Pigtails and Snails

Taking risks

2008-07-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

So I guess my new theme to life this past week is taking risks. I have put myself out there with my photography and went on a wedding shoot!! Such an extreme blast and totally nerve racking now that i am waiting for opinions on the pics. i don't know if any of you have ever taken a risk that made your stomach knot up, but all i can tell you is that all day yesterday i just wanted to throw-up! I am so incredibly nervous!

i also decided yesterday that i would be taking the kids on a family vacation by MYSELF! maybe that's the true origin of my stomach knots!? Me and the kids are going to trek it to Moses Lake Washington to have the time of our lives with some old friends for five days! I am open to any suggestions of how to travel with 3 children 4 and under, and not lose my mind!!

Despite all the nausea, I really am excited to be doing some things that stretch me and help me to improve my knowledge. I am really excited to be in a learning experience that's just for me. i have an outlet again!

My other risk, well i did go to running group once, and i survived! Now I just need to go again and keep that ball rolling! Life is very rewarding when i just put mysle fout there a little bit and learn what i am made of! Anyone else taking risks?

quilt giveaway

2008-07-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

I toally wish this were my giveaway..... but it's not. Mine is still to come though i promise. And now by posting this I am totally setting the bar high. This quilt is done by Dana the gifted lady behind Old Red Barn Co. you need to check out her blog (see link in my side bar) All you have to do is comment to enter the contest. Totally worth it. the last time she did this I won the second prize her Goat Milk soap, yummy! i so would love to win this!!! I always make quilts for other people and never myself. Well here is hoping!!!

forever and a day

2008-07-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

So I know it has been forever!!! I will post pics late because I am limited on time today. But here's what i've been up to. I am helping a friend of my Mom's plan her son's wedding. it's a blast, but take s alot of time, some days. I 'll post pics of our center pieces later. Stampede breakfasts. We also went on a great vacation, I'll expand later. I have also been working on projects around the house like crazy! i want to have it ready for a house warming party soon. And well the everyday constants of loving my kid sand raising them into repsonsible good people and getting the daily chores done. Oh and being really really sick with the billionth cold this year! Could I just get a break!

Anywho, i'm still alive and have so much to post i just need to find more time!

P.S. Yesterday my kids (Vienna) totally spilt pop at costco twice, to the point of no possible recovery. we had to abandon the table and move it was eerywhere!! So then later on I am working on center pieces and my vase of roses toally dumps all over the floor, top heavy. And that's when my kids gave it to me.... Evan exclaims " Mommy now you have to have a time out!" Vienna says " That's not very nice Mommy" " Why'd you do that?" etc.... to funny! At least i know that they are listening when i dicipline!

Goals

2008-06-24T13:10:00.001-07:00

So I am sitting here thinking of goals that I have for myself and also which of my goals do i want to share. I find myself thinking do i get real and honest or do i just share the candy coated stuff. For soem reason this seemingly makes me emotional. Like I have been hiding out for awhile or something. i often hold things in and for the most part deal with them privately. but I am finding that as I get older and life gets more complicated that i need to rely on others around me for support and friendship, etc. I'm not sayign that I am having a crisis or anything like that. But lately i have been feeling tender and so there must be something bugging me. I started to cry the other night when I was saying goodnight to Vienna, she must have thought that I was losing it! And well alot of this could have to do with the hormone rollercoaster my body seems to have me on right now. but generally I am feeling well a mix of "wow things are coming together!!" and " holy, if i could just remember what I am suppose to do next"
Today my goals are 1. get to the grocery store for activity day supplies 2. get to the dollar store for a prize 3. finish making phone calls 4. buy a notepad or something to start writing all this stuff down. ( i have become my Mom, I need to make lists!!) In fact I almost couldn't remember what that goal was it took me a second to rememeber! what number am I on? oh! 5. make dinner 6. go to activity days 7. spend time with my husband!!
Long term goals: well there are lots of personal ones, but these are the ones that i wil share 1. make a baby quilt for a tiny klittle girl 2. start a sewing club, where we teach others to sew 3. get my body BACK! it used to be mine and now I don't know who's this is but I want MY body back. 4. make a quilt for a giveaway, you heard me! Hope that peeks your attention!
Now I just have to stay focused!!

