Hello... it's been a while!

I've been missing my little blog lately so... I thought I'd stop by and say Hi!  Where have I been you might ask?  Well... like before, I've been busy working, spending time with family and friends, preparing the kiddos for back to school and loving life.

Immediate thoughts, wants and needs...

• I want, well need to freshen up my blog!  Kinda need a new outfit so to speak.  
• Need to blog!  I've got lots to journal and share.
• My Nikon D40 needs to be repaired.  I think?  
• Our annual Disney trip is booked and the savings plan is in full force!  
• My first born is almost 13.  Wow... she's a teenager.  *tear* 
• Hannah + Horseback riding lessons = pure bliss
• Peek-A-Boo is an official ballerina at age 3!  
• Basketball here we come...
• Finish up our back to school shopping...

Speaking of back to shool shopping, I have run across several products that are super neat and helpful.  I bought Hannah a ZIPIT this weekend.  It's a super versatile pouch that can be used for pencils, markers or whatnots!  It's made from a super long zipper which you can us to open your ZIPIT a lot or just a little.  This bag is a hit in our house for sure!  Go check them out.  They've got lots of colors and sizes to choose from.

Thanks to ZIPIT for making our new school year just a little more exciting... 

My Little Green Machine...

A day filled with ... fun | friends | good food | a luau | beautiful sun | and some sorta little green machine that was obviously very interesting to one very sweet little man.

SOOC

EDIT

Nikin D40, PSE8, Paint the Moon Action

Organizing...

So I've been thinking about it and taking a stab at it over and over agian for quiet some time with no avail... What is it?  It is {organizing}.  I have this deep inner need to organize my home, my office and my shedule.  I wake up every morning with a plan of how to do this, but somehow it never works out.  It's not a new years resolution for me, it's more like an ongoing resolution!   

I once was a very, very organized person.  Even with three children, I could get it all done quickly and  neatly while still having quality time for myself and the family. What happened to that person?  Where did she go... Why does she now struggle to accoplish any of the above on a daily basis? 

Well, I think she left the schene about the same time Peek-a-Boo was born.  Not because she wanted to, or because she became lazy, it was simply another adjustment period in my life that obviously hasn't completely adjusted.  Hah!  I'm thinking the extra time I once had when I was a very, very organized person was given to Peek-a-Boo.  She needed me, and I needed her.  I didn't mind letting a few things slide here and there just to be able to spend more time with her and the other kiddos.  It was fun, it's still fun and I love the time I spend with them more than anything, but... I've realized recently my lack of time for organizing is making me a little sad and seriously stressed at times.  I want to be able to have both!  I know I can do it, I just need a little help or support that is.  You know, someone to push me in the right direction... someone to organize along side of... someone to guide me when I'm stuck...  Who is this person?  Where might he or she be?  

I don't have an answer to these questions just yet, but I think I've found a {great} starting place!  I've decided to take this...

As soon as a wobbled in to this blog I knew it was the perfect challenge for me! It's the motivation and encouragement I've been looking for a long, long time. With over 200 peeps participating in this challenge the ideas and tools to use for organization are endless!  

Who would've ever thought I'd be so... excited about something that requires work?  Not me, but I so... am!  Though I'm jumping in on day 10 of the challenge I've made a promise to  myself to complete days 1-8 at the end of the challenge.  

Let me know if you want to jump in with me!  If so, we'll continue the link up for days 1-9 here at the end of the 21. 


Today's challenge is the Laundry Room!  Oh boy... I'm a little scared of that room.  I'll post my before and after shots later today. 

Memories, Dreams and Reflections...

1.Me

Hah!  This is the best I could do... I'm always the one takin' the pictures!  No one ever takes one of me except my Mac.  My Mac sure is a good friend huh?!  :)  So... here's a crazy edit and a noisy image of little ol me.  I had to "artistically" cover up all the noise in the first one and no... I'm not afraid in the second picture I just acidently took a picture of myself stuffing a brownie in my face!  Hah... Make note... don't eat while playing around in photo booth and take more pictures of self in 2011!  

2.I ♡ You

My hubby Brent.  He's the anchor that keeps me grounded, the support that keeps me going and an awesome daddy to our four terrific kids.  Oh... and my best friend of course.

This is a shot of him in Williamsburg VA waiting... for me to {stop} taking pictures of the kiddos.  Hah!  He's always doing that.  Such a good sport!  

3.Still Laughing

This shot makes me laugh everytime I see it!  Peek-a-Boo was so excited to roast marshmallows with us that she wouldn't stop stuffing them in her mouth.  Look at all that marshmallow dust! 

4.Winter Wonderland

I think we saw more snow in December 2010 than we've seen in several years.  Oh... and we also were blessed with a white Christmas!  Beautiful...

5.Birthday

Ella Hope turned 2 Minnie Mouse style!

6.Friends

Hannah wanted me to post this picture!  Isn't that funny... This is a shot from her birthday dinner.  She was so... excited to take McKenzie to the Kanki.  The Kanki is Hannah's absolute favorite place to eat!  She loves, loves, loves Japanese food.  They had lots of good laughs and giggles if you know what I mean!  This is such a fun age.

7.I Was Inspired...

All the beautiful hand knitted "flower" hats on Etsy inspired me to try and make one for Peek-a-Boo.  Here it is!    

8.Spring Fever

I saw these purple pom poms and just had to have them.  It's something about spring and flowers that I just can't get enough of!

