Somebunny is ONE!

I don't know how it happened or when it happened...I think I was stuck in a time warp...but my baby girl is one!
We had a small party with a few neighbors and family. It was still crazy fun! Somehow a little party seems big when the kids per family double in number and size! and when family alone is a big party! Trust me, I wanted to invite you all but our lil house just couldn't take much more. And we really kept trying to say "just a lil party"

I am going to break the party up into a few posts just to make it not quite so long.

I chose bunnies because, duh, its Easter/Spring and I knew it would be easy (key!!) plus super cute and girly. And I totally copied my friend Jenny who did this theme last year for her lil girl turning one. :)

One detail that I didn't plan was the wild bunny that showed up in our backyard that morning! It was too funny! It hid between the fence and shed, scared to death, the whole party but it was fun to know that it was there! The kids all liked looking at it and we left him some veggies. It was just totally random considering we have never had a bunny in our yard! Okay, moving on.

It started with the invite that I made (totally recreated one off of Shutterfly and printed it myself for way cheaper)

Some deco. I have to add that I got a Cricut for Christmas and this is kinda what spurred me to even do deco. I swore I wouldn't go all out for a first birthday but one thing led to another and it just happened. I can't explain it. It's a problem. :)

high chair banner
Bear pictures

Ellie's dress...My mom made it! I love that. I found the dress on Etsy and had her recreate it. I cut and sewed on the little bunny and wah-lah!

The table- well, I didnt get a real good picture. of course. This is probably the best I got. Its okay because, truly, I am so thankful for this man. He is such a great helper! Couldn't have done it without him! :) He wouldn't admit it but he even helped me on the banner some one late night. love ya babe!
the cupcakes...recipe coming in a later post!

The favors- I took this at the last minute after I had passed out all the bunny ears (they were in the center vase) and given out some of the favors already so the table is looking a little sad now. But you get the idea. Carrot treat bags for the kids (holding a "booboo bunny", a bendy bunny toy, jellybeans, bunny fruit snacks, and bunny stickers) and bunny peeps and jelly beans for the grownups.

I had a lot of fun with all of the planning and it totally turned out like I dreamed it to be! :) All for my special lil girl!

....anyone want to buy a bunny party in a bag!? :) I could totally hook you up!

toy story, kinda

here is our rag tag gang that we put together- he told me that the cowboy on the end was representing Jessie since we didn't have a girl cowboy and the white horse represents Bullseye

Alex had a lot of fun trying to find more toys that were in the movie. He even staged the photo shoot himself and wanted to see the pictures after I took them.

I know you are wanting birthday but you will have to wait bc I am just not ready to tackle that monster today. :)

A Very Special Day

We just weren't busy enough this month ;) so we decided to have both children baptized. You may be thinking, wait, I seem to remember something about Alex already being dedicated to the Lord...well, that's right, he was "dedicated" because that's what our old church did. But in our new church they baptize. You can't get one baptized and the other not, so we just went ahead and got them both done at the same time. It made for a very special day for the whole family. It was wonderful to have some of our extended family there to witness and support us and love on the children. Of course there was a weird little cold front that came in that morning and so we are all a little chilly and wind blown. It never fails! The day before we were sweating outside!


I have to tell you that this suit was a hand-me-down from my Aunt Beth. She dressed all her 3 boys in it over the years and it was a hand-me-down to her even! I thought it was just perfect for the occasion and it just fit! I found the shoes at Childrens Place and just about died. Cheap and exactly what I wanted! I mean, really, does it get much cuter than this!?! I know I am his mother, but really. :)

I was actually, believe it or not, brushing down Ellie's fuzz (hair in the back) before the service started and Alex wanted to "help"It went really well and I was so proud of the kids. Alex was great! except for flirting with the orchestra girls behind us and then smacking me as he turned around. Nice. The actual baptizing was so special. I really love Rev. Adkins. He is so sweet and made Alex so comfortable. The words he said on Alex were perfect and beautiful. I loved that I got to see Alex's sweet face looking up, smiling, and listening to him and I will never forget it.

this was after, and he was to turn around and wave to the audience and they all clapped for him
I had to change up Eliana's schedule to make this 11 o'clock service time work with her naps so she was a trooper. She did great going to the Pastor, which I was shocked about, until he put the water on her head. She did NOT like that and cried her super sad loud cry....until mommy got her back and then she flipped the switch. The congregation ate it up. I kinda think its cute. Kinda like when kids cry with Santa.

This picture is blurry but it was from a church member that sent it to me and I just like the angle.

We had a great celebration afterward at the house! That's what the spice cake was for. The kids even got some very special gifts. We ended the party with some dancing and drumming! Thanks be to God for a wonderful blessed day!

I will pour out my Spirit and my blessing on your children. Isaiah 44:3
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father,
who is over all and in all and living through all. Ephesians 4:5-6

*I have to add, this week before church Alex asked smiling,
"That man pour water on my head again?"
No, Alex. Just one time. Just one time.

pat a cake pat a cake, bakers man

Here are a few things I have tried lately in the kitchen! The real fun is that it is ALL Egg, Milk, Peanut free!! Woo hoo!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies- these were really good! Got rave reviews from my family!

