Grandma Buna

For those of you who don't know, my Grandma Buna (mom's mom) passed away Sunday night. She had been in the hospital for over a month recovering from a broken hip and just didn't ever fully recover.
She was truly a lovely, kind soul. I know everyone always tries to make people sound like a saint once they're gone, but...she truly was one. I have never heard her say a negative thing about anyone and she was never anything but full of love. Everytime we saw her she would hug us tight and let us know how much she loved us. Not one of us will ever wonder if she loved us. She made sure we knew.
Please keep our family in your prayers. We know that she is made new and whole in heaven and I am thankful we have that to celebrate. We mourn with hope and joy because our God is mighty to save, and we will see her again in heaven... and when we do she will not be laying frail and weak in a hospital bed.

This is at my baby shower last year, Grandma Buna is on the right.
We love her and miss her.

Double cool with knobs!

Okay, this post doesn't actually include anything about knobs...it was a reference to the super funny books I am reading from the series "Angus, thongs and full frontal snogging" written from the perspective of a teenage british girl. It is full of fun and hilariousity. Don't judge me. You haven't read it yet. (Jodi, I know you're already lovin this post, but wait for it...you're gonna be so proud of me, my little trash collecting friend!)
ANYWAYS- I found something really cool. Let me start this by saying that ever since Courtney repainted her old twin wooden bed frame that is super old for Junie, I have been wishing that I had a childhood twin wooden bed frame that I could repaint for Lorelai when it is time. I have a deep love for old things made new again. All I had when I was a kid was bunkbeds I shared with Leslie in what we refer to as the "doll house" (our super small childhood house in Friendswood) and while I would give sooooo much to go back in time and read all of the notes we wrote on the board that holds the top bunk up OR have another go at "bunk bed wars" with Lindsay and Courtney while ripping up the blinds our beds were pushed up against, I dont think either of those things are possible. SO, I did the next best thing.
I found a super cute old wooden bed frame in a trash pile of hurricane ike rubble waiting to be taken away by the cherry pickers. I've been running the neighborhood this week and have kept a weathered eye out for curbside treasures, and couldn't believe my luck when I found this!!


As if that wasn't awesome enough, I almost died when I saw this on the back:

Vintage Ethan Allen wooden bed frame. FREE. Soak it up people.
On a side note...I don't know if any of your peeps have been watching my weight loss ticker, but I have lost 5 lbs THIS WEEK! (For a total of 9 lbs) I have been running every day and eating very well...hard work, but SO worth it. I am a little upset it is taking me until just now to lose any weight, but I have come to grips with the fact that not everyone drops baby weight (and then some) 6 weeks after they have their kid (JESSICA) and I'm one of those people that just has to work harder (AND I was on bed rest for the last month of pregnancy....that's my excuse, in case you were wondering...)
So. That's that.
AND, not that I don't amuse myself considerably with my wit, I actually don't write this blog just to entertain MYSELF. I need feedback people, and I need it now.
On another side note (I can have as many side notes as I want...is anyone even reading this stupid blog?) I am now officially a SAHM!!! (stay at home mom) However, I am still really bad at last minute activities, so if anyone wants to do anything, give me advanced notice por favor.
Farewell my fair-weathered blog-commenting friends.

Rockin a new template

Are you jealous? I LOVE argyle and loved this background the moment I saw it. yay! I spent this past weekend slaving over what should have been a very simple sewing project. I made Lorelai a pillowcase dress. I'm sure you've heard of this....but just in case you haven't, you basically take an old pillowcase and cut it up and sew it and VOILA, a dress! Anywhoo, like I said, it should have been soooooo easy, but I'm new to this game so it took me FOREVER.....then, I went to put Lorelai in it this morning for church, but I forgot to cinch the top and it looked too big, she was screaming, we were late, so I took it off and threw something else on. I worked on this stupid dress all night so it would be ready for church today. grrrr. Anyways, I think it will work now that I know where I went wrong, so I will try to find a moment tomorrow for a photo shoot of her in it. I also made a bow to match. AND I bought some patterns today from walmart for an adorable dress for her and some shirts for me. Small problem: those stupid patterns are greek to me. Sorry if that sounds dumb, but I am not very schooled in the art of sewing and still have ALOT to learn :) Hopefully I can decipher them soon and will be posting pics of all of my works of art. Hope everyone is doing well and recovering from Ike. Lindsay, if yall go to the stinkin zoo again and I dont answer my cell phone (which was dead for a week...) call my home phone please! *sigh* :)

