New LO & Kit

So Shabby Miss Jenn has just put out a bunch of FABULOUS new stuff! Her new Huntin for Eggs kit is HUGE and just totally full of GREAT stuff! I even did a LO that is non easter related, and I am just ready to jump into these new spring kids b/c man I am just sick of the winter weather here finally! So go and check out the new goodies that SMJ has to offer - the little albums are awesome too! I might need to try my hand at that cute rolodex album - that is great! Don't forget the freebie that is there too - a March desktop that Sarah Vrolyk made - it's awesome!!! I love it when the desktop freebies have 3 photo spots - works perfect for my three kiddos!

Last night we had a sledding party at my parents. We had so much fun! My parents have this great sledding hill and man did it ever remind me of sledding when we were kids. There is a big pretty creek at the bottom that you need to beware of, but that just makes it all the more exciting. I remember a few incidents with the creek and winter time when we were young. A couple times there were "accidents" on the snowmobiles. One time my sister Shawn drive us over the frozen creek (which is odd b/c it sure doesn't freeze now-a-days and it's just as cold I think), and I was riding behind her holding on to her waist and she floored it and the bottom of the snowmobile didn't quite make it across and I about flipped off backwards into the water. Not a fun experience. I also remember Kimberly and her friends and I riding around and having to jump off the snowmobile and hang on to the bar on the back to try to stop it from going into the creek. Good memories! Anyway after sledding we came inside to warm up and my mom made her famous homemade pizzas! We had pizza, salad, garlic cheese bread, and cinnamon twists! Yum!

Haircut tonight and I would like to work-out. Have been doing pretty good about using our new equipment! I really like it! The kids have fun playing and showing us stuff while we work out up in our bonus room. Tomorrow is small group night and we are going out to dinner with our group which will be nice! We have a birthday party on Sat. for my nephew at night - which is always a good time too - so a fun weekend ahead!

Hope you all have a great weekend if I don't pop in before that!

MandaKay

New LO's

Here are a fw new LO's. I am trying to get a few more from 2007 finished up so that I can print one more small batch by fri. for the ScrapbookPrictures sale!

OK - so this first one is really not from '07, but it is the one I had been working on and was stuck. I finally finished it and am happy with it! Love these pics of Gracyn!




This one is to go in Gracyn's album next to a page that I had in the album that people signed as they came to meet her in the hospital. Wanted to put a few pictures of the visitors in there too!

Braelyn had school and then dentist today so we were kind of running around a bit. I slyly told the dentist to talk to Braelyn about sucking her thumb. I really think we need to work on that with her. Might have to make some sort of chart/calendar and then a reward system! Any ideas? I'll take them! Tonight is church pictures. I ended up running to Old navy quick and just got all three girls little navy thermal shirts and then Kyle a blue button down dress shirt and me a sweater and cami. Pretty casual. We just had my Sister-in-law take out family photos before Christmas and we were pretty dressed up, so I decided to do a bit more casual. I hope the girls cooperate more than they did last time!

The girls have been so good lately. Braelyn and Selah have been actually playing together, which is a new thing, and Gracyn seems to be out of her funk. I think coming off of the anti-biotics will be good and just try to stay healthy! Braelyn loves being back at school again - she had about 2 whole weeks off with sickness and snow days.

Bethany - the easter dresses are just from Carter's Outlet - nothing special - that is why I didn't show pics.

Time to make some tacos - you all have a good night!

More Everyday Life

How was everyone's weekend? Ours was good. We've had somewhat boring days which is absolutely fine with me. It seems like for a while there we were just running around with chickens with our heads cut off (isn't that a horrible expression?). Last week and this week we just don't have a lot going onat night. We've been setting out menu for the week and sticking to that and for some reason it seems to make us stay home more! That's great with me! I could be a homebody if I could! Love just staying in - especially in the winter here! We got some great sun this weekend and now more snow is on the way tonight and tomorrow.

I got the girls their easter dresses and shoes so that is always a good reminder that spring is coming - it just takes a bit longer around here. We always have to have tights and sweaters here with the easter dresses too, and with easter being a bit earlier we for sure will!

Guess what? My laptop that I bought about 11 days ago - yeah - it went on sale this week!! I marched right into Best Buy yesterday and got $150 back!!! That just makes me smile HUGE! I love the computer and can't beat getting it for an even BETTER price!

