CSN Stores {giveaway}CLOSED

Hello!  I've got a little something for you guys today.  Have you heard of CSN stores?  They sell just about everything you can think of.  And they would like to offer one of you Lucky Ducks a $35 gift certificate!  There are a million things you could buy.  You can even get TV stands for flat screens.  Should go great with your new TV you got for Christmas!  

So go ahead and leave a comment telling me your favorite gift you got for Christmas!  I'll draw a winner probably next Monday, when I get back to regular blogging business.

{all posts this week are scheduled.  I hope you are enjoying the Holidays!}

GO HERE TO SEE WINNER

Happy Christmas

Tuckered

Christmas is wearing this girl out!  It is a rare day indeed when Ivy falls asleep in the middle of the day {also known as taking a nap}.  We've been making our days Merry and Bright and it finally caught up with the little lady.  Our weekend was jam packed full of fun with Ams hockey, hanging with Grandma, playing in the snow and a waffle party.  And to tell the truth I'm a little beat too, so I can't blame her.  And this week is shaping up to be just as fun and exciting.  Isn't it the most wonderful time of the year?! I just wish it would slow down!

She cracks me up

"My pants aren't very sleddy."

"The Little Lord Jesus needs a pillow."

Last week we were driving to Hobby Lobby.  She asked if it was a restaurant and could we please eat lunch there.  

My Mom gave her a little stuffed reindeer named Chestnut.  Ivy can't quite get it and calles him Peanut Chest.

"We will fall in love and get married when I'm all grown up.  When I'm 6."

"Can you come and snuggle the Little Lord Jesus?"

I'm Thankful Week

I'm having an "I'm Thankful Week" on my little craft blog this week   Lots of guest posters with their thoughts on being thankful.   I'd love it if you would stop by and share your thoughts on being thankful!  We are also giving away some TOMS shoes so come check it out!  

Perfect Ending

Thank you Passionista for the perfect ending to a crazy week.  Walking up the the red barn I knew it was going to be exactly what my heart needed.  I only imagine these kind of evenings, and this is one I'll love forever.

Thank you Mindy for covering the Cure so that even Darin was hooked.  Oh, and uh, any information about where you got your fabulous boots would be greatly appreciated. 

+++++

Family fun in the Industrial Park

Ivy's First Annual Pumpkin Party

We had Darin's family over on Monday night to carve pumpkins!  Ivy has been wanting to have a Halloween party in the worst way so we sent out some invitations to come join us.  We had some yummy treats and got our hands dirty scooping out the pumpkin guts.  Ivy already can't wait for next year!

Thanks Everyone for coming!!!

Bowling for buzzards

We went bowling with Ivy for the first time last night.  She was soo excited!  At least for a little while.  Then the corn dog showed up and she was into that for the rest of the night.  Heres a few photos.

Happy Birthday sweet girl.  You are our world. 

Watch out everybody!

Our baby is all growed up.  Turning three has been a big deal for awhile around here.  Practicing and perfecting three with her fingers so she can tell everyone how old she is, working on {and still working on} having big girl manners, and who knew, but it also makes some girls instantly sassier.  

We headed to Portland for the week.  On Sunday we had a little party with my family. Of course we had cupcakes even though Ivy only eats the frosting.  But Uncle Scotty always comes to the rescue when there is lefover food.   On Monday {her actual birthday} she woke up and I started singing Happy Birthday to her.  She just told me to be quiet.  See.  Sassy.  Then she explained that she had already had her birthday because she already had her cupcake.  

 We then packed up and headed to the coast with 75 and sunny as the forecast.  First stop, the Tillamook cheese factory.  Gotta get that squeaky cheese!  Oh and maybe it would warm up while we were in there? Then we can hit the beach.  Oh wait.  

  I forgot that 75 and sunny means 55 and foggy.  Thats ok.  We still got to play in the sand and see the ocean and explore a pirates cave. 

And then the rest of the week is pictureless with shopping, thrifting in Portland, parks, fro yo and nailpainting.  All very girly stuff just right for Ivy and her gramma, mama and au pair {aka Shellie}  whew.  Its tiring turning 3!

Leavenworth

Its not a tool, its a tool!

