I've actually started to scrapbook again. After months of not creating anything I am going at full steam now! Oh how it helps with the stress level. The one above is using Bella Blvd. paper. My friend Stephanie is the owner of this awesome company. You should go check out the blog! Bellablvd.typepad.com
The tress in this one are also Bella Blvd. I used a lot of different companies on this one. I just love that little stuffed full of banana look.
Yes, I made Q's Wall-E costume. He did nto wear it long but it was still cute. I also hand cut the Wall Paper piecing.
Look at that face! Need I say more?

Yes thats me with Mickey in the 80's Proof that my love for the mouse started early!

Amaya's feet. I love when my friend Heidi gives me the oppertunity to photograph her children. So Sweet!

My Q's little belly! Ahh, I love it!

A busy Mommy!

Wow we have been a busy little family over the past month. A lot has changed in my life in this time as well. Although some of those changes have been hard and stressful I have faith in myself that I will continue to be strong in my hardest of times! My children are such a blessing and though all of the drama in my stage of life they have been there with smiles on their faces and always ready to curl up with a good book and a little cuddle time. We had a great time at the pumpkin farm although the only thing we did not do was to actually get a pumpkin! I know its weird but the line to go out to the field was like an hour long. So instead we just did allthe other stuff like look at the animals, ride the rain, ride the ponies, play at the little playground and eat some yummy treats. The kids did kiss a pumpkin though :) I don't even think anyone cared that we did not actually get a pumpkin!

I've hit some rough waters in the ocean of life these days. I have learned so much about myself. Here are some of the things that I have learned...

1) I am an incredibly strong woman.
2) Even if I am not hungry its still a good idea to eat.
3) My friends are fabulous!...even more then I ever thought
4) My family is amazing!....even more then I ever thought
5) My son is such a cuddly guy.....he has just started this week. Maybe he knows I need it right now.
6) My faith is stronger then ever
7) A messy mini van does not make you a bad mommy....Gracie told me so :)
8) Not everyone in your life can handle big issues and thats ok! It does not make them a bad person, they just handle things differently then I do.
9) Loosing my scrapbook mojo for a little while is ok....it will come back.
10)Singing upbeat music makes me feel better even if just for a moment!

My Gracie doing the dishes....it was funny. For some reason the dishwasher has not been drying the dishes. I explained to Gracie that you can not just put them away wet, we have to dry them. So I got her a towel and asked her to help dry them. She proceeds to hum a little toon and dry the dishes. I walked out for a little while and comae back to her stacking the dishes all over the kitchen counters. I asked what are you doing with the piles of dishes and she replied " They are drying...in a pretty way" So some she dried with the towel and some she just sat out to dry (I think you can see them pretty good in the picture sitting out all over the place) Oh how I love this little lady. So sweet and such a creative thinker!
Then after Q saw that mommy was taking a picture of "Sis-Er" I comes over, only in a diaper with a grahm cracker in hand saying "Pic-Er Mommy?" He wanted me to take a picture of him. I took a few before I go this one. I came down to his level first and got him directly looking into the camera...then he said "No, no, Mommy" So I thought maybe he didnt want his picture taken. Then I eventually took this one form above and he drops his grahm cracker and clapps saying " Yeah Mommy" Apently he wanted the picture taken from above. He was so excited to see it on the screen of the camera. He kissed himself on the screen saying "Oh, Nice Baby"

Two cute moments from 2 cute kids, one right after another. Sometimes I wonder how could I have been so lucky?


So soon I will be 28......for some weird reason I am not so thrilled that I will be closing in on 30. So I have decided from now on I am 28. So next year when I turn 29 I will still be 28 and so on and so forth. Eventually my little sisters will become my big sisters, and then my children will be older then me. LOL I know its silly and you are thinking who really cares Jess? It's just one of those things that I am quirky about.

So here are 28 facts about me you may or may not know....

