My poor blog! :( It's been severely neglected for the past 9 months or more. I've really missed blogging lately so I thought I'd give a quick update and let everybody know I haven't dropped off the face of the Earth - we've just kept plenty busy! I do plan to hop back on the bloggin' bandwagon - hopefully I haven't lost all my regular readers, ha!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Piper's first day of preschool - homeschool style!
I should preface this by saying I am using the term "preschool" very loosely here. It is no secret that Mitchell and I are seriously considering homeschooling Piper (and any future children, should we decide to have more). That said, several people have been asking me about preschool lately. Where we're going to send her, if I've begun looking in to it, etc. The answer is no, not really. I've checked out a few websites for local preschools, read what they had to offer, and noticed the price (ouch!) but haven't seriously considered it.
Today, we are starting a very loosely structured preschool curriculum that I have been hearing about for a few years now. I didn't want anything too intense and I wanted it to be primarily literature and play-based. That's exactly why I chose to start with the Letter of the Week Preparatory Curriculum. It is such an amazing resource - it has everything completely laid out for you ... for free!
I finished up my "learning poster" that we will be using each day this weekend. It's nothing fancy but it cost exactly $.69 + printer paper to make, so I'm good with the imperfections. ;) The theme changes each week as do the letters/numbers/vocab words/etc. Here's Piper pointing out the cow on the poster:
I also checked out five cow books from our local library and we will be reading those each day to supplement the daily activity and learning poster review. I was disappointed to learn that our local library will only issue five books at a time so I may have to check in to surrounding libraries and their limits. Piper loves to read books so I would prefer to be able to check out more than five per week!
I found a cow coloring page for her to color with her new markers:
And when she was finished coloring the cow very, VERY well, she rushed to the fridge to display it proudly. It's a little hard to tell, but there IS a cow under all that marker! :) She loves to color, and she colors pictures every day - but this is the first time I've brought out the markers so that was exciting for her.
I have a couple of short videos for her to watch, a couple of fun little craft projects, and a trip to see the cattle drive in Fort Worth one day this week also (in addition to the daily review and reading). She really had fun with our first day/lesson and I look forward to continuing this for the next 26 weeks! :) I will probably take a few weeks "off" of the curriculum to make up my own themes - for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, etc. but the beauty of something like this is that it's flexible! I can mix it up however we prefer and it doesn't matter a bit.
Piper loves to learn and absorbs things like a sponge so I figured introducing a little more structure to our day-to-day routine would be a good thing. I'll be sure to update on how things are going in the coming weeks and months!
Today, we are starting a very loosely structured preschool curriculum that I have been hearing about for a few years now. I didn't want anything too intense and I wanted it to be primarily literature and play-based. That's exactly why I chose to start with the Letter of the Week Preparatory Curriculum. It is such an amazing resource - it has everything completely laid out for you ... for free!
I finished up my "learning poster" that we will be using each day this weekend. It's nothing fancy but it cost exactly $.69 + printer paper to make, so I'm good with the imperfections. ;) The theme changes each week as do the letters/numbers/vocab words/etc. Here's Piper pointing out the cow on the poster:
I also checked out five cow books from our local library and we will be reading those each day to supplement the daily activity and learning poster review. I was disappointed to learn that our local library will only issue five books at a time so I may have to check in to surrounding libraries and their limits. Piper loves to read books so I would prefer to be able to check out more than five per week!
I found a cow coloring page for her to color with her new markers:
And when she was finished coloring the cow very, VERY well, she rushed to the fridge to display it proudly. It's a little hard to tell, but there IS a cow under all that marker! :) She loves to color, and she colors pictures every day - but this is the first time I've brought out the markers so that was exciting for her.
I have a couple of short videos for her to watch, a couple of fun little craft projects, and a trip to see the cattle drive in Fort Worth one day this week also (in addition to the daily review and reading). She really had fun with our first day/lesson and I look forward to continuing this for the next 26 weeks! :) I will probably take a few weeks "off" of the curriculum to make up my own themes - for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, etc. but the beauty of something like this is that it's flexible! I can mix it up however we prefer and it doesn't matter a bit.
