The Latest!!

 Isabella turned 4 today!!!

 I'm actually 30 weeks now so this picture is a little old...my tummy is even bigger! I have officially gained the "normal" weight at this point...8 pounds one month and 6 pounds in the next! Darn it. I was hoping that it would remain slow but I caught up REAL quick!

 John brought me home the most delicious cannoli's from a delicious bakery in Boston! Yummo!

These ain't just any pillows!

So I wanted some Valentine Pillows and every store that I looked at was asking far too much. I decided that using the pillows that I already had would be the most cost affective so I tried to come up with some cute ideas for covering the pillows. The catch was that I wanted to have my normal pillows back after Valentine's Day was over. I can sew...on a very novas level. I can usually find something that I am interested in making and do it, but it's never the "right" way. I don't follow patterns because they are WAY more complicated...but the results are probably much cleaner! I decided that these pillows would be the perfect chance for me to figure out how to use zippers. Each zipper was $1.99 and the felt was 25 cents a sheet. The fabric cost was about $6 total. I was able to make four pillows (two light pink and two hot pink). The first zipper got a BEATIN'! I just had to laugh at how many times I had to take it off and try again (okay maybe 2 or 3 times but that's a lot!) By the fourth pillow...I was a pro. I'm sure that I am doing it completely BACKWARDS and a sewer would crack up at my technique BUT I got the job done and I am satisfied. The Love pillows are covers also but I bought those at Micheal for $3 each (there are 2). They fit perfect over the smaller accent pillows that I usually have on my couch.

Check out that zipper! Ahhh...so proud. When John came home from work I was so excited to show him what I had done. He was sweet but kind of just looked at me like...all girls know how to put in a zipper. That's because at his house all girls could put in a zipper...and much much much more. His mom and sisters rock at sewing projects! He doesn't get it...but that's okay!

These flowers took a while to make.

I used the leftover felt to make this heart swag!

And the lanterns...I thought that I had ordered more than I did...but made do with what I had.

I found this idea on Martha Stewarts website...Hailey and I did them together...they were very fun to make!

I am just about finished with my Valentine's Day projects. I have two more things that I am working on, but then we just get to enjoy them for the next month!

I was featured on:

Is it too early to decorate for Valentine's Day?

Ever since we put all of our Christmas decorations away, I have been thinking and planning out Valentine's decorations! I have said it before...and I will say it again...I L.O.V.E Valentine's Day! I love the colors, I love the hearts, I love all the gushy LOVE and HEARTS and CANDY! Ohhh I just get giddy! It's smack dab in the middle of Christmas and Spring. This year, it brings extra joy and goodness and color to our home while our outdoors are bleak and WHITE. It also means that our little baby is closer to arriving and the celebration of two birthdays...Isabella's and my own! SO....here are a few of the decorations that I made and got up yesterday. I still have MANY plans brewing and will blog them as they arrive! I have ordered lots of paper lanterns in all shades of Valentine's!! Can't wait till they come!

Our dining room center piece....for now. I change our centerpieces all the time...I get bored easily! I saw these gorgeous pink and red tulips at the Floral Department and I want them badly!

The empty jar will be filled with my favorite red candy...sour cherry balls! JUST as soon as I can get to the store (which won't be today since the snow is not stopping anytime soon!)

Our ugly brown bookshelf that was free and that I am thankful for even though I am whining about it. Those mailboxes are SO FUN! My kids have died and gone to heaven because of those babies.

I REALLY wanted the HUGE letters that will stand up on their own (out of cardboard and quite thick) BUT I cannot find them here. I bet all of you with Hobby Lobby can get them. Our craft stores do not! These will do! The biggest ones that they had!

Thank you Cricut for making my life so much easier! I LOVE you! Oh...and Mod Podge. I LOVE you too.

This little tree has been so versatile. I've used it for so many different things. Right now, it is our LOVE tree. For Family Night this week We each got a handful of hearts and we wrote down the things that we love...the things that make us happy.

I have spotlighted a few of my favorites!

