Thank You Krista Schei Photography

I will post more...Thank you Krista Schei for a wonderful photoshoot.

Ooooh Crap...

Am I allowed to even say 'crap'? Well, if my mom had any say...then no. But WAIT, this is MY blog...so...
crap
crap
crap!

There it is...

Ok, why am I saying 'crap'? Its been too long since last time I blogged. Its not like I have the computer every day, I guess I have been checking out so many other blogs that I kind of forgot. I think this is the longest that I have gone.

First want to give some shout OUTs...
I have won two contests in the last month...I won a adorable Coach Coin Purse from April over at Dot...Dot...Dot. Thank you April! Everyone check out her super cute blog...which has just been redesigned!
Then I won some wonderful "Lip Love" from Lacey over at Neohippiemama. Thank you so much Lacey! It smells like yummy, warm chai tea and has been amazing for me with my current cold situation! Lacey (who I grew up with in Stanwood) has a etsy site where she makes all natural products with therapeutic grade oils. Please hop on over to her blog and check out her findings on perfume...so interesting!

Thank you so much ladies! I loved receiving my little 'presents' in the mail!

Here is a little something else that I have been thinking...Should I change the look of my blog? I don't know...what do you guys think? Is it time for a 'face lift'? Not for me please, for the blog. Please give input!

If you don't live in the Northwest, you don't know the pain of the bitter cold we have been experincing. I think I have heard numbers like..um, 17 at like 6am. Yes and thats with out snow. I am sorry, if its cold I rather have snow on the ground, or at least a snow day. Some of you know, I work at a preschool. And part of my job I run 'valet' which is, I will come out and get your preschooler out of the car so you don't have to leave your nice warm car. So that 'pain' of the cold...its really true. Its 'supposed' to be warmer this weekend...with the chance of snow...NOW we are talking!

Our thanksgiving was filled with yummy food and laughter. My parents, bro and us all had thanksgiving over at our house this year. We love hosting and Adam loves making the turkey. Our night ended with a heated debate on music, which I now think Adam understands where I get my craziness for music from.

We have been very busy, family, life and church. I will in another post open up the debate about what our Church did a couple of weeks ago. You might have seen them on the news...we are the church that tattooed someone on stage. (if we had the funds, I would have been up there getting my tattoo...of my three little birds).

Happy Halloween....

Such a cute outfit....

...only if she turned around for the picture. But she wouldn't....

Congrats to Uncle Tyler!

I want to give a big shout out to my little (BIG) bro! Congrats Tyler for his new job at our Church, Gold Creek Community Church. I am more than proud of him and so blessed to have him working at our church and getting to spend time with him. He works in the graphic arts department (i guess you can call it that) of our church. He has talent in so many areas and I can't wait to see what God has in store for him!!

Love ya little bro!

The many faces of Nena...

Happy Halloween from Princess Kena!

This was her idea of dressing up.

If you ever thought she wasn't my daughter...look at that picture...she is crying because she can't reach the cookies

Cousins!

A outfit Great Grandma Matheson made and Grand Aunt Pattie picked out the fabric!

Loves being like daddy

Our last bike ride of the year...sad.

This is what she does for fun? Who does she belong to??

Cowgirl Makena (in a shirt I wore about her age)

I cracked up when I saw this...a little OCD? The books are in size order...in a row...

HUDSIE!

Our friend's (Nette and Gavin) son, Hudson, came over for a weekend sleep over in September. Kena loved EVERY minute. They were so adorable with each other. She can't wait for another sleep over!

He loved playing dress up...sorry gavin!

Relaxing breakfast...waffles!

A Sneak Peek...

Here is just a sneak peek of our photoshoot with Krista Schei Photography

What we have been doing....

We are potty training!

Sorry we haven't been in the blogging world lately...we just have been so busy! With what you might ask? We are potty training at this house...which takes all hands on deck. Kena was ready so we decided to take the 'leap' and really start working on potty training. Kena will be starting preschool in a year and the kiddos HAVE to be able to use the potty. This give us the allowed time...pacing ourselves for your normal 'set backs'.

Of course, we run into the issue of....Kena being very stubborn. Her quote "I do it myself" is constantly being used. She pulls up the stool (yes, she is short like her mother...but I don't need to use a stool), puts her own potty on and takes off the pants. Most of the time we just let her do it.

Now, we will reveal what 'method' we are using for Kena, once she is potty trained.

I want to give a thanks to Auntie Melissa for capturing Kena...in all her glory.

It's never too early for Christmas shopping...

Truly, its never too earlier to start Christmas shopping. Adam and I talked last night about Christmas shopping and we are working hard this year to keep within budget...but also supporting handmade items!

