First Birthday Party Ever!! Total success :o)

So here are just a few pictures from Stella's 1st Birthday party this past weekend- it was great and I was so excited that it turned out so well! I couldn't have accomplished it all without some great helpers (you know who you are)!

Have a great week!

Swing Time!

Quick post today..... in 6 days Stella will be 1 year old! I have already been weepy about it today but at the same time I am so excited to see her grow up too. I mean, where has the year gone?! It's so cliche but it really does fly by.

Here is a video of Stella's first time on a swing- we went to the playground by our house. It was a total success and she loved it! This is good news for Joey as he needs a rollercoaster-riding partner...and Stella is right on her way to filling that position :)

Pool Time is already here!

With the weather being as warm as it has been, and Joey and I staying home with Stella today- we figured it was as good a time as ever to introduce the best accessory of our summer- the pool! Stella donned her first bathing suit of the season and loved every minute of her baby pool time. Afterwards, we all lounged around outside for the next 2 hours! Stella loves being outside so much, I just cannot believe. But, she is a Taurus after all. It's so great to already get a taste of the joys of warm weather :o) Pictures to follow soon.....

On a nerdier note- garden updates are as follows:

I planted 2 pepper plants in my edible garden. I have some peppers I began as seedlings but they are so tiny still and I am quite impatient. All I need is my Dill plant and my edible garden is complete. And right now I have 25+ strawberries already forming- my mouth is already watering for Strawberry Shortcake!

My flower garden (backyard) is coming along fabulously and I only need a Russian Sage bush to round out the back portion. The front yard is completed and now I just have to wait for my climbing plants to get their grow on. And we finally laid new mulch out front- I am so glad we chose the pine nugget variety- the darkness of the bark looks great against the green of the plants.

I bought 2 new hummingbird feeders and more bird feeders for the backyard. I am beginning to get slightly obsessed with getting the birds in my neighborhood to congregate at my house. No birds have been in sight at all today in the back. The front yard still has more birds but that is probably due to a particular feline that has decided to post up under the bird bath out back....cats (sigh)

Joey and I rounded out the day sitting on the swing and relaxing- what we should have done all weekend yet somehow our Saturday and Sunday turned into mulching, planting, gardening and exhausting. Nonetheless- today was the greatest Monday I can remember having in a long time :) I am so blessed right now and am thankful every day for I have been given.

Happy Monday

Dancing Queen!

Her signature moves have already begun! This video is from about 2 months ago :)

So, here's the latest

No excuses here, I have just completely stopped blogging since December...umm yes, 4 months ago. It's crazy how much our family has changed since then. Stella started crawling in February and in the last 3 weeks she is pulling up, cruising and standing alone for about 30 seconds.

And did I mention she has certainly grown into her personality?! I am pretty sure I know what they mean now when they say, "the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree" - Stella definitely has her momma's independence and her daddy's temper. She has quickly learned to say "no" to the dogs and yesterday she said "turtle" (though she has no idea what that is) :o)

There is so much more that I cannot even think of it all right now- it's late and my brain is functioning at about 50%- hehe. On the upside, my edible and flower gardens are already too b-e-a-utiful and it makes me so happy. And Stella loves to be outside, which Joey and I are so excited about- camping, swimming, playing.....ahhhh what the upcoming months will hold. Oh yeah- and vacation. Florida is close at hand!! This picture is from her first trip to the zoo last week:)

and here's the latest link for 2010 photos

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=181069&id=774214621&l=f5e68a70bd