tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51767918048001416992024-02-07T08:02:48.668-05:00Snapshots of our life.....Choosing to cherish every day.Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.comBlogger389125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-49050259366710795812012-03-21T00:19:00.000-04:002012-03-21T00:19:12.019-04:00The good-bye post.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Snapshots is coming to a close.<br />
<br />
We are entering a weird transition phase of life. Things are getting busy with the house showing/selling, moving to Massachusetts, gearing up for another separation while Micah heads to Alabama (just for the summer this time), and the kids, dogs and I most likely roaming homeless across the country for a couple of months.....you know, the usual.<br />
<br />
I find I no longer have the motivation, energy or inspiration for blogging. <br />
<br />
And really, there are so many other ways to post pictures for family and friends. It's my personal opinion that Pinterest and Facebook are sort of making the whole "sharing ideas via blogs" null and void. I don't need to put pictures on here for my own records...I already have them all.<br />
<br />
And family and friends can just see them on Facebook.<br />
<br />
And any craft, recipe or idea you could ever want is on somebody's pin board somewhere. <br />
<br />
So really, blogging is really just a one-sided conversation. There are too many other things that demand my attention (and her name is Skylar).<br />
<br />
Thanks for keeping up with us. If at any time I feel overwhelmed with a need to share useless information with the world again, I might revisit blogging.<br />
<br />
Until then.......<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoshZT1nneRttJCv2mnb3etb9qt0SeoBSAdYtUNqbMKowGeeZZSLvWgwrtIN-iIwykul_vJVNevUqzaZDIcLXudTXA7jKj9AO0AKitMquHhA3jxVfh4PqteRh68EavqyXvT07P7889BQty/s1600/march+5+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoshZT1nneRttJCv2mnb3etb9qt0SeoBSAdYtUNqbMKowGeeZZSLvWgwrtIN-iIwykul_vJVNevUqzaZDIcLXudTXA7jKj9AO0AKitMquHhA3jxVfh4PqteRh68EavqyXvT07P7889BQty/s640/march+5+019.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqokOn9GcFRFNIYnBAaK_UDYjAIFngbd2TkE-iHVuk15zcEvzhg-_y2iAVkIGUdxselfJPwWwhwHOMupAM9cYT_CBxxORhyphenhyphenWxtgXemuo_klTrlZZyTrUQleODra8kEwAn50TfZgQPUmZs/s1600/march+5+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqokOn9GcFRFNIYnBAaK_UDYjAIFngbd2TkE-iHVuk15zcEvzhg-_y2iAVkIGUdxselfJPwWwhwHOMupAM9cYT_CBxxORhyphenhyphenWxtgXemuo_klTrlZZyTrUQleODra8kEwAn50TfZgQPUmZs/s640/march+5+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Bye!Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-73270658070244303032012-03-05T21:23:00.000-05:002012-03-05T21:23:18.313-05:00It's genius I tell you....If you are the parent of a young child, no doubt you are very familiar with those handy squeezable pouches of baby food. They are ultra-convenient (and overpriced, because let's face it, you pay for the convenience) and I have them stashed in the car, house, purse, diaper bag....even decorating the mantle. {Slight exaggeration}.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsH-bKHfmTacnUiCVJuXgB0fXn_8AGPc3ZfjfQSpUfa5uPFSAOmNwGMK6zFBkXuHH3oL9uALXaHSHH7MPE52jAxAawutrDLFWVDXXGeCM7djpUBCW2XABQS7M-AxUiquhv8fk7TXuDnYR/s1600/march+5+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsH-bKHfmTacnUiCVJuXgB0fXn_8AGPc3ZfjfQSpUfa5uPFSAOmNwGMK6zFBkXuHH3oL9uALXaHSHH7MPE52jAxAawutrDLFWVDXXGeCM7djpUBCW2XABQS7M-AxUiquhv8fk7TXuDnYR/s640/march+5+024.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
But seriously, having a snack on hand at all times is a matter of survival with Finley. If homeboy sees <em>anyone</em> eating <em>anything</em> in a 10 foot radius of him....he screams like a velocer raptor. He doesn't care who you are or what you're eating...he wants.some.now.<br />
<br />
His screeching renders my brain completely incoherent and it makes the grocery store check-out a painful experience.<br />
<br />
True story: A nice lady was admiring his cute chubby cheeks poking out from under his owl hat when Finley spotted the display of candy bars. Nice lady: "Oh my goodness, look at him. He's adora....oh...oh my.....oh my goodness. Wow. He's....so....."<br />
<br />
Lesson learned. Throw him a snack ASAP. He's happy. I'm happy. The old ladies can admire him without fear.<br />
<br />
Then there's Skylar....she does a lot of eating in her car seat. It's the only time when she is sitting still for more than five minutes. So inevitably, two minutes down the road she realizes her breakfast of dust mites and one bite of cantaloupe wasn't enough. <br />
<br />
I used to pass back these pouches to her in the car until Finley came along and she realized they weren't smoothies, they were <em>baby</em> food. Thanks little brother.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, the car is riddled with bread crusts, apple cores, and various snack containers causing my poor husband much angst. It's looks like a NYC alley in the back seat. Minus the rats. I think.<br />
<br />
So when I saw this genius little idea I got really excited and ordered one for both kids. Refillable squeezie pouches....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWDqx49SQVXjWmvEdkIY6bsJ4pSxly5EoBSuG2vO_AB7lP7eB1W3juJ6HcC_ZwiZhABmZpkOADNizEeBo5aBWokcZxBi7g41VDGBi_kez_TVX678wRrzfuLLekpOULf5MCtmYw_kG-1F-/s1600/squeezie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWDqx49SQVXjWmvEdkIY6bsJ4pSxly5EoBSuG2vO_AB7lP7eB1W3juJ6HcC_ZwiZhABmZpkOADNizEeBo5aBWokcZxBi7g41VDGBi_kez_TVX678wRrzfuLLekpOULf5MCtmYw_kG-1F-/s640/squeezie.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><br />
You can fill them with your own purees, apple sauce or yogurt. No spills. Convenient. Reusable. What's not to love? I haven't gotten them in the mail yet, but they've gotten rave reviews so I'm sure I will love them. I'll let you know.Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-32029530804997569162012-02-29T20:34:00.000-05:002012-02-29T20:34:24.261-05:00Too big to hold.<div style="text-align: center;"> Every once in awhile Skylar gets a sisterly urge and decides she wants to hold her baby brother.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">{The rest of the time she is either screaming "No Finweeeeeeee!" or ignoring him completely.}</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The problem is, the three year gap between them isn't reflected in the size department.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">He weighs just a few pounds less than her now.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> So being that the Finster is gigantic, he's a little hard to hold on to, even for me........</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2S4cmsq-_vBNHV5kuFBBRHO8kvKcWbXjTg9qjQHmPo9LGRIvvvx3VUtWHMegRtn6fSQ0mQveNcm-A7Pc_5tQtJp5KFgDADGWF6ch1IYzAroYhVCEqx3ZAEE1l4uzbnqeRJnPMzcIgokRu/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2S4cmsq-_vBNHV5kuFBBRHO8kvKcWbXjTg9qjQHmPo9LGRIvvvx3VUtWHMegRtn6fSQ0mQveNcm-A7Pc_5tQtJp5KFgDADGWF6ch1IYzAroYhVCEqx3ZAEE1l4uzbnqeRJnPMzcIgokRu/s640/013.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJSz9iMhfnecGOhYzgfYS9QibR_9Eabt8qsB-Xp-gUB-MEcsjVsFyrMVo5t4jJYCxyUPlyK6kt_GanZqq3ZwQYTr5CNshwpFDnY8DOTOabmAb5zXtjUhJbT7RjDFHi76IlIK0JG_ABhar/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJSz9iMhfnecGOhYzgfYS9QibR_9Eabt8qsB-Xp-gUB-MEcsjVsFyrMVo5t4jJYCxyUPlyK6kt_GanZqq3ZwQYTr5CNshwpFDnY8DOTOabmAb5zXtjUhJbT7RjDFHi76IlIK0JG_ABhar/s640/012.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizR6bKJVhv-QXODb7aoTWDCLKpJOS_ecAR_IK8vRqR23vXLqDz2frCQMgbxgNmoJ0PaALrtXbo2BuUDyufkPzYerlC_WoizKua2zEn0v0xjEY7GNCz6yV1j14x5z_0Ch1htZ69Ha5B_HSP/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizR6bKJVhv-QXODb7aoTWDCLKpJOS_ecAR_IK8vRqR23vXLqDz2frCQMgbxgNmoJ0PaALrtXbo2BuUDyufkPzYerlC_WoizKua2zEn0v0xjEY7GNCz6yV1j14x5z_0Ch1htZ69Ha5B_HSP/s640/011.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And he's learned to scream "Nooooo" in the same voice she uses. Awesome.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-52074397493786927162012-02-27T21:42:00.000-05:002012-02-27T21:42:05.073-05:00Cuteness.<div style="text-align: center;">Happy Monday!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCcziQLQqf5nSHmLMyuT-ZmbRJfotUObhcvXymq0NXpNyuH5W_9oLkJfTeP21f4ZQ-TcLEz71phrIWKlzUkvXMBgdqySvxEk0AAez_c8L_jkKSx9XGwwX5LRoQ3KoPCpbLOL47WHt7Sg1/s1600/jan+21+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCcziQLQqf5nSHmLMyuT-ZmbRJfotUObhcvXymq0NXpNyuH5W_9oLkJfTeP21f4ZQ-TcLEz71phrIWKlzUkvXMBgdqySvxEk0AAez_c8L_jkKSx9XGwwX5LRoQ3KoPCpbLOL47WHt7Sg1/s640/jan+21+015.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3reJKReYdaVMzxwy3yJ7oJSuBTI38Z9vwj3YmyGHNupjtscw_wDUlEM2Zhd6GYq8LooWfPJe9BuG1pusftzCQYB6UQuEFLH0Wbl6odap7C8lNx2MlQwUWNfqCCeAKJRoAsFVq1VMZT3A/s1600/jan+21+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3reJKReYdaVMzxwy3yJ7oJSuBTI38Z9vwj3YmyGHNupjtscw_wDUlEM2Zhd6GYq8LooWfPJe9BuG1pusftzCQYB6UQuEFLH0Wbl6odap7C8lNx2MlQwUWNfqCCeAKJRoAsFVq1VMZT3A/s640/jan+21+021.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFu3nOqWHBmjnZC_9oqpaOL0B_75nPI6LsUy7YUyfV5hMtfaMF2J9QejY5GlhYV4oAF6ETmmkcERZWp8HXtJ15t6uZ7PIbJq3OUwILj9lcow3C-JFlcONHmttdbcfxEDBe9elGj2kTuvP/s1600/jan+21+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFu3nOqWHBmjnZC_9oqpaOL0B_75nPI6LsUy7YUyfV5hMtfaMF2J9QejY5GlhYV4oAF6ETmmkcERZWp8HXtJ15t6uZ7PIbJq3OUwILj9lcow3C-JFlcONHmttdbcfxEDBe9elGj2kTuvP/s640/jan+21+024.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center"></div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-37854825289325786342012-02-27T00:04:00.000-05:002012-02-27T00:04:41.160-05:00Renovation update.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Okay, so as is the case with most home improvement projects, we are behind schedule.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our house should be on the market, like..... NOW.