She Makes Stuff

December Daily: Day 14

2011-12-15T01:20:00.000-05:00

I'm loving my version of the Christmas apothecary jars on Pinterest.

December Daily: Day 13

2011-12-15T01:10:00.001-05:00

Christmas Candy & Fruit Packing

December Daily: Day 12

2011-12-15T01:04:00.000-05:00

A few scenes from our church Christmas program "No Trumpets Blowing".

December Daily: Day 11

2011-12-15T01:03:00.003-05:00

As usual, the Nursery class Christmas presentation was highly entertaining! ;-)

December Daily: Day 10

2011-12-15T01:02:00.000-05:00

December Daily: Day 9

2011-12-15T01:01:00.000-05:00

Our most played Christmas albums this year.

December Daily: Day 8

2011-12-15T01:00:00.002-05:00

December Daily: Day 7

2011-12-07T12:13:00.001-05:00

Literally, within the past week or so, Little Miss Attitude has come to stay at our house. Sabrina has always been a fairly easy going (but very stubborn) little girl. She has shown plenty of independence and other typical two-year-old behavior since she turned two in May, but lately she's decided to take things up a notch or two - just to make life a little more exciting around here, of course.

December Daily: Day 6

2011-12-06T10:05:00.002-05:00

I love how this nativity set gets so much love from little hands every year. It seems like this year they are enjoying it more than ever. Both Grant and Ryleigh love acting out the Christmas story with the little people and animals. In fact, Ryleigh has promised us a "show" (telling her version of the Christmas story using this set) soon and has been "practicing" for it. It's going to be interesting I'm sure! :-)

December Daily: Day 5

2011-12-05T23:56:00.001-05:00

We had our annual church Christmas banquet tonight. As usual, our kids thoroughly enjoyed greeting people as they came in the door with a "Merry Christmas!" and a candy cane for everyone. They all looked so cute that I got my camera out to take a picture of them in action, only to find out that my camera battery was dead. So. Annoying. There were quite a few candy canes left over, so Ryleigh and Grant insisted on decorating the small tree that stands in my dining room with them. It looks cute, but I'm not sure if I like the idea of having candy within such easy reach of little hands. Guess we'll have to see how it goes....

December Daily: Day 4

2011-12-04T23:56:00.000-05:00

December Daily: Day 3

2011-12-04T22:09:00.001-05:00

The first wrapped gifts to appear under the tree.

December Daily: Day 2

2011-12-04T21:41:00.001-05:00

Christmas gifts in the making.

Hello, December!

2011-12-01T00:00:00.002-05:00

Wait a minute...is it really December already?? Phew... let's not talk about how long it's been since I posted. Let's just move on with December Daily, okay? :-)

Yes, you read right. December Daily is (hopefully) back again this year. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be doing my December Daily album this year 'cause...well, let's just say that last year's December Daily album remains unfinished in my poor little abandoned ~~storage~~ scrapbook room! Maybe, just maybe, I was a little overzealous. This year I'm gonna try not to be such an overachiever.

So, to kick off this great month, I'm gonna get to have a photo shoot today with this little sweetie here:

It's none other than my adorable niece, Avery Madison Habecker. I was privileged to be there for her birth just about six weeks ago. She is such a little sweetie & her Aunt Shari can't get enough of her!

Of course, I can't mention Avery without mentioning the other special additions we've had to our family within the last few weeks. My sister Brenda and her husband welcomed Kayla and James into the family via the beautiful process of adoption. They have already become so precious to all of us and we are so grateful for both of them!

Hello, Kindergarten!

2011-10-03T22:49:00.003-04:00

Ever since she turned five in February, Ryleigh has been asking when she could go to school. In fact, the morning of her birthday, she woke up & asked, "So...when am I going to school?" So, after a flurry of

filling out paperwork,

picking out school supplies (can you tell that this girl loves pink?),

ordering uniforms, registering, etc., the day FINALLY came.

She looks a little sleepy in these photos, but she was super excited!

A few facts about Kindergarten:

She has 10 other kids in her class & five of them are from our church. (Yeah, we had a baby boom that year - a total of 11 babies born between February & September!)
Her teacher is Miss Rachel Thomas & Ryleigh really loves her.
She says that her favorite part about school is recess & music class. Mrs. Jessica Maloyed is her music teacher & is obviously doing a great job with her students. I was really surprised this past Sunday in church when Ryleigh started pointing out half notes in the hymnal!
She is my little bookworm & really loves Library Day, when she is allowed to check out a book from the school library to bring home. Seems like she reads constantly & is now starting to read books to Grant & Sabrina.
One of her favorite friends from school is Jaron Reese. I was shocked and caught off guard today when she got in the van & she said, "Guess what I did to Jaron, today? I kissed him!" Both Jeff & I said "WHAT?!" which sent her immediately ducking behind the seat with embarassment. She wouldn't talk any more about it for the longest time, but then later said that she had only blown him a kiss. Hopefully that's all it was & it didn't scar him for life! :-)
Last week she came home with an announcement/permission slip for a field trip to Reptile Land in a couple of weeks. For some reason, she thought we might not let her go & acted so surprised & excited when I told her that she can definitely go. Several times throughout the weekend, she would randomly give me a super tight hug and thank me profusely for letting her go on her field trip. She is such a funny girl!

Nothing better...

2011-06-01T15:40:00.000-04:00

...than Galliker's Peach Iced Tea on a hot summer day! What says "summer" to you?

Happy Birthday, Bree!

2011-05-21T12:50:00.002-04:00

My baby is turning 2 today. I'm trying not to be depressed about how quickly time is flying. Seems like it was just yesterday that I held her for the first time & introduced her to her big sister & big brother. Wow!

Thinking about her birthday earlier this week made me think of this song that her Daddy sang for
her dedication just a few days after she was born. It expresses perfectly how we feel about her!

Anyway...here's an overview of how she has changed from a baby to a little girl in the past year:

Celebrating her first birthday - May 2010

Trying roasted marshmallows for the first time - and LOVING them! - June 2010

At the park - July 2010

Meeting her cousin Kristell for the first time - August 2010

Enjoying church from the comfort of Nana's lap - September 2010

Getting spoiled by Aunt Darlene at Tia Lish's wedding - November 2010

Spending Christmas Eve at Nana's house - December 2010

Celebrating New Year's with a root beer float at Aunt Brenda's house - January 2011

Discovering the world of "kuwoh-ing" (coloring) - February 2011

Little Miss Spunk (Daddy's nickname for her) - March 2011

Clowning around at IHC - April 2011

Helping Daddy pick out new glasses - May 2011

Finished Object...Monday?

