The Life of a Popsicle....

LAST DAY!!!

Our little girl celebrated her last day of Pre-K yesterday! I decided that was a great reason to celebrate so I decorated my car and had a balloon in hand to give Eva and her friend, Jordyn, when I picked them up from school.

At first they were quite concerned about the fact I used paint to decorate the car. In their little 5 year old minds that was a biiiiiiig no-no! Eva even went as far to say, "Does Daddy know you did this?!"

Love her.

After the initial worry quickly wore off they were super excited! They loved that the car told everyone around us that they were now officially kindergartners....they even started calling the people that were looking at it "customers"! At one point they were both waving out their windows like little beauty queens. Priceless.

I know that to some this may seem a little over-the-top.....but I am a passionate believer that in life the little things truly are what is important.

And in our world today was a very big deal.

Congratulations Eva! We are sooooo proud of you peanut!

Happy Birthday Neighbor!

Our neighbor (who also happens to have the wonderful name JAMIE) will soon be celebrating her 30th birthday.....a great reason to head to Chicago to have a little fun and celebrate! Jamie's sister planned a fabulous surprise party for her, so 4 of us loaded up and headed to the windy city for a weekend of celebrating our friend!

My sister (taking the pic), Kelly, Jodi, and myself doing a little shopping before the festivities!

We were all waiting at the dinner table when Jamie showed up!! She had no idea and was very surprised!! I loved her expression when she saw us!!
Our after dinner entertainment included a drag queen show! This was my first experience at a Drag show and I have to tell you - I was floored that the people up on stage were men!! Some of them were BEA-U-TI-FUL!!!! Needless to say we enjoyed a lot of laughs - from the show and eachother!

After the drag queen show it was on to Martini park .....where we CUT UP the dance floor! What a GREAT time!

All I gotta say is....I love these ladies.

HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY JAMIE!!

My Favorite Things....Make-Up Edition!

About a year or so ago I did a few posts on some of my favorite things. It was fun to do and it made me realize just how many things I use that I've become quite loyal to. I've always been a girl that sticks with things that I like. Why fix it if it isn't broke right? This goes for everything in my life...from the person I hire to fix my plumbing right down to the chapstick I use. I am just a very loyal girl. That being said, I thought it would be fun to have a few more of these posts, but this time I thought I would put a theme to each one. It's a great fill-in when I don't have much else to blog about! Sooo...look for more this summer! Today we are covering make-up!

I've always liked make-up ever since I was young - but I am no pro at it. I find what I believe works for me and I stick with it. Here are a few of my favorites....

I have always worn some type of foundation...my dermatologist taught me early on that it's actually good for your skin to have some sort of protection on it and that stuck. However, I never liked the creamy foundation because it just never looked natural. I can't stand seeing a line on the jawline of someone from their make-up. My mom introduced me this foundation years ago....

I have to be honest in saying I was VERY hesitant at first. I just didn't really think something that looked so powdery and loose could work well as a foundation. Oh. My. Word. It is amazing and I've been hooked ever since. This make-up is soft, sheer (yet it covers zits!), and it honestly looks better as the day goes on instead of the other way around. I love it.

I've always loved the look of nude lips....just soft and shimmery with a little hint of color. I have a thin upper lip so I like to use lip liner. The trick is finding the right balance of lip liner and gloss without looking like a...welll.....you know. I remember back in high school Janet Jackson would line her lips with a darker lip liner and then use clear gloss. Oooohhhh how I loooved that look. Now I wouldn't be caught dead in it. BUT I still like that whole nude lip look like the ones below...

After years of searching I think I finally got the right combination down. About 4 years ago I fell in love with a MAC lip liner called Spice. It's such an amazing shade...it looks natural, yet there is color. I would often pair it with one of MAC's clear lip glosses and it looked alright....but I was still looking for the correct lip gloss to pair it with.

