Christy's Closet

Breakfast with Santa

2011-12-16T14:55:00.000-08:00

One of our greatest blessings from open adoption is gaining a new family. When we adopted Max, we joke and say we adopted Jordan (his birthmom) and about 26 others. They are all a terrific family and we are truly blessed!With family comes Christmas traditions. Now one of our favorite Christmas traditions is breakfast with Santa at Papa Jake's and Grandma Jeannie's house.

See, Papa Jake and Grandma Jeannie are good friends with the REAL Santa. On a Sunday morning in December they invite him to their home with breakfast with the grandkids (and all of us adoring parents get to hang out too).

The kids eagerly await the arrival of Santa.Santa reads them a story and hands out gifts.He sits with each child and listens to their Christmas wishes.Sam asked Santa for an iPhone 4S (this was news to me!) so they were having a conversation about it.I don't think it was looking good for Sam. (Thanks Santa!)

Then Grandma Jeannie leads the kids in singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.Next all the kids head over to the table to eat a delicious breakfast, complete with hot cocoa. Yum!

We are truly blessed and thankful for this family and this great Christmas tradition!
Cheers!
Christy

Excuses...excuses...

2011-12-14T06:18:00.001-08:00

Oh dear neglected blog and its readers, if there are any... I'm sorry that I took advantage of the fact that you'd be here when I got to it... sometime during the holiday season.

I didn't think I'd forget about it this long but we've been busy. (Excuse #1) Busy making the memories, the food, and the crafts that I normally blog about. Like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas baking, etc...Want to see? I wish I could show you. A tragic thing happened to my external hard drive and I LOST about 25,000 photos. No kidding! I have a great friend working on the recovery but, not a guarantee (Excuse #2).
I can show you the last couple of weeks though...

The tree is up with many of our decorations. Max loves to pose with his "cheese" smile every time he sees the camera. Here is Sam's preferred pose:And this is the one he gives me when I plea:Oh... and Max has discovered something sweet that he LOVES!
Our kids have been crazy busy with school, dentist appts, girl scouts, church, and now basketball and gymnastics start in January. Whew! (Excuse #3). I'm also teaching an art class in Sam's class and that takes up a lot of time, but so rewarding! (Excuse #4) You'd think I'd have time to pack to go to Minnesota for Christmas but... that may have to wait until the night before if I keep blogging. (Excuse #5).

Speaking of Minnesota... our Elf on the Shelf, Snowy, is back and Madeleine wrote him a note to ask him if he'll come with us.
(Psst...he said Yes.)

Hoping to get on again before soon, but with all these "great" excuses, there are no guarantees!
Cheers!
Christy

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

2011-10-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

I made the most amazing Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies earlier this week. I thought I should share the recipe. I would have shared the dessert but... well, it didn't last long in our house!
I think they were best when cold. I used egg beaters and 1/3 fat cream cheese and I didn't have any troubles. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Body Scrub

2011-10-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

Every year, about the same time, I become slightly obsessed with pumpkins. I start crafting them, picking them at the patch, carving them, eating them, and..... oh! Making beauty products out of them. (Bet you didn't see that coming!)

I've shared this recipe before for my homemade Pumpkin Pie Body Scrub. It is one of my all-time favorite recipes so when I made it today, I thought I should re-post it. It'll make your skin soft and won't add inches to your hips. It smells amazing and it so easy to make and use.

Pumpkin Pie Body Scrub
This is a dreamy, homemade body scrub made from common, edible ingredients from your kitchen. Go on, pamper yourself. There's enough here for you and a friend. Or double the batch and give some as gifts. Just a warning: make sure you rinse the shower when you're done. The oatmeal is a real pain to chip off when its dried.

2 cups Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar (or substitute Brown Sugar)
1/3 can of the large can of pureed pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil
1 Cup Oatmeal - more if you prefer a grittier texture

Simply mix it all up and divide it into containers for gift giving. I try to use plastic containers since a glass jar could get broken in the shower. While you are in the shower, in case you're wondering, yes, it is edible. But I probably wouldn't eat if after its been in there more than a day. It is perishable so it should be used within 10 days or so.

I hope you'll try this. Your skin will thank you!
Cheers,
Christy

Heartwarming Vintage Blog

2011-10-23T22:36:00.000-07:00

Hey crafty friends! Guess what! I was featured on the Heartwarming Vintage blog today. Click here to see the story. I made this chandelier using their products in 2009 (before our third baby was born, you know... when I had time to do crafts and scrapbook. ;) ) It still hangs in the hallway at halloween and it is one of my favorite Halloween decorations too!

I was so surprised someone remembered one of my creations!

Little joys!
Thanks for checking in,
Christy

A little creative time

2011-10-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

I love all the crafty inspiration that comes during the Fall and through the holidays.

I had some time in the last month to make 2 new pumpkin crafts. The pumpkin above was so simple! Here is where I found it. It is made from a 12" by 12" piece of paper that was cut into 1" strips, 2 brads (top and bottom), a flower (see it inside), some ribbon, some leaves, and a wine cork. All it took to make it was 15 minutes, my hot glue gun, and a few glasses of that scrumptious red wine. Hey- I needed the cork! wink!

This other pumpkin craft was just about as simple. You'll find the directions here.As you see, both of these ideas came from Better Homes and Gardens. They have an email list you can sign up for called "100 Days of Holidays." It is fabulous! Everyday you get new ideas for decorating, crafts, food, etc. Best of all, you only get the daily emails for 100 days. From the beginning of October to New Years. That's when I do most of my crafting and entertaining anyway so I'm so happy to get new ideas. Especially easy, chic ones like this.

This weekend I'm getting together with some old friends to scrapbook. This is the first time I'm going to a crop in over a year! Can't wait to get some pages done.
Happy Crafting!
Christy

Max's Birthday Party

2011-10-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

Our little man is officially 2! (And based on his behavior this morning, feels like he needs to live up to the "Terrible 2" reputation. Grr..... You'd never know it from the picture above though!)

His party had an Elmo theme and I took my first crack at making cake pops. I found the recipe here and even though they didn't turn out as cute as the professional's pops, I was quite pleased! We also had a cake that he was delighted with too. (I needed a back-up in case the cake pops didn't work! And believe me, they were work!) We had lots of friends and family there to celebrate. And to play freeze-dance with. It was so fun to see all of them dancing around to "C Is For Cookie" from his new Sesame Street CD. I don't think he could be any happier, or spoiled with toys, than he was on this birthday celebration.
Thanks for all of you near and far who are such a blessing in his life!
Cheers,
Christy

Max is 2 years old!

2011-10-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

2 years ago, early in the morning, on a drizzly Fall day, our lives were changed forever. Our son Max was born! To the tunes of Bob Marley, Brentt and I, Jordan (his birthmother), and Grandma Sue all welcomed him into this world. There was so much joy in that room!It seems crazy to me how quickly 2 years flies by! Now, his personality is coming out and we are learning that is a fun, smart and loving boy. A little stubborn (no doubt those terrible two's have begun.) but he is such a gift!Happy Birthday, Max!

I'm back! ... are you?

2011-09-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

I'm back! ... are you? Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if all of you have given up on my pathetic little blog that I neglect. I thought I would have more time when the kids went back to school but we've been SO busy! Doing what, you ask?

Hanging out with Grandma when she came to visit:Hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa Bill when they came to visit:
Grandpa Bill was playing in a tennis tournament in Palm Springs so we went to watch his doubles matches. His team placed second in the tournament! It was fun to watch.
We are so blessed to have been able to spend time with all of them this month! So much fun crammed into such a short time. And more fun to be had--it is Fall, after all! My favorite season!

Cheers,
Christy

Basketball

2011-09-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

When the new school year arrived, we said good bye to Sam's favorite Summer activity: Basketball.

This was his first team sport and he just loved it! I can't believe I hadn't posted any pictures of this event that sucked up so much of our time this Summer. He can't wait to sign up for Winter basketball. Soon. Very soon. But for now, we are feeling settled into our school year and about to start choir and Girl Scouts first. Bring it on! ;)
Cheers!
Christy

That Giggle!

2011-08-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

It would be hard for me to decide what I like best about Max at 22 months old but his giggle is very high on the list. Watch this video of him - So Cute!

This is one of our favorite games to play. (Pardon the video quality please. It's hard to be the camera operator and the airplane operator at the same time.)

Thanks for checking in!
Cheers,
Christy

First Day of School

2011-08-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

With great anticipation, it arrived: The First Day of School!

Since it was a new school for both of them, there was a tinge of anxiety but you can't tell from these photos.
Madeleine was so excited to wear the new school uniform to 2nd grade. Sam, didn't care what he was wearing, he just wanted us to hurry up and go to Kindergarten. We were actually there 20 minutes before the bell rang!

