six.

If you want to feel old, watch your baby turn six. 

I started blogging while she was still growing in my belly--a way to keep mothers and sisters updated on the progress of our little bun......and here she is, six.

She had us laughing from the beginning--just a few months old and she could pull some of the funniest faces I'd ever seen. 

She never fails to entertain--whether it be singing (

eight.

he requested blueberry pancakes.



Eight. Years. Old.

I am such a lucky mama to have spent eight years with this little guy.

He was born with lashes that reached out to his nose.

In his first few months we'd walk and walk and walk around our little neighborhood.

Well.....I walked, and pushed. And he loved it.

Big blue eyes and chubby cheeks. 

Happy and content. Always.

Taught me how to

Altoids Box Robot and More

Feliz Dia Media Naranja=Happy Birthday to My Better Half

Hola Amigos! Hope you are having a wonderful week so far. This is my first personal post. Don't worry, there won't be many of them..only for special occasions like Birthdays, Anniversaries, Graduations, Tooth Fairy Visits to name a few...( just kidding). This post I dedicate to my dear husband, for more than one reason!

You see, today is his birthday and he also was a key element in the making of this little guy!

My husband is the kind of gifted man who can transform my crazy ideas and multiple descriptions and use of the word thingy, into a reality.

Is not that I'm not capable of opening holes on a can or use a power tool to file metal, but he knows that the easy and cheap project in my head will turn into at least a $200 dollar visit to the Emergency Room after I drilled my finger, so he rather "help me".

My husband is the kind of man, that would call me from work just to tell me he came up with another idea for my robot, even though I've made them put it together 10 times earlier in the week because I thought it didn't have enough "personality"...yes personality for a tin can, I know.

My husband is the kind of man that wakes up early every morning and goes to work in and out of state so his wife can stay home, take care of the kids and play with glitter hearts and paint.

He is very patient and listens in his own way when I go on and on about details that perhaps no one would care or notice but me.

When I told him what I was going to use to make a cute functional robot.I think he was more baffled by the materials than the "cute functional part" Yes my robot was going to be a card holder, picture frame, backpack carrier, note holder, clip magnet robot, All this out of Altoid boxes, screws, wrenches, spark plugs, jelly containers and embellishments...tell me you don't need to have the patience of Job to follow this madness!

A Cute hat made out of a Preserves Tin!










Some of the Embellishments

(Insert Your Own Portrait, Sometimes I do look like Einstein, lol)

My husband has a heart of gold...and I'm so proud to be his wife. Perhaps I don't say it enough, maybe I don't say it at all...I just hope he knows that he is truly my better half and that I admire him, respect him and love him for all the wonderful things he is and the person he makes me feel!

Happy Birthday Dear! He came out looking perfect! With lots of personality and Beautiful Hearts!

Besitos,

Lizy

Celebrating at these Fabulous Parties
Under The Table and Dreaming
Sassy Little Lady
The Chicken Chick
Classy Clutter
Parola di Laura
Clippie Dips
Kathe With an E
Do Small Things with Love
Naptime Creations
The Ironstone Nest
My Turn (for Us)
From My Front Porch to Yours
Handy Man, Crafty Woman
PrimpJunktion
Food Done Light
Feeding Big and More
Confessions of an ADD Housewife
Beyond The Picket Fence
Embracing Change
Consider me Inspired
Designed Decor
Kreative Creationz
Fireflies and Jellybeans
French Country Cottage
Marigold's Loft
Create With Joy
Redoux Interiors
Jennifer Rizzo
My Romantic Home
Chic on a Shoestring
The Thriftiness Miss
Diana Rambles
Life on Lakeshore Drive
Sew-licious Home Decor
The Tablescaper
USS Crafty
Flamingo Toes
52 Mantles
Craft-O-Maniac
Miss Information
Bowdabra

here we go

a happy happy moment riding on a bike path through Zion National Park with my kiddos....I know I look a little crazy....but I was pretty excited to be in Zion.

 

Here I sit.

I write this with only a few hours left in my twenties.

My hair is pulled up, I'm sporting one of Robby's Ts (oh, and his socks), and I feel the green face mask starting to dry on my cheeks.

Glamorous. 

I'm drinking

ketchup

How are you? We haven't been talking so much lately.....have we? 

This is a power packed post......so much to catch up on.



Starting with:



I am now married to an MBA graduate. IT'S TRUE!!! He did it! We did it!

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



This weekend was graduation and it was an amazing feeling knowing that we made it through this crazy time in our lives. He still has three weeks of

dear may

note: this is the most random assortment of photos....whoops

dear.........may?!! What?? Where did April go?



Dear May,

hello. Nice to see you again. You bring so many wonderful things.

(hopefully) something smallish from the garden.

spring in the mountains....more open trails!

maybe camping....please?

closer and closer to summer each day. 

yay, may.



Dear April,

WHAT HAPPENED? Where

speaking of.....

me and my tower of ruby snapWow!
Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes this week!
I loved reading them all.....thank you!I had a great day with my little family and we are all still full of our favorite pizza and cookies.

Speaking of full, we have been eating a lot of steel cut oats (I was never that in to them because they took so long to cook, and our mornings are crazy......and then I

two niner

disclaimer: I started this as a simple quick post. and then it just kept going. and going and going.
So I wrote it out for ME.....but you can read it too, if you have too much time on your hands, a snack to enjoy, and something to keep you hydrated.


