Lots of Love For the SIL...

The shower was a great success this week – Jackie, my sister-in-law felt loved and was definitely showered with lots of pink and more pink! I was amazed that four of us managed to pull off planning a shower all over email – I guess that shouldn’t be so surprising but sometimes you think that phone calls just have to be made – nope! We divided up our tasks and came together that morning and created quite a cute room for the celebration.

Here's the Mama -To-Be

and sharing a familiar experience with one of very best friends from childhood,

who also has a world of pink awaiting her!

and a few of the pinkalicious decorations...

And I will note that I do not take credit for any of these cute things - wish I could fib and say "why yes, I made them all" but that's not the case. I did throw together the flower centerpieces using clearanced Christmas ornaments. How cute is that cake? I will clarify so that no one thinks we are the cruelest hostesses ever, Jackie has an elephant theme for her baby's nursery - we were by no means comparing her tummy to that of an elephant.

I will HOWEVER take all credit for these little attendees who came to their aunt's shower...

here is the sequence for the following three pictures...

1. puppy dogs eyes begging to eat her cookie before she eats the meal

2. a thrilled child munching on her cookie because the mom gave in

3. the sugar high that followed.

...and the other daughter rolled and rolled and rolled throughout the entire gift-opening.

(mental note - I MUST enroll this child in gymnastics)

rolling with her baby sister...

rolling right into the camera...

and the baby entertained with her walking and was quite curious about all of those baby gifts...

and i thought my bucket of baby gifts was good?

doesn't every baby own their own ipod?

i think there's a lot of spoilin' going on!

33 more days to go!

Linking up today to Silly Little Sparrow’s Toot your own horn party - I love that she is wanting to highlight the everyday things that we should be proud of – not just our crafty habits. It’s not that I need a pat on the back for hosting my sister-in-law’s baby shower, but I will admit that I left with a smile knowing that I had helped in making her feel loved and ready for this little being to arrive!

fall and a couple awards...gotta love them both!

 ooooh, am i happy today -

fall has made its way to California, thank goodness...

   i've made a store trip and came home with ingredients for my mom's favorite chili recipe...

   i bought a pumpkin pie from the bakery... and the cool whip is thawing out

   i have two little girls who are beyond excited for halloween, or at least for "truck or treating" and the candy

   that awaits...

   i have a friend who let me preview her halloween candy last night and i went overboard and was awake  

   until the wee hours of the morning...

   i dressed the girls in tights and velour dresses and sweatshirts today, such a nice break from the shorts and

   tshirts that i am so tired of seeing...

my windchimes are happily singing today...

   and izzy gets her first taste of the winter hand-me-downs from her sisters -- how fun to sort through the      twins' matching outfits once again and have so many smiles thinking of when their little bodies used to fit into them -- where has time flown to? ...

i've yet to find the fall coffee creamer flavors in our market, you know pumpkin spice and gingerbread, but a start to fall is good - i will be patient for all of the little traits to arrive.

welcome FALL, we've been waiting for you!

izzy's hand-me-downs include these Guess overalls that my oldest niece wore at 9 months - remember the GUESS jeans days - even babies had to have them i guess. so 14 years later, here they are with a little added  touch...

and the full package...

thanks to the AMY's in my blog world, i was given two awards last week --

Amy, at where a woman shakes her tablecloth presented me with the loyal friend and visitor award (am i right, does that teeny tiny word say visitor?) i really do visit amy's blog daily as she is one who can make you crack up out loud - i don't know amy personally, but honestly, i feel like i could meet her tomorrow and feel like i've known her for years -- lots in common and so fun to have found her!

and Amy, at LuckyNumber13,gave me the over the top award.

now i have known this amy all my life and i really do visit her blog daily as well, not only because she is creative and i love to see her ideas, but because i love to be able to follow up on her adorable children since we live long distance -- if we can't get together to share life in person, at least we are able to do it in our little blog worlds.

so thanks to the AMYs!

livin' the spearmint spotlight...

i am so honored to have my work featured at spearmint baby...


http://www.spearmintbaby.com/2009/09/featured-diy-butterfly-mobile_29.html?showComment=1254324528215#c4744379321861897430

if any of you are designing a nursery right now, you MUST spend some time on this blog -- ideas galore!!!!

thanks to shari for sharing my project!

FIRST AWARDS - woohoo!

woot woot! i earned my first signs of recognition - feels so good to know that your written words are out there and being read...
thanks nancy, the humorous writer of "if evolution really works..."(how come mothers only have two hands?)i have often questioned my daughters over the last couple of years why the octopus got 8 arms and moms, only 2 arms so when i came across nancy's blog, i was hooked from the beginning! nancy "showcased" me in her sunday morning reads back in august (http://ifevolutionworks.com/sunday-morning-reading/) and had these kind comments to say about me: In my next life I will come back with the time to be as creative as Jennifer. I’m hoping to find out that she lives close by and will redo the patio cushions for me!! She’s got a lovely blog and really wonderful, creative ideas. ok, so telling me i'm creative and that you'd like to "be creative like me " earns immediate frienship, right? she's been a fan during my first few posts and i so appreciate her comments and for being a reader!

thanks to heather, from theta mom, http://www.thetamom.com/ who awarded me the Honest Scrap Award. i found this a fun one to

read and was honored to see my blog listed on a new reader's site!

Rules of for the Honest Scrap Award:List 10 things about yourself and pass it along to 10 other blogs.

1. i have been homesick since age 18.

2. i wanted to be a journalist and would love to be a photojournalist in my "next life."

3. i love chips and salsa and can't seem to diet no matter how much the scale tells me to.

4. my girlfriends are what keep me going - i don't know where i'd be without girlfriends to share my triumphs and struggles with.

5. my biggest accomplishments are having my three daughters.

6. i love to shop at yard sales, thrift stores and am known to happily accept a hand-me-down or two.

7. i love photography and scrapbooking.

8. i'd love to have a month to relive my junior year of college at the university of illinois

9. i love yoga and working out, once i actually get myself to the gym.

10. we lived next to a zoo growing up so i have fun memories of being chased to school by a kangaroo, capturing a tarantula on our street, and having a peacock on the neighbor's roof.

now off to find those 10 other bloggers to pass on this award...