letter A studio

shutting it down

2012-02-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hello friends. So you may know by now that I have a new blog home called annie & m. Sadly, I learned that another online business has a name crazily similar to letter A studio. Just scooch one letter to the left and they'd be the same. So I have moved blogs in order to avoid any awkwardness later.

Some of you follow me here at letter A studio. Please be a doll & follow me over at annie & m. I am going to shut this blog down for good at the end of the month (February). So you have to follow me if you want to see what I am up to. It's easy. Just head over to the new blog & friend me via google friend connect in the sidebar. I love you all & am grateful for you for following me here. See you at annie & m!

--Anna

moving day

2012-01-16T00:03:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! Today is the big day!!

Hop on over to my new blog - annie & m.

I will leave this blog open indefinitely, but will no longer be posting here. So please join me at my new blog home.

Hope to see you there!
--Anna

hello there: EDITED

2012-01-09T10:31:00.001-07:00

Hello friends. You've been missed. I probably owe you a better explanation than the one I dished out in my last post. Um, yes, I am moving......to a new blog. It is getting a small makeover as I make dreams & plans about where I'd like my blog to go in 2012. So sit tight as I make final touches and the full reveal will come later this week. I hope you'll join me :)

Love,
--Anna

UPDATE: I have had to set things back a whole day because we had a showing for our house and I spent the entire day cleaning. So the new blog reveal will be Monday, not today like I had hoped. Please be sure to stop by here on Monday to see where my new bloggy home is!

have yourself a merry little Christmas

2011-12-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

My posts have been few and far between. We've been keeping busy with little projects to make our holiday a little more meaningful and fun this year. The stockings are hung, which the kids made of brown paper bags & yarn last night. I was bummed when I pulled our real stockings out of the Christmas bin this year, only to find 3 of them had holes in them. I was not feeling to inclined to repair them so we opted for a handmade version.

To pass the time, Nonee & I made some paper snowflakes, which now hang above the little village atop our piano. It was quite amusing to watch him try with all his might to cut through the layers of paper. Apparently, snowflakes are not just for decoration. They make great masks too! Who knew?!

The kids & I are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Mr. on Christmas Eve. He is my Christmas present this year and I couldn't think of anything better. I kinda have a crush on him ;)

I wish you all the merriest little Christmas and New Year! I do not foresee myself posting at all till the new year rolls around and when it does, I have a little surprise to share!! I'll give you a hint: there is moving involved. No, we did not sell our house yet. Grrrr.

school craftiness

2011-12-07T22:39:00.000-07:00

I always look forward to this time of year. My fridge is guaranteed to be decorated with some cute school crafts. Tot is in first grade and seems to come home with some sort of craftiness every other day. Today, it was a snowman. And in true Tot style, every inch of that paper is embellished with little crayon drawings. Hearts and stars are her favorite "extra", along with the word "love". She's pretty sweet.

I plan on keeping this cute project for a bit before ~~throwing~~ sneaking it into the trash when she's not around. I know, shame on me. But let's face it, flat art projects are much easier to fit in a manila folder at the end of the year.

So how about you - do you keep every little art project your kids bring home or do you enjoy them for a while before disposing of them? Do tell.

--Anna

Dear Santa

2011-12-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

Monday night is family night at our house. Usually we have a short spiritual lesson, followed by a game and a treat. But last night I decided to break from the mold a little bit and just do something simple and fun to get the kids in the holiday spirit. We wrote letters to Santa.

I found a sweet little printable HERE and had them write down the gifts they hoped Santa would be bringing them this year. Then we put them in our Santa can for the jolly old man to take with him Christmas Eve when he delivers presents & eats his homemade treats. We finished the night off with some mint chocolate chip ice cream - the best flavor ever ;)

Do your kiddos write letters to Santa? I'd love to see!

xo,

--Anna

our halls are decked

2011-12-02T14:33:00.001-07:00

I decided to go light on the decorating this year because our sweet, old brick house is still on the market. We've seriously got to get this place sold! Anyhoo, the Mr. requested photos of decorations and such & I thought it would be fun to share them with you too. We are looking forward to his arrival on Christmas Eve. I get a little more giddy as each day passes, knowing we will all be together for Christmas this year.

Poor Nutcracker has seen better days. I am thinking this will be his last Christmas with us.

The only decoration that is lacking is a tree. We don't do the fake tree thing, although I am seriously wanting a vintage silver tinsel tree like my grandma had growing up. Nevermind the fact that it fell over on me a couple of times as a child. Since it is so dry here in the desert, real trees don't last longer than a couple of weeks before they become a major fire hazard. So we hit the tree lot 2 weeks before the 25th. For now, we will enjoy what simple things we do have.

What about you - is your house all decked out or simple & festive?

Have a lovely weekend,
--Anna

sickies

2011-11-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

Nonee went to sleep a healthy boy on Sunday night & woke up with the nastiest manly cough on Monday morning. He requests chicken noodle soup for breakfast and dry cheerios in a cup for lunch. He can't speak above a whisper, which is tough for this kiddo because he is hardly ever silent.

I imagine today will be filled with naps and cartoons.

I plan on hiding away in my craft room to catch up on little things that need new buttons & holes repaired.

--anna

it's the little things

2011-11-27T16:11:00.001-07:00

There is something about taking a moment to appreciate the world's beauty that calms me. The kids & I spent Thanksgiving eve & day at my mom's. Her backyard became my resting place when it was too chaotic inside. Her little space is full of beauty. And it all makes me perfectly content.

I hope you have a lovely Monday.

--Anna

turkey day place cards

2011-11-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

I know Thanksgiving is officially over and it seems kind of silly to share a turkey day craft tutorial with you, but I got to thinking that it might come in handy for Christmas. I'm all about the sharing, you know (wink, wink).

You'll need the following supplies to make these:

1. cream colored card stock

2. fall-themed stamp & inkpad

3. black pen (I like Micron pens)

4. pinecone

Cut your card stock into squares, stamp them & add someone's name. Or you can add just the first initial of your guest to the card like I did. These are so easy, your kids can do them. It will keep them busy while you make your fancy dinner. Or you can whip them up yourself in 10 minutes flat. What's not to like about that?

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday with loved ones and that you are safe & well.

xo,

--Anna

giving thanks

2011-11-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

Fall is by far my favorite time of year. Who can resist wearing cute sweaters whilst sipping warm apple cider? Not me, that's who. I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving, which just happens to be next week. It seems Christmas has trumped the poor holiday, but Thanksgiving will always be my favorite. Perhaps it's because my birthday shares the same month. November celebrations gotta stick together yo.

I'm slightly embarrassed to admit my Thanksgiving/Fall decor is somewhat lacking. When Halloween rolls around, I put out all the Fall decorations too. But once the Halloween stuff is put away, I see that a few pumpkins and some pretty candles just don't cut it. I needed some etsy inspiration and thought it would be fun to share some Thanksgiving goodness with you.

{shop: AliciaArtshop}

{source: twoinspireyou}

{source: BettyandBarclay}

{source: theletteredlane}

{source: RamonaOwenDesigns}

Have a lovely weekend,

--Anna

over the weekend, we.....

2011-11-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

I'm still soaking in the goodness of this past weekend. Or in my case, extended weekend. My birthday, which was on Thursday, was the best of days.

I made chocolate cupcakes with dark chocolate chip peppermint frosting in teal. So good.

Booga was awarded his Bear badge at scouts that night. The Mr. arrived earlier that day & got to be the bear in the tent that gave Carter his bear claw. I love the scouting program and what it offers. Booga's working on earning a conservation badge - I think fishing is involved :)

Earlier that day, while the kiddos were at school, I got to pick up the Mr. from the airport. It was kinda of surreal seeing him for the first time in 8 weeks. His visit was quick (he left yesterday), but I am so grateful for the time we were able to spend together as a complete family. And he set up the wireless feature on the laptop so I can be lazy & blog on the couch now. Thanks hon.

Still no bites on our house yet, so we just keep plugging along in hopes that some somewhere will buy this place up quick so we can start our lives in Virginia. All of my crafting supplies are packed up and I am itching for a project. Oh, I so need to move.

What about you? When you are in the process of selling your home, do you keep out your crafting stash or pack it all up so your house stays clean for showings?

Have a lovely day,

--Anna

it's my birthday

2011-11-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

I am officially thirty-four today.

This happy day will be filled lots of goodness, like:

1. frosting some chocolate cupcakes (with chunky chocolate vanilla icing)

2. house cleaning (no, not so fun, but it must be done)

3. picking up the Mr. from the airport (now this is MUCH more fun!)

4. a visit to the orthodontist (Boo's teeth are straightening out so quickly)

5. cub scouts (Booga's getting his Bear badge tonight)

AND

6. hanging out with my favorite little guy all day

I hope you have a fabulous day, too :)

--Anna

Make It Monday: dress re-do

2011-11-07T08:37:00.001-07:00

Hello friends :)

After my last post, I feel like I am on track with a lot of things & ready to share a not-such-a-downer post, ha! So today, I will be sharing a dress re-do for a sweet little number I picked up for Tot at a local thrift shop for a buck. Not too shabby, eh? It is the perfect floral pattern for fall & summer, can be worn with or without tights/leggings, and is long enough that it will last her a couple seasons before she grows out of it.

Let's get started.

The straps on the dress were much too big. The sewing job on the front was not well done so I ripped the seams on the front and left the back of the straps in place. I had her try on the dress so I could pin the straps exactly the right length before sewing them in place.

I didn't cut off the excess - just in case she has some crazy growth spurt and the straps need to be lengthened. We just tucked them behind the bodice of the dress and they stay hidden perfectly.

The skirt of the dress was much too long - down to her feet. I wanted something that would fall just below her knee, allowing her room to grow. While she was trying on the dress, I placed a pin at the length I wanted the skirt. Then I laid the skirt out flat and cut it straight across. You can use a ruler if you like but I just eyeballed it.

Then I folded the end in 1/4 inch and folded it in again, pinning in place as I went. Then I sewed a straight stitch at the top of the hem and the bottom. I wish I had a serger. But for this project, a straight stitch will do.

It only took me an hour to complete this little project - and that includes taking time to help with math homework & make dinner. Mothers are fabulous multi-taskers. And now Tot has a cute little dress.

Happy Monday.

xo,

--Anna

some (heavy) random thoughts

2011-11-06T15:17:00.002-07:00

This post will be a little deep but some stuff I feel like I need to share....or get out of my system.....just to keep it real.

