Check out my new 'shirt' blog...........

I have started selling my shirts from a new blog......LaLa {a blog shop}. Go check it out. Fancy Miss Jen fixed it up all pretty for me, and I'm having so much fun sewing and posting all my new creations!

I have big plans for the coming summer....I want to teach Evan to sew and let her put some shirts on the blog, as well. And I hope to include Ella by letting her help me design some shirts and maybe do some cutting.

For now....I am doing some fun Christmas shirts and such...so go take a look!

hrk

well......

Obviously, since I haven't blogged in FOR-EVA, I have a lot to share! I have been psychotically crafty lately. I feel like I have A.D.D.....I'll start one project, then get distracted by another.....random, but it makes me crazy. I am normally a person of order and direction.

Exhibit A: this desk

Free! from my sister-in-law...it was her's when she was a little gal...been sitting in her garage....so she gave it to me for Evan's room. It was yellow, and kindof weathered a bit.

I painted it the same color that I have painted all of the other furniture in her room, distressed it a little....a ta-da! lovely! And OH SO FUNCTIONAL with 4th grade homework and all!

Oh...then we (Evan and I, with Angie and Stacy and Sophie) went to see THIS little lady in concert!

Talk about a good time!!! We all had so much fun....I just love making memories like that with Evan! And I know that this is one concert she will never forget! She is such a Taylor fan and knows every word to every song.

So in the lobby area of the arena, they had this place set up where you could make a video to one of Taylor's songs.....Evan was all for it. Angie got this picture of Evan during her 'making of the video'! Hands down....this is one of my favorite pictures EVER of Evan! It captures her personality perfectly! I will treasure this photo FOREVER!!

Exhibit B:

Home from concert...back to reality. I got on a shirt making kick. I've been making these t-shirts like crazy. So fun....and I've managed to make a little extra money by making them for others that want them! Always good!

Exhibit C:

My dear friend Rachel called me to tell me that one of her neighbors had set this dresser out with the trash! I was on my way out of town....so she went and got it for me!! I loved it so much! Couldn't wait to try to transform it.

I have been needing a piece of furniture for my dining room so i decided to paint it to kind of be like a sideboard. I painted the top black, then the rest of it green and distressed it with black glaze. I love how it turned out!

Exhibit D:

This little treasure is calling for me everyday from my garage! It is another free dresser (thanks again to the sister in law) that I can't wait to paint and find a place for!

Hopefully I can get back into the swing of blogging! I will definitely post pictures of the transformed blue dresser when I get it done.

hrk

first day.....

Another first day of school......bittersweet. I hate giving up the easy livin' that comes with summertime, yet I can't help but be a little excited about the things I want to accomplish with the girls back in school.

The morning went well. Ella had a moment or two of dread and watery eyes, but she pulled herself together and survived the morning! Evan was just super excited to get back into the social scene and all the fun that comes with school!

I hope everyone had a great first day back!

Now I am going to go psycho cleaning this house that has not been cleaned in 10 weeks!

back to reality......

hrk

Evan goes to camp....Mommy cries.

So, Evan went to Kamp Kanakuk today. This is her first camp experience and she will be gone 7 days. Very hard on her family, but I'm sure she will have the time of her life! We get to email her everyday, but she doesn't get to contact us by email or anything else. We won't hear her sweet voice until Tuesday!

How fun does this look? Especially for Miss Fearless!

Her counselors She got a top bunk.....she was sooooo glad!

It's gonna be a long week for the rest of us....but I hope that she is too busy having fun to even think about us. I know she will make memories that will last a lifetime. There is a camp store and I had money in an account so that she can just go in there and buy whatever. We talked about it today and I suggested that she buy a t-shirt and some face paint and a few other things. So, tonight (her first night there) I looked on her account to see if she spent any money. She spent every dime! On crazy stuff. No t-shirt. No face paint. She bought a pink blanket w/ cross! What? A blanket? It's only 101 degrees outside and there is NO airconditioning there! A blanket! Really? She also bought some decals for the car (I suspect these are gifts for me and hubs, a charm bracelet (possibly a gift for sissy), some pens, a Bible study book, and some pens. Seriously? The girls at work and I got a big kick out of checking out all her purchases. Obviously, I'm going to have to put some more money in her account. It is so not like her to spent all the money on the first day! She usually analizes a possible purchase for a month or so until she talks herself out of it. I absolutely cannot wait to talk to her and hear her stories about everything!

hrk

long time, no blog......(picture overload)

So....I haven't posted in for-eva! I have been a lazy, sun-drenched loser, busy with end of the year parties....Memorial Day cookouts....swimming.....baseball camp....blah, blah, blah.....

I can't even tell you how happy I am that school is out and summer has begun. Our long, lazy days spent at Eastgate Pool have started and we enjoy them soooo much.

I am vowing 2 things this summer.....not to go so long without posting on this blog...and to stop biting my nails. We'll see how this plays out.

We went to Ella Katie (yup, for those of you who don't know, Ella is named after Brad's aunt, Ella 'Katie') and RonDee's on Memorial Day for some swimming and good food.

I wore my rarely seen afro so we were sure to take lots of pictures for proof that the 'fro does exist.

