Family Pictures

The girls and I are home sick today, boo. I started feeling pretty crummy yesterday, and then last night Faith was up a whole lot coughing, etc. Lily actually doesn't feel too bad, but with Faith and I sick we just stayed home rather than getting ready and taking her to Mother's Day Out. So we're watching birthday movies (Toy Story 1 and 2, Beauty and the Beast) and laying around today. I think in a little bit we might run and get some chicken soup from Chick Fil A. I wish I had the things to make it homemade, but unfortunately I don't.

On a better note, I hadn't mentioned this in any previous posts, but we found out a week or so ago that I got into nursing school. I will start my clinicals in January, and I am really looking forward to it. The spring is going to be incredibly busy for us, so I'm trying to spend as much time possible with Faith and Lily. I had planned on trying to take a few orders for the holidays for a little extra money (that's always nice), but now that we know nursing school will definitely start in January, I'm going to focus on doing fun things with our family. There are so many things I've been wanting to make for the girls and keep putting them off, so this fall I am really going to try and accomplish a few! Come spring, my sewing/crafting time will most likely dissapear, so I have to take advantage while I can! So anyway, I just wanted to share that bit of exciting news.  Now for some pictures.

My friend Jeni Hendricks, the same friend that took the girls birthday pictures, took some family pictures of us on that same day. It was amazing how well behaved our sweet little girls were! Zach and I were pleasantly surprised when they lasted through their birthday pictures, and they were still up for changing into coordinating clothes for some family photos! They came out great (in my opinion), and although I would have never thought yellow, gray, and navy would have been my choice color combos, I love how the colors looked in the pictures. I made Faith's shirt with the Vintage font from Lynnie Pinnie that I feel like I always use, but I love it. Zach and my shirts were store bought (Macy's). Then for Lily, I didn't really have anything for her that would coordinate, so I created her little shirt/dress from a tutorial that Disney from Ruffles and Stuff wrote a very long time ago. I just found one of Lily's old yellow t-shirts and one of my old gray t-shirts, cut off the bottom of hers and the top of mine, and then put them together. The tutorial is found here. I've made this several different times with different fabrics and t-shirts. It is so easy, and a really good use for stained or too small little shirts!

The Girls' Dr. Seuss Birthday Party

We had a WONDERFUL weekend. Everything about it was absolutely perfect. We were on time, had everything we needed, and all of our favorite people made a point to come to Faith and Lily's celebration. What more could anyone ask for? Here are a bunch of pictures from their birthday party!
This was Faith opening some presents. (I know she doesn't look super excited, but she was. This was the end of party around 6:00pm, and Faith started jumping outside that morning around 10:00am...she was exhausted!)

 Then there was cake. I found all of these adorable pictures online like these and these. Unfortunately, the stickers that said Thing 1 and Thing 2 wouldn't stick, and the cotton candy dissolved within minutes...but it was worth a try =).

 Here is my dad aka PeePah.

 Here is Thing 2 about to open presents.

 We got this delicious rainbow popcorn from a little place we would go to when we lived in Austin, it's so yummy!

 This was all the food. We had green deviled eggs, little bird nests, fruit salad, candy apples, chips and dip, jello fish, and some Chick fil a of course.

 I found these adorable little bags at Target in the dollar sections, they were perfect! There were four different stories on them, and all of the kids loved them. Instead of filling them with a ton of little toys and candy, we bought each child a Dr. Seuss beginner book for their thank you favor.

 The Cat in the Hat

 I decorated with boas (whoops on the light that is out).

 And pom pom balls, which are the easiest, fastest, cheapest decoration you can do for a party.

 Yummy candy apples.

 Water.

 Those are the little birds nests. We made them from a recipe we have in a Sesame Street cook book. The nests are made from coconut flakes that are baked in muffin tins to brown them. You dab a little bit of yogurt after they are finished baking and add some peanut butter M&Ms, delicious-ness =)

Green Deviled Eggs

 More boas for decorating.

 This banner that I absolutely LOVE! I should though, it took for ev er to make. I mean like really and truly, at least 30-45 minutes per square. In the end it was totally worth it and adorable.

 The file can be found at Embroitique

 Lily with her sweet little baby.

 Faith with a mouth full of marshmallows.

 Our cupcakes, dissolving as the picture was taking.

 Nana!!

 A flower arrangement that I made, all of the things were from Hobby Lobby. The red and white beaded sticks and lollipops were from the Christmas section, but they look so Suess-y to me!

 More food

 Here with the Jello Jiggler fish.

 Here is Zach and one of his best friends Colby.

 Here is Grandma helping get things ready.

Sunday Funday with the Bowdens

The past few days have been absolutely BEAUTIFUL. Honestly, beautiful is an understatement. We have been outdoors as much as physically possible, and the girls and I are truly enjoying it after this HOT summer. Today we had so much fun! Started off our morning by sipping coffee and chocolate milk outside and running around the culdesac. Then Peepaw brought us over birthday breakfast pancakes and omelets *yum*. My birthday was yesterday, and Faith and Lily's are Wednesday and Friday! If that doesn't sound like a lot, I should meantion that today is my Granny's Birthday! All of us girls, in ONE week, whew. Anyway...we've had a lot of fun this weekend! We celebrated Granny's birthday with her a couple of days early, then celebrated mine yesterday with a homemade cake and wonderful dinner out with friends (there were more kids there than adults!), and today we painted and made these delicious Mini Apple Pies (seriously, SO good). Here are a few pictures from our lovely weekend.

Please try not to laugh at our (Faith and I) sad attempt to make a "Cutsie" cake. I was really hoping that making cakes would come as naturally to me as sewing (kind of) has. I've officially been sewing and embroidering for ONE whole year now! Can you believe it? I got my first machine for my birthday last year, and that was the first time I had ever touched a needle and thread!

Here are my two little helpers. I think Lily ate at least half of the package of fondant (yuck, I know, I caught her after or while it was being swallowed every single time!)

 Our finished project

 I know, it's pretty funny. Yes, that is some sort of Birthday Hat looking thing on the top...it was the best we could d :).

Here are my two little artists. The first two pictures are at the very beginning of our fun.

 I guess they got a little carried away. It washes off really easily though, so I don't mind much. However, Lily looked almost as creepy as the Joker on the newest Batman movie, geez.

Here are a couple more from our mornings outside.

 Good night!