The New, The Improved

Lily's Cardboard Kitchen!

Here is the finished stove and sink! 

A couple close-ups:

Sink = New

Stove = Improved.

Getting a little use (Lily would not cooperate for pictures when I took these):

I finally finished these a couple of days ago. (Woo Hoo!) I think they look kind of retro with the black and blue. Lily was disappointed they are not pink. She is going through a pink phase. "Blue is for boys!" "No, no...this is baby blue, and blue is for everybody!" -- I feel kind of bad now... I was being a tight wad and didn't want to buy the extra large roll (they didn't have pink in the small size). Why I get caught up in a matter of like $6 difference when the rest of the project was made entirely from cardboard I got free and packaging tape and items I already had -- I do not know... I guess I am in perpetual save mode. I need to gain a little better perspective on 'the big picture' when I am out shopping. Plus, pink would have gone so much better with her apron and tablecloth... Doh! I feel bad, but no way am I re-doing them any time soon. The doors on that sink were too much work to cover -- I am just happy to check that project off my list! 


Lily played with them quite a bit today...after she was done playing superhero with her silky green tied quilt as a cape. She made me a delicious soup out of Mr. Potato head parts, 3 noses and a muscly arm in my bowl. She let me taste the flower and mustache in her bowl. Mm-mm good! When I was done she made sure to wash my dishes. I think she'll survive her disappointment! She did tell me she liked the striped shelf paper I made for the cupboard, but I don't think she got the duct tape circle drain. We had so much fun playing today we just skipped nap-time. I will have to post a sound clip of Lily making up a story that we recorded on my laptop this afternoon. Fun times! :)

Projects and Priorities

It's nap time, and this is what I'm determined to work on today:

Of all the things I could be spending my rare moments of child-free time on, yes - this is it. I made this little cardboard stove for Lily a long time ago, but it got badly faded, and she's grown...so while making the sink to go with it I made the stove taller. I plan to cover both with some paper I found at the Learning Store that's supposed to be fade free (we will soon find out). This is one of those projects that I started so long ago it's gotten to the point of: Finish it now or just throw it away!!! It took me one day to make the stove originally, so I don't know why it has taken me this long to do the other parts! I think because it's harder to work on stuff like this with Lily playing simultaneously at this age because now she wants to "help." And there is definitely more drive for a new creative project than an extended re-do like this. Lily still wants to play with it so I'd better just be done with it! I've been working on it a little here and there for the last couple of days. I just haven't had a long enough stretch of time to make real progress. I feel more like blogging than working on it so that is why I am on here posting about it so I feel like I can't go back on my plan. I already got my exercise in for the day (patting myself on the back) -- so no excuses there. I even got a little reading time in while I was exercising...and it's a book I've read before so I'm not tempted beyond my powers of self-control. I know I have a lot of cute pictures I could post, but I am determined to get this project done! So of all the things that we've been up to lately, this is what you get. Sorry! I am currently in the small appliance business.

First Decade

I totally had plans to write a post dedicated to my husband as we celebrated our 10th anniversary, but I think we were too busy laying flooring together... I let it slide. He's so busy he hardly thinks to read this blog anyway, but I thought it would be a nice little something for him to come across when he did get around to it.

I think I've already written posts about how we met and how great he is in years past, so I wasn't sure what exactly I'd write about this time besides "Happy Anniversary" and "10 years! 10 years? Really?"...Feeling sorta old....

But lately it's just been coming home to me again and again in simple everyday ways how glad I am to have my dear husband as my companion. So better late than never!

I wish I was a really good writer so I could truly capture the feeling that I want to express, but I know whatever I say will fall short anyway. It's hard to express love in typewritten text. It's hard to nail down in words all those moments when it just hits you for one reason or other.

I just want you to know, Mike, how deeply grateful I am for your love in my life! For your hard work, your example, your devotion to your family, your good dreams and your good heart. I know this last 10 years hasn't gone the way we thought it would, but it's good to have you by my side! It's good to share so many dreams, ideals, and memories. It's good to look over and smile at you and know that if life isn't all that we hoped it would be, at least we're both putting our all into making it the best that we can. What more could you ask for, really? That's real love, all for you, and it's still growing! Love you my husband and friend!

The Big 3

Lily's 3rd birthday was recently and it turned out to be such a fun day! Definitely worth remembering (especially on those not so great days, like today). It was her first friend party. We had it in the morning so Lily and her other friends could still get in their afternoon naps, or at least not be grouchy for the lack of them. I totally expected Lily to crash after the party because of all the excitement, and because usually if she misses her nap window she conks out around 4:30 or 5:00...but she just kept going and was so cheerful and delightful for the entire day! I was so amazed about it that I was even able to stay awake and cheerful too :) She wanted to play with every single one of her new toys -- I think it was either the candy or the new toys that kept her awake and happy. All the adults (except me) were off in their beds taking naps and Lily set up a lemonade stand and played with it even though she complained of not having any customers to sell it to.

Uncle Alex finally came along and bought one cup. She gave him change from her new play cash register. She could even run debate cards - this is serious lemonade business!


Anyway - here's some pictures from the party. We finally settled on a candy-land theme because it could be pretty basic with bright colored balloons. I'm all about doing and spending as little as I can for the most effect.  Lily loves candy and often wants to play the game, plus I found these ideas for cute and easy decorations on Parents.com. I just fell in love with the cake and it's 3 ice-cream cones! 

Mine was not as professional as the magazine's, but it still turned out pretty cute! 

My cute 3 year old :)

Determined to try the pink ice-cream cone!

Lily was so excited to try all the things on top of the cake. It was not so easy to cut a pretty piece, but the kids didn't complain!

We had some easy craft/activities - fruit loop candy necklaces to string and chocolate gingerbread man sugar cookies to decorate...

Lily was pretty concentrated on that cookie - it was covered with mounded up frosting and mini m&m's by the time she was through!

We had one organized game - like musical chairs on colored squares, but instead of taking anything away the kid on the color that was picked when the music stopped got a prize.

Lily and Hailey playing on the game board earlier on

All the kids marching around to Lollipop Lollipop...

Everyone got prizes :) 

Mike was determined to get a bounce house and I'm glad he did, the kids had so much fun! 

Pause here to see more fun!

Birthday Smiles!

I think the bounce house made just the right amount of stuff to do to not have too many kids at one time up on the top platform of Grandma's playground set - I was a little worried about that. It's always nice when the kids just make their own fun!

Lily got a little upset in the piñata line when her cousin Isaac told her she was little! -- but it was a good thing we lined them up in order because when it was his turn - the biggest kid, Jake, hit it down with a few expert blows!

 During all this Lily's 5-year-old cousin, Evie, and I separately explained to her that there will always be some people bigger and some people smaller (my dad overheard Evie's version and got the picture). Anyway Lily cheered up pretty quick...or maybe she was just distracted by all the fun, and falling CANDY! 

Hitting the piñata:

The broken ice-cream cone piñata unexpectedly became the two cutest party hats!

 

The kids are what really made them cute! 

Though my brother Andrew pulled it off pretty well too! :)

It was such a fun party and a nice day with family, friends, and my delightful little 3-year-old!

So glad to be the mom to this darling girl! :)

Opening presents and playing the day away:

These dress-up shoes were a hit! Lily's girl cousins all tried them on too.

Aujinay strutting around like she wears high heels everyday!

It was fun to see Lily so excited about her ballet outfit and the couple of other inexpensive gifts I picked out for her. Makes me feel like I know my girl. :)

Thank you so much to everyone who sent gifts, and helped make Lily's day so super-sweet!