Everyday Elkins

Big Plans

2012-02-13T06:07:00.000-08:00

I am so excited for Valentines.
It's so much more fun with kiddos.
Usually I struggle to figure out what to do for Mr. Hipster...but not this year. Emma and I have big plans.
And I think Mr. Hipster and I will be ordering take out and watching a movie. Seriously the best idea for Valentines in a long time. PJ's and good food? Yes please!

Today Emma and I will be venturing out to see Beauty and The Best in 3D. Hoping she likes the glasses.
Wish me luck.

Mickey

Lately.....

2012-02-08T06:11:00.000-08:00

Well....I don't really get on my computer EVER. I think this is the first time I have in the past 3 days. I can basically do everything from my phone. Amazing.

Emma and Allie love playing together. It really is adorable to watch. And yes, Oscar is usually there most of the time. Poor guy. He takes a lot of ear pulling and bow wearing daily. He loves those little girls though.

I feel like my house is messy either upstairs or down stairs most of the time. If ones clean, the other needs it. Never ending. NEVER ending. Anyone else feel the same?

I read some amazing verses this morning. I love it when verses jump out at you.

Psalms 32:1-5

1 Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be-you get a fresh start, your slate's wiped clean.

2 Count yourself lucky-God holds nothing against you and you're holding nothing back from him.

3 When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans.

4 The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up.

5 Then I let it all out; I said, "I'll make a clean breast of my failures to God." Suddenly the pressure was gone-my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared.

Isn't this good? Isn't God SO good to us? Gave me goosebumps when I read it and put a smile on my face.

Life changing

2012-02-03T12:30:00.001-08:00

I got an I phone. I know... Some may not think this is exciting but it's pretty much amazing! I am so giddy about it! I am actually blogging right now from my precious device of mine. Seriously a life changer.

Family

2012-02-01T05:20:00.000-08:00

"At the end of the day, a loving family should find everything forgivable."

I want my kids to understand that we will love them NO MATTER WHAT. We all make mistakes and mess up. I sure have and still do. Most importantly I want them to know that God loves them NO MATTER WHAT.

Lately Emma has been asking " Why do you love me so much?"

And I LOVE telling her why I do. It makes my heart melt.

P.S. I have the cutest husband ever.

LOVE

2012-01-30T04:50:00.000-08:00

Oh Monday, we meet again. Little Allie Jo is already up (6:37 am to be exact) I am trying to make her bed time later since she just loves going to bed around 7 pm...as for me, this doesn't work well in the morning. I am not a morning person.

Emma Jane has been a little crafter/animal lover lately. It's precious watching her play "animal doctor" in her room with all her stuffed animals.

Valentines is almost here and we are trying to decide what to do for our night on the town! What do you do for Valentines?

And I have been reading this book on my kindle. L.O.V.E it. READ IT! What an inspiration to us all.

Have a great day people!

A little video...

2012-01-26T05:34:00.001-08:00

Ice Camp/Running/Mom stuff

2012-01-24T08:59:00.000-08:00

I did a lot of sitting by the fire and drinking amazing hot chocolate this weekend. We took the Elevate Students to Bair Lake Camp to do some "out doorsy" winter stuff. So much fun. Maybe I will post more pictures...or even a sweet video!

I have been running A LOT. Never thought I would run past 3 miles, but I am going to brag. I ran 5 miles yesterday. FIVE. Insane I tell you. Still debating if I should run a half marathon. 13 miles is a lot of stinking miles to run. I will say running more miles is getting easier..but again 13 miles is crazy.

As Allie Jo is getting older (she is already 10 months) the house takes a lot longer to clean or even keep up with sometimes. Emma Jane wants me to play with her a lot lately as well. Imagining we are cats who live in the play closet and find food is the new thing to do. Sometimes we have a cat fight...it's pretty hilarious. As I was playing cats with her this morning, I started to get emotional about it because she is going to out grow this phase, just like all her other phases. But this phase is different because she wants me in it. So forget those dishes and laundry...I am playing cats all day! And Allie enjoys playing as well. She is the "alley cat" who lives in the tunnel. HA

Have a great day friends.
Enjoy your kiddos.

Valentines Winner....

2012-01-20T04:55:00.000-08:00

KRISTANCE!

from Dance Your Way Back to Zion

So excited for her. She is a really cool gal that makes QUILTS and has some pretty awesome tattoos.

I will get your cozy to you next week and some of my favorite candy!

Oh and I used random.org for this give away

Have a GREAT weekend.

I know I will.

I will be at Ice Camp with a bunch of crazy teenagers doing some night sledding and sleeping in cabins.

Wish me luck!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:7

oh photo booth

2012-01-18T16:28:00.000-08:00

Found these GREAT pictures on my husbands computer today and I thought I would share. What would we do without our Mac Book Pro??? Like really....

This one has to be my favorite because he is AT WORK! Yes....at work.

Busted Michael Elkins.

It's not too late to enter in for the Giveaway!

I will be leaving for ICE CAMP on Friday, but I promise to post the winner.

Promise.

So ENTER IN TO WIN!

Give Away!

2012-01-13T07:27:00.000-08:00

That's right.

I am doing a give away.

A Valentines give away.

Since I have been decorating for Valentines, I am just full of so much love! HA!

Here is what you will WIN

A super cute LOVE coffee cozy along with some of my favorite Valentines candy.

HOW TO ENTER:

1- Leave a comment and tell me your favorite part about Valentines. ( deep down everyone loves V-day..hello....candy!!!)

2- Follow my blog

3- follow me on Facebook Everyday Lovely's

Winner will be announced on Jan. 20

Spread the word!

Happy Days

2012-01-11T05:57:00.000-08:00

Oh the weather has been pretty wonderful here. Kinda feels like Spring. But that is going to end because we have lovely lake effect snow heading our way. Oh well...

Our days have been filled with a lot of coloring, day time baths for Emma and trying to snuggle with Allie Jo. She isn't much of a snuggler (is that a word?) And also trying to finish The Hunger Games. The past few weeks my dreams have consisted of me trying to live in the Hunger games. Lets just say I am no Katniss. (a character in the book....gotta read it.)

I love our little Happy Days as a family. Sometimes it gets crazy. But at the end of the day, I am blessed to have this little family of mine.

P.S. I will be doing a give away soon. Check back for more details.

Brrrrr

2012-01-05T18:50:00.000-08:00

How did I play for 5 hours in the snow as a child? Seriously. What was my mom thinking?
It's SO cold outside.
I think the excitement of playing in the snow takes over their little bodies and they forget about being cold.
I love watching kids run in their snowsuits and jump into the piles of snow. No worries. Just eating snow, giggling and "looking" for snowballs. Ya, Emma thinks you dig for them in the snow.

Tomorrow is Friday. I love Fridays. I try to get all my shop projects done before the weekend...so check out my shop this weekend. I also promised Emma that we would have a tea party with graham crackers and orange juice. Allie "might" be invited she said. We will see.....

my list....it's about to get personal folks

2012-01-02T06:14:00.000-08:00

I believe that if you don't share what you want to change, it will be hard to accomplish that change you want to make. You need support and encouragement.

My hardest goal on my list is the half marathon. Oh boy. I believe my body can do it(sometimes). Hard to imagine running 13 miles. I am giddy if I run 3.

Ya, I have some training to do for sure.

The most time consuming is my lovely little homemade business, my etsy shop.

I have a lot of vision and projects on my mind.

Hard to balance being a mom, wife and crafter.

Wish I was a night owl, this would solve a lot of problems. ha

The one I am looking forward to the most is date nights. We were REALLY good there for awhile about going on a date once a month(sometimes TWICE!), but we got busy.

So look out central Michigan. The hottest couple in down is about to tear it up.

Ummm more like going out to dinner and then walking around Target with out kids.

Pure joy.

New Year Already?

2011-12-30T06:05:00.000-08:00

Where has this year gone? So much has happened in 2011! I love going back through my posts and reading about our "life" as a family, and what happened. We had a wonderful year.

I am all all about resolutions. Do I keep them? Not all of them. But it's a great way to challenge yourself.

I am working on my list today.

