Getting my Christmas Craft on

Pinterest Creation

Here is one of the many craft ideas that I have drooled over on Pinterest. I wanted to make this one for my mommy as a early Christmas present this year...

This one, I wanted to make for my side door. I figured that since I've got a busy little mouse this year that I'd decorate the outside doors as my focal point instead of doing a tree that would be o so tempting for my girl.











What do you think? I had a bit of a hard time with this one. Upon further inspection, I realized that they had started with a black letter. I painted mine green which was a mistake. Black showing through looks right whereas Christmas green showing through looks cheap. I am still somewhat happy with the way it turned out. It just took a lot more time to try and fill in the places where the Christmas green showed through. And then I also tried to fix my mistake by using a jiffy to color the outside black. I think from a distance it actually looks good, but don't look up close please!

I am pretty happy with the way this one turned out. It was relatively easy. I may still adjust the top bow though as you can see it doesn't display right hanging from the door.

This is my next project from pinterest. I am going to do this one for our front door. I'll post photos when I'm done.

I spent 70 something dollars at Michaels today...
I'm not sure how that even happened, although I am having fun for it. I was actually trying to stay on a budget alas, it never works.

Just because she is adorable...

So I've hired a personal trainer who has set me up on a 12 week program. I am down 2 1/2-3 pounds in this first week. I feel that is money well spent.

One of the first things she is having me do is to concentrate on getting at least 2L of water per day and 10 servings of vegetables a day. HeNow I have never had a problem with vegetables before, however that is a lot of veggies for me and I'm sorta having a hard time fitting them in.

The easiest way for me to make it happen is to fill up my large measuring cup with 4 cups of veggies and just force it down in one sitting. 4 cups of raw veggies equals 8 servings of vegetables.

Anywho...I think she's on to something as I mentioned that I am down already. Only 25 pounds left to go.

My girls like to watch cartoons in the morning. It is so cute.
Emmi I think enjoys the colors and movement whereas Elliott is starting to laugh at the jokes.

I just love my girls :)

Peace and quiet

OH how I love my toddler and my baby...but oh how sweet it is in my house at nap time!

A time of day when a mama can recharge, tidy up, get showered and dressed, zone out and stair at the wall, or...make cupcakes!!!!
Todays quiet time which involved feeding/rocking/patting/swinging Miss Emmi Grace to sleep several time, also consisted of baking these delicious Perfectly Chocolate cupcakes.
She slept perfectly well at the same time as Elliott all week so I can't very well complain about today can I?
No. I will not.
Instead of making chocolate icing for these bad boys, I made Vanilla Cream Cheese Raspberry icing. Oh. My. Lord. is it heavenly. It's a wonderful thing.
I will be taking a quick trip to Costco tomorrow in order to pick up some fresh raspberries to top them off :) Will post a pick when they are put together.

Although I do really enjoy quiet time, I am trying to stop and enjoy the moments of toddlerhood and baby hood that I am so going to miss when my babies start kindergarten or worse yet, stop wanting to hold my hand in public...or at all :(
Anywho... Today I noticed Elliott playing with her old floor gym that I brought out for Emmi. Elliott LOVED it!
I can't believe she used to be this small!!!

I also can't believe that Emmi Grace is here already. But not only that she is here, but also that she is 10 weeks old and has discovered her fists are mighty tasty!

 Where does the time go? It's so sweet. Time that is.
Even in the darker moments of time the taste of the sweeter carries me through. These girls are definitely my sweeter. Ray is my sweeter.
Life with my family is my sweeter and my reason for living on this earth.
I am in awe at the sweetness that God created when He made family.
Not the broken separated and unconventional families that we create for ourselves...
I marvel at the sweet glimmers of His intent for family and what they should be.
Building each other and not hurting each other. Loving not neglecting. Togetherness.

I wonder if my mom knew how fast time was going to go by with her girls. I wonder if this will be me in the blink of an eye with grandchildren of my own.

I think I'll go hug my toddler.

Nothing to blog about

...I say that, but really it's not true.
There are a ton of things that I could blog about. Two short people in my house make for some interesting stories.
Putting in a drive way on 50 acres of land with the intent to build a house next June for our little family would make for an interesting blog post I think.
Making a fall wreath or priming an antique dresser in preparation to redecorate our spare room might be of some interest warranting a post.
How about a recap of my favorite birthdays past leading up to this coming Tuesdays birthday?
I could blog about getting a trainer in order to bring my left butt cheek up to match my right.
What about the freaking amazing strawberry lemon cupcakes that I made for Elliott's 2nd birthday?
Or even Elliott's party photos?

Nah...

I just don't have the motivation or energy right now.
Enjoy some random photos of my 2 favorite short people.

To Blog of Not to Blog...that is the question.

