our wacky world

So... we have been a little busy!

2011-07-18T13:21:00.006-05:00

Well, it has been about 4 months since I posted. Things have definitely been hopping around here. We welcomed sweet Cora Jane to the family on May 25th. She is now 7 weeks old and still such a sweetheart. She is completely spoiled rotten. Her sisters L.O.V.E. her and Chris and I think she is pretty special too! She fits in so perfectly and completes our little family!

Besides, adding a member, our little family has been enjoying a busy summer. We have been playing, swimming, road tripping, VBSing, riding bikes, and sleeping (a little)! I can't believe summer is half over. We still have lots more planned, so hopefully we can fit it all in.

Hope you are all doing great too!

Can you believe it...

2011-03-23T14:21:00.012-05:00

I am back! Not with much, but at least a little look at what we have been up to the last 7 months!

Camping at Brazos Bend

Pumpkin Patch

The Fairy Princess and the Pirate

The Big 3-4

Landa Park

Feeding the cows at John and Kara's

No training wheels!

Christmas Card Photoshoot

Christmas Night on the Riverwalk

Cotton Bowl - Gig'em Aggies!

Upward Basketball
No Teeth!

Rodeo Houston and Martina McBride

Spring is Here!

Lemonade stand at Granny and Poppy's

Grampa Catfish! We let him go!

GO Rockets! Clutch's birthday party

9 weeks to go to meet baby girl #3!

I would love to say I will be back soon, but let's not kid ourselves! Things around here at hectic, but we are loving every minute!

Erin

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-09-09T20:30:00.003-05:00

1. Gracie's back in school - I am one lucky lady. This little girl rocks my world with her spunk and adorable little face. She is so excited about school and LOVES her backpack. She talks about her friends all the time and likes to report on all the classroom activities.

2. Chris is scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning. He ruptured his achilles tendon on Tuesday playing basketball. It is just an outpaitent surgery, but we are all a little freaked out. He hates needles and hospitals and I hate the idea of him being on crutches for 4-6 weeks. Heaven help us!

3. It seems I sent my little girl off to first grade just three weeks ago and now she is all grown up. I am amazed at how well she can read. She LOVES first grade.

That's it! Sorry for being so MIA lately. I just don't have the time these days to get on the blog. It makes me sad, but it is about the only thing I can let slide without any major issues!

Hope you are all doing great!

First Grade

2010-08-26T21:32:00.003-05:00

First week of first grade!

I am really letting the old blog slide. We have been super busy, but nothing too exciting. Just the plain old everyday things, like school, work, housework, etc. I haven't even had the camera out for anything except the first day of school.

So, far Lucy is really loving first grade. She says it is way better than kindergarten and her teacher is the cooler than me (sniff, sniff). I know she is going to rock it! She has already made several new best friends :) and can't wait to get on the bus each morning.

Grace really misses Lucy during the day, but is enjoying her extra one on one time with me. She is really into coloring right now and will spend hours with her markers and coloring books. Of course, I think she is an award-winning artist in the making.

Caught up in the everyday,

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-08-18T20:51:00.004-05:00

Last Thursday, we were right in the middle of our fourth annual Frio river trip with the Loop. We always have an awesome time and go home counting down to the next trip.

1. School is only 3 days away for Lucy. She is so excited and is looking forward to meeting her teacher tomorrow. I hope she gets a great teacher and will have at least one friend in her class.

2. I made a dump cake last weekend for a get together at Sara and Justin's. It was so good. I can't believe it is so easy! I am planning another one for this weekend.

3. Chris, Grace, and I spent the Sunday before our vacation in the ER. It was our first trip to the ER with little Grace and made for a very long day. She woke up Sunday morning with half her face swollen. She looked like a Klump from The Nutty Professor. After seeing several doctors, nurses and a CT scan, they determined that she had an infected parotid gland. It was nothing serious, but required 10 days of antibiotics. She was such an awesome trooper throughout the whole ordeal (except the CT scan). We were so proud of her.

Short and Sweet,

Thoughtful Thursday - one liners

2010-08-05T14:14:00.006-05:00

1. Lucy's almost sleepover party was a huge success... on the other hand, the cake was just huge!2. Laundry is taking over my life and my sanity.

