Happy Birthday Princess #2!!

Princess #2 turned 8 this past Sunday.at.long.last. it was her turn to celebrate! I think she had a great day. (What day couldn't be great with a giant burger shaped cake for dessert!!)

Here are some things that we celebrate about Princess #2 at age 8:

. . . she is passionate.

. . . she is friendly.

. . . she loves to wear long skirts with tank tops. If you ask why, she shrugs and says, "It's just my style." Love that. She has a style.

. . . she loves to sing and dance.

. . . she loves to watch movies.

. . . she loves to talk about the movies that she's watched. {I've threatened to get her a "I'm a spoiler alert" t-shirt!}

. . . she is all drama all.the.time. This is not always a negative trait!

. . . she will tell you anything. Just ask Mrs. Snyder. {grin}

. . . she will talk about anything.

. . . she prefers not to sit still for very long.

. . . she loves to swim and play outside.

. . . she loves her family.

My entire pregnancy with her, starting at week 8 with an ectopic pregnancy scare, was a walk in trust and faith for me. Learning to trust that my Lord was in control and really had not only this little girl's best interests in mind, but also mine, was a very difficult concept for me to grasp. Especially when at each appointment (it seemed) something else popped up as a red flag in her development, or a further complication arose in her impending delivery.

Through those 8 months, God was faithful. Princess #2 never, ever stopped moving while in the womb.ever. Annoying at the time, but looking back, what a constant reassurance to this mama that she really was okay. Once she was born she screamed and screamed and screamed. Seriously. For--ever. It still is the best sound in I have ever heard so far in my life!

Happy Birthday Princess #2! We couldn't be prouder of you or love you more!! You are truly an amazing gal and we are so blessed to have you in our family.

A Knit A Week

Meet Birdlyn, Princess #1's Easter basket surprise!

This was a kit from Amy Gaines' etsy shop.

Verdict: Easy to follow pattern, completely inclusive kit

(she even included knitting needles) for a great price=

a charming, quick, adorable friendly owl!

Wordless Wednesday

A Book A Week

So I've got another favorite from the Castle's bookshelf to introduce to you, "The Great Fuzz Frenzy" by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel. The frenzy over fuzz begins when a dog drops a tennis ball down a groundhog hole! After getting over their initial fear of the intruder, the groundhogs go crazy over the fuzz til the ball is picked clean. Then a fight breaks out--greediness rules until little Pip Squeak rallies the den to work together.

This one is fun to read aloud and has fun fold-out pages that hold interest. It has some great discussion starters about treating others how you would like to be treated despite previous conflicts that you might have had, greediness, and the importance of working together.

Ages 2 and up would probably like this one in my opinion. The Prince will listen to the Queen's special "condensed" version! :)

A Book A Week

As most of you know, we here at the castle are book-aholics (or book-alcoholics if you are Princess #3). I thought it might be fun to recommend, so to speak, a book we have "discovered" that your family might enjoy too. I'll do my best to update the blog with a new book weekly.

"Fanny" by Holly Hobbie was a totally, wonderful surprise! We are huge fans of her "Toot and Puddle" books, but this went completely different path than I expected.

Fanny is a little gal who would desperately like a "Connie" doll just like all her friends have. {The Connie dolls remind me of the Bratz dolls the girls used to beg for.} Anyway, she decides to make her own doll, that's right, actually sew her own doll with her own initiative--LOVE IT!! Fanny has to deal with some snotty friends and decide for herself what is "cool" and what is not. Excellent story, excellent jumping off place to discuss with your kids (girls especially) peer pressure, the importance of being creative, and being okay with your Mom saying "no" even if all your friends have the "it" toy of the moment.

Go find it. Read it. Share it with your sweets.

Ages 4 and up would find it most interesting in my opinion.

Wordless Wednesday

A Knit A Week

Pattern: Jaywalkers by Grumperina (Rav Link)
Yarn: Lang Yarns Jawoll Color Aktion
Verdict: This is the second time I've made this pattern and I love it!
It's easy to memorize and paired with cool self-striping yarn
goodness it looks amazing!!

Method in the Madness

When I was a kid, I can remember most every trip we took starting with my Mom mopping us "out of the house" (as she liked to put it). As a kid it was kind of a drag because you had to be sure that you made that last trip to get something or use the bathroom before the mopping commenced . . . or else you did without.

Now as an adult I get it.

It was the pleasure and satisfaction that my Mom got from knowing that her floors would be clean for more than five minutes. Even though she wouldn't be home to enjoy them, the floors would be clean for more than five minutes. Are you getting this? All that hard work was going to stay nice and neat for more than five minutes and speaking from personal experience, knowing that your hard work will last for more than five minutes is exhilarating, thrilling, and mind-boggling in its goodness to a mama's sanity.

So today, in honor of my Mom's unsung brilliance, I mopped us out of the house. And knowing and secretly reveling in the fact that my floors were clean for longer than five minutes today felt pretty darn good.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Meeting this little guy was the only
thing motivating her to cooperate for our long trip.
So glad she did.

Overheard at Lunch . . .

. . . a discussion on our family's love of watermelon.

Princess #3: I could eat this watermelon all day long.

Princess #1: You must be a watermelon-aholic, like me!!

Princess #3: MOM!! Princess #1 just called me a watermelon alcoholic!

The Queen (suppressing a giggle): A what??

Princess #3: Never mind, I'll be a watermelon alcoholic.

Wordless Wednesday

Happiness Is . . .

. . . hearing your little fellow calling you by name.

"Mama, mama, mama. Hi Mama."

I know someday soon I'll probably wish that I was still called by a grunt or a wail, but for now I'm soaking up that sweet baby voice calling just for me.