All That Pizazz: Emma at 9

"Wherever you go, no matter the weather, always bring your own sunshine." ~ Anthony J. D'Angelo

A few days ago, just before bedtime, Emma mentioned, "This is Pizazz Week."

"Oh, yeah?" Joe asked. "What does that mean?"

"Well, it means I will be dressing up and curling my hair every day -- that kind of thing," she replied.

"Is this something your class is doing?" I inquired. "Or your school?"

"No," she explained. "Just me."

Emma let me take a few pictures of her Saturday, and these are a few of my favorite sweet and sassy images.

(Cardigan, tutu skirt and leggings from The White Company.)

Oh, how I love this little light of mine.

We celebrated Emma's 9th birthday over the weekend, so I will be sharing party photos next week!

Desperately Seeking

 

 

I thought everything was going swimmingly -- er, sittingly -- with my lovely new chair until I found this personal ad scrawled on a scrap of paper.

Single whitewashed French chair seeks well-built, older desk for years of romantic living. I enjoy editing photos of travel, candlelit dinners and long walks on the beach. Seeking a budget-minded French treasure open to a makeover. Must love writers and be willing to hold books, notes and the occasional bouquet of flowers.



So the search for the perfect mate begins. I will let you know if we find a match!

 

 

 

"Are we not like two volumes of one book?" ~ Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

When the End Is Near

Summer is drawing to a close, sweet friends. And as 6-year-old Emma can attest, you have to take advantage of every opportunity when the end is near. I caught this mischievous moment during our weekend trip to the beach with Joe's family.

In our rush to load the car, I did not pick up any of the children's hanging clothes. For me, this meant a little extra shopping for Sunday clothes. And for the children, it meant no beach pictures in coordinated outfits. They were thrilled to enjoy a casual, mostly camera-free weekend with their cousins. And I have to admit, I quite enjoyed the break myself.

Now I am moving out of vacation mode to share lots of special posts with you. Look for details of my nephew Jonathan's birthday party this week.

And speaking of taking advantage of opportunities, the end is near in Taste of Home's search for Mrs. Holiday. I would appreciate your vote each day through Friday. "Like" the contest page here to view entries and vote for your favorites.

Sentimental Journeys

 

With the oldest three children spending a week at church camp last month, Joe and I took advantage of the opportunity to celebrate our anniversary. We kicked off our weekend with a romantic dinner out -- well, as romantic as it could be with 6-year-old Emma in tow. We ended our meal with this sweet conversation.

Me: Thank you for a lovely meal.

Joe: Thank you for a lovely life.

Emma: I like chicken.

Tag along with us this week as we travel to a romantic Alabama destination!

Laughter Springs Up

There is no shortage of laughter when 6-year-old Emma is around. Here are a few of her latest antics.

Perfectly Imperfect

On the way home from church, Mary Ashley mentioned that God and Jesus are perfect. "No," Emma countered. "God, Jesus and Mommy."

"Oh, no, no, no," I assured her. "No one is perfect but God and Jesus."

Emma shook her head sadly and said, "But I really thought you were."

The conversation moved on, but every few minutes she would mutter, "I really thought you were. I just really thought you were."

Finally she looked at me suspiciously and asked, "Mommy, have you been keeping a secret from us?"




Oh, Be Careful Little Eyes

Emma declared recently, "My eyes are wide open and my ears are wide shut."





Playing Favorites

Emma: "Mommy, who is your favorite kid?"

Me: "Mommies don't have favorites, Emma. We love all our children."

Emma: "No, really, who is your favorite kid?"

Me: "Who do you think it is?"

Emma: " I know! Is it Daddy?"





Her Undoing

Emma was getting frustrated with the Velcro strap on her tennis shoe. As she bent over to refasten it for the third time, she vented, "How does this keep coming undone without me undoning it?"






Deep Thoughts

Usually bubbly and talkative, Emma was unusually quiet on the drive home. She sat quietly in the back seat, gazing out the window, brow furrowed in concentration. I could tell she was contemplating something important, but did not want to interrupt her thought process to inquire. Finally, she let out a sigh and revealed her innermost thoughts: "I'm too fat for a mohawk."

