Easter

Easter was a little different this year.  I spent most of the day preparing food.  Yes, I do love to cook, so it was nice.  I made honey and brown sugar glazed ham, with a pinch of black pepper, sweet potatoes diced and covered with butter, brown sugar and salt and pepper (yum!), green bean casserole (my husband's favorite), and lots of cresent rolls.  For dessert, I made tons of cupakes!  The variety I chose for that special Sunday were carrot (filled with walnuts and plump, sweet raisins), chocolate malt (topped with malted milk multi-colored eggs), lime with lime cream cheese fluffy whip (it taste like keylime pie...yum!), and strawberry (filled with lots of fresh, juicy strawberries).  We had dinner at my MIL's house and she had the most adorable Peter Rabbit table setting. 

Before David and I went over to his moms, I delivered my homeade Easter baskets to my family.  I decided to go to the Dollar Tree and Walmart a couple weeks before Easter and make an inexpensive, but adorable, basket for everyone.  I took the pictures below to capture the day. :)

Missing, is the basket I made for my sister, Bri.  I have no idea why I didn't save a picture of it...but it was filled with fashion magazines and candy. :)  Also, my dad didn't get a basket...he got a dozen of his favorite cupcakes instead! :)



Tootsie Tillie's "Lee Lime"




Tootsie Tillie's "Dad's Favorite Carrot"





Easter Basket for my mom :)




Easter Basket for my baby nephew, Brysen :)




Easter Basket for my nephew, Brady :)




Easter Basket for my sister, Ginger :)




Easter Basket for my Brother-in-Law, Kevin




Easter Basket for my husband, David





More carrot cupcakes!





Tootsie Tillie's "Nolan's Strawberry Patch"



Tootsie Tillie's "Jess's Chocolate Malt"



Adorable Peter Rabbit Table




David and his delightful cousin, Amelia



Just lucky I guess....

As we are now well through the month July, you can probably tell that I'm playing catch up here on my blog.  I have found myself without a personal computer, as of late.  It sucks!  There's so many things that calm me and make me happy, and blogging is definitely one of them.  I wish I could take more time and blog, blog, blog, but it seems that life just gets in the way...too much!  Today, I finally have a chance to catch up on some blogging and I couldn't skip anything.  Here's a few cute pictures of my adorable nephews, Brady and Brysen.  It was St. Patrick's day (so like 4 months ago!) and they're being silly.  Even though I find myself with no money to buy a computer, in an exhuasting job that consumes most of my life and always facing bills and debt collectors...I still count myself lucky everytime I look at the two of them.  Happy Sunday. :)



Patty Griffin.

 Every lyric, every note....all heartwrenching.  It's a good kind of hurt though.  The trancsendent strums on her guitar and flawless sound of her voice will always stay with me.  If you've heard her on a CD or through an iPod...it just isn't the same as hearing her perform live.  A great artist is even more incredible live....and she is definitely that.  Hearing her sing the lyrics that she wrote with so much passion and soul in her voice is like nothing I have ever experienced.  Her songwriting has a way of breaking your heart, but also making you feel like everything is going to be ok, all at the same time. 

She is touring her new album, American Kid.  It's tremendous.  Every song she performed on stage, that magical Thursday night in Mesa, Arizona....was amazing.  I knew and loved every single song.  When the moment came where the rest of the band left Patty alone on the stage with just her guitar...and she began to play "Nobody's Crying," that's the moment that nothing bad in my life mattered at all.

Nothing compares to Patty Griffin.  Nothing.  Her lyrics and melodies will stay with me forever and will always remind me that beauty and perfection can exist in this world.  Even when life is impossible to face sometimes....music can help heal the hurt and make you believe in peace and harmony once again.

Brysen has arrived....

I am happy to announce that I have a new nephew! He was born on February 24th. My sister and her husband named him Brysen James and he is such a doll. I know he’s only 2 months old, but his little personality has a certain calmness about it. I love him so much already and am so thankful to be his Auntie Amber! His big brother, Brady is a ball of energy and loves his baby brother very much.

