So Much To Do....

...SO LITTLE TIME!

Taking a little BLOGGY BREAK here.

I need to take a deep breath, step back and sort through everything I have piled on my plate.

Making Things Fun

It's important to me to keep things fun around here. I find that if I can laugh and joke with the kids that they are more apt to be respectful, help me out when needed and it makes home a good place to be. You don't have to be a grumpy, mean mom to get what you want out of your kids!!!

I thought you might get a kick out of trying this little April Fools day trick that I pulled on the kids last year. A couple of times a week I make a special after school snack. It usually just sits on the counter all afternoon (since our kids all get home at different times). Here's what I did.

A "REAL" SPONGE CAKE

I put sponges in a cake pan, frosted them and put sprinkles on them, then I tried not to giggle as I watch each of the children try to cut a piece. We refrosted and resprinkled after each child tried to dig in. It was more fun as the day went on because by the time the last person tried to get a piece of cake the whole family was in on the trick.

APRIL FOOLS!

Butterfly Palooza

I'm a believer in positive thinking, in the fact that your thoughts create your future, so today I'm thinking.....butterflies, butterflies, butterflies, and hoping for SPRING!!!!

Let's start with this adorable little girls necklace made by Brandi at Rosie Rosies. I'm sure they're out there, but this is the first time I've seen a statement necklace for a little girl. Makes me think I need to make a skirt to match!

I never get tired of the great idea's over at lollychops. What little gal wouldn't love this in her room?

How about this cute butterfly punch art by Ali Edwards. Although this isn't a new idea, I love that she used magazines instead of scrapbook paper. Wouldn't this be cute with the butterflies cut out of vintage children's books?

Love, love, love this butterfly wedding bouquet by Martha.

In fact, forget the wedding bouquet, I may just have to make one of these to put in a pretty vase in my entry way. GORGEOUS!

And The Winner Is....

#52, The Tinsley Family
True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 52 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

I will let Kami from Sweet Charli know and she will get with you to work out the details.
CONGRATULATIONS!

The Love List

Oh my goodness....what a fun morning! I've had the heebie-geebies all week long worrying about this Studio5 spot I was asked to participate in and it ended up being the funnest, funnest thing....not scary at all (once I was there)!

Every month Studio5 presents it's "Love List" ... local products that they love. Here is a peek at the segment if you missed it.

It was such a cool experience to get to see the behind the scenes action. Everyone was so nice. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

All of the products on todays show were things that would be great to give as baby gifts, there were some really cute things, and some super creative ladies sharing them. Here are some links if you want to take a peek.

• Snuggly, yummy baby bunting by HotchPotch Girls,
• Little Stinker Butt Spray (cracks me up...oops, no pun intended)
• Adorable little crocheted baby booties by Curious Workmanship

Somebody Else's Cute Stuff

I haven't had any time to do my own crafty playing this week so I thought I'd link you over to somebody else's fun stuff. I have been trying to lay off the sugar and can I just say that when I saw this little caterpiller dude over at food art party I could almost taste him. He's pretty good too!!!

Tami, the blog mama, over at Food Art Party has a blog chock full of "FREE" cupcake liners. You might want to hop over and take a look, she's pretty good with all that pixel/computer artsy kind of stuff. That's something I would love to learn how to do!

It's About Love

I've mentioned before that I am an adoptive mother. Both of our amazing, sweet, fun sons came to us from someone else's tummy! My little Nate likes to say that my tummy is broken, sometimes that happens. You may wonder, "Well, what about those girls she has?". We wonder too, we honestly don't know how they got here...babies aren't something we are supposed to be able to do. People have asked me what it's like to have biological children and adopted children. Everyone wonders if you love them the same. The answer is YES! There is not one teeny, tiny difference in the love I have for my kids...it is exactly the same, fierce, scary, mother bear kind of love! So.....why am I telling you this? Because I'd like to introduce you to my friend Cyd and her adorable little family. They are looking for a little sister for their boys to love and protect. There's nothing like a big brother!

Ryan and Cyd have the two most adorable little boys, Noah and Jaxon. Like me, Cyd's tummy is now broken, yet they feel like they have more to give and would love to add a little girl to their family. Once in a while there is a birth mother who wants her child to have big brothers and sisters, this is the kind of family the Jones' can provide. Ryan is an awesome, involved daddy (he coaches all of their sons teams) and Cyd' is just the cutest, sweetest mom, teaching those boys to grow up to be good men. If you happen to know anyone thinking about placing a baby girl for adoption have them take a peek at Ryan and Cyd's profile. Every day I thank Heavenly Father for our sweet birth mom's, who put their babies before themselves and gave them the chance at a better life.

Not flesh of my flesh,

nor bone of my bone,

But still miraculously my own.

Child never forget,

Even for a single moment,

You didn't grow under my heart,

but in it.

Peanutbutter Bliss

Today on Studio5 (I know, I know, another one of those dang Studio5 posts!!) they celebrated National Peanut Butter Lovers Day. I'm all over those crazy national holidays....last year we celebrated nat'l jellybean day, nat'l french fry day and nat'l donut day at our house! In honor of this very special day I would like to share with you one of my families favorite peanut butter recipes. I found this recipe on the blog Stephanie's Kitchen about a year ago. It has been a fav of the fam's ever since. Give her a try!!! Click here to visit Stephanie's Kitchen.