Happy Birthday, Skylar!

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On Sunday we celebrated Skylar’s 4th birthday!

Birthday hat and plate on table

Young girl holding birthday hat to head and smiling

She couldn’t stop dancing and spinning once she put that party hat on!

Young girl playing with birthday hat holding it to head

Her actual birthday isn’t until mid-week and on Monday we are having a kiddie-party with some of her friends but this weekend it was just Scott, her, and me.

There were a few gifts from us and her relatives

Stamping kit

A stamping kit.  I would have loved this as a kid!  Thanks, Auntie C!

Close up of one stamp in stamping kit

Butterly stamp being used with purple ink

And a blankie from Grandma

Young girl smiling and holding new blanket

Saturday I picked up these

Packages of cookies a mini cupcakes

The extras are going to her friends’ house for the kiddie party.  Pawn extra sugar off on other children.

Close up of package of cookies

Close up of chocolate mini cupcakes

Close up of vanilla mini cupcakes

Skylar requested a chocolate cupcake and a cookie.

Chocolate mini cupcake and cookie on birthday plate

And she loved every bite!

Young girl smiling eating birthday goodies

And I loved being with her!  

Woman and child sitting next to one another smiling

It feels like just yesterday I was having her baby shower, which was only a mere 48 hours before I went into labor and Skylar decided to make her arrival.  She was in a hurry to make her debut in the world which left me no time to wash all those onesies I got at my shower, but I managed.

Young girl playing with hair wearing birthday hat smiling

We kept Sunday simple and low key because there is still a party on Monday, and more celebrating mid-week on the actual day of.  Plus, with kids, simpler is better. The chaos and over-stimulation and sheer excess factor that I see at many children’s parties is not something I relish.  She loved it more because it was small and quiet and we could focus on each other, the few gifts she had (and more will be doled out as the week progresses)….

…and of course, she loved focusing on these

Close up of mini chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles

It’s amazing how much she’s grown in a year physically, mentally, and in every aspect.  Here was her 3rd Birthday from last year.

Pictures From This Post

Young girl wearing birthday hat and white beaded necklace

While holding Daddy’s Hand and Grinning Ear to Ear

Young girl holding her dads hand smiling with birthday hat and necklace
Young girl and woman wearing birthday hats at table

And more photos from This Post

Young girl opening birthday presents on floor

It’s interesting to see what I made a year ago in that post.  It was Vegan White Chocolate Chocolate-Peanut Butter CupsVegan White Chocolate Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cups stacked on top of one another

One Vegan White Chocolate Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup on plate
Hand holding one Vegan White Chocolate Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup
Split Vegan White Chocolate Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup showing filling

I am glad you enjoyed the Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter & Oat Snack Bars that I made from my last post.  Yes, those have been a hit here.  Let me know if you try them because they are so easy and fast to make.  Like 3 minutes fast and if you don’t have a microwave and prefer to heat your chocolate over the stove top, be my guest.  Deb and Charlotte already made them (using the microwave).  Thanks for the letting me know, ladies.

Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter & Oat Snack Bars

Close up of one Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter & Oat Snack Bar

Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter & Oat Snack Bars

Dessert: If you want to make cupcakes at home, you could try Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cupcakes with White Chocolate Icing

And actually, these use pre-made brownies so they are really pulling a Sandra Lee.  Semi-homemade.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cupcake
Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cupcakes with White Chocolate Icing in muffin tin
Close up of one Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cupcake with White Chocolate Icing

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cupcakes with White Chocolate Icing

Questions:

1. Best thing you ate or did over the weekend?

Celebrating Skylar’s birthday, being reminded that four years ago this week I had a baby shower, and that I gave birth to her four years ago.  She is the best thing that has ever happened to me, ever.  And ever will happen.

Ironically I have seen many blog posts this weekend about attending friend’s baby showers and I have cried some Hallmark tears.  Happy tears, of course. But as mom, watching the years pass and being marked with a birthday just make me appreciate where I’ve been, the gifts I’ve been given, and how blessed I am to have such a wonderful little girl!

2. Any memorable birthday party stories you care to share?

My 26th birthday was spent doing sunset yoga on the beach with Scott and my yoga friends.  We went inside for a vegetarian potluck and drinks.  Scott had ordered me a custom hot pink cake, and we stayed up until the wee hours with our friends talking, laughing, drinking wine, and eating cake.  It was an amazing birthday!

3. Do you use store-bought bakery items like cakes, cupcakes, or cookies?

I am a busy, full-time working mom and the time involved making cupcakes and cookies, with frosting, sprinkles, you name it, well, I have no shame in admitting I’d rather spend an hour or two at the park with her and buy store-bought cupcakes than stand in the kitchen just to say they are homemade.  She’s 4.  Who cares.  She doesn’t know the difference.

