones - oh la la!
Look at all the kinds they make.

• Mini Creme Eggs (bite-sized Creme Eggs)
• Caramel Eggs (soft caramel filling)
• Mini Caramel Eggs (bite-sized Caramel Eggs)
• Chocolate Creme Eggs (chocolate fondant filling)
• Orange Creme Eggs (Creme Eggs with a hint of orange flavor)
• Mint Creme Eggs (green "yolk" and mint flavor chocolate)
• Dairy Milk with Creme Egg bars
• Creme Egg Fondant in a Narrow Cardboard Tube (limited edition)
• Creme Egg ice cream with a fondant sauce in milk chocolate
• Dream Eggs (white chocolate with white chocolate fondant filling)

I think people either love these things or hate them.

How about you? do you love them or walk right past them? Do you think they are smaller?

Spencer's kisses leave a mark.

I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier when I was writing about my 3rd brother's birthday this afternoon and I am headed to bed but just had to post one more thing about Spencer W. (he was named after Spencer W. Kimball - how cool is that)
Tonight as I was putting Annie Kate to bed she asked me how I got the scar above my lip.
When I was in high school (i think) I leaned down to give my little brother Spencer a kiss. He was a real big hugger and kisser and always did before I left the house. I can remember exactly where I was in our house in the hallway between the kitchen and family room. He leaned back to give me a kiss and he came with such force that his teeth went through my upper lip and it left the little white scar above my upper lip.
I have been asked 100 times if not more how I got that scar above my lip and I kind of like that I get to say it was from one of my brother's kisses. And over the years I think half the people I meet have some kind of scar above their lip - do you?
Spencer I love you and thanks for the scar!

*** and thank goodness I waxed my upper lip last week so I didn't have to do it tonight for the photo.

everyone should have a brother who...

• sends you sentimental gifts,
• takes great photos so you don't have to pay for a photographer,
  
• as a 10 year old cries when he sees you come of the temple on the day you get married
• is more creative than yourself
• runs to open doors for little old ladies who can't do it themselves
• treats his daughter like a queen
• crochet for your kids so you don't have to learn how to
  
• makes driving in the red jeep from Price very entertaining
  
• doesn't get mad when you tell him to shave
• is a computer wizard so you don't have to pay someone to do that too
• will ski as slow as you do, even though he "gots skills"
• laughs like you do (which if you could hear me laugh it is oh so embarrassing)
  
• gives the best hugs around. seriously!

I love you Spencer. Happy Birthday

Leap into the Fun

Every holiday is worth celebrating even Leap Day, which is this Friday. I don't have great big plans or even ideas. But I did buy two bags of these plastic frogs at KMART for $3.99 (12 per bag) in their Easter section.
I am not sure what I will do with them yet, but I am sure Annie Kate will find one by her toothbrush, in her lunch and under her pillow. And my neighbors will probably find one in their mailboxes with little tags on them.
I am up for any ideas of fun Froggy things to do for Friday. So if you have fun Leap Year ideas feel free to share them here!!

one of my monograms on a clear acrylic clipboard

Givewaway!
Monogram Magic!

I have a friend, Writing on the Wall, who is a monogram magician. You name it she can find a way to monogram it and personalize it. She was a Pink Christmas sponsor for 2007 and is doing a Giveaway this week.

This year along with my word of the year I also picked a quote. I had her work her magic and make it into a removable non-sticky adhesive to put on my mirror so I could see it every day.

"if you aren't moving at a snail pace, you aren't moving at all"

I love seeing it in my bathroom every day! So she wants to give one away to someone too! but that is not all.

she also made my word of the year into a cool weather resident tag for my car! It will only come off when you want it off and does not leave any sticky residue.I absolutely love it. She wants to give you one of these too for you to put anywhere to remind yourself of your word of the year. (how cute would these be for all you SPT girls to order to put on your car!)

