Funky~Fresh~Cool

Girl Gone Red

2012-01-14T00:44:00.000-04:00

You heard me right...I've gone red.

Red highlights! I went today to get my annual haircut and decided that I would get them done since I had been wanting them forever! When the hairdresser asked me what color I wanted I told her red...unnatural, bright red! She asked me if i was sure I wanted THAT color for my first time coloring my hair. I said...YEAH, go big or go home!

I never thought I could actually do this though. I've always worried what my boss would think, what would my coworkers say, how would this effect my job and so on.

Well now that I'm my own boss I don't have those concerns anymore. It's taken me almost a year to really absorb that feeling of freedom.

So I can now scratch this off my bucket list!

Easy Pasta Salad

2012-01-08T14:54:00.000-04:00

Growing up my Daddy used to always make pasta salad...I just wasn't into it.

NOW, as an adult I love it. And this is how I make it.

Ingredients:

1 bag of boiled tri colored noodles

5 or 6 boiled eggs

1 can of sliced black olives

6 to 10 green onions cut all the way down to the whites (use green & white part)

diced summer sausage

desired amount of mayo

Once you have cooked the noodles and eggs, peel the eggs and dice them up, slightly mash the yellows, combine it all in a big bowl with your black olives, onions, diced summer sausage and the desired amount of mayo to make it as moist as you would like and you are done. I like to eat it fresh and slightly warm but it is good strait out the fridge! YUM!

Project Interior

2012-01-08T01:11:00.000-04:00

So I saw a friend post that they were getting rid of some things on facebook last week and I saw a picture of a divine vintage yellow velvet chair. I knew it had to be mine. I immediately though of a black and white chevron pillow on it and I was in love. So as we promptly bought it and picked it up and I ordered the fabric so by the weekend my chair/pillow project where done;)

NOW, I just need to get this amazing rug from Urban Outfitters.

And perhaps do some cool hanging lamps like this...no?

Ohhh, and the paint color...I die.

The wonder of a snow globe

2012-01-08T01:00:00.000-04:00

This is something I've wanted to make for years!

Finally this year with a little inspiration from Anthro we did it! It was super easy and Z had a blast.

We just got some glittered Christmas decorations from the store, some glass jars, green picks from the floral dept, white felt and glitter. We glued down the white felt on the inside of the lids and then placed all the decorations and green pieces where we wanted them and hot glued it all in place. We put the glitter inside the jar then screwed the top on the jar and we were done. No water involved so no leaks. Easy.

Boys in Ties!!

2012-01-08T00:53:00.000-04:00

How doesn't like a handsome boy in a bow tie? Well I found a great tutorial on Pinterest for making these sweet little bow ties and quickly got to work!

I made these super cute matching bow ties for the boys to wear for Christmas!

Thrilled. Totally priceless.

It's all a blur...

2011-12-28T01:26:00.001-04:00

The Holidays...that is. I pretty much have no words. Just pictures.

It was an amazing Christmas and an amazing year.

Elf Magic

2011-12-23T00:36:00.000-04:00

Like many families these days we have a Christmas Elf. His name is Fred...

He gets into a lot of mischief, sometimes he decorates the Christmas tree

He steals our shoes...

He gives little reminders when we have a "troubled" day...

He takes hot chocolate baths

He reminds us again about how important good behavior is

Sometimes he has to make a phone call

And he usually rather be fishin'

But at the end of the day he's a pretty classy guy.

Dear Santa...

2011-12-22T00:28:00.001-04:00

With all that was going on this year I was afraid with Christmas fast approching that we wouldn't get any Santa pics for the kids.

Obviously with this being Liam's first Christmas we couldn't let this happen. Then Zane came home with this (above) adorable picture that was taken at school during a special "pajama party" they had for the kindergarden classes. It was perfect. I was happy with that but still needed something for Liam.

So with just a few days before Christmas and Z out of school me and my parents packed up the kids to go to a follow up doctor's appointment from my surgery and decided it would be the perfect time to sneek in some Santa pics!

We took these at the Bass Pro Shop

Very happy with them

AND...if you were with the first group there when Santa arrived (which we happened to be), you got to ride the merry go round WITH Santa! How lucky is that?! Score.

Happy Birthday to ME

2011-12-05T01:41:00.000-04:00

I was a lucky girl this year for my birthday...

Not one cake...but TWO

My girl Jamey got me this delish chocolate one and had a lovely snack spread prepared as we watched the LSU tigers play some football against her home team of Georgia. It was fabulous.

AND my hubs got me this big 'ol wonderful cookie cake (picked up & delivered by our sweet friend Alissa)

As for the gift, well the hubs outdid himself again this year...

I've had my eye on the beautiful Mignon Faget ring ever since I saw it and now it's mine, mine, MINE!

Speaking of cheese and crackers, also part of my birthday weekend...the parents kept the kiddos while the hubs and I caught a movie (Breaking Dawn!!) and ran by whole foods...this was the outcome...

A glorious cheese selection that stocks our fridge! SO pleased!

A season of thanks

2011-12-01T01:19:00.000-04:00

This year I have so many things to be thankful for.

Here are my top three.

Love my little Z sporting his turkey hat we made Thanksgiving morning. I was so looking forward to him coming home from school with the traditional feather hat or the black pilgram hat but they didn't make them. It made me sad...so we whipped this one up at the last minute and at first I didn't think he wanted to wear it but as we were hopping in the car to head to thanksgiving dinner he yelled...WAIT, MY HAT! So I'm a proud momma!

Speaking of school, this was our first Thanksgiving lunch with our little man. Such a big boy!

And this was my attempt at a preholiday meal...a baked chicken with veggies and an acorn squash. So yummy!

Hope your family had a great holiday!

We are Family...

2011-11-21T01:10:00.000-04:00

Our very first offical family photo shoot as a family of FOUR!

And Allison Kirkland of AK Photography did an amazing job of capturing us as a family.

So pleased with how the pics came out.

So sweet with such tender little moments she captured.

I put together this little montage of Z kissing my hand...

Allison had told him to give his momma a kiss. Since last year when he read the book "The Kissing Hand" at preschool he has been kissing me on my hand so he naturally went for my hand! It was totally sweet.

Even the outtakes were adorable!

I can't wait for our next session!

Trick or Treat

2011-11-15T00:58:00.001-04:00

Trick or treat is over and done and it's taken me a while to update but I've finally got pics ready to post!!

We went trick or treating with Zane's good buddy Bobby and we got to hang out with our friends Jamey and Preston at the Skye's house in Brusly.

We had a great time trick or treating and then enjoyed som hot gumbo when we were done!

Zane was a Lightning McQueen racecar driver and Liam sported his owl costume again;)

His buddy Bobby was the super cool iron man which is always a big hit with Z!

It was a delightful night of fun, food and friends!

Fall Traditions

2011-10-30T13:13:00.000-04:00

After a pretty trying week at school, Zane had a great day on Friday so as a reward I planned some great fall activities for him.

We started out by roasting pumpkin seeds. Since we weren't planning on carving our pumpkins I bought a package of pumpkin seeds from the store to roast and picked up some old bay to give some seasoning without any added heat (Z is very sensitive to spice).

We had a great time learning about these traditions;) And it's not everyday you get to roast pumpkin seeds and sip hot apple cider with Spiderman! LOL

We just layed the seeds out flat on the baking pan and sprinkled with olive oil and seasoning (or you could just use salt) and toasted in the toaster oven till golden. They were yummy!

While we were working on our pumpkin seeds we were sippin' on hot apple cider that we picked up from the store as well. It was great timing because we got a sudden cold snap this weekend!

Then we moved on to pumpkin painting...

Z painted both sides of his, a vampire on one side and a spider on the other.

I painted a spider web on Liam's pumpkin....A design I saw on Pintrest and was excited to get to work on!

Love our fall projects and looking forward to more!

A punkin' pickin' we will go...

2011-10-27T12:32:00.001-04:00

Picking the perfect pumpkin is a process...

its an event really

it involves lots of stops and photo ops

and Zane took advantage of all of it

This was our second time at Ms. Heather's Pumpkin Patch in Hammond and it's amazing...and HUGE!

Zane's class went for a field trip but we kinda went off on our own and did a family thing instead.

This was Liam's first trip to the pumpkin patch and there was lots for him to see!

Paw Paw Freddie came along to lend a hand since daddy had to work. Zane loved having Paw Paw there.

Finally we found the perfect pumpkin.

Liam just chilled most of the time in his stroller but seemed to really enjoy being outside in the beautiful weather.

Just as last year, Z loved the zipline, although he looked a little more frightened this year than he did last year but still loved it.

He even got his face painted;)

And got to pet some of the animals in the petting zoo too!

It was a full and eventful day. We left tired and a little stressed to say the least!

But we had pumpkins!

Impromptu boys photo shoot

2011-10-24T11:57:00.002-04:00

While at a birthday party for our friend Annie's sweet little princess Bella, I looked over and saw our boys hanging out on a big glorious white hammock and hand to snap some quick pics.

I love how pure and classic they look.

Perfect backdrop.

Always keep an eye out for the perfect shot.

