poppa’s gift from the kids

June 19, 201116 Comments

I was thrilled with how the gift idea I had for the kids Poppa, a.k.a. my hubby or Ryan, turned out.

I used large paper mache letters that I found at JoAnn Fabrics, painted them with black paint, dressed the kids up, headed to the park with a wagon full of props in tow and came up with this.

Here are some outtakes from our photo session…

There are a lot of photos that I wanted to use, but they just didn’t work to spell out “POPPA”, I’ll have to come up with something fun for all for the other cute photos.

I also had multiple prints of the photos I did decide to use printed out. I am going to put some in an accordian type album for Ryan to take on the road with him when he travels for work…might have to use my new sewing machine for that project!

As for my own father’s gift…he will be visiting us in less than 2 weeks to spend 5 days at the Oregon Coast and we will treat him to a seafood lunch at Mo’s in Lincoln City!

home is…the joy of giving gifts to those that you love.

*linking with Today’s Creative Blog…

and The Idea Room…

thank god it was just her lip

June 15, 20115 Comments

Really.

The kids were playing in the dirt in our backyard yesterday.

I let the little guy play with a bigger shovel than I usually do.

He accidentally hit baby girl in the head with it while he was playing.

I was sitting up on the deck watching something else when I heard the “WHACK” and then the crying.

I ran down to baby girl and her lip was split open. Blood was all over her mouth.

I was in panic mode.

I called Ryan…luckily he was in town and on his way home!

I was yelling at the little guy telling him he had to come in the house.

He was crying, she was crying and I was close to crying.

All I could think of was how Ryan once told me that you never want you child to split open their lip through the vermillion border (the outside lining of your lip…women, think where you would put lip liner). It never repairs well and almost always leaves a scar and needs a plastic surgeon to “fix” it. I kept thinking that my baby’s beautiful smile would be scarred for life.

In the big picture I am thankful that is all that was hurt.

She got hit in the head with a shovel!

I t could have hit her eye, split her cheek open, or worse.

I am thankful this morning that it was just her lip (it did NOT go through the vermillion border).

It already looks better.

I am also thankful that Ryan was here to help me with our first “emergency” doctors visit.

Let’s pray that we don’t have many more in our future.

And, I am thankful for a big brother that felt so terrible he had hurt his sister. He cried more about it than she did!

She was tough. She didn’t even cry when the nurse cleaned it.

home is…being thankful today.

5 hours in almost 12 days

June 10, 20117 Comments

That’s how much time my husband, Ryan, and I have spent together.

Between his travel schedule for his new job and my weekend away that’s about how much time we have spent together in almost 2 weeks.

Yes, I did just mention his new job.

It’s a new job at a former company.

It’s a good move and good fit for him.

It’s a good move for the family.

It’s been kind of crazy the last month or so.

The kids and I have had a good week. We’ve stayed busy.

I’ll post about that this weekend.

For now, I just wanted to say hello.

And, let you know I had a little anxiety attack this evening.

Yesterday, on one of our adventures, I noticed a bump on baby girls wrist.

We were at the park and supposed to be having fun, but I had a bit of an anxiety attack there, too.

She hadn’t done anything to hurt it. In fact, she just reached out to hold my hand, as she does multiple times a day, and I felt the bump.

I slept on it last night and when I checked her wrist this morning it was still there.

It doesn’t seem to bother her, but I called the pediatrician to get it checked out anyway.

We got in this morning. It was not our regular doc, but one we have seen before. He’s an older gentleman. He’s probably seen hundreds of kids (or more) over the years.

He thoroughly checked it out and told me that it is probably nothing to worry about but to keep an eye on it.

Probably nothing to worry about.

I didn’t worry about it for most of the day while we were busy, but nap/quiet time set in.

I thought about it.

When she woke up from her nap I got her out of her crib and felt her wrist.

Still there.

And, now she doesn’t want me messing with it.

I snuggled her on the sofa and then I started getting anxious.

Probably nothing to worry about.

But how can I not worry. She’s my baby. And, I’m worrying.

I called my mom in tears. It helped to hear her tell me that it will be okay.

If you pray, please pray that it is nothing to worry about. If you don’t pray, please send good ju-ju.

And, Ryan isn’t here to see it.

I sent him this photo last night.

I’m not sure if this makes it look worse than it is or not as bad as it is, but you can’t really tell what it looks like unless you look at it in person.

Anyway, it’s probably nothing to worry about, but I can’t help worrying.

I just want my hubby to come home and my baby to be okay.

home is…a tired mommy after a long week.

road trip

June 3, 20111 Comment

…to the Farm Chicks Show!

Will you be there, too?!

home is…a lot excited and a little nervous!

summer list

June 2, 201112 Comments

I planned to make a list of things to do for the summer. I had the idea in my head, but then saw it here, too!

This list is just the fun stuff.

The things we WANT to do.

Here is our 1st Annual Summer List…

I am SOOOO ready for this sometimes sunny, but mostly rainy spring weather to end here in the Pacific Northwest.

We are only one week into summer vacation and I already have cabin fever.

We need the sun and warm temperatures to do most of the things on our list!

home is..waiting for the sun to shine.

bloom where you’re planted

May 28, 201111 Comments

I got an idea for the teachers gifts and I ran with it.

This is what I came up with…

I knew I wanted to use one of the flower crafts that were posted during flower week at jones design company.

I decided to try the button flowers.

I found some adorable Mary Engelbreit mini watering cans at Michael’s that were 50% off.

I put together the button flowers using buttons that I also found a Michael’s for about $6 for a bag that made a ton of flowers.

I put them in the mini watering cans (using florist foam, not playdough…although the thought did cross my mind).

Today we took a trip to Al’s Garden Center and bought gift cards.

I wrote a note to each teacher thanking them for helping the little guy grow and bloom this year.

Voila!

home is…a fun, easy, creative gift for the people who help my little guy bloom where he is planted.

*linking up with Today’s Creative Blog…

last day

May 26, 20111 Comment

The little guy had his last day of school today.

He’s ready for summer break.

Mother nature has not received his memo.

Let’s hope she gets it soon or it’s gonna be a LONG “summer” break for all of us.

I should have done something special for him to celebrate his first year of school.

I didn’t and feel like I should have.

I am looking forward to slower mornings without a reason to be leaving the house by 8:38 am so that we can get to school on time.

I am working on a “summer list”. It’s an idea I read about here.

{By the way, when you visit the site above check out the project she had her girls do…that will go on our summer list}

I worked on a project tonight.

I am new to this school stuff…you know, teachers gifts, volunteering in the classroom, not forgetting snack, etc.

I hope sometime in the next 15-18 years I finally get it down…hopefully sooner rather than later.

Anyway, I was working on some of the end of school year gifts for the teachers.

Better late than never.

I will post about them next week.

home is…being a newbie to this whole school thing.

{nana and bops visit} day 2

May 19, 20111 Comment

We hung out around the house today.

The kids played with Nana and Bops while Ryan worked and I ran some errands.

The kids and I went out to dinner with Nana while Ryan and Bops headed out for H&H with the boys.

H&H is a monthly meeting of the minds that Ryan has with some of his buddies. They visit various brewpubs thoughout Portland to eat, drink, and raise a ruckus. Bops got to be a part of that tonight.

I am sure they will be home well past our bedtime.

Maybe one of them will fill us in on what happened.

Maybe one of them will write a guest blog about it….ahem, Fil.

I got to go to a yoga class today.

Always good for the mind and body.

I did not take any photos today.

Not even with my iphone!

Tomorrow we will go on an adventure.

I will take more photos then.

home is…a day without photos (it doesn’t happen very often around here).