babes

Before I could even drive a car, I knew these mommies. We obviously weren't mommies back then. We were silly girls that wore boxers as shorts to school and considered Subway, Taco Bell, and Training Table some mighty good eats.

I took these picture a (long) while ago. Now, this sweet baby has rolly chubby thighs. The kind that look so cute in tights.

This tiny one is still tiny. Look at those at those newborn lashes. And I know that mommies love their babies. But, seriously, this mommy is SO giddy about this tiny girl.

Latching on.

And one day, we will sit around and talk about how our little babes are growing up. And I bet we will talk about the silly things they are wearing and and all the junk that they are eating. And for whatever reason, just the thought of it is so comforting.

and this is how we celebrated Eva...

So, a while ago, I had to take a break from blogging (and everything that was practical for that matter) and focus on my then current project... Eva's sixth birthday party. A baking party. With images of 10 cute little bakers (wearing aprons with ribbons and frills and felt flowers) dancing in my head, I sewed and sewed and sewed. I know it sounds insane, but, seriously, I love doing this kind of stuff.

As the girls arrived, they found their aprons (I personalized each one) and decorated their chefs hats with heart stickers. We then started making little pizzas (thanks, Pillsbury! That was so nice of you to make the dough for us). One girl decided that she wanted her pizza in the shape of a heart. And, well, that meant all the girls wanted heart pizzas. Michelle, my friend/mom on one of the party girls, was working hard shaping when Drew says, "That looks like underwear!" Hearts, underwear, picky, picky...

While the pizzas were baking, they made fruit kabobs. Blueberries were the favorite. They also jumped on the couch. But not with the kabobs.

Pizzas done. Everyone ate. Little girls don't eat a lot of pizza. They would rather jump on my couch. But not Eva...

Eva ate and ate and ate. She made that thing and she was determined to finish. Look at her all alone. It is so so so so Eva (and kinda me, actually). She went and got a knife and fork and worked and worked. She is stuffed (and funny, really funny).

Next, decorating tiny bundt cakes. Jenn, you don't read my blog but if you did, you would know how much I use and love the mini bundt pan you gave me. Little girls like frosting. They got to choose a flower and stick it on top. They looked so perfect wrapped up with a mini rubber spatula and a red cookie cutter.

For the cake, we did chocolate cupcakes with pudding frosting (because sometimes the best part about being the cupcake maker person is that you get to choose what you make).

Eva loves pinatas. You really get to know a person's personality when you see how they go at it at the pinata. So funny to see how aggressive these sweet little girls can be. We put the prizes in baggies so everyone got the same. Next, presents. Eva, being Eva, spent days opening the packages. For a while there, it felt like she was opening a new toy everyday. I think that is a great way to do it. See Eva, in the middle (um, still eating her cupcake) with no apron? I didn't think one of the little girls was going to come so I didn't make her one. Eva was so sweet and let her wear hers. Someone taught her well (it was Karl. Not me, the apparent RSVP nazi).

Eva and Katie.

Thanks to all that came, helped, and to all those people that came up with most of these ideas.

So, that was all the kid stuff, right? We had lots and lots of food for the adults that helped and for the family that came later that night... Olive Garden soup knock offs, Zupa Tuscana and Pasta Fagioli, my mom's (mega awesome) clam chowder, French bread, "Those Rolls" from Lee's market in Logan (courtesy of Gumma), artichoke dip, veggies and dip, window pane sugar cookies and tons of candy. Grandma Geddes made another beautiful cake. We asked Eva what she wanted and she said, "A dolphin, with a wave." Huh? Where did she get that idea from? Grandma certainly delivered. This dolphin got way more than just a wave, it got a beach, an umbrella, a palm tree... the works.

Grandma Geddes also showered the kids with Valentine gifts. A tradition that my kids adore. So nice. Lot's of people came to celebrate Eva. Thank you so much. And thank you, Eva, for being a girl so worth celebrating.

More baby gifts

I think I make stuff in phases.  If you have a baby, try and have it during one  of my make-stuff phases.  

Kari had a boy and so I made her these:

     

It is so so so hard to come up with boy embellishments (that I like).  These guys have a dog so I went off that.  I asked (begged) Karl to draw a silhouette.  He is a really good draw-er.  So good, that he came back with an exact replica of the dog.  Silhouette, schmilhouette, huh?  After freaking out because I just wanted a silhouette so I could cut it out of fabric, I put the picture on the t-shirt and it turned out super cute.  Even cuter than some fabric silhouette.  I like to pretend that that sheep-emu-blob is actually a chenille dog. (That right there is the reason why I needed Karl to draw the silhouette).  

Two days after I finished Kari's (baby's) onesies, Cyd had her boy.  Another boy.  Another challenge.  I am sure they would have love one of my chenille blobs but I went with birds.  I didn't make up the tie thing, I must give credit to the bajillion people that have them on etsy.  

I know I should be ashamed, but this is what my craft room looks like after my projects.  

I need to figure out a way to organize this so it doesn't look like a tornado hit every time I work on a project.  I swear, I just make a card or wrap a present (or embroider and iron-on and sew some onesies or make 10 aprons) or whatever and all of the sudden it is an insane mess.  Hopefully this is a "before" picture.  It is insane.  The Oprah crew would be ashamed.  Don't tell them about me.  They would make me throw stuff away.  I can't.  I love my stuff.  I love my ribbons.  I love them so much that I even think they love me back. 

