Happy Birthday E!

I know, it's been about eight hundred years since I last posted. Sorry. Life is happening, I promise, I just haven't had the chance to share all about it yet. But today is a special day, so I feel that I must.

I can't believe it was five years ago today that my oldest little dude joined our family. This kid quite literally changed our lives and our family forever. Gosh this kid is special. He was the first person to ever call me mom. He's taught me a lot about myself and about life. I'm so glad he's here with us.

Here are five things about E that I just love:

1. He is the most sensitive little guy. He really feels for others and sincerely wants to help those who are hurting or sad. He is compassionate, loving, and understanding.

2. He's the smartest kid his age that I know. Seriously. He's been reading since he was three and hasn't stopped since! I love the way he not only soaks up information like a sponge, but how he remembers it long after it's slipped my mind. I'm amazed at the way his brain works and I hope he will continue his love of learning throughout his life.

3. He loves his little brother and watches out for him. Of course, when it's just the two of them at home, he tends to beat up on him a little, but if they're with a group of kids and W is in trouble, E is right there to help.

4. He has the most determined attitude about him! If there is a problem, he is the one with the solution. "Just because" doesn't sit well with him at all -- he needs to know the reasons behind decisions and rules and will not just take someone's word for it, even mine. This can get on my nerves sometimes because when he wants to do something, it doesn't matter what kinds of obstacles I throw at him, he's always coming up with a way to accomplish it. It's a love/hate thing with me -- I am proud of his gumption and determination, but sometimes it can wear me down trying to convince him that some things just aren't going to happen! :)

5. E has me rolling on the floor sometimes with the things he says -- he has such a grown-up vocabulary, sometimes without knowing the actual meanings of the words he's saying, but he knows what context they work in, and he's not afraid to use it. He definitely keeps me on my toes!

Well, there you have it. I can't believe I'm the mom of a 5-year-old!

Have a happy birthday and a great year, little dude. We love you!!

Handmade Giveaway!

You may have seen this before, but this is the first time that I've participated in something like this, and I'm pretty excited about it, so here goes.

I am giving away 5 handmade items, made by me, to the first 5 commenters of this blog. I will think about you in my mind and make something awesome that I believe you will enjoy. You have no say in what it is. The surprise item will make it into your hands sometime in the next 6 months. (Usually it's a year, but I need a better deadline than that!)

(Here is an example of something I made my sister for Christmas. In the above shot, it's still in working pieces, but it's a quilted pillow cover. Of course, that doesn't mean this is what you'll get, it's just an example.)  (Also, I should state for the record that my husband actually gave it to my sister for Christmas since he pulled her name in the exchange. And yes, he did tell her that he slaved away on it, much to everyone's amusement.)

"Okay, so what's the catch?" you ask? Well, you have to post this giveaway on your blog (or on your Facebook status) and do the same for your first 5 commenters.

I'm happy to do my part to spread the handmade goodness, won't you come along?

Baby, it's cold outside!

I'm completely loving this weather change! I really think I could handle snow in the winter. (Did you hear that, dear?) We've been reveling in the snowy weather out here, with the boys having so much fun playing in it. Here's the evidence:

And we've even had the chance to get some pretty good shots of me and the hubby! I almost didn't believe it! :) But here's more proof:

So yes, needless to say, we've been having tons and tons of fun. I just wish this holiday didn't ever have to end. Argh, do I really have to go back to real life soon? Makes me sad to think about it....

Meeting Santa

At our ward Christmas party, West and Eli got to meet Santa.

You all remember Eli's reaction this year, right?

Well, I'd say he did much better this time around. He calmly told Santa that he wanted snow skis so that he could go skiing. (Since we'll be spending the holidays with my WHOLE FAMILY in Ohio. Can you tell I'm a little excited?!) Santa was a bit confused, since we live in sunny southern California, but went along with it nonetheless.

Then it was West's turn, and he was already in a bad mood. I think being stuck on a white-bearded stranger's lap pushed him over the edge.

Yeah, that's more like the Lakey Christmas Santa photos we know and love! :)

And it wasn't any better for the group shot either.

But at least it'll make me laugh for years to come!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cheer

I've started working with a new product designer over at Scrap Girls, making layouts for her when needed. It's been a lot of fun and I've had the chance to scrap a lot more often because of it. Her name is Pebbles Jones (I know, so cute, right?) and she's really sweet. I've had lots of fun with her products.

Here are some of the more recent layouts I've done. To find out what supplies I used, you can click on the image and you'll be taken to my gallery where the supplies are linked up.

Hope you like them! ;)

Holiday Motivation

How cute is this?

There is a website where you can create a personalized video from Santa for your child. I made one for Eli -- I think he's going to like it!

