Kreativ Juices

I am so very honored to have received this ultra-fabulous award from two amazing women! TravelinOma and Emilie @ Baby Loving Mama. Thank you so much for thinking of me, ladies!!
Though I have not been very Kreativ lately I am very excited to say I am making these fun fabric Easter eggs by Retro Mama with this amazing Amy Butler fabric. I just picked it up yesterday and am biting at the bit to start making some this very afternoon.

Martini Moss

Garden Maze Olive

I hope this project is the first of many more to come. Spring is starting to spring, albeit it slowly, and with each new day I am feeling more energized and ready to get those Kreative juices flowing. So off I go to make me some eggs!

Feel the Love

Tara @ Family Traditions asked me to join in this fun photo tag. The rules are simple: Go to your 6th folder in your pictures and pick the 6th photo in that folder and post it.

This picture was taken at a Valentine's party last year.

Looks like I'm tryin' to give JK a little lovin' but he's resisting.

Such a tease!

Kacey @ Chronicles of a Mommy has a photo tag going on as well. 

1- Choose the 4th file on my computer with the 4th picture.

2-Explain the 4th picture that is in that folder

3-Tag 4 people to do the same 4-no cheating (cropping, editing, etc)

Playing on the floor with two of my kiddos!

Remember, no cropping or editing was done to this photo!

I want to thank Duchess @ The Daily Adventures of Four Eds for this super fun award. Thank you so much Duchess for thinking of me!!

I just love having such fun and amazing blogging friends!

You all really make my day shine more brightly!

Fabulously Crazy

Crazy Eights? How fun does that sound! Ashley@Life in Our Three-Ring Circus tagged me...too bad I'm not crazy enough to come up with 8 things in each category! Talk about lame-o!

8 TV shows I like to watch
1. Desperate Housewives
2. Ugly Betty
3. Top Chef
4. Project Runway
5. The Glenn Beck Program (moving to FoxNews in 2009)
6. 
7. 
8. 

8 places I like to eat
1. Panera
2. King Wah (Chinese)
3. The Cheesecake Factory
4. The Olive Garden
5. Outback Steakhouse
6. Red Robin (I always order their Stack of Onion Rings w. a Diet Coke)
7. DK said to list McDonald's but that is definitely NOT a place I like to eat at. It's a place JK likes to eat at. He SCREAMS 'Donald's!!! at the top of his lungs. I always carry a book with me when we're out and about so I'm prepared for a 'Donald's stop. I order the Southwestern Salad w. Grilled Chicken!
8. 

8 things that happened yesterday
1. Slept until 8 AM (no early bird shopping for me this year!)
2. Started decorating for Christmas
3. Enjoyed playing with my three kiddo's
4. Spent way too much time on Facebook
5. Stayed in my pj's until 1 PM, took a shower and then dressed in sweats!
6. Watched Journey to the Center of the Earth with the family
7. Read Last Night at the Lobster
8. Went to bed early!

8 things I look forward to
1. JK being potty trained!
2. Going to see Twilight TODAY with my sister and Natalie
3. Quiet time curled up with a good book
4. Shopping and decorating for Christmas
5. Nap time
6. Going out to lunch with friends
7. My birthday
8. Date night with hubby

8 things on my wish list
1. Owning a house on the water
2. Going out on a date each week with DK
3. Opening and operating my own home interior design store
4. Buying an Audi TT for DK and I to cruise around in (I call this car his midlife crisis!)
5. Taking a European vacation
6. Moving to Australia
7. Serving a mission with DK
8. Having a "to die for" body without worrying about exercise and/or calories!

Thanks Liza for this fabulous award!

You are so sweet to think of me! 

To wrap up this fabulously crazy post I'll end with a fabulously crazy idea. Yesterday I was putting candles in the windows like I do every year. But this year I wasn't a worried mess about the candles "accidentally" falling off the windowsills and the light bulbs shattering on the hard wood floor.

Here is the above said hard wood floor.

Here is the aforementioned candle on the windowsill.

Here is the reason why I am not worried about glass bulbs shattering.

Silicone!

2 bulbs for $.99=peace of mind!

Hot News!

Item #1:

I always thought I was one hot mama...well, maybe not, but I did get a Hot Blog Award from Ashley @ Life in our Three-Ring Circus. Thanks so much, Ashley, for this hot, HOT, HOT award!

Item #2: Rush right on over to Jeanne Winters' blog for a major giveaway. Jeanne is an amazingly talented woman and has just recently launched her line, Simply Inspiring, at Hallmark Gold Crown stores! Run first to her blog for her giveaway and then run out to your closest Hallmark store and look for her line of goodies!

Item #3: My head and throat are feeling so much better BUT now my lower back is aching. DK had something very similar to this last week. Swell. Isn't it nice that I have a husband who was darling enough to share with me? Honey, next time you want to give me something try going for an expensive gift wrapped in a small blue box. Tiffany blue to be precise!

