keepsakebaby

Blessings for 2010

2010-01-10T07:22:00.000-08:00

Blessings to you from the Hartman family. I have some changes in the works for my blog. Will be posting more about this soon. Thanks!

Andrea's Very First Pre-Ballet Class 2009

2009-09-20T08:29:00.000-07:00

Our little girl danced! Andrea had her very first pre-ballet class at Ithaca Ballet. She will be learning basic barre exercises and simple steps. We have taken her to dance classes at different ages, but she was too shy to dance and only wanted to watch. Andrea dances all the time at home and dreams of being a ballerina. So proud her and love her so. :)

Soccer 2009

2009-09-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

Jacob, Andrea, and Luke are playing soccer this season. Jacob plays on the big field. This is Andrea and Luke's very first sport to play. Fun watching them practice and play. Luke is only 4 .. he is so serious when he plays. Very sweet.

Back to School 2009

2009-09-11T02:03:00.000-07:00

All 4 of my kids are in school this year. It is not easy for me to part with my youngest, Luke. Bobby is in 10th grade .. Jacob is in 5th grade .. Andrea is in 1st grade .. and Luke is in UPK. The older kids started last Wednesday and Luke on Thursday. Luke wanted to ride the school bus with his older brothers and sister on his first day of school. Luke was crying at school quite a bit on his first day. Hopefully he will be having fun soon. My older kids are very excited to be back in school and see their friends. I think it will be a great school year.

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

2009-08-25T05:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Mom!! You are the best Mom and best Grandma there could ever be. I miss you so much!! Wish we lived closer to each other. My Mom makes the very best homemade coffee cake. I will always remember the scent of the cinnamon throughout the entire house from her coffee cake baking. I use this recipe now so my kids can have this same memory about me as I do about my lovely lovely Mom. I love you Mom!!!

Happy 16th Birthday Bobby!

2009-08-16T04:28:00.000-07:00

Happy 16th Birthday to my oldest son Bobby! I remember when I first saw your sweet little face and held you in my arms on the day you were born. Tears are in my eyes as I remember all of our wonderful days together - watching you grow up into such a fine character, handsome, smart, creative, and funny young man - who is my favorite to have long chats with. I am so proud of you! Love you always XOXO Mom

Happy 4th Birthday Lukey!!!!

2009-08-11T01:39:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th Birthday to my precious little son, Lukey. My tiny NICU baby is now a big boy! God has sure blessed me with such a sweet little son. Lukey was very excited that we won some fun Thomas the Train toys in a giveaway on Moomette's Magnificents. We will have a fun birthday day Lukey!!! Love you always XOXO Mommy

Happy World Breastfeeding Week

2009-08-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

Happy World Breastfeeding Week. It has been the sweetest blessing for me as a mother to breastfeed all 4 of my babies. This picture is of my little Luke nursing while in the NICU! He kept making baby signs that he wanted to nurse. He would look right at me and put his little fist over his mouth over and over. My baby wanted to nurse with his Mommy. I keep this breastfeeding memory in my heart forever.

Oh My Goodness

2009-07-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

Andrea surprised Mommy today. She says she has the chicken pox. Hopefully her chicken pox will wash off before we have to go bye-bye. Love you Andrea.

Happy 11th Birthday Jakey!

2009-07-29T04:39:00.000-07:00

Happy 11th Birthday to my precious son, Jakey. My preemie baby is 11 years old now. What a handsome, smart, kind, honorable, and funny young man you are. I am so proud of you. God blessed me with such a sweet son! You are Mom's hero! Love you always! XOXO Mom

Summer Fun

2009-07-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

My kids are having fun so far this summer. They swim every chance they get, even if the water is cold. It is nice to have days that are carefree with nothing scheduled. Just to have fun. Hope you are having a fun summer too. Blessings.

I want to win the blue Madsen cycle!

2009-07-10T21:13:00.000-07:00

I want to win the lovely blue Madsen Cargo Cycle, perfect for mommy and her precious cargo. I have the Madsen Badge posted on my site and I tweet this contest on twitter as often as I can, since it is a link contest. This bike is so innovative, unique, and stylish! It is the ultimate earth friendly transportation with plenty of room for flowers, groceries, and little ones.

MADSEN Cycles Link Contest

Madsen would like your help in spreading the word about the MADSEN Cargo Bike. To that end, they'll be giving away two MADSENs on July 15th 2009, and anyone with a web presence (blog, Twitter, Facebook, website, MySpace, etc.) can win!

Enter here: MADSEN Cargo Bikes

Good luck!!

Win a Mini Vacation at Things Moms Like!

2009-07-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

I am excited to be entered to win a mini vacation at Things Moms Like! Since about age 3, my oldest son, Bobby, now 15, has dreamed of going to Legoland. My kids love Legos - I think that's all they've played with on their summer break from school. Bobby makes incredible videos featuring Legos on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/user/xevoz44 Bobby dreams of working for Lego in Denmark as a designer after high school and college. When I look at the Lego's he has designed, I know he will achieve his goal. Winning this trip to LEGOLAND California will make Bobby's lifelong dream come true and my dream come true as his Mom wanting so much to take him to Legoland!! This would be the trip of a lifetime for my family!

