GIVEAWAY!

My apologies for those of you that follow my two other crafty blogs...since this is the 3rd of the same post. My fabulous sister created this quilt:

And we are giving away 5 seperate patterns to commenters and followers on QuiltStory and on Fresh Poppy Design.  (So 10 patterns total!)  Even if you don't quilt, it'd make a great gift for someone who does :)

So please...humor me. 

Comment...follow us...put our buttons on your blog...loan me $200...carry my next child in your womb...okay that's good enough. 

THANKS!

One of my favorite places EVER!

I have so many memories growing-up and spending days and days at the lake.

We used to go every summer as a big fat extended family reunion.  We had a house boat, a couple of speed boats, a water weenie, tubes and sometimes we'd rent wave runners.  I would have never gotten to know and befriend so many cousins if we didn't do this.  I loved it!

Over the fourth of July we met up at the lake with my sister Heather and her hubby Dallan at his parent's home which is right on the lake (okay 5 min drive).

All the cousins!

I must admit I was kinda nervous to go.  I guess  just having two little ones I was scared about safety.  However, we enjoyed ourselves immensely and everyone made it back home.  Hurray!

Sophie and Sawyer are just 2 days apart.  Sophie's older, however gestationally (is that a word?) Sawyer is older :)

Heather and I have been waiting and waiting for these two to hit it off, and they did! 

Sophie the damsel in distress and Sawyer the knight in shining armor. 

I call not telling them they're cousins.

Heather darling and oh so sweet girls who loved and doted on my boys.  Sawyer loved having so many friends to play with, especially Addie.  When the girls had disappeared somewhere in the house Sawyer asked me, "Where is a lot of everyone?"

We actually did pull them behind the boat...ever so slowly.  It was the plan for E to take Sawyer but Oliver started bawling because he wanted on...and he never was scared!

We loved our little rendezvous...and it was only 5 hours to drive and meet up with my sister, definitely happening again and again :)

AZ is treating us well.  I am still feeling overwhelmed at getting settled while keeping up with everything and saving time for E.

(the boys, the blogs, trying to make patterns, crafting, decorating, preparing meals, exercising, cleaning..the momma stuff)

I promise many pictures of the home to come...but I'm just not there yet :)  I am going to set a goal for myself to show one room at a time, maybe weekly, so I can start finishing some of these projects!  Maybe I'll start next week?

I'm scared.

Hello Arizona

Clever right?  Did you see that post title coming?

I think we're gonna like it here.

Goodbye Missouri

Goodbye Missouri

I didn't think I would, but I miss that place

The best thing that happened there?

Oliver King

January 6, 2009

Ernesto and Oliver

And of course, friends.

I had no idea how many girls I'd find to have so much in common with.

Melissa's front door was something like 20 steps from my front door.

We had a lot of fun together, watching America's Next Top Model, being each others go-to babysitters, borrowing many a movie, food items, you name it.  Oh and of course, countless hours spent outside keeping each other company while our babes played.

Melissa and Megan

Sawyer and Taylor were like brother and sister.  They could have themselves a good fight.  But they also had a lot of fun together.  Look how much they grew!!!

More of my friends.  Sad.

Tamara, Megan, Sara, Aimee and baby Simon

Angel, Gentri, Melissa, Megan, Aimee

Tamara, Simon, Sara

Crystal, Megan, Megan

Let's see...we had craft nights, movie nights, watched Biggest Loser, there was Breakfast Club, playgroups, project night, playdates and Columbia trips.  Babysitting for each other, meeting at the park and aquatic center...preschool...gift exchanges for fun.  Parties and baby showers galore and fire pits and getting together because we had nothing better to do.

I tell ya two years ago I would've never guessed I'd be such a social butterfly :) 

Oliver, Olivia, Noah

Ollie insisted on bugging Olivia

Jason, Taylor, Sawyer, Preslee, Scotty, Ryder

Sawyer and Jonah

My favorite pic.  I hope when they grow up they're friends so we can tease them with this nerdy picture.

There you have it.  Saying goodbye was so sad, and so embarrassing.  How can some of you hold in tears?  Seriously.  I actually did pretty good, and by the end I was cried out.

Cross your fingers for me that I can find at least one good friend!

PS  E was there too.  I asked for him to give me pictures of him and his classmates and friends.  He laughed.  I guess boys don't do that.