11.03.08

I love these pictures, even if they are grainy. I'm so in love with this little girl.

trying to figure this out.

bear with me as I figure out what you all already know. big pictures and a blog page that actually doesn't make your eyes sick. I don't want to get too technical with this blog. I don't want it to be too fancy. Just trying to figure out how to have a side bar and a big picture. And how in the world do you make a different header? I'm sure there are options here on blogger, haven't figured it out yet though. :)

trying something new.

one hundred percent inspired by allegra. what do you think?

The baby shower

My big project for October and November. So much fun. Once it was over I thought, "now what?" It was such a lonely feeling. :) I love having projects. "Something to love, something to do, something to look forward to." That's what Brian always says. Now, if only I put this much effort into everyday of motherhood--It's exhausting but so worth the effort!

I had zero memory left on my memory cards, so all of these pictures are courtesy of Jackie. Thanks for capturing the memories for all of us! :)

THE CAKE

My first time making a diaper cake. Colorful, fun, simple. fits me. I love how it turned out.

(all images on a CD, so I couldn't rotate).

THE CLOTHESLINE

Love it! What I love more is all the clothes were on sale at old Navy! My favorite? The Super Ninja!

THE TISSUE PAPER CURTAINS

Hilarious, I know. But I'm learning to be resourceful while living away from most of my belongings!

THE MAIN DISPLAY

This girl has nothing. O.K., she's alive so she obviously has something. But, you get my point. She literally has 3 pictures of this pregnancy (all of which were taken in the first 15 weeks--not showing phase), and about 10 other photos of her life. I wanted to spoil her. No, I'm not a photographer (want to be, not creatively there yet). So, I thought it would be a good photographic opportunity of growth for me and a great memory for her. A HUGE shout out to Allegra for editing the picture for me. It was a good shot (good thing I took 200 pictures to get this one--hahaha). But seriously, photoshop is the way to go. So, she antiqued the picture for me and wrote "baby of mine" (with the date) on the top right. It turned out so nice.

She's a country-ish, rustic type girl, so this was a fitting choice, but I also loved this other one. I love how bright the colors are. Allegra, that was a hard choice, but that's a good thing! :)

THE LADY OF HONOR

THE PRICE IS RIGHT

My and Brian's gift to her, besides the shower. So much fun watching her open up all the gifts. Even more fun to have everyone guess the average price! I love this game.

THE PRIZE

For winning "the price is right" and also 2 other drawings we had. (1 raffle for bringing diapers, the other for bringing gift receipts). DVDs! I loved this idea. The funny thing is, Jessica (the one in the picture), is the one who helped me pick out all the chick flicks (had a great assortment to choose from, the rest I'll be returning), and she WON! That's why I'm laughing.

THE HOOTER HIDER

This was Christina's gift to Kristin. She bought the fabric, I sewed it for her.

THE HOODED TOWELS

I loved the one Diana made for me, so I called her for directions. So easy! One blue with green polka-dotted ribbon and one green....well, you can see...

THE PHOTO ALBUM

Not the best pictures (worst ones at the end--hahaha). But, memories nonetheless. Now she has a little book of herself! :) She's VERY photogenic!

THE POM POMS

I love these. They're so simple to make, just time consuming. I was up with Jackie and Christina until 1:30am the night before the shower making and hanging these! I would have made more, but we ran out of time. :)

THE CUPCAKES AND BEAN SALSA

I stayed up until 3:30am decorating the cupcakes. I wanted to make the mini cupcakes, easier and less messy to eat. I thought I'd get 24 minis (since you get 12 reg. from one box of mix), but instead ended up with 48! Whew! (multiplied by 3) That took a LOT longer than I expected. Not a good picture of them, they're in the back...And that bean salsa? Best in the world! Fresh pineapple? Only way to go. The rest of the food provided by her mother-in-law and 2 sisters-in-law. Thanks girls! What a help. and Yummy!

And to top it all off?

Brian was gone the whole week prior to this shower! So throw in cleaning, shampooing the carpets, taking care of the kids, and our traditional "Pizza and a movie" Friday night, and it made for a busy week while he was gone! In fact, the shower started at 11 and Brian walked in at 11:30 Saturday morning! Boy, I lucked out with him getting home in the nick of time!

I have a lot on my plate right now

I know, it's been more than a month since my last post. I've been really busy (who isn't!). This was my big project today.



No, no, that's not me. (I wish--the body anyway).

