Happy Birthday Baby Girl

happy birthday baby girl! i can't believe you are already 3!

Photos

snowflake rainbow heart

We got a snail. ewww. Our long-living {read a few months!} beta fish was creating a ton of algae so we headed to Petco to buy a snail to eat it up... and our littlest one fell in love... with a snail.

She tucked it in, sang it songs, and couldn't stop loving on it. Where did she come from? I'm sure glad she's mine though.

Every snail has to have a name, right? This one is "Snowflake Rainbow Heart." Of course

Tomorrow is September 1st! To me, that means the first day of fall... which I always feel bittersweet about. Because Dave is a teacher he has a couple of months off every summer, which is wonderful. Although we tried to be more laid back this year, the end of his vacation became a mad dash to complete our back yard renovation - and we didn't get it finished. I feel like that happens a lot to me... I don't get it finished. Whatever "it" may be.

- painting the living room

- painting my dining room table {needs one more coat!}

- girl's room re-do

- too many sewing projects to count

- handmade gifts for family

- my presentation for a workshop at church {coming up in 2 weeks!}

- the back yard

- and FAR too many other things to list here

I know the new year is in January, but I always feel like the school year is the "real" new year for me. I realize that I am spread way too thin. It's happened over time, and although I love to be busy, I hate to be so busy that I can't do any one thing well. I don't have time play with my kids, spend time with my husband, prepare well for ministry at church, or even to get together with a good friend for a cup of coffee. I hate that.

So, this "new year" I am going to finish out all the things I am committed to, and then start paring it down. I know I will always be busy, it's a season in life, but I want to concentrate on my family, friends, the Lord, and the things I love. Maybe then, this {from Pinterest} won't apply to me anymore!

http://juliawalck.tumblr.com/post/3391072500

We've been trying to have a more relaxed summer this year {in comparison to our over ambitious, complete bathroom remodel last year}. Today Dave and I went on a little breakfast date while the girls played with one of our youth group girls.

I wanted to make sure we spent some special time with them too, so we baked together...

Rainbow Cake in a Jar! I am not much of a baker - or a chef for that matter, but it was fun and messy. Just the right combination.

something good is in the oven!

this is emma's crazy excited face

it's Rainbow cake! Sure it's not as nice and neat as this one... but it was good. {I'm pretty sure everything tastes better from a mason jar!}

I love Pinterest.

Well, love it and hate it both I guess. On one hand I have access to unending inspiration and tutorials and on the other hand there is no possible way I could follow through on everything I pin. I've decided to make a real effort this summer to try a lot of them. I'll share what learn here.

Today I attempted the "Knot So Hard Flip Flops" tutorial from The Mother Huddle.

Before we get into this, I should tell you I am not a read the directions kind of girl. Even with tutorials, I generally go by the pictures until things take a turn for the worse... which ended up happening today when I made the straps too short and hot glued too early leaving me ripping hot glue apart from a foam shoe and nearly giving up on the project entirely!

Here's how Emma's turned out. They're cuter in person but I couldn't get her to stand still for more than 5 seconds (she was busy jumping on the trampoline when I was begging her to model for me - hence the filthy feet!) I omitted the second knot. I liked them, but what I didn't like was that they were fraying already... which is supposed to be a part of the summery charm, but I didn't want mine that way. I followed instructions this time {while still omitting the 2nd knot on top} but after cutting my fabric, I sewed it right sides together into a tube and turned it right side out so that I wouldn't have the fraying edges.

I LOVE them! See you soon...

summer adventures 2011

We are so blessed to live in San Diego. I know it is only for a season, but I will be seriously missing the weather when we leave one day! Today we ventured out with some of our good friends to a park in Coronado. I can't believe in my 7 years here I'd never visited this spot. It's right along the bay with two playgrounds and a nice area to ride bikes along the water. We even had a picnic lunch and visited some flamingos.

I am still getting to know my new camera, so I used this time to practice!

Summertime

Summer is finally here! We celebrated Dave's last day of work {he's a high school teacher} with balloons, smoothies, and some time in the pool... well at least the girls hopped in. Happy summer!

happy

Things that make me happy:

ranuculus - which remind me that spring is coming

{I'm fickle, I'm always wanting the next season whatever it is}

two happy, healthy little girls with messy lunch faces

that's it for today, we're busy being sick {again} among other things!

weekend wishes

Whoa! I've just recovered from a nasty week of the stomach flu {along with my kiddos}, and I'm ready to get my craft on!

Here's a list of things I hope to complete this weekend {h.o.p.e being the operative word}:

via Noodlehead

via Kiki Creates

Have you seen this all over the internet? Amazing! Why didn't I think of it?

I hope to do two duvets similar to this for the girls' room.

and possibly this dress {x2 for my two cuties} by

Kelly Crawford at Sewing in No Man's Land

btw - what an awesome blog she has! All sorts of tutorials for gorgeous things.

I found her through Project Run and Play; something I'd aspire to do one day if I were

as awesome/talented/inspirational as those ladies!

Have a l o v e l y weekend

rainy days

We've been keeping busy in the rain around here... I've been sewing a lot for the girls.

