Hello Monday

Hello Friends!

 I have to be honest and say that I am a little sick of winter by this time of year... I think anyone who lives up North is...  I am ready for sunny mornings and warmer days...  A girl can dream right????

We had a really nice dinner with my family today... I left feeling so full of love and happiness.  Our family has been around and around with some pretty tough stuff.  Through it all we seem to weather the storm pretty well.  On nights like tonight I feel so blessed to have all of them in my life...

It's another week so let's hit the ground running....  How about some hellos for the week???

Hello laundry .... Oh you pile up so high so fast!

Hello new white curtains.... I love how the light shines through you making you look so crisp and clean....

Hello kiddos... You make my life SOOOOO busy but so full...

Hello ICE.... You make running impossible!!!

Hello Glass City Half Marathon.... We are signed up for late April.... It has been so long since I have trained... The last time was The Chicago Marathon in 2005... 26.2 doesn't make 13.1 seem so bad...

Hello Sunday long runs ... I haven't missed you... but I know by the end of all of this I will love you...

Hello new earrings from World Market.... I love them soooooo much!

Hello weight off of my shoulders and looking ahead to new chapters....

Hello happy and carefree.... It feels good to be around you again....

Hello birthday invites... Lauren will be 1 next month..... GULP!!!!

Hello spring.... You can come anytime now..... !!!!!

 

What are you saying hello to today??? 

Linking up over at Lisa Leonard Designs today... Come join in!

Still here...

I know that I have been a little absent lately....

 

Life gets busy....

 

Being a mother and wife are the first things on my list...

 

I hope you all understand...

 

I am trying to figure out what I am doing and where I want to go with this blog and with LNC Designs....

 

If you have been following me you know that I have been struggling with my shop and getting my ideas from my head to reality....

 

I would love to hear from any of you who have your own handmade shops.... Any advice you have for me as I muddle through this next step???

 

I am going to step back for a while...

 

I will be back soon... Just taking a little breather....

instafriday

Happy Friday Everyone!  I'm linking up at Life Rearranged and sharing my instagram photos for the week.  It is pretty awesome that every week I get to file back through all of the awesome times we had through out the week and share them with all of you.

 

These are Shawn's valentines... We made them ourselves with the idea from here.  We try to get our kids to understand the idea of valentine's day by having them take part in making them.  I know they won't always want to make them on their own but I will take it for as long as it lasts.  We modified the idea by tracing circles and then cutting them out.  We then hand wrote the saying and Shawn wrote love Shawn tags....  

fish valentines modified from PBJ and J

 

These are Madison's valentines... She didn't do any writing but we traced a flower cookie cutter on scrapbook paper and then she did all of the cutting.  We finished them of with a little tied green ribbon for leaves and a sucker for a stem...

 

Valentine's Day was a success and was celebrated with WAY too much candy and one serious sugar buzz.  It was all fun and games until both kids got that "I really want to keep stuffing my face with sugar but something *belch* tells me *belch*  I shouldn't"  look on their faces.  Ahhh... Sweet success... They won't ask for another piece of candy for well... at least 24 hours...

 

 

The little man has been building some pretty sweet train tracks lately... He even has a a double bridge built... This is what the train track looked like while the friendly giant was sleeping...

 

 

This is what the train track looked like after the friendly giant awoke from her slumber... Total destruction... The crazy thing about it... Shawn doesn't care too much... Not sure what that is about.  One day I stopped her and he told me to let her go because he knows it makes her happy.  He is the sweetest big brother.

 

 

1 Bouncy Tigger = Hours of bouncy entertainment... SOOOO CUTE! 

 

 

Cheerios in the morning = One happy girl

 

She loves to stick them in her mouth, take them out and then try to feed them to me.  You're cute sweetie but no thank you on the already slobbered cheerios...

 

 

Meet Huggles

 

This kid would own and name every stuffed animal on the planet if we let him.  He talks and plays with them all day.  We got this guy for him for Valentine's day and he was so excited that I thought he was going to pee his pants... Happy kids are the best!

 

We are looking forward to enjoying a nice long weekend together!  What will you be up to?

 

Go on... Link up at Life Rearranged... You know you want to....

 

 

What Mommies are for...