Outdoors!

2008-06-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

Last night we had a wonderful family dinner down in Fishcreek park. Organized by Katie. We roasted marshmellows and hotdogs and had pop and juice and amazing salad! Oh and the dessert that Katie made, banana, pineapple, creamcheese graham heaven!! Then we packed up and went on an adventure walk. The kids loved being outside adn here are just a few pics from the night. I love the one of Kent I think that he looks very handsome! I on the other hand look a little lets say "outdoor-sie" to be nice. Oh and the baby in the snuggly for those that don't know is my nephew Finn who the blanket below was for. A handsome little guy for sure!

This is my little project form last week. i made a summer weight quilt for my little nephew Finn. It's all jungle-y and I htought it turned out cute!

They bend!

2008-06-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

Seger has just discovered that his knees bend! He has decided as of yesterday to crawl like a "normal' child on his hands and knees. he still uses it very selectively... like he starts to army crawl and then I tell him "No" and he stops dead in his tracks and look at me and then I say "up" repeatily and then finally he lifts the bum and takes a cupple little crawls forward. i am toally impressed that he knows what to do when i say "Up" though!

Also I finished Seger's bed skirt and this is a shot of part of his room too!

This is just a cute shot from father's day of Kent puting the kids to bed. Kent you're and incredible Dad. You are so great with our kids and you know I love you Babe!

Oh and one more random... Vienna has had her glasses like what a month and this last week she has gotten a huge gauge in the lens (with some help from Evan) and today she lost the screw out of the arm. So tommorow we get our first repair of many I am sure!!!

Just finished!

2008-06-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

So I now I should give the post below a little more time in the glory light, however.... i just finished Seger's quilt and well I had to share. So do me a favour and read the post below too! Oh and I don't know if I have mentioned lately, But I LOVE comments on my blog. So feel free!

So Seger's room is a whole retro vintage cowboy feel. And his bedskirt (do you still call it that on a boys bed?) is going to be made of hanging bandanas is a couple colours. i'll post pics as soon as it's done! I have a few finishing touches to make before I reveal the whole room. But that seems to be the story of my house at the moment. If my wallet could just keep up with all my wants that would speed this all up! oh and time... if that were just a thing I had in spare that would also help!

P.S. Evan came running into my room today and was yelling " Mommy come look, I made my bed!" I took a look and this is what I saw. What a total prostar! The kid has skills. Now that I know I will have to put him to work!

One more P.P.S. I also just did these letters with the kids the other day. They helped me pick out papers to go on them and we painted the sides together. it only took a couple of hours and the kidsa re so proud of our little creation. I just have to figure out placement and then we are good to hang them up!

Holy smokes! Long post. But I just couldn't resist!

Some Evan-isms

2008-06-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

A few funny things that Evan has said lately.

I tell Vienna to put her glasses back on. Then Evan pipes up with "I don't need glasses!" I tell him that's right your eye's are perfect. To which he pulls his eye sideways and on a slant and then says "now their broken!"

"I not handsome!! I Evan"

" Mom... I miss you" He says this all day long. Even when he has been sitting with you the whole time! I thin k to him it also means that He loves you.

We were watching So You Think You Can Dance last night and he would NOT go to bed so i let him join me for a bit. On a commercial break he told me that I should practice and then he really wanted me to dance on the show.

