Weekend Plans...And The Last Of The Birthday Pictures!

The weekend is here... this is what I always consider the final "regular" weekend until after all the holiday excitement subsides in faraway January. The upcoming weekends will be filled with celebrating, hunting camp, visitors, parties, decorating, and so much more. So this weekend we plan on keeping it simple...with a few fun things thrown in. : )

Friday night Rhett will be working at our local theatre for the opening of...Catching Fire!!! We have been waiting for this for so long, and are so excited. (We are going to watch The Hunger Games Thursday night to get prepared!) The girls and I are going to see it, and Steve volunteered to stay home with Flynn. I'm sure he and Rhett will go see it sometime soon. : )

Saturday during the day is free. I really have no plans other than to put some veggie beef soup in the crock pot and relax all day. Steve has some outdoor work to do before winter, and I'm sure Rhett will give him a hand. They will take the autumn decorations down, take our remaining pumpkins and cornstalks out to the woods behind our house, and prep the garages for winter. Saturday night we are attending late Mass, as Rhett is serving. After that, it's home and jammies.

Sunday is a free day. We are going to drive up to camp and spend the cold afternoon snuggled inside watching our frustrating beloved Steelers and snacking on take out from our favorite nearby restaurant. Sunday night...you guessed it...The Walking Dead. And jammies. : )

So there you have it...our super exciting weekend. I hope yours is cozy and filled with family fun, whatever your plans may be. Thanks for stopping by!

Oh...and don't forget to take your turkey out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator to give it plenty of time to thaw!

November cupcake delivery...cranberry...need I say more? ; )

Someone snuck in a little car seat nap on the way to visit Grandpa last weekend...

She woke up in time to see the random bull elk roaming in someone's yard...yep...life in Pennsylvania is nothing short of amazing. : )

We had a nice visit with my sweet dad...and he ATE! He actually ate half a sandwich. : )

All ready for Mass last Saturday night...outside without a coat in November!

After Mass, we celebrated my friend Mary's birthday with a yummy dinner out...shrimp scampi...

and triple chocolate cheesecake. Because she was having a piece and that's just the kind of friend I am...no one should ever eat decadent desserts alone on her birthday.

My Peyton...reading on her iPad...pretty much what you will always find her doing. If she isn't helping me with Flynn, or the laundry, or making dinner, or baking desserts...

My sweet Madison and I snapped a quick pic before Flynn's party last Sunday...

where my sweet baby had a wonderful time, and was such a great hostess. : )

On her actual birthday the six of us celebrated with Olivia...

and she was happy!

She loved her Elf on the Shelf nightgown...

and her Peppa Pig play set...which she has been playing with for over an hour. Not kidding.

She smiled when we sang to her...

and made a special wish before she blew out her candle.

And one more shot of my sweet girl waking up in her crib on her 4th birthday...because someday I won't remember these amazing baby days.

Happy Weekend, friends!

Happy 4th Birthday Flynn Grace!

My baby is four. And I am ok with that. Maybe because 4 year olds are awesome...and because I am realizing that no matter how old she becomes, Flynn will always be my baby.

Flynn is a happy person. Really happy.

She loves to play. With toys. Real toys like baby dolls and pretend food and Little People.

She loves school. She loves to learn and calls me Teacher.

Flynn loves to snuggle. She asks me to snuggle with the brown blanket, and when she does,  I drop what I'm doing and snuggle with her. Because I know, some day she won't.

My Flynn has spunk. And I am glad.

She loves white milk and pepperoni pizza.

She loves Peppa Pig, Sesame Street, Olivia, and Tickety Tock. (I'm still trying to figure that last one out.)

She loves her crib. Yes, she still sleeps in it. And I am glad. She can cuddle up in there as long as her little body fits.

My Flynn is my shadow. She tells me she loves me every single day. She takes my face and holds it in her hands, and says, "Ahh, I love my mommy..." I never want to forget that. Ever.

I ask her every day, "Flynn, what does mommy say?"And we say together, "Dear Jesus, thank you for my baby. Amen."

Happy Birthday, Flynn Grace! We love you!

Just as sweet as she was when she turned...

one...

and two...

and three! : )

Happy 4th Birthday, my Flynn. : )

This Post Is Brought To You By The Letter F And The Number 4...

Sunday afternoon we gathered together to celebrate our sweet baby Flynn...who will turn 4 on Tuesday!  She was so very excited and had a wonderful time... here are a few pictures of her special party day!

Here is her cake...She choose Sesame Street this year...and I am so glad. : )

I asked the bakery to do whatever they wanted. Except no Oscar! Flynn has an aversion to anything Oscar.

 

 

Her dress all pressed and ready...and her hair bow too!

 

 

Posing for a few pictures before her guests arrived...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And my favorite one of the day...

 

 

Happy Birthday Party Day, my sweet Flynn Grace...

We will celebrate you on Tuesday...just the six of us... with pizza and pumpkin bread...your choice. : )

 

Ornament Day...2013

Every year since Madison was little, we have celebrated Ornament Day. In the past, we combined it with our Christmas picture day at Sears. I remember dressing the kids in their Christmas outfits, driving to Sears in the mall, and cramming into that little space trying to make all my kids smile at the same time. Piece of cake. ; ) Once that was over, we squeezed into the exact same dressing room each and every year and changed the kids out of their picture clothes. Then we headed to Hallmark so each child could pick out an ornament for their Christmas tree. Then we went out to our special picture/ ornament day lunch. It became the unofficial start of our Christmas season.

Once Flynn was born, we began taking the photo at home, but still continued our family tradition of Ornament Day. We traveled to the mall last week to choose our special ornaments and have a special dinner out. We also were able to stop and have a WONDERFUL visit with my dad. Here are some pictures of our Ornament Day this year. : )

My sweet girls...enjoying our pizza night...

and this little one was enjoying it too. She loves pepperoni!

Rhett is all smiles as he returns with the pizza that I left on the table...

Remember me telling you that I don't like bright colors? Well, I branched out and bought myself a gift...look...pink!!!!

And the choices this year...Madison-Christmas Vacation...Peyton-Catching Fire...Rhett-Superman...and Flynn-Cinderella. : )

We finished the night with a very happy visit with my dad. For a few moments, my friends, he was back with us again. I lived in the moment. I watched his face as he played peek-a-boo with Flynn. I listened to his voice as he asked Rhett about hunting. I studied his smile as he teased Peyton about the holes in her jeans. I took those moments and stored them in my heart. I realized then how much I love this man...my father. And how I never want to forget his voice or his smile or the twinkle in his eye.

May I ask for your prayers, my friends? We have been told that my father's Dementia is extremely fast moving. He is slipping farther away and the moments we have with him as we know him are becoming fewer and fewer. I am praying for peace for him...for more comfort and less confusion and angst. I want that for him...this wonderful man who gave me life. I am grateful for visits like we had that night. I tucked the memories deep into my soul. And I am blessed.