Random camping pictures

So I decided I couldn't wait any longer & so I downloaded a few camping pictures. (our computer will not allow me to download many pictures. We are out of memory & Bill has to figure out what to do. I wish a new computer was coming but that isn't the case. So until then I will have to be picky as to what I download)


Addie geting her diaper changed on the picnic table on top of the camo duffle bag.
Ellia and Mama on daddy's boat
Ellia dropping a worm over board. She was more interested in the worms than fishing. Especially playing with them & dropping them into the water.

Daddy showing Ellia how to put the worm on her fishing line.

Bill taking a moment to relax. Cause ya know fishing is so hard!
The girls playing in daddy's boat.

We bought pools and set them up at the campsites. B/C it was over 75 each day & the kids needed somewhere to cool off. Ellia and Addie are such water babies!!!

Ellia, Addie & Levi playing in the pool
The girls pack-n-plays in the tent.
Geromy & Bill cleaning the fish - or whatever you have to do to them.


Ellia eating a hamburger - she actually ate it. Daddy said it was cause he bbq'd it for her. Ellia doesn't like meat.



This is our daughter playing with the beer. I found her on the backside of the tent playing with it and trying to drink a bottle. Hmmm, hope this isn't a clue as to what her future is going to be like. Ha!

Show us where you live Friday - Nursery's

Over at Kelly's Corner Friday's are so much fun. Check out the other nurseries & kid's rooms. There are some amazing & fun rooms this week.

So our first little girl's room is pink & green with butterflies, flowers & dragonflies. It is very much a "cutesy" room. My husband, Bill painted each & every little wooden flower, butterfly and dragonfly by hand. He took so much pride in each girl's room.

Ellia's room is looking more and more like a Toddler's room each day. Toy's, shoes, the telephone, books & anything else she can get her hands on finds it's way to her room. Ellia is missing her letters on the wall above her crib that spell out her name. We took them down to repaint them & they are sitting on her dresser, re-painted but not up on the walls. One of these days!



Adilynn's room is ladybugs. We painted it white & red and used pink as accents. I found this bedding 2 months after Ellia was born and told Bill "If we have another girl I want to do her room in ladybugs". Well, little did I know it would be 2 months later & I would be pregnant again! But hey I got my ladybug room. I love this room!







Each of the girl's rooms is a bit different but also have similarities. They are "Irish twins' so I did want some things to be cohesive. Like the plaque on their bedroom door. Each plaque says the same thing " ______ Dreams here" but each one is decorated to match their rooms.

So that's a quick tour of our daughter's nurseries. Hope you enjoyed them! Sorry the pictures are a bit blurry and that there aren't more. But time is precious this morning as I am prepping to head out of town for weekend.

Have a great weekend!!!

Thursdays with Team D

I am Thankful for: Finally being finished with all the laundry from camping last weekend.

I am listening to: The dogs barking next door at people walking & Bubba growling at them.

I am looking forward to: Going to Portland this weekend to see Bill's extended family. It will be a fun weekend seeing everyone & letting Addie & Kate get better acquainted.

Whats for dinner tonight: Leftover chicken breasts & cold pasta salad. Maybe we will take it to the park for a picnic.

Missing: Time to get everything done in a day. Where does the time go??

Not Me Monday! Camping Style

You will have to excuse this NMM - it is a day late & I cannot get our computer to upload the pictures. Our computer is old & on the fritz. It is telling me I have no more room to load/store pictures....What am I going to do now?????
So we will go ahead & pictures will hopefully follow:

This past Wednesday we did NOT leave for 6 days & 5nights of camping with 2 babies in a tent.

(**warning ** to family who reads this)
I did NOT tell Bill on our drive to camping that since this was our first camping trip where I wasn't pregnant that I wanted to experience "tent sex". I hear it's all the rage among our fellow camping buddies. It did NOT happen, really it did not - next time I guess - if ya know I'm not pregnant.

On a trip into Walmart my friend bought her some "tent sex" supplies and the cashier at did NOT ask her " Would you like to put these in your purse?" - We were a bit shocked, as we'd never been asked if we wanted to put them in our purse. It's not like we were buying gum or tick tacks.

I did NOT let Ellia play all day, every day until her heart was content. She did NOT look like a dirty, raga muffin child at the end of each day.

Ellia did NOT go through at least 4 outfit changes a day - which resulted in us bringing home a TON of dirty laundry.

Being so dirty did NOT result in both the girls getting a bath in a storage tub with water that wasn't the warmest. And they both did NOT scream their heads off while we took pictures.

On Saturday we did NOT let Ellia run around in her swimsuit pretty much the entire day. And when we went to take it off, her diaper was soooooo huge & swollen it did NOT practically fall off of her & explode. (there is a cute picture of this)

And after the diaper fell off we did NOT notice 2 holes in the butt of the swimsuit. And the next day we did NOT put the swimsuit back on - with no diaper this time. Let's just say that the swimsuit is the only item of clothing that didn't make it home.