Finally got to a project. It only took a month after Emmi was born! And I didn't get to do it as extravagantly as I had pictured. But I am still pleased.

I purchased this old milk jug off and online garage sale. Actually I got two for $10. I have so far only up-cycled one of them though.

It looks much better all one color I think. I don't love this color but I was trying to pick a color that matched our house. And of course I can and will spray paint it another color later for a different project.

1.50 for this wreath at a thrift store. Flowers and ribbon from the dollar store. "Z" from Michaels. This project took 5 minutes and cost about $7. I wanted to paint the "z" and I want to make the flowers and wrap the wreath in burlap fabric...however, this is what I had time for.
And again,
I can and will change it up for a different project later!

I LOVE these flowers. Super cheap at Superstore. I wasn't ready to let winter take over.

Here is the painted jug with sticks, flowers and pumpkins.

I couldn't get far enough away to get a proper picture of our welcoming Fall doorway. There are the 3 potted flowers to the left and then the sticks pumpkins and yellow flowers to the right. I loved decorating up this door.

Ode to Grammas...

OH how special and wonderful...

How loving...

How helpful...

What a blessing they are to both myself and my girls.

...and don't forget grampas...


Great grampa Les fed Emmi Grace her very first formula.

I am trying to eat more vegetables.
After easily dropping20 pounds post baby, the weight loss has slowed to an almost stop.
ARGH!

Now I have to actually try to get rid of the rest. Only 25 more too go.
I ordered an exercise program today and purged the fridge of naughty food and prepared my list of healthy snacks. No more excuses!!!

But somebody else in the house is supposed to be chubby...
and oh how wonderfully chubby she is. 10 pounds at 6 weeks. that is 3 weeks faster than her older sister hit 10 pounds!
Shes a great little eater my Emmi Grace.

And it had to happen. Only took 2 months before the crayon migrated to the wall. I am actually kinda impressed that it took so long. And it hasn't happened since.
My kid does listen sometimes!!!

My wonderful little artist Elliott Evelyn.
So much fun this girl is. She makes me laugh every day.
My heart is full.











Life is sweet.

Life is a whirlwind

 Going from one baby to two babies has been an adjustment. I wouldn't say that is has been overly shocking. It is about as much work as I thought it was going to be. I don't think I had my self fooled into thinking it was easy. I know what I signed up for and it has been just that...a perfect combination of crazy and delightful!
I wouldn't trade this time for the world. Although my stance changes from 3-5 a.m.each morning.

 Emmi is 4 weeks and 1 day old. Things are feeling quite normal now, like she has always been here.
I am so very very thankful for both sets of parents who provide us with lots of love,support, and Elliott entertaining.
Helps keep me balanced and energized to do the job of raising my beautiful daughters.


My husband is absolutely amazing at both parenting and husbanding. He gives me as much time to myself as he can. It's amazing how a few hours out every few days can recharge me.
And of course he "supports"(and I use that term loosely)my shopping habits.

I would be lying if I said that getting ready and out of the house with 2 little ones is easy. It is not.
It really really is not.
In fact, it's the one part of this life change that intimidates me.
By the time I have myself and them ready and heading to the car, I'm usually late and so frustrated I could scream.
And I am very tempted to just stay home at that point.

But I persevere.
I persevere because getting out is good for me and for my sweet toddler. Elliott is a social girl and I don't like her to have to stay home too many days in a row without at least getting to the park or something!

Life is good. The adjustment has been quite smooth considering the enormousness of it.

So, I had a baby Emmi

 I went and visited my midwife on Monday, August 20,2012 and asked her if she would check me to see if I was having any progress.
I had been cramping for days so I was hopeful that something would be going on.
She informed me that things were at about 50% and then asked me if  I'd like my membranes swept.
Ew, I know, but to anyone who has ever been pregnant forever those words are music to their ears.
I quickly agreed and left with a bounce in my waddle.
That evening I had some cramping and that was it. Nothing exciting.
A little disappointing however I told myself that 50% plus whatever the sweep did is definitely on the way to a baby.

 I saw the midwife again on Friday the 24th at 10am. She checked me again and told me that my cervix was "most favorable" so after another sweep I was instructed on how to make the labor cocktail and off I went to pick up the ingredients.

Since I responded to the cocktail in an hour with Elliott, Karen asked me to wait to take it until 1:00 because she had some errands to do and needed some time.
Good thing she told me that...

 I responded within the hour and by 3:30 I was feeling pretty ready to head to the hospital. My biggest worry was being stuck in the truck in active labor. I remembered the ride to the hospital with Elliott and did NOT want a repeat of the intensity of that trip.

When we got to the hospital at 4 things were really heating up. Karin checked me at 4:15 and informed me that I was 3 cm. I was a little surprised as my contractions were so close together and I was feeling them for sure.

