Busy, busy, December... Part 1

Isn't there a love song that says, something about it being over before it begun?  ...yes, Celine Dion, When I fall in Love. Ok, Nat King Cole, but also Celine.  Anyway, that's how I felt about December!  I remember doing a felt nativity scene advent calendar as a child. Feeling every day like it took soooo looong to get to the next day so we could take another piece from it's pocket, and it seeming like there were a thousand little pieces, each representing a day of December.  What I would have given for a couple of those slow, endless days/weeks this last month! 

Around new years I told Paul, I have to sit down and make a list of everything I want to do different next year so I can plan better, fit more, manage time easier, stress less.  Now I can't remember any of it, except, buy it when you see it!  I'm kicking myself about a hat I wanted to get Paul and an ornament I wanted to get Addie that were gone by the time I got to stocking shopping.  Note to self: Things sell out quick, and all month feels like Black Friday in California. 

Anyway, here's a start of the wonderful month we had.

As soon as we got home from Utah, I was in food prep/décor mode for two nights of candle light services at the mortuary.  We got home Monday night, and the services were Wednesday and Thursday.

  Garrett had his first Christmas program at school.  All during November his teacher told me how nervous he was and how he would often want to sit by her and not stand on stage.  I was a little worried about the program.  Dress rehearsal, the day of, went ok.  Not a lot of actions, and very soft singing, but no crying or leaving the stage.  And that night he was much more animated.  Did the actions, smiled, and sang.  I told my mom how funny it is to watch moms (and be one of the moms) sitting in the crown, doing the actions and quietly encouraging your child along.  When really no one is probably looking at my kid but me.  I know this because at the end of it I was exhausted from all the silent, but energetic encouraging I was doing, and I never looked at any of the other kids. 

 

 

 

We went to an ornament party at a friends house.

We went to the uptown tree lighting and holiday fest.

We went to a Dog themed 1st birthday party for the kids' little buddy.

And that was all in the first week back from Thanksgiving.  More of December to come...













Addie Turns Three

I have this new years resolution, well several... none of which I've started yet.  But one of them is to hurry and catch up on this (damn!) blog.  And also to try and do a monthly update on each kid.  Sounds easy, right?  It's going to be really hard...

So, two months ago Addie turned three.  We were all sick with annoying colds leading up to her birthday, but felt good enough to have a party.  (Like always, Garrett had the worst of it, but I still let him come.  Sorry other moms.)

It was the most fun party I've ever done.  It was a Woodlands/Fairy Garden theme.  Woodlands because Addie has lots of male friends, and Fairy Garden because that's what she wanted. 

For dinner I ordered Subway sandwiches and we wrapped them in cute deli paper and added fabric tape.  (In case you didn't know, I'm all about the details.  And if I'm going to totally shock you with my honesty, I wanted the tape to be placed the other way, but when I opened the cake box of the mini cake I ordered, the top layer had slid, so I had to run to the bakery in a rage and Paul did the sandwiches.  I was very grateful for his help, and if he reads this, it's the first he's hearing about my vertical fabric tape wish.)  They looked great!  Everyone got to pack their own picnic basket and I prepackaged all the food. Sandwiches, pasta salad, (Ordered that too.  If there's one thing I've learned in all the huge parties I've done, it's that everything takes more time in real life than it does in my head.  Also, you don't save a ton by doing all the food yourself.  Sometimes you even save!) fruit cups, vegi cups, chips, go-gurts, squeezy apple sauce, string cheese, and a variety of drinks. 

For dessert we had, cupcakes, mixed nuts, carmel puffs, bird nests, (rice crispy treats, but crispy noodles) pixie stix, taffy, and muddy buddies.  (All with clever woodsy names of course.) 

The kids had so much fun playing together.  We had a mushroom tent set up, and our mini roller coaster.  When they were worn out from all of that, they got to each make their own mini fairy garden to take home.  This part was chaotic, but it all went better than I expected, and the kids (and moms) were SO into it and loved being creative and getting messy.  Each kid got a flower pot and they got to pick a bird house to go in it.  I assembled boy kits (gnomes, trucks, bugs, knights, dinosaurs) and girl kids (gnomes, fairies, butterflies, flower baskets, lady bugs)  and had a huge variety of plants, succulents, flowers, and extra stuff, like, garden signs, gates, rocks, gems, glitter, etc. 

I was so happy the whole time, and for days after. And Addie was too!  Which I guess is important as well. ;) I love nothing more than to entertain and come up with food, activities, games, treats, etc, that everyone young and old will enjoy.  And this party seemed to be just that.  I don't know if I'll ever top it. But I'll try...

The invites were done by my creative, talented friend, Heidi.  Find her on Etsy, at Digknity

 

 

I love everything about this girl.  And I'm so proud of the amazing person she's becoming.