This past spring I found it!!! I was at Sephora and they were giving out free samples of these little beauties by Bare Minerals....

The combination of the Spice lip liner and the Bare Minerals gloss in Rose is (in my completely unprofessional opinon) the perfect nude lip. Looooove it.

On to eyeshadow. I've been a MAC girl for years and years when it comes to shadow. The colors are beautiful and more importantly they STAY PUT!!!!! However....this past spring I tried a charcoal shadow from Target's Sonya Kashuk's line and I love that just as much as the MAC eyeshadows!

You may laugh when I tell you this one.....when it comes to mascara I've been using the exact same one my mom introduced me to when I was thirteen and first started wearing mascara. It's true. Cover Girl Professional mascara is the one for me. I've tried "bigger and better brands" and I always come back to this one. I. Love. It.

Last, but not least....chapstick. I'm a girl that usually has something on her lips. I can't stand the feel of dry and flaky lips. If I'm not wearing lipstick I usually have chapstick on and in my opinion NOTHING beats this.....

I honestly have a stick of it in my purse...in my closet...in the kitchen....all over the house. I will tell you it has a minty feel to it so my little ones don't love it - but I do!

Hmmm....I would say those are the only things I'm totally loyal to in make-up. I love blushes but I change brands frequently and my hair products change alllll the time. The above are my tried and true!

"There is no cosmetic like happiness."

--Maria Mitchell

A Special School Day!

Eva's school year is winding down and to celebrate both of the Pre-K classes took a fieldtrip to a local park!

We started the day with a walk "to explore God's wonders" through the park. I looooove how her school relates everything back to God.

This little ones kept her eyes open and alert! She was ready to discover God's wonders!

Afterwards all of the little ones had time to play on the playground! As you can tell from this picture Jaden is having just as much fun as Eva and her friends are!

The parents grilled out and the children enjoyed a picnic lunch! This is Eva and her buddy Issac!

It was a super fun morning with some amazing children!! Eva has been blessed with a great school experience this year and I am so very thankful for that. We will be enjoying the last few days of our little girl being in Pre-K....and then it will be on to Kindergarten! Is that possible?

"There is a garden in every childhood, and enchanted place where the colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again."

--Elizabeth Lawrence

The Little Guy's First Trip to the Dentist!

So now that Jaden is the ripe ol' age of THREE it was time for his first dentist appointment! We have been talking about this for weeks!! We even went to the library and checked out a book on going to the dentist....and I'm not kidding when I say that Matt and I read the book to him 5 times since last night. He even took the book with him to his appointment...

He did SUCH a great job! When Eva had her first appointment I had her sit on my lap while I got my teeth cleaned so she could see everything they would be doing. No need for Jaden - he hopped right up in the "magic chair" and was ready to go!!!! He was excited...although in this picture he looks a little hesitant!

The dentist said his teeth look great - he's doing a great job of brushing them! He also mentioned that Jaden will probably have early orthodontics because his mouth is pretty small and he'll need room for all of his permanent teeth - the same situation I had when I was a little girl! The dentist said his mouth structure is just like his Mama's....and considering my dad use to call me the million dollar mouth that may not be good!!! Ha!

In all Jaden had a wonderful trip to the dentist! He looooooves his new tooth brush and the rubber ducky that he got to pick out of the treasure chest! He also loved his new toothpaste....had to take that one away when I caught him eating it in the car! Oh...the things a boy can get into to!! Love it....looooove him!

GREAT offer....

So Tonya at Toluka Paper caught wind of my little shout out to her, and being the super nice person she is she decided to pass a little savings on to YOU. Gotta love that!! Sooo here is the deal...


If you are in the market for absolutely ADORABLE invitations OR any of the following...

Thank You Notes

Baby Announcements

Graduation Announcements

Business Cards

Calling Cards

Return Address Labels

Gift Labels

Much, MUCH more...

Then Toluka Paper is your place!

