Thursday, January 31, 2013

Awesome Birthday Freebies!

Since it was Abby's birthday this week I decided to search for some birthday freebies, 
and I found the mother load of things you can get for free on the day you were born! 

And it is all in a nice organized list with links to sign up!

Wait it gets better...
a lot of the places send you a welcome to the club printable coupon for a freebie to use now!

Seriously.
It rocks.

Go HERE for the list.

Have your printer ready and have some time to devote to signing up for places.

I have two email addresses I use too...one for my everyday personal email and one for things like this so the promotional emails aren't filling up my personal email box.  This helps save my sanity for when I don't have time to filter through like 30 emails a day.
 
Enjoy!!!
I love free stuff!

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

A Party Fit For A Princess

Abby wanted a princess party this year. 
And we all know how I love planning a good theme party.

The challenging part of throwing Abby a princess party...
is that most of her friends are boys.

So we went with a Princess AND Knights party.
And let me tell ya we had A LOT of fun with this theme.

I have a strong belief that childhood birthday parties should be magical.
We grabbed the pennant banner from her old shabby chic room, made a paper chain and  princess banner from scrapbook paper I already had, and ordered balloons from Party City.

I cut arm and neck holes in pillow cases from Wal-Mart and appliqued felt crosses on them.
Andy cut out cardboard shields for the boys to decorate and printed some dragons and lions.

I decided arming a group of excited kids with foam swords was not in our best interest, but did buy one helmet and sword for pics.
 We found a dragon pinata to slay.
The girls wore princess dresses.
I surprised Abby by dressing up too.
Because seriously once you're an adult and already married 
how often do you get to dress up like a princess?!
I wore my senior prom dress my mom made 14 years ago when I requested a Cinderella dress.
It didn't quite fit the same as it did back in the day, but it worked. 
Andy even go in on the fun and rented a costume.
We had a lot of fun taking pics in our costumes.
Well I had fun taking pictures...not sure AJ felt the same way.
We practiced our archery skills...
decorated wands...
Had mermaid races...
ate cake...
thanked everyone with Cinderella blue cookies and cookie cutters
(that I kid you not are left over from our wedding 9 years ago...
why did I order like 300 cookie cutters?!)...
 and opened gifts after everyone left.
 
It was truly a magical afternoon.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Our Untamed Cowgirl

Oh Abby. 
I can't even articulate in words this girl's spirit.
She just radiates excitement for life.
She eats everything up like it's the greatest treasure she can imagine.
She bubbles over with excitement and passion because she just can't contain her joy in things.
She loves a good love story and everything whimsical.
 She has the conviction to move mountains.
She loves a new pair of shoes, good food, and a fresh set of paints.
The world truly is her oyster.
And tomorrow she will be four.
Where did the time go?





Saturday, January 26, 2013

Insta-Saturday

Because some weeks Insta Friday just doesn't happen on Friday.

Holla!

This week was so full of just everyday life kind of stuff.

The kind that when added up feel like you just ran a marathon.

Brody decided to declare his independence this week.

Which has really changed the dynamic of our everyday groove.

It feels so much more

Busy

Intense

Stressful

Exhausting

Fabulously entertaining.

He never stops.

Ever.

I run around like a crazy lady trying to keep him out of trouble.

He cannot be trusted.

Even for a mere second.

I'm not kidding.

I thought Ab was a wild one.

I didn't know what was coming.

We had Ab's family birthday party last Saturday.

I love spending time with family.

I think it's so important that kids grow up with strong family connections.

A feeling of being loved and belonging.

Everyone went out of their way to make her feel so special.

It was a fabulous evening.

My favorite part was when she was so elated as Andy brought in her new bike that her little feet just danced up & down & her whole body just radiated pride & excitement. She just squealed, she couldn't contain her joy.

It was one of those melt your heart moments

that is a gift in itself simply to witness.

After church on Sunday we watched a family movie.
It was great.
I changed back into my pj's at 10am, sipped a hot chai, & snuggled on the couch with my peeps. All was right in the world.
Sunday night we went swimming.

Monday we ventured to the Science Museum and had lunch with daddy, nana, & papa since the kids didn't have school.

