The celebration...

This year, since we had family in town, we did a small party for Ella and John. I am thinking that I may not do this again, join their parties. It was fun, but I felt torn with how to do it for a 2 year old and 5 year old. Boy and Girl. Next time, we will do one early, and one later. The kids had a nice time, and we spaced out opening their gifts during the week so it wasn't so overwhelming. Thank you to all of you who sent and gave gifts. I think this year will be the first year I teach Ella how to write thank you cards. She needs to learn at some point that life is not all about electronics and verbal affirmations. The lost art of sending a real card is something I plan to fix in my house. John did a great job thanking each person and since he's so little, just know he's grateful. Princess and Buzz Lightyear cupcakes were the choice for this party. I bought turquoise as a neutral color for plates and cups and hung lanterns from the ceiling just to spice it up. Also because my sister took me into Party City for my first time ever which was a huge mistake. I never knew you could do so much for a party.  I'm also really indecisive so we spent over an hour in there just browsing the crazy amounts of theme ideas. Landing on the obvious picks for both Ella and John, we left with deciding to tone it down to just cupcake toppers. It was a nice night and we all had fun. 

The annual mom and dad with birthday child photo. This time we are wearing the same outfits since it's the same night. Easy.

He's 2.

The baby is two. It means he's not a baby anymore, he's a toddler. We don't have a baby. Those 5 words are so strange to me right now. John has been a total joy from the start. He loves life. He's usually the most content person in the house. He teaches the rest of us to stop and take a break. When things get crazy, he brings me his "banky" and asks to sit. I think he knows every one needs a time out. He is all about having fun. Copying his siblings is something he's really into right now. He also likes to play with them, and now that he's getting older, this isn't such a task. They actually all enjoy it. He says almost everything he would like and has certain phrases that just crack us up. When he's playing "sooker hero" and yells, "to intinity and deyond!" He likes Buzz Lightyear a lot. At night he tells me "do not shutta de door." He likes the door open. Keep him included, not closed out. When he's agreeing with something he nods his head and says, "Mmmhmm, yes...mmmhmm." As if just saying yes is not enough. When he cries it makes everyone sad. His little mouth can't even open wide enough to take him seriously sometimes. But it's pitiful anyway. When he's in trouble, he goes right to the time out chair, tells me when he's ready to be sorry and apologizes. No fighting, no screaming, just remorse. Maybe this will change, but he's by far the easiest child I've ever disciplined. I will take it for now. We are so thankful for our little man and can't even believe he's changing so fast. 

Got a bowling set from Grandpa Ben & Grandma Barb. Thank You!

Testing it out. Good form John.

Birthday morning. "I Two!"

Dipping his fingers in our chai foam is a favorite thing of his to do. He always asks if I'm making chai and if I'm putting "cream on it." A boy after my own heart. Foam and whip cream. Yes.

He took a bite out of his candle thinking it might be good. He learned he was wrong.

Peter covered in ice cream with his brother who is in the middle of a bite.

New Mr. Potato head.

Testing out the parts. Smile!

I will never get enough of those cheeks.

John, thank you for bringing us so much happiness and laughter. 

A perfect summer day to a little boy means, a scrape on the knee, mud on his face and collecting bugs in garden. ~ Anonymous

She's 5.

On the 18th, we celebrated Ella's 5th birthday. I have been friends with moms with 5 year olds. I've known a lot of 5 year olds, but I have not, until this week, been able to say that "my oldest is five." It is a weird feeling. I love it and I'm scared of it at the same time. Ella is so much fun, yet still needs a lot of attention. She knows a lot, but doesn't know enough to be safe all the time. She is outspoken around the house, and still gets really shy around newbies. Words that she still says funny are "Crimpmass" (Christmas), "Hawana" (Awana), "Toodles" (tools), "Poodle" (pool), and she's just recently learning to annunciate more of her words, which almost makes me sad. She is caring and compassionate to others, and is having a blast in school. When I show up, she always gets very excited and runs to her box to show me what they made that day. Ella refers to Peter and John as "the brothers." It makes me laugh. Wanting a kitty cat is still at the top of her list. Horses are a fascination of hers, mostly from far away and on television. She is strong-willed and knows what she wants. (I have NO idea where she gets this ;) These are traits that will get her places in life, and get her in trouble at home. Parenting her is a joy and a challenge, both. I love watching her with babies, and even her brothers when she wants to show them something. I can't wait to see what this year holds as she grows and learns. 

For her birthday morning, we went to Mr. Sticky's and got cinnamon rolls. 

I love this concentrating face.

I tried my hand at being a fancy cupcake decorator. It did not go too well after my bag broke. 

My sister and I ended up just decorating with sprinkles. Ella took these to school last week. She was so proud to bring snack to share with all the kids.

From us, she got a corduroy kitty cat, a few charms for her necklace, and a set of books from her school book order.

Ella made her name with her blocks and asked me to take her picture.

Gifts from Grandpa Ben and Grandma Barb. Thank you! She's been writing on all the papers and making notes and receipts for the kids. 

A loom from Aunt Renee and Uncle John. She's halfway done with one pot holder already! That's my little crafty girl!

The night we brought home the rolls for her birthday morning, she couldn't wait to get out of the car and go tell Andrew that it was her birthday the next day. She jumped out of the van, ran inside, hopped on his lap and said, "Daddy! Do you know what day it is tomorrow? I will turn five years old Daddy!" I know it melted his heart because he even mentioned it to me again later that night and said, "The way she ran in the house, so proud of herself, telling me she was turning five made me realize how fast time is going." It is, it is flying by like I could never have imagined.

Children are unpredictable.  You never know what inconsistency they're going to catch you in next.  ~Franklin P. Jones

This quote reminds me of Ella. She will never let me forget anything, and will always correct me if I've done something I said "We do not do."

Reeses Owls

Reeses Owls

cupcakes made from a mix
canned frosting
sprinkles
reeses pb cups
mini oreos
candy eyeballs (I got mine at Hobby Lobby)
chocolate covered sunflower seeds
melting chocolate
lollipop sticks

Bake and cool cupcakes according to package. Pipe on some chocolate canned frosting. Sprinkle with fun colors. Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Place in a plastic baggie and cut the tip off. Use a sharp knife and cut a small slit in the side of the reeses cup. Dip the end of the lollipop stick in chocolate and very carefully insert the stick in the slit. Be careful to go straight in or you will have a reeses cup casualty. (which isn't always a bad thing:-) Twist the oreos and use the side with frosting. Attach a candy eye to the frosting using the melted chocolate. Attach the oreo to the top of the reeses cup with more chocolate. Dip the back of the sunflower seed in chocolate and attach to the cup. Let set and then place into the cupcake. (you will have to break the stick to fit just right)


Thought this was so cute. Here's where I got the idea :http://insidebrucrewlife.blogspot.com/2011/10/reeses-owls-and-giveaway.html

Forgot the Fair Food

This is a late post, but I just wanted to make sure it made it in our someday book I'm going to make out of this blog. We did not have a fair this year due to the flood, but some of the vendors set up in Bloomsburg to sell food. We'd never want to miss out on dumplings or any other fair food for that matter, so we made our way out there one evening and ate to our hearts content. Starting with a peach and an apple dumpling and ending with dinner and lollipops. It only comes around once a year, right? We did one fun activity which was going inside the Butterfly House. The kids got to hold butterflies on q-tips and loved it. Peter jumped back the first time one of them flew at him, but other than that, it was smooth sailing. We had a nice time and I'm thankful we took the time to go out and support those who couldn't set up at the real fair.