Then as if it could not get any better. She made a few Monogram Magic labels for me to put anywhere I wanted to. I put one on my Girls Camp notebook
I put this awesome big one on my Embroidery Machine cover. I so love how this works and am amazed at easy it was to put on. - but again can be removed any time I would need to removed it.

then I used one to make a cover for book I had spiral bound. I cut two pieces of plastic place mats (thanks Stacy for the awesome place mats) the size of the book for the front and back. took it to any Paper copier store (I used Staples) had the book bound with a clear plastic cover over the front. Then placed my monogram on top of the front place mat! Total for coil binding with tax $3.11. I love it, and guess what book it is....my manual for Relief Society. You can take any book into Kinko's or Staples to get a coil binding put on it!

So if you would like to win the following:

• your quote of the year
• 3 removable tags of your word of the year
• 2 removable tags with your custom made monogram
• all in the color of your choice
  

Just leave a comment with one of your favorite quotes.
Lauralee will select the winner next Monday

Here are a few other ideas I think these would be great for.
Get a Happy Birthday set to decorate your friends car with for their birthday
or Just Married or Happy Graduation. No more yucky shoe polish!
Get one with your last name made for your mailbox
Great way to label diaper wipes containers or any plastic kids item
have a large monogram put on the glass of your shower door.
You could put a cute quote on the top of your washer or dryer.
Check out her site for even more fun and creative ideas.
She is a magician and can do anything you can think up!!

{don't forget to enter and tell your friends.}

a new before pile
and a story about someone who
did not read my interblog memo

This morning Caroline woke up not feeling so great and wanted to make a new mini soupie. She went through the fabric closet but could not find anything she wanted. She asked if we could go to the fabric store and had exactly in mind what she wanted. How could I turn down a 4 year old getting the sewing-designing itch.
She was so cute picking through the minkie fabrics knowing just what she wanted. She touched every bolt.
Then as we went through the check out she started to fade and I could tell she had a fever. I was holding her in my arms and trying to pay. The cashier looked up at me and said, (you are not going to believe this by the way!!) Are you PREGNANT? my heart skipped a beat and I said , "excuse me?" I love making people ask again hoping it will make them feel worse and she did. Are you pregnant? I took a deep breath and said, "yes I am!" I had never answered like this before but thought it might be fun to see how far my little lie would go.(bad choice it was not fun!) She then asked me when I was due and I said "oh a couple months" (the fact she believed that made me feel worse, I am not doing this again!)- she then asked if I was going to find out if it was a boy (as I was standing there with two girls) and I said, "no I love a good surprise!". She then said boy you are going to be busy! - and I was think"ya busy crying in my car after I leave here!"
Why - Why -Why am I on some secret camera T.V. show to see how long it takes to ask a non pregnant woman if she is pregnant before she goes completely crazy!
I am hoping a good day of sewing will rid me of my anxiety of leaving my house. Seriously at church yesterday I was praying, "please don't let anyone ask me if I am pregnant?' how sad is that!

photo of Sally Jane and I in Utah taken by Jill - 2006

My word of the year - PACE

I have no doubt that the word I picked for myself this year is the word for me.
Here is just one reason why.
Today in Relief Society I was asked to read a quote out loud from the talk from Elder Bednar, "Clean Hands a Pure Heart"

I am sure you can see why I got a little choked up while reading it and even asked mid sentence, "did my husband give this to you to have me read"

Line upon Line

Some who hear or read this message may think the spiritual progress I am describing is not attainable in their lives. We may believe these truths apply to others but not to us.

We will not attain a state of perfection in this life, but we can and should press forward with faith in Christ along the strait and narrow path and make steady progress toward our eternal destiny. The Lord’s pattern for spiritual development is “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” (2 Nephi 28:30). Small, steady, incremental spiritual improvements are the steps the Lord would have us take. Preparing to walk guiltless before God is one of the primary purposes of mortality and the pursuit of a lifetime; it does not result from sporadic spurts of intense spiritual activity.

