Catching up...

So...the new blog is not ready yet. I am still tweaking things here and there. Turns out tweaking CSS code is much more work than I ever imagined!! I thought I had a pretty good handle on web design since I do teach a class on it...but much of what I have been tweaking on this blog template is new to me.


As for my very late and overdue Five on Friday...

1. The mini-muffin advent calendar is ready to go! I sure had a good time laughing and crafting with one of my besties on this project (pictures to come later of all the holiday traditions and the advent calendar itself!)


2. We had the opportunity to have Miss Michigan, Katie LaRoche, as a guest speaker at our school a few weeks ago. I am proud to say she is from my hometown and also a graduate of BCPS! Her platform is human trafficking and let me tell you...the message was POWERFUL. She is an excellent speaker and also performed a very powerful, emotional dance to culminate. I was enraged and saddened after learning about sex trafficking; happening to our young women and littl girls overseas..and right here in the U.S. If you know nothing about human trafficking...read this. Also, was so very excited to see that Anurhad won this year's CNN hero.


3. Lately my conscience has been keeping me in check more than usual. CHECK #1 -Last weekend I went to the casino for a concert with my sisters and mom. While I was people-watching I caught a woman in the high stakes area repeatedly pulling a $25 slot machine...I thought how sad it was. She could give that money to someone in need and really make a change for the good. Made me realize how stupid it was to waste my money...and how much more I can do to help people out. CHECK #2-My hubby is working some overtime this week-five nights in a row. I was thinking to myself...you can do this-it won't be so bad. Then a commercial came on with mothers and children sending holiday wishes to their hubbies/daddies serving in the armed forces overseas; And I realized...five nights in a row is nothing.
4. My goal this year is to FULLY enjoy the holiday season and that means finishing the shopping/wrapping early. Last year I was so stressed out on Christmas Eve that I had a very difficult time enjoying the holiday. The shopping is not completely done. But it is close.
5. If you are at a loss for gift ideas and you need something unique...check out Etsy! I have been shopping Etsy over a year now and ALWAYS find something I love!

Five on Friday!

The reason I have been a little absent on my blog lately is because I am working hard to get my new Wordpress blog up. You should see a post later in the week that will direct you to the new site!! I couldn't pass up another week of Five on Friday so here it goes...even though I am writing this on a Sat. morning :-)

1. Tomorrow we will celebrate not only Halloween, but EJ's first birthday! I absolutely cannot believe he is already one!! I better charge up those camera batteries!!


2. You would think the 1 year milestone would mean a better sleeping schedule...yet EJ wants abaolutely NOTHING to do with his crib the past week. Everytime we lay him down he screams!! He just wants to be held...and we know that. And we know that we are probably going to have to let him cry it out :-(.


3. Love this video I saw a couple weeks back. I just love everything this video communicates. A very good friend just had her baby girl last night and I just know she is going to be a super mother.


4. Another reason I have been blogabsent is due to the fact that I am taking two short online courses...along with teaching 120 high schoolers! One of the classes will result in a family heritage digital scrapbook. It is my first Jessica Sprague class and I have a feeling I will be taking MANY more. I am loving the digital scrapbooking!!! I have been spending all my free time scanning pictures, digging up marriage, birth, death dates...and learning a whole lot about my ancestors. I can't wait to see the finished product!!! The other class is just a basic Photoshop Class...bonus is that it was free!! I already knew most of the skills I am learning...but it is a great refresher!! If you are brand new to PhotoShop I highly suggest you sign up for the next free class!!


5. I don't think I posted yet about our first geocaching experience. If you have no idea what the word "geocaching" means please do yourself a favor and visit geocaching.com. We had an absolute BLAST... a full post to come on that later!


6. A package came in the mail the other day...a PhatStrap just for me that Hubby picked out as a surprise. Sometimes he's a pretty sweet guy ;-).


