cute little kicker

For one of my assignments for Jillibean Soup this month I created this layout using the new Game Day Chili collection and some pictures of Aimee from this past fall.

This was Aimee's first time playing soccer and that picture of her with the ball on the bottom left of the layout was right before she scored her very first goal at the first game. She had so much fun!

I cut the banner pieces from the patterned paper with different border strips on it and added some of the new mustard twine.

These little stars were cut from one of the other patterned papers in the collection. 

Have a great Sunday!

happy birthday sweet Lily

It's hard to believe that it's been a year ago already since sweet baby Lily was born.

I spent the two weeks before her birth at the hospital on bedrest because of pre-eclampsia. Those weren't the most fun weeks of my life but as I look back at it now I should have appreciated the quiet, peaceful time more than I did!

Lily was born 6 weeks early, at 34 weeks exactly. I didn't know when I went into the hospital on April 13, 2011 that her being born so early would mean that I would have to leave the hospital without her or how difficult that would be for me. I am still grateful for kind friends and family who helped us through that time with prayers, sweet words and kind service.

I was told that I might have to have a c-section with her, something that I wasn't looking forward to since I'd already been through it when Aimee was born. I think that Lily must have known how I felt about that because the night before I hit my 34- week mark I started having more regular contractions and I once the doctors deemed it was time for Lily to be born it took only a couple of pushes and she was here!

What a sweet little thing she was, born at 5 pounds and 15 ounces (HUGE for a preemie born 6 weeks early, and we were SO grateful because that would help her fight through the next couple of weeks spent in the NICU at the hospital). 

She was adored by her sisters instantly; they got the chance to visit her in the NICU and give her a little stuffed animal. I don't think they understood why she couldn't come home to stay with us but couldn't get enough of her once we brought her home and that hasn't changed- they love their baby sister!

Lily does everything on her own timing; because she was born so early we knew that there might be some developmental delays and while she has always been good-sized she has learned how to do things a little slower than we'd imagined. She is just now starting to get up onto her hands and knees and loves to rock back and forth. One of these days she'll take off crawling, and then running! For now we just get to enjoy this baby stage a little bit longer and we are okay with that. She does scoot all over the place- backwards and in a circle- she hasn't quite figured out how to go forward but if she sees something that she wants she can usually find a way to get it and has already started pulling things off of the lower bookshelves. 

We love our sweet girl and I can't get enough of her! I am sure she's grown weary of having a camera in her face so often but I just can't resist her cute little face! I think that her daddy is pretty smitten, too. 

Like I said, she's had lots of pictures taken of her; you can be sure that her life will be very well-documented. I love to just sit and watch her, to see her facial expressions change, to watch as she intently tries to figure out a toy or some little piece of paper or string she might have found on the floor as she's gone exploring. 

We love our sweet Lily girl; I remember when we thought that we wouldn't be able to have any more kids. We'd already given away a lot of clothing to others who could use it and then I went to the doctor because I just hadn't been feeling well. They ran a bunch of different labs and I found out that I had a UTI and they used that to explain the nausea and dizziness I'd been feeling. I was waiting for my husband in the lobby of the clinic- he'd dropped me off because I was too dizzy to drive myself- and the doctor came out to find me to tell me that they'd gotten the results of some of the other labs and that I was pregnant, too. He seemed concerned and asked if I was okay with that news. Was I? Here I'd thought that we wouldn't be having any more kids and we'd gotten used to the idea that Aimee would be our youngest and now we were going to have a baby. We were more than thrilled and LOVE this sweet little girl. 

Last night she gave me the first real hug that I've ever gotten from her. I had been with Sarah at her gymnastics practice and Lily was home with daddy and two of her sisters. I got her up out of bed because she'd been fussy, gave her a bottle and was getting ready to put her back to bed, gave her a big hug and her little arms squeezed me back and it was the sweetest thing!

We love her so much and wish her a very happy birthday. 

Screaming for ice cream with Jillibean Soup

Good morning!

It has been quite the whirlwind week again for us so! I am worn out!

Each month at Jillibean Soup we are given a designer challenge and ours for the month of April was to create something inspired by this:

Pretty cute, huh? I pulled the color scheme for this layout from the room.

and some detail shots:

What is your favorite color combination to scrap with?