The thing that I love about it is that it can all be personalized. Anyone can purchase thank you notes at Target (and we alllll know I looooove Target) but how cool would it be to send out a Thank You note that is more personalized. Something that includes a picture of your family or of your business logo. I love little touches like that....the little things can make such a big difference! Give Tonya your idea...and I'm telling you, the girl can work magic!

AND RIGHT NOW SHE IS OFFERING MY READERS A GRRRRREAT DEAL!

If you mention The Blissfully Happy Housewife when you place your order you will recieve 15% off an order of $20 or more (first orders only)! So contact her now!!! Just click on the icon below to go straight to her website...

Trying to find my passion....

When I was a little girl my mom was quite the runner. I remember her out running races and cheering her on....I loved it. As a child it made me have a fondness for running and I often would join my mom on her jogs. I have wonderful memories of this (I actually have a great picture of my mom and I running together when I was little but my scanner isn't working - ugh!). At the young age of 8 or so I was running races with my mom - the longest being a 10k. It was something I loved to do at that age. Unfortunately, as I got older and involved in school activities I let running go by the wayside....something I have always regretted.

Through the years I have tried to give running a shot here and there. My husband is a great runner and I would love to have that hobby together. It seems that I'll run for awhile and then for one reason or another I give it up. Recently I gave it another shot - got back on the horse so to speak - and I've gone running a few times. It just seems I'm trying to find my passion for it again...looking....looking....looking....

And I think last night I found it.

As I was lacing up my running shoes my little girl stood beside me and said, "Mommy, can I run with you tonight?"

It was like my mind flashed back 25 years ago to when I would ask my mom the exact same thing. I nearly got a little choked up!

I enthusiastically told her, "YES!" and together we took off into the sunset. My running pace is slow which is great for a 5 year old. We had some great conversation and I was floored at how well she did. She never asked to stop to walk once!

It meant so much to me to have my little girl with me while I ran...it brought back so many memories...and in the end....

I think it helped me find my passion again.

Thanks Eva....I love you peanut!

I'd STRONGLY recommed this one....

As many of you know I am a vaccine delaying Mama...I have done what I feel is best for both of my children, and both of my children are on very different vaccine schedules. I am always quick to tell people that I am NOT anti-vaccine....I AM pro safe-vaccine! I personally think we give our children too many vaccines all at once.

That being said, I have done a LOT of research on this topic....a whole heckuva lot! I've read some great books, but I recently found one that is hands down the best vaccine book I have read. It's called The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears (I know....pretty original name eh?!)! Ha!

What I love about this book is that it is NOT anti-vaccine OR pro-vaccine. Dr. Sears just gives you a LOT of information about each vaccine so that you can make informed decisions about them. Each chapter covers a different vaccine and for each vaccine it covers the following:

How common or rare each disease is

How each vaccine is made / ingredients

Which ingredients are controversial

Side effects of each vaccine

How to recognize, treat, prevent side effects

Brands and types of each vaccine that is safest

How to tailor your child's vaccine schedule

What precautions unvaccinated children should take

I also loved that the book discusses delaying vaccines (like I do) and what vaccines are not needed as a child ages...as well as which ones are. It discusses Teter tests, which is a test to determine if your child is already immune to different diseases (in which case a vaccine would not be necessary). It also dives into the topic of travel. We are a family that likes to travel, and since I do delay vaccines I need to ensure that my children are safe. This book not only gave me guidelines, but it also gave me websites to find out which diseases are more prominent where we may be traveling to.

After reading this book I could not WAIT to tell others about it - those that do vaccinate on a normal schedule and those that don't. It's just so important that we all go into something like vaccines with our eyes wide open and do what we feel is best for our little ones...whatever that may be!!!

PS. Comments are always welcome, but if you want any further information about my research with vaccines please e-mail me. I'm more than happy to share what I've learned.

And the answer is......

SEATTLE!!

