I'm A Very Lucky Girl

After much talk and consideration and job hunting that has led nowhere in this horrid job market, we've recently come to a big family decision. This is Emily's last month in preschool, after that she gets to hang out with me until Kindergarten this fall. I'm really excited about it! The thought of how much I've missed out on from working full time and having her in other people's care for the last three years has always been bugging me somewhere in the back of my brain, but it was always necessary so that's what matters. I am so lucky with the life I have now, and so very grateful for the chance to teach Emily on my own and spend a lot of one on one time with her that we both need! I have the best loving and supportive husband who just wants best for our family as well, what more can I ask for? Life is fabulous! I really appreciate everybody and everything I have in my life, and I'm so excited to get tons of time with my little monkey. After all, who wouldn't want to spend more time with this face...

Just Like Mommy

I proudly admit to the world that I am a Starbucks hot chocolate junkie! Coffee, no,  I love the smell but can't drink the stuff.  Hot chocolate...the third love of my life (behind Alex and Emily).  Now you'll understand why today was such a special day...Emily had her first Starbucks hot chocolate! :)  She wanted a drink like mine, and they just happen to conveniently make a little kid's size and at a cooler temperature so they don't burn their little tongues.  You have to teach them young. ;)

A Fun Sunday Night

I absolutely love my husband and daughter to death and really adore all the time that I get to spend with them and love everything we do together, but there's just something a little special and stress relieving in a different way when it comes to having a girl's night.  My sister Kelli invited us girls to her birthday dinner last night at this super yummy Italian restaurant, it was fun!  Just a small group of us talking about silly things and most likely laughing way too loud for the other diners. As always I was feeling lucky to get to come home and cuddle with my hubby while making fun of the people trying out for American Idol before we went to sleep.

My lovely sis-in-laws, Trisha & Cherie

The birthday girl and me

Me, Trisha & Cherie

Cheri, Trisha, me & Kelli

This dessert was SOOO good!

"Warm dark chocolate cake infused with a Gianduia Praline Truffle, softened with Italian Vanilla Gelato"

The Chic Side Of Emily

Emily's been wanting her hair cut short since before our wedding and I finally gave in on Friday as a reward for being really good at two doctors visits in the same week.  She is sooo excited about her "new hair" and she looks adorable!!  She has kind of a sophisticated little girl look to her now, and the fact that she doesn't complain about tangles while doing her hair is a total bonus for me.

Before

After

Let Them Eat Cake!

Making cakes is a little hobby of mine (for now, until some day I get to learn how to do it professionally) and I had the privilege of making a few of them this month.  I practice on my friends and family because that's what they're there for! :)

Emily decided that my best friend (Amanda) needed a princess cake for her 29th birthday.  Who was I to tell her she didn't?!  You can never be too old for a princess cake, and I figured if I was going to make one I'd better make it really pink and girly.  It was the most fun cake I've ever made!

Today I was able to make my nephew Devin a cake for his 8th birthday.  He's having a Super Mario Brothers themed party and had been begging Tina for a cake that looks like the mushroom from the game, so she put in her request with me and I said I'd see what I could do.  It turned out pretty cute!

 I heart cake!!

Emily Quotes

Here are a couple more Emilyisms for your enjoyment.  These were both said on the way home from school two days ago.  It's so funny to hear things the way they interpret them!

"Mommy, if you talk to a stranger, then the stranger will come and knock you down.  And you'll get hurt."

She was very excited when she told me this, "The police officer came to our school today and he didn't shoot us!"

Weekend Review

Happy Monday everybody!  We had a really busy and fun weekend so get ready for a long post.

Emily was actually sick with an ear infection starting on Wednesday of last week and with the wind on Wednesday and Thursday we couldn't go outside because of allergies, so we were excited to get to the park Friday afternoon when the weather was perfect.  We brought her sand toys with us and built a sand...well a sand wall sort of, can't really call it a castle.

Here's Emily at the park with her appropriately themed crab shirt on:

Oh, question...can anybody tell me what these are really called?  Growing up I knew them only as "monkey balls" and I have no idea where I learned that or what their proper name is!  I just know that every time I mention that to somebody else they look at me like I'm crazy.  :)

Saturday we headed over to the Discovery Science Center with some friends of ours.  We had a lot of fun!  Alex tried out the bed of nails and Emily had so much fun with the wall of pins, rock climbing wall, and playing with her friend Alexis at the little outdoor dinosaur park.  They have a lot of cool things for adults to play with as well, and I think the only thing that I wasn't too sure of was the bit pile of face dinosaur poo they had below the big dinosaur on the playground to show the end of the digestive system.  :)

Sunday of course we went to Tina's house for a Super Bowl party (she's a HUGE Steelers fan).  She was the only one there routing for the Steelers and it was soooo funny just to sit and watch everybody flip out over the ref's calls and to hear the jokes everybody was making about each other.  Here's the cake I made for dessert, excuse the falling goal post, it didn't agree with the car ride.  :)