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7.16.06

Happy Birthday Sweet Francis!


Mmm… icing!
Originally uploaded by The Gulde Family.

Otter cake, “F” and star pancakes (see pictures), an early morning call from Grammie, painting, new books, new clothes, new toys, and pizza with the Breits. Add all of those things together and you come up with a pretty good second birthday.

This birthday was Francis’s last without a little brother breaking her toys. So here’s to your last few days of only-childhood, little girl. When that little guy is messing up all of your things, just remember that you were here first, and you had an otter cake.

Filed in: francis | holidays

by Sally

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July 17, 2006 - 6:40 am

ERIC WELLS - All I can say is the otter cake ROCKS!!! much cooler than anything you could have bought at the store,you get an A,see that "Arts & Crafts" class we had our senior year payed off(HA) Oh and by the way,with a little brother on the way,I have some advice for Francis seeing as I have 2 brothers I thought she might want to know that while playing out side she should never turn around and bend over to do anything while little brother is around because she "WILL" get something dumped down her pants(gravel,sand,etc) trust me it happens,this is what boys do!!! Best wishes….Eric

August 12, 2006 - 11:44 pm

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August 18, 2006 - 3:07 am

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7.16.06

Why I love being a mommy, reason #71,506


The Otter Cake!
Originally uploaded by The Gulde Family.

Francis’s 2nd birthday was yesterday and when asked a couple of weeks ago what kind of cake she wanted, she responded “Otter Cake!” That’s what I get for taking her to the zoo every week. I was going to pretend I hadn’t heard that, and thought a lion cake or, heaven forbid, an Elmo cake might be more my speed — something that actually had a pre-made cake pan would be ideal (considering that I can count the number of cakes I’ve made on my fingers). I mentioned her request to Matt and expected to share a good giggle about it, but instead Matt challenged me to the task. And as many of you know, I have a hard time turning down a challenge.

So, the research began. After several Internet searches and a handful of pep talks from friends, I plunged in. Click the photo to see an entire set of pictures documenting the otter cake experience.

I gotta tell ya, as crazy as it may sound, this is the most fun I’ve had in a while. I just smiled the entire time. I was able to tap into all of my creative stuff and not touch a computer. It was like painting. I sketched out what I was going to draw, mixed the icing colors, thought about texture, type, etc. I’m laughing at myself writing this, but it was so much fun! I love that my daughter brings otter cake challenges to my life. I’m already excited to hear what she asks for next year.

Filed in: holidays | sally

by Sally

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July 16, 2006 - 9:15 pm

Drew, Amber and Megan - I am so proud of you and a little jealous, because you are so damn good.

July 16, 2006 - 9:18 pm

Drew, Amber and Megan - Well I left the first comment before I actually looked at the set of pics. For real I am proud of you, you did a great job. I wouldn't even of thought of your process. Way to go, you are a great mom.

July 16, 2006 - 10:04 pm

Michael - thats awesome! way to go and happy birthday francis!

July 17, 2006 - 1:59 am

Fulmer Fam - I laughed then cried at your recollection of making the otter cake, it is so true how they bring so much we never would have thought of to our lives, and two now that is going to be grand!

July 17, 2006 - 2:09 am

Fulmer Fam - By the way, I way love that tablecloth!

July 17, 2006 - 4:39 pm

Justin - You're awesome. I bow in honor.

Are you sure she didn't mean and "odder" cake? You could have just dumped the mix and various colors of icing in a pile, stuck a rubber chicken on top and called it a day.

Because what would be odder than that?

July 17, 2006 - 4:46 pm

Kristen - Oh, Sal! What a beautiful job you did with the cake. I teared up when I saw the picture of the cake on the table with the tablecloth and flowers. I miss you so much and am sad that we couldn't be there for the celebration. There's no better hostess on the planet than Sally Cat. Happy Birthday, Francis! Sorry your pressie didn't arrive on time — Barnes and Noble sent your package HERE instead of over ===> THERE to you.

July 17, 2006 - 6:44 pm

Steve and Amy Lou - Sally, I am so proud of you. You ROCK!!! The cake should seriously go down in cake history…its unbelievable! Francis (and baby boy Gulde) are so blessed to have you as their mom. I love to see your creativity at work!!! all my love,

Amy

July 18, 2006 - 2:29 am

im - My favorite are the early ones, where Sally's wielding the knife, with the concentration of a surgeon. Congratulations on the cake, and more importantly the birthday!! May there be many more cake memories, be they otters or anything else. Especially if they involve chocolate strips for texture — brilliant!

