Sweet Manna from Heaven

'Tis the season for craftiness

2011-11-30T15:32:00.007-05:00

Thought I ought to get back to this... After a year...
The girls and I did a little project today. I found the idea on pinterest, but the original idea came from here:
http://katherinemariephotography.com/blog/archives/3773
We spent the afternoon wrapping 25 Christmas books. My Mom collected a bunch of them for me, so it didn't cost us anything for books. Bought a roll of wrapping paper from the $1 section at Target (a few of the books were wrapped with non-Christmas wrapping that the girls found in my wrapping bin), and limited Olivia to using up only 1.5 rolls of tape.

There's our bin 'o books. I put a note card on each of them with the number for the date, plus an initial for which girl is going to unwrap the book. Hoping that will cut down on any fighting about who gets to open it. We'll see...
And just so we're clear about where my priorities lie...here's a picture of my kitchen counter (someone has got to start doing the dishes around here):

2010-12-14T11:00:00.000-05:00

hahaha
I mean,
ho ho ho
Merry Christmas!
from Olivia, Chloe, and Kermit.

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Nothing could be more fun than trying to get a nice picture for a Christmas card.
In their Dora pj's. With Kermit. And cute pig-tails.

2010-12-14T10:55:00.000-05:00

Usually dinner gets thrown together because the girls are a little harder to handle at that time of day.
This day, however, they were happy to paint with watercolors while I got everything chopped up and cooking.
Chloe barely ingested any of the paint and there was only a small puddle on the floor.
Two sweet little girls.

This picture makes me smile.

2010-12-14T10:52:00.000-05:00

Our first snow!

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Thankfully, this came on a Saturday otherwise Mark would've been out of school for three days.

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Chloe had enough decorating.

Putting up our Christmas tree!

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Our children go to bed around 7 pm. We started decorating at about 630 pm.
It didn't go well. :)
But the tree is up and the girls had fun helping us decorate!
We only lost one ornament with all their "help".

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Sometimes Olivia's really silly.

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Chloe is happy to be wearing her winter hat. Olivia has a matching one.
Super cute!!

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Olivia's learning how to take pictures.
Here's some of her work:

Another one bites the dust.

2010-12-14T10:33:00.000-05:00

We had 9 people staying in our home over Thanksgiving weekend.
Throughout the week, 7 of those people had the flu of some kind.
There was alot of puking (ew) in our house.
Olivia was sitting on the chair watching Curious George while the rest of us were in the kitchen eating dinner.
I noticed she was pretty quiet. This is what I found when I went to check on her.

Cutest Craft show table ever.

2010-12-14T10:31:00.000-05:00

I did my first craft show over Thanksgiving weekend.
It was a little table. :)
Mark made a couple of picnic tables to take up some room. And he sold one!
After the craft show, I opened an etsy shop.
Check it out: www.etsy.com/shop/katyrudz
It's only got a few things listed for now.
Since the craft show I've been working feverishly on Christmas gifts.
Check the store often for more cute things.
I've been doing a number of wedding party gift orders, special orders.
I like to sew stuff. :)

2010-12-14T10:26:00.000-05:00

Grandma and Grandpa took Chloe and Ana out for a little stroll over Thanksgiving weekend. It was a little cold outside.

2010-12-14T10:25:00.000-05:00

Mark has reached a milestone as a Father.
Olivia can now go out to the garage by herself.
She goes to the fridge to get herself a juicebox and gets her Daddy a beer.
Then she brings them in and hands Daddy (or Grandpa in this case) his beer.

2010-12-14T10:23:00.000-05:00

Mark loves making cinnamon rolls. Olivia loves helping Mark make cinnamon rolls.

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This was a sweet moment of Chloe reading a book in Olivia's room.
Chloe rarely stays in one place for more than 30 seconds.
So I thought it was so cute to find her laying on her belly reading.

Chloe loves ice cream.

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Chill out.

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Raking leaves

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Helping mommy with dishes

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Olivia had a kool-aid mustache today that made her look like The Joker. Of course, we couldn't get a serious picture of it...

We love S'mores!

2010-11-03T14:37:00.000-04:00

Halloween 2010

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The girls cuddled up eating breakfast.

