Craft Fair!!!

I'll be going back to my roots tomorrow at the McDonald Elementary Holiday Craft Fair. Not only will strawberrypearl be there, but also cupcakes from the Cupcake Company!!!!

Doors open at 9am and close at 3pm!

Go Ducks!!!

Cookie Contest and Giveaway!!!

My sis-in-law, Kelly, and her friend have a great little food blog over at twolittlechefs.blogspot.com. They are currently doing a cookie contest and the winner will receive something most excellent for their kitchen. So, click here and check it out. You have to email them a cookie recipe by tomorrow night so get clickin'.

WSU Craft Fair

The Annual WSU Craft Fair is starting today and yours truly will be there!!!

Hours are:

Friday 10:00am-8:00pm

Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm

Hope to see you there!

Question?

Speaking of photography...I am looking for a great picture of the Timpanogos Temple. I've been wanting something to use with our wedding pictures and have really wanted to take one myself, but alas, that will not be happening anytime soon. So, does anyone know of or have a great picture of the Timpanogos Temple?

Free Giveaway!!!

Kassy is doing a free giveaway over at Whetten Photography. We had the priviledge of working with Kassy awhile back and I have to say, she was able to capture some of the first family photos of us that I actually like!!! So, yeah for Kassy.

Happy Birthday Seth!

Seth celebrated his 30th birthday at the beginning of the month. We were hoping to have a big shin-dig to celebrate the big 3-0 but the Vandal game scheduled for that day was moved to an evening game because they televised it on ESPNU. So, because we didn't have a party, Melissa was kind enough to make this fabulous cake for Seth. It tasted as good as it looked. It was homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Box cake nothing. This was the real deal! I just so happen to love carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Thanks Melissa.

We had several other parties with family and friends to ring in the big 3-0 so I think everyone else made up for Seth's lovely wife who didn't throw him a party.

Our Family Tree

We had our ultrasound today. You can see I'm a little out-numbered. 15:1 to be exact.

Super Short Notice: CAKE!!!

Dru and Melissa brought a cake over for Seth's 30th birthday last night and since Seth was at the U of I game until late, we'll be eating the cake in an hour. So come on over to our place at Noon if you're in town!!!

Now is your chance!!!

Heidi is at it again. Click here for another chance at winning a piece of heaven!!!
And Jade, thank you thank you thank you. The cupcake was divine!!!

Tasty Giveaway Today!!!

If you are in Moscow click here to enter The Cupcake Company's giveaway today. You won't regret it!!! If you're not in Moscow, go get a rag to wipe up the drool. These cupcakes are divine.

Monday Morning

I slept in today. Seth left for work at 5:30am and I slept in, poor kid. Now that I'm up, I'm wondering what we have to do today. I'm pretty sure there is something to be done (besides vinyl) but I can't remember what. So until then, I just may read this fabulous book I've been working on. I highly recommend it. It's one of those books you could read several times and always learn something new. So, happy Monday! May your schedules be clear!

destined for boys?

I had an appointment a couple of days ago. It was a little too early to find out for sure what we are having, but since the good doc is my uncle, he was kind enough to try. The chord was between the baby's legs...however, I think that I saw a little something that might indicate we're having a boy... we'll find out for sure in five weeks. It's given me something to think about. One of these days I'll post my thoughts on raising boys. It actually is a priviledge. So until then, pray for me and my "priviledged" life.

In vinyl news, I've updated strawberrypearl and am being featured on thegiftcloset.blogspot.com today. Happy Friday!!!

waffle cookies!!!

For those in the MU6 ward, I'll be making waffle cookies for an impromptu get together tonight at 7:00pm at the Creekside Playground. Come on over and visit if you want. Bring a friend too! (You can bring cookies or something else to munch if you want!!!)

Happy Last Day of Summer before School Starts!!!

Weston

Weston had a blast this past week playing with his cousins. They played GI Joes and Lincoln Logs at Grandma and Grandpa's. He got his birthday present, a brand new bike, early so that he could ride around with the cousins. We went swimming, tried to campout until a lightening storm sent him inside, had lots of BBQ's and played Bocce Ball in the backyard. Watching Weston with his cousins this past week reminded me of the fun times we had at my grandparent's house in Warden. It was so much fun!!! Now, it's back to boring mom and the cousins are on their way home. Thanks Braxton and Kanyon for letting Weston tag along all week!

Koper

My sis-in-law took this picture when they were visiting last week. Do you see why he cracks me up?

Fuzzy Brain Syndrome

Lately, I have had an extremely difficult time keeping things together. Life has required way more brain power from me than normal. This could be that it's been a very busy, crazy summer with Seth's work and strawberrypearl. It could be that I have two kids. It could also be that baby #3 will be joining us in February. I'm pretty sure it's the latter. Anyone with remedies, feel free to share.

I must be a little excited about the giveaway. For the past two mornings, Weston has woken up and asked me when the giveaway starts...poor kid.

giveaway

Check out ourbestbites.com for a most excellent giveaway.

A Recommendation

Seth went to Redbox yesterday and came back with this little treat. When it's late at night and I sit down to watch a movie, I usually pass out. But I stayed awake for this one. I loved it! It was actually a good/fun chic flick. So go get it.

Summer Updates

I feel like life is crazy and I haven't posted too much of what we're up to so here it is...

Seth is working with the strength and conditioning coach at the U of I this summer getting the football players in shape for a winning season... Because this job is only for credit and something to build the resume, he is also painting my grandpa's house. I've helped him a little bit when my mom is able to watch the kids. Every couple should paint a house together, you'll learn things about your spouse you would never learn in any other situation.

