Birthday
Flashback Friday: Happy 4th Birthday
Happy 4th Birthday!
Today’s Flashback Friday brings us back to the girls 4th Birthday Party Celebration! The theme was “Under the Sea”! We had a great group of family and friends join us for the celebration. The kids had fun playing games, eating delicious cake, and snacks!
We had two main games for the party – pin the tail on Willy the Whale and the favorite game for the event, for both the kids and adults, the Goldfish Races!!! We picked up the goldfish at the pet store the day before the party. We used a long and flat storage container to put the water in and divided it down the middle with a board. Two people were given straws to blow on the water to get their fish to swim faster. The person whose fish to got to the other side first wins! All the kids got to take a fish home with them at the end of the event (not sure this was the highlight for the parents, but the kids liked taking a fish home with them).
Grandma Kay made Karlie a shark cake!
Grandma Kay made Brina a turtle cake!
Fascinated by the cool cake! Thanks Grandma!
Grandma Kay and Brina racing their fish! Super fun!
Jack showing off the fish he is taking home with him. Karlie enjoying a treat!
Hung streamers on the wall and put a variety of fish on them!
Karlie blowing on the water with her straw to get her fish to swim faster!
Luke and Kristen racing their fish!
Mandy and Sam racing their fish!
The fish races were so much fun the kids did them several times!
Josh and Rachel racing their fish! Even the adults had fun doing this activity!
Fish snacks anyone?!
The kids enjoying some snacks!
Pin the tail on Wally the Great White Whale! The kids did pretty good with this game!
Birthday Celebration
Happy Birthday breakfast
The girls got two of their birthday wishes on their birthday – one was that they would have snow on their birthday and the second was that they would not have to go to school because of a snow day. They got both wishes and were very excited. It’s not every day you get out of school on a Wednesday for snow in South Carolina. Thankful for these two girls and look forward to many more amazing memories this year with them. They each got to pick out what they wanted to eat for their birthday breakfast. For their special birthday dinner they wanted a Seafood Meal at home.
Karlie had eggs with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese in them.
Brina had a slice of cinnamon swirl breakfast cake.
My sister-in-law Becky shared a chocolate cake recipe with me that was both egg and dairy free so I decided to try it for their birthday. It turned out really well. They loved it. You couldn’t even tell that it was egg and dairy free. The flavor reminded me of my Grandma Doris Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake she used to make from scratch.
The girls wrote out a list of inside and outside activities they wanted to do on their birthday since they were home from school due to the snow. Even though they didn’t get to do all the items on the list I would say they did the majority of them. We packed a lot of fun activities into the day.
For their family birthday dinner they requested a seafood meal and specifically asked for King Crab. They love seafood and the King Crab was a hit and they are getting better at digging out the meat without assistance.
Jake and I picked up Mai-Mahi steak burgers to try as well for their seafood birthday meal. The Mai-Mahi steak with the fresh bakery bun, lettuce, and tomatoes were a tasty hit too! Thankful for our girls and that we can celebrate another birthday with them!
Flashback Friday: Happy 3rd Birthday!
Happy 3rd Birthday Girls!
Today’s Flashback Friday goes back to 2008 for the girls 3rd birthday! We did a Garden & Bug theme for this birthday party. It was neat seeing them getting excited as we decorated for the birthday party. They had a blast! It is amazing how quickly they are growing up.
The family is ready to celebrate at their 3rd birthday party! WooHoo!
Grandma Kay made the delicious birthday cakes for the girls. Brina had a bumble bee, Karlie had a ladybug, and the big cake was a flower garden. They looked adorable! Jake’s Mom makes some amazing cakes!
Brina and Karlie with Grandma Kay right before the birthday party!
Watching the candles as the guests sing Happy Birthday! So excited!
Checking out the candles and their cakes!
Karlie eating little bits while Brina digs right now!
Brina’s ready for clean up…I think it’s Jake turn to hose her down, ha!
Karlie eating her cake and enjoying the fun!
Snacking on their yummy party food!
When they were little we pulled the cooler up the counter so they could stand on it and “help” us cook. Food is ready now the party can begin!
Opening their birthday gifts!
Happy 10th Birthday Brina & Karlie! We Love You!
Happy Birthday Brina & Karlie!
Wishing our two beautiful daughters a very special 10th birthday! Today is a bitter sweet day. They now in the double digits which feels like such a big step in them growing up. We are so excited to be celebrating our twin daughters 10th birthday, but at the same time we are in shock that they could be turning 10 already. The time has gone by way too fast and our babies are growing up!
Thankful for these two amazing blessings in our life. There is not a day that goes by that we do not thank God for giving us these two precious gifts. God has richly blessed our lives with these sweethearts.
Brina and Karlie both fill our home with excitement, laughter, and a lot of fun activity. While they were born on the same day they could not be more different. Thankful for the gifts and talents God has given each one. Brina has a big heart for animals and Karlie has dreams of one day blasting off into space! We are proud of them and look forward to watching them grow up into beautiful young ladies.
