Pictures!!!

Ok, so I finally got my pictures downloaded from my camera. Sad thing is that from the beginning fo the month I had racked up 440 pictures!! LOL! No wonder I hadn't uploaded them yet. the longer I waited the more there were to upload!

First Dentist Visit!

Maddelyn and Emma with their twin cousins...yep, two sets! Aren't they all getting so big!

Austin pulling the wagon load!

Caroline's 5 month pictures

Going for a ride in Uncle Clyde's new PT Cruiser Convertible

Our new Furballs!!! After MUCH debate and re-naming by Maddelyn, thier names are Cinderella ---------^ and Tinkerbell ----------v. The girls have been calling them 'Ella and Tink' for short. It gets crazy yelling..."Cinderlla and Tinkerbell...come here!"

We'll be camping all weekend with my parents but I will post the rest for the pics when we get back. No, not all 440, just highlights of the month! I also will have several new scrap projects to post as well.

Oh..and great news!!! I have a new cousin born just today! Lauren Michelle was born this afternoon and was 8lbs 10 oz and 21 inches!!! Congrats Todd and Cathy!

Evening Away

Well hubby surprised me by getting the sitter and taking me shopping at the outlets this evening so no new pics. I have them it's just the hassle of uploading them all becuase I've waited so long to do it so now there are like 100-200 to download into my computer! PROCRASTINATION! I promise they are coming but the week has been crazy this far. I am telling myself...tomorrow morning!!!

New Family Members...

It's 12:48 am (don't ask why I'm still up on scrapbooking blogs) so I will give you just a hint tonight....

They are small, furry, and go meow!!!

Yep, we now are the proud new pet owners of 2 furball kittens! One is tourtise shell and the other black with white mittens/boots/underbelly. They don't have names yet because everytime Maddelyn names them she ends up calling them somethign new. I think at dinner they were Cinderella and Tinkerbell and now they are Peanut Butter and Cookie??? I've also heard Sally, Nema (made up word?), Julie, Aquafina (remember when she wanted to name Caroline that?), Coco, Patches....and such. Who knows?

More tomorrow with pics of the precious babes.

Oh My Gosh!!!!

Ahhhhh! Can you here that??? It's me screaming with excitement! I am being published for the very first time! Not only and I tickled pink to have been honored to have Scrappin Trends Ezine pick up a layout...but they asked for three!!!! So three of the wedding layouts that I had posted earlier are now going to be in the July/August issue of Scrapping Trends! I'll link it up when it comes out of course but here is a look at their site http://www.scrappintrends-store.com/ What a great way to end a pretty stressful last two weeks!

Today's service at church was great. We catually caught more than I would have expected to of it while we were sitting with kids in the nursery. The TV monitor was up so we were able to listen along. Great message on being thankful in the tough times too. The basis was if you can't praise God for what you do have...He's not going ot bless your life with more. Something to ponder on! Stop counting the hardships and start counting the blessings!

We had a small miracle tonight. Maddelyn and Emma were racing down the stairs, don't ask, they weren't supposed to be out of their room to begin with. Anyways in the process of racing, Maddelyn pushed Emma and Emma came down all of the 10 or so stairs doing cartwheels!!! She did end up with a red spot on her side of her head but that was it! She was so not affected by it that putting a band-aid over the red mark was good enough for her! WOW! Praise God for his protection! That could have been really bad!

Well tomorrow is a day of catch-up with phone calls and errands since we were gone all last week. I'm anxious to get the test results back from my blood work and ultasound on my gallbladder and thyroid. I also need to ask the dr about my knee. Yep, I messed it up on my "Hamons-moment" fall. Ok...the gist is my mom's family is known for it's shall we say non-graceful actions! That was me as I was flying through the air a couple of weeks ago when I missed my footing on the front steps. Huh! See, you turn 25 and it's all down hill from there! LOL!

Home Sweet Home and Layouts...

Well, we are finally home! On our way through Columbus we stopped and picked up Nathan, who has been at summer camp the past two weeks with the guard. He has tomorrow off, so we plan on sitting around and just chilling tomorrow, after church of couse! So I guess that pile of suitcases and army stuff by the door and sit until monday. I'm sure it will still be there when I get to it. Now my OCD-ness is dying to takle the pile, but my sanity needs a chill day.

Here are a couple of layouts I made a few weeks back. I should be posting several new layouts/projects over the next week. You know...end of the month ='s design team deadlines!

Hello from Kentucky!

