can't stop crafting

Last year it was my new year's resolution to sell at least one thing that I have made. I haven't done it yet, and 2010 is quickly coming to a close. I am determined to open up an etsy store by the end of the month. With that in mind I have been trying to stock up some stuff to try to sell. I'm planing on doing kind of a hodge-podge of stuff. Blakets, bags, hair-bows, baby burp cloths, art, etc. I get bored easily...can you tell. Here are some of my latest creations. (The last two pictures aren't of anything to sell, just an easy craft that I came up with today. I'm part of the team decorating our church for christmas. Small budget=BE CREATIVE!! I think each one will end up costing me only about $2. Fabric store+goodwill+michaels+trees outside=so much fun.)

"That makes me sad"

Since Halloween, we have been having a candy fest around the Orr house. It has gotten a little out of hand. The rule has been that after the kids finish lunch or dinner that they can choose a candy out of their little bags. Well for the last three days lily has come up to me after breakfast (pancakes) and asked for candy, insisting that she finished her whole dinner (she calls every meal dinner). I must admit that I have been using this whole candy thing to my advantage. For instance, if we are running late and I need the kids to hop right into the minivan, I'll suggest that if they get into their seats quickly they can get candy...and you can imagine all the other ways I have been using candy to get what I want. :) Well, as I sat at dinner tonight I realized that it might be good to put a stop to this whole candy madness. As we were all sitting around the table eating, I announced that I had some bad news. I told Isaac and Lily that tonight, even if they ate all their dinner, there would be no candy. Lily...sweet little Lily...got the biggest pout on her face that you could possibly imagine, and in the saddest little voice with her face turned toward the floor she said, "Mommy...that makes me sad. That makes me sad mommy. Mommy, that makes me sad." And she continued to repeat that over and over. It was so sweet and funny. And yes, I was able to hold strong. No candy tonight. :)

babies (as in baby dolls)

I just love watching Lily play with her babies. It's especially interesting for me because I never really got into babies. I remember having them and going over to friend's houses that had them and always wanted to play with them. But I never really understand what the fun of baby dolls was.

In the past couple weeks, Lily has just become really intent on her baby dolls. She is pretty much always seen around the house pushing one of them in the stroller or wrapping them in blankies or patting their backs or putting them to bed.

Right now as I type I can hear lily sitting in her bed for nap time talking to her baby. Here's the conversation:

"It gonna be OK bebe, oh bebe....oh bebe....oh bebe, don't cry baby. It's gonna be OK. I'm with you baby. your mommy is gonna be home soon. I'm sorry baby. Sorry baby but it's broken (i have no idea what she is talking about). But it's ok baby. You must be tired baby. You are really tired baby. I'm going to put you to sleep baby. I'm wit you. I'm wit you baby. I'm your friend. Mommy is my friend."

SOOOOO PRECIOUS!!! I wish I could just bottle up this moment.

I guess i'm on a roll

Ok...I hadn't updated in 2 months and now here I am three times in a week. What is going on??

I just have a couple recommendations that I've got to get out and I didn't know where else to do it.

1. Whole Foods Organic Cage Free Chicken Breast!!!!! It is literally cheaper than the regular chicken breast at just about every grocery store I have ever been to. And if you have seen Food Inc (which I do recommend) then you can even eat your chicken in peace knowing it has not been horribly abused, but treated humanely :)

2. Anyone who likes good stories and good food has just GOT to check out this blog - www.epi-ventures.com. It is amazing!! My sister's best friend growing up writes it and it is really an awesome blog. The recipes DO NOT DISAPPOINT!!

that's all.

buddies

Wow...seeing these pictures in order like that just does something to me. I can't believe I get to be the mom of these two little people. It has been so sweet to watch them grow into little buddies.