On Thursday night while waiting for one of the families to arrive my friend, (I'll keep her name out of it -wait no we will go down together - Sabrina) and I did NOT borrow 3 pieces of construction wood to add to our dwindling fire on our way back from the bathroom.

And when we saw what appeared to be our friends drive by for the 2ND time & not turn into the park our friend Geromy & Bill did NOT take off like a bat of hell in Geromy's truck to chase them down the windy mountain road. (literally, Bill told me they were doing like 80MPH) And upon finding them at such a late hour, roll the window down and say to the Tahoe window "Greg, April, is that you?"

Yesterday, before we left I did NOT change Addie's diaper on the picnic table on top of a camo duffel bag because there was no where else to change her. And I did NOT realize what a cute picture it was and run to find my camera, forgetting that my daughter was lying on a picnic table.

Our Aero bed did NOT get 2 small holes in it the night before we were to leave. And the crazy thing is we've only used it 3x. So Bill, myself and our friend Craig did NOT super glue the holes & then duck tape over them so we could sleep on it. And surprisingly it held up - who knew?

Yesterday on our way home Ellia was starting to get hungry and we were miles from a place to eat. So we did NOT stop at a gas station and buy a loaf of bread & some peanut butter so we could make her a sandwich. It was NOT the most expensive P & J - minus the Jam sandwich we have ever made her. Costing us $6.50

And finally on our way home I did NOT tell Bill I "miss the blogging world and I betcha I've missed a ton, Don't get me wrong I had a good time & enjoyed the family time, but now it's time to get back to my other family"

Granola Mama - wannabe

So yesterday at the grocery store I checked out Steel Cut Oats - why?? I have been wondering what these were exactly after hearing about them on MckMama's blog. She puts them in the crock pot over night with raisins. When she awakes she has fresh & hot oatmeal cereal. And this Mama loves the crock pot cooking recipes. In fact, I have corned beef, cabbage & potato's in right now. Mmmm, can't wait for dinner.

So then last night I cooked grilled chicken breasts, corn on the cob, steamed broccoli & couscous. Bill and Ellia did not care for the couscous. And Ellia just ate the broccoli & corn - our little vegetarian.

Today for lunch I took the left over cold couscous, added orange bell pepper, cut up cucumber, & chopped fresh broccoli. To which I then added fresh squeezed lemon juice. It was so yummy!!!

I tell you all this because could I possibly (gasp) be trying to be more Fresh & Granola. Well, it is a healthier way to eat. And I do want to be healthier & I do care about what goes into my girls mouth's. I've always wanted to try to eat more raw things & use flax seed more. Remember, I did make all Ellia's first baby foods from fresh organic vegetables. (Addie wasn't as lucky - bring on the Gerber jars!)

Then today while I ate my healthy couscous lunch I surfed the net, checked email, checked FB & read blogs. And what did MckMama blog about today......CousCous!!! It's a sign!

MckMama inspires me but can I do it??? Guess, we'll just have to see how it goes after we get back from camping and we've loaded up on our share of smores, hot dogs, chips, candy, soda, brownies & any other camp food we can get our hands on.

Not Me Monday! - #27

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have NOT been doing this week.


Yesterday we had family pictures over on Bainbridge Island. I did NOT obsess about what Bill, the girls & I would wear for like 3 days straight. In the end we all looked great.

And when the girls did NOT nap yesterday I did NOT have a freak out in the car on the way to the photographer & almost break down crying. Because I knew these pictures were important to my MIL and wanted everything to be just perfect. My loving husband reminded me that our girls are still babies and aren't suppose to be perfect. Life isn't perfect & he calmed down from the edge of insanity & tears. (I love him)

This week I did NOT find a Little Tykes play set (check it out here at the link - our's is missing the swings) at a garage sale for $25 and I did NOT talk the lady down to $20 bucks. And then once our neighbor helped us get it home I did NOT spend all afternoon scrubbing the dirty thing down so Ellia could play on it when she got up from her nap. Why would I spend 1.5hrs of hard man power scrubbing when my neighbors told me I could borrow their pressure washer??? Insane in the membrane ........that's me.

After visiting the doctor for the girls 6month & 18 month appointments (and they were NOT 1 month past due for these) I did NOT call my friend and almost burst into tears b/c I thought the doctor said the girls were "Fat". And then I did NOT proceed to analyze everything I feed them over the phone with her & continue obsessing late into the evening.

I am NOT freaked out about camping with 2 little girls, in a tent & for 5 days & 4nights. I have NOT been compiling lists after list all week. I know I will have fun once we get there but at this point the getting ready & packing isn't my favorite thing AT ALL!!!!!!

