Cool weather hanging around

Cold weather is hanging around. We took advantage of the cold snowy weather and went snowboarding on Sunday. It was a busy weekend. The girls went on their first ever slumber party friday night! It was reagan's birthday (co-workers daughter at erics work... The girls snowboard with Reagan) Saturday the girls each had separate play dates planned, Caelan went to evelyn's and Riley played with teresse! Sunday we took the snowboard club up to mount Spokane for a snowboarding day. Eric helps lead the snowboard club at school and they board every Sunday! The girls had fun! They sure whip down the mountain and are so good at boarding! Me on the otherhand, not so good. I had a tough day on this adventure. Not sure this is my thing, but I tried.
And now I'm paying for trying. I hurt my shoulder real bad, had to go to the hospital. I Tore soft tissue in my shoulder and messed up my rotator cuff (spelling?) and my lower back and tailbone. Ugh. Well, lots of pain meds, and muscle relaxers have knocked me out since. I woke up at 3 today. Long recovery ahead but am confident I will recover ;) at any rate it was a nice weekend full of fun with my kids and Eric. I love my family!

Come on spring

Spring is coming in a couple of months and I just am getting so excited for it!!!! Just anxious wanting to move so that we can establish our lives, our gardens and our home.... No house yet. Nothing yet. Just waiting. Praying. Trying to be "still" until that one great house comes along and can't be passed up. But for now, nothing. Just waiting for word on the house on the corner. That would be a dream, but it hasn't been listed yet. So we wait.... And wait..... Oh and our neighbors lost their house too, and and the other neighbors did too. So very sad for so many right now. It's survival mode for most. So hard. Praying for our world, our economy and that god would supply us with wisdom, guidance and strength in difficult economic times.

{ CYT }

Caelan begged to get signed up with CYT through a new school program being offered. We gladly signed her up. We are thrilled for her! This is a really big deal for Caelan to want to do theater. We are excited to see where this takes her. She begins next week! We'll have lots of stories about this adventure she is now on with theater class! ;)

{ pipe cleaners }

Eric began his classes for his last year in his second masters program for his administrative credential.... Anyhow, his teacher gave the whole class bags of pipecleaners and told the class that they needed to be able to tell about themselves using pipecleaners then present to the class what they came up with.....
He created glasses: he said because he's a nerd. Loves to read, loves all things nerd.
He created the state of California: we met there, got married and began our family there.
He created fireworks: for Caelan, our daughter
He created a sunshine: for riley, our other daughter.
He created a heart: and told about how god healed his heart when docs performed heart surgery on him when he was six years old.

I love Eric. He is so creative. I love everything about him. I also love to brag about how amazing he is. He is amazing. I'm so proud of him and lucky to be his wife.

{ new hair }

Got my hair done. Working on taking care of me. I don't do a very good job of that and this year I vowed to Eric that I would do better at caring for myself.... I know that I am a better mom, wife and person when I tend to me once in a while. Working on nourishing my soul too. Taking walks, having quiet times.... It's so important.

( tooth five for Riley)

{ cars, cars } riley's still collecting

We have been collecting cars for 3 or 4 years now. Shes still at it. Today she picked up 6 more with money she had. It's so neat watching her collect and value something like this collection. She's very attentive and aware of each one she's got and takes good care of each one. Now we are on the hunt for the heavy metal Mater and heavy metal mc queen and the ice-screamer guys.... (mater's tall tales guys) ;)

{ the peony }

Conversations with a child

(background story: girls each have money from the tooth fairy and want to go buy something)................
The mom: "girls go put your money on your wallets and grab your purses so we can go to the store."................
Caelan: "why do we need to put our money away?"....................
The mom: "well let's think about it, do u think it's a good idea to walk around with money in your hands, u may loose it.... Do u see mommy walking around with money in my hands!?"...................
Riley: "u don't walk around with money in your hands cause u don't have any money".......................
Bam. There ya have it. Sheesh. I need to lose a few teeth! Maybe I'll get some money ;) lol

Rileys quilt top done!

I finished Rileys quilt top today.... Now I'll need to add the border and the sashing and then quilt and bind it....

{ special things from friends }

Gavin and issac sent the girls a special thing! Riley got "cho" the car, and Caelan got some lip stuff! Thanks dionne's! The brewer girls are loving the treats that came today in the mail!

