Making Friends Mondays...The Thursday Version!

Hellloooo!! Chris just took off with the kids to hit up the FedEx location that hasn't gone out yet tonight so I am enjoying a little quiet time for the moment! It is quite a LONG ways away so they won't be back anytime soon...and here I sit pecking away at the keyboard!

First of all...WOWIE CAZOWIE!! {Gentry says that all the time and I just love it!!} Look at all those comments on my giveaway! I LOVE having giveaways because of just that {okay, so this is only my second one, but anyway...}! So many who don't normally comment will for a giveaway and I {loooovvvee} me some comments!!

So for just a tad bit of shopping randomness today! Gentry and I hit up Target while Huntler was at school and guess what I found?! ALL of the Valentine's Day stuff was 75% off!! HOLY COW! We loaded up on another set of placemats for each of the kids, several melamine plates, paper plates and napkins...lots of fun goodies!! I somehow saved $36 and only shelled out $12 on all that fun owl stuff!!

I was up until after 3:00 AM and I am worn out this evening. I have NO idea what my "problem" was last night because normally I can hardly keep my eyes open until 10:00 PM!! I do know that I am paying for it today though!!

Alright, so my friend Julie posted something on her blog today and I am copying it! Don't you just LOVE the blog world? I have made some AMAZING friends out there! Friends I never would have crossed paths with if it weren't for the world wide web and I am so grateful for that! Friends that despite the fact I have never met them for lunch or watched their kids, I totally feel like I could meet them one day and things would be so normal!! Like we had known each other forever!! I have plans of doing just that! Meeting some of these great girls I mean! I met Tonya already and HOPE to meet up with Kamee in March {since I don't drive on the highways I need Chris to be able to take me to her!!} and Julie one of these times with I am out in her neck of the woods before we move back to Kansas! And Lacey? Well, once we are back in Kansas for good or on one of our road trips, I have plans to meet her too!! Has anyone else met a blog friend in "real life?" Just wondering! I find the whole thing fascinating!!

Back to the Making Friends Mondays thing. Remember last week when I asked what you wanted to know about me? Well, this goes right along with that so I am sticking it in for your reading enjoyment!!

1. jog or walk: Walking without a doubt
2. coffee or tea: Iced tea...I have NEVER drank coffee in my life!
3. pepsi or coca cola: Root Beer instead please!
4. flats or heels: Flats...oh my flats!! I didn't even wear heels to my wedding! Or lipstick either!
5. fries or onion rings: Fries most of the time, but I do like Sonic onion rings!
6. cats or dogs: Dogs
7. skim or whole: I don't drink milk, but we buy 2% for the kids!
8. small purses or large: That would be large for sure!!
9. van or suv: I am a minivan mom...I'll admit it!
10. winter or summer: WINTER!!! Have you lived in AZ in the summer?! UGH!!
11. 1 piece bathing suit or 2: Hate this question...hate bathing suits too!! Two piece, but a tankini. No tummy shows!!
12. sit down restaurant or fast food: Sit down restaurant food in the comforts of home!!
13. McDonalds or Burger King: Don't hate me but I actually LIKE McDonald's!!
14. White Gold or Yellow: White Gold
15. Fish or Chicken: Chicken
16. Edward or Jacob: Who?? My husband's name is Chris!!
17. Pizza or Burger: Love them both!
18. apple or orange: Granny Smith apples
19. Spend or save: Ohhh...a toughie!! Or maybe not! Spend!
20. 1 story or 2 story house: 2 story

I'll answer a couple of the questions I got last week too!!

What is my guilty pleasure?

Sweets...any of them!! I am currently HOOKED on Good and Plenty candies. No wonder my jeans were so tight this morning!! I also love love love cherry cheesecake!! Even the Jello No Bake version is delish!!

What do I like to do with my husband or kids?

Hmmm...so let me just say that we live HOURS from our family. Like 18 hours. And although we have a lot of friends out here that I would completely trust with the kids, we never leave them. Ever. So, we aren't big movie goers and we don't go to sit down restaurants very often. Whatever Chris and I do or wherever we go, the kids come along. It was that way before we moved too. I hate to leave them, although I have gotten MUCH better. I mean, spend days on end with no break and you get a lot relaxed, fast!!

