things i love right now

This coffee. OHDEARGODINHEAVEN. Megs brought this back for me from New Orleans and it has convinced me that I am living in the wrong region of the country. I am supposed to be southern. Period. It has chickory in it. I don't even know what chickory is, but I love it.

This coffee with white toast. Yes, I said it. White toast. I know it is totally un"PC" to like white bread. But I do. I love it. I also know that I am supposed to love the stuff that is like sandpaper, all filled with seeds and nuts, but gross! I usually settle somewhere in the middle and buy some kind of 100% whole wheat. However, once every 3 months or so I am a rebel and buy a loaf of white bread and live the high life for a few days. Of course, Ellie still gets the wheat. 1. Because it is better for her and 2. I don't want to share the white wonderfulness. Mostly 2.

These little ponies in Ellie's hair. They are the cutest little things when they are bobbing all around.

The fact that I totally forgot I planted a peony bush last year. And it grew! I went over to inspect the lilac bush and there she was. Beautiful.

The idea that I never have to ride the dinky little roller coaster at the Kiddie park again. Yea!

The fact that Ellie wanted to play golf more than she wanted to ride the rides. That's my girl.

This girl. Love her. Love her. Love her. To pieces!


Happy weekend!

holy birthday celebration batman!

My kid doesn't have a birth"day", she has a birth"week"! I mean, seriously.

It's been a great week! Lots of celebrating and fun. So settle in. Grab some coffee. It's a long one.

It all started the night before her birthday. We told her we had a big surprise for her and after her favorite dinner (chic-fil-a!) we headed to Dicks. Here she is wondering where we are going...

A bike! See ya! (and yes, at home, she has a helmet...)


Then the next morning, her door was all decorated and presents awaited her outside.

She got what she asked for!

Pleased with all her presents.


Then I made her eat a healthy breakfast cause I knew this was the last healthy thing she would eat for days. I was right.


And then the fun started! We had a backyard party with her friends this year. We did a bugs and butterflys theme. We would have just done butterflys, but most of her friends are little boys! Daddy made a surprise visit. We love our daddy.

Then all the kids lined up for a bug hunt. I found the cutest little bug shaped eggs after easter and hid them for the kids in the front yard.

Then Ellie won Pin the tail on the Donkey. Everyone blamed us for practicing, but my kid is just good!

Then she took a turn on the pinata.

However, the pinata was like Fort Knox and the moms had to step in to break it open.

Then it was time for CAKE! Four? How did that happen??

Ellie and Dom.

The Ellies.


Then we headed home to Indiana for 2 more parties. Yes. 2. Here is her pony cake.

Anxiously awaiting people to come to her party. We LOVE Linda's front porch.

Apparently, there is a rule in Indiana, that you must get a picture with all the kids around the cake. Check.

Ellie and her cousin Luke. We don't see him near often enough. These two are like peas and carrots!

Ellie and cousin Tan. Even the big cool kids came.


And then we went to Chris' family for our third party. Here is Ellie with her third birthday cake. It was at this party that she was especially spoiled.


Yes. I would say she had a good birthday. Now we are home, sorting through all the goodies, making messes, and having fun. Thanks to everyone for loving my kid so much!

mia who?

Soccer. When I asked Ellie what sport she wanted to do, I prayed and prayed she would say anything but soccer. Alas, she did not. And so, we play soccer!

It's not that I don't like soccer. I just don't know much about it. I never played. I grew up in the sticks that didn't even have a football team, much less a soccer team. I know, crazy right?

I will admit, however, that watching 4 year olds (or almost 4 year olds in our case) is just about the cutest thing you have ever seen.

Getting ready to start. I should mention it was about 39 degrees that morning and snowed during the game. Gotta love the northeast.

Going after the ball!

Look for the purple hat people! Look quick. She is fast!

Lining up for another go at it!

Good game! Good game! Good game!


She did great! All the little ones seemed to know what they were doing. It was a pure joy to watch. I can see lots of athletics events, cold bleachers, sunburns, rainy days in my future.