In comes ThePiShop on etsy.com. All handmade knitted beautiful hats and coffee cozies (for those who love getting coffee!). The funny thing is the other day I was at Starbucks saying "Adam, I really wish I had a coffee cozy right now. My hands are burning from this coffee cup.". Then my wonderful friend Maegan posted her new etsy site, which happens to sells COFFEE COZIES!!! I talked to Maegan (who I have known for a few years, we were pregnant at the same time) and she says that she can even work with you to do custom orders (like...say...um...a orange and brown coffee cozy). I LOVE warm knit hats in all the trendy colors (pink and brown a personal fav on kena) which ThePiShop sells.

As Christmas approaches, please remember to buy handmade...and pop on over to ThePiShop and pick up some warm gifts...

WHOA! Big Changes at the Cross Household...

This is a BIG week at the Cross household...and its only Thursday.

This week we unexpectedly gave up the binky. I mean Kena gave up the binky. Why unexpectedly you ask...because I lost the only freak'n binky we had. We lost it some time in the morning (flushed down the toilet? in the garbage? buried in play clothes?) and well...I decided thats it, NO binky. I started to talk to her early that day about what will happen at nap time and bed time. We didn't promise her anything (ok, chocolate milk after she woke up the night after) and Adam and I agreed that we were going to brace ourselves for the longest night we will have. Nap went, well crappy. Kena is a marathon sleeper, so an hour nap is not normal. Awesome, cranky Kena for the rest of the day...and no binky.

So came the night. Yes it wasn't fun, but it was needed. And we are day three of no binky. If she makes it one more night sleeping...she gets a matchbox car (she is reallllly easy to please).

Kena got to wear big girl undies yesterday...and stayed dry! Adam thinks she could be out in public in undies...and I said "Go ahead and take her! I am not going!". We have some things to do this morning, but she will be back in undies once we get home.

Kena is talking...so much. Yes she has been talking for awhile, but this is full on conversations. And my gosh...her imagination is huge! Yesterday, after my bike ride, Adam and I just sat and watched Kena play. Putting Elmo, Mickey, Minnie and Baby to bed. Then giving them a bath in her sink of her 'kitchen'. She cracks herself up as she plays. I have no idea what she is saying (because I am in the other room), but all I hear is giggles from the other room.

...I frankly think this is the best age ever....

An Awesome, awesome giveaway!

I have wanted one of these shirts...for like...EVER.

Over at My Wee View they are giving one of these "My Husband Rocks" t-shirts to one lucky winner (I am crossing my fingers!!!). I have to win it...the contest ends on my 5 year aniversary!!!

Union28 (the company that makes them) are an awesome Christian company with shirts that tells whats in your heart. For the hubbys there is "My wife rocks" and for the kiddos they can choose from "my mom rocks" or "my dad rocks". You can also find "bride/groom" shirts there if you know someone who is getting married. They also have some wonderful miltary wife shirts (like "my husband is my hero" in a camo shirt).

So go on over to My Wee View and check out there Union28 giveaway! Remember contests ends on 9/18 (again, my 5 year aniversary!!!)

(in)courage me

I found this website/blog via Angie over at Bring the Rain. (in)courage is a blog devoted to women telling their encouraging stories of the Lord. Once you arrive, you instantly want to sit down have a cup of coffee and read some of the amazing stories. A lot of my websites/blogs that I follow have to deal with being a mom, however (in)courage is for everyone. You can sign up for daily emails/updates, where you will receive a little encouragement during the day.

Check it out.... (in)courage

Probably the most promising show this fall...since F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Community on NBC. Thursday Nights starting September 17th.

I love Joel Mchale. Adam might think its borderline obessive (and he is going to be so annoyed that I posted a picture of Joel). I cried the day we canceled our cable. Not for the billizon channels I will be missing...but I wouldn't be able to watch 'The Soup' friday nights. How could you not love Joel Mchale? A local boy who can seriously rock the skinny tie.

Well finally, Joel is joinning 'free' tv with his new show Community. I know, I know they have been advertising the heck out of this show and I think for good reason. This is the only show that I am excited for this fall. Yes, I love TV...and could most kick anyone's behind on tv triva. I say I probably would have graduated college if I could get a degree in random tv knowledge and F.R.I.E.N.D.S obessession (on a side note...Adam asked me the other day "I wonder how many episodes of friends have you watched this year?" and I said "probably, give and take, two episodes a day"...work that out to...about 600 episodes this year).

Not only is Joel Mchale in it, but also Ken Jeong. You would know him from: Knocked Up, Role Models, The Hangover (which I haven't seen, but I am told he is it in)...he is one of "Judd Aptow's Boys". He plays a doctor in Knocked up which transends into his real life...this guy is a freak'n doctor...and is still practicing! Jeong...is the spanish teacher.

