i will miss you Jill.

In loving memory to my friend Jill Mossman who lost her courageous 10 month battle with cervical cancer last night. YOU are so amazing. I love you and your precious precious family. Below I would like to share a video Jill made shortly after her 2nd son, Griffin, was born April 2006, about a year before she was diagnosed... Heaven is a happier place with our beautiful Jill in it and i know she is waiting there watching over us all until she can smile for us again. She touched my life and I'm truly fortunate to have known her and to have called her friend. I will miss you, Jill. We all will.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Weekly Fridge Pad

I'm the kinda gal who needs it ALL out in front of me! And what better place than smack dab on the fridge?

Larger family? More commitments?
The 7 column UNdated BBB Fridge Grid Pad, conveniently posted on the fridge, provides you and everyone in your family with even more space for side by side planning. You'll easily organize, view and coordinate everyone's comings and goings! Create a family chore chart, weekly meal plan or assign columns for personal goal management of your daily diet and fitness routines.

Multiple projects, clients to track?
For your office, assign BBB columns as projects that require planning and you'll easily manage their progress. Or, head columns with the names of your clients to insure better follow-up and communication.

making the switch...

thinkbaby's products address the growing concern over toxic chemicals leaching from plastic baby products. Reasearch has linked many chemicals in common use to cancer and hormone disruption. Hormone disruptors may lead to a large number developmental problems in children. More Here.

Princess Cookie Cutters...

Gabrielle's at the age where she is positively taken with the whole Princess craze. Usually in her full princess regalia is when she wants to help me with e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g in the kitchen. I'm of course soaking it up because inevitably there will come a day where she'll want nothing to do with helping me out, ha ha, but not any day soon! When I saw these Princess Cookie Cutters from WS Kids (how cool is it that Williams-Sonoma has a kids shop now?!!) Anyway, I just had to share. Bippidy Boppidy Boo. Tea-party anyone?

Kids Need You!

My experience with foster adoption was worth all the uncertainty we faced. It has been the hardest thing we’ve had to go through, but to get our daughter & our son, we’d do it over again 100 times. The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to pursue foster adoption is to never give up. Over one-half million children in the American foster care system are hoping that you never give up on them. To learn more about foster adoption, contact your State Adoption Specialist, State Foster Care Manager, or local county Department of Social Services.

don't forget to dream...

"I have dreamed in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind." Emily Bronte, British Novelist and Poet 1818-1848

The world is full of dreamers. And rightfully so, God created us that way. But at some point in our lives, we have the choice: to keep the dream for sleeping, or to wake up and live it.

He listens. He answers.

When we don't pray, it's primarily because we don't sense our need for God. The power of God won't get released in our lives until we give up being in control. Prayer teaches us the contentment of quieting our souls and relying on His strength, and not our own. May we all learn through prayer what it means to move from self-reliance to prayerful dependance on God.

in His image

"Creativity is God's gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God." Far too often, people think that this path is restricted to artists. But every person has the gift to imagine.

i'm digging this.

... and my girl will too! Breakfast anywhere, anytime! We're a big cereal family [ our current favorite is Annie' CinnaBunnies ] This fun little dual-chambered number stores everything you need: top section holds 12 oz. of cereal and/or fruit while the freezable, gel-insulated bottom section keeps 5.7 oz. of milk or yogurt cold for hours. And you’ll never have to hunt for utensils, thanks to the folding, reusable spoon cleverly stored in the lid! You can purchase at Harriet Carter.

I am mommy's hero

I am loving this sweet little hat from Basic French Online!

Nanny Deprived.

Nanny Deprived. & Seeking Tall, Dark, Rich... cup of coffee.
I Thought These Were Funny.
Remember when you worked out regularly, had beautifully manicured hands and wouldn't be caught dead without your hair being blown dry? Enter kids. Now you're in permanent ponytail mode, your shirt is stained with last night's dinner, and you haven't showered in the last 24 hours. Isn't life grand?? It would be, if only you had a nanny!
Get this: PlanetMomTshirts.com

MomSpit.

Dirt affects us all, and MomSpit™ knows no boundaries. Inspired by the original, it's for everyone, children and adults alike. Whether you're urban, suburban or good old country, a soccer mom, golf dude, fashion diva or business suit, MomSpit was designed with versatility in mind. It's for you when you're on the move and in your groove. Easy to use and easier to install than plumbing, MomSpit is about immediate gratification with style in the elimination of dirt, wherever you are and whenever you need it most. It contains no alcohol, mousses brilliantly, moisturizes gently, absorbs quickly and feels great. It's not gel. It's not sanitizer. It's MomSpit - the universal no-rinse cleanser for hands and face. Works like magic, smells like heaven, cleans like soap and water without the sink. Get it here: MomSpit

one of those days ...

