Halloween 2012

Picking out pumkins in what felt like the world's biggest sandbox. I swear if the wind had be blowing at all, it would've been an instant sand storm. But aren't my babies cute?!! I love pumpkin patch pictures:)




Trick or Treat! The return of the old man(Jacob), and little froggie(Parker in Jacob's 2nd Halloween costume), and a ninja. A ninja, people! I get one girl out of 4 and she wants to be a ninja! *sigh* Don't get me wrong, I love that she's cool enough to go against the grain, but I wanna buy poofy dresses with lots of tulle and glitter! And maybe some sparkle shoes!!



He was Jango Fett last year, so it was only fair to let Boba Fett have a turn!


Our little post Halloween tradition we started a few years ago. Smashing our pumpkins with baseballs. We missed having our neighborhood friends in Iowa help us this year and everybody was kinda cranky. We've somehow lost our baseballs and no one wanted to share the 2 balls I found. Jacob threw a baseball at Alex's head and Parker kept trying to run away! But it was fun anyway!

Parker's First Haircut

Parker had his first hair cut a couple of weeks ago.  He still has a little bit of curl left in the back:)




Before and After!

Parker's 1st Birthday

Finally sitting down to share Parker's first birthday. Little man is 14 months old now.   He had a "you are my sunshine" party with some rainbows sprinkled in.

Back to School 2012

The big boys went back to school this morning. We decided to keep Alyssa home one more year.

  I wish I could say they were excited this morning, but when I went in to wake them up their responses were "oh god" and "oh crap it"! We are not morning people, so 6:30am is super early around here. We had sunshine waffles to wake us up this morning.






They both had a good day and both really liked their new teachers.





Before we left this morning Alex said "only 179 more days to go". He's already started to count down! Me too buddy, I wish I could keep them home forever!

Rapunzel, Rapunzel...

Quick share of Alyssa's 5th birthday party pictures:)
I've had the pictures on the computer since June, but I'm just now sitting down long enough to post them!


I've had a lot of people ask me about birthday party stuff recently also. I don't have a particular place I go to for ideas or supplies. After the kids and I talk about what they want to do for their birthdays I think and imagine a whole lot and then wonder around a craft store for more inspiration. If I'm having a hard time with a certain part, like coming up with another activity or something, I'll usually get on pinterest or just do a search. I have done a couple of copy cat parties in the past because of kiddos requesting it,But I avoid doing that now because half the fun is coming up with ideas and then seeing them through.


To start off,  we read the story of Rapunzel.
Here's the quick Rapunzel story. pregnant woman is hungry and really wants lettuce. Desperate husband steals lettuce for pregnant wife. Desperate husband gets caught by mean witch lady. Mean witch lady tells them they have to promise her their baby or she'll turn him in. Mean witch lady takes baby girl and calls her Rapunzel. That was the old name for the lettuce her mother craved so much.  Mean witch lady hides Rapunzel in tower. Prince discovers tower. Prince climbs up Rapuzel's really long hair. Prince and Rapunzel fall in love.....




Turning 5 years old at exactly 3:33 pm May 26






Rapunzel Party Hats






Entrance into the forest






Making Rapunzel shirts






Can you climb Rapunzel's Hair??






Painting Rapunzel Tower's







Blowing out the candles









Parker loved Alyssa's Rapunzel hair!! I got her hair from a shop on etsy. I wanted to attempt to make it, but I was pushed for time. Alyssa's party was only 2 weeks after Jacob's Harry Potter party.

Olympics 2012

Season of Summer-Week 3

I didn't take very many pictures this week, but I did have fun with the kids!

We went for a walk.

We had a slumber party.




We spent a little time at the pool for swim lessons.


We went to the drive in movies to see Brave. The kids were exhausted when we got home.





Jacob went into business this week. This was all his idea, he even designed the flyer himself.






We also had our first annual kids day. Kinda like Mother's day and Father's day. It was Alex's idea. Every year on the first day of summer is now kids day. They had brownies and milk for breakfast. We went to the theater for one of the summer kid movies and they got to have soda, popcorn and candy. They were thrilled with drinking coke! (our kids normally do not drink soda, except for the occasional sprite) They spent the afternoon playing video games. (they are usually only allowed to play on Fridays) We gave them a small gift and we had their favorite dinner at Olive Garden.