Sorry about the absence! I have been in Kentucky visiting my Aunt Donna so I have not had access to my blog until now. The girls and I have just kinda taken a lil time for ourselves here in KY. Now that Iive got my laptop hooked up the internet again, I will download some pictures later on tonight of what we've been up to!

Here are a couple of pics form the girls playing in the spinkler a couple of weeks ago. For some reason whenever I try to get a picture of Maddelyn and Emma together, they kiss? At least they are not fighting!

Until this evening.....

Things Toddlers Can Teach You...

Did you know that.......

1. You can fingerpaint with the goop inside a poptart?

2. That goop makes great hair gel to put in your sister's hair?

3. Toddlers are the fastest moving creatures on the eart?

4. Siblings will try anything that the other one does, including letting the dentist work on your teeth?

5. You can slide out of a seat belt...with it still fastened, while the car is moving, and all without Mom knowing?

6. You can get every drop of yogurt out of the little cup by sticking your fist in there and then licking your fist like a popsickle?

7. Carpet can soak up alot of pee-pee?

8. A Band-aid has miracle powers?

9. By saying "I had it first" you can claim possession of ANYTHING no matter if it's yours or not?

10. By getting your sister to play doggie with you and then putting her in her house (the closet) is a great way to get to play with your toys alone?

And yes....I learned all of this in the last 24 hours! More later....

Still Hang'n in!

Well were still here. it's almost become a joke now...still not funny though....about what the catastphy of the day will be. Let's see since I updated...Wednesday was I got a call from the lovely repair shop and of course we ended up with a $355.00 van bill! Yuck! Then today....I FELL!!!! Yep, with Caroline in her carseat and an armfull of stuff down my front cement steps! I did the exact same thing on Monther's Day and sprained my ankle! Today I was so afraid that I had broken my leg. No breaks just lots of cuts, bruises, a twisted ankle and of course I have now messed up my knee. uhh! Oh, and Caroline was fine. She landed with her seat on it's side and of course it startled her, but no big deal. She's fine. Yep, one more thing. I am actually chuckling at this because of how funny it all is. I mean yeah it hurts, but I am just sitting her seeing Satan with a little checklist on a clipboard striking off boxes day by day saying...man...I really thought that one would have been what made her throw in the towel. Of course I do't so he rubs his hands together to plan for tomorrow. Wierd that I can laugh at all of this? I guess there is nothing else to do but PRAY and laugh?

But, one great blessing is that my garage sale was a hit! Best I've had in a long time. I think I ended up with about $300.00? Not too bad! So that covers most of my breaks, now just need to replace my microwave.

Tomorrow we go for the girl's first dentist appt for a cleaning with the pediatric dentist. I've heard they are awesome with kids, but as always with Emma, I'm sure well have stories to tell later. I also have a few cute pics to share from today.

~Remember, no matter how tough things are, it could always be tougher...so praise God even in the bad times! :D

Stress

So I haven't posted in a couple of days partly to me being busy with the garage sale and partly to some crazy things happening. I won't go into great detail, but lets just say that Nathan has commented that we must be just around the corner from a blessing, because whenever God blesses you, the Devil always messes with you first. I hope this is the case, because we are definitely either being taunted by Satan or being stretched by God right now. Without sharing too much info, basically there have been some crazy things happening on both sides of the family this weekend, and pretty big things at that. Then, I found out that I more than likely have either and ulcer or need my gulbladder taken out! As well as I more than likely am having thyroid problems which is now affecting nursing Caroline so we are back with the lactation consultant! It doesn't end there, my mini van needs new tires (we've known that for a few weeks though), and our NEW brakes on it are now sticking!!! Also, my micowave decided to say it's last goodbyes, choosing now to do so? As I had mentioned before we are getting to the point that we really need God to show us what path is next as far as a job, which is stressful in itself with finances and all. Then, to top all of this off....since our mini vacation threw the schedual off, Emma has decided the floor and her panties are a way cooler place to wet than the potty is! She is regressing! UHHHH! Can we stress a little? Oh, and I didn't mention that all of this is just since SATURDAY!!!!

I guess now I can chuckle and say....when God says He'll never give you more than you can handle, I never knew I could handle this much! My family and I are just praying that tomorrow goes SMOOTHLY and there are no big events! Literally I have not made it a day so far without a big who-ha! So needless to say I am desperately seeking your prayers right now not only for the stormy rain clouds to quit hanging over my head, but for peace during this time so I can make it through the day not so stressed! Did I mention that Nathan is in MI for 3 weeks while all of this is happening. Oh, and by the way this all started the very day he left! Crazy huh?

