4th of July!!

Man o Man time's a' flying!! I feel like just yesterday we were waiting for the ninja's arrival and now we are on the eve of 4th of July?!

This week has absolutely been insane. Can anybody feel me?! My birthday, meetings for work and church and to cut out the sweetest lady-bug invitations on the planet...seriously people, Christ Church Brenham women know how to throw a shindig. If you are expecting or getting married or coming up on a significant birthday, move to Texas and join our church just so you can get a party. This group of women could write a novel simply on partying it up in shabby chic style. And. That. Ain't. No. Joke.

Digressing....

Anyway, it's been nuts and the forecast is partly cloudy with a chance of almonds. AKA: it ain't changing any time soon. Saturday we have a wedding to attend about 2 hours away, and then a whole gaggle of the hubs' fam arrives. His mom will be back from her east coast tour. No, she isn't the next American Idol. Just the most current American Idol Grandma touring 'round in her Prius to see her grandbabies. Arriving with her will be 3 additional family members and two friends. Bringing the Forman Texas total to 10!

So, for all this celebratory hoop-lah, and the independence of this great nation, I've decided to tackle my first layered cake. Hopefully, it will turn out as fantastic as Mrs. Ashley over at MakeIt-LoveIt.com If you haven't seen this site, and you are crafty, drop everything and go. Go now. Seriously. Stop. Reading. Redirect URL. Stand in awe of her fantastic-ness.

Anyway...Here's a pic of this crazy cake. Hopefully it won't turn out brown in the middle and purple on top...I'm sure the cookie monster that lives at my house would eat it anyway.

Happy 4th of July!!!

Goodbye Roaring Twenties!!!

Well, the day finally arrived. Today is my 30th birthday. Most people say that with a sigh and then go run 4 miles to "prove they can." I, on the other hand, echo the words of my sister-in-law, Megan: "I feel like I'm just hitting my stride."


(Speaking of Megan, she and her hubs are currently texting me a major event that happened every year of my last 30...it's rather insane AND hilarious!!...and super creative. Well done, friends!!)


The big celebration started last night with a yum yum yummy apple pie baked by my friend, Mandy, at small group. Everyone was glad I turned 30. :-) 


This morning I woke up to a giant package creatively wrapped by my handsome man. He ran out of paper, but wrapped it in such a way that I couldn't tell. He just made me open it very carefully...


My first order of the day, however, was to open my card, which was actually 3. Dave, my mom, my sister and her man, and my in-laws all went in together for the gift (you will have to hold on for that part...) and my mom and sis wrote me little notes that Dave beautifully glued to crafty paper for me! He even picked the paper to match their personalities.  

Dave's card also matched his personality and was a perfect reflection of the atmosphere of our home most days, full of laughter, silliness and fun...

He said he couldn't resist the card because of the gift everyone got me....

TA-DA!!!!

"One happy wife and mama" doesn't even BEGIN to express how happy I am about this gift!! If you had asked me even 3 months ago if I would ever learn to sew, I would have laughed and said.."no way! Who has time for that?!" And then, I got roped into sewing some kitchen towels for a friend, the bug was caught and before long I was borrowing a sewing machine from anyone who would let me.  

I couldn't wait to put it to work!! But first, off to Hobby Lobby for some fantastically amazing cloth to fulfill  my fantastically amazing ideas!! 

Jackpot! 

They are all in the wash being loved on by some Tide before being jerked and stabbed into submission. No worries little cotton wares, you will live a much happier life as pillows, dresses, nursing covers and burp cloths. Life is better with purpose, dear ones! :-)

As I said earlier, I'm hitting my stride. 

I'm at home in my community and town. I know I've got some amazing women as back up while I journey this new mommy scene. 

I looking back at old recipes I thought were so hard once and I wonder why they were. I can bake bread, am going to make baby food, and am even tackling a cake that is 5 layers and looks like an American flag when you cut it! ha! 

I have a husband who would lasso the moon for me, who stands guard over me, our daughter and our home and who gets giddy over me getting giddy over something as silly as fabric. (In fact, he's got his eye on a pumpkin print he said he needs made into a table runner before October...told you we were silly most of the time...) He keeps my heart light and my vocal chords strained from laughter. You knocked it out of the park this year, my love. 

Well, there's the dryer buzzer. Off to build something fantastic!! 

And hey there, 30? 

Bring. It. 

It's Mama Flair!

Recently, Dave has been encouraging me to "...just do something for you." So, on my day off this week, I ventured to our local Sally's Beauty supply, and came out with some new adventures on my horizon...

I like to call it "Mama Flair."

As my sister in law likes to say..."I'm just keepin' it real, ya'll"