Looking forward to another fun week, it's gonna be a hot one here!

Season of Summer-week 2

What we were up to last week.

Give my kids some blankets and tables to make forts and they spend the day creating an indoor campout, complete with fire!





A moonlight walk...3 miles in the carrier, nursing, and Parker was still awake!






Private swim lessons







Ice skating competion! kids were bored, my floors needed to be cleaned, add some classical music and our first ice skating competition was born. They loved it!  Whoever had the dirtiest "ice skates" at the end was the winner but everyone got a price. Even the 10 year old had fun with it.

Sleepy Head

A rare sleepy moment in the car:)

Season of Summer-Week 1

Summer is finally here! The big boys last day of school was last Monday and we are so excited for some fun. Here's what we were up to the first week of summer break.

We had a lego party! It doesn't look like much, but we didn't have time to finish the ferris wheel.





We went to the zoo. Turns out, we have a really awesome zoo.





Fly High Safari at the zoo. It's a 3 story rope course. That's Jacob at the top!





We spent some time at our pool!






.
We spent the weekend in Myrtle Beach!

1. playing simon says waiting for dinner
2. what will forever be known as the $62 breakfast. We stayed at this amazing resort with an amazingly expensive breakfast! HA! And we all had the buffet. And the kids all ate just a bowl of cereal! We had no idea, we had Hardees the next morning! lol
3 and 4. the boys riding the waves.
5. little peanut walking off in to the ocean, again.
6. awesome baby sling for the water
7. sweet moment

Harry Potter Birthday Party

I love a good chance to stretch my creative legs and what better opportunity than one of my babies birthdays. I love to celebrate their birthdays, it's bigger than any other day to me. A day set aside just for them, to celebrate the day they came into our lives. And I like to do it big! My oldest baby is 10 now!! That's an epic birthday and needed an epic birthday party! So here it is, Jacob's Harry Potter birthday party...
*make sure your volume is on too, for some Harry Potter music*
*links for etsy below post*

If I could have had the invitation delievered by owl I would have!
*printed at home on parchment paper using a free harry potter font found online. Hogwarts express tickets printable purchased from etsy, wax seals with Hogwarts crest purchased on etsy*
  Invitations read...

                                 Hogwarts School
                          of Witchcraft and Wizardry

                      Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
    (Order of Merlin, first class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
     Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. *insert last name here*,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted
at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please
join us on the ninetenth of May at 2 o'clock to celebrate
Jacob's 10th birthday at xxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxx, xxxxxxxxxx.
We await your return owl no later than May twelfth.
You may also respond by muggle telephone, xxx-xxxx.

Yours Sincerly

Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress




Upon arrival with their train tickets students first stop was their vault at Gringotts, wizards bank
*made with scrapbook paper I had on hand and free harry potter font found online, taped to front door*

br />

*gringotts sign made using poster and paint, "wizards gold " and cauldrons purchased from oriental trading co. and then I painted on names*




From there all students needed to purchase thier school supplies, school robes and a wand.
*signs made using poster board and paint, robes are mens xl black tshirts, I cut the middle up to collar,   hanging up using command hooks. purchased unfinished wands on etsy and painted them.*





School supplies purchased, it was time to pass through the platform and on to Hogwarts.
*sign made on computer using free harry potter font found online and printed, brick wall is a roll of paper found at Michaels craft store, bottom half is cut in the middle and taped to allow passage*

br />

*Hogwarts banner purchase on ebay, Jacob was Harry Potter for Halloween the previous year so he had an official robe*




First at Hogwarts, the sorting ceremony....everyone had an official Hogwarts picture taken and they were sent to them in their thank you note. Alex has a mini sorting hat that is sort of like a magic eight ball only instead of yes or no it you shake it and it tells you what house you should be in. We used this to sort everyone into their house and then added appropriate house crest to their robes.
*sorting hat purchased on ebay, house crest printable stickers purchased from etsy.*





Our first class was Divination. We learned how to read tea leaves to "see our future". I forgot to take a picture, but our guide to reading tea leaves was printed inside the book.
*used tea cups I already had, added tea leaves and a tiny bit of water to wet the leaves and so we could swirl them around. sign made using packing paper we had from moving and paint and  a wooden stick I already had. old book with a picture I printed of the cover of unfogging the future. guide to reading tea leaves made using free clip art, printed and taped in book.*