The girls are all doing great! I think the sickies have left our house and we didn't fare too bad really. Not compared to some. Gracyn slept last night for 12 hours straight. That is a rarity! Braelyn and Selah even have been sleeping in until 7:30! Compared to their usual 6:00am that is great for us! I'll take it! Kyle's been working a little less hours here lately b/c winters and building trades in MI are always a bit slower.

I got some good scrapping done this weekend too! Love scrapping no my new computer b/c Photoshop runs so much quicker! I can save things in like NO TIME compared to before! My latest two LO I posted HERE. The other one is one I can't share yet!!! And I have one that is just sitting collecting dust in my hard drive just waiting to be finished. I LOVE it so much and for some reason I can't finish it. I'll have to post it here to see if any of you scrapping girls have any suggestions. I am wanting an angel quote that I had heard a long time ago, and now I can't find it. It is about an angel and a princess I think. So that is really where I am stuck! Any angel quote suggestions?

Well, I am working so better get back to it, just wanted to pop in and say happy Monday to you all!

Long post ahead

So, it's been a while! It's been such a long weekend!!! Lots of big stuff going on! Valentines Day was good around here. We were all back on the mend from the sicknesses and I suprised Kyle out by his job and we did lunch. I worked that day, and our jobs right now are fairly close to eachother. Anyway - it was an awesome lunch and he was so suprised. I had his co-worker call him the day before and schedule a lunch meeting with him so when I showed up he was suprised! I think we should do lunches more often - something kind of cool about it and we already had a babysitter! The girls liked Valentines Day too - we had pink pillsbury cinnamon rolls for breakfast and they each got a heart ring pop from Dad. We had dinner at my parents that night b/c they had just gotten back from their vacation and missed us all. So we had pizza supper. Kyle and I ran (without the kids) to Sam's club, Best Buy, and Target! We got an elliptical machine and a new laptop. Gotta love tax return time!

Kyle and I are going to try to work out more. We are going to do a little competition so to speak. take our measurements, weight, etc.. and then workout together. We have had a bowflex for at least 2 years and maybe used it a dozen times so far. One day we want to have a work-out room so we are slowly building our equipment!

The laptop you ask??? A new Sony Vaio. it is white and is 2GB, Pentium processor, 2ooGB hard drive, etc.... I like it alot!!! It is quicker than my ancient Sony and SOOOOO much quieter! I also got a new Wacom Bamboo Fun tablet. So many things to play with right now! I swear it is taking me forever to get it all set up the way I want it all! I'm almost there though!

Tonight we spent the night setting up the elliptical machine - what a PAIN. Kyle and I don't work that great in situations like that - LOL! We still have another night to set up a recumbant bike that fits in a box - UGH.

I have a new niece! Emma Jo! My sister Kimmy had her third little baby girl! So now i am an aunt to 16 babies. We have one more on the way - which will make 17 (16 living, Baby Jacob went up to be with Jesus). Emma is a complete cutie at 5 lbs. 12 oz.!

I have about 3 LO's half finished, I hope to work on them in the next two days. I got all my LO's from Scrapbook Pictures in the mail the other day!!! All 121 of them! Now I need to organize them and get them in each kids book! They turned out fabulous as always! Strongly suggest you take advantage of their special this month if you have any LO's to print!

Well, I am signing out again. Oh yeah - don't forget to do the Lilypad Blog challenge this week - I'm hosting!

Freebie

Here is the last freebie by SMJ at Shutterfly blog!

Here is what I did with it!

Half day of work today and just good 'ole meatloaf dinner tonight - nothing big. Kyle's parents are coming to see the girls tonight (and us I hope too!). They are back from vacation and I think they just miss the girls that much! No big stuff for V-day tomorrow - hubby and I don't really give eachother anything. Hope you all have a great day!

A Normal Week

I'm kind of looking forward to a normal week! Things are going great here - everyone is feeling great again! I take our health for granted so often - not anymore! I had a great day back at work yesterday and Kyle stayed home with the girls b/c my mom is still on vacation! Wed. I'll work my half day again and Thur. all day. Kyle will work a normal week again too - even though yesterday was off. I have some salon tonight and Sat. here at home for family. Other than that - not much going on. Braelyn is off to school this morning and I have just a few minutes to sit and blog. I got a new Wacom tablet this past weekend - had some BestBuy dollars. Haven't even loaded it on the computer yet. I have never used one of these so I am not sure I will load it onto this computer. I am probably getting a new Sony laptop in the next week or so, so I may just wait and load it onto there! I am most looking forward to being able to write in my own handwriting on my LO's - even though my handwriting SUCKS!!! Still think it would be neat for my kids to read my handwriting to them!

