Is this my color?
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Sophia's Fancy Birthday Cupcakes
On Friday my friend’s little girl, Sophia, celebrated her 7th birthday with a sleep-over party and invited five of her friends to join her. After a short consultation at a table in the kids’ section of the library up the hill, we decided that “my client” wanted something fancy. Maybe some sprinkles, purple frosting, and some kind of jewelry on top. Our meeting ended with a smile and the promise to surprise her with a plate of fun, girlie cupcakes the next morning. And off I went in search of the perfect jewelry pieces.
Ella and I looked at Target before remembering the Claire’s store at the mall. It didn’t take us long to find a set of inexpensive rings and bracelets in exactly the color palate I had imagined.
Once we returned home, we whipped up a batch of chocolate cupcakes with real raspberries. My helper was on the lookout so we’d know right when they were finished baking.
Miss Ella was ready the moment the cupcakes were done.
After Ella was tucked in bed for the night, I mixed up a bowl of black raspberry frosting (check here for the recipe) and piped it on. Then I sprinkled the top and finished by placing one ring on each cake. I sent the plastic bracelets along as well as a sparkly, white candle for Sophia. Voila! Fancy little cupcakes with cute jewelry to wear through the rest of the party!
In other news: I have to let it be known that today is the last day I will be baking until October 1. (We’ll be out of town the next two days.) This is going to be very hard for me, but I think I will be better with following through with it if I actually announce it to others. The reason is that I’m starting a new round of P90X (the awesome, intense fitness & nutrition program that Pete & I have been doing for 3 1/2 years.) It’s just way too hard for me to bake while I’m trying to be super disciplined with my nutrition. However, I do have recipes and photos ready to post of things I’ve made throughout August. If you have a birthday or a baby in the month of September, I’m going to have to give you a big ol’ I.O.U. and make it in October.
Do you realize how hard this is for me? I pulled out my sewing machine so I’ll have another source of creativity. Perhaps I’ll post pics of something sewn. For now, it just has to be the way it is. And that’s that.
A Visit to Grandma & Grandpa's
Remember being little and visiting your grandparents? Looking back now, with 28 years of trips to see my own grandma & grandpa, it almost seems magical. Grandma & Grandpa Johnson lived in a happy, little town at 1611 Southbrook Lane. Grandpa sat in his chair with his big, black dog on his lap. Grandma got up early to serve us warm peanut butter toast and juice in little glasses. Grandma & Grandpa Scott were on the edge of the city with a great big tree in the yard. When we went for drives in their comfy car, I could feel each patched-up crack in the road as we bump bump, bump bumped to a Twins game. The busyness of life didn’t exist and thoughts of tomorrow consisted only of friends and places to play. I know I can never go back to the innocence of being little on a visit like that, but I’m not stopping myself from trying to experiencing that through the eyes of my little Ella.
Yesterday, after a long car ride (& one longer-than-hoped-for stop to clean a diaper and brand new car seat) we were happy to arrive in Wisconsin on a visit to see Grandma & Grandpa Olsen. Pete is has a few nights of call this week, so we thought we’d taken advantage of the time to get away without feeling like we’d miss seeing him during the day. Auntie Kristin arrived this morning and Ella is soaking up the attention. Today we went to the little zoo in town between lunch and naptime. Later we’ll probably go for a walk around the small lake behind the house. It’s relaxing to be here. Like a vacation. I don’t have to think about what to get done during Ella’s naps or when she goes to bed at night. I can sit, read, walk, watch TV, eat chocolate and plates of grapes and cheese. Oh, and I can sit without any regret and watch a Green Bay football game with two life-long fans. It’s good to visit Grandma & Grandpa.
I can’t help but imagine the kind of memories of visits to see her grandparents that Miss Ella is creating. I do know, that with a grandma who makes a tiny ice cream cone treat like this, those memories are going to be pretty sweet.
The Week In Pictures
The last week seemed to go by so quickly, I didn’t get to post all the little things we’ve been up to. With my new phone, I’ve been taking far more pictures than I used to, and I used to take quite a few! I do sometimes have to sacrifice the high quality of the photos taken with our regular point&click, but I’m just happy to be able to take all of them!
So here are a few photos from the last week.
Sporting her purple shoes and toting her very own purse, Ella was ready for a morning trip to the grocery store. She still loves saying hi to every single person we see while shopping.
I couldn’t resist taking a picture of Ella playing in the front yard. She’s just so little! Someday we’ll pull this out – high school, perhaps – to show the change. (I’m in love with that tree in our front yard. It provides the perfect amount of privacy. I imagine that, someday, it will be an enormous, beautiful shade tree.)