2011-05-16T11:17:00.003-04:00

I wanted to get this posted on Saturday, but my weekend just flew by. I hope I'm not too late to join Charity's linky party...

I have a baby shower to attend this week, and - as usual, I wanted to give a handmade gift 'cause that's just so much more fun! ;-) So, I went to my faithful Evernote account to browse through all the ideas I have stumbled across online, but never have time to try. (By the way, if you haven't discovered Evernote yet, you need to check it out. It's my sanity saver, creative-brain-dumping-place, etc!) I decided I wanted to try my hand at making one of these little outfits. I wish I would have had the time to try making the little matching shoes, but I guess that will have to wait for another time. Anyway, I am very pleased with the results & I hope the mommy-to-be is just as happy with it!

Linking to:

Masterpiece Monday

Amaze Me Monday
Making The World Cuter Monday
Metamorphosis Monday

Catching up...

2011-05-07T19:25:00.001-04:00

I'm aware that it has been FOR.EV.ER. since I posted. Most of you have probably given up and moved on to more interesting blogs whose authors are far more faithful than I - and I SO do not blame you. To be honest, I have seriously considered giving up on blogging. Sometimes I feel like my life is so busy that I'm spinning out of control. The past few months have been full of...

trying to keep kids from bouncing off the walls,

paying bills,

couponing and getting lots of FREE stuff (which thankfully helps with the aforementioned dreaded word),

spending time with Jeff's family Kansas,

trying to keep kids well through flu/cold season,

game nights with friends and family,

voting on our favorite pews for the new church,

beginning and trying to stay caught up with Project Life 2011,

teaching "The Old Rugged Cross" to the kids in preparation for the Easter season,

squeezing in an occasional sewing project in an effort to preserve at least some of my sanity,

entertaining guests,

wishing for Spring,

decluttering and organizing,

planning and throwing a birthday tea party for Ryleigh's 5th birthday

doing laundry,

combing hair,

saying goodbye to Steph & Glenn as they return to Lesotho,

cutting Grant's hair,

writing thank you notes,

a quick, overnight getaway to NYC (which included getting to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway!),

traveling to Bus Convention with three kids (seriously, what on earth were we thinking??),

helping Ryleigh learn letters and sounds,

cleaning,

potty-training (will it EVER end??)

working out at Curves,

celebrating Grant's 3rd birthday,

Spring revival,

making Lish's birthday present,

finding out that I'm going to be an aunt (squeeeaal!),

meeting Brent and Brenda's new foster kids, Kayla and James,

helping with funeral meals,

doing miscellaneous graphic design work for the church,

cleaning up BIG messes,

beginning a weekly Bible study in our home,

Spring photo shoots,

traveling to IHC,

laundry,

and MORE laundry!

Whew...now I think I know why I'm so tired! :-) Anyway, I guess what I'm getting at is that even though I have a lot going on at this stage of life, I don't think I'm quite ready to give up blogging. I don't know about you, but I really struggle with keeping my priorities straight. I'm trying really hard to enjoy each moment as it happens - including the really difficult (and I do mean difficult - any advice from seasoned mothers would be appreciated) toddler stages that my two youngest kids are in the midst of right now. In spite of the temptation to "escape" to my blog or Facebook when things are stressful, I'm trying really hard to suck it up and deal with the issues at hand. So...please bear with my random postings. I may not always get my priorities right, but I am really trying! :-)

Technical Difficulties

2010-12-18T21:42:00.003-05:00

I'm really disgusted to have to admit this but...I'm going to have to put my December Daily project on hold. Something is wrong with my camera and I'm thinking I'm going to have to replace the lens. SO frustrating! I literally feel like I've lost an appendage! ;-) Anyways...not sure when (or if) we'll be back in business with regards to December Daily, but hopefully it won't be too long.

December Daily - Day 13

2010-12-13T11:54:00.005-05:00

December Daily - Day 12

2010-12-13T11:53:00.003-05:00

December Daily - Day 11

2010-12-13T11:49:00.005-05:00

Sabrina's first attempts at feeding herself... she thinks she's big stuff!

December Daily - Day 10

2010-12-13T11:46:00.004-05:00

Finally put the finishing touches on my Red Velvet Cake Pops. I'm reeeaaaallly happy with how cute they turned out!

December Daily - Day 9

2010-12-13T11:34:00.003-05:00

Our first snowfall and the pumpkins that are STILL on my porch.

Ana came over to help us make Red Velvet Cake Pops. The kids loved rolling the sticky dough into balls!

December Daily - Day 8

2010-12-13T11:32:00.004-05:00

This boy is obsessed with musical instruments these days. His favorites? Piano, guitar, drum, trumpet, trombone & cymbals.

December Daily - Day 7

2010-12-13T11:31:00.003-05:00

Jeff & Bree at our church's Christmas dinner.

December Daily - Day 6

2010-12-08T15:38:00.003-05:00

December Daily - Day 5

2010-12-08T15:24:00.002-05:00

I was testing my camera out just before the Nursery Class presentation & got this. It's a perspective I've never captured in a photo before. Church is such a big/important part of our lives, but I don't often think to include it in my scrapbooks. I love how this one turned out!

Sunday dinner with the family at Brent & Brenda's house. So yummy!

December Daily - Day 4

2010-12-08T14:32:00.003-05:00

December Daily - Day 3

2010-12-03T21:32:00.003-05:00

Proudly taking their cookies to their friend Stanley!

My favorite people in all the world!

They wanted to sing some Christmas carols for Stanley, but once they got in there, they were a little shy. Daddy helped them sing Ryleigh's choice of songs: "Joy to the World," "Away In a Manger" & "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

Grant and I had a quiet evening here at home. Since Bree was in bed and Daddy and Ryleigh were at Christmas program practice, the two of us were able to spend some fun, quality time together. He is at such a fun age & he is definitely mommy's little buddy!

December Daily - Day 2

2010-12-03T20:26:00.004-05:00

I'm still trying to get "into my groove" in regards to this album. My ideal would be to include lots of details & embellishments, but I think I'm going to have to go really simple if I intend to keep up with it throughout this busy month.