Weston lives to play baseball like his daddy, this is Seth's softball jersey. A couple of weeks ago, his primary teacher asked him what season it was. She was searching for something along the lines of "spring" or "summer." Weston said, "baseball season." He continues to grow like a weed, last month he grew an inch.

Koper reached that fabulous age of 18 months and on Mother's Day went to his first day of Nursery. This is a picture of him before church.

And, this is him after his first day of nursery on the way home from church.

He cracks us up. A couple of months ago, when things were super busy and crazy and I was trying to keep it all together, he walked up to me with his arms stretched out and said, "I wuve you" and gave me a huge hug. He kind of sounded like Scooby-Doo and it made me melt. I've tried to get him to say it again but he won't. I think Heavenly Father helps us out during those crazy times by giving us experiences like this.

And, as for me...it's pretty much the same ol', same ol'

I've added custom tees and onesies to my vinyl collection. It has been a lot of fun. I'm in the middle of revamping my website. My website will always be a work in progress... I'd much rather do vinyl than a website. I've been doing a booth at Farmer's Market on the Saturdays that we're in town and not too busy. That's been fun. I've learned that I love creating custom pieces rather than mass producing signs. I've met some interesting people and have been working on some fun orders. I just updated my vinyl blog with a few of my favorites, feel free to check it out. Hope everyone is doing well. Happy Summer!

blogging help

Does anyone care to share how I might go about creating a three column blog?

Stephanie's Cakes

So that I don't take all the credit for the cake, my sister-in-law Stephanie is the real mastermind behind it all, I was just her lovely assistant. For more of Stephanie's beautiful cakes check out her blog, she's fabulous.

Tommy & Rachel's Wedding

Seth's brother got married yesterday in the Seattle temple!!! I think the best part was how happy Rachel looked. As long as the bride is happy, all is well. The second best part was that my sister-in-law Stephanie and I were able to pull off the cake. There were some loopy tense moments as we decorated the cake into the wee hours of the night at the Jones's bagel deli. I almost cried the next morning as I realized what we were attempting, but I held it together. I don't think I'll do it again any time soon... Rachel chose lemon and lime as her theme and colors and I really liked how the yellows and greens came together.

Congrats Tommy and Rachel!!! And Rachel, welcome to the crazy Jones family, someday we won't seem so crazy... well maybe, but probably not...

ICE CREAM!!!

For anyone who is reading this instead of taking their Sunday nap...

WE HAVE ICE CREAM!!!!
(thanks to the Kimbers!!!)

We'll be sharing the wealth at 6:00pm, just a half hour away.
Grab a friend and head on over to the playground at Creekside.

P.S. I believe one tub is mint and the other is cookies and cream.
I just realized you'll need to bring your own bowl and spoon.

Happiness

I found this when I was downloading some pictures off the camera just now.

On Friday, Seth and I celebrated our fifth anniversary. Seriously, it's been five years! Yesterday, I went to my little cousin's bridal shower and as she described how she and her fiance met, it was fun to think back on how Seth and I met and our little story. We lived in the same apartment complex that Seth's brother and sister-in-law managed. Seth was working for his brother doing the maintenance. I noticed him because he was always singing. One night, I had had enough of trying to make eye contact with him and invited him and his friend to go get Maverick ice cream. The next day, our ward was having a luau and he wasn't so sure if he was coming. I told him he better show up wearing a grass skirt. My roommate and I spent that next day trying to find a grass skirt. He had also searched around and was able to find a grass skirt. After that, we were hooked. As we decided to get married, we knew it was right because it felt right, like we had known each other forever (cheesy I know, but it did.) I'm amazed at how much we've grown in the past five years. We can both be knot heads and are rather stubborn. But we're making it work. We had the chance to make a very quick trip to Seattle this past week, something we seem to be doing every month. While car rides are not my favorite, I do enjoy them for the simple fact that the kids are strapped in and usually asleep. It gives Seth and I a chance to catch up. Through our road trip conversations I've realized that even though life is crazy and we are poor college students right now, I am happy. Truly happy. I love our little family and who we are becoming. The Lord has always blessed us and I am excited to see what's coming our way.

Happy Easter

Weston was so excited for Easter! He kept talking about it all week and asked if each new day was Easter. He loved hunting for eggs at the Stake Easter Carnival and then dying eggs at Grammy and Grampy Zirker's house today. Does anyone know if egg dye comes out of clothes?

Which One?

I'm not a huge fan of editing photos. I'm okay with cropping them and maybe someday I'll explore Photoshop, but I really like leaving pictures as they are. I do however, waiver between color and black and white. What do you think? Which one do your prefer?

and back to reality...

With the craft fair over, and everyone regaining their health, I've been trying to review my schedule for tomorrow and the upcoming week to see what has to get done. It seems, I just might have time to fold the laundry that Seth has been doing and maybe even scrub the floors. Normally this wouldn't be too exciting, but I'm kind of excited to get back to reality. I even want to scrub the walls and the cracks in the door jambs, not to mention the top of my refrigerator. We'll see what the week brings...

Shadows...

Seth took Weston to Yakima this weekend to watch his brother play baseball. Which left this little guy home with me. And look what's on the floor behind him? A shadow. And what creates shadows? Sunshine. Even if it was only for a very brief moment, we did enjoy some sunshine yesterday.