Chloe is figuring out how to dress herself. She had 7 shirts around her neck!

I started the bath and ran to the kitchen for a second. Chloe couldn't wait for Mom!

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Three year old cousins: Olivia, Sophia, and Riley

Ben has some work to do on his silly faces...

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What, your family doesn't get together to set off rockets?

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Aaron was super good at this game.

Ben wants to be like Uncle Aaron when he gets big!

Kami had enough of all the partying.

2010-11-03T14:24:00.000-04:00

We played a few party games inspired by the game show, Minute to Win It.

40-30-10 Party!

2010-11-03T14:22:00.000-04:00

In October, we had three big birthdays on the Rudzinski side of the family. Warren turned 40, Aaron turned 30, and Nora turned 10!
We all got together in St. Louis and surprised Warren with a grand party. Surprise, Warren, you have 16 houseguests this weekened!!
It was so fun to get together and hang out--and to surprise Warren!!

2010-11-03T14:19:00.000-04:00

Our hair stylist has to get a little creative when cutting little ones' hair!

The first snip.

New hair cut and loving it!

2010-11-03T14:16:00.000-04:00

Aunt Molly & Uncle Brian gave Olivia and Olivia the Pig play set.
She LOVES the thing!

2010-11-03T14:13:00.000-04:00

4 girls. 4 pumpkins.

Somehow Emilie and I got the up-hill trip with the wagons...

I told the girls to give me a thumbs-up for pumpkins. That's what I got.

Pumpkin picking!

2010-11-03T14:09:00.000-04:00

Chloe is almost as big as she is!

We think this means Sophia wants this one.

Olivia loves her pumpkin!

Pumpkin Picking!!

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Random October shots

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I love seeing Chloe's cheeks when her hair is up in a ponytail.

Olivia's fashion has been hijacked by her Aunt Molly.

So cute to see Olivia and cousin Sophia playing on their own outside. Such big girls!

2010-11-03T13:03:00.000-04:00

We had to change Liv's sheets anyway, so she convinced me to let them move her mattress into the living room so she and Chloe could do gymnastics. She even put her leotard on. Too cute.

Snack time!

Chloe trying to give Olivia hugs.

Surgery. Bleh.

2010-11-03T13:01:00.000-04:00

I had surgery on my left leg at the end of September. I've had some issues with varicose veins and swelling for a really long time. I went for my annual check up in July and my doctor said my legs looked like I was 9 months pregnant because they were so swollen. He hooked me up with a vascular surgeon who said that I indeed had lymphedema and that my great saphenous vein was not working (that my extrememly abbreviated version). He went ahead and used a laser to close off the vein and then removed a few of the smaller veins that were below my knee. It seemed a little extreme, but with this you're only treating symptoms because there is no cure. So by treating it now, I should be experiencing fewer symptoms. It should make things like exercising and carrying possible future babies much easier.
The whole thing wasn't too bad of an experience. I was feeling almost back to normal within the first week of surgery. The one hiccup was that I developed a blood clot in my femur. I ended up having to do 3 shots of Lovenox and then did bloodthinners for a couple of weeks. I'm all clear of that now and feeling really great. I'll probably have to do the same surgery on the right leg, but we'll wait as long as we can for that!!

Every place you see a steri-strip, there was a staple or two.
I was not prepared to see staples when the nurse took my bandage off. What a lovely surprise!

2010-11-03T12:53:00.000-04:00

Chloe in her Sunday outfit--her Bears shirt. She just woke up, can you tell!?

Chloe makes the funniest faces when she's sitting in her high chair.

2010-11-03T12:52:00.001-04:00

Mark was going to run to Redbox w/ Liv. She insisted on wearing socks with her flip flops. That's when I remembered we needed milk. So Mark had to take her into the store, all the way to the back, wearing her silly little socks with shoes. He loved it.

August 21.

2010-11-03T12:46:00.000-04:00

We went back to Milwaukee to hang out with Molly some more and then go to my cousin's wedding.
We took the girls to Birdie's cafe--cutest coffee shop in Milwaukee!
The girls LOVED dancing with Grandma and Grandpa!