John has started an amazing tradition that I hope lasts forever. Every Wednesday evening, the kids rotate going on a "date" with John. They do different things each week....movies, dinner, Toys R Us, etc. Sometimes they are bigger dates like the movies and sometimes they are as simple as going and getting icecream together. He has been doing it for a few months and it's been good for everyone. Also, when it's my turn to go on a date with John...they are so excited about it because "mommy needs a turn too!" they all say. Even Talon will walk around saying "mommy's turn". John totally remembers doing this with his dad.

This heart in the front says, "Aliens". Yep...that was Izzie. Hailey and her have had many discussions about whether or not aliens are real. Hailey says NAY and Izzie says YAY.

I made this heart wreath for $2! Half a roll of crepe party paper and a glue stick (and some hot glue). It took me about an hour... Might be making another one!

And this project has nothing to do with Valentine's Day but I'm very excited about it. A friend and I have been working on this...can't wait to show the finished product!

I was featured on Babyology!! Go HERE to check it out!!!

2010 family Pictures

I can feel the warmth of the sun from just looking at these pictures...YEAH for Summer!!! My awesome friend Natalie took these pictures for us. It's hard to believe that we will have another baby in our 2011 family pictures!

New Year's

 This is my 25 week photo. In the last 5 weeks I have gained my first 10 lbs. Let's hope that I don't gain 10 lbs each month from here on out!

 We were really missing family this holiday so when we had an offer for some visitors we were SO excited! John's brother Peter is currently living in Baltimore and he hopped in the car with his cute girlfriend Brittany and they drove 6 1/2 hours to visit us for the New Year's weekend. They were so fun to have and the kids LOVED having them. They played lots of games with Hailey which is something that she could (and wants to) do all day!

We ate lots of yummy food!! I think I may have mentioned this a time or two before, but I HEART my grocery store. WEGMAN'S is absolutely the best grocery store. I have never been to a store that I like more. I always take our guests...silly I know...but it's just too great of a store to pass up. We ate lunch at the Cafe and it was delicious.

 We enjoyed some bowling. I haven't bowled in awhile and I was just awful! We will blame it on the belly...my balance was totally off and I just kept getting gutter balls. I am never a "great" bowler...but this was seriously pathetic!

 Peter let Hailey be in charge of his camera ALL weekend and she was in heaven. She was very responsible with it. I was impressed. She now thinks that she NEEDS a camera of her own!

 What in the world Izzie??? This is the funniest face.

 Brittany was so great with the kids!

 The girls were of course extra silly for our visitors.

 Our weather was unreasonably (but amazingly) warm. It got up to 57 on Saturday and we loved every second of it. We decided to take advantage of it and we drove 2 hours to Niagara Falls.

It was pouring rain but the warmth was beckoning us to do something outdoors so we went anyways. It stopped raining for just enough time for us to enjoy the falls. It was extremely foggy...we couldn't even see all of the falls but it was still beautiful. I think it added to the majesticness (I know that's not a word...using it anyways!) You can see Canada in the background (well, atleast the tops of the buildings!)

 Peter and Brittany!

Niagara was really fun. We didn't think about it being New Years Day and so everything was closed. It was still so cool to see the power behind the water before it went down the falls and the calmness of the water at the bottom of the falls. Maybe next time we'll do some of the fun things that they have available so that you can get closer to the water. 

It was a wonderful weekend!

I am usually very good at working on my New Year's resolutions but for some reason I have not felt the need or the desire to have resolutions this year. Well, the first reason is probably because my first goal (and it seems like most peeps) is to eat healthier. Well, mine is usually to lose weight...but since I'm just gaining weight from now till April, I'll work on that later. Other than that I feel like life is going good for us. Atleast all of the things that we have control over. There are always things to improve on but we are always so hard on ourselves. I have had enough of myself and others being so hard on themselves. This year, I will strive weekly to be the best ME that I can be and that encompasses my entire life and everything that I do. To be the best me is to be the happiest me and I look forward to this new year and all of the wonderful blessings and challenges that come with it!