Do you have any New Year Resolutions?

And this makes me laugh.

Christmas Happenings

2011-12-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

Allie LOVED this

Ha, Emma's hair. At least it's growing back right?

Her doll house.

Sorry it's sideways....

This is the note Emma wanted to leave for "Francer"

She wasn't kidding either.

She did not want poop on our roof.

I'm so glad Christmas isn't about forgetting batteries, hiding presents so well you can't find them, switching

gifts between siblings and buying wrong sizes because if it was...EPIC fail over here. Thank you,

God...the gift YOU gave was PERFECT!

Buttons...Buttons....get your Buttons

2011-12-15T14:27:00.000-08:00

My Button is fixed. Somehow it stopped working! So grab it and post it back to your page!

Oh Christmas

2011-12-13T05:44:00.000-08:00

Can you believe Christmas is almost here? This past year has FLOWN by. I LOVE Christmas decorations more then any other Holiday. It's so magical and exciting. especially with little ones around now. I was a little worried about having the Christmas tree up with Allie around, but she really hasn't messed with it that much. Ug...knock on wood. I still have two weeks to go!

This year I wanted to attempt a ginger bread house. Every year it has been an epic fail, and the tradition continues. You may be thinking well that ginger bread house isn't that bad! Well, it's not mine. Mr. Hipster created that once he saw how HORRIBLE mine was. Wish I took a picture because it looked like a 4 year old made it. Emma even said "Mom, it's not that great looking." Gotta love their honesty. So, thanks Mr. Hipster for making a ginger bread house, even though you cheated and used a hot glue gun.

mommy daughter time

2011-12-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

On Monday Emma and I went on a mommy daughter date. Much needed. It's weird to think back to when I only had Emma to tote around with me. It was ALWAYS us. I thought it was a good idea for the two of us to go do something fun. Well, we tried to go see reindeer, but they didn't have any this year to pet. Curse you Schoolcraft. So as Emma was crying in the car because she couldn't see Prancer I decided to take her to Walmart to get a ring pop. Eh, it wasn't better then petting a dirty, "flying" animal...but she calmed down. We ended our date at McDonalds, which was crazy busy and smelly. Bleh. Why do kids LOVE McDonald's? My favorite part was when an older child asked Emma to climb up the slide with her. (Emma knows she is not allowed to do this). She kept looking at me and then back at the girl, debating what to do for a good 30 sec. She then proceeded to tell this girl, "Sorry, my mommy says it's not good to climb up the blue slide." I almost cried. I didn't even say anything to her, but she remembered. I pray she remembers what I tell her as a teenager too. (Don't even want to think about that). I loved my time with Emma Jane that day.

Why do we hate Tim so much?

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

I read this article a few days ago.

All I can say is "keep it up Tim! You are doing the right thing!"

As I was reading this morning I can across a few verses that reminded me of Tebow and his character lately.

"Listen to me, you who know right from wrong and cherish my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people's scorns or their slanderous talk." Isaiah 51:7

"We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us." 2 Cor. 6:8

Again, I have said this before. But I LOVE seeing my God use people to change our world!

little babies

2011-11-29T19:10:00.000-08:00

Babies.

Love everything about them. Their smell, skin, bum, fuzzy hair, drool, laugh.

True blessing from God.

A lot of people have been asking me the famous question lately:

"Are you going to have more kids?"

Not going to lie, there are days where having two kids sounds PERFECTLY fine to me.

Other days, like today I cry when I watch Allie eat toast and standing up on this everywhere. She is growing up and almost out of the "baby phase". And that makes me sad.

And deep down I really would like a little boy.

A little man. Stud muffin, rough housing, football playing boy.

But another girl would be dandy as well...lot's of prom dresses, tampons and weddings though.

Yikes.

How do you know when you are DONE having kids?

Is it easier to have kids close in age or far apart?

Decision decision decisions

Black Friday

2011-11-25T12:00:00.000-08:00

Last year was my first Black Friday experience. LOVED IT.
I was a little irritated that stores were opening up at 10 pm. But now that I have recovered from the crazy night, I am glad we started out at 10 instead of 2 am. A lot easier to get moving.

This year we dragged Andreya along for the crazy ride. Drey is the cute gal to the right of the Walmart employee. Speaking of Walmart, they were amazing! Quick, no check out lines, and very helpful.

This year I snagged my fake Christmas tree at Target that I didn't get last year. I was pretty thrilled about it. Target always treats me well with amazing deals.

Favorite part of the night was..... laughing A LOT! We were crazy and super tired. I won't post our IHOP pictures. We looked HORRIBLE. We kept taking pictures of how horrible we looked and laughed till we cried. Gotta love it.

What did you snag this year?

P.S. Ever done Cyber Monday? I might attempt it. Worth it?

And she turns Three

2011-11-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

Three sounds so old to me now.
Saying : "I have a three year old" is weird.

We had a great birthday party this year.
I made Emma's cake this time around. It was a lot of fun. I was a little worried it wouldn't cook all the way through, but it did.
And Emma is set for life with Barbie stuff. Yes, she is in the barbie phase.

Oh and did you notice my short hair?
I love it.
I could possibly do something more extreme now since I took this plunge. We shall see.

It's raining here in Michigan today. Allie Jo is only taking cat naps today, which isn't helpful. But her teething phase is almost done. (for now) And Emma is well, being Emma. Lip gloss, guitar playing and dress up wearing. What a life right? And I will be finishing up some crochet projects through out the day, and probably putting my pajamas on early tonight.

I am ready for Thursday and Friday to get here.
Family. Food. Parade. Naps( crossing my fingers for one) Sweat Pants. And BLACK FRIDAY. (which I HATE that stores are opening up at 10pm...more on that later)

Hair

2011-11-17T08:16:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been wearing my hair up because I DO NOT have time to blow dry and flat iron my hair.
HATE IT.

So I have been looking up short hair styles. I am so indesicive it's rediculous!

I just made a hair appointment at 3pm today.
HUGE step for me.

Let's pray I walk out happy and not crying.

And I like all of these hair styles. UG. How do I pick???? Praying Emily, my lovely hair lady will do her magic. Does anyone else only have ONE lady they will let do their hair? I do. I have tried cheating on Emily, but I can't seem to do it. She's the best.

LOVE this. Had it before, but loved it.

Mandy Moore Do. Getting shorter!

VERY SHORT, but love it!!!!

This is my safe do. Had it before as well, but need to try to rock those bangs!

TERRIFIED to do this one, but I want to!!! Go big or go home right?

No...not with hair.

But I love this A LOT!

We shall see what happens today.

Pray for me!

Round and round we go

2011-11-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

I feel like these stairs ALWAYS have something on it. I take things up as I pass, but somehow things end up right back on the stairs. It's a never ending cycle of putting things away. I am just as guilty of putting "stuff" here too. It gets cluttered and sometimes dangerous! As I was looking at the stairs taking this picture it reminded me how my life sometimes looks like this. I put so much "stuff"in my pathway of life that doesn't belong there! And sometimes, it can be dangerous physically and spiritually. Lately my "stuff" has been : Trying to get my entire TO DO list done in one day. I know, sounds easy right? My list may only have 4 things to do. But with my two kiddos, sometimes that list doesn't get done. And at night when I am laying in bed I beat myself up because I didn't finish my list. I feel like a failure because the only thing I finished was folding laundry! If I keep this cycle going eventually I am going to burst because I am so frustrated. So I need to remind myself that if my list doesn't get done, no biggie. And to reflect on what I did with my girls today instead. What memories were made? Lessons learned?

One busy mommy

2011-11-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

Now that Allie is on the move, life as a mom is busy. Allie climbs over EVERYTHING! And Emma wants to paint EVERYTHING!

My mind is running ALL THE TIME. For example:
- Walking upstairs. grab toys on stairs. Oh, I need to switch the laundry. Grab dirty laundry upstairs, walk down. I see Oscars food bowl....Hmmm when did I last feed Oscar? Emma needs a snack now. Switch laundry and set timer so the clothes don't sit OVER NIGHT! Emma has paint all over her hands and face and is running to the bathroom to poop. Super. Allie wants out of the play yard. I lay on the floor with Allie and play for a bit...B.R.E.A.T.H.E

Right now I am resting while Emma watches a movie and Allie naps. Kinda nice to just sit. Forget about the dishes, the toilets that need to be cleaned and toys on the floor.

