Busy, Busy, Busy!

This last week I had very little time to blog, not to mention time to be on the computer.

Why?

I have been busy getting ready for our Fun Filled Family Labor Day Weekend Celebration!

My brother and his wife were coming to town, as was our Fireman son and his family, along with the mommy to be's mom. Plus we had in town family and friends coming to celebrate with us as well. As is custom with me and any gathering, I go a bit over and beyond to make sure the events have all the little touches I love to do. I must admit, it is getting harder and harder for me to achieve my own expectations, but that doesn't stop me. I am so thankful to have my daughter available to help me out. Even my hubby picks up the slack and lends a hand.

To get ready for the weekend which included 2 birthday parties and a baby shower, I first had to make some bowls for the baby shower. These were simple dimple. A tutorial will be available on our party blog, Two Kids and a Party later this week.

Next was turning valances into bumper pads for the cradle. These caused some distress as my sewing machine decided to take a dump. Time for it to go to the repair shop and forcing me to hand stitch them. Unfortunately I didn't get them completely finished but they will be before the new addition to the family arrives. Since the seam is on the bottom, the unfinished edge would not be seen by the guest.

I also made a lot of Paper Puff's for decorations. These too were so simple and a tutorial will be available later this week as well.

Once I had made almost a dozen of them it was time for them to find there place for the shower and also for the 3 year olds birthday party. I love turning my chandler into a focal point. Once I had the puffs hanging I felt it needed something more...

So I added some flowers and raffita, but it still needed something else. I had an assortment of ribbon and a light bulb went of in my head and this is what it finally looked like.

As if I didn't have enough to do I also bought an over the door shoe holder and turned it into a Barbie holder for Peanut.

Then it was time to turn the arch I made for my daughter's wedding into one for a baby shower.

I removed all the sunflowers and replaced them with pink flowers and some puffs. I love, love, love how it turned out. I even moved it from the corner to the center of the patio. It made a perfect beverage table area.

Then there was the diaper cake to make and with the help of my daughter, I just love how it turned out.

Once the shower decorations were completed, I needed to get onto constructing the treats. I remade Brownis, Ho-Ho's, Oreo's and pink marchmellow's into these....

Sorry my pictures are kind of fuzzy. I was so busy making these I didn't take pictures of the steps and had to crop them from other pictures. I know my daughter did go around and take pictures but has yet to upload them. We will have better pictures on our party blog and will even make a few to show how I did them. Thankfully I have supplies left over so it won't be a problem.

The final decorations were for the 3 year old and her first Princess Party. Since this is the third one I have done, I had many of the supplies already available. It was just a matter of setting the table.

I changed out the place settings for the boys to plain green wrapping paper cut to size and used the bubble wands as flowers. Saturday afternoon the cake was assembled replacing the bubble flowers as the center piece just before it was time to blow out the candles.

After all the work it was time to enjoy the family. Let the parties begin!

Then and Now!

How time flies!

In 2005 we took these 'Grands' to Disneyland.

That was then...this is now...

5 years later, this time with my brother and his family

How time flies!

She Turns 3 Today!

Our Little Peanut...

Turns 3 today and we celebrated her big day over the labor day weekend. It began with an afternoon of swimming....

Then came dinner and the Birthday Girl even got to help...

She even shared her crown with grandpa...

All the kids sat around the Birthday table devouring their spaghetti...

And finally it was time for presents, lots and lots of presents..

After presents came the cupcakes they had been waiting for...

Then daddy came in with a surprise...

So we had our own Princess and the Frog!

Until it jumped out of his hands, hopped across the table, landing on the floor.

All the kids were screaming, yet laughing with all the excitement the frog created.

One thing is for sure, a party at our house is very exciting!

Look Who Turns 4 Today!

Our weekend continued with yet another party on Sunday for The Boy.

We had talked about combining the two but his mom thought it would be to much work for me and he really wanted a party at Chuck E Cheese. I was relieved to say the least. It would have been more work for me, and though welcomed to go all out for them, it did ease the stress. After all, combining a Princess Party and a Baby Shower for a girl was easy since all the pink worked for both. Plus it was nice to get away from the house for the afternoon. So once again I am Thankful for the thoughtfulness and help my family shows. It really does tickle my heart in many ways.

When you first arrive at Chuck E's the kids are given a cup of tokens to go off and play. And play they did! For what was close to an hour these kiddo's ran from the party area to the games and back. Each time letting us know how much fun they are having and what they have done. They had this one thing that the kids sit in and it pencil draws their picture. Each 'Grand' did it a number of times, sometimes alone and other times with two or three of them. I came home with a great collection of pencil art.

After the presents and cake, which Chuck E hangs around for, it is time for the Chamber. The Birthday Boy was to spend 30 seconds in there trying to collect as many tickets as he can. Well, once the door closed and the air started twirling the tickets around, he was not happy and wanted out. So his cousin Bug went in and caught him a lot of tickets.

The Boy was not happy with Chuck E at all. So long as he stood behind him he was fine. The minute he tried to high five him or anything, The Boy would run!

Here are some pictures of the fun we had. None of them came from my camera since mine was left at home. A perfect example of how tired I was becoming and how my mind just wasn't clicking like it usually does. Ok, sometimes it doesn't click like it use to anyways, LOL! I did use one of the camera's there and it took me a bit to figure it out, but I did get some cute pictures. Not all these were taken by me but they sure do show how much fun they had.

After an afternoon of fun and games it was time to go home and do the last of the food prep for the Baby-Q Shower the next day. So yes, there is more fun yet to come.