Ay Yi Yi Ike

Well, I know just from driving around Pearland that we could have done alot worse...here's a list of our damage as we have assessed so far:
Most of fence down on all sides
Hole in roof from where Ike blew an air vent off
Missing shingles (of course)
Water damage in kitchen (from leaky roof)
So, all in all, we didn't make out too bad. We have had power since Sunday and Saturday night we were fortunate enough to go stay with Shawn's dad downtown who never lost power (How, you ask? I don't know!)
We have had a full house of my family, Shawn's brother, Leslie and her roommates one night, and our friends from church Nathan and Diane. We are blessed to have all of these people in our lives and don't mind keeping them here as long as needed.
Here is a before picture of our happy home before Ike brought his destruction:


And here we are now:


The after pictures dont really show how much it sucks, but Shawn, Nathan and Ryan worked hard all day Monday and cleaned up branches, tore down what was left of the fence, and mowed. So, it looks ok now! We also had to rip up the wood laminate flooring in the kitchen because it is actually oozing water, and we might have to end up ripping up the carpet because it is now soaking also.
We have also encountered some minor illnesses this past week. Lorelai came down with a fever Thursday night as we were preparing for D-Day..it stayed at 101 or above until Saturday then came and went, followed by a rash all over her legs since Sunday. Leave it to my kid to come down with a fever when a hurricane is coming. Friday night was the night from Hades as we were shaking in our boots and trying to calm a very sick baby. Shawn took over at midnight and stayed up with her until 1:45am, then she woke up at 6:00am. It was awful. Thankfully, one of Shawn's cousin's (Kim) is a Dr so we ran by her place and she diagnosed little L with a virus....most likely "Hand, Foot, Mouth disease". Fun. Also, this morning I was playing with Lorelai and somehow caught her fingernail to my eye...the real eye, not eyelid. OWWWWWW! After lying on the couch all day with a makeshift eyepatch....I might be brave enough to post the pic of that.....I went to the HEB rediclinic and they gave me eyedrops so I feel MUCH better now. yay! We are thanking God for our health and blessings in what has been for some a truly tragic natural disaster. We havent been able to go check out our beachhouse in Jamaica Beach, so I will update once we have checked that out. Here is my Pirate patch put together by none other than Shawn:

Yikes. Most of you have seen my endless beauty, so I am only posting that pic in an effort to show you that I am also merely human, as you are. (hahaha)
Well, I think that is it! Hope to hear from everyone soon!

Old School, She's a GUSHER and Tutu magic!

A couple of weeks ago I went to a baby shower for a good friend of mine from highschool, Meagan (she's having a girl...YAY!) Everyone had a great time catching up and it was soooo good to see everyone. Meg lives in AZ but the rest of us live here and just never see each other. Here's a commemerative pic:

(left to right) Sam, me, Mommy to be Meg, Ann, and Jennifer...
Yesterday was Lorelai's first blood-spilling accident. She was crawling in the kitchen in her dress (normally when on hard floors, she does what my friend Diane calls the "Mogli" (kid from junlge book) crawl where she crwls on her hands and feet like a spider monkey. Today, however, she decided to try to crawl on her hands and knees and as I was walking towards her to redirect her, she ATE it. Bigtime. Flat on her face, biting her two bottom teeth into her little tongue. I remained relatively calm because I saw the whole thing happen....but blood was literally POURING out of her mouth. I called to Shawn who walked in from the garage and thought she was dying (like I said...she's a gusher) but after I explained what had happened he had the good sense to go get a piece of ice for her to suck on (good, quick thinkin daddy!) while I caught the blood with a paper towel in between ice gulps. Here are some pics of her little purple and red tongue (taken today at Walmart, no less)


Can you see the blood on her face? I noticed a minute later she had reopened her wound somehow and made it bleed again. She didn't even notice, but I'm sure everyone around me was wandering why I was letting my child bleed to death.
On another note....today Lorelai and I had an impromptu photo shoot with her new tutu! It wasn't much fun since it's sooooo hot outside today, and the baby monster would NOT look at me the whole time! We did get some really cute shots, though! Here are a few of my favs:








Before you know it, I'll be taking pictures of her walking around! Wow!

I'm Diving In..

