Batter Up!!

This season we have 3 people who are taking the diamond! Emmah is playing softball, Jake is playing baseball and Tob is also playing softball. (Although he has cut down in recent years it really keeps the schedule hopping!)

I LOVE to watch them play!!
Here are a few shots of Emmah:

Here is a couple of Jake too! (I have some other ones, I'll post them soon!)

This shot is definitely a FAVORITE! The 3 of them all play on the same baseball team and have sisters on this team...they were watching and rooting for the girls! TOO CUTE!!!

Hammebands

Since starting my running career...okay hobby....okay occasional activity I was looking for something to hold my hair back. Also Emmah would lose her headbands at almost EVERY soccer game. I was looking for something to use. I came across a headband, that was well...ridiculously priced and new I could make something similar to it.

So...I gathered some supplies and got to work. With a little measuring, cutting, and sewing I came up with the new Hammebands!!!

I sent a few out for some testing...one to a runner, Emmah of course used one for soccer, and then a friend took it to the gym for some workouts. Overall feedback has been great so....they are now available for purchase. These are just some of the bands I have made...I plan to add some solids and other prints as well. They can be custom ordered as well. Okay thanks for letting me share....if you're interested in purchasing one head on over to my business page Bloem & Grow.

Where we're at...

It's been awhile since I have updated on how things are going with Emmah and I think maybe it's about time. This year went so much differently then last year and we couldn't be more thankful for that.

With the change in meds, a new teacher, a new principal, an IEP, counseling, and some natural maturity we are actually making some progress in the right direction.
We recently went in for a pysch. evaluation to make sure that we had someone local that would be able to help us with meds. (We had been going through The Center for Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics in Ann Arbor, but the distance was too great.) With this evaluation we have made some med changes again, but uping on and then adding a new one. This does bring us some concern as we don't want to over medicate, but also want to help her to be able to control her choices. I am really hoping we will see some changes and be able to go into this year at an even better place.

It was so frustrating last year to know that underneath all of those issues, sadness, and anger there really was a sweet little girl that was trying to get out and do well. But we just didn't know where to go and how to help her.

This year we dropped, significantly, the number of behavior reports, and made some real strides.

Goooooaaaaal

We have finished up another season of soccer. And man was it a fun one!! Emmah had a blast playing and had a great set of coaches and some fun teammates.

After losing all but one game in the fall...they tied that one, this season they won most of their games. They tied once and lost once. All in all then ended up winning their division! It was a lot of fun to watch. Emmah even scored her first goal!!

Here are some photos of the season:

Can't wait til next season!!

(Of course then we'll have 2 playing...that could get tricky!)

Tanked

Summer is FINALLY here and with that comes warmer weather...well usually!! We've had some warm ones here in Michigan, so I'm not complaining at all!!
Since it's been warm and Emmah as in need of some new tank tops I decided it was time to make some fun/fancy ones for her! I picked up a few plain tanks at Old Navy and got to work designing and creating! (Of course you could get them from any where you like, but they had a $2 sale and I jumped right on that!)

Tank 1:

Materials:
*tank
*ruffle trim  1/4 yard (depending on length of rectangle)
*scrapbook paper pattern
*fabric scrap

For this one I wanted to use some ruffle trim I found...and am now in LOVE with. So I first cut a rectangle to go down the middle of the tank.

Next I cut the trim to the same length and made sure the top had a curve to fit the tank. I used some extra scrapbook paper to make a small pattern to make sure it fit nicely along the top edge. I did put a piece of Steam a Seam on just the rectangle, this will help to attach the trim and hold it in place.

Then I used some Steam a Seam to put on the back of it. This will help it to adhere to the tank, even though I am planning to sew it every little bit helps.

Finally we were ready to iron it on!! I followed the directions on the Steam a Seam package. Once it was ironed on, I went ahead and stiched with some black tread around the outside of the rectangle.

