A Mom's Day Giveaway

Maggie Moo's Mom is doing a giveaway for Mother's Day. Head over here to register to win a "mom" shirt for you and a friend.

We have two shirts from Maggie Moo's Mom -- so cute!

check it out...

I enjoy food. A LOT. I was recently sent the link to Annie's Eats. I made her Cheesy Chicken Benchiladas for lunch yesterday and I have been enjoying the leftovers. Check it out...

crafting a way to organize kids' art

We have been working on a lot of craft projects (i.e. painting, coloring, collages) here at home and I never know what to do with them all. I can only handle so many pictures stuck to the refrigerator and I feel (somewhat) guilty throwing away all their hard work.

My sister has cute clothes lines in her kids rooms to display their art work, but when I asked her where she got the cute clothes pins she named a store that is several hours away (not to mention the fact that she bought them several years ago). My friend, Erin, is very crafty and she showed me a project she was working on from here.

I combined the two ideas and came up with:

Items needed:
clothes pins
scrapbooking paper
mod podge
brush
exacto knife
craft string
nails/push pins

Directions:
1. cut scrapbooking paper to down so it is close in size
2. brush mod podge onto clothes pin
3. press paper onto clothes pin
4. brush paper with mod podge
5. allow to dry
6. cut off excess with exacto knife (upside down on cutable surface)
7. hang craft string on wall (nails or push pins)
8. clip up priceless works of art created by priceless kiddos! :)

** Please note: I did not receive payment for mentioning mod podge, exacto or ashleyannphotography for this post or the use of their products and ideas.

Dutch?

I am 100% Dutch. One of the things you learn while growing up and being Dutch is that you need to get things cheap and learn all ways to save money. :) I have not been very good at following this rule, but I do love a good bargain! My sister amazes me with her ability to cut coupons and save money....she has been known to use coupons so well she gets things for free!

A friend of mine from high school (also Dutch) has recently began a blog where she shares her secrets of cutting coupons and saving money. The money she is able to save is amazing. I thought that some of you might also want to save money (will apply most to those living in Western Michigan). Here is the link to her blog Give Me Neither. You can also find it listed in my blog list.

Happy Shopping and Saving!

Gotta Love a Giveaway!

Do you remember Maggie Moo's Mom~Alison Harris who made these adorable shirts for Lily and Wyatt?

Well she is doing a giveaway for spring...Who’s Ready for a Spring Giveaway!!!?!! She has started creating these fabulous new keyfob/keychains. Go check it out!

A New Year Survey

1. What did you do in 2008 that you had never done before? Many things...
2. Did you keep your previous New Year's resolutions, and will you make new ones for next year? Yes, I kept my resolution from last year; I am resolve to persevere.
3. Did anyone you know give birth? Yes
4. Did anyone close to you die? YES!
5. What countries did you visit? None
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? A new house.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? June 6, 2008...Ryan's heaven day.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Surviving.
9. Did you suffer from illness or injury? Yes, just not my own...
10. What was the best thing you bought? My new car!
11. Did your behavior change over the year? Yes, and I think for the better
12. Where did most of your money go? Lily and Wyatt
13. What did you get really excited about? ...

Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. Richer or poorer? Richer
2. Did you fall in love? No
3. What was your favorite TV program? Biggest Loser
4. What was the best book you read? ...
5. What was your favorite film of the year? I did not watch any movies for the first time this year.
6. Thinner or fatter? Thinner - woohoo!
7. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I went to Chicago with friends, went to lunch with friends, and went to dinner with the kids and my parents...30.
8. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Lily and Wyatt
9. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Jeans, hoodies, sweaters.
10. What kept you sane? God's faithfulness.
11. What political issue stirred you the most? The presidential election.
12. Who was the best new person you met? I have met too many wonderful people this year to pick just one: U of M staff and GriefShare friends top the list.
13. What is a valuable lesson you learned in 2008? Life is too short!

