Friday Favorites- January

Establish Routines @ simple mom

Frugal Family Fun @ Simple Kids

Snowman Building Kit @ Simple Kids

What every organized household should have @ how does she

Raising Self-Reliant kids by Michele Borb

How to become a more intentional parent @ sorta crunchy

31 days to a better photo @ life with my 3 boybarians

healing @ weird-bird

ideas to keep your kids entertained during the winter @ I never grew up

5 ways to lose your stuff @ Zen habits

Building the Legacy your children will remember @ steady mom

Play vs. Academics @ Not just cute

Decisions- Decisions @ weird bird

Everyday ways to foster independence in kids @ Simple Mom

Back to Blogging!

So, It's been a while and I could try to catch you all up on everything that has been happening in the last 5 months, but that would be exhausting. So instead, here are some of my favorite photo worthy events from the past week.

When we got back to work this week Haley got 3 new books, some skates, and her first softball glove and ball. It's huge on her little hand, but she didn't seem to mind.

Her little skates fit over her boots. It was fun to watch her walk around in them. She doesn't really get that they can roll. But she does love having them on. As soon as her daddy took them off she brought them to me to but them back on her.

She loved her captive audience.

Haley loves to clean things. She will use rags, bibs, tissues, washcloths, anything she can get her hands on. She's very possessive of her cleaning tools. She loves using the broom and dust pan too.

Wiping things down.

Naked time!

Snuggling with Tristan

She loved his big hugs!

Playing in the swing her great grandpa made her.

She was having a blast!

Flying with all 4 wings on and a pretty tutu. This kid loves to play dress up.

She got all bundled up to go out in the snow. Her grandma made this snowsuit for her daddy and uncles. It's a little snug but I was glad that it still fits. Haley didn't really go anywhere while she was wearing it. She just stuck her fist in the snow and started eating.

I think she liked what she tasted.

We're back....

Anybody out there?

We're back, maybe not in full force, but you can probably expect an update or 2 a week.

I know I have been away for a while, but I will try to start updating more frequently for anyone who is still reading. I'm sorry for the time away but between frisbee season, the holidays, work, and being sick with baby number 2 I haven't been in much of a blogging mood.

Next time we are off work should mark our second full week in our home since we moved in in August. We were almost home together one other week, but a root grew through the pipes while we were gone and we stayed at a friends until we got water back, hopefully our next week home will be a bit more successful.

In other news haley is getting very big. If the snow doesn't cancel her doctors appointment tomorrow I will hopefully be able to share her official height and weight, but for now I will suffice it to say that I weeded through her clothes today to pack away her 12 month clothes and find the wintery selection of 24 month and 2T clothes. There were more pants and long sleeved shirts than I remembered, and we acquired more hand me downs today including some good snow clothes, perfect timing for the little storm that is expected over night. If appointments are canceled tomorrow than the snow can expect to be balled up and turned into a nice little person tomorrow. Snow angels will also be a definite must. :)

2 cute Haley habits from the last few months...

Haley loves books right now and will brig them to us, and then sit in our laps while we read the same story over and over. But I'll talk about this more later.

Haley likes to get little pieces of toilet paper, lift her shirt, and wipe off her belly button. Hey, you can't blame a kid for trying :)

Friday Favorites- December

how to take an adorable holiday photo at any age @ baby center

De-cluttering and organizing children's toys @ Blissfully domestic

35 gifts your children will never forget @ becoming minimalist

Appliques for beginners @ lemon tree creations

101 things that can physically be reduced in your home

A guide to creating a minimalist home @ zen family

Newborn dress turned toddler apron @ 2 little hooligans

Curing the December Gimmes

Motherhood and Identity @ Inspired to Action

First Birthday Party

I had a hard time deciding on a theme for Haley's Birthday Party! I figured that I will get to throw many birthday parties in my lifetime. But this is the first one, so I wanted to make it extra special. I wanted the party to focus on something that Haley likes, I looked for ideas online, and I finally settled on an idea. Bedtime stories. Haley loves books, and it would be easy to make play centers that go with different books.

Each play station had a book to go with it.

Instruments- Olivia forms a band

Swinging and flying- Guess how much I love you

Blowing Bubbles- The Rainbow Fish

Blocks- Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do You See?

Balls- What's Wrong Little Pookie?

Dress-Up- Fancy Nancy

Food- The Very Hungry Caterpillar

I had a lot of fun drawing the pictures on the poster boards and coloring them with markers. Most of them I did free hand but Fancy Nancy was a little to complex. (For that one I copied the picture a little bigger, used a window to trace the outline in reverse with a pencil, than colored over the lines to transfer the graphite to the poster.)

We had a grown up food table and a kid table. The grown up food included blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, spinich, tomato, mozerella skewers, and soda. (Even though this was the grown up table I got Haley the berries because they're her favorites)

For the kids table I put cheerios and crackers in little containers for each kid to take home. With a spoon and fork set and a mozerella string cheese stick. We also had juice for sippy cups.

My mom ran to the store to pick up 2 cakes. I had a friend who was going to make haley's cake but life happens and time runs out. But these were pretty cute anyways. My mom wanted the little cake to be Haley's smash cake, but it was way too big for one little baby.

My mom also had my cousin Sarah make tutus for all of the girls at the party. They turned out super cute. Fancy Nancy would have been impressed! The 2 big brothers who came both got cowboy vests and hats.

Haley had fun at her party. She spent a lot of time playing with her Daddy. She loved the ladybug themed instrument that John picked out for her. And, luckily she had her uncles there to remember that even birthday gils get stinky diapers.

Several of Haley's friends came to join in the festivities. there were four 2 year olds, one 1 year old, and two more under 1. plus two little boys, 4 and 6. These are all of Haley's best buddies.

The boys were not shy, they had fun playing dress-up too!

Even some of the Adults got in on the action.

I think one of my favorite parts was walking around and seeing all of the parents reading to their little ones.

When it was time for Cake Haley had no problems digging in to her gigantic piece. This girl knows the good stuff when she sees it.

The little girls in their tutu's were beyond adorable.

They had fun playing with all the toys and each other.

The snack bowl made it easy for each little one to eat when they got hungry.

The swimming pool turned ball pit was a big success. Even the big boys liked it because they could run and jump in.

All in all I would say Haley's Birthday was a wonderful day. I am so thankful for all of the people who came out and made it so special.

And I'm thankful that my little one already has so many sweet friends.

Haley's going to be a Big Sister!

So I think by this point everyone who reads my blog knows that I'm pregnant. But here is an official announcement.

The new baby is due around April 20th. We found out the day before Haley's first birthday. We told Haley that night. She didn't really understand but she did like playing with the pregnancy test we showed her.

Since we got to make the announcement last time we decided to let Haley tell most of the family the good news. Since she can't talk yet I made her a shirt announcing her status as a big sister in training. The 11 is for 2011 when the new baby will be born. It was nice that the focus could be on Haley with this announcement instead of on me.

I'm sure that with the new baby's arrival Haley will become a complete Daddy's girl. She is already well on her way thanks to the pregnancy hormones that knock me out and require me to take 2 naps a day. I am blessed to have such a wonderful, understanding, and patient husband who lets me get the rest I need. Who knew growing a pinto bean sized human could be such exhausting work.

Friday Favorites- August

Far apart, close at heart- the creative mama

project organize @ sherbert blossom

camp wanna-laffa-lotta @ life as mom (this whole series is great, there were fun ideas last summer too if you look at the archives.

It's August- Why don't you... @ Mother Huddle

Stress is a choice @ simple mom

painters tape is the new duct tape