Chloe, Olivia, and Ana

2010-11-03T12:44:00.000-04:00

After the shower, the girls and I headed up to my parent's house in Green Bay.
The girls loved sunbathing, playing in Grandma's classroom, and going to Bay Beach amusement park.
And I got all 7 flower girl dresses sewn for Molly's wedding that week! It was my first time sewing dresses, but they turned out okay for my first time. There were a few adjustments that we needed to make but they were all cute and dressed.

2010-11-03T12:40:00.000-04:00

I kept saying as we were preparing for the shower that I should probably blog about it...well, here it is!
Mom made the centerpieces--aren't they cute!?

We went with a "lovebirds" theme.

I could probably eat a whole plate of these cupcakes. so Yummy!! My first time piping frosting--EVER! I am Not a cake decorator, but these were fun and so good to eat!

Emily and I put a book together on shutterfly.com for the newlyweds. A little momento.

WI in August

2010-11-03T12:36:00.000-04:00

We traveled to Milwaukee in August to throw my sister, Molly, a wedding shower.

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We are so blessed. Some friends brought dozens of apples over and they turned into this yummy apple crisp!

August!

2010-11-03T12:33:00.000-04:00

At the end of July, Mark's bro and sis-in-law came to live with us, along with their two little girls!
Our house is only 1200 sq ft--this was a tight squeeze!!
Thankfully, they were able to find a place to call their own by Labor Day. We're soooo glad to have them living near us...just not with us. ;)
Olivia and Sophia watching a show. Probably Dora. They're mildly obsessed.

Emilie's birthday present from me. Sweatpants with the word "housewife" across the rear end. Welcome to the club, Em!

My girls were really excited that Sophia's pool moved with her!

Aaron's first day of school at Trinity--taken on our front stoop.

Bix 7

2010-11-03T12:28:00.000-04:00

My sister-in-law, Leslie, and I having been working hard to lose the baby weight from our last 2 babies and decided we wanted to have something to work toward. There is a 7 mile race every year in Davenport (where she lives--how convenient!) so we made that our goal. L's friend from high school came up and ran it with her and my sister, Molly, came down and did a little walk/jog combo with me. We're looking forward to running it again next year, hopefully at our goal weight!!

The finished wall.

2010-11-03T12:24:00.000-04:00

Here's the finished wall. Well, the part that's in the kitchen.
Mark made me this awesome pegboard for the kitchen wall. Love it!!

Painting!

2010-11-03T12:21:00.000-04:00

Olivia actually opened the paint can on her own while we were out of the room! Grandpa says she's going to be an engineer.
I'd been bugging Mark about painting the orange wall in our living room for months.
While he was out of town in July, I went and bought the paint.
Olivia got to stay up late and help paint. She was mostly good at writing "o"s on the wall.

2010-11-03T12:18:00.000-04:00

Chloe likes to climb things.

Chloe in June

2010-11-03T12:16:00.000-04:00

Chloe's hair in a ponytail--too cute!

Her first corn on the cob!

She likes to reach into her drawer in the kitchen.

And get sippy cups out!

2010-11-03T12:08:00.000-04:00

Some friends blessed us with their old swing set! Their daughter had out-grown it and she wanted our girls to have it in their yard. So amazing, the generosity of this family. We are blessed time and time again by them.

Oh, and a pretty flower before it didn't rain for months and dried everything out! :)

Summer time!

2010-11-03T11:50:00.000-04:00

Chloe started climbing on the kitchen table.

but how can you yell at her when she's so stinkin' cute?!

A friend stopped by with corn fresh from his field. Yum!!

Olivia loves doing projects of any kind. This day was painting.

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We stopped at to see the Falls in Sioux Falls.

Family portrait.

Poppa & Grandma Rudzinski with the girls.

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the zoo in Sioux Falls, SD

We love a good carousel!

Camel rides!

Ben loves the carousel, too.

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Ben & Liv

Sophia & Liv

We stopped at Wall Drug on the way back East.

Chloe, of course, found the splash pad!

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The best of these three cousins together.

I think this was after Liv had fallen off the rock...

Look--Mark and Olivia were at Mt. Rushmore!

Rainbow when we left Mt Rushmore the second time. God is good!

2010-11-03T11:35:00.000-04:00

Eating breakfast at our cabin.

Our little family at the Reptile Gardens.

Digging for fossils.