This is my final result:

 Tank 2:

Materials:
*tank
*2 coordinating fabrics
*2-3 buttons
*Steam a Seam

For the next tank I decided to go with more of a bib look. I use some old scrapbook paper and cut myself a pattern.

Next I chose my fabric and cut out my shapes. I then ironed them on doing the larger bib shape first and then the rectangle on top.

Once this was done I stiched around the outside of each piece. Bib one first then the rectangular piece. Once that was done I then added a couple buttons right down the middle.
**Sorry I don't have good pics for this one..I don't know what happened!!

Tank 3:
Now for tank three I wanted to be simple but fun! So having wanted to make rolled flowers for the longest time I decided this was it!

 Materials:
*tank
*hot glue gun
*2" fabric strips
*Needle and tread

First I cut 2" wide strips of my 3 fabric choices. Depending on the size you want the flowers will depend on how long you cut the strips.Then I tied a know in the end. This knot will become the middle of your flower so you want it as close to the end as possible, and it doesn't have to be super tight.

 Next you begin to roll the fabric and you curl it around the knot. You need to glue as you go with your hot glue, but be careful to keep the glue on the underneath side of the flower. Continue around until you have used all the fabric. I then glued the end to the underneath side of the flower.

Here are what my flowers looked liked when I was finished. These were super easy and quick.

I then went ahead and sewed them onto the tank. I went around the outside edge of each flower going all the way around the outter edge and then did a couple of stiches in the middle to make sure the flowers were completely attached.

Here are what my final tanks look like:

I just LOVE how they turned out and am looking forward to making more as well as making some for myself.

Onward & Upward

I can't believe how quickly this year went by...and How are my kids growing up so fast??? It was a really good year for both kids and after the year we had last year with Emmah we could really only go up.
Emmah absolutely LOVED her 3rd grade teacher and we couldn't have asked for a better one. She did a wonderful job helping Emmah to mature, be responsible, and even learn multiplication!

 Jake's teacher was just as wonderful!! He came so far this year and I can't wait to see what he has in store for him next year. (He'll have the same teacher, he loops from 1st to 2nd!) He is amazing at math, and quite a reader and writer. He just needs to learn to add a bit of truth to his stories!

It is really CRAZY that I will have a 2nd and 4th grader next year. I don't know where the time goes, but the little people they are becoming is amazing!!

  

Fresh Lemonade

Now I am sure when you think lemonade you think of an ice cold beverage in a tall glass the perfect thirst quencher on a hot summer day, but I'm talkin CUPCAKES!!

This weekend we had a family get together and I was in charge of dessert...and since I have quite the list of ideas on my pinterest page I knew I would find the perfect one!! I decided to go with a strawberry lemonade cupcake, thinking nothing says summer like the combination of strawberries and lemonade!

I did some searching to find the perfect kind to try. I wanted something light and also something that didn't require too much skill. I found the perfect one at Half Baked!

To get started I gathered all my dry ingredients:

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
{makes 24 cupcakes or 16 cupcakes in a jar}

For the cake:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup lemonade powder mix
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
1 Tbsp lemon zest (zest of 1 lemon)
1 tsp vanilla
lemonheads (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners
In medium bowl mix together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, lemonade powder and lemon zest, set aside.

In bowl of stand mixer cream butter and sugar on medium speed until combined.
Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Add the lemon juice and vanilla and mix well.
Gradually add the dry ingredients and milk, alternating starting and ending with the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Once cupcakes are completely cool, ice with Strawberry Lemon Frosting and garnish with a lemonhead on top.

For the frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 Tbsp strawberry puree (from about 3-4 strawberries)
1 tsp lemon zest

1. In bowl of stand mixer cream butter for 1-2 minutes.
2. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar and continue mixing scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Mix in strawberry puree and lemon zest.
4. Place the icing in a piping bag fitted with tip 1M to decorate cupcakes.

These were Super delicious!! I will definitely be making these again and making them into Cake Pops! Hope you'll try these out for you summer get togethers!!