Pirate Party in A Box...For Sale

TWO POSTS IN ONE DAY?! WOW!

Is anyone having a pirate party?

I had so much stuff for LaLa's Pirate Party that I thought I would sell this overflowing box of goodies.
In my recent overhaul of all things clutter...I have to get rid of it. I am selling it for 15 dollars...to someone local.  It's a good bit of stuff so I don't want to mail it.

Here are some things in it (just a few)...
tatoos
foam hats
stickers for foam
pirate bandanas
eye patches
decorations
shirts (say it's a pirate's life for me)
treasure boxes for goody bags
a Wilton Pirate Cake Pan
and more...

First come...first one gets the pirate party box of goodies!
 Here are some pics...

Pirate favor boxes

wilton pirate pan

See that FULL box in the back?! I tried to pull some stuff out so you could see...

Ooops! Now just turn your head to the side...and see close up! There are several more shirts in that box too!

Box FULL!

Close up of the other side!

Search on the blog for pirate party to see how I used a lot of this to decorate for LaLa's party.

Consignment Clothes = Shopping...Cute clothes!

I just had to share some cute (CUTE) clothes that I picked up at a consignment sale! I went with my mom, and we just had a blast! I could have bought EVERYTHING (I'm not exaggerating). I did not see ONE thing that I did not like!  mostly bought for LaLa because she has very little cute, unique, boutique kind of stuff. She just keeps GROWING! Little Bit has an overflowing abundance in her closet between what I have bought her (2t is easier to find cute clothes than older sizes) and her hand me downs from LaLa (LaLa was the first grand-daughter on both sides and received more clothes than she could ever wear as a baby...especially in 24 months/2t size). Little Bit is pretty "hooked" up as far as clothes are concerned! (That statement just made me laugh out loud!)

Ahhhh...my husband gave me a certain amount of cash to spend. Well, you know how that goes! I got up to pay, and I had my cash and my credit card in each hand. I was completely prepared and aware that I had went over my husband's (suggested) amount. You would not believe it, but I was 32 cents away from the amount he had given me! I looked at the lady and said, "ARE YOU SURE?!" Fortunately, my mom was with me, and she had snatched half of my stack to purchase. You should have seen us sitting on the floor with clothes spread all around us! Someone would casually walk by glancing at your piles, and instinct would make you want to lay across your finds yelling "Mine, mine, mine". Yeah, it brings out the viciousness in us all! People (my mom included) would follow you around and wait until you would put something down to claim it for their own little ones! Did I mention how much fun this was?!

Cute...cute...cute!

Girls clothes are just so darn CUTE! I love the smocked tops! I need cute monogrammed tops to go with the light blue bottoms.

I found that Christmas three piece adorable outfit for 10 dollars! Why? you might ask? Well, they considered it 'defective' or something another because it had a C initial on it. UMMMM....PERFECT for my LaLa! Those other two outfits need an initial or monogram too, don't they?! What do you think about putting a G so that both girls can get use out of them?

Yes that second rooster outfit is a "shortall" meant for a BOY, but it matched LaLa's dress so well! I think if I monogram it and put ribbons on the short part...it will "girl" it up enough to get away with it! Oh, my hubby LOVED the georgia bulldog dresses! He was excited that they can show the "bulldog" pride and even wear it to church. We will probably have to go to his hometown for church just so his girls can wear their dresses!:)

Did I mention all of these were NEW clothes at the consingment sale? Can I go again? My husband would probably kill me or lock me up one...so if you don't hear from me...you'll know why!

Kitchen Remodel! We Survived!

Out with the old...in with the new!

You have to tell me what you think because I am IN LOVE with my new kitchen!

 New floor. It has character...or so I think!

 New dishwasher. You can't even hear it. Our other one was from 1994. I don't even know what half of these buttons do. It has a SANITIZE button. The sales guy said this is great to sanitize bottles (baby stuff), sippies, and such! See, we just have to have another baby now to see how wonderful this feature is!

