Little Rocker!

Ava was rockin' out with the new Barbie guitar. She was smiling & jumping - too cute!
--Nani

Santa Picture

Here is this year's Santa picture! Hilarious!

1st Round

Here's the picture from my cell phone (I post most things from my cell so forgive the poor quality). I attempted to chalk the blue mounting paper using Kyra's birthday chalk from IKEA! I have no idea what I'm doing, but I like the effect. I wanted the paper to stand out a little more behind the Heather Bailey paper. I just LOVE her stuff! I also tried a little stamping with my new purchases from Tall Mouse & Strictly Scrapbooking in Cerritos.

Here's the card in my completed goodie bin! I finished 2 headbands using some extra Hello Kitty fabric, this time using fusible fleece to add thickness & structure to it. My favorite part is the topstiching. I think it added a quality finish to the headband. I can't wait to see it on!

I had fun making this card...I can't wait to start the next!
--Nani

More Ideas Brewing

So fun!
--Nani

Work In Progress

Since money is tight, I'm going the homemade heartfelt route. These are made with lots of love!
--Nani

Christmas Time...

We got the tree decorated! Yaaay!
--Nani

Announcement...Teeth...Run...Firetruck...

It is my pleasure to introduce to you my youngest & newest niece, Cruz Hokula'ela'eikealalani Koepke! My sister asked me to do the birth announcements again (this is her 4th and final addition) and I convinced her to splerge on the Complete BE Collection by Sweet Genevivie's Designs. I knew that with 4 kids, she'll need some variety for coming year! I had another version (or 2 or 3...) using a dark brown background to add more "drama" and take away from the busy-ness of the background. Maybe I'll post it up later. For now, the final print...to come via UPS Ground anydayyyyy noooooow.




Here's the back...and my favorite picture. She just looks so comfy & she just wanted to be held by her mama. I took the pics so the pressure was on to get some good shots! Babies just do what they want & are not so reliable to be happy when you remove them from their very warm & snuggly spot! Luckily, my sis was able to nurse her between position changes & setting up pillows. That kept the little chunkers happy so we could keep going. There were a lot of cute pictures and never enough room on the postcard for all of them!

Ava's new teeth are almost cutting through...I can see them coming & taking shape in her gums...ready to pop open! She's been extra fussy and needing lots of extra love & attention (it runs in the family)! I took her out in the backyard today & it calmed her down. She especially likes to hear the birds flying by & makes a point to talk to me about it. She is signing more and more words all the time. It's amazing how quickly kids absorb information.

Thankfully, Kyra has been well doing much better when we (especially me) are more patient with her & take time to really listen to her. She wants to be heard! Makes me think of Dr. Seuss's, Horton Hears a Who - "a person's a person no matter how small!"

I found some great stress relief today by just packing up the girls in the double stroller & going for a jog in my neighborhood. I didn't go for a 3 mile run or anything crazy...just a jog on my normal walk-around- the-neighborhood route. Kyra was on edge before we left, so I didn't want to walk...just RUN! She started seeing some Christmas decorations & got excited. Yaaaay! Ava was enjoying the fresh air, Kyra was happy & I felt good too. I felt so good that I ran to a nearby preschool that I want to enroll her in.

We zipped over to the school & Kyra was so interested in the kids & especially the playground. She made a point to tell me about the slide she saw. Then, as we were talking in front of the school, a firetruck pulls up & stops in front of us! Kyra had her mouth open & didn't know what to say. My little chatterbox couldn't get ONE word out of her mouth...or ONE sign either! It was pretty cool (and overwhelming too). It was big and loud and a bunch of firemen jumped off when it stopped. I can't exactly blame her. All that was great, but maaaaan that double stroller is heavy and sooooo hard to manuver! I think I get the best workout when I'm running with them. I use my core muscles like never before!

Lastly...

I got this great quote in my email today. Surrender means the decision to stop fighting the world, and to start loving it instead. It is a gentle liberation from pain.
—Excerpted from A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles


Nice! See the good...be the change you want in the world...breathe...be.

--Nani

Ric Rac Bulletin Board

Another crafty project done! This is the new flannel I got on Black Friday.
--Nani

Progress Picture

Friends & family have been commenting on my recent weight loss. I tell them that it didn't happen on accident! After having 2 kids, I dreamt about fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothes again. I had been wearing my maternity clothes for months after Ava was born talk about depressing! I refused to buy any new clothes at that weight. I got bags of hand-me-downs from my mom. That's when I got MAD! I cut back on the portions & junk food to start but the real change came with sweat. I bought my neighbors inline skates for 5 bucks at a garage sale and started 'strollerblading' with my girls. Then I started getting up at 6 am to get my exercise.
--Nani

Progress & Reward

Kyra & Ava went to my in-laws today. We had a rocky morning with 1 minor meltdown that was quickly extinguished thanks to our tag team parenting tactics. When I run into a wall with Kyra, I call on Arthur to intercede. It's not ideal, but it has helped. We had a huge success with the bath & pj routine, hence the shameless sweet reward- a chocolate cupcake with a Hello Kitty ring on top.
--Nani

A Tough Day...