Random Thoughts

Two very random thoughts for all ya'lls....

1. Is it ironic that my children created nothing but a circus during today's sacrament meeting in which we happened to be sitting behind the speakers who spoke on "reverance during sacrament meeting"? I'm sure their talks could have been on a completely different topic but all I kept hearing was how our actions shouldn't disrupt others from enjoying sacrament meeting.

and on a completely different topic...

2. Why is everyone focusing on the fact that LeAnn Rimes had an affair? Don't they know that it takes two to tango and that the other tango-er is also married? So, isn't he also having an affair? What do you think? Is it because she's a woman? Or, is it because she is the bigger celebrity? Double standard? It's just been bugging me, so I had to ask...

Accepted!

Growing up, my family always went to the Arts and Crafts Fair at the Beasley Coliseum in Pullman. The vendors always had fun little handmade toys and I loved the blown glass. Well, I recently found out they are doing a WSU Mom's Weekend Crafts Fair and applied for a booth. As a late entry, I wasn't sure if they were going to have room or even accept my products. But it's official, I got my letter of acceptance yesterday!!! I am so excited.

The fair is Friday, April 3rd and Saturday, April 4th. So, if you'll be in the area, come see our booth. My friend Heather from Creatively Kept will be joining me. She creates fabulous custom photo albums, so check her out!

In the meantime, for the next two weeks I will be going crazy creating products. So, if I seem a little off my rocker this is why. If you come over and my house is a little more crazy than it already is and my kids have vinyl in their hair, just look the other way.

Apparently, I'm not very boring...

Happy St. Patrick's Day

A sample of what we'll be making this Saturday for our St. Patrick's Day crafts.

Can you guess my favorite color??? I love green, bright kelly green!!!

I want a garden...

I've been craving a garden lately so Weston and I planted some seeds the other day. I was going for wheat grass, but the nursery I went to didn't have any, so we got a mixture of grasses. We'll see what develops.

strawberrypearl projects

I recently updated my vinyl blog with some projects I've been working on. This is one of my favorites. You can see more projects at strawberrypearlstudios(dot)blogspot(dot)com.

While Seth was at school yesterday, I decided we should take a quick trip to IKEA in Seattle this weekend to pick up some items for vinyling. I packed our bags, topped the car off with gas and gently persuaded Seth to say yes to my plan when we picked him up from school. He eventually did and last night we dined on IKEA meatballs. We also got to enjoy a fabulous breakfast and brown bag lunch from his family's Bagel Deli before heading back to Moscow. Some may call me crazy...but the 28 hour trip was totally worth it.

Off to School!

Weston and I went to visit my mom's classroom this past week. Weston loves "going to school" and was so excited to pack his own lunch and spend time with the big kids. He even got to use his Spiderman "packbag" or backpack, whichever you prefer...

Valentine Craft Fun

We'll be getting together next Thursday for some crafting fun.

If anyone is interested let me know.

What I'm working on...

My cousins wanted me to cut vinyl stick figures of their kids as a Christmas gift for their mom to put on her car. So, the very talented Eric Limburg (my cousin-in-law) designed the cutest stick figures for me to cut. I have since been developing a line for my website and using them as birthday gifts. This one was for my niece who turned 5 today! We went bowling for her birthday.

While we were bowling, I was reminded of a date I once went on with this really weird guy who thought he was all that. As we were putting on our bowling shoes, he mentioned that he didn't like losing to girls. So, I made sure to thoroughly school him. I couldn't have been happier. It makes me giggle just thinking about it. My mom said I should have let him win, but seriously, he needed the experience. Sadly, I have yet to beat my husband in a game of bowling. But I do play a mean game of chinese checkers.

Merry Christmas to Me!!!

My husband has redeemed himself from Christmas's and Birthdays past.

He can sleep peacefully now. While I photograph our little world...

The Sound of Rock 'N Roll

The other day Weston decided to make this box into a drum, a very loud drum. When I asked him to stop because it was too loud he said, "That's the sound of rock 'n roll, Mom."

P.S. The box also doubles as a present that he wraps and unwraps each morning with painters tape and his scissors. He always makes sure to use lots of tape and puts it under the tree once it's wrapped.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

We did these for a mini enrichment a little bit ago. I just finished mine tonight. I love how cute and easy they are.

vinyl for all ages

Weston really wanted to create a block to take to his Grammy Jones. He painted with his watercolors, we did the vinyl together and then he had to sand the edges for that distressed look.

I caved...

We went to Seattle for Thanksgiving and to distract myself during the drive, I decided to read Twilight. I was half tempted to start reading the series last time we were in Seattle, but held strong until last week. Now I have not only read the first, second and half of the third book, but I also went to see the movie with my sis-in-law while in Seattle. What has come of me???
Have no fear, I am still holding strong and have not, nor do I intend to, read Harry Potter. Blasphemy to some. I know.

Koper's Birthday!

Koper wasn't so sure of this whole birthday thing. This is where he hid when it came time to opening presents. He eventually warmed up to the idea of unwrapping his gifts.

I decided that since Koper is named after a city in Slovenija where Seth served his mission, I would do a globe theme for his cake. Slovenija is near Italy, hence the boot shape representing Italy on his cake. Slovenija is shaped like a funny looking chicken, but that didn't translate too well in frosting. Koper, Slovenija is located where the large white star is on the cake. For those of you who don't know, Koper is pronounced C0-per and not Cooper.