And his most classic... Whenever we get upset with him, or act dissappionted he starts saying (usually through welled up eyes and with a frown) " But your my Mom, Your LIz... But your my Mom, your my Liz"

Chunk -a - Lunk

2008-06-06T06:43:00.000-07:00

So Seger is 9 mths old. Well this is late actually so he is 9 mths and 2 wks old. Apperently I am behind the 8 ball on this one. So my little chunky Monkey is still just that! He is weighing in at about 23lbs these days. And the rolls are still just as cushy! I am amazed just about everyday, by the sweetness that his spirit brings into our home. I have just had such a special feeling about this baby since he arrived and he lives up to it everyday. Seger is super smile-y and I think maybe my cuddliest baby to date. He sleeps SO good and is just so happy all the time! He's a little bit sick with a lung infection and can barely breath and still when I walk into his room he just lights right up!! And I think that my favorite thing right now is that he is staying a baby the longest out of my kids. He doesn't full on crawl yet, but rather does the fastest one arm army crawl you ever seen! He still lets me feed him more then willingly (actually i don't think it has occured to him to do it any other way). He still cuddles. He only has two bottom teeth. He "talks" up a storm, mama, dada, nana, papa, baba, etc. He still gets swaddled for bedtime (that's more me then him). And He is just my "Baby Boy" light and sunshine. (that's what my mom always called Conor. And it seems to fit. I feel very blessed to have such a darling baby. And I am so gald that he is staying my baby for so long.(Evan was walking by now, to compare). Heavenly Father I think knew I needed that this round. So there you have it our little Joy baby!

A giant or Jesus?

2008-06-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

So it's totally raining. There are a couple flashes in the sky and then some really rumbly thunder. Evan is upstairs yelling out " it's a giant Mom it's a giant!" I go upstairs... Evan again " Mom I htink that maybe a giant did that a really huge Giant!?". The kids then come downstairs and watch the storm from the front window. I over hear Evan explaining to Vienna that the thunder is a really huge Giant. then he has an 'ah-ha' moment...... " Or Vienna, maybe it's Jesus?" I couldn't believe my ears! How adorable!!

Dancing the night away

2008-06-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

So me and my siblings all went out for my mom 's birthday this past saturday. We surprised her with a one night only dance lesson for us all and then went out to dinner with time in between to kill so we took alot of pics while we walked around downtown. It was great because I don't think any of us get pictures with our spouses much. Most of which are on facebook if you're interested?! Anyways it was sooo great to go out dancing with my husband. We learned Samba and meriuenge (sp) I believe. It was soo much fun and I definitely want to do it again. here are a few shots of me and Kent and one of the fabulous birthday girl my Mom. Isn't she gorgeous!! In front of a cute little Vespa we saw. And one of all the girls dressed up for the men in our lives!

The other highly anticipated....

2008-05-30T19:20:00.000-07:00

So I am not ready to be doing this totally. But it has been requested to see a bit of my new house. Well here are some of the corners of my home that I love. Bear in mind that I have not finished decorating and that these spaces all have to grow up still. but here is the rough firsts of the Cranmer residence. We love it here! It's very bright and cheerful and suits us to a "T". Enjoy your sneak peek.

This is our kitchen of course. I am loving all the space!! I can't wait to find the perfect thing to accessorize the counters

Our pretty nook. The table bathes in sunlight all through the day.

Kent designed the fireplace. We are in love with the detail!

This is our master bedroom. It's light and ethereal and still int he works. But we love the vaulted ceiling, our bedding, the light!! And all those windows! It's a nice serene space.

This star adorns Seger's wall above his crib.it will grow up to be his vintage cowboy nursery.

This is a vintage ironing board that I found hiding in a corner waiting just for me. This sits under Vienna's bedroom window With the perfect shades of pink and undertone Green paint chipping around the legs. I love this treasure!

This nesting garland hangs above Vienna's closet. we are doing birds/nature/vintage/quilty in her room.

This is a peek into things to become Evan's nautical room. we're collecting and thinking on the perfect placement.

And this is Evan's "hide away" otherwise known as his closet. It's huge! and so he gets to play house in there with his kitchen. He's domesticated!! And it's a great place to hide all his treasures from the younger two.