Brody refused to stay in the stroller.

He's pretty much done with it. According to him.

It's very helpful.

These beautiful tea cups and saucers were passed down to us!

I'm so in love.

I'm absolutely smitten.

Abby and I are already planning a formal tea party.

With Big fancy hats and dresses and gloves and

pearl necklaces and little sandwiches!

I was also gifted with this beautiful 100 year old sewing machine.

She proudly rests on our mantle for all to see.

Anything vintage intrigues me.

But a vintage sewing machine that has been passed down in the family leaves me breathless with excitement.

It was like Christmas time in my little world this week!

Brody learned how to open doors this week.

Great.

I think he's even flipping me off in this picture with his right hand.

That pretty much says it all right there.

He looks so innocent...

Till he starts feeding the dog.

This pic was Tuesday. The same day Abby confessed that she loves to lie because she gets what she wants faster when she lies.
As a parent, where do you even start with that?
And the same day Brody rounded the corner when I was folding laundry...
Playing with the toilet brush.
The toilet brush people.
Of all things he could get into to play with.
He picked the toilet brush.
I threw up in my mouth.
Nothing is safe.
Another day this week I was washing dishes and realized I haven't seen Brody for a couple minutes. Panic set in and I ran down the hall to find him. As I passed the hall table I heard a little giggle.
Yup. The kid thinks the glass hall table is a bench just for him.
The other two kids never noticed the hall table.
Brody has declared it his.
Lovely.

I wore my brother James' coat one day this week.

It still has a wrapper from his cigs in the pocket.

I get it out every time I wear the coat & smell it.

It has lost it's smell over the last 7 years.

But I hold onto it.

Trying to smell the way it used to smell

Imagining the smell.

Because there is a part of me that believes if his coat still has a wrapper he touched, it still belongs to him. The same part of me that didn't want anyone to touch the change on his side table from emptying his pockets or move the lump of dirty clothes in the bottom of his closet.

Because if those normal everyday things things still existed untouched, maybe he would too.

His side table was cleared off and his clothes were picked up.

But I still carry his wrappers.

I have a slight addiction to searching Craigslist.
Because you never know when something fabulous might be posted.
Like this 1913 Singer and table for $25!
Score.
She needs some work, but she is home now in my living room.
She makes me happy.

I live a beautiful chaos.

 

 

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

New Fave Dessert

I have a serious sweet tooth.

I love chocolate and cake and ice cream and pie and cookies...

Pretty much all foods rich in sugar.

But one of our family New Year resolutions is to eat better.

Dessert was becoming an interesting challenge.

Until I came a cross THIS pin.

Problem solved!

 

A banana + a drizzle of honey + a dash of cinnamon =

AMAZING!

Try it! You won't be disappointed!

 

Friday, January 18, 2013

Insta Friday

Capturing a little bit of our crazy every week.
life rearranged
This week...
Latte got a much needed haircut.
I'm always a little sad when we cut his hair.
I love the scruffy look on him.
Ab worked on her poster for her Small Wonders class.
She sang the entire time.
Basically just narrating what she was coloring.
I love how she does that.
That's Abby's artist take on baby Moses.
I'm loving having a Bible app.
So easy to find verses quickly.
I always panic and finally find the verse 
about the time the speaker moves on to the next subject.
Which makes me flustered and have anxiety and want to just listen without looking the verse up.
Problem solved.
Thank you technology.
I printed this fun print from HERE and painted it.
And hung it on Andy's mirror with wasabi tape like the dork that I am.
So simple, and it made me happy.
I think he liked it.
Started Ab's princess and knight bday party preparations.
Can't believe chicka is going to be 4!
Ab rocked out one night as we were getting dinner ready.
So funny
This thing is a hit...
With all 3 kids.

And I may try to rock out on it sometimes too.
But I don't look cute like they do.
It was warm enough for a little trip to the park Thursday afternoon.
We didn't last long, but it felt good to be outside.
I'm so ready for warm weather.
Like I want it here.
Three weeks ago here.
Have a fun weekend.
Rock out with your fam.
It's fun.