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Not that I want it to be on the market. Or to sell it. EVER. I love it. I want to die here. Except that I don't want to die in this town.....just in this house. But I'm working through that. I do breathing exercises and chant to myself "It's just a house...it's just a house...I can't take it with me....")</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But we have a bathroom that looks like this, which is a slight problem......</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLI8ocyVF7_XJ_H55OsVi4qiyZWe0dekZhZrCn1jPitkaJaCRZCYgEBISildHX_nIOWznx6QiibhLHYYgayDb5Sk88_rePYgjwhKI6LCEawI4LB9PeUGn0cTpFymYej0yzk5pW6RtTZ7vn/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLI8ocyVF7_XJ_H55OsVi4qiyZWe0dekZhZrCn1jPitkaJaCRZCYgEBISildHX_nIOWznx6QiibhLHYYgayDb5Sk88_rePYgjwhKI6LCEawI4LB9PeUGn0cTpFymYej0yzk5pW6RtTZ7vn/s640/002.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSwwRaZybjTBlT-DExeRGeze8Yc8mkYv8-x0fTWyUd8AasGKXLWyjosn1ogWZtzc7po2etFZfFabfnDKaWuJAmEi66VfsHBdxD5Gikvnsf8CvtNsGCuqz88ydPzKEN1FtytOipWpd62zh/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSwwRaZybjTBlT-DExeRGeze8Yc8mkYv8-x0fTWyUd8AasGKXLWyjosn1ogWZtzc7po2etFZfFabfnDKaWuJAmEi66VfsHBdxD5Gikvnsf8CvtNsGCuqz88ydPzKEN1FtytOipWpd62zh/s640/003.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTE1ei6JG27zitJVhb7Le3xr28NCJyIbF5YkUymcCSVRuErFwiENs9cQbfdtC0koF2ym2pxYQP5yxpD-zawwFsPsh7hre-91tJFsK4NCXLOHJB3PfucKLOEcxeAiRKdBPK9v5mQkxIBr4/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTE1ei6JG27zitJVhb7Le3xr28NCJyIbF5YkUymcCSVRuErFwiENs9cQbfdtC0koF2ym2pxYQP5yxpD-zawwFsPsh7hre-91tJFsK4NCXLOHJB3PfucKLOEcxeAiRKdBPK9v5mQkxIBr4/s640/004.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The plumbing has been replaced.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The drywall is going up.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">There is a floor-ish.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And believe it or not, we actually had a showing on Saturday.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our house isn't even on the market yet. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We haven't advertised or contacted a realtor.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But a realtor contacted us. His clients are interested in the white house with the red door on the corner.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Word travels fast in a small town. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So bathroom or not, we let them in.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We said, "Hello! Do you want to see how well built this house is....you can look right into the walls!" </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have a feeling they were a little scared off.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But it was good practice at least:)</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-2289482544545648642012-02-21T22:34:00.001-05:002012-02-21T22:37:36.206-05:00Hi bored, nice to meet you.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Now that it's mid-February, the novelty of the Christmas toys has worn off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Skylar roams the house looking for things to do and <i>driving me crazy </i>complaining that she's booooored in a whiny voice that is the equivalent of finger nails on the chalkboard.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To which I respond "Hi bored, I'm mommy, nice to meet you!" </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Because those are the kind of dorky lines from our childhood that we feel inclined to pass on to our children. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">{I have my Papa Austin to thank for that one. Also works with: hungry, thirsty, and tired}. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So you might remember the old paper mache volcano from your elementary school days?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Same thing. No volcano.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Colored vinegar dropped into baking soda using a medicine dropper. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Watch it fizz. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Make fun patterns. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Let the whining cease for 5 1/2 blessed minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until she remembers she's huuuuungry. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">{At which point I'll make her a snack that she won't eat. Because she isn't really hungry. She's just bored. Again.}</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoJaGbkDYe48eeF9xeAVhyphenhyphen8tnKx2XA70MQNv9nqW1lM4Dw7BuqmYGmH7X9Ls7bGGjACAiBr-hfOS795s-UOOpDlt8iXPbvt0ajoBpknSgMmdbnhigYAl5gyW1LfqM-vVYN160QISOZVUh/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoJaGbkDYe48eeF9xeAVhyphenhyphen8tnKx2XA70MQNv9nqW1lM4Dw7BuqmYGmH7X9Ls7bGGjACAiBr-hfOS795s-UOOpDlt8iXPbvt0ajoBpknSgMmdbnhigYAl5gyW1LfqM-vVYN160QISOZVUh/s640/020.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0B1qzuvVc3RpEHLTXBE9i7IvtfUSeKYRl7ALTTUN500QiSRDowlW68upLORA76pF2bt9S79N4azmfbe1bvxcHQE4OyhQY9PYOjs1hbNxkpJ3GFY6ef5xR3wp98MYvYCN8kvHjHJIpu7C/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoJaGbkDYe48eeF9xeAVhyphenhyphen8tnKx2XA70MQNv9nqW1lM4Dw7BuqmYGmH7X9Ls7bGGjACAiBr-hfOS795s-UOOpDlt8iXPbvt0ajoBpknSgMmdbnhigYAl5gyW1LfqM-vVYN160QISOZVUh/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRbDMCi5to6AZALWekMtAu0czJq09W3fiI68jOUbTvM7k9l9LYlviyjgYdJ4NIfk7ei4-paq6qlsFq12Cp6DlA9MtSJX66rTIEfPZYZiCrdIQlEWs_Yc8xnUxWSK7Ni5YkQ97wQYi6hs_/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRbDMCi5to6AZALWekMtAu0czJq09W3fiI68jOUbTvM7k9l9LYlviyjgYdJ4NIfk7ei4-paq6qlsFq12Cp6DlA9MtSJX66rTIEfPZYZiCrdIQlEWs_Yc8xnUxWSK7Ni5YkQ97wQYi6hs_/s640/018.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0B1qzuvVc3RpEHLTXBE9i7IvtfUSeKYRl7ALTTUN500QiSRDowlW68upLORA76pF2bt9S79N4azmfbe1bvxcHQE4OyhQY9PYOjs1hbNxkpJ3GFY6ef5xR3wp98MYvYCN8kvHjHJIpu7C/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0B1qzuvVc3RpEHLTXBE9i7IvtfUSeKYRl7ALTTUN500QiSRDowlW68upLORA76pF2bt9S79N4azmfbe1bvxcHQE4OyhQY9PYOjs1hbNxkpJ3GFY6ef5xR3wp98MYvYCN8kvHjHJIpu7C/s640/013.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-17958407983279701562012-02-15T23:00:00.001-05:002012-02-15T23:06:12.243-05:00Catch up.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Things have been busy around here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The bathroom renovation is at a screeching halt. There is always some kind of hold-up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of course it was like opening Pandora's box. We are doing more than we had planned on, but that's how it goes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are getting the house ready to put on the market, cleaning every nook and cranny--of which there are many.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Did I mention we are moving to the Boston suburbs?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are moving for the third time in less than three years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lots of reasons to be excited about that, but definitely sooner than I was hoping to leave.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finley is in some kind of hyper-attachment phase. Anxiety if I leave the room, wanting held constantly, waking up every 90 minutes at night freaking out, crying when he gets dropped off at the nursery. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I even got paged to come get him during MOPS.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Skylar never cared where she was left. She couldn't wait for me to leave.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finley's first phrase is "No Jack!" If you even ask him about Jack he says "No, No!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Probably because the whole time he's in his highchair, Jack is trying to scratch at his legs and get crumbs, so he hears "No Jack" a lot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Learning to defend your food is an important life skill around here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He's into everything. He emptied a box of ribbons while Skylar and I were crafting, got his legs all tangled up and signed "finished" over and over until I rescued him......</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9m5B3_J7c4_QX0IRRICSMug1BDeSr-pciLomFerJ9Or7XcybAcUh9vNDza9c0PNYevmJelcIOy1Iuav1eEOizHuLOiFBMrjNhhwXFTKu4SEqMHQ5evo5p1q-YJZW0w9GvbPT6PBZNZoC/s1600/feb+12+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9m5B3_J7c4_QX0IRRICSMug1BDeSr-pciLomFerJ9Or7XcybAcUh9vNDza9c0PNYevmJelcIOy1Iuav1eEOizHuLOiFBMrjNhhwXFTKu4SEqMHQ5evo5p1q-YJZW0w9GvbPT6PBZNZoC/s640/feb+12+003.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Meanwhile, Skylar made Valentines. Topless. And then we mailed them out late. {You can expect yours by St. Patrick's Day}.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqcvLaOvZsNHI0FKVcAE-BVZfpqoQ3vQMSbUrqIaIYRJA3zjX0xzPkaCRV8HapP_y9yTg44w92qZYATm-tSmC0JNz0aBdqIMgZcUKf3db6S5xIE7y6lJNhhZoo48qdSA-cuzxkDeS0We0/s1600/feb+12+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqcvLaOvZsNHI0FKVcAE-BVZfpqoQ3vQMSbUrqIaIYRJA3zjX0xzPkaCRV8HapP_y9yTg44w92qZYATm-tSmC0JNz0aBdqIMgZcUKf3db6S5xIE7y6lJNhhZoo48qdSA-cuzxkDeS0We0/s640/feb+12+011.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">She spends a large part of her day doing shows. Finley and I are the audience and we are told what to say and when to clap. Ribbon dancing is a big one right now.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjXpk6Gji5tQfJQy1e3mW0ugDTIdfdX2_iG_J6bRYwsXeyK5FPdXOTVuxH0xUCBn2PhWdQTRwCKq8LaYXu9wz3FObz2p548IezLzeUvX435hQn1_KtoDRUIJXawLVfKoXJSqO-yhiWyiC/s1600/feb+12+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjXpk6Gji5tQfJQy1e3mW0ugDTIdfdX2_iG_J6bRYwsXeyK5FPdXOTVuxH0xUCBn2PhWdQTRwCKq8LaYXu9wz3FObz2p548IezLzeUvX435hQn1_KtoDRUIJXawLVfKoXJSqO-yhiWyiC/s640/feb+12+018.