{ ♥ }

We made another girls trip to Tri-cities. 

This was the one and only crooked picture I took

when we went out to eat at the Olive Garden.

I love all these women in this photo.

Each has shaped me into who I am today.

They are all so amazingly awesome. 

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{ Girl's Trip With a Side of Ledger }

 With Addison's 8th Birthday coming up we decided it was time to get her ears pierced,

So we made a trip to Tri-Cities. We went to town with Aunt Jean & Ali

and went to Claire's to get the job done. 

She was so nervous, but lived to tell the tale!

I love that my Aunt still does photo bombs. I love my Aunt Jean!

After all the shopping we went out for lunch. 

This kiddo just makes me laugh

this is how he waited for his fries. 

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{ Georgia Day 2 }

So today I've spent most of my time stitching and it's coming along slowly but surely....

And while Lloyd did a bunch of this in the master bath....

 Tia & I picked up the kids from school and then ran to Target where I finally got my hot little hands on this most prized possession for the kids, I mean Corbin & Addison... :)

Can I just tell you how much I love Target!!

I so wish we had one back home, but maybe it's a good thing we don't otherwise my checking account would be in trouble.

Here are my spoils from yesterday, I love Hobby Lobby and their 50% off all fall decor!! 

Time to call the kids, so I better run! 
Sorry for boring post, tomorrow should be more eventful, but I'm trying to stay connected with my kiddo's and this is the best way, well that and my cell phone. 
Goodnight!!!

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{ A Hop, Skip & A Jump }

Okay & some dress info, but before all of that ,we are officially in Adairsville, Georgia!! We arrived yesterday and already Lloyd & his brother have installed carpet in his living room and now they are working on some tiling in the master bathroom. 

SOOO while the boys worked my SIL Tia & I made the pilgrimage to Hobby Lobby and of course Wal-Mart to buy those few things I forgot to pack like Q-Tips & Shampoo.

I'm posting these pictures for my fab 5 

(hi Jentry,Parker,Brinley,Corbin & Addison!) because I told them I would and second to prove to my husband that even on a semi-vacation he is still working!!! The man logged onto his work network at every airport we were at, he is such a work-a-holic. Does this come as a surprise to me? Yeah not so much!

See Addison I was on "your" plane! :)

Okay now about the charm pack dress I made for Addison.

 The last time I was in Tri-cities visiting my mom, I ran into one of my old grade school friends sister Jessica from Handy Pants at church & she had the cutest dress on her little girl. (sorry that was a mouth full)

When I asked her where she got it she said that she made it! After I got home I got on good ol' facebook and asked her where she got the pattern.

So here is the lowdown:

Charm Pack Dress Tutorial from Sew Inspired
 Inspiration from Jessica!

I loved Jessica's version so much that I even bought the same fabric charm pack, it just screams girly!

TIP: when I made Addison's dress I sewed together 4 rows of 11 squares, this is what Sew Inspired uses for a 2t but I found it worked great for Addison who is in a FIRM 3T.

Well I better run I have kids that I need to call!

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{ Boise Here We Come! }

The Mister and I are leaving this afternoon to go here

Where I get to take Wedding pictures at this beautiful temple

Of this super cute couple on Saturday

Lucky for us my parents are on the way right now and have offered to take care of our fab 5 while we are away. It will be nice to get away with the hubster and have some kid free time together. I think we may even go to the Olive Garden and do a little light shopping. Everything will be great as long as my flu like symptoms don't return.

I better get my bags packed and make sure my camera gear is all together.
Have a FABULOUS Weekend.
Total Side note:
My 12 yr old rocks today, he has vacuumed the house and is now cleaning the kitchen all without being asked & now Brinley is loading the dishwasher.
I love my kids!!

PS. Mimi Sue I think you're rubbing off on me :)

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{ Retreat & A Scripture Bag }

I totally forgot to post about this cute scripture bag that I made for Brinley, so here it is. It's not perfect I didn't really use much of a pattern just some measurements. I think it turned out okay for my first try.

