Summer Beach Birthday Party

Each year I go WAY out for the girls' birthday party! I've done a rainbow party, A Very Hungry Caterpillar party, and a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom party. Last year, after asking the girls their thoughts on it, we decided not to have a party. They were totally fine with it, but towards the end of the summer they kept asking us when they were going to have a birthday party. Sigh....total fail on our part.

So, this year I was back to thinking and planning a party. We have large families so we always plan for about 50 people so you can see why it's a big thing for me to plan out. I deep clean my house, get the garden work done, and think through the logistics of a party. Normally I'm really into it, but this year I was struggling to figure out a theme and to get in the spirit of the party. I asked the girls and it changed daily: beach party, Frozen, polka dots, Frozen (again), etc. This past Christmas they had received a pool from us as their main Christmas gift. So after doing some Pinterest searching, I suggested to them a possibility of a beach party and they could swim with their cousins, aunts/uncles and just enjoy the time outside.

My goal with this party was to cut back a bit on spending compared to past birthdays. Again, I go all out so this was a bit hard. The first thing I did was decide to send beach balls in the mail as the official invite. That was the plan at least until the post office said they had no idea how to mail them like that. So, instead I put them in an envelope with writing on the inside flap of the envelope that said "Inflate for the date". :) 


Thankfully for us, the weather ended up being perfect, and we got the pool set up and filled about a week before the party, which gave us just enough time to have that water warm up!

I hit up the Dollar Store in order to look for decorations. Thankfully they had a great amount of decorations that fit the beach theme! Yay!!

On the day of the party, I just kept thinking of more things to do! All fairly simple and easy to do so if you are planning a beach party, know that I would say this is the most simple party we have ever done! Also, relatively cheap!

I was not originally planning on using this lemonade stand that Chris made last year for our family pictures. However, at the last minute, I decided to stick this in the garage as a fun addition to our beach theme and hang beach balls from it (we also hung beach balls from the ceiling of our garage). The girls loved it and were teasing everyone that came through the line that they needed 25 cents for lemonade!

The table decorations were by far the easiest! I got the table cloths at the dollar store, used brown sugar as my sand, and bought the little sand buckets/rakes/shovels for a great deal on Amazon! We filled our little buckets with a combination of peanuts, raisins, and M & M's, as a treat for everyone while they were sitting around and talking.

We kept it simple with the food! BBQ beef sandwiches, lots of fresh fruit, and a veggie tray (in the shape of a beach ball).

We closed out the party with our beach ball/sand/flip flop cupcakes! These were SO good and were made by two of my local friends who have started a little bakery. The best was that they were able to make the girls and myself gluten free versions of the cupcakes!

At the end of the day, spending time with some of our family and closest friends was so worth the hassle of planning a party. Also, the girls had an absolute blast and are already planning next year's party. The theme? Frozen....even though I try to tell them it will be an "old" movie by then, they insist that will be what the party is all about. We will see! :)

Do you do birthday parties? Family ones? Friend ones? Do you stick with a theme?

Wordless Wednesday: Cute Cousins

 

Wordless Wednesday: Easter Edition

 

On Firsts and Lasts (and all the in between)

We've been experiencing a lot of firsts around here. First time making it thru a nap diaper free, first time swinging on the big girl swing all by herself, first time not needing mama to reach something, and the list goes on. While Xiomara experiences all these firsts over the past few months, I'm acutely made aware of the fact that I'm experiencing lots of lasts. Life is a bit funny that way. Here I am cheering on Xiomara thru tears in my own eyes.

I've had a lot of people ask us over the years if we will have more children, either thru adoption or birth, and as the years go by I've answered very honestly that I'm not sure. However, as Xiomara is set to turn four this summer, and as we had three girls in three year, I know that this break has been good for us and I'm thinking more and more that we are about to move into a new season of our lives.

Typing that out brings a certain sadness. I think I will have to learn to live with that ache, as my friend, Sarah Bessey puts it.


It hasn't been easy though. Each time I go thru the closets and set aside of bag of clothes to sell to a friend, I struggle. The 2T clothes were the hardest as I realized I no longer have a baby. Instead, I have a full-on preschooler who rarely sits still to snuggle in my lap these days.

I have three growing girls who all are developing their taste for certain independence from me. I'm thankful that late at night, each girl curls up with me as we read a book together and I'm able to have my "babies" back for just a bit.


