A Peek At My Home In The Summertime!

My humble home....see...someday (hopefully soon) we will have the whole house sided like the back addition is being sided. We have all the siding to complete the job...however, my husband has been doing this work alone...and it can be a long process when you have other things on your plate as well!Below is the front room...(our school room). Someday it will be made into an open porch...but for now..it is what it is. The paint is horrible on it...but why sink money into buying more paint for it when it is going to get ripped off eventually anyway...know what I mean? And please excuse the ugly AC unit..LOL. That is my son's room and it is soo hot in there without that AC. The unit was given to us for free..and hey...can't beat that...even if the back is ugly...LOL!

And my wedding ring quilt flag! Oh how I LOVE it!!!! :)

And below is a pic of my hostas and my little walkway! I don't know why the arbor looks like it is leaning...cuz it really isn't leaning at all! LOL

Another view of our walkway and arbor etc. Yes yes, i know...UGLY garage....but it's a garage..and it works and I am thankful for it and someday.....in the future, it will be sided to match the house! :)
AND...LOOK! I found this old chair without the back, in the garage! What a treasure! Doesn't it look fantastic in my lil garden there?? I LOVE it! I was thrilled to find it! :)

And the other side of my house....a privacy fence we put up (the neighbors have an ugly chicken wire type fence up...ick...so we started putting a nicer fence up! I should have taken pics in the spring...flowers were blooming all over the place here!) And you can see my clothesline in the back there! :)
And for your viewing pleasure, LOL, I threw leftovers that went bad into the chicken run for the girls...and look at em! They look like they haven't eaten in ages!!! ROFL!!! They scramble! I can just hear their thoughts..."me first," "move it or lose it" "get outta my way" "it's mine!" LOL


I hope you enjoyed the pics. My home is far from perfect looking...but as far as love and family goes...it is one of the most precious places on this Earth! We live here...we love here and we learn here. It's the perfect place to raise a family...and I love it! :) I know this is my second post of the day!!! LOL....I just took the pics and wanted to share them! If you haven't already....check out my previous post I made today!!!

OH..and I got weighed today....I didn't lose anything this week. :( However..I didn't gain either..I stayed the same...and that is bound to happen so I am trying to stay positive! :) Have a wonderful Thursday!!!!

A great find and another new recipe!

So, I have been having the urge to go to Goodwill after seeing so many blogger friends find some great trash to treasure stuff! I didn't find much...LOL. But I did get the little wooden basket above (It has pineapples on the sides....faded and country). I bought the ivy at Walmart and voila! Not a major T2T project...but I still like it!!! :)

And I got brave. Sometimes when you only see people's houses in perfect condition in pics, it gives the reader a false sense of perfection! (at least for me, when I see some blogs and the houses look perfecto!) So...I thought I would let you all see my kitchen...not perfect! LOL My island has papers in piles....I have clean dishes in the rack in my sink that need put away and all my bean jars have been washed and need taken down to the basement (a job I am hoping my hubby will do...I hate going to the basement...ick!) And....of course, my cat in the window. He is outside...and he sits there when the windows are open and hangs with me while I cook and clean! LOL So, if you were to stop by my house at any given time...my kitchen would look similar to this...I do keep up with the dishes so that is good...but the island is always a mess! :(

OH...and next...I have to share with you another new recipe I tried! It is from the Kraft Magazine again...(I LOVE that magazine and it's FREE!). It is called Cheesy Volcano Meatballs! Chris and the kids LOVED them! Here is a pic just after preparing them:

And then all finished with a side of fries!

Not a difficult recipe at all...and like I said, a big hit with the family! You can even put them on buns and use more sauce. I just let everyone eat them on the plate plane though..and they were still loved!! If you would like the recipe for this...you can go HERE!

I have totally LOVED reading all your comments about our homeschooling and also about eating at the dinner table!!! Thank you so much for all of them!!! I hope you all have a GREAT day! (Today is weigh in day for me!!! I am hoping for a good loss this week!)

Homeschool Update and Some Dinner Table Talk!