3. Being sick sucks...especially in the summer.

4. My girls are so cute they make my heart swell and my eyes fill.

5. I am addicted to texting.

6. Diet Coke with vanilla is my favorite reason for Happy Hour.

7. My husband is awesome... even if he doesn't help with the laundry (see #2).

8. School starts in a little more than two weeks!

9. All girl weekends rock... chick flicks, shopping, food, and wine!

Minimizing my life and my posts,

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-07-29T22:17:00.004-05:00

1. My oldest is SIX YEARS OLD... which she says means I am old now too! How did this happen? It seems that just yesterday we were bringing that cute little pink bundle into the world. Now she is a sweet little lady with more brains, beauty, grace, and compassion than most 60-year olds. But I could be biased...

2. We spent another great weekend in Rockport. LOVE the condo and LOVE spending quality time with the family!

3. Grace was sick again this week. She has been unlucky this summer, that the germies keep getting her. Luckily she is feeling better and back to her stinky, sweet self.

4. We are all looking forward to an eventful weekend. Chris is headed to Seadrift with all the guys for three days of fishing, poker, and beer drinking(yuck). All of us girls are having a belated birthday party for Lucy. We are having an almost Sleepover. There will be pizza, rainbow cake, ice cream, pedis, and even tie dyeing. It is going to be FABULOUS!

Rainbow Cupcakes for the actual birthday... There will be a BIG rainbow cake for the party.

5. Lucy spent all last week in Fine Arts Camp. She and her bff, Ashtyn, spent 5 days singing dancing, and crafting. On Friday, they did a little performance of all they had learned. She had a blast. On a side note... here are only 3 weeks of summer left... Can you believe it? Where has the time gone?

Happy Thursday,

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-07-22T13:58:00.005-05:00

Well, I have been a total slacker. It has been pretty crazy around here lately, so I haven't had a whole lot of time for thoughts:)

1. We had a great Fourth of July at the condo with the Laurence girls and Nana and Pawpaw. Lucy and Grace have a blast with their cousins and they always miss them. Too bad we don't live closer.

2. It is beach time... We have been spending so much time at the beach. We went last week on Wednesday and Saturday. The girls have so much fun and love the waves. They have gotten a lot braver this year. Lucy is a boogie board girl and Grace has zero fear.

3. Chris and I ventured out on the town Friday night to see my very favorite singer, Bruce Robison. It was a great show and I can hardly wait until next time! I am hoping he will play at Gruene Hall soon, so we can check him again soon.

4. Mosquitoes suck... literally!

5. Grace loves to sing... unfortunately, her pronunciation is a little off, so it is really funny to listen to. Her latest rendition of "Jesus Loves Me", ends with something about about earphones. Hilarious! She also has a great little dance involving lots of pointing at the sky and shaking her booty. I really need to get it on camera, unfortunately I am usually laughing too hard. Also her new favorite word is ridiculous. It is so cute!

6. Lucy has become a total book worm. She got a huge stack on Junie B Jones books from her cousins, and has been reading them all week. They say she takes after me, but I don't know what they are talking about... :)

7. My sweet Lucy turns 6 on Saturday... I can't wrap my mind around it, so I won't talk about it.

8. Summer is half over and I haven't even done half my to do list. I was hoping to take the girls to the children's museum this summer, so hopefully I can at least get that checked off. Today we made homemade slushies and smores. Yesterday, we did an underwater mural. I am pulling out all the stops to keep the tv off at least 50% of the afternoon. UGGGH!

9. Psych is my favorite summer show on TV... but My Boys starts on Sunday, so we shall see. The girls are ADDICTED to America's Got Talent! I think they might cry if Future Funk doesn't win.

Hoping to be back next week,

MIA - Summer of Fun

2010-07-20T17:36:00.007-05:00

We have been so busy the last two weeks, I haven't taken time to stop and blog about it. Here is just a few pictures to show what we have been up to (out of order)...

Beach Trip with the Loop

Backyard Playtime July 4th at the condo

Enjoying the craziness of summer,

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-07-01T20:44:00.005-05:00

Just under the wire...

1. Chris and I spent our first wekeend away in 5 years this weekend. We had an awesome time shopping, eating, just hanging out. It was a great time to reconnect and just have fun.