Though there were no tears at drop off, I'll miss my little buddy during the day. I am so proud of him and he is so confident about this new experience. He is so ready. I suppose, I am too. Sort of... just... well..No mom wants to see their kids grow up so fast. Sigh... Just another chapter. It'll be a great one!

Cheers,
Christy

Believe in miracles everyday!

2011-08-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

I'm stunned by miracles.

Miracles happen everyday to everyday people.

I have had 3 amazing, significant miracles that I thank God for everyday: Madeleine, Samuel, and Maxwell.

Each of our children are a blessing to be celebrated. Recently I heard a designer say "the decor of your house should tell the story of those who live there." As soon as I heard that, the wheels in my head started turning and I knew I needed to fill this empty space on my wall with something significant. So..... (drum roll please)..... Ta Da!I couldn't be happier with my creation. A little art to honor the infancy of our little miracles. Each of their photos was taken in the first 2 weeks of their life.I taught a class at a local scrapbook store (before Max was born) and these canvases were the project. If you want to make one, here are the instructions and supply list. Keep in mind, this paper was very popular 2 years ago. You may need to modify supplies as I did when I made mine but the techniques and format are the same.

My canvases are framed in 9' by 12" frames, hung with tooth hooks, then the ribbon and vintage door knobs were added as decoration (not support). The door knobs are actually from Anthropology and the phrase on the wall is a rubon made by DCWV, sold at JoAnn's and Michaels.
I always planned to make some for my own kids but after Max was born, things got a little too busy. This Summer, I finally had the time, and the inspiration to make them. I'm just tickled by the way it has all turned out. I hope you enjoy them and make one for yourself too.
Cheers,
Christy

Oh! The places we go...

2011-08-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

Since the kids are going to private school this year, one of our financial sacrifices was our Summer vacation. Thankfully, we all love to camp so it wasn't too much of a disappointment. Especially when we get to go with friends!

We have done several local camping trips this Summer and then the last weekend in July, we went a little further. Ok... a lot further! Sequoia National Forest. Our lovely children were so patient on the 7 hour drive. (no sarcasm, actually!)We hiked, some of us left the path to splash,with and without kids,and we ate (can't ever forget the s'mores!),
and relaxed and watched the sunset at 7500 feet elevation.Sam was just relaxing in the forest area behind our campsite when I snapped this picture. The sun was setting and he just turned to me and smiled a content sort of smile. He is so handsome! (even though he was filthy dirty!) One day we went hiking at "The Trail of 100 Giants." This is an easy trail in a forest of the Giant Sequioa trees. It is a pretty cool thing to go inside of a tree that is more than 1500 years old!Climbing on them is pretty cool too!I really hope the kids remember all these adventures we go on together. I will for sure! Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers,
Christy

Summer loves

2011-07-27T21:49:00.001-07:00

I have so many Summer loves but here are a few recent ones:

Visits from family:
Sports:And extra time for me and my crafts:Oh please, Summer, stay a while longer!

Summer Fun

2011-07-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

There were times when every afternoon, I had silence while little ones napped. I scrapbooked, crafted, read a book in the hammock, and cleaned the house. That does not happen anymore. Max still naps but my afternoons are FAR from quiet! Now, we are busy with swim lessons, basketball, trips to the zoo, camping, the beach, the fair and everything else to do in "America's Finest City." I confess that much of the go-go atmosphere is caused by me trying to experience life through the children's eyes. But I do not regret the memories we are making so far this Summer.

Here are some photos from the San Diego County Fair. Some of us were having a great time (Sam).Some others were not (Brentt).I love the fair for the variety it has. The kids loved feeding the animals.and they even got to ride an elephant! Such a unique experience for them!
They did a "tractor" raceWhile "Little Boy Blue" played in the corn.But our favorite part of the fair is always the "Turkey Stampede." A race where the turkeys chase a remote control truck filled with treats. Sounds weird but it is HILARIUOS!Because of all this fun, my own hobbies get tossed to the way side. Sigh... But I have been working on some fun stuff. I'll share soon.

Thanks for checking in on our crazy, busy, happy, sometimes bizarre life!
Cheers,
Christy

Happy 4th of July, Everyone!

2011-07-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

Cheers,
Christy

Super Cute Craft

2011-06-27T21:00:00.001-07:00

I thought I would try to make this cute, easy craft for the 4th of July. (Click here). If I don't have time, I thought I'd at least share it with the world. ;) So fun!

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!
Cheers,
Christy

Really great Carnitas!

2011-06-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

I simply love Mexican food! When I find an easy, cheap, recipe that everyone likes, it becomes a regular in our house. And, of course, I want to tell the whole world about it!

Here it is.... Carnitas in the Crockpot!
I was skeptical about this recipe at first but it is tasty, tender, and uses a rather inexpensive cut of pork. With 3 kids home for the summer, the crockpot and I have become good friends. I've made it a few times and it is consistently good. It is flavorful but not spicy. After it is done, I shred it and divide out a few portions for the kids and then I add or Pilarcitas (or hot sauce) to the remainder for Brentt and I.

Spread this on some tortillas, top with coleslaw, and enjoy your easy Summer meal. It is great for a build-your-own buffet when company comes too.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-carnitas/detail.aspx

I hope you love it as much as we do.
Cheers!
Christy

A good laugh

2011-06-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

Max LOVES to eat! He is a big boy and this is his main reason. Thankfully, fruits and veggies are his favorite. (I know... you think I got lucky. But the truth is, he just hasn't gotten to taste too many sweets yet.)

When we sat down for dinner a few nights ago, Max plowed through this ear of corn like one of those cartoon pigs. He was really going at it! I wished I had it on video but by the time I finished taking a few photos, the corn was gone. No kidding! He ate this ear of corn in about a minute. It gave us all a good laugh and he was delighted to entertain us all!

Have a great day!
Cheers,
Christy

Max-Love

2011-06-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say about these pictures. I am so in love with Max. (I think God plans it this way before they hit the terrible 2's)
He is just so sweet, charming, and a little silly. Pictures say a thousand words, right?Thanks for checking in!
Cheers,
Christy

Summertime

2011-06-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Summer time is so sweet but I feel like we've waited forever for it to get here. We all went to Rancho Mirage (Palm Springs) for Memorial Day and got to feel the hot, desert weather. We stayed at the Mission Hills Westin in a suite with a full kitchen. We've stayed here before and it is just gorgeous!Chasing ducks was the highlight of Max's trip.
While we were in Rancho Mirage we swam and loved just hanging out together.

Sam even went golfing for the first time on a real course (twilight rates, of course!) He was so happy to be able to pal around with his Daddy on the golf course.Thanks for checking in. Enjoy the early Summer!
Christy

I'm back!

2011-05-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

Holy cow! I can't believe its already been a month since my last post. I could barely remember my login!Sorry for my absence! (in case there is anyone out there who still checks our blog.) Life has been crazy busy, yet productive. In the last month we've celebrated Easter, changed the kids to a private Christian school (to start in the Fall), teacher appreciation parties, open house and spring concerts at both schools, play dates, swim lessons, gymnastics, family visiting, planning Summer vacation, AND just Brentt and I took a trip together. Whew! I'm exhausted just reading about it.I'll share some photos of the last month. So many great ones!

First of all, Easter was such a fun occasion to watch how much Max's personality has blossomed. He loved the Easter egg hunt
but he did NOT like the Easter bunny. (I have to admit he does look a little creepy!)We also had some warm weather in early May. The kids love the slip and slide and the water table. I hope it stays this easy to entertain them all Summer.
Luckily, Max is not old enough to be embarrassed that I show pictures like this. Who doesn't love to see a cute, chubby, baby butt?!?
Madeleine's school had a cake decorating contest for their Spring Fling. She thought of, and decorated this cake all by herself. She was so proud of her "Ladybug Picnic" cake.
Here are Grandma and Grandpa Bill when they were here. Isn't this a great picture of them? They are so happy and in love. (Happy early Anniversary!)Sam just cracks me up in this picture! He is in full character! I am starting to wonder if "camouflage" is a phase or just part of being Sam. Hmmm...Max LOVES books and he and Grandpa Bill bonded over many books on their 10 day visit.
I have so much more to share but I've really got to run. Thanks so much for checking in!
Cheers,
Christy

Happy Easter!

2011-04-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Tax Day!

2011-04-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

We have 3 great deductions on our taxes. This one just happens to be labeled. Happy Tax Day!
Cheers,
Christy

Stay-cation Adventures #2

2011-04-08T05:43:00.000-07:00

For Stay-cation adventure #2 we thought we'd live like tourists do when they come to San Diego so we went and stayed at Paradise Point, a local beach resort.