My sister Ginger, Brady and Brysen’s mom, is adjusting to staying home with the 2 boys and it’s so adorable. Kevin, my brother-in-law and Ginger’s husband, is such a great dad and the boys both have that serious “Kevin look” every once and while that make us all smile. Brysen seems to have more of Kevin’s personality and Brady is like a mini Ginger. Kevin’s more easy going and Brysen seems to be that kind of baby...it's so precious and just warms my heart. Ginger and Brady are a little more passionate and high maintenance…and I think it's absolutely endearing.  But…every single one of them are lovable.

Brysen was born so tiny…but he has chubbed up quite a bit! I just love him and am so excited to spoil him, just like his big brother. I’m so happy to be a part of their lives and to be able to watch them grow up. Ginger’s little family is so cute. They just planted a vegetable garden outside and Brady is very proud. I was holding Brysen outside on the porch the other night, while watching Brady play tee-ball in the yard. He was so excited to show me the garden, that he told me to “put it down and come on.” Hahaha, “it” being Brysen and “down,” being on the concrete floor. After I rejected his requested place for me to “put it down,” he began looking for better spots. After a lot of options, he came to realize that I couldn’t put Brysen on the floor, the patio table, the trampoline, the lawn chair, or in the cilantro pot hanging from the porch pillar. The next thing you know, Grandpa Beaman came to take Brysen off my hands. Smart and persuasive little boy, that Brady is. So then we, of course, toured the garden and more importantly, played some ball.

Brysen James!!!!

Brayden Carter!!

Pinstripes and Lullabies....

Sometimes I still can't believe that my little sister is a mom.  She's a mom.  The little girl who used to drink her bottle full of kool aid every Saturday morning with me when we were little.  The little sneak that used to spy on me and my boyfriend kissing in 8th grade.  Well, that little brat is an incredible mom. 

She is about to have her 2nd baby...another little boy!  I'm so excited and can't wait to become and auntie again!  Brady is going to be a big brother and I can't think of anything cuter than that.  It's so fun watching him grow up and learn so much from his mom and dad.  They are truly amazing parents and I can't wait until they are a family of 4! 

On Saturday, my mom and my sister, Bri, threw Ginger a sports themed baby shower!  The rules were to wear something representing your favorite sports team and all of the decorations and food were extra sporty!  We were worried for weeks and weeks that it wouldn't come together....and let me just say, were we ever wrong!  It came out great!  My mom made a homemade sports flag banner and Bri bought tons of sports helium balloons that filled the living room.  She also mixed in some "It's a Boy" balloons and the curly ribbon flowed down from the ceiling and made the party area extra festive!  I hung clothes lines and attached baby baseball socks, onesies and bibs from mini clothes pins.  I must admit...it was adorable! 

The food was genius!  We had a hot dog and nacho bar, just as if we were at the ball field.  And for a sweet treat...I made sports themed peanut butter chocolate and cherry chip cupcakes!   My mom put together party favors that came in a classic ball park popcorn bag.  Inside, our guests found peanuts, cracker jacks and red licorice! 

We kept it very simple and played a couple cute games.  After our "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" lyric challenge, Ginger opened all her beautiful gifts.  It was a great day, spent with such special people.  Here are some pictures of the party!



My mom's awesome flag banner!

The clothes line I made!

Here's another clothes line!

Party favors!

Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes and Cherry Chip cupcakes!

Cutie preggie!

I just loved her sports outfit!

Her husband and son came to see the decorations before the party!

Sweet gals!  Victoria, Sherry and Julia...

Some VIP guests!  Barb, Sonna and Sally!

Best dressed....baby Emma!!

Ginger and her best friend of 20 years...Robin! 

My favorite Sally's in the whole world!!

She got such wonderful gifts!!

Go Cubs!

All of our wonderful guests!!

 

Two of my favorite gals....Rachel and Peggy!

And...of course we couldn't let baby brother have all the gifts!  Brady got some, too!