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">We had company last week. One of our favorite old friends, Doug Armstrong, was visiting. We had fun catching up with him. Wish they lived closer!</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdqPsFvOD833JDvO32xzI7kO4kC7iS4C8Ui-W2HWJUPTB0TH9jJvRGk0jDCMw8QXDGvdUVFfV6gvXF4jKQPowRnvVBA4yDRSlbgPjoNdWRNhaHqOCZmELUbbw2BbytpZNMmK6AmsRUglX/s1600/feb+12+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdqPsFvOD833JDvO32xzI7kO4kC7iS4C8Ui-W2HWJUPTB0TH9jJvRGk0jDCMw8QXDGvdUVFfV6gvXF4jKQPowRnvVBA4yDRSlbgPjoNdWRNhaHqOCZmELUbbw2BbytpZNMmK6AmsRUglX/s640/feb+12+037.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Finley has stopped fighting the snowsuit. As soon as you put him in it, he goes limp and stops moving. {Similar to Sabot in the hot dog costume}. And he's such a guy, when you unzip that snowsuit it smells like a locker room in there. I don't know how a baby can be so sweaty and stinky.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2CjG8Bemq1M-S4RzhvFfi5Anqiqewdh-elrieZRtz08GihPk5hfM-wTSKLE2uTNIneljIhbuYvezcz403DAOAfvUigVEBv9rX-tJjXIVm4oJHszdYNE2TUBONGAZHvfMD9rwyp7qjJ5K/s1600/feb+12+051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2CjG8Bemq1M-S4RzhvFfi5Anqiqewdh-elrieZRtz08GihPk5hfM-wTSKLE2uTNIneljIhbuYvezcz403DAOAfvUigVEBv9rX-tJjXIVm4oJHszdYNE2TUBONGAZHvfMD9rwyp7qjJ5K/s640/feb+12+051.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">We had Finley dedicated at church last Sunday. He and his daddy ended up wearing matching outfits, which seems to happen a lot {and not on purpose}.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeJuTbB1Iu2CD9yRJVbBCJvwfJ724VTbiiFcpCuhe-ZlYVLIVSROMuWrDEj2q0C8lVIUR-wNwWHFzaKy5Y9OyPiPT4FxTwycAYG7A7wCnMy3crVJ6BxMGhFsxTdQkVqmrWG1I9EkKQV1J/s1600/feb+12+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeJuTbB1Iu2CD9yRJVbBCJvwfJ724VTbiiFcpCuhe-ZlYVLIVSROMuWrDEj2q0C8lVIUR-wNwWHFzaKy5Y9OyPiPT4FxTwycAYG7A7wCnMy3crVJ6BxMGhFsxTdQkVqmrWG1I9EkKQV1J/s640/feb+12+057.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">The Lion King pose {this is a requirement for all Rue baby dedications}.....</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialEfp1Re-FV0nuIG8Ikh6M2vEFcgqy0YsYyTBqvLc24l61VOo76AhI8P4iEPcLu9drBZNooEcxuR_OEVcKd0ywe9TfS-uf8GeETAlfSHzIvwHH276rYynoVCkjbYWa3H1dTYPjC-Dwdqt/s1600/feb+12+062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialEfp1Re-FV0nuIG8Ikh6M2vEFcgqy0YsYyTBqvLc24l61VOo76AhI8P4iEPcLu9drBZNooEcxuR_OEVcKd0ywe9TfS-uf8GeETAlfSHzIvwHH276rYynoVCkjbYWa3H1dTYPjC-Dwdqt/s640/feb+12+062.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> My dad came up for the dedication and spent the weekend with us. He came bearing goodies--a Rockland Bakery smorgasbord for the adults and lots of Valentine treats for Skylar.</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JUSRk0UJm3sO56QWt-PYqqUIu0V0pQ-JVGtlfKoS9NPcHUfULxYz3-Veh_VpmKxD_1Ag6SGoNLeR8PJcPPg5V7OTVSrme0rI1PS9RSqXSRQ8ajaTFj7n1b84RjmTum1LnH9gMBgxc3GS/s1600/feb+12+072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JUSRk0UJm3sO56QWt-PYqqUIu0V0pQ-JVGtlfKoS9NPcHUfULxYz3-Veh_VpmKxD_1Ag6SGoNLeR8PJcPPg5V7OTVSrme0rI1PS9RSqXSRQ8ajaTFj7n1b84RjmTum1LnH9gMBgxc3GS/s640/feb+12+072.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">This is the look of steely determination, usually when something fun has been spotted like a forbidden snack or the dog's water dish.</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3nKlFhhaJve1h-PHIubDyp0dCh2gm5jhvz4G3D0RuyhbAZV5apsifijmlx0Ud_m8cOWvKDMeFBJ9Uc1QFGoswFSST5HygfF9TD23p1FcXRGtGtwxtt5oPSR5DhZypttZW1tQDtnXasW2/s1600/feb+12+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3nKlFhhaJve1h-PHIubDyp0dCh2gm5jhvz4G3D0RuyhbAZV5apsifijmlx0Ud_m8cOWvKDMeFBJ9Uc1QFGoswFSST5HygfF9TD23p1FcXRGtGtwxtt5oPSR5DhZypttZW1tQDtnXasW2/s640/feb+12+078.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Last Friday we had a movie night with Skylar. She got to stay up really late and eat popcorn and ice cream and watch Tangled. She was so engrossed that her ice cream just melted in her lap and she didn't even touch her popcorn.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">And now she pretends to be Rapunzel. Here she is watching her daily show with her Rapunzel hair on.......<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ab48CqaNYPxjwcBvgImOZ1MxSHJBuMi0Y9HM3py-TwGaci_GgpeHwrqFWleMfEtVSOiRbEIYlg43-bv5zbGAACFVdb6gGWfgk0hoHRV_tZCUDvXtuESNfu1jpC7ga4o1iM59Zl6bhqOU/s1600/feb+15+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ab48CqaNYPxjwcBvgImOZ1MxSHJBuMi0Y9HM3py-TwGaci_GgpeHwrqFWleMfEtVSOiRbEIYlg43-bv5zbGAACFVdb6gGWfgk0hoHRV_tZCUDvXtuESNfu1jpC7ga4o1iM59Zl6bhqOU/s640/feb+15+003.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Never a dull moment around here.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-35203827372105442562012-02-08T11:41:00.000-05:002012-02-08T11:41:12.852-05:00Sunshine and tea parties.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The winter in Northern New York is characterized by endless cloudy days and boatloads of snow. We haven't had much snow this year, but sunshine is rare.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So when we get a sunny day it is reason to celebrate!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Skylar picked out her outfit and set the table all by herself.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then she had a tea party with one of her little friends who was visiting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Little girls are so fun:)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiWFbqGCu54Hbl0l55rNuYT0gtayUzSHWWefOztH_eonGZyljdIdHWjc84Zi3WLBLEpejGu5y7DtOFblxbXxd93Lc914Jcr1b4K0u_4UW5lk48GsNa2h9RrKKVtCkEAC9I8059G3oBBnM/s1600/013-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiWFbqGCu54Hbl0l55rNuYT0gtayUzSHWWefOztH_eonGZyljdIdHWjc84Zi3WLBLEpejGu5y7DtOFblxbXxd93Lc914Jcr1b4K0u_4UW5lk48GsNa2h9RrKKVtCkEAC9I8059G3oBBnM/s640/013-1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNxGPD4B3V6xzhluJF5ADZbdaeq2fvBDopqci4pL0oINwk6abCScQSAMqRHHhBiCvBFJlad9shL2GBflBv6fHe_KnD8UGLJTtyjzha4BHsVpRzwGYNa7fVAIilz4SS1btlvu-jp5h8jyg/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNxGPD4B3V6xzhluJF5ADZbdaeq2fvBDopqci4pL0oINwk6abCScQSAMqRHHhBiCvBFJlad9shL2GBflBv6fHe_KnD8UGLJTtyjzha4BHsVpRzwGYNa7fVAIilz4SS1btlvu-jp5h8jyg/s640/005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNxGPD4B3V6xzhluJF5ADZbdaeq2fvBDopqci4pL0oINwk6abCScQSAMqRHHhBiCvBFJlad9shL2GBflBv6fHe_KnD8UGLJTtyjzha4BHsVpRzwGYNa7fVAIilz4SS1btlvu-jp5h8jyg/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRKvHPp5E4eQ83kHgHRJVbB2_k3VcQuJWYnRyhNRjKjv7VX75QqDOh-N0GV7TEBcAiVUQD0PdZth53ut_Q7wMMIs6M2uMLZU5ovYraV0DiMooldbggJ3UKxyqmg4fZT1TZAlQBZzRF11d/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRKvHPp5E4eQ83kHgHRJVbB2_k3VcQuJWYnRyhNRjKjv7VX75QqDOh-N0GV7TEBcAiVUQD0PdZth53ut_Q7wMMIs6M2uMLZU5ovYraV0DiMooldbggJ3UKxyqmg4fZT1TZAlQBZzRF11d/s640/009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xeLPnalxORZCAEY1kcVjx3XBdskHwgQ-8eN7p8RUo0K8AGPII1UCXy3cLGHfaPjcA2yqPp__piVhxans-Q5TVOH8jJXKlzDncEX8WtsnNzdOUgHqh3AKLU_OljPjHPh_17ZVGyYVEkXP/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xeLPnalxORZCAEY1kcVjx3XBdskHwgQ-8eN7p8RUo0K8AGPII1UCXy3cLGHfaPjcA2yqPp__piVhxans-Q5TVOH8jJXKlzDncEX8WtsnNzdOUgHqh3AKLU_OljPjHPh_17ZVGyYVEkXP/s640/010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3aspLL_v-ytdydN5-pC9M-szJXkW1XrgvXI_1_ewXw5bf58DwxGCnrXTArPMknZ77vduToimu9DIxS-QcbEMz2mb-wDeJReu4kh4aBgH_JPCGQZ8rQl4J0eFpWJ9hQtOmWWFao-uOJWZ/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3aspLL_v-ytdydN5-pC9M-szJXkW1XrgvXI_1_ewXw5bf58DwxGCnrXTArPMknZ77vduToimu9DIxS-QcbEMz2mb-wDeJReu4kh4aBgH_JPCGQZ8rQl4J0eFpWJ9hQtOmWWFao-uOJWZ/s640/003.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQl0hfP9-kwWB8NhUUxaX90qC9NoAif1HAYSZPOUSfhXAzqxRdIDaHcVQXXZ_mcS-sq7rLIFrpfikmMdWTpBeWnfLYnE1Pq6pHXExW81Ot9uAl67O2yV7KNLVPT7NRzMG5B9ppbSVSDxXG/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQl0hfP9-kwWB8NhUUxaX90qC9NoAif1HAYSZPOUSfhXAzqxRdIDaHcVQXXZ_mcS-sq7rLIFrpfikmMdWTpBeWnfLYnE1Pq6pHXExW81Ot9uAl67O2yV7KNLVPT7NRzMG5B9ppbSVSDxXG/s640/011.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiWFbqGCu54Hbl0l55rNuYT0gtayUzSHWWefOztH_eonGZyljdIdHWjc84Zi3WLBLEpejGu5y7DtOFblxbXxd93Lc914Jcr1b4K0u_4UW5lk48GsNa2h9RrKKVtCkEAC9I8059G3oBBnM/s1600/013-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-56468548527446225612012-02-06T19:43:00.000-05:002012-02-06T19:43:25.632-05:00Please don't feed the baby.<div style="text-align: center;">I told Skylar she could give treats to the dogs today. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was in the middle of something and wasn't paying close enough attention. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Apparently she threw one to her brother too. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I found him just as excited as the dogs, with Grade F meat by-products dripping down his face. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">He loved it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBthhIWxu2Vw18sviVDgDTX8X1h80rJXs_irKSmAsbobVAHpxoFEazPAiOqVn_BwxVjd-wVIdo6CMcyImeVqSyRqJkjTfef-dFVl8BmEv8gkFuAMpAYfBFUCRFXXh7VEZfFiv7NKk2JuzN/s1600/041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBthhIWxu2Vw18sviVDgDTX8X1h80rJXs_irKSmAsbobVAHpxoFEazPAiOqVn_BwxVjd-wVIdo6CMcyImeVqSyRqJkjTfef-dFVl8BmEv8gkFuAMpAYfBFUCRFXXh7VEZfFiv7NKk2JuzN/s640/041.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-91679827363917616862012-02-03T11:42:00.000-05:002012-02-03T11:42:56.570-05:00Homemade Laundry Detergent.<div align="center">Making my own laundry detergent would never have occurred to me. I'm pretty loyal to Tide. But I was given a jar to try {along with a very convincing list of reasons to use it} so I decided to keep an open mind and give it a shot.