Piper loves to learn and absorbs things like a sponge so I figured introducing a little more structure to our day-to-day routine would be a good thing. I'll be sure to update on how things are going in the coming weeks and months!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Introducing the newest member of our family : Jasmine!
I apologize for being so inconsistent with blogging the past few months. I have so much to update you all on but when I sit down to do so, I get overwhelmed and end up posting nothing at all! It's hard to catch back up when you fall so far behind but I'll do my best to start blogging again consistently. :)
Our biggest news around here lately is that we have a new addition to our family. And no, not a human addition, but a furbaby instead! We rescued her from Harbored Souls Rescue here in DFW who were absolutely wonderful to work with. She is approximately two years old and she is an Anatolian Shepherd. And if the pictures don't give you a frame of reference for her size, she is HUGE. Well, huge compared to my pug anyway. ;) We weighed her when we brought her home last Wednesday and she is 55lbs and will probably put some more weight on in the coming weeks/months. She eats like a horse so I won't be surprised if she gains another ten or more pounds.
If you know me well at all, you know I have never really planned to be a two-dog family. We were perfectly content with our pug, Rio, and didn't put much thought in to it. My sister has been nagging me for a couple of years to get Rio a little friend but I just wasn't interested. Truthfully, my dog is just a bum - most dogs are much too rowdy and energetic for her and I didn't want to overwhelm her.
And then I laid eyes on Jasmine via the Harbored Souls Facebook page. That was my undoing, right then and there. I knew in my heart the moment I saw her picture that she was meant to be in my family. Does that sound crazy? Of course it does. But it's true. And then I read her description and it was like fate had stepped in and led us to sweet, sweet Jasmine. If I could have custom ordered a dog, Jasmine is it. She is an adult, fully potty trained, extremely smart, non-aggressive, very laid back, and loves affection. She puts up with all of Piper's toddler antics like a champ and loves her to pieces. Any time Piper hollers or cries, Jasmine comes to investigate and follows her around like a lost puppy. She is a once-in-a-lifetime dog and I'm so glad she made her way to me! Jasmine and Rio get along very well - their temperaments complement each other very well which is what we were hoping for. There has been absolutely no aggression between them whatsoever.
I am forever grateful to her foster mama, Karie, for stepping in and saving her life at the last minute. My sweet, precious Jasmine was minutes away from being euthanized for being "too shy". Have you ever heard of such a thing? She is the perfect dog and I'm so happy Karie saved her! Thank God for wonderfully selfless people who are willing to foster homeless dogs until they find their forever home.
So, that's our biggest news most recently! Jasmine fits right in to our family - it's already hard to imagine what life without her was like. :0) I look forward to spending many years spoiling her rotten!
Our biggest news around here lately is that we have a new addition to our family. And no, not a human addition, but a furbaby instead! We rescued her from Harbored Souls Rescue here in DFW who were absolutely wonderful to work with. She is approximately two years old and she is an Anatolian Shepherd. And if the pictures don't give you a frame of reference for her size, she is HUGE. Well, huge compared to my pug anyway. ;) We weighed her when we brought her home last Wednesday and she is 55lbs and will probably put some more weight on in the coming weeks/months. She eats like a horse so I won't be surprised if she gains another ten or more pounds.
If you know me well at all, you know I have never really planned to be a two-dog family. We were perfectly content with our pug, Rio, and didn't put much thought in to it. My sister has been nagging me for a couple of years to get Rio a little friend but I just wasn't interested. Truthfully, my dog is just a bum - most dogs are much too rowdy and energetic for her and I didn't want to overwhelm her.