So anyway, some of my favorite times are playing games. I LOVE to play Scrabble and Scattergories and other word games {back to my whole almost majored in English thing!}. And I enjoy playing games with the kids too. And they LOVE it!!

Why Huntler and not Hunter?

Contrary to what pretty much everyone we meet thinks when they hear Huntler, it is not a family name!! When we found out he was a boy I started combing through the pages of our baby name book. One day I was laying on the bed scanning the names and it totally jumped out at me! From that point on, it was in the running!! Although Hunter is a great name, it just isn't unique enough for me!! And in case you are curious, the other name at the top of the list was Ryerson. We liked them both but obviously Huntler more!!

What is a "typical" day like for us?

I LOVE this question! Although we don't really have a "typical!" We wake up whenever we happen to wake up. During the summer it is MUCH earlier than it is right now because it gets light before 6:00 during those months! Right now it is still staying dark until close to 7:00 AM. So it is usually after 7:00 before we get up!!

I get up and check my email first thing. And then blogs. And then it just all depends on who is up and what they are doing as to what happens next! Gentry is usually awake at this time and sits on my lap at the computer every morning. Once I am done I'll fix milk and breakfast and bring it up to my room where the kids will watch cartoons while I get ready.

While I am getting ready or once I am done, the kids take baths. They used to get them at night, but now that Huntler is in school, I like him to get all nice and clean in the mornings! And Gentry, well, her hair is so darn crazy that it looks MUCH cuter if she gets it washed in the mornings!!

And from that point on, EVERY day is different. Some days are school days, some are playdates, some we stay home, some we run errands!! I prefer to do all of that in the morning. If we have errands we get them done and out of the way!! If we stay home, then the kids usually play and piddle around while I do laundry, make beds, get organized, that sort of thing.

Gentry still takes afternoon naps so when she is down, that is "my time!" Huntler either watches TV or plays trains. But to be honest, the last few weeks he has actually been napping pretty regularly. It seems that he went on a major eating binge and was eating us out of house and home and is now stocking up on sleep! Can you say growing boy?! So if I am not napping with them, I am usually on the computer wasting time!!

Now that it is warming up some, we need to start heading outside after naps to play and run. We tried this week but we were still freezing!! So we pretty much just hang around and play games, do puzzles, play toys or whatever. Sometimes I play, sometimes I don't. It just kind of depends on how the kids are and if they are terrorizing each other!! From when Gentry wakes up {and Huntler too if he slept!} until the time Chris gets home is my LEAST favorite time of the day. It always has been. I am not really sure why, but those hours just drag by!! It was so nice though back in Kansas because all of our friends and neighbors were out waiting on their daddies too so we could hang out with them and pass the time!!

So Chris gets home. We find something to eat {I am NOT good at all about having meals planned or prepared!!} and then play with the kids, watch TV and just chill out. Once the kids are in bed {we try for an 8:30 bedtime but it varies, especially if Huntler has napped because he isn't tired!} I try to watch General Hospital on DVR, play on the computer and just piddle around!!

And that is a typical day in the life!!

More answers to your burning questions coming soon! And I got completely caught up on emails last night but today I owe several of you! Since I am running on empty you may not hear from me until tomorrow or the weekend!!

It's Time for a GIVEAWAY!!!

WAHOOO!! Are you as excited as I am?! I have been wanting to show a little blog love for forever now and I finally have things together enough in my life to do just that!! So here it is...a fabulously fun {at least I think so anyway!!} giveaway!!

And because I was so excited I didn't stop at just one...there are THREE prizes up for grabs!

So here is the deal. Leave a comment on THIS post...tell me what your favorite thing about my blog is {for example: my shopping finds, my incessant babbling, my photos, party planning chat...whatever}. If you are a newbie, just tell me how you found me!! On Sunday I will draw three names. {Actually, I will probably use some random generator site, but you get the idea!!} The first name chosen gets first choice in what she wants. The second name gets to choose from the remaining two items. And the last one gets whatever is left!!

