Celebrations // Hudson turns ONE!

Hudson turned one a few weeks ago. It seemed to happen SO fast! Yet, he has done so much this year, and learned so much! He started walking a couple of weeks before his birthday...and he hasn't slowed down since! His actual birthday was really low-key. We had planned to celebrate outdoors, but there was a big tropical storm that rained and flooded us out of that idea...so we celebrated in the coziness of our home, sweet and simple. We gave our little boy a wooden drum and his brothers and sisters gave him a little toy fox and wolf - cozy for him to snuggle with. His Aunt and Uncle gave him a new outfit - and we all gave him lots of squishy hugs and kisses! He was a huge fan of the chocolate cake and ice-cream, too! 

Well, today we finally had some great weather and some time with his brother and sisters (as school is out this week for Thanksgiving Break), so we took advantage and celebrated at the park with some cupcakes and gave Hudson his chance to smash that cup-cake while we took some pictures to document how big our boy is these days. The kids all wore some woodland animal masks that I made recently (except the birthday boy/fox - he doesn't like wearing masks or hats these days!) and we had a grand little celebration at the park. It just so happened to be the park next to the hiking trail where I first started going into labor with my sweet boy. We had gone hiking that afternoon, and when we were headed home, around dinner time, I started having more regular surges or contractions. Eventually we started timing them and after dinner went to the birth center, where he was born that evening! We brought him back to the park to celebrate his first week of life (with cupcakes, of course), so it only seemed fitting to bring him back to celebrate his first birthday. 

We love our Hudson Jude so very very much. He brings SO much joy and peace into our home and our lives. He has a super easy going personality, likes to giggle, has big blue eyes and a smile to match. He loves his brother and sisters. He loves his Daddy and he loves his Mama. He absolutely loves the outdoors and exploring, as well as warm baths with building towers with his little wooden blocks. He loves to dance and his current favorite song is "If You're Happy and You Know It" - his favorite part is to shout "hooray!!!!" We couldn't imagine our lives without our sweet boy - so today, and every day, we celebrate his life and the blessing he is in ours. Happy First Birthday, Hudson! Here's to the many wonderful years ahead that we get to celebrate with you!

Celebrations // Sawyer turns 7

Sawyer wanted to have a "shark" party to celebrate his seventh birthday! We made it a pool party with a handful of his friends - and everyone had a blast! In fact, we were having such a blast that these are the only pictures we took the whole afternoon! His two requests were shark cupcakes, and a shark piñata. He was thrilled that we managed to do both! 

His "real" birthday was the day before the party, so we celebrated with some Mighty Fine Burgers and cake and candles at home. When it comes to celebrating birthdays, it is then little things that make our kids so very excited (the singing and candles get them so giddy!) I love it. I honestly can hardly believe how fast the years are flying by. It is a little bittersweet, but at the same time, so so fun. This little boy was the cutest little chubby baby - but he is such a smart, funny, loving little boy. What a gift it is to watch this boy learn and grow right in front of my eyes. It's magic! Happy Happy Birthday, buddy! We love you SO much! 

