Meet My New Best Friend...

... Pam, Pam the Projector!

Or as my babes like to call her... The Robot!
They talk to her in this silly voice and thinks she came from "Infinity" - you know like "To Infinity and Beyond!" from Buzz Lightyear! haha!
Anyways, Pam is awesome and she comes to us from the Planet Craigslist!
She was bought for a mere $50.00 with the sole purpose of projecting words and images onto old pieces of wood so I can make signs!

Before Pam (B.P.) Loren and I would have to make stencils out of thick card stock or print something off the computer and cut it out with an exacto knife.

But not anymore!
Pam lets us project whatever we want right onto the wood! Then all we have to do is trace it, paint it, sand it, and Viola!!!

We get this...

(click on any of these pictures to enlarge them, it's worth it!)


Thee most gorgeous looking, hand painted, signs you have EVER seen!!!

The details, designs, and sanding is where Pam leaves off and we come in... and seriously, look at how wonderful these turned out!

Now whipping up a sign takes half the time it used to take and I get a ton more freedom with fun fonts, designs, and images!

Ahh, I'm in love! Pam has completely made my year! I am so gonna get my craft on this year!

Just so you know... if you are drooling over these signs (mainly the Fresh Berries one) like I am... then you can totally get your hands on one of them at this months Louise's Basement Sale!

Loren and I are pumpin' out some pretty cute pieces for this sale... so come on out and visit us the second weekend in February and snatch up some of these goodies!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

I know me and my 4 day weekend did!

Chat later,

Jen

Recent Discoveries

(image taken from Food Gawker)

1.) I found this new site called Food Gawker... and I love, love, LOVE it!
This site surfs other blogs and compiles tons and tons of wonderful recipes right onto one site! They pretty much do all the hard work for you!
It makes finding a recipe or something to make so, so, easy! It is like flipping through a magazine or recipe box full of pictures! All you have to do is a find a mouth watering picture of "Pink Velvet Whoopi Pies" or "Iced Coffee" or "Zucchini Fries" or "Cappuccino Brownies" or "Long Boy Burgers" or "Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies!" ... oh my GOSH, somebody stop me!

.... anyways, find a picture of a recipe you like, click on it, and it brings you directly to that blog with that recipe! Genius!!!

2.) My husband has baby fever! Yes, you read that right! Not me... but him!
Most husbands don't really get baby fever. Most husbands are the ones telling their wives "No more babies!" or "Are you sure?" But not my hubby. He loves babies and mostly everything about them!
I say this is a recent discovery because you should have seen him last night as he finally got to hold his brand new niece Paisley. He had this smile and this look in his eye that quietly whispered to me... "I want this." "I want another baby."

Well just see for yourself!
And you can't deny how cute he looks with two little girls in his arms?!
We'll see, we'll see! For now I am really liking the babes ages and where we are at in life.

But, ok... I really love her too! And that new baby smell could just about seal the deal!

That's it! That's all I've got today!

Hope you guys are having a great week!

I am looking forward to a wonderful, work FREE weekend!

Then next week... someone is celebrating a big birthday! That someone might just be ME! :)

Woo Hoo!

Chat later,

Jen

I'm a New Aunt... I'M A NEW AUNT!!!!!!

Here she is!
Meet the newest member of the Petersen Family...

Ms. Paisley Jayne Petersen!
Born on Sunday, January 23rd at 6:24 pm.

This girl was no small baby! She weighed in at 9 lbs. 5 oz. and 21 inches long - I know what you're thinkin' and holy smokes is right!!!
But boy is she a cutie and absolutely perfect!!!

Paisley is actually my 4th little niece (Loren's sister has 3 little girls!) but she is my first blood niece on my families side and I could not be more excited for her arrival!

She is the newest addition to our family and I'll tell ya' what's the most strange... is to think that my little sister is now a Mom!
Wow, I can hardly wrap my brain around that!

My sister Jes was your usual little sister... clingly, tagged along, stole my stuff, wanted to do everything I wanted to do, kind of little sister! But as we have gotten older, Jes and I have really formed a wonderful, grown up connection! As our lives have evolved and changed, so has our relationship as sisters.
And now I don't always look at her as my sister, but more like my friend!
She is even our nanny and one of the main care givers to my children! So needless to say I absolutely love her guts and think very highly of her!

With that being said... yesterday, January 23rd, was a big day for us! A monumental day in our lives and I am so proud of my sister!

