Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Charley Turned 3

Yes, I do realize her birthday was in January, but I have had more important things to do than write a post. Ok,I can't expect that you'll actually buy that line. I will just be honest and admit I am a lazy bum. Not that we have the measure of my character lets see if the party was a success.

Guess the theme?




Yes, it was a princess theme. Charley wanted everything her favorite color which is red. Oh my God, my first thought was how was I going to make it less bordello? I convinced her pink was a natural accent.









Instead of sending out Christmas cards, I made the invites, then we all came down with the flu. But the day after Christmas, still a little sick, I dove into the party prep. I had about a week and a half to do everything, less the cake and cookie favors. Thank God for Aunt Lee. She got the cake and the cookies for me.

Lest you think Charley is not a full fledged member of the princess party, I offer you this picture (because, seriously, look at her):





The first thing I did was paint the magic mirror on the wall (see the first photo in the post). That took longer than necessary, but it was fun! I used a mirror of my moms and it was perfect. Next, I wanted a tulle skirt for the dining room table. Damn Pinterest! The pin I found was a little round table, not the 10 foot table we have. But, I figured how hard could it be? I did some mental figuring and bought 25 yards of red tulle and whatever pink fancy material Joann's had on sale to cover the top. I went home, cut a manageable piece of tulle and gathered it on my machine.






See that above? All 25 yards. Yeah, I was in trouble. That was doubled over too. So, I went back to Joann's bought them out. Then Hobby Lobby (on New Years Day) then Mike went to another Hobby Lobby and bought what they had. I had just enough left to cover the holes the electrician made in the ceiling when he fianlly hung the lights we bought before Christmas - Christmas 2011, that is.

I actually gathered almost 200 yards of tulle (if anyone needs some red tulle, I will pay you to take some), but it looked pretty cool. I went to Party City to get some fun stuff to hang and to Michaels for some red glitter to make hanging lanterns even more fun. Bought some stuff on Amazon. Had a sugar Cinderella carriage made, set up a vignette and oh, most importantly, hired some princesses.





Ok, this seems like a gross thing, but candy melt dipped match allows with sanding sugar are really good. They went like hot cakes.























So, this fantastic cake. Well, Lee brought it in, set it on the table, we walked out, came back in two seconds later, and Layla was eating a tower! We turned the cake a bit and no one noticed. That was one part we didn't offer anyone. This cake was so good, I had to throw away what was left the next day. Every time I walked by, I had a fork in hand to take another bite.




Charley was do excited. She wanted all the princesses to come. I explained some had prior commitments. She did not want a pirate to come or boys for that matter. Our sweet little brat actually hid under the dining table when our friend Torin came. Marci had to crawl under their and coax the birthday girl to come out.










Cha Cha was really excited.








This is Pirate Pete.




Belle and Aurora read books, played games, decorated a crown - they were fabulous! I couldn't have asked for better entertainment. Pirate Pete had some music and games for the boys as well.













Ok, warning before this next photo. I was pretty much just rolling off my death bed for this party. Flu, sinus infection, party prep. I was dying.






























The next morning was Chatch's actual birthday. We recycled some balloons and crepe paper and decorated the birthday girls's chair....




Some presents...





And we have a tired, but happy birthday girl!





Here are a couple more gratuitous pictures of the three year old.


























- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Friday, March 1, 2013

News Flash....I am Putting B in a Bubble

I have been in denial for about a year. The hygienist said B's tooth was loose a couple of visits ago. I worried at the time but the tooth never fell out so I just filed the worry away. Flash forward to a month or so ago when said tooth became extra loose. Wiggly according to B. Still in denial, I forged on not believing it would ever happen. When I picked her up from school today I got the bad news. Boy, B was so excited. She lost the tooth at lunch. First kid in kindergarten to lose a tooth.

B is writing a note asking the Tooth Fairy to leave the tooth. And the Tooth Fairy is googling just how much kids get these days for losing their first tooth.

I am putting this kid in a bubble, people. No more growing up for her. Sob. Tears. Boo hoo.










- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday, January 11, 2013

Let's Play Catch-Up November and December



So, I have been absent for a long, long time.  And you ask yourself, "this is the first picture she shows us?"  Yes, because I am too lazy to move said photo to add text.  Why am I lazy you ask?  OK, I know, you all know, Lazy is my middle name, so maybe you aren't asking that.  But I will tell you
I am glad it has passed by.  Bring on the heat and sun of summer!