The weather could have been a LOT warmer but that's what you get for San Diego in April and May.

There was a great spot overlooking the bay, with beautiful palms and flowers. I thought, "The kids are clean all at the same time. We should take a picture." (yes, I have low standards!)

I tried to pose them and I ended up with this:And then this:So I let them do their own thing and I got this:

Much better! They are so natural here.

The next morning we went for a walk on the beach. It was chilly but a great way to start the day.
I love how they like to write in the sand.It was so cold at the beach, Max was content hanging out in the stroller watching birds and playing with seashells. He is always a happy guy!
The best parts of our stay-cation are we won't be paying for it for months and we still got to squeeze in dentist and doctor appointments. We live in an amazing area and get into our daily ruts and we just don't take advantage of all it offers. So much to do... so little time!

We have a couple more days of break left and I asked Madeleine and Sam what they want to do and they said they want to just stay home. Really? All right.... I confess I'm tired out too. I suppose I'll learn how to relax a little...? I'm not sure I know how to do that but I'll try.

Thanks for checking in!
Cheers!
Christy

Stay-cation Adventures

2011-04-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

Life lesson #57: "Life with 3 kids is expensive. Vacations shouldn't be."

With that in mind, we decided to do a stay-cation for Spring break. Thankfully, we live in an amazing area so we aimed to stay within San Diego county and do things we normally do not do.

We started last weekend camping in the Anza-Borrego Desert. The flowers are in bloom in the local mountains and the drive was gorgeous!We didn't do our traditional camping this time. We "roughed it." The Bureau of Land Management allows you to pull off a dirt road and camp where ever you want to. Did you know that? I didn't! We chose an area near a dry lake bed where the kids could climb rocks, have fun.... ...and giggle...We really were in the middle of nowhere!It was warm camping in the desert and the stars were AMAZING! (psst... love my new iPhone app called "Star Walk." We were finally able to figure out the constellations!)

On Day #2 Brentt said, I know these cool mud caves not far from here, let's go! Ok, I'm up for the adventure. An hour later after driving on dirt "roads" like this...I started doubting our destination (and the ability of my minivan!). Even looking through the informational book about the desert, there was no mention of this place.

This is it: Really? What?!? Not so cool until you get in there. Here is a video from inside the caves. I can't believe there is something like 3 million people who live in San Diego county and there were only a dozen or so people out here the whole time we were there. Well kept secret I suppose?

The caves were not "Max-able" but he still had fun. He makes his own adventures; usually by running away. Don't worry though, he charms and kisses his way out of trouble every time! On the way back to our campsite, we stopped at Hollywood and Vine Street. Maybe not the one you'd expect to see in Southern California...So weird!

Alas, Spring Break is not over yet. Check back for Stay-cation adventure #2.
Have a great day!
Christy

Ahhh.... scrapbooking.

2011-03-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

I always feel my stress level come down and my sanity level go up when I get a little time to scrapbook. Its just a miracle if I ever get a chance to share it!Since my time is so limited, I've been trying to chose pictures that are meaningful or that have a story behind it. But I have so many meaningful pictures that I doubt I'll ever be done! I've only just started Christmas photos!Another lesson I'm learning with limited time to scrapbook is that everything doesn't have to be an "artful masterpiece". Sounds simple but I am a bit of a perfectionist and I have a hard time getting to "good enough." It is more important that it is done, than done perfectly, right? (I'm still trying to convince myself of that one!)
Thanks for checking in!
Cheers,
Christy

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T08:07:00.001-07:00

Catching up

2011-02-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

Now that we are (mostly) all healthy, I am starting to catch up on life. All the snotty and vomit covered laundry is done, I've Lysol-ed nearly every space the kids have touched, homework is caught up and we even have food in the fridge! Life is good! I'm even having a bit of time to scrapbook! (but I'm sacrificing my sleep to do it.)

We've had some nice moments in the last few weeks too. Here are a few pics I wanted to share.
Sam wrote me a love note all on his own. His first one too! I love it! Expect a scrapbook layout on this soon. ;)
Here are the kids when we went down to the bay for a picnic one night a couple weeks ago.
The morning after that, Max had a good soaking in the kitchen sink. We rarely bathe him there but he had so much fun, I couldn't resist the naked baby photos!

Then, just this morning he fell asleep in his car-seat. I think it is so cute how he sucks on his little lovey when he falls asleep. So angelic...
Thanks for checking in!
Getting crafty this weekend... ;)
Cheers,
Christy

Butternut Squash Soup

2011-02-20T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hi there-
Last night I discovered a new favorite recipe and I just had to share. It is healthy, easy and best of all, filling. (Not something I usually experience with a veggie based soup.)

But I had 2 problems with making a recipe like this: First, Brentt likes things with meat. This soup didn't have a speck of meat so I fried up some bacon and let him top it with it. After all, the best way to a man's heart is bacon... Or maybe it was "baking"... Either way, he loves me and we both loved the soup!

Second problem was my kids make a big mess with soup. (Sam just won't eat it unless the noodles are in some fun shape anyway.) So, I made up some penne pasta and used this soup as the sauce. The kids gobbled it up and everyone was happy.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Butternut-Squash-Soup-II/Detail.aspx

Anyway, thanks for checking in. I hope you try and love this new recipe too.
Cheers,
Christy

Peek - a- boo

2011-02-12T13:29:00.000-08:00

Today, I really am blogging to hide from the laundry. ;) Last week, I had a laundry helper who was playing peek-a-boo. He is such a ham!

Here is a video. (Sorry I don't know how to turn it right side up.)

Its sunny and 75 degrees today so I'm feeling guilty that I am inside. We're off to the beach for a BBQ soon. Thanks for checking in!
Christy

"The Happiest Place on Earth"

2011-02-09T15:47:00.000-08:00

Sadly, I haven't been hiding from my laundry as my blog button on the right says. But that's not why I haven't been blogging. Honestly, I feel like we are still in "holiday recovery mode." But how long can I say that? It has just been really busy!!!

Most importantly, we celebrated Madeleine's 7th Birthday! I can hardly believe our little girl is 7. She went from thisto this

and now this.We had a terrific time celebrating her birthday at Disneyland. Just she and I had a "princess trip." And it was all about girly time, Princesses, and Fairies. She got to meet SO many characters.Well, there were a couple guys there. ;)As you can see, she had a terrific time.

Thanks for checking in!
Cheers,
Christy

Chicken Cordon Blue - in the crockpot!

2011-01-24T10:54:00.000-08:00

When I find an easy recipe, especially a crockpot recipe, that our whole family loves, I feel like I need to tell EVERYONE! So easy, so yummy! Here it is!

Ingredients

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
4 ounces sliced ham
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
1 (8 ounce) package herbed dry bread stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom. Layer chicken breasts over the sauce. Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese. Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers. Sprinkle the stuffing on top, and drizzle butter over stuffing. Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on High.

Cheers!
Christy

Lil man walking!

2011-01-23T20:43:00.000-08:00

By popular demand, here is a video of Max walking. Finally! Click here.

He's been walking for a couple weeks now but he still prefers to crawl because he is so much quicker. He is so cute when he knows everyone is watching him! ;)

So one of my New Year's resolutions this year is to keep up with Max (and the other 2 too) and hopefully lose a few pounds in the process.

I actually have 12 New Year's resolutions. I break them up by the month and some of them seem so simple and dumb but here is January's: Put away the Christmas stuff. Sadly, I still haven't finished it yet....but the day is not over! And I still have 7 more days of the month too. Here is to procrastinators!

Cheers,
Christy

My Sk8r Boy

2011-01-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

Santa sure was daring bringing Sam a skateboard for Christmas. If you know Sam, he is a rough-and-tumble kid and it may only be a matter of time before we go to the emergency room. Again.Good thing Santa remembered knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards too!Cheers,
Christy

holiday reflections

2011-01-13T14:04:00.000-08:00

So the chaos of the holidays is behind us. The clean up and my annual "Spring" cleaning has begun. Now that everyone is healthy (we learned that Max has asthma-yuck!), I am finding more time to reflect on the blur that was December. Here are some favorite moments I'd like to share.

Max and Sam singing at a church they go to have Parent's Monring Out. Max was the littlest one and quickly decided he was going to crawl away after they sang his favorite song: Jingle Bells.
Hanging up the stockings on Christmas Eve. He could ALMOST reach.
Carefully choosing cookies for Santa.
And of course, one for herself!
Max was happy as can be with the new trike Santa brought him. He is really enjoying it still!My mom, dad, and brother were here for Christmas. Uncle John spent HOURS with Sam teaching him how to assemble Legos (his newest obsession.)So many more great memories than photos.

