Par-tay!

I purposely set up an open house and Max's first birthday combo event for this weekend. It's a holiday weekend and it's a week after we moved in. Talk about kicking myself. I've been so busy this week unpacking boxes and we were all up until 1am Friday night still figuring out what to display in the cabinet/hutch in the dining room while I was still icing cakes.

But I believe it went off without a hitch and I thank everyone who came by and all the wonderful gifts that showed up at our house! Especially the beautiful new plants and wonderful toys for Max. As if the one year old didn't have enough in his very own play room already :)

I was second guessing myself about the whole timing situation, but I'm completely thankful I did it (and will be more so as I catch up on my rest this week) because it's done... all done. I don't have many things left to hang on the wall and now can concentrate on some bigger projects I'll be working on this summer (like directing VBS for the church, going on a "missions" trip to Nebraska, and traveling home to Ohio). It's nice to have it feel like a home and to have our pictures on the walls and to not have piles of boxes in plain view (they're all hidden upstairs at least).

We've been so busy that nothing here will get a proper story/post. But I have had a wonderful trip to IKEA with a one year old and a very large list of things to get that did not get completely checked off, baking my first "decorative" cake (I am not a cake baker or decorator), and watching my mother in law make curtains with hemming tape (And they look fabulous).

But one thing I'm super excited about and have yet to use is my new Canon Rebel that Adam picked up from the store today. I keep checking the light on the battery charger willing it to turn green so I can play with it. I've read (some of) the manual, attached the lens and the neck strap, and now I wait for my fun to begin.... I'm hoping this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The first thing, of course, will be using it on my child, who should be training for a modeling career at this point since the camera is constantly pinned on him anyway. He turns his head at the sound of the automatic focus and shutter click. This will be closely followed by a still life shooting of all the magnificent flowers that are blooming or getting ready to bloom around my yard.

I'm not sure how this coming week will be, but I wouldn't plan on me being "here" much. I've got lots of rest to do. And I get the feeling I'll find plenty of things to keep me very busy.

Goldfish Cake

The Spread

Happy Family

Max in his new wagon

Really?!? This is all for me?

Confusion about why everyone was singing

Yummo!