Today's activity from the Advent boxes was to make cookies for a friend that lives in the nursing home. They had loads of fun pushing the Hershey's kisses down into the warm peanut butter cookies.

And then they flopped down on the kitchen floor to enjoy the fruits of their labor!

December Daily: Day 1

2010-12-01T23:06:00.003-05:00

Something I've wanted to do with my kids is an Advent calendar. There are lots of cute ones out there, but this one caught my eye a couple of years ago when I saw it on Ali's blog and I've been wanting to make one ever since. This year, my kids are at just the right ages to start enjoying it, so I've been working frantically to try to get this done & put up before today. Unfortunately, I wasn't quite as prepared as I wanted to be because I was still attaching them to the wall at lunchtime. It took me a lot longer to put them up than I had anticipated, but I'm really happy with the results. The kids are all excited & their very first Christmas activity was getting to set up "their" Nativity set.

I'm baaaack!

2010-12-01T16:47:00.002-05:00

Yes. I did disappear from the blog world for months on end. Aside the fact that my life sorta spun out of my control, I was starting to feel a little burned out on blogging. I honestly considered closing down my blog in order to focus more on living life rather than looking for moments to blog about. To be honest, it was a refreshing change of pace and I enjoyed not having to worry about it for a while.

But...after much deliberation I've decided that I'm not quite ready to walk away from my blog. I feel new inspiration & I'm ready to give it a try again.

This year I have decided to do December Daily once again. However, I decided to change things up & actually make a mini album about what happens in our house during the days leading up to Christmas. I'm kinda excited & will probably be posting shots of my album in progress. Stay tuned...

Coming soon...

2010-06-02T08:29:00.004-04:00

Life is absolutely crazy right now, but when things slow down a little, I promise I'll try to post pictures from this little gal's 1st birthday party.

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T23:11:00.004-04:00

I was so happy with the way the girls' Easter outfits turned out. Grant's, however, was another story. I originally wanted to make him a coordinating tie, but I ended up running out of time. So, we had to settle for a store-bought one. For some reason, I can never get decent pictures of all three of them smiling. This is the best we got.

Ten on Tuesday

2010-03-30T00:00:00.001-04:00

1. I am making my kids' Easter outfits this year & I'm really excited about the girls' outfits. But...have I ever mentioned how hard it is to make cute little boy clothes? Girl stuff is just soooo much easier!

2. I'm seriously considering making another crib set - this time to put in my Etsy shop. I'm just a little nervous, though, about putting all that time into it. What if it doesn't sell? Then I'm stuck with a crib set that I don't need. But, seriously, wouldn't these fabrics look so stinkin' cute as baby bedding? What do you think? Which ones are your favorites?

For a boy:

Combo #1

Combo #2

For a girl:

Combo #1

Combo #2

3. We've had a very nasty cold/cough that has been going around at our house. My poor kiddos (especially Ryleigh) have been pretty miserable for days on end.

4. I've been talking with another bride-to-be. So far, I have two weddings scheduled this summer. I'm getting really excited!

5. I got a new cell phone. It's pink. I love it!

6. Sabrina has discovered that she doesn't have to learn to crawl. She can just use her arms to pull herself along on her belly & she can get around a lot faster. I've watched her get up on all fours, crawl just a few inches, then flop to her belly & start pulling herself along just as fast as she can. It's too funny for words!

7. We've been in the middle of selling our Golden Doodles & Puggles puppies for the past few weeks. We've gotten rid of all of the Golden Doodles & have just 4 Puggles left. I'll be glad when they're all sold because then our van will (hopefully) lose the doggy smell & I'll be able to get into the van without gagging. Jeff thinks my nose is just ultra sensitive, but I think our dogs are just super stinky. :-) Stinky or not -- it's awful hard to resist those cute little faces!

8. I have become a lazy couponer. Don't know why, but I've kinda lost my groove. Gotta get back on it.

9. Giving Grant a bowl haircut last week was a nightmare (he is extremely ticklish) - but so worth it!

10. My new camera bag arrived yesterday. I like to carry my camera with me wherever I go, but with my bulky camera, that's not always easy. It's been riding around in my diaper bag for the last several months - not a good idea at all! I finally found a bag that I love & can also function as a diaper bag. So...I'm pretty excited about it & can't wait to actually use it!

Ta Da!

2010-03-20T07:44:00.004-04:00

I have finished it at last. No, Tom, it's not a cat. :-) It's actually an elf stocking cap for a newborn. Ever since I saw these on Etsy, I've wanted to try to duplicate it. Only problem is that I'm really not all that great at knitting & I didn't want to pay the price that they're selling for. So...I found a similar crochet pattern & made my own. Comparing the two, I'm not quite as happy with how mine turned out, but I think it'll still be cute for what I have in mind. Now, if I can just find a newborn to photograph, I'll be happy!

Sneak Peek

2010-03-06T21:33:00.002-05:00

Here's a little sneak peek at what I'm working on. What do you think it is? Stay tuned to find out!

Ryleigh Turns Four

2010-02-22T20:32:00.005-05:00

The Decorations

The Favors
(also used as part of the decor)

Dipped Pretzel Rods

The ones on the left are dipped in caramel, chocolate, & white chocolate, then sprinkled with pink & orange colored sugar. The ones on the right are dipped in caramel, chocolate, sliced almonds & then drizzled with white chocolate. They were reeeeallly yummy & we'll definitely be making them again!

The Cake

This didn't turn out the way I envisioned it in my head, so wasn't overly thrilled with it. But...the birthday girl LOVED it & that's all that mattered!

And finally...The Birthday Girl
who was absolutely pleased as punch with her party, cake & gifts. She thinks she's big stuff now that she's four. The other day she asked to do something & Jeff told her that maybe she could when she was older. (I don't remember what it was, but it was definitely something that she won't be doing until she's A LOT older.) She sighed & said with much exasperation, "But Daddy, I'm four years old!"

One. Tired. Girl.

2010-02-21T11:41:00.003-05:00

We've had a nasty cold making its rounds in our house this week. Sabrina has had it for several days, now & is not acting herself. I had left her sitting on the floor playing with some toys & this is how I found her when I came back a few minutes later. She was sound asleep!

2010-02-20T17:12:00.002-05:00

I stumbled across this post today. Go check it out - it's a "must read" for parents!

