in the lives of the Koeppens..

RECAP of this year:
Jan 9,2006 1:17 pm
Avery Ella Koeppen was born wow it was amazing for the 3rd time
Feb
Started home visits for Mav, Breastfed successfully
March
Louis turned 27. Louis and I have been together for 7 years true love has been found!
April
I turned 24 woohoo, Autism Awareness month. Went to Build a Bear for the first time and I have to say if ya never been that is a must do thing in life!Easter was fun this year the kids thought coloring the eggs was pretty cool and watching them was a blast!
May
Mavrick was diagnosed with Autism. Please spread the word about this everyone needs to know about Autism it effects 1 in every 166 kids an boy is that scary. I finally got enough courage to post my layouts online and wow got some good response to them so glad I did it now!Avery Ella got her ears pierced.Teagan decided she need a change in looks and cut her hair all by herself YIKES!
June
We learned that our little man has some hidden talents like knowing how to play the Xylophone totally awesome that the kid loves music his fav is Johnny Cash.Poor Louis got injured at work he was fixing one of the machines and while doing it some of the chemicals that they use at work got on his pants and knees and well took the flesh off his knees he now has some really bad scares and problems with his knees. I actually did a ME layout and posted it online.
July
Teagan went to the dentist for the first time and it didn't go so good. Avery Ella took her first dip in the pool.Avery started crawling. Grandma and Grandpa Bursley celebrated their 46th Anniversary wow isn't that something.Company picnic the kids had a blast. Zoo trip the kids love the animals.I changes my scrapping style went from 12x12 to 8.5x11 and can I say that I love the 8.5x11 size!
Aug
I made it I finally made it! My first publication was in the Ready Set Create Aug/Sept issue. So exciting! Louis and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary.
Sept
Mavrick started school and was it hard to let him go but wow has it done him good I couldn't ask for better people to take care of my child while he is there, Marilyn and Khristine are amazing women and I am so grateful for the 2 of them!Another publication this time with Scrapstreet ezine how cool! Also made not 1 not 2 but 3 Design Teams. ScrapNCircle, Scrappy Girl Designs, and Moments 2 Remember Scrapbook Store. This is awesome something a girl dreams of. Teagan turned 4 she is growing up so fast too fast really! Kortney gave birth to Zoey Lynn.
Oct
Avery Ella started walking. Had a blast at the Elks Halloween party that they throw for the Special Ed program in Barry County.Laci had her baby boy yes a boy it was suppose to be a girl but tada it was a he Kevin Scott Jr. Had a ton of fun Trick~or~Treating with the kids this year they raced from door to door giggling and screeching all the way.
Nov
Mav had to have stitches thanks to my moms dog. Mav turned 3 man his is a big boy!I yes me Mandy Koeppen made her very own Thanksgiving dinner and it was delish!!So proud on my self.I actually got a picture of my children with my biological father never thought that day would happen but it has. Our well broke so we had to bunk at moms house for a week till we could get it fixed finger crossed its all fixed now.
Dec
Here we are the end of another year wowo its been a doozy again. Teagan got her hair cut yes the long blonde locks are gone traded them in for a cute short do.She loves her new hair and so does mom now we won't have to fight everyday just to comb it. The kids are excited about Christmas this year Louis and I love that its so fun to see them get so excited. the kids have been sick alot this year which is no fun but I think alot of it is from school.

This year I have created, I have lived, and I have certainly loved and been loved!!!

Mav is doing great in school I am so proud of that little man! I just can't believe he is 3 even though he looks like a 6 yr old he is still my baby. Avery Ella waves bye bye and blows smooches it's so cute!Never thought that having 2 girls would be so crazy lol they fight over babies and one being closer then the other oh man its a circus around here. I have to admit that Teagan is just like me yes I am saying this she is like me in just about every way stubborn, sassy, emotional oh the list could go on and on.I Love my kids man they are awesome and beautiful I am truely blessed!!!Louis, God I love this guy he is amazing and I don't know how I got so lucky to get him. He goes to work 7 days a week lately to a job that basically shits on him especially after the whole knee injury, and still comes home with a smile on his face every night. Even in the darkest times which there have been some of those lately he still keeps truckin on and holds his head high even when I know he is fighting back the tears. Me well I am still chubby as even but hey at least I got a guy that loves his chubby girl right? YES! I am to the point in life that ya know things an beauty doesn't matter I have my family and my scrapping, and life well its good even when its bad! WE have had our far share of things gone bad this year so i am very happy that this year is almost done. So with all that said Happy Holidays and Here is to a wonderful New Year!
Till then ~

A few of my latest favs..

