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Yesterday, today, and tomorrow...

Published on 1.30.2012 in

Yesterday a 22 month old little girl lost her battle with leukemia. One of her family members was a close friend of mine. In her last few hours, the doctors moved her to a big bed so her parents could hold her as she slipped away.

Tomorrow I'm going to remember little miss Paxten and pray for patience, love, understanding, and thankfulness with the mini's.

And today? Well, today I'm going to play tag, and hide and go seek, and ring around the Rosie, and whatever else my boys ask me to do. The blog will come later. Because you never know when there's not going to be a tomorrow.



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Friday's Favorites...garage sale find...

Published on 1.27.2012 in , ,

I found these awesome beaded candle rings at a garage sale last summer for $.25 each.

I loved the idea of using them as Valentine's Day decor, but thought they'd be a little more fun shaped like a heart.
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Some bending later...and voila! Super cute decor.  For $.50.

LOVE IT!

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Thursday Things I Never Thought I'd Hear...

Published on 1.26.2012 in ,

Mini #1 has become quite observant lately...

In Wal-Mart...

"Momma.  That lady has three kids!"

"You're right.  How many kids do I have?"

"Two...and Daddy."

Brilliant.  He's absolutely brilliant.

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The Mantel Chronicles... Valentine's edition...

Published on 1.25.2012 in , ,

Who doesn't love a little red and love in his or her life?
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...fun fact...my roommate (and great friend) gave me this poster while Engineering Man was deployed...
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...Oh, and my cousin (and great friend) knows my affinity toward lanterns and gave me the one above for Christmas this past year...


The other two black and white photos are from Engineering Man and I's engagement shoot that was done by my college roommate (and great friend)  The Cake Chick!...
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How are you preparing for Valentine's Day? Any new decorations up??

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DIY of the week...a Pinterest inspiration...

Published on 1.24.2012 in , ,

A while back I saw this great idea on Pinterest for a Valentine's day wreath that's not...well, cutesy...



















...at least not SUPER cutesy...

:)

So, I figured out a way to make my own.  

I used a long "berry" strand, cut it in half, and used floral wire to tie it into the shape of an "X".

Then, using more floral wire, I attached it to a "O" wreath I already had.  
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What do you think?  I know, not as cute as the original...but mine was FREE!...

What Pinterest project have you done lately??

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Monday's Week in Review...

Published on 1.23.2012 in ,

I of course, again, forgot my camera more often than I had it.  

Awesome, right?

So, here's what I took pictures of, and I'll try to do better this week. 

The week included learning to do dishes...
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...a trip north from this...
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...to this...
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...Ri-dic-u-lous!!!...

...we danced with a caterpillar...
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...and learned to stand on our head...
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...all by ourselves...
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...even mini #2 got in on the action...
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...Papa made some improvements to the hideout...
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...that included this cool bucket...
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...and well, when you're an electrician, you HAVE to have an electrical plug...
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...we stomped in the snow...
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...and followed Papa...
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...went sledding...
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...before passing out...
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...and blowing up ships with cousins!!...
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...the rest of the weekend including driving, seeing Wichita friends, and having a blast at church before FINALLY taking down the "winter" decorations...
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I think coming back to 70* weather made me happy to put some red up.  Updates on house decor will be up this week!

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Friday's Favorites...made in America...

Published on 1.20.2012 in , ,

I've started to understand the importance of handmade and "Made in America."  

Let's just say I'm on the bandwagon that China doesn't need any more of our money.

No, I'm not going psycho with checking all my children's clothing to make sure we're feeling the American love, but I have started to do little things when possible.

Namely checking the label on the yarn I use...

Yep, that' right...I'm already making my stuff in America, so why not use stuff that's made in America?  

So, I recently found this...
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...hello gorgeous...
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Anyone want something Made in America?

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Thursday Things I Never Thought I'd Hear...

Published on 1.19.2012 in ,

Mini #1 was running circles in the living room, slamming in to my chair and stopping.  I'd then ask him a question, to have him give me the "answer password".  Then, I'd put down my footrest and he'd go past.

One question was...

"What's mommy's favorite drink?"

(I thought his answer would be coffee as I drink it EVERY morning...and he knows mommy's not happy without coffee...  Nope... he went a different route...)

"Alcohol."

Well played, child...well played.

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This one time while Facebook stalking...