Welp....I am almost fully prepared to start my first year of homeschooling! I have my Educational Objectives typed out and I need to get my affidavit notarized...and then take it to our school district and we will be all ready to start! It is really exciting! I think the older two kids are excited about it too! I look forward to setting up a good routine for us and to see their heads a-thinkin' with all the learning we will do!
I found HomeHearts which is a homeschooling helper online. It looks like a really great place! I haven't had the chance to look over it fully...but I intend to at some point! :) I must say...when the thought of homeschooling first occurred to me, I was terrified and didn't know if I could (or should) do it. But now, I definitely have a wonderful peace and excitement for it! I know that is a God given peace! I know this homeschooling journey will not be easy all the time...but I know we can do it through He, who is our strength!


The dinner table! I love being able to eat at the dinner table. The chatter, the closeness of family and no TV distractions! I think eating as a family is so important. Now, I am not saying we don't have our off days...we certainly have our times of eating in the living room for fun or when our schedules are all off (for example, when the kids have VBS and have to be there at 6...and Chris just gets home from work...) The majority of the time, however, we love to sit and eat at the table!
LOL...although clean...that table cloth has definitely been through MANY dinners....as can be totally seen in this pic! My kids are young...and spill quite often...but such is a part of the dinner time experience! Do you and your family eat at the dinner table? How often? Do you think it is important? I would love to hear your opinions on it!

Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday! xoxo

Another hot and busy day!

Doing more canning today! Although, today is yellow beans. Although you can't see them actually canning...I have 7 quarts of yellow beans in the canner right now! :) YUM! I couldn't think of a catchy "yellow bean" title....LOL.

It's definitely hot out here in PA! Just look at my poor baby, Ruthie....she looks so weary and pooped...and hasn't even done anything today! LOL

Other than housework and canning today...I have hung clothes out on the line:

and my nephew is here playing with the kids for a bit! I need to wash the eggs today too!

Not sure if there is more picking to do down at the garden or not today while the kids are at VBS. But if there isn't...I will probably be outside weeding. I also need to fold laundry and put it all away! I hope you all are having a beautiful Tuesday and I hope you are staying cool! xoxo

Who is the Green Bean Queen???

Why, it's ME!!!! I have deemed myself the "Green Bean Queen"...at least for a week or two...LOL. I have been snapping beans and canning like crazy. Today I did a bunch of green beans....(and there are some still canning in the canner right now..) and tomorrow I will do yellow beans...and will continue on as they all keep growing in! Such a busy time of year! It's kept me busy....but gosh....it is so rewarding. If you don't have a garden...but have the ability to have one...I totally recommend it! Growing your own food is awesome...and so healthy too! It's a lot of work...but totally worth it!

Below is a pic of the beans Madelyn and I snapped today. My MIL (mother in law) is doing some too. This was just our share....for today. There is TONS more to go.

Here are 7 quarts I canned....and have 4 more in the canner now. (That's all the beans I had for today to can). So...11 quarts so far. There are few things better than being in the middle of winter with tons of snow, and being able to open up your own green beans from the garden!!! YUM!


And...while juggling canning, taking clothes off the clothesline and getting them folded and put away, and doing dishes as I go (I hate dirty dishes sitting around)....I also had to make dinner...and rather quickly...for the kids had VBS at my MIL's church tonight and had to be there by 6pm. So I was in pursuit of being a Proverbs 31 woman and now...I am pooped. hahaha! This Proverbs 31 woman wanna-be needs a rest!!! LOL But...more canning and beans await!

OH...below is a pic of what I made for dinner tonight...it was a recipe out of my Kraft Magazine again...Baked Pizza Mac. I had a lean cuisine...but Chris and the kids said it was really good! If you would like the recipe for it...you can go HERE!


Anyone else doing any canning? If so...I would love to hear how it is going for you and what all you are canning!!! Hope you all are having a fabulous start to your week!!! xoxo

Sunday's Breakfast Of Champions!

I am just so so excited! Let me tell you what I am making for Sunday morning breakfast! Fresh, made from scratch buttermilk biscuits, eggs from our chickens, and my homemade grape jelly! It feels soooo completely awesome to know our whole meal will be basically all "homegrown and homemade"!
I made the biscuits tonight instead of in the morning because Sunday mornings for us can be a bit hurried and crazy sometimes....so I wanted to make sure I had them made. I will probably heat them quickly tomorrow and have jelly and eggs with them!!! YUM...(the only bad part...I probably won't eat the biscuits...one is 4 whole points...plain!ACK! LOL) But it will feel good knowing Chris and the kids enjoyed it!
And no...we won't be eating 4 dozen eggs all at one sitting....I just wanted everyone to see the Egg Washer Pro's accomplishments...(me....LOL). I wash ALOT of eggs...and although I don't enjoy it....I am sooo loving the fresh eggs!

