Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

A weekend full of 'furry'

Last weekend my little sister Tracy came to visit.  We had been planning this get-together for some time and finally were able to make it happen!
She is one of the lead coordinators for the animal shelter in her area: Sheyenne Valley Friends of Animals  

A while back she asked me to help her design some murals to use at the annual SVFA 'wag and walk-a-thon'.  .  We aren't exactly sure what the technical name is, but we call them 'stand-ins'. You know the kind... the ones that have goofy images on the front and people can put their faces through pre-made holes, making it look like they ARE that goofy image/person?

We had such a good time creating these special pieces of art, and hope they will serve SVFA for many years in the future!


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Let's hear it for the BOYS!

At our house it is tradition to take photos of mom with kids on Mother's Day and dad with kids on Father's Day.

In the past this has at times been an excruciating process where multiple photos are taken, kids are crying and dad is frowning and begging that I be done.  Perhaps because of the boys ages this year or perhaps because they had just woken up from naps, all were relatively cooperative and I got this photo in just 3 takes!

We spent a blissfully relaxing Father's Day by going to church in the morning, followed by breakfast at a local cafe, then 'family nap-time'.  The day ended with a nice supper out at Craig's Parent's house where 4 generations of boys and men, sons and fathers, posed for yet another photo op.

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Saturday Scrapbook Page

Wow, a whole week since my last post!  We have been incredibly busy around here lately and haven't had much time for anything other than the regular 'day to day' activities.

In celebration of Father's Day tomorrow, this scrapbook page features Craig giving a very bald and chubby Isaiah a little love.  He is such a great father to both the boys.  They look up to him, learn from him and want to be just like him.

I hope they grow up to be men just like their daddy!

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Saturday Scrapbook Page


Today's page: A great photo of the boys with my parents.  They had come to stay for a long weekend and helped us with yet another large project this past fall, the building of the backyard fence.  As you can see, the boys love being in their company!

Thanks to my older sister Shayla for the great patterned paper and coordinating accessories!  They worked perfectly with the colors in the picture.

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Cheers!

This past weekend we went to a family wedding out of town.  Many congratulations to Peter and Caleigh! We wish you many years of happiness and never-ending love!

Seeing the wedding, and recently remembering my own (our 8 year anniversary was a couple weeks ago), I was inclined to put together a wedding treasury.

You can see it here: "Cheers to the Mister and Misses: A Black and White Inspired Wedding"  

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Bonding

This past week and a half, Daniel was visiting ND at my parents house.  While he was gone, we really got to know Isaiah better.  Being the second child, he sometimes gets overshadowed by Daniel's accomplishments and milestones.  I think this is a pretty typical occurrence.  I have talked to plenty of parents who diligently filled out Child #1's baby book, but only a few pages of Child #2's.  By the time Child #3 came around, they didn't even bother to buy a book.

We realize that each of our boys is special and unique, and want to encourage them in the things they love.  Isaiah has a passion for all things 'sport', so we made sure to spend plenty of time out in the backyard teaching him the rules of the games...

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Old Shelf: New Purpose

A couple of weeks ago, our local library hosted a silent auction featuring some of the items from the old Carnegie library.  The old library was constructed in 1903, just one year before our house, and I thought it would be neat to own a piece of history.  Up for bid they had refinished chairs, colored glass cups and saucers, antique light fixtures, and this little white painted display shelf.  There was just something about this little shelf that was intriguing, and I wrote my name on the line.  I wasn't sure what I would use it for, but thought that if nothing else it may come in handy at future craft shows to display my artwork.  When I got the call that I had the winning bid, I was excited to bring it home.  After hauling it inside, Craig suggested that it would make a perfect shoe organizer. I agree... it does.


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See Mom Run

Yesterday, we woke the kids up super early (5:30am), buckled them into the van and headed for Fargo, ND to watch my mom run in the Half Marathon.

The weather was less than favorable, but she managed to pull out an excellent time of 2:23.19.  I am so proud of her for training so hard and running the 13.1 miles with a smile on her face the entire time!  This wasn't her first race... nor will it be her last.  She is planning on training for a FULL marathon in the near future.

I found the perfect gift for her on Etsy, a running journal (by papercraftsbyk) where she can write about every day of training. She was thrilled with it, and I know she will fill every page.

Congratulations again mom, you are amazing!

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Boys, meet sand

Late last night our local Jaycee's brought over 4 wheelbarrows full of wonderful sand to fill up the sandbox.  The boys were asleep when it happened, so they had a big surprise waiting for them this morning!

As you can see, they were quite excited and sent right to work excavating and building 'hills'.  Isaiah even did a little taste-test.  I am so happy that we decided to work the sandbox element into the design.  It is really in a perfect location, a spot that is shady for 95% of the day.  A perfect spot to let boys be boys!