Praying that God will continue to work in their hearts and lives this year as well as give us wisdom as parents in raising them. Wishing them a year packed for awesome memories, growth, good health, and so much more! Happy 1oth Birthday Brina and Karlie! We LOVE you more than you can imagine!!! Hope your birthday is truly OUT OF THIS WORLD!
We LOVE you!!!
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Our first priority is eating up the leftovers from the previous weekend with my parents and brothers family visiting. We have several items I want to incorporate into our menu and finish up so we don’t waste them. Thankfully my family enjoys leftovers and it is a great way to help fill in the menu while making sure not to waste the food already in our fridge. It will be a simple menu this week and may not be exactly on target with our usual schedule, but hopefully we can catch up on items. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pork Entree): Smashed Baked Potatoes with Bacon Crumbles, Fresh Lettuce Salad
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Ham Sandwiches, Fresh Fruit Salad, Green Bean Casserole
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Special Event – Kids Birthday Celebration
- Thursday (Pasta or Seafood Entree): Roast, Mashed Potatoes
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Flashback Friday: Let’s Have a Ball – 2nd Birthday Party
Having a “ball” in the swimming pool ball pit!
Today’s Flashback Friday is about Brina and Karlie’s 2nd “Having A Ball” Birthday Party! In case you haven’t noticed for this month my flashback posts have primarily been about the girls early birthday parties. We had balls every where in the house! The kids loved it!!!
It is really cool to look back at the pictures and see how much they have grown. It has been a lot of fun seeing some of the great activities from the past. Thankful for the blessings of these two treasures in my life. They make me smile!
Look out here comes Brina, watch your toes!
Balls emptied out of the pool and filled with books. The girls are having a grand time.
Brina all smiles!
Karlie very concerned about her cake being on fire while Brina is digging in regardless of the candles.
Eating their birthday cakes – Karlie eventually ate her cake once the candles were removed.
Grandma Kay made two delicious birthday cakes for the rest of the group celebrating – a baseball one and beach ball!
What happened to our front door!?
Karlie having a grand time!
Our cousin Sam! So adorable!
Playing in the pool ball pit with Jack!
The only picture we shot of all four of us at this birthday party. Guess we got busy with the celebrations!
Loving their musical birthday cards from Grandpa Russell and Grandma Penny. They listened to them over and over again!
Jake looks like he is up to mischief…..wonder what he is planning to do with that big purple ball?!
Grateful for family and friends who joined us in celebrating the girls 2nd birthday!
Flashback Friday: Barnyard Theme 1st Birthday Party
Happy 1st Birthday girls!
Today our flashback event goes back to the girls first birthday party! We had a barnyard theme for their first birthday party. Our family and friends came to celebrate the special day with us. They were very excited and quite confused by all the commotion that day. Even Jake’s Mom, my parents, and my grandparents were able to come for this special event with us!
Thankful for our family and friends who celebrated this special day with us! It is amazing to see how much these families have grown and changed since this celebration over 9 years ago!
Jake’s Mom (aka Grandma Kay) made these beautiful farm cakes for the girls. She put a lot of time and energy into the cakes and they were so adorable! Brina’s was a calf and Karlie’s was a lamb. The rest of us got to enjoy the barn cake! They were super cute and delicious.
Brina demolished her birthday cake. Karlie didn’t want to touch her cake or get messy, the only frosting she got on her fingers and face was from us sticking her fingers into the frosting for her and smearing it on her face.
What’s everyone looking at!? Brina thoroughly enjoyed her birthday cake! 🙂 What a mess!
Brina’s adorable calf cake before she tore into it.
Karlie’s cute lamb cake. It looked almost the same once she was done with it!
Love It – EcoSphere Closed Aquatic Ecosystem Aquarium
Jake and the girls got me an EcoSphere Aquarium for my birthday! I knew when the package arrived that it was some type of live plant or animal based on a text I received from Jake while I was out running errands – “There was a package dropped off this morning and it is susceptible to cold, can you make sure to bring it inside?” Oh Boy! As soon as Jake was home that night the girls were begging to check out the box. There was a lot of giggling, whispering, and checking out the special package that hung out in Jake’s closet with the lights on for several days before my birthday. Hmmm….interesting.
I knew if it was susceptible to cold and required extra light and/or warmth there was a good chance it was some living item. I didn’t hear any scratching, whining, or other funky noises or smells coming from Jake’s closet so that was a good sign. I was a little perplexed at what it could be though.
I was very surprised when I opened up my special birthday present to find an EcoShpere Aquarium inside it. I had never seen an EcoSphere up close before it was very neat! They got me an aquarium with four shrimp in it.
The best part about the aquarium is that it is super easy to maintain! My kind of pet! You don’t need to feed the shrimp, clean the tank, change the water, or anything else! Oh YES, that’s awesome! You just get to enjoy watching them swim around. It is a pretty cool system and the best kind of stress free pet to have around the house! If you are wanting to get a simple and easy small aquarium this is a great one to have around!