Mondays around our house are really busy.  We have the start to a new week along with skating lessons and grocery store trips...

It came as no surprise to me that when we were ready to head off to school this morning that Maddie's beloved penguin was missing.  In a fast search to find him while the kids were heading out to the car for school I came up empty handed.  I looked in all of the usual places but still no penguin...

We went on to school with a very upset Madison.  I tried putting snaky snake into her bag as a replacement however it didn't fill the void.  I promised to have penguin waiting for her when I came to pick her up from school.   Upon dropping the kids off I went out to the ice arena to see if we left him at skate last night, but he wasn't there.  I came home and searched every room until I found him snuggled under our couch.  With a huge sigh of relief, I picked him up and put him in the car making sure not to forget him...  I had to laugh at myself in that moment because it got me thinking...

When Shawn was at about the same age as Maddie now, I remember heading to our grocery store to check the lost and found for Shawn's "Ramone" car that was missing... Sure enough when I asked they knew just what I was talking about.

 

 

It is funny because I find myself as attached to the objects that my children find comfort in.  I too panic when a stuffed friend is missing or find the parking lot of cars incomplete if all of them aren't there and I will go to any length to find them.  Maybe that is what Mommies are for.  Sometimes I feel like I am a mental file cabinet for keeping track of toys, books and games.

 

There are so many situations in life when Mommies do things not for any reason other than the fact that they are Mommy and that is what Mommies do...  It is almost like a right of passage... For instance, poopy diapers... dancing around the room in a bright pink boa, or when kids music is what plays in the car.   Maybe scrambling to make a car garage out of cereal boxes or finding tape to fix the picture that they tried to rip out on their own. 

 

I am sure that you understand what I am saying...

Been there before?

 

making boo boo's feel better.... the crust cutter offer...the fishy kisser...the hand holder...the taxi driver...the negotiator...the maker of forts...the snowball roller... monster chaser... the one who picks up the pieces from hurt feelings... the super hero cape maker...the birthday cake baker... the stuffed animal finder... the tucker inner...the train track builder...the story reader...the love you so much it hurts- er.. the example for their daughters... the get the ball out of the street person... the fixer of toys... the creator of all ideas they take from their mind to reality (if it is even possible)... the helper of all things...

 

Any of these sound familiar?

 

I am sure that when Lauren gets to be Madison's age I will be out searching for her friend somewhere... and I will go on a search to find it because after all... what are Mommies for?

hello monday

February already seems to be getting to me.  It is usually a month that I try my best to muddle through...  We had a great weekend as a family and I will cherish all of these "not rushed go with the flow" weekends for all the days of my life...

How about some hello's for the week?

 

Hello proud Mommy.  Shawn completed a swim lesson from start to finish.  If you have been following me you know that swim lessons have been a MAJOR struggle for the little guy.  This was his 4th one and HE DID IT and we are sooo proud of him....

 

Hello list of things I have to do this week that I really don't want to...

 

Hello Valentine's day... Dinner at my Aunt's house.  It will be wonderful to spend time with my family... It's long overdue... again...

 

Hello craziness... I am sure that you will make the week go by way too fast again....

 

Hello rain... You match my mood today...

 

Hello getting out of this terrible funk I am in about life and the way that it works sometimes...

 

Hello new start and looking towards spring... I think it is time to decorate...

 

What are you saying hello to today???

 

Come on and link up with us at LLD today

 

instafriday

Happy Friday everyone!  I am linking up with jeannett at Life Rearranged with my instagram pictures for the week. You can join in too! 

 

It was a really fun week around here... Check it out!

 

Oh my little man.  He just keeps growing bigger and bigger.  I keep asking him if he will stay 5 forever but he says no and that someday soon he is going to be six and I am just going to have to get used to it.  Sigh... Why does time have to go so fast?

 

 

I have to say that I am an outdoor person and even in the cold I love to bundle the kids up and go outside to play.  This past weekend it snowed and snowed, so it was easy to stay in PJ's and waste the day away playing... We started building on tables so "The Friendly Giant"( aka 11 month old sister)can't destroy the city...

 

 

 

 Carousel Puff Pins are now available in my shop!

 

Meet Chunky squirrel... He is not smart... Or maybe he is... Either way he has taken over our bird feeder... On Saturday he was actually fighting off the birds!  Pure entertainment.

