Annika's Turn

Annika had her big 12th birthday!

So exciting. She finally gets to go to the Young Women activities at church - which means camp this year! Yea!

Annika begged a sleepover party out of me, and it wasn't actually as bad as I thought it would be. 

All of the girls were nice to each other...and they all eventually went to sleep! So, my neither of my big fears came to pass.

I took the girls to Chipotle for dinner and we had an ice cream cake. Yum!

...and even the decorations were fun to play with...

Cozy was sure all of those girls were there to play with her.

And we finally got Annika a bike that isn't two sizes too small for her!

All of her birthday wishes fulfilled. Check. :)

$$$

Toddlers don't get much spending money. To me, it feels like I'm constantly buying them things, but I'm sure they aren't very interested in those things. Food. New underwear. :)

Cozette was thrilled by the idea of having her own birthday money and choosing her own present.

She chose ring pops - to share with her family (except for me...which I was slightly offended by...until she reminded me that I hate them).

...and a pink care bear!

And now every time we go to Target, she says, "Hey, let's go pick me out another birthday present!"

...and my favorite Cozy quote lately:

"Mom! My bath is too hot! I'm turning my favorite color!"

Cozy is Four!!!

April is birthday month around here...all three of our girls were born in April. 

We didn't plan it that way -  it was just a happy coincidence. ...and now, every other year, we have crazy birthday party month. Cozy's birthday ushers in the madness.

She turned four this year! Little Cozette, growing up too fast.

We had a horse birthday party....but without actual ponies. Dang.

We did horse crafts and had a horse pinata.

Annika was my number one kid wrangler! She played games with the kids and even made the cupcakes!

I gave her a big tip (relative to what I normally pay her) after the party!

Cozy had a wonderful time, and I hope her guest did too!

Home From Hawaii

My husband finally came home from Hawaii! It's so much easier to love your spouse when they aren't texting you pictures of giant sea turtles and tropical beaches. ;)  Plus he brought me presents!

A giant bag of the instant version of my favorite Hawaiian dessert....which apparently no one but me likes.

I am sort of a sucker for anything coconut flavored. Besides, instant haupia is SO GREAT for cutting into adorable shapes - doesn't stick to anything!

Tony also found some amazing Totoro bags from the flea market.

Aren't the soot sprites adorable!

Cozy got the backpack

Fluffy and helpful - just like the "real" Totoro. 

I got a little hassle for not keeping my blog up for my husband while he was away. (Not smart to alienate one of my most devoted readers.) So, now that "birthday season" is over, I'm getting right on that. Stay tuned.

This is for Tony....

I finally put that stool together.

One less thing in pieces on the floor.

Check.

Easter 2013

While I should be keeping my blog updated for my sad absentee husband (he's in Hawaii, poor dear), I've been super busy, running around with kid stuff and house stuff. Oops. 

I'll try to do better.

We barely celebrated Easter. It was a quick egg hunt with plastic eggs in the back yard. 

No one appeared disappointed. (Cozy had already dyed eggs in preschool.)

...and since that picture, with it's empty flower bed....everything has grown!

The bleeding hearts are blooming and the golden jenny is creeping everywhere.

{Sigh} Gardening is so fulfilling.

I think the bell-flowers and columbine will be blooming next.

Back to eggs - Cozy only picked up pink or purple ones.

...and Matt loved any color of egg....chased them all the following week.

Tony's Downstairs Office

I managed to get Tony's new office set up while he was away. (Yes! Goal accomplished!)

...and I haven't bragged about it until now, so that I could surprise him. (SO hard.)

Anthony helped me move Tony's desk downstairs. It looks so much better now...not covered with junk.

...and I pulled the bookshelf out of the dining room, moved all of those books to a crappy temporary one, and actually arranged all of the hubby's textbooks. ....it also provides a great place to keep his toys helicopters. (You have to have some kind of fun thing to do with kids when they come interrupt your studying.)

I framed Tony's commissioning document and some cool paintings he brought back from Peru last summer.

...and some old submarine pictures. I repainted a couple of the more hideous frames they came in. (I already had the green spraypaint - score.)

The bench is from Target...for visiting rears. I'm trying to convince the kids that it is never ever to be relocated...ever....so stop moving it.

I even hung up the wipe board. 

What I didn't hang up?....doors.

That's just beyond my skill level right now.

Since Tony is heading to Hawaii soon, it will probably be a few weeks before his office sees much use (...by him, Sofia and I both use it plenty.) Still, it's a pretty big check on my (long, long) list of house things that need doing. :)