Photogenic Bug, Dancing Queen & Chai turns 9!

Bryleigh LOVES being the center of attention & as soon as the camera comes out – she poses. It cracks me up just how much she loves getting her picture taken. After all the pictures I’ve taken, you’d think it’d be like pulling teeth – but nope – she puts her hands on her hips & smiles..

Tina’s wedding was BEAUTIFUL! I wish I had more pictures – but they were on my phone…which Bryleigh dropped in water…boo.

This picture shows Bryleigh having a blast dancing…

I also have a video of Bry dancing at Aunt Kathy & Steve’s wedding. Holy dancing – the girl didn’t stop!! She was a hit on the dance floor.

Malachai’s 9th b/day party was at Nickel World. The kids always have fun there. I hate the smell of change – so I don’t really partake in the games – but watching the girls play is fun for me.

Cadence was excited to turn her tickets in for a pair of fangs..ooohh – scary!

Aiden was freaked out by Bryleigh's hyperness...

And it seems every kid in the family loves Monster High!!

We're pretty lucky to have so many kids in the family & for them to all love each other  :)

Potluck...

I was trying to clear out pics from my phone for my sister’s wedding tomorrow & found some that I haven’t blogged about…

My uber-creative cousin, Tiffany, threw a surprise party for my cousin Heather for her 30th b/day. She was very clever about the whole thing, starting planning back in Oct to throw her baby sister off! It was 80’s themed & while I didn’t dress up – quite a few of her friends did…

Can you see the guy dressed up as Kiss in the back?

Every year the Monster Truck comes to town & this year it was the 30th anniversary of Grave Digger (one of the trucks)…Dennis happened to be driving down the road & saw the Grave Digger sitting in the parking lot of Taco Bell!

He stopped & took the girls pics on the tires…

No Bryleigh is not wearing socks or shoes. The.very.second. she gets into a car, she takes them off. SO ANNOYING! Sometimes she has more shoes in the car then in the house!

On Cai’s real b/day – we let her open her card from GG (great-gramma) & gave her a cookie cake w/Lion King on it. My mom took her & the boys to see it in 3-d & Cai LOVES it still!

Cadence is enjoying her ‘new’ school still…she loves gym day b/c they get to wear their sweats & school t-shirt…

Getting her out of them after school is like pulling teeth …good thing I love her!

It’s My Party & I’ll Cry if I Want To…AND winner

Getting ready for a b/day party usually includes running around last minute, frantic over forgetting something (like ice cream!). I love my kids to death – but they definitely add to my last minute-I’m-forgetting-something-stress.
I had a brilliant idea – they could stay the night w/Aunt Sisa! Duh – why didn’t I think of that before?!

They were both excited – and it appears the dogs were happy to have two extra kids to sleep on.

The national worry about how vicious pits are is quite obvious as evidenced above..

Staying with my sister usually means the girls do not get enough sleep. They come home tired and crabby. I did not figure that into the equation of no kids in the way while I did my last minute things.

O.M.G. were they crabby on Saturday. Cadence cried about E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. It was stressing me out more than if they had just stayed home the night before.
We got through MOST of the party without a tear, but before and after were a true test of my love to her. Grrrr.

Dennis didn’t want me to make her cake – he said I’d make a mess (true) and be stressed (true) and really pissed if it didn’t turn out (beyond true). He ordered one from Meijer & we threw on some LaLaLoopsy mini-dolls.

The only downside…Dennis ordered a SHEET cake. As in it could feed a small village. We did not invite a small village over, so we have probably ½ of it left. That is even with us giving everyone that came to my house pieces the size of a brick to take home!

I was looking forward to sleeping in yesterday – or trying to – since I’ve been getting up uber-early as of late. I was actually heading in the right direction until 7:10 when I heard a loud boom & Bryleigh started crying over the baby monitor. I jumped up to get her - she was already coming out of her room. She had fallen out of her bed. My poor pumpkin. I brought her to bed w/me & she fell right to sleep. I did too, for about a ½ hr. That was the latest I’ve slept in about 2 wks!

Yesterday the kids had their Valentine pictures (our photographer was doing a V-day special – no we do not always get V-day pics!) and this is one of the outfits Cai changed in to during it…

After we went to dinner @ TGIF – a gift card from my momma from Christmas & stopped at Walmart after to pick up a bed rail so my baby doesn’t fall out anymore…and finally home to relax. Dennis made a fire & the girls played w/the Lego Friends Cai got for her b/day. The family room got hot FAST – the girls faces were beet red…. Mine probably was too – but I didn’t take photographic proof..the girls looked cute..me – not so much!

Finally, the winner of the ‘One for the Money’ movie give-away…

Jacqueline @ Expanding Experiences

On your mark, get set…PARTY!!