Chloe loves swinging!

2010-11-03T11:33:00.000-04:00

Some trick Photography...

Cousins @ the Badlands

Olivia's impressed by the Badlands

Mt Rushmore--a little cloudy

A few highlights from our trip to South Dakota in June...

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2010-06-21T15:17:00.000-04:00

Chloe playing w/ the plug and her reaction when she got in trouble for it.

2010-06-21T15:13:00.000-04:00

Liv and Chloe testing out the new cabinet.

2010-06-21T15:09:00.000-04:00

The girls "helping" Mark build a TV cabinet

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Chloe turning 1.

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Chloe's 1st Birthday Party.

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Olivia "cleaning up" brownie mix.

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Chloe trying to undress after her nap.

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Chloe's 1st Birthday Cake.

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Easter w/ Gma & Gpa, cousin Ana.

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Playing in the sprinkler

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Chloe's photo shoot.

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Helping Daddy in the yard.

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Poor man's pool :)

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2010-04-06T10:03:00.001-04:00

Rejects of the girls posing in the outfits from Miss Sandy.

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The girls posing in the outfits Miss Sandy gave them for Easter.

2010-04-06T10:02:00.000-04:00

Olivia and Mark trying out the girls' new picnic table. Built with love by Daddy, Grandpa and Uncles. We purchased the Sleeping Beauty Pink paint for the table, but once Olivia got it home she decided she'd rather her stool be that color as well.

Fun with Grandma Muther

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Olivia and Sophia eating breakfast. It was the only picture I got of them both looking at me.

Lydia!

2010-04-06T09:59:00.000-04:00

Our newest neice, Lydia Mae, 6 weeks old. She and Olivia look an awful lot alike, especially in pictures. Pretty sure it's because Emilie and I look so much alike. Nothing to do with Mark and Aaron being brothers...

More zoo pics

2010-04-06T09:57:00.000-04:00

Babies at the zoo.

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Olivia and her buddy, cousin Skyler.

Day at the St. Louis Zoo.

2010-04-06T09:55:00.000-04:00

I love that Riley looks like such a tourist.

Olivia helped make pizza for lunch.

2010-04-06T09:52:00.000-04:00

This is how cute Chloe is today.

2010-03-12T09:15:00.000-05:00

Chloe's ponytail.

2010-03-01T10:18:00.000-05:00

Mark and Olivia had a date yesterday to church and Cracker Barrel. I came home after playing for church to stay with Chloe, who had gotten sick earlier that morning. She certainly doesn't look sick in these pictures. She looks pretty darn cute with her little ponytail!

Olivia and Daddy cuddle time.

2010-02-22T21:18:00.000-05:00

So it does snow here in Indiana...

2010-02-22T21:17:00.000-05:00

2010-02-22T21:15:00.000-05:00

Mark made some cinnamon rolls to thank Dave for clearing the snow from our driveway. And because he really likes to eat them... Olivia loves baking.

2010-02-22T21:13:00.000-05:00

Chloe didn't get to play in the snow, but she did get her hat on to go help me take pictures.

Olivia's snow slide.

2010-02-22T21:12:00.000-05:00

Olivia playing in last week's snow.

2010-02-22T21:11:00.000-05:00

I tried to let Chloe feed herself.

2010-02-22T21:09:00.000-05:00

Olivia's 3rd birthday!

2010-01-13T21:27:00.003-05:00

We celebrated Olivia's 3rd birthday at home. We had chocolate chip pancakes and chocolate milk for supper and she got to open her gifts from us.
This is a link to a video of her opening her presents:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Wffm1HzvsA1xvGtjFMHxZA?feat=directlink

2010-01-06T22:28:00.000-05:00

Olivia had been asking for this shopping cart for months. Thankfully, Aunt Jen heard the call and got it for Olivia's birthday present from the Hunt family. Olivia has never been more excited for anything. I so wish I could've gotten her reaction on camera when she opened it!

Mark & Chloe @ the Rudzinski celebration

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Chloe & Ana

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Opening presents with the Muther side.

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We spent some girl time on my sister Emily's birthday, December 24. Molly tried on some wedding dresses (not pictured!), and then we went to Caribou to have Campfire Mochas and play Connect 4.