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJ1gwqVE0b8Gzoxx4YravYXle6NXu9J6uCRaxVSMsFdaymgu9z_5BVvrk1LlqYa7vVS-E7Peei7xgEQljqjVLBv8p55eor8QIm4AqvA4WXfLN7-wqCz3XV92yEhwiMrPLcEEaqC9OV8b5/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJ1gwqVE0b8Gzoxx4YravYXle6NXu9J6uCRaxVSMsFdaymgu9z_5BVvrk1LlqYa7vVS-E7Peei7xgEQljqjVLBv8p55eor8QIm4AqvA4WXfLN7-wqCz3XV92yEhwiMrPLcEEaqC9OV8b5/s640/001.JPG" width="426px" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">We've probably done a dozen or so loads with it, and I'm pretty happy with the results. The laundry is definitely softer, and the stain fighting is good. In fact, Skylar accidentally squirted green food coloring on a shirt last week and I didn't even bother to treat it or wash it right away because I figured it was a goner. I was shocked to see that it all came out. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">The only negative is the absence of that clean, perfume-y smell I'm used to from the Tide. The Fels Naptha has a distinct smell, it's not bad, just different.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">The recipe:</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">1 cup of Borax</div><div align="center">1 cup of Washing Soda</div><div align="center">1 bar of Fels Naptha Soap (grated up)</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Mix ingredients and store in an airtight container. Use 1.5 Tablespoons per load of laundry.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Some reasons to give it a try:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Safe for regular and HE washers.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Great for babies (no dye, perfumes, etc) so no need to buy the special baby detergent.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Earth friendly, no giant plastic bottles.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Since you use such a small amount of detergent per load, it lasts forever.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Budget friendly. Laundry for a whole year for only $20? That's what I spend on detergent every month.</div><div style="text-align: left;">-If you don't like the smell, I'm told you can substitute a different bar of soap for the Fels Naptha, but I haven't researched this.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-11848859709753348462012-02-01T23:40:00.002-05:002012-02-01T23:43:48.598-05:00Stuff.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have you tried this stuff yet? It's so good. You need to pick some up. Only open the bag if there are other people around to share it with. Don't attempt to eat it alone. Just don't. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWIM2Rj6rFsnHNAbSZ4d9i7gSnCDbby5ZVIBHLeJAmHKtv82tRsuVagbge6EBqwCQrBZgVo8LtjhbR3_AUNNqnFt9Ml8KZ0y5-qM3-bGMt6sy29NylSObwNsPdy38b08zclMaQ_ldSrd0/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWIM2Rj6rFsnHNAbSZ4d9i7gSnCDbby5ZVIBHLeJAmHKtv82tRsuVagbge6EBqwCQrBZgVo8LtjhbR3_AUNNqnFt9Ml8KZ0y5-qM3-bGMt6sy29NylSObwNsPdy38b08zclMaQ_ldSrd0/s640/001.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
There are a couple of deals at Target right now worth checking out.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Apparently I've passed my love of Target on to Skylar. Today we were going to go to an open gym time at the Y where the kids have free reign of all the gym equipment. She usually loves it. But today she said she wanted to do something different....something <em>more</em> fun. "Let's go to Target instead mom!" </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well okay, we can do that. (whew! At least she didn't ask me to ride on a dolphin again.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So since I'm on my second week of couponing, I was happy to discover Target's website has coupons for all kinds of things I already buy there {like my beloved Tazo chai concentrate}. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Two deals worth passing on to you {in case you care}.....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Twenty-four packs of play-doh are currently on sale for 12.99. There's a coupon on the website for $5 off, making them $8 (almost half off regular price). That's a lot of play-doh for eight dollars. So if you have a play-doh lover in your life go <a href="http://coupons.target.com/"><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">here</span></a> and print one off.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's fun to make it at home, but seriously....don't you remember how cool it was to open a brand new can of play-doh and dig into it? {The only thing cooler was a brand new giant pack of crayons....all those colors in little rows.....gives me chills just thinking about it....}</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mTc2bVSRjMbCF2Z5hqtNPh6mYdQfUSdqTW25hvVb7wskk4RB81BqaFU4SoiRSAhXwq3W4rBR3EsGDOykju399fqwAEHTGw2AgMXTD8h7OaMXMrVqA3T9lgJm-Py4zRkFxvf6wQysWu5H/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mTc2bVSRjMbCF2Z5hqtNPh6mYdQfUSdqTW25hvVb7wskk4RB81BqaFU4SoiRSAhXwq3W4rBR3EsGDOykju399fqwAEHTGw2AgMXTD8h7OaMXMrVqA3T9lgJm-Py4zRkFxvf6wQysWu5H/s640/003.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And if you are <a href="http://theruefamily.blogspot.com/2011/01/getting-stink-out.html"><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">a Method soap snob like I am</span></a>, there's a coupon for that as well, bringing the price for this bonus pack down to $4.99, or $1.25 a bottle {instead of $2.99}.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoG9M35UrqXp8h1wrAakGE5YPI0bdoYuTHqHrzxqxHgyWXVrOaUr0SuPDD75wLV8wr5J59od90hy_RB8jEmsi9uuVfAtFdWBHOXxW-Pz6vD3qmOTi-JseNVJF0XBin5DbL3IoCKwGYHlo/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoG9M35UrqXp8h1wrAakGE5YPI0bdoYuTHqHrzxqxHgyWXVrOaUr0SuPDD75wLV8wr5J59od90hy_RB8jEmsi9uuVfAtFdWBHOXxW-Pz6vD3qmOTi-JseNVJF0XBin5DbL3IoCKwGYHlo/s640/004.JPG" width="426px" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
So that is my dorky coupon update for the week. Now go eat some chex mix.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-27250425932808322532012-01-29T23:08:00.002-05:002012-01-30T09:01:36.525-05:00My husband thinks I've flipped my lid.<div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Our bathroom is gutted....now the fun part begins. </div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I've had a hard time finding a bathroom vanity that is well-made, affordable, and small enough to fit in the space while still providing storage.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Before this whole project started I mentioned to Micah that we could make our own vanity out of a dresser. He said "Um, I don't think so." He tends to not see my vision at first.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So I started searching online and in local stores and everything looked cheaply made and/or was ridiculously expensive. I mean seriously, the drawers were already broken on the displays. Then I came across this beauty online.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I showed it to Micah and Jon {the guy helping us with the bathroom}. Micah thought I was joking. Jon wisely said nothing. They both hated it. Seriously, what's to hate? It's glorious!</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CN0eCuH8CbDIbFK_BIwvwjoPmojKcuomR8pHiav6I5IsX4PRSsRYBaaJM11qFvCx7DhJ8IbHSNcYWvpxEd7BVGuKkCzbSHG8rHwPtyJEqutwiGWzp_phc9NjOMvNND9JG3WDDJ5eBro4/s1600/dresser2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CN0eCuH8CbDIbFK_BIwvwjoPmojKcuomR8pHiav6I5IsX4PRSsRYBaaJM11qFvCx7DhJ8IbHSNcYWvpxEd7BVGuKkCzbSHG8rHwPtyJEqutwiGWzp_phc9NjOMvNND9JG3WDDJ5eBro4/s640/dresser2.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So logically I took a facebook poll {isn't that how all minor life decisions are made?} to see if my friends thought future home buyers would be deterred by my choice of vanity. </div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Of course everyone agreed with me because 1. they are my friends for a reason and 2. the people that hate it will never actually tell me and 3. no males responded.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So really, the facebook poll accomplished nothing except to boost my confidence.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Since the the one I loved was the style of a converted dresser, I went back to my original idea of converting a dresser. </div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I went to my favorite antique store that very day and found not one, but two dressers. I negotiated them both for a great price. Jackpot.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Then I came home and googled the "how to" and found great examples that got me really excited:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNaGBwTFKmXJyf-5ZPUsg9AEDp7ALIDSYY0rUxgB8Jr9cLsMIg4d9azx02sHRTyNGVftDm5s_JToL5hYEvgJJGxxKowKKNrDSfpjFJjkosSPeJOh9IRePsDPmn2xaiiNzxdjwR_M21Yl_/s1600/dresser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNaGBwTFKmXJyf-5ZPUsg9AEDp7ALIDSYY0rUxgB8Jr9cLsMIg4d9azx02sHRTyNGVftDm5s_JToL5hYEvgJJGxxKowKKNrDSfpjFJjkosSPeJOh9IRePsDPmn2xaiiNzxdjwR_M21Yl_/s640/dresser.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<div><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/48277/upstairs-bath-traditional-bathroom-other-metros"><img alt="upstairs bath traditional bathroom" border="0" height="636px" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/48277_0_8-8057-traditional-bathroom.jpg" width="500px" /></img></a></div><div style="color: #444444;"><small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional/bathroom" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">traditional bathroom design</a> by <a href="http://www.houzz.com/professionals/showroom/other-metros" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">other metros showroom</a> <a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/donna24/donna-reyne-jenkins" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">donna reyne jenkins</a></small></div><br />
