Gone for too long

Dear blog,

I have missed you so very much. I know my lame excuses for ignoring you just don't make the fact that I have neglected you any better. We have been busy-true. We are still busy- true. There never seems to be an end to all of the busy days. Rather than give you a laundry list of reasons why I have not given you any attention I will simply share with you some of the fun details about our time apart. I will try to catch you up on... Me!

For now I will leave you with a few images of a rather large special order I have been working on for the past couple of weeks... they are to become bedding for a special little baby entering the world in Oct. I do not know her, and probably never will, but I hope these little birdies make her smile and coo.

Until next time,

Me

We are in home renovation hell!!!!!

And there does not seem to be an end to it!!!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Just popping in to say "Happy Mother's Day" to all my blogging mom friends! Hope you had a nice, relaxing, sleep in late, do nothing, quiet, peaceful, non-fitting kiddos kind of day! I know that chances of that are pretty slim but if you get in at least 2 of those items consider yourself lucky!
Happy Mother's Day!!!

I interrupt this blogging break...

...to show you why I am taking a blogging break.

Repainting kitchen cabinets, new back splash, and hopefully new floors. Refinishing hardwood through dining room, living room and hall. Don't you just adore all of the paint splatter ... we also found cigarette butts under the carpet pad. N-I-C-E!

As you can see we have loads to do.

And just for good measure here are a couple of the cuties!

A scene from sidewalk- chalkapolooza.

Senior Chubbers sporting his fancy new shades!

Hayden and his biggest fan!

The computer is so so fixed right now. Still have some organizing of the ol' files to do, but it is working. I am still on a break for now. With everything we have going on I just can't keep up with it all. Still wanted all my blogging friends to know I really am trying to read but am not doing such a good job keeping up. Oh I will be back with tons to share... one day....sigh

Taking a Break

Well, I have finally realized that my computer problems have forced me into as break from blogging and rather than fight it I am just going to go with it. So, I am going to check out for a while. Not sure how long but I will be back... maybe a month? We are just super busy right now. We have big home repairs and fixing up to do and we are thinking of putting our house up for sale. Tons to think about and more than tons to do. Hopefully once I return I will have oodles and oodles to share. I still will be visiting blogs but the need to write and blog right now is just not top on my priority list. I already figured that if I announce a break I will probably get back to blogging sooner than later. So until next time I will be one busy lady!

Freebie!!!

Check THIS out! You will NOT be sorry!!!!

To Makes for 2009

1. Cupcake Purse for Zoe
2. Cupcake Purse for Niece
3. Blocks for Hayden
4. Quilt for Zoe
5. Kitchen Curtains
6. Doll house bedding
7. Doll house rugs
8. Doll house curtains
9. PJ pants for Steve
10. More knitted/crocheted dishcloths
11. Lemon Curd for gifting
12. Table Runners -3 to be exact
13. Napkins to match table runners-8
14.

Well, there you have it. My goal for the year. I will be adding and possibly taking away from it as the year goes on and this won't be including Christmas gifts (yes I am already thinking about that). I will try to include links to instructionals whenever I use them. I know... I know... I never actually finish these lists of mine, and most of the time items float from list to list. But I figure at least this gives me a guide for what I want to accomplish.

thirty one

Happy birthday Steven!

We celebrated Steve's birthday on Saturday with plenty of yummy food, chocolaty cake, and a new Wii for the birthday boy.

He was more than pleased.

Still no computer to put our pictures on... I really need to fix that.

Four

My little girl is four today.

I can't believe how quickly this time has gone by.

I have watched her grow into such a sweet little girl.