Quick story from tonight. (it's not a funny one...) Today has been a bit stressful. Like this morning when I literally had to lock myself in my bedroom just to have a minute to talk on the phone with the AT&T guy (to cancel the service that I got suckered into by a guy who came to our door). Or like when I told Isaac we were going to the YMCA and you would have thought I told him that I was going to cut off his arm or give all his toys away. And then sometimes as sweet as those little voices are, and they really are sweet, when you have been hearing them non-stop for almost 12 straight hours with very little quiet, you start to think you might lose your mind. So by the time the kids were in the bath I was teetering on the edge of sanity. Luckily Dan stepped in and saved me. A few minutes later I was called back into the bathroom to dry off a screaming and frantic Isaac. (he had been warned not to throw water out of the tub and after disobeying was now not going to have any books before bed.) As I took him into his room to dry him off, put lotion on him, and put his jammies on, something happened to me. Right before I put on his night-time pull up I just had this thought flash into my mind - what if Isaac was kidnapped and whoever had him wouldn't know that he still needed to wear a pull up at night. And in that moment, I was undone. My heart melted. I looked at my sweet boy and all I wanted to do was hold him. I finished getting him ready for bed, I turned out the light, and I grabbed him into my arms. Isaac doesn't usually like snuggling or being held, but tonight as he sobbed, he held onto me as I held onto him. I nuzzled my face into his neck as he cried. I sat there and held him until he fell asleep and then I held him longer. One day he will be a big man with a bristly neck. But tonight he was my baby. I was such a gift.

As I sat there holding him I was reflecting on something. Sometimes there are really hard things that we face in life. Things that we just don't know how to get right. Things that we fail at. And in those places there is pain and there is longing. I believe that even in those places God is good to us. That God actually many times brings hard things into our lives to refine us and to draw us to himself. Being a mom has been that thing in my life. I want so badly to do it right, but it seems on most days that I just can't figure it out. I feel like I am failing all the time. It is frustrating and painful. And yet in that very place is also my greatest gift. I have never seen a more beautiful and awe inspiring gift than the gift of my children. And it is in that place, the place of my greatest gift that I am also being refined in very painful ways. Interesting. God is very creative and full of mystery.

We now live in nashville

So...it's been two months. We've moved across 2 states. We now officially reside in the south. There have been lots of changes and adjustments. There tons of great stuff about living in nashville such as, awesome hills everywhere, its just beautiful, the super cool artsy vibe, lots of quaint restaurants, new places to explore, our church that we LOVE LOVE LOVE, and so many nice people. There's also tons of weird stuff about living in Nashville, I've seen countless little boys (and I'm not talking babies, I'm talking 3 year olds) wear little jump suites that have been embroidered and/or cross stitched with things like apples, airplanes, frogs, their names, etc, I've also seen countless hipsters riding on vintage mopeds, there are no curbs anywhere, we don't have a garage or a basement, which I guess is normal, tons of gravel driveways...I guess you can get away with that when you don't have to shovel or snow blow (good thing we left our snow blower in chicago).

A couple notable events. My little Lily Belle turned two this past sunday. What a totally precious little cupcake she is. She really is. And I don't normally talk like that. She is just at this cute cute age. I just want to eat her up!! She is talking all the time about everything. I can't believe how must she talks and how clearly she is talking. The other morning she walked out of her room and said in the clearest little voice, "Isaac, are you watching Wipeout?" I just about fell over. I'm looking at her and thinking...aren't you a baby?? How come you can talk? And, how do you even know about the show Wipeout??

A couple funny Isaac stories.

1. The other day I'm sitting eating lunch or dinner with Isaac and he says, "Holy Crap!!!". I am shocked and look back at him and say, "We do not talk like that!! I do not want to hear you say those kinds of words. Where did you hear that?" He says, "I heard you and daddy say it." Oops... I say, "Well, mommy and daddy shouldn't say that either." And he says, "OK, it must just be for when you are putting things in the attic." I couldn't help but laugh.

2. We have taught Isaac to look at the clock and not get out of bed before 7:00am. It works, kind of, some of the time. So one morning recently Dan and I were still asleep and we hear this voice yelling, "Mmmmmmooooooooommmmyyyyyy, Ddddddaaaaaaaddddddddddyyyyyy, it's time to get up, it's seven!!!!!!" I vaguely remember him coming into our room and I said something like, just go play in your room for a little bit. Then again at 7:15 I hear, "Mommy, Daddy, It's 7, it's time to wake up." But I kind of just roll over and don't respond. then around 7:20 I vaguely think I hear some kind of banging or clanking around, but not enough to get out of bed. Then at 7:30, I see a little face staring at me saying, "mommy, IT'S SEVEN, time to get up!!!!!!" So finally Dan rolls out of bed and comes and asks me if I left out a container of ice cream last night. Of course I didn't!! We soon realize that somewhere between 7 and 7:30 Isaac made his way into the kitchen, got out a bowl and a spoon, he pulled a step stool up to the fridge and opened the freezer. He took out the ice cream, scooped it into a bowl and then went and ate a bowl of ice cream in the living room. That's what you get for sleeping in when you have a three year old. :)

