A Princess Party

Millie wanted a princess party for her 4th birthday. What mom of two older boys isn't willing to oblige a daughter's request for a princess party?

So the planning began and I looked into cakes and games and decorations. I found really cute (slightly overpriced) invitations so we were off with the princess theme. Millie made her guest list...many girls from preschool and a couple of older girls. We delivered the invitations and she was counting down to her birthday and her party about every hour.

A few days before she said she actually wanted a dancing party. I said, great...I guess the princesses will be headed to the ball. Then two days before the party she was on the phone with my mom and said told her she was having a tea party. I'm thinking, what? But she was flexible.

Yesterday was her party and it was really fun to having all the 'princesses' come over for the party.

They came and we danced...

They played "Pin the Crown on the Princess"
They passed the glass slipper (like musical chairs), they made bead necklaces and they colored pictures.They sang happy birthday and had cake and ice cream...Millie with her cake...It was fun and the girls were great.

Happy Birthday to our princess. We love to watch you dance and sing and you're full of personality.

We love you sooo much!

Bowling....

Hayden's birthday party was at the bowling alley this year. Ten boys in total (including Conner and Hayden) came ready to bowl. They were great. We split them into two lanes and they played a game. We took a break at the 6th frame to have cake and ice cream. Here are some pictures from the day...








Happy Birthday Hayden!

Hayden

Happy Birthday Hayden!

7...it's hard to believe.

We love the things that make you, you...such as ...
your zest for life,
your love for your brother (and sister at times :),
your affection for animals,
the way you put things that are special to you in particular places in your room,
your innate fascination with weaponry,
that you love ANY gift picked out just for you,
your love of bling,
the way you like to wear all of your favorite things...at once,
your obsession with your belt,
that you're often the one checking to see if we prayed before we eat,
your love of fishing and the special bond that gives you with your Great-Grandpa,
and so much more.

Happy birthday buddy, we love you!

Fall

Yes, I realize my new blog layout says "happy thanksgiving" and that it's a tad bit early to be sending those holiday greetings, but it was the only template I liked right now and it looked rather 'fallish' to me, so ignore the thanksgiving part...until after Halloween that is.

The other day we ventured over to a local farm that sells apples, pumpkins and a bit of other produce. It's not a pumpkin patch, but it is a great little place with a wonderful selection of apples and fairly inexpensive pumpkins (what is it with the price 0f pumpkins anyway?).

So, we gathered a big variety of apples to buy and four were eaten before we even left the farm. It really is a working farm too, as evidenced by the various smells we experienced while there. You can see the cows across the street (likely the source of said smell).

Here are a few pics from the visit...

Isn't this a beautiful pumpkin? I love how oversized the stem is!!



Anyone been to a good pumpkin patch this year?

Happy fall...

Wow God, that's amazing...

I felt like I witnessed a miracle. I know it seems a bit overstated, but as I watched our monarch caterpillar transform into a chrysalis, I couldn't put words to it and felt that I had witnessed a miraculous transformation.

You go God.

We had the wonderful experience of
1. watching baby monarch caterpillars hatch from their eggs, about the size of a pencil lead,
2. grow for 12-14 days eating milkweed constantly until they are the size of your finger
3. search for a spot to go into the "J" position where they hang upside down for 12-15 hours (and it just 'happens' to hang in the shape of the letter J)
4. transform into a chrysalis in less than 5 minutes...when they do this they shed the parts of their body they no longer need (sounds gross I know and it is a bit, but completely amazing too), such as their antenna, legs and head
5. hang as a chrysalis for 12-14 days
6. the chrysalis turns darker and you can begin to see the monarch wings through it
7. then it turns completely transparent (but looks black) and you can see the butterfly through it
8. the monarch emerges in about 15 seconds from the chrysalis and immediately starts rotating back and forth drying out its wings, which start out very short and bunched up
9. 1-2 hours later it's ready to be released

I totally recommend watching this process for yourself. Traci and her family are now and they have two chrysalises and two hungry caterpillars still. Thanks for enjoying it with us!!

Here are a few pics of our journey with these amazing creatures...

Hanging in a "J"...it's the black and yellow stripped thing in the middle next to the large leaf on the left

Turned into a chrysalis...again, right in the middle...Drying out, hanging onto the old shell of the chrysalis...Here's one of the beautiful monarchsWe loved watching them. We raised 5 this year!

It was not going well...

Millie's first day of preschool was today. Let's just say our orientation last week did not go well. She kept saying she didn't like preschool and didn't want to go. She wouldn't stay in her class while they had a parent meeting and she knows over half the kids in the group.

Sooo....I was a bit anxious about how today would go. I'm relying on her preschool time for some quiet homeschool time with the boys. I knew she would love it, but at about 8:45 a.m. this morning- 5 minutes before we need to leave, she's trying to take her clothes off and is saying she's "not going to preschool" and that she doesn't like it. I'm thinking disaster is around the corner.

Well, I have to say her brothers, especially Conner, really came through. They were playing little games with her to get her in the car and smiling, playing "find the first mailbox/tree/car" games on the way there and letting her win every time to make her smile. When we got there Conner encouraged her to get out of the car and see the big truck paving the parking lot. When it was time to go in they went right in with her and talking about all the great toys and played with her. She did GREAT. She was playing and distracted and did fine.

Here are some pictures of her morning...she was proud to show me her certificate from her first day!
She and Alexa playing in the kitchen area...
Her nameplate where she hangs her backpack...
The boys had their first day at The King's Academy too. Go figure, Hayden was a bit apprehensive as well. What in the world! He did fine going, but didn't eat any of his lunch until the way home. I think he was too nervous. He had a great time as well, so hopefully that will the be last time for that!

Look what I got

I love a deal. I'm willing to work a bit to get a deal. Well, apparently the Kmart check out lady has too work a bit too because unfortunately my transaction today required a voided transaction, a complete reboot of the computer register and un-bagging and re-ringing my order. I really tried not to be complicated. I felt terrible for the people behind me and offered to let them go ahead, but I was still sweating a bit by the time it was all over. But it was worth it.

Today I headed to Kmart for their double up to $2 coupon deals. I follow several blogs (thanks Traci) that give great tips on making these promotions work for you. These blogs are listed on my tabs to the right toward the bottom.

So...I got all this for $4.80
In case you can't tell that's a box of rice krispies, a box of Kashi cereal, a 2-pack of Sharpie hi-lighters, 2 cans of Bumble Bee tuna, a Colgate wisp, deodorant (2 Dove, 1 Right Guard, one Speed Stick), Edge shave gel, grape squeezable jelly, 2 Sobe waters, Scrubbing Bubbles gel toilet cleaner, 2 boxes of baking soda, Bic pens and a pack of 6 Bic highlighters, plus a TRIO toy that I'll be saving for a gift (kind of like legos for littler kids). How fun is that? It did take quite a bit of time today to research the deals online, print coupons, shop, and, as previously mentioned, check out, but it was fun.

Just before I headed to Kmart, I stopped in at CVS and got all this for...25 cents...
That's 2 packs of pens, 2 wide ruled filler paper (Carrie-I have plenty if you need some :) and a set of ear phones. If you are familiar with the CVS extra bucks, then you'll know how I got these for free-well, I had to pay a bit of tax. Plus, I have $6.99 in extra bucks for next weeks deals!

Sadly enough, I didn't take one picture of my kids today, but took several of my deals of the day...