Christmas Fun from the Sweeney's

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I hope that this video makes you smile. I have seen two that friends have done and I have laughed out loud (thanks for the inspiration Val and Laura!). Please take the time to scroll down to the next post and watch that video as well...that is the TRUE meaning of Christmas!

**Don't forget to turn off the music on the right side of the blog.**

Christmas Spirit

In order to get into the Christmas spirit, I have added a Christmas music playlist to the blog. The Christmas music will automatically start playing when you arrive on the blog. If you prefer the regular music, pause the Christmas list and start the original playlist located just under the Christmas list on the right hand side of the blog.

Christmas Quiz

I have received this in email a couple of times now, so I thought I would turn it into a blog tag. If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrapping paper!
2. Real tree or Artificial? artificial
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the day after Thanksgiving; this year it went up early
4. When do you take the tree down? Usually the day after Christmas
5. Do you like eggnog? NO
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't really remember any, so....
7. Hardest person to buy for? Depends on the year...
8. Easiest person to buy for? This year, Wyatt
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes -- Little People :)
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail -- not sure it will happen this year
11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Ask me the story of our first married Christmas (thanks, Val)
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's A Wonderful Life
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? September this year
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? no
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? can't think of anything
16. Lights on the tree? yes, white
17. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night or O Holy Night
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? usually do some traveling
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Nope
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Nothing on top this year, the tree is too small. Usually a star.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We don't have a set time, it depends on if we are in MI or IL
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The rude shoppers
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Silver
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? To be in heaven

Blog Award

I received this blog award from Susie at Here Only . I have known her and her family for about 7 years. Her brother, Scott, was Ryan's best friend. Thanks, Susie! As she put it, it is a Portuguese Blog Award for friendship. I am giving to to those who have become friends through Blogland!

"They all are charmed with the blogs, where in the majority of its aims are to show the marvels and to do friendship; there are persons who are not interested when we give them a prize and then they help to cut these bows; do we want that they are cut or that they propagate? Then let’s try to give more attention to them! So with this prize we must deliver it to 8 blogger's that in turn must make the same thing and put this text."

Kori at My Life as a CFers Wife is a wonderful blog friend. She is always encouraging me even though she is facing some very difficult things in her own life.

Kelly at Praise In Spite of Pain is an inspiration to me. She is open about her grief following the death of her daughter. She has encouraged me many, many times in the short time I have "known" her.

Sara at OceanDesert is everything that a CF person should be. She has had a successful transplant and is living life to the full!

Rachel at -little bites of heaven- is my encouragement as a mom of multiples! She is life so gracefully with triplets!

Danielle at Our Family of 4 has become a wonderful source of encouragement to me. She is always checking in to see how we are doing over here in our little corner of the world. Thanks, Danielle!

Thanks for "doing friendship" with me, ladies!

A New Game of Tag

My friend, Kandy, put up a new blog tag yesterday. You are supposed to pick your 6th picture from your 6th folder. This was the picture that I found when I went to get my picture.

CALI

Cali was our puppy for about six weeks in the summer of 2004. Ryan's brother, Nick, brought her home without permission and Ryan and I decided that we would take her. She was a sweet puppy. We had her almost 100% house broken when we had to give her up for adoption (long, un-fun story).

tag...

5 Things on my list to do today:
1. take the kids for a walk after dinner.
2. devos
3. talk to Val
4. go to bed early
5. not much on the list today...

5 Snacks I enjoy:
1. air-popped popcorn
2. chips and salsa
3. garlic-ranch pretzels
4. fresh fruit
5. most things chocolate

5 Things I would do if I was a sudden Billionaire:
1. help family and friends pay off debt
2. give money to the transplant fund at U of M to help other families
3. pay my parents back for college and wedding
4. give to charities
5. buy a house

5 Bad Habits:
1. wasting away my time on the computer
2. complaining
3. procrastinating on house work
4. getting frustrated by little things that don't matter
5. getting caught up in gossip

5 Places I have lived:
1. Grandville, MI
2. Jenison, MI
3. Palos Heights, IL
4. W. Dundee, IL
5. Lake In The Hills, IL

5 jobs I have had:
1. sales clerk at Lori's Hallmark
2. summer help at Steelcase
3. babysitter
4. teacher
5. mom and wife

5 things most people don't know about me:
1. I went to college in Clearwater, FL for one semester.
2. I tried out for cheerleading as a freshman in high school
3. I love math -- taught it for 5 years
4. I am much more of a morning person, than a night owl
5. I "played" basketball in 7th grade (warmed the bench, really)

IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU ARE TAGGED AND IT IS YOUR TURN!! I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU!