Wanna see what you could win?! {Just remember that I am NOT so great at taking pictures of "stuff" and a couple of these aren't very sharp!!}

First up is this super cute bowband...complete with a sparkly mushroom charm!! Oh how I LOVE this!! So bright and cheery! Why couldn't I have learned to make these when Gentry was just a tiny little thing?! At least she humors me and loves hair accessories!!



Up next is this set of springy loopy flower bows with shimmery pom poms in the center! I made these after making a set for Gentry last week! These actually have an extra layer of loops so they are even a tad bit bigger! They are mounted on alligator clips.



And last but not least is a set of simple cupcake clips along with a cute cupcake bow!! The clips are single pronged alligator clips lined with black ribbon! The cupcakes were actually push pins that I took the pins off of and adhered {with E6000 adhesive} to clips!!



And this white bow is just that...a cute, shimmery little cupcake bow I made and stuck on an alligator clip!!



You don't have to have a blog to enter, just a valid email so that I can contact you if you win!! Remember the winners will be drawn on Sunday, February 22!!

*And just to add a little disclaimer here! All of these were made with love and are carefully assembled. I use the strongest adhesive out there, but that doesn't mean that a charm can't fall off! Just as with anything, watch your little one with these!!

Lens For Sale...

Hey friends!! I have hopes of getting my fun giveaway posted later today, but for now I am dealing with a terrible headache and can't find it in me to take pictures of the goodies!! So be sure to check back...it IS coming later today or tomorrow!!

However, I have something else I want to post!! I have this lens sitting on a shelf in my closet at this very moment. I just got it for Christmas in 2007. It has barely been used but I am ready to part with it!!



You are probably wondering why? There is NOTHING wrong with it, at all. I seriously used it for about five months and then I took it off and put on a different lens and I just don't want to go back to zoom lenses anymore!! Simple as that!!

As I pursue this love of photography of mine, I plan to stick with Canon products. I also plan to stick with prime lenses {the ones that don't zoom} simply because they tend to be sharper than any type of zoom!!

So there is that!! We paid $500 for it new just over a year ago and it has been used for less than six months. I am extremely careful with everything I own so other than some dust {that any lens is going to have}, it is absolutely perfect.

I am asking $300 for it...but may be open to another offer. You can shoot me an email at bethany.m.graham@gmail.com if you are interested!! I plan to stick it on Ebay if no one is interested, but thought I would give this a try first!

Hope you are all having a great day!!

Opinions {Again} Please!!

So do you like how I am making this so interactive?! Getting everyone's two cents here? One would think I have no opinions of my own, but let me just say that I most certainly do! I am just really, really torn on this!! {Obviously!!}

I just want to make it as perfect as I can and getting some feedback is so vital to that!! However...I must say that I am still having a HUGE debate as far as the whole one blog/two blogs thing goes...despite the fact that counting Chris' vote and my vote, it is an overwhelming nine votes to two to keep two separate blogs!! While everything you all said was very valid and makes total and complete sense to me, for some reason I am hung up on combining them and I just can't shake that thought!!

I guess I feel like I want to know things about the person who is taking my pictures or making me a cute dress on Etsy or designing my Christmas cards. I think putting a face and a personality to that person and realizing that they are in fact real just adds so much. I don't know...I am sure I don't make sense, but oh well!! I truly appreciate your feedback and I'll keep ya posted!! For now I am just leaving things as they are because hello, I don't even have any clients yet!!

So that brings me to my next big decision. While crammed in our queen sized bed early this morning with absolutely NO room to even breathe with a kid on each side of me and Chris just on the other side of Gentry, I lay awake pondering this very subject!! One blog? Two blogs? Pros? Cons? Yadda, yadda, yadda!!

And then it hit me...what if I had a little tag line! Back when I first had my logo created in October the designer asked if I had one. Nope. Just Hissyfits Photography. I have thought of that off and on for some time, but it wasn't until the wee hours of the morning that this came to me! What if I had something like:

Capturing the Sweet Moments
Preserving the Sweetness
Sharing the Sweetness

{In case you didn't know...I am using "sweetness" because of the fact that there will be a lollipop incorporated in my logo and will be my little "trademark" for my business!}

I could go on and on...like "Savoring the Sweetness one Click at a Time." You probably don't know this about me, but I almost majored in English!! You do know that I am wordy beyond belief though so I am sure this comes as no surprise!