The Mr. left for our new home in Virginia 8 weeks ago. Now I know that there are some that say that is nothing compared to what they've endured, but it is by far the longest amount of time we have been separated. I admit I am slowing down. Getting plain worn out. Taking care of 4 kids & all the extras they require (homework, church stuff, playmates, etc.) takes a lot out of a parent. Especially if they have to do all the parenting on their own. We are in the process of selling our home. I bust my butt every day just in case someone wants to come look at it. But in the 8 weeks we've had it on the market, we've not had a single looker. I have no idea why. It's rather discouraging and I am beginning to wonder how we are going to pay for our things to get to VA. We can't live apart forever. It just isn't right. So for now we are relying on the Lord for help & comfort & strength to get through. I know He has a plan for us. I just wish I knew what it was.

The last few months have been rough. I have a hard time thinking clearly. I'm tired (a lot) and grouchy. The list goes on & on. I also have hypothyroidism, thus the cruddy health issues. I wanted to get over it...treat it.....control it. But after seeing a handful of endocrinologists & a naturopath over the last 4 years or so, I've given up on help. In fact, about 3 years ago, I gave up on all doctors completely. Which meant I stopped taking a steroid medication I had been taking all my life (because I was born with a condition called adrenal hyperplasia). I lost weight. After a full year of being medicine free, I lost 75lbs. It was great for my self-esteem, but my thyroid symptoms were back on in full force and I knew I needed help. So I found an endocrinologist that actually listened to me when I told him how I felt and that I wanted him to work with a naturopath to "fix" me. In a short time, I came to realize my naturopath was more of a pill pusher & I wasn't feeling any better over time. My visits stopped. My endocrine doc regulated my steroid usage & put me on something new to help with my thyroid symptoms. In the last six months, I gained 35lbs. back. And my symptoms are the worst they've ever been. In the last few weeks I had the thought that I should change my diet. I've read/heard several times that people change what they eat to help with cancer & other illnesses. Why couldn't this help me? For the most part, I eat pretty well. I hardly ever buy processed foods and try to watch the sugar intake. But I am a sucker for chocolate. Milk chocolate. I could eat it all day long. So while pinning on Pinterest late one night, I stumbled on a pin that I felt was my answer to this whole diet thing. A witty woman by the name of Sarah Wilson recently put out an e-book titled "I Quit Sugar". I was a responsible pinned & pinned through to her site. And I couldn't stop reading it. I could relate to her posts about thyroid issues on so many levels. Quitting sugar is supposed to help my body better handle the crappy thyroid symptoms - something traditional medicine hasn't done for me. So I'm giving it a go. I'm in the middle of week one of the process and have already noticed that I eat a lot of food with hidden sugars. Kind of eye-opening. I'll be sharing my thoughts/results with you during this quitting sugar process. Not because I want accolades every time I lose a pound (if I lose any at all), but because I am hoping I can help someone else in the process. I know how crappy it is to go through this alone. No one else should have to.

Don't worry. Not all my posts will be this serious. It will be the same around here, for the most part. But I am a mom & have a real life & you need to know that it's not all la-dee-da around here all the time. Ya know?

Oh, here's a link to Sarah's website. You'll love it. I promise ;)

http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/

xo,
--Anna

too cute to spook

2011-11-01T09:05:00.002-07:00

Halloween was a total success. The kids managed to get all of their homework done and don their costumes in just one hour. Plus, I even had time to get in a mini photo shoot before we left for our Trunk-Or-Treat. It's our first Halloween without the Mr. & I really needed things to go smoothly.

And it did.

Thank goodness.

We went on the cheap this year & each of the kid's costumes were $10 or less. In the past, we've dished out $25 for each costume, which I happen to think is ridiculous. I think I was just too ~~lazy~~ overwhelmed with the thought of having to make 4 costumes & each one of them be some famous superhero or the like. So the day after Halloween last year, I put it into my kids' heads that they were going to be easy things this year - like animals. They complied & this was by far the easiest year we've had coming up with costumes because most of what the kids needed we already owned. Cheap? Yes. But they still turned out oh so cute.

I hope your Halloween was fun, safe & filled with chocolate. I always sneak chocolate from the kid's treat bags. Should I be admitting this? Oh well, I guess I just did. I don't like other candy much so at least the rest of their goodies are safe ;)

--Anna

happy halloween

2011-10-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

{Pinterest: countryliving.com}

Just popping in to wish you all a happy little Halloween. We'll be scoring some candy at a Trunk-Or-Treat tonight. How about you??

--Anna

just call me MacGyver

2011-10-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

Half of the doors in our house are pocket doors. And I have a curious 4 year old that decided to shove a book in-between my bedroom pocket door & the wall. It was unreachable. And I was grossed out with thoughts of daddy long legs and other creepy crawlies just waiting for my little fingers to invade their territory. So I left the book there.

But one day my door would not open all the way. And then I remembered..... the Dr. Suess book! I knew I had to get it out because no one wants to buy a house that's for sale that has a pocket door that won't open all the way. Or at least I don't think so. It was time to bust out my MacGyver skills and retrieve the book.

I keep some wire hangers around just in case. They come in handy for all sorts of things, from book report mobiles to pulling out small toys that slide under the piano. Luckily I had just one left. So I cut it and made it as straight as I could. But it wasn't quite long enough to hook the book. So I taped it to a plastic hanger. This worked better. But I needed light, so I pinned a flashlight between my foot & the door so it would shine right on the book. It is a good thing I watched MacGyver religiously as a child (thanks Grandpa).

About 15 minutes later, the book was free. And I was a little boys' hero :)

Parenting is definitely an adventure sometimes.

Happy Wednesday,

--Anna

good eats: pumpkin pielettes

2011-10-23T19:07:00.000-07:00

I was feeling somewhat domestic recently & tried my hand at making mini pies. I had some pre made dough on hand, along with canned pumpkin in the pantry.

My verdict on the dough is that is not meant to be rolled out a second time. It's pretty impossible to re-roll it. Unless you have mad skills. So I'll be making pies using homemade dough from here on out.

But they turned out pretty & delicious. Tot & Nonee loved them, which is huge since I normally can't get them to eat anything that resembles a normal piece of pie. These pielettes, as I like to call them, are just the perfect size for their little hands to hold.

Have you made something delicious lately? Please share :)

Happy Monday,

--Anna

hoedown

2011-10-19T21:01:00.000-07:00

I am knee deep in party preparations for a hoedown this weekend. The centerpieces are coming along & I've spent countless minutes on the phone today to finalize plans with those who are helping me. This is no small task as there should be 150+ in attendance. Did I mention this hoedown includes square dancing and line dancing?? Oh yes it does.

I hope you have a fun-filled weekend (and maybe get your groove on too!)
--Anna

Make It Monday: kitchen cupboard makeover

2011-10-16T22:06:00.001-07:00

Hello there. I am excited to share today's tutorial with you - because it means I FINALLY have something in my cabinets besides empty spaces. See, when we remodeled our kitchen, our cabinet guy said it would be much cheaper to take the cabinets to a glass store & have them put in the glass than to order them with the glass already installed. Well after the kitchen re-do was done, we were out of money & so the glass in the cabinets would have to wait. And wait. And wait.

Fast forward about 2 years (the present time) and we have to put our house on the market because the Mr. got a new job (eek!). We knew we had to fill those cabinets with something and that it had to be cheaper than glass. We found decorative metal sheets at The Home Depot (in the wood section) and knew we had found our solution.

So let me tell you how to liven up your kitchen cabinets in a super cute way. First, you will need metal cutters, a measuring tape, a decorative metal sheet from a hardware store, some flat push pins (not pictured below) & a black sharpie.

So here is what our cabinets looked like before. Sad, I know.

See why they needed prettied up? It was super easy. I just measured the cabinets with my measuring tape & then drew those same measurements onto the metal sheet using the sharpie. If you want to make your lines super straight, use a t-square or a flat ruler. Cut the metal and insert it into the back of the cabinet. It might be necessary to trim a little here & there to get a good fit. To make sure it stays, push a pin into each corner at an angle. If you want to make them more permanent, you could always glue them in. That's it folks. You're done!

Now look at how fancy schmancy our cabinets are:

Obviously, I decorated for Halloween/Fall in-between the before and after photos. But seriously, isn't this cute? We are definitely doing this in our next house. Not only is it easy, you'll end up with cabinets that no one else you know has. And they'll think your cabinets are super cool. And who wouldn't want that?

Happy Monday,

--Anna

wishing for fall

2011-10-14T09:23:00.001-07:00

inspiredbyawish.blogspot.com

Today I am longing for fall - the cooler weather, leaves floating down from trees & kissing the ground. It's over 100 degrees here today. I don't think I can take it much longer. I am sure a trip to the grocery store for some pumpkins will cheer me up. And I will be trying my hand at making mini pumpkin pies this weekend. Mmmmm....I can smell them already.

Have a lovely weekend,
--Anna

a fishy day

2011-10-13T16:01:00.001-07:00

The kids & I spent the whole afternoon with grandma & grandpa yesterday to make some fishy memories. That doesn't sound right. How about we made memories about fish. Or something like that. Whatever.

First we saw Dolphin Tale. I must admit I had to hold back a tear or two because I'm a cryer (and I totally blame that on hormones) and because it was a stinkin' good movie. Good enough to buy it good. It was good. There's no mushy love stuff and no violence really so it's a definite winner in the "Mom Approves This Movie For Kids" category. We got to the theater an hour early so we pigged out on our snacks & took pics of the kids. A word of advice: 4 years olds do not like to sit still when they are in the front row and there is a guardrail in front of them to climb. It's like telling them not to climb on the jungle gym at the park. Impossible.

Then we walked over to Sea Life - an aquarium located inside a local mall. It was much bigger than I expected, even with the main tank empty for renovation. I spent most of the time trying to figure out the best setting to have my camera on inside while fish are moving. I failed miserably, but managed to get a few good shots.

Have a fishy day,

--Anna

good eats: easy crockpot chicken & apple slices

2011-10-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hello friends. It's been a few days.....

The kiddos are home for a week for Fall Break. We went to church on Sunday & spent time with family that we haven't seen in a while. The beautiful weather was calling my name on Monday so I got brave and took all the kids with me on a long walk. Some did not like the walking as much as others. But we all made it home in one piece & they swear they want to go with me again. Today, I am taking care of a sick little boy that decided to grace one of our bathrooms with his morning breakfast, if you know what I mean. He's taking it easy on the sick couch (what our loveseat is called when someone is sick. when someone is sick, that is where they get to sit.) watching Justice League and playing with Star Wars action figures.

