My Life People ~Meet April!~

Introducing... the 4th segment of My Life People...
April Poknis!!

Here are April's answers to the question I asked her over a month ago... I'm slacking. (So some of April's answers to questions #2 may be obsolete by now...)

1. How do you know me? I am one of Jen's many many cousins :)

2.Tell me 5 things on your to-do list.
1. Grade the papers piling up on my kitchen table
2. Buy and hang blinds for our NEW windows!
3. Re-finish the dresser we bought from Goodwill
4. Pack up my summer clothes and get out the winter things :(
5. Finish my book :)

3. What is the one TV show that you just HAVE to watch every week?
Oh geez, there's so many! I guess my favorite right now would be Glee!

4. What are 3 things you like to find in your stocking or Easter basket?
1. Scratch off lottery tickets - thanks Dad :)
2. Peeps
3. Reese's eggs

5. What movie could you watch over and over and over?
High School Musical...1, 2, & 3...I know it's silly, but they put me in a great mood :)


April says "I don't have a blog! Maybe I should create one!"
Jen says "Yes. maybe you should :)"

My notes on April:
I was so happy to get to see April over Thanksgiving, along with most of our other tons of cousins :) Seems like just yesterday we were those little people in the photos above! Now we are all grown up, and we need to make sure our next visit is not so far between. April and I share a love for Glee and High School Musical. (And we also share the ability to admit that we love those high school singing shows.) April is a teacher, and I am sure all of her kids just love her to pieces. Our Grandma was a teacher, and I know she would be proud :) Though we weren't super close growing up, and even now we are in different states, it is so nice to have kept in touch and I do feel like we are a part of each others lives!! April is always giving me warm fuzzies for the silly things I do here on my blog, and that means a lot to me :) Thanks April!!! (oh, and Sancho is awesome... Chris is too!)

P.S. Thanks Aunt T for those vintage photos ;) Were we not the cutest things ever??

mending hands support

Little Bean Embroidery is happy to

support Mending Hands through

a raffle to benefit Housing Works.

Along with other vendor donations...

Little Bean has offered up a $25 gift certificate!
Check out all the other raffle items here.

Don’t worry if you aren’t in NYC…

my sister will be sure that your prize works for where you are :)

Raffle tickets can be purchased for just $6.

A ticket will get you a chance to win one of these wonderful gifts,

as well as being a part in supporting Housing Works.

Visit Mending Hands now, for all the details.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I have a lot to be thankful for.

One of those reasons is YOU!

Here's to making EVERY day a day of Thanksgiving.

paper glitter :)

those of you who attended my open house may remember seeing these. they're adorable.

but even better, these are free.

(the little turkey was the inspiration for my turkey cookies.)

last week, i was VERY lucky to win a $12 shopping spree over at Paper Glitter!!

i was giddy to pick out some adorrrrable new stationary :)

looky what i got....

ladybugs!!

mod stationary :)

a doll set for miss lilly

AND...

kawaii sweets stationary :)

(i think i may need to add a few ink cartridges to my Christmas list :)

Go check out Linnette's adorable shop and her blog(s)!

(She's having another giveaway here... at this blog)

yay for finding new stores, giveaways, and super cute stuff!!

lists

i
am
a
lister.

i make lists.

i have them scattered everywhere.
not sure that they help much.
but i do love the feeling of being able to cross things off :)

here is my 'main' list. my 'to-do' list.
this particular picture is my list from last week.
(i will be re-writing it today or tomorrow for this week)
as you can see, not much got crossed off.

some items are crossed off and done, so they dont go back on the new list.
some get re-written. several times over again. (like that first one on the list)
some things get added to the list.

then there is the inside of the cookbook/recipe cupboard door.
everyday meal idea list.
kid food idea list.
party food idea list.
school schedule (that is kind of a list)
my christmas wish list ;)
and a friendly reminder, from my awesome daughter... that i am ok :)this list is our favorite TV shows.
the ones we don't want to accidently miss.and the lists by my computer.
a list of blogging ideas.
a list of things i need to buy for LBE.

i make daily lists for the kids i watch.
when we eat, when they nap, when i change their diapers.

