Thursday, April 28, 2011

From Rain Forest to Rainbows

This entire week we have had about five total hours of sunlight.
It has rained and rained and rained some more.
We have lived in our own version of a rain forest and I'm not going to lie, it's been gloomy.


So you can only imagine our excitement today, when rocking on the front porch, we see this!



There is light at the end of the rainy tunnel!





The girls were able to have a few minutes of sunshine on Wednesday to pick me some "wishing flowers."







And the baby tree in our front yard was able to get enough rays of sunshine to finally start blooming!

Several gloomy days in a row followed by sunshine and rainbows never fails to remind me that, no matter how dark and depressing stormy days can feel, it's worth fighting through it and keeping your spirits high, because inevitably the dark clouds will pass and the sun will again shine creating something so beautiful that it takes your breath away.




Life is beautiful and God is good.


Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Easter Bunny Through the Years

 

img_0593

Monday night we headed out for our annual trip to see the Easter Bunny.
All three girls loved him again this year.  

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about our trip back in 2008…

Easter Bunny 2008 

{Mia, 3 & Sophie, 2}

Poor Sophie.  She was so not a big fan. 

Behind the scenes shot….I am dramatically trying to cheer up Sophie.  
(Check out Gracie in my belly.  She was about 8 weeks late in getting to meet the Easter Bunny herself this year!)

 

 Easter Bunny 2009 

{Mia 4, Sophie 3 & Gracie 10 months}

They were all smiles and quite bright in 2009.

Easter Bunny 2010

{Mia 5, Sophie 4 & Gracie 22 months}

Last year Gracie was a little weary, but successfully made it on the lap for a cute photo.

Easter Bunny 2011

{Mia 6, Sophie 5 & Gracie 2.5}

All smiles in their recycled dresses I made last year!
Mia outgrew hers, in which Sophie is the proud new owner of, and opted for a more sophisticated pencil skirt look this year.

Oh how fast they grow up!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Moving On

 

Live is moving at the speed of light.
My head is spinning with the constant motion,  to-do list creating and activity scheduling.
I love that life is full.

I also love that this blog has become a place to reflect and remember and to store every little memory. 
Lately I can’t keep up with my daily blogs, as I can barely schedule in a shower, so I am happy to give you a random run down every once in awhile, on what’s been happening at Haus of Girls.

This week I can’t refrain from shedding a few tears about how quickly time does move on….

img_0556

This girl will be three in a few weeks. What?
 

img_0551

This girl will be seven.  How?
She is growing like a weed before my eyes and here she is posing with her dance bestie, Ella,  in their funky costumes.

img_0549

The girls club.  

img_0555

This little cutie is now five and also into wearing my large sunglasses. 

 

img_0569

Steve can barely hold  the both of them at the same time for our weekly rodeo sessions.

img_0572

I pass by this each day and remember the fun we had last April, traveling around watching my sister Maggie play softball for the University of Michigan.  I want a time machine.

100_3252

Mia had her first solo singing performance in the first grade play.
She was Feta and I think I will forever remember her one line rhyme: ”Off the boat from Greece with my cousin Scarletta, I’d like to introduce you to a little bit of Feta.”

culvers 2011

Post play = frozen custard.
True love forever.

100_3257

My sweet Grandma Viefhaus turned 86 this past weekend.

 

img_0527

Guess who started her second softball season as a Pink Panther?

img_0580

And guess who loves to cheer at the fence for their favorite number 6?

100_3266

Go Mia!

img_0590

And as time moves along giving us happy times and moments to cherish, it also unbearably takes things we love away from us.
Tonight, my mom and dad have to take our dog Woogie to the veterinarian to join our past pets in Doggie Heaven.  