I got the idea from my awesome bloggy friend Shauna.
Yes, her bags are what mine is supposed to look like, but what are you gonna do. :) Check out her blog she comes up with the cutest stuff and her kids are all so dang cute,

Today I will be driving through this beautiful City (Spokane) on my way to Idaho to have a Retreat with my girlfriends!

 My mom is staying here with my kids THANKS MOM and I won't be home until Monday night LATE! 
I'm sooooooo looking forward to spending time as Rachel and not Mom for a while. I have the most awesome group of girlfriends, we laugh, scrap & eat (not in that order) till the wee hours in the morning.

And this is my destination.

Don't you just feel sorry for me now?

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{ Dating Ikea }

That's right I have a date with our "Local" Portland Oregon IKEA TOMORROW!!! I figure our date will start between 12 or 1, gotta love that 4 hour drive. :)

No kids, only my Mom & I then I am making a stop to visit one of my best-est friends "Ellen" whom I haven't seen in years!! I'm leaving early in the morning so I better get some shut eye!

Now where did I put that GPS????

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{ I’m Up To My Eye Balls }

In Pressed Peonies, But I don’t think I would have it any other way! Sorry that I’ve been a bit M.I.A. I have been trying to get ready for my Kid Free Retreat and filling numerous Etsy orders has kept me busy, well those things and the 5 kids running a muck through my house. Plus my Brother David & his family are coming from Utah to stay the night with us tonight. 

If you want to make your own fabric flowers I use 

THIS TUTORIAL. 

You can change up how the flower looks with your pleating.

I will be driving to Hayden Idaho on Thursday where I get to hang with my AWESOME Gal Pals and we are going to:

1.Eat at a real Restaurant that doesn’t offer a happy meal – AKA The Olive Garden.

2. Shop at a fun Scrapbook store.

3. Scrap until our eyeballs fall out or we run out of adhesive (which ever comes first)

4. Stay up till the wee hours in the morning laughing so hard that our sides hurt, thanks to some DVD’s I like to call FRIENDS.

5. Drink far too many of my Specialty Dr.Pepper cream drinks.

6. Maybe do a little Kayaking on Hauser Lake.

7. Just simply have a FABULOUS TIME!

It’s going to be a great weekend. And even though I am looking forward to some serious kid free time I know I’m going to miss my kiddo's faces.

But don’t tell my husband that. ;)

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{ I Can Hardly Wait }

This is where I get to go in June, it's also where I get to scrapbook with my girls until the wee hours of the morning.. And look at that view!

This is my Aunt & Uncles lake house in Idaho, they generously let us family members use it while they are on their 2 year Mission, they have been called to be the directors of the Mormon handcart historical sites, I know they are doing an amazing job.

Right now the house is nearing the end of construction they have added on to it. It's been 3 years since I have been there & I'm excited to see all the changes!

Shauna & Calie I'm a coming!!

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{ Road Trip }

Yes we are leaving for the weekend to visit the Tri-Cities! 
The boys will be watching this tonight, they are beyond excited....

We girls on the other hand plan on doing a little shopping. 
I've been to 2 monster truck shows in support of the boy's in my house, 
I feel I've paid my dues.
Well, I gotta run I'm still trying to pack and the hubby just came home. 
Have a great weekend!! :)

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{2009}

Well 2009 has started off with a bang! 
We got another 8 inches of snow (now it's raining) then this morning at 4:30 a.m. Parker informed me that he felt like he was going to puke, and he did I guess he ate too much junk food last night :) 
Then at 6:10 a.m. our power went out, it was only out maybe an hour so it wasn't too bad. But when I got up this morning I had this gnawing feeling that if this is how the new year is going to start off whats the rest of the year going to be like? Should be a fun ride.

Now I need to do some flight of the bumble bee packing, we are headed to my parents today, my cousin Sarah who I took engagement pics for a while back is having her wedding reception in Tri-Cities so off we go!

Should be a fun quick trip. We'll be back on Saturday only to have Lloyd turn around on Sunday & leave me for 4 days while he goes to Texas for work stuff. Should be a flaming good time being a single mom of 5 and all..... Anyway I'll be back later!

