New post below

I started a post and then did the brag bag one and when I finished it today it was posted BELOW that post... so visit below ;)

Grandma's Brag Bag...

Here are the pictures from my latest class. I am posting them for all of the attendees, since they were so large to e-mail. (Mom, don't look) {wink} For everyone else, I hope this inspires you to do something special for your mom!

To do list...

Okay, so I have lots of projects that I have started and not finished... so I thought maybe I would post them on the blog and by everyone knowing what they are I would be motivated to get them all done!! In addition to my daily life and everything that I have to make for the store...

My poor friend Josie has been waiting for her bachelorette party book since las summer!! It is almost all done, just need to add pictures and a few finishing touches. (it has been at this point since a week after her party) It got set aside and not finished... sorry Josie... on the top of my list!!


I got these cute frames... obviously when Reese was 5 months old!! Got to get more pictures in them!


Another friend... Miss Amy is having a baby VERY SOON!! This is all the farther I am on her gift....


And Jodi... I told her I would make her a summer carseat cover... good thing it isn't summer quite yet :)


I got this flier when we were in CA and thought it would be fun to make an apron... that's all the farther I got. Still think it would be fun!


Okay, this is a BAD confession... I requested some pictures from the grandparents and great grandparents so I could scan them in and make a book for Hallie and Reese (and now baby 3) They totally overwelmed me!! I was expecting 10-15 from each... I ended up with HUNDREDS of pictures. Don't get me wrong... totally grateful that I will have all these... but my one of my downfalls is when the task is so huge I just shutdown and ignore it. I MUST get these into the computer!!!!



How easy is this one?? I just keep putting it off.... Hallie needs a pic for her Valentine's frame.



See this rack? I have been meaning to make a quilt or something to hang on here (when our stockings aren't hanging on it)... now it is to the point I think I am going to take it down and fill the holes!!

And last... okay who are we kidding, my list will never end... but last picture I have today is "Scrapbooker of the Year 2008". I have 20 layouts and an article to write for this contest. (deadline... May 31) These layouts can't be posted on my blog, but I will post them after all is said and done. Wish me luck :)



So besides all that I have a little Father's Day overall project, NEED to finish Hallie and Reese's dollhouse, and so much more... But let's start with these, I will post as I finish :) *Hope this method works to get all of this done!!*

**EDIT: Yes, Mother the book needs finished, too! You don't even know all the things for "round two" But that can go on the list, too.

Here is the cover, cute, huh? Then the beginning of the book, done... and the second half... well, as you can see... blank.

Here is the status of the dollhouse...

A night at the circus...

Last night... VERY last minute we decided to go to the circus. It was just a small circus at the Mississippi Valley Fair Grounds. When we got there and walked into the BINGO Hall I have to admit I was a little worried! There were only three rows of seating on three sides of the one ring. Hmmmm.... what did I get us into? :)

First, before the show was horse rides. (pictures aren't great... but it was another $4.00 each to take a picture with the horses, so I just stayed in our seats and zoomed in!) Hallie and Reese had a great time. We ate cotton candy and waited for the show to begin. (still holding my breath)

The circus kicked off with Tigers & Lions. My two animals lovers were in awe. In fact, this was Reese's face everytime I looked over.

Here is Nemo the camel. (Hallie asked me to include this)

As we watched the acrobat girl Hallie leaned over to me, totally serious, and said, "I'm gonna try that when I get home!" Oh the things she says!!

At intermission they were doing elephant rides. Since Reese was a little unsure of the horses we didn't try the elephant, so Hallie went alone. She was in heaven!!! She loved it! (again, sorry for the bad pictures, but wasn't going to pay more $$$)

Here's the SHORT video of her. Could her smile be any bigger??

After the circus you could go feed the elephants circus peanuts. Again, photo of Hallie in heaven! (and me unshowered and everything... just ignore that! Last minute, remember??)


We had a very fun family night out!! The circus panned out to be a good one! Over 2 hours long! Jugglers, dog show, magicians, clowns, trampoline people, and much more.