Today we stopped by my parent’s house on our way home from dropping off Sophie at preschool to say goodbye.  She was so happy to just snuggle with us and be petted.   Gracie kept trying to give Woogie her milk to make her feel better.   Her sweetness just made me cry more. 

img_0591

You were the best dog anyone could ever ask for Woogie.  Thank you for being the best companion to my mom and dad for all these years.  I hope you have fun seeing your sister Daisy again in Heaven.  I bet her tail is already wagging knowing you are on your way to see her.   We will miss you so much.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Muffin Tin, Meet Pizza

img_0447

Muffin tin + pizza dough & sauce + cheese + pepperoni = a fun and delish dinner that the girls request once a week here at Haus of Girls.
I mean, who doesn’t love pizza?  
Tiny cute cupcake size pizza?  Even better!

This recipe is super easy and fun for the whole family. 
My girls love to help me cut out the circles of pizza dough and place them into the muffin tins.   I am usually the sauce distributor and then each girl has the job of either cheese sprinkler or pepperoni placer. 

Here is our special recipe…

Pizza Bites

1 Can Pizza Dough
1 Cup Pizza Sauce
1 Cup Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella
16 slices of Pepperoni

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Roll out pizza dough to rectangle, about 10 inches by 13 inches
Cut out 3 inch circles, 16 total (I use my circle cookie cutter!)
Press each to well greased muffin tins and bake 10-12 minutes.
Remove from oven and top each one with 1 Tablespoon of both pizza sauce and shredded cheese.
Have your pepperoni placer place one pepperoni on each one.

Bake for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted, at 400 degrees.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

spring break recap

  

While Steve was out of town over Spring Break, (six days to be exact… not that I was counting) the girls and I had some girls club fun together. 

We had a slumber party in my room, ate a lot of ice cream, played outside every single day and celebrated my sister Maggie’s birthday at a huge indoor sports facility.
Laser tag and dodge ball were involved. 

I may or may not have…
- pulled a muscle
-witnessed my dad dive during dodge ball to get an eight year old out 
-needed a sweat band
-taken laser tag very seriously while hiding in a tower gunning people down from a window like it was my job
-laughed so hard I almost peed my pants  
 

100_3201

The girls loved the huge blow up obstacle course.

100_3210

Gracie’s tiny bird legs, that she clearly did not inherit from me, could barely span to reach the next step up leading to the awesome slide.

 

100_3211

Weeee!

100_3200

Ella and Mia racing to the top.

 100_3206

And a girls club pose.  Look how sweaty and red faced they all are!

100_3215 

Here’s the huge playground for the younger crowd.

100_3214

Boys club.

100_3221

Even baby Coop had a great time!

img_0383

For the rest of our daddy less Spring Break, we had super warm weather. 
Ice cream cones with Mom was a must, especially when you two big sisters ditched you to go play with the neighbor next door.  

img_0389

Strini assisted me in making some easy peasy baked Ziti.  
Also known as, I don’t want to take three girls to the grocery store right now, so I’ll just enter the ingredients I already have at home into this site  and it will tell me what I can make.  Priceless.  

 img_0394

Daddy finally returned!  A new Alligator for Gracie and some hemp necklaces for Sophie and Mia.
Because what five and six year old doesn’t want a hemp necklace?

100_3222

Daddy surprised Mia with lunch, along with her two sisters, at school.
*Note Sophie’s rocking her necklace already!

img_0375

I found this cute letter to Steve in her backpack right before Steve returned and had to share the cuteness with him immediately.   

 img_0386

Can you guess what Mia went as on “What do you want to be when you grow up” day at school?
That’s right!  A Michigan softball player, just like Aunt Maggie!

 

img_0378

On the final day of Spring Break the girls headed out with Daddy on their annual trip to POPtions, where the girls are able to create their very own perfect popcorn mix.  

100_3195

This year the girl’s selections and flavors were a bit tastier that last years random concoctions.
Sophie selected “Oreo” and Mia chose “Pizza.”

Hope you all had a super Spring Break!!!

 

© 2011. All Rights Reserved. | Custom Blog Design By Penny Lane Designs