I made our weekly menu yesterday before heading to the grocery store. I was in need of something quick & easy to make for dinner so I hopped onto Pinterest & found a chicken recipe that made my mouth start watering.

forkinit.blogspot.com

So I made my own version of it - just throwing 3 skinless/boneless chicken breasts into the crockpot with a dash of pepper & most of a bottle of honey barbecue sauce and about 1/2 cup water (mix the sauce & water before putting it into the pot). I let it cook on low for 4 hours and turned the meat every 15 minutes during the last hour. Once it was done & looked delicious, I shredded the meat in a dish & poured the remaining sauce over it. Can we say delicious? Oh yes.

And we had apples. I have one of those apple/peeler/corer/slicer things from Pampered Chef. The kids love their apples this way. I usually can't get them to eat apples any other way.

Happy Tuesday,
--Anna

good eats: pretty cupcakes

2011-10-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

The kids requested cupcakes for Dessert Night (we only have dessert once a week at our house - Thursdays) so I bought a box mix and got to work. I topped each one with some homemade frosting & flowers I made for a cake class I took a few months ago. The result was almost too pretty to eat.

This boy may or may not have gobbled up a few.

The homemade frosting is a recipe I watched my mother & grandmother make as a young girl. They would never measure anything and somehow frosting was magically perfect every time. I make it the same way, but can give you the gist of how it's done.

You'll need:

1 pkg. confectioner's sugar (one pound)

1 teaspoon vanilla (I just use the cap of the vanilla bottle)

dash of salt

2 Tbsp. milk + some more

1 stick butter ever so slightly softened (I use unsalted butter)

I throw everything in at once into a bowl & turn on the mixer. It will be a little on the dry & clumpy side. Add a dash of milk and mix some more. If it is still too dry, add more milk. I like my frosting to hold its shape and not flop over. If it flops {or is too runny} then add more confectioner's sugar. I told you that for me, it's not an exact science. If it's too thick, it will not spread on the cupcakes well. If it's too thin, it will run right off the cupcakes. So just thick enough is perfect.

Have a yummy day!

--Anna

b is for birdwatching

2011-10-04T03:00:00.001-07:00

Years ago, my grandpa started a bird club with my cousin as a homeschooling project. My mom, being the fun grandma that she is, decided to revive the bird club and my kids are the newest members. They each received a small spiral notebook in which to draw birds they spot while out and about. The fronts were decorated with owl stickers Nana picked up during a recent business trip to Chicago.

Tot and Nonee were really into the bird book Nana let them borrow. She also purchased one online for us to use when we get to Virginia. But it doesn't have pictures. Odd. A birdwatching book without pictures. That's like a cookbook minus the pictures. Hmmm. So I'm not too sure that it will come in handy. Perhaps it's the thought that counts.

To expand their birdwatching horizons, we took the kids to an amazing park/bird reserve near Nana's home. There are walking/bike paths, a bird reserve, a play area & a pretty lake filled with fish & ducks. We got there just before sunset.

So into their notebooks went drawings of ducks.

Have a lovely day,

--Anna

Make It Monday: old jeans//new jeans

2011-10-03T03:00:00.002-07:00

I have a pair of Sweetheart blue jeans from Old Navy that I love. I love the fit, that is. Not the color.

So I decided they needed some freshening up. Denim Blue RIT dye from Walmart would be just the thing to deepen that faded old blue.

I decided the best place to do this project was in my kitchen sink because it is big & deep (and I wouldn't have to be hunched over the whole time). The packaging does say that it will stain cracks in porcelain (the material my sink is made of) so I was sure to wash any stain down immediately.

I filled up a bucket about half full with water that was as hot as I could stand to touch. I poured in the whole container of dye while the water was running and poured in a cup of salt (per the container's directions). Hot water and salt allow the fibers to expand and the color to set better. The dye also says to stir your project with a wooden spoon. I don't have one. And since my jeans are a larger project, I donned a pair of rubber gloves and swished the jeans around in the bucket the entire time.

I left the jeans in the dye bath for 35 minutes. It took me an equal amount of time to rinse out all the dye before throwing the jeans into the washing machine. Be sure to rinse with cold water as this will allow the fibers to shrink and the color to set. Some dyes take longer to rinse out than others. Reds usually take the longest.

And now my blue jeans are a blue I love.

This project made me miss the process of fabric manipulation - something I did in college. I really want to do more and am already searching my closet for more dying possibilities. A project like this is lots of fun, easy to do and can bring a completely new life to something rather drab. So go dye something - you'll be glad you did.

Have a lovely day,
--Anna

good eats: turkey dogs & sweet potato fries

2011-09-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year when sweet potatoes are a'plenty at the grocery store and I get to bring some home to make delicious eats with them. This time, I wanted to try something different - sweet potato fries. I just peeled 2 large sweet potatoes, washed them thoroughly, and cut them up into fry stick shapes. Actually, my stick shapes look more like chunks. Meanwhile, the oven was heating up to a nice 375. I laid the fries on a stone cookie sheet (I'm sure a regular metal cookie sheet works fine too) and drizzled them with olive oil. Once in the oven, they cooked for 35 minutes. No salt or pepper are necessary, although my kids like to eat them with ketchup. I like them plain. These are so good & so easy to make that I am sure they will be on our dinner table again soon.

My kids are slowly learning to like them. I did hear once that you have to put a new food on your child's plate 10 times before they'll try it or like it. We've had sweet potatoes - in some way, shape or form - about 6 times, so they are well on their way to liking them ;)

What's your favorite sweet potato recipe?

--Anna

officially Fall

2011-09-26T13:19:00.001-07:00

It's officially Fall & I am looking forward to the slightly cooler weather (still about 100 in the desert but cooler temps are on the way). Our old brick house is for sale so I don't want to go all out with the decorations, but decided a few were in order to celebrate the season. Thanks to Pinterest, I am completely inspired to try new things with pumpkins this year.

{note to self: buy a pretty old chair like the one below}

{source: roomseventeenstyle.blogspot.com}

What are you doing to pretty up your home for Fall? Leave me a link - I'd love to see!

--Anna

it's Friday

2011-09-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

Today is a day for playing with cool cars

and a rocky superhero

and dinosaurs that like Lego skyscrapers.

What are you doing today?

Have a lovely weekend,

--Anna

missing the Mr.

2011-09-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

Today I am missing the Mr. & all his silliness.

Our old brick house is pretty quiet without him here. I have figured out that I am the serious one, the shy one, the taskmaster, the one that cracks the whip around here. I think I need to lighten up. Or maybe I am silly too, just not when I am without my trusted sidekick.

How about you? Do you break out of your shell when your Mr. isn't around??

Today, I'll be braving parent/teacher conferences with all 4 kids in tow. And I'll be fine as long as Nonee decides he will behave and NOT wrestle his older brother to the hallway floor like he did last time. Oi.

--Anna

sweet winnings

2011-09-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Remember the giveaway I won & posted about here? Well prize #2 arrived the mail last week and I am finally getting around to posting about it. The very sweet Emily, from Blue Corduroy, offered a nice discount on anything in her shop. I picked out a new dress for Tot because she LOVES dresses and there was one in her size. I loved the color combo too and kinda fell in love with the polka dot fabric she paired with the vintage floral pattern.

Emily also gifted some small seashells, which Nonee is all too happy to play with. I think he's been carrying the white one around with him all afternoon.

Yeah, I think this dress pretty much rocks.

Check out Emily's shop HERE & her blog HERE.

Thanks Emily,

--Anna

old specs

2011-09-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

**I know this post was supposed to appear yesterday, but I decided to take a day and focus on my kids. We spent the day playing, watching movies, visiting Nana & Grandpa, swimming, and looking at stars. It was a perfect day.**

Tot got bright red specs a couple of weeks ago. She's adorable in them & they match her crazy personality perfectly. But I didn't want to just throw away a perfectly good pair of glasses, so I looked up ways to donate eyeglasses on google. Aahhhh, the power of google. I found out that the Lions Club has a donation program established & you can send in your old specs to local spots or directly to their headquarters. I found an address in my state, so we packed them up {along with an old pair of mine} and we are shipping them off this week.

The sweater and pants in the background will also be mailed to the Mr. during the same trip to the little post office in town. He has arrived in Virginia and started his new job this past Wednesday. He says we'll love it there. We are both anxious to get our whole family out there and get things back to normal. It's kinda crazy staying behind with 4 kiddles while the Mr. is clear across the country. There's no more picking up the phone to see if he can get milk at the grocery store on the way home. I really took stuff like that for granted. Not anymore. I have true respect for single parents.

I hope you had a pleasant weekend, filled with family & good times.

--Anna

toothless

2011-09-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

Tot lost a tooth at school yesterday. She claims she was attacked by an automatic hand dryer in the bathroom at school, which knocked her very loose tooth out once and for all. Her friend gave her a flower ring to celebrate the occasion.

The school nurse gave her a purple plastic treasure chest in which to hold her tooth. The tooth fairy gave her a whopping $0.50 for it. And the tooth fairy remembered to bring her said riches on the very first night. Amazing, I know.

Did you notice Tot's new red specs? She LOVES them. We are doing something special with her old ones. Stop by tomorrow to see....

Happy Friday,

--Anna

cooling off

2011-09-14T22:13:00.001-07:00

It was cooler today than the norm, so Tot & Nonee had a fabulous idea - go outside & play! See, where we live the temps have been record breaking highs, so playing outside for like the last 2 months have been a no-go. And that's like pure torture for any kid. And any parent for that matter. Cabin fever, anyone??

The Radio Flyer was busted out.

And rides were taken - & given.

And gang signs flashed. Yo.

It was a good day. I love these little moments - when my kids are perfectly content. It makes my heart smile.

Have a lovely day,

--Anna

my collection

2011-09-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

I don't collect much. I don't like clutter. I do have a small Eeyore collection - all of the items given to me by family & friends since I was a teenager. Apparently I was a grouchy teenager. I blame that on hormones. Not a single item have I purchased on my own.

Until now.

For several months now I have been collecting plastic bread tabs. Odd, I know, but it's a collection just like any other. I like my tabs flat. Size and color are not as important. One day I am going to make something with them. That's what I get for majoring in fibers in college. I'm always looking at everyday objects & wonder what I can do with them. It's going to take a long time to make my secret project because I need, oh, say 300 more of these bad boys. That's a lot of bread to buy. One day......one day.

Do you collect things? Please share.

Have a lovely day,
--Anna

do you Pinterest?

2011-09-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

I finally jumped onto the Pinterest bandwagon {thanks to my friends Kirsten & Shannon} and have become hopelessly addicted. I love that I can divide all the things I gush over into categories and then look at them whenever I please. It's great for inspiration - which will really help when we move & I have a new house to decorate. Oh yes, it's going to be fun. Great fun, I tell you :)

Source: pequeocio.com via Anna on Pinterest

Do you Pinterest? Find me & we can follow each other. Wouldn't that be fun?