Ella & I waited in the sunshine outside the hospital to have dinner with Daddy one night this week. We love when Daddy has a few minutes to have dinner with us in the middle of a long, busy shift.
A few days ago, Ella and I went for a walk with our new friend, Katrina, along the lake all the way down to Canal Park. Ella had fun running after the seagulls and watching the other kids by the lake.
With my little girl in front of the lift bridge.
We had two lovely rainy mornings in the last week. Ella and I took full advantage of the inside playtime.
That same morning, Ella packed up her bag, slung it over her shoulder, waved goodbye and walked out of the kitchen while I was cleaning up after breakfast. Too funny.
My two little goons. I bought bike helmets for Ella & I a few days ago. I wanted Ella to get used to wearing hers without pulling it off, so I let her play in it for a little while. Of course, when I walked out of the room and came back a few minutes later, this is what I found. Pete had put on my helmet, picked up Ella’s new, plastic harmonica, and was playing made-up tunes for her entertainment. This is what Daddy does on his days off.
Ella figured out how to play her silly kazoo all by herself! She was very proud. (It’s the shape of a giraffe head and attaches to a body that’s a plastic guitar. Who comes up with this stuff?)
Miss Ella has developed a love of sitting in her baby stroller. I’m not quite sure how to teach her that it’s for her baby dolls.
Ella eating lunch at Clyde Iron restaurant on Sunday. Clyde Iron was an iron works factory in West Duluth a long time ago and was just remade into a restaurant and bakery. It’s very cool.
Our friends Nic & Anna played during lunch. Ella showed off her very cute dance moves while we listened.
This is Ella’s last picture in her baby car seat. She is finally big enough for a big girl seat! Pete worked on installing the new one in the Jeep while she played in this one in the grass. Goodbye, baby seat!
Hello, big girl seat! I am absolutely thrilled that she’ll now be able to face forward during trips. We took her for one spin around the neighborhood last night and she seemed to be in awe at the new view. My little girl is growing up!
Ella’s very first bike ride! I recently found an old Schwinn bike on Craigslist and took a friend up on an offer to borrow their Burley to see how Ella would like it. To our excitement, when we went to pick up the Burley yesterday morning, the friends GAVE it to us! Yay! Today we wanted to break it in, so Ella and I went on a little ride with Uncle Jake on the trail. She wasn’t fond of the helmet but seemed to enjoy the ride anyway.
And this was the walk we took tonight. She loves pushing her stroller like she sees Mama do. We only made it from our front walk to the neighbor’s front walk, but we thoroughly enjoyed it!
A New Beginning
Last night I had the true pleasure of visiting a small group for the first time since moving back to Duluth. I hadn’t intended on going this long before attending, but you know how things get. Pete’s full schedule mixed with Ella’s early bed time didn’t really allow me to freely explore the many small groups that meet in town throughout the week.
If you’re not familiar with the concept of a “small group” let me paint a quick picture of it. Basically, it’s a Bible study. But a small group (or some churches call them life groups) goes beyond just a weekly Bible study. A small group lives life together. In a good small group, people can be honest, transparent, weak, and vulnerable. It’s a place to learn and grow and be challenged in ways that push you outside of your standard comfort zone. Pete & I were a part of a great small group a couple years ago and have longed to return to a place in our lives where we could have that experience again.
So yes, I got to go to a small group. Pete worked his tail off during the day so he could get home in time to spend the evening with Ella while I ventured out on my own. That makes it sound like it was a scary thing. It wasn’t. It was Jake’s small group. But don’t think I was being safe by simply going to a group led by my little brother. I actually went because it was a college group. Before we moved back to Duluth, I prayed and prayed about what I should do when we got here. Yes, being a mom is a busy job, but I want to be growing in ministry and learning how to serve in new ways. God totally surprised me by leading me in the direction of women’s college ministry. And, because it’s just the way He works, I am now super excited about it. So that’s why I went to the college group last night.
Should I be amazed at the way I felt incredibly at home in the little gazebo surrounded by college kids I didn’t know? Should I be surprised at how easy it was to settle back into a place that felt so loving and safe and challenging all at the same time? I don’t think so. God’s kingdom and His family is incredible. I am beyond happy to be back in a place where I can experience this in a real, tangible way again.
I cannot wait to see what God has waiting for us – and for me individually – in the months ahead.
Laughter
Is there anything better than a baby’s laughter in the morning?