happy birthday my little girl!

Last night L kept saying, "it doesn't feel like it's my birthday tomorrow." Maybe that is because your mother planned your birthday party with your friends 6 days before your actual birthday...sorry sweetie.

But with the sunrise and a new day, I think it HAS felt like her birthday! Lots of hugs and kisses as mom and dad reflect on what a sacred day this is, and always will be. I even skipped my morning date with my treadmill and elliptical to celebrate before she was off to school. No cake today, (still recovering from the last one and anticipating another on Saturday) instead by request from the birthday girl crepes, fresh cream, and strawberries. 

My little girl....you are beautiful, wonderful, intelligent, kind, charitable, and virtuous. Don't ever forget it! 

re-organizing and thank you!

I guess that birthday bash inspired some deep cleaning and re-organizing. While in the midst of tackling the aftermath, I yelled downstairs to Mr. W "I need to go to Ikea to get some bookshelves some time!" He surprised me with his immediate response, "let's go...now." I was surprised since Ikea is an hour and a half away, and he makes that drive 5 days a week. Needless to say, we hopped in the car and off we went. We got a great bookshelf and the hanging storage containers for miss L's never-ending collection of art supplies. Love it!

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If you know L at all, you know that she loves Chinese culture. Mr. W's classmate is so sweet to periodically send little gestures of kindness home with him for our girl. Last night it was this beautiful umbrella! L loves it so much! Thank you Cynthia, we appreciate your kindness.

wow...that was a party!

Wow, what a party! 16 little friends, presents, games, and lots of sugar made for one exciting evening! After 6 hours of cleaning today, things are back to normal around here. 

Birthday number 7, I can't believe it. Where does time go...really? 

 Missy got a new pair of jammies, (for her late night party) made out of her favorite cotton/lycra fabric, with a big ruffled 7 in her honor!

 evidence that there were some healthy food choices...

Logan are you feeling a little outnumbered? Sorry buddy.

Who wouldn't feel like the luckiest girl to have your first grade teacher come to your birthday party?

A few games of hullabaloo, (thanks mom, makes for great party entertainment) and on to opening gifts.

The expression says it all! Favorite experiment so far, putting a hex nut inside a balloon and swirl it around...makes a great sound.

Unbelievable Chinese painting book. I have to post a picture of her paintings so far, they are beautiful. I tried it out myself...love it!

Okay Nadine, I couldn't decide which picture to post, Jenna always makes for good entertainment. So here are my two selections. (one just wouldn't do)

 Picture #1..."look at my new trick Lauren's mom." Who wouldn't be impressed by a speared strawberry on a toothpick stuck between your front teeth? (uh oh...did she lose one of her matching earrings? I haven't found it...)

Picture #2..."Lauren let me show you how to do the fan." She stands up, (hand on the hip and fan above the head of course) and I'll tell you, I have never seen a fan fly open so quickly. What a gal!

All said and done, I think we pulled off a successful party. L thinks so anyway and that's all that matters! Now I need more sleep...

24 hours, 40 minutes and counting...

bed time little girl....

After prayers and stories, little miss L gets some time to read before lights out. Last night must have been anatomy/drawing time instead. I love her little brain!

here we go!

I love celebrating L's birthday! I love her excitement (the party never comes soon enough), our planning together, and celebrating a day all about my little girl.

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Most invitations are out and we're on our way. Now on to the menu, games, and party favors. Here we go....

pie...for my love!

Sometimes, okay much of the time, I feel so guilty that I get to be the "stay at home mom," and my sweet husband works so hard and goes to school. Today I wanted to say thank you in a way that he would appreciate and not expect. Nothing says "I love you" to Mr. W like homemade apple pie! I love preparing food that takes time and patience to create. I love the smell as it bakes, the anticipation of Mr. W's face, and I love the smiles around the dinner table!

easter...