And then I laid eyes on Jasmine via the Harbored Souls Facebook page. That was my undoing, right then and there. I knew in my heart the moment I saw her picture that she was meant to be in my family. Does that sound crazy? Of course it does. But it's true. And then I read her description and it was like fate had stepped in and led us to sweet, sweet Jasmine. If I could have custom ordered a dog, Jasmine is it. She is an adult, fully potty trained, extremely smart, non-aggressive, very laid back, and loves affection. She puts up with all of Piper's toddler antics like a champ and loves her to pieces. Any time Piper hollers or cries, Jasmine comes to investigate and follows her around like a lost puppy. She is a once-in-a-lifetime dog and I'm so glad she made her way to me! Jasmine and Rio get along very well - their temperaments complement each other very well which is what we were hoping for. There has been absolutely no aggression between them whatsoever.
I am forever grateful to her foster mama, Karie, for stepping in and saving her life at the last minute. My sweet, precious Jasmine was minutes away from being euthanized for being "too shy". Have you ever heard of such a thing? She is the perfect dog and I'm so happy Karie saved her! Thank God for wonderfully selfless people who are willing to foster homeless dogs until they find their forever home.
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| On the ride home! :) |
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| Big...and little. :) |
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| Us on Jasmine's adoption day - 8/22! If I'd known we were taking pictures, I would have made an effort to look a little nicer. ;) Lol. |
So, that's our biggest news most recently! Jasmine fits right in to our family - it's already hard to imagine what life without her was like. :0) I look forward to spending many years spoiling her rotten!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
**RUN**, don't walk, to Target...NOW!!! Mega toy clearance!
Target is notorious for doing major toy clearances in both January and July. I have been hearing rumors that today, Thursday, they were supposed to be doing their big 50-70% off clearance. I wasn't sure if it was true but I figured it was worth checking out! No great loss if it wasn't true.
Much to my delight, it was. I was there within minutes of the store opening and I was one of the only people there. At first, as I casually browsed the toy aisles, I didn't see much except for a few clearance summer toys. When I doubled back and walked down the opposite end of the aisles, that's when I hit the jackpot. Every single end cap, for probably 7-8 aisles, was full of clearance toys.
Now, I've never been secretive about my frugal, thrifty nature. So, when I see a sale like this, I stock up. Not only did I get gifts for Piper for her birthday and Christmas, but I stocked up for all the birthday parties we attend for our friends' children, too! (So, sweet friends, don't be surprised if you see one of these toys in your child's room in the near future...ha!!)
Ready to see my haul?
....this is what we looked like at the store. I don't think the cashier was too excited to see me pull up! Haha. :)
Now, I did not intend to buy quite this many toys, but the sales were too great to pass up. What's impressive is the fact that despite how many toys I bought, the shelves are still chock full of toys! They put a lot of stuff on clearance!
Here's a group picture of all 19 toys:
I'm sure you're all waiting for what you're REALLY wanting to know, right? How much did I really save?
I tallied up the original price of each of these toys, and at regular price, this haul would have cost $365.15
How much did *I* spend?
..... *drum roll please* .....
$125.90 ... for 19 toys. Not too shabby if you ask me! Every toy I purchased was between 50-70% off. Sure, it hurts to buy that much up front, but it will sure save us a lot of money in the long run between Christmas, Pip's birthday, and all the birthday parties we attend! :) This is also an excellent way to stock up on Project Christmas or Angel Tree toys at affordable prices, too.
The rest of my day will be spent trying to squirrel away these toys so Piper forgets about them! I think my closets are going to be pretty full for the next few months, what do you think?
Much to my delight, it was. I was there within minutes of the store opening and I was one of the only people there. At first, as I casually browsed the toy aisles, I didn't see much except for a few clearance summer toys. When I doubled back and walked down the opposite end of the aisles, that's when I hit the jackpot. Every single end cap, for probably 7-8 aisles, was full of clearance toys.
Now, I've never been secretive about my frugal, thrifty nature. So, when I see a sale like this, I stock up. Not only did I get gifts for Piper for her birthday and Christmas, but I stocked up for all the birthday parties we attend for our friends' children, too! (So, sweet friends, don't be surprised if you see one of these toys in your child's room in the near future...ha!!)
Ready to see my haul?