My biggest challenge is my 3 year-old daughter Kyra. She has been the toughest little girl to deal with as of late. From whining to kicking & screaming, this girl is testing my every bit of patience. After a meltdown, I am emotionally & physically drained. My 15-month-old, Ava, is usually crying by now as well & my husband is ready to jump out the window of our 2nd-story house. YIKES!!!


I seriously don't know what to do. I have tried all sorts of methods & end up feeling defeated, not to mention the guilt of having a household that is in turmoil. I'm not talking about a couple of fits or a few power struggles. I'm talking about waking up upset & going to bed upset & being upset for the majority of the time in between. I dropped her off to my mother-in-law's house for some relief today, but as soon as I picked her up, the tantrums resumed.


On a positive note, I made it out for my morning jog. I made it all the way (a little more than 3 miles) without stopping! I sprinted at the end for a strong finish. It's been so cold in the mornings that my hands are freezing! My eyes tear up endlessly and am constantly wiping them. I usually start with my jacket on & end up tying it around my waist when I get too hot to wear it anymore. Today I left it on the entire time!


On a crafty note, I finished up the burp cloths for my friend Amy last night. They turned out pretty cute...white flannel trimmed with Heather Bailey Pop Garden brown Sway fabric & pink ric rac. I was going to quilt them but decided not to after all. I also started Heather Bailey's Hooray For Headbands using the same fabric...I'll finish up after posting as crafting is the other stress relief outlet I have (exercising is the first)! Pics to follow soon....hopefully!

Happy Birthday Penny

Before I head off to bed, I want to wish Penny a happy birthday. You're someone I'll never meet, yet still I know you. You've given me strength (a.k.a. "Penny Power) on many occasions. When I think about how tough & crazy things are in my life, I think about your struggles & the determination you embodied in your actions. Happy birthday Penny.

Post 6 AM Run!

I did it...I woke up early & made it out for my run yesterday. I have been so out of my routine of getting up at 6:00 AM and exercising. I was a reluctant early bird but what matters is that I got up & out of bed! I claim that as a victory for me. Kyra was awake when I got home after my run. She was so enthusiastic and encouraging about my run. Did you have a good run mommy? Great job mommy! That was much needed fuel for my tank. She has been extra challenging the past couple weeks. Sometimes I feel completely out of control but when she says stuff like that it just makes me beam.
--Nani

Taco Sauce

Holy taco sauce batman! We counted 80 packets from Taco Bell tonight! My hubby DID say a lot of sauce!
--Nani

Quilted Burpcloth

Arthur suggested that I make my own burpcloths instead of buying them. The lady at Jo-Ann Fabrir store suggested the flannel. I doubled up the fabric, sewed, pressed & turned it out. Then I had the fancy idea to quilt the burpcloth before adding the fabric strip(s). I did okay for my first time but I have so much to learn.
--Nani

Cool Rose

I like to stop & smell the roses when I'm out & about. Here is my pick for the best rose in the neighborhood! It has a strong sweet fragrance & unique coloring. Anyone know what kind of rose this is? I just might have to knock on their door & ask them the next time I go for a walk in the neighborhood.
--Nani

Elephant is DONE...

...but I plan on embellishing it! The ears took me a while to attach...I didn't know how to whipstitch & had to look it up in my library book. I picked up 3 more books today...2 on fabric flowers & 1 on making dolls. I love to create!
--Nani

My mother-in-law got this magazine for me. I wanted to get a newspaper but we didn't go to buy one until after 4 PM. The guy at 7-eleven told Arthur they sold out in the first 30 minutes! I wanted to have a piece of history. I was so moved by the intense sense of hope, unity, healing & restoration of this desperate nation.
--Nani

Disneyland Fun!

