my girls Christmas gifts to each other....

Last year..we started a new tradition where my girls actually MAKE a Christmas gift for each other. I blogged last years experience, too, and you can read about that here. They had so much fun doing it and couldn't wait for this year to do it again. I, being the bad mother that I am, kinda wanted to skip it this year because I was so busy with sewing projects and other stuff....but once they started talking about what they planned to make for each other...I knew skipping was out of the question. And thank goodness we didn't because I truly believe that it helps to really build on the bond they have with each other. The pictures speak for themselves as to how happy and proud they were to give and recieve these gifts.

Evan's gift to Ella was a tooth fairy pillow. I wrote the word tooth fairy on a piece of fabric and then she hand embroideried over it with embroidery floss. SO easy. Then, with a little help from me, she used the sewing machine to sew on a pocket and sew two pieces of fabric together. Then she stuffed the pillow and finished sewing it up and TaDa...a gift Ella will cherish forever.

(this is by no means a perfectly sewn pillow with pretty fabric and perfect stitches, but Ella doesn't mind at all)

Ella's gift to Evan was a tin to put all her bottlecaps on (for those of you without school age children, bottlecaps are little magnetic necklace thingys). We just got a metal pail at Michaels, she spray painted it pink, and the she put her name on it with stickers and bedazzled it with rhinestone stickers. Precious.

The smiles on their faces in these pictures says it all!

hrk

a Christmas tradition...

For the last couple of years...my sister in law and I have gotten the kids together to make Christmas cookies at my mom's house. So today was the day and I think everyone had a great time!

Happy Christmas!

hrk

Evan's Piano Recital 2009.....

Check out my new 'shirt' blog...........

I have started selling my shirts from a new blog......LaLa {a blog shop}. Go check it out. Fancy Miss Jen fixed it up all pretty for me, and I'm having so much fun sewing and posting all my new creations!

I have big plans for the coming summer....I want to teach Evan to sew and let her put some shirts on the blog, as well. And I hope to include Ella by letting her help me design some shirts and maybe do some cutting.

For now....I am doing some fun Christmas shirts and such...so go take a look!

hrk

well......

Obviously, since I haven't blogged in FOR-EVA, I have a lot to share! I have been psychotically crafty lately. I feel like I have A.D.D.....I'll start one project, then get distracted by another.....random, but it makes me crazy. I am normally a person of order and direction.

Exhibit A: this desk

Free! from my sister-in-law...it was her's when she was a little gal...been sitting in her garage....so she gave it to me for Evan's room. It was yellow, and kindof weathered a bit.

I painted it the same color that I have painted all of the other furniture in her room, distressed it a little....a ta-da! lovely! And OH SO FUNCTIONAL with 4th grade homework and all!

Oh...then we (Evan and I, with Angie and Stacy and Sophie) went to see THIS little lady in concert!

Talk about a good time!!! We all had so much fun....I just love making memories like that with Evan! And I know that this is one concert she will never forget! She is such a Taylor fan and knows every word to every song.

So in the lobby area of the arena, they had this place set up where you could make a video to one of Taylor's songs.....Evan was all for it. Angie got this picture of Evan during her 'making of the video'! Hands down....this is one of my favorite pictures EVER of Evan! It captures her personality perfectly! I will treasure this photo FOREVER!!

Exhibit B:

Home from concert...back to reality. I got on a shirt making kick. I've been making these t-shirts like crazy. So fun....and I've managed to make a little extra money by making them for others that want them! Always good!

Exhibit C:

My dear friend Rachel called me to tell me that one of her neighbors had set this dresser out with the trash! I was on my way out of town....so she went and got it for me!! I loved it so much! Couldn't wait to try to transform it.

I have been needing a piece of furniture for my dining room so i decided to paint it to kind of be like a sideboard. I painted the top black, then the rest of it green and distressed it with black glaze. I love how it turned out!

Exhibit D:

This little treasure is calling for me everyday from my garage! It is another free dresser (thanks again to the sister in law) that I can't wait to paint and find a place for!

Hopefully I can get back into the swing of blogging! I will definitely post pictures of the transformed blue dresser when I get it done.

hrk

first day.....

Another first day of school......bittersweet. I hate giving up the easy livin' that comes with summertime, yet I can't help but be a little excited about the things I want to accomplish with the girls back in school.