I witness that the Savior will strengthen and assist us to make sustained, paced progress. The example in the Book of Mormon of “many, exceedingly great many” (Alma 13:12) in the ancient Church who were pure and spotless before God is a source of encouragement and comfort to me. I suspect those members of the ancient Church were ordinary men and women just like you and me.

*** be thinking of a quote to motivate you this year or to go
along with your word of the year, I have an awesome giveaway tomorrow!***

Hurry and grow up already!

This is a photo of the sprouts outside our house of all the dandelions trying to make their way through the dirt. and I seem to be telling them to hurry and grow up.
And this is a photo of something else I seem to be telling to grow up faster too. I know, I know I will regret it someday is what everyone tells me, but I seem to be getting a little impatient these days with all these "littles" around the house. I am so over the diapers, the car seats, the socks and shoes, the buckling, the unbuckling and so on.
Then we go and have a fun family day like today and I think what made it so fun is that they were kids- and adults are not near as much fun to photograph as kids are anyway.our town looks like a big slurpee machine exploded all over as it rained shards of ice the other night. Too bad it was dirty our else it would have been like Sonic ice in a yummy drink.

So when we woke up to the sun shining this morning we thought no matter how cold it is we have to go for a walk and get out!so even though we had to put on our coats, gloves and hats we went to the park.

we got out the John Deere Jeep (Adam your favorite miniature car) and taught Caroline how to drive. She kind of looked like a drunk driver hitting everyone's fences and bushes.
I thought this was a great photo of Annie Kate walking behind the girls looking on and was wondering if this could have prompted "I want to be the only child" comment. We do have two worlds going on with the kids, but this is the way it is and again there is no changing it.
Stephanie, i can't tell you how much I appreciate your comment of reminding me that Annie Kate used to dream of a sibling - I was excited to tell that to her too this morning. Power of blogging.as we walked through the neighborhood I realized I will look back and regret that I didn't take more pictures of this great neighborhood.

and right as I was thinking this I saw the most awesome movie scene unfold. There was a cute Grandma and Grandpa that appeared to just pull up from a long drive or the airport. The got out of their car and started to unload bags. At the door across the street was a little girl standing at the door pounding and smiling when she saw her Grandparents. The Grandpa grabbed the cute brown and blue Vera Bradly bag and left the rest behind and the two of them seriously ran across the street to see their granddaughter. I couldn't believe I took this secret photo but it was the cutest scene to remember. and just another cute house on our walkI loved this great photo of Caroline practicing her turning skills on the Gator. And to think we say we don't have a yard - it just happens to be half a mile from our house.

We looked on at the pool with hopeful eyes - telling Summer to hurry up and come. That frozen pool water is yuck.
we hung around the park and I could not think of how different our Sunday's our now. to just get up having nothing to plan for or race downtown. It is a needed break for our family.

Annie Kate on the swing

getting ready for her big jump

and Jeff posing for a photo trying to keep his braces still a secret....but no they are still there.... and his teeth look amazing

Sally Jane is a daredevil on the swing and can't ever seem to get pushed high enough. Of course unless Jeff is doing the pushing...

and he wants to make these girls at tough as steel and uses his Superman powers

and she spins out of control...

but maybe he does it just so he can make it up to her with lots of kisses afterwards.

Caroline is not quite as brave on the swings but always loves a good push from dad.

and as for me I was there too but will continue to take self portraits of myself the rest of my life to document that I am at family outings. (Denise B. i can't tell you how in love I am with these glasses.. oh yes I guess I could if i would get off my tail and write you a much needed thank you note.)our gator ran out of gas on the way home and Jeff had to come pick us up, neither one of us was willing to push it home. What a great morning all before we had a excellent day at church.
I was thrilled with my photos from the day but wish I could take any credit for them. All photos taken on Automatic with my Nikon D80 and no cropping or photoshopping was had - just a great camera!