Party Time

 So Ashtyn's 4th birthday party was totally inspired by my new found love for Pinterest!  Pinterest has this ability to make you think you are way more creative and crafty then you really are, and it totally proved to be true as I set out to host Ashtyn's 4th birthday.  I had originally wanted a low key, kid only birthday party at Jumpy Jordy's where I would have no set up, no clean up - nothing!  Well that quickly got shot down when my mom came up with the idea for an "Easter" themed party complete with egg dying (Ashtyn's favorite) and egg hunting!

Well once I heard that idea I was SOLD and hit up Pinterest quickly looking for party ideas!

I quickly came up with a Shabby Chic Easter themed party - where burlap and bright blue became my standbys! - I now love BURLAP!

I am quite proud of how the party turned out - but it was very overwhelming and frustrating at times (tissue pom poms), but in the end all worth it!

I present
Ashtyn's Shabby Chic Easter "Happy Birthday" Party...

 We invited 15 kids and much to my surprise 15 of them came - What happen to 30% don't come...

The main table was decorated for the egg dying event complete with their birthday treat pails filled with bubbles, play dough and gold fish!

 I found clear egg cartons so the kids could take their dyed eggs home with them...

 I boiled 90 eggs and managed to only crack about 30% of them...

 We had cupcakes and sugar cookies for dessert, and of course some chocolate milk!

 All the kids were attracted to the pond - like a tractor beam!  Little Wes kept throwing Easter eggs into the water - I am sure my father was quite amused, but just sat their contently!

 I think we hosted the BIGGEST Easter egg hunt ever!  Emily, Sarah, my dad and I hid 350 eggs all over the back yard - it looked so pretty and festive when we were done!

 Dying eggs was fun, but a little chaotic!  The boys didn't last long, but the girls, especially the birthday girl enjoyed every minute of it!

 The Pinata was probably the funniest thing I have ever seen and little bit scary!  Who gives 4 year olds a metal bat?  Well, we do apparently...

 The boys seemed to enjoy this activity alot more...

 Eli enjoyed EVERY minute of the Pinata - I think that was his favorite part...

 and he scored a sucker out of the deal!

 We sang "Happy Birthday" and opened presents, and a few short hours later my two months of party planning were OVER!

 I was pleasantly surprised how well her classmates knew her - they bought her horse stuff, Barbie Mermaids, Princess stuff and a Happy Napper - she was thrilled!

 Adam fell in LOVE with my brother!

Happy Birthday Ashtyn! 

I hope you enjoyed every minute of your birthday, celebrating with your friends!  You are so lucky to be surrounded by so many people that love and care for you!

Thanks to everyone that came and made her 4th birthday so WONDERFUL!

...and of course a special thanks to Pinterest for making me THINK I could host a beautiful, creative birthday party complete with EASY, homemade tissue pom poms!

Happy Birthday Ashtyn!

 Ashtyn's birthday was on a Saturday this year which was perfect for an early morning celebration with just family.  I work up early and ran out to McDonald's to get her favorite breakfast food - Pancakes and put four candles in it so we could sing as soon as she came upstairs...

 It took her a little while to wake up and she truly hates being the center of attention so she got very shy when we started singing to her...

 So Eli took it upon himself...

and blew her candles right out!  He was so PROUD of himself and started clapping.  This did not go over very well with Ashtyn, however...

 But we finally got her in the birthday spirit and we re-lit her candles, sang "Happy Birthday" and opened some presents...

 Still can't believe she is already four!

Carlin bought Ashtyn a purse with a horse in it - Does he know her or what?

 Auntie Ariana gave her the cutest towel  EVER with her name on it - Perfect for our long summers at the lake!

And Mommy, Daddy and Eli gave her a scooter and the Tangles doll, Rapunzel!

She was a happy little girl and played all morning with her new toys - then it was off to the PARTY!

Ashtyn Turns Four

My baby girl turned FOUR on April 7th - CRAZY!

I can't believe how fast time is flying by and my little baby girl is now a little lady - you can't even classify her as a baby anymore! She is a lady...

She continues to amaze me and her dad with how smart she is, how sweet she is, how incredibly funny she is and how sassy she can be, but still melt your heart!