"At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities." ~ Jean Houston

Easy Shabby Heart Valentine Tees

The last day of January, the girls and I started combing through their closets to pull out any Valentine-themed clothing. We set aside all the pink and red dresses, skirts and pants we could find for this most romantic month. The next morning when the children got dressed for school, I overheard 5-year-old Emma telling 10-year-old brother Christian, "Remember, Mommy says that it's February, so we should start wearing all our Valentine clothes." Christian looked at her in shock and said sternly, "I do not wear Valentine's clothes!"

Although I am not likely to get my 7th- and 4th-grade boys into any hearts this season, it has been a lot of fun putting a little love into some tees for the girls to wear for Valentine's Day. Over the weekend I appliqued several t-shirts for Mary Ashley and Emma, like the red tees pictured above.

And do you want to know a secret?


This was such a budget-friendly way to create a holiday outfit. I found the long-sleeve tees on clearance at Target and used this free embroidery design from Planet Applique for the heart patch. The original design features concentric hearts, but I varied the design by only using the outer heart and adding a monogram to the center. Then I experimented with a technique for creating a shabby fringe. I layered three squares of fabric for my design and completed the embroidery before cutting the fabric around the heart. I left about 3/8" of fabric all around the heart, then used small scissors to cut slits in this fabric border. This creates a ruffled effect, which I imagine will look even better after the shirts are washed and the fabric edges begin to fray a bit.

Paired with skirts we already had, the girls have cute new Valentine outfits for less than $5 each -- a great deal for those of us who are not afraid to wear our hearts on our sleeve (or tees) this month. I have a few more cute designs to share, so hope to post those soon.

 

 

If you haven't entered the giveaway for a Valentine party package from my sister's new Etsy shop, be sure to visit this post. We will announce The Polka Dot Party winner tomorrow!

Pickin' and Grinnin'

A Little Scuffle

Nine-year-old Christian and 7-year-old Mary Ashley were bickering on the way to church Wednesday night when suddenly Mary Ashley gasped. "Mommy," she cried, "Christian just slapped me!"

"I just did it softly," he retorted.

"No, you didn't," she insisted. "You did it hardly!"




Crowning Glory

Looking over the form that fourth-grader Christian brought home recently for a class field trip to see The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever brought back fond memories for me. I remember my own fourth-grade teacher getting choked up as she read the book to us in class.

"Oh, you will enjoy going to see this," I said with nostalgia as I filled out the permission slip.

"I doubt it," Christian said with surprise. "I don't like beauty pageants."




Fall Is in the Air

"It feels like fall," Joe said with satisfaction as he and 7-year-old Mary Ashley stepped out into the cool evening air.

"We have a candle in our classroom that smells like fall," she replied.

"Oh, really? What does fall smell like?" Joe asked.

"Smells good, Daddy."

"A laugh is a smile that bursts." ~ Mary H. Waldrip

School Day Giggles

 

Things to Dough

Seven-year-old Mary Ashley burst through the door yesterday after school to report that she could not believe what she overheard at school. Some of her second-grade classmates actually said they do not like to play with Play-Doh anymore. Shocked at this revelation, Mary Ashley said she asked in disbelief, "You don't even like to play with [dowch]?"

"Douch?" I asked.

"You know, that stuff you gave to your VBS class."

(That would be dough.)

The New Classics

As a little boy, Carson loved books. At 1, I can remember him toddling into my bedroom first thing in the morning with a stack of books. And with just the two of us at home, we could snuggle up in our pajamas and read 20 books before breakfast.

With so much one-on-one reading time in his younger years, it surprises me that Carson's enthusiasm for reading waned as he got older. By fourth grade, it seemed I nearly had to push his nose into a book.

But finally, last year in sixth grade he discovered a series of classic books that he couldn't put down. "Mom!" he exclaimed proudly. "I read a book that was so good! It is really old, but maybe you have hear of it. It's called Gilligan's Travels."

Bath Time Bobbles

School nights almost always include bath time. Awhile back Emma inquired about a loofah I had tucked into a basket beside our tub. I explained that the rough texture sloughs off dead skin cells, so grown-ups sometimes use a loofah to freshen their skin when they bathe. She eyed it with interest but didn't say anything. A few weeks later I left her soaking in the tub for a few minutes. When I returned to bathe her, she pointed to the loofah and whispered, "Mommy, I used that, but it didn't work. I waited, but it didn't make me grow any new skin."

