The Odom family has been super busy lately... let me just show you!!

We decided to design and create our very own stone patio in the backyard. Haha 3 days of digging a huge hole and carry off all the excess dirt... ended in 2 weeks of rain. Boo! What a mess!!!

During all this came Easter! I made the girls matching dresses, Annabel went to a fun Easter Hunt/CookOut/Horse riding day. She loved all of it... specially the horse riding! Then on Easter we hung out with my parents.

Suddenly Mother's day, band concerts, award cermonies, a new football season and watching a friend's dance recital took up all our time. We even got a little sun time... but not a bunch!!!

Most recently we all loaded up and went hiking on Sugarloaf Mountain in Heber Springs Arkansas. It was sooo awesome and so beautiful!!!

So now I guess you are all caught up. We are a little over 2 weeks until school is out, spring football training has begun, Katie has a job and is starting flag / marching season practice. Annabel and I are super busy making clothes and dolls and sooo much more! heehee

Who ever said staying home means you aren't doing anything!?!?!?!

My creative side

So when my teens were younger I sewed a little. Made Halloween costumes and stuff along those lines. Lately however I have dusted off my grandma's 1959 White and really opened up my creative side. Usually around Christmas I get a craving to make little things... ornaments, cookies, pies, etc. This year, along with my 2 year old, Annabel, I made salt down ornaments for family and for an auction to raise money for a sweet little March 2008 boy. Along those lines we also broke out the sewing machine and made the first of several rag dolls.

I love love love making these rag dolls so much that I have advanced from the original cutout pattern to making cool dolls with yarn hair, painted faces and designer outfits. Each doll is definitely a one of a kind... never to be replicated.

Along with my new obsession (the dolls) I am happy to admit I have made some really cute toddler dresses too. Annabel is the proud owner of several new dresses in different styles... which is only fair since she is my very own personal model for both the dolls and dresses. haha

Now that my sewing machine is all set up and I have taken over about half of the bedroom with patterns, yarn, pieces of dolls and all the other cool stuff that goes along with my little projects; I decided to try to sell my dolls and dresses. Along with my grandma and her creative coolness, I started a facebook business page. Grandma Nellie's Creations... because my Grandma Nellie (heehee) is my inspiration to try to create a home based business from this creative gene. Now with a page to advertise all I offer... I am struggling to figure out how to get people to purchase the items I love to make. I have paid to advertise on facebook, I am making business cards, put some on etsy and doing give aways so my name gets out there. However sells have dwindled to nearly nothing.

Soooo if anyone reading this blog knows anyone that might be itnerested... send them a link to our facebook page. LOL I would really appreciate it!!!!

Finally winter weather

So the weather is finally cooling off and acting more like winter. We have to grab jackets or light coats before leaving the house, Annabel isn't sleeping with her big fan on anymore, I am craving baking (finally) and the flip flops have been put back in the closet. Unfortunately along with the cooler weather temperatures comes the sickies.

Saturday my grandma and mom went with me and the kids to Petit Jean Mountain to do some light hiking and get some great fall photos. So we spend a good hour or so on the mountain, then head home. Late that night Annabel wakes up sick. Sunday morning however after only 4 hours of sleep she seemed fine, very little appetite but running and playing with energy. So off to have family pictures we go. I don't know if she didn't still feel well, needed more sleep or was just not in the mood... but Annabel refused to coorporate. Boo I was really looking forward to some cute family pictures. (Hopefully still got something I can work with LOL)

Fast forward to Tuesday when her daddy comes down with her stomach bug. Yuck! He spent his entire day off in bed or in the restroom. I am praying all the other kids skip out on this fall time stomach ritual.

Now today, exactly one week before Thanksgiving, Annabel is clingy and laying around unless playing with her puppy, Baby. Daddy still feels yucky too and momma is trying like crazy to clean the germs out of the house.

Here's hoping next week everyone feels 100% and we have a wonderful family Thanksgiving! Also a healthy, happy Thanksgiving to all my family and friends reading this blog ;)

Preparing our family Christmas cards...

With the help of shutterfly.com I am preparing to order our families Christmas cards. This year I will be sending cards with beautiful photos of my wonderful family to 30 some family members, 35 plus or minus march mommies and various other close family friends. Our friend Kellie Snellings is taking family photos of us and we will use one of those amazing pictures to share the holiday joy this year. We are planning to use shutterfly.com because they have a wonderful variety of cards from the cheerfully joyous holiday cards to the beautifully religious Christmas wishes.

So far my favorite is a beautiful folded card with a bit of holly framing our family photograph. I will post the sample picture at the end of my blog. I believe this will allow our family to become the center of the card while reminding the receiver that we want to wish them a wonderful Christmas, full of joy and cheer.

You should all take a look at their website and see if you can find a great customizable Christmas card for you and your families. Their prices are reasonable and the product quality. http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery

If you are looking for something a little more involved instead of just saying Merry Christmas... you can send a holiday story card. This is a neat little card offered by shutterfly.com now also. http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-story-cards

Another great item they offer are customized calendars. I love to make these for grandparents as gifts because I can feature great photos of my children each month, keeping them close to their grandparents hearts. http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars

Hey another cool reason to check out shutterfly.com is that bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly. Learn more for yourself!!!! : http://bit.ly/sfly2010

Check them out and have a wonderful Christmas card designing season. LOL

Wow it's been a long time!!!!

