Makenna's 5th Birthday - Fairy and Wizards

This past weekend we celebrated our friend Makenna's 5th birthday. Makenna's mom Michelle is a close friend of mine (in fact we grew up just down the street from one another). Michelle threw a beautiful Fairy and Wizard Land party for Makenna! Each fairy recruit received a tutu, set of wings and a halo. Each wizard recruit received a cape and wizard hat. Fairy and Wizard Land was truly a magical place!

Entrance sign to Fairy and Wizard Land

Makenna - The fairy birthday girl

The fairy delicious cake that Michelle made for Makenna

Makenna getting ready to blow out the candles

Cupcakes to match all of the fairy colors

Lilly before getting her wings

Lilly's BFF Emory (Makenna's little sis)

Southern Voice Tour '10 - Tim McGraw and Lady A

This past Friday my sister, Jackie and I spent the day together before heading up to Seattle for the Tim McGraw concert. We started our day with a manis and pedis. Then we headed to the Southcenter Mall where we ate a delicious lunch at Joey's. The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping. I was excited to check out H & M since I had never shopped there before. I was first of all surprised at the size of the store (I had no idea!) and that they also carried kids clothing! I told myself that I was finally taking a day for myself and that I wasn't going to buy anything for the girls (like I always do). Well of course that went right out the window after discovering the cute fashion and great deals... I just had to get my girls a few things.. you know necessities we'll call them. After shopping the mall we hit the REI anniversary sale where I bought myself a great North Face rain jacket to outfit myself for Kyla's wet soccer practices and games. Besides... I can't believe I live in Washington and finally bought myself a rain jacket!

As we left REI and decided it was time to head to the concert I found myself getting really anxious and excited to see my man Tim! I adore him! He is the only celebrity that I absolutely get giddy over. The man is SEXY! We arrived and were excited to find that we had great seats. Floor seats and the stage had a catwalk that went right down the middle of the floor seating!

Lady A takes the stage

Here he is.. a fine specimen of a man!

Oh my! He is sexy!

Amazing concert! I had such a great time! Thank you to my hubby who... took the day off so that I could have a day for myself, handed me some shopping money before I ran out the door, and understands that a piece of me will always belong to Tim McGraw... it just has to be that way!

Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day this year! I feel truly blessed to have my two beautiful daughters and a loving husband. My hubby and girls surprised me with a new camera for Mother's Day. Photography has been a passion of mine that I have dabbled with here and there for the past several years. My Nikon D70 DSLR had been broken for a while so it was such a delight to receive the new Nikon D5000 that was delivered to me in bed to unwrap! I have so much to learn about my new camera and photography in general but love to play around with the camera.

After a family BBQ we ended the day with a drive, a stop at Starbucks for coffee and headed down to Owen Beach for a family walk so that I could play with my camera. I couldn't have asked for a better day than a day spent just enjoying time with the ones I love most!

Rocking H Preschool

Lilly will start her first year of pre-school in the fall. She will be attending Rocking H which is just up the street from our house. Her cousins Cole and Johnathen currently go to pre-school there. We were able to spend a few hours there last week meeting some of her classmates, talking with her teacher Miss Susan, and allowing Lilly to become familiar with her new school.

Lilly smiling before climbing up into the loft area above the play kitchen

The pre-school is on a small farm so it is fitting to have a large horse in the classroom

Cousin Addisyn will be one of Lilly's classmates (how cool is that!)

Playing on the playground outside

Farmer Vern built this awesome tricycle merry go round for the playground (so fun and great exercise!)

Right next to the playground are some of the farm animals. Lilly loved petting them!

Lilly had such a great time visiting her new pre-school, it was hard to get her to leave. We drive by her school often since it is right up the street from our house and she always yells "mom there's my school"! She talks non-stop about Miss Susan. I am confident that she already feels a part of the school and that come September she will transition well into pre-school. Mommy is looking forward to 2 hours, 3 days a week of her very own!

The other week was teacher appreciation week. Kyla has a wonderful teacher named Mrs. Framke this year. We had a great time honoring her throughout the week with fun treats. Here are a couple of the treats we made. Ideas and templates from Domesticated Lady.

Sesame Street Live

Last week Lilly and I went with friends to see Sesame Street Live. Lilly was so excited to see Abby Cadabby in person. She wore her Abby Cadabby shirt, a tutu like Abby Cadabby and brought her magic wand.

Lilly before going in to see the show

Lilly, Makenna and Emory all ready for the show to begin

This girls were dancing and following along with the moves

The theme of the show was imagination. They were asking the kids to bark, howl and growl like a dog. This is Lilly's growl face!

Throughout the show Lilly was yelling two things: #1. Abby Cadabby! #2. Cotton Candy! I finally gave in and the girls shared a cotton candy

The show was over! What a great time! Time for Lilly to say "good-bye" to her BFF Emory

Kyla's Sweet Shoppe 9th Birthday Party

I can hardly believe that my older daughter just turned 9! Where does the time go? We decided to have a sweet shoppe themed party and I have been collecting things for the party theme for a few months now. It was really fun to see how everything came together for the party. Kyla had lots of cousins, girlfriends and family here to help her celebrate the beginning of her 9th year!

Kyla, Mackenzie and Lilly before the party

Kyla and Mackenzie - lil' posers (I love it!)

Kyla's Sweet Shoppe buckets for the kids to fill with candy

Kyla's Sweet Shoppe Lemonade cups with hot pink straws

Sweet Shoppe goodies - To go along with their candy buckets the girls received candy/cupcake themed lip gloss and stamps, little girls fruit scented bubbles and candy lipgloss. Boys received Striped gum and fruit scented bubbles.

Kyla's cupcake birthday cake. My wonderful friends Michelle and Debbie helped collaborate with me to decorate it!

Sweets table

Cupcakes! My lovely friend Michelle made the chocolate ones and I made the vanilla

The kids guessed how many gum balls and how many sour punch straws to win a prize

Lilly with her goodies

Getting ready to blow out her candles

Excited about her Nike bag signed by three of the Seattle Sounder players from Aunt Ellen, Uncle Jesse, Austin & Cole

Grandma and Grandpa Stout got her a Keyboard that the keys light up to learn

Morgan, Amy, Kyla and Mackenzie

Time to say "goodbye". Mackenzie and Kyla have been the best of friends since they were 3 months old. Mackenzie and her parents Debbie & Jesse were heading back to Bellingham.

Kyla ended the night playing on her new keyboard. She is loving it!

Happy 9th Birthday Kyla!

Thursday, April 29th Kyla turned 9! Kyla started the her morning with her requested birthday breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes...

then the opening of her first birthday gift (Moxie Girl Quiz Game)

Kyla and Lilly posing with the flowers that Daddy sent to Kyla at school for her birthday.

Kyla also received a Think Fun Chocolate Fix game.

She was most excited about her iHome docking station for her iTouch iPod. Before long it was up and running and she was blaring Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Sugarland songs.

At the end of the night Grandma Lori stopped by to say "Happy Birthday" and brought a bunch of balloons

The night ended with a wrestling match with Dad on the bed before bedtime! Ahhh.. what a wonderful day!