Alayna, Alayna, Alayna

My sweet baby Alayna turned 5 (yes I said FIVE) on May 2. I honestly cannot believe that it has been 5 years since she arrived. I know every parent says that, but truly it feels like it's been a couple years. (although some days it feels like twenty, just sayin...) She has been such a wonderful addition to our family, her goofiness, humor and energy keeps us on our toes!

She loves all things outdoors, and you will frequently see her wearing either a bathing suit, or a leotard even if it is 20 below zero outside. We are very proud that she recently hit 34 pounds despite the fact that she eats all.day.long.
She is SUPER excited to start school in the fall (and maybe, just maybe I am too) and I know she will do great! In fact, her Wednesday night church teachers remark at how quiet, well behaved she is. um ya, that's all an act people, this girl will win an academy award sometime I tell ya!

Technology, Hmmmmph!

I am one that would truly die a slow, very painful death if I did not have my computer. Being a daycare mom at home, with 8 children, all day long, the internet is my "social" time. So, not having the computer work for a week was pure hell for me. Thankfully I have a computer techy daycare dad that helped us out. Unfortunately I still couldn't post anything on my blog, grrr. Today I figured it out and am so happy to be able to post again! I can't wait to show you what I bought for my entry way, and other little "newbies" in my home.

Cara

All About Emma

Ohhhh, my sweet Emma Jo turned 8 on April 23rd (yes, I am a *bit* behind on blogging, ok?) and I'm pretty sure I heard to diva gods calling her name. *sigh* This girl is 100% a girly girl. To.The.Bone. The morning Prince Will and Kate married, Emma proclaimed that at least the US has a princess. And it's her. Yep, that girl's got it, I tell ya!

Emma loves anything that involves pink, glam and glitter. Oh, and cat walks. She has a beautiful singing voice, and loves to make up her own songs ( and they even rhyme!). Her newest venture is playing piano, although she's never had lessons, she can sit and pick out tunes on her own. She loves drawing, and anything crafty. I love seeing how my girls can craft, or see something old and think of a way to redo it! She is a very sensitive one that has taken some getting used to for me, haha! Although she can be a MAJOR drama queen, Emma is a lover of all things, and loves making people happy.

For Emma's birthday we took a group of her girlfriends to our local skating rink and got our groove on! I think mama might have had more fun than the girls.....

I decided to make cupcakes instead of trying to transport a cake in my vehicle. I made Martha Stewarts vanilla cupcakes with a salted caramel filling and a caramel buttercream frosting. Umm ya, they were good. I used suckers for the flower and laffy taffy for the leaves. Emma and her best friend Emma helped put them together.

The cupcakes were a big hit! We enjoyed a fun filled afternoon of skating, pizza and cupcakes. And true to form, only two of the girls ended up in tears......

Craft Night

I enrolled the girls in a "Girls Only" craft club. I think it was one of those things you get sent in the mail that sucks you in and then makes you feel guilty if you quit type of thing, ha! So anyhoo, we've been getting these for about a year, and usually once a month (ok, maybe every couple of months, but who's counting) we try to have a craft night together. I am going to attempt to do this once a week (I know, right?) because it really is fun to get out a big craft bin and go to town. Rachel made a pet picture frame that she loves. Unfortunately her poor kitty is on his last life, he keeps pooping and peeing on the couch....but that's another post....Emma made a girls only diary that has a bunch of pages to fill out. It is soooooo her type of thing! Alayna made a card and found a pic of all of us at the pumpkin patch. I laughed when the girls asked what I was going to make. I said I would never have time to make anything because I would be helping them with their projects. Oh well, that's what scrapbooking weekend is for, right?

Sugar Snap Pea and Ham Risotto

I found a FABULOUS new blog that has a ton of good recipes, Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I decided to try the risotto recipe, and boy was that a hit! Everyone loved it (yes, even Alayna!!). This was the first time I have ever made risotto, and I now look forward to trying more recipes like this. Sugar Snap Pea and Ham Risotto 4 1/2 C chicken broth 8 ounces sugar snap peas 2 Tbl olive oil 1/2 C chopped onion 1 1/2 C thinly sliced leek ( I didn't have leeks, and omitted this part) 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 C Arborio rice (or any other medium grain rice) 3/4 diced ham 1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese Bring the chicken broth to a boil, add peas and cook 2 minutes until crisp tender. Remove peas with a slotted spoon, and rinse with cold water. Heat oil in a saucepan, add onions (this is where you would add the leeks) and cook until soft, then add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Ad rice, cook 1 minute, then add 1/2 C of broth. Cook until broth is absorbed. Continue adding 1/2 C broth to rice mixture and cooking until all is absorbed. This process is a bit time consuming, as you have to stir constantly, but ohhhh so worth the effort! Once all the broth is absorbed into the rice, add ham and parmesan cheese. I served this with homemade crescent rolls and a salad.

Let me tell you about Rachel.....

Yesterday (well technically the festivities started on Saturday and lasted all weekend...) we celebrated Rachel's 10th birthday. I know, I know, I couldn't possibly have a child THAT old, right? Well it's true. Can't believe that beautiful girl is 10 already. It's crazy to watch that little baby you created grow into this amazing, beautiful, smart, compassionate (unless it involves her sister, but that's a whole nother post...) young girl that is becoming her own person.
She is a lover of anything with fur. if you could see her closet right now, you would find about 800 Webkinz (okay, maybe that's a stretch), and other stuffed animals that she hoards. I am hoping to NOT see her on that show "Hoarding" in 20 years! She loves school, and excels at it. Her teachers have all commented on how well she gets along with others, and loves to help.

At home she is a HUGE help for me. She loves to cook, and frequently will make breakfast for the daycare kids. She tried her hand at making bread last week and it was a big success! She loves taking care of baby Jakob, and does very well. Sometimes I actually forget that she's only 10, she acts so grown up.

As wonderful as it is to watch her grow up, this whole parenting thing scares the beejeebers out of me. At least when they are little, you have reign over them, the older they get, you have to learn to let go a little more. We'll see how this goes:) I am PROUD to be her mom, and proud to see what an incredible person she is becoming!

Rachel's Grown Up Room Redo

Since I have come to the conclusion that winter will never end, I have a desperate need to find my happy place. Since my happy place involves decorating, I figured I could find some rooms that needed redecorating, bwahahahaha!!! Rachel got her own room about 2 years ago, when Alayna moved in with Emma. We painted Rachel's walls a bright blue, and a lime green color. She picked them out, not me. I was able to get her comforter set on clearance at JCPenney's, and also had a gift card to use, so I think I shelled out $10 for it! Of course I didn't take a before pic of her room, but it was kind of a hodge podge of furniture and stuffed animals, and everything she has kept over the last 2 years. I spent a couple days looking at kids bedrooms online at HGTV to get some ideas, and this is what I came up with!
The swaggy thing I got at Crafts Direct for $8, the hooks were $2 a piece. The two pics on the side wall are actually box tops that have the same colors as her room, I got them for .50 cents a piece at the discount craft store. The cube nightstand with the fabric cubes I got at Target, for $25. The one on the other side of her bed I found at a garage sale for $2.

I LOVE her lamp! It's an old antique style lap that I have had for years. I bought some cheap flowers at the craft store, and hot glued them on.

I moved her dresser into the corner, to free up some space and hung some paper lanterns, dragonflies and a tissue paper pom pom above it.

I love, love, love how it turned out, and so does she! She says she feels so grown up now, and of course she says she has to keep it spotless. Ya, we'll see how long that one lasts!!

Linking To:

Fingerprints On The Fridge

All Things Bright and Beautiful