<div align="center">So today after church I dragged the whole family into the antique store to show Micah what he would be coming back to pick up {the place is an endless maze, you could seriously get lost and not be found for a month in there}.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I was so excited to show them my perfect vanity dresser. After weaving our way to the back of the store I said "HERE IT IS. ISN'T IT AMAZING?"</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Micah was grimacing. Skylar frowned and said "<em>Really</em>??"</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">And that was it, that was the only reaction I got from them. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Micah continued to grimace for a couple more hours.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">But the dimensions are perfect. I love the way it looks. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCHk8xHvCmqHRwHQ3fQHoJsvsjlrVpbb1FLLaoP8gcO4f5Fs3mhkhE_jzaCMWuDfdD7EBwWQTr4CN_iZ_wZNrZJQawPyBMOmDMYiEqetfKPBlZoxcqPX11sQxgkmD2js0efxX7KnTnJ9I/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="426px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCHk8xHvCmqHRwHQ3fQHoJsvsjlrVpbb1FLLaoP8gcO4f5Fs3mhkhE_jzaCMWuDfdD7EBwWQTr4CN_iZ_wZNrZJQawPyBMOmDMYiEqetfKPBlZoxcqPX11sQxgkmD2js0efxX7KnTnJ9I/s640/011.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">But alas, this story is not over. {And at this point you are probably wishing I would just end it already.}</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I knew my ever-supportive friend Lindsay would be excited and understand my idea. So I was telling her on the phone that I had rushed straight to the jailhouse yesterday and found two dressers. She of course got all excited with me and then told me about one she had completely fallen in love with last fall but had decided not to buy because she didn't technically <em>need</em> it. She described it perfectly. The very same dresser. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">And as for the second dresser I bought, it was a little too big for the bathroom. So that one is going to be in Finley's room.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-47950502185015823932012-01-27T15:58:00.000-05:002012-01-27T15:58:20.565-05:00I won't miss you at all.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bye-bye grimy shower door and bulky cupboards that take up way too much space in our tiny bathroom.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVF0lkRfOImDoAqs0hE1Kf4MQnrd8zXjMfKtH37RripdvBByFb2nQIe1P-WUJAEeUazlCpdEES_v4TBe4eqElt-uV2tnToH8h6g5mpazYGT-_-HxF3fzteOUKvKtRfJNBg5DYDiNAtgZ01/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVF0lkRfOImDoAqs0hE1Kf4MQnrd8zXjMfKtH37RripdvBByFb2nQIe1P-WUJAEeUazlCpdEES_v4TBe4eqElt-uV2tnToH8h6g5mpazYGT-_-HxF3fzteOUKvKtRfJNBg5DYDiNAtgZ01/s640/001.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bye-bye hideous tile that never looks clean.....</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFlLS-aEX-PPQJkIc4_2m4lPKx7exYks2WSJIgYelpSrvkFKDz3gm5URKl4BPV1ZUDjdZsg_lxUkHMqNvVvOmCuvLHWB5BRQy8MdKl3v1HM2lMDSLVwvb2Z_V9-QsYzo24xyUYzp490bb/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFlLS-aEX-PPQJkIc4_2m4lPKx7exYks2WSJIgYelpSrvkFKDz3gm5URKl4BPV1ZUDjdZsg_lxUkHMqNvVvOmCuvLHWB5BRQy8MdKl3v1HM2lMDSLVwvb2Z_V9-QsYzo24xyUYzp490bb/s640/002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Bye-bye hidden shelf with a sliding mirror door that is always splattered with toothpaste...I never have to clean you again.....</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmd9nrmpBKiVEOU_52WXSy8MwQogcuorFCGvzyNIs20Y-h5c6jZEENmLerHveY7iJRHHGLZodb1NivEqJUAyOqR75k7Co-mneggi_Lpbr2LATDohmulIYt4ytTB7_VxTpulV59uhpmgjuw/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmd9nrmpBKiVEOU_52WXSy8MwQogcuorFCGvzyNIs20Y-h5c6jZEENmLerHveY7iJRHHGLZodb1NivEqJUAyOqR75k7Co-mneggi_Lpbr2LATDohmulIYt4ytTB7_VxTpulV59uhpmgjuw/s640/003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Bye-bye insufficient light source......</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbh5zgszBMyCGXjd9MevIaZdPEI5K_y8bw3LRd-mv-EExOc4VcdCWrEhE8Q69cfqjEnbcp3MPmrln6WWixsz-iuejSJhNvdduGxB8JbYR84_znhCAG34hVvH4sZEbAb01S3z-BjDhaXMa/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbh5zgszBMyCGXjd9MevIaZdPEI5K_y8bw3LRd-mv-EExOc4VcdCWrEhE8Q69cfqjEnbcp3MPmrln6WWixsz-iuejSJhNvdduGxB8JbYR84_znhCAG34hVvH4sZEbAb01S3z-BjDhaXMa/s640/004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">Bye-bye stinky little pug in the pink polo....just kidding...now I'm getting a little carried away......</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtUR9e3as_u60iMwEl2Ih6emp-r0DxjFRVFSdstc6VNC0YkFI0XF-hPLnvaiBdSR6cAo78WDOb-xM2Sd4rMvKz2VaFyiqDK7aZGMf3nZHY0mTUqhbJrBLbO9vF705rys0lmA_tMrUZxYI/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtUR9e3as_u60iMwEl2Ih6emp-r0DxjFRVFSdstc6VNC0YkFI0XF-hPLnvaiBdSR6cAo78WDOb-xM2Sd4rMvKz2VaFyiqDK7aZGMf3nZHY0mTUqhbJrBLbO9vF705rys0lmA_tMrUZxYI/s640/006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">This weekend is the start of our bathroom renovation! Demolition starts tonight. Woo-hoo! {Here's praying there are no scary secrets hidden behind these 100 year old walls....}</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-45641763107513981462012-01-25T19:53:00.000-05:002012-01-25T19:53:35.778-05:00Ways we entertain ourselves.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Moustaches came in the mail! SWEET! (Thanks Kristy!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlkE1aqhfL24tFZ2byOSiuhy8Fjg9IGcqKV327zk0OCnNEQP4sX-pv-wupH6MYf2dlnk5b-T3DIwYZlX6BrbANyJaNqP9AqsSes0q0UpoJBjZqgo6kBCcl5I6f8jSnRWjDEtnYEKFRo_s/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="426px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlkE1aqhfL24tFZ2byOSiuhy8Fjg9IGcqKV327zk0OCnNEQP4sX-pv-wupH6MYf2dlnk5b-T3DIwYZlX6BrbANyJaNqP9AqsSes0q0UpoJBjZqgo6kBCcl5I6f8jSnRWjDEtnYEKFRo_s/s640/030.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> And when we offered to put one on Skylar? Total meltdown.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Apparently the thought of having facial hair terrifies her. {Just wait until she meets her first bearded cafeteria lady! Every college seems to have one.}</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NMfO2MZ9iH9I0Mz9nHx72ZbthSaYMgvFP2R9OyKzKxPWaxhNTNMXmRIEpjs7cEOVFH9EtGY6c7nAX4o7GoLItkCDTCseymOxhWMGDtrbjqdhn706sWnaOCQX7OqEx2_hZ6gdjqWFRN4v/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="426px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NMfO2MZ9iH9I0Mz9nHx72ZbthSaYMgvFP2R9OyKzKxPWaxhNTNMXmRIEpjs7cEOVFH9EtGY6c7nAX4o7GoLItkCDTCseymOxhWMGDtrbjqdhn706sWnaOCQX7OqEx2_hZ6gdjqWFRN4v/s640/035.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"></div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-73933624805365851562012-01-24T13:27:00.006-05:002012-01-26T13:39:32.866-05:00A new hobby.<div align="center">I have quite a few friends who are avid couponers and consistently score amazing deals.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I love a good bargain but coupons have never worked for me.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">It requires a certain level of organization that I just don't have.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">If I come across a coupon for something I would normally buy then I'll clip it.....but then I usually forget it at home or lose it in the black hole that is my purse.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">So generally I just grab what I need and throw it in the cart without much thought.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I always compare brands in the store, and if there happens to be a coupon hanging there then I'll grab it, but half the time I've lost the coupon by the time I get to the register.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Once I joined the Grocery Game website, but in the end I never used it.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I've checked out some of the many couponing websites that do all the work for you, but I didn't even know how to read all the abbreviations or where to find the coupons they were talking about. It's like a secret language.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I've even bought the Sunday paper for the coupons and there wasn't a blessed coupon to be found in it.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">So this past fall when our local MOPS group asked for suggestions I said "Couponing!" mostly because I wanted someone to explain it all to me. It kind of annoys me that I haven't figured it out.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">So they brought in a <a href="http://www.jesusandcoupons.com/"><span style="color: #ea9999;">local expert</span></a>--a sweet christian lady named Erin who was on the Extreme Couponing show using our local Price Chopper. {Some of her information is region specific, but she has a video series on her website}.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">She started talking and it was like drinking water from a fire house. The amount of information was completely overwhelming. The hour she spent talking was just the tip of the iceberg.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">So I signed up for her class. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">That's right, I spent last Saturday at a <em>couponing seminar</em>. <br />
<br />
