Because I totally have time

We're still here... baking in the east county San Diego summer, whilst attempting a mini-renovation on our kitchen... oh yea, and having a baby this month. Let's just hope everything gets finished. I like to blog when I don't actually have the time to - Some other things we've been up to the last few months...

Emma is really getting the hang of reading (when she slows down enough to not just make up the story according to the pictures - which she says is always a better story anyway!)
 

 Catching GIANT bugs (all sorts of things are coming out while we're doing construction over here. I HATE bugs

 

 We enjoyed baking, until my kitchen appliances disappeared outside. Why do I only feel like baking when it's 1000 degrees outside?!

 We've also been busy slowly driving our neighbors insane (I'm pretty sure) what with our enormous painting booth in the driveway and our dogs barking at the other neighbor's chicken coop. Fun times!

Happy Summer!

Sisters

Complete opposites

One with curly brown hair, brown eyes, olive skin, and about as girly as you can get.

One with straight blonde hair, blue eyes, the fairest of skin, and loves dinos, dragons, and trucks.

Best friends.

Passion

Oh how I miss horses... sometimes I forget how important it was to me, and then I come across a reminder of my time riding. It was my passion in life, until my love for being a mom eclipsed it. We're cleaning out and getting ready for the new baby, and today I came across my box with my boots, saddle, etc. The girls loved my boots, and couldn't have been cuter trying them on.

I was going to donate all of my tack and riding clothes, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I was reading Psalm 37 today, and one of the verses says that if we delight ourselves in the Lord, he will give us the desires of our heart. I have always thought that to mean He will give us things like wisdom, more love, compassion, and so on. But as I was praying, I thought (and who knows, I could be totally off here) that as I grow as a Christian, and strive to be more and more like Christ, I have given "the desires of my heart" over to Him. And this is one that just hangs in there. It seems so much a part of who He made me. I have a hoof pick in my jewelry box for goodness sake (tmi?). We aren't sure where this life is leading our little family right now, but I have a feeling that one day I'm going to be glad I kept my riding things!

Emma Bear

Her tolerance for my picture taking is minimal, so I have to be quick!

Funny story:
This morning the girls came in our room to wake us up and immediately started rifling through a basket of clean laundry at the end of our bed (go ahead, judge me for not putting it away... it won't be the only time this story). Emma pulled out a wash cloth, and laughing, said, "What is this thing?! A mini towel? It's so cute!"

That's right. Our 5 year old didn't know what a washcloth was... how does this reflect on my parenting?

this is what we do when we're sick

Happy Valentine's Day

One of my goals this year is to get {much} better at using my camera - in 100% manual mode. To keep myself consistent, I am going to try to post at least one picture here each day. Just of our every day lives... because let's face it, who reads this blog besides me ?! 

2012

Our New Year's card... maybe I'll decide to blog more now. or not. Happy New Year!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl

happy birthday baby girl! i can't believe you are already 3!

Photos

snowflake rainbow heart

We got a snail. ewww. Our long-living {read a few months!} beta fish was creating a ton of algae so we headed to Petco to buy a snail to eat it up... and our littlest one fell in love... with a snail.

She tucked it in, sang it songs, and couldn't stop loving on it. Where did she come from? I'm sure glad she's mine though.

Every snail has to have a name, right? This one is "Snowflake Rainbow Heart." Of course

Tomorrow is September 1st! To me, that means the first day of fall... which I always feel bittersweet about. Because Dave is a teacher he has a couple of months off every summer, which is wonderful. Although we tried to be more laid back this year, the end of his vacation became a mad dash to complete our back yard renovation - and we didn't get it finished. I feel like that happens a lot to me... I don't get it finished. Whatever "it" may be.

- painting the living room

- painting my dining room table {needs one more coat!}

- girl's room re-do

- too many sewing projects to count

- handmade gifts for family

- my presentation for a workshop at church {coming up in 2 weeks!}

- the back yard

- and FAR too many other things to list here

I know the new year is in January, but I always feel like the school year is the "real" new year for me. I realize that I am spread way too thin. It's happened over time, and although I love to be busy, I hate to be so busy that I can't do any one thing well. I don't have time play with my kids, spend time with my husband, prepare well for ministry at church, or even to get together with a good friend for a cup of coffee. I hate that.

