Hayden's Tinkerbell 4th Birthday Party!

Let's just say that Hayden is one lucky lil girl! Since we moved from Olympia to Spokane just a few months ago- she was really missing her friends & family in Western Washington. We were already going to be in the area with Jeremy playing in the Microsoft Hockey Challenge, so we decided to have a birthday party for her over there (in addition to her party here in Spokane!).  = A LOT of work for mommy! :) And, because I'm probably insane & like to go "all out" when it comes to a theme- I put my crafty skills to good use on this one! :) We had her party at my favorite pizza joint in Olympia: Dirty Dave's.  It was centrally located for our seattle friends, chehalis family & olympia friends/family! Everyone spoiled her rotten & she had a wonderful time!

I made the tissue ball hanging decorations: They didn't travel too well & looked a lot better at home, but oh well!

We had limited space with this party room, so everything was pretty much crammed onto one table, but it worked.



Hayden & Hayden! :)

LOVE me some dirty daves cashew pepperoni pizza! :)

(I made all the food labels too!)



Since we were in a pretty small room & the weather was just crap outside, I didn't do much as far as the game department went.  Just printed off some coloring pages from disney.com & set out crayons.

Coming from out of town & then from a hotel/hockey arena, there was really no way I would've been able to make her a cake or cupcakes. Plus, everytime we were at any grocery store that had this cake- she always asked for it for her birthday party.  This one was from the safeway across the street from the pizza parlor & it was actually really good. I got the perfect size- no left overs to have to travel back to Spokane! :)

Pixie Punch = aka Apple Juice ;)



So- just a week later we got to do it ALL OVER AGAIN!!!!  I know- like I said, I'm crazy!  But, since we've only been here in Spokane a short while, Hayden doesn't really have very many little kid friends, so this party was primarily adults (family). 

We decorated with the lovely (they made a trip back & forth over snoqualmie pass) tissue pompoms.

Table scape (much more room here at home!)

Forgot to take pics of her Olympia party- but everyone got either a peter pan hat/glow in the dark sword or a set of wings/fairy wand (I made the wands) and everyone got a little jar of pixie dust that I also put together.

Lucky girl got to have TWO cakes! :) This one from JUST AMERICAN DESSERTS was SOOOO yummy!  

We got out the fairy puzzles to do too- since her grandparents like to do puzzles! ;)

Hayden & I made this cute #4 hanger for the door out of cardboard from a diaper box & cupcake liners.  FYI- it takes SIGNIFICANTLY more cupcake liners than one would think = two-toned #4! ;)

We had all sorts of goodies: Pixie Punch = apple juice; Pixie Sticks = pure sugar crack for kids; Fairy Wands = We made chocolate dipped pretzels rods; Fairy Berries = gotta have some healthy component! ;) 

Hayden & cousin Jake sword fighting! ;)

!!!THANK YOU!!!

to everyone who came & celebrated with us (at either party!)

Hayden loved her party & will probably expect two parties every year from now on.... uh oh!

Supplies:

Tinkerbell cups/plates/napkins/goodie bags:  WALMART

 Peter Pan Hats: A Rainy Day Play etsy

Fairy Wings: Halo Heaven

Pixie Dust Jars: save-on-crafts.com

Tissue paper, swords: Dollar Store

Michael's for a ton of stuff! ;)

cake #1: Safeway Grocers

cake #2: JUST AMERICAN DESSERTS

Printables: Disney

Happy Birthday Decs!

A year sure goes by fast! :)

I'll post pictures of his party soon (and hayden's 4th birthday party too!!) ;)

The Mijo-man

It must have been fate intervening- as I just made this layout of Mijo a couple days before his accident.

Mijo went to doggy heaven at 8pm on Wednesday February 22nd.  Today, March 4th, was his birthday; he would've been 7 years old.  I knew it would be hard to lose him, as he was such a part of our family, but I thought I had many more years until that day came.

