My Baby Is 3!

She loves to smile for her Mommy.

My sweet Little D is 3 today!  We knew we wanted at least 4 children, but not long after having our fourth, I just felt like we were supposed to have one more child in our family.  God blessed us with this sweet, little bundle of joy and she has made our family complete.  It's hard to believe that my littlest one is turning three this spring, but such is life.  As my 4-year-old says, "Things just have to keep changing in life," which is very true.  So, I'm enjoying these days and years as my youngest children are still toddlers and preschoolers because I know this phase our lives will only last so long.  Happy Birthday Little D!  You are a blessing to our whole family and we love you!

Teasing Mommy.

Beautiful Baby.

Love her!

A LEGOLAND Birthday

The adventurers, with the birthday girl, front and center.

 

A couple of weeks ago, our second oldest daughter turned 8.  It also turned out to be the day after the puppies were born, so things were pretty hectic around the house at the time.  We already had a plan to use some LEGOLAND tickets that were given to us to take some of the girls on a birthday excursion.  So, despite the lack of sleep and much exhaustion, my valiant hubby, who is also a wonderful dad, got up and took our middle three for a very, full day at LEGOLAND.  My oldest, #1, and youngest, #5, stayed home with me, for which I was very thankful because Isabella was a huge help to me that day, not only with puppy care, but also helping out with her baby sister.  While they were gone, I did manage to bake a carrot cake for the birthday girl, about the only non-puppy related project I did that day.  The girls returned late, exhausted, but very exited and happy about the fun day they had at LEGOLAND for Selah's birthday. 

Volvo driving school with stoplights, streets signs, and all. 

3 happy campers.

Our First Vegan Birthday Cake

Since changing the way we eat, I am re-learning how to bake using very little fats and oils while also eliminating eggs, butter, and dairy.  Tuesday was my hubby's 34th birthday and I found a recipe for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting in the McDougall's book, The Starch Solution.  The recipe looked easy enough to make and I had Augustus pick up a few ingredients that I didn't have on hand at Trader Joe's on Monday.  Also, the recipe called for a 8 X 8 pan, which I have, but doesn't look very festive.  So, instead I used a bundt pan and it came out beautifully.  The girls loved the results and were happy to see that birthday baking is still alive and well in our household.  So, yay, to our first delicious and successful vegan birthday cake!  I know there will be many more to come.

Ready to begin!

About to go in the oven.

The finished product.

Happy Birthday!

All my favorite people.

A Photo Book Gift made on Shutterfly

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly offers exclusive layouts and designs so you can make your book just the way you want.

Here's what I made for my hubby for his birthday.  I took some pics that he took this summer when we were out on a hike and put them together in a themed book.  Hopefully, he doesn't see it on here and take a peek.  I can get a $10 credit at Shutterfly, though, for putting this up on my blog so I thought that I would give it a go.   I usually use Snapfish, but I had a $20 credit on my account at Shutterfly, so I decided to try them out this time around.  Something that was different and really cool is that they let me combine my account credit and a coupon code from their website in the same order making it a really great discount.  I've tried that on numerous occasions on Snapfish and it never works; you can use one coupon code or promotion per order.  I hope this looks as good when I receive it as it looks on the computer!  

Family Party Time

I must say, my hubby outdid himself once again.  Even after a long day at work and 2 days left until the weekend, he pulled a fun, family birthday party off for me with all of his usual charisma and enthusiasm for a fun time together.  I think that one of his best ideas was bringing home a couple of bags of balloons for the girls which provided hours of entertainment (don't worry, all the popped balloon pieces were closely monitored and picked up promptly to keep them from the 2-year-old and dog).  Augustus put on some good tunes, the girls played "keep as many balloons in the air at once as possible" while intermittently dancing, and we all enjoyed a  delicious dinner which I did not need to lift a finger to bring about (one of the best parts of either Mother's Day and my birthday for me).  We had French bread and butter, grilled cajun shrimp kabobs, grilled asparagus, steaks, and a delicious finish with a double fudge cake and Bordeaux cherry ice cream (a delicious combo).  It is during these sweet times when I really see our family coming together in joy and celebration that my heart is full to bursting as seeing all the blessings God has given me in my life.  Another really sweet moment, was yesterday morning when I woke up early with my hubby and Little D wanted to get up, too.  I brought her downstairs with me and she curled up in a little ball in my lap with her blanket and just wanted to snuggle.  Now that she is a toddler (2), she is active so much of the time and doesn't stop that often just to sit with me, so it was a definite birthday gift to just get to hold my "baby" and sit quietly for a few moments together.