I Don't Want My Children To Be Happy

Finished Object Friday: 2010 Valentines

2010-02-19T22:43:00.003-05:00

Despite all of my inspiration for Valentine's Day, I did not get to do all that I had planned. We had an extremely busy week, so I ended up just doing these simple Valentines & calling it good. They were really easy & turned out so cute! I just made little treat bag toppers out of this patterned paper (thank you, Target Dollar Spot! ;-) & added a little label that I designed & printed from my computer. So easy, but it really looked like I had spent a lot of time on them. These could easily be customized for birthday party favors, Christmas cookies for neighbors or anything else - just use your imagination!

For more Finished Object Friday inspiration, stop by Chari's blog.
Also, linking up with Kimba's DIY Day here.

Birthdays + Snowy Days

2010-02-12T21:56:00.008-05:00

She. is. in. love.
She has played with it every single day this week.
I think it's safe to say that it was a hit!

Her official birthday celebration isn't until next week, but we did go out for breakfast on her birthday. (Thanks to Denny's & their freeeee Grand Slams!!) She definitely enjoyed her birthday & milked it for all its worth. She loved hearing from Nana & Papi, Tia & a few others who called to wish her a happy birthday. In fact, she enjoyed the attention so much that she kept asking us to sing "Happy Birthday" to her. Other things she said a lot were, "Can I have _____ 'cause it's my birthday?" or "I can have/do _______ 'cause I'm the Birthday Girl" or (to Grant) "You can't have/do __________ 'cause you're not the Birthday Girl". ;-) She was rather disappointed to wake up the next morning to find out it was no longer her birthday.

In other news, we've been having a lot of this around here lately. It finally feels like Winter around here. My philosophy has always been that if it's going to be cold & dreary for months on end, then let it snow! Otherwise, give me sunshine & warm days. This is by far the most snow we've had all season, so we've been enjoying it.

We made snow ice cream for the first time ever. (I found the recipe here.) MMmmm...it was so good that we even made it two days in a row!

I've been extra busy this week working on some projects (I'll show you in a minute what they were), so I didn't get to go out with the kids to play in the snow, but Jeff took them sledding. Some friends of ours have a huge hill, so they had a lot of fun on it. Well...Ryleigh & Jeff did, anyway. Grant was on the sled all ready for his first ride down the hill when a big gust of wind blew snow in his face & terrified him so bad that he refused go. Anyhow... I got such a kick out of seeing them bundled up so much that they could hardly move. Anytime Grant fell down, he could not get back up by himself because of how bulky he was! ;-)

Our Golden Doodles are getting so cute! Jeff took a bunch of pictures of them this week so that we can start advertising them.

And, finally, the projects that have had me busy for most of the week. I love giving hand-made gifts, so when I found out about a baby shower for one of the ladies in our church, I had a blast trying to decide what I was going to make for her. I finally finished it all today & took pictures of the loot. Two burp cloths, a package of "Teething Bonbons," three flower hair clips, one bow, two itty bitty bows, & two crocheted beanies later, I was ready to head out the door to the baby shower. I was sooooo glad that she loved it all!

That's not all I've done this week, though, but in my opinion it was the best part! I'm working on Valentine's right now, but I'll hopefully get to post pictures before we give them all away.

Getting ready...

2010-02-08T23:04:00.003-05:00

...to celebrate Ryleigh's birthday is a lot of work. Jeff & I are up late getting things ready. Even though we will be having her birthday party next week, we decided we wanted to make her real birthday extra special. So...here's what we've been working on. We are SO excited to see her face tomorrow morning when she sees her surprises!

I loosely followed this tutorial for Ryleigh's birthday shirt & matching skirt.

Linky "Love"

2010-02-06T11:14:00.007-05:00

My kids are at the age that doing little things to make holidays special are so much fun for them. So...I've been doing some browsing & there are SO many cute ideas out there! If I can, I'm going to try a few of them. Here are a few of the things that are inspiring me:

I picked up some of these cute little mailboxes in the Dollar Spot @ Target the other day, thinking I could do something cute with them. This post over at Love, Actually has a lot of great ideas for decorating them, but I think this one is my favorite. The others are cute, but I think I prefer something simpler.

Actually, here's how I'm using mine right now.

These little shirts that Andrea over at Little Moments made for girls are not only darling, but very simple & easy - my kind of project! While you're checking out Andrea's blog, go back & see the Christmas & Fall shirts she has made, as well as a lot of other cute crafty things. Andrea is super talented & I love watching to see what she is going to come up with next!

This pillow is so cute - but what about using the same design for a sweet little girls' top?

Not sure where I found this one, but here's another idea for Valentine's Day attire.

Ryleigh loves anything to do with sprinkles, so she'd love this.

Don't these desserts look yummy? I found them (and a lot more great ideas) over at Let's Entertain.

Okay... are you overwhelmed yet? I am. Off to wreak some Valentine's magic in my house. Will post pictures later.

2010-02-04T14:43:00.003-05:00

Christmas in Kansas

2010-01-28T20:30:00.006-05:00

Okay, so I'm finally posting pictures from Christmas. And it's February 1st. Not good. Oh well... here they are, in no particular order.

Grant loved pushing this stroller around Grandma Stratton's house. The house is laid out in such a way that the kids could basically go in a big circle around the house - and that's what they did! They would push cars, wagons & doll strollers (basically anything with wheels) around. and around. and around. Yeah...they had lots of fun. Not sure it was such a thrill for the adults, but anyway.... ;-) Interesting side note about this stroller: Steph (Jeff's older sister) used to push Jeff around in it when he was a baby.

This is Miss Personality (a.k.a. Kristen). I wouldn't know this first hand, but apparently, she is the spitting image of her Grandma Stratton when she was a little girl - red hair & all!

One thing this family is big on is playing games - & I love it!
(*No, Jeff was not high, even though he looks like it! ;-)

Kristen & Ryleigh are two peas in a pod. They act so much alike - they're both little stinkers! ;-)

Uncle Jon & Sabrina just chillin.

It was so much fun to have Joe's girlfriend, Fernanda with us. Hope she wasn't too emotionally scarred after having kids pop into her room whenever they wanted. Sorry, Fern!

Steve & Tracy
Kylie, Kristen & Carson

Hmm...don't know about these people. Looks like Grant was having a bad day... or ready for his nap. Either way, it wasn't good.

