Elmo invaded Jacey's World!

We had Jacey's party this weekend.  I cannot believe she's almost 2!  It was a small party.  Just a few of her friends (4 friends total for her - that whole thing about the number of friends equal to how old the kid will turn has apparently gone out the window with us).  This was supposed to be my no-stress party.

I will say, I wasn't really all that stressed out on Saturday.  Except about the floating fish.  But that wasn't all that bad and I'll get to that later.  I wasn't stressed out because I had been up late all week turning my pinterest finds and other ideas into reality.

The result: Jacey LOVED her party and I think everyone had a good time  That equaled success in my book!

Activities
Elmo's Music Magic was playing in the background on the TV (kudos to my genius of a hubby for that brilliant idea!!), and there were a few times that I noticed that the adults were busy watching the show and the kids were doing their own thing.  Interesting. Apparently Elmo appeals to a wider audience that I originally thought.

We played Place the Nose on Elmo (thank you Maw Maw for finding this activity!!). The kids had a blast with this once they understood what it was they were supposed to do (and a thanks goes out to big sis Tatum for demonstrating the process).

We got video of each of the little kids placing the nose on Elmo, but I'll only post my kiddo here.  I will; however, share the video with each of the families for their viewing pleasure.  Spinning a preschooler who isn't yours (or who is, for that matter), can be quite entertaining.  I'm glad we have those moments on video.

There was also a coloring station with Elmo coloring pages and crayons for the kids to color and take home (with individualized cups filled with crayons to minimize tantrums or fighting!) 

We also had a tattoo parlor, and all of the girls were able to get Sesame Street themed tattoo's for their wrists/arms.  The birthday princess got two (mommy saved her one of the Elmo ones and then she picked out her mommy's favorite, Ernie, herself!).

I had intended to have story time, with both Paw Paw and Grandpa taking turns reading a story, but we never did get around to that....I think the kids would have loved that!

Food
We had Elmo cupcakes and a larger (half cake) Elmo.  We also had cake balls/pops (my first attempt - see separate post on that fiasco).  I must have blocked out those cake balls so much because of it that I almost forgot about them...I remembered them about 30-45 minutes into the party!

Happy Birthday was sung and cupcakes were eaten in the dining room (I think I may have had a nightmare or two about two-year olds and our light carpet...).  So we staged her cake area first using the "Jacey's World" sign I had made for her and the Happy Birthday banner Maw Maw had gotten.

It took a while to get Jacey to actually blow out the candles.  I kept trying to get her to blow on them like she blows on her nails. Yeah...that's the reference I used on my princess at her 2 year-old party. Yup.  Incidentally, we had just finished painting her nails as her guests were arriving because she wanted them 'pretty' and I wanted them red for the party.

Considering it was really red frosting, I considered it a smashing success when all of the kids faces, hands, arms and a few legs were red-stained.  I knew I chose the dining room for a reason!

We had Oscar the Grouch and Elmo veggie trays and a Big Bird cheese tray as healthy(er) options for everyone to snack on throughout the party (and down where the kids could reach them).

As you can see from the picture above, we also had goldfish crackers in a small goldfish bowl.

We had small 'grabby' snacks of jellybeans, red hots, and more goldfish crackers as well, and the kids could put them in red cupcake liners (just the right size for two-year old hands).

I had orange and red buckets with water, capri suns and an assortment of cokes in them for beverages.  Oh, and dear sweet hubby cooked hot dogs, and we served the buns on a red tray and everyone ate on red plates.  (Obviously, we went with a primarily red and orange theme).

Party Favors
I initially decided to go easy on the party favors, and just decorate bags with Elmo on them and use those as part of the decor.

I set this up one night and the next morning, Jacey come out - gasps - and then I hear her singing, "Ya ya ya ya, Elmo's world!"  I took that as a positive sign.

And then, since I was letting Jacey watch Sesame Street and listening to it for ideas, I kept hearing, "Elmo loves his goldfish, his crayons, too...." I had the idea........

Goldfish.

