A Lego Party!

This is the last of the birthday posts for August! (Are you as relieved as I am? Because I'm exhausted.) Sunday we had Wes's 6th birthday party and when I asked him what kind of party he wanted this year he said Legos! Which is fitting since he's been kiiiiinda obsessed lately. Legos underfoot everywhere at our house. So I got busy making decorations (with help of course). And a big thank you goes out to my brother Ben for pitching in at the final hour and doing all the climbing around on chairs and taping things in high places to save his pregnant sister from that task. You're the best, bro. Abby did so much for this party too - she made at least half of the food, tons of cupcakes and the salted brown butter Rice Krispie treats which we attempted to cut into Lego form :) I don't know how well we pulled that off but they sure were tasty. Oh, and my mama made her famous chocolate cherry cupcakes as well, because it wouldn't be a party with out them. 

And then there was this cake. Can you even get over this cake, though? I'd heard a friend of Josh's had just launched her own little bake shop so I sent her over a few inspiration photos for Lego cake ideas I'd found online and liked and THIS is what we got back. So incredible, and yummy too! I can't recommend Cheryl enough. If you're in the area and need a cake for an upcoming event give her a shout, you will not be disappointed. Check out her page here! Thank you, Cheryl!!!! 

 Lego cookies NOT made by me (lol...no.) they were purchased on Etsy here.

There was some cake smashing in faces...

and by special request from the birthday boy, an end of the night water balloon fight.

(which was really just an excuse for the adults to go crazy destroying each other.)

there was a bit of a hostage situation...

and things other than balloons were being filled with water and used in self defense. 

Buuuut, even though things may have gotten a little crazy, it was all in good fun. 

And there you have it folks! Another birthday party is in the books! Hard to believe that this time next year I'll have a SEVEN year old and I'll be gearing up for a first birthday party not so long after. EEEEEK!

Some (More) Photos from Yesterday

So yeah, I know I'm on overdrive with the Wes posts lately, but this is a big week for him! (and me) Not to mention we still have the official birthday party this weekend, so there's even more coming - brace yourselves ;) But I wanted to record a few moments from yesterday here that I can remember this day by. These photos were taken before school (when we surprised him with a new two wheeler bike in his room when he woke up) and after school when we all went out for dinner at the restaurant of his choice (the one with all games of course). So these photos are in between those inevitable first day of school tears and I can't tell you how happy they make me to look at. We made it through yesterday and we are all still in tact... and someone is even a whole year older now.

Birthday breakfast was pancakes with chocolate chips, sprinkles AND red and blue food coloring swirled in --- by request, of course.

And after he got home from school and we confirmed that we all did, in fact, survive the day, it was nothing but smiles for the rest of the night. Abby brought over his annual birthday personal pie and we snacked on that before heading out to dinner with homemade cupcakes in tow and our pockets heavy with quarters.

More presents (including a new wallet with the cutest personalized id!) and a room full of people who absolutely adore this child.

(you'll be seeing more of this Lego theme after this weekend's party, believe me ;)

We even topped off the night with a pile of backyard sparklers courtesy of Jeff. So, as it turns out, it ended up being a pretty good day after all. And I'm so proud of my Weston for making the best of it. Here's to six my little one, you are so incredibly loved!

Today's the Day!

Happy 6th Birthday my kindergartener! 

We couldn't love you more.

Last Night of Five

This is how I will remember this night. Tissue clenched in fist because he cried himself to sleep. Six years old tomorrow and starting kindergarten at a brand new school. He doesn't want to go. I don't want him to go. He still sleeps with the animal blanket he's had since he was born. He is older, but he is still so little. He still wanted me tonight when he was scared. His body curled tightly around mine and I stroked his hair and told him everything would be ok. I held him in my arms until sleep finally came and I was grateful. Grateful for how much he still needed me tonight, because I still need him - and tomorrow isn't going to change any of that. Tonight we were scared, but tomorrow we will be brave. 

