Wednesday, May 26, 2010
a new little blessing
We've got another little lady in the family.
Greg's sister, Holly had her third child,
first girl,
first girl,
yesterday morning.
Kiley Joy
10:3am
8lbs 1oz
20 inches long
lots of dark hair
and she looks a bit like her brothers did.
Can't wait to share some photos of her,
when I get some!!!
Monday, May 24, 2010
a time to knit
Do you knit?
I've never learned how,
but SOMEDAY I would love to.
Probably when I'm in the nursing home!
Well a nice young lady from church who
is VERY helpful to me in watching and playing
with my kids all the time...
is obsessed with knitting!
She's actually knitting me some baby hats for my photography!
She suggested that I make a little knitting needle roll
(sorta like all the crayon rolls that everyone has).
I thought that it would be pretty easy...and it was.
It was just like a crayon roll, but on a bigger scale.
Sarah loves her needle roll and I've made another one for my shop...
(which I'll add soon)
and I'll be adding more as time permits!!
I've never learned how,
but SOMEDAY I would love to.
Probably when I'm in the nursing home!
Well a nice young lady from church who
is VERY helpful to me in watching and playing
with my kids all the time...
is obsessed with knitting!
She's actually knitting me some baby hats for my photography!
She suggested that I make a little knitting needle roll
(sorta like all the crayon rolls that everyone has).
I thought that it would be pretty easy...and it was.
It was just like a crayon roll, but on a bigger scale.
Sarah loves her needle roll and I've made another one for my shop...
(which I'll add soon)
and I'll be adding more as time permits!!
Shameless self promotion...
pathetic I know...
pathetic I know...
Saturday, May 22, 2010
life, in spite of me: book review and giveaway
About This BookShe wanted to die.
God had other plans.
Why does my life have to be so painful?
What’s wrong with me?
It’s not going to get better.
It could all be over soon, and then I won’t hurt anymore.
Kristen Anderson thought she had the picture-perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook: three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could trust. She soon spiraled into a seemingly bottomless depression.
One January night, the seventeen-year-old decided she no longer wanted to deal with the emotional pain that smothered her. She lay down on a set of cold railroad tracks and waited for a freight train to send her to heaven…and peace.
But Kristen's story doesn’t end there. In Life, In Spite of Me this remarkably joyful young woman shares the miracle of her survival, the agonizing aftermath of her failed suicide attempt, and the hope that has completely transformed her life, giving her a powerful purpose for living. Her gripping story of finding joy against all odds provides a vivid and unforgettable reminder that life is a gift to be treasured.
Includes notes of encouragement Kristen wishes she had received when she was struggling most.
What’s wrong with me?
It’s not going to get better.
It could all be over soon, and then I won’t hurt anymore.
Kristen Anderson thought she had the picture-perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook: three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could trust. She soon spiraled into a seemingly bottomless depression.
One January night, the seventeen-year-old decided she no longer wanted to deal with the emotional pain that smothered her. She lay down on a set of cold railroad tracks and waited for a freight train to send her to heaven…and peace.
But Kristen's story doesn’t end there. In Life, In Spite of Me this remarkably joyful young woman shares the miracle of her survival, the agonizing aftermath of her failed suicide attempt, and the hope that has completely transformed her life, giving her a powerful purpose for living. Her gripping story of finding joy against all odds provides a vivid and unforgettable reminder that life is a gift to be treasured.
Includes notes of encouragement Kristen wishes she had received when she was struggling most.
My Review
What an incredible story of grace, hope, second chances and renewed faith. Kristen nad Tricia do an amazing job of telling Kristen's story in a very engaging manner. The story kept me wanting to read more and I actually finished the book in one day. I really enjoyed this story and found myself nodding along in understanding at some points. Kristen was really blessed with a second chance at life and she did amazing things to further God's kingdom with her second chance. This is a wonderful story for people who are struggling and others who may know someone who is struggling with certain issues. This is a great book of encouragement, hope and second chances, a great read for anyone.Read More
You can read a excerpt of the book here.
Win This Book
You can win this book simply by posting a comment on this post.
Leave your name and email address so I can contact you if you win!