....this is what we looked like at the store. I don't think the cashier was too excited to see me pull up! Haha. :)
Now, I did not intend to buy quite this many toys, but the sales were too great to pass up. What's impressive is the fact that despite how many toys I bought, the shelves are still chock full of toys! They put a lot of stuff on clearance!
Here's a group picture of all 19 toys:
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| 19 toys in all. |
I'm sure you're all waiting for what you're REALLY wanting to know, right? How much did I really save?
I tallied up the original price of each of these toys, and at regular price, this haul would have cost $365.15
How much did *I* spend?
..... *drum roll please* .....
$125.90 ... for 19 toys. Not too shabby if you ask me! Every toy I purchased was between 50-70% off. Sure, it hurts to buy that much up front, but it will sure save us a lot of money in the long run between Christmas, Pip's birthday, and all the birthday parties we attend! :) This is also an excellent way to stock up on Project Christmas or Angel Tree toys at affordable prices, too.
The rest of my day will be spent trying to squirrel away these toys so Piper forgets about them! I think my closets are going to be pretty full for the next few months, what do you think?
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Introducing ... Pip Pip Hooray! And a give away, too!
I have an exciting announcement to make! After months of planning and preparation, I have finally decided to launch my new business! :) It is called Pip Pip Hooray and I specialize in denim bibs! I do plan to expand to other items soon, but for now, the focus is bibs.
A sneak peak of a few ready-to-ship bibs..
A lot of people have asked me about the business name. We refer to my daughter as "Pip" from time to time. While I was trying to think of a business name, a sweet friend of mine threw out the suggestion of Pip Pip Hooray ... and a business was born! I love it!
The reason I decided to begin creating and selling these bibs is because my mother in law made a whole bunch for me when I was pregnant with our daughter, Piper. I fell in love with them immediately - they are the cutest bibs I've ever seen! Not only that, but they are practical - they are crafted from two layers of upcycled denim and embellished with fabric/bandanas, belt loops, watch pockets, and eyelet lace. They fasten with a heavy duty snap - no velcro to get fine baby hair caught in! They fit a wide variety of ages, from about 4 months to 3 years old and up!
Here is my daughter at 2.5 wearing a denim bib with lots of room to spare:
I have used these bibs exclusively for two years and I absolutely LOVE them. I would not sell them if I didn't adore them myself. They are sturdy, offer GREAT coverage, and launder so, so well. They're just like blue jeans, of course they hold up! Every time I whip one out in public and put it on Piper, people go bananas and ask me where I bought them. They wanted them, too. After two years of hearing how badly other people wanted them, I decided to start making them myself! I gave away a few as gifts and my friends went wild for them. Finally, after much deliberation, I asked my mother-in-law if it was okay if I sold them and she encouraged me to do so. And...here I am now! :)
I plan to stock many of these on my Etsy site soon, but for now, I am primarily selling from my Facebook business page. Bibs are $12 each or combine and save, 3/$30 (subsequent bibs after the third are also ten dollars each). For non-local customers, I charge exact shipping from me to you. Shipping prices are quite nominal as I can ship these first class inexpensively, typically between $2-3, depending on the weight of the bib(s).
These are great for anyone with children - they will last through multiple children because these are so durable. They also make fantastic baby shower gifts - the reaction from the mother-to-be and all of the attendees is priceless!
So, why am I blogging about this? To get the word out about Pip Pip Hooray, of course! If I reach 300 fans on my Facebook business page by Friday, July 27th at 11:59pm Central time, I will be giving away TWO bibs (one bib each for two lucky fans). I already gave away one bib once I hit 100 fans ... are you going to be the next winner? Go "like" Pip Pip Hooray on Facebook and if/when I hit 300 fans by next Friday, you may be one of two people who will win! [Shipping to U.S. addresses only, please]
I will be frequently updating the page with new bibs in various fabrics and designs. If you don't see anything you like, please contact me and we can figure something out! I am open to custom designs and ideas! Just let me know. :)
A sneak peak of a few ready-to-ship bibs..
