Bitty Bird

Halloween and Other Stuff

2010-11-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

Buzz & Woody

Buzz, Woody, & the Vampiress

The festivities at our house. We have the best neighborhood for trick-or-treating. We had about 250 to 300 kids, the most awesome haunted house across the street, a neighbor that has a full-out buffet, and decorated trailers heading up and down the street FULL of families & friends. I'm tellin' ya, if your neighborhood isn't this much fun, head our way next year. Our parents came in for the weekend and they said it was the most fun Halloween they have ever had!

Part of Jenna's teacher's gift...travel size tissue holders and personalized hand sanitizers. Please keep Jenna's teacher in your prayers..she lost her father last week at the age of 57 to stage 4 prostate cancer. She is such a wonderful woman and a fabulous teacher. We love her dearly.

Put your orders in early...I'll be sewing some Christmas tisse holders and pairing them up with some holiday decorated sanitizers. I'll post them as soon as I get one done.

A proud member of the Daisy Scout Troop 1785...her handmade tie-dyed troop shirt. She thinks she is sooo cool. She came home last night hooting and hollering about working towards a Turkey Badge. I can't help but giggle at her cuteness!

A last minute attempt at Daisy Scout snacks. Mini waters, goldfish crackers, & individually wrapped brownies with...

personalized troop stickers. The other mothers thought I was all fancy. I had to admit that I only made them 'cause I had to cut the brownies so small...some little guy put his fingers in the cooked brownies. I had to do something to make them look a little less pathetic!

We had the most fantastic weekend with our parents. Today, we're celebrating our littlest guy's 2nd birthday. How did my baby get to 2 already?! He shares his birthday with our good friend's son, Colin. We're going to CEC tonight to celebrate Colin's birthday and then on Saturday, Joel will host his County Fair birthday party. I'll keep you posted on how that goes. Thanks for stopping by...hope your Halloween was as spooktacular as ours!!!!

Jenna's 6th Birthday

2010-10-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

Jenna decided on a bowling party for her 6th birthday. It was by far the easiest, least expensive party I've ever thrown. She wanted the Route 66 mini lanes and the kids had a blast!

Gabriel in deep concentration.

T.R.O.U.B.L.E. with a bowling ball!

Singing "Happy Birthday." She had the cutest shirt on that my friend Jennifer made for her...you can check it out here. She spoils us with cute stuff, go order something from her, you won't be disappointed!

Every birthday photo of Jenna since her birth has included her BFF Tyler. They just crack me up together! This is Gabriel and his BFF Ethan, below.

We had such a nice, relaxing afternoon...thanks to all of our friends that were sweet enough to spend their Saturday afternoon with our little girl. She really loved it!

To Make the Grandparents Happy

2010-10-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

He's not right...seriously, he thinks that rock-climbing the fireplace is a good idea. And brushing his teeth in a pj shirt and his bricks (what we call his sneakers...7 1/2 EXTRA wide) while playing Polly Pockets. He keeps us on our toes!

What goofballs!

And my sweetheart with her new haircut...how did she get so old?! One of her bottom front teeth came in and her baby tooth still did not fall out. Guess we better start saving now for braces!

Classy Cupcakes

2010-09-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend (and co-teacher) Marian had a birthday this weekend and I was asked to make cupcakes for our little get-together. First, let me start by saying that this was an all-girl affair and it was being held here, so the white cupcakes with buttercream icing that she requested were definitely not going to work. Marian LOVES pistachios, but we have a little guy in our class with a tree nut allergy, so we don't get to eat them as much as we'd like. I found this recipe from Martha Stewart and I topped them with a cream cheese buttercream icing. They were delicious and oh-so-classy looking. I will definitely make these again.

I had such a wonderful afternoon with some very lovely ladies and I just can't believe I live less than 15 minutes from such a beautiful place and I've never been there. It certainly won't be the last time I visit.

Happy Birthday Marian!

Warning from the Gingerbread Man

2010-09-09T04:43:00.000-07:00

So it was Jenna's turn to take home the gingerbread man yesterday. We were warned that the gingerbread man is afraid of dogs and cats that chew and he doesn't like water or having his arms or legs pulled on. So, we decided to give him a fun night on the town...riding bikes, reading our new American Girl catalog, dinner at Pie in the Sky, dessert at Sonic, an episode of Wow Wow Wubbzy we haven't seen before. A full and exciting night. We had to journal it all in the "Adventures of the Gingerbread Man" book." As a P.S. to the teacher, we added "Mrs. M, please add 'almost 2-year-old red-headed little boys' to the list of things I'm not really fond of. I appreciate it!'" As you can see from the photo above, the G-man had every reason to be frightened!!!

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-09-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

So excited to go!

(someone else thought they were starting Kindergarten too...

and don't worry, I know his hair is crazy, there's no helping it!)

Our new backpack & lunchbox...drove like a mad crazy woman to our local Pottery Barn Kids to get them 'cause they were on back order online. The little Miss insisted she have THESE for her first day. I made her some matching bag tags and she was ready to go!

Goodies for our teacher!

She has a super teacher and she's at the most wonderful school...we're so excited for the upcoming year!

Sonic~99 Cent Sundaes

2010-06-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

After 8 p.m. Need I say more!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T17:48:00.001-07:00

The Flood of 2010

2010-05-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

We are knee deep (okay more than knee!) in water. It has been a historic 36 hours here in Middle TN. Just take a look... Nolensville Rd...the intersection at Nolensville and Sunset (yes, this is normally an intersection!).
To the left...the ball field and the old Nolensville Elementary School.

It was running like rapids...this is 3 hours after I drove down this road to buy lunch meat at the Feed Mill...unbelievable!

Poor, poor Sonic...thank goodness they stayed open long enough for me to get a Route 44 Diet Coke! Jay got called out all night to help with calls and rescues...thank goodness I had my Diet Coke to keep me sane...LOL! Thankfully he is home now, safe and sleeping, until he gets called out again later.

Our hospitals, news channels, schools, malls, interstates and side roads are all flooded...it's been unbelievable to see. Please keep all of us in Middle TN in your thoughts and prayers...so many people have been affected by these devastating storms. We have another rough day ahead of us. I'll keep you posted and if you live here in my neck of the woods, Stay Dry!