Not just for snacks.

But since I'm not that crazy, I did send text messages to the parents of the girls coming to the party and ask permission to buy their children goldfish.  Luckily, they all said yes.

The fish were all doing wonderfully, by the way (in case you were wondering about my earlier reference). Unfortunately, hubby and I hadn't communicated well about the actual number of girls attending, so I had one bowl with two fish in it (for Jacey - and as a spare in case one went belly up before the party), but when I realized that I needed another whole set up, I didn't have time to acclimate the fish to the new water, so.....it didn't adjust to its new environment very well.

So all of the girls took home fish and Jacey and I went and picked out two brand new fish Sunday afternoon!!

Making Memories
Part of the decor was a five foot replica of Sesame Street that Maw Maw found and we hung on our wall that had a cast of the characters on it.  So, naturally we lined the girls up for a photo op.  I wanted ALL of the girls and then each of the girls individually with the birthday girl.

One of the dads was wary about my grand idea and didn't think I could manage to pull it off.  I just looked at him and laughed...I don't think he's been introduced to the lengths my stubbornness will go to get what I want.  Especially when pictures are involved. 

We decided to leave up a lot of the decorations until her actual birthday, and then we'll take them down.  So we have a couple more days of living in Sesame Street!

Not so subtle hint

This is the picture you send to the chef as a not-so-subtle hint for the breakfast order during that particular chef's upcoming weekend stay.

Chef = Grandpa
Grandpa coming = pancakes (at least in the eyes of his grandchildren!)

I am prepared.

Cindy Lou Who

Doesn't she look like Cindy Lou Who from The Grinch?  Can't you just see her with a blanket saying, "...but why, Santa Claus, why?"

BV Bombers Baseball

Through a random series of scheduling events, Jacey and I were the only ones able to attend the BV Bombers 4th of July celebratory game this year with the research students, so we made the most of it.

She was very excited to attend.

In case you're wondering, this is her smiling for the camera and saying 'Cheese!'.

And when we got there, she quickly made friends with Zaboom (Boom, to her) and the puppy (who has a name I either never learned or can't remember). 

She liked the puppy more and spent the remainder of the night asking for the puppy.  (And I spent the remainder of the night making sure she didn't wander off looking for said puppy).

We had our pre-game picnic, then went to the Kid Zone to play some of the game and bounce in the bounce houses.  She enjoyed that tremendously as well, and lucky for us, we went on a Monday night when there weren't a lot of people.  Translation: she didn't have to fight with big kids in the bounce house.

Success!!

She tolerated some of the actual baseball game, but only 3-4 innings, and we left the game to go back to the Kid Zone for more bouncing, then called it a night.

All-in-all, she had an absolute BLAST.

June Running Recap

4 - 1.06 miles (10:13 total - 9:38 min/mile)
5 - 3.58 miles (run#1: AM - 1.03 miles: 10:14 total - 9:57 min/mile; run#2: PM - 2.55 miles: 24:33 total - 9:37 min/miles)
14 - 1.54 miles (14:32 total - 9:26 min/mile pace)
18 - 2.1 miles (#1-1.02 mi - 10:21 total - 10:09 pace; #2-1.08 mi - 9:43 total - 8:55 min/mile pace)
20 - 1.03 miles (14:17 total -13:36 min/mile - pushing Jacey while following Tatum on her bike)
21 - 1.02 miles (11:03 total - 10:42 min/mile - pushing Jacey and Tatum in double stroller)
22 - 1.18 miles (11:35 total - 9:36 min/mile)
25 - 1.16 miles (11:52 total - 9:51 min/mile)
26 - 1.71 miles (#1 - 0.5 mile -4:46 min; #2 - 1.21 miles - 12:10 total -9:36 min/mile)
27 - 0.53 mile - 5:40 min
29 - 1.68 miles (18:03 total - 10:01 min/mile)
30 - 3.48 miles (40:21 - ave 11:35 min/mile pace - Ug)

June monthly total = 20.07 miles
Yearly total =  84.17 miles
Mileage Deficiency before June = 87.9 miles
Mileage Deficiency after June = 97.83 miles


2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)
June total = 20.07 miles (30 days)

I have discovered running during lunch. I can't get in much, and it's really hot (so I have to hydrate well), but it's normally MY time. I think I may be able to work up to 2 miles at lunch IF I get out of the office right at noon and start getting faster.  I must remind my body that it's capable of doing more than a mile or a mile and a half at a time.  I can't do it every day because of various meetings, but I can certainly do it a few times a week.  Eureka!