The photos are all courtesy of my multi-talented hubby who actually knows how to use our camera.

I'm 35!

Yep, today is my birthday and I've turned 35.  Where has the time gone?  Instead of pontificating on the subject, though, I think I will go enjoy the day and catch a few of those minutes that seem to be slipping through my fingers as we speak.  I'm off to feed my chicks and chickens, and then I'll make a cappuccino and sit down to enjoy with a good book for a while.  Here's to a great day!

Gift Bow Making

Since #5's birthday was just this week, I thought I would include a fun bow making idea shown to me by a friend that likes to craft.  Here are the links to the "howaboutorange" blog from which this idea comes.  It is an easy way to recycle magazine pages, or you can use wrapping paper/scrapbooking paper, as well. 

http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2009/10/make-gift-bow-from-magazine-page.html
http://www.howaboutorange.blogspot.com/search/label/recycled

Here is an example of how I made a gift bow with two contrasting wrapping papers.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Little D!

Our first glimpse at her darling face.

The day our sweet Dakota was born.

Pensive

Sweet

You just want to cuddle her right up!

One of the perfect newborn poses.

My goofy, little giggle-box (at 9 months).

15 months and she was, finally, fully in walking mode.

My little Christmas beauty.

Almost 2 here.

"Gotta keep up with those sisters!"

Wonderful, darling Dakota,  Happy Birthday!  Our lives were all blessed and made that much richer when you came into the world as part of our family.  We thank God for you every day and your sisters always say that they can't imagine our family without their littlest sister.  You are so special to us and we can't wait to watch you each step of the way as you grow up.  We love you!
Your family

Wordless Wednesday 2-1-12

Happy New Year - 2012!

I'm back!  Vacation was great and very rejuvenating!  We spent a whirlwind week and a half in Oregon with my in-laws just chilling out, doing Christmas activities, and with 4 adults attempting to keep up with 5 energetic little girls.  But, now we are back home and back in the ususal swing of things - school started today both for the girls and for hubby (teaching 2nd semester). 

It's also a big day for our #2; she is turning 7 and couldn't be more thrilled that her birthday fell on the first day back to school.  Last night she made her own cake and frosting (which I helped assemble after bedtime) and she organized all the sisters to assemble small gift bags for her friends at school.  After seeing Selah sick and in the hospital at the end of October and then still sick for the following month on several rounds of antibiotics, it is great to see her doing better and more of her happy, sweet self; this is a New Year's blessing in itself. 

With the New Year already a few days in progress, I will be working towards being a little more organized at home, being less lazy in general, reading plenty of books in 2012, keeping up my re-found love of handmade goods, drinking my fair share of great cappuccino's, getting back to running, drinking nice glasses of wine and eating dark chocolate with the hubby, and above all, loving God and my family with a whole-hearted purpose!  May 2012 be a great year for you, me, and all those we love!

Heading towards my Mid-30's

When I was a youngster, I relished the thought of turning a year older.  I was growing up and could have more responsibility and the priveleges that went along with having another birthday.  This feeling of great excitement over reaching the next year of my life lasted through my late teens and most of my 20's, but as 30 approached I began to feel differently.  To be honest, I wasn't all that excited to turn 30 because I realized that as I started this new decade, I was definitely moving out of the stage of my youth to something more of an in-between age.  It's not that I'm opposed to getting older in essence, but it is more the growing realization that time goes by so quickly and is fleeting.  It seems like the years go by ever increasingly more quickly.  Of course, from a scientific standpoint that is bogus, but I think you know what I mean.  As adults, life is busy and our days are filled.  All of a sudden, my kids are growing up before my eyes, I'm not just 30, but 34 and almost to the middle of the next decade, and I'll have been married for 10 years in July.  I love my life, my family, and all that has happened in our lives over the past years as we've become the family that we are.  I just realize that on this day that I am turning another year older, in my 30's, that I need to not let the little frustrations, crazinessess, and distractions of daily life keep me from enjoying and relishing each new year of my life to the fullest.  So, Happy 34th Birthday to me!  May it be a great year!

Here is a little look back at me in the past few years.  :-)

2003 - (Baby #1 at 26.)

27 years old.

Me at 28 (almost 29), with #2 and pregnant with #3 with a sprained ankle.

At 30, with #3 who was turning 1 year's old.  

Pregnant with #4, out on a date with hubby (31 years old)

32 and in Paris with #4.

33 years old.

Almost 34 (taken this spring).