Life Lately

it has been hectic for the Rickels lately! Lots going on, but all fun stuff ;)

This past weekend was packed full of family birthdays! My birthday, my SILs, my nephews, my FIL-- we had one big family lunch to celebrate us all! And my nephew had his 5th bday party Saturday at Monkey Joe's! After his party me, and two of my SILs went to see the Katy Perry (everyone says i look like her, i just dont see it!) movie...no lie. and it was AMAZING! haha I know it sounds so corny, but it was so good- makes me want to go see her live like asap. It also had some footage backstage, interviews, talked about her divorce- literally had us tearing up. Who knew a Katy Perry movie would be such a tear jerker!? Afterward we downloaded her CD and now all 3 of us are enjoying her to and from work ;) oh seester time, gotta love it!

This week is turning out to be a busy one! We're trading my car! Getting myself a mom mobile (no no, not a mini van, NEVER!) -- I love my TSX but theres just not enough room, Adelynn's car seat barely fits in the back and theres not much room for anything else. We found a 2007 CRV in great condition, and the price was right! Heres my new mommy car:

I'm so excited to have more room!

Also this week, garage sale! I'm working on getting everything together for a big yard sale on a weekend (don't know which one yet) but went ahead and started posting pictures/prices of stuff on my facebook- best idea ever! I've sold quite a few things by doing that! So this week/weekend I'm meeting up with different people who are buying stuff from us. Excited to get some extra money!

OH! Random side note: got my journal in the mail and LOVE IT. it is so beautiful and I cannot wait to start writing in it! She also included the sweetest little note, and a free book mark! the book mark is BEAUTIFUL as well. loved the whole experience with her from beginning to end!

We have a pretty fun weekend ahead of us too. Friday we are having a cook out with 4 different couples- hosting it at our house, and I'm super excited. Its so nice to have couple friends to see/hang out with on a regular basis, and I really hope we start doing it more and more! Saturday we have a couple errands, and that night the Bakers are coming in to town! Nick, Claire, Lilly, and Brynn! They are staying with us Saturday night, for Adelynn's baptism on Sunday! GLAD we are finally getting her baptized, I wanted to do it a lot sooner than now but oh well. Sunday at 12:30 we're baptizing her at St. Stephens- the church I was converted in, church we were married in, and church Joey was raised in :) I have both mine and Joey's baptism gowns from when we were baptized as babies; I tried mine on her last night and it fits PERFECT and looks so pretty on her :) It made me a little teary! Super excited to see all our friends/family and finally get our baby girl baptized!

Work has been insanely busy but thats good, means business is good and I have a job! I still miss my baby every single day but its gotten easier. I just soak up as much time as I can with her on the weekends. Life has just been busy, but I take every opportunity I can to be lazy and just enjoy time with Adelynn!

and now, i leave you with a couple adorable videos of my sweet girl (talkin to daddy, super baby, and peek-a-boo!)

RubyKinz Hair Accessories

Another vendor to brag on ;) I normally don't advertise for anyone, but these vendors are worth bragging about. Its always hard to find good pricing, quality product, and awesome people-- so when I do find them I want other people to know about them!

RubyKinz Hair Accessories! I found Emma through Claire, she ordered her girls a few things and I always LOVED them so found her store on facebook and fell in love. If you're friends with me on facebook you can find her under my "likes", otherwise just search for her- its worth it!

Heres a little bio from Emma:

"I am a WAHM of 3 kiddos, Liam (7), Ethan (5), and Kinsley (2). After having 2 boys, Kinsley Christine came along and brought the glitter and pink back to my life  After I started making hair pretties for my daughter, people would tell me that I should start selling them. And thats when RubyKinz was created. I started making bows back in September of 2010 and became RubyKinz in April of 2011. I love what I do, both staying at home with my kids, and using my creative side with my creations. 99% of my hair accessories are 100% handmade by me and I love that about them. 

I create a lot of hair accessories for customers to match specific outfits, and I also try to do as much ready to ship items as my time allows. I accept only paypal, unless you are local, then cash and check is fine too. Please feel free to visit my page at www.facebook.com/rubykinz or contact me at rubykinzha@yahoo.com and tell me Kelly sent you! Your first order will be 10% off. Thanks!"