Hope everyone had a great New Years Eve last night! Happy 2009!

Ps. The Christmas tree got "put down" on December 29th. May she rest in peace. ;)

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{Things We Did In Tri-Cities}

We played with a little play dough...

Played on our little water park, well the other kids not la' baby...We heard no evil, saw no evil & spoke no evil...

And apparently Addison is short for ''Addiction'' as she was introduced to Milky Way Midnight bite sized candy bars... Thanks Grandma. :)

This shot taken just before the sugar coma set in...

Lloyd installed new vinyl in my parents el' bathroom...

He also installed this nice new entry, as it was just carpet before. He's ever so handy...

And Lloyd & I were able to go here while my folks babysat...

Then we took the kids here on the way home so they could see it.....

And of course one more, cause I'm their mom and I can... Okay & one of just me so I could prove that I was really on this little trip. And yes I asked to have my photo taken because they are going to need some form of photo documentation to hang by my casket when I die. Don't you just love my round fat Turkish woman face & old lady Relief Society arms? I so still/will/always & forever loath pictures of myself....

Alright I did do a little more than that on our quick trip, I did manage to finish the kids school shopping the only thing I have left to buy is backpacks. I DID NOT get to go to the fabric store (blasphemy) which meant I didn't get to smell all the cotton (still sad about that). Oh well enter online shopping, I also made a furniture purchase that I will introduce later (thank you value village, I just love a bargain with potential).

Oh and yes my baby has a black eye, that's what happens when one tries to climb up the back of a ladder back chair. Needless to say the chair won......

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Because He's Grandpa That's Why!

Well as you can tell that's not me feeding my 7 1/2 month old daughter Cola soda (caffeine free). Tisk, tisk Grandpa.......But you know what, She LOVED it! I better watch this girl, gotta keep her off the sauce.

Okay enough with the photo intro, the kids and I are in Tri-Cities visiting my parents. This is the only time I could get up here before soccer starts and before our vacation to the Oregon coast. So we came up yesterday and will be going home Monday. We have been visiting and also doing a little retail shopping.

I had to get myself to a scrapbook store and restock my supplies because I am having a scrapbook getaway as soon as we get back from the beach and I mean as soon as. My lovely little friend Shauna is coming from Idaho and She, Bridget, Myself & whoever else wants to join us are going to scrapbook until our eyeballs fall out. Should be a blast I can't wait. Well time to get my kiddies to bed. It's been a long exhausting day shopping. Don't you just feel sorry for me? Just kidding! Later.

Note to self: Addison's top left eye tooth broke through today. 6 teeth total: 4 top, 2 bottom.

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Monster Trucks & Easter Eggs.

We are off on an impromptu trip to Tri-Cities so the boys can go to a Monster Truck Show tonight, (they are so excited they so love those big trucks) then we will be spending Easter with my parents and coming home early Monday morning. 
So while to boys are sucking exhaust fumes from overly large trucks, Brinely & Addison my Mom and I will be shopping. It should be a fun fast trip. Well I better get back to packing Lloyd will be home in 2 hrs and I am not even remotely ready. Hope everyone has a great Easter Sunday!

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And We're Back!

We made it home last night a little after 7:00. It was such a long day yesterday. And of course little Miss Addison was nothing like the trip going, where she slept the entire time. Coming home was lots of crying and NO SLEEPING. Crazy girl. We did get to take the kids to Chuck-E-Cheese's to play for about an hour. They always have fun there. We made it home with the van, now Lloyd has another project to add to his 4 page to do list. There's really more to the story err I'm mean trip but I'd rather not sit here and type it all out. I really need to clean my house. The car threw up our trip and now it's all sitting in my dining room/kitchen. So must get cracking.

Sitting down for Sunday dinner.

Okay the Amish Bread recipe makes VERY YUMMY ROLLS. The five craziesThis is what Addison does all day long, She's a hand eater..

My Grandma Merrill with my Fab 5. I was glad to get a picture of them with their Great Grandma. Plus my grandma is so fiery, she cracks me up. Parker took this Picture at my Grandmas' thought this was a very cool drawing of the the New Presidency

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