the lunch box

I guess I missed some photos in May - at least one, because I know that I packed

lunch for the zoo field trip!  anyway, here's our final lunch pic ... aside from that one day I think

I came close to my goal of taking a pic of every lunch I packed!

how to clean a bow ...

making hair bows is one of those things that takes quite a bit of

time - it's not that it's actually difficult, it's just effort and time consuming!

so one always hopes that they'll hold up!

that being said, Zoey has managed to effectively destroy one bow in

her life time ... doing so because she ripped it out of hair

and then ripped it apart before any one noticed!

considering how many bows I've made, and how often she takes them out - 

I'm confident in saying that our record is good!

but recently I was faced with a problem ...

someone (who shall remain nameless) either didn't notice and thought

it was no big deal that she (allegedly) took out her bow and

played with it during a meal - resulting in a spagetti covered bow!

argh.

I wasn't about to throw it out just 'cause it was dirty,

so I had to come up with a way to clean it -

and it was SO easy!  

so, I just thought I'd share for anyone else who may need to clean a bow!

daddy's girl ...

 my hubby is being a little silly - because I was on his case for blinking!

the man doesn't like photos and I can't blame him, because I don't either ...

but still, I'm capturing moments here and I know we'll all be glad!

especially moments like this, because they don't happen often at all 

any more ... in fact, I think not too long back I had a similar post - I guess

it's another one of those things that's rare enough to always photograph!

so, this day Zoey fell asleep in daddy's arms ...

for the first time in a while!

it was so sweet!

random bits ...

 bubba being silly with Zoey!

 little cutie pie!

 I told you it got worse ... but then it got better!!!

poor little blue eyed boy ...

 the above pic seems normal enough - Liam enjoying some brunch of sausage ...

but if you look closely you'll notice he's laying on a towel - and in that towel

is a bag of frozen vegetables!!!  he had requested the same treatment he had received

the evening before ... after he attempted to run all silly and ended up falling

into the corner of our tv stand - OUCH!

 there was a welt immediately, of course - and here you can see that the bruise

is definitely there!  it got much worse too, before it got better!

my poor little blue eyed -or shall I say black eyed- boy!

variety show!

so my kids were in their school variety show - a super fun experience for them and I as well! 

I didn't manage to get any performance pics, as I had to be back stage (my friend did

video it for me - but I've gone lame with all the computer technology and don't know how

to even get it onto my computer any more), but the second day -their final performance- I did

manage to get a few pics before school of them in their outfits and ready!

as you can clearly see, neither of them were in a photo taking mood ...

are they ever?  I think I've destroyed them with my mamarazzi ways!  LOL!!!

we "heart" sleepovers!!!

 we had the privilege of another sleepover with our little buddies last month!

I truly love being able to help out my friends by watching their kids,

it's something I haven't had a lot of opportunity to do with other friends -

but I've found that it's something I enjoy so much!

so when our good friends asked us if we minded having a day with 

their kids, it was a quick yes!  and since it would be an early 

morning we decided to just do a sleepover, cause it was easier for everyone!

and now just so you all know just how fabulous my hubby is ...

after I got them all settle with a movie (above pic) - I left!!!

can you believe that?

it shouldn't be a surprise, after all - when I was out of town to see

my parents my hubby watched them for a day, because I was

supposed to!  yah - he's amazing!

the kids were good for him - pretty much watched the movie 

and fell asleep ... so I didn't have to feel too bad about going and 

keeping another friend company and getting to catch up with her!

 the following day there was much fun to be had!

I didn't really take pics, except these two - just while

they were playing outside!  and being a little silly too!

but I did need to do a quick mini photo shoot for a special project I had planned

for my friend for mothers day ... is that weird?  that I gave my friend a mothers day gift?

I've never done that before, but just thought it would be fun!

(I just decorated a little picture frame for her)

yah, our friends have gorgeous kids!

and let me tell you they're very well behaved too!!!

I hope to be able to have lots more fun days like this one in the future!

pretty flowers ...

last month I had the pleasure of snapping a few photos for a friend ...

while I awaited their arrival at the church (it was their son's first holy communion)

I "practiced" my skills and got some pics of all the pretty flowers!

little miss cool!

what is it about sticking a pair of sunglasses on a kid?

it doesn't seem to matter if they're kid size or huge, either, 

it's always a recipe for cute photos!

last month Zoey decided that spinning is super fun!

she will spin around and around and around and around!

baby love ...

 our little baby love getting a good look at her bracelet - before

ripping it off!!!  I bought Zoey some little bracelets for Easter,

now if I could only get her to wear them!

 carrying her little baby around!

and loving her little baby love - precious!

fun stuff!!!

 yah, I'm not even gonna try to deny that I'm completely spoiled!

so, here's my second big gift of the year - a silhouette cameo cutting machine!

I started hearing about these sometime last year and knew I

definitely wanted one ... then I realized just how much you can do with it -

it can even cut heat transfer material, for shirts and such!

that was pretty exciting to me - and I figured it would open up the possibilities

for "the biz" ... so I just had to have it!  I think I caught my

hubby in a moment of weakness or something (it was right after we

found out about Korea) and he said "use your credit card and go ahead and

get it".  WOW!  thanks honey!

so, as is usual for me - I haven't put it to great use ... yet!

getting off the computer finding the time to play

with it has proven to be a challenge ... I seem to spend all sorts of time

online finding super duper fun projects I can do

(in general, not just for this machine)

but I fail to move forward and actually do any of them -

I'm trying to get determined to change that!

anyway, the first "project" I did was just a quick testing out to

make my cameo "mine" ...

 nice right?!

my second, and only other, project was a shirt for Zoey!

I knew I needed to test out how well the heat transfer material will

wash and wear before I use it for items to sell!

I just used one of the silhouette designs, which I won't be able to do

for sale items - and I'm really bummed about that because

they have some super cute designs.

(I've yet to try to make my own designs - but clearly I'm going to need to learn)

anyway, I debated but ended up deciding on a cute little carousel

for her shirt!  I was quite impressed with how it turned out...

I was super scared to wash it, I was just sure it was going to fall apart

and the design was going to be ruined.  it didn't help that

lots of people were saying that's exactly what happened when they washed their

shirt projects.  but guess what?

it washed up quite nicely and still looked amazing!

it's been washed a total of four times now and still looks great!

I'm so happy and can't wait to design some shirts

to sell!  it's going to make phrases & names and that sort

of stuff so much easier!  yay!!!