Look out Vera Bradley

So I decided to get crafty today. I purchased a book the other day with some fun projects in it. One project was a cosmetic bag. I decided to give it a go and see just how crafty I am. Instead of using fabric, I used a placemat from Target. Whats neat about this placemat, is this

1. Double sided....so there is already a lining that coordinates.
2. Has some stabilizer between the layers.

A bonus was that once cut, the layers peeled....so I could make the lining separate, which just looks better. This is the first time I EVER used a zipper....not so bad for my first time...you don't understand how proud of myself I am!!

the original placemat

cutting to size
the finished project
my stamina and showing its size...tomorrow I will make a larger one
then I went on to make dinner (stroganoff) and cook some chicken for another meal
just call me susy homemaker.....for today

Happy Birthday Finley

Can you believe that our baby is 2? She came into this world weighing only 4lbs and now she is 25!! She was completely bent in half thanks to being breech for so long and now she RUNS everywhere!!

Her family gathered ON her birthday to celebrate her 2nd birthday with a CUPCAKE theme....because she is our "sweet, cute, little" cupcake...Devil's Food that is.

We had a fabulous time full of good food, cupcakes, piles of presents and silly kids. The best part of the night was when we sang Happy Birthday to her...she sang too and smiled and looked at everyone. She knew that we were singing to her!!

promises, promises....

Ok so I am Queen of the lazy blogger....honestly, I have been too busy reading other people's blogs. Seriously though, I had some computer problems and lost all the pictures that I have taken in the past two weeks, including some from my dad, Papa's, birthday. Sorry Papa...hopefully Nana will email me some so I can show you all the fun we had.
Finley's 2nd birthday was last weekend, I DO have those pictures, so as soon as I get my keister off other people's blogs, I will post them!!

Fans

Sports Fans...how do you get to be a fan? I don't think I am a die-hard fan of any team. I will always be a Bear Fan, however don't know all the team players or stats... I barely even know their record and probably never will. I am a Cub fan because I am afraid if I don't root for the Cubbies my sister will hurt me. Yes, I always fear pain from my sister; ha ha (inside joke). I am a Yankee fan by default...husband is a Yankee fan and they do have cute players. But if I am alone and the Yanks are on TV, I wouldn't know it. Sean is also a Patriots fan...I too am one...I like Belichek, call me crazy....but again not a die hard fan. I used to be a fan of a team because I liked their outfits, I mean uniforms (Bucs) or a cute quarterback ( I have a thing for quarterbacks; again--another inside joke). When we lived in a town with a NFL and MLB team I was a fan...GO BENGALS. But since we have moved I know NOTHING about the Bengals.
So here we are in the playoffs.....I am sooo rooting for the Patriots and Colts (I like Tony Dungee and Manning) and am also rooting for the Packers. I know, I know, how can you root for the Packers if you are a Bear Fan? That goes back to the whole cute quarterback thing, but not the cute unis thing (yikes). How can you not like Brett Favre? I mean, he was HORRIBLE last year and this year is seemingly unstoppable. Plus they are like the Bears rivals so if the Bears cant go to the superbowl you somoetimes root for the rival, right?
So today during the game vs. the Seahawks we had Braden wearing his Packer Jersey that his Uncle Rock got him last year for Christmas....Braden thought we were going to a real game....he asked if he could go on the field after the game...........
GO PACK!!

Bowling for REAL!!

We went bowling on Friday night with a group friends and their kids. For those of you who remember the Bowling Alley in Galesburg it has a new "Smell" to it. Since the smoking ban went into effect there is no more smoking at the Bowling Alley....and you can tell. Maybe because of that is why we had a 45 minute wait for 1 lane..........so we crammed all 10 kids on one lane until a second lane opened. We only stayed for one game, had to pick up the Finster, but Braden (and Sean and I) had so much fun in that short period of time. It was great to see everyone and to meet Brenda and Jen's (the way pregnant ones) husbands (Nate and BJ respectively). Even Kim was there to watch all the action as was Brenda's mom and Alyssa's parents....I think they all bowled after we left. Casey.....we totally should have called you to come too!! But what are the odds that you and your family would show up too??


trying to get some order in the lane
Daddy showing Brady the ropes. His feet are still too small so he bowled in socks?!?!?!
I DID IT!!
Nate helping out
Alyssa shmoozing with Sean

Hours of Fun and New Specs

So lately...we have been playing games at night as a "family". We mainly rotate through a few games or bowl/golf on the Wii. Here are some pictures of a wicked game of "Flippin Frogs" (that name is soooo not right). The tree spins and you flip these rubberish frogs onto the leaves and at the end of the minute the tree leaves pop up and you hope your frogs hold on...if you made it on....not my strongest game.