Bird Watching Anyone?

2011-10-23T23:55:00.001-04:00

Well it all started with an episode of Project Runway. (doesn't everything start that way?)

Zane saw us watching the Project Runway episode where they were making designs based on birds. He instantly looked at me and told me he wanted to dress up like a bird. So I asked him what kind of bird and he began to tell me more...a black bird he says. So my wheels began to turn.

I then figured if he was a bird then that would be perfect because i could make Liam a bird too...but what kind? A sweet little fluffy baby bird or an owl? Well the owl was just too cute not to do.

And momma and daddy...well we had to dress as bird watchers;)

So here is how I did it...

For the Raven costume I just started with a black hoodie, a craft mask, some felt, some black fringe trim and a couple bags of black feathers.

I started by sewing the feathers to the trim

Then I sewed the trim down the arms of the hoodie.

Then I covered the front of the mask with black felt (over the eye holes and all) and secured it with hot glue. Next I took a scrap of cardstock and make an extended beak and covered it with felt (front and back) and hot glued it to the inside of the nose section of the mask.

Once the felt was all clued and the beak was attached I started hot gluing the feathers in rows to completely cover the mask.

Finally I cut the eyes out of the felt circles and layered them on top the eye area. I stitched the yellow circle to make them look sewn but they are actually all glued together.

Then I hand stitched the mask to the top of the hoodie so it would sit on top of his head. My son has an issue with putting a mask on his face so this was a perfect option for him. Plus we wanna see those sweet kiddos faces in pics, right?

With the Raven costume done I moved on to the owl for Liam.

I started with strips of scrap fabric I had left over from the projects I did in his nursery, a plain white onesie, a white hat, some felt and a couple feathers.

I cut fabric "feathers" out of the fabric strips

then stitched them together in random patterns in groups of 5 or so.

I actually then hot glued the feather strips to the onesie to save time and effort but you could sew them on if you want a more permanent solution.

Then i worked on the eyes by doing the felt in the same manner that I did the raven's eyes.

But I tucked some spotted feathers under the round part of the eyes for the owl before I glued them down to make them more owl-like. Then I added the beak in felt and hand stitched in to the little hat.

Since he is a spitter, I made him a matching burp cloth with the scraps and a cute little owl iron on I found at Hob Lob;)

I just love how my little birds turned out;)

Our Flock hits BOO at the Zoo!

2011-10-23T12:14:00.001-04:00

So we took our flock to the zoo to show off the new costumes...

It took a while before our little raven "warmed up" to things but he soon had a great time.

We went with his friends Bobby and Ella so he had some kiddos to pal around with;)

Soon he was even setting up photo op and asking me to take his pic! LOL

And our little owl was such a doll, he was so good and hung out like a champ!

We were one of the last groups to make it out of the zoo and by that time Zane had take off his raven hoodie so now he just looks like he is dressed likr one of the little boys frome the "Just Dance 2" video game! LOL!

And how cute are these BFFs? Adorable.

Finally after trying all afternoon, I was able to get a group pic of rhe kids while we were waiting for the guys to pull the cars around to load up.

It was such a beautiful day and I got to hang out with my sweet friend Jamey while the kiddos played and collected candy so I call that a major success!

Carney Days...

2011-10-16T23:14:00.001-04:00

Another Acadian Festival has come and gone.

This is a tradition that has been a part of my childhood and I'm happy to pass it on to my kids.

It's not exactly as I remember it...nothing ever really is as you get older but hopefully we can create some wonderful fair memories with our boys.

This year Zane was in charge of his own tickets and he had to decide how to use them. Oh the choices!

It was so funny to see him insist on riding his favorite ride from last year and then to see his face when it got going and see him realize it was such a baby ride...the look on his face was priceless...like "the thrill is gone" look! LOL
So we upgraded.

I was nervous and asked him to be brave as he picked the helicopters as his next choice.

He picked his helicopter and waited for the ride to start.

Giving me grins and photo ops the whole time!

All the while as Daddy looked on proudly;)

Then they took off...

HIGH in the air....I just knew he would freak, but no. He thought it was awesome and although he didn't want to ride it again he said it was his favorite part of the fair!

Then there was the dragon roller coaster that he thought was a baby ride...but he thought he would give it a go anyway since he had ticket to burn up.

Well when it took off it had sudden jurkey movements that he was not a fan of and he all but yelled for the guy to stop the ride! He was thrilled to get off of this one!

So this was Liam's first carny experience...he did great. He just took it all in. The sights, the sounds, the smells...none of it phased him. And for as many people that snuck a peek in his stroller, we could have charged admission! LOL

Gone Campin'

2011-10-08T23:01:00.001-04:00

Z's happiest place on earth...JELLYSTONE!

Fall wouldn't be complete without a trick or treat / Halloween trip to Jellystone to see Yogi!

And this year Z had his very own Yogi costume to show off!

As of Liam, he was supposed to be dressed as Boo Boo but he was sleeping when it was time to get dressed to trick or treat and who wakes a baby for something like getting dressed?! So we let him sleep and he just went trick or treating in his outfit he had on and was still super cute cause he had on his Halloween cat hat;)

Z did ok but he faded fast...

All that walking wore him out quick!

But he did get special treatment throughout the park dressed as Yogi!

Diaper Duty

2011-10-03T13:49:00.000-04:00

So many folks have asked me about out experience with the cloth diapers that I thought I would give you a little update now that we are a few weeks in.

We totally love them! They are so easy.

This is how we store them...in an over the door shoe organizer so they are easy to grab and seeing the colors makes me happy;)

So far we haven't had any rashes and since we figured out that we could double up the inserts we haven't had a problem with leaks either. We use disposables overnight and sometimes when we are out running the roads for ease of changing in public but really they are super easy to change. We also opted to get these great disposable liners that make changing poopie diapers a breeze. They come on a roll and resemble a thin dryer sheet and are flushable so when you change the diaper you just pick up the liner and flush it. Couldn't be easier!

This is what the basic set up looks like...

As for laundry, since the diapers we bought come with the plush absorbent inserts, you only change the inserts unless baby wets though. So you only have to change the diaper itself one a day which cuts down on laundry, water, detergent, energy, etc! It's a great solution all around. I highly recommend modern day cloth diapering...this ain't your momma's cloth diapers!

Bless this bird...

2011-09-24T22:40:00.029-04:00

Getting our baby bird blessed

Just popping in to share some pic from Liam's Christening.

We had a wonderful ceremony in the church with a few other families from our parish.

We were blessed to have Liam's God Mother, Charlotte and God Father Sammy there for the ceremony and big brother Zane even got to participate as well;)

Liam did great...he didn't even cry!

We added the silver pin his nanny gave him to the gown and pins that were handed down and worn by many others in our family including his momma, uncle Henri and his big brother Zane.

After we had a small gathering at the house for family to come and wish him well on his big day. Such sweet memories for our family;)

Just feelin' lovely;)

2011-09-22T19:26:00.001-04:00

Party Time

2011-09-17T19:27:00.034-04:00

Another party has come and gone.

This year's theme, Yogi Bear.

And Z couldn't be happier!

Well he would have liked actually having his party at Jellystone with Yogi Bear while camping but time limitations and distance being too far for our guests would have been an issue.

But the weather was beautiful and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

And his most prized gift of the day...his Yogi Bear Christmas book! He nearly flipped when he saw Yogi in the same book with Santa...his two favorite characters!

Oh and there were games too..

A good time was had indeed.

...And treats for later too

I wonder what he will demand for next year;)

Cowboy Hats & Solid Foods

2011-09-16T19:17:00.001-04:00

Not that they have anything to do with each other but look at that face! I had to include the cowboy pic;)

So the bird has started on solids...this was our first attempt at sweet peas.

I can't tell if it was a success...

Day One of Cloth

2011-09-07T22:37:00.000-04:00

We have officially gone cloth.

Today was day one of cloth diapering. Went pretty well.

I really feel good about this decision and think we can stick to it for the most part. We plan on doing disposables for night time to help with leaks because he does sleep for longer stretches occassionally so I don't want to throw him off or have to clean up messes in the middle of the night. And I'm thinking traveling may be easier with disposables too but for the bulk of the time at home and just millin' around we are gonna be in cloth...

And he seems pretty happy with that.

And these colors just make ME happy;)

Domestic Goodness

2011-09-04T21:31:00.001-04:00

It makes me SO happy to have little pockets of time through the day to be able to whip up a little yummy treat here and there.

Now don't get me wrong...90% of the time I don't have time to brush my hair much less whip up a boiled egg but sometimes...I get a wonderful little pocket of time that is not allocated to jewelry or laundry or dishes or feeding or changing or burping something. During those occurrences, I make yummies like this!

Above are just regular canned biscuits tucked into a mini muffin tin and then ham and cheese are nestled inside a few. Then others just have a sprinkling of cheese and seasoning mix. Once baked up they make great little bread bites for breakfast or to eat along side your lite lunch.

Speaking of lunch, I had a great loaf of "everything" bread that was going stale and was about to have to be thrown out if we didn't finish it off so I had an idea to make a little Tapas lunch spread for the hubs and I.