My Facebook feed is filling up with friends who are announcing they are pregnant or adopting, and I feel that familiar pull. My heart aches with wanting to celebrate with a new baby in our family. Every once and awhile Zoelle begs me to have a baby and then I really question if we are doing the right thing, or if we should give them another sibling.

However, most times I realize how blessed I am now to have three, beautiful little girls with curly heads full of hair. I'm blessed to have a six year old who loves to read, play piano, and sing. I'm blessed to have a four year old who is independent and plays on her own for hours. I'm blessed to have a three year old who has an exuberance for life that has made me smile on even the hardest days. They will all grow older soon and I'll be blessed when they hit each of the coming ages as well.


For now, my days are full and I'm learning to live with the ache and pull, and instead just be here in the present, enjoying it as much as I enjoyed the baby days.


What stage of life are you in? Did you have to learn to live with the ache?

On Leaving My Girls

Dear girls,


Today I'll get on a plane and be farther away from you then I have in over a year. If you ever get the amazing chance to be mamas, one day you will understand how much it kills me to be away from you. Six days is a long time in your world, but it also is in mine!


However, if you ever get the amazing chance to be mamas, I'll encourage you to leave. I'll volunteer to be Grandma for a week while you go visit a friend half way around the country.


Because I know how needed that time away is.


Time for a break. Time to find out who you are away from the title of "Mama". Time to connect with other women. Time to travel outside of your comfort zone. Time to see new places. Time to meet new people.


One day, it will be your time to do all that. Today, the time is mine.


I'll miss you with everything in me! But as I've said before, my heart beats in each of your little hearts as my love for you runs so deeply there. Every second of your days will be on my mind as you are each a part of who I am as Vanessa.

Snow Angels

Think of this time as a gift for all of us. It will be a time of renewal for me, so I can come back home and be a better mama to the three of you. For the three of you, think of this time as a precious gift to connect with your daddy and to bond more with each other. For daddy and your sisters are just as important as mama.


I love you all and thank you SO much for giving me this precious time alone! See you in 5 sleeps!


With all my love, hugs, kisses, singing, and back rubs,


Mama

Catching Up

It's time to play catch up around here! I've sadly neglected my blog for more important things in my life such as my family, work as a birth photographer, and life in general. So here is a random catch up post on my life these past few weeks. Also, a bit of an Instagram post of pictures (you can follow me there as @jewelsntreasures).

January has flown by and here we are heading into February! I'm thrilled as it means I am one step closer to winter being done with and spring arriving! Soon...oh how I hope soon.

Many people have asked me how I am doing this winter, and I did want to touch on it here. I would say that this is the best winter I have had in years. I know I have many people praying for me, I'm also being extra faithful to take my Vitamin D3, and my Juice Plus. In addition, I've started to use Young Living Essential Oils and specifically have diffused a few different ones that have helped me on down days. I'll be blogging later on my experience with Young Living and the benefits I have seen by using their oils.


Outside play with my two older girls

This winter is one of the coldest on records for our state. Since December, I can only think of a handful of days it has been above zero. Brrr...it's cold! However, we haven't had a ton of snow this year and I think that is helping me not feel so locked in. The sun has also seemed to shine quite a bit more than other winters, which has been a huge bonus for me.

Since Christmas, we have been focused on school, Zoelle has started violin lessons, I've had lots of birth photography work, and lots of time together as a family.

Zoelle's first violin lesson

Sometimes though, I feel like life is still going too quickly. I've been feeling convicted lately on not spending enough time with my girls. Even when I am with them, I'm not always with them as I tend to check out on my phone (it's so easy to do a "quick" check of Instagram or Facebook, isn't it?). I intend to change that as they are growing up and time with them is limited. I also miss reading...I haven't done much of that lately. It seems that once the girls are in bed for the night, I'm either too tired to read, or we end up catching up on our favorite shows. I do love to watch Downton Abbey or Ellen, but I still miss stimulating my mind by reading. My goal is to make at least one night a week, in which I read just for my pleasure after I put the girls to bed. I've also neglected this blog, which I really don't like doing. This blog has been a way of me finding friends and connecting with the outside world for the past 4 years. It also has allowed me to have a journal of sorts for the girls. So I do have a goal of getting back to more of a regular schedule of blogging.

After saving a bit of money, I'm planning a trip out to Washington D.C. to visit my friend, Jill. I'm looking for your suggestions of your favorite things to do or visit in D.C.

