Erin, Author at The Sunny Side Up Blog

Food and Cooking...or lack thereof

02.11.11

Pasta and Ponies

In December when we were planning on building a house, Kenny and I sat down with our builder and went over all of the details. Things we for sure wanted to include in the house. When we were talking about the kitchen our builder said, “oh – and you’ll definitely want two ovens. And maybe a warmer also?” Kenny and I couldn’t help laughing out loud.

Two ovens? What in the world would I do with two ovens? And a warmer? Now give me two microwaves and we’re in business. :)

I so know that I am the last person on the Internet who should be sharing recipes. BUT. Many of you were so kind and encouraging when I shared my easy Cashew Chicken. In fact, one sweet reader said: “I know how you don’t like to cook or think you’re a good cook, but the recipe ideas you give are really great – especially for busy moms! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE share more of your recipes!” Oh how that comment made my day! THANK YOU anonymous commenter! I can’t say that Kenny appreciated the comment, however, since I proudly pointed it out to him flashing a grin from ear to ear and have been bragging about my culinary skills ever since. Maybe I DO need two ovens after all….. HA!

So this is an easy pasta recipe I often make because the whole family eats it (after I pick the peppers out for Ellie and the olives out for Addison of course). Here is what you need:

Oh – and some mozzarella cheese which I forgot to photograph. *on a side note: several of you have asked where I got these canisters in the background and my dishes that match them. I bought them years ago at a store in southern Utah that has since gone out of business. Sorry that’s no help! If anyone else has seen them somewhere, please share!

Cook pepperoni and pepper in a skillet (listen to me getting all chef like saying skillet) until the pepper is tender-crisp – stirring often. In another pot, cook some corkscrew pasta.

Then add some olives (if you like them). I love olives.

Then drain your pasta and add some Prego sauce.

Mix everything together and cook on low for about 10 minutes. Then stir in some mozzarella and if you’re feeling really chef like, add a bit of Parmesan. Fast and easy and really hard to mess up – my three requirements for a meal.

Then after dinner, store it in your gourmet gold pleated cookware and heat it for leftovers the next night. I think it tastes better for leftovers. Funny how some food always tastes better the next night. Maybe it’s just in my head because I’m so happy I didn’t have to cook again…

The meal tastes especially yummy when the My Little Ponies join in the dining experience. They’ve been joining us for dinner quite a bit lately. The ponies and their whole pony village. Pasta and ponies. Exciting stuff going on around here. :)

Have a great weekend!

xoxo, Erin

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home decor 2

02.10.11

Girls’ Bathroom

Well! Today was a busy day and I’m exhausted. Looked at several homes. One of which was once owned by a certain football player who Kenny LOVES. Kenny wants to buy the house of course. Just to feel some kind of Charger aura running through it. Me – not so much. After trying to figure out how to change the manly pool table/sauna room into a playroom for my kiddos and the bar and wine rack room into a scrap space for me I finally said — uh, no. Sorry honey. Not for us. :) House hunting is so hard isn’t it!? Just makes you want to take the yard from this house, the floor plan from that one, the location from this one, neighborhood and schools from another one, and mix it all in with my dream kitchen. Yea. I’ll take one of those please.

Just a quick few pics of my girls’ bathroom. Parenthood and Good Wife are sitting on our DVR waiting for me to watch them. And I think it’s rude to keep my shows waiting.

And a cute little hook on the back of the door. It used to hold just two towels…

and now holds three. :)

xoxo, Erin

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home decor 2

02.09.11

Decisions and the playroom

A while ago on my blog I mentioned some changes that had been consuming me. Kenny and I have been looking at homes now for over a year and after not finding anything we loved we decided that we were going to build. We found a lot and a builder that we were excited about and started planning our dream home. The lot was in a different area than the one we live in now, so last December was a crazy month for us. Aside from usual Christmas activities, we were busy talking to lenders, crunching numbers, and dreaming about cute kitchen cabinets and built in’s for a scrapbook room (ok – Kenny was busy crunching numbers…I was the one doing the dreaming).

