Sweet 2

Our sweet little girl is growing up and we celebrated her 2^nd birthday with an intimate party of just family. I didn't have it in me to plan a big blast like last year and honestly, this year's birthday was better in many ways. We did all Caroline's favorite things: Read Books, Dance while Cory plays guitar, Sing Happy Birthday {over and over}, Played at Zoinks, ate lunch at Red Elephant, and then celebrated with a Curious George-themed birthday dinner with family {and a few close friends}. Absolutely divine! Happy Birthday Sweet Caroline.

An Original Idea?

Christmas 2009
An Original Idea. Is there ever an original idea? While shopping at Fresh Market (who doesn't love strolling the isles here), I passed these little rosemary trees that were perfectly shaped like a picture-perfect mini-Christmas tree -- and ahah, I had the best.idea.ever for Caroline's Teacher's Christmas Gifts: Make a decorated "Christmas Tree" and tie little gift cards to the tree for each teacher's individual tastes – I knew they both like to cook so hopefully the rosemary plants would be put to good use. Let me me just say, did these come out cute. At least for our teachers it was the first time they had ever received the trees. I'm the homeroom mom for C's class so all the parents went in together and purchased gift cards. Caroline and I wrapped each gift card in adorable white and red polka dot paper and then tied it to the "trees" which had been adorned with ornaments (saltwater taffy) and garland (silver ribbon wire). Basking in my "unique idea" one day, my friend (who is also a teacher burst my original idea bubble by letting me know her fellow teacher had received a gift like it before. Oh, well it was original for our class and Ms Mindy and Ms Dawnadee. Happy Holidays!

Bye, Bye Binky

The Binky Box

How to get rid of the Binky or Pacifier?

Really, its easy, if you follow this timeline and don't give in for the 48 hours that following the binky fairy's arrival.

I looked all around for advice on how to get rid of a pacifier and came up with our own tips.

2 months prior: starting reading the Baby's Binky Box by Jennifer Ormond. And explain casually every so often how the little one is growing up and the binky fairy is going to come when she's a big girl to take the binky to all the other little babies in the world that need a binky.

2 weeks prior: Talk about how the binky fairy is coming to get the binky in a few weeks. Make the binky box.

1 week prior: Start the countdown

The day of: have your little one put the binky in the box before naptime. They may not want to do it the first time, but keep trying. It worked for us.

New Year, New Place

A New Year, New Era.

As much as I love, love, love the holidays its always refreshing to get away for our annual New Year's trip with the Tatros. The Grand Caymans were just the right place to visit at the right time. Nothing like a new country, new adventures and a new year to get your head cleared, relax and have a unbelievable time.