A few Things...

 There wasn't much time for blogging this summer. Too much work, not enough play. You know how it goes sometimes. I hate the idea of starting the new school year without playing catch up on the last few months. We've had birthdays, plays, games, reunions and all sorts of events going on.  

Emma Little Miss Drama performed in her first play last spring. She was in Alice in Wonderland. It took some convincing her that she would love it and of course I was right. I'm afraid she's caught the acting bug and wants to do nothing else. Like mother like daughter. I was just like her at that age. She was wonderful. I was so proud. 

She's 10 now. Can you believe it? TEN!

We celebrated her birthday with a great little party with a few of her friends and played minute to win it games. We ended the night with an Owls Baseball game and fireworks. 

Oh how I love her. So beautiful and smart and amazing in more ways than I ever could have dreamed of or hoped for. 

Isabelle danced in the 12 dancing princesses ballet in May. She was so wonderful. She has done such a great job in her commitment to dance that this year she will be dancing with a a dance team along with her ballet classes.  Just look at the smile on her face. She loves the spot light.

She's 7 years old! 

We celebrated her big day with a simple family outing to kangaroo zoo. And by family I mean all of us plus one best friend Kaylen. (She really should just move in.) Unfortunately Mr. Lloyd was out of town on business and misses out on the day. But never fear, we partied without him. 

 She couldn't have been happier and more excited to get a new bike. She was truly thankful because we told her she wasn't getting one. Her reaction was much better than the last time she got a bike for her birthday. check this out if you've forgotten.

She finished up 1st grade with a patriotic program. Sweet little Iza sang her heart out. She was so cute and said that some of the songs made her cry. Did I mention yet that I'm so proud of her? 

 

Lucy has had the best summer going to parks, parks and more parks with Mr. Lloyd and her sisters. She is so funny and absolutely nuts most of the time. I really do love her so much. I really have to dedicate an entire post and share all of her crazy antics that have had us in stitches all summer. In fact, I'm really considering writing a series of children's books with her as my inspiration. One week she wouldn't go to sleep because of all the letter Z's that were out to get her. You know, the kind of Z's that float around  your head while your sleeping.  Like I said... a great book idea. 

Every family needs a Lucy.

The Big ONE! 

why do babies have to grow up? It's heartbreaking I tell you. I love him just as much now as ever but my   heart hurts that he is getting so big.

Buddy's big day was just as simple as could be. Family, cake, some presents, and lots and lots of love. 

 Everyone who knows this little man can tell you what a sweet boy he is. His spirt lifts up everyone around him. My little family is so captivated by him and we just can't get enough of his love.

My two buddies.  

 Even though it's been a rough summer with all the extra working and a missing mom most nights, I can still recognize all the blessings in our lives. I have everything and more. Life is good.

Busy Bees Preschool

Come check out my Preschool Blog. If you're interested in getting your little one into my program for next year give me a call or send me an email.  Information on tuition, days & times, curriculum, and policies is here on the Busy Bees Preschool blog.

11 years ago...

11 years ago we got married. Sigh.. I'm normally not at all nostalgic or mushy gushy about things but as I was looking through our wedding album and honeymoon pictures, I heard myself say "where has the time gone?" and "it seems like only yesterday." I used to roll my eyes when I was a kid and heard old people say things like that. But I get it now-- It truly does seem like yesterday.

We got married on May 13th and  honeymooned in Paris. We stayed in the most charming hotel. We ate the most delicious food,  saw the most beautiful paintings, sculptures, and architecture. I was in awe. I was in love.  It was the most beautiful city and so different from anywhere I had ever been.  I have always loved all things french and have often wondered... Is it possible to be homesick for a place you've never lived?

  

                                                                    Where we stayed.              N'est pas cela charmant ?

     The day we spent at the Louvre was c'était magnifique! Looking back I realize I took so much of what I saw for granted. I  was a bit to young and naive to really appreciate the opulent interiors of the Napoleon apartments inside the Louvre. I hadn't yet gone through my obsession with french and english history. Amazing hu? 

