We Will Always Have Paris

Printable Coupon Links Updated

Printable coupon links have been updated for AC Moore, Hobby Lobby & Michaels.  You will find them all under the "Hot Links" section of the left sidebar of my home page.  Happy shopping!

Photos of the Week: LOVE

Happy Valentine's Day (a day early, but I can't help myself -- these pics are too cute to not post right away)!

 

 

 

photos by Melanie Zajicek

Photo of the Week: Meow

I was sorting through pictures this week, getting ready to upload to MPIX for my upcoming crop, when I stumbled upon this shot.  This is my Scottish Fold "Magpie", the older of my two cats.  She is hands-down the prettiest cat I've ever seen.  She has the personality of a bitter 70 year-old chain smoking waitress with a Brooklyn accent, but she's gorgeous to look at.

Around Here...

(Trying to catch up here -- I promise to post Christmas soon!)

Fall came & went in a blur.  Here's a re-cap of what's been going on around here...

Around here...

Cousins came to visit for a week.
(photo by Three Turtles Studios)

and there was lots of cousin-love to be had...

Around here...

Four little kids waited at Dulles airport for the airplane that would take them to the happiest place on Earth...

Five days at Disney World with good friends...

Autograph books were signed

Mickey ears were eaten...

Mickey ears were eaten again...

And Mickey ears were worn...

And princesses ruled the world...

Around here...

I took a four hour "Monuments and Memorials" Photo Safari class with Washington Photo Safari.  If you're local and interested in learning some great techniques (and how to make the most of your camera), take a class with their instructor E. David Luria. 

It was a wonderful Fall...

Baby A's Back To School Night

Baby A. started school two weeks after Baby G., but we made an equally big deal out of it:

Her sister made her a little sign at her seat at the table.  I didn't have the heart to correct the spelling...

 
And another sign for the back of her chair. 

 
Baby A. had her own Kindercone as well.  I used some beautiful aqua gift wrap I picked up at Target and pink ribbons to girly it up.  Sorry for the blurry letters... the whole privacy thing... it was super-cute in person!

Hubby let the girls make their own pizzas (always a hit with our kiddos).

 
And the opening of the Kindercone!  Baby A's Kindercone was filled with Play Dough, books and her new counting bears and sorting cups.

 
These are the moments I hope my children remember.

To Unicorns!

We celebrated Baby G's first day of first grade with her favorite dinner (meatloaf & mashed potatoes), sparkling grape juice and a kinder cone.  We pulled out the fancy linens and our best china and set the table for a true celebration.  Hubby gave a toast, wishing Baby G. the best in her coming school year. 

 
After raising our glasses, Baby G. announced that she wanted to give a toast as well.  She stammered a bit and I prompted her to talk about what she wants this school year.

She announced that all she really wants is a unicorn.

Hubby didn't skip a beat, raising his glass "To Unicorns!"

After dinner, we let her open her Kinder Cone:

 
I had filled it with shiny pencils, Phineas & Ferb band-aids, backpack essentials (kleenex, hand sanitizer, etc.), craft supplies, a super-cool electric pencil sharpener and a DVD (Beauty and the Beast).  I'll be back in a couple days with the "how to" on the kinder cone.

"To Unicorns!"

Park-A-Palooza 2011

Our annual "Farewell to Summer" park hop was absolutely wonderful.  We did have to bail on one of the parks (darn that August rain!), but we added in a children's museum.  Here are the highlights:

   
The Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo in Thurmont, MD
Yes, that's a baby alligator my girls are petting.  Mama had to hold her breath over that one.

 
Doctor G. examining her patient's x-rays at the Discovery Museum in Winchester, VA

 
 Watching a Frederick Keys minor league ball game in Frederick, MD.

Baby A. at the Franklin Park Pool in Purcellville, VA.

The lake at Cunningham Falls State Park in Thurmont, MD 

Whew!  What a way to say goodbye to the lazy days of summer!

Park-A-Palooza

Last year, I gathered up my daughters' friends for a week-long park hop we called "Park-A-Palooza".  We hit five parks in three states in five days.  It was an amazing way to say "farewell" to summer and our non-school friends.  We playdated like rock stars -- we were drunk on juice boxes and goldfish crackers.

Berkeley Springs State Park, WV

Cunningham Falls State Park, MD 

 Franklin Park Pool in Purcellville, VA


It was a blast and we're doing it again this week.  In addition to regular parks, we are planning to hit up a wildlife park and a ball park!
I may be slow to respond to e-mails, but I'll catch up next week!

Farewell To Five

My baby turns six this weekend.  SIX!

photo from Melanie Zajicek Photos

She has suddenly turned into a Justin-Bieber-loving, Disney-princess-wannabe, READER with the vocabulary of someone about to turn in her PhD dissertation.

She amazes me.

Happy Birthday sweet Baby G.  Momma loves you!

Around here...

Around here...

I've been keeping up with my daily Q&A journal.  I featured it as one of my "Two For Tuesdays" in March and I was shocked and delighted to receive it in the mail a little over a week later.  A notecard was enclosed from my "fairy godmother" and I did a happy clap as I opened the cover.  A little investigating and I was able to discover that my "fairy godmother" is none other than my dear Marlynn.  I do love you, Miss Marlynn.

If you haven't purchased this item yet, go get yourself a copy!  I love filling in my answers to the daily questions and I can't wait to have five years full of quick journaling.  Love it!

Around here...

New Crocs are a must.  I love shoes that can stomp in puddles and endure endless trips to the sandbox!  Thanks for stocking the girls up for Summer, Mom!

Around here...

I made a TON of ladybug-themed invitations for my Sister-In-Law's baby shower.  Her baby is due any day now and my girls cannot wait to have a new cousin!

Around here...

Fresh roses and peonies from my own garden make me ridiculously happy.

Around here...

Digging up dinosaur bones at the Maryland Science Center rocks!  Notice the crab on Baby A's shirt -- a girl has to dress appropriately when in Baltimore!

Around here...

Our little Kindergartener graduated to the 1st Grade!

Around here...

Little mouths have eaten most of the currants off of my currant bush.

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Swim lessons have started up once again.  Lots of tears and whining because the water is too cold.

Around here...

We're loving Summer...

Note:  The "Around Here" theme is blatantly copied from the divine Ali Edwards.