Princess tutu + camping + fishing = Maddie's 4!

The princess awakens (at great grandma's house)

We read a favorite book that talks about a pig who gets a tutu and ballet slippers for her birthday. Maddie always comments the whole way through the book how she "wishes she could have a ballerina outfit and slippers;" this time, mom didn't disappoint.

Then the princess pig gives a birthday performance in her new digs...and so did maddie; a very very long one in fact.

Need I say more.

lots of family.

tada...presenting my very first princess cake. pretty good eh'?

Maddie had been asking for a "princess cake" for weeks...I'm normally a cupcake kinda mom, but I have to admit, it was all worth it when she saw the cake for the first time.

Auntie Andrea was there for the whole party via iCHAT.

Maddie got lots of great gifts from everyone (thank you); among her favorite was a new fishing rod and tackle box from pappy dave.

We went camping that evening, grilled dogs, ate smores, and chatted around the fire. The kids ran on to some pretty cool things.

use your imagination. brent sure did.

The next day it was four-wheeler riding, fishing, and swimming. What could be better!

reeling in a big one...

Princess Maddie turned four with a bang (as is always the case when you're born on the Fourth of July)! It was a great party with all the things she loves; I hope making her

happy is always this easy.

When Maddie was born Brent made a picture for her room, a Brian Andreas quote that reads,

"The Moment her laughter unfurled it's wings in the wind,

we knew that the world would never be the same."

...and it hasn't been. Happy Birthday Princess.

Yum...

When I got home from church this afternoon I noticed something red gleaming in the garden... upon further inspection I found one small ripe tomato, and a pepper!!! You would have thought I had just given birth; and all this excitement was BEFORE I noticed the larger than life cucumber in the second picture! I of course ran in the house and ate them all. It's gonna be a yummy summer is all I have to say.

Blagging

Warning: I'm gonna go ahead and brag a little on this guy, and since I don't do very often, I feel entitled. Yesterday, after months and months of studying, Brent passed his Project Management Professional exam. This certification is really difficult to attain, so we're on cloud nine and over the top proud of him. Here's what the New York Times had to say about the PMP certification:

"PMP certificate is a Project Management Professional certificate that is issued by the Project management Institute. This certificate is a professional credential that is used by project managers all over the world to indicate their skills and education in project management.

There is an old saying, "if it were easy, everyone would do it." among the many certifications available today, the PMP stands out as the most prestigious, in part because it is considered highly difficult to attain. In 2005 the Project management institute took steps to make this already challenging exam even more difficult. The fact that the vast majority of project managers never even take the first steps toward earning PMI's certification is evidence that the process is not a easy one.

By passing PMP certification testing requirements, individuals prove that they have the skills necessary to execute projects on time and within budget. Given the rigorous and comprehensive PMP certification testing requirements, PMP certification has become the project management profession's most globally recognized and respected certification credential."

Brent we're so proud of you we can hardly stand it... but hey, I always new you were

BIG PMP'in. (hee hee hee).

love ya.

Get ready gals!

There aren't words to describe, so I won't bore you with any...check it out ladies. 

peeing my pants.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON trailer in HD Video by Trailer Park - MySpace Video

Accessorizing

I've been in the mood to accessorize the house lately... which is a good.  For the longest time I didn't want to buy, or do anything to the house. I was depressed when we took our house of the market, and resolved that "I wouldn't put one more penny into a house that we were likely going to lose money on". So for a while I didn't, but the truth is... when I'm not homemaking, decorating, deal seeking,  and scavenging for antiques... I'm just not me. 

I don't think it was a coincidence either that I had this sudden mood swing right around prime flea market season:)  

I was able to go to two great antique shows these past couple weeks. One in Bedford Pa, and one in Lucketts Va.   Most of my pictures are from the Lucketts show. I went by myself (how's that for completely obsessed.)  Lucketts is my favorite show of the year. It has a lot of the trendy hip antiques and furniture that you see in magazines, and  great ideas for decorating. It's funny but I actually found myself stressed out there this year... it was seriously "dog eat dog," if you wanted something, you had to buy it like instantly or some other crazy chic snatched it up before you could turn around. I didn't buy much, but did get a few things I've been looking for. Anyway, here are some pics of the day and of some of things I've been picking up at yard sales lately. I haven't decorated with them yet, but will post some pics when i do. Also, I'm proud to announce that the "screened porch" will get it's reveal post later this week...aren't you just peeing your pants? 

I loved this idea for a desk...two saw-horses and a table topper. i've seen reproductions of it in magazines and at P.Barn...but this I loved. You'll be seeing it soon in my house i promise. 

this was my buy of the day. I love old shelves, and fell in love with this one immediately. it is pretty pink with all the original paint. won't it look dashing with some white ironstone pitchers atop. 

picked up this old silverware tray and am using it as a craft container on the porch. loved the white detail. $9.00.

wire baskets seem to be the hot item right now in decorating. i loved this old locker basket for towels, or crafts. i got ripped off at $25.00 but had to have it. 

bought this little cabinet for $8.00. it's horribly refinished, but for 8 bucks i didn't care. i plan to repaint it a bright color and use it on the screened porch. 

purchased these knobs separately for $7.00. not usually my thing, but i really loved the black and white. 

 this is the find of the century apparently. i picked this up at a yard sale last weekend (it has three more chairs and a side stand that aren't pictured) for 20 bucks!!! i saw four of the exact same set this weekend at the antique show, not below $195.00 ...score! 