Enjoy your day!
Christy

2010 ... in a long post

2010-12-30T22:32:00.000-08:00

On the last day of the year, I can't help but be nostalgic on what 2010 was all about...for me. There were so many significant moments and everyday moments that may be overlooked if life were just a rush. So, in a spirit of reflection, this is a snippet of what 2010 meant to me.

January started with a trip to MN. A cold dose of real winter sure does waken the soul.
We also gathered with Max's birth family for his baptism. Seems like just yesterday...February was the beginning of Madeleine's first season (and hopefully last!) of playing softball. She enjoyed her team and coaches but doing softball 4 -5 days a week was just too much for all of us. And by February, our little sweetheart's personality was really blossoming.In March Sam started really getting into BMX bike racing and won his first trophy.We also went to the zoo and the park a lot in March, simply enjoying the good weather and precious moments like below. April we celebrated Easter and experienced a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in the middle of Easter dinner. No damage, but some good entertainment!
I also settled into my newly remodeled scrapbook room/ guest bedroom. I really love it and wish I could spend more time in it.In May Brentt and I revelled in our kid-free vacation to Boca Raton, Florida. It was especially good knowing that the kids were spending time with Grandma and Grandpa Bill getting to know them and going on adventures that only grandparents can provide.
In June, we learned to camp with a baby, a 4 year old, and a 6 year old. I, officially, feel like SUPER MOM now! This month also brought the end of the school year and the beginning of swim lessons. July brought our annual 4th of July celebration and this year we got to celebrate with our friends who are now living in Spain.There's no place like home and with family so we took a 2 week-long trip to MN and IA also.
In August we said goodbye to some of our dearest friends.We also took a camping trip to Sequoia National Park with some other dear friends.Our last days of Summer vacation were also filled with trips to the zoo, the YMCA water park, the Science Center, and one of our favorite spots (below): Balboa Park. In September Sam started Pre-K and Maddie started 1st Grade.September also meant football games, hiking Mount Whitney (Brentt) and Max simply kept charming the rest of us with his irresistible laugh and smiles.October brought Halloween and a few more home improvement projects.Also, Max turned One in October. His birthday was a special event for all of us. November we were cherishing our newer Thanksgiving traditions and our friendships with our friends. Priceless.
New discoveries like snow for Max.December was the busiest month of all full of parties, family gatherings, school performances, visits with Santa and church choir. My mom, dad, and brother came to visit and I could just kick myself for not taking more photos of my parents' visit. Ugh...
It is crazy how we fit this all into one year! There was so much more that I didn't have room to mention too. What a great life! Looking forward to what 2011 brings for us and all of you too. Remember to count your blessings! Happy New Year!
Cheers,
Christy

Happy Birthday Sam!

2010-12-23T15:50:00.000-08:00

5 Years ago today, I got the best Christmas gift EVER! Sam! We brought him home Christmas Eve and even though we had to wait 6 months for a silent night, he is such a blessing! We are eternally grateful to Tiffany, Sam's birthmother, for choosing us to be Sam's parents. (We love you Tiff!) She is an amazing woman and we are so happy to have her in our lives. Madeleine was almost 2 then and was delighted to have a real life baby doll. errr...I mean... brother.He even fit in his stocking then, but never since.
Here he is this morning posing (so funny!) with his new "SAM" belt buckle. He is such a character!

Happy Birthday Sam!

Cheers,
Christy

Breakfast with Santa

2010-12-13T12:31:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday we got to go to breakfast with Santa. See, Max's birth-great-grandparents are good friends with Santa. Every year they invite him over for breakfast and, lucky us, we get to hang out with Papa Jake, Grandma Jeannie and Santa too!
Santa reads them a story, gives them presents and then eats breakfast with them. Such an honor at such a busy time of year!
New favorite picture below! I imagine Max thinking... "So... what? You give me presents and drive a sleigh with reindeer? This world has a lot for me to learn yet!" Santa looked a little different without his coat and big boots. (Nonetheless, completely authentic!) This is his outfit he wears when it is 85 degrees out. This is clearly, a new favorite Christmas tradition for us! Thanks Papa Jake and Grandma Jeannie! Thanks Santa too!

Cheers,
Christy

Max loves to dance!

2010-12-13T11:56:00.000-08:00

I caught Max dancing again last week and finally got it recorded. (p.s. check out his new "faux-hawk" hair-do)

Click here to watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuJ0vLACkCA

Such a happy, entertaining guy! He is almost walking too. He'll take about 5 steps before he falls down to crawl faster. It;s such a fun stage!

Girl Scout party today. Sam's Christmas program tonight. Busy, busy, busy. Now, taking time to enjoy our sunny, 85 degree day. What a December treat!
Cheers,
Christy

Snow much fun!

2010-12-02T20:25:00.000-08:00

When we go to Big Bear, CA for Thanksgiving it is uncertain whether we will get snow or not. The ski resorts are making snow and often it is cold enough for it to snow, but when we are only there for 5 days, snow is uncertain. Not this year though! There was snow when we got there and 2 more inches before we left.Max decided right away that he liked the snow. Well, maybe riding in the sled. The many layers and cold stuff.... not so much. These So Cal kids did pretty well in the cold.
Don't get me wrong... you can't keep them all happy at the same time. (Look at Sam below. Then look at how giddy-guilty Maddie looks beside him. Hmmm... )
And after the kids went to bed... They also had their "wild times." Here they are jumping out of the hot tub to make snow angels.
And we all had a Happy Thanksgiving! Cheers! I can hardly believe we are over a week into December. Enjoy your holiday season!
Cheers,
Christy

Our Thanksgiving Tradition

2010-11-25T14:36:00.000-08:00

A funny thing about growing older is that when you reflect on the past years, you realize you have created traditions without intending to. Our Thanksgiving tradition is to spend it with just our friends. Honestly, I can't remember the last time we saw family on Thanksgiving. Some people think that is sad but it is just the harsh reality of living so far away. But we have always made the most of it and I LOVE our Thanksgiving traditions. We have so many great friends who also don't have family here so, after so many years together, we are now family. Some friends moved away this year and it will feel weird without them around the table. I feel so thankful for so many great people in our lives, even though many are missed at holidays.This Thanksgiving we are spending with our friends in the mountains again. It is always nice to visit the snow and cold and then get back to the coast to thaw out. Our weekend will consist of cooking together, hiking, biking, and drinking in the hot tub. We will Skype and call our families far away because we do miss and love them all. But we will also celebrate our new traditions and have fun with our friends.

So, one of the many blessings I am counting this year is traditions. New and old. May you have a great time celebrating Thanksgiving and cherishing your old traditions, or making a new one.
Cheers!
Christy

More Christmas Crafting...

2010-11-23T17:39:00.000-08:00

I stole some time to make these beauties and now I don't have any time to write about them. ;) They are lovely and so easy to make. I do love glitter and tinsel! Thanks for checking in!
Cheers,
Christy

San Diego State Aztec Game

2010-11-21T20:49:00.000-08:00

Saturday it was so cold and rainy but we promised Maddie and Sam that we would go to the SDSU Aztec game at Qualcomm stadium, rain or shine. We went to a game a couple weeks ago when Madeleine danced at half-time but when you have a tired, squirmy 1-year-old-Max on your lap it is not so fun! This weekend, we got a babysitter for Max and so happy we did. He would have been miserable in the rain!
Though the Aztecs lost, the kids had a great time playing in the stands with their friends Leah and Emma. Emma is 4 also and LOVES the Aztec mascot, Monte Montezuma (aka: Emma's boyfriend ;) ) In the 3rd quarter we went down to the rain-soaked field level and waited for Monte to make his rounds. While we were waiting... the kids were on the Jumbotron! So cute!Then, Monte arrived and smiles all around. Such a nice guy and he stuck around and talked to the kids, gave out high fives and hugs. Sadly, I didn't get a hug. (wink!)
Sam had many questions about his weapons and his shield. Monte blows a conch shell when the Aztecs score or get a first down. Sam really wanted to watch him blow it and things weren't going so well for the team by the end of the 3rd quarter so Sam had to wait. Quite a while. But when it was time to blow the conch, Monte ran back over to Sam and....They all loved it! Though Monte was super-cool, Sam made sure to get the cheerleader's attention and give them high fives too. He even told one of them, "Hey, I like your pom-poms." All I can say is LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS! Such a fun weekend! Thanks for checking in!

Bid deal!!!

2010-11-16T21:36:00.000-08:00

This is my latest big deal! Great bargain and beautiful art all in one. Could it get better? Yes, it can. My kiddos are pictured on it. I'm just giddy with excitement to tell everyone about this! It's one of those deals that seems too good to be true...but it's not!

