Bunch of Stuff

Holy Cow.. Blogging Coma

Well, Im back. Trying to gather what has been our life in August of 2014 

Ill make it short an sweet (hopefully)

Our garden this year has been lush with gorgeous veggies and herbs, and we try not to let a thing go to waste. We made a TON of zucchini cakes one night an tossed them in the deep freezer. I cant wait to find these on a night I dont feel like cooking in the fall. 

Baby P

My sister was here with her precious absoutely perfect baby for a few weeks, and we were just eating him up and loving getting to know our new cousin

Quinoa

I've been turned. I love it.. much better than couscous. Every party or family gathering this summer, and someone always made a quiona dish. So I put together my own spin on it, and it is so good.  Its like a blank canvas really. I just threw together what I had, mixed it with a really yummy red pepper dressing and I was picking at it in the fridge for days.

Surprises

If you follow me on Instagram, I love packaging stuff and giving little packages to people/customers.

Well, our previous Nanny surprised ME one day with the cutest little care package... and a sweet note with it saying how much she thought I needed it.. Boy was she ever right! I love everything about this gift and she is one of thee most thoughtful people I know. Thank you Shea Shea!!!

Cleveland

Well...Andrew's sleep habits and skin, ear and allergy issues had had us about fed up and we decided to take him to the Cleveland Clinic for an objective view and some tests. 

We spent 4 days in Ohio, and he was seen and tested and found to be allergic to a bunch of things... too many to name, Nuts being one main concern. None are extreme but as he grows they could get worse or better we just dont know. 

The fact is he has never ever slept through the night. No, never. 

Im not sure if this is part habit, and part allergies/ears? Who the hell knows. 

We may be headed for another ENT appt in the fall to the clinic to rule out sleep apnea/adenoid issues. Overall he has been sleeping I guess better (knocking on my wooden coffee table)... But the issues are not resolved. Im thankful it isnt more serious.. but also it does bother him at night and I just want he and I (ahem!!!) to get some solid sleep.

The kids were in their glory. A bonus visit to Ohio!

This and That 

So we're back and getting ready for school in a few days now.

The kids have been so funny lately, getting along and Sass being a little momma to her baby brother. 

We've enjoyed the festivals and parties in our village

And Daddy and I even got out for a date night after we got back from Ohio... boy did we need it.

Visiting relatives, and swimming

Running the kids like dogs, hoping A will sleep well.. Sass is a non-issue.. best sleeper ever... 

Completing some Etsy orders.. clothespins and custom stool coming soon

And lastly crossing off the last few things off our summer bucket list.

This week we conquered pancakes.. 

Andrew was a fan 

So thats about it.. 

Im getting ready to be Momma to a Kindergartener.

Im not ready

So not ready. 

Thankfully she is. I even asked her. "do you want me to drive you on your first day, or do you want to take the bus?". She quickly said... "take the bus!".. My big girl has come a long way since crying her eyes out at Nursery School and Pre-K. 

So its the beginning of a whole new world for all of us. 

packing lunches, bus stops, taking care of just one... it will be weird... but change is good.. and I think our girl will embrace it head on. 

Frozen 5th Birthday Party

Of course this year she chose her theme way in advance.. FROZEN was to be the theme.. as if we had any other choices...

So I started party prep way in advance like I usually do. 

I had a ton of ideas.. and I started with painting these ball jars with white acrylic paint & then spraying them with sealant.. to be either vases or silverware holders

I also started on this canvas about 2 months prior to go behind the dessert table.

They ended up being utensil holders.

And I found the teal flower plate at Michaels.. and it all just started coming together. 

Frozen mints from Party City, and Samantha picked out the cake plates and napkins from the Dollar Spot at Target a few months ago.

I kept the party food pretty simple. 

Water bottles, Mom made mimosas, and we had Frozen Blue Lemonade. 

The party was at my Mom's house, and she has a covered patio, which worked great for the dessert table, present area, etc.

The dessert table included, Marshmallows, Frosted White Animal Crackers, Gumballs (Target) and Taffy in blue and white (wegmans)

She was so excited 

She had her little Elsa inspired outfit and new necklace on .. and I sprayed her hair white.. which looked more like grey, but she LOVED it.

Another reason for having the party at Moms was her pool, which almost every kid used!

I had printed out Anna and Elsa coloring sheets, and also had wooded snowflakes with sequins and glue, so every girl made some snowflakes to take home decorated in frozen colors.

She got some adorable gifts, including a new Frozen backpack! I checked that off our school supply list! 

She had so much fun with all her little girlfriends

The cake was a homemade blue funfetti/sprinkle cake with a new bakery style buttercream recipe I found. 

The favors

 I put the favors in berry baskets I purchased from Etsy.

The favors included:

Bubble Wands

Birthday Cake M&M's

Princess Wands

Frozen Pencils

Frozen hair clips in muslin bags

and 

The necklace kit below

The littlest guest even got a party favor!

Sam and her friend Annabelle went for a swim after all the guests left 

It was such a fun party 

Then we were off to another family bash.

There are so many family members from all over that visit during the summer, and my cousin had a bbq that evening. We checked out their music room, and Sam loved playing the drums.

It was a long day.. and as I instagrammed, I started and ended the day with cake.. 

Not such a bad thing. 

Princess Ballet Camp

We were pretty excited about Princess Camp

The week was filled with all sorts of magical wonderful things, and a little etiquette as well

It was every day 9-12

The costumes alone were just a glimpse of how magical the studio made the week for the "princesses"

It also gave me a glimpse of what it will be like in just a few weeks with just one child.

Very surreal, easy, and weird all at the same time. 

Andrew and I had some very nice mornings together, checked out some new parks, grocery shopping, flower picking. 

The last day of camp there was a royal parade....led by Elsa and Anna. haha.

They each had a buddy to hold hands with as they paraded around the plaza and into the grocery store that was in the plaza..

She really thought these were the REAL Elsa and Anna. 

So much so that she didnt want to leave the studio until they did, because she wanted to see what kind of cars they drove, and how they got there.. 

I finally had to break it to her and said I think that the real Elsa and Anna are at Disney, and these are just pretend.. Because she was INSISTING we stay to see how they leave... Oh goodness..

After camp on Friday, she was on to her 5 year check up.

She did great.

Got the rest of her vaccines that we needed to catch up on, hearing test, eye test.. all set.

And if that wasnt a busy day.. we finally met our baby cousin Preston!

We're just a little in love with him. 

He's been visiting for a little over a week now, and its been so nice to spend time with my sis and her little family of three.. and for me  to get my baby fix and hold a teeny tiny 

Cousins!