Random Recap Randomness

Steve and I had a fun night out at my Brother in Law’s bar, Pinch Penny Pub, last weekend in Carbondale, where we both went to college.  It was Steve’s baseball alumni weekend, however, since I was friends with all his baseball teammates during college as well, it was double the fun catching up with all of our old friends.

This was my view in the bathroom stall.
See how fun it is to be six foot tall?  Wow.

On our way home I couldn’t believe how badly everything was flooding.
I snapped a picture of a field next to the highway.  It looked like a lake. 

 

I have been busy with some “super” big party favors orders the past few weeks.   It’s nice to be able to make extra grocery/medical bill money from the cozy comfort of my own couch, and I just love creating these fun favors unique to each birthday girl or boy!
So holla at me if you are in the market for some personalized party favor buckets for your next party!
I can create almost any image and design you have in mind. 

Randomly last Friday night, after pulling up to a Whole Foods market to buy Mia some probiotics (for her belly pain due to enduring a 65 day, and counting, stretch of antibiotics to keep her infection free)  she spots a Great Clips.
She says to me, “Mom! A Great Clips!!! Can I please get my hair cut and surprise Daddy!”
Sure enough, we walked in and she decided to chop it off!

   

Before.

 

During.

After.  

See ya later six inches of gorgeous flowing blonde locks!

 

Gracie’s really been obsessed with our two dogs lately.
Here she is squeezing away on Strini. 
If Strini could talk, I think she would have been saying, “Help me!”

 

The girls are really into self “photography” these days…

 

and twirling…

 

and posing…

 

and picking out their own clothes for school. 

Happy Random Monday!

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.

Easter Bunny Through the Years

 

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…

 

{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!)

 

  

{Mia 4, Sophie 3 & Gracie 10 months}

They were all smiles and quite bright in 2009.

{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.

{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!

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….

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

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.

The girls club.  

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

 

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

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.

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.”

Post play = frozen custard.
True love forever.

My sweet Grandma Viefhaus turned 86 this past weekend.

 

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

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

Go Mia!

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. 

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.

Muffin Tin, Meet Pizza

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!

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  
 

The girls loved the huge blow up obstacle course.

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.

 

Weeee!

Ella and Mia racing to the top.

 

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

 

Here’s the huge playground for the younger crowd.

Boys club.

Even baby Coop had a great time!

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.  

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.  

 

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?

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

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

 

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!

 

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.  

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!!!