Castaway Dance Party

This is totally late...i haven't been the best blogger lately...but I just love this quick little video. I got to take the kids on our YL camp trip this year. It was sooooo amazing!!! It was our last one, so it was wonderful to be there with the kids. Anyway, one of our leaders, Brady, lived with us this summer. Isaac and Lily are in love with him and here isaac is trying to dance just like brady. so sweet!!

M&Ms

The other morning I was awake downstairs when Isaac came down. He didn't see me sitting on the couch but he did spot an empty bag of M&Ms left on the counter. He waked right over and I hearing him saying to himself, "mommy ate all the M&Ms...you are not supposed to eat too many M&Ms or you will get a belly ache." Then he sees me and walks over and asks, "Mommy do you have a bellyache?" I tell him no, and he says, "well since you ate all the M&Ms you probably do have a belly ache, and also, Its not nice to eat M&Ms when somebody is sleeping. You are only supposed to eat M&Ms during the day when somebody is awake." I asked him, who is somebody? He says, "just somebody."

Guys time/Girls time

Last week we decided to have guys time and girls time one morning. Dan and Isaac went and got pancakes together and then both got haircuts at the barbershop. Isaac's new hair cut really makes him look like such a big boy! What happened to my baby???

For girls time Lily and I went to my favorite little cafe in Glen Ellyn called Honey. It is just the best little place. Lily got a yummy butterfly cookie and I got a scone. I could tell that she felt so special to be out with just me and her...it was adorable!!

Beach Today

We had a dream day at the beach in the city today. The kids absolutely LOVED being there. I met up with my oldest friend Betsy and her two little ones (julia and lucas). One funny note, about 20 minutes after we got there Isaac comes up to me and says, "mommy can you turn off the sound of the water?"

if anyone is looking for a great getaway this summer...CHICAGO is your place. It feels like the best place in the world!

Noah, mornings, and tape belly

While I am thinking about it, I need to document some funny stories.

Yes my life can be stressful. Yes, my life can be really overwhelming. Yes, there are many days when I just want to run out of the house just so I can breath. But one thing my life is not, is boring. Isaac and Lily sure do keep me entertained these days. So many sweet and funny moments amidst so much chaos.

here's a few of my favorites of late:

1. About early mornings...

for some reason lately I have been DEAD tired in the morning. Usually the kids get up at around 7. Yesterday isaac came in our room at 7 and dan and I were still so tired we could barely talk, so he just curled up like a little kitty cat by my feet for another half an hour...AWESOME...and super cute. Lily has been sleeping until 8 or 9...a miracle. But, this morning at like 6:30 I hear all this pounding and banging and yelling...I was not happy. I looked at the monitor for isaacs room and I see him running in circles around his room with Bear (the dog), banging on his door, and pulling a mini lamp around the room by the cord. Then I realize lily is up too because isaac must have woken her up. Then Isaac runs down the hallway to my room (still holding onto the cord of the lamp, dragging the lamp behind him, bursts into my room and declares, "MOMMY...I'm hungry...and thirsty...it's time to get up." Not a good start to the day for me.

2. The other day we were playing in the basement and Isaac found a plastic animal. He asked me what it goes with. I told him that it was from Noah's Ark. He got a serious and concerned look on his face and said, "Mommy...we need to make sure that we give that back to Noah." One of Isaac's good friends is named Noah. He was thinking that we had his friend's toy. So then I said, "Oh, no Isaac, not that Noah. Do you remember when we read in the bible about Noah and the big boat with all the animals and all the rain? We have a little toy boat to remind us of that story and there is a little Noah on that boat." And he looked at me in a very puzzled sort of way and said, "How did he get out of the bible?" So so so sweet. I just melted as I looked at his little face.

