Archive Page 73

21
Oct
09

I did it for the t-shirt

By Julie P. 4 Comments
Categories: Julie

I’ve heard that line a time or two in college from James as he was explaining why he signed up for another credit card!  I am PROUDLY saying that line today, though all in jest, because I definitely did NOT “do it for the t-shirt”, but rather for the $500 Visa gift card that came with the Michael Jackson t-shirt (which is coming to a white elephant party near you…)

Michael proudly displaying my gift card

So….why did I receive a $500 gift card in the mail today???  I’m so glad you asked!

The quick version is:

I have a friend from Houston, named Misty, who introduced me to doing online offers.  She was receiving all these gift cards and checks and I was starting to get intrigued.

Misty pointed me to Carrie from Money Saving Methods.

I read all the instructions and signed up for my 8 ‘online offers’ in late August.  I spent $20 total to get my $500 gift card.  I should be receiving a $500 Home Depot card (I spent $45) and a $500 check (I spent $55) in the coming weeks!  (I will post when I get them!)  I am about to start a $500 gift card to American Airlines this week too!

If you are interested, e-mail me or comment and I’ll be happy to help you get started!  Also, for all you Austin folks, I will be sending an e-mail to those interested for a ‘get trained’ class at my house!  😉

**It’s been a good week for free stuff for me. I got a $10 Amazon gift card with my Swagbucks. Swagbucks is like Google, just search what you normally search, and earn ‘swag bucks’ sometimes. I have earned $20 of Amazon gift cards since March just by searching on the internet. I make Swagbucks my home page so I always remember to use it!
Search & Win

And then I got a $20 gift card to Build-A-Bear (my choice) from my Pampers gifts to grow points! Woo-hoo!

19
Oct
09

costumes of old

By Julie P. Leave a Comment
Categories: James and Julie

Thought I would share some of my favorite costumes when I was growing up!

The angel with the foil wings and halo!
The ballerina I never was…I wore this costume for 2

Halloweens I loved it so much!
My favorite one!  My dad drew the card and I colored it
James as count Dracula!
16
Oct
09

our day

By Julie P. Leave a Comment
Categories: Asher, Ella and Rilyn
Tags:

Ella  and I went on a field trip to Crowe’s Nest Farm with her preschool class.  I predict I will be here many more times since it is the ‘go to’ field trip in the northeast Austin area, but today it was just my third time.  Of course, it had to be 100 degrees with the humidity.  My favorite part was taking nine preschoolers to the muggy restrooms twice in one hour.  We were there for 3 hours and at least half of the time was spent corralling the kids.  Whew!  Ella had a good time though!

You can see it was very sunny!

Ella is in the sunglasses.
Boo for the Longhorns!
Ella and Anna were mesmerized by the pig playing in the mud.  It’s like they all understood

each other.  😉

We continued our day by visiting their cousin Caden. I got some cute pics!

cousins
Caden Erickson
14
Oct
09

pumpkin personality

By Julie P. Leave a Comment
Categories: Ella and Rilyn

At the pumpkin farm this week, the girls got to decorate their own mini pumpkins. They could of stayed at this station all day but I gave them a limit when we approached the 30 minute mark. These decorated pumpkins perfectly describe my daughters’ personalities. Rilyn’s pumpkin-meticulously wrapped yarn (of every color they had) around the stem and hand-drawn rings (of every color marker they had) around the base of the stem.  Ella’s pumpkin-all about the excessive.  Too much glue and too much yarn.  I think her pumpkin says it all and if you know her, you have probably seen her ‘mess’ of emotions, especially when she is tired!

art time!
Rilyn and Ella
13
Oct
09

pumpkin farm pics

By Julie P. 1 Comment
Categories: Asher, Ella and Rilyn
sweet Ella 3 1/2 years old
Rilyn 5 years old
hay ride
Oh look Asher smiled for one picture!  (But of course there was not

one pumpkin in sight!)
sisters rock!
12
Oct
09

pouts at the patch

By Julie P. Leave a Comment
Categories: Asher
Tags:

Asher and I will be going back to the pumpkin patch this month. He thinks he outsmarted me today. He ‘played me for a fool’ because his mommy didn’t get any decent pictures of him in the pumpkins. He will learn. You don’t mess with this scrapbooking mama. I will succeed. Next time I will be smarter too. Think pumpkin traps and maybe some candy.
Yes, that is a flying pumpkin in the air.