Anyway, I am not starting this business to become rich and famous. I am not starting it with the intention of earning a ton of money. For me, it is simply about doing something I absoultely LOVE and sharing it with others. Giving someone a gift that they couldn't give themselves. Capturing a memory and preserving childhood. I mean, if I could make enough to buy more lenses or some riduculously expensive cute clothes, that would be icing on the cake, but mostly it is about having something of "mine" that I truly love. Make sense? So, with saying that, I am not all about being "prim and proper" and extremely professional. That is SO NOT ME!! I am lighthearted, energetic, cheery and I want everything about each aspect of it to reflect just that.

So...back to my original point here. Does anyone have any thoughts for a fun tag line? I haven't had much time to think about it and just wanted to know your thoughts on what I have come up with so far or if anything came to you!!

Thanks again for all of your input!! It is really fun to see what others think!! It is easy for me to get caught up in my own thoughts and then I feel like I might be overlooking something!

And on that note, I am off!! Huntler is at school and Gentry girl is passed out on the floor beside me!! Apparently she doesn't sleep as well crammed in our bed either!!

Decisions, Decisions...A Little Help Please!

So it has been one of those days, ya know? The kind where you seem to go in circles in every single aspect of your life? Please tell me I am not the only one who is like this!

Although I spent hours last week cleaning, the weekend "happened" and I was once again forced to spend a good chunk of my morning getting things put away and the house straightened up...again. I have come to believe that the whole concept of "Having the Best of Both Worlds" with an immaculate house AND well behaved, content children is all just an illusion! So, while my kids currently giggle away while playing on my bed and a whole mess of crayons, princess panties and pajama pants litter the floor beside me, I am going to pretend it isn't there and type!!

It has also been one of those days where I have been doubting every single thing about myself and my capabilities. As I have spent just a little time working on my website and looking at tons of photographers sites for pricing ideas and all of that, I wonder if I am even good enough to do this? Will people actually pay me to take their pictures?! I broke down and started crying to Chris at lunch time...he of course says all the "right stuff" but he has to, doesn't he?! He then told me I needed to take a nap and left to go back to work! :)

So enough of my pity party...I have a question for you guys...whomever you are that check in on my sweet family!! I am in the process of figuring out my photography website and blog situation. Either I am totally overthinking it or it is easier said than done. It could be either or a little bit of both!!

I have a website already...it is far from being "done," but I have it. The question is, do I create a separate blog for Hissyfits...as in client images only? Or do I take the blog I have and have it reformatted into Typepad or Wordpress {I can't remember...but I won't be doing it so it is okay!!} and have one blog that incorporates my personal stuff and professional stuff and that is all linked to my Hissyfits website? {I would have it reformatted so that I don't lose my last year of blogging.} Or do I leave it how it is and put client images on my current blog? AHHH!! Anyway, I have gone back and forth for the last several days and each time I think I decide, something changes my mind!

Let me just share with you a little of what I have been thinking and maybe someone out there will have more to add?! I am surely overlooking something in this!!

If I keep my Little Graham Crackers blog and create a new business one, then there are two places to check in. Kind of a pain if you ask me. Several photographers do it this way, but I have a whole lotta blogs I check every couple of days or so {as you can see from the sidebar!!} and adding in extras isn't always the most convenient.

Also, if I keep Little Graham Crackers and have a separate Hissyfits blog, there will be like nothing on it until I get going with this and who knows how long that will take!! I would be so sad if I had this cute little blog and NOTHING on it!!

Now, if I combine them, the only drawback I am seeing is the fact that I have to do something with the tons of links on my sidebar!! That is how I see who has updated so I don't really want to get rid of it!! In my opinion it just isn't that professional looking to have all that on the side of business blog. And plus, I want my photography blog to have one large column so I can make the pictures even bigger!!!

Chris thinks that I won't like having just one blog through Hissyfits because then I won't be able to redo the design {because I am going to be paying someone to create a super fun, whimsical look for my Hissyfits blog} and we all know how much I like to redo the design every few months!