He really enjoyed eating his cake! But then again, what doesn't he enjoy eating??? Thanks again everyone for all the gifts and cards!!!

ironing board

I added this vinyl to Pat's ironing board down at "Now and Then." I think it would be a nice touch above a laundry room door. If it were above my laundry room it would say, "Loads and loads of Laundry gather here." Does anyone else hate laundry as much as I do???

antique fun finds

K8lyn found some old windows at a consignment shop a while ago, so my mom and I went out to Palouse last week to check them out. I think they turned out great!

Home Depot

My parents were at Home Depot last month and saw their little Kids Activities that they do on the first Saturday of each month. My mom and I took the boys down on Saturday so Weston could hammer away. He made a leaf press and loved hammering!!! He's not too into pressing leaves, or so I thought. Last night while I was cleaning up, I threw his leaf in the garbage because it was just floating around the apartment. He found it in the garbage this morning (along with some dark chocolate...) and informed me that his leaf and chocolate do not belong in the garbage. So sorry, Weston.

Happy Halloween

We had another fun ward Halloween Party this year. Yeehaw!!! Weston loved dressing up as a cowboy and Koper did a fabulous job at keeping his costume on. We also had fun trick-or-treating to all our family and friends in Moscow. The boys did awesome as we lugged them in and out of the car several times to show them off. Hope everyone had a fun and spooky Halloween!

Herding Cats...

Trying to take pictures of the boys today while at my parent's house was a lot like herding cats, this is what we ended up with. It was beyond nap time and Weston refuses to be a sweet little boy anymore. I'll have to try again later. I love the leaves and colors right now, fall is so pretty!

While Weston refuses to be sweet most of the time, he does come up with some good one liners. During sacrament meeting today the elder's quorum sang, "Be Still My Soul," when we got home Weston was singing, "He stole my sword." Too many lessons about the Lamanites and Nephites. He also got to ride home from church with Grammy today and apparently, they had a good discussion about the Priesthood. Tonight, as we were saying prayers we ended and I was getting ready to tuck him in, he looked at me and said, "We forgot to say thank you for the Priesthood." So we prayed again and thanked Heavenly Father for the Priesthood. There is sweetness in him after all. Koper on the other hand just exudes sweetness. I think I just might have a crush on him.

Home Sweet Home

Well we finally decided to come home. We left Seattle on Sunday and arrived to a home cooked meal at my parent's house. Aw, yummy. Seth is back in school. Weston is lost without his cousins and talks about them all the time. Koper is walking around everywhere and eating everything he can put in his mouth without me catching him. And me, well, I'm keeping up with everyone else and trying to update my website. Goodness, I understand why people hire professionals to do those kind of things. So if you peek at my website and things don't make sense or dead-end somewhere, just wait, I hope to have everything back up and running later this week...(lofty goal, I know.)

We're in Seattle!

On Saturday, Seth's mom called and told us that his dad had collapsed while working on Saturday morning. Something was going on with his legs, he was in the hospital and he couldn't really move them. With that information, we decided to take a quick trip to Seattle and left Moscow on Saturday night. We were thinking we would just drive home Sunday, Monday at the latest. It's Tuesday, we're still in Seattle and we probably will stay until later in the week.
Get this. The tendons in Seth's dad's knees pulled away from the knee caps and have to be reattached, in both knees. The doctors are still baffled as to why it happened. They've seen it happen to athletes before but only in one knee, so it's kind of a crazy thing.
We've enjoyed being here with Seth's mom and trying to help where we can. Weston has loved playing with his cousins! Yesterday we went to a bounce house and had a blast. I felt like an American Gladiator as Seth and I tried to race through the obstacle course. What a work out.
Thanks to all those that have expressed their concern for Seth's dad. We have some amazing friends!

Muffin Tops, the good kind...

My sister-in-law introduced this to my mother-in-law who then bought me a bag. It's fabulous.

So Exciting!

These past couple of days I noticed a surge in visitors to my website and I wondered why and where they were coming from. Today, I figured it out. I was featured on Tip Junkie for a Super Saturday santa plate I did for Katie. How random and cool is that!

In vinyl news, I am currently offering Free Shipping for orders $20 and over. Also, if you email me through my website and let me know what you think about strawberrypearl.com, I'll enter you in a drawing for a free "build-a-quote." The giveaway ends at midnight on September 30th.

Debi, I've been meaning to email you, if you still need to know how to remove vinyl, just use tweezers to pull it off the wall and if it is really stuck, heat the vinyl up with a blow dryer and it will come right off. Good luck!

Halloween Crafts

These are some crafts that I'll be doing with some girls in the ward on the 27th, if anyone is interested or has questions, you can email me. I'm so excited for the holiday season, it's almost time to decorate!!!

and one more project

My good friends at Now and Then, gave this door to me along with a bed for Weston(yet, another project on my list...) The door was a very nice wood color but I decided to paint it this fabulous "Bering Sea" blue. I am making into a headboard for our bed. I have a very patient husband. But isn't it fabulous? I'll post another picture once I have it how I want it in our room.

one of my projects

For months now, I have resisted the urge to vinyl everything in our apartment. I finally gave in with the reasoning that this is just a small space. I'm sure I'll do more damage later, I have plans for the boys room next, and my bathroom... Take a look at the green vase I found at Safeway's new and improved floral department! I love it and it was only $15.00 and I had a gift card! So, it was practically free!!!

and we're back...

