Let Me Eat Cake

I think birthday layouts are my least favorite theme to work with. Poor Scout doesn't have any layouts for her 2nd birthday. But I did get one done for her 3rd birthday.
TITLE: Let Me Eat Cake
Journaling: This year you were all about the cake- you were very specific. You insisted that Dad make it. It had to be this exact shade of blue. Dad went to get special dye and edible pearls to complete your 'blue cake'

Supplies: Scenic Route pp, Making Memories pp, American Crafts pp, Cosmo Cricket pp, October Afternoon alpha, American Crafts alpha

Moments from my 34th Year

Today is my 35th birthday. Today I move into the next age demographic on all those surveys and forms. Today I am 100% happy with my age. As my Dad says, "Better a year older than dead". Today I feel blessed to have a husband who loves me, kids that adore me, family that accepts me and friends that choose to spend time with me. 

Here are some of the highlights from my 34th year. It was a busy one!

Top to bottom, Left to Right:

01. Movie Date with Bennet
02. Nick's homemade rocking horse for the girls for Christmas
03. 9 months pregnant with Ellie
04. First photo of my three girls
05. Spending lots of time in the wrap (Ellie birth-8 weeks)
06. Storytime at the library
07. Trunnell family visit Valentine's Day weekend
08. Ellie smiles
09. The Great Stomach Flu of 2010
10. Dying Eggs in Elk River
11. Easter weekend in Wausau
12. My first Mother's Day as a Mom of 3
13. MN cabin weekend with just us girls
14. First Fat Tire post Ellie
15. Memorial Day weekend at the cabin
16. WooHoo Wednesday picnic at Grandma Barb's
17. Homemade Zombie doll for Nick for Father's Day
18. Backyard camping with the big girls
19. 4th of July weekend in Wahkon, MN
20. Woodchucks Game
21. Date night to celebrate Jess's birthday
22. Madison weekend for Brett & Caitlin's wedding
23. Scrapbook weekend at Tall Oaks Retreat with ScrapFreaks (plus monthly crops with the girls!)
24. Family walk to the Farmers Market and breakfast at The Mint
25. Jason Yarrington Memorial Weekend in Eau Claire
26. Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay
27. After a decade as a redhead I go to my natural brown
28. After a year being unemployed I start my new job at the YWCA Wausau
29. Beef-A-Rama in Minocqua with the Mann's
30. Looking at the fall colors on Rib Mountain
31. Me & Ellie in the leaves
32. Sewing Bennet's Halloween costume
33. Chaperoning Bennet's Field Trip to School Forest
34. Surviving the day-to-day of raising 3 wonderful girls!

Fun Friday Facts

1. Did you see that Ryan Reynolds was named People's Sexiest Man Alive? Oh- he totally does it for me.
2. Taught a little paper bag scrapbooking class at a middle school this week for the YWCA GIRLS Club. I'll be doing it at the two other middle schools in the area as well.
3. Loved last nights episode of 'Community'. I want to build a giant blanket fort now.
4. Trying to find matching pj's for sizes 6, 4T and 18 months is tough so I'm going to sew some pj pants myself. Adds a personal little touch.

5. Bennet's first school photos came home this week. I love that she's wearing some random novelty necklace. It's so her.  

6. Going to the Wausau Country Club for lunch with Nick today.

7. Scout makes me laugh. She was eating some fancy sundae Nick concocted the other night and said (spoon in mouth)- "mmm... now this is good"

8. I'm already preparing for the Thanksgiving dinner. Not the actual preparation but the eating.
9. My friend Brett and his new bride Caitlin are coming to visit tomorrow/night. I am looking forward to seeing him and getting to know Caitlin better!
10. Starting a new book, A Secret Kept by Tatiane de Rosnay. I really enjoyed Sarah's Key so hopefully her new novel won't disappoint. 

Play x 2

I said that I normally don't scrap the same photo/layout for each of the girls albums. If they are in a photo together I just alternate which album I put it in. BUT- I really liked this photo. It summed up what their relationship this summer.

