Happy Birthday, Sonia (plus some miscellaneous stuff)
Sonia is turning 7 today!
(Sonia's less than 24 hours old here, which explains why I look kind of tired.)
It's hard to believe that someone so small could actually be 7 years old, but it's true.
There's a 3 year gap between Lisey and Sonia, so Lisey had enjoyed a good long run as the baby of the family. I love these two pictures of her with Sonia because they perfectly express how she felt about having a new baby around.
She did eventually come to terms with it, but it took a while!
Joshua, though, was quite the proud big brother from the start.
Just for fun, here are some pictures of Sonia through the years. This is her first birthday cake.
(this cake and all the other ones in these photos are my not-from-a-box chocolate cake recipe)
This one was taken right about when she turned 2.
When Sonia was 3, she was waaay into "sprinklies", so this was her cake of choice.
Here's a 4 year old Sonia (I'd gotten my SLR recently, but I had a not-so-great lens, and was kinda clueless about my camera anyways!).
Here she's licking the birthday cake frosting for her 5th birthday cake (and we notice that I now have a lovely lens for my camera).
And here she is just last year, at the age of 6.
Happy birthday, Tooties! We love you to pieces.
(Sonia often looks like she's been posed by a mall photographer...she's always doing the arm shelf kind of thing!)
Our Paint Bin
Yesterday's 365 question was apparently much easier than I thought. 😉 The paint container in question is indeed an old refrigerator shelf. It was an extra from our old fridge, and it works very well as a corral for our watercolors and paintbrushes.
Painting at our house is an activity that needs pre-approval from me, so this container lives in the cabinet above the fridge, far out of Sonia and Zoe's reach. 😉
Wednesday Baking
In my quest to simplify my life a little bit, I'm going to turn Wednesday Baking into a slightly more occasional feature. Wednesday Baking posts are without a doubt the most labor-intensive type of post I do (and maybe because of that, I don't enjoy writing them as much), so running them a little less frequently will help to free up some time and also not make Wednesday blogging feel like a chore.
Because I don't want blogging to be a chore. Blog authors who feel like blogging is a chore end up with blogs that read like a chore, and I don't want to end up there.
Joshua's 365
Joshua was gone this past weekend visiting his best friend, so he got a little behind on his blogging. But there are several new posts up on his blog, so go check them out. 😉
Now I'm off to work on birthday stuff...gotta make and frost a cake, wrap presents, make Sonia's birthday dinner, and pick up her cousin (who is sleeping over tonight).
And I have a nagging feeling that there are a number of math papers that need correcting as well. Boo.
Have a happy Wednesday!
Today's 365 post: Where DOES the clutter come from?
I vote for you making this blog fun for you to share, because what you share is so precious to me. And maybe, if the Wednesday baking posts were less frequent, maybe I could try more of them. I am increasingly finding that your recipes are GOOD. Probably too good for my waist line, but that is my problem, right?
Happy Happy Birthday to Sonia! May today, and most days, be filled with laughter and joy.
I am sad to hear the Wednesday Baking posts will be less frequent because I look so forward to them! BUT I understand they are tedious and who knows what will come in their place....I agree with NMPatricia that maybe now I will actually bake more of them! thanks for all your frugal ideas!
Coming out of my lurk to wish Sonia a very happy birthday! Enjoy!
(And eat loads of goodies! It's only one day a year...)
Long time reader here but don't comment very often - glad to hear you are taking a little break on the baking posts! Personally I enjoy the miscellany posts the best (a little bit of something for everyone). Your readers will still be here 🙂
Happy Birthday Sonia!
Oooh, two un-lurkers in a row. Yay! I love it when people come out of hiding. 😉
Oh wow! I never thought of it that way but yep I'm a lurker! Been following you since wordpress. I should probably comment more often. 🙂
Happy birthday sonja!!!! I too will miss the we'd baking post, but I do understand!
Awwww! Can't believe she's gotten so big.
I definitely think you should do what works best for you as far as the Wednesday baking thing goes. I don't blog recipes as often now, because they take much longer to blog.. it involves so much extra work that I don't always have time for. And you already have so many recipes on here!