So there you have it. Some favorite spaces!

The highly anticipated!

2008-05-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

I know you thought photos of the house with that title! Those will be coming! We get out new couch on Tuesday!!! Then i can start hanging pics and making it a home. But the really anticipated factor for today is my cute little monkey in her glasses!!! She loves them and we love them! They are kinda Zebra-ish and funky and neutral and great! Evan has been a little jealous. He says "Mom I need glasses too. I'm sick too" * cough cough* he totally faked coughing thinking that he could get glasses. In the meantime he has been going around the house this morning in his safety goggles form his tool kit, trying to be like Vienna! I think it is so cute that He is trying to be like HER. They must love each other. Copy catting is the greatest form of flattery right?! So here she is happy little angel!

Success!

2008-05-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well I have finally found a pair of glasses for Vienna!! Can I get an Amen! I have searched and searched, i have been to about 15 places. and finally the last ditch effort at an office close to my parents i find several cute pairs! Of course I couldn't have tried this place first! This office was so kid friendly it wasn't een funny and the galsses were the best lookign and most extensive collection for kids that I have found. I would love to post a picture of the frames but..... the website post every style but hers! So you will have to all wait in great anticipation for a picture of them on her darling face! To come in 5-7 bussiness days. Picture, extreme cuteness, nuetral and funky, in the meantime.

Shingles, not on the roof!

2008-05-21T12:27:00.001-07:00

(This is not a picture of me, but it's what shingles looks like)

So the other day, I am complaining about baby flub. Say what you want, I know I have some and i am dealing with it! So I am complaining to my sister and lift up my shirt to show her my trouble spot. That's when she points out that I ALSO have a freaky rash to worry about! What the! I look down and sure enough. I call Dr.Mom and she thinks it COULD be heat rash. i take this diagnosis even though it's over the phone and really we are basing it on vague description and the pics on the internet. So Sunday i ask Dr Larsen (B in-law) when this heat rash is expected to go away. he finds this fishy. i show him the suspected area, which has now spread across my stomacha nd wraps up on my back, and gotten uglier. Yeah, he says that's not heat rash go to the doctor you have shingles!!

So I went to the doctor the next day and sure enough i have shingles! What are the chances!!! So now I have this ugly and getting uglier, itching to no end, rash with stabbing pains that resinate in my side freaky illness! So it's basicly the chicken pox virus becoming active in my body again in the nervous system, thus the pain. So this last awhile. More then a weeka nd I am irritable! This sucks. you don't want it! meanwhile I just want to itch itch itch all the time, but I don't think that looks very appropriate. Wish me luck!

Where's the Poop?.......I ate it all!

2008-05-19T20:09:00.001-07:00

I hear a noise upstairs. it is unmistakably Vienna running around up there. I head up to discover Vienna in Seger's room giggling (he WAS asleep) Vienna know she is caught red handed and explains. "Mom I pooped" Okay that ones legit. "lets go change you, but stay out of Seger's room" (he'll go back to sleep). I pick her up. No diaper!! "Vienna, where is your diaper? where did you poop?" Vienna exclaims " It's all gone I ate it all!" No way! There is no way she ate. I ask again," where is your diaper?" She points " On my drawers" Sure enough to my relief the diaper is "folded" up on top her dresser. i go to fold it properly. NO POOP! just a skid mark. Where is the poop!!! "Vienna where did you put the poop?". She says annoyed " It's all gone i ate it all..... in the toilet" Fianlly an answer I can handle. Sure enough she has smeared poop on the seat so i have proof of where the poop ended up. We had a little chat about pooping and keeping our diapers on!

So do you think it's time to potty train her? I thought that parents were suppose to be the ones to start flushing the poop down the toilet to get the kid used to the idea, not hte other way around. But we are getting some clear signals now! I just am not ready for it yet. i want to wait as long as possible, until she is doing it herself and I can't stop her. Oh wait that is happening!

Dork!