Ay, ay, ay...I have no idea what to do. I have my thoughts but I am curious as to what others think? As in YOU!!! So let me know!! In the meantime I will continue to fret about it and go back and forth until I am blue in the face!!

All Grown Up...

I am really having fun with this weekly photo challenge that Brittany over at 4 Little Men and Girly Twins is doing! Since I haven't kept up with my whole "Flashback Friday" thing for the last several months {I can't even remember the last time I did it to be truthful!}, I enjoy taking these little treks down memory lane each week!

And this week it is actually a decent photo! So here is the third image in my January 2007 folder!



This was taken in Gentry's room before we even got it painted!! Huntler was two years and three months and she wasn't even six months old yet!!

And here was the very next one...



And a couple more from that month that I really like!!





What I am trying to figure out though is what in the world happened to my babies?!! They are so grown up these days, both of them. Other than her binky, there is nothing baby left about Gentry and Huntler outgrew his baby face long ago. Hmmm...so sad!!

On a cheerier note, have you seen that Target has Smurfs?!! I about wet my pants I was so excited Friday when I was in there!! I wanted one of everything!! And just to clarify, that would be for me, not the kids. They don't have a clue who the Smurfs even are, but oh how I adored them when I was a kid!! I remember so vividly the little plastic characters we had and playing with them at my grandma and grandpa's farm. Gosh that was a long time ago!!





I did exert some self control...I walked away with a mere six characters instead of all of them. And the cute little mushroom houses were still sitting on the shelf when I checked out! They didn't have either of the above pieces in the store but they sure are cute, aren't they?! I guess in my "old age" I forgot that Smurfs lived in mushrooms? EEK!! Fits right in with my current mushroom obsession!! Do you think it would be a bit odd for me to ask for them for my birthday in April considering I am going to be 29?!!

And speaking of Target {okay, yeah so that was five minutes ago, I know!!}, have you checked out their baby bedding lately?! They have done a little bit of rearranging at ours and it is all now on an end aisle, so I walked right by it. I never look at that stuff anymore since we don't have babies and aren't having one anytime in the near future! But goodness it is CUTE!!

So this next picture is the stuff I REALLY love, but since I won't be getting it anytime in the next life, I have moved on. I mean, really, the $90 it would cost for the sheet set alone is totally absurd. I could buy a new lens with the money it would cost to buy new bedding in! Had we not already spent a small fortune in Pottery Barn bedding that hasn't even been used yet, it would be a different story. But considering that just across the way over in Gentry's room there is a super cute full sized quilt and some fun decorative pillows and shams still in their original packaging, we are keeping what we have. {My financial planner of a husband brought me back down to reality on that subject!! Although...when we move back to Kansas, I want to change things up again!!}



And this is the bedding we have. She has the matching stuff for her crib...the bumper pad and comforter. We are no longer using the bumper pad {obviously!}, but now that we have converted the crib to a little toddler bed, she uses the comforter for every nap and every night!!



And this is the sheet I bought at Target. Sheesh, I managed to get WAY off topic and babble on forever here!! Anyway, the sheet is darling and goes perfect with her little quilt and the colors in her room! And most of all, she loves it! It makes her smile and giggle!! And it was only $10.99...not an arm an a leg! So, I guess there are benefits to leaving her in that little bed for a bit longer, we can still shop in the baby section!! The funny thing is, I haven't bought a sheet for her since she was just a couple of months old...this entire time she has had a solid pink sheet and a solid green sheet! Why didn't I think to look sooner!?



Alright, well, we are going to a birthday party here in just over an hour so I should go put some makeup on and try to look presentable! And even though the stinkin' Wii Fit told me I have gained FIVE pounds since my last workout {which was over a month ago!}, I am looking forward to some yummy cake! But seriously, FIVE pounds? How is that even possible? I must have been having a super skinny day the last time I weighed and not such a skinny day yesterday. Blah.

Enjoy your weekend!

{Happy Heart Day!}

So these are the Valentine's I made for the kids...so completely different than anything they have ever had!! SO fun though too!! I had them printed using a pearl finish and they are all shimmery!

