Woo Hoo Wednesday (5/23/12)

Last week for Woo Hoo Wednesday we made homemade clay bead bracelets. We had 5 colors to choose from so Bennet & Scout went to work on their favorite color combinations. 

This girl and her silly faces.

 And then there is this girl with HER silly faces. Beads ready to bake. 275 degrees for 15 minutes.

 Once the beads cooled we strung them with thin elastic. We had enough beads left over that I was able to make one for myself. The girls thought it was so cool that I had a bracelet that matched theirs.

Baked Bean Fiend

I've mentioned before that Scout LOVES baked beans. So much so that she wanted her picture taken with a can :) She prefers the Original flavor and can tell if I try to sneak in any maple or brown sugar. She is so funny.  

TITLE: This girl is a Baked Bean fiend. 

Supplies: Paper- Cosmo Cricket, Echo Park, Doodlebug, Bella Blvd., Scenic Route. Alpha- Jillibean Soup, October Afternoon.
Photo: March 2012. Layout: May 2012. 

10 Things on Thursday

1. Spent close to 2 hours deep cleaning Kim the Kia also known as the mini-van last weekend. I looks fabulous! Anyone want to place bets on how long it stays clean? 


2. I personally loved the Grey's Anatomy finale. I saw so many friends on Facebook crying foul. I don't get it. The show has always been about pushing buttons and boundaries. I've come to expect that my emotions will be tested and beloved characters may be lost. 


3. I've been spending some quality time with my sewing machine while Nick has been spending some quality time with Diablo III. Here is a Reversible Tote Bag and matching zipper pouch that I made for a co-worker. (These are made-to-order. Email me at kari at kariann 96 dot com if you're interested)

4. Bennet Snapshot of the Week: She is looking forward to her end of Kindergarten Pot Luck tonight at school. She is most excited to show us all her 'art' and bring the fruit salad that she helped prepare. 



5. Scout Snapshot of the Week:  I still predict that she will be shortest of our 3 girls. But this week it seems like she's sprouted. All of a sudden a lot of her dresses are too short. On to the next size. 


6.  Ellie Snapshot of the Week:  Ellie discovered that if she goes to the window on the playground she can see me at my desk. Most afternoons around 3:45 I'll see a ponytailed Ellie with her face smooshed into the window screen saying, "My Mama!" and giggling. 

7. Nick spent the better part of last week at the cabin fishing with his best friend Nate. Every night when he'd call Bennet would ask, "Whatcha catch today Dad? A muskie?" And he did! 

8.  I'm patting myself on the back for surviving 5 nights and 6 days as a single mom. It's my yearly reminder that those of you who are single parents 365 days a year truly are superheros. 


9. 4 full and 2 half days left of school. 

10. Off to the cabin for the long Memorial Day weekend. It's the last time we'll be able to stay at the 'old cabin' before it's torn down to start construction on the new one. So many memories there. 

Woo Hoo Wednesday (5/16/12)

Once the snow melts in Wisconsin, Wednesday's turn into WooHoo Wednesday's. Nick has golf league every Wed. He really enjoys golfing with his brothers. I love that this gives him a chance to get out of the house and socialize with other adults. I also love that is gives me some quality time with the girls. 


This is the 5th year we've done it. I try to plan something fun every week. Last summer I got lazy with both photo taking and ideas. This year I started pinning ideas to a Pinterest board months ago. (Go Kari!) 


Last week we made Homemade Slime.  It didn't turn out very slimy. It was more like jelly, but the girls didn't seem to care in the least.

Fifty Shades of Nick

Some women have shoes- my husband has button downs. A couple weeks ago I actually caught up on laundry.  Shocking isn't it? As I was hanging all of Nick's dress shirts in his closet I decided to count them. He has close to 50 dress shirts.  I may have to ask him to take the garbage out or empty the dishwasher but I'll never have to ask him to dress better. He always looks ready for dinner with the Rockefellers. 

10 Things on Thursday

1. Listening to alot of Paolo Nutini. I dig it! 

2. HIMYM Finale verdict? All is right in the world! 


3.  I made these birds nest necklaces this year for Mother's Day. Next year I'll put some in my Etsy shop. i really like how they turned out. 

4. Bennet Snapshot of the Week: She learned how to do a proper skid out on her bike this week. She's been booking it down hills to skid out every since. Nick said, "Skids on your bike leave a mark just like skids in your underwear" to which Bennet replied "Daaadd!" Embarrassing her already!

5. Scout Snapshot of the Week:  Scout took her training wheels off but is being timid about trying her 2-wheeler. She really does have zero balance so it will be a work in progress, 

6.  Ellie Snapshot of the Week:  This week she's fallen in love with a fleece Winnie the Pooh blanket. She wants to take it everywhere with her. 

