Blooming

Hello!!

The blossoms of Springtime are beginning to grow and

our days have been filled with all sorts of busy.

My children are 1/2 dinosaur and eat.like.crazy.

I know they are growing because I'm cutting their fingernails 

every week as opposed to the usual once a month.  Sorry, it's

not like you came here to read about my children's fingernails.

It's the little things in life that grab my attention.

As it should be.

Jake and I took a little 24 hour reprieve into the city. 

It was delicious. 

We ate and slept and read, worked out,

watched a movie, and Jake drove around town at 10pm 

to find tiramisu because he's awesome like that!

We watched the city from up above.

Neighborlies launched a few weeks ago. 

It's been really special being apart of such a beautiful venture. 

Each week a new issue comes out, Saturday mornings to be exact.

I can't wait for those cozy mornings where I can take some time to sit and read.  Truly, it is a one stop shop.  A little table talk, some favorite things, some humor and some soul searching....

all over a cup of coffee.  

We had fun putting the launch party together. 

You can see some of the pictures over at the site. 

I've been playing Uno.

alot.

hooded bandit is really getting good at it. 

Tyler is getting tall.

I don't know how I feel about it. 

He's so sweet! 

Capri is loved from sun up to sun down!

9 months already!

still so laid back and jolly.

our gem.

Lukie turns 6 next week.

I can't wait to celebrate him.

He acts like it's not a big deal, 

but he can't stop smiling when we talk about it.

I just finished an 8 week intense training program

called "The biggest Loser" and it was rough, but the results were worth the work!  Every Monday and Wednesday from 8-9pm we met at EmPower Training Systems and busted our butt, literally!  Thankfully some friends joined in and we all met together which helped immensely because goodness knows I wouldn't have gotten off that couch unless someone was waiting on me!! 

WAY TO GO GUYS!  Now that we're done I've started running, (easier to do when you're 15 lbs lighter)!  I forgot how wonderful it feels to run.  It's not easy to fit into the day and sometimes it doesn't happen, but I really want to continue this healthy lifestyle because I'm a better person all around when I get out and push myself.

With all my free time, (haha) I'm tagging all our out-grown clothing in anticipation for the upcoming sale next week!  This is my first year and it's messing with my "free spirit" a bit, all these rules and regulations in getting my clothes ready to sell....I am hoping it is rewarded with good payment! 

Until next time, 

rest well and be well. 

"Hold your horses Paisley".

"I don't have any horses Daddy."

~age 3~

luke's imagination

So, the other day as I was organizing with my favorite labels, (my newest pastime/borderline obsession).....Luke comes upstairs and wants me to take pictures of all his "pretend guys."

I love this kid. 

For the next 30 minutes this guy came up with the outfits/poses/faces/names of his pretend world:

"BIKER GUY"

"PIRATE MAN"

"INDIA"

"ROCK STAR"

(you'll notice the attention to detail here: his Daddy's silver necklace and the changing into his rock guitar shirt)!  

"WORKER GUY"

"BASEBALL PLAYER"

"It is a happy talent to know how to play."

  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Luke's 5th Birthday Party!!

good morning mr. five year old!  

i love decorating after the birthday boy or girl goes to bed. put up a few decorations, (they don't care what it looks like) even if i don't feel like it, i do it anyway. only once a year do you wake up on your BIRTHDAY and i like to make it extra special.  i fill bags with dollar store stuff and candy and quarters, dollar bills....whatever i can pull together!  

 

 On the morning of his birthday we happened to be having our monthly family breakfast, (all 7 of my brothers and sisters and our parents at "The Bird").  Luke came along with some of his cousins that morning and had a chocolate covered donut with a candle in the middle!  He couldn't believe I let him eat the entire thing!

He got some serious cash that morning from his Uncles!!  

A WHOLE HAND FULL!!

To celebrate we had a racin' good party the weekend before his birthday!  The weather was outrageously warm for March so we pulled this together as quickly as possible....fitting for a race car theme I guess!  It was great to have him help plan and prepare for his "big party."  He was so delighted to be part of the action.  Uncle Tom let us borrow his cool "real signs".  Luke shined them up and got them all ready.....he's our worker and finds great joy in details, fulfillment in getting the job done right, (just like his Daddy and his namesake, Uncle Tom)!

Jake made a race track in the yard.  Orange spray paint, a pit stop, a flashing traffic light and the signs placed about.  It was so cool!  We had four battery operated cars that the kids could drive around the track, (or push once the batteries died)!  

Jake has this sign for his business. 

I tweaked it slightly. 

Under the gift tree we had matchbox cars, some books to read and of course lots of gifts.  

AND THEY'RE OFF!!

JOY at 3mph!!!!

Luke helped rip and color an old white t-shirt of his into a checkered flag.  We nailed it onto a broom handle. 

THE CAKE! 

This was a labor of love. 

Grammie made the cake and I decorated it. 

He wanted a "Cars 2 Cake with Finn McMissile in the water and a racetrack."  It was fun creating it...... 

but even more fun presenting it to him!  

TOTAL DELIGHT!! 

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I found these stickers online, but instead of ordering them I just printed them out on regular paper and taped them onto skewer sticks. The flags were also found online, (googled different countries flags and printed them out) and then did the same thing, but taping them onto toothpicks instead.  

Normally not one to show his emotions easily, he was a ball of JOY this day!  It was so sweet to be a part of.  We love our Lukie!!

Here he is with his new shirt and car from Aunt Shrish. 

Jake got his air compressor out and blew up rocket balloons for the kids.  That was a hit!  

 "Let's race on our feet Daddy!!"

We ended the night with a road flare.....that thing lasted at least 30 minutes and the kids danced around it, it was one of Luke's favorite things he told us later.  It did look pretty neat as the sun went down!  

 It was still so warm so we watched a movie on the outdoor screen and then called it a day!

“Your birthday is a special time 

to celebrate the gift of 'you' 

to the world.”

~Author Unknown~