Bead Sun catchers! {from Summer 2013}

We made these bead sun catchers last summer and within the last month we finally got around to hanging the sun catchers up. So you can do the math, I had a nice pile of heart shaped sun catchers on my kitchen counter for almost a whole year. Only moving them to wipe the counter, but never hanging them up. Sometimes I get like that... takes me awhile to finish projects because I just want to start a new one! I have a project in our basement that I wanted to do since we lived at our OLD HOUSE. It's still just sitting there calling my name every time I run down to the basement. Sometime. I hope. Anyways with this project I just had to wait for Marty to drill a hole in the sun catchers (I could have done it yes, but then if I ruined them it would have been my fault!). After a hole was drilled in them, I was able to hang them up around some windows with some fishing line. Ta-da. Project finally complete!

This was on our summer-to-do list last year and it was fairly simple- the kids put the beads in a heart shaped cookie/cake pan thingy (really, what is it?) and then Marty put the pan on the grill outside so the beads could melt. I know you can put the pan of beads in the oven too but I didn't want a plastic-burn smell in the house. I wish I could remember all the directions- but just pinterest or google it and you will find out how to make some bead sun catchers of your own. Just don't wait a year to hang them up!

(and now that I look at the blog and the pictures on the computer from last summer- I missed a lot! Look for some more Summer 2013 pictures tomorrow!) 

Doll and Dog Birthdays!

In April, Lily's doll Jamie turned 3 years old. We've had Jamie forever! Lily has had Jamie since she was 14 months old. Lily sleeps with her every night and many times when we run errands, Jamie comes along. She's pretty dirty now (she's been to Sesame Place, Disney World, Chicago, Cedar Point...) but I'll be sad when the day comes that Lily is too old for Jamie. Back to the point. Lily's doll turned 3. I didn't make it to be some big thing (like I kinda did last year) but I did make Jamie (and all of us who could actually eat) cupcakes and I did buy Jamie a new outfit.

Baby Jamie's new outfit

Jessie (left) and Jamie (right) 

Singing Happy Birthday to Jamie 

May was Grace's doll Jessie's birthday month. Jessie is special to Grace but not as special as Jamie is to Lily. Grace will go back and forth between Violet (her purple puppy) and her bunny (that Lily made her from Build-a-Bear before Grace was born) and Jessie. So sometimes Grace loves Jessie more than anything and other times she is looking for Bunny or Violet to run errands with. Jessie got cupcakes too and a new outfit! Both purple since that is Grace's favorite color. Oh, and Jessie turned 2 years old.

Jessie's new birthday outfit

Happy Birthday Jessie!

Gabe doesn't get what the big idea is about a doll's birthday- but he'd go along with anything if it involved cake :)

We not only celebrated our dolls turning a year older (or whatever), our puggle Maisy turned 7 years old last week. I usually make her a birthday cake, light a candle and sing and wrap her a present but let's face it- I'm in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy, it's May and that means the busiest month ever for us with school winding down and t-ball and dance recitals, also Marty wasn't home, so that meant- a cookie from the dog store and a new toy (unwrapped). We still sang Happy Birthday to Maisy quickly after dinner and gave her a hug and pretty much called it a day. Next year I promise to be a better dog-mommy.

Birthday dog cookies

We love our dog (well most of the time- when she isn't stealing food)

This was torture for her

Lily telling Maisy to "sit" so she could get a cookie

Happy 7th Birthday Maisy!
Sorry the kids are turning your hair gray!

Our Life Lately

(some pictures from the last 5 weeks) 

Wagon ride home from picking up Lily from school 

Gabe matching letters

Grace matching letter sounds

Tiny prince and princesses have taken over my fire place

This boy is so lucky to have sisters who do anything for him

Post bath frog 

loving the bunny- now they ask if we can get a pet bunny all the time

we hosted a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom play date at our house

Ribbon streamer fun

Grace and her bubble gun from Disney World

Grace taking a break from bug hunting

She's always writing "let it go Dad"
Not sure what that means!

