The Birthday Party

I am not Friday Following today because I definitely don't have the time, but I did want to post something today to let you all know I'm out here! I love hearing your feedback on my thoughts and stories so if something resonates with you...let me know!

I had Jordan's (My Oldest) 6th birthday party yesterday. We were torn about what to do about a birthday party this year. Maybe you can relate to the feeling that comes when birthday time rolls around. I love my kids. I think that celebrating their birthdays and making a special day for them is good for them. I always feel great when the party is over...but it's all the planning, and deciding, and shopping, and deciding, and the budget, and the deciding that I don't like.

This year we kept it simple. She got lots of calls from the family on her actual birthday (Monday) and she got to be "queen for the day": She didn't have to clean up and she got to pick her birthday dinner (She chose steak, baked potato, and tossed salad. A girl after daddy's heart!) and then yesterday I had a small party for her girl friends from school.

We had it at our house during lunch time, right after school. I had the girls make their own pizza's and we had those for lunch. The rest of the time the girls played like crazy up stairs while the mom's chatted in the living room. Cake, Present opening, and giving out the favors rounded out the afternoon. Everyone had left by 3pm. Very simple, very enjoyable, and very cost effective!

Jordan had a ton of fun!

So, what do you do for your children's birthdays?

Thank you's and other "to do's" from the weekend

First of all, I must say I'm quite impressed with the Friday blog hop. Not only did I get the chance to peruse some lovely blogs, I gained the readership of 33 (and counting) new bloggy friends! I think that is totally awesome and inspiring and overwhelming. I agree with a friend who said something to the effect of "now I feel pressure to be some awesome blogger." I feel it too. I know the pressure comes from within and I know there isn't anyone standing over my shoulder saying "c'mon you need to work on your layout today" or "don't you think you should add a few pictures here?"...but it does kind of feel that way. All in good time, my friends. Hopefully my musings, adventures, and mis-adventures will be enough to bring people back. And those of you who are reading now will (hopefully) get to see my blog blossom into something that I can really be proud of!

That being said...what a weekend we had! I wanted, since Friday night, to get back on and blog but never found the time. I will be devoting a second blog this morning to the Friday night topic I had on my brain.

Saturday was spend puttering around the house--laundry, straightening, making dinner (that everyone except DH complained about) and my house is in COMPLETE disarray today. That always happens on the weekend no matter what I try to do to stop it. There are a few less dirty laundry piles in the basement...but there is a strange smell in the kitchen. (Two steps forward, one step back). Please no one drop by unexpectedly today! :)

Sunday was tiring...Up early for church (we headed to 8:30 mass when we are usually regulars at 10:30). My husband Jim is in the process of becoming Catholic (joining me and the kids) and he had something special today at the 8:30 mass. Then it was off to the store to get a snack for Jordan (my oldest daughter) and her classmates for Monday (her BIRTHDAY!) and then headed away for a 45 minute drive to another church for a ceremony with the Bishop (another step in the process for my husband) then back home to the Olive Garden near my house to celebrate my Mom's birthday with the family. We didn't get back through the door until 9:45pm--GASP! on a school night!...Seriously, bed time's at 8pm for the kids and 10pm usually for the grown ups since Jim has to get up for work at 5am.

I was exhausted when we finally got home...probably because I look like this right now:

Ignore my unmade bed please and poor picture quality (it's a copy of a copy)...that's me a couple of weeks ago with baby bump approximately at the end of week 26...

I still managed to hand dip some strawberries in chocolate for Jordan's birthday snack at school. She is 6 today...which blows my mind...here she is, my pretty little girl:

It's going to be a busy week. She is having a little party with her school friends this week and as I mentioned before: My house is a MESS. The party is at the house. Wish me luck!