Today I Blew Out Some Candles.

Wanna know what song I've had running through my head all day?

"Go shorty, it's your birthday, we're gonna party like it's your birthday, gonna sip Bacardi like it's your birthday."

Never mind that I don't drink Bacardi.  I don't drink alcohol at all.  And that's not just when I'm pregnant.

I I think it's soooo weird that years after that song was sung, (ad nauseum) to every friend celebrating a birthday, it would pop in my head today.

And if you don't know what song I'm talking about, count yourself lucky.  Haha!

Anyways.  Awesome birthday because I have an amazing husband and wonderful family members.  Tony came home early to make me a cake (I made one too).  He brought Sees Candies chocolates (scotchmallow anyone?  just kidding.  all mine.) and a gift card to Motherhood Maternity (much needed and appreciated!!!). 

Here are the pics to prove how loved I am.  :)

(and it was.  it REALLY was!)

(molly.  one of my incredible sisters.  she made a gloriously, yummy enchilada dinner tonight!)

(the ends of my new scarf.  molly crocheted it!)

(the photographer's self-portrait.  my funny guy.)

(my monkey face cake.  so much fun to make.  it was a big hit with the short set.  got the idea here and simplified it.)

(tony's girls.)

(my chocolates.  as you can see, i've already enjoyed two.)

(blowing out the candles - with  little help.  i can't ever remember to make a wish.  this is the cake that tony baked.  he said he looked through a lot of cake recipes.  so glad he chose this one.  if there ever was a death by chocolate edible, this is it.  if you'd like to have one of your own, go here.)

Happy Birthday to ME!! 

Today I Made Jam.

I finally got around to making blackberry jam.  I used the Ball brand of freezer jam pectin and just followed the directions under the label. 

Potato Masher Mashed Blackberries.

It was surprisingly easy.  I just mixed the sugar and pectin and then the fruit.  Then poured it into jars to set and lastly...

Voila!  Three jars of yummy jam.  And a lot less sugar than I expected too.


P.S.  On a completely different topic, would it be completely lame for me to make my own birthday cake?

Today I Got Really Close to a Baby Seal.

I spent most of my morning taking care of my girls and s-l-o-w-l-y making orange biscuits.  They seriously took me all morning because of the Ash & Britt interruptions.  But that was ok.  I wasn't in any hurry.  I had a yucky feeling at the start of my day so I felt like being quiet and lazy.  I got to feeling better after lunch.  The orange biscuits were good.  Would have been better if I'd taken them out of the oven and their pan sooner.  I shall have to try it again someday.

After leaving a napping Britt in the care of my sisters, Ash and I headed to the park to meet Christine again.  C and I chatted while the little one played (I love how she just goes up to stranger kids and makes friends).  Then we went to go get Britt (nap time was over at that point) before we hit up the bakery for cookies before heading to the lighthouse and beach (where I snapped pics of the girls on the steps of the lighthouse). 



We didn't get to stay long because we were running out of time, but we did get to see a baby seal.  It's mother had left it on the shore to go hunt.  I guess they are safer on the beach than they would be in the water with the threat of hungry orcas.  I've never been so close to a sea animal outside of the zoo.  Of course we didn't touch it.  Who knows if they bite?  And besides it's illegal to touch or harass them.

Today I Smiled.

It was a good day.  My friend, Christine, is in town and so the girls and my sister, Rachel, spent the second half of the day with her.  First we went and got pedicures and manicures.  Then we went to Alki Beach.  Then we went to Bellevue Square Mall for sushi and to let the girls climb all over the boats in the childrens' play area.  I should have taken pictures.  But I was kinda busy so I didn't.  :) 

Probably a good time to throw in the second to the last day of the 30 Day Challenge.  You thought I wasn't going to finish it, didn't you?  Day 29 of the 30 Day Challenge: A picture that can always make you smile.

I have two.


