Milestones

While some babies at this age are learning to crawl... others rolling after things they want... my baby has reached a milestone of her own...

Ellee's very first piggy... or pony or whatever you prefer to call them!

Due to the quite short, spiky nature of this hair style, we refer to it as a whale spout or horn. Though hopefully it will become a fully fledged palm tree.
We are still in the testing phase of the dual piggy and will post pictures as soon as it too is perfected. After much study I have found that the tools (aka hairbands) you are working with make all the difference. Thank you everyone for your support (especially Erica who I made perform the first procedure since I couldn't seem accomplish the task myself)!
But the best part of the pig is the post-pig do...

Let's go fly a kite!

So Friday we had a beautiful day outside and there was just enough wind for a perfect kite flying day. After getting myself untangled from the tangled up tails, I was ready for business.

And boy did it fly... so high in fact that it almost hit an airplane!!! Okay, so it probably wasn't that high, but when you are down on the ground looking up into the sky it sure seems to soar pretty far.


Even Ellee was enjoying the day... the sun on her face... the wind in her hair... whats not to like? Anyway, I love the warm weather and can't wait to get out and play more often!

My Birthday Blog

In honor of this special day… my 25th birthday, here are 25 things you may or may not have known about me…

1. I have a crush on Phil of the Future and have loved Hilary Duff since she was Lizzy Maguire.
2. I don’t care for veggies.
3. I can play violin/piano/guitar/recorder –Jack of all trades… master of none.
4. In 7th grade I was the shortest on my basketball team and in 8th grade I was the 2nd tallest.
5. I used to suck on the knuckle of my index finger and have a nasty scar.
6. I think I could be a hand model… if it weren’t for #5.
7. I’ve worn the same earrings for over 6 years (except for a few special occasions).
8. I was the cheerleading co-captain in 8th grade.
9. I rarely paint my toe nails… draws too much attention to my HUGE big toe (or tiny other toes depending on how you look at it).
10. I love dancing (all kinds)… and loved doing cool tricks when swing dancing.
11. Baby laughter is my favorite sounds… even before I had Ellee.
12. Any joint or moving part of my body I pop or crack regularly.
13. I have the Thriller Dance memorized.
14. I won the most improved dancer award on my dance team in 12th grade… not a difficult feat since I have never taken a real dance class in my life… I was bound to improve a lot!
15. I am an avid fantasy football player and can hold my own with any guy in a NFL conversation.
16. I took 21 credits one semester in college and 18 for 3 semesters.
17. I used to follow Devn into the backroom at RadioShack (where we met working there) just so we’d have to brush shoulders in passing cause of the tight quarters of the stock room.
18. I love to sing in the car… including the instrumentals! But I sing best to Moulin Rouge (Devn & I do a mad duet!).
19. I love to be productive. 20. I love to be lazy.
21. I love the smell of gasoline.
22. I have nightmares about snakes and once had to kill one by putting it in the toaster.
23. I know how many slats my parent’s shutters have and have counted/sorted them over 20 different ways and look for patterns in all things… weird I know.
24. I love playing games.

25. I love being a mom.

What do you get when...

...you cross a teething baby and a pen? (notice the ink lines above her lip) Whoops!




Don't worry, once I found her with the pen, I took it away, but had to give it back temporarily for the sake of the pictures.

*No babies were harmed in the making of these shots.*

I {heart} DVR's

Just for the record... I absolutely LOVE my DVR. You may be muttering to yourself "well then why don't you marry it?" My response to you would then be... "if you were allowed to marry inanimate objects... Devn might be in trouble (just kidding... but seriously... I'd have consider polygamy as the best alternative... seeing as I do not wish to live the rest of my life without either)."

For those of you a bit less tech-savvy... a DVR is a digital video recorder. Much like a VCR (though soooo much more wonderful than), it will record TV shows for you. However, it does not rely on videotapes or eat them either. You can set it to record multiple shows at the push of a button. It really is that easy.

Also if you are watching a live show (one you haven't previously recorded), you can actually "instant replay" the program or pause it while you walk to the kitchen (clear in the other room), get a bowl out of the cupboard, open the freezer, take out the ice cream, open the ice cream, get out the ice cream scoop, scoop the ice cream into the bowl, put the lid back the ice cream, but the ice cream back in the freezer, open the drawer to get a spoon, put the spoon in the bowl of ice cream, close the spoon drawer, turn off the kitchen light and carry the ice cream clear back into the family room and actually not miss one precious TV viewing moment. Priceless.

