flashback friday!

in case you're wondering... yes, we're still here! just a wee bit busy this week. there is the whole work explosion for me, and phil is pretty busy too, and the girls are certainly not slowing down either. but we're happy and healthy and chugging along.

these photos are from the summer of 2009... look at those two chubby-cheeked babies! it's not nearly as green here yet as these pictures show, but we are getting there. it's been a seemingly long, cold spring but the trees have buds now (finally!) and the grass is slowly turning green around town. of course there is snow in the forecast for today, but we're choosing to ignore that and think warm thoughts anyway. happy friday y'all!

file under "Be Careful What You Wish For"

remember i mentioned last week about paying for some advertising, which i almost never do? well, it was for a really fantastic blog that i have enjoyed reading over the past year. there are no shortage of blogs out there, but this one caught my attention and i've been reading it daily ever since. go check it out for yourself and you will see why.

upon the arrival of her second child, Kelle Hampton wrote what can only be described as a truly amazing birth story. if you read it, you will understand how and why it was picked up by the media far and wide. it was republished online and in print and overnight, her blog readership went through the roof. like me, people were drawn in by her account of Nella's birth and stayed around for more. all this to say, her blog is not only amazing, but also has a HUGE readership (we're talking millions). when i thought about buying ad space, i figured it would be an interesting venture and would likely pay off, but you just never know. well, now i do know. it was certainly worth it. and the really great write up certainly didn't hurt either... or the nearly 800 entries for the gift certificate giveaway!

as of this afternoon, there are have been four solid days of off the chart sales in the shop. obviously, i couldn't be more pleased with this... even if it means i will be spending the next weeks chained to my sewing machine! so, i am reminded to be careful what i wish for... and grateful all at the same time ;)

easter, part two:

i don't remember easter being such an event in years past, but it seemed pretty epic and eventful this time around! maybe it was the warm weather, or so much time spent outside, or the fact that the kids were older? adding a birthday party (happy birthday everett!) and another egg hunt might have had something to do with it too. in any case, it was a BIG day. by the time dinner rolled around, there were too thoroughly exhausted children to attest to the epic proportions of easter 2011. phew. glad the easter bunny only comes once a year.

easter egg hunt

having a new yard in which to hide and hunt eggs turned out to be alot of fun this year. luckily mother nature obliged us with a warm, sunny, and non-windy day to enjoy as well (much better than last year's easter blizzard). speaking of yards, we've spent most of the weekend taming the crazy overgrown trees and bushes around here. the previous owners were apparently going for a jungle look, or so it would seem. after hauling an entirely packed trailer load to the dump, we were able to hide some eggs without the fear of them being lost forever in the backyard jungle.

card shark

don't let the bedhead fool you, this little one is quickly becoming really good at card games. i suppose it should come as no surprise that the kid who aces puzzles can beat the pants off of you at Uno... but i was still a little surprised myself! right now Uno and Go Fish are her games of choice, but i see alot more card playing in her future. which is alright with me, i guess, if it puts her through college and sends us into early retirement. well, if she could do those things minus the actual gambling part, of course.

eggs to the rescue?

the return to real life after vacation is always shaky around here. the transition back to school, work, and not having two parents around all the time usually translates into a really rough week. behavior is at it's worst, tempers are short, patience is non-existent, and bedtime rarely comes soon enough.

luckily natalie came over to dye eggs with us this morning (we love it when she is school break!), which resulted in several hours of happy, occupied children. and a brief respite for yours truly. the eggs even turned out beautifully too. win win.

self-explanatory Spring