Short and Sweet

Just a short and sweet post so I can keep my readers happy....

Last summer my sister-in-laws, mother-in-law and aunt-in-laws had a girls weekend in Weston, MO for Aunt Jane's 60th bday. While there we shopped at the little shops and I came home with two old windows that I just knew I'd come up with something to do with them...well after almost a year I finally put one to use.....I scrapbooked it. I've always had my boys first year (1mo, 3mo, 6mo, 9mo and 1yr)pics in frames and hanging on the wall as I love to look at them and remember when. Well instead of having 10 separate frames on the wall I now have an old window holding the pics. With a little assistance from my friend Summer on the embellishing (I so struggle with that) it turned out pretty good (however Marty wasn't too impressed but oh well)...my babies are back on the wall.

Frosted swirly rub-ons and buttons give it a little extra.

FYI....I do have one more of these windows if anyone would like to buy it and do something crafty with it or if I can help you do something crafty....just let me know.

This candy jar I've done for the WSU Shocker Auction that I have two friends that help put together. This will be part of a basket they will put in the silent auction. I have one more of these to do and I also donated a plate done in WSU shocker basketball decor.

Like the heading says...short and sweet. I hope to start working on some luminaries soon as I have accumulated a lot of glassware.

Snow skiing at Snow Creek.

My brother, Scott and I decided we would take our boys snow skiing at Snow Creek in Weston, MO on Sunday. We signed the boys up for ski lessons as we thought it best someone else teach them. The weather was extremely warm...so warm we didn't wear coats or gloves. And if I could have guaranteed myself that I wouldn't fall I wouldn't have worn ski bibs....but since it had been 10 years since I skiied I didn't think I better. (I did fall twice...once on my own...not sure what happened...either my ski stuck, wasn't paying attention or a combo of both...however it was a nice wipeout resulting in a nice bruise on my knee....the second fall was with Brett as I was trying to show him how to turn...it didn't end well...Brett ended up on the bottom of the pile.) Needless to say with the weather as warm as it was the snow wasn't too good....very icy and very slushy. Which if any of you have been skiing you know that's not good skiing. However it was still a pretty good day and the boys seemed to like it and want to go back. Hopefully next time we can make a trip to CO where the real skiing is.
My nephew, Steel, getting ready to get on the lift with his instructor.

Brett figuring it out. It cracked me up as he would twist his hands when trying to move his feet.

Steel getting the hang of it. He was the more cautious one. Brett was one to point it straight down and go.

Trying to figure out the turning.....notice his hands. He would twist them the direction he wanted his feet to go....so funny to watch.

Hi mom....Look at me!!

Scott and Steel on the lift.

Brett going solo.

After many attempts of trying to teach Brett the skill of turning and stopping I turned it over to Scott. Brett was just fine with pointing the skis straight down (bunnyslope) and going. I tried to tell him that wouldn't work on the other hills and that he needed to learn to turn and stop. Scott is much better at teaching and taught him the way he was taught....stick him in between his legs and let him feel the movement of the skis and legs. Finally towards the end both boys started to figure it out. However the weather started to get colder and we were all wearing out.

All in all it was fun and the boys seemed to enjoy it. Maybe next year we can hit snow creek again and take Blake so he can have lessons (he wasn't old enough this year for lessons). And then in the near future make a trip to CO and hit the real slopes.

Valentine's 2011 definately bittersweet!

So Valentine's day this year was obviously a very emotional day for us. We said goodbye to our 14 year old lab and then watched our KSU Wildcats beat KU in Bramlage. Oh how sweet it was.

We headed to Manhattan after Brett got out of school. We dropped the boys off with our friend Jenn as she so graciously agreed to watch them while we went to the game. Marty's brother Scott and his wife Barb joined us for dinner before (Scott even bought dinner which this in itself is a shock!!) and then the game. I mentioned to my sister in law that it was the first time in 8 years I had attended a basketball game without at least one of my boys....just a side note.

We then headed to a very full house at Bramlage. I will admit that I went to this game pretty sure we would be able to leave at half time because it would be such a blow out with KU putting it to us, as a lot other Kstaters did too. WOW how wrong was I and glad I was!! I almost gave up my ticket...told Marty he and a buddy should just go, but he told me I needed to attend at least one KSU vs. KU bb game just to experience the atmosphere. So glad I did. With as much trouble and challenging the Cats have had and the fans have had to endure with them this season....we were all there in full force.....Purple Pride thru thick and thin.

Before the game Jordy Nelson, WR for Super Bowl Champs Green Bay, made his way to center court with his wife Emily and son Royal. The Riley County Commission proclaimed 2/14/2011 Jordy Nelson Day!! From then on the evening only got better.....
Jordy on the big screen.

Jordy and his family.

The final score....KSU 84 vs. KU 68....unbelievable.

The students/best fans ever charge the floor.

I understand that this is only one game out of however many we've played and lost to KU, but to see the Cats play so well and have so many things work like we wanted them to all season that was just as awesome as beating the dirty birds.

