ART Journal 2009

So this year Em is doing a new art journal thing that I am super excited about. The year before last I joined her in doing the small art journal with the deck of cards, loved that. And I had wanted to start a weekly art journal of my own this year, but then I saw she was going to "host" one so I am super stoked to participate. Head over to her blog, linked above, if you want to join. yay!

So the first thought provoking journal question is what do you wish for this year to come? What do you want to happen? What do you want to be? How do you want to live... basically your goals in a nutshell... and here's my first page...


And the coolest part is I made this blank book years ago and have always wanted to use it but have been afraid to start and ruin it, so I am excited to use it and fill it up this year with my thoughts and dreams and just basically me.


and here's just a small shot of my studio corner in our second room, love this place, love the creation that occurs here and the joy i feel when i do get to create, and I hope to feel even more of that this year!


Thanks Em for the great challenge!! Here's to a fun year in 2009!

I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world...

We had a tougher night than usual with the little one, and I ended up not being able to crawl into bed until about one in the morning. I cuddled with her this morning, after a night of less than perfect sleep, and while we cuddled and tried to prepare ourselves for the day ahead we listened to a beautiful CD my in laws gave us for Christmas. It is called "a child's prayer" and is a mix of beautiful primary songs for bedtime, it is so soft and sweet, and perfect for helping a tired baby rest.

As I sat there, holding my resting baby girl, a song came on that I love, and have always loved. But it touched me in a different way this morning.


Whenever I hear the song of a bird
Or look at the blue, blue sky,
Whenever I feel the rain on my face
Or the wind as it rushes by,
Whenever I touch a velvet rose
Or walk by a lilac tree,
I’m glad that I live in this beautiful world
Heavenly Father created for me.

He gave me my eyes that I might see
The color of butterfly wings.
He gave my ears that I might hear
The magical sound of things.
He gave me my life, my mind, my heart;
I thank Him rev’rently
For all his creations, of which I’m a part.
Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me.


As it ended and I heard the words "For all the creations of which I'm a part" I looked down at little M and I started to cry. No matter how hard the nights are or how much she cries, I am so blessed to have her and I am so grateful for the Lord's hand in my life and for the many many blessings our family has.

Love you all.

Happy New Year, may we all find the beauty and joy in every day life this year!

our target after-Christmas find...

I should not be allowed to go to stores during the after-Christmas sale rush... but I do think I lucked out pretty good with this one.


I have always wanted a cute stocking hanging thing and of course it's great that I found one with my favorite word... love it, love it!

our new Christmas gift!

Can you guess what it is??


Yup, a sweet web cam, now you and you can chat with me live and see bebe mckinley... and anyone else I know that would be interested in chatting with us, do let us know, love y'all!!

My First Christmas Dress

love. and mom made it in less than 24 hrs, nice. gotta love last minute decisions!

lovin' her

because she is oh-so-easy to love.

and thank you Jen for the adorable clothes, those foxes are to die for. love.

US : Christmas in our home...

just a little peak into our house right about now... i LOVE the Holiday season, feels so warm and cozy!



I LOVE my nativity set, it's a Willowtree set. This year we added the angel in the left corner, she's gorgeous, with a tree on her skirt, love it!


And you'll note the sweet gold box under the tree ... made that last year finally, with a left over chacos box...
My family growing up had a tradition where the gold box was the first gift to go under the tree and all season long as you noticed people doing acts of service, or did things yourself, you wrote them down and put them in the box and then on Christmas morning it is the first gift opened and it is our gift to Jesus Christ, serving our fellow men.
I love it.


Thank you mom, for Mckinley's stocking, Jordan keeps teasing that grandkids get all the love, it took him a year and a half after joining the family to get his, but it only took her a few weeks. I told him it's true, the grandkids are the most loved!!


This last one is for you Jes, so you can see the blue Christmas balls on your beaded tree... Jordo bought these our first year married, and I never have liked them on the actual tree, so this year they found a new home and I love it!


Merry Christmas!!!

US : today in our world

me and the babe, just chillin



our pretty girl


and the weird positions she gets into while nursing


nursing pads, all over the house, I swear!


the goose lamp helps out in airing out the diaper covers


and a pile o' handmade cloth wipes, nice and soft


so that's about it for today, did a lot of snuggling and cuddling. gotta love those babies!

