SOCIAL MEDIA

The Perfect SNOW DAY!!!

2.29.2012
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To say that we've been taking advantage of our day off of school would be a HUGE understatement!

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First thing this morning after breakfast we got bundled up in our snow gear and headed outside.  Snow angels were a bit tricky with the snow being so very deep.

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Climbing snow hills was next in order, which proves to be a bit tricky for someone who weighs over 40 pounds I discovered...I kept on sinking, imagine that?

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Zoey had so much fun, and I did too...I was sweating from running around and playing with her so much and it felt so good!  Leo of course had to get in on all the action.  His whining at the window finally wore us down and we brought him out to play too.

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He obviously was the "king of the mountain."

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What a fantastic day!

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After our morning spent in the snow we came in for some lunch and some hot Ovaltine.  Now Zoey's putting together the stage for a puppet show that she'll be putting on later this evening.  I've got a ticket and everything!  Snow days are the best days!

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Happy Valentine's Day + Valentine's Day Treat Boxes

2.14.2012
Bummed out Leo Puppy in the Pink

I snapped this photo of Leo (our very male puppy) yesterday and just cracked up when I was looking through my camera today...his expression is just perfect for his predicament of being in this family with two very girly girls don't you think? :) Poor, poor, puppy!

Valentine Treat Box

I made these little boxes for Zoey to put in a special little necklace and bracelet set that I got her for Valentine's Day this year. Super easy to fold up these little boxes using the perforated edges that's cut by the Silhouette Cameo machine and then adhering it all together using your favorite adhesive. I added some cut hearts and some pearl gems and was done! Simple and sweet! I have a feeling too that after Valentine's Day Zoey's American Girl dolls will be using these boxes for their gift boxes to one another. :) Works for me!

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Scrapbook Layout using the Silhouette Cameo

2.13.2012
Love You

Oh how I love my Silhouette Cameo machine!  Over the weekend I had some time to play with it a bit more and I just love it to pieces and am so very glad that I waited to get this machine rather than getting ones that I just wasn't feeling 100% about but could probably have afforded at the time.  This machine is just amazing and worth every penny saved to purchase it.  Over the weekend I cut out 20 heart valentines for Zoey's classmates, two princess crowns for Zoey to play with, a heart banner, a title and shapes for this layout and some little treat boxes (for Z's Valentine's which you'll see tomorrow).

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For my layout pictured here I used images from the Silhouette store (I have a monthly subscription so picking my images is easy peasy!), which included the title and the heart.  My supplies for the layout itself are all from the current and past Cocoa Daisy kits.

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I love how this layout came together with all it's bright and happy colors.  Perfect for a layout about Zoey and how much I love this little girl to pieces!

Zoey had a half day of school today which means I get to have the afternoon off with her too!  They had their Winter Fun Day at school this morning and all got to choose 2 different activities to participate in. Zoey chose Geocaching and African Drumming.  I was so proud of her when she told me that she was the only 2nd grader who signed up for African Drumming and she stuck with going to it anyways!  That is so brave of her!  She was in a group of all older children and the look on her face when she was sharing with me how they all clapped for her when she played her drum beat made my heart just soar.  Isn't it funny what little moments end up being big moments to a parent and child?

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I Love the Weekends...

2.12.2012
zoeyraen

Getting to spend them with this sweet little girl has everything to do with it.

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Zoesie in the Kitchen!

2.11.2012
Making Pocket Pizzas!

We got a package in the mail from Zoey's grandmother which included a High Five Magazine (published by Highlights for Children) and in it were some kid friendly recipes. Zoey asked if we could try out the recipe for pizza pockets today so first thing after breakfast we went out and got the necessary ingredients.

Making Pocket Pizzas!

She loves spending time with me in the kitchen and having recipes that are easy for her to put together makes it all the more fun.

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These were pretty easy to make, all you need is some refrigerated pizza dough, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and the veggies (or meat) that you may want.