The morning went well. Ella had a moment or two of dread and watery eyes, but she pulled herself together and survived the morning! Evan was just super excited to get back into the social scene and all the fun that comes with school!

I hope everyone had a great first day back!

Now I am going to go psycho cleaning this house that has not been cleaned in 10 weeks!

back to reality......

hrk

Evan goes to camp....Mommy cries.

So, Evan went to Kamp Kanakuk today. This is her first camp experience and she will be gone 7 days. Very hard on her family, but I'm sure she will have the time of her life! We get to email her everyday, but she doesn't get to contact us by email or anything else. We won't hear her sweet voice until Tuesday!

How fun does this look? Especially for Miss Fearless!

Her counselors She got a top bunk.....she was sooooo glad!

It's gonna be a long week for the rest of us....but I hope that she is too busy having fun to even think about us. I know she will make memories that will last a lifetime. There is a camp store and I had money in an account so that she can just go in there and buy whatever. We talked about it today and I suggested that she buy a t-shirt and some face paint and a few other things. So, tonight (her first night there) I looked on her account to see if she spent any money. She spent every dime! On crazy stuff. No t-shirt. No face paint. She bought a pink blanket w/ cross! What? A blanket? It's only 101 degrees outside and there is NO airconditioning there! A blanket! Really? She also bought some decals for the car (I suspect these are gifts for me and hubs, a charm bracelet (possibly a gift for sissy), some pens, a Bible study book, and some pens. Seriously? The girls at work and I got a big kick out of checking out all her purchases. Obviously, I'm going to have to put some more money in her account. It is so not like her to spent all the money on the first day! She usually analizes a possible purchase for a month or so until she talks herself out of it. I absolutely cannot wait to talk to her and hear her stories about everything!

hrk

long time, no blog......(picture overload)

So....I haven't posted in for-eva! I have been a lazy, sun-drenched loser, busy with end of the year parties....Memorial Day cookouts....swimming.....baseball camp....blah, blah, blah.....

I can't even tell you how happy I am that school is out and summer has begun. Our long, lazy days spent at Eastgate Pool have started and we enjoy them soooo much.

I am vowing 2 things this summer.....not to go so long without posting on this blog...and to stop biting my nails. We'll see how this plays out.

We went to Ella Katie (yup, for those of you who don't know, Ella is named after Brad's aunt, Ella 'Katie') and RonDee's on Memorial Day for some swimming and good food.

I wore my rarely seen afro so we were sure to take lots of pictures for proof that the 'fro does exist.

The last day of Kindergarten was bittersweet. I am so glad for school to be out...but sad that my baby girl is growing up. There was a little assembly, and Ella was recognized for being an Ambassador (chosen by the teacher to help out with stuff).

And all the Kindergartener's get a certificate.....So Cute.....and you can bet I was crying.

(that's my girl on the top row, far right)

All her BFF's! I love this picture, and I know these kiddos will be friends for years to come!

Last day of Mrs. Fimple's class. I cannot say how much we love this lady. She's been such a blessing to both of my girls.

Evan's 3rd grade end of the year party was big fun.....but I had worked the night before and didn't have time to sleep before it started....so in this picture I had been awake for about 28 hours. Needless to say, my brain wasn't working well and this is the only picture that was taken.

By the way....straight A's for Miss Evan!!!!!!

So....now school is done and the fun begins....

Lounging at Eastgate....

Evan diving....

Last weekend, we met Jamie and Lorelei and the kids at Katie's for some family swim time.

Girlys decided to sport their bikinis.

This week, Ella went to UAFS's baseball camp. Talk about good times. She had a blast and learned so much. Was she the only girl at baseball camp? OF COURSE. Did she care? Absolutely not! She had a blast and I have a feeling that her being the only girl got her lots of attention from everyone. She was chosen as a 'camper of the day' every single day and she loved every minute of it. Let me tell ya, this girl works as hard (if not harder) than any boy out there! She makes us proud!

On the last day of camp, they teach the kids how to slide, 'slip-n-slide' style!!!!

Ya think she was enjoying that?

And, seriously, why wouldn't she be the favorite camper? Just look at her. You know that none of those silly boys look this cute in a baseball helmet!

Alrighty.....long post! I'm gonna do my best to keep up better this summer....but the lazy days make me.....ummm.....lazy!

hrk