I sliced up the bread and toasted it up with some olive oil and it tasted AMAZING! Then sliced up some cheeses and meats and sliced up son roasted red peppers and presto...a wonderful tapas lunch! YUM!

Now for some serious yum...I can't take the credit for this one because I saw it on a blog somewhere...but don't remember where.

It's a blueberry yogurt pop. I made it by putting whole blue berries in my mold first then pureed blueberries mixed with a little vanilla yogurt and then layer in the vanilla yogurt and freeze. Oh my holy yumminess!

You totally need to try these treats!!

My big 5 year old

2011-09-01T22:26:00.000-04:00

Big Z is 5 today!!

Funfetti cupcakes and Bunny Tracks ice cream for everyone!!

It's gonna be a long 13 years

2011-08-31T22:24:00.001-04:00

Yes...this is going to be a long 13 years.

This is what my kid has to do in Kindergarten...writing lines already! Ugghhh.

Three Months...

2011-08-28T21:25:00.001-04:00

Our little gypsy baby is THREE months!!

So we dolled him up and snapped away!!

These are my favs yet!

This kid loves the camera!

Z's Big Day!

2011-08-16T22:40:00.006-04:00

Big School! That's what he calls it!

Zane's first day of Kindergarten!!

We posed for some quick pics before heading to the school.

We got to meet the teacher and the rest of the class and see what to expect. And yes, there were tears...his...not mine. He really was fine till he realized we were still there but when he spotted me he lost it. Poor little guy! He was totally fine after that!

So momma and big brother waited for him to come running off the school bus...

And here he comes...

He was a chatter box telling us about his day!

It's almost time!

2011-08-02T21:16:00.000-04:00

Yep, almost time!!

Gearing up for Z to start school!! We attended an open house tonight at his new school. Things are about to get interesting!

Randomness

2011-07-29T21:10:00.000-04:00

Just some randoms of everyday life with my boys...

Z wanted to "help" and give Liam his bottle. He said "ok I'm done" as soon as I took the picture. LOL

This picture of Liam was taken at 3 a.m. after his feeding. WAY to alert for 3 in the morning!

Sitting up in his Bumbo seat for the first time like a big boy!

Snapped this pic one morning when Liam was in his boppy next to me on the sofa looking out the window as I worked on my jewelry for the upcoming collection. It suddenly hit me that this is my life. *sigh*

This one just makes me laugh...Zane couldn't stop laughing and Liam just looked so unsure about the whole situation! LOL

Love our randomness!

Not such a happy little angel

2011-07-29T21:09:00.000-04:00

Why is it that this is alway MY kid at these types of functions?

Here he is at the closing ceremony of the second (and last) vacation bible camp of the summer. He was one unhappy little angel...and everyone knew it! LOL

Two Months...

2011-07-26T21:19:00.000-04:00

Yep, the bird is two months...

This calls for a photoshoot...

Time is flying by! And big brother really enjoyed hopping in and joing us for this month's pics too!

For the Love of Art

2011-07-23T21:01:00.010-04:00

So our friend Preston is an artist...and a pretty darn good one.

Well from the very first time I went to their house I've admired them. They had them mounted on a bench on the patio outside and I commented on how much I loved them but left it at that. So one day when I was there I saw it again and this time I asked if i could purchase it and to my delight the answer was yes!! He even added this amazing salvaged window frame to make it more of a beautiful art installation. We went strait home and hung it right away. We also purchased a wonderful fleur de lis piece but haven't found the right place to hang it just yet. But my owls, oh how I love them...i see them every day...one for each of us;)

Just a Little "Staycation"

2011-07-21T19:52:00.001-04:00

We were getting a little stir crazy around the house so we thought we would take a little "staycation".

Zane had been asking go on a boat so what better that the USS Kidd? David and I had never been to tour it and it is a local tourist attraction so we decided we would head to Baton Rouge and see the sights.

We bought souvenirs

We posed for pictures.

We saw the sights.

We took it learned some history.

We took it all in.

Although it was a gloomy day, we braved the rain and made it out to the boat itself.

It made for a great day out...well minus a typical Zane melt down thrown in the mix.

All in all it was a great outing. When we were done we headed downtown to grab some pizza and call it a day.

Progress

2011-07-17T20:57:00.002-04:00

Progress...under my feet.

The hubs has finished the carpet install in the bedroom and I couldn't be happier!!

Vacation Bible Camp & New Buds

2011-07-13T20:47:00.000-04:00

Brand new buddies and vacation bible camp make for a super fun summer...

...until it's over. This is what it looks like when camp is over. lol!

So this is Z's new BFF. Meet Bobby. Zane gets to hang out with Bobby quite a bit since I'm lucky enough to be friends with is mommy;) It's aways so fun when you come across a family that fits so well with yours. The kids play together, the girls can chat about crafties, cooking and kids and the guys talk about cars, motors, art and food. It's always good times.

My Yankie Doodle Sweetheart

2011-07-05T06:47:00.001-04:00

As you can imagine, with an infant we didn't plan on much in the smothering Louisiana July heat for the forth. We just hung out at home with the family and cooked indoors.

Throw in some fresh watermelon and you can call it a day.

CARS!

2011-07-03T19:14:00.001-04:00

All dressed up and to the movies we go!

Yep, Lightning McQueen dropped off a little gift for Zane...his very own pit crew suit and requested that he come see his new movie! He tends to get the VIP treatment like that;) So it was off the the movies we went!

It was priceless to see him walk up to the ticket window and see the lady's face when he stepped up to the window. She just grined and said "I know what movie you are here to see!". Zane smiled and said "Cars 2 please." It was so sweet and totally cute. He was in his glory!

Can I get a redo?

2011-06-17T22:08:00.002-04:00

...a bedroom redo?

As you know we have been doing lots of home improvements lately and it seems we have neglected our bedroom over the years. I don't really know why we haven't given the bedroom the attention it deserves...I mean it's supposed to be soothing and calming and it's far from that. Right now it totally stresses me out. So we are investing in some changes to make it more soothing and more of a retreat and a place we wanna be in. I'm totally excited about the changes!! Everything from carpet to paint furniture and bedding and even wall decor. It's gonna totally rock! Ekkkk!

Two weeks already?

2011-06-10T17:52:00.000-04:00

So our little bird is 2 weeks old already.

And doing great! Growing by leaps and bounds! At his doctor's appointment this week he gained 14 oz in just a week. So proud and in love with this little guy.

...One Week

2011-06-02T11:17:00.001-04:00

One week old.

Last week here we were...headed to the hospital.

Now this little guy is here and already a week old! Where does the time go?

Life is so precious. He makes it even more so.

Checkin' Up

2011-06-02T09:49:00.000-04:00

Little bird made it to his first doctor's appointment and is lookin' good.

Just like his big brother, he didn't like being all undressed and checked out but otherwise he did great!

Doctor Ferrell was thrilled to check out our new addition.

And we got some sweet moments too...like this shot

And this face is just priceless;)

Since we are breastfeeding this go round we will be going back for another check up next week to check his weight and make sure he is still on track.

Right now we are just taking each moment as it comes and relearning this baby thing! LOL!

A Baby Bird Story...

2011-06-01T10:14:00.002-04:00

He's here! The baby bird made it safe and sound. Thursday, May 26 at 11:29 a.m., Liam Cole Sanders joined our family and captured our hearts forever.

It's been a long journey filled with lots of ups and downs that led us to a crazy delivery right up to the very last second...literally!

