Ella's Birthday

She wanted a flip-flop party. We set up her little table in the dining room,and got flip-flops for all the guests.

We even found some flip-flop straws :)

Her cake sitting on the sand (graham cracker crumbs)

I couldn't get all the pom-poms in the picture

but we made a bunch!

My 6 year old!

Her beautiful smile

Every single gift was her favorite!

Another favorite

Her little girlfriends

Trying out her new hula-hoop

The girls with their flip-flops on

And another birthday girl that stopped in to say hi! Happy Birthday, Lisa!

She loved every second of her birthday party and must have told me thank-you a thousand times! I am so thankful for Ella. She is spontaneous, energetic, unpredictable, mischievous, loves life and she has a smile that can light up a room.

Mother's Day and More (post 1 of 2)

The four reasons I love being a Mom.

The reason I love being a wife. I am so blessed with an amazing family!

Last week was Pappy's birthday. Here he is with all the grandkids..and his cake :)

My sister also had a birthday recently. We surprised her and showed up for her birthday dinner at my Mom's. I made her a cheesecake (my sister-in-law, Michele's recipe). If you want to make a perfect cheesecake, you have to try it. I don't think it has too many calories, it only had 5 packages of cream cheese and 7 eggs in it ;0)

Abby's class put on a few skits for the parents. Here is Abby as the number 9.

Isaac has found many very random places to take a snooze. I found him in here the other day. Yes, that is a laundry basket full of clothes. And yes, he has his arm in Caleb's boot! And yes, I moved him to his comfy bed!

Girls' Day Out (Post 2 of 2)

The girls and I had a fun girls' day out. Carl's mom had given us tickets to the Cincinnati Flower Show, so we spent the afternoon admiring the beautiful flowers.
This is a peacock with flowers for its tail!

The baskets were amazing

My girls

Have you ever seen hydrangeas so big!?! They were about twice the size of Abby's head!

This was Target's display

with a Liberty of London watering pot

and shovel. Love it! (there's more hot pink hydrangeas)

The peacock again and our little bags of Lily bulbs :)

You can't have a girls' day out without Starbucks!
Of course Ella had to add something to her hot chocolate.
Anything so she could take off the lid and stir it.

Abby in the big comfy chair

Mmmmm! I think we need to make this a habit :)

dandelion wishes

I have lots of stuff to post about, but for now just Ella making a wish :)

close my eyes....hmmmm

take a deep breath

make a wish

and blow

Happy Mother's Day

She gives selflessly of her time and resources
She is an encourager - all the time
You will rarely, if ever, see her without a smile
The florist at her wedding even asked if she could
stay to see her walk down the aisle because she
couldn't stop smiling :)
She has never given me the cold shoulder, ever
She loves people
She looks for the good in every person
She is never too busy to listen
She is peppy!
She loves my Dad and they could not be more opposite
She talks to strangers...alot...and brightens their day
She is an amazing Grandma
She tells people they are wonderful
She was raised without a mother, but somehow she became the most wonderful mother
She is a Godly example to me and has taught me about kindness, forgiveness, faith, and to believe in miracles
I am blessed to have her in my life!
Happy Mother's Day!