I was also busy that month looking into other things in the area – schools, church, gym, grocery store (does the peppered turkey taste good enough?), best place nearby to get a pedicure. You know – all the important stuff. :)

Then the day before we were going to meet with the builder to put down our deposit I was seriously SICK to my stomach. I was so nervous and just had this feeling like we weren’t making the right decision. Kenny came home from work and he wasn’t feeling good about it either. We weren’t sure why, but we knew that wasn’t the lot for us. I cried and was so bummed. It is really rare to build around here because land is hard to come by (especially lots with big yards). But deep down I knew something else would come along that was a better fit for us.

Currently we are looking at another lot that hasn’t been released yet. Our names are at the top of the list so it’s ours if we decide to go that way, but in the meantime, we are still looking looking looking at existing homes. I love our realtor and it’s a good thing because we have been spending a lot of time together lately!

This is the lot we are looking at as a possibility. It’s really beautiful, but in a lot of ways we’d love to find something already built and landscaped that we can just tweak to make our own. Kenny especially is NOT excited about building with me. I don’t know why? Maybe because I tend to be a bit picky and indecisive? Maybe. Just a bit. It’s a pretty bad combo. :)

I am really tired of a lot of my decor in my current house, but don’t really want to change it just in time to pack things up and move so I’m trying to be patient! I’m going to keep posting pics of our little house we live in now so we’ll always remember our time here. I started posting house pics here:

Home Decor #1
Home Decor #2

These are some pictures of our playroom I took last summer. It actually wasn’t part of the house when we moved in. It was just a tiny office with a big opening to the downstairs (and a hideous gold chandelier that made its way to goodwill with record speed!). We had a crew come in and build the space out into a room so the girls would have a place to play. It’s a small room, but has become one of our favorite rooms in the house. The girls live in it and I will really miss it when we move. My next playroom is going to have to have a bit less pink so that poor Kole has a fighting chance!

I have loved these bulletin boards over my couch. They are from Pottery Barn Kids and have made it so easy to change and display the girls’ art work.

Same picture – with an added accessory. :)

Many tea parties have taken place on this little white table! I have to say that of all of the toys my kids have, the table and chairs are my #1 playroom must have. My girls use them to play and color every single day.

And what playroom is complete without a TV? It’s so nice having a separate place for the kids to watch a movie so I can have peace and quiet downstairs once in awhile. Can anyone guess the movie Addison is watching?

Here’s another pic that gives it away. What a classic.

You can see that the bulletin boards aren’t the only place the girls end up displaying their art work.
They have had a thing with tape lately and it’s driving me nuts! They want to tape every single thing they make up on a wall somewhere. There will never be a shortage of butterflies, hearts, flowers, and sunshines around here!

Going to look at a few more houses tomorrow. Cross your fingers for me! I can’t wait to have a whole house that is begging to be decorated and organized. My kind of project for sure. :)

xoxo, Erin

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Family

02.08.11

Trip to SLC

I’m back! Back from the frozen tundra that is Salt Lake City. Back from a place where Uggs, scarfs, and seat warmers are actual necessities and not just fun accessories. :) It was such a quick trip, but I’m so glad I got to go spend some quality time with these two:

(Jonah and Claire – my nephew and niece)

Remember after my surgery when my sister Carly came for a week to help out? She brought me this little bell to ring when I needed her. I took the bell back and it this time it was her turn to do the ringing.

Car and her husband are so tired from their sweet little newborn! (Sleep deprivation is the cruelest joke ever, isn’t it!?) I mostly just helped entertain this little princess so her parents could get some much needed rest. Luckily I know just what to do with little princesses. We watched Miss Spider, dressed up in an assortment of fairy dresses and jewelry, and had lots and lots of tea parties.

Car and I did manage to change out of our sweats one night and ventured into the cold to go to dinner. I loved just hanging out with my sister. It’s so rare to have time like this for just the two of us.

But mostly we just stayed indoors and enjoyed this sweet little one….

Isn’t he a doll!? That picture of him yawning is my favorite. Such a sweet sweet baby boy. There is nothing like a newborn.