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/guest/YY7QcQDw5eSVC-h1pPOGhg

I love the part where he tells Eli to make sure he's listening to his parents. I think I'm going to have to pull that one out and use it in the upcoming weeks before Christmas! :)

I bet you can't relate at all...

'Did you ever wish you could sometimes freeze frame a moment in your day, look at it and say "this is not my life"?'
-- Mrs. Doubtfire

Yeah, so here's a little story. This afternoon around 1:30, I decided to make my bed.

{Sidenote: I hope I didn't just ruin anyone's perception of my life by admitting that I don't make my bed every morning the minute I get up out of it. Actually, it's far more likely is that you knew that already.}

So I stripped the bed, and found the crumbly remnants of the dry cereal my kids were eating in my bed that morning. So I thought to myself, "Self, you need to vacuum those up before you make the bed because you'll kick yourself for it when you get in bed and it's all crumbly tonight."

Being all homemaker-y, I went to find the vacuum, where I had left it, still plugged in, in the guest room. But before I could get it out, I saw that I had left some books on the floor from when I was dusting earlier, so I decided those needed to be put away real quick. After I finished that, I noticed some toys and other odds and ends that needed to be put away, so I took them to their rightful places. One of which was some fabric that needed to go in my sewing room. I got to my sewing room, put the fabric away, and there were some clothes of the boys that needed to be taken downstairs to the laundry room. So of course, I did that, and found that the trash needed to be taken out. So I did that, and noticed some clean laundry that had to be taken upstairs to my room.

When I got to my room, I wanted to put the clothes away, but first I realized I needed to have a made bed to do it. (Don't ask me why, I always prefer putting my clothes away on a made bed. I know, I'm weird.)

So then the cycle completed because I saw the crumbs, remembered that I was supposed to be getting the vacuum, finally got it, and then came back to make the bed.

"This is not my life."

Put me out of my misery!

Ugh, I hate being sick. And normally I’m not, but these past couple of months I’ve just been bouncing from one infirmity to another. I’m not sure if it’s stress related or because I have kids that have to touch everything they come in contact with in the outside world, or maybe maybe my little antibodies are taking a holiday. Who knows. Whatever the reason, I’m getting really tired of dealing with it.

First it was bronchitis that lasted for a good two weeks. I finally went to the doctor and got on antibiotics, and started doing better. At the tail end of that, I must have caught some kind of cold from the kids that wreaked havoc on my sinuses. Every time I drove down the big hill to the freeway, my head would congest so much that I felt like I was deep-sea diving. And that lasted for a good 2 1/2 weeks before I could get my ears to pop!

Then just yesterday I woke up with either a 24-bug or food poisoning, I really don’t know which one. And I’ll spare you the gory details, but it was draining. I’m just eternally grateful for my mother-in-law who came and whisked my boys away for an overnight stay so that I could stay home and get some rest. Really, I don’t know what I would have done without her. I’m grateful to be the beneficiary of such kindness.

And now, it’s on to the rest of the day filled with preschool, meetings, planning for an upcoming church Christmas dinner, and lots of other things.

Maybe one of those things should include Lysol’ing the entire house. I’m pretty much at that point by now, haha.

Holiday Happenings

I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday this past week. We spent the day(s) with my husband's family, his parents, two sisters, brother-in-law, grandparents, and aunt. It was lots of fun! And of course, I was too busy chasing little ones around and making my mama's famous bakery rolls, so I got ZERO pictures of the festivities. Seriously, zero. I'm not proud. But for now, I'm glad I got to enjoy the holiday.

E and W loved having lots of playmates to entertain them, the hubby got some great Wii playing in, and we (the girls) even got to do some shopping that night! Who knew, Old Navy was open until 8pm! Those poor workers. But at least I got a nice new winter coat, so I'm happy.

There are so many things in my life that I'm thankful for right now. I'll only list a few so as not to bore you all, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share some. 

• my Savior, Jesus Christ
• my absolutely amazing little family
• modern medicine
• Sudoku
• Harry Potter Lego's
• dish gloves
• muddy buddies
• a cell phone that takes pictures
• digital scrapbooking supplies (so I don't have to mess with glue)
• really exceptional friends with whom I can pick up right where we left off, no matter how much time has gone by
• this great fall weather that has finally come to California!

Those are just a few of the things I've been thinking about lately. I'm SO SO SO blessed in my life, and I'm practicing acknowledging that and making a point to remember it.

And since I don't have any Thanksgiving photos to share, I'll share a recent layout instead. :) 

You can find links to the supplies I used here.

What I was doing Monday night

Do you want to know what my idea of a perfect evening is?

Well, at least when the hubby is out of town…

It’s putting together THIS:

while watching THIS:

Yeah. Perfection.

(And don’t worry, the hubs is home safe and sound now.)

And you’d better believe we’ll be going to see THIS on Friday night! I literally get goosebumps every time I watch the trailers. Every. Single. Time.