My favorites are the hydrangeas:

I ordered the purple and turquoise ones on alligator clips, i love the pearls/rhinestones in the middle.

Heres the pricing for these:

$10.00 each for 3 attached to a skinny metal headband 

$7.00 each for 3 attached to a skinny stretch or satin stretch headband.
$5.00 each for a single flower attached to a skinny stretch or satin stretch headband.

Get the whole set of 8 color single hydrangea flowers on skinny headbands for $25! That's only $3.00 a headband. 

$5.00 for a set of (2) hydrangea alligator clips, snap clips, or bobby pins.


Rhinestones or Pearl Center

I also love the flower buds, I haven't ordered any yet but I plan to in the future!

Heres the pricing on the flower buds:

Flower Buds with Pearl or Rhinestone Center

(1) attached to an alligator clip or headband: $6.00/e or 3/$16

(2) attached to a headband: $9.00

(3) attached to a headband: $12.00

Feel free to mix and match colors and if you don't see a color your looking for just let me know and I can see what I can find.Please note when ordering what size headband you need. 

Newborn 12"
3-6m 14"
6-12m 16"
12m-4yrs 17"
4yrs-adult 18"

Whats cool is you can have her put them on clips, mix and match, headbands, bobby pins.. so many options!

She also has the headbands I love for Adelynn:

These are THE BEST headbands I've found so far, they fit great (come in different sizes), and have a little loop of fabric on them so you can switch the clips/flowers out! LOVE!

Pricing for these:

3/4" Satin Stretch Headband (super soft)

$1.00/each with any purchase 

Available in: Premie, Newborn, Infant, and Toddler, and Adult

And she doesn't shy away from custom orders either! I sent her a picture of Adelynn's dress for my SIL's wedding next April, and she customized a headband for me to match, it was a steal at $13! (cost of headband and shipping altogether)

Heres the final product:

Needless to say, theres a ton to choose from. What I've posted here doesn't even begin to cover what she offers! Make SURE you find Emma on facebook! 

www.facebook.com/rubykinz

You can contact her via Facebook or here: rubykinzha@yahoo.com

25th Birthday

25-- weird! I still feel 21! But I guess there really isn't a big difference in birthdays in your 20s, at least thats how I feel!

We didn't have big plans this year, usually we have a party at the house but I was nervous about doing that with the baby so we decided not to make big plans. We did have plans that night for a cook out with some of my friends from YHC though! We had such a great time- grilling out, corn hole, catching up, pictures, little dance party in the basement ;) Shanice & Justin came with their two ADORABLE twin boys- miss that girl, I don't see her nearly as much as I'd like to. Alana & Nick, Tyler, Katie all came too! It was at Brittany and Zach's house and we had such an awesome time. They even got me a birthday cake!

That day Joey asked me what I wanted to do, and I just said "we're doin' it!" - I just wanted to relax on the couch with him and my sweet girl, watching movies, napping, just doing NOTHING! we've been so jam packed with plans lately I just wanted to take it easy.

Joey and Adelynn got me the best birthday gift ever! I've been wanting a new camera for SO LONG, and even more so since Adelynn was born- iPhone pictures just don't cut it. So they gave me a Nikon Coolpix! (but gave it to me early so I could use it on 4th of July!)

and I've been snappin' pictures like paparazzi ever since!

Friday night before my bday, we went up to Elektrik Dragon (Main Street in Loganville) to see Tammy & Dollie and get some quotes, and get me a new tat! Brittany and Zach came with us, and of course baby (but she was just spectating!) I LOVE Tammy & Dollie up there, mother/daughter team who give the shop such a family feel. You walk in and just instantly feel like family! You need to find them on Facebook and go check them out if you're in the area, you can find them under my 'likes'. The address is 248 Main Street Loganville, GA 30052

We chatted about Adelynn, and Dollie's little girl Lillith (she is ADORABLE, such a character) while she was runnin' around the shop and watchin' her disney movies. It was a ton of fun. And of course I got a tattoo-- I dont know why anyone who knows me would be surprised, I have 'em all over so of course I'd get one for my favorite person in the whole world!

