kiki b omi designs Giveaway!

My Facebook page has reached 200 likes and I am celebrating with a giveaway! One person will be chosen at random to win a crayon roll of their choosing. I would love for you to hop on over to my Facebook page and leave a comment on my post there so you can be entered to win as well!

Extended Family Pictures, Cheese!

It has become a tradition for all of Mr Cherry's family to get together at his parents' house over the weekend of Father's Day. It is such a blessing for all of us to be able to get together under one roof and enjoy each other's company! A few years ago, we took family pictures while we were all together. Since then we have added four children to the family, so we wanted to take another family picture. In my mind I really wanted it to work out, but since I had just experienced a photo shoot with my own three, I wasn't overly optimistic when adding six more children in. These kids totally amazed me!

Check it out! Nine kids sitting nicely, looking at the camera, with pleasant smiles on their faces!! Since we had such great success with the kids, we decided to throw the adults in and just keep the kiddos right where they were.

Not bad! A picture with 20 people! We decided to press our luck and try individual family pictures.

We didn't have as much success, but did manage to snag a few good ones!

Welcome Summer

These two can be really good helpers and partners if they choose to be. 

This past weekend wasn't just the official start of summer, it really felt like summer here as well. We enjoyed the gorgeous weather by doing lots of things outside.

Out with the old and in with the new.

We started by doing some flower planting in the front of the house. We got a bit of a late start on that this year, but it looks great. We also filled up our new-to-us pool and the girls and their neighbor friends enjoyed splashing around in the yard.

The project foreman.

We capped Saturday evening off with a fire in our fire pit complete with roasted hot dogs and Peeps. (Let me tell you, if you haven't roasted a Peep, you are missing out!

Pool shenanigans!

The sugar caramelizes on the outside as the marshmallow roasts. Delicious!) Sunday was a bit more low key, but we did finish the day off with some Famous Dave's BBQ! Ah, summer!

The Ruby Top

Our totally awesome local fabric store is hosting a garment sewing month this June. They have some great giveaways and for every garment you complete you receive a 25% off coupon. This was just the motivation I needed to finish up a project for myself. I had already purchased the Ruby Dress and Top Pattern from Made by Rae and also the fabric to make a top. 
I purchased the orange print (an Anna Marie Horner rayon) and a great chambray for the top. I did use Rae's directions to line the yoke. I used the blind hem stitch on my machine for the hem.
I ended up sewing up a medium and really like the fit. It is just the right amount of fitted and flowy to fit comfortably, yet still be flattering.
The pattern sewed up quickly and easily. I can see more of these in my future!

Shortcake: Four Months Old

Our little man is now four months old. He is still such a happy little guy who pretty much just goes with the flow. He loves to smile at people and will talk and talk and talk. He is also starting to gain eye-hand coordination. Of course everything that he can grab into goes right into his mouth. He has turned into a drool machine. If we don't have a bib on him his outfit is soaked within the hour. He loves to be outside and just looks all around. We still swaddle him for sleeping, but he can pretty much get out of any swaddle we do. It just helps to keep his hands from taking his paci out while he is falling asleep. He loves his paci just as much as his sisters. He still eats about every three hours. And while he will take a bottle, he much prefers to get it straight from momma. Since we have done some traveling lately, it is interesting to see him react to new situations and experiences. He is usually comfortable anywhere, but sometimes is a bit leery if it is new to him. Sleep is still pretty good. Most nights he will wake up to eat once. Some nights he needs a bit more attention. His naps are consolidating a bit where he will take less longer naps especially on days we are busy in the morning and he doesn't get a good one then. His hair is rally coming in blonde. It is funny as the dark is still there. It is almost ombre hair. And his eyes are staying blue at the moment.

At his four month appointment he was 24.5 inches (25%) and 15 lbs 10 oz (56%).

Peachy at 4 months

Cream at 4 months

Baby Bow Tie

When I wanted to make a bow tie for Mr. Shortcake for Easter, I ended up cobbling together a few different patterns and tutorials I found. So when a friend recently asked if I would be willing to make her little man a bow tie, I decided to document the process for my future reference and for you! Because there is nothing as cute as a mini bow tie for your dapper little man!