You can win this book simply by posting a comment on this post.
Leave your name and email address so I can contact you if you win!
I will pick a winner on Thursday June 3rd and announce the winner on June 4th.
This book and the giveaway copy were provided to me free of charge by WaterBrook Multnomah
Thursday, May 20, 2010
born to ride
As soon as I saw this shirt,
(at I am Mama Hear me Roar)
I knew just who I was going to make one for.
My godson Asher has a father who LOVES to bike.
He's a racer and a road bike man.
I'm pretty sure Asher will be biking alongside dad soon,
if he's not already.
So, I decided to make Asher his own "born to ride" shirt
for his birthday!!
Mine is no where as good as Cheri's,
but still cute none-the-less.
(at I am Mama Hear me Roar)
I knew just who I was going to make one for.
My godson Asher has a father who LOVES to bike.
He's a racer and a road bike man.
I'm pretty sure Asher will be biking alongside dad soon,
if he's not already.
So, I decided to make Asher his own "born to ride" shirt
for his birthday!!
Mine is no where as good as Cheri's,
but still cute none-the-less.
Make sure to check out I am Mama!You will NOT be dissapointed!!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
enter the book giveaway
Don't forget to enter the book giveaway!
The entries will be closed at midnight on the Thursday 20th
and the winner chosen then with random.org.
So, make sure to go back to the book post
and just leave a comment and consider yourself entered.
It's a good book!!!
The entries will be closed at midnight on the Thursday 20th
and the winner chosen then with random.org.
So, make sure to go back to the book post
and just leave a comment and consider yourself entered.
It's a good book!!!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
tracer pages
I found these a while ago,
and then found them again
(well, because I was looking for them).
There are lots of GREAT homeschooling resources out there.
And I mean lots. So many you may not know where to start.
While we're still not 100% decided on homeschooling or not,
one thing is certain...Naomi needs things to do!
SOooo, why not teach her a thing or two while she's playing right?
Well, enter the tracer pages.
You know, dotted line letters, dashed lines and some arrows.
Well, doing the alphabet is great.
All kids need to learn how to write the alphabet.
But I found a site that goes a step beyond just the alphabet.
This site has CUSTOM TRACER PAGES!
Yes, CUSTOM!
You get to put in the letters, write what you want, how you want to.
Either all lower case, all upper case or Title case.
I made lots of pages for Naomi with all three of her names.
Hopefully she'll be writing her name without tracer pages
by the end of the summer! (we'll see)
But seriously go check it out and have some fun!
Oh and there's LOTS of alphabet tracer pages too!
and then found them again
(well, because I was looking for them).
There are lots of GREAT homeschooling resources out there.
And I mean lots. So many you may not know where to start.
While we're still not 100% decided on homeschooling or not,
one thing is certain...Naomi needs things to do!
SOooo, why not teach her a thing or two while she's playing right?
Well, enter the tracer pages.
You know, dotted line letters, dashed lines and some arrows.
Well, doing the alphabet is great.
All kids need to learn how to write the alphabet.
But I found a site that goes a step beyond just the alphabet.
This site has CUSTOM TRACER PAGES!
Yes, CUSTOM!
You get to put in the letters, write what you want, how you want to.
Either all lower case, all upper case or Title case.
I made lots of pages for Naomi with all three of her names.
Hopefully she'll be writing her name without tracer pages
by the end of the summer! (we'll see)
But seriously go check it out and have some fun!
Oh and there's LOTS of alphabet tracer pages too!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
sewn cards
I love to make cards.
I love to sew.
Why not combine both loves,
into one cute, easy project,
with high impact!The first time I did these type
of cards was with our MOPS group.
I was in charge of crafts and we made
these cards for Mother's Day.
I love the Make and Takes website
and this is a good example of why!
So, I was thinking of making a set of
"all occasion" sewn cards to put in my etsy shop.
Always trying to find things I can sell,
to make a little money for the family...
what do you think?
Good idea?
Skip it?
What occasions would you want in a
"set" of cards?
I love to sew.
Why not combine both loves,
into one cute, easy project,
with high impact!
The first time I did these typeof cards was with our MOPS group.