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A pink lemonade day

Today it is my pleasure to show off the most recently completed project around our house... a brand new DECK!

You may remember  this post from the beginning of spring, where I hinted the 'idea' of a new deck to my husband, who wasn't totally on board at the time.  But, with all the warm weather that we had in early April, I think he got the itch too.  Before we knew it, we were ordering lumber and my parents were on their way here from ND to help out!  (thanks again mom and dad.  I promise that next time you can come to visit without getting put to work!)

Let's take a trip down memory lane first... just so that we can appreciate how far we've come:

Before: We had a concrete stairway, that was literally crumbling every time we stepped on it.  There was a low spot in front of the stairs that would pool up with water after a slight rain, making it difficult to get to our garage.  Our little wire mesh chairs had peeling paint, and our patio pavers were so uneven that we had to strategically position said chairs until they were level.  The patio was a very awkward size, and wasn't large enough to fit a table. Quite simply, it was not pleasant to be outdoors, and was borderline dangerous!
The Design:  I got to work mapping out our backyard in Sketchup (an amazing and FREE program that I think everyone should become acquainted with). We decided that it would be best to build over the existing concrete steps instead of trying to break them apart. This drove the design process somewhat, and I ended up with a nice 6 foot by 6 foot landing at the doorway, with steps cascading down in a pyramidal shape to a lower deck.  The lower deck provides enough space for a table/chairs by the fire pit, the grill, a separate little sitting area, and... one of the coolest features... a built in sandbox!

I can't get over how perfectly it all turned out.  My dad and husband were absolutely amazing and got every support beam perfectly level.  Craig worked for 3 straight weekends to finish every last bit.  This deck is so sturdy that I have a feeling it will be around for many many years, which will give us plenty of time to sit outside and sip on lemonade.

All that is left now is to fill the sandbox up with sand.  Isaiah will be patiently waiting!



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They call me 'mommy'

Today is Mother's Day and I am so happy to celebrate the two precious boys that teach me to be the best mom I can be!


Daniel (DanO, Bubber) : As our first born child, you will always hold a special place in my heart. You are a gentle, quiet, kind little boy who loves making crafts, cutting paper and all things musical. You can remember a song after hearing it once, and are always quick to make up your own if the occasion arises. You love your baby brother, but can't understand why he doesn't receive the same punishments as you for his wrong-doings. You enjoy dressing up for church and playing office. You are our little 'executive'


Isaiah (Zayah, Zayer, Goo Bean): You brightened my life from the first second I held you in my arms. You are a very active, energetic and powerful toddler. You want to do just about everything that your big brother does, and can for the most part! You have exceptional fine motor skills, and also excel at all things 'sport.' You love to give kisses, but still haven't quite mastered the difference between a hit and a hug. You would play with the football (and baseball, tennis ball, basketball) for the entirety of the day if I let you. You are our 'mini linebacker'


It has been such a joy to watch you both growing up and everyday I learn something new from you. If ever I am having a bad day, I need only to look at your smiling faces and my mood is instantly changed. I love you both so much! You are my sunshine!

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An Overcast Day

...can't keep these boys away!  This weekend one of the fire-fighter families was kind enough to give us a swing-set that their kids had outgrown.  As soon as it was set up in our yard, the boys were ready to test it out.  It was a  cold and overcast day, but as you can see... that didn't make a bit of difference to them!

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The Family Wall

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my family lives in a 1904 American Foursquare house right in the center of the historic district in our town. We love it here, even though the house has taken many hours of work on our parts. Over the past 5 years we have lived here, we have refinished the entire second story's maple wood floors, finished the basement space, painted basically every room and made many repairs. During that time this house has become our home.

As many of you are aware, this past winter Craig and I purchased a bit of land outside of town. It is our hope that in the next 3-5 years we will be able to build a brand new house there. Since I am schooled as an architect, this will be a dream come true for me; But as amazing as it will be to live in our new home, it will be hard to leave this one behind.


I have been meaning to post some photos from the rooms in our home and decided there is no better place to start than in the Foyer. It is the place where guests enter when they come to visit. They are welcomed by our 'Family Wall', a collection of photos and mementos that celebrates who we are.

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Saturday Scrapbook Page

Today I was looking through my scrapbook albums and thought that maybe some of you would like to see too!  I am still a beginner at scrapbooking.  My sisters turned me onto the craft about 1 1/2 years ago, and now I am completely addicted.

I find it as a great way to dress up those favorite photos and make them even more memorable.  Before I started making scrapbooks, I would rarely print out my digital pictures to put into albums. Now I can't wait to print them and create a page.