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| Cherries w/ eyelet lace |
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| Red Bandana |
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| Owls. |
A lot of people have asked me about the business name. We refer to my daughter as "Pip" from time to time. While I was trying to think of a business name, a sweet friend of mine threw out the suggestion of Pip Pip Hooray ... and a business was born! I love it!
The reason I decided to begin creating and selling these bibs is because my mother in law made a whole bunch for me when I was pregnant with our daughter, Piper. I fell in love with them immediately - they are the cutest bibs I've ever seen! Not only that, but they are practical - they are crafted from two layers of upcycled denim and embellished with fabric/bandanas, belt loops, watch pockets, and eyelet lace. They fasten with a heavy duty snap - no velcro to get fine baby hair caught in! They fit a wide variety of ages, from about 4 months to 3 years old and up!
Here is my daughter at 2.5 wearing a denim bib with lots of room to spare:
 |
| Bibs offer full coverage to protect nice clothes! |
I have used these bibs exclusively for two years and I absolutely LOVE them. I would not sell them if I didn't adore them myself. They are sturdy, offer GREAT coverage, and launder so, so well. They're just like blue jeans, of course they hold up! Every time I whip one out in public and put it on Piper, people go bananas and ask me where I bought them. They wanted them, too. After two years of hearing how badly other people wanted them, I decided to start making them myself! I gave away a few as gifts and my friends went wild for them. Finally, after much deliberation, I asked my mother-in-law if it was okay if I sold them and she encouraged me to do so. And...here I am now! :)
I plan to stock many of these on my Etsy site soon, but for now, I am primarily selling from my Facebook business page. Bibs are $12 each or combine and save, 3/$30 (subsequent bibs after the third are also ten dollars each). For non-local customers, I charge exact shipping from me to you. Shipping prices are quite nominal as I can ship these first class inexpensively, typically between $2-3, depending on the weight of the bib(s).
These are great for anyone with children - they will last through multiple children because these are so durable. They also make fantastic baby shower gifts - the reaction from the mother-to-be and all of the attendees is priceless!
So, why am I blogging about this? To get the word out about Pip Pip Hooray, of course! If I reach 300 fans on my Facebook business page by Friday, July 27th at 11:59pm Central time, I will be giving away TWO bibs (one bib each for two lucky fans). I already gave away one bib once I hit 100 fans ... are you going to be the next winner? Go "like" Pip Pip Hooray on Facebook and if/when I hit 300 fans by next Friday, you may be one of two people who will win! [Shipping to U.S. addresses only, please]
I will be frequently updating the page with new bibs in various fabrics and designs. If you don't see anything you like, please contact me and we can figure something out! I am open to custom designs and ideas! Just let me know. :)
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| Camo |
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| Red, White, and Blue stars |
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| Cow print. |
Friday, June 29, 2012
Birthday Recap
I have had such a wonderful birthday! Yesterday, my actual birthday, we didn't do a whole lot, but it was still a really nice day. We ran a few errands and went to a new restaurant that was *amazing* (more on that at a later date). My hubby did surprise me earlier in the day over his lunch hour and brought me lunch and cupcakes he had special-ordered, so that was a sweet gesture!
He also got me a card that I just had to share with you, it is too funny!
Just in case you couldn't hear it (or see it dancing around), here are the lyrics to the little jingle:
It cracked me up! Mitchell did get me two presents that I really wanted but he found that card and couldn't pass it up. Another thing I just had to laugh at was the fact that he spent eight bucks on the card. Eight dollars. Only a man...! :)
This morning, I invited Ashley and Toby to meet us at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Mitchell and I have a family pass and it's a good place to beat the heat and have some fun and burn off some toddler energy before nap time! Ashley and Toby had never been so I think they enjoyed themselves! They were impressed by how big it was and how kid-friendly.
After we left the museum, we grabbed a bite to eat at a local favorite pizzeria, Nizza Pizza. It was delicious, as usual! Then, we headed back to my casa while Piper took a nap and we hung out and visited while she slept. Once Mitchell got home, Ashley helped me hang a few pictures up that I've been meaning to hang and then we headed out for a low-key supper at Which-Wich sandwich shop.