There are several places where you can get the EcoSphere Aquarium – on the EcoSphere website, at Amazon, on Target’s website, or another retailer that sales the EcoSphere products! If you have any Amazon or Target Gift Cards that you have earned from Swagbucks you could use them to purchase your EcoSphere Aquarium too! I hope you enjoy your EcoSphere Aquarium as much as I have! This is a great Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary, or Special Event gift for someone special in your life!
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
Love It – Hand Warmer Mug
For my birthday my Mother-in-Law gave me a Hand Warmer Mug along with Huckleberry Taffy. The mug is handmade and a beautiful blend of purple, blue, and green (three of my favorite colors)! The first time I saw a hand warmer mug was a few months ago on a date with my man! I thought it was super neat, but never had the opportunity to get or use one!
Since I got one for my birthday I have been really enjoying it. The mug holds a good amount of liquid and keeps my hands warm while sipping on my coffee, hot chocolate, apple cider, or tea. I love it!
She got my hand warmer mug from Made in Washington, but there are a lot of places you can probably find them locally or on Amazon. They have mugs specific made for both right-handed people as well as left-handed, make sure to pick the one that works best for you. Also, they come in a variety of color combinations so you can pick you favorite colors too!
The birthday box containing my Hand Warmer Mug and the delicious Huckleberry Taffy!
Enjoying my coffee!
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
Love It – Neato XV Signature Pro Vacuum (Robotic Vacuum)
Last year for Christmas my husband got me the most AMAZING gift ever!!! Seriously!!! I LOVE our Neato XV Signature Pro! It has been the best gift that continues to be a blessing in our busy household.
I never thought I would get so excited about a vacuum….until I had this one! The Neato XV Signature Pro is a robot vacuum that has been a huge time saver for our family. I absolutely love coming home to freshly vacuumed floors! It makes me so happy! 🙂
If you are looking for the perfect Holiday, Birthday, Anniversary, Wedding, or another gift for that special someone I cannot recommend this vacuum enough. We have been using it for a year now and it is still going strong as well as a huge help when it comes to cleaning around the house.
I have been asked for more information and some feedback from various family members, friends, and guests who have seen our vacuum! I LOVE the Neato vacuum Jake got me for Christmas! As long as the girls pick up their little items like toy necklaces, bouncy balls, etc…. it works beautifully. Occasionally, it doesn’t make it all the way back to the charger, but that isn’t very often.
Jake did quite a bit of research prior to picking the vacuum he got for me – Neato website. He choose the Neato Signature vacuums because they are more advanced and have a more powerful motor than the other ones. The ‘Signature” line is the one you’ll want to go for if you are looking at getting one. He got the Neato XV Signature Pro for us which has been awesome! The Signature ones only come in black.
The Neato XV Signature Pro has an extra brush and filter (which gives you two types of brushes) – it basically adds the Pet & Allergy Upgrade Kit, but really any the Signature vacuums would work because they have the better motors.
The Roomba’s are really popular too, but after reading a ton of reviews my husband went with the Neato (and I am glad he did). Amazon has a lot of reviews which were really helpful if your trying to decide between different ones.I LOVE our vacuum!!!! 🙂
I am not sure how well it works on the hardwood floors, but it has been AMAZING on our floors (carpet, tile, and linoleum)! It has worked awesome for the carpet. The kitchen floor gets more stuff on it so I still have to spot clean, mop, and do the edges at times, but it gets the majority of items off the floor. It does a great job downstairs on the tile too. I still need to do the edges with a broom or vacuum every couple of weeks, but otherwise it does everything for me. Occasionally, it will miss something, but overall it is pretty thorough. I love having clean floors!
The only real problem we’ve had so far is the first battery wouldn’t hold its charge for more than 30 minutes and it should last an hour or so. We emailed them right away and got a new battery within a couple days. Every once in awhile it will get stuck on an item (usually in the kids rooms) or lost, but that doesn’t happen very often. I seriously have considered running it daily because I love having the clean floors. Right now, we have it scheduled to vacuum 3 times a week, but you can have it vacuum any time in between those scheduled times as well.
It does take it longer to vacuum than if you did it yourself, but it saves you time in the long run because you don’t have to do it yourself. If company is coming soon it would be quicker to do it by hand or better yet plan ahead to have your Neato XV Signature Pro vacuum earlier in the day so it is it clean before company arrives. One positive result so far – the girls have been keeping their rooms cleaner and more picked up because they don’t want “Runner, Runner” (the name given to our Neato vacuum) to eat their toys, ha!
I know you’d love it too! It really is wonderful, now if we can only get a robot to cook meals, clean toilets, etc…! Never thought I would be so excited about a vacuum cleaner, hehehe! If you have any additional questions you can comment, contact me or check out the Neato website.
Honestly, the biggest negative is the initial cost of the vacuum. However, if you are already in the market for a vacuum it really is worth it. Also, I have seen it listed on “deal” sites and Amazon has been known to have it on sale as well. If you have some Swagbucks accumulated you can use them to help purchase your Neato XV Signature Pro from Amazon too!
Hope you enjoy having freshly vacuumed floors as much as I do! Now I am off to clean something else while our robot vacuum takes care of the floors for me! Happy Cleaning!!!
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
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