A Wee Bit Irish

2010-03-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

Our little bit Irish cuties!
The leprechaun visited last night. The kids and Jay set a trap, but that sneaky fella got away with the bait (a shiny penny). Thankfully he left behind some of his "gold" treasure while making mischief in our house. The dining room chairs were rearranged and he turned our milk green! He left us a yummy breakfast of Lucky Charms and even set the table for us. Maybe we'll catch him next year!

I made the preschool teachers some chocolate dipped pretzel sticks with shamrock sprinkles.

I love how these tags turned out...I'm so glad I bought my circle punch. I think I'll get the scalloped one next.

Peanut butter cookies for a girlfriend's little girls...topped off with some St. Patty's bows leftover from last year.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the O'Moyer's!

Gabriel's Snowman Party

2010-02-10T09:15:00.001-08:00

The sweet table...sugar cookie 3's & G's, cupcakes, blue raspberry licorice snowmen, soft peppermints, powdered mini donuts, & chocolate covered pretzels (wish there was a pic of them...Jenna did such a good job).
The hot chocolate bar...with whipped cream and snowman shaped marshmallows.

Goodie bags...glitter snowflake snowman shaky cups with packets of Inst-Snow.

The cheapest decorations EVER...paper snowflakes that I made for my classroom :)

Lots of fake snow EVERWHERE...I love this cup/vase; you can take the paper out and change it for the season/occasion. It'll be sporting something Valentine's by the end of the day.

Snowman Wrap Relay...we had some great sports that got wrapped with toilet paper and decorated with black paper buttons and a scarf. Everyone won a snowman notepad.

The sweetest 3-year old EVER!

We also had a "Guess How Many" snowman marshmallow jar. The kids guesses were HYSTERICAL! Some of the little ones guessed 1, 2, or 3 (there were 143). David won with a guess of 146...he got a tube of playdoh w/ accessories.

Oh, and how could I forget the "Decorate Your Snowman Cookie" table. Thanks for all the ladies that swept the floor around the table!

Our Menu:

Big People

Taco Soup

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Rachael's Delish Salsa w/ chips

Marinated Cheese w/ crackers

Veggie Tray w/ dip

Little People
PB&Fluff Sandwiches

Cheese curls

Strawberries

Grapes

We had such a nice time with our friends and the guys even watched a little of the Super Bowl. I wish the pictures were better, but as usual, I waited until the last minute (and in some cases, after the party) to take them. If you want some better photos, head over to my friend Jennifer's blog The Perry Trio (at right, don't have time to link).

Our New Fish Friend

2010-01-22T08:40:00.001-08:00

Joel never got any better, so we took him (and Gabe) to the Dr.'s yesterday for a look. Gabriel's fine...just a cold and possibly the croup. Joel's ears looked great...thank goodness for the new tubes!!! His breathing was another story. He's been wheezing off and on since August so our Dr. thought it was about time that we just purchased a nebulizer of our own. We're on treatments every 4 hours for the next 5 days and hopefully we'll be feeling better! Our Dr. thinks it may be asthma and that we'll have to start daily steroid treatments with the machine. I'm all for it if it makes my little sweetie feel better! Isn't his machine the cutest?! The mask is a fish and his machine is bright green...it even comes with a story about Bubbles, the fish with asthma, and stickers, too! He sits so nice to do his treatments. I think he knows it makes him feel better. Hey, must have worked 'cause he slept last night for the first time in 2 days...HOORAY!!!

Poor Little Guy

2010-01-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

This happy little fella that you see in this picture (taken last week) was not so happy today. He had a 104 degree temperature and no appetite (Joel, not hungry? must be sick!). After some Motrin, he managed a popsicle and some cheese curls...works for me! Hopefully tomorrow will bring a happier (and healthier) little guy.

The Birthday Boy

2010-01-19T20:42:00.000-08:00

Who would've known that this pitiful little red-faced newborn would make me laugh and smile each and every day?! 3 years ago today, I was blessed with a sweet little 7lb. 3 oz. boy. He's not so little anymore, and not always sweet, but he brings such happiness and humor to our household.Yesterday was his "special" day...we drove him downtown to see the Batman building (something you could only understand if you have a 3-yr old boy and live in Nashville), took him to Build A Bear, and ate lunch at the Aquarium restaurant. Oh what fun!
Brushing his new pony, Nina.

Posing for the camera...can you tell he's a goof-ball?!

Stuffed with mac&cheese and smiley at the Aquarium.

He woke up this morning to a room full of balloons, some Spiderman gifts, and pink chocolate-chip pancakes (thanks Mimi & Papa!). He had a Spiderman party at school with mini ice cream sandwiches and goodie bags filled with Spidey gummies & bandaids and hershey kisses. He made sure to wear his talking Spidey sweatshirt and Spidey crocs...boy did he think he was cool!!! He even had a surprise visit tonight from his BFF Ethan. He brought him a delicious little fudge cake from Publix, Little Debbie Valentine's Brownies, and lots & lots of Moon Sand (thanks Mare!) Oh, and I got a soy chai from Starbucks...I think I made out better in the end! He had the best birthday any 3-year-old little guy could ask for!

We Love You Gabriel...Happy Birthday Buddy!!!

Stay tuned for his Snowman party...it's gonna be great!

The Week In Review

2010-01-10T19:46:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Sunday night and I'm gearing up for another week. Actually I'm a little happy and a bit hesitant at the same time. See, Jay and I were going to write our resolutions last week and start off fresh last Monday, but thanks to my dear friend Jennifer and her chocolate chip pie, Monday came and went. And so did the rest of the week. The little "snow storm" set me back a bit, too.

Cabin Fever + PJ's All Day = Eating Way Too Much!

Anywho, tomorrow starts a new week and a fresh start at 2010...I know, how did I get to the second week of 2010 and screw up?! Very easy if you're me. Well, we wrote our resolutions this afternoon and I think we've made good choices in what we want to work on. Some of my favorites:

Be patient and consistent with the kids.

Make special time for each child.

More date nights.

Learning to say "no" when we are overwhelmed.

As much as I hate the idea of resolutions (Jay feels the same way, too), I do like the feeling of a fresh start. Its like the first week back at school when you get all new supplies and everything looks shiny and new. The possibilities are endless and you feel motivated. Let's hope I still feel that way in a few weeks...ha, ha!

