We {heart} Our Earth

Today is Earth Day.
We love us some Earth around here so I whipped

up these cute Earth cookies.

Yea right.

I did not make these.

I wish I did.

But, unfortunately, my spare time is sparse around here.

I am trying to get motivated to pack up the whole family

for another WEEKEND TRIP to watch my sister

Maggie hit a few more BOMBS against Purdue!

(Good thing my bag is still packed from our family trip

two weeks ago..... time saver. I am always thinking ahead.)

What we have decided to do today, however, is

go the extra step to REDUCE our waste.

(We already RECYCLE & REUSE

like it's our job on a daily basis!!)

As a result, it's a DIAPER FREE day for Gracie.
She is rocking it Nudie today.
(Except at nap time, of course, as the amount of laundry I would have to do
would waste too much water and totally defeat the purpose of reducing our diaper waste!!)

Today Gracie is "one with the Earth."
There may be a few accidents to wipe up.
But that's ok.
It's making me focus, yet again, on that special time in a Mommy's life....

Potty Training Time!
Gotta love it.

Gracie is only 22 months old
(but had her first potty success at age 16 months & loves it so far)
so my plan is for her to have a good grasp of the big girl
potty by the time she turns two. And then of course the Potty Fairy.....

but that's for another post!
Until then....

Happy Earth Day to all!

A Tasty Warning

I picked these up on a random trip to Target last week.

On an empty stomach, mind you.

Sea Salt Caramel & Almond

indulgent Granola bites dipped in

milk chocolate-flavored coating.

You had me at indulgent!

*Note: It does freak me out a tiny bit that it states

chocolate-flavored coating rather than

the actual thing.

But, I'm over it because these were the most super-tasty,

melt-in-your-mouth, chewy,

perfect bite-size nuggets straight from Heaven.

I may or may not have eaten 5 on the way home.

Don't tell anyone though.

So, next time you're in Target, & you happen to pick up a box of these,

make sure you eat lunch or dinner prior to check-out.

Consider this your warning.

it's that time of year again

Michigan Softball time!

You may remember this still shot of Gracie & I
on ESPN that I posted from last May.
Who can say they were on ESPN?!!
Gracie can!

Steve & I packed up the girls & drove down on a Saturday morning, 6.5 hours,
to Oklahoma City to watch my sister Maggie take on the Georgia Bulldogs.
College World Series people.
Big time.
My girls still talk about it.

Go Maggie!

We are ready to cheer you on for your final season.

Living it up.

Loving every minute.

We have made one road trip so far.

To Louisville, Kentucky.

Or as Sophie calls it, Kentucky, Louisville.

Here are a few shots from our trip back in March......

My three girls in their Michigan gear!

A pre-game pose with Mommy.



At the game ready to cheer on Mags.



My nephew Meade bundled in his Michigan gear!



Sophie & Ella playing instead of watching the game.
Typical.



They boys men of our family.

My hubby Steve, Maggie's boyfriend, Austin, my dad (in the back)
My sister Adie's hubby Meade & my sister Haley's hubby Jimmy.



Adie is brilliant for thinking to pack her wagon.

Gracie & Meade may or may not have enjoyed a few hours
of rides around the field.
Adie said she had tennis elbow the next day.




My Grandma Viefhaus, such a trooper all bundled up!
And my Aunt Pat, just the same, next to her.
It was freezing!

*Notice my Grandma has a "Good luck Bud Light Lime"
in her cup holder. My dad is superstitious to the extreme &
forced us all to have a sip, to ensure that they would win.
A RALLY sip, if you will.


We are excited to watch Maggie's senior year unfold &
celebrate all of her achievements & accomplishments.

Next stop, PURDUE!
Look out Boilermakers the Wolverines are a comin'.

crazy town

I can't quite put my finger on what exactly it is.
What exactly is the cause of the crazy town atmosphere around here.

I wish I could.

I just can't keep up.

I am overwhelmed.

I am overwhelmed with the thought of being overwhelmed.

Struggling to stay organized.

Laundry from our weekend trip to Carbondale last weekend is still chillin' on the landing.

My bag is still unpacked.

I have 400 things to sew and make.

200 thank you cards from Sophie's birthday to write..... that was in MARCH.

Garage sale goodies to collect for next weekend.

For a crazy lady like me, the feeling of not being on top of things?

The WORST.

I finally emailed my family tonight to ask if they'd like tickets for Mia & Sophie's dance recital.

A whopping 4 days before I have to have the totals turned in.

Such great notice. I am so annoying.

I am trying to catch up.

I can do it!

It's the most beautiful time of year, the windows are open, the birds are chirpin' & I am loving the 80 degree temps & the sunny skies. (Slowing getting my tan back. Big fat Yay!)

All positive things to keep me motivated right?

However, if any of you have any other "get back into the swing of things" advice,

I would greatly appreciate you sharing.....

Or, I'm sure a few several hundred Starbucks gift cards will do the trick.

Just sayin'

And now, a sneak peek at last weekend.....my Alumni Softball weekend......