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

I've joined The Scrap Review!

Good morning!

A few weeks ago I got an email from Ashley Harris asking me if I'd like to join the crew at The Scrap Review and I said YES!

The Scrap Review has been my go-to spot for CHA news in the past and it's fun to see what those ladies think about current products in the scrappy market.

I am so excited to join that fabulous group of ladies and to get to try new things. Every 6 weeks or so I will review a new item and share a project that I create with it. Should be so fun! Check back in the next month or so for my first project.

You can learn more about the Scrap Review and meet the other new ladies here

Have a great day!

sharing a Bella Blvd baby mini

Hello again!

I hope that you had a great weekend.

This morning I have a mini album to share with you, one that I created for CHA using Bella Blvd's new Baby Girl collection.

This collection was so fun to use and was perfect for this little album celebrating our sweet Lily. We'll be celebrating again on Friday since it's Lily's birthday!!! This last year has flown by so quickly. 

Saturday Sketches with Bella Blvd

We had a fun time yesterday playing at the park and today we're going to take it easy and relax a bit as well. We've had a busy week and need some time to recuperate!

There's a new sketch up on the Bella Blvd blog this morning created by the fabulous Becky Fleck:

Here is the layout that I created inspired by the sketch:

and some detail shots:

I am loving the new Bella washi tape and really like that even collections like the Baby Girl and Baby Boy ones have papers that can be used for the everyday. Most of the papers that I used here are from the Baby Boy collection! Who says they can't be used to scrap my girls! 

You will find more designer takes on this sketch on the Bella Blog here:

http://bellablvd.typepad.com/bella_blvd/2012/04/saturday-sketches-1.html

Have a great weekend!

yes, I am still here

I know that I've been MIA lately...t's been a hectic week with lots of things going on:

trips to the doctor for my oldest who broke her thumb last Friday- first a trip to the pediatrician and then to have an x-ray, trip to an ortho doctor to have a cast put on yesterday

trip to the doctor for my 4 year old

I spent 4 hours yesterday either on the way to/from the doctor or waiting in dr. offices. Not my idea of a fun way to spend my day.

trips back and forth to the school to take kids and pick them up, to help in classes with reading tests and Tuesday folders

trips to and from the gym for karate and gymnastics practices- the girls are so excited for their Spring Showcase- it's too bad Hailey won't be able to do much because her arm is in a cast

trips to the store and gas station and here and there for whatever else we needed to do.

So, I haven't had much time for scrapping. I've been so tired at night that I just go to bed.

Today, though, I am ignoring most everything (the pile of clean clothes on my living room couch- at least they're sorted by kid and at least they're CLEAN, right?) and I am going to stay home, take care of baby Lily and scrap a bit.

Have a great day.

I'll be back soon with something scrappy to share.

a cute hat for a cute little girl

Good morning!

Just a quick post today to share this layout with you:

Made using some of the new My Mind's Eye paper, tape (Bella Blvd, American Crafts, Cute Tape, KI Memories), green journal spot from Jillibean Soup, alphas from Pebbles Inc. and American Crafts, chipboard from MME. 

Have a great day!

lots of fun things from Lifestyle Crafts and a new layout

Good morning!

Just in case some of you didn't know, Lifestyle Crafts was formerly known as Quik Kutz. They have a great selection of  die cutting and embossing templates as well as letterpress products. I've had the opportunity to work with some of the dies and love them!

There are so many fun and exciting things going on at Lifestyle Crafts this month- in case you missed it, the Big Top collection debuted this month and you can see some samples from others in the affiliate program on the LC blog here: http://lifestylecrafts.com/blog/ and get a chance to win one of three sets being given away.

They are also featuring the fancy envelope tab dies this month and I had the pleasure of making this layout to show them off! I used both the narrow and wider banner-type dies:

These can be found and purchased here: 

http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/core/fancy-envelope-tabs.html

Not only are they on sale but you can receive an even greater discount by using my discount code on the right sidebar giving you an additional 20% off. 

And here is the layout that I made using the dies:

These banner strips are quite the trend in scrapbooking lately and the envelope tab dies made it so quick and easy. I love that using the dies simplifies the process because life is busy and I have to make the most of my scrappy time.