Well, I gave my two weeks notice at Crosspoint Fellowship today. If you haven't heard, don't feel left out...I didn't tell anyone on purpose! I am really, really seeking God and his will for my life right now and didn't want anyone's opinion.
While I was pregnant with Lorelai, I just knew that God wanted me to be a stay at home mom. When this opportunity at the church came up, I thought- Great! What an awesome way to make a little money and work one day a week and work from home! How could I ask for anything more??? Well...I should've known what was going to happen. I really, really don't adapt well to change. Before Lorelai, apparently I knew nothing about myself- I would've told you I'm an easy-going, go-with-the-flow kinda gal. I would've been unintentionally lying to you. I have learned so much about myself and who I want to be over the past year it is amazing. I now know I am high strung. I do not do well with change. I am creative. I am capricous. I can really only devote myself to one thing at a time, and if it's not God, he's pushed to the back burner with everything else. But, the one thing I am devoting myself to gets ALL of me. I do nothing half-heartedly, and that usually means a whole lot of nothing is getting done!
I have really been put through God's refining fire this year. I am ready to be putty in his hands, and to give myself- ALL of myself- to him to do what he will with me.
We were singing a song at church Sunday that says "I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the One who gave it all" and knew right then, I was ready (or should I say "ready again!" Please dont be confused and think I don't truly know where I always should be with God. I'm just not always there!). I truly was standing with arms high and heart abandoned.
SO, what does this have to do with Crosspoint? I am going back to the last time I heard God's direction....to be at home. My true, selfish (and yet, unselfish) desire is to stay at home as long as I have a kid there, but the truth is that we truly cannot afford it. I have been crying out to God that if home is where he wants me to be, he is going to have to hit me and Shawn both over the head with it. I am almost always ready to leap out into the deep water knowing God will save me, while Shawn is on the shore with his head on straight saying, "HELLO! Will you make sure God is calling you out into this shark-infested sea FIRST???"
Please join us in our prayers over where I am to be. I feel God's peace but am also anxious to hear his direction and constantly worried that I am missing some HUGE road signs he's putting in my path.

Krafty Katie!

Well I have had a busy weekend! I have had an urge to start sewing and just making fun things for Lorelai since the moment she was born, and now it is starting to come full circle. With a little help from Kelly (my mother in law) and her sewing machine, I made a few fun little items over the weekend. All of it was super easy seeing as how I am as much of a beginner as they come, so if you want to know how I made any of it, I'd be happy to show you!
Here is the tutu I made in a couple of hours...no sewing required on this one!

(I also have a lot of left over pink and brown tulle if anyone wants it!)
Here is the onesie that I had an idea for...Kelly actually sewed this one on to show me how. Great job Nana!

and last, but certainly not least, here are the baby legwarmers I have been DYING to make. They are made out of women's long socks....they are a little snug at the top (chunky child) so I now know to try the sock on her first!


Also, did you notice the large tush covering my kid is sporting? That's right, we are officially starting cloth diapering! (*Collective Gasp*)
I know, I know. I was one of the biggest mockers of all when it comes to this old-fashioned practice. How could I stand touching my child's poop with my bare hands? all of that laundry? and what about the piles of diapers waiting to be washed smelling up her room? Well, three things happened. First, I became a mom and realized that no matter what, I was going to have to touch my baby's poop. I've had it leaked on me and just plain shot out at me. Not as big a deal as it sounded. Second, I realized that I needed to start saving money, and this was one way to do it. and Third, I did a TON research and found out that you no longer have to rinse the poop off diapers (thanks to disposable liners that you just flush), they now make all in ones that are just like regular diapers, but a little bigger (and cuter! this is just a plain white one Lorelai is wearing, but the others have super cute designs!) and that the laundry isnt that bad...and doesnt stink up her room if thrown into the right concoction of baking soda and vinegar. I will keep everyone updated and we'll see if I stick with this. I have been researching for about 2 months now so this isn't something I'm rushing into. I am starting out using Kushies all in ones (5 in a pack for $38.00 on Wal-mart.com!!! you can NOT beat that!) Kushies disposable liners, some cloth liners and thirsties covers (THANK YOU Aunt Melissa!!!) and some good old fashioned pre-folds with plastic gerber liners. Shout out to Elizabeth for allowing me to pick her brain over the course of like a MILLION e-mails.
That is all for now! Everyone have a great first week of September!