I'm hosting a baby shower for my friend. Her story is incredible, and I'm glad I get to be a part of this. She was told before she married that she would never be able to bear children. Her husband married her knowing this. Despite all the medical evidence against it, she is pregnant and due mid February! I'm so excited for her. We had a little photo shoot today :) (it's all for the memories folks! it's my first shoot.) I have lots of other ideas for her shower, which I'll post after the party (Nov. 8th). This is really fun. It feels good to be able to help someone who really needs it and appreciates it.

We're all doing wonderfully. Pictures to come soon, when I get a moment. Although, Brian's leaving for a week this next week and (since our other computer's hard drive is pretty much in shambles), I won't be able to post any pictures! Brian has everything on his laptop and of course his laptop goes wherever he goes! So, maybe it'll be another month but pictures of the kids and fam will come! :)

everyday, more amazed at the details.

I'm always impressed but I was particularly taken with this drawing. Apparently (this is the story lance tells), a bad guy shot a nail into my wrist, but then lance pulled it out and called the ambulance. So, the ambulance showed up with a gun in holster and handcuffs and a back-up gun in his bag, to save my life and take the bad guy to jail.

What I was particularly taken with this time is the symbol on the hat, shirt and both shoes of the hero. It's a symbol I was familiar with as a child, only b/c my dad's a dentist (medical field). But I've never pointed this out to lance and had no idea he made the correct association. (I'm slow, but as a child I always wondered what a snake and staff had to do with medical stuff--I associated that with Moses and the snakes when everyone was bitten and he told them to look to the staff and they would be saved...yeah, I wasn't too bright.)

ANYWAY, I asked him what it was and without any prompting he said, "Oh, those are the things on the amblience trucks in this real world." "Lance! How did you know that, I had no idea you even noticed that before." "I saw it on the truck and it means, even if a snake bites us we can save you and make you alive again."

So, there you have it. Lance's interpretation of the staff and snake. At least he associates it with help. (rather than death like I used to).


(yes, he says amblience).

another one

Really, this is more for my parents than anyone. Top picture: that's us at the beach with sharks and other fish in the ocean. Then the box in the middle is "zero voice level." It's something they do in their kindergarten class. I don't really understand it, but apparently in this picture, "he has zero voice level so he can sneak and kill the bad guy." Then there I am (surprise), holding Ivy. Then there's our house with a gigantic key--is that a good enough tour?. Then Brian at the bottom. or maybe that was baby Brian. or maybe that's how lance sees Brian since he's losing some hair up front. hahaha. (don't take it personally Brian, I think it's hilarious). :)

do you think i let him watch this too much?

genie and lamp, aladdin and monkey, jaffar and bird, jasmine.

Lance's quote of the day.

"Don't squeeze me too hard, I might poop my pants."

and then we went to bed.

well, he went to the bathroom, and then we went to bed.

A gift for Ivy. o.k., o.k., it's really for me.

Not my color of choice, but for only $15 on craigslist, I'm happy.

I don't think I know many mothers, these days, who don't have one of these.


Between this, the moby wrap and the bouncy seat, we're covered. (waking time anyway).

I know it's really good for babies to be flat on their backs, but she still sleeps a lot and with all of her sleep time, I can't imagine she wants to be laying on the floor during awake time too. So, we're switching it up a bit.

Next purchase? A bobby. I like the idea for tummy time. Obviously I've never had one, and I don't absolutly need one. I just want one. that's all. And thanks to craigslist I'll be able to get one. for only $7.

Lance lately

He's an entertainer.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. . .

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. . .

all the kings men and all the kings horses. . .

couldn't put Humpty together again!

It's his favorite rhyme from school and it's hilarious to watch him with Ivy.

He can swim all over the pool.

He knows how to dive.

He loves seeing pictures of himself, but he isn't excited about getting them taken.

I'm lucky I got these. Most of the time he ducks under before I can get anything.

What can I say? We pick him up and are home from school around 3:15. Then we go to the pool, then it's dinner and bed. We really don't get much interaction anymore. I sure do love him though.

Spencer lately

He loves cars. Always has. Planes too. Pretty much anything with a fast, loud engine or propellers.



He loves to swim. still.

He knows how to apply goggles.









Aaah. perfect.

He loves swimming buddies.


He knows how to swim, it's catching air that's the problem. So, he stays near the edge.



He's such a sweet boy.
I love his smile.
I love how much he loves me.
We're good buddies.