The past few weeks have been crazy around here! The boys finished up their football season and we immediately had to wash and turn in their gear. My dryer was on the fritz so we ended up renting one for a few weeks while the part came in on ours. Katie's band finally finsihed up all their weekend competitions but she still has one more away game this Friday. Our Nanny went into the hospital and passed away ... we had a bunch of family visiting during that time. Althought it was a deeply sad occassion we did enjoy seeing everyone.

Now in honor of Nanny and her love for her family... we are trudging ahead with the holidays.
Speaking of holidays.... I am looking forward to getting all the awesome Christmas cards in the mail and sending out ours too!!!

Shutterfly has the cutest stuff you can upload a picture of your own family right onto their cards... I specifically like this one:


You should check them out and get your own... right now they are giving away 50 free cards to bloggers!!!!
www.blog.shutterfly.com

Completing our potty training weekend...

So days 2 and 3 went respectfully well. On day 2 we had friends over and the distraction did cause Miss Thing to have an accident... but only 1 which isn't bad. Day 3 we broke all the rules and went to the mall as a family and then had a late lunch in town. Annabel easily went to the potty at the mall and the restaurant, fell asleep in the car and woke up in a really bad mood. She refused to go to the potty for me once we returned home and had yet another accident... still after being out and about for a good 5 hours... I think that's not too bad!

If you are following my life on facebook.... lol, then I am sure you know we recently purchased our 15 year old a car. She will be 16 in February and the perfect car graced us with its presences this week. She absolutely loves the car and coincidentally us right now. haha So Sunday morning most of the family washed her already clean car with her, she went over some rules with dad and learned the "lay of the land" so to speak. Needless to say she figured out the radio very well and even got to drive the car out of the driveway and back it into the garage. Today it was taken back to the dealership to have its oil changed, tires balanced... blah blah blah stuff momma was wanting to make sure was done correctly. Then have it's windows tinted. We also purchased her a cute little personalized tag for the front with her nickname on it.

(It says Gummiebear)

In other news the boys have been slaving away on some school projects and preparing for this week's football games. The boys play out of town both Tuesday and Thursday but the High School has their homecoming game Friday ... so we will all be there for that. After surviving Jerry's vacation, the refinance of our home and getting Annabel 95% potty trained... I think we will begin back on a preschool work this week too.

You know... it's always busy in the Odom household. haha

3 day potty training weekend... day 1

       Day 1 of potty training a diva actually didn't go badly. We woke up just like normal, took our showers and then had THE TALK... LOL  We "tossed" the pull ups, diaper wipes and put the diaper genie out in the garage, Annabel is a big girl now. We then picked out her favorite pair of Dora panties and talked about how we wanted to keep the panties dry. Then the fun began. She drank an entire bottle of green Gatorade, a bottle of green tea, 2 glasses of water and was still dry. Still dry but did not pee in the potty.

      I know you are supposed to stay home but being the mother of 4... I did have to leave and pick up some kids from school. Annabel finally went pee in her potty about 20 minutes before we had to leave and while I was folding towels!!! Yay I was sooo excited that I made a huge deal of it... picked her up and gave her a giant kiss, squealed with happiness and told her what a big girl she was. Then we had to get dressed... pants and shoes were on, I went to grab my purse and "Mommy I peed..." Our 1st accident.

      Well to be completely honest I wanted to drag the pull ups out of hiding and put one on... just for the car ride, but I refrained. Instead I put a plastic bag in her car seat and covered it with a towel (you know just in case). Then we drove to the school, picked up one of 3 school age children, checked on my teenage daughter whom was headed to an out of town football game and headed home. On our way home my son announced that he needed some materials for a school project and his brother would be needing the same stuff... thinking well we are already out... I drove to Target. Annabel was still dry and kept talking about it during the car ride and while we were shopping at Target. We quickly bought supplies for the school projects and loaded back into the car. By the time we arrived home I needed to leave to get the last child still at school. Stupidly all I did was tell Annabel to keep her panties dry and load her back into the car. We were almost home and no where near a bathroom when she started saying she needed to pee pee!!! Nope we did not make it... accident number 2. (definitely mommy's fault too)

       Finally home for the rest of the night, I cleaned Annabel up and gave her some new panties. She set on the potty for a second and told me she didn't need to pee pee... duh! We played, colored, watched some Dora all while I kept asking if she was dry and please tell mommy if you need to pee pee. She was acting sleepy so we set down on her bed and watched a cartoon, she suddenly got up to get a toy and peed on the floor. Ugh Accident #3!!!

       After a bath, some new panties and a giant bowl of cereal... Annabel danced and sang in the kitchen while I made dinner for the rest of the family and helped her older brother with his project. Daddy called and said he was pulling up in Sissy's new car (which was a surprise for her) so we went out and looked at the car again, went for a short ride and came back home. Just inside the house Annabel grabbed my hand and told me she needed to pee pee. She was sooo excited that she peed in the potty this time... we told daddy and got kisses, then told bubba and got a high five. She even got to put another sticker in her potty book. Yay some success!!!

      Fast forward to 10:45 at night. Sissy needs to be picked up from the game and we are going to surprise her with her very own car... So Annabel goes pee pee in the potty again and we load up in the car. She falls asleep in the car... it was super late, but she is dry when we arrive home. She stays awake and talks to me while I wash my face and change into pj's. Then she agrees to go pee pee one more time before going back to bed. This morning I wake her up a little after 8a.m. She pees in the potty, gets another sticker and hugs and good jobs from everyone awake. Then proceeds to take every favorite toy to the potty... it's good to get everyone potty trained at the same time. haha

      Soooo now it's day 2... she's dry and had breakfast and already started on another bottle of Gatorade. LOL Wish us luck!!!