Weston fell asleep while I was vacuuming and Koper is destroying a cardboard box, so I thought I would take a little moment to update the blog. We've been busy with work, school and life. I recently discovered my creative side again and have been working on "projects." My goal is for them to not take more than two weeks to finish. My original goal was one week but I'm already behind, so I changed my goal.
We went to the Latah County Fair this past weekend. Weston loved the animals and tractors! I love this action shot of him driving the tractor. He even had to wear his "farm hat." Friday night after the fair, we spent the night at my parent's house. Weston, Seth and my dad slept in tents in the backyard and my mom, Koper and I slept inside. Camping just ain't(that's right I said ain't) what it used to be for me anymore. I'm hoping to change my attitude in a couple of years so that my kids can enjoy some fun family campouts.
Koper is getting huge. He's starting to mimic our words and I love it. Last night he even did a few fake laughs for us. He's an awesome kid. As I type, he has ventured away from the cardboard box and has found some vinyl scraps... That pretty much sums up my life.

summertime

Nothing says summer like swim trunks, a toy truck, grandma's house, a hose, a baseball helmet, crocs, a heavy aluminum bat and an arm band. Actually, that probably all sums up boyhood.

We've been doing a "little" bit of traveling lately. We headed off to my family's reunion in Provo via Seattle, I know it is out of the way, just a tad. We stopped off at Seth's parent's house for the weekend and Seth helped clean out their garage and I got to do a little rearranging inside. I loved it. I would love to work for "Clean Sweep" on TLC. There's just something about getting rid of clutter and making a new space. We were also there for a baby blessing.

We drove from Seattle to Provo in one shot making the trip in a healthy 16 hours. And no, we did not have a DVD player and yes we survived. The kids did awesome. Weston loved watching everything out the window. We had tons of fun with the family in Provo. Sorry we weren't able to get together with everyone else, there was just too much to do. We drove another straight shot and arrived home after a short 12 hour car ride.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Weston's Birthday

We celebrated Weston's birthday this past week. I can't believe I have a three year old!!! Weston is such a cool kid, it's been a fun three years and I can't wait for what he brings to the table the next couple of years as he gets ready for school and all sorts of other little boy things.
This year was a horse theme and I found this cake idea at cakecentral.com.

new website!!!

I have updated my strawberrypearl studios website. Take a look!
It is still under construction so let me know if links don't work or there are errors!
I have also started a fun project blog but that will have to wait until next week for updates.
Enjoy!

very random

Weston loves to take pictures with our camera. Usually they are close ups of his eyeball, but I thought this one was kind of random and fun. Sorry, no real redeeming value to this post. :)

strawberrypearl updates

These are a couple of new products/series that I am working on for strawberrypearl studios. The Daily Reminder tiles are 4 inch x 4 inch tiles with little sayings and reminders. The block is part of my "Chunkers" line that I am in the process of creating. My friend has been busy working on updating my website and I hope to have some new things up later this week! I've been busy collecting cute little sayings, so if you have any pass them on!!!

boys

Weston and Koper are starting to play together more, it's fun to watch. Weston loves playing "pots and pans." On this particular day they were cooking up some tasty cars. Koper loves being with Weston. I sometimes wonder why, when I catch Weston dragging him around the living room. They have both gone through huge growth spurts these past couple of weeks. I can't believe Weston will be 3 soon, he is so excited for his birthday! I'm trying to figure out how to make a horse cake.

Happy Fourth of July!

We started the Fourth on Thursday night by preparing for the MU6 ward's fifth annual 4th of July Breakfast. As the Elder's Quorum President, Seth gets to host the 4th of July Breakfast and as his wife, I get to help. It's actually kind of fun. This was the third breakfast that Seth and I have done for the ward. We keep it simple with pancakes and more bacon and sausage than anyone knows what do to with.

After the breakfast, we went up to my cousin's cabin on Lake Coeur d' Alene. The weather was patchy but we enjoyed the sun when it made its appearance. Weston had so much fun with his cousins. We watched the fireworks across the bay and Seth lit up the night with his mad pyro skills. Although Weston was deathly afraid of the boat ride, it's all he can talk about today. The fourth of July is probably one of my favorite holidays. Seth has already started saving for next year's fireworks.

Koper

My dad sent me this picture tonight. How cute is this kid??? I think he's pretty cool.

vinyl, vinyl and more vinyl...

This is my latest vinyl project. My friend Katie emailed me the idea and this is my translation. I love vinyl (imagine that...) It is just so crisp and clean. The cool thing about this idea is that you can take any word, use any fonts, and any color to match your room. The possibilities are endless.

Here's my display at Now and Then. The store has totally been transformed by the magical eye of Pat. She has done such a great job of turning it into a cute little store.

As much as I love vinyl, Weston loves horses. He can't stop talking about how his daddy works with Horses. We took him to the Appaloosa Horse Club a couple of weeks ago and he enjoyed playing with the horses.

That's about it for the Jones family, vinyl and horses.

Hope everyone else is well!

Ladies and Gentlemen, drum roll please...

Alrighty, some of you have been wondering what strawberrypearl studios is all about. I am starting my own vinyl lettering business and my website is finally done. If you are interested you can check out www.strawberrypearl.com for more info.

Starting next week, you'll be able to find my products at the all new Chic 'N Unique Now and Then in Moscow. If you are interested in having something customized, you can visit my website.

COMING SOON!!!

I am in the process of finalizing the "final details" before I open for business. I am hoping to have strawberrypearl studios's grand opening later this week! Stay tuned for more details.

No, he didn't get kicked by a horse...

it was a softball this time. I get nervous every time he comes home with a new injury. It wouldn't be summer without a huge bruise.