Justice Served

A new school year means another round of competitions for Joe as Director of Trial Advocacy for Faulkner Law. During his rigorous travel schedule, he can't help but remember taking son Christian on one of his trips years ago. Just 3 years old at the time, Christian was remarkably patient through lengthy coaches meetings, team practices and dinners out. Joe was so proud of his big boy and marvelled at his patience throughout the weekend. Father and son sat quietly together on a bench outside the courtroom during a trial, until finally Christian broke the silence: "Daddy, how much longer are we going to be in time out?"

Emma Giggles

 

Eternally Grateful

Five-year-old Emma has become quite adept at expressing her gratitude to God in her nightly prayers: "Thank you for our home; thank you for our family; thank you for our teachers; thank you for our toys; thank you for our sins ... ."

Keeping It Light

Emma and her preschool friend Alysssa were playing nearby recently when they noticed me working on my Relay for Life cupcake display. The colorful stained glass window graphic I was framing caught their eye, so I read the girls the quote in the center of the picture: "People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the light is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within."

Sensing the opportunity for a teachable moment, I asked the girls if they knew what that quote meant. Exchanging confused looks, Emma and Alyssa shook their heads no.

I explained that we can have light inside us and asked them if they knew where the light would come from. Again, they were perplexed, so I gave them a hint: "Who does the Bible say is the Light of the World?"

Alyssa brightened and offered tentatively, "God?"

I nodded, encouraging the girls, "Jesus. Jesus is the Light."

At this, Emma wrinkled her face in dismay, shocked at what she had just heard: "The light in us is Cheez-Its?"

Broken Up About It

My sweet girl Emma is so affectionate. "Oh, Mommy," she said recently as she clasped my hand, "I love you in pieces."

"Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it." -- Henry Ward Beecher

Brothers and Sisters at Easter

"In thee my soul shall own combined the sister and the friend." -- Catherine Killigrew

"I, who have no sisters or brothers, look with some degree of innocent envy on those who may be said to be born to friends." -- James Boswell

"A brother shares childhood memories and grown-up dreams." -- Author Unknown

"Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first associations and habits, have some means of enjoyment in their power, which no subsequent connections can supply." -- Jane Austen, Mansfield Park

"Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet." -- Vietnamese Proverb

"To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time." -- Clara Ortega

"A sibling may be the keeper of one's identity, the only person with the keys to one's unfettered, more fundamental self." -- Marian Sandmaier



One of my holiday delights is capturing special moments between the children. I want them to look back at photos of their growing up and remember how much joy they shared. The photos above represent some of my favorite images from Easter this year -- so full of love and sweetness.

But I just had to share one more. As a mother I am always striving for that elusive perfect family photo -- one that beautifully captures and forever preserves an idyllic slice of our life together. Of course, I had this goal in mind when we arrived at Joe's parents' home for the afternoon yesterday. I reveled in the possibility when we piled out of the mini-van and Joe announced, "OK, children, you are at your mother's command for pictures before you can do the Easter egg hunt."

The children dutifully indulged me in group and individual photos, but quickly tired of taking pictures. They were eager to move on to other activities, so I ushered everyone to the final spot I had scouted for pictures.

"OK, just one more," I promised, "and you can have the Easter egg hunt."

I nestled the children between my mother-in-law's lush pink azaleas for our final shot, repositioning them a couple of times to assure the perfect frame. When I stepped back to take the photo, all four looked back at me with lackluster, clenched-teeth smiles. So, hoping to excite them about the fun to come, I encouraged, "Say 'Happy Easter!' " as I lifted my camera to take the picture.

"Happy Easter!" the chorus of four voices rang out. As they yelled, Carson lunged forward, causing a domino reaction, and this was the real-life moment I caught:

This is the moment just before the children tumbled into the azaleas, Mary Ashley and Emma crying when their brothers landed on top of them. But doesn't Emma -- unaware that she is about to be tackled to the ground -- look adorable?

Sigh.

Who's ready to hunt Easter eggs?



