Latest and Greatest... do YOU have a NEW baby??

I have had SO much fun creating baby blankets! I love the way all the soft fabric feels, and I love the fun colors and combinations you can put together. Here are my latest!

This is a baby girl blanket (obviously). The back has roses carved into it and then I finished it off with satin baby blanket binding! I need to learn how to miter corners better.

And this one below has been my favorite- and I'm so sad I have to give it away. I'm excited to give it away but- I was sad to see it go, because it was SOOOO soft!! I could have slept with it:) All the squares on the front are just cotton fabrics, and then on the back is the softest and fluffiest stuff EVER! I just hope it holds up and stays super soft-- but you can find it at Jo-Ann's. It is from their soft and comfy fabrics. But it gives it the heft and plushness that it needs- that I didn't have to use batting in between.

I'm also most proud of this one- because once added all together-- it cost between 10-12 dollars to make-- so I could totally sell it an make a profit. AND it has so far been my most perfect blanket as far as the squares all lining up together. Which means-- I'm getting BETTER!! :) And I made it while I had 5 kids here yesterday- because school was cancelled due to rain and flooding, and I was watching Brayden and Ryland. Needless to say- I was very proud!

FITNESS FRIDAY GIVEAWAY!

Don't forget to go checkout my Fitness Friday Giveaway over at my fitness blog!!

bertie411.blogspot.com (click it)

What do I do on Tuesdays and Thursdays??

I get to watch these 2 cuties, Brayden (21 months) and Ryland (3 months), from 9 in the morning to about 7 at night. My Kids LOVE them! That is an understatement- I think they would literally die for these 2 if the opportunity arose.

Ethan is home with me during the day while I have them and he LOVES to play with Brayden and he LOVES to feed the baby and it is SO nice! I think he really enjoys being the "older" brother for once. :)

Dante and Erin come home at 3:00 and then I get a chance to see what it would be like to have 5 kids. And while at times it gets crazy-- especially after school and having to start dinner, get kids doing homework, practicing piano and off to different activities-- I think it would mainly be more fun! Especially since me kids are SO in love with helping out!

One lady with 8 kids that I knew, said that her house was always like a circus, and then she went on to say... "But who doesn't LOVE the circus?" :)

So, until I have 5 of my own... I will enjoy my days as pretending to be a mom of 5!

And just in case ya'll thought I was pregnant in the post below- I'm not. But, watch me be pregnant now- since I said I'm not. That is how it seems to work with me:)

MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!!

This past weekend Chet's brother Dennis and his wife Darla came into town to stay with us for a night before going on a cruise out of Galveston. Things had been pretty hectic for me that week, so I didn't have much time to get the house completely in order. Or rather- my "order" is not Chet's "order". He is a bit of a perfectionist-- when I think clean-- I think spraying things down, making the house look orderly, vacuuming-- but to him it is :

Cleaning the GROUT in our kitchen!!

This is literally a miracle! I have NEVER seen Chet on his hands and knees before SCRUBBING a counter top let alone a floor! I HAD to document it-- so that I can remember-- and BOY did our floor look AMAZING afterwards! I mean, who has time to clean their grout?

Doesn't it look like a NEW floor?? And yes- it was BAD!! But I didn't realize how bad, until I saw how white it was actually supposed to be. I was SO proud of him! I was glowing like a pregnant lady!

He also put the kids to work:
Dante was put in charge of the tile on the island in the kitchen.
Ethan and Erin were put in charge of the windows. Ethan decided just to be in his underpants, in case he needed to pee outside (again!)

But ALL I can say is-- MIRACLES do happen, especially when an older brother is coming into town! So- thanks Dennis and Darla for coming and showing me that Chet and my kids CAN clean when they put their mind to it.. because I was starting to wonder.:)

I think they have now forgotten though- but I'm still a PROUD wife and mama while the memory is still fresh!

Keep BELIEVING!

Hoppy Beaster!

That is really supposed to be Happy Easter... but Ethan used to call Easter "Beaster" and it was SO cute... but he doesn't do it anymore-- so I was doing it in remembrance of that cute word!

I Just wanted to finally put my kids Easter picture up-- it is authentic, and the only way an Easter picture should be taken... with candy IN their mouth!