I did get some shopping, organizing, and cooking done this weekend. We headed over to Costco yesterday morning and stocked up on LOTS of stuff. I then went to Kroger while the kids were napping to round out the groceries. I cleaned out the pantry and reorganized it. I'm giving each kid their own snack bin for their daily snacks...more on that this week. I threw away a lot of expired stuff...nothing like way old cans of olives! Today I cooked a pot of yummy Italian soup and a huge batch of chili. I also browned the meat to whip up a lasagna tomorrow...trying to freeze some stuff to make life a bit easier. I let you know how that goes :-)

We had some special birthdays in our family this week...including Jay. BIG 33! Thank goodness I'm not that old (for another 4 months). Jay ended up at the Dr.'s for an ear infection on his birthday and our family plans of pizza and cupcakes kind of got squashed due to the dogs stomach issues and a last minute vet appt. They're both doing better...Jay feels great and the dog is thankfully going potty outside again! The kid's Mimi (Jay's stepmom) celebrated her birthday this week, too. The kids wished her a happy birthday over the phone and Jenna picked something really cute out for her at Costco yesterday. Hope you had a great day Deb...we love you and miss you!!

Well, I better go clean up the kitchen and get to bed. Don't want to start off the New Year (again) on the wrong side of the bed tomorrow!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

I'm still here...hope to have a new post later today. Doesn't the background look cute?! I'm so slow when it comes to stuff like that, so I'm really proud of myself for figuring it out (okay, it was just copying and pasting, but still).

A Very Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a Thanksgiving feast full of friends, family and fun! We enjoyed a wonderful holiday with our best friends, the Mattone's. We couldn't have had a better day!

Joel loves Aunt Shell!!!

(p.s., he needs a MAJOR haircut)

Where are the chocolate chip cookies?!

Hey, corn does taste good!

The kids table ROCKS!!!

Yesterday our dear friends Julie & Darrell and their 2 little guys visited for the afternoon. Jay and Darrell were in the police academy together and we were in each other's weddings. They moved about 4 years ago, so our visits are few and far between now. Seeing them yesterday made us realize just how special they are to us and how much we miss them. What a Thanksgiving treat to have shared some time with them....we love you guys!!!!

Halloween Germ Fighters

2009-10-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

Need a quick, cute, inexpensive Halloween treat?! I made these last night for the kid's preschool teachers and director, but they would be cute for anyone. The new Target Up&Up brand of hand sanitizer has an orange pump...perfect for Halloween! I pulled off the front label, added a monogram and tied the top with lots of cutesy ribbon. Voila...fast & reasonable (a necessity when you need to do 7 gifts).
I packaged them in these little Dollar Tree favor boxes I had from forever ago and added a silly label made with, you guessed it, printable name badge labels from the Dollar Tree.
Gotta love the Dollar Tree!

Hey JTP...

2009-10-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

The binder and paper clips are from Walmart of all places. They have really cute black and white ones, too. Sad when binder clips get you through the day...I feel the same way about ribbon!

What We've Been Up To...

2009-10-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!! Sorry I've been missing for a while. Since we've started back at preschool it feels like we're running all week long. Here's what's been keeping us so busy...
We had a double b-day party last weekend for some good friends. I made both the girls (4 & 2) Halloween pillowcase dresses and hairbows but my camera battery died right after taking this picture of the baking kit I made for Logan, the 4-year-old. I wish you could see the goodies in this basket, but we were running late (what's new). She had such a good time at Gabriel's cookie decorating party that I knew this was just the gift for her. I included a double sided spatula, topping spoon, cooling rack, measuring cups and spoons, cookie cutters, a squeeze bottle, and cookie sprinkles. I also included sugar cookie mix and powdered sugar with instrcutions how to make icing to put in her squeeze bottle. I made a cute "sweet treats" bag to hold these items. Oh, and I can't forget my favorite...a tub of store bought icing covered with scrapbook paper and a "Logan's Yummy Cookie Icing" label. We got a "thank you" yesterday and her mom said it was by far her favorite gift and that she insisted on using it the very next day!!! I love the way it turned out and I love that most of the items came from the Dollar store or the grocery store...how easy, right?!

Some new nap mats for a boy & girl cousin...

see how the pillow is attached to the mat now. The pillow and mat inserts are still removable, but it makes it much easier for traveling. I've sold about 9 nap mats so far and have 2 more special orders. Let me know if you need one!

Some little goodie bags for the teachers the second week of school. The boys were feeling quite sad when I dropped them off in their classrooms (you would think I was leaving them for the day, seriously, Gabe and I can see each other from my classroom door to his!), so I thought these little bags of fun binder clips and paper clips would be a nice "thank you" for the extra hugs and kisses. I clipped on a little tag with a fun play on words. The teachers really like them!

Jenna's Pre-K field trip to the park and pumpkin patch. I love this photo Jay took. Where did 5 years go? I can't believe how much she's grown!!!!

Proud owner of a precious little pumpkin!

The little (big) guy is standing up and taking over the household. I think his easy-going disposition was just a cover...he likes to get in every drawer, touch every outlet, play in every vent...you know, anything forbidden or dangerous. I have a feeling my life is about to get even more exhausting!

And here's my other little guy helping his daddy clean the hot tub. He loves to do everything himself right now...it's been quite a power struggle with him lately. One of the joys of having a 2 1/2 year old!

Well, I promise to stay a little more up-to-date. Remind me of this next month when I apologize for slacking again! Have a great weekend and enjoy this beautiful fall weather!!!

My Big Boy

2009-08-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

Joel had his 9 month well visit this morning. He's doing great and still off the chart for weight and almost off for height. Here's his current stats (and Jenna & Gabriel's @ 9 months...I love to see how they all differ):

Weight: 27 lbs. (Jenna: 21lbs. 15oz. / Gabriel: 24 lbs. 3 oz.)
Height: 30 1/2 in. (Jenna: 29 in. / Gabriel: 30 1/2 in.)
Head Cir.: 18 1/4 in. (Jenna: 17 3/4 in. / Gabriel: 19 in.)

He got 2 shots and a finger prick but never made a fuss...his thighs are soooo big that I'm not even sure he felt the needles. He LOVED having the bandaid on his finger...kept him very, very occupied! He's resting right now from his busy morning.