I was in charge of crafts and we made
these cards for Mother's Day.
I love the Make and Takes website
and this is a good example of why!
So, I was thinking of making a set of
"all occasion" sewn cards to put in my etsy shop.
Always trying to find things I can sell,
to make a little money for the family...
what do you think?
Good idea?
Skip it?
What occasions would you want in a
"set" of cards?
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
naomi funnies
Two quick funny Naomi stories for you.
Naomi doesn't like loud noise.
Even noises that aren't very loud receive a comment from her.
Last week in church the organ was a little louder than normal.
Dr. E started playing the pre-service music and Naomi said,
"That's too loud"
Then he finished his song and right on cue she says,
"THAT'S BETTER"
now, she didn't scream it, but you know what its like
when there's loud music then its super quiet....
I don't think everyone in church heard her but the people
around us did and they found it quite funny (so did I).
On Monday we did lots of running around,
took the van to Midas for an oil change,
they then told us we needed $800 worth of work.
So we took the van to our more trusted mechanic,
he said, it looked fine but we might want to get new tires.
So we took it to the tire store...got two new tires.
So, with all this running around we wore the kids out...
(there was a naptime in there somewhere)
and we decided to take them to CiCi's for dinner.
They ate their food and everything and once when I got up
to get Naomi another piece of pizza apparently she said,
with her elbow on the table and her hand on her head,
"she wears me out"
I of course didn't hear this but Greg tells me it was pretty funny.
I really don't say that too her much at all.
It's just crazy the things they pick up!
Naomi doesn't like loud noise.
Even noises that aren't very loud receive a comment from her.
Last week in church the organ was a little louder than normal.
Dr. E started playing the pre-service music and Naomi said,
"That's too loud"
Then he finished his song and right on cue she says,
"THAT'S BETTER"
now, she didn't scream it, but you know what its like
when there's loud music then its super quiet....
I don't think everyone in church heard her but the people
around us did and they found it quite funny (so did I).
On Monday we did lots of running around,
took the van to Midas for an oil change,
they then told us we needed $800 worth of work.
So we took the van to our more trusted mechanic,
he said, it looked fine but we might want to get new tires.
So we took it to the tire store...got two new tires.
So, with all this running around we wore the kids out...
(there was a naptime in there somewhere)
and we decided to take them to CiCi's for dinner.
They ate their food and everything and once when I got up
to get Naomi another piece of pizza apparently she said,
with her elbow on the table and her hand on her head,
"she wears me out"
I of course didn't hear this but Greg tells me it was pretty funny.
I really don't say that too her much at all.
It's just crazy the things they pick up!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
indivisible: book review and giveaway
About This Book
An inseparable bond.
An insatiable force.
Battling his own personal demons, Police Chief Jonah Westfall knows the dark side of life and has committed himself to eradicating it. When a pair of raccoons are found mutilated in Redford, Colorado, Jonah investigates the gruesome act, knowing the strange event could escalate and destroy the tranquility of his small mountain town. With a rising drug threat and never-ending conflict with Tia Manning, a formidable childhood friend with whom he has more than a passing history, Jonah fights for answers—and his fragile sobriety.
You can hear an interview with the author here.
You can purchase this book for $13.99 here.
Or you can win this book by leaving me a comment on this post.
Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!!
One comment/entry per person!
Winners will be chosen with random.org on Thursday May 20th and announced on Friday.
This book was sent to me free of charge to review and giveaway by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
An inseparable bond.
An insatiable force.
Battling his own personal demons, Police Chief Jonah Westfall knows the dark side of life and has committed himself to eradicating it. When a pair of raccoons are found mutilated in Redford, Colorado, Jonah investigates the gruesome act, knowing the strange event could escalate and destroy the tranquility of his small mountain town. With a rising drug threat and never-ending conflict with Tia Manning, a formidable childhood friend with whom he has more than a passing history, Jonah fights for answers—and his fragile sobriety.
But he can’t penetrate every wound or secret—especially one fueled by a love and guilt teetering on madness.