--Anna

happy mail

2011-09-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I was the lucky winner of a sponsor giveaway at Smile And Wave. My first package arrived in the mail & I couldn't even wait to get home to open it. That's right people - I love packages. This one was filled with goodies from Katie from Charmed Earth. Her generous giveaway included magnets & clothespins that are even prettier in real life, a simple necklace that I wear often (& get sweet compliments on, too), and she threw in a cute bookplate for kicks. Getting this package totally made my day.

Read Katie's lovely blog HERE.

And be sure to check out her shop HERE.

Thanks Katie!,

--Anna

Make It Tuesday: bed makeover

2011-09-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

I've been stuck in a whirlwind of packing boxes & taking photos of the house for the realtor, remodeling our main bathroom, setting aside items for our yard sale this weekend, and trying to juggle life inbetween. I finished packing up most of the kids' rooms and am kind of in love with how clean they are right now. In fact, I kind of don't mind if what I've packed already doesn't come with us. I know they'll miss their stuff, but I sure won't. Is that mean? So amongst all the business, I found time to spray paint the bed frames we bought at a consignment shop forever ago for our girls. There were two of them, they were the perfect size (twin) and they were cute. Just a little worn out & white. But the DIYer in me knew something could be done to change that.

The Mr. suggested black & I loved the idea. So we headed over to The Home Depot for some glossy black spray paint (a much better choice since we had lots of nooks & crannies to get paint into on the posts).

Years ago, my grandma gave me the blanket that my grandpa had on his bed before he passed away. I remembered that she had an exact match on her on her bed when I was a little girl. But hadn't used it in years. So I got brave and asked her for it & she was more than happy to give it to me. Now my girls have them. I love that they've inherited a small piece of two very special people in my life.

I looked through my photo archives & can't find the "before" photos I took. I hate it when things mysteriously disappear. Just pretend you saw photos of a plain old scratched up white bed frame that needed some serious lovin.

Have a lovely day,

--Anna

today

2011-09-02T13:27:00.001-07:00

Nonee are hangin' out today. I've finished going through the last of the boxes from the garage this morning & will be pricing old stuff for our big yard sale on Labor Day. I can't believe we never fully unpacked from our last move 6 years ago. Totally embarrassing. That won't be happening with this next move. I pinky swear it.

We are passing the time watching Star Wars and playing alphabet games on the computer. He's pretty in love with the wireless mouse.

Have a lovely & safe holiday weekend.
--Anna
PS - I've got a Make It Monday post planned for Monday so be sure to stop by to see what my girl's beds look like now!

thrifty find

2011-09-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

I love me a good thrifty find & happened upon one a handful of weeks ago. Actually, the Mr. {who loves to thrift with me} spotted it & said something like, "Hey hon, don't you like that stuff?" I twirled around to see a lovely hobnail milk glass vase sitting on a shelf & thought I'd died & gone to heaven. I'm weak in the knees for that "stuff". And it was one whole whopping dollar. I'd been favorite-ing some just like it on etsy for much more than that so it totally made my day.

Since everything is packed up or not in its normal place at the moment, I had to get fancy & take the photo using the Mr.'s guitar amp in place of a shelf or table. I think it works.

Any good thrifty finds for you lately??

Have a lovely day,

--Anna

super saturday

2011-08-30T05:00:00.001-07:00

It's a tradition of sorts for the women of my church to have an annual craft day, which has been donned the name Super Saturday. And super it always is. I was in charge of it this year - quite the task for someone who has a small committee, got the flu at the beginning of the week & is packing her house up to move. But Saturday came & it was nice to visit with friends & craft the morning away. I thought I'd share a glimpse of the day, but will keep a few crafts secret for now because they will end up under relatives' Christmas trees this year ;)

Bowties for boys were sewn. My friend Chris made candy corn bow ties for her boys & a matching bow for her hair. How cute is that?!

The beading table was always full - lots of cute necklaces & bracelets were put together.

Girls & moms alike had fun making these flower poufs for their hair. I saw some being worn to church the next day. Yea!

{Thanks for helping out with that Michelle!}

I taught a basic cupcake decorating class. Everyone left with new skills & yummy cupcakes to share.

Done any crafting lately?? I'd love to see/hear about what you're making!
--Anna

Make It Monday: Tame Sweater Ruffles

2011-08-28T20:48:00.000-07:00

I bought a cute sweater at DownEast Outfitters a summer or two ago. I fell in love with the ruffles & couldn't wait to wear it. But after the first wash, it was a disaster. The pretty ruffles were a crazy mess. And so it got thrown into my closet, lost in the pile of other sweaters that had no ruffles on the top shelf. And I forgot about it. Until I cleaned out my closet in order to purge old clothes that were donation worthy. I saw the sweater & it practically begged me to wear it. Okay, not really, but it just wouldn't be right to only wear something once since money absolutely does not grow on trees around here. All it took was a little DMC embroidery thread that matched the sweater perfectly, a needle & scissors. I simple used the thread to tack down the ruffles, but still allowing them to ruffle enough to be cute. I knotted each stitch on the inside of the sweater so no one can see them. Now my ruffles are tame & lovely.

The Mr. says my bag looks like it is smiling. Yes it does. Yes it does :)

Have a lovely day & go tame some wild ruffles in your wardrobe.

--Anna

and the winner is......

2011-08-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Jen!

Email me at letterastudio@gmail.com with your address to claim your new goodies :)

--Anna

Scrappy Stash Giveaway Ends Today!!!

2011-08-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

Get those comments in cuz the scrappy stash giveaway ends tonight at 10pm Arizona time!

**Our time never changes here so I have no idea what time that is for the rest of you folks, but I'm sure you're all smarties and can figure it out :)**

What's that? You don't know about the giveaway? Well read down a couple of posts then my friend. I hope you stop by often!

right now

2011-08-24T09:56:00.001-07:00

Right now I am trying to take it easy....because I don't have all my energy back yet from being sick. Not because I'm being lazy.

Right now I am wishing I could do all the things I want to do instead of doing all the things I have to do.

Right now I wish it was already next week because that would mean this crazy week would already be over.

Right now I wish that crazy hurricane that's heading toward Virginia would change its path. We kinda need a place to live - one that's preferably not flooded when we arrive.

Right now I choose to ignore the fact that my house looks like this:

And this:

And that we only have a week to finish everything & get it on the market.

{Overwhelmed sigh}

Oh & don't forget to enter the scrappy stash giveaway(read a couple of blog posts down)!
You have till Thursday to enter!

--Anna
PS - The Mr. finished all the wood flooring last night. That's one big checkmark of our let's-get-this-house-ready-to-sell checklist!

sick

2011-08-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

I got bit by the sick bug late Sunday night. The Mr. was by my side the whole time. I'm pretty sure there's true love in our marriage when he asked me if I needed a paper towel to wipe off my face after I filled up the garbage can with you know what.

So it's Tuesday morning & I am on the mend. I even felt good enough to shower & do a load of laundry. So by the weekend I'll be feeling fabulous and can whip my crazy messy house back into shape.

In the meantime, I am taking lots of naps and drinking lots water & Naked juice (preferably something packed with Vitamin C).

{source: weheartit}

I hope you all are healthy and well.

It's nap time.

--Anna

Big Scrapping Stash Giveaway!

2011-08-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

I've packed up my craft space to get ready for the move, but didn't want to take everything with me. So I set aside a nice-sized pile of scrapbooking goodness for one lucky reader. This giveaway is so big, I had to split up the stash & take 2 photos of it. Wanna see what you could win??

Giveaway includes:

Handmade birthday gift bag

Handmade card

Handmade family mini photo album

Pink metal storage tin (with cute skull pattern)

Star chipboard album

Acrylic album (wrapped in blue)

Heart embosser

Keychain

Stampin' Up! ribbon holders (2)

Ribbon

Pretty post-it notes

Buttons (colors vary)

Flowers in blue, white & brown

Mini orange albums (3)

Green self-adhesive flower ribbon

Chipboard album

Chipboard (used, but many letters & styles included)

Dry embossing template & stylus

Tin full of eyelets

Stampin' Up! Hodgepodge Hardware kit (some of it is used)

Scalloped chipboard album

Pink mini album

Stampin' Up! make your own checkbook cover

Square punched cardstock in various colors (great for tags, etc!)

Wheh!! Okay so you've seen the loot. Now read on to find out how you can win it all!

1. You must be a follower of this blog. If you are not already a follower, then become one :)

Leave a comment in the comments section letting me know you are a follower & how long you've been following letter A studio.

2. Refer a friend.

Leave a comment in the comments section letting me know who referred you after you've become a follower. I will give that person an extra entry!)

3. Blog about the giveaway on your blog.

Leave a link to your fabulous blog in the comments section & I'll be sure to stop by.

4. Share an embarrassing crafting moment.

Share your story! I could use a good laugh today since our bathroom remodel is not going as planned, ha!

**Giveaway ends on Thursday, August 25th. Winner will be announced next Friday!**

So that's it! You have 4 ways to enter. Good luck!!!

--Anna

fun with letters

2011-08-18T05:00:00.006-07:00

Learning the alphabet can be such an exciting thing to toddlers. Learning the letters in their own name seems to be even more exciting. I know that Nonee will point out the letter N whenever he sees it on public signs or television shows. He's gaga for that letter. But X, Y & Z just won't do. So I thought it would be fun to make button letters with Tate, Nonee & their two besties. They had the best time placing buttons over clear adhesive strips, which reflected just enough light so they knew where the buttons were to be placed.

They were so proud of their button letters. And I was all too happy to help since it seemed everyone was getting a bit restless and needed something crafty to keep them busy. I love simple crafts that involve little clean up.

--Anna

last summer hurrah

2011-08-17T09:02:00.001-07:00

We did absolutely nothing this summer. Zilch. During the school year we spend about $600 a month in gas. So we've spent the last 2 months trying to save our pennies. And with those pennies we took the kids to the zoo. They love the animals and we love that you can get through the whole park in just a couple of hours.

Thank goodness for the wet area. The kids can cool themselves off halfway through our visit & be completely dry before we walk out the exit to our car & head home. All zoos should have this feature.

This last little guy is #2 on my favorite animals list. No, I don't really keep a list. But if I did it would go like this:

#1 - Emperor penguins

#2 - Otters

End of list.

Looks like I need to like more animals.

Been to the zoo lately? What's your favorite animal to see??
--Anna
PS - I've been packing up my craft room & have a stash of goodies to give away soon. The pile keeps growing so check back this weekend to see how you can win it all!

officially back//big announcement

2011-08-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

Hello. We officially have a laptop & so I am officially blogging again. Yea! The last couple of computer less weeks have been quite busy. The kids started school and so far it is going swimmingly. They like their teachers enough not to hate school so I'm pleased as punch.

