Puppy Love

It seems like every week there is a birthday around here.

Today, my Bo turned 7.

His birthday is 2 weeks after Annie's WHICH MEANS 

that when we go to Toys "R" Us for Annie's presents 

he is rattling off a list of what he'd like :)

Top of his list was this lil' guy.

He's a dog kid,

and since I won't buy the poor kid a dog,

I picked the bull dog up, like he hoped I would :)

That puppy got more hugs than I did today!

And I get A LOT of XOXO.

Then, tonight when we were leaving for our family walk,

 Bo said, "I need a basket to carry my pup on my bike!"

Kelly agreed & started looking online:

But, I knew it needed to be a little more tough than a bike basket.

I mean who puts a bike basket on a dirt bike...come on :)

So, I told them to hold up, went into the garage 

& found the dirtiest bucket I could find.

It doesn't get tougher than dirt.

A few zip ties was all it took to get it on tight.

Then, I told Bo to go get some manly stickers.

Ahhhh yeah....Star Wars.

Yep...that ought to do it.

The bike bucket.

It just makes you want to say, "Rad Dude."

Come on.... I know you wanna say it.

Spike survived his first ride to the park,

& I have one happy 7 year old.

Well, happy & tough.

Dirt tough.

Aw yeah, no one is messing with my kid :)

He's a pretty rad Dude.

Happy Birthday Baby.

Love ya.

Totally Magical!

It's here...our magical day.

May 17th

Today my Instagram feed was obnoxious!

But, the day was filled with moments I couldn't let slip away.

It's a wonderful combo of my niece's birthday.

(7 wearing her 17 year old cousin's boots)

She had the best party ever, complete 

with motorcycle rides from our cousin.

Yes...a line formed :)

It's also my parents anniversary...45 years today.

They embrace everyday and live life to the fullest.

(love you guys!)

And, as I told you about last year, it's the one day of the year when 

my little sister's kids & my kid's ages line up perfectly...

9 in a row.

We have to wait for today for Zadie to turn 7,

then tomorrow, Xander turns 3 and throws it off again.

Totally magical...and so is getting a good picture of theses guys.

Hope you had a little magic today! 

I'd love to hear about it!

So Worth It

 I saw this add on Craigslist:

I have been wanting one for a while 

& the price was amazing, 

so, I emailed hoping I'd be the first to respond.

& then I waited...

nothing.

The next morning I texted the number.

He replied right away:

Tons of responses 

but no one seems in a hurry to come & get it.

I replied,

"I'll come right now!"

He said great.

He sent me his address to which I replied:

I HAD been on the way to drop my kids at church, my husband was 5 minutes behind me in another car.

I dropped the kids at their classes & called Kelly telling him I was making a mad dash for the table.  Then, as an after thought I texted him this before I pulled out of the parking lot:

& as I heard the sent message swoop sound, 

I noticed the craigslist guy's number at the top of my screen.

Oh no!  

I sent it to him!

I fumbled to send this:

No reply.

I drove 40 minutes in a terrible pouring rain

with lil' Kit asleep in the back, checking my phone at stoplights & 

the guy was NOT replying...

I was so nervous!

He didn't seem to nice in the first place.

5 minutes before I get to his house :

Phew...

He didn't lock me out...

But I was right about the not so nice ...

"So, you got my message huh?" I laughed.

He smiled for a fourth of a second with his mouth & not his eyes, took one look at the monsoon & said, 

"You don't need help with that do ya?"

"No.  

Thanks for the table."

Door shut.

But, I love it...

& they do too.

Making a total fool of myself,

.....so worth it!

I wish I could say that was a first but my friends Ashley & Mendie seem to get the wrong texts from me often, 

& my poor girlfriend Kelley...

...gets texts intended for my husband Kelly all the time.

Some girls never learn

Have you ever send text to the wrong person?

Join In The Fun

So Annie is nuts for the CHARM IT! charms

...I mean totally crazy about them!

Right now they are having a pretty cool contest!

12 winners win:

 100 dollars gift card for the CHARM IT! site,

a donation to ArtStart in their name &

their drawing made into a charm!

Now we think that is the coolest part of all.

Annie has some of last years charms designed by kid designers.

She always sings,

loves our trips to the ocean,



plays in the snow half the year :),

is very Irish,

and my all time favorite:

cause she & I are sushi girls.

I mean I just smile back at the little guy!

We both think it would be pretty amazing to have a design made into a charm that other girls will wear because it means something special to them.