It was beautiful, wonderful, and dare I say "perfect!" We spent the last week learning together about the life of our Savior. We took time as a family to reflect on the events that occurred on the days leading up to Easter morning. That was beautiful. Most beautiful certainly is the miracle of Easter morning, an empty tomb, our resurrected Savior. I am thankful for such a holiday.

Amazingly, it was warm enough for L to wear her new outfit to church! The Easter bunny was generous this year, even kind enough to leave a moopy doll. (thank you for the idea Laura)   

culottes and today's joy

Oh, it makes me so happy to see the cutest culottes online for $168 and to make them myself for $7! I love these. Who says ruffle bums have to be for babies? Almost 7, and we're still getting away with it!

so much joy to be celebrated...

• happy wedding shower day Shae!
• grandma's Easter egg hunt
• the weather cooperated for the egg hunt
• made little shirt for cousin V
• Mr. W stopped and got out of his car to pump gas into mine (we were driving separately)
• making Easter cookies together tonight 
• watched this short film An Apostle's Easter Thoughts on Christ. 
  

hooray for easter eggs!

We did it! L and I dyed Easter eggs using red cabbage, red onion skins, and beets! (oh the smell...I'm sure you can imagine) It was so much fun and the colors were so unexpected.

First we cut up veggies and boiled them for 30 minutes. (I used just enough water to cover the vegetables) Strain and add vinegar. (I guessed, maybe 1 Tablespoon to 1 cup of dye)

This was the result of red cabbage dye. The 2 on the left were boiled in the cabbage, the 2 on the right soaked in the dye for an hour or so.

These are the products of beets! The one on the left was a brown egg to begin with. The yellow was boiled with the beets before vinegar was added (wow, that was a surprise) and the last three were soaked in the dye for 15 minutes.

This beauty was dyed in the red onion leaves. I love the earthy color.

L was in science heaven, I was in L heaven, and now we have a beautiful centerpiece for Easter!

beautiful!

Conference weekends are my favorite weekends of the year! It was so wonderful, inspiring, and rejuvenating. (and let's not forget the doughnut making) Oh how I love to hear Elder Holland speak, and how beautiful was his testimony considering the Easter weekend approaching. We had a wonderful family home evening last night (I found on lds.org) that included a little program with beautiful music. In no way do I have a singing voice, but the spirit was so strong as we read about the life of our Savior and sang the beautiful hymns together. The three of us around the piano, reading and singing together is something I will never forget.

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I bought L some converse shoes, which forced her to learn to tie her shoes this weekend. I guess the beauty of waiting so long to buy her shoes that tie is that I showed her twice how to do it and - done! 

cabin fever

L has been sick the past 2 days...I am feeling a little stuck. (a.k.a. cabin fever) Thank goodness I had some materials on hand, just waiting to be used.

I finally tried the freezer paper idea - loving it! It is so fun and easy. Here is a very helpful tutorial I found. Love the bird, since this is as close to owning anything Eames I am going to have for a while. L does not like to wear long sleeves, so we cut them off and made them into short sleeves. Which I guess works out nice, since they most likely will not fit next fall.

I laid in bed last night after our nightly prayers, scriptures, and stories and was beautifully serenaded  by Mr. W practicing the piano. It was heavenly.  People always say they wish they would have stuck with piano lessons and learned to play the piano. I however, have no regrets about quitting. (yes, I am a piano lesson drop out, and if he weren't so good I may feel differently) It is much better to enjoy the piano by listening to the one you love and feeling the emotion and passion of the melody that flows from their fingertips. Love.

old is new again!

I have searched all over this valley for a black long sleeved-t since before Christmas. (I am serious) With no luck and complete disgust with winter I decided to chop off my turtlenecks and make them into crew necks! Just cut off the neck at the seam, cut that piece at the top to make into 2 separate pieces. Use one piece, fold in half (you may have to trim down a little), and stitch back onto shirt!

I can't believe I haven't thought of this before, I have a closet full of turtlenecks that I never wear. Now I love them!