Crazy hair day!

It was crazy hair day at school.

So Tatum left looking like this....

(front)

(back)

Jacey, on the other hand, barely wanted me to comb her hair out this morning.  Oh well!

Sweet sisters

Since they rarely do this, I thought it was worth memorializing. Books tonight were read while sitting on Jacey's bed.  Then Tatum (not Jacey, which was really the shocker) wanted to lay down and snuggle with Jacey.

After reading our two books for the night, they decided they wanted to sleep in the same bed tonight, so I obliged (again, a rarity around here except for when everyone manages to end up in our bed by morning).  I only had to go in to settle them down and get everyone (read: Jacey) back in bed twice (that might be an all-time record!) before they were both out.

And by 8 PM.

My sweet princesses.  My goodness they're so adorable sometimes I just can't stand it.

Jacey's first fish

We all went fishing yesterday afternoon as the finishing touch for Daddy's father's day.  Jacey was sitting in her stroller watching, when she decided she wanted a turn.

During the second cast, Daddy indicated they had one, so I started the video....How often do you get your baby's first fish on video?

Daddy was so proud. It was a fitting finale to his Father's Day.

Mischevious One

This morning I walked into my bathroom to this...

Luckily, it was just my make-up and not a permanent marker.  But in case you can't tell from the picture, she got awful close to her eye with this one.

She keeps me on my toes.  And I'm not doing pirouettes!

May Running Recap

3 - 1.05 miles (12:10 total - 11:33 min/mile pushing Jacey in the stroller)
5 - 2 miles (13:42 - pushing Jacey in the stroller and following Tatum on the bike for the first 1/2 mile, then just pushing Jacey in the stroller for the 2nd 1/2 mile and 9:41 - Just me running!)
6 - 2 miles (9:24 and 9:35)
7 - 1.07 miles (9:39 total - 9.01 min/mile)
8 - 1.52 miles (18:16 total - 12:34 mile 1, 5:22 1/2 mile - pushing the double stroller with Tatum and Jacey - almost 70 lbs, so while it was slower than normal, it was a way different workout)
9 - 1.54 miles (1.03 in 8:54 total - 8:38 min/mile in the morning then 0.51 in 8:31 walking in the afternoon pushing Jacey in the stroller walking with Tatum and Kellen)
10 - 1.02 miles (9:13 total, 9:04 min/mile)
12 - 1 mile - 9:04 min

May monthly total =11.2 miles
Yearly total = 64.1 miles
Mileage Deficiency before May = 68.1 miles
Mileage Deficiency after May =  87.9 miles

2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)
May total = 11.2 miles (31 days)


Ouch...I don't like going further and further into the hole....but another goal, which seems now contradictory with THIS yearly goal, is being kind to my body.  Still recovering from bronchitis....bronchitis that has now hung on for months, has taken its toll on my body and has spawned other far-reaching medical side effects. I'm trying to listen to it and allow my body time to recover. I dislike this aspect of getting old(er).

On a positive note, when I am able to run  - or perhaps when I test my body a bit - I am running quite a bit faster.  But I seem to have forgotten how to run any longer than 2 miles.  Not sure how to combine my distance and speed....

Mommy-Son Date

"I don't really care what we're doing, as long as I'm with you."

Those were the words Kellen spoke to me as we started out on our Mommy-son date night Friday night.  And they melted my heart....Any guesses at to what his love language is?