TITLE: Play
Journaling: The other day the two of you were playing in the living room & giggling non-stop. It made me so happy hearing you enjoying each other. It won't always be the case but I will remember the day you did.

Product: JillibeanSoup, Cosmo Cricket, October Afternoon

Product: Bazill Swiss Dots, October Afternoon, Jillibean Soup, Cosmo Cricket

TITLE: Play

Journaling: Today you were sisters and friends.

Wordless Wednesday- Spaghetti Dinner = Bath Night

Perils of Potty Training

Whoever said that potty training was quick and painless never met Scout Ann Sweeney. I know it comes easy to some kids, but not our girl. It has been an uphill battle for the last 6 months or so. If there is a technique- we've tried it. We've tried bribery (Mama will get you a pony!), yelling, reverse psychology, incentive of a potty party, ignoring, treats, money, stickers- you get the point.

Scout turned 3 in early September. It was time. I'm done buying diapers for 2. About three weeks ago Nick and I decided the kid gloves were coming off- it was time for a little tough love. EVERY night after dinner she goes #2. Like clockwork.

5:25 p.m.- it begins. She strips down and sits on toilet BAWLING
(Bennet and Ellie are in the tub at this point. So all 5 of us in our tiny bathroom. Family bonding)


5:35 p.m- still BAWLING 5:45 p.m. - Bennet and Ellie out of the tub and downstairs. Away from the tears. Scout is still wimpering at this point.
6:00 p.m.- I take over for Nick. Scout and I look at pictures of kids using the potty on the iTouch.
6:30 p.m.- Scout wants me to have 'crazy hair' with funny ponytails. Everytime she toots I add a ponytail. Whatever works!
6:50 p.m.- It FINALLY happens and I actually hold back tears of joy. I didn't have to fake my excitement. She had a grin from ear-to-ear. "I did it Mommy! I did it!" I told her how proud I was of her. She said, "Me too! I'm proud too" After a quick wipe she proceeded to streak down the hall and downstairs to tell Nick, Bennet & Ellie.
6:55 p.m.- I hand her a PullUp and she says "No!" Runs into the nursery, grabs the rocking chair, moves it over to the dresser, climbs up and pulls out her Dora underwear. She's earned it!
7:00 p.m.- Celebratory ice cream with Magic Shell.
7:05 p.m.- A call to Grandma Mary Ella to share the milestone.

An hour and a half. 90 minutes of tears and negotiations it happened. Since then it had been hit or miss until last week. On Tuesday she asked to wear 'unnies' to preschool. Ok- here we go. She stayed dry all day-even through naptime-and hasn't looked back. It's a miracle!

Thank goodness!

Fun Friday Facts

1. We painted our living room last weekend/this week. We painted gray on the top and put a new shade of red under the chair rail. We added some new bookcases and an end table to complete the makeover. I didn't realize how much I disliked the old ivory color until the gray went on.

2. Really diggin' Pink's new song- 'Raise Your Glass'.

3. Is loving The Walking Dead on AMC. Nick has been into zombies for years so I am be default.

4. My sister, brother-in-law and niece are coming to visit this weekend. We haven't seen them since July so we're all very excited. Bennet even made them welcome cards last night.

5. It might snow tomorrow. I am ok with that.

6. Having a lunch date with Nick today. We are trying to make it a weekly thing.

7. I chaperoned Bennet on a field trip to School Forest yesterday. We had so much fun. I'm pretty sure Bennet loved having me there since she never let go of my hand.

It had been a long time since I rode a big yellow school bus. Nothing has changed.

8. One of her classmates had a shirt that said "To Hell with Cookies and Milk. Give me Jewelry and Cash" Really? I wouldn't even buy a shirt like that much less let her wear it to school.

9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out next week. I am so excited.

10. Scout has stayed dry in underwear for two full days in a row. This is a HUGE deal. Requires a separate post at some point.