This is Ash at 2.5 weeks.  She had just made her first out of control poopy diaper which led to her first at-home bath.  I love this face she is making.  My parents have always called it the "egg face."  I have no idea why.  It's so funny when babies make this face.  Ash did it way more than Britt. 


Britt made other funny faces (this is her at 5 months).  Like this face (which I'm pretty sure I've posted before).  I called it the "munchkin face."  I laughed every time she made it! 

Today I Got a Cut and Color.

I woke up early this morning and went to my sister-in-law's to get my hair done.  It was soooo past time.  I had a bunch of grays, tons of split and frizzy ends, and a tired grown out style (or lack thereof).  I don't live close to my sister-in-law, but it was so worth the drive.  I'm a new me! 



We had a pretty laid back Labor Day weekend.  No trips or special outings.  Just lovely laziness.  I think a lot of people consider this holiday to be Summer's Last Hurrah.  Schools are either in session or just about to start for most.  No more wearing white.  Time to break out the boots and all that.  Well, I won't be considering Summer over and Fall beginning until the 23rd.  Because that's what my calendar says.  So there.  :P  How about you?

Today I Had an Ultrasound.

**big grin**

I told my husband that there are blue sperm and pink sperm and the only kind he makes is pink.  Lol.

We're having Girl #3!!!  God must like the way Tony and I parent girls, so he's blessing us with another one.

It's funny.  When the ultrasound tech told me my baby's gender, I was washed by emotion.  Not just one emotion, but a couple different feelings.  I cried a little.  It was weird.  I was happy and sad.  Sad because it wasn't a boy (so strange) and happy because it's a girl.  I love my girls and being able to have another to doll up is exciting.  Now I get to pull down all the boxes of baby clothes and go through them.  I need to pull down all the stored clothes boxes and see what I can find for Britt to wear this Fall too.  And yes, we do have a name picked out, but I'm not telling what it is yet.

Ok.  Just a hint.  But only because I have a question.  How do you pronounce the name "Elle?"  Would you say Ell?  Or Ellie?  Just curious.  :)

And now, I must keep it brief.  Tony and I are going to go see Cowboys and Aliens.  The write-up I read about this movie make it sound dumb.  But I spent soooo much of my youth being madly in love with Han Solo Harrison Ford.  So, of course I have to go see this movie!  

Oh!  Almost forgot.  Here's a pic of the littlest princess.  She likes to have her hands up in front of her face.

Today I Broke Up a Lot of Fights.

I don't know what got into the girls today, but it seemed like they were at each others throats from the moment they got up.  They took turns wanting whatever the other one had.  I got to see a lot of hitting, pushing, pulling and hair grabbing.  Ash even hit Britt over the head with a stick!  Most of the time I think my kids are awesome, little angels.  Today it was like they were trying to sprout horns!  Taking the item they were fighting over didn't seem to make a difference since they'd just find something else to squabble over.  **sigh**  Well, tomorrow is another day, right?  Maybe they will play nicely instead. 

I'm posting the pics I took at the Pacific Science Center on the 18th of last month.  It was a short trip.  I brought my kids, my brother and sister-in-law brought their son, and my mom brought most of her still-at-home kids (a total of 12, ages 4-19).  At this point we were all rather tired from a solid week of fun and outings.  All the children were being punks and Britt was down right impossible!  I was so happy to just pack up and go, even if we weren't there long. 

I did get some cute pictures though.  :)

(britt, at least 14.5 years away from driving a real car.)

(musical britt)

(in the instrument room.  i was amazed and happy with how long this room held the girls' attention.)

(britt sitting in a duckbill dinosaur footprint.  she thought it was pretty cool.)

(britt wasn't very impressed by this big caterpillar statue.  i was surprised she stayed on it long enough for me to snap a picture.)

(to be honest, i don't really remember what they were sitting in.  i think it was a play bus or truck.)

It'll probably be a while before I go to the Pacific Science Center again.  It's mostly for older kids.  Actually, Ash was really interested in everything, but Britt just wanted to run away from me.  So, not really a young toddler place.  :)