Sunday, April 20, 2014

Monkey's Photoshoot Date

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A while ago Monkey and I had our date and photo shoot.  We went to Pike's Place Market, and it was super fun. 

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There was a lot of  exploring of random little shops...




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...and stopping to "pose" for pictures in unusual places.

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We bought blueberries from a produce stand (as well as trying several samples that they were giving out), and then lunch at Beecher's.  She got grilled cheese, and I got mac'n'cheese.  We were fascinated by the cheese making process as we ate our cheesy goodness.  Later we got some fresh doughnuts, but I didn't take a picture of them.


 






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I loved our date.  It was so fun to just spend time with my little Monkey!  She's a fun friend to have along on an adventure.

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I am not going to do a giveaway this time...not that I'm above fishing for compliments!  I just can't think of what I'd give away....  But leave a comment telling me your favorite of the pictures (so that I can get warm fuzzy feelings) and I'm positive you'll get some good karma coming your way!

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(These boots are so loved!)

 

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Monday, April 14, 2014

Chick's Belated Birthday Party.

The party wasn't belated, just the blog post.

A couple of months ago, Chick had a birthday party!  And I've finally organized the photos and am ready to blog about it!  I know, miracles never cease.



Anyhow, the theme was an Ice Cream Parlor party.  I think everyone had a good time (how can you not, when ice cream is involved?). 



Everything went fairly smoothly, which is always thanks to my friends who stay to help-- Shannon (who also helped with Monkey's last party, and who helped a lot when Owl and Otter were born...do you see the pattern with Shannon?  She's super sweet and super helpful.  And generally cool, as an added bonus) and Kendra (One of my favorite friends...she took 99% of the pictures from the party, oh thank you thank you, Kendra!!!!!)




All of the kids got a t-shirt (with a custom "Chick's Ice Cream Parlor" logo on it), and they decorated and constructed their own soda jerk hats.



We played some games--
"Chocolate, chocolate, nuts" (same as duck, duck, goose)
"Pin the cherry on the ice cream cone"



and a game where everyone had a paper cone and had to try to catch an ice cream scoop (tissue paper pom-pom) in their cone.



(The final three...)


And there was a photobooth with props.  Chick specifically wanted one, and it was definitely a fun feature.














 





And an ice cream sundae bar, with Italian soda fixins.  And mustache straws, which was another of Chick's requests for the party.  (I don't seem to have any pictures on here of the mustache straws in action, and I don't have time to go hunt for one...but they were cute).


 


(Ice cream sundae toppings were: cones, cookie bowls, brownie chunks, nuts, bananas, chocolate chips/M&M's, oreo bits, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, strawberry sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, maraschino cherries.  And ice cream, of course.  Mostly the kids just wanted cones with ice cream and maybe whipped cream on top...I could have saved myself a lot of prep work, but the table wouldn't have been nearly as fun-looking!  Plus the leftovers were tasty.)
 
(Italian soda flavors were: cherry lime, white chocolate, and raspberry.  My fave was cherry lime!)





 


 


Decorations were 95% label stickers stuck on everything in sight, ha ha!  I also had hanging tissue paper pom-pom ice cream cones, and sewn ruffle streamers (the streamers were reused from past parties).  And some white strand lights. 

I reused the striped "awnings" from Monkey's Madeline party, and I made a bunting to string across the fireplace (it will be a permanent decoration in Chick's room when I redecorate it).




 



The favors were in little ice cream containers.  They had colored pencils, and little ice cream cone notebooks in them, along with ice cream erasers, stickers (with the logo, OF COURSE), and a pack of gum.  My awesome visiting teachers, Jen and Karen, helped to assemble the notebooks.  They were such lifesavers.  I really am lucky to have such great friends.  I also have a great Mom who watched the kids on the day before the party so that I could set up!






The gang. 



And here is a picture of her birthday lunch.  I had to document it because it is the first and LAST time that I will make rainbow bread.  Seriously, what a hassle.  And the kids weren't even thrilled with the taste.  But it was at least a fun-looking lunch.  (And now Monkey is looking at the picture and saying that she wants that kind of bread for her next birthday...really?!)



Happy (belated) 7th, sweet Chickadee!