{ tooth 4 for Riley }

After days and days of crying over her loose tooth, Riley finally lost her 4th tooth. It's been loose for a long time and hanging by a thread all week, but if we even got close to her mouth she'd start screaming hysterically!!!! It's been a nightmare to get this one out for some reason. I finally played the bad guy and told her it would be me or the dentist but that it was coming out today! She was eating lunch and I walked up behind her and said open up.... I pushed the tooth in. I know I know, mean it may sound but she was complaining so much about it hurting the dentist said it's not good to leave them loose and I didn't want to traumatize the kid with the dentist. Needless to say me pushing it in didn't quite do the trick.... She looked at me with her stubborn eyes and said "watch mom, lemme do it" and she pulled it out and handed it to me like nothing was the matter.... She's one heck of a pistol, that Riley Rae! ;) love her strong will but dang, she's a pistol about stuff sometimes!!!!

{ Riley + Lola }

{ Rileys quilt project }

I got all the squares done. Took three days thus far to cut and piece... Now I will assemble the blocks tomorrow.... Then move on to the next steps.... Getting excited about this one!

Snowy day quilting

{ quilting }

Working on Rileys quilt..... Finally! ;) I have had this fabric for a few years for Riley and I am just now getting started on it. Moving and settling and busy life with two kids kinda got in the way of this project! ;) it is so fun doing this quilt! I love how it's turning out!!!!! Yeah for a cute new room makeover for Riley Rae! ;)

( home )

Aly phrased it perfect.... The day we flew home I went to be that night and got this text from her and it included this pix and the text said "welcome back to paradise"
So true that we live in a paradise. We love it here and are so glad to be home! Hawaii was fabulous. A great time to reconnect!!!!!! Such an important thing! Thanks to mike and Mary for coming and helping with the kids so we can do this.....

Priceless

Aly sent me this pix of Sawyer. She said "he's cold and he misses us"
Love them!

{. one of a kind .}

Eric and I designed a new style of frame. We have taken a while to design this one. I took pix of Claire and dylan when I was in Cali last. It worked out perfect. We were both excited with the end result. Such a neat thing for a nana we thought.

{ nana's birthday dinner }

I cooked a roast and veggies and potatoes for nanas birthday. We enjoyed a yummy meal before they leave tomorrow morning, super early in the morning.... We also made her a frame for her birthday which I will post in the next thread.

Rileys art

Riley loves to "paint" using the app on my phone. Here's one she did today. Love it and her very creative side.

Day nine

Home stretch. Sitting at the airport ready to be home. Great trip. Great times with Eric. Most treasured.

Day eight

Tattoos at kapu tattoo company. A place we checked out two summers ago. Today made that a reality by getting tattoos together that signify such an important time. Loved doing this. I totally understand that it's a generational thing. We like tattoos. Nothing is gonna change that. We like art and expressing ourselves. I have never regretted a Tattoo yet and plan to keep it that way which is why I think so long about getting it before I do it..... I love that the swallows on my wrist bond my Sis and I (having the same exact tat and getting them together when she had her big cancer ordeal) I will never forget getting my eyebrows tattooed with Mandee when she got cancer and lost her eyebrows, never having had any myself she invited me along with her to get some ;) such a special time with one of the bestest friends ever..... I will Also never regret the one on my back at 18 because it taught me so much about growing up over time and getting a tattoo doesn't make one grow up overnight but rather a process of life. There are so Many things I have learned along the way and I have a lifetime of learning ahead of me..... Today I got a peony. A beautiful peony cupping my shoulder. In life there can be some ugly stuff but then u can choose to refocus our hearts and minds on other things. Flowers have been a huge part of my life and will always be as a designer. Moving to Idaho I looked forward to growing peonies. And I planted several. Moving brought so many challenges but so much victory and God has done beautiful things in my heart and in my life. I have never seen him work in my life as much as he has in the last two years. God is good. I am blessed beyond measure. I will keep focusing on Him and the beautiful things He has done and is doing in our lives!
(here's a pix of Eric getting his-he can write on his choice later- I don't have pix of me getting mine done) :(

Day eight {beaches}

Day 8 part two

Monk seal hanging out on the sand... Beautiful sunrise. Laying on the beach soaking up some sun.

Day 8

Roy's dessert

Chocolate soufflé is heavenly. Raspberry sauce drizzles over the top

Dinner at Roy's day seven

Edamame. The BLT salad with blue cheese. Steak and baked potato with a carrot. A slice of squash. Yum!!!!!!!