So let me take you through it. During my first pregnancy we learned that I have a blood condition that effects my platelet count. This condition gets worse with pregnancy but this go round we were monitoring it properly so we were aware of my counts and taking measures to pull them up. Since we were trying to maintain a certain platelet count for the actual delivery and knowing some of the complications we ran into delivering Zane, combined with the thought that Liam would be a slightly bigger baby, we were advised that a Cesarean delivery was best. With the decision to do the c section, we were able to set a date and set up a series of tests, blood work and treatments to get my platelet count where it needed to be. We set the date for May 26 and the plan was to do blood work in the weeks leading up to it and give treatments to boost my levels as needed. The results came back for the tests two weeks prior to delivery and the levels were low. I was put on oral steroid treatments for a week and rechecked a week later. It appeared to work, my platelets came up and we were on track. Continuing the steroid treatments for another week, we tested again a week before delivery and were shocked that they had dropped dramatically. So they had to step it up and do some more intense treatment. On the 24th, I was admitted to Woman's Hospital to undergo a six hour IV infusion treatment. It was a long day and we were told they may just keep me in the hospital till the baby was born. By the end of the day they decided to let me go home and just come back to my hematologist office the next day to recheck blood work to see if it worked. Wednesday morning we went back and rechecked and were again surprised that it didn't work. It was still below the "magic" number they wanted in order to do an epidural. The anesthesiologist we spoke to when I was getting the infusion told me the count couldn't be any lower than 80,000...my count was 69,000. My hematologist was still hopeful though and felt they count would continue to go higher by the next day and that some of the platelet clusters would show up as individual counts. They instructed me to come in at 8 a.m. Thursday morning (the day of delivery) and check blood work. If the count wasn't up they would give me a platelet transfusion and that would ensure my numbers would come up right before delivery. Thursday morning we made it to the hospital nice and early and ready to get this baby into our world. The anesthesiologist that was there this time had a different "magic" number...he wanted it 100,000. That made me very nervous but I was assured that the count was probably up or near where it needed to be and they platelet transfusion was available to help ensure we get to where we need to be. They did the blood work and got me admitted. It seemed to take forever to get the results. Finally they were in. It wasn't good. The nurse gave me the news. 58,000. My heart dropped. That was not even close enough for the transfusion to help. I couldn't hold it together anymore and for the first time, I lost it. I just laid there and cried as the thoughts raced through my head. We prayed so hard for a good experience and it was all falling apart. David held my hand and told me it was all going to work out fine and they are gonna make sure I'm taken care of. The anesthesiologist came in and discussed options, the only one we had left was to put me under for the delivery. It was our worse case scenario. Me, all alone in a cold operating room as my son comes into the world. David not getting to see his son being born. Not having the support and encouragement of my mother by my side either. I was a mess. Time was getting short and they began the surgery prep immediately. I said made peace with the situation, took a deep breath and got a last minute kiss from my sweet hubs before they wheeled me to the OR. They hooked me up to all the monitors and explained everything to me about the procedure, the anesthesia, the tube down my throat, and how they will do all the prep right until the doctor is ready to cut before they actually put me under so the baby gets the least amount of the drugs as possible. The doctors came in and talked to me for a second and made sure I was ready. The anesthesiologist was positioned at my head and they had the IV ready for the injection and they were putting the oxygen on me when a nurse came rushing in and STOP! We did a manual platelet count and it's 83,000...we got approval to do the epi!! OMG! I was thrilled! THRILLED! They had to run to the waiting room and find David and my mom and get them suited up. I was quickly disconnected from all the monitors, given the epi (with an OR full of people which was freaky) and in came my hubs and mom beaming! They got me all reconnected and we were ready to go! I got the epi and they did the section without any complications or issues!

Our perfectly healthy baby boy was here and it was all worth it! The nurses held him up and asked David if he wanted to get a picture...uhhhh...a camera? There wasn't time to grab a camera! LOL! Thank God for the iPhone! So all the pics we got were phone pics. And they are perfect.

It was fast and furious and intense and perfect.

Big brother Zane was SO proud and fell in love with our little guy right away.

We stayed in the hospital till Sunday and took our little bundle home.

WELCOME TO OUR NEST BABY BIRD!!

Our family is now complete. Life is good. We are blessed.

Dear Baby Sanders...

2011-05-26T09:00:00.003-04:00

*Guest Blog by Daddy Bird*

Dear Baby Sanders,

Lets call you Liam Cole, as your mother, your big brother and me sit in the hospital awaiting your arrival, I reflect on what it is to be a Sanders. Let me start with, we are not quitters. There's a saying when you are given lemons make lemon-aid. Although the Sanders do love to make lemonade, there is less to making lemonade than you would think. Yeah I guess with the amount of lemons we've been given we should buy that big fancy machine, but that machine costs way more than we have...or I guess we could buy a little a used one, or we could make it by hand squeezing them one at a time. Since you don't know me yet, here is a hint...I like to use my hands to make things. The problem with the big fancy machine, besides the cost, yeah I know I could put every lemon I have into it and press a button and I'm done. but we will never drink all that lemonade before it goes bad and I'd know we were just wasting it. So as a Sanders you will take every lemon, one by one, and squeeze only enough for what you can drink and not waste anything so you will always have a fresh glass. As you get older you will find out that a lot of your friends don't know how to make handmade lemonade. It may be surprising but you will will know how, because it was passed down to you from your father, who had it passed down to him from his father and...you get the idea. So to be a Sanders you must accept what is given to you. Make the best out of it. Enjoy even the little bit you have and know that you made it with your own two hands. With all that said...

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY BABY LIAM

Love, Daddy.

Nesting?

2011-05-24T01:19:00.000-04:00

This is what nesting looks like at our house...

I think we've prepared as much as we can for little Liam's arrival...so what else was there to do...but craft?

It's now after midnight and I'm about to lay my sleepy head down on my pillow to attempt to push the creeping thoughts of tomorrow's intense treatments out of mind and try to sleep.

Baby Watch 2011 Begins

2011-05-18T13:45:00.002-04:00

Although this picture was taken a couple weeks ago (at 36 weeks), I'm actually 38 weeks right now. This pregnancy has been pretty easy but I knew in the back of my mind that it was gonna get intense. Once I hit the 3rd trimester that became apparent. Apparently that was the magic point where the doctors get concerned when there are certain underlying conditions like mine. I have a rare blood disorder called ITP that causes me to have a much lower platelet count than normal. On a regular basis it's not low enough to be concerned or be a big deal, but during pregnancy it can cause some issues. We found that out in 2006 when we had our first child. During delivery my platelets got dangerously low and I was not allowed to have an epidural. At the time it was upsetting, obviously, but these things happen right? So we went with it and had to have a very painful and unpleasant birthing experience with complications and the treat of a risky emergency c section. I ended up not needing the section but cause some serious damage to my body in the process. I went back to my regular doctor after delivery and knew that the OB that delivered my baby had left Woman's Hospital to teach at Earl K. Long. That was that.

Fast forward to this pregnancy. My regular doctor still doesn't deliver babies anymore so she referred me to a good OB and I've been getting great care with her. When I hit my 3rd trimester mark she sent me to my hematologist to more closely monitor my platelet count. It was lowish but not bad so we set up periodic appointments to check it and keep it in a good range. My doctors are finally paying attention and seem to be really dedicated to making this a great experience for our family. My OB and hematologist even exchanged cell phone... numbers and agreed to call each other directly to discuss issues as they arise, which I had never heard of! They really want me to be able to be awake for the section so they are trying really hard to keep my platelets up enough for them to give me the epi. Last week they checked my count again and freaked out when my blood work came back showing they had dipped down lower than they were when I delivered for Zane. They put me on steroid treatments and rechecked my blood yesterday. It's still pretty low but just up above what they need it to be in order to do the epi. They will check me again next week which will give them enough time if they have to admit me to give me IV treatments (which have to be done two days before surgery) that would boost them before the section. It's all pretty medical, which I hate but it's a plan...which I love. My mind is just racing and I'm exhausted just thinking about it...and getting very nervous!

At least we feel a little more in control and feel like things are being monitored as they should be. We just keep focusing on the joy of this occasion and are hopeful that it will be a much better experience.

Oh the irony

2011-05-18T13:37:00.000-04:00

How ironic? Looks like we are not the only ones around this house expecting a baby bird. This is what is hanging outside our back door these days...

A momma bird and two little baby birds. She built a nest on top our meter box at our back door and has hatched her baby birds. Such a great reminder of the cycle of life.

Adding to the Oasis

2011-05-16T13:30:00.000-04:00

Our turtles have been so happy in their little oasis over the last two years we have had them...

We felt it was time for a little addition...so David worked hard on getting this water feature created and installed for them. They love it and it looks great!

Naturally Z helped and was so proud that he wanted to pose for a pic to show it off!

We even showed the rest of the yard a little love with this little oriental inspired rock garden that David has been wanting.

Now our whole front yard is spruced up and ready for summer!

Buy handmade!!

2011-05-10T13:25:00.000-04:00

Not only do I love to make handmade stuff...but I love to buy it too! I'm doing so much more of it with this baby since I have a sewing machine but there is some stuff that is just so cute and well made that I can't help myself and buy it...

And often times it's priced so reasonable that you can't make buy all the stuff and make it for what you can find it for on places like Etsy.

Above are some adorable diaper covers I purchased from a friend I found on facebook and below is a set of burp cloths, wash cloths and a blanket from a seller on etsy.

So pleased! Check out etsy and buy something handmade today!!

A day for mommies

2011-05-08T13:13:00.001-04:00

Being 8 months pregnant on Mother's day is special.

It reminds me of how much my mother went through and scarifies for me and my brother. And it makes me feel extra special that I'm growing our very own little family inside me. And my boys pampered me too;) I woke up to chocolate chip pancakes and other brunch yummies prepared by my hubs and my daddy. So sweet!

I also had a wonderful surprise in our new dressing area that my husband has been working super hard on...he and Z went to Bed Bath & Beyond and got tons of accessories and finishing touches to finish off the area! Such a sweet surprise! They love me. They really love me.

But the day was bitter sweet...

It reminded me of her...today was her birthday too. She would have been beaming to see my big 'ol pregnant belly on this day. But we remembered her and honored her just the same. Love you maw maw Lucy. Happy Mother's Day.

Brothers Indeed

2011-05-07T13:09:00.005-04:00

The other day I went to grab something out of the fridge and noticed this...

There was a picture of Z from two years ago at Christmas right next to one of Liam's ultrasound pics. My jaw dropped and I was in awe at how similar they looked. I know it's just a crummy ultrasound pic but the resemblance is undeniable! I just had to share!

Cinco de mayo?

2011-05-05T12:58:00.000-04:00

Now THIS is what I call a Cinco de mayo celebration! Cajun Style!!

