Friday, September 30, 2011

Insta-Friday

Happy Friday!
Here’s a little look at our simple everyday life at Haus of Girls this past week via my Instagram phone photos.

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Last Friday our family walked in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s “Light The Night” walk after raising money for my second cousin, Trevor.

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Everyone attending, which numbers were in the thousands,  received a balloon filled with a tiny light.  As everyone paraded through the city it was such a beautiful sight for a beautiful cause.

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Saturday we celebrated a special little boy’s fifth birthday with all things Mario.

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Happy birthday Mason!

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I killed this scary creature.                                                            Sophie practiced patterns.                                     

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I got baby snuggles while watching the sidewalk chalk gang.

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I tried on my purty shoes for my sister Maggie’s upcoming wedding. 
And might I just say, thank goodness for online shopping or I never would have found the time to forage the malls for cute yellow shoes with a small-ish heel.  Gotta love being almost six feet tall. 

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This biker chick was all smiles despite her atrocious cough.

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Someone used her special “wear a hat” coupon that she earned thanks to good behavior.

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Thoughtful at it’s best.

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It has arrived!

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Gracie’s alphabet skills.                                                                                    My kid corralling skills.

 

 

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I am linking up with Jeannett over at Life Rearranged, are you?

Thursday, September 29, 2011

A Thoughtful Thursday

I wanted to share a quote I heard last week from the film critic Roger Ebert’s new book.
After recently learning about all the hardship he has endured facing cancer, which resulting in him losing his entire bottom jaw, his statement really stuck with me. 
   Although he is unable to speak and can only communicate by either writing or by entering words into a computer, which in turn reads aloud his typed words, he still has such a powerful presence and outlook on life.  

roger ebert

“We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this and am happy I lived long enough to find it out.

I just love this statement.
Its says so much.

Someone contributed much joy to my crazy world filled with sick kids this morning….

thoughtfulness

My sweet friend Val brought me a random thoughtful package.
”Just a little thank you,” she said.

The words in her card made me tear up.
”Thank you for being the second mom to my kids while I work.
I admire your organization, cleanliness, creativity, willingness to help, your energy
and LOVE.
I truly believe you are a beautiful mom, wife, friend, sister and sitter on the inside and out.
You deserve a Starbucks everyday!”

Seriously?
To read words like this are so encouraging and wonderful.
Especially when I am in a line of work that sometimes seems so under appreciated our in society.

So thank you Val for making me smile, on a day that I know was so sad for you.
Brightening my (pity party for being sick and having sick kids) day.
Reminding me of what kind of friend and person I always want to be.

A person just like you.
Someone that chooses to spread JOY.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Lend Me Your Eyes.

 

spider

Today, this little guy was hanging out on my laundry room door.
No, it’s not a Halloween decoration! It’s for real people. 
So what did I so? I screamed and then I smashed him with my flip flop, like any normal housewife would do.

However,  now my mom has me worried that it was perhaps a poisonous Brown Recluse.
I have 20/20 vision, but given the circumstances, I don’t want to be worrying that I have a creepy brown recluse spider family crawling around here.

I need your eyes.
Check out the chart below.


spiders

 

I think it looks more like the grass spider. 
What do you think?

Here’s hoping I won’t have to change the name of my blog to Haus of Spiders!

Thanks for your help!

Monday, September 26, 2011

The Countdown is On.


 fall 2010 sisters silly  fall 2010 sisters growl fall 2010 sisters laughfall 2010 sisters group

Until the final Viefhaus sister ties the knot.


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Just 48 days until these lovebirds get married.

I cannot wait.
But, I really have to, because there is still so much left to do…

flower girl fave

Here is the flower girl inspiration.
My girls all have their cowgirl boots and the most adorable sweater dresses.
Now, I just need to make their flower headbands.
(You all know I have already recruited Erin to assist me in this quest.)

maggie necklaces 
My hair inspiration is the girl on the far right. 
Yay or Nay?

my wedding shoes

I just purchased these cute shoes to wear with my flowy green gown on the big day.

And, I will say, the search for shoes was my least favorite so far.
Wearing a 10.5/11 is always a challenge, which I’m well aware,  but I was so stunned to see that all the search results for size 11 were for men who liked to dress as women.  Weird. 
If I may, I’d like to remind the shoe industry that real women wear size 11 too.


As Maggie and Austin’s wedding inches closer and closer, everything will work out.
The to-do list items will get checked off.
It will be a perfect day.

