A few Christmas Pictures!

At our house right after Christmas Eve Mass - (Rianna and Jaden had to carry Baby Jesus up to the manger scene at the altar at the beginning of the service).







In their new PJ's right before opening some presents.

Crazy Hair Day

Last week, at school, was school spirit week! They had a school colors day; a crazy hair day; a silly sock day; PJ day; and (if they would have had school) Christmas color day. Of course, I had to take pics of the crazy hair-do's!

It's about time!

The state of Illinois lets out a huge sigh of relief!

The arrest of the Governor

Apparently, he has been under investigation for the last 5 years. How he got re-elected for a second term is beyond me!

Maybe it was bought?!?!

Will Sugar Plums LLC continue????

I knew that there were tougher restrictions coming out for children's toys because of the problems with lead in goods from China recently. This has much further reaching effects than I imagined and I'm shocked that I haven't heard about this before now. It affects each and every one of us that produces anything intended for children under the age of 12 - yes, even us little cottage industry moms selling on Ebay. As the testing requirements stand now we will all be out of business come February 10th or face fines and criminal penalties. Visit these links for more information.

http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/legislation.html
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org
http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/advisory/322.pdf
http://www.nationalbankruptcyday.com
http://www.fashion-incubator.com
http://cpsia-central.ning.com/

Okay if you really read it, basically we may be able to sew as well it will be really really hard to enforce these laws on every crafter, however, this law will definitely effect the Salvation Army, the Goodwill, Boutique Consignment store, Gymboree, The Gap, Walmart, pretty much any business that sells clothes, because it is not the responsibility of the manufacture of products to ensure safety but rather the seller of the product, so essentially each product being sold needs to be tested, it is expensive to test products, and small businesses will go bankrupt, and well I see big business just stopping, as they won't make money... no more donations so no more free clothes to those that are poor, and well all children's clothing will go through the roof... no more $5 shirts...testing alone is $100 per shirt at minimum... and I am not an extremist but this law is extreme.

Gifts Under $30

Just click on the ad to be taken to the listings!

Have you been naughty or nice?

We took the kids to see Santa today.



Jaden asked for a Star Wars Wii game.
Rianna asked for an American Girl Doll, didn't matter which one.
Randi asked for a real, live puppy.
Sydney asked for the American Girl Doll Josefina.

Wonder what he'll be able to bring?????

Kandy Kisses Black Friday Giveaway!

Click here to go to her blog!

A few Disney pics we got with our video camera

These aren't the best pictures, but they will have to do until we get the Disney photo cd next week.

Done....finished.....

The kids' costumes are finally finished! All completed in 1 week....can you see and smell the smoke from my sewing machine and serger?!?!?! Here they are trying on their sets, Sydney wasn't in the mood to try hers on~go figure! Bruce insisted they should have tails too, so I quickly made some up to pin on their backsides!

3 inches!!!

It doesn't seem like a lot, in terms of measurement, but what a change 3 inches has made on Sydney! We let her get that much cut off the length of her hair. It was really had for Daddy to give the go-ahead, but she sure does look cute! And she really loves it, which is very important as well!





She wasn't thrilled about getting her pic taken with wet hair, but that was really the only opportunity we had last night.

A "Laugh Out Loud " for Friday!!!!!

A remedy for scratched CD's & DVD's

Check out this post by Samantha of The Handmade Dress. What a great tip!

We're going to Disney World!!!!!

Funny story.....Last week we got a flyer in the mail; certain dates in the value resorts in Disney were going to be $59 per night. I have never seen the prices so low, so I started dreaming about a vacation there, even though I know we cannot even think about going until our old house sells. It's been 3 years since we last went and I am so anxious to go again. I did check into flights, but let me tell you, the flight alone would cost more than our whole Disney vacation!

Anyway, when Bruce got home from work on Friday, I handed him the flyer. He looked at it and held it strangely in his hand (like he was going to tear it down the middle). He said "You know what I'm doing?" I replied "going to tear it up?". He then proceeded to tell me that, for some time now, he has been stashing away a little bit of money from each paycheck into an account~exclusively for Disney! He said he had enough saved for the vacation minus the flight!!!!! I was instantly in tears!!! He said he wanted to wait until my birthday to tell me, but the moment was too hard to pass! So needless to say, we booked the vacation the next day and we leave Friday, October 24th!!! We are driving down (we have driven to Disney twice before), staying 5 nights at a value resort, have 4 day park hopper tickets AND we are doing the Not-So-Scary Trick or Treating on the 30th!!!!!! I don't know who is more excited: the kids or us!!!! So the next few weeks will be busy, busy, busy!!!!!!

The Effects of IKE

This is a picture of our beautiful Riverfront Park. It is under water. The IL River crested this past weekend and this is how it looks now.

She wore an itsy bitsy, teeny weeny, yellow polka dot bikini..

One of our last days in our friends' pool. The girls had their new suits on!



And this is how Randi responds to a full afternoon of swimming...

Randi's 1st day of preschool

Yes, she wore the same dress as Rianna. It fits the both of them perfectly! She started on Monday and will go Mon/Wed again this year.

Labor Day Supper was less labor-intensive....

with the help of R & R! Rianna requested scrambled eggs for supper, so I obliged! Randi wanted to help, especially since she saw Rianna helping with the eggs, so I put her on the toast station~complete with Grandma DoDo's homemade rhubarb strawberry jam!







With my little helpers, making supper was a breeze!

Finally....1st day of school pictures!