I rarely have to sit through advertisements and thanks to my previously recorded library (up to 100 hours worth) and there is ALWAYs something on that I want to watch... even during the day when soap operas own the airwaves. Now... this being said, I must clarify that I do not spend my whole day watching TV on my said DVR. In fact, I can now view my personal list of "must-see-TV" shows much more efficiently... in approximately 2/3 of the time that it would normally take to get through a show (since I can skip passed the ads) thus allowing me more time for all of the others loves in my life (or new shows as admittedly the case may sometimes be).

So folks... here it is... I present to you... the DVR.

It has truly revolutionized the way I watch TV. How did I ever live without it?

Honest Abe?

I stumbled upon this personality test today... kinda funny if you ask me. After answering 45 short questions, the results were in...

What famous leader are you?

Prodigy

Baby Mozart in the making...
Impeccable form but your missing the actual keys!

My final four

Here are my final four for The Bachelor Finalist Pool in Des Moines, IA. They aren't necessarily the girls I would pick if I were the Bachelor... but judging by the vibes Andy is putting out there... and the editting done by the producers... these are my picks.

So girls... here is it... here are the results... we might as well quit watching the show now.

*disclaimer* (Stephanie T. is only in my top four for the entertainment
value of the show... every series needs one of these "characters")

you have GOT to be kidding me!

Enough said.

Happy Birthday to Laura!

To a marvelous wife...

An adoring mother...


An unbelievably great dancer...

A domestic goddess...

A thoughtful sister-in-law and wonderful friend...
This one's for you!

Hope you are having a fantastic day!

Easter Best

Occasions like these make me sooooo glad that I have a little doll... I mean little girl!...now don't get me wrong, I can't wait to have a boy, but you sure as heck can't dress your boys up in frilly dresses, little white sandals and pink hair bows!

Ahhh the glories of a little girl... does my heart good.

(*side note* Ellee was not sure what to think of the cold poky grass under her... so smiling was not easy... this was the best we could do!)

hint hint...

Just in case anyone was looking for something to get me for my birthday... I would love the following...

*A subscription to Simple Scrapbooks or Creating Keepsakes (either will do... both will also do!).





*Sketches by Becky Higgins (an issue of brilliant scrapbook ideas)

These will most definitely help get me motivated to start on Ellee's book... I need all the help I can get... I already have 1042 pictures to sort through!





PS... only 16 days left to shop not counting today! It is a pretty important birthday after all, you only turn a quarter of a century old once you know!

This pretty well sums it up...

I admit it... I watch The Bachelor. I haven't liked the show much the last few seasons, but thought I'd give it another try, and after intro to the guy, I couldn't stop watching. Seems like quite a catch. But as for the ladies... they didn't seem as beautiful as a group this time around! Typically they walk up and I think "wow, they are really pretty", but this time, I thought "wow, I am way cuter than all of these girls (not that I need to compete with them since I already have the doctor of my dreams and I didn't even have to get wasted to get his attention)!" But anyhow, there was quite the variety.

My sister-in-law referred me to this article (click here to read) which pretty well sums up the whole show in case you missed it... and in case you didn't miss it, it was fun to read anyway just have my thoughts validated. I think you'll agree. Happy reading!

my attempt

So in attempt to take some pictures that looked a bit more like they were done in a studio I went to the fabric store and bought a couple yards of white fleece. It definitely puts the focus on the object rather than what is in the background, however, I think that I need a better camera so that my pictures aren't so grainy looking under natural light. Or maybe I am just doing something wrong... any suggestions?

Anyhow, here are a few fun shots (that I never got around to posting til now) of Ellee in my "studio."

6 Months Old
(still fascinated by sticking her tongue out!)
7 1/2 Months Old
(notice a bit more hair!)

What a dilemma...

From the inner monologue of Ellee:
"Do I go with the Binky or the Duck? Both look so tasty... I just can't decide. I guess I could try both... okay Ellee... concentrate!"



"Forget it... I'll just eat my toes instead!"

Was this suppose to be a race?

I heard an interesting phrase the other day... "we are all in this big race to the end [of this life]... when we will finally be freed from all of our imperfections."

This made me stop and think about my life and what life is really all about. Am I racing through everyday? Am I trying to catch up to the person in front of me? Or just trying to stay ahead of the person behind? Am I racing a 100 meter dash and just trying for 1st place? Am I missing what is really important?

I would like to hope that I am living as though life is not a sprint, but a marathon... one mile at a time... one step at a time... trying to get to the finish line just for my own personal accomplishment and not just to beat someone else there. Am I enjoying ever step... no matter how hard or painful or tiring it is?

I hate the phrase endure to the end cause it just makes the journey sound painful. Of course with the joys of life come trials. We can't always see the blessings or growth that the trials bring us, but then another familiar phrase comes to mind... we can't know sweet without the bitter.

Yes I can't wait to be freed from my own imperfections, but what am I doing with the time I have now... am I just sitting waiting to become perfect? Or am I striving to make the best of what I am and what I have?