I've always been a little afraid of those binder-wielding, shelf-clearing, register holder-upers.....and now here I was spending a Saturday morning surrounded by them.</div><div align="center">But thankfully, that's not what this class was about. No binder lugging required and she teaches good coupon etiquette.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I learned all kinds of things I didn't know....like our local Price Chopper doubles all coupons under a dollar, and if you see a special that requires you to buy $25 worth of merchandise to get $5 back it's actually referring to the regular shelf price not the sale price....so it may actually only be $15 worth of merchandise. Add your coupons, get your $5 store credit...and you've got a bargain.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">So armed with my new knowledge I bought the Sunday paper {apparently they keep the coupon inserts behind the counter because people steal them}, made my list, gathered my coupons and headed into Price Chopper with great trepidation.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">While fumbling through the aisles in a store where I never shop, I ran into a fellow couponing classmate who gave me a tip-off about a half price nut sale in aisle 9. And she had a coupon. There was a wild look in her eyes. She scared me a little. I decided it would throw off my game to pursue the nut deal, and stuck with my original plan.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">My #1 goal was to only buy things we can actually use. Unless of course it ends up being free, then I'll get it anyway because someone will use it.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I have to say it was kind of fun. I felt victorious because I finally know how to do it! </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">My first attempt:</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAza6QAe_e_VuLAqXn3xqvkBTPpxfG3geXIRQKDUUP2d0VsRhRrQBslt03GiDUShIoH7p6nb4W9G7DWYuTzksCoNtUa0cFFYBoGPOFIbDevJQHby23eGcUZdqnVxLMQJxumyWwXbjjkJeY/s1600/jan+23+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAza6QAe_e_VuLAqXn3xqvkBTPpxfG3geXIRQKDUUP2d0VsRhRrQBslt03GiDUShIoH7p6nb4W9G7DWYuTzksCoNtUa0cFFYBoGPOFIbDevJQHby23eGcUZdqnVxLMQJxumyWwXbjjkJeY/s640/jan+23+034.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All of this loot was about the same price as one box of Thermacare, just over $10. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">{I wouldn't normally buy this random assortment of stuff, but it's all things we will eventually use}.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqqi-JuL17lNYUip1d2ogQVS2anKv-94XLEtm9gHiUAOD58wBTGeHlJi-Ime-DVerYRH93VgUgaDdlxmz8o_le_cGZVvr3sE9CSxofMmHfKGBP-QwRd3HByzfxvikQujG3es1prU_JcAz/s1600/jan+23+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqqi-JuL17lNYUip1d2ogQVS2anKv-94XLEtm9gHiUAOD58wBTGeHlJi-Ime-DVerYRH93VgUgaDdlxmz8o_le_cGZVvr3sE9CSxofMmHfKGBP-QwRd3HByzfxvikQujG3es1prU_JcAz/s640/jan+23+030.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center">So this will be my new hobby in 2012....dabbling in the art of couponing and potentially saving lots of money in the grocery department. {Or just ending up with a stash of medical supplies big enough to save a third world country}.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-21376404214241853982012-01-20T21:26:00.000-05:002012-01-20T21:26:36.949-05:00Friday.<div style="text-align: center;">A few pics from our uneventful day......</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_zH9_6ZKs1YjeJuMoK3MEmgOcQMVa0B_JE-lxOorfywAmgU0AxRNRYvIhNLmB90xCJIMATLR7vM4er61kUpQFkrWU18hI0Lk_SBJqBSYi89nh9HlrDsxE6N58q1QdDWggoI1tZfbZ17k/s1600/jan+21+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_zH9_6ZKs1YjeJuMoK3MEmgOcQMVa0B_JE-lxOorfywAmgU0AxRNRYvIhNLmB90xCJIMATLR7vM4er61kUpQFkrWU18hI0Lk_SBJqBSYi89nh9HlrDsxE6N58q1QdDWggoI1tZfbZ17k/s640/jan+21+001.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAKeFcgJX82wMpObCOfFuP_jzsgMNqJoxZhq7Lv8VhoSmTPOlFKZCc-vAFfGVimaPWogdQ0aWHrsW4e2UIhDzCbE2eqEeoeeHRqYOPTpqq_8En3IVgUjirI3nQS0fPC_b1trWeoaJAIxf/s1600/jan+21+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAKeFcgJX82wMpObCOfFuP_jzsgMNqJoxZhq7Lv8VhoSmTPOlFKZCc-vAFfGVimaPWogdQ0aWHrsW4e2UIhDzCbE2eqEeoeeHRqYOPTpqq_8En3IVgUjirI3nQS0fPC_b1trWeoaJAIxf/s640/jan+21+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEcMqjsGSmF6aRnTgtTBoYkN43_JXj9NOacir8DWIw0ENnRnVceHBYYtI7Eq509vP3yOKom3jGw9gNzkk6m1vVuQsYoWKiIDOMWumZ13Dk6VdyhNQTIYgPLft7jrX_G_s0cstbFTdpQwA/s1600/jan+21+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEcMqjsGSmF6aRnTgtTBoYkN43_JXj9NOacir8DWIw0ENnRnVceHBYYtI7Eq509vP3yOKom3jGw9gNzkk6m1vVuQsYoWKiIDOMWumZ13Dk6VdyhNQTIYgPLft7jrX_G_s0cstbFTdpQwA/s640/jan+21+040.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And a snowy night...........</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm2Seox_a4gRDc23DdCMEwKSZMw8ycc39-M0Khfq69QLuPwN37CFptbGRmlojFmFXN2njhJK6dAB_3WjxCAgL5um_2ygiDt9qiEX6CNB8xdKxvLMYlR5Qqlgo3VtGUOM6sK2guRw3a2gW/s1600/jan+21+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm2Seox_a4gRDc23DdCMEwKSZMw8ycc39-M0Khfq69QLuPwN37CFptbGRmlojFmFXN2njhJK6dAB_3WjxCAgL5um_2ygiDt9qiEX6CNB8xdKxvLMYlR5Qqlgo3VtGUOM6sK2guRw3a2gW/s640/jan+21+032.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy friday!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-36236174537204649312012-01-18T21:34:00.001-05:002012-01-18T21:36:02.045-05:00Plan toys.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I do about 75% of my shopping on Amazon. I'm obsessed with Amazon and their free shipping. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was on Amazon that I first discovered Plan toys. Now that we own a few of them I feel like I can vouch for their quality. I am completely hooked. They are really simple, well designed, and my kids love them. They are the kind of toys that you can pass down to your grandchildren.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">{And call me old fashioned, but I love that they don't light up, play music and vibrate obnoxiously. Does anybody else worry that we are completely overstimulating our children with all of this stuff?}</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finley got this pounding bench for Christmas (thanks Granbabe and GranStud).......</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Z0_vLiVutY_ZswxNRaoSwWLcCCi0X6m_nl3vfdB_68FZf6dbAfuoBvXSFEqknSQZOtMp12a0UXoDOm1l9SzURHmDPwAlM3wZYLJG2AgVc7YrFU4oLcyrvFw2oQwxcWBGo-pxLdT_02n4/s1600/plan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="344px" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Z0_vLiVutY_ZswxNRaoSwWLcCCi0X6m_nl3vfdB_68FZf6dbAfuoBvXSFEqknSQZOtMp12a0UXoDOm1l9SzURHmDPwAlM3wZYLJG2AgVc7YrFU4oLcyrvFw2oQwxcWBGo-pxLdT_02n4/s640/plan.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
I got these ABC cards for Skylar. We have spent many hours doing them. She loves them.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFyjSzftrXhH1VGc9rwb-NNz_rMPR9vTGXLFvlrd69ZZbhgtmfCj8nsZyERboCJavaalp6G2C1hwghnAkudFYagtDN24gEYtb3PbWui_INIP3oeu-1M32yCZqnyulepxlSRQpu1d1qPPB/s1600/plan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322px" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFyjSzftrXhH1VGc9rwb-NNz_rMPR9vTGXLFvlrd69ZZbhgtmfCj8nsZyERboCJavaalp6G2C1hwghnAkudFYagtDN24gEYtb3PbWui_INIP3oeu-1M32yCZqnyulepxlSRQpu1d1qPPB/s640/plan1.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And I think this Lacing Sheep is the cutest thing ever....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AwZD-EHCJzMLX3OJPpIksL1qW-524IBXktlWNCuL0z0AfErN7J8B-5uygjqL0UffnqeBCk1WvelmvvkmAUgZuwh_g86ckd43z2jN2RnXi20Fw7hZUOflFPNj-dqtHpY4JYJfuydLpfgJ/s1600/plan3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="578px" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AwZD-EHCJzMLX3OJPpIksL1qW-524IBXktlWNCuL0z0AfErN7J8B-5uygjqL0UffnqeBCk1WvelmvvkmAUgZuwh_g86ckd43z2jN2RnXi20Fw7hZUOflFPNj-dqtHpY4JYJfuydLpfgJ/s640/plan3.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They have so many other great things. Definately worth checking out!</div><div align="center"></div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-9035996810252498342012-01-16T20:24:00.003-05:002012-01-16T20:29:06.799-05:00The "fun hangover".<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Uncle Josh is home from China and we can't stop smiling!!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHIN0gLHBMl3zAzIBJbLFDA_Ogbs3kwhpR9roMyJRrM_G2zr4w3W1bbc9CG35tLw0JIecJHB4Nsuezpi2zRI8fiFyia5BFTpi_IwhJEoGzBe-tqQk5H-rZcj0_ag1IRgmfITbsE5ZQ2s-/s1600/100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHIN0gLHBMl3zAzIBJbLFDA_Ogbs3kwhpR9roMyJRrM_G2zr4w3W1bbc9CG35tLw0JIecJHB4Nsuezpi2zRI8fiFyia5BFTpi_IwhJEoGzBe-tqQk5H-rZcj0_ag1IRgmfITbsE5ZQ2s-/s640/100.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I mean, we are soooooo happy!!!!!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1G6XyefVxbrOXT9Iler7U0tJ4Wg2GVQtN9d_fFROI5pwiffIFLclGTSaQNmzhyphenhyphenVz5zrCb-8Tuac0xGZ482G1_YTP6wTpsMF-XqkuslSQ2uafzJL77jAqYey0-WANcS0sUSPTLZsNeEUsx/s1600/099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1G6XyefVxbrOXT9Iler7U0tJ4Wg2GVQtN9d_fFROI5pwiffIFLclGTSaQNmzhyphenhyphenVz5zrCb-8Tuac0xGZ482G1_YTP6wTpsMF-XqkuslSQ2uafzJL77jAqYey0-WANcS0sUSPTLZsNeEUsx/s640/099.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Seriously, we love him so much! Welcome home Uncle Josh!!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUNnL3p4F_TxvFkhGcpSEp41gxV-YXByI5JOYl28k5QfYwbHKtPqiSwwsHACBTVj78AevLBY8LoRYt9G_IKb-VBk91MpOxHH-8BfZQhqe6uZbvk7bPaiiVyTSJfkRWaZaqNmbfZqKSXM-/s1600/102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUNnL3p4F_TxvFkhGcpSEp41gxV-YXByI5JOYl28k5QfYwbHKtPqiSwwsHACBTVj78AevLBY8LoRYt9G_IKb-VBk91MpOxHH-8BfZQhqe6uZbvk7bPaiiVyTSJfkRWaZaqNmbfZqKSXM-/s640/102.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Okay, so maybe I didn't pick the best time to take a picture. We were heading out the door to drive 5 hours back home. Finley was beyond ready for his nap. Skylar was in melt-down mode.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">BUT I forgot to take a single picture all weekend. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">A weekend full of Skylar and Uncle Josh practicing dance routines together and doing a stellar performance to the Lion King's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight". Not to mention baking virtual cupcakes on his ipod, baking with Noni, getting treats from Papa, and watching way too much football. She had a blast!<br />
