a not-by-me giveaway

do you want this?

because i do.

i want one in greens/pinks/browns.

check out the quilt giveaway at this FUN site.

omaha review and seasons

cousin kara with her paisley cousin kyle and his new
girlie-friend

goodbye summer shoes

hello winter boots

pleased to meet you fall

the best i could do

it's hard to decorate a home that's not yours.

since we are living with my momma, my HALLOWEEN decorations just don't feel quite right.

but i tried:

the mantle

entrance table

lei-copied pumpkins

she's amazing. check her out.

                      

                  my favorite spooks                             isn't this the coolest tree stump?

the front porch

a letter to the future

to my children:

do you know what your father did for me last night? after a long week, and a stressful one approaching, he planned a relaxing evening for me. i walked in the door from omaha and the house was spotless. he put the boy to bed as i showered and folded laundry while i nursed the girl to sleep. when you were all tucked into bed, he turned down the lights of our clean room, lit a plethora of candles, and even played some of my favorite music from coldplay and azure ray. and then, he gave me the best massage of my life. from my toes to my head, he kneaded out every bit of stress. he tickle-scratched my back and arms. it was pure bliss to feel so loved. i got teary as my emotional and physical well was being filled to the rim by my caring husband. as i tried to let every thought drift from my mind, one stayed: i love this man. 

to my girl(s): marry a man that will do this for you.

to my boy(s): do these things for your wife.

if nothing is going right in my life, at least i know i have this rock; my husband. 

and yes: marrying him was the best decision of my life.

my anti-depressant

today was one of those days.

as i laid down to nap, i couldn't sleep;

i was too busy feeling sorry for myself.

i officially labeled myself as depressed as i listed the "poor me's"

i miss austin and my sisters

i miss having money

i miss my brother

why is my child being a spawn

i want new clothes that fit

i want this hat

when will nIE wake up

when will i ever be done with school

when will david ever be done with school

i want to go out on a date without worrying about money

i miss my old ward

etc...

etc...

etc...

after Mr. Pruett tried everything to cheer me up, 

i finally decided to make sugar cookies.

my two boys helped make the batter and david even helped me frost them. 

(with exceptional frosting skills i might add.)

and then we watched the office.

these two were the perfect anti-depressant.

but don't worry; i'll still pop the prozac on my nightstand tonight.

for jennifer

i was waiting for class to begin while chatting with my sis on the phone.

that's when i saw her.

my description over the phone could not do her justice.

so each day, i would take my camera to class a little early and set up shop.

i would discretely pull out my camera around the same corner i saw her 

and pretend to be looking at pictures.

my plan was to shoot as soon as she appeared.

each day i brought my camera, she was a no-show.

i finally figured out her new pathway to class.

so over a month later, i finally got my shot.

here she is:

the human feline

sorry this isn't the best picture jennifer, but i was undercover.

do you get it now? 

a long furry red tail.

everyday, she wears it.

this poses some questions in my

 mind such as:

how is it attached?

does she hold it up when she uses the ladies room?

or does she have a litter-box at home?

does she sit at her desk with it between her legs?

does she lick it?

any other question come up for ya'll out there?

one sick child

the boy has been sick over the weekend. 2 words:

not

fun

it got so bad that we had to miss church on sunday to take him to a walgreens clinic. 5 hours (yes, that's FIVE) later, he was diagnosed with an ear infection. 24 hours later he was feeling better from the antibiotics. 48 hours later is another story. nightmare. as i was struggling to convince him to let me put his pajamas on, he was screaming and thrashing away from me.

light bulb moment:

who cares if he sleeps in his clothes?

note to self: let him win this battle. there will be plenty more.

a cousin and some hoodlums

dearest cousin,

you are undoubtedly the most gorgeous in the family.

thanks for coming to visit and squishing paisley.

i hope she grows up to be as beautiful and sweet as you.

i love you kara!

love shay

visit kara here

my lil' rugrats

corners of a home: part 2

presenting:

corners of a (swedish) home

kelly is an au pair for an adorable swedish family.