And now for the BIG announcement - or at least I think it's big.......

About 2 weeks ago, the Mr. got a life-changing phone call. It was a job offer for an appraiser position he had interviewed for 2 weeks prior. And it's in Virginia. We live in Arizona. So this is a major life change for our little family. Yes, Virginia. I am sure friends are a little shocked that we are leaving all of my side of the family behind to live in a state where the closest relative will be 2 hours away. It really wasn't a difficult decision to make. We've been longing for something different - something greener than the desert. Of course there are people we've grown quite attached to here & will miss them dearly. But friends to us are friends for life.

So Virginia isn't just for lovers. It's for the Buis family too.

Much love,
--Anna

be back real soon

2011-08-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hello friends :) I just wanted to pop in & let you know we finally have a new laptop!! We are in the process of transfering data and downloading updates (a task I gladly passed on to the Mr.) from the old computer to our new laptop. So this means - fingers crossed - that I will be blogging again on a regular basis beginning next week. I have lots to share!

Loves,
--Anna
PS - Welcome to my new followers! It's so nice to have you here :)

out of service

2011-07-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

Our computer finally bit the dust. I don't know much about computers, but I'm pretty sure they're not supposed to making sounds like cars revving their engines.....and then no sound at all.

So we are officially in the market for a new laptop and should have it in a week or so. Yea! In the meantime, it will be quiet here. I'm using my mama's ancient laptop {which has no photo program on it whatsoever} to stay current with email & other lovely blogs. And when I am officially up & running with our new laptop, I'll have lots of fun things to share - like new Make It Monday posts & recent thrift shop finds.

Don't be a stranger!!
--Anna

Good Eats: chocolate dipped treats

2011-07-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

I had a craving for chocolate. It was bad. Luckily I had a bag of milk chocolate chips in the fridge. I am strictly a milk chocolate kind of girl. I don't like much else - except those chocolate oranges that seem to come out in large quantities at the grocery store right around Christmas. The very same chocolate orange that magically makes its way into my husband's Christmas stocking every year. Hmmmm. I wonder how that happens??

So the kiddos & I gathered pretzel sticks, large marshmallows & bananas - all good things for dipping in chocolate.

And then we dipped to our hearts content.

And stuck them in the fridge for an hour to harden. It seemed like a ridiculously long hour.

And then it was time to eat.

Now go dip something in chocolate. You won't regret it. I promise.

--Anna

Make It Monday: Simple Shirt Makover

2011-07-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

Since Tot is younger than Boo, it is only natural that Tot wears lots of hand-me-downs. But Boo is about 6 years older than Tot. Fashion can change a lot in 6 years. When Boo was younger, I tried to purchase clothing that was somewhat plain so that I wouldn't have to worry about it not being fashionable later. But many of Boo's shirts seemed too plain for my crazy little Tot. So today I'm going to share a simple way to make over a shirt {that was once worn by Boo & is now fashioned for Tot}.

Gather the following supplies:

a shirt
a photo of the shape you want to put on your shirt (I chose butterflies. I google a photo & printed it out in 3 different sizes to give the finished shirt more interest.)
2 different kinds of fabric - you can use more if you like, depending on your shape & how many you are using on your shirt
scissors
Wonder Under (I love love love this stuff)
iron

To add your shape to the shirt, simply follow the directions on the Wonder Under packaging. It's pretty straightforward. Even though you don't have to, I stitched around the edges of the butterflies to keep them from fraying too much in the future. Yes, my kids are rough on their clothes so I wanted to make sure they would stay put for a long time. You should end up with something like this:

I fiddled with the placement of the butterflies before committing them to their final spots with the iron. Play around with your shapes till you have a design you love. You can tell from the close-ups that I am not fabulous at sewing by any means, ha! But if you choose to sew your edges, use a contrasting thread to add extra visual interest to your shapes. It turned Tot's blah hand-me-down brown shirt into something cute & totally wearable.

Did you try this?? I'd love to see! Link it up in the comments section or shoot me an email & I just might feature your project :)

Happy Crafting!!

--Anna

haboob season

2011-07-16T09:33:00.001-07:00

Yes, haboob is really a word. Some people like to call it a dust storm, but us desert folk know better. They come so wickedly fast & can cause major damage. Like uprooting trees & power outages. Crazy wicked.

We just happened to see one coming our way & ran outstide to take a quick photo before hightailing it back into the house. The sky went from sunny to dark in seconds. The Mr. wanted to wait until it got right to the street. Something like this came out of my mouth: "Uh-uh. No way. Get in the house now." It's a good thing I have an obedient husband ;) The haboob hit the house just as we shut the front door.

Here's to hoping you have a sunny weekend,
--Anna
PS - I've been crafting a little, so Make It Monday will be back starting this Monday! Horray!! Be sure to stop by.

sign of summer

2011-07-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

While grocery shopping with Tot, we discovered fresh peaches for just 47 cents a pound. So I bought four pounds worth. I was all giddy with the thought of making a fresh peach pie & peach cobbler during the winter months when peaches will no longer be in season.

I promptly brought them home, wash & peeled them and admired their loveliness.

And then I bagged them for future use and said goodbye as I tossed them into the freezer. {Okay, not really. I don't talk to my food. Well, sometimes I do.....but only if it's not cooperating with me.}

Do you have a favorite peach pie or cobbler recipe? Please share!

--Anna

Our {picture heavy} 4th

2011-07-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

As promised, I'm here to share pics of our recent Independence holiday with ya. It's gonna be picture heavy - you've been fairly warned.

We spent the day with Nana & Grandpa, along with my sweet aunt, uncle & cousin. Before extended family arrived, we hit the pool.

This little girl was getting quite brave in the water. We have a "you can only go as deep as your shoulders" policy, which she adheres to well.

Nonee decided to be even braver than his sister & ditched his beloved lobster for some water wings. Once he discovered that is all he needed to have on to stay afloat, he was in water heaven.

This is the flag waving magestically in front of Nana's house - provided by the Boy Scouts.

And these are smaller flags sitting sweetly in a mason jar on the dinner table.

Extended family arrived and then we ate. Lots of food. Good food. 4th of July food. Like the juiciest watermelon EVER. And a bowl of baked beans that was half-eaten by Booga.

The kids had double scoops of Thrifty mint chocolate chip ice cream.

The grown ups ate pie. My favorite pie ever. Cherry rhubarb pie. With vanilla ice cream on the side. Nana sent us home with the last piece which I ate the very next day. And I enjoyed every delicious moment of it.

Then it was time for a little sparkle.

Aside from a little sunburn on the Mr.'s shoulders, it was a perfect day.

--Anna

notes from home

2011-07-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

Boo left for camp at 5:45 this morning. Yesterday, while she was packing, I snuck into my craft space & put together a quick note for her to open each day. I wanted to tell her that we love her, that she is a special daughter of our Heavenly Father & that we miss her like crazy.

Although we've been apart for an entire week before, this is the first time she is leaving home for that amount of time on her own. She's just shy of turning 13 & seemed really ready for this new adventure as she walked out the door this morning. Sigh. My baby girl is all grown up. Sigh some more.

How do you keep in touch with your kids when parted?

--Anna

PS - Tomorrow's post will be full of July 4th photos. Late, I know. But catching up is all I've been doing since our air conditioning got fixed last weekend. Let's just say that the photos would have been posted on time if the first company we called did a more professional job. Okay. That's all I am going to say about that.

sweet estelle's giveaway at Oh So Lovely

2011-07-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

The lovely Sherry at Oh So Lovely is giving away the loot below to one lucky reader from sweet estelle's baking supply.

Hop on over to see the goodies & the rules for your chance to win!

--Anna

hello with a side of silly

2011-07-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

I'm back. Back to blogging (yeah!), back to a home with now working air conditioning, back to a normal life (it's hard to live out of suitcases when you're not really on vacation), and trying to get back into a normal routine. It feels good to be back :)

We are keeping ourselves busy with unpacking and packing up again. Boo is getting ready to go to Girl's Camp {for church} tomorrow. I went when I was her age and am super excited for her. She's somewhat excited too. I have to run to the store this morning for last minute items like dental floss, baby wipes & a rain poncho. It's monsoon season here and I'm sure some rain will be trickling {more like pouring} down on the camp every day. She's going to have so much fun!!

We are also keeping our summer days filled with craftiness of sorts. Whenever my mom comes to visit for the day, she brings the kids a little something. This last time it was silly putty. Remember that stuff? Although the girls haven't taken to it much, it keeps my boys busy for at least a full hour. It's great for making impressions of things like star wars legos.

This week will prove to be interesting. Our computer is on the fritz and for the first time in years, we are going shopping for a new one. All we know is that it must be a laptop.

Any suggestions??

Happy Monday,

--Anna

dealing with it {& no photos}

2011-07-04T15:14:00.000-07:00

Our furnace died on us last week. We spent 3 days living with close friends. I love having friends that are more like family. They saved us from 95 degree heat {and that was the temp. in our house!} just in the nick of time. I think the heat was fogging my senses.

The air conditioning guy told us our 35 year old furnace was on its last leg so we have opted to get a new one put in. Yes, they are expensive. No, we don't have the money for it. But we can't go back to our house until we have cool air. It was 115 degrees today. No bueno. So after the holiday, which I hope you are all enjoying, we will have a new furnace installed and I can get back to life like I like it. There really is no place like home.

Obviously, with me being gone, there will be no blog posts. I'm hijacking my mom's computer while visiting for the holiday. I'll do catching up posts next week. Or maybe this weekend if the new unit is installed in time. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Love & Happy 4th,
--Anna

ladybugs & mint

2011-07-01T10:49:00.001-07:00

Tot requested a chocolate ladybug cake. Ladybugs are so cute, how could I say no? Plus, this would be good practice for me since I haven't made a cake since my final cake class a few months ago. I got to work & sketched out what I hoped would be a fabulous cake for her.

I bought a box mix of chocolate fudge flavored cake. And then I fashioned some little ladybugs out of chocolate & cherry tootsie rolls to cuten it up a bit.

The kids were delightfully surprised when they tasted Andes mint candies in the middle. I chopped up an entire package to fill the center of the cake. Only 2 mints found their way to my mouth before the chopping began. I promise.

Happy Friday to you :)

--Anna

Good Eats: beef stew

2011-06-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

I love making soups and stews in the crockpot. There is little prep work involved and the end result is delicious. Plus, my house smells heavenly all day.

Today's Good Eats recipe is beef stew. It's super easy to make so let's get started.

