B's 7th Birthday Party

Hold onto your hats, there are lots of pictures in this one!
I cannot believe B is almost 7. Sometimes it seems like yesterday she was just a little thing.
Here is the customary birthday tee and cheesy smile.




We had B's party a couple weeks early, hoping for good weather so that the 25 kids would be outside. We had a fantastic day. The bounce house arrived early so the girls played while my sister and Cathie P. helped with all the last minute stuff.












When I asked B what type of party she wanted, she said reptile.




Cathie P. introduced us to Lovin Ovens, a great bakery. They made this delicious turtle cake that my sister picked up. The turtle looks a lot like our turtle, but is made of cake.




Wanting to keep all kids out of the house, I set up the food on the screen porch. I went for a jungle-look. I wanted more streamers, but Mike told me to step away.




Palm trees from Amazon....




And snakes I made from paper rolls I bought from the school supply.








Popcorn.




Fruit and veggies.




And pearlized gum ball snake eggs.




Burlap and leaves for the table.








And a cobra for atmosphere.








Jeremy from Dave Dinaso's Traveling World of Reptiles entertained.




He was quite awesome. Not only were the animals entertaining, Jeremy himself was funny. He did a great job of including Charley too. Below the girls are on some type of tortoise that did a nice job of mowing the lawn.












This was a monitor lizard giving B kisses.








This was some type of lizard, maybe named Pancake?








This snake (python? constrictor?) was albino and maybe 15 feet long.












The last time we had the Traveling World of Reptiles, B refused to hold the tarantula. I was very proud of her this time. B is not a huge fan of spiders.




Chatch isn't afraid of much.




This is a juvenile alligator.








And here is an iguana. It was very cool.








And the finale, was B holding 3 snakes.








This is probably my favorite photo.












Then it was time for cake and ice cream.
















Below are the cookie favors, which also came from Lovin Ovens.




I think B had a good time getting to know her new school friends. B talked a lot about the animals and even bounced with her sister after the party.

So, Did Absence Make the Heart Grow Fonder?

So, long time, no hear, huh?  I wish I could tell you we have been crazy busy having tons of fun in the last month and a half, but, we haven't.  It hasn't been lame by any sort of the imagination.

I think the biggest thing is our 15.5 year old dog Shadow has become more work than she used to be.  She hasn't been sleeping as well. Shadow has been having more trouble standing up, and she was wondering around at night.  I finally read on the internet to leave some lights on where she sleeps.  Sounds counter intuitive, but it worked.  She is now only getting up once or twice a night.   Yeah, that is better.  She had been having balance issues and a lot of falling down.  We took her off of Rimadyl, which among pother things can cause vestibular issues, so we are waiting until that is out of her system before starting another pain reliever.  My poor girl, she is in pain now, but is more with the program.  OK, enough about Shadow, though let's hope there isn't an RIP post about her any time soon.

Update on Shadow:  I should have never written she was sleeping better.  "Cause now she isn't.  I swear, she'll lose her life one night when Mike and I have had enough.  And today, I am too tired to get her up and burning energy during daylight. She is drinking water all night, then going out (thankful of that part) 2 and 3 times a night.  EEE GADS!  She started new medicine last night.  Hopefully it will help.  We are a bit lost with what to do.  She still eats, she comes around for attention, still urinates outside.   It is a hard road with this one, makes me thankful that with our other animals we were lucky when it came time for them to pass.  

Update 2 on Shadow:  We put her to sleep two Wednesdays ago.  She couldn't walk anymore and she couldn't even stand without help.  She would fall and her eyes would go back and forth with vertigo.  Pain medicines were not working.  Mike came home from lunch, and we sat for almost two hours trying to figure out what to do.  Doggie wheel chair (yes, they have them and I kind of wish I had gotten one months ago) a splint.  Anything.  But really, we knew it was time - well, I was the one that needed to know.  And we got to the vet without being stopped by any lights or trains (a sign, says Mike) and Shadow went very quickly, very peacefully.  Of course I am so sad, she was a part of my life for almost 15 years, and as all of our passed animals are, Shadow was a saint.  She never bit through Jake's ear.  She never escaped the James Street yard and was in the middle of the busiest road in town.  She never barked when it thundered.  She never harasses the cats.  And she never bared a canine tooth (in a semi - growl) to Jake, thinking we couldn't see. 

