Gavin Is Growing UP

Our oldest turned 6 Saturday and lets face it, a birthday would not be a birthday with out birthday cereal.
In preparation for the obligatory cereal picture Gavin prepped to make sure that all things were in order.

Look alive Gavin!

Trix is fruitalicious. It says so on the box.

We used the movie UP for our theme this year.

The house, while it is functioning and was put together by yours truly, was annoying to make.
However, it is loved by the kids and they are super excited to play with it.
I think it will probably last 3 days until they break it.
Time well spent. (insert sarcasm)

We also made Ellie pins for all of the kids.

Gotta show my support.
It helps the kids feel better about us coming at them with sharp objects if we can smile after we have put one on ourselves.

An UP cake. Not made by me.

We decided that we would have the kids pop balloons in order to make a sentence...kind of like hangman. In retrospect this may not have been the smartest thing. The kids were already loud and then add popping balloons to the mix and we had a mad house. On the other hand though, it took about 30 minutes for them to do it.

They also got to make their own Kevins. I would like to believe that Canon's Kevin in no way reflects on his personality, four eyes no feathers no body and all, but I think I am out of luck on that one.

There was a blowing out of a candle.

Wait for it....

wait....

wait....

Huh. That was anticlimactic.

Penny was a good sport.

The presents were opened.

Kids have an uncanny ability to not know what "personal space" is.

Look at them all jammed into a little corner.

After the party was over we went outside to let balloons go.

With all the fun going on outside we forgot to unlock the door. So when someone closed the front door we realized much to our chagrin that we were locked out of the house and that Penny was sitting in the kitchen. So Blake did the only thing he could think of.

He went all sorts of Jean Claude Van Damme on the back door.

It was still a good birthday.

Everyone Deserves a Second Chance

This is it friends. The end of the road.
I figured since it was the last day I would let you choose what you would like.
I assume that #3 will be in high demand. So I am giving all of you a second chance to win the tree pillow.
On the off chance that the person that wins the tree pillow also wins this day, why don't you give me your second pick. Or not.
Whatever you choose.
(just so you know number 1 is two parts-bibs and clips. If you want boy bibs I can do those too I just don't have any on hand right now but I do make an awesome sock monkey bib. Just saying.)

1.

2.

3.

Good luck to all.

Maybe Not Everyone Has This Problem

There are a lot of times that I find a skirt or a dress that are think are cute but are just a smidgen too short.
I made a slip a while ago with the intent to have it hang out the bottom of a skirt or dress.
I love it. I wear it all the time.
If you suffer from the same plight as me, I will make you one.
Black, white or cream, you can choose.

A Pillow To Appease You

The tree pillow seems to be a big hit.
How about another pillow?

One Day I Am Gonna Give Him a Piece of My Mind

Canon dropped a button in my Diet Dr. Pepper.
I just swallowed it.

#4 May Not Be For Everyone But It Can Be

Not everyone that is reading this has a baby.

Fine by me.

Do you know someone that is pregnant? Maybe gonna be in the future?
So you can either keep it for yourself or give it away as a gift.
What ever tickles your fancy.
Say that you made it.
They will think that you put a lot of thought and effort into their gift.
I won't tell.
(4 burp rags, 2 pacifier holders, and one blanket (you can pick the gender.))

• This is the last one for this week. The remaining 3 will start on Monday.
• To clear something up...I will not pick the winners. A heartless computer program will. I wouldn't be able to do it.
  
• Each giveaway is separate. So if you want to enter to win all of them. Please do.
  
• Strangers and stalkers welcome to enter. No judging here. I love me some free stuff too.
  

Slim Pickins

When I say my Valentines day decorations are lacking that may be the biggest understatement of the century.
I am not the biggest fan of Valentines day.
But I want my kids to feel the love.

You can feel the love too if you want
because when it comes to Valentines day decorations...
All you need is love.

• My banner is big. If you want it smaller I can do that. If you want it all on the same line...I can do that too.
  

Second of Seven

This pillow can be yours.

Well...not this one but one just like it.

Unless I make a new one for myself and then give you the old one.

Tempting.

