a little behind

So I am a little behind in updating the blog. I have been busy, the kids are busy, and Matt is really busy. And it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Maybe in January! Anyways, the only really major thing right now is school, sports, and ANOTHER BABY! We are all really excited and i am slowly getting some energy back. Very slowly! I am due mid-May, we aren't going to find out the sex and i am mentally preparing to go past my due date (for a 3rd time!) Mia wants a girl so she can share all her clothes she has outgrown. Dane will tell you there is a baby in Mommy's tummy but that is about all. Other than that I am gearing up for a big Open house at my house, Nov 8th 2-5. Lots of vendors, something for everyone. I will be taking orders for some holiday clothes (working on a few new ideas as we speak). I will add some pics at a later time. 2 small kids would like some lunch now!

And i could use a little sunshine, I am very sick of the rain here.
Happy Halloween

Off to school she goes!

Mia started preschool yesterday. It is kind of surreal to me actually. that is probably why i managed to hold it together (or maybe the thought of 2 hours to myself 3 days a week helped a little.) It was a very quiet afternoon with Dane napping, I got some sewing done. Might sneak in a nap today. But Mia was really excited to start the day, woke up extra early even though she is in the afternoon class. Matt met us there to walk her into the classroom. There were a few tears when it was time to sit down but it went a lot better then i expected. She was all smiles when we picked her up and I think all in all the first day was a success! I am so proud of her! And i love that she picked out the shirt we made together for her first day.

She is 'texting' her teacher.

Happy birthday tomorrow! I can't believe you are turning 2! LY!

a look back and forward

5 years ago i had butterflies in my stomach as i walked out into the courtyard at St. Thomas. With my family and friends' faces pressed against the glass, Matt and I saw each other for the first time that day. We have lived in 3 states and have made some great friends. We have 2 great kids who make me crazy, good or bad, every day! 1 dog that Matt tells quite often he "is going to break her neck!" This is our life. I would have never guessed how it would play out(living 2 miles from the ID border?) We love being back near our family and friends. WA friends we miss you! So here's to you Der, I love you! I can't wait to see happens next!

I am happy to keep:

swinging and dancing on the beach

enjoying our busy meals

This didn't scare you away, i don't think anything will


Watching the sunset

And I love you even though you can't dance!

Hard to believe this was 5 years ago.

I love you Der!

Home again, home again

Kara sitting on 3rd base
Helping carry the helmet

Another day, another nap

Fountain in The Plaza

Cheesecake for lunch, oh so good!

Throwing in pennies

My mom's old house

Their other house, just a couple blocks over

Central IL Vipers (their name is so much better then some others...The Sparklers?)

Sisters!

Swing batter

Nap time

Endless hours of fun

Back home again after a little trip to Kansas. My sisters played in the ASA National tournament there last week. They did awesome! 5th place!!! I think there were about 41 teams. The kids and I made the trek with my mom, sisters, and another mom and daughter on the team. The Burbon 5 was full. I had my usual spot, row 3 seat C. We got to hang out with Summer a couple times but were pretty much at the ballpark all day everyday. They were super nice and the weather was just about perfect. My kids played with Maddie and Blake (other siblings that were there) and thank goodness for them, I actually go to watch the games. We managed to eat late just about every night (late even for the Hartnetts!) PF Changs reservations at 9:45 pm (it took us about 25 minutes to get there from our hotel) and grilling ribs, potatoes, and corn in the park saturday night (i think we ate around 11pm). Needless to say Dane was sound asleep on my lap those meals. Mia was a trooper though or maybe she was just really hungry. We went by my mom's old houses and her old school. It was pretty neat to see where she grew up. So now Mia is going to VBS all week and we are trying to get back into the swing of things. No more vacations planned but Kara does start school softball this weekend. It is a never-ending cycle. Keeps us busy and I love it!

(sorry the pics are out of order, sometimes that's just life)

been a while

At the hotel in WV. Interesting...

Attempting to get a family pic. It was a little windy

Mia chose not to be in the pic

The whole fam at the Crab Pot. Worst lemonade EVER! and unfriendly bartender!

Sparklers

He has some good pouty faces

Everyday he took a nap on the beach. We just laid him down and told him to take a nap and he did! All that fresh air and sound of the waves

Daddy and Dane

Proof I was actually on the vacation.