1-I take a nap almost every day.....it's actually weird when I don't
2-I am "Going Green"
3-I am a breast feeding advocate 6 months with Gracie 13 months with Q
4-I used to be a Starbucks girl but am switching to tea becasue of its health benifits
5-I hate cleaning so much I am hiring a maid this week...seriously she is coming to give me a quote on cost today
6-I could survive without TV but not the internet
7-I hate laundry too, maybe theres a laundry service I could get too. Hmmm
8-I think crocs are the best shoes ever!!!! They even have heels now!
9-I know the delivery schedule for the buisness across the street...Q loves trucks
10-I love the smell of freshly opened paper packs
11-I have an adiction to handbags
12-I sometimes find myslef jammin' out to Hannah Montana after Gracie has left to car. :)
13-I love to peak in on Gracie while she is playing and she does not know I am there. So cute!
14-Repeat #13 just insert Q's name!
15-I go to my fare share of basball games....but I really find them quit boring. Ahhh, what wife will do for her husband!
16-I often wish I would have gone back to school...maybe I still will
17- I think the world would be a happier place if we all learned a little bit from the life of Walt Disney.... he was an amazing poitive thinker and went after what he wanted in life all while putting his family first.
18- I used to think Facebook was stupid but now I am glad I joined
19-I like my showers so hot they make my skin red.
20-I am so proud of my 2 little sisters, but don't tell them enough
21- I am so thankful to my Mom and Dad, but don't tell them enough
22- I adore my friends, but don't tell them enough
23- I like it cold when I sleep so I can put lots of covers on
24-I secretly would love to be a photographer of new born babies and pregnant women
25- I am an awful speller...and I hate that about myself!
26-I still sing into the hairbrush even though I almost 28
27- I will never get sick of my Disney kitchen...I love it!
28- I get all excited when someone comments on my blog.....makes my day :)

Wish Me Luck!!!!

I just applied to be on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. If I am chosen to be a part of this panel I will be asked questions of guests traveling to WDW and I will answer them via the internet! Don't you think that would just about be the coolest thing ever??? I sure do. I already love helping my friends and family plan their trips to my home away from home, so what would be better then helping the entire nation! I find out if I made it to the next round in the application process by the end of this month....I believe. Well, anyway it was cool just to apply knwing that someone at the Walt Disney Company is going to actually read about my love for the place! No matter what hjappens in the process I will still visit my special place time and time again. In fact we just booked our trip for January 2009 not to long ago and I just recieved my first mailing from Walt Disney World Travel Company a few days ago! Granted it was a bill to tell me how much I owe.....but still it was exciting!

Yesterday we took the kids to Stone Fire Pizza for a last hoorah before school starts! Thet really had a good time.



Q sure loves to watch Wall-E on the computer. He watches the 2 min trailer but has never seen the movie. I don't think he would sit thorough it. He has to move to much and talk about everything thats going on.

Today was the first day back to school for my little Graciepoo. Her little brother was so sad to see her go. She was so excited to have a locker and a desk. She couldnt fall asleep last night because she was so thrilled for school to start.





Q did some reading while his sister was away. This is usually something they do together. He kept asking Sis-er? Sis-er? He won't take a nap today eaither. He is here on my lap as I type this. I am thinking maybe he feels liek if he goes to sleep he might miss his sister coming home. As soon as I put him down for a nap he yelled for her. Poor little man. I hope that she i having a good day. We can't wait to go pick her up in a few minutes.!
Thank you to all of you whom have continued to support me though my health issues! You all rock. I hope you enjoy these pictures of my two most precious blessings in life. They are what keeps my spirits high. As well as all the wonderful firneds and family I have in my life. I feel so blessed to have all of you. I hope to get some more scrapping done soon.

WOW!!!!!!!

My mom and I just got back from our trip to the annual Tupperware sales force conference. It was super fun, life changing and very informative. We have some great products coming out that I was blown away by, including one that Brooke Shields helped design! I also had the chance to get up on stage and meet her...OK so only for like 2 seconds but none the less I met her. Best of all I learned about all the opportunities Tupperware can provide for me and my family as well as any other woman who would like to step into the Tupperware!

Here are a few pictures from our trip.
My mom and I in the O of Wow. The program Tupperware has for earning great things like trips and computers and that's just the tip of the ice burg.
My mom and I standing at Tupperware headquarters fountain. Its the symbol of Tupperware.

My mom and I at the recognition ball. We had a great time and we learned that our friend in Tupperware was #1 in recruiting for the year. She recruited 98 people in one year!

My mom posing in the car that she is on the path to earning. I would like to get the Saturn vue, hybrid when I reach the point she is at. She currently takes a cash option to pay for her current vehicle and when that is payed off she will move into this beauty!

We took the kids to Germanfest. They had such a good time and we managed not to spend a ton of money. It was a beautiful day all around!

I've been a busy mama Keeping a clean house, takig care of my health and doing Tupperware parties Whenever possible. Here is some of my most recent work!

