We have jumped on the Ramsey bandwagon!

Our church is offering the 13 week Dave Ramsey Financial Peace class. We just had class 3 this past Sunday. I have to tell you if you have never taken his class, I would highly recommend it. Whether, you are up to your eyeballs in dept or not it is filled with wonderful and useful information. He is very entertaining and I am learning a lot.  Griffin is taking it with us so hopefully he can better manage the money he doesn't have.

More of Ella's birthday

I did a long post for Ella's birthday party but when your birthday doesn't fall on the same day it can last for a few days.

Her birthday was on a Thursday this year. For the first time ever, she was able to share her birthday with classmates. She took a cookie cake to share with friends.

After school, we went to Toys R Us for her to pick out a toy. Honestly, my kids are at the age( or maybe it's just me) were they have a huge collection of toys and don't need much. I am starting to think  less the better. The nice thing about teaching is I have taken quite a bit to school.

At first, Ella picked out this $24.99 Disney bucket, sponge and mop. Griffin couldn't believe she was going to pick that out. She told him " Griffin the house needs to be cleaned." Yes, my five year old has started to notice that the pink ring in the toilet doesn't belong there. Griffin finally talked her into a Hello Kitty karaoke machine. I know.......thank you Griffin!  When we went to go check out, Ella told the lady it was her birthday. The lady gave her a balloon and announced her name over the loud speaker. On the way out everyone told her happy birthday. That was probably the best part of her day. I now know for next year all I have to do is take her to Toys R Us, buy a piece of bubble gum and have them announce her birthday.

 For supper, she picked out Chickfila.

 I guess Ella thinks that once you turn 5 you have to be more responsible. Before I went to bed that night, I went in her room to check on her and this is what I found..........

  she had made her bed and fell asleep on top.

Ideas for the letter M

 We read The M&M's Counting Book. I gave each child a bag of M&M's so they could follow along with the book.

In the book, it has the children grouping colors, adding, subtraction and forming shapes.

When the story was over, they colored, cut out and glued M&M's to make their page for the ABC book. Yes....... I realize I took the picture upside down so it looks like W's instead of M's.

Happy Birthday Griffin!

Happy 15th Birthday to my handsome young man.  Sniff! Sniff! I can't believe he is old enough to drive( with an adult of course!). 

My new stress reliever!

WHAT?????? Were you thinking  I had resorted to drinking?

I have to admit it has crossed my mind especially since my helper is gone and I am a single full time working mother this week. Just kidding! We are a nondrinking house.

I have been wanting to make my own vanilla extract for quite a while now. My lovely thoughtful husband bought me this the other day. Who thought Vodka could bring such a smile to my face.  Right now this key ingredient is stashed away in a secret hiding place until my vanilla beans arrive. I can't wait to get started on this new project!

Happy 5th Birthday Ella!

I know birthdays are suppose to be a joyous occasion but for me it reminds me of how quickly life is flying by. I think I am going to go to Best Buy and see if anyone has invented a remote that will pause life. I want my kids to get older but to just do it a little slower. 

My sweet Ella is 5 today!

Happy Birthday!

Ella's tiny tea party

This past Saturday we celebrated Ella's birthday with a tiny tea party. I must say we had a rather joyful afternoon of sipping tea( really apple juice) together.  All of the guest arrived in style. At the royal table we had Batman, Mario and Luigi, a bride, beautiful princesses and plenty of handsome young gentlemen. The party may have been tiny but we had plenty of marvelous fun! 

The birthday princess

The Royal Table

What do you serve the royal guest at a tiny tea party? Tiny food of course!

The Menu

tiny chicken bacon salad sandwiches

tiny corn dogs with red sauce

tiny chickens with honey mustard

tiny pizza bites

tiny teapot PB&J sandwiches

fruit

tiny orange carrots with a white sauce

tiny cheese balls

tiny cookies with pink fluff

brownie bites

tiny cinnamon buns with a drizzle of cream cheese sauce

Dessert

tiny birthday cake with tiny cupcakes on the side

Nothing like sipping tea with Batman

or dunking a mini cheese ball.

Blowing on your food

 and remembering to eat it using good table manners.

A tea party would not be complete without entertainment. What better way to have fun than to kiss a frog.

I think the little ladies were hoping for a prince to appear. Many of them were lip to lip with the frog. Maybe they practice on the mirrors at home like 2 of my princesses do. Just so you know no boys were harmed with the application of lipstick during this game. They were given manly Cars chap stick instead.

Princess Ella was delighted when she received gifts from her party guests.

Had the party planner known these two stole the camera for their own entertainment purposes they would have been banned and returned to kingdom of doom.

Funny and so unexpected when flipping through my pictures. I hope everyone on Facebook enjoys them too! Just in case you did  not know this is Jessica and Scott.

It was a great day of tea sipping, frog kissing and royal chatting.

Happy 5th Birthday Ella!