Short version: today is my birthday.  I like being outside. 29 is going to be awesome.


me. a few weeks back when charly and I were headed up up

dear four year old,

look at her!
what? how!? why? WHEN??!
I remember four years ago, eating lime snow cones in the delivery room waiting for you to come. Daddy and I were watching Notting Hill, and I was trying so hard to focus on contractions, but instead I was laughing my head off at Hugh Grant.
To this day I am always laughing when you are around. You are the goofiest, sweetest girl....and you know it!
I love

jedi training party

So. You have a six year old (you are old).He loves Star Wars. LOVES Star Wars. So of course, he wants a Star Wars birthday party with all his friends. What do you do?You let him plan it!!
This party ended up being really easy to do--easy AND inexpensive--my favorite things. Ask your little guy for ideas, and he'll come up with some crazy stuff. Together you can use your imaginations and come up

good morning, six year old

I remember standing in the living room of a teeny tiny yellow house.It had been raining. It was dark. And quiet.It was that time of day that was no longer night, but not yet morning. The world slept. I held on to your dad tightly, rocking back and forth, sure that I would die any minute. Watching the clock, timing contractions, wondering when to go to the hospital. Wishing each minute would pass

for the birthday boy

I'd like to thank Ina Garten for the fabulous recipe (I say that like we're pals). Thank you Whitney Leigh Ingram for the fresh picked lemons. And thank you, sir, for having a birthday.
he looooooves lemon cake, this one.
Lemon Yogurt Cakerecipe by Ina Garten (the only thing I changed was I used melted butter instead of oil, and I added the candied lemons.) 
Ingredients1 1/2 cups all-purpose

indulge me.

These last three weeks of our journey to healthy eating have been so fun!
We've talked about becoming aware of our eating habits, fast food addictions (mine), and quick meal ideas so we don't have to eat nachos every day (me again).
I feel like we've learned a lot--yes WE!
I am LOVING all your comments and suggestions that go along with the posts! Thank you.
Today we're going to talk about

today.

28.twenty eight. two-eight. 30 minus 2. yikes.

Cowboy "Woody" Cupcakes!

First of all..can I just say that finding anything "cake decorating" involving Woody from Toy Story is pretty much impossible? Unless of course you want the cupcakes to look like you could buy them from the grocery store..which is not what I (Amanda Cupcake) am all about.  (You know, buying the little already made sugar decorations or flags on toothpicks..)

How I got inspired for a little (but growing quickly) boy named Isaac's cowboy themed birthday:

1.  Isaac's mom~Leah was throwing Isaac a cowboy themed birthday party. She said that Isaac loved Woody from Toy Story, so of course I wanted to make Isaac's cupcake dreams come true..

2.  Watched Toy Story 3. Laughed, Cried, Loved it. Felt inspired.

3.  Looked online for Woody stuff..templates..molds..anything? I found a Buzz Lightyear cookie cutter for $99! I think not ;) Besides, Buzz wasn't the man I was looking for!

4. Studied Woody's clothing and whole look.

And this is what I ended up making with my own two (very clean) hands!

 Cow Prints & Bandanas to match Woody's clothes :)

 Plaid Prints to match Woody's shirts, chocolate cowboy boots,

 fondant cowboy hats, fondant sheriff badges!

 I made chocolate cowboy hats for some of the cupcakes :)

 Woody's face out of fondant..

Clouds to match the Toy Story Theme!

And this is the whole ensemble....

p.s. the cupcakes were chocolate with a secret m&m inside the middle to surprise & delight the little ones!

tea for three

*******************************



the details:
1. the girl. 3 years old. very, very happy.2. The dress: Libery of London for Target3. The crown. Card stock, plastic pearls, glitter, and hot glue. 100% easy.4. The banner. Fabric swatches (I've been saving for years from back in the day when I sold Modbe) + string5. the "tea": Archer Farms Italian Soda6. the hats: the boys' came from a party

three.

I was so nervous when they told me you were a girl. A girl!How would I do it? Dress you?Do your hair? (gulp)Teach you?What do girls play with?I was afraid I was going to really mess you up!But look at you. Growing. Three!You love to twirl in the fluffiest of dresses, but at the same time, you can make the biggest grossest mess I have ever seen!You love to dance and sing at the top of your lungs,

Dear Charly,

Today you are 1....er........oneish. If I were the best mother in the world, I would dig out your papers and figure out exactly when your birthday is....but I guess I am not the best mother...but let's face it, you haven't exactly been the best puppy, have you....If I recall correctly, you have eaten:-the siding off the garage-every chew toy I have ever given you-the cable for our tv (which you

the weekend, part two: the party

A party for a 5 year old:
-lots of balloons-party hats-a number "5" shirt
Party where HE wants to party: the bowling alley (2nd year in a row!)Eat where HE wants to eat : Cafe Rio (score! kids quesadillas are FREE!)

Make whatever cake he wants: R2D2
I used THIS cake recipe,(found via Cara) and give it two thumbs up!
For R2D2:-bake your cake in one rectangle pan, and one round-slice round in

five

It's all you've talked about for the last few days. "I'm going to be FIVE!!""I'll be big when I am 5!!!""Tomorrow I'll be 5!""I'M FIVE!!!!""I am SO big, because I am five""Hey mommy guess what.......I am FIVE!""Yesterday I turned 5, and today, I'm STILL 5!"So..... you get it, but I still don't. Five?! How?As I checked on you last night, kissed your little cheek as you snored, I remembered our