new wheels

We got some new wheels for the baby.
The old infant car seat we have was from Naomi.
It was outdated when she used it.
We didn't know any better at the time.

The old one is a 3 point harness
(over the shoulders and between the legs)
and we found out shortly after she was born that
we really needed to be using a 5 point harness
(over the shoulders, by the hips, and between the legs).

Yes, two of our kids survived with the 3-point harness car seat,
but we figured it's better to be up to safety code,
than save a few bucks...
plus we got some gift cards at our surprise shower ,
so we had help paying for it!!!

I'm really excited about this stroller!
The handle moves so you can push from either direction!!!
It's the small things in life, really.

Yes, my awesome husband reads directions!!!

So the handle can go this way
(when the baby's not in the car seat it will be nice
to have the option to look at the kid in the stroller)

Or it can go this way, so when the baby is in the car seat we can still look at it.

I love this yellow and gray fabric...wonder where Graco got it.

That's our fun and exciting third kid purchase!!!

camera case

I've been having a few false alarm days...
I was at Walmart the other day during one of those moments...
and I knew we needed a new little point and shoot camera,
so I picked one up.
I got the Canon PowerShot SD1300 Digital Elph.

So far, I love it.
it is small
it doesn't have too bad of a delay,
it takes video
it will help us capture more of the everyday moments
for when the BIG camera is just too BIG.

So, I want to keep it in my purse...
but my purse could be a dangerous place for a camera...
so I decided to make a little case for my camera.
This is what I came up with.

Here's the front.

This is the back

And the front with the flap open

I made a little pocket on the inside for a memory card.
.
Anyone else need a new little camera case?
What little point and shoot camera do you use?

what's your guess???

I posted this at Trendy Treehouse yesterday...
so if you read it there you don't have to read it again.
BUT
I will have two different prizes, so if you want to guess again,
go ahead!

Well, I've made it to 37 weeks and 4 days pregnant.
I've only got 17 days to go.
I really thought I was going to have this baby on Friday...
but that did not happen.

So, here are some recent photos of the baby belly for you!

The top view makes it look much bigger don't you think?

I've been busy crafting, sewing and cleaning.
The nesting bug has hit me hard...and my home thanks me!
Although my house is far from clean many things that
haven't been cleaned in a while are now clean.

I love to make things for my kids.
So I thought it would be great to make some shirts
for them to wear once the baby comes.

Here they are.
I used a little steam-a-seam 2
which is a double sided fusible interfacing.
That stuff is amazing!!!!
Once ironed on it's permanent, but I chose to sew the letters down too,
to add a little more character and stability.

I did get the boys shirts finished and all sewn too!





So, here's my question...
will we need THIS combination of shirts...

or THIS combination of shirts?


Let's have a little contest!!! Shall we???
Leave a comment with your guess as to the gender of the baby
and when the baby will make its appearance.

I obviously have two kids already, a girl and a boy.
They were both born a week before their due date.
My actual due date for this baby is October 13th.
I do not know the gender of the baby.

Whoever guesses the closest to the actual birthday
and time of day (approximate) and gender
will get a small prize from me!
And when I say small I mean it, I have something fun,
but it's nothing huge or elaborate...
I will have just had a baby so you gotta cut me some slack!

Oh and whichever onesie we don't end up needing will be in my etsy store later!
Guess away!!!

our family/maternity photo session

I love meeting new people.
Especially new photographer people!
Since I get to help judge the Shutter Love photos over
at Trendy Treehouse I get to see lots
of photos, and photographers.

I get to pour over awesome photography websites,
and find lots of new, awesome blogs.
One such blog caught my eye.
Her photos were clear, crisp, and gorgeous.
And then I noticed it...
right there in the side bar it said
Location: San Antonio.
(it's not there anymore, but I swear it was there).
I was excited.
I knew I wanted to get some family
and maternity photos done before baby arrived.

So, I contacted Tracey and we worked out a deal
and last Monday we met at the Japanese Tea Garden
for the family/maternity session.

The kids did great with the session and
yes Micah was "over it" before anyone else,
but can you blame the little dude?
Check out some of my favorites.





















Tracey, you did a great job of capturing our family!
Thanks so much!
I CANNOT wait to return the favor and meet sweet little Ella!!!

Tracey blogged some more of the photos here and here.

this house...this home

This location, this place, this house,
is where I laid my head for 13 years straight
and for over 21 years on and off (after I got married that is).

This location, this place, this house,
is currently on the market,
trying to be sold.
Looking for someone to care for it and
look after it and enjoy it.
Looking for someone to fill it with their memories.
And truthfully, that makes me a little sad.

This location, this place, this house,
was once white, then blue and now brown.
The walls were wallpapered, then painted, then faux finished.
The floors were vinyl, then carpeted now hardwood covers them.
The bedrooms were filled with children, then teens,
now guests and grandchildren.
The backyard has always been spacious
(they never put in the pool I asked for)
but now has a little less room because of the
AWESOME porch and three season room
(complete with hot-tub - their version of the pool I suppose).

