O.K.

So....

My picture a day did not quite work out the way I had hoped.  I am choosing to focus on the positive though.  And, I have to report that I have only had one other month with as many posts as this years March.  So, even though I did not quite make the picture a day, I feel like I still had success because it was a definite good month of blogging! So, yeah, picture a day!  I will try another month...when I get my courage back up to commit ;)   

You know you want one...

of these way cute cupcakes. My friend Charisse and I were in charge of cupcakes for the R.S. birthday dinner tonight. We really had too much fun coming up with some great cupcake creations. ( I think Charisse might love cupcakes as much as me, could that be?)
Anyway, the committee asked for four different types of cupcakes, each type representing a season...what a great idea. I need to be on a committee so I can share more often in great ideas.
We decided Charisse would do fall and spring and I would do summer and winter. Now, Charisse is clearly not the procrastinator I am and her cupcakes were done yesterday! So, she offered to come help me today...I was so glad she did, she also has fabulous ideas and she's not even on the committee:)

Above is our summer cupcake. Do you love that little ladybug?

The sparkly snowflake for winter.



This was one Charisse did yesterday for fall...very fun!

Charisse also did some pumpkins for fall. These I think are so amazing and I can't wait till fall so I can make them:)
I also loved her cute floral spring time one...very fun.

Well, another great cupcake day. I really wish I could just decorate cupcakes all day everyday, but that would not be very productive now, would it? Doug what do you think?

Details- Aladdin

So, it sounds like my school play post left a little wanting?
The school play was Aladdin and Lilli was a "harem girl". I suppose I was kindly leaving out that detail...ya, anyway, she did a fabulous job:)
This was her last night that she performed the play. She has both sets of grandparents there! A real treat:)

One Very Awesome Delivery!

Patsy brought this by my house the other day...I was beyond excited:)
She got me this great pizza screen that we had been talking about for a few weeks. It is only available at a restaurant supply store and that sounded so hard to find one of those...I had good intentions, but never made it to find one, Patsy found one:)
I am pretty committed enough to say, that pizza is definitely my all time favorite food. Patsy made us homemade pizza at her house a few Thursdays ago...it was amazing pizza! Ever since then I have been on a quest to find the best recipes for homemade pizza. I know with the pizza screen we are going to have some yummo pizza at our house! Thank you Patsy!

To top off the already great delivery this delicious little cookie came with the delivery. This cookie was not only darling but, also yummy. A new bakery Patsy found...I am headed there very soon, want to come?

School Play Time!

We were all so excited for the school play to start it's run. Lilli has been practicing since January. I so love to watch her dedication for something that she enjoys so much. She did not miss one practice, practiced at home and gave her entire heart and soul to this play!
We all enjoyed getting to watch her and she did a fabulous job in her part...yea, Lilli. Way to go!

Vivien was so excited to get to go up on the stage after the show was over. Perhaps another actress in the family?

Payton and Lilli, in costumes:)

We all enjoyed getting to watch her and she did a fabulous job in her part...yea, Lilli. Way to go!

Another Great Thursday:)

We have had some great Thursdays this school year! We try to get together once a week to get those things done that seem to never get done unless you really focus. I am always so impressed with what everyone gets done. I am working on being more productive and I actually did a lot this Thursday.
Patsy made this darling apron! She is always focused and very inspiring.

This week we got to hear about Karrie's fun vacation and adventures.

Kristy and I trying to focus and stay out of the picture.

Wende running out of the picture and me with my usual... eyes shut picture!
Do you notice Patsy's sewing machine? Serious work going on.
Thanks for another great day girls!


*photos courtesy of Patsy. I always forget to take photos of our great days!

Bear with me

The photos were taken on my phone! So, the very horrible quality, but a fun photo anyway:)

These two kiddos crack me up. Ethan and Nicolette spent practically the entire day together today! They had a terrific time, got along well, and rode in a very tiny cart together!

This was some real fun... hanging on to the dirty car by its handles. Fun stuff when your 2 and 3! :)

They're Magically Delicious!

I was checking one of my favorite blogs yesterday 2clever. This post was so amazing, I know everyone who read it was at the store buying green food coloring and mint Oreos! These girls over there are beyond clever AND very inspiring:)
We had one very festive St. Patty's Day over here today thanks to all the inspiration.

Starting the day off with some magically delicious cereal. And, some ribbon for decoration...we were good to go.

Vivien decided she hated the Lucky Charms? $#@%*? What? Could she really be my child? I suppose it's all my fault because she has never had them before and heaven forbid we try something new around here ;)

I had a very festive green dinner planned. As we were getting everyone seated Nicolette decided she needed a tissue... and, only daddy was allowed to hand her a tissue... therefore, HUGE, monster, tantrum. Really fun!

Dinner is ready and no one is crying. That's the best.

Green dinner menu:
caramel apple porkchops
twice-baked potatoes (green of course)
edamame
broccoli
spinach strawberry salad with green apples

limeade to drink:)

It was really yummy... those pork chops were amazing! Thanks Dawnae:)

Ava decided to make St. Patrick's Day cards for everyone... so sweet and wonderful!

Vivien wanted to make cards too :)

Nicolette was just thrilled someone made a card for her too :)

Did you notice these were our centerpiece at dinner? They are not Easter eggs... water balloons. We had some major fun ahead of us after dinner.