Oh, and we found out today that we'll be doing flu shots in October. Most likely 3 to 4 for each kid...regular flu (plus booster for Joel) and swine flu plus booster. Those should be fun Dr.'s appointments!!!

Well, we have a busy weekend and upcoming week...wrap up the kids bedroom projects (ambitious), sew 11 nap mat covers (very ambitious), finish setting up my classroom at preschool, first day back at PRE (parish religious education) on Sunday after a long summer break, and the start of our new school year on Tuesday.

Hope you all have a great weekend!!! If you live in TN, enjoy this beautiful weather!!!

Hired Help

2009-08-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

So Jenna's laying on the floor this morning entertaining Joel. I hear her say, "One little piggie went to the market, the other piggie carried the groceries."

Hmmmm...I think to myself, "I wonder how much these pigs charge for their services?"

Nap Time!

2009-08-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

Currently taking Nap Mat orders. Comfy, cozy flannel...$12.00 for mat cover, $8.00 for travel pillow sham. I love the way this one matches Jenna's quilt so well...too bad it's not for Jenna!
Speaking of naptime, this is how I found the little guy after I placed him in here to play after breakfast one morning. It wasn't like he had Thanksgiving dinner, just a baby yogurt and some cereal. Must have been a good breakfast!

Notice the Barbie in the background....definite playard no-no. One guess for who placed it in here...Gabriel, where are you?!

Happy Birthday to the Old Gals!!!

2009-08-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

Better late than never, I guess...it's still August 6th in this time zone (plus my mom is heading here tomorrow morning :-)). Happy Birthday to my mom (Joan on left) and my Aunt Joy (on right)!!! I'm certain I'm getting my ass chewed out after they see this post. You see, I have no good pictures of the two of them together, 'cause at every function they are the ones behind the scenes making everything so great. They are the best thing that's ever happened to me (along with Jay and my kids, of course!). They are the reason I am the woman that I am today. They would do ANYTHING for me...trust me, I'll be the first to admit I'm spoiled! The other thing that's so great about them is their wonderful relationship with each other. My aunt is 8 minutes older than my mom and you couldn't find two siblings that loved or cared for each other more than they do. Because of their relationship, my brother, cousin and I have been blessed with a feeling of having two moms. How could we be so lucky?! Happy Birthday Mom and Aunt Joy...sorry I had to use your "Tweedle Dee" and Tweedle Dumb" photos. I love you both more than you could ever imagine. Thanks for being my very best friends in the whole wide world (except when you cut my hair and I don't like it, Mom). Oh, and thanks for loving Jay more than you love me...ha, ha (although I know it's true). Oh, and no cute photo from the kids holding signs or anything...too many issues last time with temper tantrums and paper eating.

Hope you had a great day and know that you're always in my heart!!!

Pretty as a Picture

2009-07-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

My girlfriend Julie's little girl, Lily June, celebrated her 2nd birthday today. I had this adorable photo of her from Gabriel's cookie decorating party that I just had to frame as part of her gift.

I found the cutest frame at the Dollar Store (yes, $1!...it looks like wood but it's made of plastic) and I thought it would be sweet if I hot glued a bow to it. Then it hit me this morning that I could make an actual hair bow that could be removed from the frame.

Look closely at the left hand corner of the frame. I hot glued a small piece of white grosgrain ribbon, leaving space in the middle to slide the alligator clip of the hairbow in and out. How cute and simple, right?! I have big plans for this project...watch out Dollar Store, here I come!

P.S. Notice the reusable shopping bag in the background? That was a TJMaxx purchase this week...2 pack, both with an initial ("L" for Lily June, of course), one large and one small, for $2.99. That's less than I would spend on 2 gift bags...and they're reusable and so cute!

Happy Birthday Papa!!!

2009-07-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrate the birthday of a super special man in our lives, Jay's dad Steve. I can't begin to find the words to express how important he is in our lives. He's Jay's very best friend and he loves us all so unconditionally. As his daughter-in-law, I feel so lucky to have such a positive father figure in my life. I can call him whenever and about whatever and I know he'll give me his most honest opinion. He's a father, but also a great friend. And as far as the kids are concerned, Papa is the best! Happy Birthday Dad! Happy Birthday Papa! We love you so much!!

Papa, can you fill in the blanks? Yes, it says "We Love Papa." Sorry that the 8 month old would rather eat the paper than pose for Papa's picture. And Gabriel just happened to have an itch at the same time. No chance to reshoot...turned into a meltdown...happy birthday anyway!

A Happy Father's Day

2009-06-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

Jay's new tractor was delivered early Sunday morning...thanks Ma & Ronn!!!

Does he look like he's going fishin' or what?!

Tha whole family had to check out the new tractor action from the front porch (check out the dog at the door). The littlest Moyer was taking a nap, but I'm sure by next summer he's going to want to take a ride, too!

Even the shade of the porch couldn't cool off this bunch yesterday...they headed in for a air conditioning break shortly after this picture was taken!

Jenna's Special Day

2009-06-08T07:31:00.001-07:00

Jenna had asked to get her ears pierced last week and after a phone call to Jay in Myrtle Beach (yes, he was on another HARD business trip by the ocean!), we agreed that she could get them done. We made an appointment for Saturday afternoon at Sweet and Sassy salon, where they cater to little girls and all their beauty needs!!! She was a real trooper...hopped up in the chair and was ready to go!
Getting them nice and clean.

Ready, set, go!

(I think I was more nervous than she was.)

How sweet does she look?!?! She did so good. She cried a little, but said the noise of the gun scared her more than the piercing itself. I guess 3 years of shots and pricks at Vanderbilt has her pretty numb to things like this! She was so proud and everyone in the salon was cheering and clapping for her. She got a certificate with her picture on it, a really cute lollipop and we let her pick out some new nail polish and nail stickers since she did so well. The salon treated her like a princess...I would recommend it to any parent. We rounded out her special day with dinner at Logan's. She loves their yeast rolls and the unlimited peanuts. She had a GREAT day.

Next month Gabriel gets his special day...let's hope he doesn't want his ears pierced, too!!! LOL :-)

Watermelon, Teeth, & A Good Nap

2009-06-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

Joel tried watermelon for the first time last week in his mesh food feeder...messy & delicious!!!

Here's his two cute crooked teeth. They make for some good pizza crust chompers!

