A Flower Party

For Sadie's friend party, she wanted a flower party.  

I can't find the invitation to post. Darn.  

My kids have a friend party every year.  I grew up with the every other year thing, which is nice for the mother.  But I've given in to Kevin's motto of "they're only kids once" and "they won't want friend theme parties forever".  I hope the latter is true.

I didn't follow a color theme.  Just flower everything.  Sadie was really involved with the whole thing.  The flower buckets were from the $1 spot at Target.  I actually got them for 50 cents (long story). 

Having a spring birthday with a flower theme is really easy.  Flower decor is everywhere!  I bought silk flowers at the dollars store and made them into pens with floral tape as part of their party favor.

Kindergarten friends!

Lilly, Elle, Lucy, Ruby

Jane, Sadie, Leah, Cousin Kate and MaryJane 

MaryJane was very much apart of the party.  She really believes that these girls are all her friends too.

For our craft we made mini pom pom flower bouquets from napkins.  I had them all ready to be separated but I think they were a little on the hard side for them to make.  Some did just fine and others needed help.  

Once their bouquets were made they loved holding onto them.  

We played a little toss-your-bouquets-into-a-pot game and the girls got to choose a felt hair clip that I made for making the shot.

These were really easy and fun to make!

Sadie determined that there HAD to be face painting at the party.  Flowers.

Her face with that special birthday glow again.

A "pink flower cake with yellow in the middle".

There's nothin' like a homemade cake.  I love the look (and taste) of it.

My first attempt at buttercream frosting.  Yum!

I'm so bummed that I didn't have time to put ribbon in the cake stand.

It's a pain to do but looks cute in the end.

Sadie dreamed of having a "smash cake".

All her friends got a kick out of the idea.

After presents, cake and ice cream, we had a dance freeze party.  Lily gave Sadie that adorable masquerade mask.  A great way to wrap up a fun party.  

Sadie is Six!

This little girl

doing the happy dance.

She woke up to our traditional birthday morning of her room all decorated and presents awaiting to be opened on the table.  The best way to start your day!

Her friend party was scheduled for another day so we took her to dinner to 

the Pizza Factory and Fat Cats.

Sadie LOVES her baby brother and he ADORES her!! 

She is so motherly toward him and she always wants to hold him.  

 Sadie was so happy to have Nana and Great Grandma come!

One of my favorite things about Sadie is the glow she has on her face when it is her birthday!  

She feels special and it shows!

Sadie is such a pleasant little girl.  She's polite, thoughtful, kind and caring.  She says the funniest things (remember this)!  Her creativity always blows me away!  Just wait til I show you what she made for our show and tell family night!

Sadie LOVES her daddy!  They are so much a like and she is thrilled about that.

We love you Sadie!  Happy Birthday Sweetie!

A Baby Shower...

Cookies & Milk

I threw a boy shower for Jessica who works with me in the Young Womens.

I've seen this darling idea on Most Likely Late blog.

And let me just say that this was the best way to do an open house ward shower!!

Easy.

I just gathered a bunch of clean glass jars and assigned a couple cookies batches to people who offered to help.  

I bought the plastic tongs at the party store for 60 cents each.

I made some labels in photoshop and printed them on Avery Sticker paper.  

These stickers washed off so easily when the party was over!

I've seen people put paper or fabric in the jars to add color and design but I just like the look of the cookie.  Yum!!

I had so many leftover cookies even after I sent plates of them home.

Had I had more time to prepare, I would have bought those cute paper parchment bags with a "Thank You" sticker to send the cookies home in.  

I love these shortbread cookies!

Made with aqua sprinkles.

Water, Milk, Chocolate Milk and Strawberry Milk served in these Glass Milk Jars from Ikea ($3 each).

I put them in the steel bucket with ice.   

I get to do another one in June for another Young Women leader and I can't wait!

I love a good cookie bar.  Yum!

My new buffet!

When you walk into my home, you are greeted with this.

Built in little shelves and an entry table.  

This is where I set up my salon and do hair twice a week.

For the longest time I've wanted a buffet table (thanks to my SIL Emily).

Back in boring January, I found this one on KSL (better than craigslist in Utah) for a whopping $150

They sell for around $400 in consignment shops.  