One night, Marty went to return the movies at Family Video and accidentally locked his keys in the car when he went in to drop the movies off.... I had to wake 3 sleeping littles to open his Jeep door for him. Luckily, the kids thought it was an adventure and went to sleep right afterwards with no problem! 

Taking a walk around the neighborhood 

Looks like a Jeep collision will happen soon!

Teeter Totter with siblings

Lily and Gabe waiting for the neighborhood egg hunt to begin

Gabe collecting eggs

Baskets all filled up!

Riding Sandy

Snow flurries in April 

I made Grace a picture of her favorite toy "Violet" 

First Slurpee of the season

Lily after her boyfriend's Batman Birthday party

Lily showing me at 24 weeks what the baby looks like 

Disney night on Dancing with the Stars- she ran and got her baton and costume and twirled to the music

This Ninja Turtle Mermaid danced too

Gabe's "Jeep" bed

Countdown to school is out!
Now it's 10 more school days for Lily and 4 more for Grace!

Gabe taking a bath with his Pixar friends

Ready for preschool with some bunny ears

They dressed Gabe up.
He looks thrilled!

Princess Anna and Queen Elsa

Reese's Chocolate bunnies-
we have one left-
I'm gonna eat it tonight :) 

His favorite thing to do.

Mall play

Park play

26 weeks!
(Eeeek now I'm 29 weeks!) 

Trying out the new costumes

Grace digging with her Ninja Turtle gloves and shovel

Our Jamba Juice cheers!
(Hooray he's getting vegetables and doesn't even know!) 

Sleepy boy

Lily had a blast at her first school field trip - she saw the play "Aladdin" and her favorite part was riding the school bus!

Grace at the eye doctors- getting ready for Kindergarten!

She did great so the eye doctor gave them free ice cream

1 hour glucose test= pass
However, they found out I had low iron= boo!

Ready for Kindergarten shots! She did great and didn't even cry!
She weighs 33 pounds and is 38 inches- little peanut like her sister

American Cancer Society walk in the city

Playing in his new bedroom

He loved his chocolate ice cream

Painting tulips 

Nice day for a walk to the playground 

Kindergarten Round-up night!
How is she old enough for school?!?

Lily was my little grocery helper since Grace had school and she didn't.
She loved it!

Made a paper flower for her teacher
(During Teacher Appreciation week we did all sorts of stuff: card for teacher, poem for teacher, wore teacher's favorite color to school, flower for teacher...)

Grace is loving t-ball

Gabe picked out this teddy bear at Dave and Buster's for his prize... his sisters were sweet and only got a piece of candy each so he could get the "big prize".
He sleeps with it every day so I guess it was a good decision. 

Fairy Festival

Gabe painting

Lily feeling Bean kick

Grace checking out a fire truck

Gabe "driving" the Gator

Lily writing a poem for her teacher "Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, You are a super good teacher and I love you!"

Field day fun!

Grace had a 24 hour fever - not so fun!

Dance Rehearsal time!

Mother's Day- kids playing nicely, me reading and eating ice and Marty home for the day to cut  the grass :) 

We made chocolate banana smoothies!

I made hand prints and since Lily was at school and I couldn't do hers- I made one for the dog :)
Later when she got home from school, we did hers too!

Teacher Appreciation Cups- filled with their favorite candy, Essie nail polish and a gift card! 

Post Dance Recital dinner at Red Robin

I love my new jogging stroller- now if only I could jog!

Park play with #2 and #3

I have to document my latest mommy fail:
I was supposed to have Lily come to her ballet/jazz class with full make up on and costumes on! Oops! Luckily Lily didn't care (I gave her an extra star for being such a trooper about it). But in my defense I am the only mom who has to bring siblings to the class, then to t-ball practice the same night, I'm the only one 7 months pregnant and not to mention husband-less for the month of May. 

I did remember that it was Maisy's 7th Birthday though!

Lily and Emma

A Grace fashion statement: 2 different shoes