Finley enjoys the snacks.....and stealing all the game pieces so you cant play
She found a remnant of yarn the other day....fun for hours

Remember way back when I told you my glasses split up the middle....no joke, see for yourself. The good news is that my new specs came in and I love them. I couldnt decide what ones I liked so I bought two pair...the other pair isn't in yet.What do you think??

Yankees and Mice

Sean received a fathead for Christmas from the CRNAs. For those of you who don't know what a fathead is....like me when he got it...it is a LIFESIZE image of something. In Sean's case, a 6 foot Derek Jeter. Since his office has been cleared out of his "roomate" there is nothing at all on the lovely sea green walls. They were just waiting for the fathead. One evening last week the kids and I met him up in his office to help him "apply" Mr. Jeter....

Here he is in all his glory....he has already scared the housekeeper and the early charge nurse!!
After much begging, Nana, Papa and I took the kids to Chuck E Cheeses for a little fun. We went on a Tuesday at 2:30 and there was 2 other kids there.....PERFECT timing. We had the whole place to ourselves. Shortly after we got our tokens we noticed that all Braden wanted to do was play in the jungle, crawly thing and Finley just wanted to run. My mom and I then found the games where you just drop the token in and get tickets....ha! So on our way out 1 1/2 hours later Braden asks where our pizza is.....he's hungry....so we order a pizza to go and phone in a sushi order for Mom, Dad and I. The kids ate the za on the way home...Fin ate 2 pieces and Braden ate 4 1/2.....STARVED!!!!
We ate our sushi when we got home.....worth the wait and the trip to Chuck E Cheese

'nuf said

I am a mom

I am invincible

I am tired....

I heard that quote the other day and thought it was hillarious and appropriate!! You could substitute just "woman" for "mom" too!!

Holiday Recap

So these are WAAAYYY out of order......And there are too many to rearrange them.


After much coaxing that it was ok....Finley decided that walking and playing in the snow was fine. Therefore we built 2 snowmen...a kid size and a mom size. Nana stopped by to help us with the bigger of the two.
After a bath one night I found Finley in the dark dining room on the floor looking at Braden's leapster....
Sledding on the Zolper's front mini hill on New Years Eve....Finley was squealing!
Braden twisting down the hill
Braden took the "washable" markers to himself....he thought he was a tiger....
Checking out the snow

Our cool Cheater Snowball maker
The kid sized snowman
Making snow angels
Can you see them?? Braden Finley
Christmas Eve for Church.....so cute.....then she was a BEAR at church and that shiny shirt was slippery.....

Making what "Santa" requested.....vanilla oreos, chocolate milk and a beer
Christmas morning....her new shopping cart and kitchen in the background
Her shades and necklaces from Aunt Kari
Dad and Braden Bowling on our new Wii...look at the form...even with a drink in his hand
I feel horrible that i have NO pictures of the rest of the Family from the holidays...I was too busy paying attention to pick up my camera!! They were all here, even Gran, and it was a great holiday season!!

sinful favorites

Ok so no pictures yet....but this is a new favorite.....OH MY GOODNESS!

I also stumbled across Special K Pink Lemonade Protein Water Mix.....5 calories....way good!!

They kinda cancel each other out.....sinful candy bar (come 2 small bars in a pack so eat one now and one later) and healthy, yet yummy water......

Welcome 2008

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Just like the rest of us...the holidays were pretty busy!! I have had a houseful since the 22nd of December and feel awful if I plant myself infront of the computer for any length of time.......We have had a wonderful holiday season full of cookies, yummy foods, great family visits, thoughtful gifts, messy playrooms (constantly), lots of snow, snowmen building, sledding and visiting.
There has also been drama with Sean and I's new laptops....coming in multiple shipments, inability to hook up the router, Sean's MS Office not loading....
Drama with myself...terribly scratchy/raw skin, stress induced canker sores and my glasses split down the middle....
Drama searching for a Nintendo DS for Braden AFTER Christmas....
BUT guess what...I have pictures to document all of this, however, they arent loaded...so once the laptop situation is fixed I will get that done!!
All in all it was a wonderful holiday season, as always it passed too fast...
On to new adventures. Birthdays!! Finleys is Jan 19th and Bradens is Feb 10th!! Parties to plan, invites to address, presents to buy and cakes to make.

A busy mom's work is never done.

So what are my goals for 2008 you might ask??
1. Take better care of myself....eat more fruits and veggies, drink more water, exercise more, floss my teeth, apply moisturizer to prevent the ever upcoming wrinkles....notice I didnt say lose weight.....
2. NOT STRESS OUT OVER THE HOUSE!! Yes come March we will begin building our new home.............enough said
3. Be more patient with my children
4. More date and scrabble nights with my husband
5. Try to be more green....recycle, halogen lights, reduce energy usage....

Do you think I can handle those? What are your goals for 2008??

Health and Happiness to you all!!
Meg
I promise to get the new pics up asap!!