She is smart and silly.
She loves animals -stuffed and real.
She loves to "read" and sing.
Dancing is an everyday event.
She makes me laugh and makes me cry(out of joy).
She is beautiful and quirky.
She loves summer months and can't wait for snowy ones.
She dreams of everything to come and forgets nothing.
She can turn anyone into a friend- real or imaginary.
She pretends to be princesses, doctors, animals, and everything in between.
She asks for the "boy" happy meal, and loves all things super hero!
She adores all of mommy's creations for her and is now requesting skirts, dresses, nightgowns...
She has a special relationship with the mail man and he waits for his "hello" everyday.
She has no idea what money is and isn't willing to trade it for anything...after all putting in in piggy is all the fun!
She always says "thank you" even when she doesn't have to.
Her special relationship with her Nanny and Papa can't be beat.
She has special songs she sings with Mommy and special ones with her Nanny.
She loves her baby brother and says that she does not want the doctors to take him back!
She plans to one day marry Steve's best friend- too bad he is already married!
She loves to be scared and spooky movies are her favorite.
Pancakes have been her birthday dinner of choice ever since...well ever since!
She loves her special dates to Dairy Queen with Daddy.
My girl can work a 50 piece puzzle all by herself.
She still sucks her thumb.
She is so creative and innocent.
She loves to bake cookies with me and is always a willing helper in and out of the kitchen.
She loves to have her picture taken and loves to draw pictures.

She is My Zoe Bug and I love her more than words could ever tell...

Happy Birthday Little Bits...

oh you didn't know she had more than one nickname?!

Party Planning!

Well, it is that time of year again when my baby...eh hem... I mean big girl turns another year older! She will be four on Thursday and we have planned her party for Sunday. Per her request she is having a pink party. I have been thinking about this idea for some time and have come up with some pretty pink cute ideas... but without my trusty computer, and my desire to not start loading photos onto Steve's computer -I will just have to wait until I get my new one to show you all the pink fun!
Just following Zoe's birthday is Steve's... my young hubby will be turning 31 next Monday. No major plans for him especially since he has class on Mondays and won't even be home until 10. We figure a Saturday celebration will work just fine. I hope to bake him a chocolate cake from scratch.. something I have never done and have always wanted to do. Can anyone direct me to their absolute favorite chocolate cake recipe??? I am sure I could find one on my own but your thoughts are always appreciated!
We have also decided that since all things "baby" have calmed down around our house it might be time to host a party! I love throwing parties and this time the theme is Fondue Dinner Night! So much fun... that party isn't planned until the end of April, but I already have a menu sketched out and it ought to be yummilicious! So again if you have any recipe's for yummy dipping sauces I am in the market for some!
So that is it for now.. without my computer available talking about the sewing I have been into lately just seems pointless... or getting into how Hayden is just becoming such a big boy or how he has the cutest little toothless grin is just silly...

Broken...

...one rib, two bathrooms, and my poor computer!

Steve took last Friday and Monday off this past weekend to redo some things in both our half bath and our hall bathroom. We got a pretty good start and had to take a brake for his basketball game on Saturday. Well- one good ol' nudge with an opponents elbow and a Dr. visit later - yep it is broken. Now here is the tricky part. He is suppose to take 4-6 weeks to recover and no heavy lifting not even *Hayden for the first week! And guess what we have sitting on our back porch!?OI would love to show you a photo of the toilet sitting on our patio (Oh yes... we are "those neighbors" right now!) but this leads me into my computer being broke! Does it ever end?!

So- Hubby is resting up to heal, we are calling in some favors for the bathroom, and Steve will hopefully figure out the problem with my computer soon!


*On a side note...Senior Chubbers is already into 3-6 month outfits! He can still wear some of the 0-3 month items, but not for long. Weighing in at 12 lbs 9 oz. at his latest visit I am thinking we may end up with a big boy!

Fresh off my embroidery needle...

...a pincushion &...

...a needle booklet

Both,along with many other items, will be listed in my shop-hopefully by the end of the week. I need to make another list for myself the "to dos" are getting long again!

Here we go again...

I think I have a logo I like better now...not sure. I may end up paying someone to just do it for me... would probably be a one time thing then, instead of me fiddling with it over and over. Just can't justify the money it would cost to get everything I need for now.

So that's it... nothing too fancy. To see it in all it's glory go to my shop.