I plan to paint it black and make cushions for it.

crock for flowers $5.00. french linen table runner which I've been looking for everywhere...found it in a hole-in-the-wall shop for $7.00. 

my mom went to the Country Living show last weekend in Ohio, and graciously gave this sweet basket to me (after I practically kicked and screamed for it:)  love ya mom 

dough bowl $20.00

enamel tray... yard sale  .50 

old crate...loved the blue color; using it as an end table on the porch. $5.00.

Preschool graduate

To say that Maddie has a "mind all her own" may just be the understatement of the century. I used to literally lie awake at night thinking about how she'd be at preschool; having to listen to someone else, be in a structured environment, being told what to do. If I'm being honest, I had my doubts...BUT... I was wrong, and I'm here to testify that after 9 months (and approx 72 timeouts;) my little princess is now a preschool graduate.

These are pics taken on the first and last day of school. Isn't it amazing how much they grow and change in such a short time?!?

Lots of family came out to support her for the big day. Thanks everyone!

All beat-downs aside...this little guy is Maddie's biggest fan.

These are Maddie's amazing teachers; affectionately known as Ms. Barb and Ms. Ma-wissa. God bless their souls.

The lovely cake they made...that Maddie is still talking about.

Maddie's class (minus one). I'm guessing it's no coincidence that Maddie is seated on the end and near the quietest boy in the class; hey whatever works.

This graduation may have just been the cutest thing I've ever seen. The kids were so cute and hilarious. Thank you to Maddie's teachers for making this event so special for them AND us.

Maddie's friends. Maddie really loved going to preschool. It was only 2 days a week for 2 1/2 hours but she loved every minute of it and was always excited to go. At the end of the program they held up a picture representing what their favorite thing was about preschool, Maddie's was "her friends." She talked about them all year long.

This is Maddie's boyfriend Nicolas. when he ask her to be his girlfriend, she told him that she'd have to go home and ask her mom "what that was." (After almost choking on my cereal) I ask her why she liked Nicolas especially, and she immediately said, "because he's really funny and he's a genius." Well there you have it, that's all a girl really needs isn't it?

Maddie + preschool graduation = 2 VERY proud parents.

We love you.

Remembering...

Thank you to all those that live, fight, and die for our freedom 

and Nation;  we remember you. 

Bucket style

I've always wanted my own garden.   I have these "self sufficient" dreams of being able to stroll lazily out to my yard  (in my apron of course) and pick enough vegetables to make dinners for a whole summer. Dreams I said. Anyway, I'm not exactly "in the know" about gardening, in fact when planting my buckets, I said to my dad, " so I'll be seeing vegtables in like 2 weeks huh?  Umm...more like 2 months shaun!" Right, that's what I said...duh.  

We have a big enough yard here for a real garden, but didn't want to dig it up  for when we try to sell. Sooo...I'm trying "container gardening" ...or what we here in Weppa Ginny like to call "bucket gardening." Isn't it the tidiest little garden you've ever seen.  Well, scoff now, but in a couple months I'm gonna be supplying the ingredients for my salads (for the whole 

summer. lol)! 

cucumbers,  3 kinds of tomatoes and peppers. Ummm....YUM!!! 

One in a Million

As a young missionary serving in the island nation of Vanuatu, we had an ongoing joke of missionary work and our future spouse. We would joke that the more we would tract in the rain and provide physical service for the natives there, the better looking and more celestial our wives would be. My mission was very physically demanding. It was not out of the ordinary for us to hike three hours, over an active volcano and through the jungle (barefoot) to help someone out in their garden. During the wet season, we would be soaked from the time we left our grass hut in the morning until we returned that evening. 

Today is Mother’s day – a day we are to celebrate our mothers and all that they do for us. While it is great to set aside one whole day a year, I am thankful each and every day for the mother of my children. Shauna really is one in a million. I never thought I would find someone who compliments me so well; someone who keeps me grounded and makes me want to be the best that I can be; someone who puts our children first in all she does to make sure they are brought up in a gospel-centered home. I think our mailman was spot on when, seeing Shauna (the day before my surgery) in the yard mowing and getting taken for a ride by the weed wacker, asked if she cooked too. To this he replied “A good-lookin’, cookin’, lawn mowin’ weed wackin’ woman – your husband sure is lucky!” I couldn’t agree with him more! I count my blessings each and every day that Shauna decided to look my way. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY SHAUN – Love ya Babe!

Under the Knife

Whoa I kinda fell off the bogging radar there for a while, but it's not cause life has been boring "round here" that's for sure! As most of you know Brent hurt his back a couple weeks ago (the weekend of the "projects"). We found out that he had a badly herniated disk that was causing a great deal of nerve pain in his leg. Yesterday morning he had surgery.  The doctor was pleased with the way things went and said that he was glad that he operated when he did. He said that "he took a piece of disk out of Brent's spinal cord, about the size of a thumb!"  Even he seemed impressed at the herniation, and said that Brent "was probably in a good deal of pain these past couple weeks."  He also noted that operating was definitely the only option, as this kind of damage would have never healed on it's own and could have been even more threatening if not treated. He thought that Brent's leg pain and numbness should be pretty much gone now and that most of the pain he will feel from here on out will be due to the actual surgery/incision site, and from the manipulation of the muscles during surgery.  Brent was in good deal of pain after surgery but fortunately for modern medicine (which never ceases to amaze me) he was feeling "pretty good" when we left the hospital and is currently feeling comfortable and resting. Brent and I wanted to thank you for all your thoughts and prayers on our behalf, we feel tremendously blessed for all those that love and support us, and especially for those that have really helped us out these past couple days in taking care of the kids and running them from here to there. We're extremely grateful; thank you.  

before surgery

This may be the only oppurtunity I ever get to post a pic of Brent in panty hose...sorry bud. 

All doped up just before surgery...gotta love those drug induced silly grins

afterward...