Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Odds and Ends

* First off, happy 21st birthday,Amanda!! Your sweet and Godly personality and fashion intelligence shines through in every post you write. I hope we'll be able to get together soon! When we do I'll be sure to be sporting my most fashionable outfit. :)


* Aren't these dresses I found from Casual Living so pretty? I love the feminine ruffles on the green dress. The border print dress looks perfect for a summer wedding or a special night out. The shoes on the model match the dress perfectly(which may be why she's wearing them...).




* Today marks the 4 year anniversary of the day I got my permit. I always like remembering those the days that marked big events in my life. I'm sure my family always likes me reminding of it too! ;) Somehow I failed to mention that July 5th was the day I got earned my license. These two days always remind me of Grandpa because he always joined in my enthusiasm and excitement in counting days the days until I could drive. I can still hear him saying "did you sign up for drivers ed yet?".


* 25 days 'til the wedding!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Just Another Day in Babysitterville

That title basically describes my day to a T. I babysat for 10 1/2 hours and am just about ready to fall over from exhaustion and may, according to one small boy, be suffering from a bad case of The "Mean" Babysitter Who Insists on Doing Her Job and Punishing Me When I Do Wrong. I now watch Dimitry and Max all Monday so the day can get very long! Thankfully this week went much better then last week(when I was supposed to get there at 7:30am but I didn't wake up 'til 7:24. I do not like to talk about that)and I am proud to report that I had to follow the boys father there found the playground. True to my driving form, instead of going left, right, right, left, turn around in someones driveway, straight, left, turn around, right stop to breath all I had to do was go right, right, left and there was the playground. I'm so glad we found it because today was beautiful!

I learned something today about children and carseats: it is completely possible and very likely that when transporting yourself and young children between four different locations you will buckle and unbuckle the seatbelts 36 times like I did today.

I know because I actually sat down and counted it.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

"I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling in love..."


Every Friday I fall more in love with "my alphabet twins",
Miss Addie and Mr Braden
*
I love their little smiles
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I love Braden's giggles when I tickle his cheeks
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I love their soft little hands
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I love their sleepy yawns
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I love watching Addison try oh so hard to sit up or roll over
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I love the way they stop crying the instant I give them a bottle
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I love their cozy blankets and adorable clothes
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I love their ten little toes
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*


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I love my Addie and Braden
*

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Official Countdown

wedding Ten Weird Weddings that You Cannot Miss
One month until the wedding of Daniel and Erika!!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Supper by the Sea

We finally had our yearly supper on the beach. I honestly think that every year it gets more beautiful! However, its not fair at all that friends who don't live near the beach have been many more times then I who lives so close! : )


I love how the coloring in this picture came out!


Meet Harry.
I invited him to stay and eat with us by my family shot down that invitation.
I can't see why they would do that! ;)


Mom and Dad.
Dad loves the beach the most of any of us. When I'm rich and famous(or atlest rich)I'm going to buy him a wonderful beach house.


"We looked out to the sea, sea, sea to see what we could see, see, see."


When we first got there it was chilly but as soon as the sun came out it warmed up and made the beautiful sunset.


Isn't that gorgeous!

Monday, September 21, 2009

Fantabulous Time with Two Great Girls


I was so excited last week to spend time with two great girls-Joanna and Autumn. We haven't seen each other nearly enough since we no longer attend the same churches so this time was really special. I won't even begin to write about how many Facebook messages we sent back and forth trying to plan the whole thing. After about 15 messages we finally decided on the day and time only for the brilliant one in our midst to bring up that we hadn't discussed what and where. Somehow we forgot about that very important detail. The evenings activities included Dutch Blitz{which you must play if you never have}, Foozball and Scrabble; eating brownies{because every genuine girl-time includes chocolate}; taking pictures{yes,that was us you saw doing a High School Musical pose out in the middle of the street at night}, and{you'll never believe this one}talked.

In short we had quite a fantabulous time! ♥

***
In honor of Not Me Monday, I did not write "evenings activities" only because it made me feel very proper and refined.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

I Hate to Say I Told You So,But...

A few months ago I was attempting to teach my friend, John, some self-defence moves. He thought it was laughable because being in the Army reserves he "knows all about it" already. Clearly he wasn't open to learning new things. Anyhow...I told him about if someone is looking to steal your wallet to throw it *insert large hand motions here* away from you as far as possible. If he really only wants the wallet, he'll leave you to get it. Then you run(preferably in the other direction).

He has yet to take my advice seriously.
***
We all know that what appears in your inbox is total truth so when I got this last week, I all but shouted "I told you so!". And I quote:

"If a robber asks you for your wallet or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you. Chances are that he's more interested in your wallet or purse then in you, and he will go for the wallet/purse."
John,I so told you so!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Not Me Monday

* I always know where the nearest playground is to where I'm babysitting, so I did not ride around for 30 minutes today looking for it. For the second day in a row.

* I was not eternally grateful the Max is not old enough to know that we were only about 5 minutes away from the playground the whole 30 minutes.

* I am not still completely confused about where said playground is because I KNOW it was there last week. It's not like playgrounds just pick themselves up and say "let's move to a new place so we can make Sarah seem like some sort of directionally-challenged person(which I am NOT)".

* I did not use a partially opened umbrella to hide my pocketbook on the front seat of the car. Everyone knows that doesn't work because, like, all the pocketbook thieves know about that trick.

* I most certainly did not bribe Max out of the library with raisins in an attempt to make a quiet exit. I don't believe in bribing children. I aim to raise up these children up in the way they should go and that defiantly does not include bribing even if you know that leaving the library without it will must likely include alot of shouting and pulling.

* All five statements above did not happen this morning. That makes me oh-so-happy to see what will happen this afternoon.