A conversation with Ashtyn at Age 4...

What's your favorite color?

Purple and Pink

What's your favorite toy?

my IPAD

What's your favorite fruit?

blueberries

What's your favorite TV show?

Blues Clues and Horseland

What's your favorite thing to eat for lunch?

a jelly sandwich and Cheetos

What's your favorite outfit to wear?

my tutus

What's your favorite game to play?

hopscotch

What's your favorite snack?

strawberries

What's your favorite animal?

Horses

What's your favorite song?

Something 'Bout a Truck

(I can't tell you how proud I am with that answer!)

What's your favorite book?

Pinkalicious

Who's your best friend?

Chloe and Auntie Em

What's your favorite cereal?

Fruit loops

What's your favorite thing to do outside?

ride my bike and scooter

What's your favorite drink?

Starbucks chocolate milk

What's your favorite holiday?

All of them

What do you like to take with you to bed?

"Oooo Mommy, that's a tricky one..."

Toy of the Day

What's your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

McDonald's Pancakes

What do you want for dinner on your birthday?

Noodles

What do you want to do when you grow up?

Live on a Farm

Who's the coolest person in your life?

Eli

What food do you dislike the most?

Beans

What's your favorite thing to do at school?

Recess with Chloe

My plan is to ask her these questions every year and see how they change...Inspired by Pinterest of course!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

(I will always call you that)

Mommy and Daddy love you so much and are so Thankful God blessed us with the most precious little girl EVER!

Baby BOY Harms

 On April 5th Shannon and Kole finally welcomed a little BOY into their lives - Grant Robert Harms!

I am not going to lie - when I got the text from Kole saying "It's a Boy!" my eyes totally filled up with tears!  I was just so absolutely happy for them knowing how bad they wanted a boy - so it was just so overwhelming to finally know that dream had come true for them!

He is absolutely beautiful and also a BIG BOY - 8 pounds 4 ounces!

We went to visit them in the hospital and Eli kept wanting to kiss and love on him...

I can't wait to watch this sweet boy drool and wipe his dirty little mouth and hands all over Kole!

I LOVE you guys so MUCH and we are so, so happy to welcome Little Grant into this big world!

Love you HARMS!

Spring Break

Apparently I have taken a "break" from blogging - not intentionally of course...

It just seems like life has been absolutely CRAZY and when I do have a free moment I just want to put my feet up, grab a cup of coffee and watch Duck Dynasty!

But I do LOVE my blog and need to play some MAJOR catch up, so all those great moments we have recently lived do not go unforgotten!

 So we survived our first spring break this past March - and I do think "survive" is the correct word to use.  I have recently discovered that "Spring Break" for a parent - unless you are fortunate enough to take the week off and travel with your beautiful children somewhere wonderful - SUCKS!  That's right for a parent Spring Break and all the other days off from school - SUCK!

I love my kids, I really, really do - but I also love my schedule and knowing what my days look like every week - I like it, so when Spring Break came along it really threw a wrench in my whole system! 

Typically, I take Ashtyn to school and while she gets her fill of crafts, reading, learning, and running around I get to take care of all the chores I need to do and get my work out done in PEACE!  And then I have the patience and energy to entertain her the rest of the day.

But not that week - nope!  By 9am Ashtyn and I were already at each other throats arguing over the stupidest things or her and Eli were fighting over some toy - it was not great at all!

It seems we need that three hours apart in order to appreciate the time we do have together!

We did schedule a play date with the rest of her classmates at Waneka Lake - it seems I wasn't the only parent disliking "Spring Break" - so it was nice for the kids to run around with each other, while us parents got a little bit of a break.

I am a little scared for summer time - I think I need to start putting a schedule together NOW, so when school ends I am prepared for keeping both of my children occupied and happy, while still maintaining everything else I have and want to do!

We spent all morning at Waneka Lake playing, running around and then walking down by the lake and exploring!

 Ashtyn and her BFF Chloe - they were so cute holding hands walking down to the lake...

 Eli LOVES to go to the lake and throw rocks, sticks, mud and whatever else he can find into the lake...

 and by the time we leave, he has fallen in the lake at least once and is covered in mud...

the joys of a raising kids!

Gotta love them...