K – so I have to tell you all why I didn’t post last night when I got home. I sat down to upload my photos and instead of putting my camera card into the slot it belongs in on the left side of my MAC, I just popped it into a slot on the right side – a great big slot – the slot for the DVD/CD player to be exact. I thought “wait a minute, that didn’t feel right…” Then I realized that my camera card was lost somewhere in my computer and there was NO WAY to retrieve it. Are you kidding me!? What was I thinking? Well, clearly I wasn’t thinking. I had to take my computer into the Apple store today. Luckily, they didn’t have to take the whole thing apart. I’m not sure exactly what they did, but they took my computer in the back and came back a few minutes later with my camera card. I was so happy I almost hugged the sales clerk! This is not the only “are you kidding me!?” moment I’ve had lately. In fact, I seem to be working towards a world record. I’d share a few more of them with you, but then there’s a chance Kenny will read this and he just doesn’t need one more ounce of ammunition.

p.s. Project Life pics next Tuesday!
p.p.s. Today was 76 degrees and beautiful. Car – next trip you are coming to me!

xoxo, Erin

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Addison

02.04.11

clothes, kids, veggies and V-day

So I’m hearing from several of you that you checked Target for the cord organizer and couldn’t find it. First of all, you guys are SO on the ball! :) I looked on-line and didn’t see it there so I called my Target and they said it is a “seasonal item.” They got them in December for Christmas gifts (along with the key finder), went on sale in January, and once they are gone, they’re gone until next December. :( Sorry about that! I’m sure there is something similar on-line for those of you who really want to hunt for one. If not, we can all stock up next December!

To answer other questions: I mentioned this before, but if you missed it – both shirts and the purse I showed in my previous post were from The Limited. Where else do I shop besides Limited? I love Nordstroms for shoes, jeans, and make-up but don’t by a lot of tops there. I don’t really feel like they are worth the money since I get tired of my shirts so quickly. Jeans on the other hand I have spent a small fortune on, but (as I tell Kenny over and over) that’s all I wear staying home with kids and a good pair of jeans will last for years. At least that’s how I justify them. The reality? I couldn’t put a price tag on something that makes me feel better about my thighs. :) For tops I love Forever 21. Trendy and cheap. My other go to is Banana Republic and like I said, I love Limited. For my girls I love The Gap and Gymboree. Once in awhile I look in Justice for Ellie, but it’s so pre-teen that it usually just makes me depressed.

Let’s see…other news of the day –

Still working on my goal to get my kids eating healthier this year. The Cadbury Eggs? A little reward for myself for sticking to it and making the girls eat their vegetables. Isn’t it great being the mom? :) On a side note – why in the world is Easter candy out already? I CANNOT pass up Cadbury Eggs. Now I have to deal with this problem for 4 months? Time for a new pair of jeans…

Today was pretty low key. Got lots of odds and ends done around the house and ran a few errands. Addison attended several Royal Balls. You know – the usual. :)

These two were a huge help with laundry. Both of them creating more by the minute. Between Kole’s inability to keep food in his mouth and Addison’s multiple outfit changes our washing machine is going 24-7!

But oh this little guy is so worth his messes! I love this picture because you can see all of his new teeth coming in. Cute chompers buddy. :)

Wonder when he’ll start caring that he is playing in a pink play room…

with pink toys… ???

Valentines Day is right around the corner! Ellie’s class is making their own sacks in school this year. I’m kind of bummed! We had fun making her box last year.

This is a simple way to add a bit of flair to your little one’s Valentine box. I helped Ellie with the top of her box….

and she bedazzled out the sides. She loved this thing and all of her little Valentines from friends so much that she saved it. It’s still sitting in her room. :) Such a fun holiday.

This was another fun thing we did last year for Valentines Day. Ellie, Addison and I came up with things we love about Kenny and wrote them on hearts and covered the pantry door with them on V-day. He loved it. I’ve also seen where families write things they love about each other every day in February until the 14th and stick them up on a door or window. A blog reader of mine is also doing fun things each day to show her husband how much she loves him. You can get some V-day ideas from her here.

How was that for the most random post ever!? Hope your weekend is a happy one! :)

xoxo, Erin

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organization2

02.03.11

Fun finds

Hi everyone! Sharing a few fun finds today. A couple of weeks ago I went shopping and the stars aligned! I found so many things I love – as opposed to countless shopping trips when I’ve needed clothes and have been unable to find a thing.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with everything I found, but I did want to show you this blouse because I NEVER buy patterned shirts. NEVER. And I told myself this year I was going to get out of my rut of solid colors. And I’m quite proud of myself for actually buying this. I love this blouse because it works with a belt (I’m all about belts the year after the baby – they are perfect for masking that lovely stretched stomach), it works with jeans, and it also works tucked in with a high waisted black skirt when I need to dress up for something. And yes, I know I look super cheesy with my hands on my hips in this picture and my head is cut off. I asked Kenny to take a picture of me in my new clothes. It was a Sunday during a playoff game. May have been a critical moment in said playoff game. He gave me a nice look that said “seriously?” Knowing I needed him for some computer assistance later that evening I decided not to push it. Out came the tri-pod! I took this picture and the next few and then all at once Kole woke up from his nap, Ellie was hungry, and Addison was having an outfit crisis. My photo shoot was over before it started. I knew I’d have to just post the few shots I got – cheesiness and all. :)