Oh, do you see the sink? It's great. I could climb in it. It's so deep. I picked the faucet out at Lowes, and let me just say...I am not known for my quick decision making skills. This was when both girls were sick...I know bad mom! We had to have it picked out by the next day because the plumber was coming, and my girls were sick for weeks...I would have never, ever left the house! Both of them fell asleep in the stroller as I harassed employees with questions on faucets. Then, I drug four or five boxes, opened each one up, and compared the color to the stainless of the appliances. Just so you know...stainless steel colors vary! This was actually the cheapest of the ones I had in my hand, but it was the perfect color with all the features I wanted. I even had a 10% lowes coupon to use with it!

Ahhh...the fridge was from my brother in law. He didn't need it anymore, and he graciously offered it to us! Um...took us point two seconds to say YES and THANKS for the beautiful, almost new, stainless fridge. I think it was meant to be to live right there in my kitchen. When you get water or ice, the light magically comes on. Yes, the little things in life make me happy!

I just want to share some insight that I gained in appliance shopping. First, we had a built in/slide in stove. It is made to overlap over your countertops (bugged the stew out of me trying clean under it though!). These ranges do not have a backsplash. They are more expensive because they offer a "built in" look. Second, this is a free standing stove. I like it better mostly because of the price and the cleaning. Anyway, it even has this griddle thingie that goes on the fifth burner OR you can use the fifth burner as a warmer. The microwave is pretty nifty too! I tell it what it is defrosting...it tells me with a sensor when it's done defrosting. Ahhh....maybe I won't burn or create "sparks" with my microwave anymore!:)

Some additional insight...you can bargain with places on appliances! I,personally, do not bargain or haggle. I point and tell my husband to haggle. Then, I sneak out to wait until he has sealed the deal...haggling makes me nervous! Fortunately, he is very good at it. Shop around and get your information of prices and model numbers. Lowes met Brandsmart prices... Brandsmart prices included the 'cash for clunker' rebate deals & Lowes met the price regardless. Then, we were still able to submit for the rebates. We also have our old stuff on craiglist to sell. I listed it today, and we already have two people coming tomorrow to look at them. I wonder if that can be my money...my husband is probably choking as he reads that statement!:)

I apologize for the bragging, but I have dreamed of this kitchen. I've threatened to paint my pink corian countertops before. It can't be done...I've researched. Finally, almost six years later (let me point out that we were suppose to do it when we first moved into the house)...I have my kitchen. You should come see it....food even tastes better in it!:)

I don't like my kitchen results in a kitchen mess!

Have you ever noticed that when you start one 'home improvement' project, it will often spread like wild fire?! I think we just get inspired. My wild fire starts slowly. One idea inspires another until I am peeking out below a never ending list of ideas and projects!

As I promised, here are the before pictures of my kitchen. We (actually my mom) painted the cabinets last Labor Day from an off white to white. We added hardware and a new lighting fixture. We had talked so much over the last six years about changes we would like to make to our kitchen that no one actually took us seriously in my family when we truly decided this time. We have debated year after year. Then, we would decide it was too much of an investment and make do with what we had. Finally, after saving and saving...after discussing and debating...after visiting store upon store, we did it!

Things that drove us crazy in our kitchen?

The floors. They had a dark pink grout that would never, ever come completely clean.

The floors were white tile. They showed every doggie footprint and crumb. I had resorted to sweeping twice and mopping once every day, and my floors would still  look dirty! The kitchen has two exit doors that encouraged even more tracking in from the garage and the backyard.

The appliances. This was more my hubby's master plan, but I have to say they made a BIG difference.

Countertops. We had pink corian countertops...I don't need to say anything else.

Backsplash. This was not in our plan. It was a kind of last minute decision that is my all-time favorite part of the kitchen!

Well, that WAS my kitchen. It is so wonderful now that I just might sleep down there every night. It's my favorite room in the entire house. I have been cooking...just to play with the new stuff. I have been reorganizing...because it was so dusty after construction AND because the new kitchen just begs for order. I have been cleaning...just because it's too wonderful to leave messy.