Here are a few new LO's again!

This LO is done using Shabby Miss Jenn Designs new Shabbyful kit! Love the colors and papers in this kit!

And this LO was done for this weeks Lilypad Blog Challange!

OK - we'll hopefully check back in this week later - have a good one everyone!

A great nights sleep

There is nothing better than a great nights sleep right Moms???!!! The girls did great! I was so worried, b/c Braelyn coughs up a storm all day, and had a fever, but she slept all night! The other girls did too! I think they are on the road to recovery! They have been coughing since last Sunday so about a week of this is enough! Braelyn still has no appetite - I keep trying to get her to eat, but no much luck. She has at least been drinking though! Braelyn, unfortunately, cannot go to her Valentines party at school this morning, but I dropped off the cute valentines we made and the big candy bars for the teachers! She will get a bag too with her Valentines from her friends at school, so she won't miss out on that part at least. The Dr. called this morning to find out how the girls have been doing last night and this morning. I told her much better, but still coughing. She was going to see Braelyn and Selah this afternoon, but she said if I felt they were doing better than we can just wait until next Fri. when they are checking Gracyn. I am happy about that b/c we are going to just stay inside ALL day then! I hate packing up three kids for the Dr. - it is so tough. So here we are just lounging today - getting better! LOVE it! I think I will deep clean alot of surfaces here today! Selah is STILL sleeping, which is unheard of - usually my girls are up at 6:00am! I am actually kind of liking the new sleeping pattern and just maybe it will change their internal clock and set a new pattern! A mom can hope right?!

OK - off to eat something and CLEAN! Have a great weekend everyone - this may be my last update for a while - I have been on a roll right!

OH yeah - here are a few LO I did while in hospital bored!

This LO was done with one of Janet's templates and the kit that SMJ did for Songbird Ave. and the Lupus Foundation. I have been meaning to scrap with it and finally did! I LOVE it!

This one is a new kit out today by Jenna Desai at the Lilypad! Rainy Day. Figured it be fitting to scrap Gracyn on her "blue" day at the hospital!

We're going home!

24 hours here and we are OUT!!! Thankfully we can go home today. Selah has not needed any oxygen or nebulizer treatments while here - so really - nothing was done here that couldn't have been done at home, but I guess I feel good that she was monitored. So we are heading out and getting our little family back together. Kyle said the girls slept great last night and that Selah is already down for her nap and was tired. All is good!

I'm out into the winter wonderland! Yeah for those of you who got snow days today!!!

Update #2

We did pretty good here last night at the hospital. Gracyn slept pretty much all night other than when they woke her for vitals and stuff. She sounds pretty clear and her temp has stayed pretty normal - with just a few times being 101. She struggles to get her meds down which sucks and it's amoxacillin and so the pink gets all over EVERYTHING! Anyway - I hope we get to go home today sometime b/c I packed so quick yesterday that I forgot all my toilettries and also I only packed just one extra shirt. So if you meet me anywhere between here and home today just don't get too close - LOL!

Kyle and I talked for a bit last night after he got the kids in bed. They were both whooped and went to bed fairly easily for him. He picked up all the meds last night on the way home from here. Braelyn and Selah both have RSV/pneumonia so they have inhalers and all that, then Selah also has a ruptured eardrum that she is doing drops in her ear and then also the antibiotics for the infection. So $140 later for meds I hope we get some normalcy for these girls health-wise. The RSV just has to kind of run it's course and hopefully the course runs quickly!

Thanks again to all of you for your comments on here and for your prayers - I definitely believe they are working!

Update #1

RSV test came back positive for Gracyn -she does have it. Her chest x-rays looked good though so that is good - I hope she is on the up swing. The Dr. and the nurse both warned me that it gets worse sometimes before it gets better, but I am hoping I saw the worse at home and that this is the getting better!