Celebrations // Hazel turns three

This past week our sweet Hazel Grace turned three years old! Over the weekend, we traveled to San Antonio and met up with my sister and her husband (who recently moved there), and took the kids to a fun little amusement park. The glory of a "larger" family is there are always plenty of people around to make a celebration! The kids had a blast going on all of the little carnival rides, and eating cotton candy - it was so fun to see their faces light up as they went on the rides and searched for our faces in the crowd to wave at us. Having kids is just the best! On her "real" birthday, we kept things quite simple. It was a pretty normal, low-key day. We made homemade pizza (her favorite!) for dinner, and then, of course, we had cake. She requested chocolate cake, and I made her one of our favorite vegan cake recipes, and topped it off with three white candles and a rose from our rose bush. She was so excited when it was time to sing and blow out those candles! In fact, a whole week later, she is still walking around singing happy birthday. I just love this sweet girl so much. She is constantly wrapping her arms around my neck, and pulling my face to hers. She looks me right in the eye and says "I...Love...You!" We repeat it to one another, and then she puckers up for a big ole kiss. Then, we turn our cheeks for kisses on the cheek. And then we wink at one another. She honestly sit in my arms and do that for half the day and be completely happy. She has always been a bit of a mama's girl, needing me just a little bit extra. She has had a pretty big year this year! She became a big sister, transitioned from her crib to a big girl bed, and sharing a room with her sister. And we can't forget potty training, recently. Yes, a big year. A little rocky here and there with the adjustments, but who can blame her? Those are a lot of big things when you are a little girl. She has done very well, though, and one thing in which there is no doubt is that she loves well and is well loved. She has really bloomed in the big sister role, and has also really enjoyed the companionship and closer relationship she has developed with her big sister while her big brother was in kindergarten this year. I have a feeling she's also going to love having a bit more one on one time in the fall when Aspen goes to kindergarten, too (although she will miss her, as well - it's so darling to watch them play together, baby dolls and dress ups - melts this mamas heart!) Oh, how time flies! It really really does! I'm trying hard to keep focusing on all the fun we have as these babies of ours keep passing up milestones left and right. Watching them grow is so amazing - bittersweet at times if you think too much - but mostly, just such an amazing honor to behold. Here's wishing our sweet baby girl another wonderful trip around the sun! We sure love our Hazel!

Celebrations // Aspen turns five

For Aspen's 5th birthday, she requested a Baking Party. It was a cute and simple party with a handful of her sweet little friends, along with her brother and sister. They had such a fun time playing together and then decorating their own mini birthday cakes!

I was excited when she suggested a baking theme, as I figured it would be fairly simple to put together. Of course, then I decided to make each of the girls a cute apron to wear - now that part was not quite as simple! I spent a few hours figuring out how to replicate my own favorite apron (the tea and crumpets apron Jacob gave me a few Christmas' ago) and then I made each of the girls a mini version of my apron, and a more "boyish" apron for Sawyer. I think they turned out darling! The girls each got to take them home, along with a wooden spoon. 

I made small, double layer cakes the day before the party, and froze the cakes, so that I could easily frost them the morning of the party. Each child got their own little cake and then I put a lot of fun decorating options on the table for them to go at it! It was SO fun to watch them! To say most of them went a bit overboard...would be quite accurate! Who doesn't love a pound of sprinkles, anyway!?!

Here was Aspen's final creation. Her own birthday cake! Everyone sang to her, and then she got to blow out her 5 candles, and have a slice of her little cake. Putting together such a sweet little party for my girl helped me enjoy the celebration rather than get all wishy-washy that she's growing up so fast. We don't do parties every year, so it was sweet to see how excited she was about helping plan her party this year. So sweet. Just like our girl. 

Oh, Aspen Jane! You are sweeter than all the frosting on your cute little cake! We are so very blessed to have you as a daughter and for the love and joy you bring to us each day. Happy 5th birthday, darlin' - we love you to the moon (and back)!

Celebrations // Hazel turns two

Our little Hazel Grace just turned two! We celebrated with a simple party on a Sunday afternoon. A handful of friends and family, along with a party hat, made our birthday girl feel extra special - we played pin the tail on the donkey, let the kids run wild in the back yard, and then watched her blow out her two pink candles. Hazel is our little animal lover, so I made her an "animal cake". It was four layers of ombre-pink. She was delighted! We gave her a little gold Rody horse to bounce around on (a big hit with all the kids!) and she also got a little Duplo Zoo (she especially loves the animals, of course!) and some pink converse (so cute!) Oh how the time flies when these little ones are growing up! Hazel is such a blessing to our family, such a lovely delight to each of our days! Two will be Terrific! Happy 2nd Birthday, baby girl! 

Oh BOY!

Yesterday, we learned the exciting news that we are having a baby BOY! And we couldn't be more thrilled about it! Hudson Jude is on his way!!! Hooray!