Life as a mommy can get busy and tiring sometimes.

Just remember to take mini breaks throughout the day! ( and get a McDonalds diet coke...they always help!)

This is my mommy life. I wouldn't change it.

Everyone needs a best friend

2011-11-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

A few months ago my best friend from college came to visit me.

Oh did we have fun.

We stayed in a hotel. Ate a lot of pizza and drank a lot of diet coke.

Laughed till we cried.

And guess what? It has been 2 years since we had seen each other. But it sure didn't seem like it.

Lindsay has always been there for me. I know I can call on her whenever.

Everyone needs a Lindsay.

Scissors vs. Emma

2011-11-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

It happened. I wasn't prepared for this day. AT ALL. Here's the story.

It was Halloween night. Mike and I decided to let Emma sleep over at Drams and Poppio's with her cousin Ezra. Usually when Emma sleeps over she sleeps in Drams bed with her. They both love it. This time we had her sleep in the Grandkids room with Ezra. They each have their own bed in there. Usually Emma will try to chat with Ezra til 10pm. This time they fell asleep quick. WOO HOO! Progress right? HA. In the middle of the night Emma Jane snuck down stairs and found scissors and did some damage on her locks. Auntie Mandi heard little Emma coming back up the stairs and into her room once again around 6 am. Mandi then went into the room to check on Emma. Mandi found Emma with the covers pulled over her head. Mandi pulled the blankets back and Emma was holding the scissors. Being so early, Mandi scooped Emma Jane up and took her to her bed where they both went back to sleep. Once they woke up, Mandi saw the damage that was done. She sent me a text with a picture of the damage. I cried. A LOT. I was so scared to see my little girls hair. Praise the heavens we can make a side pony tail still to cover up the damage.

We laugh about it now. She is a sight to see in the morning and after bath time.

Mothers, HIDE YOUR SCISSORS!

Trick or Treat!

2011-11-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

Halloween 2011.

Crazy.

Fun.

Perfect weather.

kids running wild

tired parents

fog machines.

old, magical homes.

giggles.

The end.

Girls Retreat

2011-10-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my friend Andreya and I took the Elevate youth group girls on a little retreat. We kicked it off at Miracle Camp doing some low ropes course action. (as you can see in the picture above) If you have never done a low ropes course, DO IT! SO much fun and you learn a lot about each other and how much you can accomplish as a team. Pretty sure we were laughing the entire time. Our instructors thought we were crazy. And yes, we were. They even updated their Facebook status about how insane we were. Glad we made their job VERY interesting and comical that day.

After the ropes we tackled the zip line. This is no little zip line. I tried to put on a "no worry" face, but I was scared out of my mind. But once I jumped off and got the screaming out of my system, I was having a blast.

We learned a lot about ourselves this weekend. In the end we all walked away from this with a bigger understanding that if we unite together as a youth group....we can do so much!!

It's almost time!

2011-10-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

Halloween is almost here. Still trying to keep Emma's costume somewhat together and not destroyed.

Decorating for Halloween is so much more fun with little ones. Halloween in general is a lot more fun with little ones. Another reason why being a parent is so awesome.

My mom used to decorate our house when I was little. I remember when I was in elementary school, walking in the door after school and our house being decorated for Halloween. Loved it. It made me extra excited for Halloween.

I am trying to make some family traditions for Halloween. Simple, yet fun. Maybe a cute gift bag on Halloween morning? Do you have any fun traditions for Halloween?

trick or treat!

2011-10-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

Early mornings, crawling and Mr. Hipster

2011-10-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

Since Allie can crawl I am back to waking up before the kids do. I love it, but hate it at the same time. I love taking a nice hot shower, starting my coffee and reading Scripture before the day starts. I hate getting out of a nice warm bed when it's still cold and dark out. BUT my days are so much better when I do this.

Mr. Hipster is the bomb. Just wanted to let you all know this. I am glad he chooses not to watch football all day Sunday. He runs errands with us on his day off. And watches movies in bed with Emma. He's pretty nifty. Nifty + Nerdy = the best dad and hubby. He would agree with this formula.

So far today has been a GREAT day!

The Hilliest 5k EVER

2011-10-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I ran a 5k at Western University.
I wish someone would of told me how HILLY this campus was.
Every hill I came to I wanted to just cuss. But I didn't, I kept on going! Not going to lie, I had to walk the last HUGE hill.
Even though it was a rough coarse, I managed to make it under the time I wanted. Since I have a weird ankle at the moment I wanted to finish in 40 min. I made it across at 34! So even with the rediculous hills, and hurt ankle, I felt good about my time.

Next month is the Jingle Bell Run! Bring it on.

Girl time...and Oscar too

2011-10-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

I heart this weather. How did I ever live in Florida??? Let's just say I was NOT a fan. I have to have seasons.

We have been going on a lot of walks lately since it's so amazing out. Going for a walk can really change your mood too. Warm sun, crunchy leaves and laughter is priceless. And watching a three year old run through leaves could entertain me all day.

Hoping we can take a nice walk tomorrow with the whole fam!

Good night!

S'mores on a stick

2011-10-06T05:34:00.000-07:00

Emma and I decided to start making some Halloween treats yesterday.

Since Emma is a HUGE fan of s'mores we decided to make these delicious treats.

Super easy too.

Ingredients:

Flat Marshmallows (yes they have these)
Graham Crackers
Bakers Chocolate
Popsicle sticks or large pretzels in half
Sprinkles (Emma's fav part

Directions:

Break graham crackers into their smallest squares
Melt 3 mallows at a time on their own cracker in the microwave for about 15 sec. Keep an eye on them, they might get HUGE!
place stick on mallow and place other cracker on top. Put on wax paper.
Place in refrigerator while you melt the chocolate.
Dip and sprinkle!!

Perfect for parties or treat bags!

Emma and I delivered some to the neighbors last night.

I am excited to make some more treats in the next few weeks!

Crafty Crafty

2011-09-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

Today the crafty juices are flowing my friends! I tend to craft best when it's unplanned. While I was at Target this morning I found some super cute craft paper, and you don't pass up cute craft paper for only $1. Score. When I came home that cute paper was staring at me every time I walked past it. So I did something about it. And I continued to craft even more!!! Emma's room has woodland animals, so this owl picture thing goes perfect in her room!

And Allie doesn't really have a theme in her room. It's just girly. I decided to go with "sunshine" because I like to sing You are my sunshine my only sunshine.... So this was just perfect as well!

Today we finally found Emma a Halloween costume. Lesson for moms with toddlers: Find out what your toddler wants and get the costume WITHOUT your toddler with you. I have a feeling that Emma will want wear her Snow White dress ALL THE TIME. Ug. Hoping it makes it to Halloween. Next year I will buy it and hide it. Lesson learned right?

The latest and greatest

2011-09-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

Our friends from college came to stay over night. We decided to go to the county fair! I love it there. I think when our kids gets older we will get a rabbit and name him Rupert. Little Rupert will go to the fair and win because he will be the cutest thing ever. And I don't want a pig, cow or a nasty turkey to take to the fair. The rabbits are cute.

I injured my ankle running. I was running and not looking down at the ground(who does when running?) and there were about 5 loose, good sized rocks and I rolled my ankle over one and totally ate it. REALLY bad. I sat on the ground in pain for a good 10 min. Once I got up I realized I was somewhat ok and started my walk home. I was mad and irritated. It swelled for a few days and was painful. Our friend ,Curtis who happens to be a doctor looked at it on Sunday and said it was probably a hair line fracture. UGGGG. I have a 5k on October 8th! I "might" be doing it still. My foot is feeling much better today though. It's killing me that I can't run, especially tonight because the weather is AMAZING!!!!

Mr. Hipster is cooking his famous breakfast for dinner tonight. I can smell the bacon cooking right now! I better round up the toddler and get ready for our breakfast feast!