Things Moms Like is hosting the LEGOLAND California & Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort Family Trip giveaway for FOUR One-Day Hopper Tickets to LEGOLAND California http://www.legoland.com/california.htm and SEA LIFE Aquarium and TWO Nights stay at The Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort. (Sidenote: You must provide your own transportation there and back.)

Enter this wonderful giveaway here: http://thingsmomslike.com/2009/07/07/legoland-california-carlsbad-inn-beach-resort-family-trip-giveaway-723/

Good luck!!! and Blessings to your family!!

I entered the Paint Your Appliance Pink Contest

2009-07-10T01:57:00.000-07:00

Paint Your Appliance Pink!

1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime.

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

Please help Part Select donate $10,000 to Breast Cancer Research & you could win! Enter the Paint Your Appliance Pink Contest!

http://www.partselect.com/Paint-It-Pink/

I painted all of my appliances pink. Blessings to Part Select.

Happy 4th of July with Sweethearts

2009-07-04T05:15:00.000-07:00

My first review! ... Red, White & You Sweethearts ...

Sweethearts has unveiled a new line of their "language of love" Conversation Hearts! What a unique and heartfelt way to say thank you to the American Troops, Veterans, and celebrate America's patriotism with sentiments like "Proud of you", "Home Safe", and "Miss You".

I love Sweethearts throughout the year because they have the very words that are written in our hearts and they are a sweet message of our love.

We made these adorable cupcakes, decorated by my children so pretty using the Red, White & You Sweethearts. Happy 4th of July! Hope you have good friends, good food, and good fireworks!! Blessings!!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2009-07-03T20:20:00.000-07:00

Today is my hubby's birthday. Happy Birthday Forest. I love you! Every year he gets rainbows on his birthday. We think our babies in heaven are telling Daddy Happy Birthday!!

Grandma & Grandpa visited us from Indiana

2009-07-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa visited us from Indiana. They were here for about a week. Andrea was Grandma's constant companion staying right by her side. Grandma put rollers in Andrea's hair. Grandpa mowed our yard a few times while he was here and weeded our gardens and more. Our yard has never looked this good. We had such a nice visit. We cooked out and Grandma and Grandpa swam in our pool with the kids. Always so sad for me when they leave. We miss you already Grandma and Grandpa!!

Andrea got some play high heels

2009-07-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

Andrea got some play highheels with money from her birthday and a new Hello Kitty romper. She loves to be dainty and be a little lady. Love you Andrea!

Where Did You Come From, Baby Dear?

2009-06-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

for luke, my precious little NICU baby ...

Where did you come from, baby dear?

Out of the everywhere into here.

Where did you get your eyes so blue?

Out of the sky as I came through.

What makes the light in them sparkle and spin?

Some of the starry spikes left in.

Where did you get that little tear?

I found it waiting when I got here.

What makes your forehead so smooth and high?

A soft hand stroked it as I went by.

What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?

I saw something better than anyone knows.

Whence, that three-cornered smile of bliss?

Three angels gave me at once a kiss.

Where did you get this pearly ear?

God spoke, and it came out to hear.

Where did you get those arms and hands?

Love made itself into hooks and bands.

Feet, whence did you come, you darling things?

From the same box as the cherubs' wings.

How did they all just come to you?

God thought about me, and so I grew.

But how did you come to us, you dear?

God thought about you, and so I am here.

By: George MacDonald (1824-1905)

A Little Visitor

2009-06-07T23:59:00.000-07:00

We had a little visitor on our deck. The cutest little squirrel was interested in our hummingbird feeder.

Our First Visit to Central Park in New York City

2009-06-07T22:31:00.000-07:00

I heart New York!! "I think I will live in New York when I grow up. And by New York, I mean New York, New York." (What I wrote in a love letter to my Mother at age 6. She keeps this letter in her Bible) We moved from Indiana to New York about 3 years ago. My husband and I were in NYC years ago as part of our honeymoon travels. Now that we live in upstate New York, we are able to visit NYC more often. We have been to the Statue of Liberty, Bob the Builder Live Show, and to Central Park. I love Central Park. My kids had a blast exploring and climbing on rocks. They love New York hot dogs.

Day Out With Thomas for Lukey

2009-06-07T22:27:00.000-07:00

On Mother's Day we went to a Day Out With Thomas for Lukey, who is 3 years old. He wrote down in Mommy's calendar that we would get tickets to ride on Mother's Day. I will never forget the look on his precious little face when he first saw Thomas. I keep these family memories in my heart for always. Blessings.

Mother's Day at Lilac Festival Rochester NY

2009-06-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

Lilacs are my favorite flowers. Nearly every Mother's Day, my family visits the Lilac Festival in Rochester, NY, home of the world's largest lilac collection. I will always remember the scent of the lilacs in the air and all of the lovely lilacs. Blessings.

Andrea's New Playhouse

2009-06-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

Andrea has a new playhouse, built by Daddy for her 6th birthday. She wanted pink shutters and pink flowers in her window boxes. Her own little home sweet home.

Welcome to Our Home Sweet Home

2009-06-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

We had a beautiful rainbow right over the top of our house. My hubby took pictures. There really is no place like home.

My Very First Blog

2009-04-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my very first blog. I want to wish the sweetest blessings heaven can hold to all who read my very first blog. Happy Mothers Day to all moms and grandmas. Hug your babies and little ones and big ones so tight. Let's hold on and never ever let go. Let's keep all these precious memories in our hearts forever and ever and remember them and ponder upon them always.