No, do not burn out! We need you and this is such a great blog. May it always be as fun for YOU as it is for us!
Bee-yoo-ti-ful children!
Had to laugh about the paint being a mommy-approved activity. I woke up several years ago to find a big red stain on my beige carpet from my daughter deciding her dough for a school project really should be red. (Why people ever put carpet in the dining rooms of apartments/condos is beside me.)
Happy festivities to all of you!
So glad you are simplifying and keeping happy-that is the name of the game. Enjoy your wee one's b-day.
I posted a fun recipe on my blog that is very quick and apparently magical as it was totally gone when I got up this morning 🙂
quick suggestion: perhaps Wednesday Baking could be a time when you remind us of one of your already tried-and-true, awesome, ready to read posts from a couple years ago. Yeah, I know there's an archive for that reason, but if you were to remind me of some obscure roll from before I was a reader, I bet you'd make my day awesome with a fraction of the work!
btw - i completely support your choice for cutting back on the WB posts.
I would LOVE an old-school Wednesday baking post!!! I would love to have time to sit and read through your old archives, but I don't have time. Once a month, you could post an "oldie-but-goodie" and just link up to the recipe or older post.
Also I think Wednesday baking could just be a pic of what you are baking/cooking to be frugal and remind us that struggle with frugality to bake /cook at home more often!
Just some thoughts, but don't get burnt out either!
Happy Birthday Sonia! Have a wonderful day!
Happy Birthday, Sonia. God has blessed you with a wonderful family.
Another lurker. I love your site and want to wish Sonia a happy birthday. My daughter Emily celebrates her 6th birthday today. I am doing the same as you today but can check cupcakes off my list. I did have to explain to her that it is a birthday vs birth week. If only it could last longer!!
You look beautiful holding that precious newborn!!! HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONIA!!!I think that you are using wisdom on the cutting back on the WB posts!! Each one is so articulate and special. The WB posts look like you have spent hours of your time preparing them. YOUR CHILDREN ARE BEAUTIFUL AND SEEM TO ADORE EACH OTHER!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN SONIA!!!!!!
Happy Birthday, Sonia
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONIA! My daughter will be turning 7 on the 24th! How cool is that? 🙂 Just my daughter has one tooth that is out! He he! Maybe by her birthday she will have a cute smile too! Ha ha! The baby pictures are soooo cute! My 4 1/2 yr. then son, loved our little girl too! 😉 Now we are expecting our third and we can't wait to see what it would look like and be!
Ah, the family life!
such sweet pics! and understand completely on the chore of your Wednesday baking blogs...no need for doing what you don't enjoy. Maybe you can go back to enjoying such posts when you do them only when you desire. Thanks for all your efforts here, FG!
I did a double-take because little Lisey (as a preschooler) looks so much like Zoe does now--at least to me.
First, let the record show that I'll happily accept any changes you decide to make. Then may I please state that the following ideas are just that, not advice? Okay, here goes...With four kids, I know you cook a lot. How 'bout if Wednesday's category is expanded to include any type of cooking? Since you're doing it all week anyway, it might lessen the "chore" factor. New recipes, old recipes, ways to make expensive dishes more frugally, etc. As a long time reader, I know you have been doing this all along, but if you include it in Wednesday "Baking", it might ease your workload. Then you can return to the joy of baking because you love to, not because you "must".
I love the idea suggested by Vanessa, but here's a twist: I suspect those of us who are addicted to TFG (no twelve step program available for this affliction - totally unnecessary!) would love to see reposts on Sundays. I completely agree with and support your reasons for not posting on the Sabbath Day, (and thank you, FG 365 really does help those of us challenged with FG Addiction). Setting up a re-post in advance could be a way of doing less while helping your newer readers more.
Moving on, my heart is touched by Lisey's three-year-old self in the photos. Here's a story I hope she'll enjoy...