Six Years

Wes turns six next week (on his first day of kindergarten no less - sniff, sniff) and we just got his annual birthday photos back from sweet Katie, who so graciously has been taking them for six years running now. As always, she nailed it. I'd love to share them here if you'd care to take a peek. Thank you, Katie!

this guy just absolutely slays me.

A Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday (31) and I wasn't really expecting too much out of it this year. I mean last year we were in Iceland so that's just kind of a hard act to follow, right? And Josh is out of town, and it was a Thursday and I had to work, so, you know, just...bummer. But you know what? I sure do have a lot of people in my life to be grateful for. Because even though Josh wasn't home he left a sweet card for me before he left (and one from the boys as well). And when I got to work I had more birthday cards and homemade goodies piled up on my desk than I knew what to do with, not to mention two bouquets of flowers. Then Abby picked the boys up from their sitter early for me and when I went to retrieve them they surprised me with an adorably decorated homemade cake complete with sparklers and they sang me "happy birthday" and it was just the best. For dinner we decided to do something easy and splurged on one last big order from the root beer stand before they close up shop for the season. The sun was shining so we took it to a nearby park and ate together under the pavilion in the fresh air. 

So, basically what I'm saying is that it was actually a pretty great birthday after all. 

Because my people are the best people, and I'm super lucky to have them.

(and when josh gets home he's promised me brunch and a movie, so viva la day date!)

happy weekend, everyone

Life Lately

Let's just be real for a minute. This is what my calendar looks like right now.  Even looking at it is giving me heart palpitations.

And that pretty much sums up life lately if you wanted it in a nutshell. So just know that I haven't given up on blogging, I just can't seem get my brain in any sort of mind frame for writing or my butt in a chair for the hour or so of free time it takes to write a decent post. And I'm trying to give myself a little grace on this front. (I hope you will too). This space is important to me, but sometimes you just have to admit you can't keep up with it all, all the time. Summer is always the busiest season for us every year by far, but somehow I seem to forget that until one day I wake up I realize every single day is booked with one thing or another (or sometimes three). And normally I'm happy to roll with it knowing plenty of cold winter days spent cooped up inside are waiting for us just around the corner - but this summer and this pregnancy just do not seem to be compatible. Life has been all doctor appointments, school supply shopping, graduations, birthdays, birthday party planning (I'm about to have a SIX year old?!), photo shoots, bridal showers, hair appointments, vet appointments, dentist appointments - you name an appointment and chances are it's on my calendar this month. Add in a husband who has been traveling for work more than ever before and things are just...rough...right now, if I'm being honest. And I can't seem to be able to find the off switch for my brain at night to allow me any solid stretches of good sleep. Last night as I sat in bed knowing that my alarm was set for 5am but at 2am I still had yet to even close my eyes? - it's all just a little maddening if you can imagine. Has anyone else experienced a pretty severe case of pregnancy insomnia before? I had it a little near the end of my last two pregnancies, but I'm talking like the last four weeks or so. But this has been going on already now for at least a month, and I can't see how it will improve as I only get bigger, more uncomfortable and closer to delivery. Normally, if I weren't pregnant I'd be all, bring on the ambien! But so far as I know, there's not a whole lot of safe and effective stuff to take when you're with child. Yesterday (at yet another appointment - whatup glucose test?) my midwife suggested I take half a Benadryl before bed to help make me drowsy, so I'm going to try that. But if anyone else has any tried and true suggestions - I am all ears.  Really, lay it on me. That or lay a rubber mallet upside my head tonight because girlfriend is getting desperate.

Meanwhile, I'm going to do my best to keep up with the demands of this month and still carve out a little time for blogging where I can. I do have another post in the works on what I've been reading lately - (the one perk to insomnia being plenty of extra hours for catching up on books and mindlessly scrolling through Netflix?) - so stay tuned for that post (hopefully) coming soon(ish). I'm not making any promises :/

Much love and sleeping dust to all.

xoxo