What's Your Accent?

Call me crazy but I've been thinking about accents and the way people talk. Have you given any thought to what I might sound like when I talk? I know I've wondered what you all might sound like. For example, I read quite a few blogs from you fabulous ladies down South. I would love to hear your cute little southern drawls! And then there are the fellow New Englanders...do you have a thick Maine accent, a Boston spin or more of a New Yorker sound? My friends in the Mid-West...do you sound like my grandparents who have lived in Kansas City for the past 35 years? How about you West Coast bloggers...are you California "dude-ish" or California girl sounding? DK is from Utah and I swear he has the weirdest way of saying certain vowels. I never know if he is saying dale or dell, hill or hell, bill or bell...you get the picture!

One of the reasons why I read so many different blogs is to enjoy all the different styles of writing. It would be so neat to pair your voice with your writing style! (I vaguely remember seeing this on someone's blog awhile ago...they posted a video of themselves talking. Neat idea, huh?)

Now, back to me. For those of you wondering what I might sound like...I have noticed a change in the way I talk since being back on the East Coast. Here's a small example, I now pronounce "school" as two syllables. "skoo-wil" But say it fast because that's how we talk up here in the North. FAST!! I am also told (by family and good friends) that I come off sounding snobby and stuck up. It's the tone I use. It's been this way forever and I don't think it's going to change!

One of my new blogging friends, Amy B gave me this fun little lovin' award! Thanks, Amy!!!

I need to post 5 things I love!

1. Diet Coke - did you see my poll on my sidebar? It seems like everyone LOVES Diet Coke. Do you?

2. Reading - if I am not reading a book I feel lost!

3. My hubby and children - they bring so much joy to my life!!

4. Pottery Barn - I truly love that store and take great satisfaction in stealing their ideas and making them my own at a fraction of the cost!

5. Going out to lunch with friends. This is one of my most favorite things to do. To all of you, my blogging friends, drop me an e-mail and we'll set up a lunch date!

Real Life

I was hoping to have a few projects up and ready to share today but I'm still tweaking. Maybe tomorrow?

In other news, DK's eyes look like those of a newly born vampire. If you have no idea what I'm talking about then you have not read the Twilight series (which I suggest you start reading immediately). He has had a string of bad health this week: fever, lower back pain and now vampire eyes. He's seeing the doctor today. In the meantime we're all keeping a safe distance!! The girls have diagnosed him with a rare tropical disease!

April @ Straight From the Heart so sweetly gave me the Marie-Antionette-REAL Person Award. Thank you, April!! I definitely try to show the real me in my blog. I have also added Twitter because it gives an even deeper look into my life! Cuz I know you all just can't get enough of me, right?

It's raining here today. I love the rain. I love cloudy days. It makes the house feel so cozy. I need to go and light a few candles. That would make it even cozier! The girls will be home in 15 minutes...I should whip up a batch of cookies. THAT will definitely make the house feel warm and cozy!!

My Newly Rearranged Digs

If you recall, last week I decided it was time to tackle our family room. It has needed help for some time and I was tired of putting it off. Unfortunately, it also meant my living and dining rooms became involved in the disruption. I started shifting furniture around between the three rooms until everything was in a muddle. I am happy to report that I finally finished last night...I even went through all the toys and games and chucked three large garbage bags of stuff!! Wahoo!

By removing the couch and adding a slipper chair I gained much needed floor space.

Some of you were wondering about our people.

They are handcrafted and made out of recycled metal in Honduras.

I purchased them from Sundance.

Since getting my MacBook Air the girls have inherited the old iMac.

This is their little desk where they play computer games.

Game closet and air hockey table. DK just fixed the table leg (which I had broken off due to shoving it out of my way!) and replaced the fan. Had he not put in the effort I would have suggested getting rid of it. It takes up so much space and is an eye sore. We do play with it and have lots of fun...I suppose it should stay!

I was going to share one other picture of the family room but blogger is not cooperating!

So, let's move on, shall we?

Here is the view of my newly re-arranged living room.

We all love having the extra couch in the space!

I just had to show you Miss Witchy Legs! This fabulous goodie arrived in yesterday's mail from Rachel. It is simply amazing and I am scoping out the perfect spot to put her!

I just had to have some glittery spiders after seeing them here and here!

They are drying from their first silver coating! Can you believe I couldn't find plastic spiders (that were not rings) anywhere? I had to settle for a hard rubber tarantula.

Lastly, to wrap up this Saturday evening post, I'd like to send a huge thank you to Sandy Toes for this oh-so pretty award! I feel honored that you chose to pass it on to me!! Here's to the Kreativity that surrounds us all!