2. By the time we got home, little Gracie had come down with a nasty bug. Three days for high fevers and puking, will bring you back to the real world in no time.

3. We are looking forward to a great 4th of July in Rockport. All the cousin's will be there and Lucy and Grace are super excited. I am trying out a new recipe. I am sure mine will never turn out as cute, but hopefully the kids will still think they are cool.

4. It has been raining cats and dogs for just about the whole week. We have watched enough disney tv to even make the girls a little crazy.

5. It is exactly 22 more days until Lucy's birthday... Let the countdown begin.

God Bless America,

Thoughtful Thursday - 10 years in the making

2010-06-24T08:01:00.001-05:00

Today marks a very important milestone in our home. Chris and I have been married for 10 years today. It has been an awesome ride, mostly smooth, but sometimes bumpy. It amazes me every day that I was lucky enough to find someone who makes me laugh every day, provides a life full of love, and takes such great care of me and the girls.

1. I want to relive our wedding... Only with less stress, more calm, and more pictures.

2. I consider taking my wedding dress out of its archival box at least once every few months just for the chance to try it wear it again. I secretly hope that one of the girls will want to wear it someday when the take their own walk down the aisle.

3. Our wedding was fun. We still have people tell us how much fun they had that night.

4. We left our reception (in Victoria) at 11:00pm, and then drove to Houston. We spent about 3 hours packing and taking a nap (Chris) and then left for the airport to make our 6:20am flight to Cancun. Not the best recipe for romance on your wedding night.

5. When we got to our hotel for our honeymoon, we walked out to take a look at the beautiful beach. We were met with the frightful sight of a 60+ year old lady walking topless down the beach. Chris was a bit nervous the rest of the trip.

6. We bought our first house shortly before our 1 year anniversary. I will always think of that house as our first home and am not sure anything else will ever compare.

7. We have been blessed with two of the most adorable little girls in the world. They are the lights of our life and make each day even better.

8. Marriage is hard and can be frustrating, but totally worth it. Knowing you have someone in your corner at all times, makes anything seem possible. I wouldn't want anyone else in the ring with me.

9. Some days out of the blue, I will be struck with how much I love my hubby. I don't always tell him, but it is in those little moments that I realize how very blessed I am to be married to my bestest friend.

10. I can hardly wait to see what the next 10 years bring....

Happy Anniversary to the most wonderful husband in the world. Thank you for the best ten years of my life. You will never know how much I love you!

P.S. Thanks to the always awesome Granny and Poppy, we are spending the whole weekend away on the Riverwalk, relaxing and enjoying some much needed adult time! WoHOO!

Super-sized Thoughtful Thursday

2010-06-16T20:06:00.006-05:00

Apparently, I was so thoughtless last Thursday, I completely forgot to post. It has been a super busy summer so far. We have been swimming, working, playing, crafting, and chilling! Awesome!

1. We had a double birthday weekend last weekend. We celebrated Dad's 60th birthday (a little late) and Agata's 30th birthday. Overall, it was a great time full of lots of food and family.

2. On Saturday, the boys went fishing, so the girls went shopping. We had a great time, but my favorite was that we got to eat at my new favorite place, Picnic. They have the most delicious chicken salad and pimento cheese. Love it!

3. The girls have been having an awesome time in Egypt this week. FPC's VBS is a trip with Joseph from prison to palace. Lucy is learning so much and Grace is having a ball with her friends. It makes me so happy to see them having so much fun while learning all about God's love for us.

4. Since Biggest Loser is over for awhile, we have started watching America's Got Talent. After a pretty rocky start, Lucy and Grace love it too (unless there are power tools involved). They get so excited and trying hard to decide what their talent will be.

5. On the same note, Royal Pains is back for its second season and Psych starts in July! I love them both!

6. Grace has pretty much given up taking an afternoon nap. I am trying not to be too upset. We still have mandatory rest time from 1-3, but sleep is usually not happening. It has alot to do with big sister around and not wanting to miss out on anything fun. One silver lining, is that she has fallen asleep in my lap just about every night this week. I love snuggling with my sweet little girl!

7. We took a trip to the dollar store last week for some crafting supplies. I am in the process of putting together a list of super easy, fun crafts and projects to occupy our long summer days. It is amazing how much you can do with a can of shaving cream and some food coloring.