7. I'll leave you with the birthday invite I designed for EJ's party tomorrow.HAVE A SPOOKY HALLOWEEN!!!

Five on Friday

1. Fall is not my favorite season, yet it sure tried to convince me yesterday. It was absolutely GORGEOUS everywhere I looked. We took advantage of the nice weather and beautiful foliage by heading straight to the park after I picked the kids up from school. Then we stopped home for a quick snack and my mom stopped by and joined us for a walk to another local park. It was a great day! (I'll post some pics from our walk below)
2. This blog is what I have been reading the past few nights. I read almost the entire thing the first night. It is shocking, heart-wrenching, and just plain interesting. I recommend every parent or person in the medical field read what this family experienced; someday you may be really glad that you have the knowledge.
3. Potato chips are not usually my weakness...unless of course they are sitting next to some french onion dip. Yet, I have come to love the new Lays Garden Tomato & Basil potato chips. Once I start eating them it is very difficult to stop...watch out for these on your grocer's aisle...they are dangerous.
4. Saturday we are going to make individual pizzas for dinner...but this time we are going to make our own crust using this recipe. I'll let you know how it turns out. Still waiting for your awesome recipes ;-).
5. Last year I searched the stores and Internet for an advent calendar. I found many...but not the type I was looking for with large enough openings to put special prizes/treats. So, I am going to try my hand at making my own version of these. Wish me luck; and if you've tried it please share any tips/tricks!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Hubby turned another year older on Wednesday. We celebrated by having dinner at the local japanese steakhouse. We had never taken the kids there and they loved watching the chefs cook right before our table. L-n-L spent so much time trying to master the art of their chopsticks that we ended up leaving with three very large doggie boxes. We came home and had some pumpkin pie for dessert (hubby's fave).

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Five on Friday

1. Apologies for missing FOF last week. We had downed power lines in our front yard and yellow caution tape surrounding our house. So...needless to say, blogging was not a top priority. Luckily, it was date night at the kids preschool so we dropped off all three kids and headed to Hooter's for beer and deep fried pickles. Power finally returned 24 hours later.
2. Date night is this awesome thing our daycare provides once a month. First Friday of every month they watch the kids for FREE while the parents head out for an evening alone!
3. Halloween costumes arrived in the mail. LJ is going to be a pirate, LK has decided on Vi from Incredibles, and my little man is going to be the cutest lil' pumpkin ever! I can't believe he is going to be 1 on Halloween.
4. My photography wishlist just keeps growing.and growing.and growing. A few things I would like to get before Christmas include a Phat Strap, some seamless paper, and some of the PhotoProp floors.
5. For those who watch Dancing With the Stars...who do you think will go all the way? I have been a loyal viewer of DWTS since season One. Lately there isn't much time for TV so I have a bunch of my shows DVR'd that I need to catch up on. Also, if you don't watch Parenthood...you should!
6. Wondering if this blog can help me. We officially outgrew our house about 1 year ago. It is filled with so much "stuff". That is what happens when you have a family of 5 living in a very small house. On our agenda this month is finding a rental storage unit and trying to reduce some clutter.
7. Sunday has become the "comfort food" day around here. Started with chili, then homemade chicken noodle soup, and last week Lasagna. Wondering what to make this Sunday...if you have any favorite recipes please share!

Autumn Air..

As of a few days ago Fall officially fell upon Michigan, yet we have been feeling it for the past 3 weeks. Yesterday we ventured out for our first Autumn Activity, (many more on the agenda), and enjoyed the Autumn air

Five on Friday

1. I finally took LJ and LK to see Toy Story 3 the other night...just as good as I expected.
2. LK's preschool teacher posted this on FB the other day. I had tears in my eyes after I read it. I was reading the Kids bible to a few of my students and read how Noah thanked God for taking care of him and his family. I explained that you can pray anywhere, anytime and God will hear you. ONe of my students, Lauren, just folded her hands, closed her eyes and started praying.." God, thank you for my house and all my stuff, and I just love you so much...um...goodbye." and blew a big kiss out to God.
3. I am WAY behind on the mini-photography workshop I am currently taking, but the other day I decided to get out the camera. The workshop is supposed to focus on getting yourself in the pictures more often. I realized after reviewing the shots that I have horrible crows feet, need to wear MUCH more make-up, and...well...most of those shots were deleted. (I'm really not a vain person...but these were not flattering at all!)
4. We decided to take a nature walk the other day to one of local favorite spots. It was a beautiful day and a relaxing family adventure. (...besides LJ complaining that he wanted to play baseball instead of nature hike) I posted a few pics below
5. Excited to go see the hot air balloons this weekend, but even MORE excited to hang out with the kids and hubby!!

Five on Friday

1. I am very excited to be starting a new mini-photography workshop next week. I am also crazy to be signing up for this workshop the very first 3 weeks of school. I must blame the "biting off more than I can chew" on mom4inspiration who didn't even have to try and talk me into it ;)


2. Still in disbelief that I have a pair of 4-year olds! So...are they officially called pre-schoolers now or what is their title?? It is depressing when I go to the toddler section of a clothing store only to realize none of the clothes will fit my now 4-year olds...onward to the boys and girls section :-(.


3. Cannot wait for The League to start Season 2 on Sept. 16th. Hubby and I love this show!! It is hilarious and you can catch it at 10:30pm on FX.

4. I am very excited to be moving my blog over to Wordpress...more to follow later.

5. If you have little ones, you should check out the Zulily site. You can get tons of cute boutique clothes at clearanced prices. Each week they feature different sales. Also, for those with little girls, last week I purchased an adorable pettiskirt and tutu from AlwaysUnderPay. My daughter LOVES to play dress-up and these were super cheap!