I don't have a lot from November because I got a cold, a sinus infection then Thanksgiving Day, another cold.  Really.  STUNK!  The sinus infection was such a surprise that I went to the dentist thinking I needed root canal! And since this post is starting in the vein of WGN's Cathy and Judy's Merry Medical Christmas, (seriously, I loved Cathy and Judy.  Why WGN? Why?) have I mentioned the hives?  The result of my sensitivity to sulfites?  Yeah, and since I am gluten free, anything I ate GF, most likely had sulfites, in the form of potato starch.  I could go on and on about sulfites and where they are (everywhere) but there are other sites available for that and you are here to see pictures of the kids right?  Oh, just in case I forget to mention, we all got the flu two weekend before Christmas, then I got another sinus infection.  Seriously, I got a rec to an ENT.  Now, if I can make the time to go.

OK, I can hear the shouting people, simmer down.  Here are the photos......


15 November 2012

(I know these pictures aren't of the girls.  Sorry, but they are in chronological order)

Let me tell you how hard it is to find stuff to decorate for Thanksgiving in November.  The lady at Michaels said I needed to buy stuff in early September.  The good thing is a lot of it is on clearance.  Like the gourds I bougt at West Elm.  But the thing I love the most is the Sugar Pumpkin in the middle.  Chef Roby at the All Chocolate does the wonderful sugar sculptures.  And they last year to year. Usually I don't decorate for fall (or pretty much anything else anymore, you just have to put it away, you know?) but I was hosting book club, so I put some effort into it.  My table is so big and great, it looks great decorated.




B came up with the idea for these votive cups.  Glitter glue.
I was really just humoring her when I tried it, thinking I could
wipe it off, but it looked fantastic!  Egg on my face!  I should know
better than underestimate the creativity of kids, especially B.


The girls helped me glitter the fake gourds too.
Mod Podge, a ziploc bag, and glitter.  Shake.

18 November 2012

John and Sandy came into town, bearing some fun gifts for the girls.




 

No, the kids weren't drinking Champagne.  John and Sandy were. 
It is always nice to have them here.  


 20 November 2012

A lovely day after school.  The girls were plenty warm.  Me?  I was clutching my All Chocolate Kitchen coffee trying to stay warm.  We are at the Old Park.  Now, when we lived on James Street, they always wanted to go to Turtle Park.  Now that we live close to Turtle Park, Charley wants to go to the Old Park.  Just like Prince's Mom, Never Satisfied.

 


21 November 2012

Charley asks to go to the zoo on a regular basis, but since B is in school all day, it is hard to plan a day.  They had the day before Thanksgiving off, so we headed to Brookfield.  And we had fun!  I think I bribed them with an Aunt Annie's pretzel so I could stop at Oakbrook to pick up some stationery at Paper Source.




 

 If Cha Cha is wearing a princess dress it is almost
impossible to get her to wear a coat.  Everyone must
see her dress.  Seriously, this kid.

24 November

The kids were very excited to decorate their Christmas tree.  You can see Charley found her Ho Ho Hat.  


 I am probably jinxing myself here, but these two get along
quite well.   Mike and I really push the sister's love
each other angle.  B is pretty good to her little sister, watches
out for her.


 30 November

Charley never wants to leave ballet.  Afterward, she likes to run around looking at herself in the two way window.


5 December

I was perusing the Target-Neiman Marcus collaboration when Charley saw this dress.  So I bought it.  It came early one morning (she was home with a runny nose) and she put it on right away. Wore it all day - no princess dress over it.  A winner!

 

6 December

Chatch was apparently home again.  All dresses up and no place to go.



 8 December

This year Johnson found a good friend in Fawn.  They hung out most of December in various places around the house.  Driving a car, reading books, eating my chocolate and sharing a hot chocolate on this day. B thinks Johnson likes Fawn because she likes animals and is dressed in a red suit that B made.



This same morning we went to a pancake breakfast that featured Santa!



Seriously not buying Charley any more clothes. 

We met some friends there and had a nice photo taken with Santa.  All the kids asked for surfboards.


20 December

B's Christmas Party.  I am glad she felt well enough to make it .  I helped out and we made a cute ornament, decorated cookies, and they got gifts.


Chatch and Mike were home sick.


23 December

The girls helped me make wrapping paper for Christmas.  Mike went to the grocery store.


24 December

Christmas Eve!



















27 December

 I got this really cute headband from my friend Nicky.  Check out her awesome headbands on Facebook


29 December

Here is a video of Charley thanking Sandy for her cute princess crown and skirt.  B hops in at the last second.



30 December

Here Charley has on highlighter eye shadow.  And her hipster glasses.  These are actually 3d glasses from when we saw Monsters Inc 3D.  Charley popped out the lenses.  She actually wears them quite often.







My sister will notice there are more pictures of Charley than there are of B.  Charley is home more often.  B goes to school all day, everyday.  YIKES!  It means I play a lot of playdoh, draw, paint, read, puzzles, Ipsy books.  Though, I find it hard to believe she is only going to be three.  Must be because she hangs with the big girls.  Charley finds it hard when B has a separate playdate or a birthday party.  We take Chatch out for ice cream.  B has a playdate Sunday, I better find something fun for her to do.