Ivy has always been particular about her speech, but about a year ago she started dropping the "s" off of the front words.  Especially words with a consonant next like stop or school.  Her uncle became Uncle Cott instead of Scott.  That kind of thing.  I think it had something to do with her teeth taking forever to come in. (She didn't get the last of her bottom front teeth until December).  Anyways we are constantly reminding her to say her s's.  A couple of weeks ago she asked me where her {s}tool was.   Darin brought it into the bathroom and said "Here is your tool!", purposely leaving the s off just like she does.  

Ivy looked up at him and said " Dad its not a tool, its a tool!" 

Need Your Prayers {again!}

You know when things happen and you know its taken a long time to set it in motion, but in the end things happen way too quickly and certain things are out of your control?!  Well here we are at that point in our lives again where we need all the prayers we can get.

Last night we were put in back in contact with a friend from Summit County Colorado.  She has since moved to LA and we are in Washington.  Amy knows of a sweet girl who had something very unfortunate and terrible happen to her.  And now being 2 weeks away from delivering a baby that was a result of that she has decided to place that baby for adoption.  As you may have heard we have been starting the paperwork for adoption.  

I told Amy last night that we were most definitely interested and to put us in contact with whoever we needed to get in touch with.  When she called this morning he told her there was another couple interested but he was intrigued by us and our connection to Guatemala. {The girl is Guatemalan, and that is where Darin served his mission.} Amy feels strongly that things can work out for us  But we need prayers.  LOTS OF THEM! 

We love you all and appreciate all of you in our lives and would really appreciate your added faith to ours that we can bring another sweet baby into our home.  

Love,

Darin, Jenn and Ivy

Giveaway on Making It My Own

I'm having a sponsor giveaway on my craft blog this week!  Come on over and check it out and enter to win!  Thanks guys!

CLICK HERE!

Busy Busy Busy

 We are running around with our heads cut off these days!  

Ok, so I know there are a lot of people out there that are WAY busier than we are.  I mean I can't wait to throw all of Ivy's activities into the mix as she gets older (we are little behind schedule as far as that goes but what do ya do) but we are busy enough without it.  Greenies is getting busier and we've got a bunch of events and things going on that are really great.  I'm at an employee appreciation thing at Kadlec hospital right now selling stuff actually.  Then I'm running to the church to help put together a dinner for 200 people.  I will be able to tell you if 150 cups of (cooked) rice and 2 gallons of salad dressing is enough when its over!

Darin is growing his photo business and is now a board member for the Tri Cities Photography club, the Richland improvement district, and some other city counsel thing.  He's also taking First Friday at Greenies to a new level and organizing an artwalk type thing in the Parkway with all of the cool new businesses coming in.  Throw in mowing the lawn and being the best Dad around and he is one busy {and tired} guy.  

I am getting more and more custom sewing orders all the time and trying to keep stuff in Greenies.  I'm also teaching myself how to use photoshop for printables and LOVING it.  I'm gonna try and do the farmer's market once, maybe twice a month this summer and if I was smart I would start getting ready for that holiday bazaar.  But that all gets squeezed in around being a park rat with Ivy and keeping the house clean and all that good stuff.  

And guess what?  Deep down we like busy.   We made a decision to be a part of the community and  that's what we are getting.  We've made some really good friends and are really enjoying our life here.  Of course the sunshine makes it much easier to be positive about that kind of stuff ;)

Once Upon A Time In A Little Kingdom

Once upon a time in a little kingdom... from Darin Warnick on Vimeo.
 Ivy starts every story with "once upon a time in a little kingdom..."  This is her rendition of Cinderella in case you couldn't tell!

100 Push Up Challenge

Darin and I have been doing the 100 push up challenge for the past couple of weeks.  Darin got to skip to week 3 to start and I started on week one.  In my initial test I squeaked out 10.  I'm now in the middle of week three and have really started to see a difference in my arms and I can do A LOT of pushups.  Not as many as Darin can, but I contribute that to the fact that he is a boy ;) 

I was skeptical at first when Darin said he wanted to do this with me.  But it really is great and I even started the 200 squats and 200 situps this week too.  Although watching Darin I'm definitely NOT looking forward to week five!

Ivy even gets in on the action and does her pushups.  Then she sits on the chair and counts our pushups and cheers us on with a Great Job!  She's a good trainer.  On Monday she kept making me laugh and she finally said.  "Come on Mom, get going!"  Sure kid, right after you do all of your push ups...

Sunday portraits

Easter Weekend

We went out to Portland for Easter and took a new family portrait. 

I stopped by Multanohma Falls on the way back.

Alley Pics

Heres a few from last night.