2 Digit Birthday

She's 10 today. 

I cannot believe it.  

This little girl has matured into a beautiful young lady before my very eyes.  

She is sweet and loving. 

She is full of smiles or full of frowns... there is no in between. 

The smile is infectious though. 

She is a innocent girl who had to grow up really fast to take care of her brothers and sisters. 

Her protection over them is fierce.  

It took a long time for her to accept me as her mom. 

We both had to learn how to be mom and daughter. 

  

It was a tough road, but when the words "mommy" came out of her little mouth it was 

not taken lightly.  I cried tears of joy. 

You are my Miss Independent, my "I can do it myself" child, but you can count on your mommy 

always having your back and being there if you ever need me. 

  Sometimes I may scold you, some days I may get mad.  

But no matter how I may act, I will NEVER stop loving you. 

You are my princess.

 Happy 10th Birthday Rosie Posie!! 

I love you to the moon and back. 

Love, 

Mommy

Let's Go Glamping

Last weekend we celebrated Rosie's birthday with her friends.  

This party was thrown together in 4 days because bad mommy, me, didn't look 

at the calender and see we had no free weekend nights for a while.  

Our daily calender is not for the faint of heart.  

A free night with no place to be is something to be celebrated.

Our girl wanted a camping party. 

I was happy to oblige.  I love party planning. 

With little time and wanting to keep this low budget we pulled our tent out, some 

christmas lights, and a few glitter stars turning our living room into a camping dream.

 I found another use for my gigantic chalk board.

I seriously love this thing.

We also put up a "No Boys Allowed" sign.  

 We hung the stars from the ceiling fan and waited for her friends to come. 

Oh the excitement. 

The squealing could be heard blocks away when the girls walked in the door.

 The night was filled with games, crafts, and eating. 

Instead of a cake, Rosie wanted smores.  

They ended up making smores over sterno flame in the kitchen. 

(supervised of course!)

There were a lot of burnt marshmallows because no one had the patience to 

carefully cook their smore correctly, but they were shoved in their mouths with joy anyways. 

To the end the night, they watched the best camping movie ever... Parent Trap. 

There were lots of naps the next day. 

But one little almost ten year old was full of smiles. 

Friends, sugar, and laughter will do that. 

Ode to my Childhood Home

It has been an emotional month for me. 

My mother sold the house I grew up in and started the process of moving into town.

I couldn't be happier for her and am in love with her new home.  The laundry room, the sun room, and the cool light fixtures are all things I would design for my dream home.

But leaving a place you've known as "home" your entire life isn't easy. 

My husband reminds me that it is just a house though.  It isn't my mom, it isn't the memories, 

we are only leaving behind the physical address.  

In fact most of the "stuff" in the house is moving with her. 

Don't know where it is all going to go, but it is packed up.

A home isn't a single address on a map, it is wherever the people you love are.

So this post is my "Ode to My Childhood Home".

The memories, the laughter, the family gatherings, and the love we had in that home for over 40 years.  

 The kitchen, always the most used room in a home, holds many memories of holiday meals and home cooked meals. 

So many birthdays were celebrated there, so many candles blown out.  

The house has changed looks over the years.  

The plaid wallpaper has been replaced, the orange/brown carpeting has been updated, the main bath no longer has a pea green bathtub, and even the Christmas tree has gotten a face lift. 

The family has really grown in this house too! 

12 grandkids who have loved going to Grandma's house.

   

  I have to be honest though, some of the hard part of leaving the house, is dad's presence there.
I walk in the front door and picture my dad sitting in the mauve chair in the living room reading a newspaper.
I see dad tinkering around with another project at his workbench in the garage.
I walk into my parent's bathroom and see my dad at the sink shaving.
 
Keeping this residence doesn't make these memories anymore real.
I will always be able to hear his laugh and picture his smile, no matter
whether my mom lives in this house or not.

So Sunday I said good-bye to the house, not the memories. 

The memories I hold onto and start making new memories at 

my mom's new house. 

Trick or Treat

This week was full of preparations for Trick or Treat. 

We started the week carving/painting pumpkins. 

The girls all chose to paint their pumpkins, and I am convinced that is a less messy option. 

The weather was so wonderful last Sunday that we did everything outside.  

I can't say that today because it is bitter cold this morning. 

 We participated in the #tealpumpkinproject and painted one of our pumpkins teal to 

support children with food allergies. 

We had eyeball rings and spinning tops for anyone who wanted a non-food item.

Having a child with a food allergy, I understand the frustration some moms can 

have with this time of year.   

Gigi really keeps an eye on what goes in her Halloween basket to make sure she eats nothing with nuts. 

When someone passes out a Snickers, a Butterfinger, or a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, she politely 

takes the treat, says thank you, and then puts it into one of her siblings baskets. 

Dad and I go through her loot thoroughly so that she didn't miss anything before she can eat any treats. 

Food allergies are no joke.  

The kids had tried on their costumes many times that week.

They love to dress up. 

 Lil Miss was able to wear her costume to preschool on Friday and was so excited.  

Can you believe it, she was the only Elsa in her class!  

Our town trick or treated on October 31st this year, so as soon as the kids got home from school 

they were transforming into their characters.  

 This year we had a rockstar, a Greek goddess, Storm Shadow (from G.I. Joe), and of course Elsa. 

 In 15 minutes they had enough candy to last til the end of the year, but they wanted to knock on more doors so we kept on trick or treating.  We now have enough candy to last a lifetime.