Afterwards we went back to our house and hung out with Britt, Zach, and Katie. Us girls sat on the patio catching up on life while the boys stayed inside and played video games!

Overall it was a great weekend, very relaxed! I got lots of phone calls, texts, facebooks, etc. from everyone wishing me a happy birthday- felt very loved! and its not over! Today at work we're having a birthday lunch, tonight birthday dinner at Chilis with my family, and this Sunday at my in-laws we're celebrating mine, Courtney's, FIL's. and Peyton's birthday with dinner-- and Court, Becca, and I are going to the movies Saturday after Peyton's birthday party! So I'm definitely feeling the love :)

4th of July

Happy (belated) 4th of July! :)

The last 3 years we went to Topsail, and then Chicago- but this year we spent at home! We had a cook out with our neighbors Dawn & Brandon right next door and invited their families, ours, and Brittany & Zach too!

(the set up!)

We share the side yard, so we set everything up there- tent, chairs, grill, tables, corn hole,pack n plays, etc! We had a ton of people come and it was a blast! We ate, played corn hole, and once it got dark everyone got to play with sparklers, then the guys set off the big fireworks! Adelynn did great- she hung out outside with us for a while, took a cat nip here and there, and was just her happy usual self!

and if you notice in the pictures- I have three different outfits on haha. Which is a great thing about being at home ;) My first shirt was super cute and patriotic but I was getting glitter ALL OVER Adelynn, so it had to go! Then I changed in to one of my dad's old army tshirts, but changed AGAIN into running shorts and a new tshirt cause it was just so dang hot!

(getting ready, the glitter shirt!)

I can't say enough how blessed we are to have awesome neighbors. Our kids are close in age, they are our age, and a lot like Joey & I. We get along so well and have a lot in common. Its what I've always wanted- neighbors to get close with, hang out with, raise our kids together, etc. I see them becoming life long friends for sure! Brandon even told me "you know Adelynn's gonna call me Uncle right?" and I wouldn't have it any other way!

(Me, Dawn, and Colton!)

Growing up Brittany and I always said we wanted to work together and live in the same neighborhood, who knew it would ACTUALLY happen? Britt and I went to highschool together, college, been working together since 2010 for the same company, and living in the same neighborhood for the last 2 1/2 years. Her and Zach live right down the street, and its so much fun!

(Zach and Britt!)

(Me & Britt, friends since 2000!)

I just love having awesome friends/neighbors, its the picture perfect life I always dreamnt of! I'm so grateful Adelynn has all of these people in her life, and she'll get to grow up with them!

We had a great 4th of July, and look forward to doing it again next year!

artbookmarks

Ever since Adelynn was born, I've been writing to her in a journal. Memories, I add pictures, mementos from various things I tell her about,etc. I loved going through old family pictures (and still do) when I was younger, and asking my parents/grandparents the stories behind everything, and who was who, etc. I decided to keep journals for Adelynn throughout her life so she can have them one day and know all about everything!

The journal I'm writing in right now is one my Aunt gave me when she came to visit in the hospital- and I love it, it is so beautiful.

I browse Etsy often for various things, and came across ArtBookMarks store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbookmarks

Maria is the seller, and she does amazing work! She is located in Greece, and hand paints everything she makes with oil colors. She does: bookmarks, notebooks, calendars, and diaries. She let me know she loves custom orders as well- she was a joy to work with and nail down exactly what I wanted! I immediately knew I wanted one of her journals, for my next journal for Adelynn. The hard part was nailing down which one I wanted, because they were all so beautiful! All the journals are of course hand painted on Italian canvas, but ALSO hand stitched with cotton thread. They also come in different sizes, 8.5z6.1in or 6.1x4.3in.

The bigger journal is $35 and the smaller one is $29.

I contacted her and let her know which one I liked, and she let me know she could customize it how I wanted! I picked the larger journal, with beige colored paper, and asked her to write "Dear Adelynn...." on the bottom of the cover. I had told my MIL about it a while ago, and she decided to get it for me for my birthday (tomorrow!). I WAS SO EXCITED to finalize everything with Maria and order it!