For this layout I used some of the new My Mind's Eye papers, American Crafts glitter alpha stickers, Basic Grey little alphas, Queen and Co. pearls, Martha Stewart white envelope (much of these supplies are from a Studio Calico add-on kit I purchased) and some twine. 

AND, if that is not enough fun news, I have some other LC news to share with you!

They are having a paper sale! 

This cute paper pack is on sale and you will get 20% off by clicking on the Lifestyle Crafts button on my right side bar which will activate my special promo code. From April 16-22 (that's next week!) this 24-sheet paper pack will sell for only $10 ($8 if you use my code!), making it 70% off the normal price! 

You can always see what's new with Lifestyle Crafts by checking their blog and from there you can find links to the store. Make sure to use the button on my blog to get your discount, though! 

Have a great weekend!

our beach ballerina

If you have kids and if they are anything like mine they love to pretend. Mine enjoy being princesses and ballerinas and all things frilly and girly.

We got to play in a little lake while on our Spring Break camping trip and there was a fun sandy beach where my 4 year old had so much fun playing and posing. I had to get some pictures of the action and used some on this Bella Blvd layout.

Have a great day! 

We're off to gymnastics in a few minutes.

announcing the MLS giveaway winner!

Good morning!

Thanks to all who entered my little giveaway.

The lucky winner is Denise Bryant!

Denise, if you are reading this please send me an email (my email address is there on the left sidebar) with your contact information and I will send your package out this week.

Have a great day!

a little card for today

Good morning!

I hope that you all had a great weekend.

For today I just have this little card to share, created using the new Neapolitan Bean Bisque collection from Jillibean Soup. I love how Jill throws cute little sayings into the stickers and laughed as I saw "867-5309" on the sheet. Some of you might be too young to recognize that as being from an old song but whenever I see the sticker the song runs through my head ☺

Have a great day!

I'll post the winner of the scrappy giveaway tomorrow. 

Happy Easter

**please see giveaway post below**

I hope that it is a blessed day for you and your loved ones.

Last Easter was a bit of a difficult day for me. I had been in the hospital on bedrest because of preeclampsia and was granted a couple of hours to leave the hospital to have Easter dinner with my family. I was tired, I wasn't feeling well, I was emotional and the time with family wasn't as cheerful as I'd hoped it would be. I remember feeling relieved to be back in my hospital bed. Sad, isn't it?

I am so very grateful for the little baby girl that was born soon after Easter last year, for the quiet time that I was allowed in the hospital before the craziness of life with 4 kids would begin, including a newborn who would have to stay in the NICU after she was born.

I am grateful for Jesus Christ and know that because of Him my loved ones will live again, those who have died too early will have life once more.

I am so grateful and so very blessed.

Texas blubonnets and a giveaway for you

Good morning!

Can you believe it's almost the weekend?

What are your plans?

We have eggs to dye and other eggs to hunt today and tomorrow and then I really want for Sunday to be focused on the real reason we celebrate Easter. I am trying to come up with some kind of meaningful "treat" for the kids in my class at church.

I guess I forgot to post my giveaway yesterday but you are in luck today. I mentioned something about wanting to share some of my HUGE stash of My Little Shoebox and that is just what I am going to do. I have paper and stickers and more alpha stickers and it's more than I will be able to use in this lifetime so I want to share with one of you. Simply leave a comment on this post before midnight Monday and you will be entered in the drawing. Good luck!

And now for a new layout! While we were on our camping trip with some family from Houston during Spring Break a couple of weeks ago the kids and all but me and Lily (she didn't sleep the night before so she took a LONG nap that morning) happened upon a patch of bluebonnets while out hiking. I am so glad that my sister-in-law loves to take pictures just like I do and she knew that I would be oh-so-grateful for the pictures of my girls with the pretty flowers.

For this layout I used some Crate Paper (woodgrain background from last year's Christmas collection), American Crafts blue Thickers, Queen and Company pearls and everything else (stickers, diecuts, paper) came from the Farmhouse collection by October Afternoon.

Have a wonderful day, a very happy Easter, and don't forget to leave a comment on this post for your chance to win a box full of scrappy supplies! I will announce a winner next Tuesday.