i'm positive there are more lists i could list.

so... are you a lister?
tell me im not crazy.
or at least tell me nicely, that i am :)

today's mommy lesson

ever have one of those days that just drains you?
mentally. emotionally. physically.
that's what today was for me.

this morning cohen was having a very rough time sharing his hockey magazine.
wanting to comfort him, and make him feel better... without much thought, out of my mouth came these words:

"it's hard to share the things you love."

it was one of those moments, where i stopped and rethought what i had just said.
because i knew those words weren't just for him, but for me.
a pure truth. something i needed to hear.
not just about sharing a hockey magazine.
but my time, my feelings, my struggles, my joys, myself.

even though life is hard.
even though sometimes i wonder what in the world i am doing.
there are moments like these... moments spurred from my kids, that make eveything seem ok.
life is hard. and that's ok.

on a less serious note:
this is the conversation i heard tonight between lilly and her daddy while i was working in my office, and they were making daddy's 'famous' homemade pizza for dinner.

lilly: this is daddy's pizza! he made this recipe all by himself! he put cheese in the crust!
lilly: daddy! you should put this on your blog!
dave: i don't have a blog.
lilly: do you have a website?

and again, i was reminded that life is ok.
better than ok.

the birth of a turkey {cookie}

so i might have a teeny obsession with the homemade sugar cookies and frosting.

for the open house, i wanted some kind of 'fallish' themed cookies. no 'fallish' themed cookie cutters were in the house, and i could not find anything suitable at any of the local craft stores. no turkeys. no acorns. no leaves. no nothing. and no time to buy something great online.

so what do i do?
work with what ive got.
a nice round cookie cutter has endless possibilities.


i draw up a sketch.
(to which dave laughs and says... 'are you sure you don't want a turkey cookie cutter?')
plan out the colors.
make up the round sugar cookies.
make up the frosting.
color the frosting.

and construct a turkey.
step by step.

and that little red thing under the beak is a gobbler. dont let anyone tell you anything different.

happy turkey season!

Open House 09

thanks to a successful Open House, i have TONS of embroidery orders to work on.

(which means there may be several blog posts this week. because i get to blog while my machine is stitching away!!)

a BIG thank you to all my vendors who set up for the show. i appreciate you taking the time and traveling my way for this event!

it was so fun to watch our home become a little shopping plaza :)

and even more BIG thank yous to all of you who came out to browse, eat and shop at our Open House!! it was so nice to get to see and visit with all of you :)

some shows are still open for a few more days...

Premier Designs Jewelry (buy 2, get the 3rd 50% off)

Uppercase Living

Tastefully Simple

Creative Memories

Let me know if you are interested, and I will pass on any information!
Orders will be here in time for Christmas :)

sale at little bean...

Check out the sale at Little Bean...

TODAY ONLY!

Sunday, November 15th

a few random things.

1. I am hosting a 6 vendor Open House, including Little Bean, in my home this weekend! See here for a few more details. If you haven't gotten an invite from me already, it's only because ...
A. I don't have your email.
B. You live in a far-away state
C. You are a stranger :)
(If you are local and you want more info, email me and I'll get you the flyer!!)

2. I did make a dip last Wednesday, I just forgot. And we did make one yesterday, though it was a lunch time dip. I'll share those later.

3. I have no whitty comment for this picture... besides the fact that this boy cracks me up.

4. Love in a laundry basket.
5. self portraits with lilly
6. Here is a fun coupon.

7. I am not ignoring questions you ask... (Rorie asked about Cornhole and Hot Dog Casserole, and Denise asked about Teacher's gifts this year) ... I'll get to those soon!! That'll make for another fun random post :)

Vegetable (or whatever else you want to dip) Dip

So I've already been a bit lax on the whole... "Wednesday night is dip night!" proclamation. (Though Lilly doesn't let me forget it.) This dip... a delicious veggie dip, is another found at Diptacular 2009. I did make it on a Wednesday, but it was for the weekend. And the next Wednesday was skipped... because no Glee and tons of leftover dips from the weekend meant I wasn't in a dip making mood. We will see what happens tomorrow ;)

Don't let the veggies fool you into thinking this is healthy. It sure is tasty though... reminds me of a honey mustardy dip.