  

     

                    

Amoureux à Le Arc de Triomphe

We spent a week in Paris and then another week traveling around Belgium and Germany. We visited ruins and castles and ate at sea side restaurants. We saw as much as we could in the time we had. It was  an experience of a lifetime. Newly married, in love, and seeing the world together. But it was just a drop in the bucket to the rest of our lives together...

Happy Mothers Day

When I was a kid  if something seemed "fishy" in the fridge, my mom would take the jug of milk, cottage cheese, yogurt or whatever else was questionable, and smell the expired food that everyone in the house had avoided for weeks at a time.   To top that she would  taste test it just to make sure. Taste it- that's the kind of mad courage it takes to be a mother. 


Happy mothers day to all the moms who dare taste expired fridge food. Although I have a long way to go before I have that kind of made courage, I hope to one day be just like you! 

Handmade Easter Dresses

I found my inspiration for this year's Easter clothes in a few different places. I usually only sew clothes for my kids a few times a year. Easter, Halloween, and sometimes Christmas. Here are the links and instructions for this year's creations.

Emma's Dress was actually a shirt tutorial that I found here at Sew Mama Sew. There is a complete tutorial with great step by step instruction that are very easy to follow. I just made it long enough for a dress and instead of doing pleats I did small gathers in the front and back. It was so much easier to do that instead of having to measure and make sure the pleats were exact. The only thing I would do different is I probably would have made it a floor length instead of knee. I think it looks a bit like a swim cover up this way. But overall I'm happy with the way it turned out!

Isabelle and Lucy's skirts were made from instructions out of Izzy and Ivy designs. I bought the booklet from broadbents. I wasn't a fan of the instructions. They didn't make sense so I improvised. Basically, if you can cut a rectangle, then you can make this skirt. What I did was cut 2 waistband pieces to 6 x 15 3/4 and 2 skirt pieces to 13x26. and two bow pieces to 9x27. If you've made a skirt before you can probably figure out how to piece these together. It's pretty easy. If not, you'll have to call me or buy the book.

Sewing Henry's vest and tie was so much fun. I have found that most handmade boy clothes are kind of dorky. But this turned out so cute. I love the little wooden buttons and the fact that his yellow polkadot tie matches the details on the girls dresses.
I downloaded the pattern for his vest here at you can make this. It was so easy! I will be making many more of these in the future. The total cost of his vest and tie was about $6.00. I found the tutorial for his tie here at very homemade. Again very easy and the tutorial was fantastic.

Easter Weekend 2011

I think Easter Weekend should be turned into a 3 day holiday. Don't you? Can't we move President's day around each year so that it falls on Easter? Or mandate that spring break be scheduled around Easter? There is just so much to do on Saturday and Sunday it would be so much more enjoyable if Monday wasn't looming around the corner. But no worries... I had a wonderful weekend with my family and friends.

We started the fun with our 3rd annual Neighborhood Easter Hunt. We do it on our street every year and each year it gets bigger and bigger. Lucy was so excited this year so we sent her down the street with her big sisters and told her we would come down in a bit. As I came down the street she was running towards me in a panic. Can you guess why?

I guess she didn't know HE would be there.

She still looks a little unsure about things. A painful reminder of the year of the Easter Goat.

Henry doesn't seem to mind a bit. He's such an easy going little guy. (love him!)

The hunt begins...

Emma & Emma. Total besties!

Emma & Iza found the gold and silver eggs which won them the prizes of a giant chocolate bunny and Egg. I was afraid it would look suspicious because Mr. was the one who hid them. But I can assure you they found them on their own.

Later that day we went to Emma's soccer game. I took this adorable picture of Henry. Such a silly baby.

And of course we did the egg thing. It kept the girls busy for hours while I franticly finished sewing their Easter Dresses.

Sunday came too early. The kids were up at 7:00. We had a simple breakfast of eggs (surprised?), and bagels. Then on to hunt for our baskets and candy. The Easter Bunny is sneaky around here. He hid the baskets all over the house.

We managed to find all the baskets, candy, get ready for church, take pictures, watch a movie about the Savior, and still make it to church by 10:30. Phew! .

Happy Easter Friends.