8. Lucy lost another tooth... in her sleep. Last night she came into our room at midnight and told me she had pull her tooth. We went back up to her room and looked around, but we couldn't find it. I think she must have pulled it in her sleep. The funny thing is I don't remember it being very loose. Hopefully, the tooth fairy will find the missing tooth with her special tooth fairy senses and leave a little surprise!

Happy Thursday,

Cheapo Before and Afters

2010-06-09T13:31:00.011-05:00

So, I mentioned a while back about how I am addicted to Goodwill. Well, unfortunately, that addiction is has spread to the Dollar Tree, flea markets, or just about any place I can get a "good deal". It is amazing what a little spray paint, paper, glue and fabric can do for an item. It has been so fun seeing what kind of treasures I can find and then give a new, prettier life in our home.

Most of these ideas were copied from the millions of amazing blogs out there in cyber world. I have gotten so wrapped up in looking at all the great ideas out there, that I have to limit myself to nap time and after bedtime for surfing...If not, the girls would get pretty hungry and even dirtier!

These Dollar Tree frames became some much needed summer chore charts for the girls. Just a little spray paint and some scrapbook papers and embellishments. They are great cause we can just wipe off them off each week and start over. Unfortunately, getting the girls to do their chores, has not been as easy as this craft.

I first saw this idea here. Once I saw it, I was on the hunt for the items to make my own. Luckily, the Seguin Goodwill was where I hit the jackpot. I followed the instructions, except I decided to paint mine for all little lighter look for summer.

Judy and I found these horrible ugly plates at the Nautical Flea Market in Rockport a few weekends ago. With just a little heirloom white spray paint, it became a great addition to my summer beach look.

These little flowers are not a thrifty find, but they are cheap none the less. Just a couple bucks for fabric and buttons, and you will have plenty of these adorable little beauties. There are lots of tutorials on-line. I have actually made several different styles, but these are my favorite.

Looking forward to my next score,

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-06-03T19:34:00.005-05:00

1. We had an awesome weekend with the Laurences and Nana and Pawpaw. The girls loved having their cousins here and we got to watch some great baseball. Bennett's team is really good and it was very exciting to watch. We also had a blast swimming and fishing at the RV park. It was a blast.

2. Summer is here! I hope we can make it all summer with happy attitudes and more smiles than tears. I am working on a summer fun plan, so hopefully we will stick to it and keep busy.

3. We spent all day Monday in bed watching movies and recovering from our above mentioned awesome weekend with the cousins. Chris and I watched "It's Complicated". It was hilarious. Seriously, one of the funniest movies I have seen in awhile. I am not sure what that says about my age considering the main characters were decidedly older...

4. I am starting my summer work schedule this week. I am only going to be working 12 hours a week, so I can spend more quality time with the girls (see #2).

5. Since the Biggest Loser is over, we have decided to try out America's Got Talent. So far, Grace loves it and Lucy is scared. Apparently, the act that stapled their bodies and screwed things through their nasal passages freaked her out!

That's all folks,

Last Day of School

2010-06-03T18:23:00.004-05:00

I can hardly believe that today was the last day of school. It seems like just yesterday, we were dropping Lucy off for her first day of kindergarten. She has learned so much this year and made so many new friends. She loves to read and is a science buff. She is always asking questions and wanting to learn new things. She also stayed on green for the whole year (the only one in her class).

At the awards ceremony yesterday, she won the Principled Award, for always telling the truth and always trying to do the right thing. I was so proud. Her teacher told a story about Lucy that showed how truthful my little lady is. A few months ago, Lucy received a free ice cream coupon from the Clean Desk Fairy. She was very excited, but asked Mrs. Burkett to please call me and make sure it was ok. I had told her when eating lunch with her in the fall, that she wasn't allowed to buy ice cream at lunch unless I was there (This was after I witnessed just about every kiddo in the class buy ice cream with their lunch and eat it and nothing else!) After much convincing from her teacher and with a promise to email me, she did eat the ice cream at lunch. My little rule follower is too cute!

She was so lucky to have a great teacher this year. She loved Mrs. Burkett so much and has already asked to invite her to her birthday party.

We are super excited about summer! We have lots of fun plans, but also hope to spend lots of lazy days at the pool and hanging out with friends. Lucy is especially looking forward to Fine Arts camp in July. She has already asked 4 times today, if it is next week.