Please, don't misunderstand my excitement as haughtiness. I buy TONS of stuff at the grocery store...LOL. I don't think I am any better because I homemake some things...I just enjoy doing it. That's all! I do think homemaking things and having the ability to do so is such a blessing. It makes me feel like the homemaker that God made me to be. It just fulfills me to be able to do things extra for my family when I can. Trust me, I am lacking in many many other ways! LOL So please never take my sharing with you or excitement for things as anything other than just that!

***I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday with your families! We will get up, eat breakfast, get ready and go to sunday school and church and then come home to make a cake. Tomorrow is my sister, Devon's, birthday! My mom is having a picnic in the evening and I said I would bring a cake (and a healthy alternative for us doing WW). So a busy, yet wonderful day celebrating my sister's life! :) If you get a chance...please stop over at her BLOG and wish her a happy birthday!
xoxo

[The School] Under God's Umbrella

The title for this post says it all....it is the name I have chosen for our "home" school. I was studying my bible this morning and when looking in Proverbs...which is of course all about growing in wisdom....gave me the feeling of needing a name for our school and also a mission statement and purpose to exactly why we are homeschooling. I get asked ALOT why we have chosen to homeschool our children...and I find myself trying to explain but really not making much sense.

So....here is what I came up with after lots of reading and pondering over different scriptures:


Our homeschool name: [The School] Under God's Umbrella

Our purpose: Learning and growing in knowledge and obedience of God while under the protection of Godly discipline and love so as to fulfill Colossians 1:10 ~ "that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."


And...yesterday...I was cleaning upstairs...and I walk out into the hall from my room...and this is what I see:

I couldn't stop laughing! What goofballs! And of course, since I took X's pic up there...Madelyn wanted her pic taken too!!! LOL

Aren't they so silly?? They crack me up!!! Although my kiddos can drive me bananas....I am so thankful I get to stay home with them and that I am so blessed to be their mother. I am so excited to start this homeschooling journey with them as well!!! xoxo Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Weight Loss Update and a Recipe!!!

Hello! Well...today was weigh in day for me at the doctor's office! I am happy to report, I have lost another 2 lbs!!! I am so excited and thanked God the whole way home. Losing weight is not easy for me and I only get through it with prayer! This is a weight loss of 28 lbs since May 1st of this year. Woohoo!


I found a recipe in one of my Kraft food magazines that I get...and tried it...and it is awesome! I misread the nutritional info though...*blushes*...and ate a serving thinking it was healthy...LOL. OOPS! It isn't horrid or anything in nutritional value...but it made me go over in points without realizing it! Thankfully...I didn't realize this till today...AFTER I got weighed in. I would have been stressing if I hadn't lost those 2 lbs...haha! Anyway....the recipe is for Chicken Manicotti. It is super good and everyone in my family loved it! It wasn't difficult to make either! If you would like the recipe...go HERE! *in the recipe it calls for broccoli...i forgot to get some at the market, so I used cauliflower..and it worked great!*

Thank you all for your wood stove and heating suggestions and encouragement! I really appreciate it! I hope you all have a fantastic Thursday!

Wood Stove?

Photo from HERE.

OK....so I found out today that our natural gas prices (which heats our home and water...and runs our dryer and oven/stove) are going up 30-50% a month!!! That can be a $70/month increase!!! AACK! Isn't that insanity? It's just plain ridiculous! Horrible....just horrible!
Anyway....sorry..had to rant for a second....OK...so our home is older...and Chris is working at insulating it and residing it....but let's face it....heat during the winter, has this funny knack of escaping our home easily. We keep our thermostat between 62-68....chilly. We wear slippers and hoodies and warm clothes all winter. We are trying to be as frugal as possible without getting our toes frostbitten.

So....anyway...I said all that to ponder the idea of getting a wood stove. We would love one of those outdoor ones...but alas, I don't have $10,000 in my back pocket to purchase one..and we don't like to borrow. (Anyone take Dave Ramsey's class? LOL) So....we have looked at some indoor ones....but see...here lies the issue...we have an addition on our house. The upstairs is our bedroom and the downstairs will be our living room...but right now it is completely unfinished...well~eventually...most of our family/entertaining time will be done there...when it is completed. So technically...if we purchase a wood stove..it should go in there..but as I said before, it isn't done yet nor ready for a stove. PLUS...I called about our homeowners insurance...and they won't accept us getting one....so we would have to find a new homeowners insurance. ARGH.