Here it is: There's a company called Canvas People who are offering a deal to have your favorite photo printed onto canvas.... for FREE! Yep, a free 8 by 10. You just pay shipping. Or you can upgrade to some larger sizes for a little more. I read about it on another blog I like to read, "Make -it-and-Love-it". I thought I'd give it a try and I ordered an 11" by 14". I got it today and it is AMAZING quality. I don't even have it framed yet. (Not a great photo--I had to use the flash. In real life it is not grainy at all.)

I love, Love, LOVE it and with the holidays coming.... I just might order more! Click here for the link to it.

Cheers,
Christy

So stinkin' cute!

2010-11-13T08:16:00.000-08:00

Max just got these new PJ's from Grandma Sue & Jordan for his birthday. I couldn't wait to share these. He looks so stinking cute... and he knows it! Such a ham!

Thanks for checking in!
Christy

First Christmas Craft

2010-11-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

Have you ever gotten a gift that is so beautifully wrapped that the thing it came in is almost as good as the gift itself? I have and it's like 2 gifts in one. I love it!

I bought these plain wine tubes on after-Christmas clearance a few years ago. I thought I might paint them or decoupage them but I liked the faux leather outside so much that they just sat in my closet until the right inspiration came. And.... ta-da! Here is the result:I made 3 of these in 10 minutes. No kidding! (You know me... if it can't get done quickly these days, it'll have to wait.) I'll tell you how. What you need is 1 wine tube, 1 small ready-made wreath (I think mine is meant to be around a candle) 1 flat ornament or embellishment (I found my birds in the $1 bin at Michael's -just like this), and Gorilla glue. I can't sing enough praises about Gorilla Glue. Your hot glue gun will not be able to do this job. Bend the wreath so it contours better around the wine tube. Find the contact points between the wreath and the tube and put the Gorilla Glue on. Remember that Gorilla Glue expands so don't use too much. Glue the bird or your ornament of choice on top of the wreath and let it dry for a couple house. That's it!

Don't forget to put the wine in. This would also make a great container for a big stack of cookies. You better get crafting--only 49 days left until Christmas! Can you believe it?!?!? Cheers!

Taking the time

2010-11-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

I have so many amazing pictures from the last year but with 3 kiddos, I don't get much time to scrapbook. I love to do it. It is a great creative outlet and destresses me so... I stole some time for me (away from my sleeping time) and I am vowing to make more. Its all a balancing act.This paper and set is from My Minds Eye and I love every element of it!Squeezing in some Christmas crafting too. I'll show you next time.
Thanks for checking in! Have a great weekend!

Blimp Exploration

2010-11-02T13:56:00.000-07:00

I had a great childhood. Brentt did too. But our children are having an amazing childhood. They get to do so many things that neither of us got to do as kids. I'm not saying they appreciate these activities, but some days I feel like I'm living vicariously through the kids. For example, our kids have seen more elephants in their lifetime than cows. (Thanks to living so close to the San Diego Zoo.) Then, on Saturday, we got to visit the Metlife blimp, a perk from Brentt working at Metlife.
Sam's imagination brought him high in the sky when he was in the pilot's seat.

It was too bad it was raining on-and-off but it didn't stop us.
Just another day in our crazy, amazing, happy life. Did I mention crazy? ;)

Thanks for checking in! Have a great day!
Christy

Halloween

2010-11-01T11:56:00.001-07:00

Normally, we are REALLY into Halloween but this year, not so much. Kids were sick a lot in October and we have been so busy. Nonetheless, we had fun and the kids loved their costumes.

Well... Max only loved his costume for a couple minutes then he made every effort to just get it off. You should have heard the yells of frustration! I couldn't bear it so after a few photos, we just took the costume off.

Sam loved being a pirate. The funny thing is, he dresses like a pirate about once a week throughout the year anyway. He thought getting candy just for being his usual Pirate-self was just fabulous. Now to deal with all the sugar...
Trick or treating in our neighborhood is fun but I think Maddie and Max would rather have been playing with the firetruck ride-on. (Still one of the all-time favorite toys in the house!) They both groaned a little when I told them it was time to stop playing and get costumes on. Weird.
She just adores him!Now, onto "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!" The kids are at such fun ages and my parents and brother will be here this year, it will be an amazingly wonderful season! Can't wait!
Have a great day!
Christy

Whew!

2010-10-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

October is such an exhausting, joyful month for us. We celebrated Max's birthday at Oma's Pumpkin Patch and then went 2 more times for school field trips. Needless to say, we are pumpkin-patched out but we really love that place.
We've gotten to see so many people in Max's birthfamily and got so many amazing photos.
If you read our blog, you know our motto on adoption and life: "Never too many people to love our kids."

I just love this photo below!

Max was really excited to open presents! It took us forever because every time we unwrapped it, he wanted to play with it right away.
Sam's favorite thing about the patch is the sand pit. Really. He played in it until the sun went down. Madeleine was in constant motion playing with friends that I didn't even get her photo at the patch.
Max wasn't really into eating the cake at his party. He loved that his highchair was in the wagon (a little improvisation on forgetting the chair for the booster).
The hayride at the pumpkin patch is always fun.
Thanks for checking in!
Cheers,
Christy

Happy Birthday Max!

2010-10-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday, dear Maxwell!

Happy Birthday to you!

He is just an amazing gift! I can't believe he is already one year old. What a great year it was! Looking forward to seeing his personality blossom and watch him learn more about the world. Look out--here comes Max!

This crazy life

2010-10-08T10:51:00.001-07:00

I can't believe we are already a third of the way through October and I'm just realizing that it is fall--My favorite season! I love cool nights, warm days, shorter days, candles burning, visiting the pumpkin patch, pumpkin flavored desserts, wearing sweaters, and celebrating birthdays.
Yep, within 2 weeks we have 6 birthdays in our family. Our most significant birthday this month is Max's. Our little man is turning ONE! So crazy how fast a year flies by! I find it amazing how much a person can change in one year. To go from this completely helpless, fragile being who just took his first breath, who is seeing the people who love him the most for the first time...to this handsome, opinionated, fun little boy who just loves to smile and give high fives.He is our little pumpkin! So, we're celebrating his first birthday with a party at the pumpkin patch. I confess, I go a little overboard on first birthday celebrations. This morning I was making cupcakes--none other than Pumpkin Spice! I'll wait to frost them tomorrow. Do you think I made enough?!?Other happy news: We just got new carpet! After 12 years, 3 kids, 2 dogs and many parties, our white carpet was officially evicted. White! What were we thinking?!? Our new dark-brown speckled carpet looks and feels AMAZING!

Got to run! Time to finish the details for tomorrow's party and take care of two sick kids. I'm really praying everyone is healthy for the weekend. Ugh... it has been one CRAZY week!

Thanks for checking in!
Cheers,
Christy

I feel so lucky this is my life

2010-09-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

I also feel so lucky to know an amazing photographer to capture this blissful time in our lives.

Thanks for checking in!
Cheers,
Christy

Back to School Crafts

2010-09-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

So, I know we've been back in school for a month but it took me that long to make and now post, some new crafts. Actually, these items came out of necessity. Madeleine needed a sturdy snack bag for 1st grade. Something separate than her lunch box. If you know me, you know how I LOVE to re-purpose stuff. (And I just couldn't go buy a snack bag... boring!)

She had these adorable embroidered jeans in Kindergarten and I just couldn't part with them.
But I could cut them up! Yeah, I know that doesn't make much sense until.... you see what they became.
Ta-dah! The stitching and buttons were already on the jeans. All I did was cut them off at the knee and then stitch them closed at the bottom. I added some ribbon on the bottom with Fabri-tac too. Then I added a ribbon handle, a seam at the top, and a Velcro closure. I actually made 2 bags. The other one holds basic supplies she needs to do her homework and sets at her homework station (the fancy name for the kitchen table). :)

The other re-purposing craft was these hair clips. Fancy flower hair clips are a little spendy. Since I have already splurged on more scrapbook supplies than I could ever use in my life, I repurposed some to make these clips for her. It seems like a lot but trust me, they will all be lost by the end of the school year. The only trick is finding the right adhesive; Gorilla Glue works best. My favorites:Madeleine's favorite:Thanks for checking in on us!
Have a great day!
Christy

Funny story...

2010-09-22T22:19:00.000-07:00

So Brentt and Sam went camping at the Marine Corps base with their Adventure Guides club last weekend. When they came home Sunday, I asked Sam how the camping trip was. He cited rule #7 from their little tribe. When I asked what rule #7 was he said, "Don't tell Mom."

Brentt simply laughed, then showed me these pictures:

And that's exactly why boys need Moms!