My sisters and I have found that scrapbooking is also a great bonding time for us.  It is a common interest that the three of us share, and we have gotten together on more than one occasion for a 'scrapfest' of sorts.  I make 8x8 albums, because I just can't imagine filling an entire 12x12 page.  My sisters sometimes have trouble fitting everything on their 12x12 layouts!  I like to work with the smaller page, pick a few great images and some coordinating details, and keep the pages simple.

Here is the first of what will hopefully be a recurring theme on my blog: 'Saturday Scrapbook Page'

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Rockin' Robins

The other day I took the boys to the craft store and found that they were having a huge sale on pre-made wooden birdhouses for $1 each! I let Daniel pick his favorite design and we brought it home to paint. He and I had a lot of fun choosing colors and adding the paint, then picking the perfect spot for the birdhouse to go in the yard. We have seen a lot of robins around here lately, and I have a feeling the ones that take up residence in this house, with it's rainbow paint scheme, are going to be Rockin' Robins!

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Happy Easter from us


We hope that all of you had a Blessed Easter.  Around here it couldn't have been more perfect.  We started the morning out at church, with the boys dressed  in coordinating outfits, then came home and had an outdoor Easter egg hunt.  Once all the candy had been gathered, we turned on the 'bubble machine' that we bought the boys as a gift and let them play!

We went out to Craig's parents house for a delicious Easter meal, complete with ham and home made lefse, got it some nice visits with the relatives and had a couple very tired little boys by the end of the day.

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All That Hair

Yesterday, just in time for Easter, I gave the boys haircuts.  All three of them were in desperate need of a trim.  Craig had grown a beard for the Passion Drama that our church puts on every Easter, Daniel had a mop top, and Isaiah was sporting a baby mullet.

It was a bit emotional to give Isaiah his first haircut, knowing that the hairs I would be cutting off were on his head the day he was born.  With the aid of a lollipop, he sat perfectly still in the chair and allowed me to work my magic. 

I definitely don’t have a future as a barber, but I think that I did an okay job.

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JOY Ride

My husband and I enjoy running, and try to run at least one half marathon each year.  Our kids have been introduced to our ‘hobby’ since they were born.   After Daniel’s birth, we purchased the Cadillac of all jogging strollers, the ‘Jeep Overland Limited’. With its special ‘music on the move’ technology, even Daniel was entertained with tunes on the long runs.  He would sit patiently in that thing for a maximum of 10 miles! 

When Isaiah was born, we realized that in order to continue running, we would need to purchase another stroller.  Around this time last year, I set out to look for one.  I hit the jackpot at a garage sale, where I got a used ‘Gerry Zoomer’ for a mere $5!  Proudly, I brought it home and showed Craig.  He was happy with the price, and we decided to try it out that very evening.  On its maiden voyage we realized why we got such a steal, as the stroller pulled to the left pretty drastically.  With the financial strain that a new baby brings, we didn’t have the money to buy anything different and we suffered through a season of training, vowing that come spring we would look into a better stroller.

Enter the ‘Baby Trend Expedition Jogging Stroller’ from Baby Depot.  It has a speaker in the canopy, where we can plug in our I-pod for music (although I will admit it doesn’t put out nearly the sound quality that the Jeep stroller does), two large cup holders, a handy tray up by the handle and a convenient basket on the bottom.  Most importantly, it pushes like a dream!  We were a little worried about how the boys would act, sitting side by side for an extended period of time.  If this picture is any indication, we have plenty of fun family running in store for us this year!  

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Symbolism


You may have noticed that my banner has recently changed, both at my etsy shop and on this blog.  I have worked hard over the past couple of weeks trying to figure out how best to represent my shop through my logo.  Since I see it as a reflection of my own personality, I wanted to be sure that the things I most love (art, architecture and my family), were incorporated in the design.

The largest element in the logo is the letter L.  “L” stands for life, and the amazing one I have with my family.  It is the anchoring point for everything else in the design, just as my family is my anchor and support for everything that I do.  The tree, which is growing out of the L, is a symbol of art.  The leaves are done in the pointillism technique that my new etsy shop is focusing on.  The small house represents my love for architecture.  Designing houses is a passion of mine, and something that I truly enjoy doing.  

The house is also an obvious representation of home.  If you look closely at the large window, you will notice a cross.  I know that my life would not be the same if it weren’t for the love that Jesus Christ showed me when he died on that cross.

I am very happy with how the design turned out, and ready to incorporate it into gift certificates, mailing labels and business cards! 

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Creative Spirit

To my great-aunt Helen, who taught me that even a simple box can be a castle and every little girl is a princess, I love you and hope that you and great-uncle Norb are enjoying the Kingdom of Heaven.

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