I've been craving boiled crawfish something crazy so when David told me that they were throwing a crawfish boil at work I was thrilled! Dow hasn't done a big employee crawfish boil like this in 12 years! So as a cleaver play on that, the them was "Party like it's 1999"...pretty cute! So instead of margaritas and chips and salsa, this is how we spent our Cinco de Mayo! YUMM!

The Bunny Came!

2011-04-24T12:50:00.005-04:00

Easter was a low key event this year (as many of our events this year).

We canceled our annual Easter tea because of so much going on and lack of energy and time on my part. But the Easter Bunny was on top of his game! Lots of toys and fun learing tools for Z! He was quite pleased! There was even a basket for baby Liam with baby toys in it! This stuff makes the holiday so much better...doesn't it?!

2011 Sanders Beach Trip

2011-04-23T14:14:00.017-04:00

Since this baby is coming soon, we decided to take a last minute beach trip!!

We got some reservations at a great new place called South Beach Suites right on the Biloxi beach. Since I had some discomforts and stress going on with the pregnancy, this was a WELCOMED treat!

Z loves the beach and got to write his name in the sand all by himself this year!

We just played and relaxed and took a few pics. The above pic is an annual shot I like to take showing my guys walking into the surf...I can't wait to see the next ones with all three of them and see how they progress each year!

Naturally there was sandcastle building by the pros.

And yes I felt a little...well..."beached" in all my prego glory. Sorry, not bikini shots...although i did take a tiny dip in the pool in one. Figured heck i don't know these people! Who cares?! LOL!

Z even had his very own velodrome for his monster trucks...his daddy *may* have had a hand in that.

Since the pool was still a bit chilly this was about as for as we got in but it was still very refreshing. Hopefully we can manage another quick beach get away late this summer with our brand new addition in tow!

A little snip, snip...

2011-04-21T12:49:00.000-04:00

You ever feel the need to simplify?

That's sort of the reason for my new cut. Well that and the fact that I'm a bath girl and leaning that wet mop back in the tub to wash it was getting way to heavy on this preggo! So off it came! I'm still getting used to it but I think I like;)

9 Years Today

2011-04-19T18:42:00.001-04:00

"My Dream Come True"

Years of planning

Since I was a little girl

Months of anticipation

I want to share with the world

My dream has been to join my husband

To start a life anew

I wish now to share my dream with you

Chinese Culture says,

"A lady in red is destined for a happy marriage."

I say...it's my dream come true.

Nine years today I changed out of a beautiful white dress that felt more like a ball gown and into this red dress. I read this poem to my new husband as he took my hand and led me to the dance floor where we danced to "Lady in Red".

So now I'm off to enjoy a wonderful anniversary dinner with my Mr. Increadible.

A Nest in the Making

2011-03-25T11:31:00.002-04:00

Oh the projects this little nest has had! I've had so much fun crafting and sewing and spent some great time with my mom helping me to do it all.

My mom is great with a sewing machine but it meant a lot to me to sit down with her and her to help guide me on how to make all this happen. We made the changing pad cover, the boppy cover, recovered the bedding and everything!

I even tackled a few projects solo, like this this frame that will hang on Liam's wall. Super excited to get to play with some of my favorite scrapbook supplies on this one!

And the nightlight too! Isn't this Hamby paper design amazing?!

Then I made a sweet little modern cap for the glider to spruce it up too.

These are the little felt birds for the mobile that will hang over the bed...one of my favorite things in the room!

It was all so much fun...picking out all the fabric choices...

And getting on my lil sewing machine to transform it into sweet little baby nest projects!

There are SO many more projects I wanna tackle but only time will tell if I get around to them;)

Backyard Photoshoot

2011-03-13T22:56:00.032-04:00

As most folks know, sometimes with a second pregnancy you tend to not be as detailed with documenting things...don't take as many pics...are too busy.

I'm determined to not let that happen with this pregnancy. With Zane we documented everything, month by month and even kept a pregnancy journal. For this pregnancy I wanted to do an actual maternity photoshoot. So I enlisted a friend to do some pics for us. (That's a whole post of it's own!)

We had a great shoot and were very inspired when we got home. David and I had been toying around with the idea of taking some family pics in front of the old 1948 panel truck in the backyard. So we got out the good 'ol Sony Cypbershot and the remote and took these shots in the backyard.

I just adore them and love them even more that we took them ourselves.

We plan on making it a little family series as we make progress on the restoration of the truck and as our family grows. Sappy...I know. But I love it!

We Be Jammin'

2011-03-11T11:58:00.001-04:00

This kid love him some monster trucks. Like LOVES them!

So we thought it would be a great idea to take him to the Monster Jam event in Baton Rouge. We arranged to have hearing protection, bought the tickets, got the refreshments and even got him a special monster truck shirt to wear.

He had to have the cotton candy that came with the foam hat...naturally. And all looked like he would have a blast! THEN... the noise started. And he was done. I mean DONE. He was so disappointed...he thought he was gonna see a monster truck movie! He was freaked out to say the least.

We hung around for a bit longer to see if he would warm up to it but no luck. Oh well...better luck next time I guess! LOL

Getting Our Parade On

2011-03-06T11:53:00.000-04:00

Did I ever tell you how much i don't like parades?

I really don't. They serve no point really...they are crowded, usually too hot or too cold, people are rude and cranky, you have to camp out half the day before it starts and traffic is horrible. Then it starts and you have to wave and yell to get them to throw you stuff you don't want, don't have a use for and have no idea where to store. Once it's over you are tired, kids are nuts and hyped up on candy then you have to wait out the traffic to leave and weave up and down one way and closed streets to find you way out of the maze.

BUT we endure it for our kiddos! LOL! All that to say that we took Z to his only Mardi Gras parade of the season this weekend! He seemed about as impressed as I was. He doesn't like the noise but loves to catch the candy and the occassional stuffed animal or toy.

The Bump at 27 Weeks

2011-03-02T11:45:00.000-04:00

Just a quick snapshot of the bump at 27 weeks;)

We HEART These!!

2011-02-01T20:24:00.001-04:00

I stumbled across these darling leg/arm warmers when looking for some cool digs for the baby bird.

I knew I had to get some for Z since he has so many great short sleeve shirts (it is South Louisiana after all) and you never know what the weather will do around here!

I got these from Mamma Runs with Scissors on Etsy. Zane just loves them!! He loves that he doesn't have a bulky long sleeve shirt under his tshirt. And I love how cute and stylish they are...even with his typical Toy Story tshirt;)

Ok, so now you want a pair (or six), right? Well you are in luck. Just comment on this post for a chance to win your very own pair (of your choice) from Mamma Runs with Scissors Etsy shop.

They are cool for little boys like Z, but adorable for leg warmers for little chunky baby legs or under cute little girlie skirts or even dress up tutus!!

*Prize will be sent directly to you from Mamma Runs with Scissors*

So comment for your chance to win!!
*I'll draw a winner Sunday night (2/6/11)

Belly Shots - 21 Weeks

2011-01-28T20:40:00.000-04:00

Baby bird update!! So I got impatient with waiting on maternity pictures so I broke out the trusty 'ol camera remote and did some self portraits.

And I'm so glad I did. I figured that when I'm showing a lot more that I may not be "into" pics.

I had lots of fun shooting these but since they were taken in my driveway I'm sure the folks passing on my street thought I was totally crazy.

So this will be my half way mark pics.

I'll be taking plenty more I'm sure. But these will more than likely be my favorites since I'm not crazy swollen yet.

Oh and one more thing to share...

This is the updated patterns for the fabrics in the baby's room. They are ordered and on the way! I can't wait!!

Baby Bird Apparel Update

2011-01-24T15:45:00.002-04:00

Loving knits. Love.

This adorable new born set is from http://www.etsy.com/shop/sandscrochet. She does wonderful work and its very affordable.

Here is another option from http://www.etsy.com/shop/auntmimisdesigns. Love the baby blue.

She also does some adorable hats too...

Did I mention I love Etsy shops?

This is gonna be one well dressed infant.

Sunday Best

2011-01-23T00:27:00.001-04:00

We have officially started a new family tradition at our house...Sunday brunch.

This was this past Sunday when we had my parents join us. My parents did this for us when we were kids to teach us table manners and such so I thought it would be sweet to do it for our kids. Granted that effort was lost on my brother so it may not work for my boys!

Since my parents joined us this week, it brought back some wonderful memories.

Baby Bird Apparel Update

2011-01-21T16:36:00.002-04:00

During my recent Esty shopping spree, I found a few wonderful pieces for the baby bird's new wardrobe...

...and even a couple coordinating items for his big brother Z.

I'm super excited about these items from a great little Etsy shop called Mamma Runs With Scissors. They do custom shirts, onesies and leg warmers for the kiddos. Amazingly cute stuff! These are the items I have on order but I will be getting more from her soon!!

Stitching up a storm...

2011-01-20T22:53:00.000-04:00

So I've been going a little crazy on Etsy...window shopping (and a tiny bit of purchasing) for baby stuff!!

But this pretty little diddy was made by me and I'm oh so proud!

