Im working on my moms picture once again!! Ready to be done with this one too! I did mail the other picture off for Linda, she called me to tell me how much she loved it!! I am so glad she appreciated all my hard work!

What a weekend Victoria had!!! She had a dad/daughter weekend and a friend weekend in Chicago! Victoria is very much into softball & she loves Jenny Finch. She was very sad to hear that Jenny would be retiring this summer. Victoria has always wanted to see her play, so.....Chuck, Victoria & her best friend & her parents went to Chicago to see her this past weekend!!! They went to a double header on Saturday. Victoria caught Jennys home run ball in batting practice along with other balls! Chuck ended up talking to the owner & the owner said, "Anyone that has driven 6 hours to see Jenny should get to meet her!!!" So he took all of them onto the field & introduced them to Jenny!! Victoria was on cloud 9!!! In fact, I think she still is on cloud 9!! She was so excited to talk to her & get pictures taken with her!! Victoria will never forget this weekend!!!

Victoria & Jenny Finch



We are so proud of our son!!!???!!!

Victoria, myself, two of her friends & their moms all went shopping Friday & out for pizza! We spent a small fortune but had a great time! To bad we didnt buy any jeans or pants....means shopping again when it turns cooler out!!!

Ornaments!!
Now I get to start on all my ornaments for my kids, my nieces & my nephews!! When do I get to make something for me???!!!


It's done!! It's done!! It's done!!! I am so happy that it turned out so well! I hope Linda & her daughter like it! I will be mailing it out today!!!


Where did our little girl go?? I made her a make-up applying session last week. I decided that I wanted her to learn how to do make up right if shes going to start wearing it!! Victoria made the 8th grade volleyball team & she tried out for new select softball teams this past weekend. She made all of them that she tried out for so now she has a decision to make! I think shes going to go with the one that she has wanted from the start...The Blaze!! Congrats Victoria!!! We are so proud of you!!! Watch out 8th grade....here comes Victoria!!!!




We really need to break Mocha of her bad bone smoking habit!!

Finally!!! A weekend at home! No ball!!
We spent Friday & Saturday painting our great room & living room in our house! I was beat!! We still have the hallways, two story foyer & the two story part on our great room to go!! We built our house 7 years ago & it has needed some paint work!!! I decided to go with a Dormer Brown, this way I will be able to change accessories easier than changing the paint color all the time!!

I see the light at the end of the tunnel!!! I am done with all the pattern pages, now I just have to fill some spaces in!!!! WooHoo!!!!!

I am sooo ready to be done with this!!! Everyone on Jacobs team this past week cheered me on with this picture! Whenever we had any down time I would hear "Erin, you need to stitch!! Wheres your stitching!!" I just cant wait for it to be done!!!!

Back from Chicago & straight to Victorias last tournament! They finished second!! Now my summer can begin...no more ball!!!

We headed to Chicago last week for Jacobs World Series baseball tournament! They finished 4th. They should have done better but 5 of the 11 kids on the team got sick while we were there!! Yuck! They played alot of great ball even sick! Good job boys!! Our season is now over :( til next year :)!

Victoria & Allison! Victoria brought a friend with her to Chicago! They finally made it over Sunday night, she had to finish her softball tournament first!

Jacobs team won one of the skills competitions!

Victoria & I!!! She is growing up way to fast!!!

One night at midnight I decided to make the ladies Flame shirts!! We all went out & bought shirts & the stuff to make them! So crafty sometimes, it can be a curse!!


Poor boys!!!
One of the families on the team wanted to take their girls to American Girl so we all went! The boys were thrilled!!

Much better store!!! The boys liked this store so much better than the American Doll store!!

Of course I had to have a sweatshirt!!!

Victoria loves Reese Cups so we got her one from the Hershey store since she wasnt here yet when we went downtown!!

And this is the BIG Reese Cup!! The kids are still eating them!!


Gino's!!! You must eat deep dish pizza when you are in Chicago!!One of the moms made a bet with Jacob! She said she would give him five dollars if he could eat two slices of pizza!! He couldnt even finish one piece!!

Still working on this picture!! Anyone know of any good needlework stores in Chicago?? Im heading that way for some shopping & thought I would try to find a store or two to visit!!


Another full weekend of ball! Victoria's team struggled this weekend but Jacobs team kicked butt! They won the Cincinnati World Series! They played their little hearts out!!



What a crew!! What was I thinking? I let Jacob have some teammates over night for his birthday!! They were all very good, just VERY active!!

I took the boys down to visit with Chuck before we went to the baseball fields for ball. He showed them the entire police department (except for the weapon room, they were bummed about that!!) They all had tons of questions!!



Poor Jacob! A sign that his sleepover/birthday party was a huge success!! He slept from 4-8pm then went to bed at 10 with no problem!!

It's getting there!! I am working on it all day today except for when we "Bring It"! My husband & I have started doing the P90x workout. We are on day 12 & we have lost weight! Its killing me to eat right though! I miss my donuts!!

Jacob is 10 years old!!! I cant believe our baby is in double digits! No more kids left in single digits!! So sad! He did not want a cake this year, he wanted Hershey kiss cokies! He said " my mom makes the best kiss cookies!!" so of course, thats what he got!!
Kayla, Victoria & Karina "cousins" wearing their shirts that they made or should I say that they paint splattered all over my craft room!

The Mochanator!! Its a good thing she is so cute because she is a trouble maker!!!

Have a great week!! I cant believe its July 12 already! Summer needs to slow down!!

I am so ready to be done with this!! I have a million other projects that I want to work on! It sure would go alot faster if I was actually home to work on it!!


Mocha loves to steal Echo's bone!! She waits until Echo isn't looking then she runs up & steals it!! Apparently she thinks she deserves both bones!!


This was the first 4th of July that Chuck didnt have to work in a long time!! We really enjoyed the fireworks but we were all beat!! The kids played ball all weekend, 12 games in 3 days between the two of them!! Tired!!!!


Every 4th of July & Christmas, we have a neighborhood group of kids & parents that take the kids to two nursing homes to sing. We have been doing this for about 10 years now. The kids are all getting older but they still enjoy it once they get there. This years group is a little small, lots of families are on vacation!