Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your Hair.....

and let's PARTY!!

This Friday was Katelynn's and Ryan's 3rd and 6th Birthday Party!!

Katelynn wanted to have a Tangled theme and Ryan was kind enough to let us.

We had a combo Knight/Tangled Princess party and it was a good time.

I really enjoy sharing the party with Ryan (and my cousin Tami) because I get to spend time with family and that is what I love. But I think this may be the last year. Ryan was a champ, but you could see he was questioning all the Tangled decorations. OK, OK, so I went overboard as usual!! =)

Here are a few pictures from the party.

We made a long braid for the front door. This set the mood for the Tangled-ness that was about to explode in your face. Yep, Ryan, you're right. Nothing here that says a 6 year old boy's party. Sorry.......again.

Tami made up a cute table for the cupcakes and the food. She had Knight Shields and Swords for the guests.

I made the cupcakes and found some adorable cupcakes toppers by sweetenyourday an Etsy shop. They were fairytale books, and then, of course, Tangled toppers. There was a frying pan, a braid, a crown, a paintbrush and Paschal. He was definitely the favorite!!

I also made some jello cups that represented when Eugene and Rapunzel were out on the water waiting for the lanterns to be released. This seemed to be a pretty big hit at the party. Who knew that everyone still loves jello!!

We also served some of the sides in frying pans, Rapunzel's weapon of choice. But I forgot to take pictures of that.

Tami and Thomas supplied a banquet, literally, of hotdogs, beans, chips, queso...I could go on and on.

It was a lot of fun!

And also our prayers were answered and it was warm enough for the Bounce House to be set up in the backyard! I think the kids really enjoyed this.

"Look Mom!! I'm flying....."

Thomas also went above and beyond in decorating the backyard. Everything was perfect!!!

My pictures did not turn out because of the flash but he put white lights all over the play fort in the backyard. It was so nice.

I think both Ryan and Katelynn enjoyed their party.

I don't know, maybe they are wishing for a joint Birthday party again next year.

Ryan, it's your choice next. I promise!!!

Leading Up to Halloween...

I love the Fall. I love it when the seasons change, the weather cools down and it gets dark earlier. I don't know why, but I have always loved this time of year.

I love the idea of slowing down with a cup of apple cider, a good book and a chill in the air.

In reality, this is the craziest time of the year. Halloween, Birthdays, Christmas....

But it seems this is the time of the year my creative juices flow and I want to do things with my girls that I hope they remember. this is the time of year I want to start "traditions"!!

Last year Katelynn painted her first pumpkin and she loved it! So, it's a no brainer.....TRADITION!!

So we picked out pumpkins for both girls this year and it was a bit chilly on the day we decided to paint the pumpkins. No big deal, I just stripped the girls down, laid out some paper on the kitchen table and they painted. Both of them.

Katelynn took her time this year. It was clear that she had a vision of exactly what she wanted her pumpkin to look like.

Look at the concentration. And I don't know about you, but I can actually make out a bit of a jack-o-lantern face on her pumpkin.

Finished product. She really liked the neon paint colors this year.

Aubrey had a good time painting the pumpkin, and her face, and her hair, and her hand. Oh well.

I knew she would do this so I picked out Tempura paints. I knew they would be easily washed off little bodies. And it was easy to get all the paint off.

We then put the pumpkins out on the front porch where they welcomed all our visitors. That is until it rained. And guess what! All the paint washed off. I didn't think about that.

Katleynn was very excited though. Although her masterpiece was gone, she had a clean slate and is still asking me when she gets to re-paint her pumpkin.

Halloween was an event this year. Katelynn is starting to understand it a bit more than last year. She actually picked out her own costume this year. She even picked out Aubrey's.

We have been talking about Halloween for quite a while at our house.

We even would put on the hat portion of Aubrey's outfit to try and get her used to it.

We had a trial make-up day for Katelynn since she thinks that make-up is a very important part of the costume. This might not have been my best idea.

One Sunday afternoon, daddy was watching football and I took a bit of a cat nap while Katelynn was coloring her wooden doll. This is what I woke up to......

I know she was trying to replicate her Halloween make-up because I gave her "cats eyes" with the eyeliner and you can see on her left eye that she tried to do just that!

But I have NO idea what she was doing here. She also "painted" her fingernails and toenails with marker. Luckily it washed off with face soap.

Didn't I say earlier I was working on making memories? Well, I think we made a few.

Twick or Tweet!!

Hope that everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween.

Our little Bumble Bee and Lamb had a wonderful night full of bouncy castles, games and prizes.

More to come later.

