Ashlee Nicole is ONE

My niece Ashlee turned "ONE" on Saturday.

I think she has the gift unwrapping down.

This is my absolute favorite picture of Lindsey and Ashlee. This was taken right after Ashlee was born.

Lindsey is so proud of her baby cousin. Christmas is going to be a BLAST this year with the two of them. I can't wait.

YUMMY Ice cream!

I took Lindsey to Carvel Ice Cream after school last week. Yummy stuff. She discovered what I like to call the "sprinkle buffet". Every color sprinkle you can think of, well not lime green as was pointed out to me. I think she sampled every color combo imaginable. It was the last day of school before Fall Break began so I figured if she was up all night from the sugar it really wouldn't matter.

Silly girl!

She said her school colors tasted the best. GO LYNX!!

Who Knew?

Who knew Costco could be so much fun? Especially when you are with a friend. David and I took Lindsey and her friend Lexi to Costco over the weekend. We had to go and they didn't mind tagging along. These girls CRACK ME UP!!

Lindsey is playing the piano while Lexi dances for the shoppers. TOO CUTE!!! Wait I am not supposed to use the word CUTE anymore. Anyway... They were CUTE, so there.

Lindsey and Lexi have been friends since they were 2 years old. It is sooooo important to have good friends. I always tell Lindsey this and also that it is important to BE a good friend. Your good... wait... great friends become your family and they are the ones you can always count on. I know this.

Random busy work...

I spent some time this weekend finishing up some orders and also creating some Halloween stuff for us. I believe it was in Martha Stewart's Halloween issue last year that I saw carved pumpkins with your monogram. Well I loved them but never got around to doing any. I pulled out some of my foam pumpkins that I have been using for the last few years and decided to put my flair on the monogram pumpkin, this is the result:

My Mom was in town this weekend, so I did a "P" for her.

I also made some Halloween buckets for my friend Jessica:

and one for us:



















I decided to try something new with the handle on ours, I used fabric scraps, ric rac, and ribbons to embellish. I really like how it turned out.

GO TIGERS!!!!

Almost the weekend!

Well, David and I will celebrate our 7th anniversary this weekend. WOW 7 years, it seems longer. Yes, time does fly when you are having fun. We are actually going out tonight, we have a sitter and everything. WOOHOOO! I am excited.

Random stuff for the weekend:

• put up the fall decorations
• finish some monogramming
• halloween buckets
• scrap a little
• Lindsey's hair cut (should be fun.....NOT)

Lindsey and I put together our "Neighborhood Phantom" goodies last night. I decided to go with a theme this year. We created "cookie baskets". I found some really cute stuff on the Target Dollar Spot aisle, cookie cutters, decorating bags, sprinkles and Kroger had Sugar cookies mix and containers of frosting 10 for $10. We got the orange baskets at Dollar Tree. I think they turned out pretty cute.

While I was putting the "finishing touches" on the baskets (ribbon, the letters with the clipart etc...) Lindsey said to me " you know we have to give these to people who don't know us" I asked her why and she said " because you always make things look fancy and everyone knows that and they will know that we gave it to them". hmmmm I know I am very very anal about how things look that I create, I will hold on to something for days even weeks until I get it like I want it. I mean if you are going to do something go all the way; life is too short to settle for anything less than "AWESOME".

Jennifer

YIPPEE!! She Loves to Craft

Lindsey and I spent part of the morning doing some crafting. She created a really "artsy" scrapbook page using a photo of her and new puppy Molly. I'm working on an album actually 2 albums for Lindsey, 1 for her birthday and the other for Christmas. It's a good thing I get up early so I can work on them.

Working on some other projects for Halloween/Fall, buckets and such. Will post pics of those when complete. I'm feeling much better today, thank goodness, because it's the WEEKEND!!!!

Off to see what D12 and LET are getting into.

oh...here is a cute pic of Lindsey "creating her scrapbook layout. TOO CUTE!!

Jennifer

Stupid Cold Day 3...

Feeling better, just not great.

Stupid Cold!

I am ill, ill, ill, but life doesn't slow down. Oh well!

Weekend

I met my friend Jessica at the Germantown Festival on Saturday, just the Moms. As usual it was hot, it seems it is always hot on the weekend of the festival. Anyway I really enjoyed walking around and looking at all the cool stuff that other crafters are making. Jessica and I are BIG crafters, we were meant to be friends and thanks to our girls we are. We found some really cute ceramic charm necklaces, garden flags, lamp shades and some really cool tie-dye clothing. But not the "typical" tie-dye, this was more of a boutique style of tie-dye. I purchased a couple of things for Lindsey for the cooler weather (and I am ready for the cooler weather).

I spent the rest of the afternoon and part of Sunday organizing my sewing room, well it really is not only a sewing room anymore. It has expanded to a "sewing, monogramming, scrapbooking, bucket making and whatever else I decided to make" room. Maybe I should call it my "studio".

My monogramming business (Lindsey's Closet) is starting to pick up for the holiday season, so I will shift gears and get ready for that. I have enjoyed the down time from the monogramming but I am ready to start creating again. Remember the scrapbooking "to do" I mentioned? I found a tutorial on digi scrapbooking and decided to take a whirl at it. Here is the result:

I guess it's not bad for a first attempt. I found the tutorial here. It was very easy to follow and I really enjoyed it. I love these pictures of Lindsey and David's Dad (aka Grandpa Twiggs). Lindsey and Grandpa Twiggs only get to see each other a couple of times a year, so they really make the most of their time together. I am experimenting with some other layouts and will post those when complete.

Later

Just Stuff

ok..I have been way to busy. More than I care to admit. Lots of stuff going on at work, home etc... We had a great Labor Day weekend my baby brother and his family were in town (at my Dad's actually) so we spent a couple of days visiting with them. My baby brother, Chris, is heading off to boot camp in October. It is a very emotional time for the family, we are going to miss him like crazy while he is gone. He lives in Ohio so it's not like I see him everyday but we do talk a lot and that will be the hard thing for me, not being able to talk about everything and nothing with him. He is THE BEST little brother. He makes me laugh and he has the knack to know exactly when I need a good laugh.

Anyway we all had a good time I think. I did. I hadn't seen my dad in a few months for reasons that are behind us now. :) He's my Dad and I Love him.

I have a list of things that I need/want to do soon:
Organizing my photos (a complete mess, I am really ashamed)
Scrapbooking (digital and paper)
Planning Lindsey's 7th birthday party (slumber party, I must be insane)

oh..one other thing....Meet Molly:

our new corgi. She is a sweetheart.

ok..must go and accomplish something

Later

My baby girl is a 1st Grader

I just can't believe that Lindsey is in First Grade. Where has the time gone? Yes, I cried off and on all day Wednesday just thinking about it. Kindergarten wasn't that hard, she was just moving across the hall from Junior Kindergarten, but First Grade; she has moved to the other side of the building. She has grown so much over the summer and not just physically, but the way she carries herself, she is a very self-assured, independent, take charge little girl. I am so proud of her. The teeth she lost in Kindergarten are coming in and that makes her look so "grown up" too. I just love her so much. She has a good mix of David and I. We have seen lots of each others "qualities" come out in her more this summer and I have to tell ya all I can do is laugh. There are times when I look at her that it's like I am looking in the mirror. To watch David's face when her "leadership" skills come out is priceless. We all know that is a trait she gets from David. I absolutely love it!

Here is a picture of her first day of school:

and another one with Jack:

We have decided to have a garage sale next weekend to clear out some of the clutter, not that we have much, but the smallest amount is too much for us. I am cleaning out my closet this weekend because I have way too much stuff.

We that's all for now.

Later