Yes, the construction and chaos was worth it! Check back to see how we got to the final result!

Get CONTROL?!

First, let me apologize. This is going to be a LONG post! I think it might be due to blog withdrawal. It's worth the read...
Get control. Yeah right?! That is what I have learned over the last few weeks. Control is not within my reach. LaLa's birthday bash was the last sense of control I think I had.

Then...

it...

all went downhill...FAST! I think many of my friends and family probably think I have been a little CooCoo (is that really a word?!) over the last few weeks..well, maybe most of April! They would probably be correct in that assumption!



I had to take a technology break. Phones...very little. Emails...only if I had to. Blog...very, very little. Facebook....not at all. Twitter...what is that?! The break was not necessarily by choice. It was mostly brought on by chaos in my world, and my crazy self trying to grasp for control and stay afloat.



We had multiple (and I mean five or six) doctor visits for the girls. They continued to get one thing after another. They would get better, and then they would catch something else! LaLa had the stomach bug, strep throat, kidney infection (ya'll know she has reflux so this is scary for us when this happens...it hung around for a while BUT was mild), and a 'viral' infection with an unexplained fever. Little Bit had the stomach bug (TWICE! and had to be put on zofran? Is it really important if that is spelled correctly?), double ear infections, two new teeth, and tonsillitis. Robert had the stomach bug, allergies, and food poisoning (which were the worst of the three). You might ask about me...well, I survived! I never got sick....wood, where's wood to knock on?! Let me point out that none of these illnesses happened at the same time. They had one...got better...got sick...and so on.



In the midst of this mess...and we all know how helpless we feel when our babies our sick...our hot water heaters went out! Two big massive things in our attic, which we learned as the plumbers hated life and their chosen lot in life, were placed in our house prior to the house being built. This makes it rather complicated when you need to remove them! The builder basically built around them. They just barely fit into their spots. It took a great deal of work and "Tammy being highly agitated" to get the plumbers to figure out something and replace the things! Not to mention, we didn't have hot water for several days.



Oh, there is more! We had a great Easter and Easter lunch with family at our house. Little Bit was on antibiotics for the first round of illness at this point. My hubby and I have talked for SIX years about replacing our countertops (they were PINK corian). Well, he gets all motivated over Easter weekend to do it (yes, after SIX years, he decides in 72 hours!). He finds a contractor, gets an estimate, hauls us to stores to make choices, and demolition begins the Monday after Easter. This means NO kitchen...at all...or laundry room (they are connected) or breakfast room for a little over two weeks. In the mean time, my whole family is sick. This means...Vomit and no washing machine is a serious problem! (thanks mom by the way for use of yours!), Antibiotics are in the fridge in the garage. NO BIG DEAL...you just walk out your front door, around the yard and into the garage to get it! Loud, loud noises from a jack hammer thingie. Dust, dust, dust...everywhere. No hot water for a few days. Whiny...unhappy...kids. A tired, frustrated, helpless mama.



As I mentioned before, I promise that I am not complaining. I did complain...quite a bit over the last few weeks. However, each and every time, I would feel this twinge in my gut. Why in the world am I complaining? I am (after six years of saving and begging) getting my dream, dream kitchen. Do I know how many moms do not have a kitchen at all to make their family meals? I am going to have hot water. Do I know how many mamas do not have clean water to bathe their sweet babies? I have antibiotics and food. Yes, I may have to go outside to get it, but I HAVE it to make my babies better. I have to go to the doctor AGAIN and pay my forty dollar copay. Yes, at least I can pay for my kids to go see a doctor. They're throwing up AGAIN?! Yes, fortunately, they have stomach bugs and sore throats. Both are curable. I just have to make it through THIS one moment of them being sick. They will be healthy and driving me nuts in new ways within days...what about that mama that is clinging to her terminally ill baby at the hospital. I complained about organizing my girls' closets...a project I started before I realized the chaos that was about to ensue upon us. How could I complain with all their clothes they have? It's a blessing that they have so much to go through.



