vmjess

Summer is here!

2011-06-03T09:18:00.001-05:00

The year just flew by, I am not the parent of TWO Jr. High Schoolers! Yikes! Yesterday was the last day of school, and as usual the boys were THRILLED that summer is here.

Writing on the class chalkboard

Cody with some nerdy glasses that he came home from school with.
I think he wore them all day at school! What a nut!

Summer is pretty happy to have her kids home too!

Fabric Binge!

2011-04-29T17:01:00.000-05:00

I could not resist running to my local Joann fabrics after reading on several blogs that I follow about the new Denyse Schmidt DS Quilts Collection fabrics. These are so fun- bright and cheery! I did my research and knew exactly which patterns I wanted to get my hands on. My first trip to Joann was a bust, they had only a few bolts so I bought 3 different yards. I decided to go back a few days later and lucked out when I asked the manager if they'd be getting any more, she checked with a store a couple hours away and they had most of the prints I was looking for. For just $5.00 shipping they cut yards of the prints I wanted and shipped them to me it took just two days. I am still on the hunt for two more patterns but have such a great stash that I am thrilled with what I got.

I have no plan for these yet, a quilt maybe? Some bags? There is a Flickr Group set up just for this line of fabrics- there are so many great ideas there!

April Fools!

2011-04-06T16:15:00.000-05:00

I did not want to do anything crazy this year on April Fools day, but did not want it to go unnoticed either. I saw these cupcakes being discussed on a scrapbooking message board and knew they were just the thing to make for the boys.

Mashed Potatos and Gravy, and Peas & Carrots! YUM. The potatos are white frosting, with a yellow starburst and caramel ice cream topping, the Peas are Runts candies and the carrots are orange starbust cut into smaller squares- easy!

Disneyland Favorites

2011-03-29T19:46:00.000-05:00

Here are just a few of my favorite shots from last week- still going thru my 1000 pictures that I took over spring break!

2011-03-28T16:50:00.000-05:00

Just back from a vacation to Disneyland. While organizing my pictures, I came across one of the boys that looked familiar, I looked at our previous Disneyland pictures and found this one from '03 of the boys and Tigger- how cute is that?

Pages

2011-03-06T20:25:00.000-06:00

Just a couple digital scrapbook pages I whipped up today!

A new Blog

2011-02-19T17:17:00.001-06:00

I have started another blog about being the Mom of a Type 1 diabetic. I have been thinking about it for a while now and decided to go for it. It's not something I want to post about here, I really think it deserves its own place. Visit Type 1 With Tyler HERE if you are interested.

Basketball

2011-02-19T17:11:00.003-06:00

Today Cody's Jr. High boys basketball team played in the championship game. Cody has had basketball fever lately, playing on the school tem and playing in the driveway after school all week since the weather has been warmer. His team did great and took second place in the tournament!

Hurray for spring!

2011-02-18T17:32:00.000-06:00

It is a little early to get too excited, but we've had three days in a row over 50 degrees and it feels so good! Today I got the car washed and went for a long walk with Summer- both things I have not done since November. Weather man says it's back to the 30's next week, but I can feel it- spring is coming!

I'm still here!

2011-02-16T15:31:00.005-06:00

Yep, it's been a while. January and February are always sooooo slow. Snow and freezing temperatures make for a pretty boring life! The most exciting thing that happened this month was "SNOWMAGEDDON". We got a ton of snow, ice andthe temperatures were so low that school was cancelled for THREE DAYS in a row! Here's a look at what we did...Snow Angels

Action shot

2011-02-11T23:27:00.000-06:00

Treats

2011-02-11T23:26:00.000-06:00

Ruffles!

2011-01-11T15:42:00.002-06:00

By special request from one of my girly photography friends/customers, a new camera strap style, with ruffles! These turned out really cute. I think the red version will be my new strap, how fun will it be on my camera when we head to Southern California for spring break? Now in the shop- with more colors and patterns to come.

Shop Update

2011-01-08T12:47:00.002-06:00

Lot's of new patterns and colors in my Etsy Shop this month! New year, fresh straps. For my blog readers, enter the code BLOG11 at checkout for 10% off- all year long!