So then I think....why not put it in the basement. We can buy an old, ugly one and put it down there to heat our home...well...great plan till Chris tells me our chimney is POOOOOPY! Drat! So now we dont' know what the smartest move to make is with all this. Chris is going to insulate the floors and the outside of the walls and try to finish up the siding before the cold hits....but still...I wish we could get a wood burner as well..or something to help.

You all have any ideas or suggestions? Advice or anything at all to help us figure this heating/money issue out? I would love to know how you all heat your homes..and what works and doesn't work for you!!! Thank you so much!!!

Chickens and Imagination Station!!!

I absolutely, positively LOVE when my kids use their imaginations and have fun playing outside! They found this area right along the line of the woods we have that they have made into their clubhouse! It is sooo cute! Notice in the pic below...the path up the lil hill to them? That's the doorway/hallway! I have named their clubhouse "Imagination Station"...hehe!

And here is a closer look at them all in their clubhouse.....it all looks like a mess...but I let them use random things to set up as a "kitchen sink" and "table" etc....a rock here...a block there...whatever they need to make it theirs! :)

And right up where X is standing (in the pic below) is not the ONLY part of the clubhouse....oh no....it is a LARGE clubhouse. It has back rooms down behind where X is standing and everything! The kids play out there alot...and LOVE it!!!

I just couldn't resist a close up picture of Jaxson in his boots....hehe. Actually, they are X's boots...but Jaxson puts them on cuz they are quick and easy for him! He's so funny!

And, I realized that I hadn't talked about the "girls" in a while...and thought I would give you an update! They are doing well and producing eggs like pros again which I am happy to report....although washing all the eggs isn't one of my favorite pastimes...LOL.

This girl (below)....I don't know what she is doing. She isn't laying in one of the laying boxes...so either she is laying an egg right there...or she thinks she will hatch one out? I dunno! LOL Or...maybe she was just resting? LOL

Ahhhh....free to roam for a few hours! They love when they get to free range outside of the chicken run! Aren't they so pretty? I just love the girls!!!

I hope you all have had a lovely Tuesday and have an equally or more enjoyable Wednesday! Blessings! xoxo

Tagged...ABC's of Me!

Kate from "A little of this and that" has tagged me for this meme...and I thought it looked like some fun! So...here goes!

A. Attached or single? married to my Love since 2000.
B. Best friend? Other than Chris...I would have to say my best friends are Heather and my sister, Devon.
C. Cake or pie? Oh gosh....I love them BOTH!
D. Day of choice? Friday!
E. Essential item? My bible and my purse!
F. Favorite color? Um...I have many...mostly creams, and country greens, reds, yellows and blues!
G. Gummy bears or worms? Worms
H. Home town? In Pennsylvania.
I. Favorite indulgence? Weight Watchers Icecream
J. January or July? I guess July....but I would totally rather pick fall months! LOL
K. Kids? 3 on Earth and 1 with Jesus.
L. Life isn’t complete without? Love
M. Marriage date? ♥ September 23, 2000 ♥ (Kate...you were married the 22nd.... day before me! How cool!)
N. Number of brothers and sisters? 1 Sister
O. Oranges or Apples? Apples
P. Phobias? Clausterphobia! ACK!
Q. Quotes? "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go."
~Abraham Lincoln
R. Reasons to smile? Despite my sins...I can still get to Heaven thanks to Jesus' sacrifice!
S. Season of choice? 100% FALL!
T. Tag 5 people: Marion, Devon, Stephanie, Niki, and Courtney
U. Unknown fact about me? I have loads of insecurities.
V. Vegetable? corn on the cob!
W. Worst habit? Apologizing...seriously...I apologize continuously to people..it can drive people nuts!
X. Xray or ultrasound? Ultrasounds
Y. Your favorite food? I am a pure icecream fan!!!! YUM!!!!
Z. Zodiac sign? Virgo...but I could totally care less...that stuff is silly! LOL

A New Look!

