"After the song, I blow out candle!"

What a F-U-N birthday party Miss Allikaye...

the 2 year old...
had this weekend!
Here is a quick recap of the big, happy day!

LOTS of candy!
I'm sure the parents of the kids that came
were so thankful that there was candy galore!

Here is "Little Miss Party" herself!
I was just in awe of her cuteness the whole day!
She wore her pink tutu...
her '2' shirt...
cupcake hair things...
cupcake tights...
and sparkly shoes!
Oh to be her...

This is evidence of Miss Allikaye's favorite thing about her party...
the CANDY NECKLACE!
So...
Who gave one to her and put it around her neck?...
Papa...

Okay...
So who showed her how to do this?
This was her "pose" for most of the rest of the party!

Uh-oh...more evidence!
It was Aunt Katie that showed Allikaye how to eat her necklace!
Besides the beloved necklace...
there was a cute little cupcake pinata!
This was the first time I had heard of "pull-string" pinatas...
they aren't the kind you see on America's Funniest Home Videos...
where someone gets nailed by the swinging stick.

All the kids hold a ribbon...

And PULL!
Umm...except the only thing that happened was the ribbons fell off...
So next step?
Kick it!!

That's better!
Thanks to dad...notice his leg up and ready to kick?

Here are some of the kids getting the dud-pinata's fillings...

She loved the little crafts!

The kids could decorate door hangers...
foam crowns...
and heart-shaped cookies...It was so much fun to get our friends; their kids; and all our family together
and celebrate turning 2 for our burst of sunshine...
Allikaye!

Here are the ever so proud parents!

SMILE for the camera...birthday girl!

And now presenting...

Allikaye...

shining in all her party happiness!

SO FUN!

Happy Birthday Allikaye!

January 10, 2007
9:15 PM
Our beautiful baby girl was born!
We have had the BEST 2 years!
We love you, Allikaye...
our pretty and smart 2 year old!!

Here is our very first family picture...2 years ago!

Always such a sweet and angelic baby...

One of my favorite pictures...
Oh my goodness... I cry almost every time I look at this beautiful face!
And here is the 2 year old!!Woohoo!

And now it's party time!!!

So Lovey Dovey...

Can you feel the love in the air yet?

Yep...I am already thinking about Valentine's Day!

Here are the newest additions to my Etsy Shop...

I Heart You!

SWEET!
Just like you!

XOXO!!

I am also getting ready for Allikaye's 2nd Birthday party!
I am so excited!
The theme is cupcakes, candy, reds and pinks....
or Valentine's!!

Here is a picture of the invites I made...
(minus all the details - so none of you creepers can come).
I am pretty proud of them...
is it okay if I just stare at them a little?
I also bought a small pinata from here, on Etsy...
C-U-T-E!

Here is another cutie...
I bought it from my sweet bloggy friend Shelly...
at Lemon Tree Studio.
I buy way too much from her...
but isn't it...
what's the word...
CUTE!
I am so excited to have a birthday party for Allikaye!
Here is the proposed agenda:
Cupcakes...
lots of candy...
small pinata smacking...
decorate foam crowns and door-hanger things...
decorate sugar cookies...
presents!

Any advice for a mama's first real birthday party would be greatly appreciated!
I will leave you with another picture
of some of the decorations I am working on
for the PARTY!!
Holla!

-2-0-0-9-

Happy New Year!

We rang in the new year with my favorite things...
playing games...
oh and my family, of course!
We played Mad Gab (so funny)...
and Taboo (also a laugher)!
When we are with the fam...
these games are l-o-u-d!
We don't hold anything back...
it is the BEST way to play...
loud...crazy...and with a new family inside joke every time!

Here are some shots of the peeps that I love so...

Gramps and Matt... or as Allikaye says..."Great-Pop"Here is my Miss Mama...
aren't her glasses cute?! She gets Lasik tomorrow! Ah!
My most favorite man...besides my hubby...
my daddy-o!
Wonderful Grandma Gerster...
with a sticker on her face from Miss Allikaye...
The cute engaged couple...
my cousin Mark and sweet Jen...
And here is a shot of the game time...
this is at my Aunt Lori and Uncle Dinger's house...
We have always called him Uncle Dinger...
but Allikaye,
being her own independent toddler self,
calls him Uncle Ding-ray...
who knows where she got that from - but it makes us laugh! Happy Family Time...
and HAPPY 2-0-0-9!

** I also added my "2009 Memory Verses" on my sidebar...
I am following the Living Proof Ministries (LPM) lead...
and committing to memorize 2 verses a month this '09!
I choose the verses - so they are exactly what God has placed on my heart! **

Christmas Wrap up

How much fun was Christmas?!
Here are some pictures...and a video...
to sum up Miss Allikaye's 2nd Christmas!

Started with a Santa visit...
no tears, but a very serious little girl.
She did say thank you for the candy cane though!

Here we are getting ready for the Christmas day events!

Yay! So excited to open presents!

We played a little piano...

Miss Thing opened a great big tiger! Fun!

A new kitchen and table! Woohoo!
This is just as much a present for Matt and me...
she played by herself for over an hour with this! Woohoo again!

And now...
MY Christmas present...

This is STAR! My new Kitty!
Matt totally surprised me!
I have tried to get a cat for almost 6 years of marriage!
He finally gave in!

Allikaye LOVES Star!
We still have a little work to do on HOW to hold her though.
And Tre still isn't too sure about her...

Merry Christmas! Love, Matt, Ashley, Allikaye, and Tre Dog

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Follow the Star!

Grab that sugar cookie loaded with frosting...

for a yummy recipe go here...

and enjoy a sneak at our Colorado Christmas!

Let's start with the...
O Christmas Tree...

When we lived in Germany, I bought the white and gold glittery stars.
I LOVE them!
I would probably save them in a fire...I love them that much!

I also added lots of Gold C's this year!
Hobby Lobby had the big ones -
and I had collected the little ones for awhile now -
just added some gold spray paint!

Oh! How I could just stare at the gold/red/sparkle goodness all day!

Next comes the mantle!

My little birdcage holds decorations for every season...
it had little pumpkins in it first!

JOY has to be one of my most favorite words...
especially at Christmas time!
I have this sign up all year round - but it finds a special place
near Mary and Joseph these days!

Here are Miss Allikaye's favorite Christmas books...

Our Christmas cards...

And here is the REASON FOR THE SEASON...

Thanks for stopping by!

FOLLOW THE STAR!!