G-pa Wilson

2011-09-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

My Grandpa passed away this week. It didn't really hit me until last night when I was laying in bed. I am really sad I am not able to go to the funeral to celebrate his wonderful life. So I thought I would dedicate this blog post to him!

Grandpa Wilson lived in Independence, Missouri in a REALLY cool house. I loved visiting him when I was little because there was so much to look at and do! I remember as a youngster playing in his office because it smelled like his pipe that he smoked. I LOVED THAT SMELL even as a little person.(maybe that explains a lot about me? hehe) He always told me silly, crazy stories and I believed every word he said. He knew I was gullible and enjoyed pulling my leg. Every time we went to visit them they took us to the casino to eat a big lunch. As the parents would go into the casino to do a few slot machines us cousins had to wait patiently. Finally I turned 21. And what did I do? Oh I drove up to Independence Missouri and went to the casino with my grandpa! I had NO clue what I was doing, but I was more thrilled to be carded and enter into the casino FINALLY! Ya, I didn't win anything and it only took 30 min to blow $20. Oh well. It was fun because I was with my grandpa making a memory.

I love you grandpa. Someday we will meet again.

Love,
your granddaughter

The Weekend Part 1

2011-09-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

Best Friend + Bon fire + chocolate = a great time.

The Weekend

2011-09-16T05:15:00.000-07:00

It's here!

Today I will be busy trying to organize all of Emma's toys. She has too many.

I will also be getting ready for a craft fair next week so I will be doing a lot of cutting, crocheting and hot glueing today.

Oh and my BEST FRIEND, Lindsay is here on business and we have been hanging out. Love it. Even though we haven't seen each other in about two years, we seem to pick up where we left off. So great. She is staying in a super nice hotel, so Sunday night I am sleeping over. So thrilled. Lots of diet coke and laughing will happen.

This was us in college. Ya we both look totally different now. Lindsay has ran a half marathon and is training for a crazy women dash thing where you run through mud and fire. Ya, it's insane, but she will do awesome. I will post all about our night so you will get some new pictures of us! This picture is one of my favorite ones of us. I just love this girl!

Have a great weekend!!!

Drooling and Crawling

2011-09-12T06:21:00.000-07:00

Allie is 6 months old today. *Tears*
She is a drooling machine. Constant drool comes out of this child. And she likes to get up on all fours like she is doing pilates or something. I think she is trying to plank. (Definition of planking here) I guess it's a new craze for the young peeps out there. It's pretty funny looking if you ask me. Mr. Hipster introduced it to some kids at church and lets just say they took it to the next level. Here are a few pics.

School Library.....yeah it happened.

Very creative....

I think Ryan on the left is struggling.

Maybe I should try planking?

Have a great Monday! I am going to drink lots of coffee and wait for Mr. Hipster to return home from golfing, then who knows what our family will do today. Love that he has Mondays off.

P.S. My header will probably change again, I can't seem to make something I love lately. UG. Bare with me.

Friday Nights

2011-09-10T05:42:00.001-07:00

Our Friday nights sure changed once we had kids. But I love it. Instead of going out with friends, to a movie, art walks, walks in the park we go grocery shopping, watch movies and Mike does awesome tricks like this with Emma. I love how she flies when she jumps, but it does make me nervous at times. So far we have only had one bloody nose while playing. Lets keep it at that.

So glad Mr. Hipster likes playing with Emma, because she wears me out!

Have a great weekend!

Well, we did it

2011-09-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

I am now helping Mr. Hipster take pictures/edit. Mike has been super busy with Senior pictures, engagement pictures and now a wedding in October that I had to step in and help with editing and possibly go to some photo shoots as well. It's pretty exciting! And if you live in or around Three Rivers make sure you stop by our blog HERE to possibly win a free photo shoot!

And this picture is just for fun because she is just cute.

Lately.....

2011-09-07T06:02:00.000-07:00

Life has been busy.

I have a craft fair on the 21st that I will be selling my lovely's at. More on that later.

Allie has two teeth now and has been waking up 2 times a night because one tooth is just not being our friend. Curse you tooth.

Trying to figure out what the girls will be for Halloween. I would LOVE to find/make a Strawberry Shortcake costume for Emma.

Mr. Hipster and I have decided to take the photography biz to the next level. Pretty excited. Working on small details today and tomorrow.

Folding Laundry is of the devil. Thankfully Mr. Hipster likes to fold and watch T.V. More power to him right?

Today I hope to slow down some and relax with the girls. Going to the park to take some pictures and have a picnic. Perfect weather for it.

Hope you all have a great Wednesday.

Fall is almost here!

2011-09-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

Happy September 1st!

Fall is SO close. I can feel it in the air! Even though today is a scorcher for us Michiganders, it has been really nice the past week. In the 70's! And this weekend I am hoping for some good weather so we can enjoy our picnics and BBQ's with friends and family!

I finally got our family summer pictures done BEFORE September. Thanks to my mother in law who took them for us! Already excited to get some fall pictures done in a few months. Oh how I love fall.

Guess what starts this Saturday? College football. Do I like college football? Sure. Why not? I like to watch Michigan play, but that's about it. Oh, and eating some good food while watching it always help!

Start over button?

2011-08-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

I wish I could press a button and start my day over. Do you ever wake up feeling like today will be one of "those" days? Or is it just me? Well, today and ALL day long it was one of "those" days.

I think with Emma getting closer to becoming THREE, she is really testing me in EVERY way possible. Today we tackled patience, watching what I say when I am mad, humility, forgiveness and again patience.
This morning I read this in my devo :
Rest in the fact that God is loving, forgiving, and righteous and know He is bigger than your mistakes.

and I needed to read that. ALL DAY LONG. Because I messed up today. Nothing HORRIBLE, but still, as a parent I messed up and made mistakes.

Again, I wish there was a start over button. But I learned a few lessons today that will help me for tomorrow.

Time to watch some shows with Mr. Hipster and relax!
Good night people.

It's that time again!

2011-08-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

Yep, time to bust out the yarn and hooks! Oh how I love getting in my pajamas after the kids go to bed and watch/listen to shows with Mr. Hipster as I crochet my little heart out. Perfect way to end the day.
For some reason I can't crochet in the Spring/Summer. It's just not my thing. It's a fall thing. And the evenings have been chilly here in Michigan, so its a sign to start crocheting! What do you like to do in the fall?

The Big Serve

2011-08-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

One of the many reasons why I love our church is that we help others around us. Every year we do THE BIG SERVE. We find people who need help that live near by. Sometimes we think everyone has it good and that only third world countries live in poor conditions. Well, we found some people who need our help so we took action! This year we helped an old man out with his house. This poor guy isn't all together and is somewhat crazy (but who isn't right?) And to top it all off he is a hoarder. If you have seen the show on TLC, you know what I am talking about. Today we worked on his yard. OUT OF CONTROL. We stood in the front "yard" for about 30 min. trying to figure out where to start. We had to take the riding lawn mower to make a path for us to walk, yes it was that bad. While cutting down bushes, huge weeds we found a hot tub, tools, wood, dog houses and just junk everywhere! Tomorrow some guys will be working on the plumbing inside his home. His sink and toilet do not work. So sad. But we have plumbers in our church willing to offer their service to this man. How awesome is that? Love it! There were a few other sights as well who were helping single moms repair their homes. Even though this is something most of us don't like doing (mowing, getting dirty, pulling large weeds, etc.) it's all about showing God's love through it all!

linking up with Mini Van Diva! HERE

My girls

2011-08-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

This picture makes me laugh. My gum is totally showing. Allie is pulling my hair. And I am surprised Emma is even in it because she refuses to get pictures with Allie. Yeah, family photos are going to be REALLY interesting next month!

Today has been an awesome day. Creative juices are flowing along with the cleaning juices! Tackled a little bit of both this morning/afternoon and we even played outside for awhile! Because of my awesome accomplishments so far, I am going to go take a nap since both of the girls are napping as well!

The visit

2011-08-11T19:10:00.000-07:00

They came.

They left.

I hate living far away from family.

Maybe, just maybe they will move to Michigan.

Fingers are crossed.

