Peonies & Party Hats

Our peonies are starting to bloom and they smell so sweet. Every year, these are the cutting flowers I look most forward to. Growing up, my Grandmother had a yard filled with these lovely flowers. Aren't they just take-your-breath-away beautiful? I’m going to fill a vase and bring them into my office for a bit of escapism.



Chris has been busy working in the yard and our flower gardens are really starting to come in nicely. Isn't this foxglove stunning?



Saturday's weather was beautiful and it was so nice to have the girls playing outside.





Josie's birthday is this week and I took some time on Saturday to work ahead on decorations. I took dollar store party hats and made them a bit fancier with scrapbooking paper and crepe paper ruffles. This craft was fairly easy to do and super cheap. All the supplies came from our local dollar store.



Supplies needed:

Scissors, glue, paper birthday hats, crepe paper, scrapbooking paper, decorative ribbon (optional) stapler and pencil.



Step 1. Take apart the paper birthday party hat and lay it on a piece of scrapbooking paper and trace around it with a pencil.



Step 2. Cut out the party hat tracing and glue onto the party hat.



Step 3. After the paper has dried, staple the hat back together to form the cone.

Step 4. To make the crepe paper ruffle, draw a line of glue around the edge of the party hat and lay the crepe on top. Bunch the paper to form a ruffle and continue working around the hat.



Step 5. Take a decorative ribbon and glue that on top of the paper ruffle. Feel free to embellish your party hat further with stickers.



Make sure to allow your party hat to dry for at least 30 minutes. The crepe paper ruffles tend to be a bit sticky until they dry completely.



Have a great week, everyone. My in-laws will be arriving Sunday afternoon to help watch the girls while Chris is in Tampa this week. I wonder what kind of adventures they will have while I'm at work? Stay tuned for pictures.

That's a wrap!!

On Thursday, Emma finished up her Civic Theater classes. Chris and I are thrilled that she wants to continue acting. She will be involved in another set of classes in July which ends with a performance of "The Aristocats".



Drum roll please…

Today marks Emma's last day of fifth grade and Chris is packing up his school social work office for the summer!! In a few days, Chris jets out to Tampa FL for a conference that he’s presenting at, so he’s still in work-mode. But as soon as he returns late Wednesday, he can officially relax and take off his social work hat for a few months. I can't wait to have Mr. Mom around the house!!!

Even though I’m still working full-time (grumble grumble), I have LOTS of plans for a fun summer with my girls (and the daddy, of course!)... weekly art projects, bike trips to our local ice cream shop, playing in our little above-ground pool and backyard sandbox (come on warm weather), attempting to help Chris with our vegetable and flower gardens, soaking up the sun at our annual trip to the cottage on Lake Michigan, and bringing the gang with me to a work conference in Washington DC the middle of July.

Happy summer, everyone!!

Retainer, Wrapping Paper & Potty Talk

Bye bye retainer!! Emma has reached another milestone. Her braces came off last year and her retainer doesn't fit anymore. We saw the orthodontist first thing this morning and he said that Emma doesn't need a new one. We'll go back in August for follow-up consultation and make sure her lovely straight teeth haven’t shifted. For now, no more hunting for the lovely piece of plastic each night before bed. I can't tell you how many times that thing has been nearly misplaced.



Over Memorial Weekend, Josie and I spent some time outdoors painting with flowers and shells to make wrapping paper. We used finger paint, dandelions, chive blossoms and spiral conch shells to make our wrapping paper. The pictures provide the instructions. It was very easy and loads of fun.












If your squeamish over "Potty Talk", skip this last part.

"Josie, why are you walking around on your tip toes"?

Josie's response, "I'm pooping, Mom".

Yep. We still need to work on part 2 of potty training.

My last week of packing lunches!!!

Another great weekend.

We were blessed with fantastic weather and I even got to enjoy a quiet moment with my husband on the back deck after the girls went to bed (we were convinced that if we lit enough candles, the mosquitoes would stay away). And for all of you that said my husband looked like Jordan Knight from the Back Street Boys on my Anniversary post, I'll just say he thinks he has the "right stuff"...hee hee.



I have to say it one more time, Emma finished up her spring soccer season with a GOAL on Saturday. She hasn't loved soccer this year, so we're really proud of her.



I even got to sneak away to the Allegan Antique Fair on Sunday with my mom and sister. Talk about amazing girl bonding time!!



Drum roll please...this my last week of packing lunches and getting everyone out of the house on time!! School is done on Friday for Chris and Emma. Although my work schedule is year-round, I'm looking forward to only being responsible for me (AND ONLY ME) in the morning. No more stressing about homework and missing shoes. I can't wait to throw their lunch boxes and knapsacks in the cupboard until school resumes. We've decided to keep Josie in daycare on Tuesday's during the summer to maintain a routine and to help with the transition back in the fall. This will also give Chris and Emma one day a week to do things that aren't necessarily toddler-friendly. We found out that the ice cream truck visits her daycare on Tuesday's and decided that would be the PERFECT day to attend. Don't you agree?



Have a great week, everyone.

Way to go, Emma!

Today was Emma's very last day of soccer and she scored a GOAL in the third period!!!



Their team has worked so hard this year.



Emma's coach was the most dedicated and patient coach she's ever had.



What a great season of growth and self-confidence.



We're so proud of you, Emma!!