I found Zoe's tutorial very helpful at SlowMama, but wanted a tie that actually went around the neck, so here is what I came up with.
1) Start by cutting three pieces of fabric. The neckband will be 14 by 2.5 inches, the main tie will be made from a piece that is 9 by 4 inches, and the middle piece will be 3 by 1.5 inches.

2) Sew your neckband piece, right sides together on one short and the long side. Clip corners and turn right side out and press. Press open edge under by .25 of an inch and sew shut.

3) Repeat with the main tie piece.

4) Sew ends of main tie piece together to create a circle.

5) Pinch the circle of the main tie piece in half and then pinch the top and bottom down. I used a glue gun to secure at this point, but you could also hand sew it. Since it will be covered, the method doesn't really matter. (This isn't super easy to explain, but the picture should help you out.)

6) Take your middle piece and press the short ends up about .25 of an inch toward wrong side of fabric. Press the long sides to meet in the center back of wrong side of fabric.

7) Secure the main tie to the neckband with the middle piece, covering any stitching or glue. I used a zigzag stitch on my machine. To do this, you will want to place your bow tie in the center of your middle piece with the neckband centered on the back of the bow tie. Wrap the middle piece around to the back and secure.

8) To finish add 1 inch strips of velcro to the front and back of the neckband. (I actually did this before I attached the bow tie. It is really up to you when you do it.

You are all done! Imagine all of the fun different fabrics you could use to make these adorable ties! And wouldn't father and son ties also be darling? (I mean manly!)

Foodie Friday: Stuffed Squash Boats

Have you ever had a zucchini or squash boat? They are soooo good. I made these last week and we all (well, minus our picky eater) loved them. I chose to use summer squash in place of the zucchini because it was a bit bigger than the zucchini at the store. This is a healthy and quick meal that will be added into our summer rotation. I may even have to try them on the grill! Check out the recipe for Zucchini Boats at Parenting.com.

Photo Shoot

The kids and I tried a quick photo shoot the other day. And let me tell you. Taking pictures of one kid can prove to be difficult, taking pictures of two kids is down right hard, and I am thinking that taking pictures of three kids is almost impossible.

Trying to get all three to look at me and have a somewhat decent expression on each of their faces and have my camera settings right was hard! I got lots of outtakes and just a few okay ones.

I guess I know why kids' photographers can charge what they do!

June: I'm Loving It

I am back with another month of loves! I am in no way getting compensated for these product recommendations. They are just items that I love and would love to share with you!
1) Trader Joe's Pita Crisps with Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds: My mother introduced me to these this month while traveling. And let me tell you, it is a good thing that she bought two bags right away. They are delicious! Just the right combination of salty and sweet and crunchy! A new TJ's favorite for me.
2) Loreal Boost It Line: I picked up a bottle of the Blow Out Spray and the High Lift Creation Spray at Target on a whim. (I am always looking for great new hair products, especially ones to help my volume challenged hair.) And the first time I used them I loved them. You use the Blow Out Spray on damp hair to create volume while blow drying and the High Lift Creation Spray on dry hair to boost the volume. They both work as promised. I shared some of the High Lift with my mom and she is also sold.
3) Zout Spray: My aunt shared this laundry/stain spray with me on some tough stains my children got while at their house. It got out Mr. Shortcake's blowout stains as well as grass stains and dirt stains and grease stains. And with my kiddos playing outside nonstop this summer, I am thinking it will be my clothes saver!

Around Here

I have been organizing our home like crazy lately. I am participating in a garage sale this weekend and it just spurred me on to deep cleaning, purging, and organizing. It feels good to get things in order, but it takes so much time to do it the right way. Hopefully after this week I can share some of my progress with you!

I made another diaper bag last month. This one went to my sister-in-law who just welcomed their third little man into the world in the beginning of May. I used another pattern from Watermelon Wishes. I also made a little diaper caddie to go along inside.

My favorite local fabric store declared the month of June as Garment Month. You receive a coupon for each garment sewn. This is just the motivation that I need to get some sewing done. I have the fabric for the Rae Ruby Top. So that will be my first project.

I signed the girls up for the summer reading program yesterday. Nothing says summer like the library reading program. Peachy is all fired up about reading and being read too in order to get those prizes!
Here is to productive summer days that have a little bit of lazy mixed in!