We were headed to go eat, then to the Mommy-son Speedway Spectacular.  Other than the name, I really had no idea what to expect.  I was hoping there would be car races involved since we were headed to a race track.

After going to McDonald's to eat dinner (his choice), we headed there.

Once we checked in, we realized that they had provided dinner (oops).  We headed to the various booths.

Bounce house was first on the list.

Then we checked out the fire truck and talked with the firemen (for a while).

Then we played with the snakes (this one in particular for quite a while).  There was no one waiting for this one when we got there, so Kellen was able to play with him for a while.  He had to relinquish him once other kids started to show up to play with him.

He played with this guy...it was the coolest purple shade (and my camera did not do it justice).

He had fun with the turtle.

And then we painted his hair red (the only color left by the time we got to that station...since we had spent so much time playing with the animals).

We played a few games of "Minute to Win it" (successfully, I might add).



And then he (finally!!) found a remote control car - with the appropriate working remote - and was able to play with it for a little while.

We then went back to McDonald's for some dessert to finish out the night.....and then headed back home.  He journaled all aspects of the night in the notebook you see in front of him.

It was a GREAT mommy-son date.

Mother's Day Lunch with Tatum

Tatum's school hosted a Mother's Day luncheon to celebrate the upcoming holiday.  She was so excited about this celebration and had been looking forward to it ALL.WEEK.

We sat down at the table (that she so beautifully decorated for me with pictures) and had a lunch of turkey sandwiches on wheat bread with sun chips and a chocolate chip cookie for dessert accompanied with lemonade to drink.

Then the teachers came around and took Mommy-Daughter pictures of everyone.  Isn't she just the cutest??

This was such a fun event!!  I'm so pleased that her school does special events like this!  As my present, she gave me a special Mother's Day card and a laminated bookmark with her handprint on it as the flower petal.  Love it!!

The Life Cycle of a Minimalist

I ran across this post in my reading and love it...apparently I'm moving between #4, #5 and #6....and haven't moved past those yet.

I've been trying to simplify and declutter for over a year now.  I'm not 'there' yet...where ever 'there' actually is.

But again, as far as I'm concerned, it is more about the intentionality of the process than the end product.  So I'm ok with that.

And I'm trying desperately not to be so hard on myself and the unattainable goals that I tend to set for myself.

Poop & tubs do NOT mix well......

Why does it seem like the nights that go horribly wrong are the ones when I'm currently flying solo or are awaiting Daddy to get home?

I mean....the ONLY other night I can remember when Jacey decided to give us a 'floater' in the tub (when she was bathing with her sister, mind you) was a night that Daddy wasn't home yet.

Until tonight.

Not cool, Jacey.  Not cool.

Luckily, she was by herself this time (I'm not sure Tatum has recovered from that trauma).

Looking for a silver lining........the kids bathroom will get a very good cleaning tonight!

Birthday cakes for certain celebrations for the weekend will have to wait.....

Girls sick day..

AKA...Tatum's Pukefest

Gross, I know, but sorry.

I'm a parent.  Discussing bodily secretions and functions became 'normal' a L-O-N-G time ago.  Poop, mucus, spit up, pee, puke...whatever.

As a random side note, did you know baby girls could squirt and project their pee pee like boys, without the equipment I thought was oh-so-necessary to do so?  I did not know this until having girls.  Who knew?

Anyhow...back on the farm...

Tatum woke up this morning complaining of her tummy hurting. In my bed, where she had meandered to at some point in time during the night. She doesn't 'play' sick.

I took her temp. Normal. I asked her if she really felt badly.

"Yes."

I tell Daddy, who is concerned but unsure of how sick she really is, then proceeds upon with his day, heading off to Bible study.  I let her lay in bed, which she willingly did (serving as confirmation if I actually needed any) and get the bookends ready for school and daycare.

At some point in time in the morning, I moved her from my bed (which is much more difficult to clean if a puke-fest should ensue), to the pallet that is now a permanent fixture on the floor beside our bed.  I include a throw up bucket for her, 'cause I'm a nice mommy and all.