This location, this place, this house,
is filled with memories for me.
Camping in the backyard, riding my bike on the long driveway,
shooting hoops in the driveway, parking my first car on the driveway,
my first kiss while standing on the driveway,
countless parties during high school and college
(surprise parties and otherwise)
sleepovers, family gatherings, graduation parties,
opening gifts after our wedding,
bringing new babies to see their grandpa for the first time,
the list goes on and on and on.

This location, this place, this house,
will be hard to not see anymore.
It will be hard to envision my parents someplace else.
Someplace that I may never see.
Someplace where I may not get to create memories.
Someplace without me.
Yes, that does sound very selfish...but that's just how I feel right now.

Their new place, wherever it may be, will be a temporary home,
then they will travel overseas and experience a whole new,
exciting, totally awesome, makes me jealous chapter in their lives.



This location, this place, this house,
has covered this family, has surrounded us,
has kept us safe in good times and bad.

But this location, this place, this house,
is just that,
a location, a place, a house,
the HOME will always be with my parents.
The place we will come back to for years,
to build new memories, new stories,
to add new faces to the photos.

My parents will be moving their home overseas for at least a year
and maybe longer come January 2011.
They will be serving the people in Indonesia.
They are in St. Louis today for training at the LCMS Headquarters.
They will learn more about their service to the people in Indonesia
and what their time there will consist of and look like.

I am very excited for them.
Very thrilled at their willingness to serve in the unknown.
Very much in awe of their servants hearts.
And also a little jealous, and sad.

So, as memories of this house still surround us,
it's not the house that holds the memories,
but our HOME,
our HEARTS.

Someday another family will call this location, this place, this house,
their OWN and will build their own memories.
We'll remember the house fondly but the memories will always go with us.
And we'll be able to create new ones in a new
location, a new place, a new house,
but our HOME will remain the same.
Our home with Christ as the head!

surprise shower

Last Saturday was the annual Elders dinner at our head elders house.
All the elders and their wives gather for a good meal and good conversation
outside of the church setting.
It's a great time to get to know people better,
and to socialize with our fellow workers!

At the end of the amazing dinner they surprised Greg and I
with a little "shower" of gifts.
We were truly surprised and feel so blessed by their kindness.

I think we're officially all set with newborn and size 1 diapers!!
We got some gift cards so we can get those last minute
"gotta have it" things that we've forgotten about.
And we got some great handmade quilts, blankets, a bag and burp rags.
We are so excited for this little one to come and
it helps to have a great and supportive church body too.

free diamond earrings *giveaway*

Yes, you heard me right...
would you like your very own pair of FREE
diamond stud earrings?

Okay, okay, so they're not REAL diamond earrings,
but you'd be none the wiser by just looking at these beauties!
They come shipped in the cutest little red heart velvet box
and not only do they look gorgeous in the box,
they look gorgeous on my ears...
and they'll look good on yours as well!

I've never had diamond earrings so I cannot compare
these to the real thing, but I think they look awesome.
It instantly shifted my drab outfit to something fabulous.
Isn't that crazy?
That a little diamond earring could make my
whole appearance look better.
Maybe it was just the smile on my face that made it all seem better.




Okay, so what's the catch?
Well, there isn't one really.
The nice people at Diamond Earrings have given me
this gorgeous pair of diamond stud earrings
and they'd like to give one to you as well.

Anyone can go get a pair of these gorgeous earrings
right now for only $3.77.
That's TOTALLY worth it.
Think Christmas!

They are giving away these earrings for a limited time
in exchange for some advertising...smart on their part if you ask me.
All you have to do is mention them on your facebook page,
blog or twitter and then pay s&h ($3.77)
and the gorgeous earrings are yours!

But you can also win a pair here and not have to pay the s&h.

Here's how to enter the giveaway...
Leave a comment telling me who you'd give the diamond earrings too...
and if you'd keep them for yourself that's okay too.

Extra entries:
1) Blog, tweet or facebook about this offer and include their website www.diamondearrings.org
2) Become a follower of Pure Joy
(or let me know that you're already a follower)

The giveaway will be open until Sept. 30th
at which time I'll use Random.org to pick a winner.
Please be sure to leave an email address
(or have one visible in your account)
so I can contact you if you win!

the dress and tie

Here are some better photos of the dress I made for Naomi.
It was a pattern my friend Amy had...See & Sew pattern 3889.
It was a simple pattern that even pattern illiterate people (like me) can do.
Naomi loved the dress long so I didn't hem it quite as short as the pattern suggested.
She's all about dresses that cover the shoes...
even though this one did not cover her shoes she still loved it.
It has a pretty good twirl factor too.
She wore it to church on Sunday but I totally forgot to get a photo of her in it.
So you'll just have to see it on the hanger.





I love these labels that Bonnie gave me.
Helps Naomi know which is the back of the dress too.


I made this tie for Micah.
Greg got it on him for the wedding,
but it was off him about 10 minutes later...
didn't even get a photo of him wearing it.
But he did look super cute.



The tutorial and pattern for the tie are from here.