We came back to our house again, exchanged bday gifts, and visited some more. Ashley helped me with the arduous task of ordering window treatments - that's something I could stand to never do again in my life! Gosh, I hope the ones we chose work, because that was a serious pain in the butt.
All in all, I had a fabulous 24th birthday. Two great days in a row, what more could a girl ask for? :)
He also got me a card that I just had to share with you, it is too funny!
Just in case you couldn't hear it (or see it dancing around), here are the lyrics to the little jingle:
"The Present Song"
I'm a present
Yeah, I'm a gift.
I got nothin' inside me
but this birthday wish!
I'm your birthday present
in and of myself, yeah
Well, I hope you like me,
'cuz you ain't gettin' nothin' else
It cracked me up! Mitchell did get me two presents that I really wanted but he found that card and couldn't pass it up. Another thing I just had to laugh at was the fact that he spent eight bucks on the card. Eight dollars. Only a man...! :)
This morning, I invited Ashley and Toby to meet us at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Mitchell and I have a family pass and it's a good place to beat the heat and have some fun and burn off some toddler energy before nap time! Ashley and Toby had never been so I think they enjoyed themselves! They were impressed by how big it was and how kid-friendly.
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| Toby and Piper in the Grossology exhibit (yes, that is a GIANT nose behind them) |
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| Hissssss! |
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| A rare picture of Piper w/ mommy (I am not a fan of having my pic taken)!! :) |
After we left the museum, we grabbed a bite to eat at a local favorite pizzeria, Nizza Pizza. It was delicious, as usual! Then, we headed back to my casa while Piper took a nap and we hung out and visited while she slept. Once Mitchell got home, Ashley helped me hang a few pictures up that I've been meaning to hang and then we headed out for a low-key supper at Which-Wich sandwich shop.
We came back to our house again, exchanged bday gifts, and visited some more. Ashley helped me with the arduous task of ordering window treatments - that's something I could stand to never do again in my life! Gosh, I hope the ones we chose work, because that was a serious pain in the butt.
All in all, I had a fabulous 24th birthday. Two great days in a row, what more could a girl ask for? :)
Thursday, June 28, 2012
A tale of two twins : Happy Birthday, Ashley!
If you know me at all, even just a tiny bit, you know I have a twin sister, Ashley. You may or may not know how awesome she is, and you may or may not know that is my best friend. Let me remedy that for you. :)
Today is our 24th birthday. For once, I can finally say my age is catching up to where I am in life. I still feel a lot older than I am most days, but that's okay, the years are starting to speed up, so I'll just choose to be content with being a youngin'! My 24th year has big shoes to fill, for sure. I was engaged at 18, married and moved to Salina at 19, moved back to GC and got pregnant at 20, became a mother at 21, moved to Texas as 22, and became a homeowner at 23. I'm not sure what this coming year has in store for me, but I'm sure it will be great and I'm looking forward to it!
That said, I just wanted to take a minute to say Happy Birthday to my sister, Ashley. Almost exactly 24 years ago, we were born via c-section, smack dab in the middle of wheat harvest. Talk about bad timing! Everyone in my family remembers how hot it was that day, too. It was a scorcher!
The first question we are always asked is "Who's oldest?". I tend to avoid that question, but the truth of the matter is, she is. By one whopping minute! What a turd.
My sister is the most generous person you could ever hope to have in your life. From a young age, she was always willing to spend her last dollar if it meant she could buy something for you, too. She's the most honest, up-front person I know - if you want her to tell it to you straight, she will. She is kind, tender-hearted, and compassionate beyond belief. She has big feelings and loves bigger and more openly than anyone I know. She is fiercely loyal to her family and doesn't tolerate any riffraff when someone makes a slight against any us. I'm lucky to call her my sister.
We have an unbreakable bond and I like to think a lot of it is because we have navigated this crazy thing called life together every step of the way, from the moment we were born (and even before then!). We were never apart and we chose to spend all our time together. Sure, as kids, we fought like cats and dogs on a regular basis, but we could never stay mad. Within minutes, we were back to being best friends and it was like nothing had ever happened. There were few milestones we ever had to do alone - we always knew we had our support system, our built-in lifeline.
