I've still got it!

My typing touch that is...


80 words

Speedtest

Take the speedtest yourself... I'm amazed that I can still type 80 words a minute! (Must be all that blogging...)

Thanks for the fun, Lena and Meadow! :)

What a Party!

Turning 4 is a lot of work!

Prepare for picture overload!!!

The kids cupcakes. I wasn't too thrilled with how my marshmallow fondant turned out... it seemed so much better the first time I made it, but I think they still turned out okay.


Madison's cake


Decorations! The ugly pot with pink flowers in the back is actually the "worms and dirt" pudding that we served with the cupcakes. (chocolate pudding, crushed oreo cookies and gummy worms.)



The birthday girl.

Yep! She's FOUR!

Close up of table and darling little bugs.


Reagan sporting her little bug ears.


Jordan "the bee" showing off his bug ears as well.


The kids painting their flower pots. (I co-oped at preschool with Madison in the morning and the teacher was kind enough to lend me the preschool paint smocks! :) )



Lucy the "ladybug" paints her pot with precision.




The "loot".



Bean Bag toss. What fun!



Watching a bit of "Bugs Life".


Time for blowing out the candles!



And opening gifts!



Her friends were all so generous! She got some great stuff!



Josh wanted to wear his bug ears like a mustache.


Eating cupcakes and "worms in dirt". Man, that was a HIT!



mmmmm... yummy.....

It was a great party! And now I need to clean up!!!

Madison's Birth-Day

Today she turned 4!

I had a sentimental day yesterday thinking of the night before her birth.

I remember being in labor all day, but using my hypnobirthing and feeling totally calm and wonderful.

It wasn't until later in the evening that things were "intense" and I knew it was real. My mom came and got the boys, and when they were gone things picked up from there.

I am just amazed every time I think of her birth. I loved getting to the birth center, getting in the tub, and having her 30 minutes later. I've never felt so empowered, so STRONG as I did after her natural birth! I knew right after I had her that I wanted to do it all over again!

I remember like yesterday holding that little baby in the water and cutting her cord. I remember holding her all night long. I remember leaving first thing in the morning and feeling so wonderful and so HAPPY!

She's brought so much JOY in her 4 little years!

I didn't get my other natural birth, so I have just hers to remember. Something special for just her and I.

Love you my little "water baby"!!!

The Birthday Mission continues!

Since Madison's Birthday and "friend" birthday party are this coming Wednesday, I've had a lot to do.

Most everything really needed to be done by this evening because Tuesday is dance and also Taylors Blue and Gold Banquet for scouts. Wednesday morning, I'm co-oping at Madison school, so I don't have much time between that and rushing home to start a party!

So here's what I finished today for the "flowers and bugs" birthday bash:

First up: Treat bags for preschool and dance class. Just some thrown together stuff including candy, stencils and a pencil. Nothing fancy, but a bit time consuming getting all 35 of them put together.





Since it's a bug party too, I needed to find some bugs. So these happy little creatures will grace the table - and afterwards, there are enough for each guest to take one home.



Treat take home bags for the boys all decorated:





And for the girls too:





We're have a beanbag toss into flower pots as our little game, so I made 22 beanbags this evening. They can take one of each home in their treat bag:




Here they are all pretty in a row!




I was going to have the boys wear "bug" ears and the girls a flower headband... but I decided to make everyone a "bug". Madison is way excited. You'll just have to trust me that they look better ON than they do bunched up in the photo.



And one more "take home" for the kiddies: Aren't they the happiest flowers you've ever seen?


Everything seems to be underway! It should all pull together for Wednesday afternoon! (I hope!)

Time Out!

I use time out for the children on occasion. I mean, it's not DAILY or anything... and generally they're gently warned... again and again... ;) But time out for a few minutes seems to do everyone involved a world of good.

Reagan has been a bit "naughty" recently. When she isn't getting her way, she hits my face, pulls my hair, scratches... she's just not really nice. I usually hold her little hands and firmly tell her "no" and put her down on the couch... (away from my face!)

Yesterday she was having one of her "mean moments", so I told her "NO" and said "do you want to go to time out?" She kicked her way down from me and promptly went into the family time out corner. I've never put this child there, but she knew exactly where to go.

The only problem was, it was FUNNY, so I laughed about it. Now she thinks time out is a GREAT place to be and she takes her dolls and horse there for "fun".

Such a stinker.

Madison's "Family Party" Birthday Invite

Make a photobook - it's easy!

Can you believe how much she's grown???

Our "Quiet" Sunday Afternoon

Or for those that prefer the shorter version, here are the photos.

Ode to the Mighty Electrolux

Oh vacuum divine
oh vacuum delight..
you're ever so handy, ever so light.

From vacuum frustration
you rose to the occasion!

The devil of dirt is no more.

- end -


I did so much research on this new vacuum. When you spend a bit of money on a cleaning appliance, you want it to do the job RIGHT. Especially when your husband says something to the effect of: "Now... you be CAREFUL with this vacuum because I'm NOT buying another one!"

So I've been a bit timid with the new electrolux, knowing how *sensitive* and *fragile* the awful dirt devil was previously.

This evening while vacuuming the TV room, it's powerful suction grabbed hold of Madison's princess chair skirt. In a panic, I switched off the machine and pulled all the bits o' fabric out.

When switching the machine back on however, the suction was there, but the power to the roller was not.

I thought it was ruined.

Brian got the screwdriver and took the thing apart. It still wouldn't work.

A good 10 minutes later, and while on the phone finding out how late the electrolux repair shop is open, Brian found a part of the instruction manual that talks about the "reset button" for instances just like this.

Praise be the reset button! The vacuum is so smart it shuts off on it's own so not to ruin the vacuum belt. HOORAY!

The vacuum works just fine, and I shall most likely sing the praises of the Mighty Electrolux from this point forward!

The invites have been sent

Invites we made up for Madison's upcoming birthday party! Since BOYS will be at the party, we decided to not have the "barbie party". It was tough giving it up, but a "flowers and bugs" party sounded interesting, so she's giving it a shot.

I think they turned out alright.

I can't believe she'll be FOUR next week! eeks!

He's so forgiving when I fly off the handle

I'm sorry, little buddy.

:)

"P" is for...

"P"ink and "P"ajama.

Both of which were required for "P"reschool today!




Madison was so excited that I had made her pink PJ's. It was horrible to have to tell her Mommy didn't make them, Auntie Stacie did. I mean, I can't take credit just hemming a putting the elastic in! So props to Stacie who saved the day with a pair of half finished pink PJ's!!!

Reagan

She's turning into quite the little "girl"... What happened to my "baby"???

Madison and Dad

Madison is Brian's little buddy... especially in the kitchen!

She always wants to help "cook". (She likes to BAKE things with her Dad, not really cook with Mom...)

So Madison went to a fun birthday party on Saturday where they decorated chef aprons and had chef hats. When Brian decided to make cookies, Madison needed her chef gear on to help.

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Such fun things to remember!