Cutie Pie, Good Friends and Marriage

Because of my crazy week I have some catching up to do. Melissa @ 3 Ma'am's and Their Guys tagged me.

Here are the rules:

Go to "My Pictures". Open the third folder and post the third picture from that folder. This is my darling Rand. It was taken at my sister-in-law's house a few summers ago. 

Isn't she just the sweetest?

Next on my list is a big heartfelt thank you to Brandee. She gave me this oh-so fabulous BFF Gold Card.

It is so wonderful having such good friends...

and that is exactly what Brandee is!

It's been a week since DK and I went to see Fireproof. I have found myself thinking about the movie off and on throughout the entire week. The crazy thing (or maybe not so crazy) is since DK and I saw the movie we have been bickering. All week long. Nothing serious; just annoying! 

Do you ever notice when you are really working hard at something important (like your marriage!) Satan starts causing problems? I feel like we've been attacked all week long! Fortunately we know that through the strength of our Savior we can overcome anything the adversary slings at us.

DK and I are TOTAL OPPOSITES! From our very first date to this precise moment, 13 1/2 years later, we are polar opposites. At times it is true what they say, "Opposites attract" but there are times when we repel each other! Those are the times we have to work harder to love and serve each other. As DK likes to say, "You're stuck with me and we have all eternity to figure this marriage thing out!"

I want to share with you something special DK does for me. It reminds me of something that might be included in the Love Dare book. At the end of each work day DK writes a little note to me. He started doing this 8 years ago! When he first started he would print the note and bring it home for me to read. (Now a days he e-mails it to me) It all started with a rocky point in our marriage and some inspired counsel given to us. Each year on my birthday he prints out the year's notes and puts the typed pages in my birthday card. It is just a little something but it means the world to me.

Tara @ Family Traditions has a wonderful Fireproof giveaway. Make sure you go over and read her Fireproof review and what you need to do to be entered in her giveaway!

Marathons and Awards

No, I'm not the one running the half marathon, let's be real, people!

My sister is the one running and I couldn't be more proud of her!

(Disclaimer: I do think she's completely insane!)

Go Shottsie, go!!

It's Columbus Day Weekend which means it's time

for the "Annual Evans Family Fall Leaf Drive"!

I pulled the van over the other day to take pictures of this tree.

Isn't it gorgeous?

And finally, there is SO MUCH bloggy love going around right now!

It's just fabulous!

Thank you, Scrapper Mom for this award.

It's always a joy visiting your blog!

Thank you Emilie Nichole for this most ultra fun Gold Card!

I would like to pass this cute card on to:

Pedaling Fast~she is so amazing and inspiring and has the best sense of humor!

Our Adventures in the East~Natalie is a new blogger (yay!) but she is also a real life friend. Her little girl, EP, is the cutest thing ever!

Memoirs of the Shoe Obsessed~Andie is hilarious and is currently sharing the in's and out's of being on bed rest with her little girl bean! I thought Andie would totally appreciate a new gold card while going through shopping withdrawal!

Thank you Jenni @ Nest to Keep for this bEAutiFuL award!

The rules of this blog award are:
1. List 6 things about yourself and
2. Pass this award on to 6 other bloggers

Okay, here goes.

1~(Jenni posted that her and hubby were engaged less than seven months after meeting) I thought I would top that! DK and I were engaged 6 weeks after meeting!

2~DK and I were foster parents for over 3 years.

3~When I get really, REALLY angry, I cry. Do you know how annoying it is to be furious and then start crying? It drives me nuts!

4~I started babysitting at the age of 9! (My oldest is 9 and there's NO WAY I'd let her babysit!)

5~I have never had a massage and have no desire to ever get one.

6~I love going to the dentist for cleanings. This might be due to the fact I have never had a cavity and have no reason to hate the dentist!

I am pleased to pass this award on to the following:

1~Nance @ Wash Your Hands Afterwards

2~Jan @ The Turley's

3~Rachel @ Made With Love and Glue Lots of Glue

4~Emily Nichole @ Bunch of Scrap

5~Rachelle @ love, rachelle

6~Melanee @ Ready to Glow

Ever have one of those days...

...when the pizza falls on the carpet cheese and sauce side down?

Yesterday was one of those days. I got out the carpet cleaner to take care of the pizza mess and before I knew it my carpet looked like this! There were tons of little spots all over the place. Ah, my lovely children! At least little food stains mean we have food to eat and for that I'm grateful! From carpet stains my day progressed to dirt and worms...but I won't share that icky story with you, my lovely blog readers!

JK took a nap today (alleluia!) and while the house was still (it wasn't quiet because I was watching my guilty pleasure) I checked google reader and saw that April @ Straight from the Heart had named me as a recipient for the Smile Award. Thank you, April for brightening my day! 

With any Blog Award, it is important to pass the gift along. (With a few rules, of course!)

