Is this normal?

This does not include the dress up shoes or the summer sandals. Too much?

* it should be noted that I did not purchase all of these shoes. In fact I am only responsible for 3 of them.

I can sew! Sort of.

I can't believe I actually successfully sewed something.  I followed these instructions.  It was pretty easy, once I remembered how to thread my sewing machine and learned what a zipper foot was.  Yeah, that's right.  I sewed a zipper.  I can hardly believe it myself.

My new blue and white chevron (zippered!) pillows.   Wren didn't even notice my pillows.  She was immersed in a particularly tense episode of Barney.  I think Baby Bop was stressing her out.  

 I've always wanted to be a sewer (seamstress?).  Sometimes my ambition gets the better of me. I read lots of sewing blogs and buy lots of fabric to go with my pile of good intentions.  But I don't sew.  I don't have the patience to do it right.  I prefer short-cuts and iron-on adhesives.

These are the curtains in Wren's room.  We've had them a while now.  Awesome, no?  It was also a pretty easy project.  My first step was just to buy 4 cheapo twin flat sheets at Ikea (2.99/ea).  I used 2 sheets for the panels, and use the other 2 to make the ruffles.   Step 2: cut the first ruffle sheet into strips.  Step 3:  realized I had no idea what the crap I was doing (I briefly entertained the idea of using a hot glue gun instead of sewing).  And my fourth and final step was to call my beloved mother in law and make her do it.  See.  Easy peasy. ;)

I've still got a ways to go.  Maybe someday I'll sew something else.

Wrestle Mania

So what do you do when your mean mom says "no TV tonight, boys"?  Well in our house, you go put on your dad's old t-shirt,  stuff it with pillows and don your favorite Mexican wrestling mask.  

             

wish I'd kept the camera rolling a few seconds longer

nice t-shirts, eh?

Little sister wanted to get in on the action too, but then decided it was too much work. 

don't mind the annoying cackle

New kitchen

I have always dreamed of white cabinets.  A counter depth fridge.  A large single bowl stainless sink.  Oh, the things that make a girl's heart go pitter-patter.

this is not my kitchen.  but I dig it.  

Well, I didn't get any of these things.  But Wren did.  Her daddy made her a play kitchen.  And it's pretty stinkin' cute if I do say so myself.  

don't mind the cheese and the bedhead

We used these plans.  It was a time-consuming project, but not a hard one.  There are still a few tweaks that need to be made like adding a faucet and some touch up paint.  But the girl loves it.  There was squealing and happy dancing feet as her daddy brought it up to the play room.  Wren was excited too.  

Found

I thought I'd share some of the random pics that are on my phone. Some are pretty old. Most are of Wren. And some were taken when my phone was hijacked by little boys.  It's kind of like a 2011 year in review, via crappy iPhone pictures.  So here they are, in no particular order....Enjoy.  

sorry mom

new floors!

the forever long trip home

the best garage sale-ing day ever

self portrait

desperate for firewood

under the carseat.   just keepin' it real.

neighborhood gang

Mexico bound!

The things she does to entertain herself in the carseat......

see what I mean

???

Wren's room

what I look like when I sleep in a German airport

My mother's day present.  Stolen flowers and a heart shaped rock.  :)

going home.  for the first time.

stair art

marshmallow/spaghetti art

junior plumbers

santa?

big gulp, huh?

halloween.  she still loves to wear those glasses.

from aunt B.  :)

Home

After 2 weeks of travels, from Mexico to Michigan, we are home.  Home is my favorite.  Mexico was great! Got to see my youngest sister,  Kenzie, get hitched on the beach.   What could be better?!

It was a nice vacay, but not necessarily a relaxing one.  Thanks to a certain 2 year old.  

She kept me on my toes.  Turns out that when in crowded areas she likes to spontaneously run away from me.  Can't tell you how many times I had to run after her and wound up in the kitchen of a restaurant, a men's restroom or the wrong side of airport security.  She thought it was hilarious.    

As soon as we got back from our fab all-inclusive, over indulging beach vacation , we headed to Michigan to spend Christmas with the Berrys.  We got to see some cousins that we don't get to spend enough time with, just relax and most importantly, I did not have to wear a swimsuit.  Which is a really good thing.  Because Grandma Berry's house is also "all-inclusive".  And back to back all-inclusive vacations have made stretchy pants my new best friend.  

      

It was a merry Christmas.  So happy to be home.  But even happier that we got to spend time with our awesome families.  

Skater boy

A few months back we went to one of the Street League skateboarding competitions.  It was kind of a big deal.  Well, to the boys it was.  After the contest there was an autograph session.  But we didn't get to stay for it, and the boys were pretty disappointed.  I told them they should write letters to their favorite skaters and ask for an autograph.  Ryder and Gavin wrote 3 letters: to Chris Cole, Ryan Sheckler and Dylan Reider (I realize those names don't mean much to most people, but they are pro skateboarders).  That was 4 months ago.  Today Ryder got a package in the mail.  A big package.

I'm not sure which boy was more excited  

Thanks Dylan Reider.  You made this kids day!