Will I never complain again? Oh, I'm sure I will, but these last few weeks on my technology break, I realized that I do not have control of anything in my life. God says, our life is but a vapor. We are only a spot on the large scale of history. I get so caught up with my life...what I can't control...the things that I think are BAD, AWFUL, AND HORRIBLE. I learned over the last few weeks...a new perspective. I'm blessed that these bad and inconvenient things...weren't as bad as they could have been. God probably gets so TIRED of hearing me complain....thinking, "She has so much to be blessed with, to bless others with, to be thankful FOR, but she is just looking at the bad to complain and complain and complain!"



Hmmm....something to think about...I know it has had me really THINKING before I COMPLAIN

Be back soon to show you my...blessing of a kitchen! I'm still trying to get the LAYERS of dust off so I can show it off!:)

Easter Memories

Come 'on girls...SMILE!

Look this way...

How hard do you work for smiling, posing pictures of your kids?

Hmm...almost. Sweet at least. I didn't post the one of Little Bit pushing LaLa away.

I told LaLa to try to keep her eyes opened. She was squinting them in the pictures. This was the result of that request.

The girls and I. Little Bit is looking at an airplane.

Little Bit...need a quicker shutter on my camera!

Cute pose, LaLa...Robert's hand in the corner trying to catch Little Bit from walking in front of the camera.

I love this picture. I took this before church without LaLa noticing. She was checking out her Easter Basket. She insisted on wearing her gloves all morning. Little Bit and LaLa both were hats to church too. They looked like little princesses!

After Robert and I worked so hard to catch these snapshots of the girls, we were exhausted. We walked in asking...Is it nap time yet?

We enjoyed a great Easter service at church, fun searching for hidden eggs, and a family lunch...and we all did get to enjoy a nap...that's a good day for parents with young kids!

Words from LaLa on Easter evening...

"I'm so glad that Jesus woke up on Easter."

You know mama, He did that just because He loved me so much."

I'm glad He did too, LaLa!

A Pirate Party...A special moment

This is my last post about LaLa's fourth birthday, a pirate party. I wanted to share two quick lessons that I will never forget as a mama.

The pirate party was a lot of fun. I would have to admit to my little girl that she had a great idea for a party. Something I never realized before I had kids, but you, as a parent, will spend most of your weekends shuttling from birthday party to party. It makes you really appreciate the guests that come to yours because it is a lot of work and time to make it to all these kid celebrations every weekend! Pirate was a theme that was fun and different from the norm. That statement describes not only the perfect pirate party but also my sweet, special, and unique little girl.

She is one of a kind! I can already see at the young age of three four that peers have influence over each other. My hope and prayer for her that she will stay true to her unique self and special spirit without being influenced by the "way" others assume she should be. Sometimes that uniqueness can drive me crazy as a mama, but I try to remind myself to value it rather than squelch it. LaLa put it best when I was trying to persuade her to a princess party, "Mama, my friends will love to be princesses, but I want to be the pirate and lead the crew. I'd like an eye patch and a peg leg." I pleaded to LaLa, "BUT don't you want to be a princess like everyone else?" LaLa replied, "No, mama. I'm a princess every day. Everyone is a princess at their party. I want to be something different, but if my friends want to be a princess, that's okay with me. I'm just going to be a pirate when I'm four. Maybe next year, we can do a princess party. We'll just have to see." EVEN the best mama couldn't argue with that statement... So, LaLa, you lead your crew and be whatever you want to be...for your birthday parties and in life!

Picture of Little Bit & her Daddy Gene. She wasn't feeling quite like her peppy self at the party. Ear infections, sore throat, and new teeth have a tough battle for Little Bit lately! She looked super cute as a little pirate though! She would not. absolutely. would not let me fix her hair! Oh, well, choose your battles!

Okay, now to my favorite, most precious birthday and mama moment ever!