From the left:
Top Row:
Tahira, (aka Princess Tiana) My sister Adie, My Mom Onda, & Me.
Bottom Row:
Rat & Julie

More to come soon!

Mooove Over Winter {A Tour of Our Daily Life}

Everyday we drive down a windy road to get to

the entrance to our subdivision.

And on the way, we drive by the cutest little farm that

my girls are quite obsessed with.

(*Note: Mia has been known to say that she wants to live there

when she grows up, and be a "farm girl.")

The interesting thing about this particular farm is that it

has two huge grassy areas that are separated by fencing.

In the fall/winter the cows are moved to the back section,

leaving us unable to see them from the street for several months.

Booooo.

However, in the Spring when the grass is starting to turn green,

the are moved to the FRONT section.

Right by the street we drive down everyday.

Yay!

The view from the street as we head to our neighborhood.

You can see the houses up behind the field of cows.

Here they are on Wednesday on our way home from dance class.

Chomping away on some yummy grass.

Gracie may or may not yell things such as,

"Hi Cows!"

"I love you cows!"

"Bye Cows!"

every single time we drive by.

A closer shot of our friends.


The entrance to the farm.
(I just adore these signs so much.)



The view from our neighborhood.

Mooooo.


I love our view!

The trees are just now blooming here in the Midwest.

I feel so fortunate that we live in an area where we are just a few minutes
from the big city, yet we have this view, a farm down the street,
trees all around us and cows in our back yard.

Variety is the spice of life and I am glad my girls can have all the
advantages of living close to an interesting and fun city, but also respect
what the World is truly about.

Family, nature, being outdoors & of course cows!

Have a M(ooo)arvelous weekend everyone!

Easter Bunny 2010

Three blondies and I headed to the mall one evening last week.
The Easter Bunny anticipation was interesting to watch.....
Nervous nail biting by Sophie,
non-stop giggles by Mia,
and sheer joy to be roaming the mall like a shopaholic by Gracie.
(We don't go to the mall that often these days....& after the near fist-fight road rage we witnessed as we walked in over a parking space, I was quickly reminded why. Scary.)

Attempt one at a cute shot on a random couch in the mall.
Fail.

Attempt 2.

Fail.

Attempt 3.
Finally, an ok shot with all three looking.

Dad arrived after his game.
Dressed all fancy.

One last attempt before seeing the Bunny.
Gracie was so done.

Sophie & Mia smiled for me.

And so did Gracie after she got on the car ride she was eyeing.

And finally, the Bunny picture.

They all did so well!
No tears.
No drama.
Just happy Bunny goodness!

Hope you all had a wonderful & blessed Easter!

Dirty Dancing

As many of you know, I've gotten into running.
My friend Erin introduced me to the Nike Plus system that you use with your ipod and it's been so motivating for me. (Having 3 kids in less than 4 years & seeing what that does to your body has also been very motivating for me.... so scuuuuury.)
Anyway, I seemed to have motivated several friends myself, as well as, my sisters to get their own Nike Plus and start running. Yay!

We have monthly "Challenges" that set a goal of a certain number of miles we want to run.
I also follow Erin & Laura's blog, "500 miles in 2010" and I'm in their challenge for the entire year. I have ran almost 400 miles since I got my Nike Plus in September, but I can't wait until I complete 500 total miles in 2010. Craziness!

Since I have 3-4 hundred kids here during the days and evenings, it's tough to get outside and run. Alone. (What a dream.)
Thus, the treadmill.
Boring.

Luckily, I accidentally tivo a few super-lame & cheesy reality shows on a daily basis.
They usually keep me occupied while I run a few miles during nap time or at night.

Some days though, I HAVE to listen to music.
Especially if I'm feeling SLOTHISH with very little energy.

This is where my old friends come into play.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK.
Yes, they are as well, super-lame & cheesy to some extent.

But they are a part of my childhood, one of the perks of growing up in the 80's, and have put out the perfect running song for a dork like me.
Dirty Dancing.
Yes, you read that correctly. DIRTY DANCING.

Enjoy.
You're Welcome.
Now GO RUN!

no foolin'

Today is April Fools Day,

but I am not foolin' around.

All Holla! tees, as well as my "I am a Sewing Machine" tees

are ONLY $15.

$5 off!!!

Today only.

Just for you, my blog friends.

And of course, my twitter friends.

A shot of the holla tee in action.
Mel & I (tall girls club) in California last December working on Project 320.

The new tee. "I am a sewing machine!"

love it.

I only have ONE of these left. First come first serve.

$14 Eco Bag Holla tote today!

*Note: All of tees are ready to ship, as is the last tote!

Sizes available :
-holla tee: 2 mediums & 1 XL
-I am a sewing machine: 2 med, 2 large & 2xl

*These do run a bit small, for a fitted look. Long length.
For measurements click here!

If you are ready to get your own Haus of Girls tee or tote just click here!
Message me and I will set up a VIP listing just for you, my blog friend.

And finally.... I need some advice.