Christmas Dinner

Sabrina @ 7 months

All ready to open presents!

Ryleigh reeeaaally liked the babushka dolls Uncle Jon brought her from one of his many travels abroad. The expression on her face is absolutely priceless!

Kristen really liked the "hat frog" (as she calls it) that Uncle Jon brought for her.

This little gal is such a Sweetie!

Ryleigh is Carson's little shadow (poor Carson!). She would sit & watch him play with his Nintendo DS for ages.

...and all good things must come to an end. Our suitcases & after-Christmas-sale purchases (insert squeals & a little happy dance) ready to get crammed into the car for the long trip back to Pennsylvania.

....and just one more irresistible picture of Kristen. I love how this one turned out!

December Daily: Day 25

2009-12-25T13:00:00.000-05:00

I loved seeing the look of complete joy & surprise on his face every time he opened a present!

Sabrina's favorite present = the paper! ;-)

We are celebrating Christmas with Jeff's family in Kansas today. I'll be taking a short blogging break to enjoy the holidays & will hopefully be back sometime after New Years. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Day & a Happy New Year!

December Daily: Day 24

2009-12-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

December Daily: Day 23

2009-12-23T00:00:00.002-05:00

I'm loving all the Christmas mail from family & friends. It's one of my favorite things about Christmas!

December Daily: Day 22

2009-12-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

I came across this quote last Christmas & fell in love with it. I framed it with scrapbook paper & gave several as gifts last year. I kept one for myself because I want it's message to be a daily reminder to me throughout the busy-ness of this season.

December Daily: Day 21

2009-12-21T00:00:00.001-05:00

I'm so happy with the way my mantel decor turned out. My inspiration was a photo I saw in the Christmas Pottery Barn catalog. My version was done with what I had on hand & didn't cost me a fortune. That's my kind of decorating!

December Daily: Day 20

2009-12-20T00:00:00.001-05:00

December Daily: Day 19

2009-12-19T13:18:00.004-05:00

Snacking on apple slices & enjoying listening to an early Christmas gift from Aunt Brenda (Adventures in Odyssey cd's).

December Daily: Day 18

2009-12-19T12:52:00.003-05:00

Making up boxes of cookies to take to the neighbors. Special thanks to my sweet hubby for all of his help with the Christmas baking this year - he did most of it!

December Daily: Day 17

2009-12-19T12:35:00.003-05:00

Something new that we've really been enjoying this season is Fisher Price's Little People Nativity Set. It was a special present that arrived from Uncle Marty & Aunt Darlene & the kids have really been having fun with it.

Thank you so much, Aunt Darlene!

December Daily: Day 16

2009-12-16T22:40:00.002-05:00

Grant & Ryleigh had so much fun caroling tonight. Grant was having hair problems after wearing a hat all evening, though! ;-)

December Daily: Day 15

2009-12-16T22:36:00.002-05:00

Another holiday tradition... addressing Christmas cards during the program. Since my only duties this year were that of singing two songs, I was able to hang out in the costume room & get almost all 200+ church Christmas cards done. Whew... what a good feeling!

December Daily: Day 14

2009-12-16T22:23:00.004-05:00

In the costume room... we were having a little too much fun at Grant's expense! ;-)

December Daily: Day 13

2009-12-14T17:04:00.003-05:00

"I'll give God me this Christmas...."
(Ryleigh & Grant's Sunday School Christmas presentation)

December Daily: Day 12

2009-12-14T16:52:00.002-05:00

Listening to Marie Plank give us directions regarding the annual Christmas program.

December Daily: Day 11

2009-12-11T21:43:00.003-05:00

The flower arrangement that my mother-in-law sent me "just because" has a place of honor on my chippy red kitchen stool. I smile every time I walk past!

December Daily: Day 10

2009-12-11T11:56:00.003-05:00

Ryleigh wanted to put some money in the Salvation Army bucket, but chickened out at the last minute & Daddy ended up doing it for her. Our Christmas shopping was cut short at the mall last night when the power went out. It was quite exciting! ;-)

December Daily: Day 9

2009-12-11T11:53:00.002-05:00

December Daily: Day 8

2009-12-08T21:01:00.003-05:00

After Jeff returned home from another unproductive morning of hunting, Ryleigh asked me, "Does Daddy have a problem with deers?" ;-)

December Daily: Day 7

2009-12-07T23:29:00.004-05:00

Our annual Christmas banquet was tonight. I think it's becoming a tradition for me to take a picture of the candy we hand out as people come in the door!

Surprisingly, this is one of Ryleigh's favorites from off of the buffet.

Ryleigh & Grant singing Christmas carols with the rest of the kids.

One tired little girl....

December Daily: Day 6

2009-12-07T22:51:00.004-05:00

Jeff & Ryleigh have been singing a lot of Christmas carols together this year. So sweet! ;-)

December Daily: Day 5

2009-12-07T22:21:00.003-05:00

Christmas Program practice....

December Daily: Day 4

2009-12-04T23:10:00.004-05:00

Today was photo shoot day at our house. This year, we decided to coordinate
our kids' outfits with Jamison & Jennifer Plank. So, they came over & we had our photo
shoot. Whew! Getting five kids to cooperate all at the same time is nerve-wracking! ;-)
Grant was in a horribly mood because we ended up having to cut his naptime short &
Ryleigh was somewhat out of sorts because she didn't get a nap. Sabrina is fussy because she's been teething all week, so she kept arching her back & refusing to sit on Jamison/Jennifer's laps. It was quite the ordeal, but I think we finally got at least a few decent shots.

December Daily: Day 3

2009-12-03T22:30:00.003-05:00

Sabrina is teething like crazy these days. Today she decided to use one of Mommy's jingle bell ornaments as a teething toy.

December Daily: Day 2

2009-12-02T23:43:00.003-05:00

$100 gift card giveaway

2009-12-02T13:55:00.004-05:00

Some of you may know that over the past year & a half, I have become an avid couponer. It has been quite a journey for me to get to where I am now, but it has been SO worth it! Anyhow, Kristen, one of my favorite frugal bloggers, is hosting a giveaway on her site. Go check it out for a chance to win a $100 gift card & then go check out her informative series on becoming a Smart Shopper.

Back by popular demand...