Here are some pictures of the final product, Maria shipped it out today so I will be anxiously awaiting this package in the mail!

I haven't seen it in person yet (obviously) but I already know I LOVE IT. The pictures are beautiful and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. Maria was so sweet and awesome to work with on this. This is going to be SO SPECIAL for Adelynn one day :) Thanks again to Maria- you did an amazing job!

Head over to her site and check out everything else she has to offer, you won't be sorry! Again her site is:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbookmarks

“We let ourselves loose on that simple blank piece of paper, and our bodies spill. The terror, the love…embodying our stories page after page. In a sense, the pen was our tongue, it is how we delineate the world.”

-Coco J. Ginger

12 weeks old!

3 months old already, wow. hard to believe! my sweet girl will be 12 weeks tomorrow!

At 12 weeks heres some random facts about my baby:

- She found her feet, cutest thing ever. she stares at them and is so amazed! and of course she tries to eat them too ;)

- She MIGHT be teething? Shes drooling all over the place, and loves rubbing her gums on our knuckles, her hands, her feet, her teether, she KNAWS on her paci! so who knows, may be some teeth in our future!

- She is sleeping through the night still, and eats 8 oz! We're starting her on cereal soon, can't believe it.

-She is still amazingly happy & smiley ALL THE TIME. still hardly ever cries, we are SO blessed.

-She still looks like her daddy's twin, but I see a little more of me now :) We've decided she has my eyes! both Joey & I have blue eyes, but different blues (hard to explain) and Joey's tend to change colors too.

-She is still a mama's girl, and I'm soaking it up cause I know one day she'll want nothin' to do with me and will be a full blown daddy's girl!

-She LOVES talking...err... "talking" , its def my favorite thing every day when I get home, to just sit and talk to her.

-She doesnt like being held like a baby anymore unless shes sleepy, or eating. She loves to sit up and look around. Shes gotten some muscle going too- holding her head up like a champ (she sat in her bumbo for the first time and loved it!), putting weight on her legs and 'standing' on our laps. Shes growing so fast.


I'm obsessed with her, plain and simple! I adore her more than ever, and she is the best part of my life! We are so blessed to have our sweet girl, and we never take it for granted!

(Finding her feet!)

(First time in her bumbo, she LOVED it!)

(12wk photo shoot!)

Beads n Bows/Silver Lush

So I don't normally brag on vendors, but I had such an amazing experience with Jennifer I had to share!

Jennifer owns Beads N Bows (on facebook) / Silver Lush (on etsy) and her stuff is amazing. I stumbled across her facebook by chance and I'm so glad I did. I spotted a necklace I wanted on her site and drooled over it for well over a month. I worked with her to customize it exactly how I wanted. She was so nice, patient, and a pleasure to work with! All of her stuff is one of a kind, and SO reasonably priced. Here are a couple pictures of my purchase:

I saw this 'you are my sunshine' charm and fell in LOVE. I knew I had to have it! When we were dating Joey always called me his sunshine (and still does), so its always been our thing. When Adelynn came along she adopted the same nickname ;) I had Jennifer add a hammered bar with Adelynn's name, and her birthstone (April) to go along with the sun charm, and 'You are my sunshine'. It was a steal at $32.00!

I received it in the mail this past Saturday and could NOT be happier with it. I tore the package open and put it on right away, I absolutely love it. She included a business card with all her contact info, and even a little card that has info on how to take care of your jewelry.

I have a couple friends who have already told me they are placing an order with her- and I just had to feature her on my little ol' blog :)

She is very open to custom orders, everything is hand stamped, and she has an incredible creative eye! She is located in Rock Hill, SC -- southern girl like me ;) Make sure you check out both her Etsy shop and her Facebook page-- she has bows for sale as well on her facebook, and they are just too cute not to take a look at!

Here are links to her sites:

https://www.facebook.com/beadsnbowsSC

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SilverLush?ref=seller_info

I will most definitely be placing another order (or 5!) with her in the future. Go over and check her stuff out, you won't be sorry- I promise!