this can't be happening...

8 years ago (this past Saturday), this little one became a part of our lives...she was the runt out of my 3 kiddos, weighing in under 8lbs ;0) & that head full of hair was simply amazing to me!

she came RUSHING into this world...not even giving us the chance to travel to the hospital where i was registered...we ended up at a different hospital, giving birth only 9 minutes after pulling up to the Emergency Room

but even with such an eventful arrival, Gabrielle was the most easy going & content baby...a thumb sucker, which in my book, is the CUTEST thing on Earth!!! she was giggly & cuddly...Mama's little girl...& pretty sweet on her Daddy & big brother too ;0)

she definitely has some of the classic "middle child" issues...but she's also the leader of the pack...my most responsible child - always looking out for her brother & sister...jumping in to help Mama keep order

her birthday celebration always falls on/around Thanksgiving (even born the day of), so it kind of takes 2nd fiddle to whatever everyone else has going on...not only do we have to squeeze in her party, during all the holiday hoopla...but she also has to hurry & bring in cupcakes for her class to celebrate before they let out on Thanksgiving break...this year, she chose to make all the fondant decorations herself!

she wanted bright colored flowers with different layers...so i set her up with colored fondant & some cutters (& her little sis playing/creating right beside her)...

she went to town & created enough beautiful flowers to decorate 20 cupcakes...

she did everything on her own - rolling, cutting, assembling, dusting (with edible glitter) & placing on the cupcakes that Mama made for her...fudge chip, with cream cheese icing - her fav!

she was so proud! but not as proud as me...it made my heart soar to see her enjoy creating these! i might just have my first employee already lined up for when i finally open my shop ;0)

the morning of her birthday, we woke her with a cupcake & singing Happy Birthday...like we always do for the kiddos on their special day

she also assisted me in creating her cake this year...she'd picked out a design we'd found in a magazine...we tweaked it a little to make it our own & then got busy...she mostly helped with assembling the daisies & cutting out stripes

when we were done, she said that her cake was "perfect"...it was fudge chip on the bottom, & strawberry up top...all iced in buttercream & decorated with fondant stripes & daisies

we had a small celebration at home with family & one of Gabby's good friends...

she got the exact gifts she'd asked for, & announced that it had been an AWESOME day

i just can't believe that my baby girl is already 8 years old...that little runt! ;0)

this can't be happening...

gobble, gobble...

(Thanksgiving meal at Ma's ~ 2008)

even tho i'm in the middle of a cake break, & we get a few days off from work/school, there's still a lot going on this week...i'm participating (& presenting in) an internal summit for 2 1/2 days at work...of course there's the holiday to celebrate (twice)...& then there's Gabrielle's 8th birthday on Saturday (seriously! can u believe that?!)

i'm going to take a break from this space...i hope that u'll try & do like i'm going to do this week...enjoy spending time with ur fam...& remember all that u have to be thankful for! i know how busy life can be for us lots of times...i'm trying to slow down & really enjoy these days with my kiddos...time is passing by way too quickly, & i have SO MUCH to be thankful for...i want to take the time to enjoy it & make some memories with em while i still can!

have a blessed Thanksgiving!

{this moment} leaves

{this moment}

"Photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

inspired by SouleMama - a Friday ritual

wordless Wednesday...wind blown...

the birds...

this is a video that i took with my phone on my walk with Rocket last evening...there is a MASSIVE amount of black birds that pass through where i live every fall/winter...a constant stream coming from the north, heading south...they sometimes stop to congregate in the nearby fields & trees...this swarm that i caught yesterday was crazy! it's mesmerizing to watch...almost creepy...then u can hear my nearby nut job neighbor shooting off his rifle in the distance...reminds me of Steel Magnolias! ~lol~



i'll admit, the amount of poop on our cars this time of year is insane...but as u can see, the gunfire doesn't phase the birds...they're gonna do what they're gonna do - migrate...the kiddos think it's cool - when they're flying overhead, & you clap loudly, they bolt out in 2 directions...the flock parts in a straight line, right down the middle...again, a very neat thing to watch

weekend cakes...

i had a MUCH slower cake weekend this time around...one cake for Saturday, one cake for Sunday...just right ;0)

first up was a construction cake for Brock...i've made Brock's baby shower cake & 1st birthday...this was for his 3rd birthday - & no monkeys this time ;0) instead, he's all about trucks...earth movers

it was a tier of almond cake, topped with a tier of spice cake - all iced in buttercream...the trucks are toys...the cones are fondant...the dirt & sand is graham crackers & chocolate cookies...& the rocks are chocolates (like M&M's)

here's a note i received from Brock's mama:
"Sharon, Brock's cake looked great and tasted great! Everyone was impressed! Thank you for making something that perfectly went with our construction party theme! I hope you are soon able to do this full time!"

then for Sunday, i had another 3rd birthday to create a cake for...this time, for Miss Emme - who loves what all 3yo girls love...alligators! ;0)

Emme's cake was white cake...iced in buttercream, then covered in green fondant & surrounded by blue buttercream "water"...only the cattail stems & sign posts are non-edible

Curtis delivered this one for me...he says Emme's mom jumped up & down, & squealed like a little girl when she saw her daughter's cake...i think that means she liked it...hopefully Emme did too! ;0)

thx for looking!

Shutterfly Xmas Photo Cards...

i've never used Shutterfly to create my Xmas photo cards, but i'm anxious to give em a shot this year...i hear from friends that the quality is super nice...& they have lots of options like "flat photo cards", "flat stationary cards", & "folded greeting cards".

i haven't decided which Christmas card i'm going to use yet...but i'm sure i'll have fun figuring it out ;0) i really like this one...

one cool option - u can choose ur photo, go to the website and then on the side bar pick the colors that match your photo...that's pretty cool!

another really cute idea - gift tags! this is a neat way to have different tags from Santa...u know, NOT in mom & dad's handwriting ;0)

are you a blogger? want to earn 50 FREE Shutterfly cards? go to their blog and fill out the form for your chance...i did! *my opinions in this post are honest and true*

{this moment} Art Night

{this moment}

"Photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

inspired by SouleMama - a Friday ritual

trophies...& again, so NOT twins!

they were so proud to earn these! :0)

& Jaden was so upset that he wasn't awarded one! :0( but it's ok...he has his own plaques & awards to be proud of...it just takes a reminder every now & then ;0)

can u believe we still get asked if the girls are twins?! seriously! just happened at the ceremony the other night...by a mother of another cheerleader...still blows my mind!

i mean, i totally understood why we'd get asked when they were much smaller (we were asked almost every. single. time. we went out, when they were age 2/3 thru about 5/6)...there's only 15months in age between them...& for a long time, they were very close in size...of course, folks that get to know them have no question - it's easy to tell them apart...even their personalities are totally different...but i've never thought they look the same in the face either - totally different eyes, noses & mouths if u ask me!

yes, they've had similar builds & hair styles since they were toddlers...even dress alike a lot of the time...but within the last year or so - their heights have become so different...Corinn is this bony little petite thing - our "Skinny Rinny"...& Gabrielle is so sturdy - solid as a rock! they strive to have different styles now - only occasionally wanting to mirror one another...& the older they get, the more different they look to me in the face too!

i guess i'm their Mama...i see their beautiful faces daily...hourly...sometimes minute by minute...& they are sisters...that are very close in age...that look very similar...& have the same crazy-frizzy head of locks that they refuse to let their Mama brush...

but twins?! come on!