<br />
And then she had a "fun hangover".<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But I made my miserable children sit on Uncle Josh's lap anyway.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And this was the best one I got:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsWmFaJpQP14qYctd1hpamwsf8XEaDdqm_rh6IN6L6lB45Q7yFSFNBep3DmA21jkbJgAtE0fJiJRCfPzz51EW38JfJctXP_mVR8AkmX0AZzSyE9HSm-i-_Z4yshY-RkWviWBXeiTP5AUd/s1600/107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsWmFaJpQP14qYctd1hpamwsf8XEaDdqm_rh6IN6L6lB45Q7yFSFNBep3DmA21jkbJgAtE0fJiJRCfPzz51EW38JfJctXP_mVR8AkmX0AZzSyE9HSm-i-_Z4yshY-RkWviWBXeiTP5AUd/s640/107.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We really are glad you made it home safely Josh and can't wait to hear about your new life in NYC!</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-53530860905076258582012-01-14T20:39:00.001-05:002012-01-14T20:40:42.360-05:009 months<div style="text-align: center;">Nine months old in the blink of an eye.....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTgiX8n6KDViF7EKZF8ZIsfktWCC8jhKEotBz1ybNjhdL-MNWTlY_Y5luD2OuVZK5ZDW5uC-LaSxG3AHklNbH8bP4UvSBylZGMJNsdVGchlADahjeV2OK2yZFa134nl_8EBPcylMhNPlo/s1600/jan+13+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTgiX8n6KDViF7EKZF8ZIsfktWCC8jhKEotBz1ybNjhdL-MNWTlY_Y5luD2OuVZK5ZDW5uC-LaSxG3AHklNbH8bP4UvSBylZGMJNsdVGchlADahjeV2OK2yZFa134nl_8EBPcylMhNPlo/s640/jan+13+069.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ig69RBAhaR6hSyNc0NtvS4mL3JgWmgMTbPxniemWW-ZnIhHaZdRtpM6HoGYvbQx5gyTQqog2dViPU4ClDJ0P86a5ImPn91stYuNMtZU1KqWw-8tHEI8unKXff0YqU8QcIeZ8JIhVY9H-/s1600/jan+13+072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ig69RBAhaR6hSyNc0NtvS4mL3JgWmgMTbPxniemWW-ZnIhHaZdRtpM6HoGYvbQx5gyTQqog2dViPU4ClDJ0P86a5ImPn91stYuNMtZU1KqWw-8tHEI8unKXff0YqU8QcIeZ8JIhVY9H-/s640/jan+13+072.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbRKxGPOeHD0YeekwWIaCfT6rJYlan-cC7vlXgloKv0dTN9w1VqhVDDxpSOHyMZamIM9TgYfVWHkb364PYcX5gm_tH46bjExIeYTHTzOMzNrnxzDyByer4bcxJX3XLrjkkz56HYsP4-zn/s1600/jan+13+064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbRKxGPOeHD0YeekwWIaCfT6rJYlan-cC7vlXgloKv0dTN9w1VqhVDDxpSOHyMZamIM9TgYfVWHkb364PYcX5gm_tH46bjExIeYTHTzOMzNrnxzDyByer4bcxJX3XLrjkkz56HYsP4-zn/s640/jan+13+064.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-37268743276460851682012-01-12T13:58:00.000-05:002012-01-12T13:58:49.806-05:00The Chiweenie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">An ugly dog....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCCVy9DqdBjT6iZRFsB1-RQD54Zj8kQsbvdKU_gYw_-9WnUv_jEj0O_fwFJMlawBmuMj_zjy76uuIwKIyBtf8ry9Q0OgJEMCm16xAMpQs1C4k53qxc3fIcqq-8DaMRAmukTNXdYl5WqDc/s1600/chiweenie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCCVy9DqdBjT6iZRFsB1-RQD54Zj8kQsbvdKU_gYw_-9WnUv_jEj0O_fwFJMlawBmuMj_zjy76uuIwKIyBtf8ry9Q0OgJEMCm16xAMpQs1C4k53qxc3fIcqq-8DaMRAmukTNXdYl5WqDc/s640/chiweenie2.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">breed with another ugly dog.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiyog6WJWchK_ccKd9k0CzHtkIDpCndONd04g6QdAaj0emxNN-gfhYChdYjn3e6XtKED5yRVKyoeccndshGPNTTsg7JgOZcIO2IyhkHGKT6gi-hW4H9CkhPNNj8qH-FnW7Zgf0kMkOR9n/s1600/chiweenie3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiyog6WJWchK_ccKd9k0CzHtkIDpCndONd04g6QdAaj0emxNN-gfhYChdYjn3e6XtKED5yRVKyoeccndshGPNTTsg7JgOZcIO2IyhkHGKT6gi-hW4H9CkhPNNj8qH-FnW7Zgf0kMkOR9n/s640/chiweenie3.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">results in an even uglier dog<em>....</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvHfj0o3qiYfv5YIPrzgS1CHkNzqLZl-UNm3eDl-jFj_qEVFaD5z-X6A8_OluN1w4E0lZ47G-0CUXpkRXZ3j4HkkcluJND6AElsmpFsvGQRdaz2fOrm3A8S3y-iByJ7rTr6gBDzZdS4HH/s1600/chiweenie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvHfj0o3qiYfv5YIPrzgS1CHkNzqLZl-UNm3eDl-jFj_qEVFaD5z-X6A8_OluN1w4E0lZ47G-0CUXpkRXZ3j4HkkcluJND6AElsmpFsvGQRdaz2fOrm3A8S3y-iByJ7rTr6gBDzZdS4HH/s640/chiweenie.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you're thinking...."Hey wait, you have a pug and they don't get any uglier than that!" I totally understand.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I once came out of a gas station to find a stranger waiting by my car just to tell me that Jack (who was sitting in the driver's seat) was the ugliest dog he'd ever seen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But one persons ugly is another man's beautiful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And I still think pugs are the cutest dog ever created by Chinese royalty.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So no offense to the Chihuahua and Dachshund owners of the world.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But we saw a Chiweenie live and in person at a pet store and......well....<em>why</em>?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not sure whose idea it was to breed those two, but two wrong do not make a right.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">{At least they gave it a fun name}.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-10732616177664031842012-01-10T21:15:00.001-05:002012-01-10T21:15:56.430-05:00Fish tacos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We love fish tacos, but they are hard to come by here in Northern New York.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And there are so many ways to make them--from types of fish, to preparation of fish, types of tortillas, sauces and toppings--it's almost easier to make them at home so that they are exactly the way you like them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm not a fan of fried fish or mayonnaise sauces, so here's my version using tilapia:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SC6NdokeIQ7RcDC3VYOfI6bP7U4QY_qsKII5sC4ztGMusD6jtDTyv5YFLmmT35DACjOj7Ut5rDX4TBmI7I0f4QudUNbokchjdmgHp8wP54I6mhCi8qW2H809jh3tcpGCkgWeG-bGmS_M/s1600/jan+7+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SC6NdokeIQ7RcDC3VYOfI6bP7U4QY_qsKII5sC4ztGMusD6jtDTyv5YFLmmT35DACjOj7Ut5rDX4TBmI7I0f4QudUNbokchjdmgHp8wP54I6mhCi8qW2H809jh3tcpGCkgWeG-bGmS_M/s640/jan+7+048.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Marinate five tilapia fillets in 1/4 cup of oil, 1 teaspoon of chili powder and the juice of one lime. Let sit for 20 or 30 minutes and then pan fry. (Micah likes his breaded for a crunch factor, so you can dip some in bread crumbs before pan frying if that's you).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">La Tortilla Factory makes some amazing tortillas that are part corn, part flour and they are sooooo good. If you warm them in a pan with a little cooking spray they taste freshly made. We have them in our regular grocery store, and if <em>we</em> have them then you probably do too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For toppings I use a little bit of grated Gruyere, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado and some shredded cabbage. I toss my cabbage with some red wine vinegar, oil, salt and pepper before adding it to the taco. {If you prefer a cream sauce of some kind there are numerous yogurt, sour cream, mayo or avocado sauce recipes out there to try}. Have fun with it and customize your fish taco!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-82177201012297550442012-01-07T21:30:00.000-05:002012-01-07T21:30:40.467-05:00Birthday boy.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Micah turned 30 today!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We woke him up with breakfast in bed: chocolate chip pancakes, heart shaped eggs, cantaloupe, and a birthday picture from Skylar--all of his favorite things.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsFVQ0GRWoNMVky0_HsxJyyBcnHZDc6FNfeMxeprldTsLvlzrXGbRbgS1Z6RPxfo0M385HXq25yMOdQjhCU0KPnilzPcHGX57_tQ582agQj7yivFrlNdQ_DOX1yE5UTTZzoXqVKnfqIvf/s1600/jan+7+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsFVQ0GRWoNMVky0_HsxJyyBcnHZDc6FNfeMxeprldTsLvlzrXGbRbgS1Z6RPxfo0M385HXq25yMOdQjhCU0KPnilzPcHGX57_tQ582agQj7yivFrlNdQ_DOX1yE5UTTZzoXqVKnfqIvf/s640/jan+7+037.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And all of his favorite people of course. What good is your favorite breakfast without a crowd watching you eat it? {And little hands helping you eat it.}</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">For someone used to waking up at 4:30 {by choice} and having a few hours to himself every morning, it was a whole lot of excitement right away.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But at least he actually slept in until 7 something.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jnfkAf_XLHh4btGGTg0t5eYngBxq-L8kBE2y6VVHfsbBnwRtPYTdgpgVLPi9AGQFwc7sIMFdL5ugv2OiMsYKpNt7RjD8Jllw5m30Lxbo9v3oFf8BAEeYaXagN-bxat8zqVC4opAILO9B/s1600/jan+7+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jnfkAf_XLHh4btGGTg0t5eYngBxq-L8kBE2y6VVHfsbBnwRtPYTdgpgVLPi9AGQFwc7sIMFdL5ugv2OiMsYKpNt7RjD8Jllw5m30Lxbo9v3oFf8BAEeYaXagN-bxat8zqVC4opAILO9B/s640/jan+7+039.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">He spent the day flying his new toy helicopter with the kids, ice skating and watching veggie tales.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Birthdays have changed a little bit over the years.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But there will always be cake, candles and singing.....<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcwAuKpFI-R-POGzZNeq2CNscOAmW_CJtmSmTg0DkYjvXxAvVFzl9QsAdBil4bDZAB_TL4AKk9O88u2gQeR0nMH0zNmIsyta3xaGe2uzr18Mt5uxqyfU6ViNfJ1bwpfGHpY_pMGfZcntg/s1600/jan+7+060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcwAuKpFI-R-POGzZNeq2CNscOAmW_CJtmSmTg0DkYjvXxAvVFzl9QsAdBil4bDZAB_TL4AKk9O88u2gQeR0nMH0zNmIsyta3xaGe2uzr18Mt5uxqyfU6ViNfJ1bwpfGHpY_pMGfZcntg/s640/jan+7+060.JPG" width="426px" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And "dad gifts" like a hat with patches, a portable car vacuum, and a new lunch bag....and of course the remote control helicopter.