She is an amazing aunt to my sweet little girl. Piper loves aunt "Ashee" so, so much. Their relationship is so special and I can't wait to be an aunt to her children some day. I have no doubt that our kids will be the best of friends.
Here's a quick stroll down memory lane..
Today is our 24th birthday. For once, I can finally say my age is catching up to where I am in life. I still feel a lot older than I am most days, but that's okay, the years are starting to speed up, so I'll just choose to be content with being a youngin'! My 24th year has big shoes to fill, for sure. I was engaged at 18, married and moved to Salina at 19, moved back to GC and got pregnant at 20, became a mother at 21, moved to Texas as 22, and became a homeowner at 23. I'm not sure what this coming year has in store for me, but I'm sure it will be great and I'm looking forward to it!
That said, I just wanted to take a minute to say Happy Birthday to my sister, Ashley. Almost exactly 24 years ago, we were born via c-section, smack dab in the middle of wheat harvest. Talk about bad timing! Everyone in my family remembers how hot it was that day, too. It was a scorcher!
The first question we are always asked is "Who's oldest?". I tend to avoid that question, but the truth of the matter is, she is. By one whopping minute! What a turd.
My sister is the most generous person you could ever hope to have in your life. From a young age, she was always willing to spend her last dollar if it meant she could buy something for you, too. She's the most honest, up-front person I know - if you want her to tell it to you straight, she will. She is kind, tender-hearted, and compassionate beyond belief. She has big feelings and loves bigger and more openly than anyone I know. She is fiercely loyal to her family and doesn't tolerate any riffraff when someone makes a slight against any us. I'm lucky to call her my sister.
We have an unbreakable bond and I like to think a lot of it is because we have navigated this crazy thing called life together every step of the way, from the moment we were born (and even before then!). We were never apart and we chose to spend all our time together. Sure, as kids, we fought like cats and dogs on a regular basis, but we could never stay mad. Within minutes, we were back to being best friends and it was like nothing had ever happened. There were few milestones we ever had to do alone - we always knew we had our support system, our built-in lifeline.
She is an amazing aunt to my sweet little girl. Piper loves aunt "Ashee" so, so much. Their relationship is so special and I can't wait to be an aunt to her children some day. I have no doubt that our kids will be the best of friends.
Here's a quick stroll down memory lane..
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| Newborn aliens! (Ash on left) |
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| I told you we were inseparable. LOL. |
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| I've always insisted she was the sinister one! :P (Ash left) |
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| 80s kids! Ha. Ash left, me right. |
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| Me left, Ash right. |
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| Senior Prom |
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| My wedding day! |
Happy Birthday, Ashee Booger! I love you bunches.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
What I'm Loving Wednesday
--I love the fact that for the first time in two years, Piper fell asleep in her car seat while we were out and about! We went to the mall this morning and she shopped 'til she dropped. She does not EVER fall asleep in the car, but she was out within five minutes of leaving the mall to head home. I couldn't believe my eyes when I turned around and she was conked out!
--I LOVE China Glaze's new Summer 2012 line of Neon Nail polish. I have four shades so far and I love them all.
--Speaking of nail polish, I also love a new brand of top-coat I have recently discovered. A lot of friends recommended it to me after asking for suggestions, and it really IS awesome. It's called Seche Vite. Quick tip : you can order it on Amazon with free shipping for half of the price you can buy it at the beauty supply. It also helps expedite the drying process. It's a miracle in a bottle!
--Turns out, I also love Chick-Fil-A. I had tried it once before and didn't really care for it too much, despite rave reviews from everyone I know. I met up with a new friend so our kids could eat/play and we ate at Chick-Fil-A and it was actually really good! I still don't like their fries, though. Those could use some improvement. :P I highly recommend the deluxe spicy chicken sandwich, however!
Friday, June 22, 2012
Tomatoes, cucumbers, and compost, oh my!