Ingredients
3 stalks celery, washed & sliced
4 medium carrots, washed & sliced
4 potatoes, washed & cubed
1/4 small onion, finely chopped
1 container beef stew stock
stew meat, cooked & drained
water
ketchup to taste
pepper to taste

Instructions
1. Wash & cut celery, carrots, potatoes and onion. Add to crockpot.
2. Pour in container of beef stew stock {found in the soup isle at your grocery store}.
3. Cook stew meat. Add to soup mixture.
4. Add water. There is no real exact amount to add - it depends on your soup preference. If you love broth, add more water. If you don't like broth much, add just enough water to cover your ingredients. If you're like me, you add lots of water & then put some in jars to use for soups in the future {store it in fridge, of course.}.
5. Add ketchup and pepper to taste. Ketchup gives it good flavor. My kids love the broth much more when I add ketchup.
6. Cook on high until it boils. Let boil for 5-10 minutes and then set crockpot to low heat. Let simmer all day.
7. Enjoy for dinner. If it's too hot for the kids, add some ice cubes to their bowl to cook it off faster.

Enjoy!!
--Anna

on a lazy summer evening

2011-06-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

It was hot Friday night. Like over 110 degrees hot. So we blew up the pool in our driveway & let the kids act like fish for an hour.

Tot likes to work on her tan. She's so fair skinned. Don't worry. It was almost 7:30pm when this shot was taken so there was no way she could get sunburned. Plus, she has two mischevious brothers that kept pulling her into the water.

After doing a little yardwork {in other words, watering grass we are attempting to grow} the Mr. & I relaxed in our double folding chair.

So blow up a pool & let your kiddles enjoy the summer - even if it is unbearably hot.

What do you do on a lazy summer evening?

--Anna

leapin' lizards!

2011-06-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

I was in painting mode this weekend, freshening up our living room with a new coat of Silver Sateen. We have a loveseat that needed to be pushed away from the wall so I could paint behind it. Well when I removed said loveseat, I saw a tail of something & that it scurried away in a snake-like fashion. Now I am terrified of snakes {and that's a big understatement} so some screaming was in order. I don't think I've screamed like that since having a ride on Indiana Jones at Disneyland 14 years ago. I bolted across the room, sat on top of the footstool and waited for the Mr. to come rushing in to save the day.

We saw it move again & realized it was a lizard. Great. My 2nd least favorite reptile. I have no problem if lizards are outside. That is where they belong. But there is something sooooooo wrong with them being inside my house.

The beast managed to scrunch itself between a stack of old records & the wall. We emptied Nonee's animal cage {that he totes his action figures in} and the Mr. captured it.

The kids oohed & aahed. Booga asked if we could keep it & I'm pretty sure we all know what my answer was to that silly question. I snapped a few shots, careful not to get too close. Then the Mr. took it across the street and let it loose. Good riddance.

What's the craziest pest you've found in your house??

--Anna

Tot turns 7

2011-06-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

Our little Tater Tot turns 7 years old today. We celebrated the occasion with some teal nail polish.

And then we curled her hair.

My little girl is all grown up. We knew from the moment she was born that she would be different. She's the only blonde in our immediate family. Unlike her siblings, she wears glasses. She's wild & crazy and loves to be the life of the party. The rest of our kids are shy - usually.

Speaking of party, we are celebrating later this weekend with Nana & Grandpa Vern. I'm making a ladybug cake, per Tot's request. It's gonna be cute if I do say so myself.

Have a lovely afternoon,
--Anna

Happy Fathbirthanni Trip

2011-06-21T15:40:00.001-07:00

The Mr.'s birthday, Father's Day, & our anniversary are all within a week of eachother. So this year I got smart & rolled them all into one. Hence the name Happy Fathbirthanni Trip. Since it's my turn this year to make plans for our anniversary, I decided it was high time to take my Mr. out on the town. The best dates we've had as of late is to window shop at Target till 9pm & then happily visit Coldstone Creamery for yummy ice cream concoctions that just happen to be buy one get one free after 9.

So we packed a suitcase & headed up to the valley. We spent Thursday evening at Chase Field to see the Diamondbacks beat the Giants. We are much more of a basketball family, but baseball is a very close second. I bought tickets online & had no idea the whereabouts of our seats. It turns out we were in the bleacher seats, just 4 rows back from the outfield. And no one sat directly in front of us. So we had a great view of the game & loved watching our guys huddle around homeplate for a little celebrating at the end.

The next morning, we had breakfast at the hotel {I am in love with Holiday Inn Express cinnamon rolls} & then rushed to do a little thrifting before heading to the movies to see Pirates of the Caribbean 4. I think this was my most favorite of them all. And after all that pirate watching, we worked up an appetite. So I took the Mr. to his favorite restaurant - PF Chang's.

He had a chicken dish with white rice.

I had lettuce wraps. Mmmmm. I am normally not a mushrooms kind of girl, but I don't mind them in the least when eating this yumminess.

Then we were off to do more thrifting. We came home with a couple things {which will be shared in a future post, of course!}. And all that thrifting left us hungry yet again. So before heading home, we found our way to The Coffee Shop. Now we are not a coffee drinking family, but this place has cupcakes that get great reviews. If you live in the southeast Phoenix area, it's definitely worth checking out.

I got a Boston Cream Pie & the Mr. had a pretty Triple Berry. The verdict - pure deliciousness. I wanted another but I knew my thighs would hate me later. So I stopped at one. We are definitely bringing the kids back to this place. It's even cooler that this place, along with another restaraunt, is snuggled on the same land as a working farm. There's a community behind it called Agritopia, complete with a community garden. It's my idea of heaven. Yes, it's kinda been a dream of mine to live on a farm. Or at least own a lot of land and grow a ginormous garden. So this place is cool in my book.

Then it was back to reality. My mom & step-dad were very sweet to spend our 2 days away with our kiddos. We got home & the blow up pool was out, the outside toys were scattered on the driveway & homemade snickerdoodle cupcakes were on the counter, freshly baked. A good time was had by all.

I highly recommend taking your Mr. away for a couple of days. We both felt refreshed & ready to tackle day to day things with clearer minds.

Have you been away with your loved one? I'd love to hear of your adventures.

Father's Day

2011-06-20T17:02:00.001-07:00

Father's Day is sandwiched between our wedding anniversary and the Mr's. birthday most every year. This year, I made him a special something he could wear to church. A special pinwheel, in fact. The ladies loved it. Guys were jealous. I think I did good ;)

I'm so grateful for my Mr. He works lots of long hours to provide for our little family & it never goes unappreciated. He's amazing. Amazingly perfect for me & the kiddos.

Our early weekend getaway was just what we needed this last week. I'll share a few photos of our fun tomorrow, so be on the lookout!

--Anna

praying for rain

2011-06-16T11:57:00.001-07:00

{source}

Maybe some of you have heard about the Wallow Fire. Maybe some of you have been affected by it. Or by the other fires that have started in the southern part of Arizona. Many have lost homes....everything. I can't imagine the heartache they are experiencing.

The Wallow Fire is already larger than the entire state of Rhode Island. Yeah, it's that big. It's sobering.

A friend is gathering supplies to donate to victims & the brave firefighters in the south. She has friends who have lost homes. We donated water. I wish we could do more.

Rain has not been in our forecast since these fires began. So maybe if we all pray hard enough a much needed miracle will occur. A little prayer can go a long way. Pray. Pray for families to be safe, homes to be protected & firefighters to have the strength & protection they need to fight these horrible fires. Pray.

a little excited

2011-06-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

{source: weheartit}

I'm packing today for an early weekend getaway. I mentioned yesterday that it was the anniversary of Mr. Buis & I. It is my year to plan something for our special day.

{We take turns planning Valentine's Day & our anniversary every year. So this year the Mr. planned Valentine's Day & I get to plan our anniversary. It's much easier to plan something sweet once a year rather than twice because after a couple of years, ideas start to repeat themselves.}

So I'm packing & cleaning all day long {minus time spent at the local library with my 2 oldest for summer reading fun} & daydreaming of all the fun we're going to have. Let's just say our 2 day adventure will end at a hidden restaraunt on a working farm that serves cupcakes that are downright delicious - or so I've heard.

14 years

2011-06-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

Today is Flag Day, just in case you were wondering ;)

Today also happens to be the 14th wedding anniversary of my sweet Mr. & I.

I love him so much more now than I did 14 years ago. My mom always told me to marry someone who was my friend first. I used to brush off her advice, but now I know she was right. Mike is my best friend through & through.

We were thinking how crazy it is how quickly time goes by....that our oldest daughter is going to be a teenager in a few short months.....that no matter how rough things get, we always stay strong for one another....that we are perfect for eachother.

So here's to another 14 years & much happiness. Love you hon!
--Anna

Good Eats//ice cream sandwiches (recipe found!)

2011-06-11T09:25:00.001-07:00

Remember this delicious post? I'm pleased as punch to share the recipe with you! Of course it was hiding under some random paper on my kitchen counter that I would never think to look under. So here it is:

Ice Cream Sandwiches
(taken from a magazine & I have no idea which one - I've had this in my recipe box for years)

Ingredients
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup all purpose flour

To Make
1. Preheat oven to 350. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir butter and chocolate till melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugars, cocoa, vanilla, salt & egg. Then sprinkle baking powder over chocolate mixture & add flour to pan too. Stir until well combined. {Let your older kids do the mixing if you feel like passing on building some nice upper arm muscles.}
2. Put chocolate mixture onto a 10x15 inch ungreased baking sheet. Press dough to the edges, making sure the surface is equally thick on the sheet.
3. Bake 12 - 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool. Cut into desired sized squares. {The longer you cook it, the crunchier it will be. I cut 14 pieces, making 7 cookies total.}
4. Slightly soften ice cream of choice. If you're not worried about perfection, just take a large spoonful of ice cream and put it on top of bottom cookie. Then smash the top cookie on top of it. Voila! You have a yummy, crunchy ice cream sandwich!
5. If you are not going to eat them immediately, individually wrap your sandwiches in plastic wrap, place on a clean baking sheet & return to freezer.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we did. Warning: Boo has braces and had a hard time eating the cookie part because of its crunchiness. Chew these sandwiches at your own risk, he he. I'm pretty sure I'll be making some softer sandwiches in the near future {and will share with you, of course ;) }.

Have a lovely weekend,
--Anna

thrifty finds

2011-06-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to introduce you to my very first Pyrex. I was a little more than giddy when I saw it on the shelf at a local thrift store. I adore the outer ridges, that it's all white & looks so sweet all filled up with summer fruits. It's perfect.

A few vintage sheets came home with us too. I can't resist mustard stripes. Or pretty summer florals. Now I just have to decide what to do with them. Should I chop them up for projects? Or actually use them for what they were intended {now that's a novel idea, huh}?

