Backyardigans Birthday..

Today marked Miss Mia's 2nd birthday party. When we asked her who could come to her party, her first reply was "Mymone." (Translation: Tyrone, the Backyardigan Moose) So we went searching for all party items Backyardigans..and found quite a bit!

We all woke up rather early this morning for last minute party prep. Mia thought some of the Backyardigans needed diapers..so she tended to that part!

Here is all the Backyardigans with her delicious cake! It was chocolate with vanilla butter cream frosting..so yummy! Everyone had seconds!
The whole set up! Backyardigans coming from the ceiling!
These balloons were the hit of the party!
A close up of some of the garland. I took pictures of Mia these past 2 years and made a time line of milestones. On each clip, I wrote a small caption. Loved how it came out.
Miss Mia with her party shirt and party hat on! The shirt was a cute custom made piece, complete with the Backyardigans peeking around her '2'.
Mia and her BFF Drew-Drew eating some cake and ice cream. She was more excited to have him at her house than anything else!
Opening Drew's present. He bought her some bath toys and jewelry. He already knows how to treat her! = )
So many presents!
When it was all over, she sat in the middle of floor with all her loot. She got baby dolls, books, DVDs, baby stroller, jewelry, outfits, cozy coupe, and os much more. What a lucky and loved little girl. I can't belive that she is already 2. Where did the time go?

So I thought I was done for the night, but then I checked out Kelly's Korner before I went to bed, and had to tell y'all about her latest post. As evidence by past blogs, I love kids, they have my heart. As an undergraduate, I worked with low-income pre-school kids in an amazing after-school program..but that is another story.

So Kelly is El Salvador with Compassion. Today she and her husband met Daniela, a young girl they have been sponsoring for a few years. Someone luckily videoed their meeting. The sweet little girl closes her eyes because she wants to be surprised by meeting Kelly, and because she is just a bit nervous. The video will warm your heart! It will also make you want to take them all home!

To see the video, that had me crying, go here.

Hubby & I have sponsored children in the U.S. in the past, and I'm thinking we need to broaden our scope too and have an international sponsorship! I love how God works in ways we never think about!

One more chance to get candy

We took Miss Mia to my West Texas hometown for the weekend so that she could spend some time with three of her favorite things, (Nana, Pawpaw, Chickens!) and go to my old school's fall festival and trunk or treat.
Before the festival, we of course had to go feed the chickens, at least fifteen times.
Then Pawpaw let Miss Mia drive on the farm. She really loved all the buttons, especially the radio.
Then the little bee went to Guthrie CSD to trunk or treat as the sweetest little bee. She got so much candy!
Then she and Hubby went on a small walk so they could see the rest of my sweet little town.

She had a fabulous weekend, but then got really sick, and has been sick ever since. She now has the flu, poor baby. So we are staying home, drinking fluids, and watching lots of Backyardigan videos.

U2 & the Black Eyed Peas

So Hubby's birthday was a few weeks ago, and I surprised him with tickets to see his favorite band play! Last night (after driving 4 hours from Texas, & spending the weekend with my parents) we dropped off Miss Mia at some friends house and went to see U2! One of my first conversations with Hubby was of his love for U2 and how seeing them in concert was on his life's "to do" list! When I found out that U2 was not only coming to Oklahoma but Norman and the football stadium, we had to go- there was no other choice!
The view from our seats in the North East side of the stadium of the spaceship stage. The stage was so ingenious, the way they incorporated the entire 360...fabulous!
Hubby & the stage before the concert.
One cute and chilly couple before the concert.
Last night was the first night that the Black Eyed Peas opened for U2. They put on a really great show. I took this picture of Fergie for my brother for finds her very attractive!
Smoke coming out of the spaceship...U2 was about to take the stage!
Its Bono in Norman, Oklahoma!
The set during "The city of Blinding Lights."

I have been to several concerts before, but none like this one. It was like a religious experience. Over 55,000 people, all singing some of the same songs, and at one point, Bono sang Amazing Grace! It was pure U2...old and new, political and spiritual. If you've never been to one of their concerts--go! You'll thank me later! = )

Show Us Your Life= Make it Yourself!

This week over at Kelly's Korner, its Show Us Your Life- Make It Yourself! I have been very busy making a few things. We'll start with Miss Mia's Texas Tech Red Raider Tutu! With football season here, it was evident Miss Mia needed yet another tutu, but this one needed to be Red Raider inspired. I had a few ideas I wanted to try on making the tutu, and got all the tulle for 75% off at Hobby lobby. The only part I had to sew was the elastic together. Everything else is tying knots and cutting tulle! So easy, a caveman coudl do it! = )
Miss Mia loved her new tutu..She stomped around the house and twirled. She has recently learned the words to ring around the rosey & this large tutu made it so much more fun!
Future Red Raider shirt with tutu!
All of the fluffy goodness! Even put a few red and black ribbons throughout just for some extra texture and color.

The bigger DIY project came two weeks ago with the purchase of these fabulous bookshelves at our favorite used furniture store here in Norman. I could see so much potential in these needy shelves.

