Party Time

Whew!  It is finally over!!  We had a great time this afternoon & evening, but I sure am glad that it is over.  Hello nap time tomorrow afternoon!

Cleaned up pretty nice!

Pre-party time was busy with cleaning, "hiding" possible contraband (such as: music recorder, easel with dry erase markers), making party hats, and icing cupcakes.

The party hats were fun to make.  Materials include textured card stock scrapbook paper, letter stickers, character stickers, elastic strings and of course cutting tools.  I found a template on-line, which I modified a touch for our purposes.

We had 24 vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting and sprinkles and then 24 hot cocoa-marshmallow cupcakes.  Oh, don't forget vanilla ice cream!  Yummy!!!!

Three families = Seven kids

The party started at 3:00 p.m. and when the guests arrived we had a group photo with our lovely hats.  We played for awhile, then the kids got to open their presents.

Wow! Transformer shoes!

Opening gifts from great-grandma

Princess with a jewelry box from Auntie

Princess with her new tutu and new slippers!

Singing Happy Birthday

Yay for cupcakes!

Afterwards, we had cupcakes and ice cream.  Unfortunately Pumpkin decided to pull his blown-out candle out of his cupcake and got hot wax on his hands.  So we had tears for a good 10 minutes before he calmed down enough to eat his cupcake (His hand looked fine at bedtime).

Princess hanging with the triplets

Pepperoni pizza & mushroom pizza

Mmmmmm. . . . . pizza for supper!!!!  Most of our guests left by 4:30 p.m., and our last guests left at 8:45 p.m.

Well until next time . . . . . . . .

Busy, Busy, Busy

This past week has been full of busyness.

Sunday, my maternal grandma and I went to a basket making class.  

Isn't it cute?

Monday, Pumpkin had surgery.  He had his first set of ear tubes removed.  The fluid drained from his ears, then a second set of ear tubes put in.  The surgery finished with the removal of his adenoids.  He was a real trooper and did a great job!

Tuesday, Pumpkin had to stay home from school and it was family dinner night at my maternal grandma's house.

Wednesday, I had my fifth allergic reaction in a week so we did not do much.  My breakfast was toast, my lunch was graham crackers, then I was brave enough to bake chicken breast and simmer fresh green beans for supper.  The kids were excited though to have iced sugar cookies for an early birthday treat.

Thursday, was Princess's birthday.  It was just the four of us for the evening.  Princess got to open half of her presents and a special present (a Tinkerbell doll) picked out by Pumpkin. 

Friday - this evening - has been spent doing some much needed cleaning.  I also baked 24 vanilla cupcakes and 24 devil's food cupcakes.  Tomorrow the icing will go on just a few hours before Pumpkin & Princess's birthday party with friends and family.

Going Under

I'm sinking deep into my overwhelming to do list.  This coming week is going to be pretty busy and my house is in dire need of cleaning, but all I can think about is snuggling up in my bed for a nice winter nap.  

Today's To Do List  (warning scary pictures may be seen below!)

~ grocery shopping (check)

~ clean sunroom (check)

~ put kids down for naps /quiet time (check)

~ start on the washing backlog- eight loads to do (check)

~ put groceries away (ummmmm . . . . not quite there yet)

~ clean great room (the table is clean, at least that is a start!)

~ fold six loads of clean laundry (I have one load done, does that count?)

~ make homemade beef stroganoff for supper  (sirloin steak is thawed)

~ make chocolate chip banana bread

~ wrap the kids birthday presents  (have to do while they are down for the count)

~ take Princess to get Pumpkin a birthday present

Tomorrow's To Do List

~ go to church and Sunday school

~ go to basket weaving class (Berry basket, Yay!!!!!)

~ clean the kitchen

~ continue washing and folding laundry

~ clean bathroom

~ work on everything I did not have time to do on Saturday

Upcoming Chaos List

~ Monday: Pumpkin's surgery

~ Tuesday: Family dinner night

~ Wednesday: CLEANING!!!!!!!

~ Thursday: Princess's birthday

~ Friday: CLEANING!!!!!!!

~ Saturday: Kids birthday party

~ Sunday: Pumpkin's birthday & church

I'm willing to feed anyone that would like to help me with my cleaning & decluttering projects (wink, wink).

Who Are You?

Today was one of those Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde days. 

Pumpkin was one challenge after another.  He copped a huge attitude at the grocery store, which resulted in no one getting donuts today ~ a first to be sure.  Then at the end of lunch, we had a stand-off over pudding.  Pumpkin will be five soon and he still insists on being fed "messy" food.  I will not do it, but daddy often gives in.  So the spoon remained on the table through a tantrum, Pumpkin was sent to his room for a required nap time, and the pudding returned to the refrigerator.  Since Pumpkin has fluid in his ears (he has surgery for tubes coming up), he has no concept of volume control right now.   I think he is stuck on as LOUD as can be, which is a bit too LOUD for my ears to take.  If only I were an ostrich and could put my head in a nice quite hole.  Needless to say Pumpkin is still up, but hopefully the hyper buzz will end and he will get to sleep soon.

Princess on the other hand, was quite the doll today.  She actually ate her pancakes instead of playing with them.  She helped daddy crack mixed nuts, then of course helped to eat them.  She helped me out when asked.  She picked up dominoes that she had dumped out (without being asked).  She gave lots of hugs and kisses.  She ended her day with Ladybug Girl Loves . . . as a bedtime story.

I cannot wait to see what happens tomorrow!  Will Pumpkin chill out a bit?  Will Princess get in on the action?  Will we survive the day without tears?  Who knows?  Visit again soon to hear the adventures of Pumpkin and Princess.

Books Transport Into Worlds Unknown

Reading is an amazing adventure.  It can take you far and wide.  Into the future, present, and past.  When you find a good book, it is like magic and you are transported into the story.

I have experienced that through the books of T.L. Highley.  T.L. Highley is an amazing author of fiction.  She has the amazing ability to link history of an era and places into the faith and struggles during the beginnings of Christianity.  I have read five of the Seven Wonders of the World series and look forward to the last two books that are to come.  Her published titles of this series are- Pompeii: City on Fire, Petra: City in Stone, Guardian of the Flame, City of the Dead, and Shadow of Colossus.  My favorite so far is Guardian of the Flame about the lighthouse of Alexandria.  I finished reading Petra: City in Stone this weekend and I have to say it comes in as a close second.  

You have heard that saying "Never judge a book by its cover."  The same goes with people.  First impressions do make a difference, but until you get to know a person there is a chance that you may have misjudged them.  This book has that type of connection.  

This story is centered around a young poor mother, Cassia, and her young son, Alexander.  They travel from Damascus to Petra in search for lost family and hope for a better future.  Julian, another center of the story, is running from his outspoken past in Rome and flees to Petra to protect those he loves.   All three of these characters will change the history of Petra forever.  This story is about losing faith, finding faith, discovering faith, and the everlasting love of God through all journeys of life. Even in the darkest times, he still walks with us hand and hand and if we listen closely enough he guides us along our way. 

The imaginary depicted is breath-taking.  The author visits and researches the ancient scenery and customs before she begins her books which paint such a vivid picture of what life may have been like thousands of years ago.

I recommend reading at least one of T.L. Higley's books even if the thought of reading a Christian book is a deterrent.  Regardless of ones beliefs, the historical aspects of ancient times mixed with fiction are well worth the read.