366 Days

I just realized there are 366 days this year to create and love, to wish and wonder, to stumble and fall, to get back up and try again. 366 days to plan and execute, to dream and pray, to be gracious and grateful. This year I am going to use them all and not wait. To be eager for spring to come but enjoy what the winter brings. To embrace each day as it is given and to be open to new experiences. To broaden my comfort zones, encourage new experiences and cherish one of these last few years my oldest will spend her days with us. These days that my youngest is in awe of all that he is learning, and my middle son is a boy wonder with numbers and on the gaming systems. These long yearned for times that my oldest son is finally finding the same confidence he needs to succeed at school that he has found on the ball field for all these years.

2011 helped sharpen my awareness of how fleeting time is, with the fears my Dad would succumb to illness and the amazement that he grows stonger everyday and defies the odds since having a kidney and liver transplant. This year we are given the blessing of an extra day! What are you going to do with that day? I hope it is spent loving and laughing, creating and cherishing and just plain enjoying!

Laurie Lou Bib Giveaway

Stop by Mandi's Sweet Tiny Blessings Blog for a chance to win a Laurie Lou Bib in her weekly review and giveaway. I recently had a chance to talk with her a little bit about what was behind the start of Laurie Lou and become a featured handcrafter on her blog. I'm thrilled to say she loves the bib I sent for her daughter to road test and is offering all who enter a chance to win any bib in my shop! Don't miss out!

Happy New Year!

So excited to ring in a new year! I just love the hope and promise that a new year brings. So much to look forward to in the new year. The snuggle time a snowstorm brings with an unexpected day off, and the thrill a fresh spring day brings after a long Michigan winter. Summer fun and camping and the crisp feel of fall in the air with the holidays looming on the horizon. There is much to look forward to for our family in 2012. We have new niece or nephew arriving this summer! I so love planning a layette to send that matches the new baby's nursery. New plans are underway to expand the reaches of Laurie Lou Studio and new merchandise, too. This year also brings the promise of living for my Dad and enjoying the things he used to before he fell sick and needed a transplant. We are so blessed that he has this extra time and is responding so well to the new liver and kidney. Happy New Year and may blessings be many in 2012!

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Sweet Sixteen

Well she did it, she went and turned sixteen. Such a sweet girl she is, and such a hard worker. We went with a Parisien theme since she has recently discovered a love of the french language. So this year she is taking an accelerated 2nd and 3rd year combined french just so she can go to France as a junior next year! When she sets her mind to it she accomplishes whatever she wants! So proud of you Bailey! Happy Birthday my sweetie pie!

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Girls Weekend in Montague

Omg the best time ever at the beach even though it was a blustery 24° in Montague. My girlfriend invited us to hang this weekend for some time away from our numerous kids and what fun we had in this beautiful beach house. We dubbed our selves the Rah Rah girls as our daughters all cheer for the high school competitve cheer team. Its rare for such great bonding time especially since 2 of us have 4 or more kids (Julie has 5 including a set of triplets) ! There is always a sporting event to attend or for me the possibility of a craft show which the one this past weekend I was wait listed for thankfully! I felt so guilty going but I found my patience while I was gone! Amazing how that happens!

Hope you all are finding some for yourself during this time of year with all the stressful hustle and bustle. I can face the week ahead with a smile as my daughter turns 16 yikes! and last minute presents to prepare and ship! Have a great one!

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Its craft show week

I spent Saturday in lovely Hartland Michigan and met some great people. Caught up with my sister-in-law who was nice enough to help me out. My mother in law is helping me out tomorrow here in Plymouth at the Farrand Elementary Santa Shop and we always have grand time cackling away. What are you doing 18 days before Christmas?

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Girl time in Lake Forest

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Bailey and I had a great time on a girls only trip to Chicago over the Thanksgiving holiday! We used my new phone to sneak a picture of this cool bike in the store window in a Lake Forest bike shop. It was my favorite robin's egg blue and had great slashes of orange in retro designs with a groovy white seat and handle bars. The only thing I didn't love was the 900$ price tag. Yikes! More later just wanted to try posting from my phone, and yeah! it worked! Now off to finish preparing for my show this weekend, in Heartland Michigan. Wish me luck!