Birthday Winter Wonderland

 

 

Carson and his bff James celebrated their 7th birthdays by having a snow party together. (Their birthdays are four days apart)

 

I'm not sure my neighbors knew what they were getting themselves into when they agreed to plan this event with me, but the party turned out amazing, with just a couple of glitches in the planning phase...

 

We initially thought for the invitations to attach the cards to plastic snow globes, but after searching every store we came up empty.  Thanks to pinterest and the fact that their birthdays fall so close to Christmas, we were able to improvise and create snow globes using ornaments with the invite tied to the ribbons:



 

 

 



Next up was the "snow."  We found a company that rented snow machines, promising to create flakes that would not leave a mess, by dissolving quickly:

It looked EXACTLY like snow falling from the sky, cars were even stopping on our street to watch the "blizzard." 

Luckily, Melissa and I discovered the weekend before the party that the snow "melted" basically on contact and wouldn't provide the fun stuff for kids to throw and play in. 

So we ordered SnoWonder, a fine powder that expands into "snow" when you combine it with water.  We ordered enough to make 240 gallons.  And what made it better than snow was that it wasn't cold or wet, so the kids could play as long as they wanted without freezing or needing to change clothes.

To say it was a hit was an understatement!  Although their birthdays fall in December, here in Texas it was a warm 80 degrees outside...kids played in the snow while wearing shorts!

Their was a 60% chance of rain the day of the party, so Brian and Rusty built canopies and a pit to play in.  Fortunately, the rain waited until well after the party ended before arriving.

We also had fencing between our houses so that we didn't have to worry about little ones (ie. Deacon) running into the street.

 

 

The guests also hit up the trampoline.

For the food, we brought out the firepit and roasted hotdogs and s'mores.  And even in the toasty weather, our hot cocoa bar was finished off.

 

 

The boys received lots of toys:

 

 

The cake turned out adorable too:

 



 

We couldn't have picked a better house to move into five years ago. Carson made a best friend, and Brian and I lucked out too!

 

30th Birthday

Draw a six year old in that picture and you kind of have my life at the moment.

Okay, well maybe I am exaggerating a little...but between Deacon's therapy, swim lessons, grocery shopping, the never-ending battle of keeping our house clean, doctor appointments, changing schools (did I mention I got a new teaching job closer to home??), Deacon's first fundraiser, and a newborn, there has been little time for blogging, or catching up with friends. And when there are a few precious moments, I usually choose sleep! I can't think of the last time I was home alone.

So if you have noticed that the posts are fewer and farther between, that is why. I know I am preaching to the mommy choir here...


I turned 30 last month.

whoopee.

hah!

You would think living the typical suburban housewife role with three kids, a husband, and even a minivan that I would feel my age, but I don't. Maybe like 25 or so, not 30. I used to think 30 was old...I still think 1990 was 10 years ago.

On the upside, my friend of 20 years (how do I have friendships this old!?!), Brandi, also turned 30, so at least I am not alone!

She lives near Kansas City and is pregnant with a little girl. No, I'm not bitter...lol

She came in town last month, so we decided to celebrate our birthday together by having a dinner with friends.

We had a lot of fun, the food was great, and cake turned out cute too.
I was able to catch a sweet photo of the two people who brought me into the world three decades ago.
What's nice about Brandi and I is that we not only attended junior high and high school together, but we were also college roommates, so most of the guests that came are friends with both of us. This is Tracey, our college suitemate.
And her mom and little sister:
Ashley and Brandon:
Mrs. Burkhardt and Mrs. Mille:
The Mille Family:
Spencer was so stinkin' adorable in his sombrero:
Jenny and Jeff:
Lindsey (who I have also know for 20 years) and John:
Jill (she is preggo too!) and Johnny:
Jenny, Melissa (the best guest ever), and me:
Representing our high school class of 2000:
As much as I feel like I neglect my friends, they never fail to amaze me on showing up to hang out. And it never feels like any time has passed as we catch up on all the latest gossip. It is crazy how the topics have evolved from friends and boyfriends, to husbands and kids.

If I am going to be getting old, at least I have some fabulous friends to join me!

Bennett's Birthday Story

I had my final doctor appointment last Thursday, the 3rd, where my doctor gave the go-ahead for my induction the following day. The hospital was to call the next morning by 5am and let us know when to come in. They called at 4:30am and said they were full, but would call again by 8am. At 7:30am they asked how soon we could be there, and I told them we could make it within the hour.

We loaded up our bags, took one last picture of my belly, and were off!

My parents stayed home with Deacon, while Carson was at school. Brian's dad had knee replacement surgery earlier in the week, so they waited at home until we were close to delivering so that he wouldn't have to sit for too long.

We arrived and were checked in by 8:30am. The hardest part of delivery for me is the iv, so once we were past that, I was great. My doctor came by to check me shortly after that. She had a student doctor with her and asked if he could watch the birth (his FIRST birth to see EVER). If it would have been my first child there is no way I would have let him, but by the third, I honestly could care less...crazy how motherhood/childbirth does away with that modesty.

Sometime around noon they gave me my epidural. Dr. Bruce came by and broke my water then checked me again, estimating Bennett would arrive around 8pm. Brian and I passed the time watching the Game Show Network and napping.

Around 6pm I started to feel some pressure and when the nurse checked me I was dilated to 7 cm. About ten minutes later I was at a 10. Dr. Bruce arrived on her phone with two other rooms who also had mothers who were ready to go! Luckily, she loves us and decided to deliver Bennett first!

When I say delivery for me is easy, I am not kidding! We were literally cracking jokes in between pushes and giving the student doctor a hard time about this being his first birth. Three contractions later, Bennett Asher Scott arrived at 7:06pm.
Our healthy boy weighed in at 8lbs. 3oz. and measured 20 inches long.

The nurses were so nice and made hats for both the brothers with Bennett's footprints.
Like last time, the big brothers (wearing matching shirts) were the first ones in to see our new addition!
Deacon was more interested than I thought he would be!
Carson was glowing!



Next came the grandparents:



and Brian's cousin, Daryl:
Shortly after they left, Bennett went to the nursery to be checked out and bathed and we were moved to our room. After not being able to eat all day, I was starving, so we ordered a pizza while we watched Bennett sleep.

The next morning more visitors arrived! My coworker and friend, Stephanie:
My sister and nephews:


Our friends, Corey and Stacy:
and Lindsey:
Bennett looks like the perfect mixture of both his brothers. Carson's size and lips, Deacon's nose and cheeks. He has more hair than both his brothers and is in the middle for length and weight. Bennett is also a finger sucker, which is a first for us. He already loves his pacifier.
Brian's strong genes took over again and the baby of our family looks exactly like him! The only part of him that I gave was my long toes, but with any luck his feet will catch up just like his brothers did.
Welcome to our crazy family, sweet boy! We already love you so much!