Thanks for checking in! Have a great day!
Christy

p.s. No children were harmed in the photographing of this blog post. That I know of.

Fall photo shoot

2010-09-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

Let me show you a photo shoot gone wrong with a teething tired baby. I took about 75 photos, not many were good. I'll let you see--pictures say so much more than I can!After he screamed at me, he just decided to leave. From other blog posts, you'd think he only smiled and slept like an angel.

But after a little baby Oragel and a miracle from God, we got one quick smile. Whew! Happy that is done! Have a great day!
Christy

Daddy's little helper

2010-09-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

We've been doing a little home renovation / remodeling and our little Max wanted to help Daddy tile.
Brentt didn't mind at all until.... Max started eating screws.

Max was fired and sent to the playroom to play with his own tools. As you can see, he didn't mind! (Yep, another adrenaline junkie.)Now for new carpet-yay! Never a dull moment!
Cheers!
Christy

First Day of School

2010-09-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

Big Day!
Madeleine started First Grade yesterday.She was thrilled that I finally let her wear her Twinkle Toe shoes now that she can tie her shoes.Sam started a pre-Kindergarten class 3 days a week.My how they are growing up!
Have a great day!
Christy

Everyday Moments

2010-09-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I feel like it is the simple, everyday moments are the ones that I want to engrave in my memory. Nothing too significant. Just evidence of a good life. A life that I love to share with those we love who live too far away. Here are some moments from the last couple weeks.

Madeleine learning to feed Max. I hesitated letting her feed him, knowing how messy they would be, but they both had so much fun.A trip to the Del Mar Racetrack is always a fun summer activity. Brentt and I had already been to the track but we took the kids on the second trip. They loved seeing the horses.(Pssstt...I finally snuck into a picture! Yay! )and eating ice cream!
Max's first haircut.Discovering the reality that boys are just born with the ability to vroom cars.
Check out this video of Max. He says his first word: "Yeah!"A splash in the backyard pool.How about a daily concert? Or a muscle show? We have entertainment everyday too! Click here to view a recent concert. (We won't be offended if you don't stay for the whole song. They can't see you walk out. :) )And of course, who could miss an opportunity to lick the clean windows?Life is short when the days are long!

Thanks for checking in!
Christy

A little crafting

2010-08-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

So, as much as I would love to be scrapbooking, crafting has been too tempting this summer. So much to do, so very little time! (But just one more week til school starts--yipee!) I have SOOOO many pictures I want to scrapbook too! When my mother-in-law asked me what I'd like for my birthday, I asked for time. Time to scrap, craft, and feed my creative soul. And I got it! (THANKS!)

With my birthday money, I took a class at Papertales (my all time favorite scrapbook store!) and took a technique class (see below) taught by a very talented lady named Jill.I love how it matches perfectly to my walls in my scraproom. So many details and dimension! The piece is white washed over a paper mosaic on wood, stamped, painted, doodled, glittered, and the dimensional flowers I learned to build were perfect for this piece. While I was at Papertales, of course I shopped. I saw these lovely flowers by Prima and now, they are my favorite bracelet. (My lovely model's wrist, Madeleine, is a little small but this fits me perfectly)
Here is how I made it. So easy--I hope you make one too!
You need:

About 10" crocheted lace trim,
About 10" narrow elastic,
the flower,
a scissors,
and a sewing machine.

First, sew the elastic onto the middle of the trim. Stretching the elastic as you are sewing it will make it gather and stay on your wrist.Next, determine the length you need to fit around your wrist. (The 10" you started with should offer plenty, even for big-wristed people.) Pin it and sew the 2 ends together. Trim the excess.Next sew the flower on. If your flower is to decorative in the center to stitch it, Fabri-Tac works well too. All done! Seriously, it is that simple! Go make one!

It's an inexpensive, lovely gift for a girlfriend. The best part is that the package comes with 2 flowers so I made one for myself too!

Thanks for checking in!

Counting my blessings

2010-08-25T17:40:00.001-07:00

I believe an important part of being happy is counting your blessings everyday. 5 years ago, we met someone who gave us an amazing blessing: our son Sam.

Last weekend, Sam's birthmom, Tiffany was in town and we got to have dinner and hang out for a while. I wish we'd had more time together but distance makes it hard to see each other more often. She is an amazingly courageous person that I pray that Sam will know his whole life.I hope Sam is finally at an age that he is remembering how much she loves spending time with him. It's written all over their faces, isn't it? Another amazing person I've been thinking of a lot lately is Max's birthmom, Jordan. Distance makes it hard for us to get together but there's never a doubt that she loves this little man. I just did a layout with a picture of them from April.
Max has her smile. When he greets me in the morning, I think of Jordan and thank God for her and this wonderful gift she gave us. And who couldn't love a face like this???I'm so happy to share my blessings with those who read my blog. Please, make sure you count your blessings too. There are so many!
Cheers,
Christy

Sequoia trip

2010-08-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, people wonder why we live in Southern California. My answer: Why not? Ok, we certainly miss our family on the East Coast and in the Mid-West and every other corner of the USA but... we have a good life here. And honestly, California is an amazing state! I'm quite smitten with this lovely place and I'm not sure we could discover it all in a lifetime. But Brentt and I are going to try. (And our 3 lucky kids get to be drug along... whether they like it or not! :) ).

A couple of weeks ago we went camping in Sequoia, about 320 miles from home. If we were traveling in the mid-West, we'd have seen cornfields the whole trip. Not in California! The diversity is amazing!

We started here, inland San Diego:I took all the road pictures of the drive from the front seat, moving at least 60 mph. Forgot to take pictures of the ocean going up I-5 though.
Through LA . Yuck.Up over the Tejon Ranch and into the Grapevine.Did you know there are oil wells here? Thousands of them!
Climbing...to get to Quaking Aspen campground to camp with our friends.Bug hunts are always a necessary part of a camp trip for Maddie and Sam.Dome rock was a nice place to explore. I was really happy we didn't lose any of the kids over the edge! It looks like we're climbing the moon.Max really loves riding in the backpack. Good thing too!
But my favorite place we saw up there was the Trail of 100 Giants. There are trees over 200 feet high and over 1500 years old!It is hard to get perspective on how big these trees are. This should help. See the red speck in the photo below? That is Max. Here are Brentt and Sam climbing on the roots of a felled tree.
We really had a great time here, with our friends, and making memories for all of us. I highly recommend it and hope to return next Summer.

Thanks for checking in!
Cheers,
Christy

Friday! Friday! Friday!

2010-08-06T15:56:00.001-07:00

How did it get to be Friday already? Are we really in August? We survived a week of Vacation Bible School and I thought I would have more free time. Ha! Right. I feel like I am some sort of fast-forward time warp. Our littlest man, Max, is growing so quickly that I just wanted to share a few pictures of him from our play time this week.As soon as he sees the camera, he starts crawling toward me so it takes more skill to actually get his photo. He is drawn to electronics--such a boy!
Also, Brentt finished part of our "remodel." He put up a wall in between the playroom and the living room. In the playroom side, the kids now have a giant chalkboard. They love to play school (which has been great for me to sneak in some Summer learning! ;) )And color themselves so we have our very own "Blue Man Group." Ha! They are so funny!We have a busy weekend. One going-away party for some dear friends, a VBS celebration Sunday and then off to the race track. Yay! Have a great weekend!
Christy

My 3 Epiphanies

2010-08-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

Finally... here are a few crafts and layouts. I decided I would never be able to catch up on all that I want to do right now. My first great epiphany came when I decided that it was ok if I never caught up. I'd rather make the memories this Summer than document them. Maybe when the kids are back in school I'll get more time for myself but for now, I am just trying to make sure I get 15 minutes every day. In my 15 minutes, I am quite surprised how much I can get done.

First, here is a frame that I made from the sea shells I collected on Brentt and my get away to Florida in May. I love the pearl additions but best of all, I love that my favorite vacation photo fit in it.

My second epiphany was that I do not have to scrapbook every favorite photo. When Max was 6 months old I did a photo shoot of him and loved so many. My solution was that I picked one favorite and made a great layout. In the album, I have a sheet protector that holds 6 of my other favorites. This way, I still scrap the moment but don't feel pressured to scrap the other photos or (gasp!) leave them out of the book.
I usually hide my journaling because I don't like my writing. Here is what it looks like in the album.And... I did get some time to catch up on some older pics too. My 3rd epiphany came out of doing these: Not every lay out needs to be some artful masterpiece!

So, thanks for checking in and reading my rants. Make it a great day!
Christy

New Inspiration

2010-08-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

If you have a single, creative bone in your body, you will LOVE this website I found called "Make It and Love It." (click on it) I feel like I just hit the jackpot of inspiration! It is run by a couple of busy, incredibly talented, Moms who are so generous to share their gift.

