Create an Easter wreath!

Geo mesh is my new best friend! Its so fun to work with. I use it on tables, my mantel and now on wreaths. It can be hard to find. I had to order it but I did see it at Hobby Lobby recently in many different colors. I think I'll make a wreath for every season with this wonderful stuff!

If you'd like to see how I made it, keep reading. Otherwise this might bore you.



I started out with these items: Geo Mesh, ribbon, egg picks, a few stems of silk flowers, egg garland, wooden chick, wreath (not shown)



I bought a straw wreath because it was the cheapest option. You could also use a foam wreath. I wrapped the wreath with green tulle. Any kind of ribbon will do.



Make sure you have a bag of floral pins. These help the mesh keep the ribbon in tact. Use these to secure the mesh to the wreath as well.



Now its time to add the mesh. I started at the bottom and worked my way around. Secure the mesh to the wreath with a floral pin, then bunch it up a little and secure another pin (I left a few inches inbetween each pin, but it looks even better when you bunch them up right next to each other). Repeat all the way around.



This is the finshed product but this picture does not do it justice. I glued the ribbon and egg garland to the wreath first. Then I stuck in the flower stems and egg picks. Next I glued the cute little chick to the center and added the bow to the bottom to cover up where I cut my mesh.

What fun Easter projects have you created?

So big!

Dean looks like such a big boy in this picture! He's playing with his pirate ship and I could just stare at his sweet little face for hours. I love these little moments and I'm trying to soak them all up.

Its Par-tee time!!

For Dean's first birthday we channeled one of his daddy's favorite hobbies. Golf! Derek dreams of the day he can take Dean golfing in their matching sweater vests and argyle socks. I think the theme was very fitting for our little preppy golfer-in-the-making! We had lots of yummy food and thankfully the weather cooperated. The kids made visors outside with stickers and letters. They also enjoyed playing golf with the plastic clubs outside. I don't think we've ever had that many people in our house at one time. Thank you to everyone that came to celebrate our precious little one year old.

"For this child I have prayed." 1 Samuel 1:27

Dean,

We pray for you daily that you would grow up strong and healthy! We pray that you would know Jesus and follow him. We love watching you learn and grow and figure out new things. We are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments in just one year. You have given us the greatest joy in the world! We love you! God loves you! We are blessed.

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Derek made these invitations. He should go into business or something.

Sign for the front door

Mini cake for Dean

Bundt cake. Have you heard of Nothing Bundt Cakes? We love that place! Mom and I recreated it ourselves. Mom is very talented at making that icing look perfect!

Cake table

Golf themed centerpieces

Food table - I love this mesh stuff that I added to the table! Its super cool!

I used more mesh on the mantel. This is my new favorite thing! I'm making a wreath out of it too that I'll blog about. I painted the sign and made a banner of Dean's pictures from each month he was born.

Evan is sporting his visor.

I have no idea why Dean is crying. He sure got a lot of gifts! He's riding on the little four wheeler Uncle Ryan gave him.

There's that sweet smile!

Daddy and son

Loving all our books

Time for cake!

Love that sweet cake-covered face!

Our family! Happy Birthday Little D!!!

Dean is one!

Last year at this time we had a one week old baby. Wow! We had no idea what we were doing but we were on top of the world! I remember being so tired but it didn't matter because we were holding our son. I remember not knowing how to swaddle, how to feed him, how to buckle the car seat, how to warm a bottle etc. I remember laughing so hard in the middle of the night when Dean wet all over our comforter. I remember being so quite when trying to sleep because Dean was still sleeping in our room. I remember waking up every 2 hours to feed him and watching all the infomercials at 2 and 3am and thinking several of the products actually sounded pretty good. I remember our first outing: Starbucks of course! I remember how cute Dean looked in his going home outfit and how excited we were to walk through the door as a family of three. What a wonderful year!

Happy Birthday precious Dean! We love you to pieces and we can't wait to see what this year has in store for you.

Goodbye Dear Friend

Yesterday, I was forced to end a relationship that had lasted fifteen years; a relationship that challenged and empowered me for so many years with unwavering dependability; a relationship that now lay in pieces.

I should have seen this coming years ago, but in many ways I chose to ignore the signs that were so apparent of wear and deterioration. We had been though both thick and thin so many times that I took for granted the effort and skill that it took from us both to work together to cut it.

In the end, perhaps it was my lack of nurture and care that led to this point, but I can’t ignore the blood, sweat, and the tears I shed over what has become. I have poured so much energy in to the life of our relationship over the years that was used up so quickly, and now rejected.

With what has transpired, I find it too difficult to repair what is broken and start again. The physical pains are just too unbearable.

Goodbye dear Craftsman Gold 6.0. You were the best lawnmower a boy could ever have.

-Derek

My loves

On this Valentines day, I'm so excited to come home to these wonderful boys. My love tank is full. Loving these two boys is as easy as breathing. How did I get so lucky?!


Yes, that is Bieber on in the background. We like to dance to his music, I'm not ashamed (Derek - not so much, me and Dean - yes, we love the Biebs!).

Where is baby Jesus?

A few weeks before Christmas, we gave Dean his first nativity set. Its the Little People version and he was obsessed with it. Dean likes to hide baby Jesus. He's always missing, I can find all the other little people except for the most important little baby. This sounds a little too familiar. I have been told that when daddy was little he would also hide baby Jesus. Coincidence?