This year I dressed us ALL in different colors. Dante was green, Ethan pink, Erin yellow, Chet purple and I was a myriad of Easter blues! What a fun Easter... that is STILL lasting us. :)

FIELD TRIP FOR MOM!!

Yes, I have a place that I go to - not as often as I would like, because apparently I can spend too much money there... but I get swept up in giddiness when I go.

Yes-- it is Jo-Ann's or Hobby Lobby or wherever they happen to sell lots and lots of fabric!

I went yesterday because they had their whole line of Tutti Fruiti 50% off. And that is some CUTE fabric! Then of course I went around looking for other good finds, and found some cute "baby blanket" material-- so today, while it is supposed to be storming-- I will be sewing my little head off. I have the intention of selling everything that I make out of this fabric, and I'm hoping to double what I spent. Let's see how it works! I will be opening up an etsy shop soon-- but I need help with a name. So- if you were opening a boutique for little kids and babies-- what would you call it??

Here are some of my thoughts:

1. Bare Feet and Sunshine
2. Bare Feet and Rainbows
3. Sunshine and Sweet Kisses
4. Sunshine and Little Kisses
5. A La Frou Frou

I had more- but can't remember right now- but let me know which one you like best, your suggestions, and then later in the week I'll put up a poll and that will be the name!

I'll also be doing giveaways of the current aprons I have made-- to get my name out there.

And I have about 65 posts that I'm behind on-- but I will be posting about Easter, Emily's crazy ER trip (I mean she was TRIPPIN'), and more!

Plus- don't forget about my Fitness Friday Giveaway over at http://www.bertie411.blogspot.com

Off to SEW!!

Totally Hot Modbe Swimwear!!

How CUTE is this swimsuit?? I love it and am getting it!! Today I hosted a party for my friend Jana who is a Modbe rep and it was SO much fun. I wished all of my friends could make it but some of you aren't here in Houston:( But-- Jana told me that you can still order online til' Friday and get sweet deals and purchase under my party number.

Sorry you couldn't share in my yummy cake pops and fruity parfait's-- but at least you can get a REALLY cute swimsuit-- or whatever else you see that you like!

Here is the link: www.modbeclothing.com/jana , and if you decide to buy anything, just put in the party code 2004... AND if you buy 3 or more things then you get 10% off your entire order. (you can put the party order in until Friday night)

Splurge a little on yourself and have fun shopping!

Since when do BOYS outnumber GIRLS??

A couple weeks ago Dante had a 2nd grade Hoe Down, where all the kids get to wear western wear-- and then square dance around the cafeteria. We thought it was too funny, because there were about 8 "boy" couples and Dante happened to be one of the boys dancing with another boy.... when usually it is the girls that outnumber the boys and you only see girls dancing with girls. Dante just looked hilarious to me! He is such a funny kiddo! Take a look at the video below to see what I mean... You can't miss Dante, he is the one who chose to wear a grey shirt with a PUMPKIN on it in late March. I guess cowboys grow pumpkins?? Rights?! He is dancing with the boy in the navy blue shirt and the red bandanna around his neck.

The hoe-down got cut short because apparently their was a tornado in the area a few blocks away, and the school had to take precaution and take all the kids in the entire school into the hallways and they had to lay down on their knees and put their head against the wall. Poor things-- those hallways got HOT! And NEVER in my entire 12 years of school in Houston/Sugar Land did I ever have a "real" drill like that. It was fascinating. I never got scared, because, tornado's don't really come around here much- and if they do they are little funnel clouds that never touch... but the school can never be too careful-- but it was comforting to know that our whole family WAS in the same place-- Chet, Ethan, and I were all there to see Dante's dance moves, and Erin was in her kindergarten class.

I still can't believe that it was overcast when we went into the school and not 20 min. later a HUGE thunderstorm was going on and we were all on the floor due to a tornado that might hit. That weather changes SO fast! (and I was mainly sulking because I was MISSING the thunderstorm-- because you can't hardly hear anything in that school) STUPID TORNADO KEPT ME INSIDE!

