yes... I am still alive!

well, hello everyone!

yes, i am still alive!

i have received some kind, concerned emails

asking of my whereabouts lately

and wondering why i haven't updated my blog

in sooooooooo long

well, honestly...

 i don't have a good excuse at all my friends

truth be told... i had a lot on my plate

and one of the first things that i removed from my plate was my blog

i know... bad blogger

but hey! here is a quick run down

of what's been happening in my little corner of the world

these past few months

i turned 35!

yes, i am officially over the hill (or was i already? and just didn't know it?)

and i feel good about it

my first born, my zoe

turned 8 years old!

yes, 8....

she is still the sweetest little girl i know

with the biggest sweet tooth!

she has been wanting an American Girl forever

so that's what we did for her birthday

and pretty much

we have just been enjoying summer and all it has to offer

we have been camping

berry picking

taken multiple trips to the waterslides

have gone on numerous ice cream dates

 watched some fireworks

and had a picnic lunch

we pretty much have checked off every single item on the girls' summer list

 

we hope to wrap up this wonderful summer with our annual trip to the fair

happy week friends and thank you so much for the concerned emails, tweets

and messages

ps. i may not have time to update my blog regularly.. but you can find me here

on instagram  

it's a lot easier to update more regularly because it's instant and mobile!

DIY: Mini Crochet Heart

here is a quick and easy project

i posted this pattern a few years ago 

but since valentine's day is just around the corner

i thought it would be nice to post it again

these little hearts are quick and easy to whip up

 and can be used for anything your little heart desires! 

(yes, pun was intended)

 

see how quick and easy that was?

for the girls' class valentines this year

i made each of their friends a heart

hot glued the heart to a brooch backing

and instantly made mini heart pins!

DIY: Simple Cake Bunting

Farewell 2012!

Well, hello 2013!

I blinked and 2012 happened...does anyone else feel that way?

That feeling pretty much sums up why every year

our little family takes annual family photos 

because poof before you know it another year

has come and gone

so, it's nice to have a professional photographer

capture a few family moments in time

 

so folks, this is what our 2012 family photos look like

(click here for 2011, 2010, 2009)

last year, for the first time in many years i made a few resolutions

did i break them?  let's just say i tried my darnedest not to

oh, and not only did i run one half marathon, i ran two!

husband and i took our first "just-the-two-of-us vacay"

both the girls are in school full time 

and are at the age where all our hard work at parenting

 is evident and paying off

(i may be biased but they are the sweetest, funniest, smartest girls i know!)

my baby sister got married

and my middle sister eloped and took us with them!

so yes, 2012 was a very good year

and 2013 is going to be an even better year

no resolutions for me this year

but let's just say i only want to surround myself with the positive in life

positive people, positive feelings, positive relationships

i don't have room or time in my life for negativity

so 2013, bring it on!

DIY: Winter Wonderland Snow Globes

For day 16 of our annual christmas countdown

the girls and i made 

waterless winter wonderland snow globes

i was first spotted these lovelies at anthropologie

they looked simple enough to recreate at home with my girls

and they most certainly were!

take a peek below

see how simple that was?

we opted to do waterless snow globes

but you can also add distilled water

for water filled globes

just make sure the trees (or whatever you decide to use) will last in the water

and glitter will probably work better than the snow

the girls have been thoroughly enjoying

our christmas countdown this year

 you can follow along on instagram to see what

we have been doing daily!