Here's what I made last night.

I also made myself a cute t-shirt which I won't show you because it turned out about 2 sizes too small.

just keep swimming

We've been super sick around here for the last couple of days, but I thought I'd give you the epilogue on the goldfish situation.

We now have, not two, but three happy, healthy goldfish. "But how did this happen?" you might ask. Well, when it comes to animals, for some reason, I am incapable of applying logic. I am a HUGE sucker for them... I once adopted a dog from the pound and we didn't even have a house to keep it at!

When I noticed Nemo floating at the top of the bowl, upside down, he was still {though barely} breathing. Any normal person would have flushed him. Instead, I took him out, and placed him in a cup in the laundry room while I made the switch. I came back after putting the girls to bed and he was swimming around like nothing had happened. The girls woke up the next morning and right away realized we had 3 fish now. "Nemo the Second," has been renamed, "Sparkles," and Dave is celebrated throughout the house as the amazing, spontaneous Daddy who just decided to bring home a new pet!

flush

A few weeks back I mentioned on FB that I am a serial killer - of houseplants. Seriously, I can't keep one alive more than a few weeks. But before I turned my killer instincts to plants, I kept killing our pet fish. It wasn't just me, I usually had help... the neighbor boy who dumped an entire bottle of food in the bowl, or my dear child who poured "non-toxic" cleaner into the next fish tank {she wanted to "clean" the fishies}. And never mind the beta fish which PETCO assured us were much, much heartier than goldfish {dead in 24 hours}. In 3 months we went through approximately 10 fish. Then we got "Dorothy" and "Nemo" hearty little fish from the 15 cent feeder fish section {no use throwing good money after bad}. We've had them for 2 years now... I once forgot to feed them for about a month and they still survived.

Sadly, today I found Nemo, {or was it Dorothy -only Emma can tell them apart} floating upside down at the top of the bowl. My first thought was my sensitive 4 year old. She can barely hold it together during a Barbie movie, she'll be crushed to hear one of her pets is dead. Sure it's only a fish, but she really does love them. I thought about how I was going to tell her, how I'd explain it to her... how sad her little face would be. And then I had another thought, and did something I never thought I'd do. I sent Dave to the store to buy another orange 15 cent fish. Yep, we replaced it and she hasn't noticed yet. I always thought I'd be that parent who took advantage of these moments to teach my child about real life. Usually that is what we do. We are honest with our kids, they learn their lessons. Today I realized, she's 4 and she has plenty of time to learn about real life... today, just this one time, I will save her from that heartache, because as she gets older there will be so very few times I can do that for her.

So, welcome Nemo the 2nd! I promise I'll try my very best not to kill you.

Shwin & Shwin Tutorials

It's been awhile since I've done any serious sewing. When I stumbled across this blog , I was literally running, with scissors, to Dave's closet. I used one of his old work shirts to make this

adorable top for little Ashlyn. I can't believe the awesome kid clothing tutorials they have over at Shwin and Shwin. These are some serioulsy talented ladies. They have a contest going right now "Toddler Runway". If only I had found this blog earlier I would have loved to enter. Oh well, there's always next year!

Yes, the mess in the background is a true story

shine

A story I've been meaning to post:

The other day we were driving home around sunset. From the back seat Emma started shouting excitedly, "Mommy! Mommy! What is that shiny thing over there?! Behind the trees! It's so beautiful and giant!" I looked out the window and there was the most gorgeous sunset I had seen in quite sometime. "Well, baby, that's a sunset. Isn't it beautiful?" I replied. " When I didn't get a response, I checked the rear-view to see a very sad looking little girl. "Why are you sad?" I asked. "I thought it was Jesus coming to get us." she said, obviously disappointed.

Oh to be so expectant of His return!

Emma Bear

I remember the day I found out you were with us. It was a shock, really, your Daddy and I had only been married for 8 months. I was still in college. He didn't have a job yet... and you weren't supposed to be even a twinkle in our eyes for a few more years. I should have been interviewing for a job, paying off student loans {& getting health insurance!}... all those things you're supposed to do before having a baby.

But God had other plans for us.

He used you to teach us to trust Him. He used you to show us His provision. He used you to teach me selflessness... to set aside my own ambition for His glory. He brought us dear friends we wouldn't have known and a church that is truly our 2nd home. Through you, God showed us that His plan is so very much better than our own.

Did you know, that before you were born, I didn't much like babies? But that first minute, when the nurse handed you to me, all warm and rosy cheeked, I was hooked. I couldn't get enough of you - and I still can't.

Is it possible that you are 4 already? That seems ever so grown up! All these past years, I've never been sad at your birthday because you still seemed little. This year you've started school without even needing to look back & say good bye. You can write, and even read a bit. You are such a sweet and sensitive big sister. You are kind and compassionate, inquisitive and already outsmarting your momma. Best of all, you have a servant's heart, and you love Jesus!

Baby girl, we love you so much. Everyday, I thank God for giving us you... I couldn't imagine our life with out you - Happy Birthday, my Emma Joy.