Last night I went to Disneyland for free with some moms from my meetus group. We had a blast! Here I am in the back row with my arms up...feeling quite exhilerated. We left our kids at home so we could concentrate on having as much fun as possible with no worries! Yaaaay!
--Nani

Kitty & Sneak Peek

Kyra was so excited to try out her new sewing kit from auntie Chandra. Here is the cute kitty she sewed, stuffed & embellished all by herself! I'm so proud of you my girl! ...behind the kitty is my almost finished mommy elephant! Coming soon... --Nani

Work In Progress

Here is my Mommy Elephant so far. I started the actual sewing tonight. Up to this point I had only cut out the pattern & done some pinning. I attached the minkee underbelly & head insert as well as sewed the trunk. She is taking shape quite nicely! The minkee fabric was pretty slippery so I opted to baste the pieces after pinning for extra stability. It turned out to be a little extra work but well worth the effort...the seams look nice & clean!
--Nani

Trick?

Who said Halloween was over?!
--Nani

Making History!

Kyra did the honors of putting my absentee ballott in the box this morning. She was so excited about voting & kept asking me if she could vote!
--Nani

Election Day!

This morning started off with a walk to 7-Eleven for a cup of joe. I've been undecided about who I will vote for until this morning. I am really hoping for a big change in our country and I think Obama is the man that can do it! I feel so blessed to be a part of this amazing historical election. Vote, vote, vote people...Just Do It!
--Nani

Happy Birthday to me!

Slept in till 9, breakfast in bed, kids at my in-laws all day, iced coffee, trip to Tall Mouse & 5 yards of kick ass fabric... PRICELESS!

I am 32 years-old today and so grateful for all the blessings in my life.

--Nani

Unforgettable Elephant (Mommy)

I got this adorable Elephant doll pattern from Leslie on Thursday night & I couldn't wait to start. I pinned & cut out the pattern yesterday. I love this green & blue paisley fabric and Leslie thought to add red to it. I see some red ric rac in my elephants future! The inside of her ears and her underbelly will be super soft minkee fabric. That was my cool idea! I already want to make more!
--Nani

Minnie Me!

Kyra is all dressed up as Minnie Mouse. She's enjoying the spoils of her efforts...trick-or-treating isn't as easy or as fun as it used to be. Only 2 neighbors actually answered the door to pass out candy!
--Nani

Silly Socks!

Today is Halloween & Kyra dressed herself today! She is so independent and quite sassy...go figure! Ava is offically climbing on all the furniture. She likes to stand on the coffee table!
--Nani

Midnight Sweet Tooth

Look what my hubby made from scratch! Yummm!
--Nani

Finished Project!

Here is a nursing cover I made for my friend Amy. It is Heather Bailey's ''Sway'' fabric from the ''Pop Garden'' line with jumbo pink ric rac (thanks Leslie...great idea girl). I was inspired to try out the HB fabric & loved every minute of sewing with it. What's next?!
--Nani

My Fortune Cookie Says...

Prepare yourself for a change of events in your personal life
--Nani

Spoil Me!

Rose petals & candles leading upstairs to this hot bath & chilled champagne!
--Nani

Beach Fun

Today was a great day with my hubby...NO KIDS! We stopped by Seal Beach & took a nice walk & played around.
--Nani

Yoga Girls!

Booty to booty!
--Nani

Tanaka Farm Pumpkin Patch Irvine

Here is the spread from our adventure today. We picked carrots, green beans, radishes, onions & one Kyra-sized pumpkin she selected from the field. It was hot & challenging but a lot of fun too!
--Nani

New Acquisitions!

Michael Miller & Heather Bailey fabric. I went back to Tall Mouse, despite my girls both having meltdowns. What I do for cool fabric!
--Nani

I'm so grateful for...

Kind act from a stranger of sorts.
--Nani

What to Wear

Kyra likes to pick out her own outfits. Check out the socks too! Funny stuff!
--Nani

Just the Essentials

Running shoes, iPod & pocket knife! All done with my 6 AM-3 mile run!
--Nani

My Crafty Girl

Kyra just loves Storytime crafts!
--Nani

Grateful

I pray not for easier challenges, but for greater strength & clearer vision.
--Nani

BIG Ball!

Kyra got this huge ball from her Auntie Adriana last night. She threw it at Ava, who squealed with joy and promptly kicked it back to her big sister. They are laughing so hard!
--Nani

Small blessings again

3 pairs of shoes for Kyra! Thank you so much!
--Nani

Today's 1st Blessing

This morning we walked & got to watch the sunrise. It was amazing & inspiring. This is Margaret holding up her hands victoriously!
--Nani

My Sweetie

Ava just loves her baby bear. Almost time to mo-moi.

Late Night Antics

Margaret was helping me make more "Sassy and Sweet" clippies last night so I could sell them at the Holiday Bazzar today @ 4 PM. She is wicked with the glue gun...check out the cute clippie she was inspired to make!