I also bought this purse. Here’s what I LOVE about it…

It has your typical pockets on the sides, but also has this big clasp in the middle…

that opens up like this. I am always losing things in my purse. And I needed a big one that will hold all of my stuff plus a bottle for Kole and snacks for the girls (not fond of diaper bags). This middle pocket is perfect! It holds only three things. My keys, my cell phone, and Kole’s binkie. The main three things I am always reaching for and now I can get to them so easy! No more digging through my purse when the phone is ringing or the baby is fussy.

Also in my purse I have this fun little zipper pouch –

Remember the favorites party I went to? My friend Kathleen brought these little beauties to help keep your purse organized. What? Purse organization? Quickly became one of my favorites at the favorites party. :) Mine holds hand lotion, lip stick, lip gloss, chap stick, eye drops, floss, and nail clippers (don’t keep floss and nail clippers in your purse? MUST haves for me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve needed them). I love that when I’m driving and need to put on some lip gloss it’s so easy to find and grab out of my purse.

These drawer organizers I’ve had forever and they are my favorites. They’re called “dream drawers” and if I remember right I think I got them at Bed Bath and Beyond. Each separator has a spring in it so you push it together and put it where you want it in your drawer and then release and it will stay in place.

I use them in my dressers to organize clothes.

Just found this a few weeks ago at Target.

I had all of our cords/chargers in this kitchen drawer but it doesn’t take much for them to become a tangled mess.

Wa-la! Now this zipper pouch fits nicely in the drawer and the cords stay untangled and out of sight. Love this!

This one just makes me laugh. It’s a key finder I got Kenny for Christmas (also found at Target). He is always losing his keys. Now he has a little button on his key chain and if we can’t find his keys we push the button on this remote and they start beeping. Genius!

The weather here has been so sunny and nice! I bought this yellow shirt at Limited and it feels so springy.

*note to self: stop taking self portraits in the girls’ bathroom mirror – the lighting is horrible!

I love yellow clothes. Such a happy color. The blouse and purse I showed above were also from The Limited. They’ve had cute stuff lately. My yellow shirt is perfect for the park where we’ve been spending lots of time the past couple of weeks.

Wishing those of you who have been affected by the huge storms going on right now safety and warmth…and maybe a plane ticket to Southern California? Meet you at the park. :)

xoxo, Erin

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Scrapbooking

02.01.11

PL Tuesday

Hi friends! Project Life Tuesday again. I’m sorry. I know you’re all probably getting tired of seeing endless pages of my girls’ PL books. I’m assuming you feel this way because I’m already getting tired of posting endless pages of my girls’ PL books. BUT the only reason I’m getting anything done is because I know I have a Tuesday deadline each week! Maybe I should just share a few pages once every other Tuesday? Then I know I’ll totally put off working on these books until the Monday before and won’t get near as much done. Well see. I’m feeling good about the fact that Addie’s book is now caught up to 2010! YEA! I know as soon as I get these books caught up they will be so easy to stay on top of. Then I’ll have to start thinking about Kole’s baby book again…

I was looking at Addison’s blanket the other day (poor thing has been dragged all over the place) and it made me think about my grandma. She made all of us (her grand kids) several blankets (Addison inherited one of mine). All beautifully hand stitched. She was an amazing quilter and would die a second death if she knew that I’ve taken clothes to the tailor just to have a button sewn on! I clearly did not inherit her talent or patience when it comes to sewing. :) The blankets she made me are so special. They are something tangible that remind me daily of the love she had for me. I guess that’s what I’m hoping these books will be for my kids. Something tangible that they will always have to remind them of their happy childhood and how much they were loved. Cause my kids sure as heck won’t be remembering me for my hand stitched quilts or my famous noodle casserole! HA! ;)

The picture of Addie in the green bows is one of my favorites which is why I put it in its own page protector. In front of one of her many sunshines. :)

Journaling: You are taking swimming and ballet lessons. You LOVE ballet and are the cutest little ballerina! I love watching you dance. You’re not too sure about swimming and don’t like putting your head under. I have to bribe you with ice cream. :)

Added more of their quotes. SO glad I recorded these on my blog.