OK, I know what you are thinking..."Katy changes her blog look constantly"....LOL. And I know I do. I kept trying to get it just how I liked it but could never get it "perfect" for me....well, finally...I found some graphics that I love that I bought and put in place here. Now I have a blog that screams "Katy Loves Me!!!". It is totally me. It is country and prim. The colors, the look....everything about it makes me smile! :) So ~ I hope you all like it!

It has been a long day! Between the heat and humidity, the kiddos acting up a bit and the amount of housework I did today....I am totally beat. It's time for me to curl up with a good book downstairs in my chair and breathe the same air as my Love. I hope you are all having a fantastic week! xoxo

A few of my favorite things ~

Charlotte's Web is such a great book! I just love it...although it makes me cry! LOL My brother in law is a teacher and had a few copies and gave them to me. I plan on reading this with Madelyn. I will read it to her and she can follow along in her copy of the book. Madelyn is doing very well at her reading....but I want to be able to read to her as well...and let her follow along and picture everything! So we will be starting this book soon!

Below are a couple pics from Chris and my wedding. Me on the left and a pic of Chris and his brother on the right. We had such a fabulous wedding and reception. It is by FAR one of my most favorite things; as is that handsome man all the way to the right ;) !

My mom bought me this pitcher below. It's a milk pitcher. You know me and my love for chickens and chicken decor. Isn't this chicken pitcher just toooo cute? I have it on display in my kitchen...(Yes...that is my ugly garage in the background. LOL We will finish redoing the house, though, before we ever think about redoing the garage! haha!)

This is a wooden plate, also on display in my kitchen. I LOVE the sheep on it...and isn't the saying wonderful???
And last...but certainly not least...my kiddos are definitely one of my favorite things! This is a pic of them this morning! Notice back on the right window sill....are name blocks from Kindra! I bought them from her etsy shop!
And please...take a look at my braided rug! Look how horribly stained up it looks?? I don't know why?? Sure..the kids have spilled on it but I always try to clean it and it doesn't look that dreadful in real life..? Anyone have any suggestions on how to take all that totally out? :(


I hope you all have had a fantastic weekend and have a wonderful week ahead! xoxo

Apple Pie!

So, my cousin, Zach, graduated from high school (through homeschooling!) and today is his graduation party! He is not a big fan of cake....he said he would rather have pie....so my aunt asked numerous family members if we would each make a pie (of our own choosing) to bring to the graduation party. I said SURE! I think it's fun to make pie...although not really on HOT days...but oh well! The worse thing about it all is that I won't even get to eat a piece of it...LOL...I think it would be way too many points!
The recipe I use to make my apple pies is simply the one from the Betty Crocker Cookbook that I have! I don't know how many various recipes there are for apple pie...but that's the only one I have ever used. However....LOL...I don't measure. I just dump in about what it asks for ...I figured a lil extra sugar makes it even better...don't you? Oh....and if you want some coupons from Betty Crocker....you can go HERE!

And this is a pic of an enamelware jar my aunt got me yesterday! Isn't it great? She knew how much I love enamelware and saw it and got it for me...(and the kids..haha). I haven't filled it with treats yet..but when I do, it will probably have to be kept up on the fridge cuz my kiddos have a habit of taking food...especially the "treat" kind....without asking! :) The lid doesn't fit it perfectly...but I think that is part of it's charm. That is one thing I love about the country/prim style of decorating...nothing has to be perfect! It's actually better when it isn't perfect! Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend and are staying cool! xoxo

Doin' a little old school....

My camera batteries died...but if i could...I would take a pic of the kids. They are dancing to some "old school" songs my husband and I love...you know the ones I mean. One hit wonders from the 90's that you know ALL the words to. Like...."Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice, or songs by Sir Mixalot! LOL!!! It totally cracks me up! I have to be careful...cuz some of the words in some songs are totally NOT appropriate...but there are alot of them that I don't even get! LOL The kids also love Johnny Cash (one of my hubby's favorite singers...EVER!). They also love things like The ChaCha Slide and Cotton Eyed Joe. It totally cracks me up! They are just too funny! They can be in the middle of fighting and you stick on one of those songs and they break out in dancing!!! ROFL! Since I don't have a pic to show you....HERE is a post where I did take a pic of the kids dancing to "Burning Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash!!!! LOL....Aren't they too funny?

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!! xoxo

It came! It came!