OK, OK, I will give you a completely new non drooled upon pillow.

Because that is how I roll.

First Day Of Seven

So....I am not shopping again.

Hananuka is coming and I figured that I would throw Blake a bone and make it easier for him.
Plus
By the time my birthday is here there will be lots of things that I have my eye on.
In an effort to be diligent in my shopping ban I figured why not make it fun.
Hananuka for everyone!
For seven days I will be giving away something I have made.
That way it keeps me busy and someone else gets a little prize in the mail.
Win/Win.

So for day 1 we are gonna go with something super human
or something that will make you feel that way.
A cape.Not just any cape.
One with an initial on it.
You can choose the color and the initial.
I will choose the material.
Beggars can't be choosers after all.
Don't need a cape? Maybe someone else you know does.
Don't want a cape? Don't leave me a comment then.
That is all.


OK. There is one more thing. If you want one of the things I list leave a comment in that post, that way I will know. (I can't read minds you know.) Then when the seven days are over I will randomly choose the winners and ship the goods.
Winner winner chicken dinner.
That is all.

New Year. Clean Floor.

I have never been one for New Years Resolutions.

I have goals, sure, but I work on them all the time.
Christmas stuff got taken down this last weekend.
Floors got moped on Monday.
Penny just watched.

I guess I should be thankful that Laney and Canon wanted to help.
I should be thankful that they want to clean.
Even if that means they take a wet rag to my very large windows making me have to clean that too, even though I didn't intend to.
I should be thankful.
I think I am gonna have to make that a goal.
A work in progress if you will.

Penny's goal is to remain upright in the Bumbo.

Also a work in progress.

A Lesson In Good Parenting

Your welcome.

Christmas

Christmas has come and gone and I wonder how it happened.
This year we didn't send out Christmas cards or make treats for anyone.
It was kind of Bah humbug of us...but nice at the same time.
This year we decided to make Christmas simple.
Only a couple of presents for the kids and only stockings for Blake and I.

On Christmas Eve we had family over for dinner.
As I have been looking through the pictures looking for ones to blog I have noticed one reoccurring pattern.
no one looks at the person that is taking the photo
if the person is looking at the camera they look crazy.
Pay extra attention to my sister...

When Laney was getting dressed in the morning I told her to wear something green or red because those are Christmas colors.
Gavin listened to my advise.
Laney wore teal.

When it was time to open up the pajamas from Grandma and Grandpa Miller the kids could not have been happier.
Uh...
You are just gonna have to trust me on this one.

See. I told you. Happy.
Notice the non looking at the camera/crazy look in their eyes?

Perhaps we just need a different venue?
Lets try the couch.
Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

eeeeeeeeeeeeeee

eeeeeeeeeeeese.

On Christmas morning Canon could be found eating.
Santa only gave the kids one chocolate Santa each.
Canon ate 2 of them.

Bed head was out in full force.
(Penny doesn't have to worry about that yet.)Grandma Jackie and Laney look like they could be hair buddies.

Grandpa went the smart, albeit non traditional way, and wore a hat. Canon took little bites out of 3 different apples.

What was gonna be a meager Christmas got thrown out the window when Grandma and Grandpa decided that a Wii was in our future.

The kids were happy.
You are just gonna have to trust me on this one.

Laney got a tea set from Grandma Dana that was a big hit.
In the interest of full disclosure: I have had to glue two of the pieces together already.
Sometimes you CAN love something too much.
Since Grandma Dana lives in Vegas we thought that we would get a picture of the kids with their gifts.
This is a foolish undertaking.
Especially when Canon has another chocolate Santa in his mouth and is trying to say "Cheese."

Look right here....

Seriously kids! Look here.

Nothing says "Thanks Grandma Dana" like stink eye.

Perhaps if we have the kids hold up their presents that might help.

We were silly to think that would work.

Penny can't even pay attention.

Our simple Christmas was just as we wanted it to be.
Simple.
That is until Santa brought a trampoline for the kids.

Then our Christmas turned simply dangerous.
Ice+kids+trampolines
I am sure there are gonna be broken bones and tears in our near future.