So, I started this post a couple of weeks ago

OK, enough with the sap and morbid.....(But people, if I ever talk about getting more animals, come egg me.  Really, I don't need anynore to take care of.) 

So, for what you have been waiting for, pictures of the kids.

Charley in her doll bed.


 B took a field trip to a farm.  I thought it was a flower farm (Primrose was the name) and I wore heels.

 A sleepy Chatch playing in my car.  Her summer teacher, Jennifer put the piggies in.

Lots of outside playing this summer.  Despite the heat.

Uggs are essential to summertime fun.

Another thing that screams summer?  Visits to Aunt Lee's to swim with the cousins.

That is B swimming with a mermaid tail.  Her swimming has really blossomed this summer.  As long as she has on her goggles.

That is Jess catching Charley off the board.

 

I think this is the time we went up for my birthday.  (Gawd people, I am 41!  41! Where did my youth go?  How am I this old with small children?)  That would be my annual carrot cake with annual cream cheese frosting.  

 A dress I made for B.  Modkids Maya is the pattern.

Turtle Park.

We all went to the eye doctor.  These are the glasses Charley got.  Must be nice to get Elton Johns instead of pop bottle lenses.

The zoo.

Cambria's birthday party.   The kids got to decorate hats.  And hit a pinata.

There is always some "look" happening at hour house.

Case in point.

  

Newest household member (April) Scoopsy Baby.

Needed a way to entertain the girl.  Wonder where B was?

Remember what I was saying about there is always some look happening?

One of B's fairy gardens.

Ah, yes, the slip and slide. And muddy feet.  With the neighbors.

 

Love session with Isabel the nighttime screamer.  Yeah, she keeps us up too.  Funny, the animals keep us up just when Charley starts to sleep all night in her own bed. Ironic!

 

Here is an event that probably deserves it's own post.  First Day of Kindergarten for B.  Including eating lunch there.  She goes 4 full days and one half day (she has swim lessons on Monday morning and goes in right before lunch).  Montessori in the morning and kindergarten in the afternoon.  B loves it!

OK, Charley was not as excited for school to start.  Especially since she didn't have a lunch box.  (I have since rectified the situation  - who knew it would be handy for taking lunch to the zoo?  Way better than the expensive schlock they have.)

See Charley is still not excited.

  

 Swimming Lessons.  B on the left, Chatch on the right.

So, B stays at school until 2:45, Charley on the other hand comes home at 11:30.  What was I thinking?  Who knew B was so integral to Charley's playtime?  You know who plays with Charley now?  ME!  No wonder I am not getting as much done.  "Cause really, Charley doesn't nap much.  If she does, bedtime moves from 8 until 10:30.  Seriously.  How can a nap be bad news?

Charley and I have been doing stuff, like, making play dough with jello powder.  We go through a lot of playdough.  Don't you hate when they mix colors together?

She is so cute right?

Being that the kids go to Montessori, I thought we should incorporate more of a Montessori philosophy in our home.  I put together a couple of lower kitchen cabinets with bowls, the kids glasses, snack, water bottles and B's lunch bag and containers.  And being that she is almost 6, she has to help make her lunch.  Here she is cutting carrots and cucumber.   It is a cute little chopper that has a rippled edge.  Like the bathing suit?  Any excuse to put one on......  And you see how it fits her?  That is why I only buy two piece suits.

 Another afternoon, another what to do with Charley.  The park.

 

Since I started this post weeks ago (seriously people, I am not kidding - weeks!) more has happened.  We had a last warm weather HURRAH swimming at Lee's. I worked out,  made clothes for the girls,  and planned and executed B's birthday party (with help of course). Charley started ballet. B started soccer and tennis.  Just park district stuff.  No games or anything.  Thank God!  Our Saturdays are still hours to wile away sitting on the back patio watching Mike water the landscape (really bad summer to plant anything).  

Until next time, let's hope it isn't months, and months and months.