For my train obsessed boy...



And the back...



Gentry's...I should have changed the "I Love You" on hers to pink. It doesn't show up that well on the printed copies. Lesson learned for the next set of cards I create!



And the back...



Since we had our Valentine's Day playdate yesterday I now have an idea of how many of these I have left so a few of you may receive a set of these cuties in the mail next week! Sorry they'll be late!!

And since I finally have the time to sit at the computer for a bit...how about I answer a few of those burning questions ya'll had for me!!

Alright...so what did I do BEFORE the sweet Huntler entered our lives?

When I graduated from college I moved to Kansas City where I worked with kids in foster care {Chris was already there...he graduated six months before I did}. My degree is in Sociology with a minor in Psychology. Anyway, I was what you call a "Family Support Worker" and that title covers all sorts of things! One of the major things I did was to supervise visits between parents and kiddos. These were kids who had been taken out of their homes for a large number of reasons and their parents were not allowed to be alone with them. I also checked up on kids at school, in their foster homes, sporting events, etc. And then there was the transporting of kiddos too! If a child would come into "the system" there were times I had to take them to their new home {this is EXTREMELY hard on the child as you can imagine which makes it EXTREMELY hard on anyone with a heart as well}, there were mental health appointments {obviously some of these guys had some issues and needed counseling as well as meds for ADD so they had to be seen regularly} and just random other situations as well. And then there was paperwork! Tons and tons and tons of documentation and paperwork!

So there is that...I only lasted eleven months. I went to work in May after I graduated and quit the following April. For several reasons...like SO many people warned me, I got burnt out. It is emotionally exhausting to see innocent little people {some weren't innocent...they were runaways and troublemakers, but most were!} go through so much. The days were long...often longer than 8 hours yet it was a salaried position. That salary was LOW! And you had to be on call. I hated that. I distinctly remember one night a kid ran away and was taken to downtown KC to be held and have a psychiatric evaluation. I had to load up in the freezing cold and drive all that way BY MYSELF into the ghetto in the middle of the night. Not safe or fun. At all.

We weren't even married yet, but I quit. I mean, we had obviously talked about it and my puny little salary wasn't needed, so I put in my two weeks and haven't had a job since. Well, I have done some work for Chris and his company but not since having kids...that was when I was pregnant with Huntler. I pitched in and helped during tax season.

So there is that...far more detail than you wanted I am sure!! It is kinda fun for me to go back down memory lane though!! There are a few of those kids whom I still think about from time to time...they were so troubled yet wanted so desperately to go home because despite the drama that surrounded them, their mom was still their mom and they still loved her.

What does my husband do?

Keeping along the same lines here, I'll give ya a little more insight!! Chris and a business partner have their own financial planning service. They have offices in Kansas as well as out here in Arizona.

How is Hissyfits Photography coming along?

It is coming...just SLOWLY!! Much, much slower than I anticipated. Part of that is my fault, part of it is from being gone for four weeks recently, part of it is just from having two young kids and not having the time/energy to put towards it that I have wanted to! Anyway, I FINALLY have our house all cleaned and whipped back into shape so I can focus on it this week! I now want to change my logo which is causing Chris to probably want to strangle me so things are still in progress!!

Will I have a new site for that?

I actually already have the domain and the VERY BASICS have been played with on that website, but it is far from done! FAR FROM DONE!! I contacted a lady this week who's work I love and got some information from her regarding my website and blog. I'll be sure to keep you all posted!!

Have I thought about starting a party planning business?!

Yes, yes, yes!! I have saved everything from the kids' parties {from extra plates to decorations to links to where I bought stuff!} in case I ever feel so inclined!! I LOVE the details about their parties! However, I am not sure how realistic it is to think that someone would pay for those kind of services? I know they do as there are businesses out there that do this very thing, but I am not sure if it is worth the time and effort? However, I am not parting with anything yet!!

What am I doing with the kids' clothes that they have outgrown?!

