This busy life!

I know I haven't been staying on top of my blog lately, but I've been busy, really!!
Because we tend to host so much company (it's been someone every month since March!) and we still have our busy lives to live, we haven't been able to get a lot done on the house. We start a lot of projects that don't always get finished. We are attempting to get 2-3 months to ourselves to catch up and get some projects done. I am currently working on Gabe's room, which has waited a long time. We're putting up bead board in the lower half of his room and hoping to get that all done this weekend, but of course it's so much more than just that... it's chair rail and baseboards too!
Meanwhile, Brian has been very busy at work, getting home late and working plenty of weekend hours as well.
Gabriel goes back to preschool tomorrow (Yay!) and Ashlyn is enjoying her visit with her grandparents in Utah. She left Wednesday and is spending one week with my mom & Don and one with my dad & Jennie. Summer has gone by pretty quickly!
Hopefully my next update will include Gabe's finished bedroom!!

Ashlyn's 8th Birthday

We celebrated Ashlyn's 8th birthday today (two days early) and went to CB's Cupcakes at the mall. This place is so cute! Ashlyn invited 5 of her friends and they decorated cupcakes together. The theme was Harry Potter (what else?) so the cupcakes were red velvet with yellow (gold) buttercream frosting. The girls had a lot of fun putting all kinds of toppings on their individual cupcakes. Ashlyn included red and yellow gummy bears on hers.

I love the decor!

Ashlyn in her special chair. I want to make one

for my scrapbook room! It has chiffon ruffles

all around the bottom, like a tutu!

Blowing out her candle.


Opening gifts at home.

This is an inside family joke... we got Ashlyn a Snuggie!

She thinks it's totally great and plans on using

it tonight while she reads.

She was so excited to get her very own

(PINK!!) iPod! We pre-loaded it

with all of her favorite music from The Beatles

to Gwen Stefani.

Listening to "Dani California"

Wearing her Snuggie. Haha!! (And little

brother being silly)

We feel so lucky to have such an amazing daughter. She's intelligent, funny, beautiful, and caring. Ashlyn has a very important role in our family and she fits it perfectly. We love you so much Ashlyn!!! Happy Birthday.