We asked LaLa what her birthday wish was for her party. Did she want a character or a jumpy (thank goodness she said no)? She wanted her daddy to dress up like a pirate. Hee Hee. IF you know my husband, Robert is somewhat reserved. He can be crazy and rowdy, but he must be perfectly comfortable in the situation first. It was sort of the family joke that Robert was going to dress up for her party because no one (and I mean no one) thought he would ever dress up. Bless his heart. He found a pirate costume (from my brother....hmmm...odd, huh?) and spent the night before the party planning his costume. Just as people were starting to arrive, he came down the stairs all dressed up as a pirate.

Robert coming down the stairs in his pirate costume for the birthday party!

LaLa's facial expressions were priceless. It melted my heart. She looked up at her daddy and said (as she smiled and hugged her daddy), "Daddy, you tricked me. You did dress up like a pirate to make my birthday special."

Took this picture as she looked up and saw daddy as her pirate.

Later, that night as I put her bed, I asked her what her favorite part of her birthday was....after toys, toys, toys, cake, ice cream, food, friends, games and all...do you know what she said?

"Daddy dressing up for my party was my favorite part of being four. Daddy is my prince, mommy." I don't think I have ever loved my husband more than at that moment! It reminds me of this plaque I saw once at a craft festival,

"I found my prince, and his name is Daddy."

Better later than never...going to share Easter pictures on the next posts! Then, (hopefully!) I can share the reason(s) why our life has been so extra crazy lately!

A Pirate Party....Decorations & Games

Easy Pirate cupcakes....bake regular cupcakes. Add a bandana, an eye patch and a smile using icing. Use a chocolate morsel for the 'good' eye. They looked really cute on the cupcake rack.

Pirate Birthday Cake. LaLa wanted a pirate ship cake with "candy" on it...where does she get these ideas? I used swedish fish on the "ocean" and put the four pirate candles nearby as decorations so they would be close for the BIG blow out moment! This is the first time I used a cake mold pan to make a cake. Wow...it's like icing by number...so much easier than trying to shape and mold a cake! I would get frustrated because I could not mix and make colors to match the "wilton" example on the cake mold, but I believe that is probably more my OCD and not necessarily anything any normal person would notice!

I am so glad that the dollar tree seems to work with my kids' party ideas! I have just gotten really lucky that last couple years and accidently discover their requested theme at the dollar tree. Some of the napkins and decorations also came from Michaels. They were getting rid of all their pirate collections a few months ago! Everything was a quarter! Paper goods and decorations are often the biggest waste of money when you are having a party...do not forget about your local dollar store and don't wait until the last minute. If you keep your eyes open throughout the year, they will often carry what you need or what you could use with a little creativity!

The kids' table for the party. Do you see LaLa's new dollhouse she got for her birthday? My girls actually love this thing. I like listening to them pretend play with the stuff! It cracks me up!

The kids played games included a treasure hunt with a treasure map and clues. They each had their swords, their eye patches, their telescopes, and their hats that they decorated to help them find the X that marked the spot! LaLa was so determined and focused throughout the hunt. It was hilarious. Looking back on the video that my hubby took made us laugh and laugh. Her facial expressions were priceless. She would take off running before I finished the clue...at least she had fun. Little Bit trailed behind the pack trying to figure out what in the world was going on!

Okay, now turn your head sideways because I cannot figure out how to rotate it. I had it rotated when I downloaded it and it turns back all by itself...it's the computer's fault...surely, it's not my lack of skill!

Madison holding her treasure map. She was one of the head ring leaders looking for this treasure!

Other games included...walking the plank and X marks the spot (pirate version of pin the tail on the donkey). After the kids found their treasure, they went downstairs to sing Happy Birthday and for LaLa to blow out her candles. While they were sitting so still on the floor and all the parents were around, they were given some "GOLD". LaLa and her daddy went that morning and got each child a GOLDfish and a bowl. Note to self...I should have probably have included food! All those poor mommies and daddies had to stop and get food! The kids (as well as the parents-heee hee) were so excited! Robert had the fish lady bag each gold fish seperately so it would be easy to transport them to their new homes. I found bowls at the dollar store. 