FOUR

4 years ago I was holding two brand new tiny babies in my arms and thanking God for such wonderful blessings. I was also staring at them wondering how we would do as parents of twins. That first night I knew hubby would be an awesome dad. He was up at every grunt, squirm, or cry making sure they were okay. Later that night I also came to the conclusion that we would be great parents. How can you be anything but great when you love something as much as we loved them! I thought to myself...it is SO amazing how your life can change in one day. I always make the comment to newly expecting parents that I wish words could explain the feelings the moment you meet your child...then again I am so glad words cannot. You have to experience it to understand...and that is all there is to it. It changes your life forever, and being a parent is the absolute greatest thing EVER!

We celebrated with family and friends earlier this week with a pirate and mermaid themed party. It was extremely hot, but we all survived! The kids had fun jumping in the bounce house, shooting "cannon balls", searching for treasure, and breaking the pinata. Today for their actual birthday Daddy took them to the local children's zoo while Mommy was at work (boo). Then they came to visit me at work which definitely lifted my spirits! After work we headed over to the local pizza joint and followed up with ice cream.

In the past few months it has becoming increasingly real to me how grown-up my LJ and LK are becoming. Once again, words can't even begin to explain how much LOVE I have for these brand new 4-year olds!

Five on Friday

Starting a new trend here. A few of the blogs I follow write Ten on Tuesday posts. Well...I'm not sure my life is that interesting so I am going to try and share five tidbits with you every Friday!!!



1. As of next Tuesday I am officially back to work. This means we all need to re-adjust to getting up early and out of the house before 7am...ugh! I just know I will be missing my babies so badly on Tuesday.


2. I think this stop-motion video is pretty cool...especially because a good friend just let me take a few maternity shots of her for some photography practice. (I'll ask her if I can share)


3. EJ is now working on his FOURTH tooth in one month. This will make a total of six. I need a break from teething.


4. Another year of golf league has ended and another season of the all-girl fantasy football league is starting.

5. I have come to appreciate good grocery bagging. I find myself searching the aisles at the grocery store looking for a cashier that appears to know how to bag...or one that I know from past experience. I could care less if that line is 5x longer than other lines. We spend ALOT of money on groceries. It really irritates me when cashiers just throw the food in a bag carelessly. My biggest pet peeve is when they mix things like laundry detergent and food!! I organize my belt by boxed items, frozen, cold, etc. Am I the only person that gets this worked up about grocery bagging?????!!!

3 babies + 2 preschoolers + 2 kids = CRAZY FUN!

We embarked on the 2nd annual "L" family getaway the second week in August. I think all of the adults needed a vacation from our vaction upon return. We had so much fun...but I am not quite sure you can call anything "relaxing" when dealing with 7 children.

This year we decided on a cottage on a little lake near Traverse City. Upon arrival we realized the lake was better suited for fishing than swimming...pretty mucky. So, the boys had a BLAST fishing every waking moment we were at the cottage. Almost everyday we packed up the gear and sampled beaches in Traverse City, Elk Rapids, and Charlevoix. Each night the adults played games and de-stressed. A great time was had by all and I hope the tradition carries on...

Mommy, look what I caught!

The baby boys!

I think she was singing...she sings ALL THE TIME

Big smiles for Mama!

Cousins

The boys fishing...

The girls playing in the sand...another shovel was on it's way.

Grandma hanging out with the babies at the beach!

My Beach Bum!

The House That Built Me...

I have loved this song since the very first time I heard it. In fact, I immediately went to the computer and downloaded it that night (Unfortunately, we also got some sort of nasty computer virus that night). Anyhow, every single time I hear this song I fill with joy. I truly am one of the luckiest gals in the world to have the childhood that I did. Of course it wasn't the house, but the family, friends, and moments that made it so special. My parents created so many family traditions that made my childhood memorable.

I can recall many teenage days wishing my house was "nicer", fancier, a little more up-to-date. Now, I feel so differently. That house made me who I am today...that house holds SO many memories...now I hope it never changes! Of course little renovations have been made here and there; and eventually it may look totally different - thank God for pictures! So, I thought I would put down in words just a few of the memories from the house that built me.

The house that built me...