Wednesday morning I found him laying outside covered with blood. I let him out to go potty, put the baby down for a nap & then came back to the door ~15 mins later to see him laying on the grass. I thought he was just sun bathing while waiting for me to let him back in, but when I called for him, he wouldn't get up.  I ran inside & grabbed a towel. I brought him inside, called the vet & my husband (who rushed home to take him to the Dr). The poor lil guy was screaming every time he moved. I thought he was going to die in my arms, he was barely breathing, becoming hoarse from yelping so loudly & shaking.  At the vet, he stabilized fairly quickly, was in shock & needed fluids. He had 3 puncture wounds; the pattern showed it was an attack from above- owl or hawk probably! Xrays looked fine, but all his puncture wounds were connected (you could go inside one puncture & come up/out of another)- as in his skin was basically ripped off through most of his body. I guess dogs have an extra subcutaneous layer that allows that to happen. The puncture by his neck was actually loose all the way to his skull (Dr was surprised his carotid artery didn't tear). The next step would have been surgery to attach skin & insert drains but he never was stable enough to go under anesthesia The Dr wanted us to come in to talk that evening. At 7:30 we met with the veterinarian (Super nice, called me multiple times throughout the day to give me updates). At that point, she said most animals give her a gut feeling & he just kept changing on her. One minute she thought he'd be great, then the next she thought he wouldn't make it. She wanted us to see him & see what his response was to us. It was so sad. He wouldn't look at us. He wouldn't lick my hand *ALWAYS was licking- used to tease how licky he was. He had a dose of pain meds before we got there & still was screaming every time he moved. The Dr was also concerned because he wouldn't stand or walk or put any weight on his legs. She said he probably was dropped after the hawk grabbed him. We decided to not let him suffer anymore. That was by far the hardest decision I've ever made. I'm just thankful that he was able to make it home (most likely happened in the field a few houses down) instead of just being gone with no closure or clue to what happened to him.  I think that he just wanted to get home so we could take care of him; took all he had to get home. :( We're so sad.

Anyone who knows us personally, knows that he was just part of our family.  He was our first baby.  Jeremy & I joked that he was practice for our real babies! :) We got him Memorial Day weekend 2005 and took his maiden voyage to Lake Coeur D'Alene.  He loved playing outside at the lake & his rottweiler auntie Raven.  Even though he didn't weigh yet 2 lbs, he thought it was so fun to run circles & bark at Raven (the huge rottie!)  I have pictures of it, but they are in storage right now.  Here's a few pictures when he was just a lil pup!! ;)

 Crashed with Daddy!

Doing laundry with me! ;)  Lil trouble maker always loved my panties!

This pic (tiny I know..) was taken out at Riffe Lake at Dick's Property. He loved it out there & would eat so much crap *pine needles, dirt, grass* that we hated taking him out there!

As our family grew, Mijo was always there documented in the pictures!  The only ones I have on my computer from when Hayden was born are these tiny ones.

He was always so good with the kids. Even when they were rotten to him, he would just nibble their fingers. He had NEVER bitten anyone, was not the typical ankle-bitter rep that chihuahuas have.

When Declan came along, he was also in all the family pictures!  In fact, our photographer (the LOVELY Jessica Rae Photography) also had chihuahuas & took some beautiful photos of him.

He always loved his belly rubbed, so he'd flip over like this the minute he saw you!

Guardian of the babies!

 Meeting Decs for the 1st time!

 I think this is my ALL TIME favorite family photo.  I think it's just too perfect that all of us INCLUDING the Mijo man are looking at the newest member of our family!

 He was a little dog, but had a HUGE personality.  He took up so much SPACE in our hearts, lives & home.  The house feels SO empty without him.  I hear his little pitter patter of his nails on the floor & his tapping on the slider to go outside. I still sweep/vacuum & find his hair all over everything!

There are countless times during the day when I think of him.  It's funny the things that are just habitual...like calling him the minute I drop something on the floor (he was our broom- I never had to clean up after the babies since he pretty much did all of it with his tongue!!)  Or when someone's at the door or comes home, I rush to find him so he wont bark & wake the sleeping baby.  Or when I get home & instantly open the door for him to go out & potty.  Or at night, when he would come to bed & snuggle the crook of my legs all night long, no matter how much I tossed/turned/got up with the baby.   Or when sitting on the couch, he instantly was in my lap.  I miss him so much.

RIP Mijo

03/04/2005 - 02/22/2012

Snow Day & Roseytoes Designs Anniversary!