Well, sweet Trish actually said if she ever has another girl she wants some of Gentry's clothes so I tweaked it just a bit! Actually, we are getting rid of everything. I have sold heaps and piles and still have three totes and two laundry baskets FULL of their stuff. Are you kidding me?!! Some of it is organized, some of it not, but if you have a little one and want some clothes that are in great shape and super cute, let me know and we can chat!! I would much rather take pics and sell it to a blog reader than try to organize it all and mess with Ebay!! One of my goals for this week is to get it all folded and sorted and organized.

Do we have any pets?

Nope! I am not so much into animals. I never really have been. And the kids are beyond terrified so it works out well! Sometimes I think it would be fun to have a cute little puppy, but then the reality of it peeing on our stuff, having to take it on walks in the 115 degree heat and just all the work when I already clean up after three other people on a daily basis hits me and I am good without one!! I would rather have another baby!!

And on that note, I am out of here on this Valentine's morning! Hope you all have a great one!

So Much To Say...

So I started to post yesterday...I really and truly did, but the words were not coming easily {or at all for that matter!} so I deleted the entry and nixed the idea. Ever have days like that?

The first part of my day yesterday was absolutely crazy...as in drop Huntler off at school, run a couple of errands, go back to Huntler's school to take pics and help with his Valentine's Day party and then meet a friend at the McDonald's Play Place for lunch. We didn't get home until 2:00 PM! Just in time to put Gentry down for a nap and then snuggle with Huntler for a bit...which resulted in nice long naps for both of us too!! Ahhh how I love a good nap every now and again!

That pretty much sums up our day...or at least most of it. Chris had to work late so after the kids and I ate dinner we hung out downstairs for awhile. And that is when I got the call. The call that caused my heart to sink to my stomach and for my ability to focus to completely vanish. It was Lisa and they were on their way to the nearest children's hospital with sweet Avery to undergo a CT scan and try to get some answers as to why she had such a horrible day yesterday {hysterical screaming, vomiting, fainting}. This was after they had already spent hours at their local hospital while she had blood drawn and a variety of others things done. Anyway, after I heard the words "air lift" and "she is stabilized so we are going to drive her instead" I pretty much wasn't even sure what was going on because the emotion overcame me. I just knew that is wasn't good and my heart was breaking for them. Why is life so unfair? Why are all these babies so sick and suffering so much?

Anyway, after one LONG night in the ER they are home with no more answers than they went in with. The doctors were able to rule many things out, but unable to determine what exactly is going on. I can only imagine the frustration they must be feeling.

I talk about Lisa all the time, but I don't go into the details of Avery's diagnosis much. She suffers from TS and constantly battles seizures...not to mention the numerous tumors on her brain and in her little body. On her carepage {besides having a blog, Lisa also has a carepage set up where she updates people a little more on the medical aspect of what is going on with Avery} she mentioned today that it can't be easy being her friend. That you never know when you are going to get a frantic call that really doesn't make much sense. Well Lisa, I want to say to you that that's what friends are for...standing by your side during the good and the bad. I wouldn't consider myself a true friend if I turned my back because things weren't always "easy." True friends are there for listening to latest reports from the doctors. As well as listening to what pieces of the new Gymobree line you bought or the ideas you have in mind for Kaylen's next birthday party! For crying when there is nothing else we can do. For caring as if it were our own child. For laughing in the good times. For relishing in the milestones. For discussing Katie Holmes' latest hair style and what in the world The Bachelor is thinking! The good, the bad, the ugly...that is what friends are for. I am beyond blessed to not only have you in my life, but your sweet family as well. We love you guys dearly and can't wait for the day we are back in Kansas and can call this long distance relationship quits!!

So that is my post for today...I simply want to tell my dear friend how much she is loved despite the chaos that sometimes consumes her days! And I also want to ask each of you to keep sweet Avery in your thoughts and prayers...she could really use them right now.

And that is it for today...this post has been on my mind all morning and something I really wanted to share! I PROMISE to be back this weekend with the "first installment" of answers to some of your questions! As well as an update on my loopy bow giveaway! {I made a set but just wasn't loving them so I decided to keep them and start all over!!} Anyway, my inbox is overflowing so I am going to return a few emails and then I HAVE to get back to work on this house! Why does it take SO long to clean?!!