2008-05-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

My dear beautiful little Vienna may have to be a dork. I am so sad. i thought that Vienna would be able to wear a cute fashionable pear of glasses, but as it turns out, the optic world has destined my two yr old little petite girl to be a dork! There is nothing out there!!! We have found lots of round glasses, which make her look sad, I know it sounds funny, but you put them on and it's like you just slapped on a frown. Her eyes lose their smile factor. And then i finally found the above glasses in pink and orange. They are cute a little bit bright and SUPER expensive. Like we are talking more then my D&G galsses with nikon lenses! And she'll only wear them for a year maybe two if she doesn't destroy them.
Needless to say I just don't want her to look back at pictures and think, "what did you do to me, Mom?" I don't want people to just see the dorky glasses, I want them to see the beautiful Vienna that i love! I just want her to look like her still! So anyways wish me luck on the hunt to find SOMETHING! I have been to 15 places and I am runningout of options. Vienna your Gorgeous no matter what!

(This is her "happy face" this little girl is never dull!)

Growing up

2008-05-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

My little Evan is growing up! I have said it before and I am sure that i will say it a hundred times more. Next week He turns 4! I can hardly believe it. But I have been noticing lately that more and more he is starting to have quite the social life outside of me. Weird. I mean i like that he is independent and that he is not a clingy bug. But it is odd to have my child, need me for o long and now just suddenly be on his own in some respects. He has his soccer team now and his preschool group and church friends. I am so glad that he is showing promise at turning into a well functioning adult one day. I just wish he would cuddle a little more often while he is still little. Here are some pics of his preschool friends, which we adore!! Thanks for being part of the gang!
Kyanne

Aria

Evan

Ella

Montana

Lexi

Mother's day

2008-05-12T07:03:00.000-07:00

So I had a great Mother's day!! Saturday we took my Mom out for Gilato at a new little place we love close by, and exchanged gifts My Mom got me the cutest gum boots. Now I can splash in the puddles with the kids, and now I have my very own weapon of defense against all the mudd outside my door! i can't wait for just the occasion to wear them. I also meant to get Kent to take a picture me dressed up for church but I toally forgot. I had the perfect accessory! Evan had made me a colourful pasta necklace. It looked like the rainbow in giant penne noodles. I actually got a few compliments on it and may just wear it again! Our ward finally got the mother's day gift right! In the past they have done plants and such, which for me really is just one more thing to keep alive! All I want is a treat, choclate actually. Well this year they got it right! Callebeau choclate bars for everyone!! made my day! kent was amazing with the kids all daya nd le tme take the longest nap ever! Whilest he made us dinner. Steak, mashed potatoes, and cesear salad, with Lemon frizzante to drink! I was feeling quite taken care of! All in all it was a wonderful peacful and very enjoyable day. Thanks Babe for making it happen!

This gets personal!

2008-05-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

So, the sad day has come to wean Seger. It's a bitter sweet moment in time for me. i am really in some ways excited to have my body back to myself, i'm excited to be able to wear the rest of my wardrobe, i am even a little bit excited to be flat again (although I am sure that will fade when i look down and just feel pathetic!) But Seger might be my last baby. We don't know yet but if he is, then, this is it. I will never do this again. I know it had to end sometime, but I just guess I was never prepared for the whole having, fedding, providing for your infant thing to end. It's as if in my mind I was going to suckle a baby till I died or something. Ridiculous and depressing I know but the alternative is NEVER again. Seger however is adjusting just fine!!! He's like bring it on! I don't think he cares where it comes from as long as there is lots of it! i even let him hold his own bottle today and feed himself. Freakin out! He's not a baby anymore! Sad.

This is something someone made out of their old bra. Maybe Vienna is getting a new toy! hahaha.

Mudd!