I sure hope we stay this positive all summer and that it is the greatest one yet!

First day of Kindergarten (What a difference a few months makes!)

Looking forward to three months of fun in the sun,

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-05-26T21:03:00.005-05:00

1. Gracie spent the first of the week in Geronimo with Poppy and Granny. She had a blast! They went to the park, children's muesem, Granny's school, and played like crazy. We missed her so much, and realized just how quiet the house can get. Lucy was just as excited as me to go and pick her up on Wednesday. I am so glad to have all my babies back under one roof! Thanks Granny and Poppy!

2. We were so happy with the Biggest Loser finale, even though Daris didn't win! Mike deserved the prize.

3. I am still working on the craft room. Hopefully, I will have some reveal pics soon.

4. Mom, Sara, and I spent another Saturday at Goodwill trolling for treasures. It has really become an obsession for me. I scored big this week with all the items needed to recreate this awesome project I saw a while back. I am so excited!

5. We are looking forward to a super fun weekend. The Laurences, as well as, Nana and Pawpaw are going to be in town for a long visit. Bennett is playing in a baseball tournament here in town, so we are going to be rooting for a win.

6. We have Amish bread coming out of our ears... Anyone want a starter or three?

Wishing you all have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend,

Quack and Waddle 2010

2010-05-25T21:21:00.006-05:00

Last Saturday was the Navarro ISD Duckfest. Team Evans/ Buskirk/ Varnell was there in full force for the 5k. It was a flat, out and back course (my least favorite) through the farm fields of Gernonimo, TX.

Dad put the hurt on all of us. It was Chris' first race and he did awesome. I was so proud of him. I recorded my fastest time yet, and Sara and I both placed in our age divisons. It was lots of fun.

After the race, they had games and activities for the kiddos. Grace and Lucy had a blast. The biggest event was the rubber duck race. They released thousands of rubber ducks in the creek and then let them race to the finish line. Unfortunately, the wind was working against the ducks, so they had to be coerced into racing.

Thinking about the next race,

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-05-13T19:26:00.002-05:00

Guess what...

This is my 200th post! Yeah me! I can't believe how much has happened and how little I remember about the last 2.5 years.

Since my sister has been doing her random roundup, I can't help but jump on the bandwagon. It is such a great way to capture the little things that happen during the week. So here is my very first installment of "Thoughtful Thursdays".

1. Grace and I went this week to meet the lady who will be babysitting the girls this summer while I work. It will only be one day a week, but it is still a really hard decision to make. The lady came highly recommended by a friend, so hopefully she will work out. She seemed really nice and was very attentive to Grace while we were there. She even gave her a banana when the other kids had a snack. Grace was also quick to point out that she lives right across the street from a "cool" park.

2. On the same note, Lucy only has 14 days of school left... what? I can't believe the school year has flown by so fast. She is going to be a first grader... Heaven help me!

3. Chris' new job is going great. The only drawback is that he is back to his old schedule of 6:30am-6:30pm. It really cuts into his time with us. This later schedule is also responsible for the increase in my wine intake. The witching hour with no daddy around is no fun for any of us... Yikes!

4. The girls and I did a little experiment this week. We took the leftover celery stalks and attempted to color the leaves. I remember doing it when I was little. The red and green did really great, but the purple did not work at all. Grace was very disappointed, since purple is the only color in her book.

5. I am in the process of redoing my craft room. I am attempting to do it for under $15 not counting the table Chris built me after Christmas. I am hoping it will turn out just like my vision. Stay tuned for pictures of the final redo. Along with the new and improved craft room, I have been busy turning out some serious projects. I will post pictures of those too when I get finished.

6. We tried out the new splash park in the neighborhood this week. It was really crowded, but has the potential to be a great spot for cooling off during the long summer.

7. Both the girls have been sick this week. Grace ran fever on Monday, so we missed work on Tuesday. All seemed fine on Wednesday, until Lucy drug her little mopey self off the bus. Sure enough, she had a fever. So we are home again today. We did go to the doctor this morning, just to be told it is a virus. I was hoping for a little drug action to kick this bug to the curb. I really can't miss any more work. I hate to sound like a heartless mommy, but when you work hourly you can't miss many hours without it taking a serious bite out of the old paycheck!