But I am grateful for safety measures too!

ps- I am doing my first Friday Giveaway over at my fitness blog.... http://www.bertie411.blogspot.com

It is for a 4-DVD set of Mari Winsor Pilates DVDs! Go check it out and ENTER!

Oh... he GOT the dreaded CURSE

Here is how I KNOW he got the curse.... I'll walk into his bathroom and find blood splattered on the floor usually with a bloody tissue near by... and when I go in search of him...

he is suffering from another chronic nose bleed!

Why oh WHY can't they ONLY get our good genetics and not the ones that you hate to pass on... poor Ethan has my nose bleed syndrome at the drop of a hat, along with my clumsiness's, my need for aspirin nightly because my legs will start to hurt due to too much jumping and bounding (when I was a child... I've grown out of that now:))

Yes, he has gotten some great traits as well of mine... but oh how I get so sad for him when I see what he will be going through-- especially every time he trips and falls or runs into a door jam... and you don't grow out of that.

Poor guy-- but he is a trooper with his nose bleeds and just carries on with his day while holding a tissue to his nose... it is almost as second nature to him as a mother nursing a baby while cooking. You just learn to live while having something attached to you 24-7! (it isn't that bad... but I still feel for him)

What are some quirky things you have passed down to your kids through genetics, that you wished those genes had just stayed dormant FOREVER!!??

Picture of THE day!

Click on picture to enlarge! That is an order:)
...and that is Dante's spelling test above... and he has ALWAYS gotten 100 on them, til' NOW!

ps- I am updating my fitness blog everyday, and I have added it to the top of my blog as a link- and it is open to EVERYONE... so that way it is easier for you to access it. And this way - I won't have to post on here that I have updated it-- because it WILL be a daily thing!

Lazy Mom Confessions!

I usually try to post once a day... and that is it. So, last week when Lazy Mom's had their "Lazy Confessions" linky up... I couldn't do it- because I had already posted for that day-- but today you are IN LUCK.... they are doing it again... and I do have a confession.

The whole point of their site is "A Lazy Mom isn’t really lazy. She finds fast and efficient ways to get more done so she can have more fun." And well, I have come to realize... that I am just really a lazy mom... I mean really lazy- not one with clever ideas to be more efficient and get more done to have more fun... just plain LAZY! But I guess I do have some tricks up my sleeve.... if that is what you want to call it.

Here is just one of the two I can actually think of right now... and it has to do with LAUNDRY!


Whenever I am picking up clothes off the floor, I will smell them, and if they smell fine-- I put them right back where they belong- worn or not, and sometimes I'll get a VERY unpleasant wiff... and in the laundry basket she GOES! The "wiffs" I get are worth it, because it keeps me from doing lots of unnecessary laundry... which means less folding or hanging up in the end (the part I really don't like!)

There is my lazy moms confession for now... I don't have too many- because I feel like EVERYTHING I do -- takes FOREVER! LOL! But I sure am having fun learning other Lazy Mom's ideas and putting them to the test.

Do you have one?? You need to go to Lazy Mom's and link it up then because I want to know yours too!

ps- I have updated Bertie411, my fitness blog, this morning, so if you are into checking it out- CHECK IT!

and another pps- if you have not voted on my poll please do so- and if you need to see my blankets and aprons again- go here! Thanks!! (ya'll are the BEST!)

Les Mis...

was AMAZING!!

Last night Chet and I went with Amy and Brett and Christie and Derek to see Les Mis. It was just as amazing as I expected! The music, the talent, the crowd-- EVERYTHING! We almost weren't going to be able to go- and I'm so glad we did end up getting to go and that everything worked out. I, of course, recommend this play to ANYONE!

But I do have a question for those who have seen this maybe more then once or in NYC... during the last song when they are singing, "Will you stand and fight" or whatever that line is.... are you supposed to STAND UP? One lone lady in the audience did and started singing and we were all like, either she is really moved... OR, she has seen it quite a few times and most audiences stand up and do this-- and we all are really the ones that look weird. So, let me know! (if you know)Also, a BIG shout out to the newly engaged couple!! My sister, Christie, will be getting married over the summer... WHOO-HOO and we already love Derek!


And as promised- I have updated with my fitness story over at bertie411. Check it out!