My Shop

2011-08-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to add my fall items and I need to get rid of these items! Check it out! And if you live in Three Rivers be looking for the Fall items at Ambrosia Vae Baby Boutique.

Good Morning

2011-08-06T05:50:00.000-07:00

Mornings are my favorite. Everyone seems happy when they wake up. Emma's excited for "pretty" cereal. That means fruity cheerios. And Allie is chatty Mcbutter pants. Love it.

I read some scripture and make my list for the day while Emma enjoys her cereal and Allie chills on her mat, chatting away like always. I love where I am at in life. Seeing my young children grow and learn new things. Their child-like faith shining everyday. I wouldn't trade this life for anything.

My cute family DROVE from Utah. They are nuts, but I guess they REALLY love me. Or maybe it's for the grandkids now? Most likely. Time to have some family fun for the next couple of days! Much needed.

Oh the joys....

2011-08-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

Emma's closet with a reading/playing area

Living room is almost done....

Boxes are everywhere.

Pictures frames are waiting to be hung.

Our room is out of control because our box spring will not fit up the stairs and around the corner hall.

No bueno.

We are trying to decide what to do.

So we are sleeping on the mattress on the floor and the box spring is down stairs in our entry way leaning against the wall. Again, no bueno.

During our move we found a kitten. Praise the heavens we found it a home at a farm. Emma was getting a little too attached . And I am not going to lie, I was too. We named it Tangled. Why are kittens so cute, but cats not so much?

Well, back to cleaning and organizing because my family is DRIVING from Utah to come visit.

So thrilled about seeing them!

loving life

2011-07-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life gets rough.

Some of us may live far away from family, and that stinks. I can relate.

Maybe someone you love has cancer.

Maybe you know of a couple whose marriage is about to die.

So many difficult situations are around us.

Even though there are hard times, we need to LOVE the life we have in front of us.

Love our kids with all we have.

Take a walk with your "love nugget" (spouse)

Think about all the GOOD things in your life.

And choose to be happy.

Because it is our choice.

I am so glad I have Emma in my life.

She reminds me to sit back, slow down and enjoy simple things, like swinging.

(Even though swinging makes me motion sick now, I attempted it)

Dedication

2011-07-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

Today at church was child dedication. Basically dedicating your child to God to whatever He wants for their life. And praying for the parents for the years to come as parents. Teaching them to love God and love others. Last year we dedicated Emma, this year it was Allie's turn. As I was on stage this morning along with a few other families I kept thinking how lucky I am to be a mom to two girls. How blessed I am that God allowed me to be apart of this journey. Nothing "magical" happens when you take your kids on stage, show a few cute pictures of them on the large screen and pray for them. All that happened today was our church prayed for our kids, and God heard those prayers. And that is pretty awesome.
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up

Deut. 6:5-7

Were we praying? i don't think so. Mike was just blinking and Travis kept looking at the clock on the floor.

Pray for your kids everyday!

Change!

2011-07-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

This was Emma last July. SO LITTLE!

And this is Emma now.

BIG GIRL.

I really can't believe how fast kids grow.

I really love the age Emma is right now. Her imagination is in full swing.

I am hoping to catch some video of her talking to all her toys so you can get an idea of what I am talking about.

She cracks me up.

Time to get Cozy

2011-07-19T05:41:00.000-07:00

All my cozies are on sale in my SHOP . Check it out. I am hoping to create some new cozies for this upcoming fall. Something different and new. But that will all have to take place once we move. We are in the middle of moving. HATE IT. My house is a hot mess. I walk into a room and just circle a few times because it's just well like I said, a hot mess. 13 days left. I CAN DO THIS.

4 months!

2011-07-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

Really? 4 months already????

Where has time gone? I thought Emma was growing up fast....Allie Jo is growing WAY TOO FAST!

Allie is pretty darn cute I must say. I love kissing her and singing Justin Bieber song to her. The Baby, baby baby Oh one...ha. She cracks up at it. I sound like a weirdo in the store singing it to her, but I don't care. I have done weirder. Trust me.

We love you little AJ! You are gift from God and I pray that you grow to know Him and love Him!

P.S. Stop growing.

Saturday Run

2011-07-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

I ran at the gym this morning. Not a fan of the treadmill lately, but I actually ran well today! I went 3.1 miles in 37 min. Not too bad, would like to do better though. Don't you love my headband? I am a huge fan of Bondibands now. Check them out here. I only have two of them, but they are my fav!

I am starting to feel "normal" again. I know, that sounds weird. I am talking about my body though. Little Allie Jo did a number on my butt and hips this time around and I feel like they are getting back to "normal."

Well folks, have a great weekend! go for a walk, run or bike ride!

Lately...

2011-07-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

( love Chads face in the background)

Busy.

We have been busy.

Packing with a baby and a toddler is INSANE. I got two boxes packed today (high five!)

Allie went swimming for her first time and LOVED IT. She practically fell asleep in the pool.

And Emma is becoming less afraid of swimming. She is starting to come out of her fear, which she didn't have last year AT ALL. Not sure what brought it on. Thankfully she starts swim lessons next week, maybe that will help some!

Allie is sitting in a bumbo pretty well as of yesterday. Pretty darn cute!

And Emma went bowling for her first time this week too. She rocked it. She keeps asking me when we will be going back.

And Mr. Hipster has hair again. Praise the heavens. Remember when he was bald? No bueno. Yaay for hair!

I have been running more outside and REALLY liking it. I never enjoyed running outside in the past. I never realized how relaxing it is! Once the kids go to bed I love grabbing my ipod and listening to some great tunes while I run. So my goal is to run outside at least 3 time a week!

Well, that's about it for now!

Happy 4th

2011-07-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great 4th.
We did.
Schoolcraft parade with lots of tractors and candy.
Perfect weather.
and fireworks. Emma stayed up late too. She loved chasing the lightning bugs in the back yard with her friends Collin and Ethan.
Perfect 4th of July.
just perfect!

One of those days

2011-07-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

I am sick. Not the REALLY sick kind, but enough yucky, blah feeing to make you want to lay in bed all day. Emma was sick a few days ago, so I am guessing that is where it came from. It's just been one of those days in our house where I want to curl up in my bed and drink diet coke. And on top of me not feeling 100%, Emma Jane has been a hot mess thanks to the top molars in the VERY back coming in. Teething is of the devil I have decided. OF THE DEVIL. Hoping little Allie isn't as bad. That would be wonderful! Well, both kids are sleeping for the time being so I am going to lay down and rest some. Even though there are makers, stuffed animals, drink cups and naked barbies all over my living room floor....I can do that later when Mr. Hipster gets home.

Moving

2011-07-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

Finally we are moving to a bigger place. After much prayer, looking, more prayer, crying ( i cry a lot lately) and searching for a house we have finally figured out what to do. A renting we shall go. Yes, still renting. Would rather buy, but the timing is just not right for us at the moment. Here is a little sneak peak into our new home that we will be moving to sometime this month! Don't you just love the look of older homes? I sure do! And it has A LOT of windows! WOO HOO!

Have a fantastic 4th of July! We are headed to the Schoolcraft Parade tomorrow and Mr. Hipster returns home from his mission trip to the Bahamas! I have missed him. Lots.

Never Say Never

2011-06-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

I will be honest, I was NOT a fan of Justin Bieber until tonight. I just finished watching his movie.

Amazing.

Inspiring.

Crazy.

Goosebumps.

I cried a few times. Don't judge. Maybe because I had a HUGE, crazy, insane obsession with Justin Timberlake as a girl (um he is still my boyfriend) and I know how these girls feel about Bieber. Maybe it's because I have two little girls who will probably go through the same thing I did. How silly it is, but how REAL it was for me as a little girl to sing to Nsync. If my daughters asked me to take them to a concert someday similar to Justin Bieber, I will be there. Dancing, singing, laughing, and probably crying. Who knew a teenage heart throb could make families come together! LOVE IT.

Thought I would never say this but.....

I have Beiber Fever.

Work? Space? Kids?

2011-06-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

Work? Well making my lovely little items for my SHOP. (which I have been slacking on) and taking my items to local boutiques in the area. More on that later. But I have been busy. Check out my shop HERE.