July 19, 2006 - 5:05 am

Drew, Amber and Megan - okay okay okay, enough people! Why must SALLY always be best at everything! Oh snap out of it…try to push high school-all the boys like Sally-memories out of my head. Hmmmm did I say all of that out loud. So your perfect….so. I bet you can't whistle Dixie while chewing gum, I swear to gosh don't even try it!

July 19, 2006 - 6:28 am

ERIC WELLS - I would like to offer up the idea of starting the Sally Gulde Fan Club…Only $5.00 a month,make checks payable to Eric Wells…

7.15.06

Peekaboo, goat


Zoo Again and Again
Originally uploaded by The Gulde Family.

We spent a couple hours at the zoo last Sunday. Here’s Francis playing a one-sided game of peekaboo with a goat.

At Brookfield Zoo, there is a fantastic wooden carousel (the largest non-restored, hand-carved wooden carousel in the U.S., for what it’s worth). Francis was content to watch, though. She refused to ride.

She did see the rhinoceros, whom she’d been requesting to see all day. “Rhino!” she says, over and over. As you can see, Francis played on the zoo playground, and she painted her face. She also saw the otters. It was very close to naptime, so we slipped in the back door of the swamp. That’s an insider’s trick to see the otters very quickly.

Francis is wearing a hand-me-down dress from Ellie. Thanks Rachel and Matt!

Filed in: francis

by Sally

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July 15, 2006 - 2:15 pm

katherine petillo - happy birthday francis. we love you!
we want to see pictures of that otter cake 😉

July 21, 2006 - 2:26 am

Kristen - i enjoyed seeing the pictures of the zoo, but especially that sign that said, "LEMURS, please hang up your costume when you are ready to be a kid again." So funny. 😉

Have you seen our neice Casey at the zoo?

August 12, 2006 - 8:01 am

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August 17, 2006 - 1:15 pm

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7.12.06

Notre Dame released its ticket lottery results last night, and I got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that – after going 0 for my last 7 game requests – I won two tickets to the ND vs. Air Force game. The bad news is that I only signed up for those tickets because my brother needed them for a family outing. As for my own requests, I lost the lottery. Again.

There’s other good news. Because he’s a ND monogram winner (men’s lacrosse manager 1988), my brother is on the inside track for ticket requests. He used this connection to get me a couple of UCLA tickets.

There’s even better news: Francis says “Go Irish!” Sometimes, she pronounces “Irish” with a guttural roar. I love it.

Filed in: Notre Dame

by Sally

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August 7, 2006 - 8:17 am

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August 17, 2006 - 3:40 am

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7.10.06

Thanks for the Shower!


Shower For Baby G2
Originally uploaded by The Gulde Family.

Many thanks to Amy Bassett for throwing me a baby shower this past Saturday. And of course, thanks to my dear friends Amy Klouboucher, Becca Brown, Rachel Perrier and Lauren Breit for coming. It was so nice to sit down and enjoy a lunch with a handful of my favorite ladies. And it was so fun to get some baby boy goodies! It’s really hitting me that this could happen at any minute…and I hope it does. Selfishly I don’t want to share my body anymore. I’m ready to eat without heartburn, sit without back pain, sleep (well, I may not get much more of that for awhile)… but I can’t wait to sleep on my stomach and back again, etc. You know the drill. I’m just plain ready. So bring it on little boy… “Show me whatchu got.”

Filed in: Uncategorized

by Sally

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July 10, 2006 - 7:17 am

ERIC WELLS - Hey,Hey whadda say Birthday girl…just wanted to say hope its a great one for ya…We here at the house of Wells had a great birthday weekend and wanted to say hope your special day is just that!!! Your Bud Eric

July 11, 2006 - 1:46 am

Fulmer Fam - Oh Sally, Sally, Sally, I will tell you what your little boy has got, he has all the normal little baby things and yes, one of THOSE! And he will bring it on every time you open the diaper, heeheehee.

August 12, 2006 - 1:17 pm

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