I made this page for a challenge over at the design experiment blog

Hope you enjoy it! It is a challenge about what comforts you. I choose to do it about starbucks...when I am tired. Some days when I am sleepy I wake up and say " Mommy will be right back" I head for starbucks and come home all before the hubby leaves for work!

Photos...

These are just some of my most favorite photos have have taken over the past few months. These little feet are baby Amaya's. My friends little girl that I so greatfully got to see come into this world.
My little Q man right after he got his little scar on his nose form taking a dive on my moms concreate.
Eric says he looks evil and I think he looks like " Mom, ok thats enough of the camera in my face...I am trying to play!"
Another photo of Amaya smiling at her Mommy!
Now my goal is to get some great photos of Gracie she just is not interested in the whole "pretend Mommy isnt here thing" She says " Why can't I pose for yo with a pretty smile?" Oh Gracie how I love you, you are growing so fast. This week she has MAJORLY gotten into High School Musical. She told me she wants to learn the dance to the song " We're all in this together" Its the one at the end of the movie that every mom of a 6+ year old can sing in her sleep. Except for I do not know if I am ready for all these clothes that say " I Heart Troy" Thats a little much for me. Although I do not think she will be into that part of it quiet yet. She has also discovered Hannah Montana. Not the show but the music is in the van 24/7. She started on her a little bit ago but recently its gotten really big in her eyes. She even asked if someday we could go see Hannah in concert? Some of her school supplies are covered with Hannah and High School Musical....although thankfully most of them are still Tinkerbell and Disney Princess. I hope she never looses the magic of the Disney Princess stuff....I think I would miss it being around.

Below you will find the pictures of the pages from my class that I taught at The Scrapbook Store on Monday night. Enjoy!!!

Summer with you my dear Gracie has not been a cake walk. You are so fun but you get bored so super easy, are always hungry and want to be outside even if it is a million degrees out or raining. I read other mothers blogs and talk with my friends and they all make it sound so fun and easy. How does that work? Right now you are watching Arthur but I feel a " I'm Bored" coming on as soon as this show is over. Thank goodness for Arthur, it atleast gives me time to think fo something for you to do. Cleaning your room ususally isn't a popular option but thats all I've got for today Kiddo. You can't even play in there or move for that matter becuase it such a disaster. I think you enjoyed making the mess though. Plus I said no friends over until it is clean. So get the baby clean and you can have your friends over every day!!!! I would give them all a warm welcome!!!!!!! I think maybe that little deal was more a punishment for me then you.

You are dong so much growing latly. More on an emotional level then physical. You still wear a size 4 or 5 and you are 6 years old. You still weigh around 32 pounds. Yet, you always want to eat? You are so stinkin' cute when it comes to the things you say.

Funny story......The other day we went to Kohls to look for some shorts for me. Some of the ones I tried on had a little ribbon as a belt. So I tied it into a bow.

You looked at me with disdain and said "Mom, don't do that."

I replied"Why....is it not cool to tie it in a bow?"

You then said"No, thats just not how I roll Mom."

I couldnt believe that my little 6 year old doesn't "Roll" that way. Where on earth did you get that?

The day after it happened I was hanging out with my little sister who just turned 21. As we proceeded to leave the house she said "Lets roll!"

A few hours later we are out and about and I overhear my sis on the phone with a friend and she says ".....yeah thats how I roll...."

Ah-ha! She gets it from my sister. Couple that with the fact that she loves her hot pink nail plish and repeatedly tells me she NEEDS a cell phone of her own. (As well as when I want to tell my hubby something and he is not available at work she hollers from the back seat of the minivan "Text him Mom.....then he can read it whenever") I believe she is 6 going on 21.

I can't text to save my soal.....it takes me like 5 min to write one sentence. I thought being almost

I don't want to forget....

The way Q talks at this age. It is so stinkin' cute! He tries so hard to communicate with us. Sometimes he just babbles with hand gestures modeling it after what he sees but there are plenty of times that he actually says words! Here are some of what he says at 17 months old

"ots" outside
"guuuue" Q
"mom" mom
"da-deee" daddy
"emmm" M also known as Melissa my little sis.
"Ke-ke" KK also know as Kayla my baby sis.
"Sis-sis" version A of sister
"sis-er" version B of sister
"nana" Nana, my mom
"Bop-pa" Bapa, my dad
"Baby" as clear as a bell
"bare-be" berry like a blue berry
"Pss" Grapes
" Hi-E" Hi
"Isshhh" Fish
"Peas" Please
"Stin-TE" Stinky
"Bub-ol" Bubble
"Wa-wer" Water
"Whoa, whoa" when he sees something amazing to him like fireworks or heavy rain
"Ooooooo" When he pours out water
"Cu-wer" Color
"ks" Keys- he loves my parents little key holder at their house.