I'm back to feeling frustrated on my lack of, or even non-existent meal planning. I really wish someone could meal plan and grocery shop for me. It makes me feel too stressed! Part of that is not finding cooking fun, although Zoelle has started to help with it and I can see the fun in that. I'm just feeling a little blah in making meals lately. If anyone has any suggestions, send them my way.

Our P!nk concert date night

So, there you have it! Life these past few weeks, life coming up, my frustrations, my goals. Hoping I can share another catching up post in a few months of how I've stuck to those goals. In the near future expect to see more blogging, and you won't believe how much the girls have grown once I finally start sharing pictures again!!

Thanks for hanging in there, cheering me on, praying for me, etc. Tell me how your life has been! Are you experiencing an extra cold winter too?

A Look Back At 2013

Here I sit just hours away from 2014 all while reflecting on 2013.

It was a good year.

Last January I got on a plane and flew to Washington D.C. to meet an online friend and quickly realized she has become one of my closest and dearest friends. I'm still anxiously looking forward to when either she will come here, or I will go there again. It will happen. But for now, we kept up our promise to text or talk more often than before.

In February, I announced that I had started a new adventure in 2012 of birth photography. This journey into birth photography has kept me very busy, has challenged me to challenge myself more in photography, and has been one of the biggest blessings that I can't even begin to possibly explain. To see brand new life being born is a complete miracle and one that I refuse to take for granted.

Meridian also took a big step of self-weaning in February. It was so incredibly bittersweet for me, but at the same time quite painless because we were both so ready. As I did with her older sister, I wrote a weaning letter to her.

In March, I got to fulfill my dream of going to a Maroon 5 concert and seeing Adam Levine in person! :) I have a bit of a crush on him and thanks to my confident husband (and maybe the fact that I'm no supermodel), my hubby took my teenager self to a concert and I had a blast!

I also shared my very first picture of our dog, Teal in March. Although, I would later have my husband, Chris guest post about her in April!

In April, Zoelle lost her very first tooth and if I'm not mistaken, tooth number four will be coming out either late tonight or early tomorrow.

The month of May was a busy one! Meridian received her first haircut (and then later on this summer cut it on her own)! Zoelle and Meridian both turned a year older (when does time stop?) and as always, I wrote them each a birthday letter.

In June, we went to our annual parade, enjoyed some sunshine, and just relaxed knowing that summer was finally here.

In July, we celebrated the 4th of July, followed only a few days later by our Xiomara's third birthday. We also took a wonderful, relaxing, sun-filled, camping vacation that was pure bliss!

In August, Chris and I had a joint 30th birthday party. We spent the whole day with friends and family who celebrated with us by doing some of our favorite things (floating down the river, supper at a local pizza place, bonfire late into the night at our house). A few days later, Chris and I celebrated 10 years together. I still can hardly believe it has been that long and I feel so blessed to be Chris' wife. In celebration, Chris and I took a few days off for a bed & breakfast trip. Also, I took my favorite picture of Xiomara to date with my iPhone at the end of the month. I absolutely adore it!

September meant the start of school, but not until after we took a wonderful Labor Day trip to the North Shore. It also meant attending another concert, this time to Taylor Swift (hey BFF!). Much of my September is documented in this post that was a conclusion of summer that I posted in October.

November and December have seemingly flown by with both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I turned 30, and realized that maybe it isn't so bad after all (I'm not sure though, still thinking on that one). I also opened up a bit and shared with you that we have had some scary times. Yet, I have seen God time and time again in those times, even if it is through a pair of P!nk tickets.

Now as I look forward to 2014, I can honestly say that I am excited! Excited to see what God will bring into our lives this year and excited to see what God will have us do for others. Long ago, I came across this picture and have since saved it in order to keep this in my mind for the future.

I have one life to live and I plan on using it wisely. Here is to 2014! Happy New Year!

Wordless Wednesday: Halloween 2013

A Look Back On Our Summer (Yes I realize it's November tomorrow!)

A 36 degree, cool, brisk, October day seems like a perfectly reasonably time to talk about our past summer, right? Perhaps it will warm me up! :)

I live for summer every year. Maybe it's because summer around here is so short, or maybe it's because I truly love sunshine and warmth. Whatever the reason, I look forward to it each year.

This year however, was one of the strangest summers I can ever remember. After the longest and coldest winter I can ever remember, we were looking forward to summer more than normal. Sadly though, summer took the longest time ever to come and it didn't seem to last long enough.

