Celebrating a 1st Birthday, Diva Style

It was a cupcake turned diva themed birthday party. Pink, pink, pink...but who wants to read about it when you can see it?...

Decorations & Treats...

The bare tree was screaming Andrea's name so she made it a birthday diva tree!

Aunt Lorn Lorn was in charge of food...she made all the cupcakes, including the giant one that Natalee got all to herself. On the tables we had goblets full of goldfish crackers and trays with chocolate dipped spoons for hot chocolate!waiting for some cake!

Present time...this is just a glimpse of the loot this girl got!

Fire truck from.....Gma Sara and Gpa Phil, of course!

awesome big girl hooded towel from Erin and Trenton with Natalee's name on it!

Jewelry! necklace with Natalee's name from Gma Cindy & Gpa Curtis.

John Deere steering wheel from Dean & Lora Jean...she was playing with this before she even got the paper off!

she became quite a good paper tearer! I think she's opening the globe toy from Aunt Lorn Lorn...it sings which suits Natalee just fine!

Cradle from Nannie, Vance, Colby & Emma. It's gorgeous...has a seat that Natalee can sit in and rock beside her baby! Nannie had our friend, Cindy, make bedding for it. A co-worker gave this treasure to Andrea and I'm so very pleasantly surprised that she was willing to part with it and give it to Natalee. It's so darling!

Our dear babysitter and her husband came over to the party and in all the hubbub Natalee wasn't sure what to think of them in her territory. However, before they left, Lora Jean came over and picked her up and Natalee laid her head right on Lora Jean's shoulder just like she'd been waiting for a snuggle!

What a wonderful party you had, Miss Natalee. You are so lucky to be so loved by all of these people and have so much attention doted on you. We certainly love you princess and are still in shock that you are 1. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!

On My Knees

Do you ever feel like you should get on your knees and just stay there for a couple of days? Welcome to my week. Besides the rant I posted a couple of days ago (which seems to be turning out very well...more about that later) we have had many things going on here that need prayer:

• This afternoon our dear friend Erin and her little sister were in a car accident while on their way into my house to pick up my niece and nephew for a fun day/sleepover. Erin rolled her Trailblazer and the lastest update I heard was that she was on her way to University Hospital (from the county hospital) because her CT/X-rays showed a cracked neck vertebrae. Her sister has had stitches but is not requiring transfer that I know of. Pray for Erin; her husband Trenton; her mother, who had to receive a call today that 2 of her daughters were in an accident (shudder); and the rest of her family.

• Yesterday morning Mike's dad got a call from his sister reporting that Mike's grandma was lying on the couch bleeding from her mouth with swollen blue legs. This, too, required a trip to the hospital and when Mike got home from visiting her yesterday he seemed very discouraged at her condition. It is so hard to watch our loved ones age. However, reports from today show much improvement and her spirits are high. She's still giving instructions out to her kids on what they need to do to get things ready for our family Christmas on Saturday. Pray, that if she is well, she might come home in time for our family Christmas...

• My dear friend and piano mentor, Maureen had a heart attack last week and came home. However she went back to the hospital not feeling well this week. Reports seem good but still a stressor to her family to watch her go back and forth.

• Another gentleman in our church is battling heart failure. His battle seems to be slipping. His wife and 4 children have been heavy on my heart lately. Pray for them...that if it is God's will a heart donor would come available, but that if he is taken Home the children and wife are comforted and wrapped in His love.

If you feel so compelled, won't you pray with me?

Fast and Hot

Boy, my post title sounds a little racy, huh? Rest assured I'm referring to breakfast...more about that in a minute...

We've had a busy December. Natalee had a glorious first birthday and 2nd Christmas, which I'll blog about and put pictures up of soon. In case you hadn't heard, I'm pregnant...due July 4th, which explains my blogging absence. By the time we get our night time routine done, I'm spent and ready for bed, and you, my blogger friends, aren't winning out over sleep. (Don't feel bad--neither is my laundry.) I'm still reading your blogs, of course, but haven't made time to make myself sit down and load pictures and the works. I'm hoping to get out of the 1st trimester slump and get back in the groove soon.

Anyhow--back to breakfast. Ever had that morning where you want something more than a bowl of cereal?...something hot but not hard to prepare? This is me all the time. A Facebook friend posted a recipe and I fixed it to my own liking and it actually wasn't too bad. So...I thought I'd share...

you need:
2 cans of refrigerator biscuits (you know the ones--the ones you buy in a 4 pack for cheap at Wal-Mart)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 tsp butter/margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut your biscuits into fourths. Throw them in a bowl with a lid or a gallon ziplock bag with your cinnamon & pudding mix. Shake, shake, shake it to coat it well.
Melt your butter/margarine in the microwave or stovetop and coat it over the biscuits.
Throw the biscuits in a 9 in round pan and arrange so they are even in the pan. Bake 20 minutes.
I drizzled mine with an icing made of powdered sugar and milk after they came out of the oven. Kind of like a coffee cake...of so easy but yummy.

Enjoy and I hope you had a very blessed Christmas!

My Girl Is One! {Natalee}

 This is my girl. My princess. Who is one...today. Words can't describe how much we love her. Happy birthday, sweetie. Mommy & Daddy are so proud of the little lady you are becoming!

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Happy Birthday, Natalee

Of course we let her open a present on her birthday eve! Jammies...her first nightgown ever to be exact. Words can't express what it's like to watch your little girl turn one. We love you so much, princess...you'll always be our baby!

she opened it right after bath time and apparently it took so much concentration she had to get her tongue involved!

I'm not the only sucker. Grandma Cindy & Papa Curtis let her open a present at their house last night...the Little People Nativity. Thanks Gma & Papa...she's finally figured out how to make the stable sing...and sing, and sing, and sing! She loves it!

TO SEE ALL OF NATALEE'S STUDIO 'ONE YEAR' PICTURES, HEAD OVER TO OUR PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG (CLICK BELOW):
BEELERPHOTOGRAPHY.BLOGSPOT.COM