Jes was such a champ during labor and delivery! At one point her nurse came out to update us and said "I have never met a Mom with such determination! She is doing everything we ask of her! She just keeps pushing and pushing and won't give up!"

I'll have to admit... I totally got a little teary eyed as I stood their with our Mom and had a "big sister" moment! I couldn't help but smile and think.... "That's my sister." So, after hours and hours of labor... and hours and hours of waiting... Paisley finally made her appearance! - and my babes couldn't have been more excited to meet their new cousin!
Not everything went as planned yesterday. Things had to be changed, plans had to be switched, and decisions had to be made.... but at the end of the day... my sister welcomed an adorable little girl into the world! - and that's the only plan that mattered!

I am so excited to get my hands on this little girl and hold her - and rock her - and love her - and smother her with kisses! It is going to be so much fun having her in our lives and in our family!

Dear Paisley,

I am beyond thrilled that you are finally here. It feels like I have waited all my life to meet you! I am going to rock at being your Auntie! But more importantly, I can't wait to watch you grow up and become the little girl Jesus has planned for you to be!

Branden,I can't help but smile at the fact that you are a Dad! I have seen you grow and change as you have been in our family and I can't imagine our family with out you! You will find your groove and become an amazing Daddy!

Jes,Words could never express how much I love you! I am so, so proud of you! You did it... you survived a labor and delivery! You are one tough cookie! I am praying for a quick and easy recovery! Before you know it we will be running around town together having play dates... both as Mommy's!
In case I don't say it enough...
I am so blessed to call you my sister!

And with out further a do, Ms. Paisley Petersen!

Congratulations Jes and Branden!!!

Here's to the start of a new life and even better things to come!

Chat later,

Jen

*If you want more background on baby Paisley... check out this post! I'm sure you'll remember how fun that day was!

Pizza Crescent Rolls

Is it just me or do you other Mom's run out of things to feed your little ones?!

If your house is like our house then your staples consist of chicken nuggets, hot dogs, pb & j's, mac & cheese, cheese & crackers, etc. Along with the sides of yogurt, jello, applesauce, goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, bananas... ok you get it!

It sounds like a lot of different menu items but boy does it always come out feeling like my kids are eating the same things! And forget vegetables... I would almost assume my children are allergic to them! But enough about this... it's starting to turn into a rant! haha.

The other day Greta wanted pizza for lunch... we didn't have any pizza in the house. However sometimes I have used soft shell tortillas and make a little pizza out of that.... however, we were out of soft shell tortillas also! Yikes, 2 strikes... I was beginning to feel like a bad Mom.

But then I saw a lonely can of crescent rolls hanging out in the door of the frig and came up with this last minute, impromptu pizza... or pizza rolls if you will!

All you need are these FOUR ingredients.... 1 Can Crescent Rolls, pizza sauce, pepperoni, and shredded cheese! Easy!
Take each crescent roll triangle and place a spoonful of pizza sauce in the middle, then spread out....
add a slice of pepperoni...
some shredded cheese...
then roll it up like a crescent roll should be!
How easy was that?! You're DONE! Bake them following the directions on the crescent roll can... something like 350 for 15 minutes.
Look at how delicious they turned out?!
Warm, cheesy, and I'm not gonna lie... quite tasty!

I wouldn't call these Pizza Rolls super healthy or anything wildly creative... but they worked and they were absolutely yummy! The kids loved them so much they asked for them for dinner a couple nights later!

And really you could add some extras like olives, mushrooms, whatever and change it up a bit!

Ohh and now that my mind is rollin' these would even be a super easy but delicious little appetizer to bring to a party!

Hmm... so not a bad little go to snack or meal whenever you are in a pickle and lookin' for a quick pizza fix!

But jumping back up to my top rant... really, are your kids eating habits like mine? And what do you Mom's feed your babes for lunch and dinner? I am sure any comments or opinions would help some of us Momma's out! So please... share and share alike!

Hope you're having a great week.

Chat later,

Jen

To The Library We Go!

Over the weekend Loren and I took the babes on their very first trip to the Library!

I have been wanting to go for awhile now actually. I have felt that Greta has been at a good age and really has a love for books... it just so happens that Tuck has always been so young and I didn't know if he would be ready. You know... being a rowdy 1 and a 1/2 year old boy... I just never thought the timing was right... even though Greta was ready... maybe Tuck was not. And being a Mommy of 2 young babes so close in age... you really got to gauge that kind of stuff.

But with that being said... Tuck is getting bigger, older, and smarter every day and we decided it was time to tap into the wonderful, free, luxuries of the Library!

