My Magnum Opus

Lacey and I just finished reading Charlotte's Web together.  Chapter 19 is entitled "The Egg Sac."  Charlotte knows she is dying and focuses on making her egg sac.  Wilbur asks her what she is making and she replies, "My magnum opus."  She explains, "That's Latin.  It means 'great work.' This egg sac is my great work - the finest thing I have ever made."

This week has been so emotional for me as my oldest baby and youngest baby both turned a year older.  So, I cried and cried while reading that chapter with her.  In the past 8 years of being a mother, I have never had a baby turn two without either already having another one or being pregnant with one.  So, it was never this hard before.  I just want to freeze time and keep my baby a baby forever.

We invited over Dave's entire family (17 in all, including us) for dinner and birthday festivities tonight.

I spent all day yesterday mourning the fact that it was my last day as a mother of a one year old.  But luckily, she has turned into a very cute two year old thus far :)

Birthday girl with Cousin Lexi

Lacey bug with Nana (with a Grandpa photo bomb)

All 9 Strom cousins 

Happy birthday, my sweet Ella Grace.  We thought Riley might be our last.  I am so, SO grateful everyday that I have my sweet Ella Grace.  Your current loves : Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (specifically the episodes that "star" Minnie), your blankey, your babies and your mama.  While you're still not talking a ton, you have added several words to your vocabulary, the most common one being "show" whenever you are requesting Minnie Mouse and you say "Thank you" so clearly.  It is the absolute cutest thing ever because most of what you say is a bunch of baby babble, so when you bust out with "Thank you" as clear as day, it's adorable.

Happy Birthday, baby girl.  My Magnum Opus.

CandyLand

Lacey really wanted to have a birthday party with all of her friends and she wanted it to be a "candy" theme.  In trying to find ideas to decorate and such, that evolved into a CandyLand theme.  Since yesterday was a school day/night, we held her birthday party today.  And she was SOOO excited!

We made giant sized CandyLand cards for the guests to follow leading up to the door.

And Lacey made her own welcome sign.

Upon entering, guests were greeted with this candy bar.  It wasn't easy keeping my 4yo and almost 2yo away from this all day (or me for that matter :))

And a lollipop tree.  Each time one of the girls won a game, I had them go and pick out a lollipop from the tree.

We decorated the sunroom in all the colors of CandyLand.

And I made these candy decorations that we put over all the windows.

The games were all centered around the game as well.  For "Gumdrop Mountain", we dropped gumdrops in the jar.  

I didn't get any pictures of our next game, but it was a definite hit.  We gathered all the big CandyLand cards from the walkway and put them in a circle in the sunroom.  We played a version of musical chairs where the girls walked around and when the music stopped, they all stood on a card.  Then we picked a card out of the deck and whoever was standing on that card was out.  I loved doing it that way so people weren't fighting over the last card/chair.  Very fun!

And the part Lacey was most looking forward to and what she specifically requested to be at her party..... lining up for the piñata!

I seriously didn't expect this dog pile when girls were involved, but alas when candy is involved.....

Visiting the candy bar.....

This was my very first time using fondant.  And it was also my attempt to making a cake look like the CandyLand game board.  I saw the idea on pinterest and it looked doable.  It was harder than it looks (as all pinterest ideas are!), but I was super proud of how it turned out.  I was so excited for Dave to come home and sing my praises.  Instead, he walked in, took one look at the cake, started laughing and said "You should totally post a picture of what you tried to do and what you actually did."  What??! So, suffice it to say, the pinterest version is a bit more impressive.  

Speaking of cake..... time to cut into it!

Happy Birthday, baby girl.  You are loved.

8 Years Ago Today.....

I became a mom, thanks to this little ball of sweetness.

I got up early this morning and made a donut run so Lacey could have a special treat for her birthday breakfast. 

Then it was off to school......

But I came to school with Chick-fil-A in hand to have lunch with my birthday girl.

I guess I should have waited for her to swallow her chicken nuggets before taking pictures.  Love those chipmunk/chicken nugget cheeks :)

Dave normally walks through the garage when he gets home.  But tonight, he rang the doorbell and told me to make sure to have Lacey answer the door.   Lacey ran to the door and there was her dad waiting with a bouquet of 18 beautiful roses and a bouquet of balloons.

He also surprised me with a bouquet of flowers to celebrate the anniversary of me having Lacey.  So, Lacey and I took a pic of our sweet smelling bouquets.  

This is a special birthday for Lacey.  In our church, we do not baptize infants as we believe all babies are completely innocent and go to heaven no matter what.  But we do believe in baptism.  Once children are 8 years old, they can make the choice whether or not they would like to follow the example of the Savior and be baptized.  Lacey is very excited for her upcoming baptism!  So, we decided to give her her very own set of scriptures for her birthday with her name inscribed.  

Lacey, you were a rough baby.  You didn't sleep for the first three months of your life.  I remember being up all night every night and feeling like a walking zombie.  It just about killed me.  Dad was in graduate school, so after working all day long, he went straight to school and wouldn't get home until 10pm.  He was totally exhausted, so he couldn't help at night.  I quit my job so that I could stay home and be with you, but the majority of our income was lost with that decision, so it was a stressful time.  But somehow, we made it through.  You started sleeping, dad graduated, and I went back to work part-time.  And you developed into the absolute sweetest little girl ever.  We are so lucky to have you in our family. You are happy, easy to please, willing to help and just an overall wonderful daughter.  Love you!!!

Dive after Five

Yesterday, Dave made it home from work a little before 5:00 and rushed the older two kids off to the National Aquarium located in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore.  It is a fantastic aquarium.  The kids love it!  And Tanner has been asking to go there for weeks.  He LOVES sharks and kept asking to go see them.  BUT, the aquarium also happens to be a bit pricey:  $34.95 for adults and $21.95 for kids.  In other words, $224.71 for our family to go plus paying for a babysitter for Ella (kids under 3 are free, but are also a pain to bring because strollers aren't allowed).  Hmmm......  Solution!  I found that during the winter months, prices drop to $12/ticket on Fridays after 5pm.  Perfect!  I stayed home with the "little two" while Dave took the "older two".

Dolphin show!

Shark Alley.... Tanner's in heaven!

Megaladon Jaws

Aquarium selfie :)

Grease Lightning

Lacey's Brownie Troop was invited to a Mother/Daughter sock-hop tonight.  

Lacey wanted to dance NON-STOP ALL NIGHT LONG!  And I am not exaggerating.  NON-STOP.

This is great, except for the fact that she insisted on dancing WITH ME the entire time.  What?  You have a million friends here and you insist on dancing with me?  

But you know what?  I have a feeling that won't always be the case.  So I joined my girl on the dance floor and we danced TOGETHER from start to finish!  

At one point, they played "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."  And we danced and danced and I sang along, trying to teach it to Lacey.  And I thought about the fact that I sang that song with my best friend from High School on karaoke during our Senior Celebration was I was 17 years old.  Wow, I've come full circle with that song.

A rare moment toward the end where Lacey gave me a 30 second break to snap a pic with two of my dearest friends and fellow 50's girls, Lisa and Lauren.  Their two daughters are two of Lacey's closest friends.

Rock on!