Showing posts with label Family Stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family Stories. Show all posts

Monday, May 27, 2013

Ava's Birthday Picnic


On Memorial Day three years ago (May 29th that year) we were bringing our sweet daughter home from the hospital. She was a beautiful healthy almost 9 pound baby (8 pounds 13 ounces). 


This weekend we celebrated her 3rd birthday with family and friends. 



Since I am 8 months pregnant, I promised myself (and my husband) I wouldn't go overboard with the party. I think I did a pretty good job keeping it simple and small. We just had it at a park and barbecued. My daughter wanted to have a "picnic" for her birthday so we went with the gingham theme. She had a wonderful time with her friends and we adults enjoyed relaxing in the sun and playing Bocce ball. Here are some pics...



Pink lemonade cupcakes and flower cookies... per the birthday girl's request...


Nana's famous potato salad...







Can't believe my baby is so big. 
She makes us laugh everyday and has such a silly personality. 
Thank you, Lord for the gift of our precious "big girl". 




Monday, February 11, 2013

Our Baby Gender Reveal Party: Its a....

Yesterday we had a gender reveal party to find out if we're having a girl or a boy. It was such a special time with our close friends and family. This is our second baby and we did the same idea to find out we were having a girl the first time around. Here's how it works... the doctor at the ultrasound determined the gender and wrote it down and sealed it in an envelope for us. Then, we took the sealed envelope to the bakery and asked them to put pink on the inside if it says girl and blue if it says boy. This way, we got to find out with everyone else and it was a surprise for everyone! (For anyone who's worried, we had the doctors do a back-up envelope just in case)










The frosting is... PINK! 



Ava is beyond excited to have a little sister! 








Its a girl! And we are beyond excited!!


Sharing at these fun blogs this week....

A Creative Princess Party
Show and Share @ Southern Lovely
Whatever Goes Weds @ Someday Crafts

Monday, January 7, 2013

A New Year Update...

It has been almost 3 months since my last post. It has been somewhat intentional and somewhat inevitable as life has just been so busy. I thought I'd start the new year with a post as a general update about our crazy life right now.



I started a new job as the Elementary Coordinator at our church. I oversee the 1st- 4th grade program of about 200 kids a Sunday. I'm absolutely loving it but its been a huge adjustment working again after being home with my daughter and only Nannying for the past couple years. It has been a great outlet for me to pursue my other gifts and passions outside of motherhood and domestic home life.

Avaree, our 2.5 year old started preschool 2 days a week while I go into the office. She is thriving and LOVES it. Every night she asks me if she gets to go to school tomorrow. When I dropped her off even the first day she told me "go Mommy, go home, I play with my friends!" I cried a little but so thankful she is so independent and confident. No separation anxiety in this little fireball. Here she is on the first day of school...

My husband is still working two jobs to take care of us. He is so amazing. We are praying this fall he will be able to find a teaching position again and also begin work on his Master's degree. He has put so much on hold to allow me to stay home with our daughter and I'm pushing him to pursue his dreams and trust the Lord to provide some of the financial relief we need. Excited to see what God's going to do. Currently, he has to work most evenings which is so sad for our relationship and as a father it just kills him not to be home to eat together, or put Avaree to bed, etc. This will become even harder as we have recently learned that we will soon be....



A family of 4!!! Yep, I'm pregnant! We are thrilled. I'm 15 weeks and have had it rough so far. So thankful to be into the 2nd trimester and praying to escape the extreme "all day" sickness I've had. Avaree is so excited to be a big sister and has already been a big help to Mommy. She is convinced its a girl of course, and my husband is sure its a boy. I have no premonitions so far. The plan is for me to continue to work after some maternity leave... I am only 20 hours a week and have amazing flexibility and ability to work from home most days. We are blessed.


The thing thats been missing lately is any projects, crafts, or creative outlet for this girl. And I AM GOING CRAZY. I did get some pretty decorations up for Christmas (ha, actually they are still up- don't judge hehe) but I haven't taken any pictures. It is time for some projects and now that I'm feeling a bit better, I can't wait to get started. So, I'll do my best to get some pictures up. This blog is one of my New Year's resolutions because I realize how much I just love and need this creative side of me. I've been craving the inspiration of my blogger friends and dying to know what everyone's been up to lately. So, I'm back. I am putting no pressure on myself to meet any blogging goals or expectations. But, simply to continue to use this blog as a chance to connect with others who inspire me, and to give myself the chance to share my own passions and gifts. Thanks to everyone who reads and visits here. I've missed you all!

(Our New Year's Eve dinner party table) 

Here's to this new year and all the little surprises to come!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Ava Turns Two... A Pinwheel Party!

This weekend was my daughter's 2nd birthday! We had a special time with our closest friends and family. I did a backyard "pinwheel" themed party with a picnic feel. Thought I would share some pictures...


I made pinwheels out of basic scrapbook paper and used buttons in the center... 
So easy and very inexpensive. 

The food table was full of little finger foods, fruit, a deli plate, and popcorn... 
I used vintage decorations of course.


My first attempt at making "pie pops"... apple and cherry... mmmm.


Mini Pizzas and Souffles....




Mason jars with pink striped paper straws... And Pink Lemonade


 Vintage Soda Pop...


Yummy lemon and strawberry "Cake'os" by Gracie Cakes...


Popcorn...


Pictures of the birthday girl... And fresh flowers all around...


Pinwheels....


And a few pics of the birthday princess....





Happy Birthday our little sunshine girl!







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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Ava's New Kitchen

Well, I have been MIA the last couple weeks in the blog world due to no internet, moving, and LOTS of projects. I am more than excited to move next week to a bigger place where Ava will have her own room finally! She has been living in our walk-in closet... its an adorable little nook but she will be so happy to have her own space! So, I've been doing some projects to make her room a fun space with her own toys, reading nook, AND..... A play kitchen!

We had a little Fisher Price plastic kitchen that we found in a dumpster (no shame for dumpster diving :) I cleaned it up and used a spray paint made especially for plastic. Here is a before and after...

BEFORE Front Side:


BEFORE: Back Side

I removed the pretend BBQ and all the label stickers

I used this great spray paint made for outdoor or indoor plastic:

It took a lot of taping off to make sure the colors didn't overlap...

I painted the whole thing white to clean it up and cover up the crayon marks and stickers... then I added the details... Here is how the front kitchen side came out... I was going for a vintage 50's look...

AFTER: Front Side






On the back side I wanted to do a little outdoor space but didn't love the BBQ idea... So I came up with a little fruit and flower market. I used some old fabric scraps to make the awning and bought dollar store fake flowers. Here's the back side

AFTER: Back Side



 I used some cardboard pieces that were packaging from my new computer.


The "propane tank" from the pretend BBQ became a bucket for roses.


It took about 4 hours to do the whole thing and only cost me the paint ($3 a can and about 3 cans), and the dollar store flowers. We already had some play food and pots and pans etc. 
I can't wait to put it in her new room and watch her enjoy! 

Sharing this week at: