Maddie's Purple Party

 Maddie is 7, I can't believe it!  When we were picking a party theme this year, Maddie couldn't decide.  We went from rainbow party to bowling party to spa party...nothing was sticking.  One thing I know about my Maddie is she loves purple.  When I suggested a purple party, she was thrilled!

Here's some of the fun.  I will post the rest of the party details over on the Fig & Ruby blog.

Mads with her cake.  She really wanted a dolly for the top.  She told me "I know you are busy so it's okay if you can't do it but I really like those dolls you can make"

How do I NOT do it after she so sweetly said that???  Two nights before the party, I got her done.  Maddie can't wait to put her on a special shelf in her room:)

Caity in her purple dress...this is probably her 3rd or 4th bunch of grapes.  She was *just* tall enough to reach the grape bowl and she was going for it!  Funny thing is, she also had purple peeps in her reach but she didn't know what those were so she didn't touch them!!

Mailee and Mikayla were awesome helpers.  They did purple eyeshadow, purple nails, they helped the girls make friendship pins and ran most of the games.  I love having so many "mini-me's" around on party days! {now I just need to teach them to enjoy the clean-up part of my job}

All of Maddie's friends did an excellent job of wearing their purple!!

This was a quiet group of girls.  They were also very willing to sit for a few photos.
Such sweeties!

Playing "The Straw Game"

We made this one up this morning before the party.  I found the amazing purple straws in a package of 20 for $1.68 at the dollar store.  I had to get them but had no use for them.  The family put our heads together and came up with this game that ended up to be a huge hit! {I love when that happens!}

Each girl had a paper cup full of water and a glass jar that was empty.  They had 2 minutes to use their straws to transfer as much water as they could from the paper cup to the glass jar.

We lined them all up to see who's jar was the most full.  I think they would have played this a few more times had I let them!

But we had snacks to enjoy.
And pretty paper straws to sip Limeade out of.

And a rousing game of Musical Chairs to play!

And a birthday song to sing!!

I think Maddie had a great time.  She had all her favourite friends here, her family and her favourite color. What more could a girl want?

I am tired.  I tend to over-do it when it comes to parties.  

Okay, that might be an understatement.

I really like to go all out.

It's so fun.

I love seeing my birthday kid's face when she runs out into the living room on party day to see the decorations for the first time.

I love that they know to go peek in the fridge if they want to see their cake.

I love how excited they are when their friends arrive.

I have put a cap of 10 years old on the party days. 

I hope that celebrating in a big way when they are little will create special memories but I also want to teach my family to find joy in the small things, in little gestures that can show a lot of love.

Still working on the details of that concept:)

In the meantime, the party is done and the mommy is tired!

Sister Relationships- Mikayla and Caitlyn

Sometimes I forget how many kids I have.  I mean, I know how many I have, and that it means lots of mouths, lots of laundry and lots of energy but I often overlook how many amazing little people I have and how many different relationships that creates.  When I stop and think about each kid and their relationship with their other siblings, it's pretty great!

I love when I get just two kids alone and I can see them interact.

I never had a sister.
I always wished for one.
I love that my girls get to experience that sister relationship!!

Here's Mikayla and Cait...my oldest and my current youngest...hanging out on my bed.

Little Sissy with her sucky fingers and a little bit of hair.

Cait calls Mikayla "ee-ee" (sissy).

Mikayla is the only sister that Cait calls sissy.  

The other two are called by their names.

Hugs all around.

Some kisses.

Mikayla dotes on this baby like crazy.

She gives her so many loves every day.

Cait sometimes refuses Mikayla's loving.

Mikayla gets her feelings hurt and a little bit frustrated.

Here Cait is talking about Mikayla's "ee-wings" {earrings.}  

Baby has a fascination for earrings!

I love these two girls, they are both strong and confident, they both know what they like and don't easily take no for an answer.  Mikayla was a sweet and happy toddler, she kept me entertained with her cute words and she loved to read books with me.  Cait is a book lover as well.  She will gladly choose reading a "bookie" over any other activity.

Almost 10 years apart, I can hardly believe how every move Cait makes is just as adorable, exciting and impressive as those similar moves were when Mikayla was doing them for the first time.  Thank you Lord for making each child's adventure new and Precious!!

When A Girl Chips Her Tooth

On Monday Maddie whacked her tooth on her door knob in the middle of a big sibling pillow fight.  She was so sad about her jagged tooth.  I felt so bad for her.  Here is the before picture.

Today the dentist worked her magic, took our money and now people, we have a happy little girl with a fresh toothy smile!!!

Accountable

It's gone on long enough. 

I do school, I do meals, I drive to activities, I go grocery shopping, I am a wife, I am a mom.  I spend a good portion of every day tidying up the main part of the house.

Putting away the same things over

and over

and over

and over

again. 

At the end of the day, when small people are going to sleep, my brain is spinning with the things I have been planning to do during these hours.  The things that I need to get done or maybe want to get done.  Problem is, by this time in the day, all I want to do is sit

and put my feet up,

do nothing,

and enjoy the silence.

So this is my excuse for how my room ends up looking like this:

and even worse, THIS:

This is not a photo from the show "Hoarders".

It is the forgotten pile, the neglected corner.  The junk drawer turned shelf turned insurmountable problem that nags at the back of my mind daily.  It is what defeats me before my feet hit the floor in the morning.  The first thing I see.

For all the nice things people say about how creative I am or how I manage to do it all, this is what pops into my head...what you can't see.

