The favor of your opinion is requested...

I'm trying to figure out colors for Cupcake's room and I keep leaning towards black, white and bright blue. But we know she's a girl, or atleast have a pretty good idea that she is, so doesn't that mean I have to use pink? (I know medical technology isn't perfect but two separate perinatologists have determined on two separate occasions that this baby doesn't have boy parts so we are going with that.)

I am not into the baby bedding sets you can buy pre-packaged. Most of those sets come with a quilt that is dangerous to use with a baby and I'm not comfortable with the whole bumper pad thing for an infant (whether it's a suffocation hazard or not is still a debate it seems) so our crib bedding will probably consist of a homemade skirt and an assortment of white sheets (I think I have some pale pink ones too). But then I look at the sweet little dolly we have sitting on the bookshelf  because I know she's not going to play with it for a long while and I find myself drawn to the idea of a tiny black and white theme accented with that bright aqua blue and maybe some pink and I wonder if that's just too funky. What do you think?

If I were to go whole hog with this theme, I'm thinking creamy white (not too bright white) walls with black accents like letters, frames and shelves:

a black and white crib skirt in a pretty floral pattern like this:

or maybe this:

with some bright colored curtains like these:

Little accents of that same bright aqua blue would sit here and there. Maybe the background paper of that initial framed above, or in the colors of a mobile... maybe bright blue raindrops with a pink umbrella like this one I found on Etsy. I think I could make it myself and hang it from the ceiling. I like the idea of a paper mobile that moves and sways in a gentle breeze. (Everything I have shown here, with the exception of the curtains, is just an idea for something I think I could make.)

It seems like everywhere you go, pink is for girls and blue is for boys but I already have a daughter who has claimed pink and another daughter who claims purple as her "signature color" and for some reason, maybe it's the impending sultry summer months, but this bright blue is speaking to me. However it irritates me when people assume a baby is the wrong gender. What do you think? Does the blue make it look too boyish?

Good Shepherd Garden Party :: Week Five

The Gardener Plants Paradise

With back-to-back birthdays, a little boy with a neck spasm followed by working at a wonderful but exhausting homeschool conference on Friday and Saturday, and some door painting and repair on Sunday, let me tell you... if today hadn't been a holiday, I don't think this garden party would have gotten done!

The Tree of Life's Leaves and Flowers

PB&J sandwiches inspired by Jessica. I made more than this, I just didn't photograph them.

 The Tree of Life's Fruit

If my kids ask, back me up and tell them that watermelons grow on trees, okay? Thanks!

The Owl

These owl cupcakes always turn out cute, but Jessica's owl cake had us girls cooing this week! It's so precious!

The Olive Tree

Olive oil is as close to an olive as my kids will get.

The Palm Tree

The Roses and Lilies

A few after-dinner mints made using mint wafers and my candy molds.

I am soooooo ready for a week off this week and then back to school next week. We are schooling through the summer so that we can take more time when the baby arrives in September.

You can see more Week 5 celebrations over at Catholic Cuisine!

In Memoriam

Holy Mass with a priest who used to be in the military is one of the best ways I can think of to start a Memorial Day remembrance! Seeing him, standing in front of the altar, refusing to turn and leave until all four verses of America the Beautiful are sung, chokes you up a little... especially when your son is serving beside him.

God bless the fallen and those who miss them!

Remember, Lord, the fallen
Who died in fields of war, 
In flaming clouds, in screaming crowds,
On streets that are no more,
That we today might waken
And greet this day in peace
With grateful prayer for those who bear
The storms that never cease.


Remember friends and stranger, 
And those forgotten now,
Who names are known to you alone, 
Before whose love we bow
And ask that you surround them
With mercy's endless light
That they may live, and we forgive
The foe they went to fight


Remember, Lord, the living,
Who bear the pain of loss
A death she died who stood beside
Her Son upon the cross.
Remember all your children
The dead and those who weep,
And make us one beneath the sun
Where love will ever sleep.

~ Sr. Genevieve Glen, OSB

A(nother) LEGO Birthday

BigBoy with a LEGO Buddy and a Bed Buddy

When you have an older brother as cool as this guy, it only makes sense that a little brother would want to follow in his footsteps. BigBoy has been planning his LEGO birthday ever since The Professor had one last year. Thankfully, Jessica's creativity helped infuse our party with a little "new life" so it didn't feel like a total repeat!

His banner...

...and table settings with #7 wall decor.

I opted not to make Jessica's adorable gift bags but instead drew circles on the plates and napkins to make them look like LEGO bricks. His presents were also decorated like LEGO bricks.

I used this ice cube tray as a candy mold to make little bags of treats but sadly, because of his hurt neck, the Birthday Boy wasn't interested in many of my planned festivities so we'll hang on to them until he feels better. We wanted to make Jessica's LEGO pops, too but will save those for another day.

While he was with Daddy at the doctor, the older kids added some new paper minifigures to the party using the templates I made last year.

This is a paper version of a minifigure that BigBoy owns called Mark and we decided that our little dog Crouton needed to be turned into a minifigure as well!

The Professor put up his minifigure from last year and a new Ninjago friend for this year.

Sunshine added knitting needles to her minifigure from last year.