Kyle had taken both Selah and Gracyn to their 3:30 Dr. appt and Braelyn was sent for chest X-rays and Selah has a ruptured ear drum andc ear infection. So we are three for three here. Kyle came here to the hospital to get the x-ray and dropped Selah up in my room for a little bit while they did that. He's such a good dad - he's got those girls taken care of I know that!!! Anyway - he called in to work for tomorrow and Fri. off. The bummer is that my mom and his mom are on their warm weather vacations (which is a great time to be gone b/c we are getting hit tonight with an additional 6-12 inches of snow - I'm kind of glad I'm stuck in a hospital room and not on the roads or outside), and with our parents gone it makes things a touch more complicated. Thank you girls for offering up help, but I would NEVER want any of your kids to get sick - this is miserable! Anyway - I am hoping we can get out of here tomorrow afternoon or so and then we can just hide out at home for the weekend!

Thanks for the prayers and concerns so far though girls - you all are great! I'll probably update again tomorrow morning once the Dr. comes in to see Gracyn!

Night

PLease say a little prayer

If you could say a little prayer for my little family, that would be greatly appreciated! Gracyn and I are in the hospital - Gracyn with potentially RSV or a similar virus. She also has an ear infection - which isn't suprising considering her draining in her head is not real great right now. Anyway - I am just popping in here quickly for now - maybe will update again later tonight. Kyle is home with Selah and Braelyn, and he has to take Selah back to the Dr. at 3:30 to get her checked for ear infection and cold stuff - ugh - three kids means three sickies. Anyway - hate being away from hubby and kids in times like this, but we have to seperate and get these kiddos well. Thanks in advance for any prayers offered up.
God is good all the time, All the time God is good! Just keep smiling - that is what I am trying to tell myself!

Some Freebies!!!

Have you seen THIS blog??? It's Jacque's birthday and that is a bonus for you and I!!! For today only Jacque is hosting a sale on some of her goodies over at The-Lilypad!!! And on her blog she is giving away a GREAT freebie! This is the LO I did with some of it! This was Selah having her cake on her birthday at Great Wolf Lodge!

Another great freebie is over HERE!!! Miss Shabbilicious Jenn has partnered up with Shutterfly to offer up some goodies this week - so keep checking in all week! I am definitely gonna whip up this card for my hubby for Valentines!

And since I am on - I will try to grab a pic of my new hair cut - I promised you a long time ago!!!

Dual purpose photo (not the best quality due to lighting in the church) baptism and hair shot! So basically it is just short in the back and gradually gets longer towards the front with short layers up at the top crown area! So much easier to do, although I feel I may need a trim already!!! May be calling you Mindy!!! My color has lasted quite some time too - probably has been 2 -3 months already - and it actually still looks pretty good - it is pretty close to my natural color right now so I am liking that I don't get major roots! Kyle would love it blonde though I think!

The girls are all a little sick right now - all nasty coughs! Tomorrow is Gracyn's Dr. appt. so we will make sure then, that it is just colds and that they will get over them! Can't wait to find out what Gracyn weighs again too! Love having a little chunker finally!!!

Have a great day and go snag those freebies before they are done!

Weekend Re-Cap

So, did you all have a great weekend??? We had a great weekend around our house! Fri. night Kyle went to the Kid Rock concert (so crazy I think), and so I had a night with the girls. I actually had them in bed around 7:30 and I scrapped until about 11:00 when I was falling asleep. I of course didn't get as much done as I wanted to (that's always the story). Sat. morning I did some salon at home for family and then after the girls' naps we went out to Grandville for dinner and to the mall for Build-A-Bear! Dinner was great - ate at Buffalo Wild Wings, and the girls LOVED Build-A-Bear! I took pictures yesterday of the girls with their bears that I will have to post! Braelyn picked a pink sparkly bear and Selah the bunny! Braelyn named hers Cherry and Selah named hers Floppy (original right?) They are so into their stuffed animals! I am glad they like them - now we just need to get clothes for them - they are so expensive that we skipped the clothes. Braelyn took her bear (in it's box/home) to church (it stayed in the truck), then to my moms for lunch (she lost a bow she thought), and then later to my sisters where we had a little superbowl party (where she lost the bear and a bow). I have not told her that Cherry Pie now is staying in our house so we don't lose her. So - Sunday - yeah - church where I had to teach Children in Worship, lunch at mom's, home for naps, and then to my sisters for some good superbowl food and watching! 9 kids running around playing made it a little tough to really watch the whold game, but it was so much fun!!!