City meets Country

Seth started a new job this past week. I am so excited for him. He is working as an assistant
at a nearby stable. He will be working with draft horses, aka big strong horses. Lest any of you think I had something to do with turning my city boy into a country bumpkin, it was his idea. So far he enjoys the work. He was even doing a little research about the horses on the internet yesterday. We went out to show Weston the horses and feed them some carrots. Weston is going to need a little time to warm up to the beasts.

Happy Mother's Day

Weston flying his kite this past week. He got tired of walking around with it, so he just sat down.

Koper was introduced to real (baby) food this past week.

That shiner on his cheek, yep, that's from Weston.

Today has probably been the best Mother's Day for me, not because of all the gifts I received from my kids and husband but because I've had the chance to really think about what it means to be a mother this past week. I got to visit with my best friend/should be sister this past week while she recovered in the ICU from some complications during her baby's delivery. Nothing like receiving an early morning phone call with rotten news...it has made me really evaluate motherhood. So here are my thoughts on being a mom.

I've always wanted to be a mom. After Weston was born, I didn't struggle that much. I went back to work four weeks after he was born. I was able to bring him to the office with me so that helped. I thought it was pretty easy to work and be a mom... As he grew older, I knew it was time for us to stop working and for me to be a full time mom. I was also pregnant with Koper so that helped the decision. Transitioning to a full time mom was not what I thought it would be. Then Koper came along, and I really struggled. Have you ever wondered why we have to struggle to be mom's? I've been thinking about this lately and this is what I've come up with...

I worked on a farm here in Moscow for two summers while I was in college. One of the many glorious jobs I got to tackle was roguing. Roguing is like finding a needle in a haystack. You get to walk acres and acres of fields and pull out the unwanted plants and weeds. Because I worked on a research farm and the crops had to be as close to perfect and pure as possible, we did the same fields over and over again. While roguing one day, I remember thinking, "why in the world do there have to be weeds?" It was ridiculous how hard we would work to remove those weeds. But in the end, a pure crop was harvested (at least that was the goal.) Some times as moms it is ridiculous what we have to put up with and handle. On a daily basis I am pushed to my limit by my extremely stubborn and independent two year old who has his own time frame for doing things. I am also frustrated by my six month old's growing clingy-ness. But then once the "weeds have been pulled" I look back and I can't help but be excited for my independent two year who is putting the pieces of his world together. And I love the fact that my six month old knows who I am and that he wants to be with me.

To all those out there who are moms and who so desperately want to be moms, I wish you the best. Motherhood is frustrating but it is also pretty cool.

Happy Mother's Day, now go pull some weeds.

Summer is just around the corner!

We haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I have been busy making final preparations for my business. With one last snag aka city permits, I will have to delay my opening. I was all set to go for this week but was then educated in how our city works. Did you know even home based businesses have to have a permit in the city of Moscow? This could take up to six weeks and I can not work until I have the permit. How fun. Looks like I'll have more time for all those "final preparations."

Seth is finishing with school. I am excited for the summer. I think it will be a lot of fun with Weston and Koper.

Here's how we spent last Saturday. Let's hope the sun sticks around for this weekend.

Words by Weston

Weston has been known to say some funny things. Here's his latest...

Seth and Weston went to the store the other day. While in the parking lot, Weston noticed the moon was out and said, "Look the balloon!" Why he calls it the balloon, I don't know. It was still light outside so the moon wasn't shining it was just white.

Later that night as he was getting ready for bed, Weston noticed the moon was shining and said, "Look, the balloon turned on."

It really is a small world...

How exciting. I post a little note about people I've been looking for and I find them. It's been fun hearing from people and getting cute emails. Britt Fitt are you out there somewhere???

Snow, Snow, GO AWAY!

For the past couple of mornings, I have woken up to some beautiful sunshine. As a result, I tell myself that I am going to take the boys for a walk later during the day. It is now later in the day and it is snowing. Yes, it's snowing.

Lately, whenever the sun comes out, Weston says, "Look, Mom the sun's out!" Like it's a novelty or something.

Reconnecting

So, lately I have reconnected with some good friends, fabulous roommates and people of my past. I love, love, love it! As much as people dis on blog surfing, it is kind of fun to find old friends. Some friends I have been trying to find for awhile now and to no avail. So I thought I woud list them here and if anyone knows them or where they are, fill me in. Even if you randomly stumbled upon our blog and you know someone I'm looking for, leave a message! And, if you read my blog but we haven't chatted in awhile, leave a message too!!!

Britt Fitt, crazy Britt Fitt
Sarah Staples
Jen Thomas
Marianne Pendleton
Kimi McKeeth
Julene Bird
Ashley Wakefield
Kara Bird
Emily Goodrich
Aubrey Cammack
All the men who've ever had their hearts broken by me!!! (just kidding, I never broke any hearts...)

Let's see how connected this world really is.

Yes, We've Updated Our Blog...Finally...

We've been busy with life, school, the boys and business plans. I've posted some of the pictures from the past few weeks. Seth only has a couple more weeks of school until the summer break and I will offically graduate on April 24th!!! I finally got my grade for my last final. I wasn't expecting to do too well because it was comprehensive and I just wanted to get it over with. I got an A!!! It's nice to go out with a bang. Hope everyone else is doing well.

Here are some pictures from our trip to Seattle over Spring Break. We had a lot of fun visiting with family and seeing some of the sites of Seattle. Seth went on a ride-along with his brother Timmy who is a police officer with the Seattle Police Department. Weston and Koper did awesome with the many hours we spent in the car.

