Quick Snack

I was taking a quick shower and A was watching her show. When I came downstairs I found her stool over by the counter and this. Yes, a partially eaten nectarine. Funny that she ate some and then put it right back where she found it. When I asked her about it she told me,"I just wanted a bite for a quick snack"

Another Great Birthday Party

We held B's American Girl birthday party this weekend. I decided that I would have the girls bring their AMG doll with. From what I heard the moms say it was harder to get the dolls ready for the party than the actual human. I found B was the same way. She tried a few outfits on her doll too.

The doll guests that came in their party clothes.

Her big excitement fort he day was that we gave her another AMG doll for her birthday. Well, I didn't really buy it. I won it at the school raffle along with a bunch of other stuff for the doll. I will be giving some of the other items tomorrow on her birthday and others are hidden till Christmas. She was really happy to now have 2 dolls. I hope it will make things easier when friends come over to play. Now they each have one to use.

The party went really well. I had done a TON of prep work on Sunday. From decorating, to making all the special food, to the 3 tier cake. They only thing I did not prep was the craft. B wanted to make matching headbands for each girl and their doll. No big deal I though. How hard would it be to sew a ribbon to a pony holder? Well when I tried a few the hour before the party, it was not so easy. I thought the sewing machine was the way to go. Not so much. It seemed to eat the ribbon. Hand sewing it was. I then thought the girls would be able and willing to do this. They were willing, but not so able. After about the 3rd girl to loose her needle I figured it was easier and faster for me to sew the headbands. They all turned out really cute.


The cake looked ok



Full decorations

B had a good time playing the AMG bingo game and the secret doll game I made up. It was even better when all the moms came to pick up and kept gushing about how great it all was. I feel good knowing that I am out of the spend tons of cash and invite all kids bunch. I still do it at home, have a small guest list (about 6 girls came) and impress them all. I am glad it is over but more glad that each girl seemed so happy.

Eating the special lunch

A few guests and their matching headbands

Caught on Screen Porch

Last Saturday I was called to see what was now "caught" on our back porch. My husband said there was a humming bird, but I totally though he was wrong. I didn't even think he knew what a humming bird looked like. So to humor him I walked to the back door and looked on the porch. Sure enough...

taking a quick rest on our clothes line

still looking for a way out.

There was a beautiful blue-green humming bird. He was trying to find a way out, but seemed to be stuck on the wrong side of the porch. I have no understanding why all the animals that get on the porch have such trouble finding the big open door that they came in. I tried to use a towel to guide the bird to the door. I was close but at the last minute he would fly to the opposite side again. A few times he even got his tiny beak stuck in the screen holes. I went to get my camera and good close up lens, but he was so quick that I could not get many good photos. These really are the best I could do. I knew they were fast little birds, but until ones sees them in person you have no idea.

It was fun to watch for a while and finally he did find his way off the porch. I was glad.

Not the Way I was Thinking

Not really the way I wash off the kitchen table, but then again I am not the one doing it. Her reason for having to climb on the table was that she couldn't reach the other side. Makes sense to me. Sometimes she is such a good helper :)

My Little Sister Graduates

Finally the day many of us older siblings looked forward to all these years. Not because she took years and years, but because it was a bit harder on her than some of us older ones. I think the older ones wanted out of the house where my sister had the house and non of us, so why leave? Victoria graduated from University of Illinois on Saturday. It was a proud moment for me as well as my parents. My sister worked hard and went through a lot to accomplish this diploma. I am so proud of her. She will be such a great teacher in the fall (hopefully).

Rainbow-tastic!

Here are a few before photos of A's rainbow birthday party. Victoria and I have been busy making everything look like a big rainbow. There are a few things you will not see like how each doorway in my house (you know I have about 5 on the first floor) are covered with different color streamers. I figure the girls will love to walk through them. I focused most of the decorations in the dining room since that is where the food will be. I hope the rain stays away long enough for us to get in a few games of cloud hunt, and cloud,cloud,rainbow (duck,duck,goose). I also am thinking of a rainbow walk (they walk on color squares and when music ends they freeze. I call out a color and whoever is on that color wins.) Perhaps a fun round of red light green light too. If it does rain I'm not so sure what we will do. Will have photos after too.

Table shot. Each part of the table is a different color. The people at the party store thought I was nuts I'm sure since non of my stuff matched.