Cyd-o-nee, he is beautiful.  You are beautiful.  I hope he like birds.  

Happy Birthday Courtney!

33 Memories for your 33rd

I know I should be too embarrassed to post some of these pictures, but the memories are so great that I don't care. Looking at all these photos, I can't believe some of the things that we did. I am pretty sure I have you to thank for giving me lots of the nerve.

For your birthday, an abridged trip down memory lane...

1. Send in the cadets!

2. Drivers Ed (Bud Campbell getting mad at us...)

3. Bob Schneider. Live, on stage. Us.

4. Awesome 90's clothes (Lumberjack wear, boxers as outer clothing...)

5. Green River.

6. Snake River.

7. Hiking the Subway.

8. Driving around as a form of entertainment. (Kristi's head paid the price...)

9. VVT, that one house, Pineview...

10. Dancing a lot

11. Bear Lake

12. Tunneling

13. Na na na na na na na na... GAS CANS!

14. Herng Shu

15. Making my birthdays especially great the years that I really really need it.

16. Vancouver (even for just a minute)

17. Frankfurt

18. Russia (lots of xleb, cockroaches...)

19. China (36 hour train rides, Hard Rock Cafe...)

20. Hong Kong (Sleeping in hostels? Gross, right?)

21. Thailand (Sleeping on the beach? Borrowing motorcycles?)

22. Panguitch (proof that we can make anywhere fun)

23. Tempe (because we love Kristi so much)

24. You went to Russia (and I wrote you many a letters giving you play by plays on all the drama you were missing).

25. I went to Japan

25. You got married

26. And so did I

27. San Antonio for you (I visited, once)

28. Austin (remember you came up for Thanksgiving and Scott was grateful for your long hair?)

29. Houston

30. Camping

31. Kids

32. Photo Class

33. (I wasted all my numbers too early) Lunches, dinners, cooking, my health nut safety friend, and so so so many more...

You know I could elaborate for a billion years on all of these and I really really want to.

The most important memories are the ones where grabbing a camera just wouldn't seem right. Thanks for helping me remember the important stuff because I forget so much.

Happy Birthday!

the Christmas Marathon Starts in Logan

Gumma's Christmas party is all about family and tradition.  So, here are a few of the traditions:

-A great dinner of ham, turkey & cranberry jelly (someone always inevitably brings up the story of the day that Nicole discovered why there were ridges on the canned stuff), cheesy potatoes, rolls, veggies & dill dip, and more.

-The chocolate fountain and Samuel ends up wearing a lot of the chocolate.

-Tarts.  They hide a nut in a few of the cups and whoever gets a nut gets a prize... a box of my favorite chocolates (I am eating some right now), Alvey's.  Every year Karl (who may or may not be against cheating) seems to win and every year we talk about how Karl always wins.  I (who is against cheating) won one, too.  I was so excited.  I never win things.

-The nativity play.  Samuel, surprise surprise, refused to participate.  It was his year to be Joseph.  Oh well.  Eva was a an angel.  I thought the picture of Gabby crying but still wanting to be on the stage was hilarious (why is it so entertaining when it isn't your kid throwing the fit?).

-The talent show.  I can't remember the bribe but somehow Samuel ended singing Rudolph.  Eva sang up on the house top.  All the grandparents were beaming.  Gumma must be proud of all her great grandchildren.

   

-Dancing around the Christmas tree.  We sing Christmas songs, hold hands and walk around the tree.  Half of us are taking pictures.  I love the shot of Eva and Karl dancing and the one of Samuel peeking.  Okay, Okay, I love all these shots except for the one that I am in.  

-Singing the little Gypsy girl song.  Isn't it great that tradition can make so many full grown men sing, "Oh I am a little gypsy girl!" and be pahhy (a typo of happy that happened long ago but will never ever be forgotten) about it?

-Singing the baby song.  For all the new babies in the family.  Ever since I have been in the family (almost 10 years!) I think there has been at least one new baby.  Amazing.  

 

These two pictures just made me laugh when I am came across them.  Amelia looks like she is carrying a tiny Ava.  Paul and Franny are having a father daughter bonding moment as both of their noses itched at the same time.  

Yes, traditions are great.  Thanks Gumma and everyone that helps keep them going.

After the festivities we stayed over at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  The kids all slept in one big room. Grandma told them stories about their parents when they were young and the kids loved it.  I got a shot of Samuel picking his lips... he does that when he is winding down.  Samuel ended up getting kicked out of the party, the other kids actually wanted to sleep and he wanted to play. 

We woke up to a bountiful breakfast of every breakfast food that I can think of.  

Samuel loves that microphone toy.  Just what he needs, to be louder.  Lauren is telling a made up story about some guy that is allergic to aspirin and has all the kids laughing.  

And to keep the marathon going...

We headed up to the other side of the family and had lunch and opened presents there.  We could do a gender study with the photo on the rights.  All the girls are crowded around the pink princess toy and just Samuel is playing with the blue train toy.  

I am so grateful that my kids have so many grandparents that love them.  I didn't grow up with my grandparents nearby and so I didn't know how great they were.  Man, I was really missing out.

All of this, and it isn't even Christmas yet...