It's been awhile

So it's October wow.Halloween, Mom's Birthday, and snow yes snow is in the forecast this week. The thought of it makes me cringe. Teagan is now 4 years old and had the bestest Birthday ever as she told everyone lol. Avery has been really sick lately and is cutting 4 teeth right now poor girl, Mav is doing great at school and saying more words it's so awesome to hear that little man saying stuff! Louis was sick lat week but better now he had some kind of infection and the Dr didn't know what I swear it's one thing after another here but it's ok make life interesting I guess. I have been scrapping alot and boy is that therapy for me gotta love this hobby. I went to the store in Holland this past weekend to check out what my work looks like in a store and I gotta tell you that is so cool to see me stuff hanging in a store for everyone to see. OH I got to meet Robin form M2R and she is great such a nice wonderful lady!I have been getting a few goodies in the mail lately too. One package came from Jeri at ScrapNCircle I was the one that came up with the cyber crop name so i got goodies too cool it was full of SEI Halloween Hoopla stuff she was so nice! I got my JDF kit from Robin at M2R and it's really neat not the normal stuff I use but I really like it and can't wait to work with it. Also got some cool goods from my secret pal at FH2S some Heidi Swapp stuff may fav!So many things going on its hard to remember everything right now. so i will try to get on and post more tomorrow.

Another week almost over

Wow this year is really flying by it's hard to believe it's the middle of September already.Teagan will be 4 in just 12 days where has the time gone? Avery just turned 8 months on the 9th she has 2 teeth and toddles everywhere. Mavrick has been in school now for a week and he is doing awesome there has been good change with him! Teagan gets to start school on Monday woohoo!!! The only bad thing about this whole school thing will be the hour and a half wait I will have everyday Mav starts 30 min before T and he gets out and hour before her thank goodness for Grampa and Grandma though they are buying us a DVD player for the car to kep them busy. Louis is going to start second shift on Monday and I am ok with it I guess more change in such a short time. I am doing ok this week has been up and down with everyone sick and all the happenings that is life! I haven't scrapped so tonight after open house that is what Mandy will be doing! I have all my ideas, pictures picked and plans of supplies I think lol. Not much more that i can think of to till next time.....

Wow...

Wow the last couple weeks have been great here! I have been chosen to be a part of 3 yes 3 design teams how cool is that? So cool!! I made it to the next week in scrapvivor on MFS.Got some great goodies in the amil too can't wait to play with them all.
Mavrick started school and it is going great!!Things are better here at home with him too and that is so awesome alot less stressful for mommy. He is doing super great! He is the only one in class that has gotten a star everyday so I am so proud of him. No major tantrums and omg he is saying more for the teacher which is totally awesome!!He really has bonded with his teacher Khistine and with the assistant Marilyn he just thinks she is great and I do too. They are so good to him and he reacts wonderfully to them. Man can you tell I am so proud and excited about my little man being a big boy and going to school. He is tired as heck when we get home lol he passes out almost everyday which is good too since he really needs the rest.He always has a big smile on his face when I pick him up which make me feel good and I know he misses me. I am so proud of myself too I thought I would have a very hard time with all this change but its a good thing and I am doing good too.
Teagan starts school next week and oh am I ready for that day lol. She got so upset that Mav got to go to school and she didn't but soon enough she will. We have a meeting with her teacher tomorrow here at home not sure what all is gonna happen but we get to meet her so that will be nice.
Avery and I have been sick this weekend. It really sucks when mommy and baby are both sick! This is the first time she has really been sick and she is so clingy and whiney poor little turd I feel so bad for her. I think it is this weather change we are having it goes from hot one day to coold the next and that is not good at all.We will be better soon I hope.
Louis will be changing shifts next week so he is gonna be working nights which isn't all bad I guess. He will be able to watch the kids when I have DR appts and will be able to watch A when I take the kids to school but it will be a big change for the kids again and i hope it goes well for us.
I will try to post pics of Mavs first day of school and journal some of the day to tomorrow.Its a little late to try tonight and i am tired and yucky feeling so goodnight for now......

LIfe changes..