 I had what seemed like only a few more and then when she checked me again she said I should stay up for a few more contractions to let gravity work for me rather than getting in the birthing tub. What I didn't hear her say was that I was at 4 cm. I believe this was Gods' sweet mercy because I would have been discouraged and worried about how much "worse" it was going to get as I was already in a lot of pain.
I stayed upright for maybe 3 more contractions and than my water broke on the floor. I was standing up leaning over the bed. At this point I started to rock my hips side to side like a crazy fat stripper and Ray informed me later that that was the point where he knew it was go time.
Next contraction I felt the urge to go number two if you know what I'm saying. I hobbled to the toilet and asked if I should. Karin said, "only if you don't have to push."
Hmmmm...

 um, ya. no thank you
I'm not having my kid in the toilet.

So I jumped up as fast as a preggo can and got in the tub.

Thank God Almighty I made it!!!

I proceeded to have one crazy ass long contraction that shot my sweet Emmi Grace across the tub! (I might be exaggerating a tad here but it truly was one push!)

 I was told later by Karin that from the time she checked me at 4cm to the time I was holding Emmi was 38 minutes. From the time my water broke until I was holding her in the tub was 3 minutes.

Insane.

I was in total shock and didn't really take Emmi in until after she fed which must of been about 25 mins after she was born???

She is beautiful. She was and is perfect. My teeny girl. 6lbs 11oz and 19 inches long.

I am so in love with her. I look at my girls and my heart swells with pride and love and all sorts of wonderful feelings that only Elliott and Emmi could bring me.
My life is full and blessed and wonderful.
I am grateful to my sweet awesome Lord for blessing me so richly in this life He gave me.

My favorite people!

My perfect Emmi.

Happiness is this.

According to the ticker...

Well according to the ticker at the top of my blog page I've got about 11 days to go. That is 11 too many if  you ask me. I'm ready tonight...or at least I think I am.
My body is aching in ways I never thought possible and I am just too dang fat to be comfortable. Can't wait to meet this little miss.

From this teeny bean...

Too giving mama some stretch marks!!!

From this....

...to this...

...it just happens so fast!
Life is such a gift to treasure.
I am so blessed to have my girls and my wonderful husband.
Life just keeps getting better and better.

...this baby is coming...
the signs are there...
it's just a matter of time now...

Kids

I just had a very tiring one sided conversation with the little boys who live across the fence in the backyard...actually he's still talking but now I'm just saying "oh ya" at random and that seems to be pacifying him. Apparently they are both 6 and they go to Hart Highlands Elementary and they both have sister, and they blah blah blah...oh dear Lord!!!!! How exciting when Elliott starts talking!!! Or how about when Elliott AND Emmi start talking non stop...at the SAME time???

Oh the fun.

 Here is Emmi in my belly at 37 weeks. The bigger I get the more motivated to dress up with hair and makeup so as to feel pretty despite being ginormous.

 Next summer I will so be fixing this tan. My belly is about 100 shades lighter than my arms and legs. My thighs too actually. They haven't seen much of the sun this summer. It's been so beautiful out, but unfortunately I am too uncomfortable and hot to enjoy these sunny days anymore. Well, I enjoy them from the comfort of my AC'd bedroom. Thank you awesome husband.
Only 2-5 weeks left to go...I'm trying to be realistic and not get my hopes up about going early. Although I see the midwife tomorrow so maybe she will tell me stuff is happening where it should be? I'll keep you posted, whomever you are...

 My wonderful friend had her birthday celebration at my house this past Saturday. I didn't have to do anything! She hosted the whole shin dig and still bought me flowers? Nice gal, eh? I just love daisies of every kind and color. We had a blast and it was great to be distracted for an evening from my burgeoning belly.

 In other news...drab and boring news to many but not to me, I am growing off my nail enhancements with the intention to go a more natural route. hah!!! Just kidding! I am so going to purchase something like the CND Shellac gel nail system for my own personal use and then later on for clients when Emmi is a bit older and my leg is better. So I won't be doing extensions, however I will be able to offer my clients nails that last up to 3 weeks instead of a 5 day manicure. I am very excited about this...for my spa but also for my own girly pleasure.

But baby in the meantime...

Good ol fashion paint will have to do. Notice the blingy ring Ray let me buy so that people would know I'm married(my wedding set quit fitting about 2 months ago...dang you swollen fingers!). It shines brighter still with the sparkly polish. I am such a girl.

I've been blogging mostly of fun projects and DIY crafts and the like as of late. And I was working on a gorgeous antique dresser to redo my spare room when Danielle moves back to Vancouver. Alas, my projects have come to a bit of a standstill. Very disappointing. But it's not to say that they won't be picked up again as soon as physically possible. I am just plain tired and very pregnant at this point. My energy goes towards Elliott and Emmi and just making it thru the day with some semblance of order at this point.

Life goes on :)