I like to think that I am enjoying life to its fullest... every moment... every day. But as many of you... I know that I am looking to the next day or the next big event or next phase of life just to get me through the current one I am in.

Enough with the inner monologue... here is what I am going to do.

Love life.
Love God.
Love my family.
Love my neighbor.
Love myself.

All else will fall into place and I will better enjoy the journey and enjoy a closer glimpse of my destination.

(enjoying every moment)

Wholly Cow!

I just sneezed 13 times in a
row... NO JOKE! Don't believe
me? Ask Ellee... she was
rather amused by it all.

Ahhh the joys...

Teething: (teeth·ing) (t[emacr]th¢ing) the entire process which results in the eruption of the teeth

What this definition doesn't tell you is what exactly you get in this entire process. I had no idea. Luckily Ellee was able to enlighten me in the last few days. Now I am sure that all of these symptoms are not necessarily related to teething, just an incredibly unlucky/unlikely coincidence.

...don't ask how it works... one thing just led to another...

Since last Friday, Ellee has come down with the following symptoms: lack of appetite; congestion; needy (as in not content to play on her own for long, but not needy as in I want cuddles and snuggles from my mommy... needy as in I want you to hold me but you'd better be standing up and let me reach and grab for everything that you aren't trying to distract me with); nasty croupy cough; wheezing; waking in the night (and naps) every 45 minutes wanting her pacifier just so she can spit it out again because she is so congested that she can't breathe with it in; raspy voice and cry; green slimy eye goobers; low grade temperature; constipation and diarrhea (I know they don't usually accompany each other so don't ask how it works... one thing just led to another); one tiny little visible tooth; and finally when we went to the doctor she tops it all off with an ear infection.

Lovely.

Now those of you who are reading this thinking... oh no... my kids were just around her I hope they don't get sick too... don't worry, Ellee is on antibiotics and the doctor assured us it wasn't contagious at this point.

But none the less life here is quite interesting... I have had a suspicion that she was teething from the signs below... but now that I can see that tiny little tooth, I at least know that there is an end to all of this madness! Of course there are still 19 more teeth to erupt... so I guess this is just the beginning! Possibly the beginning to my end. I hope I can survive.

I've been busy...

So I've been slacking on blogging as I have been keeping myself busy working on other fun projects... and yes you can call me Domestic Goddess Abby. Is there anything I can't do? Man I am good! Okay okay, I am totally just kidding (well mostly). Anyhow I have been inspired lately to make all sorts of fun stuff... I've been making hair clips for little girls (maybe one day Ellee will be able to wear them!), beaded bracelets and pacifier leashes/clips also for little girls, head bands and bows and curly ribbon clips and I have been (key word: collecting) more scrapbooking stuff (yes I will get back into it sometime soon... I am very behind!) but my most recent project is seen below... embellished burp clothes. I got the idea from my sister-in-law Laura (who i might add is also a self proclaimed domestic goddess)... no more plain boring white burp clothes...


If you are going to have to be spit upon and always keep your shoulder covered... it might as well be covered fashionably!

What a shame

Yesterday I heard the funniest thing on the radio... funny as in I can't believe what I am hearing funny... as in are you kidding me funny... as in... okay you get the point. Anyhow, it being St. Patrick's day I guess people think that it is okay to go out and start drinking from dawn to dusk... okay really from dawn to dawn the next day.

But anyway, it was about 2:30 and the radio personality was downtown at some of the bars and was interviewing various people there. The first girl was describing how she started off her festivities with a toast to the day... bloody mary I believe was what she toasted with. Next she went to one bar for it's early opening to kick off the party. There she consumed 4 shots and 2 bloody mary's. Next she hit the street parties to dance (if that is what you can call it with this much liquor in your system) and throw down a few more drinks. I believe she made mention of a few martinis and a couple margaritas. Then it was at the next bar that the radio guy caught up with her for this interview. She mentioned that she was currently enjoying another bloody mary, the third of the 3 she consumed at this bar. She said she is still going strong... may I remind you that it is only 2:30 pm!!!!

Then next part is the part that makes me laugh. Well, the radio guy then asks her what her plans are for the rest of the day. And she mentioned a few more bars and street parties and then says church! She actually said she was going to try and make it to church between all of these parties! The radio guy then laughs a bit and asks her why... why church on saturday... amidst all of the partying? She then says that she doesn't want to be bothered by church with the hangover that she is planning on having on Sunday!!!

Can you believe it? What a sad sad day we live in!

On happier note... this was the first year that I got to pinch Devn for not wearing green! I had gotten dressed before him so he was still in his jammies and I got him!!! HA take that Devn!

Also we enjoyed large green Shamrock Shakes in honor of the day. Thanks McDonald's!