After a little snack it's time for a cat nap. As you can see, the watermelon juice didn't agree with his highly sensitive skin...oh well, it tasted good!

On A Roll

2009-05-12T13:16:00.001-07:00

Joel's had a busy week...a first tooth, a second tooth, and I went in yesterday morning to find him on his belly in his crib. In one short day he's become a rolling pro, making it difficult to get him dressed or keep him in one place for long. Where is the time going?!?!

Teacher Gifts

2009-05-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

Our last day of preschool is next Tuesday and with us moving this weekend, I wanted to get the teachers summer gifts to them. I decided to make them little summer survival kits out of washclothes...I've done this before for baby showers and included nail scissors, travel baby shampoos, baby powder, etc. This time I included a travel size aloe, a tube of sunscreen, insect repellent wipes, tissues w/ flip-flops on them (too cute!) and spray hand sanitizer.
Everyone LOVED them...and I got to hear about all the fun summer places they were going and how they were going to put their gift to good use.

Wrapped up and ready to go.

Ms. Cheri's crayon name plaque.

One of Gabriel's teachers is taking the summer off (the kids go to preschool for 8 weeks in the summer, too), so we gave her the end of the year gift we made for her. I got the idea from another blog (it's actually featured on Tip Junkie, too) and despite the lack of time to find the shadow box frames the other woman used, I think it turned out really cute. The other teachers can't wait to get theirs in a couple of months!

Milestone!

2009-05-04T07:40:00.001-07:00

Joel has his first tooth! Jenna noticed it on Thursday afternoon and sure enough, there's a little chomper popping up on the bottom left side. I love baby teeth...I'll post a pic when it comes in enough to see it.

My Life In A Nutshell (Or A Box)

2009-05-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

We're in full blown packing mode. We close on our current house and our new house on May 15th and time's flying by. Thankfully, my mom and aunt flew in from Philly last week to help out while Jay was in Indiana taking a class. They got lots of stuff packed and helped out tremendously with the kids so I could get stuff done, too. Jay and I packed stuff all weekend, only taking a break to head to Costco and church. For some reason the more I pack, the more I find. Will it ever end? I guess with 3 little ones, a dog, 2 cats, a semi-pack rat husband (he's getting better), and my crafting self there's going to be a LOT of stuff! Well, enough chit chat, gotta get back to work!!!!!

P.S. Anyone notice the cat in the basket on top of the boxes...she'll be lucky if she doesn't get packed up the way she hides in things!

Party Weekend

2009-04-18T19:01:00.001-07:00

We have a weekend full of parties again and I haven't had any time to sew or be creative (house selling and hunting have been main priority). Here's the best I could do...still turned out cute, I think! My friend Kim's son Henry is turning 4 and I bought this bucket when I purchased the green one for his big brother's bean bag gift. What to fill it with, though? Well I found these great children's gardening items in the Dollar Spot at Target. The shovel and hoe are made of painted metal and I added a cute striped ribbon on the handle. I also purchased a pair of gloves, a mini sunflower greenhouse kit, a spray bottle (from the beauty travel section) and my most favorite...a "paint your own gnome" kit. All for a dollar a piece!!! I topped it all off with a bag of gummy worms. I packed the worms and gnome up in cellophane bags and made tags on the computer for them along with a tag for the bucket. Total price: $9.50 (not including ribbon and gift wrapping). How can you beat that?!

Wrapped up and ready to go. Hope he likes it.

Happy 4th Birthday Henry!!!

A Blessed Easter

2009-04-14T11:10:00.001-07:00

We were blessed with a fabulous Easter. We're so lucky every year to spend Easter with so many people we love. This year, we added some more names to our list...the Perry family! Chadwick was welcomed into the family by being invited to hide eggs with the men, while Jennifer hung out in the kitchen with the ladies and little ones. We had a delicious meal, good company, a fabulous egg hunt, and a phone call from our realtor with an accepted offer on our house. A pretty eventful Easter!!!

On your mark, get set, go... Jenna and Toby on the run.

Tyler and Toby searching for the last few eggs.

Gabe lost in thought.

Baby William's first egg hunt!!!

"Look what I got Mom."

Tearing open that package.

Is it Easter or Christmas?

William enjoying his first Easter's goodies.

Our Little Easter Bunnies

2009-04-14T10:55:00.001-07:00

Bunny Shirts

2009-04-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

I've had carrot print fabric for about 3 years now and I've been meaning to make Jenna a dress with it. Well, last night I decided to make the kids matching shirts for their preschool Easter party. Only my second attempt at applique. I'm no JTP, but hopefully I'll get there someday! Jenna thought it was fabulous that they were all dressed alike. I added another applique down by the ankle of her pants, too.

Jenna's new haircut and a carrot bobby pin...to match her shirt!

(Thanks Aunt Joy for the carrot buttons. They came in handy last night!)

Easter Trail Mix

2009-04-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

Need a cute idea for a little one's goody bag? Try making some Easter trail mix. I came up with this idea the other night in bed (too much caffeine maybe) and with the help of JuJu (my Aunt Joy) tweaked the name...Peter CottonTrail Mix! Cute, huh?! Here's the not-so-recipe recipe:

2 Parts:

pretzel sticks
Annie's organic crackers (shaped like bunnies, of course) in any flavor, I used whole wheat
Target brand chickadee crackers (look like chicks and their version of Goldfish)

1 Part:

Easter m&m's
raisins

Of course you could add or subtract anything you'd like...my aunt is putting Easter marshmallows in hers. Get creative and enjoy!

Yummy and Cute!

Some labels I made on the computer.

I love the look of lots of little bags in a row...possibly OCD!

Who's Been the Good Influence?

2009-04-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

Wish I could say that it was me! This was Jenna's display yesterday of her Barbies exercising. Sadly enough, I can't say that she learned this from her mother. Maybe I should take the hint!

Tip Tuesday (by the skin of my teeth)

2009-04-07T21:03:00.001-07:00

Messy Time

My kids have always hated bibs (rip 'em right off), but the only real alternative was to strip them down to a diaper (then they needed MAJOR scrubbing or I was afraid they were cold). So when Jenna was little (wasn't she a cutie pie?!), we got in the habit of using one of my old T-shirts for messy meals and art time. The shirt really came in handy...just pull it off after a spaghetti dinner or a Picasso moment and throw it in the wash. Plus, it covers a lot more area than one of those little bibs!

