Mother's Day Gifts......check!

Now that the flu appears to be out of our house and life is coming back in to focus, a wave of panic has taken its place with all the upcoming projects and events that have snuck up on me while I was in a two week flu haze.

Cooper is turning two in just over two weeks...invites, theme, bouncer oh my! And then it hit me.....Mother's Day. I fretted all night over mini album ideas and then I realized I had actually planned out gifts months earlier and already had all my supplies. Glass pendants....check! Chain and findings......check! Bails and E600......check! Diamond Glaze.......check! Picture of the boys....check! Jewelry maker......jewelry maker........OOPS, she moved! My friend Kelli and I picked out and purchased chain and findings right before she moved but I forgot to make the pendants and mail them to her in time. I realized I was going to have to attempt a new craft and quick.

Luckily, I have several of her pieces to work from and I had studied her style enough to put these necklaces together for gifts and speaking of that.....Mom, stop trying to figure out which of these is yours because neither are, some things can stay a suprise!
I tried to get a close up of the pendant but it didn't focus quite right on the picture, it looks much better in person!

And they were all packaged and tied with ribbon and topped with a handmade paper posie and off in the mail they go!

Thursday Thought To Ponder

"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile"

I'm Lovin' it Monday

My new issue of Ottobre Design arrived this weekend and I am Lovin' their new summer line! Ottobre Design is a magazine created in Finland that specializes in baby and children's clothing patterns. Each magazine contains over 40 patterns and you will love them all, don't believe me? See for yourself:



What attracted me to Ottobre last year was that they had boy clothing that you would want actually want to put your sons in which is very hard to find. Also, it covers such a great age range so they can grow with you and/or take care of most of your families needs! The magazine does ship from Finland but after receiving these for so long, I can tell you I haven't run into an issues or delays. You can even buy past issues and single issues from their site. Here are a few peaks from inside this issue:

Hello, Mr. Stomache Flu, we've been expecting you.......

Well, after round two of the stomach flu and one trip to Urgent Care the kids are perking up but the grown-ups are exhausted. Hence, the photo being posted that my husband has no idea I took and will kill me for posting.

p.s. PLEASE ignore the hockey play-off beard, I prefer to pretend it doesn't exist.

The truth about a house FULL of boys

So, people are always shocked when they realize I have a house of all boys. I can't tell you how many times I hear, you are going to try for a girl, right? Now, I never had any siblings so boys were new to me but I have found it to be such a rewarding and awesome experience that I don't know if I would have the patience for a bunch of girls. So here are a few truths and words of wisdom about raising all boys:

you will be the only one who knows how to find things

expect to get tackled every time you lay on the floor

you can not keep the bathrooms clean. If you are having company over you have to wait until 15 minutes before they show up to clean your bathroom in order to have any chance of it still being presentable.

you can not do braids or pigtails in any one's hair without getting in BIG trouble with your husband

Expect a lot of laughter and noise to fill your house with joy

Getting them dressed in the morning is a quick experience, they just don't care what gets thrown on.

Expect dirtiness and learn to look at as a measuring instrument for how much fun they have had. The better the time, the dirtier they are!

There will be occasional "potty humor" at the table. You can try to avoid it all you can but they are boys and it will sneak its way in!

Boogers are a part of life, a snotty nose does not equal a bad mom. Same goes for things being shoved up their noses, you will learn to respect and appreciate the alligator tool at the doctors.

expect to be adored and thought of as the most beautiful woman in the world

How is the nap stand-off going you ask.......

Here are your answers. Now why is it that we spend so much time fighting nap time as kids and then end up begging for them when we get older?

Thursday Thought To Ponder

"When drawing a map of your life, be sure to use a pencil."

100 Inchies Project #41-50

Here are my "Under The Sea" themed Inchies for the 100 inchies Project on Swap-Bot. I had a hard time with this one, I just couldn't find a way to blend my style with the theme so although I do like the way they came out, they don't feel "me" but I guess that is all a part of taking on challenges.... sigh....!

