Sisterly love

I think this picture is just precious!

The girls are so much fun at this age! 

It's a dance party baby

 took a mini-vacation in the 'ol camper this past weekend and half week. It was tons of fun. Sad it wasn't longer; time went by too quickly!  We just love our camper!  It rained (actually it stormed, at times, severely stormed!) every single day we were there. But it did dry out for a few hours during the day and we had one good beach day that was full of sun! 

One rainy morning the girls and I had a dance party in the camper. We danced to 80s music. Because we're cool.

{Note: when I redesigned my blog I had to remove the videos as embedded objects, instead I'm providing the links!}

Here's the link to the video of girls shaking it: Video link

Isn't that just too funny?  Cracks me up.  They're both so serious at times.  Their faces mean business!

{I can't get the videos sized right on here for some reason.}

Here's Lydia bustin' a move by herself: Video link

Here's the link to Arlene's solo boogie: Video link

I couldn't record any more of Arlene's dancing because I was cracking up!

{Those are the hubby's feet on the couch - he's lying there reading Eclipse! Hah!}

Fabric bracelet

I made a fabric bracelet and I do declare it will be the perfect summer accessory. So light and fun! 

I got the patten here, from V. and Co. Hers is a little more bunchy than mine, I made mine tight. The supplies were simple - strips of fabric scraps and pillow/shade piping cord (found at JoAnn's). It was so easy and took 15 minutes to make - I'm thinking I will be making more! 

Exploding mums and other lovely flowers

I love flowers but I'm not exactly a green thumb.  My thumb is more ... light blue.  I do okay, but I mostly just end up killing things.  I can keep fresh cut flowers alive but outside flowers?  I sorta struggle. I forget to water them, to be honest.  I have found a good solution!  In the fall of '08 I bought eight potted mums and planted them in my flower box. They keep coming back folks!  Last year they were a bit tall and stringy, but check them out this year - sha-BAM!  They are huge!  They're so full!  And I haven't watered them once this year, mother nature's taking care of them for me! I can't wait until they bloom! {Well, to be truthful, I kinda hope that we're not living in the house this fall when they bloom. I can always gawk at them from the road, right?}  They're going to be super pretty when they bloom!

That thing you see there?  In the corner?  I got that at a craft show last weekend. It's a flower made out of plates!

And check out the best buy of a season!  We got these HUGE flower baskets at a local farmer's market. Yay for buying local!  They are so big!  I thought they fit in nicely tucked between our shrubs.

Let's just hope I keep the flowers in the baskets watered and living!  Crossing my fingers!

Etsy Favorite uhh... Thursday!

So yes I've been taking a little break from the 'ol Etsy Favorite Wednesday lists.  This week my blogger pal Amber says oh no, mayday! Where's the list?!  So she filled in for me!  What a sweetie!  Here's her picks!

Says Amber:  Thanks to camping and Wendy, I have gnomes on my mind! Check out these Etsy cuties!  (note from Wendy: camping and gnomes just go hand in hand, I do believe.  Especially when you're as cool as me and have gnome lights ON your camper - yesssss!  Amber has a stuffed gnome like I have pictured in the post below.  Our gnomes are going to live in our campers and I do believe they need their own blog to share their adventures, don't ya think?)

Little Gnomies Embroidery Set

Wendy could totally embroider equally adorable gnomes - she's creative like that. But her craft list is like 600 miles long, so maybe I should get these?  (Nah, I'd wait, you never know, I might embroider up some gnomes for you!)

Gnome Name Print

It doesn't match his room, but I think I'd like to get a BB gnome print.

Hangin with my Gnomies!

If I don't get the gnome print, or even if I do, BB NEEDS this. For realz.

Mushroom Clothesline

I truly have always wondered how gnomes dry their clothes. Now I know.

Gnome Postcard

Just try and tell me you wouldn't smile if I sent you one of these.

Do YOU want to pitch hit on a list?  Send it my way!  I GLADLY accept lists!  Just tell me the Etsy links and why you like the item - I aim for five things each week!

Gnome!

How adorable is this gnome?  Very.  I made him from a printed fabric piece. He's carrying a baby gnome on his back, ha ha!!  He's going to live in our camper.

The thumbs up makes me giggle.

Back view.

Sneaky gnome, hiding in the flowers.

Meet Mr. Moustachioed Monster

Meet Mr. Moustachioed Monster, my newest little creation.  He's made from a linocut block and was hand printed and then stuffed. He's got a moustache. I love moustaches. He's also got vampire teeth. And button eyes. He's a bit odd but I think that's what makes him so endearing. He's for sale in my Etsy shop here.  He has some distinguished cousins in the works who look just like him, except they are darker blue and orange.

I wish I could freeze time right now

We had a wonderful camping trip this past holiday weekend. What made it even more enjoyable is the fact that my kids LOVE camping and they got enjoyment out of every ounce of the weekend. It was fun for us just to watch them have fun!

I was thinking that they are at the perfect age. Being five years old is AWESOME.  The girls are more independent, they're exploring and learning new things too and eager to get out on their own, but yet still need Mommy or Daddy to help them with a few things. They don't worry about a thing. They wear their little bodies out and sleep like rocks. Being outside, playing, running around, drinking juice boxes, eating donuts for breakfast, sitting around the campfire eating peanuts, and swimming = pure delight.

Bike riding is BIG this year.

Happy little bike rider. Safety first with bike helmets, of course. 

Lydia is a good, fast rider. Arlene has gotten much better this year too.

Swinging = fun!

Posing for pictures for Mommy and looking precious = pretty cool.

We walked down to beach and it was so hot and the water was so refreshing that I let them ....

... strip and go swimming in just their undies! They thought I was the coolest mommy ever to allow them to do that. They had SO MUCH FUN.  Constant giggles!

I want to freeze them at this age!  They're just so much stinking fun right now!!