What thrifty finds have you scored lately?

--Anna

mouth-watering good

2011-06-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a good ice cream sandwich? Boo helped me make the dough for the chocolate cookie part which was baked in a cookie sheet to acheive perfect crunchiness. And the Mr. helped me assemble the cookies, working at lightening speed to freeze them again before we had a melted mess on our hands.

I'm kicking myself in the pants now because I lost the recipe. We only just made them Sunday and somehow that silly recipe has magically disappeared. I'm sure it's floating in la-la land with missing socks and other such things. If I ever find it, I promise to share such deliciousness with you.

Have a lovely day,

--Anna

for a good cause

2011-06-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

I did something fun last week. Something good.

I chopped off 16 inches of my long tresses. Then I popped it in the mail & it's on its way to Locks of Love.

And now I look like this:

I told the sweet girl (who, oddly enough, specializes in longer hairstyles) that made the big chop that it felt sooooo good to have short hair again.

And I'm sure a child somewhere that doesn't have hair will look awsome with my old locks. It feels so good to have done something good.

Have you done a good deed lately? Please share!

--Anna

fun weekend idea

2011-06-03T06:00:00.001-07:00

Need something fun to do with the kids this weekend?

How about you build them a makeshift fort using a large quilt draped across 2 couches (chairs are always an option if you don't have enough couches).

How about you blow up an air mattress (the best choice if you have wood floors, but you can use sleeping bags on top of carpet) & show them a favorite family movie while you cuddle with your significant other on one of the couches.

How about you let them sleep on the mattress.

{You'll earn awsome parenting points for this.}

How about you suprise them with donuts & chocolate milk for breakfast.

{Add more points for even more awsomeness.}

Next time we are going to add a s'mores treat to the fun.

If you give this a whirl, I'd love to see. Leave a comment & link your blog up!

Have a lovely weekend. Ours will be filled with swimming, a doctor visit, the local library, church & dinner with Nana & Grandpa Vern.

--Anna

graduation day

2011-06-02T10:35:00.001-07:00

Tot graduated from Kindergarten yesterday. We are so proud of her & how much she has accomplished this last year.

Most, if not all, of my pics of Tot came out blurry because this girl would not stop moving. I'm pretty sure she was a little excited that it was her last day of school.

The grad was held in a gym at a local church. I was in charge of decorating & it was much more of an undertaking than I had anticipated. I jokingly told my husband that I would never do anything like that again, but I'm pretty sure I will. Of course I had parent volunteers to help who were amazing & did whatever I needed them to.

The kids made a handprint poster for the backdrop, which was adorable when they were all up there in front of it.

Happy Thursday (my favorite day of the week),
--Anna
PS - I'll be back tomorrow with something fun & simple to do with your kids this weekend!

i need a nap

2011-06-01T12:59:00.000-07:00

That's what happens when you are in charge of decorating for your daughter's Kindergarten graduation & you stay up till 1am trying to figure out how to put PVC pipe together for a photo backdrop. Oh & of course that would include sewing a curtain for the backdrop too.

The graduation was adorable & now that we are home it's time for me & the Mr. to hit the sack for a bit. Looks like he's got a head start ;)

I'll be back tomorrow with a few photos of Tot's special day & some photos of some weekend fun soon after that!

Remember

2011-05-30T06:49:00.000-07:00

Today is a special day.

A day for us to remember.

To give thanks to those who have protected our great country.

To honor those who have fallen while trying.

In Flanders Fields

John McCrae, 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

he turned 90

2011-05-25T08:00:00.001-07:00

My step-father turned 90 recently.

My mom threw him a little party.

And made sweet cupcakes.

And we all wished him a happy 90th....

...while we listened to vintage records.

I would say he is well loved.

Happy Birthday Vern. I am glad you are a part of our family.

Loves,

--Annie

33 before i'm 34

2011-05-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

Several months ago, I came across a fun idea that Elsie posted on her blog. Even though my birthday was almost 6 months ago, I realized this morning that I never shared my list.

I'm busy working on #14, 33 is in the works, & 23 will be crossed off Friday. I'm super excited about that last one. Oh, & a big THANK YOU to my in-laws who crossed off #2 for me.

I'm still trying to decide what to plan for #16. Funds are low & vacation time little for the Mr. so we want to do something fun, but close. Anyone taking a staycation this summer? I'd love to hear about your plans.

Happy Tuesday,
--Anna

Make It Monday: napkin flowers

2011-05-23T19:23:00.001-07:00

I realize it's closer to Tuesday for some, but my clock has assured me it's Monday evening here & so I can still post for Make It Monday. I do have a good excuse for not posting earlier in the day & it involves running around like chicken with its head cut off in order to go grocery shopping, help with homework, do some yoga & finish up plans for my daughter's Kindergarten graduation for which I am in charge of decorating {more on that next week!}.

Today's little project comes without instructions, for they are already posted on the MADE blog {along with truckloads of other fun tutorials}. Go check it out. I spotted some napkin flowers over there & knew it would be just the thing to pretty up a dessert table I was putting together for the ladies at church.

Now they happily sit on my kitchen windowsill. Hello. Aren't they pure loveliness?? Um, yes. Yes they are. Wouldn't these be perfect at a party, shower or even wedding? The answer to that would be yes.

I thought it would be fun to sweeten my blooms up a little more, so I wrapped the sticks {I mean, stems} with green floral tape. I only wish I had longer stems so that I could put multiple blooms in one jar. My blooms are spoiled because each one has it's own jar ;)

Now go and make some. After you see how easy it is to make just one, you'll want to make more & more & more..... I'm pretty sure these are going to find their way into my 12 year old's 13th birthday party decor in August.

I hope your Monday was lovely,
--Anna

muffins for mothers

2011-05-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, I got to go to school with Tot for a special treat. The Kindergarten classes (there are 2) at her school put together a little suprise for the moms & grandmas.

We ate blueberry & chocolate chocolate chip muffins.

She gave me her handprint & a sweet poem.

I love this girl.

And then we played Are You Smarter Than A Kindergartener?

It was mother against child. Luckily I came up with the same answer she did ;)

Our final activity was to make a popsicle stick frame. I wanted orange hearts & flowers along with some black polka dots.

Tot is our first child to attend Kindergarten in a public school setting. Our oldest 2 were homeschooled at that age. She has accomplished so much this year & I am in love with the little lady she's become.

Have a lovely weekend,

--Anna

PS - I'll be back with a Make It Monday project!!

my boy baked

2011-05-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

I love it when Booga asks to bake something. He's more of a gadget kind of kid but every once in a while his interest in baking surfaces.

So he made some plain oatmeal cookies using oats from our food storage & a recipe from his cub scout book.

As an added bonus, he got to mark off a requirement.

They were delicious.

I want all of my kids to know the ins & outs of the kitchen before they grow up into tall people. They can't take me with them when they leave home for college & missions & married life. I want them to know how to feed themselves well - not just mac-n-cheese. I admit it will be hard to share the kitchen. I get left alone when I cook & bake, which is a rare thing if you have 4 kids. But I think the training must begin. I look forward to sharing our baking adventures from time to time.

Do your kids bake with you? What's your favorite thing to make together?

--Anna

basket time

2011-05-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Since I am spending the day cleaning up my disaster of a house, I thought I'd share a little something that has saved my sanity. As a domestic goddess, I try & try & try to get my kids to keep their things in their rooms. If a much loved toy or book finds its way into our home's open spaces (living room, front room & kitchen) and I happen to pass it while doing things a domestic goddess does (like hide in the bathroom with a magazine for a moment of peace) then it is picked up and put in the basket.

Our particular basket was picked up at Target. I fell in love with it's round shape and knew it had to come home with me. It takes about a week to fill up with the children's goodies left laying on the floor (that the Mr. seriously needs to swiffer), the couch or other such places. On any random night, just before my kiddos head to bed, I yell out "Basket Time!" and they all know that means they need to go in the living room and sit on the couch. I proceed to take everything out of the basket & 4 piles on the floor (one for each child). Then I say, "Ready. Set. Go!" and they all rush to put their piles away - each thing in their proper place. They have 5 minutes. If anything is left after that time, I keep it indefinitely. No it's never come down to that but I figured we'd need to have some sort of rule like that to give them all an incentive to clean quickly. It works like a charm.

Oh, & another basket rule: once an item is placed in the basket, it cannot be taken out until we have Basket Time. The basket seriously keeps me sane. I was going crazy having to nag my sweet offspring to clean up all the time. Now I don't have to. Oh, & yes that is a cereal box in the basket. My kids like to turn them into computers, cell phones or other gadgets.

I'm off to clean. Have a lovely day :)
--Anna

skirts

2011-05-11T06:00:00.001-07:00

I finally found the time to put together a post & take pictures of the skirts I toiled and sweated over making for Easter. They were truly a labor of love.

I made Boo's skirt first because it appeared easier to make. I had no idea there was no pattern to cut - just instructions and measurements in a booklet. Oi. Had I known that from the beginning, I am sure I would have chosen a different pattern.

There should be a little disclaimer that says you will need to call someone with more sewing experience than you if this is your first sewing project because you'll need someone to listen to you cry out of frustration, give you pointers on how to gather, listen to you cry some more and shout for joy with you when you are done. I called my mom.

With one skirt down and one to go, I was a little revved up to get the second one finished for Tot. And I did. In a couple hours. That's it. I know. Much much faster than my first skirt attempt. Perhaps that's because there was an actual pattern for me to cut out & use ;)

Tot couldn't stop messing with the velvet string that's attached to the skirt. Silly girl.

I was asked to share what patterns I used.

I made Boo's skirt with instructions provided by Izzy & Ivy. I used the Julia pattern from modkid to make Tot's skirt. I have leftover fabric and want to attempt another skirt for Tot soon. She's a skirt lover. She'd wear them everyday if she didn't have to wear a uniform to school. I love having a girly girl in the house.

Happy Sewing!

--Anna

weekend recap: Mother's Day

2011-05-09T10:19:00.001-07:00

My Mother's Day weekend was lovely. As I hope yours was. Women are truly amazing and I am grateful for the good ones whom I've had the privilege to know in my life. I am truly blessed.

We began our little celebration with breakfast (brought to me by my sweet Mr. & the kids via McDonalds). Now normally I don't eat at said restaraunt, however the Mr. is a very busy man as of late (working 2 jobs and is almost never home) so I smiled and ate happily. Secretly, I love love love their breakfast sausage patties. I wish the breakfasts came with 2 of them. Then I'd eat there more, I think ;) And I got a pretty bouquet of mums & other flowers which now sit in a mason jar on our kitchen table. I adore fresh flowers.