Now, they could take home their very own Pirate "GOLD" as their treasure from LaLa's party!

On the next post, I'll include my two favorite pirate moments.

One of these moments actually made me tear up!

A Pirate Princess for a Pirate Party

Pirate Party...the costume

LaLa was determined to be a pirate, and I was determined to make her a girly, cutesy pirate. She wanted an eye patch and a peg leg. A compromise was needed. I am sure it will be the first of many compromises in our relationship. She got to be the pirate...actually, captain of the pirate crew as she corrected me throughout the day. She didn't have a peg leg, but she had an eye patch....actually a couple (they disappeared throughout the party!). I made the costume girly, girly, girly! She really liked the costume and wore it the entire day.

How to make a Pirate Princess Costume...

It was a really easy costume. Black leggings (from Walmart during Halloween clearance). Black/white canvas high tops (I love these spunky things! Found at Payless.) Tutu with black and sparkly pink tulle. Then, I took a pirate bandana and cut 3 inch strips to tie throughout the tutu. You tie the fabric just like you tie the tulle on the tutu. I like to use the wider elastic for bigger girls so they can get it off and on for dress up and such. Black short sleeve shirt from Walmart (I think little kids in black are so cute because there is not a lot of black out there in kid clothing.). Skull & Crossbone rhinestone iron on patch (Michaels for a couple dollars). Embroidered LaLa's requested phrase, "Arrrrgh, Mateys." The hat is actually Captain Feathersword's hat from a Wiggles' concert. I took off the 'feathers' and added maribou around the edges. She really, really liked the hat and still wears it. She has a cute pirate bow in, but since she never took the hat off, I don't think I ever got a picture of that! She also had an eye patch with hot glued rhinestones surrounding the skull and crossbones. I think she lost this one early into the party! The costume turned out to be super cute and cheap!

An American Girl Day with the Big Girls!

My sweet baby is four. FOUR. Four. Yes, four. Maybe if I keep saying it, it will click in my mind. I somewhat want to cry because she is my sweet baby...not a four year old! Part of me is so excited that she is four! I'm thirty...and my baby is four. Man, I need Prozac, seriously. My brain cannot wrap around those concepts.

Anyway, my mom (Mimi) started the tradition of taking LaLa to American Girl (AG) for her birthday last year. LaLa got the bitty baby and the bed...this baby is known as Lily in our house. Now my hubby insisted that no doll was worth that amount of money, and that they wouldn't know the difference between a dollar store baby and an AG baby. Well, they do...even Little Bit. She loves the dollar babies too, but Lily is the only baby in our house that is consistently played with. She even has a name...and clothes on half of the time!

Of course, I am not sure my mom knew what a monster she was creating in starting this tradition because my LaLa is in love with all things AG. They send this catalog regularly (smart people, huh). It is addressed to her and very kid-friendly. You look at it and just FEEL like your AG baby needs it ALL! I'm an adult, and I look at that dang catalog and feel pity for poor Lily that she doesn't have the latest high chair or bunk bed set or new spring outfit! We have, however, kept it a bday tradition only...fortunately!

On the first trip, we braced ourselves for the long drive and had no idea what we were in store for! My mom and I felt like kids again. We took both of my girls, and it was a blast. If you haven't been, go! The experience is worth it! You don't have to buy a thing, but you will. They do have babies to loan for the bistro experience. They have this little bistro, and your little girl will be treated like a mommy, a princess, and a mini little lady!

This year, my BIG four year old, daughter wanted to take her 'bestestestestests' friend. She insisted that this was not a day for BABIES...like it was a bad word or something. Poor, Little Bit! When she turns three, she will get her turn though! So, my friend, Brooke, and I traded children. I took her oldest (LG which is 5 months younger than LaLa) and LaLa. She had my Little Bit and her little one (5 months older than Little Bit). We couldn't have planned our babies any better! Their ages work out great! Once again, a year later...right before LaLa's fourth birthday, my mom, LG, LaLa, and I head up to AG store and bistro. It was a great day full of memories that both girls talk about all the time! My mom lets LaLa choose her birthday gift and treats her to a girls' lunch!