Space. I have none. I need a craft area. It's in the making, but right now its basically the kitchen table and living room. Not ideal with a toddler in the house. But we looked at a house that had a craft area ROOM in the basement. I was in heaven. Yes, there were a few tears of excitement. I don't want to get too excited. We shall see what happens.

Kids. I love them with all my heart. The other day Emma came up to me and said, " I want a brother, a boy." I laughed a little and said, "maybe someday"( I also say that about getting a cat, not happening EVER). I have noticed more people asking if we are done with having kids. I honestly don't know how you know if you are. I feel complete at the moment until I was introduced this this little guy. I wish the adoption process didn't take 6 months. Adoption has really been on my mind lately, and we are just praying for wisdom and guidance. So many kids need a good family that will love them.

Worry wort?

2011-06-26T05:51:00.000-07:00

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

(Luke 12:25)

Raise your hand if you are a worry wort? ( HAND UP!)

I think as I am getting older I worry even more.

Kids future.

My parenting skills....wish there were instructions with each child!

Economy.

Money.

family.

The list could go on and on with things I worry about.

I love reading this verse when I start to worry.

Life is too short to worry about the little things AND the big things.

It will all work out.

It always has.

Linking up with Minivan Diva HERE

Slacker

2011-06-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

I finally took some pictures of my finished wall. It's been done for a month now. A slacker I am! Don't judge. Every time I walk in I smile at my wall. Ignore the paint on the large frame. It got on the glass. Gr. Oh well....still love it!

I started my new project today. New craft area. It's a mess at the moment. I need to get back to creating ASAP!!!! I am on a hunt for the perfect desk....

Be still

2011-06-21T10:04:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about summer is being outside. Soaking in the hot sun, walking the trails through the woods, going to the lake and simply enjoying what God created! It's all around us. I remember in high school, almost every Sunday evening my dog Minnie and I would jump into Little Red Turbo (my car) and drive around the Wasatch Mountains. Windows down, Minnie sniffing out the passenger window while I look across the Utah valley. A beautiful view. I miss it. A lot. It was a great time to think and simply relax. So while you are out and about this summer, remember to stop and thank the Creator for making everything around you!

3:00pm

2011-06-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

I loathe 3:00pm. I have never enjoyed this time of day. Why? I am just grumpy and tired by this time, always have been. When I was working at an insurance company while in college, I remember how I felt when 3::00 pm came around. tired, hungry and well grumpy. Now as a mom, my kiddos are usually napping at this time, but for some reason I still hate 3:00pm. Anyone else have a time they hate?

Before 3:00 pm rolled around Emma and I did some art. Taped a large piece of paper down and we went to town drawing all sorts of things/people.

It's now 3:15 pm. I think I might take a cat nap.

Right Answer

2011-06-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.

Prov. 21:4 (MSG)

This verse has been running in my head all week. I heard it last Sunday at church and it stuck to me like glue!

I am a HUGE planner. Love being prepared. I am sometimes crazy when it comes down to it. I don't mind planning little things, like a girls night out or something along those lines. But when it comes down to"grown up" planning, I tend to ~~WORRY~~ freak out a lot.

A lot has been on my mind lately and I have been trying to plan ahead.

Lay it all out there on the table if you will.

But then I read this :

We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer.

Prov. 16:1

THE RIGHT ANSWER! My God already knows the right answer for me. I just need to wait now.

Ug, and I am not a fan of waiting. But if it's RIGHT, it will work out.

Have a great weekend. Try not to worry about things, instead laugh with the ones you love!

Vacation #2

2011-06-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

We are back! We headed up to Detroit after church on Sunday to do some boating with Uncle Duane the great ( Emma's great uncle, Mr. Hipsters uncle) and Aunt Donna the great. Emma LOVED going fast in the boat and being able to drive. She said she was a pirate, ha. Kids. And pretty sure I was the whitest person at the lake. I need a tan. ASAP.

Today we went to the zoo. I will leave you with the pictures to look at. It was a GREAT day to be at the zoo!

The latest....

2011-06-04T06:08:00.000-07:00

This little girl is just too cute. Look at those cheeks! I thought it was going to be hard to love another little girl, but no.... it sure is possible!

Today I think we will spend most the day outside relaxing by the kiddie pool while Emma swims, Allie lays in the shade and maybe I will soak up some sun. I am one of those pale moms and I for sure could use some sun on my legs!

Mr. Hipster had a birthday this week. He is now 28! Lame old me didn't take any pictures though. UG.

Tomorrow we are heading out for another "VACATION". We are heading to Detroit after church to spend the afternoon with some family and go boating. Then on Monday we are going to the Detroit Zoo! I love going to the zoo, it's so magical! Especially with little kiddos.

Have a fabulous weekend friends!

crochet headbands

2011-06-01T18:17:00.000-07:00

All my crochet headbands are in my shop right now. I am no longer going to carry them so I need to get rid of them. They are perfect for babies and toddlers. These are the only colors that I have left so right now if you buy one you will get free shipping. Just enter in CROCHET at checkout!

Have a lovely day!

Insane?

2011-05-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

I am sitting on my couch drinking my protein shake while I recoup from my first REAL day of the Insanity workout. Yes, it really is insane. I think I am too for doing it!

Yesterday was the fit test and it wasn't as bad as today.

Today kicked my butt. I am going to be honest, I had to stop the DVD 5 min before it ended because I thought my toast was going to come back up. No bueno. I have heard that people actually do throw up from this workout. It reminds me of the Biggest Loser (even though I don't watch it anymore because there is so much DRAMA!) People are always throwing up on that show! I didn't want to throw up this morning, who does? So I pushed the stop button. You are probably wondering why in the world am I doing this? Well no one really tells you how hard it is to lose weight after the second baby. The weight kinda just wants to stick around this time. So I am doing whatever it takes to jump start my body's metabolism into high gear! So Insanity here I come. 1 day down, 59 to go!

Family Vacation 2011

2011-05-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

This summer we have decided to stay close to home...no more then 3 hours away for our family vacations. 3 hours is about as long as I can handle driving with a toddler and a baby! We are hoping to do 2-3 small trips this summer but our first one was to Kalahari indoor/outdoor water park in Ohio. It is America's largest indoor water park. We all had a great time! Emma loves being with her cousin Ezra and swimming, so it was perfect!

Our next family trip is to the Detroit Zoo next Monday. We have made it a family tradition to go to the Detroit zoo every summer. Last year was our first time, and we all loved it! I love having kids and taking them to the zoo because there is something magical about it!

Hope you all have a great weekend!
I am excited for sprinklers, bbq with friends and good weather!

Everyday Lovely's comes to Everyday Elkins

2011-05-18T07:27:00.000-07:00

I have decided to combine my two blogs. It's just been too much doing two different blogs. So you can find my lovely things on this blog now or go to my etsy shop HERE. I have a lot of new ideas in this head of mine but life has been nuts the past 2 months. I feel like I have things somewhat under control now so I am hoping to get back to some creating! So to kick it off everything in my shop is 20% off! Just type in lovely as the coupon code at checkout!

Life with two

2011-05-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

Having two young kids in the house is hard work. A toddler to chase, a baby to nurse and a house to keep clean (kinda). It's hard work! I remember when Emma was born and I could nap when she napped. Oh it was heaven. We could cuddle all day long if we wanted to. Well, not so much with Allie because again I have to watch Miss Emma Jane. So when Emma naps it's mine and Allie's cat nap time. I love it. Today Mr. Hipster caught us cat napping and guess what was on the bed? The camera, so he had to take a few shots...which woke me up. GR. Oh well, my arm was falling asleep anyways. I love being a mom of two. Yes, it's a challenge at times but their cuteness helps out a lot! Look how cute Allie Jo is????

TWO MONTHS OLD!

Cookies Please!

2011-05-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

These cookies are just amazing. Emma and I are making them as I type...well they are baking and Emma is talking about monsters and how they need to take baths. Oh toddlers, they crack me up.

