Show & Tell ---> Babies!

Before people start to get too excited... please note that I'm NOT pregnant. Sorry!

I've been looking around tons of blogs lately trying to find fun little things that I can do too make my blogging more exciting and to keep me in the habit of blogging. I stumbled upon Show & Tells Mondays on this great blog over "From Mrs. to Mama".

 

I love reading her blog and thought her Show & Tells Mondays were great to read... so I decided to link up with it and do my own show & tell for the week!

So here it goes! Show & Tell: Babies!

1. Tell us your favorite baby names? Aside from your own babies, if you have some :)
   As more & more people are having babies with craZy, I don't want to pick a too "unique" or "original" name.. I love old school names... but still like names being a little "different". Here's my list of my "top" 4 names for kids.. [[this is my list as of today... don't be surprised if I don't name my kids one of these names..]]

GIRLS	BOYS
Blake	Arthur
MaKenna	Willard
Louise	Bryson
Bailey	Peter

 

2. Show me your "dream" nursery {can be your baby's nursery or one that you love}.

One boy nursery...
 

One girl....

3. How many children would you like to have? How far apart?
   I have always.. always wanted to have a "big" family. There's nothing wrong with families that have one or two children... I've just never pictured myself with only have 2 or less. [[granted I know that this may all change once I actually start having children...]] I've always wanted 6 children... Brad & I can agree on 4 children... But it DOES have to be an even number... Because it sucks when you go to Disney world/Disneyland and there's an odd number of people. One person always has to sit by themselves. Not fun. So that's why I want an EVEN number. How far apart... I'm a bam bam bam kinda person... just pop them out within one to two years of each other...

4. Tell us what you think the importance of parenting is?
 The importance of parenting is to teach your children how to survive in the world. To be a great example of relationships with God, with other people, and with yourself. Parenting is teaching your child how to have fun, be silly, be adventurous but learn to be responsible, respectable, and  well mannered. Parenting is having a relationship with your child, being their parent and their authority while looking out for them and showing them the world; but still being their friend, having fun with them.

5. Show us your favorite newborn photo {can be your children or random}
  Love, love, love, LOVE newborn baby pictures! Here's some of my faves!

...because who doesn't love twins!?....

Property of Leah Islinger Photography

who doesn't love newborns in HATS?!

Property of Leah Islinger Photography

Property of Valeria Ann Photography

6.  Tell us some things you promise to never do as a parent {and if you are a parent, did you stick to it}
   I promise to never give up on my child... to help them in anything they're doing. I promise to always be there and to help guide them through life. And being the oldest child.. & having "oldest child syndrome"... I promise to make sure that the youngest children have the same rules & regulations [[curfews, boyfriends/girlfriends]] as the oldest child had!

.

XoXo- Tiffany

Missing My Dolly*

My family dog, Dolly passed away today... She was a 17 year old chihuahua. It's hard to think about going to my parents house tomorrow and her not being there.. I'm sure she's in doggy heaven and is resting in her favorite blanket with a bowl of ice cream.

I'm going to miss/Things I Loved about Dolly...

-sharing my ice cream with her.
-cuddling in blankets.
-her barking at Brad, because she didn't like him at first.
-playing tug with her.
-Dixie is going to miss following Dolly around, and Dolly ignoring her. :]

It's hard to think that 17 years ago, my parents brought Dolly home for us. I wanted to name her Precious, but my sisters were too little to say that so we named her Precious Dolly, and called her Dolly for short. She was so little she could fit in my then 7 year old hand.

<3 you Dolly! Thank you for all the wonderful memories and for being a great dog.

snuggle bug! [circa 2009]

with Dolly on my wedding day [2011]

chilling on the bed [2011]

XoXo- Tiffany

Celebrating 50 Years of Wedded Bliss!

Over the weekend my grandparents celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss! A huge milestone! My mom and my aunt Gail, with the help of many others planned a fantastic party to celebrate. Family members from all over the country [including my great aunts and uncles from Washington, North Carolina, and Michigan] came to celebrate. As well as many friends and neighbors from the area. We had pictures to showcase their life together, & my *amazing* husband Bradley put together a slideshow with all the pictures. It was wonderful to see my grandparents sitting there laughing and crying as they watched the slideshow of their journey. There was yummy food, gorgeous weather, fun times playing lawn games, and great fellowship with family and friends.

Saturday night after the party we spent more time at my grandparents house visiting with family members. Then Sunday we went to dinner with everyone before they all headed back home! It was great to see so many family members able to help my grandparents celebrate their day! With everyone living all over, it's hard to see everyone very often!

Here's some pictures to recap the great day!

my family!

cousins with Grandma & Papa

the happy couple!

sisters

my lovely husband!

cousin love!

Congrats to my Grandma & Papa on 50 years together! They're a great example of how to make a marriage work. No one is perfect- there fore no marriage is going to be perfect... Marriage is about being dedicated and making it work.

XoXo- Tiffany

All Tatted Up!

Well, on Monday, I officially joined the "tattoo people" group. My sister Chelsey & I went out and got "semi" matching tattoos. My sisters and I have always loved the idea of getting a "sister" tattoo- there's just one  slight problem.... My sister Courtney isn't too fond of tattoos. Whelp! Chelsey & I weren't letting that stop us, so Monday night we went and got our sister tattoos.

This is the first tattoo for both us. We got them on our right feet... Let me tell 'ya... when the guy was doing the outline of the tattoo--- WOWZA! Did that hurt! When he was doing the coloring though, it didn't hurt as bad. :] Chelsey went first and then me, we both listened to her ipod, just jamming out, while the guy was doing the tattoo.