Sooooo...

This weekend we had a few girls over

& they worked on designing charms.

We rounded up all our Crayola and

printed off a stack of entry forms.

The girls researched last years winners to get inspired.

Then they got busy designing.

It was the sweetest, quietest little group

because they were so busy working.

There were some pretty creative girls!

Each girl picked a pack of crayons to take home. 

So tomorrow I will get their entries in the mail

& then the waiting begins...

The winner announcement is on Annie's birthday

she thinks it's a good sign :)

I just smile & raise my eyebrows, and say,

"We already had fun either way."

:)

So come on join in the fun!

Look at last years winners HERE

& download an entry form HERE,

& check out ArtStart HERE!

Maybe somebody will be wearing your girl's charm next year!

Plus, "Charm Designer" is pretty cool for bragging rights for a girl.

...not that we'd ever brag ;)

She Asked For It!

Since we don't go to the neighborhood school

sometime Annie just gets a tad lonely for some girlfriends.

 

Last year, at about this time, Annie said to me,

"Mom...I prayed that I would get a new friend."

 

Exactly one week later a "For Sale" sign

went up on the house directly across the street.

 

A day later it sold,

to a family with one child...

...a 9 year old girl.

 

And God provided the perfect little playmate right across the street.

 

 

Her church group is filled with the sweetest little girls this year,

and for the first time in five years her class at school...

got a new girl,

who Annie quite adores.

 

Annie joined hockey and instantly fell in love with her teammates.

 

 

God is real.

 

God heard,

and loves my little girl.

 

He saw her heart and He answered swiftly.

He answered generously.

 

Annie sees it too.

And we are all so thankful.

 

Maybe there is something on your heart?

:)

 

 

Lately

Lately, I've been looking in the mirror
& wondering who that lady is staring back at me. 

 

When did I get so old?

How did I gain so much weight?

Taking a selfie is very hard for me.

 

(took this selfie just for you :) 

 

One thing I can't get over is that I look like such a mom!!!

(this one was to show my mom my new hair color :)

 

So, I make plans

...to look younger...

to get skinnier.

 

I was thinking of getting out my old pilates video

& then I remembered:

 

Last time I went to pilates with my sister Kate at the Club,

there were only about 10 of us in class.  The instructor walked around while we were pilatisizing, she encouraged each member, telling them what they were doing & how strong they looked...but she always passed me by.  Then, right before class was over...she stopped in front of me (I was determined to look strong as she looked me over), she cocked her head to one side & said in the most unsure voice I had ever heard,
"Your neck is in the right place." 

 

Oh my....maybe I'll just embrace the whole mom look
& just decorate my selfies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and my personal fave:

 

  

Yes...Option B is sounding much easier.

 

Saved me a lot of calorie burning tonight.

It's always good to have a plan B.

 

Since I am sure you all want to decorate your own selfies now...I used the Photofy App.

 

 

Hats Off to Roo

 

Roo

 

I wish so badly that you knew Roo...I mean REALLY knew him.

He is the hardest of all my kids to say no to because he is so stinkin' sweet.  Plus, he has really long eyelashes that he bats at me,

gets me every time.

 

On Saturday he turned 3.

We used the morning to get ready for a little party.  I just got home from dragging the kids to Target for a few party supplies & he looks up at me, "Where are the party hats?"

 

Party hats! 

I didn't get any party hats...

and those eyes...they really do get me.

 

So we dragged out the felt box & got to work.

We just glued felt to cardstock and used a headband.

The kids told me what shape they wanted,

 I cut & they decorated.

 

I was really surprised how much fun we had,

and what a mess we made.

 

But, before we knew it we had hats for the gang,

 

 

& Annie was stuck with a cupcake on her head.

(hey~her idea not mine :)

 

She rocked it,

 

& everyone looked equally ridiculous.

 

 

 

& I do mean EVERYONE!

 

 

Which only added lots of giggles to the party.

 

(Uncle Dan is a good sport.)

 

Roo was particularly fond of his crown.

 

 

 

He thought it was fabulous,

& I even found him taking a selfie with Annie.

 

 

& wouldn't you know...

when his cousins FaceTimed him with birthday wishes...

He insisted on wearing his crown.

 

 

Saturday I lost my favorite Instagram hashtag #roo2

 

& #roo3 doesn't have the same flair...but were doing it anyway.

Here is to a fab #roo3.

 

Love you Roo.