Thank you!

Just awesome.

2010-12-31T20:49:00.004-06:00

I got a new computer for Christmas, and that means I upgraded from Photoshop Elements 3 to Photoshop Elements 9. Oh my gosh- it is awesome. I had some time to play with it today and can't believe the magic it can work with just the touch of a few buttons. My favorite new trick? The Panorama Stitching feature. Check it out!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

How cool! Even cooler, is that these big letters at Disney's California Adventure in California are going to be removed forever very soon for a giant update of the park. I am so glad I have this picture as a reminder, I love California!

I see lots of picture taking in my future with this panorama feature in mind, imagine the possibilities!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T12:47:00.000-06:00

Cardinal

2010-12-30T16:13:00.002-06:00

I can't help but grab my camera when I see a cardinal in our tree. They are so pretty! This one comes by just about every day ( I think it is the same one every day but who knows! )

goodbye 2010!

2010-12-30T15:32:00.003-06:00

2010 has been a great year. Filled with trips to Disneyland, Chicago, Indianapolis, California and St. Louis. Visits with faraway friends and family and finally feeling "at home" in Illinois ( though my heart will always belong in California! ) Tyler turned Cody turned 12 ( both kids in the double digits! ) one in 5th grade one in 7th. Fun in both the sun and the snow. The Junior High track team for Cody, Baseball and Flag Football for Tyler.

I can't wait to see what 2011 brings!

Baby, it's cold outside!

2010-12-28T16:11:00.002-06:00

Winter Icicles

2010-12-25T20:18:00.002-06:00

DayNight

Christmas craft!

2010-12-24T12:08:00.000-06:00

The boys, my mom and I made these guys- I love how they turned out!!

Halloween Costumes!

2010-10-28T16:17:00.007-05:00

This is what the bogs wanted to be for Halloween this year- LEGO men!I found a great tutorial online HERE and headed to Home Depot for the supplies. It was a messy job and took me a couple weeks of working on it each day a bit.Erin trying to get the dog to walk through the tube- she never did, not even with bribes of lunch meat!Trying on for size- the body.

Head constructionThe head- in process!Trying the head on for size!PAINT! I got a lot of neighborhood kids stopping by to check them out!The finished product!!

Stay tuned for fun Halloween pictures of the boys IN the costumes!

before and after

2010-10-27T08:02:00.005-05:00

After 15 years of blonde highlights, yesterday I did something scarey and went back to my roots with a dark new hair color! It is so different, the boys walked in after school and stopped in their tracks... I think they tjought I was pulling a Halloween prank! I think I love it, it is definitely going to take some getting used to.

BEFORE! This taken just afterwas the last time I got my hair done with the usual blonde highlights.

AFTER!

Pumpkin Patch!

2010-10-25T09:00:00.007-05:00

One of my favorite things to do in the fall is visit the GREAT PUMPKIN PATCH. I love the fall colors, and activities they have - it is the best pumpkin patch ever!

The St. Louis Arch

2010-10-13T15:42:00.002-05:00

You can't go to St. Louis and not notice the famous "Gateway to the West", The St. Louis Arch. I was amazed by how massive the arch is- you can tell by this picture of the boys under it just how big it is!

In the crazy elevator "pod" ready to go to the topAt the top!

The Views were spectacular!

Check this out!

2010-10-12T17:37:00.004-05:00

On our way home from St. Louis we saw this crazy stuff and decided we just had to stop and check it out! This fun antique store is inside an old Gymnasium and has soe really cool things outside.

We stopped for lunch at The Crown Candy Kitchen and had the best Ice cream treats and lunch. It is a really cool old diner that has been there since 1913!

St. Louis- The City Museum

2010-10-12T14:29:00.005-05:00

We are just back from a nice long mini vacation to St. Louis, Missouri. I took lot's of pictures, as usual! Our first stop was the City Museum. It is an amazing museum/playgroud made from all recycled items from the St. Louis area. The boys were in HEAVEN- so much to climb on and see. The first two pictures are what you see from outside the museum- I did not take any insude the museum- it was full of caves and tunnels that you climbed through. We ended up on the 10th floor then rode a spiral slide down the middle of the building all the way back down to the first floor!