I knew I wanted to get a travel changing pad with a pocket for a couple diapers & a pack of wipes. I was never prepared for public changes with Z so this time I will be ready! Etsy had some cute ones but either they didn't have the pocket for diapers or it was crazy over priced. So I broke out the 'ol sewing machine and whipped up a great option! I'm so proud and a little validated by what I can do. Now my mind is swimming with ideas for bibs, burp cloths, blankets and even baby slings! I've done some burp cloths before and a few other odds and ends for friends and family but this time it's for me and our little one so I'm really excited to try some new stuff that I know will make our lives a tiny bit easier;)

Gypsy Business

2011-01-19T00:32:00.000-04:00

Last month we had a new member join our family...

It's a 1948 Ford Panel Truck. And it's amazing. We stumbled across it at a friend's home when doing a jewelry party before Christmas. David bugged me for weeks to contact her about it and explained how perfect it would be for Deep South Gyspies. Finally I got excited about it and we gave her a call. She quickly told us it was not for sale...it was her husband's "project" and he would never sell it. She texted me that night with a price. We though on it for a week or two and even when visit it a few times. On the second trip to see it David got to talking with them about it and found out some wonderful local historic details about it that made us HAVE to have it. It's always been a local vehicle and as it turns out it belonged to the Sheriff's department and used to transport jail inmates at a time when my grandfather was Chief Crimial Deputy at the Sheriff's department so it's more than likely that my grandfather drove it from time to time before becoming Sheriff himself.

We plan on fixing it up and using it for Deep South Gypsy shows! I'm so excited and can't wait to share the progress with you!!

Bump Update...

2011-01-19T00:25:00.000-04:00

Now that we are at our half way mark I thought i would start sharing some bump pics and maybe some maternity fashion too;)

18 weeks

21 weeks

Baby Bird Nest Update

2011-01-17T23:42:00.000-04:00

Ok so now that we know what we are having, we can plan, plan, plan. So I found the color scheme we will be going with and found a photo of the inspiration room.

It's classic yet trendy...traditional, yet modern. I love the mesh of design.

Now with a color scheme picked out I thought we would go with sort of a nature theme. So much fun!

Below is some wall art I'm admiring and considering now...

For bedding, I think I'm going to attempt to make my own...or at least cover Zane's baby bedding in new material and freshen it up a bit. Here are my fabric choices I'm thinking about...

Lots of inspiration and lots to share. Lets make this a little series, shall we?

So it's a...

2011-01-06T23:43:00.000-04:00

Little BLUE bird!!

BOY OH BOY! Yep, Z will have a little baby brother in May. We had the ultrasound today and got to meet the little fella. We are super excited to start preparing for our little guy!

All Aboard!!

2010-12-29T00:16:00.000-04:00

This year over the Thanksgiving holiday, we did something extra special. We took a train ride on the POLAR EXPRESS!

I realize I'm hella late posting this but I really thought I had posted them till someone mentioned it at Christmas that they still haven't see our Polar Express pictures! (sorry Aunt Charlotte!!)

So here ya go...lots and lots of pics!! It really was an amazing experience. One that I'm sure we will do again when the little one is old enough to know what's going on.

We drove all the way to Palestine, TX and spent the night so we had plenty of time. We went early that day and got a good look at the train in the day light and did some shopping in the gift shop since we knew it would be dark and kinda crazy that night.

Not to mention it made for a great photo op during the day.

The train really was amazing.

Z was in awe the whole time!

So we went check in our room and grab a bite to eat and changed Z into his PJs. All the kids (and some adults) wore their PJs, just like in the book and movie.

Then we got there early and patiently waited for the train to arrive.

It was freezing cold that night...in the twenties. It even sleeted on the drive there, so standing out in the cold waiting for the train wasn't easy but the excitement got us through it....well that and some refreshments.

Finally the train came roaring in...all lit up and looking festive!

We took our seats and waited for the ride to start.

Z even seemed to gaze out the window at the station as if he was taking it all in and reflecting on it all.

Once we got moving they started the party right away. The "cooks" came out and served hot chocolate and sang Christmas songs. They even came over the intercom and read the book as the staff walked up and down the isles with copies of the books for the kids to see the pictures.

Then the conductor appeared...

To punch the tickets of course!

Z was all too proud and excited to have the conductor punch his ticket!

Soon after that, the train slowed and dimmed the lights. They began to play the song "Believe" over the intercom and announced "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls...we have arrived at the north pole!" We looked out the window and saw a wonderful north pole lights display with Santa's house snug in the middle and Santa and Mrs. Claus stood outside waving to us. I have to admit, I got choked up at that point. It was so amazing. All i could thing of was what Z must be thinking and feeling. He was star struck!

So as the train got moving again on our way back home, they announced that Santa had boarded the train! Z went crazy! So excited!

Santa came by and gave every child a bell from his sleigh. So special!

I think he will cherish this bell through his entire childhood!

Then during more Christmas songs, one of the "cooks" grabbed Z and started dancing with him. He was such a sport!

Finally our journey was done and we had to leave the Polar Express behind.

But Z will forever have the memory of this amazing trip. This is one thing I'm so proud to have done for our little boy. He will cherish this...as will we.

Just Believe.

Meet Fred

2010-12-20T00:10:00.000-04:00

This is Fred...

Fred the Elf. This year we started the Elf on the Shelf tradition with Z and he has mixed feelings about this.

He does love looking for him but doesn't like the idea of an elf watching him;) On the night above, Fred decided to hitch a ride to the North Pole on Rudolph;)

I think we may have had too much fun coming up with things to do with Fred! LOL!

Yogi Mania!!

2010-12-18T23:48:00.000-04:00

As you all know my son adores Yogi Bear and Jellystone. So when we heard the movie was coming out we got working on a game plan.

The last time we went camping there was a sale at the Ranger Station so we stocked up! We got lots of odds and ins including gift wrap. Then the week before we went see the movie we wrapped up all the goodies in the Yogi gift wrap and put them under the Christmas tree for Z to find. Needless to say he was WILD!! We told him Yogi had left them for him and wanted him to come see his movie!

So decked out in his Yogi gear...we were off to the movies!

Z was in his glory...totally.

Such a great movie and WONDERFUL experience to share with Z!

Holiday Decor 2010

2010-12-12T23:41:00.000-04:00

This year's theme is vintage white & bright green.

I've used some of my fav decorations from Christmas past...

...and added a few new pieces from Christmas present.

New this year is the two cute vintage looking garlands and the white feather trees...all bargains I snatched up from a local boutique that is not closed.

So Z got really involved in the tree trimming this year.

In addition to his usual star adorning, he also put on two whole boxes of decorations. He was a champ (and a ham).

Speaking of ham...would you look at this Santa picture.

This has CHEESE written all over it. I was pretty amazed that he pulled out such a smile for this picture. Usually if it's not me, David or my mom behind the camera, you won't get a genuine smile. But this time, he was so excited to see Santa, he was just too proud and had to give a giant REAL smile! Love it!

Happy Birthday to me!

2010-12-04T23:27:00.000-04:00

So it goes...another year!

This year marks my 33rd year on this earth. IT was a low key but sweet day indeed. My hubs took me for dinner at our fav sushi dive and to my suprise, he had arranged for two my dearest friends to meet us!

How perfect is that? I was totally suprised! They had crazy glasses, big plastic rings, hats and noise makers. What an amazing suprise. Had a wonderful dinner. We laughed and chatted and laughed some more.

Then the hubs took me to see a movie which we don't ever get to do. SO nice.

We even got a visit from Santa...sorta.

It was such a great night. *sigh* I'm so blessed.

A Sanders Family Thanksgiving

2010-11-30T00:17:00.002-04:00

As has become tradition, we ventured to David's great grandmother's old cabin in the hills of North Louisiana to celebrate the season and give thanks with David's parents.

Z always loves it because we get to go in the woods and walk around the lake. He gets to pick up sticks and run and throw pine cones. We roast hot dogs and marshmallows. These are the things little boys do...right?

Yes there was the traditional Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving day but it's about so much more than that to us. We just love creating these memories for our family. Time to be together and soak it all in.

And the perfect time to take some family pics too.

Every year since we started going we have taken our Christmas picture. And above was this year's pic.

After dinner, bellies still full...we head to Natchitoches to see the Christmas lights.

None of the shops are really open since it's Thanksgiving day but some of the food vendors open up for the Thanksgiving night crowd.

So we usually get there just before dark to see all the sights and snap a few pics as well as go in the only store that is usually open to buy an annual Christmas ornament to commemorate the occasion.

Then as it gets dark we get to see the lights transform the river. We grab a cup of hot chocolate and some snacks (usually nachos and meat pies) and just sit back and watch.

It never disappoints.

Another Thanksgiving in the books.

How to Dress a Four Year Old Like a Rock Star...

2010-11-17T16:55:00.000-04:00

As you know, my child thinks he is a rock star...so he should be dressed like one...right?

Well step one, go to Children's Place!

Yes the above montage was put together with items we purchased for Z from there!