Baseball All Day Long

Weston loves to play baseball all day long! He came up with this outfit himself. The Bob the Builder hat is his helmet and the mittens are his batting gloves. He loves to pitch the ball and croutch down like his Uncle Ned does when he is catching.

Easter Morn

The Easter bunny had fun being the Easter bunny this year. Weston was excited to see Seth's new Nerf gun until it started firing!!! Looks like something is getting returned. I forgot to get a picture of the boy's together in their Easter outfits, but they looked cute.

Koper's First Haircut

Weston was born with as much hair as Koper. However, Weston's hair only lasted two months before I took the clippers to it. I have made it almost five months without touching Koper's hair. The other day, it was getting to me. I was just starring at it thinking it would look so good with just a trim. These are the results. Since these pictures, I trimmed Koper's hair a little bit more and it kind of has a wave to it. I hope it goes curly!!!

Camera Advice???

We were at the Seattle Science Center yesterday and were able to go inside a totally awesome butterfly garden. I took some pictures, but I don't think they do justice to the butterflies and the experience. So, I need some advice. I would like to get a sweet digital camera that takes amazing pictures. Anyone have any thoughts as to which camera to get? Sony, Canon, Nikon??? Which one?

Honorable Mention

Yesterday, we had a ward chili cook off. Seth wanted to do something a little different, so yesterday morning we found a recipe for Sweet Italian Chili, I headed to the store for some fresh ingredients and that night we took Honorable Mention. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs 95% lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3/4 cup chopped onions
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans , drained
1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
2 cups water
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (Or the real stuff)
1 dash ground cloves
1 dash baking soda
Directions
1. Brown ground beef in a dutch oven.
2. Drain and return to pan.
3. Add bell pepper, parsley, onion and celery.
4. Saute until onion is clear, approximately 5 minutes.
5. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Enjoy!

The Big Day!

So, I've been taking a break from the blogging world, or at least posting to my blog. I have been busy working on and almost finishing my last class needed to graduate from BYU! Once my last midterm has been graded, my final will be sent to the U of I and upon completion I will be ready to graduate. I am so excited! I can finally put a diploma in the diploma holder I received when I walked at BYU three and a half years ago...
Graduation is scheduled for April 24th, also our wedding anniversary.

I am so excited!!!

I am going to reward myself by starting my own business. I hope to start a design business, first with vinyl lettering and then hopefully, wedding flowers and possibly cakes. I have been doing some research lately and hope to get started in the next couple of months. I had to get through my class and potty training Weston before I could do anything with my business ideas.

George and Nemo

Weston's nursery leader was kind enough to bring live fish to nursery a couple of weeks ago. Thinking we were going home with fish crackers, I told her yes when she asked if we wanted to take some fish home. George is still alive and well. Nemo lasted three days and took a little swim to the tune of Amazing Grace performed by Seth. Weston did really well with the loss and whenever George stops swimming he says, "Let's flush him!"

We can see grass!!!

A couple of weeks ago, we received quite a bit of snow. The University actually cancelled classes for two days, a very rare event. Weston loved the snow!!! It has since melted and the roads are starting to clear. Weston is excited to see the grass again. I told him that when we can see the grass, he can ride his scooter outside!!!

Rock On!

We decided to thank Weston for his healthy contribution to our tax return by getting him this sweet guitar. He has wanted one every since his cousin Aimee got one for Christmas. He has since worn down the batteries and we can't seem to find new ones...

Weston's Imagination

Weston has turned into a little boy lately and is no longer a toddler. He has quite the imagination and I love waiting to see what he will come up with next. He loves to hang on things and pretend he is a monkey.

They may look alike...

But they do not smell alike.

There's nothing like the smell of a cabbage patch kid.

This was not on the list...

We went to Wal-Mart last night for a few odds and ends and came home with a new scooter for Weston. It was on sale! Seth and I both saw it and fell in love. Of course, Weston wanted it too. We are such suckers. When we got home, we were taking pictures and told Weston to pose, this is what he came up with. We didn't give him any directions, he posed on his own. All night we kept talking about how crazy Weston is and wondering where he came up with flipping his leg in the air. He finally picked up the box and showed us that the kid on the box is riding his scooter the same way. It was as if he was saying, "ya dummies, everyone knows this is how you ride a scooter." I've said it before, I'll say it again, two year olds are funny.

Then there's Koper, he's funny too. He spit up all over our friend today at church. More spit up than I've ever seen him spit up. What are the odds???

A day in the life of...

So, I just sat down and realized that I got to take a nap today. It wasn't one of those, I'll just sit here and wish I could take a nap naps, it was a real nap. Which got me to thinking about everything that I got to do today, nothing too spectacular. But here's my day in a nutshell...