 

Maddie's baker's hat and apron: Cracker Barrel Store

 

This little one has been my helper lately.  Last night she was helping me spin lettuce and spinach for our grilled chicken salad.  Do you own a salad spinner?  Once you use one you will never go back! 

 

 

So Shawn has been asking me to make a snow dinosaur... Today I was blessed to have a little extra time with just him... so we went for it.  I may not spoil my kids with material things, but I do spoil them with things like snow Dino's...

 

Be still my heart... My little guy has never been the kind of kid to sit down and color.  I am not sure what happened but we went from no interest to this... Pretty good huh... Shawn is living proof that kids will accomplish things in their own time.

 

It was a great week and I for once I am kind of sad to see it go...

 

OKAY.... Now it's your turn... Head on over to life rearranged and link up with jeannett.

 

Happy Friday Everyone! 

 

shop update!

Okay so, my LNC Designs brain has been on overload lately... I have all of these great ideas floating around in my head and I find myself so inspired.  By the time my day with the kids is over all of the great ideas and inspiration has flown out the window...  BUT...

I am soooo excited to add these Carousel Puff Pins to the list of LNC Design products.  They are great for adding the perfect pop of color to any outfit.  When I was experimenting with them my Mom snatched one and put it on her coat as an accessory!  Not only are they SUPER cute, they are also tons of fun to make so you can expect to see more listed in the shop soon!

 

If you want to get your hands on one of these babies, check them out here!

I would love to hear what you think??? What colors are you looking for??? Or are you more of a pattern girl???  Don't see the color you are looking for, keep checking back or feel free to contact me...


hello monday

We had all kinds of snow over the weekend and it was perfect for a relaxing weekend.  We did the same old same old but I still am a little sad that it is over.  The kids met up with their cousins to play for a little while on Saturday and it was a lot of fun! 

Monday is here and I know it, so let's do it...

 

How about some hello's for the week?

 

Hello new week, I am staring you in the face and not sure that I am excited about that...

 

Hello big mug of coffee you are ALWAYS there to save me...

 

Hello puff pins that I will be adding to the LNC Designs shop this week...

 

 

Hello crazy Chunky squirrel that hangs from our bird feeder.... You are lazy bones and steal all of the birdseed from the birds but the kids love to watch you! 

 

Hello finding out answers from the doctor for this little lady.  Lactose Intolerant...

Any advice out there?

 

 

Hello snow we love you so... I think there is more in the forecast this week yay!

 

Hello playing with cousins this weekend... it was so much fun! 

 

Hello contagious giggles at the dinner table lately...

 

Hello winter runs through the snow... total therapy...

 

Hello new week.  I am determined to take you by the horns....

 

Let's GO!

 

What are your hello's this week?

 

Linking up with Lisa at Lisa Leonard Designs

 



instafriday

I am linking up my phone pics again this week with jeannett at Life Rearranged. Here is our week in instagram photos.

I can't believe that it is Friday again already. This week went SOOOOO fast!

This girl's mission in life right now is to become an ice princess.  She spent most of her day dancing to music and creating ice shows.  This includes lots of jumps, twirls, and spirals.  SO CUTE! 

 

Besides being ridiculously cold we have gotten a little bit of snow here and there.  Finally we were able to go outside and enjoy some of it.  The kids have a blast in the snow.   I want to give a shout out to an etsy shop Lovely JC, you can find her shop here. Both of my daughters have matching hats and they love them.  Super warm and cozy.  Check out her shop if you have some time! 

 

 

 

It is a blessing to have my parents live in the same town as us which means lots of visits to Grandma and Papa's house.  Last Friday morning we visited them in their PJ's which made it extra special!! My parents are so great with our kids and are a true blessing to all of our lives.  You two are awesome...

 

 

The little guy has been taking swim lessons... We have to call them "fun swim" because he won't go in the water if we call them lessons.  It has been a slow go with him but bribery always works. Each time he completes a fun swim he gets to go to the candy counter and pick out a treat.  This week gummy octopus!  YUM!!! 

 

Well, no big plans for this weekend and I am loving that!!! 

 

What have you been up to???

C'mon and link up with us over at Life Rearranged

 

Happy Friday!