whatever

fourteen.

scott turned fourteen.
that is crazy.
he is almost done with middle school.
he is two inches taller than me.
he can almost drive?!!

my baby.
:(

sometimes it physically hurts to realize how fast they grow up.
like...my chest is burning right now and i have tears in my eyes.

he chose bbq chicken sandwiches....we used garlic bread like when we eat at Roys BBQ. 
(and this link to Roy's even has a video)
and velveeta mac n'cheese (the fancy kind we only buy for special occasions...not kidding)
and pineapple because he loves it.

after dinner he opened his gifts.
annie wrapped up two things....tokens from a movie theater in michigan and a pile of photos that she went through pulling out all the pictures with scott in it.
my little girls love to give gifts!
scott was very gracious and went through each picture.


 
and gave big hugs.
genuine real hugs.  :)

talby gave him some of her things she felt he would enjoy.  i love to watch them GIVE. 

 
he was pretty excited about his cards with money....his sweatshirt from Nana....and new shoes from us.

SIZE 12!!

he willingly played croquet with his siblings.



and let me hug on him and take pictures....

 

then my little girls jumped in....













they played blokus while i got out the cake.
 

 
talby showed me how she whips her hair back and forth...she whips her hair back and forth...

 

 
you can tell that everyone was quite happy and silly last night. 



scott chose angel food cake and cool whip....what a sweet boy.
i didn't even have to bake a cake!
:)

thank you target for having all the things i needed.
and thanks talby for cutting up all those strawberries!
and thanks Cool Whip....just taste it!  ha  

he is growing up to be a really cool kid.
i get to take a bunch of his friends out to dinner tonight.
i don't think i have ever had dinner with a table of 14 year old boys?
i may sit by myself....they may want me to.
it should be interesting.

he gives hugs.
he talks to me.
he is kind....he is courteous...he is funny.
he reminds me so much of his dad.
he loves playing basketball and watching basketball and talking about basketball.

i like him.

:)

happy birthday scott.

 

somehow....

i have made it 16 years and 4 kids without having a giant slumber party.


 
but it happened.
talby had her 10th birthday this weekend.
and she partied with 10 of her friends.

 
and we survived!

it was actually pretty fun.

i listened to them tell scary stories to each other in the dark and they were so CUTE!
this 10 year old girl wanted a Selena Gomez CD, pink converse low tops, glitter boots and new headphones.
and i found her a cute vest and hoodie at old navy... SUPER cute.
the best part... SHE LIKED IT.

..................................................

 
 
we had an overwhelming response to the first CRAFT WEEKEND!
it is going to be January 27 - 29. 

:)

so.....

we added another date!

February 17 - 19

FUN! FUN! FUN!!!

there are some really exciting ideas and dreams coming together for Craft Weekends.
it's so cool.
i am really encouraged by the emails and kind words you girls pour out on me.
it keeps me dreaming BIG.

WATCH YOUR EMAIL for an invite to CRAFT WEEKEND.

check your spam.
some people we didn't hear back from....what a bummer if it was in your spam.

CLICK HERE to get on the waiting list.  ( see...#10)
there are several hundred on the list but we are using a lottery to pick names
so you never know who we be picked next! 

................................................

 

and what is this???

........ COME READ ABOUT   DESIGNS FOR DAVIS!!!!.......
heather has a REALLY fabulous surprise going on right HERE.

 

 

another big birthday.

my goofy little annie girl is growing up too darn fast.
 

 
for her birthday she got a new coat, sparkly boots, mexican train, sunglasses, a baby doll and a new KU tee.

for her classroom treat she wanted chocolate cupcakes with pink icing and sprinkles.
as i walked through the grocery store with only 1.5 hours left to make those cupcakes i saw in the bakery....
chocolate cupcakes with pink icing and sprinkles.
i was very torn.
i stood there a good five minutes trying to decide if i should just buy them or go home and bake my own.

agony.

i went home and baked my own.
only because i hadn't asked annie what she wanted and
i didn't want to make any mistakes on the treats at the new school.
she said "mom...you can't send them with me...THE MOM comes in and brings the treats at this school!!"   
oh my.

 
 i think i did ok....as the new mom with the treats IN the room!!

for annie's party...

her art teacher from her old school came and led CRAFT time.  
it was SO good.

Ms. Beth had their complete attention.
she brought Sculpey in lots of colors for each one of the kids.
and showed them how to make a couple of different projects.

 


they were so quiet.
it was awesome.






it was the best party we have ever had.
no joke.
it was so calm and quiet and fun.
they were mesmerized!