Next was Defense Against the Dark Arts, where we had wizard duels.
*sign made using packing paper I had left over from moving, paint and a wooden stick I already had*





Then we ventured into the forbidden forest for Care of Magical Creatures class, greeted by Aragog, the giant acromantula spider.
*sign made using packing paper I had left over from moving, paint and I used a lighter to burn the edges and add some holes, hung up using twine I already had. giant spider is a Halloween decoration we already had*





In Care of Magical Creatures class students had to draw a hippogriff on parchment paper with quills. Also, there were dragon eggs hidden in the forest and everyone had to find atleast one.
*blast ended skrewt "crate" made by cutting up a box I had left over from moving, a sharpie and a hot glue gun. there is also a big furry animal inside. text books I already had. dragon eggs are real llama eggs that had been emptied provided by my Mom's awesome new husband.  found how to draw a hippogriff directions online, drew each step on parchment paper mounted on cardboard pieces for stability. quills are black craft feathers, purchased at Michaels craft store, and then I used the hot glue gun to attach colored pencils. table cloth is electronic packing paper left over from moving*





We went down to the dungeons for Potions class. We made polyjuice potion. Again, forgot to take a picture of the inside of our book, where the directions for making the potion were printed.
*sign made using packing paper left over from moving and paint, sitting on picture easel. old candles I had, table cloth made using electronic packing paper left over from moving and "messed up" using paint and tearing some holes.  we used a slime recipie I found online for the polyjuice potion and just called the ingredients harry potter stuff.  potion bottle made from various items, paint, twine, sharpies, lables are packing paper.  ingredients range from water with food coloring, to glue, pepper corns grass and leaves from the back yard, baking powder, olives. only 3 of the bottles were purchased from Michaels craft store.  others are ones I saved over a couple of weeks. potions book is an old book with the cover a picture of the text book I found online and printed.*






Next we went to the "Great Hall" for the feast. 
ok, so don't make fun of my cake, it suppose to look like that! lol  In the first movie/book Hagrid makes Harry a birthday cake just like this, but it of course said Harry and not Jacob!
*sign made using cardstock and twine I had, using a free harry potter font found online. plates, cups, forks, etc purchased at Michaels craft store and Nobbies party store.  centerpieces: mini brooms made using rubber bands, stick and pinestraw from the back yard.  colored jars with tea lights are just jars I saved over a couple of weeks, drew on with red and yellow sharpies.*





Last students got to go to HoneyDukes sweet shop to purchase sweets with thier wizards gold. We had butter beer, Bertie Botts every flavor beans, cauldron cakes, licorice wands, chocolate frogs, and Droobles best blowing gum.
  *sign was made using sharpies, scrapbook paper and cardstock I had.  colored goodies bags from Party City. Berti Botts every flavor bean boxes are printables bought from etsy and filled with jelly beans. Butter beer was made from recipie in the Harry Potter unofficial cookbook in mason jars, labels printed on parchment paper using free harry potter font found online. cauldron cakes are chocolate cupcake with middles cut out and replaced with chocolate icing, cupcake holders are printables purchased on etsy.  licorice wands are just that, licorice. lol  label is cardstock and sharpies.  chocolate frogs boxes are printables purchased from etsy,  chocolate frogs I made using frog molds found on amazon. Droobles best blowing gum is just bubble gum, label is cardstock and sharpies.*

.br />


Everyone took home their cauldron and wizards gold, their robe and wand, a quill, a dragon egg and their HoneyDukes sweets.

Thank you notes...
*made using carstock and Hogwarts crest sticker printables purchased from etsy.





I had an absolute blast creating this party! It was a lot work, but I enjoyed all of it. I knew Jacob wanted a Harry Potter party and had looked online a bit and just wasn't seeing anything like what I was wanting to do.  We had gone to visit family and while driving the 6 hours back home, it just fell into place in my head. And then it all just came together!  I spent about a month planning and 2 weeks putting it all together. The end result was worth every one of the 100 trips to Michaels, glue gun burns, and late nights. And the kids enjoyment made it priceless.

Etsy.....

Bertie Botts every flavor bean boxes, chocolate frog boxes, sorting house stickers, cauldron cake labels
http://www.etsy.com/shop/BrittaBlvd

Wands and Hogwarts express tickets
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PartyScribbles

Wax seals for invites
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LegendaryLetters