Celebrations // Aspen turns four

Our oldest daughter turned FOUR a couple of weeks ago! We loved her at first sight, but isn't it crazy how simple, pure love can grow more every single day!?! This girl is a sweetheart. She really is. She has a tender heart and is quick to jump in to help and serve when she sees a need. She is easy going, and loves her brother and sister. She loves princesses and pedicures and pink. She also loves rocks and doesn't mind getting dirty in the least - so she's a great mix of a girl :) She loves to sing and twirl around the room. She is a pure delight. 

We had a small party, with just our family and then Aunt Tia and soon-to-be-Uncle Adam, too. She was excited the entire day, as she should be. She wanted a "pony" cake, so I made a simple cake and put a little pony on top - easy enough.

Part of me can't believe another year has flown by, but part of me can. It seems like not long ago she was a super chunky adorable little bebe, yet sometimes it feels ages ago. I love looking at old pictures of my babes -- and they LOVE watching home videos of when they were babies. It is a birthday tradition to watch some old footage - especially when Sawyer (19 months at the time) came to meet Aspen at the birth center. He and Daddy almost knocked down the door, he stormed in with so much excitement to finally meet his baby sister (and he seemed like such a baby himself!) "A-pie, A-pie" he looked high and low, until he found what he was looking for - his sister. She brought him a red race car on her birth day, and he had a gift for her, too. We had cupcakes and a celebration dinner, and sang to our newest addition. They love watching it so much, it's just so sweet. Our video recorder wasn't the best (my iPhone takes better video now!) but I'm so so grateful we have some of those little memories preserved on video. It's really crazy how time flies, isn't it? Before I know it, my kids will be all grown up and I'll be...old...or something like that! But for now, I'm just enjoying each moment with them. Loving life with my Aspen Jane, and couldn't imagine life without her!

Happy Birthday, Aspen!

Celebrations // Sawyer turns five

We have celebrated birthdays galore the past week!

I was having a hard enough time letting it sink in that my baby is now ONE - but that my firstborn and only son is FIVE? Wowzers!

Sawyer requested a Lego Party long ago, as we had told him he could have "real" (the small) legos when he turned five. He held us to it! A Lego Party, it was!

Since we moved here only 3 weeks ago, I was a little worried about who the guests might be...but thanks to a wonderful children's group at church, he is already making friends! Our good friends from SW Austin also drove up for the occasion, so there were plenty of little people there to help celebrate (whew!)

We bbq'd hot dogs and had a little picnic dinner. Since we still aren't totally settled and our walls are mosaics of color - oh and our garbage disposal is broken and sink doesn't drain (ugh - getting all new stuff tomorrow, thank goodness!) I decided to take advantage of our new HOA facilities and reserved the covered pavilion at the playground near the pool. Easy! And so convenient! 

Originally, I had planned on having a little "lego hunt" where the kids would each get a teammate and go find their teams lego color, hidden around the park and playground...but then...the sprinklers came on. The kids went wild (you always need to cool off here in Texas!) and ran around and chased each other, making up their own games, for a good half hour or so. After they were cooled off, very well drenched and soaked, and the sun was starting to set...we lit the candles, sang to the birthday boy, and everyone enjoyed some cake and cupcakes.

Aspen was in heaven with her little friend, Teresa around!

And...the soaking wet birthday boy!

Our FIVE year old!

This little girl is SO darling. She thinks Hazel is the best, and asked if she could hold her. It was so cute! Future babysitter!?!

Lighting the candles! Sawyer helped me make these candles! We melted old candles into these molds I had (we made crayons for the goodie bags) and he was SO excited for days about his little lego men candles! He requested a RED Lego Brick Cake. I did my best! Thank goodness this time I got the pre-colored fondant instead of dying it myself like a couple years back (and my hands were stained for days afterwards)! Always makes my heart happy to see the boy light up right along with his candles, as we sing to him on his special and magical day!

I can't believe it's been five years already! 

Happy Birthday, Sawyer James!

We love you soooo much!
May all your birthday wishes come true!