Best Vegetable (or whatever else you want to dip) Dip

8 oz. (250 grams) cream cheese
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup salad oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup minced onion flakes
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika

Beat first three ingredients well and until sugar is thoroughly blended into cream cheese and syrup. Add oil and mix well. Add everything else and beat until combined. Chill in fridge until cooled through. This recipe will yield about three cups and it freezes really well.

My Life People ~Meet Lilly!~

And now to the 3rd segment of My Life People!
You may know this little lady... Lilly :)

And here are her answers to my questions!

1. How do you know me?
Um. Because you’re my mommy.

2. What song are you loving right now?
Um. You put your best of both worlds. And you rock out the show. You put your best of both worlds and you rock out the show. I just sang the song. It’s really just best of both world. Just spell best of both world.

3. Tell me 3 things you do almost every day.
Watch tv. Hehe. Color. And lay on the ground. Hehehe.

4. What super star would you like to go out to lunch with?
Hannah Montana.

5. You get a shopping spree at Toys R Us, what do you put in your cart??
Um. Barbies. And um high school musical barbies and hanna montana. And Barbie books. and um strollers. With rock star glasses. That’s all. thank you staaaars.

My notes on Lilly:
It is safe to say that this is my most favorite girl in the entire world. I am constantly amazed by her. She is funny. She is caring. She is sweet and sassy. She is creative. She is curious. She tells you what she thinks. She laughs. She cries. She is one of my biggest cheerleaders. She is a constant source of entertainment. I have learned so much because of her. I cannot remember life without her. I am so proud of the little lady that she is becoming. Because of her, I want to be a better person. The best person I know how to be. I love you miss Lillian :)

trick-or- treat continued

i figure i better post the rest of the trick-or-treat pictures before christmas is here :)

here is little miss Hannah Montana. ("because i have blonde hair. not brown like miley cyrus.")

This is the 1st year that I wasn't so good in convincing Lilly what to be. But I was able to get her some real clothes that look like rock star clothes... instead of a 'Hannah Montana in a bag' costume.

At least I convinced the little man to be a gnome.

And an adorable gnome he was. (though he stated a few times he wanted to be a 'hockey gnome'. we're holding off on the hockey costume as long as possible, because i think once that starts, that is all that will ever be.)

here are a bunch of kids in the new neighborhood. one of the neighbors in the cal-de-sac behind us hosted a 'walking taco' dinner. so much fun. we are still very new here... but we do feel like we are starting to blend in.
our backyard neighbor brought out their little pet. in a sombrero. doesn't he look like he should be in some sort of commercial?? hilarious. (im guessing it's a he... maybe it's a she?)a family pic :)and some more cute gnome pics... with our backyard neighbor's buckeye gnome :)though all this stuff above was much fun... the best part was driving to our 'old' cal-de-sac and visiting with our 'old' neighbors. who are now some of our greatest friends. though we really like our new house, neighbors, and neighborhood... i really really miss our old place. we hadnt been back since we moved over 2 months ago, and we decided spur of the moment to take the kids trick-or-treating on the 'old' court. i am so glad that we did. when we got there, i gave lilly permission to run out of the van and go give hugs! i started down the line of about 6 hugs, and didn't even start crying till the 2nd or 3rd hug in :) 6 years with the same people will take a place in your heart. i miss them so much, but am so glad they are not just our 'old' neighbors, but our forever friends.

little bean love

i wanted to share a story that i recently received from a little bean customer, who had ordered a special bib for her baby girl.

"Faith wore her bib for the pictures we had taken with her big brother, Dillon, and Dad, Jason. These photos were taken at the same time as the team photos so all of the players were standing by, watching me act a little goofy to make Faith smile. :) Fast forward a few weeks... every year, my husband and I have the senior football players over to our house for "Senior Meal." When the boys came in to the kitchen, they all had on " I (heart) Coach Cross" bibs! LOL Of course, they used marker and so they didn't look near as good as the embroidered bib from you. " :)


this is the reason i love my little business.
the people.
and their stories.
and how my little products bring big smiles :)

(see some new LBE designs... here or here.)