We have been so busy lately - sorry for not updating as much as I should be! I'll get back into the swing of things soon. :)
Just posting a quick update on our garden! Things are going really well and our plants are producing lots! We've had a problem with the mockingbirds eating at least half of our ripe tomatoes but we're told that's a common problem in TX! We also live near two grocery stores and a bunch of fast food restaurants so there are a lot of birds in our area.
Here was last night's haul for the tomatoes (we've been picking them a little early in order to keep the mockingbirds from getting to them first).
I have NO idea what type of cucumber plant we purchased but it produces the biggest dang cucumbers I've ever seen in my life!We also added a new batch of compost to the garden again last night! :) It is so dark and nutrient dense - it's so neat to toss all of our compostable table scraps into the bin and just see it disappear. I have no doubt this a huge reason our plants have been doing so well!
We've definitely been enjoying the "fruit of our labor"! :)
Just posting a quick update on our garden! Things are going really well and our plants are producing lots! We've had a problem with the mockingbirds eating at least half of our ripe tomatoes but we're told that's a common problem in TX! We also live near two grocery stores and a bunch of fast food restaurants so there are a lot of birds in our area.
Here was last night's haul for the tomatoes (we've been picking them a little early in order to keep the mockingbirds from getting to them first).
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| please excuse the dusty patio table :) |
We've definitely been enjoying the "fruit of our labor"! :)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
A Lifetime Supply of .. Toilet Seat Covers?
If you're anything like me, you really, really hate using public restrooms. We have been working with Piper, trying to get a little more serious about potty training (I am so over diapers) but my biggest hesitation has been using public restrooms. I don't like to use them myself, but the thought of my daughter in the ickiest place at any given restaurant/grocery store/etc? She likes to touch everything! *cringe* I've never even been the type to change her diaper in a public restroom - I always took her to the car and changed her in the back of the Trailblazer. So, you get the picture, I hate public restrooms.
My grandma-in-law also hates public restrooms. We were fortunate enough to see her this past Saturday while we were home over Memorial Day weekend, and I got quite the unexpected gift! It's too hilarious not to share.
The story she included with the seat covers:
This happened quite some time ago but she still has plenty of toilet seat covers to go around. I imagine 250 covers will be enough to last me a lifetime! I will definitely always keep a few stored in a ziploc baggy in my purse. I will surely giggle every time I whip out one of these covers!
My grandma-in-law also hates public restrooms. We were fortunate enough to see her this past Saturday while we were home over Memorial Day weekend, and I got quite the unexpected gift! It's too hilarious not to share.
The story she included with the seat covers:
I just have to share my story! We decided this week to take a 19-day bus tour back to the New England States and Maritime Provinces. We've talked about trying a bus tour and decided to do it!
I do NOT like public bathrooms. Gina (her daughter), always laughs and says her mother is the only person she knows who has been away from home for 30 days and didn't use a public restroom. When I thought of 19 days and all of those PUBLIC restrooms, I about changed my mind about taking the trip.
Many restrooms have those paper toilet seat covers but not all. So, why don't I buy some of those covers? On to eBay I went and found lots of choices. They even had small personal size containers of them to carry in your purse! The price was good but the postage was horrible! What should I do? Why couldn't I buy a box of them and package my own? I checked out several different stores online and then found Sam's Club. They listed a box of 250, the price was good, and the shipping was free, making them about the same price as the small personal size package. I whipped out the credit card and ordered a box of 250. I could surely use and give away that many covers.
Today, they arrived. Not only did I get a box of 250, I now have 20 boxes of 250, for a grand total of FIVE THOUSAND TOILET SEAT COVERS.
Lyle and I laughed until we nearly cried. Will I ever live long enough to use them? Oh my! I had simply misread, all 20 boxes were included in the price. I just wanted to share and give you a laugh. Could you use some seat covers? :)
This happened quite some time ago but she still has plenty of toilet seat covers to go around. I imagine 250 covers will be enough to last me a lifetime! I will definitely always keep a few stored in a ziploc baggy in my purse. I will surely giggle every time I whip out one of these covers!
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