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