OMG, last night was my first time in there and wow. I'm impressed. It all started when I was looking for a robe for Z to wear for our Polar Express ride during the Thanksgiving holidays. My mom told me she saw one at a second hand store but it was in really bad shape. She said it had a Children's Place label on it and I should check there. So I go online and sure enough, they had the cutest little green robe that he would love and it was on sale.

See...how could I resist?! So I called the local store and had them hold it for us. Then it happened...I walked in the store. I was amazed at the cute, trendy and just COOL stuff they had for little boys. Sure lots of it was over priced but apparently they were having a killer sale on accessories and I got tons for our money!

These little hats...FIVE bucks each! Yowza! There were some items we loved but they didn't have them in the size we needed so when we got home I got online and snatched up the items we missed out on in the store. AND I found a 20% off coupon code too! I'm so excited! Needless to say, if this is a baby girl in my belly...we are SO in trouble!

Oh and if you want that coupon code...it's X3CHEAZZ12A...use it and get 20% off your entire purchase!!

Love 'dem Vets

2010-11-11T14:49:00.001-04:00

We are proud to have two of our grandfathers as war veterans.

Above is my grandmother with my grandfather (my mother's parents)

Below is David's grandmother with his grandfather

So take the time to remember the veterans in your life.

Comfort Food...

2010-11-08T14:48:00.000-04:00

I'm huge on comfort food. Adore it. Sometimes it's the only thing that will get me through a horrible day.

So it's no surprise that I've been craving it now that I'm PG. During a last minute trip to the store I quickly decided what I wanted to cook for the week and made a list in my head as I walked the isles. I knew I wanted to make meat pie. So that's just what I did. Wow it's amazing how something like that will make the ickys go away in a heartbeat. My aunt Gwen brought us on when we had just gotten home from the hospital with Z and I loved it so much that I had to get her recipe. It's been a comfort food at our house ever since!

Next up that week... Taco Soup.

Sure lots of people make taco soup but I had never attempted it...and didn't really think I would like it since I like thick cream based soups. But BOY was I wrong on this one! It was amazing. Yum-O! And just like that, a new comfort food was born. I love when that happens!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T14:34:00.001-04:00

For Halloween this year we all got in the spirit!

Z wanted to be Buzz Lightyear (naturally) and he requested that David & I dress as Woody & Jessie. How could we say no to that? So we just did some thrift shopping and clothes altering and presto...Jessie & Woody costumes.

As for Z's costume, well that was just too easy...we already had it but just hadn't given it to him yet! LOL So he was in his glory!

We had a great time trick or treating and felt like celebs with all the folks stopping to take pictures! It was a great experience for Z...he was so proud!

Speaking of proud...

We carved our very first real pumpkin this year.

Not too bad. Messy as all get out...but it turned out cute and Z loved it!

Pumpkins, Fall Dresses, Bare Legs & Cowboy Boots

2010-10-25T11:59:00.000-04:00

Yes those are my fall loves! And this weekend was full of them!

We had a packed weekend indeed. Starting with dinner at PF Changs with another expecting couple which lead to lots of baby talk. We considered going for ice cream at Cold Stone but decided against it since we were so full. Poor decision on our part because guess who was spotted at the very same Cold Stone Creamery that night...Robert Pattenson himself. I can still feel the sting of that one! Dang, so close to a star sighting!

So then Saturday Z and I ran errands, did some thrifting, etc. But then Sunday, Sunday was super busy! We packed up the car and drove out to the best little pumpkin patch ever.

It's called Mrs. Heather's Pumpkin Patch but they had tons for the kids to do.

Plenty of photo opts...

Lots of horsing around...

Lots...

A giant enclosed slide that I was surprised that Z wanted anything to do with...

A crazy cool zip line that I was shocked Z got on...

It was by far his most adventurous moment to date...

He totally loved it!

Did I mention lots of photo opts?

Lots of running...

TONS of jumping...

Some water pumping...

And certainly TONS of pumpkins!!

This was his final selection. He was so proud.

After we left the pumpkin patch we were starved. We debated about doing the easy answer like McDonalds but we took a chance and went to the Bavarian restaurant since we don't get to go there as often as I would like. It was wonderful as usual and Z really enjoyed his Bavarian waffles!

Next we moved on to Bass Pro and then on to a friends house for some visiting and catching up. Z was a champ through it all. Such a wonderful day! I'll try to post his "Charlie Brown Great Pumpkin" picture from Bass Pro later. It was so cute. They had a great little backdrop for the kids to do pumpkin pics and they were doing Peanuts inspired arts and crafts...and was all free. Pictures, crafts & free? Yeah...I was impressed.

So there you have it. Our wonderful fall weekend.

For the love of Yogi Bear...

2010-10-13T09:22:00.000-04:00

Yes my son's love of Yogi Bear continues.

We made another trip to Jellystone this past weekend and Z was in his glory. Oh the joys to get to see Yogi every morning and even for lunch as a special treat. He was thrilled as usual.

Although the pool was open, there was a cool fall breeze blowing so we decided to steer clear of the water this time. Instead, we got us a bowling set from the Ranger station and Z had fun putting them up and knocking them down.

He also really enjoyed the mini golf. We've played it before with him but it was so hot this summer that it was miserable...this time the weather was perfect!

And what a perfect time of the year to go to Jellystone...during the Halloween season. All month they do Halloween weekends for the kids. Last week was the kiddie carnival weekend so things were really geared to the little ones. Nothing too scary or over the top, just kiddo fun. Z really enjoyed getting dressed up in his black spider man suit and getting a jump start on trick or treating. It was so nice to just walk around the camp ground trick or treating, not having to worry about cars on the road or unsafe houses or those folks who like to scare the mess out of little ones when they come to the door. It was just plain 'ol fun for the kids.

And speaking of fun, Z's favorite part was getting to paint the ceramics. Here I caught a sweet father son craft session! Oh how I love my boys.

Z is already counting down the days till our next visit to see Yogi Bear!

Guess What...

2010-10-10T09:25:00.001-04:00

Yep, you read right, Z is gonna be a big brother! I know, I know...I said we would never have another. Well I lied. LOL! I guess you are wondering...was it a planned? What happened? What changed our minds? Am I scared I'll have a repeat of my last horrible birth experience?

Ok, so here is what happened. Yes, it was indeed planned. David and I had been planning on this for months. Ever since Mother's day this past May to be exact. Zane came home from preschool with one of those little pieces of art with his hand prints and a sappy little poem. I read the poem and put it on the fridge. It touched my heart. Everyday I would look at those hand prints and skim over that poem. Then one afternoon I was getting a glass of water from the fridge and had the crazy thought that I wanted another one. Crazy...I know. If you don't know us personally you may not know how much of a handful Z is. He is the most active, inquisitive, trying little boy you could ever meet. He is needy and demanding and has to be in the middle of everything. So obviously we didn't think we could handle another one. Well now I have this crazy idea that maybe we could make it work. People do it every day, right? Ok, so I go to David and tell him my thoughts. And I think he thought I was joking at first. Then he asks..."Really?". So I explain my reasoning to him. All the standard stuff about Z having a brother or sister to play with and keep him company and the added joy it would bring to our family. I told him how I wanted our little family to be a tight little army that we could rely on for anything and always be there for each other, even when no one else was there. After this little discussion, I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was totally on board. Now I'm sure flash forward a year from now when Z is crashing from a sugar high, running around the house like a crazed animal while we have a screaming, pooping, hungry infant trying to nap he will look at me and say "Well you HAD to have another one!" LOL! Kidding. Sorta! But right now we are overjoyed, thrilled to be adding this new chapter on to our lives. Excited to see what life will throw at us. And yes, terrified that we may not have what it takes to handle two wild ones! But prepared to make it all work in our tiny little nest of a home.

So what now? Well we keep on truckin. I will continue to work, because we are very much a two income working class family. And I am a firm believer that you can have it all....a career, hobbies and a beautiful, well adjusted family. I was raised that way and so was David. We know it can work. If our parents could do it, so can we. It will be hard. Any working mother can tell you that. It's like working two full time jobs, but the rewards are so worth it. I guess you could say I have three full time jobs now...now that Deep South Gypsies has taken on such a wonderful following! I'm so happy I could burst! We are so fortunate to have the experiences we have had and so blessed to have this exciting future to look forward to. We will be busier than ever, and I can't wait to share it all with you!

Oh Yellow...

2010-10-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

...how I love you.

This week over at http://www.betterscrap.com/ we are using our favorite color as inspiration for our projects. Here is my little project...it's a little mini inspiration journal. For more details, jump on over to http://www.betterscrap.com/ to see my project as well as all the others!!

We've Been Hoppin'

2010-09-26T05:00:00.001-04:00

Blog hoppin' that is. Over at Better Scrap we are doing a blog hop! So if you are visiting my blog for the first time, welcome!! I made a couple projects to give you an idea of my style.

I tend to be a project girl. I love layouts but I also love the challange of using my scrappy supplies in different ways. Above is a note pad I made using my Masters Kit.

Next, I have a set of inspirational note cards, also using my Masters Kit.

It's a set of 4 cards, inked up and stitched. I also made a little sleave for them so it makes a great gift.

Now it's time to hop!!

