Sweet Sixteen

I can not believe my baby girl is sixteen years old today!

Here she is as a baby, awwww:

And since she hates her picture taken, here she is with some of her school friends when they went to see another classmate perform in the musical "13":

Alexa has grown into a smart, responsible, helpful, funny, athletic, beautiful, wonderful young lady. We are so proud of her and can't wait to see what fabulous things life has in store for her.

Happy Birthday, Lexi!

Cute Bags (Round 2)

I am having so much fun with this free, downloadable pattern from www.madebyrae.blogspot.com

Here are the latest round of bags:

With fabric Yo-Yos:

With removable flower clip:

And with removable torn fabric flower clips:

I have been asked by a few people "why so many bags, if you are not selling them?". Well, the amount of fabric I purchased for the width of the pattern pieces of each color was enough to cut out 3 sets. I chose 4 color combinations for me and my 3 girls, so, Ta-Da!, I now have 12 bags! They will make really great birthday gifts to have on hand. I could pay the licencing fee and sell them. Thoughts?

Baked by Joanna

Check out my friend's blog for a fun give away!

http://bakedbyjoanna.blogspot.com/2010/02/cupcake-lollipop-giveaway.html

Feeling Creative

Scrapbooks Etc (my fabulous place of employment) decided to start carrying fabric. Not just any fabrics, but the most beautiful designer quilting fabrics EVER. I decided I had to have some, so I found a cute little project online, called the Buttercup bag, on www.madebyrae.blogspot.com. It is a free pattern (if used for your personal use, not to sell) and I have made 6 of them! It takes a just a little bit of fabric and time. I have fabric for 2 more color combos. The girls have really liked them!

I added fabric Yo Yos to these:

And removable flower clips to these:

So fun and easy!

Ridin'

We had an awesome day today. It was my first Saturday off in I don't know how long, so we took the quads out for a spin. Believe it or not, with all the riders in my family, this was my very first time riding a quad!

OK, so I do kinda look like a dork, but it was pretty fun. I felt like I was being pretty brave and riding fast, but Tony informed me I was not going that fast.

Celeste sure was! She even caught some air:

She's pretty brave. She definitely takes after her daddy on that one. Here he is doing some donuts:

Sophie is more like her mommy, pretty cautious and nervous on her own:

She was getting more comfortable towards the end.

And one more of Celeste. She would have kept riding all day had we let her:

I think she may be ready to hit the dunes next Halloween with her daddy!

Long Time, No Blog

I can not believe it has been over a month since I blogged! I always feel so busy around the holidays. This year we (I) scaled way back on Christmas related busy-ness. We did not do our usual Christmas goody baking for neighbors and friends. I also did not do a Christmas card/letter, but may still get a new year one out, who knows?!?! I had less shopping to do as well because everyone but Sophie got cell phones as one of their gifts, and we did a family gift for the family we exchange gifts with, as opposed to 7 individual gifts. Alexa helped with all the shopping and wrapping, as she was not getting presents due to her Europe trip. We were able to surprise her with some trip related items (watch and travel alarm clock thanks to my friend Denise, and a small point and shoot digital camera from Santa).

Sophie would not see Santa for pictures, but was willing to sit with the grinch ( as long as Celeste promised to sit between them)!

Christmas morning before the kids got up:

And after:

New Years Eve day we spent at the zoo with friends. They had fake snow and a sparkling cider toast at noon. It was really fun and it had been so long since we had been there.

And, for the first time ever. Tony and I had no kids on new year's eve! We were supposed to go to a party, but it got cancelled. We went to a fabulous restaurant in down town Tempe called House of Tricks. I have been there a few times with lady friends. It is NOT a "Tony" type of place, fancy food, usually small-ish portions, etc. He agreed to go, even with my warnings. And you know what? It was GREAT! Tony ordered prime rib from the new year's specials menu, and it was the best we have had in a long time, and it was huge! Tony renamed that special menu the " fat guy" menu. They said they must have seen him coming. We ate Ceasar salad with olive croutons, spring salad with cranberries, pecans and goat cheese fondue, roasted yellow tomato soup with artichoke, vegetable lasagna with portabella mushrooms and squash puree, and wood fired prime rib with wilted spinach, mashed fondant potatoes with shitaki mushroom glaze. Tony even ate the spinach. AMAZING!

Fundraising Update and Shoutouts!

Alexa and I have been fundraising like crazy to make her trip happen as painlessly as possible! Here is an update of what we have been up to:

OCTOBER:

-sold old SU! stamps sets to Pat, Megan, and Barbara (who included an extra $20)

-Sold hair clips to Alexa's friends (thanks Jenaye for the ideas and being so cool about us doing this!)

-Sold hair clips at a McClintock game (thanks Judy)

-Halloween Carnival through city of Tempe Parks and Rec

NOVEMBER:

-$30.00 from Robin and Denice's Pampered Chef Party (thanks Robin!)

-Amazing Amber got $42 in clips, and counting, Thanks!

-Sold clips to Denice, Robin, and Amber for $55 (thanks Denice for the extra 'tip')

-Alexa did a market research study for $75

-Alexa babysitting for Kimberly, who pays really well! Thanks!

-Selling suckers at Tempe Paintball and at New Moon Premier, thanks to my wonderful bosses who let me get them at cost from them!

UPCOMING:

-more suckers to sell

-more hair clips to sell

-4 dates to do gift wrapping at Barnes and Noble for tips

-remember, Alexa is a fabulous babysitter!

-Amber and Joanna have offered their amazing talents to help, I just need to figure out how to utilize them (raffle?)

If I forgot anyone, I am so sorry. We have been so busy with all this! And a shoutout to Alexa, who is forgoing all Christmas and 16th birthday presents to allow us to put $ toward her trip. And, for getting the free phone that she will be using for the next 2 years, instead of a cool phone. Your "sacrifices" will for sure help!