{ Minion Halloween Costumes }

So, yeah, I've been a bit MIA.... I've really not had too much to say or blog about. I'm sure you don't want to hear about my oldest boys sports seasons with Football & Soccer so I will let you off easy there... We do always have some project going of some kind or another but I always feel like it's nothing that my fellow bloggers want to hear about. So I need to get better, get back to my blog and put my feelings and happenings & all my fun stuff back on the "big" screen. :)

In the month of October we celebrated: 
Corbin's Birthday, he is now 9. 
Our Anniversary- 19 years wowza!
And Miss Addison turned 6 yesterday on Halloween. 

It's been a crazy month to say the least but I did get 2 major crafts done. Sure they were only Halloween costumes, but by George I MADE THEM!!! 
I have the glue gun blisters to prove it! I hope you've all had a fantastic Halloween!!!

p.s. remind me next year that making Halloween Costumes is NEVER a good idea.. Especially when they are so involved.....

{ Teacher Gifts 2013 - Part 2 }

Okay here are the rest of the Teacher Gifts that I did this year.

The Ruffle Apron's I've been making, are totally inspired by the Whatever Blog by Meg Duerksen. I've been an avid reader of her blog forever and am totally in love with her style and her craft weekends! I've seen hundreds of ruffled aprons, but her mix of fabrics just makes me want to craft!

This is the apron I made for Corbin's Teacher, 

I so so so love how it turned out.

This one I already posted about, but here it is again. I made this one for Addison's Teacher.

Brinley had a male Teacher this year, and one of his most favorite things is Beef Jerky. 

So I cut out a quick cardboard frame and printed out the note, then adhered it all to some manly scrapbook paper. Then, I stapled it to the package of Jerky.

He loved it!

We are into the full swing of summer vacation, in fact I have 8 kids at my house at this very moment. My friend Brooke is on her way home from The Farm Chicks Show and her booth did AMAZING, so I'm having her kiddo's over for the day.

PS. i miss school and all our fabulous teacher so much already.

{ Are You Going To The Farm Chicks Show? }

If you are going to The Farm Chicks Show in Spokane this weekend, be sure to stop by my friend Brooke's booth. Keep reading for a discount at her booth.

Isn't the name super cute!!

Brooke made the wood sign out of old barn wood and trim. 

I did all the lettering blocks, I made them out of cardboard, I love how it turned out!

Brooke refinishes the most amazing pieces of furniture and if you stop by and decide to shop, tell her 

"Rachel Says Hi" to receive $10.00 off of your $50.00 purchase!

Brooke can be found in BAY-1 Spaces 32 and 33.

Here are some pictures she just texted me of what is set up so far.
I so wish I could have gone!

 So stop by and say hello to Brooke, and don't forget to tell her that Rachel Say's Hello!! :)

{ Ruffled Apron For The Teacher- Part 1 }

I made this apron for Addison's preschool teacher Miss Sharae.
i think it turned out really cute!

don't mind my crap-tastic iPhone photo, i promise to get a better one later on this week.

now, i need to get mr. corbin's apron made for his teacher. 

this is our last week of school and it's gonna be a busy one!

{ Year End Teacher's Gifts- In Process }

yup that's right, my kids last day of school is on May 31st. so i am getting a jump on teacher gifts. 

i only have to make 2 gifts, the 3rd is a male teacher and his will be store bought. 

my other 2 kids have too many teachers to "make stuff" for so, i think i will make them a simple thank you with some chocolate attached. everyone likes chocolate right?

 i will post when they are all done. i sure hope they turn out cute.

happy memorial day weekend!

{ A Mother's Day Meltdown. }

Okay, I'm just going to say it.....

i am not a real big fan of Mothers Day. in fact, for me it's just another day of the week.

i still cook, clean, and pick up after my kids just like i do 365 days a  year.

but today's is mothers day, maybe today will be different... NOPE.

this morning i was yelled at by one of my teenagers. i know, i know, he's a teenager. it's comes with the territory.

but, then as i was driving the kids to church, i said out loud, after more yelled words from the one of my teenagers, how I hate this stupid holiday and that it's no different then any other day of the week for me.

then i quickly slide on my huge "celebrity style" sunglasses so my kids couldn't see the tears streaming down my cheeks.

was i acting like a child and having a pity party?

yes.

i.

was.

i guess, i was expecting more from my day. and i'm blaming the outburst on my hormones.

because i can...

i'm skipping church today to stay home with one of my kiddos. he's caught some dang cold bug and is coughing up his right lung.

i think i was home last year with another sick kiddo.

it's all very groundhog day to me.

i did manage to spent a few minutes online and i have to ask,

are all your Mothers Days as perfect as your instagram/facebook posts seem to be?

i hope they are, and part of me is completely jealous of the fact that MANY of you get breakfast in bed.

the closest i've ever come to breakfast in bed is, when we stay in a hotel and we walk down stairs for the free complimentary breakfast.

i will spend my "holiday" doing the following things.