Hopefully, I can keep this up (and didn't bore anyone too much). It is kinda fun to just write about the random things that are going on during our week. The good, the bad, and the boring!

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-05-13T16:27:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the second installment of Thoughtful Thursday (aka. Copying My Sister's Great Idea). We have had a relatively uneventful week around our world.

1. We had an impromptu game night on Saturday. It was a great time (with great friends) and so much more fun because of the relative spontaneity. Unfortunately, the boys won in pictionary again. We know they cheat, we just can't seem to prove it!

2. Bring on the Duckfest... I am running in my 4th 5K on Saturday. Chris, Sara, and Poppy will be joining me. For some reason, I am super nervous this time. I think it revolves around the fact that Chris will probably beat me and then I will have to deal with his grandstanding for days on end... Not fun.

3. Grace's last day of school was Wednesday. She has grown up so much this year. She is so much fun to be around and constantly makes us laugh. Her new favorite saying is "Guess what?". Tonight when it was time for bed, Lucy took off up the stairs to brush her teeth. She told Grace that she was going to win. Grace nonchalantly responded, "It isn't always a race, Lucy." Too funny!

4. Chris has been waiting somewhat patiently for today for several months. He is off to Margaritaville. No lie... he laid out his coconut bra before bed on Wednesday night. The man is a parrothead to the extreme!

5. We love the Biggest Loser. Even the girls are into it. We usually let them watch the first hour before bedtime and then we watch the rest after they go to sleep. We can hardly wait for the Finale next week. I am really bummed that my fave Daris is struggling at home. I hope he gets into the final 3.

That all folks,

Jam Packed Weekend

2010-05-10T17:32:00.005-05:00

What an awesome Mother's Day weekend! It was full of fun activites and even better company.

Sara and I started off the weekend, with a 5K run. We competed in the Pearland 10th annual Pear Run. The weather was perfect and we both managed to finish in one piece :). We literally crossed the finish line together, but her size 10 feet managed to record a time that was .1 second faster than me. I am considering investing in some clown shoes so that it won't happen again. Our next race is in 2 weeks, so hopefully we can improve our time a little.

Mom came into town right after the race and we all headed out to Froberg's for a little strawberry picking. It was our second time this year to go and pick strawberries, but this time we had a specific purpose. We were planning an all day jam making party.

We took the yummy berries home, then spent the next 5 hours cutting, measuring, stirring (Thanks, Agata!), and processing 3 batches of the yummiest jam. We even ate some of the extra on ice cream for dessert after supper. It was is so good. I have to make myself ration it, so that it will last longer than two weeks.

On Sunday, the girls surprised me with some awesome Mother's Day gifts (Yeah, for my topsy turvy). For breakfast, we had biscuits, bacon, and a quarter of a jar of jam. Seriously, it is the bomb.

After breakfast, Dad arrived and Sara, Mom, and I went and got pedicures. It was a great way to start off the day. I think we should make it a tradition. After our toes were beautified, we headed over to Sara and Justin's for lunch. It was a great afternoon. The girls played and we all sat around and relaxed.

It was an amazing weekend, spent with my wonderful family. They remind me everyday how much I am loved and how much I love them!

Loving my life,

Time to Swim

2010-05-04T21:52:00.007-05:00

WO HOO! Swim time is here again! We spent the weekend in Rockport and the girls couldn't wait to get in the pool. Lucy was like a fish again. She loves it! I think she only got out once and that was for a potty break. Besides that, we literally had to drag her out for dinner.

Gracie loved it too, but spent most of her time taking the floaties off and on. She would put them on, swim around for about 5 mins, then take them off. After a 2 minute drink break, she would put the floaties back on and get back in the pool. This continued for the whole afternoon.

Looking for gills on my girls,

Poppy's Garden - UPDATE!

2010-04-20T21:33:00.006-05:00

I posted a few weeks ago about planting Poppy's garden over the Easter weekend. This weekend when we went back, things are already popping up and looking great! We even had some yummy lettuce from the garden on our sandwiches on Saturday.

I can hardly wait until the first BIG harvest!

I had to throw in a cute picture of Grace and Chris. I love that I caught this cute little moment! I think they count double!