What came? You may be wondering! Madelyn's 1st grade homeschool curriculum! I am so so excited! I got the 1st grade curriculum for "My Father's World". It is a biblically based curriculum. I started looking through the teacher's manual...and this is definitely something I think I can handle!! I'm not saying it won't be tough at times....and frustrating for both her and I....but I really think this is going to be great for our whole family and am sooo soo glad Chris and I agreed we would choose this method of learning for our kids!

I have picked up workbooks, flash cards etc...to work with Xavier on...he will be 5 next month and if going to public school..wouldn't even be going to Kindergarten yet. So we will work on pre-K and Kindergarten stuff with him. I will just get him used to learning and structure! With Jaxson...my 2 1/2 year old...we will just work on fun learning stuff...like we already do. Counting out loud...singing fun learning and biblical songs etc. I am really looking forward to starting this! Now...I gotta get all my "stuff" written up to take into the school district to "register" as a homeschooler. I have to write out my plan/outline for the year etc. (Just for Madelyn...since the boys aren't public school age anyway.)

I am so excited! If you are homeschooling....what curriculum are you using? Any tips? Fun ideas?? I am sooo looking forward to this journey of growing closer with my children!!! :)

Just a smidge!

Well....today was weigh in Thursday at my dr's office. I have only lost a smidge. I lost half a pound. LOL. I am actually happy though. This week I felt hungry a lot...and ate more than normal. Not horrible eating...but worse than normal for me. There is a reason...but I won't discuss it online..LOL. So, I am sure next week will go much better. Still any sort of loss is good in my opinion! Since May 1st of this year...I have lost 26 lbs. I am happy with that and am fitting in my clothes so much better. I have 49 more pounds to go to hit my goal weight loss of 75 lbs! :)

So...who all is losing weight with me? How are you feeling? What have you lost? What is your diet plan? I would love to hear it! I hope you are all doing well! Thanks for your encouragement and support as I have been losing! It means so much!

Thank You Notes

I am a huge "thank you" note writer. I must admit...I am not perfect though and I am sure I have forgotten to send one now and then....but I do try very hard to send notes of appreciation to people for their kind deeds and gifts. I think it is important to acknowledge and thank people.

I don't believe, as christians, that we should do things just so we can receive the praise and thanks....but doesn't it make you feel blessed when you do? That someone really appreciates something? I like to bless others by letting them know just how much they blessed me! I have mentioned how I feel about thank you notes before in a post....but this post is different! :) This time...my thank you note was to my husband. He fixed a table leg of mine that has been broken and I really appreciated that he took the time to fix it...especially since he wasn't feeling too good. I thought how I always try and send thank yous to others....but never to him. So, I wrote him a thank you and left it for him to find. I wasn't there when he found it...but I think it made him smile.

I know I definitely don't write enough thank yous to my mom and my sister, who help me with different things constantly. I would be writing thank yous 24/7 though if i wrote to tell them thank you for all the things they do for me or chris or the kids! LOL

I am reminded of the hymn "Make me a blessing" as I write this:

"Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing,
Out of my life, may Jesus shine.
Make me a blessing, Lord, Make me a blessing,
Make me a blessing to someone today!"

Isn't that soo true? Writing a thank you is a way to Glow From Your Home! Let your light shine for Jesus. When people are thoughtful and giving of their time, energy, love, or gifts (or all of them!)....it is such a blessing to us...isn't it? That someone would use all their gifts to be a blessing for us. Accept the blessing....then make sure you ARE a blessing! Be a blessing to someone today!

Madelyn's Birthday Party!

So...it ended up raining yesterday afternoon...so we didn't get to have Madelyn's birthday luau outside. I was pretty bummed. It was hot and sticky inside....but it all still worked out and all the kids seemed to have a good time!
Here is the pineapple shaped cake I made! I think it turned out pretty good for not really knowing if my plan to make it would work...LOL!

Here is the island in the kitchen. I thought it turned out cute with the table skirt and flowers I put on it!! :)

And the dining room all decorated for the party:

My 7 yr. old hula girl!!!
And of course, blowing out her candles!!! :)

A couple pictures of her opening her presents...she got a lot of great stuff. Friends and family were so thoughtful!



The whole group of kids! We also had adults there! Notice outside...how towards the END of the party...the sun came out! ARGH! Oh well....everyone still seemed to have a good time and that is what matters, right? I need to quit focusing on throwing the "perfect" party and just make it a good time with lots of memories!