Yay or Nay for my new hairstyle.
(minus the creepy looking hairstylist....)
My appointment is tonight.
It's been months and my roots are blazing black.

What do you think?

Easter Dress Sneak Peek

You may remember last year's Easter Bunny photo filled with Disco Dots.....

And it looks like this year may be just as colorful!

This year, on one of our frequent trips to JoAnn's, I let the girls pick out their

own fabric for their Easter dresses.

Of course they picked the super fun Charlie Brown fabric.

So I grabbed some polka dots I thought would go with it.

After I got it home, I realized I would have another Easter full of

bold and bright blondies!

This morning Sophie modeled the dress/top I made for her before heading

up to Preschool for her Easter egg hunt & program.

She was not enthused and gave me some sketchy smiles.

So, as usual, I bribed her with these.

And thus a friendly(ish) smile.

Here is the back of Sophie's dress/top.

Don't you just love this cuteness?

It is the "Faith" pattern from Aimee' at Sew Sensible.

She is super sweet and has the cutest patterns that are easy for beginners, like me, to make.

Gracie Lou was my assistant this morning & wanted to pose (for candy) as well.
I am freaking out that her hair is FINALLY
long enough to do (somewhat) pigtails!
This is a big deal in my bald home.

Gracie was excited to play with Booty cat and get outside in the sunshine!
(70's today and 80 tomorrow & Thursday! Holla!)

Finally she got the chance to wear these fun
sandals she's been eyeing for weeks.
All she said all morning was "Petty Shoes."

I am so excited for Springtime & can't believe how fast time is flying. Easter is on Sunday. This SUNDAY.

Don't Make Me Sing

My sisters and I have a teeny tiny obsession with all things Saturday Night Live.

More specifically, all things Kristen Wiig.
She is CRAZY funny.
We imitate her constantly.
Because we are 13 and all.
All 13 year olds act out SNL skits in their free time.
Don't judge.

We first started stalking Kristen when she began playing "Penelope," the one-upper.
I know you can all relate to the hilarity of when someone has to out do you in certain situations.
For example, you may say, "I have the worst headache today."
They might respond by saying, "You have a headache?! I have had a headache now for 4 days straight!"
Isn't this the worst?!

Kristen brings light to the one-upper in the video below. Watch it & try not to cry from laughing so hard.....




Then came along the "Target Lady."
So. Funny.
I pee my pants every time I watch her play this character......
(Please note my sister Adie does a spot on impersonation of Target Lady!"






And finally, our latest LOVE on SNL.
"Don't Make Me Sing Girl"
This character is phenomenal on so many levels.
Her hand gestures? The best. Her voice? Perfection.
So 1920's.
Listen how she says, "I have no choice, their making me sing."
Watch and love.
Your welcome.

Is she not the best?!
So funny! And I didn't even include my other characters I love of hers.
Gilly, which my girls love and also perform, and when she plays Kathie Lee Gifford on the Today Show.
I will save those for another post.

So now, the next time you hear me and my sisters acting these skits out, you still may think we are acting like crazy 13 year olds, but at least you will now know where we are getting our great material from.

Don't make me sing....

Have a happy Monday!

My Sister Maggie is 22!

Happy Birthday to my most favorite non-twin sister,

MAGGIE!

22.

A very fun year if I remember correctly.

Enjoy every minute!

Here is Maggie back in 1990.

Is she not the cutest 2.5 year old you have ever laid eyes on?

(Don't be jealous of how cute me and my other two sisters, the dice,

were as well....

My mom was SO creative.

Dice & jailbirds.

The. Best. Ideas. Ever.

Make a note for next year.

My friend Julie was my jailbird buddy and her brother Aaron was a devil.

The good old days!)

I remember, like it was yesterday, being in Mrs. Clifton's 3rd grade

classroom when the announcement came over the intercom system.

"We want to congratulate Marta on her brand new baby sister!"

That was March 20, 1988.

Time flies....

Here she is in her USA jersey last year.

Signing some autographs after a home game.

Giving Mia a hug after a game.
(Mia adores her and wants to be just like Maggie one day!)

Maggie with some fans in Venezuela.

Celebrating the 4th of July back in 2008!

Even though Maggie has been gone a lot during my girls' lives,
it seems like she has been there for everything.
When I was looking through pictures, she is in so many!

Like in this one....
Mia's 4th birthday day.
We went to lunch at Lion's Choice & we on our way to the Magic House!

Gracie may or may not think she is her other mom.

And she teaches Mia how to *model* like a superstar.

Maggie is the greatest sister ever and I know I can tell her anything.
She always gives me advice, even though I am 8 years older than her.
She is funny, kind and the most spoiled of ALL of us sisters.

Mags & her cute boyfriend, Austin.
(My girls may or may not LOVE him like a second dad.)

Here is a recent pic of a trip me and the twins took to visit Maggie up in Michigan.

This is her last year and we are all so proud of all of her accomplishments!
We can't wait to watch her final season games as she finishes her softball career!
Go Maggie!

I hope you had the BEST birthday ever!