Technically, Glow has been having breakfast in bed everyday since the day she was born (from mama), but this was her first “official” breakfast in bed. She got the works… her first glass of milk, O’s, and a banana. Her big sisters also filled her tray with a stack of homemade cards and mommy and papi got her a Rody (from here), but it seems like it’s her sisters who has taken a liking to the blown up horse. Really though, who do you expect to win when there is a banana in front of her?! A banana will always win.

I can’t believe it has already been a year! It really does feel like just yesterday that we took her home from the hospital. I remember how our families were anxiously waiting to find out if we were having a boy or girl (we already knew but didn’t tell) and the name. We were anxiously waiting for her birth because this was the first time I was going to do it sans the drugs. It’s been an amazing year and we are so thankful to God for giving her to us. She is a delightful little girl and our days have definitely been brighter with her in them.

We had a simple, but fun adventure planned and I will share that next week. We love our little Glow and we are so glad to be able to celebrate the 366 days God has given her thus far!

P.S. If you want to read her birth story, I did HypnoBirthing, you can read it here.

This post is brought to you by Nestle Toll House Birthday Sugar Cookies. Bake some birthday love.


When it was Brave’s birthday (pictures of her party coming later this week), True was wanting to celebrate her un-birthday and I promised we would. One afternoon, we finally got that UNBIRTHDAY party together and had a blast. We wanted wacky, quirky, and fun and I think the results were just that. I wanted simple so I did all ready made cookie dough. I even got a colorful birthday one. There was some left over sugar cookie dough, so with some edible colored markers, the girls colored their cookies and then ate them up! It was a cookie galore party complete with with a chocolate chip cookie cake with chocolate cookie dough ice cream in between each cookie. They were on a sugar high and there was lots of happy screaming all afternoon long. This is definitely a sometimes food, but we do know how to give a little for a bit of fun!

Everything for the small festivities were simple and using things we already had in the house. I also made some pretty easy-peasy party wands to add to the celebration. So cute and lovely, you must do them for your next birthday or UN-birthday celebration…

Supplies needed: colored tissue paper, wooden dowels, contrasting washi tape, and scissors

She got her breakfast in bed. She’s was counting down the whole week leading up to her birthday. The night before I said, “The faster you sleep, the sooner your birthday will come!” And she was in bed lightening fast. She woke up before any of us, but we made her stay in bed so that we could prep all the breakfast goodies. She was so cute when we finally came in singing.

She got served waffles and Ben made a banana swan. She was having a ballerina party so we got her a vintage ballet costume, which I found for such a steal on etsy, and a vintage ballerina music box. I totally knew she would be all about that music box. She carries it with her everywhere and just stares at it. I think it will be right up there as one of her faves along with her monchichi.
We had her party (there will be a later post for this as I didn’t take pictures, but this talented gal did) and then after, we took Brave and True to go watch the movie Brave. It was all Brave’s dreams come true.

I can’t believe she is already five. I remember her being born so clearly like it was yesterday. I went to my midwife visit and she gave me homework… love my husband and go for a walk. I went home and loved my husband and then we took baby True to the OC Fair for the first time and walked all night long. The next morning, my water broke and it we were off to the hospital. Suddenly, our little family of three turned to four and Ben and I had only been married a little over two years. It all happened so quickly.

Brave and True are back to back. They are 16 months apart. I remember the day I found out I was pregnant with Brave and was freaking out because I had a 6 month old and here I was, pregnant again. I think I cried for a week, not because I didn’t want her, but because how in the world do you manage two babies?!! I am so glad it happened that way. Brave is the sugar in our family. She is also True’s bestest friend. Yes, they fight, but they really love each other so much and get along so well. I am so glad they are close in age.

Though having two back to back is pretty crazy, and then having two more soon after that is just pretty much insane. We are so glad we’ve got four little ones that make all our days insanely and utterly chaotic, but yet, infinitely sweeter. This is what works for us!

on brave: striped dress c/o little esop.

So what did we ultimately decide to do this weekend to continue the anniversary celebrating going? Friday night we dropped off the girls at my parents’ house, went on a date, then went on a craigslist purchase pick up, came back to my mom’s to pick up Glow, then went back home to spend all day Saturday cleaning. That’s what we both really wanted to do and we are a-okay with that. We got alone time with each other (with little Glow nearby) and that’s what is most important.