Witchy

2010-09-26T15:54:00.000-05:00

Parade candy!

2010-09-26T15:53:00.000-05:00

Wooly worm

2010-09-26T15:52:00.002-05:00

Yard work

2010-09-26T15:52:00.001-05:00

Look what my grocery store has!

2010-09-07T21:23:00.001-05:00

Pumpkins! Fall is coming- my favorite time of the year.

Tylers birthday cake!

2010-09-03T19:41:00.001-05:00

Fall pretties

2010-09-03T19:40:00.004-05:00

Summer

2010-09-03T19:40:00.003-05:00

Blue sky

2010-09-03T19:40:00.001-05:00

New favorite thing- the shake it app for iPhone. Takes Polaroid like pictures that you shake and watch develop! Fun!

The Boardwalk

2010-08-14T23:16:00.000-05:00

Dino!

2010-08-14T23:14:00.000-05:00

I love these, I would so put one in my backyard!

Just because

2010-08-14T23:13:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I posted some Summer dog.

I love LOVE

2010-08-14T23:11:00.000-05:00

My new favorite place, the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

What's your number?

2010-08-14T23:09:00.000-05:00

Summer Fun

2010-08-14T23:08:00.001-05:00

Summer backyard favorite

2010-07-26T09:52:00.000-05:00

Awesome!

2010-07-24T22:57:00.000-05:00

We attended the wedding of some good friends today, the reception wad at the U of I football stadium which was super nice! This was taken right from the reception- notice the rainbow on the right?

Letter from home

2010-07-19T18:28:00.002-05:00

I made this collage today and printed it to mail to Tyler at camp. They can get letters from home, but there is really only time to get one there if you mail it on the first day.

Looking for Lincoln

2010-07-18T18:43:00.004-05:00

On the way back from dropping Tyler off at camp, we took a spur of the moment drive to find a Lincoln Historical Marker. We always notice a sign very close to our home that says "Lincoln Historical Marker 3 Miles" and always wonder what it is. Today we found it! It was out in the middle of some soybean fields.

The coolest thing was that it was on the county line, so we all turns turns standing with one foot in each county. Fun!

Camp

2010-07-18T18:33:00.003-05:00

Today we dropped Tyler off at Diabetes Camp. It is an awesome program for kids with Type 1 diabetes, and we are lucky to live just 20 minutes away from where it is held. This will be Tyler's second year at camp, and he loves it. It is a safe place where he is able to enjoy camp and make wonderful memories, while being around hundreds of other kids with Type 1 too. For us as parents it means a week with no finger poking, site changing, middle of the night checks and eating out without trying to guess how many carbs are in our meals. Thank you to the American Diabetes Association for providing this valuable resource for Type 1 diabetics and their families!

Packing up- that bear is Rufus The Diabetes Bear, it's his second year of camp too. He was given to Tyler when he was diagnosed way back in 2005. We see quite a few Rufus bears with other kids at camp, it's so cute. We took some shots before we left the house- don't want to be too embarrassing of a Mom at camp drop off!

Tyler scored a top bunk this year!

Lemonade stand

2010-07-14T12:57:00.000-05:00

Monkey love

2010-07-13T20:53:00.001-05:00

Postcard Sky

2010-07-12T15:30:00.000-05:00

I drive this road almost every day and take it for granted. Today it was a picture perfect view and I had to stop and take a picture

gone fishing

2010-07-11T11:32:00.005-05:00

Free rides

2010-07-10T22:03:00.000-05:00

Why the boys never turn down a chance to hang out at Erin's office...

Pretty in purple

2010-07-10T22:02:00.000-05:00

Pure joy

2010-07-10T22:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Fourth!

2010-07-05T10:27:00.003-05:00

Fireworks!

2010-07-03T11:36:00.001-05:00

Movie day

2010-06-30T22:46:00.002-05:00

Candy!!!

2010-06-30T22:46:00.001-05:00

Sunset

2010-06-28T20:45:00.000-05:00

A favorite spot

2010-06-27T16:22:00.000-05:00

Can you spot the frog? This is the park next to where Cody's camp is located, we always visit the fish in this pond.

A sundae on Sunday!