SO tomorrow life changes for the Koeppen's as we know it today. Mav starts school ( wow that gets me teary eyed just typing this and thinking bout it). It's hard to even think that my babies are going to school this fall seems like just yesterday they we born. Were does the time go I will never know. Anyways back to the change we will be getting up early which is a big change since we all liek to sleep till 9a.m. and will be going to bed early too. It is going to be a big adventure loading 3 kids up and taking them to school everday dropping one off waiting a half hour then dropping the next off but Teagan doesn' start school till the 20th so the next 2 weeks is going to be a delight with her lol since she is the one that really wants to go to school. I am a little nervous about taking 3 monsters into the school everyday and leaving with only 1 but I think they will be ok. We went to Mav's class open house lastnight and he really liked it there and has a wonderful teacher Mrs.M.I know this is getting rambley but so many thoughts about life changing are runing through my head this morning and can you believe I have been up since before 6am OMG and I am not a morning person but I have to start being one now.ok I think this is enough till later when I have all my thought in a row.....

Friday

So it's finally Friday and that is good!! I got to see my layout in the ScrapStreet online magazine today and it was so cool! I am so excited for what is to come for me and my scrapping. I have really come along way in the last couple months, my style has totally changed I love scrapbooking and have so much fun creating my layouts!!Here is one of my latest creations simple, quick, and cute!Love it!!

Good Things...

Yes good things are happening this week for Mandy and Family. My top 10 good things this week are:
1. Louis and I celebrated our 5th Wedding Anniversary on August 30th!
2. Mavrick got in our bed theother day ans said"My bed" oh it was so awesome to hear that!!
3. I got an email from Legacy Magazine requesting my A Moment Like This layout. So happy it is a dream to see my layout in the gloss.
4. The sound of my Kiddies giggling man that is music to this momma's ears!
5. I was one of the Top 10 Finalist for the ScrapHype Design Team, although I didn't make the team is was an honor to be among the wonderful ladies in the Top 10.
6. Teagan and I had a mommy daughter day on Monday it was all great till she had to have 4 shots then it was "why mommy why?" She had to have them for school.
7. My baby girl is toddling and crawling everywhere she is a doll.
8. Kisses from Louis
9. My internet friends and the Message Boards I visit.
10. Getting goodies in the mail oh man I love goodies!!

I have lots of MOJO this week so I have been creating like crazy love it when this happens.Lastnight I got 4 layotus done in less then an hour woohoo! I also found out early this wee that I made it to Round 5 in the Treasure Hunt on Treasured Scrapbooking. I submitted for a couple more Design Teams I am not holding my breath because I know some very talented ladies submitted also, I expect to get another one of those your work is great but please try again next time emails in a few days.Oh well keep pushing on right? YEP

Why?

Why is there always a storm brewing when life is sailing right along?Just when you think that you have reach the island of good that storm hits and mess everything up? WHY WHY WHY? Yes the storm has hit my sailing you see my mom is the storm that hit my ship this weekend and now the island of good well its a little out of sight. I told my mom what I thought about the last time she babysat and well she didn't like what I had to say because she was in the wrong which OMG no way she could never be wrong but she was this time very wrong. It's a long story to put it short and sweet my autistic son was outside by himself and no one was in sight not a good thing so I got a little pissed you might say and let it build up till this weekend and got it off my chest. You see I don't normally stand up for myself but when it comes to my children you bet your ass I will go out guns a blazing and let ya have it with both barrels no matter who you are!
Ok on a happy note I have been scrapping lately and loving my new creations! I have been jsut letting it all go and what feels good to me it what ends up on the layout and boy are they looking good not only do I think so but soem of my online scrappin friends have said so too. Here are a couple I did today and I have to say I love the one of Mav. I have been wanting to do something about him being Autistic and today was finally the day I got this done.
Even though my ship got hit by the storm this week is goign to be a good week because I will make it a good week. Gotta stay happy and positive! Happy Scarpping to you and have wonderful week! Ya know I don't even know if anyone reads this but to all those I think maybe reading it have a great week!
TOOTALOO~

Today is GOOD!!

The title of this post says it alltoday is good. I got an email from ScrapStreet requesting my Miracle layout and also was told it is a finalist for the cover contest too. I am so excited!I actually got the email lastnight so I ran in and jumped on Louis (he was already in bed almost asleep lol)and told him my news he was so happy for me. It feels so good to get an email like that. I also got the news yesterday that I made it to the next round of teh Treasure Hunt and Treasured Scrapbooking. I am so excited about this contest it is so much fun to participate. A great group of ladies on that site too and they are talented! I love scrapping!