The big 3-1!!

Ben had to work on his birthday. And I had to run kids around on his birthday. Which makes for a very low key birthday celebration! Sorry, hun! :)

Right after the kids got home from school, we headed over to the firestation to spend at least of few minutes with him!

We made him the awesome candy card.

This girl LOVES her dad!

We got him some cards. The boys wrote their own names. And Paisley wrote a “P”. They were very proud!

We played on the fire truck.

We dressed up as firemen.

Preston is SUCH a goofball!

We ate a birthday cookie!

And we drove home just in time to hit rush hour traffic!

When Ben got home the next day, we had plans to go out for dinner with his parents and I made him a carrot cake. Parleigh put a little damper on our plans; I ended up taking her to the Children’s Hospital ER….was there for 5 hours, and missed out on his birthday dinner AND eating cake! Annnd, Ben had to finish frosting his cake…I had big plans, too! :)

Parker was in charge of the camera. He forgot the memo telling him to make sure his father didn’t act like  goober for all the pictures!

Well, Ben. I sure do love you! How lucky are we to have you in our lives?

Christmas Par-tay

Christmas Eve eve, Sherrie invited a bunch of families over for a par-tay. It was super fun. We ate Café Rio tacos and had some yummy desserts. We did a gift exchange, As Seen on TV style, and the kids ran around and played like there was no tomorrow!
Good friends. Good food. Good times!

What would a party be without picture taking?


This was my Christmas gift to my friends. Since we just ended the Health Challenge a few days before, and have been trying to eat healthier, and have been bombarded by cookie plates and homemade treats, I thought….tis the season to be healthy. Hummus and baby carrots. Yum!

What’s Café Rio without homemade tortillas?

Do you know how hard it is to take a decent picture? Seriously?

Don’t let Miss Parleigh fool you. She was a pill. With a capital P. But, I don’t blame her. She was having a rough week fromeating dairy. She only let me hold her…and she cried and cried and cried if anyone even thought of holding her. Oh well, she’s back to her happy self—all dairy out of her system. Remind me NOT to introduce dairy when we have parties planned!


Gift exchange. I got a battery-powered fly swatter, an alarm for my door, and some benderoos!

I love this girl. She is too.much.fun!



Parker apparently had a loose tooth. He’s wiggling it. About ready it yank it out, or so it looks! What’s up with my boys losing teeth? It fell out the next day!


This, my friend, was Parleigh’s mood for the past weekend. I think I captured it pretty well, if I say so myself. Talk about a cranky, needy, baby. I’ve never ever heard her cry so much. Darn you dairy products! Darn you!

Annnnnddd….if you made it through this far…here’s what I made for Parker’s teachers. I thought about doing a gift card…but I’m a homemade type of girl!

Celebrate ♥

Happy Birthday to the best Father-in-law a daughter-in-law could ask for.
Not only is he the best father-in-law, but he is one super grandfather. And….according to Ben, the best father and friend…ever!
We love you, Benji. We hope you had a wonderful birthday, being surrounded by your family!


He let each of the grandkids have a cupcake with a their own candle to blow out!

I wonder where my husband gets his goofy faces from??!??


Yummmm…..white cake with buttercream frosting. And sprinkles. Everything is better with sprinkles!


Benji, Ben, and Justin {Emily’s husband} are going to a Redskins game on Christmas Eve. Now they have all they need to dress the part!

And, because I always have to showcase my cupcakes…..{and let me tell you, they smelt SO good!}