1. went to Barnes and Noble with the girls, bought two kid books and one scrap magazine, found gift card left over from Christmas, barely spent a dime.
2. Parker crawled across the room chasing a balloon! She’s officially crawling (when she wants to!) I am so proud of her! Tomorrow we break out the video camera!
3. Tracy and the kids came over, the kids love LOVE playing togther, got to hang with Tracy.
4. Bailey struggled to fall asleep after being so excited to have friends over, went up to rock her, we sang together (she is now singing with me!) and she fell asleep in my arms…she’s almost two and the days of her falling asleep in my arms are just about over…cherished this time tonight.
5. Got my Usborne box of goodies tonight! Lots of books and lots of reading to get ready for my first show coming up in KC. So excited about this new venture. WANT TO HOST A PARTY?!?
6. Tracy came back over without kids and we talked Usborne tonight… thanks for all the support Trac! Love hanging with her!

What I love about my life is all the little things that add up to make it so good. I am extremely blessed and try to recognize that each and every day.

Tomorrow Kelsey is coming over to watch the girls all day so C and I can work in the yard in preparation of Bails bday party a week from tomorrow. Then I have set up at Emmanuel for Crewsapalooza (if you don’t go to Emmanuel I’m not explaining what that is b/c it’s too much) all afternoon and the event itself most of the day Sunday. Busy weekend. TGIF?

Lately I’ve been running for three reasons, 1. I’m starting to gain all my baby weight back 2. I’m inspired by my studly husband who’s been running a lot and 3. my mom got me these new amazing shoes.
And do you love the pink socks? They support the Susan Komen Race and I love that you can see the pink through the shoes! While we’re looking at shoes, check out Bailey’s new shoes too!

Good thing I had them measure her feet b/c she was a size and a half bigger than the shoes she’s been wearing! I won’t mention that MY feet were an entire size larger also. Damn pregnancies.

See that cute chair? Post brought that over for Bails the other night, thanks Post!!!

Anyway, so I’ve been running lately after dinner, baths, bedtime and chores. I try to hit the streets while it’s still light and before I’ve started a craft project. Tonight there was thunder rumbling, but it’d been doing that for hours so I ignored it and went out anyway. Big, yet fun, mistake.

Notice how wet I am? (Please don’t notice the cleavage shot! Sports bras do that to me, I wasn’t trying to be a sexy runner I swear!) Isn’t getting caught in the rain fun? When it’s summer and hot weather that is. I’ve been caught before in cold weather and I think I cried the whole way home that time. This time I jumped in puddles, walked a little, sprinted a little and just overall enjoyed myself! It’s like the adult version of running through the sprinkler. If only there was a slip n’ slide included I would have been in heaven!

I tried taking a pic of the rain drops, but it didn’t turn out great:

Oh well, trust me, it was raining! Hard.

I’m working on some scrappage tonight. Love that. Go create!

Bailey, as she hits the 2nd birthday milestone on the 8th of July, is becoming little Miss Independent. She wants to do everything herself. I love it and think it’s great and somehow I have unlimited patience for her right now (thank you God for knowing when to dole out the patience). So we sit for 3 minutes in the car until she buckles herself in, we wait while she walks at her own slow pace (she is definitely a dawdler) and I watch with facination as she tries to dress herself, or undress herself as the case may be:

So funny.

She also is now trying to feed Parker, change diapers and wipe noses… so she’s either becoming independent, or trying to be the Mommy. Either way it’s adorable.

I’ve decided I like change, but in a subtle way.

I’ve come to that decision b/c I like knowing what my life is all about. In the last (almost) three years since we got married we have had a million and one life changing events take place. Do I need to list them? Sure, why not.

We got married, moved to Spokane Washington from St. Louis Missouri, got pregnant the first month, had numerous job changes, had Bailey, got pregnant with Parker, moved from our house to an apt in Spokane, moved to St. Louis, C got his first “real” job, lived with C’s parents, fixed up the Lawhorn house, moved into the house, Bailey had surgery, I had Parker, and here we are… and I’m leaving lots out.

That is enough change to last a lifetime, much less just under three years of lifetime. So I think I’m done with change for a while. Big change that is. I also have decided that I defintely don’t like change just b/c it’s cool. Like buying clothes b/c they’re “in” or painting a room a color that is trendy. I like the fact that I am who I am. I’m not cool, and definitely not trendy, but what I have lasts. And what I like is constant, and it’s me. I don’t like things b/c other people say I should.

The change I’m all about, however, is what I would call subtle change. For instance, instead of going out and buying something new to use as a centerpiece for my dining room table b/c I was tired of what I had, I walked around my house until I found things that would work. And b/c they were found objects it made the hunt more fun and the outcome truly pleasing to me. I smile every time I walk in the room b/c 1. the flowers are from Abbie 2. the jar is from my mom 3. the rocks we bought at Pottery Barn when we first got married and they remind me of Spokane and 4. it just looks pretty to me. So I changed the centerpiece, but I used things I already had. Again, you may not like it, and it’s not cool, but it makes me so happy.

I guess I just believe in staying true to who you are. And in staying true to who you are, you will find your style and I bet (and hope) that that style lasts a lifetime. So that someday my grandkids will see that jar and think of me, or remember my smell, or the feel of my hand holding theirs. Because that’s what is important to me, cool or not.

And because this is long overdue, I’m showing you the card I made for Chris for Father’s Day. I whipped this bad boy out in 2 hours, which I think is a record for me. I had fun gathering the content (which took a few days) and so when laying it out it just sort of fell into place. We also made him a BIG banner that said “DAD” that was from the girls. I cut out big letters from my roll of craft paper, Bailey painted each letter, I connected them with grosgrain ribbon and hung it in the dining room window. The pics won’t turn out b/c the light is behind the banner, but trust me, it was cute!

