Another Little Creation...

Inspired by Ashley at www.littleblueboo.blogspot.com ! This is one of the patterns she has on her site FREE to download... I had to modify it slightly because I made a cutting error BUT I think it turned out pretty cute.... Addie LOVES to wear her "princess pirate" shirt! It's actually on the verge of getting too small and I have to say that I am REALLY sad.... I guess I will just have to add this one to her baby clothes quilt I started making... I used the same concept to make the "ho, ho, ho" shirts for Christmas.... you can see them here in case you forgot what those looked like.

And, yes... a beanie hat AND mittens are ABSOLUTELY necessary in the 75 degree Phoenix weather.... IF you're Addie that is! Pop on over and check out her designs... she makes the CUTEST dresses ever...

New Year's Resolutions....

I have never been a big fan of New Year's Resolutions.
Could be because for me it always seemed to be the same... loose weight, get in shape, do better at this or that... but it seems like I always fail.

So, I stopped making them. There is no worse way to spend a New Year's Eve than reflecting on all the things you didn't do last year and just roll them over to the new year. And, I think I finally figured out why... I always seek things that really don't matter in the grand scheme of things. SO this year I am setting some goals for myself that I think will have a lasting impression on myself, my relationship with Christ, my relationship with my husband and the impact I have on my kids. So... here they go.

1. I want to spend more time with God.... study, music, worship, quiet.... whatever it is... I just want it more. There is a peace about my life when I am EVEN in the midst of storms when I spent time with God.... doesn't make the bad go away but it DOES fill my life with HOPE beyond what I can comprehend here on earth.

2. I want to spend MORE TIME with my husband.... alone. I want to put us first again and have more date nights and just time where we connect without our kids. I believe firmly that it should be God, Husband, Kids.... everything else. But, I will be the first to admit that in the infant years it probably went more like Kids, God, Husband... everything else... or sometimes even kids, everything else, husband, God.... I married him because he is amazing and I love to just hang with him.... so that is what I need to do! (I am thinking a solo vacation to a beachy place would be awesome too!!!)

3. I want to spend more intentional time with my kids.... I play with them all the time... ALL THE TIME... but I want it to be more intentional... play more games, color more pictures, wrestle and giggle as much as we can. My mom said it all the time.... they grow up so fast... and I am sure I rolled my eyes and thought 18 years is a LONG TIME... but Noah is quickly approaching 4 and my babies are already 2 and 4 months! I don't want it to pass me by!

4. Lastly, I want to keep up the new and old friendships that I have. I realized more this year than ever that I have 6 of the most incredible godly women in my life that just really support me, get me and make me laugh! I want them to know they do that for me AND I want to be there for them like they are for me!

So, this year is about building my character. Being the woman God called me to be and soak it all in! Happy New Year to everyone.... 2010 is going to be a BIG one!

Christmas Project

It was just one of those days yesterday... you know the kind where you are completely on top of things for once... but the kids are grumpy... why is it that you can't ever seem to get the days you are on top of it coordinated with the ones where they are all blissfully getting along and singing "koom-bye-ya"? (Does that really happen ever to anyone? If so - DON'T comment... I really don't want to hear about it! AND... don't know how to spell that song but you get my point.)

So, last night, there were many other things that should be done - but I wanted to do something to release the day... so I made these shirts that I had been wanting to make for a long time~!

Now, when I say "make" I don't mean the actual shirts... NO... I don't know how to do snaps and classy collars, etc... I mean put the words on the front... which I learned how to do here: http://lilblueboo.blogspot.com/

I don't want you to think that I can just whip up clothes... (I really don't want my husband to think I can just whip up clothes....) I found these shirts on clearance and just wanted to doll them up a little... and thought it would be funny to see them all in them at once... and since they are ALWAYS together... it works perfect... I mean - when they all go to school - this totally loses effect and could quite possible scar them for life! Now, what are the chances of getting a photo of the three of them where you can see their faces AND read the shirts? Close to impossible but the following will do!

Great of the shirts... but no faces.... This was the first time they were allowed to hold candy canes... which by the way they think are decorations! lol

Well, one out of three faces is a success in my book! (I am not Kathy Cole and can not perform miracles with a camera) And, I LOVE the look on Matty's face... Noah had just snapped his candy cane and you can tell that Matty is thinking.... YIKES... what's gunna happen next?

Can't Wait...

I just can't wait to share these... so I won't! We had our families photographs taken yesterday by Kathy Cole - an amazing photographer - but more importantly a GREAT friend!!!! She sent us some sneak peaks of what's to come - I can NOT thank her enough!

My client and NOW good friend Jenn nominated me for the Kreativ Blogger Award! I don't feel deserving but will play along and nominate some of my favorite Kreativ Bloggers!

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.

5. Nominate Kreativ Bloggers.

6. Post links to those you nominate.

7. Leave comments on their blog letting them know you have nominated them.

Here's some tidbits you may not know about me...

~ I am a TRUE native Phoenician... born and raised... never moved away... although I have wanted to live in Texas since I was looking at Graduate programs... it was the first and only father/daughter solo trip I have ever taken with my dad and it is burned in my memory!

~I used to tease my husband that we would have twins someday... I wanted four kids and he only 3... so I used to tell him that we would have two and since I was in better with God - the 3rd time we would get two and I would have my four... God had the last laugh AND I am in FULL agreement with my husband... 3 is the PERFECT number for us.

~While I just said that 3 is the PERFECT number.... I have ALWAYS wanted to adopt a daughter from a different country. The idea of taking a child out of a non-Christian based nation and raising them so they would know the Lord would be AMAZING...

~I preferred fast pitch softball to dance when I was little.... and little has changed since then.

~I am a self proclaimed germ-a-phob! Seriously - I am obsessed with cleaning germs...

~ I LOVE Christmas music. When I heard it in a store for the first time the other day.... I ran home and started playing it... actually I have played it often this summer.... I only like instrumental Christmas music....

~ Some of my closest friends used to be students of mine at GCU! Definitely the BEST part of working there for 10 years!

AND MY NOMINATIONS GO TO:

Little Blue Boo (Um... you HAVE to check her out!)

Kathy Cole Photography (Phoenix's FINEST Photographer! and amazing woman of God!)

The Thoman Family Blog (Seriously - she comes up with the BEST crafts for her kids!)

Lovely Little Things (JJ Heller is a VERY talented Christian artist who dabbles in great sewing crafts too!)

I actually have a ton of people I could nominate but know some of them are VERY private... you know who you are.... I would have nominated you too!!!