Mother's Day gift / craft

I've been saving Addie's formula cans F-o-r-e-v-e-r! And I have sooo many under my crafting table because I just knew they'd come in handy. I knew there would be something I could make with them or use as storage - something. So they've been building up. I think at last count I had like 30 of them!

Then it came to me, why not use the can as a planter & stick a flower in it. And why not have Ellia decorate the can for Grandma, Auntie Missy, and our neighbor Tasha as Mother's Day gifts.

So a few days before Mother's Day I sat Ellia down with some pre-measured paper (ya, know I am anal and had to make sure I wasn't wasting her precious coloring "strokes"), gave her the markers & let her go at it. And boy did she ever. Let's just say it was a good thing they were water based markers!!!


Big girl coloring away & having so much fun


Can you see both her hands & how much marker is on them??


Finished project. Complete with a paper ladybug & "Happy Mother's Day" - I cut these out on my Cricket machine. Once we were done with the decorating we added the soil & the plants. That was a huge mess & I couldn't take pictures of Ellia helping me (Bill was working when we planted them). Let's just say she ate at least 3 spoonfuls of dirt! Yes, really she did.



Sorry Nana we can't send this in the mail to Florida. But we thought of you as we made them.

New Hair

Thursday's with Tiffani

I'm thankful for: My husband who loves me even when I am being a pill, like I was earlier tonight. Yes, I know hard to imagine that I can be a pain in the butt. Hey, I'm human and have my moments. But Bill puts up with me, loves me, hugs me, kisses me and still thinks I'm the BEST thing since sliced bread. What else can a woman ask for???

I'm looking forward to: Family pictures on Sunday. The weather is suppose to be nice & I hope that it helps as we are having pictures taken outside. I got Ellia the cutest green dress today at Kohls for $9.oo and Addie is going to wear a green dress, one that still has tags on it, that Ellia never wore.

I'm listening to: The t.v. in the other room & Bill snoring.

What's for dinner tonight: We had stuffed Italian shells. I made them 2 weeks ago & froze them. So today after running errands all day I just grabbed them out of the freezer & popped them into the oven. Then 45 minutes later we had dinner & I didn't have to do any prep work - just dishes. Nice!

Missing: Hmmm, didn't have to think long on this. I am missing....my body. I mean not literally, I am obviously still alive, but I am speaking of my pre-marriage body/pre-baby body. The body that met Bill. The one that was slimmer & ran almost every morning. The body that enjoyed working out at the Y at 5am each & every day. The body that could wear Victoria Secret underwear, the body that didn't have stretch marks, the body that could wear a lot smaller jeans....Need I go on. I am missing my body. And I just don't know if I will ever see it again. I wouldn't trade my girls or Bill, but I would trade my body that's for sure.

Mother's Day Gift retrieval

Tomorrow, I will drop off Ellia with Grandpa & go to get my hair done. Addie will go with me and sit in her walker at the hair shop. She will roll the walker into the wall & stay put playing with all the toys while I drink my latte, chat with my hair stylist & get my hair done.

It's been 7months since I've had my hair colored!!!! Too long. And we have family pictures on Sunday with my in-laws. I was wishin, hopin & prayin that I would get a gift certificate to get my hair done from either Bill & the girls or my in-laws. And my in-laws came through.

I will post pictures of the hair after it's much needed makeover. Till then you'll have to settle for these pictures of the girls.




Funny, I picked these pictures & didn't realize till they were loaded onto the page that they were both eating something with their hands. Well, my girls do like to eat ;o)

Not Me! Monday......#26

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have NOT been doing this week.


Yesterday, I did NOT decide what I wanted Bill and the girls to cook me for my Mother's Day breakfast and most certainly did NOT leave out the recipe as a gentle hint.

The girls did NOT once again wear dress's that were too small for them just for a photo opportunity. Nope, why would I dress them in a dress that is too small to even fit over their heads? And just for a picture, geeez. (picture will be posted soon)

This weekend while Bill and I were trying to have some "one on one" time, Addie did NOT wake up yet again. She has this knack for doing that ;o) So I did NOT bring her in our bedroom and lay her on the floor with some toys so we could finish having our time. Nope, that would be just downright - ummm, wrong.

Our cable box broke this week & with Bill's busy schedule he hasn't had time to get to the cable store and get a new one. So I did NOT pout about the fact that I wasn't going to get to watch my Saturday morning cooking shows on the Food Network. Why would I pout over tv shows?

When Bill and the girls gave me my Mother's day gift I did NOT laugh as I thought it was sooo funny that they would get me such a thing. Although I do love it! They got me a snuggie blanket - the ones with arms that you see advertised on TV. No, worries I did get another gift one that I asked for - a peg-board over my crafting table. This way I can hang all my crafting ribbons, scissors, etc....get all organized - as I like to be. (pictures will be posted once it's finished)

Upon finding out that my Cousin-n-law Sarah & her husband Daren aren't going to find out the sex of their unborn child I did NOT post my disappointment on Facebook of all places for the whole world to see. And this did NOT generate a TON of responses. I mean why should I care what they do, it's their baby.