You absolutely must check out their Tutorials section. They give great detailed instructions on how to make everything from a sippy-cup leash to glass etchings to all sorts of home decor and sewing projects. Now, you'll know where I'll be in my spare time. ;)

Cheers,
Christy

Top 10 reasons I haven't blogged in almost a month:

2010-08-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

1.Max. He is mobile and very fast now. Happy as can be and has so much fun exploring his world.2. Sam. The kid who does not have a mute button or slow-motion. 3. Madeleine. The child with one million questions. Per day.
4. 2 weeks on my parents farm in Minnesota.
So I really am a nut flying to MN with 3 kids by myself. Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! Check it out:
When Brentt came later in the trip, he could not help but throw a few bales around. Actually, it was probably over 150 bales on a super humid day. He loved it. Crazy!Even Sam helped out. Isn't he adorable?!?
Max with Uncle John. I swear, my brother is a kid magnet. The kids just love to jump on him and wrestle and he lets them. They just love him!5. A 9-hour road trip to my sister's in Iowa with my mom and 3 kidsLet's just say.... Iowa isn't the most exciting state to drive through. The kids were a little"challenging" on the long drive so I think we may have taken a few years off my mom's life. :)
6. Desperately trying to find time to exercise and scrapbook/craft. (I don't have pics of my latest craft projects and scrap pages but check back soon. They are great!) Why would I need to exercise? Here's the biggest answer:
Those are deep-fried cheese curds. YUM!!! My absolute favorite Minnesota treat. Then there is the awesome home-grown, corn-fed, all natural steaks on the farm. Did I mention we also made home-made ice cream? My arteries are clogged!

7. Swim lessons. The kids are just loving the pool this Summer and they have improved so much this year.

8. Living room re-model. It seems that we just can't seem to leave "well-enough" alone. We always have some new project to make the house better or customize something for someone. Storage is always an issue too (I would simply LOVE a basement!). Right now we are adding a wall, changing the kids' playroom, and

9. Meeting up with old friends. When I was back in MN, I was lucky enough to get together with one of my great high school friends (who married my prom date, oddly enough. 2 visits in one. yay!). She has such a lovely family and her kids are all about the same age as our kids. The kids had a great time playing and getting to know each other and Mandy and I seemed to just pick up where we left off. I love those types of genuine people!

Another friend we got to see over the 4th of July was my dear friend Cydne and 2 of her kids. We met when her son Colby and Madeleine were babies and they now live in Spain. I just treasure our time together and all of us, again, picked up where we left off. Another genuine friendship that I hope will stand the test of distance and time. 10. Laziness. Yep, even I take the time to be lazy every now and then. As a matter of fact, I think I hear my hammock calling. :)

So, yes, I am full of excuses for not staying up on the blog. 10 mighty good excuses if you ask me! But now we are back and ready for this week. We are looking forward to Vacation Bible School, swim lessons, finishing house projects, and making some salsa from our garden's tomatoes. Isn't Summer wonderful???

Cheers,
Christy

Where have I been???

2010-07-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

Ever since Summer break has begun we have been BUSY! I don't know what I was thinking making that silly "Boredom Buster" jar. We haven't used it once. We really haven't been home much. We have been having so much fun so far. So where have we been?

1. Camping. A few weeks ago we went camping in Idyllwild, about 5500ft.
We had a fun time hiking, complete with walkie-talkies that may have been the best $20 toy I ever bought. Brentt and I had a great time with them!We had great weather, everyone was moving along fine on this easy trail despite the fact that the only shoes we packed Maddie were flip-flops. Max even got a nap until....Maddie fell in the creek. Darn shoes. It was actually snow run-off so it was really cold. Max was jolted awake as Brentt fished Madeleine out of the water. Now we had a cold, wet girl hiking in flip-flops and a baby who needed his nap. Ugh. End of hiking. Back to the campsite to snuggle around a warm fire. Nothing that a warm marshmellow (and a well-deserved beer for me) can't fix. By the time we got home from 4 days camping, these 3 were happy to get a bath at home.
2. We also went to the annual Adoption Center picnic where we saw Sam's birth grandma and uncle. So much fun to see so many great families and just spend the day hanging out and having fun.
They had face painting too. Doesn't Maddie look great?!?
3. The Zoo. Why we need to visit the zoo when I have my own at home baffles me! 4. I have gone miles chasing a crawling Maxwell. He is crawling and so very curious! It won't be long before he actually goes out this doggie-door.
5. The 4th of July was great fun this year.

We had our annual neighborhood bike parade and then some friends here for a BBQ. I just love the boys' matching shirts!
Sam even got a patriotic haircut. That's what you get when your Dad is an Ex-Marine.
Hmmm... Max wonders what will be next this Summer? Max is usually up for anything!
How about some cows and tractors?
I hope you are having a great summer too!
Cheers,
Christy

New Look For My Blog

2010-06-16T16:45:00.000-07:00

I'm trying out a few new looks for my blog and I think I'm going to be with this one for a little while. I like change. What do you think?

I got the background, header, and blinkies from Shabby Blogs. Best news: IT IS ALL FREE! And so stylin'. Their designers also do so much more.

Thanks for checking in!
Cheers!
Christy

Max is 8 months old today!

2010-06-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

These are a few of his favorite things...

Favorite Food: Max has 4 teeth now and loves, Loves, LOVES Avocado. Especially feeding it to himself! So messy!
Favorite Toy: A talking puppy my sister gave him for Christmas.
Favorite Playmate: Definitely Maddie. She dotes on him so lovingly and she loves to make him laugh.
If you want a good laugh, watch this video:
Favorite Activity: Making a mess with dishes in the kitchen.Favorite Lovey and Blanket:What is it about the tag???

This little guy has a heart of gold and a laugh that can brighten anyone's world. I feel so blessed to be his Mama! Thanks for checking in. Make it a great day!
Cheers,
Christy

Summer Boredom Busters

2010-06-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

You know those words every parent hears on Summer break, "I'M BORED." This year, I decided I'm going to avoid this at every chance. I am going into Summer break armed and.... well, not dangerous, but certainly prepared.

Granted, every day can't be a party but we try to make the most of the summer. My goals are to have fun with our kids, have them learn a variety of different stuff, but not be "The Entertainer." I have them signed up for swim lessons, Vacation Bible School, and of course, we are going on vacation, but they need to learn to make their own fun too.

Here's my plan. Feel free to take these ideas and make them your own.

Weapon #1: The Boredom Buster Jar
This jar is filled with pieces of paper of ideas they can do either by themselves or with a sibling or friend. When the kids complain, "I'm bored." have them draw something from the jar. Our rule is that you can only say "No" 3 times, then you must choose one or go entertain yourself. If they don't, I start giving them work or extra chores. (hee...hee, either way, I win!) . Here are the ideas in my jar. Just remember, our oldest kids are 4 and 6 years old so you may need to adjust based on your kids' ages, skills, and independence levels.

Weapon #2: Educational Websites
I really try not to let too many electronics "babysit" the kids but lets face it, they need technology and it can be SO useful. I'm going to try to make sure they are getting something out of all their screen-time. Here are some sources of great educational websites we use. There are SOOO many out there. If you have favorites, please share with me!
National Geographic Kids
Starfall
PBS Kids
Fun Brain Kids Know It
If you are looking for a specific theme, check here: KidSites.com

Weapon #3: Theme Weeks
We've been doing theme weeks for the past 2 summers and I think they work great for all ages. We all learn a lot and mostly, we use what we have and we go on an adventure on "Fun Friday."

The kids and I choose a theme for the week (i.e. bugs, pirates, vehicles, stars & space, sports, farms, USA, jungle, water and ocean creatures, etc....) and base most of our activities on this theme.For example, last year we did a Water and Ocean Creatures week we pulled out all our books, puzzles, games, and toys about water, fish, oceans etc. (This causes the kids to play with things that sometimes get forgotten!)

Food: We ate goldfish crackers and had fish tacos for dinner.

Crafts: Last year, we made fishing poles and paper fish using a stick, string, paper, and velcro.

Movie: Finding Nemo, The Little Mermaid, etc....

Activities: We went swimming, played "sink or float" in the water table in the backyard, and hiked by a local lake.

Fun Friday Adventure: Went to the beach and visited the aquarium (we did both last summer but I don't remember which one was in this week).

All the week, we learn about the water around us and the creatures that live in this water.The learning is all disguised in the fun and the kids really get into it. As a matter of fact, our kids come up with many of the ideas and they do a lot of the work when it comes to finding the toys, books, and movies we already have. If we don't have many books regarding the theme, we use the computer or visit the library. For us, the theme weeks can't be too expensive and they need to be simple enough to implement. Let your kids get in on the creativity and they will help out with the efforts too.