I can't handle the pile anymore and even if I could, I have a baby coming in about a month and this corner is where the baby cradle belongs.

How can I possibly nest with this mess festering in the corner???

Today that is going to change.  

{once I am done procrastinating on this here blog}

You are keeping me accountable.

I shared the before pictures.

{something I never do, 

I usually shove any type of mess or imperfections out of the photos 

before I snap}

Now I have to tackle my nemesis once and for all.

I have no excuses.

Look at the open shelving in the guest room downstairs!

Look at this gorgeous table and available bookshelf just waiting to be used as a craft corner!!

Lucky girl!

Here I go.
Wish me luck and keep asking to see the finished product until I post the photos!
I need your help!

Another Lapbook Completed

Mikayla finished her castle lapbook and it turned out fantastic.  If you want to see the video that she made with all the details, you'll have to head on over to her blog to check it out.

I am trying to encourage her to use her gift of writing and spend a bit more time on her blog.  Everything you read over there is done by her with no help.  I love to hear her take on life!!

Here is the link to the castle lapbook post.

GO HERE

  Be sure to leave a comment and "follow" her blog...I know she would be thrilled:)

Love Day

Snuggies from an under-the-weather Caitlyn

Home made play dough "cookies"

Gorgeous roses from Mike

A pile of precious!

How Will I Fit It All In?

My house is a disaster from a full week of school.
Like a super big mess.
I did the grocery shopping today without a list {yikes}
Although I have about 14 things on my mind that I need to accomplish tonight, I am tired.
And done.
For now. 
When will I get it all done?
How will I fit it all in?

New Duds For The Bump

My mom sent a fun package with some awesome maternity clothes! 

Baby's status: 43ish days until arrival!!

Yay for clothes that fit!

Yay for moms that still take care of their 32 year olds!

My girls were all over a fashion show and photo shoot this afternoon.

Oh to have daughters!  So much fun!

Probably my favourite shirt.  

(K, hamming it up for the kids:)

Jeans!  So great to have a pair of jeans! Leggings are just not attractive with a short or fitted top on a pregnant girl!!!

(What kind of look is this one?  Probably the "hey kid hurry up and take the photo, don't drop my brand new iphone look")

I'm kind of into grey.

My mom knows that about me.

Shoot, this was supposed to be a post about someone other than Cait!

Well, she ran in front of the camera in her tutu and said 

"me too!"

"mine tutu"

"cheese"

How can I NOT share???

Oh, yes, and the spin!

But enough about her...

White top, rouched sides,

grey Cardigan!!

(again, who knows what I am doing in the photo??  I sure don't!  Oh well!)

The fabric on this top is something fantastically comfortable.

Feels so good.

Love it.

(Ha ha, another great look for me, and the thumbs up too?  WOW!)

I learned to dress in the appropriate colors for special occasions from my Mom.

As soon as I saw this one, I KNEW she picked it for Valentines Day:)

(one last silly look and ridiculous pose by me)

Maternity leggings that pull all the way over the bump...AWESOME!

Long cardigan to cover the bum...also AWESOME!!

**My girls called this the flamingo pose and they were thrilled that I pulled this one:)  Sometimes being silly is a good thing!

Do You Know How To Say "Fishies"?

Cait The Cook

Peek-A-Boo Cait-Bear

Our little Caity is enjoying her last months as "the baby" in our family.

She doesn't know what's coming but the rest of us do.

All of my kids have been through it, the de-throning process, when baby has to unwillingly hand her/his crown and title down to the new wrinkled crying person in Mommy's bed.

It's funny to think about how it might go.

I always feel so guilty to take that baby role away from my littlest one.

But the other funny thing is,

every time;

as soon as "new baby" gets here,

"old baby" handles it with grace and joy!

I am excited to see this sweet little girl turn into a big sister!  

I am already a mom, baby won't change that.

Grandmas and Grandpas are already holding those titles.

All the other kids are already "big sister/big brother".

Cousins are already that.

But Cait?

She's getting a new title!

This baby will make her a BIG SISTER!!!

How fun!

Some of Cait's newest cute words...

"ee-ee" (sissy)
"baddy" (Maddie)
"beep beep" (car)
"bookie: (book)
"ree" (read)
"pay-pee" (paper)
"coke" (coat)
"creek" (Grandma Crick)


Caiters is all about peek a boo these days.

"Where's Caity?"

"Peek-A-Boo!"

{girlfriend is STANDING in her highchair}

(this is about the 4th time in a row, she has the full attention of myself and all the kids...)

I see you sweet little baby-big-girl!

Learning Colors With Homemade Play Dough

On Monday I made play dough with Caleb.  We made "snakes" and shaped them into letters.  The girls all stopped what they were doing and wanted to play as well.  Play Dough is so fun!

Caity got right in there.  She was happy at the table for over an hour.

This morning Mailee and I made a huge batch of play dough, enough for everyone to get three big balls.

We made the three primary colors.

We cut each color into three.  

Then we mixed!!

Caity mixed all her colors together.

She was really proud of her tie-dyed play dough!

Look what we ended up with!

{See how the primary colors ended up being smaller? If I were to do it over, I would make one chunk a little bigger in each primary color}

Nice mixing Maddie!

Then we made rainbows.  Caleb is a pro at rolling "snakes"!

Mikayla made a lovely scene.

We have a lot of other play dough activities that we want to get do. 

 I can't believe I have been a mom for 11 years and never made my own play dough!  It is so much fun!