Here are the characteristics of the Smile Award:
~You must display a cheerful attitude.
~You must show love to others.
~You must make mistakes.
~You must learn from others.
~You must be a positive contributor to blogging.
~You must love life.
~You must love kids.

Here are the rules for the Smile Award:
~You must link back to the award creator. (Oops...I don't know who the award creator is!)
~You must post the rules if you are a recipient.
~You must choose 5 people to pass the award to.
~You must fit the characteristics of the award.
~You must post the characteristics of the recipient of the award.
~You must create a post sharing your win with others.
~You must thank the giver of the award.

Christie @ These are a Few of My Favorite Things. Seriously, Christie NEVER fails to make me smile!!! You must read her post about her Amish Country Tour!

Amy @ Family Fun Time. Amy doesn't post every day or every week for that matter but when she does it is always a HOOT! See Amy, I still love ya even though you want to collect those dolls for Abby!!

Les @ Our Complete Family. This girl is the bubbliest, upbeat person I know...or sort of know! Les' comments never fail to put a smile on my face and her blog is not only fun to read but fun to look at! 

Kellie @ La Vida Dulce. Kellie has recently moved and started homeschooling her two children. You must read her post about hair dye! These are true-to-life issues!

Merand @ My Little Patch of Happiness. Merand is my best friend from high school. She started her blog earlier this year and I so enjoy going and catching up with her.

You all are amazing; thank you for bringing joy into my life! 

It's Fair Day!

My children are bouncing off the walls this morning! No school for them. No-sir-ee! Today is our town's Fair Day! The schools close down and the town offices and library follow suit at 1 PM. This is serious business, folks!

Today EVERYONE in town goes to the fair! It's like a big reunion. You spend half of your time riding the rides, eating bad-for-you-fair-food and the other half of your time chatting and visiting with people in town you don't see on a regular basis. 

Kenners' Brownie Troop will man the Baby Changing Booth for an hour. The girls will keep the changing stations clean, toilet paper stocked in the bathroom and help little kiddo's make crafts. It's a fun service project for them AND they earn a patch for the back of their vest!

DK will be in the dunking booth from 6-7 tonight! Come on out and give him a good dunking! The temps should be in the 50's....BRRRRR!!

Even though I will not be receiving a ribbon or award at the fair today (since my scones didn't quite work out) I'm excited to say I won't go through the day awardless! Thanks Ruby Red Slippers for thinking of me and knowing how much I needed this special award! I love being BFF's with ya!

I'm sure I'll have lots of adorable pictures to post later tonight! Stay tuned!

I've Got a Gold Card

Is this not the cutest little gold card ever? Thank you Gypsy aka Tam for this super fun blog award! I feel so cool saying "Blogging Friends Forever"!!

At this precise moment I have 128 subscriptions (blogs) in my Google Reader! I love each and every one of your blogs and am so excited visiting with you each time you post. I wish I could pass this award on to each and everyone of you. But alas, there are rules....

As some of you know, I have been able to reconnect with old friends since I started blogging. I would like to bestow this "BFF Gold Card" to them!

Amy @ Another Day in Paradise - I met Amy when we were in the 8th grade. Until this year we had not been in contact since our Junior year of high school!

Lisa @ Blessed - Lisa is Amy's big sister and was always so sweet to me, her little sister's friend!

Shelva @ Shawn, Shelva and Symeon - Shelva and I went to high school together. If it weren't for Shelva and her mother I never would have attended the little all-girl high school we went to. (For those of you wondering...that would have been a bad thing. I loved my high school!)

Lisa @ A Backstage Pass - Lisa was the first friend I made after moving to Erie, PA. That was over 10 years ago. Since blogging we have been able to stay in contact more than the once a year Christmas card!

It's been fun, ladies, being a part of your lives again! Don't ya just love technology? (You'd better answer, "Yes!")

Such a Snob

Who me? A snob? Well, yes, but we'll get to that in a moment...Last week the oh-so-adorable Carrie of Carrie's Little World was sweet enough to pick me for this award! Thank you, Carrie!! It is such a nice feeling knowing your blog makes others happy!

Now, on to my snobbery! As you know, I went away this past weekend and because I procrastinated packing my bag I forgot two VERY important items: my toothbrush and toothpaste.

I phoned the hotel's front desk and was able to procure one of their complimentary toothbrushes and my roommate was kind enough to let me use her toothpaste.

But there was a problem. They weren't MINE. The toothbrush was so small and wimpy and the toothpaste was a paste and not a gel. I realized then and there I am a tooth snob. I also learned a valuable lesson: do not procrastinate!!

My favorite toothpaste:

Crest Baking Soda & Peroxide Whitening

Fresh Mint (can't be paste)

My favorite toothbrush:

Reach Tooth & Gum Toothbrush

Are you a tooth snob?