3. The other day I was cleaning in the basement and Isaac and Lily were playing. As I was vacuuming the stairs I looked over and saw Lily putting her sit-n-spin up on top of the childrens table i have in the basement. My first reaction was to run over and grab it from her, but then for some reason I decided I would just watch and see what she would do. So then she proceeded to climb up onto the table, sit on her sit-n-spin and spin herself round and round. It was so cute...and just so Lily.

4. A couple weeks ago I was driving back from Ohio with the kiddos in the car and just me. Bear had stolen some of lily's snack and she was crying and screaming. Isaac looked over at her and said, "It's ok lily...but we can't get your snack out of bear's belly. he ate it and it is in his belly and we can't get it out because bear has tape on his belly." Little minds trying to figure out life...precious.

Isaac and Lily dancing in my room. One of their favorite things to do. The turn on the clock radio as loud as it will go.

I took this in the mall the other day. We went to look for a fathers day present (really really big shark jammies...that is the only thing that Isaac wants to get Dan and I have looked EVERYWHERE...even spent hours online...I don't think that they exist) and as we walked through the mall Isaac and Lily literally held hands the entire time.

First Kiss

So...Emma Ties decided to make a move on Isaac Orr. From the looks of it, he liked it. could this kiss be just the begining of a beautiful relationship??? Only time will tell. :)

New Art: Water Song

About two years ago I was at an art fair at oakbrook mall and saw this awesome painting with a poem incorporated (I would have loved to buy it but it cost over $1000). I loved the poem so much that I wrote it down and put it in my wallet. I have been wanting to use it in a painting. Below is my newest artwork with poem included.

hard drive gone...

A couple weeks ago my computer wouldn't turn on. It just kept saying cannot find hard drive. This was directly after finding my computer on the floor...I didn't remember leaving it on the floor. After taking it in to diagnose my problem, I found out the my hard drive was damaged beyond repair and beyond getting any info off of it. I could pay $1500 and have another shot at getting the info...but no guarantee. I have been so sad as I have not backed up anything for over a year. All those pictures gone. thank you blog for all the pictures that you have.

Moral of the story - BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER REGULARLY!!!

Now I hope to use this experience as a motivation for more blogging and more backing up my computer.

Yesterday Isaac, Lily, and I took a bikeride to downtown wheaton. It is one of my favorite things to do with the kids. We stop at the park on the way, (the blue park...as Isaac calls it), and then eat lunch by the fountain, then go the popcorn shop and get sweedish fish and popcorn. It was such a beautiful day and so much fun!!! Some pics below.

March and April Highlights

The past month or so has been filled with lots of fun, great weather, and a lot of fun time with family and friends.


On Tuesdays over the past two years we have play group. There are six moms and a combined 12 kids (3 more to be born this summer)! Play group lunch a few weeks back.

Dan's cousin Marcia from Northern Ireland came to stay with us for a week. We had a wonderful time getting to know her and show her around Chicago. We ate lunch at the greatest little cafe in Wicker Park called Mild & Honey. I HIGHLY recommend!

For Easter we took a trip to Cincinnati. The weather was wonderful and it was great relaxing and hanging out. Isaac enjoyed the easter egg hunt. And Isaac and lily got to share a room at Anya (grandma's) house. Kind of a headache, but they were both soooo excited about it. They would be up there laughing and making all kinds of noise and when Dan or I would walk in the room to tell them to be quiet they would both immediately fall down into their cribs and act like they were sleeping. Pretty cute! One other funny side story, is that a week after we got back from Cincinnati we put them to sleep at a friends house and we all went out to dinner. When we got home I asked Ricky (babysitter) how it went. He said...well once I put them into their own pack -n- plays they went to sleep. He had assumed that I put them together in one crib. When actually after we left Isaac had crawled out of his and into Lily's.

Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds.

Hanging out in Anya's kitchen.

Lily's sweetest little easter dress. A gift all the way from New Zealand!

When we returned home from Cincinnati our entire yard was FILLED with daffodils!! I actually counted over 700. Seriously.

Lily enjoying McDonalds play land.

Isaac and Lily sharing bathtime with Kyle.

Good old uncle Mike...with a lap big enough for all the good little boys and grils.