Looks like a duplicate of Ellie’s book in some places, but in other places this book is very unique to Addison.

A lot of people have asked me where I got the 12×12 pockets that hold miscellaneous school stuff (shown on the right). They are from Becky Higgins original school kits. They go from pre-school to 12th grade. You can’t order these kits anymore, but if you follow her blog you know she has a new school kit in the works!

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

xoxo, Erin

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organization2

01.31.11

Organizing Maintenance

I’ve been doing a bit of organizing lately. (I know – shock! right?) One truth about organizing that has been ringing true in my house lately is that you have to keep up with the maintenance. The areas I’ve been working on are areas that have been organized several times before, but because life got in the way they have been…well…trashed. :)

Our closet under the stairs that includes my paper organizing system became a disaster during December. I had Christmas presents hiding there until Ellie discovered them. They were quickly moved to ~~Kenny’s office~~ Santa’s workshop and the closet became a catch all for whatever I didn’t have time to deal with.

So I got things back under control.

*note to self: I still need to go through receipts and coupons.

The girls’ drawers were starting to look like this again.

Plus with Christmas and Ellie’s birthday, the toy situation was getting out of control…again.

Remember last summer when I organized all the toys in these bins?

Well – the doll clothes and barbies were constantly pulled half way out of the closet and strung all over the floor. It has been really bugging me the last few months.

So one morning while Ellie was at school and Kole was napping, I enlisted a certain “Fancy Nancy” and tore the girls’ room apart re-arranging things in a more functional way.

I went through clothes and did the normal upkeep – moving Ellie’s too small things down to Addison and bagging Addison’s too small things for my niece. Got the closets looking like this again.

And the drawers looking like this again. My girls actually do a pretty good job of keeping their clothes this way. They are sectioned by skirts, pants, leggings, and socks. Now each of my girls has one dresser drawer for clothes and the rest are for toys. Toys are what they are getting into all day long so I wanted to move them to a spot that was easier to access and more accommodating. That’s a nice way of saying THERE ARE TOO MANY TOYS IN THIS HOUSE AND THEY ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY! Ahem…moving on.

The bottom drawer now holds all of the doll clothes.

When I decorated Kole’s nursery I fell in love with these bins for books and diapers so I bought a few extras in different colors. I knew they would be fun to use to organize something at some point.

They are perfect for doll shoes and accessories. I love the way they look in the drawer. I also love that the dolls have their own plastic i pods!

Then I used the whole bottom dresser drawer for barbies, Liv dolls, Moxie girls, and fairies. (If you have little girls I’m sure you know all about Liv and Moxie dolls!) Of course I know when I organize that things won’t be kept this perfect.

Here is a picture of the dolls a week later. I can live with this. A specific place for them that is easy for the girls to get to and easy for clean-up. *note to self: do NOT buy these girls one. more. doll.

One drawer is just for random dress up toys. I got rid of A LOT of this stuff…while Fancy Nancy was busy attending to her dog Frenchy. Again, I know it won’t look like this next week, but with a lot less in the drawer they’ll at least be able to find what they’re looking for.

A fun little organizer from the Container Store. We have to be so careful with all the little “stuff” that accompanies dolls now that Mr. Kole is putting any and everything in his mouth.

The bins that used to hold doll clothes and barbies are now used for dress-ups, shoes, and barbie clothes. Things that are played with but not as often.

Another area I attacked…again…was the tub toys. Above is the way they were organized in the beginning, but it was impossible for my girls to keep it that straight.

So my solution is to leave the lids off several bins. Now it’s easy for them to grab a few toys before tub time and easy to put them back after.

Feeling much better about the minor changes that will make things easier to maintain. This post made me happy. The week ahead is off to a good start! :)

xoxo, Erin

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Birthdays

01.27.11

American Girls

This poor magazine. It has been leafed through and played with and dragged around for months. I’ve stapled and taped it more times than I can count. The cover finally just fell apart. It is an American Girl Doll catalog and that was all Ellie wanted for her birthday this year. I have purposely avoided the American Girl Dolls for as long as possible because I knew that with my two little princesses, once we started down that path there would be no going back! But all of Ellie’s little friends have them and that was what she wanted for her birthday this year. SO! The weekend before her birthday we loaded our crew and headed to L.A.