Yes, they are promoting the crap out of Community, but I really do think its one of the promising new fall shows. Heck, they just added it to the 'thursday line up', which we all know is...legendary.

(insert video...but WAIT, I have no freak'n idea how to do it....so I am posting the link)

Community on NBC

Ok...please tell me...

are you freaking about about the swine flu?

When this happened, oh six months ago, I don't think I was as 'worried' as I am now. Its all media driven, but how much isn't? I was watching a episode of 'momversation' today and the talk was about 'are you getting vaccation?'. In our family, yes. I am a mom who believes in vaccations (my mother in law is a retired nurse and my brother in law is a scientist.), however if you are a mom that doesn't believe in them...fine. From what I heard its a series of two shots, then you are guarded from it...but that doesn't include the normal flu! Because I have a toddler and I work in a preschool, if there is short supply, I should be able to get one.

But I guess I am just a little worried about the swine flu, as we start school in two weeks. I work at a preschool at my church...around 300 kids. Last year we had a family 'withdrawal' their children for the fear of the swine flu...what on earth are they going to do now? I saw a video on yahoo the other day (it might have been from 'good morning america, i can't remember) that said up to 60,000 might die (mainly children and elderly) from this flu...that makes me pee my pants.

Adam is trying his best to help me not freak out about it. But I also want to hear from you ladies...what do you think of all this??? I would love to start a conversation on this...is the 'freak out' media driven? Are you worried? Even you ladies that are NOT moms, are you going to get the shot? Are you worried about it???

Just curious...

Are you RIPE?

I am delighted to introduce you to

RIPE Jewerly....

Beautiful, right? My college friend Taryn Kitson has launched her own etsy site called Ripe Jewelry. You all know I enjoy jewerly, but even more I love handmade jewerly. Taryn uses goregous semi precious stones and pairs them twisted copper and sliver. Not only casual, but you can dress up her jewerly for a nice date with your hubby. The yummy colors look like they were plucked right out of nature, fanastic for fall. Which brings me to...

Ripe's 20% off Labor day sale!! A sale Friday, Saturday and Sunday where you can stock up on some wonderful pieces for fall.

Taryn is not only talented, but also a true sweetheart. She loves doing special orders and will work with you to create your own special look.

So head on over to RIPE and grab some pieces to add to your new fall clothing!

Three...count them THREE CD's you must own if...

...you are a parent.

Now, I don't claim to be an expert. But I think that I have a love of music and I want Kena to have a similar love. And I have talked about this before in previous blogs...kids music. Ugh, it either makes your ears bleed or you want to cut them off. SOME might make you do it...my recommendations, will not.

Jack Johnson and Friends. Sing-a-longs and Lullabies for the film Curious George. Who doesn't love the easy sounds of Jack Johnson. It makes me think of the Hawaiian Breeze and the smell of the islands. This CD, which is one of Kena's favorite is easy for the parents to listen to. It even has a fun rendation of "We are going to be Friends", the lead song in Napoleon Dynamite. Kena knows his music and will scream "JACK" when she hears it. And will act like a monkey during "upside down" the lead song in Curious George film.

Anything (and I mean ANYTHING) by Dan Zanes and friends. I have listened to his music before but was very grateful when my friend Whitney copied me "All around the Kitchen" a CD by Dan Zanes and Friends. There isn't a song I would 'skip' over on any of CD's. Kena favorite is any song featuring "Father Goose" one of Dan Zane's friends. Father Goose is from Jamaica and brings his awesome 'hip hop' music to the CD. Dan likes to bring back some old songs, not just inventing new songs. Like one my favorites "Pay me you owe me" which is an old worker song from South Carolina. Kena is really funny singing that song! Another one of my favorites is "Hello" which at the end sings "hello" in different languages! moshi moshi is my fav (japanese). More on the folky side, I really think this is the best kid singer out there.

And...

Elizabeth Mitchell, Little Bird and You are my Flower. Thank you to my friend Nette, you also gave me a copy of Elizabeth Mitchell's CD. A bit more mellow than the others before her, she is perfect for those screaming fits in the car when you just need your kiddo to calm down! Also, leaps better than the classical music (because this won't make you fall asleep to). She also takes old folk songs and gives them new life. I have had a few car rides where I would have a few tears in my eyes thinking of Kena (baby to now toddler)...and these songs make you think of it. 1 day, 2 days, 3 days old on you are my flower takes each day until they are 20 days old and makes a cute little song out of it. (I'm a little butterfly one mintue old). And she does a beautiful cover of Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" (which has special meaning to me). Adorable and tugs at your heart (well at least it did to mine).

So, if you are interested...check them out at your library!

Ok, so what are your favorites??? What CD is currently in your car player???