P.S. Double Tip Tuesday...see the Press & Seal wrap on the high chair tray? Easy cleanup #2!

Sunday was a Funday!

2009-04-06T08:54:00.001-07:00

We had our church Easter egg hunt yesterday.

It was a gorgeous day and the kids had a blast!

Joel just chillin' out.

Gabriel and Jenna visiting with the Easter bunny.

A Little Cat Nap

2009-04-01T09:16:00.001-07:00

I turned around to find Joel like this in his exersaucer...playing must have wore him out!

He slept for about ten minutes and woke up happy as can be. What a silly baby!

Terrific Tip Wednesday?

2009-04-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

No, this is not an April Fool's joke, I'm just a knuckle head and forgot to post yesterday's tip! So, today's post is a little bit tip and a little bit creative holiday thinking. Enjoy!!!

Easter Stuffers

I was talking with the ladies at preschool the other day and they thought it was hysterical (and pretty clever) that I put band-aids in the kids eggs last year. It started me thinking, what other non-candy goodies would fit in those little (and big) plastic eggs?

hair stuff (purchased from Bitty Bird Bows, of course :-))
stickers, stamps, & temporary tattoos
bouncy balls
Matchbox cars (may have to put in the bigger plastic eggs)
plastic animals
army men and parachute men
play jewelry
nail polish & nail stickers
money
lip balm
mini boxes of raisins
alphabet fridge magnets
barbie outfit (taken out of package, of course!)
Thomas trains
mini rubber ducks
pacifiers & paci clips (for the baby egg hunters)
travel toothpaste (they make kiddie versions...my kids got them in their xmas stocking)
bracelet sets (beads and a piece of elastic for the older ones, yarn or elastic and fruity cheerios for the little ones)
crafty items...little baggies of pom-poms, googly eyes, sequins, adhesive foam shapes & letters

How about putting a slip of numbered paper in some of the eggs and the number would correspond to a wrapped gift after the egg hunt was done. This is a good way to give treats that are too big to fit in an egg...puzzles, books, jump ropes, boxes of sidewalk chalk, bubbles. The list is endless. Let me know if you have any other good ideas for egg stuffers and happy egg hunting to you!

The Easter Bowtique

2009-03-31T14:15:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Timmy & Toby!!!

2009-03-31T13:57:00.001-07:00

Another big day of birthdays in our family. My cousin Tim is 26 today. Our mothers are identical twins, so we're more like brother and sister than cousins, and for many years we acted like it! I feel so blessed to have him in my life. He's always been such a great friend and I love him more than he could ever know. I can't believe he's 26...that makes me feel REALLY old. Happy Birthday Tim...we love you!

My best friend Rachael's son Toby turns 3 today. I love this picture of Toby all snuggled up in his Uncle Jay's arms. Good luck getting Toby to snuggle with you these days...he's a busy-body; always thinking of what he can get into next. We love you Toby...Happy 3rd Birthday Buddy!!!

Happy Birthday Babi & Noah!!!

2009-03-30T13:57:00.001-07:00

Today marks the birthday of two very special people in our lives. First, Jay's mom, Patty, is turning 29 again! We love her so much and wish we lived closer so we could spend more time together. She's visiting next week for Easter, so we'll be celebrating her birthday then, but I thought we'd wish her a happy birthday across the miles!!!
The kids loved doing this "photo shoot" for her this morning. She's a Babi (the Polish term for grandma), 100% Polish and proud to admit it!!!

This is my girlfriend Kelly's little sweetheart Noah. He's 3 today and loves keeping his mommy and daddy on their toes. I adore this newborn picture of him...wasn't he the most beautiful baby?! Happy 3rd Birthday Noah...we miss you and can't wait to see you in June!!!

Gifts for the Birthday Boys

2009-03-29T18:48:00.001-07:00

We had two birthday parties to go to yesterday, which gave me a chance to be crafty and fun with their presents: Toby (my sweet nephew by love, not blood) loves to draw...mostly on things he's not supposed to (sometimes I think he and Gabriel may be blood related), so I bought him this adorable Crayola bathtub art caddy. It's filled with bath tints, paints, and crayons. I also gave him a terry wash mitt that I appliqued with his initial to clean up his tub time art work.
All wrapped up and looking cutesy! Happy 3rd Birthday Toby...We Love You!!!

For our friend David's gift, I decided to make a bucket filled with bean bags (10 to be exact). The bean bags weren't hard to sew (come on, it's a square filled with beans), but they were a little time consuming to turn inside out and fill with the beans. Maybe I would have been a little more patient if I wasn't starting this project at 10 o'clock the night before the party.

I also made him some activity cards to give him some ideas of how to use his bean bags. I printed them on mailing labels and then attached the mailing labels to cardstock and cut them out with zig-zag scissors. I made the cards double-sided, punched a hole in the corners and tied them together with ribbon.

The bean bags in fun, funky patterns and colors.

The finished project...I love the way it turned out and will certainly make them again for gifts. Happy 5th Birthday David!!!

I made these generic "fill-in" gift labels a few months back and love having something quick on hand to use when wrapping.

Looking forward to the next birthday party and another opportunity to get creative!!!

Bows for the Birthday Girl

2009-03-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

I made these bows last night as a birthday surprise for the little girl having the cheerleading party. Her mother ordered her a black cheerleader uniform with her name on the front in pink. Aren't these cheerleader buttons adorable?! I knew these bows would be the perfect finishing touch to her birthday ensemble...she was so excited when I gave them to her today.

Happy Birthday Kennedi!!!

Rainy Day Sleepover

2009-03-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

It was a gloomy, dreary, rainy day here yesterday, so we decided to have a daytime slumber party with our pal Ethan. The kids were comfy in their jammies all snuggled in their sleeping bags. Unfortunately for me, no one slept, but we did have a good time watching Toy Story 2 and munching on popcorn (on the stove w/ lots of butter...yum!!!) and Swedish fish. If you belong to the Nashville zoo, I highly recommend purchasing one of their buckets of popcorn ($3.95 minus member discount) and a couple of kiddie drinks...it makes the best little popcorn set! We love the enamelware one that Jay's mom bought us, but Gabriel does a little better right now with plastic, if you catch my drift. After the movie, we had pizza (a sleepover staple) and the boys took a little nap. What a fun way to spend the day!