 Dirty dishes in the sink

no, i won't be cleaning my boys bedroom but it just makes me frustrated seeing all this mess. 

ALL THE TIME.

loads of laundry, lots from having 7 people in our house and lots from the boys camp-out. 

does anyone notice the cooler in the background? 

apparently we now store the cooler in the laundry room. 

don't get me wrong, i think it's great to have a day to celebrate all things Mother and

i do love being a mother to my kids.

i fiercely love all 5 of them

and i have found being a mother one of the hardest, & most rewarding jobs i've ever had. 

do i feel rewarded everyday? nope.

but every once in a while one of more of my kids will remind me that i'm doing a pretty good job, most days.

being a mother has made me more grateful for my own Mother. she has done so much for me and still does. i want her to know that i love her very much.

i also love my Mother-in-Law because without her i wouldn't have my amazing husband and frankly she had a pretty big hand in how he turned out. 

and i like him alot. :)

i ran across this photo yesterday while purging our "shop". this is 1 of maybe 2 pictures that i can think of that's just of my mom, my sister and me. it just made me stop and think about all the women in my life.

so, i'm going to buck up & slap a huge smile on my face and enjoy my "day". i mean the day's not over yet. it has to get better, right?!!

 my hat is off to all you amazing mothers out there, i can only hope to aspire to be more like each and everyone of you more each day. 

photo via web

{ A 13th Birthday!! }

this boy turns 13 today....

he's a pretty darn good kid.

he's an honor roll student & has been this whole school year.

he's energetic as all get out.

loves football.

loves to eat. pizza & ice cream.

is always smiling.

is a hard worker.

he's a good friend.

loves to hunt

loves to fish

loves to work with his dad.

love to build things, all. the. time.

and, he's finally 13!

Happy Birthday Parker-Roni!!

We love you!!!

{ It's My 38th Birthday }

yup, it's my day today!

i've had a few reminders....

this was my favorite reminder early this morning. 

i also have a few things planned,

1. trip to the DMV to get my license renewed

2. spend 2 hrs at school for the human growth & development class with my oldest girlie

3. pick up kids from school

4. get a hair cut

5. clean the house

6. do more laundry

7. clean something

yup i am full of fun today.

{ Random Organization }

How has it been a month since I last blogged about nothing?

we've had the plague here at our house for 

what seems like months.

I hate vomiting, but the weight loss was a small perk. :)

I have no crafting desire what-so-ever.

I want to craft.

I need to craft and actually sell things, I have bills to pay.

I'm trying to get more organized so i started with my small hoard of Washi Tape. 

the colors make me happy.

i need more color like this in my life.

*The cigar box I paid 50 cents for at a local thrift store.

Then I moved onto my ribbon.

I learned i need a BUNCH more clothespins.

But where to find them?

seriously? where can I find more?

Cupcake liners...

Yes, I hoard those as well...

I rescued these doorknobs from my grandparents/parents old grocery store.

i found them in the basement in a very dirty box. 

i took them all. 

I will have to take pictures of that place one day and share them with you. 

It's a cool OLD building, with lots of treasures as well as a bunch of old crap, I mean stuff that needs thrown out.

I love the rust and the hint of blue color.

So that's my organization for today.

Dinner needs made, again.

i think i will make these, they are so DELISH and I actually have all the ingredients. ;)

photo via RealMomKitchen.com 

Oven baked chicken fajita's, recipe can be found HERE

Are any of you fellow bloggers doing any spring organization?

{ Just Testing - AKA Google Reader Replacement }

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

{ Looking for Spring.... }

I'll be the first to admit it, I get the winter blues. 

I find it to be a really depressing time of year. 

My checking account is always tight, my utilities, high, my spirit low. 

I do love "The Holiday's", BUT I find there are just one too many during the fall/winter months.

I dislike snow, I know we need it, but I hate the mess it brings inside and out. 

I yearn/need sunlight and the warmth that it brings.
I am thankful that we have had sunny days, but when you see sun you would think warmth would be with it.. Here, that's not the case it's sunny and freezing.

This time of year, all I want to do is have pajama day and do nothing... (which happens more than I'd like to admit)  I find my creativity goes in the crapper, I want to create fun new things. But the drive to actually bring it into fruition goes away.

You could say I am over this winter, and she is more then welcome to go on her merry little way.

Am I alone here?

Does anyone else feel this way?

Photo taken by me in June 2011 

{ And Then She Was 11... }

Happy Birthday to our Brinley Girl!

She's growing up into such a beautiful young lady, 

we pretty much love this girl to no ends!!

 A little blast from the past.

 :)

Have a fabulous Wednesday!

{ 15 Years }

Happy Birthday to my First Born, who made me a 

Mother 15 years ago today.

Can't believe he's already this old, I haven't aged a day! :)

Happy Birthday Jentry!