Here are the blogs you need to hop to...

BetterScrap - http://www.betterscrap.com/

Angela - http://www.theprissypixel.com/
Beth - http://runswithscraps.blogspot.com/
Brenda - http://roseblossomlegacies.blogspot.com/
Candy - http://candyscraps.typepad.com/
Chelsea - http://scrapbookingtostaysane.blogspot.com/
Kas - http://artloveschaos.blogspot.com/
Kim - http://memoriesinthyme.blogspot.com/
Katie - http://telerobotic.tumblr.com/
Michelle - http://funkyfreshcool.blogspot.com/ (don't forget mine!!)

Go check these girls out and leave them some comment love for a chance to win the prize!! Yes I said a prize!! Check out this AMAZING prize from Plaid!!

Go to http://www.betterscrap.com/ for details. And get hoppin'!

What to do with my ATCs??

2010-09-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

Well I had no clue!!

So this week over on http://www.betterscrap.com/ when the challange was to use holiday paper in a non holiday way I thought of my Alice in Wonderland themed tea and how that Graphic 45 paper I made those cards out of would be perfect! So I began this mini!!

I used clear plastic badge holders as the pages and trimed my pics down to fit and just poped my ATC cards in then tied it all together with scraps of ribbon. So easy and fun!!

Now hop on over to http://www.betterscrap.com/ to see the rest of my mini and all the other design team girl's take on this cool challange!!

Gettin' my ATC on...

2010-09-15T18:09:00.000-04:00

I'm very proud to say that I was asked to be a Guest Designer over at Simply ArTistiC this week along with the super fabolious Beth Perry!! For this challange we were inspired by the Queen of Hearts. Ironically enough...I had some delish Graphic 45 papers that were PERFECT for this challange!! This was the result! Hop on over there and play along won't you?!

Fashion Disaster...

2010-09-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

Ok so to my defense...it was the early 90's...but a fashion disaster none the less!

This week over at http://www.betterscrap.com/ we were asked to scrap about a fashion mishap. Here is a peek at mine. To see the full layout and all other designers work...hop over there and check us out!!

Remodel Update...

2010-09-05T23:55:00.001-04:00

Getting seriously excited about our remodel projects...

So I thought I would post a little montage on our bathroom remodel for our new dressing area! It's gonna be so slick and classy! I've been dreaming about that divine tile at night. And that faucet...well I have lusted after this faucet for a good twenty years...seriously. You remember the movie Sleeping with the Enemy with Julia Roberts? Yeah...they had a faucet like this in the bathroom scene. See...now that is lust. LOL! Now you gonna go rent the movie aren't you?

Sometimes "Bad" does mean Good...

2010-09-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

This week over on http://www.betterscrap.com/ our challange was to scrap with Bad pictures. Normally I don't have many of them laying around since the digital age gives us the option to just not print them.

But this picture did get printed...it was just one of those moments that no matter how bad the picture...I wanted to remember. So here it is! For details and techniques...and to see the other girls work, check us out at http://www.betterscrap.com/ !

Getting Our DIY on...

2010-09-01T22:42:00.006-04:00

Things are coming along in our renovations...

The hubs and I (mainly the hubs) have been working super hard on the improvements to our little corner of the world. We have dreamed up these renovations and had them in the works or the better part of 8 years or so! This past week we have pretty much finished the dining room. There is still some detail work to be done but I'd say we are finished for the most part. It no longer looks anything like a garage so...so mission accomplished!

Then, since my husband suffers from creative ADD too...he decided to install a couple can lights outside to jazz out the outside a bit while we work on the inside. I love how they class up the joint! We still have a few more to add so they will line the entire front of the house.

Next we will tackle the kitchen/dining room wall...literally. That bad boy is coming down!! Wish us luck!

How Divine?!

2010-08-29T22:01:00.003-04:00

Did I mention I've been busy? Cause I have!

This week I've been pretty focused on Z's birthday party...but I managed to bang out a whole new line of jewelry today!! Introducing...the "DEVINE" COLLECTION!! SO proud of this one! It really did turn out divine! I've been collecting vintage religious metals and bits and pieces forever. I love them but never really did much with them. Till today. Now I have a whole line of jewelry dedicated to them. How's that for inspiration to make some more pieces?! Here is one of my favorite pieces...

I actually have two of them so I may even get to keep one! EKKK! Well I'm sure you will be seeing more of this collection soon as I create more pieces to add to it. You can check out the collection on my Deep South Gypsies facebook page. If you haven't friended me yet, you must!! So go check out the divine "Devine" Collection!

To Infinity and Beyond!

2010-08-29T16:00:00.000-04:00

Busy, busy weekend! This weekend was Zane's 4th Birthday Party and this year we did a Toy Story Theme....Buzz Light Year to be exact (per Zane's request)!

Needless to say I had to stock up on my Toy Story memorabilia for this one!

I made all the kids VIP passes and Toy Story buttons to wear...that was a big hit!

We even had a real crane machine for the kids to play to try to get one of the cute little aliens out. Mixed in were a Buzz and Woody just like in the movie. The kids had a great time trying to get them out of the machine. TOTALLY recommend this game for the kiddo's parties!

This year, rather than doing a big elaborate cake or paying out the wazoo for someone to make us one, I opted for a cute and super easy to make cake topper that Z can use as room decor later.

But the kids liked the cupcakes the best!

Z loved it all!! That makes it all worth it!

He opened presents and had a blast...this is a first.

Normally he is way to shy around all those people but not this year. He was pumped! Such a big boy!

After the party he had fun exploring all his new toys and eventually came down from his sugar high!

As for us...we were whooped but a little sad it was all over. Another party in the books.

Creative Mess Inspiration

2010-08-29T06:00:00.002-04:00

This week over at http://www.betterscrap.com/, we are exploring inspirational quotes.

I chose the quote "Being organized interferes with my creativity" since this is what is on the sign in my craft room and it is SO true for me! Some of the additional prompts I used in my layout were to use transparencies, use a 5X7 pic that inpsires me and place your title on a circular or wavy path. Now go on over there and check out the other ladies fantasic pages!

Quickie Cards

2010-08-26T09:36:00.000-04:00

Just poping in to share some quick cards I did for the Better Scrap newsletter using my Masters Kit.

You can see details at the Masters Blog. Also hop over to http://www.betterscrap.com/ and sign up for the newsletter for fun projects like these from all the design team girls.

Who You Callin' Ugly?

2010-08-23T16:43:00.000-04:00

That paper...that's who! For this week's challange over at Better Scrap, we were prompted to use ugly paper on our layouts.

God know I have my fair share of ugly paper I have accumulated for one reason or another, but for this one I decided to use the ugly paper from the inside of a security envelope, some old stamps and an old ugly mailing envelope. Not things you think of as pretty and certainly not something you would think to scrap with so there ya have it...I was inspired. Add a couple additional prompts like stitching and ink spattering and I was done! I love a good challange. So ya'll go check it out and play along!!

Outside my comfort zone

2010-08-17T20:22:00.000-04:00

creatively that is...

This week's challenge over on www.betterscrap.com inspired me a ton and pushed me WAY out of my comfort zone all at the same time!! The challenge was NO PICTURES! There were some loop holes but I took it pretty literal. You have got to go check it out!

Funky~Fresh~Cool

Girl Gone Red

Easy Pasta Salad

Project Interior

The wonder of a snow globe

Boys in Ties!!

It's all a blur...

Elf Magic

Dear Santa...

Happy Birthday to ME

A season of thanks

We are Family...

Trick or Treat

Fall Traditions

A punkin' pickin' we will go...

Impromptu boys photo shoot

Bird Watching Anyone?

Our Flock hits BOO at the Zoo!

Carney Days...

Gone Campin'

Diaper Duty

Bless this bird...

Just feelin' lovely;)

Party Time

Cowboy Hats & Solid Foods

Day One of Cloth

Domestic Goodness

My big 5 year old

It's gonna be a long 13 years

Three Months...

Z's Big Day!

It's almost time!

Randomness

Not such a happy little angel

Two Months...

For the Love of Art

Just a Little "Staycation"

Progress

Vacation Bible Camp & New Buds

My Yankie Doodle Sweetheart

CARS!

Can I get a redo?

Two weeks already?

...One Week

Checkin' Up

A Baby Bird Story...

Dear Baby Sanders...

Nesting?

Baby Watch 2011 Begins

Oh the irony

Adding to the Oasis

Buy handmade!!

A day for mommies

Brothers Indeed

Cinco de mayo?

The Bunny Came!

2011 Sanders Beach Trip

A little snip, snip...

9 Years Today

A Nest in the Making

Backyard Photoshoot

We Be Jammin'

Getting Our Parade On

The Bump at 27 Weeks

We *HEART* These!!

Belly Shots - 21 Weeks

Baby Bird Apparel Update

Sunday Best

Baby Bird Apparel Update

Stitching up a storm...

Gypsy Business

Bump Update...

Baby Bird Nest Update

So it's a...

All Aboard!!

Meet Fred

Yogi Mania!!

Holiday Decor 2010

Happy Birthday to me!

A Sanders Family Thanksgiving

We HEART These!!