I will admit, I like to prepare my children and set them up for success... even in such small situations.
So, we brought it up the day before and talked about what a Library is.
Then the day of our big trip we talked all about the rules of the Library... mainly the part about using our "inside voices" and practiced whispering over and over again.

By late morning we were off.... off to the Library....

Both babes were so excited over all the books!
Books, and books, and more books! Books everywhere they looked!
Of course... about 5 minutes in... Tuck forgot his "quiet voice" in the truck and started to yell loudly when he saw a big stuffed puppy! - Oh well, that's my boy :)

But my Greta was wonderful and perfectly behaved... just like the big girl I know she is!
The Coon Rapids Library had a really great kid section with tables right next to a big wall of windows. Greta and Tuck were able to grab a ton of books and bring them back to the table to read.
Of course Cheeze-its and apple juice helped them want to stay at the table for longer periods of time!
And one of the main reasons I felt so excited and confident about our trip to the Library with the babes was because I was going to have my best, trusty, side kick with me.......... His name is Daddy!
This picture is too funny to me - look at Greta with that big cheesy grin in the back!
All in all, we had a really great time! The kids got to roam around and look for books, they got to sit down and have some great stories read to them by Mommy and Daddy, and we even got to rent 2 new Barney movies for the week.... and all of this fun was at the expense of FREE!
And Mommy even got a cook book for herself!

We definitely had a great and memorable first time at the Library. And now that the babes are broke in and know the rules and how a Library works... I just might be frequenting the Library a little more with just me and the babes.

I love making memories like this and documenting Greta and Tuck's first new adventures!

I hope you all had a great weekend and here's to the start of a new week!

Happy Monday,

Jen

Things That Make Me Happy...

... brothers and sisters that play dress up together!

A little boy who wears a cowboy hat, red cowgirl boots, and rides a Barbie bike as his horse!

A little girl who loves to play Jessie the Cowgirl and has thee most wonderful imagination!

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Chat later,

Jen

Clothespins Sure Do Come In Handy!

I have had this chunk of tile hanging in my kitchen/dining room for a couple years now....

When I first got it at Second Hand Rose in Buffalo, I wasn't sure what to do with it. So, for awhile it stayed like this, completely random, unfinished and not sure of what I was going to do or even wanted to do with it...

Then after I wasn't diggin' that idea of just putting random stuff all over wherever... I actually took everything down and left it completely plain! Just the plain, chippy white chunk of tile. It was simple and it was gorgeous, in my opinion.... but it was plain!
And I am not one who likes plain. I wouldn't call myself a hoarder by any means, but I prefer clutter... tasteful "clutter." Clutter that looks fine as an individual piece but gorgeous when it all comes together! Clutter that holds memories or says a family lives here and this is their story.

Honestly, It's like I see an empty space and it makes me nervous! Now of course all of this is in the decorating sense. I do like plain and simple for organization and such. And of course I say I don't like empty space but some things just have to sit empty until you find that "right piece" or have that "ahh haaa!" moment.

And that is what happened a week or so ago with that plain white chunk of tile.
It had sat empty for long enough and I knew she was crying for something to fill her... so I filled her!.......

(sorry for the low quality, blurry pics! I don't know what was up with my camera! - But you can always click on the pictures to enlarge them if you need a better looksie!)

It's really nothing fancy, super genious, or the "ooh la la" decorator type... but I like it!

I just strunge 2 pieces of twine to make 2 rows and then started hanging some pictures with clothespins. The idea really happened when I was having a moment about photos around our house. I have so many I love and just not enough places to display all of them... but now I do!

I literally threw it together as you can see (blue push pin and all), but I guess if the spirit moves you... move! And I knew if I didn't stop and do this ASAP I would never fill this tile.

So anyways, there she is! Two pieces of twine a handful of clothespins and my favorite photos and quotes. Makes a pretty cute art piece if I do say so myself!

Now after these photos move down the list of favs I can just switch them out for new ones. Or if the kids draw a cute picture, if I get a special card or thank you in the mail, I can really change it up and hang just about anything I want with my handy dandy clothespin line!

Don't have a big chunk of tile to string twine across?

Why not use a corkboard or an old farm window would be cute! Or what if you strung twine in a room. Find some wall space and string the twine from corner to corner. I would think you could find things or places of your own to make a clothespin line.

It is easy, it is cheap, and it is so versatile!

Hope you all are having a great week and hope you were inspired to do a little somethin' somethin' at your house today!

Chat later,

Jen