We started with the "egg" toss. Don't let your balloon break on the other person etc. etc. Unfortunately this game had to be terminated do to some accusations of cheating going on;)

We headed toward this game...I made it up on the spot...not to shabby for this mother who lacks real creativity.
Nicolette had the time of her life putting her balloons into a bowl. The other girls had some complaints that Nicolette did not have to stay behind the line to put her balloons in the bowl. Ya, this game also ended with the whole accusing cheating thing. I thought it a bit bizarre, everyone was concerned about the two-year-old, who was only playing a game with herself, and not at all competing with others! Alas, this is one of the joys of having 5 children...and them all being girls:)

Now, a holiday is never complete without tears and a good sob from somebody. Here's Vivien after daddy through a water balloon at the door...she was unhappy!

If you look closely, at the picture, Lilli is having some definite happy moments going on....Ava, not so much. That's what I get for mixing games and tired girls.
All in all, they had fun! A bit of fun is all I can ask for some of the days:)

Of course all was instantly better when we came inside to this:) Chocolate and ice cream and mint oreos...Wow yummy!

This was enjoyed by all! Truly, my girls had an awesome time tonight. The crying is just something that is inevitable at our house. We just have our fun in between the crying.
I was so happy at the sweet words I got from my little girlies at the end of the night...
Oh, they make it all so worth it. We had a Fun day! Thanks for the inspiration:)

It Appears...

I have not done the greatest job on my commitment of a photo a day for March...I am sure this is not too surprising to some of you familiar with my commitment issues.
Anyway, I am not giving up, I'm back in the saddle and here are two pictures for this lovely Monday in March!
Vivi and Nicolette enjoying a movie this morning. Notice the large couch they have to stretch out on? Well, they prefer to be cozied up together in one little spot:)



Remember this box? Yep...gone! We have been through 850 gumballs at our house, in very little time.
It was fun having around, and here is what I learned about gumballs these last couple of months:
1. There are 30 calories in ONE gumball!
2. The yellow hold their flavor the longest.
3. The red run out of flavor first.
4. The green have the best flavor.
5. I can chew 20-30 gumballs in one day.

So, we probably need a gum break at our house...it was fun while it lasted, but I might be able to loose my gum weight now that it's gone;)

So in Love...

with this new baby:) Doug brought this vacuum home to me the other night. A total surprise! I had no idea how great such a surprise could be! I already had a great vacuum. Central vac. has always been my dream and I have that. It's the best! THIS new addition to the central Vac. is just above and beyond... Glides like butter on a hot muffin. Good stuff.

I have to admit, yes it might be strange, but I LOVE vacuum lines! I have been wanting to re-do my floors and go to hardwood and just forget all the trouble carpet brings. Today as I was vacuuming I realized...wow, I would miss my vacuum lines if I didn't have my carpet.

Ever since I was a little girl and my mom took me to a home of one of her friends. My mom said to me, "Janae, look at (so and so's) diamonds on her carpet." Well, it took me a minute, but then I saw the perfectly formed triangles that made diamonds on this lady's carpet. It was one of those impressionable ages and I remember standing there looking at this perfect home with it's perfect vacuum lines and being so excited about it! Crazy i know. I finally have my perfect vacuum lines. As nutso as it sounds, just one of those fun little joys of life! Lots of vacuuming going on here:)

Finally!

My baby has the crib all the other babies had:). We officially moved Nicolette and Vivien into the new room that they will be sharing together...Serious joy going on here tonight:) Mommy gets her closet back!

Really Late!

So, thanks to day light savings we were REALLY late to church! We woke up on time (we thought) and then went on our way rushing around getting ready. Doug took himself and the girls who were ready, and went to save us a seat till I could get there. (hopefully just a little late). Doug called me a couple minutes later to let me know I was REALLY late! About an hour to be exact. The especially horrible part of being late this particular Sunday, was the fact I was assigned the closing prayer...whoops$#@!


The carpets finally dry!!

We went here today...it was HARD! My dear hubby is NOT a shopper. He's a definite keeper, but clearly not a shopper. He had a hard time because, if we were driving that far to shop, it should at least have been to Cabella's...Unfortunately, Cabella's does not carry children's furniture:)

To add insult to injury...NO good treats in this house! What's a girls to do? Diet hot chocolate...not hitting the spot, but better than nothin;)

btw~ carpets still wet!!

Still Camping...

This is where the girls get to watch their shows from, the couch that is pushed into the kitchen! Carpet is STILL WET!

No Furniture...

So, I'm a little sad I already missed a day in my (take a photo a day for March and blog it!) Oh well, I'm moving on and not looking back:)

So, here's my photo for the day. We are camping out a bit today after getting carpets cleaned, and yes, they are still wet! Luckily, Doug won't let having no where to sit stop him from playing Mario Kart ;).

I am glad we went ahead and did the carpets, but wow...way more work than I was expecting, and more money :(. On the bright side, the carpet does look clean.

AFTER!!!

It's done! It's really done:)

Before...

A Picture A Day

I couldn't help but notice my blog posts seem to be dramatically going down from year to year. I am really hoping to be a little more regular in my posting this year. Blogging is such an amazing way to keep a record of what is going on in life. This is great for me considering I have never been great at keeping a journal or remembering much of anything once it's over.

My cute sister-in-law, Kris mentioned to me that she has been taking a picture a day since the new year has started. I thought this a very great idea! Now, I do have some commitment issues, so a whole year sounds like a lot for me! I am going to commit to a picture a day for March, and to blog that picture. If anything it will at least help me get the numbers I need to bump up my blog posts for this year:)

So, here is my picture for today March 1,2009. Photo courtesy of Lexi.