Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope your day is lovely!

happy birthday, Hannah!

My first baby girl is nine today!!  I can't believe it!

She is our calm, loving peacemaker.  She keeps her room perfectly organized and clean.  She loves to make things (like her mama), and knows how to knit, sew, embroider, and cook.  She rides horses, plays a mean game of soccer, and makes beautiful music on the violin.  She works hard, and is a perfectionist at all she does.  She's got amazing talent!  

I love you, sweet Hannah!  Have a wonderful day!

(Hannah just finished her first soccer season, scoring her first goal in the last game.  She rocked!!)

a birthday

This darling birthday girl does not need a special day to see that life is beautiful and happy and great!!

She has always been a ray of sunshine in our home.  I wish I had her knack for seeing the good and beautiful in everything around her.  I have to work at it...but for her, it's natural.  And I love it.  When things feel grim at all, I just look into her little eyes, and feel that happy zest for life.

We celebrated birthday number 6 with pizza and BYU Creamery ice cream (now sold in $1.00 cones right up the street...yum!).  And of course we went around the dinner table, and each told Eliza what we loved about her.  And she loved every minute of it.  We also spent an hour at the park, and the afternoon playing outside with good friends.  And the new litter of baby kittens were finally ready to hold, just in time for her birthday.  Papa and Nana come to visit tomorrow, so we'll make a cake and do more celebrating this weekend while they are here to join us.   

And of course, there were gifts.    

A play horse, a Horses and Riding book, cowgirl clothes for her doll...

And her favorite gift, given by our cute neighbor girl (who Lizzy quite adores),

her very own ukulele!

 The strummin' and singing hasn't stopped.  Perfect for this music-loving girl of mine!

Thanks, neighbors!

Happy Birthday, dear Liza!!

a birthday and a new coat

 Little Miss Sarah turned four years old this week.  My baby...FOUR!!  I can't believe it!

And guess what?  I finally sewed up that third Wanderings Coat, which has been all cut out and collecting dust for (ahem) almost two years.  Whew!  So glad it still fits!  This has to be my all-time favorite pattern.  Love it so so much!  It is by the lovely ladies at Sugar City Journal.  Go peruse their beautiful blog, if you haven't been there.  They are so talented!!

Look at my adorable little eskimo!

    

And a peek at the inside...the best part!

Sarah's favorite fairy tale is the story of Rapunzel.  So, inside the coat, she stars as Rapunzel, with Daddy as the handsome prince charming.  I photocopied their pictures on Printed Treasures fabric, and backed it with wool felt, so they look authentic and stay put on the fabric when a scene is being played out.

Also tucked into the zippered pockets:  A royal cape and tall boots for the prince, the prince's trusty steed, and a pink wool cape to keep the princess warm in all her wanderings.  And let's not forget the most important accessory:  a princess crown with Rapunzel's long, golden locks.  Oh, and Sarah just informed me that we need an evil witch.  And she thinks I should use a picture of ME!  The nerve!!  :)

This darling little princess fills our home with energy and love.  She is so sweet and good, with just enough spunk to keep us on our toes, and bring laughter to every situation.

We love you, our dear Sarah Esther!!  

birthday boy

My firstborn turned 14.

Which means:

a) I'm getting old.

b) we're getting thicker into the teenage years around here.  Heaven help us.

c) he's officially taller than me.

d) he notices how his hair looks and how girls look.  Though he would never admit to either...shhh! 

e) it's now easier to find my iphone when I misplace it.  Because he always knows where it is, as he is continually texting a friend or waiting for a reply.  (Is there an AT&T plan for limited texts from teenage girls?  I want that one.)

f) he prides himself in wearing skinny jeans, flat-brimmed hats, a beanie when it's warm outside, lime green v-necks, and bright blue skater shoes.  (I'm trying to embrace his self-expression...)  

g) I only have 4 years left with him at home...I'd better ignore the girls, texting, and clothing tastes and just love him for the great person he is!  

 

 We celebrated his birthday while Nana was in town.  Lucky Taylor.  She bought him a delicious made-to-order Cold Stone Creamery ice cream cake, which we devoured in one sitting.  mmmm.  

Despite his teenage-hood, this boy of mine is fantastic.

In his handmade Mother's Day card he wrote,

"Thank you for being the best mom ever!  I love you and I will try to be the best son ever."

This melted my heart.  You are a wonderful son, Taylor. 