The kids started on the 19th. Sadly, I didn't get a clear pic of Sydney and her teacher:( It was so blurry you could hardly make out who was in it! Here are Rianna and Jaden with their teachers for 1st grade.






And here they are on their 6th birthday!

The Blonde Bomb

Last Monday, I took the kids to the park one last time before school started. I was snapping pictures the whole time and when I got home, I fell in love with some of them, especially this one~~

My Favorite Clothing Store.....For ME!

BMOSS Clothing Co.

They are having a huge one-day sale tomorrow (Thursday)! I might just have to go! I received an email to both of my email addys and hubby took a phone call from them, reminding me of the sale! Hmmmm....does that say I am a good customer of theirs?!?!

Boutique Angels for Juvenile Diabetes

Click here to be taken to my listing.

Pretty Toes!

The kids have been going to dance camp. They have 2 weeks under their belt and only this next week left. Amy and I have been taking turns driving our little "Miss Montanas" on Mondays/Wednesdays. Well, we decided we would go a bit early this last Wednesday and surprise the girls with their very first pedicures! They had no idea! Sydney giggled and enjoyed the massage chair. She had beautiful little flowers painted on her big toes too! It was lots of fun for both of us!

Start your holiday shopping!

Quilt giveaway!

Check out this blog! Post a comment and you will be entered in a chance to win!

Just by accident......

I think everyone knows by now, I am a very poor photographer LOL! I am not afraid to admit that! I was trying to get some half-way decent shots of a Christmas hoodie dress for an upcoming launch. I took Sydney down to the Riverfront park in hopes for something usable as far as pics go. Mind you, it was a 99 degree (heat index) evening and I am having her wear long sleeves and boots! I just started snapping.....64 pictures later I was back at home, downloading photos from the camera to the computer and I came across this one



Of course, this does not showcase the dress by any means, but both Bruce and I were so amazed at how beautiful this one was of Miss Sydney. She is at that awkward stage of not wanting to get her picture taken, at least not like she used to, and I find it difficult to get a natural pose out of her. I am going to have lots of prints made of this one!

Here it is in full size

We have a visitor.....

Take a gander at what the kids found in the egress window this afternoon. I have no idea what kind it is either.




**Update** Our neighbor just retrieved it and said it was a snapper. It took a big bite out of the lawn when he set it down. I guess it had laid eggs in their flower garden and got "lost".

Sydney is learning to sew!

I cannot believe she is old enough to learn! She really picks up on this stuff so fast too! She made a few burp cloths for her first sewing experience. I am so proud of her!

DCDS Recital 2008

A Great Find!

This is the perfect bag for summer! Use it for anything and also makes a terrific diaper bag for the chic mommy!

Music

I've added music selections to my blog! Just scroll this page (down-for now) and pick your favorite. I didn't want to just let it start playing, for those of you at work;), so you can scroll through my list and find something you like. I will be updating my blog soon, so it may look different in the near future.

Houston, we have a problem!

I am experiencing technical difficulties. Please be patient!

Catch-Up

Well, it seems as though I have a lot of catching up to do on here! May is such a busy month for us.

Sydney had her 1st Communion on May 4th. She was just beautiful! Right after she received communion, she got very pale, sweaty, and nauseous! Hmmm....wonder what that meant?! Nerves, perhaps? Can you imagine her on her wedding day??!!





On Friday, May 16th, Rianna's class entertained the parents with a Patriotic Play. They also sang songs about what they've learned throughout the school year. Some even in Spanish, and many in sign language! I cannot imagine how much work it takes for Mrs. Jump to coordinate this wonderful little afternoon!



Since Sydney's 8th Birthday was on the 17th, (Saturday) we decided to let her have her very first slumber party (Friday night)! It was lots of work, but really fun! The girls made their own fuzzy flip flops! I think I have a Hannah Montana hangover, LOL!

Hope, Faith, & Generosity

If there was EVER a time to bid on an auction, this is it! Unfortunately, for these 2 families, heartache has struck in the worst ways possible.




I ask all of you, please take a look at all of the auctions on ebay titled Team Renee .



Check out the blog here.

**I would like to add that 100% of the proceeds go directly to both of these families.

TGIF!

What a week it's been! Both good and bad.........

Everyone here that had eye and dental exams came out with good check ups! Very good!

At dance on Tuesday, we got to see Randi's recital routine (still a work in progress) and got some video footage too! We also got to take home her sweet little costume!!!! Cannot wait for recital!!!!

Bruce is now on staff with the University in Peoria and will begin precepting Medical Students in December. Woo hoo! We are very proud of him and his accomplishments.

The father of a good friend of ours passed away on Thursday. Randi and I attended the funeral service this morning. Lots of hugs and prayers go out to Ren and family.

On Tuesday, we accepted an offer on our house, at our listing price. It's been on the market for 1 1/2 years now. Closing set for April 25th.

We just found out, this afternoon, that the buyers have backed out of the offer on our house. This is the second time this has happened to us with this house. Exactly one year ago, another couple's offer fell through. We must really have bad carma with this monsterous house. At this point, I don't even know what to say or do. It was such a blessing to have accepted the offer just a few days ago. I just don't know why things happen the way they do??????

March Student of the Month

Well, we officially have had all 3 of our school kids receive this honor! We are so proud!

Custom Circus Set, sizes 2-8

I just listed this on ebay





Check it out here

Newly listed, priced to sell, ready to ship!

Just listed this on ebay. Size 3T/4T



Here's the link