Published on 1.18.2012 in

...I came across a post of an up and coming photographer in the Seneca, KS area.

I'd been following her Facebook page...Capture (Photography by Kayla Stallbaumer)...ever since a friend of mine had his son's pictures taken by her.

Gorgeous photos by the way, and just the type of photographer I would want my pictures taken by.

Anyway, she had happened to say she was looking for diaper covers...

*lighbulb*

After a couple of quick email exchanges, we'd worked out a fantastic idea, and now she'll be using my stuff as props, and will be "selling" them in her studio!!

Be on the lookout for some awesome promo shots.  Oh, and while you're at it, click on the link above and follow her page on Facebook!

And Kayla...thanks for being so great!!

Your first package is on its way!


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It's GIVEAWAY time!!!

Published on 1.17.2012 in

But not here...no no no.  

This time, my awesome friend Brooke over at B in Real Life is doing a giveaway for me!

Head on over to her page...
B in Real Life...follow the instructions and be entered to win a creation of your choice from me.  

What'll you choose?  A hat, a scarf, or one of those cute headbands with flowers??

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Monday's Week in Review...

Published on 1.16.2012 in

I sat down this morning to do my week in review and realized I hadn't taken a picture this week.

Well, scratch that, I did...they were all of crocheted stuff!  :)

So, a week in review without pictures...sorry about this!!

The week included the beginning and end of potty training...Mini #2 is still in diapers...

...a picnic at the park...

...movies with daddy...

...Mini #1 reading "S...T...O...P... Stop" on our bike ride...

...really getting in to working out and still not losing a friggin' pound...might be that chocolate cake we had laying around...

...70* days in Texas...

...and LOTS of crocheting!!

Check back tomorrow for some super fun news!!!

Oh, and there will be some on Wednesday too!!

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Happy Birthday Mom!

Published on 1.14.2012 in ,

Mini #1 picked out your birthday present...
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Enjoy!

Oh, and on a side note...the following conversation took place:

"Hey mom...can I try out Grandma's birthday present?"

"No."

"But mom...Grandma can share!!!"

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Friday's Favorites...Redi Shades...

Published on 1.13.2012 in ,

Mini #2 was not sleeping last week.  At all...

Finally, one night at 2 am after the third time he had woken up... I asked him the following...
"What's wrong?  Are you scared??"

"(lip trembling) Yeah."

"What are you scared of??"

He pointed to the ceiling and made his alligator/monster munching noise...

Oh crap...

The streetlight was coming in through his arch window and casting a shadow from his ceiling fan onto the ceiling.  

It really did look like a giant monster mouth with teeth.

UGH.

So, the next day I took off for a local hardware store and found this beauty...
 

















...yep...$19 later Mini #2 was only waking up one time a night.
We've had a much happier household...




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Thursday Things I Never Thought I'd Hear...

Published on 1.12.2012 in ,

We were on our way home from church and called my parents...

...who were NOT at church, and were instead golfing...

...please note, this is extremely rare for my family...

Mom asked us where we had been, I said, in church, where we usually are on Sunday mornings.

I heard in the background dad say, 

"It's better to be on the golf course thinking about God than in church thinking about golfing."

Wow...true, but WOW...

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Happy Birthday Dad!!

Published on 1.11.2012 in

Your present is on it's way...

...but I have to give you a hint...

...it has something to do with tomorrow's post...

;)



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Monday's Week in Review...

Published on 1.09.2012 in , ,

This week included a new hiding place...
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...Wii with the family...
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...kisses...
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...and belated Christmas presents...
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...a purple birthday...
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...ugh...the cuteness...
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...a trip down to the stockyards...
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...where the kids were put in jail...
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...and then got lollipops...
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...yes, mini #2 is holding onto my cousin's finger and eating at the same time...DSC_0473

...we rode a horse...
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...and cheered for the Wildcats...
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...oh, and saw some Longhorns...
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...the boys climbed a fence...
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...and we took a picture...yes, I'm wearing purple...
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...this mini played Operando...
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...while this mini just giggled...
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...and this mini looked super cute in her new cowboy hat!...
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...the boys played on ipads...
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...and the littlest ones, well, let's just say this didn't turn out well...
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...we had chili...WITHOUT beans...
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...and I received a super awesome present from my mama...her button collection!...DSC_0546

Happy Monday!