My review:
What a great book. This book has lots of twists and turns and keeps you turning the pages wanting more all the way to the very last page, although some pages can get graphic with mutilated animals and such. The characters are very likeable and have you rooting for them from the very first chapter. This is a book where characters learn to rely on God and learn to pray. Where characters learn to follow their hearts and continue to look to God for everything in their lives. Where characters learn to trust God and allow Him to penetrate their cold hearts. Again, what a great book...good to the last page!
From best-selling author Kristen Heitzmann comes a spellbinding tale of severed connections and the consequences of life lived alone.
Follow Kristen Heitzmann online at www.KristenHeitzmann.net.
You can hear an interview with the author here.
You can purchase this book for $13.99 here.
Or you can win this book by leaving me a comment on this post.
Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!!
One comment/entry per person!
Winners will be chosen with random.org on Thursday May 20th and announced on Friday.
This book was sent to me free of charge to review and giveaway by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
another diaper cake
After making the first diaper cake I had a request from a friend
to make a diaper cake for her friend who just had twins!
I was so excited to make another one...
and I'm going to list the "custom" diaper cakes in my etsy store! (in June)
This little cake was so fun to make.
I had Amy embroider the boys names on some burp cloths,
then sewed the ribbon on, and put them on the cake.
They make another great topper option don't you think?!
If you're in the market for a fun and practical baby gift,
consider the beautiful diaper cake!!!
Katherine, I forgot to mention in the note
for Beth that these are size 1 diapers!
to make a diaper cake for her friend who just had twins!
I was so excited to make another one...
and I'm going to list the "custom" diaper cakes in my etsy store! (in June)
This little cake was so fun to make.
I had Amy embroider the boys names on some burp cloths,
then sewed the ribbon on, and put them on the cake.
They make another great topper option don't you think?!
If you're in the market for a fun and practical baby gift,
consider the beautiful diaper cake!!!
Katherine, I forgot to mention in the notefor Beth that these are size 1 diapers!
Monday, May 10, 2010
yummy mummy week
If you've got time...check this out!
I'm posting over there on Friday!
There are giveaways going on all week!!
I'm posting over there on Friday!
There are giveaways going on all week!!
Sunday, May 09, 2010
happy mothers day
I love being a mom!
I love my mom!
The things we do for our kids!
Amazing!
The things our moms have done for us!
Amazing!
I love you mom!
Thanks for all the things you've done for me,
especially the unseen things that sometimes mean the most!
I am so grateful that God saw in His infinite wisdom
to allow me to be a mother to these two sweet, adorable children...
The things we do for our kids!
Amazing!
The things our moms have done for us!
Amazing!
I love you mom!
Thanks for all the things you've done for me,
especially the unseen things that sometimes mean the most!
I am so grateful that God saw in His infinite wisdom
to allow me to be a mother to these two sweet, adorable children...
...and this one too!!!!
Saturday, May 08, 2010
blog swap with Lanie J and co.
Hi there! So glad to be here today. Thank you Jamie for having me!
Hmmm, let's see... a little bit about me. I'm a stay at home mom to two of the most wonderful little girls who are the absolute lights in my life. I have a hardworking husband who provides well so I can be at home taking care of the details and persuing my dream of raising confident, creative children and having a creative career of my own.
"The Man" and I.
I have always loved crafting and creating items with my hands. Now I want to create art. Somewhere along the way, I lost the dream of becoming an artist and I want to fulfill it so that my children know that anything is possible. In an effort to encourage them to use their talents, I am trying to use my own to set a good example.
I love paper, I probably have more than I could ever possibly need. So, I find myself making cards, coasters and clothespin magnets with my stash. Here are a couple of my items from my Etsy shop Creations by Lanie.
I also do tutorials occasionally on my blog. My favorite I have done so far is chalkboard flower pots as teacher gifts.
I'd love for you to visit sometime. Take a look around and don't forget to say hello!
I hope you enjoy my blog, my crafts and eventually my art. Comments are so appreciated and I hope you will share your dreams and wishes too!
Make sure to say hi to Lanie and you can go visit me on her blog today!
Friday, May 07, 2010
baby belly
there you have it ladies and gentleman,my large and in charge 15 week baby belly.
(I'm currently at 17 weeks).
some days it looks bigger than others...
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