2010-06-27T16:20:00.002-05:00

Camper

2010-06-27T16:20:00.001-05:00

We dropped Cody off at camp today, he did not want me to take any pictures, but I forced him to pose for a couple... I am still the boss of him and pictures are a must!

Ahhhhhhh

2010-06-26T17:30:00.001-05:00

Hard work

2010-06-26T17:29:00.001-05:00

Sunny spot

2010-06-24T17:04:00.000-05:00

Good mail day!

2010-06-24T08:15:00.000-05:00

My iPhone is my all time favorite thing, but after two years of love it was time for an upgrade! My brand new iPhone 4 was delivered yesterday and it rocks!

My dining room floor

2010-06-24T08:07:00.000-05:00

Oh the joys of having boys! Lots and lots of legos!

Rainy summer day

2010-06-22T14:28:00.000-05:00

Different morning, different bed

2010-06-22T11:19:00.001-05:00

She's not picky as long as someone is willing to sleep in!

It's not ALL corn

2010-06-22T11:15:00.001-05:00

We have miles and miles of soybeans too!

Sleeping in

2010-06-21T17:33:00.000-05:00

Summer favorite

2010-06-21T17:32:00.002-05:00

Bowling equals ugly shoes

2010-06-21T17:32:00.000-05:00

Body the Hamster

2010-06-20T19:20:00.000-05:00

My slugger

2010-06-19T18:04:00.000-05:00

Ty had such a great baseball game today, we had to stop at DQ after
for a cool treat.

Yum

2010-06-19T18:03:00.000-05:00

Farmers Market

2010-06-19T12:36:00.001-05:00

Fabric stash

2010-06-18T21:48:00.000-05:00

Cookie?

2010-06-18T21:46:00.000-05:00

Cooling off

2010-06-17T17:34:00.000-05:00

Tylers door

2010-06-17T17:24:00.000-05:00

This kid means business!

Vintage sheet quilt

2010-06-16T16:20:00.001-05:00

I sent this one off for machine quilting and it was delivered today- I
love it! Now to decide on binding ...

Summer boy

2010-06-16T16:18:00.001-05:00

Corn

2010-06-16T16:17:00.001-05:00

Summer in Central Illinois means corn, lots and lots of corn.

The kids

2010-06-16T08:42:00.002-05:00

My recent favorites- what great kids!

The river

2010-06-15T22:38:00.000-05:00

This is my neighbors house taken out my dining room window... We got
so much rain in such a short time, look at that water!

More rain!

2010-06-15T22:37:00.001-05:00

Old Blue

2010-06-15T22:36:00.001-05:00

I had to stop and take a picture of this truck that us for sale in my
town. When I was a kid my dad had one just like it. We called it old
blue and I have so many memories of that truck!

Yum!

2010-06-14T21:29:00.001-05:00

Pool shark

2010-06-14T21:29:00.000-05:00

Morning

2010-06-14T17:58:00.000-05:00

The best thing about getting up at 6am to run is the view!

Rain

2010-06-13T21:25:00.000-05:00

We had crazy storms today. Rain, thunder, lightning, heat, humidity,
and rainbows...Gotta love the Midwest invthe summertime!

Shed

2010-06-13T21:20:00.000-05:00

Stormy day

2010-06-13T21:19:00.000-05:00

Farmers market

2010-06-12T12:02:00.001-05:00

My loves

2010-06-11T21:34:00.001-05:00

Here I go...

2010-06-11T21:32:00.000-05:00

The first iPhone picture to kick off my new blog plan!

An Idea!

2010-06-11T21:23:00.002-05:00

I have neglected this blog for way too long. I realized today while snapping a photo with my iphone that I should just post my iphone pictures here! I take at least one picture with my phone every day since I am doing a calendar on Shuttercal ( check it out here if you want ) that I started on January 1st. I always have my iphone handy and it is super easy to post from the iphone- I also have a great app to edit pictures that I love to play with. So here it goes!

Shop update!

2010-05-22T11:40:00.003-05:00

Lots of new patterns in the SHOP today! Mention my blog and get free shipping until May 23!

cuteness

2010-05-22T10:56:00.001-05:00