Some Fun in the Sun

Last Friday (before the infamous stomach flu attacked) the weather was so beautiful that an impromptu trip to the beach was mandatory! So Jen, Kelli and I loaded 2 vans with 8 little boys and headed out for some fun in the sun!

Of course there was some sand eating, toddler chasing, and body surfing wipe-outs but overall it was a wonderful (but sandy) day!

p.s. is there anyone else in the world besides me who can not hear the word "infamous" without thinking of "El Guapo" from the Three Amigo's? Just wondering.......

I'm Lovin' it Monday

Between Spring Break, the Nana in town, one of my best friends moving to Idaho and this fun stomach bug circulating through the house- it has been a while since my last post. Is anything worse then then a toddler with the stomache flu? It just breaks my heart, they have no idea what is going on and their eyes just plead for help. Hopefully, the worst of it is over!


So let's start out the week with a fun freebie that I Am Lovin'! These great calling cards by Cameron Blazer of Cottage Industrialist. I love these for playdates, what mommy doesn't deserve her own mommy calling cards! To check them out and download the pdf, click here

Also, be on the look out for a fun new look that Lisa over at Yummy Web Studio has been working on for me!

Thursday Thought To Ponder

"The greatest of all arts is the art of losing ourselves in service of others"

To me, this is just so beautifully said. Sometimes we get into so consumed by our own identity and our own "world" that we tend focus our attentions on what makes us happy instead of what makes our Heavenly Father happy. We are reminded time and time again that charity and service to others are so much of our purpose in this life and sharing our talents and our time are such an easy way to do that!

I'm Lovin' It Monday

This Monday I am Lovin' this great custom ribbon over at J Caroline Creative. She has turned these great prints from fabric designers Jessica Jones and Patty Young into these great jaquard ribbons and I love the Proud Grosgrains by Keri Beyer!
They are a little pricey but worth it for an extra special project! What else am I lovin'? I am lovin' my Meiko CD , she has such an amazing voice and you can't help but sing along!

My Online Pledge

I pledge today that I will do NO online shopping for one month! I realize this sounds strange for someone to pledge who makes their income from online shopping but I do 80% of my non-necessity shopping online. Why? Well, for one, with five boys in the house I just don't have enough hands to run to the store unless it is absolutely necessary. Secondly, I find it is cheaper. If I go to the store I am highly unlikely just to buy the one thing I went to get. A quick trip can turn into a big spending trip in a blink of an eye. If I go anywhere near Target, I have to at least glimpse at the clothes, which leads to looking, which leads to loving, which leads to a $200 trip for diapers. And don't get me started on what happens when I go near a craft store.......Third, I love some particular clothing stores that aren't available in California and they keep coming out with new lines.....

So, by taking this pledge I am really pledging not to do any unncecessary spending for 30 days which is a challenge for a shop-a-holic but I also love a challenge. So wish me luck, strength and anything else!

p.s. of course before typing my pledge I did make two quick online purchases but that is okay because it starts......now!

Thursday Thought To Ponder

"The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache. "

I love this quote by Marjorie Pay Hinckley, it really rings true to me. Lately, life has been such a whirlwind! With our three boys and two foster sons (both under 2) that were surprises, what was supposed to be a temporary situation has been over four months now and has changed our life dramatically. As we were finally adjusting to the situation, drama broke out in one case and then our poor Cooper has been so sick and not responding to any antibiotics. I have been to the doctor with him every day this week and finally the aggressive treatment is over (after $125 in co-pays). It has been heart wrenching taking a child who was already petrified of the doctor's office there every day to sit for an hour and have shots while he cries and begs to go home. After yesterday's round I was worn down and needed a little celebration with the family. So we all went out to a fun dinner at Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger.....no more sickness, no more being trapped in the house, free at last!

Fun right? Well, it was until little Christopher, who had refused to eat dinner (VERY unlike him), looks up and then proceeds to throw up all over the table in a crowded restaurant. As I ran over to cover up the mess from the other customers, he continues all over himself and me. So I scooped him up like a football and ran outside. Another sickling, public embarrassment, cry or laugh? I am choosing to laugh!