If I get enough interest through the blog, I'll post all our theme weeks through the summer. It is going to be 11 weeks of Summer....get ready! I hope this helped.

Cheers!
Christy

A little scrappin'

2010-06-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

Finally... a little time to scrap and then post. I made the card above with some scraps and older pieces and embellishments. I love how old stuff feels new when you haven't played with it for a long time. I love the card above so much, I may not be able to part with it. :) These 2 layouts are "pre-Max photos." Seems like a lifetime ago that I took these but I knew they needed to be preserved in a special way.
Here's to hoping I get more time to scrap and share new stuff soon! Cheers!
Christy

Always an adventure...

2010-06-07T10:52:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went camping to the local mountains (Julian) with our new (used) pop-up tent trailer. Let me just preface this post with this: NOBODY LOOKS GOOD WHEN THEY ARE CAMPING! But really, who has time to bathe and primp when you are having this much fun??? :)Sunday morning we heard a bunch of turkey noises so we went on a "Wild Turkey Hunt" and found 3!!! So fun! They were big, but quick. They are also good at hiding. See the one in the picture below (upper right)?Here she is under a bush, bottom up in the air, before she saw me.And the Lupine is in bloom (isn't that what this is???) So pretty!
Max is always a happy camper! Even if we are forcing him to sit in a swing that he obviously is too big for.
Here's the picture of the inside of the camper. Sleeps 7 and it is a lot bigger and more comfortable than I thought it would be.
Camping, in general, is a lot of work. The kids were all well behaved but its certainly easier said, than done to have a camping adventure. Same as life, I suppose. If you want an adventure, you have to go find it.
Cheers!
Christy

Tooth Fairy Pillow

2010-06-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

I have all these new, fabulous pictures that I am dying to scrapbook. I've actually had a little free time too. But I've lost my focus on scrapping and have been crafting lately. Madeleine lost her first tooth a couple weeks ago so...Who could resist making this?She's a Ballerina Tooth Fairy--so cute! The mouth is actually a pocket where you put the tooth so it doesn't get lost. She also has a ribbon so she can hang from the bedpost--genius, eh?

I'll confess--not my original idea. :) Great, detailed instructions were on MMMCrafts' blog. Pretty easy and so worth the effort. Maybe it'll become a keepsake from her childhood? Wishful thinking, anyhow. Now I'm working on a Pirate tooth pillow for Sam since he has a couple wiggly teeth too. It'll be a while before he looses any teeth but its easier to make a second one while the supplies are out.

Thanks for checking in. Have a great weekend!
Christy

I'm going to miss this

2010-05-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

I'm going to miss this.

I'm going to want this back.I'm going to wish these days,hadn't gone by so fast.These are some good times.Take a good look around.You may not know it now,I'm going to miss this.

Our "unofficial" start to Summer

2010-05-29T09:05:00.001-07:00

Memorial Day is the "unofficial" start to Summer. Here is an "unofficial" start to something else in our house: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeDS-Dn98sc Max is ALMOST crawling! The peaceful, less-dangerous time of babyhood is near its end. (Sorry for the link, I can't seem to get videos uploaded here anymore. Weird.)

Also, today is Brentt and my 11th Anniversary. Amazing how time flies when things are going so good.

Then:
Now:Tonight, we are going to the park we were married for a picnic with the kids. It should be nostalgic. Enjoy your long weekend!
Cheers!
Christy

House of 5

2010-05-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

I made and hung this great piece of Home Decor. I just love it and it was SO easy. It only took about 15 minutes--no kidding!!! I found instructions and free downloads on Janna Wilson's blog. She also has other numbers in case you have a House of 3, 4, etc...Hey husband--how's that for a commitment that I know we are done having kids?!? :)
Cheers!
Christy

My date

2010-05-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

Do you have moments where you look at someone and think, "Who are you?" How did we get here?" I'm talking sober moments (get your minds out of the gutter!). Life-reflecting moments. I certainly do. Recently, I went on a date with my daughter on a Tuesday night. An average, little bit crazy, Tuesday. We simply went to the beach to eat a picnic and watch the sunset. It was a magical, joyful time where I realized how grown up she had become. She is becoming such a lovely person.

Although these pictures may not mean as much to anyone else, the memory they preserve for me is priceless. Now, to get them into a scrapbook page...Thanks for checking in! Cheers!
Christy

Back and refreshed

2010-05-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks to 2 WONDERFUL Grandparents who love to jump in a trampoline......make home-made cheese......and hike with their grandkids... Brentt and I got to get away. With 3 kids 6 and under, we needed a break together! Thankfully, Grandma and Grandpa are healthy, active, and willing to come and keep up with the 3 of them. Amazing treat for us! Brentt and I went to Boca Raton, FL and stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Boca Beach Resort. It was amazing! And unlike most of our vacations, we didn't do a whole lot. We relaxed ALOT! We had an amazing suite with a balcony that overlooked the yachts on the Intracoastal Waterway. Photo above and below is from our room. In a nutshell, we relaxed, ate, drank, and were merry together. Just what we needed! Now back to the gym and back to our crazy, happy reality. Life is good!

An easy teacher gift idea

2010-05-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

This week is "Teacher Appreciation Week" and in my opinion, this is a group of people who cannot be thanked enough. Outside our home, these people are our kids' main influences. We are especially lucky to have some terrific teachers too so this week we are doing something nice for them each day. Here is one idea that your kids can do on their own (mostly).

1. First, buy some gourmet chocolate bars. The ones in the boxes are easiest to wrap.
2. If you do any paper crafts, you likely have loads of scraps laying around. Let your kiddo choose their favorite papers. Wrapping paper could work too. The size paper you need for these Lindt chocolates was 7 1/2" by 8 1/4". Double check your bar's size before you trim.
3. Adhere the paper down with a dry adhesive applied to the long edges only. We put the seam on the back and left the ends open so we could read the flavor of chocolate.
4. Adhere a ribbon around it. Again, dry adhesives like a Xyron or glue dots work best. We joined the ribbon on the front because the tag will cover it.
5. Using punches, we made a tag. Let your child write what they want and glue it on. Done! We made 4 of these in about 15 minutes, about $2.50 each. Cheap, easy, but made with love and appreciation for all they do for us. Our teachers will be getting more appreciation gifts this week but this is a good one for the kids to make on their own.

Go thank your teachers!
Christy

2010-05-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

It's moments like this that make you fall deeper in love with your kids. This innocence is priceless!

A little confession

2010-05-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

Some people tell me that I take great pictures. I kindly say thank you, and laugh to myself. You see, there's some things you should know. A little confession of sorts.

Firstly, I take about 400-500 pictures a month but only about 100 are "worthy" photos. (Don't you just love digital photography?)
Secondly, I stage many photos. For example, I know that the lighting in my living room is great in the late afternoon. Sometimes I will make sure the kids are well-rested and cleaned-up then take pictures. I also know which colors we all look best in. If possible, I try to coordinate the colors with each other too.
Third, I am always messing with the settings on the camera. I am a llooooonnnngggg way from being a pro so I try different settings, evaluate, and either adjust or keep it. Trial and error. A lot of errors sometimes.
Lastly, I don't usually post my bad photos on my blog so you *think* I take all great pictures. Until now...Let me show you what I am talking about.

On Easter we had some dear friends here. Every year we take the kids' pictures together but now with 6 kids, it's getting more complicated. As you can see, there are no great pictures here but this sequence tells a story in itself.
It is quite comical! And exhausting! So, rather than stressing about getting 6 kids (all under 7 years old) to look and smile all at the same time, I take it for what it is: LIFE! You can't control it, but you can capture it--even if its not what you thought it should look like.

I hope you see the humor in this too and just keep taking photos! Cheers!
Christy

Ahh... Paris

2010-04-29T16:06:00.000-07:00

If you knew Brentt and I before we had kids, you would know how much we loved going to France to vacation. I speak French so it was a place that we got to know deeper than the average tourist. Someday we will return again. Remodeling my scrapbook room (see the previous post) brought back some memories of Paris. Of course, I was dying to mess up my new room and here is one of my first projects. It is a 9 by 12 inch canvas with a lot of texture and techniques. The background is crackle painted and dry brushed with silver paint. I love to marry sparkly bling with an antiqued look. The keys above are a sweet souvenir from Paris from my dear friend Cydne. I couldn't find a flower that coordinated well with the lace and the rest of the canvas so I made one from a doily and some old paper ones I found in my stash.
It will make some great artwork in my new scrap room. Thanks for checking in!
Christy