* And that girl that momentarily got stuck in the automatic revolving door? That wasn't me either.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Remember When?

Note: I wrote this a few years ago and while its nothing extraordinary, I decided I'd put it up anyway. Even if no one ever reads this blog, I want to document the serious things that have happened in my life and during my lifetime, not only the joyful, happy times.



We've been watching a movie about the World Trade Center recently. The movie started with the planning and construction of the buildings, moved on to the man who tight-rope walked between them, and ended with the attacks on September 11th, 2001. As we watched the planes hit and people jump out the windows, we started talking about where we were and what we were doing on that day.

Elizabeth remembers playing with Aaron and thinking "wow, we're watching tv in the morning!" (We almost never watch tv on a school morning.) I remember hearing the tv from upstairs and coming down to see what was going on. Like most people, I didn't understand what was going on and those that were already watching were to stunned to stop and explain more then just "a plane hit the building." I remember most people thinking along the lines of 'what could have happened to the pilot? This can't possible be an sort of terrorist attack.'

Then the second plane hit and we know that this wasn't just some sort of freak accident.

I remember the reporters discussing and interviewing then suddenly switching to exclamations of disbelief and horror "the second tower has been hit! The second tower has been hit!" By this point we had called Dad at work and filled him in on the details. Unfortunately he didn't get to see any of it until he got home from work, but the pictures and videos didn't stop replaying for weeks.

In less then two hours, the Pentagon was hit, a fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, and both towers crashed to the ground. Over 2,974 people died instantly, and many more injured.
***
We eat lunch outside on that beautiful September day with Grandma and were unable to believe how much America had been changed in one morning. I remember we kept saying what a beautiful, beautiful day it was. The air was so crisp and the sky was the very definition of "sky blue". Although we knew people in New York city at the time, no one we know died and so we were sitting there without our lives changing in the blink of an eye, like the lives of so many other Americans had. But our lives really did change that day.

Even all these years later, its so hard to believe that the root of the attacks was jealousy. Jealousy the our country is so prosperous. Jealousy of our freedoms and way of life. Jealously that we choose our leaders and homes and churches for ourselves. Jealousy that we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

More Pictures of the Honest-to-Goodness-it-was-a-Total Surprise Bridal Shower

I couldn't in good conscience not show these pictures from (you guessed it)Erika's shower. Such a special event demands nothing less then 3 or 35 posts*. So with further ado...


My aunts Diane and Janet with Mom

Auntie Carol and Elizabeth. Carol holds the important position of Mother of the Flower Girl and Ring Bearer. Never underestimate that position; its a high calling.

Grandma with her adopted granddaughter, Katie

I love this picture of when Erika arrived. She honestly had NO idea at all what we had planned. Daniel did an exceptional job of getting her there, and keeping it a surprise, even though so many unexpected things came up and they didn't arrive 'til 1.5 hours late. I think he just might be a good husband! ;)

I know you're wondering why we're all sitting on the stairs having our picture taken with a phone. Being the obliging person that I am, I will explain it to you. Erika choose to have her brother Wesley stand in the place of Maid of Honor. They have always been extremely close and Erika wanted him standing by her side on her wedding day. Although unusual, I understand why she wants to do it. So, since Wesley called just when we were taking our bridal party picture he had to be included in it. He was there in phone in spirit if not in person.

*Heaven help us when the wedding day actually arrives. I just may have to start a whole new blog to cover everything!



Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Pillowcase Dress

I finally finished my first pillowcase dress. Considering how simple it was, I really have no idea why it took me so long!



I can't begin to tell you how happy this fabric makes me! I wish{once again}that I was still little so I could wear this dress!

Friday, September 4, 2009

To be Seen in "Modern Bride"

One of the games we played at Erika's bridal shower showed off the latest(and greatest?)in wedding dresses...toilet paper style. Don't be surprised if you see these very dresses in the latest editions of Vogue or Modern Bride.


My team created this beautiful dress for Marissa. It featured twisted spaghetti straps and a lovely sash in the back. As you can see in the picture, we also formed a white flower to go over the left strap. To finish off the look, we made a veil and small bouquet of white flowers. Although it is hard to tell, the bodice of the dress was "embroidered" with sweet little flowers and designs. I have such talent at picking out good toilet paper.


Elizabeth's dress had a Medieval/Egyptian flair to it. I really liked her full veil and the gold ribbon that went over it. They added a little color by attaching one of the crazy barrettes we handed out for a different game to the top of the veil.


Now showing--Molly.
Her dress was very.....creative. Especially up near the neckline. Her bouquet was very nice; her designers did a nice job adding the pink ribbon. You can tell that Elizabeth and Molly's designers are related because both girls have gold ribbon, long veils and flowers in their hair. Thankfully no one started complaining about having their ideas stolen. ;)


Here are all the brides waiting patiently for Erika to come up the stairs. They were all such good sports about being wrapped within an inch of their lives dressed up for so long. Due to some miscomunication Erika didn't arrive until around 12:30, an hour and a half after she was expected. We had planned it so that everyone would be "in" their dress for when Erika got to the shower. Its not easy to eat,walk, and make a scrapbook when you're dressed like this! Thank you so much girls!
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A final thought brought to us by Molly(who,lest you forget, is only 4):
"I never thought I would see the day when a bunch of ladies were dressed up in toilet paper."

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Teapot Decorations

As prizes for the games at Erika's bridal shower on Saturday, we made these quick and cute little decorations.



My mom painted these two; aren't they so pretty?

One thing that is so great about this craft is the endless possibilities for how to paint and decorate them. Even if you're not good a painting little flowers or pictures,even the solid color teapots are still pretty. They're especially nice personalized for a specific occasion.

To My Sweet Friend Melissa

Side by side,

year by year,

We remain the best of friends.
Happy birthday, Lissy.
I love you.