Shortcake added a beloved cousin friend who loves to wear hats!

His cake was a Lethal Peppermint Chocolate Cake with Mint Buttercream filling and Mint Ganache frosting, just like his big brother had. (I totally recommend substituting chopped Andes mints for the candy cane, btw.) The Professor put together the little scene on top ala one of their favorite blogs, a LEGO a day! The Samurai and the Roman Warrior are holding a banner that says Happy Birthday, BigBoy, but with his real name (because my kids really do have real names in real life)! 

I hope Mr Phelps knows how much his pictures have inspired their creativity.

 All in all, BigBoy had a good day. He has been so brave dealing with his neck strain especially while mommy was not being so brave and crying all over him. When he is fully recovered, we plan to continue the party. Heck, we might just leave the decorations up until then!

Thank you!

For all the birthday wishes for Sunshine yesterday and the prayers and concern for us last night. We did not sustain any physical damage (only minor emotional damage : ) except one large branch from a tree that Mother Nature is determined to take apart for us one piece at a time. It landed in the driveway but our cars were in the garage so all was well as soon as Husband and The Professor hauled it to the side yard. I don't know if it's official, but it seems there is a consensus that there was a tornado in our area, a few miles to the northeast of us that either dissipated and reformed a few miles to the south or this was a case of two separate tornadoes, we aren't sure yet.

It was pretty scary. We heard the roar as people call it, that sound like a freight train. It was continuous, unlike thunder and it didn't change pitch like an airplane. I've heard it only once before. It's a terrifying sound even when heard from a distance and you just want it to stop. Sunshine's party ended with everyone praying in the storm closet. I'm sure it's a birthday she'll never forget.

Today's party for BigBoy has begun on a bit of a down note. The birthday boy isn't feeling well and might only get to visit the doctor today instead of the LEGOLAND Discovery Center he's been looking forward to. Would you mind offering a small prayer for him? It's not fun to not feel well on your birthday. :(

UPDATE from the Doc's office: BigBoy has a muscle spasm in his neck making it hard for him to look to the left. We will be staying put until that little muscle relaxes back out. Birthday Party#2... on hold for now!

A Hawaiian Birthday

Hau`oli Lā Hānau  (Happy Birthday) to my sweet 12 year old Sunshine!
As you can see, she chose a Hawaiian themed party. She's always had a little fascination with Hawaii. I'm not sure why but I think it's the romantic in her. This is her second Hawaiian themed birthday party, the first was when she was only 7.

Apparently a luau theme is a popular graduation/summer theme so when your birthday is in May, it's easy to find decorations like a grass skirt for your table!

 

I made a banner to greet her using this Tiki Palms font and some free handed paper leaves.

I also printed up our names in Hawaiian using this website and made a little travel vocabulary sheet with some of her favorite things.

 

First thing in the morning, we listened to Hawaiian music here and over on Pandora while we decorated flip flops! We needed to get an early start on these so that the glue would have time to dry completely. This was a wonderful craft that the girls really enjoyed. All you need is flip flops, some ribbon (I recommend grosgrain, about a yard for each left and right) and doodads to accessorize with. BigBoy used buttons and the girls found these little beaded discs in the same aisle as the flip flops.

 Start on one side, using Fast Grab Tacky Glue, glue the ribbon down (starting under the strap would probably be better, but ours were too tight to pry up), wrap around the flip flop strap overlapping a little as you go. You can choose to wrap around the toe post or not, it's up to you.  Secure the ends with clamps or clothespins until completely dry.  I used hot glue for the center doodads.

BigBoy helped decorate a very masculine pair for himself. The Professor would have joined in, but like his momma, he has an aversion to things touching or separating his toes and doesn't wear flip flops. (And now you know more about me than you ever wanted to know, I'm sure!)

She received some beautiful and thoughtful gifts from loved ones far away (and a special gift from us). These sweet little baubles came all the way from Hawaii in the suitcase of a little sister who came to visit Texas. Sunshine was thrilled, can't you tell! Thank you, Miss Mary! I hope I don't have to wait to meet all of Jessica's sisters before I finally get to meet her!



After we met some delightful new friends for a too quick meet and greet at our favorite girl store, we came home and made shaved ice with fun flavors. I bought this Back to Basics machine on clearance one fall when a horrific stomach bug was rampaging through the whole family and ice chips were all anyone could stomach. We pulled it out for an afternoon treat today and enjoyed it so much more than that first time! (Our local Target store had the flavored syrups for less than Amazon.) I was going to let them learn this hula dance via ActivityTV but we ran out of time!

 For her cake, after seeing these inspirational cakes, she chose a fancy layered cake (which means wedding cake layers) with tropical looking flowers all around. An Incredible Melted Ice Cream Cake from the Cake Mix Doctor book with a white frosting was delicious and made with strawberry ice cream ended up pink on the inside, Sunshine's favorite color! Silk flowers made decoration a snap! Which was great since I had to start on BigBoy's cake this evening! And if you are reading this on Wednesday, that means that Birthday Party #2 has begun. Say a prayer that my eyes are open. What was I thinking when I kept my legs crossed seven years ago insisting that they both needed to have their own birthday?