I love, love, love coffee. FRESH BLACK COFFEE. Something about coffee makes me feel "ahhhhhhh", know what I mean? ;) it's so calming-almost like someone just gave me a big ol' hug. I love to have coffee especially in the morning. All and all only a few cups a day, but i sip all day and sometimes at night.

for french press instructions click here!

Make stuff ...

Not sure if it's just that I am partial to linen (or if it's because i have a 4 year old sewing machine that has never been out of the box?) but thought these were cute. To create your own car organizer, you can find a step-by-step tutorial by clicking here


vintage smock pattern click here

Hilarious....

"Before Kids...... I Had Shoe Money"

How true ...

Well balanced Moms have more fun ...

I just read this at Yeah Mom and it's worth repeating! Now if I would only listen to my own advice? [smirk]

EXERPT: Or should I say “Well Balanced Moms Are More Fun”? Let me ask you… When was the last time you had lunch with some girl friends, or went on a girl’s night out? When was the last time you went on a romantic weekend getaway with your spouse? If you can’t remember, we definitely have to talk.

It’s so easy to fall into the mommy guilt trap. We feel guilty if we take time for ourselves, so we end up taking care of everyone in the family but us. It’s easy to lose ourselves in the quest to become SuperMom. Along the way we get stressed out and aggravated. It’s important to do something just for us to stay balanced moms. Here are some ways for you to get started on your journey to rediscover YOU.

Put yourself in a time-out :: Get together with some girlfriends :: Spend a romantic weekend with your spouse – anywhere but at home :: Pamper Yourself :: You will be more relaxed, happier and actually be able to enjoy your family. After all, that’s why you had kids in the first place, didn’t you?

For entire article click here

Oooooooh BOY...

Oh Boy's and their toys that is. My dear husband is in love! Since a few months before the birth of our daughter, my husband valiantly gave up his burly-man truck for our family SUV. I'm happy to report that today we traded in our car and he was able to get this new man-truck in silver, crew cab so we can fit up to 3 kiddos in back y'know ;) .

Children --- they transform our lives.

Live with children long enough and beauty, love, innocence, play, pain and even death — everything appears in a new light.

If I look beyond the 18 thousand diapers and bottles and tantrums and no sleep .... Having children has been one of the most gratifying transforming experiences in my life, completely changing the way I view the world. I don't know about you, but our children have the ability to turn our lives upside down, to disrupt our plans [and our sleep!], to try our patience, and to elicit our most ferocious love. But our children also have the power to transform and teach us the greatest lessons we'll ever learn. . . . So far, for me, each everyday hands-on moment of parenting, no matter how trivial or challenging, holds hidden surprises and opportunities for change. No I usually don't see this except for hind-sight, and do I occassionally lose it? [Of course I do] But I'm noticing nothing is commonplace to a child. Everything is vital and interesting. Through their honest hearts and open minds [and if we let them] our children can help us to reconnect with our own innocence . . . cultivate patience and gratitude . . . live more spontaneously . . . rediscover the pleasures of play. . . be profoundly present in our relationships . . . and, ultimately, become better parents and happier people. [yikes, no pressure!] Once we take our children's hands, they will lead us to a place where we are more in touch with the many blessings in our lives. For what it's worth --- that's how I feel today at this very sleep deprived moment. ha ha.

easy on the eye ...

Not sure what internet bread crumbs led me to discover this environmentally conscious children's clothes site, but I'm loving their collection... Hazel Wood Children

3.1 Phillip Lim

I'm loving phillip lim's children's holiday line. Of course, right? these outfits are all brown!

who knew?!!

%1

Tiffany & Co.

I hope you all had wonderful Holidays. It was so great to spend some days lounging in jammies with family. While doing that just recently, this catalog cover made my day. Tiffany's: don't care much for their jewelry, but la-la-love their photography.

for a great 2008...

To kick things off, below are some favorite old/new songs of mine. Hope they inspire you as they continue to inspire me...
Happy New Year!

artist: Point of Grace
title: "How You Live"

artist: Mercy Me
title: "Bring The Rain"
album: Coming Up To Breathe

artist: Barlow Girls
title: "I Need You To Love Me"
album: Another Journal Entry

oooooooh, i love these!

oooooooh. i love these and they are so me.
stumbled onto this site and found these
Amnety Dragonfly Pillows.Designer's Eye Twist Pillow
Pussy Willow Pillows

it's resolution time...

This year ...
I want to learn: __________

I want to read: __________
I want to make: __________
I want to visit: __________
I want to change: __________
(The change prompt is supposed to help you think of something
like a bad habit you'd like to get rid of.)

I want to be better at: __________
Most of all I want: __________

HINT! Do this every year and keep in a special journal.
A wonderful idea for the family/kids to see how much they're growing and changing!