Just wanted to share:

Ginger Scraps
http://store.gingerscraps.net/Roseytoes/

Scrappity Doo Dah
http://www.scrappity-doo-dah.com/store/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=123

Funky Playground Designs
http://funkyplaygrounddesigns.com/store/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=89

Also- I scrapooked a page that wasn't for either of my CT commitments! :) My goal for this year is to stay caught up with my scrapbooking & scrap more than I 'have' to! :) So far so good!

I just love these photos of the kids & I playing in the snow!

Credits:

Winterfrost Collab by WM Squared Designs & Crossbone Cuts Designs

Thursday Freebie Template by Scrapping with Liz

wow I suck at this blogging thing...

Okay- 1st thing to get out of the way before I forget!!! :) I'm a creative team member for Roseytoes Designs & She ROCKS!!!  Anyone who may read this & is a scrapbooker- DONT MISS out on this opportunity to work with her goodies!

Alrighty, since that business is out of the way- I want to apologize for sucking so much at this blog. It's strange because you'd think me not working would mean I'd have all the time in the world to manage my blog & digital scrapbooking responsibilities on top of taking care of the kiddos- but seriously! This stay at home mom gig is HARD work!! :)

Anywho... Instead of killing myself with a bunch of posts...here's my layouts for the month of January.  You can see my gallery HERE for credits & visit

ROSEYTOES DESIGNS HERE

or

JEN C DESIGNS HERE



Declan is 9 months old!!

Declan is 9 months old!!!  I cannot believe how fast my baby is growing up! :(

His stats at his checkup: 21.5 pounds & 28.5 inches (both 75%ile)

He's just growing out of his 12 month clothes & in shoe size 5!! 

He has 5 teeth (E,F,G,O,P) with a few more on the way!

He's such a MONSTER!

This lil guy is ALL BOY! He is constantly in motion. He NEVER stops moving, even to sleep unless you hold him tight until he gives up & crashes.  It was pretty difficult getting 9 month pictures, since he wanted to be on the move the entire time!  He crawls at record speeds & cruises along furniture, walls, etc like a pro. It's just a matter of time before he's running around!  He's a brut- when he wants to get somewhere, he'll roll/push/shove/squirm to get where he wants (even if he's up in your arms!)  He's very adventurous- with little fear. He loves to be thrown around & climbs stairs/step stools like it's nothing. He opens cupboards & drawers & pulls everything out to be inspected! 

He LOVES his sissy & bee-lines it to her room to play with her toys.  EVERYTHING instantly is in his mouth & he likes to suck on unconventional pacifiers- sissy's squinkie's, marbles, toothbrushes, etc.  He LOVES bath time. The minute the tub starts running, he's at the edge of the tub trying to crawl in. He loves playing with the toilet paper & the toilet lid- we've learned to keep the lid down at all times! :)

 

He's not saying too much, mostly just baby babbles, but I figure he's just working on so many physical things first! He makes this silly scrunched up face & snorts which is hilarious & loves to smile & laugh!

He loves to eat! He has 4-5 8oz bottles of formula a day (stopped nursing at ~ 7 1/2 mos. so he'd sleep longer at night...that's a whole other issue!) plus meals/snacks with us. He LOVES real food and doesn't really eat much puree'd baby food. He only likes the 3rd foods with textures & prefers veggies over fruits!  His favorite foods are cheerios, goldfish crackers, bread/toast (we eat Dave's Killer Bread with all the nuts/seeds & he doesn't seem to mind one bit!), banana, avocado, oatmeal, spaghetti & mac n cheese. 

As far as sleep goes, he's doing better, but I can count the times he's sleep completely through the night on one hand. :(  First, we moved, then he had a cold, then teething, then we started formula (which did help!), then teething, then the flu, then teething & now another head cold. It's always something!  Most nights he'll go down at 7:30, up at 11 to be snuggled, then he'll make it until 2 or 3am have a bottle & then down until 7 or 8 am. I've just figured I'll get sleep when the kids are teenagers & I'll complain about them never waking up! ;) 

Declan is by far 100% opposite of his big sister as a baby & SOOO much fun! He makes me smile everyday & I'll take all the sleepless nights in the world for that!

(He was on the move in this pic!)

scrapbook layout catch up!

Sorry- I'm just going to MASS post all the layouts I've done that have been released up to date! This is the first time since I've been a member of a designer's creative team that I have NO layouts pending posting!! :)

Please visit my gallery

HERE

for designer credits!