• was built mainly by my dad and grandpa (and I think that is amazing)
• had brown shag carpeting...the entire time I lived there (finally got new carpeting about 10 years ago)
• is filled with curtains that were sewn by mother (the living room curtains used to have some sort of cowboy scene)
• has a fireplace/mantle where my dad used to build fires, christmas stockings were hung, and many family portraits were taken...along with uncomfortable, nervous prom date pictures.
• has some "unique" art pieces...that have been there as long as I can recall (dogs with metal ears, a picture of a rifleman overlooking a river, a basket collection in the kitchen)
• has a china cabinet that we always had to be VERY careful around with my mother's collection of china inside and Hummel figurines that sit atop (now I freak out on my own kids to be careful).
• has a sliding screen door in the dining room...I remember our old dog Ginger used to have a bed right next to this door.
• does not have any sort of air conditioning so I remember the windows ALWAYS being open in the summer...I loved that
• has three bedrooms...which meant I shared one with my younger sister. I had Peanuts sheets/comforter. We had two twin beds and used to stay up late and listen for the Cheers theme song to come on from the living room TV. At times, there was masking tape on the floor separating two areas of the room when we fought. This bedroom had green striped carpeting and green curtains (I think Winnie The Pooh) when I was growing up. Two windows...one overlooks my Dad's garden and the other the backyard. I remember sitting on one of the twin beds early one school morning with my sisters and my mom crying. Our very old dog, Ginger, did not move like she always did from the driveway that morning and my Dad ran her over; he was heart-broken even more so than us girls. I was in 2nd grade. I remember listening to my very first CD in this room (the Friday soundtrack :-). I remember waking up to the horrible sound of my cat being attacked by a dog in the backyard...she died. I remember my parents letting me update this room...I chose lilac colored paint and layered sheer curtains. I remember laying in this room after I had knee surgery...wishing I didn't have knee surgery.
• has a basement that is filled with stuff my mother never throws away...which means it's filled with MANY memories. I remember going down to the basement with my sisters at night and exercising with my dad. He had this exercise mat...used to jump rope, do push-ups, even had the little hand-strengthening tool. Us girls would do somersaults and jumping jacks. We used to listen to old music like this from Bobby Bare or Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and the likes. He has a "work room" where I remember helping him make bullets and listen to stories about his past. We also used to have to crawl through this basement window when we got locked out of the house. I also remember playing so many imaginary games down there with my sisters and neighbors...one of our favorites was "school". I vividly remember my younger sister and I belly-laughing so hard after lip-synching Milli Vanilli "Blame it on the Rain" in the mirror...over and over again. I also had a bedroom in the basement for some of my high school years. I remember having my first real broken heart and break-up in that basement.
• is surrounded by a huge yard where we spent endless hours playing outside. There were paths through the woods that would lead us to either neighbor's house where our good friends lived. We would create leaf mazes, snow forts, play baseball, hide-n-seek, and so much more! One summer we worked daily on a "mud pool" in our sandbox. We would catch crayfish in the stream and build "homes" for frogs in windowboxes. Every spring we helped my dad tap the maple trees and make maple syrup. (this post could turn into a book if I don't stop...seriously I could write a book)
• had a bus stop that we used to wait in every morning...I remember many freezing cold mornings (and using it for hide-n-seek alot)
• has flower gardens that line the driveway...everyday in the summer my Mom would work in these flower gardens in her strapless terrycloth jumpsuit...we tease her about this often :-).

Wow...writing this post has reminded me of so many memories. I could literally write for hours on my childhood memories. I am so very thankful for that house ...and the two people that decided to build it and raise their family inside.

LK has also decided that this is one of her favorite tunes and belts it out everytime she hears it.

A Day in Frankenmuth

We are ever so lucky to have the Kennedy fam' in town for their annual summer visit! LK and LJ have been looking forward to seeing their cousins since the day we left them back in April. We have had so much fun since they arrived. Our days have been filled with many activities including parades, childrens museum, boat rides, swimming, children's zoo, putt-putt, parks, and so much more.



We make a visit to Frankenmuth each time the Kennedy's come in to town. Usually, we start out with a visit to Grammy at the cemetary, then some lunch at one of our favorite spots, followed by a stroll through River Place. I tried my best to document the day with my camera.

The kids were excited to be back to River Place. Grammy used to live right across the street...the adults (and maybe even "Z") remember many great walks here with her.


As we crossed the bridge en route to Zehnders Cafe we stopped to see what we could see~






What we saw was a mama Mallard with her babies!






We don't see great Grandma Dee-Dee that often, so this picture just melts my heart!




After lunch we headed to our favorite toy store. What to choose...what to choose....


I think Coop ended up with this truck.



I couldn't get LK out of the princess area...she ended up with a jewelry box that plays music.



Then LJ found a pirate section and was in his glory!! He walked all around in this get-up...it was hilarious.


Zo and Bug each picked out a dog that appears to be walking...and EJ got a little toy truck.

There's always time for a hula on our way to the ice cream store!


I scream, you scream...



Next stop...Popcorn Wagon (my fave!)


My pirate decided to stop and check out the flowers


After a long afternoon I still have a VERY happy boy! God bless his sweetness!


I love, love, love this shot of cousins that are great friends!