The last day of Kindergarten was bittersweet. I am so glad for school to be out...but sad that my baby girl is growing up. There was a little assembly, and Ella was recognized for being an Ambassador (chosen by the teacher to help out with stuff).

And all the Kindergartener's get a certificate.....So Cute.....and you can bet I was crying.

(that's my girl on the top row, far right)

All her BFF's! I love this picture, and I know these kiddos will be friends for years to come!

Last day of Mrs. Fimple's class. I cannot say how much we love this lady. She's been such a blessing to both of my girls.

Evan's 3rd grade end of the year party was big fun.....but I had worked the night before and didn't have time to sleep before it started....so in this picture I had been awake for about 28 hours. Needless to say, my brain wasn't working well and this is the only picture that was taken.

By the way....straight A's for Miss Evan!!!!!!

So....now school is done and the fun begins....

Lounging at Eastgate....

Evan diving....

Last weekend, we met Jamie and Lorelei and the kids at Katie's for some family swim time.

Girlys decided to sport their bikinis.

This week, Ella went to UAFS's baseball camp. Talk about good times. She had a blast and learned so much. Was she the only girl at baseball camp? OF COURSE. Did she care? Absolutely not! She had a blast and I have a feeling that her being the only girl got her lots of attention from everyone. She was chosen as a 'camper of the day' every single day and she loved every minute of it. Let me tell ya, this girl works as hard (if not harder) than any boy out there! She makes us proud!

On the last day of camp, they teach the kids how to slide, 'slip-n-slide' style!!!!

Ya think she was enjoying that?

And, seriously, why wouldn't she be the favorite camper? Just look at her. You know that none of those silly boys look this cute in a baseball helmet!

Alrighty.....long post! I'm gonna do my best to keep up better this summer....but the lazy days make me.....ummm.....lazy!

hrk

end of an era......

The kindergarten era of our lives is all but over. I will never again have a kindergartner. (ok, i'm a never say never girl, so scratch that. just sayin'). I know we all say this about everything....but doesn't it seem like I JUST posted about that horrible (for me) first day of kindergarten a minute ago...and now I'm posting about the end. UGH!

Today was the kindergarten picnic and it was a great time. The kids all had a blast. I did lots of face painting, which was interesting, to say the least.

I just can't believe it's about over. Kindergarten is so much fun. I love that they are learning and socializing and having so many new experiences, but you don't have the seriousness that comes with the grades above.

I took a few pics at the party, but nothing great because I was busy painting kitty cats and such on faces, so I took this one of Ella when we got home. She had such a great time.

All that said, we are counting down until Eastgate Pool opens and we can begin our 'lazy days of summer'. The girls are dying to be staying up late, sleeping in, and spending their days at the pool, and SO AM I!!!!!!

hrk

happy times....

Just some pictures from my best mother's day ever! They got me an iPhone and let me just say, I. AM. IN. LOVE. I don't know how I ever lived one second without it. It is the best invention ever. period.

The girls made me tons of stuff and were so sweet, and hubs did the Sunday grocery run for me. Life is good.

This picture is for anyone (and that would be all of you) who says Ella has Brad's eyes.

HMMMM.........

Those eyes look pretty similar to me and that. ain't. Brad. in the picture!

word to tha mothas...

hrk

her best hit ever.....

Monday night, Ella had her best hit yet! It's hard to tell in the video, but she hit a line drive between thrid base and shortstop, then it rolled almost to the fence. She has been working so hard on her hitting and she really hits pretty good, but usually she hits ground balls. So this one being 'a pop fly' as she calls it, was such a reward for her hard work. YAY Ella!

The best moments......

.....of my life, have been the moments that I became a mother. The very first moment...an incomprehensable love........

and the second time, the same overwhelming feelings....

These are the very first moments that I saw my girls....and they are moments I remember every second of....moments that mean more to me than any other I have experienced...

I am so blessed to be a mother.

Happy Mother's Day!

hrk

blah...blah...blah....

So....it has rained basically everyday for a week....and it is really making my life boring and miserable and my hair is a frizzy mess. (a little dramatic...i know). Ella's preseason t-ball tournament was this week....so, she played one game on Tuesday night (that was supposed to have been played on Monday). They won without even playing good. The little team they played looked like it was all 4 year olds, and some of the kids on our team look like they're 8. So, it was a pretty boring game, but cute to see her out there looking all serious with her eye-black on. The rest of the tournament ended up being cancelled....Shocker..I know....with only 25 inches of rain this week, why not go ahead and play? Most importantly...she looked precious.

oh..and we have these two cutie-patootie bat girls this year......

let me tell ya....they take this job very seriously.

It briefly quit raining on Friday...so we headed out to the I.C. Spring Carnival. That's always fun....though the big-frizzy-mess-of-hair on my head made me a little self-concious.

And tonight....my parents had a cook-out...or, rather a cook-in....thanks to the rain and all. But it was fun, none the less.

my sweet nephews...Tyler and Blake.....i heart these boys.

how sweet is that smile? (blake's, not brad's).

SO......in conclusion.....I. Hate. Rain. And as I type this, it is pouring down rain....and there is rain in the forcast for all next week, too. So just shoot me.

till the rain stops....

hrk