Matt had a business trip to this beautiful city and I decided to tag along! Just the two of us....for 4 days. It was wonderful!!! During the days Matt had business meetings. I spent my time wandering around the city....shopping....a little spa time....sightseeing....it was wonderful. At night Matt and I would go out for dinner or do a little sight seeing too. We spent time at the Pike's Place Market - an amazing experience! We went to the very first Starbucks and enjoyed a coffee. The whole Starbucks experience had me laughing all week because not only is the very FIRST Starbucks there....there is literally a Starbucks on every. single. corner. At one point I was at an intersection and could literally see THREE Starbucks just from where I was standing! Don't get me wrong though...I'm a girl that loooooves my chai latte's so I was in heaven! We had dinner at the top of the space needle one evening (picture above) - out-of-this-world food and don't even get me started on the VIEWS!!!

After dinner we went out on the observation deck. It was absolutely crazy how much you could see...and how close you could see when you used the telescopes provided!

Our last evening there we had dinner with one of Matt's dealers and his wife. It was a wonderful evening full of food, fun, and laughter! We were even lucky enough to have the former Mayor of Seattle join us for dinner too!!! After dinner his dealer took us to a Mariner's baseball game - such a fun experience - but a cooooooold one!! I was so thankful I purchased a jacket while I was out shopping earlier in the week - I didn't realize how cold it was going to be there! People laughed when they saw me walking around in flip-flops!! Ha!

Before we knew it our time in Seattle had come to an end and we were boarding our flight back to our hometown and our little munchkins (who were soooooo excited to see what "pur-prizes" we brought them)!!!!

"I still find the day too short for all the thoughts I want to think...all the walks I want to take...all the books I want to see...all the friends I want to meet"

--John Burroughs

Picture Puzzle! Can YOU guess where I was?!!!

Hmmmmmm.......do YOU know?!

Just a little shout out....

When I was planning Jaden's Mickey Mouse birthday party I knew I wanted invitations that were original. I'm a girl that gets into the the small details....to me it's what makes things special. Invitations are important to me and I finally found a spot that will be my go-to place for beautiful invites. Tonya, owner of Toluka Paper, is not only extremely easy to work with...she also has an amazing eye for detail. I felt like she listened to exactly what I wanted and the designs she came up with were beautiful. It was hard for me to decide which design to use!!! If you are in the market for invites, or any other type of paper product, please check her out! You won't be disappointed!!!

www.tolukapaper.com

Celebration Time!!!

Our little guy turned 3 this week. We celebrated...and celebrated...and celebrated. After all, you only turn 3 once!!! Here is how we celebrated JADEN during the course of the week....

On the day of Jaden's birthday we went to a muffin shop for breakfast! Eva and Jaden love this little place and Jaden was excited to start his birthday celebrations there! We brought along candles and sang to him!

Afterwards we went to a little cupcake bakery and let Jaden pick out a very special cupcake to use for our evening celebration.
That night we had a special dinner that Jaden picked out - Pancakes!!!! Afterwards we sang to him again and he got to blow out the candles on his very special cupcake!

We always give our children their gifts on their REAL birthday (not on the day of the party). One of Jaden's gifts from Matt and I this year was his "Big Boy Bible" - which is just like his sister's Bible. He was soooooo excited. After reading it together that night he went to bed with it (and a flashlight) and read in bed awhile.
The following weekend we had Jaden's BIG birthday party....and we celebrated MICKEY style!

Jaden wanted Mickey Mouse cupcakes and was sooooo excited to share them with his friends!

He had a LOT of help opening his gifts with all of his little friends and family...

He played alllllll day long and was exhausted by the end of the night....but he had a blast and that is what is most important.

Jaden has officially been 3 for nearly a week now and not one day has gone by that he doesn't ask me a LEAST 3 times, "Mommy, am I still this many??!!!"......

Yep Buddy....you still are....and I can't believe it.

Happy Birthday to my favorite little guy in the whole wide world!