Terrific Tip Tuesday

2009-03-24T13:48:00.001-07:00

MORNING MENU

In our house we have a "you get what you get" mentality for most meals, except for weekday breakfasts. On those mornings, I give the kids a choice, usually simple items like waffles, toast, or cereal. This can be a difficult decision for toddlers and preschoolers who have just gotten out of bed and are still a little "out of sorts" (i.e. cranky, tired, and hungry as a bear.) I got a great tip from a fellow mother (of 4, bless her!) on how she's made mornings easier at her house. She takes an "order" the night before at the dinner table, asking each child what he or she would like for breakfast the next morning. The choices are simple ones, mostly hot or cold cereals, and the kids have all of dinner to think about it and make their decision. Their choices are then put up on a chalkboard (a notepad or dry erase would work as well) and she can have their breakfasts ready and on the table in no time in the morning...no complaints, right?! She says complaints have been minimal, since she reminds them that they made the choice. I just like the idea of less discussion with cranky little ones in the morning!

Bitty Bird Bow Party Favors

2009-03-23T21:13:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest hair bow adventure: 12 favors (2 korker bows each) for a 3 year-old's cheerleading birthday party. The guest of honor will be wearing a pink, white, and black cheerleading costume. How cute!
Thought these little korker piggies looked a bit like pom-pom's. Hope the girls love them!

Outside Fun

2009-03-18T21:11:00.001-07:00

The weather here was gorgeous, so the kids headed outside as much as possible today. They were out on the back deck before they even ate breakfast with their new playdoh set from the sneaky leprechaun. I'm actually embarrassed to tell you all this, as I like to think of myself as being up on the holidays and stuff, but I forgot to set up the kids "leprechaun" treat on Monday night. I had such an exhausting Monday that it totally slipped my mind, so last night at about 11:30 p.m. I found myself cutting out green paper shamrocks (to make a trail) and wrapping their gift in gaudy gold paper. I woke up this morning to Jenna whispering "Mom, the leopard came." Poor girl can't say leprechaun to save her life! Anyway, the playdoh set was a huge hit! What a goofball!
Wish she really knew how to pull weeds!
His ankles resemble mine after a day of too many salty snacks!
Is he the cutest fat thing you've ever seen or what?!

Terrific Tip Tuesday

2009-03-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

I'm adding a new weekly post to the blog: Terrific Tip Tuesday's. It'll feature great tips to make life a little easier with little ones. If you have any good suggestions, email me and I'll post your tip. This should be fun! This Week's Tip

Gabriel is going through the whole "I do it" stage, so last week I had a great idea for a used up bottle of sprinkles (or jimmies for those of you from Philly). I put a few spoonfuls of parmesan cheese in the container and let him go at it on his spaghetti and pizza. He's thinks it's great, the mess is minimal, and even if he doesn't eat it, it keeps him sitting at the table a few extra minutes. Well worth it!!!

Top of the Evenin' to You!

2009-03-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

We headed to the zoo today since the kids have off for spring break and the weather was just too nice to stay in. I can't believe how many people remembered to wear green for the holiday. It was so cute seeing all the little kids in St. Patty's gear or green clothing. We spent a couple of hours visiting a few animals, riding the carousel (okay, I didn't ride, my friend Marian took them on), and snacking on our packed lunches (show-off Marian packed Ethan an all green lunch, while all I had to brag about were some chocolate-covered strawberries). I loved that I could take Joel's socks off today. Baby piggies are so cute!

Hope you enjoyed a Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Should Have Been Cleaning

2009-03-14T20:52:00.001-07:00

Jay had to work tonight, so I decided to catch up on some orders and let the housecleaning slide until tomorrow. I'll be kicking myself tomorrow, I'm sure. At least I had fun!My new passion thanks to my friend Mary Kay...D ring belts!!! The hairbow and belt are for her daughter Hailey and the button elastic is for her older daughte Katie.
More stuff for Mary Kay's girls...Katie wanted a headband to go with their new pillowcase dresses. And I couldn't resist making some covered-button bobby pins with the extra satin ribbon. So sweet!

More belts and bows...

and belts and bows!!!

Time for bed...zzzzz, zzzzz, zzzzz.

Feelin' a Wee Bit Irish

2009-03-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

The kids have Spring Break next week, so they celebrated St. Patrick's Day today at school. The whole family was sporting green. Gabriel made this hysterical hat as his craft today and was very happy to wear it for the picture...

he even shared it with the dog!

We gave our school friends and teachers little bags of coins (Rolos) and we took an "Irish" lunch of shamrock-shaped cheese sandwiches, green pears, green twizzlers, and green sprinkled sugar cookies...

that we baked yesterday with our friend Ethan. Here's his little package that he took home with him. There's not much Irish in us, but you'd never know it!!!

Joel's Big Day of First's

2009-03-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

Monday was Joel's 4 month appointment and a big day of 1st's:
-first baby of ours to weigh 19 pounds at a 4 month exam (yes, you read that correctly, 19 lbs!)...he's also 2 inches longer than the other two were at this age
-first time to have pink eye (both he and Gabriel got it from me)
-first ear infection
-first antibiotic
-first cereal feeding
Where did 4 months go???

Waiting on a Casting Call for Chorus Line...

2009-03-08T19:31:00.001-07:00

(Seriously, this kid cracks me up everyday!)

Week In Review

2009-03-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

I've been a little under the weather since last Sunday, so I'll try to catch you up on what we've been up to... Papa and Mimi visited from Ohio. What a nice visit in between Jay's two week Florida vacation (oops, did I just write that, I meant to say business trip...ha, ha!). I definitely needed some adult conversation at that point. The kids got lots of great goodies, including a kit for Jenna on how to be a princess (see above). Gabriel was so excited about his Thomas Morgan Mine that he skipped breakfast on Sunday morning just to play with it! Thanks Mimi and Papa for such a great time...we miss you already!

On Wednesday, we headed to a great park to play for a little while in the gorgeous sunshine. Joel just chilled out in his stroller while Jenna and Gabriel got out some much needed energy. What a fun afternoon with my little sweethearts!!!

Why Is It...

2009-02-27T09:09:00.001-08:00

that these thighs look absolutely adorable on an almost 4 month old baby, but on an almost 32 year-old (ugh!) mother of three, not so much! I know who he takes after, that's for sure!!!

