Big Sis's family birthday

I have to say that big Sis was spoiled good! The family showered her with some great gifts! From My Little Pony to brand new birthstone earrings she loved it all!!

Since you all know that I'm not very good with sending out physical Thank You cards (Littlest Sis's are still on my desk!) I decided to go ahead and put an electronic "Thank you" on the blog so that you all get it at once!

So, Grammy and Grandpa, Nana, Auntie Lisa and Uncle Craig, Auntie Jennifer and Uncle Michael, Thank you so much for these gifts! She enjoys and loves them all!!!

Enjoy this slideshow and please accept this heartfelt attempt at saying thank you!! We love you all!!!

Before you watch the slideshow make sure that you turn off the music from my actual blog!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Thanks for stopping by!!
Krissy

A birthday celebration preparation

Tomorrow Little Sis will be one (I can't believe it!) and so I"ve been scrambling to get a few things done today. Why am I always waiting until the last minute?!

Our 1st birthday celebrations are never anything spectacular, just a quiet, small celebration here at the house with Mommy, Daddy and siblings in attendance. I still try to do some special things for the birthday baby just for memoies sake but no fancy party...it's easier on all of us that way and the birthday baby won't remember it anyway. (Actually Biggest Sis did have a party but she was the first baby. We haven't done one since then. And now that I think about it she is the only one that has had a "party with friends". This year will be Big Sis's first! She wants a ballerina themed party that I am working on as well!)

One of the things that I accomplished today was completing the onesie to go with a tutu that I made for her last week. I thought this would be an easy task...and it was for the most part. I just traced a number 1 onto the fabric, cut it out, ironed some "sticky stuff" on the back of it -the name escapes me right now- and ironed that onto the onesie. After that all I had to do was sew...but this is when I ran into problems. You see, I've never-in all of my sewing ventures-I've never appliqued anything...and it showed today! That thing was such a pain! I know it's cause I'd never done it before but ugh! I was frustrated! So, when you look at the picture have mercy on me! Hopefully Littlest won't mind too much...


I was very glad when it was finally done, although very disappointed too but I tried my best! And I think that the number 1 turned out too fat! :( I'm sure that she will look adorable in this little outfit though!

The next thing I did was bake her cake. I have tried very hard to be very picky about how much sugar this baby consumes. And I'm pleased to say that except for some unknowing friends Littlest has had very little refined sugar! YAY!

I only wish that I'd have done as well with the others...although they did eat their stir fry quite well last night...anyway...

I went on a search for a "healthy" first birthday cake and realized that a lot of Moms out there feel the same as I do. It was so easy finding recipies! The hard part was choosing one! I finally settled on one called Pumpkin Apple Harvest Cake by Cait Johnson.

Here's the recipe:

• 1 c. cooked or canned pumpkin puree
• 2 lg. eggs, beaten
• 3/4 c. organic sugar (I used 1/2 c.)
• 3/4 unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. organic cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. chopped apple
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare an 8-inch round pan by greasing and flouring it.

2. Combine first 3 ingredients in large mixing bowl. Add next 5 ingredients, stirring to combine. Add last two ingredients and stir again. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

3. Bake 20-25 minutes, until cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

4. Cool the cake, still in the pan, on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack, remove pan and cool cake completely.

**Before putting cake in oven make sure to smooth it out as the pumpkin makes it bake in whatever shape it goes in there with.

For frosting I beat 1 c. of whipping cream until stiff peaks formed then added some cream cheese and a little sugar.

This cake smelled WONDERFUL while baking! The kids were so tempted to dig in just because of the smell!!

Unfortunately I didn't have any nuts so I'm bummed about that as I can just imagine how much those things would add to this cake.

I'm excited to taste this cake tomorrow! I'll post pictures and let you know how it all goes tomorrow!

Thanks for stopping by!!
Krissy

A Celebration

Today we had a busy day! Actually it's been a busy week and I shouldn't even be up doing this right now but I wanted to let you all see how Brother's special day went!

It began with a Birthday serinade from me and his sisters...he didn't like it! We woke him up with our singing and he cried! I hope it wasn't from the sound!


We did some school work and then went to meet Daddy for pizza at Cici's. Check out our photos!

After that we took Biggest Sister to a Doctor's appointement...then, on to the special part! Our children are always asking to go to Chuck E. Cheese but Daddy and I think it's WAAAAAY overpriced so we never go!


Well as we were driving back from Charlotte we got off at the exit and turned toward the Cheese. We could hear the girls in the back begin to whisper excitedly! As we got closer the excitement grew a little louder! We turned into the resturant section where the Cheese is and in Daddy fashion as the whispers got more excited he drove right passed the Cheese and instead went toward the Olive Garden. You could hear the excitment drain from their voices very quickly!


Then Daddy turned around...made his way back toward the much coveted resturant and then...oh joy of joys he turns into the parking lot! The kids were shrieking with excitement! "You're the best parents ever! Biggest shouts! (Are they deprived?)

Enjoy some pictures! And thank you to the family for blessing this boy with some wonderful presents! He loves them all!!!

Excited about Chuck E. Cheese

Still excited!!

Don't remember the name but they loved this ride!

Opening his presents.

Water guns! He's wanted these all summer!

Here's a video from Brother:

Thanks for stopping by!!

Krissy

Happy birthday Brother~

It's hard to believe that only 4 years ago the Lord blessed us with our only boy! It's so easy to remember the details! From leaving the girls with some dear friends to getting to the hospital and waiting for what seemed like hours for the epidural. (Actually it was only an hour or two but it felt like an eternity! I'm not good with pain!) He came so fast, was so much bigger than expected and so sweet! He was great, healthy and strong! He peed on the nurse, already had a nice head of hair and a sweet face.
We took him home a couple of days later and he has made us laugh every day! Brother is a character! Always saying silly things, loving juice and his sisters! He was our only thumb sucker and loved his blankie! He had the craziest scoot! He walked late. He was 14 months old and it was Thanksgiving. Grammy, Grandpa, Auntie Jennifer and Uncle Michael were visiting...they got him up and made him walk and walk he did!

He was a happy baby, with that handsome smile and beautiful chocolate eyes! Melts my heart all the time! The Lord has been so good in giving Brother to us to raise! We pray that we raise him to be a strong man. One who loves his God, who puts Him first and leads his family with a sweet spirit and loving heart...but then...

...then I wonder if we are doing enough for him...if we are raising Him as God intended. I often fear that we are not...and I wonder...I wonder about the thoughts of Mary. What could her thoughts have been as she looked into the eyes of her Son. What desires and dreams did she have? Did she even have any? What were her fears, her prayers? I wonder if she worried about failing as well. Then I remember...He was not hers but God's, God's Son! Born to die...no matter what Mary may have dreamt or desired...

No, my son is not mine either, nor is he his father's but he is God's. Am I truly willing to give him right back to God? To let Him have His will and way in Brother's life? Completely? Wholly?

I don't want another year to pass us by without fulfilling some part of God's plan for his life. No matter how big or how small the task...I want what God wants for this child...
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Thanks for stopping by!!
Krissy