So i am really behind with the blog. We just got home from a week long stay in Topsail, NC. It was so nice and relaxing. We didn't do much but sit on the beach during the day and cookout at night. We went with my parents, sisters, John and Vicki, and Terri, Mike and their 3 kids. Everyone got along great and it was a nice change in scenery. The seafood was awesome. If you see She-Crab soup, give it a try. My dad has a knack for ordering whatever the restaurant is out of that night. Makes for a laugh or two. The first day we got there, there was a shark at the beach, not far from where the kids were playing. Thank goodness i didn't see it, or i might never have gotten back in the water. Mom and I were at the local IGA (where they still hand ticket everything and manually enter in prices when you check out) during the shark visit. One day we went to an aquarium just north of us. The kids really enjoyed it and it was a good way to spend a rainy afternoon. The big kids worked on sandcastles everyday on the beach then my kids played in them. The tide usually destroyed everything by the end of the day which saved us a little work (there was a rule about digging deeper then 12 inches, turtles could fall in the hole and get stuck.) A couple nights we went crabbing which was really fun. After dark we got a bunch of flashlights and went down to the beach. All the crabs were out and running around, of course the kids loved chasing them around.

Tomorrow is tie-dying day at our house. I think we should have a good group to do it. My p's leave Friday for the Brickyard and Matt leaves Saturday for it. He will be back Monday and then I am leaving with the kids tues or wed for Overland Park, KS, for softball Nationals. I am going to get to visit Summs while i am there too! The Burbon 5 is working hard in the month of July! Mia is going to Vacation Bible School when we get back and that should be a good testing of the waters for preschool in the fall. FALL, I can't believe that it is right around the corner.

I am still busy sewing up a storm. So if you have placed your order, I am playing catch up right now and hope to have everything caught up before I leave next week. Thanks!!

R to an F

Rach got married!! I am happy to have another friend join the married club. The entire weekend was great. The rehearsal dinner was at Rizzi's on State. Ceremony at St. Mary's in Metamora. Reception at the Par-a-Dice. Rach was a stunning bride (not that i didn't expect that). From getting our hair done to the end of the night at Steak n Shake, there wasn't a thing that went wrong. I danced all night long, even got Matt out on the dance floor! Dane was falling asleep out on the dance floor dancing with me and Mia just wanted to jump up and down. She definitely has my love of dancing. Every time i tried to sit down she asked me, "Mom are you ready to go back out and dance?" Of course, I couldn't say no. They went home with my p's. It was so nice to see everyone. We ended the night at Steak n Shake with Matt and Katie. The casino shuttle took us, don't worry. Now Scott and Rach are in Jamaica and I need to get back into the normal routine of things. Ahhh humid IL.
(I didn't have my camera with me b/c I had a bag full of Rach's stuff so once I round up some pics from others I will put them up.)

This saturday

I am excited to participate in a St. Jude Open house this Saturday. While I am in Rachel's wedding that day, Andrea has been nice enough to be my sales lady! So stop by and say HI. There will be something for everyone.

You Are Invited…
St. Jude Open House

Hosted By Amanda Nauman
715 S. Prairie St. in Metamora
Saturday, June 6th 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Items available from:
Discovery Toys
Lia Sophia
Longaberger
Mary Kay
Signature Home Styles
Simply You Purses,Sunglasses, and Handmade clothes
Tastefully Simple
Tupperware
Uppercase Living
Usborne Books

Proceeds benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate

Bring a friend, or two, or three….

busy as a bee

Life goes by fast when you are busy. I actually have orders backing up and LOVE IT!! I just got a shipment of material in so i have a bunch of dresses to make this afternoon. I am also experimenting with an apron that is reversible, headbands for kids and adults. As soon as Dane's head hits the bed, off I go! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!

Feel free to add to the order madness...

Graduation and more

Kaitlyn graduated from 8th grade last week. Hard to believe. Time is flying by! She was 1 of only 3 that got straight A's all year, smarty pants! She is one of those girls that makes you crazy: smart, athletic, and pretty.

I went up to Chicago for Rach's bachelorette party last weekend. I had a blast. It was great to hang out with Rach and Anne and get to know the rest of the girls better. Of course, we ran into some people that we knew or where from Peoria. How is that possible?

We went shopping on Michigan Ave, had dinner at Sangria, then off to Spoon, and finally to Rino. I managed to stay out way past mommy time and danced up a storm. For those of you who have seen me dance, you know I had a blast. Rach wasn't feeling so hot the next day but she was a living it up Saturday night! I will try and get some pics of the weekend. I didn't take my camera because I was in charge of using Rach's camera that night.

I have been whipping up some new sewing projects. I am doing an open house for St. Jude in a couple weeks. My newest creations are a tutu and an apron. I want to make a cape this week or next. Something for the boys out there.