My girl turns 6, gulp.

I had a mother-fail this year. Ryan's end of the year carnival was on Anna-Kate's actual birthday. He couldn't attend without me, and I so hated for him to miss it. So, I took her cookie cake (her request) the day before her birthday and we celebrated the last day of her being five. :) She seemed to roll with it pretty well. I told her this way we spaced out the sugar...Friday is icecream day at school (her actual birthday) and it was also her party day. She seemed OK with it. God love her!

Morning of her real birthday. She said, "Mama, do I look bigger now that I'm six? I feel taller!"

She has been begging for a sewing machine for almost two years. We saw one at Hobby Lobby and she saw that it said "ages 6 and up" so then changed to, "when I turn 6 I want a sewing machine" (such a first born rule follower...lol). She was beyond ecstatic to open her gift, and I was thrilled to find it at Ross for $11.99. :) Sewing lessons/pictures to follow.

This year she decided she wanted a luau. If you follow me on facebook/remember back to our creative differences, you'll see it's been a long road of planning. :) We had a great time and other than me running a bit late and the alarm at the clubhouse going off for 35 minutes (thus I couldn't get in to decorate etc...) it went off without a hitch! She loved it. :) Her cupcakes for the party.

Close up of the cupcakes. Brown sugar "sand" and piped on swimsuits for the bears (I mean, they couldn't just be naked!). :)

Food table. The pool is out behind this and the covered area is where we did dessert (cupcakes, cake, those nasty frozen sticks of sugar/dye/water--which the kids loved and was super easy, just sayin'. We served "Hawaiian fare" (ham on sister schubert rolls, cherries, pineapple, oranges, bananas, cheetos, and lays potato chips). There was strawberry lemonade to drink. (party fail #2 was forgetting the diet dr. pepper for the adults. Oops. Sorry, parents). The kids swam most of the time, but I also had a little craft for them to do as well--I painted picture frames--hot pink for the girls, turquoise for the 2 boys in attendance--and had sea shells for them to glue (with hot glue assistance) on to it. I'm emailing pictures of Anna-Kate with her friends to go in the frame. They seemed to enjoy that. Sadly, no pictures. ;)

Birthday girls had a special request...cherries and pineapple (though she later told me, "I like pineapple, but I really ordered it for my friends because they really love it." Yes, she said, "ordered it".)

The "Hawaiian luau princess" and my first attempt at a doll cake. I was pretty pleased and happy with what our lei from the Polynesian did to compliment the bottom. :) BTW, six candles is waaay too many!

A few of the party goers--Sara Alden, Marin, Grace, Anna-Kate and Haley. She has been so blessed with some precious little girls in her kindergarten class!

She LOVED her cake! By request she asked that everyone eat cupcakes at her party so we would have cake to bring home to have later. Lol. Smart girl.

It's OK that it took about 4 breaths to get those candles out. :)

Jack was in hog-heaven with his cupcake and popsicle.

It was really fun watching her open her gifts this year and take the time/be able to really read the cards. :)

Not a stellar picture, but the best we got. :)

Birthday girl with her awesome daddy!

Me with my precious girl. I sure do you love, Anna-Kate!

My mom and Anna-Kate share a birthday, so we always have to get a "birthday girl" picture! :)

She soooo loved having her Nana and Poppy there to celebrate with her!

Ryan wanted in on the pictures too (Jack, sadly, wanted nothing to do with it, and as it was 8:30 and bedtime is 7:30, I didn't press the issue). :)

Splish Splash!

So, I've always wanted matching swimsuits for my kids. {keep your snide remarks.} However, I am too cheap to spring for them. To get brother/sister matching, one must order from a trunk show or another pricey boutique line, which for four, would be close t0 $200 in swimsuits (!!). Clearly, not how I roll.

I bought swim fabric from Chez Ami a few years ago but have been too chicken to try it. Until now. With Ryan turning four this year, I figure this may be the last year I could pull light blue and white gingham. :) So, it was now or never. So, I chose now.

I made the boys' pretty quickly (side note, unnamed baby doesn't have one, but as his isn't needed for spring break, I feel I can safely put that one off a few weeks. :)). I thought about buying liner fabric, but then took the easy way out and bought swimsuits at goodwill for $1 each, washed them a few times, then ripped out the liner and put it in my swimsuits. (then sold the "shorts" sans liner at consignment...for $3 each. ha!) Perfect.

See the liner? Looks pretty good, if I do say so myself...



Finished {boy} product.



Now, Anna-Kate's wasn't as quick to whip out. I was pretty skeered of it. I mean, I didn't have a pattern. Try googling "swimsuit pattern" and you come up with some hooker options for your daughters. So, I winged it. The top went pretty well. Then I got scared again. See, I actually opted for a tankini (being one who also hates taking off a swimsuit to use the restroom--I was throwing my girl a bone). Last night, I finally finished the bottoms...and, drumroll, THEY FIT! Woo-hoo!

What it will look like on (totally cute and modest)



But, voila, two pieces! :)



It's too cold to ask my models to do their thang, so pictures of the suits on are forthcoming.

Well, since I have this spankin' new room

I felt simply obligated to christen it with a new sewing project. :)

I love the french fabric and the black, white, green and pink. I showed it to Anna-Kate, who looked hesitant about it, (not being a fan of black) and Chris brilliantly stated it was a "Fancy Nancy dress since it's like Paris" and I threw in an "ooh-la-la!" and she was sold on it. Way to go, husband.



I made her this dress early May, but never got around to putting it up. Love the different style, an angel wings are my absolute favorite! It's super easy for her to throw on, which she loves, and totally comfy.

Curse you groundhog!

(and your blasted shadow!!)

It snowed here today. Again. I thought this was one of the (be they many) reasons I reside in the South. Predictable weather. But blast it all, though snow down here is fun and all, this is the 3rd time this year and I'm tired of the mess and school closings! At least I got my doctor's appointment in, alone, today.

Anyway, I am ready for spring. Ryan's pants are getting too short and the spring clothes I have bought and made are SO cute, I am just itchin' for the kids to wear them (and, not being pregnant and experiencing all of the final-weeks-of-pregnancy-funtimes isn't gonna be too bad either, if I'm being honest. But, I digress.).

These are the outfits I made for the (THREE) kids a few weeks ago. There are more, but these are some playclothes that I have downstairs (and I'll just be honest, it's not worth it to me to walk upstairs right now.).

(Ryan has shorts and a little shirt appliqued with the same fabric into a truck, just not walking upstairs to get it right now...you understand, right?)



I am obsessed with this fabric. Anna-Kate's has embroidered hot pink flamingo's, the boys' has embroidered alligators.



More pictures to come...