I gave Asher a little pumpkin trying to distract him enough

to elicit a smile, but he just called it an ‘apple’ and threw it.
More ‘Boys 101’ lessons for me.  They like to smear and splash

their hands in dirty puddles on the ground.
11
Oct
09

a different point of view

By Julie P. 5 Comments
Categories: Rilyn

When I posted last about past pumpkin patches I was reminded of a certain incident that occurred at one of the visits.  It happened when we went to the Elgin pumpkin patch in 2007 when Rilyn was three and received a disposable camera.   It was definitely a ‘blog worthy’ moment then, but I didn’t have the ‘encouragement’ that I do now to post this.  (You know who you are! )

At the Elgin patch there are plenty of farm animals to pet and look at.  Rilyn, having received this camera, was eager to take pictures of many of the animals by herself.   When we got home, I sent the camera in to get developed so Rilyn could put together a little photo album of her trip to the pumpkin patch.  Well….a couple days later when I picked up the developed pictures, I was very glad that I went through them before I let Rilyn see her photography skills.  The first picture in the stack definitely caught my eye!  You must click here to see due to the graphic nature.  (Keep in mind, a three year old is only a certain height and so when she thinks she is taking a picture of a horse, well, it is a horse, but just not the face…get my drift?)

*If Rilyn ever becomes a famous photographer, she will kill me for this!  😉

08
Oct
09

pumpkin patches of past

By Julie P. 1 Comment
Categories: Asher, Ella and Rilyn
Tags:

My kids aren’t being funny, I have no deep thoughts(or good ideas), and I haven’t been taking any pictures lately, so I have nothing really to blog about. But, James is gone, and I’m bored, so I’m going to humor myself. So, here you go…pumpkin patches from the past! (I’m trying to get myself psyched up for the big pumpkin patch photo shoot on Monday. It’s not going to be fun, but I will succeed!!!!!!!!)

Rilyn 2004, 5 months old
Rilyn 2005, 17 months
2005
Rilyn (2) and Ella(10 months)-2006
Ella(22 months) and Rilyn(3)-2007.  This is when Rilyn fell head first onto our

driveway a couple days before!
Ella(2), Rilyn(4), Asher(6 months)-2008
04
Oct
09

what’s gonna work? TEAMWORK!

By Julie P. 1 Comment
Categories: Rilyn 
Wonder Friends!
Wonder Friends!
We're on our way
To help a friend
And save the day
We're not too big
And we're not too tough
But when we work together
We've got the right stuff
Go, Wonder Friends, ya'ay!
*Theme song from Wonder Pets (in case you don't have a preschooler or don't let them watch cartoons)











Levi's got the pedal, Rilyn at the wheel
















Switch!

*This was totally their idea at Fuddruckers today after church! I just happened to have a camera to capture the sweet moment!

02
Oct
09

thirty something

By Julie P. Leave a Comment
Categories: James

Happy Birthday James!  You are definitely 31 years young!
The girls and I made this Jell-o cheesecake for daddy since it is one of his favorite desserts! We celebrated with birthday cake a night early so that we could be with our community group from our church, the Austin Stone. (Our girls love a party!)  This picture is a very accurate reflection of you! Kids (11 are actually around him, although only 6 1/2 are actually shown), are drawn to you because of your child-like personality and playfulness! I love that about you!

Levi, Rilyn, Ella, Halle, Anna, Jake, and Asher’s faux hawk
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