"Sibling relationships - and 80 percent of Americans have at least one - outlast marriages, survive the death of parents, resurface after quarrels that would sink any friendship.  They flourish in a thousand incarnations of closeness and distance, warmth, loyalty and distrust."  -- Erica E. Goode

Egging Her On

Emma was the first to complete her pottery Easter egg, and let's just say that busyness becomes her. A bored Emma will find some creative ways to amuse herself, and she usually amuses the rest of us in the process.


Making Faces:

Making Mischief:

Making Up:

Making Every Day Brighter:

That's my girl.

Bubblegum Blow-Out Menu

To go along with our vintage bubblegum blow-out birthday theme, we served Emma's Soda Pop in repurposed Starbucks Frappuccino bottles. I amassed a collection of more than 30 bottles with help from friends and plan to keep them for future parties. In fact, I have already loaned them to a friend who plans to use them for a vintage-inspired bridal shower.

We served pink lemonade punch for the party. I mixed up the concentrate ahead of time and filled bottles at serving time with a third of the concentrate and two-thirds Sprite


Kool-Aid Punch

3 packets Kool-Aid, any flavor (we used Pink Lemonade)

3 cups sugar

1 large can unsweetened pineapple juice

Water

Sprite (Three 2-liters per gallon of concentrate)

Combine Kool-Aid packets, sugar, pineapple juice and enough water to fill a gallon container and chill. This will be the punch concentrate. To serve, combine 1/3 gallon of the concentrate, one 2-liter of Sprite and ice. Refill as needed.

A Bottle of Giggles

When Emma had a friend over for a playdate last week, I gave them bottles of leftover punch with lunch. "Mmmm, I really like your soda pop, Emma," I teased.

Emma's friend's eyes widened. "Emma, you have your own soda pop?" she asked.

Emma looked at the label, calling out "E-M-M-A" as she traced her finger across the text. "I guess I do," she confessed with a shrug.

Alyssa was quite impressed!

(Labels from Katy Larson and straws from The Sugar Diva.)

In keeping with our bubblegum theme, I just had to try making bubblegum ice cream. I found a recipe here and tried it the weekend before the party (shown above). The flavor was interesting, but did not live up to my expectations. So in the end, we served a bubblegum-pink colored strawberry ice cream. Strawberry ice cream was actually a much better complement to our strawberry lemonade punch and pink lemonade cake with buttercream icing.

For years I have wanted to make a gumball machine cake. I made our cake with alternating layers of lemon and strawberry cake, for a total of six 6-inch round layers. I had a lot of trouble with my icing this time, but simply did not have time to start over. I was disappointed with the results, shown below, so I might have to give this one another go down the road.

Wooden dowels inserted into the cake support a round vase of gumballs topped with a planter lid and ceramic knob. I wasn't pleased with the finished look of the cake, but it tasted great and was a hit with the Birthday Girl.

Emma requested a #5 candle for her birthday. After we sang "Happy Birthday," she lingered in front of the cake giggling bashfully before we finally coaxed her to blow out the candle. I think she was savoring the moment!


Still to come, more fun and favors. Happy weekend, friend!

It's a Date ...

Just when I was beginning to wonder how I could plan a Valentine's Day celebration for my children in the midst of a busy weekend, Mary Ashley and Emma received the darling invitation above to attend a traditional Valentine party.

During the all-girl party, the boys will enjoy some guy time with friends. When 4-year-old Emma heard that the boys will be going to the Lyles' house, she asked me if she could go back to their house sometime. Occasionally we have traded nights of babysitting with the Lyles to give each couple an opportunity for a date night, so Emma asked hopefully, "Could you and Daddy go on a date or something?"

"Well, Emma," I said with a sigh, "Daddy's work schedule is really busy right now, so I don't think he would have time for a date right now."

Seeing the opportunity to play at the Lyles' house slip away, Emma thought and thought and thought some more. No date night for Mommy and Daddy would mean no time in the Lyles' playroom; no opportunity to get in the jump house; no time to eat a snack with Mrs. Lyle. Finally, Emma's eyes brightened as she came to a solution:

"Could you get a boyfriend?"

I guess Emma and I have a few things to talk about on the way to the party this weekend ... . I'll be back next week with more Valentine fun.

It's a date!