 

while we had dessert and opened presents Ms. Beth baked the projects so they were finished.
she put them in goodie bags with the kids names on it.
 


i HIGHLY recommend Beth for your party!
:)

annie does too.

you can email Ms. Beth at:

byhwdy1 @ sbcglobal . net     (without the spaces of course.....)

you can get in touch with her about all the fun parties at your house!!

you will LOVE it.


annie decided on parfaits instead of cake and ice cream.
we layered chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, mini marshmallows, whipped cream and mini chocolate chips.


and topped it of with an oreo.

Y U M M M M M M M M M M M M M.

and it was easy for them to bring home what they couldn't finish too.

her friends gave her craft kits and a set of legos.
she was PUMPED.

Happy Birthday to my 7 year old sweet pea.

wait....how can my BABY be 7???

this means that it's been seven years since i have had a newborn in my house?
7 years since i have nursed a baby!?
7 years since i fed a baby in the dark while watching informercials on low volume??
7 years since i have searched for a paci under a crib?
7 years since i held a bottle with my right hand into the back seat while driving with my left hand in the front??
so long ago.

seven years old is pretty great too.

................................................ 

have you heard of the Bounce Dryer Bar?  
i reviewed one over here...come read about it and enter to win $50  VISA gift card!

AND go check out the posts about our craft weekend sponsors on the CW blog....HERE.

 

eleven

i am the worst at planning kids parties.
i have ideas and all but getting people invited in a timely fashion......i'm awful.
but miraculously kids still make it.
thank goodness.






the big plans for the party were pool....water balloons....water slide....eat.






even Sunshine showed up!
my kids have renamed him Tiger....since he's a boy.
he is still NOT our cat.
he is NOT.

sean worked for hours filling water balloons.

and it was the best part.
those boys (and annie) threw them for the entire party.
worth it for sure. 

sean's cake was a labor of love.

he was so happy with it....which made me happy.
i found the recipe and instructions  here.  
and the cheese is a sugar sheet....sold at joanns.....very cool.


he got all his friends laughing really hard during his gift time.
love to see that.


a good party.....maybe an hour too long but still good.
laid back.
loud and wild and full of boy craziness.
mission accomplished.

................................................

today is the last day to enter the giveaway for Davis' adoption fund.
they are at 23% today.
we can do better than that for Davis.

COME ON!!!

i read this today and thought YES GOD!!! it's so fitting for Davis.

"Be generous: Invest in acts of charity.
Charity yields high returns.
Don't hoard your goods; spread them around.
BE A BLESSING to others.  THis could be your last night."

Ecclesiastes 11: 1 - 2 

 
that is truth.
right there in front of your eyes.
go be a blessing to Davis today.
 
:)
 

how can this be?

how can 13 years have passed since i gave birth to this boy?

he was born ON mother's day.
with out drugs.
just me, craig and dr. saleh quietly in my little tiny room.
they both cheered me on and told me "you're doing great" and "you're almost done".  

it was the calmest of all of my birthing experiences.



which is funny because he was the least calm baby of the five.
he cried for the first two weeks non stop.



he was my second baby.
my first boy.
my baby that threw up and threw up and threw up.

i switched him to cow's milk at 6 months old after my mom suggested it.
literally from that very bottle.....
he never threw up again.
after 6 months of non-stop reflux it was GONE in one day.
i had to switch doctors because she was up in arms about the dangers i was causing him.
sorry lady....you aren't the one cleaning up this kid 20 times a day.....he's cured.
see ya!



he taught me to notice things like trash trucks and construction sites.
we used to drive to a construction site and park there and watch while we ate a happy meal.
i can still name every construction vehicle and tell you what it's for.





and he asked a lot of questions.
A LOT.



sigh.......i miss that little boy.

because who is this man that is living at my house?
eating non stop?
talking with a low voice?
wearing giant shoes?
worrying about how his hair looks and if his breath is ok?????

 



 

 

 

 

waffle is always a scene stealer.....


those ginormous candles were from party city.
they are fun! 


i made it a KU cake.....but honestly....no one cared.
boo.


the older they get the less exciting the birthdays are.
and the more OLD i feel.

he was a sweet baby.
a fun kid.
and a funny high energy young man right now.
i love to watch him play ball.
i like to listen to him to talk to his dad about basketball (95% of what he talks about during his waking hours)
i think he is going to be an awesome adult.

how cool is parenting?

we get to birth them, feed them, care for them and then watch them grow up and become adults?!
it's crazy.
and awful.
and humbling.
and HARD.

but still so very cool.

happy birthday SON.

i hope it's as BEAST as you are.

his real birthday is today but he will be at a track meet all afternoon and evening so we celebrated early. 

big sister

happy birthday lorel.

you have always been an awesome sister.

always.


 
i love you.

a whole bunch.

have a great day.

thanks for taking me dancing......even though i wore a cardigan.

who ever said good hip hop doesn't come from omaha?