kelly is now obsessed with swedish design.

kelly reads magazine after magazine of swedish design. 

these are her favorite corners of their swedish abode.

the dining room lights

the kitchen

always graced with fresh flowers

a sweet little nook off the kitchen

the orange room

                         a peach tree                                                             klara's room

      

                             the craft room                                                  the lake

                              

the indoor sauna

how cute is my kelly?

and how cute are "her" kids?

casper, sixten, and klara

what is your favorite corner of this swedish home?

mrs. palin

i had my second dream last night about sarah palin.

the first one:

i ran into her & her hubby at target with my mom & sister. we started talking 

and quickly became best friends. i told her about my life,

 she told me about hers, la ti da de do...

our carts just stood in the candy isle while her husband held the baby.

the second one:

we were fighting about something. i can't remember what though. 

don't worry; it was totally a BFF sort of fight.

2 dreams? 

it must be a sign.

that's it! i'm voting for the lady.

4 things

<1>

kelly has convinced me.

i'm keeping them and proud of it.

because it was raining, i got to wear my hunters to school.

can you believe my dr. laura-ish professor complimented me?

i was so flattered.

<2>

paisley has started solids.

and boy does she love them.

a girl who loves food.

she must be mine.

<3>

i watched a show tonight.

it was called our 27 kids. these people are amazing. they have 4 bio kids and have 

adopted 23 others all with special needs. and get this...

they love their life.

makes me think twice about complaining when my kids act up.

<4>

a mystery.

this photo snuck onto my camera. who took this i ask myself?

it happened while i was in austin.

my suspicions lead me towards carlos.

am i right?

what do you think this is a picture of?

where my time flies

time has seemed to have gone missing.

i find it hiding in this book.

i have been preparing for my nursing entrance exam that 

i will take at the end of this month.

this TEAS test will be the end of me i think.

i find that when i am under pressure, i tend to play this game with time. for instance... i need to study this manual for 2 hours a day, so my mind is also telling me that i "need" to: 

sew

cook

clean

garden

create

blog surf

clean some more

create some more

&

write thanks you notes

all right now.

i have perfected this trick of talking myself out of studying because i "have" so many other things to do that are more important.

and so my weekend included:

starting a quilt for whom i know not 

i let the boy help me backstitch by pushing the button when i say so.

he follows direction so well. sometimes.

gardening

(at least this duals as fun parenting, since i let the boy play in leaves while i weed.

yes! 2 birds with 1 stone!)

with all of these games and trickery, you'd think i'd make 

time to pluck my eyebrows!

does anyone else have this problem?

not the eyebrows.

the under pressure game?

letters to the bedroom

dearest Mr. Pruett

happy 26th birthday.

here are 26 of the many reasons why i LOVE you.

1. for all the techy favors you do for me and the fun you have doing it.

2. for your patience with me, our children, and just in general.

3. because you let me warm my feet up with yours every night...aka: footsie.

4. because you want a bazillion children .

5. because you made me an oreo shake when we were engaged

and i was really stressed out with school.

6. because you took me to thai whenever i wanted when we were dating.

7. because you were really hot when we were dating.

8. because you're still really hot.

9. because many balloons were involved in your proposal.

10. because you unclog toilets for me (close to slaying dragons.)

11. because you play basketball like a balla!

12. because you are creatively inclined.

13. for watching cartoons with the boy.

14. for loving my body no matter the size or stretchmarks.

15. because you married me here.

16. for attending a political forum with me on your birthday.

17. for loving our family just as much as i do.

18. because you love to watch movies in bed with me.

19. for tickling my back when i beg you to.

20. for working so hard for our family.

21. for wanting to marry me after i explained what you were getting yourself into.

22. for being the best dad to our son.

23. for being the best dad to our daughter.

24. because you have a strong testimony of the gospel.

25. because you can never tell a lie.

26. for adoring me.

i love you david.

forever.