Wednesday, December 07, 2011














































































Lots of catching-up to do around here. First off, Ellery's birthday party. Such a fun time for her and her little friends. We had someone come and make balloon animals, did some face painting and crafts, followed by eating and playing. I feel so fortunate that Ellery has such a nice group of little playmates.


On a less fun note, last Friday Ellery broke her left arm for the second time. She received roller blades for her birthday and asked to take them to the park with us. I thought this was a great idea, as the bottom surface at the park is recycled rubber(as in a soft place to land). However, she fell on her elbow and happened to hit it "just right" for a second fracture. It was a bit dramatic and scary for her(as well as mom) because she was in some pain. We were fortunate to get into a local orthopedist office where they saw us right away and put a cast on her arm. She should have the cast off in three weeks, just two days before Christmas. Our girl is a trooper!!

Sunday, November 20, 2011









Yes, it is cliche, but it is hard to believe our sweet little Ellery is going to be six tomorrow. Ellery, you make us proud each day with your kind spirit and loving ways. We love you so much. Happy Birthday!!! XXOO

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

This is one small part of the closet. There is another section for seasonal, dresses, and accessories(but it didn't look the way I wanted).




As I mentioned before, I actually enjoy organizing things. I don't have a perfectly organized home, but I aspire for things to be in order. My latest attempt at getting my home in order, brought me to my closet. I am fortunate to have a very large closet, but this also seems to prevent me from getting rid of things as often. I finally realized that half the battle in the closet comes from getting the appropriate hangers, and lining things according to color groups. I bought my hangers from Bed, Bath, and Beyond and they are made by Real Simple. They come in sets of 50, but I needed about 4 sets. Check out this inspiration: http://honeywerehome.blogspot.com/2010/10/mom-cave-my-closet.html In my wildest dreams....

Tuesday, November 01, 2011







This idea was stolen from Allison. If you have not already, check our her blog: www.thesoladayfamily.blogspot.com. She is super creative and crafty!





















































Happy Halloween from the Libby crew. Hope you had a great one!

Sunday, October 16, 2011



























I am so happy to report that I am FINALLY well after being sick for 5 days! I can't remember the last time I was this sick......cold, cough, fever, chills, aches, the whole nine yards. We had to cancel our Halloween party and the children have had LOTS of indoor time this week.



We are off to Scottsdale this week. Darin has a speaking engagement there and we are going to tag along and stay at a beautiful resort with lots of fun things for the little ones. In case any of you are thinking about breaking into my house, we are having guests stay at our house to take care of the dog.....not to mention the fact that we know every one of our neighbors and they will call us in 2 seconds flat to report any suspicious behavior.


The pictures are from LegoLand last weekend. We took the kids there for "brick or treat". The park sets up a free(after a paid admission) trick or treating trail with lots of little goodies along the way. It was quite cute and Ellery was thrilled to wear her costume for an additional event.

Monday, October 03, 2011







It was a very exciting weekend over at the Libby casa. We added a new member to our family, Ricky. A friend of a friend was looking to adopt out their dog and asked if we would be interested. We took the dog on a trial basis for the weekend and fell in love with this sweet little pup. He is a shi-poo(shitzu, poodle mix) and is about 4 1/2. He could not be sweeter and we are so thrilled to welcome him into our little family!

Monday, September 26, 2011































































































































We have been busy little bees around here. We were in Texas a few weeks ago for Darin's 20 year high school reunion. It was such a blast and we are so glad we went. I somehow managed to forget my camera, so we have only my i-phone pictures.

Last weekend we were in Napa for a close friend's 40th birthday. We rented a house with 6 couples and had the BEST time! It was such a fun group and the entire weekend was so well planned. The first night there we had a chef come to the house and it was an 80's theme. The food was delicious and the wine was unbelievable! If you are planning a trip there, call me because I have some great suggestions!

Thanks grandma for coming and watching the children. They enjoyed their special time with grandma(not to mention the treats and goodies that grandma brought).

Tuesday, August 23, 2011











I have a little confession to make--I sort of like to organize things. Not all the time, but I do get inspired and then love the process of going through, throwing out and making everything streamlined. I was TOTALLY inspired by this pantry: http://www.thehouseofsmiths.com/2010/07/pantry-remix.html#more . Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? Seriously, I think it is beautiful.



This is my version. Another trip to the Container Store will help my situation, but for now this will have to do. No comparison, but things are improving. I love the idea of everything being labeled. When I taught school I would label everything in my classroom ......you think I might be a bit OCD?

Wednesday, August 17, 2011




Our big girl started first grade on Monday. This girl certainly takes after her father.....she walks in totally confident and makes a new friend within the first few minutes. One little girl walked into the classroom and was starting to get upset, as this is a new school for her. Ellery immediately walks over to her, takes her hand and asks her name. The little girl was then fine and Ellery made a new friend. A proud moment for Darin and I.


Poor Dane is so sad that he doesn't have his best playmate with him all day. He cried on her first day and has been making me pretend to be Ellery during playtime.

Saturday, July 30, 2011































Yes, I am the WORST blogger in the history of blogging. We have been enjoying our summer and all that southern California has to offer. We have been spending a TON of time at the pool, the beach, the park. The cousins from Chicago came to visit for the first part of the summer and the children had the BEST time together. There were several trips to Legoland, Disneyland, a hike up Torrey Pines, and fun at the pool. We also had grandma and grandpa come visit and the children really enjoyed their special time with the grandparents.


The children have been in swim lessons for most of the summer and are doing fantastic! Ellery is pretty much an independent swimmer now and Dane is a dare devil who thinks he is an olympic swimmer. Darin has been working like crazy, but taking a little time to enjoy the golf course, too .


I am feeling sad that summer is coming to an end in two short weeks.......I may feel different as the time to return draws near(the children are getting a little cranky).

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Dear Maui, Please allow me to express my great gratitude for providing my family with the most amazing vacation. From your warm waters, gentle breezes, and hospitable people......you are truly a gem. You graced us with beautiful sunshine and clear water, as well as delicious fare for our palette. We truly appreciate your spectacular beauty and laid back ways. We were so very sad to say goodbye, but look forward to seeing you next year. Thank you so much for your gracious hospitality. Fondly, The Libby Family