Growing Up

This week has been crazy busy with babies, birthdays, DVBS, crafting and lots of other fun and exciting things! However, that has meant zero time to sit and write about it. So, here I am to fill you in on just a few of the latest happenings.

This week, on August 10, my middle daughter, Ali, turned 2! It is so hard to believe that time has gone by that quickly! She is growing up and though it is exciting, it makes me a little sad! She is a complex child, that one, the only daddy's girl in the bunch and my little brown-eyed cutie. To celebrate birthdays in this household, both sets of families are invited to help us party! Since both sides of the family are so close by, that means about 30 people crammed into our house! It is full, cozy, and a whole lot of fun! The kids especially love it and wouldn't think of having any birthday without the cousins!

I have never been a cake fan so making cakes is just not my thing. In the past, to compensate for the lack of a cake, I have served ice cream sundaes! They always are a hit! This year, however, I took the plunge and made cake! Okay, so this isn't your typical cake - as a matter of fact, I think they are waaaayyyy better - CAKE POPS!! Thanks to Bakerella and this post http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2008/01/dont-lick-bite.html I decided to make these lovelies for the party! Don't they look so fun?!! What girl wouldn't love these?

They really are quite easy to make - and, as usual, I had all the helpers I needed, plus a few extra! Here is Ali making her own pop

and Ali eating that same pop!!

Although I can quite happily live without cake (cheesecake is quite another story!), others need to be satisfied so, although the pops were fun, cupcakes were added to complete the cake experience! Plus, you cannot stick 2 candles into a cake pop - after all, what is a birthday without candles!!

So, my sweet little 2 year old, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I love you for who you are and who God is making you to be. I am so glad He brought you into our lives!

Not only did we celebrate the 2 year birthday of Ali, our little baby celebrated her own milestone this week on August 12, reaching the wonderful age of 6 months! If time was moving fast for Ali, it is moving even faster for Ari (is that possible!!). Was it only 6 months ago this little ray of sunshine entered our lives? Ari is a sweetheart through and through with a smile big enough to light up the room and generous enough to share with everyone! As the last of our 5 children (at least that is our plan - God may have His own [and usually does!!]), we couldn't have asked for a better personality - so laidback and easy-going, happy and easy to content, she is the perfect way to finish our family! We couldn't imagine our life without her (or any one of the others, for that matter!!). Ari, I am so glad God made you so full of joy! Share that joy with everyone you meet and, in doing so, share the amazing love of our heavenly Father. I love you, little one!