Aidan's buddy turns 1!

Aidan is one lucky guy...he has a little friend for life! Yesterday his cousin Greyson (my brother Peter and Mary's little guy) turned 1 ! Since they are only 6 months apart they are sure to have a good time together. We wish we could have been there today for his big birthday bash and hope it was great.
Happy Birthday Grey!

I was excited for a little gift (a little T-shirt and ear warmers) that I put together for him. His dad (Peter)is a great musician and loves the guitar so I thought this would be fun.

We are also looking forward to another playmate coming the end of April...little "mini Matt"! Yes, my youngest brother Matt and his wife Kathryn are also expecting a little boy & we can't wait!!

Let's get her a baby!!

You may have noticed on the right side of my blog I have a little picture of my great friend Siri and her sweet family. Let me tell you about her...

I've known Siri for about 10 years now (wow! time flies!). We actually met in the MTC (Missionary Training Center) in Provo, UT as we were both preparing to enter the mission field.

I liked Siri as soon as I met her. She was so genuine, sweet & soft spoken, but was very firm in her convictions and love for the Lord and His work. I was impressed with her kindness and ability to make people feel loved even though she hadn't known them very long.

While being missionaries only a few months, Siri & I were called to be missionary companions. (This basically means we were assigned to "buddies" day and night. Not only for protection as we went out to teach the Gospel, but because the Lord has commanded, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." 2 Corinthians 13:1) Being with Siri was truly a blessing in my life as she taught me so many things by her example.

In the crown at the top of the Statue of Liberty.

It was during this time we spent together that I learned more about her. Dancing is a big part of her life. She was a ballerina for many years and was also on the University of Utah's drill team. She could also down a Big Mac-- but you'd never guess it with her cute petite frame. (Can you tell I was jealous...as I sat eating my small garden salad.:) She is also funny...I remember laughing and joking around so much that I had tears!

After her mission she married a great guy (enter Darren) & they started their family. As you can see they have been blessed with 2 beautiful girls...however only after Siri has almost had to give her life for them. I've never known anyone who gets as sick with HG as Siri (extremely ill...some women actually die from this). While pregnant she needs constant care (which includes moving in with her mom), and has an IV at home that keeps her from dehydrating and pretty much keeps her alive. Unfortunately she still has serious health conditions that have stemmed from pregnancies that she may have for the rest of her life.

So, to make a short story long...Siri and her little family would love to add another little one to their lives! Please keep her in mind if you hear of anyone who may be in a situation (for whatever reason) where they may want to have a better life for precious little one. As some of you know, adopting a baby is not easy. The Elkins home would be a wonderful place for a special child to become a part of a super family.

Let's get this gal a baby!! For more info. you can visit their bio on their adoption website.

Vintage Bunny PDF pattern giveaway!

Because those that read my blog are so great I wanted to give you a heads up on a great pattern giveway. You can make these cute bunnies just in time for Easter!!

I read through the instructions and they are EASY--even for a beginner like me. (And there are lots of pictures to help.)

So, just get just click Tanya's pattern giveaway and leave a comment. (Don't feel silly, I gave Tanya a heads up that I'd be posting this...and she has a ton of followers she doesn't even know.)

If you don't win you can still buy it on Etsy! I'll be trying my hand at this one...maybe I'll post how mine actually turns out.:)

Grandma Ashby

I'd forgotten about this. I posted this back in 2007 on our "family blog" before we all started our own. I thought someone might like it so here you go!



"So, the other day after swimming we went to MCD with Ethan's Great-grandma Ashby (pictured above). As we passed by the "Red Box" video rental Ethan stopped when he saw Curious George. Then he point to the "Man of the Year" cover below then turned to his great grandma and said, "This is you!"

We all had a good laugh."

Printable Palooza!

Enjoy!
I made 'em so I figured I share 'em!  Happy Printing!
{I'll be adding all of my printable gradually...if you're looking for something specific that I haven't updated on this page yet please try searching my blog.}

Holiday Printables

  

 

Gift Printables

   

   

Happy Birthday Banner


Summer Party Printables

          

Father's Day "Fill-In" Coupon Book








Valentines Prinables


Not Into Pink?



Heartie Printable

2 Fun Things

Okay so I have to let you know about 2 fun things I found out about today!

#1) Panodora. You may already know about this, but I had no idea and its the best thing since sliced bread!

Basically, its a satellite radio station that you create yourself. You pick an artist or song and they find that genre of music for you to listen to on your computer. Just check it out and you'll see what I'm talking about. Its SUPER EASY to use & I'm loving it!!

#2) We found these totally cute ice trays at IKEA today for $1.99 each. (Yes, we are ready for summer! Or even spring...!) Ethan loves them. So, if you like them you'd better go to IKEA soon...you know how fast things like this go!

That's all. Goodnight!

Tanya's Ties

So, you all know how I rave about my sister-in-law Tanya, but she's really done it again. On her blog she shows you how to make them. And I think I'm cool because I gave her some of the cute material she made this one with.

Love it. Soon the boys will be sporting these sweet little things.

I thought I was your gal...

Not so long ago Ethan told me that he wished I was 5

so we could be best friends.

He also said he wanted to marry me.

But then there was Anli.

(Pronounced ANLEE--love her name).

Anli & Ethan have been little friends for as long as they can remember. (Anli's mom Heather is a great friend of mine...we were roommates in the days of singledom.)

As I watched them chase eachother around the house last week I realized that one day I won't be able to keep in those races with the ladies...but I guess that's okay--but only if he gets a sweetie like Anli. And I'd love to share grandkids with Heather anyway.:)

Aren't childhood friends the best?!

One more...