Ingredients:

1 c. dairy-free margarine (I use Soy margarine sticks)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. soy milk or rice milk (I used rice milk this time)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz. dairy free semi-sweet chocolate chips (We like Enjoy Life Choc. Chips. I found that this was way too many chips for the amount of dough. I would use about half the bag next time).

Instructions:

1: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2: Cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add soy or rice milk, and cream. Mix in vanilla extract. It might look a little curdled, that is fine.

3: Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, then fold in the chocolate chunks or chips.

4: Drop by teaspoons (I would flatten out more next time) on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and cool on racks.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting- also a success! This is the first time Alex has ever wanted to eat cake! and he liked it!! Well, I know that he ate a little more icing than cake, but hey! he ate some cake!! woo hoo! This is also just super easy and would be great for anyone who needed a cake quick and easy.

All it is is Duncan Hines Spice Cake (box) and a can of Pure Pumpkin. Mix together and bake following the box. I used Duncan Hines Cream Cheese icing out of the can! It doesnt get any easier!


This "cheese" is supposedly the best- Daiya. Even Oprah tried it when she went Vegan for the show. Alex likes it! Don't tell him but nothing beats real cheese. So far we have tried pizzas and nachos (besides eating it out of the bag). Alex didn't really care for the pizza- he has some weird thing against red sauces. He did like the nachos! :)

I also found out that I can use Pillsbury Crescent rolls- they are dairy and egg free! Pepperoni rolls, pigs in a blanket, ham and cheese rolls, dessert pastries- the possibilities are endless! This is their website that offers a ton of recipe ideas. If I could only get Alex to try them!

Ellie really likes this coconut yogurt! I tasted it and its pretty good. Tastes like ice cream. Alex wouldn't try it. Stinker.
I also got some Sunbutter. It is really pretty good. Tastes like sunflower seeds. Can't get Alex to try it yet but he acted excited. I am just glad that we have a good substitution for peanut butter for when he is ready. And if you want to try some, just come on over! It would be good for schools that don't allow peanut butter.

We have also been eating these A LOT :) Got them for Ellie's bunny party coming up and had to try them out first...haven't stopped! and just saw on the website that they now have granola bars that look safe for Alex. We will have to try them out!

Next up will be Ellie's birthday cake!

Oh, and a little confession of an allergy mom...the Cheetos that I scarfed at lunch by myself yesterday were oh so heavenly. Cheetos, oh how I have missed you.

Rodeo!

Travis took off work so that we could all go together this year. It was so much fun! I sadly only took my lil point and shoot and I totally regret it. I got horrible pictures. I felt like something wasn't set right because they were worse than normal even. Live and learn.
It was too funny- when we pulled up and got out of the car I realized that 2 cars over our friends the Stacers where getting out of their car too! It was fun to do some stuff with them- Alex loves Evan S.!

And Kathryn was nice enough to take a picture of the fam for us....we are a little ragged by this time. It was windy windy and getting hot! We were all worn out!

Alex LOVES the tractors. One of his favorite parts of the rodeo.

Ellie was holding on to that bar so tight and soooo interested in seeing those animals. I thought it was best for us both to be on the other side. ;)

He did also LOVE riding the horse!

I didn't get a picture but I think another one of his favorite things was the band playing on the outdoor stage. Just some cute teenagers singing some cover songs but Alex was in hog heaven playing his air drums right along with them!

Spring Break Fun

(last) Last week was Alex's spring break so I decided to do a few fun days to help the week go by.

Monday we went to visit Daddy at work in Lockhart. Honey came too and it was a fun trip. We got to see the office...

play with sticky note tabs
the yard with big stuff...

and we went to barbecue lunch. Alex was intrigued with the Deer heads on the wall. That is what he is looking at here. And he was surprised that it wasn't Whataburger. ;)
I like that it is open 8 days a week! ;) thats what it said!
As for my review of the barbecue....eh. not a big fan of Blacks. Think I will stick with Rudys right down the road.

It is a long drive to Lockhart but it was fun to see Daddy and now Alex has a better idea of where he goes all the time. (Thankfully he is only going all the way to Lockhart a few times a week now though. Yea!!)

Tuesday we went to the outlet mall to look for new shoes for the kids. Always fun. At least we were 50% successful. Thats pretty good. And then there is nothing like a good bribe for shopping. Buzz did the trick! We never go down this part of the mall so Alex had never seen this before- it was like Disneyland! I think he could have stayed all day!

I would say he was in love

gotta let sister play a little too

Wednesday Honey came over to watch the kids for me while I ran errands and shopped. She is truly my angel. my godsend. I love Wednesdays. And I know the kids love it too! They always have a good time! and I actually bought clothes for myself- shocking!! Mom has to have a little fun on spring break too!

Thursday I went to Fairytale Threads consignment sale while Papa watched the kids. Again, I know I am so lucky to have sitters like this! I got some GREAT stuff! Here is a sneak peak of what I found for Alex- it was a steal! and worth every penny if you cant tell already!

And then the kids and I went to Sprouts after Ellie's nap. This was also a fun little outing. Alex never goes to the grocery store with me because I tend to go on Wed. by myself or while he is at school. This was a quick trip and we got his specialty foods that he loves, so it was fun. I will post soon about some of the things I have been baking! believe it or not!

St.Pattys Day Green!

Friday we went to the Rodeo!! That post next! It gets its own post.