Miss Zoe and Master Hayden

Miss Zoe and Master Hayden received some lovely mail last weekend! And yes the box was addressed just as the title describes...how fun! A lovely blogging friend of mine went beyond out of her way to please these two little ones! Just look at that happy face!

Hayden doesn't realize he should have been smiling for the photo...we will work on his manners!

Thanks again Meredith!

on a little side note- Zoe is sitting at our brand new dining room table! So happy to have a new table!

The "that dang camera is just out of reach" or "I am just too lazy" post

Why is it every time I go to do anything these days I find myself without something I need? I sit down to scrapbook, "whoops left the tool I need in the other room" - I sit to nurse, "yep burp cloth is nowhere to be seen"- I go to bed "why would I remember that glass of water I want every single night while feeding Hayden"- I sit down at my computer to write a post "oh wait! stink...I left the camera that has some pics to share in the living room, eh- I will do it later". Well folks- if you haven't figured it out already I left the camera in the living room once again and my lazy butt refuses to go and get it right now!
I did want to check in to just say...all is good in baby land these days. I do have some things I have been wanting to share. I hope to get "it" i.e. "my picture problem" together before too long. One day soon I will probably post one long giant "look at what I have been doing post" just to get it all out of the way...so be looking for that post title soon---- I hope!

Happy Heart Day!

Hope your day was filled with lots of love!

Ours was filled with...

Pink heart shaped donuts.

Mani Pedi gift card (wooo whoo).

Handmade candle holders.

Chocolate covered yummies.

Flowers for Mommy!

Flowers for Zoe Bug!

Cute little Valentines!

Cute big Valentines!

Cooking oh so bad for you yummy food together.

And up next- a movie for Mommy and Daddy with cheesecake- diet is back on tomorrow!

And they are already gone

We made Valetine cookies last weekend using my trusted sugar cookie recipe....so stickin' good! the cookies did not last- I did cut the recipe in half, but still! This was the last of the Valentine plans for Zoe in effort to make her feel like everything is not baby related these days...even though it feels like it is around here. Shhhh don't tell her that. I used our oldie but goodie recipe and as always... yum.

Never Satisfied

Me. I am never happy with anything I make/do. I am always trying to think of ways to make/do it better. I am not happy, once again, with the "look" of my shop. Before Christmas I checked into paying someone to make a banner and logo and all things related to that and found it was going to cost a ton. So after thinking it through I have decided to just draw what I want and scan it to my computer rather than just make it on my computer. I think this is going to work out much better. It will be all black and white and the back grounds for the listings will be all black and white.

Specail order for Lotus Flower Hair Accessories perfect for yoga...so I am told!

Good news, if you haven't heard already. The CPSIA decided to hold off on that crazy new law for another year. Soooo happy about that. So to celebrate I have a discount for ya! All my blog readers are welcome to a 20% discount on all hairclips and ponytail holders. This does not include special orders or the shipping costs. Just enter CELEBRATE in the comment section when checking out and I will refund the dollar amount to you. This discount will expire on Saturday February 14, 2009.

In other news I won a giveaway for a 6 month long membership to myfitness trainer.com. I am hoping this will help me loose the baby weight from my first pregnancy...yep I said my first. I lost 5 pounds with Hayden, and have lost an additional 8 since he was born. Don't be jealous...I gained 50 with Zoe! I have a ways to go, but I am hoping to get back to something I am more happy with. Wish me luck!

Heart Day

Next up in the trying to keep Zoe from baby overload we made Valentine's cards together. It was all her idea to send cards for "Heart Day", as she calls it, and my idea to make them ourselves.She has even made a list of all the people she wants to send them to... so cute.

Using a regular old kitchen sponge I cut out a heart and we simply sponge stamped hearts to the fronts of our cards, and using glitter paint we painted the pink part of them. I printed the words "Happy Valentine's Day!", she signed them, and viola! We have cards. So simple and yet so satisfying for a 3 year old!

Family

We normally get our family photo taken in November, but since I was huge we decided to wait until baby made four. We went last Saturday when Hayden turned one month old.