I'm the "first" of six. Before I was born, my parents lost twin boys who were sadly just two months premature. When baby girl Diane finally arrived, she was received with a level of giddy adoration impossible to sustain in her lifetime. When her brother Chris arrived only fifteen months into her reign, she was an unhappy camper. Mom of Diane loves to tell the story of how one naptime baby Diane climbed out of her crib and into her brother's. Baby Di proceeded to anoint him thoroughly with baby oil and then dump most of a full canister of baby powder all over him. Playing mommy or trying to do away with him? Mom of Diane wisely chooses not to speculate, but thankfully, there were no Costco sizes then.
Happily, baby Diane and her brother Chris are all grown up now and good friends. In fact, he called me this morning from work (at Costco!) to help him answer a member's question. In return for the correct answer, he named me an "Official Costco Helper" for the day! The honor is still making me laugh. I know Lisey is as happy to be Sonia's big sister as I am to be the same to my dear brother Chris. Happy birthday to Sonia and to everyone who shares her special day today.
I'll have to research the re-posting thing. It seems like I've read that republishing posts is bad for Google search engine ranking (which is not the most important thing ever to me, but isn't something I want to utterly ignore either).
I'm so glad you and your brother have moved past the baby powder incident. lol
Well-- A happy and blessed birthday to Miss Sonia !!!
o happy day! she's adorable!!!
Kristin, I think you've done enough wednesday baking posts to last us for a long, long time! So you deserve a break!
The photos of Sonia are so cute, and the one where Lisey is holding her are priceless.
Happy Birthday to Sonia.
Happy Birthday, Sonia! I hope you had a looooooooovely day.
Also, Kristen, I greatly appreciate you giving us the heads up on Wednesday baking posts. 🙂 So thank you. Way better than me coming on a Wednesday and expecting a baking post and not having it.
I just wanted you to know how you have improved my baking skills through your Wednesday baking blogs. I even purchased the Better Homes and Garden vintage Homemade bread cookbook off Ebay and I LOVE it too. Your step by step directions made bread making look so simple that I was encouraged to give it a try. I am happy to say that I am regularly baking homemade bread and rolls for my family now! Your Wednesday blogs are very informative and look like they would take a long time to put together so I completely understand your need to take a break; I will enjoy the archives. Thanks for all you do--you are appreciated!!
Happy Birthday Sonia! Enjoy your very special day!
Kristen - your family is beautiful! Thanks for letting us get to know you!
Happy Birthday, Sonia! Three-year old Lisey looks a lot like Zoe does now! Kristen, your photography skills have grown right along with Sonia in the last 7 years! I like the idea of using some of your old Wednesday Baking posts. Many of us have not been reading TFG for that long, so they would be new to us! Maybe a brand new post once a month, then fill in with older ones the rest of the time? I love Pioneer Woman and reading her recipes, but I find that yours are more practical and usable for me! Thanks!
Yeah...I look back at my old pictures and want to shake myself. lol I just didn't know what I was doing back in the day (And I still have a lot to learn!).
But, the old pictures prove that there's hope for people who are bad at taking pictures. =P
I usually just scanned the baking posts, because I don't bake a lot, so it won't bother me at all. My favorite posts are about homeschooling and after that I like the miscellany posts!
I forgot to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONIA in my last post!
I was wondering if you were running out of time or ideas for Wednesday baking lately. If you are looking for related ideas I think it would be great if the series became "how to include the kids in cooking/baking" or ideas for meals they can contribute to. I make your banana muffins whenever my bananas start looking sad so thanks for the past recipes!
I just wanted to say that I enjoy your blog, and I actually made french bread from your recipe for dinner last night, and the whole family loved it! Thanks for posting what you have - I'm going to be working my way through your archives. 🙂
What a gifted pretty young girl. I hope she had a great one. In that photo you do not look like you just gave birth. I am impressed.
I thoroughly enjoy everything you blog about (and I usually only get around to reading on Saturdays, so a Wednesday post does not have as much meaning to me).
Another thought may be to invite other bloggers to Wednesdays (through the use of a linkey) and give yourself a bit of a break..don't know what kind of title you'd give it, but it's a thought (then your stats shouldn't be affected either).
Regards,
Shelley