I thought it'd be perfect for my "salon" station and I could not pass up such a good deal!

I loaded up the kids and headed to Payson with my Dad (an hour south) to get it. 

 I knew it was a winner and I knew it would sell fast!  

A BIG thanks to my Dad who painted it for me!

I just LOVE it!!!!

Don't you?

It just brightens up my room!

I'm still trying to figure out what to put on top of it.  Cole broke my bigger glass lamp so this one is there till I figure out what to put on the top.  That book shelf (which has been so hard for me to stage) has a lot going on so maybe I should keep the buffet simple.  My friend Alicia helped me with the current set up of the shelves and I love it.  

Any suggestions for the buffet?  

I replaced the knobs with Anthropology type glass knobs for half the price from World Market.

My little hanging heart souvenir from Paris.  So cute.  Thanks Mom!

 Notice the detail on the wood.  I love it!  

Here was my inspiration photo

Sorry, no source :(

I love the dark glaze in the cracks that bring out the detail.

Here is another cute buffet with the glaze that brings out the detail.

again, sorry no source. :(

I've been waiting for the paint to really dry on mine to sand and glaze it.
What do you think?  Glaze or no glaze?

St. Patricks Day 2011!

Whoa!  Where have I been?

New Beginnings 

Tending 10 kids for 5 days =

Frankie getting Pulled Elbow (from a 2yr. old :( )

Playgroups

Hosting A Baby Shower

Disney On Ice

A Wedding Anniversary (our 9th)

and now... 

St. Patricks Day!

That tricky leprechaun showed up again this year!  

Thankfully he forgot to draw green mustaches on everyone in their sleep like last year.

Sadly we forgot to set a trap and he really messed up our house!

 MaryJane went to dance as TinkerBell.  She was so accepting of everything today!  Surprise.

 Sadie wore the skirt I made her two years ago.  I LOVE all the mileage I've gotten out of it!

She's finally come around and is not so scared of that Leprechaun anymore.

I love how Cole is such a believer of this holiday!  Tonight he was trying so hard to think of a good trap for the leprechaun for next year.  Way to believe Cole!

The leprechaun left chocolate coins, a real gold coin, a few green candy pieces, Lucky Charms and Clover plates for dinner (pizza).  He sure went all out this year.  Well as much as he's ever going to for this holiday.

A little cheer from my hutch.

I hope you all had a great day!

Love Day 2011

Valentine's Day was great this year, full of our favorite traditions.

My hutch was my favorite ever this month.  I love the pink in there.

The kids valentines.
We ordered 50 ( just enough for both classes) Valentine silly bandz from Oriental Trading Co. for $4.99.
Each pouch had a Silly band, Mini Chocolate Bar and a sticker.  

That evening we had a yummy family dinner, read our love notes, and revealed our secret pals to each other.  Do you want to know what I love about Secret pals?  It gets my 5 & 7 year old to think of someone else other than themselves.  The whispering, the planning and the anticipation of waiting for your pal to discover what you left them.

During the week, Cole had an incident with a ball and my glass lamp.  Shattered all over the floor.  I tried my best to keep my cool and remind myself that yes, it's just a lamp but I must have let my disappointment show too much.  While I was out that evening,  I came home to a replacement lamp (from the garage) in place of the broken one with a cute note from my secret pal (Sadie).  She thought of it on her own to do that for me.  My heart was so warmed by her thoughtfulness and I was beaming with pride for what this secret pal tradition has created.

Following dinner, we had yummy

"Fundue!"

(as the kids like to call it)

We look forward to this evening all year.  We need to do it more often!

We always spend Valentine's Day together as a family.  I can't think of a more perfect way to spend the day with the ones you love.  

I also love the fact that we avoid all crowded restaurant craziness.  

Our Anniversary is in March, we celebrate alone then.

I asked Cole what he was doing when I found him like this and his reply was,
 "I'm trying to close my eyes so I can really taste it."

Great suggestion Cole!  We all gave it a try and you're right.  It tasted much better!

.

Not bad for being taken by a 5 year old.  

I have to laugh because I look so tired here.  The truth is, I was really tired here.  

It was a great 14 days of celebrating Love.

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