But of course, if you love to bake and have the time for it, make it from scratch at home!

P.S. If you’re just catching up on posts from the weekend there were:

See you later and have a great week!

 

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Comments

  1. Happy birthday to Skylar–and congratulations to you! I often think that my birthday is more important to my mom than it is to me: it really takes her back to significant memories. On my birthday last year, I wrote a blog post thanking my mom for being so awesome. I hope that her birthday reminds you of how awesome you are.

    I always prefer to make stuff from scratch–can be obsessive about it, probably because of my allergies etc, but I totally agree that the love and quality time is more important than making every last bit yourself. Phil doesn’t care if it’s from the store, so sometimes I buy him things.

    love
    Ela

    1. Thanks Ela for this “On my birthday last year, I wrote a blog post thanking my mom for being so awesome. I hope that her birthday reminds you of how awesome you are.”–
      that is wonderful to say and read. And for you to realize and share :)

  2. Happy birthday to Skylar!!! :mrgreen:

    Love those chocolate cupcakes (and the white chocolate PB cups!)

    We always get our cakes from the bakery; homemade cakes just aren’t as fun, or convenient! hehe Or pretty, for that matter! lol!

  3. I think I want the exact same meal (aka desserts) for my birthday party this month – I might be in a sugar coma, but it’d be SO worth it!

  4. Wow, 4 already!?! Adorable pics! And wow on giving birth so soon after your shower – that’s crazy!

    1. Ate out and saw a great NBA game.
    2. We were supposed to have a little gathering with friends for my 30th birthday at a restaurant, but we went out the night before with the same group and drama broke out when a girl flirted with anothers husband and guys got too drunk and naughty. So only about half the friends showed up because they were either pissed at each other and/or hungover.
    3. Nope, I always make raw desserts now. I suppose I’d feel differently with kids.

    1. your #2…yea that sounds a little too hot to handle, too close for comfort type of situation. I am sure there are plenty of stories :)

      And your comment to me re the 10k super snazzy professional photography lenses…and being so close, i would have loved it!

  5. Happy Birthday Sklyar!! Looks like her birthday was a blast with many more good birthdays to come!

    :) Michelle

  6. Oh, AMEN on keeping it simple with kids. And a zillion congrats to Skylar, of course! Bought cakes? Yes of course, I don’t believe in being 100% anything. I’ll make something nice and homebaked when I feel like it, but not every time – that would feel like a chore! I try to buy something semi-okay (like low in additives, or organic) though, or something super cute that I would never have the patience to make myself anyway – like those cuteee cupcakes :-). The boyfriend got the kids these (in my eyes, haha…) disgusting store-bought dry-cakes the other day. Sigh. I think sugar is going to be a major issue if we ever have kids, hehehe. The kids loved them, though, so who am I to judge.

  7. Happy Birthday Skylar! She is looking so grown up. Looks like everyone enjoyed the low key celebration.

    Best thing on the weekend: more snuggling by the fire.
    Furnace is running, and parts are on order for permanent repair :)

    I was travelling in Singapore on my birthday, back in 1995. Spent the day with my cousins, aunt & uncle. Saw the sites, did some touristy type things, as well as a wonderful dinner at a local restaurant with a special dessert for me. Still don’t know what was in the dessert, but it sure tasted great at the time. Great memories too.

    Normally I don’t use / buy store bought items. However, over the holidays one of my bundt cakes flopped and I was supposed to be bringing dessert to a party. With nothing else on hand, or ready in the freezer, we swung by the grocery store on the way there. Dessert was 1 box of mandarin oranges and a small cheesecake. And me telling the story of just how badly the bundt cake exploded all over the oven. Messy stuff. Great story :)

  8. Awe! Happy birthday Skylar!!! She’s so tall and adorable! You guys look like you had a blast, and yes pawning of extra sugary stuff on the other kids is a good thing hahahaha.

  9. Happy Birthday to Skylar! Avery, I’ve been out of internet loop for a bit and haven’t had much time to regularly read your blog but I’m LOVING the new set up!

  10. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to SKYLAR!!! She really has changed a lot in a year at least from what I see, I’m going to make those choc pb bars the second I get home where my gf oats are waiting! Hope she has a good bday week.

  11. Happy birthday to Skylar!!! I can’t believe its another year. I think her birthday last year was one of the first posts I read here. :)

    And crazy bec my kiddo will be that big soon too. GAH!