NYOBC April

Just wanted to share with you the finished projects I did for "Not Your Ordinary Book Club". This month was really hard because there was only two pieces of paper... and making a two page layout interesting was tricky! But with some help from my sewing machine & Hallie I felt good about it! Can't wait to show her this layout when she is older! (the picture she drew is of our family-- includes the dog, and fish, and the baby (outside of me!))

For Kit B I wanted to do something with Reese... so I made a mini acrylic book of her first birthday. I loved the colors of the paper and rub-ons. There are several pages... but this is from the from cover view.

Super Blogger reporting in... {wink}

Okay, so I had a post started last night when I had to put the kids to bed outlining all of the fun things we have been doing... but it was turning out to be the world's longest post.... so here are the highlights...

Zoo with Grandma Carmel...

Backyardigans Live in Cedar Falls... (Daddy even got Uniqua Fever!!!)

Becky, Jessie and Levi came for the weekend and we had so much fun I didn't even get my camera out!! :) DUH?!?!? Sunday afternoon was lots of fun and really felt like the kick off for summer! As we were finishing up our grilled out steaks we heard the merry tune of the ice cream man... so we all ran out to get a treat! We spent the rest of the afternoon playing outside with friends and neighbors.

The past two days we have been outside non-stop celebrating Earth Day!! :) Hallie has been fishing....

Confession: Two boys next to us caught these... but we had fun none the less :) Better luck next time, Miss Hallie!!

Okay, so there is your update... I PROMISE I will keep on it!!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!

6 Random Things...

Kim has tagged me, so here are 6 random things right now...

1. My mom's flight was scheduled to arrive 2 hours ago... they are still paging the flight attendant and who knows when she will actually arrive. Come on NORTHWEST!
2. I am teaching at a Get Inspired workshop/crop in Des Moines (7 flags center). The date is November 1st (yes, I am due Nov 13) More details to come.
3. Reese has learned to open the fridge by herself... she now has full reign of american cheese slices {scarey}
4. My sisters are coming to visit this weekend... YIPEE!!!
5. We are going to Backyardigans Live (a Nick Jr cartoon) This is like me going to see American Idols for Hallie! She is soooooo excited! (ps... there is going to be a REAL dragon there!!)
6. I love Oh's cereal. yum.

Okay, now I tag five people... Jodi, Christi, Sara, Penny, & Becky.

A Peek {Inside}

Just wanted to share a little shadow box I made for an upcoming "surprise". We've started calling the baby "our little bean" because Hallie has been very curious about everything going on inside... each week I get an e-mail that tells me the size of the baby. The week I made this it was the size of a kidney bean. (we had taco salad so I could show her what that was) This week it is the size of a grape!! -- getting big :)


Journaling on the tag reads: "It's amazing how you can love someone so small! Can't wait to meet you! Love, Mommy"

Backside of tag reads: "Ultrasound 8 weeks"

Easter Pictures

We just got back the girls' Easter pictures. I am too lazy to scan them in just to post them... so I just took a picture of them with my camera (so the coloring isn't great) I think they turned out really cute :)

ScrapStreet Magazine

Check out my latest layout in ScrapStreet Magazine (an online magazine). My layout is under April Showers, page 9, at the bottom. Dancin' in the Rain. Makes me ready for summer!!

Rainy day game...

Yesterday we didn't get to go to the zoo as planned... and Hallie was devistated. So, I thought up this little game. It was a huge hit with Hallie and it was lots of fun to see her answers. I just thought up 10 things for her to find and gave her my old camera and told her to go and take pictures of the things.

Here is what she came up with:

1. Something pink (her stuffed bunny)

2. Something circle (handle on the coffee table)

3. Something you love (Reese... ahhhhhh! I heard her say "Reese come here, I love you")

4. Something soft (her froggy)

5. Something hard (Beauty and the Beast figurine)

6. Something pretty (make my day!!! How sweet is she?)

7. Something in a group of 5 or more (her stuffed animals)

8. Something you like to play with (a light up egg thing)

9. Something you don't like (jeans--- She said, "I hate jeans, I just want to be comfy!")

1o. Something to eat (gum)

See... wasn't that fun?? Give it a try! We also played a second game with the cameras... I went around and took pictures of things (just a little part of something) and she had to go find it and take a picture. She was really good at this... I thought it would be hard.

Off for naptime!! Happy rainy day!