celebrations

 

It's been a busy few weeks at our house with a lot to celebrate. The last week of Justin's school, Audrey's birthday, a new baby and Mother's Day all fell close together. Let's start with Audrey's birthday:

 

Since we're right in the middle of moving and we knew we were going to have a big party at Grandma's house later in the week, we decided to keep Audrey's birthday small this year. She wanted a ballerina party so we wrapped up some ballet birthday presents and she got to have two friends over for dinner. (pancakes per her request)

 

Then there was a small gathering at the ISU History Department to celebrate the students graduating from their program.

 

Afterward we packed up Justin's office and took a corny picture to remember it by, then turned in his keys.

 



 

On Saturday morning Justin surprised me with flowers and some new ramekins (I've been wanting some new ones, in white of course) for Mother's Day since we'd be with my family on Sunday.

 

He also gave me his "Stole of Gratitude" and a sweet card for helping him through school.

Loved it.

 

After that we packed up and headed down to Twin Falls to have a nice goodbye lunch with Justin's family, then we drove to Wendell to have a baby blessing/graduation/mother's day/goodbye/birthday party at my parents house. They invited my whole family including grandparents, Aunts and Uncles and cousins. It was so great to see everyone.

 

We ate too much of my family's famous baked beans and my Mom's delicious texas sheet cake

 

My sweet Mother went to a lot of trouble to make sure that Justin was fawned over properly for all of his hard work in school.

 

And Audrey got a proper not-store-bought ballerina birthday cake.

 

Then about 30 people sang to her and we opened presents.

We snuggled Beth's darling baby lots

 



 

but the best part, for me: seeing everyone all together.

(and sitting around until 9:30 at night listening to my Dad and my Uncles telling old horse stories and laughing and laughing. )



 

It was a great party that required lots of time and effort from both my parents.

Thank you so much!

Beth's Baby Shower

 

This last weekend my Mom and I threw my little sister, Beth, a baby shower. She's pregnant with a little girl and due at the end of April.

 

Because my Mom and sister and I are all crazy when it comes to details and parties, prepartion started months before with Mom and I sweating over the guest list and invitations. Then the night before I went to Wendell I cranked out 60 of these little lamb cookies to be party favors. There's a long story that goes with these involving me dumping 2 batches of them in the trash and crying/banging my head against the oven, and staying up until midnight and bossing Justin around and 1 small swear word but just suffice it to say that these were fun, but a lot of work.

 

Although they did turn out so cute.

 

 

We decided on a nursery rhyme themed shower. So I made a garland that had little books and flowers, stars and moons hanging from it,

 

 

 

We served "Mary Quite Contrary Garden Salad" and "Little Boy Blueberry Scones" with "Miss Muffet's Lemon Curd"

 

 

also "Bakers Man Brownies"

 

 

"Peter Piper Peanut Butter Sandwiches" for the kids

 

 

and a "Sugar and Spice Layer Cake" which had us worried for awhile but turned out devine.

 

 

 

For drinks there was a "pail" of "Jack and Jill Juice"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great turn-out and Beth got some great presents for her little girl. I had a lot of fun throwing her the party. Best part? Cooking in the kitchen with my Mother, my sister, and my daughter.

What a treat.



Christmas 2012

playing tic tac toe with Dad

 

One of the major positives of Justin being a student right now is that he gets a big Christmas break and we get to just hang out together for some time around Christmas. We're loving every minute of having him home.

 

We had dinner at a cute little diner here named "Uncle Jim's"

 

 

we worked on a big puzzle

 

 

wore old Christmas gifts to church (Ariane made me this necklace a few years ago- love it!)

 

 

watched lots of Christmas movies

 

 

made sugar cookies for Santa

 

 

Davy's frosting job:

 

 

 

 

 

we got ready for our 2nd annual formal Christmas Eve dinner

 

 

 

 

I took this picture about 2 mintues before Davy spilt his sparkling cider all over the table

 

Santa came!

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

we went to Grandma and Grandpa Bunn's house where David helped get the chicken feed ready

and Audrey made some beautiful yummy mini pink cupcakes

 



 

 

It was a great Christmas!