I am sure there are a few more but I can't seem to remember them right now. I just love how he tires so hard to talk to us. So cute.

Summertime Photos! (Scrapbook Pages Coming Soon)
Gracie on her way to Girl Scout Camp! I never thought she would love it like she did. She was covered in bug bites and pink from the sun but still could not wait to go to camp each day. I don't think there was a single thing that she did not like.
She tired really hard to make ice cream in a ziplock bag. Let me tell you....it does not work. Gracie was one of the few girls in the unit that actually tried hard to get it made. Most of the time it was the 3 adults that were shaking it up!

Below are two pictures of my little sister and her boyfriend Aaron. He is home for only a few more days from Iraq. When he heads back he will be there for another 7 months. It sounds like a pretty dangerous mission that he will be going on when he gets back. So please keep him and his unit in your prayers. He said it will be at least a month at a time that he will not be able to talk to my sister so keep her in your prayers too. I think she is really nervous. I took these pictures so that they could have some pictures of each other while they are apart! In the second picture it is so obvious that she is able to be herself around him.

My little Q is such a basket case. :)
Gracie is such a little buisness woman this summer. She has a little lemonade stand that she made and intends to sell thoughout the summer to make $100! $50 for Disney and $50 for other fun stuff...like a Hannah Montana purse.
Check out how she spelled Lemonade....so stinkin' cute!
Fourth Of July Parade in Butler! They throw so much candy!!!
Q was sitting on the street just loving every minute of it!

And last but not least little Q on the peer at my aunts house on Lac La Bell in Oconomowoc. He was waving to the little ducklings swimming with their Mama.

Last night...

I went to the John Mayer concert! It was super awesome! I went with my little sister Melissa, her friend Ruthann and her boyfriend Aaron who is home from Iraq right now for a few weeks. We took some pictures at the concert last night with Aarons camera so as soon as I can get them from him I will post them. It was a great time and nice to meet Aaron for the first time.

Another Hold Me To It.....

I am not sure that anyone reads all these boring long posts about holding me to things...but just writing it in itself helps me hold to my commitments. So here I go.....

I have been overextending myself for years. I try to make everyone happy, meet every ones needs and never wanting to displease anyone in the process. But, really what happens is I make nobody happy including myself. I try so hard and mush myself to the limit making myself both physically and emotionally exhausted. So, from here on out I am going to limit what I commit myself to. I want to work really hard at doing the things I commit to really well making sure that I am fulfilled and I have fulfilled my duties so that others can rely on me and know that they will not have to pick up the pieces when I fall apart. No more falling apart!!!!

So that means focusing on my Scrapbooking, Tupperware and my family. Leaving out all the fluff and saying yes to every volunteer opportunity that comes along will be good for everyone!!!!!

I look forward to enjoying life a little more, being able to follow through with things and not getting sick!!!

I am starting fresh and will start with a new day tomorrow!!!!!

The new Jessica has arrived. So.....if you are reading this I want you to hold me to it.

Hold Me to It......

OK, now we have the first week of summer under our belts and I am already tired! Not to mention my allergies are totally kicking my butt! This past week Gracie had Vacation Bible School. It takes us a little under 30 minutes to get to church so we spent most of our time to and from church listening to her VBS songs. There are only 5 of them so if anyone wants me to sing them I could probably do it in my sleep. Then when we have listened to those several times we move on to working on her bible verses. Yup you guessed it, I have them all memorized. So if anyone is in need of a lesson on the fruits of the spirit you let me know and I could sing you songs with hand motions and recite the bible verses for you. What a great week it was for her though, she was really loving every minute of it!!! She met new friends and learned so much. I feel really blessed to have had this week for her.

So, now onto the other stuff. I spent so much time going to and from church and working on all my Tupperware stuff that I neglected my house BIG time!!!!!! So today I am going to clean my kitchen and I want all of you reading this to hold me to it! I dislike cleaning the kitchen but it needs to be done. Nobody else is going to do it. So it might as well be today. I thought maybe if i blogged about it that I would have to be held accountable for cleaning my kitchen!!!