I LOVE THIS!! Happy Holidays!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

our little one...

Life has been crazy weird these last two weeks, all of this adjusting to a new world. It's been great though, and every time I look at this little bit of sunshine my heart is so incredibly full. It's a weird emotion, this love, I never have felt it before. Jordan and I both are just so happy and in love with our little butter ball, she is a sweetie for sure.

Now Announcing...

The arrival of Mckinley Jane Ryskamp!!






Born 11.9.08
6:08 am
7 lbs 12 oz
20 inches long

We had a wonderful whirlwind of a night and have the most beautiful little baby girl to show for it. More details of the birth and exciting times later.
Love you all!

a new love...

it's true. i am officially in love with a cookie this holiday season. oh, and my family of course. :)
Happy Holiday Season!!

is too much practice a bad thing!?

So I just had to share... I have been so excited, obviously, about our new little member of the family on her way that I just can't get enough of baby things and trying them out. Just the other day my moby wrap came in the mail and I HAD to try it on, of course!


I know, I am kind of a dork. And it won't look exactly like this with her in it because first of all my 8 month preggo belly is under there and second that teddy bear is quite a bit larger than a new born, at least we hope so anyhow!!
But the point is, I love it! I am really into the whole baby carrier thing, wraps, slings, etc, so hopefully she likes it too, it would especially be helpful once I head back to work so I can wear her while I do my work, that'd be nice, at least occasionally.

And then I had to share the cute burp rags I made on Saturday. I made the star one for a girlfriend of mine that had her baby this last week:


And then I loved that one so much I came home from her baby shower and made myself a super cute flower one and I love it!


LOVE them!
So anyhow... today at the doctor they told me that I am actually measuring closer to a due date of the 24th, instead of the 17th... ugh. But, on an up note this does mean I have more time to wrap things up at work and to sew lots more for the cute babe.
Speaking of sewing, those scrapbookers/crafters out there... Heidi Grace is now designing fabric... I saw it today at JoAnns and it is so cute! Perfect for little baby girl sewing, so go get some, love it!
K, that's all, take care, and Happy Monday!
(oh, and ps- I totally got white rabbit again... man, I am so on a roll!)

Winner winner chicken dinner!

So, I know I posted a picture of my pumpkin, the second place winner, but I also thought I'd share this shot my coworker took of my competition... First place went to the huge alligator head in the bottom right!!


And then of course, me, beaming with pride after the triumphant victory! I won a $20 gift card to Chilis and I told Jordan we'd save it for sometime in December while I am on maternity leave and we are so incredibly broke it'll be so much fun to have a fun night out!!

Happy Halloween!!

So Halloween was a blast this year, as always... Our office does it up really big, there's a parade, costume contest, donuts and cider, and it's just a ton of fun. The winning "department costume" gets a trophy and 50$ fun cash to do whatever with.
My boss and I had a sweet group costume this year...


I made my taco costume and I LOVE it! I had so much fun with it. The shell was the hardest part to figure out, but I finally found a cheap on sale twin size foam mattress topper I could use, which I then turned around and today made into a mattress for our bassinet, which I will post pics of soon, cause it looks awesome and is completely done now!


And then our office also always has a pumpkin carving contest. I have won second place for the last two years and usually take home a sweet gift certificate to somewhere for dinner for two. Every year I usually stay up until almost 2 am carving my sweet pumpkin so I wasn't going to enter this year... I mean come on, I am pretty much 9 months pregnant, there's no way I am stayin' up that late!
But last minute I decided to enter anyways and just do something faster and easier than usual. Well, there were waaayyyy more entries than any other year and guess who took second place!!? Me!!!
I was so happy I had decided to enter... and here it is, the second place pumpkin: (oh, and is it a bad sign that I always take second, never first OR third???)


HAPPY HALLOWEEN to all you crazies, see ya next year!!

(oh and I forgot to mention we won best group costume!! Not just us, but they grouped us with the purchasing department, as a group we were "fast food lane" and we won! It was a sweet sweet day of victory for us all! I love Halloween!)