So, this "new year" I am going to finish out all the things I am committed to, and then start paring it down. I know I will always be busy, it's a season in life, but I want to concentrate on my family, friends, the Lord, and the things I love. Maybe then, this {from Pinterest} won't apply to me anymore!

http://juliawalck.tumblr.com/post/3391072500

We've been trying to have a more relaxed summer this year {in comparison to our over ambitious, complete bathroom remodel last year}. Today Dave and I went on a little breakfast date while the girls played with one of our youth group girls.

I wanted to make sure we spent some special time with them too, so we baked together...

Rainbow Cake in a Jar! I am not much of a baker - or a chef for that matter, but it was fun and messy. Just the right combination.

something good is in the oven!

this is emma's crazy excited face

it's Rainbow cake! Sure it's not as nice and neat as this one... but it was good. {I'm pretty sure everything tastes better from a mason jar!}

I love Pinterest.

Well, love it and hate it both I guess. On one hand I have access to unending inspiration and tutorials and on the other hand there is no possible way I could follow through on everything I pin. I've decided to make a real effort this summer to try a lot of them. I'll share what learn here.

Today I attempted the "Knot So Hard Flip Flops" tutorial from The Mother Huddle.

Before we get into this, I should tell you I am not a read the directions kind of girl. Even with tutorials, I generally go by the pictures until things take a turn for the worse... which ended up happening today when I made the straps too short and hot glued too early leaving me ripping hot glue apart from a foam shoe and nearly giving up on the project entirely!

Here's how Emma's turned out. They're cuter in person but I couldn't get her to stand still for more than 5 seconds (she was busy jumping on the trampoline when I was begging her to model for me - hence the filthy feet!) I omitted the second knot. I liked them, but what I didn't like was that they were fraying already... which is supposed to be a part of the summery charm, but I didn't want mine that way. I followed instructions this time {while still omitting the 2nd knot on top} but after cutting my fabric, I sewed it right sides together into a tube and turned it right side out so that I wouldn't have the fraying edges.

I LOVE them! See you soon...

summer adventures 2011

We are so blessed to live in San Diego. I know it is only for a season, but I will be seriously missing the weather when we leave one day! Today we ventured out with some of our good friends to a park in Coronado. I can't believe in my 7 years here I'd never visited this spot. It's right along the bay with two playgrounds and a nice area to ride bikes along the water. We even had a picnic lunch and visited some flamingos.

I am still getting to know my new camera, so I used this time to practice!

Summertime

Summer is finally here! We celebrated Dave's last day of work {he's a high school teacher} with balloons, smoothies, and some time in the pool... well at least the girls hopped in. Happy summer!

happy

Things that make me happy:

ranuculus - which remind me that spring is coming

{I'm fickle, I'm always wanting the next season whatever it is}

two happy, healthy little girls with messy lunch faces

that's it for today, we're busy being sick {again} among other things!

weekend wishes

Whoa! I've just recovered from a nasty week of the stomach flu {along with my kiddos}, and I'm ready to get my craft on!

Here's a list of things I hope to complete this weekend {h.o.p.e being the operative word}:

via Noodlehead

via Kiki Creates

Have you seen this all over the internet? Amazing! Why didn't I think of it?

I hope to do two duvets similar to this for the girls' room.

and possibly this dress {x2 for my two cuties} by

Kelly Crawford at Sewing in No Man's Land

btw - what an awesome blog she has! All sorts of tutorials for gorgeous things.

I found her through Project Run and Play; something I'd aspire to do one day if I were

as awesome/talented/inspirational as those ladies!

Have a l o v e l y weekend

rainy days

We've been keeping busy in the rain around here... I've been sewing a lot for the girls.

Here's what I made last night.

I also made myself a cute t-shirt which I won't show you because it turned out about 2 sizes too small.

just keep swimming

We've been super sick around here for the last couple of days, but I thought I'd give you the epilogue on the goldfish situation.

We now have, not two, but three happy, healthy goldfish. "But how did this happen?" you might ask. Well, when it comes to animals, for some reason, I am incapable of applying logic. I am a HUGE sucker for them... I once adopted a dog from the pound and we didn't even have a house to keep it at!

When I noticed Nemo floating at the top of the bowl, upside down, he was still {though barely} breathing. Any normal person would have flushed him. Instead, I took him out, and placed him in a cup in the laundry room while I made the switch. I came back after putting the girls to bed and he was swimming around like nothing had happened. The girls woke up the next morning and right away realized we had 3 fish now. "Nemo the Second," has been renamed, "Sparkles," and Dave is celebrated throughout the house as the amazing, spontaneous Daddy who just decided to bring home a new pet!