Jeff and Megan came to the game which meant a lot to all of us, then we all went to brunch. It was a fun morning. Oh, sidenote, Megan brought me back chickory coffee from New Orleans, and OMG! Best coffee I have ever had. EVER!

Also, our cousin Izzy spent the weekend with us. Let met tell you. Everyone needs a 13 year old with them at all times. It was wonderful. Ellie idolizes her. I seriously barely saw my kid. When we dropped her off at home, Ellie was nearly inconsolable. I miss Izzy! We love you Iz!

just a quick pop in...

to wish you a happy weekend! Also, to share 2 pics of the week that make me smile...

a package!

We got a little package in the mail yesterday. I don't know about you, but we LOVE to get packages around these parts. Shannon from Living My Life On Purpose (found on sidebar!) had her little dearie paint a little flower pot for Ellie. Isn't that sweet? I also got some wonderful peppermint sugar scrub. I have to say I was a little skeptical (sorry, Shannon, but I was!) and she mentioned that she kept hers by the kitchen sink to use on her hands. This stuff is awesome! I think I used it 4 times yesterday!



The only downside of getting this? Ellie has asked 4,325 times to go buy a flower to put in it. Not yet honey. But soon! I mean, it freaking snowed here yesterday.

Actually, we got 2 packages yesterday. I know! Lucky us! Uncle Mark and Aunt Amber sent Ellie an Easter package that would rival any I have ever seen. She is so terribly, wonderfully spoiled by those two. It was filled to the brim with lots of goodies.

Thanks to everyone for making our Friday even better!!

questions

Ellie. Oh Ellie. She is asking such good guestions lately.

Examples:

Where does the Easter bunny live? Hell. I have no idea where the Easter Bunny lives. So I made up a story about a den and how there are really 16 Easter Bunnies and they all live together in their den and spend all year filling eggs. I said 16 because she was afraid one Easter Bunny would be lonely cause Santa has Mrs. Claus and all the elves, etc... "But where is the den Mommy?" I told her Denmark. Get it? "Den"mark? Ha! I so amuse myself.

Why are there planets? What? How does she even know there are planets? I told her we were going to have to go home and look that one up. Of course, we forgot when we got home. Note to self: Study planets later...

What does "shouldn't" mean? Um, it means you shouldn't do something. Duh! Shouldn't is a hard word to explain. So I gave her lots of examples and I think she got it. Like, you SHOULDN'T eat a cookie before dinner.

What is chalk made of? What? I don't know.

Why do we have seasons? I think I got a little too technical with this one explaing the tilt of the earth and the distance from the sun. She got bored. But as least I knew this one...Jeesh!

Why do I have to go to bed? Because if you don't, I am going to go crazy with all of your talking. Now sleep!

I get these all day long. I am exhausted.


In other news, I am pretty convinced we have the next Mia Hamm here. We started soccer and she loves it! We have practices 2 times a week. Yes. 2 times a week. They are 4. I know. Crazy. And the drills they go through. It is like watching a high school practice. First game on the 17th. She is beside herself with excitement.

blogger friends meet!

I had a very exciting adventure on Monday. I got to meet Lyndsay from I Used to be Witty! (For some reason, my blog won't let me add links. You can find her blog on my sidebar!)

It was great! She happened to be in town overnight so we met for breakfast. She is just as beautiful and funny as you think she would be. We had a great time and are convinced our daughters are long lost best friends, and just don't know it yet.

It's so funny, we were talking about Beth (c.beth blog) and Keri (forever folding laundry, also on my sidebar) like we knew them and we were all besties. The bloggy world is so funny. I have all these wonderful women I consider friends who I have never even met. All the blogs on my sidebar are women I would love to meet and I hope I get the chance to someday.

We were total amatures and didn't get one single picture together. I know, dumb right? But we really did meet. And it really was fantastic. Looking forward to seeing her again when she is back in town in a few months.

Until then!

easter

Our Easter can be summed up in one photo. Just one is all we need. Really.



Almost 4 is such a fun age when it comes to stuff like this. We had a great day.

picnic

Picnics in the sun with friends. A good Thursday indeed!