Almost Mother's Day

It's almost Mother's Day!! Can you believe how fast this year is flying bye? Last year at this time we were making preparations for our trip to Florida to visit my family. What a vacation that was! I will be sad next week as I find myself thinking, "last year on this day we were at the beach". Does anyone else do that?

But today's post isn't about my longing to see my family or play in the sun. (Although that is true) It's about being a mother.

You see I became a mother 28 months ago. How can that be when Ellia is only 19months & Addie 7months you ask? Well, my mothering desires, abilities, wants/needs began the very moment that home pregnancy test read "+" sign. From that moment on I began thinking of that little baby growing inside of me. Started eating better, cut back on drinking caffeine, read every baby book I could get my hands on and most importantly I began praying for our little one. Daily I prayed for our little baby that he/she would be patient, loving, honest, and most importantly love the Lord with their whole heart.

Well, those prayers changed when we found out the baby was a girl and we named her Ellia. Then my prayers began to sound like this, "Lord, let her be beautiful, let her have musical/singing abilities, let her love you with her whole heart, let her love me even in her teenage years and thank You for giving us this precious life to raise."

Now, Ellia is a growing toddler who daily makes me smile, laugh and yes sometimes make me mad. But through it all I find so much joy in being a mother. I am still learning how to be a mom, new things creep up on me all the time. And most importantly I am still learning patience - I think this is a daily thing for mom's.

However, when one of the girls looks at me and smiles. Or when Ellia runs over and plants a big, slobbery kiss on my cheek my heart melts. This is what I waited my whole life for and I wouldn't trade this for the world!!!

And I wouldn't be the Mama I am today with out my mother. She is beautiful both inside & out. She has taught me many things through the years. But most importantly she has taught me to pray for my girls and to love them and others where they are at. And for that I am forever grateful.
Happy Mother's Day Mom!!!!

And to all you other Mother's or soon to be Mother's - Have an Awesome Mother's Day! ( And to those who might not be a Mother yet, don't worry your day will come!)

Show Us Where You Live Friday

Today is Show Us Where You Live Fridays over at Kelly's Corner. Last week blogers showed off their Kitchens. There were some GREAT kitchens on there. And so I was a bit nervous to show off our home. But then I realized I am proud of my home, it may not look like a home off the pages of Better Homes & Gardens but it's our home and I love it!

The following are tours of our Formal Living room, Family Room & Bonus Room:


This is our Formal Living Room - just as you enter the door. The wall color was this color when we bought the house and we've left it. I have desires to remove that painting (a Walmart special) and put up black frames with b/w pictures of the girls. The couches we bought from some friends when we first moved in so we'd have furniture in this room. Not my favorite but they work for now. One day I will have new furniture in there & those frames up on the wall!


This is a cabinet that my husbands Great Grandfather made by hand. And we have some of his grandfather's books inside it. It's a beautiful piece of work!


View of the family room from the front door & formal living room

This is our Family Room or as some call it the Great room, as it is connected to our kitchen. We bought the drapes and designed the room around them. Hence, the walls are yellow, fire place & one main wall in Kitchen are red. I love this room! The girls (oh, and Bubba) spend most of our day in this room. When I was single I said "I'll never have toys in my living room" boy am I eating those words now. Just about every room in our home has toys in it. And Yes, we have a changing table in this room. I am not going to run upstairs every time I have to change one of the girls....although now that I think about it, a good way to loose weight!!


Another view of the room - you can see how it flows into the kitchen



I love this little table (another Walmart special). The toys are housed under it, but the table has pictures of each of our families & our family picture. The "Family" sign is from my fall decoration collection but I haven't found one that I can leave out year round. So the fall one stays out.

I love these frames!!! They are on the big, main wall of the Great Room. They are from Crate n Barrel and my in-laws & SIL got them for me for Christmas last year. One frame is missing from the far left side. But when they are all hanging up it makes a nice piece of wall art filled with family pictures. (Although I need to add pictures of Addie now) Never mind the view of the little kitchen below.

This is the view looking into our bonus room which is located on the second floor. This room is UN-finished. Not decorated & no theme. Its a Hodge Podge of stuff. The couches were FREE at garage sale. The back side of the cushions have animals on them, so we just turn them around & it makes a nice set. This room is exactly that - a Bonus room. Our computer, my craft corner, & lots of toys call this room home.


You can see my craft area in the back corner. Don't mind the half naked little girl running around, she just spilled my 32oz cup of water all over herself & now must get some new jeans. Ohhh, the joys of motherhood.



Hope you enjoyed the tour of our Family/Great Room, Formal living Room & Bonus Room.