Great Friend, Good Food & A Crazy Pedicure

The past two days have been filled with a lot of fun. I drove down to Mishawaka, IN yesterday morning to help Val get her 3rd Grade classroom ready for another year and another batch of new students. We got SO much accomplished!

Val gives me all the tedious, yet mindless tasks so that she can focus on lesson plans. I usually do her bulletin boards, name plates, locker tags, etc.

All of our time does not get spent in her classroom. We ventured out to eat at different, fun restaurants (Chipolte and Olive Garden -- yum!) We also spent time wandering through different stores and laughing a whole lot.

One of our annual traditions is a pedicure. This year was no different although we will probably not return to the same nail salon next year.

We topped off our night last night with a beautiful sunset!

Who knows what adventures we will find tonight! :)

Please continue to pray for Grandma and the different loved ones effected by Tom's death. I would also ask that you pray for me as I head to the funeral tomorrow morning. Please pray not only for safe travel, but emotional strength as well. I am nervous about attending another funeral so soon after Ryan's.

This is a picture from Thursday night. We went to downtown Mishawaka where they have live bands playing every Thursday. We listened to some music and chatted with a friend of Val's. We also walked along the river there...it is so pretty and the night was beautiful!

Blog Quizzes

I found these quizzes on another blog (yes, I am slightly addicted to blogging). I thought that they were fun, so I am sharing them with you! :)

68%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Online Dating

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Dating

Voting

Thanks to everyone who shared "who" they were when visiting the blog. It was fun for me to see what types of people most visit the blog, but it worked out pretty evenly. Our Illinois friends won out in the end.

End results with 112 votes in:

• Family 15 (13%)
• MI Friends 20 (17%)
• IL Friends 25 (22%)
• Friend 8 (7%)
• Friend of a Friend 21 (18%)
• Blog Addict 19 (16%)
• Other 9 (8%)

Now if only I could figure out who you really were....

I've Been Tagged

This is a fun and different type of post than I have been doing lately...enjoy....

I am: A mom, wife, daughter, sister, caregiver and friend
I think: what life will be like when Ryan gets his new lungs; what Lily and Wyatt are doing
I know: I am loved
I want: to be home and for life to be back to normal
I wish: for hugs and kisses from Lily and Wyatt
I hate: WORMS
I miss: the kids
I fear: losing those I love most
I feel: tired, overwhelmed, bored...
I hear: someone filling a vending machine, phones ringing, an annoying commercial
I smell: hospital smells
I crave: fresh air and a change of pace
I search: for answers
I regret: when I lose my temper
I love: my husband, Lily and Wyatt, my Lord, my mom, my dad, my sisters and brothers, my friends and the list goes on and on.....
I ache: when I have to walk away from Lily and Wyatt
I care: that God is glorified in our current situation
I always: tell Ryan, Lily and Wyatt that I love them
I am not: patient
I believe: in Jesus
I sing: in the car
I cry: when I just can't take "life" anymore
I fight: when I am crabby
I write: on the blog and in emails
I win: games and arguements :)
I lose: my mind
I never: imagined life would take me down this road
I confuse: what day of the week it is :)
I listen: to the CD that I was given by a friend
I can usually be found: in my husband's hosptial room
I am scared: of thunderstorms....don't ask
I need: some peace and quiet
I am happy about: the progress that Ryan is making
I hope: that Ryan will get his new lungs SOON!
I am tagging: Jessica, Tami, Stefanie, Kristen, Valerie, and Kandy