I have been day dreaming about shopping lately. WITH OUT kids. **sigh** Hoping sometime soon, but this week is pretty busy for both Mr. Hipster and I. I want to find some awesome sundresses. Vintage that is. I have never had great luck finding some cute things at thrift stores. It's my goal to find something awesome in the next week or so. Any tips? Suggestions? I NEED IT!

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter?

2011-05-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

It's true. And it's amazing. It makes me excited to wake up and eat breakfast! I know...sad right? But it has changed my life! Ok, I am being a little dramatic, but it's really good.

I have been working on my living room wall decorations this morning. It's coming along well I think. I totally forgot to take a before picture. Shoot. Oh well.

Have a great weekend!!!

A little bit of MY DAY

2011-05-09T05:40:00.000-07:00

So I forgot to get a cute picture of my girls and I on Mother's Day. Oh well. But it was a fantastic day! Went to church, out to lunch with my family and Mr. Hispters parents. Then we went to Lowes where I got to pick out flowers to plant out front! I LOVE planting flowers! After Lowes I took a fantastic little nap, planted flowers and then went for a run that night. Mr. Hipster also got me a Mothers necklace with the girls names on it. BUT it didn't make it on time for Mothers Day, so I will post a picture when I get it. Pretty excited about it though!

Allie watching mommy plant flowers

Yes, Mr. Hispter SHAVED his head. Hoping this is a phase.

Best Friends

I LOVE being a mom. Yes, it can get crazy. There are days where I question myself as a mom. Days where I want to cry in the corner. BUT all the good days outweigh the bad days. I love my girls and I am so blessed to have them in my life!

Allie Cat

2011-05-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

"Allie Cat" is my little girls nick name. It's just so cute, but it also fits her quite well since she only takes cat naps during the day. And she is Miss Chubster, but I don't think that would be a great nick name as she gets older ha.

She is 7 weeks old! CRAZY! Don't you just want to squeeze her???

I am excited for this weekend, MOTHERS DAY!!!!

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Some fun with Emma

2011-05-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

If you come over to our house, you will most likely find Emma in a swimsuit. I think she is ready for summer. As am I! But you won't catch me in my swimsuit when you come over. Not a pretty sight at the moment!

I try to do a craft of some sort with Emma everyday. Today we made tulips, it was a mess. You start running out of ideas after awhile and I had a lot of tissue paper left over, so we used some of that.

And then we went to find bugs. She loves bugs. Her favorite thing is to roll the rocks away and pick them up. She calls worms "No feet" If you have ever watched the show Little Bear on TV, the snakes name is No Feet. So anything that looks like a snake is called No Feet.

So far it's been a good day and it's almost nap time! WOOT WOOT!

Time for something new

2011-04-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

Our living room is kinda blah to me. I want to make it fresh, new, homey and colorful! So this is my first project. Nothing special but I thought it turned out cute! I have some ideas of what I want to do, and most of the things I will be making myself! Lots of thrift shopping and garage selling! WOO HOO!

Happy Times

2011-04-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

Check out that bike picture on my blog title! What a beauty....oh it's my new bike! WOO HOO! I was so happy to get it. I also got a trailer thing to pull Emma in. Now the rain needs to go away so we can cruise around Schoolcraft. (my town)

My cute girls on Easter morning. I just want to squeeze them all the time!

Emma at our little towns Easter egg hunt. She was running after those eggs like someone was going to take them from her. Pretty funny to watch!

Another great Easter!!!

Happy Friday

2011-04-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

Emma had a blast making our Easter Eggs. Today she is having more fun cracking and peeling them open. Too bad she hates eating eggs.

Tomorrow we have an Easter Egg hunt that our cute little town puts on. Oh how I love small towns. I am excited to see how Emma does with it. We will have to do some training tonight before bed, ha.

I have to remind myself that Easter isn't about the cute eggs, creepy bunny or lots of chocolate. It's about my Saviour. YOUR Saviour and what He did for us all.

Have a great Friday!

Recap

2011-04-19T06:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a great day. Cookies. Made straw necklaces. Sister time.

But I am SO ready for Mr. Hipster to get better. Poor guy has been in the bed for awhile recovering from getting his tonsils out. UG. By the end of the day I am exhausted. Again, so ready for him to be better.

Today we will be running around town. (Not literally...getting things for Easter)

Have a great Tuesday!

Creepy? I think so

2011-04-16T11:24:00.000-07:00

Emma with the Easter bunny LAST YEAR. She didn't mind him one bit.....now skip a year and you get this....

TERRIFIED!!!!!!!!!

And is it just me or does anyone else think the Easter Bunny is a bit creepy?

The worst part is we found out AFTER who the Easter Bunny was and we were a little creeped out.

I think next year we will skip seeing this non talking, creepy eyed bunny.

We will just go see a real, small bunny and call it good.

Happy Friday

2011-04-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

I love Popsicles and Fridays!

Yesterday my mom left.

I cried.

Oh and Mr. Hipster got his tonsils out on Tuesday so he is drugged up half the time. It was a hard day yesterday but today has been a lot better.

I need to take some pics of Mr. Hipster while he is sleeping because he is so cute when drugged up. ha

(and not drugged)

And so it begins

2011-04-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

This is me at my first 5k....it was HOT. We lived in Florida at the time. I was crazy to run a 5k in mid July, but I did it. It was AWESOME and I loved it!

Today I went to the gym for my first time since I had Allie.

Oh boy.

I have a lot to work on.

I am hoping to run a 10k this summer.

Why do I decide to run these things in the summer? Ug. But I need something to push me and lose this baby weight. And they are super fun!

So here it is. My starting weight is......

156

GOAL weight: 136

I CAN DO THIS!!!!

Lately.....

2011-04-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

I have been eating a lot of peanuts and M&M's. Don't judge. It gets me through the day.

I have been trying to wrap my mind around how I am going to manage when my mom leaves. She has been here for over 3 weeks and leaves on Thursday. I will probably be eating a lot of peanuts and M&M's that day.

I have been TIRED. Mr. Hipster has been sleeping on the couch because his snoring wakes Allie up, and myself. No bueno. BUT he is getting his tonsils out on Tuesday so that will help out with the snorinig. I am still getting used to night feedings. I don't mind the 1am feeding, its the 4:30am that REALLY gets me. "This too shall pass" right????

I have been day dreaming of running and going back to the gym. Oh how I miss my gym time. It really is amazing! And I need to lose 20 pounds! Hm....probably should stop eating peanuts and M&M's.

Finding time

2011-04-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

It sure has been hard to find time to do things that I like doing. Even if it's something simple like painting my nails! Life has just been busy around here. I did find some time to rig up a spring wreath though. I found the wreath at the dollar store along with some fake flowers. My inner Martha told me to use things I already had at home as well. So I cut up some fabric I had and used some ribbon to weave through the wreath. I thought it turned out well for only costing me $3. WOOT WOOT. And it looks fabulous when you pull up to the house. Pretty sure I complement on it every time we pull into our driveway. ha.

Tonight I am hoping I can find some time to order a new book for my kindle, take a bath and paint my nails that have been chipping daily. Annoying.

Being a parent....

2011-03-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

Being a parent is a full time job and more.

It's showing unconditional love.

Being an example of Christ everyday, even when we mess up.

Teaching them about the world around us. Now that is a scary thought sometimes.

I never thought being a parents would challenge me in so many areas in one day.

That day was yesterday.

Holy Gina. That would describe my day without cussing. It was a cussing kind of day. (even though i don't recall cussing, it just made me want to) Ever had one of those days?

I won't go into details because today is a new day. I don't want to rehash the events from yesterday.

But I learned a lot about myself yesterday and

about parenting and how hard it can be. All I know is that without God as my guide I would lose my mind. He keeps me calm through the storms of parenting.

What keeps you calm and collected as a parent?

What things do you enjoy that help you keep going?

Mike and I are working on lists for each other of things that help us to keep going. Here are a few I have come up with:

* Working out at the gym

* Power naps

* Listening to good music before I go to bed.

Spring please

2011-03-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting around to decorating for Spring. Hoping to make it to the craft store today to get some things to make a Spring wreath. I for sure don't have as much time as I used to. BUT I am hoping things will slow down soon? HA. Probably not. Oh well.