So even getting home at 1:30 a.m. and then getting everyone up and ready for school today....2/14/2011 was a long and bittersweet day but one we will remember forever.

My Heavy Heart

Those of you who are not pet owners/animal lovers may not understand this post and my emotions behind it, but I needed to do this more for myself than anything.

Yesterday we had to put, Bailey, our 14 year old lab down. It was probably way past due but I just couldn't bring myself to do it as she has been with us for so long and technically is my first "child". I kept telling myself that she would let me know when it was time....if she did I missed it or didn't want to see it.

So my story of Bailey.....Marty and I got her 6 mo. after we were married and had just purchased our first house. She was our first baby no doubt about it. She was such a good girl and wanted to please us all the time. However she did chew the A/C wires on the outside of the house twice and pulled the pvc pipe for the sump pump off the back of the house all before her first birthday. Shortly there after we brought Cali (miniature dachshund) into our family. They became fast friends and Bailey stayed out of trouble after that. Bailey loved everybody, she was by no means a guard dog, everybody was her friend. She loved cantelope, broccoli, and just about anything else you threw her way. Marty and I were smitten with her that we actually let her sleep in our bed until she was almost 5 (I still can't believe Marty allowed this).....by then her snoring was so bad she got kicked out of our bed and our bedroom. She was sooooo LOUD!! When she was about 3 or 4 years old she was diagnosed with hip displatia and then when she was almost 5 years old she had a tumor that was in her front left shoulder...best treatment...amputate her leg. No matter what we could always count on her to greet us when we got home with tail wagging.

Now to overwhelm you with pictures of her....
Who could resist that look....8 weeks old.

Always ready for her picture....yes I even got my dog to pose for the camera.

So cute.

And yes when your dog is your "first child" you get to dress them up for the holidays.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Bestest Friends.

And yes....she got a birthday party for her first birthday. She's wearing a KSU hat too.

This would be after the amuptation...and yes her bandage is KSU purple. We were lucky and lived in Manhattan at the time so her surgery was done at KSU Vet School.

Three legged and proud.

Meeting Brett the day we brought him home.

Bailey keeping a watchful eye on Brett and yet again posing for the camera.

Bailey and Cali meet Blake.

Blake and Bailey....she was always so gentle with the boys or any child for that matter.

This was taken last fall....here again she poses for the camera.

Bailey-girl you will be forever missed and forever in our hearts. We love you.

Bday party favors and paying my mom back....

My crafty friend Summer had to make 25 girl baby shower party favors and she came up with little paper purses that she dolled up with bling, ribbon and feathers and then filled them with candy....they turned out super cute. Go check them and all of her other way cute stuff on her blog... www.thegoodsonsummer.blogspot.com. I told her those would also be a great idea for any girls bday party favors too. Well it just so happens my friend Mel's daughter turns 8 on Valentine's day and is having a girl sleepover to celebrate. I convinced Mel to let me do the party favors....here they are....luckily I only had to do 6. Not sure I could embellish 25 like Summer.
They are done in pink and lime green paper and embellished in the same colors. Aubrie loves lime green. I filled them with a little bottle of hand santitizer, post-it notes and a pen. I put "A" on Aubrie's and her cousin Ava's as Ava's bday is the same week as Aubrie's and they'll celebrate together.

The next couple of items are for my mom per her request. She is also crafty herself (probably where I get my knack for it) and has painted me several things, sewn many a curtains for the lake house, boys room, and just about anything else I've requested...so now its my turn to return the favor(s).

I did a frame for her a couple of posts back that said "Gathering Place...where memories are made with family and friends". This is an interchangeable insert for that frame to put up for Thanksgiving.

This is on a piece of wood that I found at goodwill that had another saying on it that I sanded off and repainted. I "suggested" that she put this on her hopechest on an easel, with all her grandsons pictures.

Sorry for the short and sweet post but that's all I got. Happy Valentine's Day to all. We will be headed Manhattan for the KSU vs. KU basketball game.

My fav Christmas gift this year....Girls Weekend!

The last two years Marty has given me a girls weekend with my roommates from KSU, Kelly and Jill. He contacts them, sets up a date and place, then clues me in on Christmas. It's the best gift in my opinion.....(hint hint Marty!) This year we went to Hutchinson. We shopped, got pedicures, went to dinner, and then headed back to the hotel for talking, giggling, more talking and more giggling. It's like we were back at the house on Legore in Manhattan.

Here's Kelly and Jill getting their feet pampered.
Ahhhh....pedicures!

The finished product...Kelly--red with hearts, Me--purple with dots (naturally), and Jill--shiny red.

My roomies and I at Jillian's for dinner....a great atmosphere, great food, great wine and the best company ever!!

"A real friend is like a good bra: hard to find, comfortable, supportive, always lifts you up, makes you look better, never lets you down or leaves you hanging, and always close to your heart."

Thanks for a great weekend ladies and can't wait for to do it again.