Hope you are enjoying conference:)

Will SEW for FOOD!

Since I have learned how to sew I have been going a little overboard and trying to learn whatever I can. First it was the aprons and then on to baby blankets, next I'm working on a really, REALLY cute adult apron- that I have yet to see ANYWHERE online-- (you can't wait, huh!?)

Anyways.... I was thinking about maybe making some money doing this, but I'm not sure if they are marketable-- I think they are super cute... but I made them- so of course they are to me-- it is like they are my babies!:)

So, I have 2 separate polls up on the side of my blog on what you would pay for these items if you saw them in a store. And if I should perhaps open an etsy shop? You are more then welcome to leave comments as well on your thoughts of what I need to do better. I know that they aren't perfect--- but I'm getting better, which means-- soon they really WILL be marketable.

First up the aprons, which we have Tyler, Dante, Ethan and Erin so "embarrassingly" modeling them. The bow is made big enough to wrap around to the front to give them a little more "cuteness". I will also be adding pockets to them-- but for the material I didn't have enough to add them. Erin is strutting my "patchwork" apron, which I cut the squares then pieced them together to make it a little more sassy.

Here is one with the pocket modeled by Brayden!

Below are bigger pictures of each apron.


Now we have the baby blankets! Can I tell you how FUN these are!!:) I almost want to make one as big as me, and keep it for myself-- and can you tell I really like yellow??

The first ones I attempted were whole ones. Fleece backed with fleece. The next blankets I made I cut the material in squares and then pieced them together and backed them with a single sheet of fleece.
This one I have already given to my nephew Sammy.... I made it out of Ethan and Dante's old receiving blankets! So- it cost me 0 dollars!

This one was a kit from Joann's that I got 40% off with a coupon-- ending up costing me 10 bucks! I still had to cut the pieces, but it told me exactly what to do.

And this one is my FAVORITE!! I love the colors, and just everything about it!

So, now that you have seen my handy work-- what would you pay for these items if they were on sale?? (the most you would pay)

and we are IN business!

Ok... what you have been promised... the link to my NEW fitness blog.

but first a few notes!

bertie101 was taken... CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?? I guess I am just not fast enough!

So, I went with bertie411- and the name of the actual blog-- is Fit N' Fun and Then Some!

So, enjoy! And also- leave me a comment letting me know what you would like to see or hear or know about or what you would like me to write about.

http://www.bertie411.blogspot.com

GOOD MOOOORRRNNNIIIIINNNNGGG!!!

I have to admit I'm a sucker for this commercial. I don't know if it's the song... because who doesn't love a song from Singing in the Rain, or if it is the little shoulder gig and all the smiles... (I think it is really the shoulder gig... it just makes me laugh) Especially the business men in the elevator towards the end. It is just a happy commercial... and makes me want to start my morning off with dixie! (and how peaceful our world would be if we ALL started our day with dixie... can you imagine ANYONE fighting in this commercial?)



My fitness blog IS going to be up today.. the link will be coming ASAP!

GET READY and good morning!

Hurt and Disappointed!

I'll tell you what YOURS did today- since you did not speak.. your non-words really hurt me! I'm hurt and disappointed in all of my readers who do not comment. I needed a name for my fitness blog, which so many of you claim you would like me to do-- and Kaylynne was the only one who actually gave me a name-- and Melynda told me she loved Bertie101! But- the rest of you said nothing. I rarely get comments on my blog-- I think the post that I have done that received the most comments was the one about Ethan running Christies truck through my garage, hitting the beamer and sending it through the back of our garage. Is that what I have to do all the time to get comments?? I'm going to take a break from blogging, because I feel like I have no blogging friends. I'm not sure if and when I'll come back-- but if I was just doing this for the purpose of journaling- then I'd go private and invite NO ONE! I may have to do that-- I don't know. If your comments don't tell me different, then that is what I will do. Until then,




....... (and I'll be putting up my fitness blog later today... I'm really excited for it... and you have been April FOOLED again! did you feel sorry for me?? Did I make you feel bad? I LOVE APRIL FOOLS DAY!!)

Here is last years joke, in case you missed it, or forgot!:) click here!