The tattoo is three daisies on our foot. Each flower is the color of one of our birth months. Mine is February [purple]... Courtney is July [red].... and Chelsey is December [blue]. We made the middle flower slightly bigger and that's where we put our own birth month color. Hence the reason mine is purple... and Chelsey's is blue. Other then that, they're the same tattoo.


Here's some pictures:

Let's Do This!

 

Allll done!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! We will be in good ol' Hortonville helping my amazing grandparents celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary!

XoXo- Tiffany

Color Run & Pre-Wedding Festivities!

On Friday night my sister Chelsey & I did the Color Run! It's a 5K (3 miles) run/walk held in many citites over the country. As the Color Run website (thecolorrun.com) puts it:

".....the 3 miles of the Color Run course will be the most memorable and colorful run of your life! Each kilometer of the event is associated with a designated color: yellow, orange, pink, or blue.  As the runners/walkers reach the Kilometer COLOR RUN Zones, they are blitzed by our volunteers, sponsors, and staff with COLOR." 

The Milwaukee event was held at Miller Park. There was around 10,000 runners/walkers in attendance. It was literally the funniest & most unique run/walk I'll probably ever do! Here's some pictures from the event:  

before the 5K--- all nice & clean*

3rd K!- color Orange

we're done! at the finish/color mess!

Colors everywhere!

*All Colored*

We did it!

woo!

After all of that craziness on Friday night, I then had a bridal shower for Brad's cousin's fiance on Saturday and bachelorette party for a co-worker. It was a fun and busy day! On Saturday night I came home & crashed! I was exhausted. Sunday was spent relaxing and enjoying the time spent with Brad & Dixie. 

It's going to be another busy & eventful week! It's move up week at school, my sister Chelsey & I are getting a tattoo, & my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary party is this weekend. Can't wait to see what's all going to happen. :]

XoXo- Tiffany

A Little Lake R&R

Over the weekend Bradley & I went to Waupaca to stay with Barb (my m.i.l.) at the cottage she rents. I've been going up there for a day or two with Bradley since we started dating (ooohh.. 9 years ago! [[where has the time gone!?]]). It was a nice relaxing weekend, just hanging out and enjoying the gorgeous weather that Wisconsin (sometimes) has to offer.

-Friday night we went up sometime after work. Brad's brother Matt & his girlfriend Nicole were up there for the day. We spent time down on the dock by the lake, watching Brad & Matt goof off in the kayak. After that it was ice cream time! We always go to Scoopers for the some delicious Cedar Creek Ice Cream! I have my favorite ice cream- Mackinac Island Fudge! <3 It's to diiieee for. However, they only had Mint Mackinac Island Fudge, instead of the regular kind. It still tasted just as delicious though!

-Saturday morning Bradley & I got up & went fishing! Brad caught a bass- 20 inches or something? Then.. I caught a Northern! Brad said it was around 22 inches.. I was still pretty excited! That was the first northern I've caught... Brad wouldn't let me bring the camera with though so we have no photo evidence of the fish. Lame-o. We went into Waupaca and went to Art in the Park and walked around looking at all the cute "tourist" shops. Back at the cottage we hung out at the dock, reading books, sleeping, and swimming in the super cold water. Bbbrrr! We went fishing again Saturday night & I caught a bass.

-Sunday morning was spent fishing, Bradley caught a bass. We had two fish break both of our lines and steal our hooks/bait. Next year fish- BEWARE! I'm coming for you! ;] After fishing it was time to pack up and head home!

It was a great weekend! Lots of time spent talking with family, reading books, and relaxing in the summer sun! A great way to spend the weekend! Here's some pictures of our amazing weekend!

beautiful!

"what do you see dad?!"

"No thanks Mom. I think I'll stay over here.."

"oook.. i come get you!"

Summer Essentials: Towel. Water. Book.

my little fishie!

hehe. Bradley's little guy that was barely on the hook!

XoXo- Tiffany

Catching a breather...

This week has been a nice week where I feel live I've had time to just stop & breathe. Last weekend Bradley & I didn't do much- hung out at home, cleaned, watched Dawson's Creek, played with Dixie, and went to the Winnebago County Fair.

-on a side note---> Brad & I have this "bucket list goal" that we're going to go to all of the county fairs in Wisconsin. So far we've gone to 2. I know, I know, we're not even close to being done.. or even half way on the list... but it's a nice bucket list and we're averaging one county fair a summer so far. It is pretty fun to get out to other parts of the state and see places we haven't been to.

The Winnebago County fair was a good time though! We went and looked at all the animals- horses, cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits, sheep, and goats [my favorite!!]. We supported the local 4-H and got subs from their food stand [instead of the horribly greasy fair food at all the other stands]. For the better part of the afternoon we went to 3 Dock Dog competitions. Tho dogs were very adorable and have some major jumping skills! Sshheesh! It was really fun to watch though. We watched the pig races & watched some horse racing. It was a very relaxing Saturday afternoon.

The rest of the week has been pretty boring... I feel like I've been working non stop between work and trainings. I'm ready for a relaxing weekend to let my body rest. Which is hopefully what I'm going to get... Brad & I are going to Waupaca to spend the weekend with my m.i.l. Barb at a cottage she rents every year. I'm excited to relax on the dock, work on my tan, go fishing, and enjoy some ice cream! 

Here's to a great weekend ahead...

XoXo- Tiffany