2009-12-01T15:00:00.005-05:00

it's December Daily posts! I know - you're probably wondering how in the world I'm going to manage to post every day for the next month after having been so conspicuously absent from my blog for the past two months. Two things: I'm more motivated to post a daily picture if I'm already commited to doing it. Secondly, it has become a Christmas tradition & I've quickly learned that traditions among Strattons are sacred & not to be taken lightly. ;-) Anyhow... here goes. Ryleigh has really been into helping decorate for Christmas this year. We have our tree up, but there's a lot more that still needs to be done. Almost every day, she asks "Are we going to decorate today?" Poor child. I really need to get my act together & get it done!

New Blog

2009-10-05T23:54:00.002-04:00

I just posted my latest wedding photos on my new photography blog. (Please be patient - it's still under construction!)

Ana & Shane's Couple's Shower

2009-09-23T09:07:00.000-04:00

One of the exciting things going on in our lives, right now, is preparation for Ana & Shane's wedding. Ana is my "aunt" by adoption. She is just a little older than I am, so we've grown up together & are like sisters. She & Shane are scheduled to tie the knot in October, so my Mom, sisters & I put together a couples' shower for them. Here are a few pictures of the party we had last weekend.

The invitations. Very simple design - printed on white cardstock with a strip of scalloped paper sewn onto one side of it. A punched butterfly attached with a paper tagger gave it just the right finishing touch.

The happy couple... feeling a little nervous about a party in their honor.

Table decor. I used my chippy candlesticks with a cream colored plate on top as a makeshift cake stand. I thought it looked cute.

The cupcakes Brenda & I made. So simple, but so cute! I also made the little flags out of patterned paper & toothpicks.

Again, very simple table decor. Vintage blue canning jars with sand & a tea light.

My favorite part of the party decor. Really easy & inexpensive tissue paper pom-poms made using this tutorial from Martha Stewart's website. The white paper lanterns were borrowed from my sister, Lish, uses them as part of the decor in her bedroom whenever she's not loaning them out. :)

The little advice cards I sent out with the invitations. I'm planning on binding them into a little book (the tag on the basket will be the cover) for Ana & Shane to have as a keepsake.

A closer look....

More details....

Little Miss I-Can-Do-It-Myself

2009-09-23T08:33:00.003-04:00

Ryleigh was eating breakfast this morning & heard Jeff singing the song "I've Never Seen the Righteous Forsaken".
Jeff: (singing) "Have you ever been hungry? Jesus will feed you."
Ryleigh: (exasperated sigh) "I can feed myself! Jesus doesn't need to feed me!" :)

Sabrina @ 4 months

2009-09-21T08:51:00.006-04:00

I'm trying really hard to roll over, but I haven't succeeded yet.
I'm growing so fast & getting all chubby. Everyone comments on how big I'm getting.
Mommy just switched me to size 2 diapers.
I'm starting to wear mostly 3-6 months clothes.
I love to squeal & "talk" to people.
I still like to sleep with a blanket or something over my mouth. Sometimes , though, if I'm really tired, I can fall asleep without it.
I've made lots of new friends this month! The Penn View college kids are back & a lot of them love to hold me.
I recognize my brother & sister & like to smile at them whenever they talk to me.
I'm really partial to my Mommy's voice & will pay attention to her even from across the room. (Mommy hopes I will always listen to her so well! ;-)
My legs are so chubby that Mommy & Daddy have to push them down into my bumbo seat! ;-0
My mommy & daddy think I'm at such a sweet age & would love it if I would just stay like this forever.
Mommy thinks I might be starting to get teeth, cause I'm always drooling & chewing on my hands.

Happy Grandparents' Day

2009-09-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Grandparents, like heroes, are as necessary to a child's growth as vitamins."
- Joyce Allston

Toy Organizer Re-do

2009-09-10T14:49:00.003-04:00

Today I'm joining Kimba's DIY Day party for the first time. I've been wanting to get one of these toy organizers for what seems like forever, so I was thrilled to find this one at a consignment shop. The only thing was, I really wasn't crazy about the Pooh design all over it.

So... I grabbed my trusty can of spray paint & some scrapbook paper and... VOILA!

Be sure to check out Kimba's blog for more DIY projects & ideas.

Vacation Photos, Part 2

2009-08-03T12:12:00.010-04:00

***Since this is all old news, I seriously thought about just skipping part 2,
but since Aunt Darlene is still waiting, I figured I'd better not disappoint her.... ;-)

The second half of our little vacation consisted of traveling on to the Indianapolis area for a wedding & a family reunion on the Stratton side. We enjoyed seeing & catching up with a lot of Jeff's aunts, uncles & cousins that we don't get to see very often. We also really enjoyed getting to spend a little time with Steve & Tracy & their kiddos.

Carson loved holding Sabrina. More than once, he came up to me and
said, "I really wish I could hold Sabrina," which was his little way
of asking. ;-) In this picture, it was obvious that Kristen wanted a turn as well!

Little Miss Kylie - such a sweet little gal!

All ready to get on the road...again....

Ryleigh really enjoyed making friends with & playing with Darin & Shanista's daughter, Angie.

The Patriarchs + 1 Matriarch of the Stratton clan.

This is the way they normally act. ;-)

Playing an icebreaker game - Ring Around the Rosie.

Vacation Photos - Part 1

2009-07-20T12:52:00.005-04:00

Well, we are back from our little getaway. We had a great time & even though we've been back home for almost a week, I'm still getting caught up! As usual, I took tons of photos & will most likely have to post in segments.

Our first stop was this wonderful Christian retreat center called Faith Mountain, located way out in the boonies in West Virginia. We had heard a lot about this place & decided to go for a few days before heading to Indiana for a family wedding/reunion.

We stayed in the Sassafras cottage. We were thinking "rustic cabin", so we were pleasantly surprised when we walked in & found a beautifully decorated, two bedroom, fully equipped kitchen & bathroom complete with a large whirlpool tub!

We spent A LOT of time in the hammock. It was so relaxing!

Grant (Ryleigh, too!) had loads of fun playing outside. Grant spent a lot of time playing in the dirt with his cars & trucks. Almost every time he came back into the cabin, he had either a rock or a stick clutched tightly in his little fists. So much fun to see his little boy nature come alive!

We also really enjoyed sitting around the campfire. In fact, check out this post to see a video clip of Grant trying to "catch" the smoke.

Sabrina went through a growth spurt while we were at Faith Mountain. She literally seemed to grow overnight. She's filling out so much & starting to really respond with lots of smiles & coos.