And I love you, too!

Nobody's perfect around here (or even close, for that matter), but we do so love being a family!

Here's to many, many more birthdays.

And ice cream cakes. 

And visits from Nana.

And handmade cards with words of love and pledges of greatness.

And bright blue shoes.

And good boys, making good choices.

And happy moments when we think to appreciate it all.

valentine's day + a birthday

 Valentine bunting, hung in the kitchen.  (ahem...yes, that's the kitchen...and yes, it's white :) 

 Beautiful roses (and my favorite perfume--Angel by Thierry Mugler) from my sweetheart.

 Birthday wishes for our cute 10-year-old.  Love you, Sam!

Coconut cake for the birthday celebration.  Sam has been on a strict diet because of his arthritis...no gluten, dairy, soy, yeast, and a long list of other intolerances to avoid, because they are causing his body to swell.  I used this recipe, but added extra vanilla in place of the orange and coconut extracts.  I made the icing using this recipe, but with 3 egg whites, plus real maple syrup for half of the honey.  It turned out quite yummy, especially for being dairy and wheat free.  The icing was particularly yummy...tasted just like melted marshmallows!  It was by far the tastiest thing my Sam has eaten in quite a while!  Hooray! 

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Hannah's baptism

My darling Hannah was baptized on Saturday.  We had a wonderful day celebrating this special ordinance with such a beautiful girl.

What a powerful thing...to be eight years old and make a covenant with God that you will live a righteous life and follow His commandments.  I was baptized when I was eight years old (many, many, many years ago...) and I remember how that special day impacted my young life...how I looked back on that promise, and tried so hard to keep it.  I was just old enough to have faith and know that I wanted to be a good person and try to do the will of God, but still young enough to be pure and hopeful.  That day set me on a path that has brought so many blessings and so much goodness to every part of my life.  And I hope Hannah's day means as much for her.  She is so excited to learn about the Savior and work hard to be more like Him every day.  What a blessing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to our family.

Eliza is five...

and I just can't get over how quickly it's all happening!

This girl has been a complete joy.  I feel so very blessed to be her mom.

Just look at that sweet face...and those blue eyes.  Precious!

Birthday festivities:

a chocolate cake with pink frosting,

and lots of handmade sibling gifts

(made exclusively by kids...no mom help this time!),

including:

a pillow from Sam,

a button necklace from Hannah,

a cool notebook from Romney,

and a braided bracelet from Taylor.

And of course, two dresses and headbands from Mom. (to be photographed soon!)

Also, some Nana gifts, art stuff, and purple knitting needles (of her very own!!) with purple yarn. 

(She finally got her stitches down and wants to knit with Mom and Hannah!)

Eliza Jane,

my talented, crafty, sweet, spunky, tender girl.

I love you, darlin'!

my baby's not a baby

My cute Sarah turned 3 yesterday.  When did my baby become such a big girl?!

Here she is, posing proudly in her new birthday dress (sewn by mom at midnight on her birthday's eve), all beautiful and ready to go out to breakfast with Daddy.  And then out to lunch with Grandma and the kids.  What a fun day!

***I found this darling, soft corduroy fabric at Pine Needles on a girly fabric-and-yarn-store outing to Gardner Village last Saturday (while the boys mowed the lawn and worked on a service project with Dad).  I had a coupon, so I bought enough to make something for the big girls too.  Can't wait to get started on some more fall sewing for my girlies!

Blowing out the candles on her pink and purple cake.

New birthday shoes, chosen by the birthday girl herself, of course (paired with some new fall duds).

I love this girl.  She is so full of personality and so very fun to have around.  She moves through life with a flare, giving passion and energy (and drama) to everything she does.  Yet her heart is good as gold...  on the inside, she's soft, sensitive, and loving.  We're all so happy she's a Cope!  

Happy Birthday, big girl! 

I have a teenager (Heaven help us)

(photo above by Jami)

Yes, the inevitable has happened.  Taylor turned 13.

I can hardly believe I'm old enough to be mother to a boy that age.  And where did all those years go?  They're sailing by.  And not too many more birthdays before he's all grown up and gone from home.  (sniff, sniff)

How I need to cherish these precious fleeting years with my (big) little ones...

the cake

the strapping birthday boy man

the gift

the mom

serving cupcakes on the driveway b-ball court

to the friends

the cute sister, impatient for a taste