Pretty basic week - work, Braelyn to school, Dr. appt for Gracyn, etc... Braelyn has her school valentine exchange already this Fri. so I have to have her treat ready for that - we are also special helpers that day, so it should be fun! Tomorrow night Kyle and I get a date night! My sister and I have started to trade date nights/kids a couple times a month. We watch their 4 kids one night and then they watch ours another. Works out kind of nice. We have to go register Braelyn for her preschool (decided on the two days girls), and then dinner and groceries. Doesn't sound like much of a date, but hey - it's all stuff that has to get done and it's nicer to do without kids!

So when I had my first child, Brealyn, I got involved in a MOPS group b/c I needed an out with a colicky baby. One of the first meetings I went to was a GREAT "concert" by these two sisters - Sharon Lovejoy Autry& Laurie Lovejoy Hilliard. They have a ministry called 2Moms. They traveled in these great busses with their homeschooled kids and families and did inspirational concerts for moms. I really liked them and I really needed what I heard back then. Well, still to this day I have gotten emails from them like every other month or so. They have stopped doing their touring for their kids sakes, but they have books and they do these emails. I just wanted to share today's email with you - if you are anything like me - you will appreciate it ( I am a horrible cook - although I try!) Here is a link to their signup for their newsletter too!

Here it is:

Cooking with God
I felt like a failure! Failure as a mom (my kids had been fighting like cats and dogs), failure as a wife (I was chronically mad at my husband for no particular reason,), a failure as a speaker/author (because what could I possib ly have to tell women when I was a failure as a mom and wife!), and the icing on the failure cake...I was a failure as a cook.
I knew they would like my latest dish, Pizza Casserole, but as we sat down to dinner, nobody liked it (except me!). If I didn't really want to know what my husband thought about it, why did I ask him? I was crushed almost to tears (I saved those for later).
As I cleaned off the table, I thought, "I can't even cook!" At that moment a thought ran through my head: "You've never asked Me to help you cook." I immediately thought, "Lord, I don't want to! Shouldn't I be able to do something on my own?"
Miserable! That's what I was, through that night and on to Sunday morning, even as I sat in church. My pride wasn't letting me accept the help He was offering. He saw my misery and was trying to correct me to help. Finally, I surr endered . "Lord, I need your help with everything. I need your wisdom to parent my kids, I need your sacrificial love to be there for my husband, and Lord, I stink at cooking on my own. I can't do it on my own. I need you to help me make my house a home. To You alone be the glory." As I stood to my knees, the weight of pride fell off.
"Do not lose hope when He corrects you. The Lord trains those He loves...No training seems pleasant at the time. In fact it seems painful. But later on it produces a harvest of godliness and peace." (Heb. 12:5b-6a, 11).
What is it that you're trying to handle on your own? Maybe you're trying to parenting your kids on your own. Have you had a hard time loving your husband, lately? Have you ever asked God to help you with the daily things: cooking, getting everybody ready to go in the morning, buying groceries with the kids in tow (and not losing your temper), washing, drying, AND putting the laundry away, cooking for your family, planning birthday parties or even what to buy your child as a gift? If you ask Him, He is ready and willing to help with everything.
God and I have served several meals since the Pizza Casserole disaster. The meals were great, but so was our conversation. Without Him, I am a failure. With Him, there is joy!
Sharon
Lord, You are patient and kind. Thank you for your willingness to help with everything. Would you help me see areas that I am carrying the load by myself? And then, help me turn it over to you for your help. You said, "Come to me, all of you who are tired and carrying heavy loads. I will give you rest. Become my servants and learn from me. I am gentle and free of pride. Serving me is easy, and my load is light." (Matt. 11:28-30) So, Lord, I come to you with my feelings of guilt and failure, my heavy loads. Thank you for helping me. I love you! In Jesus' Name, Amen

Have a great day - I will try to post pics tomorrow on my day off!!!

P.S. - Scrapbokpictures is having their sale - $1.49 for 8 x 8's - that is what I will be doing tonight - uploading all my LO's!!! Can't even imagine what my bill will be - I haven't had any printed since last April when they had their .99 cent deal. But at least I am saving .50 cents a LO! Anyway - just wanted to pop back in here and give you girls that scrapbook a heads up on this - they are the site I use - phenomenal prints!