So we had them delivered a week after we bought them, went to Lowe's and bought some gorgeous Martha Stewart paint! (Of course!) Then we got to painting!
Look at our little helper...I even dressed her in what I thought was a baby painter outfit!
Side note...there isn't anything really on her roller, but she painted like there was!
Here is the finished product! I think they look gorgeous! I love them so much!
I found these cute knobs at Hobby Lobby for .75 each! Added such a cute flair to the shelves!

Happy Birthday Hubby!

Oct. 2 marks Hubby's 28th Birthday! In honor of his turning 28 and inching ever so closer to those (cough!) 30s, I thought I'd make him a list of 28 things that I love about him! They are not necessarily my 28 MOST favorite, but just a random assortment. Disclaimer: I promise not to provide too much information and will avoid getting too lovey dovey! = )

1. Strong moral conviction- a must-have in any man, but mine happens to have a lot! (Suckers!...sorry!)
2. The way he puts Miss Mia to bed every night..precious
3. Bluest of blue eyes...something he passed to Miss Mia
4. Incredibly artistic (makes me jealous sometimes!)
5. His laugh...those of you who might know Hubby in real life, know that when he starts laughing really hard his entire body (but particularly his shoulders) shakes..cracks me up!
6. His nods...the poor man of numbers and design has been hauled to more history lectures, conferences, and gatherings than I can count...as we get into the historiography of women of the American revolution, his eyes glaze over, and he nods as if he agrees with the entire conversation!
7. Always does the dishes...I'm the unloader of the dishwasher, but he always loads and does sippee cups!
8. So good to my family...he always said he fell in love with my family the first day he met them..he shows it everyday!
9. His appetite..its something of legend, but it just defines Hubby...where there is food so too will he be!
10. Ridiculously large occipital protuberance...(that is the sort of bump at the base of your skull) When I was an undergrad and taking my forensic anthropology class, we had to memorize all the bones and such..he was my test case...and still has one of the largest occipital protuberances that I have ever seen! Impressive, I know!
11. Great guitar player- mid-90s rock..he knows them all!
12. This one will sound silly..but he's a really good driver. I HATE driving, and he loves it. Even when we take 16 hour car trips, he'll drive over 12 hours of it!
13.Sense of humor..its different (lol) but its all him..
14. Loves being outdoors...whether mowing, hiking, or kayaking..he's up for it..
15. Like any 88 or 8 year old man, he loves trains. (Even subscribes to a train magazine) But it has eventually grown on me (there are many worse hobbies...even some of his other ones..)
16. Random knowledge..he knows a lot about elevators and fossilized camel teeth..seriously
17. Thickest (& curliest, if he'd ever let it grow more than a centimeter) of hair! Miss Mia & any other subsequent offspring will be blessed by two parents with crazy thick hair.
18. This is more of a memory...but when we got married, and he saw me for the first time, he teared up...one of the sweetest things I have ever seen.
19. Fabulous giver...he always knows what to get (even when I am not giving him a list (BTW, that little side mark is geared towards snickers and comments from Cousin B!))
20. He's my "history hunter." Before Miss Mia, he used to go to the library/archives with me and help me research. He's actually found some of my most important documents for my master's thesis. (Don't worry, he was in the acknowledgments.)
21. Instead of flowers, he buys me bubble bath randomly or when he knows I'm stressed or upset (with him!)..
22. His love of James Bond...it too cracks me up
23. Willing to let me fall asleep with the TV on...he's a keeper!
24. That fact that he can't sing...even a little. I find it endearing when he tries..makes me giggle!
25. His taking care of the cars...puts gas in them, gets oil changes, vacuums, washes, etc...LOVE IT!
26.Crazy Wii playing skills...he gets a perfect score on bowling almost every time...drives me crazy!
27. Amazingly good tempered..you'd have to be to put up with some of my shenanigans
28. I love that he puts up with all my craziness!! I can't imagine anyone else putting up with me! hehe

Happy Birthday Hubby! Miss Mia & I love you bunches!

I LOVE having a daughter!

I love, love, love having a daughter. I have written many times on how much I have always wanted a daughter and having Miss Mia has made all those desires and dreams come true. One of my favorite things about Mia is her love of fashion and all things beautiful. My little girl is a fashionista. I blame this on her listening to Project Runway, America's Next Top Model & Rachel Zoe Project in utero!

Like all little girls, Miss Mia loves dress up, but even her everyday clothes are being accessorized and such. For example, yesterday Miss Mia wore a Pink and Navy Ralph Lauren long sleeve dress with these brown mid-calf boots! After spending the day looking fabulous at Mother's Day Out, we went shopping to hit up some CRAZY sales. Mia helped pick out some jewelry, some for me and some for her! What is hilarious is that she picked out jewelry and wore it around the store that totally matched her outfit! Apparently Mia is very bo-ho chic..as she picked out a cute gold owl necklace and this gold charm bracelet. I need bangles a lot...and so I loaded up! (Got all this jewelry at Dillards for under $10!)
On another note, I love having a daughter because she is so sweet and photogenic. This morning, in lieu of a Dallas Cowboy victory, she wore a Cowboys shirt with a cute white skirt and reading her chicken book that her Nana made her. This is truly a picture for her Nana & Papaw!