I am ready for some Spring weather. Ready to get outside, go on walks, blow some bubbles.

Emma has warmed up to her sister Allie. She has started sharing her toys as you can see from the picture above. I am sure this won't last long.

No make up and tub time

2011-03-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy giving Emma a bath. Especially at this age. She is hillarious. She is always pretending to be something in the tub. From a mermaid to a hippo. I was able to snap a few shot with photobooth while I watched her play. Oh and today I went makeupless (is that a word????) and I really enjoyed it. I even went to the library and the store without makeup on. This won't be happening everyday because I do enjoy wearing makeup. But my good friend Andreya is going all week without makeup and I thought I would give it a try for at least a day. Again, I really enjoyed it. You should try it!!!!

How it all went down

2011-03-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

I knew deep down Allie Jo was coming early. I don't think my uterus can hold babies past 38 weeks. And that is fine with me!

It all started on Monday. I had weird cramps and back pain. I just chalked it up as normal pregnancy issues. Then came A LOT of bowl movements (sorry TMI, but if you know me I don't just have A LOT of BM's!) so of course I got online and researched. It was a sign of labor. Hm....who knew. Again, in my head I just thought this was just part of being pregnant.

I went to the Dr. for my 37 week checkup and I was moving a long but nothing to worry about. So off to the gym I went as usual to do my walking. Wednesday rolled around and I was having some weird intense cramps and back pain again. So I went to the Dr. again. She wasn't helpful. She said I was getting sick. Ya, not a fan of her. I knew something was going on with my body. I just felt it.

Friday came and I went walking that morning at the gym and then to the movies with my friends that night. Since I don't have much time to sit and count contractions with a toddler to take care of I thought it would be a great time to count them. And about half way through the movie they were 6-10 min apart and starting to hurt more and more. I got up and went to the bathroom and I swear it took me forever to get to the bathroom. I just couldn't really walk normal. After the movie my friend Andreya asked if I was ok because I was moaning during the movie! Ha, I didn't even know. Embarrassing. After that we went to dinner and headed home.

I came home, took a bath and timed contractions. They were slowing down, but the weird sharp cramps weren't going anywhere. Mike wanted to go to the hospital but I wasn't ready for that. I could handle this pain, it wasn't HORRIBLE. I went to bed and woke up around 1am with chills and the weird cramps again. I wasn't a happy camper. I was VERY tired. Mike decided to call the Dr. Dr. said second one comes much quicker and if you think you need to go to the hospital, then go. I decided to try and sleep it out at least until 5am. I showered and finally fell asleep at 4:30am. Mike came in and woke me up saying, "Lets go!" I told him I was fine and was sleeping. I got up to go to the bathroom and BAM!!! cramps again. I knew something was going on and decided to head to the hospital.

We waited with our cute little nurse while they monitored contractions. Nothing really crazy going on. I told her that from 4-8 am these cramps seem to die down for some reason. They were doing that all week. And what do you know, around 8am they were coming in full swing. Nothing REALLY painful, but the timing was on track. My feet and ankles were REALLY swollen. I should of taken a picture. They were gross looking. Dr. was worried I was in beginning stages of preeclampsia even though my blood work came back normal. My blood pressure was pretty darn high too. Same thing happened when I was pregnant with Emma, minus the fat feet thing. So they admitted me. Mike said my face was priceless. I was in shock.

Judy was our nurse. LOVED HER! I walked around our room for a bit, laid on the bed and tried to get comfy. I hate hospital beds. Bleh. I was put on magnesium sulfate for my blood pressure and swelling. Oh boy that was not fun. For the first 30 min I was sick. I wanted to pass out, and almost did! But again my amazing nurse knew just what to do to make me comfortable. After that the Dr. broke my water and I was 4cm. at this point. Things were rolling right along. When I got to 6cm I was in PAIN! BACK LABOR again!!! Oh what joy. I tried everything. Nothing would work. I then started throwing up from the pain. Awesome. Shaking from the pain. Awesome. So it was time for the epidural! Mr. Epidural is what I called the Dr. He was a busy man that day so I had to wait a bit. Thankfully Mr. Hipster was amazing and talked me through the contractions while I held onto the bed and threw up in buckets. Very attracting. Mr. Epidural finally arrived. Praise the heavens.

Even with the epidural, the pressure from Allie coming down the birth canal was painful! It was like having contractions at 6cm all over again, but this time I was 10cm and good to go! I couldn't imagine what the pain would of been like without the epidural! HIGH FIVE to all the moms out there who do it natural.

I only had to push for 30 min and out came little Allie Jo Elkins!

Recovery this time around was not fun. I felt like I had ridden on a horse and broke all my hip bones into tiny pieces. Oh and no one tells you that your uterus hurts worse after you have more kids. The shrinking of the uterus was and is still somewhat painful. I couldn't sleep the first night because it hurt. No bueno. But again, praise the heavens for great night nurses who helped me out!

BUT we are home and doing fantastic! My feet are back to normal. Praise the heavens and Allie Jo is precious! I love having two little girls to take care of.

She's here!

2011-03-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

She arrived!

Allie Jo Elkins

Born March 12, 2011

7:09 pm

7lbs 6 oz

21 inch long

I just love her.

Last night was a long one. Little Allie has her night and days off.

Hoping for a better day.

Mr. Hipster is seriously the best dad out there. He has been spending a lot of time with Emma since she is a little confused on the whole baby thing.

Hoping Emma comes around to the fact that Allie is staying for awhile.

I will post later about the birth.

Time for mommy to take a cat nap with my little Allie cat.

Let the waiting game begin

2011-03-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

Let the waiting game begin.

This week has been CRAZY with my pregnancy.

I don't even know where to start, so I won't even go into details.

I just hate not knowing what your body is doing.

And this time has been SO much different then the first.

I am trying to listen to what my body is telling me, but it's getting difficult!

Back to the doctors I go today.

Wish me luck!

37 weeks

2011-03-05T22:45:00.000-08:00

THIRTY SEVEN WEEKS!!!

Can I get a woot woot???

It's 1:33 am and I can't sleep. Why? Back pain like NO OTHER.

It all started yesterday in the late morning. I think I over did it at a Mom to Mom Sale where I found a BRAND NEW Ikea toddler bed and mattress for $40! I was thrilled. SO thrilled. But anyways.....back to back pain. I was chasing Emma, bending down to put things BACK that Emma took from tables all while trying to dodge dress up clothes since that is all she wants to wear lately, etc. ( and I somehow managed to carry a mattress through the parking lot with the help of Emma Jane) Mr. Hipster thinks other wise. He thinks Allie Jo is on her way, and soon.

UG.

The guessing game begins.

I had terrible back labor with Emma. But I don't really remember much of it so I am not sure what to expect at the moment and this pregnancy has been 100% different then the first.

All I know is that the heating pad is my best friend.

At the moment I REALLY want Allie to stay put. At least until March 17. That is when Grammy Wilson arrives. (If you are reading this Grammy, cross your fingers and say your prayers....or maybe switch for an earlier flight out to Michigan.)

Well....back to my heating pad and stuffing my face with apples. Yum.

Spring Fling

2011-03-04T08:10:00.000-08:00

Check out my craft blog HERE for the Spring Fling sale going on. I am SO excited for Spring!

How I start my morning

2011-03-02T05:48:00.000-08:00

I have been told that the mom sets the mood for the home. And it's so true. The days I wake up late, rush to shower(which I hate doing), have dishes to do from yesterday and crayons all over the floor I feel flustered. Anyone else feel like this? My mood changes. And it affects my family. So I have discovered a few things that help set the mood for my home in the morning. Maybe they will work for you, I know they have for me!

Do the dishes the night before! I hate waking up and seeing dirty dishes in the sink! I at least load the dish washer before bed
Wake up before your kid(s). Take your shower and do your hair. I love having good hair days, and it takes time!
Read a few verses or listen to some good music. Pray for your family. Again, before your kids are up!
Eat breakfast with your family. I love eating cereal with Emma and sometimes Mike is with us if he hasn't gone to work yet. There is sometime so cute about a toddler with messy hair eating cereal. I just want to squeeze her!

What do you do in the morning????