Grow veggies grow,

We are Crafty, baby!

2010-04-20T20:57:00.009-05:00

Saturday, we all packed up in the Buskirk-mobile and ventured back to Geronimo for my cousin's baby shower. It was a trip packed full of giggles, singing, craftiness, and just a few whines.

On the way, Sara and I had to finish up a couple of our projects for the shower. We created our first joint diaper cake for sweet baby Graedon. We each created our own "specialties" and then put them all together for a super awesome baby creation. Sara is the queen of the sewing machine and made the cutest sock monster and taggie blanket. She also created her own version of name blocks. I put together a few burp cloths, a wipee case, and a baseball cap for the little man.

I think it turned out super cute, if I do say so myself!

I just love creating with my sister. She is so super crafty and just plain fun to hang out with. I am so blessed that we live so close that we can constantly keep our creative juices flowing together. Luckily, our men are relatively supportive of our crafty habit!

Addicted to Crafting,

P.S. I am trying something new today and linking this to a linky party. I have loved all the awesome creations highlighted at Somewhat Simple. Head on over and take a look for yourself!

Lucy Goosey lost her Toothy(s)!

2010-04-20T20:22:00.005-05:00

My big girl has lost her first tooth! I had to wait a whole week to make the announcement because she wanted to surprise Poppy and Granny when we saw them on Saturday.

But now that the cat is out of the bag, here is the story. Her permanent teeth were already coming in and we needed to get those baby teeth out. We had been wiggling and wiggling for over a week. Chris and I tried to convince her to tie a string around it and let us pull it out. Then we tried to get her to pull it herself. We even tried an apple and a starburst. Nothing was working, but that little baby tooth was just hanging by a thread. Super Mom to the rescue... I had to finally "pull" it out. It was a little traumatic for all of us, but in the end she was so proud of herself.

The tooth fairy came by and left a treat and even a little fairy dust behind! Lucy was so excited!

So today, she lost the second one. It came out with a lot less drama but just as much excitement. She ran right up stairs and put it in the pillow. As we were saying goodnight, she was already asking what the tooth fairy might bring this time and if I thought she would leave any more fairy dust.

If you can tell in the picture above she has one more little tooth hanging out in the middle by itself. It is barely hanging in there and I am betting it will be out by the end of the week. Her permanent teeth are already coming in and look ginormous compared to the baby ones.

I feel like a broken record, but what happened to my babies. It seems like life is speeding by at light speed and I am barely able to keep up. It is such a gratifying ride, but can't it just slow down for a bit??

Hoping for fairy dust,

I'm not 2 anymore...

2010-04-14T20:41:00.009-05:00

Those were the first words out of Grace's mouth this morning. She has been so excited about her birthday. We have been talking about (and celebrating) it for weeks. We started out with a trip to Sea World over the Easter break (stay tuned for an upcoming post). Then Nana and Pawpaw came and took her to Build-a-bear last weekend for a pre-birthday treat. Today we had 3-shaped pancakes and

fruity pebble treats at school. Her teachers made her this cute crown to wear. They said she was so excited all day. When it was time to pass out the treats, she made all her classmates sit in their seats before they got their treat. Funny!

We played outside for awhile and acted pretty silly. It looks like she is running for office! Her campaign slogan... " I am fwee!"

I even was able to coax a few sweet smiles out of her. It is amazing what you can get, when there is 2 dozen purple cupcakes waiting inside!

Finally, it was time for the party. The Buskirks and Kurt and Agata came for dinner (spaghetti and meatballs), presents, and cupcakes! Grace had a blast. It was so great to see her so excited! She dove right into the presents and gave lots of sweet thank you hugs!

It wouldn't be Grace's birthday without purple cupcakes. They were really yummy (if I do say so myself) and were gone in no time!

All in all, it was an awesome day! I can't believe my baby is already 3. Where did the time go? I am so happy sad, I can't even explain it. I am so proud of Grace. She has such a sweet spirit, a giving heart, and a heavy dose of silly personality! She makes our days so much more fun and always keeps us on our toes. She is so excited about being a big girl, but I already miss my little baby!

Happy Birthday, Gracie! I hope this year is filled with all the giggles a little girl can handle! We love you past the stars and back!

Thinking 3 kids can't be that much harder,