7. I've been sewing some summer skirts for my girls and 2 of my nieces. Here is one I made for Ellie. 

8.  9 full and 2 half days left of school. 

9. Reading and laughing- nothing. I'm between books. Would love suggestions! 

10. I am volunteering in Bennet's class on Friday for Game Day. I can't believe it's already the last board game day of the year. Time flies. 

This Girl

Oh how this girl makes me laugh. Big, loud belly laughs. At 28 months she is just a riot! Yesterday she found a Frankenstein hat and went on to wear it all through dinner and our walk to the park. Seriously- only Ellie! In the first two photos she was trying to grab the camera to "See Ellie!"

She loves to snuggle. If you pick her up she'll nestle into your shoulder and give your back two little love pats.

She will come up to you and give your leg a giant hug and then kiss it before she walks away.

Actually- she rarely walks. She's usually running. Full board, non-stop.

She LOVES to dance. She will spin, jump and shimmy to anything with a beat. Check her out at last Friday's Spring Fling event at Bennet's school.



Yes- I giggle when she falls down.

Did you notice the killer death grip she had on that bag of chips? She carried that bag around for the whole 1 1/2 hours we were there. To quote Joey from Friends, "Ellie doesn't share food!"

She is definitely the most stubborn and determined of our girls. And she isn't afraid to let you know in extreme volume when she doesn't like something.

You certainly make our lives interesting Elliebean- we love you so very much!

Downton Abbey

The journaling says it all. A simple little layout for my Book of Me. Cannot wait for new episodes! 

10 Things on Thursday

1. One of the 8 layouts I was able to complete last Saturday at Creative Escape

2. Looking forward to the HIMYM finale next Monday. I still love that show. 


3.  All I want for Mother's Day is Nick's homemade Eggs Benedict. 

4. Bennet Snapshot of the Week: She is almost done with Kindergarten. 15 more days. That went fast! I can't believe how much she's grown this year. 


5. Scout Snapshot of the Week:  She is still talking about her date with Nick last Friday to see The Avengers. Last weekend wore my black boots and fashioned a whip as she pretended to be Black Widow. 

6.  Ellie Snapshot of the Week:  She has been very lovey-dovey this past week. Running over to us and giving our legs a giant hug. It's pretty adorable. The other day at work she caught me out of the corner of her eye as they were going outside. The look on her face was priceless. She just lit up! As my co-worker said, "It looks like she just saw Santa Claus". 

7. Joke of the Week: Brought to you by Bennet. What did the pencil say to the pen?  Answer: What's your point? 


8. We are having recall elections in Wisconsin which means that we've had political calls and tv commercials for weeks. And then the Presidential ones will start soon. I believe it's important to know the issues and candidates, but I despise the ads. BLECH! How long until November? 


9. Reading and laughing-

10. At Bennet's persistent request we'll be going to her schools Spring CookOut tomorrow night. 

10 Things on Thursday

1. I highly recommend this book. I read it in three sittings- just couldn't put it down. 

2. It's MAY! This means all sorts of Season Finales on tv. My favorite month besides September when all the Premiers come on. 


3.  After my recent deep clean/purge we got our dining room table back to it's intended purpose. We've been eating dinner in the dining room ever since and we LOVE it. It's a little more work than eating in the kitchen, but I love it!  

4. Bennet Snapshot of the Week:  Last week my grandpa passed away at age 96. Bennet was born on his 90th birthday. It's always been something that she cherished. My uncle Bruce mentioned this in his eulogy and you should have seen Bennet's face light up! She said that even though her heart was sad, that memory made her happy. 


5. Scout Snapshot of the Week:  She is SOOOOO excited for Date with Dad this Friday. She loves Superheroes so they're going to see The Avengers. She has her superhero dress all ready. She wakes up every morning and says "X #  more sleeps". 

6.  Ellie Snapshot of the Week:  She has been waking up a couple of nights around 1:30 a.m. in a fit of tears. I think she may be getting her 2 year molars. 

7. Nick is finishing up his teaching gig at UW-Stevens Point in a couple of weeks and then heading to the cabin for 5 nights/days of fishing with his best friend Nate. I know he is looking forward to it! 


8. I hate the clothing options for the size Bennet is right now. They are either too grown up or too hoochy. Or embroidered with "diva in training" BLECH! I plan on making her some tank dresses and skirts for the summer. Problem solved.


9. Finished this book. It was a good suspense story. 

10. Looking forward to 12 hours of crafty time this Saturday at Creative Escape! I need it! 

My Own Mr. Darcy

Nick is a good sport and often wears the tshirt I gave him last year for Father's Day. Who needs Colin Firth anyways? I guess I still do :)