What Have I Been Doing?

So, I know that I haven't been around for a whole month(!), and I'll bet some people are wondering what in the world I have been doing for so long! When I realized how long I had been away, I asked myself what had kept me so busy. I decided to look back at my calendar from the last four weeks and see what things have occupied my time. Some things are newsworthy and others aren't, (Isn't that what blogging is all about? Some of the most interesting blog posts I have ever read are about nothing at all!) but I've decided to assume that you care about what I've been doing and create a little series catching you up on our lives this last month. Over the next week or two, you will read about eight things I have been doing instead of blogging.

One of the random things I did recently was get this great photo from above taken at church by my friend, Christy.  There's no terrific story other than to say that we needed a family photo for a women's ministry event, and she brought her camera to get one for me.  Isn't this shot great, especially considering it was in a dingy, poorly-lit gym?  I can't wait to have Christy do some outdoor sessions of our family some time!

And now, without further ado, here are numbers eight and seven on my list of "Things I have been doing instead of blogging":

8. Planning a farm birthday party for our soon-to-be three-year-old son!

Last year, when Brennan turned two, we had just moved into our house a week earlier and knew no one in Nashville.  We had a quiet celebration at home, just the three of us, but I vowed that a year later when Brennan and I both had new friends, we would do a birthday party right.  Here we are now, on the brink of his third birthday, and we are in the midst of planning a farm-themed shindig fit for a king (or farmer).  I have been planning for a long time, brainstorming decorations and food and games (I honestly think coming up with ideas is just as fun as having the event itself), and I spent days making these adorable barn-shaped invitations.   

There were multiple steps involved in making these invitations.  Besides having to cut and glue all of the parts, I also had to find the right size star-shaped brads, get a current photo of Brennan in overalls, and locate small farm animal stickers that would fit behind the barn doors.  I think the end result was worth all the work.  Several moms have told me that their kids love playing with the invitations and adore the animal stickers.  I'm so glad these beauties haven't ended up in the recycling bin just yet!

7. Learning how to decorate a cake

No, I didn't make that gorgeous cake, and no, this isn't at all related to number eight.  Although it would be awesome to put my new skills to the test on Brennan's birthday cake, I don't think his cake will have any decorate border.  (We'll see... maybe I can sneak some in.)  Actually, this was a lesson at our MOPS meeting several weeks ago.  My co-coordinator, Kristi, invited her mom who used to work in a bakery to stop in and teach us all how to handle a pastry bag and tips.  We practiced on the backs of cake pans, and it was so much fun!  It made me wish I had time to take an extensive course at JoAnn or Michael's.  I would love to add "cake decorator" to my home executive resume.

Stay tuned to see some of the other things I have been doing these last four weeks. I will not stay away that long again and keep you in suspense!