This morning I got Parker down for a nap and Bailey in front of Sesame Street (yes I’m a bad mom, I use the tv to babysit) so I could blog crawl. Aside from being facinated by taking a peek into someone else’s life, I find true and amazing inspiration in other mom’s blogs. Especially b/c I mainly read other scrapbookers, photographers and artist’s blogs. So in blog crawling I stumbled across a post about change. It got me thinking.

Is change good? Is change just for the sake of change good? I always feel somewhat behind the times b/c we can’t afford to buy new decorations for our house and so I am the queen of reusing old things. For instance, there’s been a ladder laying in a yard down the street for a year (since we moved here at least) that I’ve been coveting. Finally I saw the home owner and asked her about it… she said I could have it! Yippee! An old ladder that’s been laying outside all year! Free decor! Anyway, at times I wish I was more trendy and current, but the more I think about it, is that really a good thing? Do I really want to be trendy just for the sake of change? If I had all the money in the world, would I get rid of all my old treasures?

My Grandma’s house never changed and I remember feeling comfort in that fact. The smells, sights and sounds were always there. The green shag carpet, the dining room table I used to love to lay under, the corner knick knack shelf with all the untouchables, her desk in the hallway and the Chicken in a Bisket crackers in the cabinet. I knew where the little white stool was to help her wash dishes and when we went to bed at night she listened to talk radio and the guy had the deepest voice I just loved falling asleep to. My sheets always smelled like Cashmere Bouquet Powder and we got to stay up late to watch Nick at Night with her.

Those things were a constant in my life. And even my mother’s house, that changes with every season, is constant. I know where to find a bandaid, I can tell where she’s going by the smell of perfume in her bedroom and my daughter sits in the same chair I grew up sitting in. It’s constant, it’s reassuring, it’s familiar and it’s HOME.

In thinking about change I think about my girls. I want them to have the same closeness and feelings when they walk into our home. I want them to remember the way I smell and feel. I want them to know where things are and have memories of the tiniest details of their life.

I think change is good in some aspects, like a new kitchen sponge every couple of weeks, changing the photos every once in a while to update the frames and to add a new treasure to my decor I just had to have (like my free ladder). But I think change, just for the sake of change, isn’t always good. Rather than buy new things, why not rearrange the old? I guess in the end, I don’t believe in being trendy or current, I believe in being true to what I love, and I love old things. And isn’t trendy pretty boring anyway?

This is something I know will be in my head all day, and probably all week. The idea of change in our everyday tiny little lives. The idea of changing just b/c we’re bored. Any thoughts?

Is it possible that I have TWO sick kids??? It can’t be. God is just joking around and when I walk back into the room Parker won’t have a fever and runny nose and neither will Bailey.

Nope, still sick. I checked.

They really aren’t that sick, but they are sick, and that’s all I care about. What is it about these kids that someone always seems sick??? Man!

Actually, I have to say that Parker slept awesome last night, even with not feeling well, so I don’t have much to complain about. And even though they’re both sick, they are both being so good today.

Parker is napping right now and Bailey and I were doing art projects. She’s still in there working away with markers, stickers and water colors so I’d better head back. Just had to hop on here and get my blog fix. Next I need my Mountain Dew fix! Have a good day!

Well, they say the ECM Summer Solstice was a hit last night! They raised lots of money and fun was had by all! Here are the shots I got last night in the midst of running the Children’s Area… not as many as I would have liked, but there are some cute ones. Note the bean bag boards I painted! I can’t wait to use these in other places, like Bail’s birthday party!

To see the photos full-sized, go HERE!

You know how they always say that you can’t judge someone until you’ve walked a day in their shoes? Well, aparently after spending the week here, my sister feels that walking in my shoes is just way to hectic! The poor thing, I think I scared her away from ever wanting to move home or have children! No, it wasn’t that bad, but there were numerous times when she would look at me and say, “I don’t envy your life.” I kept telling her that it’s not so bad, but I guess, when I really sit down and look at all I’ve got going on, it is that bad… but bad in a good way, you know? I mean, I thrive on being busy. I really do, unfortunately. And of course, in the midst of the craziness, I crave solitude and peace. And I told her that she could have two kids as close as mine and chose to not volunteer for things or make huge gifts for people, but I’m not sure she believes me when I say it COULD be easier. Anyway, Abbie, if you’re reading, which I know you are, here are the top ten reason you are going to make a good mom!

10. If you can put up with Polly’s hair everywhere, you’ll deal well with the messes kids can make!
9. Your obsession with all things Peanuts will help you understand the All-Elmo-All-The-Time thing that drives me crazy.
8. You actually have a good voice so when you sing to your kids your husband won’t mind so much!
7. Without as many hobbies as me, you’ll have more time to devote to the little ones.
6. You not only can cook more than just mac n’ cheese, you’re a good cook, so your kids will be good eaters!
5. You’re not scared of bugs.
4. You won’t call every bird, a bird. (I see myself reading to your kids and when I point out the “bird”, your 2 year old will look at me like I’m an idiot and give me the latin name for the damn bird!
3. Your kids will love and respect the earth, they will recycle, and will always yell at their Aunt for throwing her gum out the window.
2. You will see to it that your kids have an imagination, a love for exercise and sports, and a love of learning.
1. You will love them more than I can even say b/c you love your nieces so much… multiply that love by 1,000 and it still won’t compare.

Now, once you’re a mom you can revisit this list if you need to every once in a while (as I’m sure there will be updates!) b/c every mom needs to hear that they’re doing a good job! And my dear, you will do an amazing job. So please don’t let this tiny walk in my shoes scare you for life! My life is hectic, and crazy and out of control a lot of the time, but it is also so absolutely wonderful you have no idea.

Love you Ab!