However, the most important question is, will Maggie and Austin conduct a better “train” at their reception than Steve and I did circa 2002?

Marta Steve wedding Train pic

Only time will tell, but I seriously doubt it.

Happy Monday!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Team Trevor: $1 Goes a long way

Dear blog readers,

Meet my (second) cousin Trevor.
He is the epitome of courage, strength and character. 
team trevor

Trevor was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in January and has been “kicking lymphoma’s bootie” ever since! 

Tonight I will be walking in the Light The Night Walk which is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual fundraising walk to pay tribute and bring hope to people battling cancer.
Hundreds of thousands of participants raise funds for lifesaving research and patient services.

I want to help.
My goal is to raise $100 today before I walk .
If I can get 100 people that read my blog to donate $1 here: 
I would be forever grateful.

Please help me, help Trevor.
Just $1 goes a long way.

Tonight Trevor will be in the bone marrow unit at Children's Hospital and unable to attend the walk, but hopefully with your support, it will help medical advancements that is giving him a chance at life!

*A donation of $25 provides patients and their loved ones with FREE booklets that contain up-to-date information on their disease and help them make informed decisions about their treatment options.

*A donation of $50 makes possible a Family Support group with a trained facilitator where comfort can be found and experiences can be shared among patients and family members.

*A donation of $100 (my goal!) helps supply laboratory researchers with supplies and materials critical to carrying out their search for cures.

Please join our team's effort today by making a $1 donation. Click here.
Your participation in the Light The Night Walk will help save lives. 

Let’s do it!

Monday, September 19, 2011

You Are Good.

 

you are good.

This is a little note I saved from Mia when she was just a tiny Kindergartner, still attempting to master the peace sign.

I have this note hanging up in my computer armoire and every time I look at it I smile.
It’s a little pep talk from my daughter.
“You are good.”
And coming from a five year old, that’s saying a lot.

So never forget to be good.
For yourself, but also for your children.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Insta Friday- Fair Fun Edition


It’s Friday, yet again.  (Creepy how fast a week goes by.)
You know what this means.
Insta Friday time.

Here’s a little glimpse at what happened around here this past week:

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Parade watching.
(Look how adorable little Meade is waving at the firemen.)

 

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Ferris wheel riding.

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Posing.

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Car riding.

 

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Snake touching.

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Hand holding.

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Feathering.

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More posing.

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Milk spilling.

 

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American Girl dreaming.

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Dental drama.

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Restocking.

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Regretting hubby’s other re-stock.

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Chilly morning running.

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Snuggling.

 

What did you do this week?

I am linking up over at Life Rearranged.

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Happy Friday!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

They are watching you.



Just in case it slipped your mind, they are watching your every move.
They want to be just like you, act like you, treat people like you do, say the things you do.
You are their first teacher. 
Remember this always.

I was happily reminded of this fact as I watched Gracie “reading” one afternoon…

 

I wonder where she learned this cool “turn the pages better” trick?

Friday, September 9, 2011

Insta-Friday: My sister’s dream house

A glance at our fun week, and trip to my sister Haley’s, via my Instagram phone photos.

 

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Gracie had her heart on winning our “sleep contest” in the car on the two hour trip to Haley’s, so she covered up for the entire trip.


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We finally got to check out her new renovations when we arrived!
Her bathroom is out of control!

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Love the chandy!


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Amazing.


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I was lucky enough to test out their incredible shower. 


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There was room for our whole family!

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Posting outside of the kitchen renovation side…. hip pop.

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Time for a walk.



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Photo op on our walk .

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The perfect day for us girls while the boys golfed.

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The cutest baby in town.


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Racing to Haley’s front door!

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When we returned home it was time to get back in the swing of things.  Gracie had her first day of Preschool on Tuesday and I had no children (of my own!) at home for the first time in seven years.

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The fancy china came out for waffles in the morning and then there were a few tears from Mommy.
Even Mia and Sophie, at the thought of their little sister growing up so fast, shed some tears! 


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Thank God for good friends who knew I would be a little down this week with all my girls gone. 
Candy and magazines did the trick! Thank you Kelly!

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A very pink sky and some bike riding on Thursday night.

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And a Rollo McFlurry completed my crazy, hectic, tear-filled week.
Skinny.

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I am linking up over at Life Rearranged, are you?
Happy Friday!

 

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