{My 4 kids. 4. I can't believe I have 4 kids. Sometimes it's surreal.}

Sunday was more of the same treatment. Church was lovely & all the women were given a CD of pretty music. Once home, I got to take an uninterrupted nap - something I rarely get to do. And then we had dinner at my grandma's home with my mom and aunt. What a special day it was. I am so grateful to my Mr. for letting me relax the entire weekend. I didn't lift a finger & that hasn't happened in quite a while. It has rejuvenated me and I am ready to tackle motherhood a little while longer.

{My little family. I love them so much. Even though Nonee hates having his pictures taken, my 2 oldest were occupied with things in the sky & Tot was a little camera hyper. I don't care. They are all sweet and they are all mine.}

It has only been recently that I have realized that parenthood and motherhood are two different things. I'm pretty sure I have the parenthood thing down quite a bit better than motherhood. Parenthood is the technical side of things - chores, teaching your children about drugs, taking care of business. Motherhood is nurturing and loving and providing your children with experiences that will bring your family closer together and shape them into happy people. So after much self-evaluation, I have decided to focus more on motherhood and see where it takes me. I want to make everyday life just a little more magical for the sweet children my Heavenly Father has entrusted me with. I know I can't do it alone. That's why I am so grateful for the women in my life.

{The kids with Nana - my mom}

How was your weekend? Did you do anything special?
--Anna
**photos edited in photobucket with cross process photo app.

Good Eats: banana yogurt smoothie

2011-05-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

Smoothies have become a regular snack item in the Buis household (Yes, Buis is my last name. You pronounce it like the car Buick, but replace the "ck" with an "s". Dont' worry if you didn't get that - people mispronounce it all the time.) I love to throw a banana, 2 big spoonfuls of plain greek yogurt, one or two cups of milk (depending on how much I want to drink myself or share), and a quick squeeze of Hershey's chocolate syrup into a blender.

Be sure to blend until smooth.

Then pour & share :)

Wanna kick it up a notch? Forget the chocolate syrup and add blueberry greek yogurt instead of plain greek yogurt. It's so good.

What's your favorite smoothie? I'll share another soon!
--Anna

Kyla Roma's organizer giveaway

2011-05-04T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hello. Just stopping in to let you know the lovely Kyla Roma is giving away a sweet one of these on her blog.

It's an organizer called Filofax. I love to use organizers and have since my freshmen year in high school. I'm always on the lookout for useful, well put-together planners. I'd love to give this one a whirl. Wouldn't you??

Check out Kyla's blog post to see all the deets on how you can win one of your very own. I'll cross my fingers for you if you cross yours for me!

--Anna

put those old records on

2011-05-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

We've been putting the Mr.'s new-ish record player to good use as of late. A friend of ours found out that I bought him one for Christmas and showed up with a stack of old records she's been collecting from thrift stores and garage sales for years. We've been listening to them bit by bit and I have found my favorite.

I have always loved the song People by Barbra Streisand. I could listen to her sing all day long.

The kids prefer listening to musicals at high speed {think Alvin & the Chipmunks here}. It's a great way to get their wiggles out.

Apparently we need a little table for our player & new collection of vinyl. I found the perfect one at a thrift store but it had already sold. Boo. So the search continues.

Do you have vinyl? How do you display/store it?

Have a lovely Monday!

--Anna

what I learned while making fondant

2011-04-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

Fondant is a funny thing. {It's a funny word too.} It takes hand power to twist it, fold it, knead it & roll it into ball shapes. And it's also a very theraputic process. It takes patience, thought and even a little aggression. Somehow, it's relaxing.

My final cake class was Wednesday night. I prepared several fondant/gum paste roses. Yes, I dried them upside down using my kitchen cabinet doors. The doors have small round rubber stoppers on the backside and so I cleverly used them to hold the roses upside down to dry.

I prepped marshmallow fondant (colored light brown) for my cake. It was a messy messy process. I learned that Crisco is my new best friend when it comes to making such messiness. I also learned that I need to make it on my longer kitchen countertop because I like to spread out and get really messy.

**Note to self: buy a sifter because when the recipe tells you to sift the powdered sugar, it isn't joking**

And then I took it all to class to make this:

Not bad for my first cake, eh? It got a little dinged up when I tried to put it back into the box to take it home. The Mr. & I dug in to the top layer after I took pictures. I must say that marshmallow fondant is much yummier than regular fondant. Much.

I like making cakes. I think I'll make more. And share, of course ;)

Have a lovely weekend,

--Anna

Easter Weekend Recap

2011-04-25T09:13:00.001-07:00

Hello my friends. I hope your Easter was sweet & happy. We dyed eggs on Friday & were visited by the Easter Bunny on Saturday - a tradition in our home as we focus on the Savior on Sunday.

We learned that brown eggs dye much prettier than white eggs.

The blue one is my favorite. Boo turned them into egg salad sandwiches after church yesterday. Delicious.

The Bunny was on a very tight budget this year. The Bunny {is it a boy or a girl?? does anyone really know??} brought cheap baskets, a few chocolate treats and a few usable goodies for the kids to share.

I have no pictures of the family to share. We dressed up for picture-taking later Easter Sunday but a very sweet grandma handed the kids colored bubbles which ended up all over their cute outfits and shoes....and hands....and toes.....oi. Clothes are all having a second washing today. So I will share Tot's cute skirt (skirt #2), which came out just darling, with you later this week.

Have a lovely Monday. I'm off to visit some lady friends this morning & make gum paste roses for a cake I'm putting together Wednesday. So excited about this one!

--Anna

lovey prints

2011-04-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've been searching etsy for something simple & sweet to hang in an empty frame in our bedroom. I narrowed it down to these 2 because they match my our style the most.

This one would be sweet because I've had a thing for owls since I was a kid. As an added bonus, our room is painted rootbeer brown and the colors in this print match perfectly. What's not to love?

{print from: LoveSugar}

I also love this one. Because I always say "the end" when I'm dead serious about something. Actually, I say "Period. The end." and it usually follows a reprimanding speech I've just given my kids. But hey, it works.

{print from: curryonthecouch}

I love both prints but must narrow it down to one since I only have space for one frame. I'll let you know what I decide ;)

--Anna

skirt #1

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

I am finally done with skirt #1, and let me tell you it was no easy feat. I am a novice sewer. No fancy stitches for me please! After cutting the fabric the wrong direction and bummed about the project I had barely begun, I knew I had to finish. I think I was just determined not to fail. Or at least not fail miserably. Or not waste the money my mom spent on fabric. One of those....

The skirt became my nightly project. I worked on it almost every night last week after kids went to bed or had bath time. Sunday night was my self-imposed deadline. I do have another skirt to make for Tot and want a full week to complete it. I'm slow. I know.

I tweaked the pattern just a bit because Boo is skinnier and taller than the average 12 year old. Or at least she is skinnier and taller than the pattern. So I adjusted the length of the underskirt. And I love how it turned out!

I must admit that I have a whole new level of respect for anyone who can sew well. I realized there is so much for me to learn technically. For instance, I've been introduced to the concept of tension. And I learned how to put in an elastic waistband - a first for me. It was super rewarding to see it all come together.

Skirt #2 will teach me new skills as well. I have to insert a drawstring into the top layer of the skirt. Wish me luck. I'm gonna need it.

--Anna

this weekend, we.....

2011-04-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

It was a lovely weekend - perfect for grilling hot dogs & running in the hose. The kids were begging to play in the blow up pool but the sun was setting fast, so we improvised. The Mr. got out the hose & sprayed the kids after we let them roast marshmellows over the hot coals (a favorite summer treat). We purchased skewers last year (at Walmart, I think) that don't have sharp ends - perfectly safe for our little ones' fingers.

Poor Mr. had to keep telling the kids to stop running. Our concrete is super slippery when wet. But they ignored his warnings with every pass. Of course ;)

What fun thing did you do this weekend??
--Anna
PS - I finished skirt #1 & will share tomorrow!

bloom

2011-04-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

We watched our friend's kids last night for a couple of hours & when I opened the door, their sweet little girl held out a fresh bouquet of pretty pink roses. It made my day. I love having fresh cut flowers in the house and promptly put them in a mason jar on my window sill to enjoy.

{I really need to plant some rose bushes.}

Then this morning, I helped my same friend make a cake for her mother-in-law's birthday. She made & frosted the cake with pretty yellow buttercream frosting (it has jam in the middle - YUM!) & I made some gum paste carnations & leaves for the top. I learned how to make them in my cake class this week & was glad to have a reason to practice making more of them.

Have a lovely, lovely weekend. I'm buying new tennis shoes - yahoo!!

--Anna

i'm making skirts

2011-04-13T06:00:00.002-07:00

So instead of buying pastel dresses for the girls this year, I thought I'd put my sewing machine to work and make the girls bright, fun skirts for Easter. Um, did I mention that I'm not an experienced sewer....seamstress....whatever. Apparently, even cutting fabric proves to be a challenge for me. {insert embarrassed giggle}. Let's just say that even though I butchered the fabric to cut out the pattern (oh, did I also mention that the pattern is not really a pattern at all? it's just a booklet with instructions. i've never felt so lost in all my life. even IKEA instructions were easier for me to figure out. oi.) it's finally done and ready to be assembled tomorrow. If it looks decent, I just might share skirt #1 with you. And if it doesn't, I'll be heading to Target & hoping all the cute dresses aren't aleady sold out.

snip, snip!

--Anna

Hoop Art Swap: What I Received

2011-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday :)

Today, I want to share the sweet hoops I received from my hoop swap partner, Aleks. I just love happy mail :)

My 6 year old was so in love with them (she made 2!!) & asked if they could be put up in her room. I was all too happy to oblige since giving their room a vintage feel is on my list of things to accomplish this year. This would be the perfect start.

I had paper decoupaged letters placed where the hoops now sweetly sit on the wall. I've been wanting to replace the letters for several months, but just never got around to coming up with anything to replace them with. The hoops are perfect. My girls are getting older & I have most decidedly decided it is time to have their room grow up a little bit with them.

{Thank you so much Aleks! I'm glad to be friends:) }

--Anna
PS - It's Aleks' birthday today - stop by her blog & wish her a happy day!!

Hoop Art Swap: What I Sent

2011-04-11T06:00:00.001-07:00

I was lucky enough to join in for Sherry's Hoop Art Swap at Oh So Lovely & received word that my partner, Aleks, got hers in the mail. I'm flattered that she loves it & wanted to wait till she got it before I shared with all of you.

Go see the sweet post Aleks wrote about her new hoop {on her blog}, Aleks Handmade.

And it's her birthday soon so I popped this into the package as well.

Happy Birthday Aleks!

--Anna