It's Garage Sale Time!!

So what have I been up to this weekend? Cleaning...LOL....yes cleaning. I'm having my garage sale this Thursday an am trying to sort through old items to find a new home somewhere else. With three little ones I think we have items tucked in just about every corner? Besides that we got Nathan off to Summer camp in MI for the next 3 weeks. A small change in plans means that now after Thursday he'll be back in OH running headquarters while his office is still in MI. So this means I might see him a little over the next three weeks but still not much. But hey, better than none?

I had plans to not only clean but to get some scrap projects done as well, but that didn't happen. I think running solid for the past few weeks kinda hit me in the face this weekend. I just want to chill out watching HGTV and surfing the message boards? What better way to relax than HGTV and 2Peas??? LOL! I know, hubby is rolling his eyes at me about now! :D

I did get some things accomplished though, like Caroline is now in her crib. I finally broke down and set up her crib the other night. She really hasn't outgrown the cradle yet, its just that many mornings I wake up to see her little legs hanging out through the bars! LOL! This was a major bite my tounge thing for Mandi. I kinda had put my foot down while I was pregnant and said we will be moved BEFORE she goes into a crib. Having a cradle in my room not a big deal, but no crib. (Our house only has 2 bedrooms, large, but only 2.) So, we have been planning all along to move once we get settled into a new job and we thought it would have been by now. Well I guess this is what happens when you put deadlines on God...He laughs and you stick your foot in your mouth. The crib actually looks cute in our room all set up, but it was just a Mandi putting her foot down moment. See how that worked out?

I would ask that all my beloved friends and family once again be in prayer for us. This week has been pretty stressful but on top of that we are really seeking God's will for our lives right now and waiting on Him to show us what path we are to take. So if you could please just be in prayer for us. I'd appreciate it!

Have a Great Monday!!!

New Design Team Projects

Here is a hint of what I have been keeping myself busy with over the past couple of weeks. I has several deadline due including 2SassyScrappers and Mary Croppins. So here they are:

2SassyScrappers DT Kit was Crate Paper's Avenue Line

Marycroppins.com DT Kit included Crate Paper's Baby Bee Line and here are a few pictures of the mini album and box I did with my pregnancy pictures.

Inspiration Friday

Sorry I kinda eased up on this the past couple of weeks, but here is my newest inspiration....

Edith Turk

Edith is a fellow DT member at 2 Sassy Scrappers. Since we both made the team I've loved her work! Such talent! So, I thought I'd share some of her lovely work.

I also posted some new benefit auctions for Jen Gallacher. Maya Roads was awesome enough to make quite a few donations as well as several other scrappers who donated a variety of items so check them out!!!

http://search.ebay.com/ws/search/SaleSearch?sofocus=bs&satitle=&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC5&fbd=1&_trksid=m37&from=R6&nojspr=y&pfid=0&fswc=1&few=&saprclo=&saprchi=&fss=1&saslop=1&sasl=mandi4245&fls=4%26floc%3D1&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D0&salic=1&saatc=1&sadis=200&fpos=44903&fsct=&sacur=0&sacqyop=ge&sacqy=&sabfmts=0&saobfmts=exsif&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&sabdlo=&sabdhi=&saaff=afdefault&afcj=&afmp=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&fcl=3&frpp=50

Back in Action

Ok...ok...so I know I have been MIA lately but with 2 mini vacations and scrap deadlines in between, blogging kinda went to the wayside. So we're home now and I'm back in action. We had a blast on our mini vacation with Nathan's family. Cedar Point of course was a hit...best amusement park 9 years running! Woo-hoo! The rain stunk, but the kiddie rides kept on running through the rain so the kidos had a blast. Maddelyn did great with trying out new rides. My lil fraidy-cat even road her first rollar coaster...Jr. Gemini!

Kalahari was so much fun! DEFINITELY a must do again. There was a ton to do for both adults and kidos. Maddelyn once again made us proud by riding a couple of waterslides! Maybe she is coming out of her shell??

And here is a pic of ME on the boogie board at Kalahari! Yep, I not only did it but got to my knees from laying on my belly...the very first time I tried it!!!! The fake waves they make are pretty strong and I couldn'd believe that I didn't flip it and lose control before I got up to my knees! LOL!

We had a blast over the weekend and of course these are a tiny sampling of the pics I took! I have lots to do this week as well both around here and in my scraproom. I also have listed more benefit auctions for Jen Gallacher which I will link here tomorrow. Until then......