It was time to get the bookends to school so I needed to wake her up (yet further confirmation of her being sick) and get her clothes changed from her nightgown to something more comfy and slightly more appropriate for the car so I could get her into the vehicle while I dropped the other kids off to their respective schools.  After we did this, she decided to lay back down, then quickly realized that the movement of getting dressed must have stirred things up, resulting in our Puke #1. Time = 7:20 AM

Shortly later I was getting things ready to walk out the door (after texting Daddy our sick-fest update), when she thought she was going to be sick again.  To the toilet she went, but to no avail. She gets a look of relief on her face as she tells me that she must not have to throw up, then that look rapidly changes.  I now have to clean my bathroom sink and mirror. Puke #2. Time=7:26 AM

*sigh*

Have I ever mentioned how much of a sweetheart Tatum is when she is sick?  I mean, she is just the absolute sweetest thing on earth when she isn't feeling well.

She felt absolutely horrible about getting sick outside of the toilet or throw up bucket.  It was so pitiful.  I just kept telling her over and over that it was ok...it was the sink and counter. The mirror was just a mirror and it was all so easy to clean and that she wasn't in trouble and that it wasn't her fault.  Bless her little heart.  She just hated that she had created work for me to do and that I had to clean up after her. 

A quick clean up and into the car we went, throw up bucket in hand - literally.  We got the bookends dropped off with no incident, then on the way home I hear her.  In the bucket.  Puke #3. Time=8:01 AM

Once we got back to the house, I got her situated on the bean bag chair so we could rest in the living room watching movies ('cause that's what we do on sick days in our house).  She laid on the bean bag on top of towels (just in case, because I can't just throw a bean bag chair into the washing machine), with her throw up bucket next to her (on a towel, I have light carpet in my house and um...just no).

We watched Cinderella.
We watched The Little Mermaid.
We watched Hercules.
We watched Curious George.

By lunch time, she seemed to have a little more color in her face.  She had managed to keep a little ginger ale and 4 Ritz crackers down, and was asking to try lunch.

I obliged.  She ate a peanut butter roll-up and some raisins, then laid down for a nap.  Whether she actually slept or not is in question, but she did rest.

Afterwards, she was back to her normal self again.  I'm still not quite sure of what she had, but it hit her hard and quick.  Luckily, it didn't last too terribly long!

I lamented the fact that I missed a day of work, but considering that I have felt poorly since the latter part of March, taking a day that included resting was probably just what I needed as well!  I think I may have truly napped more than she did...I remember parts of both Hercules and The Little Mermaid, but I'm quite certain I didn't make it fully through either of those movies.

Spell-a-thon winner!

When I picked Kellen up on Monday, I noticed a flash of brightness in his hands, and then he quickly hid whatever it was behind his back.  It looked remarkably similar to a trophy, but I couldn't figure out what it would have been for.  I knew they were going to announce the class, grade level and overall awards for those had fundraised for the Spell-a-Thon, but hadn't seen anything come through on the PTO listserv all day, but it never entered my mind to put the two together.

With a mischievous grin, Kellen walks over to me.  "Close your eyes, Mommy."

I obliged.

Then he proceeds to show me this.

"

In case you can't read it, "Most Money Raised, Top in Class - 3rd Grade"

As we walk out he also tells me, "And I got a green today!" (That means he had a really good day at school without misbehaving)

It was a good day!  We decided that we're going to write thank-you notes to all of those who contributed to him and his participation in the Spell-a-Thon, so if you're one of those individuals, get ready!

Roller skating fun!!

Yup!

Roller skating.

Uh huh.

Daddy decided that we were going to go roller skating.

I married a smart man.  One with a keen sense of adventure.

A guy who sure does like to have fun.

We told the kids after church that we had a surprise for them, had lunch and loaded up for a drive.  We drove to Brehnam and they all crashed out in the car on the way.