Another one of our favorites... meals on the back porch.

Jeff enjoyed lots of hikes. He caught this beautiful sunrise on the last morning we were there.

We discovered that all those redneck stories you hear about West Virginia are true! ;-) I could not believe the horrible "paved" roads we were driving on were actually located in the United States! These roads were every bit as bad - maybe even worse - than the roads in Mexico!

Each house had it's own container for trash to keep the animals out of it. Some were built very neatly. Others were made of whatever the people had on hand, such as old boards, pallets, chicken wire, old freezers ;), etc. This was one of the funniest ones we saw - two grocery carts pushed together. Notice the official little Waste Management sign.

Needless to say, we had such a nice time that we did not want to leave. We'll definitely be returning when we can stay longer!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-01T22:15:00.000-04:00

Today

2009-06-27T14:26:00.003-04:00

Outside my window... the tent that Jeff put up in the backyard on Thursday. After a failed attempt at sleeping out there (it started raining), he still wants to try it again, in hopes that we can do some actual camping this summer. I'm still not sure that I'm ready for it with three small kids!

I am thinking...about all the things I still want to accomplish today.

I am thankful for... air conditioning in my house - the past couple of days have been so hot!

From the kitchen... steaks thawing for supper tonight, dishes in the dishwasher that need to be put away & fresh black raspberries from our back yard that are ready to be used for a cobbler.

I am wearing... a jean skirt & a gray/turquoise striped shirt.

I am creating... layouts for Sabrina's baby album & flower hair clips to use with the new headbands I ordered for her.

I am going...to have to stop & feed Sabrina very soon. I hear her starting to stir in her swing & I know that she'll probably start fussing before too long.

I am reading... The Sovereign's Daughter by Susan K. Downs & Susan May Warren. I know, I know. Where do I actually find time to read? When I'm nursing a baby, I usually end up with lots of time to read - especially since this little gal takes her own sweet time. ;-)

I am hoping... that I can spend some time cleaning/reorganizing my craft room this afternoon.

I am hearing... silence. All three kids are napping (or are supposed to be, anyway - with Ryleigh, you just never know....).

Around the house...laundry that needs to be folded & put away & toys that need to be put away (again).

One of my favorite things... the portable backdrop that arrived in the mail this week. Can't wait to play with it....

A few plans for the rest of the week... get ready for Sunday (busiest day of the week for us), Bible study on Monday evening, eye exams on Tuesday, pack for our mini vacation, clean the house & get ready for company next weekend, get ready for July 4th cookout with family.

A picture to share...

Sabrina @ 1 Month

2009-06-22T20:24:00.003-04:00

A lot has happened in my very short little life! The weekend after I was born, I got to see a lot of family that had travelled in to be here for Uncle Joe's graduation. I was dedicated, went to Uncle Joe's graduation, went on a safari ride @ Lake Tobias with all my cousins, went to a wedding, & attended my very first VBS.
So far, Mommy & Daddy say I'm a pretty easy baby.
I do not like to be wet!
I spend a lot of time in my swing.
I had jaundice & almost had to be re-admitted to the hospital. Thankfully, Mommy & Daddy worked really hard at feeding me every 2 hours around the clock & getting me in the sunlight & I didn't have to go back to the hospital.
I love to be swaddled up tight.
I don't like my car seat very much.
My big brother, Grant, really loves me. When I'm crying in the car, he reaches over to hold my hand. He also likes to "share" his toys with me & tells Mommy when I'm crying. One time, he even tried to give me a "high five"! ;-) He's going to take good care of me as I grow up.
I've been sleeping through the night for a couple of weeks, now! Mommy & Daddy are soooo happy about this & can't believe their good fortune!
I really love to be talked to, & have been giving Mommy & Daddy some really sweet smiles, lately.
I'm finally starting to get the hang of nursing. I really stressed my Mommy out during those first few days when all I wanted to do was sleep. I think she got spoiled by how well Grant nursed & she forgot how hard it is for new babies & mommies to get it all figured out. But I think we finally figured it out....
Ryleigh, my big sister, loves to hold me. Sometimes she helps Mommy by holding me during church. She also likes to rock me & sing to me.
Yay! Mommy found a Bumbo seat for me @ a yard sale this weekend. I still can't hold my head up for very long, but I've been enjoying sitting in it for short periods of time. I think I'm going to be using it a lot!
My hair is still kind of dark, but Mommy thinks it's getting lighter. She's really hoping it stays dark, though, 'cause she's always wanted a little girl with dark hair.
I'm still just a little peanut. Even though I am growing, everyone still comments on how tiny I am. I'm definitely a lot more petite than my brother & sister were at my age!
I have really long fingers. Hmm... maybe I'll play the piano when I get bigger.
Mommy & Daddy still aren't sure who I look like, although I'm starting to resemble a few pictures of Ryleigh at my age.

Backyard Picnic

2009-06-22T20:08:00.003-04:00

Pizza just tastes best when you eat it in your backyard!

Ryleigh loves her umbrella - never mind the fact that it isn't raining....

Please excuse the pizza all over Mr. Goofy's face.

Just chillin' out on Mama's lap & enjoying the fresh air.

2009-06-21T22:10:00.001-04:00

This article encouraged me today. Just thought I'd pass it on....

Naptime w/Daddy

2009-06-20T15:13:00.003-04:00

Finished Object Friday

2009-06-19T23:09:00.003-04:00

I finished this up before Sabrina was born, but never got around to posting it. I wanted a new diaper bag that was big enough for all the stuff I have to carry around for three kids. At the same time, I wanted something that looks cool & trendy. I ended up using Amy Butler's Birdie Sling pattern for this one & I love how it turned out! It's so nice & roomy (Jeff says I could carry Sabrina + everything else I need in it :)! I'll definitely be using this pattern again.

For more Finished Object Friday posts, visit Charity's blog.

Free Photo Editing Class

2009-06-17T15:51:00.003-04:00

A lot of what I have learned about using Adobe Photoshop Elements & editing photos, I have learned from Jessica Sprague. She's a scrapbook designer who also teaches classes & offers tutorials on digital scrapping & other stuff. She is offering a free online class for anyone. Registration opens on June 22nd, so mark your calendar!

An Update in Pictures

2009-06-16T19:20:00.011-04:00

It's been so long since I posted that I'm not even sure where to begin in order to catch up. Besides, there's just so much that has happened, that the task of "catching up" seems overwhelming.