The girls were beyond excited. They went to sleep immediately the night before and woke up so giddy they could hardly stand it. It was seriously like Christmas morning. (Notice the magazine next to Ellie’s window. It has accompanied us everywhere for the last few months.)

Kole was pumped too. For what he didn’t know, but he could feel the excitement in the air!

“The Grove” in LA. Quite a mall if I do say so myself. Definitely a place to head on another day without the rest of my crew. We finally made it to the American Girl Place and it was incredible. A dream destination for any little girl. It includes a doll hair salon, book store, photo studio, hospital, and several dining options for brunch, lunch, or afternoon tea with your doll.

We were a bit overwhelmed by it all so we got a personal shopper to assist us for the day. I had to laugh at Kenny. He knew exactly what he was in for with the cost of these dolls. The night before we left he said, “Erin. DO NOT go crazy in this store. We need to keep it under control…. blah blah blah.” I expected him to sit back in the store while I shopped with the girls and just sweat a little over prices, but oh no. Once we got there he was all into it. Picking out dolls and matching shoes and sun bonnets. Asking our personal shopper “Ok now, what accessories come with this doll? Yeah…we’re gonna need some of those. And what about pajama’s? Do these have matching house shoes? We’re gonna need two pairs of those….” I was cracking up! Such a sucker when it comes to his little girls. So much for keeping it under control. At least I’m not the one to blame this time!

At the end of the day Ellie ended up with “Julie” a doll from the 1970’s that she had picked out in her catalog and fallen in love with.

Addison choose “Elizabeth” – a doll who grew up in Williamsburg in the 1700’s. I tried to get the girls to pick out dolls that looked more like themselves, but they weren’t having it. They had specific ideas about what they wanted and weren’t budging. Here they are leaving the store. Notice we’ve already changed the dolls into their pajama’s and house shoes.

The boys. (Two REALLY good sports)

The girls. I have to admit that I too fell in love with this store. More then once I debated picking out my own doll with matching accessories!

Quick drive back down along the coast and we were home again.

And boy did I ever have two happy little ones. Girls and their dolls in matching pajama’s. (Thanks daddy!)

We’ve been having quite a time with the new dolls. First we had to introduce them to some new “friends.”

Then the girls drew music notes and had their dolls and animals put on a little concert.

Even Kole had a party with the dolls.

Until he started poking their eyes out causing shrieks of stress and anxiety. Party’s over bud.

We’ve had lots of hair styling going on…

and lots of outfit changing. Sorry for the totally X-rated picture! I just took this yesterday. I was feeding Kole and turned around and the dolls were all undressed and lined up along the fireplace. They were getting prepped for a wardrobe change and fashion show.

Aside from the trip to The American Girl Doll store, we had four of Ellie’s little friends over for a “birthday playdate.” They each wore pajama’s and brought their favorite doll and enjoyed a lovely home cooked meal and a cake I spent hours on. Let’s try that again. They each wore pajama’s and brought their favorite doll and enjoyed pizza and a cake Ellie selected from our local grocery store. :) Luckily the girls could care less and a fabulous time was had by all.

So far year 7 is off to a great start!

xoxo, Erin

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Addison

01.25.11

Project Life Tuesday

Well! It’s proving to be a bit tricky to find time for these albums lately. Life is so BUSY. But knowing I needed to have something done by Tuesday forced me to squeeze in a minute for a few pages. So grateful for PL Tuesday making me accountable. I would love to get caught up on these albums and then STAY on top of them. (a nice thought…right?)

I so adore Addison’s little drawings. These are a couple from over a year ago. Sunshines are still her favorite.

A lot of this is pretty similar to Ellie’s album. Not much to show – but something is better than nothing! Addison’s book is now caught up through October 2009. {Sigh} Still a ways to go…

xoxo, Erin

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Addison

01.24.11

Valentine Mantel and Tissue Art

Hi everyone! Happy Monday. Hope your week is off to a good start! The girls and I are getting excited for Valentines day so I decided to spruce up the mantel and makes things a little festive around here.

