We Have A Birthday Girl

We have a three-year-old now! I can't believe Winnie is three, even though she usually talks like she's 15. I don't ever want her to grow up, but I also enjoy her more and more all the time.

We had a fantastic day. It included a trip to our favorite park, pizza, dinosaurs, doll houses, new books and new dresses.

The cake (you're looking at 10 eggs and 1 1/2 pounds of butter right there).

The candles

The presents. (Someone should brush that poor girls' hair--or at least wash her face. What was her mother thinking?)

The dolls on the cake go to this doll house.

A set of sporty red wheels.

Winnie got a bucket of dinosaurs from her cousins. I think they were her favorite toy of the evening. Even still, she told everyone they could chose one to take home. Only Luke took her up on the offer, though.

As Winnie went to bed tonight she was singing "Happy Birthday" to herself.

And my baby is

On Luke's first birthday he. . .

weighs 23 pounds.

isn't very interested in learning to walk.

says about 10 words.

is almost all smiles--even when he's sick.

loves blankets.

is very patient with his sister, who often isn't very patient with him.

Happy Birthday, Matty Morrise!

Everyday Food's Pumpkin Spice Cake with Honey Frosting. I think this will be my new go-to frosting recipe.

I would have taken pictures of Matt opening presents, but I didn't get him any and my camera battery died.

Don't feel so bad for Matt. His birthday present is winging its way to him. He's willing to wait to get something he really wants.

Some day I will have a clean house. Maybe when I don't work anymore. Or when I finally find the perfect spot for everything. Or when I learn how to move faster. Or find two more hours every day. Or get a maid. Or overcome entropy.

Today I did 9 loads of laundry. That seems like more than 4 people should be able to generate. Between sheets, towels, gym clothes and spit-up we manage to make a real mess. Unfortunately, I did not finish vacuuming, mop or plant my bulbs. Don't plan to eat off my floors any time soon.

Matt's birthday is this Friday. I always look forward to his birthday because it means I'm not older than him for the next nine months. We're going to dinner at our favorite restaurant, Thai Ruby, which is always closed on my birthday. I also look forward to making Matt's birthday cake. Last year it was black forest. This year it's going to be pumpkin spice with honey-cream cheese frosting. He's lost almost 40 pounds since we got married, so I need to make sure it's really good and he'll want to eat a lot of it. My weight buffer is getting painfully small.

Entry Organization

I like our little house, but one of the things that's a must for our next house is a coat closet. When you walk in our front door you're basically standing in our family room looking up the stairs. There's not much room for bags and coats or any of the things you usually want to drop when you first come in the door. Until now I've had a row of hooks up on the wall behind the front door, but I've been looking for something that could meet our needs a little better.



I only have 6 inches behind my front door, but Target had these really slim storage shelves on clearance with bins on top and hooks beneath. Matt and his parents gave them to me for my birthday and I love them! The upper hooks are at the same height as our old coat rack and the lower shelves are just the right height for the kids to reach by themselves. (Okay, Luke can't reach his yet, but at the rate he's growing it will only be a few weeks).

Much better. Now if I could just find a way to make an eat-in kitchen. . .

2 Years Old

Winnie turned 2 yesterday. Where did the last 2 years go? Here's a picture of our sweet birthday girl, Queen Winnie:




Her ladybug cake:

Winnie was very excited about her birthday. All day long everything was her "birthday" something--her birthday breakfast, her birthday dress, her birthday daddy. . .

Matt and I gave Winnie a CD player for her birthday. I never would have thought I'd be giving a 2-year-old a CD player, but we set it up today and she knew how to use it without me even having to show her.

Birthday Pictures

We celebrated Matt's birthday on Sunday. In Matt's family there's a tradition that you get to be the "king" and everyone brings you gifts. Here Matt is ready to be presented with the peasants' offerings.

Here's Matt ready to blow out his candles. I only had 5 candles, but luckily 30 is a multiple of 5 so it was all the same. :)

Winnie had a birthday. Shout Hooray!

I can't believe that Winnie's first birthday has come and gone already! Isn't she supposed to still be a newborn? Our first year with Winnie has gone too fast! We had a party with all of our family in Utah. Our little house was bulging at the seams! I made Winnie a cake that was supposed to look like a cupcake. (I figured I better tell you what it's supposed to be, though, because some people couldn't tell).

Eating her birthday ice cream cone cupcake.

Winnie's new popper. Now if only we could teach her to vacuum.