Xiomara, Zoelle, & India (cousin)

We did however try and enjoy it to the full. In June, we had our annual parade that I love and look forward to each year. However most of June was rather cold, so that was a bit of a bummer.



In July, the heat finally came and we enjoyed the 4th, we celebrated Xiomara's third birthday, we went camping (and met new friends), we attended our county fair, and we swam as much as we could!

August brought about Chris' 30th birthday. Since I can never surprise him as he will find out, we decided to have a joint birthday party together (I'm not turning the big 3-0 until December, but shh, we aren't talking about that yet). The guys did their thing (which meant shooting at clay targets), the girls did our thing (which meant floating down the river on our tubes) and then we all met up for dinner at a local restaurant. Followed with ice cream at a local candy shop and lastly a big bonfire in our backyard. It was one of the best times I can remember with some of our greatest friends and family joining us for the whole day! Chris & I also celebrated our 10 year anniversary with a Bed & Breakfast getaway for a few days. I wrote more about 10 years of marriage, here.

This summer however also brought some challenges to our life. I'm not sure I'll ever fully blog about it, but there were some new stresses that were completely unexpected that came to us this year. Ones that took me by surprise and challenged my faith and trust in God more than I can remember in a long time. To be honest, some of these stresses are still here. I can't say I really like that, but then again, it's making me look at God differently and I literally have to wake up each morning knowing that He has everything in His hands and that I can't control it, no matter how much I want to. There is comfort in knowing that I'm not in charge, but also a bit of fear because somehow I feel like if I can control it, all will go well.

So combined with the weather of summer and these stresses, I can say I didn't enjoy it like I should have. Looking back, I'm really regretting that as I do love summer and it only lasts so long.

I suppose since I'm finishing writing this on the last day of October, I can catch you up on our Fall thus far. The highlight of my September was going to a Taylor Swift concert. I've loved Taylor for years and honestly feel like we could be best friends (you know if she wasn't famous). ;) She did not disappoint and bless my husband for putting up with 13 year old me once again!

October has been full of state park visits, pumpkin patch visits, and getting ready for winter. While I feel like fall hit way too soon, we did have a beautiful one.

Now, as I gear up for winter a sadness does come over me. I think part of the reason I don't like cold and winter is that for my life, it's always come with loss. I've lost some of the closest people in my life always in the fall or winter of my life. Both physically through death, and also emotionally through life changes. It brings a sadness over me each year as I think about it. I've also mentioned before that no sun, lots of snow, and cold, do not mix with me. I still don't know why I live where I live and if it wasn't for my husband, I would not be here. So as we all go into the winter season, would you mind saying a prayer for me or thinking good thoughts? I'd really appreciate it!

I hope you all enjoyed your summer and are currently enjoying fall! Catch me up on your lives in the comments below!

Wordless Wednesday: Pumpkins!

 

 

Wordless Wednesday: Daddy's Girls

Cadbury High Tea Party

Hello and welcome to tea at three with us (said in my most proper British accent). ;)

That's right! We recently had a tea party right in our front yard. I'm not sure I've ever seen the girls so excited, and at supper that night, Zoelle even thanked God for a wonderful afternoon tea party.

Oops! I forgot to take the hat off this one before the party! :)

In order to be proper, I asked everyone to please dress in their finest. Zoelle led everyone to our dress up box, and each child picked out the dress they wanted to wear. Then, each child got to choose from the fascinators and hats. This was probably one of the most delightful moments of our tea party as each child was in an over sized hat, with a cute little dress up dress, and big smile of anticipation on their face.

What would a tea party be without tea? The girls helped me ahead of time in preparing sugar, creamer, and the tea pot. We even made it with my favorite tea! Zoelle later told me she didn't really like it except the bottom (which is where all the sugar was). :)

Lastly, we brought out the kids favorite (who am I kidding, it was an adult favorite too), the Cadbury ice cream bars. Yummy! Everyone had four different kinds to choose from:  Cadbury Royal Dark, Cadbury English Toffee, Cadbury Caramello, and Cadbury Vanilla Chocolate. I'm pretty certain that each adult and child loved whatever ice cream they got. My favorite is the Caramello.

My hubby even snuck one too and said that he loved the Dark Chocolate as it was rich, yet had that typical Cadbury goodness.

After lots of excitement, hot tea, ice cream treats, and lots of giggles with dress up, it was time to be done. The conclusion: We all want to do afternoon tea and Cadbury bars more often!

Disclaimer: I received this party kit as part of a promotional program with Cadbury and MomSelect. All opinions are my own.