So due to popular demand...okay one request (Aunt Tanya):) here is a longer version of the "laughing Aidan". You may be wondering what Ethan is saying while he's running. I think it has something to do with something he learned from watching Little Einsteins. Guess it could be worse. Whatever it was Aidan sure liked it!:)

What's so funny?

You may want to pause the music for these...
(Just click the pause button the on the playlist on the right hand side of the blog.)





Its all fun & games until Aidan starts to crawl, walk, & talk...then life as Ethan knows it will change forever. Hopefully they will still make eachother laugh like this!!

10 Warning signs you might be addicted to facebook...

I saw this article on Yahoo and thought this was pretty funny. If you're on facebook it will make more sense...

10 warning signs that you may be addicted to Facebook
by Tara Stiles

1. Facebook is your home page.

2. You update your status more than twice a day.

3. You have over 500 "friends" half of whom you've never actually met.

4. As soon as you step away from your computer you're on FB on your phone.

5. You are a FB stalker. You qualify as a FB stalker if you

a) click on someone's profile more than once a day even if they haven't messaged or tagged you in a photo.

b) have dragged and dropped more than 3 FB photos (not from your own profile)

c) actually go to a place mentioned on someone's page in hopes of seeing them in real life...creepy!

6. You change your profile picture more than a 12-year=old girl.

7. You have checked your FB page while reading this article.

8. You clean up your "wall" so it looks like you spend less time on FB.

9. You are a member of more than 10 groups and respond to every event invitation "attending" even if you have no intention of going.

10. You change your relationship status just to mess with people.

I'd like to add...

-If you can't stop playing Word Challenge.
-You lay in bed at night thinking of which pictures you can post the next day.
-You're blog is starting to suffer because you spend your free time on facebook.

Wink, Wink!

Ear Warmer Tutorial

Let's keep those ears warm! Here's the simple tutorial!

1) Measure the head that will be wearing the ear warmer & cut your fleece to the same length. (An average women's head is 22 inches). Then cut the fleece 6 inches wide.


2) Fold the right sides of the fleece together and sew a 5/8 inch seam line.


3) Cut off the excess material as close to the seam as you can (approx 1/8 inch).


4) Turn the material inside out and stitch straight down about 5/8 inch on both sides of the headband. (This is more for decoration so you can pick a zigzag or wavy stitch if you want. I used a close wavy stitch on this one.)


5) Stitch the ends together. I put the edges together and used a zigzag stitch.


6) Pick your design. You can use whatever shape or material you'd like, but I chose a flower on fleece.


7) Stitch the material together with a basic zigzag stitch.


8) Cut the excess material off.


9) Stitch the design to the headband. I did this using the center of the flower.


10) Yahoo! Your ears will never be cold again!!


Feel free to email me with any questions you have!! toadstreasures@yahoo.com

Here's a peek at a few more fun ideas...

One more winner...

I couldn't resist. I decided to pick one more ear warmer winner!

And the lucky gal was MARY! Mary, be sure to get me the size (just measure the lucky head in inches), pick the color of the headband, and which design you'd like. Congrats!!

And the winner is...!

Thanks to all for wanting to participate in my 1st giveaway! We ended up with 16 lovely ladies in the drawing. Its been so fun I have a feeling there will be many more to come!:)

So not to make you wait any longer...
The winner is...


Congrats Traci!

Traci-
*Be sure to measure the lucky head who will be wearing the ear warmers and let me know how big it needs to be.

*Here are your choices of fleece for the headband...

Let me know which color you'd like.

*Here are some design choices...I can also make a fish, football, a letter, or any other easy boyish design.:)

Let me know what you'd like Traci!

I haven't had a chance to put together the tutorial on how to make the ear warmers, but I will get to it as soon as I can!

Our little monkey

Aidan is trying to eat Ethan's arm...


We are in the monkey phase...at 6+ months Aidan is now our wiggling, giggling, grabbing, put everything thing in your mouth, open mouth kissing little guy. As Aunt Tanya says: "He's turning into a little monkey"!:)


Although Aidan's short life has been mostly a blurr for me (see my postpardum post for more details), this little peanut makes us smile everyday...he even makes me think I could do it again (GASP!!!!). That little trickster.


He's pretty much your average 6 month old...today at his well baby appointment he weighed in at 18 lbs 4 oz=50%, was 26 inches long=50%, & was at 75% for head size=a big smart brain, right? Well, average--except for a few funny quirks...

He takes his milk COLD! Yes, I'm still pumping. (If you missed that post explaining the pumping click here.) If we try to feed him nice fresh warm "just pumped" milk he refuses. I can hear his little tummy growling, but he flat out will not eat. So, I'll stick the milk in the fridge/freezer to cool it off & then he'll gulp it down like he's never eaten before in his life. I'm sure he'll soon love some cookies with that milk.

Want this guy to start belly laughing? Here's the trick...show some skin. Ethan will be getting ready for his bath & be running around nakie and Aidan will be cracking up. The other day Bob was getting dressed after his shower and his shirt was off...again Aidan started laughing. Hopefully this won't carry on to his wife one day. Poor girl.

He prefers the veggies. Not rice or oatmeal cereal, pears, or apple juice...he likes the nasty sweet peas, beans, etc. (Although his favorite is sweet potatoes which are not so bad.) The funny thing is I can't get anyone else in my house to willingly eat green veggies! Let's hope that is a life long eating habit...

Oh Aidan. We love ya! But let's not start crawling too soon okay little buddy? Mom isn't quite ready to chase you around all day!:)

PS Tomorrow is the big drawing for the ear warmer giveaway!! Yahoo! I'll also be posting a tutorial on how to make them for those interested.