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And he danced around the table several times when he opened the vacuum.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yep, times have changed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNK4ystQPiIxrhxERP1wTviLMSoPgi_bSSybVQLAVL1KLFrN-gDoYXbJeig-5PgZrlS0jC9yNs8WpxQk_IuqJNFjiDya05IZJHszBvyAPD3GsbZYZHXsGkW7-sJGqZ8NcdQGfiOyJOdcD1/s1600/jan+7+066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNK4ystQPiIxrhxERP1wTviLMSoPgi_bSSybVQLAVL1KLFrN-gDoYXbJeig-5PgZrlS0jC9yNs8WpxQk_IuqJNFjiDya05IZJHszBvyAPD3GsbZYZHXsGkW7-sJGqZ8NcdQGfiOyJOdcD1/s640/jan+7+066.JPG" width="426px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy birthday to my best friend and an awesome dad! Welcome to the next decade!</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-10662394819682116452012-01-05T21:51:00.000-05:002012-01-05T21:51:41.118-05:00Oh happy day.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Skylar sat in the window looking out at the driveway and waiting....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and waiting.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and waiting.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Uhhhhh mom, it's taking her too long to get here!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"She'll be here in the next few minutes"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In a MINUTE??"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"No, in a few minutes."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"ONE minute?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Do you want me to call her and find out how many minutes?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A long, dramatic sigh......"Nooooo, I'll just wait". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sigh. Sigh. Sigh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then "AUNT B IS HERE!!!!!!!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Followed by hugs, kisses, a small dog attack, more hugs and hours of playing.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFXpaw3IqknQtIeSZ2bA7yDt3FDgoAHf9czcwU0cok_IdYBgzKmioPkcQX0Fo0kVFeznKi8xtZZWCVltzLradB2IYVQ-BxXY5p5ZHV5yo70m-PmE_rqiejz0aCgb9kGZSpfzjRTGXugBS/s1600/jan+5+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFXpaw3IqknQtIeSZ2bA7yDt3FDgoAHf9czcwU0cok_IdYBgzKmioPkcQX0Fo0kVFeznKi8xtZZWCVltzLradB2IYVQ-BxXY5p5ZHV5yo70m-PmE_rqiejz0aCgb9kGZSpfzjRTGXugBS/s640/jan+5+008.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuiqJFOXjbNxAf70h_JxZ4ErJIyoYu3IQO3n7kO3lEsTOzAsQSWjn95Jya35ctQ75Jb0-AJymw58xnoCvyXJGneRvvnOwjUX9JpIOxRZtMFiZZyDU6w_kdwJbel7Rpe7k44aVBEsFca7S/s1600/jan+5+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuiqJFOXjbNxAf70h_JxZ4ErJIyoYu3IQO3n7kO3lEsTOzAsQSWjn95Jya35ctQ75Jb0-AJymw58xnoCvyXJGneRvvnOwjUX9JpIOxRZtMFiZZyDU6w_kdwJbel7Rpe7k44aVBEsFca7S/s640/jan+5+020.JPG" width="426px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sR7Cvzj_c_UHgpoV7HEhpbOtrEH74kDpT4t3AXMqhyphenhyphenIbyazWpb7UKa-ktAJ1K4GyjrNTGhS0I1fjO1vi8qhASqFV5mVIOLc_OUoJFiGmD6inSCszfx7ancboEuJCL7FuwN991BPlGGT4/s1600/jan+5+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sR7Cvzj_c_UHgpoV7HEhpbOtrEH74kDpT4t3AXMqhyphenhyphenIbyazWpb7UKa-ktAJ1K4GyjrNTGhS0I1fjO1vi8qhASqFV5mVIOLc_OUoJFiGmD6inSCszfx7ancboEuJCL7FuwN991BPlGGT4/s640/jan+5+016.JPG" width="426px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1A_h6i09Z4s4O8iRS4jnCP0VF9-Z6ZGKrC7NI9Ro1ieufeQpvt75DPZfwz78R4obMVR4IgKPfEfeN0QTSaLSBSAsTnIbjTa4NKYxoURdd2tUxQVQ5IXxrr1ODoUvl1LwB5jyE0p8NZMV/s1600/jan+5+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1A_h6i09Z4s4O8iRS4jnCP0VF9-Z6ZGKrC7NI9Ro1ieufeQpvt75DPZfwz78R4obMVR4IgKPfEfeN0QTSaLSBSAsTnIbjTa4NKYxoURdd2tUxQVQ5IXxrr1ODoUvl1LwB5jyE0p8NZMV/s640/jan+5+021.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They even had coordinated outfits.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh happy, happy day.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-86398236196586634532012-01-03T22:59:00.003-05:002012-01-03T23:01:42.998-05:00Grace for the new year.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am always working toward {and failing daily at} my goal of parenting with grace.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And to be honest, I'm not even sure I fully comprehend what grace is myself.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But a new year is a new start and a chance to refocus and continue to refine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So in 2012 I am striving toward....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Listening rather then lecturing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Responding rather than reacting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Engaging rather then dismissing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And praying rather then judging.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSXKQexcuALpNv_uXnMpfflQo5sYaeUaBbmtl0I6Ti_TH3k0-2cGoOt1Hn2eE78j1artnDDbq7Om-OiP2uHVqrcqfBPXLEsZF5te7kcutZ84ctOOTz7lJbtwJXGtYsZrEoxT2IBGVRiWI/s1600/109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSXKQexcuALpNv_uXnMpfflQo5sYaeUaBbmtl0I6Ti_TH3k0-2cGoOt1Hn2eE78j1artnDDbq7Om-OiP2uHVqrcqfBPXLEsZF5te7kcutZ84ctOOTz7lJbtwJXGtYsZrEoxT2IBGVRiWI/s640/109.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Knowing that the days can feel long but the years are fleeting.<br />
</div><div align="center">And someday my nights will be uninterrupted by bad dreams and teething babies, and I'll have plenty of "me" time, and I won't have an audience in the bathroom, and things will still be where I left them, and I won't have to pretend to be Prince Charming or Mufasa all day long, and maybe I'll even lose the last few pounds of baby weight.<br />
<br />
And when I send them off into the world someday I don't want to wonder if I did enough, said enough or loved them enough.<br />
</div><div align="center">I want to shower them with grace now {even if some days I only manage a sprinkle} so that they will see Him in me--because otherwise all of my doing, saying and loving will fall short. <br />
<br />
And I am going to mess up a lot. A lot. A lot.<br />
<br />
But His grace is sufficient.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176791804800141699.post-40656089185397067452011-12-30T19:14:00.002-05:002011-12-31T07:18:52.164-05:00The time to shop.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">January is the time to score the retail deals. {That is if Christmas hasn't completely sapped your shopping motivation.}</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Skylar, Finley and I went out today to see what bargains could be had.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Really I was just trying to get everyone out of the house so that Micah could take a nap and hopefully recover from this debilitating illness that has seized him and ruined his week of vacation. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So I was left unchaperoned and to my own devices with two small children that have to stay warm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had two goals (in addition to the welfare of my ailing husband of course): </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wanted to stock up on discount toys for the birthday parties to come this year, and to score some bargains on clothes for the kids for next winter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toys are 50% off at Target right now. They will soon be 75% off--I know this from last year. This is the time to stock up people! Especially if you know you have 18 birthday parties in the year to come.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And at Old Navy....75% off sales all over the place.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then a trip to Petco so the kids could watch the ferrets play for ten whole minutes. {Seriously....maybe I need a ferret around here so I can cook dinner. Not.}</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Anyway, as I was doing my own scavenging, Skylar was doing a little shopping of her own. She found a pair of bunny slippers and a puffy vest that she loved. The slippers were $3 and the puffy vest $6, so she was allowed to get them. She put them on as soon as she got home and said......</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"I feel......<i>famous</i>!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">How she even knows what that means is beyond me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlSjyruix-v7crSq6tdsVo4A0j7Q8R-pAxq783yp7b-SDOW_8SCrRDK8NJnWA9p87RijXN_lp_Ymnba30HQ_0_15nCOsWGu7XVBRi3PW9xORv8lZpd7Ga0TH2iFG0NH87lcHRn5Z2f30_/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlSjyruix-v7crSq6tdsVo4A0j7Q8R-pAxq783yp7b-SDOW_8SCrRDK8NJnWA9p87RijXN_lp_Ymnba30HQ_0_15nCOsWGu7XVBRi3PW9xORv8lZpd7Ga0TH2iFG0NH87lcHRn5Z2f30_/s640/003.JPG" width="426px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a blurry shot of her little booty shake. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We did not teach her this, she was just born this way.....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQvSEgsMOdRavemxKQIVHfBxXdUUObPS5mDPC4wdMMUw8csHAsjqar-07bLET_DGyOV1J_j2al-xZpx9GY52pWVnOAQ83D8_nkob-URsh0hM4u6NWG5Du0uqXGL45VqyY0Y0IUTn2H2iO/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQvSEgsMOdRavemxKQIVHfBxXdUUObPS5mDPC4wdMMUw8csHAsjqar-07bLET_DGyOV1J_j2al-xZpx9GY52pWVnOAQ83D8_nkob-URsh0hM4u6NWG5Du0uqXGL45VqyY0Y0IUTn2H2iO/s640/007.JPG" width="426px" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Now you know how to feel famous {for under $10}.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14378249632615345885noreply@blogger.com1