So... I've decided to just post pictures from the past month or so. Some of them (especially ones with writing on them) are my photos from Project 365 that I've been doing this year. So far, I've surprisingly been able to keep up with it. I hope that I'll be able to say that at the end of the year! ;-)

The two coming home outfits I took to the hospital

We really enjoyed having my Grandma & Grandpa Burch come for a visit a few days before Sabrina was born.

Yes, I played Sudoku while I was in labor! ;-)

Waiting to be discharged from the hospital.

Mom & Dad brought me the Polvorones from Mexico that I had been craving. They were to die for!

Matt & Meagan Espenshade's wedding

I'm such a lucky girl to have a husband who doesn't mind helping with middle of the night feedings! It's such a blessing - especially during those first few nights when you have to work as a team to keep the baby awake long enough to get a full feeding!

It was so special to have both sets of grandparents here for Sabrina's dedication.

Joe graduated from Penn View on May 25th. So proud of him!

Ryleigh had so much fun playing with her cousins, Carson & Kristen.

Mama's big helper!

The only way she would sleep those first few nights. I think using the Boppy helped her to feel like someone's arms were around her.

Our first trip to the park as a family of five. Ryleigh learning to ride her tricycle & Grant learning to walk.

Getting ready for my first Sunday on my own (with no extra helpers around).

Strawberry Limade on the porch.

Another wedding... Anthony & Elicia Witmer.

One of Ryleigh's new favorites - Tostadas w/beans, cheese & tomatoes

Jeff's "birthday cake" (he doesn't like cake, so we made him something he does like).

It's a good thing she likes her swing, 'cause she sure spends A LOT of time in it! ;-)

Grant has turned into a toddler almost overnight. He learned to walk the Sabrina was born (yeah, I'm still sad that we missed his first steps!), & has been on the move ever since.

We just finished VBS last week. It was so handy to have so many willing babysitters around! ;-)

Sabrina Grace

2009-05-23T19:54:00.002-04:00

Meet Sabrina

2009-05-23T18:52:00.003-04:00

Sabrina Grace Stratton

May 21, 2009
6:04 p.m.
7 pounds, 5 ounces
19 inches

Needless to say, Ryleigh is absolutely in love with her new baby sister!

Grant was also pretty fascinated! He kept pointing/poking at her, saying "Want dat!"

Don't have lots of time to post, right now, due to the craziness of this holiday weekend, but I promise to be back with more pictures & details soon.

The Mighty Hunter & His Bounty

2009-05-12T09:45:00.004-04:00

Note: Please excuse my daughter's pj's, bunny & uncombed hair. She woke up in the middle of all of the excitement & wanted to get her picture taken with Daddy & his turkey.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2009-05-05T12:46:00.002-04:00

Even though I am not a gardener (my sweet brother-in-law has told me that I don't just have a brown thumb - it's actually black), Jeff & Ryleigh have decided to plant a vegetable garden this year. When asked for her opinion on what to plant in our garden, Ryleigh had these suggestions:

Spaghetti
Chicken
Pickles
Macaroni & Cheese

Can you tell what her favorite foods are? ;-)

Thrifting is my new favorite pastime!

2009-05-05T10:30:00.005-04:00

Even though I'm a little late, I decided to join up with the Today's Thrifty Treasures party going on over at Southern Hospitality. These are only a few of my fantastic finds from Saturday's thrifting adventures.

I have fallen in love with frames & I love to use them all over my house. This one has some beautiful detail on it & I think will look so cute spray painted white & then roughed up a little. I'm not sure if I like the print or not, so I may end up taking that out. Either way, it was well worth the .50 that I paid for it!

Another frame (that was being passed by because of the nasty plastic flowers inside) - this one was $2.

Gotta love the beautiful detail on it. I'll most likely leave this one the way it is (minus the burlap background & plastic flowers, of course! ;-), cause I like it's shabby look. I'm not completely sure of where I'll put it or what I'll do to make it over, but stay tuned for photos of the finished project. (How's that for incentive to actually DO something with it, rather than let it gather dust in the basement while I get over my fear of messing it up?!)

This chippy yellow canister (probably once used as a trash can) is already being put to good use in my entryway closet. I've needed something in there to hold stuff like tripods & umbrellas and this baby (only $1!) is just perfect for the job!

And finally... the best deal of the day was this matching set of night stands. I've been on the lookout for night stands for our room, but haven't found anything just the right size (our room is kinda small). I snapped these up when I found the pair of them for $15! I know they're not the most beautiful things right now, but I with a little black spray paint, I think they'll suit our needs quite nicely. Again, be on the lookout for photos of the finished project to come.

Trash to Treasure

2009-04-25T22:32:00.005-04:00

Yard sale season is finally in full force around here & I am loving every minute of it! Up to
this point, I'd only been to a few yard sales this season, but today I hit the "Mother Lode". Accompanied by Ryleigh & my sister, Brenda, I was able to take several hours this morning browsing to my little heart's content. Somehow, finding good deals at yard sales is my version of "retail therapy" & I especially like it because I can usually find stuff that I need for amazing prices! Now, I'm really not the type of yard sale-er that is just out to accumulate more STUFF. We have more than enough STUFF in our house! I usually have some specific things in mind that we need to find & I am always amazed at how when I ask Him to, God helps me to find those things at just the right prices.

Today, I was mainly on the lookout for clothes for Ryleigh. She is growing so fast that she has almost outgrown her entire wardrobe - yikes! ;-) Again, I simply couldn't believe how much I was able to find for her today. A definite answer to an unspoken prayer!

As you can see by the picture, I was also able to find quite a few other goodies, too!

2009-04-12T22:18:00.001-04:00

Spring is here!

2009-04-07T11:06:00.004-04:00

My husband took this lovely photo of the first crocus blooms that appeared in our yard a couple of weeks ago. Didn't he do a great job?!

Last week we sat down & decided what to plant in our garden this year. I'm so looking forward to all of the fresh produce!

2009-03-28T22:16:00.002-04:00

I'm so tired of being pregnant that I decided to let Jeff carry this one for awhile! ;-)

(Actually - Jeff, Brent & Shane were playing 'Monkey in the Middle' with Ryleigh & Jeff stuck the ball under his shirt to "hide" it from her. I couldn't resist snapping this picture!)