In my little world lately, part one

So much of our days is routine and rush.  But sometimes we do fun things as well.  Here are a few of the latest adventures...these are actually all from February.  I'll do the pictures from March in a second post.

 

A few months ago our ward Relief Society had a service auction.   People volunteered things that they could make or do as the items to be auctioned.  Bidding was using points "earned" from filling out a questionnaire.  At any rate, I volunteered a set of custom party decorations.  The party ended up being an "Under the Sea" birthday party.

 

Banner with salt dough sea stars

 

 

Poster for "Pin the Starfish on the Mermaid"

 

 

Invitations (and there were also coordinated thank you cards & menu cards)

 

 

It was a fun project :)

 

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For Christmas Santa gave Monkey a new leotard & a voucher for some gymnastics classes.  She loved it and did really well.  She is a monkey, after all. (sadly it's done now...I'm on the lookout for a good deal for her to keep taking classes.)

 

 

 

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This is totally random, but here's a teepee that the kids made one day whilst playing outside.  Sometimes it is nice to have a junk yard.

 

 

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I've probably already mentioned Wedgits...Owl and Otter got a set for Christmas from Santa, and we ALL loved them so much that I bought more so that there would be enough for us to all play with them at once. 

At first there was a lot of tower-making. 

Then Moose especially fell in love with following the instructions on the design cards to make pre-planned designs. 

Chick then experimented to find different wedges (where the pieces stay together because they are wedged together.  So these are two pictures of the kids showing off their wedges...Moose with a BIG wedge, and the three older kids with a display of all of the wedges that they've discovered.

 

 

 

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Valentine's day was fun.  I made heart-shaped breakfast cookies and smoothies for breakfast. 

Then my sister came over for a nice visit. 

Then I spent the afternoon making lasagna for my valentine, the fantastic Mr. Fox.  It was SOOOOOOO good!  Seriously!  The best I've had since I was in Italy. (It doesn't look very pretty in the picture, but it was good.  EVERYONE loved it, which is really saying something).  I used THIS recipe.

For dessert we had heart-shaped apple hand-pies.  Yum.

I didn't put up decorations or do anything very fancy, but I did make fancy foods.

 

 

 

 

 

That's it for February.  Fun times with my people!

Monkey's 6 year photoshoot date

Monkey and I went on her annual photoshoot date yesterday!  It was rather a gray, cold, drizzly day...but she really wanted to go and the kids insisted that it wasn't really all that rainy out.  It really wasn't, but it still wasn't a great day.  Which explains why she never took off her coat, and rarely took off the hood.  But I am totally digging the Eskimo look : )

We went to a park that I'd never been to, and it was really cool.  She was a good sport about me taking her pictures.  When she was set free to play she made nature art with shells.  I love when my kids do that kind of thing. 

Anyhow, afterwards we went to TCBY for some frozen yogurt.  Hers was pretty candy-laden.  It didn't look all that appetizing to me...I mean, where's the chocolate?!  She liked it ok, despite her grimace in the final picture. 

It was a lovely date.  She's a sweetheart (most of the time).  I love our photoshoot dates :)

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Her hair got curlier from the misty weather.  I love it!
 

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Feel free to let me know which one you like best and why!  I am not a photographer, and I don't have a fancy schmancy camera (in fact my camera is getting rather old).  I love doing the photoshoots, though, and I love to take pictures of my kids.  Feedback helps immensely, thanks!

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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Fairy Party: Part 3 (Fun and Games)

Ok, now for the really fun stuff: the games and kids!

Let me introduce you to my friend, Shannon.  She is Monkey's Sunday School teacher.  When she first moved to the area I was almost due with the twins, and after they were born she came over to help a lot. And she's just such a nice person that she volunteered to come help at Monkey's party.  And she's so cool that she wore wings and fancy fairy-like clothing with fun shoes!  (I provided a head wreath for her). 

And I've mentioned my friend Jill.  She's Monkey's Pre-K teacher.  She also taught Chick, back in the day.  Plus she's my friend. She's fantastic.  She came to drop off her daughter and nephew, and ended up staying to help.  She took most of the pictures.

I couldn't have made it through without both of these fantastic ladies!  Thank you, Jill and Shannon!!!!

The first thing that the kids did upon arrival was to get their costumes on.  I had accidentally told Fox that we only needed three bow and arrow sets, when we actually needed four.  So Moose didn't get one...but actually it was probably for the best.  He was the youngest,  and is often too rambunctious and aggressive so I think I'm glad that he didn't have his own.

 

Once dressed, the kids went on a fairy hunt (I'd hidden the pipe cleaner dolls around the room).

I know this is blurry and doesn't show her face...
but I really like this one of Miss C hunting for her fairy.



 

Then they came one at a time to get their faces painted.

Once they'd all found their fairies (or elves) and were all suited up, they played "Fairy, Fairy, Troll" (the fairy version of "Duck, Duck, Goose."  They were supposed to fly rather than run.).  Shannon directed that game (I was painting faces and Jill was doing the individual pictures on the stump), and they played it for a while.  Chick said that was her favorite part of the party.

 

 

Next we played "Fairy Circle" (the fairy version of "Musical Chairs").  It was set to a soundtrack of Enya : )

 

Eliminated onlookers

 

down to the final two.

Then I got out a bottle of "pixie dust."  Not the little little bottles that the kids got (theirs had Pixie Stix Powder inside), but a bigger bottle with fine glitter.  I explained that if they made a wish using the pixie dust then maybe their wish would come true.  So I sprinkled a little into their hands, and we all turned around and blew three times.  I hope some of their wishes come true.

 

Then we ate.  And sang.  And ate some more.  (This was Moose's favorite part).

 

 

Monkey's favorite part was after we ate...she got to open presents.  She got really awesome presents.

 

 

Fairy Shannon glows : )

After the presents we still had a few minutes, so we played "Fairy Freeze" (freeze when the music stops) for a little while.  Then they just looked at the presents and whatnot.  I got out Monkey's pop-up book to try to calm things down (though they weren't super crazy or anything...but I didn't want it to escalate, you know).  It was fairly stressful reading the pop-up book though...I said, "Remember no touching" and "Everybody sit back down" on repeat through the "reading" of it.

Then they got their bottles of pixie dust and it was done.  Really it was all a blur for me, but looking back at the pictures was fun.  Lots of happiness and cuteness.  They are a good group of kids. 

I asked Monkey if she was happy with the party, and she said, "Yes, it was just like I planned it to be."  ha ha!  Glad it worked out for her ; )

 

Fairy Party: Part One (Things Made and the Birthday Fairy Herself)

 

Fairy Party: Part Two (Décor & Edibles)