Of course, we had to get them matching little outfits and bows. The little girls get all "cutified" at the bistro. Your doll can get her ears pierced or hair fixed too. I'm serious!

Right before we left, I snapped a quick shot of the girls posing and displaying all of their loot!

LaLa chose the twin bitty babies and the double stroller for her present. She thought for days...and days....on a name. She wanted them to rhyme. She makes everything rhyme right now...it makes me laugh when they happen to be a "non-repeatable" word. It starts out, "mommy, what rhymes with duck?" This is usually motivated by the ducks and geese around our lake. Anyway, back to the twins. She came up with three options...Charlotte (she wanted one to look like her with her name) and Scarlett, and Harlot...guess which two I persuaded her to stick with? So, Scarlett and Charlotte enjoyed their birthday crowns while LaLa ordered to the waitress off their mini menus for her babies. See the cute little highchairs they provide?! They also talk to the babies and serve them real food. LaLa and LG both explained to the waitress that their babies had allergies...french fries and peanuts. Oh, the things they learn at preschool!

Surprise! They brought out cake, ice cream, a special, secret surprise from Mimi and Gumpy (grandparents) and goody bags! LG and her baby Kristen are so excited about the cake! Oh, four candles!

I'm so glad that my sweet baby is so excited. Her mimi (which my family calls mafia mama because she has secret mysterious powers and we're all a little scared of all five feet of her!) somehow found SUGAR. SUGAR is that little fur ball of a dog that LaLa is holding. It has been backordered since the day it became available on AG. I have looked on ebay and everywhere for that little thing. They secretly brought out the unexpected gift during the cake. It was 20 dollars. I could have bought a real dog for that! Then, you have to buy the dog's accessories seperately. Yeah, that part is a scam. I'm telling you though...AG is addictive. I emphasize to you though...I didn't buy it. The dolls, yes. They are totally worth it. The bistro, yes. The fur ball yorkie...not so much! My mom will tell you, though...LaLa was ecstatic. That smile stayed for days and days. That dog is still treated like a real dog...so maybe it was worth it...maybe. I just don't get the attraction!

So, Sugar, Scarlett (she wanted two t's like her name) and baby Charlotte all joined our family! Those are some Southern names!

You may look at this picture and say, "That looks like trouble! 2 girls in a mall with strollers." Well, you'd be right!

People, please watch your ankles and be ready to jump out of the way FAST. On the elevator up, LG announced to a very crowded elevator that her baby had a stinky diaper. She asked random people if they smelled that poopy baby! Fortunately, people (even the hit and run victims) oohed and aahed over their cuteness. LaLa and LG thought they were big stuff and acted as such the entire stroll.

Of course, we  have to visit the merry go round.

A fairy tale day for two sweet little ladies!

Just have to show this one...one more time!

This was right by the door on our way out to the car.

Sweet girls!

Ahhh...Spring!

Spring...

spring cleaning...

spring flowers...

spring weather...

spring showers...

spring thunderstorms...

spring gardening...

spring fishing...spring boat trips on the lake...

spring break...spring vacation!

spring organizing...

spring shopping...for spring clothes...

spring, spring, spring! I love the SPRING!

I think that summarizes some of what my crazy little world has been up to...and some of what is going on now! We...everyone but me (airborne is awesome to give your immune system a boost by the way!) was sick for a week, Little Bit was sick for a couple weeks, birthday parties were great, and Easter was absolutely wonderful! I always feel like SPRING is officially here after Easter. Oh, the weather has been amazing! It was, seriously get this...91 degrees today! NO kidding! If I wasn't typing and inhaling dust (long story) and Georgia pollen, I would be so excited about having the windows open for some more great air! I'm a mood to organize and redecorate everything right now! Doesn't Spring just do that to you?! So, so, so very excited!

Welcome Spring!