Making Pocket Pizzas!

Cut your pizza dough into four rectangles, spread sauce on each rectangle and sprinkle with cheese and other ingredients. Fold over dough and seal with a fork on all open edges.

Making Pocket Pizzas!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 10-15 minutes. They turned out yummy too!

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A Cocoa Daisy Layout + Card

2.10.2012
LOVES

Just a quick share here before the weekend is upon us!  Here is a layout that I made using some of the add-ons from this months kit.  A pretty easy peasy layout sharing some simple journaling in list format and just one photo.  But that photo is the cutest!  I love that you can see Zoey's little bicep...she's one tough cookie!  And then using the scraps from my layout I put together a simple birthday card as well.

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I hope to have some time this weekend to get creative beyond helping Zoey make her Valentines for her classmates...we'll see how that goes!

Enjoy a wonderful and warm weekend!  It's chilly here where I am...perhaps that's why I was in the mood to bake this cake today after school.  All I know is that right now the house smells divine, I'll have to let you know how it turned out after I'm able to try it this evening, I have a feeling that it's not going to last long though!

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Free Knitting Pattern for Dolls

2.08.2012
Handmade Doll Outfit made by Grandma Sue

I just wanted to quick share this beautiful (and free) pattern for American Girl sized doll clothes.  Zoey got a package in the mail today from my mom and inside was this beautiful outfit that she hand knit using this pattern that I had sent her awhile back.  It looks like I'll have to find some more patterns online to share with her because Zoey and I just adore this outfit to pieces!  My favorite part is the hat, I love the hat!  The skirt is pretty stylin' as well.  Thanks so much mom!

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She did it!

2.05.2012
sledding fun

Zoey and I met some of our friends today in Lake Tomahawk for some sledding.  I was totally expecting to have to go down the hill with Zoey again this year but was totally surprised when she marched up the hill and went down without so much as a backwards glance my way.  That's one thing about her, she may be the last (or one of the last) to try new things or "learn to do" new things but once she's decided to do something, that's it.  It's been that way with riding her bike, riding a scooter, tying her shoes, swimming, you name it.  Kind of like someone else I've been told (thanks for sharing mom and dad).

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The first time she went down she used our orange runner sled and it didn't go too fast, or fast at all really, so she opted to try her friend's saucer sled the next time around.

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She now wants a saucer sled.  It is so very fast and spins her around and around.  Tonight before bed she said to me, "Mom, when you were little and you went sledding, about half way down the hill did you get scared for just a little bit of a second?"

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I am so proud of her and so happy that she got to experience this little breakthrough with friends and that I too was along to witness it.  Perhaps next it will be tubing down the snow hill at Winter Park...I know she would love it!

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Now to share my favorite photo from the day...she landed in the bales of hay just once, and I just happened to be there to document it for her.  Of course!  :)

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I love it!

Such a beautiful and perfect day all around.  Thankful for weekends like this that I get to spend loving my girl.

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today

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.
e. e. cummings

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today...

2.04.2012
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was a great day to spend swimming at our local water park with good friends! Zoey and I had so much fun and both of us were tuckered out by dinner time. She was fast asleep by 7:30 (which hasn't happened in quite some time) and I'm on my way to join her in her slumber shortly I'm sure. What a great way to spend the day!

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Valentine's Day Mailbox

2.01.2012
Valentine Mailbox

I had some fun creating with the February kit for Cocoa Daisy this past weekend and I altered a chipboard mailbox that I had using bits from the kit and the add-on, Count the Ways. This is the first project that I've made for Zoey that she's actually been itching for me to finish so that she could have it in her little hands to do with it what she pleased. That tickled my heart. We're going to use it for her Valentine's of course for Valentine's Day and then afterwards it will be used for special little notes and reminders, little gifties and for "real" mail as well. She's already got a special spot for it in her bedroom. Makes me happy!

Have a great week!

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