My big sweet boy. He's passed out in his crib right now from his cozy bath.

A Fine Day for a Picnic

2009-02-25T16:10:00.000-08:00

Our little friend Ethan was over today (also know as "Efan" or "Ethan with the paci" in our house), so we thought it would be fun to have a little picnic lunch. A picnic wouldn't be complete without bugs (thanks Papa, they came in handy) and the kids thought it was too funny to have bugs trying to eat their lunch. At least I got them to sit still for a few minutes!!!

Can you tell Joel is sick? Bet not...even when he's feeling lousy, he still will give you a sweet big smile. I love this little guy!!!

Mardi Gras Bowtique

2009-02-24T13:58:00.001-08:00

Jenna was full of Mardi Gras spirit today in her purple, green, and gold bows...we even managed to work some beads into them! Sorry the photos are so grainy. I need Jay to give me a lesson on this new camera.

Throw Me Something, Mister!

2009-02-24T13:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Mardi Gras! Gabriel and Jenna headed off to school today sporting the official colors of Fat Tuesday...purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. After dropping them off, I stopped by at our favorite bakery to pick up a couple Mardi Gras cupcakes. They loved coming home to a special Carnival treat, despite Jenna having a 102 degree fever again. Wondering where our King Cake Baby is (aka Joel)? He woke up sick this morning with a 102 degree fever, too. He's been very sleepy today...poor boy!!! There won't be much parading going on at our house tonight!

Pay It Forward

2009-02-21T17:54:00.000-08:00

I saw this on my friend Kim's blog and thought it was such a cute idea. I look forward to sending out something to those who read mine...so go comment after reading!

The Rules
1. Be one of the first THREE bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me - something crafty or yummy, who knows?!

2. Winners must post this challenge on their blog, meaning that they will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift -anything!- for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on their post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate pictures and comments!

If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along.Go ahead and start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same! SO, REMEMBER...Pay it forward!P.S. If you are one of the first three and don't have a blog to post you can take the next three friends that call you just to chat and Pay It Forward to them! Then challenge them to do the same. Let's help make this a wonderful world to live in and show our friends how much we care for them

Sick Day

2009-02-21T09:29:00.001-08:00

103 and 102 degree fevers...runny noses...ear infections. Not a good day at our house!

A Fish Funeral

2009-02-20T19:26:00.000-08:00

One of Jenna's fish died last night and she and Jay proceeded to the bathroom to hold a small funeral including a sweet eulogy given by Jenna herself. She came in the bedroom and said "Mom, we said some nice things about my fish and now he's in heaven in the toilet." I thought I was going to pee my pants. A little while later, she had to use the bathroom (#2). When I came in to wipe her and flush the toilet, she asked "Mom, is my poop going to heaven now, too?" Good question...go ask your father.

A New 'Do

2009-02-20T19:21:00.001-08:00

Gabriel got a much needed haircut today. He did great (despite having a 103 degree fever all night...we found out today that he has a double ear infection), sat in the chair by himself and even wore the cape. He got a short "daddy" 'do that requires some "hair product" as Jenna calls it! He looks so old but so cute!!!

Nothing Good on TV Tonight...

2009-02-20T19:18:00.001-08:00

Valentine's Bowtique

2009-02-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

Here was this year's Valentine's Day hair bow selection...Jenna ended up getting the pink and white bow with the pink heart button. I just couldn't part with that one!!!

I've Caught the Love Bug!

2009-02-15T14:34:00.000-08:00

This was a fun week of creating Valentine's goodies for friends, teachers and loved ones. Here's what we've been up to: Flower note cards for long-distance relatives made from the kids fingerprints.

Heart-shaped sugar cookies for the preschool classrooms...I was so disappointed with how they came out until Jenna came downstairs and said "Mom, those are beautiful!" I have to remember that 4 year-olds aren't that picky and any cookie with icing and sprinkles is a true masterpiece.

Gifts for the teachers...Burt's Bees Lip Balm and Foot Creme. My favorites!!!

The kids took these in for their Valentine exchange. Not a good picture, but they turned out adorable. I cut flower shapes out of cardstock (said "Happy Valentine's Day"), punched a whole in the middle for the Tootsie pop and then tied on a leaf cut out of cardstock to the stick (said "From: Jenna").

Playtime!!!

2009-02-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was beautiful and sunny here...71 degrees!!! We discovered this new little playground around the corner from us by the new townhouses. The kids had a great time!

Risky Business

2009-02-10T15:44:00.001-08:00

We're Hibernating

2009-02-04T08:57:00.001-08:00

Today was hibernating day at preschool. All the kids and teachers wear pajamas, make caves, and pretend to hibernate. They had a wilderness program and got to see lots of animals (according to Jenna). She especially liked the birds and the sleepy groundhog. Speaking of groundhogs, I made little "dirt" dessert cups with groundhogs popping out for their classroom treat. I'm sure the teachers loved that mess! Oh, and check out Jenna's new hair bow. That's a new addition to the Bitty Bird line and I'm lovin' how it turned out!

Snow Day!

2009-02-04T08:31:00.001-08:00

Today was a snow day for the schools in our area (I know, you're wondering where the snow is), so I sent the kids out on the deck to play in the "imaginary" snow. Joel, loving some peace and quiet, decided to take a little nap.After a few minutes of freezing to death, they chose to come in and decorate some cookies. Since there wasn't any snow outside we decided to add some to our cookies. Yummy, yummy!!!

Birthday Boy

2009-02-04T08:09:00.000-08:00

Gabriel (our cookie-obsessed little guy) celebrated his second birthday with a Cookie Decorating Party. We sent out invitations that looked like recipe cards and our good friend Jennifer was sweet enough to embroider 15 aprons with the kids names on them. I made about 10 dozen sugar cookies and too much buttercream icing to even mention. The kids had a blast decorating with lots of icing and sprinkles...and they all looked so cute in their aprons! We sent each little one home with a bakery style box filled with their creations. What a fun afternoon!!!

Trial & Error

2009-01-25T20:47:00.000-08:00

First post on the blog and I have no idea what I'm doing. We've had 2 different backgrounds so far, and somehow I've ended up back where I started with the most basic template (yawn...boring!) ever. Hopefully I can step it up a bit and make things a little more interesting. Stay tuned!