Last year we did a stay-cation home-cation and I guess this year was a stay-cation clean-cation. I really like clean-cations. It is refreshing to get junk out of the house! Wouldn’t you agree?! What kinds of things do you typically do for anniversaries? Do you travel or plan a night out?

on me: shirt, thrifted and altered. denim cut offs, really old ones i’ve had for years. shoes, report (love these via modcloth). giant clutch (totally perfect for a date night when i didn’t need to lug diapers), c/o lovenell. on ben: shirt, vintage. jeans, diesel (his fave brand). shoes, nike.

The Seven Year Itch by Rubyellen Bratcher

Scratchy, itchy, I’m starting to twitch,
I think my dear Ben, we’ve hit the seven year itch.

Boring, tiring, monotony filled,
I do all your laundry, it’s time to send you a bill.

Long, endless, the days blend together,
I want to float away like a teeny white feather.

Same ‘ole, same ‘ole, again and again,
I feel ruffled and bothered just like old mother hen.

Crazy, messy, a lot of insane.
I try to keep my head above water is the name of this game.

Yelling, fighting, your offspring they do,
I play referee but they gang on me two by two.

But who am I kidding, I love this neurotic life,
I am in for the long haul, it’s fun to be your wife.

Boring, tiring, monotony filled,
I know what to expect and that gives me a thrill.

Long, endless, the days blend together,
I would slow it all down from now until forever.

Same ‘ole, same ‘ole, again and again,
I love waking up to you handsome Ben.

Crazy, messy, a lot of insane.
I love you so dearly, my love can’t be tamed.

Yelling, fighting, your offspring they do,
I love your minis, Glow, Soul, Brave and True.

Scratchy, itchy, I’m starting to twitch.
I only want you to scratch this seven year itch.

We celebrated 7 years of being married this past Monday. It was a good anniversary. It was the most low key one yet. We had originally planned to send the girls off to my parents’ for the weekend, but we ended up keeping them all weekend long. All I wanted to do was clean and keep cleaning the house, and that is exactly what we did! It seems like a lame way to spend an anniversary, but I was quite happy cleaning all day long. All I really wanted to do anyways was be with Ben and relax, and though it wasn’t relaxing, I can’t really relax in a messy house anyways.

Monday morning, we did our little gift exchange and then we kept on cleaning. For dinner, we put the kids to bed early, then picked up sushi from our favorite place, and had a sweet little date in our bedroom with dinner and a movie. Simple and sweet. We may try to go out on Saturday just the two of us to celebrate, but with this cleaning kick we both are on, I wouldn’t be surprised if we forfeit that and stay home and keep cleaning. We’re lame, aren’t we?! If we are, at least we both don’t mind being lame together.

I had no anniversary present request and neither did he. We both ended up surprising each other with something handmade. I did a spin on the “seven year itch” and made a Shel Silverstein inspired poem for him accompanied with a drawing and cover page I did in ink and then digitalized. He loved it, but was feeling bad after reading the poem because he said he needs to give me more breaks. I thought that was pretty funny because I didn’t mean to make him feel bad, but was just trying to do mimic the sarcasm that Shel Silverstein emits in his poems. At the same time, I think the poem does emphasize what married life with kids is really like. It’s not always magical and there is a lot of work, but in the end, I love this life that I have been given a chance to live, frustrating moments and all!

Ben’s present has a bit of a backstory with it…  when he asked me to be his girlfriend he made me this book entitled 1,000 Things I Absolutely and Positively Love About You. When we were dating, he would randomly leave me notes of what he loved about me to put in the book and I think he got to number 11 and then life happened and the notes stopped. On occasion, I would joke with him that he still only loves 11 things about me. Well, he gave that book idea a makeover and found a vintage journal online that he wanted to use for it, contacted this lady to calligraphy the title, and started again with #1: How patient you are with me. Actually this project took him a year, apparently it was supposed to be last year’s anniversary present, but it took him a year to find the perfect journal to use and this 1911 french registrar book is the perfect thing! I am in love with the book, but so much more with the gift giver.

Ben and I laugh about how we spent our anniversary just cleaning, but really, for me, it was perfect.

Ours was filled with fun, family, food and of course fireworks. No matter how old you are and how many times you’ve seen it, fireworks are still pretty captivating.

If you’re stateside, I hope you had a good time celebrating too!