1. Secretly wished church would be cancelled. (Not because I don't like church, but because it's something that never happens and usually it means there's a lot of snow outside.)
2. Slept in, and yet we made it to church on time, we were even early.
3. Got Weston to wear a tie to Church. Something I started convincing him of days ago.
4. Got a new calling, I was in the Primary. I'm the new Ward Bulletin Person, not Coordinator, but Person. I also get to do the Ward Bulletin Board.
5. Partied with the other nursing mothers in the Mother's Room at church.
6. Came home from church to unshoveled side walks and thanked my lucky stars that we no longer manage the apartment complex. Seth stayed out and shoveled the walks anyway because we all know it's never going to get done.
5. Ate several chocolate chip cookies my husband made yesterday. I'd rather eat butterscotch chip cookies, but these ones are fabulous!
6. Tried out a new recipe for dinner. It was only a new recipe because I've never physically made it before. Stuffed Burger Bundles ring a bell anyone?
7. Called my mom to ask her how to make said Burger Bundles.
8. Picked up the house, not physically, just all the random objects in the house.
9. Ate lunch/dinner (Sundays are really only one meal days plus a little bit of grazing.) With a little improvising, it turned out great.
10. Put Weston down for a nap, which only took seconds.
11. Folded the laundry, one of my new year's resolutions. I'm good at washing the clothes, but folding them and putting them away, that's a different story.
12. Thought about calling my brothers but decided to...
12. TAKE A NAP!!! I can't remember the last time I actually got to take a nap instead of watching everyone else take a nap. I'll call the brothers later.
13. My visiting teachers came over. I have fabulous visiting teachers.
14. Our home teachers came over. They are fabulous too, Brad took our garbage out for us on more than one occasion when I was pregnant and Seth's foot was all messed up. That's a dedicated home teacher.
15. Tried out another new recipe. This time the recipe was from a recipe swap we had awhile ago. Stacie your M&M bars are divine!
16. Worked on new words and the alphabet with Weston.
17. Watched Extreme Makeover Home Edition and got a little teary eyed.
18. Enjoyed sitting on the couch with Koper while Seth got Weston ready for bed.
19. Cuddled with Weston who now calls me "Momma" instead of "Mommy." He says it like he's from the 19th century or something. Funny kid.
20. Checked out some blogs. I randomly found some friends from our old Provo ward. I followed some other blog links and found an old roommate. I love Blogger Chase (like scripture chase only with blogs.)
Of course, I fed Koper several times and changed a few diapers amongst all the fun.
So, nothing too enlightening but something completely random for you.

Tomorrow's events...
1. Work Out.
2. Do a bunch of homework. I should be done with my lessons by the end of the month and then I'll have two tests to take in February. If all goes as planned I'll be a college grad next month. Some people have become doctors in the time that it's taken me to finish, but what fun would that have been?

Peace Out.

Sugar Cookies

I got a bunch of cookie cutters for Christmas, so Weston and I made sugar cookies today.

Weston loved cutting out the cookies, but he loved eating the dough more!!!

Bedtime

Koper got some new jammies tonight that match Weston's, so I had to take a picture. Lately, Weston has been so nice to Koper and always wants to hold him and make him happy. It's been fun to watch him get used to the idea of having a little brother.

But what tops it all, is the fact that Weston is learning how to stay in bed when it's time for naps and bedtime. For the past two nights and today's naptime, Weston has stayed in bed and fallen asleep on his own. Some may think this doesn't deserve a blog dedication, but it so does friends, it so does. I'm hoping this will last. Thank you Super Nanny.

Isn't He Cute???

My mom took this picture today.

I couldn't resist snagging it from their blog.

Koper's Blessing

Seth blessed Koper today at church, he did a fabulous job.

We enjoyed having our family here. We wished more could have joined us but with the snowy roads, it was best to be safe. Last night we went to bed with clear roads and this morning we woke up to six inches in our parking lot. We had to blaze new trails in the fresh powder as we drove to church. I am grateful for four wheel drive.

Thanks for coming to see us!!!

Christmas Once Again

Seth's parents and brothers came over for Koper's blessing this weekend. They brought Christmas with them and Weston loved opening the presents. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!!!

Crazy Hair

Koper has lots of crazy hair. I've started combing it down so that he doesn't look so much like Donald Trump.

Winter Fun

We went sledding with the fam during Christmas break. Weston was all smiles and laughter until we got to the sledding hill. We sent him down with Seth a couple of times, he didn't like it too much. It's a good thing we bought his snow pants extra big. Maybe next year...

Super Nanny, you are my hero...

So, last night we watched Super Nanny because nothing else was on and I actually enjoy her. Well, after conversing with my physical therapist this morning about last night's episodes, I decided we needed to confront Weston's sleeping habits. Weston has been known to work his parents over when it comes to when and where he sleeps. He loves sleeping in his doorway which he calls his "spot." He makes himself a little bed and brings all his little friends to his spot. After he gets tired of laying there, he starts to cry, we let him wear himself out a bit and then eventually he ends up on the couch or yellow chair with us.
Well, tonight I decided to be firm and an hour and a half later...Weston is sleeping in his bed. He's been asleep for almost an hour now and I don't know what to do with my time. :)

Life is getting back on track for our little family. When they say you need about six weeks to adjust to life with a new baby, they mean it. After Weston was born, I was ready to go in no time. Not so much this time around. I feel like we (mostly me) are starting to pull out of it and I am excited for Seth to start school again so that we can have a schedule.

The holidays treated us well. It was fun to have family in town and Weston loved spending time with his cousins. After Koper was born, I went back to physical therapy for my back, neck, hip, etc. At my appointment this morning I actually felt like we're making progress. So, like I said, I'm starting to pull out of it. My next goal (besides graduating from college...) is to take some really cute pictures of the boys and post them. They have both changed so much lately. About a week ago I decided to cut Weston's hair, it is so much shorter than I wanted, but we needed to start over. I had given him too many crazy haircuts, so it's nice to have a clean slate. Koper is packing on the pounds and will most likely catch up to Weston in the next few months...hopefully not though.

Hope you all are doing well!!!