I just hung a heart wreath on the mirror and put a little candy in my favorite black jars – because what’s more fun than edible decor? Hoping this candy sticks around longer than last year’s Easter candy did!

Then Addison and I made a tissue heart banner. Tissue art is so fun and so easy. I used to do this with my 4th graders when I taught school. I would draw something big (like a rainbow, Christmas tree, American flag, etc.) and the whole class would work on it for weeks. Here is what you need to make a tissue heart banner with your kiddos…

Trace and cut out a few hearts. I used my heart cookie cutter because well, what are the chances that I’ll ever use it to make cookies? Slim to none. Made a great paper tracer though. :)

Cut your tissue up into little squares and put the square tissues in cute, mini heart shaped bowls. You could use regular bowls, but I can’t guarantee that the outcome will be as …well…cute. ;) The bigger your squares are, the longer the tissue will pop out.

Then place a pencil eraser in the middle of a tissue square and twist the tissue around it.

Next, dip your tissue in a tad of glue. Emphasis on the world tad. Too much glue and the tissue will become a wet mess and won’t stick. I had Addison dip her tissue in the glue and then wipe it off on the plate each time.

Then stick the tissue on your heart and hold it for a few seconds.

I like to do the outside first and then fill in the middle. You can start in the middle first, but again, I can’t guarantee as cute of an outcome.

Addison has been sick a lot lately and this was a perfect sick day project. The two of us had fun watching a movie and crafting together in our pajamas.

Bring on February! Can you feel the love? :)

Oh! And can I just say thank you so much for the comments on my last post for El’s birthday. So thoughtful of you all to leave such sweet comments and birthday wishes. They meant a lot to me and I’m sure they will to Ellie too someday. I told her I wrote her a letter on my blog for her birthday. She asked if grandma could read it too since it was on my blog. I said “yes – grandma… and a few other people….” :)

Have a great week everyone!

xoxo, Erin

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Ellie

01.19.11

Dear Ellie,

Is it true? Are you really 7 years old today? It’s hard for me to think of you as a 7 year old. It happened so quickly. One day I was buying you and Addison matching outfits in the toddler section of Baby Gap – size 1 and 3, then 2 and 4. That feels like last week. And now, today, you’re 7. And you’ve moved way out of the toddler section of Baby Gap. And I’m having a harder time buying you clothes because everything your size looks so “pre-teen” and hip and cool and way too grown up for my sweet little Ellie. And all I want to do is keep buying you tops with little butterflies that say “cute as a bug” on them.

But as much as I want to keep you little, I am loving every minute with you at this stage in your life. You are such a happy girl Ellie. You always have been. You are vivacious and full of life from the minute you first wake up in the morning. Your daddy and I start every day with a smile because of you.

You were meant to be a big sister. Kole adores you and Addison counts the seconds each day until you get home. They both rely on you to entertain them because it’s always a party when you are around.

You are extremely social and are loved by all of your classmates at school. I hear constantly from other moms how nice you are to everyone. How much you care about other people’s feelings and how much their children love being with you. I’m always so proud. You have a way of making friends so easily. A couple of weeks ago we were at Nordstroms and you were waiting behind me while I bought something. All of a sudden I heard you talking to a lady close by…telling her your name and all about the doll you took to school for sharing that day. By the time we left the store the two of you were hugging good-bye like long lost friends. Just like that. It’s so easy for you to talk to people.

You love to be “comfy.” You care much more about being comfortable than you do about being fashionable (unlike Addison). You won’t wear anything that is “itchy” and you put on your pajamas the second you get home for the day. You love being home in your p.j’s – playing with your little “friends” (dolls and stuffed animals). You take such good care of everyone. I know that someday you will be an amazing mom.

I love how content you are Ellie. You love just being with your family. We hear several times each day how much you love us all. Even when you’re mad about something, you always make it clear that while you’re upset, you still love us. (see hairstyle post) :)

When I was growing up I always loved the number 19. I remember once soon after your daddy and I were married he asked me why I liked 19 so much and I said “I don’t know. I’ve just always loved that number.”

Then you came into my world on January 19th and suddenly it was very clear why that number always felt special to me. YOU are so special to me. You make me smile every single day. You make me happy every single day. You make me feel gratitude every single day.

Happy 7th Birthday Ellie. I love you so much.

xoxo,

Mommy

xoxo, Erin

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