2008-05-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Okay so i am loving my new beautiful home, however, and I know there shouldn't be a however but there is. I hate the mudd! We are surrounded by dirt/ mud, oh and it's raining. We are the first house to move in on our block i think and therefore have a long time coming in this stuff. I don't even have a driveway or sidewalk for that matter, just dirt and more dirt! Our landscaping can't go in soon enough. But we have to wait for them to do our final grade first. In the mean time..... the day after we moved in we hadn't put the safety locks on yet and evan let himself and Vienna outside. Evan showed some self control, were as Vienna within seconds was in the biggest sink whole of mud she could find and then lost her shoe and then stepped in it with her sock. This was the result! YAY!

I have no patience!

2008-05-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

Okay so i wonder if it's not actually that i don't have patience or if it is rather that I like praise? I am so proud of how cute this quilt turned out for Vienna's room. It's not fantasticly complicated but I really wanted to use a real plether of fabrics, so i kept it simple. Pictures of her room are still comiong I just couldn't resist a little tease. Lucky for me vienna loves her quilt to and it is really helping bring htings together. These were taken late at night before i put it on her bed so the lighting isn't great, but enjoy your peek none the less.

been a long time!

2008-05-05T20:11:00.000-07:00

So we are officially moved!!! it was a long day april 29th but we were able to make it happen with help from all of our family and some friends. So the unpacking is in full force and I have even found some time to finish Vienna's quilt!! So we are that much closer to some unvieling pics of the house. i think I'll do it one room at a time, make it more dramatic! maybe just one room per week even, really create a cliff hanger situation! Anyways Vienna's will be the first to be revealed, hopefully in one more week! It's gonna be gorgeous!!!
In other news my baby boy isn't so baby anymore! Evan had his first soccer game on sat. And despite the disorganization of a U4 soccer league, e managed to score a goal! He was so proud of himself!! I wish you all could have seen him adjusting all of his equipment and grinning from ear to ear running htat ball down the field. It was about half way through the game that he realized that there was an objective and that he was gonna get himself a point no matter what. Towards the end of the game one of the other teams players grabbed Evan around the waist when he was on a roll down the field and it completely brought him to tears. " that kid tried to stop me!!!" poor guy!

More blogs coming your way. i have so many saved up in my mind, now I just have to remember them! Stay tuned!

been a long time!

2008-04-25T10:43:00.001-07:00

So I haven't posted in awhile! Sorry! I have just been up to my eye balls with packing and getting organized and kids and helping kent plan for a ward temple trip and sewing lots of sewing!! we take possession of our house on monday night and there is still lots to be done. Kent is also going down to Colorado this weekend to buy a new boat!! Yeah!! But then that also means he is gone for 3 days right before we move! Not my favorite plan but what are you gonna do! So we are still alive just busy. i promise to post pics of the new house and of sewing projects very soon! but I am going to take a quilt free break from bloggin while I continue to move. I'll be back when i can.

P.S. Renisa thanks for your concern and I am so excited that you are pregnant!!!!!! I need more pics soon. Start bloggin! you would be hilarious!

we're going to the zoo zoo zoo

2008-04-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

So yesterday for pre-k we all took the kids to the zoo. It was a blast. i totally forgot to bring the camera, oops! The animals were ALL out. We saw the Tigers, peacocks, deer, wild turkey's, snow owls, lions, monkeys, gorilla's, fish, giraffe's, racoon panda's, warthogs, etc.
The hippo's were giving quite the show! They seemed to be giving one another a "piggie back ride" if you know what I mean. Try explaining that one! The baby elephant was getting a bath/spray down. They had this little kiddie pool that this baby although still large elephant was trying to fit into for a "swim". The cutest ever trying to see it bend and squat to get just a little wet! The zoo keepers were taking some tortoius' for a walk (Evan didn't see them just about trampled the poor things!) another zoo keeper brought the lemur's down with a banana treat for the kids to see. The lions were all roaring at eachother. The kids had more fun then ever before! I think this might be a new regular activity for the summer. So if anyone wants to go!??? let me know. We haven't even gotten to the prehistoric park yet!