9.Travel

We had loads of fun traveling this summer and spending time with our family and friends.  We spent July 4th weekend at Wintergreen Ski Resort and had a blast!  There's nothing like watching fireworks form the top of the ski resort.  Where's the snow Ella?  Hah...  

10.Summer Days

Look what we found in our community pool this summer and every other summer for that matter!  These little guys are swimming in the filters just about every day.  Yuk..O

11.A Day In My Life

This was a hard one for me, but this picture of Ella all sacked out and Jax scratchin' his head pretty much sums up how I often feel throughout the day.  Hehe...

12.All Smiles

He's always all smiles... just normally not quite this BIG!  This is the reaction I got while trying to take a few shots of him at Disney World.  I guess he was a little excited!  Of course he was, we all were!

13.Autumn Harvest

Ethan was enjoying swinging on our rope swing in the backyard on a beautiful fall afternoon.  The weather was perfect...

14.Family

My kiddos, so in love with each other and in love with the day.   

15.Celebrate

We had such a wonderful time celebrating Ethan's sixth birthday during July 4th weekend at Wintergreen.  We were so... blessed to be with family and friends.  All of the kids had such a blast playing with thier cousins at the cabin.  It was definitely a time to clebrate not only Ethan's birthday, but our togetherness...  

16.Let's Do It Again

We visited Universal Studios during our trip to Orlando in December and the kids had an awesome time exploring the new Harry Potter section of the park.  It was absolutely awesome and we can't wait to go back! 

17.I Miss You

I miss her smell, I miss her snorts, I miss the late night snuggles, I miss you my little Puffalump!  She's definitely not this small anymore, but she's still our baby...  Oh... how they grow so... very fast!

18.Beautiful

A sister's love is like no other... 

19.Dress Up

This is Hannah right before her 1st semi formal dance.  She was so excited, as I was, though all I could see was how grown up she had become.  I miss my little Hannah Banana but... I'm so enjoying spending time with her as a "big" girl!  She holds such a special place in my heart. 

20.Macro

Wanna cherry on top!  My kiddos love it when I put a bright red cherry on their cupcakes.  They're eyes light up at the very sight of them!  

21.Holidays

I love the Bokeh during the holidays!  

22.Favorite

For some reason I just love this shot!  It's my favorite of Ethan.  It sums him up perfectly!  He's such a little candy hog and those eyes...  Do I need to say anymore?  Love him!

23.Don't Ever Change...

the way you respect others, the way you love me and your family unconditionaly, the way you show compassion for others who you may not even know, the way you share yourself unselfishly...  Even when you're tired of mommy always wanting to take your picture!  Again, again and again!

You'll always be my little "E"    

24.Just Because

We love her...

25.Hopes and Dreams

Reaching for the stars...

I hope to continue to be the best mama, wife and friend that I can be while working hard everyday to reach my dreams and make {all} the dreams my kiddos have come true!  

Be sure to stop by Ashley's blog and check out all of the beautiful Memories, Dreams and Reflections.  They're amazing...  Oh, and feel free to link up!

  

Baby Alive Live...

Let me start this post out by saying... Peek-a-Boo love's a baby, just in case you didn't already know that.  She's such a little mama!  I so... ♡ to watch her interact with her baby dolls.  She totally melts my ♡ every time I hear her interact with her babies and see her sweet little facial expressions.  Ella Hope is such a caring soul and I know she's going to be a wonderful mommy one day... far, far away that is...

So with all that said, Santa gave Peek-a-Boo a Baby Alive this year!  Wow...  She immediately picked up the baby bottle and disposable diapers that came with her wanting to feed and change her.  So, so cute!  Baby Alive is everything she's been wanting and more.  But wait!  She had no idea Santa brought her a bowl, baby food and a spoon so she could feed her baby too.  Fun stuff!!!!  

Here's a little clip of Peek A Boo feeding her Baby Alive Bella "real food" for the first time.  Such a cute moment... 

Be sure to stop by tomorrow and check out the awesome eco friendly diapers Santa brought Ella!  They're the best...  *wink**wink*

{from me to you}

Happy New Year to all my bloggin' buddies!  I hope you're enjoying whatever it is you choose to do to bring in and celebrate the new year.  My ♡ and thanks goes out to everyone who takes time out of their day to stop by and read or simply say hi! You know who you are and I appreciate you more than you'll know...

Macro Monday - Rudolph

Yikes!!!  It looks like our Rudolph has a runny nose...  or maybe the Abominable Snow Monster standing beside him had something to do with it.  Wonder if it'll cause him any problems this Christmas Eve?  Hope s...not! 

This is one of my favorite ornaments.  Our family ♡'s to watch the holiday classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on Christmas Eve. It's a family tradition!

Color Splash Sunday

We were walkin' down Mainstreet USA in a sea of beautiful Disney balloons... Peek-a-Boo couldn't take her eyes off of them!  This pink Mickey Glasshouse balloon was her favorite.

  

These balloons aren't the cheapest, but I'll have to say they stay inflated forever which is awesome! 

A Christmas Past - Santa Baby

Here's a "picture of a picture" of little E posing as Santa Baby in 2004.  This is one of my favorite photos of him!  I love his sweet baby ahhhhh...  and how the whites of his big brown eyes are SO... white they're blue in color.  They're still like that to this day...  

Wish the edit was a little better, but that's the best I could do with my "picture of a picture".