Tomorrow is Cadence’s 7th b/day party. Not only am I NOT prepared, there is no excitement or energy available for the prepping.
I’ve been getting up early every day this week…for no reason – just waking up early. I mean – early. Tuesday I was up @ 3:55. Two days I woke up at 4:45. I mean, come on…can I get 6 hrs of sleep please!

Cadence opening a gift on her actual b/day!


I was extremely bummed when the lady who has done Bry’s 2 cakes called me & said she couldn’t do Cai’s. It was my fault. Dennis getting diagnosed w/DVT’s, my foot, cheer practice & Bry’s speech testing have taken over my life. I just kept forgetting to call her with the final details.

I’m going to TRY to make her a cake. It’s a LaLa Loopsy theme – so it shouldn’t be too hard. I have no doubt it will be edible..I’m just hoping it’s pretty too. I’m not really into treat bags to go home – I don’t like when the girls get them & I don’t like giving them. They seem like a waste of $. All those little trinkets end up in the trash w/in days of the party. I’m going to make button cookies & tie them together w/ribbon. I also am thinking of making a punch wall (nothing like waiting until.the.very.last.minute.) and put like little candy bars in it..maybe a pencil or small box of crayons.

She really wanted an ipod touch – but I can’t bring myself to spend that much $ when she doesn’t take very good care of her DS. I did find a used one on ebay for $60…I think I will give her that & Bryleigh a leapfrog tab in their Easter baskets.
Her present is new bedding for her bunkbeds, a new lamp for her nite stand & a few other little pieces for her room.

Speaking of beds – Bryleigh is now in her ‘big girl’ bed! She’s been sleeping in it almost a week & is doing GREAT. The first 2 nites/naps were a bit of a test – but after realizing we weren’t joking, she doesn’t push and falls to sleep as perfectly as she did in her crib! Yay Bug!

Wish me luck tomorrow – I’m hoping I’ll get a shot of energy to finish everything up. Two more days until I announce the winner to the Movie Pack!

Pizza Hut & Bryleigh b/day update…

There is no other pizza that speaks to me the way the “Hut’s” does…I love it. What I love more is that their pizza’s are now $10 w/unlimited toppings – I love whoever thought of that…you are my hero…anyway - that's what we had for dinner tonite..mmm...



I ordered Bryleigh’s 1st b/day outfit…I’m so excited – I can’t wait for it to get here…her theme is pink & white & owls…I know what you’re thinking…owls??? I thought the same thing when I rec’d a 1st b/day theme catalog in the mail a few weeks ago – but it grew on me – I love it.
Plus look at this outfit - how can you not love it???


and bloomers to match..

So her invites are done – I just have to address all the envelopes – yuck…and her outfit is ordered…I’m going to hobby lobby tonite to pick up some brown construction paper to work on an owl banner…kind of like this one that i found at 33 for a moment…



I also put together this little collage for the facebook party invites…


My little Duchess..almost 1 year old!!!

Until next time…

Monday=bleh - if for no other reason than it's Monday!

That's ok - the weekend was great!

Friday evening we did NOTHING! I asked Dennis if he wanted to head up to the River Raisin Festival & he said no - let's just stay home..and i was perfectly ok w/that...so...instead Cai & I ran to the store - got popcorn, pop & some movie candy.
We came home & watched Suite Life & an old NCIS episode. It was soo relaxing!
Saturday I got up early & went to work for a few hours...came home, got Cadence ready to go canning for cheer.
Did that for 2 hrs, came home again, got ready & went to Nathan's b/day party. By the time we got home, it was almost 11!
We were exhausted...
Sunday we slept in! Dennis made waffles for breakfast & we pretty much just relaxed all day. We had Gramma over for dinner. Dennis made buttered chicken, green beans, & potatoes. I made an oatmeal cake w/cream cheese frosting. mmmm! it was great! The girls played w/Gramma, she & i talked...she headed home around 7:30.
For the rest of the evening, we vegged out in front of the tv watching disney...then to bed early! Now it's time for work...ugh...

Until next time...

Presents Galore…

Not for me though…or even for my kids…or Dennis…but presents we have to buy…for LOTS of upcoming events…there goes my check..

Cheyenne’s b/day is this weekend, Bella’s b/day party is next weekend, Sormane Jr. & Kari’s b/day are a few days after that & finally a going away gift for Maria.
Maria – she’s so lucky…she’s moving to Puerto Rico! Nice – huh! Jealous over here!

I’m very excited about the 3 day weekend! It’s been a long 2 wks – I’m just feeling burned out. We plan to get a lot done around the house, but even more – a lot of relaxing in btwn.

I hope that you have a great weekend too!

Until next time…