a teenager already...

Here I am thinking about how fast this one year has gone as we quickly approach Eli's first birthday.  Then it hit me - my first born nephew is turning 13 in one week!  My little buddy is now nearly a man standing almost 6' tall!  Before I joined the Air Force, Luke was my sidekick.  I watched him during the summer almost everyday while his parents were at work and I was off school.  From baseball to football to toys, he was (and is) my buddy.  My sister says he always tells her he misses me and I wish I lived closer to home so I could watch him play sports - he's become quite an athlete.  How time flies.. at least I have 12 more years until Eli hits the teen years.

This is Luke's card.  I used one of my favorite 'retired' sets called Longfellows.  I don't have too many "manly" stamp sets that are still kid like. 

I also made Shawn's grandmother Val a card for her birthday next Tuesday.  I used one of the cool new sets called Outlined Occasions from the Sale-a-Bration mini!  I also used the labels framelets from the Occassions Mini catalog. 

(Remember you can email me if you want to host a party!  From now until Mar 31st for every $50 you spend you get a free gift from the SAB mini catalog!)

Happy birthday Luke and Val!

peas and cheese

This weekend Eli tried some finger foods.  He needs to eat more table food so he can move up to the next age group at daycare.  We made pancakes for breakfast on Saturday and he loved them! We made silver dollar sized ones that fit perfectly in his itty bitty chunky hands. 

We also had bread, macaroni, cheese and peas.  I love to watch the concentration when he tries picking up slimy overcooked peas.  :)

Barn Buddy

Grandma Linda wanted to see some pictures of Eli and his barn and I have to admit I'm not keeping up with this as I should.  These are for you too Shawn! We love and miss you...

I'm officially a mom!

Okay okay, I've officially been a mom now for a little over 11 months (and wow, have those 11 months just flown by)!  Tonight I decided to finally go "Christmas" shopping for Eli.  With the busyness of the deployment and packing, unpacking, blah blah blah... Shawn and I didn't shop for Eli.  I know this was his first Christmas and he probably doesn't remember a thing about it, I still wanted to get him a few things.  We braved the cold (my car read -20 and had I known it was that frigid before I got on the road, I never would've taken him out), but we did anyway.  I got him a xylophone, this big activities block that I've been eyeing up since I was carrying him in my womb and we also got the farm fridge magnets (thanks also to pap & gram and the Kohans!)

But I did a few things today that made me say I'm officially a mom. 

I carried Eli and a basket of clothes up the stairs - one on each hip.

I "lysol-ed" toys that were already prepackaged.  (Doesn't help that he's sick)

I wiped a snotty nose 38x today (Okay, I didn't really count...)

but, the one that I noticed most today was when I put the farm fridge on the fridge.  I thought about my friends Noelle, Angel and even my siblings who are all moms.  Their kids are like 3 and up and the little barn is still on their fridge.  Maybe I'm silly to think about a little barn this way, but seriously - I felt so blessed tonight when I stuck that thing on the fridge.  I smile just thinking about Eli getting to play with it. 

All I know is that Eli has made me a mom and that is the best thing to date.  He's my sidekick and I'm so glad to be home with him.

 Happy 11 months (and 4 days) Elijah!

(p.s. We miss you Shawn <3)

Love & Surprises

Tomorrow marks 43 years for my parents!  I have been so blessed to have two wonderful people in my life to teach all of us kids about love.  I remember back in high school when all of my friends would say "your parents are so cute" - meanwhile I'm saying "ewe, stop kissing in front of me".  As I matured (some) I realized how blessed I was to have parents that truly cared about each other.  So, Sunday night I decided I had to get on the ball and make their anniversary card.

I used some Christmas presents from my parents and I also used some new Stampin' Up! designer series paper that will be available late January.  I love the way this card turned out!

Here's a closeup of the bird :)

Now for the surprise!  I forgot the post office was closed yesterday so I was worried that the card would be late!  Little did I know that I would get to hand it to them in person!  I went to spin class with my husbands cousin Katie and when I came home I saw everyone sitting in the living room as I took off my shoes.  I noticed an extra pair of legs though around the corner and wondered who else was here.  As I came in the living room there they were!  My mom and dad drove up to see me just for a few days!  I was so shocked and tickled to see their faces and I just texted my dad on the way home from the gym saying I missed them. 

I had originally told my parents and siblings that I was coming home after I came back from my deployment.  After crunching numbers, Shawn and I realized we should save money and I had to tell my parents I wouldn't get to see them.  We were all bummed out and I thought for sure it would've been until April until we saw each other again.

But we are together again - even if it's just for a few days.  I am so blessed!

Thanks mom and dad for the visit and for showing me and my siblings that true love never ends...