Party Planning ... I Learned From the Best!

I think I take after my mother. I love to plan parties.

My most recent party was a "Fall Harvest" party for the families of my mom's group. Not to brag, but I outdid myself on this one .... About 25 families came. It was at a local farm; we had hayrides, cow milking, and duck feeding. Each family made their own scarecrow. We made our own caramel apples. We painted pumpkins. And, each kid made a pumpkin fleece hat. The hats were my last minute brainstorm and I stayed up until 2am the night before sewing them together so the kids could decorate them. They were a hit.

Oh, and the best part, I did the whole party for just under $100. With a little creativity and some hard work, you really can have a great party for cheap.

Friends & Playdates

We enjoy getting together with friends for various weekend playdates - though I am not sure if the kids actually play together or if it is just an excuse for the mamas to get together while watching the kids. Below are a few of Carolyn's recent afternoon adventures:

Family Photo Challenge - August 2010

Family Photo Challenge - August 2010 Originally uploaded by boo4172002

I may not have gotten around to post it until the end of September, but the photo was legitimately taken in the month of August. We were at a concert at Red Butte Gardens.

It may not be the best family photo (I am pretty sure it was an extended-arm self-portrait). Perfect photos where everyone looks good and is looking at the camera is not the intent of the photo-challenge. I simply wanted more photos of all of us together... and well, this one looks just like how we do on any random day. So it is great.

Now, I just have to remember to take a photo of us before September ends.

Carol + Lynn = Carolyn

Carolyn's namesakes (and grandmothers) came to Utah: Grandma Carol & Grandma Lynn.

The visit was short, but we loved every minute of it.

We went to the zoo.

Carolyn learned what an ice cream sundae is.

We had a picnic at Red Butte.

The grandmas took Carolyn to a Gymboree class.

They taught her the "Jack and Jill" nursery rhyme.

We all played Scrabble.

Steve took them on a scenic drive over the mountains.

We enjoyed a Thai feast together.

And in general, Carolyn talked and sang everyone's ears off.

Moms, we miss you and love you. How we wish you got to see Carolyn more often! We try to keep the blog updated as much as possible with mundane activities, so you can experience her antics on a fairly regular basis, but I know that is not the same as spending time with her. Thanks for coming out.

This last photo is for you, Grandma "Care"

(C cannot say "Carol")

Mopsy No More

On Saturday when Carolyn woke up, she had some prety bad bed-head. As she was pushing her hair out of her eyes, she said to me, "Mama, mine hair is mopsy." I had been thinking about cutting her hair, but after she said this, I decided it was definitely time to get her hair cut.

BEFORE

AFTER

IN PROCESS

..... SO CUTE!

September 2010 028
Originally uploaded by boo4172002

State Fair

I do not necessarily get the appeal of the state fair, but I took Carolyn and her friend Elise to see what it was all about. We saw a human-sized butter sculpture. We saw the winning produce. I was too much of a cheapskate to let the girls ride the rides or play games, but I did fill their bellies with corndogs and lemonade. The girls were most excited by the animals.

SURPRISE

HAPPY 44th BIRTHDAY STEVE.

I have never been one to keep secrets, but I managed to pull off a pretty cool surprise for Steve's birthday party this year.

We often co-op babysit with our friends, Laurel and Marcus. A few weeks ago she asked if I would ever consider doing an overnight swap, and I figured why not? The girls get along well and now they are familiar with one another's houses and parents, so we tried it. We did not go very far, nor were we gone for that long, but it was AWESOME. And, Steve knew nothing about it beforehand. He thought he was meeting me downtown for a fundraising event for work. When he arrived to the hotel, he discovered that we were staying there and that he had an in-room massage scheduled upon his arrival. I met him shortly afterwards in the lobby for a cocktail. Then, we met four other couples for dinner, and there were almost 20 of us at the deuling piano bar. We slept in. Got some breakfast. Ran some errands (to Home Depot - where else?). And went home. When we got home, Carolyn was not even all that excited to see us. And, her friend Elise did not want to leave our house at all. So, I told Laurel to take a break and leave her with us. When I took Elise back home around dinnertime on Sunday, the girls cried when they had to say goodbye. So, I guess you could say that the overnight swap was a success. We will try it again later this fall when the other couple wants to getaway for an anniversary "vacation." Some photos from the piano bar ....

Piggies.

Now instead of asking for ponies (or horses) in the morning, she is asking for piggies.

Friends & Fairies

Carolyn's friend, Elise, had a birthday party. The theme was fairies and all of the kids got wings and ran through the park (thinking they were flying)