Once we arrived, we told them what their surprise was...they just LOVE that part!  We went in and got our skates on (after returning a few pair in order to get the correct sizes), and we realized that they even had skates small enough for Jacey...yeah...how cool is that?!?!?  Then Daddy gave the kids some lessons.

And we spend the rest of the time (all told...about 2.5 hours) just playing.  Generally speaking, the kids stayed close to the walls, but then we got a little 'cheater' walker set so they could get a little practice getting their balance and getting good.  Tatum went first because Daddy was just working more with Kellen and she really got the hang of it quicker (it may have helped that her wheels were pretty tight), then Kellen got the walker and practiced some as well.  Then we let Jacey play and practice with the walker and once she got it, no one else was really able to practice any more on it.

The rink played some fun games, did some races (Daddy came in third place in one of them!) and it was just all around fun.  I haven't had this many bruises on my knees since high school drill team (Mommy is NOT a good skater, but trying to help 3 kids half your size stay up is all-around difficult!) but it was just an absolutely fun family day (oh, and the roller skating is a total of $5/person, including the skate rental!).

We stayed until they closed the place down for public skate, turn in our skates, grabbed some water, and then headed to our favorite playground in town to play for just a bit on the playground there.

Have I mentioned before how much Jacey loves slides?? 

 
Overall, the kids were remarkably well behaved and given the amount of physical energy the activities required, I'm surprised that only one of them was out by the time we got home!  I love our family fun days....and I love it when Daddy comes up with his great ideas!

40 MILES!!!

And no, it isn't me!!

Kellen ran 120 laps = the equivalent of 40 miles = 

during PE at school during Road Runners in 30 weeks during this past school year.

They had the PE awards and ceremony on Friday and he was awarded his certificate then.  

(And apparently, his missed the 'bronze' level by 5 laps!)

I am so super proud of him!!

April Running Recap

Um...so, ok. This will be a really quick post.  Because I didn't run a lap at all in the month of April.  Nada. Zilch. Nothin'.

April was me dealing with bronchitis and a sinus infection...and finally throwing in the towel and getting medicine (and it really must have been bad, because when I called to schedule an appointment the nurse on the phone asked me some questions, then told me she would call back after speaking with the doctor and when she did, she simply called in the antibiotic).  So after a z-pack, I thought I was feeling better, but I never did get rid of the cough or ever really get my energy back. All.month.long.

I'm really going to have to kick it into gear tomake up for three months of crappy mileage. Yikes!!!

2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
March total = 12.4 (31 days)
April total = 0 (30 days)

Daddy-Daughter Dance

Our church does a fabulous thing each year.

They provide an opportunity for the daddies to take their daughters on a date.  To model for their little girls just how a guy is supposed to treat them.

And my man did it up this year.

He asked Tatum to go on a special date with him.  Then he arranged to get dressed, snuck out of the house, and knocked on the door to 'ask if she was ready' for their date on Friday night. 

He brought flowers (by way of a wrist corsage) for her as well. 

And jewelry.  That he put on her himself.  {If I wasn't already in love with that man I would have been after seeing the effort he went through to make that precious 5 year old feel oh-so-special!!}

And he took her out to eat to the restaurant of her choosing.  I think it ended up being Chick-fil-A.  And she couldn't play on the playground because 'fancy girls all dressed up can't play on the playground and get all messy'.

At the dance, a friend of ours took some wonderful pictures of them dancing...

The church family life center was decorated beautifully (so I'm told) and there were craft activities for the girls to do and lots of candy and an ice cream bar.  I was also told that Tatum went for four bowls of ice cream...or rather bowls of toppings with a smattering of ice cream at the bottom.  Take a look at the picture below and you be the judge??

They had a remarkable time.  I'm not sure how Daddy managed to make it through dancing with his princess after some of the daddy-daughter songs he told me they played, but he did.

I had a work banquet to attend this same night as well, and when I got home Tatum wasn't asleep yet, so she gave me the quick highlights of her night.  I could tell by those highlights that this will be one of those nights that just sticks with her. 

Watch out, boys.  We're going to teach this little girl just how a princess is supposed to be treated!