Pumpkin Patch

Last Saturday before Brain headed off to the debacle that was the OU/Texas Tech game, the family headed out to Chester's Party Barn.

We went there last year with both girls and we loved it. This year was just a little bit different.

We went quite a bit later into October than we did last year. (Probably because there have been so many night/home/away games) So this year, the animals were not as hungry, the pumpkins were a bit picked over and the ponies had walked a trench in their corral.

But it was still fun!

This is what all my pictures look like with the girls. They wouldn't look at me! They were too mesmerized by the animals.

Katelynn and Aubrey "meeting" the ponies.

Aubrey letting the ponies know who was boss!

OK, check this out.....

Aubrey with the pumpkins this year and....

Aubrey last year. WOW!! Cannot believe she was that tiny just a year ago!

When we were in line for the Pony Ride three (3!!) buses pulled up. One of the employees informed us that 150 children were on their way to the Party Barn for a day of fun. Needless to say, we hopped off the pony, grabbed our pumpkins and headed home.

Next year I will try to pencil in a Saturday morning at the "Barn" earlier in the month.

Our Saturdays.....

Our Saturdays are seldom routine.

There is rarely a schedule to our Saturdays.

Some Saturdays we grocery shop.

Some Saturdays we hit Hobby Lobby.

Some Saturdays we go out to eat and play on the playground.

Some Saturdays we sit at home and watch movies.

And this Saturday was no different.

We had company this Saturday. My friend A and her two little lovelies popped in so we could master the art of frosting cupcakes. And catch up, and talk, and compare stories, and watch and wait to see how our little ones would react to each other this time. And it was all good!!

Ok, so maybe we didn't Master the art of frosting, but we got one step closer.

Here are my Brown Butter Pumpkin cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting, they were so good!!

After that, the girls and I decided to watch another movie in hopes that Katelynn might settle down and take a nap. That did not happen. So after an hour or so of trying to convince her that she needed a nap, we started playing.

Katelynn got to make up the "games" today and she had a couple of whoppers!!

First we went outside to play in the playhouse. This involved books, billfolds and a big white stick she called her "golf stick". Not sure what the rules were, but obviously little sister and I had them all wrong because Katelynn spent a good deal of the time yelling "NO!!" to both of us.

Aubrey and her billfold.

Katelynn and her (MY!) book and she appears to be "stamping" the birthday card I received from my friend, A. (Note the "golf stick" under her arm.)

After playing outside for a while we headed in for a snack and then a much needed bath. Maybe it is just at our house, but on a Saturday afternoon, after a bath, it is a bit difficult to get clothes back on those girls. Note that I said "THOSE GIRLS". I do not want to scare any friends into not dropping by on a Saturday afternoon. Brian and I are always fully clothed. You are just taking a gamble with an almost 3 year old and 1 year old. =)

Our next game was dress up. Of course the only "clothes" we put on were jewelry, shoes and purses!! I believe she was channeling her inner Lady Gaga, a puzzle piece became a ring, she let the beads hang long and she was rockin' it!!

I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me. Papa-paparazzi.

Then Mommy was asked to join in on the dress up game. We had to get dressed up because Nanaw was coming to take us out to eat dinner. We were going to have "salad, tea and Pinese" (Chinese). All that K needed was a nice pair of shoes, so that was all I had to have. (Whew!!)

Katelynn picked out a comfy pair of sensible flats for Mommy. She on the other hand went in the totally opposite direction!

I bet Jessica Simpson NEVER thought her heels would be paired with Yo Gabba Gabba panties!!

My little Miss Aubrey just followed along. Neither complaining nor voicing an opinion of the ridiculously fabulousness that was our Saturday!!

She is such a sweet little girl. But I have a feeling once she gets older and gets a handle on her older sister's "games", Watch Out World!!!!

Because she is definitely following in Katelynn's well thought out, all-be-it in high heels, footsteps.

Pictureless Post

Work has been crazy and we have been doing lots of things with the family but the camera has not been pulled out, ever.

My older brother was home for a visit from Afghanistan, no pictures!

My little brother was here from Chicago, no pictures!

Brian and I went out of town for the weekend and spent it with some good friends and Aunt Emily and Jason, no pictures!!

That is going to change. I am going to slow down (mentally) and remember to pull out the camera, I have to.

Have a wonderful weekend and follow my instructions, Take Your Time, Take a Breather and Take Pictures!! (You will never regret it)

Quote

Running behind, terribly busy, but loving every minute of it.

Here is a quote I ran across on Pinterest.....sums up my life's goal......

Marjorie Pay Hinckley - “I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.”

You are a wise, wise woman Marjorie Pay Hinckley!!'

Have a great week.