Another view of the room

Aunt Victoria worked hard on the banner

A's special rainbow chair

A's rainbow cake.

Anything Else?

So I have a lot going on right now with the end of the pre-school school year, 2 different daughter's birthday parties, job hunting, and more. I won't try to out list you. I know we are all super busy. It is just one of those moments in time when each day is packed with important thing to get done, and one tiny little thing will go wrong causing many things to go wrong.

Both A and I left car windows open this week when it rained. That was a big wet surprise for me the next morning. I figured nothing really happened. I was wrong! my automatic door locks stopped working. One might think this is not a big deal, but I was unable to unlock my doors. Oh and they lock as you put the car in drive. Now do you see a problem? I could just open my door, but the girls in the back? They would have to climb out the front. I did figure out that I could still use the key chain thing to unlock all doors. Problem solved. Luckily I think my doors have dried out enough today and this afternoon the locks began working again. Good thing too for I set off the car alarm twice when I was getting into the locked car today. Sorry neighbors!

I finished B's beautiful birthday invites and sent them all out yesterday. Found out today that I put the wrong date on them! Then come to find out that 2 of the 7 guests can not come. Kinda a good thing for I am all about small party numbers. B is not so happy though.

Made a cake for a little birthday party for some friends and A today. All was good until I noticed that the entire top layer of the cake was sliding off the bottom layer when I walked into the host's house. I was not sure how to get it on straight for I couldn't use my hands and ruin the frosting. I finally tilted the cake in the opposite direction and waited till it began sliding back. Quickly put it in the fridge to set.

Had my sister come over only to run out the door as soon as she got here. I had a few errands to do. Bad part is that I forgot to do the 2 things that were at the top of the list. One was to buy a gift card for a needy family at the grocery store. I went to the store, bought what I needed, and totally forgot the gift card until I got home. Way to think of others!

On the positive side...
I am ahead on the rainbow party for A this Saturday. My sister was a big help with sorting M&Ms for cake decorations, making the goody bags and lettering the rainbow banner. I got the table set, finished 6 out of 7 doorway streamers, and hung up the banner. I am feeling pretty good. now all I have to do tomorrow is to make the cake and finish a few details. Oh and try to remember AGAIN to get the balloons ( the other item I forgot to do when I was out today)

I'm Not Ready

She entered the world just 4 years ago today. Her smile was perfect, and even her big sister loved her.


Now she still warms up a room with her smile. Her bubbly personality and her non-stop vocals grab every one's attention.

I can not believe that 4 years have passed by so quickly. She told me tonight, "Don't worry, I will be 4 this time and then next time she will be 3 again."



I did not mind her turning 3, but this year she really no longer is a little girl. She begins the climb to big girl status. It breaks my heart. She seems to have grown up so much faster than B did. Perhaps it is because of B that she has. I have no more baby, but luckily I still get snuggles and hugs.

Party Planner

I plan a lot. That is no surprise to many. I am not so much a list maker on paper, but my head is full of them. I plan my day, my month of meals, my grocery list, and to no surprise, the birth of my girl's. Now just because I plan way in advance does not mean that I get things finished ahead of schedule. No, I am more of a keep adding to the head list and at the last minute get it all finished.

Being a teacher I planned to have my babies at the end of the school year. My first was due the day after school got out. I couldn't get more perfect than that. She decided that my plan was not so good and came 2 weeks early. I was not ready for that at all. So with #2 I planned that she could arrive with a month of school left. I sure didn't want to be huge and working till the end of the year with all the crazy 7th graders. Again, she also didn't like my plan and came late. This created the 2 birthdays in 2 weeks dilemma. I don't mind that both girls celebrate in May, but with just 2 weeks between it is hard for me to get a breath.

B has decided she would like an American Girl birthday party. So I have come up with a bunch of activities and treats. I have yet to pick a date or create invitations however. Little A will be 4 on Monday and finally today she informed me that she would like a rainbow birthday party. Good! Now I can get to work on that one. When to do these celebrations? Oh why not have A's the morning before I leave to U of I for my sister's college graduation? I'm sure I won't have things to do for that. Wait that would be in about 1 week. I hope to get it all finished. I'm sure I will for I tend to over plan too. They are only a few 4 year olds. How much do I really need to plan? A few activities and then just let them run in the backyard for a little before cake right?

We will see how it all goes. I don't think I will get much sleep in the next few weeks. It won't be due to my getting things done, but to making more lists in my head.