family reunion

Hi everyone! I am going out of town this weekend for our family reunion. I won't be able to check email or my etsy shop, but I will as soon as I get back! I can't wait to see all the cousins and aunts and uncles i haven't seen in awhile, and of course my parents! We are driving about 14 hours, so hopefully Odin will be good for the trip :)

swimming lessons!

Last week Adam got to get in the water for Odin's swim class. I took tons of pictures but will only show you a few. He is getting great at going underwater, but really hasn't mastered any skills yet. He does have a lot of fun and is loosening up and splashing more!

Also, Maddy is here to visit for the month. She is sharing Odin's room which so far seems to be fine, although for the past two nights he woke up in the middle of the night, something he never does! He is getting more teeth and being a bit more whiny than usual, but is still such a sweet boy! Enjoy the swimming pictures :)

Also, my etsy shop has been slow lately, but I am still working on it! I plan to add more designs and cards soon, so please check back often and do not hesitate to give me ideas!

Our new van

So recently we got a new van. It is a Chrysler Town and Country and I love it! It is so nice to have something so roomy compared to my old car :). The only problem is the gas mileage...it's not so good and gas is terribly expensive. But, God always takes care of us and provides for us, so I am not too worried!

Odin now officially has 4 teeth, and is getting into everything. I am pretty sure he won't be walking until he is at least one, but he cruises along the furniture and walks when we hold his hands. Today we had our third swimming lesson. He still pretty much clings to me but will allow me to help him float, go under water, and roll over.

In etsy news, not much to say. Things have slowed down considerably, and I still don't feel as if I am making too much from my shop. I have done a few outside of etsy sales, though, and I think I just need to pay more attention to my shop and work harder at it. I don't really know what else to do at this point. But I am still having fun and enjoying it!

Tuesday

It's Tuesday, and Odin is napping. Tomorrow he starts swim lessons, which I am looking forward to! I don't have much to do these days so it will be nice to get out of the house! As far as my shop goes, I am no going to focus on graduation and father's day. Look for cards for both occasions, and I already have a listing for custom graduation announcements.

Also- looks like we are getting a mini van soon! Can't wait! And we are still working on getting my parents condo rented out for vacationers. I am planning to list on craigs list. I also need to sell my car and will probably list there as well!

Neglecting my blog

I admit it. I have been neglecting my blog, and I need to pay more attention to it! Life has been busy, I guess, and that is my only excuse. We signed Odin up for swim lessons, which start next week. I had always said he would not be in swim lessons because they are way too expensive. Well, it turns out we have found a solution for this problem. I found lessons that were a lot less than what others I know pay, and it is only once a week so it shouldn't be too exhausting, and they are group lessons. This means I get in the water with Odin, which I don't particularly mind seeing as I enjoy swimming. I think this will be fun as well as teach Odin how to float, and other things that I can't remember. Right now he is whining. We are back to the pacifier for sleep which causes him to wake up too early, needing the paci, but this morning he just didn't want to go back to sleep. I think we need to get back to sleeping without it, because he is cranky today!

As far as my shop goes, it is still pretty slow. I am not sure if I am just not spending enough time on it, but I am still optimistic and believe God wants me to do this. I need to be patient and keep at it, even when it's discouraging! And if anyone has advice, I will take it!

Also, my parents have a condo here in Phoenix (scottsdale, actually) that they are trying to rent out. If anyone has tips on how I can advertise it and get renters (vacation rentals), I would appreciate it!

and the winner is...

dolls123! thank you everyone for participating and for your comments! dolls, i will be emailing you shortly with details :)

For the rest of you...my cards are still available for sale, but I will let dolls choose her card first!

And in the interest of time, instead of a long post, I will leave you with a charming photo of my even more charming son:

Contest!

As a way to apologize for not posting in a long time...I have decided to have a contest! The rules are pretty simple. Post a comment in reply to this post- the first 5 people will be entered. I will enter your name into a hat and draw a winner. The winner recieves one of the mother's day cards (of her choice) in my etsy shop- free shipping and all! And just in time for mother's day :). Also, if one of those people purchases anything from my shop by the time of the drawing, their name will be entered twice. I will draw the name a week from today!

Well I have been pretty busy lately. Adam's sister got married Friday and I was a bridesmaid- that was actually quite fun and the wedding was beautiful! Forgot to take any pictures though! This week we have been at Adam's parents house a lot because his grandparents are in town. It's been crazy but fun. Odin is being a great sleeper lately- we transitioned him to 2 naps and he has now been napping for two hours straight. He has really been doing well with staying awake for 3 hours at a time! I am going to try to post more often from now on :)